MUSCAT: The Ministry of Labour Oman has announced the introduction of a new professional accreditation system aimed at regulating occupational classification and professional licensing within Oman’s industrial sector, as part of wider efforts to organise the labour market and enhance workforce efficiency. In a statement issued on January 29, 2026, the ministry said the system…
WASHINGTON: Sleeping or bored? For U.S. President Donald Trump, it’s in the eye of the beholder. Trump on Thursday said he was not asleep, just bored, during his cabinet meeting in December, when he shut his eyes for several extended periods. “Some people said he closed his eyes. Look, it got pretty boring,” Trump told…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Wednesday established a Joint Working Group on IT and Digital Economy to collaborate in emerging technologies and digital transformation. During the 13th Session of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) held in Colombo, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic relations further and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors….
BEIJING: China on Thursday executed 11 people linked to Myanmar criminal gangs, including “key members” involved in telecom scam operations, state media reported. Fraud compounds have flourished in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands, part of a multibillion-dollar illicit industry. The centres are typically staffed by foreigners — including many Chinese — with many saying they were trafficked…
A plane crash in northeast Colombia on Wednesday killed all 15 people on board, including a local lawmaker, state-run airline Satena said. The Beechcraft 1900 twin-engined turboprop plane took off before noon from Cucuta, on the border with Venezuela, for a short flight to the town of Ocana, Satena said. Air traffic control lost contact…
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan told the UN Security Council on Thursday that it has joined the US-led Board of Peace (BoP) in support of its mandate under the 15-member body’s Resolution 2803, which reaffirms its commitment to efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace based on Palestinian self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law. “The…
London: A newly announced EU–India Security and Defence Partnership has come under intense scrutiny from human rights advocates, who warn that the European Union is legitimizing India’s accelerating authoritarianism while ignoring widespread abuses against minorities, civil society, and the press. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently described India as “the world’s largest democracy”…
Ethiopia has declared the end of an outbreak of Marburg virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, after the disease killed at least nine people. The Horn of Africa country announced on November 14, 2025, the outbreak of the highly infectious disease Marburg Virus, similar to Ebola. According to the preliminary reports, Marburg…
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next U.S. attack would be far worse. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for…
PARIS: There can be no negotiations between Washington and Tehran if the United States makes threats against the Islamic republic, the Iranian foreign minister said Wednesday, with President Donald Trump refusing to rule out military action over Iran’s crackdown on protesters. “Conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful. If they want negotiations…