gcc plans its own weather satellite

THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 | DHUL QA’ADA 26, 1436 AH
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VOL. 34 NO. 300 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200
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Inside
Chief Executive Officer
DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI
Mahathir returns, says ready for probe Myanmar pushes for peace with rebels Russian combat troops in Syria Editor-in-Chief
ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI
Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising
PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
www.omanobserver.om
FOLLOW US ON:
OMAN
Dalilak website to
guide students
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Higher
Education launched Dalilak (Your Guide)
website, which includes a huge database
containing a set of basic free services
aimed at students coming from various
parts of the Sultanate to stay in Muscat
for the purpose of study. The website
meets the needs of students, like
housing, transportation, food and other
services and is divided into six main
sections, namely hostels, transportation,
promotions and offers, jobs, sale of used
materials, and teachers. REPORT ON P3
WORLD
Child mortality
rate has halved
NEW YORK: The number of children
under 5 who die of preventable causes
has dropped by more than 50 per cent
since 1990, but the goal set in 2000 to
reduce the number by two-thirds has
not been met, according to a Unicef
report released on Wednesday. The
report found that while the lives of 48
million children have been saved in the
last 15 years, only 24 of the world’s 81
poorest countries have cut the figure
by two-thirds, as set out in the 2000
Millenium Development Goals (MDGs),
a set of global benchmarks that were to
be met by 2015. REPORT ON P12
REGION
Egypt sends ground
troops to Yemen
SANAA: As many as 800 Egyptian
soldiers arrived in Yemen late on
Tuesday, Egyptian security sources said,
swelling the ranks of an Arab military
contingent which aims to rout the
Houthi group after a five-month civil
war. It was the first reported deployment
of ground troops there by Egypt, which
has one of the Arab world’s strongest
armies. A coalition has scored major
gains against the group and its allies
and now setting its sights on the capital
Sanaa. Four Egyptian units of between
150 to 200 troops along with tanks and
transport vehicles arrived in Yemen
late on Tuesday, two Egyptian security
sources said. REPORT ON P13
INSIDESTORIES
P6
BANGKOK SUSPECT HANDED
DEVICE TO BOMBER
P9
IN UK, TEACHERS LEARN HOW
TO TACKLE EXTREMISTS
[email protected]
Job-seekers
to get priority
in projects
GCC PLANS
ITS OWN
WEATHER
SATELLITE
LAKSHMI KOTHANETH
MUSCAT
Sept. 9: Developing GCC’s own
weather satellite was discussed at the
annual meeting of the GCC Committee
of Meteorology and Climate, held at Al
Bustan Palace Hotel, yesterday.
While the infrastructure is yet to be
discussed in detail, the authorities feel
having an independent satellite for the
region would be one of the best ways
to move forward as at present the Gulf
Cooperation Council countries pay
annual membership licenses for the
services of international satellites to
predict weather forecasts.
“We are discussing
GCC satellite, but the issue
is that we still do not have
the infrastructure. All the GCC
countries at present have a membership
for the annual license for example
the EUMETSAT in Europe. Based on
this license the GCC countries receive
satellite pictures from the geostationary
satellite every 15 minutes,” said Dr
Juma bin Said al Maskari, DirectorGeneral of the Meteorology at the
Public Authority for Civil Aviation,
told the Observer.
He
said that
the aim of this
meeting is to form a integrated GCC
system which facilitates exchange of
warning and issuing the precautionary
notices. He added that the participants
discussed the need for a standard GCC
Meteorology Law.
He said that while the Sultanate has
completed linking four radars (Salalah,
Fahud, Duqm and Ras Al Hadd) to the
system, work is under way to connect
the fifth radar ( Ras Al Hadd) as well.
Regarding climate forecast for next
year, Dr Maskari said out that the El
Nino, a world phenomenon, has been
active this year and resulted in rains
which hopefully will also continue in
winter.
The meeting also discussed
earthquake monitoring and enhancing
relations among Met offices in the
GCC, as well as the role of media in
spreading awareness about precautions
and weather forecasts.
TURN TO P5
EU unveils ‘bold’ plan on refugees
STRASBOURG,
France:
EU
Commission
chief
Jean-Claude
Juncker unveiled major plans on
Wednesday to force the bloc to share
160,000 refugees and ease the burden
on border states from the worst
migration crisis since World War II.
As pressure mounted for an
emergency EU summit on the issue,
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
urged the bloc to go even further,
calling for a distribution of migrants
with no limits on actual numbers.
Underscoring the difficulties transit
countries such as Hungary face, at least
400 desperate migrants broke through
police lines at the flashpoint town of
Roszke on Hungary’s southern border
with Serbia, yelling “No camp!” as
they scattered in all directions.
With Greece, Hungary and Italy
struggling to cope, Juncker urged
Europe to look to its history and
not be afraid of his “bold” proposals
for compulsory quotas for a surge
in mainly Syrian refugees fleeing
conflict.
“Now is not the time to take fright,
it is time for bold, determined action
for the European Union,” Juncker
said in his first EU State of the Union
speech to the European Parliament in
Strasbourg.
He also warned member states
against making religious distinctions
when deciding to admit refugees.
A migrant child cries as she sits in a bus near a collection point in Roszke village,
Hungary, on Wednesday. Hungary has closed its M5 highway after groups of
migrants broke through a police cordon at Roszke on the border with Serbia and
set off on foot towards the motorway, police said. — Reuters
SEE PAGE 14
POSITIVE
OUTLOOK
Real estate deals at
RO 971 million
MUSCAT: The value of the traded
contracts during August stood at RO
971.53 million and that the fee collected
stood at RO 5,414,434. This was revealed
by Abdullah bin Salim al Mukhaini,
Real Estate Registry at the Ministry of
Housing.
He said that the total number
of real estate transactions stood at
33,733 including sale, will, inheritance,
exchange, mortgage and release of
mortgage transactions. The total value of
the sale contracts stood at RO 84,390,287
through 7,066 sale transactions at the
level of governorates, and that the fee
collected for the sale amounted to RO
2,509,680.
The sale transactions in the
Governorate of North Al Batinah was the
highest with 1,403, compared to other
governorates last month, followed by the
governorates of Muscat (,1332), South
Al Batinah (1,140), Dakhiliyah (871),
Dhofar (534), North Al Sharqiyah (484),
South Al Sharqiyah (440), Al Dahirah
(390), Al Buraimi (283), Al Wusta (149),
and Musandam (40).
The official said that the value of
the mortgage contracts stood at RO
She ‘never aspired’ to become UK’s longest-reigning monarch
P12
LUFTHANSA PILOTS BACK TO
WORK AFTER COURT ORDER
WEATHER TODAY
MUSCAT
MAX: 360C
MIN: 320C
SALALAH
MAX: 310C
MIN: 250C
SUNRISE 05.51 AM
PRAYER TIMINGS
FAJR: 04:35
DHUHR: 12:09
ASR: 15:36
MAGHRIB: 18:22
ISHA: 19:33
NIZWA
MAX: 380C
MIN: 270C
Queen Elizabeth II marks record reign
EDINBURGH: Queen Elizabeth sealed
a special place in the Britain’s history by
becoming its longest-reigning monarch
on Wednesday, but amid warm tributes
from politicians and the public, she said
the landmark was not something to
which she had ever aspired.
Elizabeth, 89, surpasses the 63 years, 7
months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes
that
her
great-great-grandmother
Queen Victoria spent on the throne.
The occasion was marked by cheering,
flag-waving crowds on the street, bells
ringing out in Westminster Abbey and
solemn messages in parliament but
Elizabeth, who is also the nation’s oldest
ever monarch, wanted little fuss.
She made only a brief reference to it
in a speech as she opened a new railway
line in Scotland.
Thanking the crowd for their
welcome, she said: “Many have also
kindly noted another significance
attaching to today, although it is not one
to which I have ever aspired.
“Inevitably a long life can pass by
many milestones — my own is no
exception — but I thank you all and
the many others at home and overseas
for your touching messages and great
kindness.”
However, in London, political leaders
heaped praise on a head of state who
became monarch aged just 25 at a time
when Britain was emerging from the
ravages of World War Two and has
witnessed massive political change,
social upheaval and the end of the
British empire during her long reign.
MUSCAT: The Board of Directors of
Al Rafd Fund stressed the importance
of ensuring feasibility of projects
and called for seriousness from the
project owners. It also highlighted
the importance of giving priority to
job-seekers, attach more interest to
technical projects and reduce finance
for similar activities.
The meeting was held under the
chairmanship of Dr Ali bin Masoud
al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce
and Industry and Chairman of Al
Rafd Fund Board of Directors. The
meeting looked into the performance
of the fund till the end of August, and
the draft budget for 2016 before being
submitted to the Ministry of Finance.
The board also reviewed the
mechanism to transfer the loan
guarantee programme in collaboration
with the number of local banks
from the Public Authority for SMEs
Development ‘Riyada’ to Al Rafd Fund
and to increase coordination with
different bodies to finance and support
value-added projects. PHOTO ON P2
“The Queen is our
Queen and we could
not be more proud of
her,” Prime Minister
David Cameron told
parliament in London
calling her a “rock of
stability”. “She has
served this country
with unfailing grace,
dignity and decency and long may
she continue to do so.”
MORE REPORTS ON P14
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth waves as she arrives at Edinburgh Waverley Station in Scotland, Britain, on Wednesday. — Reuters
886,755,863 and the fee collected
amounted to RO 1,925,934. The value
of the exchanged contracts stood at
RO 387,000 and the fee for the same
amounted to RO 9,337.
He also added that during the same
period, 21,566 title deeds were issued
including 4,807 in the Governorate of
Muscat, 3,545 in North Al Batinah,
3,508 in South Al Batinah, 2,327 in Al
Dakhiliyah, 1,305 in South Al Sharqiyah,
2,038 in North Al Sharqiyah, 1,184 in
Al Dhahirah, 1,669 in Dhofar, 623 in
Al Buraimi, 347 in Al Wusta and 213 in
Musandam. The number of new land
plots registered for the first time during
August stood at 5,025.
He said that the total title deeds issued
for GCC nationals, as per the real estate
possession regulations in the Sultanate,
during August amounted to 166 with
Kuwaitis on top with 95, followed by the
UAE (51), Saudis (9), Bahrainis (8) and
Qataris (3). Most of the possessions of
the GCC nationals were focused in the
Governorate of Dhofar with 51 per cent
and the Governorate of South Al Batinah
with 14 per cent. — ONA
2
OMAN OIL PRICE RISES $1.70
T H U R S DAY l S E P T E M B E R 1 0 l 2 0 1 5
OMAN
BOARD REVIEWS AL RAFD FUND PERFORMANCE
MSM GAINS 20 POINTS
Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME)
said that Oman oil price (November
delivery) reached $47.60. The
price of Oman oil rose $1.70 from
the price of Tuesday, which was
$45.90. The average price of Oman
oil (September Delivery 2015) has
stabilised at $56 and 33 cents, thus
$5.51per barrel lower than August
delivery 2015.
Muscat Securities Market general
index on Wednesday added 20.8
points, comprising a rise by 0.36
per cent to close at 5,803.39 points,
compared to the last session, which
stood at 5,782.62 points. The trading
value stood at RO 7.04 million,
comprising a rise by 186.61 per cent
compared to the last session, which
stood at RO 2.46 million.
Oman, India navies
vouch for strategic ties
The Board of Directors (BoD) of Al Rafd Fund on Wednesday held its third meeting of the year under the chairmanship of Dr
Ali bin Masud al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Chairman of Al Rafd Fund.
Sultanate has 72,424
pensioners in 2014
MUSCAT: The data released by the
National Centre for Statistics and
Information (NCSI) demonstrated that
72,424 pensioners were recorded in the
Sultanate by the end of 2014 with an
increase rate of 4.6 per cent compared
to the figures recorded in 2013, which
reached 69,247 persons.
The
retirement
pensions
logged in 2014 reached about RO
315 million with an increase of
8 per cent compared to the figures
recorded in 2013, which reached to RO
292 million. The number of insured
persons who are active in the workers
abroad system and registered in the
pension funds reached 6,190 employees.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
came first by containing the highest
The retirement pensions
logged in 2014 reached
about RO 315 million with
an increase of
8 per cent compared to the
figures recorded in 2013,
which reached to
RO 292 million.
percentage of the Omani employees
working abroad with 68.6 per cent. The
lowest percentage was recorded in the
Kingdom of Bahrain with 1.9 per cent.
— ONA
Dhofar Deputy
Governor receives
GCC delegates of
cultural forum
SALALAH:
Shaikh
Abdullah
bin Saif al Mahrouqi, Deputy
Governor of Dhofar received
in his Office today the heads of
delegations participating in the 7th
Intellectual and Cultural Forum
for GCC Youth, which is hosted by
Salalah City in the presence of the
representative of the GCC Secretariat
General.
The Deputy Governor of Dhofar
stressed that these meetings reflect
the depth of fraternal bonding and
continuous communication between
the GCC countries to participate and
promote the spirit of brotherhood and
prosperity to the level of progress and
prosperity.
— ONA
Rear Admiral Abdullah Bin Khasim Bin Abdullah Al Raisi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman inspecting the Guard of
Honour at South Block Lawns, New Delhi on Wednesday
R A K SINGH
NEW DELHI
Sept. 9: Navies of Oman and India
vowed to deepen the strategic ties and
strengthen the mutual cooperation
between them.
The two countries also vowed to
explore the scope of greater cooperation
between their Naval forces during the
ongoing visit of the Commander of the
Royal Navy of Oman, Rear Admiral
Abdullah bin Khamis Al Raisi, to India.
“We have very close relationships
with the Oman’s Navy and I am sure
the Admiral Al Raisi’s visit to India will
further help to strengthen the bridges
of friendship between our two navies
and open up avenue of cooperation
between our two countries,” said
Admiral R K Dhowan at an official
meeting with his Omani counterpart
Rear Admiral Raisi.
Reciprocating Admiral Dhowan’s
welcoming gesture, Rear Admiral Al
Raisi vouched for the excellence of
Indian shipyards and the country’s
expertise in building strategic shipyards,
while promising to involve India in
Oman’s ship-building projects in future.
Admiral R K Dhowan with Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Khasim bin Abdullah al Raisi,
Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman at South Block, New Delhi on Wednesday.
Al Riasi added that India, in fact,
had been involved in Oman’s shipyard
building projects even in past.
Al Raisi’s ongoing four-day visit
began Monday this week and is to last till
September 10. On his arrival to India on
September 7, Omani Navy commander
was accorded a guard of honour at the
South Block, which houses the India’s
Ministry of Defence. After his arrival,
Rear Admiral Al Raisi paid homage at
Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate here and
was thereafter received by Admiral R K
Dhowan at the South Block lawns. At the
South Block lawns he was accorded 50men Guard of Honour. After inspecting
the guard of honour, Rear Admiral Al
Raisi also met the India’s Vice Chief of
Army Staff and Vice Chief of Air Staff
in addition to other senior Ministry of
Defence officials.
Sources said Admiral Raisi was
presently visiting some undisclosed
strategic Indian naval bases.
Indian companies eye market
opportunities in Sultanate
MUSCAT: The Embassy of India,
Muscat organised on Tuesday a
business meet for the visiting Indian
delegation from the food, commodity
and processing industry and healthcare
sectors to explore business opportunities
in Oman.
Representatives of 16 Indian
companies from food industry sector
and 7 companies from health sector
attended the meet. The meet was also
attended by representatives of around
50 Omani companies, organizations,
and government departments dealing
with food industry and health sectors.
The meet enabled close interaction
between businessmen from the two
countries enabling them to find new
opportunities for enhancing India’s
exports of agro-products and increasing
medical tourism from Oman to India.
A large number of patients from
Oman travel to India for super-specialty
medical treatments. India offers stateof-the-art hospital infrastructure, highly
qualified doctors, skilled, experienced,
warm & friendly nurses/paramedical
staff and speedy attention to patient.
Treatment costs in India are also very
low as compared to other locations.
The opportunity provided by
Business Meet was used to announce
that the Federation of Indian Chambers
of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
Ahmed Al Dheeb, Unders-Secretary of Ministry of Commerce with Indian
ambassador-designate to Oman Indra Mani Pandey.
in association with the Ministry of
Commerce & Industry, Government of
India and Services Export Promotion
Council (SEPC) will be organizing
“ADVANTAGE
HEALTH
CARE
INDIA 2015”, an International Summit
on Medical Value Travel from October
5-7, 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi,
India. (For details of this summit please
see www.ahcindia.in)
The Embassy also reiterated
Business
that
the
Omani
and health travellers may take
advantage of Tourist Visa on Arrival
(TVoA) enabled by Electronic Travel
Authorization (ETA), presently known
as e-Tourist Visa. Travellers from
Sultanate of Oman was in the first group
of the countries (44) who were allowed
to travel on e-visa to India.
TVoA can be used by travellers for
30 days and restricted to a maximum of
two times a year. At present, e-Tourist
Visa facility is available for citizens of
more than 100 countries arriving at 15
Airports in India.
OMAN
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Over 2.5 million visit Oman Pavilion in Milan
omandailyobserver
3
Higher Education Ministry
launches website for students
Milan: The number of visitors to the Sultanate’s pavilion in Milan Expo 2015, held this
year under the theme ‘ Earth Food, Energy for Life ‘ stood at 2,585,402 till 6 September.
A number of their excellencies from the countries taking part in the Expo visited
the Sultanate’s pavilion and praised its aesthetic elements and reflection of the
Sultanate’s topography and culture.
The Sultanate’s Pavilion focuses on showcasing the Sultanate’s rich history and
culture and comparing between the Sultanate’s demography, geography and food
system and that of Italy. — ONA
Ithraa to lead invest in
Oman mission to Italy
MUSCAT: Final preparations are
underway for an ‘Invest in Oman’ week
in Milan, Italy, next week.
Organised
by
Ithraa
from
September 16 to 19, the Forum will
promote Oman’s business climate and
investment opportunities to Italian
companies in the logistics, agriculture,
food, infrastructure and transport
sectors.
The Omani delegation will be led
by Mohsin al Balushi, Adviser of the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
and includes representatives from the
Supreme Council for Planning, Oman
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Oman Food Investment Holding
Company, Port of Salalah,
Special Economic Zone Authority of
Duqm, Ministry of Finance, Oman Air,
Oman Rail, Oman Investment Fund,
Omran, State General Reserve Fund,
Al Rafd Fund, Public Establishment for
Industrial Estates, Be’ah, Royal Oman
Police, Oman International Exhibition
Centre and Riyada.
Select Omani companies from
target sectors will also attend. Mohsin
al Balushi said: “This initiative shows
our commitment to increase the
bilateral trade between Oman and
Italy. The goal of our Italy visit is to
raise Oman’s investment profile and
generate interest. Given that Italy is one
of the biggest players in agriculture and
Italy has a diversified
industrial economy. It
is driven in large part
by the manufacture
of high-quality consumer
goods produced by small and
medium-sized enterprises,
many of them family owned,
having huge potential in the
agriculture, construction,
and service sectors.
HIS HIGHNESS SAYYID FAISAL BIN
TURKI AL SAID
Ithraa’s Director General for
Investment Promotion
construction, we look to this event to
create new avenues of collaboration that
will enrich both nations.”
According to His Highness Sayyid
Faisal bin Turki al Said, Ithraa’s Director
General for Investment Promotion,
“Italy has a diversified industrial
economy. It is driven in large part by the
manufacture of high-quality consumer
goods produced by small and mediumsized enterprises, many of them family
owned, having huge potential in the
agriculture, construction, and service
sectors.”
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Higher
Education on Wednesday launched
Dalilak (Your Guide) website, which
includes a huge database containing
a set of basic free services aimed at
students coming from various parts of
the Sultanate to stay in Muscat for the
purpose of the study, under the auspices
of Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed al
Sarmi, Under Secretary of the Ministry
of Higher Education.
The ceremony began with an
address by Shakoor bint Salim al
Ghamariyah, member of the State
Council, in which she referred to the
importance of supporting students and
TRC reviews National Innovation Strategy
MUSCAT: The Research Council
(TRC) organised on Wednesday the
fourth meeting of the supervisory and
technical committee on developing the
National Innovation Strategy Project.
The meeting is one of a series of
meeting within the timelines to develop
the strategy.
A number of private and public
specialists involved in the development
of the National Innovation Strategy
Project participated in the meeting which
aims at preparing the main executive
documents for the National Innovation
Higher education ministry signs 200
scholarship agreement with PDO
MUSCAT: Ministry of Higher
Education signed on Wednesday
internal scholarships finance agreement
with Petroleum Development Oman
(PDO)Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed
al Sarmi, Under-Secretary of the
Ministry of Higher Education signed
the agreement on behalf of the ministry
and by Abdul Amir bin Abdul Hussein
al Ajmi, CEO for External Affairs at
PDO on behalf of the company. Under
the agreement, PDO will fund 200
undergraduate scholarships, covering
all the tuition fees in higher education
institutions in the Sultanate in Business,
Administration, Engineering and
information Systems with the cost
of RO 4,380,000 on the condition
that applicants should be from PDO
concession areas.
The first 100 scholarships were
offered through the Higher Education
Admission Centre (HEAC) for graduates
of the academic year 2014/2015, where
the students were given the chance to
select the higher education institution
providing them with appropriate advice
and guidance to put them on the right
track.
Athra bint Nasser al Shibliyah,
Executive Director of Dalilak Company
said that the company falls under the
umbrella of Sharikati (My Company)
programme and competition, a
subsidiary to ‘Injaz’ Oman.
Dalilak Website meets the needs of
students, like housing, transportation,
food and other services. The website is
divided into six main sections, namely
hostels, transportation, promotions and
offers, jobs, sale of used materials, and
teachers.
— ONA
where he/she likes to pursue his/her
studies on the condition that they meet
the requirements of the discipline they
want to study.
The remaining 100 scholarships will
be offered for graduates of previous
years from the PDO concession areas.
Details for these seats will be
disclosed later.
This agreement comes within the
framework of the initiatives that are
discussed by the ministry with the
private sector institutions.
— ONA
Strategy’s main pillars namely human
capita, intellectual property, marketing
knowledge and economic diversification
and institutional communication.
The first session of the meeting
included conducting an independent
evaluation of the outcomes of the
previous meeting and the steps and
measures taken at this stage.
During the second session of the
meeting, the four teams of the National
Innovation Strategy pillars organised
four synchronised meetings.
— ONA
4
OMAN
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Rains in Dhofar, Sohar
BANGLADESHI NDC DELEGATION VISITS SQU
MUSCAT: Heavy downpours continued
in a number of wilayats causing some
wadis to overflow and disrupting the
traffic on Wednesday.
According to the latest weather
charts issued by the Directorate General
Meteorology at the Public Authority for
Civil Aviation, rains of varying intensity
and will continue today accompanied
by active winds in Musandam and Hajar
mountains and the adjoining areas.
The Met office expects scattered rains
on the coastal and mountainous areas of
Dhofar Governorate with chances of
dust storms in the desert. The Directorate
General Meteorology advises motorists
to take extra precautions and not to risk
crossing wadis.
The Wilayat of Ibri experienced
moderate to heavy rains causing some
wadis to overflow.
Scattered rains were reported in
the wilayats of Nizwa, Sohar, Wadi Al
Maawil, Nakhal, Wadi Bani Khalid.
The Wilayat of Al Hamraa
experienced heavy downpours for the
second consecutive week associated
with active winds. The heavy rains
Muscat: Dr Ali bin Saud al Bimani, Vice-Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) received on Wednesday a delegation
from the National Defence College (NDC) of Bangladesh. During the meeting, Al Bimani hailed the strong bilateral relations
between the two friendly countries. The delegation was briefed on the SQU and its colleges, in addition to its programmes in
the field of higher studies and scientific research.
— ONA
New batch of
recruits joins
Royal Oman
Police
MUSCAT: The Sultan Qaboos
Academy for Police Sciences has
received a new batch of recruits to
start military training after passing
interviews, written tests and medical
check-ups.
An official at the Royal Oman
Police (ROP) said the recruitment of
new batches aims to expand police
services in all governorates of the
Sultanate.
He called on male holders of the
general education diploma (GED) to
seize the opportunity and to have the
honour of joining the ROP.
In August, the 35th batch of officer
cadets and the 64th batch of police
recruits joined ROP in Nizwa.
Eight people arrested for
selling drugs and liquor
MUSCAT:
Personnel from the
department of inquiries and criminal
investigation at the police command
in Al Buraimi Governorate arrested
two Asian men for possessing and
selling liquor and chewing tobacco
in the Wilayat of Al Buraimi, a Royal
Oman Police official said. One of the
defendants was caught red-handed at
his shop with 33 bottles of liquor, and
chewing tobacco in his possession.
The defendant who also entered the
country illegally told the police about
his accomplice who was arrested later.
Both defendants were referred to the
Public Prosecution for investigation.
2 held drug dealers held
The anti-narcotics department
arrested two people in two separate cases
of drug possession and distribution in
Al Buraimi Governorate.
In the first case, the directorate for
MOTORCYCLE RIDING COURSE
combating narcotics and psychotropic
substances in Al Buraimi Governorate
arrested an Omani citizen charged with
possessing and using drugs and the
police recovered more than 100 tablets
of psychotropic substances from him.
In the second case the directorate for
combating narcotics and psychotropic
substances at the police command in
Al Buraimi Governorate arrest a citizen
of a Gulf state for possessing and using
drugs.
Drug smuggling bid foiled at Muscat
International Airport
The anti-drug personnel at Muscat
International Airport foiled an attempt
to smuggle narcotics through the
airport and arrested four people of
different nationalities including two
women. Police recovered more than
1,300 psychotropic tablets that were
found in their possession.
The Traffic Safety Institute (TSI) has launched a motorcycle riding
course under the auspices of Lit Colonel Khamis bin Ali al
Battashi, acting director of TSI. TSI is also holding a 2-week
qualification programme for driving examiners which aims to
enhance their knowledge and skills.
Students sing tribute song; teachers perform dance and music
Indian School Ghubra celebrates Teacher’s Day
MUSCAT: A cultural programme was organised
by the class 12 students and the School
Management Committee to mark the Teachers’
Day on 2 September.
The day began with the special morning
assembly with a power point presentation and
a prayer song by the students of class 6 which
was a tribute to all teachers. This was followed by
a group song by the Prefectorial Body in praise
of teachers. The flash mob by class 12 students
delighted the teachers.
To honour all the teachers who have been
instrumental in shaping their lives, the students
of Class XII put up a spectacular show for the
occasion. A short movie made by the students
of class 12 was a great entertainment.The oneand-a-half hour programme consisted of foot
tapping songs, groovy dances and electrifying
bands. The Teacher’s Day celebrations on 3
September 2015 began with the address by
the Principal, Papri Ghosh, who expressed her
greetings to all the teachers.
The cultural programme consisted of vibrant
array of performances by the teachers. The
teachers took the crowd by surprise with a
medley of songs, dances, quiz, music. The funfilled games offered loads of excitement and
entertainment. Rayees, President, Management
Committee, conveyed his wishes to all the
teachers on Teachers’ Day and applauded them
for being the most passionate, innovative and
committed mentors, contributing significantly
to the holistic development of the children. He
also stated the importance of teaching and the
respect they command in the society at large.
centred on hilltops and the centre of the
wilayat causing all wadis to overflow.
Heavy rain was also reported in
Misfat Al Abriyeen extending to the
mountainsides. The centre of the wilayat
experienced heavy rain that disrupted
traffic for several hours.
A large number of villages in the
Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi experienced
heavy downpours which continued
into the morning. Heavy rain fell in
the Niyabat of Samad Al Shan and the
adjoining villages causing many wadis
to overflow.
OMAN
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
IRELAND ANAESTHETISTS VISIT OMANI MEDICAL SPECIALTIES BOARD
Dr Kevin Carson, president of the College of Anaesthetists of Ireland and Fintan Foy, Chief Executive Officer of the college
visited the Omani Medical Specialties Board (OMSB).This visit is to strengthen cooperation between the two sides in
anesthesiology program and to discuss training opportunities for OMSB resident physicians. The delegation met with Dr Hilal
bin Ali al Sabti, CEO of OMSB and officials from the board. They also met with directors of OMSB Anesthesiology Program and
some members of the scientific committees. The delegation also visited the training centre at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital,
where they met with doctors from the department of anesthesia and intensive care unit and some officials at the hospital. The
Irish delegation also visited the Anesthesia Simulation Medical Center and met with Dr Hood al Abri, Head of the centre. The
delegation was briefed on the services provided by the center and the most important courses and workshops.
— ONA
MADE IN S’PORE
RNO navy ship
Shinas to be
launched today
MUSCAT: Rear Admiral Abdullah
bin Khamis al Raisi, Commander of
the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) will
on Wednesday arrive in Singapore to
preside over launching ceremony of
the RNO vessel Shinas and the naming
of RNO navy ship Sadah.
The vessel Shinas is the second of
four navy ships which are being built
by Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd
(St Marine) all of which are equipped
with the latest marine defence systems
to enable RNO to carry out its national
duties in protecting the achievements
of the Sultanate’s renaissance.
ST Marine won the contract to
design and build four PVs for the
RNO in 2012. T
his contract was awarded by the
Ministry of Defence of the Sultanate
of Oman through a competitive
international tender.
Conference discusses
cyber security
MUSCAT: The conference on ‘Ensuring
a Safer Cyber Environment’ organised
by Bank Muscat, in association with
the American International Group
(AIG), on Wednesday called for
addressing cyber security issues on a
strategic level. Dr Hamad bin Salem
al Rawahi, Executive President of
the Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (TRA), presided at the high
profile conference aimed at enhancing
co-operation between the government
and the private sector in matters
relating to preventing cyber crimes,
identifying the best global practices in
work environment, and benefiting from
the expertise of relevant bodies.
Senior officers from the Central
Bank of Oman, TRA, banks and law
enforcement agencies attended the
conference. Talal al Maamari, Chief
Executive Officer of Omantel, delivered
the keynote address at the conference
held at the bank’s head office.
Lord Jonathan Evans, former Head
of the British Security Service and
currently a non-executive Director of
HSBC, addressed the conference which
called for a holistic cyber security plan
to include information sharing, threat
identification, protection of assets and
an effective cybercrime response plan
for business recovery and resumption,
including a risk transfer plan of cyber
security insurance.
AbdulRazak Ali Issa, Chief
Executive, said: “Bank Muscat is
delighted to host the cyber security
conference aimed at enhancing cooperation between the government and
the private sector in matters relating to
cybercrimes. Managing cyber security
in organisations is beyond simply using
technology to protect the networks
and data. Organisations must start
looking at a holistic cyber security plan
to include information sharing, threat
identification, protection of assets and
an effective cyber crime response plan
for business recovery and resumption.”
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Education,
represented by the International
Educational
Programmes
Office
honoured schools who got International
Award at the Ministry of Education
Theatre.
The ceremony was presided over by
Hamoud bin Khalfan al Harthi, UnderSecretary of the Ministry of Education
for Education and Curriculum. It was
attended by the director-generals of
educational provincials, supervisors,
school headmasters, and teachers
working on the programme in the
governorates educational.
The importance of the award lies
in increasing the motivation and
enthusiasm of the students, through the
participation of most of the students in
the exchange of educational activities
with various countries around the
world, and creating new activities as well
as benefiting from the mutual activities
with partner schools.
The joint work with other schools
from outside the Sultanate also helps to
exchange experiences and expand the
perceptions of teachers and students.
The winning schools are rewarded
and acknowledged as ambassadors
of international educational activity.
They also receive the international
recognition certificates as well as inkind prizes.
There is no doubt that the work in
order to receive the award, contributes
to the creation of international links
and activities through which the
objectives are drawn and the output of
the activities are analyzed in order to
enrich the school curriculum. Since the
implementation of the programme, 82
schools have received the award from
schools based at Muscat, Al Sharqiya
The opening session the GCC Permanent Meteorology and Climate Committee at Al Bustan Palace Hotel on Wednesday. — ONA
According to the officials gathered
from the six countries, having GCC’s
own satellite could reduce the current
cost that is being experienced by the
GCC.
At present the talk is that it could
even be achieved by collaborating
with other international agencies
who have the technology to build
a satellite. The process is yet to be
finalised and is still in the discussion
stage.
The National Multi-Hazard Early
Warning Centre also came into centre
stage during the meeting as there
is a proposal from the GCC to have
Oman’s National Multi-Hazard Early
Warning Centre to be the GCC centre
in the future, so that it can give early
warning for the whole region.
Earlier, the GCC committee
members also visited the centre in
Oman. In the future, Oman’s centre
is expected to advance its technology
to detect radiation in the atmosphere
in case of a calamity anywhere in the
region.
Dr Adel Khalifa al Zayani, chief
of human and environment affairs
sector, at the Secretariat-General
of Cooperation Council for the
Arab States of the Gulf, said the
countries have facilities as well as
the technology and it is important
to exchange information to predict
climatic disasters that could affect
the region. “This is an important
committee as it will be looking at
developing one technology and learn
from each other’s experience,” said Dr
AlZayani.
The committee has been operating
for the past eight years and one of its
main role is to look at technical, legal,
administrational and cooperation in
meteorology services between the six
5
Ministry honours global
award winning schools
GCC plans its own weather satellite
FROM PAGE 1
omandailyobserver
countries. There is also a proposal to
appoint an expert for the whole GCC
region and candidates are being short
listed to be appointed at the GCC
level.
An
MoU
with
Chinese
Meteorological Agency was being
looked into at the annual meeting.
Meteorological services to the
aeronautical industry, space weather,
potential from world meteorological
services, building capacity of
the
meteorological
employees,
earthquakes observation, and role of
media in disseminating the forecast
and warnings to the public.
Paul Hillder, Director of the
British Council in Oman,
praised the education
system in the Sultanate
and the extent of its
development.
North, Al Dakhiliya, Al Batinah North,
Al Batinah South, Al Dhahira, and Al
Buraimi.
Dr Hamoud said that these
competitions are opportunities for all
the students of schools of the Sultanate
for cultural communication with other
schools from outside the Sultanate. He
added: “I saw a lot of cultural exchange
with regard to cultural aspects in the
Sultanate of Oman with other countries,
and it is an opportunity to learn about
the educational models and practices
occurring in those schools, and
therefore it is a cultural learning process
with the various countries of the world.”
Dr Hanan Ibrahim al Shehhi,
Director of International Educational
Programmes Office, in his speech said,
that the importance of cooperation
and collaboration with local and
international institutions of society
reflect the extent of awareness and
interest by the participants.
As you know that the International
Award is given annually to schools
that add an international dimension to
teaching and learning. Schools organize
educational activities connected to the
curriculum share it with other schools
from around the world.
The
programme
was
first
implemented as one of the educational
programs run by the British Council
in collaboration with the International
Educational Programs Office. in the
schools of the Sultanate in 2009.”
Director of the British Council
in Oman, Paul Hillder, in his speech
praised the participants, and the extent
of the success that has been achieved
through this award. He also praised the
education system in the Sultanate and
the extent of its development.
Later, Aisha Habib al Rubkhi,
Supervisor of the Award in Muscat, gave
a presentation in which she displayed
the importance of implementing this
project and its benefits.
She also stated the expectations that
would come out in the application of
this program, such as the acquisition
of communication skills with other
schools from around the world, and
gaining new ways of teaching, and
enhancing school projects.
At the end of the ceremony, Dr
Hamoud honoured the winning schools.
All participating schools praised the
programme as it helped these school
to develop their students and teachers
skills in all various ways.
