Times of Oman - October 3, 2016

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MONDAY October 3, 2016 1 Muharram 1438 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 4th National Day, 1974

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We would, however, wish to draw the attention of our students studying abroad, to beware of being seduced by foreign ideas. We should make it clear that these elements are jealous of our achievements and progress, and they plan to retard the pace of our progress.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 184 | 24 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

P R E C I S E C A L C U L AT I O N S

MORNING MINUTE

BUSINESS HIT BY A ‘STAYAWAYCATION’

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Port Sultan Qaboos to receive 150 ships

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Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat is expected to receive more than 150 cruise liners during the 2016-2017 cruise season, shipping agents in Oman said. The first visitor at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat was vessel Costa Romantica on Friday. The vessel arrived at 8 am in the morning and left around 6 pm the same day. Officials said cruise tourism is picking up in Oman. >A2

WORLD

50 people killed in Ethiopia stampede

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Police in Ethiopia’s Oromiya region fired teargas and warning shots to disperse anti-government protesters at a religious festival, triggering a stampede that the opposition party said killed at least 50 people. The government did not give a precise death toll resulting from chaotic scenes during the annual festival where some people chanted slogans against the government and waved a rebel group’s flag. >A7

Many were taken aback when the holiday was announced on Monday as they had already left the city for their village homes

REJIMON K GAUTAM VISHWANATHAN

MUSCAT: Be honest, were you at your desk yesterday as you were supposed to be? Or did you join the masses who failed to show up? The late announcement of the new year holiday in Oman created a “complicated” situation for business in the country as people

were caught napping, a chamber of commerce member told Times of Oman. Omanis expecting Sunday to be a holiday had already left for their village homes on Thursday as they geared up for a long weekend, said Ahmed Al Hooti, an Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) member. The announcement on Satur-

day night that the moon had not been sighted and that the holiday would therefore be on Monday caught many by surprise. Al Hooti said it was difficult to expect people to return for one day’s work under such circumstances, after travelling hundreds of miles out of the city to be with extended family. The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs (MERA) created 25 moon sighting committees on Saturday night, spread across Oman, in a bid to give clarity as quickly as possible. However, despite this major undertaking they were unable to sight the moon and so made the announcement at 7pm that Monday, not Sunday as expected, was to be the holiday.

Officials, company bosses and sales companies echoed the fact that the situation had created challenges for the private sector. “Late announcement of change in holiday has complicated our day. Many business institutions in the private sector were affected due to low attendance. “Moreover, as the holiday in Oman is often not aligned with neighbouring countries, trade with them is also affected,” said Al Hooti. “We agree that religious norms should be followed but the holiday announcement could be made in advance. Many employees working in Muscat are from interior areas. They had left Muscat on Thursday presuming that Sunday would be a holiday,” Al Hooti added. >A3

Oman uses scientific way for moon sighting TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “Many countries enter the year’s months by sighting the moon by vision while some only use astronomical calculations and predictions. This criteria (of moon sighting) is not determined by astronomers but scholars due to its legitimacy,” said Ammar Salim Al Rawahi, Director of Astronomical Affairs at the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs (MERA). “Astronomy helps in calculating the time that the moon can be seen before and during sunset. Calculations and algorithms had been used centuries ago due to their precision and through calculations we are able to find out what happens to the universe in the future. The world moves at precise intervals,” he added. He added that Oman and Morocco are the only two Arab and Islamic countries who are accurate in entering the Hijra months. He explained that there are “impossible sightings” where the moon could not be seen before or during sunset due to its low height over the western horizon as well as the time taken and distance for it to be seen between the visual reference between the moon and the sun including weather obstruction such as low level clouds, haze and dust. The ministry has three committees comprising the main committee headed by the Minister of MERA and the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate as the member, scholars and the honourable judges. There are branched (several others) committees where their job is to collect the reports of sightings from the public and investigate. They would then collect the results and hand it to the main committee who will then announce the coming month. “There are 25 field committees to sight the moon. Each committee comprises a preacher, Imam and a member of the Oman Astronomical Society as well as participations from the community,” said Al Rawahi. >A3

READY TO HELP

SPORTS

Palliative care drive draws big response

Oman handball, soccer teams get silver

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Oman handball and soccer teams battled valiantly in the finals of their respective competitions but were forced to settle for silver medals in the fifth Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam. The two silver medals helped Oman contingent complete their engagements with a total of four medals, which included Barkat Al Harthi’s 60m gold. >A11

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com

One killed in Rustaq accident

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A D M I S S I O N S A N D R E G I S T R AT I O N D E PA R T M E N T

Two SQU staff ‘slightly injured’ in attack Times News Service

DAMAGED EQUIPMENT: The ransacked office in SQU’s Deanship of Admissions & Registration building. – Supplied picture

MUSCAT: Officials at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) have posted a comment on their official twitter account to quash rumours that a student used weapons to attack members of the university staff within the admissions and registrations department of the government establishment. “There is no truth behind the student’s attack on staff at the admissions and registration department using weapons,” the university officials tweeted. The university revealed details of the incident stating that it occurred on Sunday morning. “With reference to what has

been circulated through the social media about the untoward incident occurred at the University’s Deanship of Admissions & Registration building, the University Administration would like to inform that a student entered the Deanship’s building and attacked two of the Deanship’s staff and caused damage to some of the office furniture and equipment. The student did not carry any weapons during the attack. “The University would like to confirm that the student involved in the incident had undergone psychiatric treatment in the past,” the Sultan Qaboos University said in a statement issued on Sunday afternoon.

MUSCAT: Omanis have opened their hearts to the palliative care campaign launched by Maggie Jeans OBE (Order of the British Empire), whose husband passed away in November last year. Ever since the Times of Oman reported about Jeans’ mission of improving palliative care services in the country, people have actively responded to the cause and are ready to offer help. Jeans is pleased with the responses and offers of help pouring in. “I have had phone calls, emails and meetings already and I am very pleased about the response, a lot of people are interested in this topic. I met a doctor yesterday and he was very passionate about it, we now need to get to the Ministry of Health, that’s my next goal.” “There are three leading things with palliative care—it’s beneficial for the community, certainly saves money and frees up beds in the hospitals. So it’s got very practical outcomes, we are not really looking at raising funds for the cause, but educating and spreading awareness.” Jeans has received offers of help from doctors, individuals and companies, who said they want to invest in the cause. Social media has also been abuzz with the topic, with several individuals

coming forward to help take the cause forward. A government organisation, which deals with accommodations, said they would like to contribute and invest in the real estate part of the project. >A3


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