1. religion and spirituality
2. islam

THURSDAY | JANUARY 22, 2015 | RABEE AL THANI 1, 1436 AH
P21 An impasse in Paris, a gamble in Athens
VOL. 34 NO. 69 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200
P32 Jabal Shams: When it’s cold
P25 Nadal and Sharapova survive big scares
Inside
Chief Executive Officer
DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI
Editor-in-Chief
ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI
Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising
PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
www.omanobserver.om
OMAN
His Majesty issues
3 Royal Decrees
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
has issued three Royal Decrees. Royal
Decree No 2/2015 ratifies the legal and
judicial cooperation agreement on
penal (criminal) matters between the
Government of the Sultanate of Oman
and the Government of the Republic of
India, signed in New Delhi on October
29, 2014. Article 1 states that the
aforementioned agreement shall be
ratified in accordance with the version
attached to the Decree.
REPORT ON P3
ASIA
Sri Lanka pardons
former army chief
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new president
has pardoned and reinstated the
rank of an ex-army commander who
was imprisoned four years ago after
challenging the former president in
an election. President Maithripala
Sirisena’s office said Sarath Fonseka is
now entitled to enjoy all of his former
privileges without any legal obstacles.
Fonseka — Sri Lanka’s only four-star
general — is credited with leading the
army to victory in the country’s long civil
war with ethnic Tamil rebels.
SEE ALSO P7
INTERNATIONAL
France unveils steps
to fight terror
PARIS: France yesterday announced
sweeping new measures to counter
homegrown terrorism, including giving
security forces better weapons and
protection, going on an intelligence
agent hiring spree and creating a
better database of anyone suspected of
extremist links. The measures detailed by
Prime Minister Manuel Valls came as four
men were handed preliminary charges
of providing logistical support to one of
the Paris terror attackers.
REPORT ON P14
INSIDESTORIES
P2
NEW BATCH OF RAFO
PILOTS GRADUATE
P10
INDIA GETS READY TO
WELCOME OBAMA
[email protected]
RO 66m projects to
boost food security
MUSCAT: Shaikh Saif bin Mohammed
al Shabibi, Minister of Housing,
yesterday signed usufruct agreements
for the lands dedicated for fish farming
by two private sector companies. He
also handed over the final licenses for
a third company to set up fish farming
projects worth RO 66 million.
The first usufruct agreement
was signed with Arabia Marine
Development Company to set up
shrimp farming project at Qaroon
village in the Wilayat of Ja’alan Bani Bu
Hasan in the Governorate of South Al
Sharqiyah over 500 hectares at a cost of
about RO 29 million.
The second agreement was signed
with Al Jazeera Investment Company to
set up abalone and grouper fish farming
project using the closed system in the
Niyabat of Sharbathat in the Wilayat
of Shaleem and Al Halaniyat Islands in
the Governorate of Dhofar. The project,
which stretches over 30 hectares of land,
will cost around RO 34.5 million.
On the other hand, Knowledge
Modern
Technologies
Company
received technical operation license
which allows the company to start
production of grouper fish using the
closed cycling system in Sur Industrial
area at a cost of RO 2.5 million.
In a statement to Oman News
Three fish farming
projects will provide
the local market with
about 7,330 tonnes
of seafood, such as shrimps,
grouper fish and abalone
DR FUAD BIN JAAFAR
AL SAJWANI,
Minister of Agriculture
and Fisheries
Agency (ONA) and the Public Authority
for Radio and TV, the minister said the
signing of the agreements comes within
the government interest to provide food
security, diversify sources of income
and benefit from the available natural
resources in the country.
He also said the Ministry of Housing,
in collaboration with the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, has identified
locations for these projects.
Al Shabibi also pointed out that the
ministry is currently identifying other
locations to set up more fish farming
projects. He added that certain locations
were specified for tourism use and have
been handed over to the Ministry of
Tourism to sign usufruct agreements
for them.
Sultanate sees no logic in
Opec’s move on output
KUWAIT CITY: Non-Opec oil
producer Oman described as bad
politics and bad business yesterday the
cartel’s November decision to make
no cut in output, which sent world
prices crashing. Saudi Arabia said the
decision was necessary to prevent the
cartel losing market share after a sharp
increase in US shale oil production.
But Oman said it saw no logic to it.
“I fail to comprehend how market share
became more important than revenue,”
Oil and Gas Minister Dr Mohammed
bin Hamad al Rumhy told an oil
conference in Kuwait City.
Dr Rumhy said that before the
decision, with oil trading at $100 a
barrel, Opec was earning $3 billion a
day from its output of 30 million barrels
per day.
“When earnings dropped to $2.9
billion, $2.8 billion, they got up to defend
FOCUS ON BILATERAL TIES
market share and as a result, revenues
dropped to roughly $1.5 billion,” the
minister said. “This is politics that I
don’t understand. Business? This is not
business.”
Dr Ruhmy said the fall in prices had
hit the Sultanate hard and “it is really a
difficult time in Oman.”
Meanwhile, Iraqi Oil Minister Adel
Abdul Mahdi yesterday predicted
that world prices would not fall much
further after a plunge of nearly 60 per
cent since June.
“Our estimate is that the prices have
reached the bottom. It is very difficult to
drop lower than this,” Abdul Mahdi told
a conference in Kuwait.
“We do not find any real justification
for the big and persistent drop in oil
prices,” said the Iraqi minister whose
country is the second largest Opec
producer.
— Agencies
“More locations were also allocated
for investment, therefore respective
public organisations should select the
investors for these projects.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr
Fuad bin Jaafar al Sajwani, Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the
three fish farming projects will provide
the local market with around 7,330
tonnes of seafood, such as shrimps,
grouper fish and abalone. The projects
will also provide more than 800 jobs for
citizens.
He said that the agreements come
within the efforts of the ministry
to develop fish farming sector in
collaboration with the other government
organisations, such as the Ministry of
Housing.
TO PAGE 3
HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of
Ministers, yesterday received at his office Alderman Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor of
London. The meeting reviewed the bilateral relations between the two countries
and the desire to strengthen them to serve the joint interests of both sides,
besides enhancing cooperation in various spheres. REPORT ON P3
(Photo by Mohamed al Rashdi)
RO 34m loans approved
ZAINAB AL NASSRI
MUSCAT
Jan. 21: Al Raffd Fund has approved
1,002 loans during 2014, amounting
to RO 34.6 million covering various
economic, industrial, tourism and
service sectors.
This was revealed by Tariq bin
Sulaiman al Farsi, CEO of Al Rafd
Fund yesterday at a press conference.
Dr Hamad bin Said al Oufi, UnderSecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, Deputy Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Al Raffd Fund,
was also present on the occasion.
Dr Al Oufi said that the actual
activity of the fund started on the first
of January 2014 with the first package
for four funding programmes (Mawrid,
Ta’sis, Riyada, and Ta’ziz) which took
into account the needs of the target
groups, namely job-seekers, those under
social security, women and artisans and
professionals.
TO PAGE 2
A NEW ATTRACTION
The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police launched horse-drawn carts for tourists at the main gate in
front of the Port Sultan Qaboos in the Wilayat of Mutrah, yesterday.
There is vast amount of untapped social data from various surveys
P13
REBELS HOLD YEMEN
PRESIDENT ‘CAPTIVE’
WEATHER TODAY
MUSCAT
MAX: 200C
MIN: 120C
SALALAH
MAX: 240C
MIN: 170C
SUNRISE 06.50 AM
PRAYER TIMINGS
FAJR: 05:32
DHUHR: 12:23
ASR: 15:30
MAGHRIB: 17:51
ISHA: 19:05
NIZWA
MAX: 210C
MIN: 100C
LAKSHMI KOTHANETH
MUSCAT
Jan. 21: There is a need to facilitate
research panels and follow-up studies
for continuous monitoring of social
change in Oman, according to the Social
Observatory Research Programme
(SORP) of The Research Council. At
present population dynamics indicate
that about 34 per cent of Omani
population are aged below 15 and
about 6 per cent are aged 60 and above.
Looking at the future the experts
pointed out that total Omani population
will touch 4 million.
Social Indicators identified are family
cohesion and well being, standard of
youth values. The drivers of future
social change are living conditions,
family values, religious values, housing,
employment, immigration policies,
social welfare policies, lifestyle changes,
gender empowerment, and education
of girls. SORP also points out that there
is vast amount of untapped social data
from surveys, censuses and registration
sources in Oman.
“In research, we need to build
capacity, we need researchers and we
need to develop our human resources
to be able to interpret indicators in the
appropriate way to be able to integrate
the results of the research into the policy
making system,” said Dr Hilal bin Ali
al Hinai, Secretary-General at The
Research Council.
Evaluation studies of social and
health interventions are limited and
this restricts the understanding of the
social and economic impact of social
policies and programmes. Prof Sabu S
Padmadas, Professor of Demography
and Global Health, pointed out in his
presentation that 10 years ago fertility
rate went low but there are no indicators
on why so. According to the professor, “It
could be lack of data and social science
research. The fertility rate was low and
then it came back. The population was
growing slowly.”
SORP in its analysis of social
change states that Omani society’s
unprecedented social and economic
transformation is mainly attributed to
changes in population composition
driven by natural increase and
migration as well as structural changes
driven by modernisatiom, globalisation
and economic development. Women
are increasingly becoming empowered
in terms of educational attainment,
economic
activities
reproductive
decision making, voting and land
holding rights.
TO PAGE 3
www.omanobserver.om
Oman needs to build capacity for research
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22-28, 2015
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2
BEAUTIES ON PARADE
T H U R S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 2 l 2 0 1 5
BEACH CLEAN-UP ACT
As part of the ongoing Camel Beauty
Contest organised by Royal Camel Corps
at the Royal Court Affairs five rounds were
held in Barka yesterday amid a significant
participation of camel owners from all
governorates of the Sultanate.
The competition concludes today in a
closing ceremony that will see folk arts
shows and poetry reading and other
traditional events.
OMAN
The Directorate of
Environment and Climate
Affairs in South Al Sharqiyah
Governorate organised
a campaign to clean up
beaches as part of the Omani
Environment Day, yesterday.
The campaign covered a vast
area including the sea road
from Albir roundabout.
New batch of Rafo pilots, officers graduate
MUSCAT: The Royal Air Force of Oman
(RAFO) celebrated the graduation of
pilots, air officer cadets and limited
service officers in a ceremony held at
the military parade field at Ghala Base
and the Sultan Qaboos Air Academy
yesterday under the patronage of Gen
Sultan bin Mohammed al Nuamani,
Minister of the Royal Office.
The ceremony began with the
military salute for the chief guest, who
inspected the graduates’ column as the
RAFO Music played the Royal anthem.
The graduates’ column passed
before the main dais preceded by
banner of the Sultan Qaboos Air
Academy accompanied by some music
performances by RAFO Music.
Then, Minister of the Royal Office
handed the aviation wings to the
graduated pilots.
He also handed over the sword of
honour to Flying Officer Nassir bin Said
bin Abdullah al Khaldi, who came first
in the course level.
After that, the graduates handed
over the banner of Sultan Qaboos
Air Academy to the new batch that
is currently receiving training at the
academy.
Then, the graduates chanted the
RAFO Anthem and proclaimed thrice
long Live His Majesty Sultan Qaboos,
the Supreme Commander of the Armed
Forces.
After that, some RAFO fighter
jets hovered over the Military Parade
Ground celebrating this occasion.
On the sidelines of the ceremony,
Minister of the Royal Office handed
over air trainer certificates to a number
of RAFO officers.
At the end of the ceremony, Gen
Sultan bin Mohammed al Nuamani,
Minister of the Royal Office, the chief
guest, received a commemorative gift
from Air Vice Marshal Matar bin Ali al
Obaidani, Commander of RAFO.
Tenders worth RO 53 million awarded
MUSCAT: The Tender Board yesterday held
its 2nd meeting for 2015 under the chair of Dr
Rasheed bin al Safi al Haribi, Chairman of the
Tender Board. The Board awarded RO 53,803,275
worth tenders for the following projects:
1- Additional works for Bidbid-Sur dualcarriageway (Phase I - part one) - adding third lane
and modifying the path of some parts of the road)
at RO 48,382,233.
2- Additional works for construction of Wadi
A’Sahtan road in the Wilayat of Al Rustaq in the
Governorate of South Al Batinah at RO 2,314,725.
3- Additional works for construction of overpass
bridges in Salalah - Muscat road with Al Ribat road
and Al Ribat dual-carriageway till Al Dahareez
roundabout in Salalah city in the Governorate of
Dhofar at RO 1,938,031.
4- Additional works for construction of
Madinat Al Haq - Nashib road and some internal
roads in the wilayats of Salalah and Taqah in the
Governorate of Dhofar at RO 500,000.
5- Additional works for construction of an
annex for the administration building at Sultan
Qaboos University at RO 314,886.
6- Additional works for provision of consultancy
services for the design and supervision of
additional quay at general goods station and bulk
materials quay (Methanol Salalah) at Salalah Port
at RO 193,800.
7- Additional works for provision of consultancy
services and design for construction of annex
building for the Secretariat General of the Supreme
Council for Planning at RO 75,000.
8- Additional works for appointing full-time
project manager for construction of the building
for the Secretariat General of the Supreme Council
for Planning at RO 45,600.
9- Additional works for construction of Jaalan
Bani Bu Hassan Hospital in the Governorate of
South Al Sharqiyah at RO 39,000.
The Board also opened bids for a number of
development and service projects including the
construction of dual-carriageway from Raysut
roundabout to Salalah Port in the Governorate of
Dhofar and construction of Al Batinah Expressway
(7th, 8th and 9th packages). — ONA
The occasion was attended by
Chairman of the State Council, a number
of ministers and advisers, commanders
of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF),
a members of the State Council and
members of the Majlis Ash’shura, senior
officers at SAF and other security units, a
number of military attaches at embassies
of the sisterly and friendly countries and
some RAFO commissioned and noncommissioned officers and personnel.
Meanwhile, Air Vice Marshal Mattar
bin Ali al Obaidani, Commander
of RAFO handed over military
sciences diploma certificates for the
graduate officers and the certificates of
appreciation for the graduate officers of
the limited service course (pic below).
RAFO Commander congratulated
the graduates for their distinguished
performance, urging them to exert
more efforts and dedication in carrying
out their future duties, wishing them
success.
— ONA
Energy pact draft discussed
MUSCAT: Yusuf bin Alawi bin
Abdallah, Minister Responsible for
Foreign Affairs, received in his office
yesterday Urban Rusnak, Secretary
General of Energy Charter, who is
currently visiting the Sultanate as
part of his tour in the region. The
meeting discussed updating the draft
International Energy Treaty (ECT) due
to be approved at the next ministerial
meeting scheduled to be held at the
Hague in May 2015. It also discussed
topics related to energy particularly
oil prices slump.
— ONA
RO 34m loans approved
FROM PAGE 1
Al Farsi said that the loans granted by the
fund over the past year were distributed in all
governorates of the Sultanate, adding that the
Governorate of Muscat was given the largest
share of loans, followed by Dakhiliyah,
Dhofar and North Al Batinah.
He said that in parallel with the branches
of the fund, a mobile branch was established
to provide services and information relating
to the establishment and support of private
projects and interview those who wish to
obtain financial support from the fund.
Al Oufi stated the Fund eases the way for
the applicants, constricts documents needed,
and doesnot ask for tangible assurances
which are not actually available with the
entrepreneurs.
Last year witnessed the opening of the
Fund branches in the Governorate of Muscat,
Dhofar, Al Batinah North and Al Sharqiyah
South. Work is underway to open more
branches in other Governorates.
Registrations open for
PMP workshop at MCBS
MUSCAT: Modern College of Business and
Science is conducting a five-day workshop
on Project Management, partnering with
its Ohio-based academic associate Franklin
University. Registrations for the workshop
will be accepted till January 25.
The Ministry of Manpower-approved
workshop, designed as an intensive training
programme preparing participants to
obtaining PMP certification, will be from
1-5 February at the Modern College seminar
hall.
The training will cover topics such as
project management tools and techniques,
PMBOK Guide, PMP exam tips, PMI ethics
standards and more.
The college has roped in internationally
renowned Team Lead Assessor Dr Grzegorz
Dzwonnik (Greg) to conduct the workshop.
Dr Greg is one of the world’s 20 Team Lead
Assessors who evaluate the most advanced
projects at the International Project
Excellence Awards by the International
Project Management Association (IPMA).
“It’s a great opportunity for aspirants
to prepare for the coveted PMP Certification.
The workshop will be based on PMBOK,
the global standard for project management,
and will follow a compact, effective formula
offering not only broad knowledge in
project
management,
but
valuable
information on PMP exam structure and
success tips.
The workshop offers a total of 36
teaching hours, and the first five candidates
to sign up for the training will get a free
copy of PMBOK,” said Ms. Agnes Ches,
Franklin University representative at
Modern College.
Individual registrations cost RO 350 per
head, while corporate bookings are eligible
for discounts.
Ms Agnes may be contacted on 99443137,
or 24583555 or [email protected]
for more information.
OMAN
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
3
His Majesty issues 3 Royal Decrees Bilateral ties with Britain reviewed
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has issued three
Royal Decrees. Royal Decree No 2/2015 ratifies the legal
and judicial cooperation agreement on penal (criminal)
matters between the Government of the Sultanate of
Oman and the Government of the Republic of India,
signed in New Delhi on October 29, 2014. Article 1 states
that the aforementioned agreement shall be ratified in
accordance with the version attached to the Decree.
Article 2 states that the Decree shall be published in the
gazette and takes effect on its date of issue.
Royal Decree No 3/2015 ascribes public utility status
to the project on implementation of the first segment of
the railway route (Governorate of Al Buraimi-Wilayat of
Sohar).
Article 1 declares the implementation of Section One
of the railway route which connects the Governorate
of Al Buraimi and the Wilayat of Sohar as specified in
the memo and comprehensive diagram attached to the
Decree, as a public utility project.
Article 2 states that the departments concerned
shall expropriate, through direct implementation, the
properties and lands necessary for the aforementioned
project, along with all the installations therein, in
accordance with provisions of the Public Utility
Expropriation Law promulgated by Royal Decree No
64/78.
Article 3 states that the decree shall be published in the
gazette and takes effect on its date of issue.
Royal Decree No 4/2015 ascribes public utility status
to the project on development of the fishing harbour in
the Wilayat of Diba, Governorate of Musandam.
Article 1 declares the project on development of the
fishing harbour in the Wilayat of Diba, Governorate of
Musandam as specified in the memo and comprehensive
diagram attached to the decree, as a public utility project.
Article 2 states that the departments concerned
shall expropriate, through direct implementation, the
properties and lands necessary for the aforementioned
project, along with all the installations therein, in
accordance with provisions of the Public Utility
Expropriation Law promulgated by Royal Decree No
64/78.
Article 3 states that the decree shall be published in the
gazette and takes effect on its date of issue.
— ONA
State Council approves
revising education stages
MUSCAT: The State Council approved
the proposals submitted by the
Education Committee on revising
education stages and pathways in the
Sultanate.
The approval came at the 4th sitting
of the fourth annual session of the State
Council’s fifth terms which was held
today under the chair of Dr Yahya bin
Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of
the State Council.
The Chairman of the State Council
pointed out that the study comes in
response to the royal directives to revise
the education policies in the Sultanate
and as part of the existing cooperation
between the State Council and the
Education Council.
Sheikh Dr al Khattab bin Ghalib
al Hinai, Chairman of Education
Committee said that the Education
Council has done a revision of the
education policies.
The Education Committee at the
State Council has prepared a study
on revising the education stages and
pathways of the Sultanate.
The study has come after reviewing
the experiences of advanced countries in
education pathways, holding meetings
with education officials and experts and
visiting a number of military and civil
higher education institutions to review
their experiences, method of work and
approved education pathways.
He affirmed that there are a number
of objective reasons that urged the
Committee to conduct a study on the
education stages and pathways to keep
pace with the modern and scientific
changes.
— ONA
RO 66m projects to boost food security
FROM PAGE 1
The minister added that the projects
will contribute to the development
of the local communities nearby the
project sites.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries has 19 fish farming projects
which have met the requirements and
are ready to pump their investments,”
he added.
“With regard to food security, he
also said that the Omani government
is doing its best to set up projects and
public companies, such as Oman
Investment Holding to venture into
poultry production and sale, export of
gums which cost more than RO 200
million.
The production will cover a large
chunk of the Sultanate’s needs. Moreover,
there will be more fish farming public
companies that will be unveiled in the
coming period when the construction
works start,” he added.
Adnan bin Salah al Ghassani,
Business Development Manager at
Al Jazeera Investment Company,
said that the project implemented by
the company in Sharbathath in the
Governorate of Dhofar at a cost of
around RO 43 million, will focus on
abalone, grouper fish farming.
He added that the project which
will be set up on about 30 hectares will
produce about 1,500 tonnes per year for
of grouper, 1,000 tonnes of abalone per
year.
The project will provide 70
employment opportunities, in addition
to a number of training courses for locals
interested to work for the company, he
added.
— ONA
Oman needs to build capacity for research
FROM PAGE 1
Young people in Oman live in a
multicultural society represented by
over two-fifth of expatriate population
from diverse ethnic and social back
grounds. Rise in chronic and noncommunicable diseases mainly due to
changing life style, risk behaviours and
urbanisation and 7.5 per cent of all male
deaths attributed to road accidents,
highlight SORP.
“Research is critical in providing
the correct information. We have
heard from the researchers and experts
today that things can be significantly
projected differently with different
assumptions.
So it is critical to conduct research
in the right way. SORP aims to
conduct researches to have better
understanding of the social issues,”
said Dr Al Hinai.
“There is short
term and long
term needs and
that would look
into
indicators
and planners.
For example
if we are looking
at road safety we need solutions faster
and at the same time if we are looking at
health and to be specific provisions for
aging population in the country then we
can have longer term perspective. These
indicators are there to support decision
makers.
That is why this programme is
supported by the most appropriate
committee
led
by
Yahya
al
Maawali, Under-Secretary of Social
Development,” added Dr Al Hinai.
The steering committee consists
of stakeholders representing various
ministries such as education, higher
education,
social
development,
manpower and health. Contributors
to the research and analysis are also
University of Southampton, Sultan
Qaboos University, Royal Oman Police
and National Centre for Statistics and
Information.
Social
Observatory
Research
Programme (SORP) is a national
strategic research initiative aimed at
enhancing social well being and human
development in Oman. It is designed to
monitor social wellbeing and generate
evidence base for policy and impact
through high quality scientific research
and capacity building.
The event organised by The Research
Council’s Social Observatory Research
Programme, measuring social change in
Oman, looked into the Arab University
Youth and the New Millennium: The
changes seen in Higher Education and
development requirements.
MUSCAT: His Highness Sayyid Fahd
bin Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime
Minister for the Council of Ministers,
received in his office yesterday Alderman
Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor of the City of
London, the United Kingdom.
Sayyid Fahd welcomed the guest and
his accompanying delegation.
The meeting reviewed the good
bilateral relations between the two
friendly countries and the desire to
strengthen them to serve the joint
interests of the both sides, besides
enhancing cooperation in the economic,
trade and the investment spheres.
The meeting also reviewed the
situations at the international arena
and the economic developments being
witnessed by world countries.
HH Sayyid Fahd pointed out that
the Sultanate is right on track in its
developmental programmes, thanks to
the wise directives of His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos.
Lord Mayor of London expressed
his pride and that of his accompanying
delegation on visiting the Sultanate,
wishing that the visit will contribute in
supporting the joint cooperation efforts
between the two countries.
It was attended by Sayyid Badr
bin Hamad bin Hamoud al Busaidi,
Secretary-General of the Foreign
Ministry.
Meanwhile, Talal bin Sulaiman alRahbi, Deputy Secretary-General of the
Supreme Council for Planning (SCP)
also received Alderman Alan Yarrow.
The meeting reviewed the bilateral
economic relations binding the
Sultanate with the UK and means of
enhancing them in all fields to achieve
the joint interests of the two sides.
The guest was accompanied
by business delegation of various
business fields in the UK, which
includes senior representatives from
investment banks, asset managers,
insurers and law firms.
Hamood bin Sangour al Zadjali,
Executive President of the Central
Lord Mayor of London Alderman Alan Yarrow at Central Bank of Oman.
Bank of Oman, also the Lord Mayor of
London, and the visiting delegation at
CBO Head Office yesterday.
In the meeting, discussions were held
on mutual collaboration between the
Sultanate and the United Kingdom in
the different areas of economy, finance
and banking and the enhancement of
such collaboration in a manner that
serves the interest of the two friendly
countries.
The two sides also discussed in
the meeting issues related to the
banking and financial institutions
sector in both countries. The guest
was briefed on the monetary and
banking policy of the Sultanate as
well as the most important regulatory
rules and measures applied in the
Omani banking sector. In addition,
the topic of training, qualifying and
educational programmes provided
by British banks, particularly the
Bank of England, was addressed and
the potential of benefiting from such
services in training CBO staff.
The guest praised the strength
and solidity of the Omani banking
sector and affirmed the significance
of collaboration between Omani and
British institutions, pointing out to
the existence of such collaboration
between banking institutions in the
two countries, which contributes
effectively in enhancing economic,
financial, touristic and educational
relations and cooperation and in
financing infrastructure projects in the
Sultanate.
Yahya bin Said al-Jabri, Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the Special
Economic Zone Authority at Duqm
(SEZAD) also received Alderman Alan
Yarrow.
The meeting reviewed the existing
bilateral relations between the Sultanate
and the United Kingdom particularly
in economic and investment fields and
opportunities available for businessmen,
as well as the role that can be played
by the embassies of the two friendly
countries in enhancing cooperation
between them. Al Jabri gave a briefing
on potentials, incentives and projects
of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm
(SEZD).
— ONA
4
omandailyobserver
OMAN
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
Comprehensive planning for Muscat drainage system
MUSCAT: The Muscat Municipality
continues its efforts to cope with the
effects of rains that lashed the city
recently particularly in the wilayats
of Muttrah, Bushar and Al Amerat.
Municipality teams visited the affected
areas to evaluate the scale of the damage
and embark on an action plan to address
the situation. Instant Solutions adopted
by the municipal authorities included
siphoning off water and removing mud
and debris from streets to allow for the
flow of traffic.
The water drainage project being
executed near Al Nahda Hospital is in
its final stage of implementation with
the third rainwater drainage channel
being constructed at a point behind the
hospital and up to Wadi Adei district.
The municipality is currently
conducting a comprehensive plan
aimed to devise root solutions for the
reorganization and rehabilitation of
Al Hamriya and Ruwi areas and to
permanently rectify the problem of
surface water drainage. Additionally, the
Muscat Municipality is implementing
the first phase of an integrated strategic
project for surface water drainage at Al
Ghubra and Al Athaiba, two districts lying
below sea-level and having a multitude of
roads and numerous wadis as well as the
lack of water drainage which make them
prone to water-related crises.
A specialist consultant has been
awarded a comprehensive study aimed
to address the water drainage problem
in Muscat Governorate.
It included all the available
information about wadis and low-lying
areas and is expected to provide a root
solution for the problem.
Economic ties with Brunei discussed
Bank Muscat, ITA join hands to
promote secure e-payment gateway
MUSCAT: Bank Muscat as part of
its commitment to complement the
government efforts to promote secure
and convenient electronic payment
infrastructure in the Sultanate, signed
an agreement with the Information
Technology Authority (ITA) to
introduce a new Internet payment
gateway for government and semi
government entities.
The agreement to facilitate ‘Cyber
Source,’ one of the best internet
payment gateway systems in the
world, for government entities was
signed by Abdul Razak bin Ali bin
Issa, Chief Executive of Bank Muscat,
and Dr Salim bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi,
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ITA,
at Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM).
ITA is mandated by the government to
promote electronic payment solutions
to government institutions.
With proven credentials across
the globe, Cyber Source is well
equipped for electronic transactions
with a strong fraud control system.
Ensuring reliable, convenient and
secure transactions in line with the
government’s vision and strategy
for e-payment, the new internet
payment gateway is expected to pave
the way for new electronic services by
government entities.
Dr Salim bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi said:
“We congratulate Bank Muscat for
introducing the new Internet payment
gateway, which complements the
government efforts to introduce secure
and convenient electronic payment
infrastructure in the Sultanate.
The Sultanate’s e-Government
programme aims at bridging the
digital divide and enabling citizens
to communicate seamlessly with the
government.
By promoting Cyber Source to
government entities, ITA is committed
to making a real difference in the
electronic payment scenario in Oman.
We look forward to embarking on
a new era in e-payment in Oman with
the new e-payment gateway”.
Abdul Razak bin Ali bin Issa
said: “Bank Muscat is proud to join
hands with ITA to introduce Cyber
Source Internet payment gateway
for government institutions in the
Sultanate.
Reflecting
Bank
Muscat’s
commitment to providing the ‘best in
class’ service, it continues to invest in
cutting edge IT infrastructure, latest
Point of Sale terminals and competent
human resources available in the
payments industry”.
— ONA
MUSCAT: Said bin Salim al Kiyumi,
Chairman of the Oman Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (OCCI)
received Dato Padduka Haji Ali,
the Deputy Minister at the Prime
Minister’s Office and the Chairman
of the Brunei Economic Development
Board who is currently visiting the
Sultanate, yesterday.
During the meeting Al Kiyumi
spoke about the bilateral relations
between the two countries which
has entered a new stage of economic
development, stressing that these
relations should be further deepened
as the both countries boast important
economic and investment potentials.
He said the OCCI always seeks to
foster relations between the private
sector in the Sultanate and other
countries.
Rashid bin Salim al Masroori,
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
the Public Authority for Stores and
Food Reserve (PASFR) yesterday
met with a number of businessmen
accompanying the Deputy Minister
at the Brunei Premier Office, Head of
the Economic Development Council,
currently visiting the Sultanate.
The Wave, Muscat launch campaign
to reclaim Extreme Sailing crown
MUSCAT: Oman Sail’s skipper of The
Wave, Muscat Extreme Sailing Series
boat, Leigh McMillan (GBR), has
vowed to return to winning ways as the
team prepares to compete for the global
circuit crown against a fresh new lineup in 2015. After two triumphant years
as Extreme Sailing Series champions,
McMillan and his crew of Nasser al
Mashari (OMA), Sarah Ayton (GBR),
Pete Greenhalgh (GBR), Kinley Fowler
(NZL) and Ed Smyth (NZL) — who
stepped in for Sydney — had to settle
for second place last season when long
term rivals Alinghi swept to victory at
the final event in Australia in December.
It was a bitter blow, McMillan said
but the title loss has sharpened their
resolve to raise their game and claim
the ‘treble’ in 2015. “We were hoping to
make it three Extreme championship
titles in a row last season so now we have
unfinished business and are determined
to return to winning ways this year to
land the treble. We prefer it when we are
winning”.
The news that Alinghi would not
be competing for the 2015 title was
disappointing, McMillan added, and the
sporting rivalry with skipper Morgan
Larson will be sorely missed. “It is
incredibly sad that we won’t be racing
against Alinghi this year. We were
looking forward to renewing the rivalry
with Morgan and his team because they
set the bar high and raised performance
levels all round but we fully expect
someone else to give us a run for our
money.”
“There are a number of teams who
have gained a lot of experience in the
past couple of years and are making
major jumps so we are not expecting it
to be any easier.”
One name to look out for on the
leaderboard in 2015 is Olympic 49er
campaigner Stevie Morrison who has
taken over as skipper of a new look
Oman Air crew to be announced in the
lead up to Act 1 in Singapore. Morrison,
who is new to Extreme 40 sailing,
represented Great Britain at the Olympic
Games in 2008 and 2012 finishing 9th
and 5th respectively and was crowned
49er World Champion in 2007.
At the announcement at the
Düsseldorf Boat Show in Germany,
Morrison said campaigning a 49er gave
him a head start in the Extreme 40 class
but it would still be a steep learning
curve.
“I have been following this circuit
for a long time so it is an honour to
be invited to be skipper of Oman Air
and I am very excited. It is going to be
awesome,” he said.
“Singapore will be my first go in
an Extreme 40 so it will be a huge
challenge. From a racing perspective, it
is similar to the 49er but the reality is the
Extreme 40 is a 40ft catamaran with five
crew as opposed to a 15ft 49er with two
so there are a lot of things I am going
to have to learn fast. “But I am lucky
because Oman Sail have some of the
most experienced sailors on the circuit
so I’m hoping the learning curve will
be steep but quick and after a couple of
events we will be putting in some good
results.” Last year, Oman Air featured
Oman’s Olympic hopefuls Hashim
Al Rashdi and Musab Al Hadi but in
2015 their focus returns to their 49er
campaign while Ali Al Balushi, who
made an impressive Extreme 40 debut
in Sydney, becomes a regular Oman
Air crewmember for all eight Extreme
Sailing Series Acts in 2015.
Oman Sail has had a long association
with the Extreme Sailing Series,
becoming involved in 2008; a year after
the circuit was established.
In 2009, fielding two boats and
highlighting the development aims that
are fundamental to their foundation,
Oman Sail Masirah skippered by Pete
Cummings claimed Oman Sail’s first
title win.
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
OMAN
omandailyobserver
5
SQU fetes administrative units Oman Film Meet in March
MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos University yesterday organised
a function to honour three administrative units and their
employees for excellence in performance.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of Prof Amer
bin Ali Al Rawas, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate
Studies and Research. The Department of Finance was
selected as the best administrative unit in the university.
The SQU Printing Press came second and the Department
of Administrative Affairs got the third place. The winning
departments were honoured and the employees were given
cash awards and gifts.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Hamed bin Sulaiman Al
Salmi, SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative and
Financial Affairs, said that honouring the administrative
units and encouraging the employees would be an incentive
for them to put more efforts in serving the university and its
students.
“This decision to honour the departments for outstanding
performance came out of the concern for comprehensive
development of the university and to improve the services
offered by various administrative units to the staff, students
and the community outside.
“This gesture is expected to encourage the employees to
exert more efforts and simplify the administrative procedures
and achieve quality performance and speedy delivery of
services”, he said. A special committee was formed at the
university level to form the criteria and to select the best
administrative units.
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
Jan. 21: The annual Oman
Film Meet (OFM) will be
held in March this year in
Muscat, according to the
Oman Film Society (OFS)
Head.
Touted as be an attempt
to instil cinema culture
in Oman, this one week
event is a major thrust to
the ambitious Omani film
makers, actors and all other
pre and post production
manpower. The Sultanate
has so far produced three
movies locally.
