Kuwait

New York, US- H E Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs participated in a meeting between foreign ministers of the GCC countries, Jordan, Iraq and the US on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, on Wednesday.

H E Mohammed bin Hamad al Rumhi, Minister of Oil and Gas has said that oil prices are unlikely to reach US$80 per barrel in the near future.

One of the world’s largest and most comprehensive surveys on life abroad has ranked Oman as the most friendly country.

The GCC Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs and Development approved at their fifth meeting on Wednesday at the GCC Advisory Board of the Supreme Council in Muscat a number of decisions related to allowing the GCC citizens to start private manpower recruitment activities in any GCC state.

Some entities in Oman are advocating lifting of ban on e-cigarettes. However, the National Tobacco Control Committee (NTCC) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) are strongly resisting the move due to detrimental health consequences of such products, especially in light of the recent first death attributed to e-cigarettes in the US and with 120 cases of young people being hospitalised.

According to Colliers MENA Review for the second quarter, an additional 2,100 rooms will mark the entry into all of the four markets by year end.

As most central banks in the GCC last week reduced their key policy rates following the US Fed decision, this is expected to speed up economic recovery and give a boost to business activity in the region.

The Special Economic Zone of Duqm (SEZD) is witnessing rapid changes at various levels. Apart from the implementation of various public and private sector projects, Duqm Refinery, a venture between Oman and Kuwait is coming up in the zone.

Hassan al Matrooshi has become the first Omani to win an award in the prestigious international poetry contest Tulliola-Renato Filippelli in Italy.

Oman Airports has announced that Salalah welcomed the first flight of SalamAir from Kuwait and the first direct flight from Etihad Airways.