Latest news with #RoyalCourtAffairs
Observer
5 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman in Group G in AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers
MUSCAT: Oman U-23 team will vie for an automatic ticket to the final as they will face Iraq, Pakistan and the hosts Cambodia in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers which will table place during September 1-9, 2025. The 44 Asian teams were distributed into eleven groups for the qualifiers and the toppers of each group and four best best-ranked runners-up will join the hosts Saudi Arabia, in the final finals which will take place earlier in 2026. The Asian event draw which took place in the headquarter of AFC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, saw the hosts Jordan team in group A beside Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei and Bhutan. Japan, two-time champions, will take on Kuwait, Afghanistan and the hosts in Group B. Vietnam will host group C competitions and they will face Yemen, Singapore and Bangladesh. Australia will lead the Group D cast beside the hosts China PR, Timor-Leste and Northern Mariana Islands. Group E comprised from Uzbekistan 2018 winners, Palestine and Kyrgyzstan as the hosts. Sri Lanka clubbed with the hosts Thailand, Malaysia, Lebanon and Mongolia in Group F. Qatar will host group H matches and it will feature Bahrain, India and Brunei Darussalam teams UAE team will eye for an automatic spot to the finals as they try to utilise the hosts advantage of group I matches and they will play against Iran, Hong Kong and Guam. Group J will see 2020 champions South Korea, Indonesia as hosts, Laos and Macau while Group K comprised from Tajikistan (hosts), Syria, Philippines and Nepal teams. Oman in Group G in AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers Oman Olympic U-23 team, coached by Badar al Maimani, are underway in their domestic camp in Muscat. The team played friendly match against Royal Court Affairs team on Wednesday night and ended for the latter by 2-1. The following warm up fixture for the Olympic team will be against Royal Navy Oman team on Thursday before heading off to Moscow on 1st June for the external camp. Oman team will meet Russia Olympic team in Moscow twice as part of the external preparatory camp which will take place in June. Oman team will eye to claim maximum technical output from the abroad camp in Moscow which will feature two friendly matches against Russia Olympic team and one more match against local Russian team. This camp in Russia will act as a key preparation stage for the team's preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers which will begin in coming September. DRAW RESULT: Group A: Jordan (H), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, Bhutan Group B: Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (H), Afghanistan Group C: Vietnam (H), Yemen, Singapore, Bangladesh Group D: Australia, China PR (H), Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana Islands Group E: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Sri Lanka Group F: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Lebanon, Mongolia Group G: Iraq, Cambodia (H), Oman, Pakistan Group H: Qatar (H), Bahrain, India, Brunei Darussalam Group I: UAE (H), IR Iran, Hong Kong, China, Guam Group J: Korea Republic, Indonesia (H), Laos, Macau Group K: Tajikistan (H), Syria, Philippines, Nepal
Observer
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman in pot three ahead of U23 Asian Cup draw
MUSCAT, May 23 Oman Olympic team positioned in level three beside Singapore, India, Lebanon, Laos, Timor-Leste, Chinese Taipei, Philippines and China teams ahead of the official draw of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 qualifiers which will take place on Thursday at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. As many as 44 teams including Oman team will eye to secure slot to the Asian finals in Saudi Arabia next year in January. The qualifiers will take place between September 1 and 9, 2025. Fifteen teams will move to the finals from the qualifying stage and vie for the Asian title in Saudi Arabia which is hosting this event for the first time in the history. The hosts Saudi Arabia confirmed their berth to the finals as they are hosting the event while 15 more teams will join them in the final. From the 11 groups, the toppers of each group will secure their slot to the finals while the overall four best-ranked runners-up will join to the final too. The qualifying matches will be played in next September in a centralised league format. The Asian teams distributed into different pots while Oman positioned in pot three. The distribution of the teams into different levels was based on a points system derived from their final rankings across the previous three editions of the Finals. coach Badar al Maimani The first pot included: Uzbekistan (1), Japan (2), Iraq (3), Korea Republic (5), Australia (7). In Pot two, Kuwait (14) topped this pot beside Islamic Republic of Iran (15), Turkmenistan (16), Malaysia (17), Bahrain (19), Palestine (20), Syria (21) and Yemen (22). Pot 3 featured Oman (25), Singapore (26), India (28), Lebanon (29), Laos (30), Timor-Leste (31), Chinese Taipei (32), Philippines (33) and China (34). Pot four comprised: Afghanistan (35), Bangladesh (36), Mongolia (37), Guam (39), Pakistan (41), Macau (42), Nepal (43), Brunei Darussalam (44), Sri Lanka (45), Bhutan (46) and Northern Mariana Islands (47). The last hosts Pot featured from: Vietnam (6; Seed: 1), Qatar (8;1), Thailand (9;1), Jordan (10;1), Tajikistan (11;1), United Arab Emirates (12;1), Indonesia (13;2), China PR (18;2), Cambodia (23;2), Myanmar (24;3), Kyrgyz Republic (27;3). On the other side, Oman Olympic U-23 team are underway in their domestic camp in Muscat. The team played friendly match against Royal Court Affairs team on Wednesday night and ended for the latter by 2-1. The following warm up fixture for the Olympic team will be against Royal Navy Oman team on May 30 before heading off to Moscow on June 1 for the external camp. Oman team, coached by Badar al Maimani, will meet Russia Olympic team in Moscow twice as part of the external preparatory camp which will take place in June. Oman team will eye to claim maximum technical output from the abroad camp in Moscow which will feature two friendly matches against Russia Olympic team and one more match against local Russian team. This camp in Russia will act as a key preparation stage for the team's preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers which will begin in coming September.
