130 killed in paris terror attacks

SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 15, 2015 | SAFAR 3, 1437 AH
VOL. 35 NO. 1 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200
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„ His Majesty condoles deaths „ IS claims role; 300 wounded
130 KILLED IN PARIS
TERROR ATTACKS
A rose placed in a
bullet hole in a
restaurant window
the day after a series
of deadly attacks in
Paris on Saturday.
— Reuters
PARIS / MUSCAT: His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos has condoled the
deaths of 130 people after a series of
coordinated attacks by gunmen and
suicide bombers at a concert hall,
restaurants and the national stadium
in and near Paris on Friday night. In a
cable to President Francois Hollande
of France, His Majesty expressed
sympathies to the president, the
victims’ families and wished speedy
recovery of the injured. All Omani
citizens in Paris are safe, said the
Sultanate’s Ambassador to France,
Shaikh Hameed bin Ali al Maani.
The IS group claimed the
responsibility of the attacks. French
President Francois Hollande called
the coordinated assault at six different
sites an “act of war”.
Authorities identified the body
OMAN
Oman gets more
India flight seats
MUSCAT: The government of India
has increased weekly seat entitlements
on flights to Oman, which will help
airlines to add more routes from Muscat
and also enhance the existing seating
capacity. The new Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signed between
the two countries allow additional
5,131 seats to airlines of the two sides.
This would take the total capacity
entitlements from 16,018 seats per week
to 21,149 seats per week for both sides.
The decision to increase traffic rights will
help Oman Air to expand its operations
to India. The airline recently introduced
service between Muscat and Goa and
does fly passengers from India to Europe
and also to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi
Arabia.
FULL REPORT ON P7
WEATHER TODAY
MUSCAT
MAX: 330C
MIN: 250C
SALALAH
MAX: 290C
MIN: 250C
SUNRISE 06.19 AM
PRAYER TIMINGS
FAJR: 05:00
DHUHR: 11:51
ASR: 14:59
MAGHRIB: 17:21
ISHA: 18:51
NIZWA
MAX: 300C
MIN: 200C
All Omani citizens in
Paris are safe, said the
Sultanate’s Ambassador to
France, Shaikh Hameed bin
Ali al Maani.
of a French national known to the
intelligence services near the Bataclan
concert hall, where 82 people were
killed by armed men who had shouted
Allahu akbar before gunning down
concert-goers.
Police sources said he was probably
one of those who stormed the building
as around 1,500 people were watching
a Californian rock band.
The discovery of a Syrian passport
near the body of another of the
FIRST IN
assailants at the concert hall appeared
to justify fears over the threat posed
to Europe by extremism in the
Middle East. The attacks, which
saw the first-ever suicide bombings
on French soil, were “prepared,
organised and planned overseas, with
help from inside (France) which the
investigation will establish,” Hollande
said. Analysts at Eurasia Group said
the attacks “confirm a structural shift
in the modus operandi of the Islamic
State, and represent a prelude to
additional attacks in the West.”
The streets of the French capital
were eerily quiet on Saturday, as
authorities declared a state of national
emergency following the worst attacks
in Europe since the 2004 Madrid train
bombings.
MORE REPORT ON P15
ARABIA
Duck-billed dinosaur
fossils found in Oman
MUSCAT: A remarkable
assemblage of dinosaur
fossils was recently found
in Al Khoud.
A team of French,
Omani
and
Dutch
researchers
presented
their discoveries in the
open-access
scientific
journal PLoS ONE.
The bones represent
the first evidence of
hadrosaurian dinosaurs
from Arabia.
The occurrence of these so-called
‘duck-billed dinosaurs’ in the region
is surprising: “Hadrosaurs, according
to the traditional understanding,
were mainly limited to the northern
continents: North America, Europe,
Asia,” Eric Buffetaut, lead author of
the study says, “Their presence much
further south, in this part of the world,
was previously unknown.”
The fossils were found in the foothills
of the Omani Mountains, which was a
lush delta some 70 million years ago,
when the hadrosaurs
roamed the area. “Several
elements of the hind leg
were discovered, as well as
vertebrae,” Mohammed al
Kindi, a geologist and coauthor of the study says.
The study is supported
by the Geological Society
of Oman and the Oman
Botanic Garden.
Dinosaur
remains
have been found in the
Sultanate before. “The
rocks in which these bones are fossilised
were deposited by a fast-flowing river,”
palaeontologist and co-author of the
study Anne Schulp explains. “This
means we hardly find complete bones,
let alone complete skeletons.
We have to piece back together the
puzzle of the Omani dinosaurs from the
tiniest, and often frustratingly damaged
and beaten-up bone fragments”.
How exactly the hadrosaurs made
their way to the Sultanate provides an
interesting puzzle.
TURN TO P6
His Majesty to preside over
Council of Oman today
MUSCAT: His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos will preside
over the launch of the 6th
Council of Oman at Hisn
al Shumookh in the Wilayat
of Manah in Al Dakhiliyah
Governorate on Saturday.
The inaugural session of
the Council of Oman will
be attended by ministers,
advisers, the chairman of the
State Council, the chairman
of
Majlis
Ash’shura,
commanders of the Sultan’s
Armed Forces and Royal
Oman Police, members
of the State Council and
Majlis Ash’shura, heads
of diplomatic missions
accredited to the Sultanate,
shaikhs, dignitaries and
heads of local media.
The launch of Council
of Oman marks a new
period of parliamentary
work amid optimism of a
successful, integrated and
collaborative work between
the two councils and the
government.
Optimism
arises from the overhaul
witnessed by the State
Council by substituting 76
per cent of its members with
newcomers holding high
academic qualifications and
Majlis Ash’shura has 60 per
cent new members which
boosts the capability of
both the councils for better
handling the requirements
of the development march
and coping with the
economic conditions amid
falling oil prices.
The Council of Oman
is a bicameral parliament,
made up of the members
of the State Council and the
Consultation Council, as
stipulated in Article 58 of
the Basic Law of the State.
It assists the government
in drawing up the general
policies of the state.
— ONA
OMAN
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
3
Digging well without nod Global Entrepreneurship Week to
focus
on
SMEs
beyond
borders
will land you in trouble
ILLEGAL: The recent water shortage has triggered digging of wells
KABEER YOUSUF
MUSCAT
Nov. 14: Digging wells without
permission
from
concerned
authorities can land you in serious
legal consequences, according to the
Public Authority for Civil defence and
Ambulances (PACDA) and Ministry
of Regional Municipalities and Water
Resources (MRMWR).
One can own a well or bore well in
his or her premises for domestic or
commercial purposes only with the
permission of the ministry and after
making sure that necessary safety and
security measures are observed, the
authorities said.
“Digging wells or borewells without
a written permission from the ministry
is a punishable offence which will entail
heavy fines as well as jail terms,” a senior
official at the ministry told the Observer.
He added that when the ministry
receives any information about such
an unlicensed well, a team will visit the
house and inspect the well. If the well
is found as having been dug without
obtaining the necessary approval, the
violator would be questioned.
There has been a number of accidents
involving the digging of wells without
proper safety and security measures,
as most of them were carried out
undercover and hence causalities were
also reported.
“We received nearly 20 accident calls
involving well-digging last year and 10
people were dead in different incidents.
This year, we have received a number of
calls and total number of victims is yet
to ascertain,” a senior PACDA official
said.
He further said that most of the illegal
Tragedies while digging wells are on the rise.
wells were dug in the interior parts of
the country and at remote places, mostly
at night hence tracing such incidents is
often difficult. But, whenever there was
a call for rescue operations, the PACDA
brigades were sent to the spot.
It is said that the recent water crisis
that some parts of Oman experienced
also has triggered digging of wells
in some cases. And people, mostly
expatriates, died for not having sufficient
precautionary measures in place.
“However, making the well digging
official would have saved many a lives
and mitigated losses in these accidents”,
he added.
Last year, as many as 86 people died
in accidents involving wadis; while 17
people lost their lives in seas. Accidents
in Oman’s traditional aflaj claimed one
life while 5 people died in different
accidents in dams and 6 in waste water
tragedies.
Chapter 2 and Article 2 of the Water
Wealth Protection Law, promulgated
by Royal Decree No 29/2000 says that
any new or substitute or extension of
the existing wells constructed after the
end of July 1990 should have a legal
permit and should be inventoried
and registered, otherwise, it shall be
considered illegal.
Chapter Three and Article 6 further
lays down that the Omani law prohibits
a person or persons from constructing
a new well; increasing the capacity of
an existing well through deepening or
widening the diameter; repairing or
maintaining an existing well without
increasing the diameter or depth;
substituting an existing well; changing
the permitted well for a new one;
installing a new pump on the well; and
transporting and selling water, without
a valid permission from the authorities.
According to the statistics from the
Ministry, last year alone, the MRMWR
has issued 141 licences to dig new wells
across the country while 269 wells have
been substituted. 44 old wells have
been renovated while 509 wells have
been enhanced; 9 wells were fitted
with pumps and 49 wells underwent
maintenance.
MUSCAT: With the objective of
presenting an apt platform for
participants to gain valuable insights
from successful and experienced
entrepreneurs, the National Business
Centre (NBC) will organise a series
of events at Knowledge Oasis Muscat
(KOM) in line with the Global
Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) during
the period from November 15th to 19th.
The GEW Oman, which also comes
in line with the Sultanate’s celebrations
of the 45th Glorious National Day, will
focus on the concept of “SMEs beyond
borders”.
GEW Oman will be inaugurated
by Khalifa bin Said al Abri, CEO
of the Public Authority for SMEs
Development. Participants will have an
opportunity to learn from successful
and experienced entrepreneurs on the
key elements of an environment that
encourages entrepreneurial growth and
is conducive to innovation. They will
also be able to meet and network with
a broad array of delegates who can help
potential entrepreneurs take the next
step in starting and growing firms.
GEW Oman is an informal
entrepreneurs’ gathering to present
their ideas and to share knowledge
and experience. Mulkie al Hashmi,
Director of Marketing at NBC, said:
“This event takes place in more than
140 countries worldwide and we at the
National Business Centre are privileged
to host this initiative for the third
consecutive year in coordination with
various supporting local institutions
comprising Public Establishment for
Industrial Estates, Public Authority for
SMEs Development (Riyadah), ITA’s
SAS, National Bank of Oman, Oman
Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries
Company (Orpic), in addition to Mint
Marketing.”
