In the first half of 2024, Oman significantly increased international visitors, with an estimated two million visits—a 7% rise from the previous year—to the country. With 578,351 visitors, Emiratis made up the largest group. Indians (316,890), Yemenis (107,705), Germans (83,054), and British citizens (49,069) came next. Oman welcomed 141,188 GCC citizens, 91,038 Asians, 16,520 Europeans, 5,582 Americans, 5,523 Africans, 41,281 other Arabs, and 1,090 visitors from Oceania in June alone.
The number of individuals departing the country decreased somewhat, from 4.1 million in 2023 to four million in 2024, despite increased arrivals. By granting visa exemptions to citizens of 103 nations for a maximum of 14 days—as long as they fulfil specific conditions like confirmed hotel reservations and health insurance—Oman is increasing the allure of its tourist industry.
Over the next ten years, it is anticipated that the Middle East’s aviation sector will triple in size due to the arrival of new airlines and massive infrastructural developments. Lower airfares as a result of more competition are projected to increase tourism throughout the region, especially in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, all of which had record growth in the first half of 2024 and are trying to match Europe’s tourist industry.
Carvings on a stone pillar at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, going back approximately 13,000 years, could be the world’s oldest sun-and-moon calendar. This calendar, which consists of 365 V-shaped symbols, most likely represents a year with 12 lunar months and an additional 11 days, maybe indicating a significant comet strike.
The pillar’s markings were documented in a July 24 article published in Time and Mind, after being discovered at this southern Turkish site noted for its exquisite temple engravings. Along with the “V” markings, the researchers discovered a sculpture of a “bird-like beast” with a V-shaped mark around its neck, which could represent the summer solstice constellation.
The sculptures, thought to date from around 10850 B.C., could have been used to commemorate a comet strike that could have triggered an ice age, resulting in a cultural transition at Göbekli Tepe. This event may have affected the creation of new religions or cults, as well as agricultural innovations to adapt to colder regions. Martin Sweatman of the University of Edinburgh hypothesised that these early records could represent essential steps towards writing. The symbols resemble those found at another site in Turkey’s Urfa region.
Severe rainfall in Brazil has uncovered what may be one of the earliest recorded remains of a dinosaur. This “almost fully preserved” dinosaur fossil was discovered in a reservoir in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul and is thought to be approximately 233 million years old. Researchers believe the fossil goes back to the Triassic Period when the Earth’s continents united to form Pangea.
Researchers believe the fossil belongs to the Herrerasauridae family, a type of predatory dinosaur that grew to reach roughly 2.5 meters long. These dinosaurs previously roamed the regions that are today Brazil and Argentina. “It’s among the oldest in the world,” said Rodrigo Müller of the Federal University of Santa Maria. Initially, only a few isolated bones were seen, but excavation progressed to reveal a virtually complete skeleton.
The oldest dinosaur remains have been dated to approximately 231 million years ago. However, conflicting discoveries indicate that dinosaurs may have appeared 240 million years ago. If validated, this discovery could shed new light on dinosaur origins.
To prevent further damage from the increased frequency of severe rainfall, researchers are working against the clock.
The 7th Burj CEO Awards & Business Summit trademarked and pioneered by one of the largest networking organizations in the world, CEO Clubs Network, will be celebrating the outstanding achievements of CEOs and organizations from around the world. Under the theme “Bridging Continents, Celebrating Excellence,” this prestigious event will take place over five days and four nights in the vibrant city of Istanbul, Turkey, in collaboration with its local partner Manifesto Group, from October 22-26, 2024.
The Burj CEO Awards, known as the “Oscars” of the business world, is an esteemed annual global business award ceremony hosted in different countries that acknowledges outstanding business leaders and organizations for their remarkable achievements and contributions to the economy. The Business Award Gala was first launched in Washington, D.C., in 2016 and has since been held in London, Shenzhen, Mauritius, Dubai, and on a Mediterranean Cruise in Greece & Türkiye. Over the years, the Burj CEO Awards have recognized and awarded more than 300 business leaders and organizations for their business success including top 50 companies in the world, globally in different countries. In addition to the awards ceremony, the Burj CEO Summit will provide a platform for awardees and delegates to share knowledge, best practices, and engage in discussions on future trends and challenges.