6
INDONESIA UNVEILS STIMULUS STEPS
T H U R S DAY l S E P T E M B E R 1 0 l 2 0 1 5
ASIA
CAR FALLS INTO SINKHOLE
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on
Wednesday unveiled a series of stimulus
measures to lift slowing growth in Southeast
Asia’s top economy and shore up the country’s
plunging currency. In a televised address,
Widodo was joined by key policymakers to
announce a broad range of measures including
the slashing of red tape to woo investors,
moves to bolster the rupiah, and programmes
to help the poor.
A car was stranded in
a sinkhole on a street
in Lanzhou, Gansu
province, China, on
Wednesday. The driver
managed to get out
of the car unharmed
and no one was injured
during the incident,
local media reported.
BANGKOK BLAST: Police refuse to reveal details of culprits
CLICKING AWAY TO GLORY!
Main suspect ‘handed
over device to bomber’
Spectators use their mobile phones to take pictures and videos as Z-19 helicopters of the People’s Liberation Army perform
during an aerobatic display at the China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin on Wednesday. — Reuters
Mahathir returns, ready TYPHOON HAVOC
for probe over comments Etau slams
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s veteran
former leader Mahathir Mohamad
returned from an overseas trip on
Wednesday saying he would comply with
any police investigation into comments
he made against Prime Minister Najib
Razak at an anti-government rally last
month.
Mahathir has led calls for Najib’s
resignation over alleged mismanagement
and corruption at indebted state
investment fund 1MDB.
The strong stand by Mahathir,
and Najib’s actions to stifle dissent in
the ruling United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO) has raised fears
of a split in a party that has led every
government since Malaysia gained
independence from colonial rule in 1957.
The political uncertainty has nagged
at investor confidence in an economy
whose ringgit currency has lost 19 per
cent of its value against the dollar so far
this year, and is down to levels unseen
since the Asian financial crisis 17 years
ago.
The 90-year-old Mahathir surprised
many in UMNO, as well as the opposition
parties, when he joined tens of thousands
of protesters in a two-day rally in Kuala
Lumpur, organised by anti-corruption
activists last month.
Speaking at the rally, which was
declared illegal by city authorities,
Mahathir called Najib a corrupt leader
and said the people did not want him.
Malaysian police have said those
comments warranted investigation, but
the country’s longest-serving prime
minister remained defiant.
“(Let them) investigate... that’s their
into Japanese
mainland
Mahathir Mohamad waves to
supporters as he arrives back at Subang
airport, outside Kuala Lumpur, on
Wednesday. — Reuters
job,” Mahathir told reporters and dozens
of supporters gathered at the airport to
receive him on his return from a private
trip to Jordan.
When asked about the possibility
that he could be arrested for exercising
his constitutional rights, Mahathir said:
“I don’t think they should, but I will
comply.”
Najib is faced with the biggest crisis
of his political career following media
reports of a mysterious transfer of more
than $600 million into an account under
his name.
Najib has denied any wrongdoing
and says he did not take any money for
personal gain.
But with the scandal refusing to die
down, the prime minister has tightened
his grip on power through a series of
steps to sideline dissenters and muzzle
critical media.
— Reuters
TOKYO: Typhoon Etau slammed into
Japan on Wednesday causing injuries
as torrential rain sparked landslides
and flooding with more than half a
million people advised to evacuate,
including in suburban Tokyo.
Rail and air services were also
disrupted after the storm, packing
winds of up to 125 kilometres per hour,
landed in central Aichi prefecture
shortly after 10:00 am local time (0100
GMT).
Television footage showed cars
sloshing through flooded streets and
houses submerged, as pedestrians
waded through water that reached
their knees.
Some areas had power outages
and parts of Tokyo saw flooding as
authorities advised about 900,000
people in the capital and other parts
of the country to leave their homes
because of the risk of landslides, public
broadcaster NHK reported.
Local media said more than a
dozen people were injured, including
a 77-year-old woman who broke her
leg after falling in strong winds.
The typhoon also disrupted air
traffic, with at least 35 flights cancelled
by Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways
and other budget rivals, NHK said,
while some rail services were delayed.
The storm moved out into the Sea
of Japan (East Sea) by the end of the
day.
— AFP
BANGKOK: A key suspect in last
month’s deadly Bangkok blast handed
the backpack bomb to a man in a yellow
T-shirt later seen placing it at a busy
shrine moments before it detonated, Thai
police said on Wednesday.
The revelation came as investigators
gave their most detailed account of
how the alleged network of bombers
coordinated the attack, including
through drop-offs and WhatsApp text
messages.
Mystery still surrounds the motive of
the group accused of being responsible
for the August 17 bombing that left 20
people dead in the heart of Bangkok and
rocked Thailand’s key tourist industry.
But after appearing flat-footed in
response to the unprecedented attack,
police have trumpeted the arrest of two
foreigners and say they have identified
several other suspects.
One of the two men in custody,
Yusufu Mieraili, was detained last week
near the border with Cambodia and has
since been quizzed by military and police
investigators.
Mieraili, 25, who was holding a
Chinese passport when he was caught,
has admitted to playing a central role in
the operation, according to police.
On Wednesday he was taken on
a second re-enactment of his alleged
role in the crime — a standard police
procedure.
“This is the area where he met the
man in a yellow shirt to exchange the
backpack,” national police spokesman
Prawut Thavornsiri told reporters
outside a Bangkok railway station,
later adding he received his orders via
WhatsApp.
Local media reports have named the
bomb mastermind as “Izan”, saying he
commissioned and guided the attack but
left the country a day before it was carried
out. But Prawut refused to be drawn on
details of who pulled the strings behind
the blast.
He did reveal that Mieraili, whose
hands were bound while he wore a
bulletproof vest during the re-enactment,
left a “heavy backpack” with the bomber
outside the station some 30 minutes
from the crime scene.
That man was seen on security
footage apparently placing the same bag
at the shrine and calmly walking off just
before the blast.
After making the exchange, Mieraili
was ordered to wait near the shrine to
take photos of the aftermath of the bomb,
Prawut said.
But when he got there his view was
blocked by a pillar so he left.
— AFP
RALLY IN THE RAIN
People attend an anti-government rally in the rain at a park in Tokyo on Wednesday to protest against Japan’s Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe’s controversial security bills aimed at expanding the remit of the country’s armed forces. Under the proposed new
rules, Japan’s Self-Defence Forces would have the option of going into battle to protect allies even if there was no direct threat
to Japan or its people. Abe’s administration plans to vote upon the security bills next week. — AFP
It publicly demotes China to third spot behind Russia and Cuba, says expert
N Korea state media buries Xi message
SEOUL: North Korea’s top newspaper
carried congratulatory messages from
the leaders of Russia and Cuba on its
front page on Wednesday, relegating
one from China’s President Xi Jinping to
page two, in what analysts described as a
pointed snub to its traditional ally.
The messages were rote diplomatic
missives that countries friendly to
Pyongyang send every year on the
anniversary of the founding of the
North Korean state in 1948.
But while those from Russia’s
Vladimir Putin and Cuba’s Raul Castro
were splashed on page one of the partyrun Rodong Sinmun, Xi’s note only
made it to the bottom half of the inside
page.
Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the
University of North Korean Studies, said
the placement was a calculated brush-
A suspect of the Bangkok blast who was arrested last week takes part in a crime
re-enactment near the bomb site at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. — Reuters
China is still far and away the most
critical ally,” Yang said.
North Korea-China relations were
forged with the blood of Chinese troops
who fought with the North in the
1950-53 Korean War, and Mao Zedong
famously described the neighbours as
being as close as “lips and teeth.”
But ties have become severely
strained in recent years, with Beijing
increasingly annoyed at Pyongyang’s
provocative antics and refusal to heed
China’s calls for restraint, especially over
its nuclear weapons programme.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un,
who came to power after the death of
North Korean women wearing traditional costumes walk towards bronze statues of
North Korea’s late founder Kim Il Sung and late leader Kim Jong Il (not in picture) at his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011, has yet
Mansudae in Pyongyang, in this photo taken by Kyodo on Wednesday, to mark the
to even meet Xi, while the Chinese
67th anniversary of the nation’s founding. — Reuters
leader has sat down six times with South
“It publicly demotes China to third Korean President Park Geun-Hye, who
off that reflected Pyongyang’s growing
“resentment” towards Beijing.
spot behind Russia and Cuba, even if took office in 2013.
— AFP
Signs Pyongyong may be expanding
plutonium output: US think tank
SEOUL: Stepped up activity at North
Korea’s main nuclear complex could
point to fresh plutonium production to
expand its nuclear weapons stockpile,
a US think tank said on Wednesday.
Fresh satellite images of the
Yongbyon facility show high-level
activity at two sites, including the
five-megawatt reactor seen as North
Korea’s main source of weapons-grade
plutonium, according to analysts at the
US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins
University.
While stressing the difficulty in
determining a precise reason for the
movement, the analysts suggested
a number of scenarios, including
renovation work or the replacement of
contaminated equipment.
The activity may also indicate
preparations for unloading spent fuel
rods from the reactor for the purpose
of producing new plutonium.
“If this explanation proves to be
true, it would represent an important
step towards the further development
of North Korea’s nuclear weapons
stockpile,” the analysts said in a post on
the institute’s 38North website.
The increase in activity at Yongbyon
was also noted earlier this week by the
head of the UN’s International Atomic
Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano.
“These appear to be broadly
consistent with (North Korea’s)
statements that it is further developing
its nuclear capabilities,” Amano
told members of the IAEA Board of
Governors in Vienna.
North Korea mothballed the
Yongbyon reactor in 2007 under
an aid-for-disarmament accord,
but began renovating it after its
last nuclear test in 2013. When fully
operational, the reactor is capable
of producing around six kilos of
plutonium a year — enough for one
nuclear bomb, experts say. — AFP
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
SUBCONTINENT
omandailyobserver
7
Myanmar pushes peace plan in ethnic rebel talks
CEASEFIRE DEAL: Efforts are on to bring an end to decades of civil war after over two years of negotiations
YANGON: Myanmar’s President Thein
Sein met ethnic rebel peace negotiators
for the first time in the capital Naypyidaw
Wednesday in an effort to secure a longawaited nationwide ceasefire before
looming November elections.
More than two years of negotiations
aimed at bringing an end to decades
of civil war in Myanmar’s rugged
borderlands have seen the government
bring together ethnic minority rebels
and the feared army to thrash out a
peace process framework.
But while the talks have produced a
ceasefire document — seen as a historic
first step in the peace process — they
have stuttered over lingering mistrust
and disagreements over which rebel
factions should be allowed to sign the
deal.
Observers say Thein Sein is eager
to sign the ceasefire deal and cement
his legacy as a peacemaker before the
November 8 polls, which are set to
redraw the political landscape with
expectations of huge gains by Aung San
Suu Kyi’s opposition.
Wednesday’s meeting ended without
that agreement, but negotiators said the
process was inching forward as Thein
Sein considered making concessions
to extra groups, some of whom are still
fighting the army, who may now be able
to observe the signing of the deal.
He also reiterated an invitation for
the groups to sign the deal in the coming
weeks.
“(Ethnic armies) did not confirm
they would sign during today’s meeting.
But the guarantees given by the
government today mean that most are
likely to sign up,” said Hla Maung Shwe,
a senior member of the negotiating team
at the Myanmar Peace Centre.
Myanmar’s government has agreed
to allow 15 ethnic armed groups to ink
Three ministers
sworn in to
Sirisena govt
FOR A LIVING
COLOMBO: Three new cabinet
ministers were on Wednesday
sworn in to Sri Lanka’s new national
government, the president’s media
unit said.
The ministers were sworn in before
President Maithripala Sirisena at the
Presidential Secretariat in capital
Colombo, Xinhua news agency
reported.
The ministers included Faizer
Mustapha, who was sworn in as the
minister of local government and
provincial councils, Vijith Wijayamuni
Soysa as the minister of irrigation
and water management and Malik
Samarawickreme, who was sworn
in as the development strategies and
international trade minister.
With the appointment of the three
ministers, Sri Lanka’s new government
now consists of 46 ministers with 42
ministers having been sworn in last
week and Foreign Minister Mangala
Samaraweera being sworn in late last
month.
Although Sri Lanka’s constitution
allows the appointment of only 30
ministers, parliamentary approval to
form a larger cabinet was sought by
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
last week.
The matter, which was taken up
for debate, was passed with a total of
143 votes in favour in the 225-member
parliament. The two parties have
agreed to work together in the new
parliament. — IANS
Myanmar’s President Thein Sein gives an
opening speech at a meeting with ethnic
rebel groups to discuss a nationwide
ceasefire agreement in Naypyitaw.
— Reuters
the deal, but it has rejected some half a
dozen organisations put forward by a
consortium of ethnic minority armies
Pakistani journalist gunned down
KARACHI: Unidentified gunmen
shot dead a Pakistani TV journalist in
Karachi on Wednesday, less than a day
after a similar attack on a news van in
the same city killed a technician.
Aftab Alam was targeted by two
gunmen on a motorcycle while he was
reversing his car outside his home in
a central district of the port city in the
afternoon.
“He was targeted by two motorcycle
riders waiting for him outside his
home,” deputy inspector general of
police Feroze Shah said.
He was struck by three bullets — two
US ROLE
Afghan police
killing to
be probed
A man carries kitchen pots as he works at a factory in Jalalabad, Afghanistan,
yesterday. — Reuters
3G, 4G mobile users stand at 14.6 million and continue to grow
Pakistan to have 40 millon
smartphones by 2016-end
KARACHI: There will be 40 million
smartphones in Pakistan by December
2016, according to market estimates,
based on current trends in the
e-commerce sector, says a major player.
According to sources in the
e-commerce market, the estimate, along
with the optimism surrounding it, is
being driven by the recent growth of
telecom sector, particularly the increase
in number of mobile broadband users.
In Pakistan, third-generation (3G)
and 4G mobile phone users stand at 14.6
million as of July 2015 and continue
to grow, creating a huge demand for
smartphones, which is the top selling
category across all major e-commerce
platforms.
Publicly available data shows mobile
phone imports in terms of value and not
in units, making it difficult to figure out
category-wise imports.
However, market sources say less
than 20 per cent of Pakistan’s monthly
mobile phone imports comprise
smartphones.
But Myanmar’s powerful military
sent only lower ranking representatives
to the Naypyidaw talks.
Conflict in Kachin state has left
some 100,000 people displaced since a
ceasefire deal collapsed soon after the
end of junta rule in 2011.
Fighting between government troops
and rebels also erupted this year in the
Kokang region of northern Shan state,
causing tens of thousands of people to
flee their homes, many into China.
The inclusion of the Kokang rebels
in the peace deal — along with combat
allies the Arakan Army and Ta’ang
National Liberation Army (TNLA) —
has proved controversial for the military.
Karen National Union (KNU) chairman Mutu Say Poe talks to Myanmar’s President
“All inclusiveness is the best policy.
Sein (Left) at a meeting between the president and ethnic rebel groups. — Reuters
It is better if everyone is involved in
the country’s peace,” Padoh Saw Kwe
seeking full inclusion in the ceasefire.
talks, including from the political wing Htoo Win, a senior ethnic armed group
Nine leaders from top ethnic rebel of the Kachin Independence Army — representative, said before the meeting.
groups were present at the Naypyidaw one of the country’s largest rebel armies.
— AFP
This equation though is likely to
change in a couple of years, they added.
More than two million users a month
are looking to buy a phone online,
according to Daraz.pk Co-Founder
Muneeb Maayr.
To capitalise on this growing
demand, major industry players from
service providers (telecom operators) to
mobile phone makers and e-commerce
platforms have partnered with internet
giant Google to promote online trade by
offering exclusive discounts on mobile
phone purchases just ahead of Eidul
Azha.
Titled Google’s Tech Mela, the 10-
day event, which goes live on September
11, is an online shopping festival which
brings many new phones launched
recently at discounted prices and deals
from major mobile phone brands.
“With this event, Google aims to
support the vibrant and growing culture
of e-commerce in the country,” Maayr
said, adding it was an exciting platform
to raise awareness and consumer
adoption of e-commerce in Pakistan.
The participating companies include
Samsung, Microsoft, Huawei, Pak
Telecom, Rivo, TPL Trakker, Innjoo,
Infinix, Intex, Telenor and Zong which
are offering products from tablets
to personal tracker devices and data
bundles.
“This is the first of many online
shopping festivals to come to Pakistan,
and smartphones are a good assortment
to begin this festival with,” Maayr said,
responding to a question about whether
they planned to promote products other
than smartphones.
— Internews
KABUL: The US military said it would
launch an investigation into an air
strike last week that Afghan officials
say killed 11 members of Afghanistan’s
elite counter-narcotics police force.
American war aircraft and remotely
piloted drones still carry out strikes in
Afghanistan, targeting Taliban and
other militants even after most foreign
forces withdrew at the end of last year.
If proven, the incident would be
one of the deadliest recent instances
of “friendly fire”, after at least eight
Afghan soldiers were killed by a US air
strike in July in Logar province, south
of the capital, Kabul.
Afghan officials initially said
last week’s air strike took place in
the southern province of Helmand,
but later reports showed the elite
police team was operating in the
neighbouring province of Kandahar.
“We feel it is prudent to investigate
the air strike our forces conducted in
Kandahar,” a US military spokesman,
Brigadier General Wilson Shoffner,
said in a statement. — Reuters
in the head and one in the neck, added
Shah.
Alam had last worked for leading
channel Samaa TV before retiring due
to ill health last year, a colleague said.
The attack was the second on a media
worker within 24 hours after gunmen
sprayed bullets on a Geo News TV van
Tuesday night, killing a satellite engineer
in the Bahadurabad neighbourhood of
eastern Karachi and injuring the driver.
Shah said that it was too early to say
whether the two incidents were linked.
Amin Yusuf, secretary general of the
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
said: “Journalists are being targeted
ruthlessly,” urging authorities to take
concrete action to prevent such violence.
The International Federation of
Journalists last year termed Pakistan the
most dangerous country for media, with
14 journalists killed there in 2014 alone.
Karachi, a port city of some 20
million and Pakistan’s economic hub,
is frequently hit by, political and ethnic
violence.
Paramilitary forces began a sweeping
crackdown on militants in the city in
2013, which has led to a substantial drop
in overall levels of violence. — AFP
Nepal police firing kills
anti-charter protesters
KATHMANDU: Four demonstrators
died in Nepal Wednesday after being
shot by police as fresh protests erupted
in the country’s southern plains over a
new draft constitution.
Police fired shots and tear gas when
thousands of protesters surrounded
their headquarters in the southeastern
district of Mahottari and torched the
house of a local judge.
“Three sustained bullet injuries in
the clash and died while undergoing
treatment,” police spokesman Kamal
Singh Bam said. “A curfew has been
imposed until further notice in
Mahottari.”
A fourth man was killed in the
nearby district of Saptari when police
fired at hundreds of protestors who
threw stones and bottles as police tried
to escort vehicles through a blocked
national highway.
Anger has been building for weeks
in southern Nepal after lawmakers
struck a breakthrough deal on a
new constitution, spurred by April’s
devastating earthquake.
Plans to divide the Himalayan nation
into seven provinces have sparked
fury among historically marginalised
communities including the Madhesi
MAJESTIC WALK
A mahout walks with an elephant at a Buddhist temple ahead of an annual street
parade in Colombo. — Reuters
Three sustained
bullet injuries in
the clash and died
while undergoing
treatment. A curfew has
been imposed until further
notice in Mahottari.”
KAMAL SINGH BAM
Police spokesman
and Tharu ethnic minorities, who say
the new internal borders will limit their
political representation.
The latest casualties mean that 30
people including 10 police officers and
an 18-month-old boy have died in the
violence that first broke out last month.
UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon last week called for an end to the
clashes and urged Nepal’s politicians to
hold talks with protesters.
But negotiations faltered over
the issue of internal borders and the
resulting uncertainty left Nepal — one
of the world’s poorest countries — in
political limbo. — AFP
Elephant kills
photographer
in Lanka
COLOMBO: A journalist was
trampled to death after a herd of wild
elephants invaded a village in northcentral Sri Lanka, police said Tuesday.
Videographer Priyantha Ratnayaka
a videographer was stomped by one
elephant while wildlife officials were
trying to drive the herd away from the
village, about 190 kilometres northeast of Colombo on Monday.
The area is a popular tourist
destinations where foreigners gather
to watch elephants.
More than 70 people were killed in
elephant attacks in Sri Lanka last year.
About 150 elephants were killed
during that time, mostly by poisoning
or shooting by farmers. — dpa
8
ANALYSIS
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
A HOME AWAY FROM
HOME FOR MANY
S
amuel, 19, was on the move for almost a decade. When civil war broke out in his
home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, his family had to escape. In the
chaos of the flight, Samuel was separated from his parents.
Alone, he crossed the border into Zambia and then fled further to Angola and
Namibia until he finally arrived in South Africa. The trek took him about nine
years. “It seemed everything had collapsed,” the reserved teenager says about his
journey, which he started at the age of about 6 and remembers only in patches.
For the past five years, Samuel has been living at Lawrence House, a
children’s home in South Africa’s southernmost city, Cape Town, that houses
unaccompanied, abandoned and orphaned migrant children.
Samuel lives in the former convent with 24 other boys and girls from countries
like Somalia, Rwanda, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
For the first time since he left Congo, he has a place to stay where he receives
care, access to education and health care but also to therapeutic, developmental
and legal services.
“It almost feels like a real home,” Samuel
Aid for migrants tends
says, while paging through a library book.
The six child and youth care workers at to focus on adults and
Lawrence House feel much more like parents families. But many
than supervisors, he adds.
boys and girls cross
Lawrence House is a ramshackle building
with high ceilings, long corridors and creaky borders on their own.
floorboards. The tiny bedrooms, which are A facility in South
shared by two to three children, are sparsely
Africa provides home
furnished. But the atmosphere is warm, the
children visibly happy. “We want to provide a to orphaned migrant
sense of belonging and identity,” says director children, reports
Giulia Treves. “The children are uprooted. We
KRISTIN PALITZA
want to create a place where they regain their
condition as a child.”
The life of a migrant is incredibly tough.
The psychological effects of being an abandoned child migrant even tougher.
When children first arrive at Lawrence House, most are in survival mode and
suffer from post-traumatic stress, explains Treves. Many are undernourished.
Some have experienced violence or abuse on their journey.
On top of that, unaccompanied migrant children suffer emotionally due
to early abandonment. Lawrence House, which opened in 2005, is one of very
few facilities in South Africa and on the continent that offer services tailored to
migrant children without legal guardians.
There are no statistics for how many unaccompanied migrant minors arrive
in South Africa every year - immigration authorities do not systematically record
single children. But Treves says she receives enquiries every week.
Most children are turned away because Lawrence House’s 25 beds are pretty
much always taken. Like Samuel, tens of thousands of African migrants decide
to travel southwards, as opposed to fleeing north through the Sahara to Europe.
South Africa is a major destination for migrants and already home to more than
300,000 asylum seekers and refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees.
Apart from being one of the continent’s richest economies, South Africa is
attractive because of its modern laws that give asylum seekers immediate right to
work and study, freedom of movement and access to basic social services.
There are, however, major legal gaps when it comes to unaccompanied migrant
children. Without a legal guardian, there is no option to document a migrant child,
explains Marilize Ackermann, advocacy officer at the Scalabrini Centre, a non-profit
organisation in Cape Town that specialises in legal services for refugees and migrants.
“Unaccompanied migrant children are protected under the Children’s Act in
South Africa, but remain undocumented,” Ackermann says.
As soon as they reach adulthood at the age of 18, they are deemed
undocumented and can be deported. Most are forced to return to countries they
have no connection with and hardly even a memory of.
One of the many migrant children who might soon enter this legal limbo is
Jose from Angola, who is about to turn 18.
Jose has been living at Lawrence House for the past 10 years, after spending
some time at a refugee shelter. He has no recollection of his early childhood in
Angola and hardly speaks Portuguese.
“Everyone I know is in South Africa. I could imagine to visit Angola one day,
but not to live there,” he says.
The possibility of forced deportation clashes with all plans for his future,
including studying graphic design in South Africa.
Is Cameron EU plan derailed?
A
s little as a year before Britain votes on whether to leave European leaders, he will campaign to keep Britain in a
the European Union, events risk derailing Prime Minister reformed EU, but that if he doesn’t get the concessions he
David Cameron’s carefully-laid plan to renegotiate EU seeks, he would “rule nothing out.”
membership and keep Britain in.
Without spelling out detailed demands, he has said he
First Cameron compromised on the referendum wants reforms to make the EU economy more competitive,
question, then Eurosceptic Conservative backbenchers better safeguards for national sovereignty, guarantees of fair
defeated him on campaign rules, the government’s first treatment for countries that do not join the euro zone, and
defeat since his unexpectedly strong victory in the May 7 curbs on the welfare rights of migrants from EU countries.
general election.
“The PM is focused at the moment on that renegotiation
By caving into the demands of Eurosceptics in his and getting the reforms that are needed to address the
own party, Cameron has weakened his hand with some concerns of the British people,” his spokeswoman said.
European diplomats who question whether he can master “That’s the priority right now, and that’s what he and the
domestic politics to keep the EU’s second largest economy team are focused on.”
inside the club.
Asked about a Financial Times report that the
“The more he makes these concessions
government had urged to business
and the longer he delays clearly coming
leaders to “shut up” about their support
British premier is
out for a ‘Yes’, the more that damages
for EU membership, the spokeswoman
his reputation and credibility with his struggling to navigate said: “It struck me as more noise. There’s
EU partners and the less likely they
lots of noise.”.
a refugee crisis that
are to help him get a good deal,” said
Even before parliament returned from
is fuelling domestic its summer
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for
holiday, Cameron was forced
opposition to British to change the wording on the referendum
European Reform.
Now Cameron is struggling to navigate
membership, writes ballot from a simple “yes”/”no” answer
a refugee crisis that is fuelling domestic
the question: “Should the United
GUY FAULCONBRIDGE to
opposition to British membership, while
Kingdom remain a member of the
his refusal to take part in EU asylum
European Union?”
plans has irritated the very leaders whose
To phrase the choice more openly, the
support he needs for his renegotiation.
independent Electoral Commission recommended it be
German, French and Austrian leaders have warned changed to: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member
Britain can’t expect help on its demands if it refuses any of the European Union or leave the European Union?” The
solidarity with the rest of Europe over the refugee issue. two possible answers would be: “remain a member of the
Cameron has pledged to take in 20,000 Syrians, but not European Union” and “leave the European Union”.
from Europe.
In the face of a revolt by Eurosceptic Conservative
Under pressure from lawmakers who feared the electoral backbenchers, Cameron moved to impose stronger limits
success of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, Cameron on the involvement of the government in the campaign.
promised in 2013 a referendum on membership by the end
But the rushed last-minute amendments to the EU
of 2017 after renegotiating aspects of the EU relationship.
Referendum Bill didn’t placate more than 35 Conservative
The vote could happen as early as next year, with dates Eurosceptics who voted with the opposition Labour Party
in either June or September seen as likely.
and Scottish nationalists to defeat the government on
Cameron says that if he gets what he wants from Monday.
Battle for ‘sandwich class’ vote offers underdog a chance
T
he Workers’ Party of Singapore was once
written off as too left wing for a country
that had built its success on unabashed
capitalism: to many, even its symbol of a
bright yellow hammer on a red background
looked just a sickle short of communism.
But now, as this wealthy city-state
heads into an election on Friday, the “WP”
could be about to give the People’s Action
Party (PAP) its stiffest competition yet in
50 years of uninterrupted and virtually
unchallenged rule.
That could put pressure on the newly
elected government to focus more on
social welfare and to restrict the flow of
foreign workers, who it says are needed to
underpin growth as the population greys
and the workforce shrinks.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s party
will win the lion’s share of parliament’s 89
seats, no one doubts that.
For one thing, the WP is only fielding
candidates for 28 seats.
Still, the Workers’ Party is hoping that
its parliament tally will jump into double
figures from just seven now after a shift to
the centre, where it appeals to a “sandwich
class” of swing voters feeling squeezed by
high prices and competition for jobs as
growth slows.
A WP campaign rally on a field beside
public housing blocks this week had the
air of a genteel evening get-together rather
than a meeting of opposition hotheads.
Grey-haired men and women on
foldable chairs chatted as young office
workers munched on snacks, college
students huddled and giggled, and mothers
chased toddlers running amok.
The PAP itself has inched to the left to
avoid losing the support of such people,
dishing out more on healthcare, the elderly
and low paid since its share of the popular
vote tumbled to a record low of 60.1 per
cent in the 2011 election.
It is under Secretary-General Low Thia
Khiang that the Workers’ Party has picked
on the PAP’s most exposed flank.
“The Workers’ Party will represent you in
a manner befitting a rational, responsible and
respectable political party,” Low told the rally
in a measured speech that might have made
his more combative predecessors blanche.
“We believe that parliament is not a
place for MPs to roar at one another, it
The Workers’ Party is hoping
that its parliament tally will
jump into double figures from
just seven now after a shift to
the centre, where it appeals
to a ‘sandwich class’ of swing
voters, notes RUJUN SHEN
is a platform for dignified and civilised
discussions.”
The WP says its stronger voice in
parliament — in 2011 six of its members
were elected and one more won in a byelection two years later — has already forced
the government to become more welfarist
and curb the flow of foreign workers, whom
many blame for taking jobs, depressing
wages and pushing up prices.
“It is impossible for a party to do checks
on itself,” said a man in his 50s at the rally
who gave his family name as Goh.
“The changes in policies in the past few
years took place largely due to the presence
of opposition. We can’t put all the eggs in
one basket, and we need to send more blue
eggs into parliament,” he said, referring to
the Workers’ Party signature blue-collar
colour.
Besides calling for a more diverse
legislature, the Workers’ Party campaigns
for minimum wages and making healthcare
and public housing more affordable.
That resonates with the “sandwich class”,
which sprang up as Singapore’s growth-atall-costs narrative wore thin.
“Singapore is still a good place to live,
but the cost of living is very high and it is
hard for us in the sandwich class to catch
up,” said 37-year-old Elena Foo, who
joined the Workers’ Party rally but was still
undecided on her vote.
People attend an election campaign rally by the opposition Workers’ Party in Singapore
on Sunday. The wealthy city-state heads into an election on Friday.
— Reuters
ANALYSIS
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
omandailyobserver
9
Ex-comrade spoils party for Greek leftist leader
W
eeks after toppling Alexis Tsipras’s government,
Greek far-left leader Panagiotis Lafazanis is
landing fresh blows against his former comrade:
stealing away voters and usurping the mantle of
Greece’s foremost anti-bailout champion.
A bearded, bespectacled former Communist
whose fiery rhetoric belies his avuncular looks,
Lafazanis has long been a headache for Tsipras.
He regularly defied his former boss as energy
minister and then led a rebellion in his Syriza
party, forcing Tsipras to call snap elections on
September 20.
Now Lafazanis’s barely three-week-old
“Popular Unity” party of far-left rebels who broke
away from Syriza has emerged as the wild card
in the election, wooing former Syriza voters
by reminding them that Tsipras capitulated to
foreign creditors and accepted a bailout package
he promised never to sign up to.
Hitting the campaign trail with pledges to end
austerity for good, restore wages and pensions to
pre-crisis levels and cancel the 86-billion-euro
bailout, 63-year-old Lafazanis sounds a lot like
Tsipras did before storming to power in January.
He’s not a man to mince words: European
Union and International Monetary Fund lenders
are “imperialists”, the privatisation agency is
“sinful”, the bailout “neocolonial submission” and
Greece is now a “Euro-Atlantic plot”.
well below the level needed for an outright win.
“They
are
destroying
Greece
and
Popular Unity, meanwhile, is expected to take
unfortunately every new bailout only aggravates 3.5-5 per cent of the vote and enter parliament,
this destruction,” Lafazanis said. “Just stop this even though the fledgling party is just 20 days old,
disaster now — stop blackmailing and putting cobbled together in a day after Tsipras abruptly
pressure on Greece to implement bailouts of announced he was calling snap elections.
austerity and a selloff of the country. This a clear
“Any loss is a problem (for Syriza) at this stage,”
dead end not only for Greece
ALCO polling agency chief
but for Europe as a whole.”
Costas Panagopoulos said.
Unlike Tsipras, however, Far-left leader Panagiotis
“For
Syriza,
Popular
Lafazanis says he’s ready
Unity’s presence creates a
Lafazanis is landing
to take Greece out of the
problem not only in terms
fresh blows against
euro and back to a national
of numbers — its arguments
currency — marking him out
remind voters of Syriza’s
his former comrade:
as far too radical in the eyes of
commitments and this
stealing away voters and past
many Greeks.
intensifies the problem.”
usurping the mantle of
But polls show the loss of
Popular Unity has stolen
Syriza’s far-left flank is costing
about 8 per cent of Greeks
foremost anti-bailout
Tsipras dearly, both in terms of
who voted for Syriza in
champion, reports
votes and the party’s identity
January when elections were
DEEPA BABINGTON
as a group that cherishes leftist
last held, he said. That share
ideals over power.
may be small but represents
Between disillusionment
Syriza’s core leftist base that
over Tsipras’s abrupt bailout U-turn and the lure supported the party through the years, he said.
of Lafazanis, Syriza is now locked in a dead heat
“It targets the core of the voters who believe
with the conservatives in opinion polls — a far that the bailout is a disaster and who have
cry from the easy victory it was eyeing.
no problem with the adoption of a national
Polls show it with 23-29 per cent of the vote, currency,” Panagopoulous said.
Still, openly calling for a return to the drachma
puts the party against the path preferred by most
Greeks — polls consistently show a majority
favour staying in the euro.
Costas Lapavitsas, an economics professor and
former Syriza lawmaker who rebelled and joined
Popular Unity, dismisses such polls as “worthless”
and says Greeks have never been clearly asked in a
referendum if they want to stay in the euro or not.
He points out 62 per cent of Greeks voted
against the bailout in a July 5 referendum even
though the opposition made it clear a ‘No’ vote
was tantamount to leaving the euro.
“Ask them the real question: do you want
the euro with the bailout conditions because
that’s what the euro goes with or do you want an
alternative strategy, an anti-bailout strategy, with
your own national currency?” he said.
He argues the anti-bailout sentiment remains
strong in Greece, and that Greeks are increasingly
asking him how a transition to a new currency
would work. The party is trying to openly tackle
the issue head on.
Its first TV advertisement takes tonguein-cheek aim at reports over the summer that
Lafazanis hatched a plot to seize the national
mint, take over its reserves and force it to print
the national currency.
GETTING HIS VIEW
GINGER GIBSON
T
An exterior view of Waverley School in Birmingham, Britain.
ed Cruz is languishing in the Republican primary race and hoping an
unusual move will give him a boost: embracing Donald Trump instead
of bashing him to get his message in front of more Republican voters.
The two White House rivals will shared a rally stage on Wednesday
afternoon in the shadow of the US Capitol to voice their opposition to
the Iran nuclear deal. Cruz, a senator from Texas, was originally slated
to be the solo headliner. But he has now invited rival Trump to join him.
Cruz, a Tea Party darling who reached out to Christian conservatives
when he launched his bid for the White House, has failed to move into
the top tier of candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the
November 2016 presidential election. Trump, meanwhile, has rocketed
to the top of the pack and is enjoying a massive lead.
Following the usual political playbook, Jeb Bush, the former
Florida governor who had been considered by many the favourite for
the Republican nomination, has gone on the attack, calling Trump a
Democrat in disguise and bashing him for speaking highly of Democrat
Hillary Clinton. The rest of the Republican field has been happy to pile on.
Cruz, however, previously has had some words of praise for Trump.
