News

Omani Author’s Novel Shortlisted for Abdul Hameed Shoman Children Literature Award Amman, 3 Sep (ONA) --- A novel authored by Omani writer Ruqayya Abdullah Al Badi has been shortlisted for the 18th edition of “The Abdul Hameed Shoman Children’s Literature Award”. The novel, titled "The Boy Who Ran with His Heart", focused on the theme of "Adventure Literature", a genre of discourse dedicated to the age group 12-16 years.Shoman Foundation appointed a jury tasked with assessing the entries to the award. The jury comprised professionals in literature, criticism, and ...

Chinese Researchers Develop Technologies to Better Protect 5,000-Year-Old Ruin SiteBeijing, 1 Sep (ONA) --- Chinese researchers have recently unveiled a series of technological methods based on a six-year-long program to effectively address the issue of high humidity in site museums, creating a more suitable preservation environment for cultural relics. The program, carried out at the Dadiwan Site, a Neolithic site dated approximately 8,000 to 4,800 years ago, in Qin'an County, northwest China's Gansu Province, involved researchers from Dunhuang Academy and Northwest ...

Royal Opera House Muscat Unveils Season 2024/2025 Muscat, 18 Aug (ONA) ---- The Royal Opera House Muscat has unveiled details of its season 2024/2025, a season of highlights and exciting moments, with world-class performances for everyone to enjoy. The season is built from a significant variety, featuring more than 50 performances in the main programming, offering no less than 5 operas, 9 Arab music concerts, 7 classical concerts, 4 family shows, 3 world music concerts, 1 extraordinary ballet, and a dazzling jazz concert. Leading Arab and Western artists will grace ...

ROHM to Announce its New Season 2024/25 on 18 August Muscat, 12 Aug (ONA) --- Following a triumphant 2023/24 season marked by stellar performances, the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is poised to unveil its highly anticipated new season. The official announcement is scheduled to take place on 18 August 2024 and broadcast live online via the ROHM YouTube channel. Following the announcement, tickets for the upcoming season will be available for purchase on the ROHM website. ROHM extends a warm invitation to all enthusiasts of the performing arts to join the virtual launch ...

Bab Al Salam Mosque Included in “2024 List of World's Greatest Places” Muscat, 31 Jul (ONA) --- The American magazine "Time" included Bab Al Salam Mosque in Muscat in the list of the world's greatest places for the year 2024. The magazine said that, “For years, the Middle East’s cutting-edge skyscrapers have stood side by side with opulent mosques rooted in centuries of classical Islamic architecture.” The magazine pointed out that, lately, a wave of more contemporary houses of worship have emerged on the skylines of Gulf cities, often paying tribute to age-old ...

Beijing Central Axis Included Into UNESCO World Heritage List New Delhi, 28 Jul (ONA) --- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included the People’s Republic of China’s Beijing Central Axis in its world heritage list, recognizing its integrity, authenticity, and protection and management status, the Xinhua news agency reported. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee believes that the Beijing Central Axis represents a unique type in the history of world cities, embodies traditional Chinese philosophical concepts and makes significant ...

RAO Band Wins Trophy of Infantry, Military Discipline Competition in ScotlandEdinburgh, 28 Jul (ONA) --- The Royal Army of Oman (RAO) Music Band won first place in the World Infantry and Military Discipline Competition held in Scotland, United Kingdom. The RAO band also won fifth place in Dumbarton contest on playing musical instruments. The contest saw the participation of 128 teams from different countries of the world.Col. Ahmed Salim Al Shukairi, Director of the RAO Music Band, said that Oman took the lead in the World Bagpipes and Drums Competition in Scotland, winning ...

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque Draws 25 Million Visitors in 4 Years Istanbul, 24 Jul (ONA) --- The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, a major attraction for both domestic and international tourists in Istanbul, has welcomed approximately 25 million visitors in the four years since it was reopened for worship. Originally used as a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia became a mosque in 1453. In 1934, it was converted into a museum under a government decree, serving in that capacity for 86 years. On 10 July 2020, the court case filed by the ...

Exhibition Showcases Astonishing, Rare Artworks by European Artists in Delhi Delhi, 21 Jul (ONA) --- A new exhibition in Delhi showcasing rare artworks by European artists gives insights into how the British ruled the country. Called Destination India: Foreign Artists in India, 1857-1947, the show focuses on artists who travelled to colonial India from around the world. The representation of India through the European and British artists has “long been a subject of intrigue and exploration”, writes Indian MP and author Shashi Tharoor, in an introduction to the show, ...

Brazilian Researchers Discover Dinosaur Fossil after Heavy Rains in Rio Grande do Sul Rio de Janeiro, 17 Jul (ONA) --- A team of Brazilian scientists has discovered a fossilized skeleton of what they believe is one of the world’s oldest dinosaurs after heavy rains in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul accelerated the natural process of erosion. The fossil found next to a reservoir in the municipality of Sao Joao do Polesine is around 233 million years old, according to paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Müller, who led the team from the Federal University of Santa Maria that ...