The Global Entrepreneurship Week
is the world’s largest celebration of
innovators and job creators who work
together to help bring ideas to life, drive
economic growth and expand human
welfare. The purpose of this initiative
is to connect experts and entrepreneurs
across the Sultanate and sectors to
unleash their ideas and transform
innovative ideas into reality. It also
comes to encourage entrepreneurs
in the Sultanate to be more visible
and help them in their efforts to launch
and scale. — ONA
4
OMAN
omandailyobserver
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Roads, parks, buildings decked up for National Day
With the 45th anniversary of the National Day just around the corner Muscat Governorate as well as the other governorates of the Sultanate are decked with decorations
and colourful lights. The event is celebrated amidst a feeling of happiness over the achievements that have taken place in all fields during the blessed Renaissance led by
His Majesty. — Pictures by Khalfan al Ruzaiqi
Shop owners rake in huge profits
as decoration spree begins
SAMUEL KUTTY
MUSCAT
Nov. 14: Although the fear arising
from falling oil prices is mounting
at one side, there is nothing that
deters the citizens and expatriates
from spending on National Day
celebrations.
The streets are decked out with
the Omani flags and lit up in bright
lights and buildings illuminated to
the maximum level of decoration.
Cars and other vehicles are
subjected to bespoke decorations
enabling traders and shop owners
dealing in car and other decorations
to rake in thousands of rials into their
kitty.
Abdul Malik who owns a shop in
Wadi Kabeer said that he is working
till late in the night to meet the
demand for painting and decorating
vehicles.
“Now I am taking only limited
orders. A large number of Omanis are
coming to my shop. Although I had
Citizens and expatriates
taking to the streets,
particularly the main
thoroughfares and
stopping the traffic
movement should not be
allowed.
engaged more workers, the orders
are so high that I am unable to finish
them on time”, he told Observer.
Khurshid, another shop owner
said that he was restocking pictures
of His Majesty, flags and other items
required for decorations.
He said that his shop was making
good money.
“Since the beginning of this
month, our weekly collection has
reached almost RO 4,000 from car
decorations alone. This is good
business despite the fact that it
happens only once a year. But this
is more than enough”, he said with a
blink.
While charges for painting vary
from RO 50 to RO 25 depending on
the size of the car and the paints used,
rates for stickers are comparatively
less.
He said that female car owners
also approach his shop for getting
their vehicles painted or decorated.
It is not only car decoration
shops are witnessing more activities,
tailoring and other shops are also
whirring with rush of citizens and
expatriates.
Nasiruddin, who owns a tailoring
shop in Ruwi said that his shop is
working almost round the clock to
meet the demand to stick national
flags and other decorative clothes.
At the same time, the strictures
passed by the Royal Oman Police
(ROP) on the decoration of vehicles
with stickers, paints and flags are seen
as welcome steps by many citizens.
“Citizens and expatriates taking
to the streets, particularly the main
thoroughfares and stopping the
traffic movement should not be
allowed. In any case motorist should
not be allowed to pasting stickers
on the front and rear windshields of
their cars”, said Hameed al Wahaibi, a
retired army personnel in Ruwi.
In the beginning of this month,
the ROP formulated a series of rules
regarding the decoration of vehicles
and said that violators will face will
face fines.
As per the new ROP rules,
motorists will not be allowed to
paste stickers on the front and rear
windshields, side windowpanes,
number plates, rear-view mirrors and
on the head or tail lights.
Also, the ROP asked motorists to
not decorate the hood of the car with
fabrics as it may cause fire.
“Motorists should refrain from
using undignified and offensive
graphics and slogans. The decoration
should not change the colour of the
vehicle,” the ROP tweeted.
OMAN
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Omanis performing well in retail
SHOPPING EXPERIENCE: RO 12 million My City Centre Sur to open in 2017
STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT
Nov. 14: Omanisation policy is not a challenge
to do business in Oman’s retail sector, said Faud
Mansoor Sharaf, Senior Director, Property
Management, Majid al Futtaim Properties. “All
malls of the company are managed by nationals.
At all levels, there are certain numbers to meet and
we respect the Omani government’s directions. It
is the case in all countries and that is the company
direction too,” he added.
He said the proposed Mall of Oman in Bausher is
expected to be ready by 2020 with the construction
work likely to begin in the last quarter of 2016.
“The Mall of Oman will cover around 157,000
sqm of land and when complete is expected
to deliver a premium shopping experience,
entertainment and dining options. Given the
potential of Oman’s retail sector, we are confident Mall of Oman in Bausher is
that the mall will be an ideal size and have the
diversity of experiences required for this market,” expected to be ready by 2020 with
the construction work likely to begin
he said.
When asked whether Oman offers space and in the last quarter of 2016
numbers for large retail projects, Sharaf said,
“Everyone will take their share and we have been
in many competitive places and always welcomed
healthy competition. The government is interested came here first in 2001 and received all the best
to create a right environment for investors. We possible services.”
It was revealed that the City Centre Qurm will
introduce an anchor tenant and an increase the car
parking in line with customer needs in that area.
Work is also progressing on My City Centre Sur,
which was announced in March 2015. The design
has now been completed.
This is the first My City Centre property in
Oman and is anticipated to open in the second half
of 2017, following an estimated investment of RO
12 million.
ROP helicopter rescues four
hikers in Jabal Al Akhdhar
MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) Aviation flew four people who
sustained injuries while trekking on the road leading to Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, a
Royal Oman Police (ROP) official said.
A report received by the police station in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar said that four
people who were among a group of 25 trekkers fell off a cliff during a hiking
trip. A police helicopter was sent to the scene of the incident and transported
the injured to the police station in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar and two of them were
then transferred to the Al Jabal Al Akhdhar Hospital and later discharged after
receiving medical treatment.
Blood-sugar test camps across Oman
MUSCAT: Landmark Group, the region’s
leading retail and hospitality conglomerate,
through its ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign and as
part of its outreach programme continues to
raise awareness on the condition of diabetes
in the region. The Beat Diabetes campaign
which was launched in 2010, is supported
by the Ministry of Health and the Oman
Diabetic Association, incorporates a number
of free blood sugar testing camps hosted by
Landmark Group across the Sultanate.
The Group along with its support partners,
Al Raffa Hospital, Johnson & Johnson
(Muscat Pharmacy) will move to various key
locations and companies across Muscat, Sohar
and Salalah. Diabetes is a condition which
affects more than 14.49 per cent of the adult
population in Oman as per 2014 IDF figures.
The World Health Organization predicts that
diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of
death in 2030. Landmark group, through this
CSR programme, is working with Ministry
of Health to bring out greater awareness on
Diabetes.
Seminar on
tourism
e-services
in Buraimi
MUSCAT:
The
Ministry of Tourism,
represented
by
the
Department of Tourism
in the Governorate of Al
Buraimi, will organise
on Sunday at Oman
Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (OCCI)
branch a seminar for
‘sanad’
offices,
the
owners of the hotel and
tourism facilities in
the Governorate of Al
Buraimi to familiarise
them with the e-services
provided to investors and
methods of submitting
electronic applications
relating to various tourist
activities.
The launching of these
e-services to investors is
part of the keenness of the
Ministry of Tourism to
keep pace with the rapid
changes and a big shift
in e-services stemming
from belief of the need
to take advantage of new
technologies and adapt
them for the benefit
of the work leading to
facilitate the provision of
quality services for those
interested in investing in
the tourism sector in the
Sultanate.
omandailyobserver
5
Islamic banks see robust growth
MUSCAT: Despite the challenges facing
the financial institutions this year due to the
slump of oil prices and its negative effects on
credit and money markets, the Islamic banks
and windows in the Sultanate affirmed that
there are good opportunities for their growth
in 2015 and 2016; thanks to the growing
turnout for Sharia compatible financial
products. During the past nine months,
the Islamic banks and windows focused on
implementing more training programmes to
enhance employees’ knowledge of the Sharia
compatible financial transactions and spread
public awareness about Islamic banking.
6
OMAN
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‘MY VOICE’
ON OBSERVER RADIO
#OMAN@45
SALAH AL
SALEH
“
I
t is a very proud moment we get
to witness this very important
occasion. As any Omani, I am
passionate about it to witness this
development in the last 20 years which
I have been directly experiencing.
According to the 2010 Human
Development Report, Oman has been
declared the fastest growing country in
the last 40 years. We are very proud of it.
“The infrastructure is very important.
45 years ago there was no such thing
as infrastructure. I remember my family
telling me about travelling from Muscat
to Muttrah and it took them a few hours.
Now we can do that in five minutes in
a car.
“We still have a long way to go
because it is not just about growth.
Instead, it is about growth continuing
to grow. We need to invest more in
education, higher education and make
the right investment that match the
education to the job market demands,
which now we are still working on.
“It also means training. In this
regard, I see more investments are
required. There are vocational training
institutes that can make an individual
an electrician, a plumber, a baker or any
other skill. It takes time and one cannot
learn it all in four or eight weeks. You
need a year or two to learn the skills and
then master the profession. This is still
not existent here till now and I hope we
will follow that path. Not only follow
higher education because not everyone
wants to go to the universities. They
should have the chance to, but whoever
does not want to he or she should have
a choice based on the market demands.”
Oman Business
Opportunities
Forum on Mon
MUSCAT: The 3rd edition of the
Business
Opportunities
Forum,
organised by Oman Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (OCCI),
will start on Monday at Oman
International Exhibition Centre under
the auspices of His Highness Sayyid
Haitham bin Tareq al Said.
The forum is an important economic
event that aims to create a platform for
companies and institutions to get to
know each other and take advantage of
the opportunities available under one
roof for the expansion of its business. It
also aims to present the opportunities
available by large companies, which
will bring real and direct corporate
benefit, and promote the efforts of the
private sector companies in the field
of the in-country-value of products
and industries and corporate social
responsibility. — ONA
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
BP OMAN TO DELIVER KHAZZAN
PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET
OPTIMISTIC: Despite the falling oil prices, the company president says the project is feasible and economical
VINOD NAIR
MUSCAT
Nov. 14: The Khazzan gas project, in
the south of Block 61, is one of the
most ambitious tasks to be undertaken
in the country’s oil and gas sector
in recent times. Regardless of the
challenges due to low level of oil prices,
BP Oman has exuded confidence on
the project’s completion on time and its
contribution to the national economy.
When asked about the contractors
laying-off workers in the oil and gas
sector, Yousuf al Ojaili, President,
BP Oman, in an exclusive interview
to Observer, said, “Actually, we are
ramping up our workforce estimated
to be around 8,000 people — including
that of BP and the contractors — and
we are one of the few projects that is
still growing at the moment.”
Despite the falling oil prices, Ojaili
said the Khazzan project is feasible
and economical. “We are committed
to deliver the project on time and have
been not impacted by the low level
of oil prices. “We have a duty at the
current level of oil prices to review and
find ways to deliver the project not only
on-budget, but also below-budget.
“We want to make sure that young
Omanis do not miss out on the
opportunities offered by a project of the
magnitude of BP’s Khazzan project,” he
said. He added that a project of this
scale may be never repeated given the
current oil price situation.
