Downpour unleashes chaos in Muscat - Oman Daily Observer

Ties with American varsity discussed
MUSCAT — Abdulaziz bin
Mohammed al Rowas, His
Majesty the Sultan’s Adviser
for Cultural Affairs received
here yesterday Dr Peter Dor-
man, President of the American
University and his delegation
currently visiting the
Sultanate.
During the meeting, a
number of topics pertaining
to enhancing and developing
fields of existing co-operation
in cultural areas were discussed.
— ONA
Unesco’s representative hosts reception
PARIS — The Sultanate’s
permanent Representative to
Unesco in Paris hosted a reception
at Unesco’s HQs’ in
the presence of Dr Madeeha
bint Ahmed al Shibaniyah,
Minister of Education and
Head of Oman National Commission
for Education, Culture
NIZWA — The military parade
ground at the Sultan
Qaboos Academy for Police
Sciences in Nizwa yesterday
witnessed the graduation of
the 44th batch of new police
recruits under the auspices of
Maj Gen Said bin Ali al Hilali,
Assistant Head of the Internal
Security Service for Operations.
The chief guest distributed
excellence awards to top
graduates.
The chief guest in his
speech expressed delight to
patronise the graduation ceremony
and urged graduates to
BankDhofar convenes Crisis
Management Team meet
MUSCAT — The Crisis
Management Team (CMT)
of BankDhofar met yesterday
to review the weather
situation and Meteorology
Department forecast. The
meeting reviewed effectiveness
of the Banks’ Business
Continuity (BCP) and Disaster
Recovery (DRP) Plans
to prepare for any unforeseen
and disruptive events.
The Team also reviewed
the arrangements made to
provide uninterrupted services
to the customers and the
communication strategies,
contingency plans, emergency
procedures to be followed
in case of any eventuality.
and Science.
During the reception, a
documentary was screened on
the Omani sites registered at
the Unesco’s World Heritage
List.
The reception also included
distribution of publications
that highlight the civilisa-
work hard as planned by their
leadership.
Col Rashid bin Salim al
Badi, Commander of the
Sultan Qaboos Academy for
Police Sciences said that the
Sultan Qaboos Academy for
Police Sciences and training
centres at the Royal Oman Police
(ROP) are proud to contribute
effectively in training
to join the service of honour
at ROP.
The graduates chanted
ROP anthem and took oath
of loyalty and allegiance. The
commander of the column
then took permission from
Abdul Hakeem al Ojaili,
General Manager (Corporate
Services) and Head of the
CMT assured that the Bank
is well equipped to respond
to any disaster scenario that
may affect the business due
tional identity of the Sultanate
and its heritage and culture.
Attendees expressed their admiration
over the Sultanate’s
cultural uniqueness in terms
of preserving its heritage,
natural and tourist potentials
in different parts of the Sultanate.
— ONA
the guest of honour to dismiss
and the conclusion of the
graduation ceremony.
The graduation ceremony
was attended by Maj Gen Salim
bin Mussalam bin Ali Qatan,
Assistant Inspector General
of Police and Customs for
Operations, Shaikh Dr Khalifa
bin Hamad al Saadi, Governor
of Al Dakhiliyah, commanders
and officers of military and
security services, directors of
governmental departments,
shaikhs of the Governorate of
A’Dakhiliyah, supervisery and
training crew. — ONA
to the current weather situation
in the Country.
Though few branches of
the Bank in Southern and
Northern Al Sharqiyah Governorate
were affected for
a day due to flooding, the
problems have been resolved
and the few affected Off site
ATMs have also been restored
to normal conditions,
facilitating the customers to
carry out normal operations.
The CMT in co-ordination
with Regional Managers
of the Bank, across the country,
will ensure availability of
uninterrupted services to its
customers during the ensuing
Eid holidays also.
4 OMAN
OMAN DAILY Observer
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011
MSM posts capitalisation
value gains in October
By Amal Rajab
MUSCAT — The announcement
of the companies’ 3rd Q
results came to its peak during
the month of October even with
the general index ending the
month with a slight recession.
The index’s limited decrease
was in itself a sign of return of
investors’ confidence regardless
of the continued obscurity
and conflicting forecasts over
the sovereign debt crisis in the
euro zone.
The Muscat Securities
Market general index (MSM
30) closed the month down
0.26 per cent or 14 points as
compared with the month of
September. The index recorded
5,588 points at the end of
October, the trade value stood
MUSCAT — Royal Navy of
Oman (RNO) celebrated its
Annual Day which falls on
November 3rd every year,
under the auspices of Shaikh
Saad bin Mohammed al Saadi,
Commerce and Industry
Minister.
