WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 21, 2015 | RABEE AL AWWAL 30, 1436 AH
P17 iPhones help Taiwan’s exports hit a record
VOL. 34 NO. 68 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200
P29 Miranda Kerr depends on superfood
P25 Djokovic, Serena march on in Melbourne
Inside
Chief Executive Officer
DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI
Mistrust stalls fight against terror EU lifts ban on Indian mangoes IS threatens to kill hostages 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
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OMAN
Loans worth RO 42
million disbursed
MUSCAT: The number of loans provided
by Oman Development Bank (ODB) in
2014 stood at 4,639 worth RO 42 million
for various productive and service
sectors with high added value for the
national economy. The loans provided
by ODB represented 60 per cent of
the investment cost of the projects in
various governorates of the Sultanate,
within the framework of the ODB’s
trend to motivate investors to promote
investment in various economic sectors.
REPORT ON P5
REGION
30 dead as Syria
bombs market
BEIRUT: At least 30 people were killed
and more than 100 injured yesterday
when Syrian government airstrikes
hit a sheep market in a north-eastern
village, local activists said. The airstrikes
hit Al Khansaa, in an area controlled by
the IS group near the Kurdish city of Al
Qamishli, the activists, who asked not to
be named, said. Air raids also targeted
the area of Saraqib, south of Aleppo,
killing at least 10 people, among them
children, the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights said.
REPORT ON P13
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine airport
battle intensifies
editor@omanobserver.om
Steps to expedite Medical City project
NEW PLANS: Council of Ministers call for shifting of Al Nahda Hospital to safer place at the earliest
ONA, LAKSHMI KOTHANETH
AND VINOD NAIR
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: Within the framework of
its follow-up on the effect of the low
pressure system which dominated
the Sultanate and the resultant
heavy rains which caused damage to
some service institutions including
Al Nahda Hospital, the Council of
Ministers yesterday summoned to
its session officials from the Ministry
of Health and Muscat Municipality
to find out why rainwater inundated
the hospital.
The Council of Ministers issued a
statement in which it said the Council
first received assurances regarding
the condition of the patients, and
reviewed all the aspects related to the
topic and affirmed that precautionary
measures need to be adopted earlier.
It became clear upon reviewing the
issue that the contractor had not
completed the undertaking within
the specified period and also taking
into consideration the location
of the hospital as a result of the
architectural expansion and services.
However, that doesn’t appear to be
a convincing justification for not
completing the project. The Muscat
Teams distribute relief
material in Hamriya
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
Workers clean the areas near Al Hamriya roundabout yesterday. Photo by Sanu Christopher
Municipality will closely follow up
the issue.
It has been clarified that no
medical equipment is damaged by
rain waters, and the pictures that
were shown have been collected
from earlier incidents.
The Council affirmed that
what has been discussed earlier
regarding shifting of the hospital to
a safer place and that the authorities
concerned will prepare required
plans in addition to taking practical
steps for the gradual shifting of some
units without affecting the medical
and specialist services.
The Council of Ministers stressed
the importance to expedite the
procedural formalities related to the
construction of the Medical City so
that it will carry out its role as part of
the health vision in implementation
of the Royal directives of His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos to upgrade this
crucial sector.
On their part, the authorities
concerned confirmed that they are
exerting maximum effort in this
POLLINATION SEASON
Oman sees high working age group
DONETSK: Russian-backed insurgents
yesterday assaulted the remnants
of a Ukrainian force hanging onto a
ruined airport near the rebels’ main
stronghold as Moscow poured cold
water on the prospect of peace talks.
Blasts of incoming and outgoing artillery
echoed all night across Donetsk — a
once bustling industrial city but now
the crucible of one of Europe’s worst
humanitarian and diplomatic crises since
the Cold War. Rebel city administration
member Ivan Prikhodko said two
civilians were killed and eight seriously
wounded.
REPORT ON P15
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: Oman is currently experiencing
what is known as ‘Demographic
Window’
which
occurs
when
proportion of population of working
age group (between 15 and 64 years)
outnumbers the proportion of young
population (under 15).
This occurs when the demographic
architecture of a population becomes
younger and the percentage of people
Sultanate ranks
high in climate
change
A farmer from
the Wilayat of
Bidbid
examines
pollinators
before placing
them on a date
palm tree as
the pollination
season began
in the
Sultanate.
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: Oman ranked second in
the Middle East and Africa and 40th
internationally among 178 countries
according to a report published by
the University of Notre Dame in the
United States in terms of the ability to
adapt to climate change. The ranking
is a strong indicator of the Sultanate’s
ability and potentiality to cope with
and successfully handle climate
change.
Notre Dame Global Adaptation
Index (ND-GAIN) is a programme
of the University of Notre Dame’s
Environmental Change Initiative. It
summarises a country’s vulnerability
to climate change and other global
challenges in combination with its
readiness to improve resilience.
WEATHER TODAY
MUSCAT
MAX: 210C
MIN: 120C
SALALAH
MAX: 240C
MIN: 150C
SUNRISE 06.51 AM
PRAYER TIMINGS
FAJR: 05:32
DHUHR: 12:23
ASR: 15:29
MAGHRIB: 17:50
ISHA: 19:04
NIZWA
MAX: 220C
MIN: 090C
regard noting that the work will
resume at the hospital within one
week.
Meanwhile, the rains came and
for few locations in Oman it is time
to take inventory on losses. In some
parts of Muscat it is a regular feature
that rains result in roads going under
water, parked cars getting stranded
and shops being flooded, causing
extensive damages. The target areas
have been Al Khuwair, Al Hamriya,
Wadi Kabir and the stretch around
Al Nahda Hospital. TURN TO P5
Photo by Salim
al Moharbi
Change orders has cost
Tender Board RO 240m
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: The Tender Board chairman
yesterday said that change orders for
projects in 2014 cost RO 240 million
which is a huge figure. The biggest
challenge being faced by the board is
related to the existing technical cadre
who must be retained, while attracting
new cadre.
This was revealed by Dr Rasheed bin
Safi al Huraibi, Chairman of the Tender
Board, when the State Council hosted
him yesterday.
“The delay in the execution of
large projects should be seen from
a comprehensive perspective as the
responsibility for that doesn’t fall on
Jan. 20: Al Rahima Charity Team, a voluntary
association which reaches out to the victims of
natural calamities, distributed essentials to those
who bore the brunt of Monday’s flashfloods
mainly in Al Hamriya, yesterday.
The provisions included food, beds, blankets
and household items like fridge, washing
machines, other electric equipment like
emergency lamps and stoves to the hundreds of
families who lost them during the two torrential
rains that hit Muscat Governorate.
“We reached out to the people of Hamriya
with essentials as part of our charity initiatives
and will continue doing this today as well,”
Rahima al Musafir, team leader of the initiative,
told the Observer. This charity drive solely run
on donations and will distribute more such
essentials to the people from different areas of
Muscat no matter they are locals or expatriates.
“We aim at the affected families and
bachelors in Hamriya and elsewhere,” Saif al
Amri, member of the committee who was
actively identifying the victims, said.
Long queues of women and children were
seen around Baladiya Masjid inside Hamriya
where the relief material is distributed.
a single entity, and there might be
several reasons. The withdrawal of
stumbling projects is the responsibility
of the authorities and bodies concerned
and they should inform the Tender
Board to retender for such projects.
The project director has a crucial role
which is to ensure proper follow-up
and implementation of the project.
We coordinate and communicate with
the State Financial and Administrative
Audit Institution and also with the
Supreme Council for Planning within
the parameters of its remit. Some
entities aren’t showing the required
response to the Tender Board and this
needs to be changed,” he added.
TURN TO P3
able to work reaches its height. The
Demographic Window lasts for 30-40
years depending upon the country.
The report ‘Population and
Development’ issued by the National
Centre for Statistics and Information
(NCSI) recently has shown that the
future will carry challenges for the
Sultanate as the population is young
and the government has to exert huge
efforts so as to exploit the demographic
window status. That is to qualify and
train the youth to prepare them for the
job market, in addition to providing
ample job opportunities through large
projects which can absorb them.
The report called on the youth to
reconsider their attitude towards jobs.
Young people in the age group 15-29
make up 33 per cent of the population in
mid-2014, and the government should
provide them training and prepare
them so that they take active role in the
development process.
Crash probe focuses on human error, plane damage
AirAsia plane climbed too
fast, then disappeared
JAKARTA: An AirAsia plane that
crashed into the Java Sea last month with
162 people on board climbed at a faster
than normal speed and then stalled,
the Indonesian transport minister said
yesterday.
Flight QZ8501 went down on
December 28 in stormy weather, during
what was supposed to be a short trip
from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to
Singapore. Indonesia’s meteorological
agency has said bad weather may have
caused the crash, and investigators are
analysing the data from the jet’s black
boxes before releasing a preliminary
report.
Just moments before the plane
disappeared off the radar, the pilot had
asked to climb to avoid the storm.
He was not immediately granted
permission due to heavy air traffic.
“In the final minutes, the plane
climbed at a speed which was beyond
normal,” Transport Minister Ignasius
Jonan told reporters, citing radar data.
“The plane suddenly went up at a speed
above the normal limit that it was able to
climb to. Then it stalled.”
Earlier at a parliamentary hearing,
he said radar data showed the Airbus
A320-200 appeared at one point to be
climbing at a rate of 6,000 feet a minute
before the crash. There were several
other planes in the area at the time.
“I think it is rare even for a fighter
jet to be able to climb 6,000 feet per
minute,” he said. “For a commercial
flight, climbing around 1,000 to 2,000
(feet) is maybe already considered
extraordinary, because it is not meant to
climb that fast.”
His comments came after Indonesian
investigators said they were focusing
on the possibility of human error or
problems with the plane having caused
the crash, following an initial analysis of
the cockpit voice recorder.
“We didn’t hear any other person,
no explosion,” investigator Nurcahyo
Utomo told reporters, explaining why
terrorism had been ruled out. — AFP
2
MUSCAT SECURITY MARKET LOSES 3.05 POINTS
W E D N E S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 1 l 2 0 1 5
Muscat Securities Market
general index on Tuesday
lost 3.05 points, a fall of
0.05 per cent to close at
6652.22 points. The trading
value stood at RO 4.95
million, a fall of 44.85 per
cent compared with the last
session, which stood at
RO 8.97 million.
OMAN
ROYAL OFFICE MINISTER WELCOMES ENVOYS
General Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Minister of the Royal Office, with Barbara Joziasse ambassador of Netherlands to the Sultanate. (Right) General
Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani with Ibrahim Diakhate, ambassador of Senegal to the Sultanate. The meetings reviewed the bilateral relations and means of
enhancing them in all fields.
— ONA
Forum calls to boost Oman, Brunei trade ties
MUSCAT: Ithraa (The Public
Authority for Investment Promotion
and Export Development) in
collaboration with the Public
Establishment for Industrial Estates
(PEIE) organised a meeting of Oman
— Brunei Businessmen Forum on
Tuesday during the visit of a Brunei
trade delegation led by Dato Paduka
Haji Ali bin Apong, Deputy Minister
at the Prime Minister’s Office and
Chairman of the Brunei Economic
Development Board.
The Forum aims at enhancing trade
and investment cooperation between
Oman and Brunei in different sectors,
especially oil, gas, foodstuff and
beverages. It also aims at highlighting
the available investment opportunities
in the two countries and opening up
horizons before local companies to
expand their commercial base with
Brunei Darussalam and East Asian
countries in general.
His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin
Turki al Said, Director General of
Marketing and Media at Ithraa, said
His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki al Said, Director-General of Marketing and
Media at Ithraa (left) and Dato Paduka Haji Ali bin Apong, Brunei Deputy
minister at Oman- Brunei Business Forum meeting in Muscat on Tuesday.
that the visit will foster bilateral
trade. It also aims at increasing trade
exchange between the two countries.
He called on Brunei investors to
invest in the Sultanate.
On his part, Hilal bin Hamad al
Hassani, CEO of the PEIE, said that
the Forum comes as part of the efforts
made to promote investment in the
Sultanate. He said the Forum plays an
important role in raising awareness
of potential and interested Brunei
investors of the available investment
opportunities in the production and
service sectors in the Sultanate.
Minister Apong said that the
visit is very important due to the
participation of representatives from
ten of the major oil, gas and food
companies in Brunei.
During his presentation he gave an
overview about the Brunei Economic
Development Board and the
accompanying delegation. He called
for strengthening trade and economic
relations between the two friendly
countries.
The Forum included a number
of working papers and presentations
on the investment opportunities
in the Sultanate. Engineer Basim
bin Ali al Nassiri, Director-General
of Marketing and Media at the
PEIE made a presentation on the
Sultanate’s strategic location and the
characteristics of its industry sector.
Faris bin Nasser al Farsi, DirectorGeneral of Investment Promotion at
Ithraa, made a presentation on the
role of the Authority and the efforts it
to enhance the growth of the national
economy through diversifying sources
of income, improving trade balance of
the state, opening new markets for the
Omani non-oil exports and attracting
foreign investments to ventures that
create fresh job opportunities. Dr
Heitham Lotfi, an expert at PEIE
made a presentation on fish industries,
their importance and sustainability.
— ONA
IN BRIEF
Oman oil
price declines
66 cents
MUSCAT: Dubai
Mercantile Exchange
(DME) said that Oman oil
price (March delivery) has
reached $45.22. The DME
statement on Tuesday said
that the price of Oman
oil declined 66 cents from
Monday’s price of $45.66
The average price
of Oman oil (February
Delivery 2015) has
stabilised at $61 and one
cent — $17.23 per barrel
lower than January delivery
2015.
— ONA
89 infiltrators
arrested,
130 deported
MUSCAT: The Royal
Oman Police (ROP), in
collaboration with other
military and security
departments last week
arrested 89 infiltrators of
different nationalities in
a number of wilayats for
entering the Sultanate
illegally.
The ROP also deported
130 infiltrators after taking
the necessary legal actions,
in coordination with their
respective embassies.
— ONA
ISG’S SANYUM CHANNA GETS PERFECT SAT
Sanyum Channa of Indian School Al
Ghubra has scored 2400/2400 in SAT
II subject tests. The school has had
many students in the past who have
secured perfect scores and have gained
admission in top-notch universities
in India and across the world. The
teaching faculty have always motivated
students and kindled their interest to
develop an aptitude for such exams.
Applications invited for Chanting Fest
MUSCAT: Folk Arts Department at the
Ministry of Heritage and Culture began on
Tuesday receiving applications for the first
Oman Chanting Festival for the licensed
Omani chanting teams and individuals.
Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Director
of Folk Arts Department told Oman News
Agency that the participation will be in the
areas of collective and individual chanting in
standard and collegial Arabic in the national,
human and social values, praise and biographies
themes and preferably in Omani heritage beats.
He said those wishing to participate can get
the application forms from the Department of
Folk Arts in the Governorate of Muscat, and
from Heritage and Culture Department in the
Governorate of Dhofar till February 28.
— ONA
OMAN
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
3
Lord Mayor of London to
visit Sultanate from today
MUSCAT: Alderman Alan Yarrow, Lord
Mayor of the City of London will visit
Sultanate from Wednesday. He will be
accompanied by a wide ranging business
delegation from the UK, which includes
senior representatives from investment
banks, asset managers, insurers and law
firms.
Jonathan Wilks, UK’s ambassador to
the Sultanate said that Lord Yarrow will
meet officials at the public and private
sectors to discuss means of enhancing
the cooperation relations between the
Sultanate and the UK, as well as the joint
investment opportunities between the
two countries in infrastructure, financial
technologies and Islamic finance.
Jonathan Wilks, UK’s ambassador to the
Sultanate addresses the media in
Muscat on Tuesday.
— ONA
The UK ambassador said that Lord
Yarrow will visit a number of investment
departments
and
meet
Omani
Higher Committee for Majlis
Ash’shura election convenes
MUSCAT: The Higher Committee
for Majlis Ash’shura election held
its first meeting on Tuesday at the
Committee’s headquarters in Athaiba
presided by Shaikh Khalid bin Rashid
al Manwari, Deputy Chairman of the
Supreme Court.
The meeting discussed the decision
taken to prepare for Majlis Ash’shura’s
8th term elections.
The Higher Committee for
Majlis Ash’shura is in charge of
supervising the elections, election
appeals, monitoring the work of
election committees, the circulars and
decisions issued by the Main Election
Committee and approving the final
results for the voting.
— ONA
businessmen. In a press conference at
the UK Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday,
he affirmed that the UK is committed on
promoting its economic relations with
the Sultanate, wishing the UK to be the
most prominent countries that invest in
the Sultanate.
He said that the visit aims at
encouraging the mutual investments
between the two countries, besides
highlighting
the
latest
global
developments in the financial services
sector and cooperation between
the banks within the framework of
enhancing the bilateral economic
relations between the two countries.
— ONA
Majlis legislative
and legal committee
discusses laws on drugs,
pharmacy profession
MUSCAT:
Majlis
Ash’shura’s
Legislative and Legal Committee
on Tuesday headed by Said bin
Ghanim al Maqbali, Head of the
Committee, discussed amendments
of some provisions of the Drugs
and Psychotropic Substances law
and the law Regulating the Practice
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
institutions profession, which were
referred by the Council of Ministers.
The meeting discussed two reports
by the Health Committee on its
amendments to some provisions
of the two laws in preparation for
approval and submission to the Majlis
Ash’shura to discuss them at one of the
upcoming meetings. Members of the
Legal Committee raised some remarks
on both laws.
— ONA
Change orders cost Tender Board RO 240m
FROM PAGE 1
Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the
State Council, said the Tender Board has a great role and
contribution in the development march witnessed by the
Sultanate.
In May 2013 the State Council studied the procedures of
tendering and the challenges facing the government projects
that are awarded by the Tender Board and submitted a
number of recommendations and proposals to the Council
of Ministers. The drive was aimed to boost transparency and
upgrade the standard of governmental services and projects.
89 infiltrators arrested,
130 people deported
MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP), in collaboration
with other military and security departments last week
arrested 89 infiltrators of different nationalities in a number
of wilayats for entering the Sultanate illegally.
The ROP also deported 130 infiltrators after taking the
necessary legal actions, in coordination with their respective
embassies.
— ONA
The Tender Board Chairman made a presentation on the
activities and achievements of the board. He also reviewed the
scope of work of the board and its secretariat general, some
articles of the Tender Law, general framework and the main
steps and procedures for tenders.
The State Council will discuss the proposals submitted
by the Education Committee on ‘Revising the Stages and
Pathways of Education in the Sultanate’. During the sitting,
the State Council will review some of the reports submitted
by members on their foreign participations and the report on
the activities of the State Council during the period that falls
between the fourth and fifth sittings.
4
omandailyobserver
OMAN
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
After rains, clean up in full swing across Sultanate
OMAN
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
5
Oman Development
700 students to take part in
entrepreneurship competition Bank provides loans
NINE-YEAR-OLD SHARIKATI to help boost culture of entrepreneurship
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
Jan 20: A major initiative to inculcate
the values of entrepreneurship will
see more than 700 students from 65
teams across the Sultanate vying for
best student sustainability project of
the year.
This first of its kind for the
programme, Sharikati (My Company)
initiated by Injaz Oman will see
participation of students from
seven technical colleges, six applied
science colleges, Sultan Qaboos
University (SQU), Caledonian College
of Engineering (CCE), Mazoon
University College, College of Banking
and Financial Studies (CBFS) and
University of Nizwa.
“Sharikati initiative aims at tapping
them in the youth and it has been
growing from strength to strength since
it was launched some 9 years ago. What
motivates us is the unprecedented
response from the sponsors, students,
colleges and the public to be a part of
the programme”, Shabib al Maamari,
Executive Director of Injaz Oman told
the Observer.
“The programme is playing a
key role in developing the culture of
entrepreneurship in Oman, and with
the support received from the private
sector... we can support our youth in
developing their entrepreneurship
skills.”
This year will also introduce a
What motivates
number of new award categories
for the competition, including
us is the
‘Most Sustainable Business’; ‘Most
unprecedented
Environmentally Friendly Business’;
and ‘Best Video Advertisement’.
response from
The categories will be added to the
the sponsors, students,
existing categories of ‘Best Student
Company’; ‘Best Marketing Plan’; and colleges and the public
‘Most Innovative Product’.
to be a part of the
“We are delighted to be part of
programme
this unique collaboration with Injaz
Oman”, says Ghada Mohammed al
SHABIB AL MAAMARI, Executive
Yousef, Executive Manager of Group
Director of Injaz Oman
Communications and Sustainability at
Nama Group. “We at Nama Group are
encouraging our staff to participate in as we believe that change starts from
volunteering activities on a yearly-basis within, and it is important that we start
a ripple effect to further promote the
culture of volunteering through our
employees.”
Al Mamari further said that
the initiative doesn’t stop at the
competitions alone.
Instead, they keep track on the
companies and conduct following up
with them and offer necessary support
to sustain in business. “We keep track of
the initiatives and link these businesses
with bigger companies and incubators
available in the country. we also
promote them to be better companies
to contribute to the national cause”.
“We are keen to see those student
companies move on to contribute
positively and effectively to our
economy, and more specifically in the
utilities’ sector,” Ghada said.
Sharikati 2015 will also see
participation of 150 volunteers from
Nama Group. “I was a volunteer in
one of this initiatives and learned how
to have my own startup along with
several other knowledge in such as HR,
marketing, sales so n and so forth”, says
Zakia al Gammari, an Omani youth.“It
also taught me how to run the business
taking care of the environment in
which we live in and support the
Omani culture.
I also learnt to help and support
voluntarily and with no monetary
benefit and to help the new entrants
to master the skills of business
management”, she said.
Steps to expedite the Medical City project
FROM PAGE 1
According to Ali Lahsani, assistant
head of information committee,
Muscat Festival, the grounds in
Amerat and Naseem Gardens did
suffer damage, however the repair
work is on full swing and by evening
the authorities were ready to greet
visitors back to the festival sites.
“They have built it back again. The
maintenance team was immediately
pressed into action. There were some
repair works to be taken care of at
Amerat and Naseem Parks.”
Qurum used to be one of
the prominent problem areas in
addition to Wadi Adai and Amerat.
The commercial area of Qurum
and the establishments there were
accustomed to regular repair works
after heavy downpour. But the
problem of water logging has now
been contained in the Al Qurm
Commercial Complex precinct and
damages have been not reported of
late from the shops there.
The flooding caused by rains
affecting business is not a new
phenomenon and a proof of that is
the Muttrah Souq. One of the earliest
commercial points in Oman was
designed traditionally at a higher
level which you can still observe
by looking at the number of the
steps leading to the shops. The shop
owners were used to the sudden flash
floods caused by the rains and the
souq pathways would become instant
channels for water to reach the sea.
While Qurum seemed to have
succeeded in staying dry during the
recent rains, Hamriya, Wadi Kabir
and Al Nahda stretch continue to
see losses after rain. Now public are
also beginning to wonder is it time
to move Al Nahda Hospital from the
location?
According to officials at the Shell
Oman Marketing Company, the Shell
Filling Station adjacent to Al Nahda
Hospital did not face any damage
but suffered traffic and access issues
during the rains and until the water
was cleared out in the area.
The flooding of the hospital
invoked sharp reaction in the social
media circuits with many people
suggesting that the hospital should be
immediately relocated as it has been
subjected to flooding repeatedly in the
last couple of years. On the Observer
Facebook site, Muscat citizens and
residents were also anxious to know
about any damage that would have
caused to the expensive diagnostic
equipment.
As for the car owners who looked
helplessly as water levels continued
to rise around their vehicles, are busy
now with the procedures to claim
insurance.
Residents of Hamriya had tough
time navigating in and out of their
houses on Monday. While most
residents of the locality have been
used to such floods after every rain,
they suggest one the solutions would
be to develop a storm water system
linking it to the sea.
“While damages to some extent
may be unavoidable, the demand is to
initiate some corrective measures for
the sake of residents from areas that
that vulnerable to the rain fury,” said
a resident of Hamriya.
“There have not been many
clients coming in today. It is probably
because they have to first get the
report from the Royal Oman Police,”
said M Jacob, General Manager at
New India Assurance. According to
him, most vehicle owners are aware
of the Natural Calamity insurance
coverage because now it is part of the
comprehensive insurance plan.
IN BRIEF
Olivier Tabone New CFO for
SMN Power Holding
MUSCAT: The Board of Directors of SMN Power Holding
informed the Capital Market Authority, the Muscat Securities
Market and the investors about its decision to appoint Olivier
Tabone as CFO of the company in replacement of Frederic
Halkin.
Halkin will leave SMN Power Holding and pursue
new professional challenges within the power and water
desalination sector in the region.
Tabone holds a master degree in management and
accounting from Toulouse Business School, France. He brings
over 15 years of financial management experience and began
his career in 1998 working for Faurecia Automotive in Germany
as plant assistant controller and later in Paris as financial
controller of its international joint-venture programmes.
Ministry of Higher Education
delegation visits ICEM
MUSCAT: The International College of Engineering and
Management (ICEM) recently hosted a high profile delegation
from the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), including the
Head of Academic relations, Department of Quality Assurance
and an official from Administration Affairs.
They visited the college to gain insights into its admission
and registration processes after a larger than normal
September 2015 intake of students. “We are delighted to
receive the team from the Ministry of Higher Education... it
is a wonderful opportunity to showcase to the Ministry the
excellent work the college staff have been undertaking in
view of an expected larger than normal intake of students in
September 2015”, Dr Martin Brown, Dean at ICEM said.
worth RO42 million
MUSCAT: Oman Development Bank
(ODB) in 2014 gave loans worth RO
42,000,330 in various productive and
service sectors.
The loans provided by ODB represented
60 per cent of the investment cost of the
projects in various governorates of the
Sultanate. The loans reflect the ODB’s
trend to motivate investors to promote
investment in various economic sectors
in line with the Government’s plans to
encourage the private sector.
Hamad bin Salim al Harthi, Acting
General-Manager, said that ODB is
considered the leading developmental
financial institution, not just in the
Sultanate, but also in the region.
He pointed out that the agricultural,
livestock and fisheries loans in 2014 reached
about 64 per cent of the total ODB’s loans,
including 37 per cent for fisheries projects
worth RO 7,032,000 representing 17 per
cent of the value of loans granted by ODB
while the fisheries loans reached 27 per cent
of the total loans that worth RO 6,887,000,
representing 16 per cent of value of loans
granted by ODB.
Al Harthy added that tourism and
professional services sector accounted 14
per cent of the total of loans in 2014, with
203 beneficiaries, comprising 4 per cent of
the total number of beneficiaries.
He also pointed out that the number of
loans granted to industry sector in 2104
stood at 46 per cent of the total loans,
including 15 per cent for mining industry,
construction materials and metal forming.
He also pointed out 53 per cent of the
total value of loans were approved by the
institutional branch in Muscat while the
branches of the wilayats of the Sultanate
granted 47 per cent of the total value of
loans.
Al Harthy said the loans rendered by
ODB during 2014 generated more than
10,000 jobs.
— ONA
6
OMAN
omandailyobserver
Brunei Minister visits SQU
TOP JOB: Omanis consider expressing creativity and showcasing skills is important
Omanis prefer to work in oil
sector, positive about 2015
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Dato Paduka Haji Ali Haji Apong, Deputy Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and
Chairman of Brunei’s Economic Development Board (BEDB) at SQU on Tuesday.
MUSCAT: Dato Paduka Haji Ali Haji
Apong, Deputy Minister, Prime Minister’s
Office and Chairman of Brunei’s
Economic Development Board (BEDB)
and accompanying delegation visited
Sultan Qaboos University on Tuesday.
The delegation visited the TRC Chair in
Nanotechnology for Water Desalination
and its facilities. The delegation was
received by Prof. Amer bin Ali Al
Rawas, SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor for
Postgraduate Studies & Research, and
senior researchers from the College of
Engineering and the Water Research
Centre.
The Minister was briefed about the
research and facilities at the TRC Chair in
Nanotechnology by Chair Professor Dr.
Joydeep Dutta. The Deputy Minister said
that he was impressed with the quality of
water research and the facilities at Sultan
Qaboos University. “Brunei is one of the
countries in the world with highest per
capita water consumption. We would
like to learn from the efficient water
extraction and consumption practices
in Oman. I hope that scientists from
Brunei University can collaborate with
SQU counterparts in water research. SQU
has excellent facilities for water related
research and ample support from the
government in promoting research in this
area”, Apong said.
Jan. 20: Youths in Oman and the rest
of the region, and North Africa prefer
to work in oil, gas and petrochemicals,
according to a survey by job search
website Bayt.com and YouGov, a
research and consulting organisation.
The survey showed that around seven
in 10 respondents in the Middle East
and North Africa (MENA) have set
professional goals for themselves, with
26 per cent having long-term ambitions
to achieve i the next 5 years. The most
common goals are higher salary (54 per
cent), new job (per cent), and learning
new skills (52 per cent). In Oman, 73 per
cent of respondents have set professional
goals they want to achieve, the top three
of which echo those of the region.
In terms of personal goals for 2015,
70 per cent of Oman respondents want
to save more money, 38 per cent want
to travel, and 36 per cent want to spend
more time with family. Eight in 10
(83 per cent) Oman respondents feel
positive about 2015.
In the MENA, the top personal goal
for 2015 was reported to be saving
more money, with nearly three-quarters
of respondents (72 per cent). Other
goals included travel, buying property
and spending more time with family.
Respondents in the MENA were very
WCAS launches consultancy dept
HASAN KAMOONPURI
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: The Waljat College of Applied
Sciences (WCAS) has set up on its
campus a Research and Consultancy
Department, which is exploring the
avenues to provide research and
consultancy in port management, public
transport system, quality education,
entrepreneurship development and
GCC railways.
Speaking to the Observer after its
10th Convocation presided by Dr Said
bin Hamed bin Said al Rabiey, Secretary
General, Education Council, the WCAS
Dean, Prof. Dr. S.
L.Gupta said, “this department
is a part of several initiatives aimed
at realising the vision of Dr Omar
Zawawi, founder of WACAS, to deliver
world class academic programs and to
10th Convocation of WCAS was
presided over by Dr Said bin Hamed bin
Said al Rabiey, Secretary General,
Education Council
prepare young men and women with
core competence in science, technology
and management, capable of becoming
professional leaders of tomorrow”.
Prof.Gupta reiterated that Waljat
College believes in a continuous process
of improving teaching, learning and
research facilities so that it can develop
and deepen the very best academic
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
environment.
Asked to shed light on WCAS’
performance during 2014 and plans
for 2015, Prof. Gupta said, “Last year,
WCAS students got first prize in
NOKIA project on Discover Oman to
promote tourism.
Students from the Department
of Management won E&Y student
excellence award 2014 in Oman.
WCAS ERP system is fully
operational with 15 modules in
operation.
“We have developed language lab
with 36 systems for enhancing the
language skills of our students.
As many as 50 companies visited
the WCAS campus for training and
placement purposes.
Some of them are Qatar Airways,
Oman Arab Bank, Bank Dhofar, Wipro
Gulf, and Omzest Group Companies.
WHAT SURVEY REVEALS
Q BIGGEST barriers to professional growth
in Oman are lack of growth opportunities,
poor management, and favouritism in
workplace
Q MAJORITY of Omani respondents would
prefer to be an employee rather have their
own business.
Q THE top three factors that are most
important to Oman respondents when
selecting their ideal job are salary and
benefits, opportunities for career growth,
and job security.
Q TOP reasons for seeking employment
among Oman respondents include to
consistently learn and gain experience, to
make money and/or be gainfully employed,
and to be financially independent.
Q IN Oman, 44 per cent of people claim to
be able to save less than 10 per cent of their
salary — 25 per cent are not able to save
anything.
positive about what 2015 has to bring,
with four in five respondents (82 per
cent) reporting a positive outlook.
Slightly more respondents in the GCC
(84 per cent) were positive about 2015
compared to Levant and North Africa.
Financial issues are the top worry
for 51 per cent of MENA respondents
as well as for 47per cent of Oman
respondents. In Oman, this is followed
by career path uncertainty, and worklife balance. The ideal retirement age
for Oman respondents is considered
to be after 60 (36 per cent), which is in
line with the thinking of 43 per cent of
MENA respondents.
Four in ten (42 per cent) respondents
across the MENA region would rather
be an employee than an entrepreneur
— though 39 per cent would like to have
their own business.
In Oman, those percentages are
51 per cent who would prefer to be an
employee vs 26 per cent who would
rather have their own business. The top
three factors that are most important
to Oman respondents when selecting
their ideal job are salary and benefits,
opportunities for career growth, and job
security.
60 per cent of Oman respondents
feel they deserve to work in a high level
position while 48 per cent are prepared
to move to another area of expertise or
department to further their career, and
41 per cent are prepared to move to
another industry as a next step in their
career.
Silviu Matei, director, YouGov,
said: “An interesting point to note is
that for many respondents in Oman,
expressing creativity and showcasing
skills is important, as well as learning
and gaining experience. Employers
can benefit from focusing on these two
things with their employees to increase
work motivation.” Overall, 41 per cent
of Oman respondents are happy with
their current work environment, though
71 per cent would be happy to relocate
to another country for employment
purposes. The UAE is the most popular
job destination for Omanis. It is also
a top choice for 28 per cent of MENA
respondents. The survey covered 8,963
respondents from the UAE, Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain,
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt,
Morocco and Tunisia.
DESERT BEAUTY
The Royal Camel Corps at the Royal Court Affairs organised a camel beauty contest at the Al Muzaina square in Al Filaij on
Monday.
— ONA
Inspiring Journeys from March 17 to March 18 will address the development of women in their personal and professional walks of life
Top achievers to share experience at women’s conference
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Jan. 20: The third edition of the
Extraordinary Women Conference
(EWC) will take place from March 17
to18 , where a battery of women who
have excelled in their fields will share
their experiences.
Raha Moharrak made history in 2013
by being the first Saudi woman to
scale Mount Everest
Organised by the Intevents under
the theme “Inspiring Journeys”,
the Conference will address the
development of women in their
personal and professional walks of life.
Some of the confirmed speakers at EWC
2015 include Safiya al Bahlani, Shabana
Basij Rasikh, Suzanne Talhouk, Asma
Khader, Dr Asma Sidhiki, Alia Abdulla
al Mazrouei, Maria Jamal Mahdaly, and
Raha Moharrak.
Safiya al Bahlani, a self-taught artist
and a graphic designer, gives speeches
to boost inspiration and motivation.
Her key message is that Omani society
should recognise people with special
needs, are unique, talented and able to
contribute to the society.
Shabana Basij Rasikh is cofounder and president of a nonprofit
organisation called SOLA or School of
Leadership Afghanistan that provides
college preparatory courses and
helps graduates to enter universities
worldwide and return to substantive
careers in Afghanistan, where
students often become the first
women to enter certain fields.
SOLA has helped girls from dozens
of provinces across the country access
more than $7.7 million in scholarships.
Shabana Basij Rasikh, co-founder and
president of SOLA or School of
Leadership Afghanistan
Suzanne Talhouk, the President
and Founder of the Feil Amer NGO,
is an executive producer, corporate
communication expert and writer .
She has successfully developed and
implemented more than five causeoriented campaigns including a
documentary about an elderly care
center.
