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MONDAY | MARCH 9, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 18, 1436 AH
P21 Rivals hope its Watch will boost wearable tech
VOL. 34 NO. 115 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200
P30 Ǯ‹‡˜”‡•ǯ•—”’”‹•‡™‹‡”ƒ–ˆ”‹…ƒϐ‹Žˆ‡•–
P25 Maxwell’s century thwarts Sanga heroics
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
FOLLOW US ON:
OMAN
HM condolences
to Saudi, Kuwait
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos has sent a cable of
condolences to King Salman
bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi
Arabia on the death of Prince Saud bin
Sultan Abdullah al Saud. In his cable,
His Majesty expressed his sincere
condolences and sympathy to King
Salman, praying to the Almighty to rest
his soul in peace and grant his family
patience. His Majesty has also sent a
cable of condolences to Shaikh Sabah al
Ahmed al Jabir al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait,
on the death of Shikh Badr Abdullah al
Mohammed al Salman al Sabah.
[email protected]
Historic landing
in Muscat
today
REGION
Coalition forces told
to save antiquities
INSIDESTORIES
P9
TEARS FOR MH370 AS
MYSTERY PERSISTS
ROUTE
TO BE FOLLOWED
THE
BAGHDAD: Iraq urged a US-led
military coalition to use air power to
protect the country’s antiquities from
IS fighters looting and destroying some
of the world’s greatest archaeological
treasures. A government minister said
the coalition, which has carried out 2,800
air strikes against IS military positions
in Iraq and Syria since August, was not
doing enough to save Iraq’s priceless
heritage.
REPORT ON P13
Kathmandu airport reopens Pakistan widens net for big fish UK parliament faces urgent repairs Abu Dhabi to
Muscat, Oman
Hawaii and then
Phoenix, Arizona
Ahmedabad and
Varanasi, India
New York
Mandalay,
Myanmar
Southern Europe
or Morocco
Chongqing and
Nanjing, China
Finally back to Abu Dhabi
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
March 8: History will have a new chapter to add to its
very firsts. Marking the completion of the first leg of the
global circumnavigation for the innovative solar-powered
aircraft, the globe-trotting Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) is set to
land at Muscat International Airport this evening after a
flight from Abu Dhabi.
Designed to fly continuously day and night powered
only by sunlight collected by solar cells and stored as
electricity in onboard lithium batteries, the groundbreaking aircraft will travel around 12 countries in an
historic attempt to fly around the world without using a
drop of fuel, travelling approximately 35,000 km over the
course of its journey.
The takeoff of Solar Impulse 2, which
was delayed on Saturday due to high winds,
would cap 13 years of research and testing by
Swiss pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand
Piccard.
“This project is a human project,
it is a human challenge,”
Borschberg, co-founder
and chief
executive of Solar Impulse said yesterday.
The Solar Impulse is set to be welcomed at Muscat with
a reception presided over by His Highness Sayyid Shihab
bin Tareq al Said, Dr Mohammed bin Nasser al Zaabi,
CEO of the Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA),
Shaikh Aimen Ahmed al Hosni, General Manager of
Muscat International Airport, and others.
The Solar Impulse 2 has 17,248 solar cells built into
its wings and fuselage, which supply four electric motors
with enough energy for the machine to remain airborne
24 hours a day. During the day the solar cells recharge
lithium batteries, allowing Solar Impulse 2 to operate
during night time as well. The sun-powered vehicle has
a 72-metre wingspan, slightly larger than that of a Boeing
747, but weighs just 2,300 kg, approximately the same as
a family car.
It will take off from Abu Dhabi today at 6:30 am (0230
GMT), landing first in Muscat.
TURN TO P4
Solar Impulse 2
P13
40 DIE AS KURDS BATTLE
IS FOR KEY TOWN
P15
CLINTON DEFENDS
FOREIGN DONATIONS
WEATHER TODAY
MUSCAT
MAX: 270C
MIN: 230C
SALALAH
MAX: 290C
MIN: 210C
SUNRISE 06.22 AM
PRAYER TIMINGS
FAJR: 05:07
DHUHR: 12:23
ASR: 15:46
MAGHRIB: 18:18
ISHA: 19:28
NIZWA
MAX: 330C
MIN: 180C
OFA gives notice
to 11 clubs
JUNCKER CALLS FOR EU ARMY
Muscat: The Oman Football
Association (OFA) has given
disciplinary notice to 11 clubs, which
demanded for an Extraordinary
General Meeting (EGM) for
introducing a no-confidence motion
against the OFA board.
The clubs have been given three
days to respond to the notice,
Hamdan al Maani, OFA media
officer, said. A no response from the
club will invite suspension or other
disciplinary actions, he said.
“This will be decided later by the
OFA board,” he added.
The clubs which were handed the
notice are Dhofar, Fanja, Bausher,
Ja’alan, Al Kamil Wal Wafi, Seeb, Al
Musannah, Al Ittifaq, Ibri, Nizwa
and Ahli Sidab. REPORT ON P28
increased links between the German
BRUSSELS: The European Union
military and other European armed
should have its own army, the leader of
forces.
the bloc’s executive said in an interview
“This intertwining of armies, with a
published yesterday, reviving the longview to one day also having a European
debated idea amid fresh tensions with
army, is in my view the future,” she said,
Russia.
arguing that such moves would also
“Such an army would help us to
“strengthen the European pillar in the
shape a common foreign and security
transatlantic (Nato) alliance.”
policy and to seize together Europe’s
Relations between Moscow and the
responsibility in the world,” European
West have reached their worst point
Commission President Jean-Claude
since the fall of the Soviet Union, over
Juncker was quoted as saying by the
the crisis in Ukraine. But the idea of an
German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
EU army is likely to meet resistance in
“You do not have a European army
some of the bloc’s member states.
to deploy it immediately. But a common
It earned a swift rebuke yesterday
army of Europeans would convey to
from the eurosceptic UK Independence
Russia that we are serious about the Jean-Claude Juncker
Party, which has been gaining ground in
defence of EU values,” he added.
German
Defence
Minister backing yesterday, arguing in the Britain ahead of a general election to be
Ursula von der Leyen offered him Deutschlandfunk
broadcaster
for held in May.
SEE ALSO P14
The dust storm is not stopping this pedestrian
LAKSHMI KOTHANETH
MUSCAT
March 8: For Tha’ir Aboud the
walk continues even in the midst of
dust storm. This pedestrian from
Graz, Austria, has been spending
the past few days in Batinah,
crossing Saham to reach Barka last
night.
“It was not really dusty. I have
had worse days elsewhere. In Iran
it was harder. I walk through rain,
snow, wind and dust through
various countries. I do not have
a problem with it because I have
accepted it. People have been really
friendly and kind in Oman. They
stop me and ask me where I am
from and then ask me to join them
for coffee or tea. It is great but
no km, so now I walk during the
nights” said Tha’ir cheerfully.
As Tha’ir spoke to us you could
hear the wind in the background.
How long would he take to reach
Muscat? “I have seen a mile stone
today saying 85 km to Muscat. That
is not far so I should reach there in
two days time.” Where would he
rest for the day? “I have someone
who has invited. They will call if
not I put up my tent where ever I
am to take a break and rest. The
night is beautiful. I feel safe and am
enjoying it!”
So when we call it a day, there
is someone out there walking
following the street lights, a
pedestrian with a difference.
ROYAL DECREES
Arab convention
on combating
digital crime
ratified
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos has issued three Royal
Decrees. Royal Decree No 5/2015
ratifies the Arab Convention on
Combating Information Technology
Offences signed by the Sultanate on
February 15, 2012.
Article 1 of the Decree ratifies
the aforesaid convention as per the
attached text.
Article 2 says that the Decree
comes into force from the date of
issue.
Royal Decree No 6/2015 ratifies
the Arab Convention against
Transnational Organised Crime
signed by the Sultanate on February
15, 2012.
Article 1 of the Royal Decree
ratifies the aforesaid agreement as per
the attached text.
Article 2 says tha the Decree comes
into force from the date of issue.
Royal
Decree
No
7/2015
ratifies the agreement between
the Government of the Sultanate
of Oman and the Government of
the Republic of Korea on mutual
exemption of visa requirements for
holders of diplomatic, official, special
and service passports, signed in Seoul
on December 24, 2014.
Article 2 ratifies the aforesaid
agreement as per the attached text.
Article 2 says that the Decree comes
into force from its date of issue.
— ONA
Indian schools
to augment
intake to meet
rush of students
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
March 8: The first draw of lots to
choose new applicants to the Indian
schools in Oman for the 2015-16
academic year will take place around
the middle of this month, according
to the Board of Directors (BoD).
Admission
formalities
are
currently being finalised, the board
said in a statement, adding that a
Centralised Admission System that
has been in place for the last several
years allows parents to register online.
“Due to a large number of parents
seeking admission for their children
in Indian schools, demand generally
outstrips the total number of seats
available, particularly in the schools
of the capital region.
“Enrolment currently stands at
a staggering 44,000 students, with a
sizable number admitted to the six
schools in Muscat,” the board said in
a statement.
“It is also observed from the trend
that the demand for seats is more for
lower classes from KG I to Class II.
The board is fully aware of its social
responsibility and is doing everything
possible to augment the capacity of
the schools,” it added.
Parents will be informed about
school allotment and admission
dates. The status of unfilled seats will
be updated after the first draw with
consideration given to waitlisted
applicants in a second draw set to be
held in the first week of April.
2
MSM CLOSES A TAD LOWER
M O N DAY l M A R C H 9 l 2 0 1 5
OMAN
Muscat Securities Market general index
30 on Sunday lost 0.72 points, comprising
a decline by 0.01 per cent to close at
6,525.73 compared to the last session,
which stood at 6,526.45. The trading
value stood at RO 2.98 million, comprising
a decline by 52.31 per cent compared to
the last session, which stood at RO 6.25
million. The market value rose by 0.03 per
cent to reach about RO 15.08 billion.
HAZE OVER OMAN CONTINUES
The dust storms that have been
engulfing parts of the Sultanate
for the last three days will ease
substantially but some parts
of the country will still witness
dusty conditions and remain
partially cloudy till Tuesday,
according to the DirectorateGeneral of Meteorology and Air
Navigation.
Ash’shura chairman receives
Saudi Arabian counterpart
MUSCAT: Shaikh Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali,
Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura on Sunday received
Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed al Sheikh,
Chairman of the Majlis Ash’shura of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) and his accompanying delegation, who are
currently on an official several-day visit to the
Sultanate.
Al Maawali highlighted the historic relations
binding Oman and Saudi Arabia in various
areas and levels, hailing the Shura’s relations and
cooperation between the two councils.
He also stressed the importance of enhancing
the joint cooperation and activating the role of
the two friendship committees at the two council
to serve the joint interests of the two brotherly
countries and peoples. He also presented a historic
briefing on the Shura’s march in the Sultanate.
On his turn, the Saudi guest expressed his delight
at visiting the Sultanate, stressing the importance of
enhancing the relations between the two brotherly
countries at various levels and aspects, praising
the Sultanate’s balanced policies and honourable
stances at the GCC and international levels.
The meeting reviewed all aspects of the joint
cooperation and bilateral relations, particularly
in Shura and legislative fields and means of
supporting and enhancing them in expanding
their avenues to serve the joint interests of the two
brotherly countries. He also spoke on a number of
issues of common concern.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Saudi Majlis
Ash’shura Chairman visited the Council of Oman
during which he viewed the hall of Majlis Ash’shura
sessions and the hall of the Council of Oman.
The meeting was attended by Salim bin Ali
al Kaabi, Deputy Chairman of Majlis Ash’shura,
Abdullah bin Khalifa al Mejali, Deputy Chairman
of Majlis Ash’shura, Hamoudah bin Mohammed al
Harsosi, Head of the Omani-Saudi Parliamentary
Friendship Group, members of Majlis Ash’shura
Office and Shaikh Ali bin Nasser al Mahrouqi,
Secretary General of Majlis Ash’shura.
— ONA
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
OMAN
PARATROOPERS HONOURED FOR BRINGING GLORY TO OMAN
Minister Responsible for
Defence Affairs, Sayyid
Badr bin Saud al Busaidy
honoured on Sunday the
National Parachute Team
at the at Bait Al Falaj Camp
for the excellent results the
team achieved at the
World Military Parachuting
Championship (CISM)
2014 and the Asean
Parachuting Championship
which were held in
Indonesia last year.
omandailyobserver
Al Dhahirah Governorate wins
HM Cup for School Hygiene
IBRI: The Ministry of Education celebrated at Ibri College of
Applied Science on Sunday the presentation of His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos’ Cup for School Hygiene to Al Dhahirah
Educational Governorate and honouring the distinguished
personnel, governorates and schools that won the competition
for the academic year 2013/2014.
Shaikha Aisha bint Khalfan al Siyabiyah, Chairperson of
the Public Authority of Craft Industries (PACI) patronised
over the presentation ceremony of His Majesty the Sultan’s
Cup in the presence of Dr Madiha bint Ahmed al Shibaniyah,
Minister of Education and a number officials in the
governorate.
The ceremony included a recitation of national poems, a
presentation on the objectives of the competition, in addition
to a student’s operetta.
At the end of the ceremony, Shaikha al Siyabiyah presented
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’ Cup for School Hygiene to Al
Dhahirah Educational Governorate while the second place
went to South Al Batinah Educational Governorate, the third
place to Al Dakhiliyah Educational Governorate, in addition
to honouring the distinguished personnel, governorates and
schools across the Sultanate. — ONA
CBO assets touch RO 7.2 bn by Jan end
MUSCAT: The total assets of the
Central Bank of Oman (CBO) rose to
a record RO 7.2 billion at the end of
January this year, while total foreign
assets amounted to RO 6.8 million,
according to statistics issued by the
National Centre for Statistics and
Information (NCSI).
Total assets recorded RO 7.1 at the
end of the first half of 2014, up from RO
It is known that foreign assets owned
6.3 billion recorded in the previous year, by CBO include gold, silver, balances
at foreign banks, foreign equities, the
an increase of 12.4 per cent.
Sultanate’s share at the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as other
assets.
The statistics showed that the total
assets of local commercial banks have
reached RO 24.827 billion at the end of
January this year while the total foreign
assets at commercial banks reached RO
2.8 billion.
Total loans given by commercial
banks rose to RO 16.9 billion while
deposits rose to RO 17.3 billion.
3
Dignitaries at the award distribution ceremony on Sunday. — ONA
4
OMAN
omandailyobserver
Historic landing of solar
plane in Muscat today
FROM PAGE 1
From there, it will make 12 stops on
an epic journey spread over five months,
with a total flight time of around 25 days.
The longest single leg will see a lone
pilot fly non-stop for five days across the
Pacific Ocean between Nanjing, China
and Hawaii, a distance of 8,500 km.
All this will happen without burning a
drop of fuel.
“We want to share our vision of a clean
future,” said Piccard, Chairman of Solar
Impulse.
“Climate change is a fantastic
opportunity to bring in the market new
green technologies that save energy, save
natural resources of our planet, make
profit, create jobs, and sustain growth,”
Piccard said.
The pilots’ idea was ridiculed by
the aviation industry when it was first
unveiled.
But Piccard, who hails from a family
of scientist-adventurers and was the first
person, in 1999, to circumnavigate the
globe in a hot air balloon, clung to his
belief that clean technology and renewable
energy “can achieve the impossible”.
Thanks to an innovative design, the
lightweight carbon fibre aircraft weighs
only 2.3 tonnes, about the same as a
family 4X4 and less than one per cent of
the weight of the A380.
Si2 is the first solar-powered aircraft
able to stay aloft for several days and
nights.
The propellor craft has four 17.5
horsepower electric motors with
rechargeable lithium batteries. It will
travel at 50-100 km per hour, with the
slower speeds at night to prevent the
batteries from draining too quickly.
Its progress can be monitored via live
video streaming at www.solarimpulse.
com.
(With inputs from agencies)
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
People urged to take precaution
as dust storm, haze to continue
AIR QUALITY: The DGMAN has forecast dusty weather with low visibility over most of
the Sultanate with chances of dust over deserts, open areas and along the Oman Sea
Photo by Khalfan al Ruzaiki
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
March 8: The dust storms that
have been engulfing parts of the
Sultanate for the last three days will
ease substantially but some parts of
the country will still witness dusty
conditions and remain partially
cloudy till Tuesday, according to the
Directorate-General of Meteorology
and Air Navigation (DGMAN).
The Muscat International Airport
functioned normally on Sunday with
flights landing and taking off on
schedule as the weather was fair over
the runway throughout the day with
good visibility. The ATC (Air Traffic
Control) recorded clear sky while
the average wind speed was less than
12kt.
Experts, however, have urged the
people to take precautions against airborne diseases that are likely to hit the
country. The DGMAN has requested
people to observe certain precautions
in order to keep communicable
diseases away as most parts of the
country are hit by the dust storm.
“People should, first of all, avoid
going out mostly in the evenings with
your children unless there is necessity
and while they are out they should
keep their nose and mouth covered
with wet tissue and wear protective
sun glasses”, a source at the DGMAN
told the Observer.
“Additionally, while at home,
people must keep their windows
tightly closed and air purification
devices need to be used to keep the air
clean and hygienic. They must make
sure doors and windows are properly
locked and foolproof as these minute,
suspended particles of dust can enter
the house through small cracks in
them.”
Sultanate observes
Women’s Day
Omani women in decision-making roles. — ONA
MUSCAT: The Sultanate,
along with other countries
of the world, observed the
International
Women’s
Day (IWD), which is
celebrated on March 8
every year. The Ministry
of Social Development is
keen to activate the role of
women in society and to
highlight gender equality.
The
International
Women’s Day is an
opportunity to showcase
the
achievements
and
developments accomplished
by women. The Omani
women have accomplished
considerably in the political,
social, developmental and
other fields under the care of
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
Omani legislations have
empowered women with all
their rights. This has helped
them to play an important
role in the development,
alongside
men,
and
strengthened their national
role in various fields.
Last year on Omani
Women’s Day, the ministry
organised the 4th Youth
Dialogue Forum under the
theme “Omani Women’s
Associations and their Role
in Building Youth Capacity”
on October 15 and 16, 2014.
The forum targeted 60
youth members to discuss
a number of themes on
women, including the Omani
identity, family cohesion, the
child law and volunteer work,
in addition to honouring a
number of Omani Women’s
Associations,
winners
of the contest to assess
associations on October 16,
2014. — ONA
“Children need to be taken to the
nearest medical facility if they show
any signs of flu or cough or both.
When you suspect prevalence of such
communicable disease in your house,
take good rest, have plenty of liquids
and take the patient to the nearby
clinic or healthcare facility at the
earliest. If the patient shows symptoms
of severe fever and is prevalent even
after taking paracetamol, and if the
child refuses to have food or shows
breathlessness, consider it as a red
alert or alarm sign and depend upon
the medical advice,” he said. “Those
who are behind wheels need to keep
their speed under control depending
upon the visibility especially when
the winds are severe and heavy,” he
added.
The DGMAN has forecast dusty
weather with low visibility over
most of the Sultanate with chances
of dust over deserts and open areas
and along the Oman Sea. Wind will
be northeasterly light to moderate
during day becoming light variable
at night while it will be southeasterly
light to moderate occasionally fresh
over rest of the Sultanate.
The waves will be moderate to
rough along Arabian Sea coasts with
maximum wave height of 2.5 metres
and slight along the rest of the coasts
with maximum wave height of 1.25
metres.
These days, visibility will be
poor to moderate over most of the
Sultanate with chances of gradual
improvement in visibility.
Additionally, the DGMAN said
that there will be chances of late night
to early morning low level clouds or
fog patches along the Governorate
of South Al Sharqiyah, Al Wusta and
Dhofar.
OMAN
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
5
Mundipharma says Seminar on OABC, SQU partnership held
Betadine effective in
checking Ebola virus
MUSCAT:
The Omani-American
Business Council (OABC) on Sunday
organised a seminar on the partnership
between the council and the Sultan
Qaboos University (SQU). The seminar
designed to enhance the professional
Dr Ashraf Allam, Regional Vice President for Mundipharma
Middle East and Africa region; Prof Dr Maren Eggers,
virologist responsible for the investigations.
DUBAI:
Mundipharma
confirmed successful results
from the testing of Betadine
against the Ebola virus during
the Dubai International
Pharmaceuticals
and
Technologies
Conference
(DUPHAT). The testing
was conducted at Marburg
University, Germany, in
response to contain the
current outbreak of Ebola in
West Africa.
Betadine
formulations
were tested against the Ebola
virus, showing an excellent
virucidal efficacy as well
as fast virucidal activity. In
fact, Betadine was shown to
have a substantial potential
to fight the outbreak and in
minimising the risk of human
to human transmission.
Based on statistics from
the Center of Disease Control
and Prevention, Ebola deaths
in West Africa have exceeded
the 9,000 mark. Practitioners
across the world are
cautioned to look out for
symptoms of the virus to stop
it from spreading. The Ebola
virus is particularly lethal
and doctors are required
to follow guidelines on
how to deal with suspected
cases. According to the
WHO, hand hygiene is the
most important infection
prevention and control
measure as the skin is a
routine source of infection
transmission.
Betadine products are
used for skin disinfection and
surgical skin preparations
globally for more than 45
years and are known to
have a broad antimicrobial
efficacy. The range includes
products such as Betadine
Antiseptic
Solution,
Betadine Skin Cleanser and
Betadine Surgical Scrub,
for skin disinfection and
hand hygiene in hospitals
and healthcare institutions
in the prevention of various
hospital and community
acquired infections.
Mundipharma recently
announced an initiative
to support the control of
Ebola, donating supplies
of Betadine, sufficient for
more than two million
hand washes in the Ebola
treatment centers of West
Africa.
Raman Singh, President,
Mundipharma Asia Pacific,
Latin America, Middle East,
and Africa, said: “The Ebola
virus is a global and lethal
threat to our population
and it will take a massive
international effort to stem
the tide of this disease.
Mundipharma is proud to
be able to support efforts
to curb these epidemics,
demonstrating the breadth
and efficacy of our products
and in helping to inform and
educate those at risk.”
capabilities of the students and
preparation for organising the 16th
SQU Career & Training Opportunities
Fair 2015, which will begin its activities
on Tuesday.
Sarah Jackson, Regional Director of
AMIDEAST Oman, member of OABC
explained that Omanisation policy
focuses on young people because they
represent the vast majority of the Omani
society who looks for the best ways to
highlight their abilities.
— ONA
6
OMAN
omandailyobserver
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
CONSENSUS APPROACH: The meet to address topics including ethics of womb transplant, embryonic and stem cell research
International bioethics meet gets under way at SQU
MUSCAT: The First International
Bioethics Conference, organised by the
Oman National Bioethics Committee,
in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos
University, the Research Council (TRC),
and Unesco, commenced on Sunday
at SQU under the patronage of Shaikh
Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili,
Minister of Justice. The conference
is designed to offer a platform for
exchange of information and knowledge
about bioethics and for networking.
The three-day conference
will
address various topics related to
bioethics including ethical perspective
of womb transplant, embryonic and
stem cell research; present challenges
facing Islamic bioethics and its future
perspectives; end of life and related
issues; challenges of premarital medical
examination; and, Islamic jurisprudence
ruling related to Ebola outbreak.
The conference will also discuss
challenges faced by the National
Bioethics Committee in establishing
rules and drawing up legislation in the
Sultanate.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ali bin
Saud al Bimani, the Vice-Chancellor
of SQU, and Chairman of the National
Bioethics Committee, Oman, said that
Mohammed Ali Al Bar
developments in science and technology
have made profound changes in
biomedical research as well as healthcare
that have contributed positively to
humankind.
“However, the emerging advances
in medical and healthcare, science and
technology have created new challenges
for health workers and biomedical
researchers. The conference will
promote the exchange of knowledge and
experience, training opportunities and
research activities among regional and
international bioethics professionals”, he
added.
Prof Stefano Semplici, Chairperson
GCC traffic awareness
week begins in Oman
MUSCAT: Activities of the 31st edition
of the GCC Traffic Week, themed
“Your Decision Determines Your Fate,”
kicked off on Sunday. The event aims at
spreading traffic awareness among road
users and make them abide by traffic
rules.
Nasser bin Khamis al Ghashmi,
Under-Secretary of the Ministry of
Finance, opened the traffic exhibition,
which is organised by the DirectorateGeneral of Traffic at the Royal Oman
Police (ROP) at Muscat City Centre
in Seeb, in cooperation with some
government and private institutions.
The exhibition includes a number
of corners; each corner is represented
by one department of the DirectorateGeneral of Traffic, such as Radar
Department, Traffic Engineering, IT,
Public Relations and Traffic Accidents,
in addition to the Public Authority
for Civil Defence and Ambulance and
Directorate-General of Scouts and
Guides.
— ONA
of the Bureau of the International
Bioethics Committee, said that though
bioethics is obviously about science, it
encompasses several dimensions which
provide human life with its fundamental
goals and meaning. “We deal with
crucial aspects and opportunities of
the unprecedented pace of scientific
development. At the same time we
consider them not only through
technical perspectives, but also as a
challenge for our values, lifestyles, the
values of our traditions and the universal
normative framework of human rights.
This is where the specific roles of ethics,
together with education and culture,
comes into consideration”, he observed.
Congratulating
the
conference
organisers, Prof Semplici said: “By
deciding to bring together experts from
different regions and cultures of the
world, the Oman National Committee
of Bioethics offers a striking example of
how to develop bioethics at the global
level”.
Dr Mohammed Ali Al Bar from
International Medical Centre, Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia, spoke on behalf of the
conference participants. He said that the
second half of 20th century witnessed
rapid development in medical research
and healthcare which has tremendously
changed the medical profession itself.
“The patient has been called the client
and the doctor has been called health
provider. The market idea and business
can invade the health profession
in a large scale. These factors have
contributed to an upsurge of legislations
and juristic implications in biology and
medical science research and practice,
which pertains to genetic diseases and
stem cell research, organ transplantation,
cosmetic surgery, abortion, brain death
and other issues,” he said.
Shaikh Dr Kahlan bin Nabhan al
Kharusi, Assistant Grand Mufti of the
Sultanate, and international experts
in bioethics, including Prof Abdallah
Daar, will deliver keynote speeches at
the conference. Around 60 people from
Oman and abroad, including Islamic
scholars, scientists and physicians
specialised in this field, are attending the
conference.
Start-up training course in all colleges soon
HASAN KAMOONPURI
MUSCAT
March 8: The SME Development Fund
(SMEDF), which raised RO 10 million as
call money of the first tranche of RO 20
million last year, is now all set to deploy
the fund to support start-up ventures of
students in colleges across the country.
Entrepreneurship Club of Waljat
College of Applied Sciences (WCAS)
is in the final stage of collaboration
with the SMEDF for providing handson experience to its students, Dr
Ganesh Mishra, Academic Adviser,
WCAS Entrepreneurship Club, told
the Observer. Similarly, the Fund will
sign a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with almost all the colleges in
the Sultanate. The primary objective of
the SMEDF, targeted at the Sultanate’s
growing SME sector, is to increase investor
value by profitably financing SMEs,
whilst promoting entrepreneurship and
sustainable SME development.
The Fund has a four-point plan —
visiting the colleges, nurturing SMEs,
funding and legitimising. According
to experts, the SME Development
Fund aims at creating 7,500 SME units,
generating 50,000 jobs and would
contribute RO 100 million to the GDP
annually in the tenth year of its existence.
Students in a college’s entreprenureship class
The Fund will utilise its capital,
commercial debt and preferential loans
to achieve this objective and will train
entrepreneurs and provide various
business support services, thereby
improving SME performance and
reducing their credit risk, which in turn
would improve the overall financial
performance of the fund.
This collaboration would establish a
basis of cooperation and collaboration to
assist Waljat College in building capacity
to develop and run exciting, highimpact entrepreneurship programmes
on campus for students and budding
entrepreneurs.
By collaborating with SME Fund,
Waljat College would assume a critical
role in creating and supporting Oman’s
entrepreneurial
community.
Each
member of the SMEF community,
comprising all stakeholders, is responsible
for driving the changes on the ground
that will enable Oman’s entrepreneurial
growth to continue. Together, the
SMEDF, colleges and other stakeholders
will forge a dynamic ecosystem that
inspires, educates and supports Oman’s
high-potential entrepreneurs.
Besides training and other support
One of the principal and most profitable exports from Qalhat were thousands of horses every year to lndia
Ancient Qalhat served as major trade centre
SALALAH: Qalhat served as second
city of the then kingdom of Hormuz
and a very important trade centre that
controlled the maritime trade routes
towards southeast Asia, China, lndia,
Africa and the Persian Empire. Founded
in 1100 AD the Port of Qalhat was
visited by several famous merchants and
travellers, including the ltalian merchant
Marco Polo and also by lbn Battutah.
Sultan Saif Nasser al Bakri, Director
of Excavation and Archaeological
Studies at the Ministry of Heritage and
Culture, made these revelations during
a presentation titled ‘Archaeological
studies and tourism development at
Qalhat site’.
Commenting on the importance of
this ancient site, Al Bakri said: “Both
Marco Polo and lbn Battutah described
the ‘new mosque’ as magnificent and
praised its prosperity and the quality of
its construction. One of the principal
and most profitable exports from Qalhat
were horses that were shipped annually
by thousands to lndia.”
“lslamic navigator Ahmad bin Mazid
noted that ships can travel as many
as five times in one year from Qalhat
form of Chinese and Southeast Asian
to Makran and Gujarat indicating the the Arabian Sea. Qalhat was also a hub regions,” said Al Bakri.
intensive scale of trade exchanges across for commerce with more far distant
The historical remains, found in the artifacts, testify geographical extent
of Qalhat’s trade connections and its
prosperity. The decline of Qalhat in
favour of Muscat began in 1507 when it
was seized by the Portuguese fleet,
The Qalhat’s ruins, according to Al
Bakri, is spread over on a large area of
about 35 hectares north of the city of Sur
in Al Sharqiyah. The mausoleum of Bibi
Maryam’ siill stands as an important and
renowned landmark.
A number of archaeological
surveys, extensive excavations and
detailed architectural documentation
were done on Qalhat in 20th century
in collaboration with local and
international teams.
“Based on the results of studies,
the Ministry of Heritage and Culture
in cooperation with French National
Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
and Company Eveha for Archaeological
and Heritage Solutions started a fiveyear research plan to further develop the
scientific and touristic potentials of this
important site.
Moreover, the ministry has also
started a collaboration with the
World Monuments Fund to restore all
excavated monuments and to eventually
create an open air archaeological park at
Qalhat,” Al Bakri said citing his study.
services, the SMEDF will also provide
scholarships to selected students in each
college, Prof D S L Gupta, Dean, WCAS,
told the Observer.
Experts and students in most colleges
have lauded the Fund’s initiative and
eagerly look forward to its early and
expeditious implementation in coming
months.
They say two years after the exclusive
SME development symposium at Saih
Al Shamikhat in Bahla in January 2013
as a response to the Royal Directives of
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, SMEs are
deservedly back in the spotlight.
PAEW to host
meet on GCC
water strategy
MUSCAT: The Public Authority for
Electricity and Water (PAEW) will
host a seminar on the GCC Unified
Water Strategy and Executive Plan, on
Monday at Radisson Blu, Muscat.
The seminar will introduce GCC’s
unified strategy, which aims at meeting
the growth in demand for water.
The GCC Secretariat-General
implemented a project that aims at
drafting a unified strategy for the GCC
water sector.
The project highlights the
scope of work of the strategy, the
implementation
methods,
the
timetable, term and organisational
chart.
The GCC Unified Water Strategy
and Executive Plan is one of the major
joint GCC projects that come in a bid
to address the lack of water resources.
The seminar also aims at developing
a comprehensive and unified strategy
to enhance the efficiency of water
resources management at the GCC
countries and developing water
strategy that creates economic benefits
through the use of water surplus in
construction and industrial growth
without any additional cost to the
current water desalination cost.
— ONA
BANGLADESHIS CELEBRATE HOLI
Bangladeshi youth throw coloured
powders during Holi celebrations
at the Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka
University on Sunday. The Holi
festival is celebrated to mark the
onset of spring, with people from
all walks of life coming out on the
streets and applying coloured
powder to anyone and everyone
upon the advent of spring.
A SAFER, SECURE WORLD FOR WOMEN
Girls, in traditional attire,
take part in a function
organised to mark
International Women’s Day
at Maiti Nepal in Kathmandu
on Sunday. Maiti Nepal is
an organisation that aims
to protect Nepali girls and
women from exploitation
and abuse. — Reuters
2 killed in Afghan prison riots
MAZAR-I-SHARIF:
Rioting
prison
inmates in northern Afghanistan killed
two policemen and set another on fire after
taking them hostage on Sunday, in a dramatic
episode that left 20 others wounded before
they attempted to escape, officials said.
The inmates attacked the police as
they were conducting a search for knives,
cellphones and other contraband in a
prison in Shibirghan, the capital of Jawzjan,
provincial police chief Faqir Mohammad
Jawzjani said.
“They burned the third officer alive. He
was taken to the hospital with around 75 per
cent of burns on his body and is in a very
critical condition,” Jawzjani said, adding that
five officers were wounded trying to rescue
— AFP
their colleagues.
