Oman Local Industry Push: Oman’s Ministry of Transport says local content in road projects topped OMR200mn by end of H1 2026, with local content ratios exceeding 60% as contracts prioritise Omanis, local products, SMEs, jobs and knowledge transfer. Workplace Safety: The Labour Ministry wrapped up its “Safe Summer 2026” campaign, issuing midday work permits and reporting 1,000+ applications reviewed for heat-risk compliance. Food Security Leadership: The Royal Academy of Management launched a National Leadership Development Programme in the Food Security Sector, training 35 leaders to strengthen a resilient, risk-aware food security ecosystem. Soil Science Breakthrough: Researchers including Sultan Qaboos University and Oman’s Environment Authority improved a simpler, cheaper lab method to measure DNA-bound phosphorus in soils—aimed at better understanding how microbes drive nutrient availability. Learning Cities: Muscat joined UNESCO’s Global Learning Cities Academy in Shanghai, focusing on digital transformation, sustainability, health and community engagement. Space & Astronomy: Oman Astronomical and Space Society inaugurated Oman’s first fully integrated, remotely operated robotic observatory at Jabal Shams, supported by PDO. Energy & Trade Tech: Oman signed three petroleum concession agreements with OQEP (Blocks 36, 43A, 66) worth at least $56m in exploration work, while S&P lifted Oman’s 2026 growth forecast to 3.5% citing resilient trade logistics amid regional tensions. Hospitality Capacity: Oman is set to deliver 700 new hotel rooms by end-2026, taking inventory to about 40,800 keys, with Khareef and winter seasons key to H2 demand.