Asma Khader, secretary-general of
the Jordanian National Commission for
Women (JNCW) is a former minister of
Safiya al Bahlani, a self-taught artist
and a graphic designer, gives
speeches to boost inspiration and
motivation. SafiyaAlBahlani_Photo
culture and government spokesperson
of Jordan and former president of the
Jordanian Women’s Union. Asma has
written and spoken widely on the topics
of women, children’s rights, and human
rights and has received numerous
awards and honors for her work. She
recently served on the UN International
Commission of Inquiry investigating
human rights violations in Libya.
Dr Asma Siddiki, is an education
Management consultant and CEO
of Alpha1Education, and has been
involved in the education and higher
education in the Middle East and
Europe for the past twenty years. She
most notably held leadership roles
at universities in their early stages
of development in the Middle East
focusing extensively on student services,
curriculum development, institutional
effectiveness,
organisational
development, local and international
accreditation, and global institutional
partnerships.
Alia Abdulla al Mazrouei has
worked at several governmental entities
in Abu Dhabi focusing on human
capital. She is the Chief Operating
Officer of Mazrui Holdings LLC and
also a Board member of Insurance
House, International Horizon College
and Just Falafel.
Maria Jamal Mahdaly is a Jeddahbased social entrepreneur and
the founding partner of Rumman
Company, an innovative media and
publishing house that serves as the
umbrella company for Destination
Jeddah and Destination Riyadh
magazines and Lub Creative.
Raha Moharrak made history in
2013 by being the first Saudi woman
to scale Mount Everest, forever proving
one can attempt the impossible and
maybe even achieve it. She’s living proof
that if children are raised confident,
curious and unapologetic for who they
are, then they are capable of anything.
The two day Conference will
highlight various themes related
to women empowerment through
sessions, panel discussions and
workshops
and
will
honour
Extraordinary Women who have
contributed to the social and economic
development of the country.
Maria Jamal Mahdaly is a
Jeddah-based social
entrepreneur
CAMPAIGN AGAINST EDUCATION BILL
Dozens of Myanmar students began an
unauthorised protest march in Mandalay,
vowing to restart their campaign
against an education bill they see as
undemocratic after the government
did not meet their demands. The rally
which has no permission from the
authorities is the latest protest over an
education law that detractors say will
curb academic freedom.
IN REMEMBRANCE
W E D N E S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 1 l 2 0 1 5
A relative carries a
framed photograph
of a student, who
was killed during an
attack by Pakistan’s
Taliban gunmen on
Army Public School
(APS), while visiting
the official residence
in Peshawar
CABINET INTRODUCTION: Ghani presents his nominees for Cabinet, after 4 months after he took office
ASIA
SENATE SEATS
Hundreds killed as military operation ends
KABUL: Afghan security forces killed
hundreds of Taliban militants during a
month-long military operation in the
country’s east, the defence ministry said
on Tuesday.
“Some 261 insurgents, including
foreigners, were killed and 147 others
were injured in the fighting with the
national security forces,” a ministry
statement said.
The operation was launched after
Taliban insurgents attacked Dangam
district in the eastern province of Kunar
in December, forcing the civilians to
take up arms in an uprising against the
movement.
The government took more that a
week to deploy security forces to the
area.
“The security forces launched the
operation from all directions on the
insurgents in the district,” the statement
said.
The operation targeted Taliban
fighters in Dangam, a district that
borders Pakistan’s lawless tribal region
from where the militants are said to
enter the country to attack Afghan
security forces.
Seventeen Afghan troops were killed
and 45 others injured in the operation,
the ministry said.
Military officials said that the fighters
included members of the al Qaedalinked Taliban, as well as the Lashkar-eTaiba and al Badr militant groups. The
statement said that the insurgents aimed
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani inspects the honour guards during a ceremony to introduce his new cabinet to the
parliament in Kabul.
to take control of Dangam district before introduction of his cabinet in the Afghan
taking over the entire province.
parliament.
The end of the operation coincided
“We need to bring 94 districts, which
with
President
Ashraf
Ghani’s border with other countries, under the
— AP
strategic control of the government in
order to maintain peace and stability
in Kabul and across the country,” he
said during an address at the House of
7
Representatives.
Afghan security forces took over full
responsibility for the country’s security
from January 1.
Violence surged in Afghanistan
over the course of 2014, as the Nato-led
alliance withdrew its combat troops and
started a train-and-advise mission with
around 13,000 foreign troops — mostly
from the United States.
Also on Tuesday, eight members of a
family were killed by a roadside bomb in
eastern Afghanistan, an official said.
“The family was travelling from Kabul
city to Ghazni when their vehicle struck
a roadside bomb this morning, killing
all the passengers,” said Mohammad
Ali Ahmadi, deputy governor for the
eastern province of Ghazni.
No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the attack.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s President
Ashraf Ghani presented his nominees
for Cabinet to the country’s parliament
for confirmation on Tuesday — almost
four months after he took office and
amid mounting public impatience over
the delays in forming a government.
The candidates, including three
women, were presented to the assembly’s
lower house, or Wolesi Jirga, as Ghani’s
original list was hit by controversy
— with one nominee allegedly being
sought by Interpol to answer tax evasion
charges and two others mysteriously
withdrawing their candidacy just hours
before the presentation. — dpa
Pakistan’s upper
house polls
on March 3
ISLAMABAD:
The
Election
Commission of Pakistan announced
on Tuesday that elections would be
held on March 3 to fill the Senate seats
due to fall vacant on March 11 with the
retirement of 52 senators. According
to the schedule announced by the
ECP, returning officers will invite
nominations through public notices to
be issued on February 2.
The nominations to be filed on
February 12 and 13 will be scrutinised
on February 16 and 17 and appeals
against their acceptance or rejection
may be filed on February 20 and
21 and disposed of by the ECP on
February 23 and 24.
February 25 will be the last date
for withdrawal of candidatures and
the final list of candidates will be
published the same day.
The polling will be held at the
parliament house and the four
provincial assembly buildings on
March 3 from 9 am to 4 pm While
the PTI is likely to get representation
in the upper house for the first time
and bag four to five seats from Khyber
Pukhtunkhwa (KP), Jamaat-i-Islami
will get representation after a gap of
around six years.
Although the polls will reduce the
PPP’s numerical strength, it will still
be the single largest party in the upper
house.
Oppn turns violent inside Nepal parliament More autonomy promised
KATHMANDU: Opposition politicians threw
chairs and attacked the parliamentary speaker
during a violent general strike in Nepal on
Tuesday aimed at blocking the government from
pushing through a draft of a new constitution.
The strike called by the alliance of 30 opposition
parties also shut down schools, transportation and
shops.
Supporters chanted anti-government slogans
at rallies in the capital, Kathmandu, and a dozen
vehicles were set on fire when their owners defied
the strike call. Police detained about 50 protesters
who were trying to enforce the strike.
Both the ruling coalition and opposition
said they would stick to their positions
and there was no plan for a meeting to defuse
the situation. “We will bring the draft despite the
protests.
If they continue to block the assembly meeting
we will find other alternatives but we will bring
the draft,” said Jhalnath Khanal, leader of the Supporters of the 30-party alliance led by the
Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Unified Communist Party of Nepal during the
Leninist), a ruling party. Baburam Bhattarai of the general strike in Kathmandu.
— AFP
United Communist Party of Nepal Maoist said the
opposition parties would continue their protests
and would not bow down to the ruling coalition.
The Constituent Assembly started a long-delayed
meeting at 2 am.
Tuesday, and the violence started when
opposition members tried to stop Speaker Subash
Nemwang from proposing the formation of a
questionnaire committee, which precedes voting
on the constitutional draft. They threw chairs,
kicked over desks and tossed microphones at the
speaker.
In the tussle, several security guards were
injured but the assembly members suffered only
bruises. A second meeting later Tuesday was
also disrupted by the opposition members who
chanted slogans for one and half hours, preventing
Nemwang from speaking. Security was stepped up
with three lines of security guards posted before
the speaker. The ruling coalition — which has
the support of two-thirds of the members of the
605-member assembly — plans to push through
the draft on Thursday.
— AP
Philippine police arrest
three for bomb joke
MANILA: Philippine police arrested three people for
cracking jokes about a bomb while on their way to attend
Pope Francis’s mass in Manila, an official said on Tuesday.
The man and two women were arrested at a police
checkpoint on Sunday while heading to the mass in Rizal
Park which attracted a record six million people, said officer
Alberto de Guzman of Manila police radio control office.
As they went through the checkpoint, witnesses heard
one of the three saying “Hey, I’ve got a bomb. Why didn’t
you detect it?” de Guzman said.
His companions then joked about carrying guns, de
Guzman said. “They were making fun of the police officers.
If people had heard them, it could have caused a stampede,”
he said. The three are being held under a law that penalises
“pranksters” who make false reports about bombs.
The crime is punishable up to five years in jail or a fine of
40,000 pesos ($894) or both.
11 dead in concrete wall collapse
MANILA: Eleven people were killed in the Philippines
when a concrete wall of a warehouse under construction
collapsed, a civil defence official said on Tuesday.
The victims were 10 construction workers and a 7-yearold son of one of them who was playing nearby when the
accident happened Monday in Guiguinto town in Bulacan
province, 30 kilometres north of Manila.
Four workers were also injured and still confined in
hospital, regional civil defence official Josefina Timoteo
said.
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new government
pledged Tuesday to devolve power to the
country’s Tamil minority, in a step towards
national reconciliation six years after a
controversial military offensive crushed a
separatist rebellion.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe,
in his first address to parliament since taking
office, said lawmakers needed to bring a
political conclusion to the conflict between
government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels
that ended in 2009.
Critics say the previous regime failed
to deal with the ethnic divisions that led
to conflict on the island, whose Sinhalese
majority has traditionally dominated
positions of power.
Wickremesinghe said his government
would revive a 1987 constitutional
amendment that promised a de facto
federal arrangement for the island’s
Tamil-dominated northern and eastern
regions.
“We will implement the 13th amendment
within a unitary state,” said Wickremesinghe.
Successive governments failed to implement
the controversial 13th amendment due to
pressure from the Sinhalese population,
who saw it as a sell-out to the minority
community.
— AFP
8
ANALYSIS
omandailyobserver
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
MISTRUST STALLS
TERROR FIGHT
M
istrust between Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon as well as disagreements
over how to deploy troops against Boko Haram have stalled efforts to set up a
regional force to combat the militants. Failure to launch the 2,800-strong mission
as planned in November has left the insurgents in control of large swathes of
Nigeria’s north east from where they launch attacks.
The group carried out a scorched-earth raid this month on Baga, a town on the
shores of the Lake Chad that was due to serve as the headquarters for the regional
force. The fall of Baga and reports of the slaughter of up to 2,000 inhabitants
underscore the risks of Nigeria and Cameroon failing to work together.
Amid mounting international alarm, Ghana’s President John Mahama,
chairman of the West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS, said leaders would press the
African Union next week to create a multinational force.
But countries of the Lake Chad region are still expected to form the backbone
of any mission. Defence and foreign ministers from the four nations were meeting
in Niamey but analysts do not expect a breakthrough on deployment.
For joint military action to succeed, the countries must bury their differences
and pool troops and intelligence under a unified command, experts and diplomats
said. “The principal thing that has been stopping this multi-national force from
coming about has been the historical distrust and underlying tensions between
the two key players: Nigeria and Cameroon,” said Imad Mesdoua, an analyst with
the London-based Africa Matters consultancy.
The four nations of the Lake Chad Basin — Cameroon, Chad, Niger and
Nigeria — agreed to bring their forces together to fight Boko Haram in October,
together with a contingent from Benin, which borders Nigeria to the west.
But disagreements surfaced over how to
deploy the troops. Cameroon insisted that,
For joint military
because Boko Haram was an internal Nigerian
issue, foreign troops should not be sent into action to succeed
the country, diplomats and military officials againt Boko Haram,
said. Yaounde was also concerned about
the countries in the
allowing Nigeria’s army to chase Boko Haram
into its territory because of its soldiers’ poor region must bury
human rights record, another diplomat said.
their differences
Nigeria says Cameroon has been too
and pool troops and
passive in the fight against the insurgents and
allowed Boko Haram to use its territory as a intelligence under a
rear base and supply route.
unified command,
That appears to have changed, with
reports BATE FELIX
Cameroon’s elite Rapid Intervention Brigade
clashing with the insurgents almost daily.
Ghana’s President Mahama says the growing
threat is forcing Lake Chad countries towards cooperation.
“Mistrust is one of the obstacles but I think that with the clear and present
danger most countries face if something was not done about Boko Haram, we
have reached the point where they are willing to work together,” he said.
However, neighbouring countries blame Nigeria’s military shortcomings.
In October, it was agreed that regional troops in Baga would play a defensive
role at the border while Nigerian forces would attack Boko Haram within its
territory. But Niamey pulled its troops from Baga after the Nigerian army lost
town after town to Boko Haram and its soldiers fled into Niger.
“Even early on, it became apparent that the Nigerian troops were somewhat
avoiding battles and were not vigorously taking on Boko Haram offensives,” a
senior military officer in Niamey said. “Chad and Niger decided to withdraw their
troops from Baga, unwilling to serve as cannon fodder.”
Nigerian Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Chris Olukolade, taking questions
on Twitter, denied the military leadership was “corrupt and incompetent” and
said the armed forces were “highly patriotic and committed”.
Following a lull in attacks between late October and early November, Nigeria
announced a surprise ceasefire with the group, brokered by Chad. However, it was
rejected by Boko Haram, which stepped up its attacks.
Ahead of Nigeria’s February 14 presidential election, the army has been on the
back foot rather than preparing counter offensives, Mesdoua said.
This has allowed Boko Haram to stage attacks with increased fire power in
Cameroon, angering officials in Yaounde who accuse Nigeria of abandoning
the fight. “We’re getting fed up with the situation. Nigeria has to take its
responsibilities,” Cameroon army spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said. “We
cannot continue to support the weight of a war which we don’t even know the
whys and wherefores.”
Marine Le Pen during the 15th congress of the party in Lyon, central France, in this file photo. — AP
Le Pen struggles to be heard
S
upport for French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was widely exchange she had with Hollande was frank but that the
expected to soar in the wake of the deadly attacks on Paris president refused to back down.
Hollande has dominated the post-attack agenda, and his
by militants. In the event, the possible next leader of France
tough-talking Prime Minister Manuel Valls, by declaring
was outmanoeuvred by President Francois Hollande.
Along with other party leaders, Le Pen was invited to war on militants, has made it hard for the usually strident
Hollande’s Elysee Palace as security forces hunted the two Le Pen to make her views stand out.
The unity march attracted 1.5 million people, an
men who shot 12 people at the satirical weekly Charlie
Hebdo and a third who would that day kill four in a unprecedented street turnout since Paris’s 1944 liberation
supermarket. But once inside, Hollande refused her pleas from Nazi rule and a defining political event for millions.
Le Pen and her party had no choice but to stage local
to overrule a decision by his Socialist party to ban her from
a mass “unity rally” the following Sunday on the grounds rallies in their heartlands after the failure of her lobbying of
her views were extremist, officials from her National Front Hollande, proposed by the party lieutenants she consulted
(FN) party said. “Despite appearances he’s a sly old fox,” FN on January 8 after cancelling a trip to Brussels in the wake
of the attacks. Le Pen struggled to bring together more than
party treasurer Wallerand de St Just said.
1,000 people in a march in the southern
Le Pen attended a unity march in 2012
town of Beaucaire.
after a gunman shot dead seven people in
Hollande has
“For Le Pen, missing out on such a
the southern city of Toulouse.
dominated the post- unique display of unity was a failure,
It boosted her ratings, helping her
no matter how it came about,” said
anti-immigration party to striking local
attack agenda and
Dominique Reynie, a political scientist at
and European election gains last year.
this has made Le Pen Sciences Po university.
This time, Le Pen’s score has barely
to make her views
Even so, the FN could reverse its
budged while Hollande’s went from allfortunes and make new poll gains if the
time lows late last year to as much as 40
stand out, writes
mood of national unity wanes, further
per cent approval in a survey by the Ifop
NICHOLAS VINOCUR attacks are carried out in France or
group released on Monday.
the media spotlight shifts back to the
A separate survey released this
economic crisis in Europe, analysts and
weekend by pollster BVA showed a
similar rebound and noted that Hollande’s Socialist Party, FN officials said.
As the ruling Socialist Party ensured Le Pen was frozen
on 30 per cent, had now edged ahead of the FN on 28 per
out of a Paris march that made world headlines, someone
cent for the first time since last September.
The ban, which Le Pen learned of via Twitter, has made closer to home managed to further undermine her - her
life tough for the party and its leader and highlighted internal father Jean-Marie.
A critic of his daughter’s efforts to clean up the image
tensions over her efforts to appeal to the mainstream while
of the party he founded four decades ago, Le Pen senior
keeping her distance from the “elite” she so vilifies.
“It’s been a difficult period,” said St Just, one of the eight remembered past conflicts between the FN and the leftofficials present at a January 8 National Front leadership wing Charlie Hebdo.
While the party around Marine Le Pen had, according
crisis meeting, said. “Everyone wants to know what will
to her EU affairs adviser Ludovic Dedanne, agreed to pass
happen to our little shop.”
FN vice-president Louis Aliot, who is also the partner over its differences with Charlie Hebdo and mount a robust
of Le Pen, a 2017 presidential hopeful, said the 30-minute defense of free speech, Le Pen father had other ideas.
Claims of fraud as Zambians turn up to vote for president
O
ne of the frontrunners in Zambia’s
presidential elections cried fraud just hours
after polling stations opened yesterday in a
tightly contested race to replace Michael
Sata, who died in office last year.
Opposition
candidate
Hakainde
Hichilema, 52, of the United Party for
National Development (UPND), said
some remote parts of the country had not
received ballot papers halfway through the
polling day.
“Why are there no ballot papers in our
strongholds, someone is scheming around.
It’s fraud,” Hakainde told reporters after
casting his ballot at a school in Lusaka’s
affluent Kabulonga suburb.
Hichilema is tipped as the main
challenger to Defence Minister Edgar
Lungu, 58, who represents the ruling
Patriotic Front (PF). At stake are the
remaining year and a half of Sata’s fiveyear term in the copper-rich southern
African nation.
Election-weary Zambians, who voted
in scheduled elections that brought Sata to
power three years ago and are also due to
cast ballots next year, formed long queues
despite early morning cold weather and
rains. The rivals — Lungu the lawyer and
Hichilema the businessman, known as HH
— both drew huge crowds at last-minute
rallies, but in the absence of opinion polls
analysts hedged their bets.
“It’s a two-horse race,” said Oliver
Saasa, CEO of Premier Consult, a business
and economic consultancy firm. “It’s quite
clear this is a very closely run race.”
In Lusaka’s Kanyama working class
suburb, excited voters applauded and
ululated when a presiding officer declared
the crowded polling station open.
“My vote is going to make a difference,
we are going to remove this (PF) family,”
said 55-year old vegetable vendor Matron
Siyasiya. “They can claim all the good
work, but God’s favour is on my candidate,
and that is HH.”
But Grace Nyirongo, who runs a food
take-away business said she was satisfied
with the government and echoed the
ruling PF’s campaign slogan of continuity.
“We want the government to continue
with the projects started by Sata. Frankly
there’s no need to start afresh,” said
Nyirongo.
Shortly after the polls opened it began
Opposition candidate
Hakainde Hichilema said
some remote parts of the
country had not received
ballot papers halfway
through the polling day,
notes SUSAN NJANJI
raining heavily in Lusaka, but that did not
deter the voters.
Standing in rain-drenched clothes
on muddy ground, with no umbrella or
raincoat, PF supporter Allan Kabwe’s
spirits could not be dampened.
“I know many people will be
discouraged, but after I finish voting, I am
going door to door to encourage people
to come and vote. We have to put Edgar
into state house,” said the 24-year-old
street vendor.
“I hope UPND supporters fail to come.”
Hichilema’s camp is seen to have
received a boost from the infighting
within another major opposition party,
the Movement for Multiparty Democracy
(MMD), whose candidate Nevers Mumba
is given little chance.
Lungu’s Patriotic Front went into the
vote badly fractured by a bitter power
struggle after Sata’s death in October, just
three years into his five-year term.
Two opposing camps — one led by
Lungu and another by interim president
Guy Scott — nominated rival presidential
candidates. After many weeks of mudslinging, Lungu emerged as the sole
candidate — but of a weakened party.
Scott, Africa’s first white leader in 20
years, cannot stand for the presidency
himself as his parents were not born
in Zambia.
An elderly Zambian has his finger marked before casting his ballot for the
Presidential elections at a polling station in Lusaka. — AFP
ANALYSIS
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
9
Strategic funding can boost entrepreneurship
W
ALI AL MATANI
ali.matani2@gmail.com
hat is heartening is that government authorities
concerned always provide unmatched support for
individual project initiatives in various economic
sectors across various governorates of Oman.
This support is extended to everyone without
discrimination — men, women, old and young.
The funding provided by various agencies
including Al Rafd Fund, Oman Development
Bank and Agricultural Development Fund
(through allocation of five per cent of bank credit
to small and medium enterprises); the Zubair
Centre for Development of Small and Medium
Enterprises; GroFin and others for production,
service and other commercial projects should
be appreciated for their easy availability and
inclusiveness. We should invest these funds wisely
and with a firm determination to develop our
private sector and ensure maximum utilisation of
available potential.
No doubt, financial support to private
enterprises is important for ensuring their
success, which is what the government seeks to
achieve; a pro-business social culture that will
create a new generation of bold and empowered
entrepreneurs in the country. It also works to
promote the practice of setting up own business
as a wise alternative to seeking jobs in both
public and private sectors. This is meant to application processing, and recycling of funds.
Another key funding project is by the Oman
support a vital economic sector that contributes
to the gradual growth of individual income and Development Bank, which focuses on valueadded development projects in the productive
business returns.
Significantly this approach makes liquidity and service sectors. It provides support for
readily available for entrepreneurs. SMEs help more than 3,000 projects in all the economic
sectors at a value of over
absorb, to an extent, the
RO 30 million a year. It also
growing number of jobprovides no-strings-attached
seekers. Funding agencies
financial support for craft and
have been doing a great job.
The funding provided
professional projects that don’t
Al Rafd Fund, for instance,
by various agencies for exceed RO 5,000. The bank’s
has supported more than
support ranges between RO 1
1,000 projects worth RO
development projects
million for individual projects
26 million during Januaryin Oman should be
and RO 3 million for public
October period. This is no
appreciated for their
share-holding
companies.
doubt a remarkable figure,
Thus Oman Development
and reflects the fund’s vision
easy availability
Bank plays an important
to support serious business
and inclusiveness
role in providing funding for
ventures, and expand its
individual production and
funding programmes to keep
service projects.
pace with the developments
The allocation by banks
and changes taking place in
of five per cent of credit to small and medium
the market.
Beneficiaries find it easier to access funding enterprises, as agreed upon at a seminar of small
services as the Fund opens more branches across and medium enterprises held at Saih al Shamikhat,
the country. The Fund is striving to take measures is an important step for these institutions in
aimed at giving more flexibility in terms of securing government-backed financing. This will
provide flexible alternatives to those wishing to
start own projects.
And there are other funding avenues as well.
These include the Youth Projects Development
Fund which is working on creating partnerships
with young people to establish small and medium
projects in several sectors. Yet another, the GroFin
programme, offers support for selected projects,
while the Cell programme of the Omani-Indian
fertilisers company, as well as the Al Zubair
Centre for Development of Small and Medium
Enterprises also contribute significantly with
their unique financing schemes.
All these funds and support programmes are
available in Oman with unlimited facilities and
benefits that can be rarely found in any other
country. This however raises questions about
how those interested in the establishment of
private projects can invest and take advantage
of these funds. Each of these funds, banks and
financing programmes has its own interests in
finance, properties and other areas as reflected in
its objectives.
This is normal and need not be a concern.
These funds offer several options commensurate
with the nature of the support required by various
segments of the community.
DELHI POLL TEST
AMULYA GANGULI
he Delhi elections next month will show whether Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi continues to find it difficult to score sweeping victories
in states where he faces a modicum of political resistance.
As was seen in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) was unable to secure a majority on its own in the state
legislatures because the local parties — the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra
and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand — could not be brushed
aside by the purported Modi wave. This inability was seen in the general
election as well when the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, the Biju Janata Dal
in Odisha and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal could not be
dislodged from their strongholds.
The BJP’s success in Haryana was due to the fact that its two major
opponents — the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)
— had gone into serious decline with the topmost INLD leaders being
in jail. Jammu and Kashmir is in a different category because of its
distinctive demographic composition.
Since conventional wisdom suggests that even if the BJP gets a
majority in Delhi, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) will not be a pushover,
the contest will be yet another major test of the efficacy of the Modi
magic. If the AAP runs the BJP close, the latter will have only itself to
blame. Had it been a little more energetic in addressing the problems of
the national capital via Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, at a time when more
than 50 per cent of the development funds have remained unspent, the
BJP’s prospects would have been brighter.
But it is not so much the political and official lethargy in heeding
the city’s infrastructural needs which may hurt the BJP as its failure to
rein in the saffron loudmouths, although Modi is unhappy about their
antics, according to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
However, the result of this failure is the possible consolidation of
a sizable percentage of minority votes behind the AAP, now that the
Congress is out of reckoning. Since Muslims constitute 11.7 per cent
of Delhi’s population, their support for the AAP is a gift to the BJP’s
main opponent by Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj and others whose
blinkered views make them oblivious of the fact that fundamentalism
has few takers.
The situation may be partly redressed by the entry into the BJP by
one of the AAP’s most visible faces at one time, Shazia Ilmi, who was
earlier with Anna Hazare. But her critics are likely to say that since the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh claimed to have been associated with
Anna’s anti-corruption movement, Shazia has only come full circle.
T
A Syrian refugee hangs her laundry at a camp in Deir Zannoun village, Bekaa valley, Lebanon. — AP
Syrians at snowed-in camp long for ceasefire
W
hen a deadly snow storm hit Lebanon last
week, Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley
sheltered in tents made from plastic sheeting
and shivered through the night. Nearly
four years into the crisis, people at the
snowed-in settlement near the border said
they would welcome any kind of solution
in Syria between warring parties so they can
go home.
“There are people here with no heating,
some burning shoes and even tent materials
to keep warm,” said Ali Abdulaziz, who said
he was worried that smoke from fires fuelled
with synthetic materials had made people in
the camp sick. Their suffering underlines the
human cost of a conflict that has displaced
nearly half of all Syrians.
With diplomacy to end the war at a
standstill, hopes raised by the 2011 uprising
against Syrian regime have long given
way to despair. Abdulaziz, 45, escaped the
Damascus countryside for Lebanon in
April and said neither the government nor
opposition fighters had done anything to
stop the suffering there.
“The political process is stumbling.
Parties encourage each other to fight and
these political games prolong the war,” he
said. “May God calm the situation so that
there is any political solution, we want to go
back to our country.”
Storm “Zina” ripped through the region
last week, killing a refugee child and his
father in Lebanon as they were trying to
cross the border, the UN refugee agency
said. Aid agencies warn that 7 million
displaced children are at risk from the harsh
winter weather in Syria and neighbouring
countries. The main Syrian political
opposition group said 10 Syrian refugees
froze to death in Lebanon during the storm,
which tore trees from the ground and
blocked main roads.
“When you are facing such an
unprecedented snow storm, yes there are
cracks in the system, there are limits to
what we can do,” said Fabrizio Carboni,
head of the International Committee of the
Red Cross in Lebanon, adding that aid had
reached vulnerable people before the storm
and the worst appeared over.
Lebanon is hosting around 1.5 million
Syrians, giving it the highest per capita
concentration of refugees in the world.
The government tightened entry
requirements this month, saying it could no
longer manage the burden.
Many refugees live in makeshift
settlements like the one at Bar Elias, around
20 km from the border. Some have basic
shelters made from wood and plastic sheets
taken from billboards.
Others have rigged up satellite dishes and
have portable ovens. Many residents were
farmers from the Aleppo countryside and
said their districts back home had changed
hands many times between armed groups
and government forces.
Abdullah Mohammad, 45, prayed for
a ceasefire in Aleppo, where the United
Nations is trying to negotiate between forces
fighting for both the parties, whose fighting
has carved up the city.
“We are for peace, any hour they
announce they stop the military operations
Many refugees live in
makeshift settlements like
the one at Bar Elias. Some have
basic shelters made from wood
and plastic sheets taken from
billboards around the place,
reports SYLVIA WESTALL
and people can live in security, trust me
there will be none of us left in Lebanon,”
Mohammad said.
But he has little faith in any of the groups
fighting in the war.
“There is no difference between the
opposition and the loyalists. Our country is
ruined and we don’t have any help from any
of them,” he said.
As he spoke, children scrambled over
heaps of snow, their noses red from the cold.
Some wore plastic boots but others had only
sandals and no coats. Families swept water
from their tents into muddy open gullies
that ran through the camp.
“There is no wood, water runs into the
tents. Come and see what is happening to
us,” said a woman in her 40s who gave her
name as Dalal al Haji. “This is all I have,
summer clothes,” she said, pinching a thin
blue and black robe.
Her 60-year-old husband Faisal pointed
to his soaked sandals.
“Now it is four years that people live as
vagrants,” said Khadr Hamoud, 47, at the
camp. “People are exhausted, hungry.”
Meanwhile, the flow of Syrian refugees
into Lebanon has dropped sharply due
to restrictions recently imposed by the
authorities in the Arab country, a UN official
said yesterday.
In 2014, the number of new Syrian
refugees in Lebanon dropped by 44 per
cent, compared to the previous year, said
Ninette Kelley, the UN refugee agency’s
representative in Lebanon.
“Our annual monthly registration fell
from 59,000 a month in 2013 to 37,000
a month and most of this was due to the
last quarter (of 2014) where our reduction
in numbers was down to some in average
14,000 persons per month,” Kelley told
reporters in Beirut.
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10
INDIA
omandailyobserver
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
DAVOS BACKDROP: Trust among institutions has improved sharply with the country moving up to 2nd spot
IN BRIEF
India world’s second most trusted nation: survey
NEW DELHI: Moving up the ranks,
India has emerged as the second most
trusted country in the world in terms
of faith reposed on its institutions even
as globally trust levels have fallen, says
a survey.
As the world’s rich and powerful
gather in the Swiss resort of Davos, a
study by public relations firm Edelman
has found that general level of trust in
institutions among college-educated
people around the globe are at levels not
seen since 2009 in many of the markets
it surveyed.
Trust in institutions in India has
improved sharply in 2015 with the
country moving up three notches to the
second place among 27 nations.
While the number of “truster”
countries are at an all-time low of six in
2015 including UAE, India, China and
Netherlands, the number of “distruster”
countries has grown significantly to 13
including Japan, Russia, Hong Kong,
South Africa and Italy.
Brazil, Malaysia, France and the US
are among the 8 “neutral” nations as per
the trust index, the survey said.
India, which last year saw BJP-led
NDA government storming to power at
the Centre, stands tall.
According to the report, an “alarming
evaporation of trust” has happened
across all institutions, reaching the lows
of the Great Recession in 2009.
Trust in government, business, media
A study by public relations
firm has found that general
level of trust in institutions
among college-educated
people around the globe
are at levels not seen
since 2009 in many of the
markets it surveyed
and NGOs in the general population
is below 50 per cent in two-thirds of
countries, including the US, UK and
Germany, it said.
From fifth most trusted in 2014,
India has now become the second-most
‘Run Kerala Run’ creates
history across the state
trusted in 2015 with a score of 79 per
cent in the barometer. The study has put
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
image on the first page.
The list is topped by UAE with 84
per cent trust. Indonesia (78 per cent),
China (75 per cent), Singapore (65 per
cent) and Netherlands (64 per cent) are
the others that have recorded highest
levels of trust.
Globally, the overall trust index was
down a per centage point from the
previous year at 55 per cent. Trust levels
in major developed economies, such as
the United States, Germany and France,
hovered around 50 per cent.
The barometer shows waning trust in
non-governmental organizations, media
and business. Trust in government
recovered somewhat but politicians
remain the most distrusted group
assessed at 48 per cent. Interestingly,
trust in politicians in India has grown to
82 per cent in 2015 from 53 per cent a
year ago.
Government was the only institution
to gain trust in 2015, driven by
improvements in 16 countries, including
India.
In terms of NGOs in India, trust
was almost flat at 74 per cent from 75
per cent. Also, while trust in media has
fallen in more than half of the countries,
India appears to have scored well on that
front too with 76 per cent in 2015 vis-avis 71 per cent in 2014.
— PTI
BILATERAL TRADE TALKS
Kerala Governor P Sathasivam flagging the ‘Run Kerala Run’, in the state capital.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
‘Run
Kerala Run’, the curtain raiser to the 35th
National Games, ‘ran’ into history when
every third Keralite took part in the race
held all across the state Tuesday morning.
All eyes were rooted to the front of the
state secretariat with cricket icon Sachin
Tendulkar as the chief guest.
Right from Chief Minister Oommen
Chandy to Governor P Sathasivam
found it difficult to rub shoulders with
the cricket legend as thousands were in
waiting to have a glimpse of the icon and
to run alongside him.
At 10.30 am (local time), Sathasivam
read out a pledge in English and soon
after raised the flag signalling the start of
the run.
Chandy and his cabinet colleagues
turned up in track suits while Tendulkar
stood out in a red T-shirt with sunglasses.
Due to security reasons and huge
crowd, the emminent personalities,
including Chandy and Tendulkar, found it
impossible to run and instead walked 200
metres and had to hop into a car to reach
the Central Stadium nearby.
Addressing the public meeting,
state Sports Minister Thiruvanchoor
Radhakrishnan said this was a world
record -- more than a crore people took
part in the run that took place in more
than 10,000 locations all across the state.
Chandy said with this, Kerala has
written itself into the record books and
this showed that nothing is impossible for
the southern state to achieve.
“If Kerala stands united as we did in
this event, there is nothing that Kerala
cannot achieve. We should stand united
in all our efforts,” said Chandy.
However, the biggest cheer was
reserved for Tendulkar who is also the
goodwill ambassador for the upcoming
35th National Games that begin here on
January 31.
“I am not at all surprised with this
response from Kerala. Kerala has always
given me lots of love and respect. This run
is a pre-cursor to the National Games. I
will be back shortly,” said Tendulkar.
He also obliged by taking a selfie with
others and soon he was whisked away by
the security guards, signalling the end of
the event.
At Kochi, thousands of people took
part in the main venue where cinestar
Mohanlal read out the pledge.
Likewise, in all other 12 districts a
similar run was conducted. Kozhikode
witnessed a massive turnout, so did
Malappuram and all other districts.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi yesterday.
— AFP
EU lifts ban on imports
of mangoes from India
BRUSSELS: A proposal by the
European Commission, the EU’s
executive body, to lift the ban on
importing Indian mangoes was
Tuesday endorsed by EU member
states.
A Commission press release said
that the import into the EU territory
of certain fruit and vegetables
including mango, bitter gourd,
eggplant and snake gourd from India
was prohibited last April due to a high
number of consignments intercepted
at arrival in the EU infested with
quarantine pests, mainly insects.
An audit carried out by the
Commission’s Food and Veterinary
Office in India in September 2014
showed significant improvements in
the phytosanitary export certification
system.
