Coronavirus: Oman will suspend tourist visas to all countries
March 13, 2020, 11:36 am

Coronavirus: Oman will suspend tourist visas to all countries

Flag of Oman. (Supplied)

The Sultanate of Oman will be suspending tourist visas for travelers from all countries to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus, the Oman News Agency (ONA) reported on Thursday.

Oman has confirmed 19 cases of the virus in the country.

The decision to halt tourist visas came after a supreme committee meeting with the Minister of Interior Hamoud bin Faisal al-Busaidi, according to ONA. The committee was formed to deal with the outbreak in the country under the orders of Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said.

All sports activities and activities outside of the classroom will also be suspended.

Cruise ships will also be banned from docking in Oman’s ports, ONA reported.

Restaurants, coffee shops, and lounges will be prohibited from selling shisha, the report said. levant

The committee advised citizens and residents to avoid traveling abroad and to take precautionary measures during large group gatherings.

source: Tamara Abueish levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”