“We will be holding the
annual Omani Film Meet
sometime in March or April
this year in Muscat and it
MSM loses 14.49 points
MUSCAT:
Muscat
Securities Market (MSM)
general index 30 yesterday
lost 14.49 points, comprising
a decline by 0.22 per cent to
close at (6637,73) points.
The
trading
value
yesterday stood at (RO 3.73)
million, comprising a decline
by 24.69 per cent compared
to the last session, which
stood at RO 4.95 million.
The report released by
MSM pointed out that the
market value rose by 0.02
per cent to reach about (RO
14.94) billion.
The report added that
the value of shares bought
by non-Omani investors
reached (RO 394,000),
comprising
(10.57
per
cent).
The value of shares sold
by non-Omani investors
reached (RO 772,000),
comprising
(20.72
per
cent). The net non-Omani
investment declined by
(10.15 per cent) to (RO
378,000).
Meanwhile, the Dubai
Mercantile
Exchange
(DME) said that Oman oil
price (March delivery) has
reached $45.36.
The DME statement
today said that the price
of Oman oil rose 14 cents
from the price of yesterday
“Tuesday,” which was $45.22.
The
average
price
of Oman oil (February
Delivery 2015) has stabilized
at $61 and One cent, thus
17.23 US Dollar per barrel
lower than January delivery
2015. — ONA
ISC-Muscat
students
visit school
for the deaf
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan. 21: Through the
SLO® Social Responsibility
Department, students of
the International School
of Choueifat (ISC-Muscat)
have put their commitment
to community service into
action.
More than a dozen
students visited Al Amal
School for the Deaf recently.
They presented gifts
to the young children
and spent some quality
time with the older ones
bringing smiles on their
faces.
ISC-Muscat
students
were able to interact with
students who have hearing
disabilities
and
share
ideas about their favourite
subjects and activities
and even learn some sign
language. They had better
communication with the
students in writing.
Later, the two sides of
students teamed up and
had a friendly football
match.
“It was a wonderful
experience to have visited
the Al Amal School and our
students are striving to do
their best, discovering their
own talents and interests
and longing to be of service
and to make the world a
better place for all”, Sana al
Ahmad of The ISC said.
will be a great contribution to
the thriving film industry”, Dr
Khalid al Zadjali, Chairman,
OFS told the Observer.
Anyone who has a knack
in making short films,
documentary or feature films
can submit their works to
the Society and there will
be as many as six categories
which include Best Director,
Cinematography,
Script,
Actor, Actress and Best Jury
Member to be decided by the
participants.
“Short
films
and
documentaries should be of
less than 20 minutes length
while feature film should be
of
normally
acceptable
duration or below”, Dr Khalid
added.
Meanwhile, there have
been overwhelming response
from the Omani film makers
for the film contest to be held
as part of the Muscat Festival
which is solely supported
and guided by the Muscat
Municipality.
“We are still receiving
entries for Muscat Festival
short film contest and
although the deadline to
submit entries was over we
are still considering entries
as our aim is to nurture the
film culture in the land”,
he said, adding that the
Muscat Festival film contest
is purely for Omani film
makers.
6
CHINA CONTENT WITH SLOWER 2015 GROWTH
T H U R S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 2 l 2 0 1 5
Media tycoon arrested
over Hong Kong protests
Tribunal resumes hearing of Vietnam genocide trial
HONG KONG: Hong
Kong pro-democracy
newspaper
tycoon
Jimmy Lai (pictured)
was arrested and
released by police
on Wednesday after
turning himself in, the
latest figure targeted
in
a
broadening
investigation which
protest
leaders
describe as harassment.
Tension remains high in the semiautonomous southern Chinese city
after more than two months of street
blockades by demonstrators seeking
free leadership elections.
Lai’s home and office were
firebombed last week and he was also
targeted during the protests.
The rallies ended in December when
protest camps were cleared, but police
have vowed to investigate the “principal
instigators”.Lai, 66, whose company
produces the outspoken Apple Daily
newspaper, had been asked to report
to Wanchai district police headquarters
on Wednesday.
He spoke briefly to reporters after
more than two hours inside.
“I have been arrested,” he said, after
his release.
A tourist looks at photographs of Khmer Rouge victims at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as the notorious
security prison S-21, in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.
— AFP
President Xi
gets 62 per cent
pay rise: Report
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi
Jinping and the other six members of
the Communist Party’s elite Politburo
Standing Committee have been given
62 per cent pay rises, state-run media
said on Tuesday, as civil servants get
their first increases since 2006.
Xi’s basic monthly pay will go up
to 11,385 yuan ($1,832) from 7,020
yuan, the China Daily said, citing
announcements by the ministry of
human resources and social security.
Despite leading the world’s secondlargest economy, Xi’s pay falls far short
of US President Barack Obama, who
earns $400,000 a year.
The lowest-ranked civil servants
have seen their pay more than double
to 1,320 yuan. Increasing numbers
of officials are quitting over low pay,
the paper said, but it pointed out
that basic salaries make up just one
component of civil servants’ monthly
compensation.
— AFP
North Korea threatened on Wednesday
to reconsider proposals for dialogue with
South Korea, condemning this week’s
propaganda balloon launch by US and
South Korean activists. The threat came
two days after North Korean defectors
led by Park Sang-Hak teamed up with
activists from the US-based Human Rights
Foundation to launch some 100,000 antiPyongyang leaflets.
Somewhat slower growth will allow a
reforming Chinese economy to become
more stable and should be good news,
the head of China’s central bank said on
Wednesday, after the country announced
its lowest expansion rate in 24 years.
Zhou Xiaochoan, governor of the People’s
Bank of China, said the People’s Congress,
the parliament, would discuss a lower
growth target at its annual session.
ASIA
The UN backed tribunal in Cambodia on Wednesday
commenced the second phase of a hearing of two former top
Khmer Rouge leaders, head of state Khieu Samphan and ‘’Brother
Number Two’’ Nuon Chea, on charges of genocide against the
ethnic Chams and the Vietnamese. A witness told Cambodia’s
UN-backed court on Wednesday that Khmer Rouge soldiers slit
prisoners’ throats and ate their gall bladders during the 1970s,
as the genocide trial of the two most senior surviving leaders
resumed.
Nuon Chea, 88, known as “Brother Number Two”, and former
head of state Khieu Samphan, 83, face charges over the killing of
ethnic Vietnamese and Muslim minorities, forced marriage and
N KOREA THREATENS TO RECONSIDER TALKS
rape during the 1975-1979 regime that left up to two million
people dead. In August the pair were given life sentences for
crimes against humanity — the first top Khmer Rouge figures
to be jailed — after a two-year trial focused on the forced
evacuation of Cambodians from Phnom Penh into rural labour
camps and murders at one execution site.
The genocide trial, which began last July, has faced repeated
delays due to boycotts by the defendants’ lawyers and most
recently because of the brief hospitalisation of Khieu Samphan.
He was well enough to attend the hearing on Wednesday
alongside his defence team, while Nuon Chea followed the
proceedings from a holding cell due to dizziness.
— AFP
He added that he
had been accused of two
offences,
“organising
and assembling an
illegal assembly, and
participating in an
illegal assembly”.
Asked if police would
take further action, he
said: “I don’t know. How
can I know? They have
the right to call me back
anytime.”
Police later said that Lai had been
arrested for organising and participating
in an “unauthorised assembly” and had
been released after refusing police bail.
“Police reserve the right for
prosecution... at this stage (there
are) no court proceedings,” a police
spokeswoman said.
A number of prominent protesters
including student leaders Joshua
Wong and Alex Chow have voluntarily
reported to police stations after being
requested to do so.
They were all placed under arrest for
protest-related offences, but released
hours later.
Both Chow and Wong questioned
the process, saying police should
charge them if they had the evidence.
—AFP
Four officials
sacked over
Shanghai
stampede
SHANGHAI: Four local officials
in Shanghai have been sacked
after 36 people died in a New
Year’s Eve crush on the city’s
famous waterfront, known as
the Bund, the city government
announced on Wednesday,
saying the carnage could have
been avoided.
New Year revellers, many
of them young women, were
trampled after flocking to the
Bund, known for its historic
architecture,
with
severe
overcrowding raising questions
about why authorities failed
to enforce stronger safety
measures. “The December 31
incident is one that should not
have happened and could have
been completely avoided,” vice
mayor Zhou Bo told a news
conference, the first open to
foreign media since the incident.
Four
district
officials
had been relieved of their
Communist
Party
and
government posts.
— AFP
HUMAN ERROR LIKELY: Preliminary report into the crash to be completed next week, a month after the accident
AirAsia jet’s alarms screamed before crash
JAKARTA: Warning alarms in AirAsia
flight QZ8501 were “screaming” as the
pilots desperately tried to stabilise the
plane just before it plunged into the Java
Sea last month, a crash investigator said
on Wednesday.
The noise of several alarms —
including one that indicated the plane
was stalling — can be heard going off
in recordings from the black box in
the Airbus A320-200’s cockpit, the
investigator said.
“The warning alarms, we can say,
were screaming, while in the background
they (the pilot and co-pilot) were busy
trying to recover,” the investigator said,
adding the warnings were going off “for
some time”.
The investigator, from Indonesia’s
National
Transportation
Safety
Committee (NTSC), added that the
pilots’ voices were drowned out by the
sound of the alarms.
A woman stand in front of an AirAsia check-in machine at Soekarno Hatta airport in
Jakarta, on Wednesday. — Reuters
The revelation came a day after
Indonesian Transport Minister Ignasius
Jonan said that the plane had climbed
abnormally fast before stalling and
plunging into the sea, as it flew on
December 28 in stormy weather from
Indonesia’s Surabaya to Singapore with
162 people on board.
“In the final minutes, the plane
climbed at a speed which was beyond
normal,” the minister told reporters.
Analysts said the AirAsia jet’s rapid
ascent had echoes of the crash of an Air
France jet into the Atlantic in 2009, with
the loss of 228 lives.
Air France flight 447 vanished en
route from Rio to Paris at night during a
storm. The Airbus A330’s speed sensors
were found to have malfunctioned, and
the plane climbed too steeply, causing it
to stall.
The investigation into AF447 found
that both technical and human error
were to blame. As with the AirAsia
disaster, the accident happened in an
area around the equator where north and
south winds meet, and thunderstorms
are common.“The similarities are pretty
striking,” Daniel Tsang, founder of
Hong Kong-based consultancy Aspire
Aviation, said. So far, just 53 bodies have
been recovered following the AirAsia
crash.
Divers have been struggling for a
week against rough seas and strong
Dalian Wanda to invest $52 million becoming first China company with stake in a premier European club
Chinese billionaire buys into Spanish football club
BEIJING: China’s biggest property
conglomerate, Dalian Wanda Group
Co, has bought 20 per cent of Spanish
soccer champions Atletico Madrid
for 45 million euros ($52 million),
becoming the first Mainland company
to invest in a premier European club.
The purchase adds to a string of
deals as Wanda expands overseas
and diversifies away from a weak
domestic real estate market.
Over the past two years, the
company agreed to invest nearly $2
billion in London and Madrid hotels
and properties.
Investing in Atletico tallies with
Wanda’s push into entertainment.
Billionaire founder Wang Jianlin
has said he wants to expand in theme
parks and motion pictures, pitting the
group against Walt Disney Co and
Universal Studios.
The choice of club would come
as no surprise as the company
established a youth training
programme with Atletico three
years ago aimed at “strengthening
NEW YEAR DEATH
The Asian market
is the largest and
every European
club is working in Asia
... The idea is to increase
(our) base of supporters
and increase our revenues
around sponsorship
agreements
Wang Jianlin (C), chairman of Dalian Wanda Group, holds an Atletico Madrid
jersey with his name, with Atletico Madrid’s President Enrique Cerezo (R) and
managing director Miguel Angel Gil after a signing ceremony in Beijing, on
Wednesday.
— Reuters
the quality of Chinese football,”
Wang said at a signing ceremony on
Wednesday.
Under terms of the investment,
Dalian will spend an additional 15
million euros on 50 per cent of a new
Atletico youth training facility.
Buying into Atletico will offer
significant branding opportunities in
Europe for Beijing-based Wanda.
For Atletico, whose debt exceeds
500 million euros, the partnership
could help introduce the club to new
Chinese fans and sponsors.
MIGUEL ANGEL GIL MARIN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, ATLETICO
“The Asian market is the largest
and every European club is working
in Asia,” Atletico’s Chief Executive
Officer Miguel Angel Gil Marin said
at the signing ceremony.
“The idea is to increase (our)
base of supporters and increase
our revenues around sponsorship
agreements.”
Atletico’s recent success has
brought Madrid’s second club to the
attention of international investors.
Its partners include Chinese
telecommunications
equipment
maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
and the Azerbaijan tourist board.
Wang Jianlin is no stranger to
soccer. For six years from 1993, his
group owned Dalian city’s local team.
Wanda
currently
includes
Hong Kong-listed Dalian Wanda
Commercial Properties Co Ltd,
joined in 2012 by US movie theatre
chain AMC Entertainment Holdings
Inc. The group is also the leading
shareholder of China’s biggest theatre
chain, Wanda Cinema Line Corp.
Last week, Wang said he aimed
to increase group revenue by 147
per cent to 600 billion yuan ($96.60
billion) by 2020, with more than 20
per cent coming from overseas.
International revenue is presently
negligible.
— Reuters
currents to reach the plane’s main body,
which was spotted on the seabed and
is thought to contain the bulk of the
remaining passengers and crew.
The two black boxes — the cockpit
voice recorder and the flight data
recorder — were recovered last week
after a lengthy search, and investigators
are examining them.
Investigators have listened to the data
from the cockpit voice recorder, and are
also looking at a wealth of information
from the flight data recorder,
which monitors every major part of the
plane.
They are focusing on the possibility
of human or aircraft error, after ruling
out terrorism following an analysis of
the cockpit voice recorder.
Committee head Tatang Kurniadi
said that the preliminary report into the
crash would be completed next week, a
month after the accident.
— AFP
Kenya considers request to
repatriate Chinese hackers
NAIROBI: The Kenyan government is considering
a request by the Chinese government to repatriate
76 Chinese nationals arrested in Kenya for hacking,
an official said on Wednesday.
China made a formal request to extradite its
nationals, the foreign affairs ministry’s political and
diplomatic secretary Ben Ogutu said on a live TV
talk show. During an official trip to Kenya earlier
this month, China’s Foreign Affairs minister Wang Yi
asked for the extradition of 37 of the suspects, who
have been charged in court.
Yi made the remark while answering
questions from journalists, saying the crimes were
perpetrated against Chinese nationals in China and
not Kenyans. Edwin Limo, a spokesman at Kenya’s
foreign affairs ministry, confirmed that the formal
request was for all the Chinese suspects.
Activists have asked the government not to
bow to China’s pressure for extradition.
The two countries have signed billion
dollar contracts on trade and development
of infrastructure in Kenya. Limo said Kenya is
a sovereign state and cannot be pressured to
do anything. Police arrested the 76 Chinese
nationals and one Taiwanese early December
with sophisticated equipment in houses in plush
neighborhoods of Nairobi. Police said they were
investigating them for espionage, among other
crimes. Police were alerted of the alleged hacking
operation when computer equipment in one of
the upscale houses the Chinese nationals had
rented near the US Embassy and UN headquarters
caught fire, killing one person. — Reuters
SUBCONTINENT
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
7
Lanka to reopen murder
probes on new evidence
COLOMBO:
Sri
Lanka’s
new
government is to reopen investigations
into the murders of a high-profile
newspaper editor and two lawmakers
after evidence linking the former regime
to the killings came to light, a minister
said on Wednesday.
The move comes after a former
cabinet minister on Sunday publicly
accused the deposed president’s brother
Gotabhaya Rajapakse of ordering the
assassination of newspaper editor
Lasantha Wickrematunga in January
2009.
“We have got all the information,”
said
Health
Minister
Rajitha
Senaratne, referring to the killings
of Wickrematunga and opposition
legislators Nadarajah Raviraj and Joseph
Pararajasingham.
“We know who is responsible.
Arrests will be made soon.”
Rajapakse could not be reached for
comment.
The family has insisted it had no role
in the editor’s killing, which sparked
international outrage.
Wickrematunga and his Sunday
Leader newspaper were staunch critics
The move comes after a
former cabinet minister
publicly accused the
deposed president’s brother
Gotabhaya Rajapakse of
ordering the assassination
of newspaper editor
of the administration of then-president
Mahinda Rajapakse.
They had accused Gotabhaya, who
served as defence secretary under his
brother, of corruption over the purchase
of second-hand aircraft and arms for the
military.
Senaratne said there would also be
a full investigation into Gotabhaya’s
running of the defence ministry amid
allegations that he maintained a private
army.
He is also accused of financial
misappropriation
and
passing
government weapons to private
individuals.
Rajapakse’s family stands accused
of amassing huge wealth during his
10-year rule, which ended earlier this
month when he was voted out of office
on a tide of resentment over alleged
corruption and nepotism.
Police are investigating a ship full
of weapons that was seized in the
island’s southern port of Galle and an
arms cache found at an international
convention centre which was visited by
the pope last week, he said.
“The
defence
ministry
had
established a private security company.
That company outsourced security
work to another private company,” he
said.
“It was a private army with weapons
of the state.”
The new government which came
to power following the January 8
presidential election is also looking into
allegations that the former president
tried to use military force to remain in
power when early results showed he was
headed for a defeat.
The alleged coup bid failed when
the attorney general, the police and
army chiefs declined to collaborate, the
government has said. — AFP
Nepal’s Maoist chief sorry
for parliament brawl
Nepalese opposition lawmakers are held back by parliament security officials in Kathmandu.
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Maoist chief
apologised on Wednesday for his party’s
role in a parliament brawl that injured
four security officers in the tense run-up
to a deadline for a post-war constitution.
Maoist lawmakers hurled chairs
and scuffled with security staff early
on Tuesday as ruling party politicians
tried to push proposals for a new
charter through parliament before
Thursday’s deadline. “The confrontation
in the constituent assembly meeting on
Tuesday morning was a mistake,” said
Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal,
known better as Prachanda.
“We had no intention of starting a
fight but the situation got out of control,”
Prachanda told a press conference.
He said the party had instructed
lawmakers to disrupt proceedings by
chanting slogans, but matters got out
of hand when ruling party politicians
attempted to move ahead with a vote
on the terms of the constitution without
— AFP
all-party agreement. The former rebels
say discussions should continue until
all parties agree — even if that means
missing the deadline to approve the
charter and complete a peace process
begun in 2006, when they ended their
decade-long insurgency.
The United Nations and diplomats in
Nepal urged politicians to return to the
negotiating table “in a spirit of flexibility
and urgency”. “The constitution is meant
to be a foundational document. — AFP
Bangladeshi police stand guard during a nationwide strike called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance in Dhaka.
B’desh arrests 7,015 oppn activists
DHAKA:
Bangladesh
security
forces have arrested more than 7,000
opposition activists since the start of
deadly protests a fortnight ago, the
government said.
Activists have firebombed buses, cars
and lorries, killing 29 people, since the
opposition called a nationwide transport
blockade to protest the detention of
their leader Khaleda Zia.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain
Amu told reporters after chairing
cabinet meeting on security in Dhaka
that 7,015 people had been arrested in
the 15 days since the blockade began.
The crisis began when police
confined Zia to her office after she
threatened to lead a mass rally against
her political rival Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina.
She wants Hasina to call fresh polls
after last year’s controversial general
election, which opposition parties
boycotted on the grounds it would be
rigged.
The boycott meant most members of
the 300-seat parliament were returned
unopposed, handing Hasina another
five years in power.
Zia, who denies her Bangladesh
Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies
were responsible for firebombings, has
also demanded the release of opposition
officials and leaders detained over the
violence.
Hasina has accused Zia of trying
to trigger “anarchy” and ordered the
security agencies to hunt down the
protesters behind the firebombings.
The United States, Britain and
the European Union have expressed
concern over the unrest.
The EU, the nation’s biggest export
destination, has urged Hasina’s
government and the opposition to hold
talks to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is offering
rewards for the capture of the attackers
who killed at least 25 people during
political unrest, a senior minister said
on Wednesday.
The bounties are for help in arresting
the perpetrators of arson attacks during
an opposition transport blockade, said
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu,
who is also head of a law and order
committee.
“None will be spared if found
involved in acts of terrorism,” the
minister said. — AFP
8
ANALYSIS
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
TECH BARONS SEE
A ROSY FUTURE
T
echnological advances are to explode 10 times faster than even the Internet boom
in the 1990s, top tech tycoons told the global Davos elite yesterday, but also
warned that security threats would be worse this year than ever.
As
the
world’s
political
and
business
movers-and-shakers
opened their annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, one of the hotbutton issues was the impact of technology on society and the growing income
gap.
John Chambers, Chief Executive of tech giant Cisco, wowed the assembled
elites with a bold prediction: “Take what happened with the Internet in the 1990s,
multiply it by 10 and that’s what you’re about to see and the benefits are going to
be seen by every single person.”
“Every company, every country, every person is going to become digital,” said
Chambers, head of one of the world’s biggest tech companies. “This will change
society for the better.”
Meanwhile, PayPal founder Max Levchin told Davos that revolutions in data
management and wearable tech were going to transform societies both in the
developed world and in emerging nations.
“The barefoot doctor in China will wear something like Google glass and —
without a medical degree — this doctor will have access to a huge amount of
data telling him ‘that’s not a bruise, that’s something worse, get antibiotics’,” he
predicted.
“It really is the most exciting time to be alive.”
But on the flip side, the tech barons also warned that cyber attacks will come
to dominate the industry, in the wake of high-profile hacks on firms from Sony
to ebay, as well as cyber attacks on government
institutions like US Central Command.
“The four biggest challenges the tech On the flip side,
industry faces in the coming years are security, the tech barons
security, security and security,” said Pierre also warned that
Nanterme, chief executive of consultancy firm
cyber attacks will
Accenture.
Chambers predicted the problems with come to dominate
security would increase “exponentially” in the industry, in the
future.
“If you think last year was bad, wait until wake of high-profile
this year. Every company will be broken into, hacks on firms from
every country will be broken into.”
Sony to ebay, reports
“Bad guys have to get it right once, we have
to get it right every time. It’s just bad news,” RICHARD CARTER
explained Levchin.
On an international government level,
some of the biggest world powers are banding together to tackle the threat of
cyber-attacks, with the leaders of Britain and the United States last week pledging
a joint cell to fight cyber crime.
And at a company level, the corporate leaders at Davos said security issues
were now their primary concern when planning new business.
“You have to start with security in mind, built it in from the ground up,” said
Levchin.
And with one of the topics at this year’s Davos being the growing inequality
between the haves and have-nots, several participants voiced concern that the
speed of technological progress risked leaving people behind.
“Today the pie continues to grow bigger, record wealth, more billionaires than
every before, but the average person in the developing country isn’t participating
in that pie,” said American academic Erik Brynjolfsson.
Concern is also mounting that jobs also in advanced economies will be shed
as technology races ahead, with Chambers predicting that 40 per cent of tech
companies will not survive if they fail to innovate.
Many stressed the importance of education in pushing out tech-savvy
graduates able to thrive in the new digital economy.
Nevertheless, most felt the overall impact of technological advance would
inevitably be positive for society.
Pointing to a smartphone, one top Indian CEO said: “There’s more than 11
times the computing power in here than took Apollo to the Moon.”
By 2020, the vast majority of people on the planet will be hooked up to such a
device, he predicted.
“How can that not be a wonderful opportunity for people to connect?”
The World Economic Forum in the snowy picture-perfect resort of
Davos brings together 2,500 of the top global business, political and financial elite
for an annual meeting which ends on Saturday.
People queue up outside a pharmacy in Caracas, Venezuela, yesterday. — AFP
A booming new profession
T
here’s a booming new profession in Venezuela: standing pharmacies around the nation.
“If there was no food, you wouldn’t be seeing lines!” said
in line. The job usually involves starting before dawn,
enduring long hours under the Caribbean sun, dodging or Carlos Osorio, the vice-president for food, adding that in
bribing police, and then selling a coveted spot at the front 15 years of socialism per capita annual meat consumption
rose from 11 to 26 kg.
of huge shopping lines.
That statistic is no consolation for Alcira Garcia, a
As Venezuela’s ailing economy spawns unprecedented
shortages of basic goods, panic-buying and a rush to retired 60-year-old from the poor Caracas suburb of
snap up subsidised food, demand is high and the pay is Macarao, who rose at 4 am to stand in line at a downtown
reasonable. “It’s boring but not a bad way to make a living,” state supermarket to find cheap food for her household of
said a 23-year-old man, who only gave his first name Luis, five. Despite her efforts, she left sweating and harried at 11
as he held a spot near the front of a line of hundreds outside am — without red meat. “But I did get chicken, rice, oil and
toilet paper, so it was worth it!” she said before starting the
a state supermarket just after sunrise in Caracas.
Unemployed until he tried his new career late last slog home with her bags.
Chicken that day was selling in the state-run
year, Luis earns about 600 bolivars, a whopping $95 at
Bicentenario supermarket for 43 bolivars
Venezuela’s lowest official exchange rate
per kg - four times cheaper than in private
but just $3.50 on the black market, for a
As Venezuela’s ailing stores and a prime illustration of why so
spot. He can do that two or three times
economy spawns
many Venezuelans are prepared to wait
a day. “There’s a lady coming at 8 am for
hours in line for bargains.
this place. She’s paid in advance,” Luis
shortage of basic
Subsidised food and other basic
said, patting his wallet despite nods of
goods, panic-buying
products have made a huge difference
disapproval around him.
has become a norm
in Venezuelans’ lives and long been a
“I’ll have a break and then maybe
mainstay of the government’s support
start again. I chat to people to pass the
these days, writes
among the poor. Maduro’s challenge is
time, the conversation can be fun.
ANDREW CAWTHORNE to maintain such welfare generosity in an
If it’s not, I play on my phone.”
economy already in recession even before
The phenomenon began about two
a recent crash in oil revenues.
years ago but accelerated suddenly
The shortages have already weighed heavily on his
this month as a Christmas and New Year distribution
slowdown exacerbated existing shortages of basics from popularity, at its lowest point of 22 per cent according to
one prominent local pollster, and augur badly for the ruling
milk and meat to toilet paper and diapers.
Foes of President Nicolas Maduro, and his predecessor Socialist Party in legislative elections later this year.
Bearing out a constant government complaint, some
Hugo Chavez who ruled from 1999-2013, say the lines
symbolise the economic incompetence and inevitable people leaving supermarkets on a recent morning with far
more products than one family could need acknowledged
scarcities of socialism.
they were for re-sale.
Nationalisations have crimped private production while
Many goods turn up at twice the price in the huge
imports have fallen due to restrictive currency controls.
The government says panic-buying driven by Petare slum.
The local Datanalisis pollster estimated that 65 per
unfounded rumours of chaos, price-gouging and hoarding
by unscrupulous store owners, and media exaggeration of cent of pharmacy customers could be re-selling, while the
shortages, are behind chaotic scenes at supermarkets and average consumer spends eight hours a week shopping.
President Obama shops vision of ‘middle class economics’
P
resident Barack Obama hit the road
yesterday to sell his vision of a reinvigorated
nation that embraces distributive “middle
class economics”, after a combative State of
the Union address.
Obama will head West to Idaho and
Kansas, where he will reprise the key
themes of his penultimate State of the
Union — namely that the United States
has turned a page on years of economic
suffering.
With damage from the Great Recession
easing, an emboldened Obama on
Tuesday called for a new chapter of
American politics, one focused squarely
on addressing inequality.
“The shadow of crisis has passed,” he
told a Congress now controlled by his
Republican foes during the showpiece
event of the American political calendar.
“We have risen from recession freer to
write our own future than any other nation
on Earth. It’s now up to us to choose who
we want to be over the next fifteen years,
and for decades to come.”
He made a populist pitch for taxes
on rich that would help pay for aid to
the middle class, daring Republicans to
oppose his plans ahead of 2016 elections
that will decide his successor.
“Will we accept an economy where
only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or
will we commit ourselves to an economy
that generates rising incomes and chances
for everyone who makes the effort?” he
asked. Republicans quickly said the speech
was more about politics than leadership,
vowing to use their new-found majority in
both houses of Congress to make sure the
plans never become law.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who
was tasked with rebutting Obama’s speech,
decried his “failed policies” and a “stale
mind-set” that led to “political talking
points, not serious solutions.” She also
said Americans are still suffering from
“stagnant wages and lost jobs.”
Mitt Romney, past and potential
future Republican presidential candidate,
said that, “true to form, the President
in his State of the Union speech is more
interested in politics than in leadership.”
He added: “More intent on winning
elections than on winning progress, he
ignores the fact that the country has
elected a Congress that favors smaller
With damage from the
Great Recession easing, an
emboldened Obama called
for a new chapter of American
politics, one focused
on addressing inequality,
notes ANDREW BEATTY
government and lower taxes.”
For six years Obama’s presidency was
often subsumed by an economic crisis that
stymied efforts to narrow inequality and
put other liberal policy priorities on the
back burner.
Hillary Clinton, also expected to run
for president, said in a tweet minutes after
the speech, “BarackObama pointed way
to an economy that works for all. Now we
need to step up & deliver for the middle
class.”
In recent months, Obama has used his
executive authority — opponents would
argue he has stretched it to the limit —
to circumvent Republican opposition,
imposing and opposing some policies by
decree. Many of his efforts have focused
overseas, including attempts to improve
relations with America’s most implacable
foes. On Tuesday, he redoubled calls to
end the half-century-old embargo on
Cuba and vowed to veto any move to put
further sanctions on Iran.
“Our shift in Cuba policy has the
potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our
hemisphere,” he said.
Polls suggest Americans support the
Cuban outreach and Obama hammered
home his advantage by inviting Alan
Gross, a former US prisoner in Cuba, who
whispered “thank you, thank you” during
the speech.
President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union address before a joint
session of Congress on Tuesday at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. — AFP
ANALYSIS
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
9
Ebola end game in sight as new cases fall sharply
A
military-style operation to fight Ebola in Sierra
Leone has helped to dramatically reduce new
cases, in what health officials say is a major step
towards defeating the deadly disease. Since it was
launched about one month ago, the operation has
doubled the number of ambulances for patients
in the densely populated west of Sierra Leone, the
worst-affected country where more than 3,000
people have died.
Police halt vehicles at checkpoints in the
tumble-down streets to check temperatures,
while posters proclaim in the local Krio language:
“Togeda we go stop ebola.”
Aid workers also report success in changing
behaviour in rural areas, notably discouraging
people from burial rituals involving direct contact
with the dead - a major source of transmission.
As a result, transmission of the haemorrhagic
fever has slowed sharply in the West African
country, which has recorded more than 10,000
cases since May. There were just 184 new cases
in the week to January 11 — the lowest in five
months. More than half of beds in treatment
centres across Sierra Leone are now empty — a
stark contrast from a peak in November when
centres in Freetown overflowed, patients waited
days for ambulances and bodies were unburied,
months to a year and we’ll need to snuff them out.”
or interred secretly in backyards.
The National Ebola Response Centre (NERC),
This has prompted President Ernest Bai
Koroma to say he believes his government — a new military-style body chaired by Koroma,
helped by the nearly 800 British soldiers and more launched “Operation Western Area Surge” last
than $450 million in foreign aid — can stamp out month in Sierra Leone a country of six million
people where the main industries are fishing and
Sierra Leone’s last case by the end of March.
farming but which has huge,
Some health specialists and
largely untapped, mineral
aid workers are more cautious.
reserves. A jingle is played
They hope the success in
Many aid workers
repeatedly over loud speakers
Freetown and its environs is
at the command centre:
a big step towards beating the
say overcoming
“Ebola go, we don’t tire!”
epidemic — which has killed
misperceptions and
Freetown’s main Kingtom
more than 8,400 people —
changing behaviour
cemetery has been expanded
now that Liberia and Guinea
also appear to have stabilised,
was critical to breaking and highly contagious bodies
buried in deep graves
but are wary of calling the end
transmission chains in are
within 24 hours according
of an outbreak that last April
rural hotspots, reports to strict protocols to prevent
seemed to wane in Guinea,
transmission.
only to return ferociously.
EMMA FARGE
Burials are important in
“The Sierra Leone problem
West African culture, with
is turning the corner. I think
mourners often touching
we’ll get close to zero there
by March so long as there are no surprises,” said the corpse in intimate, spiritual farewells to
Philippe Maughan, senior Ebola operations their loved ones. Ebola spreads via contact with
manager at ECHO, the European Commission’s bodily fluids of infected people or with corpses of
humanitarian aid branch. “But there will be someone killed by it. The Ebola centre has noted
cases popping up here and there over the next six pockets of resistance in the capital, which officials
attribute to mistrust of authorities due to the weak
response before the surge.
In one home in the Devil Hole neighbourhood
outside Freetown where a nine-year-old boy was
taken away by medics, relatives said he caught
Ebola from malaria drugs handed out by the
government. “The challenge is this last small group
of people who aren’t changing their behaviour,”
said Joanna Reid, head of Britain’s Department for
International Development in Sierra Leone.”That’s
the last mile.”
Aid workers say overcoming misperceptions
and changing behaviour was critical to breaking
transmission chains in rural hotspots like
Kailahun, where case counts have fallen to zero.
The same must now happen in Freetown, they
say. David Heymann, head of Britain’s Chatham
House Centre on Global Health Security, said
both current success and future progress is largely
due to communication.
“They’ve finally got strong communication
probably through traditional leaders and others
who are helping communities understand how to
prevent transmission. From my past experience,
when communities learn how to communicate the
risks and how to prevent infection, the outbreak
stops — it’s as simple as that.”
BIG ASPIRATIONS
NIDAL AL MUGHRABI
H
is company may not rival Google or German software maker SAP yet,
but Gaza-based IT entrepreneur Saady Lozon has plans to change that. In
nine years, Lozon and his partner Ahmed Abu Shaban have transformed
their firm, Unit One, from a tiny outfit in a single room in the blockaded
Gaza Strip into a successful business with clients in Europe, the United
States and the Arab world.
They can’t leave Gaza easily, but they can develop applications for Web
and mobile devices online and provide international clients with datamanagement services, competing with firms in India and elsewhere.
“We have managed to knock a hole in the wall of the blockade,”
Lozon, 33, said of the company, which will soon expand to more than
60 employees from 13, the majority women. “We deliver in time, just as
the client wishes.”
Lozon and Abu Shaban came up with the idea after graduating with
degrees in computer science.