India has also provided assurances
that appropriate measures are now
available to ensure that the exports of
mango fruits are free from quarantine
pest, like the fruit flies not known to
occur in the EU, it said.
The measures will allow the import
of mango fruits before the start of
the next import season in March
2015. At a later stage, when more
evidence is collected regarding the
Indian phytosanitary certification, the
prohibition of the vegetables will be
reviewed, it added.
An audit by the European
Commission’s Food and Veterinary
Office in September showed
“significant improvements” in India’s
system to certify plants for export, the
commission said in a statement.
The fruit will be let back into
the EU in time for the start of the
next import season in March, the
commission said.
— Agencies
While the tiger population is falling in the world, it is rising in India and stands at 20,000, says the Environment Minister
India counts more wild tigers, credits conservation
NEW DELHI: India’s latest tiger census shows a
sharp increase in the number of the endangered
cats in the wild, raising hopes that conservation
efforts are working, officials said Tuesday.
The census conducted in 2014 found at least
2,226 tigers in forests across the country, up from
1,706 counted in 2010. Environment minister
Prakash Javadekar described the figure as a huge
success story and said it was the result of sustained
conservation efforts.
“While the tiger population is falling in the
world, it is rising in India.
This is great news,” Javadekar told journalists in
New Delhi. Tigers in India have been threatened
by rampant poaching and shrinking habitats from
deforestation caused by power projects, roads
and human settlements as the country pushes
ahead with rapid industrialization and economic
development.
The disappearance of forests has affected the
availability of prey and led tigers to stray into human
habitats. Javadekar said more than 9,700 cameras
were used in the massive count and the results are A Royal Bengal Tiger pauses in a jungle in Kaziranga National Park, Guwahati.
the most accurate in the past few decades. “Never
before has such an exercise been taken.
We have unique photographs of 80 percent of
the tigers” in the wild, he said. Officials said nearly
380,000 square kilometers of forest area in 18 states
were surveyed. A century ago an estimated 100,000
tigers roamed India’s forests.
Their numbers declined steadily till the 1970s,
when India banned tiger hunting and embarked on
a program to create special reserves and protected
areas in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
Conservation efforts began to pay off around
2010 when tiger numbers began to rise. India
faces intense international scrutiny over its tiger
conservation efforts as it has nearly three-fourths
of the world’s estimated 3,200 tigers. Shrinking
habitats have brought the wild cats into conflict
with farmers who live near tiger reserves.
Also, the illegal trade in tiger skin and body
parts remains a stubborn and serious threat.
Tiger organs and bones fetch high prices on
the black market because of demand driven by
— AP traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. — AP
Squabbling
erupts in
Kerala’s ruling
alliance
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
R Balakrishna Pillai, a senior
leader of Kerala’s Congress-led
United Democratic Front (UDF),
said Tuesday he would be happy
if ousted from the coalition over
controversy that he knew about
the bribe allegedly demanded by
Finance Minister K M Mani from
bar owners.
“I will be more happy if I am
booted out. I feel I will be stronger
if I am outside the UDF, than being
an ally of the UDF. If I am booted
out, I will be able to reveal more,”
Pillai told reporters here.
The audio recordings aired on
TV channels Monday ostensibly
revealed that whistleblower bar
owner Biju Ramesh had called
Pillai.
Pillai is heard saying he along
with his son K B Ganesh Kumar
- a former minister - had told
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy
that Mani was taking bribes from
several business groups.
Pillai is heard telling Ramesh
that he should not backtrack on
his statement, and should approach
the Kerala High Court seeking a
probe by the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) into the bar
graft case.
Ramesh alleged in October
2014 that Rs 1 crore was given
to Mani as the first installment
of the Rs 5 crore he demanded to
help reopen bars that were closed
under the state’s new liquor policy.
Following the allegation, the
vigilance department registered a
case against Mani.
Smuggling
bid foiled, 4
Chinese held
BENGALURU: Four Chinese
nationals were arrested in a rural
Karnataka district for attempting to
smuggle six tonnes of red sanders
wood to China, a police official said
Tuesday.
“We have arrested the accused
and red sanders wood, weighing
around six tonnes, was seized
after a team of our special crime
branch unit raided their hideout
Monday in an industrial area near
Hoskote where the logs were stored,”
a police official investigating the
case said.
The accused have been
identified as Tan Zi Shui, 51, Toi
Shoi Yuan, 45, Sir Yee Shai, 25, and
Wei Zhiliang, 27. Their passports
were also impounded.
“We will produce them
(accused) in a local court here and
seek their custody for interrogating
them to ascertain if they were
operating on their own or were part
of a larger group smuggling out red
sanders wood from other states,”
the official added.
Red sanders wood, popularly
known as red sandalwood, is
grown in the mountain range
(eastern ghats) of Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in
south India.
“Red sanders wood, which is
priced at Rs 20-Rs.30 lakh per
tonne in the international market,
is in great demand in China
and the Far East for its superior
quality, fragrance and durability.
The accused procured the wood
illegally and stored the huge
quantity in a warehouse to convert
it into furniture and sell it in China,”
the official said on condition of
anonymity.
“Though red sanders wood
smuggling has been going on for
long in the neighbouring states, this
is the first time we have found it in
such a huge quantity,” the official
said.
— IANS
INDIA
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
11
FEB 7 POLLS: Battle for New Delhi intensifies following clarity about the campaign leaders of the BJP, AAP and Congress
Kejriwal challenges Bedi to debate, BJP sidesteps
NEW DELHI: BJP’s chief ministerial
candidate
Kiran
Bedi
Tuesday
sidestepped AAP leader Arvind
Kejriwal’s challenge for a debate on
issues facing the national capital but
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken
expressed his willingness for a structured
discussion among the three politicians
who are leading the campaign of their
parties for the assembly polls.
Kejriwal threw the challenge for a
debate a day after Bedi was named the
Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministerial
candidate.
The BJP retorted by terming Kejriwal
“I run man” and Bedi “Iron Lady”.
The battle for Delhi intensified
Tuesday, following clarity about the
campaign leaders of the BJP, the Aam
Aadmi Party and the Congress.
Kejriwal, a former Delhi chief
minister, led a road show in central
Delhi but could not file his nomination
papers as he could not reach the district
magistrate’s office on time.
Bedi held a rally in Krishna Nagar,
the seat she is contesting from.
Kejriwal said an informed debate
between the three contenders to the post
of chief minister will help the people of
Delhi make an informed choice.
“Ajay Maken, Kiran Bedi and I, all
three should have a debate so that people
Bedi said she was willing to take part
in a debate but in the Delhi assembly as
her focus was on “delivery” and not on
just discussion. “I accept the challenge
but I will do it only in the Delhi assembly.
Right now, I am focusing on delivery,
while debate is all he (Kejriwal) has been
doing,” Bedi told reporters.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called
Kejriwal’s move a publicity gimmick.
“The battle in Delhi is between Iron
Lady and I-run-man — a man who has
been on the run for (the post of) CM to
PM,” Patra said, referring to Kejriwal’s
defeat in Varanasi to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
He said Kejriwal stands for “drama,
dharna and debate”, while the BJP stands
for “development, democracy and
delivery”.
Patra said the people of Delhi will
decide if they want another dramatic
debate or development and delivery.
“This debate is a gimmick to gain
some cheap publicity. The AAP is all
about publicity, they want to use Kiran ji
for their publicity,” Patra said.
Referring to Kejriwal speaking about
Supporters of Aam Admi Party look on during party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s road show in New Delhi yesterday.
— AFP
Bedi blocking him on Twitter, Patra said:
“Kiran ji blocked Kejriwal on Twitter
can make an informed choice about to Bedi for a debate through a tweet.
telecast by all,” Kejriwal said.
selecting their chief minister,” he told
“Congrats 4 being nominated as
Kejriwal, who is leading the AAP one year back. He (Kejriwal) should
reporters.
BJP’s CM candidate. I invite u 4 a public campaign, also said Bedi has blocked have approached her then.”
Maken, who is the chief of the
He had earlier conveyed his challenge debate moderated by neutral person and him on social networking site Twitter.
Navy mulling proposal to Amit slams Mamata over Burdwan
allow women on warships blast, Trinamool says flop show
NEW DELHI: Women officers may
soon be aboard the Indian Navy’s
warships as it is working out a policy in
this regard, a senior officer said Tuesday.
Commodore B K Munjal, who is incharge of the navy’s women contingent
at Republic Day parade, said a proposal
for allowing women on warships is
being worked upon and a decision
would come soon.
“The higher authorities in the navy
are working on the proposal. We are
looking forward to it and hopefully it
should be sorted out soon,” Commodore
Munjal told reporters.
“The living conditions in ships
are entirely different. We are now
modifying ships and designing them as
per the conditions required for women
officers,” the officer said.
Women were inducted in the
Military Nursing Service in 1927 and in
the medical officers cadre in 1943.
They were enabled to join the
armed forces in 1992 on short service
commissions.
In 2008, the government decided to
grant permanent commission to short
service commission women officers
in those arms of the three services
that do not entail direct combat or the
possibility of physical contact with the
enemy.
The Indian Air Force currently has
the highest number of women officers
at 1,350, followed by the army with
1,300 and navy with 350.
Women officers may soon be aboard
the Indian Navy’s warships as it is
working out a policy in this regard, a
senior officer said on Tuesday.
For the first time in history, all
women contingents from the Navy, Air
Force and the Army will march down
the Rajpath this Republic Day following
a suggestion from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi himself.
BURDWAN: Lashing out at West
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
over the Saradha chit fund scam and
the Burdwan blast, BJP president Amit
Shah Tuesday called for uprooting the
Trinamool Congress for jeopardising
national security for the sake of vote
bank.
While Shah blamed the Banerjee
government for the Burdwan blast in
which a Bangladeshi militant outfit
was involved, the Trinamool in turn
dubbed the BJP rally a “flop show”
and ridiculed its attempt to uproot the
Trinamool from power through “missed
calls”.
Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party
rally in Burdwan where the October 2
blast last year had killed two Bangladeshi
militants, Shah hit out at the alleged
involvement of Trinamool leaders in
the Saradha scam and charged Banerjee
with focusing only on trying to save her
scam ‘tainted’ leaders.
“The Burdwan blast is only a glaring
example of the Trinamool’s vote bank
politics.
Had
this
government
properly investigated the blast in
Kolkata that took place a year ago,
Shah has hit out at the
alleged involvement of
Trinamool leaders in the
Saradha scam and charged
Banerjee with focusing only
on trying to save her scam
‘tainted’ leaders
the Burdwan blast would not have
happened.
But, for the sake of vote bank politics,
the Trinamool government did not
probe it properly,” Shah said.
“Even
when
the
National
Investigation Agency began probing the
Burdwan blast, she (Banerjee) expressed
her opposition over it.
The Mamata government is
answerable for the blast,” Shah said
about the blast in which militant outfit
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh was
purportedly involved.
“The people of Bengal should not
allow this government to run even for
a day which jeopardises the nation’s
security,” said Shah, whose party has
been attacking the Trinamool over the
Bangladeshi infiltration issue since the
Lok Sabha polls.
Enumerating the development
initiatives of the Narendra Modi
government, Shah called for uprooting
the Trinamool from Bengal.
“What the Congress-led UPA
government could not do in 10
years, the Modi government has
done it in just seven months, be it
controlling price rise, lowering fuel
prices or ensuring uninterrupted power
supply.
“Only the BJP can bring development.
So uproot the Trinamool from
Bengal and bring the BJP to power,”
Shah asserted.
“When the Modi government
has taken the country towards the
path of development, the Trinamool
government
has
taken
Bengal
backwards.
While the BJP wants to work for
the development of Bengal, Mamata ji
doesn’t allow us to do that,” said Shah,
blaming the state government for
closure of several industrial units and
spreading unemployment.
— IANS
The country’s aviation security wing has specially installed a radar to keep an hawk eye over the Rajpath airspace
Obama to grace RD celebrations amid unprecedented security
BY R A K SINGH
NEW DELHI
Jan 20: Thanks to the growing warmth
in Indo-US ties, US president Barack
Obama will be attending India Republic
Day celebrations at Rajpath, ignoring
his security team’s threat perception
owing to India’s “polite denial” of their
requests to close the airspace over the
venue and adjoining areas and let their
snipers exclusively man the rooftop of
the building around it.
Thanks also personal equations
between President Obama and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, the US
President will be attending the function,
submitting himself to care of Indian
government, which has arranged an
unprecedented, seven-tier, ground-toair security around the Rajpath and
adjoining VVIP Lutyens Zone in the
national capital here on January 26.
India politely turned down the
Obama’s security team requests to
declare the airspace over Rajpath and
five square kilometre area around it as
no-fly zone, pointing out that it would
lead to an embarrassing suspension of
traditional celebratory fly-past by Indian
Air Force over Rajpath, said well-placed
It has also increased the number of
anti-aircraft guns, installed at various
strategic locations to ward off the nextto-nil possibility of intrusion in the
airspace over Rajpath and adjoining
vital installations, including Parliament,
Rashtrapati Bahawn, Prime Minister’s
Office and residence, which in any case
remain a no-fly zone round-the-year.
In the upcoming R day celebration
this year, 18 fighter jets, five aircraft and
10 copters will take part, flying at heights
from 60-metre to 300 m above the
ground, said Defence ministry sources.
It will also include the Navy’s first
supersonic fighter MiG-29K.
The aircrafts will take off from
airbases like Palam, Hindon, Ambala,
Gwalior across north India and converge
over Rajpath.
The US president will also get to see
specialised military aircraft acquired
from his country in deals worth over $7
billion like the C-130J Super Hercules,
C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift
Horse mounted presidential bodyguards participate in rehearsals for the upcoming and Poseidon-8I long-range maritime
Republic Day parade in New Delhi.
— AP patrol aircraft.
The efficacy of the seven-tier security
aviation security wing has specially
sources.
To address the concerns of the installed a radar to keep an hawk eye ring thrown around the VVIP enclosure
on Rajpath and the ground to air
President’s security personnel, India’s over the Rajpath airspace.
security system set up across the Capital,
turning it into an impregnable fortress
during Obama’s visit, is to be monitored
by a multi-agency control room.
With Obama reaching New Delhi
on January 25 on a three-day visit
to India, the threat perception is the
highest for the R Day event but there
is no specific intelligence input about a
possible terror strike, officials engaged
with the preparations said today while
giving a broad overview of the security
drill.
American Secret Service personnel,
who have landed in the capital and Agra,
have already conducted a preliminary
survey of the routes to be taken by the
US President and Rajpath where Obama
will be seated along with President
Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and hosts of other
VVIPs to watch the annual parade.
There is a possibility that the chief
guest, for the first time, will arrive at the
venue separately rather than with the
President in his bullet proof limousine.
If Obama does come with President
Mukherjee, he will be possibly the first
US President not to travel in his own
highly-secured ‘Beast.’
Congress campaign, said he was
prepared for a structured debate between
the three leaders.
“This is not Kejriwal’s idea, a TV
channel had invited us for debate. I
welcome the idea of such a debate,”
Maken said.
Bedi, 65, joined the BJP Jan 15 and
was named its chief ministerial nominee
Monday night.
Both Kejriwal and Bedi were part of
the anti-corruption movement led by
social activist Anna Hazare.
Kejriwal is slated to contest from New
Delhi and Maken from Sadar Bazar.
In the 2013 elections, the AAP won
28 seats and finished a close second to
the BJP which bagged 31 seats. The
Congress could win only eight seats.
Elections to the 70-member Delhi
assembly will be held Feb 7. Arvind
Kejriwal’s roadshow Tuesday, leading to
delay in his filing nomination from New
Delhi assembly constituency as he could
not reach the district magistrate’s office
on time. The former Delhi chief minister
will now file his nomination papers for
the February 7 polls Wednesday.
The roadshow, which began from
Valmiki Mandir, was stopped by police
near Gole Market — a few km away from
Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital
— where the rally was to culminate.
COAL BLOCK CASE
Jharkhand’s
ex-CM Koda
summoned
NEW DELHI: A court here Tuesday
issued summons to former Jharkhand
chief
minister
Madhu
Koda
(pictured), and seven others in a coal
block allocation case involving Vini
Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd.
Special Judge Bharat Parashar took
cognizance of the chargesheet filed by
the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) last month and issued summons
to Koda and the others in the case for
February 18.
The other accused in the case are
ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, former
Jharkhand chief secretary A K Basu,
Vini Iron and Steel director Vaibhav
Tulsyan, two government officials
— Basant Kumar Bhatacharya and
Bipin Bihari Singh — and alleged
middleman Vijay Joshi.
The Kolkata-based Vini Iron
and Steel has also been named as an
accused in the case.
The CBI filed the chargesheet in
December last year in the case against
Koda and the others on various
charges like cheating and criminal
conspiracy under the Prevention of
Corruption Act.
The case involves allocation of
coal blocks to Vini Iron and Steel in
Jharkhand’s Rajhara town, in which its
directors and unknown public servants
of the coal ministry, the Jharkhand
government and others were named as
accused in the first information report
lodged in September 2012.
In its FIR, the CBI alleged that
the firm had applied for allocation of
coal blocks, including Rajhara North
(central and eastern) coal block in
Jharkhand. It said the company was
not recommended by either the
union steel ministry or the Jharkhand
government.
However, the then Jharkhand
chief secretary, who had attended the
36th screening committee meeting
July 3, 2008, had signed its minutes
recommending the allocation to the
firm.
The CBI alleged that the company
had fraudulently claimed an inflated
net worth and its ownership too had
changed hands ahead of the 36th
screening committee meeting.
AMERICAS
12
HISTORIC CHANGE IN POLICIES
W E D N E S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 1 l 2 0 1 5
WORLD
MEMOIRS FROM THE PRISON
US Senator Patrick Leahy, head of a US
delegation in the first congressional
mission to Cuba since the change of
policy announced by President Barack
Obama, speaks to other members of the
delegation in downtown Havana.
The US will urge Cuba to lift travel
restrictions on US diplomats and agree
to establish US and Cuban embassies
in historic talks in Havana.
Yahdih Ould Slahi, the
younger brother of
Ould Slahi, poses with
a copy of Mohamedou’s
prison memoir
‘Guantanamo Diary’
open to show pages
that were redacted by
the US government in
London.
SUPREME COURT RULING: Justices rejected the state’s reasoning that the policy was needed for security reasons
Top court rules for inmate over prison beard policy
WASHINGTON: An Arkansas inmate
is permitted to grow a half-inch beard
in accordance with his beliefs, the US
Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday in a
closely watched religious rights decision
that threw out a state prison policy
barring beards.
The justices, on a 9-0 vote in a case
involving prison inmate Gregory Holt,
rejected the state’s reasoning that the
policy was needed for security reasons.
Justice Samuel Alito, writing on
behalf of the court, said the state already
searches clothing and hair and had not
given a valid reason why it could not also
search beards.
Alito wrote that the prison’s “interest
in eliminating contraband cannot
sustain its refusal to allow petitioner to
grow a half-inch beard.”
Holt said the state’s prison grooming
policy prohibiting inmates from having
facial hair other than a “neatly trimmed
moustache” violated his religious rights
under a 2000 federal law called the
Religious Land Use and Institutionalised
Persons Act.
Holt’s lawyers noted that more than
40 states and the federal government
allow prison inmates to have similar
beards.
The justices, on a 9-0
Holt had wanted to grow a half-inch
beard in following his Muslim beliefs but vote in a case involving
was blocked by the state regulation.
prison inmate Gregory
Holt is serving a life sentence for
Holt, rejected the state’s
burglary and domestic battery at the
Varner Supermax prison, according to reasoning that the policy
the Arkansas Department of Correction. was needed for security
Eric Rassbach, a lawyer for the Becket
reasons
Fund for Religious Liberty, a religious
rights legal group that helped represent
Holt, hailed the ruling.
“What the Supreme Court said religious liberty just because they think
today was that government officials government knows best,” Rassbach
cannot impose arbitrary restrictions on added.
SPEECH REHEARSAL
“This is a huge win for religious
freedom and for all Americans.
More than 43 prison systems across
the country allow prisoners to grow a
half-inch beard, and at least 41 prison
systems would allow an even longer
beard,” Rassbach said.
Eighteen states had backed Arkansas,
arguing that the court should defer to
the judgment of prison officials.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote a
pointed concurring opinion that recalled
the court’s bitterly divided 2014 decision
allowing for-profit companies to deny
employees contraceptive insurance
coverage based on company owners’
religious beliefs.
“Unlike the exemption this court
approved in Burwell v Hobby Lobby
Stores,” Ginsburg said, joined by Justice
Sonia Sotomayor, “accommodating
(Holt’s) religious belief in this case would
not detrimentally affect others who do
not share (his) belief.”
The Arkansas attorney general’s
office was reviewing the decision and
expects to comment later on Tuesday, a
spokesman said.
The case is Holt v Hobbs, US Supreme
Court, 13-6827. —Reuters
Amid uproar over prosecutor’s
death, pledges backing probe
BUENOS AIRES: Amid a public
uproar, President Cristina Kirchner’s
government pledged full backing on
Tuesday of a probe into the suspicious
death of a prosecutor who had accused
her of obstructing his investigation
of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish
community centre.
Alberto Nisman, 51, was found dead
at his home on Monday from a gun
shot to his temple in what authorities
have said appeared to be a suicide the
day before he was to present evidence
against Kirchner at a congressional
hearing.
The mystery deepened on Tuesday
as the prosecutor leading the death
investigation disclosed that no residue
of gunpowder has been found on
Nisman’s hands. “This does not rule out
that he shot himself.
Nobody is ruling that out,” Viviana
Fein, the prosecutor, told local station
Radio Mitre.
She said an autopsy had found no
evidence that another person fired
the shot, and the negative result of the
residue test was “not unexpected.”
Powder
residues
are
often
undetectable in 22 calibre handguns of
the kind that fired the shot that killed
Nisman, she said.
Protests erupted on Monday night
outside the presidential palace and
several other cities, where demonstrators
called for an end to “impunity K,” a
reference to the president.
Kirchner, meanwhile, broke her
silence on the case, posting a letter on
Facebook critical of Nisman’s decadelong probe into the bombing, which
has blamed Iran for the bombing of the
Argentine Jewish Charities Federation,
AMIA, that killed 85 people and injured
more than 300.
— AFP
AROUND THE GLOBE
5-year-old boy fatally shoots 9-month-old brother
Joni Ernst, a newly elected senator from Iowa, rehearses the Republican party’s response to US President Barack Obama’s State
of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, yesterday. — AFP
Denver incident was one of the worst mass shooting in US history
Jury trial in US death penalty
case to focus on insanity
DENVER: Jury selection gets underway
on Tuesday in a death penalty case
involving one of the worst mass
shootings in US history: an attack
that left 12 dead and 70 wounded in a
Colorado movie theatre.
The trial will focus on the question
of whether James Holmes was insane
when he barged into the packed theatre,
clad in combat gear, and opened fire on
moviegoers in July 2012.
Experts say it is rare to have a mass
shooter appear in court to face charges
— many either are killed by police or
commit suicide.
“The public is going to get an insight
into the mind of a killer who says he
doesn’t know right from wrong,” said
Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based
jury consultant.”It is really rare.”
The first step begins on Tuesday,
when 9,000 prospective jurors — what
experts say is the largest jury pool in
US history — begin arriving at the
courthouse in Centennial, in suburban
Denver. Whittling those numbers to the
12 jurors and 12 alternates is expected to
take months.
The trial could last until October. In
the 2-½ years since the shooting, the
case has sparked an emotionally charged
debate, with his parents begging for a
Experts say it is rare to have
a mass shooter appear in
court to face charges — many
either are killed by police or
commit suicide
plea deal that would save his life while
many survivors and family members of
victims have demanded that he be put
to death. Holmes, 27, was arrested as
he stripped off his combat gear in the
parking lot of the Century 16 movie
theatre in Aurora after he opened fire at
the midnight showing of a new Batman
movie. He later pleaded not guilty by
reason of insanity to multiple counts
of first-degree murder and attempted
murder. Under Colorado law, defendants
are not legally liable for their acts if their
minds are so “diseased” that they cannot
distinguish right from wrong. Part of the
reason the case has dragged on so long
is the battle over whether that standard
applies to Holmes. Holmes’ sanity
was evaluated by a state psychiatrist
but the results were not made public.
Prosecutors and defence attorneys
remain under a long-running gag order,
and court documents detailing the issue
have stayed under seal. Survivors of the
attack and family members of victims
have had a long time to get ready for a
trial. “We’ve all been to therapists and
have talked to our families and have our
support groups, so we’re prepared,” said
Marcus Weaver, who was shot in the
arm and whose friend, Rebecca Wingo,
died in the attack. It could take until
June to find the jurors and alternates
who were not biased by the widespread
news coverage of the shooting.
Equally challenging will be finding
jurors who were not personally affected
by the attack. During the selection
process, Holmes’ attorneys will focus
on picking jurors who are morally
opposed to capital punishment, even
as prosecutors fight to ensure those on
the panel are “death-penalty eligible,”
meaning they would be open to
executing Holmes. Enduring the trial
from the jury box would seem even
more difficult than the selection process.
“This is going to be a life-changing
event for every juror who sits on the
trial,” said Joseph Rice, managing
partner of the Jury Research Institute,
a California-based trial consulting
firm.”They are going to deal with lifeand-death issues that will forever be
part of their experience.” —AP
Bjork latest artist
to suffer music
leak
NEW YORK: Bjork’s first album in
four years appeared to leak online on
Tuesday, making her the latest major
artist whose music was released early.
Several days after the Icelandic
pop star announced details of her
album Vulnicura to come out in
March, songs with an identical track
list emerged on pirate sites.
Bjork did not immediately
comment.
Internet leaks of albums have
become increasingly common in an
era in which reproducing music files
requires little technical skill and pirate
websites enjoy an eager listenership.
Madonna last month released
six songs from her upcoming album
months ahead of schedule after early
versions emerged on the Internet.
Madonna voiced outrage, calling
the leak “artistic rape” and saying that
the leaked tracks were not her final
versions.
The leaked songs attributed
to Bjork feature the pop singer’s
distinctive, wide-ranging voice over
a lush orchestration of strings and a
layer of electronic beats, a defining
trait of Bjork’s key works including
1997’s Homogenic.
Bjork worked on her latest album
with Arca, the Venezuelan DJ known
for producing rapper Kanye West and
the rising British trip-hop artist FKA
twigs.
The album is Bjork’s first since
2011’s Biophilia, a wildly ambitious
production that used smartphone
apps and other multimedia to explore
the links between technology, music
and nature. — AFP
ELMO: A 9-month-old boy is dead after his 5-year-old brother playing with a handgun
accidentally shot him in the head. Authorities say the baby was pronounced dead at
Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City just before noon on Monday. The Kansas City
Star reports that emergency responders were called to a home in Elmo around 9 am
on Monday after a 5-year-old found a loaded.
22 calibre handgun and apparently was handling it when it fired. White says the
bullet struck the 9-month-old, who was in a playpen. Nodaway County Sheriff Darren
White says there is no reason to believe the shooting was anything other than an
accident. Elmo is north of Kansas City, Missouri.
A next-door neighbour and friend of the family, Kathy Armentrout, told fox4kc.com
the woman was alone with her four boys at the time of the shooting.
“They’re a very good family and this was a tragedy,” she said. “I just hope everybody
prays for them.”
The three surviving children were placed in the custody of relatives while the
investigation continued.
“You know, just some gun safety could have come into play,” neighbour Jessica
Hutchison told KCTV. “But it’s really just sad.”
Lucy Malin, 8, of Arlington, Va., centre, photographs a DJI Inspire 1 drone in
flight during a demonstration by the Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)
Coalition, at the National Press Club in Washington. Lucy is interested in
programming a drone and asked her mother if she could come and see them
at the demonstration.
— AP
5 former winners in Marathon elite field
BOSTON: Five former winners have committed to run this year’s Boston Marathon.
Principal sponsor John Hancock Financial announced on Tuesday that 2013 men’s
winner Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and 2012 winner Wesley Korir of Kenya will join a field
that includes defending champion Meb Keflezighi, the first American man to win since
1983. On the women’s side, 2012 winner Sharon Cherop and 2011 winner Caroline
Kilel, both of Kenya, lead the elite field. The men’s field also includes last year’s second
— and third-place finishers, Wilson Chebet and Frankline Chepkwony.
The women’s field is the fastest in Boston Marathon history, with 10 participants
holding personal best times under 2:23, and includes Americans Shalane Flanagan,
Desiree Davila Linden and Amy Hastings.
The 119th running of the Boston Marathon is April 20.
REGION
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
13
BAN EXPRESSES CONCERN: UN Security Council held an emergency meeting over the chaos in Sanaa
Gunmen shell Yemen president’s residence
SANAA: Yemen’s Houthi rebels shelled
the residence of the country’s president
yesterday and simultaneously swept into
the presidential palace in the capital,
Sanaa, as a top military commander
warned that a full-fledged “coup” was
under way.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour
Hadi was inside the residence as it came
under “heavy shelling” for half an hour
but he was unharmed and protected by
guards, officials said.
In New York, the UN Security
Council held an emergency meeting
over the chaos in Sanaa.
The shelling was a dramatic
development that put Hadi into a
precarious position and represented the
starkest challenge to his authority since
the Houthis swept into Sanaa from their
northern stronghold and seized the
capital in September.
Information Minister Nadia al Sakkaf
posted on her Twitter account that the
shelling started at 3 pm local time “by
armed forces positioned over rooftops
facing” the president’s house.
At the same time, Houthi rebels also
raided the president’s offices, sweeping
into the presidential palace and looting
the grounds’ arms depots, according to
Col Saleh al Jamalani, the commander
of the Presidential Protection Force that
guards the palace.
“This is a coup. There is no other
word to describe what is happening but
a coup,” Al Jamalani said, adding that the
rebels were likely aided by insiders.
In a starkly different narrative, the
Houthis’ TV network Al Masseria
claimed the rebels intercepted and foiled
attempts by an unspecified group to loot
weapons from the presidential palace.
Yemeni men stand next to a charred vehicle outside a damaged house near the presidential palace in Sanaa yesterday.
The escalation shattered a tense
ceasefire that had held overnight and
throughout the morning, following
Monday’s heavy clashes that engulfed
the city, leaving ordinary Yemenis
stunned and fearing for their country.
The UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon expressed concern over the
“deteriorating situation” in Yemen and
urged all sides to cease hostilities.
The latest spasm of violence followed
apparently unsuccessful negotiations
earlier in the day between Hadi and
a representative of the Houthis at his
residence.
Also earlier yesterday, Houthi fighters
roamed the streets on foot and in pickup
trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns,
manned checkpoints across Sanaa and
near the prime minister’s residence, and
‘Dozens’ killed and wounded
in airstrike on Syria market
BEIRUT: An air strike on a crowded
market in a Syrian village controlled
by the IS group killed dozens of people
yesterday, activists said.
Two
activist-run
monitoring
groups, the Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights and
the Local Coordination Committees,
said the attack occurred in the village
of Khansaa, in far eastern Syria near the
Iraq border.
Khansaa is held by the IS militant
group.
The Observatory put the death toll at
27, but said it was likely to rise because
many of the wounded were in critical
condition.
Other activists gave estimates
ranging from 30 to more than 80 people
killed.
Conflicting tolls are common in the
chaotic aftermath of violent incidents in
The Observatory put the
death toll at 27, but said it
was likely to rise because
many of the wounded were
in critical condition. Other
activists gave estimates
ranging from 30 to more
than 80 people killed.
Syria.
One activist reached over Skype
in the nearby provincial capital
of Hassakeh said he was given
the names of 70 people presumed
killed in the strike, and said another
13 bodies were too badly burnt to be
identified.
The activist, who goes by the name
Siraj, said he obtained the list from
wounded survivors who were rushed to
a hospital in a nearby town.
But he said the toll could be revised
as activists interviewed more survivors.
It also was not immediately
clear who conducted the air strike, Siraj
said.
Some wounded residents said it was
a Syrian government air strike using socalled barrel bombs — canisters packed
with explosives that are usually dropped
from helicopters.
Such bombs cannot be precisely
targeted, and activists say they have
killed thousands of civilians.
Other residents said warplanes
from the US-led coalition battling the
IS group fired missiles at the market,
according to Siraj.
The Local Coordination Committees
said it was a Syrian government
airstrike. — AP
beefed up their presence around other
key building, including the intelligence
headquarters.
The show of force came after they
seized control of state media in Sanaa
and clashed with Yemeni soldiers near
the presidential palace on Monday.
Heavy machine gun fire and artillery
shells struck around the presidential
palace and sent civilians fleeing as
— AFP
columns of black smoke rose and sirens
wailed throughout the city.
Monday’s violence left at least nine
people dead and 67 were wounded,
Yemen’s deputy health minister, Nasser
Baoum, said, while both Houthis and
Hadi’s forces blamed each other for the
outbreak.
Houthis’ power grab has been long
anticipated and analysts say they are
only “finishing the job” they began in
September.
“What is happening now is just
one more step toward (the Houthis’)
consolidation of power,” said Abdel-Bari
Taher, a veteran Yemeni journalist and
writer. Yesterday’s negotiations at Hadi’s
residence focused on the shake-up of
an 85-member commission tasked with
coming up with the outline of Yemen’s
future federation, as stated in the draft
constitution, Cabinet spokesman Rageh
Badi said.
Reforming the commission has
long been overdue and was part of a
UN-brokered peace deal following the
The
Houthis’ capture of Sanaa.
Houthis accuse Hadi of violating that
deal by calling in the current members
of the commission to a meeting days
ago, prompting the rebels to retaliate
and abduct his top aide, Ahmed bin
Mubarak, and setting the wheels in
motion for the latest violence.
But one of Hadi’s advisers, Yassin
Mekkawi, claimed a “deal” to resolve
the violence had been struck during the
talks at the president’s residence and that
it would be announced later. He declined
to elaborate.
Suspected Al Qaeda militants
yesterday tried to assassinate a top army
commander in the southern Hadramawt
province, killing five of his guards in the
attack, military officials said.
The militants set off explosives,
hurling them at the commander’s
convoy, then opened gunfire but
the commander managed to escape
unharmed, the officials said, speaking
on condition of anonymity because
they were not authorised to speak to
media.
— AP
LEARNING IT THE HARD WAY
Syrian refugee girl Baraa Antar (L), 10 years, teaches fellow refugee children in an outdoor classroom at a makeshift settlement
in the village of Ketermaya, south of Beirut. Baraa lives among 400 displaced Syrians living in 50 tents amid agricultural land in
the town of Katrmaya in Mount Lebanon.
— Reuters
Abe says the aid he had promised in Cairo on Saturday was to help the displaced and those made homeless by the conflict in Iraq and Syria
IS threatens to kill Japan hostages, Tokyo vows not to give in
BEIRUT: The IS group threatened in
a video yesterday to kill two Japanese
hostages within 72 hours unless it
receives a $200 million ransom, but
Tokyo vowed it would not bow to
“terrorism”.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
in Jerusalem on the latest leg of a Middle
East tour, demanded the insurgents
immediately free the two hostages
unharmed.
He flew home several hours earlier
than planned to take charge of the crisis
after meeting with Palestinian President
Mahmud Abbas, who condemned
the threat against the abductees as
“despicable”.
IS has murdered five Western
hostages since August last year, but it is
the first time that the insurgent group —
which has seized swathes of Syria and
neighbouring Iraq — has threatened
Japanese captives.