It may be noted that Oman and BP
signed in 2013 a gas sales agreement
and an amended production sharing
agreement for the development of the
Khazzan field, with BP as operator.
The full field development will involve
a drilling programme of around 300
wells over 15 years to deliver plateau
production of one billion cubic feet
(28.3 million cubic metres) of gas per
day and 25,000 barrels per day of gas
condensate.
Ojaili said, “With around 48 per
cent of the overall project complete,
we are on course to deliver the gas in
2017 as per our commitment to the
government.”
“After reading many analysts, I
We continue to get
good cooperation
from the Ministry
of Manpower, but
at the same time we have
to follow its conditions on
Omanisation. We maintain
a 73-per cent Omanisation
level at BP and amidst some
adverse reports on the oil
and gas sector, I would like
to say that some of our
contractors are looking
around for more human
resources.
YOUSUF AL OJAILI
President, BP Oman
have come to a conclusion that we are
not expecting high oil prices for the
next two to three years. That gives us
a responsibility to be smart enough
while doing things. Focus
is on simplification and
efficiency programmes.”
He added, “We have
to adopt these strategies
at every level, including
on how to drill and
design wells in a better
way and how to train our
manpower in a more costeffective manner. We have
seen some good results,
which will be discussed
with the government. We
expect a reduction in the cost of the
project.”
He said out of the contract awarded
so far, the In Country Value (ICV), is
close to 25 per cent. “In some cases, our
rigs are assembled in Nizwa and some of
the tanks manufactured in Oman. The
pipes that will deliver portable water to
the project site are manufactured and
installed by an Omani company.”
Ojaili said he doesn’t have details
about the availability of gas from
Iran, but added, “Iran gas is not in
competition with Khazzan, in fact I
will look at it as a complementary. The
country needs more growth in various
sectors and a lot of these depend on the
easy availability of gas.”
Reliable gas supplies will help
energy-intensive industries such as
petrochemicals, steel and aluminium
to take off, providing an incentive
for investors and creating a more
sustainable economic base for future
development.
The Khazzan gas will be sold
through a pipeline network to the
government, who will then take a call
on whether it should be sold in the
domestic or export market. He added,
“as now around RO 4 billion has been
invested out of a total RO 16 billion”.
Ojaili said, “The main challenge will
be to deliver the project on time and we
maintain a tight schedule. We cannot
expect any slippage have to make sure
we are sitting on the right resources
either from our side or from that of the
contractor.” The BP Oman president
said that continually monitoring the
construction part of the project is a big
challenge.
Labour issues: “We continue to get
good cooperation from the Ministry
of Manpower, but at the same time
we have to follow its conditions on
Omanisation. We maintain a 73-per
cent Omanisation level at BP and
amidst some adverse reports on the oil
and gas sector, I would like to say that
some of our contractors are looking
around for more human resources.”
He said the responsibility is not just
to maintain the Omanisation target,
but to train young technicians and
graduates. Around 73 technicians have
finished training and are ready to join
the BP bandwagon.
Khazzan gas field 350 km south
of Muscat and on completion of this
project, Oman will benefit from at least
15 years’ reliable supply of gas, with the
possibility of more to come.
“However, getting at that gas is
tough given the geology of the region
and also reaching the narrow reservoirs
of gas that lie some five kilometres
below the desert sands.
Under the agreement, around
300 wells will be drilled, hundreds
of kilometres of pipelines installed,
roads and IT infrastructure built and
processing facilities created — along
with temporary and permanent
accommodation for up to 10,000
people. Initial 49 wells need to be
drilled to deliver first gas in 2017.
Local company Abraj is one of the
main contractors for building the rigs
that house the drilling equipment
for each well and already has one rig
operational in the field. MB Petroleum
Services is contracted to provide the
coil units used in the extraction process.
BP Oman is focusing on educating
the local people with help from
OmanSail and Injaz Oman. “We
support these agencies financially and
over 3,000 Omani females and males
have been benefited from the training
programmes.”
Dinosaur fossil found in Oman OSC celebrates naming of 2 new product tankers
FROM PAGE 1
“They can hardly be considered to be the
result of local evolution on the Afro-Arabian
plate, because it is generally accepted that
the origin of hadrosaurs lies on the northern
continents,” Buffetaut adds. “If a local origin
is dismissed, the presence of hadrosaurs in
Oman around that time needs to be explained
by dispersal.” At the end of the Cretaceous
Period when these hadrosaurs lived, the
Afro-Arabian continent was separated from
the northern continents by the wide Tethys
Ocean. “How these dinosaurs managed to
cross this barrier is the interesting question
this discovery provides us with,” a geologist
and discoverer of the fossils described in the
paper, Axel Hartman adds. “We took a closer
look at the string of islands some geologists
have reconstructed in this now-disappeared
Tethys Ocean.
These islands may have provided
the necessary ‘stepping-stones’ for the
hadrosaurs to make their way from Eurasia
to Oman.” — ONA
Ulsan, South Korea: Coinciding with
celebrations marking the Sultanate’s
45th National Day, Oman Shipping
Company (OSC) observed the
naming of two MR product tankers at
a ceremony held here yesterday at the
shipyard of Hyundai Mipo Company.
The vessels were formally named
Muscat Silver and Rustaq Silver at the
ceremony held under the auspices
of Wisam al Najjar, OSC General
Manager — Corporate Affairs. They
represent the first two of a total of
10 MR tankers that are being built
as part of ‘Project Silver’ under a
contract reached by Oman Shipping
Company with Shell International
Trading and Shipping Company Ltd.
The chief-guest and other
dignitaries were also given an
overview of the features and
capabilities of the tankers, which
have been designed to world-class
specs and environmental standards.
Muscat Silver and Rustaq Silver,
each 183 metres long, 32.2 metres
wide, 19.2 metres deep and 37,900
metric tonnes weight, will also boast
a low carbon footprint when they are
operational.
Wisam al Najjar said that the
induction of the tankers will help
For illustrative purpose only
enhance OSC’s the maritime
transportation of oil derivatives.
Shell International’s decision to opt
for OSC’s fleet in transporting its oil
products underscores the confident
of the world’s leading companies in
Oman Shipping’s capabilities, he said,
adding that technical management
and operation of the vessels of Project
Silver will handled by Oman Ship
Management Company (OSMC), a
subsidiary of OSC.
Fleet of 10 new MR
tankers envisaged as
part of ‘Project Silver’
“The achievements of OSC stem
from the government’s vision to
provide strong underpinnings for
the national economy and support
the diversification of national income
sources,” said Al Najjar.
A further eight MR tankers are
slated for naming before the end of
2016 under Project Silver, effectively
boosting the size of Oman Shipping’s
fleet to 53 vessels of a total capacity of
8.5 million metric tonnes. OSC hopes
through this expansion to contribute
in developing its business operations
in the global markets, as well as
creating more jobs and training
opportunities for national cadres
working in the maritime transport
sector. — ONA
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
OMAN
India offers 5,131 more weekly
flight seats to Sultanate
omandailyobserver
7
SCOUTING FESTIVAL IN AL MALADA
INCREASED CONNECTIVITY: Move to help Oman Air expansion programmes
VINOD NAIR
MUSCAT
Nov. 14: The government of India has
increased weekly seat entitlements
on flights to Oman, which will help
airlines to add more routes from
Muscat and also enhance the existing
seating capacity.
The new Memorandum of
Understanding
(MoU)
signed
between the two countries allow
additional 5,131 seats to airlines of
the two sides. This would take the
total capacity entitlements from
16,018 seats per week to 21,149 seats
per week for both sides.
MARKING the 45th National Day anniversary and the 32nd anniversary of the installation of
His Majesty as the Greatest Scout of the Sultanate, the Directorate General of Scouts and
Guides organised a Scouting and Guiding Festival at the Sultan Qaboos Scouting Camp in
Al Malada. Some 1,000 scouts and guides took part in the festival. — ONA
Indian carriers could also
benefit with the expansion
of traffic rights and IndiGo
is planning to launch a
flight between KochiMuscat. At present Air
India, Air India Express,
IndiGo, Jet Airways and
SpiceJet fly to Muscat.
Jet Airways, Oman, said that from well established in the South and the with the expansion of traffic rights
and IndiGo is planning to launch
the Indian side, seats has to be shared West.”
Oman Air flies 15 daily flights to a flight between Kochi-Muscat. At
with the airlines that are currently
operating out to Oman, and those 11 destinations in India. It has double present Air India, Air India Express,
daily frequencies to Mumbai, Delhi, IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly
who wish to join the race.
Kuttery said, “We have not Hyderabad and Chennai and plans to to Muscat. Agreements were signed
The decision to increase traffic discussed how to make use of this increase flights to Bengaluru, Kochi with Oman during an international
aviation conference held in Turkey
rights will help Oman Air to opportunity, but will certainly look and Kozhikode.
Indian carriers could also benefit last month.
expand its operations to India. The at a sector in the north, as we are
airline recently introduced service
between Muscat and Goa and does
fly passengers from India to Europe
and also to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi
Arabia.
Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO, Oman
MUSCAT: Oman Air is continuing to operate its service
advise customers to leave as much time as possible for
Air, told the Observer recently that
between Muscat and Paris, following the devastating
check-in and proceeding through security,
the expansion to the Indian market
attacks in the French capital. Passengers are being
which is likely to be heightened at this time. Delays are
has been restricted due to nonadvised to check in for the flights as usual, but should
possible.
availability of rights. “New routes
be prepared for enhanced security measures at Charles
“We would further advise that travellers flying to
de Gaulle Airport.
Paris check their visa documentation carefully before
will depend on bilateral agreements.
Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul
departure. It may be prudent to consult the nearest
Using a larger type of aircraft on
Gregorowitsch
said:
French Embassy to establish whether additional visa
certain routes, increasing frequencies
“On behalf of everyone at Oman Air, we would like
requirements have been put in place.
and adding new destinations all
to express our profound sympathy and support for all
“Should the situation change, we will advise
depend on the new rights, he said.
those affected by these terrible attacks. Our thoughts
passengers via social media and our website at www.
The decision to enhance seat
and prayers are also with all the people of France.
omanair.com.”
entitlements and air connectivity
“Whilst a State of Emergency has been announced
The national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman has
by the French government, international flights out of
confirmed that all its Paris-based staff and crew have
with multiple countries comes at a
Paris are continuing.
been confirmed as safe.
time when the Indian government
“Oman
Air’s
flights
between
Muscat
and
Paris
will
Oman Air operates five flights per week between
is working on ways to boost the
therefore operate to their usual schedule. However, we Paris and the Omani capital of Muscat.
domestic aviation market.
Riyaz Kuttery general manager,
Oman Air continues to operate Paris service
Arms smuggling bid
foiled; two held
MUSCAT: The Shahab Ashaib Police Station in Dhofar
Governorate foiled an attempt to smuggle in arms and
arrested two citizens involved in the case, one of whom was
arrested upon his arrival from a neighbouring country, a
Royal Oman Police (ROP) official said.