M O N DAY l M A R C H 9 l 2 0 1 5
7
ASIA
Kathmandu airport opens again
FLYING AGAIN: By Sunday morning over 30
international flights landed at Tribhuvan Airport
The Turkish plane which skidded off the tarmac at
Kathmandu’s international airport a few days ago being
loaded onto a truck on Saturday.
— AFP
KATHMANDU: Four days after the Turkish Airlines A330
skidded off the runway and a 84-hour hiatus, the Tribhuvan
International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s only international
airport resumed normal operations on Saturday evening.
Thousands of people were left stranded as all international
flights in and out of the country were suspended.
Over 30 international flights have landed as of Sunday
morning after the airport resumed services, the flight
authorities said, adding that they would continue roundthe-clock service for five more days to clear all the halted
services.
The Nepal Airlines Airbus A320 was the first flight to be
cleared for takeoff on its Kathmandu-Delhi route. The plane
left for Delhi at 10.22 pm. The TIA authority issued an allclear an hour after the Turkish aircraft was finally towed
away to the domestic parking area at 7.30 pm on Saturday.
The rescue team toiled for more than 50 hours to move
it from the runway, according to Birendra Kumar Shrestha,
TIA General Manager.
“After checking all necessary systems, we issued flying
permission to the airmen,” he said.
The airport authority said that around 1,000 people were
deployed to retrieve the disabled plane.
An estimated 50,000 travellers were stranded at
Kathmandu airport since Wednesday.
— IANS
Tibetans groups
warned against
protests in Nepal
KATHMANDU: Nepalese
authorities have warned
Tibetan groups against
holding protests to mark
this week’s anniversary of
the 1959 rebellion against
China’s rule in Tibet, an
official said on Sunday.
Extra security will
also be deployed on the
capital’s streets to shut
down any protests on
Tuesday for the 56th
anniversary of the failed
uprising,
Kathmandu’s
chief district officer Ek
Narayan Aryal said. “We
have told them (Tibetan
groups) that such activities
will not be allowed,” Aryal
said. “It is against Nepal’s
commitment to (the) oneChina policy.”
Nepal, home to around
20,000 Tibetans, is under
pressure from China over
the exiles, and has said it
will not tolerate what it calls
“anti-China activities”.
Karma Dawa, manager
of Kathmandu’s Tibetan
Refugee
Centre,
said
it was not planning any
protests at this stage given
the security crackdown in
recent years.
“Security is tighter...
right now we are only
planning a prayer service
for our martyrs in the
morning,” Dawa said.
Some nine Tibetans were
arrested last year near the
Chinese consular offices
in Kathmandu during
the run-up to the March
10 anniversary of the
failed uprising that led
Tibetan spiritual leader the
Dalai Lama to flee his
homeland.
In 2013, a Buddhist
monk in Kathmandu set
himself on fire in the lead
up to the anniversary over
perceived
persecution
of ethnic Tibetans in
China.
— AFP
8
ANALYSIS
omandailyobserver
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
PAKISTAN WIDENS
NET FOR BIG FISH
P
akistan has begun chasing wealthy tax-dodgers who enjoy lives of extravagance
and luxury, but revenue officials face huge challenges in trying to force the very
richest — and most influential — to pay up.
Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio of 9.5 per cent is among the lowest in the world and
the government is under pressure from foreign donors and lenders, including the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), to increase collection to boost the struggling
economy. Revenue authorities say they have identified about a quarter of a million
new taxpayers who they project will add around Rs 14 billion ($140 million) to
government coffers.
Broadening the tax base and improving the economy after years of drift
and sluggish growth under the last government was a key pledge in Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s 2013 election campaign, when he was swept to power for
a third time.
Currently less than one per cent of Pakistanis pay income tax and the
government collected just $8 billion in total income tax in the 2013-14 fiscal year
— barely enough to cover just the country’s defence expenditure of $7 billion.
The finance ministry is aiming to boost the tax-to-GDP ratio to 15 per cent
in the current fiscal year ending on June 30. As part of those efforts, the Federal
Bureau of Revenue (FBR) is compiling lifestyle and vehicle data to try to trace
unregistered taxpayers, including wealthy landlords and businessmen zipping
between their luxury homes in imported Mercedes.
“We are collecting information from the vehicle registration authority, car
manufacturers, utility companies, telecom companies and property registration
offices and tracing people who are not paying
any tax,” FBR spokesman Shahid Hussain said.
The FBR has taken
The data is used to generate profiles of
potential taxpayers, after which demands are punitive measures
issued for them to pay income tax.
against some chronic
“FBR has already issued notices to 261,250
defaulters, freezing
potential tax payers,” Hussain said, adding that
new taxpayers have paid Rs 570 million since nearly 300 accounts,
the crackdown started.
seizing more than
It is not just dodgy businessmen who have
100 vehicles, putting
been caught — several lawmakers have been
found paying either no tax or very little and not 78 properties up
filing their mandatory annual tax statements.
for sale, reports
The FBR has taken punitive measures
MASROOR GILANI
against some “chronic defaulters”, freezing
nearly 300 bank accounts, seizing more than
100 vehicles, putting 78 properties up for sale
and issuing arrest warrants in 40 cases.
“Employing information technology, the FBR is creating a central database
which would contain information about all taxpayers and nobody will be left
undetected,” Hussain said.
A new FBR department tasked with broadening the task net started working in
July 2013 and within one year it started showing results, he added.
But Pakistan is a country where wealth and political influence go hand in hand.
For generations, landowners and industrialists have given patronage to
political parties and scant attention has been paid to their assets by the taxman.
Changing this privileged arrangement is a tricky proposition.
Umar Cheema, an investigative journalist for Pakistani daily The News who
has done several major exposes on tax-dodgers, says the FBR’s commitment is
encouraging, but he does not expect them to net any big fish.
“FBR is after those who can’t influence them,” Cheema said, citing several wellknown tycoons considered among Pakistan’s richest whose names were missing
from a list of the country’s top 100 taxpayers.
“It can be done only by waging a war against tax cheaters without discrimination
of good and bad cheaters,” Cheema said.
Pakistan’s central bank said in a recent report that tax revenue growth was not
keeping up with budget targets.
The tax take grew 11.7 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal
year, against an annual target of 26.9 per cent — but this was only half the
growth of the same period during the previous fiscal year, according to
the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The central bank has urged the government
to simplify tax procedures and do more to increase the documentation of the
economy.
A vast amount of business in Pakistan is done off the books, making
transactions hard to trace and levy dues on.
File photo of a policeman standing guard in front of a Chinese and a Japanese flag at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. — Reuters
China asserts regional clout
C
Oil and gas are crucial to Russia, which has suffered from
hina asserted its place on the global diplomatic stage
yesterday, pledging to steadfastly support Russia in the face the plunge in global crude prices, and Wang’s comments
of Western sanctions, scolding Japan, and making clear it suggest President Vladimir Putin — with whom Xi
has a strong personal relationship — can count on Beijing’s
sees the US as an equal.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking to reporters at support.
Wang stuck largely to Beijing’s script, reserving his
a packed annual press conference, staunchly defended
China’s national interests, while proclaiming that its rise is theatrics for traditional bete noire Japan, which received a
finger-wagging denunciation over what Beijing sees as its
no threat to the international order.
He stressed that Beijing would not abandon old friends recalcitrance over World War II history.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will only be
and allies such as Moscow, which is beleaguered under
sanctions and international opprobrium, and Pyongyang, welcome at commemorations Beijing plans for the 70th
in recent years more often than not a headache for China’s anniversary of the war’s end if he is “sincere” about history,
Wang said.
leaders rather than an asset.
China-Japan relations have plunged over issues
Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit the US,
including territorial disputes and Japan’s
the world’s only superpower, later this
19th- and 20th-century invasions, while
year and Wang emphasised that the two
Beijing says will
China’s Communist Party regularly
countries are equals that must work to
not abandon old
stokes nationalism as part of its claim to
overcome tensions.
a right to rule.
The two presidents were expected
friends and allies
Abe is a nationalist who feels Japan has
to “inject new momentum into efforts
such as Moscow,
apologised enough and that after seven
to build a new model of major country
which is beleaguered decades of peace has earned a right to be
relations between China and the United
more assertive of its interests, including
States”, Wang said, using Beijing’s
under sanctions,
defence and sovereignty, as well as how it
favoured description of their ties,
writes KELLY OLSEN
sees its own history.
suggesting they are on the same footing.
“This issue has been haunting the
“China and the United States are two
China-Japan relationship,” Wang said,
large countries,” he added. “It’s impossible
pointing his index finger in the air and referring to the
for there not to be any disagreements between us.”
Wang vowed to deepen economic and diplomatic conflict, in which China says more than 20 million of its
cooperation with Russia, even as it faces Western sanctions citizens died.
“Those in power in Japan should first ask themselves,
over the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Ukraine.
Beijing and Moscow have regularly used their veto what they have done on this score,” he said.
He was also defiant over Beijing’s interests in the South
power on the UN Security Council to thwart Western
initiatives such as on Syria’s civil war, and Wang said they China Sea, almost of all which it regards as its territory
would “continue to carry out strategic coordination and amid disputes with Southeast Asian countries.
Asked about reports Beijing was reclaiming land
cooperation to maintain international peace and security”.
Sino-Russian relations were based on “mutual need”, he in the area, he said China was “carrying out necessary
said, and they would work to increase trade to an annual construction on its own islands and reefs”.
“We have every right to do things that are lawful and
$100 billion a year while intensifying cooperation in sectors
justified,” he added.
including finance and energy.
Spain should stop austerity to halt the rise of far-right
E
urope must stop its austerity policies or
watch far-right movements continue to
grow and pose a real danger to democracy,
said Pablo Iglesias, leader of Spain’s
Podemos party that like Greece’s Syriza
aims to offer a leftist alternative.
In an interview, the 36-year-old whose
Podemos (‘We Can’) party is leading
some election polls, also said any coalition
between Spain’s centre-right and centreleft would only prolong what he called the
country’s economic disaster.
Spain is emerging from a seven-year
economic slump as one of the euro zone’s
fastest growing nations. But the exit from
recession has yet to ease the hardship for
millions of households and nearly one in
four of the workforce is still out of a job.
A weariness with austerity has made
voters across Europe susceptible to the
rhetoric of anti-immigrant right-wing
parties that are playing to their discontent
with suggestions that the European Union
has let them down.
While the far-right has made little
ground in Spain — public unhappiness has
translated instead into anti-capitalist and
anti-establishment movements — Iglesias
said he was concerned about the increased
attraction for some voters of movements
like Greece’s Golden Dawn and France’s
National Front.
“It is very important to accept the hand
outstretched by those like us who are proEuropean, those who defend the European
project,” said Iglesias, a university professor,
from his office overlooking the Square of
Spain in central Madrid.
Otherwise, he warned: “Perhaps
in one year’s time (France’s far-right
leader) Marine Le Pen will have a seat at
the Eurogroup. One should ask (German
Chancellor Angela) Merkel if she’d
rather sit down with Marine Le Pen or with
me.”
He said that while Podemos was cautious
of opinion polls that put the party ahead
of the ruling’s People’s Party (PP) and the
opposition Socialist Party, it is nonetheless
aiming to win an absolute majority in the
general election that is expected to take
place by the end of the year.
“I have the impression that if it doesn’t
happen there could be in this country a
grand coalition like those which have ruled
in so many other European countries,”
A weariness with austerity
has made voters across
Europe susceptible to the
rhetoric of anti-immigrant
right-wing parties that are
playing to their discontent,
notes JULIEN TOYER
Iglesias said.
“They would continue the policies that
have taken us to disaster.”
Spain’s one trillion-euro debt is nearly
100 per cent of GDP and interest payments
are becoming one of the biggest parts of the
country’s national budget.
Podemos has called for a restructuring
of the debt and while Iglesias acknowledged
this and other economic steps could
face resistance — Greece’s new Syriza
government is struggling to wrest control
of economic policy from international
creditors — he said the EU would have
to listen “seriously” to its fourth-biggest
economy.
“The austerity policies are taking us
closer to chaos and we can do things better
than what has been done,” he said.
Podemos, which produced a major
shock by winning five seats in elections
for the European Parliament in May last
year, plans to achieve economic growth
by boosting public spending and internal
demand. It has said in its election manifesto
it would reform the tax system to shift the
burden from labour to capital, hike tax rates
for the wealthiest and give tax inspectors
greater powers to fight tax evasion and
increase the government’s revenues.
The party came under fire for pledging to
default on the national debt and nationalise
the country’s main utilities.
Spanish Podemos Party leader Pablo Iglesias speaks during a press conference
with foreign journalist in Madrid, Spain, on February 13.
ANALYSIS
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
9
Employment rate in Britain reaches highest level
O
ANDY JALIL
Foreign Correspondent
[email protected]
n the back of economic recovery, job figures
in Britain have continued to soar reaching
their highest level since records began in 1971.
Employment stands at a record 31 million with
1,600 people finding work every day for the past
year according to official figures at the end of last
month. The figure comes after the jobless total
dropped to 1.8 million in the three months to last
December — down 500,000 in a year.
It has been a steady rise with the employment
rate — the percentage of people aged 16 to
24 in work – ticked up to 73.2 per cent. The
unemployment rate — the percentage of the labour
force not in work — fell to 5.7 per cent, compared
with six per cent three months ago and 7.2 per cent
a year ago. It puts unemployment at its lowest rate
since mid-2008.
Director-General of the Confederation of
British Industry, John Cridland, said: “The recovery
is now established and businesses are continuing
to create more full-time jobs.” Britain now has the
third lowest unemployment rate in the EU at 5.7
per cent, behind Austria and Germany, according
to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Work
and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said:
“The jobs-led recovery is changing people’s lives
for the better on a daily basis. We are getting people
into work, making work pay, and ensuring a better from mortgage interest rates,” according to IFS.
The recovery in living standards has been much
future for Britain.”
Incomes have finally recovered to pre-recession slower than after the last two major recessions,
levels, new research revealed. Projections from the with median income growing less than two per
Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggest average cent between 2011-12 and 2014-15.
A Treasury spokesperson talked up the
median household income in the year to April
government’s
economic
2015 (2014-15) is at around
policies: “The job is done
the same level it was in 2007and the impact of the great
08, before the recession.
Figures show strong
recession is still being felt, so we
The figures are adjusted for
demand for accountants, must
go on working through
changes in the price of goods
programmers,
the plan that is securing a
and services.
Despite the recovery to
engineers, or anything better economic future.”
the IFS downplayed the
pre-recession levels average
that generally requires But
role of politics, saying: “Real
income is still more than two
a degree — recruiters
household incomes continued
per cent below its 2009-10
peak. The IFS also reveals falls
have 26 per cent more to grow slowly during the
recession of 2008 and 2009, in
in income have been larger for
permanent vacancies
part due to temporary fiscal
higher-income households.
on their books.
stimulus measures.”
“This is mostly because real
It added: “Median income
earnings fell significantly
then fell by four per cent from
after the recession, while
initially social security benefits were broadly a peak in 2009-10 to a trough in 2011-12. It is
almost certain that incomes would have fallen
protected,” the IFS said.
But low-income households faced higher significantly under any government. It would
inflation. “Low-income households were hit harder therefore be misleading to attribute all trends in
by rising food and energy prices, and benefited less living standards before May 2010 to Labour, and
all trends since then to the coalition.”
New figures show that strong demand for
professional sector — which includes accountants,
programmers, engineers, or anything that generally
requires a degree — recruiters have 26 per cent more
permanent vacancies on their books than they did at
the same time last year, according to the Association
of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCO).
The biggest imbalance between supply and
demand is in engineering where permanent
vacancies are up 48 per cent on the year.
Engineering is followed by IT, finance and
accounting, and media and marketing, where
vacancies have climbed 27.16 and seven per cent
respectively. And with UK’s recovery picking up
speed, the country’s dominant services sector
continued its robust expansion and job creation
rose at a record pace. Increased confidence drove
a flurry of new business in the services sector, and
companies responded with a sharp increase in jobs.
Data released last week by job search engine
Adzuma reveals similar findings for the wider
labour market. The number of job openings was up
24 per cent on the year in January. The outstripping
of supply by demand is putting upward pressure
on pay, with salaries in engineering and finance
lifting by 10.6 and 7.6 per cent respectively.
THE MAJOR DRAW
N
igeria’s Boko Haram is the latest organisation to swear allegiance to the
IS group, demonstrating what analysts say is the network’s growing
ability to attract new backers.
Although its predecessor was active for several years following the
US-led invasion of Iraq, IS sprang to worldwide prominence in June last
year when it overran large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Several local groups quickly affiliated themselves, and IS has since
received pledges from outfits from as far afield as Algeria, Afghanistan
and Indonesia. But it is in Iraq and Syria — where IS still controls huge
portions of land — the group holds the most sway.
According to Pieter van Ostaeyen, an expert on the Middle East,
about eight million people live in territory controlled by IS in the
two countries. In Libya, where an IS affiliate recently killed 21 Egyptians
in videotaped execution-style murders, “the territory isn’t too large and
isn’t totally controlled by the groups,” he said.
Luay al Khatteeb, a researcher at the Brookings Institute, puts the
number of people in IS-controlled areas at “between six and seven
million”.
From that, the groups have more than enough possible recruits to
maintain “a powerful and numerous armed force,” Khatteeb added.
IS’s strict controls on information from its territories make it virtually
impossible to evaluate the number of fighters it has at its disposal, and
estimates vary greatly.
Van Ostaeyen put the number at 60,000-70,000 — the vast majority
in Iraq and Syria — and about 1,500-2,000 in Libya. The Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, estimates IS
has as many as 45,000 fighters in Syria alone.
Dalia Ghanem-Yazbeck, an analyst from the Carnegie Middle East
Center, believes the true size of IS fighting force to be far smaller than
most reports suggest.
“If they have 25,000 in total, that’s the maximum,” she said, adding
that reporting inflated fighter figures amounted to “advertising” for IS.
It is no less challenging to work out how much money IS has, or
where its funding comes from. The group seized several oil fields when
it swarmed across Iraq and Syria last year, and revenue from the crude
trade is a key pillar of its income. The US Treasury estimated in October
that IS makes as much as $1 million per day from oil sales, even if some
analysts dispute this figure.
Khatteeb said the group produces “a maximum of 50,000-60,000
barrels a day,” not enough to satisfy demand for the population
under its yoke.
Catherine Gang, whose husband Li Zhi was onboard the missing flight MH370, during a gathering in Beijing yesterday. — Reuters
Tears for MH370 victims as mystery persists
E
motional families marked the first
anniversary of the disappearance of flight
MH370 yesterday as a new report said the
battery on its black box locator beacon had
expired, but shed no new light on the cause
of the disaster.
Prime Minister Najib Razak said his
nation remained committed to the search
for the Malaysia Airlines jet, believed to have
crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, and
was hopeful it would be found.
Next of kin, many of whom have
criticised Malaysia’s handling of the disaster,
held ceremonies in Kuala Lumpur and
Beijing to remember the missing and urge
authorities to never abandon the expensive
and arduous search.
“The only answer I want is where is the
plane, then only will we know,” said Jacquita
Gonzales, wife of the flight’s cabin crew
supervisor Patrick Gomes.
“The whole world has heard what he
(Najib) has said, so they can’t go back on
their word.”
A report by an international investigative
team released yesterday raised no red flags
relating to the crew or the aircraft’s condition
to indicate any cause for the disappearance.
But it said the 30-day battery powering
the underwater locator beacon on the flight
data recorder was due to expire in December
2012. Although the battery on the plane’s
cockpit voice recorder was up-to-date, this
could have contributed to the failure to find
the plane, said Gerry Soejatman, a Jakartabased aviation consultant.
“My major worry is that (search vessels)
may have gone over the aircraft but not heard
the pings because of this,” said Soejatman,
who added that the report otherwise largely
restated what is already known about
MH370.
A year-long hunt in the deep ocean far
off Australia’s west coast, where satellite data
indicate the Boeing 777 crashed, has yielded
nothing yet.
“Together with our international
partners, we have followed the little evidence
that exists,” Najib said in a statement.
“Malaysia remains committed to the search,
and hopeful that MH370 will be found.”
The plane inexplicably veered from
its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route on March
8 of last year with 239 passengers and crew
aboard.
Relatives and friends of the missing
held an emotional public remembrance in
Kuala Lumpur that included prayers and
live video links with other next of kin around
the world.
A temporary wall erected for the
occasion contained scrawled messages such
as “Never give up hope” and “I miss you so
much brother and sister, please come back.”
“My mother was on MH370. It has been
a year so far. It has been a most painful
year for many of us, a never-ending battle,”
said Grace Subathirai. “My mother was my
world, everything to me,” she added, her
voice breaking.
In Beijing, relatives who have bitterly
criticised Malaysia’s national carrier and
government for their handling of the crisis,
held a small protest near the Malaysian
Embassy to mark the anniversary.
A report by an international
investigative team released
yesterday raised no red flags
relating to the crew or the
aircraft’s condition to indicate
any cause for disappearance,
reports DAN MARTIN
Under a heavy police presence that
blocked off the embassy, they shouted
slogans including “Fight to the end” and
“Malaysian government — apologise to us!”
Earlier yesterday, the relatives visited the
Lama Temple, a popular Tibetan Buddhist
place of worship and tourist site, to discreetly
pay their personal respects.
China’s ruling Communist Party
commonly clamps down on organised
gatherings or collective expressions of anger
as it seeks to enforce stability.
Some families still hope their loved ones
are alive, clinging to conspiracy theories of a
hijack or kidnapping.
Yesterday’s report said investigators
had probed a range of issues including
the jet’s captain and co-pilot’s personal,
psychological, and financial profiles, and the
backgrounds of the 10 cabin crew.
But although some suspicion had
fallen on the cockpit crew of pilot Zaharie
Ahmad Shah and his co-pilot Fariq Abdul
Hamid, the report mentioned no evidence
suggesting their involvement.
It also said that according to available
data and maintenance records, nothing
alarming was detected in the plane’s major
mechanical systems.
It noted that as investigators still lack any
trace of the jet the investigation remained a
work in progress.
Some next of kin who examined the
report rejected its findings.
“It’s nonsensical ass-shielding,” said
Sarah Bajc, whose partner Philip Wood was
on board.
She ridiculed the report for saying
investigators had interviewed 120 people.
“That’s less than our tiny underfunded
private investigation has done,” she said,
referring to an ongoing private probe
launched by a group of next of kin.
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omandailyobserver
INDIA
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
18 held after mob lynches abuse suspect
HEIGHTENED TENSIONS: Hundreds of riot police have been patrolling the streets of Dimapur since the incident
NEW DELHI: Police charged 18 people
on Sunday after a frenzied mob stormed
a prison and lynched a abuse suspect in
northeast, in an act of vigilante justice
condemned by rights groups and
political leaders.
Police arrested the men for rioting in
Nagaland state, but it was unclear if they
were directly involved in stripping and
beating to death Syed Farid Khan, whose
body was then strung up to a clock tower
on Thursday.
Tensions had been rising in Dimapur
city ahead of the incident after Bengalispeaking Khan was arrested on February
24 for allegedly abusing a 19-year-old
tribal woman multiple times.
“So far we have arrested 18 people
for rioting and unlawful assembly,”
Inspector General of Police, Wabang
Jamir, said.
“We are now verifying if besides
being part of the mob they were also
directly involved in the lynching,” Jamir
said by phone from Dimapur, 1,660
kilometres east of New Delhi.
“We have already identified many
more people (for arrest) from videos
and photos (of the incident on social
media),” he added.
Hundreds of riot police have been
patrolling the streets of Dimapur district
since the incident amid heightened
tensions.
Jamir said mobile phone and internet
Protesters in Tinsukia demonstrate against the mob killing of a man accused of abuse in neighbouring Nagaland.
restrictions remained in place but a
round-the-clock curfew would be
partially lifted.
The lynching comes as India is in
the midst of a raging controversy over a
government order to ban the broadcast
of a documentary about the December
2012 fatal gang-abuse of a young student
in New Delhi.
India has seen an outpouring of
anger over frightening levels of violence
against women since the 2012 attack,
which sparked shock both within India
and around the world.
But the lynching is also linked to
ethnic tensions in Nagaland, whose
indigenous tribal groups have for years
accused growing numbers of Muslim
Yechury takes jibe at Modi
for mocking CPM
KOLKATA: CPM leader Sitaram
Yechury on Sunday took a dig at Prime
Minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s
defeat in the recent Delhi assembly polls
and the government’s failure to secure
passage for the motion of thanks to the
president for his address to parliament
without amendments.
Addressing a CPM-convened rally
at the Brigade Parade Ground here,
Yechuri, a CPM politburo member, also
admitted that the party has learnt from
its mistakes.
“Modiji used to mock at the
opposition, saying it was so small that
all the members would fit into a bus to
come to parliament.
“But after the Delhi elections, it’s the
BJP whose condition is pitiable. With
just three members, an auto-rickshaw is
sufficient to carry them,” said Yechury.
“Even last week in parliament he
mocked about the demise of the Red flag
(CPM’s party flag). Ironically, that day
Modiji suffered his biggest defeat when
an amendment to the Motion of Thanks
Accusing the BJP and RSS of
stoking communal hatred
in the country, the veteran
Marxist leader said only the
Left parties in the country
could stop these communal
and neo-liberal forces
to the President’s address, brought by us,
was passed in the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Taking a jibe at Modi’s Achhe din
aane wale hain’ (good days are to come)
poll slogan, Yechury quoted from
popular song of Kishore Kumar’s to say
that the people of the country were now
instead singing Koi lauta de mere beetey
hue din (someone please return my
good old days).
“The good days are only for the
capitalists and the corporates. From
ghar wapasi (home coming), Modiji is
talking about dhan wapasi (return of
money) but we haven’t seen a single step
by this government to bring back the
black money,” he added.
Accusing the BJP and the Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) of stoking
communal hatred in the country, the
veteran Marxist said only the Left
parties in the country could stop these
communal and neo-liberal forces.
“I wish Modiji could come here to see
the 12 lakh people that have assembled
here. Hopefully, he is watching it on TV
and getting the message that people here
are giving.
“This mammoth rally is an answer to
those who say the Left is dead,” Yechury
asserted, as he called upon the people to
strengthen the party in West Bengal.
Sounding the clarion call for the
forthcoming municipal polls and the
2016 assembly elections in West Bengal,
Yechury urged the people to strengthen
the CPM in the state.
“We had made mistakes and the
people have taught us the lesson.
We have learnt from mistakes and
will not repeat them.
— IANS
— AFP
migrants from neighbouring Assam and
Bangladesh of settling on their land and
eating into resources.
Several
thousand
people
overpowered security at the Dimapur
Central Prison on Thursday searching
for abuse suspect Khan, whom
Nagaland’s government initially said was
a Bangladeshi immigrant.
Khan, who is from Assam, was
stripped and paraded on the streets
before the mob armed with sticks beat
him to death, according to local media.
The chief minister of Assam, Tarun
Gogoi, on Saturday branded the incident
“barbaric, heinous and inhuman” while
Amnesty International urged justice for
those responsible.
“Violence against women needs
to be tackled with swift and effective
responses from the state, not with
barbarism by self appointed vigilantes,”
it said in a statement.
Khan’s brother, a sergeant in the
Indian army, has accused police of
falsely implicating his brother in the
abuse to try to root out non-tribals
from Nagaland, which is predominantly
Christian.
The largest Naga tribe has previously
campaigned to evict Bengali-speaking
immigrants from their territory.
The woman, who cannot be named
for legal reasons, said Khan had given
her 5,000 rupees after the attack in
return for her silence.
“It was only after the incident, he
gave me the money to keep silent, so I
took the money and gave it to the police
station,” the woman told the NDTV
network.
Jamir said the woman’s initial medical
report “confirmed abuse and other.
— AFP
Renowned journalist
Vinod Mehta dies
NEW DELHI: Vinod
Mehta, one of India’s
best known journalists,
died here on Sunday of
multi-organ failure,
doctors said.
Prime
Minister
Narendra Modi called
him “a fine journalist”.
The 73-year-old Mehta,
who at one time worked as factory
hand in Britain, passed away at the
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), its spokesperson Amit
Gupta said.
AIIMS said Mehta suffered from
several neurological issues and had
been bed-ridden for three to four
months. He was admitted to AIIMS in
critical state last week.
Outlook group, which was the last
major media group Mehta founded,
announced the death of its foundereditor-in-chief “with deep sadness”.
Even after ceasing to be its editor, he
was its editorial chairman.
Modi said in a tweet: “Frank and
direct in his opinions, Vinod Mehta
will be remembered
as a fine journalist and
writer. Condolences
to his family on his
demise.”
Born
in
Rawalpindi before
India’s
partition,
Mehta’s family moved
to India when he was
only three years old.
He grew up in Lucknow, studying
in the La Martinere school and
Lucknow University. His big moment
came in 1974 when Mehta, at age 32,
took up editing Debonair, a men’s
magazine in India which boasted of
serious articles as well as centre-folds.
He later went on to launch other
successful publications such as Sunday
Observer, The Pioneer and Outlook.
He also founded the Indian Post and
The Independent newspapers.
A gifted writer, Mehta authored
a biography of Bollywood actress
Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi,
the younger son of slain prime
minister Indira Gandhi.
— IANS
Prime Minister Modi urged to take action against those threatening the rights of women
President calls for gender equity in India
NEW DELHI: Terming equality, liberty
and dignity as women’s “sacred rights”,
President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday
asked the people to reaffirm their
commitment to ensure gender equity
and empowerment of womenfolk in
India.
Presenting ‘Stree Shakti Puraskar’
and ‘Nari Shakti Puruskar’ for the year
2014 on the occasion of International
Women’s Day at a function in Rashtrapati
Bhavan here, the president said women’s
rights are not a privilege that they should
seek.
“They have been a key element in
the codes of conduct that our ancient
societies prescribed for themselves more
than 3,000 years ago,” Mukherjee said.
“Let us, on International Women’s
Day, reaffirm our commitment to
ensure gender equity and empowerment
of women in India to enable them to
realise their full potential and participate
meaningfully in all aspects of our
country’s development,” the president
said.
Mukherjee
said
there
were,
nevertheless,
enduring
societal
Pranab says violence against
women continues
to threaten the safety,
well being and potential
of women and girls across
our country
A woman collects coal residual as she makes coal balls to be sold in Guwahati,
Assam on International Women’s Day. — AFP
perceptions and attitudes which
inhibit the pace of improvement in the
condition and position of women in our
society and economy.
“These call for urgent individual as
well as collective introspection. We must
identify these weaknesses and their root
cause.
We must make the required effort to
remove the structural and institutional
barriers that inhibit the economic and
social transformation of women in
India,” he said. Giving an example, the
president said violence against women
continues to threaten the safety, well
being and potential of women and girls
across our country.
Even their perception of their
respective vulnerabilities constrains
their freedom of movement and access
to education, work and essential
services, Mukherjee added.
On the occasion of International
Women’s Day on Sunday, over 30
organisations and NGOs came together
to “assert women’s freedom” and asked
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take
action against those threatening the
rights of women.
The event, titled “Aath (8) March,
Saath (together) march”, included street
plays and interactions to empower the
women residents of the national capital
and to inform them of their rights.
It was organised at Jantar Mantar in
central Delhi. “It is a very challenging
time (for women) and we are here to
assert the women’s freedom,” Kavita
Krishnan, Secretary of All India
Progressive
Women’s
Association
(AIPWA) said.
Krishnan blamed the central
government for failing to keep a check
on right-wing radicals who, due to their
orthodox mindset, discourage women’s
freedom and independence.
“The Sangh Parivar says that if we are
good mothers and daughters, we will be
protected. We condemn this attitude.
Why has the PM not taken action
against people like Sakshi Maharaj who
have spoken in vile language against
women,” she asked.
Prime Minister Modi on Sunday
also greeted women on the occasion of
International Women’s Day.
“I salute the indomitable courage
and outstanding achievements of
women on International Women’s Day,”
Modi tweeted. “Through various
schemes & initiatives, our Government
remains fully committed to bringing a
positive change in the lives of women,”
he added.
— IANS
IN BRIEF
Innovations can
help the world,
says President
NEW DELHI: Indian innovations
and development will not only
benefit India but also the rest of the
world, President Pranab Mukherjee
has said.
“India has a long tradition
of grassroots innovation. From
time to time, the common people
have ushered in novel solutions
to overcome their day-to-day
difficulties.
The drivers that influence the
pursuit of innovation are many —
from basic survival to propulsion
of growth,” Mukherjee told a
Global Round-table on Inclusive
Innovations on Saturday.
In this era of globalisation,
and
Indian
innovations
development would not only
benefit India but the rest of the
world too, the president said.
He added that ingenious goods
and services developed through
inclusive innovation would have
the potential to transform the
global landscape.
The president said a healthy
eco-system was needed to harness
the innovative potential of various
segments in different sectors and at
multiple levels, an official release on
Sunday quoted him as saying.
He said creating an inclusive
eco-system called for linkages
between grassroots innovators
on the one hand and academic
institutions and market forces on
the other.
“Countries
successful
in
building such a network have
become innovation leaders.
Our youth power has to be
galvanized for nation-building.
Students have to be encouraged
to sense the unmet needs of the
common man, and search, spread
and celebrate innovations,” he said.
— IANS
Campaign for
child rights
launched
PANCHKULA: Haryana Chief
Minister Manohar Lal Khattar
launched a campaign on Sunday
to spread awareness about child
rights which will have vans touring
nearly 300 villages across the state,
screening animated films on the
subject.