In footage posted on insurgent
websites,
a
black-clad
militant
brandishing a knife addresses the camera
in English, standing between hostages
Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa who are
wearing orange jumpsuits.
“You now have 72 hours to pressure
your government into making a wise
decision by paying the $200 million to
save the lives of your citizens,” he says.
The militant says that the ransom
demand is to compensate for nonmilitary aid that the Japanese prime
minister pledged to support countries
affected by IS violence at the start of his
Middle East tour.
But Abe said Japan would not bow to
extremism and pledged to honour his
promise of aid.
“I strongly demand that they not be
harmed and that they be immediately
released,” he told a news conference.
“The international community will
not give in to any form of terrorism
and we have to make sure that we work
together.”
Abe said the aid he had promised
IS has murdered five
Western hostages since
August last year, but it is the
first time that the insurgent
group has threatened
Japanese captives
in Cairo on Saturday was to help the
displaced and those made homeless by
the conflict in Iraq and Syria.
“This position is unshakable,” he said,
describing the assistance as “absolutely
necessary” for the survival of people
who have fled fighting.
Since August, IS has murdered three
Americans and two Britons, posting
grisly video footage of their executions.
US journalists James Foley and
Steven Sotloff, American aid worker
Peter Kassig and British aid workers
Alan Henning and David Haines were
all beheaded.
The militant who appeared in the
video threatening the Japanese hostages
spoke with a very similar southern
English accent to the militant who
appeared in the footage posted of the
executions of the Britons and Americans.
Goto is a freelance journalist, born
in 1967, who set up a video production
company, named Independent Press
in Tokyo in 1996, feeding video
documentaries on the Middle East and
other regions to Japanese television
networks, including public broadcaster
NHK.
He had been out of contact since
late October after telling family that
he intended to return to Japan, NHK
reported.
In early November, his wife received
email demands for about one billion yen
($8.5 million) in ransom from a person
claiming to be an IS group member, Fuji
TV said.
The emailed threats were later
confirmed to have come from a sender
implicated in the killing of US journalist
Foley, Fuji TV said.
Yukawa is a 42-year-old widower who
reportedly has a history of attempted
suicide and self-mutilation after his
military goods business went bankrupt
and his wife died of cancer.
He came to widespread attention
in Japan when he appeared in footage
posted last August in which he was
shown being roughly interrogated by his
captors.
He offered brief responses to
questions posed in English about why
he was in Syria and the reason he was
carrying a gun.
He replied in stilted English that he
was a “photographer” and a “journalist,
half doctor”.
“I’m no soldier,” he said.
Another video surfaced showing a
man believed to be Yukawa test-firing an
AK-47 assault rifle in Syria.
Japanese nationals’ involvement
as combatants in foreign conflicts is
limited, although the country’s extensive
media is usually well-represented in
hotspots.
Japan has been relatively isolated
from the insurgent violence that has
hit other developed countries, having
tended to stay away from US-led military
interventions.
In 2004, Japanese tourist Shosei Koda
was among a series of foreign hostages
beheaded by Al Qaeda in Iraq in grisly
videotaped executions.
He had ignored government advice
to travel to the country in the midst of
the bloody insurgency that followed the
US-led invasion of the previous year.
In early 2013, Japan was rocked when
militants overran a remote gas plant in
the Algerian desert.
The four-day ordeal that involved
hundreds of hostages ended when
Algerian commandos stormed the
plant.
Ten Japanese died, giving the country
the single biggest body count. — AFP
14
UK PRESS DIGEST
omandailyobserver
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
Juncker: I won’t grovel to keep Britain in EU
ANDY JALIL
Foreign Correspondent
andyjalil@aol.com
T
he European Commission
president has compared
Britain’s membership of the EU
to a doomed love affair — and
suggested it might be time to call
it a day.
Jean-Claude Juncker publically floated the idea of a British
exit, for the first time, and warned
David Cameron that he will not be
‘grovelling’ for the UK to stay during further negotiations.
In Paris, Juncker said: “People
shouldn’t stay together if conditions aren’t the same as when
things started. It’s easy to fall in
love and more difficult to stay together.
The arch federalist, who is an
advocate of ‘ever closer union’
within Europe, said that he would
reject any attempt to change the
EU treaties in order for Britain to
restrict free movement of people
within the 28 member states.
His comments will come as a
blow to the Prime Minister, who
has promised to renegotiate Britain’s membership ahead of an
in-out referendum in 2017 if his
party wins the election.
jobs created in cities in the South of
England over the past 10 years, one
private sector job has disappeared in
the North.
The stark findings of Centre for
Cities report expose the extent to
which much of the country has been
“left behind”, as London and its surrounding counties suck in wealth,
jobs, and young talent.
They will increase pressure on all
the major parties to spur growth by
fast-tracking plans to boost infrastructure — such as the HS2 highspeed rail line — and by devolving
more power to Northern cities via
directly-elected “metro mayors”.
Tory MPs launch
campaign to reveal Harman says
Obama wrong on
Blair’s wealth
onservative MPs launched a UK recovery
C
campaign to force Tony Blair
to reveal how much he earns — and
continue to declare who pays him for
the rest of his life.
The Tory MP Andrew Bridgen is
tabling a Commons motion arguing
that the rules that apply to serving
MPs about disclosing their income
should also apply to former prime
ministers.
Bridgen, MP for North-west
Leicestershire said: “Tony Blair has
embarked on a career of personal
enrichment and has blurred the lines
between his public and private interests.
No other former prime minister
has gone to work for other sovereign
states. Blair is still in public life, but is
not bound by its principles, and that
needs to be changed.”
Since Blair left office in 2007 he has
been able to earn fees far above the
salary paid to a prime minister, making him a multimillionaire.
For every 12 jobs
created in South, 40 pc of families
one lost in North ‘too poor to play a
North-South divide part in society’
Thehas UK’s
widened significantly in
the last decade, with Southern
English cities driving the
economic recovery while many in
the North of England lose jobs and
stagnate, a major report revealed.
For every 12 new private sector
commissioned by the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation.
The number of those on less than
the so-called minimum income
threshold in 2012/13 was up by
more than a third from 5.9 million in
2008/09, the charity said.
The research finds families headed
by lone parents are under the greatest
pressure, with 71 per cent (2.3 million
individuals) living below the required
level, up from 65 per cent.
The findings will fuel the debate
about British economic growth, and
whether it is feeding through to better living standards for most families.
David Cameron pledged to make full
employment a priority if he wins in
May.
N
early four out of 10 households
with children, or 8.1 million
people, live below an income
level regarded by the public as the
minimum needed to participate in
society, according to a new research
L
abour’s deputy leader said Barack
Obama was wrong to suggest
the British economy was recovering
in a way that had benefitted most
people. Harriet Harman’s comments
came ahead of a new commitment
from David Cameron to put full
employment at the heart of his reelection campaign.
He said that the UK had become the job factory of Europe,
and promised to triple the number of
start-up loans, with at least £300million of loan capital being made available.
But Harman contested Obama’s
characterisation of the British economy in a joint article with Cameron last
week.
She said: “I think he’s wrong in
that he’s not reflecting the fact that
although the economy is back in
growth, that growth is not being felt
by people and it’s a recovery that
is being accompanied by stagnation
in living standards, the economy is
just working for a few people at the
top.”
police with a treasure trove of
information as advances in genetic
techniques can pinpoint the colour of
hair and eyes along with geographic
ancestry.
Forensic geneticists can use a speck
of blood to give police details including the colour of a suspect’s skin, the
colour of their eyes and hair, and increasingly whether the hair is curly or
straight.
They are even able to tell whether
a person comes from northeast Africa
or West Africa.
Scientists are now looking at
whether it will be possible to tell a person’s height from a speck of blood, but
that is fraught with difficulty because
height is influenced by age and nutrition.
Mario Draghi.
The president of the European
Central Bank is likely to be holed up in
Frankfurt putting the final touches to
the hefty stimulus package that many
leading economists believe will be announced this week.
Under Draghi’s watch, the
eurozone has entered the deflation,
with prices in the currency bloc falling by an average of 0.2 per cent in the
year to December.
Analysts fear that if the ECB does
not announce a QE package, eurozone
prices will fall faster still, prompting a deflationary spiral from which
it would be hard to emerge. Several
investment banks expect that Draghi
will unveil a European version of
quantitative easing schemes that
have proved successful in the US and
UK.
Investment by
Britain in China to Campaign on as
patients bitten by
rise fourfold
investment in China is set price con dentists
British
to quadruple over the next five
years, far outstripping the doubling of
foreign direct investment (FDI) in the
fast-growing economy over the same
period, a new report has found. As
Chinese investors continue to buy up
British enterprises, UK investors and
companies are preparing to return the
compliment.
Foreign direct investment from
the UK to China totalled nearly
6.7billion in asset stocks last year, the
study by King & Wood Mallesons calculated.
But the global law firm expects this
to rise to £26billion by 2020 as the
Chinese economy opens up to foreign
capital.
Last year, the UK contributed around 1 per cent of China’s
total FDI. In five years, this will
rise to 2 per cent – but of a much larger total.
G
reedy NHS dentists could be
making patients pay through
their teeth, a study found. Watchdog
Which? discovered many might be
flouting the rules to make a profit. It
has now launched Clean Up Dental
Costs campaign to help protect
patients. Director Richard Lloyd said:
“We are calling on the NHS and the
regulators to clean up dental costs and
make sure the existing rules are put
into practice consistently.
The consumer champion found
some NHS patients may be getting
ripped off as a fifth claim to have paid
more than once for one course of
treatment over the last two years when
they should not have done. Many
dentists also failed to display a price
list, which they must do according to
rules.
QE or not QE?
That is the question 5 million young
A drop of blood
Brits to hard-up to
can reveal hair and facing ECB chief
ne notable absentee when the leave parents
eye colour
D
NA left by criminals at crime
scenes is increasingly providing
O
great and the good convene in
Davos this week for the annual World
Economic Forum meeting will be
T
he housing crisis means the
number of young people
living with their parents could
hit five million by 2020, Labour
warns.
There are 3.35 million 20
to 34-year-olds still living with
mum and dad — 470,000 since
2010.
And Shadow Housing Minister Emma Reynolds warned this
could reach five million if housing
costs rise.
It comes as figures show young
people have been hit hardest under
the Tory-led coalition, with their
earnings £1,750 a year lower than
in 2010.
Analysis by the House
of Commons Library found
people in their 20s need to
work 162 extra hours a year to
earn the same as they did five years
ago.
Figures also showed one in 16
to 25-year-olds is out of work and
there are fewer apprenticeships
places for under-19s than three
years ago.
Relief to millions:
Jab that beats
arthritis pain
A
n injection given just once a
year could banish the agony
of painful joints for millions of
arthritis sufferers.
It would reduce the need for
painkillers and boost patients’
quality of life.
Scientists behind the idea
believe it has the potential to
revolutionise
the
treatment
of osteoarthritis, which affects
around eight million people in
Britain.
Instead of taking anti-inflammatory drugs every day to cope
with the pain, patients could
cut down on pills and simply go
along to hospital once a year for a
jab.
The breakthrough treatment
would cost £250 a year because
it involves relatively cheap class
of drugs — bisphosphonates
— already widely used to treat
the bone-wasting illness osteoporosis.
More than a million people in
Britain take them but swallowing
bisphosphonates can cause inflammation in the gullet.
INTERNATIONAL
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
15
PARIS ATTACK: Prime Minister Manuel Valls says that the attacks should force France to look at the “apartheid” within
5 arrested in France, including 1 with explosives
PARIS: Five Russians have been arrested
in southern France, including one with
a cache of explosives, a local mayor said
yesterday as four other men appeared at
a court in Paris, the first to face charges
in the Paris terror attacks.
The reports came as the French
prime minister asked his nation to do
some soul-searching about the country’s
deep ethnic divisions and declared
that fighting hatred, anti-Semitism
and racism was an urgent priority,
especially in France’s impoverished
housing projects. Beziers Mayor Robert
Menard confirmed the arrests yesterday
in Beziers and Montpellier of five men
of Chechen origin and said the man
arrested in Beziers had been a resident
“for some time.”
Midi Libre, the local paper, said
an explosives cache was found in
Beziers near a stadium but prosecutor
Yvon Calvet told Midi Libre it wasn’t
immediately clear whether a terror attack
was planned.
France has been on high alert since
three days of terror in the Paris region
left 20 people dead, including the three
gunmen, earlier this month.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said
the four men in court yesterday were
suspected of providing logistical support
killed by police. It is not clear whether
the four suspects, all in their 20s, were
involved in plotting the attacks or even
aware of Coulibaly’s plans.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said five
others arrested in the investigation were
released without charge.
No one has been charged for direct
involvement in the January 7-9 terror
attacks.
Coulibaly claimed allegiance to the
IS group while the two brothers who
attacked the Charlie Hebdo newspaper
said they were backed by Al Qaeda in
Yemen.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls told
journalists yesterday that the attacks
should force France to look at the
“apartheid” within.
The conservative Socialist whose hard
line on extremism has won many fans
said he wasn’t making excuses for crime
or terrorism, “but we also have to look at
the reality of our country.”
Valls said memories have dimmed
of the three weeks of riots by disaffected
youths in 2005 that shook France. “And
yet, the stigmas remain a territorial,
A French soldier patrols in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as part of the highest level of “Vigipirate” security plan
social and ethnic apartheid that has
after attacks yesterday.
— Reuters
imposed itself on our country,” he said.
to Amedy Coulibaly, one of the dead
Coulibaly shot a policewoman to then seized hostages inside a kosher “The social misery is compounded
terrorists.
death on the outskirts of Paris and supermarket, killing four before he was by the daily discriminations, because
Ukraine airport battle intensifies,
Russia against peace talks
A separatists Grad multiple rocket system launcher is parked in front of a cemetery
in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk yesterday.
— AFP
DONETSK: Insurgents yesterday
assaulted the remnants of a Ukrainian
force hanging onto a ruined airport near
the rebels’ main stronghold as Moscow
poured cold water on the prospect of
peace talks.
Blasts of incoming and outgoing
artillery echoed all night across Donetsk
— a once bustling industrial city but
now the crucible of one of Europe’s
worst humanitarian and diplomatic
crises since the Cold War.
Rebel city administration member
Ivan Prikhodko said two civilians were
killed and eight seriously wounded
when a shell hit a bus stop on the warwrecked northwestern edge of town.
“The bus stop itself and a store
nearby have been levelled,” Prikhodko
said by telephone.
The past week’s escalation in fighting
and effective shredding of a repeatedly
violated September truce has been
accompanied by claims from Kiev’s
government that 700 new Russian
soldiers have deployed across the border
into Ukraine’s separatist east.
Russia’s defence ministry called the
charges “absolute nonsense” and once
again denied supporting the rebel cause.
The Kremlin accused Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko of rejecting
a troop withdrawal proposal submitted
last week by Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine meanwhile set in motion
a previously-approved fourth wave
of military call-ups since the start of
hostilities in mid-April.
The 50,000 new volunteers and
reservists will be mostly deployed in the
war zone in stages stretching over three
months.
The infusion of additional forces
reflects Ukraine’s increasingly frantic
attempt to defend against what it views
as Russian “aggression”.
The blame game between Moscow
and Kiev is being watched by European
leaders who hope to see a quick end to
a nine-month conflict that has plunged
East-West relations into crisis and
sparked a damaging sanctions war.
President
Vladimir
Putin’s
spokesman said the resumption of what
Kiev now says is full-scale war means no
peace summit is likely any time soon.
A meeting between Putin and
Poroshenko that would also include the
leaders of France and Germany “can
only happen if it is prepared in a way
that guarantees its success,” Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s
TASS state news agency.
“At the moment, its preparation
does not look as likely as it was before
Ukraine resumed the hostilities,” Peskov
said. The most bitter fighting focused on
the international airport that Ukraine
spent nearly a billion dollars rebuilding
for the Euro 2012 football championship
matches staged in Donetsk.
The rebel militias — armed with
heavy artillery guns and Grad systems
that fire up to 40 rockets in less than a
minute — have pulverised the once
gleaming structure.
They reported capturing the airport
on Monday after a weekend assault.
Ukraine’s army said it was back
in control by early yesterday and was
checking reports that a whole floor of
the building had collapsed on defenders
late Monday.
— AFP
FROZEN GROUND
A man walks through snow on the Grosser Feldberg mountain near Schmitten in the Taunus region, Germany, yesterday. — AFP
Swedish premier survives
confidence vote
STOCKHOLM:
Swedish
Prime
Minister Stefan Lofven survived a noconfidence vote called by the opposition
far-right Sweden Democrats after they
failed to win support from other parties
yesterday. The Sweden Democrats
garnered 45 votes for the measure, well
shy of the minimum 175 votes needed
for it to pass in the 349-seat legislature.
Richard Jomshof of the Sweden
Democrats said prior to the vote it
offered “a chance to change (political)
course.”
The Sweden Democrats made
strong gains on their anti-immigration
policies in September, but other parties
have refused to cooperate with them.
Lofven’s Social Democratic Party took
power with the Greens in October after
eight years of conservative-led rule.
A total of 133 members from
Lofven’s coalition voted against the
no-confidence measure, while 155
members from the four centre-right
opposition parties and the Left Party
abstained.
— dpa
It is among hundreds retrieved from a villa at Herculaneum that was destroyed when Mt Vesuvius erupted in AD 79
X-rays unlock secrets of scrolls buried by volcano
BERLIN: Scientists have succeeded
in reading parts of an ancient scroll
that was buried in a volcanic eruption
almost 2,000 years ago, holding out the
promise that the world’s oldest surviving
library may one day reveal all of its
secrets.
The scroll is among hundreds
retrieved from the remains of a lavish
villa at Herculaneum, which along with
Pompeii was one of several Roman
towns that were destroyed when Mt
Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.
Some of the texts from what is
called the Villa of the Papyri have
been deciphered since they were
discovered in the 1750s. But many more
remain a mystery to science because
they were so badly damaged that
unrolling the papyrus they were
written on would have destroyed them
completely.
“The papyri were completely covered
in blazing-hot volcanic material,” said
Vito Mocella, a theoretical scientist at
the Institute of Microelectronics and
Microsystems (CNR) in Naples who led
the latest project.
Previous attempts to peer inside the
scrolls failed to yield any readable texts
because the ink used in ancient times
was made from a mixture of charcoal
and gum. This makes it indistinguishable
from the burned papyrus.
Mocella and his colleagues decided
to try a method called X-ray phase
contrast tomography that had previously
been used to examine fossils without
damaging them.
Phase contrast tomography takes
Some of the texts have been
deciphered since they were
discovered in the 1750s.
But many more remain a
mystery to science because
they were so badly damaged
advantage of subtle differences in the
way radiation — such as X-rays —
passes through different substances, in
this case papyrus and ink.
Using lab time at the European
Synchrotron Radiation Facility in
Grenoble, France, the researchers found
they were able to decipher several letters,
proving that the method could be used
to read what’s hidden inside the scrolls.
someone does not have the right name,
the right colour of skin, or because she
is a woman.”
In response to the 2005 riots, the
French government spent hundreds of
millions of euros (dollars) to improve
conditions in its rundown suburbs, with
little success.
Unemployment among young people
in the housing projects is well above the
national average and state buildings are
often targeted for vandalism and arson.
“The fight against hatred, antiSemitism in all its forms, racism — these
fights are absolutely urgent,” Valls said.
“Young people who refused to take
part in a national minute of silence for
the terror attack victims “are symptoms
of something that is not going well.”
In Athens, an Algerian man
suspected of terrorist links in Belgium
appeared before a Greek prosecutor for
an extradition hearing on being sent to
Belgium.
The suspect, whose name was not
released, was detained on Saturday in
Athens, where he lives.
Belgium launched a large antiterrorism sweep last week, during
which two suspects were killed and one
wounded, that netted several returnees
from Syria.
— AP
“Our goal was to show that the
technique is sensitive to the writing,”
said Mocella. In a further step, the
scientists compared the handwriting
to that of other texts, allowing them
to conclude that it was likely the work
of Philodemus, a poet and Epicurean
philosopher who died about a century
before the volcanic eruption.
The next challenge will be to
automate the laborious process
of scanning the charred lumps of
papyrus and deciphering the texts
inside them, so that some 700 further
scrolls stored in Naples can be read,
Mocella said.
Scholars studying the Herculaneum
texts say the new technique, which was
detailed in an article published yesterday
in the journal Nature Communications,
may well mark a breakthrough for
their efforts to unlock the ancient
philosophical ideas hidden from view
for almost two millennia.
“It’s a philosophical library of
Epicurean texts from a time when
this philosophy influenced the most
important classical Latin authors, such as
Virgil, Horace and Cicero,” said Juergen
Hammerstaedt, a professor of Greek
and Latin at the University of Cologne,
Germany, who was not involved in the
project.
“There needs to be much work before
one can virtually unroll carbonised
papyrus because one will have to develop
a digital method that will allow us to
follow the layers,” he said. “But in the
260 years of Herculaneum papyrology it
is certainly a remarkable year.” — AP
EBOLA CRISIS
Dutch navy finds
three stowaways
on Ebola aid ship
THE HAGUE:
Dutch sailors
discovered three stowaways aboard
the navy’s largest support ship after
returning from a trip to West Africa
to drop off supplies to fight Ebola,
officials said yesterday.
“The three men slipped on board
via anchor ropes” after the Karel
Doorman docked in Dakar harbour on
its way back from dropping its cargo,
the Dutch defence ministry said in
a statement. “The men hid in several
places including in a lifeboat,” it said.
After being discovered, the men
underwent medical examinations.
“They were not infected with
Ebola or any other serious medical
condition,” the ministry said.
The three men will be handed
over to border police upon the Karel
Doorman’s return to its home port
of Den Helder in the Netherlands on
Saturday.
The Royal Dutch Navy’s largest ship
has undertaken two missions to take
supplies to Ebola-hit countries like
Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea over
the last three months.
Cargo included some 50 vehicles,
40 containers with clothing including
protective suits for aid workers, beds
and 1,700 crates of rice.
More than 8,600 people have died
from the worst-ever outbreak of the
haemorrhagic virus.
Overall, some 22,000 people have
been infected so far, according to the
World Health Organisation, which
has begun to record a decline in
infections.
— AFP
16
omandailyobserver
PANORAMA
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
A paramilitary policeman releases a wild goose in
Linghai, Liaoning province, China yesterday.
About eight wild geese, which were found
injured, were set free after having their wounds
treated by a team of paramilitary policemen,
according to local media. — Reuters
The Kim Eung Hwa Korean dance troupe performs in the 30th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honour of Dr Martin Luther King Jr in Los Angeles, California.
­
A hundred humanoid
communication robots
called Robi perform a
synchronised dance during
a promotional event called
100 Robi, for the Weekly
Robi Magazine, in Tokyo
yesterday. The 34cm-tall
robot, designed by
Tomotaka Takahashi, chief
executive officer of Robo
Garage Co and project
associate professor of
Research Centre for
Advanced Science and
Technology at the University
of Tokyo, is able to speak,
walk and dance. The weekly
magazine comes with parts
of the robot, which allows
buyers to have a fully
assembled Robi after 70
issues.
— Reuters
A woman rides an electric
tricycle carrying a poodle
on a road in Beijing
yesterday. — Reuters
ª
— AFP
European top motorcycle stunt rider Aras Gibieza, of Lithuania, performs during
his India Bike Week (IBW) tour in Ahmadabad, India, yesterday.
— AP
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 21, 2015 |
P19
P20
P20
Inside
BankDhofar marks Environment Day Malaysia cuts budget, growth forecast China’s growth slows to a 24-year low FOLLOW US ON:
BIZ BUZZ
FTSE hit 3-week
high in China data
LONDON: Britain’s top share index rose
for its fourth straight session yesterday
to hit its highest level so far this year,
buoyed by growth-sensitive stocks after
Chinese data beat expectations. The
FTSE 100 was up 40.33 points at 6,625.86
points touching its highest since late
December.
Sectors such as financials and
consumer discretionary, which are
sensitive to optimism about the
economy, rallied, adding more than
10 points. “There’s a pretty broad rally
on the back of the news from China,
which is supportive of equities,” said
James Butterfill, global equity strategist
at Coutts. “The majority of miners are
doing well, but Rio (Tinto) have missed
estimates which is hindering the sector.”
The prospect of stronger demand
from top metals consumer China
boosted miners such as Glencore, Anglo
American and Vedanta, which rose
between 3 per cent and 7.8 per cent.
www.omanobserver.om
editor@omanobserver.om
Duqm SEZ Authority plans commercial arm
New entity to own, operate and manage SEZ assets
CONRAD PRABHU
MUSCAT
promoting the project itself, leasing
land, and providing all required
Jan. 20: The Special Economic Zone
approvals to investors.
The
Authority Duqm (SEZAD), which
company will be wholly owned by
oversees the implementation of
the Authority,” Al Hasani stated.
the Middle East’s biggest economic
Speaking to journalists on
the sidelines of Monday’s visit by
hub on Oman’s Wusta coast, plans
members of the Majlis Addawla
to unveil its new investment and
(State Council) to Duqm, he said
commercial arm soon.
the new company was in the final
Oman Company for Duqm
stages of its establishment.
Development, as the new entity is
proposed to be called, is currently in
“The board members have been
Saleh al Hasani
the process of being registered and
selected from different spheres,
incorporated with a mandate to own, manage and with some hailing from the government sector,
operate the assets created by the Authority within while others are drawn from the private sector. The
goal is to bring the private sector mindset to this
the sprawling SEZ, according to a senior official.
The purpose of creating this new company is to business as well. Yahya bin Saeed bin Abdullah
enable the Authority to focus on its core function al Jabri, Chairman of SEZAD, will also be the
as regulator of the Duqm SEZ, said Saleh Hamood Chairman of the new company.” Commenting
al Hasani (pictured), Director of Investor Services, on the operational status of the new company,
Al Hasani said the company has already begun
SEZAD.
“Oman Company for Duqm Development will providing some services to the public, although
operate on a commercial basis, with responsibility the focus is on building up its capacity. Heading
for ensuring the suitable development and the management team as the Acting CEO is a
acceleration of the project, bringing in investment, Singaporean national who will bring specialised
DAVOS GETS READY
Nintendo to scrap
rewards programme
NEW YORK: Nintendo is discontinuing
its Club Nintendo rewards programme
and will replace it in the US with a
new customer loyalty programme at a
later date. Members of Club Nintendo
earned “coins” by registering products
or completing surveys. They could
exchange those coins for downloadable
games, posters or character figures.
Japan’s Nintendo said that Club
Nintendo members in the US and
Canada can earn additional coins
through March’s end and redeem them
through June’s end. New rewards and
downloadable games are being added
to the programme to help members use
up their balances. The ability to make a
new Club Nintendo account will end on
March 31.
— AP
Turkey central
bank cuts rate
ISTANBUL: Turkey’s central bank
yesterday announced a 0.5 per
cent cut in its headline interest rate,
following months of pressure from
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for
a cut to stimulate growth. The bank
said in a statement after its latest
monetary policy meeting that the
one-week repurchase rate would be
dropped to 7.75 per cent from 8.25
per cent.
— AFP
Workers set up logos of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the congress centre in the
Swiss mountain resort of Davos yesterday. More than 1,500 business leaders and 40
heads of state or government will attend the January 21 - 24 meeting of the WEF to
network and discuss big themes, from the price of oil to the future of the Internet. This
year they are meeting in the midst of upheaval, with security forces on heightened alert
after attacks in Paris, the European Central Bank considering a radical government bondbuying programme and the safe-haven Swiss franc rocketing.
— Reuters
Singaporean know-how to the company.
“Policy procedures and capacity building are in
the pipeline too. Soon we will be able to introduce
the company to the public,” he said, adding that the
assets created by the Authority will be transferred
to the new company when it is formally launched.
Longer term, Oman Company for Duqm
Development is likely a potential candidate for
privatisation via the stock market, said Al Hasani.
“Once the company is established and well-settled,
definitely there is a strategy to open it to the public,”
he noted.
TO PAGE 19
GCC aluminium output up 31 pc in ’14
MUSCAT: The five aluminium companies of the GCC
bloc (Sohar Aluminium, EGA, Alba, Ma’aden, and
Qatalum) collectively produced 4,928,143 tonnes of
primary aluminium in 2014, compared to 3,748,616
tonnes in 2013, an increase of 31 per cent, according to the
Gulf Aluminium Council.
GCC Aluminium production constitutes 10 per cent of
the total world production. Mahmood Daylami, SecretaryGeneral of the GCC Aluminium Council, commented:
“The main increase has come from Ma’aden Aluminium, a
Saudi Arabia start-up, which was successfully ramped up
during the year, as well as the completion of EMAL’s Phase
2 project before the target date.”
He also added that aluminium production for 2015 is
expected to be more than 5 million tonnes.
GCC remains one of the leading hubs for the aluminium
business where 40 per cent of its production is utilised
GCC aluminium is of the highest quality, produced by
by the downstream aluminium industry in the Gulf for
the regional and international market, while the balance plants that accord high priority to modern technology and
volumes of primary aluminium production are exported environmental safeguards.
to different regions of the world.
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
The latest figure indicates the strength of local companies in obtaining orders on the international markets
iPhones help Taiwan’s exports hit a record
TAIPEI: Taiwan’s export orders hit a
record high of $472.8 billion in 2014
thanks to robust demand for handheld
devices including Apple’s iPhone 6,
government officials said yesterday.
The 6.7 per cent rise over the
previous year marked the highest
growth since 7.2 per cent in 2011.
The growth rate stood at only
1.1 per cent in 2012 and 0.4 per cent
in 2013, as the economies of major
trading partners such as China, the
United States and Europe faltered.
“The latest figure indicates the markets,” an official at the economic figures do not necessarily help the
economy as nearly half of the orders
strength of local companies in ministry said.
obtaining orders on the international
However, the booming export order are filled by overseas plants of local
companies, mainly on the Chinese
mainland.
Export orders — those filed to
manufacturers one or two months
ahead of delivery — are an indicator
for the island’s export-reliant economy.
Taiwan’s actual overseas shipments
rose 2.7 per cent year-on-year to a
record high of $313.84 billion in 2014.
Export orders for information and
mobile devices rose 9.4 per cent from
2013 to $127 billion, the ministry
said. It did not identify brands but the
official referred to the iPhone 6 as a
major factor in the increase.
Robust demand for the iPhone
6 and rival Android cellphones
also benefited microchip makers
and other suppliers. Taiwan’s Hon
Hai, also known as Foxconn, is the
world’s largest computer components
manufacturer and assembles products
for leading international brands
including iPhones.
Media reports say local firm
Pegatron Corp worked on the
assembly of the new iPhone and
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Company — the world’s biggest contract
microchip maker —manufactured its
chips. Neither company has confirmed
the contracts.
— AFP
18
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
omandailyobserver
Event held under the patronage of H.E. Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Shehi,
Minister of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources
Bank Sohar Conducts Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme
Year End Draws Worth Over Half a Million Rials
MUSCAT: Announcing the conclusion of
the 2014 Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme, Bank
Sohar hosted the annual Year-End Draws on
January 18th at the Grand Hyatt Hotel under
the auspices of H.E. Ahmed bin Abdullah bin
Mohammed Al Shehi, Minister of Regional
Municipalities and Water Resources. The
highly-anticipated event, which was attended
by a large number of the Bank’s VIP customers,
witnessed three lucky customers from three
different branches winning prizes worth over
half a million Rails. Rashid Sulaiman Al Shibli
from the Bank’s Sohar Branch won the grand
prize of OMR 500,000; while A. Sheshadri
from the MBD branch won the exclusive draw
worth OMR 50,000 and one very lucky minor
account holder, Said Khalid Al Khatri from
Bahla branch, won OMR 5,000, the highest
prize value offered in the market for children.
The Guest of Honour, H.E. Ahmed bin
Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Shehi graced the
occasion with his presence, and conducted the
Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme Grand Draw.
Also in attendance at the event were the Bank’s
VIP customers together with representatives
from the Bank including, Mr. Ghazi Nasser
Salim Al Alawi – Member of Bank Sohar’s
Board of Directors, Mr. Rashad Ali Al Musafir
– Acting CEO, Mr. R Narasimhan – DGM of
Retail Banking, and Mrs. Munira Abdulnabi
Macki – DGM of Human Resource and
Corporate Support. Also in attendance were
other senior management members of the
Bank, Branch managers and staff.
Addressing the audience at the event, Mr.
Rashad Ali Al Musafir, Acting CEO of Bank
Sohar said, “We realise at Bank Sohar that the
secret to business success is directly related to
the levels of service and satisfaction provided
to our customers. The Bank has endeavoured
to constantly create opportunities to
communicate and personally interact with its
valuable customers. The events conducted for
the Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme provides the
Bank with just such an opportunity - to meet
with our customers and better understand
their needs.”
He added, “With this event, we conclude
yet another exceptional and prosperous year
for the Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme and
continue on our journey to reach greater
heights in the future.”
The evening’s proceedings, which were
covered live by Al Wisal FM radio and included
up-to-the-minute live feeds to the Bank’s social
media pages, began with light entertainment
as the guests arrived. A specialised photobooth at the entrance allowed guests take
selfies and have them posted directly to
Bank Sohar’s Instagram page. Those guests
that did so were provided with coupons to
participate in a special draw planned later in
the evening. Following the arrival of the Guest
of Honour, Mr. Rashad Ali Al Musafir and
Mr. R Narasimhan addressed the gathering
and initiated the proceeding of the event. The
speeches were followed by a stunning duet by
two talented violinists after which the special
draw for the guests was conducted, where five
winners were presented with special gifts from
the Bank‘s Branch Managers. Bringing the first
half of the event to a close was a documentary
video showcasing the journey of the 2014 Al
Mumayaz Saving Scheme together with its
highlights and various weekly and monthly
draws. The second half began with the main
highlight of the evening – the three main draws
of the 2014 Al Mumayaz Savings Scheme. The
first of the draws was for Minor Accounts,
conducted by one of the guests at the event,
and saw Said Khalid Al Khatri from the Bahla
Branch win OMR 5,000. The second draw,
also conducted by a guest, was the Exclusive
Draw that saw A. Sheshadri from the MBD
branch win OMR 50,000. The final and most
significant of the draws was the Grand Prize
Draw conducted by H.E. Ahmed bin Abdullah
bin Mohammed Al Shehi, which saw Rashid
Sulaiman Al Shibli from the Bank’s Sohar
Branch win the grand prize of OMR 500,000.
Following the draws, H.E. the Minister was
presented with a token of appreciation by Mr.
Rashad Ali Al Musafir on behalf of the Bank,
followed by a group photograph alongside
the Bank’s Executive Management. The night
came to a close with the continuation of the
live musical performance and a buffet dinner.
Sharing his thoughts on this annual
tradition, Mr. R Narasimhan, DGM-Retail
Banking mentioned, “Starting from your
child’s education to buying your dream home,
saving is the means by which you can achieve
your aspirations. As an incentive to save, our
2014 prize scheme was designed to reach the
maximum number of beneficiaries and carry a
message of using savings in a more purposeful
way. So far, the total number of beneficiaries
of 2014 prize scheme has been almost 1000
and over 2,000 hourly prize winners since its
introduction in 2013. On behalf of the Bank,
I would like to express a hearty congratulation
to all our winners and look forward to many
more in 2015.”