Cruz, the son of a Cuban immigrant, in July said he stood with Trump
on immigration after Trump said that many illegal immigrants from
Mexico are criminals.
But in the unprecedented move by Cruz to hold a dual event is a
hope that he will benefit from the media attention Trump receives and
get the real estate mogul’s fans to give Cruz a serious look if — or when
— the front-runner falls.
The entire Republican field opposes the Iran deal, struck by President
Barack Obama and five other world powers, which will lift sanctions on
Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
On Tuesday, Obama secured 41 votes in the Senate for the deal, just
enough to block a final vote on a measure for disapproval.
“Trump draws the media and we want to draw attention to the Iran
deal,” Cruz campaign spokesman Rick Tyler said.
“He brings a lot of people into the process who have been checked
out of politics and I like to imagine that a lot of those people have not
heard from Senator Cruz directly.”
Kellyanne Conway, a Republican pollster working for super PACs
backing Cruz, said Republicans are missing a lesson by not looking
more closely at what is attracting voters to Trump.
“I think it’s less Machiavellian and more immediately practical,”
Conway said of Cruz’s embrace of Trump.
— Reuters
In UK, teachers learn how to tackle extremists
B
irmingham school principal Kamal Hanif
recently gave a group of parents a presentation
about how extremists use social media to
recruit young people. When he mentioned
Facebook, some of the parents, mainly Muslim
mothers, raised their hands to show they had
never heard of the site.
For extremists, he told them, that ignorance
is a weapon. “If you’re not speaking to your
child and being very open with them, they’ve
got no-one to go to.”
Hanif is in a good position to know. A
decade ago, he became the first Muslim head
of a high school in Birmingham.
Over that time, Britain’s second largest city
has generated the UK’s first Al Qaeda convict
and a hacker who was allegedly part of the
IS group which killed American journalist
James Foley. Under Hanif, Waverley School
has been commended by inspectors for
keeping young people safe, even though it sits
in a deprived community that was ranked one
of the “most vulnerable to violent extremism”
in the city by police in 2013. Last year, Hanif
was called in to help reform other local
schools after an alleged plot by hardliners to
take them over from within.
As teachers return to school this month,
they have a new legal obligation to keep an eye
out for potential extremists. Hanif has been
touring the country to share his experiences.
His story shows how the new law could help,
but could also prove counter-productive.
The UK government estimates at least 700
people have travelled to support or fight for
terror groups in Syria and Iraq. Polls show fear
of Muslims is on the rise.
In a speech in July, Prime Minister David
Cameron said the country had to confront
“a tragic truth that there are people born
and raised in this country who don’t really
identify with Britain — and who feel little or
no attachment to other people here.”
Under the new law, schools must have
“due regard to the need to prevent people
from being drawn into terrorism.” Critics of
the policy, who include students, teachers,
academics, civil liberties groups and members
of parliament, say it unfairly targets Muslims
and will aggravate the sense of alienation of 2.7
million Britons. “There has sadly, over the last
six years, been a policy of disengagement from
British Muslim communities,” said Sayeeda
Warsi, a Muslim and a former chairman of
Cameron’s Conservative Party.
“Successive governments have seen more
and more individuals and organisations as
being beyond the pale and therefore not to be
engaged with.”
Rob Ferguson, a teacher at Newham Sixth
Form College in east London, worries that the
law is leading to paranoia.
A friend of his, whom he declined to
identify, was told his son was “talking too
much about Palestine.” “It’s a real example
of the climate,” Ferguson said, “a sort of selfpolicing on the one hand, a fear of open
discussion on the other.”
Hanif shares these concerns, saying the
law seems to single out Muslims. “It’s almost
as though it’s the race equality debate coming
back again,” said the clean-shaven 44-yearold in his cluttered first-floor office, teaching
awards on the windowsill behind him.
Nonetheless, he says that if schools take the
Under the new law, teachers
must refer any case they
are concerned about to the
government’s deradicalisation
programme, which includes
police and known as Channel,
reports MICHAEL HOLDEN
right approach, the new law can help. “It’s how
the school deals with it,” he said.
“If the approach is to ‘spot the signs’... it’s
not going to work.”
Hanif’s landowner family served in the
British military and migrated from Kashmir
to the Birmingham suburb of Bordesley Green
in the 1950s. He was a student at the school he
now heads. He thinks adults should keep an
eye on children and teenagers. At the seminar
for parents, he enlisted students to show why.
One put up a slide listing around 25 apps
that strangers can use to contact children
discreetly. Hanif then outlined the grooming
techniques radicals use. First, he said,
recruiters present images of success.
Then they offer sympathy and friendship
to soothe an individual’s sense of isolation,
rejection or disgust with society.
Some send gifts. Others appeal to a sense
of personal duty — so targets feel obliged to
defend victims like the children of Syria, or to
return favours.
A key stage, Hanif said, is to “share a secret”
and encourage the person to cut themselves
off from friends and family.
Parent Fayaz Ali said the meeting was eyeopening. “I think I’m going to watch a bit more
what (my children) do,” she said. “It’s actually
made quite clear how their vulnerabilities are
worked on.”
But surveillance has its limitations.
A group of teenage girls said they stay
up late using apps including Snapchat,
Twitter, WhatsApp, BBM, Tumblr, Vine and
Instagram. If anyone tried to track or oversee
them, they said, they would find a way to keep
their privacy.
Under the new law, teachers must
refer any case they are concerned about
to the government’s deradicalisation
programme, which includes police and is
known as Channel.
ESTABLISHED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1981
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10
INDIA
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Jaitley says monsoon
session to be prorogued
FROM WORKSHOP TO WORSHIP
SPECULATION ENDS: No special sitting for Goods & Services Tax Bill
Workers carry an idol of elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, as it is transported from a workshop to a place of
worship in Mumbai. — Reuters
DEVASTATION
DMRC finally cleared for Metro project
296 rural roads
damaged in
Manipur floods
NEW DELHI: As many as 296 rural
roads were damaged in the floods that
devastated Manipur last month, the
state’s Minister for Rural Development
and Panchayati Raj Francis Ngajokpa
said here on Wednesday.
Ngajokpa met union Minister
of State for Home Affairs Kiren
Rijiju here and apprised him of the
extensive damage caused in the
state by floods, especially to roads,
bridges and standing crops and other
properties in both the hills and valley
of Manipur.
He said the damage due to
landslides, sinking, submersion and
erosion was very extensive, an official
statement said.
As many as 296 Pradhan Mantri
Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) roads
and bridges covering a total length
of 479.95 km were washed away
and unless these were reconstructed
or repaired immediately, villagers
in remote areas would remain
disconnected, Ngajokpa told Rijiju.
The state minister requested Rijiju
to depute an inter-ministerial team to
assess the gravity of damage.
He also referred to Rijiju’s visit
with union Minister of State for
Development of the Northeastern
Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh to
the flood-affected areas of Manipur.
Rijiju assured the Manipur minister
that as soon as a proposal from the
state government was received, an
inter-ministerial team would be sent
to Manipur to assess the damage.
Meanwhile, Rijiju also spoke to
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi
Singh regarding the importance of
the comprehensive assessment by
the inter-ministerial team so that
necessary central assistance could be
provided to the state government, the
statement said. — IANS
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The
Kerala government has cleared the
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
as the implementing agency and
given administrative sanction for
the proposed Light Metro project in
Kozhikode and the state capital, Chief
Minister Oommen Chandy said on
Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Chandy said
all issues over the project has been
cleared and the state government will
now write a fresh letter to the central
government seeking the in-principle
clearance for the project.
“The previous letter to the central
government did not have clarity but
now with the administrative sanction
also given by the cabinet, all issues
have been cleared, including handing
over the project to be overseen by the
DMRC,” said Chandy.
The project is expected to ease
the traffic in the busy capital city and
Kozhikode.
‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan, adviser
to DMRC, would be overseeing the
project and 40 per cent of the cost is
expected to be shared equally by the
state and the central government and
the rest through loans from the Japan
International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) with very low rates of interests.
— IANS
NEW DELHI: The government on
Wednesday decided to prorogue the
monsoon session of parliament, putting
at rest speculation of a special sitting
to pass the much-awaited Goods and
Services Tax Bill.
“The Cabinet Committee on
Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) which
met here has decided to request the
president to prorogue the monsoon
session of parliament,” Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley told the media after a
meeting of the union cabinet.
Blaming the Congress for the delay
in the passage of the bill, he said that
the government had been talking to
the party over this and found that the
chief opposition party was unlikely to
change its stance on disrupting house
proceedings.
“Initially there were indications that
they will take a decision on whether
to change their attitude on disrupting
house proceedings, specially on the GST
Bill. We tried to make them understand,
but we have been told that this will
continue,” said the finance minister.
The Congress which had been
demanding the resignations of External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and
the chief ministers of Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh over the Lalit Modi
issue and the Vyapam scams, had
repeatedly disrupted both the houses of
parliament in the monsoon session.
Jaitley said that the “Congress
party’s anger seems to be both with the
government and the people of India.
Their attitude is guided by a revenge
Initially there were
indications that
they will take a
decision on whether
to change their attitude
on disrupting house
proceedings,
specially on the GST Bill.
ARUN JAITLEY
Finance Minister
against the government as well as the
people after they were reduced to 44
seats in the Lok Sabha.
“It (the Congress) has only one
weapon of not letting the parliament
function.
Majority and numbers are against
them.
We tried to make them understand
about the global slowdown and told
them that all political parties should
display elements of statesmanship.”
The finance minister said that some
of the demands which the Congress is
making were not even there in their
original bill piloted by them.”Wisdom
is lost to the Congress since they lost
power,” he quipped.
“We will keep trying.
We are in contact with all political
parties.
And nearly all parties except
Congress are in favour of this bill.
In Lok Sabha, except Congress, all
political parties had voted in favour of
the bill.
Congress had walked out, they (other
parties) had not walked out.
If situation changes, then the cabinet
will again reconsider the matter,” he
added.
On doubts over GST missing the
April 1, 2016 target, he said: “Your guess
is as good as mine.”
The GST Bill is now likely to be
brought in the Rajya Sabha during the
November-December winter session of
parliament.
While the Lok Sabha has already
passed the bill, it will have to again do
so as a parliamentary committee has
suggested amendments to the bill.
The monsoon session of parliament
was adjourned sine die on August 13
without transacting any substantial
business.
The GST is a constitution amendment
bill which can be introduced in either
house of parliament but has to be passed
by each house by a two-thirds majority
of members present and voting.
— IANS
The move comes against the backdrop of another related decision on spectrum sharing taken last month
Govt approves spectrum trading norms
NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday
approved the much-awaited norms for
telecom companies to trade in radio
frequency spectrum in a move that can
go long way in consolidating this scarce
resource, improve the quality of service
and even fetch revenues for airwavesurplus companies.
“We have approved the spectrum
trading norms.
Now, telecom companies can trade in
spectrum among themselves.
For this they need not take government
permission,” Communications and IT
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after
the approval at a meeting of the cabinet.
“Telecom companies only need
to inform the government 45 days in
advance before trading and they have
to give an undertaking,” he said, adding
this policy was expected to resolve
the problem of fragmented spectrum
holding in India.
But the government did not take into
account another industry demand of
making this a free affair.
A non-refundable transfer fee of 1
per cent of the transactional amount
or of the market price is to cover the
Telecom companies
only need to inform
the government 45
days in advance before
trading and they have to
give an undertaking.
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD
Communications and
IT Minister
“administrative charges” in servicing the
trade.
This will be paid by the buyer.
The move comes against the backdrop
of another related decision taken last
month — on spectrum sharing.
Under these guidelines, companies in
an area with the same band of spectrum
could pool this active infrastructure.
The need was expressed since India
allows spectrum to be assigned for 20
years, during which some operators are
able to acquire the requisite number of
subscribers to justify their holding, while
others are saddled with excess resource.
Under spectrum trading, the
companies that have been allocated
spectrum can transfer their rights and
obligations to another party — a move
that will allow better usage as the idle
spectrum from the hands of one service
provider will get transferred to another
facing a crunch.
Prasad said that while the government
needs to be only informed, if any failure
to stick to this is found during sample
checking, the government will take
strong action and the companies shall
not be allowed to trade in this resource.
“This is a revolutionary step,” Prasad
said: “Spectrum trading has been
permitted in all bands.”
The industry reaction was on
expected lines — both welcoming but
also with some reservations on some of
the conditions, notably on the cap on
trading, applicability only for auctions of
2010 and a two year moratorium from
the date of effective assignment.
“Overall, we are very thankful to
the government for approving both
spectrum sharing and trading norms.
This will be very helpful to the
industry,” said Rajan S Mathews, director
general of the Cellular Operators
Association of India.
“But, it’s not a game changer.
The spectrum cap will be a limiting
factor,” Mathews said.
Mahesh Uppal, director of telecom
consultancy firm Com First, also said
the move will increase the flexibility
in acquiring spectrum and will prove
to be good news for the sector.”But it
is difficult to quantify the benefit,” he
added.
“Some players with underutilised or
idle spectrum will be able to monetise
it. Therefore, any added flexibility in
spectrum use is welcome, unless it
comes with new riders,” Uppal said.
— IANS
NEWS IN BRIEF
Pakistani team arrives
for border talks
Indian-origin boy wins
‘Australian Spelling Bee’
Doctors in Malawi to
help health services
ATTARI: Amid the growing war of words
between both countries in recent days, a highlevel delegation from Pakistan crossed over
into India on Wednesday at the Attari-Wagah
joint check post for director-level talks between
border forces of both countries.
Led by Pakistan Rangers’ Director General,
Maj Gen Umar Farooq Burki, the 16-member
delegation was welcomed by senior Border
Security Force (BSF) officers here on Wednesday.
The delegation later left on a special aircraft
for New Delhi where the talks will take place.
The talks between the director generals of
India’s BSF and Pakistan Rangers get underway
despite heightened between both countries
due to intermittent mortar shelling and firing
continuing along the border in Jammu and
Kashmir.
Key issues to be discussed will include
repeated ceasefire violations and cross-border
infiltration.
Pakistan is reported to be seeking revival of
the international monitoring of violations.
— IANS
SYDNEY: A nine-year-old Indian-origin boy has
been named as Australia’s best speller after he
won the first edition of “The Great Australian
Spelling Bee” contest, the media reported on
Wednesday.
Anirudh Kathirvel (pictured), claimed the
prize after he rightly spelled words such as
exorbitant, continuum,
Guernsey, ricochet and
camaraderie during
the competition on
September 7, Herald Sun
newspaper reported.
Kathirvel beat his
five opponents Harpita,
Harrison, Marko, Mica
and Grace for the title
and 50,000 Australian
dollars ($35,000) education scholarship. In the
first challenge, Speed Spell, a fast-paced spelling
bee, another Indian-origin participant Harpita
and Marko were knocked out. The next round
saw Harrison and Mica losing, sending Kathirvel
and Grace to the final round. — IANS
JOHANNESBURG: A group of 30 Indian
doctors has arrived in Lilongwe, the capital of
landlocked Malawi, to support the government
in providing health services to patients at the
Kamuzu Central Hospital, a media report said.
Malawi is experiencing an acute shortage of
medical personnel, Nyasa Times reported.
The contingent of health workers landed
in the country on September 7 and will assist
nearly 300 patients at the hospital for 10 days.
Lilongwe Rotary Club has assisted their arrival
and will spend 60 million Malawi Kwacha
($107,000) for the exercise.
According to Rotary Club president
Christopher Kapenda, his organisation
has brought in the doctors to assist the
government in providing quality health
services.
“These doctors will assist a lot in lessening
problems that patients are facing at Kamuzu
Central Hospital since there are some patients
who have been in hospital for long just to
wait for the surgeon,” Kapenda was quoted as
saying.
— IANS
British Minister for Trade and Investment Francis Maude listens to an official speak at an
advanced machining excellence cell during a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
in Mumbai. Maude is on three-day official visit. — AFP
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
INDIA
omandailyobserver
11
TN attracts over `100,000 cr investments: Jayalalithaa
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa sits alongside delegates on stage during the Global Investors Meet 2015 at the Chennai Trade Centre in Chennai. — AFP
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said the
state’s first Global Investor Meet has
exceeded the investment target of Rs
100,000 crore.
Inaugurating the state’s first Global
Investors Meet here, Jayalalithaa said the
target of `100,000 crore of investment
commitment has been exceeded.
“I am very confident that further
commitments would be made over these
two days and I would be able to make
an announcement on the resounding
success of the meet when we gather here
again tomorrow (Thursday),” she said.
Stressing that her government is
business-friendly and welfare-oriented,
Jayalalithaa said the state has planned
an investment of $250 billion in
infrastructure under its Vision Tamil
NEW SCHEME
Delhi govt
offers edu loan
up to `10 lakh
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government
on Wednesday launched a flagship
scheme to enable students avail
education loan of up to Rs 10 lakh.
Deputy Chief Minister and
Education Minister Manish Sisodia
kick-started the scheme here by
distributing cheques to the first 25
beneficiaries.
Around 30 students were issued
sanction letters to whom cheques
would be issued subsequently.
Cheques worth `75 lakh in total
and sanction letters were distributed
to eligible students at the inaugural
function.
“The government is with the
students whose parents don’t have
property as a guarantee to avail loan
for their education,” the minister said.
“We will take their guarantee and
give them a chance to study and not
let finance become a hurdle in their
education.” — IANS
New naval
establishment
commissioned
KARWAR:
Defence
Minister
Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday
commissioned INS Vajrakosh, the
latest establishment of the Indian Navy
at Karwar in Karnataka.
It is poised to be the Indian Navy’s
premier base on the western seaboard,
and the base for some vital naval assets.
“Naval units operating out of
Karwar are required to be equipped
with specialised armaments and
missiles. These sophisticated missiles
and ammunition require special
storage facility and specialised
servicing facilities,” said an official
statement.
“The
commissioning
of
INS Vajrakosh, the third naval
establishment
commissioned
in
Karwar, will allow the Indian Navy
to further bolster the offensive and
defensive capabilities of its platforms.”
On the occasion, Parrikar
emphasised the importance of a
modern navy for India. “Navy helps
in maintaining peaceful, stable
and orderly environment for socio
economic growth and national
development,” he said. — IANS
Nadu 2023 plan.
“My goal is to ensure that Tamil
Nadu’s per capita income reaches that of,
upper middle income countries by 2023.
The people of this state must have
access to infrastructure and services
comparable to the best available
anywhere in the world.
Tamil Nadu will be a knowledge
hub for innovation.” “Tamil Nadu will
become the most attractive investment
destination in India and one of the three
most attractive in Asia.
A total investment in infrastructure
of $250 billion is planned,” she added.
According to her, implementation of
84 of the 217 projects and programmes
identified under Vision Tamil Nadu
2013 has already commenced.
Citing that the per capita income of
the state was lower than the national
average when she first assumed office
in 1991, Jayalalithaa said now it is more
than one-and-a- half times the national
average.
“We are the second largest state
economy in India today. This has not
been a fortuitous outcome.
It is the fruit of my government’s
vision, far-sighted policy-making and
effective implementation,” she claimed.
The chief minister said Tamil Nadu
has the largest number of factories and
largest employment in industry of close
to two million people amongst all the
states in India.
“Tamil Nadu ranks first in terms
of number of new micro, small and
medium enterprise (MSME) projects
registered during 2013-14 with 1,16,393
Managing Director for Trade at UK Trade
& Investment Nicola Bolton speaks
onstage during the Global Investors
Meet 2015 in Chennai.
new units accounting for 32.04 percent
of the total new MSME units promoted
all over India. During 2014-15 the
number of MSME units registered went
up even further to 1,43,104,” she said.
Jayalalithaa said the government has
come out with Tamil Nadu Investment
Promotion Programme (TNIPP) with
the assistance of the Japan International
Co-operation Agency.
She said TNIPP effectively aligns the
policy priorities of the government with
the expectations of investors.
Stressing on balanced industrial
growth across the state, Jayalalithaa
said the government has come out with
an attractive package of incentives to
encourage investors to invest in the
southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
“A ready to occupy land bank of
42,000 acres is available for industry.
I had also recently ordered that for
investment commitments made in the
state all necessary final clearances shall
be accorded within 30 days. This reestablishes Tamil Nadu as a State that
focuses on effective delivery without the
accompanying hype,” Jayalalithaa said.
Citing the Centre for Monitoring
Indian Economy (CMIE) data,
Jayalalithaa said the total incremental
investment proposed in the state during
April 2011 to June 2015 is Rs 2,61,709.92
crore.
“From May 2011 to date the
state government has facilitated
86 investments, with a cumulative
investment of `43,101.81 crore through
MoU and Single Window Facilitation,”
she said. — IANS
Bihar to go for 5-phased
polls from October 12
KEEN CONTEST: Election process spread over 3 months due to festive season
NEW DELHI: Bihar will go for a fivephased election for its 243-member
assembly between October 12 and
November 5, with 6.68 crore people
eligible to exercise their franchise,
the Election Commission said on
Wednesday.
The counting of votes will take place
on November 8.
Announcing the dates for the crucial
polls, Chief Election Commissioner
Nasim Zaidi said the model code of
conduct has come into force with
immediate effect.
Voting will take place across 62,779
polling stations, with the election
process spread over three months
apparently due to the festive season.
The first phase of polling for 49 seats
will be held on October 12, the second
phase for 32 seats on October 16, the
third phase for 50 seats on October
28, the fourth phase for 55 seats on
November 1 and the final phase for 57
seats on November 5.
“The Election Commission has made
arrangements for free and fair polls.
We have received more than adequate
forces.
Each polling booth will be manned
by central police forces,” Zaidi said.
He said 47 of the 243 constituencies
were affected by Left-wing extremism.
First phase on Oct 12
Second phase on Oct
16 Third phase on Oct
28 Fourth phase on Nov 1
Final phase on Nov 5 Results
on Nov 8
NASIM ZAIDI
Chief Election
Commissioner
The election, which is expected to
witness a keen contest between the
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance
and the combine of the Janata DalUnited, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and
the Congress, will have some firsts,
including photograph of candidate on
the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
“This is being done for the first time
in an assembly poll.
We received feedback about voters
facing some confusion in case of
presence of candidates having the same
name,” Zaidi said.
He said measures have been taken
to check vehicles for any illicit flow of
arms and liquor. He said committees
have been formed under the district
magistrates for people to deposit their
licensed weapons.
Zaidi said there was effective
intelligence gathering and helicopters
and motorboats will be used to keep
vigil.
“Assessment (was being done) of
all vulnerable points where anti-social
elements can threaten voters,” he said.
He said exit polls will be prohibited
from the very first day of polling.
“As per law, exit poll will be
prohibited from the first day of poll of
the first phase till half an hour after the
appointed time of the last polling day.
This applies to both print and TV
media,” Zaidi said.
“Opinion poll under relevant law
is prohibited in the last 48 hours
for electronic media. Similarly,
advertisements are also prohibited
in the last 48 hours for the electronic
media,” he added. — IANS
Six pc hike in DA for
central govt employees
NEW DELHI: The union cabinet on
Wednesday approved an additional
dearness allowance (DA) of six per cent
for central government employees from
July 1. “Cabinet today (Wednesday)
approved six percent DA to central
government employees,” Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters
after a cabinet meeting here.
The DA hike will benefit 50 lakh
government employees and 56 lakh
pensioners, who are entitled to
increased dearness relief (DR).
DA, paid as proportion of basic pay
to compensate for price rise, has been
raised to 119 percent from 113 percent
of the basic pay.
The combined impact on the
exchequer on account of DA and DR
would be `6,655.14 crore per annum
and `4,436.76 crore for a period of eight
months from July 2015 to February
2016. In April, the government had
hiked DA by 6 percent to 113 percent
with effect from January.
As per the formula, the DA rate
increase is an average of 12-month
consumer
price
index-industrial
workers from July 1, 2014 to June 30,
2015.
— IANS
Executive Chairman of WEF has reacted positively to Telangana CM’s proposal to hold the next meet in Hyderabad
CM seeks Chinese expertise for Hyderabad’s development
HYDERABAD:
Telangana
Chief
Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has
requested key Chinese cities to help the
state by sharing their experience and
expertise in city development.
Rao, who is in Dalian in China
to attend the annual meeting of
World Economic Forum (WEF), on
Wednesday addressed the session on
urban development challenges where
he explained his vision on Hyderabad’s
development and shared ideas and
experiences with mayors and vice
mayors of very important Chinese cities
like Guangzhou and Yuwi.
The annual meeting of the new
champions at Dalian brought together
more than 1,500 participants from
90 countries to share strategies and
solutions and discuss global issues and
risks.
KCR, as Rao is popularly known,
also met WEF executive chairman
Klaus Schwab and requested him to host
WEF’s annual conference in Hyderabad
for which there was a positive response,
said a statement from the chief minister’s
office here. KCR briefed him on
various economic and social aspects of
Telangana state, including significance
of Hyderabad.
They exchanged ideas about
promoting economic development
and the chief minister explained the
single window industrial policy of
Telangana, the best of its kind in the
world and how the new policy has
brought in approximately `12,000
crore investments from 52 industrial
companies in less than 3 months, the
statement said.
KCR explained the innovative feature
that gives investors the right to obtain
timely clearance and puts the onus
on government officials to clear large
projects in less than 15 days. Schwab
praised Telangana as a state renowned
for social and economic innovations.
KCR also urged Klaus Schwab, the
Executive Chairman of World Economic
Forum, to hold the next WEF annual
conference in Hyderabad. Schwab has
responded “positively” to the proposal.
“They both had discussions for about
30 minutes. Among others, CM had
requested Klaus Schwab to host WEF
annual conference in Hyderabad for
which there was a positive response
from him. CM briefed him on various
economic and social aspects of
Telangana state, including significance
of Hyderabad city. Rao explained the
Single Window Industrial Policy of
Telangana and how the new policy has
attracted approximately `12,000-crore
investments from 52 industrial
companies in less than three months
into the state. — IANS
12
CONTROLLED DEMOLITION OF CHINA BRIDGE
T H U R S DAY l S E P T E M B E R 1 0 l 2 0 1 5
WORLD
Court orders Lufthansa
pilots to halt strike; 140,000
passengers grounded
Cancelled flights of Lufthansa are announced on a flight information display as
stranded passengers check for alternative flights, at the Frankfurt Airport in
Germany, early morning on Wednesday. — Reuters
FRANKFURT: Lufthansa won a
temporary injunction on Wednesday
against a pilots’ strike, but the German
airline said 1,000 scheduled flights
would nevertheless remain cancelled
and 140,000 passengers grounded.
The appeals court in Frankfurt
ordered pilots to halt their two-day
industrial action, ruling that the
stoppage, the 13th in 18 months, was
unlawful.
It thus overturned a lower court
ruling on Tuesday and agreed with
Lufthansa that the primary aim of the
pilots’ union, Vereinigung Cockpit, did
not appear to be to reach a concrete
agreement on early retirement
provisions, but to attack management’s
proposed restructuring concept, known
as Wings.
Lufthansa has embarked on a
massive reorganisation, farming out
much of its domestic and mediumhaul services to its low-cost subsidiary
Germanwings.
The court argued that the Wings
concept was an entrepreneurial matter.
“There are a number of factors
that suggest that, above and beyond
the strike’s official target, the union
is seeking to have a say in the ‘Wings’
concept. This is not a goal that can be
negotiated by the union. Hence, the
strike is unlawful,” it ruled.
Ostensibly, the dispute hinges
on Lufthansa plans to scrap an
arrangement under which pilots can
retire at 55 and receive up to 60 per
cent of their pay until they reach the
statutory retirement age of 65. — AFP
The Lishui bridge is
seen during a controlled
demolition in Zhangjiajie,
Hunan province, China.
The bridge, built in 1971,
is 246.6-metre long and
12-metre wide. A new
bridge will be built on
the same location as
replacement.
British Airways plane catches fire
in Las Vegas, several injured
LAS VEGAS: A British Airways jet
caught fire on Tuesday as it was preparing
to take off from Las Vegas, prompting
the crew to abort takeoff and evacuate
terrified passengers, with several injured.
Jacob Steinberg, a reporter for Britain’s
Guardian newspaper, said he was asleep
on the plane when it came to a “crashing
halt” on the runway.
“Initially told to stay seated, then
shout of evacuate,” he wrote on Twitter,
saying the flames had apparently melted
some of the jet’s windows.
“They opened the back door and slide
went down and smoke started coming in
plane, followed by mad dash to front. A
lot of panic,” he said.
Steinberg said the pilot later joined
the passengers inside the airport terminal
and told them the fire was caused by a
“catastrophic failure of the engine.”
“The pilot looked pretty shook up
to be honest,” he said. “Has been flying
for years, don’t think he had ever seen
anything like that.”
The Federal Aviation Administration
said the fire broke out in the left engine
of the 257-seat Boeing 777 shortly after
4:00 pm (2300 GMT) and the crew
immediately aborted takeoff and ordered
an evacuation.
“Passengers deplaned on the runway
using emergency slides and (were) bused
to the terminal,” FAA spokesman Ian
Gregor said.
“The aircraft, a 777-200 experienced
a technical issue as it was preparing for
A British Airways passenger jet is shown after a fire at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. — Reuters
takeoff from McCarran International
Airport in Las Vegas” heading for
London.
Paul Berberian, a passenger aboard
another plane that was on the tarmac
at the time of the incident, described
watching in disbelief as the British
Airways plane caught fire and smoke
billowed from the fuselage.
A video shot by Berberian and aired
on CNN showed passengers using
Development Goals (SDG) set to be
approved by a UN General Assembly
later this month to succeed the MDGs.
The new target is 25 or fewer underfive deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030.
“The unfinished business of child
survival looms large,” wrote the study
authors. “Every child’s death represents
the loss of a unique human being.”
Nearly half of infant deaths are
associated with malnutrition, and 45
percent occur during the first 28 days
of life.
Leading
causes
are
labour
complications or premature birth,
pneumonia, diarrhoea, sepsis, and
malaria.
West and Central Africa, the world’s
poorest regions, still have the world’s
highest under-five death rates, the
researchers found.
In Sub-Saharan Africa today, one
child in a dozen dies during the first
four years of life, more than 12 times the
average in high-income countries.
But two areas — East Asia and the
Pacific, along with Latin America and
the Caribbean — did meet the MDG
targets, and 62 nations including
Ethiopia, ritrea, Bangladesh, Georgia,
El Salvador, Bolivia, Egypt, Cambodia,
Nepal and Yemen.
Encouragingly, for 102 countries,
the data suggested a faster decline in
mortality over 2000-2015 compared
to 1990-2000. This acceleration from
2000, when the MDGs were introduced,
resulted in about 18 million fewer
under-five deaths globally, the study
said.
If the mortality rate remains constant,
94 million children will die before their
fifth birthday in the coming 15 years,
said the study. But if the 2000-2015
curve keeps accelerating, the number
will drop to 69 million, and if the new
SDG target is met, 56 million.
In order to achieve the new goals, 47
countries must speed up progress, 34 of
them in sub-Saharan Africa, and two —
Afghanistan and Pakistan — in South
Asia, said the study. — AFP
evacuation slides and running away on
the tarmac as emergency vehicles rushed
to the site to douse the flames.
“We were all glued to the side of the
plane watching this unfold,” he said of
fellow passengers on his flight.
There were 159 passengers and 13
crew on the flight, according to the FAA,
which said seven people were treated for
injuries.
However, British Airways, which
said there were two fewer passengers on
board, described the cause of the fire as a
“technical issue.”
“Our crew evacuated the aircraft safely
and the fire was quickly extinguished by
the emergency services at the airport,” a
company statement said.
“A small number of customers and
our crew have been taken to hospital as
a precaution.”
— AFP
AROUND THE GLOBE
Guatemala ex-president jailed pending trial
Clinton apologises
for use of private
e-mail account
The mortality rate among
children younger than five
fell globally from 91 deaths
per 1,000 live births in
1990, to 43 per 1,000
in 2015.
Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei
Lavrov on Wednesday
welcomed his
South Sudanese
counterpart Barnaba
Marial Benjamin
ahead of their
meeting in Moscow,
Russia.
PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE: There were 159 passengers and 13 crew on the flight
Child deaths halved since
1990, but UN goal missed
PARIS: The number of deaths among
children under five has halved globally
since 1990 — well short of the UN goal
of slashing infant mortality by twothirds in 25 years, said data released on
Wednesday.
Only 62 of 195 countries met
targets they adopted 15 years ago, said
a study which measured the world’s
performance in one of the eight socalled
Millennium
Development
Goals (MDGs) for a healthier, more
prosperous world.
The mortality rate among children
younger than five fell globally from 91
deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990, to
43 per 1,000 in 2015, said the review
published in The Lancet medical
journal.
Translated into hard numbers, the
death toll of newborns, infants and small
children — mainly from preventable
causes — shrank from 12.7 million in
1990 to an estimated 5.9 million this
year.
The MDGs were set in 2000 and
expire this year, but the period covered
by the child mortality target reached
back to 1990.
There were a staggering quarter-of-abillion deaths overall, and the MDG on
child mortality was missed by a “wide
margin”, according to a UN statement.
“We
have
to
acknowledge
tremendous global progress,” said Geeta
Rao Gupta, deputy executive director
of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
which participated in the research.
“But the far too large number of
children still dying from preventable
causes before their fifth birthday...
should impel us to redouble our efforts
to do what we know needs to be done.”
The study, led by Danzhen You of
Unicef, was the first to include estimates
for 2015.
It also made projections for child
mortality in the coming 15 years -the period covered by Sustainable
RUSSIA, SOUTH SUDAN HOLD TALKS
WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton has
apologised for using a private e-mail
server while secretary of state, calling
the decision, which has dogged
her Democratic presidential bid, a
“mistake.” The Democratic frontrunner,
who is facing eroding support, has
long dismissed the email uproar as a
manufactured imbroglio.
But in an interview on Tuesday
evening, Clinton told ABC’s “World
News Tonight” that she took full
responsibility for the episode, which
she regretted.
“That was a mistake. I’m sorry
about that. I take responsibility,” she
told the news network.
Clinton used her private email
account and home server in lieu of
the official government email system
while she served as top diplomat from
2009 to 2013. Until Tuesday, Clinton
had demurred from issuing a direct
apology.
“I certainly wish that I had made
a different choice,” Clinton said last
week, adding that she was “sorry” that
the controversy was “confusing” for
the public. “As I look back at it now,
even though it was allowed, I should
have used two accounts, one for
personal e-mails, one for work-related
e-mails,” Clinton said Tuesday.
The lingering email saga has
weighed on Clinton’s popularity, with
a Gallup poll released Friday showing
her favourability rating at 41 per cent,
compared to 51 per cent who view
her unfavourably — the lowest level
since 1992. — AFP
GUATEMALA CITY: A Guatemalan judge on Tuesday ordered fallen President Otto
Perez to remain in jail while awaiting trial over a graft scandal that stoked a political
crisis, charging him with criminal association, taking bribes and customs fraud.
Perez, a 64-year-old retired general who was elected in late 2011 on a vow to fight
crime and corruption, resigned as president last week, just as the country headed into
the first round of a presidential election. He was held in jail pending a hearing into
accusations he made millions of dollars from a customs racket.
There are “sufficient indications that suggest he took part” in the scam, Judge
Miguel Angel Galvez told a hearing.
Galvez gave investigators three months to complete their probe, pending a trial
start date of December 21. Perez could potentially avoid trial if his defence team
manages to convince the court that the evidence against him is insufficient.
“I don’t understand why I’m facing trial, or... jail. I don’t understand because there
was no solid argument against me regarding any of the three crimes,” Perez said.