Lozon worked briefly as an IT contractor for the United Nations and
quickly realised he would rather run a company of his own. They won
their first client after making a pitch via Skype and offering a free trial.
They borrowed money from friends to buy computers and slowly
expanded. The firm now occupies two apartments on the 5th floor of
a building in a smart district of Gaza overlooking the Mediterranean.
At the offices, dozens of women, most wearing headscarves, are
busy at work, one group entering data on global trademarks for a
company in the Netherlands. Initially Unit One was focused on software
development and building apps for iPhone and Android, but now there
is a larger unit handling data-processing.
Along the way there have been serious hurdles, including the war
between Hamas and Israel last July and August which caused staffing
and power disruptions, and the fact banks in Gaza cannot easily receive
transfers from abroad.
“It was difficult at the beginning,” said Lozon. “In 2006, when the
blockade started, we had to open an account in the West Bank,” he said,
referring to the other Palestinian territory, which is not subject to the
same restrictions.
Lozon said the Gaza war had been particularly problematic in an
industry where success depends on quick delivery.
“We are trying to regain trust,” he said. “We are telling everyone that
Gaza can do the job regardless of the obstacles.”
Asked about finances, Lozon declines to go into detail, but says the
company is profitable and expanding.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sees a memo before his briefing to journalists in Tokyo yesterday. — AP
Abe ‘fighting against time’ to free hostages
J
apan is doing all it can to free two hostages
the IS group is threatening to kill unless
it receives $200 million, Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe said yesterday, vowing never to
give in to terrorism.
Abe returned to Tokyo from a six-day
Middle East tour slightly ahead of schedule
and convened a Cabinet meeting soon after.
“We are fighting against time, and we’ll make
an all-out effort and use every diplomatic
route that we have developed to win the
release of the two,” he said.
Abe said he was consulting with leaders
in the region.
A convoy carrying Japanese ViceForeign Minister Yasuhide Nakayama left
the embassy in Jordan’s capital Amman
yesterday for an unknown location in the
city. He was dispatched from Abe’s Middle
East entourage to handle the situation.
The IS group demanded the $200 million
ransom in a video posted online on Tuesday
that showed a knife-brandishing masked
militant standing over the kneeling captives.
It gave a deadline of 72 hours, which the
video’s release time suggests would expire
sometime tomorrow.
Abe and other Japanese officials have not
said directly whether Japan will pay ransom
for the captives, 47-year-old freelance
journalist Kenji Goto and 42-year-old
Haruna Yukawa, the founder of a private
security company.
Government spokesman Yoshihide
Suga confirmed Japan believes the threat
is authentic. “Japan’s aim is not to kill the
people, as the militant group claims it to
be,” Suga said. “We strongly urge them not
to harm the two Japanese and release them
immediately.”
Abe has limited choices, among them to
openly pay the extremists or ask an ally like
the United States to attempt a risky rescue
inside Syria.
Japan’s military operates only in a selfdefence capacity at home.
But officials are adamant that Japan will
continue to provide non-military aid to the
region. “We will never give in to terrorism,”
Abe said.
In past international hostage situations
involving Japanese captives, at least one has
been killed while most have been released.
It is unclear how many times Japan paid
ransom. The only confirmed case was in
Kyrgyzstan in 1999.
Japanese media reported yesterday, citing
unnamed officials, that Goto’s wife received
an email on her mobile phone in December
demanding a ransom of more than 2 billion
yen ($17 million).
She exchanged several emails with the
unknown person, whose email address
was similar to one used by the IS group,
the Kyodo News service and other media
reported. The messages did not include a
threat to kill Goto, it said.
Securing the hostages’ release will be
hard, “because all Japanese diplomats left
Syria as the civil war escalated,” Tsutomu
Ishiai, foreign news editor for the major
newspaper Asahi Shimbun, said in a
commentary.
“Japan is in an extremely difficult
situation. It needs to find a way to save the
Japan Premier Shinzo Abe has
limited choices, among them
to openly pay the extremists
or ask an ally like the United
States to attempt a risky rescue
operation inside Syria,
reports ELAINE KURTENBACH
hostages by getting in touch with religious
leaders and local heavyweights who are
in a position to make contact with the
extremists,” he added.
Shuji Hosaka, a senior research fellow
at Japan’s Institute of Energy Economics in
Tokyo, said he did not believe the IS group
was specifically targeting Japanese when
Goto and Yukawa were captured.
The few Japanese taken hostage by
extremists so far generally have been caught
up coincidentally in ambushes and attacks.
But the ransom demand appears to have
been timed to coincide with Abe’s visit, he
said. “I think they were waiting for the best
time to release the video and information
about them,” Hosaka said.
“Then Abe happened to be making a visit
to the Middle East and there was a reference
to the IS and Japanese government aid
during the visit. So they may have seen this
as a good time to use these two Japanese as
negotiation cards.”
Hiromasa Nakai, chief spokesman for
the Japan Committee for the United Nations
Children’s Fund (Unicef), insisted Goto was
a peace-loving man.
He “has been working hard for children
in the Muslim world — not only in Syria
but also in Afghanistan, Somalia and many
other places,” he said.
“It’s an extreme shock to us. We hope he
will return safe.”
National broadcaster NHK said it had
spoken to someone claiming to be in charge
of “public relations” for the militant group.
“We don’t need money,” they quoted the
person as saying.
“IS is spending more than ($200 million)
in one day. It’s not an economic war but a
spiritual war,” the person said, repeatedly
adding the group was confident “your
government will pay the money”.
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10
omandailyobserver
INDIA
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
MILITARY MIGHT
Expansion of India-US
defence ties expected
A soldier cleans missiles that will form part of Republic Day parade during a practice session in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Three-layered checking
of Obama’s food, water
NEW DELHI: The food and drinking
water to be served to US President
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle
during their stay at the ITC Maurya
will pass through three layers of
stingent checking, including by a
crack Delhi Police team and the US
Secret Service.
While the super-luxury Maurya
has its own team of food-testing
experts, the food to be served to
the US president and his wife will be
checked by a Delhi Police team and
finally by a team of US Secret Service
agents before it is served.
The Delhi Police food-testing team
will stay put in the hotel during the
three-day visit of the US president,
beginning Jan 25 early morning.
The process of testing the food
will be completed 15 minutes before
it is to be served to Obama after
which it will be kept under strict
watch to ensure no one comes near
the food or is able to tamper with it,
sources said.
An advance US Secret Service
team has already checked into the
hotel. The drinking water to be served
to the US president will also pass
through stringent checking.
Special cameras that can capture
every tiny detail of the surroundings
as well as the details of the human
face have been installed in front of
ITC Maurya hotel where US President
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle
will be staying for three days
beginning Jan 25.
The entire 500-metre stretch
on Sardar Patel Marg along which
Maurya is situated has been fully
covered by over 20 such specialized
cameras installed at around 20 feet
distance on electric poles, trees and
iron railings to ensure security during
the VVIP visit.
In keeping with the heightened
security, the Delhi Police team,
including a sub-inspector, stationed
outside the hotel is not allowing
vehicles to stop even for a second
outside the gate.
People are not allowed to loiter
outside the hotel.
Anybody found loitering is
questioned by the officers and told to
move on quickly.
A sand-bagged police picket has
come up outside the hotel manned
by three carbine-wielding policemen.
A Police Control Room (PCR) van is
also stationed round-the-clock a few
metres away from the gate.
The next-door Taj Palace has been
asked to beef up its security.
A Delhi Police team is also
stationed at the hotel. The branches
of dense trees outside Maurya and
Taj hotels and along Sardar Patel
Marg have been pruned, and white
halogen lamps installed on trees and
lamp posts to enhance lighting in the
area.
The national capital was fully
prepared to receive US President
Barack Obama, who lands here
Sunday for a three-day visit.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on
Wednesday said security has been
tightened and there will be no
problems.
“All security arrangements are
in place. There will be no problem
anywhere,” he told reporters.
An unprecedented security net
has been spread in Rajpath and
surrounding areas in view of Obama,
the chief guest for this year’s Republic
Day parade, sitting there in the open
for around two hours.
Thousands of CCTV cameras and
security officials are in service for
around the clock vigil.
All routes from ITC Maurya, the
hotel where the US president would
be staying, to Rajpath are being
monitored. All entry points to India
Gate have been sealed and a sevenlayer security net has been put in the
area, sources said.
— IANS
WELCOME OBAMA
A kite maker poses with kites adorned with images of US President Barack Obama
and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Amritsar on Tuesday.
— AFP
— AP
NEW DELHI: The visit of US
President Barack Obama is expected to
strengthen defence relations between
India and the US and details of
agreements likely to be signed will be
finalised in the next 2-3 days.
Asked about what was expected on
the defence front during Obama’s visit,
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
said expansion in the Defence Trade
and Technology Initiative (DTTI) with
the US was on the cards.
“It (DTTI) is already there... further
expansion of that is expected,” Parrikar
said in response to a question.
The DTTI involves defence coproduction deals. “All aspects are being
looked looked into. Nothing can be
confirmed at this stage... In the next
2-3 days, it will be finalised and then
the prime minister (Narendra Modi)
will approve it,” Parrikar told reporters.
Asked what India expects out of
the visit, Parrikar said: “Having good
relations with powerful friends solves a
lot of problems.”
As part of the DTTI, co-production
and co-development of two critical
defence systems — drones and
equipment for the C-130 transport
Co-production and codevelopment of two critical
defence systems — drones
and equipment for the
C-130 aircraft on cards
military aircraft built by Lockheed
Martin — are reported to be on the
table. According to sources, Obama
and Modi are also likely to discuss the
US troop withdrawal in Afghanistan
and its implications for India’s security,
tensions on the India-Pakistan border
and cross-border terrorism. During
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US
in September last year, both countries
had agreed in principle to extend their
defence agreement for another 10
years.
The framework is likely to enhance
the bilateral defence partnership by
stepping up joint military exercises and
more in-depth intelligence-sharing
and maritime security among others.
It will also include a drive against
terrorism and the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction.
— IANS
As Obama visits, signs that India
is pushing back against China
MODI’S ACT EAST policy, has delighted Washington, which has been nudging India for
years to dovetail with the US strategic pivot toward the region
NEW DELHI: When Sri Lanka
unexpectedly turfed out President
Mahinda Rajapaksa in an election this
month, it was the biggest setback in
decades for China’s expansion into South
Asia — and a remarkable diplomatic
victory for India.
Despite New Delhi’s protestations,
diplomats and politicians in the region
say India played a role in organising
the opposition against pro-China
Rajapaksa.
His successor, President Maithripala
Sirisena, has said India is the “first,
main concern” of his foreign policy and
that he will review all projects awarded
to Chinese firms, including a sea
reclamation development in Colombo
that would give Beijing a strategic
toehold on India’s doorstep.
India has pushed back against China
elsewhere in the region since Prime
Minister Narendra Modi took office
in May, improving ties with Japan and
Vietnam, both locked in territorial
disputes with Beijing, and contesting a
port project in Bangladesh that could
otherwise have been a cakewalk for
China.
The new robust diplomacy, which
Modi calls “Act East”, has delighted
Washington, which has been nudging
India for years to dovetail with the US
strategic pivot toward the region.
When President Barack Obama
makes a landmark visit to India starting
Sunday, he will be the chief guest at New
Delhi’s showpiece Republic Day military
parade, and rarely for a presidential
trip, is not scheduled to visit any other
country before returning to Washington.
“What is appealing to me and my
colleagues is the fact that Prime Minister
Modi has undertaken to build from what
has been a ‘Look East’ policy to an ‘Act
East’ policy,” US Assistant Secretary of
State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel
Russel said in Washington last month.
“He has shown in word and deed his
interest in involving India in the thinking
and the affairs of the broader region.
That’s very much to be welcomed.”
Washington made no bones about
its distaste for Rajapaksa, who critics
accuse of war crimes, corrruption and
nepotism.
But until last year India was
indecisive, perhaps afraid of pushing the
hero of the war against Tamil separatists
even closer to China.
That changed in September, when
Rajapaksa allowed a Chinese submarine
to dock in Colombo, without informing
India, as it was bound to under an
Security is increased at the Taj Mahal in preparation for the visit of US President Barack Obama, in Agra on Wednesday. Barack
Obama arrives in India this weekend for an unprecedented second visit by a serving US president.
— AFP
existing agreement.
“That was the last straw,” a senior
Indian diplomat told Reuters. “He told
Modi: “the next time I will keep you
informed,” the diplomat said, a promise
that was broken when the submarine
visited again in November.
In the build up to the Jan 8 election,
India played a role in uniting Sri Lanka’s
usually fractious opposition, for which
the station chief of India’s spy agency
was expelled, diplomatic and political
sources say.
“At least that was the perception
of Mahinda Rajapkasa,” said MA
Sumanthiran, a prominent member of
the Tamil National Alliance, a coalition
of parties close to India.”He managed to
get one of their top diplomats recalled.”
The Indian government denies any of
its officers was expelled.
But Sumanthiran said Modi had in a
meeting encouraged the Tamil alliance
to join forces with others in politics.
“The Indians realised that you can’t
do business with this man and they were
hoping for a change,” he said.
On Friday, Sri Lanka said it would
review a $1.5 billion deal with China
Communication Construction Co Ltd
to build a 233 hectare patch of real
estate on redeveloped land overlooking
Colombo’s South Port.
In return, China was to get land on a
freehold basis in the development.
This is of particular concern for
Modi is willing to
engage on long-term
issues that stretch
beyond India’s
border, including maritime
security in the South China
Sea, as well as North Korea
and IS militants. That’s when
we start to think about India
as a regional global provider
— or as a global provider of
security.
RICHARD ROSSOW
CSIS
India, the destination for the majority
of the trans shipment cargo through
Colombo.
“The message is clear, that you do not
ignore Indian security concerns,” said
the Indian diplomatic source.
Modi is looking for similar good
news elsewhere in South Asia.
He has already visited Nepal twice,
becoming the first Indian prime minister
to travel to the Himalayan buffer state
with China in 17 years, and signing long
delayed power projects.
India has muscled into an $8 billion
deep water port project that Bangladesh
wants to develop in Sonadia in the Bay
of Bengal, with the Adani Group, a
company close to Modi, submitting a
proposal in October.
China
Harbour
Engineering
Company, an early bidder, was
previously the front-runner.
“Modi is willing to engage on longterm issues that stretch beyond India’s
border, including maritime security in
the South China Sea, as well as North
Korea and Islamic State militants in
Iraq and Syria,” said Richard Rossow at
policy think tank CSIS. “That’s when we
start to think about India as a regional
global provider — or as a global provider
of security.”
However, the bonhomie has limits
— India and the United States do not
see eye-to-eye on Pakistan, New Delhi’s
traditional foe that enjoys substantial
funding from Washington.
Tricky conflicts over trade and
intellectual property hold back business,
and India has limits to its ability to
project force outside its immediate
neighbourhood.
But Modi’s policies mark a departure
from India’s traditional non-aligned
approach to foreign power blocs.
“Having the US president at the
Republic Day celebration is a good
thing, he is blessing Modi,” said Mohan
Guruswamy, of the Centre for Policy
Alternatives, a think-tank.
“And that is a lesson to the Chinese
that you have to mend your fences with
us.”
—Reuters
INDIA
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
11
Centre sends
swine flu relief
to Telangana
SET FOR BALLOT BATTLE
FREE TREATMENT FOR POOR: Nine
deaths and about 50 new cases reported
Bharatiya Janata Party chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, left, and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan during a road show before filing her nomination papers for the
Delhi state elections in New Delhi on Wednesday. Delhi state will go for polls on February 7.
— AP
Cabinet ends 8-year spectrum row
HYDERABAD: Alarmed over mounting
swine flu cases in Telangana, the state
government on Wednesday swung into
action and sought help from the central
government, which agreed to send a
high-level medical team, medicines and
diagnostic kits.
After holding a series of review
meetings with health officials and an
emergency cabinet meeting, Chief
Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on
Wednesday evening told reporters that
the situation was totally under control
and there was no need for panic.
He, however, said the administration
should be alert to tackle the situation and
appealed to people to take all precautions.
The chief minister, who spoke to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
union Health Minister JP Nadda over
phone in the morning, said they assured
all assistance to the state.
The central government is sending
a high-level medical team to review the
situation.
It is also dispatching 50,000 tablets,
10,000 bottles of syrup and testing kits.
With nine deaths and about 50 new
cases reported till Wednesday, the chief
minister began the day with a call to
Modi, seeking his help to tide over the
situation. Telangana Health Secretary
Suresh Chanda has rushed to New Delhi
to brief the union health ministry.
KCR, as the chief minister is popularly
known, voiced unhappiness over the
performance of the health department.
He felt that health authorities remained
unmoved despite the increasing number
of cases.
Declaring an all out war on swine flu,
he said the virus has so far claimed 19
lives in the state. He, however, said there
was no need for panic as people can
prevent it by keeping their surroundings
clean and also by focusing on personal
hygiene. The chief minister said those
having swine flu symptoms should
immediately approach the nearest
hospital and should avoid moving in
public places to prevent its spread.
A man suspected to be infected with
swine flu gets treatment in Gandhi
Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
— AP
Two suspected
swine flu cases
reported in Goa
PANAJI: Two suspected swine-flu
cases were detected in Goa over
the last few days, Deputy Chief
Minister Francis D’Souza said here on
Wednesday.
D’Souza, who also holds the
health portfolio, told reporters that
while one person has been treated
and discharged, another who arrived
in Goa from Hong Kong is still being
treated in a private hospital in south
Goa, 35 km from here. “These are the
only two suspected cases which have
been reported to us yet. We have
stocked adequate medicine required
to treat swine flu so that there is no
shortfall or any kind,” D’Souza said.
D’Souza said the patient, who has
been discharged, was being tracked
in case he develops symptoms again.
— IANS
NEW DELHI: The union cabinet on
Wednesday ended an eight-year-long
dispute of spectrum sharing between
the defence and telecom sectors by
earmarking bands for exclusive use
of the former while also specifying
use of remaining airwaves for civilian
purposes such as telecom and civil
aviation.
Addressing the media after a
meeting of the union cabinet here,
Communications and IT Minister Ravi
Shankar Prasad said that nine slots
will be for exclusive use of the defence
sector in between 3 MHz and 40
gigahertz.
“Today also I met (Defence Minister)
Manohar Parrikar with our officials
and discussed the matter. This matter
(spectrum swapping) was pending for 8
years. Defence released 5 MHz of 2100
bands for telecom usage” Prasad said.
Nod for swapping spectrum between telecom and defence
ministries, which will vacate 15 MHz of spectrum in 2100
Mhz in the next one year. An eight-year battle between
department of telecommunications and ministry of defence
on the exclusive band for defence forces was also resolved
‘RESIST US TACTIC’
Congress disapproves Sibal representing Mamata govt in SC
Medical charity
warns India over
patent rule change
NEW DELHI: Doctors without
Borders on Wednesday warned the
Indian government not to bow to US
pressure to amend patent regulations
that allow millions access to affordable
medicines, ahead of a visit by President
Barack Obama.
Since India’s new government
came to power in May, New Delhi
has been under heavy pressure from
Washington, prodded by the powerful
US pharmaceutical industry, to dilute
its strict patent laws. “The alarm bells
should be going off for the new Indian
government,” said Manica Balasegaram
of Doctors without Borders.
“The US is pushing India to play
by its rules on intellectual property,
which we know will lead to medicines
being priced out of reach for millions of
people.” India says it is fully compliant
with World Trade Organisation patent
rules, but the United States has placed it
on a “watch-list” of intellectual property
violators. Indian law stipulates drugs
must “satisfy the test of novelty or
inventiveness” to win patent protection
and does not allow minor tweaks —
called “evergreening” — to prolong
patent life. Obama will this week
make his second official visit to India,
accompanied by a trade delegation
that includes the head of PhRMA, a
trade body. Western companies say
India’s powerhouse generics industry
and stringent patent filtering reduce
commercial incentives to produce
cutting-edge medicines. — AFP
He said that nine slots will be for
exclusive use of defence and added
that spectrum is mainly used by
departments such as defence, telecom,
space, civil aviation and information &
broadcasting.
“We had to take a balanced view of
all these things.”The telecom ministry
earlier had proposed to exchange 15
Mhz spectrum it holds in 1900 Mhz
band with same quantum of airwaves
held by the defence ministry in 2100
Mhz.
The 2100 Mhz band is used for 3G
KOLKATA: The Congress central
leadership has disapproved senior party
leader Kapil Sibal representing the West
Bengal government in a petition in the
Supreme Court concerning the CBI
probe into the Saradha scam, a party
leader said on Wednesday.
Expressing its anguish, the party’s
telecommunications services.
“Swapping of 15 MHz in the
frequency band of 1900 MHz with
the telecommunications had been
permitted to be done today. Now the
exact swapping will start; it will take
some time,” the minister said.
Regarding
harmonisation
of
defence band between telecom and
defence, Prasad said: “The band in
the 1700-2000 MHz is required to be
harmonised.
The Cabinet has approved that this
harmony must be done within a period
West Bengal unit led by its former
president Pradip Bhattacharya met the
central leadership, including C.P.
Joshi, the party general secretary and
in-charge of the state. “Central leaders,
including Joshi, have asserted that the
sentiments of Bengal unit should be
honoured and they have disapproved
of one year.” Prasad said there are certain
issues which more needed clarity.”One
of the major decisions taken today was
the defence needs on the borders of
India has been recognised.
Within 50 km of India’s border,
we have demarcated as defence
interest zone. In peace time the
telecom operation that we will do
we will intimate defence. That is the
infrastructure,” he said.
“In operation times those will come
under their jurisdiction. In fact in the
event they will be seeking to conduct
it in a manner that may impact the
existing telecom operations in a city
within that 50 km they will have to take
the permission of the government of
India.”
Prasad, however, said there are
certain issues in nine slots where some
more work is needed.
— IANS
Sibal’s action,” said Bhattacharya.
“We are happy that our sentiments
have been considered by the
central leadership and now the
misunderstanding that was creeping in
will be removed,” he said. The Congress’
state unit has been demanding Sibal’s
removal from the party and Monday
taken out a protest march.
It also wrote to party president
Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul
Gandhi with its grievances.
Congress West Bengal unit president
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Sibal’s
decision was sending a wrong message
to the people.
As the cold weather conditions are
likely to continue for 20 more days, KCR
said there was a need for the authorities
to remain on alert to check the spread of
H1N1 virus and create public awareness
on the preventive measures. The chief
minister constituted a high-level
committee comprising health secretary,
director of medical education, director of
health and other officials to monitor the
situation. — IANS
“Because of this, a wrong message is
being conveyed that the Congress was
cozying up to the Trinamool Congress.
We had drawn the attention of Sonia
and Rahul Gandhi and if the central
leadership can deter him from reprinting
the Banerjee government it will be good
for us,” said Chowdhury.
— IANS
RAGE IN HAND
‘Attempts to block book
on Sonia fuelled sales’
A Kashmiri demonstrator runs with a tear gas canister during clashes with police in Srinagar on Tuesday. The JKLF organised a
protest rally to mark the 25nd martyrdom anniversary of Gaw Kadal massacre during which more than 52 people were killed
and 250 sustained bullet injuries when troops opened fire on January 21, 1990.
— AFP
NEW DELHI: Efforts by Congress
party to block the publication of a
“dramatised” biography of its president
Sonia Gandhi only stoked interest in
the book, said author Javier Moro.
The Red Sari, the English translation
of the 2008 Spanish-language El sari
rojo, hit bookstands in India last week,
seven months after the party was ousted
after a decade in power.
“I’m thankful, because they gave me
a fabulous free publicity campaign,”
said Moro, speaking in Spanish about
the protests against the book at an event
in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The Red Sari was ranked second
among new releases on the Amazon
India website’s bestseller list on
Wednesday.
The Italian-born Gandhi, 68, has
played a reduced public role since Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and his rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party snatched
power from the Congress in May.
Moro said he was surprised there
were no books available on the mediashy politician, who rose from obscurity
after her marriage into India’s Gandhi
dynasty and was thrust into the limelight
as the widow of an assassinated former
premier.
Gandhi took over the reins of a
floundering Congress party in 1998
and was the architect of its unexpected
triumph in national elections six years
later. In what was seen as a masterstroke
in the wake of protests over her Italian
birth, she declined to become prime
minister, preferring to wield power
from behind the scenes.
Moro wrote his book on Gandhi
without her consent, calling it the
“dramatised” biography of a public
figure considered one of the world’s
most powerful women.
Any writer would be lucky to get his
hands on material such as Sonia’s life, he
said. — Reuters
12
MEXICO HOPES DRUGLORD EXTRADITION SOON
T H U R S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 2 l 2 0 1 5
PANAMA CANAL WIDENING TO COST MORE
Mexico’s attorney general said on
Tuesday he expects the United States
to submit an extradition request soon
for drug lord Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman,
who was Mexico’s most wanted man
until his capture last February. From
northeastern Mexico, Guzman headed
the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most
powerful drug smuggling outfits in the
world.
WORLD
Widening the
Panama Canal will
cost more than
budgeted due to
billions of dollars
in overruns by the
consortium carrying
out the work, the
canal’s administrator
said.
COMMUNICATIONS EDGE
Obama says shadow
of crisis has passed;
bats for middle class
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on Tuesday. The unmanned rocket blasted off with a nextgeneration communications satellite designed to provide cellular-like voice and data services to US military forces around the world. Picture taken using long exposure,
looking over the campus of Florida Institute of Technologies in Melbourne, about 40 miles from the launch pad.
— Reuters
DETENTE ERA: Cuba warns of abandoning hopes of reforming the communist government
US-Cuba dialogue starts in Havana
HAVANA: The highest-level US
delegation to Cuba in decades
begins two days of negotiations with
grand promises by President Barack
Obama about change on the island
and a somber warning from Cuba
to abandon hopes of reforming the
communist government.
US moves to restore diplomatic
relations with Cuba and loosen the
five-decade trade embargo have “the
potential to end a legacy of mistrust
in our hemisphere” and have “added
up to new hope for the future in
Cuba,” Obama said in his State of the
Union address Tuesday night.
A senior Cuban official cautioned,
however, that restoring diplomatic
ties with the US wouldn’t immediately
lead to a full relationship between the
Cold War foes after a half-century of
enmity.
The message appeared designed to
lower expectations before the arrival
Wednesday of the US delegation
and just before Obama spoke to a
Capitol crowd that included Alan
Gross, whose release from Cuba in a
prisoner exchange last month cleared
the way for a new relationship.
Last month’s announcement of
detente has spawned high optimism
on both sides of the Florida Straits,
but the high-ranking Cuban diplomat
said: “Cuba isn’t normalizing
relations with the United States.
Cuba is re-establishing diplomatic
relations with the US The process of
normalization is much longer and
deeper.” Republican leaders in the
House and Senate are opposed to
rapidly rebuilding relations as long as
President Raul Castro remains firmly
in control of Cuba.
— AP
Russia spy ship in Havana on eve of talks
HAVANA: A Russian
intelligence warship
(pictured) docked in
Havana on Tuesday, a day
before the start of historic
US-Cuba talks aimed at
normalizing diplomatic ties.
There was nothing
stealthy about the arrival
of the Viktor Leonov CCB175, which was moored
to a pier in Old Havana
where cruise ships often
dock. But the visit was
not officially announced
by Cuban authorities. US officials in Washington played down the presence
of the Russian vessel, saying it was perfectly legal and not at all out of the
ordinary. “It’s not unprecedented. It’s not unusual. It’s not alarming,” a defense
official said. The Vishnya or Meridian-class intelligence ship, which has a crew of
around 200, went into service in the Black Sea in 1988 before it was transferred
seven years later to the northern fleet.
— AFP
WASHINGTON: President Barack
Obama on Tuesday declared America
has turned the page on years of war
and economic hardship, in a populisttinged State of the Union address that
set up the battle to succeed him.
But Republicans quickly said the
speech was more about politics than
leadership.
Emboldened by a stronger economy
and better approval ratings, Obama
called for a new chapter in US history
that ushers in a fairer economy with a
better shake for the middle class.
“We are 15 years into this new
century. Fifteen years that dawned
with terror touching our shores;
that unfolded with a new generation
fighting two long and costly wars; that
saw a vicious recession spread across
our nation and the world,” he said.
“It has been, and still is, a hard time
for many. But tonight, we turn the page.”
He heralded the “growing economy,
shrinking deficits, bustling industry,
and booming energy production” that
have also helped revive his political
fortunes as his time in the White House
nears its end.
For six years Obama’s presidency
was often subsumed by an economic
crisis that stymied efforts to narrow
inequality and put other liberal policy
priorities on the back burner.
Appealing to Democrats determined
to retain the White House in 2016,
Obama on Tuesday called for an
increase in the minimum wage, equal
pay for women and tax breaks for the
middle class. Drawing a stark contrast
with tax-averse Republicans, he dared
his foes to oppose proposed tax hikes
for the rich that would pay for middle
class breaks.
“We have risen from recession freer
to write our own future than any other
nation on Earth. It’s now up to us to
choose who we want to be over the next
fifteen years, and for decades to come.”
“Will we accept an economy where
only a few of us do spectacularly
well? Or will we commit ourselves
to an economy that generates rising
incomes and chances for everyone who
makes the effort?” he asked. Obama’s
Republican opponents have branded
such talk as little more than class
warfare and will use their majority in
We stand united with
people around the
world who’ve been
targeted by terrorists
— from a school in Pakistan
to the streets of Paris.
BARACK OBAMA
US President
both houses of Congress to make sure
the plans never become law.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who
was tasked with rebutting Obama’s
speech, said Americans are still
suffering from “stagnant wages and lost
jobs.”
Mitt Romney, passed and potential
future
Republican
presidential
candidate, said that, “True to form,
the President in his State of the Union
speech is more interested in politics
than in leadership.”
He added: “More intent on winning
elections than on winning progress, he
ignores the fact that the country has
elected a Congress that favours smaller
government and lower taxes.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, said
“Tonight, America saw a powerful
demonstration that it is time to move
on beyond President Barack Obama.
Just two months ago we had
a national election, in which the
American people spoke loud and clear
and said the path we’re on isn’t working.
The American people said the
Obama economy isn’t working,
millions are hurting, and we want a
different path.” Hillary Clinton, also
expected to run for president, said
in a tweet minutes after the speech,
“BarackObama #SOTU pointed way to
an economy that works for all. — AFP
AROUND THE GLOBE
Seven continents
to host climate
concert from June
DAVOS: A Live Earth music event to
demand action on climate change will
take place on June 18 across seven
continents, including Antarctica,
former US vice-president Al Gore and
pop star Pharrell Williams announced
on Wednesday.
Concerts will be staged in six cities
— Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro,
Beijing, Sydney and Cape Town — in
what will be the largest event of its
type ever staged. The final Antarctic
gig will be played by a band of
scientists at a research station, Gore
said. Two billion people are expected
to tune into the 24-hour event across
nearly 200 television networks.
Each individual concert will run
for four to six hours. Live Earth is
designed to galvanise public support
for climate action ahead of make-orbreak United Nations’ talks in Paris
in December on combating global
warming. “It is absolutely crucial that
we build public will for an agreement,”
Gore, winner of the Nobel Peace
Prize in 2007 for his campaigning on
climate change,
Bolivian leader
starts new term
as crisis looms
Pope rows back from ‘rabbits’ comments
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on
Wednesday described large families as
a “gift from God”, just days after he said
Catholics did not need
to “breed like rabbits”.
In an apparent row back
from comments he
made on his way back
from the Philippines, the
Argentinian pontiff argued
that an unfair economic
system is the primary
cause of poverty, rather
than overpopulation.
“The meetings with
families and young
people in Manila were
stand-out moments during the visit to
the Philippines,” Francis told a crowd of
around 7,000 gathered in St Peter’s square
for his weekly audience. “Healthy families
are essential to the life of society. It
provides us with consolation and hope to
see so many large families who welcome
children as a gift from God,” he said.
“These families know that each child is
a blessing.” Francis surprised reporters on
the papal plane on Sunday by recounting
an anecdote about how he had once
asked a mother who had seven children
by caesarian section and was pregnant
with her eighth if she wanted to “leave
behind seven young orphans”.
“She said, ‘I trust in God.’ But God gave
us the means to be responsible,” Francis
said.”Some think — and excuse the
term — that to be good
Catholics, they must be
like rabbits.”
Following the
Church’s teachings did
not mean “Christians
should have children one
after the other”, he added
in comments that made
headlines worldwide.
Catholic teaching
prohibits the use of
artificial contraception
but allows the use of
the so-called rhythm method, where
couples avoid unwanted pregnancy by
planning sex on days during the woman’s
menstrual cycle on which she is less likely
to conceive.
Francis’s comments had particular
resonance in the Philippines, where large
families are seen by some as perpetuating
and exacerbating poverty levels which
act as a restraint on development.
The Church claims more than 80
percent of the country’s 100 million as its
followers and it waged a 15-year battle to
block a family planning law. The law was
finally introduced last year, allowing the
state to distribute free contraceptives.
Brazilian professional surfer Ricardo Dos Santos died on Tuesday in the
hospital after being shot three times outside his home in the country’s
southern city of Florianopolis, allegedly by a police officer. The case is being
investigated by military and civilian police, who are awaiting autopsy results
to help reconstruct the incident. Dos Santos, a Qualifying Series surfer, had
participated in numerous international competitions, where surfers vie for a
place in the World Tour.
— AFP
LA PAZ: Bolivian President Evo Morales
began a new term that will make him
the Andean nation’s longest-serving
leader, riding high on a wave of
unprecedented growth and stability.
Morales and his countrymen face
economic challenges that could
quickly erode those gains and test the
55-year-old leader’s popularity.
Morales’ fortunes will depend
on how he copes with an imminent
plunge in natural gas prices, the main
source of Bolivia’s export revenue.
After he exacted a bigger share
of natural gas profits, Bolivia’s gross
domestic product tripled, reaching
$30.6 billion in 2014.
With oil prices testing multi-year
lows, gas revenues are expected to
shrivel.”Morales has had the greatest
political and economic power of
any president in (Bolivian) history
thanks to what has been the country’s
biggest bonanza,” said Marcelo Silva,
a political scientist at San Andres
University in La Paz, speaking of
the commodities windfall and
Morales’ ascendance as Bolivia’s first
indigenous leader.
— AFP
REGION
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
13
WITHDRAWAL DEMANDED: GCC condemns the Houthi takeover, calls it a ‘terrorist act’ and a ‘coup against legitimacy’
Aides: Rebels hold Yemen’s president ‘captive’
SANAA: Rebels in control of Yemen’s
capital now hold the country’s president
“captive” at his home, his aides said
yesterday.