The event was a stellar success for the Bank,
with guests praising the team for organising
such an intricately planned and well executed
event. The Bank’s social media followers
also commended the Bank for its up-to-theminute live feeds throughout the evening.
This event brought the Al Mumayaz Savings
Scheme for 2014 to a grand close and heralds
the announcement of the new scheme which
is expected to be announced soon. However,
as announced by the Bank earlier, the hourly
draws for the 2014 Saving Scheme will
continue till the end of January.
“I would like to thank our guests as well as
followers on social media pages for joining us
on this grand occasion and for their positive
feedback. Moreover, I would like to thank our
valuable customers for not only making this
year’s Savings Scheme such a great success,
but also for their sustained support and trust
which, together with the support of our
shareholders and the efforts of the Bank Sohar
team, has ensured our Bank’s progress on all
fronts over the past seven years. In fact, our
outstanding performance was acknowledged
throughout the year with the many prestigious
awards we received. In total we received 21
local, regional and international awards, with
our acknowledgements varying from financial
excellence and growth to unique products and
CSR awards. We will continue on our journey
to excellence through innovation and look
forward to reaching even greater heights in
2015,” concluded Mr. Rashad Ali Al Musafir
In addition to its Al Mumayaz Savings
Scheme and other market leading retail
products and services, Bank Sohar also
provides an extensive network of ATM’s
totaling 50 machines across the Sultanate.
In addition, Bank Sohar customers continue
to enjoy the privilege of free-of-charge
transactions in over 1,000 ATMs under the
‘OmanNet’ platform. Bank’s ATMs at Buraimi,
Shinas and Wajajah border continue to operate
with the ‘Dirhams Dispensing’ facility; thus
adding immense convenience to businessmen
who travel and transact business across
the border on a regular basis, as well as to
customers who visit the United Arab Emirates.
The bank’s customers also enjoy the advantage
of a Cash Deposit facility at all branch ATMs
as another value-added service.
To learn more about Bank Sohar, please visit
the Bank’s official website at www.banksohar.
net. You can also find additional information
by following the Bank on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/excel.banksohar, on Instagram
at www.instagram.com/banksoharexcel or
join the conversation on Twitter @banksohar_
excel. For this event’s specific coverage and
images, Instagram visitors can also look up
#bs_events.
OMAN
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
BUSINESS ALERT
‘Lean in Healthcare’ seminar on Feb 17
MUSCAT: Peter Willats, a profound
and influential figure in the progression
of Lean practice around the world and
a co-founder of the Kaizen Institute
in Europe, will be in Oman to run a
seminar on ‘Lean in Healthcare’ being
organised by Advertising International
Company DDB (ADINC DDB). To be
held on February 17 at the Grand Hormuz, the seminar will focus on how the adoption
of lean at hospitals and clinics can bring about positive transformation and enhance
service delivery. The seminar will cover ways to minimise waste and maximise resource
utilisation to achieve greater efficiencies in providing healthcare services.
The CEO of ADINC DDB, Radha Mukherji said: ‘Lean management is a fascinating
concept, no longer restricted to just the manufacturing sector. The principles apply
to every industry as Peter Willats vividly demonstrated in the ‘Lean is in’ seminar he
ran for our clients in 2013 to introduce the concept of Lean. With Willats’ passion for
healthcare and wide experience with successfully implementing the adoption of lean
practices across large hospitals in the UK, we thought the healthcare industry in Oman
could benefit from his rich experience.’
omandailyobserver
19
BankDhofar marks Environment Day
MUSCAT: Reaffirming its commitment to the
environment and in line with its operational
strategy as an integral member of the community,
BankDhofar extended its support to the events
and activities organised at the Floating Theatre
in Al Qurum Natural Park to mark the Oman
Environment Day.
The 3-day annual event was organised by the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs to
celebrate the Oman Environment Day — which
falls on January 8 every year. It included various
educational and cultural activities that aimed to spread
awareness of environment related issues. In addition
to senior officials from the Ministry of Environment
and Climate Affairs, senior representatives from the
public and private sector organisations, the fun-filled
event was attended by a large crowd of the public who
engaged in various activities, exhibitions, educational
games and competitions.
Highlighting BankDhofar’s commitment to
environment causes and community engagement
initiatives, Ahmed Said al Ibrahim, Deputy General
Manager of Government Banking and Branding,
stressed: “Environment issues are a concern to all of
us. We all need to be responsible and show support
to such initiatives. Environment sustainability
and climate change are very delicate subjects that
require special attention, comprehensive strategies
and joint efforts by all segments of the society. We at
BankDhofar realise our responsibility in relation to
the environment, and we do not hesitate to support
efforts that aim to contribute to the sustainability of
the environment and contribute to the well-being
of the society.”
Part of its strive to sustain its position as the
best bank in the wider Gulf area, BankDhofar
has been a leader in the social and environmental
responsibility. The bank is committed to provide
products, services and financial solutions
that promote environmental sustainability
and contribute to the welfare of the society.
More than just financial support and fundraising, BankDhofar is dedicated to sustainable
philanthropy causes, participating in events and
activities across the Sultanate, collaborating with
various organisations and non-profit associations
to reinforce its social responsibility and community
outreach programmes.
New complaint system at Ahlibank
AS PART of Ahlibank’s overall customer experience
strategy, the bank has introduced a state of the art
Complaints Management System to improve response
times to customer complaints and the efficiency in
resolving issues. “We are pleased to launch this new
system, which supports our commitment to provide
the best banking products and the highest standards of
service to our clients. Needless to say, customers are the
core of our business success. At Ahlibank, we pledge
to provide innovative, efficient, and secure products
and services to give our customers a convenient banking experience. Therefore, we
are constantly looking for new ways to enhance our relationships with our customers”,
commented Lloyd Maddock, CEO.
This is part of the overall strategy to provide higher service quality standards to
customers. “We have introduced this new complaints management system; which will
improve our efficiency and effectiveness. The new system will increase our ability to
understand the trends arising from complaints and enable fast resolution. In today’s
world being a service provider who offers the best products simply is not enough; how
and when we respond to customer’s issues is equally important. As a financial service
provider it is extremely important to understand and learn from mistakes through the
voices of our customers; when issues arise our priority must be to restore the confidence
of our customers swiftly and in the most efficient way”, says Abdul Aziz Aal Abdul Salam
head of quality assurance & customer services at Ahlibank SAOG.
Areej Oils holds seminar on human capital
AREEJ Vegetable Oils was the
main presenter of the workshop
on ‘Managing Human Capital’
by Dr Shyam Giridharadas,
Adjunct Professor, The George
Washington University and
Consultant, McKinsey and
Company and Prism Consulting
International. Held last month
at Hormuz Grand Hotel, this
seminar was attended by 50 CEOs and HR professionals from different industries.
Shaikh Hilal bin Hamad al Ahasani, CEO, PEIE, was the chief guest.
At the seminar, Dr Giridharadas, with his wide expertise and experience, took the
audience through his Human Capital Management framework that would enable an
organisation to ‘unleash the power of human capital to create sustain and distinctive
performance over time’. He highlighted the centrality of human capital in the strategic
growth of any organisation and discussed ways for ‘authentic and inspirational leaders’
to implement effective human capital management strategies.
More Hyundai Accents join Al Maskry fleet
AL Maskry rent-a-car,
one of the leading car
rental opertors in Muscat
has added more Hyundai
Accent cars to their existing
fleet. This is a testimony that
more and more customers
prefer Hyundai cars as they
are not only trendy, but
also loaded with a host of
comfort and luxury features.
A key handover ceremony was held recently to mark the delievery of the new cars and
Shaikh Amur Sulaiman Said al Maskry, Managing Director of Al Maskry received the
keys of the new Hyundai cars from the representatives of OTE Group, the exclusive
dealer of Hyundai range of vehicles in Oman.
“Hyundai vehicles provide great value and experience to customers through ways
that are unique, which go beyond what customers expect. Customers taking Hyundai
cars throughly enjoy their drive and driving experience. We have also noticed that there
are lot of customers who come back asking for Hyundai cars again” said Al Maskry.
The Accent offers modern design, surprising interior space and an abundance of
comfort and safety features while maintaining the delivery of advanced technology, fuel
efficiency and performance.
Duqm SEZ Authority plans commercial arm
FROM PAGE 17
Importantly, the establishment of a
wholly owned commercial arm fits in with
the unique development model underlying
Oman’s most ambitious SEZ scheme,
according to the official.
“The strategy for creating Duqm is based
on His Majesty the Sultan’s vision. This is a
future city for Oman based on an integration
of
different
economic
components.
Accordingly, we are not only open to (port
and logistics related) investments, but also
tourism, industry — small, medium and
large-scale, fisheries, education, financial
services, and so on. There is room for
different kinds of economic investment in
Duqm. We also expect a lot of people to live in
Duqm and enjoy life here with their families.
The population has already grown to almost
12,000, and is expected to keep growing.”
Tourism investment is projected to grow
as well, the official noted. “We are talking
to international investors to set up tourism
and leisure projects, such as theme and
water parks, restaurants and coffee shops,
amusement activities such as camel riding,
and so on. Besides, a local real estate firm
has acquired land to build a shopping mall
alongside a 3-4 star hotel and golf course.”
(OEPPA Business Development Dept)
MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET
20
omandailyobserver
INTERNATIONAL
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
Asia markets up on China data, ECB stimulus hope
HONG KONG: Asian markets mostly
rose yesterday after China released
data showing its economy grew a little
faster than expected, while speculation
swirled that the European Central
Bank would embark on a huge stimulus
programme. The euro retreated
against the dollar after a minor rally
on Monday as traders also nervously
awaited an close weekend election in
Greece, where a far-left anti-austerity
party is leading the polls.
Tokyo shares jumped 2.07 per
cent, or 352.01 points, to 17,366.30
and Seoul closed 0.82 per cent higher,
adding 15.69 points to 1,918.31.
Shanghai gained 1.82 per cent, or
56.70 points, to 3,173.05 — a day after
slumping 7.7 per cent in response to an
official crackdown on margin trading.
Hong Kong rose 0.90 per cent, or
212.67 points, to 23,951.16.
Sydney was flat, edging down 1.47
points to end at 5,307.67.
Beijing’s statistics bureau said
yesterday the world’s second biggest
economy expanded 7.4 per cent in
2014.
While the figure is down from 7.7
per cent the previous year and is the
weakest since 1990, a year after the
Tiananmen Square crackdown, it beat
the median forecast of 7.3 per cent in
a survey.
“The 2014 GDP result is better than
market expectations and barely missed
the target,” ANZ economist Liu LiGang said. “This result is not too bad.”
However, the country’s National
Bureau of Statistics chief Ma Jiantang
told reporters that “we should
also be aware that the domestic
and international situations are
Oil prices down in Asian trade
SINGAPORE: Oil prices tumbled
further in Asia yesterday, with weak
global demand and an oversupply
dictating the trend for the commodity,
analysts said. US benchmark West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery
in February eased $1.26 to $47.43 in
afternoon trade and Brent crude for
March fell six cents to $48.78. “We
see no near-term catalysts that would
change the supply/demand equation,”
credit ratings firm Moody’s said in a
market commentary.
It said the drop in crude prices by
more than half between June
last year and this month
reflected an increase in
US production, a slow rise
in worldwide demand
and oil kingpin Saudi
Arabia’s decision “not to
keep acting as Opec’s —
and the world’s — swing
producer”. Saudi Arabia is
the major producer among
A man walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, yesterday. Asian stock markets rose on Tuesday, and
Syriza party win. Some analysts say this Brent crude for March fell 39 cents to
Shanghai rebounded from a dramatic dive the day before, after China’s economic slowdown in the fourth quarter wasn’t as
sharp as feared. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.5 per cent to 17,265.40.
— AP could lead to the country eventually $48.45.
still complicated and economic
development is facing difficulties and
challenges”.
A soft result was widely expected
as the economy was hit last year by a
slowdown in manufacturing and trade
as well as declining prices for real
estate, which has sent a shock through
the property sector.
The news provided the catalyst
for pick-up in Shanghai’s stocks. On
Monday they suffered their heaviest fall
in more than six years after regulators
last week suspended three brokerages
from opening new margin trading
customer accounts for three months
because of rule violations.
EYES ON ECB, GREEK POLLS:
“Sentiment improved yesterday with
the better than expected economic
data and a stabilising stock market,”
Banny Lam, co-head of research
at Agricultural Bank of China
International Securities in Hong Kong,
told Bloomberg News.
Eyes are now on the ECB, with
More protection for UK dairy farmers sought
LONDON: British dairy farmers
should be better protected from falls
in the price of milk, lawmakers said
yesterday in a report warning of a crisis
which could damage the country’s
dairy industry in the long-term.
A price war between supermarkets
in Britain has led to milk being sold
at rock-bottom prices, at a time when
lower global demand has also caused
the price to fall, pushing many dairy
farmers out of business.
The report said the number of
British dairy farmers had fallen
below 10,000 for the first time
in recent history, with the BBC
reporting that farmers are being
paid 20 pence for a litre of milk
which costs 30p to produce. Around
2 litres of milk costs around 89p in
some supermarkets.
“Farmers are not covering
the cost of their production, it’s
unsustainable,” Anne McIntosh,
chairwoman of the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs Committee,
told the BBC.
“What we don’t want to see is mass
numbers of dairy farmers leaving
production, and maybe in five or 10
years time, we then are short of milk
production and we have to import,”
McIntosh said.
— Reuters
The 15 per cent stake in Chinese company is worth nearly $37 billion
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer
to decide on Alibaba stake
SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo CEO
Marissa Mayer is facing her biggest
business decision since she left Google
two-and-a-half years ago to lead its
struggling rival: how to manage Yahoo’s
most valuable asset, a 15 per cent stake
in Chinese Internet star Alibaba Group
worth nearly $37 billion.
“This is a defining moment for her,”
says Eric Jackson, managing partner
of hedge fund Ironfire Capital, a longtime Yahoo shareholder. “Marissa has
a chance to really boost the stock if she
plays her cards right.”
Mayer has promised to outline her
Alibaba plans on or before January
27, when the company will release
its fourth-quarter earnings. Most
investors are hoping Mayer will spin
off the Alibaba stake to ease Yahoo’s
tax bill after the company sells those
holdings. Mayer also is under pressure
to return windfalls from Yahoo’s Asian
investments to shareholders instead
of plowing more money into an
acquisition strategy that some think
hasn’t paid off.
Activist investor Jeffrey Smith
has threatened to lead a shareholder
rebellion aimed at ousting Mayer if she
proposes a plan that doesn’t maximise
Yahoo’s tax savings or risks squandering
money on far-flung acquisitions.
“Such actions would be a clear
indication to us that significant
leadership change is required at Yahoo,”
Smith wrote in a January 8 letter to
Mayer. Smith controls 7.7 million Yahoo
shares — a 0.8 per cent stake — through
Starboard Value LP.
The New York hedge fund last year
the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (Opec) cartel,
which decided in November to leave
crude output unchanged, further
pressuring prices.
Moody’s said it has lowered its
price assumptions for Brent crude to
$55 a barrel through 2015 and $65 in
2016.
It also lowered its price assumption
for WTI to $52 a barrel through this
year and to $62 in 2016.
— AFP
reshuffled the board of directors at Olive
Garden owner Darden Restaurants and
in 2012, Smith unsuccessfully tried to
shake up AOL Inc.
In this go-round, Smith is urging
Mayer to merge with AOL as part of
Yahoo’s spin-off of its Asian investments,
and then launch $1 billion in cost cuts,
most likely laying off thousands of
workers. Smith isn’t keen on Mayer
buying anything besides AOL because
she has already spent $1.7 billion on
a grab-bag of more than three dozen
acquisitions that haven’t yet helped lift
Yahoo’s revenue.
Yahoo declined to comment on
Smith’s letter or Mayer’s plans for the
company’s investments in Alibaba and
Yahoo Japan.
Yahoo bought the Alibaba stake in a
deal engineered a decade ago by Yahoo
co-founder Jerry Yang. Alibaba operates
online sites that account for some 80
per cent of Chinese e-commerce and
emerged as one of the Internet’s hottest
companies right around the time Mayer
arrived at Yahoo in July 2012 — a bit
of fortunate timing that has given her
more time than she might otherwise
have had to figure out how to revive
Yahoo’s revenue growth. Before Alibaba
completed the biggest IPO in history
four months ago, Yahoo shares were the
easiest way for investors to buy a piece of
the Chinese company.
Alibaba’s stock has climbed by
about 40 per cent from its initial
public offering price of $68, a surge
that has lifted Yahoo, too. Shares of the
Sunnyvale, California, company have
more than tripled in the last two-anda-half years.
Mayer has publicly applauded Yang
for the Alibaba coup, but also has
taken credit for some of the company’s
progress. She overhauled Yahoo’s apps,
acquired more engineering talent and
technology to make the company
a bigger player in the increasingly
important mobile computing market,
trimmed its workforce and spent $7.7
billion buying back stock to help boost
earnings per share.
“We’ve achieved much more than
many people realise,” Mayer told
investors and analysts in October.
Mayer also helped improve Yahoo’s
relationship with Alibaba after tensions
flared between the companies under
previous management. The fencemending enabled Yahoo to negotiate a
contract that let the company hold on
to its Alibaba stock for a longer period
and reap even more gains. “I don’t
think Marissa gets enough credit for
addressing that Alibaba situation,” says
S&P Capital IQ analyst Scott Kessler.
“Clearly, she has done a better job doing
that than her predecessors.”
— AP
policymakers holding their next
meeting tomorrow and analysts
broadly expecting them to announce
a bond-buying scheme aimed at
kickstarting lending in the struggling
euro zone.
Those expectations have hammered
the euro, which last week fell below
$1.1500 for the first time in more than
11 years before recovering slightly.
The focus will turn to Greece at the
weekend where there are fears a general
election could see the anti-austerity
BIZ BRIEF
Japan, Thai firms
invest $10.4 billion
in China’s Citic
TOKYO: Japanese trading house
Itochu said yesterday that it is
teaming up with Thai agricultural
giant Charoen Pokphand Group
to invest $10.4 billion in Chinese
conglomerate Citic Group. The deal
would see the pair acquire a 10 per
cent stake in Citic for HK$34.4 billion
and invest another HK$45.9 billion in
convertible preferred shares, which
could ultimately double the size of
their stake in the Chinese firm.
By investing in politicallyconnected Citic, the firms would
likely gain easier access to highly
regulated Chinese business sectors,
including resource development,
logistics and real estate. “Itochu
Group has always weighed emphasis
in Asia, but the China market has
been considered as most important
of all, and has been actively
expanding trade and construction of
strategic cooperation with leading
local businesses,” Itochu said in a
statement.
“(The three firms) are highly
complementary with each other and
match well either in terms of business
layout or scale, and the combination
of strength will help to bring about
more synergies from the strategic
cooperation... in the ever-expanding
China and Asia markets.”
Itochu is Japan’s third-biggest
trading house with distribution
networks worldwide, and has strong
links to China — its former chief
executive Uichiro Niwa previously
served as Japan’s ambassador to
China. CP Group was founded by
billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont,
who with his siblings grew the family
business into Thailand’s biggest
agribusiness company, which makes
animal feed and operates a range of
chicken and seafood farms.
Citic is involved in a variety
of industries, including banking,
brokerage services, real estate and
construction. For Citic, which has
focused largely on the domestic
market, a deal could help it tap new
markets in emerging economies
such as Africa and Latin America,
using Itochu’s and CP’s vast networks
in food distribution and resource
development, Japan’s Nikkei business
daily reported.
— AFP
exiting the euro zone.
Yesterday the euro was worth
$1.1584, compared with $1.1630 in
London, and 137.03 yen against 136.69
yen. US markets were closed for a
national holiday.
The dollar was worth 118.34 yen
in Asia, against 117.53 yen in Europe.
The yen — considered safe in times of
uncertainty — suffered selling pressure
as the Chinese data lifted optimism.
On oil markets, US benchmark
West Texas Intermediate for delivery
in February fell $1.41 to $47.28 and
WTI shed $1.06 on Monday and
Brent sank $1.02 on reports of record
daily output in Iraq, adding to worries
about a global supply glut that has sent
prices plunging more than 50 per cent
since June.
Gold fetched $1,279.63 an ounce,
against $1,275.51 late on Monday.
In other markets, Taipei added
0.85 per cent, or 77.63 points, to
9,251.69. Wellington ended slightly
lower, dipping 4.92 points to 5,633.22
and Manila fell 0.43 per cent, or 32.51
points, to 7,452.81.
— AFP
SAP eyes 50 pc increase in sales by 2020
FRANKFURT: German software giant SAP said yesterday it aims to lift annual
revenues by around 50 per cent to 26 - 28 billion euros by 2020, thanks to cloud or
Internet-based computing.
“SAP continues to expect fast growth in its cloud business,” the company said
in a statement, unveiling a sales projection for 2020 for the first time. “We had
exceptional growth in our cloud business,” in 2014, said chief financial officer Luka
Mucic.
“We expect cloud subscriptions to exceed software licence revenue in 2018.
At that time SAP expects to reach a scale in its cloud business that will clear the
way for accelerated operating profit expansion,” he said. Cloud computing is a way
of delivering different services — such as servers, storage and applications — to
an organisation’s computers and devices through the Internet.
It can allow companies to reduce their investment in equipment and maintenance
expenses. As already reported last week, SAP’s underlying or operating profit fell by
3 per cent to 4.33 billion euros in 2014 as a result of the cost of its expansion into the
cloud. Net profit slipped by 1 per cent to 3.275 billion euros on a 4 per cent increase in
revenues to 17.56 billion euros.
— AFP
A man walks in front a Rolex watch retail shop at a shopping mall in
Singapore yesterday. Luxury Swiss watches including Rolexes and Franck
Mullers are selling like hotcakes in Singapore as buyers anticipate a price hike
due to the appreciation of the Swiss Franc, retailers said.
— AFP
Twitter buys India mobile phone startup
MUMBAI: Twitter said yesterday it will buy Indian mobile marketing firm ZipDial,
reportedly for $30-$40 million, as it looks to tap one of the world’s fastest growing
mobile phone markets. The US social media giant, which did not disclose details of the
deal, will take over the staff and offices of the firm, which is based in Bangalore. “Our
primary mission, bolstered by this acquisition, is to help every Indian with a mobile
device get a great, relevant Twitter experience,” wrote Twitter’s India marketing director
Rishi Jaitly in an official blog.
ZipDial’s chief executive Valerie Wagoner applauded the deal as a “huge
achievement”, adding that the company had come a long way since starting in 2010.
ZipDial gives clients phone numbers for use in marketing campaigns.
Clients call the numbers and hang up before being connected, incurring a
charge, and then receive a phone call or text message from a company receiving free
promotional material.
“We will continue building upon the existing ZipDial platform, and now, by coming
together with Twitter, we have the tremendous opportunity to elevate everything we
have built to a global scale,” Wagoner said in a statement.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but local media reported the deal at $30 to $40
million. India’s mobile base is expected to rise sharply in coming years from the current
900 million-plus connections as huge numbers of young people come online and
enter the workforce.
“With the Cricket World Cup around the corner, the rise of Twitter as a tool for
governance, and more Indian icons joining our platform everyday, 2015 promises
to be another big year for Twitter in India, one of our fastest-growing countries
worldwide,” Jaitly said.
The deal is the latest by global tech giants who have bought startups in India.
Facebook bought Bangalore-based mobile technology firm Little Eye Labs last year to
help the social network develop performance analysis and monitoring tools. — AFP
PERSPECTIVE
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
REPORT
omandailyobserver
21
CARD
China’s economic growth slows to a 24-year low
BEIJING: China’s economy grew at
its weakest for almost a quarter of a
century in 2014, official data showed
yesterday, with authorities describing
slower expansion as the “new normal”
and analysts tipping further deceleration
this year.
The 7.4 per cent announced by the
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) was
slower than the 7.7 per cent seen in 2013,
but exceeded the median forecast of 7.3
per cent in a survey of 15 economists.
Growth in the world’s second-largest
economy during the final quarter came
in at 7.3 per cent year-on-year, the
NBS said, matching the previous three
months and beating the 7.2 per cent
median forecast in the survey.
“China’s economy has achieved stable
progress with improved quality under
the new normal in 2014,” NBS chief Ma
Jiantang told reporters.
“However we should also be aware
that the domestic and international
situations are still complicated and
economic development is facing
difficulties and challenges.”
The full-year result, the worst since
3.8 per cent recorded in 1990, comes
after one of the pillars of the global
economy was hit by manufacturing and
trade weakness as well as declining prices
for real estate, which has hammered the
key property sector.
Beijing had set an official target of
“about” 7.5 per cent for last year. The
goal is traditionally pegged at a level
that is easily achieved, and is usually
approximated to provide room for
positive spin just in case it is missed. The
2014 result is the first miss since 1998,
The full-year result comes
after one of the pillars of
the global economy was
hit by manufacturing and
trade weakness as well as
declining prices for real
estate, which has hammered
the key property sector
during the Asian economic crisis.
Economists were largely upbeat on
the results, but said they did not alter the
outlook for further slowing this year.
“The 2014 GDP result is better than
market expectations and barely missed
the target,” ANZ economist Liu Li-Gang
said. “This result is not too bad.”
Nomura economists expect GDP to
trend lower following the “short respite”
at the end of last year “given deeprooted domestic challenges such as
tighter controls over local government
debt, the property market correction
and deleveraging”, they said in a note
following the figures.
For this year, the economists in
the survey see a median 7 per cent
expansion.
In its latest World Economic
Outlook update, released yesterday, the
International Monetary Fund projected
even slower growth this year, of 6.8 per
cent. (See below article).
China overtook Japan as the world’s
second-largest economy in 2010 and
the NBS said its GDP reached 63.65
trillion yuan at 2014 prices last year. That
remains far behind the US, whose 2013
GDP was estimated by the World Bank
at $16.8 trillion.
Ma dismissed suggestions that China
has overtaken the global number one
on a purchasing power parity basis,
saying such calculations “may have
underestimated China’s price levels and
overestimated its GDP”.
The NBS also said industrial
production, which measures output
at factories, workshops and mines,
accelerated to rise 7.9 per cent year-onyear in December from 7.2 per cent in
November.
Retail sales, a key indicator of
consumer spending, also grew at a
slightly faster 11.9 per cent in the same
month.
Fixed asset investment, a measure of
government spending on infrastructure,
expanded 15.7 per cent on-year for the
whole of 2014, weakening from the 15.8
LOOKING AHEAD
IMF lowers global growth forecasts
on sluggish EU, Japan, BRICS
TOKYO: The International Monetary Fund lowered
its forecasts for global growth over the next two
years, warning yesterday that weakness in most major
economies will trump gains from lower oil prices.
The IMF’s report was released as China reported
its slowest growth in 24 years. The IMF downgraded
projections it issued in October by 0.3 percentage
point each, predicting global growth at 3.5 per cent this
year and 3.7 per cent in 2016.
But even with those reductions, the world economy
will be growing faster than in 2014, when the IMF
estimates it expanded 3.3 per cent. Much of the
momentum is coming from an accelerating recovery
in the US, the world’s largest economy.
China reported that its economic growth slowed
to 7.4 per cent last year, the weakest expansion since
1990, compounding the challenges for the country’s
communist leaders as they try to overhaul the economy.
Europe, Japan and Russia are also logging slower
growth, while the US is a rare bright spot.
“The recovery in the US is quite strong and therefore
it will continue, despite the appreciation of the dollar,”
Olivier Blanchard, the IMF’s director of research, told
reporters in Beijing in a briefing broadcast online.
The advanced economies are forecast to expand
by 2.4 per cent in 2015, a smidgen higher than earlier
thought, and at the same rate in 2016. Growth in
developing economies is forecast to slip to 4.3 per
cent from an estimated 4.4 per cent in 2014, but then
recover to 4.7 per cent in 2016.
“New factors supporting growth — lower oil prices,
but also depreciation of the euro and yen — are more
than offset by persistent negative forces, including
the lingering legacies of the crisis and lower potential
growth in many countries,” Blanchard said.
Diminished expectations for many economies are
discouraging investment, which in turn is undermining
potential future growth, the report said. Blanchard described
Russia’s outlook as “quite bleak” and said the slower growth
in China would hurt nations it imports from, especially in
Asia. The most obvious risks involve stagnation in the euro
zone, or Japan, or both,” Blanchard said.
Massive monetary and fiscal stimulus have yet
to trigger strong corporate spending in Japan,
where companies are pessimistic about a rebound
in consumer demand because of the country’s
shrinking and ageing population. Still, the 55
per cent plunge in oil prices in US dollar terms
since September is raising the purchasing power
of consumers and businesses in Japan and many
countries, while also raising demand among oil
importers. It also reduces pressure on central banks
to raise interest rates to cool inflation.
That presents a “complicated mosaic” of
Diminished expectations for many
economies are discouraging investment,
which in turn is undermining potential
future growth, the report says
implications, Blanchard said, with some countries
reaping windfalls in energy savings while others face
smaller tax and export revenue. Overall, weaker prices
for oil and other commodities are sapping growth
prospects for countries in the Middle East, subSaharan Africa — especially Nigeria and South Africa
— and Latin America. China’s slowdown will stunt
growth throughout developing Asia.
Among the key trends and possibilities it outlines:
ŒWorld trade will accelerate in advanced
economies, growing 3.7 per cent in 2015 and 4.8 per
cent in 2016, up from 3 per cent last year. But growth
in trade volume will fall this year in emerging markets
such as China before rebounding to expand 6.1 per
cent in 2016.
ŒWeaker oil prices will drag on inflation, with
consumer prices rising only 1 per cent in the advanced
economies and 5.7 per cent in emerging markets.
ŒVolatility in prices for oil and other resources has
raised risks in global financial markets, with a potential
for destabilising outflows of money from emerging
markets.
ŒGeopolitical risks such as turmoil in the Middle
East and war in Ukraine remain high, though ample
supplies have reduced the likelihood of serious supply
disruptions.
ŒLower oil prices could give both producing
and consuming countries the leeway to enact
energy reforms. Eliminating subsidies may free up
resources for helping the poor or building needed
infrastructure.
— AP
per cent recorded for the first 11 months
of the year.
Despite the slowdown last year,
authorities say they intend to stick to the
path of transforming the economy into
one where growth is increasingly driven
by consumer spending rather than big
ticket investments, and emphasising
quality of expansion over size.
Premier Li Keqiang has said slowing
growth is no worry so long as job growth
in the world’s most populous country
does not suffer.
Ma, the NBS chief, said the bureau’s
“internal survey rate” for unemployment
in 2014 was about 5.1 per cent, but
refused to provide a comparative figure
for the previous year.
Authorities last year did not take
an entirely hands off approach to the
growth slowdown, implementing a
series of targeted measures analysts
described as “mini-stimulus”. And in
November the central People’s Bank of
China cut interest rates for the first time
in more than two years to try to put a
floor on the slowdown.
Li told China’s State Council, or
Cabinet, on Monday that authorities
would strike a balance between
stabilising growth and pushing
structural reforms in 2015, state media
reported.
“As the global economy is undergoing
a deep restructuring and slow recovery,
China’s government will likely face
heavy tasks in tackling the difficulties,”
he said, according to the official Xinhua
news agency.
Economists are broadly expecting
further monetary policy tinkering this
year, including at least one more interest
rate cut, but say the focus will be on
reforms over the temptation of major
stimulus.
“There should be further easing, but
large-scale easing is unlikely,” Liao Qun,
Hong Kong-based economist for Citic
Bank International, said. “The economy
does not need a strong stimulus, as long
as it’s enough to help it stabilise and not
— AFP
slide further,” he said.
COUNTER MEASURE
Malaysia cuts budget,
cuts growth forecast
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia yesterday cut its economic growth forecast
for this year and announced a slew of austerity measures after tumbling oil
prices forced the government to slash spending.
Prime Minister Najib Razak (pictured) said the government’s 2015
budget, announced in October, was based on oil prices averaging $100 a
barrel but this projection was no longer realistic as global crude prices have
dropped by over 50 per cent. State oil company Petronas contributes about
a third of Malaysian government revenue.
Najib, who is also finance minister, said the government lowered its oil
price forecast to $55 a barrel, which will lead to a revenue shortfall of 8.3
billion ringgit ($2.3 billion) despite savings from the removal of fuel subsidies
last month. He said development spending would still be maintained at
48.5 billion ringgit but the government will slash its operating expenditure,
initially set at 223.4 billion ringgit, by 5.5 billion ringgit.
The economy is forecast to grow between 4.5 and 5.5 per cent this
year, while the budget deficit is expected
to equal 3.2 per cent of gross domestic
product. Earlier, the government forecast the
economy to expand 5 - 6 per cent and the
budget deficit to narrow to 3 per cent from
3.5 per cent in 2014.
Without austerity measures, Najib said
the budget deficit would have shot up to 3.9
per cent of GDP this year.
“We are not in crisis,” Najib said in a
televised speech. “We are taking pre-emptive
measures following the changes in the
external global economic landscape which is
beyond our control. This is to ensure that our
economy continues to attain a respectable and reasonable growth.”
Malaysia’s ringgit has depreciated by 10 per cent against the dollar in the
last four months and the country’s current account surplus is shrinking.
Najib said the financial system was still functioning in an “orderly
manner” and voiced confidence that the ringgit, currently hovering at
3.60 to the dollar, would recover over time. The sudden revisions to the
budget were criticised by opposition lawmakers. Since the earlier budget
was approved by Parliament in October, opposition lawmaker Tony Pua
said Najib’s ruling party, in power for nearly six decades, should have also
sought approval from Parliament to revise the budget. He said the decision
showed the government’s “utter contempt and disdain” for the legislature.
Najib said the government will trim spending on supplies and services
such as overseas travel and the use of professional services to help save
1.6 billion ringgit. Transfers and grants to government-linked bodies and
agencies will be reviewed to save a hefty 3.2 billion ringgit, he said. A
three-month national service programme, part of boot camp training for
18-year-olds, will be deferred to save 400 million ringgit, while postponing
purchases of non-critical assets will save 300 million ringgit, he said.