Prosecutors said he was involved in a customs scam dubbed “La Linea” (“The Line”),
referring to a phone hotline used by importers to avoid paying customs duties in
exchange for bribes. — Reuters
Reginaldo Chapa pedals his Cinecleta, Moviebike, through the streets of
Saltillo, Mexico. Chapa modified a cargo bike to create the Cinecleta, a pedaldriven vehicle that carries a solar powered battery, a projector and sound
equipment which it’s aimed to promote clean energy and to take films and
music to rough neighbourhoods in this industrial city. — Reuters
Manila ordered to pay airport builder $510m
MANILA: The Philippines’ Supreme Court ordered the government on Wednesday
to pay $510.3 million in compensation to a consortium that built Manila’s biggest air
terminal. Manila airport Terminal 3 had been the subject of a legal dispute since the
government seized it in 2004, citing breach of contract and failure to conform with
safety standards.
The builders consortium — which also includes Germany’s Fraport AG and
Philippine International Air Terminals Co, also known as Piatco — had sought
compensation and the row has been seen as a test of how the country handles foreign
investments. The total compensation represents the airport’s $327 million replacement
cost when the government took over in 2004 plus $243 million in interest until
December 2014, according to the court’s ruling.
The court also deducted $59.4 million that it said the government had initially
paid Piatco. “The government is hereby ordered to make direct payment on just
compensation due to Piatco,” court spokesman Theodore Te told reporters, reading
from the court ruling. — AFP
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
REGION
omandailyobserver
13
REBELS TAKE AIR BASE: Government
troops surrender an air base in Idlib to a rebel
alliance after nearly two years under siege
SANDSTORM SWEEPS ACROSS MIDDLE EAST
Russia joins
Syria combat
operations
Palestinian fishermen prepare their boat during a sandstorm at the Seaport of Gaza City, on Wednesday. A heavy sandstorm swept across parts of the Middle East on
Tuesday, killing two people and injuring hundreds in Lebanon and disrupting fighting and air strikes in neighbouring Syria. Clouds of dust also engulfed Israel, Jordan and
Cyprus where aircraft were diverted to Paphos from Larnaca airport as visibility fell to 500 metres. — Reuters
Palestinians
postpone first
congress
RAMALLAH: Palestinian officials
said on Wednesday that a first
congress in nearly 20 years set for midSeptember will be postponed to an
undetermined date amid speculation
over the intentions of president
Mahmud Abbas.
The postponement should not
be more than three months, Salim
al Zanoon, head of the Palestinian
National Council, told reporters,
with key members of the Palestinian
leadership calling for more time to
prepare.
The meeting of the Palestine
National Council (PNC), a congress
representing those in the Palestinian
territories and the diaspora, was to
take place on September 14-15.
The PNC serves as the parliament of
the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
The meeting of the PNC comes
with speculation intensifying over
the intentions of Abbas, who recently
announced his resignation as PLO
chairman.
His resignation along with a
number of others from the 18-member
executive committee will only take
effect with a meeting of the PNC,
which includes more than 700 people.
He remains president of the
Palestinian Authority and leader of his
Fatah party.
— AFP
Iraq’s Abadi
dismisses 123
senior officials
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister
Haider al Abadi said on Wednesday
he had dismissed 123 deputy ministers
and general managers as part of
a reform push aimed at reducing
corruption and mismanagement
which has made the country nearly
impossible to govern.
Backed
by
street
protests
demanding better services and a call
for bold action by Iraq’s most senior
scholar Abadi has rolled out the largest
shakeup since the US occupation.
He has set out to transform a
system based on sectarian and ethnic
quotas, which often hands high
office to unqualified candidates and
encourages graft.
Abadi did not mention which
ministries would be affected by
Wednesday’s decision, but said in
a statement that the senior officials
would be sent into retirement or have
their administrative status “adjusted”.
He said the subordinates of those
dismissed would take over their
responsibilities
until
ministries’
structures
are
reviewed
and
replacements are appointed. — Reuters
Egypt sends up to 800
ground troops to Yemen
SANAA: As many as 800 Egyptian
soldiers arrived in Yemen late on
Tuesday, Egyptian security sources said,
swelling the ranks of a Gulf Arab military
contingent which aims to rout the Houthi
group after a five-month civil war.
It was the first reported deployment
of ground troops there by Egypt, which
has one of the Arab world’s strongest
armies.
A coalition led by Saudi Arabia has
scored major gains against the militia
and its allies in Yemen’s army, backing a
push by Yemeni fighters to seize much of
the country’s south and now setting its
sights on the Houthi-controlled Sanaa.
Four Egyptian units of between
150 to 200 troops along with tanks and
transport vehicles arrived in Yemen
late on Tuesday, two Egyptian security
sources said.
“We have sent these forces as part of
Egypt’s prominent role in this alliance
... the alliance fights for the sake of our
brotherly Arab states, and the death of
any Egyptian soldier would be an honour
and considered martyrdom for the sake
of innocent people,” a senior Egyptian
military source said.
Yemeni officials put the number of
A fighter loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi walks past a tank
during clashes with Houthis at a military site near the country’s third-largest city of
Taez on Wednesday. — AFP
foreign troops from Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates and Qatar at least
around 2,000, while Qatari-owned Al
Jazeera TV said at least 10,000 foreign
soldiers had arrived, including 1,000
from the emirate.
They are part of a force preparing to
eventually assault the capital, which the
Houthis seized last year.
More than 4,500 people have been
killed by fighting and air strikes since
the beginning of the conflict, which has
also unleashed disease and hunger in the
impoverished country.
Brigadier General Ahmed al Asseri,
a spokesman for the coalition, said its
forces were focusing on overcoming
Houthi resistance in Yemen’s central
and southern provinces, pounding their
positions from the air across the country
before beginning any thrust towards
Sanaa.
— Reuters
M O S C O W / B E I RU T / A M M A N /
WASHINGTON:
Russian
forces
have begun participating in combat
operations in Syria to help defend
President Bashar al Assad’s government,
three Lebanese sources familiar with
the political and military situation there
said on Wednesday.
The sources, speaking to Reuters
on condition they not be identified,
gave the most forthright account yet
from the region of what US officials say
appears to be a new military buildup
by Moscow, one of Assad’s main allies,
though one of the sources said the
numbers of Russians involved so far
were small.
Two US officials said Russia has sent
two tank landing ships and additional
aircraft to Syria in the past day or so and
has deployed a small number of naval
infantry forces.
The US officials, who also spoke on
condition of anonymity, said the intent
of Russia’s military moves in Syria
remained unclear. One of the officials
said initial indications suggested the
focus was on preparing an airfield
near the port city of Latakia, an Assad
stronghold.
The moves come at a time when
forces of Assad’s government have faced
major setbacks on the battlefield in a
four-year-old multi-sided civil war that
has killed 250,000 people and driven
half of Syria’s 23 million people from
their homes.
Syrian troops pulled out of a
major air base on Wednesday, and
a monitoring group said this meant
government soldiers were no longer
present at all in Idlib province, most of
which slipped from government control
earlier this year.
Moscow confirmed it had “experts”
on the ground but denied they played
any combat role. Damascus also denied
Russians were involved in combat, but
a Syrian official said their presence had
increased in the past year.
Officials in the United States,
which is fighting an air war against
the militant group IS in Syria and also
opposes Assad’s government, have said
in recent days that they suspect Russia
is reinforcing to aid Assad.
Washington has put pressure
on countries nearby to deny their
Two US officials said Russia
has sent two tank landing
ships and additional aircraft
to Syria in the past day or so
and has deployed a small
number of naval infantry
forces.
air space to Russian flights, a move
Moscow denounced on Wednesday as
“international boorishness”.
Moscow’s only naval base in the
Mediterranean is at Tartous on the
Syrian coast in territory held by
Assad’s government, and keeping it
secure would be an important strategic
objective for the Kremlin.
Two of the Lebanese sources said
the Russians were establishing two
bases in Syria, one near the coast and
one further inland which would be an
operations base. “The Russians are no
longer just advisors,” one of them said.
“The Russians have decided to join the
war against terrorism.”
Another of the Lebanese sources
said that so far any Russian combat role
was still small: “They have started in
small numbers, but the bigger force did
not yet take part ... There are numbers
of Russians taking part in Syria but
they did not yet join the fight against
terrorism strongly.”
The Syrian official said: “Russian
experts are always present but in the last
year they have been present to a greater
degree.”
In the latest major battlefield setback,
state television reported government
troops had surrendered an air base in
northwestern Syria to a rebel alliance
after nearly two years under siege.
The loss of the base meant the last
government troops had now withdrawn
altogether from central Idlib province,
according to the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, a UK-based group that
monitors the conflict.
Coalitions of rebels have made gains
in the northwest and southwest of the
country. They often fight against both
the government and IS fighters who
control much of the east of Syria as well
as northern Iraq.
— Reuters
Authorities boosted security measures, erecting large metal barricades preventing access to parliament
Protests as Lebanon parties meet to end gridlock
BEIRUT: Lebanon protesters angered
by a lack of services and political
paralysis returned to Beirut’s streets on
Wednesday after party leaders failed to
achieve results in talks on ending the
gridlock.
A protest movement across
Lebanon’s sectarian fault lines has
sprung up, initially motivated by a
rubbish collection crisis but increasingly
focused on the country’s stagnant
political class.
On Wednesday, as politicians arrived
downtown, the first batch of protesters
threw eggs at their convoys, chanting:
“Thieves, thieves, get out!”
Authorities
boosted
security
measures, erecting large metal barricades
preventing access to parliament where
political figures were meeting.
Parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who
also heads the Amal movement, had
called for a “national dialogue” among
main parties to discuss a stalemate that
has frozen government institutions for
months.
But the meeting ended on Wednesday
afternoon with the announcement of a
new meeting on September 16.
A parliament statement said “the
Protesters carry banners and Lebanese national flags during a protest against perceived government failures, including a
rubbish disposal crisis, at Martyrs’ Square in downtown Beirut on Wednesday. — Reuters
participants expressed their points of
view... about the main topic, which is
the election of a president.”
Lebanon has been without a president
since May 2014 as a divided parliament
has failed more than two dozen times to
elect a head of state.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting,
Prime Minister Tammam Salam said he
hoped “that the participants will be able
to reach an end to the crisis.”
He also announced he was convening
an extraordinary cabinet session at 5:00
pm (1400 GMT) to discuss the trash
crisis.
The unproductive dialogue was
met with anger by demonstrators on
Wednesday, who gathered despite an
intense regional sandstorm that has
claimed three lives in Lebanon.
“If any of you ever felt an ounce of
responsibility, you wouldn’t allow any
postponement of the meeting before
finding a solution and a response to
the people’s demands,” wrote the “You
Stink” campaign, which has organised
protests for nearly two months.
As the session opened, several dozen
demonstrators gathered in central
Beirut, with crowds growing ahead
of the main protest at 6:00 pm (1500
GMT).
“This dialogue is a lie to the people,”
said Tarek Al-Maleh, an activist with
“You Stink”.
“They’ve besieged us as though we
were in a military barracks and confined
us to a single area, but we are here to
stay,” he said.
Samer Mazeh, a 23-year-old student,
ridiculed the political dialogue as a farce.
“The dialogue only aims... to
circumvent us,” he said.
“The trash crisis can be solved and
there are many options available to
countries around the world, but they
don’t want a solution because trash is a
goldmine for them.”
— AFP
14
omandailyobserver
From wartime princess
to majestic ruler of UK
LONDON: Despite setbacks and the centre of British political life aged
challenges in her long life, Queen 25 after her father, George VI, died
Elizabeth II has always “maintained suddenly in 1952.
her dignity, her sense of duty and
After she became Queen
her hairstyle,” said actress
Elizabeth II, she gave birth
Helen
Mirren,
to two more sons,
famous for her
Prince Andrew
in 1960 and
portrayal
Prince
of
the
queen.
B or n
in London
on April 21,
1926, World War II
provided the backdrop to
the young princess’s formative years.
Princess Elizabeth was homeschooled with her younger sister,
Princess Margaret.
She was “heir presumptive” after
her father became king in 1936,
and she began studying law and
constitutional history to prepare for
her future role, as well as learning art,
music, horse-riding and swimming.
She made her first public speech
in October 1940, when she was 14.
The teenaged Elizabeth spent most
of the war years at Windsor Castle
outside London, rather than the
main royal residence of Buckingham
Palace in the heavily bombed capital.
“It was a time of austerity and
anxiety for the whole country,
including the royal family,” according
to her official biography.
The princess’s engagement to
Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten,
a naval officer descended from
Danish, Greek and German royalty,
was announced in 1947 and the
couple married a few months later at
London’s Westminster Abbey.
The queen’s husband, five years
older than her, was given the titles
Prince Philip and Duke of Edinburgh.
The young Princess Elizabeth,
already the mother of Prince Charles
and Princess Anne, was thrust into
Edward
in 1964.
P r i n c e
Charles, the heir to
the throne, married Lady
Diana Spencer in 1981 in a ceremony
that gripped the nation.
The wedding took place two
years after Charles’s great-uncle Lord
Mountbatten, was killed by a bomb
placed in his fishing boat by the Irish
Republican Army.
Charles and Diana’s marriage was
dogged by rumours of the prince’s
relationship with a former girlfriend,
the then married Camilla ParkerBowles, who is now his partner.
In 1992, the government
announced that Charles and Diana
planned to separate.
That event, plus a major fire
at Windsor Castle, prompted the
queen to refer to 1992 as an “annus
horribilis” (horrible year).
“I dare say that history will take
a slightly more moderate view
than that of some contemporary
commentators,” the queen said in
November 1992.
Diana died in a car crash in Paris
in 1997, drawing an outpouring of
grief from the public and leading
some to criticise the royal family,
including the queen, for their alleged
coldness towards the princess.
“The decade had its share
of sadness,” the queen’s official
biography said in an understated
summary of the 1990s.
— dpa
EUROPE
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Queen Elizabeth II becomes the
longest-reigning monarch in Europe
LONDON: Britain celebrated Queen
Britons wait
Elizabeth II becoming the country’s
for Queen
longest-serving monarch on Wednesday
Elizabeth
to arrive at
with a flotilla down the River Thames, a
Tweedbank
gun salute and the peal of Westminster
Station in
Abbey’s bells.
Scotland,
The queen herself opened a railway
Britain. —
Reuters
line in Scotland and was to host a private
dinner at Balmoral Castle to mark
the day she overtakes her great-great
grandmother queen Victoria’s record.
A cheering crowd and an honour
guard of royal archers greeted Elizabeth
II on her arrival at Edinburgh train
station, where she boarded a steam train
for a journey along the new Borders
Railway.
Dressed in a turquoise coat and hat
and clutching a black handbag — one
of her famously colourful outfits — the
queen wore a diamond-studded brooch
that belonged to Victoria in homage to
her ancestor.
Prime Minister David Cameron led
official tributes in parliament, calling
her reign a “golden thread running
through three post-war generations.
“She is our queen and we could not dignity and decency and long may she be at 1630 GMT, the best estimate from
be more proud of her,” he said.”She has continue to do so.”
royal officials for the time at which the
served this country with unerring grace,
It is not known where exactly she will monarch, who has become synonymous
Refugees are welcome but must
integrate into German society
PAST SAVINGS: Germany could afford extra spending on migrants because of its thrift
BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel
tempered Germany’s welcome to
hundreds of thousands of refugees from
war and persecution with a warning
on Wednesday that new migrants must
integrate into German life.
“They need help to learn German
quickly and find work,” Merkel said
during a debate in the Bundestag
parliament where politicians of all
parties praised Germany’s outpouring of
hospitality for newcomers.
The centre-right leader addressed
fears among conservative Germans that
tensions with migrants could rise as
they did when “guest workers” invited
from Turkey more than 50 years ago
were treated as a temporary presence
and given neither language training nor
respect.
“We should learn from our
experience of the 1960s when we
brought in guest workers and should put
the highest priority on integration from
the very beginning,” she said.
“A nation that welcomes the many
coming in, many from other cultures,
We should learn from
our experience in
the 1960s when we
brought in guest workers
and should put the highest
priority on integration from
the beginning
ANGELA MERKEL
German Chancellor
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures as she addresses a press conference in
Bern, Switzerland. — AFP
must make clear what rules apply here,”
she added.
“We can’t ignore it if communities
that reject integration. There won’t be
any tolerance of that.”
Germans have astonished themselves
in recent weeks with the fervent support
for the migrants.
Even the populist newspaper Bild,
Germany’s top-selling daily, has swung
behind refugees, distributing “we will
help” buttons.
Merkel’s deputy, Sigmar Gabriel,
wore one on a lapel in parliament as she
spoke.
The Green Party lauded the new
mood. “For the first time, I can say
without reservation that I am proud of
my country,” Greens floor leader Katrin
Goering-Eckardt told legislators.
In her speech, Merkel vowed to crack
down “with the full force of the law” on
racists who abused migrants or rioted
near refugee hostels.
— dpa
with Britain itself, reaches the landmark.
At that moment, the 89-year-old
monarch will have served 23,226 days,
16 hours and roughly 30 minutes on the
throne — over 63 years.
The queen is expected to comment
on the occasion although a royal source
has said she wants to keep the occasion
low-key.
“While she acknowledges it as an
historic moment, it’s also for her not a
moment she would personally celebrate,
which is why she has been keen to
convey business as usual and no fuss,”
the source explained.
The official photograph, taken by
Mary McCartney, daughter of Beatles
star Paul, shows the queen sitting at her
desk working through a red box of state
papers.
Elizabeth became queen upon
the death of her father George VI,
Britain’s king during World War II. The
calculation of her time on the throne is
based on when he passed away, which
is estimated at around 1:00 am on
February 6, 1952 — an hour after he was
seen for the last time at his bedroom
window at Sandringham House in
eastern England.
— AFP
Poroshenko reneges self-rule
if Russia violates agreement
KIEV: Ukrainian President Petro
Poroshenko warned on Wednesday he
may renege on his promise to give proRussian separatists more power should
Moscow fail to abide by the terms of a
shacky truce.
The former Soviet country’s proWestern leader once again accused
Moscow of backing the eastern
insurgents and violating the terms of a
six-month-old armistice signed in the
Belarussian capital Minsk.
He
stressed
that
mooted
constitutional changes offering rebelrun parts of the industrial war zone
limited self-rule would be delayed
should the violence grow.
“If Moscow ultimately decides to
bury the Minsk agreements, we will
have to re-examine these constitutional
changes,” Poroshenko told a group of
regional representatives.
“Should, God forbid, we be put
on a war footing and have to declare
martial law, I will not hesitate for a
second and issue decrees that prevent
the introduction of changes to the
constitution.”
Poroshenko faces stiff resistance to
his autonomy pledge from Ukrainian
nationalist forces who make up a
sizeable portion of parliament and
were instrumental in the February
“Should, God forbid, we be
put on a war footing and
have to declare martial
law, I will not hesitate
for a second and issue
decrees that prevent the
introduction of changes to
the constitution.”
2014 ouster of Kiev’s Kremlin-backed
leadership.
Russia’s subsequent seizure of
Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and the
17-month eastern uprising that soon
followed has claimed the lives of nearly
8,000 people and eroded Moscow’s
already strained relations with the West.
Far-right
groups
view
any
concessions to the guerrillas as an
informal recognition of Ukraine’s
submission to Russian President
Vladimir Putin and his alleged attempt
to recreate the old tsarist and Soviet
empires.
Ukrainian lawmakers’ initial passage
on August 31 of the new constitutional
clause sparked riots that resulted in
the deaths of three Ukrainian military
recruits.
— AFP
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
PANORAMA
A fisherman casts his fishing net into a lake
during sunset in Chuzhou, Anhui province,
China. — Reuters
Italian Member of
the European
Parliament Gianluca
Buonanno wears a
mask depicting
German Chancellor
Angela Merkel
during the address
of European
Commission
President JeanClaude Juncker (not
pictured) to the
European Parliament
in Strasbourg,
France. — Reuters
Migrants’ tents
are blown off by
the wind near a
collection point
in the village of
Roszke, Hungary.
— Reuters
A young
migrant cries
while waiting
with his father
outside the
foreign office
in Brussels,
Belgium.
— Reuters
omandailyobserver
15
A Ukrainian serviceman embraces his wife
after returning from the frontline in the
eastern regions, at a railway station in Kiev,
Ukraine. — Reuters
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 | DHUL QA’ADA 26, 1436 AH
P20
P18
P21
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Oman refiner’s GDP impact to rise to 9pc by 2018
AMBITIOUS: $8 billion worth of ‘strategic growth projects’ will triple the value of Orpic’s asset base
CONRAD PRABHU
MUSCAT
Sept 9: National refining and
petrochemicals company Oman Oil
Refineries and Petroleum Industries
Company (Orpic) expects to see its
contribution to the economy boosted to
around 8-9 per cent of GDP (equivalent to
$6.5 billion in value terms) in 2018, when
a trio of big-ticket projects is scheduled for
completion. This compares with a current
contribution of 6 per cent as of 2014,
equivalent to a GDP Impact Annualised
value of $4.2 billion, according to a top
official of the state-owned company.
Musab al Mahrouqi, Chief Executive
Officer, Orpic, said the projections are
based on a study that sought to assess and
measure the company’s socioeconomic
impact. “The results of this independent
study not only ascertained Orpic’s current
total impact across GDP, employment
creation, and trade surplus, but it also
identified opportunities for further
improvement and forecasting on the
impact of Orpic’s strategic growth projects
which are scheduled for commissioning
over the next three years, to ensure Orpic
is maximizing its contribution to the
are operational by 2018, he said, adding
that Omanisation is targeted at a minimum
of 75 per cent.
Giving an overview of Orpic’s financial
performance, Nazar al Lawati — Chief
Financial Officer, said the company
generated gross refining margins (GRM)
of around $317 million for the first half of
2015, yielding cash profits of $215 million
for the period.
In contrast, cash losses for the
whole of 2014 totalled $317 million,
which he attributed primarily to weak
refining margins globally, as well as poor
international prices of aromatics.
local economy through employment
opportunities, investment opportunities
and educational opportunities,” Al
Mahrouqi said in a presentation to
journalists at the company’s Sohar facilities
on Tuesday.
Orpic is investing an estimated $8 billion
in three ‘strategic growth projects’ that will
effectively triple the value of its asset base,
according to the CEO. The investments in
question — Sohar Refinery Improvement
Project (SRIP), Muscat-Sohar Product
Pipeline, and Liwa Plastics Industries
Complex (LPIC) — will not only generate
significant dividends for shareholders, but
will also further diversify Orpic’s product
mix, intensify its downstream business
operations, and increase the impact of its
contribution to the Oman economy, he said.
“Orpic’s growth projects will further
promote opportunities for small to medium
enterprises across our supply chain, which
will also have a positive impact on the InCountry Value being generated by Orpic,”
said Al Mahrouqi.
An additional 1,600 jobs will be added
to Orpic’s current workforce of around
2,400 staff when the new growth projects
Orpic’s profitability, he explained,
depends more on refinery margins than
on the prices of crude, which have fallen by
nearly 40 per cent during the first half of
this year.
Refinery operations account for 60 per
cent of Orpic’s business, the rest contributed
by
aromatics
and
polypropylene
production. Nevertheless, the integration
and diversification of the company has
helped mitigate business risk, he said.
Highlighting the strategic significance
of the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project,
the CFO said the $2.7 billion investment
will help overcome current limitations in
the processing of heavy crude and long
residue. Besides increasing the refining
capacity of the Sohar plant by 70 per cent,
the upgrade will also boost the production
of propylene (46 per) and consequently
polypropylene output as well, gasoline
(35 per cent), diesel (70 per cent), jet fuel
(75 per cent), naphtha (170 per cent — by
reducing imports), and bitumen to meet
Oman’s domestic requirements.
Significantly, the Liwa Plastics Industries
Complex (LPIC), the biggest of the three
major projects, will transform Orpic from
a refinery operation into to a dynamic and
flexible petrochemicals producer, he said.
18
OMAN
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Oman’s millennial business leaders OAB adopts NCR
better equipped to face challenges security solutions
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
Sept 9: “The millennial generation, those aged between
18-34, is better educated and more diverse than any
other generation in the Sultanate’s history,” says Faisal
al Shanfari, GM-Human Resources, Corporate Affairs
and HSSE at Oman Oil Marketing Co.
Speaking at the second in a series of four ‘Oman
at Work’ seminars which focused on discussion on
Millennials organised by Ithraa — Oman’s inward
investment and export promotion agency and held at
Bank Muscat’s Head Office, Al Shanfari further said:
“Their working lives will be very different to previous
generations.”
Oman at Work has been designed to help Oman’s
public and private sector better understand the
challenges and opportunities of the future work
environment and the fundamental impact this will
have on how Oman nurtures a talented workforce,
attracts inward investment, boosts non-oil exports
and remains economically attractive in today’s highly
competitive world.
Moderated by GUTech Architecture professor,
Nikolaus Knebel, Tuesday’s panel included His
Highness Sayyid Dr Adham al Said of Sultan Qaboos
University; Raed Dawood, Ooredoo; Duha Awayes,
Protiviti and Jamal al Asmi, besides Faisal.
RealityCG discussed among many things the
investment being made by the government in
education and training to create the next generation of
business and public sector leaders.
Experts opined that Millennials are different from
previous generations. The MSLGroup’s Millennial
Compass Report, which surveyed 1,293 employees in
the US, India, China, the UK, France and Brazil shows
that Millennials “are focused on achieving through
personal networks and technology; having good
work-life balance; and getting high levels of support
from their managers. They don’t want to be tied to
an organisation, a timetable or a hierarchy, and they’d
rather avoid the stress they see their senior leaders
shouldering.”
Adding to this, Sultan Qaboos Economics assistant
professor, His Highness Sayyid Dr Adham al Said
remarked: “Unlike their grandparents and parents,
Millennials are unlikely to stay with one employer for
their entire career. In fact, by the time they hit 30, some
will already have experience with several companies
under their belt.
That means companies have to work harder to
retain Millennials, often offering lifestyle perks that
weren’t on the table years ago. And for Millennial
workers, it means more flexibility — no longer having
to stick it out at a job that’s not right for them.”
The panel agreed that previous generations saw
work as a primary part of life. Indeed, post-school or
university, work was the driving force in life. Today,
companies are interviewing an entirely different
candidate.
Many, for instance, have grown up in relatively
BUSINESS ALERT
Exciting offers on Nissan Navara
MUSCAT: Nissan from the
house of Suhail Bahwan
Automobiles have been receiving
rave reviews on their seasonal
offers that last till October 16,
2015. Their exclusive vehicle
promotions are enticing and oneof-a-kind promising unlimited
benefits to valued patrons.
Nissan has a heritage of showcasing some of the most amazing benefits for
their customers by introducing unique offers on their prestigious line up of
vehicles. In an effort to make Nissan vehicles affordable and accessible to all,
Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has taken up this unique initiative.
Auto enthusiasts can now avail exciting benefits on the Nissan Navara that
include cash gift up to RO 500, free service for two years or 20,000 kms (periodic
maintenance only), free registration and easy and convenient financing options.
Flexible EMI’s can also be tailor made for any individual requirement from inhouse Auto Finance team.
The Nissan Navara stuns all eyes with its larger body structure which means
bigger storage space and a roomier, more comfortable passenger cabin. The
extended wheelbase enhances road handling ability, and the taller ground
clearance makes it easier to conquer road obstacles. The Navara is designed with
an off-road spirit in mind. The vigorous QR25 2,500cc petrol engine delivers
up to 162 (Gross) / 154 (Net) horsepower, plus compelling torque and excellent
fuel efficiency. The new Nissan Navara is also class-leading in the GCC and
comes equipped with a high-performance 6-speed manual transmission, further
enhancing the true off-road spirit while cruising comfortably over virtually all
terrains. Navara is available in 2WD AT/MT options with petrol engine and 4WD
MT option in diesel engine. Navara is also available as per PDO specifications.
Navara’s YD25DDTi Diesel engine provides 142 HP with a torque of 36 kg-m
/ 2000 rpm. It is also first-of its-kind with 6-speed manual transmission which
delivers excellent fuel efficiency. The roomy passenger cabin, and the supportive
suspension system that Nissan is famous for, emit an air of luxury usually found
in passenger sedans. The Navara is truly a tough, versatile vehicle for all your
business needs making it a perfect value for money buy.
Nissan Navara comes with manual A/C, rear defogger with timer and power
+ tilt Urethane steering wheel. The vehicles exterior features 16” steel wheels,
chrome front bumper and rear step bumper with front and rear mudguard too.
affluent families and are looking to strike a balance
between work and their personal life, so the
opportunity to take time off and travel and work for
a company with strong social values and sense of
community responsibility is highly appealing.
“Let’s be frank, people are more motivated to work
for you and will bend over backwards for things that
they believe in. Employees aren’t just doing it because
it’s a job, work becomes an extension of themselves.
Values don’t stop or start at the office door, they’re
a part of you and what you’re passionate about.
Employers need to take this on board when trying
to recruit and retain young Omani talent,” explained
Taleb Saif al Makhmari, Ithraa’s Assistant Director
General for Marketing and Media and organiser of the
Oman at Work seminar series.
Available in Comfort and Prestige sedan and hatchback models at TAC, the
sole distributors of Mazda range in Oman, the all-new Mazda2 brings a level of
functionality and added-values that exceeds the expectations for a car of this class.
Winner of the 2014-2015 Car of the Year Japan award, the all-new Mazda2
#SuperStriker is bigger in size than its predecessor offering a lot more space,
comfort and stability for both driver and passengers. Based on KODO — Soul
of Motion design, the all-new Mazda2 features a chiselled exterior and a plush
interior with more space and a bigger boot than before — thanks to an 80mm
increase in wheelbase. It offers outstanding safety, eco-performance and the
brand’s trademark driving pleasure due to its low-weight body, agile chassis and
the brand-new SKYACTIV engines and transmission.
A senior spokesperson of TAC comments: “We are receiving excellent
feedback for the all-new Mazda2 from all our branches. Customers are liking
the new generation technologies and design that have been packed together in
a sub-compact body. The all-new Mazda2 also offers outstanding safety and fuel
efficiency. It is truly a #SuperStriker in its class”.
The fourth-generation Mazda2 with the 1.5L SKYACTIV engine 6 Speed
Activematic Transmission has a compression ratio of 12:1 that offers excellent
fuel economy and performance. The model also features a wide range of cuttingedge technologies such as the Mazda Connect* next-generation car connectivity
system.
TAC launches mobile app for its pre-owned
cars division — Value Cars Oman
TOWELL
Auto
Centre, the leading
automobile
distributors
in
Oman,
has
launched a state of
art mobile app for
its pre-owned cars
division — Value
Cars Oman. With
this easy to use
Value Cars Oman
mobile app, all customers and dealers can directly browse through the expansive
list of top-quality pre-owned vehicles across various range, brands and models
which include Passenger Cars, 4WDs, Pick Ups and Commercial Vehicles.
Value Car Mobile app can be downloaded on Android and Apple phones from
their respective app stores.
A senior spokesperson of TAC comments: “We are very happy to announce
“THE all-new Mazda2
that our Value cars Oman mobile app is now live and ready to go. This new app
really is all new —
is filled with features directed towards complete satisfaction of all our customers
with
new
shape,
looking for pre-owned cars. It will further strengthen our relations with our
customers, as we offer the best deals in terms of value, service and quality when it
Skyactiv technology,
comes to buying or selling a pre-owned vehicle. You can download our app now
6 speed transmission
and enjoy the various benefits it has to offer”.
and many other class
About Value Cars division, the senior spokesperson says: “At Value Cars, we
leading features. It is
house all the top quality brands including Mazda and Geely. We also buy cars for
very comfortable and
cash which are less than 5 years old especially Japanese models. You can visit our
sophisticated too. I am
Azaiba Showroom to avail the best deals along with comprehensive customer
extremely happy with
service to make the buying / selling process a more convenient and hasslemy beautiful new car
free experience. Our certified pre-owned vehicles meet the age and mileage
and needless to say
Towell Auto Centre sales executive made the entire car buying experience very requirements established by the manufacturer and are only put for sale after being
smooth and pleasant. I can’t thank them enough”, says Saad Mustahil Hashit put through rigorous inspections and quality checks. You can count on us for
Bait Baroot, the first customer who purchased the fourth-generation Mazda2 reliability, quality and satisfaction and drive away in that perfect car you have
always dreamt about”.
#SuperStriker from TAC’s Salalah showroom.
MUSCAT:
NCR
Corporation,
(NYSE: NCR), the global leader in
consumer transaction technologies,
has announced that Oman Arab
Bank — one of Oman’s leading banks
— has selected NCR Solidcore Suite
for APTRA and NCR Skimming
Protection Solution (SPS) technology
to secure its ATM channel and enable
the bank to offer a trusted and secure
banking environment to increase
customer loyalty and experience.
NCR Solidcore Suite for APTRA
is the most comprehensive ATM
whitelisting
software,
which
proactively protects ATMs from
insider attacks by preventing the
introduction of unauthorised code
on the network and maintaining its
integrity and availability.
“OAB aims to be a trusted and
responsible retail bank in Oman by
enhancing its customer experiences
across its branch and digital banking
channels to offer next generation of
customer interaction technologies,”
said Fahd Amjad, GM Retail Banking
at OAB. “We are committed to lead
and revolutionize our physical and
digital banking services in the country
to provide our customers with
innovative, convenient and secure
digital banking services. By investing
in NCR’s latest and innovative security
technology, we are taking a right step
in this direction.”
NCR built SPS software to enable its
random, multiplej a m m i n g
hardware module
to block criminal
“listening” devices
from capturing
card data.
This
means
that even the smallest skimming
devices won’t be able to capture card
data.
NCR SPS technology will not only
thwart skimming activities but will
notify Oman Arab Bank of an attack
in real time.
The new technology also prohibits
criminals from tampering or
removing the original ATM bezel
and helps promptly detect fraudulent
devices.
“NCR has a long standing
association with Oman Arab Bank on
its journey to offer the most innovative
and secure digital banking platform to
enhance customer experience.
We are excited to further this
relationship with the bank to help
build a trusted and secure banking
environment that will increase
customer loyalty, improve operational
efficiency and deliver exceptional
interactions,” said Habib Hanna,
Managing Director NCR for South
Gulf and Pakistan.
“Our extensive suite of security
solutions will ensure OAB customers
to complete their transactions in
a convenient and secure way,” said
Osama Awad, Country Manager,
NCR Corporation in Oman.
OAB has recently been the first
bank in Oman to deploy NCR
APTRA™ Activate software to deliver
next
generation
omni-channel
banking experience.
Toyota Yaris comes with upscale features
THE 2016 Toyota Yaris Sedan is more
than just a new car with a familiar name.
Responding to the needs and desires of
its proud owners, the new Yaris brings
upscale features, dynamic handling,
and fresh styling. “The Yaris Sedan
impresses with a striking profile that
stands out from the crowd. Up front, the
bold new face of Yaris features sharpeyed headlights and a hexagon lower grille, while a spacious trunk gives the rear
a distinctive look,” remarks an enthusiast, “ Premium details abound — from the
piano black bumpers, to the chrome grille surround and tailpipe, to the poweradjustable heated exterior mirrors, to the keyless entry offered as standard on all
models, ” he adds.
Mounted on the sporty steering wheel in the surprisingly roomy cabin filled
with premium amenities are the audio and Bluetooth controls. The audio system
of the Yaris now features a USB jack which is compatible with portable media
players such as an iPod. The display size has also been increased from one line
to three lines, enabling the track name, artist name, and CD album name to be
displayed simultaneously. The AUX and USB jacks are very easy to use since they
are positioned at the bottom of the audio panel.