Embattled Abed Rabbo Mansour
Hadi appears to have run out of options
to continue governing the country,
months after the Houthis began a blitz in
September, seizing the capital and state
institutions.
Hadi “cannot leave his house” after
Houthi rebels removed his guards
and deployed their own fighters there
yesterday, one aide said.
Another
described the country being at the
“point of no return.” Hadi can’t resign
as president as the Houthis have
threatened to prosecute him, that aide
said.
The two aides spoke on condition of
anonymity as they weren’t authorised to
speak to journalists.
The advisers said yesterday that
Houthis issued a list of demands
to Hadi, asking for the post of vice
president and several key government
offices, during a meeting on Tuesday
with Hadi’s advisers.
The Houthis say they only want an
equal share of power, while critics say
that they prefer presence of Hadi as a
symbolic leader while they keep a grip
on power.
The Houthi rebel leader, Abdel-Malek
Jordanian woman
gives birth over
Atlantic
New York: A woman gave birth to a
baby girl over the Atlantic on a flight
to New York from Jordan, a US airport
official said yesterday.
The 33-year-old woman was
assisted by a nurse and doctor who
happened to be on board Royal
Jordanian flight J261 when she went
into labour.
The little girl was born at around
5:30 pm New York time on Tuesday,
while the plane was cruising over
the Atlantic, said Joe Pentangelo, a
spokesman for the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey.
“From what the doctor said, it was
a fairly straight forward delivery,” he
said.
The baby weighs more than 2.7
kilos.
The twin-jet Boeing Dreamliner
landed at John F Kennedy
International Airport later Tuesday
evening following a journey of 11 and
a half hours.
Mother and baby were taken to a
nearby hospital and are reportedly in
good health, Pentangelo said.
The woman is a Jordanian citizen
and was travelling alone.
— AFP
A tank is positioned next to home of Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi in Sanaa yesterday.
al Houthi, warned Hadi on Tuesday that
Al Houthi demanded shakeup of
if he stalls in implementing a key UN- a commission tasked with writing a
brokered deal — which effectively grants draft constitution to ensure bigger
them bigger representation “all options representation for his group.
are open.”
The draft has proposed a federation
of six regions, something the Houthis
reject.
The collapse of Hadi’s powers is
rooted in Yemen’s fractured armed
forces, torn between Hadi and his
2 Turkish cops jailed for 10 years over protester’s killing
KAYSERI: Two Turkish police were
jailed yesterday for at least 10 years for
beating to death a teenage protester
during 2013 demonstrations against the
rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The court in the central city of Kayseri
sentenced Mevlut Saldogan to 10 years
and 10 months in prison and fellow
police officer Yalcin Akbulut to 10 years
for the killing of Ali Ismail Korkmaz, 19,
in the western city of Eskisehir on June
2, 2013.
After the verdict was read out,
around 1,000 protesters clashed outside
the court with riot police who dispersed
them using tear gas and water cannon.
The sentences were far lower than
the life imprisonment demanded by
prosecutors.
Three bakers were handed sentences
of six years, eight months for taking
part in the killing while another suspect
received a three year and four months
sentence.
Two other policemen were acquitted
for lack of evidence.
The court threw out charges that
the murder had been premeditated,
resulting in lighter sentences than those
demanded by prosecutors.
The teenager’s mother Emel slammed
British Iraq war report delay
sparks cover-up claims
LONDON: A further delay to a
report into Britain’s role in the Iraq
war sparked angry claims of a coverup yesterday, illustrating the lingering
controversy over a conflict in which 179
British soldiers died.
Six years after the inquiry started
and 12 years on from the beginning of
the war itself, its chairman John Chilcot
said there was “no realistic prospect” of
reporting before May’s general election.
The delay is linked to a process
in which individuals such as former
prime minister Tony Blair are given the
chance to respond to criticism of them
in the report.
A spokesman for Blair, who is in
Davos for the World Economic Forum,
quickly denied that the man who led
Britain into the 2003 conflict was
holding the report up.
“He regrets this delay in its
publication,” the spokesman said.
“Incorrect allegations and politically
motivated speculation do nothing to
shine a light on the issues involved. It
is an independent inquiry and it should
be allowed to proceed with its work.”
But the issue highlights how Britain’s
involvement in Iraq — particularly
questions over whether Blair’s
government “sexed up” a dossier on
Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
— AFP
predecessor, deposed president Ali
Abdullah Saleh.
Saleh — removed from power after
2011 uprising- is accused by many as
orchestrating Houthis’ seizure of Sanaa
and speeding Hadi’s failure.
Capitalising on the chaos, Saleh
made a rare public statement yesterday,
urging Hadi to call for early presidential
and parliamentary elections.
Saleh also called for the cancellation
of United Nations Security Council
sanctions imposed on him and two
Houthi leaders last year for “spoiling”
the transition.
Saleh was granted immunity from
prosecution in 2012 in return for
relinquishing power in a deal brokered
by Arab Gulf countries and backed by
the West.
Arab countries in the Gulf
Cooperation Council met yesterday and
condemned the Houthi takeover, calling
it a “terrorist act” and a “coup against
legitimacy.” The council demanded
the rebels withdraw from presidential
palace.
The chaos in Sanaa prompted the UN
Security Council to hold an emergency
meeting on Tuesday to condemn the
violence and call for a lasting cease-fire.
In a statement approved by all 15
members, the Council asserted that
Hadi “is the legitimate authority” in
to make the case for war — remains
subject to heated debate here.
The Chilcot inquiry was set up
in 2009 by Blair’s successor as prime
minister, Gordon Brown, and was
originally due to report within a year.
The row is unlikely to influence
the outcome of this year’s knifeedge general election as Cameron’s
Conservatives were in opposition at
the time, while Blair and other senior
members of his Labour government are
no longer in frontline politics.
Facing repeated questions from
angry lawmakers, Cameron played
down the controversy at his weekly
question and answer session in
parliament, saying there was “no
mystery” in why the report was taking
so long.
“I don’t believe from what I
understand that anyone is trying to
dodge this report or put off this report,”
he added.
But taking a much firmer tone, his
deputy Nick Clegg wrote in a letter to
Chilcot that the public would find the
latest delay “incomprehensible”.
“There is a real danger the public will
assume the report is being ‘sexed down’
by individuals rebutting criticisms put
to them by the inquiry, whether that is
the case or not,” he added.
— AFP
A protester wipes her eyes as she walks in front of police officers during a
demonstration in front of the courthouse in the central city of Kayseri yesterday after
the verdict of Two Turkish police was read out.
— AFP
the verdict.
“I did not expect this. The people who
killed a young 19 year-old boy do not
deserve to benefit from any clemency.”
A lawyer for the Korkmaz family,
Ayhan Erdogan, blamed pressure from
the president for the mild sentence.
“Justice was not done,” he said. “We
will appeal so the suspects are brought
before trial again,” he said.
Speaking by video link from Ankara
where he has been hospitalised,
Saldogan insisted that he was innocent.
“I was the victim of a tragi-comic
procedure,” he said. “I was not at that
place at the moment when the facts took
place.”
Ebubekir Harlar, who was sentenced
to three years and four months, said
the police had ordered him to seize
Korkmaz.
“All I did was top carry out that order.”
Korkmaz died after being pummelled
with baseball bats and truncheons.
He suffered a brain haemorrhage and
died after 38 days in a coma.
He was one of eight people to
have been killed in the three weeks of
unrest sparked by plans to redevelop
an Istanbul park that then grew into
a nationwide wave of anger against
Erdogan, then premier.
In September, a Turkish policeman
was jailed for seven years and nine
months for shooting dead 26-year-old
Ethem Sarisuluk in Ankara during the
2013 protests.
While there are handful of cases
of police accused of killing protesters
during the protests, thousands of people
are being investigated for taking part in
the rallies.
More than two dozen alleged leaders
of Taksim Solidarity — the main activist
group behind the protests — went on
trial in June, also facing lengthy prison
terms for their part in leading the
protests.
Meanwhile, 25 supporters of Turkish
top-flight football side Besiktas are on
trial facing life imprisonment on charges
of seeking to overthrow Erdogan’s
government in the 2013 protests. — AFP
Kurdish forces launch push
against IS in northern Iraq
Kurdish peshmerga forces prepare for battle against the IS group, south of the Mosul Dam, in Iraq, yesterday.
ARBIL:
Kurdish security forces
launched an offensive on the IS group
in northern Iraq yesterday, backed by
US-led air strikes, and retook villages
the insurgents used to launch attacks,
officials said.
The Kurdistan Regional Security
Council said peshmerga forces, who
began a “large-scale offensive” around
7:00 am (0400 GMT), retook four areas
and were working to clear more.
The anti-IS coalition said it carried
out six air strikes in northern Iraq from
Tuesday to yesterday — three near the
town of Tal Afar and three near the city
of Mosul.
— AP
It did not specify the exact locations
targeted.
The strikes in Nineveh province,
where Kurdish troops launched
the offensive, hit vehicles, IS units,
buildings, heavy weapons and a bridge,
a statement said.
— AFP
Yemen.
Over the past months, Al Qaeda
has launched deadly suicide bombings
targeting Houthi gatherings, marking a
shift in their previous tactics of targeting
only security forces.
While the Houthis have been in
Sanaa for months, violence escalated in
recent days with the rebels kidnapping a
top Hadi aide.
Gun battles and mortar shelling
struck on Monday near the presidential
palace and swept through Sanaa.
Prime Minister Khaled Bahah left his
house yesterday for another “safe place,”
government spokesman Rageh Badi
said.
His house inside the Republican
Palace had been besieged by Houthis
since Tuesday.
Meanwhile yesterday, Houthi rebels
captured a military base that houses
ballistic missiles near Sanaa.
Military officials, speaking on
condition of anonymity as they weren’t
authorised to talk to journalists,
said soldiers offered no resistance.
Elsewhere, authorities in Aden, the
regional capital of southern Yemen,
closed the airport there to protest
to what local authorities described
as Houthi “coup” against “national
sovereignty.” Local authorities also
closed the port.
— AP
IN BRIEF
Parliament votes
against graft trial
for Turkey
ex-ministers
ANKARA: Turkey’s parliament
voted yesterday not to send to trial
four former ministers accused
of wrongdoing in a corruption
investigation.
The opposition and a corruption
watchdog slammed the result.
“Parliament
has
been
seriously
overshadowed.
We
feel uncomfortable about this.
Parliament could have removed this
stain,” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader
of the main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP), told reporters
after the vote.
The outcome, which was no
surprise as the ruling AK Party has
a big parliamentary majority, closes
one of the last legal avenues in the
probe. Earlier court cases have
already been dropped.
The affair posed one of the
biggest challenges to President
Tayyip Erdogan during his decade
as prime minister.
— Reuters
No new polio
cases in Syria
reported for a
year: WHO
BEIRUT: Syria has gone a year
without a reported polio case,
the World Health Organisation
said yesterday, after a massive
immunisation campaign triggered
by the disease’s appearance in the
war-torn country.
The agency said “the outbreak
seems to have been brought under
control” in Syria after a push to
immunise millions of children
across the Middle East.
“It’s a very encouraging sign
that Syria’s returning to a polio-free
status,” Chris Maher, the WHO’s
polio eradication manager, said.
He said the landmark did not
guarantee that Syria was poliofree, but it did suggest that the
mass immunisation had been
successful. The WHO confirmed a
polio outbreak in Syria in late 2013,
reporting at least 10 cases of the
disease in children hit with acute
flaccid paralysis.
The announcement triggered
global concern and prompted an
inter-agency, international effort
to vaccinate millions of children
across the Middle East.
— AFP
14
omandailyobserver
EUROPE
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
AFTER ATTACKS: Decision to slash 7,500 fewer military jobs than planned as part of steep defence cuts
France unveils raft of anti-terror measures
PARIS: France unveiled a raft of
measures yesterday to curb radicalisation
and better monitor militants two weeks
after an insurgent killing spree in Paris
that sent shockwaves across Europe.
Jitters from the worst attack on
French soil in decades have spread to the
country’s neighbours and the European
Union is also expected to reveal new
counterterrorism plans.
As Paris scrambled to ramp up the
battle against terrorism, a probe into
the January 7-9 shootings which left 17
people dead saw four men charged with
helping one of the gunmen.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls
announced more than 700 million euros
($800 million) will be spent over the
next three years on “the fight against
terrorism.”
The attacks by known insurgents
exposed weaknesses in French
intelligence, and Valls said some 3,000
people with insurgent ties needed to be
monitored, adding that the number of
people with links to “terrorist networks”
in Syria and Iraq had soared 130 per cent
in the past year.
In response, France will create 2,680
new jobs to fight extremism, just under
half of them in the intelligence services.
President Francois Hollande said
France would slash 7,500 fewer military
jobs than planned as part of steep
defence cuts.
“The number one priority is to further
reinforce the human and technical
resources of intelligence services,” Valls
said, adding that a draft law to do just
French President Francois Hollande stands next to Defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Finance minister Michel Sapin, after
a defence council meeting at the presidential Elysee palace in Paris, yesterday.
— AFP
that would be debated in parliament in
early March.
Two of the Paris gunmen, Amedy
Coulibaly and Cherif Kouachi, are
believed to have turned to insurgency
in prison where they met, after coming
under the influence of radical detainees.
France is already experimenting with
the isolation of radical prisoners in one
jail, and Valls wants to extend this to
other penitentiaries.
France’s worst attacks in decades
began on January 7 when Cherif and his
brother Said Kouachi gunned down 12
people in an attack on satirical magazine
Charlie Hebdo.
Coulibaly the next day shot dead a
policewoman, and the day after that
killed four people in a hostage drama in
a supermarket.
All three gunmen were killed by
police in dramatic raids.
Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins
said four men believed to have assisted
Coulibaly were charged with conspiracy
to commit terrorist acts, and one of
them for possession and transport of
weapons.
Investigators discovered that three of
the men had on several occasions visited
specialist stores around Paris to “buy
equipment” such as knives, a taser gun,
tactical vests and pepper spray.
However a probe into the Kouachi
brothers had made little headway and
could take “months, even years”.
The attacks have forced France to
face up to its failure to integrate poorer,
migrant families, with Valls saying on
Tuesday that the country was plagued by
“social and ethnic apartheid”.
Education officials are due to
announce plans to boost civic spirit
and respect of France’s highly-prized
secularism in schools, after a series of
incidents where pupils refused to take
part in tributes to the victims of the
attacks and expressed support for the
insurgents.
The attacks prompted a flurry of
police activity across Europe with raids
taking place on suspected insurgent cells
in Belgium and Germany.
In
Brussels,
European
commissioners will meet to discuss the
28-nation bloc’s new counterterrorism
strategy, including changes to the
region’s Schengen free travel area and
intelligence cooperation.
Many EU states have pushed for
a US-style database of air travellers’
details that would help track insurgent
suspects, but the European Parliament
has so far blocked the scheme saying it
would breach civil liberties.
Some European nations have also
been pushing for a tightening of the
Schengen visa-free zone.
“They
will
discuss
subjects
including passenger name records
and data retention, the functioning of
the Schengen area and cooperation
between security services,” Commission
spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a
briefing ahead of the meeting. — AFP
Deadly clashes rock Ukraine
German immigration ahead of high-stakes peace talks
hits two-decade high
MAJORITY
FROM EU
BERLIN: German immigration hit a
two-decade high of 1.23 million people
in 2013 with more than 75 per cent
coming from EU states, government
data released yesterday showed.
The rise from 1.08 million in 2012
helps Germany to offset a decline in the
birthrate, which experts have warned
could lead to a demographic crisis in
Europe’s biggest economy.
“Germany is the most attractive
nation for immigrants in the European
Union,” said Interior Minister Thomas
de Maiziere.
The report comes against the
backdrop of a new debate about
immigration fuelled by weekly antiimmigration rallies.
This has resulted in calls from across
the political spectrum to consider
introducing new immigration laws
aimed at attracting highly qualified
migrants to help fill shortages in
the labour market. But de Maiziere
ruled out any changes to Germany’s
immigration rules.
“We have an immigration law and
we do not need a new one,” he said.
The largest number of immigrants
entering Germany in 2013 was from
Poland, Romania, Italy and Bulgaria,
which are all EU member states whose
citizens enjoy freedom of movement
within the bloc.
The increase followed a rise in the
number of people seeking to escape the
euro zone’s long-running crisis.
A large group of immigrants to
Germany also came from Hungary,
Spain and Greece, according to the
migration report. Of the 200,000 people
applying for refugee status in Germany
last year, a large number was from Syria.
De Maiziere paid tribute to the
diversity of German society that had
emerged since the fall of the Berlin Wall
more than 25 years ago and the arrival
in the early 1990s of refugees from
war-torn parts of Europe, notably the
Balkans.
“Naturally, as a country we are more
diverse in terms of culture and religion
than was the case in West Germany and
in the (the former communist East)
German Democratic Republic,” de
Maiziere said.
— dpa
PRICELESS TREASURE
Italian military police officers stand guard by Roman era artefacts, displayed as part
of the largest quantity of archeological finds recovered by the Carabinieri cultural
and heritage protection unit at the National Roman Museum in Rome yesterday.
A woman cries during a funeral ceremony for Georgian Tomaz Sukhiashvili, 35, a member of self-defence battalion ‘Donbass’,
who was killed in the fighting in eastern Ukraine, at the Independence Square in central Kiev yesterday.
— Reuters
DONETSK: Heavy fighting raged
between Ukrainian forces and proRussian rebels in the country’s war-torn
east yesterday, killing at least five more
civilians ahead of high-stakes peace
talks in Berlin.
Explosions shook the battered city
of Donetsk after days of fighting left
an already shaky September truce in
tatters.
Ukraine on Tuesday alleged that
Russian regular forces attacked its
troops in the Lugansk region northeast
of Donetsk, the first such claim since the
September ceasefire.
Moscow denies sending troops into
Ukraine or repeated accusations by Kiev
and Western governments that it is also
arming and training local rebels.
In response to the “worsening
situation”, Ukrainian President Petro
Poroshenko was cutting short a visit to
Davos for the World Economic Forum
and returning to Kiev, his spokesman
Svyatoslav Tsegolko said.
Concerns mounted over the fate of
civilians in the nine-month-old conflict
that has already killed more than 4,800
people, according to the United Nations.
Rebels have been accused of
launching attacks from residential areas,
drawing counter-fire from Ukrainian
forces.
“Shelling continued during the
night in Donetsk,” Donetsk’s city
administration said in a statement.
“Five civilians were killed. Twenty
nine received wounds of varying
severity. As of 9:30 am, military actions
in the city continue. The sound of heavy
weapons can be heard everywhere.”
The foreign ministers of Ukraine,
Russia, Germany and France were due
to meet in Berlin in a bid to revive peace
talks.
The UN Security Council was also
due to discuss the crisis yesterday, with
Russia under heavy Western sanctions
over its alleged actions in Ukraine.
Moscow and Kiev are trading blame
for the recent wave of fighting that
has centred around Donetsk’s ruined
airport.
The flare-up coincided with attempts
by both sides to establish a demarcation
line between their armies that would
define the extent of rebel-controlled
territory.
Moscow insists that the separatists
should be given the ruined airport
near the rebels’ main stronghold where
almost surrounded Ukrainian force
have been holding on for months.
Kiev denies ever accepting such
terms.
The Russian defence ministry called
claims by Kiev earlier this week that
700 new Russian soldiers had crossed
the border into Ukraine’s separatist east
“absolute nonsense”.
But in an interview with a group of
Western reporters, Poroshenko cast
doubt over Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s good faith, although he said he
still remained hopeful that a peace deal
could be reached.
“It seems to me that the Ukrainian
question is very emotional for” Putin,
The Wall Street Journal reported
Poroshenko as saying. “If you ask if I
trust him, my answer would be no.”
He added that “to have a complete
de-escalation, we don’t need any blahblah-blah. We need just to withdraw
Russian troops.”
The crisis has put relations between
Russia and the West under the greatest
strain since the Cold War, while
Ukraine’s severe financial crisis is
further complicating the situation, with
Kiev requiring billions of dollars in help
from world lenders.
Two top Western diplomats in Kiev
said on Tuesday they believed the
militias had made significant progress
on the ground in recent days.
One of them, speaking on condition
of anonymity, said the rebel offensive
appeared to be aimed at undermining
European peace efforts in order to win
more ground before a final partition
agreement is reached.
— AFP
IN BRIEF
UK’s opposition
Labour gets
lowest poll
score since 2010
LONDON: Britain’s left-wing
opposition Labour Party yesterday
scored its lowest YouGov poll rating
since it was voted out of power in
2010, a setback to its morale before
an election in which it is hoping
to unseat Prime Minister David
Cameron’s Conservatives.
With less than four months
until Britons vote in a national
election on May 7, most polls show
Labour either slightly ahead of, or
neck-and-neck with Cameron’s
right-leaning Conservatives.
But YouGov’s poll of 1,570
adults, carried out on Jan.
19-20 and published on
Wednesday, showed 32 per cent
of voters planned to back the
Conservatives, compared to 30 per
cent for Labour.
That was a drop of two
percentage points for Labour
from YouGov’s last poll earlier this
month, which had both parties on
32 per cent.
It marked Labour’s lowest score
in a YouGov poll since the last
election in 2010.
The Green Party, which has
received a publicity boost because
of a row between the main
parties over whether it should
be included in pre-election TV
debates, got its highest ever score
in a YouGov poll, with 10 per cent
of the vote.
Pollsters have suggested it is
taking some of its votes from
Labour.
— Reuters
Italian Senate
vote gives boost
to Renzi electoral
law deal
ROME: Italy’s Senate approved an
amendment to a new electoral law
yesterday, paving the way for the
passage of a cornerstone of Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi’s reform
programme in the upper house
next week.
Renzi
and
centre-right
opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi
agreed last year to jointly back
electoral changes and constitutional
reforms to foster more stability and
efficiency in long-dysfunctional
Italian politics.
But the right-left pact has
encountered increasing opposition
from within both parties.
With votes from both Renzi’s
centre-left Democratic Party (PD)
and Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, the
amendment containing major
elements of the electoral law passed
175 to 110.
Renzi overcame resistance
from within his own party, and
on Tuesday renewed a pact with
Berlusconi, who also shrugged off
critics in his bloc, to move ahead
with the promised overhaul of the
voting measure.
“The fact that this happened
with Forza Italia’s vote is in my
opinion very positive,” Renzi told
SkyTG24 television at the annual
World Economic Summit in
Davos, Switzerland.
But Forza Italia dissident
Senator Cinzia Bonfrisco said the
vote meant “Forza Italia committed
suicide”.PD lawmaker and former
party secretary Guglielmo Epifani
described the pact with Berlusconi
as “unheard of ”, saying Renzi
“deals with everyone but not with
a significant part of his own party”.
A final vote on the electoral law
in the Senate is expected next week.
It will then need to be approved
by the Chamber of Deputies before
becoming law.
The electoral reform foresees a
premium to the party that wins the
most votes as long as that group
gets more than 40 per cent of the
total. If no party wins 40 per cent
in the first round, a second round
would ensue, pitting the top two
performers against each other.
16
omandailyobserver
PANORAMA
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
A man runs through a snow covered park in Buxton, central England, yesterday. — Reuters
Snorkelers interact with a
Florida Manatee inside of
the Three Sisters Springs in
Crystal River, Florida. On
winter days, Florida
manatees flock by the
hundreds to the balmy
waters of Three Sisters
Springs, drawing crowds of
snorkelers and kayakers to
the US sanctuary, where
people may swim with the
endangered species. But as
tolerant as the gentle,
whiskered sea giants can be
of the accidental kicks and
splashes of delighted
tourists, wild life regulators
want to ban most canoes
and paddle boards and
create people-free zones to
protect the wintering “sea
cow.” — Reuters
Duo Black and White artists perform at the Award Gala evening of the 39th Monte Carlo
International Circus Festival, in Monaco. — AFP
The sun shines over
snowmen representing the
countries around the world
during an exhibition from
the NGO ‘Action2015’ on
the sideline of the 45th
Annual Meeting of the
World Economic Forum,
WEF, in Davos, Switzerland,
yesterday. — AP
A man walks past a pre-election kiosk of leftists Syriza in central Athens yesterday. Whoever wins
Greece’s general election on January 25, 2015, Europe will have to take urgent action to tackle
the country’s mountain of debt before it buries the rest of the eurozone, experts say. — AFP
People assemble a giant ‘carpet’ with candies on a pedestrian street in front of a department store, in Chengdu, Sichuan
province, China. The 185-metre-long, 7-metre-wide ‘carpet’ created various patterns with different coloured candies, local
media reported. — Reuters
Villagers take part in Kolyada holiday celebrations in the village of Martsiyanauka, east of the capital Minsk, Belarus yesterday.
Local residents took part in the celebrations to mark the end of a pagan winter holiday Kolyada, which over the centuries has
merged with Orthodox Christmas celebrations. — Reuters
THURSDAY | JANUARY 22, 2015 | RABEE AL THANI 1, 1436 AH
P19
P20
P21
Inside
Audi posts another year of record sales Tokyo stocks buck Asian rally Brazil set for another steep rate hike FOLLOW US ON:
BIZ BUZZ
UK unemployment
hits six-year low
LONDON: Britain’s unemployment
rate has hit another six-year low of
5.8 per cent and wages are climbing
in real terms, official data showed
yesterday. Economists said the news
was a boost for British Prime Minister
David Cameron’s Conservative-Liberal
Democrat coalition government, which
faces a general election in May. The
jobless rate for September-November
compares with 6 per cent for the three
months to the end of October, the
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
revealed in a statement. Market
expectations had been for a drop to 5.9
per cent, according to analysts polled
by Bloomberg. The ONS added that the
number of unemployed slid 58,000 to
1.91 million people during the period.
Portugal to clear IMF
bailout loans early
www.omanobserver.om
[email protected]
The Wave signs RO 75m fund
agreement with Bank Muscat
REAL ESTATE: Bank Muscat has agreed to purchase 230 residential
apartments in 4 blocks to be known as Marsa Parklands for RO 30 million
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan 21: The Wave, Muscat signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Bank Muscat to develop a mixed
portfolio of real estate assets for a new
property fund to be managed by the bank
involving investments of up to RO 75
million.
In the first tranche of a number of
transactions planned at The Wave, Muscat,
and the largest off plan real estate purchase
in Oman in the last 12 months, Bank Muscat
has agreed to purchase 230 residential
apartments in 4 blocks to be known as
‘Marsa Parklands’ for RO 30 million located
between the marina and new Kempinski,
The Wave, Muscat Hotel.
AbdulRazaq Ali Issa, Chief Executive
of Bank Muscat, said: “The deal marks an
important milestone in the development of
the Omani real estate sector. The MoU aims
to strengthen institutional participation in
commercially sound and sustainable real
estate projects.”
“The Fund’s first purchase of Marsa
Parklands is consistent with the bank’s
strategy to offer investors a chance to
participate in a relatively steady low risk
investment with a healthy cash return over
the long term. Bank Muscat is especially
happy to further cement its relationship with
The Wave, Muscat and aims to build a strong
mixed portfolio of quality assets for clients,”
he added.
AbdulRazaq Ali Issa said: “The market
conditions are sound for investing in The
Wave, Muscat as the project is well positioned
to take advantage of the strength of Oman’s
economy as well as providing our Fund the
opportunity to invest in multiple property
asset classes, including residential, tourism,
retail and commercial while ensuring that
yields are attractive compared to alternative
investment classes.”
TO PAGE 19
FEED contract awarded for Oman Crude Oil Park
LISBON: Portugal will be able to repay
IMF bailout loans early after regaining
access to financial markets, Finance
Minister Maria Luis Albuquerque
announced yesterday. Six weeks after
Ireland moved to get out from under
its bailout debts, Lisbon will “begin
the necessary steps” to accelerate the
repayment of 25 billion euros to the
IMF, she told a parliament committee.
The plan will need the approval of both
the IMF and co-lender the European
Union. Portugal, which exited a 3-year,
78-billion-euro bailout programme last
May, has “very large liquidity reserves
that will allow it to weather any volatile
periods with serenity,” Albuquerque said.
She also pointed to a successful 30-year
bond issue on January 13 that allowed
Lisbon to raise 2 billion euros at 4.131
per cent interest. She said it was “further
proof of the renewed credibility that
Portugal has enjoyed in recent years.”
Egypt’s currency at
historic low
CAIRO: Egypt’s currency has fallen to
a historic low against the dollar after a
central bank auction. The bank said it
offered $40 million yesterday, selling
a total of $38.4 million at a cutoff rate
of 7.34 Egyptian pounds per dollar.
The central bank, which controls the
official exchange rate, has allowed the
currency to slide several times over
the last week. On the black market it
has traded even lower, with dollars
fetching up to 7.94 Egyptian pounds
at private exchanges. — AFP
SEZAD, Ahli Bank in MoU
to finance Duqm projects
CONRAD PRABHU
MUSCAT:
Jan 21: British based global oil and gas
engineering giant Amec Foster Wheeler
has been awarded a contract to undertake
the front-end engineering design of the
mammoth Ras Markaz Crude Oil Park
Project planned near Duqm on Oman’s
Wusta coast.
London-headquartered Amec Foster
Wheeler said it had signed a contract in
this regard with the Oman Tank Terminal
Company (OTTCO), a joint venture
between Oman Oil Company (90 per cent)
and its downstream investment subsidiary,
Takamul Investment Company (10 per
cent).
The contract award marks a key step in
the Omani government’s efforts to establish
one of the world’s largest crude oil storage
terminals on its shores. At full build-out,
the giant facility will be designed to hold
around 200 million barrels of crude oil.
Additionally, the facility will serve as an
alternative to the Sultanate’s only crude
export terminal at Mina al Fahal in Muscat.
Targeted in the first phase of the project
is a capacity of around 25 million barrels,
which is slated to come on stream by the
end of 2018, the company said. It quoted
Amec Foster Wheeler Group President
for Asia, Middle East, Africa & Southern
Europe, Roberto Penno, as stating: “We
have an excellent and long-standing
reputation in Oman and are already
working on other key investments in the
country. We are delighted to be part of this
strategic project.”
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
Jan. 21: Ahli Bank and its Islamic Banking Window ‘Alhilal Islamic’
are pledging attractive lending terms to companies looking to invest
in the Duqm Special Economic Zone.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect
was signed by Yahya bin Saeed al Jabri, Chairman of the Special
Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (SEZAD), with Lloyd
Maddock, CEO of Ahli Bank, at the Authority’s Muscat office in
Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) yesterday. The pact covers both
conventional and sharia-compliant lending.
Lloyd Maddock, CEO of Ahli Bank, said: “We continue
supporting the vision of SEZAD by making the products of Ahli
Bank and Alhilal Islamic banking affordable and accessible for
financing the ventures that are being set up in Duqm. In addition,
SMEs will enjoy similar access to finance like any other corporate
sector. Ahli Bank offers an automated system for commercial
transactions between companies B2B, which helps in making
banking more accessible for companies.”
The deal is in line the Authority’s efforts to encourage the private
sector, particularly small and medium companies, to invest in the
Duqm SEZ by taking advantage of favourable lending terms. This
is the fifth MoU inked by SEZAD with local banks as a part of its
strategy to open up banking finance to investors eager to set up their
ventures at Duqm. Under the deal, SEZAD will route lending offers
provided by Ahli Bank and Alhilal Islamic banking to interested
investors.
Ahli Bank is committed to providing a range of services to
investors. In the area of Corporate Banking, the bank will provide
different types of financing options, as well as term Loans,
mortgages, financial and investment consultations of all types,
electronic banking, corporate credit facilities and other services.
The MoU also covers banking for SMEs.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
The Japanese automaker sold 10.23 million vehicles worldwide, beating out Volkswagen and General Motors
Toyota stays on top again in global vehicle sales
TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp stayed at
the top in global vehicle sales in 2014,
taking that auto industry crown for the
third year straight, but was less upbeat
about this year.
The Japanese automaker sold
10.23 million vehicles, beating out
Volkswagen and General Motors. But
it expects to sell fewer trucks and cars
this year, forecasting sales will fall 1
per cent year-on-year to 10.15 million
vehicles, according to numbers released
yesterday.
The drop is largely due to a projected
9 per cent plunge in Japan sales. Japan
sales had been inflated in the early
part of last year ahead of a sales tax
hike. Overall, the Japanese auto market
is weakening because of population
decline. Toyota expects overseas sales
to grow 2 per cent this year to more
than 8 million vehicles from 7.9 million
vehicles last year.
Volkswagen AG of Germany sold
10.14 million vehicles in 2014, up 4 per
cent from the previous year. Detroitbased General Motors was third at 9.92
million vehicles, a company record and
2 per cent higher than its tally in 2013.
GM gave its numbers earlier this month.
Selling 10 million vehicles around the
world in a year is a milestone for major
automakers. And the race is intense as
automakers increasingly compete in
new markets.
Toyota’s sales grew 6 per cent in the
US from the previous year, 13 per cent
in China, and 10 per cent in Brazil,
according to the maker of the Camry
sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury
models.
Toyota suffered a setback in 2011,
when its production was hobbled by the
earthquake and tsunami in northeastern
Japan. But it made a comeback as No 1
in 2012. GM had been the top-selling
automaker for more than seven decades
until being surpassed by Toyota in
2008. But it is Volkswagen that has been
racking up stellar growth in recent years,
beating GM last year and in 2013. But
that year, GM would have won if both
companies had been compared without
the sales of industrial truck brands,
which GM doesn’t make.
Last year, Volkswagen outsold GM
even without its heavy trucks, which
totaled 199,900 vehicles. Toyota’s Hino
division, which makes trucks, sold
168,000 vehicles last year.
Toyota executives purposely exude
a low-key approach about their global
ambitions, stressing the company just
wants to make and sell one car at a
time. That humility has been even more
pronounced after the automaker was
slammed with a massive recall scandal,
fines from US authorities and many
lawsuits, especially in the US since 2009.
But Toyota is eager to elevate its brand
to more than a maker of reasonably
priced, reliable products with race cars
and luxury models that can help shed its
previous staid and boring image.
