Oman Locks Down Muscat for 12 Days over Virus

A general view of Muscat, Oman. (AFP)
A general view of Muscat, Oman. (AFP)
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Oman Locks Down Muscat for 12 Days over Virus

A general view of Muscat, Oman. (AFP)
A general view of Muscat, Oman. (AFP)

Oman will ban movement into and out of the governorate of Muscat from April 10 until April 22, the high committee for combating the coronavirus outbreak said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Oman has registered 419 cases of the novel coronavirus, including 48 in the last 24 hours.

“Our biggest challenge is among expatriate workers,” Health Minister Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Saidi said in a radio interview, adding that the biggest spread in the sultanate was in the coastal commercial area of Muttrah, located in Muscat governorate, where a lockdown was imposed last week.

He said authorities would ramp up testing as the number of cases was expected to peak this month, and that Oman had secured lab equipment and protective gear from China.

Gulf states recorded new cases on Wednesday to raise the total number of infections in the six countries to over 9,800, with 67 deaths.

The United Arab Emirates, which saw its count more than double in the past week, on Wednesday reported 300 more cases to take its tally to 2,659.



OIC Condemns Israeli Bombing of Journalists' Tent in Gaza

A Palestinian journalist inspects the debris and damage after an Israeli strike hit a tent used by journalists in the southern city of Khan Younis on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian journalist inspects the debris and damage after an Israeli strike hit a tent used by journalists in the southern city of Khan Younis on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
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OIC Condemns Israeli Bombing of Journalists' Tent in Gaza

A Palestinian journalist inspects the debris and damage after an Israeli strike hit a tent used by journalists in the southern city of Khan Younis on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian journalist inspects the debris and damage after an Israeli strike hit a tent used by journalists in the southern city of Khan Younis on April 7, 2025. (AFP)

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned Israeli forces’ bombing of a journalists’ tent in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

One journalist was killed and several others were injured in the attack.

The OIC stated that the incident is a clear violation of press freedom and reflects Israel’s ongoing policy of suppressing the media, concealing its actions, and preventing the international community from accessing accurate information.

The organization held Israeli authorities fully responsible for the deaths of more than 210 journalists since the beginning of the military operation in Gaza Strip, which the OIC has described as genocide.

The OIC renewed its call on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to complete its investigations into all alleged crimes committed by Israel against civilians, including journalists who face targeted killings, arbitrary arrests, and physical assaults while performing their professional duties.

The organization also urged international bodies, particularly UNESCO, to take action to ensure accountability, uphold press freedom, and protect the safety of journalists working in the occupied Palestinian territories in accordance with international law.