The Yaris has a comfortable and roomy interior. The instrument panel, set
along a horizontal axis, runs the entire width of the cabin, creating a spacious
and distinctive presence. Lavish ornamentation has been used for various interior
features and switches. Precision technology has been used to create moulded
stitching that looks like hand-stitching. Double stitching has been adopted on both
the front and rear seats for an attractive appearance. The designs of the frequentlytouched centre cluster and steering wheel incorporate ergonomic features for ease
of use. All Yaris occupants enjoy the comfort of the best-in-class air conditioning
system which ensures passenger comfort even in the hottest weather.
Unbeaten cargo delivery by IBRI LNG
The all-new Mazda2 #SuperStriker
SAILING cumulatively over a total distance of 1.2 million nautical miles ie about
2.2 million kilometres in sea transportation till date on the high seas across many
oceans since July 2006, the Oman Shipping Company (OSC) owned LNG vessel
“IBRI LNG” recently completed its seamless, trouble free and smooth 100th
cargo laden voyage. This vessel having a cargo capacity of 145,000 cubic metres
was built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and has been dedicatedly serving
Mitsubishi Corporation as charterers, year over year, since its delivery from the
shipyard and will continue doing so.
This is one of the 43 vessels operated by OSC and one among the 27 vessels
being technically managed in-house by Oman Ship Management Company
(OSMC), which is a wholly owned ship management subsidiary of OSC. OSMC
is an ISM accredited and ISO 9001 & 14001 certified company by American
Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
GE’s Alstom buyout
approved by EU
STRASBOURG, France: The EU
announced it had approved a deal for
US giant General Electric to acquire
the energy business of French company
Alstom for 12 billion euros ($13.4
billion), after Alstom agreed to sell some
assets to an Italian rival.
The decision ends months of
uncertainty and tension over the
deal, part of a drive by the American
conglomerate to stake more of its future
on industrial operations.
EU anti-trust regulators had
expressed concern the deal could lead
to too much concentration in the gasturbine sector, leaving only GE and
Siemens in the highly strategic market.
“Following an in-depth review,
the Commission has approved
the acquisition of Alstom’s energy
businesses by General Electric subject to
divestment of central parts of Alstom’s
heavy duty gas turbines business to
Ansaldo,” the European Commission
said. EU Competition Commissioner
Margrethe Vestager said her greenlight
was a “big deal”, opening the way to GE’s
biggest-ever acquisition.
With it, GE also succeeds where it
fell short with the EU’s 2001 rejection of
a takeover of fellow US giant Honeywell,
which sent a shockwave across the world
of big business.
Vestager said “the case illustrates
that Europe is open to investment” but
that “you cannot buy your way to a
monopoly.” With the Alstom decision
now behind her, the tough-minded
former Danish finance minister must
focus on Google, the US Internet giant.
The EU has filed formal anti-trust
charges against Google’s shopping
services, but the Silicon Valley firm is not
backing down calling the accusations
“wrong”. GE hailed the EU green light.
“We are very happy with this
decision,” said Mark Hutchinson, the
GE executive in charge of handling
the Alstom buyout. “We wanted to
preserve the economic rationale for
this transaction. We believe we have
achieved that,” he said.
Alstom CEO Patrick Kron said
that in addition to fulfilling the EU’s
wish to maintain competition, GE’s
commitments “protect the interests of
Alstom employees, shareholders and
customers.” — AFP
OMAN/INTERNATIONAL
omandailyobserver
Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish opens ‘Blessing’ at Avenues Mall
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
Sept 9: Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC launched
a unique concept shop with an unconventional name,
Blessing, at the Oman Avenues Mall yesterday.
The showroom was inaugurated by Mohsin Haider
Darwish in the presence of Areej Mohsin Haider
Darwish, Rima Kotaiche El-Husseini, CEO of Blessing
Lebanon, as well as other dignitaries and guests.
Blessing is a Lebanese chain that houses an exclusive
collection of wedding invitation cards, attractive gifts,
charming baby gifts and a selection of exotic chocolates
in different flavours.
The shop also offers customised one-of-its-kind
chocolate arrangements for special events such as
baby showers, announcing the arrival of a precious
bundle of joy, wedding gifts and much more. The shop
also caters to corporate gifts that can be customised
according to the client’s specifications.
“There are some special moments in life that you
want to celebrate and do something so unique that the
memories will last for a long time even after it is over.
We hope to make Blessing the one shop that comes
to mind to mark such eventful occasions,” explains
Areej, Deputy Chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish
LLC, who has a string of achievements to her credit
in diverse sectors and was named in Forbes Most
Influential Arab Women 2013 as well as Forbes 200
Most Powerful Women 2014.
The team at Blessing is committed to providing
individual attention to every client. Most important, it
puts in a lot of thought and works within the cultural
norms and values of the country it operates in. It prides
in getting repeat customers and attracts new clients
mainly through word of mouth and visual connection,
best seen during large events.
The management believes its products set a
benchmark and speak for themselves. Even during the
soft opening, the Oman Avenues Mall outlet has already
catered to baby gifts and corporate gifts according to
Shirin El-Chami, the Business Development Manager
at the outlet. If this is an indication of things to come,
Blessing is sure to leave an indelible impression in the
market.
China to step up fiscal
incentives to boost growth
Instagram opens up to
advertisers worldwide
SAN FRANCISCO: Instagram opened
its platform to most advertisers across
the globe on Wednesday as the photosharing app seeks to make more money
and compete with popular rivals such as
Snapchat.
Ads, previously available only in eight
countries, will debut in more than 20
others including Italy, Spain and India,
Instagram said. More than 200 countries
will have ads by September 30.
With 300 million monthly active
users, Instagram has a key advantage
over rivals because parent Facebook
Inc’s vast trove of consumer data allows
it to target audiences more accurately, a
major selling point for advertisers.
“It would have taken us years to
build some of this technology without
Facebook.
We can take advantage of years of
experience,” James Quarles, global head
of business and brand development
at Instagram, said in an interview
last week. But users who have grown
comfortable with mostly ad-free
Instagram feeds of photos from people
they follow may rebel.
For the past two years, Instagram
has only allowed ads by certain brands,
such as Victoria’s Secret and Old Navy.
Until Wednesday, Instagram ads had
only been available in the United States,
Canada, United Kingdom, Japan,
Australia, Germany, France and Brazil.
A sponsored ad on Instagram over
the weekend said more ads would be
coming soon, but did not specify when.
CMA imposes penalty on Armor
Insurance Services Company
MUSCAT: The Executive President of
the Capital Market Authority (CMA)
has taken disciplinary action against
Armor Insurance Services Company
by imposing a fine on the company for
violating the provisions of Article 17 of
the Insurance Brokers’ Regulation.
The regulation requires the
insurance broker to file the audited
annual accounts and balance sheet
within 3 months from the end of the
financial year.
The regulation was issued to
upgrade and regulate the performance
of insurance brokers.
CMA emphasised the importance
of compliance with the laws and
regulations governing the sector to
ensure fairness and protection for all
participants.
Second meeting of High Sharia
Supervisory Authority held at CBO
MUSCAT: The Second meeting of the High Sharia Supervisory Authority at the
Central Bank of Oman (CBO) was held on Tuesday at the premises of Central
Bank of Oman. The meeting was chaired by Shaikh Dr Kahlan bin Nabhan al
Kharoosi and attended by all the members.
The Authority made detailed deliberations on the issues presented to it,
covering various Sharia aspects relating to Islamic banking business in Oman and
gave its opinion in the light of discussions. The Authority was also updated on the
performance of Islamic Banking Entities for the period ended June 2015.
19
A cargo ship berths at the port in Lianyungang, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. — AFP
BEIJING: China will adopt “stronger”
fiscal policies to support growth, Beijing
said as it seeks to sooth increasing
fears about the world’s second-largest
economy following turmoil in domestic
and overseas markets.
The government will accelerate
major construction projects, allow
more small companies to benefit from
tax cuts, and encourage private capital
to invest in key areas, among other
measures, the finance ministry said in a
statement.
Global markets have been in turmoil
for weeks on worries about slowing
growth in China, a key driver of global
expansion, wiping trillions off share
prices. The panic has also hammered
mainland Chinese markets, with
Shanghai’s exchange plummeting after a
debt-fuelled bubble burst.
The finance ministry gave no
specific values for future spending. But
it said that by the end of August the
central government had already spent
96 per cent of its annual infrastructure
investment budget.
To achieve China’s 2015 growth
target of around seven per cent, the
ministry said it would step up and
improve a “proactive fiscal policy, finetune the measures in a timely manner
and accelerate reforms that will help
stabilise growth”.
In share trading on Wednesday
the Shanghai stock market surged 2.29
per cent, extending a rally of almost
three per cent Tuesday on hopes for
government measures to support the
economy.
Economic expansion stood at
7.0 per cent in each of the first two
quarters this year, but on Monday the
government lowered its 2014 growth
reading to 7.3 per cent, from the 7.4 per
cent announced in January.
Leaders have taken a series of
measures to bolster growth and curb
falling share prices, including cutting
interest rates last month for the fifth
time since November and lowering
the Chinese currency’s central rate
against the US dollar by nearly five
per cent in a single week. But the
benchmark Shanghai Composite Index
has slumped nearly 40 per cent since
mid-June despite official interventions
that investment bank Goldman Sachs
estimates have cost $234 billion.
Official data released on Tuesday
showed the country’s imports decreased
for the 10th consecutive month in
August by dropping 13.8 per cent,
adding to concerns over sluggish
domestic demand.
“China’s economy has been placed
under new pressures recently as
uncertainties were added into the
world recovery after turmoil in the
global financial markets, sharp falls
in main stock exchanges, continued
depreciation of emerging market
currencies and new record lows of
prices of commodities including oil,”
— AFP
the finance ministry said.
ABB lowers
sales target,
eyes $1 billion
in savings
ZURICH: Swiss-Swedish engineering
giant ABB on Wednesday revised down
its sales growth target for the next five
years and unveiled a cost-cutting
programme to rake in $1.0 billion in
savings. ABB announced it now expects
sales to swell between three and six per
cent between 2015 and 2020, down
from its previous estimate of between
four- and seven per cent.
The group explained its sales target
had been “aligned to new market
realities,” pointing to “the expected
continuation of lower oil prices, signs of
slowing industrial production growth
and forecasted emerging market
growth below the levels expected in
2014.”
ABB is already undertaking a
vast restructuring programme, but
company chief Ulrich Spiesshofer said
on Wednesday it was accelerating its
efforts. “We are actively shifting the
centre of gravity of this business with
a focus on higher growth,” he told
reporters. Among other things, ABB
plans to cut the number of divisions
from five to four, combining power and
automation into a single unit dedicated
to power grids.
The group, which employs some
140,000 people worldwide, said it
intended to push through $1.0 billion
in savings by the end of 2017 by
increasing the productivity of its whitecollar staff.
That comes on top of its ongoing
programme to slash costs equivalent
to three to five per cent of cost of sales
every year. ABB said the cost of its
white-collar productivity programme
was expected to cost it $1.2 billion
mainly in restructuring costs.
Spiesshofer said it was too early to
say if any job cuts would be required.
At the same time, the company said
it planned to free up $2.0 billion in cash
by the end of 2017 to allow it to pursue
more acquisitions.
— AFP
20
INTERNATIONAL
omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
Confidence returns to markets after global rally
HONG KONG: A wave of confidence
swept through Asian markets on
Wednesday, led by a soaring Tokyo, and
extending the previous day’s broad global
advance to raise hopes that recent Chinafuelled losses may be coming to an end.
Investors dumped assets considered
safe bets and piled into riskier prospects,
with the Japanese yen sinking against
the dollar and euro, while the Australian
dollar recovered from six-year lows and
emerging market currencies got muchneeded support.
Big gains on stock markets — Tokyo
shot up 7.71 per cent — come after
weeks of being hammered by concerns
about slowing growth in China, whose
economy is worth more than 13 per cent
of global GDP.
Decades of rapid growth in China
have been spurred by huge exports
and massive state spending, but
commentators say Beijing needs to
retool to boost domestic consumption if
its economy is to continue to grow.
Fears over the communist authorities’
ability to manage this transition have
sent wobbles through financial markets
around the world, where China has been
a bright spot on an otherwise gloomy
horizon.
Suggestions that Beijing had stepped
in to shore up mainland shares on
Tuesday sent Shanghai and Hong Kong
higher.
An announcement by the country’s
finance ministry that it would accelerate
major construction projects and cut taxes
for small and medium-sized enterprises
to support growth also appeared to
be adding to the positive mood, some
analysts said.
Mylan takes takeover bid
to Perrigo shareholders
NEW YORK:
Pharmaceutical
company Mylan said that it would
take its offer to buy Perrigo directly
to Perrigo shareholders following
refusals by the company’s management
to engage in merger talks.
Mylan, a large generic drugs
company, will launch the offer to
Perrigo shareholders on Monday and
Perrigo shareholders will be eligible
to vote until November 13. Perrigo
makes over-the-counter medications
such as Claritin and Sudafed.
Mylan has proposed $75 in cash
and 2.3 Mylan shares for each Perrigo
share. Perrigo shareholders would own
about 40 per cent of the combined
company. Mylan said the transaction
values Perrigo at $31.8 billion, based
on Mylan’s closing share price on
A woman passes before a share prices board in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s share prices rose nearly 5 per cent at the Tokyo Stock
Exchange, on the back of a jump on Wall Street and on volatile Chinese bourses. — AFP
“The gains in Chinese shares helped
calm markets down and investors believe
that China will have more fiscal policies,
not only monetary, to stabilise the
economy,” Thebes Lo, Hong Kong- based
vice president at Kim Eng Securities Ltd,
said.
“Risk appetite is back a little bit.”
Japan’s Nikkei led the charge on
Wednesday, registering its biggest oneday rise in seven years.
But illustrating the continued
volatility, that tub-thumping rise came
after a fall on Tuesday that had erased the
last of its gains for 2015.
“The sell-off in Japanese equities
has been excessive amid concerns over
China’s economic slowdown,” said
Khiem Do, at Baring Asset Management.
“Today’s rally can be sustained once
the market’s perception of the Chinese
economy improves.”
Microsoft buys security start-up
SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft said
on Tuesday it bought an Israel-based
cyber security start-up specialising in
defending programs and content in the
cloud, as it expands offerings for the
enterprise. Microsoft did not disclose
how much it paid for Adallom, but the
website TechCrunch put the purchase
price at $250 million.
The acquisition comes as Microsoft
responds to the trend toward cloudbased computing, in which data or
software is accessed remotely over the
Internet. Microsoft built its revenue
selling packaged programs such as its
widely used Office software for business
or home computers, but the tech giant
is shifting to offering that software
through cloud-based subscriptions.
Adallom helps customers “protect
critical assets across cloud applications,”
Microsoft Vice President Takeshi
Numoto said in a blog post announcing
News of the acquisition
came the same day
Microsoft announced it is
expanding its partnership
with Dell to widen the array
of Windows 10-powered
devices and services for
businesses.
the acquisition. “With more frequent
and advanced cyber security attacks
continuing to make headlines, customer
concerns around security remain top of
mind.
These concerns pose real challenges
for IT, who are charged with protecting
company data in this rapidly evolving
mobile-first,
cloud-first
world.”
Adallom works with cloud-based
applications such as Salesforce, Dropbox
and Microsoft’s own Office 365. The
three-year-old start-up’s technology will
be used in other Microsoft offerings
as well, such as its Enterprise Mobility
Suite and Advanced Threat Analytics.
News of the acquisition came the
same day Microsoft announced it is
expanding its partnership with Dell to
widen the array of Windows 10-powered
devices and services for businesses.
A strong part of the push centred
on Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and
accessories, which Dell will start selling
in Canada and the United States through
an online shop at dell.com/work.
“Our global enterprise customers
have asked us to match the Surface Pro
3 and Windows 10 experience with
enterprise-grade support and services —
and our partnerships like this one with
Dell will do just that,” Microsoft chief
Satya Nadella said in a release. — AFP
Some early field closures due to low oil are inevitable
UK oil, gas output to rise
for first time in 15 years
ABERDEEN, Scotland: British oil and
gas production is set to rise for the first
time in 15 years this year as investment
in more efficient technology pays
off, the industry’s association said on
Wednesday.
Britain’s oil and gas output has more
than halved in the past 10 years due to
easy-to-reach resources running low
and a lack of investments in new areas.
This trend will likely reverse this year
when production is expected to rise 3-4
per cent, the first increase since Britain’s
oil and gas output peaked in 2000, lobby
group Oil & Gas UK said.
“Despite a very difficult business
climate we are beginning to turn a
corner,” Mike Tholen, economics
director for Oil & Gas UK, said at
the launch of the association’s yearly
economic report.
“We are turning a corner in terms of
the massive spend on North Sea fields
pulling production up with it and on
top of that we’re now begining to get to
terms with the cost base to find ways to
make businesses cope in a much weaker
environment.” Preliminary government
data showed oil and gas output over the
first six months of this year rose 3 per
cent compared with 2014.
The increase comes after years of
investments in new technologies that
have meant new fields are run more
efficiently.
However, the recent slump in oil
prices has tightened oil companies’
purse strings and Oil & Gas UK expects
capital expenditure to fall to £10-11
billion ($16.91 billion) this year, down
from £14.7 billion last year.
Low oil prices in combination with
high operating costs in the North Sea
have caused many operators to question
the economic viability of continuing to
run some of their oldest fields.
Maersk Oil said last month it
would file for early decommissioning
permission for its Janice field in the
North Sea. “Inevitably there will be
some more fields decommissioned as a
result of low prices,” Tholen said.
Oil & Gas UK expects operating costs
to fall by more than £2 billion, or 22 per
cent, by the end of 2016 as companies
work more efficiently.
— Reuters
Hong Kong ended more than four
per cent higher while Shanghai and
Sydney closed up more than two per
cent. Seoul almost added three per cent
and Taipei jumped 3.57 per cent.
Currency markets also saw traders
move into assets seen as riskier — the
dollar rose to 120.60 yen from 119.82 on
Tuesday in New York, while the euro was
at 134.60 yen from 134.22 yen.
The yen had been climbing in recent
BIZ BRIEF
United Airlines
head replaced
amid federal probe
WASHINGTON: United Airlines
announced on Tuesday that chairman
and chief executive Jeff Smisek
(pictured) and two other top officials
had stepped down in connection with
a federal investigation involving the
regional airport authority. Smisek
was replaced “immediately” by board
director and CSX chief operating
officer Oscar Munoz, the airline’s
parent United Continental Holdings
said.
Also leaving were the company’s
executive vice president of
communications and government
affairs, and its senior vice president of
corporate and government affairs.
Smisek became president and
chief executive of United in October
2010 when it merged with his
previous employer, Continental. He
added the title of chairman at the end
of 2012, and had presided over the
company’s strong growth.
United said the surprise
departures were related to a federal
investigation associated with the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey,
which operates John F Kennedy,
LaGuardia, Newark and other key
airports in the New York metropolitan
region.
United gave no details on the
probe, but media reports for the past
year have said the airline was being
investigated over alleged favours
done for the then-head of the Port
Authority, David Samson, as United
was seeking public investment in the
Newark Airport. United is alleged to
have established a money-losing air
route between Newark and Columbia,
South Carolina, in 2011, as a favour
to Samson, the chairman of the Port
Authority, who frequently travelled to
the area.
Sansom resigned from the Port
Authority in March 2014 over a
separate, unrelated scandal over
causing a massive traffic jam on a key
New Jersey-Manhattan bridge that
allegedly was done to punish political
enemies of the state’s governor, Chris
Christie, who is now campaigning for
the Republican nomination for US
president. — AFP
weeks as dealers moved into safer
investments to protect them from the
global market convulsions.
The “Aussie” dollar was at 70.60 US
cents against 69.75 cents late on Tuesday
in Tokyo, well up from the six-year lows
around 69.00 cents plumbed at the end
of last week
Emerging currencies enjoyed a rare
advance, with the South Korean won up
0.95 per cent against the greenback, the
Indian rupee 0.44 per cent higher and
Malaysia’s ringgit 0.7 per cent stronger.
Friday.
Mylan initially approached
Perrigo in April with a takeover deal
that it valued at the time at $35.7
billion, but since then Mylan’s shares
have fallen.
Perrigo has repeatedly said the
Mylan bid “substantially undervalues”
the company, reiterating that stance on
August 28 after two-thirds of Mylan
shareholders voted in favour of the
proposed takeover of Perrigo.
Mylan Executive Chairman Robert
Coury said in a letter to Perrigo
chief executive Joseph Papa that
the outcome now rests with Perrigo
shareholders.
“You and your Board are now
unable to stop the combination,”
Coury said. —AFP
However, there remains uncertainty
over plans by the US Federal reserve
for raising interest rates — something
that could cause traders to draw in their
horns — with the China crisis muddying
the waters for bank policymakers as they
prepare for a meeting next week
Chris Weston, chief markets strategist
in Melbourne at IG, warned further
market ructions if a hike is announced.
“We won’t rule out more volatility
ahead of the US meeting next week,” he
added. — AFP
Blackstone to buy Strategic Hotels & Resorts
NEW YORK: US luxury property giant Strategic Hotels & Resorts said it has accepted
a $6 billion all-cash takeover offer from investment firm Blackstone, a leader in global
real estate. Strategic owns and manages a portfolio of 18 upscale hotels, including the
JW Marriott Essex House in New York, the Four Seasons hotel in Washington, and the
Marriott Hamburg in Germany.
The Blackstone offer “creates significant stockholder value with a high degree of
execution certainty,” said Raymond Gellein, Chairman and Chief Executive of Strategic,
in a statement. Blackstone will pay $14.25 per share for Chicago-based Strategic
and also pay $14.25 per units Strategic does not hold in a subsidiary, Strategic Hotels
Funding LLC. All told, including debt acquired, the deal is worth about $6 billion.
The offer price represents a 13 per cent premium over Strategic’s intra-day trading
price on July 23, when media reported a potential deal in the works.
“We are excited about the opportunity to acquire one of the highest quality
luxury hotel portfolios in the US. As long-term investors in the lodging industry, we
remain confident in the fundamentals of the sector despite recent market volatility,”
Blackstone co-head of US acquisitions, Tyler Henritze, said in the statement
Blackstone’s real-estate portfolio includes hotel, office, retail and industrial
properties in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America, among them Hilton Worldwide
and Chinese shopping malls SCP. Strategic said that the transaction was expected to
be completed by the first quarter of 2016. — AFP
Pawan Munjal, Managing Director and CEO of Hero MotoCorp stands next to
an assembly line during the opening of the assembly plant in Villa Rica,
Cauca, Colombia on Tuesday. Hero MotoCorp, one of the largest motorcycle
manufacturers in the world, opened an assembly plant in Colombia in which it
invested $70 million as part of an international expansion plan that aims to
conquer the Latin American market. — Reuters
Alibaba gets in game with new sports firm
SHANGHAI: Chinese online giant Alibaba on Wednesday set up a new company
to focus on professional sports, it said in a statement, as it seeks new business areas
beyond e-commerce.
Alibaba Sports Group, majority owned by Alibaba Group, will use its parent’s
e-commerce ecosystem to participate in businesses such as sports media, events and
ticketing, the statement said.
It aims to “transform the China sports industry” and “bring greater and better
products and services to consumers, sports participants and sports fans alike,” said
Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang, who will also be chairman of the new sports company.
Alibaba’s partners in the venture include founder Jack Ma’s Yunfeng Capital and
Internet company Sina — operator of the popular Weibo, or microblog, platform as
well as news and sports websites.
In an earlier sports venture, Alibaba paid 1.2 billion yuan ($188 million) for a stake
in Chinese football club Guangzhou Evergrande last year.
Alibaba is not the only major Chinese company expanding into sports. Two weeks
ago property and entertainment conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group announced it
would buy the organiser of the Ironman extreme endurance contests for $650 million.
Earlier this year Dalian spent more than a billion euros on Swiss sports marketing
group Infront — which holds some broadcasting rights to the football World Cup —
and took a 20 per cent stake in Spanish football club Atletico Madrid.
The Alibaba announcement came a day before it is scheduled to host an event
with US collegiate sports league PAC-12. — AFP
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
GROWTH
PERSPECTIVE
omandailyobserver
21
WORRIES
Change a heavy task in China’s industrial heartland
R
ising costs, falling
prices,
striking
workers — Iron Ore
Mine Manager Song
Denggan has a lot on
his mind, and chain
smokes as he faces the prospect of
industrial stagnation in China.
Song’s mine in Hebei, a gritty
northern province surrounding Beijing,
exemplifies the challenges the country
faces as it seeks to move from the
factory-driven, fast-growing economy
of the past to a consumer-led future.
“There is no comparison between
business now and a few years back,” the
grey-haired industry veteran said. “The
best we can hope for is to remain stable.”
Industries across China are struggling
with massive debts and overcapacity, the
hangover from credit-fuelled expansion
which helped drive a decades-long
growth party.
China’s government says the world’s
second largest economy is expanding at
its slowest for 25 years — and according
to analysts the real figures could be
much lower — and the slowdown has
world markets rattled.
Miners at Song’s firm have struggled
to increase output in the face of
dwindling prices, he said, and have gone
on strike over lack of pay, holding a red
banner outside the gate reading “We
want our wages”.
“We have to maintain production,
and even increase it because prices are
falling. But our costs are going up,” greyhaired Song said. “We are feeling the
impact of changes in the steel industry.”
It is a pattern repeated across
northern China, which is dominated by
Beijing’s master plan is to
rebalance the economy,
putting more money into
the pockets of households
whose spending will step in
to replace wasteful big-ticket
investment.
large, indebted and often state-run firms
producing coal, cement and steel.
Prices in China’s once booming real
estate sector have remained largely flat
over the past year, while overproduction
has driven down prices and profits for its
suppliers.
Some northern Chinese regions
expanded by less than four per cent in
the first half of this year.
Manufacturing data has been
dismal in recent months, with activity
contracting in August, according to
an official purchasing managers index
(PMI) survey.
“A lot of the historical industries
which China has built heavily on are
in flat-out recession,” said Christopher
Balding, an economist at Peking
University’s HSBC Business School in
Shenzhen.
“There are large amounts of
industries that have enormous surplus
capacity,” he added.
Its a far cry from the aftermath of
the 2008 financial crisis, when China
won plaudits for averting a slowdown
by pumping nearly $600 billion into the
economy.
But much of the credit — funnelled
through state-run banks to government
Workers make stuffed dolls which are to exported to Europe and north America, at a factory in Jiangsu province. — Reuters
firms — fuelled wasteful expansion
in industries which now suffer from
overproduction, analysts say, while debt
repayment is crimping growth.
“A lot of Chinese economy activity
in the last 10 years has consisted of
investments which create a lot of
economic activity but not real growth,”
Michael Pettis, a finance professor at
Peking University, said.
Industrial provinces “would like to
keep the game going... but if you have
a lot of debt there’s a constraint on your
ability to do that”, he added.
“Every country that had a growth
miracle has ended up with the same
problem. And it’s very hard to resolve.”
Beijing’s master plan is to rebalance
the economy, putting more money
into the pockets of households whose
spending will step in to replace wasteful
big-ticket investment.
The need is felt especially keenly in
Hebei, which had 286 million tonnes of
steelmaking capacity in 2013, more than
the entire European Union.
But prices for the metal have
tumbled, with overproduction pushing
some steel values below that of cabbage.
“Overcapacity is rife... and the need
to transform the steel sector is pressing,”
local media cited government sources as
saying last year.
Replacing millions of jobs in heavy
STRATEGY
M&S slows foreign expansion
amid China, Russia turmoil
B
ritish retailer Marks
& Spencer is slowing
its overseas expansion
drive amid economic
turbulence in priority
markets China and
Russia, its international boss said.
Battling tough markets at home,
M&S Chief Executive Marc Bolland set
targets in 2014 to open 250 new stores
overseas in three years.
The aim was to increase international
sales by a quarter and push profit up by
40 per cent, with China, Russia, India,
the Middle East and Western Europe
the focus. Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne,
M&S’s Executive Director of Marketing
& International, said the firm remained
committed to both Russia and China
but signalled those overseas targets were
now unobtainable, prompting a re-think
of the pace of expansion over the short
term.
“The world has shifted, is a different
place... The Syrian situation was very
different from what it is today... Putin
had not invaded Ukraine and China
was growing at close to 9 per cent,” the
Frenchman said in an interview.
“It’s reasonable in that context that
you would expect a different outlook on
the next three years for the company.”
M&S, a 131-year-old stalwart
of Britain’s shopping streets, has a
chequered history abroad.
After a humiliating retreat from
continental Europe in 2001, it returned
to Paris with great fanfare in 2011
and has been rolling out its clothing,
homeware and upmarket food to
mainland Europe and beyond.
Its “bricks & clicks” strategy is
focused on flagship stores in major
cities, along with small food outlets and
standalone lingerie and beauty concepts,
backed by local websites.
But results so far have been under
whelming, with international operating
profit dropping 25 per cent to £92
million ($141 million) in the year ended
March 2015, compared with a UK rise of
8 per cent to £670 million.
China’s faltering economy means the
pace of expansion there could be slower
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, Marks & Spencer’s Executive Director of Marketing & International,seen inside a M&S store in
Brussels, Belgium, recently. — Reuters
than hoped, with M&S keen to avoid the
mistakes of other British retailers, such
as Tesco, which grew too quickly in the
world’s most populous nation.
“The sectors in which we trade are
not luxury, so we haven’t seen the same
dramatic slowdown as some might have.
But we have seen some softness in
the numbers,” Bousquet-Chavanne said.
“We’re going to have to be much
clearer in terms of when you look at
the roll-out or road map about where to
open stores.” M&S has already re-jigged
its China strategy.
In March it said it would close five
stores in secondary cities in the greater
Shanghai area to focus on flagship stores
in the largest cities and online, while
growing its food business in Hong Kong.
Bousquet-Chavanne, speaking at
M&S’s new store in Brussels — a 5,000
square metres format, with edited
clothing and food ranges, it hopes to
export internationally — said M&S
still planned to open a flagship store in
Beijing in its 2015-16 financial year but
gave no commitments beyond that.
M&S, a 131-year-old stalwart
of Britain’s shopping streets,
has a chequered history
abroad.
Guangzhou and Dalian remain on
the firm’s radar, however. “We’re looking
at places which are very much ‘tier 1’...
where you have an upper middle class
consumer base... where we will do well
even in the context of a slowdown in the
economy,” he said.
He thinks the Chinese slowdown
will, however, create some opportunities
for M&S in terms of access to prime
retail space “because some of those who
have been over extended might have to
retrench over the next couple of years.”
Bousquet-Chavanne, a former Estée
Lauder executive and a veteran of the
international branded consumer goods
industry with over 25 years experience,
said China was one of the most talked
about issues in M&S’s boardroom.
That is despite the firm only having
10 stores in the Shanghai region, 20 in
Hong Kong and an online presence,
meaning the country represents a small
percentage of its overall international
estate of more than 500 mainly
franchised stores.
“I think it’s going to be a slow growth
towards full profitability (in China)
and creating a consumer base that is
sustainable,” Bousquet-Chavanne said.
He wants to replicate M&S’s success
in India, where it has a 49-store
joint venture with Reliance Retail,
by hooking-up with a local Chinese
partner.
“I’ve not put a deadline to it because
finding the right partner is not a simple
thing.
The context of China today makes
it probably a slightly more challenging
conversation,” he said.
Bousquet-Chavanne is also taking
more prudent stance towards Russia,
where M&S has 37 stores run by
franchise partner Fiba, given the
economic slowdown there. — Reuters
industry is a huge challenge.
Officials hope that more profitable
high-tech industries can fill the gap,
along with service sectors such as
tourism and retail.
Those sectors have soared in recent
years, with shopping malls dotting
Chinese cities and online retailers such
as Alibaba booming, while travel is high
on Chinese middle class wish lists.
However, momentum is slowing and
the scale of the substitution enormous.
But Pettis warned: “Bringing
down investment means closing nonproductive factories, and their workers.
If you fire the workers, consumption
will fall.” Costing 470 million yuan ($74
million), local media have billed the
“Juran Home” mall in Xingtai, an hour
away from Song’s mine, as “accelerating
the region’s economic transition”.
“Developing modern service
industries is the key to economic
adjustment,” they quoted a Communist
planning official as saying.
The retail centre specialises in
home decor supplies such as wallpaper,
mouldings and furniture, but was nearly
empty on a weekday afternoon.
There were few customers at
weekends either, said Du Zhiyan, 26,
who sells woodchip wallpaper.
“My boss isn’t happy, but there’s
nothing he can do except lower prices,”
she said.
“We will need to find new industries
or there is not much hope for the city.
State firms aren’t doing as well as before.”
Some Chinese service sector
measures have been holding up — both
official and private services PMI surveys
consistently show expansion, and last
year the sector grew by 8.4 per cent,
against 6.1 per cent for manufacturing.
Poor industrial data “has to be to
be set alongside the relatively strong
releases that we’ve also seen concerning
the service sector,” said Mark Williams
of Capital Economics.
“Part of the shift in sentiment
towards China over the last couple of
months was people realising that their
expectations for China were wildly
overoptimistic,” he added.
Even so the boom days are over for
mine manager Song. The market can
recover, he said, taking another drag on
his cigarette, “but it will never go back to
the way it was”. — AFP
INFRASTRUCTURE
Berlin’s ‘phantom’
airport draws tourists
B
erlin’s troubled international airport project, already five years
behind schedule, has been fraught by mismanagement, fraud and
corruption, and a vicious streak of bad luck. But while the site
has become a laughing stock for Germans, the consortium behind it has
turned a disaster into something of an opportunity with guided tours that
have become an unexpected hit with the public.
More than one million people have visited the “phantom” facility
since the two-hour tours began in 2007. And interest has taken off since
the planners blew past the 2012 opening date, driven by a particularly
Germanic love of technology, bafflement at the money pit consuming their
taxes, and perhaps just a touch of schadenfreude.
At 10 euros ($11) per person, the tours are a minimal source of income,
just as the budget for what many call a boondoggle has ballooned to more
than five billion euros ($5.6 billion) — about three times more than the 1.7
billion euros originally earmarked.
On a recent scorching summer’s day, instead of going for a swim
in one of the region’s many lakes, two dozen paying guests listened in
rapt attention to an eye-wateringly detailed description of the technical
specifications going into the 21st century airport.
A guide led the group on a coach to a viewing tower, empty gates with
expectant jet bridges, a dedicated power plant and the gleaming glass-andsteel terminal building at the heart of the project’s woes.
Inside, the
smell of sawdust
hung in the air,
cables dangled from
the ceiling and a
surprisingly small
number of hardhatted workers, given
the building delays,
shuffled in and out of
the sliding doors.
The squeak of a rolling wheelbarrow, the low moan of a drill and the
thud of a distant hammer echoed through the cavernous hall as the guide
shepherded the group.
After an hour and 15 minutes on the tour, Austrian retired social
worker Sylvia Groth, 60, finally mentioned the elephant in the room.
“Could you please say something about the delays? What led to them,
when will the airport open, has anyone been convicted?”
The guide took a deep breath and began to explain serious technical
flaws — especially in the fire safety and smoke extraction system which
must be able to alert both “flames in an ashtray and flames spreading
through the terminal”.
“We had an architect who wasn’t a technician,” he added. “And
politicians did not pay close enough attention to who was doing what.”
