Tag Archives: Sultan Qaboos

News, Politics, Government

Oman to shift weekend to Friday start

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Oman will switch to a Friday-Saturday weekend to align its banking and business days with most other nations in the region.

Currently, Oman and neighboring Saudi Arabia follow a Thursday-Friday weekend. But other countries in the Gulf start their two-day weekends on Friday, the Muslim day of prayer.

The decree by Oman‘s ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, also ordered private companies to give their employees the same number of religious holidays as civil servants in an effort to make non-state jobs more attractive.

Oman has faced sporadic Arab Spring-inspired protests demanding greater employment opportunities.

The new weekend decree, carried Sunday by the official Oman News Agency, will take effect May 1.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News

News, Politics, Government

Rights groups praise Oman pardon for protesters

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International rights groups and others are hailing Oman‘s decision to pardon all activists jailed for offending the nation’s ruler or joining protests.

The move by Oman‘s leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, runs counter to widening social media crackdowns by other Gulf Arab states.

Dozens of people have been charged in recent months across the Gulf for blogs, Twitter messages and other posts deemed insulting to rulers or threats to state security.

Amnesty International on Sunday called Oman‘s decision a positive step and urged authorities to further lift restrictions on freedom of expression. The Omani Lawyers Association also praised the blanket pardon announced last week.

The prisoners were expected to be freed beginning Sunday. No figures were given, but dozens have been jailed on Internet- or protest-linked charges since early 2011.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News

News, Politics, Government

Oman council backs wage-hike proposals

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State television in Oman says the country’s highest advisory body has backed proposals for a steep rise in the minimum wage and curbs on foreign workers.

The move is seen as an attempt to ease worries over unemployment in the tightly ruled Arabian Peninsula nation, which has been hit by sporadic Arab Spring-inspired protests over the past two years.

The state TV report Saturday said the minimum wage would rise by 60 percent to 325 rials ($844) a month in July. Foreign workers — who come mainly from South Asia — would be limited to 33 percent of the population, down from an estimated 40 percent currently.

The backing by the Shura Council makes it all but certain the measures will be approved by Oman‘s ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News