The campaign, ‘Yes, children
have rights’, would involve the video
vans touring villages in Hisar, Sirsa
and Fatehabad districts among the
total 21 districts in the state.
The campaign has been initiated
by NGO Save the Children in
collaboration with the women and
child development department of
Haryana.
Save the Children is a
leading, independent child rights
organisation that works in India
and in over 120 countries around
the world.
“Children are most vulnerable
to incidence of abuse, exploitation
and negligence and their voices
are not heard easily in the
community.
Thus, the awareness campaign
on child rights is of prime
importance,” Jatin Mondar, project
director, Save the Children, Punjab
and Haryana state programme
office, said.
The campaign will lay emphasis
on education, protection, equity
and respect being the primary
rights of children.
The campaign will be launched
in 550 villages of neighbouring
Punjab soon.
Save the Children along with
its four partners — Society for
All Round Development, Model
Rural
Youth
Development
Organisation, Child Survival India
and Volunteers for Social Justice
— is currently implementing a
project ‘Strengthening Child Rights
in Cotton Growing Districts of
Haryana and Punjab’.
— IANS
INDIA
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
PM ‘eagerly awaiting’ visit
to Indian Ocean nations
RIOT OF COLOURS
ROBUST TIES: Seychelles, Mauritius, Lanka on Modi’s itinerary
A lady reacts as her face is painted in colour powder during Holi celebrations at
the Indian Cultural Centre in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Holi is a Hindu celebration
— AFP
signifying the victory of good over evil.
Thousands
bid farewell to
Kerala Speaker
T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M
Thousands of people turned up
at various places on Sunday to
bid goodbye to Kerala speaker G
Karthikeyan, who passed away on
Saturday after battling liver cancer for
the past few months.
The compound of his official
residence which is next door to the
Kerala Legislative assembly was
thrown open to all and till Sunday
morning, thousands of people from
all walks of life came to pay their last
respects.
On Sunday morning, the body was
placed at the members’ lounge in the
assembly as 66-year-old Karthikeyan
became the first speaker of the
assembly to die while the session is on.
Near the crematorium, he was
accorded the official send off and after
that the body was placed inside the
crematorium and was consigned to
flames. — IANS
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was
looking forward to enhancing India’s
ties with the friendly Indian Ocean
countries of Seychelles, Mauritius
and Sri Lanka during his five-day visit
beginning March 10.
In a series of tweets from his Twitter
handle @narendramodi, linked to the
Facebook account, Modi said the Indian
Ocean region “is a region of great
inspiration for us and India attaches
paramount importance to strengthening
relations with this region”. On his first
destination, Seychelles, Modi said
he was “eagerly awaiting” his visit on
March 11.
“I am very glad that I am able to
visit Seychelles early on during my
tenure and I look forward to working
with President (James Alexis) Michel to
strengthen co-operation between India
and Seychelles,” he wrote.
He said India’s relationship with
Seychelles was “a very special one, built
on the foundation of mutual trust and
shared values”.
“During my visit I hope to achieve
substantial progress in areas ranging
from the economy to infrastructure and
culture.
Am certain that my visit to Seychelles,
a land known for its natural beauty and
warm-hearted people, will be a historic
and productive one.”
On the second destination of
Mauritius, where he will be visiting on
March 11 and 12, the prime minister
said it would be “very special” visit.
“I am very happy to be there with my
sisters and brothers of Mauritius as they
celebrate their National Day.
Our relationship with Mauritius has
been strong and I am committed to
working with Prime Minister Anerood
Jugnauth to strengthening our ties
further in a wide range of issues.”
He said he will be addressing the
National Assembly of Mauritius.
“I would be attending the programme
to mark the Commissioning of Coast
Ship Barracuda, which signifies the
deep level of friendship between India
and Mauritius.”
Modi will also attend a civic reception
and join the programme for a new
building at the World Hindi Secretariat.
“As you can see, I would be attending
a diverse range of programmes and
working closely with PM Jugnauth
to realise the full potential of IndiaMauritius ties,” he wrote.
On the final leg of his visit to Sri Lanka
on March 13-14, the prime minister
said: “I embark on my first visit to Sri
Lanka with great joy and confidence
that this visit will make India’s relations
with Sri Lanka even stronger, in the
larger interest of our people.
Robust ties with Sri Lanka signifies
the importance India attaches to the
South Asian neighbourhood.”
He said his visit comes after
President Maithripala Sirisena’s visit to
India “during which substantial ground
was covered on taking our ties forward.
I am eagerly looking forward to
meeting President Sirisena once again”.
“Our ties with Sri Lanka have stood
the test of time. We have a shared
history, heritage and values.” — IANS
TN minister loses job 4 kids charred to death
after official’s suicide in Ghaziabad car blast
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Agriculture
Minister “Agni” S S Krishnamoorthy,
who came under attack after
an engineer in his department
committed suicide, has been dropped
from the cabinet.
A statement from Raj Bhavan
on Saturday night said Governor K
Rosaiah had accepted Chief Minister
O Panneerselvam’s recommendation
to drop him from the council of
ministers.
Krishnamoorthy’s portfolio has
been given to R Vaithialingam, who
is also the minister for housing and
urban development.
Krishnamoorthy’s ouster follows
demands by political parties for his
sacking after Muthukumarasamy,
an engineer in the agricultural
department, committed suicide last
month.
It
was
alleged
that
Muthukumarasamy was pressured by
Krishnamoorthy’s office to appoint
certain people as drivers in the
department.
PMK founder S Ramadoss
demanded the arrest of the former
minister for allegedly forcing
Muthukumarasamy to take his life.
This is the first time Panneerselvam
has dropped a minister from
his council ever since he assumed
the post last year after AIADMK
chief J Jayalalithaa was jailed for
— IANS
corruption.
Sushma Swaraj to inaugurate the 3-day conference on March 20
GHAZIABAD: Four children were
burnt to death in Ghaziabad on Sunday
afternoon when fire crackers kept
inside a car in which they were sitting
exploded, police said.
The incident took place in Farookh
Nagar locality in Sahibabad.
Police said the explosion took place
in the car in which fire crackers were
kept to be taken to a wedding.
Car owner Mohammad Rizwan —
who has a business of manufacturing
fire crackers — had allowed five children
from his family and neighbours to listen
to music in the car.
When one of the children switched
on the music system, a blast took place
in which four children died on the spot
and another sustained critical burn
injuries.
The deceased children were
identified as Akshha (6) and Farhan (8),
daughter and son of Rizwan; Sarika (3),
daughter of Furkan; and Farhan (8), son
of Mohammad Sajid.
The other child, Krishh (7), son of
Praveen, was rushed to a hospital where
doctors said his condition was critical.
R K Bhardwaj, a doctor attending to
the injured child, said his condition was
critical, “but we are trying hard to save
his life”. Police said that prima facie it
appears that the explosion occurred due
to an electrical short circuit in the music
system.
A criminal case against Rizwan has
been registered at Sahibabad police
station and he has been asked to present
all necessary documents related to
the manufacture of fire crackers, said
Ghaziaabad Superintendent of Police
Ajay Pal.
The bodies of the children have been
sent for autopsy.
Police said a thorough screening
has been ordered in the entire Farookh
Nagar area, where fire crackers are being
manufactured as a cottage industry.
‘Ground reality in J&K has not changed’
Oman at key international meet
on maritime security, trade
R A K SINGH
NEW DELHI
March 8: Oman is all set to be a
prominent participant in a key
international meet on maritime
security and trade linkages among the
Indian Ocean rim countries to be held
in Bhuvneshwar from March 20.
Oman is likely to be represented by
one of its senior minister in the threeday conference, titled ‘India and the
Indian Ocean: Renewing Maritime
Trade and Civilisational Linkages’,
which is to be inaugurated by External
Affairs Minister Sunshama Swaraj, said
ministry officials.
Slated to discuss ways and means to
strengthen maritime security and trade
among Indian Ocean rim countries,
besides a host of other strategic
issues, the key international meet has
evoked interests even from USA and
China, which have expressed their
desire to send their representatives
to the meet as observers, the MEA
officials said.
Oman, which is India’s strategic
partner in the Gulf with historical
maritime and trade linkages and its
trusted ally in anti-piracy operations
in parts of Indian ocean, is to be
The meeting is slated to
discuss ways and means
to strengthen maritime
security and trade among
Indian Ocean rim countries,
besides a host of other
strategic issues
represented by a delegation of senior
several officials, likely to be headed by
one of its ministers, said MEA officials.
Besides Oman, the other countries,
which are to participate in the meet,
include Australia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Thailand,
Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Mozambique, Myanmar,
Madagascar, Singapore, Yemen, Oman,
Iran, and Cambodia.
The international, having Union
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan as its chief patron, is to be
attended by over 200 delegates from 20
nations and is to be supported by eight
Union ministries, the officials said.
Apart from maritime safety
and security, trade and industrial
facilitation, the meet would also focus
on fisheries management, disaster risk
management, academic, science and
technology, tourism and culture and
gender empowerment, said officials
engaged in organising the event.
The conference, being organised by
Institute of Social and Cultural Studies
jointly with Research and Information
System for Developing Countries,
is supported by External Affairs,
Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power,
Shipping, Commerce and Industry,
Culture, Tourism and Agriculture
ministries.
Swaraj is slated to inaugurate
the meet, while Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar is scheduled to be
present at the valedictory session on
the concluding day. Union Tourism
and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma
too is likely to attend the conference,
the organisers said adding other
dignitaries at the event include
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval
and secretary general of Indian Ocean
Rim Association (IORA) Ambassador
K V Bhagirath.
The event will be marked by release
of a postal stamp on ‘Indian Ocean and
Rajendra Chola I’, commemorating the
occasion and the glorious past.
Hurriyat leader Masarat speaks to media at his Srinagar residence yesterday.
SRINAGAR: A day after being released
from jail, Hurriyat Conference leader
Masarat Alam has taken a dig at the newly
formed PDP-BJP coalition government in
Jammu and Kashmir.
The leader of the hardline-faction on
Sunday said that changing governments
did not change the ground reality in the
state.
“Changing governments does not
change the ground reality. Either we
will change it or the people,” Alam was
quoted as saying. Furthermore, the leader
said that his release from Baramulla
prison was not a big deal as he had been
out on bail thrice earlier.
Alam was lodged in the Baramulla
jail since 2010 after being arrested for
organising anti-India rallies across the
Kashmir valley.
“We have to look at this procedure in
a legal way. I have been arrested many
times and have been granted bail thrice
and therefore it is not a big deal if I have
been released. I have spent most of the
time in jails since my childhood therefore
it would not be a big deal if I get arrested
again,” he said.
“I’m feeling relaxed, spending time
with my family, It’s just a normal release,
has been done in a legal way,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, BJP workers had
staged a protest against the release of the
separatist leader.
Alam was released from Baramulla
prison following the new government’s
policy to free political prisoners who do
not face criminal charges.
Alam is the chairman of Muslim
League, a constituent of Hurriyat
Conference led by Syed Ali Shah
Geelani and is widely seen as the latter’s
successor.
He had been convicted for organising
an anti-India protests resulting into the
death of 112 people in stone pelting
across the Valley during 2010.
— Agencies
11
IN BRIEF
Actor Aditya
nabbed for
brawl, gets bail
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Aditya
Pancholi was arrested on Sunday for
a brawl, officials said adding that he
was later granted bail by a Mumbai
magistrate. “Aditya Pancholi was
arrested today (Sunday) morning...
He had a fight with one of the
bouncers in Hotel Sea Princess,” an
official said.
According to police, Pancholi, 50,
assaulted a security guard (bouncer)
at the pub.
The incident occurred around
Saturday midnight at the Trilogy Pub
in Hotel Sea Princess, adjacent to
Juhu Beach.
An allegedly inebriated Pancholi
asked the DJ to play some favourite
Hindi movie songs since only western
numbers were being played, but the
DJ rejected his request.
Pancholi had a loud argument with
the DJ and even caused some damage
to the counter, following which the
hotel security staff intervened and
asked the actor to leave the premises.
Enraged by this, Pancholi abused
and pushed the security guard,
Mandar Patole, 28, and whacked him
on the head with his mobile even as
he was being escorted out of the hotel.
The Santacruz police, who were
summoned by the hotel, whisked him
away and after conducting a medical
test, placed him under arrest early on
Sunday.
He was charged under various
sections pertaining to criminal
intimidation, public nuisance and
breach of peace, and assault charges
by the Santacruz police.
Later on Sunday afternoon, he was
presented in a magistrate’s court at
Bandra, which granted him bail after
judicial remand. — IANS
DGP seeks
action against
his former
colleague
T H I RU VA NA N T HA P U R A M :
Kerala Police have initiated action
against their former director general
in a case related to a millionaire
businessman who allegedly rammed
his vehicle into a security guard in
Thrisur city.
The move came after an audio CD
was released on Friday by the Kerala
government’s chief whip P C George,
making the current Director General
of Police (DGP) K S Balasubramanian
to seek action against his former
colleague M N Krishnamurthy, who
retired last month.
The CD, released at a press
conference
here,
revealed
a
conversation
between
Krishnamurthy and Jacob Job, the
suspended superintendent of police
(SP). The two were heard discussing
about the sensational case in which a
probe is being conducted.
In the case, Muhammed Nisham,
a millionaire businessman, is said to
have first assaulted a security guard
and later rammed his luxury vehicle
into him at a posh villa complex.
The guard died of his injuries
a few days later at a hospital. In the
recorded talk, according to George,
the retired DGP is heard speaking
on behalf of Balasubramanian, the
current DGP, in an effort to save
the businessman from the legal
consequences of his actions.
Speaking
to
IANS,
Balasubramanian said action against
the former DGP has been initiated. “I
have submitted a report to this effect
to the government. The government
has also begun steps to take it
forward.”
Asked if he suspects a conspiracy,
the DGP smiled and said, “You can
come to your own conclusions.”
He added that Chief Minister
Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh
Chennithala have already come out
with their statements, absolving him
of any wrong doing. — IANS
12
PRESIDENT DIAGNOSED WITH MALARIA
M O N DAY l M A R C H 9 l 2 0 1 5
Zambian President Edgar Lungu was
diagnosed with malaria on Sunday after
he collapsed during an International
Women’s Day ceremony Lungu stood at a
reviewing stand for about 20 minutes
as a group of women marched past
before he fell to the ground. His
security team whisked him away for
immediate medical attention, as
he is known to be a diabetic patient.
WORLD
GIANT STEP
NO EBOLA PATIENT IN LIBERIA?
10,000 Europeans could be
lured by IS: French PM
FROM STRUGGLE TO CELEBRATION
FARC to help
army clear
minefields
COLOMBIA: Colombia’s government
and Marxist FARC rebels announced
yesterday that had reached a deal on
demining, a stride forward on a key
issue to negotiate peace after decades
of conflict.
Army and FARC leaders met for
the first time in what one diplomat
called “unprecedented” talks.
“The government and the FARC
have agreed to ask (Norwegian People’s
Aid) to lead and coordinate a cleanup
and decontamination operation: for
mines in rural areas as part of the
armed conflict,” a statement from
the parties said, read out by Cuban
diplomat Rodolfo Benitez.
Lead
government
negotiator
Humberto de la Calle, a former vicepresident, stressed that: “our goal is
to put an end to the conflict... so the
demining proposal is a first step, but a
giant one toward peace.”
“Starting today, the government
and the FARC will be working together
on the cleanup and clearing of some
rural areas.”
President Juan Manuel Santos,
in Monteria, Colombia, called it
“extremely important.
“And it is a much needed sign that
in fact we are on the way to ending a
conflict that has bled us dry for over 50
years,” Santos said.
The Colombian conflict has
killed 220,000 people and uprooted
more than five million since the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC) was launched in
1964.
— AFP
PARIS: As many as 10,000 Europeans
could be waging war in Iraq and Syria
by the end of this year, French Prime
Minister Manuel Valls warned on
Sunday, a three-fold increase on current
numbers. “There are 3,000 Europeans
in Iraq and Syria today. When you do
a projection for the months to come,
there could be 5,000 before summer
and 10,000 before the end of the year,”
Valls told French television channel
iTele. “Do you realise the threat that this
represents?” he asked.
He said there were around 1,400
people who were either already in these
conflict zones, who had come back
from there or who were planning to go.
“There have already been nearly 90
French people who have died out there
with a weapon in their hand, fighting
against our own values,” Valls said.
France, along with Belgium, has
seen the largest numbers of volunteers
leaving to join the IS group, which has
Women hold a banner reading ‘Women suffer, women resist, women win!’ as they march during a demonstration in Marseille,
southeastern France, yesterday during International Women’s Day. — AFP
seized large parts of Syria and Iraq.
Last month, France seized passports
from six of its citizens and banned 40
more from travelling abroad after they
were allegedly planning to travel to
Syria and Iraq.
It was the first time the measure
had been used in France following its
introduction as part of a raft of new
counter-terrorism laws in November.
“We have to face a particularly high
threat level in France, in Europe and in
other countries,” said Valls.
Meanwhile, around half the
estimated 700 Britons who have gone
to fight with IS in Syria have returned
home, The Sunday Telegraph newspaper
reported.
The weekly broadsheet’s figures,
in a story about a leaked draft of the
Home Office interior ministry’s new
counter-extremism strategy, go further
than previous estimates, of around 500
individuals leaving and 250 returning.
US would walk away if no good N-deal
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS: Obama says Iranians have negotiated seriously and progress has been made
WASHINGTON: President Barack
Obama assured in a taped television
interview on Sunday that the United
States was prepared to “walk away” from
nuclear talks with Iran if a verifiable deal
cannot be reached with Tehran.
Obama made the comments on
Saturday as US Secretary of State John
Kerry was in Paris to smooth over
differences with France, which has
pressed for greater guarantees that an
agreement will stop Iran from gaining a
nuclear weapon, and a bruising speech
to Congress earlier in the week by Israel’s
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“If there is no deal then we walk
away,” Obama said in the interview,
which aired on “CBS News Sunday
Morning” and in expanded form on the
network’s “Face the Nation” show.
New Greece government tries to end
shame of migrant ‘Guantanamos’
“If we cannot verify that they are not
going to obtain a nuclear weapon, that
there’s a breakout period so that even if
they cheated we would be able to have
enough time to take action — if we don’t
have that kind of deal, then we’re not
going to take it,” he said. Obama said the
Iranians have negotiated seriously and
progress has been made “in narrowing
the gaps, but those gaps still exist.”
Banners hanging from the headquarters of Syriza party that read ‘Solidarity to hunger Strikers’ in Athens. — AFP
Syriza came to power on a
promise to close the camps
and turn them into open
refugee reception centres
migrants entering the country sparked
uproar, with government denying it ever
issued such an order.
Human rights group fear the release
of the disputed document was an
attempt to undermine Syriza’s vow
to grant citizenship to immigrants’
children born in Greece, and to free
the 4,500 migrants it admits are held in
inhumane conditions in the camps.
Xenophobia has been mounting in
Greece, one of the main illegal entry
points into Europe, as the country’s
economic crisis drags on. The neo-Nazi,
anti-immigration Golden Dawn party is
now the third biggest.
“The release of this ‘order’ plays
into the hands of Golden Dawn and
the former government’s attempts to
whip up fear of migrants,” said Thanasis
Kourkoulas, of the Deport Racism
rights group. But for the migrants
caught in the middle — most of whom,
according to Kourkoulas, want to move
on to northern Europe — the nightmare
and the waiting goes on.
The camps are still open, but with
officials quietly releasing inmates in
twos and threes, rights groups claim.
Ali Ashraf, 23, from Bangladesh,
spent two years behind barbed wire
before he was released from a camp in
the southern city of Corinth a fortnight
ago.
The next day he was back at the gates
with food for his friends, but the guards
would not let him see them.
For Alphonse, 31, who has been held
for seven months waiting to see a judge,
the worst was the two weeks he spent
sleeping on the floor of a police station
in the western port of Patras after being
arrested in July while trying to cross to
Italy.
“A Kurd and an Afghan held with
me tried to kill themselves,” he said by
mobile phone from inside the camp.
“And I would say that over the next
month or so, we’re going to be able to
determine whether or not their system
is able to accept what would be an
extraordinarily reasonable deal, if in
fact, as they say, they are only interested
in peaceful nuclear programmes.
“And if we have unprecedented
transparency in that system, if we are
able to verify that in fact they are not
developing weapons systems, then
there’s a deal to be had, but that’s going
to require them to accept the kind of
verification and constraints on their
programme that so far, at least, they have
not been willing to say yes to.”
Obama said the negotiations on
Iran’s nuclear programme were gaining
“greater urgency because we have been
negotiating for over a year.”
— AFP
AROUND THE GLOBE
China and Canada to grant 10-year visas
Celebrities address
Merkel on female
empowerment
ATHENS: Afghan migrant Nazir
Gazemi shudders at the thought of
the two and a half years he spent in
the so-called Greek Guantanamos, the
notorious migrant detention camps the
country’s new government now says it
will close.
Just released from his “life with
the rats” in the worst camp of all at
Amygdaleza north of Athens, the
33-year-old is now trying to help his
friends who sleep inside its poorly
heated shipping containers which
become ovens in the summer sun.
It was the suicide of a 28-year-old
Pakistani in the camp two weeks ago —
the latest of many such deaths — that
was the final straw for Greece’s radical
new government.
Minister Yiannis Panoussis went
himself to the camp to “express my
shame” at the conditions, telling
protesting inmates that “we are done
with the detention centres. We just need
a few days” to close them.
But this week a “decree” telling
the police to no longer arrest illegal
Marking the progress in
controlling its Ebola outbreak,
the Liberian government
dismantled a crematorium and
removed drums containing
the ashes of more than 3,000
Ebola victims cremated during
the height of the epidemic,
whose last patient was
discharged last week.
LONDON: Beyonce Knowles and
Lady Gaga are among 36 prominent
women who have signed a petition
calling on Sunday on the G7 and
the African Union to tackle female
poverty.
The US singers were joined by
actresses Meryl Streep, Charlize
Theron, Rosamund Pike and Rita
Wilson in signing the letter, issued on
International Women’s Day.
The petition was organised by the
London-based non-governmental
organisation ONE, founded by U2
singer Bono. It is addressed to German
Chancellor Angela Merkel, who
hosts this year’s G7 summit in June,
and South Africa’s Minister of Health
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the AU
Commission chair.
They are both convening a
women’s summit this year.
“If your summits reach the right
agreements, great financing and
momentum around girls and women’s
empowerment can be placed at the
heart of the new global goals,” the
petition says.
“Poverty is sexist, and we won’t
end it unless we face up to the fact
that girls and women get a raw deal,
and until leaders and citizens around
the world work together for real
change.
“If we get this right, we could
help lift every girl and woman out of
poverty by 2030 — and by doing so
we will lift everyone. Get this wrong
and extreme poverty, inequality and
instability might spread in the most
vulnerable regions, impacting all our
futures.” — AFP
BEIJING: China and Canada will grant each other’s citizens visas valid for up to 10
years, Beijing’s foreign minister announced on Sunday.
The agreement, which goes into force on Monday, comes as Western countries
increasingly seek Chinese business and investment, and mirrors one with the US
announced last year.
“China and Canada have just reached an agreement issuing visas to each other’s
citizens with the validity period of up to 10 years,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang
Yi said at a press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress, the
country’s Communist-controlled parliament, in Beijing. Ottawa last year cancelled a
permanent residency visa scheme for foreign investors popular with wealthy Chinese,
thousands of whom reportedly had applications pending.
Every year Chinese travellers make more than 100 million “outbound” trips, tourism
authorities say.
While most go to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, they represent a growing and
increasingly coveted source of high-spending visitors in destination countries. — AFP
A man walks his dog in the snow in the village of Jezerc, west of Kosovo’s
capital Pristina, yesterday. — Reuters
Helicopter pilot killed fighting S African fire
CAPE TOWN: A helicopter pilot died in a crash while fighting wildfires in South Africa’s
renowned Cape Point nature reserve on Sunday, officials said.
The pilot, named as Hendrik “Bees” Marais, was among water-bombing firefighters
hailed as heroes in a week-long battle against blazes raging through Cape Town’s
scenic southern peninsula.
He died “when his Huey was in a forced landing while on wildfire suppression duty
in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park,” Working on Fire
spokesman Evelyn Holtzhausen said.
Civil aviation authorities were working to determine the cause of the crash, he said.
A luxury hotel and more than a dozen homes in upmarket villages dotted along the
coast of the peninsula were destroyed in the fires, whipped up by strong winds and
high temperatures.
The threat to homes has been contained but the fires are still burning in the nature
reserve, which is covered with flowering, shrublike vegetation known as fynbos, part of
the unique Cape floral kingdom.
— AFP
REGION
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Yemen’s defence
minister escapes
from Sanaa
ADEN: Yemen’s defence minister
has fled Houthi-controlled Sanaa for
Aden, officials said on Sunday, in a
move expected to bolster President
Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in his
power struggle with the group.
The group seized the presidential
palace in Sanaa in January and
confined the president to his private
residence. Hadi managed to escape
from the Houthis two weeks ago.
Officials said the defence minister,
General
Mahmoud
al-Subaihi,
escaped in a convoy on Saturday night,
arriving in the southern port city of
Aden early on Sunday.
They said the Houthis shot and
killed four of Subaihi’s security guards
in the western province of Hodeida
where they attacked a convoy in their
search for the minister.
Houthis control much of the north
while several Gulf state embassies have
said they would operate from Aden in
the south after Hadi’s escape.
Russian ambassador Vladimir
Dedushkin met with Hadi on Sunday
and affirmed his country’s support,
the first time a Russian official has
expressed a position in the conflict.
MAKING AN IMPACT
13
IN BRIEF
Woman charged
over alleged
marriage con trick
Kurdish women play instruments at the Diyarbakir historical castle to mark International Women’s Day. — AFP
Iraqi troops, militia make
advances near Tikrit
BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces
and militia fighting the IS took
control of the centre of a town on
the southern outskirts of Saddam
Hussein’s home city Tikrit on
Sunday, security officials said.
Sending in more troops and
fighting fierce clashes, the army and
militiamen were still struggling to
drive out IS fighters entrenched in
buildings in the western section of
the town of Al Dour, officials said.
Military commanders said the
army and militia, known as Hashid
Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation)
units, launched another offensive
late on Saturday to break into the
centre of Al Dour.
By Sunday they had succeeded
in recapturing the central area
where government headquarters
are located, but IS insurgents were
still holding positions in the west.
“Snipers are still targeting our
troops from some of the high
buildings.
We should be able to take them
out with helicopter attacks this
evening,” said Ahmed al-Yasiri, a
Hashid Shaabi leader fighting in Al
Dour.
Officials said security forces and
militia fighters had also captured
about third of the village of Albu
Ajil south of Tikrit - hometown of
the executed president.
Some Albu Ajil residents
were accused by authorities and
militia groups of taking part in
omandailyobserver
Snipers are still
targeting our
troops from
some of the high
buildings. We should be
able to take them out
with helicopter attacks
this evening.”
40 killed as Kurds battle
IS for key Syria town
FIERCE BATTLE: 11 civilians reported to be killed in air raid
MOAHMED AL YASIRI
Leader fighting in Al Dour
the killing of soldiers from the
nearby Speicher army camp when
IS fighters overran Tikrit and
northern Iraq last June.
Militia fighters have described
the advance on Albu Ajil as revenge
for the Speicher killings, although
militia leaders say all civilians in
the region will be well treated.
The campaign to retake Tikrit is
the biggest offensive so far against
IS insurgents.
If successful, it would be the
first time the army and militia have
recaptured a major city from the
fighters.
Progress in the offensive, which
was launched a week ago, could
also affect the timing and strategy
for a wider offensive later this
year to retake Mosul, the largest
city under IS control. A US-led
coalition has supported Baghdad’s
fightback against IS with air strikes,
military training and equipment.
Residents inspect a site damaged by what activists said was an air strike by forces
loyal to Syria’s President Assad in Douma, eastern Al Ghouta, near Damascus.
BEIRUT: At least 40 Kurdish fighters
and IS group fighters have been killed in
clashes for control of a strategic town in
north Syria, a monitor said on Sunday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights also reported that 11 civilians
were killed in a government air raid on
the rebel-held town of Irbin northeast of
Damascus.
The clashes that erupted on Saturday
as the IS launched an offensive aimed at
seizing Tal Tamr in Hasakeh province
from Kurdish forces have killed 40
fighters on both sides, it said.
“Fierce battles broke out during the
past 24 hours around Tal Tamr...that
killed 40 fighters,” said Observatory
director Rami Abdel Rahman.
He said the fighting erupted when
IS advanced close to the town, but the
Kurds called in reinforcements and were
able to repel the opposition.
IS has been trying to capture Tal
Tamr because of its strategic location.
Taking it would allow IS to dominate
a key road between the eastern part of
Hasakeh and the town of the same name
that are held by the Kurds, and also
gain access to the Iraqi border and the
opposition bastion in Mosul beyond.
Sunday’s raid on Irbin near Damascus
during which missiles were fired at the
town also wounded 50 people, some of
them critically, the Observatory said.
It also reported several civilians
wounded in regime-held areas of
Damascus by rebel rocket fire, without
giving a precise toll.
Elsewhere, clashes were still under
way around the Aleppo province villages
of Handarat and Bashkoy between
regime forces and fighters from the AlNusra Front. The Observatory said that
a child and a local Nusra commander
were killed in the fighting. A military
source said that loyalist forces had
launched an overnight offensive on
rebel positions in Handarat after failing
to recapture it last month.
Meanwhile, nine fighters with
Al-Nusra Front, among them four
foreigners, were killed on Sunday in a
US-led coalition air strike in Syria near
the Turkish border, a monitor said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights said the death toll
may rise as more bodies may be buried
under rubble.
“Nine members of the Syrian branch
of Al-Qaeda, including four foreigners,
were killed on Sunday at Adme during
coalition raids on a headquarters of the
group,” Observatory chief Rami Abdel
Rahman said.
— AFP
IS has smashed priceless artefacts at the Mosul museum and also bulldozed the city of Nimrud
Iraq minister says coalition must defend heritage sites
BAGHDAD: The US-led coalition
carrying out air strikes against
the IS group must try to protect
archaeological sites being destroyed
by the fighters, , Iraq’s tourism and
antiquities minister said Sunday.
IS smashed priceless artefacts at the
Mosul museum, then bulldozed the
city of Nimrud, which was founded in
the 13th century BC.
The fighters may now have turned
their attention to the extremely well
preserved fortress city Hatra, which
is more than 2,000 years old and
a Unesco world heritage site, with
the United Nations condemning its
reported “destruction”.
“The sky is not in the hands of the
Iraqis, the sky is not in our hands.
Therefore,
the
international Iraqi fighters, members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation units backing the government,
community must move with the fire Howitzer Cannons towards positions of the IS group on the outskirts of the Iraqi
— AFP
means it has,” Adel Fahad al-Shershab town of Ad-Dawr during a military operation to retake the Tikrit area.
told journalists in Baghdad.
“We request aerial support,”
Shershab said.
Asked specifically if he wanted
coalition
strikes
to
protect
archaeological sites, he responded:
“What I request from the international
community and the international
coalition is to carry out air strikes
against terrorism wherever it is found.”
The attacks on Iraq’s archaeological
heritage took place in IS-held areas
in the northern province of Nineveh,
where Iraq does not have security
forces that are able to respond on the
ground.
Targeting
fighters
destroying
archaeological sites would be a
departure for the coalition, which is
waging a campaign of strikes aimed at
weakening IS military capabilities in
Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
The coalition announced that it
had carried out 12 air strikes in Iraq
from Saturday to Sunday morning,
including two near Mosul that
reportedly destroyed an IS unit and
two “excavators”, but it was unclear
if these were involved in attacking
historic sites.
“The site of Hatra is a site in the
desert where it is possible to see any
infiltration” from the air, Shershab
said of the ancient city, which features
a unique blend of eastern and western
architecture.
“It was expected that they (IS)
would destroy it,” he said.
But it remains unclear whether
large-scale destruction was carried
out at Hatra, whose thick walls and
large buildings withstood two Roman
invasions in the 2nd century AD.
— AFP
TEHRAN: A young Iranian
woman accused of marrying — and
divorcing — 10 men in less than two
years under an elaborate con trick has
been charged with fraud, state media
reported Sunday.
The alleged deception was made
possible that entitles a woman to a
financial sum agreed before marriage
but retrievable “on demand” any time
after a ceremony takes place.
In Iran a soon-to-be bride sets a
Mehrieh payment with her fiancé
— a dowry traditionally measured
in gold coins. In the case of the
20-year-old accused — who denies
the charges — she married the men
and immediately demanded her
payment, never consummating the
relationships, according to Iran, a
daily newspaper.
The men had to pay half the
Mehrieh payment to avoid breaking
the law, but the woman said she
actually agreed a 100-110 gold coin
settlement, technically less than she
could have claimed.
In each case, she then pressured
her husbands for a divorce, the
paper said. The woman is accused
of repeatedly taking such steps
to conceal her past from her
unsuspecting victims.
“I don’t see why I have to answer
these questions,” she defiantly
told a court investigator who had
summoned all 10 husbands to court,
the report said. “I’m innocent.
A criminal court has charged her
with fraud and scam in marriage and
set a trial for her case, although no
date for proceedings was published.
