Oman grants Gaddafi family asylum

The country of Oman has granted Moammar Gadhafi's widow and her family asylum on humanitarian grounds, officials said. Gulf News said the decision is in line with the Gadhafis' pledge that they will not use the Arab country as a base for political activity. Gadhafi's widow, Safia, his daughter, Aisha, and sons Muhammad and Hannibal, as well as their children, have been living in Oman since October 2012, Gulf News said. The Omani government is paying for the family's expenses, Gulf News reported. Omani officials said they didn't release the information sooner because they didn't want to boast about the humanitarian gesture. Gadhafi's family had previously sought asylum in Algeria in August 2011.