The first accused was found in possession of 8 pistols
which he attempted to smuggle in the country and the
second accused was arrested for criminal connivance.
In another development, personnel from the Directorate
of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances foiled an
attempt to smuggle in 800 tramadol capsules through
Muscat International Airport. Two people were arrested in
connection with the case.
The first accused was arrested and referred to the
Directorate General for Combating Narcotics and
Psychotropic Substances (DGCNPS) after the police
discovered drugs in his handbag and when investigated
by the DGCNPS’s detectives he guided the police to his
accomplice who traffics the smuggled drugs, he was also
arrested and both of them are undergoing investigations.
8
ANALYSIS
omandailyobserver
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
A reliable public transport
network is necessity of life
ABDULAZIZ AL JAHDHAMI
aljahdhami22@gmail.com
T
ransport is becoming a real troubling issue in many countries around the world.
As it’s one of the significant necessities in everybody’s daily life, it requires a
constant attention of improvement from the authorities concerned in every
nation. Everybody is in a high need of transport, no matter what kind of it.
Owning a car comes on top of the list of priorities our life. Most of people
can’t bear their life without having a car of their own. Nowadays, owning a car
is becoming an urgent necessity more than just being a complement to other life
necessities. Case in a point, adults start owning a car immediately after completing
secondary school. The car will be the first thing they think about as they join a
college, a university or a job.
Can you imagine yourself without having your own car at least for a day?
Undoubtedly, you will feel that your life is unbalanced as there is something
important missing.
Even if you are living with your family, you need to have a personal car to
manage daily tasks. Today, a car is regarded a
way of reaching all other things in life. Nobody
Having a reliable
can deny this fact indeed!
As a country with no reliable public public transport
transport system, we have choice but to each system like other
has his / her own car.
developed countries
In a family of 10 people, you might need to
have at least five to seven cars if not one for is undoubtedly
each. Other than that, in some families, you everyone’s dream
can see people having more than one car, so
in this country. It
they end up having more cars than the number
of family members. This is in worst case may ease traffic and
scenario which is very obvious unfortunately.
reduce the number of
Just imagine if this happens in three houses
accidents
within a neighbourhood of twenty to thirty
houses. The place will end up full of cars
parked in every corner of the road and front
yards of the houses. It’s really unbelievable and intolerable! However, it’s really
happening with many people all over the country. In fact, having a car is being
more important than anything else in people’s life.
Due to the unreliability of the public transport system in the country, people
are forced to use their own cars wherever they want to go. They can’t rely on the
irregular public buses, and taxis are not reliable too. As taxis are operated by
individuals and not service companies, people can’t depend on them. For all these
reasons, having a personal car is a must for everyone here.
Public transport should always be a very convenient and consistent, but it’s
a different case here. We don’t have a locally reliable transportation system that
could serve citizens, residents and tourists alike. Accordingly, people prefer to use
their own cars.
In a bid towards improving the public transport, the Oman National Transport
Company announced the addition of more than 60 bus stops along the main route
connecting Ruwi to Seeb, which will start operations before the end of this year.
This new service will certainly make commuting easier for people.
However, this service will not solve the problem as other similar transport
services should be launched to serve commuters and people in other parts of the
country. Thousands of people travel daily from the interior to the capital and they
need such service to make their daily commuting safe and comfortable.
Having a reliable public transport system like other developed countries is
undoubtedly everyone’s dream in this country. If this dream comes true someday
in the future, lots of public and social issues would be solved. The increasing
number of car accidents and frustrating traffic jams are among the main issues
that people are struggling with every morning and evening on their way to office
and back home.
Survival behind enemy lines
I
“The slightest noise put us on alert. Everything sounds
t is the nightmare scenario for every fighter pilot operating
over Syria and Iraq today — a crash-landing behind enemy suspect,” says Thomas in the morning.
Their efforts are a failure — within hours, one of the bad
lines.
At a training ground the size of central Paris in southwest guys has them on their knees with bags over their heads.
The two men are thrown into a cage, dogs barking
France, a group of 15 pilots and navigators prepared this
madly nearby to add to the chaos.
month for just that scenario.
There follows an interrogation session designed to
Crews from Mirage fighter jets and attack helicopters
are dropped in open country for an extreme 36-hour simulate as much as possible the stress of real captivity.
The details are kept secret, but their instructors have no
exercise in camouflage, survival, capture and interrogation.
In many of their minds is the fate of the Jordanian pilot doubt drawn on the lessons of real-life hostages to create
who crash-landed in Syria in December last year, was then extreme levels of anxiety and tension.
After several long hours, the exercise finishes with a
captured by the Islamic State group and later burned alive
simulated escape and helicopter rescue.
on film.
Thomas looks hugely relieved. “It’s good when the
“I decided not to watch the video so that I don’t have the
images in my head,” says Thomas, a young French navigator nightmare ends,” he says. “And obviously, what we’ve been
through is nothing compared to what
taking part in the exercise. “The goal
could happen in reality.”
is to not be captured because, clearly,
Many of those on the training
it won’t be good,” he deadpans. Before VALÉRIE LEROUX
programme, which all French pilots must
being dropped off, there is time for
watches how French
now undergo, also receive a talk from
some last-minute advice from one of
“Noug”, a pilot with first-hand experience
the instructors, Alexandre: “Never pilots prepare for
of going down behind enemy lines.
find yourself alone.
survive crash landing
“Noug” — his nickname —
If one of you is injured, someone
and interrogation by
crashlanded in a Taliban-held region
stays with him.” In their kit: a radio/
of Afghanistan in 2011 and spent two
GPS, flares, a first aid kit and a pistol, enemies in Syria and
extremely long hours waiting to be
as well as water and food supplies and Iraq
rescued by US forces.
a section of parachute for shelter and
“In one minute and 40 seconds, we
warmth.
were on the ground,” Noug tells the
“Make sure the tourniquet is easy
trainees.
to reach in your clothing.
“I have to tell things the way they were — you feel totally
Without that, it doesn’t matter what you do, you will
lose your teammate if there’s a hemorrhage,” insists the alone and you’re dying of fright,” he says.
He and his navigator had seen men in a nearby farm and
medical instructor.
The first task is to find cover. Thomas and his teammate were sure the Taliban had been notified of their presence.
A first flypast by two US helicopters failed to spot them,
Gauthier, a Mirage 2000 pilot, smear their faces black and
but they were eventually picked up when a fleet of A-10
green and disappear into the woods.
With commandos on their trail, their task is to make aircraft and two Chinook helicopters came to their rescue.
“We have a tendency to think of ourselves as supermen
a nondescript shelter and then try to make contact with
friendly forces without being spotted by the commandos for doing an exceptional job... but when you find yourself
on the ground after a crash, you are terrified.”
on their trail. A sleepless night follows.
Stuck between past and present, Lenin lingers on in parts of Kyrgyzstan
O
n a recent morning a small group of
pensioners gathered round a monument
to Communist leader Vladimir Lenin in a
far-flung corner of the bygone empire he
helped found.
The system he established disappeared
from Kyrgyzstan in central Asia when
the Soviet Union collapsed some 25 years
ago but the Russian leader still draws a
crowd of die-hards in the capital Bishkek
each year to mark the anniversary of the
Bolshevik revolution.
“The USSR was an opportunity to
be part of a great power,” historian Emil
Jumabayev said.
“Nowadays Lenin is a feature of the city
like any building, a road or a bridge. He
doesn’t really bother people.”
Across the former USSR the fate of
Lenin monuments has become a symbol
of a region still struggling to define itself
— and its relations with former imperial
master Russia.
The phenomenon is most striking in
crisis-stricken Ukraine, where more than
500 statues of the bearded revolutionary
have been torn down over the past year,
after Kiev turned westwards and Moscow
responded by seizing Crimea and backing
separatist rebels.
Around Central Asia the process
may have been less dramatic but the
fate of Lenin has often echoed the paths
Kyrgyz Communist party supporters holding portraits of Soviet Union founder Vladimir
Lenin during a rally to mark the 98th anniversary of Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution in
central Bishkek. — AFP
the different nations have taken since
becoming independent — with leaders
seeking to impose their own personalities
or emphasise a historic identity.
In isolated Turkmenistan, the
monuments to the man behind the
dictatorship of the proletariat were
replaced by golden monuments of postSoviet leaders who have established their
own authoritarian systems.
Meanwhile in Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan, Lenin has respectively been
edged out by brutal 14th century Mongol
conqueror Tamerlane and medieval
Persian-speaking emperor Ismoil Somoni.
The debate has often been nuanced and
in Kyrgyzstan, an impoverished nation
that borders China but remains close to
Moscow, Lenin lingers on.
Kyrgyzstan’s main Lenin statue, once
positioned on the main square in front
of the national history museum, now
occupies a slightly less prominent space
behind it.
When thousands in the majorityMuslim country use the space for public
prayers on the Islamic holidays they face
Mecca in the West, but Lenin gestures
towards the north and Russia, where up to
a million Kyrgyz work as labour migrants.
“While the statue is insignificant
in people’s everyday lives, it can easily
be turned into a point of geopolitical
contention,” Erica Marat, a regional expert
at the National Defense University in
Washington, said.
History still occasionally complicates
relations between Kyrgyzstan, part of the
Russian empire before it became a Soviet
republic, and its allies in the Kremlin.
Earlier this year, strongly pro-Russian
President Almazbek Atambayev signed a
decree to mark in 2016 the centennial of
a historic event some Kyrgyz politicians
liken to a genocide, when Tsarist Russian
authorities brutally crushed a revolt
rippling across Central Asia.
In the decree Atambayev was careful
to draw a distinction between Tsarist
Russia and the Russians that still make up
a tenth of Kyrgyzstan’s population, while
noting the October revolution “cardinally
changed the Kyrgyz people’s situation.”
“In contrast to the tsarist autocracy
Soviet authorities succeeded in providing
prospects for the national development of
the Kyrgyz,” Atambayev’s decree reads.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the few ex-Soviet
territories that still has an official public
holiday to mark the anniversary of the
Bolshevik revolution.
Lenin and the Soviet Union still
dominate the history museum once
named after him, despite periodic
demands by nationalists to strip away
signs of the communist past in favour of
nods to an earlier nomadic history. “It
would be wrong to get rid of the busts of
Lenin and other Soviet items.
These are a part of our history too,”
culture ministry spokesman Baktygul
Noruzbaeva said. But the economic and
political system Lenin’s Bolsheviks created
dissolved quickly in Kyrgyzstan, where
privatisation was rapid and the region’s
largest bazaar grew up on the back of
booming trade with China.
Last month neither of the country’s
two Communist parties bothered even
standing in parliamentary elections.