Ancient Silk Road Underground Tombs Museum Opens in China Beijing, 15 Jul (ONA) --- About eight meters underneath a bustling street in Kuqa in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a complex of tombs has lain dormant for more than 1,700 years. However, the tombs, which date back to the ancient Silk Road, brought back to life, thanks to a unique museum. The underground museum of the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420) ancient tombs opened in Kuqa County today, an area that previously belonged to the ancient Qiuci State. The Qiuci State, which commenced ...

UK’s Rarest and Most Valuable Stamp Set to Sell for £650,000London, 10 Jul (ONA) --- Britain's “rarest and most valuable” stamp is set to be sold for more than half a million pounds. Stamp dealer Paul Fraser Collectibles has confirmed it will be selling a Plate 77 Penny Red from 1864. The Victorians issued 21 billion Penny Reds, but just nine examples from printing plate 77 exist today, the dealer said. Only one sheet of 240 stamps from printing Plate 77 was produced before authorities realised the plate was defective. They destroyed the printing plate and the ...

Hollywood Icon Paramount Agrees $28bn Merger Deal Los Angeles, 8 Jul (ONA) --- One of Hollywood's oldest companies, Paramount Global, has agreed to merge with independent film studio Skydance Media. Under the deal, Paramount's non-executive chair Shari Redstone will sell her family's controlling stake in the company in a complex transaction that will result in a new firm worth around $28bn (£21.9bn), BBC news reported. It marks the end of an era for the Redstone family, whose late patriarch, Sumner Redstone, transformed a chain of drive-in cinemas into a vast media ...

Bisya and Salut Visitor Centre in Bahla Receives Over 7,000 Visitors Bahla, 8 Jul (ONA) ---- The number of visitors to the Bisya and Salut Visitor Centre in Wilayat of Bahla since its opening in February 2023 until the end of May 2024 reached 7,546 of various nationalities from inside and outside Oman, according to the data of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MoHT). The establishment of the Centre aims to prepare archaeological sites for tourism and to introduce the visitors' to the historical significance of the Bisya and Salut archaeological area, as well as the history ...

Italian State Museums Attract Record 58 Million Visitors in 2023Rome, 4 Jul (ONA) --- Italy saw a record number of visitors to its state-run museums in 2023, the Ministry of Culture said in Rome, as tourists flocked to the Mediterranean country's impressive array of monuments and archaeological sites. Just under 58 million visits to Italian state-run museums were tallied, topping the previous record of 55 million from 2018 before the coronavirus pandemic. The figure was also a significant increase on 2022's 46 million. The single most visited attraction was the ...

Screenwriter Robert Towne Dies Aged 89 California, 3 Jul (ONA) --- Robert Towne, who wrote films including Chinatown and Mission: Impossible, has been remembered as one of Hollywood's greatest screenwriters following his death at the age of 89. Towne won an Oscar for his 1974 crime and corruption thriller Chinatown, which starred Jack Nicholson as a private detective. He was nominated for four Oscars during his career in total, including for co-writing 1975's Shampoo with the film's star Warren Beatty. Towne also had a high reputation as a script doctor, ...

National Museum Marks Historic Relations Between Oman-Somalia Muscat, 1 Jul (ONA) --- The National Museum today organized a cultural program to celebrate historic Omani-Somali relations. The program included the presentation of a series of research papers. The first paper titled 'Historical Relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Federal Republic of Somalia' was presented by Sayyid Abdul Wahab bin Suleiman Al Busaidi, a researcher in Omani-Somali relations' history. The paper discussed similarities between Oman and Somalia from various aspects, highlighting their ...

Oman Across Ages Museum, Russian Hermitage Museum Explore Boosting Cooperation Moscow, 30 Jun (ONA) --- A meeting was held today between Oman Across Ages Museum and the State Hermitage Museum of the Russian Federation to explore means of enhancing areas of future cooperation. The meeting touched on means of benefiting from expertise and capabilities and exchanging visits between the two museums. Moreover, AlYaqdhan Abdullah Al Harthy, Director General of Oman Across Ages Museum toured the facilities and halls of the State Hermitage Museum. He also viewed the museum’s ...

Oman Participates in Seoul International Book Fair 2024Seoul, 26 Jun (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman is taking part, as a distinguished guest, in the 66th edition of Seoul International Book Fair 2024. The event, which will continue until 30 June 2024. The participation marks the 50th anniversary of Omani-Korean diplomatic relations.Inspired by the architectural design that combines symbols of history and modern life, Oman’s pavilion at the book fair features a variety of cultural publications presented by government units, civil society institutions and tourism ...

Journalist Anne Applebaum Wins Peace Prize of German Book Trade Berlin, 25 Jun (ONA) ---- The Polish-American journalist Anne Applebaum will receive the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade 2024, the award's Foundation Board announced today.The award is traditionally handed out at the end of the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the world's largest publishing industry events, and will be presented this year on 20 October."At a time when democratic values and achievements are increasingly being caricatured and attacked, her work embodies an eminent and indispensable contribution to ...