Observer
20-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
International conference on museum concludes with recommendations
MANAH, MAY 20 The International Conference on Museums concluded on Tuesday at the Oman Across Ages Museum under the auspices of Nasr bin Hamoud al Kindi, Secretary-General of the Royal Court Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Museum. In its final statement, the conference provided a series of key recommendations aimed at reinforcing the integrated management of cultural heritage that includes advancing digital documentation, oral storytelling, and institutional partnerships to solidify the role of museums as living memory hubs and sustainable drivers of cultural and tourism development. Dr Mohammed bin Ali al Balushi, Head of the Scientific Committee, delivered the closing statement emphasising the importance of developing multilingual and multimedia museum programmes to enhance visitor experience, expanding participation in both national and international cultural tourism routes, and integrating museums into tourism strategies through innovative models such as archaeological site museums and intangible heritage museums. These approaches aim to safeguard cultural diversity and stimulate local economies. The conference recommended anchoring museums within urban and tourism planning frameworks as creative, interactive centres capable of supporting local economic activity. It also called for leveraging cultural entrepreneurship and digital transformation to create smart museum models that generate sustainable income, support economic diversification and encourage participatory governance and stronger public and private community partnerships. In the cultural and educational sphere, the conference highlighted the need to repurpose museums as interactive learning spaces that promote cultural citizenship and link cultural diversity with local curricula and educational programmes. Institutional partnerships with educational and professional bodies were also encouraged to build specialised capacities and produce high quality cultural content that links learning with tourism. Regarding digital technologies, the conference urged museums to adopt integrated digital strategies based on artificial intelligence and modern tools to deepen visitor engagement and expand cultural and tourism impact. Museums were encouraged to transform historical figures into digital icons that connect memory with innovation and speak to global digital-native audiences.
Observer
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman Olympic team to take on Russia in Moscow
The Oman Olympic Under-23 team will meet Russia in Moscow twice as part of the external preparatory camp which will take place in June. Oman team, coached by Bader al Maimani, will eye to claim maximum technical output from the abroad camp in Moscow which will feature two friendly matches against Russian Olympic team and one more match against local Russian team. The camp in Russia will act as a key stage for the team's preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers which will begin in September. Oman, who were crowned as West Asian champions in last March in Muscat, will eye another achievement in Asian qualifiers and secure spot to the finals. The team won three matches in the last West Asian event against Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan to claim their first title after re-formation of Olympic team earlier this year under supervision of the former Oman national team player Bader al Maimani and his assistant Said al Shoon. The team currently is busy in a domestic camp in Muscat and they will play two friendly matches against Royal Court Affairs (RCA) team on Wednesday and another warm-up fixture against Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) on May 30 before heading off to Moscow on June 1 for the external camp. The team featured many new names as seven fresh faces from several clubs joined the national Olympic team squad. Oman coach Bader al Maimani affirmed in his media statement that the team doors are open for the best and top players across the Sultanate of Oman. The camp in Russia will act as a key preparation for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers which will begin in September. 'We are very pleased that the team is back in action with some new players. I am looking for more support from some of the government entities to release the national players to attend the training sessions and camps as some players did not get the permission from their work offices to join the training. This is a national call and I hope to get the positive response as we are working on particular age of the players and they need full supervision in this stage of their career,' he said. 'The three matches in Russia will shape the players readiness and will give better technical and tactical ideas on the team's capabilities for the upcoming events including the main Asian assignment,' he added.
Observer
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Oman's horses show amazes UK audience
MUSCAT, MAY 18 The Royal Court Affairs (RCA) represented by the Royal Cavalry joined the third day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show 2025, under the auspice of king Charles III, at the stunning private grounds of Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom from May 15 to 18. The event was attended by Badr bin Mohammed al Mantheri, Ambassador of Oman to the UK, Eng Hilal al Waeli, Head of Horses, Camels, Farms and Royal Gardens Affairs, and Dr Sarhan al Zeedi, Director General of the Royal Cavalry. The Royal Cavalry presented traditional Oman's horse sports and music, with riders showing skills like Ardah 'traditional horse running' and horse sleeping shows, along with played Omani, Arabic, and international music. The Oman show started with a video called 'Oman, the Jewel of Arabia' which is showing the country's beauty and culture. Then, two horse carriages carrying the flags of Oman and the UK entered the arena, riders spread Omani Luban' frankincense' around the arena, which excited the crowd. The riders and band entered the arena to the music 'Jewel of Arabia.' They formed beautiful shapes to music like 'Desert Nights' and 'The Distance Became One.' The audience cheered during the Ardah show and the horse 'sleeping' display with bagpipe music. Later, they formed the English letters RWHS (Royal Windsor Horse Show) while the band played 'Two Shores and One Song.' They ended the show with the famous English tune 'Greensleeves.' Ambassador Al Mantheri said 'This event shows the strong historic ties between Oman and the UK. And horse sports are a key part of Omani identity'. Harry Guthrie, Director of the Windsor Show, said: 'We are always happy to welcome the Oman Royal Cavalry. Their rich culture and amazing shows are a joy to see. Their music, drums and horses are always a big part of our event.'