It is also a leader in green technology,
having scored success with its Prius
gas-electric hybrid, and is now banking
on an even more futuristic technology
called fuel cells. It delivered a fuel cell
car to the Japanese prime minister last
week, and is rolling out the Mirai fuel
cell, which means “future,” overseas later
this year. — AP
:HYH`H)HUKHY1PZZHO>PUZ.SVIHS(^HYK
H[0U[LYUH[PVUHS7YVWLY[`(^HYKZ
Saraya team voted ‘Best International Mixed-use Development’ against competitors from all five continents
Muscat, 21 January 2015:
Saraya Bandar Jissah has
cemented its status as
the leading developer of
Oman’s newest premier
lifestyle destination when
it emerged as the winner of
three prestigious awards at
the International Property
Awards
ceremony
held
recently in Dubai. Proving
itself as a developer of worldclass status, Saraya Bandar
Jissah was crowned the
‘Best International Mixeduse Development’ in the
global category as well as
‘Five Star award for New
Hotel Construction and
Design category’ and ‘Five
Star award for Mixed-use
Development category’ in
Oman.
Commenting
on
this
proud
achievement
for
Saraya Bandar Jissah and
the Sultanate of Oman,
Ali
Hassan
Kolaghassi,
Chairman of Saraya Bandar
Jissah said, “The Saraya
Bandar Jissah project is one
among the many key projects
central to the government’s
aim to develop tourism
related infrastructure in the
Sultanate. This award proves
that Oman has the skill,
expertise and talent to develop
projects of an international
standing. I congratulate
the Saraya Bandar Jissah
team and everyone involved
in developing this truly
visionary Integrated Tourism
Complex.”
A host of Arabia’s finest
developers,
architects,
interior designers and real
estate agents gathered for the
glittering awards ceremony
held at the Joharah Ballroom,
Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in
Dubai on the 4 December,
2014. There, in the presence
of the Earl of Caithness,
chairman of the judges for
development
categories,
the results of the Arabian
Property
Awards
were
announced.
“We are indeed delighted to
be recognised world-over
for Saraya Bandar Jissah’s
extraordinary beauty. We
take great pride in this
achievement as Saraya Bandar
each of the award categories.
The international winners
were also announced on the
same evening, following the
presentations of both the
Arabian Property Awards and
African Property Awards.
President of the International
Property Awards, Stuart
Shield, said, “Each and every
one of the companies to win
a coveted World’s Best award
has displayed exemplary levels
of quality, professionalism
and innovation. Having
proved their worth at country
level, Saraya Bandar Jissah is
now a set a new standard.”
Jissah places the Sultanate
of Oman’s drive to promote
tourism development firmly
on the international stage.”
Added Ali Hassan Kolaghassi.
Entries were received from
companies in 12 countries
across Arabia and winning
entrants were presented with
either a ‘Highly Commended’
or ‘5-Star’ award. Saraya
Bandar Jissah won two five
star awards – New Hotel
Construction and Design
category and Mixed-use
Development category. The
5-star winners were then
re-judged to select just one
from each of the 50 different
categories to go forward to
represent Arabia in the 20142015 International Property
Awards. Among Saraya
Bandar Jissah’s competitors
were Artha Group – India,
Immobiliare Coco Drive
– Mexico, Pulsar – Turkey,
Harvard Estates – UK and
Century Property – South
Africa.
“The Saraya Bandar Jissah
development sets a new
benchmark for ITC projects
in the Sultanate, and this
global award underlines the
quality and vision of the
development. At Omran, our
primary goal is to deliver on
the Government’s vision of
growing the capacity and
scope of the tourism sector
in Oman, and we do so by
working closely with national
and international partners to
bring architectural marvels
such as Saraya Bandar Jissah
to life. We enjoy a very close
relationship with our joint
partner Saraya Oman on
this project, and we believe
Saraya Bandar Jissah is set
to become one of the most
prestigious addresses in the
region.” remarked Eng. Wael
Al Lawati, CEO of Omran.
The International Property
Awards in London invited
development companies to
present their finest work.
The judging committee was
chaired by three members
of the House of Lords who
scrutinised hundreds of
entries from regional and
global developers. After
careful consideration, Saraya
Bandar
Jissah
emerged
triumphant on the night,
bagging the hotly contested
International
Property
Award for ‘Best International
Mixed-use
Development’
for the upcoming luxurious
Integrated Tourism Complex
(ITC)
currently
under
construction in Muscat.
Commenting
on
the
prestigious award accolades,
Sheikh Hamood bin Sultan
Al Hosni, CEO of Saraya
Bandar Jissah remarked,
“Gaining recognition from
the judging committee of
the International Property
Awards with a panel of over
80 experts gives us great
pride. We are exhilarated
to be acknowledged for
our exemplary levels of
quality, professionalism and
innovation. We have proved
ourselves on an international
level and can now take our
rightful place as leaders in
the property market. We look
forward to many more global
recognitions and hold our
position as the most sought
after ITC in the Sultanate.”
The award and judging
process
was
conducted
in three steps. Firstly, in
the National and regional
judging sessions, a panel of
expert judges from all over
the world were allocated
entries which matched their
areas of expertise. The entries
were judged against every
criteria point for that category
and given a rating of poor,
average, good, very good,
or excellent for each criteria
point. Next, at the end of
the awards year, all regional
winners had their entries
re-judged on basis to decide
the International winners.
Within each category, only
one entry was awarded on
international level. Finally,
in the international judging
session the panel of expert
judges were re-assigned
entries that matched their
area of expertise. The process
similar to the regional session
of judging, had judges will
refer to the original entry.
The scores were then totalled
and a percentage score was
calculated for each entry. The
final percentage score for the
entry decided the winner
of the International World’s
Best award for that category.
Saraya Bandar Jissah faced
stiff
competition
from
Africa, Europe, Canada, the
Caribbean, USA, Central
& South America, the UK
and Asia Pacific to find the
world’s best development in
The pace of construction on
site at Saraya Bandar Jissah is
in full swing. The sales centre
at Shatti al Qurum continues
to be inundated with requests
for information on properties
in Zaha – the first residential
zone that went on sale in
September last year. The Zaha
properties have captured the
imagination of the investors
and home occupiers who
are looking to be part of
this outstanding residential
community.
The leading lifestyle address
will be home to 398 exclusive
residential units, spacious
hilltop villas, stylish townhouses and luxury apartments
- all with attractive waterfront
and mountainside views. The
award-winning two luxury
five-star hotels at Saraya
Bandar Jissah, scheduled for
a grand opening in 2017, will
add another dimension to the
hospitality offering in Oman.
The
internationallyrenowned luxury hotels and
resorts operator, Jumeirah,
will provide a secluded retreat
for visitors and residents alike.
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is
an expert operator, bringing
with it decades of regional
expertise. Both hotels will
front onto the Bandar Jissah
beach where guests will enjoy
the magnificent seascapes
framed perfectly by the
ancient rock formations
which connect the land with
the sea on either side.
For more information, please
visit the Saraya Bandar Jissah
website.
OMAN
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
19
BUSINESS ALERT
Apollo Hospitals preferred by Omanis
APOLLO
Hospitals
Group, India was one of
the main sponsors at the
recently concluded IMTEC
Oman 2015 Exhibition
and Conference. Apollo
Hospitals is Asia’ largest
and most trusted healthcare
group with over 8,500 beds
across 60 Hospitals across 9
countries, medical business
process
outsourcing
services, Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy, 15 colleges
of Nursing and Hospital Management and a Research Foundation with a
focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell and genetic
research. Apollo Medical centre, Muscat and Apollo Sugar Clinic, Muscat is
part of the Group’ offering in Oman.
Leading the visiting delegation from Apollo India to the conference,
Radhey Mohan, Vice-President, International Business said, that Apollo
has a long standing association with the residents of Oman and we greatly
treasure the relationship and are committed to grow it further’. Speaking
about the kind of services — sought by individuals from Oman — Mohan
added, the area of Heart, Knee & Hip replacements, complex Brain and
Spine surgeries, Cancer, Liver Transplant, Bone Marrow Transplant, Heart
Transplant, Kidney Transplant, and Cornea Transplant- amongst some of
the major therapy areas accessed. Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad and Chennai
are also the pioneers in the area of Robotic assisted surgeries in the area of
gynaecology, head and neck urology and neurosurgery.
Audi posts another year of record sales
AUDI AG is proud of
another year of record sales.
In motorsport, the brand
with the four rings is poised
for growth as well. The
world of Audi Sport will
be featuring even greater
diversity in the 2015 season.
Audi Sport encompasses
both factory-backed and customer motorsport activity and includes the Audi
Driving Experience, the Audi RS models and the Audi R8.
“Success on the race track, more than ever before, has become an important
tool to thrill customers,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.
“That’s why our motorsport programme will be extended further this year. In
the new Audi Sport TT Cup, young drivers will be given an opportunity to
enter motorsport with Audi.”
The planned growth for 2015 comes on the back of a successful Audi
motorsport season in 2014. During the course of 2014, there were triumphs
achieved in the three prestigious 24-hour races at Le Mans (France), at the
Nürburgring (Germany) and at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) with the Audi
R18 e-tron quattro and the AudiR8 LMS ultra within the space of just 42
days. In the DTM, Audi, with the RS 5 DTM, secured the manufacturers’
title for the first time since 2004, plus second and third place in the drivers’
classification.
Geely Emgrand sets 2014 sales record
ACCORDING to the data released
by the China Passenger Car
Association (CPCA) recently, Geely
Emgrand has hit record again last
year with sales amounting to 19,008
units, of which the domestic sales
reached 17,069 units, up 34.2 per
cent year-on-year. Contributed by
its outstanding performance, the
model not only continued topping
the sales among indigenous brands,
but also was included in the top 10
sedans nationwide. As the flagship
model of Geely, Emgrand enjoys the
most impressive performance among indigenous cars. Its sales in the past 5
years since its launch amounted to 600,000 units, showing the vigour and
competitiveness of self-owned brands. According to the statistics, the sales
volume of the new Emgrand has risen to 17,952 units in September and
reached 19,008 units in October from the 10,572 units in July, enjoying a
monthly growth of over 30 per cent. Emgrand not only remains the sales
champion, but also becomes the only self-owned brand among the 10 bestsold vehicles in October.
In Oman, Towell Auto Centre (TAC) is the sole distributor of Geely
Emgrand range.
The Wave, Bank Muscat
sign MoU on funding
FROM PAGE 17
Announcing the deal, Hawazen Esber,
CEO of The Wave, Muscat, said the
transaction with the country’s largest
bank was an obvious step in capturing
the increasing institutional investor
interest in Oman’s property market
and specifically to introduce new
development opportunities to investors
at The Wave, Muscat.
“Institutional investors are becoming
more discerning in the type of assets
and locations they are prepared to
invest in and there has been a lot of
interest for emerging opportunities. As
one of the region’s leading communities,
The Wave, Muscat is an attractive
destination to consider investing in,
especially with the combined financial
strength and acumen of Bank Muscat as
fund manager.”
He continued: “We have been
looking for ways in which to enhance
the delivery of the project and its public
amenities to meet market demand from
people as well as for those wanting
to establish new businesses here.
This deal will also help accelerate our
development pipeline and open up new
opportunities for people to live, work
and invest here. ”
“We have seen a significant increase
in local demand since opening Almouj
Golf and Almouj Marina in 2012 and
more recently The Walk in 2014. As
an integrated lifestyle destination and
a professionally managed community,
we are truly capturing the imagination
of the market, and the time is now
right for institutional investment in the
project,” added Esber.
MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET
20
omandailyobserver
INTERNATIONAL
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
Let us be coached on business at the workplace!
SALEM AL RIYAMI
T
he above title is not
a general statement
addressed to everyone;
it is probably for middle
managers or potential
and key employees who
want to reach the highest positions in
their companies or organisations. Business
coaching is a concept and a business tool
that has been developed in the early 21st
century and became popular the last 10
years or so. Personally, I had always heard
about business coaching, but I was not sure
why and when to be coached, and what are
the specific benefits coaching can give.
What is Coaching?
Coaching as a concept has existed for
quite sometimes, but mainly in sports, for
example, Michael Jordan (the legendary
NBA player) had Phil Jackson behind
him; Tiger Wood (the famous golf player)
had his father behind him; Christiano
Ronaldo had Sir Alex Ferguson behind
him, etc. In business, the idea is almost
the same, but the methodology differs,
eg. Steve Jobs had Bill Campbell behind
him. CEOs and Executives could not have
reached such positions, achieved their
goals, and solved business issues, unless
they had dependable experts’ advice and
valuable resources for guiding their way
during their career. Coaching is basically a
dialogue between two parties (the Coach
and the Coachee) where the coach helps
and facilitates ways for the Coachee to
find opportunities to achieve business
goals and objectives. It is not only meant
to develop capabilities and technical
know-how of the coach, but it also help
change the way of thinking, attitudes and
beliefs of the Coachee for a better business
performance.
Symptoms of coaching on attitudes
and beliefs!
are some personal blocks or ‘brick walls’!
I do not like to talk about my feelings
So when does a person feel that he/ Symptoms like:
to others.
she needed to be coached, other than
I hate taking advice from others.
I am afraid others may see me as
the technical know-how? Perhaps, there
I hate showing my weakness.
incompetent.
Tokyo stocks buck Asian rally
HONG KONG: Tokyo shares fell
yesterday, countering a broad rally in
Asian markets, after the Bank of Japan
slashed its inflation forecast and held off
fresh easing measures after a two-day
meeting.
The yen rose against both the dollar
and the euro on the news, however,
as traders took solace in the BoJ’s
announcement that it was also raising
Japan’s growth outlook on signs the
economy was rebounding. Shares in
Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index
closed 0.49 per cent lower, falling 85.82
points to 17,280.48. The broader Topix
index of all first-section issues was down
0.50 per cent, or 7.02 points, to 1,390.61.
Japan was the outlier, however, as a
broad rally across Asian markets saw
Hong Kong gain 1.68 per cent, or 401.42
points, to 24,352.58. Shanghai rose 4.74
per cent, or 150.56 points, to 3,323.61
after gaining as much as 5.17 per cent in
late afternoon trade.
The Shanghai increase was the
index’s biggest since October 9, 2009,
when it surged 4.76 per cent.
Sydney closed 1.62 per cent or 85.73
points higher at 5,393.4.
Seoul ended up 0.15 per cent,
gaining 2.92 points to finish at 1,921.23.
“The BoJ’s announcement accelerated
profit-taking, which investors were
already doing because of sharp gains
much-anticipated meeting of the
European Central Bank (ECB) today.
Experts broadly expect the ECB to
announce a bond-buying scheme aimed
at kickstarting lending in the struggling
euro zone.
The improved growth outlook
pushed the yen higher, to 117.88 against
the dollar compared with 118.82 a day
earlier. It was at 136.40 to the euro
compared to 137.24.
The euro, meanwhile, fetched
$1.1572 compared with $1.1550 in
London.
Hong Kong and Shanghai stocks
rallied, with investors in mainland
China taking advantage of a sharp
decline earlier in the week to snap up
heavyweight financial stocks. — AFP
BHP said it will reduce the number of rigs from 26 to 16 by end of June
BHP cuts US shale oil rigs
by 40pc amid sliding price
SYBNEY: The world’s biggest miner
BHP Billiton yesterday said it was
cutting back its operating US shale
oil rigs by 40 per cent amid slumping
prices, but expected production output
to rise for the financial year.
BHP said it would reduce the number
of rigs from 26 to 16 by the end of the
June in response to weaker oil prices.
Shale volumes were still forecast to grow
by approximately 50 per cent during the
period.
“In petroleum, we have moved
quickly in response to lower prices
and will reduce the number of rigs we
operate in our onshore US business by
approximately 40 per cent by the end
of this financial year,” chief executive
Andrew Mackenzie said.
“The revised drilling programme will
benefit from significant improvements
in drilling and completions efficiency.”
Mackenzie said while the firm’s
drilling operations would focus on its
Black Hawk field in Texas, “we will keep
this activity under review and make
further changes if we believe deferring
development will create more value
than near-term production”.
Shares in BHP closed up 2.07 per
cent to Aus$ 28.05 yesterday.
Oil prices slid again on Tuesday
after the International Monetary Fund
slashed its forecast for world economic
growth and revived concerns about
the strength of crude demand. US
benchmark West Texas Intermediate
for February sank US$ 2.30, or 4.7 per
cent, to US$46.39 a barrel, not far from
its lowest level since March 2009. “The
announcement that BHP will reduce
the number of US onshore oil rigs it
operates by the end of this financial year
is a pointer to the industry-wide supply
response on lower oil prices that is yet
to come,” CMC Markets’ chief market
analyst Ric Spooner said in a note.
BHP added that its iron ore output
had risen by 16 per cent for the three
months to December compared to a
year earlier, hitting 56.4 million tonnes.
Prices in iron ore, one of BHP’s core
commodities, slumped 47 per cent in
2014 amid a global supply glut and
softening demand from China.
The Anglo-Australian miner also
booked a charge of up to $250 million
for the sale of petroleum and gas assets
in the United States, and up to $350
million in after-tax charges for the
Nickel West mine in western Australia.
BHP said in November it had called
a halt to the planned sale of Nickel West
as no bidder had offered the right price.
Mackenzie said BHP’s operational
performance over the past six months
was strong and the firm was cutting
costs and lifting productivity faster than
it had planned.
He added that the company
remained committed to its planned
demerger, due to be completed by
the end of the financial year, which
will see a new independent company
called South32 created by spinning-off
non-core assets including aluminium,
manganese, silver and selected coal and
nickel operations.
— AFP
More accountability: The ‘facilitating’
function of the Coach helps the Coachee
to be accountable in deciding how to
achieve his/her goals, instead of getting
direction or instruction from the Coach.
Brainstorming the issue: The Coachee
may get stuck in tackling an issue or a
problem by himself/herself, hence the
Coach helps to generate ideas or finding
opportunities for problem solving through
creative thinking and brainstorming.
Personal development: As mentioned
earlier, coaching includes the personal
elements for growing in addition to
developing capabilities.
Increase business performance: It is
through coaching the attitude and belief
of a Coachee that leadership skills are
enhanced, which has a positive impact on
team working, team synergy and hence
enhancing business performance.
Bottom Line
So those middle managers or potential
employees who wish to reach higher
positions should be eager to be coached.
Organisations should consider coaching
as a tool for developing key employees and
successors in business.
BOJ cuts down inflation forecast
TOKYO: Two years into so-called
Abenomics — a mix of aggressive
monetary and fiscal policy plus
structural reform — the Bank of Japan
is struggling to reach an ambitious
inflation target and convince Japanese
that years of deflation are in the past.
Instead, inflation is slowing, the
economy is only slowing emerging from
recession and confidence among the
economy’s bedrock manufacturers is
slipping.
BIZ BRIEF
yesterday,” Hiroaki Hiwada, a Tokyobased strategist at Toyo Security, told
Bloomberg News, referencing a 2.07 per
cent rise on the Nikkei 225 on Tuesday.
The BoJ said inflation for the year
starting in April would come in at 1
per cent, well down from an earlier 1.7
per cent forecast. It said the economy
would expand by 2.1 per cent, up from
its previous expectation of 1.5 per cent.
The prices downgrade underscores
how the bank’s bid to reach a 2 per
cent inflation target by early next year
looks increasingly unlikely. It will fuel
speculation that the BoJ will be forced
to unleash further stimulus to kickstart
the world’s number three economy.
Japan’s
monetary
policy
announcement comes ahead of another
I like to have full control on situations.
So why do you want to be coached?
Examples of very famous quotes by
Coachee for the purpose of being coached:
I want to enhance my performance.
I want to build myself further from my
own area of expertise.
I want to get promoted in a short time
period.
I want to manage my time effectively
at work.
I want to improve my relationship with
my Managers, peers, and teams.
I want to have a work-life balance.
I want to control my anger at work.
Therefore… The benefits are:
Regardless of the specific purpose of
coaching, the benefits may be as follows:
Viewing the big picture: Juggling many
tasks may be overwhelming. Coaching
helps the Coachee to see the big picture,
and then focus on specific areas that need
attention, priority wise.
Achieving goals: The Coach and the
Coachee agrees on Smart goals from the
coaching sessions. This Smart goals help
the Coachee to reach his/her objectives,
by in lighting strategic way of thinking.
Microsoft to show
off more features
on Windows 10
REDMOND: Microsoft is all set to
give a glimpse of the next version
of Windows. The company is
planning to show off new features
of its flagship operating system
— and possibly an improved
Internet browser and more uses for
Microsoft’s voice-controlled digital
assistant, Cortana. Executives will
also demonstrate how the new
Windows is designed to provide a
more consistent experience and a
common platform for software apps
on different devices, from personal
computers to tablets, smartphones
and even the company’s Xbox
gaming console.
The company has invited
journalists and industry analysts
to its headquarters in Redmond,
Washington.
CEO Satya Nadella plans to talk
about the new system and the
company’s battle to stay relevant in a
world where PC users are increasingly
shifting to mobile gadgets and
Internet apps. Microsoft gave only a
limited preview of Windows 10 last
fall.
More features will be announced
as Microsoft gets closer to releasing it
later this year.
The stakes are high for Microsoft.
Its last Windows release alienated
users with a new interface that many
found difficult to navigate. Microsoft
is hoping to win them back with an
interface that is more familiar.
Microsoft has said Windows 10
will resemble earlier versions of
Windows for personal computers,
while additional features will emerge
automatically on touch-controlled
tablets or other gadgets.
“It can’t be overstated how
important this is for Microsoft,”
Gartner tech analyst Brian Blau said.
“They’ve positioned Windows 10 as
the solution to all the problems they
created with Windows 8.”
There won’t be a Windows 9.
Microsoft has skipped ahead in
naming, from Windows 8 to Windows
10, as though to put more distance
between them. — AP
Yesterday, the Bank of Japan (BoJ)
sharply cut its inflation forecast and
the governor conceded it may take
longer than expected to hit 2 per cent
inflation, underlining the challenges of
meeting the target as oil prices continue
to slump.
The yen rebounded against the
dollar and Japanese equities fell after the
central bank held off on expanding its
stimulus drive, despite nearly halving its
core consumer inflation forecast for the
year beginning in April to 1 per cent.
Governor
Haruhiko
Kuroda
defended the decision, saying that while
the lower cost of fuel may weigh on
inflation short-term, it will stimulate
the economy and thus accelerate price
growth.
“Looking at wage negotiations and
inflation expectations, fortunately there
is no concern of Japan being beset by
a deflationary mindset again,” Kuroda
told a news conference.
— Reuters
No Qualcomm processors in next Galaxy S
SEOUL: Samsung Electronics will not use Qualcomm’s processors for the next
version of the South Korean technology giant’s flagship Galaxy S smartphone,
Bloomberg reported citing unidentified sources. Such an outcome would be a blow
for Qualcomm’s prospects for 2015, with the company already having guided for
weaker-than-usual annual revenue growth in a five-year outlook issued in November.
Samsung, the world’s No 1 smartphone maker, has been one of the US company’s
top customers. Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 810 chip overheated during Samsung’s
testing, Bloomberg reported. The South Korean company will use its own processors
instead, Bloomberg said. A Qualcomm spokesman declined to comment on the report.
A Samsung spokeswoman said the company does not comment on rumours. Analysts
have said the Snapdragon 810 chip has been dealing with a variety of performance
issues that may not be corrected in time for the launch of Samsung’s next Galaxy S
smartphone. The South Korean firm is widely expected to unveil the device on the
sidelines of the Mobile World Congress trade show in early March. Samsung will need
to ensure that the phone does not disappoint in order to keep its global market share
from slipping further, analysts said.
Samsung has already used its own Exynos processors in flagship devices such as
the Galaxy S5 to some extent, though analysts said Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips
were more widely used. Greater adoption of Exynos chips in Samsung smartphones
would help boost sales for the struggling foundry business.
“Samsung will likely show off the new Galaxy S phone in about a month and a half,
so one would have to assume that the chips have been tested a fair amount in order
for them to be used,” said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh.
— Reuters
A man walking on a pedestrian bridge is silhouetted against skyscrapers in
Beijing yesterday. China’s sound economic fundamentals have not changed
and the government will put more focus on structural reforms this year,
Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday.
— Reuters
FB clamps down on fake news stories
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook said it has taken steps to clamp down on “hoaxes”
and fake news stories that can spread like wildfire on its 1.35-billion member
online social network. The company said it had introduced an option to allow
Facebook users to flag a story as “purposefully fake or deceitful news” to reduce the
distribution of news stories reported as hoaxes.
Facebook said it will not remove fake news stories from its website. Instead, the
company’s algorithm, which determines how widely user posts are distributed, will
take into account hoax reports.
“A post with a link to an article that many people have reported as a hoax
or chose to delete will get reduced distribution in the News Feed,” Facebook
explained.
Facebook has become an increasingly important source of news, with 30 per
cent of adults in the US consuming news on the world’s largest social network,
according to a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center in collaboration with the
John S and James L Knight Foundation.
Facebook cited stories about dinosaur sightings and research supposedly
proving the existence of Santa Claus as examples of fake news stories. Facebook
said “satirical” content, such as news stories “intended to be humorous, or content
that is clearly labelled as satire,” should not be affected.
— Reuters
PERSPECTIVE
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
NEW
omandailyobserver
21
GENERATION
Growing role for women in GCC family businesses
A
s family businesses
in the GCC seek
to
address
new
challenges
and
transition to future
generations, women
have the opportunity to take on more
active roles than before, according to a
new study.
The joint study undertaken by Al
Sayedah Khadijah bint Khawilid Center
and Strategy & (formerly Booz &
Company) investigates the role of women
in family businesses across the GCC. The
comprehensive study is based on insights
from extensive client work, publicly
available information, and interviews
conducted with stakeholders in 30 leading
family businesses in the GCC in the past
12 months.
According to the study, in the next
five to 10 years, a large number of GCC
family businesses are expected to face
a transition to the third generation.
Succession planning is one of the most
critical challenges that family businesses
face but it can also be a great opportunity
to draw from the entire talent pool, not
only the male members of the family.
As female family members become
shareholders via inheritance, they tend
to request a role in the governance and
oversight of the business.
Dr Basmah M Omair, CEO of Al
Sayedah Khadijah bint Khawilid Center,
said: “This is a propitious time for family
businesses as all of the GCC countries have
made female economic inclusion a top
priority. The value of diverse perspectives
from all members of the family is gaining
more widespread recognition as most
family businesses in the GCC are facing
transition from the second to the third
generation of ownership. As a result,
there is a supportive environment for
family businesses to take advantage of the
contribution that their women can make.
GCC family businesses are also looking
at global best practices and finding that
female family members are increasingly
becoming a vital force within their foreign
counterparts.”
“A number of other trends have
contributed to women’s growing
leadership over the past two decades,
which include changing social conditions,
such as smaller family sizes and higher
average age of marriage; increasing
efforts from women to acquire the skills
that would make them eligible for a
wider spectrum of roles in business;
and growing social acceptance that
encourages women to be more involved
in the family business,” Dr Omair added.
The study reveals the major obstacles
to women’s participation in family
businesses, which include the cultural
perceptions of a patriarchal society,
misalignment between the requirements
of the business and the extent of women’s
education or training, women’s lack of
interest or motivation to be active in the
family business and fierce competition
within large families for a limited
number of senior roles, in which women
are at a disadvantage as they must
develop comparable skills to their male
counterparts.
EVOLVING ROLES
Ramy Sfeir, Partner with Strategy&
leading the family business platform
in the Middle East, said: “In order for
these companies to access their female
talent pool, there is an urgent need for
male family members to understand
women’s aspirations and for female family
members to calibrate the expectations
of male members of the family. GCC
women’s roles in family businesses tend
to exist in two spheres: core business
activities, such as management and
corporate governance, and enabling
business activities, such as promoting
family values and preparing the next
generation to join the business. Within
each of these spheres, women are already
playing clearly defined roles.”
Several GCC families have described
their philanthropic activities as an ideal
setting for women to be involved in the
family. They expect women to benefit
from more flexible hours than fulltime employment allows and believe
that women can play a better role in
developing and executing the right
programmes to support those in need,
building on their social connections and
emotional intelligence, without the need
for extensive financial literacy.
“Enacting a governance model and
planning for succession require a carefully
designed transfer of values to the next
generation. Women are necessary to this
intentional and essential transmission of
family culture in two ways. First, women
of the second and third generation must
be recognised and mentored as strong
contributors to the family’s success.
Second, they should be acknowledged for
their role as the educators and influencers
of future generations, and encouraged
to take on roles as mentors themselves,”
added Sfeir.
In light of this broader impact,
governments have a vested interest in
promoting women’s participation in family
businesses. Governments should continue
their efforts to empower more women to
participate in national development and
break down social obstacles to female
involvement. Governments need to
lead, support, incentivise, and educate
about how women’s inclusion in family
firms can help these enterprises through
generational transitions and in a more
competitive external environment. They
can also help to ensure that women have
access to appropriate education and
training with a focus on management and
finance, and potentially consider in some
cases female quotas for businesses similar
to existing nationalisation quotas.
Government support critical
The study highlights that women in
the GCC have succeeded in overcoming
the gender gap in both primary and
secondary schools. In the UAE, where
schooling is government-funded to
the bachelor’s degree level, the gender
gap in enrolment in secondary schools
is insignificant. In higher education,
women outnumber men in percentage
BAILOUT CRISIS
An impasse in Paris, a gamble in Athens:
how Greece returned to economic crisis
ATHENS: After four years of economic
sacrifices, Greece bet it could agree an
early end to its international bailout.
Instead a stand off with creditors in a
Paris townhouse led to new political
uncertainty and another euro zone storm.
Greece triggered the regional financial
crisis in 2009 when a far higher budget
deficit than previously calculated
emerged.
The collapse of talks in Paris on
November 26 set off a month-long
sequence of events leading to elections
next week and proving Greece is still the
region’s weak link. The vote is expected to
be won by Syriza, a far-left party opposed
to the bailout, worrying investors and
creditors alike.
At the tense meeting with Greek
cabinet members to discuss exiting the
four-year 240 billion euro aid package
in December, a year early, International
Monetary Fund and European Union
officials insisted on extra cuts or revenues
in the 2015 budget, according to people
present. Greek officials balked. The
conservative-led government of Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras had already
imposed salary freezes, layoffs and
special taxes. Any more austerity would
be political suicide.
“They were giving us the impression
that no matter what we did, they would
not conclude the review,” one Greek
official said on condition of anonymity
because of the confidential nature of
discussions between Athens and its
lenders.
“After that Paris meeting, we knew
it was over.” EU and IMF spokespeople
declined to comment for this story.
Heated discussions between Athens
and its lenders are not uncommon but
Greek officials said the uncompromising
stance of the inspectors was rooted in
something neither side would openly
admit: uncertainty over whether
Samaras’s government would survive a
presidential vote scheduled for February.
For the lenders, it would make little
sense to declare the aid programme a
success and disburse the final tranche
of over 7 billion euros in aid if an antibailout government was soon set to take
power and abandon the pledges made so
far.
But for Samaras, failing to exit the
deal early, as he had promised, left him
without a weapon to win over lawmakers
in the February vote. It also weakened
him in the eyes of the electorate, driving
voters into the arms of the Syriza party.
Trying to leverage his dwindling
political capital, he brought the
presidential vote forward to December,
but then lost, triggering elections on
January 25.
Investors and Greece’s lenders fear
The conservative-led
government of Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras
had already imposed salary
freezes, layoffs and special
taxes. Any more austerity
would be political suicide.
Syriza will turn back the clock on many of
the reforms introduced over the past few
years, weakening its position in Europe
and possibly pushing it out of the euro
zone currency area. Stocks tumbled and
10-year bond yields soared beyond 10 per
cent earlier in January.
“Syriza policies would be unlikely
to satisfy the lenders,” said Blanka
Kolenikova, senior analyst at IHS Global.
“Its policy programme would likely
complicate Greece’s negotiations with the
creditors as it is unlikely to be received
well.”
Despite Greece’s sudden return to the
spotlight, trouble had been brewing for
Samaras’s government since May.
The momentum ought to have been
clearly in his favour: Greece had just
returned to bond markets after a fouryear exile, it had reported a primary
budget surplus after decades and there
were signs of an economic recovery.
But Greeks were hurting from
four years of wage and pension cuts.
Unemployment was over 25 per cent. The
economic malaise helped Syriza storm to
victory in European elections in May.
A botched introduction of a new
property tax over the summer further
added pressure on the government. By
early autumn, polls showed Syriza firmly
ahead and the troika was demanding
further pension reform and tax hikes to
ensure a near balanced budget.
Samaras was convinced he would not
get any more austerity measures passed
in parliament, a government official said.
Hoping to wrest back the momentum,
he announced in late September a
surprise plan to exit the unpopular bailout
programme a year ahead of schedule.
But talks with creditors didn’t follow
as he hoped. In mid-November, the two
sides were growing further apart on
the 2015 budget. The IMF and EU said
Athens needed to find cost-cutting and
revenue-raising measures for an extra 2.5
billion euros.
Greek government officials argued
that they only needed to find additional
cuts worth about 500 million euros.
They were infuriated by the lenders’
request for a contingency reserve for
emergency outlays to be beefed up to
1.2 billion euros from 1 billion euros the
previous year, arguing that it flew in the
face of an economic rule.
— Reuters
of graduates across the GCC, and they
are beginning to venture into fields
traditionally dominated by men. This
will create better alignment with their
family firms in the future. Contrary to
stereotypes, women are increasingly
choosing to pursue degrees in the
sciences, business, law, and engineering
fields. Their educational advancement is
bolstered by scholarships to study abroad,
which more women are receiving.
Although GCC countries have made
significant strides in education for
women, the participation in the labour
force still lags behind developed countries
at around 30 per cent, compared to 70
to 80 per cent for most Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) countries. More
importantly, according to a recent study
conducted by the International Labour
Organization, wide disparities in female
workforce participation within the GCC
exist, with 18.2 per cent of women in
Saudi Arabia entering the workforce,
28.6 per cent in Oman, 39.4 per cent in
Bahrain, 46.6 per cent in the UAE, 43.4
per cent in Kuwait, and 50.8 per cent in
Qatar.
“Financial literacy has become an
increasingly important skill, and perhaps
nowhere is it more important than within
a family business. However, nearly 50
per cent of female interviewees cited a
lack of financial skills as one of their key
challenges. Accordingly, women need to
focus more on developing their financial
skills and business acumen so that they
are able to make more informed decisions
on the management of money. Family
business leaders need to support this
development by providing women with
proper training which will prepare them
for roles in the business. In addition,
governments should take a step further
by sponsoring and promoting training
courses for women on relevant topics
such as finance and management,” added
Dr Omair.
The study also states that the rationale
for gender diversity in family businesses
is often driven by the founder’s objective
of restricting the company’s board seats
to family members, including his sons
and daughters. However, despite female
family members’ elections to boards, the
research suggests that few women are
actively participating or providing input
during board meetings, which could
be due to the lack of preparation for the
role or their limited integration into the
organisation.