The ceremony was held
at the military parade field
at Said bin Sultan’s Naval
Base.
The RNO music band
played the honour anthem
after which the chief guest
inspected the front row of the
protocol guard.
After that, the row performed
a military parade
in slow and regular march,
passing before the main dais
accompanied by pieces of
music played by the RNO
band, various military formations,
a plateau at the middle
New police recruits graduate Bahrain
minister
receives
message
MANAMA — Dr Hassan
bin Abdullah Fakhru, Industry
and Trade Minister
Bahrain received a written
message from Shaikh Saad
bin Mohammed al Saadi,
Minister of Commerce and
Industry relating to the bilateral
relations between the
two countries.
The message was handed
over by Abdullah bin Mohammed
bin Sulaiman al
Amri, Sultanate’s Ambassador
to Bahrain when the
Bahraini Minister received
him here yesterday.
The meeting reviewed the
bilateral relations between
the two countries and means
of enhancing them. — ONA
Omani Haj
mission chief
receives
Iranian
counterpart
MECCA — Dr Mohammed
bin Said al Maamari, Head of
the Omani Haj Mission received
at the Mission’s HQs’
here yesterday Ayatoallah
Sayed Ali Qadhi Askar, Head
of the Iranian Haj Mission
and his delegation. The two
sides also agreed to enhance
the co-operation between the
two missions on Haj matters
in the future.
The Head of the Iranian
Haj Mission invited
Dr Mohammed bin Said al-
Maamari, Head of the Omani
Haj Mission to visit Iran to
view the Iranian experiences
in the field of Haj affairs.
The meeting was attended
by Shaikh Nassir
bin Mohammed al Kharousi,
Deputy Head of the
Omani Haj Mission, Ibrahim
bin Nassir al Kharousi,
Haj and Awqaf Affairs
Attachés at the Sultanate’s
Embassy in Saudi Arabia
and from the Iranian side
by members of the Iranian
Haj Mission. — ONA
at RO 54.6 million edging up
18.8 per cent. The capitalisation
value surged 1.53 per cent
to RO 10.09 billion.
The net value of non-Omani
investments increased by 5.3
per cent to RO 2.9 during the
month of October, with a purchase
value of RO 13 million
or 23.7 per cent, and a selling
amounting to 15.8 per cent or
29 per cent.
The trading statistics issued
by the MSM indicated that the
index reached its highest levels
on October 2 recording 5,606,
while it posted its lowest level
on October 13 with 5,510
points.
The highest trading value
during the month was RO 3.4
million whereas the lowest was
RO 1.12 million. The average
daily trading recorded RO 2.48
million up from RO 2.6 million
during the month of September.
The results are seen by
analysts as positive for several
companies enlisted on
the MSM as the net aggregate
profits edged up by an approximate
RO 98 million with a 1.8
per cent increase over the previous
period.
However, investors are
waiting for large companies
like Galfar Engineering, Omantel
and Nadha Services, to
announce their Q 1 results.
During the month, the services
index surged by 1.37 per
cent, while the industrial index
saw a tangible decrease of 3.49
per cent, the financial sector
index receded by 1.5 per cent.
Oman Air invites staff
applications for Haj
MUSCAT — Oman Air has selected 10 staff out of the staff
applications sent in response to its invitation to apply for the
airline’s assistance in performing this year’s Haj.
The move by the national carrier of the Sultanate of
Oman is in recognition of the enormous commitment of
the staff in achieving Oman Air’s exceptional levels of
service.
Shaikh Ahmed al Nabhani, Oman Air’s Chief Officer, Support
Services, said: “We are delighted to select a group of our
employees to visit the Holy city of Mecca and to perform Haj
for the Hijri year 1432.
The invitation reflects our appreciation of the extraordinary
efforts Oman Air’s staff have made to serving the company
and the nation.
Their hard work and dedication have helped Oman Air
make remarkable progress and we feel that it is important that
we recognise the vital contribution made by all our people.”
He added that Oman Air was determined to ensure that
the standards of recognition and incentives offered to staff
matched those of the airline’s highly acclaimed air and ground
services.
“Oman Air’s employees are our greatest assets and, on
behalf of the airline’s management, I would like to extend
our sincere thanks to Oman Air’s distinguished board members
for their unlimited support and continued care for the
company and all its staff.”
Royal Navy of Oman marks its Annual Day
MUSCAT — The November
episode of CNN International’s
‘Inside the Middle East’
programme will spotlight the
Royal Opera House Muscat.