— AFP
Turkish PM
met with bank
governor on
return from US
ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu met central bank
governor Erdem Basci and senior
economy officials late on Saturday
following his arrival back from New
York to discuss the lira’s weakness,
sources at the premier’s office said.
Davutoglu,
Deputy
Prime
Minister Ali Babacan and finance
minister Mehmet Simsek met fund
managers and bankers in New York
last week in an attempt to allay
concerns about the central bank’s
independence, fuelled by President
Tayyip Erdogan’s criticism of the
bank and its policies.
The Turkish lira hit a record low
of 2.6470 to the dollar on Friday,
following a week of losses, weighed
on by demands from Erdogan that
the bank should cut interest rates
more sharply.
At one point he said anyone who
defended high rates was guilty of
“treason”.
“Developments in domestic and
foreign markets over the past couple
of weeks have been discussed in
the light of the prime minister’s
assessments based on his impressions
of meetings with foreign investors
during his New York visit,” one of the
sources said on Sunday.
Davutoglu met on Saturday night
with Basci, Vahdettin Ertas, the head
of Turkey’s capital markets board
(SPK) and Cavit Dagdas, acting
undersecretary at the Treasury at the
prime minister’s office along with
Babacan.
— Reuters
14
EUROPE
omandailyobserver
STOKING FEARS
Drone spotted
over military
site in France
PARIS: A drone has been spotted
over a sensitive military site southwest of Paris, a source close to the
enquiry said on Sunday, the latest in a
series of overflights that has stumped
authorities.
The drone was seen late on Saturday
over a base in Seine-Port from which
France’s navy communicates with its
submarines.
Drones have been seen over several
high-profile areas of the French capital
in recent weeks, as Paris remains on
high alert after three gunmen killed 17
in three days in January.
Mysterious sightings have been
made near the US Embassy, not far
from the Invalides military museum,
the Eiffel Tower and several major
thoroughfares leading in and out of
the French capital, police said.
Police have been unable to catch
any of the operators of the night-time
flights and it is unclear whether they
are the work of pranksters, tourists or
something more malicious.
French authorities were first alerted
to mystery drone flyovers in October,
when state-run power company EDF
filed a complaint with police after
detecting the small aerial vehicles
zipping over seven atomic plants
across the country.
The sightings continued into
November, and altogether some 20
flyovers took place over nuclear plants.
Their operators were never found.
Then on January 20, a pilotless
aircraft briefly flew over the
presidential palace in Paris, shortly
after the extremist killings.
And in late January, small drones
were also spotted near a bay in Brittany
that houses four nuclear submarines
— one of the most protected sites in
— AFP
the country.
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Juncker calls for EU army,
says would deter Russia
IN BRIEF
Church of
England’s first
female bishop
gets to work
NEW BATTLE GROUP: European Union Commission President says Nato not enough
BERLIN: The European Union needs
its own army to face up to Russia and
other threats as well as restore the
bloc’s foreign policy standing around
the world, EU Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker told a German
newspaper on Sunday.
Arguing that Nato was not enough
because not all members of the
transatlantic defence alliance are in the
EU, Juncker said a common EU army
would also send important signals to the
world.
“A joint EU army would show the
world that there would never again be
a war between EU countries,” Juncker
told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
“Such an army would also help us to
form common foreign and security
policies and allow Europe to take on
responsibility in the world.”
Juncker said a common EU army
could serve as a deterrent and would
have been useful during the Ukraine
crisis.
“With its own army, Europe could
react more credibly to the threat to peace
in a member state or in a neighbouring
state.
“One wouldn’t have a European army
to deploy it immediately. But a common
European army would convey a clear
message to Russia that we are serious
about defending our European values.”
The 28-nation EU already has battle
groups that are manned on a rotational
basis and meant to be available as a rapid
reaction force.
But they have never been used in a
crisis.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during a press
conference in Brussels. — AFP
EU leaders have said they want to
boost the common security policy by
improving rapid response capabilities.
But Britain, along with France one
of the two main military powers in the
bloc, has been wary of giving a bigger
military role to the EU, fearing it could
undermine Nato.
German Defence Minister Ursula
von der Leyen welcomed Juncker’s
proposal: “Our future as Europeans will
at some point be with a European army,”
she told German radio.
Meanwhile, Mike Hookem, UKIP’s
Defence
Spokesman,
yesterday
condemned Junker’s calls for a EU army
saying the plans would be an “utter
disaster for the UK.”
Hookem, who sits on the Defence
Committee in the European Parliament,
IN THE FRONT LINE!
said, “UKIP have been ridiculed for
years and branded scaremongers for
suggesting that the UK’s traditional
parties were slowly relinquishing control
of our defence and moving toward a
European army. However, yet again,
UKIP’s predictions have been proved
correct.”
“A European army would be a tragedy
for the UK. We have all seen the utter
mess the EU has made of the euro zone
economy, so how can we even think of
trusting them with this island’s defence.
This is simply a disaster in the making
that would see Gibraltar returned to
Spain, and the Falkland Islands left open
to an unopposed invasion by Argentina.
Even more concerning would be the
prospect of British troops, under
European command operating in the
Eastern Ukraine.”
“As an island nation, with interests
around the world, we must have our
own armed forces that are equipped
and trained to protect our people, our
interests and our economy. This is
why unlike the Lib-Lab-Con, who are
complicit in the disastrous European
experiment, UKIP will oppose the
creation of a European Army; meet
the 2 per cent of GDP, Nato defence
spending target and return our armed
forces strength to the pre 2010 defence
cuts personnel levels.”
UKIP has been warning about the
desires of the European Union for
well over a decade, since the St Malo
Agreement signed by Tony Blair in
1998 which committed Britain to hard
defence links with France. Despite
denials by mainstream British politicians
the ambitions of the European Union to
have its own fighting army was made
clear by then Commission President
Romano Prodi when he said, “If you
don’t want to call it a European army,
don’t call it a European army. You can
call it ‘Margaret’, you can call it ‘MaryAnne’, you can find any name, but it is
a joint effort for peace-keeping missions
— the first time you have a joint, not
bilateral, effort at European level,” in
February 2000.
This denial and dishonesty amongst
our political class was repeated as late as
April last year when Nick Clegg accused
Nigel Farage of peddling a “dangerous
fantasy that is simply not true” when
Farage claimed that Europe wanted its
own “Army and Navy”.
— Agencies
LONDON: The Church of England’s
first female bishop was to preach
her maiden sermon in the role on
Sunday as she is installed in her home
diocese.
Libby Lane, born in 1966, is
saxophone player with a taste for
football who was appointed in
December as the new bishop of
Stockport, a town outside Manchester
in northwest England.
Her nomination came a month
after England’s state church gave
final approval to the dramatic change
to its hierarchy following years of
wrangling and division.
The move was hailed as an
important step towards greater
equality.
She was consecrated in York
Minster on January 26 but Sunday’s
ceremony in Chester, northwest
England, marks the formal beginning
of her ministry in her diocese.
She will be presented with her
pastoral staff and be welcomed by
the civic and faith communities in
a service expected to be attended by
more than 1,500 people.
— AFP
Nemtsov murder: Chechnya Soldier killed
policeman confesses role
in Ukrainian
Corporal Dragana Kitanovska attends an honour guard training session at an army barracks in Skopje. Macedonia’s honour army
battalion, the ceremonial uniformed guard that receives every foreign president, dignitaries and delegations has a different
glow. For the first time in the history of Macedonia’s army, the honour guard has two women in its ranks. There has not been an
event in which one of them is not in the first row. Verica Zlatevska joined the army in 2003, Kitanovska in 2006. — Reuters
MOSCOW: A Russian court on
Sunday charged two men with the
murder of opposition activist Boris
Nemtsov, including an ex-police officer
from Chechnya who confessed to his
involvement in the brazen assassination.
Five suspects appeared in a court
in central Moscow a little over a week
after Nemtsov, a longtime critic of
President Vladimir Putin, was shot four
times in the back as he strolled with his
girlfriend along a bridge in full view of
the Kremlin.
Court spokeswoman Anna Fadeyeva
told the RIA Novosti news agency that
three of the men who were not charged
were only considered suspects at this
stage.
All five were remanded in custody.
Zaur Dadayev, a former deputy
commander for the Chechen police,
and Anzor Gubashev, who worked
for a private security company in
Moscow, were arrested on Saturday
in the republic of Ingushetia, which
Zaur Dadayev, charged with
involvement in the murder of Russian
opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, is
escorted in a court building in Moscow
yesterday. — Reuters
neighbours Chechnya.
They were both charged with murder
but Gubashev denied involvement. “The
participation of Dadayev is confirmed
by his confession,” said presiding judge
Nataliya Mushnikova.
— AFP
KIEV: One Ukrainian serviceman has
been killed and three wounded as a
result of fighting in separatist eastern
territories in the past 24 hours despite
a ceasefire deal, Ukrainian military
spokesman Andriy Lysenko said on
Sunday.
Attacks have fallen significantly in
the past two weeks, but accusations
of continued violence on both sides
show the fragility of the peace accord
agreed in Minsk last month, which
calls for the withdrawal of heavy
weapons from the frontline.
“There is increased activity of
sniper groups. The serviceman who
was killed died at the hands of a
sniper,” Lysenko said in a televised
briefing.
He added that while the Minsk
agreements were broadly observed
along the front lines, and the intensity
of provocative attacks had dropped
significantly, rebels continued to fire
on government positions. — Reuters
£3 billion bill: Whatever happens, the British taxpayer will have to foot the huge bill for renovations
Mice, smog and MPs: UK parliament faces urgent repairs
LONDON: Behind the neo-Gothic splendour
of Big Ben, Britain’s Houses of Parliament is
crumbling and overrun with mice, prompting its
top official to warn the building may have to be
“abandoned” without urgent renovations.
Leaking roofs mean members of parliament
have to use waste paper baskets to catch drips
when it rains and the ornate stonework has been
eroded by air pollution.
Asbestos is a constant hazard and even the
famous clock tower snapped by tourists from
around the world leans 46 centimetres off the
vertical.
Then there are the mice.
Rodents are frequently spotted scurrying
around the members’ tea room and a mouse
hotline was even set up so politicians could
report sightings.
One lawmaker, Anne McIntosh — who
has also seen mice in the House of Commons
library late at night — wants parliament to adopt
MPs are already talking about
whether they should move out
of the Palace of Westminster while
the works take place or stay, even
though this could significantly
increase the bill. Many are
lobbying for parliament to move
to their own constituencies for
the duration of the works to
address claims that British politics
is too London-centric.
a cat from a nearby animal shelter to chase them
away.
“For some reason, my idea of having a cat
wasn’t accepted,” McIntosh said. “There are also
reported to be rats — it’s so close to the river and
Man spends night on roof of Westminster
LONDON: A man was arrested on Sunday
after spending the night wandering around on
the roof of the British parliament.
The 23-year-old man, who has not been
named, spent around eight hours on top of
the Palace of Westminster in London after first
being spotted late on Saturday.
Police arrested the man on suspicion of
criminal damage and trespassing. So far, the
reason as to why he stayed on the roof was not
known, Scotland Yard said.
The BBC said the man was on his own,
moving around a lot and seemed calm, with
his hands in his pockets, staring down at the
onlookers on the ground.
The roof has been the scene of stunts
A general view of the Palace of Westminster,
with the Great Westminster Clock, more
commonly known as ‘Big Ben’, in central
London. — AFP
by campaigners in the past, including by
protesters demonstrating against plans for a
third runway at London Heathrow Airport in
2008, and by Greenpeace a year later. — AFP
they say you’re never more than six yards away
from a rat in London.”
Also on the list of MPs’ complaints are often
cramped working areas and faulty heating.
Commons Speaker John Bercow flagged up
the scale of the problems in a speech on Tuesday,
saying the final bill for repairs could be £3 billion
(4.2 billion euros, $4.5 billion).
He warned that lawmakers could have to
move out of parliament for good within 20 years
unless major renovations take place in the next
decade.
The Houses of Parliament, designed by
Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, was finished
in 1870 and is now a Uunesco World Heritage
Site.
Although a fire in 1834 destroyed most of
the old Palace of Westminster and parts of the
Commons had to be rebuilt after World War II
due to bomb damage, there are still some areas
which date back to the 11th century.
— AFP
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
AMERICAS
RIGHTS MARCH: People seeking change have found universal inspiration from Selma
‘There’s still work left to be done’
WASHINGTON:
Georgia
Congressman John Lewis once helped
lead 600 peaceful demonstrators across
the Edmund Pettus Bridge on a march
in Selma, Alabama, where they were
teargassed and bloodied by batonwielding police who split his head open.
On the 50th anniversary of Bloody on
Sunday, which galvanized the civil rights
movement and helped spur passage
of the Voting Rights Act, Lewis was
back on Saturday speaking to a crowd
of 40,000 people, moments before US
President Barack Obama took the dais.
“If someone had told me when we
were crossing this bridge that one day I
would be back here introducing the first
African-American president, I would’ve
said: ‘You’re crazy. You’re out of your
mind. You don’t know what you’re
talking about’,” Lewis said.
With the sleeves of his white dress
shirt rolled up, Obama walked across the
bridge flanked by First Lady Michelle
and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.
They led a procession including
former president George W Bush, his
wife, Laura, and some of the now-elderly
marchers from March 7, 1965.
The VIP locked arms and sang the
civil-rights hymn Keep Your Eyes on the
Prize.
Amelia Boynton Robinson, who was
knocked unconscious on the bridge in
the 1965 police onslaught, is now 103
and participated in a wheelchair.
In the middle of the steel-girder
structure over the Alabama River,
the memorial march halted as Lewis
recounted details of the original
demonstration.
“It was not a clash of armies but a
clash of wills — a contest to determine
the true meaning of America,” Obama
told the crowd earlier.
“We gather here to honour the
courage of ordinary Americans willing
omandailyobserver
15
Clinton defends foreign
donations to foundation
You’ve got to decide,
when you do this
work, whether it
will do more good
than harm when someone
helps you from another
country’
BILL CLINTON
Former US president
US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, former US president George W Bush, Laura Bush, and US
Representative John Lewis (3L), Democrat of Georgia and one of the original marchers, lead a walk across the Edmund Pettus
Bridge to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama.
— AFP
to endure billy clubs and the chastening
“From the streets of Tunis to
rod; tear gas and the trampling hoof;
men and women who despite the gush the Maidan in Ukraine, this
of blood and splintered bone would generation of young people
stay true to their North Star and keep
can draw strength from this
marching towards justice.”
The bridge, named for a Confederate place, where the powerless
general from the 1861-65 American could change the world’s
Civil War who became a leader of the
greatest power and push
violently racist Ku Klux Klan and was
elected to the US Senate from Alabama, their leaders to expand the
was the backdrop for Obama’s remarks. boundaries of freedom,”
The original marchers were
Obama said.
embarking on an 86-kilometre trek from
Selma to the state capital, Montgomery,
to demand voting rights for African“Seventeen of us were hospitalised
Americans when confronted by a that day, but we never became bitter or
phalanx of police and a crowd of jeering hostile,” Lewis said.
segregationists waiting across the bridge.
“We kept believing that the truth we
stood for would have the final say.”
Obama cited the 1776 American
Declaration of Independence, calling the
Selma march a “manifestation of a creed
written into our founding documents...
‘We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal.’”
From Eastern Europe to Soweto to
Burma, people seeking change have
found universal inspiration from Selma,
Obama said.
“From the streets of Tunis to the
Maidan in Ukraine, this generation of
young people can draw strength from
this place, where the powerless could
change the world’s greatest power
and push their leaders to expand the
boundaries of freedom,” he said.
— dpa
MIAMI: US ex-president Bill Clinton
sought to fend off criticism of his
family foundation for taking money
from foreign governments, some with
questionable human rights records.
The former president, who spoke
at a University of Miami event, was
joined by his wife Hillary Clinton,
who declined to discuss a separate
controversy swirling around her use of
private e-mail only while working as
secretary of state.
“We do get money from other
countries. And some of them are in the
Middle East,” Bill Clinton said.
“But do we agree with everything
they do? No, but they’re helping us fight
IS,” the ex-president added.
“You’ve got to decide, when you do
this work, whether it will do more good
than harm when someone helps you
from another country,” explained Bill
Clinton.
He argued that the money was used
for humanitarian campaigns, and was
well spent.
“My theory about all this is: disclose
everything, and then let people make
their judgments,” Clinton added.
“I believe we’ve done a lot more good
than harm, and I believe this is a good
thing. So I am going to tell you who
gave us money and you are going to
make your own decision.”
The Democratic Party’s presumed
presidential
frontrunner,
Hillary
Clinton, spoke for 20 minutes about
women’s rights, and civil rights.
It was the first time the former
secretary of state and former first lady,
spoke publicly since the firestorm arose
over her exclusive use of private e-mail
while serving as the top US diplomat in
2009-2013.
That practice may have contravened
US government policy.
Pressure has mounted, particularly
from Republican adversaries, for
Hillary to release the entirety of her
e-mail correspondence, and the former
secretary of state has said she asked for
the communication to be released.
Team Hillary has been barraged by
Republican accusations that she set up
the private server system to prevent
politically sensitive material from going
public.
On Saturday, President Barack
Obama cautiously threw his weight
behind his former top diplomat Hillary,
as she battles a fallout over her use of
a private e-mail account while heading
the State Department.
Obama told CBS News he only
learned this week, after a New York
Times report, of Hillary’ss practice of
conducting her official e-mail business
from a personal account on a private
e-mail server connected to her New
— AFP
York home.
16
PANORAMA
omandailyobserver
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Actors reenact the 1831 Battle of Olszynka Grochowska in Warsaw. — AFP
Chinese
hostesses use a
mobile phone to
take a photo
during the third
session of the
12th National
People’s
Congress outside
the Great Hall of
the People in
Beijing
yesterday.
— AFP
Thousands of lanterns
are lit up to mourn for
the victims of the
March 11, 2011
earthquake and
tsunami in Natori,
Miyagi Prefecture,
yesterday ahead of the
four-year anniversary
of the disaster.
— Reuters
Indian
sand artist
Sudarsan
Pattnaik
making a
sand
sculpture
of the
missing
Malaysian
airliner
MH370 on
Puri beach
in eastern
Odisha.
— AFP
Children fly a kite on a playground at old lighthouse Museum Oberevesand in Dorum, northern
Germany. — AFP
A picture shows costumes made for the ballet ‘Le Chant du
Rossignol: Dolente’ 1920 by French artist Henri Matisse
during a press preview of the exhibition ‘Matisse Arabesque’
at the Scuderie del Quirinale museum in Rome. — AFP
MONDAY | MARCH 9, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 18, 1436 AH
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GROWTH: Freight transport network to create more jobs, bring in
more revenue and reduce dependency on oil
Logistics bode well for
Oman’s economy
SAMUEL KUTTY
MUSCAT
March 8: Along with its attractive and
strategic location, construction of new
railway lines, investments in airports
and new terminals at the country’s
seaports bode well for the growth of
Oman’s freight transport network.
“Our ports and free trade zones are
located in the Indian Ocean. Hence
Oman is the most suitable place to
become a hub for distribution to the
region”, says M C Jose, (pictured) Chief
Executive Officer, Projects and Logistics,
Khimji Ramdas Group.
According to him, logistics will bring
considerable amount of employment
to the nationals. Revenue on logistic
business will compliment to the national
economy and reduce dependency on oil
revenue.
“Oman will have a world class logistic
service centre very soon. It is up to the
private entrepreneurs to make best
use of the facility and to attract traffic
through the country. The developments
which are underway will make Oman
one of the best locations to do logistic
business””, says Jose.
Volumes handled on Oman’s freight
transport network have been witnessing
strong growth in the past years, and are
expected to increase substantially.
The tonnage throughput at Salalah
is forecast to reach 9.39 million tonnes
on growth of 7.9 per cent in 2015, with
growth to average 7.6 per cent to 2019,
while 2015 total tonnage throughput at
Sohar is forecast to reach 59.38 million
tonnes, year-on-year growth of 12.3 per
cent.
Growth over the medium term to
average 11.8 per cent, thanks in part to
the transfer of operations from Sultan
Qaboos.
Air freight volumes are forecast to
grow by 7.1 per cent in 2015 and to
average 7.4 per cent over the medium
term to 2019.
The total trade real growth is forecast
at 3.9 per cent, and set to average 1.2 per
cent to 2019.
But still experts feel that more steps
are required to be taken to attract more
customers to the ports.
Single window document process
is a requirement of the time to attract
more customers to our ports and free
trade zones, suggests Jose.
“It is available in all the successful
ports and free trade zones around the
world. User-friendly procedures will
attract more international companies to
Oman. Hence we have to transform into
a location where matters get resolved
on line with minimal human interface.
We can take benefit of the attractive
geographical location only if we are
competitive and user-friendly”, he says.
The new developments in the sea
ports and airports will meet the present
requirement of the trade. However,
constant improvement will have to be
made as and when the traffic improves.
Companies manufacture various
products at different factories around
the world. Products are brought to a
regional hub for distribution in the
region. Sohar can be the ideal place for
distribution. According to Jose, Salalah
and Duqm
TO PAGE 19
The drop in oil price is expected to affect the industry
ME oil and gas transaction
activity subdued in 2014
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
March 8: While the Middle East has
substantial oil and gas reserves and
production, in the context of the global
transactions market both current and historic
levels of activity are relatively low, according
to EY’s Global Oil and Gas Transactions
Review 2014. In the Middle East, transaction
activity in 2014 was quiet and only upstream
witnessed any deal activity.
David Baker, MENA Oil and Gas
Transactions Leader, EY, says: “Prior to the
drop in oil price in the second half of 2014,
oil price had been unusually stable over past
the 3 years, largely trading around $100-120/
bbl despite some major geopolitical events.
When oil price did dip, the speed and extent
of the price correction took many by surprise.
The industry has responded by making a
number of recent announcements regarding
projects and capital expenditure cuts.
Globally we are expecting a strengthening
oil and gas M&A market in 2015 as
companies reallocate capital to optimise
their portfolios, remove underperforming
and lower yield businesses, and pursue
opportunistic acquisitions.”
In terms of timing, the drop in oil price
is expected to affect the industry in the
following order; oil field services, exploration
and production (E&P) then midstream/
downstream. Oil field services, beginning
with entities aligned to discretionary
CAPEX (Seismic/Exploration), are likely
to be affected first, followed by onshore
drilling and then development. E&P will
also clearly be impacted, beginning with the
highly leveraged E&P entities and those with
disproportionate exposure to high marginal
cost production. On the other hand, the
price drop may be beneficial to midstream/
downstream businesses. However, the
businesses embedded in integrated oil
companies may come under further pressure
to de-capitalise their value chains.
From an upstream perspective, while the
number of transactions decreased from 32
to 12 from 2013 to 2014, the total value was
only marginally down at almost $600 million.
In terms of the upstream sector, Middle East
transaction value relative to the total global
upstream transaction value represented less
than 0.3 per cent in 2014, which is the lowest
share over the past five years. The deal activity
was geographically spread over the Middle East
region with countries such as the UAE and Iraq
being the locations of multiple transactions.
As is consistent with the past three years,
no midstream transactions were completed
in 2014. This is a result of the very high
level of state ownership of these strategically
important assets and therefore little, if
any, availability in the market. Finally in
the downstream sector, again, there were
no transactions in the Middle East which
is against a backdrop of only very limited
transaction activity in 2012 and 2013.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
P21
18
omandailyobserver
OMAN
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Meethaq forum for interaction
with prominent personalities
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
Sultanate or abroad will
be hosted. The interaction
between the guest and the
March 8: Meethaq, the
audience will primarily
pioneer of Islamic banking
focus on aspects of the
in Oman from Bank Muscat,
presenter’s personal life,
is launching a unique social
success in career and views
forum aimed at facilitating
on issues facing the country
interaction with prominent
and community.
personalities
sharing
Sulaiman al Harthy,
inspirational aspects of their
Group
General-Manager
life and career as well as
— Islamic Banking, said:
perspective on economy and Sulaiman al Harthy
“Meethaq is proud to
important social and cultural
introduce Majlis evening aimed at presenting
issues in the country.
The first of the series of Majlis Meethaq successful role models to community and
gathering will be addressed by Salim Bin highlighting their achievements to motivate
Nasser Al Aufi, Under-Secretary at the and inspire citizens, especially youth, to attain
Ministry of Oil & Gas, on Wednesday 11 success in life. The discussions are aimed at
March at Bank Muscat head office. Salim enlightening the audience to take cues from
Bin Nasser Al Aufi will talk about interesting the challenges and obstacles faced by the guest
aspects of his personal life, career and share in making crucial decisions and important
turns in life which led to success. Meethaq
views on important issues in the country.
Majlis Meethaq evening will be held every aims to develop Majlis as an ideal platform
month in which a well- known economic, to interact with prominent personalities and
social, religious or cultural personna having learn from their experiences in achieving
influence on Omani society from the success in life.”
Logistics bode well for Oman’s economy
FROM PAGE 17
can be the ideal locations for manufacturing. Also they can be more suitable for the
sea-air connections.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications has made state-of-the-art infrastructure for making these places most
suitable for logistics business. Royal Oman
Police is rolling out a new paperless documentation system which will reduce the
processing time of documents.
“So it is time for the entrepreneurs in
Oman to capitalise on these facilities and
opportunities”, opines Jose.
“At present, large ships steam long distance to deliver cargo in the region. The
geographical supremacy of Oman will permit large vessels to discharge all the regional
cargo in any of the Omani Ports in the Indian Ocean for onward carriage to every
other location in the Arabian Gulf. There
will be considerable savings in transportation if the cargos are transported by rail”,
Jose adds.
According to Vinod Gupta, Senior Executive, Operations at Transworld Shipping,
Oman’s freight transport sector will benefit
not only from a rapidly growing economy,
and consumer base, but also from sizeable
investment.
“It is true,
Oman’s investments in new
railway
line
airports
and
new terminals
at the seaports
will help mega
industries to set
up their units
in the country.
But the government has also to
ensure that con- M C Jose
stant improvements are made to ease traffic”, he says.
Matthew Wright, Head of Consultancy
and Industrial, Cluttons Oman, the industrial and logistics sector in Oman continues
to grow as the Sultanate looks to leverage
its strategic position close to international
shipping routes and outside the Straits of
Hormuz.
“Recent and proposed infrastructure
developments are significantly improving
connectivity and increasing potential for
Oman to develop as a regional gateway for
freight traffic”, he says. A particularly exciting prospect for the freight transport sector
is the proposed Oman railway which will
link into the wider GCC rail network.
Kuwait Airways in for a major
facelift, aims newer destinations
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
March 8: With the acquisition of new aircraft to total revamp of its presence and
logo, the national carrier of the State of Kuwait, Kuwait Airways which is currently in
the final phase of privatisation, is in for a
major facelift aiming at newer destinations
in Europe while enhancing its current presence in other continents, according to its
top management.
Speaking to the Omani media fraternity
at its headquarters in Kuwait City, Abdulla
al Sharhan, CEO, Kuwait Airways said all
these changes will certainly add value to
the passengers.
“We are now in the final step of establishing the legal entity of the airline — the
Kuwait Airways Company from the present
Kuwait Airways Corporation. This will also
see new bylaws along many other new features. There will be a major change and the
passengers will certainly be benefitted in
the sense that new aircrafts, new destinations, new services, and lounges will certainly add value to the passengers”.
With the newer destinations Kuwait
Airways is planning to fly to new countries
with its newer aircrafts. Additionally, voluntary retirement for the senior staff too
is being implemented where by those who
want to retire and join some other public
sector are encouraged while offering them
a lump sum of end-of-service benefits.
“We are in the process of infusing fresh,
young blood in to the organisation with the
voluntary retirement scheme for the eld-
Rajan Jayaraman
Abdulla Sharhan
erly staff members where they will be given
all dues to them in lump sum and many
have accepted it. I strongly feel that there
is a shift in the aviation industry of Middle
East and the Sultanate of Oman can be the
hub of the shift for its strategic location and
this shift is good for the region”, says Philip
Saunders, CCO, Kuwait Airways.
Kuwait Airways has recently ordered a
fleet of 10 Boeing 777-300ER , 25 aircrafts
and 12 leased aircrafts from Airbus. It has
already taken the delivery of four A320
CEO aircraft from Airbus equipped with
Sharklets, the first of 37new aircraft the
company ordered marking the start of a
major fleet renewal plan.
“The A320 single-aisle jetliner family is
the world’s bestselling single aisle aircraft
family and its versatility will support Kuwait Airways range of services- from very
short haul airline routes to intercontinental
segments”, adds Rajan Jayaraman, District
Sales Manager-Oman, Kuwait Airways.
OMAN
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
FUTURE: Energy consumption will ultimately continue to grow
Oil industry still important
but dependence will be less
FATIMA MUNEER
MUSCAT
March 8: At a point in Oman’s history
where the country is reportedly
trying to diversify its economy while
simultaneously undergoing low oil
prices, where do those working in the oil
and gas industry find themselves? The
Oman Daily Observer sat down with Dr
Amer al Rawas, CEO of Tasneea Oil &
Gas Technology, a company specialising
in the design and manufacture of
products used in oil and gas extraction,
to find some insights.
“The fact that now there will hopefully
be more focus on diversification and
away from the oil and gas sector doesn’t
necessarily mean this industry will stop
growing,” says Dr Al Rawas. “In fact,
it will continue to grow and there are
fundamentals to suggest that it will do so
at an acceptable pace. The diversification
move is necessary for Oman at this stage
because we need to have control of our
economic destiny,” he explains.
“For commodities like oil, the prices
are decided globally. But there are
other commodities and services that
can feed the economy which are not as
Dr Amer al Rawas
volatile as oil prices are,” he continues.
“It’s also timely as a lot of the oil and
gas companies are focusing on the In
Country Values (ICVs) by doing many
of their operations in Oman.” Because of
this, he feels other industries will emerge
so the oil and gas sector is actually a part
of the diversification process, acting as a
stimulant and a catalyst.
“I don’t think prices will continue
the way they are. It seems that with
the slight fluctuations happening since
the last two weeks, prices are market
driven,” he feels. “Energy consumption
will ultimately continue to grow so
oil demand will also grow. Demand
will drive prices up and if there are
no alternative sources of energy, then
oil prices will continue to grow,” he
explains. “In the long run, prices will
recover. In the short run, a lot of the
operators and the government will have
to look at cost cutting.”
But Dr Al Rawas feels that there
are intelligent ways of doing this. “You
can basically structure the cost cutting
into slabs depending on the price level,”
he says. “But also, you can bring in
technologies that can save costs. You
bring in programs like the ICV so that
you don’t necessarily bring the absolute
cost down but you substitute for the cost
by building the industry internally,” Dr.
Al Rawas explains. “Then the money
stays within the country.”
“From a fiscal financial point of view,
economic growth is suggested to move
slowly because we need money to fuel
that change and there’ll be less of that as
long as prices are low,” he says. “On the
other hand, because we’ve always had the
money but the emphasis and the focus
was not enough, the speed of growth will
be higher as it provides an extra incentive
for the government and stakeholders
involved in the diversification process.”
19
Lead Oman 2015 a huge success
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
March 8: Lead Oman, a turnkey
business to business event, was held
here on Sunday, enabling innovative
and much needed brands to get to
know their target customer in the local
market, and for the local market to be
aware of innovative business solutions
that could increase their bottom-line.
PESCO
(Professional
Energy
Services
LLC),
which
actively
participated in the event, was created
out of the need to provide professional
solutions to Oman that would lead to the
country’s growth. PESCO is a full service
company specialised in the design,
procurement, supervision, installation
and commissioning of Electrical and
Safety Equipment, Oil & Gas Industry,
Water Supply & Treatment, Security and
Laboratory Furniture & Equipment.
Their aim is very simple; PESCO
views its successes as repeat clients and
not based on the size of the order. That
should confirm that PESCO is with you
for the long haul, and not for the short
term.
Professional Energy Services LLC, a
local company with specialisation in Oil
and Gas, Industrial Lighting, CCTV and
Access Control, Electrical and Safety,
Laboratory and Testing, and so many
more, thanked the team for being the
principal sponsor for this event and for
being at the constant forefront of market
innovation, and leadership.
SIbille Fameca Electric (SFE), a
leading principal in electrical and safety
products, was another active participant
in the event. It is known for continually
investing in Research and Development,
and launching new innovative and
ultimately necessary products that no
electrical worksman can do without.
At the event, EchoRD also presented
their solutions. They have some much
needed products that are ultimately
absolutely essential in the testing and
laboratory market segments.
Spanish firm wins Ibri-Yanqul road upgrade design contract
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
March 8: Spanish firm Euroconsult
has announced that it has won a design
contract from the Omani government for
the dualisation of the 36km Ibri – Yanqul
carriageway in Dhahirah Governorate.
The contract, valued at $548,000, will
be shared with its Omani joint venture
partner, the Madrid based firm said.
Also as part of the deal, Euroconsult
Group along with its Omani joint
BUSINESS ALERT
Ahlibank holds two-day retreat for staff
what I love. I have had the great opportunity to work in great places as Sydney
and Toronto, Canada for many years. I have also had the pleasure of working
MUSCAT: In continuation in the Dental Department of Zayed Military Hospital, UAE, Drs. Nicolas + Asp
of Ahlibank’s commitment Medical/Dental Center in Dubai, UAE , and now Muscat Dental Specialists”, he
towards staff engagement, says.
a two-day retreat was
organised
for
the
commercial banking staff at
the Millennium Resort in
Mussanah. The retreat was MCDONALD’S Oman (Al Daud
geared towards instilling Restaurants LLC) is giving away
a sense of belonging, over 10,000 free egg McMuffins
enhancing team spirit today as part of the brand’s third
and promoting positive annual National Breakfast Day.
communication among the bank’s employees outside the workplace.
