HM the Sultan receives thanks cables from Emir of Qatar, President of Djibouti
in response to His Majesty's cable of greetings on the occasion of his country's National Day.
In the two cables, the two leaders expressed their appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan, wishing him good health, wellbeing and success. They also wished the bilateral relations and cooperation between their respective countries and the Sultanate of Oman further development and growth.
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Times of Oman
2 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Trump called Netanyahu to 'rectify' Gaza, Syria strikes: White HouseA
WashingtonTrump called Netanyahu to 'rectify' Gaza, Syria strikes: White House: US President Donald Trump was caught off guard by recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Syria and called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "rectify" both situations, the White House confirmed, according to CNN. A strike on the only Catholic Church in Gaza last Thursday drew an immediate reaction from Trump, who called Netanyahu to express his displeasure and ensure the Israeli leader issued a statement labelling the attack a mistake, CNN reported. Trump was also surprised by Israeli airstrikes in the Syrian capital Damascus, which came as his administration works to stabilise the war-torn country. "The president enjoys a good working relationship with Bibi Netanyahu, and stays in frequent communication with him. He was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic Church in Gaza," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday. "In both accounts, the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify those situations," she added. CNN noted that despite being close allies, Trump and Netanyahu share a complicated relationship marked by periods of mutual distrust. While they cooperated closely during this summer's joint air campaign in Iran, the personal dynamic between them has remained strained. Leavitt also pointed to diplomatic efforts in Syria led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has worked to ease tensions as the U.S. lifts sanctions and supports new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader, CNN reported. Trump had hoped Netanyahu's recent visit to Washington would yield progress toward a ceasefire in Gaza, including the release of hostages held by Hamas and expanded humanitarian aid access. Despite Trump's repeated assertions that a deal was imminent, Netanyahu departed the U.S. without any announcement, CNN reported. CNN quoted sources familiar with the negotiations as saying all parties are still awaiting a response from Hamas to the latest ceasefire and hostage release proposal. In a statement Monday, Hamas said it was "exerting all our efforts and energies around the clock" to reach an agreement. Leavitt said Trump remains deeply concerned about the growing toll of the Gaza conflict. "The president's message on this conflict we've seen in the Middle East taking place for far too long, that has become quite brutal, especially in recent days, you've seen reports of more people dying. I think the president never likes to see that. He wants the killing to end," she said. She further praised Trump's efforts to push humanitarian aid into Gaza. "The president is the reason that aid is even being distributed in Gaza at all," Leavitt stated, as per CNN. "He wants to see this done in a peaceful manner, where more lives are not being lost." CNN also reported that over 1,000 people have died seeking humanitarian relief in Gaza since late May, according to local health ministry figures. Foreign ministers from 25 nations recently criticized Israel for "drip feeding" aid into the region. "It's a very difficult and complicated situation that the president inherited because of the weakness of the last administration. And I think he should be applauded," Leavitt added. "The president wants to see peace and he's been pretty clear on that."