Beijing Book Fair Promotes Cross-cultural Exchanges through Literature Beijing, 24 Jun (ONA) --- The 30th Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) attracted 1,600 exhibitors from 71 countries and regions to showcase 220,000 Chinese and international titles. Over 1,000 cultural events were held, with more than 2,100 copyright trade agreements or statements of intent reached. Billed as the world's second-largest book fair, the BIBF broadens the channel for Chinese culture to go global and serves as a bridge for exchanges and mutual learning among ...

Shark Kills 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Actor Tamayo Perry in HawaiiHonolulu, 24 Jun (ONA) --- The surfer, lifeguard and actor Tamayo Perry was attacked and killed by a shark off the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Perry, 49, died while surfing near Oahu's North Shore, said Kurt Lager of the city of Honolulu's Ocean Safety Division. Perry appeared in the 2002 surf film "Blue Crush" with Kate Bosworth. He also had a small role in the fourth installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. First responders brought him by jet ski to Mālaekahana Beach, where he was ...

Oman Participates in Seoul Book Fair 2024 as “Special Guest” Muscat, 24 Jun (ONA) --- The Sultanate of Oman will participate as a “distinguished guest” at Seoul International Book Fair, which will be held from 26 to 30 June to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Omani-Korean cultural relations. The 2024 Seoul International Book Fair chose the Sultanate of Oman to be a special guest at the book fair, which marks the golden jubilee of Oman-Korea relations. The event offers an opportunity to felicitate every writer, publisher and institution that played a role in ...

Turkish Archaeologists Find Statues Dating Back to Roman TimesAnkara, 12 Jun (ONA) --- Turkish archaeologists found statues of 'Zeus and Aphrodite' dating back about 6 thousand years from Roman times during excavations in the ancient city of Aspendos, located about 48 kilometers northeast of the Turkish city of Antalya. Archaeologist and vice president of the Aspendos archaeological excavation and excavation group Hussein Tulga Gandor, explained that the found statues were about 50 centimeters tall, noting that they were exquisitely carved and certainly carved early in the ...

National Museum Organizes Cultural Evening at State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, 11 Jun (ONA) ---- The National Museum organized a cultural evening at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The event, titled "Omani Cultural Evening," was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Moscow, and the State Hermitage Museum. This event was part of the Sultanate Oman participation as the guest of honour at the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which took ...

Qatar National Library Explores Dynamics of National Identity in Globalized WorldDoha, 11 Jun (ONA) --- In the latest episode of its Cultural Salon series, Qatar National Library delved into the multifaceted aspects of national identity in an increasingly interconnected and globalized world. Titled "National Identity in a Changing World," the session provided insights into the dynamic nature of national identity amid the 21st century's shifts in demographics, and accelerating economic, cultural, and technological transformations. The session highlighted that the ...

Billion Year Old Soil Extracted From Antarctica by Russian ScientistsMoscow, 11 Jun (ONA) --- The All-Russia Scientific Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean revealed that its experts were able to extract soil from Antarctica, that is about one billion years old. Deputy Director General of the Institute, German Lichenkov, said that for the first time in history, Russian scientists were able to extract soil from Antarctica that is about a billion years old. Researchers from Petersburg and a laboratory affiliated with a Chinese ...

Turkish Artist's 30-foot Painting in Istanbul Highlights Gaza's Suffering Istanbul, 2 Jun (ONA) --- Turkish painter Kasım Tan depicts the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to raise awareness about the attacks carried out by Israel on the enclave. Tan created a 9-meter by 3-meter (30-foot by 10-foot) painting titled "Gaza" in front of the Üsküdar Valide-i Cedid Mosque in Istanbul to support Palestinians through his work, the Turkish Daily Sabah reported. Inspired by Picasso's "Guernica," Tan expressed concern as a young artist about depicting the horror of ...

The National Museum Inaugurates Exhibition "Zeina: Splendors of the Indian Courts"Muscat, 30 May (ONA) —- The National Museum today inaugurated the exhibition "Zeina: The Splendors of the Indian Court" in collaboration with Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah in the State of Kuwait. The exhibition aims to highlight the richness of Indian Islamic civilisation and showcase its beauty.The exhibition was launched under the patronage of HH Sayyida Mayyan Shihab Al Said, Chairwoman of the Omani Society for Design in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the esteemed ...

ROHM Concludes 2023/24 Season with Cairo Opera Performance Muscat, 27 May (ONA) --- The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) concluded its 2023/24 season with a captivating performance of Scheherazade by the Cairo Opera, directed by Walid Aouni. Audiences filled the Royal Opera House of Musical Arts to experience the world of 1001 Nights through a dazzling dance performance by the Cairo Opera's Modern Dance. Under the visionary direction of Walid Aouni, Artistic Director, Director, and Designer of the Egyptian Modern Dance, the performance spellbound audiences with its ...