But the problems seem to be too complex for an afternoon stroll. There
is no mention of the manager in charge of the ventilation system who was
convicted last October of taking bribes, or of the recent bankruptcy of a
major contractor at the site, the German division of Dutch group Royal
Imtech.
The official opening is now slated for late 2017, although locals say they
will believe it when they see it. Guessing the actual inauguration date has
become a kind of parlour game in the German capital. — AFP
22
LEISURE/CLASSIFIEDS
omandailyobserver
For Sale
’‘”–ƒ…ƒ„‹
ȋͷ‘•Ȍˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡Ǥ
–‡”‡•–‡†’ƒ”–‹‡•
ƒ›…‘–ƒ…–
””‹ˆ‘
‘ͻͻʹͷͻͳͷ͹Ȁ
ͻʹ͵͵ʹͲͺͺƒ–
ŠƒŽƒƒ’ˆ‘”
‹•’‡…–‹‘Ǥ‡ƒŽ‡†
‘ˆˆ‡”••Š‘—Ž†„‡
•—„‹––‡†‘‘”
„‡ˆ‘”‡ͳ͹ǤͲ͵ǤʹͲͳͷǤ
·····
RESIDENTIAL land
in Yanqul, Buwairdah
ƒ”‡ƒǡϐ‹”•–Ž‹‡‘–Š‡
ƒ‹”‘ƒ†Ǥ‘͹ͻǤ”‡ƒ
͵͹ǡͻͶ͹ʹ–Š‡Žƒ†‹•
near Yanqul, Buraimi,
‘Šƒ”ƒ†„”‹…”‘••”‘ƒ†Ǥ
”‡Ž‹‹ƒ”›ƒ’’”‘˜ƒŽ
ˆ‘”†‹˜‹•‹‘‹–‘ͷͳ’Ž‘–•
‹…Ž—†‹‰ͺ…‘‡”…‹ƒŽ
ƒ†Ͷ͵”‡•‹†‡–‹ƒŽǤ–Š‡
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’Ž‘–Ǥ”‹…‡ʹͶͲǡͲͲͲǤ
’’”‘šǤ͸’‡”‡–”‡Ǥ
ͻͶͲͷ͸͵͵ʹȀʹͶ͹ͲʹͷʹʹǤ
For Sale
ͳȌA LAND‹ƒŽ„ƒ
„‡Š‹†
–‡…Š‹•‘ˆˆ‡”‡†
ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡ǤŠ‡Žƒ†‡Œ‘›•
ƒ’‡”‹–ˆ‘”–™‹Ǧ˜‹ŽŽƒǤ
ʹȌA LAND ‹•ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
‹Žƒƒ„‡Žƒͺ‘™‡”Ǥ
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ˆƒ•–ˆ‘‘†
”‡•–ƒ—”ƒ–‹”‹‡
Ž‘…ƒ–‹‘‹—•…ƒ–Ǥ
ͻͻ͵͸͵ͺͺ͵Ǥ
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3 BHK ϐŽƒ–ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
ƒ–‘…Š‹
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ϐŽ‘‘”Ȍ™‹–Š…ƒ”’ƒ”‹‰
ŽƒŒ‹”Ǧ‹Žƒ›ƒ–Ž
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ƒ–Š‹•ƒ„‹”ƒ‘’’‘•‹–‡
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͸ͲͲ•“—ƒ”‡‡–”‡’”‹…‡ ƒ””‹ƒ‘ƒ†ǡ‘…Š‹Ǥ
͸ͺͲͲǤͻͶͲͷ͸͵͵ʹȀ ͲͲͻͳͻͺͶ͹Ͳ͹͸͹͹
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ȋ†‹ƒȌǡͻͻ͵ͶͲ͵ͻ͹
ȋ—•…ƒ–ȌǤ
·····
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in an
‡š…‡ŽŽ‡–Ž‘…ƒ–‹‘
‹ƒŽƒŽƒŠ™‹–Š
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·····
PRIME Ž‘…ƒ–‹‘‹
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‰ƒ‹ŽǤ…‘
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LAND ‹‡”ƒ–ǡ
͵ǡͲͲͲ•“™‹–Š’‡–”‘Ž
’—’’‡”‹••‹‘Ǥ
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ȋ’—”•—‹‰ϐ‹ƒŽȌ
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·····
Vehicle for Sale
PORSHE Cayenne S 2004
white, 16,500 kms, valid
30/12/2015, very good
condition RO 4,750.
94056332.
·····
·····
LINCOLN Navigator 4
WD 1998, silver and
black, 200,000 kms, valid
25/12/2015, good
condition RO 1,600.
94056332.
RESIDENTIAL
…‘‡”…‹ƒŽ’Ž‘–ƒ–‡‡„
‘—“ȋϐ‹”•–Ž‹‡‘–Š‡
ƒ‹”‘ƒ†Ȍƒ”‡ƒ͵Ͳͻʹ
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ˆ”‘ˆ‘—”•‹†‡•Ǥ‡”‹–
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Ϊ’‡–Š‘—•‡Ǥ‹ƒŽ”‹…‡
ʹͺͲǡͲͲͲȋƒ’’”‘šǤ
ͻͲͲ’‡”‡–”‡ȌǤ
ͻͶͲͷ͸͵͵ʹȀʹͶ͹ͲʹͷʹʹǤ
‘’‡”ƒ–‹‘•ǡ
ͳͲ›‡ƒ”•ǡŽ‘‰‹•–‹…•
•‹–‡…‘Ǧ‘”†‹ƒ–‹‘
ƒ†‹‹•–”ƒ–‹‘ǡ
•‡‡‹‰
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ƒ˜ƒŽ‹ƒ„Ž‡Ǥ‘–ƒ…–
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™‹ŽŽ‹‰–‘™‘”‹ƒ›
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ˆƒ›—„‡‹‰̷‰ƒ‹ŽǤ…‘
AL ‹ƒ‹ˆ‘”
HAJ and UMRAH
Ȅ‹–ŠƒŠ‘•–‘ˆ
•‡”˜‹…‡•‹…Ž—†‹‰
–Š‡ˆ‘ŽŽ‘™‹‰ǣ‹”‹‰
Ž—š—”‹‘—•…‘ƒ…Š‡•,
ƒ””ƒ‰‹‰™‡‡Ž›
–”‹’•ǡ’”‡’ƒ”‹‰
˜‹•ƒ•ˆ‘”‡š’ƒ–•
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’”‹…‡ǡ‹…Ž—†‹‰
–”ƒ•’‘”–ǡŠ‘—•‹‰ǡ
‡ƒŽ•ƒ†˜‹•‹–•–‘
•Š”‹‡Ž‘…ƒ–‹‘•Ǥ
ƒ†ƒ†ƒ‹”–”‹’•
™‡‡Ž›Ǥͻͻ͵ͳͳ͵ͳͲǡ
ʹͶͷ͸͸Ͳͳ͸ǡ
ͻͻ͵͸ͳͻͺʹǡͻͻ͹Ͳ͹ʹͶͺǡ
ͻͻ͵ʹʹͳʹͶǤ
·····
·····
·····
·····
LAND ȋ‡•‹†‡…‡Ȍ
‹ƒ–ƒ„Ǧ—•…ƒ–
·····
‰‘˜‡”‘”ƒ–‡ȋϐ‹”•–”‘™
‘–Š‡„‡ƒ…ŠȌ͵Ͳ͵ʹǦ
BRANDED well
·····
—„‡”Ͷͳ͵ǡϐ‹ƒŽ
ƒ‹–ƒ‹‡†‘—•‡Š‘Ž†
’”‹…‡ʹͺͲǡͲͲͲ
FULLY furnished
‹–‡•ˆ‘”‹‡†‹ƒ–‡
ȋͻͲͲƒ‹‹ƒŽ
•ƒŽ‡ƒ––Š”‘™ƒ™ƒ›’”‹…‡ apartment Bareeq Al Shatti. ’‡”•“—ƒ”‡‡–”‡ȌǤ
99888417.
ͻͻͲͶ͹ͶͶͲ
ͻͶͲͷ͸͵͵ʹȀʹͶ͹ͲʹͷʹʹǤ
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
RUWI :
24785668
·····
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
CARTOONS
3 They have to be taken progressively
(5)
8 Seem to be coming to the point? (5)
10 Being viral, possibly, one could give
you a problem (5)
11 Vessel from Jarrow? (3)
12 Not literally a means of expression?
(5)
13 A lot to pay for a piece of music! (7)
15 Best, I see, as a talking point (5)
18 A mug as a large vessel! (3)
19 Being French, he used a good deal of
black (6)
21 This country figures to include a
famous volcano (7)
22 Can be out of breath when of slight
physique (4)
23 Posh girls, but at least they can make
beds (4)
24 To whom you would give a half share
of the dinner? (7)
26 Charlie’s in tartan, serene and selfpossessed (6)
29 Little more than £1 Ð what cheek! (3)
31 Fly round the corner where it’s
sunny! (5)
32 Narrated in altered form (7)
34 Firmly supported, as in bed (5)
35 The right to do wrong with a stick (3)
36 In a raincoat, Joe looks wonderful!
(5)
37 Instrument playable back to front (5)
38 One of many long stockings (5)
by Brian Basset
CALVIN AND HOBBES
by Bill Watterson
GARFIELD
For information, please call:
99841230-95919344
92721879 - 99639264
Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590
BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011
Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001
E-mail: [email protected]
9
12
14
16
17
19
20
21
23
24
25
27
28
30
32
33
Chest bone (3)
Good deal (7)
Brown (3)
Aviator (5)
Traded (5)
Discussed (7)
Mud (5)
Panel (5)
Grave (7)
Centre (6)
Male sheep (3)
Mountain range (5)
Cogs (5)
Hard (5)
Hollow (4)
Trap (3)
YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 9, Imperfect 10, Re-rout-ed
12, I-c(all)ed 13, Strain 14, Getting 15,
Worked out 17, Utter-most 18, R-aiment 20, A-llud-E 21, Spat 24, Ma-linger
26, Tear-away 28, Aces 29, B-idd-en 31,
Starter 34, Down-right 36, Scratches 38,
Cat-fish 39, CA-ring 40, (to)W-re-n 41,
Serenade 42, Shelf life.
startled (7)
20 Prevents spots reappearing? (5)
21 It’s essential to return the relative part
(5)
23 Takes off, perhaps (7)
24 What a bad sailor may be guilty of
(6)
25 In being penniless, one can still find
love (3)
27 Where the anaesthetic is alcoholic?
(5)
28 Uncle Tom’s place? (5)
30 Something afoot, working under
pressure (5)
32 City of children only? (4)
33 It’s highly rocky (3)
DOWN
1 Officer about to spoil a bit of a joke?
(5)
2 Apply for a new painter (7)
4 It makes its mark where there’s water
(4)
5 Just for now, in favour of a reduced
tempo (3,3)
6 Is he simply saintly? (5)
7 They may all converge on the centre
(5)
EASY PUZZLE
9 Spare parts have more than one
ACROSS
standard! (3)
12 Possibly detains as a replacement (7)
3 Story (5)
14 The point of a pause (3)
8 Unit of gem weight (5)
16 A problem in prose composition (5) 10 Corner (5)
17 A desire to hug someone very tightly? 11 Zero (3)
(5)
12 Animal (5)
19 Shaken, but perhaps not initially
by Jim Davis
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
CRO SSW O RD
ACROSS
ADAM @ HOME
Ȉ ƒ”•ˆ‘”•ƒŽ‡
Ȉ ‘””‡–
Ȉ ‘„ƒ’’Ž‹…ƒ–‹‘
Ȉ Šƒ”‹‰”‡•‹†‡…‡
Ȉ ”ƒ•’‘”–…ƒ”•
Ȉ ‡ƒŽ•–ƒ–‡ȋ•ƒŽ‡Ǧ
”‡–Ǧ‹˜‡•–‡–•
13
15
18
19
21
22
23
24
26
29
31
32
34
35
36
37
38
1
2
4
5
6
7
DOWN: 1, Civil war 2, Appear (a pier)
3, Beetr-OO-t 4, S-tra-it 5, T-ran-quil 6,
Bright idea 7, M-utter-S 8, Mer-in-o 11,
Agitate 16, Eyelid 19, I-rate 20, Air 22,
Plant 23, Sa-V-ant 25, Going ahead 26,
Tin (rev) 27, Had-dock 30, Detached 31,
Springer 32, Re-sent-ed 33, Trained 35,
Wit-her 36, Stress 37, Her-M-it.
Natural surroundings (7)
Lukewarm (5)
Pub (3)
Scorn (6)
Mismanaged (7)
Plunder (4)
Earth (4)
Tower (7)
Edge (6)
Pitch (3)
Finished (5)
Minor deity (7)
Appended (5)
Lubricant (3)
Gem (5)
Jacket (5)
Chairs (5)
YESTERDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 9, Elsewhere 10, Peaceful 12,
Tiff 13, Escape 14, Creator 15, Springbok
17, Imperfect 18, Nurture 20, Scenic 21,
ƒpŽe 24, Bone idle 26, Satchels 28, Opts
29, Scampi 31, Bewitch 34, Accordion
36, Destroyer 38, Crimson 39, Casino
40, Oral 41, Rehearse 42, Observers.
DOWN: 1, Jettison 2, Ask for 3, Sensible
4, Remark 5, Appetite 6, Match point 7,
Meteors 8, Lustre 11, Brother 16, Nausea
19, Roost 20, Sue 22, Pilot 23, Shower
25, Dictionary 26, Ski 27, Monarch 30,
Manacles 31, Business 32, Harmless
33, Prosper 35, Crimes 36, Despot 37,
Yorker.
DOWN
Trite (5)
Fish (7)
Aid in crime (4)
Endured (6)
Go in (5)
Tartan (5)
Hospitals
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:
You may be
irritated in the
coming year by
the apparent lack
of co-operation on
the part of certain
people connected
with your work.
By using tact and
patience you will
find conditions
improve and that
your co-workers
will become more
aware of their
responsibilities.
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
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
August 22September 22
September 23October 22
October 23November 21
November 22December 21
December 22January 20
January 21February 19
Don’t do things for others
merely out of a sense of duty
unless you really feel like doing it. Doing things grudgingly
creates ill feeling.
Be ready to listen to other people’s opinions even though you
have no intention of letting
them influence you.
By tactful reasoning you will
be able to convince your partner of the soundness of your
plan which concerns your
joint future.
Enjoy a short holiday to the
full. You deserve the rest after
all your work and you shouldn’t
let a small disagreement spoil
your pleasure.
News of an intended marriage
may give you a bit of a surprise.
Keep your opinion to yourself
and just offer hearty congratulations.
IN order to get the best out
of your social activities you
should make an effort to widen
your circle of friends.
PISCES
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
February 20March 20
March 21April 20
April 21May 20
May 21June 21
June 22July 21
July 22August 21
Treat a disabled person with
consideration but try to avoid
any obvious signs of compassion. You must bring him into
your world not join him in his.
The news which you have been
waiting for will soon arrive and
enable you to plan your future
with a light heart and look forward to better things ahead.
Make it quite clear to an interfering
relation that you are capable of handling your own affairs and that you
intend to do so in your own way.
Attack a problem which you once
shelved as you might have more
success in solving it now. A weekend invitation may help you find
the solution.
If you ask outright for an associate’s
co-operation, you will find him ready
to do all he can considering how
helpful you have been to him in the
past.
A stranger is likely to knock on your
door today with a plausible story of
a bargain he can offer. Don’t take
his remarks at face value but look
into the small print.
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
omandailyobserver
Situation Vacant
Required
Services
Computer
VACANCY lab
technician for
inquiry or send CV.
24571094. Fax:
24571097. E-mail:
[email protected]
URGENTLY required
Expatriate Heavy
Duty Drivers, JCB
Operators with valid
Omani licence. Send
your CV to gdsoman@
gdsoman.com.
Contact: 99890076,
93894018, Fax:
24590866.
1. AC maintenance
and servicing.
2. Fridge, washing
machine and dish
washer repairing.
3. Painting and
cleaning services. 4.
Electrical, plumbing
and carpentry
work 97014234,
99447257,
24504281.
ENGINEERING DRAWINGS
·····
CIVIL Engineer 7
years experience.
92480604.
·····
·····
A COOK has 5 years
expereince and a
valid residency in the
Sultanate. 97299373.
·····
LIGHT vehicle driver.
99347515.
·····
REQUIRED a Hydraulic
Technician with
experience. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
SALES Manager of
Medical Device, GCC
experience, driving
licence, preferably
pharmaceutical
based. email: info@
khalidmedicalsupplies.
com 24540056.
REPUTED engineering
consultancy firm in
Muscat looking for
following placement:
1. Omani Secretary
(Female)
2. AutoCad
Technician (Omani
female)
3. Civil Engineer: Min
5 years experience
having driving
licence
4. Electrical Engineer
degree/diploma,
min 3 years
experience.
E-mail: alfurjar06@
gmail.com/
[email protected]
·····
SUBCONTRACTORS
required: SME
contractors interested
in telecom side — civil
and underground
telephone cable
laying work — may
contact Mr S Ravi
99424605 or Mr
Sayed .99358733
of National Telephone
Services Co LLC
·····
BIOMEDICAL
Technician, with
sales experience in
medical devices, GCC
experience, driving
licence. email: info@
khalidmedicalsupplies.
com 24540056.
·····
Driving School
·····
A SPECIALIST in
maintaining swimming
pools. Attractive salary.
99807771.
Driving school for
(Male and Female)
Darsait Branch
24781123
Al Ghubra Branch
24399951.
Al Khoudh Branch
24536348.
Sohar Branch
26844412.
·····
·····
DENTAL Nurse,
preferably MoH licence.
E-mail: [email protected].
24540056 Al Khoudh.
·····
Lost
SATAYA Benlabaly has
lost Indian passport
No K3625541. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
AZHAR Iqbal has lost
Pakistani passport No
BZ1339002. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
MOHAMMED Abu
Al Bashar has lost
Bangladeshi passport
No F0190539. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
MOHAMMED Jamal
has lost Bangladeshi
passport No
AE6208578. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
PEYARA BEGUM has
lost Bangladeshi
passport No
AA4387983. Finder
please handover to ROP.
MOHAMMED Riyadh
Hussain has lost
Bangladeshi passport
No AG3004274. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
·····
MUNIR Ahmed has lost
Bangladeshi passport
No B0868968. Finder
please handover to ROP.
·····
CLASSIFIED
SECTION
AutoCAD, 3DMax,
Stadpro, primavera,
Computer basics, Advaced
Excel, VB.net, Become
Professional.
Contact: 99754857
Situation Wanted
·····
FREE INFORMATION
ABOUT ISLAM
If you would like to
know more about
Islam, please call:
Tel : 99425598, 96050000,
99353988, 99253818,
99341395, 99379133, For
ladies: 99415818,
99321360, 99730723
Or visit:
www.islamfact.com
SAHARY Qurum
Constructions
Commercial Building
and Civil Projects.
97333357.
·····
Al Waseet Manpower
Supply, healthcare,
hotel management,
resturants and
coffee shops and
many others skilled
wrokers.97333357.
E-mail: fesalwardi48@
gmail.com.
·····
WE offer you the
Business Services:
Maintenance of
buildings and villas for
paint and carpentry
and decoration works
and installation of
material water proof
and cleaning services
building management
and leasing of real
estate (Out motto is
to provide quality
in all our business).
Muscat Renaissance
Development
and Investment.
99070093.
·····
MAINTENANCE: 1.
A/C Maintenance &
Servicing; 2. Fridge,
Washing Machine
& Dish washer
repairing; 3. Painting
& cleaning services; 4.
Electrical & Plumbing
Carpentry work.
Contact: 99447257,
97014234, 24504281.
·····
Good News
AYURVEDIC
Treatment, Yoga
Massage & slimming.
Web address: www.
siddhayur.com
92504980/
24475280.
·····
Situation Wanted
INDIAN male,
mechanical
engineering, 2
years experience
in fabrication and
erection of heavy
structures as a
project engineer now
on visit visa seeks
suitable placement.
92151818. E-mail:
krishnakumarkkq@
gmail.com
·····
INDIAN CA, (Finance
Manager) more than
8 years experience
(Oman, UAE and
India) in accounts,
ƒ—†‹–ϐ‹ƒ…‡ǡ
seeking a suitable
senior position in
Muscat, can join
immediately, NOC
available. Contact:
98707434. E-mail:
[email protected].
·····
MBA Finance, male, with
three years experience
in the export division
of a leading company
in India, seeks suitable
placement. Contact.
91520930. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
MALE, 26, MBA with
2 years experience
in accounts and
administration. Good
computer skills,
accounting software
handling in Tally,
QuickBooks and
Peechtree. On family visit
till 4 October, looking
for urgent placement.
91795092. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
INDIAN male nurse, 28
years, GNM in Nursing
with 5.9 yrs of OT
experience, prometric
exam passed with
69%, presently on
visit visa, seeking jobs.
Contact.98493623/
99526948. E-mail:
[email protected]
Situation Wanted
MANAGER, Indian
male MBA, around 6
years experience in
UAE, India and Oman
expert in handling
all kinds of business
operation, NOC
available. Contact
92700670. E-mail:
[email protected]
·····
MALE, 24 years, BCom
IT having 3.5 years
experience in Accounts
INDIAN, ACA, ACMA
and ACS qualified with & IT. Good knowledge
of computer hardware,
rich experience in
Tally, MS Word,
finance and account,
Excel, Powerpoint &
more than 14 years in
Photoshop etc. Looking
Gulf, seeks suitable
opening. 95591523. for suitable job,
[email protected] currently on visit visa.
Contact 91298960.
·····
E-mail: usman.ali786@
INDIAN lady Chartered hotmail.com. Can join
Accountant is looking
immediately.
for part-time job.
·····
Having very good
experience in accounts,
PIPING design engineer,
audit, banking,
Indian male, 27, looking
budgeting, project
for suitable placement
financing etc. (more
than 7 years experience in piping design and
engineering. Having 7
in Oman. Visa needed.
years of experience in
Contact: 93134506.
AutoCad, also familiar
·····
with PDMs (11.6
version), (CAESAR II).
CSIT Computer
Contact 97351786/
Engineering B-Tech
96143708. E-mail:
presently working as
mohammednazeer07@
a Network & System
gmail.com
Engineer Having
excellent experience
looking for a placement · · · · ·
968 91006851
Mohd Nadeem
Ullah Khan. E-mail:
nadeemkhan126@
yahoo.com
·····
·····
BE computer science,
Indian male, looking for
suitable job in the field
of software or in
information technology
having good knowledge
in Java, ASP Net, MSSLL,
MS Word. Contact
91986191.
[email protected]
·····
INDIAN female, 26 years,
B Com, CA, INTER wih 4
years experience, seek
’Žƒ…‡‡–‹ϐ‹ƒ…‡Ȁ
Accounts. Contact
94045427
INDIAN male, 28 years
wanted opportunity in
IT Certified in redhat
linux (RHCE) and oracle
DBA, have 3 years of
hand on experience in
Networking, Clisco
routers and swithces,
Outlook, S/W
Installations. Contact
95406864. E-mail:
saad.m.ali79@gmail.
com
·····
·····
·····
ACCOUNTANT Indain
male (B Com) with
2 years experinece.
Currently on visit
visa, seeks suitable
placement. Contact
94649272. E-mail:
[email protected].
INDIAN female,
26 years, BSc,
MSc, Worked as
senior systems
engineer at
infosys for 2.5
years. Seeking
suitable positions
in computer/ IT
ϐ‹‡Ž†Ȁ…—””‡–Ž›
on family
visa. Contact
93092729/
94402335.
·····
MAINTENANCE
foreman looking for
a suitable position
‹ϐ‹‡Ž†”‡ƒŽ‡•–ƒ–‡‘”
production. Contact
99526958.
·····
STORE incharge
or site supervisor,
Indian male, 30,
looking for suitable
vacancy in any
reputed company.
Having 5 years of Gulf
experience willing
to work in any GCC
country. Contact
97756269. E-mail:
razzakbmt@gmail.
com
·····
23
For Rent
HOUSE in old Muscat
town on the Bab
Muthaib street,
consists of 5
bedrooms, living
room and kitchen.
99319829/
99234155.
·····
BRAND new building
in Walja with 1 BHK,
2 BHK, office space
and shops available
and fitted with split
AC. 98218279.
·····
NON cooking bachelor
accommodation
available at Darsait near
ISD. 99346813.
·····
FULLY furnished
apartment Bareeq Al
Shatti. 99888417.
·····
FLAT in Al Hamriya.
99341112.
·····
HOUSING complex
consist of 4 new villas
spacious with high
quality materials in Al
Qurum, with car parks
inside and out, each
villa consists of 4 floors
(basement, ground, first
and penthouse). All
villas have 8 bedrooms
+ 2 sitting + 2 living + 1
dining + 1 large kitchen
+ preparation kitchen,
overlooking the beach
and Crowne Plaza.
Monthly cost of rent RO
2,900 per villa.
94056332, 24702522
·····
NETWORK engineer,
2 years experience
with ability to work
in communication
ϐ‹‡Ž†
background. Contact
92484596.
RESIDENTIAL and
commercial building for
rent — flats, offices and
showroom (656 sqm
suitable for clinics).
Location: Sohar, Al
Wagaba Round Port,
Near to Bank of Sohar.
Call: 99064566 &
99342341
·····
·····
THURSDAY l SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 l DHUL QA’ADA 26, 1436 AH
[email protected]
www.omanobserver.om
RENTING & LEASING
Tours and Airport Transfer
Tel: 24582663
GSM: 95859497,
Fax: 24582664,
[email protected]
Manpower
ILYA MANPOWER:
We provide Filipino
housemaids and
all skilled workers.
22050086/
96087664. E-mail:
ilyamanpower@gmail.
com.
PROFESSIONALS
in Pest Control Service,
Bedbug Treatment, Rodent
Treatment, Snake Treatment
and Termite Treatment
(Pre and Post Construction).
Tel: 24787606 / 24787503
Fax: 24787607
E-mail: [email protected]
P. O. Box: 565, Wadi Kabir,
Postal Code: 117,
SULTANATE OF OMAN
RUWI : 24785668
Behind Royal Oman Police
·····
FRIENDS
MANPOWER: Filipino
housemaids and all
kinds of workers.
24489268 Tel:/Fax:
24478153, 92462496.
·····
KHALIFA
Al-Sinani Manpower
— labourers &
housemaid from
Indonesia, Kenya,
Uganda and other
countries. Al Suwaiq.
To communicate
26713500,
26713600.
·····
For Rent
FLAT for rent in
Maabela 3 master
rooms.
96088926.
·····
FLATS for rent in Al
Khuwair, Al Hail, Wadi
Kabir, Al Falaj, MBD
and Muttrah.
99119699/
95250300/
24813002.
·····
FLATS in Al Ghubra,
2 bedrooms, hall,
near Indian School,
Way No. 4039,
building No. 4250.
Contact
99341138,
98003444.
·····
Supply
of
Pesticides,
Gel (Cockroaches),
Public Health
chemicals,
Agriculture
chemicals,
Snake repellent, Rodent
baits
and
other insect
repellent from
Agropharm
Ltd UK.
Tours
For Sale/Rent
Dolphin
ƒ–…Š‹‰‘—”.
Every Day 8 am
and 10 am. For
booking
94110088/
91162534. E-mail:
coraloceantours@
gmail.com Web:
www.
coraloceantours. com
ȍ͵
VILLAS for sale/
rents WADI
KABIR/AL
KHUWAIR),
ȋŠ‘’•Ȁ‘ˆϐ‹…‡•
for rent/ Al
Khuwair)
(Flats for rent/
Wadi Kabir).
ͻ͸ͷͻ͸͵ͶͺǤ
·····
·····
For Rent
FLATS for rent at
Muscat.
91705369/
91707935.
·····
3 BEDROOMS flat in
Al Hail. 92817777.
·····
·····
·····
2 STOREY villa
encompasses 2 majlis
along with toilets, 2
living rooms and 3
bedrooms along with
toilets and located in a
nearby place in
Maabela supplied
with water
service. Contact
99357404.
·····
FLATS and shops.
93009999.
LUXURIOUS
residential complex of
new and big 4 villas
with high quality
finishing, located in Al
Qurum. The complex
has in-and outhousing parking. Each
villa has 4 floors
(basement, lands, first
+ upper floor). Each
has 8 bedrooms, two
living rooms, dining
room, large kitchen
subordinate kitchen, 8
toilets and annex). The
complex overlooks the
sea and Crowne Plaza
Hotel. Rent is RO 2,900
per month.
94056332/
24702522.
2 BEDROOM flat in Al
Ghubra near Oman Oil
18 November Street,
RO 330 monthly.
99333479 or
95215360.
·····
NEW villa in Al Khoudh
6 is offered for rent.
The premise comprises
6 bedrooms, male
majlis, female majlis, a
split unit airconditioned family
living room
and 8 toilets.
99668686.
on UNBEATABLE prices
AII HP, Epson, Canon,
Lexmark, Samsung
Cartridges also available
·····
Guest House
[email protected]
ͳȎnew
executive flats in Al
Khuwair opposite
Grand Mall. Each,
three bedrooms,
maid’s room,
laundry sitting,
dining and large
family hall. Parking,
security system and
elevator. Penthouse
gives splendid view
of Al Khuwair.
2) SIX bedroom
twin villa, Athaiba
near Health Centre.
99207840.
·····
SEMI furnished 2 & 3
BHK flats at Bausher near Atlas Hospital.
99348493/
93200424/
24502254.
·····
·····
ǧfloor house
behind German
University of
Technology in Halban is
offered for rent. The
house contains 4
bedrooms, living room,
a kitchen
and 3 toilets.
91239119.
1) 2 bedrooms, 2
bathroom, kitchen,
living room, store with
split unit Air conditioner
in Ruwi Rex road.
2) Basement 580 square
metre (new building).
Contact. 99833369.
·····
·····
FOR rent industrial
area land with all
facilities in Rusayl.
Contact 92702891,
95490842.
GROUND + mezzanine
floor, suitable for A
grade restaurant, next
to Pizza Hut, MBD.
24714625,
94460790.
2 FLOOR house at Al
Hail North. Each floor: 3
bedrooms, 3 bathrooms,
kitchen, store, 1 sitting
room. 92133551,
95067585
AN apartment consists
of two bedrooms, two
toilets, a kitchen and a
living room is offered
for rent in Sidab.
99455397,
99181929.
·····
·····
·····
·····
CLASSIFIED SECTION:
All Cartridge also
available
Ruwi: 24792-792
·····
·····
RO 13.300 only
AMAZING OFFERS
y Rent a car for 10
days and get an
extra free day.
y Rent for one month
and get 5 days free.
All the cars are
2016 brand new
special prices for
public departments,
companies and longterm contracts.
972494490.
QURUM BEACH
HOTEL24564070.
·····
For Rent
FLATS in a new
residential building in
Al Hamriya. AC, 1 room
+ small hall + kitchen +
1 toilet, RO 190.
Contact. 94056333,
24702522.
·····
with 3 in 1 Printer
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
FULLY furnished 3
BHK accommodation
with all spacious
rooms in a villa at
Darsait near ISD.
95265289/
96048422.
A BUILDING has 11
outlets and 8 flats is
offered for rent.
99415741.
HP2540
COMPUTER SUPPLIES
For Rent
·····
A TWO floor villa in
Al Maabela with
toilets, two sitting
rooms and 4
bedrooms with
toilets. The villa is
located in Al
Maabela facilitated
with water supply.
99357404.
Buttercup
Rent A Car
Available on UNBEATABLE prices
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
SPECIAL Rates on
New Cars & 4 WDs
Car For Rent
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
PEST CONTROL
OMAN CO. LLC.
GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!!
Rent a Car
VILLA for rent: 6
bedrooms, 1
sitting room, 2
halls, 1 kitchen
and 1 pantry. Al
Mawaleh South
phase 3 close to Al
Sahwah
roundabout, first
line behind
Amwag perfume
factory.
99360366.
For Rent
3 BEDROOM flat at Al
Khuwair. Contact:
99447257/
97014234.
SPACIOUS outlets and
offices (commercial
building) in Suq A’Seeb
opposite to Al Ma’wali
Complex (second line
of the public road), airconditioned, equipped
with toilets for RO 250
per a month for outlet
and RO 150 per month
for office.
94056333,
24702522.
·····
·····
VERY spacious sharing
accommodation
available near Indian
School Darsait for
Executive Bachelors/
Family. 95265289.
TWO big bedroom flat
with two bathrooms,
dining hall and kitchen
in Darsait near to
Indian Schools (beach
face). Monthly rent: RO
260/- including water
and electricity. Call
95131026,
94455311.
·····
·····
VILLA in Al Ansab
Three Phase, 7
bedrooms, 7 toilets,
majlis, hall, 2 kitchen
and external extension.
RO 800 per month.
99220443.
For Rent
A FLAT for rent in Al
Ghubra North, adjoined
to Masjid A’Safa —
outstanding location.
The flat after the
crossroad of the Indian
School towards Al
Athaiba. The flat, which
is on the first floor,
consists of 2 vast rooms
— each with its toilets,
wide/big majlis/living
room with attached
toilet. The area and floor
of the building is clean
and luxurious. Only for
families. Price: 350/-.
99343996.
·····
VILLA for rent, MaabelaNorth, 3 rooms with 4
bathrooms + majlis +
dining hall + kitchen and
4 car parking.
99066626.
·····
·····
ȍonly)
FLATS for rent at
Darsait near to
Ministry of Sports
interested candidates
please contact:
92225523.
36 FLATS and 8 shops
+ basement for rent in
Ghala, Ghubra & Wadi
Kabir, near Indian
School after Bahwan
residential complex.
All Flats with one
bedroom and sitting
room. Reasonable
price. 24494979.
95098103, 92283444.
·····
·····
·····
·····
Ali al Maashari: 99639264 [email protected]
Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 [email protected]
Flats in a new building
in Al Hamriyah, airconditioned (two rooms,
kitchen, two toilets) for
RO 220 per month.
A flat (bedroom sitting
room, toilet, kitchen) for
RO 180 per month).
94056333,
24702522.
94501166
DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 | DHUL QA’ADA 26, 1436 AH
P26
P27
P28
Inside
Serena trumps sister to keep date with history Tearful Rooney nets record 50th England goal Mickelson, Haas, Bowditch, Bae chosen for Cup FOLLOW US ON:
www.omanobserver.om
[email protected]
Oman clash with Saudi Arabia in semis
MUSCAT: Oman will meet
Saudi Arabia in the semifinals of the GCC U-19
football
championship
at the Thani bin Jasim
Stadium in Doha, at 6:00
pm (local time) today.
Oman national youth
team have completed their
preparations for the match
and held a 2-hour training
session yesterday evening at
the Aspire Academy.
Coach Rashid al Jabir
and his assistant Abdulaziz
al Habsi focused on defence
tactics and effective offthe-ball movement. After
the training session the
coach lectured the players
about the importance of the
match urging them to stay
focused during the match.
Oman had beaten
hosts Qatar 4-2 to enter
the semfinal in a tightlycontested game.
Kuwait takes on Bahrain
in the other semifinal
match.
Youth and
Sports
Leaderships
Rehabilitation
Course
SALALAH: The four-day youth and
sports leaderships rehabilitation and
preparation course, organised by
the Ministry of Sports Affairs was
concluded today at Salalah Gardens
Residence Hotel under the auspices of
Sheikh Abdullah bin Saif al-Mahrooqi,
Deputy Governor of Dhofar Head of
Dhofar, in the presence of Rashad bin
Ahmed al-Hina’ei, Under-Secretary of
the Ministry of Sports Affairs and a
number of youth and sports officials.
