New Oman ruler sworn in

MUSCAT: Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been chosen as the new ruler of Oman, succeeding his cousin Sultan Qaboos who has died at age 79 after almost half a century at the country’s helm.

Haitham was chosen ahead of his brother, Asaad, who was also seen as a potential heir after he was named deputy prime minister in 2017.

Oman has often served as a neutral mediator in the region, earning it a “Switzerland of the Middle East” moniker. In his first address to the nation after his swearing-in, Haitham, 65, said he would “follow the path of Sultan Qaboos and build upon it.”