Each McDonald’s restaurant
“Our employees are at the core of our operations and are an integral part of serving breakfast in Oman will
our success. This retreat allowed us to come together as a family to discuss the be giving away 1,000 free Egg
next phase of ahlibank’s growth. Furthermore, such occasions are a great way of McMuffins on a first come- first
keeping our employees abreast of the latest updates and developments, and is an serve basis, from 6:00am to
ideal opportunity for us to recognise the staff ’s unwavering commitment which is 10:00am.
critical to the success of the Bank” commented Lloyd Maddock, CEO of ahlibank.
McDonald’s Oman is among
Congratulating the entire commercial banking team for their impressive more than 6,000 McDonald’s
performance over the last 7 years, CB Ganesh, Dy CEO – Banking Group, called restaurants in Asia, Middle East and Africa celebrating the brand’s National
upon them to be proactive in their marketing approach and think of innovative Breakfast Day 2015.
solutions to compete successfully in the market.
Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast–hence
the name! Nutritionists eagerly stress on breakfast being the most important meal
of the day and strongly advise on having a balanced one. McDonald’s provides a
range of balanced breakfast choices to its customers.
Ali K. Daud, Development Licensee and President of McDonald’s Oman,
said: “We at McDonald’s recognise the value of a nourishing morning meal, and
PACKAGING maintains the benefits
we are proud to serve our high quality breakfast menu daily. Offering a range of
of food processing after the process
products, McDonald’s breakfast caters to a wide variety of customers looking for
is complete, enabling foods to travel
balanced choices, whether they are on the go, or looking to enjoy a relaxed and
safely for long distances from their
satisfying start to the day.”
point of origin and still be wholesome
at the time of consumption. Oman’s,
leading and largest home-grown
brand “A’Saffa”, pioneers in fully
integrated poultry farms, scientific
farm management systems and food
SARAYA Bandar Jissah,
production, maintains top safety
the
luxurious
ITC
standards when it comes to packaging their chicken or poultry products. They (Integrated
Tourism
allow customers to buy products with peace of mind and confidence as it is Complex)
named
always an advantage for customers to see what they are buying. The brand’s ‘World’s Best Mixed
transparent packaging helps customers to check for quality, colour, damages, and Use Development’ by
discoloration.
International Property
Sidhartha Lenka, Head of Sales & Marketing at A’Saffa Foods says: “Willful Awards invited members
tampering with food products has resulted in special packaging features designed of the media on Tuesday,
to reduce or eliminate the risk of tampering and adulteration. A’Saffa Foods 3 March for a first-hand
transparent packaging will help customers to see the products in their best preview of the continuing
condition.”
activities on the construction site. Backed by their shareholders Omran and
Saraya Oman, Saraya Bandar Jissah is on track to deliver a one of a kind luxury
development with a boutique hotel and resort hotel to be operated by world-class
hotel operators - Jumeirah Group, complete with five residential zones, and a
state of the art recreational facility.
With a site area spanning 2.2 square kilometres, the development will deliver
MUSCAT Dentist Specialist Clinic (MDS) has
398 exclusive residential units in five distinct residential zones — Zaha, Nameer,
supported its multinational high qualified team of
Wajd, Na’eem and Safa. Zaha, the first residential zone introduced to the market
specialists by recruiting Dr Alex, a more-than 38last year, gained outstanding momentum inundating the Saraya Bandar Jissah
year experience dentists, who has graduated from
sales centre with strong interest in the residential properties. Three months
the Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University in
before the end of 2014, Saraya Bandar Jissah had already achieved its 2014 target
Canada. “I have been very fortunate to be practicing
allocation and moved on to their 2015 sales objective.
dentistry for the last 38 years. I do it because it is
McDonald’s National Breakfast Day today
A’Saffa maintains transparent packaging
Glimpse of Saraya Bandar Jissah site
Dental specialist joins MDS team
omandailyobserver
venture partner will provide supervision
services for the rehabilitation of three
segments of the carriageway.
Once completed, the highway will
facilitate smooth connectivity between
Oman and the UAE, as well as reducing
travel time between the two countries,
said the company in a statement.
One of the top ten engineering firms
in Spain, Euroconsult said the project
not only provides a boost to its activities
in the Sultanate, but also the entire
Middle East region, which is currently
the third most important international
market for the company, behind Latin
America and Europe. Euroconsult also
has operations in the UAE, Qatar and
Saudi Arabia.
Euroconsult is also bidding for
design and supervision contracts linked
to a number of other road projects
tendered out by Oman’s Ministry
of Transport and Communications.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
“It was a pleasure having the media on site. The purpose of the site visit was to
give our media friends a view of this landmark project as the true beauty of the
location can only be experienced in person. Saraya Bandar Jissah has come a long
way since our ground breaking ceremony in April last year. We now have all our
contractors and consultants orchestrating Saraya Bandar Jissah in full swing.” Said
Mohammed Al Hadeethi, Senior Construction Manager of Saraya Bandar Jissah.
Toyota Hiace: A range of favourites
TOYOTA Hiace is perhaps the ‘mostseen-on-the-road’ range of buses, vans and
taxis. Stylish, dependable and comfortable
the Hiace range is distinguished by its
square body design and its professional
stance, “Design is crucial to performance.
In the Hiace, we see that radiator and
engine are positioned to optimise interior
room and the small bonnet allows easy
access,” the spokesperson explains, “This
unique design allows for a large cargo
capacity,” he adds.
The Hiace Van has a wide body and high roof resulting in class-leading cargo
volume capacity. In addition, its thoughtful design makes it easy to load and
unload a wide range of bulky & odd shaped items. The ergonomic dashboard is
equipped with tilt steering and a new audio system.
Offering contoured seating for 14, the Hiace Bus and High Roof Bus delivers
exceptional driver and passenger comfort. Individual bucket seats and two seater
bench seats are installed throughout the Bus. The front passenger and driver seats
also feature slide adjustments apart from ample head, leg, shoulder and hip room.
What’s more, the fifth row of seats folds up, giving extra luggage space at the rear.
“Whether I am carrying passengers or my own family members,” remarks an
owner, “The Hiace High Roof Bus provides comfortable seating for everyone.
High quality materials add to the sense of spaciousness, refinement and comfort,”
he adds with obvious pride.
IHE adds Kobelco excavators to its portfolio
INTERNATIONAL
Heavy
Equipment LLC (IHE), a part of
the Zubair Group, is the proud
dealer of the much acclaimed
Kobelco
construction
machineries in Oman that
has taken on a complete new
restructuring and brand logo.
With a well-knit sales and
service distribution network spread across North America, Europe, Central and
South America, Middle East, Africa, and the CIS area, Kobelco has used its 80
years of industry experience to serve the construction sector across the world.
With the fresh new blue-green logo of the trusted equipment partner, Kobelco’s
excavators will now be making its distinct presence in the Oman market too.
“With the country progressing in leaps and bounds and numerous construction
projects in full swing of operation and others in the near pipeline, the sector is one
that is booming,” said Ram Mohan, General Manager of IHE. “The equipment
and machineries demanded by the industry need to be dependable, high on the
safety quotient and economical; Kobelco hits all these checks boxes absolutely
impeccably.” The two new Kobelco hydraulic excavators were launched with great
pride and pomp at the 11th Product Show hosted by IHE (Zubair Auto Group)
on February 25 at the Zubair Recreation Centre.
20
omandailyobserver
OMAN/INTERNATIONAL
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
SENTIMENT: US investors are worried that if the Fed raises rates too soon, it could dampen growth in an economy that has been slow to recover
Data brings more focus on timing of US rate hike
WALL STREET
WEEK AHEAD
NEW YORK: US stock investors may
be bracing for further signs this week
that the Federal Reserve could increase
interest rates sooner rather than later,
with retail sales expected to rebound
after two straight months of declines.
A pickup in retail sales could show
consumers are benefiting from sharply
lower oil prices, but analysts say
spending in February was likely curbed
by unusually harsh weather in parts of
the United States.
Friday’s stronger-than-expected jobs
report boosted expectations of a US rate
increase as soon as June, causing the
market to sell off.
The S&P 500 ended the week more
than 2 per cent off its March 2 closing
record high, while the Nasdaq was more
than 70 points off the 5,000 mark, which
it hit this week for the first time since
March 2000.
Comments from some Fed officials
underscored expectations of a June rate
hike.
Among them, Richmond Federal
Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker
repeated his view that the Fed should
raise rates in June.
“The Fed is back at the top of the
circle” in terms of the investor focus,
said Kim Forrest, senior equity research
analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in
Pittsburgh.
“I think they’re feeling some pressure
to show that they really are data driven.
The economy has been getting better,
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. — Reuters
and what I think they’re trying to do
is overstay the party to make sure the
economy really is better.” In the jobs
data released on Friday, unemployment
dropped to a six-year low of 5.5 per cent
last month, within the range the Fed
considers to be full employment.
A Reuters poll conducted following
the report showed many of Wall Street’s
biggest banks are more convinced the
Fed will raise rates in June.
While a stronger US economy is
better for the US stock market in the
long run, investors have worried that if
the Fed raises rates too soon, it could
dampen growth in an economy that has
been slow to recover.
Besides US retail sales, next week
brings the preliminary March reading
on consumer sentiment from the
University of Michigan.
Sentiment unexpectedly fell in
February from an 11-year high, adding
to recent worries about spending.
Apple, which rose 0.2 per cent on
Friday after S&P Dow Jones Indices
announced the stock would be added
to the blue-chip index this month, will
remain in focus next week when it is
expected to unveil the long-awaited
Apple Watch in San Francisco on
Monday.
Also on Monday, the European
Central Bank is due to begin its onetrillion-euro stimulus plan, an effort
to jump-start the struggling euro zone
economy by buying bonds.
That could increase volatility, said
Jeff Carbone, managing partner at
Cornerstone Financial Partners in
Huntersville, North Carolina.
“You look around the world and
you’ve got a deflationary” environment
in many countries, he said.”A rise in
interest rates is knocking at the Fed’s
BIZ BRIEF
MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET
Apple supplier
Japan Display to
build $1.4 bn LCD
screen factory
TOKYO: Apple supplier Japan
Display said it would spend $1.4
billion on a new smartphone and
tablet screen factory, in a move
that may be a response to growing
demand from the US iPhone maker.
The plant, which is expected
to produce 25,000 sheets of liquid
crystal displays (LCD) a month,
will be constructed in the central
Japanese city of Hakusan at a cost
of 170 billion yen ($1.4 billion), the
company said.
The plant, which would boost
Japan Display’s screen production
by about 20 per cent, is expected to
start operating next year “to satisfy
growing demand for ever-advancing
displays”, it said in a statement.
The announcement by one of
the world’s biggest smartphone
and tablet screen makers came two
weeks after a media report said it
was mulling construction of a plant
dedicated to supplying smartphone
screens to Apple.
The report said Apple would
shoulder a significant portion of the
construction cost.
On Friday, a spokesperson for
Japan Display was not immediately
available to comment and the firm’s
statement said only that the new
building would be financed by “cash
flow and other receipts”.
Government-backed Japan
Display was launched in April 2012
from the integration of the display
units of Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi.
While sales to Apple remain
brisk, shipments to Sony and South
Korea’s Samsung have slowed
because of competition from China.
Japan Display has warned that
it expects a net loss of 12 billion yen
in the fiscal year to March, reversing
with an earlier forecast of a 26.8
billion net profit.
The firm’s shares started trading
in Tokyo last year after a $3.2 billion
initial public offering.
— AFP
door, but there still doesn’t seem to be
enough strength out there to make it
happen.”
US stocks closed lower on Friday
and the S&P 500 declined for a second
straight week after a strong monthly jobs
report as investors bet that the Federal
Reserve could raise interest rates sooner
than previously expected.
Some of the worst-hit stocks were
utilities and real estate investment trusts
as they are high-yielding investments
which would look less attractive after a
rate hike.
The S&P and the Dow, which
accelerated their declines as the day
wore on, were under additional pressure
because they had hit records earlier in
the week after a strong February.
US nonfarm payrolls rose 295,000
last month, topping estimates for a gain
of 240,000, after a downwardly revised
239,000 increase in January.
The unemployment rate fell to 5.5 per
cent from 5.7 per cent in January.
The strong report, seen as a gauge
for the timing of the Fed’s first rate hike
in years, may put pressure on the Fed
to move soon, said Randy Frederick,
managing director of trading and
derivatives for Charles Schwab in
Austin, Texas.
“You have to think that report makes
the likelihood of a June rate increase
somewhat higher,” said Frederick.
The S&P extended its losses as the
session wore on having found little
support after it fell below its twoweek intraday low, according to Frank
Cappelleri, technical market analyst at
Instinet, a Nomura company, in New
“The Fed is back at the top
of the circle. I think they’re
feeling some pressure to
show that they really are
data driven. The economy
has been getting better, and
what I think they’re trying
to do is overstay the party
to make sure the economy
really is better”
York.
The Dow Jones industrial average
fell 278.94 points, or 1.54 per cent,
to 17,856.78, the S&P 500 lost 29.78
points, or 1.42 per cent, to 2,071.26 and
the Nasdaq Composite dropped 55.44
points, or 1.11 per cent, to 4,927.37.
For the week, the S&P 500 fell 1.6 per
cent while the Dow slid 1.5 per cent and
the Nasdaq dropped 0.7 per cent.
The S&P and the Dow both ended
the day more than 2 per cent lower than
their March 2 records.
The S&P saw its biggest percentage
decline since early January on Friday. In
a shakeup of the Dow Jones industrial
average, Apple Inc , the largest US
company by market value, will join the
index this month, replacing AT&T Inc.
Apple shares rose 0.15 per cent at
$126.60 after rising as high as $129.37
while AT&T fell 1.5 per cent to $33.48. “If
anything, what that should do is cause the
Dow to be more volatile,” said Schwab’s
Frederick, because the Dow is a priceweighted index and Apple has a higher
share price than AT&T.
— Reuters
2,200 jobs may go as SAP heads to cloud
FRANKFURT: German software giant SAP said that it would eliminate 2,200 positions
as it accelerates its shift to delivering businesses its accounting and management
applications via the Internet “cloud”, but would avoid forced layoffs.
SAP intends to “cut three per cent of positions ... over the short to medium-term,” a
spokesman said on Friday, confirming plans reported by Bloomberg News.
That would make for 2,250 jobs in the company that employs 74,400 people.
The plan does not include any forced layoffs, with the reduction to be achieved by
voluntary departures and retraining of people employed in less profitable units, said
the spokesman who noted that SAP created 7,800 jobs last year.
“This isn’t a question of cost-cutting, rather we want to support our growth in a
good manner,” he said.
SAP is in the midst of a massive shift to cloud computing, which it hopes will lift
annual revenues by around 50 per cent to 26-28 billion euros ($28.5-30.7 billion) by
2020.
Cloud computing is a different way of delivering applications and services to
companies and consumers, and implies some changes within the company.
Programs are hosted in the Internet “cloud” rather on a client’s server or computer
and delivered via broadband connections, thus opening up many possibilities to
tailor services to just what is needed and reducing the need for businesses to buy and
maintain equipment.
In January, SAP executives said they expect revenue from subscriptions to cloudbased services to exceed sales of traditional software licences in 2018.
— AFP
Thai Airways President Charumporn Jotikasthira poses for photograph at Thai
airways Headquarters in Bangkok March 6, 2015. Thai Airways International
PCL will sell some of its 15.5 billion baht ($481 million) of non-core assets to
cover any losses this year due to one-off hits for cutting its fleet and
workforce, the company’s president said.
— Reuters
ECB launches stimulus gambit today
BERLIN: In what may be its best and last chance to stimulate growth and ward off
deflation across the euro zone, the European Central Bank on Monday will launch its
long-awaited 1.1 trillion euro ($1.2 trillion) quantitative easing programme.
The kickoff was announced on Thursday by ECB President Mario Draghi, who
confirmed the euro zone central bank will begin its programme of buying around
60 billion euros of public and private bonds each month starting March 9 — a policy
it will apply until at least September 2016. The move comes as traditional efforts to
boost sluggish economic activity in the 19-nation euro zone have been exhausted
through rate cuts that have brought borrowing costs to nearly zero.
The policy known as quantitative easing or QE is also being adopted as the euro
zone faces growing threats of deflation, in which falling prices lead consumers to
put off purchases in expectation they will drop further, sparking a damaging cycle of
falling production, job creation and prices.
The strategy behind the ECB’s QE programme is similar to that of earlier schemes
introduced by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England to pump money into
the economy with massive purchases of government bonds.
Under QE, a central bank creates money electronically and uses it to buy the
debt that countries issue to pay their bills. That pushes down interest rates on bonds
and other financial assets, making it cheaper for companies to borrow and invest,
increasing spending and employment.
— AFP
PERSPECTIVE
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
21
QUAKE & FUEL
Disaster fears over Europe’s largest gas field
D
utch church bells that
for centuries have
tolled to warn of
floods across the lowlying countryside are
sounding the alarm
for a new threat: earthquakes linked to
Europe’s largest natural gas field.
“Money can buy a lot of things, but
a building like this cannot be replaced,”
said Jur Bekooy, a civil engineer with the
Groningen Old Churches Association,
pointing to cracks in the ceiling and walls
of the 13th-century Maria Church in the
village of Westerwijtwerd.
Long ignored, voices like Bekooy’s are
being heard as elections loom this month
and following a damning report from the
independent Dutch Safety Board.
It accused the government and the
field’s operators, Royal Dutch Shell and
Exxon Mobil Corp, of ignoring the threat
of earthquakes linked to the massive
Groningen gas field for years.
There are now questions about the
future exploitation of the field that
lies under the northern province of
Groningen, with implications that reach
well beyond its significance for Dutch
state coffers. Lessons from Groningen,
which lies far from any natural fault line,
feed into a debate over the threat posed by
hydraulic fracturing in the United States,
China, Britain and elsewhere.
The world’s 10th largest gas field,
Groningen is expected to supply the bulk
of the Netherlands’ annual gas needs of
20-30 billion cubic metres (bcm) until the
mid-2020s. The Dutch also have contracts
to sell 40-60 bcm annually to buyers in
Germany, Britain, Italy, Belgium and
France.
There are now questions
about the future exploitation
of the field that lies under
the northern province
of Groningen, with
implications that reach well
beyond its significance for
Dutch state coffers.
A view of a gas production plant is seen in Groningen. — Reuters
In all, Groningen and a few smaller
Dutch fields supply 15 per cent of
Europe’s gas consumption, providing one
alternative to Russian supply.
When Economic Affairs Minister
Henk Kamp recently ordered production
at Groningen cut by 16 per cent, gas prices
jumped across Western Europe.
Groningen has been in continuous
production since 1963. As far back as
1993 small quakes were definitively linked
to its output.
But in the late 2000s, they suddenly
became more frequent and stronger.
With government finances under
pressure from the 2008 financial crisis,
production at Groningen had been
ramped up from around 30 bcm in 2007
to more than 50 bcm by 2010.
The money generated helped the
Dutch cushion the blow of austerity
policies championed by the Cabinet.
As Prime Minister Mark Rutte publicly
pressed southern European governments
to bring their spending under control,
Dutch government gas revenues of 15
billion euros by 2013 were about the size
of the national deficit.
Without gas, the deficit that year would
have doubled from 2.5 per cent to 5 per
cent, violating euro zone budget rules. But
on August 16, 2012, an earthquake with
its epicentre under the town of Huizinge
marked the beginning of the end for
aggressive output from Groningen.
It registered 3.6 on the Richter scale,
larger than any predicted by engineers
at NAM, the joint venture field operator
between Shell and Exxon.
“Until the Huizinge earthquake, we
had 1,100 damage claims in 20 years,”
said NAM spokesman Sander van
Rootselaar. ‘‘After the quake we had more
than 30,000.” Earthquakes caused by gas
production are usually small, unless they
happen near a fault line and can trigger a
larger natural quake.
But in Groningen they occur close to
the surface, damaging stone and brick
buildings never designed to withstand
shaking. Of the 50 churches located above
the field, some 40 have been affected, said
Bekooy. When parliament gathered in
The Hague to debate gas policy in early
February, church bells all across Groningen
province were rung in protest. NAM has so
far put aside 1.2 billion euros ($1.34 billion)
GIZMOS
Apple’s rivals hope its Watch will
boost their own wearable tech
A
PPLE’S rivals want to
benefit from its magic,
hoping that its long
awaited new smartwatch
will
finally
conjure
demand for wearable technology that
has so far generated more buzz about its
potential than actual sales.
Gizmos that users wear on their
bodies have yet to live up to the hype as
the next big thing in technology.
But experts say the arrival of Apple’s
new Watch — expected to be launched at
an event announced next week — could
finally get consumers excited.
“If Apple is successful, it’ll create a
rising tide that will lift the whole market,”
said Ben Wood, a top gadget reviewer at
technology market research firm CCS
Insight. His company predicts Apple
will sell 20 million of its new smart
watches this year, helping spur 150 per
cent growth in the wearable technology
sector to 75 million gadgets, rising to 350
million by 2018.
Strategy Analytics, a second research
firm, estimates Apple is likely to sell 15
million watches this year.
Making novelty products is one thing.
Getting people to wear them is entirely
another. Just ask Nike or Google.
Sportswear maker Nike halted work
on its line of sports fitness wristband
products a year ago.
By far the most high profile failure to
date has been the futurist Google Glass,
which the Internet giant quit producing
in January. The gangly glasses with a
computer screen fascinated the world
and drew legions of celebrities, fashion
models and even Prince Charles to try
on a pair, but the sometimes vertigoinducing product prototype found few
regular wearers.
Vendors must get over the
“technology first” attitude and think in
terms of specific benefits to consumers
before they will buy anything so visible
and intimate as wearables, according to
a recent report by research firm Juniper
Research. “Consumers are still unsure
about the use case for many wearable
devices, including watches and glasses.
Apple CEO Tim Cook stands in front of a screen displaying apps available for the Apple Watch at a presentation at Apple
headquarters in Cupertino, California in this October 16, 2014, file photo.
— Reuters
While makers of
conventional watches have
so far mostly resisted the
move to smartwatches,
there are signs that brands
better known for style than
technology are testing the
market
In particular, consumers are hesitant
to adopt wearable companion devices”
that function much like smartphones, the
report said.
Now, here comes Apple, with its track
record of turbo-charging whole new
categories, from music players to tablets,
with products that win wide appeal.
The company was as ever absent from
the world’s largest annual gathering of
the mobile industry this week, but it
nonetheless stole the show by announcing
a mysterious event next Monday, where
it is widely expected to launch its much-
anticipated but pricey new watch.
At the Mobile World Congress in
Barcelona, dozens of electronics makers
were seeking attention for their own
watches, fitness trackers and other
wearable electronics accessories.
To take their products into the
mainstream, many manufacturers of
smartwatches are focusing on style, trying
to make them look less like futuristic
gadgets with oversized rectangular
screens, and more like classic watches.
This year saw several companies
follow the lead of Motorola, now owned
by China’s Lenovo, which won kudos
last year by showing off a style-conscious
device with a round screen.
Both China’s Huawei and South
Korea’s LG Electronics showed off round
smartwatches this year.
“It looks like a real watch!” Huawei’s
head of consumer business Richard Yu
boasted of his company’s offering, which
sports a choice of 40 round screen “faces”,
including replicas of classical Swiss
watches.
While makers of conventional
watches have so far mostly resisted the
move to smartwatches, there are signs
that brands better known for style than
technology are testing the market.
American brand Guess launched what
it described as the first fashion-branded
smartwatch.
Nike may have postponed its entry,
but its US sportswear rival Under
Armour stepped in, launching a cobranded fitness device with Taiwanese
phone maker HTC.
Still, for now wearable smart devices
mostly work by linking to a smartphone,
and consumers do not seem to be lining
up to buy a watch that acts mainly as an
expensive remote control for a phone they
have to carry in their pockets anyway.
Some experts say the technology will
only really take off when the wearables
can be used independently.
Forrester analyst Thomas Husson
said “smartwatches will complement, not
replace smartphones” for at least the next
two to three years. — Reuters
to compensate damage claims.
More claims are rolling in, including
after a 2.6 quake registered in the town
of Appingedam last week. But safety is
the bigger issue. In January 2013, the
regulatory agency tasked with overseeing
gas production warned the government
of a “linear relationship” between the
rate of production and the chance of
earthquakes at Groningen.
It said it could not rule out quakes
measuring 4 or even 5 on the Richter
scale, with risk to human life.
The State Supervision of Mines
advised production be cut “as quickly
and as much as is possible and realistic.”
But that year, with the Dutch
economy in recession, the Groningen
field produced 53.4 bcm, its most in
decades.
“In 2013, when it was very cold
in Europe, there was enough gas in
Groningen to really run it hard,” said
Thomson Reuters Point Carbon analyst
Oliver Sanderson. The earthquakes
continued. As the Dutch economy
showed signs of recovery, Kamp ordered
production temporarily lowered, to 42.5
bcm for 2014 and 39.5 bcm for 2015.
Then, in February, the Safety Board
issued its finding that NAM and the
government had put profits first and
“failed to act with due care for the
safety of citizens in Groningen”. After
previewing the conclusions, Kamp
on Febraury 9 ordered Groningen
production cut to 16.5 bcm for the
first half of 2015, implying a cut to 33
bcm for the year. Prices in Northwest
Europe surged as much as 20 per cent
in response. GasTerra, the Netherlands’
national trading company, was forced to
purchase gas on the open market to meet
its obligations. The immediate impact of
the Kamp output cut on prices has since
faded, helped by mild weather across
Europe and LNG deliveries.— Reuters
MARKET FORECAST
Tokyo investors eye
GDP data this week
T
OKYO investors will be eyeing revised Japanese GDP figures
this week after the release last Friday of US jobs data, as the
benchmark Nikkei index marches toward the 20,000 level.
Preliminary data has shown that Japan’s economy limped
out of recession in the last quarter of 2014, with a weaker-than-expected
0.6 per cent expansion between October and December — or 2.2 per cent
on an annualised basis.
That followed two consecutive quarters of contraction that came as an
April sales tax rise hammered consumer spending.
Investors will be looking to the finalised growth data on Monday to see
if they are revised down.
“Buying sentiment is expected to remain strong next week as the (global)
economy is on track
for a recovery,” said
Kenzaburo
Suwa,
strategist at Okasan
Securities in Tokyo.
“So it wouldn’t be a
surprise if the Nikkei
hits the 20,000 mark.”
On Friday, the
Nikkei 225 at the
Tokyo Stock Exchange
rose 219.16 points by
the close to 18,971.00,
with the index sitting A man walks past an electronic board showing
at 15-year highs. The Japan’s Nikkei average outside a brokerage in
Nikkei tacked on 0.92 Tokyo. — Reuters
per cent over the week.
The broader Topix index of all first-section shares added 1.12 per cent,
or 17.12 points, to end at 1,540.84. It rose 1.11 per cent over the past week.
Investors were eyeing a monthly US jobs report which showed strong
enough support for a Federal Reserve interest rate increase, a move likely to
push the dollar up against the yen, which boosts the profitability of Japanese
exporters.
In forex markets, the greenback fetched 120.01 yen, against 120.14 yen
in New York but it was still up from 119.85 yen in Tokyo.
The euro remained weak as the European Central Bank said it would
begin a 1.1-trillion-euro ($1.2 trillion) bond buying programme, known as
quantitative easing (QE), next week.
ECB chief Mario Draghi also said that the ECB was raising its growth
forecasts for the 19-nation bloc, although he added that inflation would
come in at zero this year, lower than previously projected.
“Investors are positive on QE in Europe and the raising of the growth
target, plus there was no really bad news from the US,” Andrew Sullivan,
head of sales trading at Haitong International Securities, told Bloomberg
News.
On Friday, major exporters rose with Canon gaining 2.04 per cent to
4,000.0 yen, Konica Minolta up 1.45 per cent to 1,255.0 yen, and Toyota
rising 1.58 per cent to 8,190.0 yen.
Japan’s biggest bank Mitsubishi UFJ was up 2.83 per cent at 778.5 yen.
Shares in Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Holdings jumped 1.91 per cent to 3,771.0
yen after the leading Nikkei business newspaper reported the non-life insurer
had decided to take a roughly 15 per cent stake in French reinsurance giant
Scor for more than 110 billion yen ($910 million). — AFP
22
LEISURE
omandailyobserver
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Online Editor’s Choice
CARTOONS
ADAM @ HOME
4
7
by Brian Basset
8
10
13
14
15
16
17
19
21
CALVIN AND HOBBES
by Bill Watterson
23
24
26
27
29
32
33
34
35
36
GARFIELD
by Jim Davis
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
11
STONE SOUP
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
ACROSS
Judge a female fathead? (6)
Revealingly, be faster than the
opposition (8)
In violent collision, so needing to
be pushed home (6)
What to wear when you achieve
promotion? (3-2)
Being somewhat penniless, sort of
blue (4)
What you want to get with some
deceptive vendors (4)
Was it taxing for a little girl? (4)
Not many are in safe work (3)
The ancient goddess lives again (4)
As between Newcastle and the
Tyne? (4)
One who argues that he should be
champ? (9)
Does she get her complaint heard?
(4)
Turns and leaves (4)
Is it the same in both Delaware and
Bulawayo? (3)
Something to do with some pennydreadful (4)
An outing before the fall? (4)
Prevent a Yankee coming to a bad
end (4)
Actors are deaf to it (5)
Possibly nuts about a girl being a
naturist (6)
How one feels about an
engagement (8)
Only half time to place one’s hopes
on (6)
CR O SSW O R D
something (3)
12 It’s for joint benefit (5)
13 Something flowery that goes wrong
in no case! (7)
15 One apt to contain tip-up seats? (3)
16 As a contribution to a charitable
effort (3)
18 Could they have caught Nasser
out? (6)
20 Might unorthodox steps control
them? (5)
DOWN
21 Moscow’s milk supplier (3)
A clever device to avoid being hit
22 An agreeably significant movement
(5)
(3)
The government, say, in a tizzy (5) 23 For any chap, fresh running water
Pack up and post, perhaps (4)
is good for the garden (6)
When an unfortunate ‘pair’ was
25 Deceive a youngster (3)
followed by a 50 (5)
28 Two letters and an essay will get
In S. America it’s a bit boring (4)
you admission (5)
Whence it’s south-west to paradise? 30 Vehicle I had to make stable (5)
(6)
31 Copper coloured maiden? (5)
Refer to everything that may be
32 Go in for swimming (4)
due (6)
33 Cars can move round in them (4)
Woman always anticipates
4
7
8
10
13
14
15
16
17
19
21
23
24
26
27
29
32
33
34
35
36
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
11
12
13
15
16
18
20
21
22
23
25
28
30
31
32
33
YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1, Change 7, Villa-geR 8,
Some 10, Wo-ode-n 11, Undies 14,
Ult. 16, Dents 17, Sore 19, Holes 21,
Debar 22, Comic 23, Nark 26, RoW-an 28, Pan 29, E-name-l 30, MaiDen 31, (tot-)Ally 32, The works 33,
Saddle.
DOWN: 1, C-low-NS 2, No-O-dle 3,
Even 4, Plunder 5, Again 6, Dress 8,
So-ur 9, M-E.T. 12, Des 13, Ether 15,
Robin 18, On-I-on 19, Hem 20, Lac
21, Done for 22, Cam 23, Nailed 24,
(h-)Andy 25, Kindle 26, Rents 27,
Waver 28, Pal 30, Mass.
EASY PUZZLE
ACROSS
Agreement (6)
Wind instrument (8)
Wild (6)
Downturn (5)
Stir (4)
Flag (4)
Rational (4)
Information (3)
Den (4)
Require (4)
Recurrent (9)
Hypocrisy (4)
Encounter (4)
Profession (3)
Dress (4)
Give out (4)
Opera singer (4)
Shoot from cover (5)
Sausage (6)
Tidiness (8)
Metal fastener (6)
YESTERDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1, Arises 7, Comatose 8,
Sago 10, Chalet 11, Bisect 14, Let 16,
Bones 17, Acts 19, Bosun 21, Digit
22, Begun 23, Tree 26, Satin 28, Era
29, Erotic 30, Images 31, Rune 32,
Umbrella 33, Quests.
DOWN: 1, Acacia 2, Scales 3, Scot 4,
Halibut 5, Coven 6, Beats 8, Salt 9,
Get 12, Son 13, Cease 15, Mogul 18,
Cedar 19, Big 20, Sin 21, Denizen 22,
Bit 23, Trance 24, Rage 25, Ensues 26,
Serum 27, Tombs 28, Emu 30, Iraq.
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:
Travel abroad
in the coming
year will have
a salutary
influence on
your conduct
in the future.
You will meet
a number of
influential
people who
will make you
change some of
your fixed ideas
and give you a
different outlook
on aspects
of life. You
could find your
earnings are
improved.