Presenter Rima Maktabi
will take viewers inside the region’s
first opera house, which
plays host to renowned musicians
and spectacular concerts
for anything from ballet to jazz
to Arab music.
‘Inside the Middle East’
will also head to Doha for
the world premiere of ‘Black
Gold’, the film touted to be
the biggest Arab movie since
Lawrence of Arabia.
With stars from Hollywood
and Bollywood joining leading
Arab actors on set, Rima
speaks to the leading actors
on their experience filming on
location in Tunisia at the dawn
of the Arab spring.
The show will be aired at
the following Oman times:
Saturday (November 5): 1130,
1630, 2230; Sunday (November
6): 0930, 2130; and Mon-
of the field.
After that RNO personnel
staged a performance on self
defence skills.
The Commerce and Industry
Minister in his speech
on the occasion said the celebration
coincides with the
41st National Day anniversary.
He pointed out to the
growth, development and
readability reached by RNO;
a fruit of the blessed Renaissance
under the wise leadership
of His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos.
After that the parade column
proceeded forward and
chanted the RNO anthem, the
call of loyalty and chanted
thrice long live His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos, the Supreme
Commander of the Armed
Forces. — ONA
Higher education adviser receives AUB
delegates, discusses greater co-operation
By Ali Ahmed al Riyami
MUSCAT — The Adviser to
the Ministry of Higher Education,
Shaikh Salem al Maskri,
received delegates from the
American University in Beirut
(AUB), headed by the varsity’s
President, Peter Dorman,
at his office in Al Khuwair,
yesterday.
The President was accompanied
by AUB’s Vice President,
Richard J Brow, Assistant
Vice President, Dr Imad B
Baalbaki and Director, Arabia
Mohammed Ali.
They have come here ostensibly
to attend the AUB
alumni reunion held at Grand
Hyatt Muscat yesterday and
to meet up with officials from
the Ministry of Higher Education
in order to enhance cooperation
with their counterparts
in the Sultanate and to
attract more Omani students
to AUB.
In their discussions, it was
noted that AUB — which is
to celebrate its 150th anniversary
in 2016 — played a significant
part in the advancement
of higher education
throughout the region and
was a regional communications
hub, especially for Arab
students, including Omanis,
who studied at western universities.
With its renowned depart-
ment of medicine and hospital,
Shaikh Salim suggested
this would be one of the good
areas for AUB to attract, not
only Omani students, but also
patients seeking treatment
abroad.
Other areas of interest include
the arts and humanities
and traditional arts and crafts
— where both countries are engaged
in preserving traditional
handicrafts and encouraging
artisans involved in this and
promoting their craftwork.
In an interview with Observer,
Dorman said they are
exploring ways in which AUB
can partner and consider collaborations
with Oman, which
is a very important part of
the Arabian Gulf, and bringing
more Omani students to
AUB, because the kind of international
diversity they have
traditionally held on campus is
a very important part of their
educational context. adding
that, they are also looking for
ways in which they can develop
an interest in their medical
sector where they have a very
advanced medical centre that
has been in existence for over
100 years and which pursues a
very high standard in the field
of medicine.
In this regard, he said, they
are looking at ways in which
countries in the Gulf might be
interested in collaborating to
build human capacity in medical
and patient care, different
kinds of physician specialties
and collaborative research
in important areas such as
diabetes, multiple-sclerosis,
neuron-science, stem-cell research,
cardiovascular issues
and cancer research.
All of these areas, he continued,
are centres that are
very important to the AUB
Medical Centre.
Dorman said, they do hope
to be able to attract many more
international students in the
future, which to a great part
depended on the level of stability
in Lebanon.
Currently, AUB has several
US accredited schools that
include the Business School,
Engineering School, Public
Health School and the hope
is that their graduate Medical
School will become one of the
first ever to be accredited outside
of the US.
There are a broad number
of undergraduate courses and
they have 8 PhD programmes
with another one, in medicine,
to be established next year.
The total number of undergraduate
and graduate students
presently studying at AUB total
8,000.
Royal Opera House to be featured on CNN
day (November 7): 0730.
Inside The Middle East is
CNN International’s flagship
feature show for the Middle
East.
With various segments like
Your IME Diary, My Middle
East and The Campus Forum,
the show takes viewers on a
unique journey into the heart
and soul of the region’s greatest
cities and updates them on
the region’s festival season
including cultural, sports and
business events.
The show interviews regional
icons who reveal the
hidden treasures within their
chosen city, as well as engages
university students from across
the region to discuss issues affecting
today’s youth.