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Oman Extends Land Border Closure by a Week Due to Pandemic

General view of old Muscat, Oman, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/Files
General view of old Muscat, Oman, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/Files
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Oman Extends Land Border Closure by a Week Due to Pandemic

General view of old Muscat, Oman, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/Files
General view of old Muscat, Oman, January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/Files

Oman will extend the closure of its land borders for another week, until Feb. 8, to curb the spread of the coronavirus, state TV said on Sunday, citing a decision by the Gulf state’s coronavirus emergency committee.

The borders were closed on Jan. 19 because of concerns about a new coronavirus variant, a measure that was extended last week.

Meanwhile, Oman received on Sunday 100,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to the country’s official Oman VS COVID19 Twitter account dedicated to the efforts of countering the coronavirus.

The doses were “provided by the Republic of India, produced by the Serum Institute of India,” according to the statement.

Over 27,000 people have received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 7,992 received the second dose, the Times of Oman reported, citing Oman’s Ministry of Health.

Oman’s Supreme Committee last week advised the country’s citizens and residents to avoid traveling abroad, except in cases of emergency.

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Barrack Says Trump’s Vision for Syria is Hopeful and Achievable

A large Syrian flag flutters above Tishreen Park in Damascus on June 4, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
A large Syrian flag flutters above Tishreen Park in Damascus on June 4, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
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Barrack Says Trump’s Vision for Syria is Hopeful and Achievable

A large Syrian flag flutters above Tishreen Park in Damascus on June 4, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
A large Syrian flag flutters above Tishreen Park in Damascus on June 4, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)

US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack has said that President Donald Trump’s vision for Syria “is not only hopeful but achievable.”

“Spent the afternoon at the White House with President Trump and Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio discussing Middle East affairs that all relate to Türkiye and Syria. I can assure you the President’s vision with the Secretary’s execution is not only hopeful but achievable,” Barrack said on X on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Syrian state news agency (SANA) said that the US Senate approved on Saturday a decision to remove Syria from the long-standing list of so-called “rogue states.”

The White House posted on X that Syria had been on the list alongside Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and other countries, and now it is removed.

The list, which has been used by the US for nearly three decades, targets countries accused of hostility to American interests, support for terrorism, pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, or serious human rights violations.

Also Saturday, Britain welcomed the Syrian government’s commitment to cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

A post on the British Foreign and Development Office website via X read that the UK welcomes the Syrian government’s strong commitment to turning the page on history, and its determination to ensure the complete destruction of the chemical weapons program dating back to the Assad era.

The ministry added: “We are encouraged by the operational and logistical support Syria has provided for OPCW visits and its commitment to engaging with the international community.”