To cut the cost of doing business, Najib said the government will defer
electricity tariff hikes this year as well as a gas price hike for industry. He said
visa fees for tourists, including those from China, will be waived to boost
tourism while levies on foreign workers will be reviewed. Projects such as a
proposed high-speed rail link to Singapore and a trans-Borneo highway will
be continued to boost the economy. A 6 per cent goods and services tax, to be
launched in April, will help bring in 1 billion ringgit in revenue, he said. — AP
22
LEISURE
omandailyobserver
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
Online Editor’s Choice
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
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by Brian Basset
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13 On the page ‘soft drink containing
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14 I do chuck it around, being a fool (5)
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18 Observes retreating when you attack
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25 An arsonist who’s getting off (7)
27 Has to have the frisky nag, not a tame
mount (7)
30 English found among the various
slain foreigners (6)
31 Cold and exhausted when you drop
round (4,2)
32 Signs that they’re not legal tender (5)
35 She’s no less ready to make a
comeback (5)
36 From habit, form a line (5)
37 Gets information about the return on
savings (4,3)
39 Result of the leakage (7)
41 Change the people going in notice (5)
42 Hot rod carrying a girl (5)
43 Polishes and rubs frantically to get a
shine anew in (9)
44 Gave a garbled version of how she
had been cheated (7)
1
2
3
4
5
6
STONE SOUP
42 Male duck (5)
43 Obligatory (9)
44 Spectre (7)
DOWN
1 Type of hat (6)
2 Plugs, bungs (8)
3 Subjugated (11)
4 Famous person (9)
5 Disperse (7)
6 Single (10)
7 Snatch (4)
10 Get away (6)
11 Hide (7)
12 Mild (6)
19 Ungodly (7)
21 Curtail (7)
24 Disaster (11)
26 Cut of beef (10)
28 Hospital (9)
29 Large wasps (7)
30 Planet (6)
32 Forsakes (8)
33 Topics (6)
34 Throb (7)
38 Fire-breathing monster (6)
40 Chair (4)
CR O SSW O R D
ACROSS
YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC
SOLUTIONS
7 A few years have gone by, lady (4)
10 For a bad actor, an agent standing by
wouldn’t help (6)
11 Such relations as you’re not very
friendly with (7)
12 Jump up, once released (6)
19 The leveller that makes a poor team
become a better one (7)
21 Chars the papers (7)
24 Finding not as well maintained as
before (7,4)
26 Festooned with, while one waited
(4,6)
28 Unveiled, is brazen (4-5)
29 Didn’t go together when she entered,
DOWN
dressed in (7)
Let’s see the colour of your money (6) 30 I can’t go out with a hole in the suit
Used to trot the horse round; left
(6)
nothing to chance (4,4)
32 Has to, when a stir is created within,
Forthright and having an unattractive
you suspect (8)
voice (5-6)
33 ‘Could be slang,’ one put in, ‘for
Figure the threat is working, which is
warning’ (6)
dreadful (5-4)
34 Hostile as ever, squashed a number
Are wrong to spread lies, you know
inside (7)
(7)
38 Eats more, no doubt, in winter than
Either rises quickly or doesn’t budge
in summer (6)
(6,4)
40 Given instruction, we’re told, in tense
(4)
EASY PUZZLE
ACROSS
8
9
13
14
15
16
17
18
20
22
23
25
27
30
31
32
35
36
37
39
41
Ruin (7)
Hired soldier (9)
Exclusive news story (5)
Hangman’s halter (5)
Sewing aid (7)
Unprofessional (7)
Slice meat (5)
A fool (5)
Tests taken at school (5)
Scarcity (6)
Colour (6)
Thrive (7)
High chest of drawers (7)
Rider’s seat (6)
Mohair (6)
Thing of value (5)
In that place (5)
Alliance (5)
Nonsense (7)
Withstands (7)
Paris underground (5)
DOWN: 1, Bot-C-h 2, Lat-in 3, Yore 4,
Mo-T-or 5, Lied 6, Cave-RN 9, Weight 11,
Hop 12, Deb-RA 13, Care for 15, Sap 16,
Pe-t 18, E-aster 20, Loser 21, Get 22, Sit
23, Player 25, Yen 28, Range 30, Wan-DA
31, Skids 32, Turn 33 Can’t.
YESTERDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 4, Accord 7, Examiner 8, Spring
10, Irish 13, Moat 14, Lisp 15, Tint 16,
Rid 17, Iran 19, Raid 21, Transform 23,
Seen 24, Tale 26, Ban 27, Sped 29, Ages
32, Door 33, Usual 34, Dreams 35, Entitled
36, Editor.
DOWN: 1, Peril 2, Saris 3, Wish 4, Arson
5, Curt 6, Rancid 9, Patrol 11, Rip 12, Spire
13, Minster 15, Tan 16, Rim 18, Ransom
20, Areas 21, Ten 22, Fad 23, Sacred 25,
Pea 28, Poser 30, Gully 31, Slide 32, Daft
33, Unit.
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:
Your concern
over your health
will evaporate
during the year
ahead and
your sense
of well-being
will improve
as the year
progresses.
You can put
behind you
any idea of
becoming an
invalid, and
enjoy life to
the full once
more. Renewed
energy will
enliven your
everyday
activities.
ACROSS: 4, M-Alice 7, Orator-IO 8,
Twelve 10, Chi-d-e 13, Co-Ed 14, Hone
15, Sari 16, Pry 17, B-ear 19, Glen 21,
Grapes-hot 23, Peas(-hooter) 24, Fits 26,
Ult. 27, Trot 29, Ewes 32, Tear 33, C-rank
34, Tyburn 35, Grand-dad 36 Fringe.
Haima . . . . . . . . 23436013 . . . . 23436055
Sohar . . . . . . . . . 26840022 . . . . 26840099
Al Buraimi. . . . . 25650855 . . . . 25652319
Sur . . . . . . . . . . . 25440244 . . . . 25461373
Tanam . . . . . . . . 25499011 . . . . 25499033
Masirah . . . . . . . 25404018 . . . . 25404018
Ibra. . . . . . . . . . . 25470533 . . . . 25470535
Adam. . . . . . . . . 25434167 . . . . 25434055
Bidiya . . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535
Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990
Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148
Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187
Dibba. . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443
Burkha. . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397
Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338
AQUARIUS
PISCES
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
January 21February 19
February 20March 20
March 21April 20
April 21May 20
May 21June 21
June 22July 21
Analyse the motive of an unusual suggestion by a friend
and take your time about agreeing to become a partner in his
venture.
A small but essential service done
for a friend in need will cause him
to show his appreciation far in
excess of the thanks you might be
expecting.
Instead of dwelling constantly on the
hope for a better future grasp the opportunities which are there now and
make the most of what life offers at
the moment.
In a discussion at work about
future prospects you must make
your views and ambitions clear
and leave no doubt in the mind
of your boss about your ability.
Be careful not to give the wrong impression in a matter of romance, or
the person concerned may decide to
terminate the relationship without
further ado.
Accept an invitation which doesn’t
seem very promising as it will probably be very enjoyable. Don’t let past
disappointment prevent you from
going.
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
July 22August 21
August 22September 22
September 23October 22
October 23November 21
November 22December 21
December 22January 20
The planning of a holiday is half
the fun which you will miss if you
left your travel arrangements to
others. You will get more variety if
you plan your own holiday break.
A romantic attachment spoilt by
too frequent tiffs seems to promise very little joy for the future
and ought to be severed as soon as
possible.
If you feel that you ought to tell a
trusted friend a secret, do so without reservation in the knowledge
that he will not betray your confidence
Don’t begrudge a small sacrifice
of time and money if there is the
slightest chance of gaining something much more valuable in return.
After clearing up the work
which you have allowed to accumulate lately, make up your mind
to deal with it as it arises in the
future.
You may have a wonderful
invitation this weekend to an exciting evening of entertainment,
don’t let any excuse get in your
way.
CLASSIFIEDS
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
23
omandailyobserver
Situation Vacant
PRIVATE bilingual
school at Muscat
needs a Specialist
and experienced
Teachers
(Chemistry, Physics,
Maths, English).
Email:
cps20102011@
hotmail.com
93005900
·····
EUROPEAN RESTAURANTS REQUIRE
WAITERS &
WAITRESSES
Aged between 21 to 32 y.o.
Candidates should be friendly, energetic,
with a good command of English.
E-mail: darcysmsq@gmail.com
EUROPEAN RESTAURANTS REQUIRE
Good News
Buying or Selling
AYURVEDIC
Treatment, Yoga
Massage &
slimming. Web
address: www.
siddhayur.com
92504980/
24475280.
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male QA/QC
Engineer-Civil (BE,
ACQE) in Oman on
visit visa, overall 10
years of experience in
Š‹‰Š”‹•‡–‘™‡”ǡ‘ˆϐ‹…‡
building and
residential
construction project
in Qatar and UAE,
holding valid GCC
driving licence
00968 93958533,
e-mail: sheikhnavid@
yahoo.com
·····
INDIAN male, 27 years,
B Tech Mechanical,
having 1 year pipeline
experience, seeking
job in any mechanical
ϐ‹‡Ž†ǤŠ‡„‡Ž‘™
mentioned points need
attention: 1 NOC is
available, 2. Available in
Oman till 31st January.
Contact 95982207.
E-mail: rahman.taus@
gmail.com
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male BE
mechanical engineer
with 3-month
…‡”–‹ϐ‹…ƒ–‡…‘—”•‡‹
QA/QC, pipeline and
NDT. In Oman on visit
visa, seeks suitable
placement. Contact
95803035, E-mail:
jittenvjacob@gmail.
com
·····
INDIAN male 24
years, having Omani
driving licence, MS in
Biotechnology from
USA, seeks suitable
job in management/
ƒ”‡–‹‰ϐ‹‡Ž†ǤƒŽŽ
96246621/95738937.
CIVIL Draughtsman:
·····
Indian male, 23 years
INDIAN male, BTech-E&I, with 3 years experience
in AutoCad, 2D & 3D,
10 years experience in
MEP, HVAC, 3DSMAX and
Sales, Procurement and
Business Development. 6 Photoshop, looking for
suitable position,
years Oman experience
presently in Muscat on
in Oil & Gas Sector,
visit visa. Contact:
having Omani driving
91764358.
licence, NOC available,
seeks suitable placement. mohdsiraj02@
yahoo.com
Contact: 97233074.
·····
·····
·····
SUPERVISORS &
TEAM LEADERS
BUYING/Selling car
for cash. Contact:
94614333.
·····
CLASSIFIED SECTION
RUWI : 24785668
Aged between 26 to 32 y.o.
Candidates should be friendly, energetic,
with a good command of English.
E-mail: darcysmsq@gmail.com
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male, 24 years,
MBA, having 2 years of
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡‹ϐ‹ƒ…‹ƒŽ
ƒ……‘—–‹‰ϐ‹ƒŽ‹•ƒ–‹‘ǡ
knowledge of Tally ERP,
Focus, Wings, Peachtree,
MS-Excel, currently on
visit visa, seeks suitable
placement. Available
immediately. Contact
91058205, E-mail:
aslammohammed10@
gmail.com
·····
CIVIL Engineer (BE),
7 years experience in
excution & skilled with
MS-Word, Excel, AutoCad,
seeking for a suitable
placement, currently
on employment visa
& available in Muscat.
98499008. E-mail:
saadkhan1331@gmail.
com
·····
IT assistant, BSc
computer science with 4
years experience, MCP,
MCITP. 95874315.
·····
INDIAN male, BCom
with 2 years experience
in purchase section in
Oman (studied in Oman),
currently on visit visa
seeks suitable position in
capital region in Oman.
95902965.
·····
·····
INDIAN male, 22 years,
BE Mechanical Engineer,
seeks suitable placement.
INDIAN mechanical
engineer, B Tech, 2 years Contact: 95020044.
experience in mechanical e-mail: sameemsm2009
@gmail.com
maintenance at leading
tyre manufacturing
·····
company. Contact:
ELECTRONICS/
95910749, e-mail:
Telecom Technician:
svrohit_001@yahoo.co.in ™‡ŽŽ“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹‡†ƒ†
·····
·· · · · ·
experienced Indian
male, 26 years old,
MBA (SCM), 1 year
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡‹ϐ‹ƒ…‡ƒ• Diploma in Electronics
& Telecommunication
Accounts Assistant,
Engineering, having
”‡Žƒ–‡†ϐ‹‡Ž†ǣƒ……‘—–•
4 years experience in
and warehouse. Contact:
Electronic & Telecom
91795092. e-mail:
ϐ‹‡Ž†™‹–ŠƒŽ‡ƒ†‹‰
jameel6345@gmail.com
international telecom
·····
·····
company, presently
INDIAN male, 25
working in India, looking
FEMALE,
MBA,
looking
years, Bachelor of
for a job in Oman. Ready
for work part/full-time
Business Management,
to join immediately.
‘™Ž‡†‰‡‹ˆϐ‹…‡ǡ job. With prior
experience of HR Domain Contact: 99087175.
2 years experience as a
Merchandiser, showroom in Muscat. 98460262. · · · · ·
sales with NOC, now
BE, Civil Graduate
·····
on visit visa. Contact:
(fresh), Indian looking
INDIAN male, 24 years,
98659980.
for suitable position.
BE Electrical and
·····
Contact: 95117509.
electronics having 15
INDIAN male, 43 years,
·····
months experience,
Sales Executive, 11 years seeking suitable
QUALIFIED CMA (ICWA),
experience in Oman with placement. Now available
MCom with 2 yrs
watches, perfumes and
in Oman. Contact:
experience in Accounts,
electronic items. Contact: 92453891, e-mail:
costing, auditing &
99167361.
jestinjose007@gmail.
SAP in reputed listed
com
·····
companies, seeks
suitable placement.
·····
INDIAN looking for
94619453. E-mail:
account & administration CIVIL Engineer (BTech),
cmashahidkt@gmail.com
job, previous 1 year
Indian male, 24 years
experience in Oman.
·····
with 1+years Indian
97424337.
‡š’‡”‹‡…‡ȋ…‡”–‹ϐ‹‡†‹
INDIAN male, accounts &
·····
Quantity Survey/
ϐ‹ƒ…‡ǡ“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹‡†
Primavera/AutoCad).
(ICWA), MCom with 2
INDIAN male, BTech
Looking for a suitable
years experience in
in electronics and
position. Available in
accounts, costing,
communication and
Sultanate of Oman
auditing & SAP in
…‡”–‹ϐ‹‡†
(Muscat) on visit visa.
reputed listed
engineer, looking for
Contact:
companies, seeks
a suitable position in
91303860. e-mail:
suitable placement.
telecom sector or in
94619453. E-mail:
‡Ž‡…–”‘‹…•ϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ‘–ƒ…– mdayubmak@
gmail.com
cmashahidkt@gmail.com
91611341.
INDIAN male, with 10
years Oman experience
in sales with Omani
driving licence, looking
for suitable job. Contact:
95067844. E-mail:
sawood668@gmail.com
·····
·····
SYRIAN Mashavi
Cook and Moroccan
Lady Cook for Qurum
Beach Hotel.
24704994 or
99238012.
·····
Situation Wanted
A TUTOR holder of
Bachelor in English
language and a Bachelor
degree in Education.
Contact: 98599631.
INDIAN male 30, DCP,
B Com, having total 12
yrs exp and 7 years exp
in Oman construction
procurement, Civil and
MEP, interior decoration
& waterline division
looking for suitable
placement. 98653189.
KHALID Company for
Medical Supplies
Sales Manager/
Biomedical
Technician
- Experienced in GCC
Sales of Medical
- Driving Licence
- NOC available on
request
Contact: 95051234.
E-mail: biza843@
gmail.com
·····
·····
INDIAN male, 30, D.C.P.,
B.Com having total 12
yrs exp & 7 yrs exp in
Oman. Construction,
procurement, civil &
MEP, interior decoration
& waterline division,
looking for suitable
placement.
Contact:
98653189.
·····
INDIAN male, Executive
Secretary/Document
Controller, 15 years
experience in Oman,
looking for suitable job.
91091963, e-mail:
pkmr24@yahoo.com
·····
YOUNG Sudanese
candidates looking for
job having experience
‹˜ƒ”‹‘—•ϐ‹‡Ž†•Ž‹‡
Communication,
Customer Services,
IT, Sales & Marketing.
968-99837053.
E-mail: mawia_mahdi@
hotmail.com
·····
FILIPINO female, 5 years
experience as sales lady,
worked in SM Mall
Philippines, good
communicative skill in
English and computer
knowledge, seeks
suitable placement.
Studied diploma in
Business Management.
Contact: 97630459.
E-mail: imanulal@gmail.
com
·····
INDIAN male MCA
graduate currently
working in a software
company India. Good
Knowledge of SQL ASP.
NET, Visual Studio, JAVA
NET, looking for suitable
opening Contact:
99210940.
·····
INDIAN male, 22 years,
mechanical engineer,
fresher, looking for
a placement in any
‡…Šƒ‹…ƒŽϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ‘–ƒ…–
95020044.
·····
INDIAN male with 10
years Oman experience
in sales with Omani D/L,
looking for suitable job.
95067844. E-mail:
sawood668@gmail.com
·····
For Sale
INDUSTRIAL area
land in Rusayil,
5,000 Sq.mt and
building with 8
shops. Contact
95490842,
92702891.
·····
FOR NRIs only:
PLOTS (4.5/9 cents)
(Rs 5.5 lacs/cent)
and villas near Aluwa
Metro Station (Kerala)
for sale. Contact
98934705. E-mail:
skprealtor@yahoo.
com
·····
ʹǧ
VILLA in Saih Al
Ramdah, Bausher
for sale on a 981m2
corner land at RO
135,000. 99346417,
95797263.
·····
TWO twin villas in Al
Khuwair 33. Total built
area 526m2.
RO 178,000 (for both).
Negotiable, from the
owner. 99414767.
·····
Situation Wanted
TELECOMMUNICATION
Technician having 3
years exp in software
programming (PABX,
CCTV...) and marketing
looking for a job in
technical area or
HR, Admin, sales,
marketing. Contact:
91706132. E-mail:
mbousaad@gmail.com
·····
CIVIL Engineer, 14
years experience, 5
years in Oman, valid
driving licence, NOC
release available
Contact: 91101892.
·····
LIGHT driver, Pakistani.
95776320.
·····
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: a.almashari@omandaily.om
Wednesday, JANUARY 21, 2015
editor@omanobserver.om
www.omanobserver.om
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Announcement
•”ƒ”Žƒ„ƒ”ƒŠ
Trad — Limited
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’”‡‰‹•–‡”‡†
ƒ––Š‡‘‡”…‹ƒŽ
‡‰‹•–‡”‘ˆ–Š‡
Directorate General
of Commerce and
†—•–”›‹–Š‡
Žƒ–‹ƒŠ‘”–Š
Governorate under
‘ͳͳʹͻ͹ʹ͸„”‹‰•–‘
›‘—”ƒ––‡–‹‘–Šƒ–‹–‹•
transforming its legal
form from a limited
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’‘’ƒ›
–‘ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’
‘’ƒ›‹Ž‹‡™‹–Š
–Š‡ƒ”–‹…Ž‡ȋͳ͵Ȍ„‹•
ȋʹȌ‘ˆ–Š‡‘‡”…‹ƒŽ
Companies Law
‘ͶȀ͹Ͷƒ†‹–•
amendments and
™Š‘‡˜‡”‹•‘„Œ‡…–‹‰
‹–•Š‘—Ž†•—„‹–
”‡ƒ•‘•ˆ‘”‘„Œ‡…–‹‘
ƒ––Š‡ƒˆ‘”‡‡–‹‘‡†
‹”‡…–‘”ƒ–‡™‹–Š‹
–™‘‘–Š•ˆ”‘–Š‡
†ƒ–‡‘ˆ’—„Ž‹•Š‹‰–Š‹•
announcement.
·····
ƒƒ–Ž—ƒ
Company — Limited
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’”‡‰‹•–‡”‡†
ƒ––Š‡‘‡”…‹ƒŽ
‡‰‹•–‡”‘ˆ–Š‡
Directorate General
of Commerce and
†—•–”›‹–Š‡
Žƒ–‹ƒŠ‘”–Š
Governorate under
‘ͳͳͶͳͳʹ͹„”‹‰•
–‘›‘—”ƒ––‡–‹‘–Šƒ–
it is transforming
its legal form to A
ƒ”–‡”•Š‹’‘’ƒ›
‹Ž‹‡™‹–Š–Š‡ƒ”–‹…Ž‡
ȋͳ͵Ȍ„‹•ȋʹȌ‘ˆ–Š‡
Commercial Companies
ƒ™‘ͶȀ͹Ͷƒ†
its amendments and
™Š‘‡˜‡”‹•‘„Œ‡…–‹‰
‹–•Š‘—Ž†„”‹‰ˆ‘”–Š
”‡ƒ•‘•ˆ‘”‘„Œ‡…–‹‘
ƒ––Š‡ƒˆ‘”‡‡–‹‘‡†
‹”‡…–‘”ƒ–‡™‹–Š‹
–™‘‘–Š•ˆ”‘–Š‡
†ƒ–‡‘ˆ’—„Ž‹•Š‹‰–Š‹•
announcement.
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Lost
Ali al Maashari: 99639264 ali.almashari@omandaily.om
e-mail: classified@omandaily.om
Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 m.alrahdi86@yahoo.com
DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 21, 2015 | RABEE AL AWWAL 30, 1436 AH
P26
P27
P28
Inside
Iraq ease past Palestine in Asian Cup Williamson ton powers Kiwis to win ISM girls beat ISWK to win title FOLLOW US ON:
SHORT TAKES
Woods’ front tooth
knocked out by
videographer
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy: Tiger
Woods has another reason not to like
cameras — his agent said it cost him
a tooth. Woods made a surprise visit
to Italy on Monday to watch girlfriend
Lindsey Vonn capture her record 63rd
World Cup title.
The photo that generated all the
buzz was Woods missing his front tooth.
The culprit, according to his agent,
was a camera.”During a crush of
photographers as the awards podium
at the World Cup event in Italy, a media
member with a shoulder-mounted video
camera pushed and surged toward the
stage, turned and hit Tiger Woods in the
mouth,” Mark Steinberg of Excel Sports
said in an email.”Woods’ tooth was
knocked out by the incident.”
Race organisers said this was not
reported to them. They added that
Woods did request extra security and
a snowmobile to exit the finish area,
and organizers met both requests.”I was
among those who escorted him from
the tent to the snowmobile and there
was no such incident,” Nicola Colli, the
secretary general of the race organising
committee, said.
“When he arrived he asked for more
security and we rounded up police to
look after both him and Lindsey.”
Woods had been wearing a scarf with
a skeleton pattern over the lower part of
his face, sunglasses and a stocking cap.
The photo was taken when the scarf
was lowered.
— AP
Goals will come for
Suarez: Enrique
MADRID: Barcelona coach Luis
Enrique has backed Luis Suarez to
come good in front of goal despite
the Uruguayan’s paltry record of two
league goals since becoming the
most expensive signing in the club’s
history.
Suarez has only made 15
appearances in all competitions since
his reported $114 million move from
Liverpool in July.
Suarez missed two glorious
chances as Lionel Messi stole the
headlines with his 30th hat-trick
for the club as Barca eased past
Deportivo la Coruna 4-0 on Sunday,
but Enrique praised Suarez’s work
rate and insisted his class will ensure
a return to goalscoring form sooner
rather than later. “Luis Suarez looks
fine to me,” Enrique said ahead of
his side’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal,
first leg against Atletico Madrid on
Wednesday.
— AFP
www.omanobserver.om
editor@omanobserver.om
Djokovic, Serena march on in Melbourne
SMOOTH SAIL: Top seeds and former champions advanced to next round in the Australian Open
MELBOURNE: Top seeds Novak
Djokovic and Serena Williams stuck to
the Australian Open script with fairly
routine victories on Tuesday, while men’s
champion Stan Wawrinka and two-time
winner Victoria Azarenka joined them
in the second round.
The tournament had been turned
on its head on the first day with eight
women’s seeds, notably fifth ranked Ana
Ivanovic, crashing out in the first round.
Tuesday’s matches went mostly as
expected, however, with Djokovic barely
troubled while Serena had some issues
in the second set against players ranked
more than 100 places below them.
Bidding to become the second man
to win five Australian Open titles and
touted by pundits and fellow players as
the player to beat, Djokovic put in just
enough effort to beat Slovenian qualifier
Aljaz Bedene 6-3 6-2 6-4 in a shade
under two hours.
“For a first round performance it was
pretty good,” said Djokovic, who has
been dogged by a virus this month.”Still
need to work on some things. I’m still
developing my game so I’m glad to go
through. It has been a rough two weeks
health-wise but I’m getting there.”
Serena was at her ambivalently
arrogant best in the first set, appearing
to barely acknowledge Alison Van
Utyvanck’s presence as she swatted aside
the Belgian 6-0 in 21 minutes and then
jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second.
Such was her dominance a ‘doublebagel’ appeared on the cards before the
20-year-old found her rhythm and range
and forced the 18-times grand slam
winner into a match, which caused some
frustrations for the American before she
ran out a 6-0 6-4 winner.
“As always, I had the jitters going
out in the first match of a grand slam,”
she said.”It’s never super easy to be the
one that everyone wants to beat. So I
always have to be a little bit above. But
I felt okay (and) I definitely think I can
improve a tremendous amount.”
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reaches to hit a return to Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia in Melbourne. — Reuters
TOP-10 WIN
Despite taking a fall early in his match,
Wawrinka was equally comfortable
against Marsel Ilhan, the only Turkish
man to have made a grand slam main
draw. “First grand slam is never easy,
but I’m happy the way I played,” the
Swiss told reporters.”I play some good
tennis and I have confidence with my
game in general.”
Kei Nishikori also had few problems,
enjoying a 6-4 7-6 6-2 victory over
former top-10 player Nicolas Almagro,
who is on the comeback trail after foot
surgery last June.
Eighth-seeded Canadian Milos
Raonic also advanced, 7-6(3) 7-6(3) 6-3
over qualifier Illya Marchenko, though
he admitted his laconic demeanour
on court hides a tangled mess of high
strung nerves and personal demons.
“Everything bothers me deep down,”
a smiling Raonic said after his 28th ace
sealed the win over the 144th-ranked
Ukrainian.”Everything. I’m not that
relaxed.”
DARK HORSE
Twice champion Victoria Azarenka,
unseeded after an injury-ravaged 2014,
proved she was a dangerous floater in
the draw as she got back to her bansheescreeching best, raising the decibel levels
on Hisense Arena in a 6-3 6-2 win over
American Sloane Stephens.
“Being an unseeded player, it’s not
a surprise that I have a tough draw or
tough opponents in the early round,” she
said.”I just need to go through that.”
The tournament does not get any
easier for Azarenka with a second round
clash against former world number one
Caroline Wozniacki, who eventually
outfought American teenager Taylor
Townsend 7-6(1) 6-2.
“It’s going to be tough, she’s won here
before (and) not the easiest on paper,”
Wozniacki said of the second round
clash. But at the same time...whether you
have to beat her in the second round or
fourth round, whatever, doesn’t matter if
you want to win the tournament.”
— Reuters
Li Na announced her pregnancy on Monday in front of 15,000 cheering fans on Rod Laver Arena
Li always dreamed of being a stay-home mum
MELBOURNE: Pioneering Chinese tennis
star Li Na Tuesday said she has long wanted
a child and to be a stay-at-home mum
after announcing she was pregnant at the
Australian Open.
The two-time Grand Slam winner,
hugely popular at Melbourne Park where
she won the title last year and reached the
final in 2011 and 2013, unexpectedly retired
in September.
“I think it’s a very tough decision for me
to make, saying goodbye to tennis,” she said.
“But my dream is be a housewife. I think
every child they learn from the family. I
learned from my mum, so I was feeling
the woman has to be like housewife,” the
former player said.
“I guess I was not bad at tennis, so I was
feeling, okay, tennis can take care of a lot.
But my dream is be a
housewife. I think every
child they learn from the
family. I learned from
my mum, so I was feeling the
woman has to be like housewife
LI NA
Former tennis player
But I think now is the time to turn back.”
Li announced her pregnancy on Monday
in front of 15,000 cheering fans on Rod
Laver Arena, where she has been a guest
of honour, saying she was hoping for a
daughter.
Li, who won nine titles in her career,
is credited with introducing tennis to the
masses in China.
She became a sporting pioneer in her
homeland when she decided to break from
the state sports system in 2008 with a group
of up and coming players, in a move dubbed
by local media “fly alone”.
The move meant she was able to choose
her own coaches and keep most of her
winnings rather than giving them to the
government.
Despite her fame and fortune, Li said she
would not be pushing her child onto the
tennis courts.
“Tennis is my job, it’s not their job, you
know,” she said.
“Everyone has (their own) personality. I
just wish them to be happy and healthy.”
— AFP
26
W E D N E S DAY l J A N U A R Y 2 1 l 2 0 1 5
SHORT PASSES
Asian Cup
war cries
get stuck in
throat
Asian Cup just
the start, says
Palestine boss
CANBERRA: Palestine coach Ahmad
Alhasan hailed his players’ spirit on
Tuesday after they exited the Asian Cup
and declared their first appearance at
the tournament was just “the beginning”.
The Palestinians fought tooth and
nail against Iraq, going down 2-0 in their
best performance in Australia. They also
lost 4-0 to defending champions Japan
and 5-1 to Jordan.
“We knew before the tournament
that we would be playing teams that are
ranked much higher than us,” Alhasan
told reporters.
“But we have gained a lot of
experience and a huge lesson by
participating. It will have a deep impact
on our future planning and strategy for
the team,” he added.
“We will definitely invest everything
we have learnt, we are now so much
more experienced than we were before
we came here.”
The Palestinians, ranked 115th in the
world, overcame complications of an
Israeli blockade to reach their first Asian
Cup by winning the AFC Challenge Cup
last year.
Palestine suffer from travel
restrictions put in place by Israeli
authorities, meaning they are often
missing players and struggle to hold
training sessions and friendlies.
They finished bottom of Group
D with zero points, but leave with
their heads held high. “You have to
understand that for most of our players
this is the first time in a big tournament,”
said Alhasan. ”We know that they lack
the sufficient fear factor to deal with the
pressure currently.”
“But they’ve had a wonderful game
tonight and we reached Iraq’s goal
area nine times,” he added.”This is the
beginning, this is not the end.” — AFP
Australia captain
back for training
Japan’s Keisuke Honda (centre) watches after taking a shot at Jordan goal during their Group D match in Melbourne.
TALISMAN: Honda netted his third goal in three games to guide his team to quarters
Superior Japan blank Jordan
MELBOURNE: Keisuke Honda and
Shinji Kagawa were on target to give
Japan a 2-0 win over Jordan on Tuesday
as the holders swept imperiously into
the Asian Cup quarterfinals.
Talisman Honda snapped up a
rebound on 24 minutes after Shinji
Okazaki’s drive had been well blocked
by goalkeeper Amer Shafi, to net his
third goal in three games and take the
Blue Samurai through as comfortable
Group D winners.
Kagawa, largely ineffectual up to that
point, slammed home the second from
close range eight minutes from time,
capping Japan’s third straight victory.
They advanced to face the United
Arab Emirates in the last eight while
Jordan were eliminated.
“It was an intense game,” Japan coach
Javier Aguirre told reporters.”We had to
give maximum effort but we deserved
to win.
Now everything starts from zero
again. All the eight teams in the quarterfinals have equal opportunity to win the
tournament.”
Honda was his side’s heartbeat
throughout the match, watched by
25,000 in Melbourne including Japanese
tennis star Kei Nishikori, competing at
the Australian Open across the road.
Shortly after putting Japan in front,
Honda whipped in a corner which
defender Masato Morishige met with
a fierce header that forced an acrobatic
tip-over from the busy Shafi.
Japan had the ball in the net after just
10 minutes, only for Takashi Inui’s bullet
volley to be ruled out after Okazaki was
harshly adjudged to have taken the ball
out of play before crossing.
Honda, fined $5,000 at the weekend
for an outburst over the officiating at the
Asian Cup, also had a goal disallowed
for a questionable offside shortly before
the hour-mark and smashed a shot
against the post in the last minute in a
live-wire performance.
‘GULF IN CLASS’
“We perhaps should have scored
a second goal earlier to avoid
complications but I can’t fault the
players,” said Aguirre.”We created a lot
of chances and had two goals wiped out.
I feel we are improving game by game.
“Physically and mentally, we’re
strong,” added the Mexican. “Now
it’s about keeping our discipline and
not getting involved with the referees
or controversies. Every match will be
difficult from here and it’s important to
peak at the right time.”
Makoto Hasebe, making a record
56th appearance as Japan captain,
bossed the midfield, constantly
breaking up play to allow Honda and
Yuto Nagatomo the freedom to run riot.
Jordan coach Ray Wilkins, who had
Socceroos ’keeper Ryan stock rises
SYDNEY: Australia goalkeeper Mat
Ryan has his eyes fixed firmly on Asian
Cup success over the next couple of
weeks but thereafter looks set to ride
his fine form in the ‘green and gold’ to a
move to a top European club side.
Not that he is desperate to leave Club
Brugge, where he signed a new fouryear deal last November and retained
the Belgium Pro League goalkeeper of
the year title last month.
Also awarded the Harry Kewell
medal for Australia’s outstanding
BRISBANE: Australia and China received
timely boosts ahead of their Asian Cup
quarterfinal on Thursday when both
captains rejoined their teams at training.
Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak
missed the final two group matches
after injuring his ankle in the opening
match of the tournament and Chinese
captain Zheng Zhi left the field early in
his team’s last match with North Korea
with a sore back.
But both men joined their respective
teams on the practice pitch in Brisbane
on Tuesday and are expected to take
their place in their starting lineups when
the knockout phase begins.
Jedinak’s return is especially welcome
news for Australia after they lost their
last group match 1-0 against South
Korea and striker Mathew Leckie said his
presence would have a big influence on
the match ahead.
“It will be tough for the other team
to deal with, knowing that our captain is
back,” Leckie told reporters on Tuesday.
“He’s a strong presence in the
midfield, he breaks down a lot of play
and I think it will be a massive boost for
all of us.
“He has done so well this year and
I’m sure the opposition will know that
as well. So when they see him coming
back, they will be worried.” — Reuters
— Reuters
under-23 player of 2014, Ryan would
probably be attracting the attention of
the best clubs in Europe even if he was
not playing so well at the Asian Cup.
With little to do in Australia’s
victories against Kuwait and Oman,
Ryan showed the concentration
required of the best goalkeepers by
pulling a couple of saves out of the top
drawer when play finally came his way.
There was disappointment in
Australia’s third match when the
hosts lost 1-0 to South Korea but
the Socceroos qualified comfortably
enough for the knockout stages and face
China in the quarterfinals in Brisbane
on Thursday.
“The tournament for me personally
has been great,” Ryan said. “Just seeing
all the fans and the hype around it. I just
can’t wait for kickoff on Thursday.
“Hopefully another sold out
stadium and another crack at difficult
opponents and hopefully one that we
can overcome.”
Ryan made a spectacular fingertip
been screaming and waving his arms
on the touchline in red-faced fury as
the veins bulged in his head, gave a far
calmer assessment of the game after
the final whistle. “It showed the gulf in
class,” said the Englishman.”We were
beaten by an exceptionally good Japan
team. That’s what we have to aspire to
-- to be as good as those guys. It’s going
to take a very good team to beat the
Japanese team.”
Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima
barely broke sweat as he kept a third
clean sheet.
“We didn’t have too many
opportunities,” shrugged Wilkins.”It
was very difficult to get the ball off
them. My head’s still spinning, their
football is of a very, very high standard.”
“It won’t be easy,” insisted
Kagawa.”Every game is a knockout
game now and we expect far tougher
challenges.”
— AFP
MELBOURNE: The Asian
Cup is packing a punch
with its eye-popping goals
and temper tantrums, but
the official team chants have
fallen on deaf ears.
The 16 competing sides
went into battle with what
organisers listed on the
tournament’s Twitter feed as
their “Asian Cup War Cries”,
but most efforts got stuck in
the throat.
Hosts Australia, panned
for last year’s cheesy World
Cup slogan “Hopping our
way into history!”, this
time plumped for the less
expansive “Go Socceroos!”
Unsurprisingly, the chant has
yet to be heard.
Kuwait’s ambitious “Blue
Like The Waves!” has also
failed to break into the charts.