DOWN
Faith (5)
Search (5)
Fall (4)
Fire-raising (5)
Grotto (4)
Tattered (6)
Tree-lined street (6)
Illuminated (3)
Fruit (5)
Percussion instrument (7)
Be seated (3)
Set (3)
Belfast’s county (6)
Devoured (5)
Taxi (3)
Born (3)
Element (6)
Drink daintily (3)
Sheep-like (5)
Skinflint (5)
Mock (5)
Moist (4)
Satisfy (4)
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
PISCES
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
February 20March 20
March 21April 20
April 21May 20
May 21June 21
June 22July 21
July 22August 21
You should be satisfied with a modest return on an investment you
made, and not be tempted to plunge
too deeply in case you should lose
what you have gained so far.
Since you can only be satisfied with re- It would be better to reach agreelationships that endure, try to be more ment by mutual consent than to
involve yourself in a lengthy disselective in the choice of people with pute. By all means avoid a costly
legal transaction.
whom you wish to make friends.
The gift you have taken so much
trouble to choose for celebrating
a happy event will be very acceptable and prove to be just what was
wanted.
If a young member of the family
shows a certain amount of originality, encourage him to express
himself freely without fear of being
ridiculed.
Your friendly approach and helpful attitude towards a new member of your organisation will go a
long way towards making him feel
at ease.
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
August 22September 22
September 23October 22
October 23November 21
November 22December 21
December 22January 20
January 21February 19
Try using ordinary common sense
to solve a problem which may be
more simple than it first seems.
Don’t look for complications
where none exist.
A close friend of many yeas standing will soon be moving away, and
you will be hard put to find somebody of equal sympathy and understanding.
Your restless mood which is slowing down your efficiency could
be eased if you could arrange to
spend a few days away from routine.
If some of your time is taken up
by a relative who seeks your help,
offer it freely since he feels you
are the only person who can help
him.
You may try in vain today to get
the co-operation you need to do
a domestic job. Refuse to start
until you get the assistance you
deserve.
If you think you know better
about a certain matter under dispute than your partner, you will
find positive proof is the only
way to show that you are right.
CLASSIFIEDS
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2 0 1 5
omandailyobserver
23
Situation Vacant
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Omani driving licence
with NOC, seeks suitable
placement. 98097727.
·····
HOUSEMAID with 15
years experience with
European family, seeks
suitable placement.
91216255.
·····
SITE Engineer (Civil),
more than 6 years experience with valid Omani
licence, seeks suitable
placement. 95154081.
·····
5 YEARS experienced
Civil Site Engineer seeks
suitable placement.
98758539.
·····
Tourism
ARE you looking for
a voyage with your
family on a legacyboat, including
buffet? Only with RO
15/-. For more
info@
alainaintourism.
com 92808636.
·····
Ȉ ƒ”•ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
Ȉ ‘””‡–
Ȉ ‘„ƒ’’Ž‹…ƒ–‹‘
Ȉ Šƒ”‹‰”‡•‹†‡…‡
Ȉ ”ƒ•’‘”–…ƒ”•
Ȉ ‡ƒŽ•–ƒ–‡ȋ•ƒŽ‡Ǧ
”‡–Ǧ‹˜‡•–‡–•
WE need HSE personal,
Salesman and
Electrical Supervisor
with Omani Driving
licence. Apply to:
grandmuscat@yahoo.
com Contact No:
00968 95714746.
·····
Services
Situation Wanted
CHARTERED Accountant 9 years experience in
Finance — consolidation
as per IFRS, Treasury,
Budget, Investments, taxation, AP/AR. Currently
working in Sr Finance
position in Oman. Joining
immediate. NOC available.
Contact:
95489269, prds1406@
gmail.com
·····
YOUNG Indian male,
MBA, around 5 years
experience in a
reputed multi national
company as Branch
Head. Well experienced
in management &
coordination. Looking
for suitable position in
Suwaiq & Sohar area.
92700670. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
IT Professional, 25, Sri
Lankan, BTech- Final,
MCTS, MCP, CCNA, LINUX
having 4 years experience
including MNC, looking
for suitable position.
(Visit visa). Contact:
93354526, e-mail:
[email protected]
Services
For Sale
MAITENANCE: 1.
A/C Maintenance &
Servicing; 2. Fridge,
Washing Machine &
Dish washer repairing;
3. Painting & cleaning
services; 4. Electrical
& Plumbing Carpentry
work. Contact:
99447257,
97014234, 24504281.
·····
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]
·····
AN Iraqi electrical engineer, long experience in
construction works and
factory maintenance getting electrical works and
driving licences looking
for suitable replacement.
Contact:
98959043
·····
BANGLADESHI, looking
ˆ‘””‹˜‹‰Œ‘„‹‘ˆϐ‹…‡Ǥ
Please call: 92757135.
·····
INDUSTRIAL area
land in Rusayil, 5,000
Sq.mt and building
with 8 shops. Contact
95490842,
92702891.
·····
3 BEDROOM house at
Betras Zanzibar RO
90,000. Contact Owner:
99348943.
·····
SHOP for sale, Beauty
Salon Barka, near LuLu
Hypermarket Centre.
Contact: 97655500.
·····
A 400 sq m residential
commercial building situated at the first line of
the public road in Rawdat Samad Al Shaan.
The building is within
300 m far from the
Imam Noor Al Din Al
Salmi. It houses a 100
sq m 3 outlets. The
remaining 300 sq m
plot is workers residence, a store and a toilet. The premise is at RO
55,000 plus 3 per cent
commission.
99600909.
·····
REQUIRED Salesman
cum Hardware
Engineer for Computer
Shop at Ruwi with
minimum 2 years
experience. E-mail:
strns1@gmail.
com 98825805/
98825806.
·····
ARABIC/English
ϐŽ—‡–‡…Šƒ‹…ƒŽ
Engineer, MBA, PMP,
8 years experience,
ͷ›”•‹’”‘Œ‡…–ϐ‹‡Ž†
(management and
supervision), familiar
with Primavera P6.
Contact:
94687010,
e-mail: abdelgader1982@
gmail.com
·····
INDIAN male, IT Prof,
2 years exp as system
administrator in Oman,
3+ yrs exp in India
(Hardware, Networking,
Windows Server,
Exchange Server),
1 year exp in PHP, CSS,
HTML, Java Script, AJax,
Mysql. NOC available.
Contact: 97496998
·····
INDIAN male, 25 years,
graduate, currently
working as supervisor,
having valid Omani
driving licence. Fluent in
English and Hindi, knows
Tally ERP 09, MS Word,
MS Excel, seeks suitable
placement in Sales and
ƒ”‡–‹‰ϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ‘–ƒ…–ǣ
98730659. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
Lost
MOHAMMED Amran
has lost Pakistani
passport No DQ
1515531. Finder please
handover to ROP.
·····
RASHEED Masih has
lost Pakistani passport
No CB 0847061. Finder
please handover to
ROP.
·····
KHADEEJA Wejam has
lost Bangladeshi
passport No E1534486.
Finder please handover
to ROP.
·····
CLASSIFIED SECTION
RUWI
: 24785668
1. HOOPOE SMART
CARD SERVICES
2. AL FAHAD
TRANSLATION
SERVICES
STOP!!!
Good News to all our
dear customers: Our
PRO will visit your
‘ˆϐ‹…‡ȀŠ‘—•‡–‘…‘ŽŽ‡…–
documents for typing or
clearing and will deliver
the same on completion.
Our services include
typing all forms
related to Ministry of
Manpower, Immigration,
e.g., visas, renewal
of visas, all services
related to Ministry of
Commerce & Industry,
e.g., reservation of
commercial names,
amendment of activities
of the company and
all services related to
Royal Oman Police;
Cancellation of Visas at
the Muscat International
Airport for repatriation
of employees;
Directorate General
‘ˆ”ƒˆϐ‹…Ǣƒ†ƒ
Chamber of Commerce
& Industry.
Translation of legal
documents. Medical
reports, commercial
agency agreements,
literature, catalogues
(Languages: Arabic,
English, French, Spanish
& Italian)
Our Address: Ruwi,
Adjacent to Gulf
Transport Co. (GTC).
Telephones: 24793331
/24794286
GSM: 99231500
/96777170/ 95959838
Managed by: Salim
Khalfan al Hadi (33
years of experience in
management)
·····
1. AC maintenance
and servicing.
2. Fridge, washing
machine and dish
washer repairing.
3. Painting and
cleaning services.
4. Electrical,
plumbing and
carpentry work
97014234,
99447257,
24504281.
·····
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]
MONDAY l MARCH 9, 2015 l JUMADA AL ULA 18, 1436 AH
[email protected]
www.omanobserver.om
RENT A CAR
z Low Rates
z Wide Range of Cars
z Excellent Service
Contact:
Muscat 24489248,
24489648.
Salalah: 23296246.
E-mail: [email protected]
SPECIAL Rates on
New Cars & 4 WDs
RENTING & LEASING
Tours and Airport Transfer
Tel: 24582663
GSM: 95859497,
Fax: 24582664,
[email protected]
Umrah/Haj
AL Hikmani for
HAJ and UMRAH
— With a host of
services including
the following:
Hiring luxurious
coaches,
arranging weekly
trips, preparing
visas for expats
at cost-effective
price, including
transport,
housing, meals
and visits to
shrine locations.
Land and air
trips weekly.
(99311310,
24566016,
99361982,
99707248,
99322124.
·····
Car for Sale
PORSCHE Cayenne
S-2004, white colour,
158,000 km, RO 4,500/96417989.
·····
MERCEDES CT 55,
2001, black colour,
122,000 km, RO 2,900/96417989.
·····
MERCEDES S 55, 2001,
dark blue, 250,000
km, RO 1,900/96417989.
Supply
of
Pesticides,
Gel (Cockroaches),
Public Health
chemicals,
Agriculture
chemicals,
Snake repellent, Rodent
baits
and
other insect
repellent from
Agropharm
Ltd UK.
PROFESSIONALS
in Pest Control Service,
Bedbug Treatment, Rodent
Treatment, Snake Treatment
and Termite Treatment
(Pre and Post Construction).
Tel: 24787606 / 24787503
Fax: 24787607
E-mail: [email protected]
P. O. Box: 565, Wadi Kabir,
Postal Code: 117,
SULTANATE OF OMAN
FREE INFORMATION
ABOUT ISLAM
Good News
DO you or your
family members
require skilled daily?
Dedicated to chronic
care & physical
rehabilitation from
injury or illness;
Rochester Wellness
offers specialised
medical recovery
services. For more
information contact
our coordinators at
+968 22094265.
·····
AYURVEDIC
Treatment, Yoga
Massage &
slimming. Web
address: www.
siddhayur.com
92504980/
24475280.
·····
Sale and Buy
·····
LINCOLN Navigator
4WD, 1998, grey,
335,000 km, RO 1,600/96417989.
·····
OFFICE & Household
furniture and
electronics items.
99834373,
97102699.
·····
AUTO REPAIR
CENTRE
Available on UNBEATABLE prices
Tours
Announcement
DOLPHIN
WATCHING
TOUR. Every Day
8 am and 10 am.
For booking
94110088/
91162534. E-mail:
coraloceantours@
gmail.com Web:
www.
coraloceantours.
com.
Abu Ayyub
al-Hashemi
land transport
(recommendation),
register No. 1205902
announces that
it is intending to
convert its name
to Abu Ayyub alHashemi trade
(recommendation).
Beneficiaries should
be informed of the
changes.
·····
·····
If you would like to know
more about
Islam, please call:
Tel : 99425598, 96050000,
99353988, 99253818,
99341395, 99379133, For
ladies: 99415818, 99321360,
99730723
Or visit: www.islamfact.com
al-haditha
centre
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
For Rent
FLATS and
shops for rent
93009999.
·····
SHOP for rent, 200
sq m in Maabela
Industrial. Call:
97314122,
99349878.
·····
A 735 Sq M2 store
in Bausher, Al
Misfah Industrial
is offered for rent.
The premise is
built in accordance
to high standards.
A 3-5 year lease
contract is required
99332902,
99047584.
·····
VILLA in Bausher (Al
Awabi) consists of
majlis, 5 bedrooms,
5 toilets, 2 living
rooms and external
kitchen 99364586.
·····
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
al-haditha LLC
PEST CONTROL
OMAN CO. LLC.
1510 Printer
RO 11.000 only
HP
All Cartridges also available
on UNBEATABLE prices
AII HP, Epson, Canon,
Lexmark, Samsung
Cartridges also available
Ruwi: 24792-792
[email protected]
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
INDUSTRIAL land
in Misfah for rent.
93009999.
·····
BRAND new villa in
Qurum, near Crowne
Plaza. Walking distance
from beach. 6 bedrooms,
3 halls with elevator!
92230282.
·····
BRAND new twin villa
in Al Khuwair, near
technical College.
Modern style with high
quality finishing. 6
bedrooms, RO 950 only
92230282.
·····
FURNISHED offices for
rent in prime location in
Ruwi (Mumtaz) with
free electricity, water
and Internet. For lease
long & short term
95950012,
99331181.
·····
FURNISHED house in
Mabella - 2 rooms,
kitchen, hall and 3
toilets for rent. Call:
99357404.
·····
FLAT in Mabella 3
rooms, sitting room,
hall, kitchen
(spacious) with 4
toilets. Call:
99357404.
·····
2 STOREY villa at
Mabella with 2 sitting
rooms with toilets, 2
halls, 3 bedrooms
with attach toilets (Municipality water
available). Call:
99357404.
For Rent
FULLY licenced
restaurant in Qurum
Beach Hotel.
24704994.
·····
OFFICE space available
‡ƒ…ŠϐŽ‘‘”͸ͲͲ•“
†‹˜‹†‡†‘ˆϐ‹…‡‹ͷ•–‘”‡›
building at Al Khuwair
͵͵Ǥ‡–ƒ‹Ž•ǣˆϐ‹…‡ǣ
24790449
or E-mail: infoajest@
gmail.com
·····
SHOWROOM Front 120/
M2, Back 130/M2. First
floor commercial flat
1BHK, 2 BHK, Al
Athaiba North,
behind Al Fair.
99565364,
95497323.
·····
ǧhouse
behind GUtech, Halban,
is for rent. The building
consists of 4 bedrooms,
majlis, kitchen and 3
toilets. 91239119.
DELUXE 3 bedrooms
apartment for rent in
Mumtaz area. For more
information contact:
99336263.
FLAT located in Al Muhaj
Sq/Al Amerat on the
main road. 98895553.
·····
A COMMERCIAL shop &
room with accessories in
Al Ghubra. 95054077,
99219333.
·····
·····
1 B/R available in Rex
Road, Ruwi, suitable for
bachelors.
99889590.
ONE B/R flats in Madinat
Al Alam for executives/
small family.
99238012/ 24704994.
3 BEDROOMS, 3 baths
apartment for rent in
Sidab, opposite Petrol
Station. 97779755.
·····
·····
·····
·····
ROOM for rent (with AC
and some furniture),
opposite Zakher Mall.
96339371.
CLASSIFIED SECTION:
(ROP approved Grade A Workshop)
COMPUTER SUPPLIES
For Rent
2 BEDROOMS, 2 baths
and hall apartment for
rent in Al Wattayah,
behind Honda
Showroom.
99428161 (Owner).
·····
Quality Repairs & Maintenance of all
types of Cars and Heavy vehicles
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
Rent-A-Car
·····
·····
G FLOOR, 2 bedroom
flat, near Indian
School, Wadi Kabir,
1st April, RO 300
monthly.
93801805.
·····
VILLA in Al Ansab
consists of 6
bedrooms, 6 toilets
and a large kitchen is
for rent at RO 700/-.
99363504.
·····
SHOP for rent: Shops
for rent in Ruwi
at prime location.
Contact: 98825805/
98825806.
·····
Telephone: 24595951/1414, Fax: 24597979.
Manpower
FRIENDS
MANPOWER: Filipino
housemaids and all
kinds of workers.
24489268 Tel:/Fax:
24478153, 92462496.
·····
KHALIFA AlSinani Manpower
— labourers &
housemaid from
Indonesia, Kenya,
Uganda and other
countries. Al Suwaiq.
To communicate
26713500,
26713600.
·····
Rent a Car
AHAD 2000 for rent car.
93203481, 93204595.
·····
For Sale/Rent
ȍ͵
VILLAS for sale/
rents WADI
KABIR/AL
KHUWAIR),
ȋŠ‘’•Ȁ‘ˆϐ‹…‡•ˆ‘”
rent/ Al Khuwair)
(Flats for rent/
Wadi Kabir).
ͻ͸ͷͻ͸͵ͶͺǤ
·····
Investment
THREE bedrooms,
sitting lounge,
Mawaleh North.
Contact:
99420312.
·····
FOR RENT: villa, 4
bedroom, with
toilets, sitting room,
family hall, fully aircondition split units,
curtains, all the
windows & covered
car park at Bausher
33. Call Owner
92515989.
·····
LOOKING for an
investor for a fullequipped existing
medical complex as
soon as possible in
Wilayat of Haima,
Governorate of Al
Wusta. 92212557,
99242249.
·····
Guest House
QURUM BEACH
HOTEL24564070.
·····
Ali al Maashari: 99639264 [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 [email protected]
DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590
MONDAY | MARCH 9, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 18, 1436 AH
Younis wants more
balance in ODIs
BEST
QUOTE
It was nice to get the
monkey off the back. I
have scored a few 90s so
to finally hit the hundred
was a relief.
— GLENN MAXWELL,
AUSTRALIAN BATSMAN, AFTER
SCORING HIS MATCH-WINNING
HUNDRED AGAINST SRI LANKA IN
THEIR POOL A MATCH IN SYDNEY.
BEST BATTING
102
Glen Maxwell for
Australia against
Sri Lanka
BEST BOWLING
3-48
James Faulkner for
Australia against
Sri Lanka
KARACHI: Pakistan coach Waqar
Younis has urged the International
Cricket Council and its member
boards to sit down and have a rethink
on balancing the 50-over format for
the good of the game.
In an interview to Reuters from
Australia, the former test captain
said he had no doubts that bowlers
are suffering in one-day international
cricket due to the change in laws.
Improvement in skills, better
bats and fielding restrictions have all
contributed to making it a nightmare
for bowlers, according to the 43-yearold former Pakistan fast bowler.
He has no qualms about the
shortest Twenty20 format which
according to him was a “three-hour
cinema”.
“But for real cricket which
is one-day cricket there is a
need to balance the game,”
Younis said. “Bowlers are
suffering as pitches have gone
very flat around the world.
“Bowlers just have an opportunity
in first six to seven overs than it is a
batsmen’s game. We are seeing that in
this World Cup.
“Cricket has changed since our
times but there is a real need to
balance it and the administrators
need to start thinking again.”
The former captain felt cricket in
Pakistan also needed to catch up with
changing times.
Younis and captain Misbah-ulHaq have come under fire for not
playing wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed
in the first four games of the World
Cup with allegations of nepotism and
favoritism in the dressing room.
Younis said he was used to such
flak.
“There is nothing new and we are
used to these sort of things,” he added.
“I know it is an emotional time for the
country and I guess everyone can’t be
happy.
“We are trying to do our best and
people who understand the game will
appreciate that.
“I am a patriotic Pakistani and I
will never do any harm to my country
or team and we are trying to do
everything to make our people feel
proud of us.”
Pakistan have bounced back
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis attends
a team training session against South
Africa at Eden Park in Auckland.
— AFP
‘Bowlers are suffering as
pitches have gone very flat
around the world. Bowlers
have an opportunity in
first six or seven overs
then it’s a batsmen’s
game. We are seeing that
in this World Cup’
at the World Cup with wins over
Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates
and South Africa after losing their
first two games to India and West
Indies by big margins.
But he advised his countrymen to
temper their hopes.
“I don’t want to give big hopes to
anyone although I am hopeful for
good things to come,” Younis said.
“I don’t want to think too far ahead
but the last week has been good for us
and now we are quietly confident, we
have started to get our self-belief back
in the dressing room and in players
that they have the ability to do well.”
There were no clear favourites
too for Younis and despite the strong
starts for co-hosts New Zealand and
holders India, he felt the knock-outs
will be the real pressure time for
teams. — Reuters
Landmark night for Sanga in Sydney
SYDNEY:
Sri
Lanka’s
Kumar
Sangakkara became the first batsman
to score hundreds in three consecutive
World Cup matches when he made
a brilliant run-a-ball century against
Australia in a Pool A match in Sydney
on Sunday. The 37-year-old left-hander’s
24th ton in his 402nd match at this level
also saw him equal the overall ODI
record for consecutive hundreds held
jointly by the Pakistan pair of Zaheer
Abbas and Saeed Anwar, the South
African trio of Herschelle Gibbs, AB de
Villiers and Quinton de Kock and New
Zealand’s Ross Taylor.
Earlier, Sangakkara became only the
second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar
to score 14,000 ODI runs when he got
to 39 with a paddled two off spinner
Glenn Maxwell.
Sangakkara was eventually out for
104 when caught in the deep by Aaron
Finch off James Faulkner.
Now retired India great Tendulkar
remains way out in front at the top of
the ODI run charts with 18,246 in 463
matches. — AFP
Australia’s Brad Haddin (left)
looks on as Sri Lanka’s Kumar
Sangakkara hits a shot during
their Pool A match in Sydney.
— Reuters
AWESOME AUSSIES: The victory enabled the four-time
champions to reach the second spot in Pool A behind New Zealand
Maxwell’s century
thwarts Sanga heroics
SYDNEY: Australia supplanted Sri
Lanka in second spot in World Cup Pool
A propelled by a ‘big show’ ton from
Glenn Maxwell before they weathered
Kumar Sangakkara’s third consecutive
century in Sydney on Sunday.
The Australians, aiming for a fifth
World Cup triumph, amassed 376 for
nine, Maxwell lighting up the Sydney
Cricket Ground with 102 off 53 balls
and then restricted Sri Lanka to 312 for
nine to win by 64 runs.
It was a crucial win by the co-hosts,
leapfrogging Sri Lanka into second spot
behind New Zealand with one more
group match to play.
Victory secured Australia’s place in
the last eight and made a quarter-final
against South Africa less likely.
In a high-scoring match before
almost 40,000 fans, plenty of them Sri
Lankans, Maxwell produced one of
his famed ‘big shows’ with a pulsating
maiden one-day international century
off 51 balls to leave Sri Lanka with a
massive run chase.
No side batting second have made
more to win a World Cup match than
Ireland’s 329 for seven against England
in Bangalore four years ago.
The mighty Sangakkara gave it a big
shake, raising his third consecutive ton
at the tournament off 100 balls and his
24th century in his 402nd ODI.
But the Australians breathed easier
when he holed out to James Faulkner for
104 giving Aaron Finch a running catch
to end his otherwise chanceless knock.
Maxwell thrilled the SCG full house
with his audacious reverse sweeps, flicks
and powerful hitting in an innings
he has threatened to unleash in his
previous 44 ODIs. ‘The Big Show’, as
he is known, blasted his half-century
off 26 balls with a pulled six off Thisara
Perera and was particularly brutal with
Seekkuge Prasanna, hoisting the legspinner for 34 off just 12 balls.
Maxwell and Shane Watson, back in
the side after being dropped in Australia’s
previous match against Afghanistan for
repeated failures with the bat, plundered
160 runs off 13.4 overs.
The Sri Lankans were at their wits’
end trying to find ways to stop the run
riot as Maxwell and Watson took the
bowlers apart.
MAXWELL REPRIEVE
Maxwell had a life on 93 when he
top-edged Mathews and wicketkeeper
Sangakkara scurried back and made his
ground only to drop the catch, but he
was out soon afterwards when caught
by Lasith Malinga at mid-on.
Maxwell narrowly missed out on
equalling the 50-ball record for the
fastest World Cup hundred set by
Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien against England
in 2011. In a solid effort by Australia’s
batsmen, Watson struck 67 off 41 balls,
Steve Smith hit 72 off 88 balls and
skipper Michael Clarke chipped in with
a run-a-ball 68.
The 1996 World Cup champions
lost Lahiru Thirimanne for one in the
second over, snapped up behind by Brad
Haddin off Mitchell Johnson.
But the experienced pair of
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sangakkara
set about taking on the challenge, with
Dilshan defiantly smacking Johnson for
six fours off one over. Clarke dropped
Dilshan on 46 in a running two-handed
chance as the pair raced along with
home fans clapping dot balls. — AFP
Australia batsman Glenn
Maxwell celebrates his century
during the Pool A match against
Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket
Ground. — AFP
SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA
D Warner c Prasanna b Malinga .........................9
A Finch st Sangakkara b Prasanna ....................24
S Smith c Perera b Dilshan................................72
M Clarke b Malinga ..........................................68
G Maxwell c Malinga b Perera ........................102
S Watson c Chandimal b Perera ........................67
J Faulkner (run out) ............................................0
B Haddin c Perera b Mathews...........................25
M Johnson (not out) ...........................................3
M Starc (run out) .................................................0
X Doherty (not out) .............................................0
Extras (B-1, LB-1, W-4) .......................................6
Total (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) ................... 376
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-41, 3-175, 4-177, 5-337,
6-338, 7-368, 8-373, 9-374
Bowling: Malinga 10-0-59-2, Senanayake 9-059-0, Mathews 7-0-59-1, Prasanna 10-0-77-1,
Perera 9-0-87-2, Dilshan 5-0-33-1
SRI LANKA
L Thirimanne c Haddin b Johnson ......................1
T Dilshan lbw Faulkner .....................................62
K Sangakkara c Finch b Faulkner ....................104
M Jayawardene (run out) .................................19
A Mathews c Haddin b Watson .........................35
D Chandimal (retired hurt) ...............................52
T Perera c Doherty b Johnson .............................8
U Tharanga c Warner b Faulkner.........................4
S Prasanna b Starc ..............................................9
S Senanayake c Doherty b Starc ..........................7
L Malinga (not out) .............................................0
Extras (B-2, LB-5, W-4) .....................................11
Total (for 9 wkts, 46.2 overs) ................ 312
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-135, 3-188, 4-201, 5-283,
6-293, 7-305, 8-307, 9-312
Bowling: Starc 8.2-0-29-2, Johnson 9-0-62-2,
Watson 7-0-71-1, Doherty 7-0-60-0, Maxwell 6-035-0, Faulkner 9-0-48-3
Monkey off ton-up Maxwell’s
back in Australia win
SYDNEY: Glenn Maxwell said he felt
he’d got a “monkey off the back” after
his maiden one-day international
hundred powered Australia to a
64-run win over Sri Lanka in their
World Cup Pool A clash in Sydney on
Sunday. Maxwell’s blistering century,
his first in 43 ODI innings, came off
just 51 balls — the second-fastest
in World Cup history behind Kevin
O’Brien’s 50-ball assault for Ireland
against England in Bangalore four
years ago.
Maxwell and recalled all-rounder
Shane Watson (67) put on 160 in a
commanding total of 376 for nine.
“It was nice to get the monkey
off the back,” said Maxwell. “I have
scored a few 90s so to finally hit the
hundred was a relief.
“The top order set it up beautifully
for me and Shane to go berserk at
the end. I didn’t know about the
record World Cup century but I knew
about the Australian record (57 balls)
because James Faulkner doesn’t shut
up about it,” said Maxwell.
Faced with a mammoth chase,
Sri Lanka responded in style as
Kumar Sangakkara became the first
batsman to score hundreds in three
consecutive World Cup matches,
while Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh
Chandimal, who had to retire hurt,
both weighed in with fifties.
However, the task proved beyond
them as they finished on 312 for nine.
“Credit to the boys for the way
they battled — Maxwell scoring his
first ODI hundred, we needed his
runs today,” said Australia captain
Michael Clarke.
— AFP
M O N DAY M A R C H 9 l 2 0 1 5
26
FEBRUARY 14 TO MARCH 29
iN BRIEFS
England on edge in
last chance saloon
New Zealand’s
Brendon
McCullum hits a
six watched by
Afghanistan’s
Afsar Zazai
during their Pool
A match in
Napier. —
Reuters
New Zealand or
Australia? Too hard
to choose, says Nabi
NAPIER, New Zealand: Afghanistan
skipper Mohammad Nabi could not
separate New Zealand and Australia
when it came to choosing between the
form teams in the World Cup on Sunday.
The Afghans played the two
frontrunners and World Cup co-hosts
in quick succession and were soundly
beaten both times.
After losing to Australia by a massive
275 runs last Wednesday in Perth they
suffered a six-wicket thrashing by New
Zealand in Napier on Sunday.
“New Zealand, they’re quite good.
Also Australia,” Nabi diplomatically said
when asked to rate the two sides after
comprehensively losing to New Zealand
by six wickets.
“I’m not saying that Australia is the
best or New Zealand is the best, both
of the teams are quite good and quite
balanced.”
Afghanistan, making their World
Cup debut, scored an historic win over
Scotland and were impressive when
losing to Sri Lanka before falling apart
against Australia and New Zealand.
Nabi believed more substantial
performances by the top order
Afghanistan batsman would have made
a difference.
Against Australia they were 103-6
and against New Zealand the situation
was more dire at 59-6.
“In the whole tournament, the top
five batsmen didn’t click in five games,”
he said.
However, he saw positives against
New Zealand with Najibullah Zadran
and Samiullah Shenwari putting on
an Afghanistan seventh-wicket record
partnership of 86.
— AFP
Najibullah counter
attacks against
New Zealand pace
NAPIER: Najibullah Zadran wrote
himself into cricketing folklore on
Sunday when he deposited a delivery
from Tim Southee onto the roof of the
Harris Stand at McLean Park, a shot
with a distance of close to 100 metres.
It was one of two sixes the
22-year-old hit off Southee, the World
Cup’s joint top wicket-taker who had
destroyed England’s batting line-up
just over two weeks ago with seven
for 33.
Najibullah also had a particular
liking for Adam Milne’s express
pace, hitting the fast bowler for four
boundaries in his run-a-ball 56.
The left-hander’s aggressive
innings rescued Afghanistan from
59 for six as he combined in a 86-run
partnership with Samiullah Shenwari,
who went on to make 54 as the
associate nation were dismissed
for 186. “He’s an aggressive player,”
Afghanistan captain Mohammad
Nabi told reporters in Napier of
Najibullah. “We put him in to use him
in the last 10 or 15 overs to hit the
big shots. “We did not give him the
platform for him to do that. Every
match he has been under pressure
after losing early wickets and low
scores, but today he played really
well. ” While Afghanistan eventually
lost to New Zealand by six wickets,
they earned some praise from their
opponents, with man-of-the-match
Daniel Vettori stating they had spent
a lot of time analysing Nabi’s side.
“There is a lot of respect for
that Afghan team,” Vettori said. “We
scouted them pretty hard.
“They have got a nicely balanced
line-up and you saw that today with
the way they were able to counter
attack. I think that is the beginning of
a very good team.
— Reuters
AUSTRALIA &
NEW ZEALAND
KIWI POWER: The co-hosts made shortwork of the emerging
minnows as they got ready for the tougher battles in the knock-outs
Vettori passes 300 as
New Zealand win easy
NAPIER: Martin Guptill and Ross
Taylor got some valuable time at the
wicket as New Zealand did what they
AFGHANISTAN
needed to looking ahead to the World
J Ahmadi lbw Boult ...................................1
Cup quarter-finals with a six-wicket
U Ghani b Vettori .......................................0
N Mangal b Vettori ..................................27
victory over Afghanistan at McLean
A Stanikzai c Guptill b Boult.......................9
Park on Sunday.
S Shenwari c Taylor b Anderson ...............54
Guptill, who had got starts in all four
M Nabi c Taylor b Vettori ............................6
A Zazai lbw Vettori......................................0
of his previous innings, was run out for
N Zadran c Vettori b Milne .......................56
57, while Taylor, who had scored just 29
D Zadran c Ronchi b Boult .........................1
H Hassan c Milne b Anderson..................16
runs in four previous innings, was 24
S Zadran (not out) ......................................2
not out as New Zealand scored 188-4 in
Extras (LB-5, W-9) ...................................14
36.1 overs.
Total (all out, 47.4 overs) ..............186
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-6, 3-24, 4-49, 5-59,
Afghanistan had been dismissed for
6-59, 7-145, 8-151, 9-166
186 in 47.4 overs with Daniel Vettori
Bowling: T Southee 10-0-43-0, T Boult 10-2becoming the 12th man to take 300
34-3, D Vettori 10-4-18-4, A Milne 10-0-38-1,
C Anderson 6.4-0-38-2, G Elliott 1-0-10-0
one-day international wickets when he
NEW ZEALAND
produced another impeccable spell of
M Guptill (run out)...................................57
left-arm spin bowling.
B McCullum b Nabi .................................42
K Williamson c Shenwari b S Zadran .......33
Captain Brendon McCullum had
R Taylor (not out)......................................24
given his side a rollicking start with
G Elliott (run out) .....................................19
C Anderson (not out) .................................7
42 runs from 19 balls before Kane
Extras (LB-2, W-4) .....................................6
Williamson (33) and Guptill took them
Total (for 4 wkts, 36.1 overs) .........188
to 111 for one without looking troubled.
Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-111, 3-143, 4-175
Bowling: D Zadran 9-0-51-0, S Zadran 10-2Williamson, however, was caught by
45-1, H Hassan 7-1-36-0, M Nabi 7.1-0-39-1,
Samiullah Shenwari at mid-wicket off
S Shenwari 3-0-15-0
Shapoor Zadran in the 19th over before
Guptill was run out with 44 runs needed
and Grant Elliott dismissed in the same
fashion 12 runs short of the target.