CEO Clubs Network’s local partner in Istanbul, Manifesto Group, will enhance networking and economic cooperation opportunities by facilitating the participation of top executives from its extensive business networks built over 30 years. This collaboration will offer CEO Clubs Members from the MENA region, Asia, USA, EU, Africa and North America regions consisting of more than 150+ delegates like Government Officials, Multi-National Companies, high profile individuals and valuable connections in the magical city of Istanbul, where continents meet.
Previous awardees of the Burj CEO Awards include Emirates Airline, Facebook, Apple, HPE, Huawei, Virgin Group, Go Türkiye, DP World, Dubai Duty Free, Hollywood Studios, Dubai Expo, Lyten and others.
Highlighting the Growing Interest in Key Award Categories:
– Best Global CEO: Recognizing exceptional leadership and global impact.
– Emerging CEO of the Year: Honoring dynamic leaders demonstrating significant potential.
– Most Innovative Leader: Celebrating breakthrough innovations and visionary thinking.
– Excellence in Sustainability: Awarding leaders championing sustainable practices and initiatives.
– Outstanding Contribution to Global Trade: Acknowledging efforts to foster international trade and cooperation.
– Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility: Highlighting impactful CSR initiatives.
– Lifetime Achievement Award: Honoring long-term contributions and legacy in the business world
and more.
Be part of Türkiye’s premier business community and elevate your visibility at one of Istanbul’s largest and most influential business gatherings of 2024.
In addition to attending as nominees, there are multiple ways to be part of this prestigious event. Delegates can gain insights and network with global leaders, while organizations can explore sponsorship opportunities to enhance their brand presence and support this significant event.
By recognizing and honoring visionary leaders and organizations, the 7th Burj CEO Awards will not only celebrate global business excellence but also contribute to the growth and development of the global business community. This event underscores the importance of inclusivity and diversity in leadership, inspiring global leaders to achieve excellence through collaboration and innovation.
For more information and to explore opportunities, please contact: [email protected]
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths anticipates reaching 100 million annual passengers by 2027, despite current global aircraft supply chain issues. “We expect these challenges to be resolved by late 2026 or early 2027,” Griffiths told Gulf News, stressing that delays in aircraft deliveries have hampered airline capacity.
The confidence comes after Dubai International Airport (DXB) announced a record 44.9 million passengers in the first half of 2024, with a forecast of 91.8 million for the entire year, exceeding the 2018 record.
To deal with rising traffic, Griffiths announced intentions to relocate some activities to Dubai World Central (DWC). With DXB reaching capacity, DWC, which has a current capacity of 30 million passengers, will play an important role. Detailed plans for a $35 billion terminal at DWC are currently underway, with a focus on providing excellent customer experience while avoiding frequent design errors.
Dubai International Airport is also undergoing considerable refurbishment, including the addition of facility 2 and upgrades to the Arrivals facility. The Dubai International Hotel will undergo rebranding, and new technology, such as improved baggage screening equipment, will be implemented. Despite regional geopolitical tensions, DXB is resilient, with significant markets in India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.
Archaeologists discovered 2,500-year-old gold troves hidden in dozens of intact tombs in Egypt’s ancient necropolis. The site is remarkably free of looting, with hoards of bronze coins, gold foil, and sculptures depicting deities such as Isis, Bastet, and Horus. This amazing discovery provides insights into ancient Egyptian rituals and customs during the 26th Dynasty, which lasted from 644 to 525 BCE.
The necropolis, dating from the Late Period of ancient Egypt, served as the final resting place for both commoners and wealthy persons. The tombs, which were constructed with mud brick for commoners and limestone for the wealthy, also had miniature canopic jars used to store organs during mummification. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the undamaged artefacts, including scarabs, burial amulets, and pottery vessels, highlight the era’s cultural norms.
Salima Ikram, a university professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, emphasised the significance of these discoveries, claiming that the gold amulets and other artefacts reveal important information about the period’s social stratification and wealth. This discovery is significant because many ancient Egyptian tombs were stolen during the reign of the pharaohs, making it a rare find for scholars and historians.
President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere presented President Droupadi Murmu with “The Order of Fiji,” Fiji’s highest civilian award. This honour was given to her during her historic three-day state visit to Fiji, which was the first by an Indian head of state.
Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, emphasised the honour’s significance, citing President Murmu’s address to the Fijian Parliament and interactions with the Indian community in Suva. When she arrived, the Fiji Military Police presented her with a Guard of Honour, and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and exuberant schoolchildren greeted her warmly.
President Murmu’s meetings with President Katonivere and Prime Minister Rabuka were on boosting India-Fiji relations, which included discussions about mutual trust and cooperation. They visited a solarisation project at the State House to demonstrate India’s development partnership with Fiji.
This visit to Fiji is the first leg of President Murmu’s three-nation tour, which also includes New Zealand and Timor-Leste. She will visit New Zealand from August 7-9 to meet with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
In Timor-Leste, she will meet with President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala “Xanana” Gusmao. The journey demonstrates India’s commitment to its Act East Policy and strengthens ties with these countries.
Before the asteroid’s collision in a 2022 planetary defence test, NASA’s DART mission took high-resolution pictures of the asteroid Dimorphos and its companion Didymos. These photographs have allowed scientists to investigate the creation of binary asteroid systems, which consist of a parent asteroid and a secondary moonlet orbiting around it.
Didymos’ analysis indicates that it formed approximately 12.5 million years ago, most likely from the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. Dimorphos, on the other hand, formed about 300,000 years ago. Astronomer Maurizio Pajola claims that both asteroids are mountains of rubble composed of stony particles that were left over when a parent asteroid was destroyed. Didymos rotates so quickly that material is supposed to have been ejected from its equator, which is how Dimorphos formed.
Both Dimorphos and Didymos are considered near-Earth asteroids; Dimorphos is 560 feet broad, while Didymos is almost 0.5 miles wide. Didymos has stones the size of a football pitch, whereas Dimorphos has boulders the size of buses.
The DART mission of NASA effectively showed the use of kinetic impact to change an asteroid’s trajectory. Although neither asteroid is dangerous to Earth, the mission advanced knowledge of binary asteroids—which make up 10–15% of near-Earth asteroids—by shedding light on their origin and history.
In an interesting YouTube video, the British Museum revealed an astonishing artefact known as the world’s oldest map. Irving Finkel, a philologist, assyriologist, and curator in the museum’s Middle East section, unveiled this 2,900-year-old treasure. The map, made of clay in ancient Mesopotamia, offers a unique glimpse into how early civilisations portrayed their world.
Although the map was partial, as is the case with many cuneiform tablets, Finkel and his student Edith Horsley were able to locate and reintegrate a critical missing section. This discovery not only completed the map, but also allowed them to explore the mythological geography of Mesopotamia, identifying the last resting location of Noah’s Ark, or Ziusudra’s Ark, according to the Mesopotamian flood narrative.
In the video, Finkel explains why the map was made of clay and digs into its fine features, providing viewers with a thorough investigation of this historical artefact. The video has received more than 140,000 views, with opinions ranging from astonishment to humour. Viewers applauded Finkel’s captivating narration and high-quality production, with one saying, “This is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen on YouTube.”
Indian astronomers discovered 34 new giant radio sources (GRSs) utilising the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research’s Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). This major discovery, from the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey Alternative Data Release 1 (TGSS ADR1) at 150 MHz, includes some of the most distant GRSs known and calls into question current beliefs regarding the conditions in which GRSs develop.
The GMRT, located in Khodad village, approximately 90 km north of Pune, is a cutting-edge facility managed by TIFR’s National Centre for Radio Astrophysics. From 2010 to 2012, the GMRT conducted a 150 MHz sky survey, spanning 90% of the sky, resulting in discoveries such as these 34 new GRSs.
GRSs are among the universe’s largest structures, spanning millions of light years and fuelled by supermassive black holes at their cores. They emit jets of hot plasma, forming huge radio lobes. Detecting GRSs is difficult due to their large size and weak emissions, however low-frequency surveys such as TGSS help overcome these challenges.
Two GRSs, J0843+0513 and J1138+4540, call into question the idea that GRSs exclusively occur in low-density environments, implying that other factors influence their formation. The study team, including PhD students Netai Bhukta and Souvik Manik, aims to conduct additional investigations to better understand these cosmic giants’ formation and evolution.