Taking into consideration these
challenges, the study outlines three
important trends that can support an
increase in women’s participation in GCC
family businesses: (i) the high level of
female education; (ii) the gradual growth
in women’s labour participation and
entrepreneurship and (iii) family firms
revisiting their governance and planning
for succession.
The study suggests that senior family
members and more importantly, the
government, will need to undertake
initiatives for these three trends to have
the desired impact in terms of giving
family businesses the competitive
edge that comes from incorporating
women. Family business leaders can take
advantage of these trends by ensuring that
all members of the family supplement
their formal education with the training
that will prepare them for roles in the
business.
“Governments’ support of women’s
employment is critical and has had a
positive impact on promoting a more
active role for women in their family
businesses. For example, women are
expected to take on more senior roles at
an early stage of their careers, or become
entrepreneurs who develop new ventures
within or outside their family businesses.
When national economic trends
became more supportive of women’s
employment, this reflects positively in
the family business. Previously, there was
no foresight to include or develop female
members of the family,” added Sfeir.
“Although the participation of women
in family firms is a nascent trend in the
GCC, the confluence of these trends
will increase the likelihood of women
becoming more involved in family
businesses. Their interest, skills, energy,
and enthusiasm — if properly channelled
with training, mentorship, support, and
good communication — will strengthen
their businesses and their families,”
concluded Dr Omair.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
CHECKING INFLATION
Brazil set for another
steep rate hike
BRASILIA: Brazil will
likely keep its aggressive
pace of interest rate
increases to rein in
surging prices despite
growing fears the oncethriving economy could
plunge into recession
this year.
Forty-five out of 48
economists
surveyed
by Reuters expect a second straight 50 basis-point hike in the benchmark
Selic rate to 12.25 per cent, its highest since August 2011. The remainder
expect a smaller 25 basis-point increase.
President Dilma Rousseff has vowed to lower above-target inflation
in what would be a major policy shift during her second term in office
to win back wary investors and jump-start the sluggish economy. The
central bank has also hardened its speech with promises to do “whatever
is needed” to bring inflation back to the 4.5 per cent centre of the official
target by 2016.
“We reckon the bank will hike the Selic to 12.25 per cent, and deliver
a statement that will leave it free to hike by either 25bps or 50bps in the
following meeting,” Mario Mesquita, a former central bank director and
chief economist with Brasil Plural, said in a note to clients.
Although the Rousseff administration plans to cut spending to help the
central bank, steep increases in electricity and bus fares are expected to
push inflation to more than three-year highs in mid-January.
A string of tax increases announced on Monday to plug a widening
fiscal deficit will also keep pressure on inflation, which last year nearly
pierced the official target of between 2.5 and 6.5 per cent.
A combination of rising public spending, food price shocks and a sharp
depreciation of the Brazilian real has kept inflation high in the last four
years, eroding the confidence of investors and consumers in an economy
that grew an average of 4 per cent a year in the past decade.
The Brazilian economy barely expanded last year and could fall into
recession this year as already weak consumption and investment are
threatened by possible water and energy rationing due to a prolonged
drought. A growing corruption scandal engulfing state-run oil company
Petrobras could also dent investment in other sectors of the economy.
The fiscal and monetary tightening are likely to further slow the
economy, but policymakers have said the adjustment is needed to eliminate
distortions and set the bases for a new period of rapid growth. — Reuters
22
LEISURE
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
Online Editor’s Choice
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
CARTOONS
ADAM @ HOME
3
8
10
11
by Brian Basset
12
13
15
18
19
21
22
23
CALVIN AND HOBBES
24
26
29
31
by Bill Watterson
32
34
35
36
37
38
1
2
GARFIELD
4
5
6
by Jim Davis
7
9
12
14
16
17
19
STONE SOUP
17
19
20
21
23
24
25
27
28
30
32
33
CR O SSW O R D
ACROSS
Slides into something to wear (5)
Showed how to make bread (5)
Offal hater, perhaps? (5)
Some association with intelligence
(3)
Lily’s relative, about one ahead (5)
For something to eat cold, the
choice is about a hundred (4-3)
Pull up and down in places (5)
Boater perhaps in the South Atlantic
(3)
In Hamlet, just a bonehead? (6)
Means not to scatter seed around (7)
Catherine’s dad had limited basic
education (4)
Complaint due to misuse of the
cane? (4)
Barber’s bargain price? (3,4)
Reacts oddly to small quantities (6)
There’s nothing in turning fifty (3)
Where the sun is out most of the
day! (5)
Be considered roasted? (7)
Can also be played back (5)
20 Sees the head of security has plenty
Catch in mistaken absenteeism (3)
of money (5)
No way to spell Verne (5)
21 Letter perused in fear (5)
When a saint takes a blow, it can
23 Where Georgia’s concerned, it’s
hurt! (5)
capital (7)
The two that make the difference (5)
24 The heart of recent research (6)
25 Wind music? (3)
DOWN
27 One who lays down where to draw
Masculine style coat for the house
the line? (5)
(5)
28 Providers of protective cover in
Seemingly a sufferer of pain at half
hospital? (5)
term? (7)
30 Forbid messing about with ‘8 across’
Left one on his Tod (4)
(5)
To shop around for pictures (6)
32 The support is low (4)
Foreign gentlemen of Norse
33 As a sailor, he has the right to join
extraction? (5)
army volunteers (3)
One of those you may have spent in
France? (5)
Brazil’s patriotic centre (3)
EASY PUZZLE
Having taken a month to make
ACROSS
soup, might be eaten (7)
3 Vagrant (5)
He’s less than valiant (3)
8 Agree (5)
Finish first at half pace, but show
10 Keyboard instrument (5)
pain (5)
11 Twitch (3)
He evidently jumps high in the air
12 Look fixedly (5)
(5)
13 Reply (7)
Longed to get the bit of pay
15 Principle (5)
deserved (7)
YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 8, Not-able 9, S-event-een
13, A-p-p-le 14, I-dio-t 15, Lo-ng ago
16, Pur-su-es 17, Turns 18, Set on (rev)
20, Rid-G(reek)-e 22, O(the)r-nate 23,
M-a-nag-e 25, Lighter 27, Must-ang
30, Ali-E-ns 31, C-all in 32, Marks 35,
Tes-sa (rev) 36, Dress 37, Ne-st eg-g
(rev) 39, Out-come 41, A-men-d 42,
R-H-od-a 43, Bur-nishe-s 44, Twisted.
18
19
21
22
23
24
26
29
31
32
34
35
36
37
38
Possessive pronoun (3)
Conceit (6)
Titled widow (7)
Genuine (4)
Footwear item (4)
Authorise (7)
European capital (6)
Regard (3)
Intended (5)
Rich (7)
Settee (5)
Favourite (3)
Guide (5)
Of the kidneys (5)
Postpone (5)
1
2
4
5
6
7
9
12
14
16
DOWN
Proportion (5)
Booze (7)
Routine (4)
Explosive (6)
Primp (5)
Military student (5)
Rim (3)
Exerts (7)
Darn (3)
Recess (5)
DOWN: 1, Copper 2, Ma-de su-re 3,
Plain-spoken 4, Ten-th-rate 5, Rea-lise
6, Stands fast 7, V-era 10, Ham-per
11, Distant 12, Pounce 19, Trainer 21,
Dailies 24, Running down 26, Hung
around 28, Bare-faced 29, Cla-she-d
30, Acti-o-n 32, M-istr-ust 33, S-Ignal 34, A-D-verse 38, Erodes 40, Taut
(taught).
YESTERDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 8, Destroy 9, Mercenary
13, Scoop 14, Noose 15, Thimble 16,
Amateur 17, Carve 18, Idiot 20, Exams
22, Dearth 23, Purple 25, Prosper 27,
Tallboy 30, Saddle 31, Angora 32,
Asset 35, There 36, Union 37, Twaddle
39, Resists 41, Metro 42, Drake 43,
Mandatory 44, Phantom.
DOWN: 1, Fedora 2, Stoppers 3,
Downtrodden 4, Celebrity 5, Scatter
6, Individual 7, Grab 10, Escape 11,
Conceal 12, Gentle 19, Impious 21,
Abridge 24, Catastrophe 26, Silverside
28, Infirmary 29, Hornets 30, Saturn
32, Abandons 33, Themes 34, Pulsate
38, Dragon 40, Seat.
Hospitals
by Jan Eliot
Hospital. . . . . Board . . . . . . . Emergency
Royal . . . . . . . 24599000 . . . 24590491
Health Services Department
‘YO UR STARS ‘
Muttrah . . . . . . . 24797602
Quriyat . . . . . . . 24845001 . . . . 24845003
SQH, Salalah. . . 23211555 . . . . 23211151
Police. . . . . . . . . 24603988 . . . . 24603980
Al Nahda . . . . . . 24831255 . . . . 24837800
Ibn Sina. . . . . . . 24876322 . . . . 24877361
Nizwa. . . . . . . . . 25439361 . . . . 25425033
Al Rustaq. . . . . . 26875055 . . . . 26877186
Sumayil. . . . . . . 25350055 . . . . 25350022
Izki . . . . . . . . . . . 25340033 . . . . 25340033
IF IT’S YOUR
BIRTHDAY:
The ready
sympathy,
which you show
for people who
come to you
with hard luck
stories, must
be curbed if
you don’t want
to be taken
advantage of in
the coming year.
Be sure that
any financial
help you offer
will not deprive
your family of
comforts, which
are rightfully
theirs. Put your
family first.
Wheel covers (5)
Deer meat (7)
Reverie (5)
Russian villa (5)
Track support (7)
Whole (6)
Number (3)
Anxious (5)
Finished (5)
Flower part (5)
Masculine (4)
Currency unit (3)
Haima . . . . . . . . 23436013 . . . . 23436055
Sohar . . . . . . . . . 26840022 . . . . 26840099
Al Buraimi. . . . . 25650855 . . . . 25652319
Sur . . . . . . . . . . . 25440244 . . . . 25461373
Tanam . . . . . . . . 25499011 . . . . 25499033
Masirah . . . . . . . 25404018 . . . . 25404018
Ibra. . . . . . . . . . . 25470533 . . . . 25470535
Adam. . . . . . . . . 25434167 . . . . 25434055
Bidiya . . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535
Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990
Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148
Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187
Dibba. . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443
Burkha. . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397
Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338
AQUARIUS
PISCES
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
January 21February 19
February 20March 20
March 21April 20
April 21May 20
May 21June 21
June 22July 21
By being obstinate and refusing
to fall in with the wishes of the
majority you are creating difficulties which need never have
arisen.
By avoiding arguments and sticking firmly to your conviction, you
will be able to persuade a stubborn person to see your point of
view.
An important achievement seems almost within your grasp. Don’t get too
over-confident, but carry on as you are
doing now and the results will justify
the efforts.
By using some unexpected funds
to settle a long overdue debt, you
will take a great load off your
mind and void some unpleasant
reminders in the near future.
Try to bring more variety and new
interests into your life by stepping
out once in a while and getting to
know people whose ideas are different from your own.
Don’t underestimate the ability of
a colleague just because he is a bit
slow in his ways. You may have to
make a special effort to keep up
with him in the long run.
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
July 22August 21
August 22September 22
September 23October 22
October 23November 21
November 22December 21
December 22January 20
Although everything seems to go
against you this morning things will
improve as the day goes by, and by
the evening you will consider you
have had a satisfactory day.
You will be able to give a great deal
of pleasure to a lonely person by
showing him sympathy and being
ready to give him some of your
time.
If a quick decision is called for this
week in connection with a financial
transaction you will have to follow
your own intuition and hope for the
best.
It would be futile to waste time
and effort on an attempt to rebel
against authority when you know
you will have to conform eventually.
Do not neglect to thank the person whose good references about
you contributed in no small measure to securing your present employment.
A young member of the family has
reached the point where he needs
the special understanding you can
offer without causing him any embarrassment.
CLASSIFIEDS
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
omandailyobserver
23
For Sale
INDUSTRIAL area
land in Rusayil,
5,000 Sq.mt and
building with 8
shops. Contact
95490842,
92702891.
·····
FOR NRIs only:
Situation Vacant
KHALID Company for
Medical Supplies
Sales Manager/
Biomedical
Technician
- Experienced in GCC
Sales of Medical
- Driving Licence
- NOC available on
request
Contact: 95051234.
E-mail: biza843@
gmail.com
·····
SYRIAN Mashavi
Cook and Moroccan
Lady Cook for Qurum
Beach Hotel.
24704994 or
99238012.
INDIAN male QA/QC
Engineer-Civil (BE,
ACQE) in Oman on
visit visa, overall 10
years of experience in
Š‹‰Š”‹•‡–‘™‡”ǡ‘ˆϐ‹…‡
building and
residential
construction project
in Qatar and UAE,
holding valid GCC
driving licence
00968 93958533,
e-mail: sheikhnavid@
yahoo.com
·····
INDIAN male, 27 years,
B Tech Mechanical,
having 1 year pipeline
experience, seeking
job in any mechanical
ϐ‹‡Ž†ǤŠ‡„‡Ž‘™
mentioned points need
attention: 1 NOC is
available, 2. Available in
Oman till 31st January.
Contact 95982207.
E-mail: rahman.taus@
gmail.com
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male BE
mechanical engineer
with 3-month
…‡”–‹ϐ‹…ƒ–‡…‘—”•‡‹
QA/QC, pipeline and
NDT. In Oman on visit
visa, seeks suitable
placement. Contact
95803035, E-mail:
jittenvjacob@gmail.
com
·····
INDIAN male 24
years, having Omani
driving licence, MS in
Biotechnology from
USA, seeks suitable
job in management/
ƒ”‡–‹‰ϐ‹‡Ž†ǤƒŽŽ
96246621/95738937.
CIVIL Draughtsman:
Indian male, 23 years
INDIAN male, BTech-E&I, with 3 years experience
in AutoCad, 2D & 3D,
10 years experience in
MEP, HVAC, 3DSMAX and
Sales, Procurement and
Business Development. 6 Photoshop, looking for
suitable position,
years Oman experience
presently in Muscat on
in Oil & Gas Sector,
visit visa. Contact:
having Omani driving
91764358.
licence, NOC available,
seeks suitable placement. mohdsiraj02@
yahoo.com
Contact: 97233074.
·····
·····
·····
·····
PRIVATE bilingual
school at Muscat
needs a Specialist
and experienced
Teachers
(Chemistry, Physics,
Maths, English).
Email:
cps20102011@
hotmail.com
93005900
SITUATION VACANT
·····
LOOKING to recruit
ƒ“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹‡†Interior
Designer (preferably
female). Please forward
your CV to: idesigner.
[email protected].
LOOKINGWRUHFUXLWDTXDOL¿HG
talent Interior Designer
(preferable female) to join our
WHDP3OHDVHIRUZDUG\RXU&9WR
[email protected]
·····
·····
Situation Wanted
PLOTS (4.5/9 cents)
(Rs 5.5 lacs/cent)
and villas near Aluwa
Metro Station (Kerala)
for sale. Contact
98934705. E-mail:
skprealtor@yahoo.
com
·····
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male, 24 years,
MBA, having 2 years of
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡‹ϐ‹ƒ…‹ƒŽ
ƒ……‘—–‹‰ϐ‹ƒŽ‹•ƒ–‹‘ǡ
knowledge of Tally ERP,
Focus, Wings, Peachtree,
MS-Excel, currently on
visit visa, seeks suitable
placement. Available
immediately. Contact
91058205, E-mail:
aslammohammed10@
gmail.com
·····
CIVIL Engineer (BE),
7 years experience in
execution & skilled with
MS-Word, Excel, AutoCad,
seeking for a suitable
placement, currently
on employment visa
& available in Muscat.
98499008. E-mail:
saadkhan1331@gmail.
com
·····
Situation Wanted
A TUTOR, holder of
Bachelor in English
language and a Bachelor
degree in Education.
Contact: 98599631.
IT assistant, BSc
computer science with 4
years experience, MCP,
MCITP. 95874315.
·····
INDIAN male, BCom
with 2 years experience
in purchase section in
Oman (studied in Oman),
currently on visit visa
seeks suitable position in
capital region in Oman.
95902965.
INDIAN male 30, DCP,
B Com, having total 12
yrs exp and 7 years exp
in Oman construction
procurement, Civil and
MEP, interior decoration
& waterline division
looking for suitable
placement. 98653189.
·····
·····
INDIAN male, 22 years,
BE Mechanical Engineer,
seeks suitable placement.
INDIAN mechanical
engineer, B Tech, 2 years Contact: 95020044.
experience in mechanical e-mail: sameemsm2009
@gmail.com
maintenance at leading
tyre manufacturing
·····
company. Contact:
ELECTRONICS/
95910749, e-mail:
Telecom Technician:
[email protected] ™‡ŽŽ“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹‡†ƒ†
·····
experienced Indian
male, 26 years old,
MBA (SCM), 1 year
Diploma in Electronics
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡‹ϐ‹ƒ…‡ƒ•
& Telecommunication
Accounts Assistant,
Engineering, having
”‡Žƒ–‡†ϐ‹‡Ž†ǣƒ……‘—–•
4 years experience in
and warehouse. Contact:
Electronic & Telecom
91795092. e-mail:
ϐ‹‡Ž†™‹–ŠƒŽ‡ƒ†‹‰
[email protected]
international telecom
·····
·····
company, presently
INDIAN male, 25
working in India, looking
FEMALE,
MBA,
looking
years, Bachelor of
for a job in Oman. Ready
for work part/full-time
Business Management,
to join immediately.
‘™Ž‡†‰‡‹ˆϐ‹…‡ǡ job. With prior
experience of HR Domain Contact: 99087175.
2 years experience as a
Merchandiser, showroom in Muscat. 98460262. · · · · ·
sales with NOC, now
BE, Civil Graduate
·····
on visit visa. Contact:
(fresh), Indian looking
INDIAN male, 24 years,
98659980.
for suitable position.
BE Electrical and
·····
Contact: 95117509.
electronics having 15
INDIAN male, 43 years,
·····
months experience,
Sales Executive, 11 years seeking suitable
QUALIFIED CMA (ICWA),
experience in Oman with placement. Now available
MCom with 2 yrs
watches, perfumes and
in Oman. Contact:
experience in Accounts,
electronic items. Contact: 92453891, e-mail:
costing, auditing &
99167361.
jestinjose007@gmail.
SAP in reputed listed
com
·····
companies, seeks
suitable placement.
·····
INDIAN looking for
94619453. E-mail:
account & administration CIVIL Engineer (BTech),
[email protected]
job, previous 1 year
Indian male, 24 years
experience in Oman.
·····
with 1+years Indian
97424337.
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡ȋ…‡”–‹ϐ‹‡†‹
INDIAN male, accounts &
·····
Quantity Survey/
ϐ‹ƒ…‡ǡ“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹‡†
Primavera/AutoCad).
(ICWA), MCom with 2
INDIAN male, BTech
Looking for a suitable
years experience in
in electronics and
position. Available in
accounts, costing,
communication and
Sultanate of Oman
auditing & SAP in
…‡”–‹ϐ‹‡†
(Muscat) on visit visa.
reputed listed
engineer, looking for
Contact:
companies, seeks
a suitable position in
91303860. e-mail:
suitable placement.
telecom sector or in
94619453. E-mail:
‡Ž‡…–”‘‹…•ϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ‘–ƒ…– mdayubmak@
gmail.com
[email protected]
91611341.
INDIAN male, with 10
years Oman experience
in sales with Omani
driving licence, looking
for suitable job. Contact:
95067844. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
·· · · · ·
·····
·····
INDIAN male, 30, D.C.P.,
B.Com having total 12
yrs exp & 7 yrs exp in
Oman. Construction,
procurement, civil &
MEP, interior decoration
& waterline division,
looking for suitable
placement.
Contact:
98653189.
·····
INDIAN male, Executive
Secretary/Document
Controller, 15 years
experience in Oman,
looking for suitable job.
91091963, e-mail:
[email protected]
·····
YOUNG Sudanese
candidates looking for
job having experience
‹˜ƒ”‹‘—•ϐ‹‡Ž†•Ž‹‡
Communication,
Customer Services,
IT, Sales & Marketing.
968-99837053.
E-mail: mawia_mahdi@
hotmail.com
·····
FILIPINO female, 5 years
experience as sales lady,
worked in SM Mall
Philippines, good
communicative skill in
English and computer
knowledge, seeks
suitable placement.
Studied diploma in
Business Management.
Contact: 97630459.
E-mail: imanulal@gmail.
com
·····
INDIAN male MCA
graduate currently
working in a software
company India. Good
Knowledge of SQL ASP.
NET, Visual Studio, JAVA
NET, looking for suitable
opening Contact:
99210940.
·····
INDIAN male, 22 years,
mechanical engineer,
fresher, looking for
a placement in any
‡…Šƒ‹…ƒŽϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ‘–ƒ…–
95020044.
·····
INDIAN male with 10
years Oman experience
in sales with Omani D/L,
looking for suitable job.
95067844. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
ʹǧ
VILLA in Saih Al
Ramdah, Bausher
for sale on a 981m2
corner land at RO
135,000. 99346417,
95797263.
·····
TWO twin villas in Al
Khuwair 33. Total built
area 526m2.
RO 178,000 (for both).
Negotiable, from the
owner. 99414767.
·····
Investment
LOOKING for an
investor for a fullequipped existing
medical complex as
soon as possible in
Wilayat of Haima,
Governorate of Al
Wosta. 92212557,
99242249.
·····
Sale and Buy
OFFICE & Household
furniture and
electronics items.
99834373,
97102699.
·····
Good News
AYURVEDIC
Treatment, Yoga
Massage &
slimming. Web
address: www.
siddhayur.com
92504980/
24475280.
·····
Buying or Selling
BUYING/Selling car
for cash. Contact:
94614333.
·····
Situation Wanted
TELECOMMUNICATION
Technician having 3
years exp in software
programming (PABX,
CCTV...) and marketing
looking for a job in
technical area or
HR, Admin, sales,
marketing. Contact:
91706132. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
CIVIL Engineer, 14
years experience, 5
years in Oman, valid
driving licence, NOC
release available
Contact: 91101892.
·····
Ȉ
Ȉ
Ȉ
Ȉ
Ȉ
Ȉ
ƒ”•ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
‘””‡–
‘„ƒ’’Ž‹…ƒ–‹‘
Šƒ”‹‰”‡•‹†‡…‡
”ƒ•’‘”–…ƒ”•
‡ƒŽ•–ƒ–‡ȋ•ƒŽ‡Ǧ
”‡–Ǧ‹˜‡•–‡–•
Ȉ ƒŒŒƒ†”ƒ
Ȉ •‡†ˆ—”‹–—”‡ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
Ȉ ƒ—…Š…‡”‡‘‹‡•‘ˆȋ”‡•–ƒ—”ƒ–•Ǧ
•Š‘’•Ǧ…Ž‹‹…•Ȍ
Ȉ ‘„ƒ†•
Ȉ ‡ƒ…Š‹‰†”‹˜‹‰
Ȉ ‘—•‡•…Ž‡ƒ‹‰Ǧ•‡”˜‹…‡•ƒ†’‡•–
…‘–”‘Ž
For information, please call:
99841230-95919344
92721879 - 99639264
Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590
BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011
Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001
E-mail: [email protected]
T H U R S DAY J A N U A R Y 2 2 l 2 0 1 5 / R A B E E A L T H A N I 1 , 1 4 3 6 A H
[email protected]
www.omanobserver.om
RENT A CAR
z Low Rates
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z Excellent Service
Contact:
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24489648.
Salalah: 23296246.
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New Cars & 4 WDs
RENTING & LEASING
Tours and Airport Transfer
Tel: 24582663
GSM: 95859497,
Fax: 24582664,
[email protected]
Announcement
•”ƒ”Žƒ„ƒ”ƒŠ
Trad — Limited
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’”‡‰‹•–‡”‡†
ƒ––Š‡‘‡”…‹ƒŽ
‡‰‹•–‡”‘ˆ–Š‡
Directorate General
of Commerce and
†—•–”›‹–Š‡
Žƒ–‹ƒŠ‘”–Š
Governorate under
‘ͳͳʹͻ͹ʹ͸„”‹‰•–‘
›‘—”ƒ––‡–‹‘–Šƒ–‹–‹•
transforming its legal
form from a limited
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’‘’ƒ›
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ȄŽƒ„‘—”‡”•Ƭ
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‹Ž•ƒ„ʹǡ
excellent location for
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ͻʹͲʹͺʹͺ͵Ǥ
·····
ͳϐŽƒ–‹
Medinat Al Alam for
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family. ʹͶ͹ͲͶͻͻͶǡ
ͻͻʹ͵ͺͲͳʹǤ
for rent at Al
Bustan near Muscat
‘˜‡”‡–ǡ‡ƒ…Š
ϐŽƒ–Šƒ•͵„‡†”‘‘•ǡ
͵„ƒ–Š”‘‘•ǡŽ‹˜‹‰
”‘‘ǡ‹–…Š‡ƒ†
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·····
·····
Telephone: 24595951/1414, Fax: 24597979.
VILLA for rent at good
Ž‘…ƒ–‹‘‹Žƒ‹Ž‘—–Š
…‘•‹•–•‘ˆͷ„‡†”‘‘•ǡ
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·····
Lost
ƒˆƒŠƒ•Ž‘•–
Pakistani passport No
Ǧ͸ͷͻʹͲͳʹ‹†‡”
’Ž‡ƒ•‡Šƒ†‘˜‡”–‘Ǥ
·····
„ƒ”‡Šƒ•
lost Pakistani passport
‘ǦͲͲʹͻ͸ͶͳǤ‹†‡”
’Ž‡ƒ•‡Šƒ†‘˜‡”–‘Ǥ
·····
Ali al Maashari: 99639264 [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 [email protected]
DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590
THURSDAY | JANUARY 22, 2015 | RABEE AL THANI 1, 1436 AH
P26
P28
P27
Inside
South Korea take on Uzbekistan Cameroon, Ivory Coast survive scares Oman storm into U-23 semifinals FOLLOW US ON:
SPORT BRIEFS
Mourinho jokes on
Gerrard loan deal
LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose
Mourinho has joked that he might make
a bid to sign Liverpool captain Steven
Gerrard on loan when he leaves for the
United States at the end of the season.
Gerrard announced at the beginning
of the year that he would leave Anfield
when his contract expired in July to join
MLS champions LA Galaxy.
When asked if he would try to sign
Gerrard, Mourinho told BBC radio: “Or to
get him on loan.
“I’m not happy he leaves. I would love
the Premier League to keep always the
best players. I think he has more than
enough quality to play in the Premier
League. In spite (of the fact) he’s my
opponent, I feel sorry that he’s leaving.”
France’s Euro 2000
hero Trezeguet ‘quits’
BUENOS AIRES: France’s 1998 World
Cup and Euro 2000 winning striker
David Trezeguet, who enjoyed a decade
leading the Juventus attack, has retired,
Argentine daily Clarin said on Tuesday.
The 37-year-old’s agent had
confirmed the news of his retirement
on Tuesday according to Clarin and he
was now set to rejoin Italian champions
Juventus’ management team where he
scored 149 goals in 245 games between
2000-2010.
Despite a goal at the 1998 World Cup
finals which France ultimately won, the
striker’s most memorable goal remains
the extra-time golden-goal that saw
France beat Italy in the Euro 2000 final.
Arsenal sign Polish
teen Bielik
LONDON: Arsenal on Wednesday
confirmed the signing of teenage
midfielder Krystian Bielik from Polish
side Legia Warsaw.
The transfer of the promising
17-year-old was posted on the official
Arsenal website, with a fee in the
region of £2.5million ($3.8million,
3.3 million euros) said to have been
agreed.
The Poland youth international is
expected to work initially within the
Gunners’ Under-21s side, but then
the aim would be for him to swiftly
progress through to the senior
squad.
A statement from Arsenal read:
“Arsenal have completed the signing
of 17-year-old midfielder Krystian
Bielik from Legia Warsaw for an
undisclosed fee.”
www.omanobserver.om
[email protected]
Nadal and Sharapova survive big scares
GRUELLING CONDITIONS: Federer and Murray advanced with easy wins in gruelling Melbourne conditions
MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal and
Maria Sharapova survived huge scares
after being pushed to the limit at the
Australian Open on Wednesday, but
Roger Federer had an easier workout in
the gruelling Melbourne conditions.
World number three Nadal battled
stomach cramps to come out on top of
a mammoth five-setter with American
qualifier Tim Smyczek, with the 14-time
Grand Slam champion prevailing 6-2,
3-6, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-5 in a 4hr 12min
epic. The Spaniard is returning from
injury and with little match practice said
he found it tough going in the humid
night conditions, suffering dizzy spells.
“For me after a tough period of time
out of competition in the last seven
months and just playing a few matches,
today was a little bit humid and I felt
very tired after the first set and for the
whole match,” he said.
Sharapova also struggled, melting
down as the afternoon heat was turned
up. She needed to draw on all her
experience to save two match points
before staging a gritty comeback to
beat courageous compatriot Alexandra
Panova 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
World number two Federer also had
a wobble, dropping the first set before
bouncing back to trounce Italian Simone
Bolelli 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and move into
the third round.
British sixth seed Andy Murray
joined him with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 drubbing
of local hope Marinko Matosevic, while
Romanian third seed Simona Halep
dropped just four games in a clinical
demolition of another Australian,
Jarmila Gajdosova.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal hits a return against Tim Smyczek
of the US in Melbourne.
— AFP
Other seeds progressing included
men’s and women’s seventh seeds
Tomas Berdych and Eugenie Bouchard,
and 10th seeds Grigor Dimitrov and
Ekaterina Makarova.
World number ones Serena Williams
and Novak Djokovic play their second
round matches on Thursday.
While the searing 42 Celsius (107.6
RESULTS
MEN (SECOND ROUND)
Tomas Berdych (CZE x7) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 7-6
(7/0), 6-2, 6-2; Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Leonardo Mayer
(ARG x26) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0; Marcos Baghdatis (CYR)
bt David Goffin (BEL x20) 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; Kevin
Anderson (RSA x14) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-2,
6-2, 7-6 (7/3); Andy Murray (GBR x6) bt Marinko
Matosevic (AUS) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2; Joao Sousa (POR) bt
Martin Klizan (SVK x32) 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 1-0 retired;
Richard Gasquet (FRA x24) bt James Duckworth (AUS)
6-2, 6-3, 7-5; Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Simone Bolelli
(ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x10) bt
Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-3, 6-7 (10/12), 6-3, 6-3; Andreas
Seppi (ITA) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA x29) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2,
6-1; Sam Groth (AUS) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)
3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1; Malek Jaziri (TUN) bt Edouard
Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; Dudi Sela
(ISR) bt Lukas Rosul (CZE x28) 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 7-5, 6-3;
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO x23) 7-6 (7/4),
6-4, 5-7, 6-4; Rafael Nadal (ESP x3) bt Tim Smyczek
(USA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-5; Bernard Tomic (AUS)
bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x22) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-6
(8/6), 7-6 (7/5)
WOMEN (SECOND ROUND)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-3,
6-0; Peng Shuai (CHN x21) bt Magdalena Rybarikova
(SVK) 6-1, 6-1; Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x10) bt
Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-2, 6-4; Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-2, 7-6 (8/6); Julia Goerges
(GER) bt Klara Koukalova (CZE) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; IrinaCamelia Begu (ROU) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 7-5,
6-4; Lucie Hradecka (CZE) bt Polona Hercog (SLO)
4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Karolina Pliskova (CZE x22) bt Oceane
Dodin (FRA) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4; Maria Sharapova (RUS
x2) bt Alexandra Panova (RUS) 6-1, 4-6, 7-5; Yanina
Wickmayer (BEL) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-4, 4-6,
6-4; Sara Errani (ITA x14) bt Silvia Soler-Espinosa
(ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Caroline Garcia (FRA) bt Stefanie
Voegele (SUI) 6-3, 6-4; Zarina Diyas (KAZ x31) bt Anna
Schmiedlova (SVK) 3-6, 6-2, 8-6; Eugenie Bouchard
(CAN x7) bt Kiki Bertens (NED) 6-0, 6-3; Bethanie
Mattek-Sands (USA) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 7-6
(7/3), 7-6 (8/6); Simona Halep (ROU x3) bt Jarmila
Gajdosova (AUS) 6-2, 6-2
Fahrenheit) heat of last year has yet to
materialise in Melbourne, temperatures
topped 33C and players, including
Sharapova and Nadal, draped ice
towels around their shoulders at the
changeovers.
Sharapova, who can unseat Williams
as world number one if she wins the title,
wilted badly after winning the opening
Request for on-court twirl
unexpected: Bouchard
MELBOURNE:
Eugenie
Bouchard’s jaw dropped a little
and her eyes went wide when
the male presenter conducting
her on-court interview at the
Australian Open made an
unusual request: “Can you
give us a twirl?” “A twirl?” the
20-year-old Canadian asked.”A
twirl, like a pirouette, here you
go,” coaxed her white-haired
interviewer on Margaret Court
Arena, urging the Wimbledon
runner-up to show the crowd
her outfit, a pink skirt and top
with bright yellow straps.
Somewhat uncomfortably,
the No. 7-ranked player
twirled. Then she laughed and
buried her face in her hands.
During her post-match
news conference Bouchard
spoke
first
about
her
dominating 6-0, 6-3 win over
Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands
in just 54 minutes.
Then she addressed the
twirl.”It was very unexpected,”
said Bouchard, who is known
for a steely determination,
drive and ambition that
propelled her from relative
obscurity to stardom last year.
She reached the semifinals
at last year’s Australian and
French Opens and the final
at Wimbledon, becoming the
first Canadian to appear in a
Grand Slam final.”I don’t know,
an old guy asking you to twirl.
It was funny,” she said.
The 1.78-metre blonde is
considered the next big star of
the women’s game. She broke
into the top 10 for the first time
last year after her success at
Wimbledon where she lost in
the final to Petra Kvitova.
Her current ranking is the
highest ever for a Canadian
player.”I try to get into an
aggressive position as much as
possible,” she told a television
interviewer after her match.
Asked to reflect on her
breakthroughs last year and her
future goals, Bouchard replied,
“I don’t think I’ve achieved that
much.” “I’m proud, of course,
of what I did last year.” — AP
set, firing a slew of unforced errors that
almost had her on an early plane home.
“I didn’t actually want to be out here
for two-and-a-half hours but that’s
sometimes the way it goes on days
when you’re not playing your best —
sometimes it’s good enough just to get
through,” she said.
