Omani exhibition in Russia attracts over 400,000 visitors
Muscat: As many as 414,481 visitors turned up at an exhibition titled 'Omani Empire between Asia and Africa', held at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, from December 2023 to January 2025.
The exhibition, the second of its kind to be organised as part of Oman Hall Initiative, was applauded by visitors from different countries of the world.
The visitors expressed their great appreciation for the unique collections which, they said, reflected the deep-rooted history of the Sultanate of Oman.
The exhibition included a selection of artefacts that represented Al Yaruba Dynasty and Al Busaidi Dynasty, which established two maritime empires in the 17th century and whose glory peaked in the 17th Century. The artefacts indicate important aspects of Oman's historical identity as a role model for a prosperous, global, multicultural and tolerant nation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
3 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Israeli forces halt aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and detain activists
The activists had set out to protest against Israel's ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, both of which have put the territory of some two million Palestinians at risk of famine. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage, said the activists were 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' while trying to deliver desperately needed aid to the territory. 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies —confiscated,' it said in a statement. Israel's Foreign Ministry cast the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel'. It said the passengers would return to their home countries and the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. 'I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,' Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was halted. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a two-and-a-half-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for months. Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to continue the war until all the captives are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and exiled.
Local Italy
3 minutes ago
- Local Italy
Paltry turnout dims Italy citizenship reform hopes as referendum enters second day
The citizenship referendum, which asks Italians to vote on a proposal to cut the current 10-year residency requirement for naturalisation claims down to five years, needs a voter turnout of over 50 percent for its result to be valid. If this threshold (or quorum) isn't met, the referendum won't count, whatever its result may be. As of 11pm on Sunday, voter turnout for the citizenship vote stood at 22.73 percent, according to Italy's interior ministry. Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna were the regions with the highest voter turnout, with 29.98 and 28.86 percent respectively. The lowest regional turnout figures were recorded in Trentino Alto Adige (16.13 percent), Calabria (16.22) and Sicily (16.32). Voter turnout in the other four referendums, which concern labour law provisions on unlawful dismissals, severance compensation in small businesses, employment contract conditions and contractors' liability over workplace injuries, also stood at around 22.7 percent. Polls around Italy reopened at 7am on Monday for the second and last voting day. Polling stations are set to close at 3pm, with final turnout figures expected to be released by Monday evening. Voter turnout in all five referendums was expected to fall well short of the quorum on Monday. According to Italian media projections, final voter participation was forecast to stand between 30 and 35 percent. The projections were in line with surveys conducted in the leadup to the vote, which forecast that only one in three Italians would head to the polls on June 8th-9th. Voter turnout in national referendums has historically been low in Italy. Of 77 referendums held over the past 50 years, only 39 met the voter threshold. And only four of those were held in the past 30 years. Political analysts had expressed concerns that the abstention rate may be particularly high in the June referendums after the ruling hard-right coalition, which strongly opposes the proposed labour and citizenship reforms, publicly called on its supporters to boycott the vote. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that she would go to her polling station but not vote in any of the referendums, including the citizenship vote, sparking cries of outrage among opposition members. Meloni later defended her decision to abstain from voting, saying that abstention was 'a right for everyone'. "I don't agree with the subjects of the referendums and, as has always been the case in the nation's history, when you don't agree, abstention is also an option," she said.
Glasgow Times
4 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow baked potato spot shows off unique new dish
Boston Spuds, which opened in April in the East End, took to Facebook to show customers its new baked potato topping - doner kebab meat. The venue, which specialises in baked spuds, showed off the new dish in a video on the social media app, where they asked: "Is this Scotland's first baked potato kebab?" READ MORE: Exciting new baked potato spot opening in Glasgow The clip opens with a staff member saying: "Kebab topped totty." It then shows off the delicious kebab-topped spud before a punter tries the dish out. They said: "Came all the way back from Santa Ponsa (Majorca, Spain) to try the new kebab baked totty here at Boston Spuds, let's see what it's all about." After trying the dish, the customer said: "Different class. I didn't think it would work, but it's class." READ MORE: Popular Glasgow restaurant named one of the best 'al fresco' spots in the UK READ MORE: Foodies buzzing as new eatery has opened in Glasgow Ahead of its opening in April, we reported how hungry foodies were left buzzing about the new spot. The new baked potato diner opened in the city's East End on April 9, 2025, on Alexandra Parade.
