There was a rare public sighting of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said, when on 24 January the gaunt but engaged Omani leader was pictured giving an audience to UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson at Bait Al-Barakah, with minister responsible for foreign affairs Yousuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah in attendance. The sultan was not present to distribute the prizes of cash and plots of land he had ordered to be given to 26 members of the Omani football national team, coaching and technical staff following their win in the early January Arabian Gulf Cup held in Kuwait.
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