“Sadly there is no Communist
movement in Kyrgyzstan any longer,”
Marxist thinker Georgy Mamedov, 31,
said at the recent meeting near the Lenin
statue.
But even this leftist admitted that
the monument was a “dead symbol” of a
country that ceased to exist when he was
still a child. “It has fulfilled its evolutionary
function,” Mamedov conceded.
ANALYSIS
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
9
How ridiculous, you gotta laugh, or you would cry!
J
RAY PETERSEN
petersen_ray@hotmail.com
ust something different this week, and less to
do with Oman, than the UAE, that deserves
comment I think, and maybe not a lot of
response or reaction. But given that laughter
is the best medicine, make of this situation,
what you will. From the, ‘you’ve gotta laugh,
or you’ll cry’ department, comes the story of a
hotel reservation, a credit card, and a marriage
certificate.
My family are arriving from their diverse
and interesting global locations to share some
time with us, as we move from 2015 to 2016.
I will drive to Dubai, where we will have
Christmas dinner together as a family on the
25th of December. Then, as I must return to the
University of Nizwa, here in Oman, to work from
Sunday to Thursday between Christmas and New
Year, prior to rejoining the family for a New Years
Eve function in Dubai. We will all then return
to Oman together, so they can enjoy what the
Sultanate has to offer.
I thought my wife and father-in-law could stay
in Dubai while I return to work, so I booked them
a really nice hotel as a bit of a treat. Imagine my
surprise when I received an email from the hotel,
informing me that as I had offered an ‘invalid’
credit card to pay the bill, and that if I never paid
with a ‘valid’ credit card within 48 hours, my
finding both offensive, and irritating.
accommodation would be cancelled.
I felt that, for whatever reason, the hotel
“That’s nice,” I thought, and promptly rang my
bank to give them a bit of a ‘flea in their ear,’ as my does not believe she is my wife, and “goodness
credit card bill had been paid as due, and was fully me, there must be a stricter policy nowadays in
functional according to my online statement. I respect of un-married couples staying in Dubai
was even more surprised when the bank told me hotels.” Though it’s not as if you would know it, as
there was no problem with my card, and in fact, all of the world’s soap stars, footballers, racing car
drivers and wannabes, feature
no transaction, or attempted
in the tabloids, on the beaches
transaction was showing in
of Dubai, at swanky hotels, all
their system.
The author finds how a
the time. Therefore, in a fit of
Confused? Bemused? Of hotel makes a mockery
pique, I sent off yet another
course I was, so I dashed off an
reply.
email in response to the hotel, of the fast, easy, nature
Writing along the lines
and advised that the card was of credit card, but gives
that “the ‘third-party’ you
certainly valid, funded, and I him an entertaining
refer to, is definitely my wife.
was therefore looking forward
I have attached copies of the
to their confirmation of my anecdote
front, and apostilised back,
booking. But it was not to be!
of our marriage license as
I received a second email. This
time I was informed that my card was ‘invalid,’ confirmation. I am offended at your continued
due to the fact that the booking for the room reference to her as a ‘third party’ and now that
was made in the name of, “a third party” and not this situation has been clarified, look forward,
myself. I responded again. “The ‘third party’ you at last, your confirmation of her, and my fatherhave referred to is in fact, my wife,” said I, thinking in-law’s, accommodation.” By this time, it should
this will now be ‘all sorted out’ and it will be no have been, “more fool me,” for expecting it to be
problem. Again, a ‘stock-standard’, quite similar that simple. No! Yet another email advised me,
email was sent to me by the hotel, referring again “First, we apologise for offending you...but... It is
to my wife as “a third party,” which by now I was our policy not to accept bookings and payment
by any third party, due to the requirement to
validate the card on arrival.”
“How stupid is that,” I thought, “I want to pay
now, using my card. What is the big deal, am I
being naïve, witless, or what? I am a man, but I’m
not refusing to ask directions, as we men do. I
am only trying to pay for a hotel room!” On the
edge of advising the hotel what to do with their
booking, I realized I would only be ‘cutting off
my nose to spite my face’ so was actually quite
moderate in my final (I hope) communication
regarding this issue.
The upshot of it all, is that the hotel has their
policies, and aren’t about to change them to
suit the times, society, or, in fact, me. They have
subsequently offered an olive branch, by way of
accepting card, and passport copies and some
other documentation to facilitate the transaction.
However, it certainly does all make a mockery
of the fast, easy, nature of credit card, internet
transactions for accommodation that I have
previously experienced.
I can now, maybe not laugh, or cry, but smile.
And it certainly does bring home again, how
diverse, almost ridiculous, this world of ours is,
little bits at a time, and it gives me an entertaining
dinner topic one evening when the conversation
is a bit slow.
AFGHAN PRESSURE
P
akistan’s influential military chief will visit the US from Sunday, a
trip analysts say will underscore security issues facing Islamabad and
Washington in the region as well as the imbalance in civilian-military
power in Pakistan.
The November 15-20 visit — apparently instigated by General
Raheel Sharif — comes weeks after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met
with US President Barack Obama at the Oval Office to discuss many of
the same issues said to be on his army chief ’s agenda, including Afghan
peace talks and Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions. Analysts said Raheel
Sharif ’s influence over both issues makes him, rather than the civilian
leadership, the dominant broker for Washington’s regional agenda. The
Americans “know where the power is”, Pakistani defence and security
analyst Talat Masood said. However that is likely to make the visit “a
bit trickier” for Sharif as he tries to balance Washington’s demands,
particularly in Afghanistan, said analyst Zahid Hussain, a columnist
for Pakistan’s top English newspaper Dawn. Stability in Pakistan’s
neighbour Afghanistan has spiralled after a Taliban surge in recent
months, and Obama announced in October that Washington will keep
thousands of soldiers in the country past 2016.
Pakistan has been historically close to the Taliban and Washington
sees Islamabad as one of its few partners with the influence to bring the
militants to the negotiating table.
The new Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour is believed to have
close ties to Pakistan. Sharif will also hold detailed discussions with
US defence officials about the militant Haqqani network, which comes
under the umbrella of the Taliban and has been described by US officials
in the past as a “veritable arm” of Pakistani intelligence, a security
official said. Some in Washington believe Pakistan has not done enough
to bring its influence to bear and to persuade the group to renounce
violence, and during Nawaz Sharif ’s trip in October, Obama stressed
that Pakistan needed to take action against groups that undermine
peaceful dialogue. The pressure has increased since an initial round of
peace talks was broken off this summer when the death of long-time
Taliban leader Mullah Omar was announced.
Nawaz Sharif agreed last month to help Afghanistan re-start the talks,
but Washington’s concerns over the collapse of negotiations are “casting
a shadow over the general’s coming visit”, Hussain wrote this week. But
other sources downplayed the significance of the question over who
instigated the visit, with one security official saying all that matters is
that the discussions are taking place, “even if we have proposed these
meetings”. Issues such as Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are being handled
“by the military only”, he said, so it was natural for the army to want to
talk to its US counterparts.
Migrants and refugees cross the Greek-Macedonian border near Gevgelija.
EU tries to shut out migrants, is it right response?
A
boat sinking off Libya that killed about
800 migrants in April led this week to a EuroAfrica summit on migration that left issues
unresolved on whether Europe is tackling
its refugee crisis or warding off longer-term
problems.
The two-day meeting in Valletta was
called as part of the response to the April 18
boat wreck, but since then the flash point in
Europe’s migration crisis has moved on from
the Mediterranean to the Balkans.
Refugees from Syria are now the European
Union’s biggest concern. Less than 10 per cent
of the nearly 174,000 asylum applications
filed to its member states in September
came from Africans, the European Asylum
Support Office says.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat
said at the summit that the EU’s refugee
crisis was “a kind of pressure cooker that
somewhere, somehow, at one point in time”
explodes in different locations, creating new
migratory patterns.
Senegalese President Macky Sall was
unhappy about the discussions inValletta.
“We are going to be signing agreements here
aiming to [keep] African at home, while the
real issues will have been avoided,” he said.
“We Africans, are not as numerous as
some are pretending,” Sall, whoalso chairs
the Economic Community of West African
States, protested.
“There is too much focus on African
immigration, which is not the most
significant,” he added.
Analysts noted that looking at the
situation in Africa was an important longterm aim.
“If you look 10 years ahead from now,
migration flows from Africa are going
to continue and might even be bigger,
whereas by then the Syrian conflict will
have hopefully be solved,” Mattia Toaldo of
the European Council on Foreign Relations
think tank said. The summit in Malta saw the
launch of a 1.9-billion-euro (2-billion-dollar)
EU emergency trust fund to address the root
causes of African migration, such as poverty
and conflicts, as well as the adoption of a list
of commitments.
They include promises to make it easier
for limited categories of Africans, such as
students or researchers, to enter EU territory,
and pledges to go after human traffickers and
The European Union wants
to slow down the arrival of
migrants from Africa, and
is offering money to enlist
the cooperation of African
governments But there are
doubts about the strategy,
while the real refugee crisis
rages at the bloc’s eastern, not
southern, borders, finds
ALVISE ARMELLINI
protect the lives of vulnerable people.
On the sidelines, the EU signed a deal
with Ethiopia, which is home to more than
700,000 refugees, funded by the new trust
fund and due to also support the reintegration
of repatriated migrants from Europe.
Securing general endorsement of the
principle that Africans with no legal status in
Europe must be sent home, even forcibly, was
a key EU objective at the summit.
But it failed, just as a proposal to set up
asylum centres in transit countries like Niger.
Toaldo said Africans “won the game” on
repatriations, forcing Europeans to accept
non-binding language on the issue, but noted
that the migration aid offered to them was
far less than the 3 billion euros mooted for
Turkey.
Sara Tesorieri of relief organisation
Oxfam International questioned the overall
EU strategy of rewarding its neighbours
— including authoritarian regimes — with
money, and said called for bolder action.
She suggested Europe could close loopholes
that currently benefit multinationals and see
African nations lose out on up to 40 billion
dollars a year in tax receipts. Tesorieri also
said focusing on border security instead of
human development was misguided.
“It is true that Europe is faced a situation
it has not faced recently, and that there no
simple answers,” she said.
“But we need to keep a sense of
perspective, and ask: When we talk about an
emergency...whose emergency is it?”
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10
Thousands cheer Modi at Wembley
INDIA
omandailyobserver
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
RAUCOUS WELCOME: Tricolour waving diaspora as PM delivers hour-long speech
LONDON:
London’s
hallowed
Wembley Stadium gave Prime Minister
Narendra Modi a raucous welcome
usually reserved for football stars David
Beckham and Wayne Rooney as 60,000
people celebrated British-Indian ties.
