Oman's new-look Cabinet took the oath of office on Wednesday at Muscatel's Al Barakah Palace, the first new government since Sultan Haitham took office in January.
Sultan Haitham won praise when he announced the reshuffle and leaner government, devolving power away from himself and into the hands of ministers for the foreign and finance briefs.
Among the new ministers to take the oath on Wednesday was Badr Al Busaidi, who took over from long-time foreign minister Yusuf bin Alawi. A popular successor to the veteran minister, he has worked on Oman's foreign affairs for a number of years.
Financial expert Sultan Al Habsi who has served as secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Planning and head of the tax authority, among other senior positions, took over from Darwish Al Balushi.
The Cabinet also has the largest number of women to date in government in Oman, with five positions.
Other well-known ministers retained their positions, even if the titles and remits of their portfolios changed. Khalid Al Busaidi remains Diwan of the Royal Palace Minister and Mohamed Al Rumhi, will now lead the Energy and Minerals Department, formerly named the Ministry of Oil and Gas.
Badr Al Busaidi paid tribute to his former boss, Yusuf bin Alawi on Wednesday evening, as he received the Royal Order of Commendation from Sultan Haitham.
"I would also like to express my own feelings towards this sober Omani figure, the human minister, worthy teacher, and honest mentor," he wrote on Twitter. "Thank you."
The new Cabinet came as Oman’s Sultan Haitham on Tuesday issued royal directives to provide free laptops to Omanis enrolling for colleges and universities in the academic year starting in September.
The official Oman News Agency said the computers would be distributed to students in poor Omani families and those registered in the social security service.
About 43,000 higher education students have registered for the new academic year, of whom about 17 per cent will qualify under the initiative.
The low-income families fall into two categories: families who earn less than 500 rials (Dh4,775) a month are in the first category, while the second have no income and rely on welfare payments from the government. Such families typically live in social housing.
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
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Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