The course included presentations
on the programme of the training
committee and the Sports Leaderships
Preparation Centre in the Sultanate.
60 youths from different sports
clubs and associations from the
Sultanate, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon,
Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,
Bahrain and UAE took part in the
course.
Victory in this day/night fixture would have given the world champions a 3-0 lead in the series
RENEWING
Ton-up Taylor, spinners topple Australia
Oman Air continues
partnership with OFA
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom:
James Taylor’s maiden one-day
international century and some tight
spin bowling saw England to a 93-run
win over Australia at Old Trafford on
Tuesday as they kept the series alive
Australia, set 301 to win, were
dismissed for 207 with six overs of their
innings left.
Victory in this day/night fixture
would have given the world champions
an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match
ODI series.
But instead England — who had lost
11 times in their previous 12 one-dayers
against Australia — cut the tourists’ lead
to 2-1 with two to play.
Off-spinner Mooen Ali and legspinner Adil Rashid shared five wickets
between them, with Ali’s three for 32 in
his full 10 overs the all-rounder’s best
ODI figures.
Aaron Finch, brought into the side
after fellow opener David Warner was
ruled out of the rest of the series with
a fractured thumb suffered during
Australia’s win in the second ODI at
Lord’s on Saturday, scored briskly on his
way to 53.
But fellow opener Joe Burns fell for
nine when he chipped Steven Finn to
England captain Eoin Morgan at midoff. Australia captain Steven Smith
walked out to boos after upholding an
appeal for obstructing the field that led
to Ben Stokes’s controversial dismissal at
Lord’s.
Having survived a tough chance
because of the diminutive Taylor’s lack
of reach, Smith (25) was brilliantly
caught when diving fast bowler Finn
used his 6ft 7in frame to hold a stunning
one-handed catch at short mid-wicket
off Rashid.
The Yorkshireman, gaining sharp
turn, then dismissed Finch (53) when
Chris Woakes held a lofted drive at longon.
His exit was the start of a minicollapse that saw three wickets lost for
35 runs to leave Australia in trouble at
141 for five.
REVERSE TROUBLE
Glenn Maxwell, after reverse-hitting
Ali for two fours in as many balls, tried
to make it three in a row only to miscue
and be caught off a top edge by wicketkeeper Jonathan Bairstow.
George Bailey (25) obligingly hoiked
an Ali full toss straight to Stokes at midwicket.
Jason Roy then held a remarkable
Off-spinner Moeen Ali and
leggie Adil Rashid shared
five wickets between them,
with Ali’s three for 32 in
his full 10 overs the all
rounder’s best ODI figures
catch, running round from long-on,
after Ashton Agar launched Liam
Plunkett high into the deep.
Roy ‘lost’ the ball in the floodlights
and, arching backwards, dropped a onehanded chance only to grab the ball at
the second attempt before hitting the
turf.
Finn ended the match emphatically
by bowling Matthew Wade (42).
Earlier, Taylor’s century was the
cornerstone of England’s 300 for eight
after Morgan won the toss.
Taylor, brought back for this series
with Ashes-winner Joe Root rested, was
out for 101.
The 25-year-old Nottinghamshire
batsman, playing his 21st match at this
level, faced 114 balls.
His first fifty included just one four
and he managed just five in total but,
significantly, he got England to a score
their bowlers could defend.
Taylor and Morgan (62), who won
the toss, put on 119 for the third wicket.
But the partnership would have been
curtailed had not wicket-keeper Wade
missed a stumping off ODI debutant
spinner Agar when left-hander Morgan
was on 15.
Roy (63) launched England’s innings
in style after Morgan won the toss with
his second fifty in three innings this
series.
But he was unable to better his
previous highest score at this level of
67 in the series opener at Southampton,
chipping Agar to short extra-cover.
Taylor went to his hundred in
nervous fashion when his drive off Pat
Cummins hit non-striker Woakes’s bat
and rebounded into the stumps.
He sprinted down the pitch and
dived for a definitive scrambled single.
The series continues at Headingley
on Friday. — AFP
TIES
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND
J Roy c Maxwell b Agar ............................ 63
A Hales c M Marsh b Cummins.................. 9
J Taylor c Agar b Starc.............................101
E Morgan c Starc b Maxwell..................... 62
B Stokes c Finch b Maxwell...................... 14
J Bairstow (run out) ................................. 17
M Ali c Pattinson b Cummins..................... 1
L Plunkett (run out).................................... 1
C Woakes (not out) .................................. 14
A Rashid (not out) ...................................... 1
Extras (B-1, LB-5, W-11) ................... 17
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) ............ 300
Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-86, 3-205, 4-231,
5-271, 6-273, 7-279, 8-291.
Bowling: M Starc 10-0-79-1, J Pattinson
6-1-36-0, A Agar 9-0-45-1, P Cummins 101-50-2, G Maxwell 10-0-56-2, M Marsh
5-0-28-0.
AUSTRALIA
J Burns c Morgan b Finn............................ 9
A Finch c Woakes b Rashid....................... 53
S Smith c Finn b Rashid ........................... 25
G Bailey c Stokes b Ali .............................. 25
G Maxwell c Bairstow b Ali....................... 17
M Marsh c Woakes b Plunkett ................. 13
M Wade b Finn ........................................ 42
A Agar c Roy b Plunkett.............................. 5
M Starc c Bairstow b Ali.............................. 1
P Cummins c Roy b Plunkett ..................... 5
J Pattinson (not out) .................................. 2
Extras (LB-3, W-7)............................ 10
Total (all out, 44 overs) ................. 207
Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-75, 3-106, 4-128,
5-141, 6-154, 7-165, 8-167, 9-172.
Bowling: S Finn 8-1-43-2, C Woakes 4-022-0, L Plunkett 10-0-60-3, A Rashid 10-141-2, M Ali 10-1-32-3, B Stokes 2-0-6-0.
MUSCAT: Oman Air has extended
its support for the Oman Football
Association (OFA). In continuation
of its role as the Official Carrier of the
National Team for 2014, Oman Air
has signed an agreement with OFA.
The announcement also confirms
Oman Air as one of the key partners
for the Oman Football Association.
The signing ceremony was attended
by media and high-ranking officials
from both the sides, in a simple
ceremony held at the Seeb Stadium.
Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air
CEO commented:
“Oman Air supports many
activities across Oman, and of course
football is a sport that is loved by
Omanis. We are pleased with our
role as the Official Carrier of the
National Team of Oman. The Oman
Football Association does a great
job in nurturing the budding talents
in football. This tie-up also helps us
promote the Oman Air brand.”
Oman Air is the Sultanate’s
designated national carrier and the
airline has continued to witness rapid
growth over the last few years. This has
seen significant increases in the size
of the airline’s fleet, major expansion
of its network to include over 48
destinations and the introduction of
a range of new products and services.
Chairman of the OFA, Sayyid
Khalid Al Busaidi, was very pleased
with the news. He commented
“Oman Air is one of Oman’s most
high profile companies, and it is a great
honour for OFA to be associated with
them. We are grateful to Oman Air
for their support over the past years
and thank them for their ongoing
commitment. Our players would be
proud to show Oman Air emblem
on the national team jersey. We are
extremely proud of our country and
our team, and work hard to deliver a
positive message to the world of the
great country we live in.”
26
omandailyobserver
SPORT
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
US OPEN: The buzz around Arthur Ashe Stadium was like that of heavyweight title fight and the action on the court was much the same
Serena trumps sister to keep date with history
NEW YORK: Serena Williams kept her
bid for a calendar-year grand slam on
track, powering past big sister Venus 6-2
1-6 6-3 on a steamy star-studded night at
the US Open on Tuesday.
Serena moved into the semi-finals,
just two wins from history, in what proved
the toughest test of her four matches. It
is a major tennis event whenever the
Williams sisters clash, and with Venus,
twice a US Open winner, standing in
the way of defending champion Serena’s
quest, their latest meeting turned into
a primetime extravaganza, pulling
in a crowd of A-listers including US
presidential candidate and real estate
mogul Donald Trump and television
celebrity Oprah Winfrey.
Playing under the bright lights on
the biggest stage in tennis, the Williams
show crackled with more tension and
drama than a Broadway production,
relegating men’s champion Marin Cilic
to a warmup act while world number
one Novak Djokovic pulled mop up
duty. For those who did stick around
the National Tennis Center until the
early hours of Wednesday morning they
were treated to more superb tennis as
Djokovic fought off a challenge from
18th seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez
6-1 3-6 6-3 7-6(2).
The Williams sisters had met 26 times
before but never with so much riding on
the result. A win by Venus would move
her a step closer to a first grand slam
since 2008 Wimbledon but would scuttle
Serena’s chances of joining their sport’s
most exclusive club of calendar-year
grand slam winners which comprises
just three members, Maureen Connolly,
Margaret Court and Steffi Graf.
The buzz around Arthur Ashe
Stadium was like that of heavyweight
title fight and the action on the court was
much the same as Serena and Venus put
family ties aside and slugged it out like
sworn enemies.
“She’s the toughest player I ever played
in my life and the best person I know,”
said Serena in an on-court interview. “So
it’s going against your best friend and at
the same time going against the greatest
competitor for me in women’s tennis, so
it was really difficult today.
“When I’m playing her, I don’t think
of her as my sister, because she’s playing
so well, hitting big serves and running a
lot of balls down.”
The contest featured more intensity
and emotion than in most of their other
matches. Serena stared at the court and
rarely looked up to make eye contact
with her sister until the match was over
and the sisters shared an embrace at the
net. The 33-year-old top seed, winner of
21 grand slam singles titles, took charge
of the opening set by securing service
breaks in the fifth and seventh games
after a brilliant start by Venus.
However, Venus in the second set
looked more like the player who has
claimed seven grand slam singles titles,
unleashing her power and drawing
groundstroke errors from Serena for two
service breaks that sent the match to a
deciding third set.
Serena seized control early in the
third and rode the momentum to the
finish and a final four meeting with
unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci.
Earlier, Cilic and Vinci were the first
through to the quarter-finals but both
needed to go the distance against tough
French resistance.
With Serena and Venus waiting in
the wings, Cilic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
kept everything on hold as the ninthseeded Croat battled his way to a 6-4
6-4 3-6 6-7(3) 6-4 win over the scrappy
Frenchman.
Earlier, Italian Vinci needed a similar
Serena Williams of the US returns a shot to her sister and compatriot Venus Williams during their quarterfinals match at the US Open Championships in New York. — Reuters
gritty effort to see off another player
from France, Kristina Mladenovic, 6-3
5-7 6-4 on another sizzling hot day at
Flushing Meadows. Cilic squandered
three match points in the fourth set but
came up strong in the fifth to stretch
his Flushing Meadows win streak to 12
matches.
“It was a big mental fight, especially
after losing that fourth set,” Cilic said
after the four-hour match. “Physically, it
was very demanding.”
Demanding, yes, but nearly as hot
as the conditions faced by Vinci and
SUPER
Mladenovic who played the opening
match of the day on a baking Arthur
Ashe Stadium court.
The 32-year-old Vinci showed off
her fighting spirit while Mladenovic,
a decade younger, wilted in the
punishing conditions using up all of her
medical timeouts during the two-hour,
32-minute test.
A doubles specialist with a career
grand slam on her resume, Vinci finally
cracked the solo code to move onto the
final four in singles at a major for the first
time in her 18-year career. — Reuters
NOVAK
Djokovic repels net-charging
Lopez to storm into semifinals
Serena Williams of the US (left) embraces her sister and compatriot Venus Williams after defeating her in their quarterfinals
match at the US Open championships in New York.
— Reuters
‘The greatest story in tennis’
NEW YORK: Serena and Venus
Williams added another chapter to
what the world number one claims to
be greatest story in tennis when she
outslugged her sister 6-2 1-6 6-3 on
Tuesday to reach the semi-finals of the
US Open.
There are few that would disagree
with Serena that the Williams sisters’
rise from the hard scrabble streets of
Compton to the top of the tennis world
is both fascinating and inspiring.
But it is a story still being written and
what is unfolding at Flushing Meadows
this fortnight could well provide a
chapter all its own with plot centring
around what was an enthralling 27th
meeting between the siblings.
“I think it’s the greatest story in tennis
because we really — you know, with our
how we started and how we grew up and
how we were able to win championships
and be, you know, such inspirations
for so many women across the globe,
I mean, it doesn’t get better than that,”
said Serena. Certainly Serena seemed
inspired on Tuesday as she and Venus
played with the fire and passion that had
been missing from many of their other
‘I think it’s the greatest story
in tennis because we really
— you know, with how we
started and how we grew
up and how we were able
to win championships and
be such inspirations for so
many women across the
globe, it doesn’t get better’
26 head-to-head meetings.
But never before had so much been
riding on the result.
A win by 35-year-old Venus would
move her a step closer to a first grand
slam since 2008 Wimbledon but would
scuttle Serena’s chances of joining their
sport’s most exclusive club of calendar
year grand slam winners which includes
just three members Maureen Connolly,
Margaret Court and Steffi Graf. Certainly
there are no secrets between the sisters
who knew exactly what to expect having
played each other since they were first
handed racquets and started playing on
the cracked public courts of their Los
Angeles neighborhood.
The 33-year-old top seed, winner of
21 grand slam singles titles, took charge
of the opening set by securing service
breaks in the fifth and seventh games of
a match that felt like a heavyweight title
bout after a brilliant start by Venus.
However, Venus looked more like
the player who has claimed seven grand
slam singles titles in the second set
before Serena seized control early in the
third and rode the momentum to semifinal meeting with Roberta Vinci.
“There’s nothing that I did different,”
shrugged Serena. “I just was out there to
play a really tough opponent today.
“Obviously we are very, very tough
competitors on the court, but once the
match is over and the second it’s done,
you know, we’re sisters, we’re roommates,
and we’re all that.
“Down to the match point it just
was not easy. “It’s probably the toughest
match I have played in a really, really,
really long time where I wasn’t actually
beating myself.
“I was out there facing an incredibly
tough opponent.”
— Reuters
NEW YORK: Top seed Novak Djokovic
was tested by net-charging Spaniard
Feliciano Lopez in a duel of volleys and
passing shots before booking a berth in
the US Open semi-finals in the early
hours of Wednesday morning.
On a hot, humid night at Flushing
Meadows, Djokovic waged an
entertaining battle with the 33-yearold serve-and-volleyer, before finishing
off the 18th seed 7-2 in the fourth set
tiebreaker to complete a 6-1 3-6 6-3
7-6(2) victory.
Lopez won 28-of-41 serve-andvolley points, while Djokovic countered
with 33 forays to the net that produced
19 points for the world number one.
“He’s one of the rare players who
actually serves and volleys after the
first and second serves,” said Djokovic,
winner of this year’s Australian Open
and Wimbledon championships. “He’s
got a very big serve.”
‘It was anybody’s game in
the fourth set. I’m just glad
to get through to the four’
Lopez served up 14 aces, while
Dojokovic registered nine.
“It was anybody’s game in the fourth
set,” the Serb said. “I’m just glad to get
through in four.”
Djokovic had beaten Lopez in their
five previous meetings but the lefty
was confident, coming off a Cincinnati
hardcourt event where he reached the
quarters with wins over Milos Raonic
and Rafa Nadal before losing to world
number two Roger Federer.
“My game plan was to be aggressive,”
Lopez said. “He was having some
trouble reading my serve.
“The match from my side was great.
I have to be satisfied with the match I
played with the number one player in
the world. I couldn’t do any better today.
He just was better in the tiebreaker
in the fourth. I think I played a great
match.”
Djokovic, 61-5 with six tournament
titles this season, will face defending
champion Marin Cilic of Croatia in
the semi-finals. The ninth-seeded
Cilic advanced with a five-set win over
France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Nine-times grand slam winner
Djokovic reached his ninth successive
U.S. Open semi-finals and the 2011
champion expects another challenging
match against Cilic, despite owning a
13-0 record against him.
“He hasn’t lost a match (here), 12
matches in a row, so I’m sure he feels
confident,” Djokovic said. “I know him
very well. I have played him many, many
times. We are great friends.
“I know what to do and I’m hoping I
can execute the game plan.” — Reuters
Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a forehand to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during their quarterfinal match at the US Open
championships in New York. — Reuters
SPORT
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
omandailyobserver
27
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Tearful Rooney
records 50th
LONDON: Wayne Rooney became
England’s all-time leading goal-scorer
after netting his 50th international goal
in a historic 2-0 victory over Switzerland
at Wembley in Euro 2016 qualifying on
Tuesday.
With England having already
qualified for next year’s tournament, the
stage was set for their captain to surpass
Bobby Charlton’s mark of 49, which he
had equalled in Saturday’s 6-0 win in
San Marino.
After substitute Harry Kane broke
the deadlock, the moment duly arrived
in the 84th minute, Rooney crashing a
penalty into Yann Sommer’s top-right
corner and being rewarded with a
standing ovation that left him wiping
away tears.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Rooney, 29.
“I’ve been close for the last few games
and it’s a dream come true. I was bit
emotional. It’s a huge honour and one I
am extremely proud of.
“I knew it was a big moment and
just picked my corner and put my foot
through it. To be the record scorer
before the age of 30 is nothing I could
Manchester United and England player Wayne Rooney (left) playing during the UEFA Champions League playoff match at Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, August 26,
2015, and English soccer champion Bobby Charlton, during a match in London on December 5, 1969. Wayne Rooney became England’s all-time leading goal-scorer
after netting his 50th international goal in a historic 2-0 victory over Switzerland at Wembley in Euro 2016 qualifying on Septmeber 8, 2015. With England having
already qualified for next year’s tournament, the stage was set for their captain to surpass Bobby Charlton’s mark of 49, which he had equalled in Saturday’s 6-0 win in
San Marino.
— AFP
EURO
Coach Hodgson sets Rooney trophy goal
2016
Efficient win in
Macedonia keeps
Spain on course
SKOPJE: Defending champions Spain
are just one win away from qualifying
for Euro 2016 after an efficient 1-0 win
at bottom team Macedonia on Tuesday.
Spain are now two points clear atop
Group C, above a Slovakia side that
were held 0-0 by third-placed Ukraine.
Even so, manager Vicente del
Bosque was far from pleased with this
low-intensity performance.”We won by
just one goal, and a lucky one at that.
We lacked speed and depth tonight.
“We have to admit that we did not
play well. This was not our best version.
I would prefer not to single out any
player (for blame), but nobody was very
lively tonight.”
La Roja have 21 points, Slovakia 19
and Ukraine 16.
Spain should secure their place when
they next host minnows Luxembourg in
October, before a final trip to Ukraine,
who first visit Macedonia.
Slovakia’s final two games are at home
to Belarus and away to Luxembourg.
The only goal in Skopje came in
the seventh minute, and was rather
freakish. After the Macedonia defence
had failed to clear a free-kick, Juan
Mata centred with his weaker right foot.
His cross hit the woodwork then
rebounded onto the head of luckless
goalkeeper Tomislav Pacovski and went
in.
UEFA will have to decide whether
to give the goal to Mata or to poor
have imagined.”
Charlton,
whose
Manchester
United record of 249 goals is also being
eroded by Rooney, was quick to offer
congratulations.
“I would like to congratulate Wayne
on becoming England’s leading goalscorer,” the 77-year-old, emblem of
England’s 1966 World Cup win, said in
a statement.
“I obviously cannot deny that I am
disappointed that I now don’t hold
this record, however, I am absolutely
delighted that it is Wayne, as captain of
my beloved club and country, who now
holds this record.”
There were also messages of
congratulations from United and Gary
Lineker, who had stood second behind
Charlton on 48 goals prior to Rooney’s
goal against San Marino, which also
came from the spot.
The result gave Roy Hodgson’s side
an eighth consecutive win, keeping
them on course to finish Group E with
a perfect record ahead of October’s
final two qualifiers against Estonia and
Lithuania.
— AFP
‘We have to admit that
we did not play well. This
was not our best version. I
would prefer not to single
out any player (for blame),
but nobody was very lively
tonight’
Pacovski. Spain enjoyed 69 per cent
possession and Dani Carvajal almost
made it 2-0 just before half-time, with
a shot which hit the same corner of the
crossbar as had Mata’s.
The only scare for the 2008 and 2012
champions came just after the interval,
when Ferhan Hasani went close with
a thoughtful free-kick. In goal for the
visitors was David de Gea, who was in
need of a match after failing to sign for
Real Madrid and being relegated to the
subs’ bench at Manchester United.
“It was good to feel like a proper
footballer again,” said De Gea.
“I didn’t have much work to do, but
it was good to play the whole match. I
am very happy with this.”
Spain made six changes from the
side that beat Slovakia 2-0 on Friday,
with veterans Iker Casillas and Andres
Iniesta being rested. Del Bosque’s team
continued in the driving seat right until
the end, with Paco Alcacer and David
Silva both going close to extending the
visitors’ lead.
— dpa
LONDON: England manager Roy
Hodgson challenged Wayne Rooney to
emulate Bobby Charlton’s World Cupwinning exploits after he broke the
77-year-old’s scoring record by netting
his 50th international goal against
Switzerland.
The England captain lashed in a late
penalty in Tuesday’s 2-0 win in a Euro
2016 qualifier at Wembley to become
England’s outright all-time leading
scorer, having equalled Charlton’s
previous mark in Saturday’s 6-0 win in
San Marino.
Charlton led a flood of tributes to
Rooney after the game and with the
Manchester United captain not due to
turn 30 until next month, Hodgson
believes he can stretch the record and
emulate Charlton by leading England to
glory.
Asked how many goals Rooney could
yet score for England, Hodgson replied:
“It depends how long he plays. I’d like
to think we’re on 10 games a year these
days, a bit more if we do quite well in a
tournament.
“So if he plays to 2018 at least we’re
talking 20 or 30 games, so 10 to 15 goals
with his rate of scoring.
“But I know Wayne well enough to
know he’s really delighted tonight. It’s a
proud moment for him and his family,
but he’s not got in his head how many
goals he can score for England.
“He wants to make England a
better team, to make sure, like Sir
Bobby Charlton, he ends up winning a
tournament or getting very good results
in a tournament.”
Rooney is the first to acknowledge
that despite the goal-scoring record, his
England career does not compare to that
of Charlton, a key member of the team
that tasted World Cup glory on home
England fans wear masks depicting England’s manager Roy Hodgson (left) and striker Wayne Rooney as they wait for the Euro
2016 qualifying group E match against Switzerland to start at Wembley Stadium in west London. — AFP
soil in 1966.
But there was no room for caveats on
a night that belonged to Rooney, who
wiped tears from his eyes as the crowd
rose to acclaim him in the aftermath of
his historic goal.
Hodgson revealed afterwards that
Rooney had been presented with a
framed shirt with the number 50 on the
back by the Football Association and
had made a brief speech to his teammates in the changing room.
‘LOT MORE TO COME’
The FA subsequently released video
footage of the speech, which showed
Rooney saying: “I’d like to thank
everyone here, coaches, players, staff
who I’ve worked with for such a long
time.
“It’s such a huge moment for myself
and my family in my career. Hopefully,
for the team, for myself, (there’s) a lot
more to come.
“Hopefully there’s a lot of the younger
lads — Harry (Kane), Ross (Barkley),
Raheem (Sterling) — coming through,
who can come closer and even pass me
in the future.
“It means the world to me. Thank
you very much.”
Rooney will be presented with
a golden boot by Charlton prior to
England’s next game against Estonia
next month.
Rooney’s strike, which came after
substitute Kane had broken the deadlock
with his second goal in two games,
rubber-stamped an eighth successive
qualifying win for Hodgson’s side.
The only black mark for the victors
was a hamstring injury sustained by
Manchester City midfielder Fabian
Delph, who injured himself after just
nine seconds.
— AFP
The move came after Croatia slipped to third in qualifying Group H over the weekend, a 0-0 draw in Azerbaijan and a 2-0 loss to Norway
Kovac sacked as Croatia coach on the back of poor results
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring the equaliser in the 2-2 draw
during the English Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park in
Liverpool, northwest England. — AFP
ZAGREB: Croatia’s Football Federation
(HNS) on Wednesday sacked coach Niko
Kovac on the back of poor results in
qualifying for Euro 2016.
The move came after Croatia slipped
to third in qualifying Group H over the
weekend, a 0-0 draw in Azerbaijan and
a 2-0 loss to Norway jeopardising their
chances of reaching the finals in France.
“Before travelling to Baku and Oslo
no one was even thinking that a day like
this would come,” HNS head Davor Suker
said in a statement announcing the move.
But, “results are always decisive,” he
stressed after the 43-year-old Kovac was
sacked in the wake of a meeting of the
HNS executive committee.
A decision on Kovac’s successor is to
be taken by September 21, Suker said,
although he refused to elaborate on who
the new coach might be.
“I believe that we will overcome this
crisis and go to France.
“There is not much time ... We are
worried as we are third (in Group H) and
I hope that we will find the right person.
Something on the pitch was not good and
I hope that we will manage to take six
points in the last two matches,” Suker said.
Croatia host Bulgaria and go to Malta
in their last two games but are depending
on favours elsewhere to qualify
automatically rather than settle for a playoff berth.
After the loss to Norway on Sunday,
Kovac intially said his players were to
blame, accusing them of “not dedicating
themselves sufficiently.”
The criticism was strongly rejected
by the players, in particular Real Madrid
midfielder Luka Modric and captain
Darijo Srna.
Kovac later tried to calm tensions and
said he was responsible for the result.
Croatia are currently third in the group
with 15 points, one point behind Norway
and three adrift of leaders Italy.
However, their current tally is
dependent on an appeal against the
decision to dock them one point after a
swastika was daubed on the pitch when
they played Italy in Split in June.
Kovac wrote a public letter thanking
the federation, the public, players and
fans for supporting him.
“I would like to apologise to all those
who were expecting better results and
for which they believe we or I did not
achieve.”
Germany-born Kovac succeeded Igor
Stimac as Croatia coach in October 2013.
He took them to the World Cup in
Brazil, where they were eliminated in the
group stage.
Before that he retired as a player in 2009
after winning 83 caps and representing
Croatia at Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup
and Euro 2008.
— AFP
28
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omandailyobserver
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
PRESIDENTS CUP: Haas will be making his third appearance in the biennial team competition while Mickelson will extend his record to 11
Mickelson, Haas, Bowditch, Bae chosen for Cup
INCHEON: Jay Haas sprang something of a
surprise in opting for experience while Nick
Price banked on form and ‘home’ advantage
when they announced their captain’s picks
on Tuesday for next month’s Presidents Cup
in Incheon, South Korea.
Haas chose his son, Bill Haas, and
Cup veteran Phil Mickelson, who had
been viewed by many as a long shot after
struggling for form for much of the past two
years, as his wild cards for the US team.
Price went for Australian Steven
Bowditch and Korean Bae Sang-moon to
round out his 12-man International lineup
for the Oct. 8-11 matches at Jack Nicklaus
Golf Club in suburban Seoul.
Haas will be making his third appearance
in the biennial team competition while
Mickelson will extend his record run to
11, having played in every edition since the
Presidents Cup was launched in 1994.
The selection of Haas was always likely
as the 33-year-old won his sixth PGA Tour
title at the Humana Challenge in January
and finished 11th in the Cup standings, just
one spot shy of automatic qualification.
Five-times major champion Mickelson,
however, languished in 30th spot, having
not triumphed on the PGA Tour since the
2013 British Open, though his form has
steadily improved in recent months.
“Phil has made the past 20 Ryder Cups
and Presidents Cup teams without needing
a pick so, if anyone deserves a pick, it’s Phil
Mickelson,” Jay Haas said of the 45-year-old.
“He was without question the leader of
our team in the team room and on the golf
course. The guys on the team were adamant
that Phil was the guy.”
Mickelson record in the Presidents Cup
is 20 wins, 16 losses and 11 halves.
PLAYER SUPPORT
Haas said that his son had always been
likely to get picked as the 11th player in the
standings and that, like Mickelson, he had
been hugely supported by the players and
assistant captains.
“Bill deserves this as much as anybody,”
said Haas senior. “He’s had a wonderful
year.”
Bowditch ended up 11th in the
International standings and was a likely
choice by Price after clinching his second
career victory on the PGA Tour at the
AT&T Byron Nelson in May and producing
consistent form this season.
Bae got the nod over Australian
Matt Jones, despite finishing 19th in the
standings, and will give Price his second
Korea-born player at this year’s Presidents
Cup, alongside New Zealander Danny Lee.
“It was a difficult decision ... I chose him
because he has played pretty well the last
couple of weeks but also because he has
won on the golf course in Songdo, the Jack
Nicklaus Golf Club, the last two years on the
Korean Tour,” said Price.
“It was also very important for us to have
someone on the team that the Korean fans
and the media could pull for.” The US have
dominated the Presidents Cup, winning
eight times in 10 editions, including a
victory by 18-1/2 points to 15-1/2 in the
most recent encounter at Muirfield Village
in Dublin, Ohio two years ago.
The only success for the Internationals
came in 1998 when the event was held at
Royal Melbourne in Australia. In 2003, the
two teams battled to a 17-17 draw in South
Africa. — Reuters
Phil Mickelson hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the final round at the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC of Boston.
Austria celebrate early Euro 2016 ticket
BERLIN: Austria celebrated their march
into Euro 2016 with another convincing
display, to join the Czech Republic,
England and Iceland in the finals after
the last of the September qualifiers were
played on Tuesday.
Spain, Slovenia and Russia also
secured wins before the Euro 2016
qualifying campaign goes into its last
two group games from October 8 to 13.
After winning their first six games,
Slovakia suffered setbacks with a defeat
to Spain and a goalless draw at home to
Ukraine, but are still well placed to book
a Euro 2016 place.
Switzerland also still have the edge
over Slovenia in Group E despite a 2-0
defeat at already-qualified England, for
whom Wayne Rooney chalked up a
record of 50 England goals.
“11 heroes from the new miracle
team,” the newspaper Oesterreich
headlined on Wednesday to celebrate
Austria’s runaway qualification from
Group G following a 4-1 win in Solna
which has left Sweden’s hopes badly
dented.
After years in the doldrums, Austria
are enjoying a renaissance under
coach Marcel Koller with seven wins
and a draw in eight games, to lead the
group now by eight points from Russia
(14), with Sweden third on 12 and
Montenegro on 11.
Austria have only taken part in a
European Championship once before,
when they automatically qualified as
co-hosts with Switzerland in 2008.
“We didn’t enjoy it so much because
it was gifted to us,” said Martin Harnik,
who scored twice against Sweden.
Architect of the success is 54-year-
Austrian players celebrate after winning the the Euro 2016 qualifying match between Slovakia and Ukraine at the MSK stadium
in Zilina, Slovakia. — AFP
old Swiss coach Koller, who took over
the national side in October 2011 when
it was 72nd in the FIFA rankings but
will now rise to 11th — putting Austria
in the second-seeded pot in the draw on
December 12.
Koller’s appointment was met with
some grumbles at the time, but now
officials would like him to agree to a new
contract after the present one expires
following Euro 2016.
“Now we can say, ‘France here we
come’,” Koller said.”Before we were are
bit dependent on other teams.
It’s fantastic that we have achieved
this away from home against Sweden.
4-1 — crazy.”
Bayern Munich’s David Alaba,
who also scored, said: “It’s certainly
something special when you write
history.
We showed again today that we are
a great side and deserve to be going to
France.”
Sweden are meanwhile teetering
after the defeat came on the heels of a
1-0 loss to Russia, who are suddenly
in the driving seat for second spot and
automatic qualification.
Sweden are not even assured a
play-off spot yet, with Montenegro
challenging.
“It’s really painful,” coach Erik
Hamren said after Sweden’s biggest
home defeat since the 1958 World Cup
final when Brazil won 5-2.
— dpa
EVIAN
— USA Today Sports
C’SHIP
Park Inbee seeking
career Grand Slam
EVIAN, France: Park Inbee, the world
No.1, aims to end any doubt over
her claims on a career Grand Slam
by winning the Evian Championship
starting on Thursday.
Park has won the Evian Masters in
2012 - the year before the tournament
changed its name and became the
women’s fifth major.
Last month, the South Korean won
her first women’s British Open, her
seventh major title to set alongside
three LPGA Championships, two US
Women’s Opens and the 2013 Kraft
Nabisco Championship.
“Winning all the majors has always
been my goal,” said the 27-year-old.
“I’ve got my name on every major
championship trophy but I won Evian
before it became a major. So it would be
really good to win it again this year.”
Park has another remarkable feat
in her sights this week. She won three
majors in 2013 and victory on Sunday
would again be a third major of the
season.
In June, she captured a third
successive LPGA Championship. “It’s
already been a great season and I always
love coming to Evian,” she continued.
“It’s one of the most beautiful venues on
the Tour.”
But Park won’t have it all her own
way. For World No.2 Lydia Ko, it is the
final chance to become the youngest
winner of a women’s major. Morgan
Pressel was 18 years and ten months
when she set the record at the 2007
Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Ko came close to winning the title
as a 16-year-old two years when she
finished runner-up to Norway’s Suzann
Pettersen.
Since then, the teenager has gone on
to hold the world No.1 ranking and she
has eight LPGA titles to her name.
“I never really think about records,
but it is my goal to win one major before
my career is done,” said the 18-year-old
who has already declared that she will
retire from the game at the age of 30.
South Korea’s Kim Hyo-Joo defends
the title she won as a 19-year-old,
having started the Championship with
a record 61.
Evian is the final event before the
Solheim Cup, and the US and European
team members will be hoping for a
morale boosting victory before heading
for Germany on Monday.
Europe defends the Cup having won
for a first time on US soil in Colorado
two years ago.
France has six players in the field.
The two Solheim Cup players, Karine
Icher and Gwladys Nocera, are joined
by a trio of French amateurs, Mathilda
Cappeliez, Agathe Laisné and Céline
Boutier, plus professional Joanna
Klatten.
— AFP
Rooney took over from Charlton as England’s all-time leading goal-scorer when he slammed an 84th minute penalty against Switzerland
Kane tells Rooney to set unbreakable record for England
LONDON: Harry Kane has backed
Wayne Rooney to set a record that
will never be broken after the England
striker passed Bobby Charlton’s historic
mark with his 50th international goal.
Rooney took over from Charlton as
England’s all-time leading goal-scorer
when he slammed an 84th minute
penalty high into the net to seal his
country’s 2-0 win over Switzerland in
a Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley on
Tuesday. After wiping away tears of joy,
the Manchester United striker gave a
rousing dressing room speech in which
he paid warm tributes to his team-mates
and family, then challenged Kane, who
came off the bench to score England’s
opener against the Swiss, Raheem
Sterling and Ross Barkley, to chase down
his record tally.
But Tottenham forward Kane, 22, is
confident Rooney, who plans to play for
England past the 2018 World Cup, can
establish a virtually uncatchable total
before he finally retires.
“It was a special day for Wayne to get
his 50th goal and it’s special for me being
on the same pitch as him,” Kane said.
“I grew up watching him as a kid
scoring goals for his country and I
dreamed of one day playing with him.
“To share this moment with him was
special. He’s a great player and a great
role model. It’s great to play with Wayne.
“We’ll see what he ends up on. He’s
going to score quite a few more goals for
England, so we’ll see if anyone can catch
him.”
As captain and one of the few vastly
experienced players in an England squad
full of talented but raw youngsters,
Rooney has assumed the role of the wise
older brother to the likes of Kane and
United duo Chris Smalling and Luke
Shaw. They all look up to the 29-yearold for his skills and his achievements,
but that didn’t stop them pressuring
him into giving that emotional postmatch speech. “Before Roy gave him his
shirt with 50 on it, we were all shouting
‘Rooney, Rooney’. We all egged him to
do the speech,” Smalling said. “I didn’t
think he was going to do it but he got
through it. He didn’t cry or anything but
you could tell he was emotional.”
