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Oman's Sultan Names New Foreign Minister

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. (AFP)
Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. (AFP)
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Oman's Sultan Names New Foreign Minister

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. (AFP)
Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. (AFP)

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said on Tuesday appointed a new top diplomat, replacing the long-serving Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in a government reshuffle.

Sultan Haitham, since his accession in January, has vowed to maintain Oman's policy of neutrality and non-interference.

Badr Albusaidi, 60, was named foreign minister, a title held by the late Sultan Qaboos himself but with bin Alawi responsible for foreign affairs for the past two decades.

Albusaidi has been in the diplomatic service since the 1980s and held a number of posts, including foreign ministry secretary-general.

Sultan bin Salem bin Saeed al-Habsi was appointed finance minister, a post also held by the sultan, and new faces were named to other key ministries, state media said.

Haitham bin Tariq was sworn in after modern Oman's founding father, Sultan Qaboos, died at the age of 79.

Yusuf bin Alawi played a key role in maintaining Oman's neutrality and as a regional mediator.

On Monday, he spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on the phone to stress Oman's support of "a comprehensive, just and lasting peace", Oman's foreign ministry said on Twitter.

It was the first public contact between Oman and Israel since US President Donald Trump's announcement last week that the Jewish states and the UAE, Oman's neighbor, have agreed to normalize ties.

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Gulf

Missile Debris Kills One in Abu Dhabi as Iran Presses Gulf Attacks

A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
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Missile Debris Kills One in Abu Dhabi as Iran Presses Gulf Attacks

A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)
A photograph shows Doha's skyline on March 10, 2026. (AFP)

Falling debris from a missile intercept killed one person on Tuesday in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi and injured two medical staff in Kuwait, authorities said, as Iran pressed its attacks against Gulf countries. 

The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks in response to US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure. 

Debris fell in the Bani Yas area "following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defenses", the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on X. 

The day before a Palestinian national was killed on the edge of the city when a missile hit his car. 

As well as hitting ports, airports, residential buildings and hotels along with military sites across the region, Iran has also struck energy facilities across the Gulf. 

On the east coast of the country, the oil industrial zone of Fujairah was hit on Tuesday morning, sparking a fire but causing no injuries, local authorities said. 

It was the second day in a row that the site was hit, with a source telling AFP on Monday that oil storage loading had been shut down by an attack. 

In Kuwait, two medical staff were injured when shrapnel fell on an emergency medical center where they were working, the state's health ministry said. 

An AFP journalist heard several explosions in Doha on Tuesday and Qatar's defense ministry said it had intercepted a missile attack. 

Later, the country's civil defense said it was dealing with a minor fire in an industrial area following the interception, with no injuries reported. 

In nearby Dubai, an AFP journalist heard three explosions after a mobile phone alert warned residents of the United Arab Emirates' most populous city to "immediately seek a safe place" because of "potential missile threats". 

Iran has fired more than 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE, more than any other country targeted by Tehran since the start of the war. 

The strikes have upended travel plans in the financial hub, despite its air defense intercepting the vast majority of projectiles. 

Gulf

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Stress Importance of Security Coordination, Integration

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Stress Importance of Security Coordination, Integration

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah. (Saudi Interior Ministry)

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz held telephone talks on Tuesday with Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah on the importance of continued coordination, cooperation and integration between their countries to bolster security and stability.

They reviewed the current regional developments and their security implications amid Iran’s malicious attacks against Gulf countries and the region.

Prince Abdulaziz stressed Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with Kuwait and support for all the measures it takes to preserve its security and stability.

Gulf

Saudi, Egyptian FMs Discuss Regional De-Escalation Efforts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi, Egyptian FMs Discuss Regional De-Escalation Efforts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received in Riyadh on Monday his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty for talks on bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region.

The tackled efforts to de-escalate the tensions to help restore regional security and stability.

They reiterated their condemnation of Iran’s malicious attacks against the Kingdom and several Arab countries.

Earlier, Prince Faisal held telephone talks with United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

They discussed regional developments amid Iran’s unjustified attacks against Gulf countries, as well as means to consolidate security and stability in the Middle East.