The team was all at sea,
however, hauling anchor
quickly after losing all three
games.
Plucky Jordan can lay
claim to the most arresting
effort, warning grimly that
there is “No Escape From
Jordanians”.
Iraq, surprise champions
in 2007, claimed “The Asian
Cup only wants Iraq!” —
overlooking the drawbacks
of holding a tournament with
just one team. Other own
goals included “Come On
China!”, a rough translation
of the traditional Chinese
chant of “Jia you!”, which
literally means “Add petrol!”
The UAE’s was probably
the
least
imaginative,
failing to get beyond basic
geography with the slogan:
“United Arab Emirates”.
Oman’s official war cry
was the peace-loving “Go
With All Our Prayers” —
not enough to stop Paul Le
Guen’s side exiting with a
whimper.
— AFP
ASIAN CUP TABLE
GROUP A
S Korea (Q)
Australia (Q)
Oman
Kuwait
3
3
3
3
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0 3
1 8
2 1
3 1
0
2
5
6
+3
+6
-4
-5
9
6
3
0
GROUP B
China (Q)
3
Uzbekistan (Q) 3
Saudi Arabia 3
North Korea 3
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
2
3
5
7
+3
+2
0
-5
9
6
3
0
5
5
5
2
GROUP C
Iran (Q)
UAE (Q)
Bahrain
Qatar
3
3
3
3
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
4
6
3
2
0
3
5
7
+4
+3
-2
-5
9
6
3
0
GROUP D
Japan (Q)
Iraq (Q)
Jordan
Palestine
3
3
3
3
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
7
3
5
1
0 +7
1 +2
4 +1
11 -10
9
6
3
0
Played, won, drawn, lost, goals for/against, goal difference, points; Q - qualified for quarterfinals
save to deny Kuwait’s Fahed Al Ebrahim
later in that match and his athletic
save from Raed Saleh in the third
minute of the 4-0 win over Oman was
equally impressive. “He’s brilliant,” said
Oman skipper Ali Al Habsi, a fellow
goalkeeper who played in the English
Premier League with Wigan. — Reuters
Mahmoud on target as Iraq ease past Palestine
CANBERRA: Talismanic striker
Younis Mahmoud was on target
but also missed a penalty as Iraq
overcame a stubborn Palestine
2-0 on Tuesday to set up an
Asian Cup quarterfinal with old
rivals Iran.
The 2007 champions were
not at their best but goals by
Mahmoud and a late second
from Ahmed Yaseen sent
them through from Group D
as runners-up behind holders
Japan, who made it three wins
out of three by beating Jordan
2-0 in Melbourne.
Mahmoud’s 48th minute
header was only Iraq’s second
goal in the tournament and
their disjointed attack, which
struggled to penetrate the
tournament’s leakiest backline,
will need to improve against a
mean Iranian defence which has
yet to concede. Mahmoud has
long been the focal figure of the
Iraqi frontline, the last link to the
2007 Asian Cup winning side,
but his powers are clearly on the
wane. His winning goal was a
case of third time lucky.
Having failed to hit the target
in two previous subdued displays
against Japan and Jordan he
netted with his third chance in
as many second half minutes to
break the Palestinian resistance.
The 31-year-old skipper
hooked a right foot shot wide in
the 47th minute before Abdallatif
al Bahdari’s outstretched leg
blocked his next effort moments
later but he finally found a way
through from the resulting
corner. Substitute Ali Adnan
whipped the ball in from the
right and Mahmoud rose highest
to connect with a near post
header to break the deadlock.
Palestine, thumped 4-0 by a
wasteful Japan and then 5-1 by
Jordan, should have pulled level
just three minutes later when a
careless pass by Salam Shakir
allowed Ashraf al Fawaghra
clear on goal but the Palestinian
forward saw his shot blocked
by the legs of goalkeeper Jalal
Hassan. Mahmoud, who has
more than 130 caps for his
country, had the chance to settle
the contest just on the hour mark
when Iraq were awarded a soft
penalty.
Ahmed
Mahajna
was
adjudged to have shoved
Justin Meram in the back but
Mahmoud could only hit a low,
soft penalty which the towering
stand-in Palestine goalkeeper
Tawfiq Abuhammad parried
away to his left.
— Reuters Iraq’s Ahmed Yaseen Gheni (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Palestine.
— Reuters
SPORT
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
AFRICAN
omandailyobserver
27
England overpower India by 9 wickets
CUP
FANTASTIC FINN: Fast bowler Finn claimed five wickets as India crumbled for 153 runs
Algeria’s Rafik Halliche (right) vies with South Africa’s
Sibusiso Vilakazi during the African Nations Cup. — AFP
Algeria and
Senegal off to
winning starts
MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea: Algeria and
Senegal made winning starts to their African Nations
Cup campaigns on Monday with dramatic comefrom-behind victories in Group C.
Moussa Sow scored with the last kick of the game
at the Estadio de Mongomo to see Senegal to a 2-1 win
over Ghana, while South Africa missed a penalty and
scored an own goal as they allowed Algeria to fight
back and win 3-1.
The victories left both Algeria and Senegal on
course for a knockout place if they win their next
group games on Friday.
Senegal were behind after just 13 minutes when
their captain Bouna Coundoul brought down
Christian Atsu and Andre Ayew converted the penalty.
But patient play allowed Senegal to take command
in the second half as they out-muscled a Ghanaian side
who had new coach Avram Grant in charge for the first
time.
Mame Biriam Diouf grabbed the second half
equaliser when he reacted quickest to a rebound before
Senegal snatched the
win deep in stoppage
A long upfield punt
time.
A long upfield by Coundoul fell
punt by Coundoul fell kindly for substitute
kindly for substitute
Henri Saivet, whose
Henri Saivet, whose
crisp one-two with crisp one-two with
Diouf released Sow Diouf released Sow
in the heart of the
in the heart of the
penalty box and
the
striker
gave penalty box and
goalkeeper
Razak the striker gave
Brimah no chance
goalkeeper Razak
with a first-time shot
Brimah no chance
into the far corner.
“We might have with a first-time shot
been behind at halfinto the far corner
time but we always
knew we had the
potential to win the
game,” said coach Alain Giresse.
South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba declared the
“best team lost” after watching his men squander an
early lead and lose in front of a capacity 15,000-strong
squad.
But that was unfair on the top-ranked Algerians,
who finished strongly to confirm their status among
the favourites.
Thuso Phala scored after a slick passing move for
South Africa in the 51st minute and they then won
a penalty just minutes later for a chance to go 2-0
ahead.
But Tokelo Rantie blasted his kick against the
crossbar as a set of calamitous errors cost his side
dearly.
Thulani Hlatshwayo mistimed a clearing header
to concede an own goal in the 67th minute to allow
— Reuters
Algeria back into the game.
BRISBANE: England thrashed
India by nine wickets with more
than 22 overs to spare on Tuesday
to record their first win in the triseries tournament in Australia and
boost their confidence ahead of next
month’s World Cup.
Fast bowler Steven Finn claimed
his first five-wicket haul in a one-day
international as England destroyed
India’s batting line-up at the Gabba
in Brisbane.
Finn took 5-33 from eight overs
while Jimmy Anderson picked up
four wickets as the pair skittled the
reigning world champions for 153 in
less than 40 overs.
Ian Bell and James Taylor both
posted unbeaten half-centuries as
England cruised to victory in 27.3
overs, earning a bonus point for
their lopsided win.
Bell finished 88 not out off 91
balls, inching closer to 5,000 ODI
career runs, while the pint-sized
Taylor remained unconquered on
54 from 63 deliveries, chalking
up his third fifty in eight ODI
appearances.
The pair shared an unbroken
partnership of 131 after England lost
opener Moeen Ali for eight, the only
hiccup in the romp.
“Outstanding. We really put a
team performance, which I was
delighted with,” England captain
Eion Morgan told reporters.
“And there were individual
performances. Steve Finn got that
bounce and made most of it. Jimmy
(Anderson) set the tone with an
early breakthrough.”
The towering Finn, who stands
2.01 metres (6ft-7in) tall, tore
through India’s fragile middle order
with his pace and extra bounce, with
England’s bowler Steven Finn (second from left) celebrates the dismissal of India’s Ajinkya Rahane with teammates in Brisbane.
three of his wickets coming through
catches to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Finn got the prized wickets of
Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh
Dhoni and was on a hat-trick after
he clean bowled Axar Patel for a
golden duck.
Anderson gave England the
perfect start when he removed
Shikhar Dhawan for one in the third
over and returned to mop up the tail
and finish with 4-18.
With India’s world record
holder Rohit Sharma skipping
the match because of a minor
hamstring complaint, the tourists
needed someone else to make a big
contribution but no-one did.
All-rounder Stuart Binny, who
came in for Ravichandran Ashwin,
top scored with 44, while Dhoni
made a patient 34 and opener
Ajinkya Rahane 33.
“We have to use whatever time is
left before the World Cup in a useful
manner.”
“Staying four and a half months
away from home is difficult, but we
have to switch on and switch off,”
Dhoni said.
“We need to switch on and assess
what needs to be done in the nets, or
wait in the hotel if the need be.”
— Reuters
SCOREBOARD
INDIA
A Rahane c Taylor b Finn ------------------------------- 33
S Dhawan c Buttler b Anderson ---------------------- 1
A Rayudu c Buttler b Finn ----------------------------- 23
V Kohli c Buttler b Finn ----------------------------------- 4
S Raina st Buttler b Ali ------------------------------------ 1
MS Dhoni c Buttler b Finn ---------------------------- 34
S Binny c Morgan b Anderson ---------------------- 44
— Reuters
A Patel b Finn ------------------------------------------------- 0
B Kumar b Anderson -------------------------------------- 5
M Shami c Ali b Anderson ------------------------------ 1
U Yadav not out ---------------------------------------------- 0
Extras (lb3, w3, nb1) ------------------------------------- 7
Total (all out, 39.3 overs) -------------------- 153
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-57, 3-64, 4-65, 5-67,
6-137, 7-137, 8-143, 9-153
Bowling: Anderson 8.3-2-18-4, Woakes 7-0-350, Broad 7-0-33-0, Finn 8-0-33-5, Ali 9-0-31-1
ENGLAND
I Bell not out ------------------------------------------------ 88
M Ali c Kohli b Binny -------------------------------------- 8
J Taylor not out --------------------------------------------- 56
Extras (w3, nb1) -------------------------------------------- 4
Total (1 wicket, 27.3 overs) ----------------- 156
Fall of wickets: 1-25
Bowling: Binny 7-0-34-1, Kumar 2-0-18-0,
Yadav 6-0-42-0, Shami 4-0-23-0, Patel 7.3-0-320, Raina 1-0-7-0
Williamson powers Kiwis
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson plays a shot against Sri Lanka.
— AFP
NELSON, New Zealand: Kane
Williamson made a welcome return
to the New Zealand side with an
elegant century to set up a fourwicket victory over Sri Lanka in
the fourth one-day international on
Tuesday.
Backed by lusty hitting from
Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi,
New Zealand overtook Sri Lanka’s
276 with 11 balls to spare and move
2-1 ahead in the seven-match series.
In a tense finish, New Zealand
needed 47 off 36 balls when the
24-year-old
Williamson
was
removed for 103, his fifth ODI
century. Anderson was run out for
47 with New Zealand needing 32
runs with 26 balls left.
Up stepped Luke Ronchi to blast
a rapid 32 including three sixes and
Daniel Vettori hit a four as New
Zealand finished with a flourish.
After losing the early wickets
of Brendon McCullum, Martin
Guptill and Ross Taylor cheaply,
an unflustered Williamson led the
rescue mission, first in partnership
with Grant Elliott and then with
Anderson. He brought up his
century with a steady accumulation
of singles, only reaching the
boundary seven times with six fours
and a six. But having attained the
milestone he was bowled by Thisara
Perera and Anderson vacated the
field soon after.
McCullum, on whom New
Zealand rely heavily to get off to
a good start, failed to oblige this
time with a gentle poke at a Nuwan
Kulasekera delivery and was caught
at mid on for just 11. Guptill failed to
back up from his unbeaten 66 in the
washed out third match in Auckland
on Saturday as he was caught behind
for 20 while Taylor went cheaply for
eight as New Zealand slumped to
63-3 after 15 overs.
Elliott, who scored 44, was happy
to accumulate singles in a patient 88run stand with Williamson which
ensured there were wickets in hand
for the final run chase.
Sri Lanka’s innings was the
product of finely constructed
performances by their two elder
statesmen Kumar Sangakkara and
Mahela Jayawardene.
Between them the 37-year-olds
contributed all but 106 of Sri Lanka’s
276 with Jayawardene scoring 94 off
82 deliveries and Sangakkara, who
moved up to third on the list of top
ODI run scorers, making 76 off 83.
Sangakkara now has 13,490 runs,
214 behind Australian Ricky Ponting
on a list headed by Indian great
Sachin Tendulkar who amassed
18,426 runs.
— AFP
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA
D Karunaratne lbw Southee --------------------------5
T Dilshan c Guptill b Williamson -----------------44
K Sangakkara c Guptill b Milne -------------------76
M Jayawardene c Ronchi b Anderson ---------94
A Mathews c Ronchi b Milne -------------------------0
L Thirimanne b McClenaghan ---------------------19
T Perera c McCullum b Southee ---------------------5
J Mendis c Vettori b Southee ----------------------12
N Kulasekara run out -------------------------------------4
S Senanayake not out -----------------------------------1
R Herath c Williamson b McClenaghan ---------0
Extras (lb 2, w 14) --------------------------------------16
Total (for 10 wickets, 49.3 overs) -------276
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-113, 3-180, 4-180,
5-245, 6-253, 7-268, 8-270, 9-273
Bowling: Southee 10-1-59-3, Milne 7-0-28-2,
McClenaghan 9.3-0-58-2, Anderson 3-0-19-1,
Elliott 3-0-19-0, Vettori 10-0-41-0, Williamson
7-0-50-1
NEW ZEALAND
M Guptill c Sangakkara b Mathews -------------20
B McCullum c Perera b Kulasekara --------------11
K Williamson b Perera ------------------------------ 103
R Taylor c Sangakkara b Herath ---------------------8
G Elliott c Thirimanne b Mendis ------------------44
G Anderson run out (Dilshan) ---------------------47
L Ronchi not out ------------------------------------------32
D Vettori not out --------------------------------------------7
Extras (lb 1, wd 7) ----------------------------------------8
Total (for 6 wickets, 48.1 overs) ---------280
FoW: 1-24, 2-41, 3-63, 4-151, 5-230, 6-245
Bowling: Kulasekara 9-0-51-1, Mathews
4-1-16-1, Herath 9-1-39-1, Perera 8-0-58-1,
Senanayake 9.1-0-57-0, Mendis 7-0-40-1,
Dilshan 2-0-18-0
Opener Paritosh together with skipper Wasim Ali smashed tons to set up an 89-run win for Indian School Muscat against ISD
Basit century helps PSM ‘B’ beat ISM ‘B’ in junior league
MUSCAT: Opening the batting
Muhammad Basit remained unbeaten
on 105 (64b, 14x4) to help Pakistan
School Muscat (PSM) register an easy
88-run win against Indian School
Muscat ‘B’ (ISM ‘B’) in a Junior League
T20 Under-13 match during the
weekend at the Municipality Ground
No.1 at Al Amerat.
Batting first, PSM posted a massive
210 runs for 3 wickets in 20 overs thanks
to a 136-run opening partnership
between Basit and Nouman Safdar 54
(38b, 6x4).
In reply, ISM ‘B’ managed to score
122 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.
Brief scores: PSM – 210 for 3 in 20 overs
(Muhammad Basit 105 n.o., Nouman Safdar 54) bt
ISM ‘B’ – 122 for 8 in 20 overs (Mohsin Ali 23,
Bharat S 23; Habib Ur Rehman 2-15, Adeel Abbas
2-38); Points: PSM - 2 (10 games – 11), ISM ‘B’ - 0
(6 games – 5)
HASEEB BOWLS PSM TO WIN
Muhammad Haseeb with tantalising
bowling figures of 5 for 6 off 2.4 over
helped Pakistan School Muscat (PSM)
recorded a thumping 7-wicket win
against Al Hail School of Cricket
(AHSC) in an Al Turki Enterprises
sponsored 25 overs a side Junior League
Under-16 match.
Opting to bat, a 9-member AHSC
team were bundled out for 49 in 15.4
overs. Requiring 50 runs for victory,
Electing to bat, ISM ‘A’ notched up
PSM got to their target off 9 overs losing 164 runs for 4 wickets in 20 overs.
BDSM in their turn were bowled
1 wicket in the process.
out for 130 in 17.5 overs with skipper
Brief scores: AHSC – 49 all out in 15.4 overs
(Muhannad Said Al Balushi 16; Muhammad Haseeb Jahedul Islam scoring 41 (25b, 5x4).
5-6, Saud Asghar 2-1) lost to PSM – 51 for 1 in 9
Shaurya Rajat was the pick of the
overs (Nisar Tajamal 16 n.o.); Points: PSM - 2 (9 bowlers ending with figures of 3 for 11
games – 13), AHSC - 0 (7 games – 3)
in 2.5 overs.
PRATHAMESH SHINES FOR ISM ‘A’
Brief scores: ISM ‘A’ – 164 for 4 in 20 overs
Opening the batting skipper (Prathamesh S 83, Ankith Dwarakinath 23 n.o.) bt
Prathamesh S scored a brilliant 83 (72b, BDSM – 130 all out in 17.5 overs (Jahedul Islam
9x4) to help steer Indian School Muscat 41; Shaurya Rajat 3-11, Githin 2-19, Vrishab 2-20);
Points: ISM ‘A’ - 2 (5 games – 8), BDSM - 0 (8 games
‘A’ (ISM ‘A’) to a 34-run win against – 9)
WASIM, PARITOSH HIT TONS
Bangladesh School Muscat (BDSM) in
Opener Paritosh Bhatt 108 (65b,
a Junior League T20 Under-13 match at
Ground No.2 at Al Amerat.
12x4) together with skipper Wasim
Captain and opener
Prathamesh S scored a
brilliant 83 (72b, 9x4) to
help steer Indian School
Muscat ‘A’
to a 34-run win against
Bangladesh School Muscat
sponsored 25 overs a side Junior League
Under-16 match.
Electing to bat, ISM piled up a
colossal 249 for 2 wickets in 25 overs.
Requiring 251 for a win, ISD were
rolled over for 160 in 22.2 overs after the
openers Prathyaksh 47 (29b, 6x4) and
Moin Qureshi 40 (26b, 5x4) put together
97 runs in 8 overs.
Wasim Ali took 3 wickets for 32 runs
for ISM.
Ali unbeaten on 107 (65b, 17x4) put
together 185 runs for the first wicket to
set up an 89-run win for Indian School
Muscat (ISM) against Indian School
Darsait (ISD) in an Al Turki Enterprises
Brief scores: ISM – 249 for 2 in 25 overs (Paritosh
Bhatt 108, Wasim Ali 107 n.o., Varun Anand 22 n.o;
Samuel Samju 2-42) bt ISD – 160 all out in 22.2
overs (Prathyaksh 47, Min Qureshi 40; Wasim Ali
3-32, Shehzadullah H 2-20, Paritosh Bhatt 2-23);
Points: ISM – 2 (8 games – 14), ISD – 0 (9 games – 6).
28
SPORT
omandailyobserver
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
Hawks silence Pistons for 13th win in row
STAR SHOW: James scored 26 points as Cleveland entered the comfort zone after beating Chicago Bulls
ATLANTA: The Atlanta Hawks won
their 13th straight game, one short
of equaling the team record, as Mike
Scott and Paul Millsap each scored 20
points on Monday in a 93-82 victory
over the Detroit Pistons.
The Hawks haven’t lost since
December 26 against Milwaukee. The
Pistons were trying for their clubrecord eighth straight road win.
Greg Monroe led Detroit with 16
points and 20 rebounds.
Andre Drummond added 13 points
and 18 rebounds, but made only 3 of
12 free throws.
LeBron James scored 26 points for
Cleveland and JR Smith added 20 as
the Cavaliers entered a favourable
portion of their schedule with a 10894 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Back home after winning two
games in Los Angeles to salvage a trip
out West, the Cavs had little trouble
with the Central Division-leading
Bulls.
Cleveland opened a 25-point
lead in the third quarter and handed
Chicago its fourth loss in five games.
Smith made six 3-pointers, Kyrie
Irving scored 18 with 12 assists and
Kevin Love added 16 points and 12
rebounds for the Cavs, who have won
three straight.
Jimmy Butler scored 20 points and
Derrick Rose had 18 for the Bulls.
The New York Knicks ended
their 16-game losing streak, getting
24 points and nine rebounds from
Carmelo Anthony to beat the shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans 99-92.
Jose Calderon made his biggest
basket of a difficult first season in New
York, a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left
that gave the Knicks a four-point lead.
That was just enough to help them
hold on for their first victory since
December 12 and end the longest
single-season skid in club history.
At Houston, James Harden scored
a season-high 45 points, including 18
in the third quarter as the Houston
Rockets beat the Indiana Pacers 11098.
It was the 18th 30-point game and
fourth with 40 this season for Harden,
the NBA’s leading scorer.
The Washington Wizards downed
the Philadelphia 76ers 111-76 after
Marcin Gortat scored 20 points, and
John Wall had 11 points and 10 assists.
Washington went on a 20-3 run for
a 27-11 lead late in the first quarter
and coasted to the win.
Damian Lillard scored 22 points,
including the go-ahead basket with
1:20 remaining, as the Portland Trail
Blazers ended a three-game losing
streak with a 98-94 win over the
Sacramento Kings, while the Charlotte
Hornets defeated the Minnesota
Timberwolves 105-80 for their
seventh win in eight games.
In other games, the Los Angeles
Clippers defeated the Boston Celtics
102-93, the Golden State Warriors
downed the Denver Nuggets 12279, the Dallas Mavericks beat the
Memphis Grizzlies 103-95, the
Toronto Raptors edged the Milwaukee
Bucks 92-89 and the Phoenix Suns
were 115-100 winners over the Los
Angeles Lakers. — AP
Toronto Raptors’
Jonas
Valanciunas
dunks against the
Milwaukee Bucks.
— USA Today
Sports
RESULTS
Phoenix bt LA Lakers 115-100
Cleveland bt Chicago 108-94
Portland bt Sacramento 98-94
Toronto bt Milwaukee 92-89
New York bt New Orleans 99-92
Houston bt Indiana 110-98
Dallas bt Memphis 103-95
Atlanta bt Detroit 93-82
Charlotte bt Minnesota 105-80
Washington bt Philadelphia 111-76
Golden State bt Denver 122-79
LA Clippers bt Boston 102-93
Al Harthy counts down to Round 3 at Losail circuit
MUSCAT: Oman’s Ahmed al Harthy is
looking to this weekend’s racing action
as a new opportunity to showcase his
talents in the region’s most competitive
racing series, the Porsche GT3 Cup
Challenge Middle East, as the drivers
prepare to showdown in Round 3 at
Losail International Circuit, Qatar.
Returning to the series for Season 6,
Al Harthy has shown an encouraging
consistency to his performances which
clearly demonstrates he is more than
capable of producing a run on the
Drivers’ Standings.
Currently placed in eighth, the
Omani will be looking to Round 3 as the
weekend which could change his luck
and propel him and his team further up
towards championship contention.
Speaking ahead of the weekend
races Raffii said: “Quite honestly it has
not been the start I was looking for but
it is still early days in the series. I’ve
spent time getting to know the car, the
tracks and the other drivers, as well as
settling into the team. Now the focus
is on converting this knowledge into
results on the track. Without a doubt I
has hosted some of the most exciting
races in recent memory.
Previously Losail has been best
known for floodlit night races but for
Round 3 the drivers will be competing
under the hot Qatari sun with even
faster lap times expected.
The third round of the season looks
to be one of the most compelling yet
for Middle Eastern race fans with series
leader, and Al Harthy’s team-mate,
Clemens Schmid of Al Nabooda Racing
looking to extend his lead at the top of
the drivers’ standings.
Hot on his heels is defending
champion Zaid Ashkanani of Kuwait
who sits just four points behind the
UAE resident with this weekend’s action
holding the potential of a turning point
in the championship.
Ahmed al Harthy ahead of Porsche GT3 CCME in Qatar first round.
am not far off the pace and it just shows
how competitive this series really is. Just
a few seconds separates the top 8 drivers
in most races so focus, concentration
and a bit of luck are crucial. 2015 is a
new start and this weekend in Qatar is
a great chance to get back in the car and
post some fast times.”
Set to play host this weekend will be
the thrilling Losail International Circuit
near Doha, Qatar. With tight turns and
a lightning quick mid-section the track
Overall championship standings after Race 2
Round 2 – Top 6
Name Country Team Points
1. Clemens Schmid (UAE) Al Nabooda Racing 94
2. Zaid Ashkanani (Kuwait) BuzaidGT 90
3. Hasher al Maktoum (UAE) Skydive Dubai Falcons 84
4. Charlie Frijns (NED) Team Frijns 76
5. Saeed al Mehairi (UAE) Skydive Dubai Falcons 65
6. Raed Raffii (BAH) Team Bahrain 55
HOCKEY
FEST
Hockey matches
to mark Indian
Republic Day
MUSCAT: A Hockey Festival will be
held to celebrate the 66th Republic
Day of India 2015 as well as the 60
years of establishment of Indo - Oman
Diplomatic ties.
The event will be jointly organised
by Bellu Kuttappa ‘Team Coorg
(Muscat)’ and ‘Friends of Naqvi Group’
under the patronage of Embassy of
India and in coordination with the
Oman Hockey Association.
This is the eighth year in a row that
Team Coorg (Muscat) & Friends of
Naqvi Group are organising this event
in the Sultanate with the support of
the Indian community, the Embassy of
India and Oman Hockey Association.
The celebrations will be held
at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex
Hockey Stadium on January 24 from
4pm to 7pm.
JS Mukul, the Ambassador of India,
will preside over the function and
distribute the prizes.
Shaikh Mahfoodh Ali Juma al
Juma, the Chairman of Oman Hockey
Association, will be the guest of
honour.
The Indian School Al Seeb choir
will render the National Anthem of
India and Oman as well as the Indian
flags will be hoisted.
It has been planned to organise two
matches.
The event is sponsored by: — Dr
Mujeeb Hassan of Amana Modern
Medical Centre, Seeb, Mohammed
Rafiq of Mohammed Rafiq & Partners
LLC, Bellu Kuttappa of Team Coorg
(Muscat), Friends of Naqvi Group and
Mohammed Osama Rawat, a sports
personality in hockey circle.
Elite dignitaries of sports from
Oman and India have agreed to grace
the function.
Australian golfer Allenby stands
by story of ordeal in Hawaii
LOS ANGELES: Australian golfer
Robert Allenby on Monday insisted
to the Golf Channel that cuts and
bruises on his face were proof that he
was kidnapped, robbed and assaulted
in Hawaii.
Allenby sent the texts after an
apparent witness offered conflicting
details to the press about his
strange ordeal on Friday night. In
text messages to the Golf Channel,
Allenby suggested that a homeless
woman who described finding him
bloodied on a Honoulu street corner
was “getting paid” for her claims. “It’s
such a shame that people are focusing
on whether the story is true,” Allenby
said in the texts, according to the Golf
Channel.”I say you only have to look at
me to see the truth.”
Allenby says he was beaten and
robbed after being kidnapped from a
wine bar on Friday night near Waikiki,
after missing the cut at the PGA Tour’s
Sony Open. The 43-year-old posted
a photo on his private Facebook
account showing him bloodied with
a large scrape on his forehead and
another on the bridge of his nose.
Allenby said over the weekend
that he was separated from his friends
at the bar and couldn’t remember
what had happened to him between
that time and when he was dumped
from a car in a park 10 kilometers
away without his phone or wallet.
He said he was helped by a
homeless woman and a man who put
him into a taxi back to his hotel.
Charade Keane, the homeless
woman who found Allenby, told an
Australian television station he was
just a block from the wine bar when
she found him, and he was being
harassed by two men. Honolulu
police are investigating the incident.
On Sunday, Allenby issued a
statement saying he was grateful
he didn’t suffer “anything major”
medically. He wasn’t sure if he would
be ready to play this week in the US
PGA Tour’s event near Palm Springs,
California, and on Monday the Golf
Channel quoted him as saying he was
“not feeling great”.
“Can’t open my eye,” he told the
network in a text.”Haven’t been able
to sleep.”
— AFP
Akshada claimed the best batswoman award, while Shruti took away the best bowler honours and Jayadhanya got the consolation prize
ISM girls down ISWK to emerge U-19 T20 champions
MUSCAT: Indian School Muscat (ISM)
defeated Indian School Wadi Kabir
(ISWK) by 5 wickets to clinch top
honours in the Oman Cricket conducted
Girls Under-19 Inter School Twenty20
League tournament sponsored by Al
Turki Enterprises.
The match was played in the morning
session during the weekend at the
Ministry Ground No.1 at Al Amerat.
Electing to field after winning the
toss, ISM did well to restrict ISWK to
124 for 7 wickets in 20 overs.
Opener Jayadhanyha Gunasekar
chipped in with a top score of 33 runs
(46b). Extras made up of 39 wides and 2
no balls helped swell the score.
Sneha Bhat ended with figures of 2
for 16 in 4 overs.
ISM in reply thanks to an opening
Champions ISM together with Board Members and officials. RIGHT: Captain of ISM receiving the champions trophy from the chief guest Viswanath Iyer of Al Turki Enterprises.
The total included 30 wides and 6 no
partnership of 55 runs between Sujana
Sundar 25 (17b, 2x4) and her partner balls.
Jayadhanyha Gunasekar picked up 2
Shruthi Rajagopal 20 (20b, 1x4) reached
their target scoring 125 for 5 wickets wickets conceding 15 runs in 4 overs.
Prior to the prize distribution Vaishali
with 5 deliveries to spare.
Jesrani, co-ordinator for Women’s
cricket in Oman thanked Oman Cricket
for organising the tournament.
She went on to thank Al Turki
Enterprises for sponsoring the events.
The awards were presented by the to ISM – 125 for 5 in 19.1 overs (Sujana Sundar 25,
Shruthi Rajagopal 20; Jayadhanyha Gunasekar 2-15)
chief guest Iyer to the champions,
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
runners-up and individual awards.
Brief Scores:ISWK — 124 for 7 in 20 overs
(Jayadhanyha Gunasekar 33; Sneha Bhat 2-16) lost
Best Batswoman – Akshadha Gunasekar (ISWK), Best
Bowler – Shruthi Rajagopal (ISM), Consolation Prize Jayadhanyha Gunasekar (ISWK)
ENTERTAINMENT
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
COEN BROTHERS head Cannes festival jury
Q MARC BURLEIGH
T
he Coen brothers,
award-winning
American directors of
hits like “Fargo” and
“The Big Lebowski”,
will jointly head the
jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival,
becoming the first pair to chair the
world’s top cinema showcase.
Joel and Ethan Coen will preside
over the panel of film-makers and
actors judging the movies in the main
competition of the festival staged in the
glamourous French Riviera resort town
from May 13 to 24.
“We look forward to returning to
Cannes this year,” the directors said in
a statement. “Cannes is a festival that
has been important to us since the very
beginning of our career.”
“Presiding over the jury is a special
honour, since we have never heretofore
been president of anything. We will issue
further proclamations at the appropriate
time.”
The nearly inseparable brothers are
considered two of the most innovative
directors in the world and have jointly
written, directed and produced a series
of hits over the past three decades.
The siblings are also Cannes
darlings, having presented seven of their
16 features there at the festival.
They picked up the festival’s top
Coen brothers, Ethan (L) and Joel. — AFP
Palme d’Or prize for “Barton Fink” in
1991, its runner-up Grand Jury Prize for
“Inside Llewyn Davis” in 2013, and its
Best Director award for “Fargo” (1996)
and “The Man Who Wasn’t There”
(2001).
Popular ‘auteur’ film-makers
The wry humour of the Coen
brothers screenplays, their demanding
production standards, and the
outstanding cinematography they bring
to bear on their movies have won a slew
of awards in other competitions — most
notably the Oscars, where their “No
Country for Old Men” cleaned up in
several categories including Best Picture
in 2007. “The Coens incarnate a certain
‘auteur’ film-making that is universal
and with wide appeal, full of humour
and totally original in their way of
looking at the world,” the director of the
Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Fremaux,
said.
Joel, 60, and Ethan, 57, take over
running the Cannes jury from last
year’s president Jane Campion, the New
Zealand director of “The Piano”.
The other members of the jury will
be announced in mid-April, with the
festival organisers fond of bringing in
film-makers and actors of note from
different regions around the world.
The Cannes Film Festival’s official
selection of movies competing for the
Palme d’Or top prize is also usually
an eclectic list. The line-up is usually
announced the month before the festival
opens.
If the Coen brothers’ filmography is
anything to go by, judges will be looking
for dark humour and offbeat characters
or situations.
The duo have also increasingly been
attracting Hollywood stars to their own
films.
George Clooney has already
appeared in three of their movies — “O
Brother, Where Art Thou?”, “Intolerable
Cruelty” and “Burn After Reading”.
Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Jeff
Bridges, John Goodman and Frances
McDormand, who is married to Joel,
have also worked regularly with the pair.
Since exploding onto the scene in
1984 with their offbeat thriller “Blood
Simple”, the two have reeled off a dozen
films, each notable for their distinctive
quirky humour or macabre themes.
The darlings of critics and film
festivals, they have won more than 100
prizes together. They have been jointly
nominated for 12 Academy Awards and
one individual Oscar each.
The siblings are known as the “twoheaded director” within the movie
world for their seamless ability to work
alongside each other.
— AFP
Priyanka excited
about ‘public
chat’ with fans
‘Upma’ have
made ‘Bigg Boss...’
interesting:
Farah Khan
T
he chemistry between Upma
— a blend between actors
Upen Patel and Karishma
Tanna — is working well for the
ratings of “Bigg Boss Halla Bol”, says
host Farah Khan.
The closeness between the two
contestants of the reality show has
become a major talking point of the
ongoing extension of the “Bigg Boss 8”
season. “Upma (Upen and Karishma)
is doing very well. I’m happy that TRPs
are doing very well.
I cannot take the credit for that. I
think the show has also become more
interesting now,” said Farah, a popular
choreographer-film-maker.
“I’m happy that the show’s TRPs are
steady because if the TRPs fall, then
definitely the blame would be put on
me,” added Farah, who was present at
the music launch of film “Mrs Scooter”
on Monday. “Bigg Boss Halla Bol”
series started with five challengers
from past seasons of the show,
competing with five “champions” from
the eighth “Bigg Boss” seasons.
It airs on channel Colors.
29
TINSELTOWN
Miranda Kerr depends
on superfood, daily
workout to stay fit
F
ormer Victoria’s Secret
model Miranda Kerr
says she follows a
balanced diet, but allows
‘healthy’ indulgence during the
day. “I live by the philosophy
of 80/20… meaning I eat
healthily 80 per cent of the
time and indulge 20 per cent of
the time.
For an everyday treat, I
cook gluten-free muffins with
blueberries and chia seeds,”
dailymail.co.uk quoted the
31-year-old as saying.