BUNDLE OF NERVES
Like Kane, England defender
Smalling is sure Rooney, who has made
a spluttering start to the season with
United, will benefit from having put all
the talk of the record to bed.
“It’s done so he can relax,” Smalling
said. “Hopefully he will get even more
goals and I think he’ll set a record
that’s even higher. “Coming off a good
performance and breaking a record I
think we’ll see Wayne Rooney flying.”
Rooney conceded it was a relief to get
the record out of the way and admitted
he was a bundle of nerves before taking
the penalty. Fortunately he was able to
cope with the magnitude of the moment
and never considered copying Gary
Lineker, the former England striker
who famously finished on 48 goals after
wasting a chance to tie Charlton’s record
in 1992 when his weak chipped penalty
against Brazil was saved.
— AFP
ENTERTAINMENT
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
omandailyobserver
29
Anushka starts
shooting for ‘Ae Dil’
A
ctress Anushka Sharma has begun shooting for film-maker Karan Johar’s
upcoming directorial ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ in London.
An “excited” Anushka asked her fans and followers to “wish her luck”
for the film. “So today we start filming ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ in London. Butterflies
attacking. Excitement rolling. Send me your love and wish me luck guys,” the
“NH10” actress tweeted on Wednesday.
Produced by Fox Star India and Dharma Productions, ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ will
be also feature Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor in key roles.
Karan was last seen working with the ‘Barfi!’ actor and Anushka in ‘Bombay
Velvet’, which also saw him portraying a negative role.
The movie is slated to hit the theatres on Diwali next year.
Sharma got her first break as a model for fashion designer Wendell Rodricks in
2007 and moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in modelling. Following a successful
audition at Yash Raj Films, she bagged a three-film deal with the production house
and made her screen debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’.
The film was well-received, earning her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for
Best Actress. Her next two roles were also under the Yash Raj Films banner —
‘Badmaash Company’, a crime caper
that garnered mixed reviews,
and ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’,
a romantic comedy that
earned her a second
nomination for the
Filmfare Award for
Best Actress. —
IANS
Colbert brings glamour
to ‘Late Show’ debut
NINE MONTHS
AFTER HIS FINAL
SIGN-OFF FROM
COMEDY CENTRAL
CHANNEL, COLBERT
LAUNCHED HIS FIRST
MAJOR NETWORK
BROADCAST AS THE
LATE-NIGHT HEIR TO
DAVID LETTERMAN
TINSELTOWN
QSTEVE GORMAN
Sienna is ‘exhausted’
by parenthood
A
ctress Sienna Miller says
she adores being a mother
but being a working parent
leaves her completely exhausted.
“Obviously when you have a baby
it’s the most incredible experience
but your life is also catapulted into
this chaos and you are exhausted. I
could literally get on this table and
fall asleep,” Miller was quoted as
saying by Britain’s ‘Vogue’ magazine,
reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“I’d like to be better at managing
things; I’d like to be more super —
although we’re never going to feel
it, even if we are,” she added.
Miller also said that the
experience is “not healthy”.
“That’s the curse of
motherhood — we just
run ourselves ragged.
I’m just trying to get a
sense of what that guilt
is. I sometimes feel like
it’s a totally invented
emotion. It’s strange to
be punishing ourselves
this way. It’s not healthy,”
she added.
The 33-year-old actress is
“really close” to her mother
and sister Savannah,
but said they also
“drive her nuts”
on occasion.
“I’m really
close
to
them, they
are hugely
important and influential women in
my life, but of course we drive each
other nuts as well!”
Despite being regarded as a style
icon, the ‘American Sniper’ actress
said she doesn’t make much effort
with her wardrobe these days.
“I don’t remember the last time
I went shopping. I swear to God, I
wear jeans and trainers and a T-shirt
most days,” she said. — IANS
S
tephen Colbert brought a
mix of politics, patriotism
and Hollywood glamour
to his debut hosting the
CBS ‘Late Show’, opening
with the national anthem
and bantering with George Clooney and
Republican White House contender Jeb
Bush. Nine months after his final signoff from ‘The Colbert Report’ on cable
television’s Comedy Central channel,
Colbert launched his first major
network broadcast as the late-night heir
to David Letterman, taking a moment to
pay tribute to his predecessor.
With CBS Corp President and CEO
Leslie Moonves seated in the front
row of the studio audience, Colbert
vowed to honour Letterman’s comedy
achievements “by doing the best show
we can and occasionally making the
network very made at us.”
As he promised for the occasion,
Colbert shed the well-worn persona of
the pompous, ultra-patriotic political
commentator that he played for nearly a
decade on ‘The Colbert Report’ and as a
regular before that on ‘The Daily Show
with Jon Stewart.’
Instead, CBS viewers and his live
audience inside the newly remodelled
Ed Sullivan Theatre in Manhattan, were
treated to an extended glimpse of the
“real” Colbert.
He jokingly explained the difference
during an interview with Bush, when
the former Florida governor made
mention of the numerous images of
Colbert gracing the stage.
“I used to play a narcissistic
conservative pundit,” the 51-year-old
performer told Bush. “Now, I’m just a
narcissist.”
Pressed by Colbert to explain his
“Jeb!” campaign logo, Bush, who
has been ridiculed as a “low-energy”
candidate by rival Donald Trump,
replied: “It connotes excitement.”
In an earlier interview with Clooney,
Colbert presented the actor-director with
a belated wedding gift for his marriage
last year to human rights lawyer Amal
Alamuddin, acknowledging that he
was not invited to the nuptials because
the two men are not well acquainted
personally. The present was a Tiffany
paperweight inscribed with the phrase,
“I don’t know you.”
Colbert launched his first episode
of the hour-long show with a pre-taped
string of video clips of himself singing
‘The Star Spangled Banner’ in various
locations, including a bowling alley, a
machinist shop and a baseball field. The
montage ended with Jon Stewart, barely
recognisable in a grizzled beard, making
a cameo appearance by lifting off an
umpire’s mask to shout, ‘Play ball!’
From there, the camera cut to Colbert
bounding on stage to a standing ovation
from the studio audience and chants of
‘Stephen, Stephen, Stephen’ — a ritual
familiar from his days on ‘The Colbert
Report.’
Even before the Bush interview,
Colbert showed his penchant for mining
laughs from politics.
his
opening
standup
After
monologue, Colbert segued into
a lengthy routine in which he
FORBES’ LIST TOPPERS
Vergara, Kaley TV’s highest-paid actresses
‘
M
odern Family’ star Sofia Vergara (pictured) and Kaley
Cuoco-Sweeting of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ fame have
emerged as the highest earning television actresses —
both taking home $28.5 million for 2015. The stars have topped
the Forbes list of the world’s highest paid TV actresses, reports
dailymail.co.uk.
The list takes into account earnings before there is a deduction
of management fees and taxes, information provided by the
actresses and takes note of interviews with agents, industry
insiders, managers and lawyers. The figures are based on data
from Nielson, IMDB and other sources. It is a big moment for
Vergara who is in the top spot for the fourth year running. The
list also have new entrants like Vergara’s ‘Modern Family’ costar Julie Bowen, 45, who comes in as the third highest earner
for the period June 1, 2014 to June 1, 2015. Another first time
entry is Emily Deschanel, 38, who made an estimated $6.5
million from Fox crime show ‘Bones’. However, there were also
the veteran high earners on the list — Julianna Marguiles, 49,
as ‘The Good Wife’ Alicia Florrick, alongside ‘Law and Order:
SVU’ star Mariska Hargitay, 51, and Ellen Pompeo, 45, from
‘Grey’s Anatomy’. They made $11 million, $10.5 million and
$11.5 million respectively.
Mandy digs into ‘litti chokha’: “Yum” is what American singer
and actress Mandy Moore exclaimed upon digging into ‘litti
chokha’, a delicacy of Bihar, during her ongoing India visit.
Moore, known for movies like ‘A Walk To Remember’ and
‘Tangled’, landed in the capital on September 5. Since then, she
has been living up some experiences to cherish.
In Delhi, she did the “tourist” thing by getting
photographed against the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and
tweeted: “Playing tourist in Delhi with @mbopaiah and @
MarshallPSI.”
The actress is here on a purpose — to
support NGO Population Services International
(PSI), India’s Gender Based Violence (GBV)
Programme Project Wajood.
Her visit to Patna entailed an
assessment of innovative models to
provide toilets which can save lives,
reduce violence against girls and
women and help local entrepreneurs.
“Yum! Sampling the ultimate Bihari
delicacy,” Moore tweeted on Monday
during her visit to Patna, where
she felt inspired to meet a host of
women. “Amazing welcome from
the Government of Bihar. Thank
you! Preeti grew up with a toilet, got
married and convinced her husband
and in-laws to buy one.
“So inspired by the strong women I
met in #Bihar, embracing microfinance
loans to buy toilets,” the 31-year-old
shared. Moore’s next stop was Lucknow,
where she learnt about the progress of
family planning products and services
for women in lower socio-economic
segment of society. She was there
on Tuesday.
The actress will be back in
Delhi to attend an event on
Friday. — IANS
simultaneously binged on a bag of Oreo
cookies and on video clips of Trump,
who has vowed never to eat Oreos again
after snack-maker Nabisco Inc said it
was opening a new plant in Mexico.
In a gag edited out of the broadcast
but posted online, Colbert got Bush to
recite some ‘Trumpier’ talking points
suggested for their next presidential
debate, including the line: “I will build a
wall between the United States and Iran,
and make Mexico pay for it.”
It remains to be seen whether
Colbert’s succession of Letterman, for
whom ‘Late Show’ was created in 1993,
will bring about a ratings realignment of
the late-night TV scene.
Colbert faces an uphill climb if he
hopes to overtake NBC counterpart
Jimmy Fallon and the decades-long
dominance of ‘The Tonight Show.’
Likewise, he will have to work hard to
hold his own in the rankings against No
3 ABC’s ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
Fallon made his own brief ‘Late
Show’ cameo by video feed on Tuesday
as the two hosts compared guest lists
and Fallon wished Colbert “a great
show,” adding, “See you in the locker
room.”
It was hard to imagine their
predecessors, Letterman and his arch
rival Jay Leno, ever sharing a similar
moment. — Reuters
30
omandailyobserver
LIFESTYLE
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
MOHAMMED AL BALUSHI
[email protected]
A photo that shocked
the world!
H
The Broadback River in Waswanipi, Canada
Native tribe’s fight to save forest
WASWANIPI HAS BEEN
FIGHTING FOR FIVE YEARS
TO PROTECT 13,000 KM OF
PRISTINE BOREAL FOREST
FROM THE LUMBERJACKS
Q CLÉMENT SABOURIN
M
andy Gull holds back tears
as she steps off the helicopter
in northern Quebec. “I’ve
never seen anything so sad,”
says the young woman whose
aboriginal tribe is seeing its
ancestral lands eroded by logging. “If my grandfather
knew,” says the deputy leader of the Cree tribe, one of
11 indigenous ethnic groups present in Quebec.
The flyover of the Boreal forest, pockmarked by
clear-cuts, both saddens her and toughens her resolve
to end deforestation in the region.
“We don’t own this land... as Cree, we know that
we’re stewards of the land, and we’re here to protect the
land,” she said. Gull’s tribal village of Waswanipi, about
1,000 km north of Montreal, has been fighting for years
to preserve some 13,000 square km of pristine forests
in the Broadback river valley. Loggers have already cut
swathes through 90 per cent of adjacent lands.
For the Cree, protecting the forest also means
protecting the reindeer, moose and other wildlife
being pushed further and further north by logging and
climate change.
The Cree grand chief signed an accord with the
Quebec government in July to preserve 9,134 square
km of woodland caribou habitat along the 450-km
Broadback, which flows through the taiga to the Arctic.
Deputy Chief of the Cree First Nation, Mandy Gull
But Waswanipi trappers say the deal does too little
to safeguard their land. They point out that half of the
areas protected from logging under the accord were
already off-limits to forestry firms.
Since the government of Quebec unveiled a
conservation plan for the north that paradoxically
opened the door to more logging along the Broadback
river, the town of Waswanipi has felt under siege.
Forestry firm representatives have approached Don
Saganash about his hunting lands in the area.
“They came to talk to me about building a bridge
because the river is narrower here, but the Broadback
is not for sale,” he said of the crystal clear river where
sturgeon, pike and walleye swim.
Seeing trucks loaded with logs drive by “is like
getting stabbed in the gut,” said the retired ambulance
driver.
“My father used to say: the land is not ours to sell.
God provided us with the land to live in harmony with
nature.”
The forest is at the heart of these northern peoples’
identity. Newborns are baptized in ceremonies that
include walking on pine needles and circling a conifer
placed in front of a tipi.
For generations, native hunters have kept a watch
over this land, keeping tallies on the fauna and
inspecting trap lines.
Snowmobiles may have replaced dogs and sleds
and boats with outboard motors displaced canoes, but
many of the 16,000 Crees living in Quebec still uphold
their nomadic ancestors’ traditions, even though they
were themselves forced to settle down four decades ago.
At that time, the Quebec government started building
massive hydro-electric dams in the north to supply
cheap electricity to the province and northeastern US
states.
In exchange for supporting these projects, the Cree
gained some political independence and significant
funding.
Quebec also recognised their historical hunting
rights but the state maintained control of natural
resources within its borders.
“The Quebec government does have the right to
come here and extract these resources, but these aren’t
just resources, it’s a way of life,” said Mandy Gull.
From a climate perspective, “the Boreal forest cover
is essential for everybody,” she added.
To help them in their fight against forestry firms,
the Cree recruited Greenpeace, which on this late
August day deployed a massive banner in the outback,
legible from the sky that reads: “Save the Broadback!”
Greenpeace’s activism, however, has angered the
Quebec government and it is embroiled in litigation
with forestry giant Resolu Forest Products that alleges
it was defamed by the group. The company is seeking
Can$7 million in damages.
The feud led one of Europe’s largest publishers Axel
Springer in late August to stop buying paper produced
in Quebec, saying it no longer felt comfortable
supporting a forestry firm that is battling aboriginals
and environmental activists.
Hoping to increase pressure on other pulp and
paper buyers, Greenpeace invited foreign journalists
to tour the forest to see the impact of logging
firsthand. “Few people in Quebec have ever laid
eyes on such pristine forestland, it is truly something
very rare indeed,” said Greenpeace biologist Nicolas
Mainville. — AFP
ow many more of such photos will adorn news channels and
magazines? What is the reason behind taking such photos? Was
this photo taken to inform people about the injustices of this
world? The world has already acknowledged that. Was this photo taken to
show another darker side of humanity? Well, everyone seems to show the
sympathy that can be expected of them, but where is the empathy. Was this
photo taken to make money? The world has already turned into a place
where all you can think of is business and power, but what can one do with
all the money and power without people. Was this photo taken to practice
ones hobby? Sure, the camera can catch the different shades of nature and
come up with beautiful photos, but can it catch the pain in the souls of
human beings?
How cute and good looking the baby might have been when he was
alive, wearing the red shirt and blue shorts? How attractive that child might
have looked with his combed hair when he went to school and when he
might have recited the usual “A for apple and B for bus”?
The picture of the dead body of the Syrian child must have shocked the
world. Of course, everyone would have interpreted this message in different
ways. I was one of them too, and interpreted the news of that child in my
own way. I would imagine the sea saying, “No more refugees”. Where
should the man go after being forcefully kicked out from his own land?
Who should families turn to when their boat is sinking and all the boarders
are sealed for them? Has the earth become so full that it can’t even find 100
square metres for homeless families?
“I think more children would have died a similar death”, said Samir,
without anticipating comments and replies from our group.
“The media would have had a great time picturing the dead child on the
beach. It is message for the entire world to think and work for humanity
and save those who are still awaiting similar deaths”, said Salma.
The media is still making endless efforts to highlight such news, making
everyone to think and react positively. The photo of the child with red shirt
and blue shorts has been shared by most of the WhatsApp followers. I too
received that photo. After a few days I received another attachment, and
this time there were two photos of two dead children one was from Syria on
the beach and the second from Makuran on the street where he had been
shot down and found bleeding from his wounds.
“How can these families survive when their lives are not safe? Other
states should think of welcoming them in the name of humanity”, said
Saeed.
“The way the Germans welcomed the Syrians made me think of the
time when Muslims migrated from Mecca to Medina and were warmly
welcomed by people there”, said Ismail.
“Are we looking like terrorists? See this woman! Is she a terrorist? Look
at that child! Can that be a terrorist? We all are human beings and have
been displaced and are now searching for humanity which is not available
any more”, said a Syrian man on BBC, when he failed to cross one of the
boarders for survival.
“Germany has opened its doors to all refugees. We have many Syrians
in our refugee camp as well. This can be the price which has to be paid by a
person like me, by a family member like me, by a child like me, by a student
like me, by a medical doctor like me and by a writer like me, when our own
land was annexed by outsiders and we were forced either to obey them or be
prepared for death. Yes, now I am looking for an asylum in Germany”, said
a writer and an author who escaped from Baluchistan.
LOCAL SCENE
ISC Telugu wing to host
‘Muscat Madhurimalu’
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Penguins wander far, but come home to mates
A GROUP OF SOUTHERN
ROCKHOPPER MUMS AND
DADS WERE THOUSANDS OF
KILOMETRES AWAY FROM EACH
OTHER WHEN NOT MAKING
BABIES. YET WHEN THE BIRDS
RETURNED HOME TO NEW ISLAND
OFF THE COAST OF ARGENTINA
THEY MANAGED TO FIND EACH
OTHER
Q JOSHUA MELVIN
A
species of remarkably faithful penguins may
have found the secret to monogamy — plenty
of time spent very far apart.
A group of southern rockhopper mums and
dads were hundreds — in one case thousands — of
kilometres away from each other when not making
babies, says a study out on Wednesday.
Yet when the birds returned home to New Island
off the coast of Argentina they managed to find each
other and mate, according to findings published in the
prestigious ‘Biology Letters’ journal.
While their reunions may have been sweet, they
were decidedly short, with the penguins together for
just under a quarter of the year.
“In these extremely faithful animals — the pair
bonds for breeding may last all life long in this species
— the partners may actually be separated by hundreds
to thousands of kilometres at sea,” researcher JeanBaptiste Thiebot said.
The birds engage in an incredible variety of
behaviour including “divorce” and home building that
might seem very familiar to humans.
Once back on land in October after six months or
so at sea, the penguins got straight to the business of
mating, egg-laying and incubation, all of which kept
them busy for about a month.
There was no lingering over the kids here, as the
rearing of the chicks took up another roughly 70 days
before the parents split up in April.
Given the risk the animals could lose each other
for good by going their separate ways in the wild, the
researchers wanted to see if the creatures would make
an effort to stay close together outside breeding season.
“Divorce” happens among the penguins, but it is
rare to find two ex-partners breeding with somebody
new, Thiebot said. The scientists decided to follow the
penguins by clipping lightweight sensors to 20 birds —
10 couples — which tracked their movements during
their roughly six-month separations.
Seven pairs made it home and rekindled their
relationships, while two birds came back solo.
Researchers surmised the remaining penguins from
their study either died at sea or moved away.
The data from the sensors showed the penguins
generally stayed hundreds of kilometres apart as they
feasted in the ocean.
However, researchers found one case where a
couple had nearly 2,500 kilometres between them.
When the birds finally got back together they
promptly turned into homebodies, with most of their
time spent at the nest. — AFP
A
cclaimed Telugu film and TV stars will descend on Muscat for a
scintillating song and dance show at the Le Grande Hall, Al Falaj Hotel
on September 25 under the auspices of Telugu Kala Samithi (TKS) of
the Telugu Wing of Indian Social Club, (ISC) Muscat. The mega programme
titled ‘Muscat Madhurimalu’ will feature film lyricist and ‘Bahu Bali’ fame
Ananth Sreeram, the chief guest of the programme, while Indra Mani Pandey,
Indian Ambassador designate to the Sultanate, will be the guest of honour.
“’Muscat Madhurimalu’ will also feature singers like Kausalya, Parnika,
Krishna Chaitanya and Saketh and TV artistes like Mythili, Chaitra, Anil
and Nirupam. Shyamala, TV anchor of reality TV shows, will anchor the
programme”, the convener Anil Kumar said.
The two-hour long show will be supported by Nagarjuna Construction
Company, Bank Muscat, Muscat Finance, ROCA-Khimji, Al Wasit Machinery,
Teejan Group, Avani Infra among others.
Telugu Kala Samithi (TKS), which provides a platform for the second largest
expatriate community in Oman with cultural, social and sports activities, has
recently chosen its new executive committee for 2015-2016.
The key office-bearers are K Anil Kumar (Convener); K Chinna Rao (CoConvener); U Surya Parvateesam (Treasurer); Venu Gopal Hari, (Cultural
Secretary); K Suresh, Joint (Treasurer); M Ramesh Babu (Sports Secretary); K
Sunil (Entertainment Secretary); N T Swamy (Children’s Wing Secretary); and
G Sridevi Prasanna (Lady Coordinator).
Somasekhar, Kiran and Sitaram have been chosen to be members of
Additional Support Committee which will work under the supervision and
guidance of Saji Abraham of ISC. ISC Telugu wing has also created a youth wing.
SPOTLIGHT
T H U R S DAY
SEPTEMBER 10 l 2015
omandailyobserver
31
NIZAR AL MUSALMY
[email protected]
Driving in Muscat
D
A bride poses at
Duomo square
MILAN
scrubs up after years as ugly sister
Q ISLA BINNIE
L
ong the ugly sister to Florence, Venice
and Rome, Italy’s business capital Milan
is enjoying a renaissance, its once
drab skyline coming to life and a new
creative vibrancy emerging. Host of the
2015 Expo, Milan has taken advantage
of the World Fair to rejuvenate its image, attracting
new investment in a makeover that officials hope
might mark the start of a broader revival for the whole
country.
The sleek headquarters of Italian bank Unicredit,
the centrepiece of one of several new developments
that dot the northern city, is a state-of-the-art reminder
of Milan’s status as a financial hub.
And while the gothic Duomo cathedral and Galleria
shopping arcade recall past glories, modern ventures
— such as the ‘Vertical Forest’ apartment blocks whose
balconies bloom with trees and plants — point to a
newfound confidence.
Milan has absorbed more than half of all investment
in business real estate in Italy in the first half of this
year, while tourism has grown faster over the past six
years than in Italy’s other big cities.
“The majority of what I heard about Milan was that
it’s industrial, not a beautiful city, but the Duomo and
the Galleria are really grand,” said visitor Cameron
Dibb, 24, an American film student who lives in Surrey,
England. “And when you go further outside the centre
the architecture is still impressive,” he added.
Despite appearances, Milan is not immune from
Italy’s bureaucracy, corruption and weak economic
growth.
HOST OF THE 2015 EXPO,
MILAN HAS TAKEN
ADVANTAGE OF THE WORLD
FAIR TO REJUVENATE ITS
IMAGE
Unadjusted gross domestic product per capita
in the Lombardy region around Milan fell 1.4 per
cent between 2008 and 2013 and the once powerful
industrial hinterland has been battered by competition
from China.
But other areas suffered far worse after the European
debt crisis and Milan seems to have regained its drive,
unlike scandal-plagued Rome.
“Rome is very dirty and badly looked after, it hardly
seems like a capital city. Milan would have been a better
capital,” said Vicente Perez, 52, a tourist from Madrid.
Next to the Duomo, the glass-vaulted Galleria has
been cleaned up in a project co-funded by luxury firms
Prada and Versace and publisher Feltrinelli in the sort
of public-private partnership that Italy is increasingly
relying on to safeguard its crumbling heritage.
The Galleria restoration was finished in time
for the Expo, a six-month showcase for products
and technology from around the world that Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi has shown off to an array of
global leaders.
Cost overruns, delays and graft overshadowed the
start of the fair, but city governor for tourism Franco
The Unicredit tower (L) and the Bosco Verticale tower
People walk along the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
shopping mall
D’Alfonso said ticket sales are on track to reach
between 18 million and an original target of more than
20 million.
Some businesses in the city centre are nonetheless
unhappy, saying their trade has been cannibalised by
Expo, which lies on the outskirts, and by some 184 new
restaurants and ice cream shops which have opened
over the last 18 months.
But many are celebrating the overall rise in tourism,
which began well before Expo, with the number of
overnight visitors increasing 34 per cent between
2009 and 2014, based on data from Euromonitor
International, versus a 21 per cent rise for Rome.
The global financial crisis cost the city business
tourists, said Maurizio Naro, president of hoteliers
association APAM, and it has had to adapt to a new
type of visitor. — Reuters
EXPLORATION
Nasa assembles pieces for deep space mission
I
n a small yet significant to send
astronauts to Mars, Nasa engineers
have welded together the first
two segments of the Orion (pictured)
crew module that will fly atop Nasa’s
Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on a
mission beyond the far side of the moon.
The primary structure of Orion’s
crew module is made of seven large
aluminium pieces that must be welded
together in detailed fashion at Nasa’s
Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans.
“Every day, teams around the
country are moving at full speed to get
ready for Exploration Mission-1 (EM1) when we’ll flight test Orion and SLS
together in the proving ground of space,
far away from the safety of Earth,” said
Bill Hill, deputy associate administrator
for Exploration Systems Development at
Nasa Headquarters in Washington, DC.
“We are progressing toward
eventually sending astronauts deep into
space,” he said in a statement.
The first weld connects the tunnel to
the forward bulkhead, which is at the
top of the spacecraft and houses many
of Orion’s critical systems, such as the
parachutes that deploy during re-entry.
Orion’s tunnel, with a docking hatch,
will allow crews to move between the
crew module and other spacecraft.
“Each of Orion’s systems and
subsystems is assembled or integrated
onto the primary structure, so starting to
weld the underlying elements together
is a critical first manufacturing step,”
added Mark Geyer, Orion programme
manager. During the coming months,
engineers will inspect and evaluate
them to ensure they meet precise design
requirements before welding.
Once complete, the structure will
be shipped to Nasa’s Kennedy Space
Centre in Florida where it will be
assembled with the other elements of
the spacecraft, integrated with SLS and
processed before launch.
SLS is one of the most experienced
large rocket engines in the world, with
more than a million seconds of ground
test and flight operations time.
When completed, SLS will enable
astronauts to begin their journey to
explore destinations far into the solar
system.
Miniaturised satellites: Move over
large satellites. Nasa is working on
miniaturised satellites, known as
nanosatellites or CubeSats, that can fit in
the palm of your hand and are providing
new opportunities for space science.
“CubeSats are part of a growing
technology that’s transforming space
exploration,” said David Pierce, senior
programme executive for suborbital
research at Nasa Headquarters in
Washington, DC, in a statement.
CubeSats are small platforms that
enable the next generation of scientists
and engineers to complete all phases of
a complete space mission during their
school career.
“While CubeSats have historically
been used as teaching tools and
technology demonstrations, today’s
CubeSats have the potential to conduct
important space science investigations
as well,” Pierce added.
CubeSats are built to standard
specifications of 1 unit (U) which is
equal to 10x10x10 centimetres (about
4x4x4 inches). — IANS
espite the mad drivers who overtake me from the sides, tailgate
me and still flash the full lights even when I am within speed
limits and as much as I throw an angry glance at them, Muscat
is still an exciting city. So exciting that you should make time to come and
see how Muscatians drive their vehicles. Without doubt most of the drivers
here are licensed to drive though you should expect some very few who do
drive without a licence. But with all respect, none is better than the other.
Almost all of them will on most occasion indicate right but rather go left.
You are welcome to Muscat where you experience some unique driving
skills that can be seen nowhere else. There is no place where tailgating
is best done than in Muscat. The bumpers become so close that even a
thread can’t pass between them. This is so because Muscat drivers want to
use every space on the road. This bumper-to-bumper driving, especially at
high speed, is one of the most thrilling ventures one can experience. Don’t
worry! You will learn from the over-enthusiastic driver as he/she stands
ready to brake at any time because the car is equipped with electronic force
distribution to maximise stopping power. Muscat drivers just aim their
vehicles towards their intended direction. Their minds are not on the road
at all and each one is determined to reach their destination by hook or
crook. Muscat drivers love their children very much. Don’t be surprised
if you see one driving at high speed while carrying a baby on his/her laps.
This is just to impress the little ones and don’t be concerned about safety —
in case of a collision the vehicle is equipped with air bags.
In Muscat, just like any other city, you will see traffic jams. Don’t bother
thinking about the cause. Muscat drivers usually slow down just to have a
glimpse of the traffic police issuing a ticket to a defaulter. They either want
to identify who the defaulter is or they become overwhelmed by the smart
uniform of the policeman or they are amazed on how these days women
have taken all type of jobs. During traffic jams on the main street, you find
drivers busy talking or texting on their phones. This should not surprise
you because here you can also you see people reading newspapers while
driving. In the long queue some drivers, who might think themselves
smarter than the rest, will want to avoid the tailback by finding a way
through towards the close of the junction. While waiting to squeeze in,
some even smarter driver who is continuing on the main road might be
forced to bump your back thus setting an interesting scene to be watched.
Muscat is the only place on the face of this earth whereby an accident
on one side of the main road will not only cause traffic jam on its side but
on the other side as well. This should not upset you because in this city we
have so many tourists who want to see how bad that accident is. And let
me assure you that none will have the guts to go and help in case of any
injuries.
This article is dedicated towards the goal of spreading the message
of road safety awareness, ignoring which several people have either
succumbed to death or got injured due to the recklessness of drivers on
the road. Hopefully, this article will help all road users to become more
disciplined. Your loved ones are waiting for you to come home safely.
Drive to survive!
RESEARCH
Even infant brain can
draw ‘body map’
B
ody maps that
help us build up
an implicit sense
of ourselves through
the sense of having a
body and seeing and
feeling our bodies move
develop very early in
our life, new research
has found. Body maps
show how certain parts
of the brain correspond
point-for-point with the
body’s topography.
While body maps
have been studied
extensively in adult
humans,
the
new
research studied body
maps in the infant brain.
“Body maps in the
brain are an important
part of how we build
up an implicit sense of
ourselves through the
sense of having a body and seeing and feeling our bodies move,” said lead author
Peter Marshall, professor of psychology at Temple University in Pennsylvania, US.
“We also believe that these maps facilitate the connections that we build with other
people, even in the early months of life,” Marshall noted.
In one experiment, seven-month-old babies wore caps fitted with sensors that
record brain activity by picking up tiny electrical signals from the surface of the
head, a method known as electroencephalography, or EEG.
The study found that touches to infants’ hands and feet resulted in different
patterns of activity in the part of the brain that processes touch.
The results showed that, much as in adults, the body maps of infants are
organised in a particular way. Another study using EEG showed that body maps
in the infant brain are also activated by seeing other people carrying out actions
with different parts of the body. Taken together, the researchers say, the findings
demonstrate that body maps develop early in life and may be integral for fostering
infants’ sense of their own bodies, as well as the ability to connect with and learn
from other people. “We think this connection happens very early in development
and allows infants to get a sense that other people are like them, because they move
in similar ways,” Marshall noted. — IANS
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 | DHUL QA’ADA 26, 1436 AH
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Q KABEER YOUSUF
C
MOTORBIKE
Show to feature over 500 bikers
ome December 3, this year, the bike
lovers in the country and for those
who love a little adrenaline rush of
adventure sports will be in for a rare
treat when more than 350 bikers
along with the 150 Omani riders
will join together as part of the 1st Muscat Motorbike
Show at the Seeb City Centre.
The three-day first of its kind bike show is organised
by Mahrajan LLC and Muscat Bikers Club will see
daredevils from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait,
Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon besides Oman showcasing
their roaring machines along with a city-wide ride on
the third day.
“The Omani population’s love for bikes is
characterised by a growing market and young
population, says,
Taher Mohamed al Zadjali,
President, Muscat Bikers Club.
“Furthermore, the rise of middle class consumption
and increased government investment in new
highways makes leisure motorbike riding opportune
for the market in Oman. In line with these trends, we
are pleased to launch the Muscat Motorbike Show with
Mahrajan, where local and international participants
will display their products and increase their presence
within the region’s biking community,” he added.
Taking place for the first time in Oman from
December 3 to 5, 2015 at City Centre Muscat, the
Show will create a platform for motorbike owners,
dealers, customers, designers and accessory collectors
to highlight the latest sports bikes, cruisers, custombuilt bikes, off-road, all/urban terrain vehicles,
accessories, apparel and motorbike related products.
The key highlights of
the show include a gala
dinner (for participants
only),
a
Motorbike
Display and Competition,
a Vintage Car Display
and a Live Ride by
registered
motorbike
owners alongside other
professional riders.
“The
biking
community has been
identified as one of region’s
growth segments so the Muscat Motorbike Show will
tap the potential of the biking community in Oman.
Show participants will get the exclusive chance to
display their full-line of motorbikes and vintage cars
to enthusiasts and the general public as well as unveil
the latest models, and technology offered for the first
time in Oman”, says Habib Aidroos General Manager,
Mahrajan.
Other representatives from Mahrajan and the
Muscat Bikers Club at the announcement included
Rashad Mohamed al Balushi — Vice PresidentMuscat Bikers Club; Mahmoud Khamis al KuzairiSecretary General, Muscat Bikers Club; Al Khatab
Alamri, Public Relations Manager, Muscat Bikers
Club and Fareed al Balushi, Project ManagerMahrajan.
Motorbiking professionals, sports
enthusiasts and the general public
visiting the show will view firsthand a
wide range of motorbikes and vintage
cars from top brands as well as live
motorbike demonstrations, performances
and competitions and can learn about the
latest updates from biking professionals
and automotive specialists, besides meeting,
greeting and sharing experiences with biking
enthusiasts from across the region.
HEALTHCARE
EFFORTS NEEDED TO PREVENT RETURN TO PRE-ANTIBIOTIC ERA: WHO
W
ith the indiscriminate
use
of
antibiotics
leading to resistance to
medicines, persistence of infections,
and treatment failure, the WHO has
urged the 11 member countries in
South-East Asia region to urgently
address the threat, a WHO statement
released on Wednesday said. Poonam
Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of
WHO South-East Asia region, urged
member nations to take “immediate
actions” to prevent a possible return
to the pre-antibiotic era otherwise,
all achievements made in prevention
and control of communicable diseases
will be reversed. “Common infections
which have been treatable for
decades may once again kill millions.
Resistance to antibiotics will make
complex surgeries and management of
chronic illnesses like cancer extremely
difficult,” Singh said at the ongoing
68th session of the South-East Asia
regional meeting in Dili, Timor-Leste.
“Already,
without
effective
antimicrobial medicines, a number of
common infections such as hospital
acquired
ventilator
associated
pneumonias, urinary tract infections,
diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, tuberculosis,
malaria etc are getting harder to treat.”
“The problem is compounding, and
unless we act now, the consequences
might be irreversible,” Singh said.
A recent forecast of the potential
human and economic cost estimates 10
million deaths per year globally and two
to 3.5 per cent less global gross domestic
product by 2050 if antimicrobial
resistance goes unchecked.
Reduced
productivity
from
persisting illness, and its cost of
treatment, add to the economic loss,
the WHO said.
Singh said “Comprehensive and
integrated national action plans were
needed to respond to antimicrobial
resistance while countries needed to
strengthen monitoring of the extent
and cause of antibiotic resistance,
improve infection control in hospitals
and regulate and promote appropriate
use of medicines.”
“Increased awareness needs to be
created among the general public as
well as health workers and pharmacists
on selling only prescribed medicines
and completing its full course,” she
said. — IANS