“I was one point away from being out
of this tournament twice today and not
playing my best tennis so I’m just happy
I was able to win that last point.”
The five-time Grand Slam champion,
red-faced from the heat, trailed 4-1 in
the deciding set and looked out for the
count, but rallied to save two match
points when down 4-5 before hanging
on for an unlikely victory.
— AFP
26
T H U R S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 2 l 2 0 1 5
SHORT PASSES
Agony for Gulf
sides as two left
for quarters
Japan’s Hasebe,
a superb leader —
but a bit dim
JAPAN captain Makoto Hasebe has
shown impeccable leadership in
steering the Blue Samurai through the
group stages but he is also, according
to Eiji Kawashima, “a bit dim”.The
goalkeeper gently teased his captain as
he said: “He’s a superb leader and has
really grown into the captaincy.
But I went out for a walk yesterday
to buy him a birthday present and he
wanted to come with me, so I couldn’t
get him anything.
At times like that you want him to be
more switched on.”
Ali Mabkhout,
14 seconds to
immortality
THE head of UAE’s football association
said Ali Mabkhout’s name will
reverberate through the ages after he
scored after just 14 seconds against
Bahrain.
After combing through nearly 60
years of results and statistics, officials
confirmed Mabkhout’s goal as the
fastest recorded in Asian Cup history.
What’s more, he outdid Fathi Kameel,
a player for Gulf neighbours Kuwait who
scored a lightning strike in 1976.”We are
delighted.
It’s enough that Fathi Kameel of
Kuwait was the record holder for over
30 years,” Yousef Al Serkal was reported
as saying.
”Now Ali Mabkhout’s name will be
immortalised, and with it will be the
name of the Emirates.”
Iran coach Queiroz,
once bitten,
twice shy over pitch
HE was dubbed “Rottweiler” by Alex
Ferguson but Iran coach Carlos Queiroz
is once bitten, twice shy after being
fined for slamming refereeing at the
Asian Cup. Queiroz, after being hit with
a $3,000 sanction for criticising a referee,
kept his counsel when asked about
Brisbane’s shoddy pitch.
”I don’t want to make comments
about the pitch, the players, the
opponents, the referees, or the AFC, the
weather in Australia, nothing, because in
my life usually when I give my opinions...
you usually pay for that, so I don’t
want to be in that position,” said the
Portuguese.
Oman’s Abdulaziz al Maqbali celebrates after scoring a goal against
Kuwait during their Group A match.
— Reuters
Mile Jedinak of Australia (left) react after he scored a goal from a
penalty with Matthew Leckie (centre) and Tim Cahill during the
first round match against Kuwait in Melbourne.
— AFP
CONCERN: China boss Perrin is sweating on the fitness of Zheng
Return of the Jedi as
Aussies face China
BRISBANE, Australia: Inspirational
captain Mile Jedinak is set to return
for Australia as the Socceroos and
undefeated China battle for a place
in the semifinals of the Asian Cup on
Thursday.
The Crystal Palace mid-fielder was
injured in Australia’s opening Group
A win against Kuwait, and sat out the
4-0 drubbing of Oman and Saturday’s
narrow loss to South Korea. “If selected,
I’ll be ready. That goes without saying,”
said Jedinak, nicknamed “Jedi”.
“Sitting out the last couple of games
hasn’t been easy. But it’s given me a little
(bit) of time to see what other ways I
can help,” he added.
“Do I think I will be affected by lack
of game time the last couple of games?
Probably not, but that is just me — we
will have to wait and see.”
Jedinak’s return from an ankle
injury is a massive boost for coach
Ange Postecoglou, who is expected
to return to his first-choice attack of
record scorer Tim Cahill and Bayer
Leverkusen forward Robbie Kruse.
Postecoglou rued the decision
to bench Cahill, Kruse and striker
Mathew Leckie for their game against
the Koreans when Australia lost 1-0,
leaving them with a quarterfinal in hot,
humid Brisbane and a potential semi
against holders Japan in Newcastle.
The stakes are high on Thursday,
with defeat likely to set back Australia’s
push to popularise football in a country
traditionally focused on rugby, cricket
and Australian rules.
China, like Australia, have never
won the Asian Cup and they are seeking
a title which would finally put football’s
“sleeping giant” at the top of the regional
pecking order. The Socceroos won’t be
at full strength and Jeonbuk Hyundai
Motors defender Alex Wilkinson is
expected to replace suspended centreback Matthew Spiranovic.
They must now overcome a China
side that has enjoyed its best ever start
to the Asian Cup, winning all three
group matches for the first time.
But Postecoglou said he wasn’t
thinking about the potential fall-out
from a defeat. “I don’t have a great
imagination. I am pretty boring in that
way. All I see is what is in front of us.”
ZHENG CONCERN
China boss Alain Perrin is sweating
on the fitness of his own captain, Zheng
Zhi, after the skipper was substituted
complaining of back pain in Sunday’s
2-1 win over North Korea in Canberra.
The 2013 Asian player of the year
is one of China’s most successful
footballing exports and the 34-year-old
lynchpin is seen as crucial to his side’s
chances of winning a first Asian Cup.
China — twice Asian Cup runnersup — finished with a perfect three wins
out of three in Group B, two of them
in Brisbane, and largely thanks to the
goals of Sun Ke.
The winger has netted three times,
including a spectacular winner against
Uzbekistan, and he said China were
fully focused for the quarterfinal.
“I think if we can focus on the game,
and keep our concentration to make
sure we pay attention to every detail,
I think we can leave the pitch having
performed well,” said Sun.
Perrin has warned his players to
expect a backlash from the Socceroos
after their Korean defeat but thinks his
team’s Aussie summer can continue.
“Beijing is very cold right now so
we want to enjoy the warm weather
here for a little bit longer. Australia is a
good, strong team but we will continue
to move forward,” he said. “They are
at home and have quality players like
Cahill who are tough and have technical
ability. But if our players play with the
spirit they have had so far, I think we’re
in for a good result tomorrow.” — AFP
MELBOURNE: The Asian Cup
knockout stage prepares for liftoff on Thursday with just two
Arab countries left in the mix,
continuing an alarming trend in
recent tournaments.
Of the nine teams who travelled
more than 7,000 miles (11,300
kilometres) to Australia, only Iraq
and the United Arab Emirates
reached the quarterfinals as the
balance of power, which has swung
irrevocably to the East, shows no
sign of being corrected.
“The European-based players,
the way they train, the amount of
games they play, the physicality of
the game in Europe is intense,” said
Jordan coach Ray Wilkins. “That’s
what we have to come to terms
with in the Middle East.”
Iran, who captured three
titles in a row between 1968 and
1976 but have failed to win it
since, advanced with their Gulf
neighbours but they will face bitter
rivals Iraq in the last eight, further
reducing western Asia’s hopes.
Defending champions Japan
have won four of the last six Asian
Cups — and three of the last four,
their dominance briefly disrupted
by Iraq’s astonishing triumph in
2007. And the shifting sands have
coaches from the Gulf region
befuddled.
“I can’t say this is a big tragedy,”
said Saudi Arabia’s caretaker coach
Cosmin Olaroiu, underlining just
how far the mighty had fallen.
“It is a big disappointment, but
it’s too much to call it a tragedy,”
added the Romanian after the
Saudis, who won the last of their
three titles in 1996, crashed out at
the group stage, just as they did
four years ago.
“Saudi Arabia will have to
make changes and start building
something solid for the future.
Arab players are technically
very good but they lack strength
and organisation.”
RUNNING IN QUICKSAND
Many teams from the Gulf
appeared to be running in
quicksand playing against the
fitter, more powerful East Asian
sides such as Japan and South
Korea, who boast several players
with top European clubs, while
Australia and Uzbekistan’s musclebound players look hulking in
comparison.
Glancing at the Japan teamsheet,
names like AC Milan’s Keisuke
Honda and Borussia Dortmund’s
Shinji Kagawa leap out at you.
Similarly, South Korea can call
upon their jet-heeled striker Son
Heung-Min, or Ki Sung-Yueng of
Swansea City.
“These are guys who’ve played
at an exceptionally high level,” said
Wilkins.”Their fitness levels are
incredibly high. It’s up to us in the
future to build our players up to
that strength and that power that
they have.”
Gulf Cup champions Qatar’s
flop was an embarrassment for the
2022 World Cup hosts, who have
gone through 30 coaches since
1990.
“If you look at the Japanese legs,
you will see the difference,” added
Wilkins after his side were beaten
2-0 by the holders.
“My head’s still spinning. If you
see the Japanese legs, you will see
the difference. You have to have
power, speed and ability now to
work in world football.”
Wilkins also suggested players
being mollycoddled by clubs in the
Middle East lacked the motivation
to play in Europe.
“The Gulf is obviously extremely
wealthy and these guys are
financially looked after extremely
well,” said the Englishman.
“If you look at the Japanese
players, look at the Australian
players — as soon as they can leave
and play in Europe, they leave,” he
said.
— AFP
Koreans look to keep Wolves from the door
MELBOURNE: South Korea face a serious test of
their title credentials when they take on Uzbekistan
in the Asian Cup quarterfinals on Thursday with
the White Wolves hungry for revenge.
The Koreans, looking to end 55 years of hurt
in the region’s showcase tournament, broke Uzbek
hearts by denying them a place at the 2014 World
Cup by virtue of goal difference.
Failure to qualify for a first World Cup gives
the former Soviet republic added incentive and
Uzbekistan coach Mirdjalal Kasimov has promised
the Group B runners-up will tear into their
illustrious opponents in Melbourne.
“We always remember how that felt,” said
Kasimov, whose team went on to lose a play-off
to Jordan.”We want revenge and we promise to do
everything we can to get it.”
Uzbekistan, Asian Cup semifinalists in 2011,
overpowered Saudi Arabia 3-1 to progress to
the last eight, Sardor Rashidov scoring twice as
Kasimov opted to rest captain Server Djeparov,
Tomi Juric (right) of Australia fights for the ball with Kwak Taehwi of South Korea in Brisbane.
— AFP
and they will pose a serious threat to the Koreans.
South Korea coach Uli Stielike coaxed his team it three wins out of three.
version which reached the 2002 World Cup semiof walking wounded to top spot in Group A after
While their football has rarely hit the heights finals under Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Stielike’s
beating hosts Australia 1-0 at the weekend, making of South Korean teams past, notably the dynamic team will be difficult to beat. Shock call-up Lee
Jeong-Hyeop’s sharp finish toppled the Aussies in a
match largely dominated by the tournament hosts,
South Korea displaying the technical nous to soak
up pressure and strike on the break.
Nevertheless, they last won the Asian title in
1960 — the year Muhammad Ali, then Cassius
Clay, won Olympic boxing gold and Elvis Presley
returned from military duty in Germany.
“We had to show a winning mentality and the
players showed this,” said Stielike, under pressure
to avoid coming to a sticky end at the Asian Cup.
Injuries to winger Lee Chung-Yong, ruled out
with a fractured shin, and attacking midfielder
Koo Ja-Cheol with torn elbow ligaments have
given the German selection headaches before their
crunch game with a physical Uzbekistan side.
His squad were also hit by a flu bug, but
unforgiving South Korea fans will expect nothing
less than a victory after their World Cup quest
flatlined last year.
The squad were pelted with toffee by angry fans
on their return to Seoul — a traditional insult in
the country, where “Go eat a toffee!” translates as a
fruitier version of “Get lost!”
— AFP
SPORT
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
AFRICAN
omandailyobserver
27
Sizzling Sterling slalom checks Chelsea
CUP
SOLO EFFORT: Sterling’s seventh goal of the season was a demonstration of his quicksilver brilliance
Mali’s midfielder Bakary Sako (left) heads the ball with
Cameroon’s midfielder Raoul Cedric Loe during the
Group D match in Malabo.
— AFP
Cameroon,
Ivory Coast
survive scares
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea: Group D favourites
Cameroon and the Ivory Coast breathed a sigh of relief
on Tuesday as both came from behind to draw their
opening matches at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in
Equatorial Guinea.
A goal down and a man down against Guinea
after the sending-off of Gervinho, the Ivorians had
substitute Seydou Doumbia to thank for salvaging a
point from a 1-1 draw in the first game of the day at
the Estadio de Malabo.
And later the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon
came from behind to draw 1-1 with Mali as Ambroise
Oyongo cancelled out Sambou Yatabare’s second-half
opener to leave Group D perfectly poised ahead of the
second round of matches.
Elephants’ coach Herve Renard has been quick to
play down his side’s chances of winning the continental
crown for the first time since 1992, and things looked
bleak for them after an hour of an entertaining
encounter with their west African neighbours.
Guinea took the
lead eight minutes Gervinho, who had
before the interval been the Ivorians’
when Lyon striker
most enterprising
Mohamed
Yattara
lashed the ball high player and hit the
into the roof of the woodwork in the
net after the Ivory
Coast defence made first half, then saw
a mess of dealing with red just after a
a hanging cross from clash in the Guinea
the Syli Nationale’s
stand-in
skipper box which left the
impressive Naby
Ibrahima Traore.
Gervinho,
who Keita on the ground
had been the Ivorians’
most
enterprising
player and hit the
woodwork in the first half, then saw red just before
the hour mark after a clash in the Guinea box which
left the impressive Naby Keita on the ground. Traore
then crashed a shot against the bar for Guinea, before
substitute Doumbia, of CSKA Moscow, came on to
equalise 18 minutes from time after linking up with
Wilfried Bony. “If it was before the game we wouldn’t
be happy with this result. In the first half we weren’t
fantastic but should have been in front from two
chances for Gervinho. Then we lost a goal from an
error of communication,” said Renard.
The Estadio de Malabo had been some way short of
full during the first game of Tuesday’s double-header,
but by time kick-off arrived between Cameroon and
Mali, there was not an empty seat to be found, and
indeed many fans were forced to gather in gangways
to try and catch a glimpse of the action.
They saw a game that came to life in the closing
stages, with Sambou Yatabare controlling and volleying
home at the back post after a free-kick had been flicked
on 19 minutes from time. It was not enough for Mali to
win the game, however, as right-back Oyongo latched
onto Raoul Loe’s high ball and equalised with only six
minutes left.
— AFP
LIVERPOOL: Raheem Sterling’s
magnificent second-half solo goal
earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with
Chelsea in the first leg of their
League Cup semifinal at a snowspeckled Anfield on Tuesday.
With Chelsea leading through
Eden Hazard’s 18th-minute penalty,
Jose Mourinho’s side were poised
to pull off a classic smash-and-grab
when Sterling surged through their
defence to equalise in the 59th
minute.
The goal, Sterling’s seventh of
the season, was a demonstration of
the 20-year-old England forward’s
quicksilver brilliance and was
the reward for a committed and
industrious display by Brendan
Rodgers’s men.
“I’m
delighted
with
the
performance, disappointed with the
result. We thoroughly deserved to
win the game,” said Rodgers.
“We showed wonderful character.
Some of our play was very impressive
and it sets up the second leg perfectly
because they’ve probably got to open
up a bit more.
“It’s still all to play for. It was
a great game and that shows the
improvements that we’re making.”
Sterling’s goal prevented Premier
League leaders Chelsea from
recording a third successive victory
at Anfield, where they famously
derailed Liverpool’s title challenge
last season.
Liverpool appear to have belatedly
digested that disappointment,
having now lost only once on their
last 15 outings in all competitions.
But Chelsea’s away goal means
that Mourinho — seeking to win the
trophy for a third time — will feel he
holds the upper hand ahead of next
week’s return leg.
“It’s a draw. I am not sad as a
defeat, not as happy as a victory. My
emotion is in the middle,” Mourinho
told the BBC.
“I’m not saying we are favourites
Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling (centre) breaks through into the area to score an equalising goal against Chelsea during the English League Cup semifinal first
leg at Anfield in Liverpool.
— AFP
now. This semifinal was two legs and
now it’s only one match, and that’s at
Stamford Bridge. We defended well
and our goalkeeper was good.”
The winners will face either
Tottenham Hotspur or third-tier
Sheffield United in the English
season’s first major final on March 1.
CAN CONCEDES PENALTY
Predictably, Mourinho’s plea for
Chelsea’s fans not to sing their song
about Steven Gerrard fell on deaf
ears, with the visiting supporters
quick to remind the Liverpool
captain about his notorious slip in
the London club’s 2-0 win at Anfield
last April.
But Gerrard almost silenced them
in the 16th minute, letting fly with
the kind of dipping 30-yard shot that
was once his trademark, only for the
recalled Thibaut Courtois to palm it
over the bar.
It came after a spell of Liverpool
pressure that briefly ignited the
freezing crowd, but within two
minutes, the hosts were behind.
After Cesc Fabregas darted past
him, Emre Can stuck out a leg, and
Hazard fell over it.
Referee Martin Atkinson deemed
it a penalty and Hazard sent his
Belgium team-mate Simon Mignolet
the wrong way from the spot.
It was the precursor to some
meaty challenges in midfield, but
Liverpool were initially unable to lay
a glove on Chelsea where it mattered.
The ball appeared to strike Diego
Costa’s arm after he went to ground
inside the Chelsea box in firsthalf stoppage time, but the hosts’
animated penalty appeals were
waved away.
Chelsea continued to resist early
in the second half, Gary Cahill
blocking from Sterling, but just
before the hour Liverpool drew level
with a goal of shimmering quality.
Receiving a pass from Jordan
Henderson with his back to goal 40
yards out, Sterling span away from
Nemanja Matic and then glided past
Cahill before drilling home with his
left foot.
Liverpool had their tails up and
a second goal seemed imminent,
with Gerrard curling a left-foot
shot against the post and Courtois
plunging to his right to thwart
Philippe Coutinho.
Gerrard made way for Adam
Lallana with 20 minutes to play, but
the home side continued to pepper
Courtois’s goal with shots, obliging
the giant Belgian to save from
Henderson, Sterling and Lallana.
— AFP
Roma beat Empoli 2-1 to reach
Italian Cup quarterfinals
AS Roma players celebrate a goal during the Italian Serie A match against
Palermo. — AFP
ROME: Roma beat Empoli 2-1
after extra time to reach the Italian
Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday
thanks to a very contentious
penalty.
Daniele De Rossi converted
the spot kick five minutes from
time, sending Empoli goalkeeper
Davide Bassi the wrong way,
after Piotr Zielinski was harshly
adjudged to have brought down
Leandro Paredes.
“You can see that he takes his
legs away, but it’s difficult to tell
whether it was before or after he
got the ball,” Roma coach Rudi
Garcia said. “I think the referee
was in a great position to judge.”
Empoli almost equalised right
at the end, but Roma goalkeeper
Lukasz Skorupski pulled off a great
save to deny Francesco Tavano.
Roma were jeered off the pitch
by its own fans after a lackluster
performance against a team
struggling at the wrong end of the
Serie A table, 22 points behind
What did I
think about the
penalty? What
everyone in
the stadium thought,
but the club has asked
me not to comment
on anything, although
the pictures speak for
themselves
MAURIZIO SARRI
Empoli coach
the capital club.”I’m upset above
all for my players,” Empoli coach
Maurizio Sarri said.
“What did I think about the
penalty? What everyone in the
stadium thought, but the club
has asked me not to comment on
anything, although the pictures
speak for themselves.”
“Garcia may say it could have
been a penalty, but not according
to his players. I spoke to two Roma
players and they said it wasn’t a
penalty.”
Roma got off to the perfect start
as they took the lead with less than
five minutes on the clock after
Douglas Maicon’s cross was flicked
on to Juan Manuel Iturbe.
Empoli leveled 10 minutes
from the end of normal time when
Simone Verdi beat the offside trap
to race past Davide Astori and
round Roma goalkeeper Lukasz
Skorupski before firing into the far
corner.
Ashley Cole made his first
appearance for Roma in nearly
two months - after poor form had
seen him dropped to the bench.
But his return lasted barely 23
minutes before he was carted off
following an accidental kick to his
chin from Matias Vecino.
Roma will next face either
Fiorentina or Atalanta.
— AP
Sri Lankan School Muscat defeated MCCC by eight wickets in U-16 league; ISG boys romped to 48-run win in U-13 T20 league
ISG record thumping win against GCC in junior league
MUSCAT: Indian School Al Ghubra
(ISG) recorded a thumping 10-wicket
win against Gulf Cricket Academy
(GCC) in an Al Turki Enterprises
sponsored 25 overs a side Under-16
match during the weekend at the
Municipality Ground No.3 at Al Amerat.
Opting to bat, GCC were hustled out
for 58 runs in 16.1 overs.
The bowlers to cause the disaster
were Roshan Ashok 3 for 16, Ponnanna
Bopaiah 3 for 16 and Harshit Aiyappa 2
for 14.
ISG in reply got to their target scoring
60 for no loss in 4.1 overs with Ali Asger
Winning the toss and opting to field,
staying unbeaten on 33 (12b, 7x4).
SLSM did well to restrict MCCC to 122
for the loss of 8 wickets in 25 overs.
Brief scores: GCC – 58 all out in 16.1 overs (Shri
Hari SK 24; Roshan Ashok 3-16, Ponnanna Bopaiah Ragul Virupak coming at the fall of the
3-16, Harshit Aiyappa 2-14) lost to ISG – 60 for no first wicket chipped in with 36 (38b,
loss in 4.1 overs (Ali Asger 33 n.o.); Points: ISG - 2 4x4).
(7 games – 5), GCC - 0 (7 games – 0)
Janith De Silva picked up 3 for 27.
SLSM in their turn lost both openers
SLSM BEAT MCCC
In another Al Turki Enterprises with 22 runs on the board but recovered
sponsored Junior League 25 overs to reach their target scoring 123 for
a side Under-16 match, Sri Lankan 2 wickets in 18.2 overs thanks to an
School Muscat (SLSM) defeated Muscat unbeaten third wicket partnership of
Cricket Coaching Centre (MCCC) by 8 101 runs between skipper Indunil Udara
Palihawadana 61 not out (42b, 9x4) and
wickets.
An opening partnership
of 89 from Sanin Fahad 46
(48b, 2x4) and his partner
skipper Aryan Shinde 45
(37b, 3x4) guided ISG to 158
for the loss of 3 wickets
overs (Indunil Udara Palihawadana 61 n.o., Azeem
Issam 34 n.o.; Navin Kumar Jangir 2-19); Points:
SLSM - 2 (7 games – 8), MCCC - 0 (7 games – 5)
ISG POST 48-RUN WIN
Indian School Al Ghubra (ISG)
registered a 48-run win against Gulf
Cricket Centre (GCC) in an Oman
Cricket organised Junior League T20
Under-13 match at round No.4 at Al
Amerat.
Azeem Isaam 34 not out (47b, 3x4).
Electing to bat, ISG thanks to an
opening partnership of 89 from Sanin
Brief scores: MCCC – 122 for 8 in 25 overs (Ragul
Virupak 36; Janith De Silva 3-27, Wenogk Romeno Fahad 46 (48b, 2x4) and his partner
Fernando 2-11) lost to SLSM – 123 for 2 in 18.2 skipper Aryan Shinde 45 (37b, 3x4)
scored 158 for the loss of 3 wickets in 20
overs.
Vrishab Dhavale coming in at the fall
of the first wicket chipped in with an
unbeaten 34 (25b, 3x4).
Requiring 159 for a win, GCC
managed to get to 110 for the loss of 7
wickets in 20 overs.
Brief scores: ISG – 158 for 3 in 20 overs (Sanin
Fahad 46, Aryan Shinde 45, Vrishab Dhavale 34
n.o.) bt GCC – 110 for 7 in 20 overs (Mohammed
Muttayab 24, Mohammed Rayan 23; Aditya Harish
2-17); Points: ISG – 2 (7 games – 7), GCC – 0 (7
games – 1).
28
omandailyobserver
SPORT
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
Spurs, Thunder earn much needed wins
QATAR
Cabrera-Bello
sounds early
warning to
rivals in Doha
PLAY-OFF: EWith the NBA season arriving at its mid-way point, both teams find themselves vying for play-off spot
DENVER: The San Antonio Spurs
and Oklahoma City Thunder, trying
to reassert themselves in the NBA’s
powerful Western Conference, gained
needed victories on Tuesday.
The Spurs beat the Thunder in last
season’s Western Conference finals en
route to a fifth NBA title.
But with the season arriving at its
midway point, both find themselves
jockeying for play-off position.
French point guard Tony Parker,
who has been slowed this season by
a nagging hamstring injury, scored
18 points to lead six Spurs players in
double figures as San Antonio pulled
away for a 109-99 victory over the
Denver Nuggets.
Kawhi Leonard finished with 17
points and 15 rebounds, while Tim
Duncan added 16 points and Aron
Baynes chipped in 15 for San Antonio,
who have won four straight and six of
seven overall.
The Nuggets, coming off a 43-point
loss to Golden State on Monday, kept it
close until San Antonio pulled away in
the final period.
Leonard made two three-pointers
during an 11-2 scoring run to open the
fourth quarter that gave the Spurs a 9178 advantage.
Denver didn’t get closer than eight
the rest of the way.
In Miami, Oklahoma City’s reigning
NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin
Durant flirted with a triple-double and
didn’t turn the ball over in more than
39 minutes on the floor as the Thunder
moved over .500 for the first time
this season with a 94-86 victory over
the Heat. Durant had 19 points, eight
rebounds and eight assists, leading the
Thunder to their third straight win.
He filled the stat sheet despite
missing all eight of his attempts from
free-throw range and had a scary
moment in the fourth quarter when he
appeared to be hurt in a fall, but said he
San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (right) goes for a shot past Denver Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried in Denver.
— AP
didn’t expect any lingering problems.
Russell Westbrook had 19 points
with 10 rebounds and six assists, and Westbrook said with a chuckle after the in this position. I think we’re in a good injuries to both Durant and Westbrook
They were routed by Portland on
both Thunder stars had four steals.
team improved to 21-20.
spot as a team right now.”
early in the season, lost in both of their opening night and fell to the Golden
“It’s great to be over .500,”
“We fought so hard to get ourselves
The Thunder, who dealt with prior chances to gain a winning record. State Warriors on January 5. —AFP
OMAN STORM INTO SEMIFINALS
Oman to meet Bangladesh in quarters
Action from the Oman-Singapore match during the Hockey World League Round 2
event in Singapore.
goals from team captain Pawel
Bratkowski helped Poland (WR: 18) to
a 5-0 triumph over Bangladesh (WR:
29), a result which took the in-form
Europeans onto a maximum nine
points.
Bratkowski’s treble took his personal
goal-scoring tally in Singapore to
five, a performance which put him
DOHA: Rafa Cabrera-Bello carded a
fluent 66 to sound an early warning
to his rivals at the Qatar Masters on
Wednesday.
The Spaniard, who missed the
playoff last year by one stroke to tie
for third for the second time in Doha,
started off with two straight birdies
and picked up four more shots in a
bogey-free round played in mild wind
at the par-72 Doha Golf Club.
England’s Mark Foster, fellow
Spaniard Alejandro Canizares, South
African Branden Grace and German
Moritz Lampert were one shot behind
on five-under among golfers who
finished their first round.
Cabrera-Bello won the Dubai
Desert Classic in 2012, but is yet to
post a victory after that, although he
was runner-up at last year’s BMW
International Open.
Cabrera-Bello, who hails from the
Canary Islands, which are on a similar
latitude to Qatar, enjoys playing in the
desert weather, saying he feels closer to
home.
“I always like playing there because
the weather at this time of year is just
like back home and maybe this is one
of the reasons I generally play well in
the Middle East,” he said before the
tournament.
“It has been three years since my
last victory, so I’m definitely ready to
win again. I’m always happy to see
a Spanish winner of any event, but it
would be nice if it was me this time!,”
Cabrera-Bello said.
Cabrera-Bello is aiming to become
only the third Spaniard to win the
Qatar Masters after Alvaro Quiros in
2009 and Sergio Garcia last year.
Foster and Canizares, too, shot
bogey-free rounds, but Grace and
Lampert dropped a shot each.
A bunch of five players, including
England’s Justin Rose, were a further
shot behind after posting 68s. — AFP
LOCAL FLAVOUR
Indian Social Club Salalah conducts badminton tourney
Action from the Oman-Bahrain match during the GCC Under-23 football championship in Bahrain on Tuesday. The match
ended in a goalless draw. Oman, who beat Saudi Arabia in their opening match 3-2, made it to the semifinals after topping
Group B with four points. Saudi Arabia finished second in the group with three points by virtue of their win against Bahrain.
The semifinals will be held on Friday.
MUSCAT: Oman edged past Ukraine
2-1 to enter the quarterfinals of the
Hockey World League Round 2 event in
Singapore.
With the win, Oman finished
second in Pool A with six points behind
Malaysia who have nine points from
three matches.
In the quarterfinals, Oman will take
on Bangladesh on Thursday.
Other quarterfinals include Malaysia
going head-to-head with Mexico,
Poland face host nation Singapore and
Japan taking on Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Malaysia and Poland
continued their terrific form in
Singapore, with both nations making
it three wins from three to finish top
of their respective Pool tables ahead of
Thursday’s quarterfinals.
Malaysia (FIH World Ranking: 12)
claimed a third successive Pool A victory
beating host nation Singapore (WR: 37).
Dazzling attacker Faizal Saari was the
star of the show with six goals, moving
him to the top of the goal-scorers chart
with a tournament tally of nine.
In Pool B, a trio of penalty corner
MASTERS
temporarily top of the scorers charts
before Faizal’s imperious display against
Singapore.
Japan, who are ranked 15th,
finished second in Pool B thanks to a
comprehensive 6-0 win over Mexico
(WR: 36), with Genki Mitani netting
twice to leave the Pan-Americans at the
bottom of the table.
SALALAH: The Indian Social Club (ISC),
Salalah, conducted an open badminton
tournament in singles, doubles
and jumbled doubles categories in
association with Al Nahda Group. The
tournament finals was inaugurated to
a colourful start by Manpreet Singh,
chairman of ISC, in the presence of the
chief guest Mazhar, territory manager, Al
Nahda Group on January 14.
In singles, Dineshkumar beat Santhok
Singh 21-13, 13-21, 21-15 in the final to
win the title.
In the doubles final, Ramshad and
Antony Joseph Jibin beat Dineshkumar
and Rameshkumar KK 21-17, 21/18.
In jumbled doubles final, Lochan
Joseph and Antony Joseph Jibin eased
past Hashim Haneefa and NR Settu 21-
The winners with the chief guest and officials.
15, 21-18.
The final function was attended
by the members of the managing
committee of ISC and a host of sports
enthusiasts. Manpreet Singh and Mazhar
distributed the prizes along with other
guests to the winners and runners-up.
The proceedings began with a
welcome address by Sunny Jacob
(Sports Secretary) and Binoy Joseph
(Sports Secretary) proposed the vote of
thanks.
OFA hands over laptops to sports clubs
MUSCAT: Oman Football Association (OFA)
has handed over a new computer to every
club in the country today as part of their
continuing efforts to deliver growth in the
sport.
The Oman Football Association are
responsible for the development of
football across the country with their
goals being development of better clubs,
coaches, players and staff – to drive
positive change in the community and
ultimately deliver a successful national
team.
The OFA work closely with clubs to help
this development and as part of ensuring
clubs can contribute to this growth, the
OFA undertake a number of activities to
deliver this.
As well as annual funding, the OFA also
run workshops across wide range of areas
(technical, commercial, medical, and more),
and provide guidance on all manner of
issues.
Further more, they are always looking
for new ways to provide value to the
clubs. Hot on the heels of the recent
announcement that Mazda (one of the OFA
key partners) had provided a car to every
of the 14 clubs in the Omantel Professional
League, today the OFA announced that
they were in the process of delivering a
new laptop to every club.
Laptops were purchased for
Ahmed al Habsi hands over a laptop
to Ahli Sidab Club.
handover to the clubs with the goal
being improved communication and
administration functionality for each club.
Sultan al Zadjali, the acting general
secretary of the OFA, was enthused about
this recent initiative.
“One of our key goals is to help the
clubs develop, and this gift is a good sign
of our intent. We know that lots of work is
required to get to the level that we want
to, but with the help of the clubs, we are
making great progress. We will continue to
explore all avenues to help clubs improve.”
Cameron rout
OCT Al Nahda
by 8 wickets
MUSCAT: Cameron defeated OCT
Al Nahdha easily by 8 wickets in an
Oman Cricket organised ‘J’ Division
T20 match during the weekend at
the Municipality Ground No.4 at
Al Amerat.
Opting to bat, a 10-member
OCT Al Nahdha team were bowled
out for 78 in 15.5 overs.
Sudhir Kumar took 3 wickets
for 24 in 4 overs.
Cameron got to their target
scoring 79 runs for 2 wickets in 7.5
overs with Anoop Kumar opening
the batting remaining undefeated
on 42 (22b, 8x4).
Yahya Maula picked up the 2
wickets to fall conceding 32 runs
off 3 overs.
Brief scores: OCT Al Nahdha – 78
all out in 15.5 overs (Zakariya
al Balushi 13; Sudhir Kumar 3-24,
Jayachandran P 2-15) lost to
Cameron – 79 for 2 in 7.5 overs
(Anoop Kumar 42 n.o.; Yahya
Maula 2-32); Points: Cameron - 2
(5 games – 6), OCT Al Nahdha - 0
(5 games – 1)
ENTERTAINMENT
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
What to watch for at
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Q SANDY COHEN
A general view of
the Egyptian
Theatre on Main
Street during the
Sundance Film
Festival in Park City,
Utah. — AP
J
ust as Hollywood’s awards
season heats up, half the town
takes off for a snowy getaway
to Park City, Utah, for the
Sundance Film Festival.
Celebrating its 31st year,
the festival has steadily outgrown its
indie-film roots to showcase emerging
and established talent in art, music,
television, film and new media.
All kinds of installations pop up
during the 10-day event to lure movie
lovers and the Hollywood crowd, from
Sundance-sponsored panel discussions
to concerts, parties, dinners, gift suites,
even camera and car showrooms.
The
excitement starts today. Here’s a peek at
what to look out for during Hollywood’s
week in the snow:
ALL-STAR CHATS: Lena Dunham,
Mindy Kaling, Kristin Wiig, Robert
Redford and George Lucas are among
the stars participating in the Sundance
Institute’s new “Power of Story”
programmes set to stream live online.
Dunham, Kaling and Wiig, along with
“Orange is the New Black” creator Jenji
Kohan, will discuss female archetypes
and antiheroes at a panel called “Serious
Ladies” on January 24. Redford and
Lucas will talk about the state of film at
“Visions of Independence” on January
29. (Watch on the Sundance website.)