Members of Britain’s large Indian
diaspora, many waving India’s tricolour
flag and wearing Modi masks, chanted
the visiting leader’s name and let out
a deafening cheer as he took to the
stage for an hour-long speech, which
combined soaring rhetoric with detailed
policy strategy.
On a chilly night, Modi broke the ice
with a joke, saying “they told me England
would be cold, but not this cold!”
He called it a “historic day”, and
attempted to counter accusations of
neglecting minorities by paying tribute
to Sikhs who had “spilled blood to
protect Mother India”, although was
more reserved on Muslims, calling for a
deeper Sufi influence.
Both Sikhs and Muslims were among
around 500 protesters who barracked
departing Modi supporters along the
fabled Wembley Way.
A police line separated the opposition
groups in scenes more often witnessed
after a heated football match.
Undeterred, Modi fan Kamlesh
Chudasama, called the event “absolutely
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a welcome rally in his honour at Wembley
Stadium in London. — Reuters
fantastic.”
“Watch out, India is coming fast,” he
added. “We’ll be the superpower soon.”
Fellow supporter Paresh Kotecha
called Modi’s speech “brilliant”, saying
“the future is bright” for India.
Earlier, the crowd danced in the
aisles as they were entertained by a raft
of singers, dancers and musicians.
Slick videos highlighted India’s
economic prowess, in a muscular
production underscoring the country’s
shift from British colonial possession
to a global power courted for its vast
Modi leaves Britain for Turkey
LONDON: Following the conclusion of his three-day visit to
Britain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for
Turkey to attend the two-day G20 Summit meeting that gets
under way on Sunday.
“Goodbye London! PM @narendramodi emplanes
for @G20Turkey2015 after a successful 3 day visit to the
UK,” Vikas Swarup, spokesperson in the external affairs
ministry, tweeted. The British leg of Modi’s tour included
a packed itinerary that saw delegation level talks between
India and Britain and one-on-one parleys between the
Indian prime minister and his British counterpart David
Cameron.
Apart from a civil nuclear agreement signed between
the two countries, commercial deals worth $14 billion were
signed.
On Saturday, the Indian prime minister visited the plant of
Tata subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover, India’s flagship investment
in Britain, before emplaning for Turkey. — IANS
NOT ENOUGH CASH IN THE KITTY
Uber taxi drivers take to the streets during a one-day hunger strike against the US-headquartered transportation service in
Hyderabad. Uber cab drivers allege they were not making as much money as promised by Uber. India is Uber’s second
biggest market after the United States and the company claims around 35 per cent of Indian market share with 150,000 driver
entrepreneurs. — AFP
markets, deep-pocketed investors and
strategic importance.
“We are here to experience the aura
of Modi, it is the aura of truth and
development. There is no comparison
for him in this era,” said audience
member Mahdu Kabra, 32.
The event also underscored Modi’s
shift from political pariah to —
according to his many supporters —
India’s saviour, after he swept to office
last year promising economic reform
and less bureaucracy.
Only a few years earlier, Britain and
several other countries had shunned
Modi due to accusations he turned a
blind eye while he was chief minister of
Gujarat to 2002 communal violence in
which hundreds were killed.
“All great leaders had protests, look
at Churchill. This is a trivial and fragile
way to bring him down. It’s a political
vendetta,” Kabra said.
The iconic British stadium had been
thoroughly Indianised for Modi’s visit,
with burger vans replaced by kiosks
selling chicken tikka and samosas.
Inside, the sacred turf had been
covered with two giant lotus leaf designs,
one in Union Jack colours, another
in the white, green and saffron of the
Indian tricolour.
The Indian flag had also been
recreated by covering seats with plastic
sheets behind one goalmouth, where a
stage had been set up.
A massive “UK Welcomes Modi”
banner showed on screens above the
stadium’s entrances.
Many of Modi’s supporters wore
orange bandanas and scarves, the colour
of Modi’s ruling rightist Bharatiya Janata
Party.
“The development Modi has done
in the last 10 years, since he has been
chief minister over there, has been
unbelievable,” said Suresh Bhojani, 37,
from Bolton.
Also on stage, British Prime Minister
David Cameron garnered applause,
telling Indians that they put the “great
into Great Britain”.
He drew Wembley’s loudest cheer
since Raheem England scored for
England last month when he called for
India to have a permanent seat on the
United Nations Security Council, before
bringing the house down with a bold
prediction.
“It won’t be long before there’s
a British Indian prime minister in
Downing Street,” he told them.
Modi brought the event to a close
by setting off a huge firework display
that illuminated the stadium as part of
Diwali celebrations. — AFP
Nitish stakes claim
to form Bihar govt
PATNA: Janata Dal-United leader
Nitish Kumar met Bihar governor
Ramnath Kovind and staked claim to
form the government after the Grand
Alliance legislature parties unanimously
elected him as their leader in the
assembly on Saturday, officials said.
Senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U)
leader Nitish Kumar accompanied by
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu
Prasad and senior Congress leader C
P Joshi and JD-U president Sharad
Yadav met Governor Kovind at Raj
Bhavan and staked claim to form the
next government on November 20, an
official said.
Nitish Kumar, who led the Grand
Alliance to a victory in the assembly
elections, was unanimously elected
leader of the legislature party of the
three-party grouping that includes
the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), the
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the
Congress.
JD-U state president Vashisht
Narain Singh said the newly-elected
legislators of the Grand Alliance met
in the annexe of the Bihar Legislative
Council premises and unanimously
elected Nitish Kumar as the legislature
party leader.
“In the joint meeting RJD leader
and former chief minister Rabri Devi
proposed the name of Nitish Kumar
as a leader of the Grand Alliance and
supported by all.”
Nitish Kumar’s election as the leader
came after he was elected leader of
the JD-U legislature party and hours
after he submitted his resignation to
Governor Ramnath Kovind.
Earlier, Nitish Kumar met the
governor, submitted his resignation and
said the cabinet had decided to dissolve
the outgoing assembly.
The governor urged him to continue
as caretaker chief minister till a new
government is formed.
According to JD-U leaders,
Nitish Kumar will take oath as chief
minister on November 20 along with a
36-member council of ministers.
The RJD emerged as the single
largest party with 80 assembly seats,
followed by the JD-U with 71 and the
Congress with 27 seats.
There will be 16 ministers from
Lalu Prasad’s RJD, 15 from the JD-U
and five from the Congress in the new
government, said sources.
— IANS
Lok Sabha Speaker urges all opposition parties to unite to fight against misrule
Somnath bats for alliances to take on BJP, TMC
KOLKATA: Expressing alarm over
rise of “confrontationalist politics”
and growing religious and political
intolerance, former Lok Sabha speaker
Somnath Chatterjee (pictured) on
Saturday batted for cobbling up ‘grand
alliances’ to take on the BJP at the centre
and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in
West Bengal.
Speaking at an event to mark the
125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal
Nehru, Chatterjee said the Bihar polls
— where the Grand Alliance led by the
JD-U, RJD and the Congress defeated
the BJP — had shown the way.
“There is no doubt that attempts
are being made to divide the people
on communal lines. People’s right to
speech, right to do cinemas, theatre, are
all being attacked. It is unimaginable
that someone like Girish Karnad has to
face death threats.
“The worrying thing is India has
reached a position where all such things
are happening,” Chatterjee told the
media.
He said Bihar’s Grand Alliance was
a way forward to fight the growing
intolerance and end the misuse of
governmental power.
“In a scenario where governmental
power is being misused, I feel all the
opposition forces should unite to fight
to end this misrule. But this fight must
be for the sake of the people and not for
political interests.
“Time is not for considering political
or party interests rather to ponder how
we can save the common people, how
can we save the country,” said Chatterjee.
Asked if such a grand alliance was
also needed to dismantle the Mamata
The seminar ‘Jawaharlal Nehru and
Modern India: Contribution and legacy’,
organised by the state Congress, brought
together a host of leaders from various
Left parties including CPM Rajya Sabha
member Ritabrata Banerjee, former MP
Sujon Chakraborty, and leaders of the
CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP as well as
representatives of JD-U and RJD.
Sidelined Trinamool leader and Rajya
Sabha member Mukul Roy and expelled
CPM leader and former state minister
Abdul Rezzak Mollah were also present.
Chatterjee, however, refused to
comment if the presence of the leaders
was an indication of any such grand
Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress alliance.
Addressing the event, Chatterjee
in the state, Chatterjee replied in the
raised alarm over growing intolerance
affirmative.
“Yes, indeed,” said the octogenarian and disrespect for dissent.
“Confrontationlist
politics
has
leader.
sharpened religious, linguistic and
casteist divisions in the society.
Worryingly, political power has got
polarised along the identities of caste,
religion and language.
“Most
alarmingly,
intolerance,
divisiveness and confrontation, and
disrespect for dissent are increasingly
vitiating the political system. Added to
this, is attempts by some institutions
to malign and marginalise important
people’s forum with an intent to occupy
larger space that what is ideally feasible
or constitutionally permissible in a
representative democratic system,” he
said.
Harping on the ideals of Nehru,
Chatterjee called for the need to ponder
and address the issues of corruption,
criminalisation and communalisation of
politics. — IANS
IN BRIEF
Kerala LDF
to boycott
Britain trip
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The Left opposition has decided
to boycott an all party delegation
of Kerala legislators to Britain as it
is being led by Excise Minister K
Babu, who is in the eye of a storm
over an alleged bribery case.
“We were told that the delegation
to Britain following an invite from
the British parliament would be
led by Information and Culture
Minister K C Joseph, but now it is
Babu who is leading the delegation.
Since he is under a cloud, we
decided that we will not go,” former
Kerala minister and CPI leader C
Divakaran told reporters here on
Saturday.
The delegation, scheduled to
leave on November 19, comprises
of two opposition legislators —
CPI parliamentary party leader
Divakaran and CPM supported
independent legislator K T Jaleel.
It was on Tuesday (November
10), that K M Mani, after an adverse
Kerala High Court remark on the
bar bribery scam, stepped down as
finance minister. — IANS
BJP asks Cong
for poll tie-up
in Tripura
AGARTALA: In a surprise move,
the BJP’s Tripura unit has requested
the main opposition Congress to
form an electoral alliance to fight
the ruling Left Front in the state’s
December 9 civic polls.
“If the Congress does not put
up its candidates in next month’s
municipal elections, then the
opposition parties’ combined
vote would be able to defeat the
candidates of the Left parties,”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Tripura unit president Sudhindra
Dasgupta told reporters here.
He said: “The Congress either
can form an alliance with the BJP
or support the nominees of the BJP.
The BJP was gaining popularity
in the state after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi-led government
came to power last year,”
Dasgupta said after announcing
BJP candidates for the municipal
elections.