Vettori had taken 4-18 from 10 overs.
Taylor and Corey Anderson (seven
The 36-year-old has taken 12 wickets
not out) saw New Zealand home after in the tournament at an average of 11.33
SCOREBOARD
and economy rate of three runs per over.
Vettori bowled the third over of the
match to enable Tim Southee and Trent
Boult to swap ends and bowled Usman
Ghani on his first delivery, then took
Nawroz Mangal’s (27) wicket in the 16th
over for number 300.
He is the ninth player to take more
than 300 wickets in both tests and ODIs
and later took two wickets in successive
deliveries in the 20th over but missed
the hat-trick.
Vettori’s first over had put
Afghanistan on the back foot after
captain Mohammad Nabi had chosen
to bat on a wicket considered the best
batting surface in New Zealand, before
Boult struck twice to reduce them 24 for
three.
Mangal and Shenwari managed
to see off the opening bowlers before
Vettori struck again and then had Nabi
caught by Taylor for six and trapped
Asfar Zazai lbw on the next delivery to
reduce Afghanistan to 59 for six and in
danger of being bowled out for under
100.
Najibullah Zadran, who survived the
hat-trick ball, and Shenwari (54) then
combined for an 86-run partnership
that helped them post a score in excess
of 150. — Reuters
ADELAIDE, Australia: England
face a potential banana skin when
Eoin Morgan’s beleaguered side
play Bangladesh in a make-orbreak World Cup clash in Adelaide
on Monday.
England lost to Bangladesh by
two wickets in the last World Cup in
2011 — a match in which Morgan
made 63 — but still survived the
shock defeat to qualify for the
quarter-finals.
There will, however, be no
second chance this time as England,
with one win in four matches,
must beat both Bangladesh at the
Adelaide Oval and Afghanistan
in Sydney on March 13 to stay in
contention for the last eight.
Even that may not be enough if
Bangladesh, who have five points to
England’s two, upset co-hosts New
Zealand in Hamilton on March 13
to squeak through to the quarterfinals from Pool A. Morgan will be
expected to lead from the front but
the gifted left-hander had scored
just two half-centuries in 16 World
Cup matches so far, nine of them
playing for Ireland in 2007.
England have been defeated by
Bangladesh just twice in 15 one-day
internationals, but a woeful World
Cup record over the last 20 years
will have even their most optimistic
supporters worried. England lost
every game against a Test-playing
nation in 1996, were dumped out
in the first round at home in 1999
and again in 2003, and failed to
make the semi-finals in the last two
editions in 2007 and 2011.
ANDERSON ANGUISH
England’s lone win this time has
been against minnows Scotland,
but their most embarrassing
moment came last Sunday when Sri
Lanka chased down what seemed a
reasonably challenging target of 310
with nine wickets and 16 deliveries
to spare.
In 2011, England had all
but wrapped up the match in
Chittagong when Bangladesh’s
England’s James Taylor (right) and
Joe Root smile during an England
training session at Adelaide Oval on
Sunday. — AFP
ninth-wicket pair of Mohammad
Mahmudullah and Shafiul Islam
put on 58 off 56 balls to seal victory
with six balls remaining.
There has been a hundred each
in the current tournament from
Moeen Ali against Scotland and Joe
Root in a losing cause against Sri
Lanka, but just two other England
batsmen have scored half-centuries.
Morgan himself has managed
just 90 runs at an average of 22.50,
but his biggest worry will be the
ineffectiveness of his two pace
spearheads James Anderson and
Stuart Broad.
Anderson’s two wickets so far
have come at an unusually high
average of 91, while Broad averages
92 for his two wickets.
“We certainly are not taking a
win for granted,” said Morgan of
Monday’s game. “Bangladesh have
come a long way in the last 10 years.
“If we play well, I have every
confidence we can win this game.
The illusion of making it a bigger
game than it is, is probably the
wrong thing to do.”
Bangladesh, meanwhile, have
ensured that sharing points with
co-hosts Australia in the rainedoff match in Brisbane has not been
wasted. — AFP
Bangladesh players busy in warm-up exercises during a training session
ahead of their Pool A match against England at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
— AFP
World Cup proper starts in quarters, says Vettori
NAPIER, New Zealand: New Zealand
completed their fifth straight win in
the World Cup when they swept aside
Afghanistan on Sunday but felt the
tournament has yet to properly begin,
according to team veteran Daniel
Vettori.
In all five games, including against
Australia and England, New Zealand
have bowled out the opposition inside
50 overs with an aggressive attack
blending Vettori’s spin with swing
bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
Vettori, who racked up another
milestone in his stellar career when he
took his 300th ODI wicket at McLean
Park on Sunday — returning figures of
four for 18 — said the focus was what
lies ahead for the team rather than
individual feats.
“It’s purely about winning games,
and that’s what we’ve been able to do
so far, and we can hopefully continue
in the important knock-out stages,” he
said.
The quarter-finals “is where it really
New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori (left) and Brendon McCullum celebrate the dismissal of
Afghanistan’s Afsar Zazai (right) during their Pool A match in Napier.
— Reuters
starts”, and form through the pool
stages could not be a consideration, he
said dismissing South Africa’s shock
29-run loss on Saturday to Pakistan.
“All the teams that eventually make
it (to the play-offs) have got match
winners. So you can’t sit back and say
a team’s not in form or haven’t played
well because you go into it thinking that
a team’s going to play their best.
“Anyone you would come up against
in that quarter-final is going to be a
tough opposition. We look at it through
I suppose a positive prism that they’ve
got good players. There is no real
thought that they’re out of form or not
playing well.”
The 36-year-old Vettori is New
Zealand’s most accomplished ODI
bowler and on Sunday became the 12th
player and first New Zealander to reach
the 300 wicket milestone.
He finished his 291st ODI with 302
wickets, at an average 31.62, and such
was the comprehensive nature of New
Zealand’s win that he did not have a
chance to add to his 2,213 ODI runs.
Vettori
returned
to
regular
appearances in the New Zealand team
late last year after being sidelined by
injury for much of the previous three
years and went into the World Cup not
thinking he would be a central wicket
taker.
“I suppose I went into the World
Cup not really thinking about that that
much,” he said.
“I think we are caught up in the
middle of the World Cup. There
is an important game on Friday
(Bangladesh), and probably the most
important game of our careers the
following Saturday” in the quarterfinals.
“So maybe in a month or so there
will be a chance to look back on it.
Vettori’s first wicket against
Afghanistan, when he bowled Usman
Ghani in the third over, came in a
one-over spell to allow right-arm Tim
Southee to change ends with left-arm
Trent Boult to make better use of the
wind. He returned five overs later to
bowl Nawroz Mangal for his 300th
wicket and later took Mohammad Nabi
and Afsar Zazai in successive balls to
have four wickets for five runs before
finishing with four for 18.
Afghanistan
were
eventually
dismissed for 186 with New Zealand
chasing down the target in the 37th
over with six wickets to spare. — AFP
SPORT
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
Messi breaks record as Barca go top
ALL-ENGLAND
27
OPEN
MAGIC: Messi netted his 32nd treble for Barca in all competitions in the space of just 12 minutes
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (right) scores a goal against Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona.
BARCELONA: Lionel Messi broke
a Spanish hat-trick record and Luis
Suarez struck twice as a rampant
Barcelona took over top spot in La
Liga with a 6-1 hammering of Rayo
Vallecano on Sunday.
Messi came alive after halftime at
the Nou Camp to net his 32nd treble
for Barca in all competitions in the
space of just 12 minutes.
It meant he eclipsed the record of
the most hat-tricks ever recorded in
Spanish football that he had shared
with Athletic Bilbao striker Telmo
Zarra.
The Argentine’s second half tour
de force against a side reduced to 10
men with the dismissal of Tito —
Barca themselves had Dani Alves
sent off late in the game — included
a goal scored from a retaken penalty
after he had seen the first saved.
It helped put Barca back in
control at the head of La Liga, after
an equal amount of games played,
for the first time since the start of
November.
They moved on to 62 points, a
point clear of Real Madrid, who
were beaten by Athletic Bilbao
on Saturday, and are now in pole
position two weeks ahead of
Madrid’s visit to their Nou Camp
fortress in El Clasico.
“Being leaders is not something
that we are concentrating on much
— AFP
at the moment as there is still a long
way to go in the league,” defender
Gerard Pique told reporters.
“We started the season well, then
we had a drop in form and it looks
like we are playing well again now.”
Barca scored with their first
shot on goal after five minutes with
Xavi releasing Suarez, who tucked a
clinical shot into the corner with the
outside of his right boot.
Four minutes after halftime, the
floodgates opened when Gerard
Pique knocked in from close range
following a Jordi Alba header from
a corner which came back off a post.
When Suarez was felled in the
penalty area in the 56th minute by
Tito, who received a red card, Messi’s
penalty was saved by keeper Cristian
Alvarez but the referee ordered a
retake due to encroachment in the
area.
Inevitably, Messi made no
mistake second time around and
he then knocked in a rebound after
63 minutes, before completing his
historic hat-trick, the 24th of his La
Liga career, five minutes later.
He now has 32 Spanish hat-tricks,
compared to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 27.
Alberto Bueno netted a
consolation penalty for Rayo after he
had been fouled by Alves, who was
given his marching orders.
Messi then set up Suarez for his
second in injury time to complete
the rout.
“We were only able to score one
goal in the first half although we had
other openings,” Barca coach Luis
Enrique told a news conference.
“Our objective is to be leaders at
the end of the championship. I think
there will be defeats for both of us
(including Real) and there are areas
where we need to improve.”
Later on Sunday, third place is at
stake when Atletico Madrid, on 54
points, entertain Valencia, who are a
point behind. — Reuters
SPANISH LA LIGA RESULTS ON SATURDAY:
Deportivo la Coruna 3 (Riera 28, 72, Perez 90+3pen) Sevilla 4 (Vitolo 33, 52, Gameiro 65-pen,
Sidnei 83-og)
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Aduriz 26) Real Madrid 0
Elche 1 (Rodriguez 6) Almeria 0
Granada 1 (Camacho 57-og) Malaga 0
Inzaghi still on the brink as
Verona peg back AC Milan 2-2
MILAN: The future of AC Milan
coach Filippo Inzaghi was left
hanging in the balance on Saturday
after Uruguayan Nico Lopez came
off the bench to hit an injury-time
leveller for Verona in an insipid 2-2
draw at the San Siro.
Milan looked to have done
enough to claim only their third win
in 11 games after an own goal by
midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis gave
the hosts a second-half lead after
first half-goals from Luca Toni and
Jeremy Menez, both from the spot.
However Inzaghi and his fallen
Serie A giants were whistled and
jeered off the pitch by an increasingly
hostile home crowd after a second
consecutive draw left them in 10th
spot, 23 points behind leaders
Juventus. Champions Juventus are
not in action until Monday when
they host Sassuolo looking to add to
their nine-point cushion on secondplaced Roma, who travel to Chievo
on Sunday.
Milan, meanwhile, remain light
years away from challenging for the
scudetto. “I’m sorry we conceded
a goal in the last 10 seconds, we’re
chickens to have conceded a goal
from a long ball like that,” Inzaghi
told Sky Sport. “It’s hard to accept a
goal like that, but it’s part of the ugly
side of football.
“We have to keep forging on and
keep our heads up, there’s not much
else for it. There’s still 12 games this
season and we have to win them.”
Inzaghi left on-loan Roma striker
Mattia Destro on the bench with
Giampaolo Pazzini and Alessio Cerci
joining Frenchman Jeremy Menez
up front, while defender Philippe
Mexes made his return to the lineup following his four-match ban for
violent conduct.
Verona took the lead just after the
quarter hour when Toni beat Spanish
‘keeper Diego Lopez from the spot
with a cheeky chip after Sulley
Muntari had fouled Artur Ionita on
the edge of the area.
Mexes tried his luck from distance
only to see a dipping shot go just
a foot wide of Francesco Benussi’s
right-hand post as the ‘keeper dived
to cover.
Minutes later, the Frenchman’s
guile helped win a penalty as he
tumbled under a challenge from
Bosko Jankovic and Menez stepped
up to level from the spot on 41
minutes.
Mexes was handed a four-game
ban on January 27 for a string of
violent incidents involving Lazio
captain Stefano Mauri during a
3-1 defeat to the Biancocelesti last
month. He had not played since then
but looked to have made amends
only two minutes after the restart
when he hit the shot which led to
Tachtsidis’s own goal.
Cerci’s drive into the area was sent
up into the air by Pazzini and headed
on by Menez to the right of goal, where
Mexes picked up his own rebound
to squeeze the ball home from the
tightest of angles with a late touch
coming from Tachtsidis. — AFP
Italian Serie A results on Saturday:
Sampdoria 2 (De Silvestri 33, Eto’o 72) Cagliari 0
AC Milan 2 (Menez 41-pen, Tachtsidis 47-og)
Verona 2 (Toni 18-pen, Lopez 90+5)
AC Milan’s coach Filippo Inzaghi gestures before the Serie A match
against Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium stadium in Milan. — AFP
Spain’s Carolina Marin poses with her trophy. — Reuters
India’s Nehwal
blows big
chance in final
BIRMINGHAM: World champion Carolina Marin of
Spain staged a remarkable comeback to win the AllEngland Championships on Sunday as Saina Nehwal
blew the chance to become India’s first woman winner.
Olympic bronze medallist Nehwal threw away a
6-1 lead in the second before the Spaniard pressed the
throttle to land her first Superseries singles title 16-21
21-14 21-7.
“It is an amazing feeling,” said Marin after her
62-minute win. “I was making too many easy mistakes
and was really nervous at the start, but I just wanted
to enjoy it.”
“In the second game and at 11-9 down I felt there
was a change and that I could win. To beat Saina is a
great thing.”
Both players said after their semifinals that they did
not feel any pressure, but the expectation levelled at
Nehwal was made clear before Sunday’s denouement
when former Indian Test cricket star Sachin Tendulkar
wished her luck on Twitter.
Nehwal was bidding to become the first All-England
singles winner from India since her former coach
Pullela
Gopichand
won the men’s title 14 ‘In the second game
years ago.
and at 11-9 down
And the odds
I felt there was a
were stacked in her
favour to achieve a change and that I
fourth victory over the could win. To beat
Spaniard — the Indian
Saina is a great
having already beaten
Marin to the Syed thing’
Modi
International
title in January — after
running away with the first game.
After a tentative start Nehwal opened up an 11-6
lead, offering stout defence against Marin’s attacking
forays to the net, which more often than not finished
with an arm-clenched celebration if she won the point.
She soon held eight game points before Marin
finally found some rhythm to win four rallies in a row,
though Nehwal finished the game with a smash from
the net. Marin’s game failed to materialise in the early
throes of the second.
At 3-1 down, she saw a flighted lift from Nehwal
land in, went wide with a forehand smash on the next
point before a fierce winner from the Indian opened
up a five-point lead.
But Marin began to find her rhythm and at 8-4
down secured a run of eight successive points as
Nehwal ran out of ideas. “The game just went away
from me,” admitted Nehwal. “I was playing very cool
but I began to hurry my shots and I made errors. I
tried to play it safe.”
— Reuters
ALL-ENGLAND OPEN BADMINTON RESULTS
Finals: Women’s singles: Carolina Marin (ESP x6) bt Saina Nehwal
(IND x3) 16-21, 21-14, 21-7; Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan and Zhao
Yunlei (CHN x1) bt Tontowi Ahmad and Lilyana Natsir (INA x4) 21-10,
21-10
Delph described the pitch invasion as ‘scary’ and said he had been bitten by some of the invading supporters as both teams ended with 10 men
Villa reach FA Cup semifinals, Bradford held by Reading
West Bromwich Albion’s Craig Dawson (left) vies with Aston Villa’s
Tom Cleverley during the FA Cup quarterfinal at Villa Park in
Birmingham, central England.
— AFP
LONDON: Aston Villa became the first
team to reach the FA Cup semifinals after
beating West Bromwich Albion 2-0 on
Saturday in a match marred by late pitch
invasions.
In a near repeat of Tuesday’s Premier
League game between the sides, which Villa
won 2-1, Fabian Delph and Scott Sinclair
struck to take Tim Sherwood’s team into
the last four for the first time since 2010.
Both teams finished the game with 10
men, with Claudio Yacob sent off for West
Brom and Max Grealish dismissed for Villa,
while play had to be temporarily suspended
late on when a number of home fans poured
onto the pitch.
Delph described the pitch invasion,
which was repeated at full-time, as “scary”
and said he had been bitten by some of
the invading supporters, while West Brom
manager Tony Pulis described the scenes as
“disgraceful”.
But Villa manager Sherwood said: “I
don’t think it’s scary. It probably is for a
West Brom player. Emotions are running
very high after two wins and it’s been a huge
week for the football club.”
Giant-killers Bradford City had earlier
been taken to a replay by Reading. Liverpool
host Blackburn Rovers on Sunday and
holders Arsenal travel to Manchester
United in the tie of the round on Monday.
Ben Foster and Christian Benteke had
been the central figures in Villa’s win over
West Brom on Tuesday, with the former
conceding the stoppage-time penalty from
which Benteke scored the winning goal.
But neither player was present for
the reunion, with Boaz Myhill replacing
Foster in the West Brom goal and a hip
injury obliging Benteke to cede his place
to Sinclair. Pulis led Stoke City to the final
in 2011 and his current charges made an
enterprising start, with Saido Berahino
working Shay Given before Brown Ideye
somehow contrived to lift Craig Gardner’s
inviting cross over the bar.
But it was Villa who drew first blood in
the 51st minute when Delph collected a pass
from Charles N’Zogbia and bludgeoned a
low shot inside Myhill’s near post.
PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER
Six minutes later, West Brom procured a
glorious opportunity to equalise, but Joleon
Lescott could only head wide at the back
post after Villa midfielder Tom Cleverley
had helped on Gardner’s left-wing corner.
Yacob was sent off after being shown a
second yellow card for a fairly innocuous
block challenge on Leandro Bacuna, and
Sinclair sealed the visitors’ fate by curling
home five minutes from time.
Grealish’s dismissal was similarly
contentious, the Villa substitute earning
a second booking for a less than clearcut dive, and the pitch invasions brought
matters to an unsavoury conclusion.
Third-tier Bradford’s extraordinary
progress through the competition was
suspended at the quarter-final stage
after they were held to a 0-0 draw by
Championship side Reading. Bradford
memorably came from 2-0 down to win
4-2 at Chelsea in the fourth round but they
found Reading a tougher proposition at a
muddy Valley Parade.
— AFP
28
SPORT
omandailyobserver
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
Team Al Nimer ready for challenge OFA gives disciplinary
SKILL TEST: Omani drivers in the side to test skills ahead of World Endurance Race
MUSCAT: Ali Moosa is busy
formulating strategies these days. For,
he is doubling up as a manager and a
driver for Team Al Nimer, one of the
strong contenders for title in the 24hour Endurance Race, to be held at
the Muscat Speedway at the Oman
Automobile Association facility on
Friday and Saturday.
With
many
domestic
and
international titles under his belt, Ali
is undoubtedly one of the experienced
karting drivers in the region. But
even he feels that endurance race is
something different and strategies play
crucial roles deciding the podium.
“Endurance race is altogether
different proposition. Strong drivers
will not ensure you the title. Instead, a
good team strategy can work wonders
for you,” he said.
Al Nimer have got three talented
Omani drivers — Ali Moosa, Faisal
al Zubair and Haitham al Zadjali —
in their ranks. Besides, they will be
assisted by top driver from the United
Arab Emirates Hussain Ummid Ali
making the side a strong contender for
the title.
That is not all. All the three Omani
drivers have qualified for the World
Endurance Race final to be held in
France from June 5.
“So next week’s race will give us
the much-needed practice before we
head to France. We want to make
our country proud in the world
championship,” Ali said.
The youngster believes that the
lessons he learnt from regional
level competitions will come handy
in the upcoming competitions. “I
participated in a 48-hour Endurance
Race in Saudi Arabia last week. I was
part of a different team where we
covered 4,352 kilometres. I met a lot
ANUROOP A
MUSCAT
Team Al Nimer is one of the strong contenders for title in the 24-hour Endurance Race.
of experts during the event and they
gave me valuable insights about team
strategy. Now, I will try to educate my
team-mates in Oman,” he said.
He cited an example to buttress his
point. “I never realised the importance
of sleep until the Saudi event. When
I got a good rest during the race, my
performance improved a lot. It was a
good learning experience. Now, I will
insist my colleagues in Oman to take
breaks during the race,” he said.
Ali, who participated in all
LOCAL FLAVOUR
Openers set up win for Muscat CT
MUSCAT: Muscat Cricket Team
recorded a huge 179-run win against
OCT Muscat ‘A’ who have yet to taste
victory in a Muscat Pharmacy & Stores
LLC sponsored ‘A’ Division 50 overs
a side league match at the MOS Turf
Ground at Al Amerat on Saturday.
Opting to field after winning
the toss, OCT Muscat ‘A’ would have
regretted their decision when the
Muscat openers Sudeep Chavan
93 (124b, 2x6, 8x4) and his partner
Aaqib Ilyas 83 (56b, 2x6, 13x4) laid
the foundation with an opening
partnership of 127 runs in 18 overs.
Other major contributions came from
Ganesh Narusumaiyya 52 (66b, 1x6,
5x4) and Adnan Ilyas 40 (21b, 3x6, 3x4).
At the end of their quota of 50 overs
Muscat had mustered a massive 338 for
the loss of 6 wickets.
notice to 11 clubs
after demand for EGM
Shakeel Mahmood took 3 wickets
for 49 runs off 6 overs.
Requiring a mammoth 339 for a
win, OCT Muscat ‘A’ were bowled out
for 159 in 32.2 overs with Shuaib Ismail
al Balushi making a top score of 52
(54b, 1x6, 7x4) and Rafiq Mohammed
chipping in with 20 (26b, 4x4).
The bowlers to cause the damage
were Rajesh Ranpura who ended with
5 for 31 in 10 overs including 2 maiden
overs for which he was adjudged man
of the match, while Badal Singh ended
with 3 for 47 off 9.2 overs.
Brief scores: Muscat – 338 for 6 in 50 overs
(Sudeep Chavan 93, Aaqib Ilyas 83, Ganesh
Narusumaiyya 52, Adnan Ilyas 40) bt OCT
Muscat ‘A’ – 159 all out in 32.2 overs (Shuaib
Ismail al Balushi 52, Rafiq Mohammed 20;
Rajesh Ranpura 5-31, Badal Singh 3-47); Points:
Muscat CT - 5 (8 games – 29), OCT Muscat ‘A’ - 0
(8 games – 0)
MCCC Challenge Cup cricket
MUSCAT: Maxtalent Global Sports will organise MCCC Challenge Cup 2015
cricket tournament from March 24 to 27 for age categories under-11, under-13
and under-16.
For under-11 and under-13 the tournament will be played for 20 overs a side
matches, while it will be 25 overs for under-16. The entry fee is RO 50 per team
category. The jersey should be white clothing and red balls will be used for the
matches. The tournament will be either knock-out or round-robin based on
number of entries.
For details contact: [email protected] or on phone 92007576/97700374
endurance races at Muscat Speedway,
feels that the competition will be tough
this time thanks to the participation
of corporate teams. “The support of
corporate houses for the endurance
race is a good advertisement for the
sport. I am sure youngsters will benefit
from it,” he said.
‘We are ready’
Meanwhile, OAA Events coordinator Mommin al Rawahi said
the track is ready to host the big event.
“We have refurbished the track, giving
Royal
challengers to
host RC Cup
cricket tourney
MUSCAT: Royal Challengers
Muscat will organise the fourth
edition of RC Cup cricket
tournament from April 3 to
April 17 (on three Fridays) at Al
Maha Recreation Club ground at
Bausher.
The tournament will feature
24 teams, registration is open for
24 teams with preference given
for early birds.
Oman Cricket Club players of
A and B divisions are not allowed
to participate in the tournament.
There will be attractive
prizes such as for the man of
the series, best batsman, best
bowler, maximum sixes and best
fielder. Apart from the trophies
there will be cash prizes for the
winners and runners-up teams.
For registration and queries,
contact: Hancy on 99756088.
due importance for safety aspects. I am
sure the drivers will enjoy the 24-hour
event,” he said.
Mommin also said that his team
has already devised plans to conduct
the race even during adverse climatic
conditions. “We have the wherewithal
to resume the competition even during
bad weather conditions,” he said.
TEAM AL NIMER TOURISM: Ali
Moosa (manager & driver), Hussain
Ummid Ali (UAE), Faisal al Zubair,
Haitham al Zadjali (both Oman).
March 8: The Oman Football
Association (OFA) has given disciplinary
notice to 11 clubs, which demanded for
an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
for introducing a no-confidence motion
against the OFA board.
The clubs have been given three
days to respond to the notice, Hamdan
al Maani, OFA media officer said.
A no response from the club will
invite suspension or other disciplinary
actions, he said.
“This will be decided later by the OFA
board,” he added.
The clubs which were handed
the notice are Dhofar, Fanja, Bausher,
Ja’alan, Al Kamil Wal Wafi, Seeb, Al
Musannah, Al Ittifaq, Ibri, Nizwa and Ahli
Sidab.
“The clubs are given disciplinary
notice for violating clauses two
and three of Article 28 of the OFA
Constitution and inviting other clubs
for Extraordinary General Assembly,” an
Oman Football Association statement
said.
These clubs had defied OFA
Chairman Sayyid Khalid al Busaidy’s call
to drop the demand for EGM after world
football body Fifa informed that there
was no need for an EGM as per the rules
of the board.
Al Hamra and Al Salam clubs had
withdrew demand for the EGM and
the OFA chief dismissed the demand
of other 10 clubs saying the EGM does
not meet the quorum for holding such
a meeting.
The Saturday’s meeting was then
turned into a consultative meeting.
Khalid al Busaidy in the statement
said that the articles 28 and 36 of the
OFA constitution on which the clubs
The clubs which were
handed the notice are
Dhofar, Fanja, Bausher,
Ja’alan, Al Kamil Wal Wafi,
Seeb, Al Musannah, Al
Ittifaq, Ibri, Nizwa and
Ahli Sidab
relied have no relevance on the issues
raised by them.
It has been learnt that the clubs are
demanding a meeting with the Minister
of Sports Affairs to raise their grievances.
However, Fifa strictly bans any
government intervention in the soccer
bodies under the membership of the
world soccer body.
The next General Assembly of the
Oman Football Association is scheduled
for March 28.
The OFA has been under scanner
after poor performance of the Oman
national team in Asian Cup 2015 in
Australia in January.
Oman crashed out in the Asian Cup
in the first round.
In the Gulf Cup held in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, the Sultanate team fared better
with a fourth-place finish.
Al Farsi stars in
Sur victory
in OPL
A Seeb player and an Al
Musannah player fight
for the ball.
— Mohammed Mahjoub
MUSCAT: Saud al Farsi’s 86th minute
winner helped Sur edge past Sohar 2-1
in their Omantel Professional League
match at the Sur Sports Complex on
Sunday.
Mohammed Mubarak struck the
opening goal for Sur in the 14th minute
and Sur held onto the lead until late
into the second half. Sohar equalised
through Issa al Salhi in the 82nd minute
and just when the match appeared to
be veering towards a drab stalemate, Al
Farsi slammed home the winner for Sur.
In other matches, Bausher thumped
Al Suwaiq 3-1 while Saham played out a
1-1 draw with Al Khaboura.
Al Musannah registered a crushing
4-0 victory over Al Seeb in the last
match of the day.
Jaja’s (39th, 65th) brace coupled with
goals from Egore (11th) and Khalid al
Yahyi (91st) powered Al Musannah to
the convincing win.
RESULTS: Bausher: 3 (Mohammed
Taki 35th, Said al Gadani 59th, Amin al
Muhajri 76th) bt Al Suwaiq: 1 (Abdullah
Kofi 42nd); Sur: 2 (Mohammed
Mubarak 14th, Saud al Farsi 86th) bt
Sohar: 1 (Issa al Salhi 82nd); Saham:
1 (Al Nufali 51st) drew Al Khaboura:
1 (Said Obaid 83rd); Al Musannah: 4
(Egore 11th, Jaja 39th, 65th, Khalid al
Yahyi 91st) bt Al Seeb: 0.
National Bank of Oman ‘B’ recorded an easy 82-run win against Cameron to remain in contention for top honours in ‘J’ division T20 league
NBO ‘A’ emerge ‘C’ division champions despite first defeat
MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman ‘A’ (NBO
‘A’) emerged as ‘C’ division T20 tournament
champions despite a first loss in the tourney
against Z-Axis Media, who finished as runnersup.
NBO ‘A’ won the title with 14 points from
eight matches, while Z-Axis Media finished
second with 12 points from eight matches.
Axis Media inflicted National Bank of Oman
‘A’ (NBO ‘A’) their first loss in the Al Ansari
Group of Companies sponsored ‘C’ division T20
during the weekend at the Municipality Ground
No 1 at Al Amerat.
Opting to bat, Z-Axis Media scored 157 for 9
in 20 overs thanks to useful contributions from
No 3 batsman Melwin Mathew 58 (36b, 7x4) and
opener Vikeesh C Velunni 46 (38b, 5x4). The
duo were associated in an 84-run second wicket
In a ‘C’ division T20 match, OCT
partnership. Maanas Kapoor claimed 4 wickets
for 12, while Ramesh V took 3 wickets for 26 runs Seeb recorded an exciting last ball
in 3 overs each.
win against PDORC
NBO ‘A’ who required 158 for a win and
remain unbeaten in the league were bowled out
for 126 in 18.2 overs. Opener Azhar Munir made sponsored ‘C’ division T20 match, played in the
a run-a-ball 32 (5x4) and Zaheer Abbas batting afternoon at the same venue, OCT Seeb recorded
at No 9 scored 31 (14b, 4x4). Kimberley Bentick an exciting last ball win against PDORC.
took 4 wickets for 22 in 4 overs.
Batting first, PDORC were bowled out for 140
Brief scores:Z-Axis Media – 157 for 9 in 20 overs (Melwin in 19.3 overs with Donald Vincent top scoring
Mathew 58, Vijeesh C Velunni 46; Maanas Kapoor 4-12, Ramesh
V 3-26) bt NBO ‘A’ – 126 all out in 18.2 overs (Azhar Munir 32, with 43 (27b, 3x4).
Zaheer Abbas 31; Kimberley Bentick 4-22, Nowfal Raymarakar
Osman al Zadjali claimed 3 wickets for 21 in
2-5, Sunil Baby 2-13); Points: Z-Axis Media - 2 (8 games –12), 3.3 overs. OCT Seeb, requiring 141 for a win, got
NBO ‘A’ - 0 (8 games – 14)
to their target losing 6 wickets off the last delivery
in the 20th over thanks to a brilliant 50 (32b, 7x4
OCT SEEB DEFEAT PDORC
In another Al Ansari Group of Companies from Issa Rahim al Balushi.
Brief scores: PDORC – 140 all out in 19.3 overs (Donald
Vincent 43, Abdul Majeed 23; Osman al Zadjali 3-21, Yousuf
Rahim Bakhsh 2-6, Younis Murad 2-26, Issa Rahim al Balushi
2-37) lost to OCT Seeb - 141 for 6 in 20 overs (Issa Rahim al
Balushi 50, Dhiyab Hussain 33 n.o., Osman al Zadjali 21; Abdul
Majeed 2-16); Points: OCT Seeb - 2 (7 games – 4), PDORC - 0 (7
games – 6)
NBO ‘B’ STAY ON TOP
National Bank of Oman ‘B’ (NBO ‘B’)
recorded an easy 82-run win against Cameron
in a ‘J’ division T20 match at Ground No 2 at
Al Amerat to remain in contention for top
honours.
Electing to bat, NBO ‘B’ scored 188 for 6
wickets in 20 overs with a top score of 72 (41b,
1x6, 11x4) from opener Homeshwar Ratre.
Cameron in reply were bowled out for 106 in
16.4 overs.
Brief scores: NBO ‘B’ – 188 for 6 in 20 overs (Homeshwar
Ratre 72, Ismail al Balushi 36, Rohit Gupta 26, Siddharth Oza
25; Jais Paul 2-22) bt Cameron – 106 all out in 16.4 overs
(Jais Paul 36, Anoop Kumar 25; Homeshwar Ratre 2-13, Khalid
Manzoor 2-20, Vinod Ratan 2-21); Points: NBO ‘B’ - 2 (7 games –
12), Cameron - 0 (7 games – 6)
AL REHWAN TROUNCE PRIME TRADING
In an ‘H’ Division T20 match, Al Rehwan
trounced Prime Trading by 7 wickets.
Batting first, Prime Trading were bundled out
for 75 in 13.2 overs.
The bowlers to cause the debacle were Nithin
4 for 15, Arun 3 for 23 and Asif Rahman 2 for 9.
Al Rehwan raced to their target scoring 80 for 3
wickets in 9.5 overs.
Brief scores: Prime Trading – 75 all out in 13.2 overs (Nithin
4-15, Arun 3-23, Asif Rahman 2-9) lost to Al Rehwan – 80 for
3 in 9.5 overs (Arun 36, Salih Ismail 32; Renju R Pillai 2-20);
Points: Al Rehwan - 2 (8 games – 8), Prime Trading - 0 (8 games
– 5)
ENTERTAINMENT
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
‘
‘Fievres’
surprise
winner
at African
film fest
F
ievres’, a film by Moroccan
director Hicham Ayouch,
won the top prize at this
year’s FESPACO film
festival in Burkina Faso,
beating competition that
included the Oscar-nominated “Timbuktu”.