Times of Oman
21 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Preference modification phase for new academic year registration, admission to begin tomorrow
Muscat: The preference modification phase for registration and admission for the 2025/2026 academic year will begin tomorrow 'Tuesday' and continue until Thursday 31 July. The results of the initial sorting will be announced on the evening of Tuesday, 19 August, while accepted students will have the opportunity to complete their procedures starting from Tuesday, 19 August until noon on Sunday 24 August. Ahmed Mohammed Al Azri, Director General of the Higher Education Admission Centre (HEAC) at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, stated that the number of available seats received from government higher education institutions, domestic scholarships, private sector grants for private higher education institutions, and external scholarships and grants from Arab countries for the 2025/2026 academic year has reached 29,252 seats. Of these, 16,884 seats are in various government higher education institutions, 607 are for external scholarships and grants, while the number of domestic scholarships and grants for study at private universities and colleges in the Sultanate of Oman stands at 11,761. He added that the preference modification phase is one of the most critical stages of registration, allowing students to finalize their program choices in the system for the initial sorting competition. He noted that the updates this year focus on two main aspects, namely admission procedures and academic programs. Regarding admission procedures, the center will launch this year a self-funded admission system, regulating student admissions at Sultan Qaboos University on a self-financed basis, in addition to educational specialization programs at private higher education institutions within Oman (Sohar University, Nizwa University, Dhofar University, and the University of Al Sharqiyah). The center has issued a student guide detailing all information related to this system, coinciding with the preference modification phase. Registration under this system will open after the initial sorting. Additionally, he noted that updates to the Unified Admission System include the launch of a complaint submission service on the Unified Government Services Portal, reinforcing government efforts to facilitate access to e-services and streamline transactions through a single platform. As for academic program updates, he pointed out that higher education institutions (scholarship providers) have aligned programs with labour market demands. New domestic scholarship programs for bachelor's degrees include Emergency Medical Services Science, Environmental Management and Practices, and Human Medicine at Dhofar University. Domestic scholarships have also been introduced for students with learning difficulties to study at private higher education institutions. Al Azri further added that new external scholarships have been introduced for specializations overseen by the External Scholarships Department at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, such as Healthcare, Health Planning, Health Risk Management, Therapeutic Nutrition, Law, and Actuarial Studies. He said that the ministry, represented by the Domestic Scholarships Department, has also directed scholarships toward high-demand specializations in the labour market, including Process Engineering, Production Operations, Occupational Health and Safety, Welding, Mining, Renewable Energy, Quality Control Management, Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Legal Assistant Studies. Additionally, new professional diploma scholarships for Air Transport Pilot Licenses have been introduced at the Oman Aviation Academy. He noted that government higher education institutions have expanded their programs and specializations. 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The trial sorting results showed that 1,936 students with an 80% grade or higher did not receive a preliminary program offer. 76% of them had listed too few preferences, focusing on highly competitive, limited specializations. Additionally, 247 students with a 90% grade or higher did not receive a preliminary offer, with 84% of them listing fewer than 30 preferences. This highlights the need for students to include more program options and diversify their choices across institutions and disciplines. In conclusion, Al Azri urged students to maximize their program selections (meeting admission requirements) and prioritize them by preference to enhance their chances of securing a seat. He also stressed the importance of diversifying choices across institutions and specializations and encouraged following the center's website for updates on registration and admission stages.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Workshop held to highlight Oman's circular economy gap calculation project
Muscat: The Ministry of Economy on Monday organised the second workshop on the "Circularity Gap Report - Oman." This initiative aims to develop a national roadmap for the circular economy. Dr. Nasser Rashid Al Maawali, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, clarified that the project to calculate the circular economy gap in Oman is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. This underscores Oman's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. In a press statement, the Minister explained that this crucial national project has three main objectives: establishing a national baseline to measure the circular economy gap and compare it with other countries, designing a circular economy roadmap for Oman, and empowering and enhancing national capabilities in the circular economy sector for both public and private entities. Al Maawali affirmed that the project will foster sustainable, low-carbon economic development and create new investment opportunities in renewable areas related to alternative energy and the green economy. Earlier in the workshop, Ahmed Said Al Siyabi, Director General of Economic Policies and Programs at the Ministry of Economy, delivered a speech. He emphasised that the workshop aimed to review and discuss the preliminary results of calculating the baseline for the circular economy gap across various sectors. He added that the workshop also introduced accompanying initiatives, such as training programs and a proposed interactive platform to showcase project results and outputs. Furthermore, the workshop presented preliminary models illustrating the impact of applying circular economy policies on environmental and economic indicators, including employment opportunities. During the workshop, visual presentations showcased developments in the study to calculate the circular economy gap in Oman, along with a presentation and discussion of the project's preliminary results. Attendees also participated in group discussions to present and analyse models and scenarios for measuring the impact of implementing circular economy strategies and policies on environmental impact and job opportunities. The significance of the circular economy lies in its pivotal role in promoting sustainability, efficient resource utilisation, waste reduction, and recycling as a sustainable model, moving away from the traditional resource-depleting model.