The supermodel, who
clocked in deals with Reebok,
H&M and Swarovski last
year, also likes to make her
own health drinks and guiltfree snacks. “I enjoy so many
superfoods such as noni juice, which is one of the key ingredients in my
skincare line Kora Organics.
“I also make my own superfood smoothie with maca powder, acai powder,
spirulina, cacao powder, coconut oil and chia seeds, which is alkalising and
nutrient dense.
Avocado is also great for skin health and I probably have half an avocado
a day,” she added.
Kerr, who has a four-year-old son Flynn with actor and her former husband
Orlando Bloom, complements her balanced diet with a serious fitness regime.
She said she likes to do some form of exercise every day.
“It’s a combination of either yoga, pilates, resistance training or something
with my son such as hiking or riding our bikes.
I also like jumping on the little mini trampolines too.
It’s a really good way to stimulate the lymphatic system and it lifts your
mood,” she added.
Lawrence, Martin enjoy
‘friendly’ candlelit dinner
A
ctress Priyanka Chopra is upbeat about engaging
in a public chat with her fans via Viber, a mobile
communications app offering free messaging and
high definition quality calls.
Viber yesterday announced the launch of Priyanka’s public
chat, which allows users to discover, share and follow live
discussions from a wide variety of celebrities, personalities
and brands across many genres including music, sports,
fashion, entertainment and more.
Anyone on Viber can follow as many of these chats as they
like on their mobile device.
Conversations are multimedia, and include text, photos,
audio, video, stickers, web links and more.
Users can invite friends to follow the Public Chats that
interest them, and can share content.
Priyanka started her chat by saying: “Happy New Year, I
think this is a great way to start the new year to connect with
all of you, I am excited to be here and look forward to some
fun and meaningful interactions.”
The National Award winning artiste’s group has garnered
great response, said Anubhav Nayyar, country head, Viber
India. “Public chats has gained immense popularity across
the country and we have received a fantastic user response,”
Nayyar added.
Priyanka is said to have close to 200,000 followers.
Some other famous celebrities like Anushka Sharma,
Parineeti Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor and Sachin
Tendulkar are already active on Viber.
Priyanka, who mostly sports long tresses, has gone for a
short hairdo.
Before getting her locks chopped off, she tweeted on
Saturday: “Time to do something spontaneous!! Feeling a
bit adventurous. Chopping the tresses!” She even shared
a photograph of her new look on social networking site
Facebook.
Sporting a black ensemble and red lips, she showed off her
new short hairdo with highlights in the photograph.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
omandailyobserver
A
ctress Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Martin were spotted looking
“very friendly” during a candlelit dinner date at an Italian restaurant
in Los Angeles.
The Hunger Games” actress and Coldplay frontman, who first started
dating last summer, are said to have ordered a number of dishes and shared a
dessert while sitting at a candlelit table for almost two hours after entering the
eatery through the back door last week. “They looked happy and just focused
on each other. They were smiling, talking and very friendly,” a source told
People magazine.
Although neither Lawrence nor Martin, who split from wife Gwyneth
Paltrow last year, have confirmed their relationship publicly, they are believed
to be completely on the same page when it comes to their romance.
A source said previously: “Even though they are both busy, the relationship
is solid. They see each other when they can.”
The 24-year-old beauty is said to be okay with coming second to Martin,
37, and Paltrow’s children, Apple and Moses. “Jennifer understands that the
children come first with Chris and his relationship with Gwyneth is based
around the family and it will always be a part of his life.
Things are good between them,” the source added.
Deepika praised for discussing depression
M
ental health workers in India
praised Bollywood star
Deepika Padukone recently
for speaking out about her battle
with depression, in a country that has
traditionally stigmatised the illness.
Padukone, one of India’s most popular
film stars, said it had been “a struggle to
wake up” during a period of suffering
last year, which led her to seek help and
eventually take medication.
“There were days when I would feel
okay, but at times, within a day, there
was a roller-coaster of feelings. Finally,
I accepted my condition,” she said in
an interview with the Hindustan Times
newspaper.
The 29-year-old star of “Chennai
Express” said she was now working
on a plan to create awareness about
depression and anxiety, which would
THE 29-YEAR-OLD STAR OF
“CHENNAI EXPRESS” SAID
SHE WAS NOW WORKING
ON A PLAN TO CREATE
AWARENESS ABOUT
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY,
WHICH WOULD
SOON BE UNVEILED.
soon be unveiled.
Professor Vikram Patel, of the Public
Health Foundation of India, said he
was pleased Padukone had “shown
the courage” to talk openly about her
condition.
“It’s extremely good news that
someone who’s extremely popular in
the public eye has come out and spoken
about a health issue that’s traditionally
stigmatised,” he said.
Mirjam Dijkxhoorn, at the Banyan
Academy of Leadership in Mental Health
in the southern city of Chennai, said it
was unusual for an Indian celebrity to
speak out about such issues.
“It’s very important,” she said,
referring to World Health Organisation
statistics that show one in four people
will be affected by mental health issues
at some point in their lives.
She said people were “scared to talk
about it” in India, fearing their illness
could reflect on their families.
India’s government announced the
country’s first mental health policy
last year, which awaits approval in
parliament, and it pledged last month to
decriminalise suicide. The huge nation
has the highest number of suicides in the
world.
But Patel said implementation of the
country’s existing district-level mental
health programme was “extremely
patchy” on the ground.
He hoped Padukone speaking out
would not reinforce the widespread
illusion in India that depression was
a problem for rich people — “it’s
commoner among the poor and
dispossessed”, he said.
Padukone said people struggled to
understand her predicament when she
was outwardly so successful.
“It’s not about what you have or don’t
have. People talk about physical fitness,
but mental health is equally important,”
she said. “I see people suffering, and
their families feel a sense of shame about
— AFP
it, which doesn’t help.”
30
LIFESTYLE
omandailyobserver
ISC Goa Wing presents ‘Confluence’
of music on January 23
G
OA Wing of Indian
Social Club will
present a musical
concert,
the
‘Confluence’,
on
January 23 evening
at the Indian Embassy auditorium.
As the programme title suggests,
Confluence is a coming together of
artistes from Goa to create a harmony,
a melody that is typical of the region.
Goa, a tiny state on the west coast
of India, has produced a number of
prominent musicians and singers, who
have created their own space in the
world of Hindustani classical music as
well as in the Indian film industry.
‘Confluence’ is a flowing together
of the mellifluous voice of Pt Shounak
Abhisheki with the vibrant strains
of the Sitar played by Pt Ravi Chary.
Able support is provided on the
harmonium by Raya Korgaonkar and
Mayank Bedekar on the Tabla.
The Goa Wing is proud to present
Pt Shounak Abhisheki, the talented
son and disciple of Maestro Pt Jitendra
Abhisheki. He hails from Mangueshi
in Goa, which is steeped in tradition
of devotional music.
He is a vocalist who combines
Agra and Jaipur styles of Hindustani
Classical Music. Pt Shounak is a
leading vocalist of younger generation
who has won many a prestigious
awards.
Pt Ravi Chari is the first sitarist
to have emerged from the Goan
landscape. He is a sought after
noted tabla player, academician and
musicologist of Goa.
He has been felicitated with
numerous awards in India.
Raya Korgaonkar is a leading
harmonium player of the young
generation from Goa, particularly
specialised in the field of North Indian
classical vocal music accompanist and
solo performance.
He completed Sangeet “Kushal”
Sangeet “Parangat” of Kala Academy
and Sangeet “Alankar” of ABGM
under the guidance of Smt Nirmala
Pai Kakode.
At present he is working with
Goa College of Music as a lecturer in
Harmonium.
Mayank Bedekar is a dedicated
artist and a professional tabla player.
Mayank is presently studying under
the tutelage of Taalyogi Pt Suresh
Talwalkar.
Ravi Chari
He is a graded artist of All India
performing artiste, both as a soloist diverse musical backgrounds. He is Radio and conferred upon with many
and in collaboration with artistes from the son of late Pt Prabhakar Chari, a felicitations and awards.
Shounak Abhisheki
Mayank Bedekar
Raya Korgaonkar
ICEM hosts team from Ministry of Higher Education
T
he International College of
Engineering and Management
(ICEM) recently hosted a high
profile team from the Ministry of
Higher Education, including the Head
of Academic relations, Department of
Quality Assurance and an official from
Administration Affairs, to the college’s
Admission and Registration Section and
Student Affairs Section.
They were on a scheduled visit to the
college to gain greater insights into its
admission and registration processes in
light of an anticipated larger than normal
September 2015 intake of students.
Welcoming the group, Dr Martin
Brown, Dean at ICEM, said: “We are
delighted to receive the team from the
Ministry of Higher Education; it is a
wonderful opportunity to showcase
to the ministry the excellent work the
college staff have been undertaking in
view of an expected larger than normal
intake of students in September 2015.”
ICEM has streamlined the processes
of admission and registration to ensure
best-in-class service and support for
prospective students during their
registration period. In addition, ICEM
Student Affairs Team is in the process
of launching two new student guides:
one provides exhaustive practical tips to
international students on how to make
the move to Oman as enjoyable and
effortless as possible, while the other
offers guidance to new local students
to ease apprehensions about leaving the
comfort zone of home.
Demand for the practical and
industry leading courses at ICEM
has been high with students, parents
and employers recognising the high
employability which ICEM graduates
enjoy when they graduate from any one
of Well Engineering, Fire Safety, Health
Safety and Environmental Management
and Facilities Management courses
available at ICEM.
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
NADA ALI
nada.ali5@hotmail.com
The win-win situation
A
common phrase in communication is ‘seek the win-win’. It really is
the foundation of strong, positive relationships. You will regularly
find times when you are in a disagreement with others or, when
your needs are slightly different. The most common approach to these
situations is to try and get your own way without consideration for the other
person. However, this will generally lead to conflict, stress and damaged
relationships. The real disappointment about this is that conflict is usually
avoidable as there is a win-win solution to be found in most situations. Even
where both people cannot get exactly what they want, there is usually a good
opportunity to find a win-win solution which is acceptable to both parties.
When you identify and, implement, a win-win solution, both parties leave
the situation with a sense of accomplishment and a better feeling about the
relationship. The very fact that you attempted to find a win-win solution
is usually enough to build the respect and trust required to build positive
relationships.
There really is no reason for not trying to find a win-win solution.
Whenever you find you are in disagreement with others and, you are
seeking a different solution, implement few steps below. You will usually
be able to find a win-win solution which is acceptable to all parties. Such as
separate the issue from the person, we all have different values and beliefs.
We also have different wants and needs from life. Just because you would
have behaved differently in a given situation, it does not mean that the
other person is wrong. The world is not black and white. There rarely is
just one right and one wrong way to do something. I can tell you from past
experience that when you act like the world is black and white; you will
inflict a lot of unnecessary suffering upon yourself.
Also, bear in mind that we all do stupid things from time to time.
Nobody is 100 per cent good and nobody is 100 per cent bad. When we
remember this, we are reminded that a bad act does not make a bad person.
When you need to speak to someone about the way they have behaved,
make every effort to separate the act from the person. If the person feels
like you are attacking them, rather than challenging their behaviour; they
are likely to feel threatened and close down the channels of communication.
The constructive feedback model will give you some guidelines as to how
you can separate the issue and the person.
State what it is that you want. It is wonderful how many people will
enter a discussion or negotiation without being clear on what they want.
Even when they are clear, they are often not keen on sharing with the other
person what it is that they want. But, how is the other person supposed to
help you find a win-win solution if they do not know what you constitute as
a win? I have, in the past, attended negotiations which dragged on for ages,
only to be completed within minutes of one side opening up and stating ‘this
is what we are looking for’. People are not mind readers; they cannot help
you achieve your goal unless you tell them what your goal is. Obviously, in
critical situations, you do not want to tell them what the worst offer that you
are prepared to accept is but, you can always tell what the ideal outcome you
are looking for is.
Also seek a win-win solution, once you are agreed on the key points,
make it clear that you would like to find a win-win solution i.e. an agreement
that works for both of you. Don’t just enforce your own views on this. Invite
them to offer their own suggestions. If you can find a suitable solution there
and then, that is great. If you cannot, then you can agree a later time to come
back to the discussion; allowing you both more time to generate ideas. And
deliver on what you have promised; you may think that once you have come
to an agreement, you have achieved your win-win solution. This is not the
case. Your solution has not been achieved until you have taken the necessary
action and the situation has been successfully resolved. Agreements without
action occur every day and they are of no value. The only agreements that are
of true value are the ones which are acted upon. That is why you absolutely
must deliver on what you promise. If you don’t, you will lose all trust and
respect and, your relationship may be irreparably damaged.
HEALTH TIPS
Shun bad habits together EVERYDAY STEPS CAN HELP FIGHT OBESITY: IMA
when it comes T
to health
I
F your wife finally puts on her shoes
and hit the gym, it is possible that
you will follow her footsteps for a
healthy life together.
This is the gist of a new study that
found that people were more successful
in swapping bad habits like no exercise,
smoking and drinking for good ones if
their partner made a change as well.
“Now is the time to make New
Year’s resolutions to quit smoking, take
exercise, or lose weight.
And doing it with your partner
increases your chances of success,”
said Sarah Jackson, lead author from
University College London.
The team found that among women
who smoked, 50 per cent managed to
quit if their partner gave up smoking
too at the same time.
Men were equally affected by their
partners and were more likely to quit
smoking, get active, or lose weight if
their partner made the same behaviour
change.
For the study, the team looked at
3,722 couples, either married or living
together and over age 50. “Making
lifestyle changes can make a big
difference to our health and cancer risk.
When
couples
make
those
changes together, they are more
likely to succeed,” added Julie Sharp,
Cancer Research UK’s head of health
information.
Getting some support can help
people take up good habits.
For example, if you want to lose
weight and have a friend or colleague
who’s trying to do the same thing you
could encourage each other by joining
up for a run or a swim at lunchtime or
after work, the authors said. Unhealthy
lifestyles are a leading cause of death
from chronic disease worldwide.
The key lifestyle risks are smoking,
excess weight, physical inactivity, poor
diet, and alcohol consumption.
The research appeared in the journal
JAMA Internal Medicine.
aking the elevator from the
first floor instead of the ground
floor, using land phones at
home instead of mobiles, and trying
to use less of the remote control while
watching television were some of the
ways to fight obesity, according to the
Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The IMA also suggested parking cars
a few minutes’ distance away from the
destination, exercising while watching
TV and making it a point to walk at least
10,000 steps a day.
“Twice as many premature deaths
can be attributable to lack of physical
activity compared with the number of
deaths attributable to obesity,” the IMA
said in a statement. “Inactivity is defined
as having a sedentary job with no
reported recreational physical activity,”
IMA National President A Marthanda
Pillai and Secretary-General K K
Aggarwal were quoted as saying.
As per the IMA’s recommendation,
just a little bit of exercise, such as 20
minutes of walking a day, was extremely
beneficial regardless of whether people
were overweight or obese or not.
A recent study published online on
January 14 in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition also said just a small
amount of physical activity each day
could have substantial health benefits
for people who were physically inactive.
“Although we found that just 20 minutes
would make a difference, we should
really be looking to do more than this.
Physical activity has many proven health
benefits and should be an important
part of our daily life,” the experts said.
Grab a handful of nuts daily for super health
A
study involving 14,386 young
adults has found that the
consumption of tree nuts — at
least 44 grams per day — is associated
with better nutrient adequacy in the
diet and better diet quality.
Tree nuts are almonds, Brazil nuts,
cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias,
pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and
walnuts.
“Consumption of tree nuts should
be encouraged as part of a healthy
diet by health professionals to improve
diet quality and nutrient adequacy,”
said
Carol
O’Neil,
professor
at Louisiana State University’s
agricultural centre.
He also stressed the need for
nutrition education programmes that
increase awareness and consumption
of tree nuts.
The team found that when it
comes to nutrient adequacy for most
nutrients, tree nut consumers fared
better than non-consumers.
“This new research further supports
the need to encourage people to eat
tree nuts for overall health,” stated
Maureen Ternus, executive director of
the International Tree Nut Council.
We need to encourage people to
grab a handful of nuts every day, he
added.
SPOTLIGHT
W E D N E S DAY
JANUARY 21 l 2015
HE KNOWS WELL THE
CODES AND HIERARCHIES
OF THE FASHION WORLD,
HAVING EASED INK
ONTO COUNTLESS CARDS
THAT SERVE AS COVETED
ENTRY PASSES TO THE
BIGGEST FASHION EVENTS
IN THE WORLD. HE IS
ESPECIALLY VERSED IN
THE SEATING PLANS FOR
THOSE INVITED. CODES
OFTEN MARKED ON THE
INVITES CORRESPOND TO
THE SPOTS WHERE THE
GUESTS ARE TO SIT — WITH
THE FRONT ROW, JUST A
STILETTO’S SLIDE AWAY
FROM THE CATWALK,
RESERVED FOR THE ELITE
Ruesome ranting
for ratings
H
Calligrapher to the fashion world
H
is hand is steady and
sure as it delicately
traces the contours
of the biggest names
in the world of style:
the celebrities, the
magazine editors, the clients.
Nicolas Ouchenir is a calligrapher, a
member of a rarified profession whose
ink appears on the must-have invitations
of Europe’s fashion shows.
He may not personally meet all the
VIPs attending the catwalk parades.
But his personalised flourish to them,
deliberately evoking the elegance of times
past is carried close in their hands, in
handbags, in tailored breast pockets.
With Paris Fashion Week about to
kick off today, Ouchenir is being kept
busy. The phone rings incessantly in his
office with the fashion houses’ press and
publicity people calling to reserve his
service — most at the last minute.
“You have to react fast,” says the
36-year-old, who is dressed in jeans and
a white shirt, and sat behind a desk upon
which piles of invitations await. Next
to them are pots filled with quill pens,
pens of whittled reeds and calligraphers’
instruments, all of them on a stained
leather desk pad.
He knows well the codes and
hierarchies of the fashion world, having
eased ink onto countless cards that serve
as coveted entry passes to the biggest
fashion events in the world.
He is especially versed in the seating
plans for those invited. Codes often
marked on the invites correspond to the
spots where the guests are to sit — with
the front row, just a stiletto’s slide away
from the catwalk, reserved for the elite.
‘Fall asleep in the office’
“I have no fixed working hours,”
Ouchenir says. He works out of an
office on Paris’s chic-and-expensive rue
Saint-Honore — shared with several
other entrepreneurs working in different
sectors.
“Sometimes I work all night and fall
asleep in my office and awake to find
ink everywhere, or I spend whole nights
waiting for a seating list in a PR’s office,” he
says wryly, his humour serving him well
in a business where “nervous breakdowns
happen often”.
Ouchenir has been a professional
calligrapher for 12 years.
He had an “obsession” with writing,
he says, born from when he saw his
childhood doctor in Paris scribbling out
prescriptions with an old-fashioned quill.
There was no specialised course. He
taught himself the craft after completing
business studies.
His career began when he started
writing invitations for art show openings
at the gallery where he was an assistant.
“I didn’t know that it was a profession.
I just loved doing it.... And it worked
really well and people got used to seeing
it. After a while, they only had to see the
Nicolas works in his workshop. — AFP
writing on the envelope and they almost
didn’t have to open the invitation to know
where it came from.”
Different writing styles
But building an “exclusive” reputation
was, he says, the real key to success. For
each client he develops a tailored style of
writing, “like a fingerprint”.
For the French fashion brand Berluti,
known for its men’s luxury shoes
and leatherware, the writing is “very
masculine, very simple, straight-lined,
very bespoke,” he says.
“Versace writing is more rococo, with
very long upstrokes and downstrokes.
Margiela writing, for haute couture, is
John Galliano English-style, but for its
pret-a-porter it’s more like a typewriter.”
Dior, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Miu
Miu, Gucci, Pucci, Missoni — Ouchenir
has an enviable portfolio of clients
including not only the biggest brands but
also young names like jewellery designer
Elie Top and Hugo Matha, who makes
“pochette” bags. It’s not just the fashion
world that he lends his talents to.
He has also done illustrations in
magazines, worked for the Venice
Biennale art exhibition, provided lettering
for carmakers and for Champagne
houses, redone the logo for the Ritz Hotel
in Paris, hired his hand to old aristocratic
families — and even stylised designs for
unique tattoos.
There have been requests for messages
to be engraved on tombstones. Also
contracts for couples enjoying sadomasochistic relations who want their
“rules” spelled out in flourish and verse.
Once, a Russian oligarch, he says,
asked for wedding invitations to be drawn
up — in blood. He complied, by seeking
the ingredient at a butcher’s shop.
In his personal life, Ouchenir doesn’t
entirely spurn e-mails and other digital
correspondence, but he still sends letters
and postcards, too.
Today, he muses, “so many people are
afraid of writing and the pen.”
Calligraphy endures, he says, because
“it has become rare — it’s like haute
couture itself: the more exclusive it is, the
more it is desired”.
— AFP
WORLD HEALTH
‘Lifestyle’ diseases kill 16m prematurely: WHO
Q NINA LARSON
D
iseases linked to lifestyle
choices, including diabetes and
some cancers, kill 16 million
people prematurely each year, the World
Health Organization said on Monday,
urging action to stop the “slow-moving
public health disaster”.
Unhealthy habits like smoking,
alcohol abuse and consuming too
much fat, salt and sugar have sparked
an epidemic of diseases which together
constitute the leading cause of death
globally, WHO said.
This “lifestyle disease” epidemic
“causes a much greater public health
threat than any other epidemic known
to man,” said Shanthi Mendis, the lead
author of WHO’s Chronic Diseases
Prevention and Management report.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs),
like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes,
lung disease and a range of cancers, killed
a full 38 million people around the globe
in 2012 — 16 million of them under the
age of 70.
“Not thousands are dying, but
millions are dying... every year in their
30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, not in their 80s and
90s,” said Mendis.
“It’s beyond belief that it is seemingly
invisible,” she said ahead of the launch.
Most of the world’s 16 million
premature NCD deaths each year — 82
31
BIMAL SAIGAL
bimalsaigal@hotmail.com
AN INVITING HAND
Q ANNE-LAURE MONDESERT
omandailyobserver
per cent — occur in poor and middle
income countries, and most of them could
be averted with just small investments,
the report found.
“The global community has the
chance to change the course of the NCD
epidemic,” WHO chief Margaret Chan
said in a statement.
Millions of lives could be saved if
the world over the next decade invests
just $11.2 billion each year, or $1-3 per
person, on promoting healthier habits,
the report found.
Devastating consequences
Today, some six million people die
prematurely each year due to tobacco use,
3.3 million deaths are linked to alcohol
abuse, 3.2 million to lacking physical
activity and 1.7 million to eating too
much salt, according to WHO findings.
A full 42 million children under the
age of five are considered to be obese, and
an estimated 84 per cent of adolescents
do not get enough exercise, Mendis said,
describing the situations as “extremely
frightening.”
The international community has
staked out nine global targets for shifting
unhealthy habits with the aim of slashing
premature NCD deaths by a quarter
between 2011 and 2025.
Simple and inexpensive steps like
banning advertising of tobacco and
alcohol products and taxing foods and
drinks that contain high levels of salt and
caffeine has already proven successful in a
range of countries, WHO said.
In Turkey, for instance, an advertising
ban on tobacco products combined
with significant price hikes and health
warnings has pushed smoking rates
down 13.4 per cent since 2008.
A move in Hungary to heavily tax
unhealthy food and drink components
has meanwhile led to a 27 per cent drop
in junk food sales, the report said.
But while some countries have made
progress, most will fall short of the 2025
target, WHO said, warning that inaction
would have far-reaching consequences.
“When people fall sick and die in
the prime of their lives, productivity
suffers, and the cost of treating diseases
can be devastating,” the UN health
agency said.
It has estimated that if nothing is done
to improve the situation, premature NCD
deaths will suck $7 trillion out of the
global economy over the next decade.
— AFP
aunted constantly by TV news channels in India following
death of his wife last January, Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor
lashed at the media accusing it of being irresponsible,
sensational and even voyeuristic. Tharoor was speaking last Thursday
at the launch of his latest book in Kolkata. He blamed the advent in
multitude of 24x7 news channels in India, which had nothing much to
contribute and relied on sensationalism to remain in business as many
of these were otherwise going red in their businesses. He alleged that
there was a steep decline in standards in the media.
In Tharoor’s words, the TV channels “are mostly voyeuristic,
sensational and TRP-driven. There are too many channels today and
many of them are losing money. So there is this race to get ‘breaking
news’, which is not always true or factual. The TV channels have
infected print media, which feels it has to compete against the channels
to retain their readers who have seen all the news on TV.”
While Tharoor appears to have been genuinely aggrieved with the
media trial that has been going on for a long time targeting him as an
accused in the death of his wife in mysterious circumstances, but his
general portrayal of the entire electronic media as irresponsible with
other adverse attributes seems only an outburst of his peevishness
for being confronted with insinuations all through rather than
any balanced or unprejudiced reporting that is the hall mark of the
matured societies.
What he commented though certainly holds good for many of
the TV channels whose viewers in general are not so educated and
mature enough and always look forward to some spicy stuff for gossip
to get them going in their mundane lives. These channels make juicy
stories out of social scandals and innovate or distort facts to tilt the
TRPs in their favour. For them, any important political or economic
developments or international affairs are not so important to share with
their viewers, but any incidents of crime, especially rapes and other
crimes against women, murders, illicit affairs, any tragic accidents or
local brawls are voyeuristically more rewarding.
These are the TV channels — and unfortunately there are many
of these — which stoop low to pander to the baser instincts of the
common man represented by an uneducated lot or the ones who do
not have access to other reliable sources of information. Because of
their ignorance and illiteracy such victims of misinformation just
jump at any story which is presented with salt and pepper.
Unfortunately, even the ‘responsible’ channels also generally report
with convictions based on prejudices and one-sided views without
properly verifying the facts or offering any opportunity to the person
concerned for his side of version, thus assassinating the accused’s
character and projecting him or her as a villain and convict that person
prematurely through media trials even though many of such victims
are ultimately exonerated by judiciary as innocents and not guilty. But
it is rarely that these channels will then show any remorse for being
unnecessarily unfair to them. There is no system of accountability or
laying any professional standards. The media feels free to level any
charge against any one based on allegations and report that widely
coated in factual conviction. It is never reported as that such and such
thing is alleged against someone but has been denied as being not true
or the person concerned could not be contacted for his/her comments.
Rather it is reported all through that he or she has done that unlawful
or irregular act or committed such a crime as if the facts had already
been established. This is also seen in the so called debates on these
channels which are conducted with prejudiced notions. It is very
common for the anchor to be aggressive and rabid in his tongue and
blast the person concerned whose saying or action is being debated
upon in dissection and irrespective of any rational approach that some
of the panellists may be following or any logical explanation that may
be forthcoming, to come only to the prejudiced and foregone scripted
conclusions.
It is so common to see the anchors of the TV news channels to be
dramatising the news presentation by raising their voices and attune
them to high-frequency pitches in different modulations accompanied
by hysterical gesticulation even while presenting some insipid news of
irrelevance to public interest as if heavens had fallen. Each channel vies
with the other with regular flashes of ‘Breaking News’ even though it
may have no news value and may be pertaining to mundane incidents
like a petty brawl among street urchins having no real public interest
or relevance for people at large.
Even when they may have some import, these stale Breaking News
tickers running all through keep you reminded on what had happened
during the last couple of days.
Tharoor was right in pointing out that to deal with the irresponsible
sections of media merely enactment of stronger libel laws would not
suffice, and blamed India’s judicial system as being too slow where it
was a rule rather than an exception that cases dragged on for years
and years. Citing his own experience in support of this observation,
he said, “Some years ago, some papers and channels said obnoxious
things about me and levelled false allegations. I thought of suing
them, but was strongly advised against it by lawyers and others who
said that those media houses had deep pockets and would get the cases
adjourned for years.
At the end of 10 years, I was advised, the case would be still going
on. So I gave up the idea.” Obviously, the news channels did not take
this criticism kindly and most of them raised a lot of rant and rave
for being branded obnoxious. They sat over debates that evening
taking this as an attack on the media but ironically without caring for
any introspection. This all needs to change. Media needs to be more
sensitive in such cases and be responsible while caring to abide by the
concept of accountability.
News need to be given in a totally unbiased and balanced manner,
and where facts are not absolutely clear utmost refrain should be
exercised from assigning any credibility to it. On the government
part, stronger libel laws need to be in place and enforced after strict
monitoring to rein in the rogue sections of the media so that no
character assassinations are made through media trials even while the
matters are sub judice in courts of law.
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 21, 2015
P30
P29
P31
Inside
Priyanka excited about ‘public chat’ Nuts daily for super health Calligrapher to the fashion world FOLLOW US ON:
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editor@omanobserver.om
The woman who invented beauty
HELENA’S BRAND IS NOW OWNED BY L’OREAL AND HER PRODUCTS SOLD IN EUROPE, ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA
Q LEANNE ITALIE
J
UDGMENTAL,
autocratic
and wholly self-made after
fleeing pre-war Poland and the
prospect of arranged marriage
as a teen, Helena Rubinstein
built a cosmetics empire on the
notion that beauty is power.
But the late doyenne with the
tight chignon was more than a mere
worshipper of commerce. Known to
all as Madame, she was a collector of
African, Oceanic and Latin American
art, eclectic home decor and couture
fashion as the face and force of her brand
for seven decades.
The diminutive powerhouse from
Krakow (she stood all of 4-foot-10) died
in 1965 — at age 94, by best estimates
—and is the subject of a new exhibition
in New York that highlights her rise,
interests and acquisitions in 200 objects.
Though her name might be
something less than household to
younger generations, her legacy lives
on as the girl of modest means and
little formal education who embraced
modernism and individualism for
women at the dawn of the 20th century,
when feminism was just emerging.
Born Chaja Rubinstein, she first
made her way to Australia after picking
up some business acumen from relatives
in the fur business in Vienna. Journeying
from Genoa in northern Italy through
exotic ports, she worked on a relative’s
sheep farm before founding her first
company in Melbourne in 1903. There,
she tended to the skincare needs of
rugged women enduring the harsh
climate.
Her first product was the cream
Valaze, based on the abundance of a key
ingredient, lanolin produced by sheep.
It didn’t take long for Rubinstein to
expand her line of products and open
salons around the world, providing
everything from skin analysis and
massage to deportment and exercise
classes. Fond of publishing instructional
brochures, she modelled her salons after
the literary gatherings of upper-crust
Europe.
Where did the drive come from?
Mason Klein, the museum’s curator who
organised “Helena Rubinstein: Beauty
is Power,” said that Rubinstein was the
oldest of eight girls.
“Without being too Freudian, I think
having to really go off on her own as the
eldest child made her that much more
ambitious, or one could even say the de
facto son that her parents never had,”
Klein surmised ahead of the opening
as he gazed up at some of the many
portraits she had commissioned.
The many faces of Rubinstein
range from a playful oil on canvas
by the Parisian avant-garde painter
Marie Laurencin, done in 1934, to the
grotesque and far more subjective work
of William Dobell in 1957 that depicts
Rubinstein as an ageing warrior.
Rubinstein was often painted as
far younger than she was, Klein said,
but another portrait from 1957 by the
English painter Graham Sutherland was
among those to burst Madame’s bubble,
showing her as hawk-eyed and severe in
a red Balenciaga gown. Declaring that
she looked like a witch, she later warmed
to the work after it was lauded at a Tate
Gallery show in London.
And Picasso was the artist who
eluded Rubinstein’s thirst for portraits.
She pursued him aggressively to no avail,
until she knocked on his door to make
her demand. Trapped, he produced a
series of about 30 crude drawings, some
akin to police sketches in black on white.
A dozen are included in the show.
In Australia, Rubinstein met her
first husband, Edward Titus, a PolishAmerican expat writer and owner of
a small publishing house. He helped
launch her career through the
wizardry of ad copy and a strategy
of turning her into an expert on the
science of beauty.
Rubinstein was
lucky after going into business in Paris
and London, then launching in New
York in 1915, a year into World War I,
Klein said. She arrived in the wake of
two revolutionary movements: the
march of avant-garde art and the
suffrage movement.
“It was a fortuitous convergence
of forces, and cosmetics became a
metaphor,” Klein said. “That was
her genius.”
Lindy Woodhead, who
wrote about their archrivalry
in her 2003 book “War Paint,”
said Madame was riskier than Arden in
business — and life.
“She just instinctively had that It
factor. She knew how to mix ingredients
and she inspired a fear factor in women
that basically went: If you use my
skin cream you will not get wrinkles,”
Woodhead said.
Suzanne Slesin, Rubinstein’s stepgranddaughter, said Madame’s magic
was in the mix when it came to art,
style and design. She placed seemingly
disparate objects together: a classical
marble bust with an African Fang mask.
“She had no models in her mind to
hold her back,” Slesin said. “She didn’t
worry too much about what people
thought of her.”
It took Rubinstein 20 years in
New York to open a salon on tony
Fifth Avenue. In 1941, she had
her eye on a Park Avenue
triplex but was turned
down, Klein said.
“She told her
accountants
or
whoever
the
advisers were to buy
the building at any cost,” he said. “And
that’s what they did.” The dollar figure is
lost to history.
She had two boys with Titus before
they divorced. She wed again in 1938,
this time to a Georgian prince, Artchil
Gourielli-Tchkonia. The public ate it up
as she added “princess” to her resume.
Rubinstein was devastated by his death
in 1956 but carried on in business until
the end. At her death in 1965, estimates
of her wealth varied up to $60 million.
Her brand is now owned by L’Oreal and
her products sold in Europe, Asia and
Latin America.
— AP
LIFESTYLE
Embrace marsala colour for home decor
F
appeal. Appliances, kitchen slabs or
sophistication enough to be the ideal
ROM sprucing up the furniture  Go for decoratives such as vases,
cupboards in this wine-kissed colour
backdrop for a night of entertaining
candle holders and photo frames in
with cushions and pillows to
can completely transform the look
friends.
marsala. This way, you’ll be able to
painting an entire wall of a room
of the happiest room of the home.
use this colour to give the perfect  A bright marsala-kissed rug or
in this colour, there are plenty of ways to
If you want only a minimal touch of
curtains can heighten the visual
definition to your interiors. A lamp
incorporate marsala, the hottest shade
the trendy shade, go in for a marsala
appeal of an otherwise simple room.
shade or even a clock in this colour
of the season, in your home space.
kitchen splashback.
Marsala goes very well with bronze or
will add the right amount of warmth
It will lend an elegant yet natural
walnut-coloured bedposts and night  When it comes to home decor, colours
and charm to any space.
earthiness to your abode.
such as grey, golden yellow, cobalt,
tables. Curtains or rugs in marsala
The vintage wine red colour was  Marsala makes for an excellent choice
turquoise and lighter hues of green
with subtle gold embroidery will
for an accent wall, especially in the
announced as ‘The Colour of the Year’
can be paired creatively with marsala.
drape your room in elegance and
dining room. It has an organic air
by Pantone Color Institute last month.
To add opulence and fashion in one
style.
and is known to be a stimulant for
An online Indian furniture and
solid statement, create a beige or dullthe appetite. Alternatively, a dining  The kitchen is another great place to
interior decoration retailer, has given
gold theme with marsala across the
play around with marsala because
table cover in marsala can also do
tips on ways to use the hue in the colour
interiors of your home.
of its nurturing and fulfilling
the trick. The colour also exudes
palette of your homes. Here’s how:

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