“Results of the Lok Sabha, gram
panchayat and tribal autonomous
district council polls have shown
that the BJP’s vote share has
increased substantially, eating into
Congress’s support base. — IANS
Ahmedabad
to London
flights by AI
MUMBAI: Air India on Saturday
announced that it will launch a daily
direct flight between Ahmedabad
and London from December 15.
The announcement came a day
after Prime Minister Narendra
Modi made a commitment
to connect the economic and
industrial hub of Gujarat with the
British capital during his ongoing
visit to Britain.
The new service AI-131 will
be operated by a Boeing B-787
Dreamliner. The plane will be
operated on the AhmedabadMumbai-London sector.
It will take off from Ahmedabad
at 4.30 am to reach Mumbai at 5.45
am, depart Mumbai at 7.05 am and
reach London at 11.30 pm (local
time).
On the return sector, flight AI130 will leave London at 1.30 pm
(local time), arrive Mumbai at 4
am the following day and land in
Ahmedabad at 6.45 am.
Air India presently operates four
flights to London, three from New
Delhi and one from Mumbai daily.
The new flight will prove a boon
to the 1.5 million strong Indian
diaspora living in Britain. — IANS
INDIA
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
11
Modi’s development about few businessmen: Sonia
BLAME GAME: Congress Vice-President Rahul holds BJP, RSS responsible for intolerance
NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi
on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government
has a different meaning of the word ‘development’
in the country, as for them it means ‘development
of a few businessmen’.
“The word (development) is being repeated.
They have changed meaning of the term.
For them, it means development of a few
businessmen,” Gandhi said while addressing the
birth anniversary function of the country’s first
prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the Indira
Gandhi Indoor Stadium here.
“Achchhe din (good times) were when
Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister as everyone
was then able to say his ‘mann ki baat’ (speaking
one’s heart out) as it was not limited to a radio
programme,” she said taking a dig at Modi’s
monthly radio address.
The Congress chief said the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) could tell the country what to eat and
what not to eat but it could not tell people how
to manage to eat daal (pulses), with their prices
having gone beyond the common man’s reach.
File picture of Congress President Sonia Gandhi with party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and former
prime minister Manmohan Singh during the Kisan Samman rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.
Stating that Nehru as the first prime minister
of the country visualised and established various
institutions to take the country forward, she said,
“but they are being destroyed by the present
regime”.
Affluent consumers urged
to give up LPG subsidy
KOLKATA: The central government on
Saturday yet again appealed to affluent
LPG consumers to give up subsidy, and
said there was a need to think of an
income bracket on the issue.
Speaking to reporters on the
sidelines of a seminar organised by
the CII, Petroleum and Natural Gas
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the
government has saved Rs 15,000 crore
by terminating 30 million duplicate
LPG connections.
“Since the time of implementation
of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT),
the government has saved Rs 15,000
crore. About 30 million duplicate LPG
connections were terminated and had
led to this savings,” he said.
Pradhan said recently Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley asked him
whether it was time to limit LPG
subsidies to some income bracket. “I
told him it was time to think about this.”
The minister said there was an
urgent need to step up activities with
particular emphasis on the downstream
in the eastern region of the country
which had potential in the oil and gas
sector.
“With the eastern, northeastern and
the Andaman region endowed with
massive reserves of coal-based methane
(CBM) and other natural gases, it is high
time that we devoted more time and
energy to strengthening the support
structure — from mentoring, financing,
quality standards, marketing inputs and
technology acquisition,” he said.
“We are planning to make the East
a gateway for oil and gas. Four LNG
terminals are in the concept stage,” he
said. He also focused on downstream
polytex industry, saying this will go a
long way in ensuring India supports
the textiles industry in the South East
region, particularly Vietnam and and
Bangladesh. “The textile sector in the
eastern region will grow as a result,” he
said. He also spoke of the plan to set up
an LPG Import Terminal at Paradip in
Odisha.
“The aim is to help meet the
additional LPG demand in the eastern
states,” the minister said, adding that
LPG pipelines are being built in Haldia
and Durgapur in West Bengal, Barauni,
Patna and Muzaffarpur in Bihar to
connect them with the terminal.
Pradhan underscored the need for
doing away with coal and kerosene and
embracing other forms of commercial
energy which are of higher quality and
efficiency.
Meanwhile, reports from Hyderabad
said the central government is planning
to withdraw subsidy on cooking gas for
people with annual income of over Rs
10 lakh, Union Minister M Venkaiah
Naidu said here on Saturday.
“Why do they need subsidy? Why
do the ministers need subsidy?” Naidu,
who is minister for urban development
and parliamentary affairs, asked at a
meeting here.
The minister said 30 lakh people
have given up LPG subsidy in response
to a call given by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. He said the money
saved on this will be used to provide
gas connections to poor families. Naidu
was speaking at an awards function at
the Federation of Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana Chambers of Commerce.
He also quoted Petroleum and
Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan as saying that many illegal
gas connections were identified and
thousands of crores of rupees were
saved by stopping supply to those
consumers.
— IANS
36 per cent Odisha
schools have no toilets
BHUBANESWAR: A study has
found that 36 per cent of schools in
Odisha still have no functional toilets
and 76 per cent have no hand-wash
facilities. According to the study,
more than one-third schools do not
have even one functional toilet while
57 per cent of high schools do not
have functional toilets for girls.
The assessment was carried out
by 21 civil society organisations
of Odisha under the banner of the
Right to Education (RTE) forum
with coordination support from
Regional Centre for Development
Cooperation (RCDC).
The study was carried out in
October this year in 160 schools
situated in rural areas in 20 districts.
While 43 per cent high schools
did not have a single toilet, 79 per
cent of high schools did not have
menstrual hygiene management
facilities, said the report.
“We found that government
commitments are still unfulfilled
and the Supreme Court’s orders
are still not fully complied with as
schools of rural Odisha adversely
suffer from water, sanitation and
hygiene infrastructure problems,”
said RTE convener Anil Pradhan.
Even the Sevashram schools
managed by the SC and ST
development department fared
poorly on functional toilets for
girls’ indicator — 40 per cent of
Sevashram schools did not have any
functional toilet for girl students.
The only silver lining that the
study found was that in 41 per cent
schools assessed, at least some form
of renovation or construction work
had been done in the last one year
to improve water, sanitation and
hygiene facilities, said RCDC senior
programme manager Bimal Prasad
Pandia.
— IANS
Sonia Gandhi also termed the Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) as the “remote
control” of the Narendra Modi government. The
term used to be applied to her when Manmohan
Singh was the prime minister. Speaking on
the occasion, Congress Vice-President Rahul
Gandhi and senior Congress leaders Ghulam
Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, A K Antony
and Anand Sharma also criticised the Modi
government.
Congress leader and party spokesperson
Anand Sharma said “Modi, the BJP and the RSS
were working against the values the nation was
founded at”. “During the recent India-Africa
summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did
not mention the name of Jawaharlal Nehru even
once,” he said, adding it was African leaders who
talked about him reminding Modi about Nehru’s
role in India’s foreign policies.
Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok
Sabha, said Modi had to explain in London that
there was no intolerance in the country.
“He had to explain about it. It means it’s there,”
he said, adding that people have realised what his
government and its allies were up to.
“In Delhi (elections) they put a comma and in
Bihar a full stop,” he said.
Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in the
Rajya Sabha, and former defence minister Antony
also criticised the central government’s alleged
policy of intolerance, saying to take forward a
country like India, where people of all faiths live,
one must create trust among the masses.
Rahul said: “They (BJP and RSS) want
everyone to sing in one tune. They want a picture
to be painted in just one colour which is not
possible because of the nature of our country,”
he said while addressing a birth anniversary
function of former prime minister Jawaharlal
Nehru at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here.
“The BJP and the RSS think they know
everything and don’t like to be questioned but
the truth is if they knew everything, ‘achchhe din’
(good times) would have come (by now),” he said.
He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, saying had there been tolerance in the
country under the present regime, he would
have not been asked to comment on the issue in
London where he is on a three-day visit.
The Congress vice-president said intolerance
— IANS
would lead the country nowhere.
DEDICATION ON SAND
Nehru was a world
leader: Rajnath Singh
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture to pay tribute to the victims of the attacks in
Paris, in Odisha. — Reuters
Children’s writer Kamala Laxman dead
PUNE: Kamala Laxman, a well-known author of
children’s books and widow of legendary cartoonist
R K Laxman, died here on Saturday evening due to
old age, her son said. She was 90. Kamala Laxman
is survived by her son Srinivas, daughter-in-law
Usha and granddaughter Rimanika.
“She was not keeping too well and was suffering
since my father’s death last year. After his death,
she had said ‘I will join you soon’. It appears her
wish was fulfilled today,” Srinivas said. The funeral
is planned for Sunday morning in Pune, he added.
With many children’s books to her credit in the
1970s, Kamala was commissioned by the India
Book House to write a series for children. Among
her notable books are The Thama Stories and her
book Raman of Tenali & Other Stories, Thama and
His Missing Mother, among others, many of which
were illustrated by her husband, R K Laxman.
NEW DELHI: Describing the country’s first prime
minister Jawaharlal Nehru as a “world leader”, union
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday he was
instrumental in developing India as a strong democratic
power.
“Nehru was instrumental in developing India as
a strong democratic power in world’s prism. Nehru
supported the concept of Public-Private Partnership
which is still very much present in the Indian society and
is one of the easiest way of development,” Singh said
while addressing the birth anniversary function of Nehru
here.
Singh said despite ideological differences,
no one should question Nehru’s intention to work for
the welfare of people and his commitment to nation
building.
“There are many issues on which we have our
differences with Nehru. We have differences over his
policies, but we can’t doubt his intention to work for the
welfare of people and nation building,” he said.
“I do not see Nehru through a ‘political mirror’ as he
should always be seen in the national mirror,” he added.
Describing Nehru as a visionary leader, he said:
“Thanks to immense contributions from leaders like
Nehru, India today has a democracy based on universal
adult franchise, a sovereign parliament, independent
judiciary and free press.”
Giving Nehru credit for promoting infrastructure,
industry and education in India, Singh said it was under
the stewardship of Nehru that the country had set up
large steel plants in Bhilai, Rourkela and Bokaro, top
academic institutions like IISc, IITs and IIMs and several
nuclear plants. — IANS
166 people were killed in November 2008 in Mumbai when gunmen stormed the city
Paris attacks evoke dark memories
MUMBAI: For residents of the bustling
city of Mumbai, the horrific attacks
in Paris on Friday night carry sombre
echoes of a bloody series of killings in
their own city seven years ago.
A total of 166 people were killed in
November 2008 when gunmen stormed
luxury hotels, the main railway station,
a Jewish centre and other sites in the
booming metropolis, the financial heart
of India.
“Anger is filling up inside me again
as the pictures, the videos and the social
media chats make me relive the horror
of that night even more graphically,” said
Sourav Mishra, who was injured in the
November 26 attacks.
