The most likely dates for the AGCC’s 29th summit is the end of this year, specifically December 29 and 30, as theses new dates suit all member states.

An Omani Foreign Ministry official has been quoted by Ashraq Al Awsat as saying that Oman is discussing the new dates of the forthcoming summit with other AGCC member states. The Omani official has underlined that the AGCC summit will not host any party from outside the AGCC member states, it said. (more)

A lot of high profile action happening in December-January. While AGCC meet will be held in December, Gulf Cup soccer tourney will kick-start from the first week of January. Already Omani officials have requested residents around Bowsher stadium to bear with traffic congestion during the tournament. I am hoping to see more ‘red card action’ in roads than in soccer pitch.

Meanwhile, there is no news yet on the traffic regulations during AGCC summit. Some folks are hoping for a two-day holiday. If Dubai could close for a day during Bush’s visit, why not Muscat when heads GCC states will be in town. Makes a lot of sense.

A report in Oman Observer says:

MUSCAT: A group of 14 birdwatchers from Holland, Belgium and Switzerland are the first to visit the Al Ansab lagoons this year, according to Oman Wastewater Services Company (OWSC). Aad en Petra, the founder and guide of the bird-watching tour company that arranged the trip, commented: “Al Ansab lagoons has a great reputation as being one of the best sites in Oman to go bird-watching.” With the appointment of Dominic Harmer, the new wetland manager, OWSC are developing the area into a centre for excellence for nature conservation and ecotourism.

Al Ansab lagoons will soon become a multifunctional ecotourism, educational and recreational centre with new facilities, providing a unique and innovative visiting experience.

Go back to circa 2005. In April 2005, Muscati had blogged about magazine censorship in Oman with the following photos.

These photos are quite hilarious. I would like to meet the guy who has personally worked on these ‘makeovers’. What would be his designation? Ladies tailor, probably. Imagine ‘dressing up’ 200-300 ‘hot women’ every week. Hmmm, that is quite an interesting job.

Who says Page 3 culture has not arrived in Oman? Check out loads of magazines and newspapers which are published locally and you’ll find a good number of pages devoted exclusively for “photo-feature” of events ranging from launches to concerts to art exhibitions to staff parties to blah-blahs.

If you keep a track regularly, then you will be able to list the ‘VIPs’ who are common in all the events. Then there are some ‘socialites’ who have the knack of coming up with striking poses every time the photographer appears in front of them. Once the photo is taken, their lovely smiles disappear into thin air at the same speed with which it had appeared. It is more like a switch with a ‘on’ and ‘off’ capabilities. It is said some photographers of well known publications are more popular than reporters working for those publications. Reason: a “hi…how are you” to the photographer will make sure you are in the newspaper/mag the following week. Who would want to miss out on this golden opportunity to “get famous”? There is no gender bias here. Both women and men are alike.

Visit an art exhibition, and eight out of ten times you’ll find people chit-chatting among themselves than bothering to take a look at the exhibits. By wearing expensive clothes, watches, perfumes, three-inch thick make-up, they are sending signals that they have finally arrived on the scene. They want to prove they are always ‘one up’ than others. It is quite hilarious if you manage to attend on of these events. Trust me. It is super entertainment.

PS: In the midst of all this hullabalooo, I almost missed a milestone. This is my 501th post!

MUSCAT: The statistics related to road accidents during the period from Sept. 29, 2008 to Oct. 5, 2008, which coincided with Eid holidays, shows that as many as 132 road accidents took place. The statistics has been issued by Royal Oman Police.

These accidents resulted in the death of 35 persons and 227 people sustained injuries. The most awesome of these accidents was the one that took place at Niyabat Al Jabal Al Akhdar in Nizwa. This mishap resulted in the death of five persons and six others sustained injuries after their vehicle collided with a cement barrier on the roadside and fell into a wadi.

ROP has urged all drivers and road users to be cautious and abide by traffic rules and regulations.

7 days…132 accidents…35 killed…227 injured!

God, where are we heading?