Another special programme, “Misery
Loves Comedy,” features comics and
film-makers weighing in on whether
feeling blue is a prerequisite for being
funny.
MUSICAL INTERLUDES: Iggy
Azalea, Diplo, Skrillex and Scott Weiland
are some of the musicians set to perform
at Park City venues during the week.
The ASCAP Music Cafe will feature live
performances every day. A few music
documentaries are also among festival
premieres: “Kurt Cobain: Montage
of Heck” and “What Happened, Miss
Simone?” about singer-songwriter Nina
Simone, which is set to play the first
night of the festival.
EVERYONE IS DANCING: There’s
Slamdance, a film festival that runs
concurrently during Sundance that
focuses on experimental approaches
and emerging talent. The documentary
“Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang in
Pyongyang” is set to premiere there,
though Rodman isn’t expected to attend.
Chefdance brings celebrated chefs from
around the country to Park City for a
five-night showcase of cocktails and
four-course meals. Now in its third year,
Catdance is a night of feline-centric short
films to raise funds for the American
Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals. Nikki Reed is this year’s host.
PHOTO-OPS: Expect to see snaps
of your favourite celebs at parties,
interviews and events, especially the first
weekend of the festival. Major media
outlets station photo and video studios
near the temporary lounges set up to
welcome the stars. BuzzFeed’s location
promises an après-ski photo booth. Gift
suites generally expect celebrities to pose
with their swag. And Canadian coat
company Moose Knuckles is hosting a
party where guests are invited to ride a
mechanical beaver.
MOVIES, OF COURSE: Movies are
still the main attraction. The Simone
documentary and the comedy “The
Bronze,” co-written by and starring
Melissa Rauch of “The Big Bang Theory,”
are among the opening-night films. Lily
Tomlin is a misanthropic granny in the
closing night’s drama, “Grandma.” Other
offerings of interest: Noah Baumbach’s
latest, “Mistress America”; a drama
starring Sarah Silverman called “I
Smile Back”; Leslye Headland’s new
comedy, “Sleeping With Other People”;
Jack Black’s Sundance return in “The D
Train”; the premiere of Alex Gibney’s
documentary “Going Clear: Scientology
and the Prison of Belief ”; and the
Korean coming-of-age comedy, “Seoul
Searching.”
— AP
RANI MUKERJI TO GRACE Selena enjoying new
‘MARDAANI’ PREMIERE bond with Zedd?
A
on
ctress Rani Mukerji will grace
the red carpet premiere of her
film “Mardaani” in Warsaw
January 28, two days before its
OSCAR DEBATE
S
inger Selena Gomez appears to be
enjoying her new bond with RussianGerman music producer and DJ Zedd.
In a new Instagram post on Sunday night,
Gomez shared a photo of herself and Zedd with
a message: “Missing la and this punk, just a
little tonight. Shooting starts soon!! Eeeeekkkk
-Fundamentals of Caregiving.(sic)”
Shortly thereafter, Zedd shared a picture
while ‘facetiming’ with the singer. “Oh hi
derrling… — The Room #TheRoom #theRoom
#THEroom #theROOM (sic),” he captioned it.
Multiple sources are quoted by eonline.com
as saying that the duo is working on making
new music together, which easily explains
recent photographs of them working in a music
studio.
Meanwhile, Selena Gomez is reportedly
having sessions with a psychic. “Selena said the
psychic was incredible. They did a lot of tarot
and angel card readings, and now they have
sessions every week,” OK! magazine quoted a
source as saying, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“The psychic says Selena will have a new
man by the summer!,” the source added.
Gomez, who was dating singer Justin Bieber
on and off for four years, was spotted with Zedd
at a Golden Globes after-party last week.
release in Poland.
The premiere will be held at the
iconic arthouse cinema Kino Cinema
Muranow here, and Rani will be
joined by the film’s Polish director of
photography, Artur Zurawski.
A packed press show kicked off the
first viewing of the film on Tuesday.
The film will release for audiences
January 30 with Polish subtitles, read
a statement from the film’s production
banner Yash Raj Films (YRF).
Directed by Pradeep Sarkar,
“Mardaani” features unswerving and
invincible Mumbai police crime branch
senior inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy,
embodied by Rani.
The protagonist sets out to confront
the mastermind behind a child
trafficking mafia, who makes the
mistake of kidnapping and smuggling
a teenaged girl who is like a daughter
to her. What follows is a cat and mouse
game between an audacious police
officer and a ruthless mafia kingpin.
Produced by Aditya Chopra, the film
had its worldwide release on August 22,
2014.
omandailyobserver
29
TINSELTOWN
Miley Cyrus selling
family estate
S
inger Miley Cyrus is selling her family compound in Toluca Lake area
in Los Angeles.
The singer has listed the property for a whopping $5.995 mil-
lion.
The 8,700 sq ft home, which was purchased by Billy Ray and Tish
Cyrus in 2008 and was transferred to Miley’s blind trust in 2012, has six
bedrooms and six-and-a-half baths, a three-car garage and an elegant
stone entrance, reports dailymail.co.uk.
Other features that the abode boasts of include woodbeam ceilings,
Šƒ”†™‘‘†ƒ†–‹Ž‡ϐŽ‘‘”•ǡ…‘’’‡””ƒ‹‰—––‡”•ǡ™”‘—‰Š–‹”‘ƒ……‡–•ǡƒ†
•‡˜‡”ƒŽ ϐ‹”‡’Žƒ…‡• ™‹–Š …ƒ”˜‡† ƒ–‡Ž•Ǥ Š‡ ʹʹǦ›‡ƒ”Ǧ‘Ž† Šƒ•ǯ– Ž‹˜‡† ‹
the property for some time as she bought another home in nearby Studio City three years ago for $3.9 million.
Soha, Kunal to wed at
their home
A
ctors Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu have decided to have a lowkey wedding at their house in Khar in Mumbai.
Š‡„”‹†‡‹•…‘ϐ‹†‡–‹–™‹ŽŽ„‡•’‡…‹ƒŽǡ™Š‹Ž‡Š‡”‘–Š‡”ƒ†
actress Sharmila Tagore says she’s “very happy” for her daughter.
Soha and Kunal will tie the knot on Sunday, and it will be a depar–—”‡ˆ”‘–Š‡‰”ƒ†ϐ‹˜‡Ǧ†ƒ›…‡Ž‡„”ƒ–‹‘•ƒ–‘Šƒǯ•„”‘–Š‡”ƒ…–‘”ƒ‹ˆŽ‹
Khan’s wedding to actress Kareena Kapoor two years back.
“Our wedding will take place at our home, where Kunal and I stay.
It will be a small wedding in the presence of our family members,”
Soha said.
The duo has been dating for quite some time, and they have been living together.
Soha got engaged to Kunal in Paris last year.
Š‡…‘—’Ž‡Šƒ•™‘”‡†–‘‰‡–Š‡”‹–Š‡ʹͲͲͻϐ‹ŽDzͻͻdzǤŠƒ”‹Žƒ•ƒ›•
she’s “very happy”.
“We are celebrating. What will happen that day (on wedding day), I
don’t know. I’ll feel a little bit emotional that day,” said the actress and
™‹ˆ‡‘ˆŽƒ–‡ƒ•‘‘”Ž‹Šƒƒ–ƒ—†‹Ǥ
Chastain shocked by attacks following diversity speech
J
essica Chastain said on Tuesday
she has received a barrage of abuse
following her recent speech urging
more diversity in Hollywood.
The American actress, who was
honoured as Most Valuable Player at
last Thursday’s Critics’ Choice Awards
ceremony, used her time onstage to
make a plea to Hollywood executives
and actors on the birthday of Martin
Luther King, Jr.
The 37-year-old star of “Zero Dark
Thirty” implored those in attendance
to “stand together against homophobic,
sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and
racist agendas,” leading Oprah Winfrey
to mouth “wow” as Chastain concluded
her speech.
Chastain acknowledged she was
shocked by messages she’s received
since the ceremony — calling the
reaction “strange.”
“I’ve had really terrible people who
are racists comment on the speech
and say really terrible things. I’m
understanding that some people in this
world, how much hate they can have,”
she said.
However, she said, she has also
been cheered by the amount of support
from Hollywood insiders, including
film producers and stars, who echo her
beliefs on the lack of diversity within
the industry.
Chastain accepted her MVP award
on the evening of this year’s Oscar
nominations, which were criticised by
some for the absence of black actors
and directors.
“Some people had taken my speech
and then made it about awards — like
SAG Awards or Oscars. That’s not what
my speech was about,” Chastain said.
“To me awards are just a reflection. It’s
just a symptom of the disease and the
disease is in the industry. If we had
more diversity in our films it would be
reflected in diversity in the nominees.”
While accepting that, by being a
part of the industry, she’s “part of the
problem,” Chastain said she is hopeful
she can broaden Hollywood’s horizons
by continuing to speak out in the future,
saying “we all need to work together to
fix it.”
Chastain says she and her roommate,
actress Jess Weixler, used to raid
dumpsters to decorate their home when
they were college students.
Chastain shared a “teeny” apartment
with Weixler when they were studying,
and the two would salvage damaged
items from their local Pottery Barn
store because they didn’t have enough
cash to buy anything new, reports
femalefirst.co.uk.
Recalling her days living with
Weixler on talk show “Jimmy Kimmel
Live!”, Chastain said: “We lived in
a very teeny teeny tiny apartment
with another girl... with a mouse, that
wouldn’t go away. And we furnished it
all from Pottery Barn, but from the stuff
that they would throw away.”
“I don’t know how we figured this
out but every Tuesday night they would
throw stuff away. In order to do that
they would destroy it first to make sure
people wouldn’t get all this stuff out of
the dumpster which... we didn’t, like, go
in a dirty dumpster, but they would stab
a chair or whatever and we’d just put a
blanket over it and carry it home,” she
added.
30
LIFESTYLE
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
MOHAMMED AL BALUSHI
Women’s career
opportunities in banking
S
Verdi’s comic opera Falstaff at ROHM
T
he Royal Opera
House
Muscat
(ROHM) will host
a production of
Giuseppe Verdi’s
final opera, the
witty and fun Falstaff by the youthful
Accademia Teatro alla Scala from
Milan on January 29 and 30.
The three-act opera, Giuseppe
Verdi’s 28th and last opera,
premiered in 1893.
It was based on a libretto adapted
by Arrigo Boito based on two of
Shakespeare’s plays, The Merry
Wives of Windsor and scenes from
Henry IV, parts 1 and 2.
Falstaff is the story of the “fat
knight,” Sir John Falstaff, who is
broke and in need of a quick fix to
his money woes.
He decides to seduce two
married women so he can access
their husband’s money.
Hilarity ensues when the merry
wives, Mrs Ford and Mrs Meg Page,
figure out his plan and decide to
punish him for it.
ROHM’s
Artistic
Director
Umberto Fanni stated: “Though the
great Italian composer Giuseppe
Verdi wrote 28 operas, only two
were comedic, including this one,
and it’s well worth seeing.
It’s packed with humorous deceit,
freshness, originality and, of course,
great music.
The surprising vitality of Falstaff
will always be in the hearts of
the audience, not only because
it is a work of great value and
extraordinary creativity, but as piece
of theater full of the joy of life.
I find this wonderful opera
absolutely extraordinary for the
music structure and from every
other point of view.
It is a summit of the art of all
time, which also has the advantage
of being very funny”
This production is performed
by the Accademia Teatro alla Scala
from Milan, and is conducted by
Pietro Mianiti.
The stage director is Stephen
Medcalf and the production was
created at Teatro Regio di Parma.
The sets and costumes were
designed by Jamie Vartan and
the lighting designer is Simon
Corder.
The chorus is from Teatro
Regio of Parma conducted by
Martino Faggiani The cast features
a number of young, up-and-coming
international opera singers, many
of whom are current or former
students of the Accademia Teatro
alla Scala.
Italian baritone Piero Terranova
sings the lead role of Sir John
Falstaff. Korean baritone Kwangyun
Kim is Ford, while Korean tenor
Sehoon Moon plays Fenton.
Azerbaijani tenor Azer Rzazade
sings the role of Dr Cajus.
Marco Voleri, a tenor from Italy,
and Mikheil Kiria, a bass from
Georgia, sing the roles of Falstaff ’s
followers Bardolfo and Pistola.
Italian soprano Alice Quintavalla
is Mrs Ford, and Egyptian soprano
Fatma Said is in the role of Nannetta
Ford.
Greek mezzosoprano Kleopatra
Papatheologou is Mrs Quickly
and Japanese mezzosoprano Aya
Wakizono is Mrs Meg Page.
Falstaff will be performed for two
nights, on January 29 and 30 at 7pm.
MUSCAT FESTIVAL
Kids Village keeps children and parents busy
Q KABEER YOUSUF
V
isitors to the one-week old
Muscat Festival 2015 are
on the rise and the most
attracted pavilion at Amerat Park, one
of the venues of the annual gala of
heritage and culture, is undoubtedly
the Kids Village.
The Ooredoo sponsored Kid’s
Village has been a success in pulling
families to its various activities and
not to be left alone, those who are
young at heart too are finding there
something or the other to keep them
busy.
They have been treated with some
exciting experiences and lots of fun.
There’s a specially designed maze,
painting competitions and a number
of activities on the stage.
This year’s festival that focuses
on children and families has all that
make the visitors experience a oncein-a-lifetime one and while offering
some never-before experiences at the
Village, there is a special corner that
introduces the visitors to operator’s
products and services.
“We are happy to be a part of
the Festival and our commitment
to bringing different experiences
that suit our customers remains our
focus”, Raed Dawood, Director of
Government Relations and Corporate
Affairs at Ooredoo, who was visiting
the Park with family said.
Muscat festival is Oman’s biggest
cultural
and
historical
event
showcasing an exhibition of local
and international traditions, art and
consumer goods. The Festival is
expecting to attract over 2 million
visitors from across Oman and the
region to enjoy the entertainment
shows, carnival and shopping
wonders.
A number of sports events are
planned and which include water
sports activities in collaboration with
the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and
Oman Sailing.
They include sailing and racing
boats, laser shows, child aerobic show,
camel and equestrian racing show,
tent pegging show, Muscat Marathon,
universities and colleges beach soccer,
beach volleyball, various auto shows,
basketball competitions, marine craft
village and the Tour of Oman.
Drinking coffee may
reduce skin cancer risk
S
cientists have found that drinking four cups of coffee a
day has a protective effect against skin cancer. Although
the results are preliminary, lifestyle modifications
with even modest protective effects may have a meaningful
impact on melanoma morbidity, the researchers said.
To determine if there is an association between coffee
consumption and risk of cutaneous melanoma, Erikka
Loftfield from the division of cancer epidemiology and
genetics at the US National Cancer Institute used data
from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Overall, the
highest coffee intake was inversely associated with a risk of
malignant melanoma, with a 20 per cent lower risk for those
who consumed four cups per day or more.
cores of female students from a private
school visited Bank Sohar, recently.
What they might be having in their
minds: Where their education will take
them in future? Different dreams could
be seen from those little faultless faces.
One may be thinking of being a finance manager.
Another might have a dream to become a banker.
Will the practical world be in their favour tomorrow?
Are they going to bring a new world for themselves?
Noticeably, students are permitted by their schools
to go for practical visits, to seek answers of doubtful
questions. It means they visit different sectors for
practical knowledge. Such initiative is appreciable,
so that in future Oman gets practical generation,
serving the country. “They are studying business”,
a business teacher from the school, said. It was a
matter of pride to hear “Business Students”, because
business students are those who really care for states’
economy and letting their minds work from the
initial stage. As a matter of fact, business students,
spend their valuable time in thinking and imagining
of introducing new ideas in the land, even on the
moon as well. Once their dreams, positive thinking,
and imagination in business come true, then, there
will be new changes in Omani market.
Their visit was a kind of brace, where someone
can think about future bankers, especially women
bankers in Oman. How many women are in leading
role in banking sector, in the world, in general and in
Oman, in specific? You can find very few women in
leading roles in banking. Institute of and Leadership
and Management (ILM) stated in its survey (Women
in banking) in United Kingdom, that 48 per cent of
women said that, they face different fences in their
organisation. It was found from the same report that,
women do not push for senior positions in banking
because of family commitments and work life
balance issues. If this is the case, how new generation,
especially female business students see their career in
banking, in Oman?
Currently there is not a single bank in Oman,
where women are not employed. One of the students
exuberantly inquired about career path in banking.
She looked ambitious. Nabil, the head of learning
Centre with his motivational speech and presentation
had impressed all the audiences. He explained about
the career path in banking sector, personal goal
and strategy. “Before joining any organization, it is
essential to understand its business and culture”, he
said.
Is flexibility for women matter in banking?
According to the ILM survey it was found that, 68
per cent of women thought banks needed flexible
working opportunities, where’s 42 per cent men
agreed. Coming back to Oman, is flexibility needed
in banking? However, the flexibility is practiced
in some banks, but still it is needed for all banks as
many bankers suggested. “If most of the work can
perfectly be done through technology at home, and
coffee shop, without risks, then, what makes me to
be present every day from 8 am till 3 pm”?, one of
the young Omanis expressed. “Is the management
interested in me or in my work”, he added.
It has been suggested by the new generation that,
living in the age of information and technology,
the banking culture should be changed. It has been
added by the same generation that, a flexible working
should be given to both men and women. Some
other thoughts expressed differently that by saying, if
such litheness was given, then there would be lack of
control and the splendour of uniformity will be taken
away.
No matter what, but the new generation has
different demands, solutions and are looking for
challenges and opportunities in banking sectors. It
has been noticed from those female students that,
their focus was on new strategies in business and
banking. Of course, they are new challengers in
future where their own destinies are hidden. There
was a time when parents made the destiny of their
children, but it can be seen that the children make
their own destiny, today.
CONTEST
Inter-school environment quiz organised at ISM
I
ndian School Muscat organised
the
second
Inter-School
Environment Quiz on Monday,
in the school’s multipurpose hall.
A total of ten teams from five
Indian schools in Oman contested
with great vigour, featuring their
hunger to defeat the opponents.
Indian School Al Ghubra,
Indian School Muscat, Indian
School Al Wadi Al Kabir, Indian
School Darsait and Indian School
Al Seeb clashed their caliber in and
through the hair-rising rounds of
the Environment Quiz conducted
by ace quiz personalities Raji
Sumanth and Sujatha Ashok.
This year the competition had
the streamlined special theme
‘Water Conservation’ as it holds
greater significance in perspective
of the growing scarcity of usable
water resources around the globe.
Speaking on the occasion
Principal Srinivas K Naidu
projected the worth of contests of
this genre that attempts to equip
the younger generation with the
vision to conserve the natural
resources.
Arati Santosh and Sabareenath
M of Indian School Al Wadi Al
Kabir won the first position. The
host school ISM was declared
second and Indian School Darsait
emerged third.
SPOTLIGHT
T H U R S DAY
JANUARY 22 l 2015
HUNDREDS OF
PAPYRUS SCROLLS
BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN
AUTHORED
BY GREEK
PHILOSOPHERS
WERE FOUND
IN THE ROMAN
TOWN OF
HERCULANEUM,
WHICH WAS HIT
IN THE SAME
ERUPTION THAT
DESTROYED THE
TOWN OF POMPEII
31
NIZAR AL MUSALMY
[email protected]
When it rains
O
The ancient archaeological site of Pompeii is pictured in front of Mount Vesuvius. — Reuters
ANCIENT SCROLLS SCORCHED
by Vesuvius may be read again
David Blank, professor of Classics from University of California, left, uses his laptop
computer as he studies an ancient papyrus at the Naples’ National Library, Italy. — AP
Q RICHARD INGHAM
P
omandailyobserver
recious scrolls blackened
by the eruption of the
Vesuvius volcano in AD
79 may become readable
again, thanks to 21st century
technology, scientists said on
Tuesday.
Hundreds of papyrus scrolls believed to
have been authored by Greek philosophers
were found in the Roman town of
Herculaneum, which was hit in the same
eruption that destroyed the town of Pompeii.
Whereas Pompeii was buried under a
thick layer of ash, nearby Herculaneum met
a somewhat different fate — it was exposed
to a roiling blast of volcanic gas.
The furnace-like heat burned its citizens
alive and turned the writings into pitchblack, brittle rolls.
The carbonised manuscripts, part of
the only library to have survived from the
classical world, were found 260 years ago
in the ruins of a huge villa believed to have
been owned by a wealthy Roman statesman,
The harbour of ancient Herculaneum (Ercolano), the city destroyed by the Mount Vesuvius volcano’s
eruption in 79 AD. — AFP
Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.
Now stored at the National Library of
Naples, they are so fragile that the slightest
touch can cause them to crumble.
Adding to the problem is that the letters
on the papyrus were written in ink made
from soot.
On the blackened background, they are
nearly invisible to the naked eye.
So many papyri have been damaged or
destroyed in attempts to pierce their secrets
that archaeologists abandoned the quest in
frustration.
But, in a study published in the journal
Nature Communications, Italian researchers
offer hope that the enigmatic texts may be
revealed for the first time in nearly 2,000
years.
‘Readable within a decade’
“It’s always hard to make a precise
prediction, but with resources, the scrolls
should be readable within the next decade,”
lead scientist Vito Mocella said.
Mocella, who works at the Institute for
Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM)
in Naples, led a team to probe the scrolls
non-invasively using X-ray phase-contrast
tomography — a scanner also used in
medicine to image soft tissue.
The technique exploits the fact that
different materials absorb X-rays differently.
The researchers wrote a purpose-made
algorithm to process the signals returned
from the beams, seeking to tease out contrasts
between the papyrus and the inked letters.
They tested their innovation on pieces of
a scroll that had been unrolled in fragments
in 1986.
They then moved onto a far tougher target
— a scrunched-up, sausage-shaped scroll
about 12 inches long that is more fragile than
old lace.
The scanner was able to pick out all 24
letters of the Greek alphabet in the rolledup text and pinpoint a specific handwriting
style, a potential clue to the identity of the
author.
But the team was not able to read words
and had problems delving into the scroll’s
deeper layers.
But, said the authors, the experiment
only intended to be a “proof of concept” — a
demonstration that a new technique works
but needs refinement.
A finer X-ray beam and improved
algorithm should be able to get better contrast
and definition of each letter, they said.
“It holds out the promise that many
philosophical works from the library of the
‘Villa dei Papiri’, the contents of which have
so far remained unknown, may in future be
deciphered without damaging the papyrus in
any way,” the study said.
If so, this could unlock other ancient texts.
There is speculation that the villa in
Herculaneum has a second library “at a
lower, as yet unexcavated” level, it added.
Mocella said the key to deciphering this
extraordinary haul of literature was not so
much technology as funding.
“The work we did was voluntary — it was
done virtually in our spare time,” he said.
Technology was fast advancing to enable
scientists to read the scrolls, added Mocella,
and pointed to the potential of another noninvasive tool called tomo fluorescence.
But using it “depends on getting the
means,” he said. — AFP
ne of the things, in this world,
that contribute much in making
the father of junior a happy man
is rain, when it falls. That is why,
this week; he took some time
and stood at the window just to
watch the raindrops as if to see which one will win.
These droplets of water in form of liquid that have
been condensed from atmospheric water vapour and
then made heavy enough to fall due to gravity are a
wonder for those who reflect.
Rain creates moods that make everything
better. Rain sounds and noise poses an atmosphere
for relaxing, sleeping, studying, eating, outdoor
venturing etc. The rain probably tugs at some
subconscious memory you have that is associated
with being happy, content and at peace. Such
vague memories sometimes come from very early
childhood when we do not remember specific details
of things.
In normal dry days most people tend never to
think much about pursuing happiness. They are too
busy just trying to survive. Rain comes as a turning
point as they experience something different.When
water falls in drops from the atmosphere; it brings
hope at an individual level and thus he or she starts
thinking that happiness might be possible on earth.
There is also a physiological component i.e. the
negative hydrogen ions that are released into the air
when it rains. Negative ions make us feel good… you
know the chemical reaction and obviously the way
you look at rain and contact with water will create the
feeling of coziness, comfort, fresh cool and actually
the smell we get from raining. The sound of water
can make people feel relaxed.
If you want to enjoy sunlight you ought to go
outside but rain is something you enjoy from inside
of your house. At home, you can watch it through
the window; it makes you feel safe and pleasant for
some reason. Without feeling it, everything affects
you indirectly. The more torrential the rain the better
it is. Rain cleans the air. It gets rid of pollen, allergens,
mold, and pollutants. It pulls everything down. It
also ionises the air, which gives you that fresh smell.
So when it did rain in the middle of this week,
I felt exactly the same way, especially when it was
pouring heavily. I just loved it. I switched the heater
on and got a comfy blanket and made a nice hot cup
of tea and curled up and watched an African cup
football match on television. Then when it chucked
down real nicely, I fell asleep to the sound of the rain
on the car parking shade. I find heavy rain really
relaxing perhaps because it gets so rhythmic. It made
me very happy.
This week’s rain made me stumble upon the
theme of happiness. I tasked my mind to function
in the name of searching and knowing what else can
make me happy. My mind wondered around seeking
out for those happy things out there. I made a point
everyday to do or simply be near something that
makes me happy. So, what makes me happy? I just
thought of my favourite things and listed them out.
As I continued to jot them down, I started to have
that big smile because I saw a lot more.
It’s important to know what makes you happy,
and I wonder how many people really stop to
contemplate the simple things that can be a part
of their everyday lives. Happiness is the outward
manifestation of inner joy. You can fill up your life
with lots of stuff, but if you’re not internally okay with
yourself, then there’s but so much a new car can ever
do for you. So I ask you my dear reader, what makes
you happy? You know… how do you feel about that
general contentment with the world around you.
Think about it and have a happy weekend.
CITY LIFE
STUDY FINDS INNER CITY DOESN’T RAISE ASTHMA RISK
A
US study out on Tuesday including more
than 23,000 children has debunked the
long-standing belief that living in the
inner city raises the risk of asthma.
Instead, it found that being poor, AfricanAmerican or Puerto Rican were more significant
risk factors for asthma than urban living, said
the findings by researchers at the John Hopkins
University.
The study published in the Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology compared asthma rates
inside cities to suburban and rural areas.
Parents and caregivers of more than 23,000
children, ages six to 17, answered survey questions
about asthma in their homes.
The results showed that 13 per cent of innercity kids had asthma, compared with 11 per cent
of children living outside of inner cities.
When researchers accounted for other
variables, like race, ethnicity and geographic
region, the differences disappeared.
They found a strong association between
poverty and asthma, in addition to AfricanAmerican and Puerto Rican heritage.
As family income fell, asthma risk climbed.
Researchers said the results showed that family
poverty had a stronger influence on asthma
risk than the poverty level of the surrounding
neighbourhood.
“Our results highlight the changing face
of paediatric asthma and suggest that living in
an urban area is, by itself, not a risk factor for
asthma,” said lead investigator Corinne Keet, a
paediatric allergy and asthma specialist at Johns
Hopkins.
“Instead, we see that poverty and being
African American or Puerto Rican are the most
potent predictors of asthma risk.”
The rate of asthma among African-American
children was 17 per cent, and among those of
Puerto Rican descent it was 20 per cent, said the
study.
Those figures were “disproportionately
higher” than whites (10 per cent), or Hispanics
(nine per cent) or Asians (eight per cent).
Several decades ago, inner-city life was
thought to raise the risk of asthma due to a
number of factors, including pollution, pests and
smoking.
But those risks are likely to be just as present
in rural areas as they are in cities, experts said.
“Our findings suggest that focusing on
inner cities as the epicentres of asthma may
lead physicians and public health experts
to overlook newly emerging ‘hot zones’
with high asthma rates,” said senior author
Elizabeth Matsui, paediatric asthma specialist
and associate professor of paediatrics and
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine. — AFP
THURSDAY | JANUARY 22, 2015 | RABEE AL THANI 1, 1436 AH
P29
P30
P31
Inside
Soha and Kunal to wed at their home Verdi’s Comic Opera Falstaff at ROHM Ancient scrolls scorched by Vesuvius may be read again FOLLOW US ON:
www.omanobserver.om
[email protected]
Jabal Shams
WHEN IT’S COLD
Proof! The ice was
11mm thick
The road to the
‘Balcony Walk’
WE
DIDN’T GET
FROSTBITE, WE
DIDN’T GO SKIING,
SNOWBOARDING, RIDE
THE LUGE OR DO ANY ICESKATING, BUT IT WAS A
COOL ADVENTURE!
Al Marrat Village, Jabal Shams, as the sun rises.
Q RAY PETERSEN AND PHOTOS BY
YELENA GLUKHOVTSEVA
I
t may not be quite as ambitious
as salmon fishing in Yemen,
but the promise of cold, snow
or ice, high on Jabal Shams, at
more than 3,000 metres above
sea level, the highest peak in
Oman and the first place in the Sultanate
to see the sun each day, was enough to
encourage an early morning expedition.
We set off at 5 am on a cold, windy
morning from Birkat Al Mouz, properly
dressed in our warmest clothing. Ali has
shown us so much of Oman, he seems
to know everyone, and he explained
as we drove that he would take us to
the highest, and coldest part of the
mountain he could find, adding that we
should not expect too much as the skies
were very clear.
The short drive from our home to Al
Hamra, where the Jabal Shams journey
gets serious, was made so much nicer
by the moon, majestic in the clear night
sky, as it gradually sunk lower towards
dawn. The stunning, jagged profiles of
the Hajar Mountain Range rising out of
the plains an incredible reminder that
colour is not always essential to beauty.
In the darkness the road from Al Hamra,
with its steep sections and tight corners
is quite intimidating.
In the past we have gone up to the
Grand Canyon Lookout, to see the
incredible natural formations of the Al
Nakhr Gorge, and we continue on past
the two established tourist camps, the
Resort and Base Camp, towards the little
village of Khateem, at the start of the
world famous rim walk to the abandoned
As Sab village in the wall of the canyon,
Ali displays upside down ice samples unique and interesting, they look like mini ice
sculptures of futuristic cities.
known throughout the world as the
‘Balcony Walk.’ But not today!
Ali detoured towards Jabal Asar’h,
and as the sun hit the highest peaks of
the range, we wound our way it seemed,
northwards, in the search for sub-zero
weather. The roads in this area are like a
spider’s web. At one point, slowing down
to pass an oncoming vehicle, Ali greeted
the other driver, and was told that it
had been as cold as 5 degrees overnight,
giving us more hope in our search for
‘real’ cold.
Sheep and goats roamed freely,
though most at this time were still in
small groups, so they had probably only
been released from their pens at dawn. If
there are 700,000 goats in Oman, many
of them live on that mountain. These are
Batinah goats, and they are quite robust
looking, with long ears that swing as they
walk, long coats, long hair. They must
like eating Acacias and range grasses,
because there isn’t much else for them!
I am amazed at their ability to survive in
the harsh conditions we encountered, as
the 45 million sheep in my native New
Zealand have a much easier life, even in
the high country of home.
We stopped at one point for Lena to
photograph an Egyptian Vulture, and
as I opened the car door I was struck by
the strength of the wind. About 30-40
kilometres per hour, and very cold. Lena
took the picture, hoping it would turn
out well in the half light, and dived back
into the car without any dignity at all, to
the amusement of our fellow travellers.
I guess that 2 degrees, with a wind of
30 kmph, has a wind chill factor of 6-7
degrees, so it would have felt like minus
5 degrees. It’s no wonder we were cold!
By now the light was better, and we
could see so many houses, and small
villages everywhere. What do all of
these people do here, I asked myself?
It’s a stark, raw, beautiful place to visit,
but to live here they must have an
overwhelming ancestral obligation.
Soon though, the sun had risen
higher to display an incredibly clear
blue sky, sharp peaks, sunlit rock faces,
shapes, shadows and reflections to excite
and amaze. Reflections? Yes. Could it be
ice? We stopped and I jumped out, we
all got out as it became evident that we
had indeed found ice. On a plateau, in
a depression where water had gathered,
we found ice 1 centimetre thick. Now
I know that’s not enough to skate on,
but Lena now felt vindicated at having
dragged me out of bed to come here.
We set out to explore further, and
found many more frozen areas, and
interestingly many other folk looking
for, and excited by the ice. Many were
Omanis, whom I guess had not seen ice
outside their refrigerators!
The descent from the mountain
was quite leisurely, and we stopped
so that Lena could take photos of the
panoramic view, from where we were
in Al Dakhiliyah, all the way North up
into the Al Batinah Governorate, and
Ice reflects from a frozen stream
across towards Ibri, in Al Dhahirah.
And as always, the colourful costumes
and friendly waves from the young
children of Al Hamra seem to offer a
fitting farewell to the mountain, or in
this case, a welcome to the valley. Only
in this amazing country of Oman, could
we swap 2 degrees for a much more
appreciated 20 degrees.
No we didn’t get frostbite, we didn’t go
skiing, snowboarding, ride the luge or do
any ice-skating, but it was a cool adventure!
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Here’s how people post life events on Facebook
W
ith social networking sites
becoming a part of our daily
lives, people are sharing
positive life events indirectly and negative
life events directly on Facebook, says a
study.
The positive life events like photos,
change of job title are shared indirectly
and negative life events are shared directly
via detailed status updates or wall posts.
The researchers analysed how
Facebook users share information on
important life events related to romantic
relationships, health, work and school.
They found that how a person chooses
to share such news depends on whether
the event is positive or negative.
Jennifer Bevan and co-authors from
California-based Chapman University
focused on significant life events.
They reported that the specific
event itself did not determine how an
individual would share the news on
Facebook, rather whether it was positive
or negative.
“The understanding of the delicate
dance between negotiating disclosure
while maintaining some level of privacy
is vital,” said Brenda K Wiederhold from
Interactive Media Institute, San Diego,
California.
The article titled “How Are Important
Life Events Disclosed on Facebook?
Relationships with Likelihood of Sharing
and Privacy” was published in the journal
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social
Networking.
Meanwhile another research reveals
that a strong social network is crucial
for mental as well as physical wellbeing, suggesting that isolation can
lead to health problems especially for
those who move places for better career
opportunities.
Researchers
from
Concordia
University found that immigrants who
were able to form friendships and get
involved in new social networks during
their first five months in Canada had
increases in heart rate variability.
While those who remained socially
isolated over time showed a decrease.
In the weeks and months that follow
a major move, people often find it hard
to make new friends and establish a solid
social network. “The study shows that
such prolonged social isolation can have
a negative effect on physical health.
That applies not just to international
students but to anyone moving to a new
country or city or anyone experiencing
major social changes,” explained JeanPhilip pe Gouin, a Concordia psychology
professor.