FESPACO, which takes place every
two years in Burkina Faso’s capital,
Ouagadougou, is Africa’s biggest film
festival.
Fievres, the tale of a tumultuous
relationship between a father and his
lonely, violent son in a rough French
neighbourhood, was a surprise winner
because not many of those attending the
festival had seen it.
This year’s edition of FESPACO was
overshadowed by fears of an attack by
terrorists, whose occupation of the northern
Malian desert town of Timbuktu is the
subject of the film with the same name.
‘Timbuktu’ missed out on an Oscar but
had earlier won a string of other international
awards, including two at this year’s Cannes
Film Festival and seven at the Cesar Awards,
France’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Organisers
temporarily
withdrew
‘Timbuktu’ from the festival due to concerns
that its showing might lead to the event
being targeted by Islamist groups operating
in the region.
That decision was later reversed.
“FESPACO is a platform for everyone to
come and express themselves democratically
and freely,” said Burkina Faso’s interim
president, Michel Kafando.
“Consequently, there was no way we
could not show a film that was apparently
threatened by terrorism,” he said. An
omandailyobserver
overnight attack claimed by extremists killed
five people in a restaurant in the capital of
neighbouring Mali, a reminder of the threat
militants still pose in the region two years
after France dispatched troops to fight Al
Qaeda-linked fighters who occupied Mali’s
northern desert. — Reuters
I
NEW ERA FILM
Trevorrow, Spielberg
reunite for sci-fi thriller ‘Serena’ released on iTunes, Google Play
‘
J
urassic World’ director
Colin Trevorrow has reteamed with filmmaker
Steven Spielberg for a new scifi thriller film Intelligent Life.
Trevorrow
co-wrote
Intelligent Life with his Jurassic
World partner Derek Connolly,
reports aceshowbiz.com.
Spielberg
and
Frank
Marshall will be co-producing
‘Intelligent Life’, which is
based on The Ambassador,
an earlier concept Trevorrow
and Connolly originally
plotted as a sequel for their
debut movie Safety Not
Guaranteed.
The
film
follows
a
United Nations worker in
a department that was to
represent humankind in the
event of alien contact. The man
falls in love with a mysterious
woman who turns out to be an
alien.
Jurassic World is scheduled
to arrive in North America
on June 12. Chris Pratt, Bryce
Dallas
Howard,
Vincent
D’Onofrio, Irrfan Khan, Judy
Greer, and Jake Johnson are
among the cast members.
Trevorrow first made an
impression with Safety Not
Guaranteed, a small budget
sci-fi indie about an odd
man (Mark Duplass) who
places an ad in the paper
seeking someone to join him
on a time travel expedition.
Based on the strength of that
film, Trevorrow was hired
to helm Jurassic World, his
first big budget, major studio
feature.
— IANS
Italian actors Tea Falco and Jacopo Olmo Antolini hold the
Prize ‘Mayahuel de Plata’ representing the Italian filmmaker
Roberto Bertolucci during the 30th Guadalajara International
Film Festival. — AFP
A
ctors Jennifer Lawrence and
Bradley Cooper’s forthcoming
drama film Serena has been
released for rental on iTunes and Google
Play three weeks prior to its theatre release
date on March 27. Directed by Susanne Bier,
the film is currently available for rent on
iTunes for $10 (HD or SD), whereas Google
Play is charging $10 for SD and $11 for HD,
reports hollywoodreporter.com.
Serena is the story of two newlyweds in
Depression-era North Carolina who strive
to succeed in the timber industry. The film
premiered at the London Film Festival in
October 2014.
Jamie feels he’s complicated: Actor Jamie
Dornan says he is a “complicated dude” who
seeks roles that “challenge” him.
The Fifty Shades of Grey actor is attracted
to roles that challenge and scare him and
loves learning more about himself through
his work, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“I’m a pretty complicated dude myself. I
just mean that you want roles that challenge
and scare you a little and that you can really
discover something, maybe about yourself,
that maybe you didn’t understand. I’ve been
lucky recently to have that,” he told Loaded
magazine. Dornan has had a number of
intimate scenes in both Fifty Shades of Grey
and TV drama The Fall and does his best to
make things as comfortable as possible for
his co-stars.
He said: “You have to keep the intensity
there and stuff, but you’re still human
beings, and it’s still a bizarre position to put
people in.
“It can be uncomfortable. I just do
everything in my power to make the
moments before and after the take very
light. I make jokes.” Joe eager to marry
Vergara: Actor Joe Manganiello wants to
marry his fiancee Sofia Vergara as soon as
possible. The 38-year-old actor is reportedly
Bhumi ready to
reduce if film
demands it
upset that the Modern Family actress
announced they have postponed their plans
to wed this summer because he will be too
busy promoting ‘Magic Mike XXL’, and feels
she is the one dragging her feet, reports
femalefirst.co.uk.
“Joe is just going along with what she
wants. He wishes they could get married
now and start their life together,” a source
close to the couple, who got engaged in
December last year after six months of
dating, told InTouch Weekly magazine.
The actress, who will be promoting her
upcoming film Hot Pursuit with Reese
Witherspoon soon, is said to be an “expert”
at postponing wedding as she did with her
former fiance Nick Loeb.
“Vergara is an expert at postponing
weddings. She did the same thing with
Nick. She tends to put work before pleasure
and wants to promote the hell out of ‘Hot
Pursuit’.
It’s definitely causing tension in their
relationship. Joe won’t admit it, but he’s a
little concerned about getting her to the
alter,” said the source.
— IANS
n an industry where slim waists, sixpacks and fit frames are the order of
the day, here comes the unusual Bhumi
Pednekar, embodying an overweight girl in
her debut film Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Weight
issues are not an issue, says the actress, who
is ready to reduce to size zero if the role
demands it.
She has already slimmed down after
eating her way to the 89 kg that her role in
Dum Laga Ke Haisha required her to be.
Asked if she’s ready to be a size zero, she
said: “Why not? But it all depends ...if the
script really needs me to be a size zero girl, if
the character of the girl needs to be size zero,
I’m ready for it.”
“If in my next film they want me to be a
model or so, I’ll certainly shed all the extra kg
to justify my character,” she added.
The fact that she can go out of her way for
a role is justified in Dum Laga Ke Haisha For
her character Sandhya, Bhumi consumed a
customised calorie-rich diet for around a year
to weigh about 89 kg. She’s now ‘slimmer’.
“I’ve lost weight now. The reason my
weight loss has happened is because when I
was preparing for the film, I gained a lot of
weight. I was on a high-calorie diet for a year.
The only thing is when the film was over, it
was time to let go off Sandhya...I went back
to my normal life.”
However, Bhumi has no qualms in saying
that she found herself to look “pretty” when
she gained oodles of weight for her movie, as
“being beautiful is just a state of mind”.
“My weight has never been an issue in
my life. I don’t think it is a big thing. I’m
comfortable with the way I look. Even
when I was almost 90 kg, I thought I
looked beautiful. I feel if you think you are
beautiful, it will show on your face. It is the
state of mind. I’d say it is good to be healthy,”
she said.
Bhumi, who worked behind the scenes of
Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) projects as an assistant
to the casting director for six years, before
making a splash on the big screen herself,
says she made no “deliberate effort” to get
back to her normal frame.
Acting is a profession Bhumi always
eyed, but she felt she would never fit the
“parameter” of being an actor.
“I always wanted to be an actor...being
somebody who loved watching films, acting
is the only aspect I was aware of as a general
audience.
When I was younger, I didn’t know how
a film is made. I wasn’t sure there is a certain
demand, the way an actor should look, and I
knew that I don’t fit that parameter because I
have always been an overweight girl.
“I guess this is the path that god chose
for me; I was lucky such a script came
forward.”
— IANS
TINSELTOWN
Lady Gaga planning family wedding Kelly was unhappy’ with ‘Fashion Police’
TV’s reach excites Patricia Arquette
S
ctress Patricia Arquette, who
features in TV show CSI:
Cyber, says she likes the wide
reach of television, which sometimes
helps people forget their troubles.
The 46-year-old actress loves
the accessibility of television and
enjoys working on syndicated
shows, knowing people can see them
wherever they are in the world and
whatever their circumstances, reports
femalefirst.co.uk.
“I really like the idea of network
television, which is entertainment for
the masses. My great grandparents
were in vaudeville, which was like
network TV. It was five cents per
show. I felt that there was a real elitism
towards television that I wanted to go
against.
“I like the idea of reaching
worldwide audiences, I like the idea
of being in someone’s apartment in
Dubai, someone’s shack in Mexico.
inger Lady Gaga reportedly
wants her wedding to be “a
family celebration”.
According to a source, the 28-yearold, who got engaged to actor Taylor
Kinney on February 14 after four
years of dating, wants to serve her
guests food from her parents’ Italian
restaurant Joanne Trattoria based
here, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“She’s just coming up with ideas
now. She’s asked her sister Natali to be
the maid of honour, and her dad can’t
wait to walk her down the aisle,” US
Weekly magazine quoted the source as
saying.
“They want it to be a family
celebration,” the source added.
Gaga, who is said to be eager to
marry at her $23 million mansion in
Malibu, California, later this year, has
also started making her guest-list and
plans to invite her friend and singing
legend Elton John, 67, to the event, as
S
well as Tony Bennett.
She released an album of duets,
‘Cheek to Cheek’, with Bennett last
year and has reportedly asked him to
perform the title track at her reception.
inger Kelly Osbourne, who has
left Fashion Police, reportedly
wasn’t too happy being on the US
TV show since her friend and fellow
panellist Joan Rivers passed away six
months ago.
The 30-year-old star announced she
was leaving the ‘E!’ series last week, and
she had a strong reason for it, femalefirst.
oc.uk quoted a source as saying.
“After Joan died, Kelly gave the show
a shot. Kelly thought the show was going
to be revamped, but it was basically the
same except they hired new people and
there was a new set.
“The show has gotten a little better,
but it’s not what she wanted,” a source
told people.com.
The pop star feels the move is a
“natural progression” because some
on the show have reportedly been
“miserable” in recent weeks.
Another insider said: “There was
very little direction. It was almost a
trial by fire. People thought bringing
Kathy in wouldn’t be as big a deal, but
she did things differently. With Joan
it was a well-oiled machine. People
were miserable before this (Zendaya
incident) even happened.”
A
I mean, I’ve done aid work all over
the world and it’s amazing how many
people can watch television.
“Sometimes they’re hungry but they
get to watch television. I like to be a part
of that momentary forgetting of troubles,”
she told Loaded magazine.
— IANS
30
omandailyobserver
LIFESTYLE
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
HEALTH TIPS
Kicking the ‘butt’ leads to
improved metabolic effects
P
Advancements made by Omani
women are noteworthy
Q ZAINAB AL NASSRI
H
olding
largescale events that
honour women’s
advancements all
around the world,
particularly
on
March 8 which has been reserved as the
International Women’s Day, is one of the
practices that are commonly observed
among various societies all over the
world.
A global network of rich and diverse
local activity connects women from
all around the globe, ranging from
political rallies, business conferences,
government activities and networking
events through to local women’s craft
markets, theatre performances, fashion
parades and more.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Women have cut across all ranks
when talking about social and political
participation along with men. But as a
practice women have not been given
equal rights in many countries, in
accordance with the priorities given to
their male counterparts. In Oman, apart
from the other rights that they enjoy
according to the constitution, they have
also been given the right to own lands as
per the Royal Decree 125/2008.
Jamila
Jadad,
Director
of
women affairs at Ministry of Social
Development, stated that the Sultanate
has always believed in Omani woman
as being the better half of the society.
“She has always been there to participate
in development process in all industrial
and other sectors. Some of the significant
government plans include the education,
training, and enabling of women to
boost their scientific knowledge and
other educational abilities.”
Celebrating Women’s Day in Oman
comes at a time when she has obtained
all her rights unlike her counterparts in
some other countries. Besides taking
over many high ranking positions,
our women have been able to prove
themselves as a good wife, mother and
housekeeper at the same time.
Omani legislations are clear regarding
giving women their full rights. “Some
of these have been amended. Royal
decree No 11/2010 gives women the
right to register for a passport without
her parent permission. Labour law was
amended as per Decree No 113/2011
stating that working woman has the
right to get full paid maternity leave,”
Jadad pointed out.
The day is considered as a prominent
expression
on
the
importance
of woman’s participation in the
development process as affirmed by His
Majesty the Sultan during his speech on
the occasion of the annual session for
convening of the Council of Oman in
November 2009.
His Majesty had said that since the
early Renaissance we have attached
due care for the participation of Omani
women in the march of the Blessed
Renaissance, so we have provided
them with education, training and
employment
opportunities
and
supported their role and status in society.
Sense of purpose to protect heart
H
aving a high sense of purpose in life may
lower your risk of heart disease and stroke,
new study says. The new analysis defined
purpose in life as a sense of meaning and direction,
and a feeling that life is worth living.
“Developing and refining your sense of purpose
could protect your heart, health and potentially save
your life,” said study lead author Randy Cohen, a
preventive cardiologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and
Mount Sinai Roosevelt.
Previous research has linked purpose to
psychological health and well-being.
However, the new study found that a high sense of bypass surgery.
“Our study shows there is a strong relationship
purpose is associated with a 23 per cent reduction in
death from all causes and a 19 per cent reduced risk between having a sense of purpose in life and protection
of heart attack, stroke, or the need for coronary artery from dying or having a cardiovascular event.
“As part of our overall health, each of us needs to
ask ourselves the critical question of ‘do I have a sense
of purpose in my life?’
“If not, you need to work toward the important goal
of obtaining one for your overall well-being,” Cohen
explained.
The research team reviewed 10 relevant studies
with the data of more than 137,000 people to analyse
the impact of sense of purpose on death rates and risk
of cardiovascular events.
The meta-analysis also found that those with a low
sense of purpose are more likely to die or experience
cardiovascular events.
The paper was presented recently at the American
Heart Association’s EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific
Sessions in Baltimore.
— IANS
MUSIC CONCERT
Onion extract lowers high blood sugar
C
ombined with the antidiabetic drug metformin, an onion extract
can help lower high blood glucose (sugar) and total cholesterol
levels among diabetics, says a study. The onion extract used for the
experiment in rats was a crude preparation from onion bulb.
“We need to investigate the mechanism by which onion brought about
the blood glucose reduction,” said lead investigator Anthony Ojieh from
the Delta State University in Abraka, Nigeria. “We do not yet have an
explanation,” Ojieh noted.
To rats with medically induced diabetes, the researchers gave metformin
and varying doses of onion extract — 200, 400 and 600 milligrams per
kilograms of body weight daily (mg/kg/day) — to see if it would enhance
the drug’s effects. Two doses of onion extract, 400 and 600 mg/kg/day,
strongly reduced fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic rats by 50 per cent
and 35 per cent, respectively, compared with “baseline” levels at the start of
the study before the rodents received onion extract, Ojieh reported.
It reportedly lowered the total cholesterol level in diabetic rats, with the
two larger doses again having the greatest effects. Onion extract led to an
increase in average weight among nondiabetic rats but not diabetic rats.
“Onion is not high in calories.
However, it seems to increase
the metabolic rate and,
with that, to increase
the appetite, leading
to an increase in
feeding,”
Ojieh
said. The findings
were presented at
ENDO 2015, the
annual meeting
of the Endocrine
Society in San Diego,
California.
INNOVATION
TAISM hosts Festival of Choirs
T
he American International
School of Muscat (TAISM)
recently hosted 12th annual
Festival of Choirs. Six weeks leading up
to the Festival, teachers and students
began learning the music in their home
schools, and preparing themselves for
the academic and social process.
This year, 180 high school students,
representing 48 nationalities from
20 international schools, joined their
voices in the two-day schedule. The
crowning event of the Festival was the
Grand Finale Concert, including the
world premiere of Kooloona Wahed —
translated ‘We Are All One’.
Commissioned by TAISM Festival
of Choirs, the song was written by Kyle
Pederson, an American composer.
It included parts for SATB chorus
(soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and piano.
Both English and Arabic text were
woven into the score, and the song was
first shared with the world in TAISM’s
Bosch Centre for the Performing Arts
for over 500 honoured guests, students,
parents, teachers, staff, and friends of
the Festival.
Dr Christopher Aspaas returned
for the third time to the Festival
as the special guest conductor. His
contagious energy and positive spirit
led the students through the two days of
eople who quit smoking
have improved metabolic
effects, shows a new study.
The results were presented at the
annual meeting of the Endocrine
Society in San Diego.
“In general, people think that
when they stop smoking, they
are going to gain weight and their
diabetes and insulin resistance
are going to get worse, but we
didn’t find that,” said principal
investigator Theodore C Friedman
of the Charles R Drew University
of Medicine and Science in Los
Angeles.
“Our study showed that insulin
resistance was basically the same
and some of the fat redistribution
seemed to be better. Initially fat might have gone into the abdomen, but
later, it went back to the thigh, which is more benign,” Friedman added.
For the study, half-to-two pack-per-day smokers were enrolled into an
eight-week quit smoking programme of behavioural counselling plus oral
bupropion (antidepressant drug).
This was followed by a 16-week maintenance period without counselling
where the smokers either remained abstinent or naturally resumed/
increased smoking. Smoking cessation over eight weeks was linked with
worsening of central fat distribution, followed by a larger, favourable
reversal over subsequent months.
“Smoking cessation appears to have complex but generally favourable
metabolic effects, and they should be encouraged. Cessation also seems to
lead to beneficial effects in terms of where the fat is and what happens with
hepatic glucose release from the liver,” Friedman said.
rehearsals.
Dr Aspaas presently works as
Associate Professor of Choral/Vocal
Music at St Olaf College in Northfield,
Minnesota, USA. At St Olaf, he
conducts the Viking Chorus, a 90-voice
ensemble of first-year student men, and
also leads the Saint Olaf Chapel Choir,
a 100-voice ensemble specialising in
the performance of oratorio and larger
multi-movement works. Aspaas is
also a composer and arranger, and the
chorus had the opportunity to learn and
perform two of his original pieces.
During the weekend together,
participants engaged in approximately
15 hours of rehearsals. In addition to
polishing what they had practiced back
at their own schools, the singers learned
about endurance, voice care, and choral
excellence. TAISM families hosted the
visiting students in their homes, and
organisers designed special ways for the
students to connect with one another
through inclusion activities, games,
challenges, and social events.
Held annually since 2004, this choral
music festival has been an exceptional
educational experience for students
desiring an opportunity to sing in a
traditional American choral setting with
girls and boys singing in four harmonic
voice parts — (SATB) soprano, alto,
tenor, and bass.
GUtech students design winning EcoMarathon entry
T
he
winning
Engineering
Students team of the German
University
of
Technology
in Oman (GUtech) returned from
the Philippines at the weekend after
scooping the coveted 5th place honours
in the prototype diesel category of the
Shell EcoMarathon held in Manila
recently.
“We
surpassed
our
own
expectations,” exulted Abdurrahman
Tanira, spokesperson for the triumphant
GUtech Megalodon team. “All of us
worked very hard and made a lot of
sacrifices as well to design and build a
car from scratch,” he said.
“We were motivated and encouraged
to do our best when we got to know that
local Omani companies support us. We
felt that we are representing Oman,” said
team leader Mohammed Omer.
At GUtech, members of the winning
team were welcomed by the Rector, the
Head of the Engineering Department,
and the Dean of the Faculty of
Engineering. “We are very proud of
our EcoMarathon team in such an
international competition. It shows that
hard work is paying off. It is noteworthy
that they have done everything on their
own and they were successful without
any prior experience in such a race. The
students are real role models,” said Prof
Dr Michael Modigell, Rector.
Significantly, the GUtech team was
the only Omani entry to successfully
pass the technical tests leading to its
participation in the race. After finetuning the different features of the
prototype, the students drove their
car an incredible 12 km on just 73.45
ml of fuel in 27 minutes. Around 100
teams participated but many failed the
inspection tests and therefore were not
accepted for the race.
The team’s name Megalodon, named
after the biggest shark that existing on
earth, reflected the overall character and
spirit of the group. “We chose the name
because we were building a car shaped a
little bit like a shark and with a similar
colour,” said Mobashar, the designer and
driver of the car.
Megalodon comprised: Mohammed
Omer (Team Leader), Abdul Aziz
(Leading Engineer of the Team),
Mobashar
Kabir
(Designer),
Abdurahman Tanira (Marketing and
Race Coordination), Azeem Khan
(Driver, Designer of the steering
system), Mohammed Mohammedi
(Procurement, Electronics), Dibin
Jossey (Systems Engineer), Abdullah
al Riyami (Support Team), Ali Sabt
(Support Team), Ahmad Khan (Body
Fabrication), Balaj Fazal (Engine
Selection and Body Fabrication), and
Shehab Hassan (Support Member).
SPOTLIGHT
M O N DAY
MARCH 9 l 2015
omandailyobserver
31
ON THE
AIR
WAVES
LAKSHMI KOTHANETH
[email protected]
Every woman
has a story
T
Members of the Thai blind orchestra
Children defy blindness
to play in orchestra
Q JU APILAPORN
D
eftly feeling their way
along the bumps of the
braille score, the young
players of Thailand’s
first blind orchestra
memorise
scales,
defying both their impairment and ingrained
negative attitudes towards disability. It is
rehearsal time just hours ahead of a concert
at an open-air auditorium in a national park,
and around 30 fledgling classical musicians
enthusiastically strum, pluck and bow
instruments they have held but never seen.
“At first it was really hard for me. I wanted
to stop,” said Joe a 14-year-old budding cellist
who picked up the stringed instrument ninemonths ago.
“But when I realised that others could
do it, I gave it another try,” he said, smiling
broadly.
Official figures show that Thailand
is home to 1.8 million disabled people,
of whom around 180,000 are blind, in a
population of more than 64 million.
Yet campaigners say state provision
for disabled people is poor, compounding
a widely held Buddhist belief in ‘karma’
that, in the minds of many, links physical
impairments with the supposed ‘misdeeds’
of a past life.
The Thai Blind Orchestra, made up of
players aged between eight and 15 years
old, offers a rare positive platform for the
disabled.
Joe of the Thai blind orchestra performing
The orchestra, who use donated
instruments, were brought together by a
professional classical musician whose day
job is looking after elephants in the Khao
Yai national park in northeastern Nakhon
Ratchasima province.
The seeds of the idea were planted
when the blind students met their soonto-be maestro, Alongkot Chukaew, at his
conservation classes in the park.
Teaching with the help of audible
aids, including his guitar, the 43-year-old
Alongkot noticed music caught the attention
of the children.
He asked his music teachers to play
different instruments and encouraged the
youngsters to follow the sound they liked
best.
As their affinity with their chosen
mushroomed,
Alongkot
instrument
introduced a braille system for the students
to learn to read classical music.
Shown one-on-one how to position their
fingers on their instruments, the children
then memorise both the notes and the
correct placement to make the right sounds.
“It was hard because they cannot see the
demonstration of where to put their fingers
or hold the bows,” Alongkot said. “But it was
fun.”
“Some people might not like their
performance, but the kids are happy and
have fun with it,” he said, adding they are not
looking to compete.
Attitudes towards disability across
Southeast Asia are often shaped by a sense of
karmic destiny.
The same philosophy that encourages
people to do good deeds so they may be
rewarded on reincarnation also leads people
to believe that the disabled suffer their
impediments because of their actions in a
past life.
It is something that holds back progressive
policies and leaves many of the region’s
disabled in poverty or hidden at home by
ashamed families.
“The disabled are the poorest of the poor,”
explains Suporntum Mongkolsawadi, a Thai
double-amputee from childhood who now
campaigns for improved rights.
“The belief in karma makes disabled
people think they should just surrender and
accept their fate,” added the 48-year-old,
who heads the Redemptorist Foundation for
People with Disabilities.
Activists say other countries in the region
such as Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines
tend to have a better track record of rolling
out disability aids and policies.
Suporntum blames Thailand’s lag on
years of political instability and short-lived
governments for hampering policy changes
to transport, education and health.
While the law codifies equality, in
practice life remains at best complex for
many disabled Thais.
Most public transport lacks wheelchair
access, few state offices have ramps and there
are no braille signs and few voice signals.
Jobs are also sparse while social
opprobrium runs high. — AFP
he world celebrates International Women’s day this
week. It is amazing what women have achieved over
the years. One realises there has been plenty when
you study the history of International Day for Women.
While the focus has been on the empowerment of
women and the development that began to be visible in the
1900s with women entering the labour market, it is also
true that women have always been contributing members
of the society.
Today women, however, are in the decision making
process of nations. But history tells us there have been
women in the lead in the past too. In the millennium,
it is gender equality that is in focus. From number of
jobs to salary scale the challenges vary when it comes to
maintaining gender equality. When there is a limitation
in number of seats available for a professional course
would the best graders secure the seats or would there be a
preference for male students?
At present, the professional women are in the
mainstream of progress. There is a variety of professions
that are up and coming. Yet women shy away from many
fields at times only because they sense limitations in raising
a family and at the same time being a career woman. In
Oman women employees have been more open to the idea
of working in the private sector. If you speak to women
about the job market they would immediately voice the
preference toward the education sector. Yet, more and
more women are opting for health sciences, while banking
is an all time favourite.
Soon we would not be able to generalise as the women
in Oman are opting to be pilots, entrepreneurs, scientists
and even sailors.
It is the changing times when women are becoming
earning members of the society. Their roles are being
enhanced across the globe but so are their expectations.
More than anyone else it is also about a woman’s own
expectations. In most cases while wanting to prove a point
professionally, a woman also invariably wants to perfect
her role in the family. An over achiever, some would say.
It is as if woman has to justify her success in career, people
point out. But not quite so, it is her commitment toward
her family. For her missing in the home scenario can
cause many hassles in the development of that family. So
the woman is committed to her traditional role and quite
enjoys the juggling.
As a matter of fact a man is not very different either.
From the traditional bread winner of the family who kept
his own distance with the family, the man today is working
hard to be on the sensitive side and be a key contributor
in the development of his family, not just financially
supporting but emotionally as well. So there — we are
seeing an equalising effect of genders within a family so
obviously in the society.
A friend asked me, “So a day strictly dedicated to
women? What about men?” Before I could reply, he
answered on his own, “364 days.”
Good point I thought. Except that this one day is not
just the day for women. It is a day to look back at the
achievements and look ahead to the future. The rest of the
days it could be juggling of various roles but end of the day
as women, we know the fun is just beginning!
CONFECTIONARY
Sweetening the gloom: one chocolate bar at a time
W
hen days are dark, friends
are few and the state of your
bank account makes you
want to weep, there is only one thing
you can do in bleak, crisis-hit Russia.
Keep calm and eat some very
expensive chocolate.
That was the message from artisanal
chocolatiers in Moscow who attended
this past week the capital’s first
chocolate fair in seven years, in a sign
that even as their wallets are battered by
the dismal state of the ruble, there are
some luxuries Russians are not willing
to give up.
“It’s surprising but, even though
there is a crisis, the demand for artisanal
chocolate has increased,” said Vitaly
Ponomarev, a chocolatier with Russia’s
upmarket Confael.
Known for boosting the happiness
hormone serotonin in the brain,
chocolate “is apparently helping
Russians to deal with the crisis in a
lighter way, to not fall into depression,”
he added.
And it isn’t hard to see why Russians
would be down in the dumps.
Western sanctions for the country’s
role in backing separatist rebels in
eastern Ukraine, combined with falling
prices of oil — a key pillar of Russia’s
economy — led to a dramatic crash of
the ruble in December.
And Russians have seen their grocery
bills skyrocket as inflation rose to nearly
17 per cent in February, with the prices
of fruit and vegetables alone jumping
22 per cent in one month. The price of
cocoa has also soared.
But while they may rein in spending
on certain items, when it comes to
chocolate some Russians insist on
enjoying the melt-in-your-mouth treat,
even though its often exorbitant price
may melt their savings.
“The crisis has in no way affected the
sale of artisanal chocolate,” said Dmitry
Abrikosov, owner of one of Russia’s
oldest chocolate brands Abrikosov Sons.
“A bar of artisanal chocolate at 1,000
rubles (15 euros, $16) gives a completely A chocolate chess beibng made at the opening event of the ‘Salon du Chocolat’ show in Moscow.
different sensation” to an industrial
chocolate companies setting up shop in investing their money and knowledge in
chocolate bar which sells for about 70 that.”
Russia’s chocolate industry has taken Moscow and other cities.
rubles, he said.
the industry,” said Abrikosov.
“And people are willing to pay for off in recent years, with several artisanal
“Many people in Russia are currently
Of about 30 participants at the
Chocolate Fair in Moscow, 20 were local
chocolatiers who could boast that even
if cocoa beans were imported, their
final products were made at home, an
important point at a time that many
items are no longer available in the
country due to a retaliatory ban that
Moscow slapped on western imports in
August.
And with the current pall of
pessimism hanging over the country,
chocolatiers at the fair highlighted the
depression-fighting qualities of their
product.
“Chocolate is an extraordinary food
... even in difficult times it gives a bit of
happiness,” said Francois Jeantet, the
French founder of the fair.
Abrikosov said that luxury artisanal
chocolate was also much loved by
Russians through freezing winters as it
“lifts spirits and boosts immunity.”
“Chocolate is the best way to fight
depression,” said fair organiser Yevgeny
Trostentsov.
“And in the current situation it
appears one should eat some every day
not to lose one’s optimism.” — AFP
MONDAY | MARCH 9, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 18, 1436 AH
P29
P30
P31
Inside
Children defy blindness to play in orchestra Advancements made by Omani women ‘Fievres’ surprise winner at African film fest FOLLOW US ON:
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The abandoned hamlet of ‘Al Sayr’,
precariously perched in the cliff
THE MAGICAL ‘AL GHABAH’
I
found a reliable natural rock
anchor where I fixed a second
rope to secure our next abseil.
Joined by Marta and Ahmed,
we started sliding down the
rope, only to land in the middle
of a magnificent wadi pool!
On one side of this natural basin, we
saw a big area with abundant greenery,
‘We saw a big area with
ferns and moss covering the rocks,
abundant greenery
surrounded by several trees which cover
called Al Ghabah’
a large surface. The locals living in Al
Soqrah and Al Uliya call this magical
place “Al Ghabah”, which means forest
in Arabic.
The water was quite refreshing! I
swam to the ledge of that natural basin
and I was happy to get out of the water
as I was starting to feel cold.
this place, we still had almost five more at 8 pm for the coast home to Muscat.
We took a very short break before
It was already 5 pm when we all hours to reach Al Uliyah where my
assembled at the ledge of the pool. From daughter Mona promised to pick us up packing our ropes and climbing gear,
Khaled abseiling the last drop
Marta in the last drop
Mismar and Khaled in
the pool at the last drop
KHALED H ABDUL MALAK
[email protected]
no longer needed for the rest of the way,
and set out in soggy shoes to reach the
wadi exit. We knew that we’d probably
not make it of the deep wadi by nightfall,
so we prepared our head lamps before it
got dark.
The first part of the remaining
crossing was quite tricky, as we had to
find our way between massive boulders
in the wadi bed. It took us around two
hours to reach another abandoned
hamlet ‘Al Sayr’, precariously perched in
the cliff on the right side of the canyon.
We crossed magnificent gardens built
in ancient terraces around the village
before climbing down, once again, into
the wadi bed. Dark was falling quickly,
compelling us to switch on our head
lamps for safe onward progress further.
The deepening dark slowed us down
and soon it was pitch black with Al Sayr
behind us. The ‘trail’ forced us in and
out of water holes in several places, but
luckily it reached only to our waists. It
was imperative that we climb out from
the wadi bed at a certain point on the
right bank, to find the narrow trail home
and avoid this part of the canyon which
is full of vegetation and water. Mismar
was a bit worried — this was his first visit
to wadi Bani Kharus. However, I spotted
the proper exit spot and we found the
trail easily. Soon we were on track as the
clock struck 8pm. Now overdue in Al
Uliya, I thought that Mona would have
to wait there at least two hours, and that
she would start to worry about us.
The trail now was quite simple and we
reached yet another abandoned hamlet,
called Al Daar. From here, a well-worn
path emerged just outside the wadi bed.
Marta abseiling
the last drop
THE FIRST PART OF THE REMAINING CROSSING WAS QUITE
TRICKY, AS WE HAD TO FIND OUR WAY BETWEEN MASSIVE
BOULDERS IN THE WADI BED. IT TOOK US AROUND TWO
HOURS TO REACH ANOTHER ABANDONED HAMLET ‘AL
SAYR’, PRECARIOUSLY PERCHED IN THE CLIFF ON THE
RIGHT SIDE OF THE CANYON
The trail is in very good condition only
because the villagers still come regularly
to maintain the wadi-watered gardens.
The final leg of our trip was a breeze,
but we were extremely tired after
carrying heavy ruck sacks for more
than 12 hours. We reached Al Uliyah at
around 10pm.
Mona was furious, she had already
waited for us for more than two hours.
However, she was not really worried
because we practically never manage
to finish any ‘first’ trip at the estimated
time. The great news was that we had
experienced a remarkable journey
through time and space in one of
Oman’s most beautiful, enchanting and
adventurous wadis.