Oman Sultan Qaboos passes away
Muscat: Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world, has died at the age of 79, the royal court said Saturday.
"With great sorrow and deep sadness... the royal court mourns His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who passed away on Friday," the court said in a statement. Qaboos, who has ruled since 1970 when he deposed his father in a palace coup, had been ill for some time and had been believed to be suffering from colon cancer.
He left no apparent heir. He was unmarried and had no children or brothers. It is not clear who will succeed Qaboos, whose country has a distinct method of choosing the next ruler.
According to the Omani constitution, the royal family shall, within three days of the throne falling vacant, determine the successor. If the family does not agree on a name, the person chosen by Qaboos in a letter addressed to the royal family will be the successor.
The sultan should be a member of the royal family, as well as "Muslim, mature, rational and the legitimate son of Omani Muslim parents".
Local experts say that more than 80 men meet the criteria, but one name stands: Asad bin Tariq. Tariq, 65, had been appointed deputy prime minister for international relations and cooperation affairs in 2017.
The move was seen as a clear message of support to the sultan's cousin and "special representative" since 2002. Qaboos transformed the Arabian Peninsula nation from a backwater into a modern state while pursuing a moderate but active foreign policy.
Having played a role in Iran's nuclear deal with world powers while preserving its membership in the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council, Oman has emerged as the Gulf's discreet mediator.
It remains to be seen whether the next ruler will take the same moderate approach in a region often in turmoil.
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Iran war halts Marathwada turmeric exports, prices drop in domestic market
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): The ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran has halted turmeric exports from Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, causing domestic prices to crash from Rs 16,500 to Rs 13,000 per quintal.
Shiv Sena MLC Hemant Patil on Tuesday said that turmeric cultivated in Marathwada is exported to the Gulf and African countries, but the war that broke out last month has halted exports completely.
Turmeric is a cash crop cultivated in nearly 2 lakh acres in Hingoli district, and the Vasmat variety received a Geographical Identification (GI) tag in 2024.
Containers of turmeric from Hingoli and adjoining regions are shipped out of the country from Tamil Nadu and Kerala after processing, said Patil, who also heads the Balasaheb Thackeray Turmeric Research and Training Centre in Hingoli.
"Hingoli, Nanded, Wardha, Parbhani, Yavatmal and Washim are the turmeric belts in Marathwada. These districts produce nearly 25 lakh tonnes of the crop. The land under turmeric cultivation in Hingoli district alone is around 2 lakh hectares," he said.
Prakash Soni, a turmeric trader from Hingoli, said the Iran war has not only completely halted the exports, but the price of the produce in the domestic market has also taken a hit.
"Before the war, turmeric was being sold at Rs 16,500 per quintal. The price has now reached Rs 13,000. The price will drop further if the war continues," he said.
According to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India exported turmeric worth USD 341.54 million in 2024-25, with Maharashtra alone accounting for USD 155.35 million.
The produce was exported to Bangladesh, the UAE, the US, Malaysia and Morocco.
