Latest news with #OFA
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
OFA setes outstanding players at Omantel League 2024-2025 season's finale
Muscat: Oman Football Association (OFA) on Thursday marked the conclusion of Omantel League 2024-2025 sports season's finale. The ceremony, held under the auspices of OFA Chairman Salim Said Al Wahaibi, took place in the Wilayat of A'Seeb The ceremony included a visual presentation about Omantel League's most prominent events, the season's statistics, the announcement of winners of the 'Best' awards during the 2024-2025 Omantel League season, as well as the candidates for the "Star of the Season Award".
Observer
6 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman gear up for closed friendly match with Lebanon
MUSCAT: The Oman national football team will play a crucial closed-door friendly match against Lebanon on Wednesday at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex as part of their ongoing domestic training camp in preparation for the final round of the Fifa World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers. The match will kick off at 8:00 pm (Oman time). This friendly encounter against Lebanon will serve as a final rehearsal allowing the technical staff to fine-tune the lineup and ensure peak readiness for what promises to be two defining fixtures on the road to the Fifa World Cup 2026. Oman players during the training camp Furthermore, the preparatory against Lebanon will mark the second preparatory match for the Red Warriors, following their 4-1 victory over Niger last week. The fixture which arranged at the request of both coaching staffs will take place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex venue behind closed doors to maintain tactical confidentiality ahead of the critical qualifiers. Since last Friday, Oman team moved their training sessions at Seeb Stadium, following a the coaching staff decision by head coach Rasheed Jaber and his team to shift from the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. The venue switch has allowed the squad to intensify preparations in a focused environment. Lebanon match will mark the second preparatory match Today's match may see the return of key players who missed the first friendly including Al Mundher al Alawi, Essam al Subhi and players from Seeb Club who were absent during the Niger fixture due to club commitments. Their inclusion is expected to provide valuable depth and experience to the squad as final adjustments are made before the competitive matches. The Oman Football Association (OFA) confirmed that goalkeeper Ibrahim al Mukhaini remains sidelined due to a finger injury and will be out for four weeks. Additionally, defender Amjad al Harthy has been ruled out of the upcoming qualifiers after suffering a leg injury based OFA announcement in social media channels of OFA. Oman gear up for closed friendly match with Lebanon His absence is a significant setback to the defensive lineup as Oman eyes crucial wins in the last two fixtures. It is expected that the coaching staff will work to provide the alternative player in this position. Meanwhile, Salah al Yahyaei, who is still engaged with his club duties at Al Khalidiya SC in Bahrain, is set to join the national team squad after the Lebanon match, further strengthening the side ahead of the qualifiers. Oman is currently fourth in their group with ten points from eight matches, trailing leaders South Korea by six points. With matches against Jordan on June 5 in Muscat and Palestine on June 10 in Jordan, the Red Warriors are aiming to build on their recent form and secure a place in the next stage of qualification.
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Touting the benefits of a leadership program in the ag sector
A broader understanding of agriculture and expanding your network are just a few skills emphasized in the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), which has been shaping the future of the industry for 40 years. Tracey Arts, a recent participant, says the experience led to her becoming more involved in the sector, including becoming a director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). 'I wanted more experience and to get more comfortable talking to a group of people, whether a smaller group or a larger group, which gave me the confidence to do more public speaking,' she explained of how she ended up joining the leadership program. Originally from a Niagara peninsula dairy farm, she and her husband operate a dairy farm near Thamesford. She's represented Oxford and Elgin counties as an OFA director since 2020. When looking for a leadership program, she wanted something related to agriculture, in keeping with her farming background. The AALP allowed her to learn from members of the agriculture sector across the province. 'We're always great about talking about what we know in our little area, but being a representative on the provincial level – we represent all of Ontario – I wanted some of that aspect,' she said. The OFA puts on the program with three other founding partners, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, the University of Guelph and the Foundation for Rural Living (now Rural Ontario Institute). AALP is currently training its 21st class, and the program has been running since 1984. Gabe Ferguson from the Rural Ontario Institute told The Observer how the program picks each class based on bringing together people from all sectors of agriculture and agribusiness. 'Each person who comes in is expected to donate something, with skills and knowledge that they can share with others, and to receive skills and knowledge that they need,' said Ferguson. That sharing of perspectives is the basis on which the program is set. 'We layer on top of that self-awareness, building a strong team, negotiation, trade policy, governance. We take them to seven seminars around the province of Ontario.... They have a leadership workshop and do site tours to innovative farms, businesses and rural economic development sites. And then we go on a North American study tour... and they also go internationally,' he explained. Ferguson notes that those taking the course gain networking opportunities. AALP gives participants access to 40 years of alumni who are always willing to help. 'You can always call up any alumni, and always have this connection. You can always call, not just your class, but especially your classmates, and be like, 'Hey, I have a question about this. Can you answer it for me?' 'I think it's crazy how unique that is, that you just have that immediate bond with other people who have taken AALP too.' For her part, Arts says she knows people are busy and may think they don't have time for a program like AALP, but argues the experience is well worth the effort. 'If you're thinking about it, just do it. You will not regret it. I've not heard an AALP graduate say 'I should never have taken this course.' I've always heard that 'I should have done it sooner.'' For more information about the program, see If you are interested in learning more about the program, go to .
Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Asparagus starts the ball rolling on the local growing season
Spring means that local food is coming online across Ontario at farmers' markets and roadside stalls, making it an important time to buy local, says the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. With the fresh season upon us, the OFA and its Home Grown project are promoting the more than 200 different foods and farm commodities in the province. 'Spring means the beginning of a new growing season in Ontario, which will bring with it a whole new wave of opportunities for consumers to support local food and farming businesses by buying products grown right here at home,' said OFA director Larry Davis in a release. The season's first crop is asparagus, which is shooting out of the ground at this very moment. Asparagus season is very short, but it is very intense, he notes. 'It's planted as a tuber and deep in the soil, and then it takes a little while to come to a product. Getting a crop in the first year isn't immediate. It's probably the second year before you get a crop, and then it can be harvested almost daily,' Davis explained. 'Once the weather gets warm and there is lots of sunshine, it grows quickly.' Asparagus shoots can grow 10 inches in a 24-hour period and are harvested daily. If it grows well, it can be harvested twice daily, said Davis, who farms in Norfolk County, where most of Canada's asparagus grows. Ninety per cent of the asparagus grown is a variety developed at the University of Guelph called the Guelph Millennium. It's adapted to cooler climates and produces higher yields than other varieties, the OFA notes. It is high in Vitamin A, which is considered important for vision, immunity and growth/healing, and is also a significant source of antioxidants among other nutritional benefits, according to Ontario Asparagus. Davis told The Observer that buying local produce such as asparagus not only supports area producers but also enhances local economies. 'It boosts the local food production so smaller, independent businesses can have the flexibility to cater to local markets. They can get produce from niche markets. And the local consumer needs are well addressed from local, smaller batch production.' With the current political climate of uncertainty, buying local and supporting Ontario farmers has been at the forefront of the minds of Ontarians. 'At OFA, we are seeing a dramatic surge in consumer demand for local products, based on the questions we get regularly about how to shop local, how to identify Ontario and Canadian-made products.' If you are inserted in how you can buy local or recipe ideas, go to . 'Every aspect of the economy grows when you support local,' said Davis.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Oxlade's journey: from grief to musical success
Oxlade arrives in Cape Town for the promotion of his deluxe album Image: Armand Hough "Growing up, I was raised in the slums of Muchini. I lost my mum when I was three. I then moved to my grandmother's side – my mum's mum. She happened to be a devoted Christian, and her family was musically inclined. My mum was the first of five siblings. My grandmother still had four other musically inclined children – instrumentalists and vocalists. Watching them make music helped me grow. That's how I fell in love with music," Oxlade adds. As Oxlade introduces himself, it's easy to see that his upbringing wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination. However, it was in this difficulty that he found himself – and eventually, he found music, which would go on to change his life forever. Recalling his first song, a cover titled It's Okay, Oxlade shares the story of his first time recording music. "I really liked the instrumental, and I liked the artist. Back in the day, I was inspired by that type of sound." Oxlade reflects on his life journey and music career Image: Armand Hough As we delve deeper into his personal life, Oxlade offers insight into his mindset and the ideology that drove him to where he is today. "I wasn't really looking for heights; I just wanted solitude and freedom. I wanted to do something I was made for – something I was born to do – not what others wanted me to do. In the early part of my life, I was doing things to make others proud, not to fulfil my own dreams. I found music, and music found me. Eventually, I found freedom." Along with this mentality, Oxlade was always fighting against external factors that could have hindered his development as an artist. He shares that his come-up wasn't the easiest route. "It was tough, I won't lie. Losing your mum at an early age is one of the most difficult things anyone can experience. My grandmother played a major role in making sure we didn't really feel that void. She had to work so hard to put food on the table. Thanks to God, that is history now." Discussing his latest project, OFA, Oxlade shares what inspired it. "It was inspired by me finding myself – self-awareness and identity as a Black person. Before anyone sees the superstar that I am, I felt they needed to know who I really am – someone from Africa. They say charity begins at home, so I'm showing the music I grew up listening to and incorporating it into my own music. That was the ideology behind the album." Oxlade vows to continue his global rise and inspire others Image: Armand Hough Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ When asked about his favourite song from the project, Oxlade jokingly says that if he had a favourite, he wouldn't release an album. Speaking about the features on the project, Oxlade gives us insight into how he works with other artists. "I only feature people because they are needed on the song – not because they're big or because I need the numbers. It's the art first, you know? Everyone featured on the album was handpicked and meant to be on those songs." As we begin to wrap up our interview, Oxlade reflects on the challenges he's faced along the way. "There will always be challenges. The bigger the level, the bigger the devil. It's inevitable for challenges to be part of the story. The story wouldn't slap if there was no downside to it. I just take every challenge one step at a time. We've got this." To conclude, Oxlade shares the motivation behind making music every day, despite life not always being easy. "I came from poverty, and I don't want to go back. That's the biggest inspiration a man can have, you know? Also, realising that an entire generation sees you as a beacon of light – that I am an example to so many people – I don't want to let them down. I also don't want to let myself down. Those are the reasons I keep going and keep elevating the best way I can."