Mishra was enjoying with friends at
Leopold Cafe, a popular tourist haunt in
the historic district of Colaba, when two
gunmen burst in.
“One second I was drinking and
chatting with my friends... the next
second we had bullets whizzing past
killing fellow diners,” he said.
The coordinated spate of attacks
began at around 10:30 pm when
gunmen armed with powerful assault
rifles and grenades seized two five-star
hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi
Trident, taking hostages.
Military commandos later stormed
the Taj and began a battle with militants
that transformed the city into a war zone
for 60 hours as live television footage of
the shootout was beamed around the
world.
Fifty-two people died at the Taj
It had a psychological
effect on each and
every ‘Mumbaikar’.
The entire city was
under siege for three days’.
MANOJ SINGH
A man working at a TV station
In this picture flames and smoke gush out of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. — AFP
Mahal hotel while another 38 perished
at the Oberoi Trident.
A 20-minute killing spree at
Mumbai’s main railway station,
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, left some
80 people dead.
“It had a psychological effect on each
and every ‘Mumbaikar’. The entire city
was under siege for three days,” said
Manoj Singh, 39, who was working at a
television station in Mumbai at the time.
“This is French media, so they do
not show all the images. But I could see
the pictures they are not showing in my
mind,” he said.
Nirmala Ponnudurai, who had to
have a piece of bullet shrapnel removed
from her head after being shot at the
station, said the events in Paris “bring
back all the memories”.
“Even after the years have passed by
it’s not an easy situation to deal with,”
she said.
Chintan Sakariya, who witnessed
the attack on Nariman House, a Jewish
Community Centre,” said reading about
the Paris attacks on Saturday morning
had given him “goosebumps”.
“The memories are fresh and
unforgettable. They are horrifying,” he
said.
The Paris attacks have echoes of the
Mumbai atrocity not just in their coordination but in their choosing of “soft
targets”, according to terror analysts.
“There are similarities because of the
targeting of a restaurant, a crowded place
and in terms of targeting a prominent
city,” Sameer Patil, a terrorism and
security expert in Mumbai said.
While it took less-experienced
Mumbai three days to bring the city
under control, “because of the law
enforcement machinery that Paris has
and the experience of the Charlie Hebdo
attacks in January” French special ops
were able to quickly mobilise a response,
he said.
Vappala Balachandran, former
deputy head of India’s foreign
intelligence agency, said while the
security services had learnt from the
2008 attacks, the Paris atrocities showed
how difficult they were to prevent.
“Even the better protected countries
and cities are not able to stop the
subversion from within and the fact that
terrorists are constantly adapting,” he
said. — AFP
12
$11,000 FINE FOR POSSESSION OF WILD CAT
S U N DAY l N O V E M B E R 1 5 l 2 0 1 5
MAGNITUDE-7 QUAKE HITS JAPAN
A Malaysian court has fined a man 50,000
ringgit ($11,600) for possession of highly
endangered Sunda clouded leopard.
Muhammad Rizduan Ibrahim, from the
eastern state of Sabah, will face one year
in jail if he fails to pay the fine, according
to Sabah Wildlife Department director.
Also known as Bornean clouded leopard,
this medium-sized wild cat is found only
in Borneo and Sumatra.
WORLD
A magnitude-7 earthquake
hit one of Japan’s main
islands yesterday. The
quake struck about 160 km
southwest of Makurazaki
on Kyushu, the Japan
Meteorological Agency said.
An hour after the tremor, a
tsunami 30 cm in height was
seen on Nakanoshima Island.
65 Afghan
soldiers defect
to Taliban
Manila APEC summit security upgraded
LASHKAR GAH: At least 65 Afghan
soldiers have defected to the Taliban,
taking their weapons and equipment
with them and 88 have been killed in
days of heavy fighting in the volatile
southern province of Helmand, the
local provincial Governor said on
Saturday.
The latest losses underline the
heavy toll being exacted on Afghan
security forces, now fighting largely
alone since international troops ended
most combat operations last year.
Police and soldiers have been
engaged in near-continuous combat
with insurgents for the past three
weeks in the districts of Lashkar
Gah, Marjah and Nadali in Helmand,
one of the movement’s traditional
strongholds.
Although they have so far
repelled Taliban efforts to take the
provincial capital Lashkar Gah, they
have not been able to push back the
insurgents decisively from areas
around the city.
“Soldiers from an Afghan army
brigade in Station area have joined
the Taliban with their equipment and
weapons,” Helmand Governor Mirza
Khan Rahimi said.
He said a team had been sent to
the town of Sangin to investigate the
incident.
Taliban
spokesman
Qari
Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement
that five commanders and 65
army soldiers “repented their
mistakes and surrendered to
Mujahideen”, bringing five armoured
personnel carriers as well as weapons
and ammunition.
— Reuters
MANILA: The Philippines put its
military and police on full alert Saturday
and pledged “higher security” for world
leaders meeting at an economic summit
in Manila next week after gunmen killed
more than 120 people in Paris.
US President Barack Obama is set
to join the leaders of China, Japan,
Australia, Canada and 15 other countries
at an annual Asia-Pacific Economic
Conference summit in Manila on
November 18-19.
“There is no credible threat registered
at this time, but let us all be cooperative
and vigilant,” President Benigno Aquino
said in a statement, also expressing
solidarity with France after gunmen
shouting massacred scores of diners and
concert-goers across Paris.
The Filipino leader later met with his
top security advisers, his spokeswoman
Abigail Valte told reporters.
“President Aquino wanted to ensure
that all our preparations are in place and
all contingencies have been planned for,”
she said.
The Philippine military put the
125,000-member force on “full alert”
on Saturday, hours after a similar
announcement by the 150,000-strong
national police.
“The alert status was also raised...
as a matter of procedure following any
international terrorist incident such as
this morning’s terrorist attack in Paris,”
military spokesman Colonel Restituto
Padilla said in a statement.
“Philippine APEC security planners
are now seriously looking into this
recent incident to ensure our security
preparations
are
appropriately
upgraded.” Filipino security forces
VIGILANT: Military and police on full alert nationwide ahead of next week’s summit in Manila
The Philippines has
cancelled more than a
thousand flights, deployed
18,000 police, and declared
public holidays in Manila to
ensure a safe and efficient
summit
A US Marine V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft takes off near the site of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila
yesterday, days ahead of the summit. — AFP
conducted a mock terrorist attack and
response at the APEC venue Saturday,
with about a hundred special forces
troops jumping out of a military
helicopter and storming the building.
Other members of the security
forces lay on the pavement outside the
Philippine International Convention
Centre, acting out the role of bloodied
civilian casualties.
Philippine marines also deployed
anti-aircraft guns and riot police
around the summit venue as authorities
conducted a full rehearsal of the visiting
leaders’ motorcades travelling between
the summit venues and their hotels.
AROUND THE GLOBE
National security, counter-terrorism loom large
Dead baby: Mother makes ‘partial confession’
US Democrats debate in
wake of France terror
DES MOINES: Democratic US
presidential hopefuls clashed on
Saturday barely 24 hours after shock
attacks in Paris, with national security
and counter-terrorism looming large
as liberal Bernie Sanders seeks to claw
back ground from frontrunner Hillary
Clinton.
Former secretary of state Clinton,
self-described democratic socialist
Senator Sanders and former Maryland
governor Martin O’Malley take the
stage at 8 pm in Des Moines, Iowa, the
small but crucial state which votes first
in the drawn out nominations process.
With 79 days before the Iowa
caucuses, Clinton has reinforced her
status as the woman to beat in the
race. The prime time showdown is
the Democrats’ second of the cycle —
compared with four already held by
rival Republicans.
The event will address Iowans’
concerns, including farming. But
it will also be an opportunity for
Sanders to distinguish himself from
both the frontrunner and from
incumbent President Barack Obama.
Disagreements on several topics
abound. Following Friday’s horrific
terrorist attacks in France, moderators
will probe the candidates about national
security and fighting extremism in the
Middle East.
“Tonight’s attacks in Paris require
important questions for the candidates,”
executive editor Steve Capus of debate
broadcaster CBS News said on Twitter
hours after the coordinated killing that
left 128 people dead.
Sanders is likely to criticise Clinton’s
2002 Senate vote to authorise the Iraq
war. Sanders voted against authorisation.
Bringing the debate forward to
today’s crises, Clinton has said she
favours a no-fly zone over parts of Syria.
France to go
ahead with
climate summit
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders wave
following the First in the South Presidential Candidates Forum held at Winthrop
University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. — Reuters
Sanders opposes such a plan, arguing
last month that it could precipitate “a
never-ending US entanglement” in the
region.
Clinton, within or close to center
rings of power since the 1990s, is not
calling for a revolution against Wall
Street like Sanders is. Several wealthy
bankers back the former New York
senator’s presidential bid and are helping
fund her campaign.
Both candidates support increasing
the federal minimum wage: Clinton
wants it raised to $12 an hour, while
Sanders calls for $15, up from $7.50
today.
Sanders warns about America’s
“rigged economy” and “corrupt”
political system. He wants to impose
a financial transaction tax, like France
and Germany have, on trades of stocks,
bonds and other securities; reform the
estate tax; and break up the “too-big-to-
Military helicopters flew low
overhead while naval gunboats patrolled
the waters of nearby Manila Bay.
Asked about the implications of the
Paris attacks on the APEC summit,
Foreign Undersecretary Laura del
Rosario, a member of the organising
committee, said by text: “Higher
security.” National police spokesman
Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor
said the authorities “have not monitored
any specific or direct threat” to the
country.
“Nonetheless,
target-hardening
measures on vital installations,
particularly sea ports, airports and our
rail systems have been further elevated to
maximise deterrence against unforseen
events,” he said in a statement.
The Philippines has cancelled more
than a thousand flights, deployed 18,000
police, and declared public holidays
in Manila to ensure a safe and efficient
summit, the organisers have said.
Major streets in the usually chaotic
capital are being closed to traffic to speed
up the shuttling of delegates, with police
asking building owners to close their
windows to prevent their use by snipers.
The Philippines has a long history
of militancy in a southern region about
1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from
Manila, although extremists have also
carried out deadly attacks in the capital.
Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed more than
100 people when they fire-bombed a
ferry on Manila Bay in 2004, while the
group regularly kidnaps foreign tourists
and bombs churches and shopping malls
in the south. — AFP
fail” banks.
Clinton has expressed support for a
fee on large banks to curb certain risktaking, as well as for taxes on certain
high-frequency trades.
She has been accused of flipflopping on trade, by recently opposing
the newly concluded Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) signed by Obama,
after having defended its merits for
years while she was his top diplomat.
Ditto on the controversial Keystone XL
pipeline, which she recently came out
against.
Sanders for years has helped lead
opposition to these two major projects,
seen as crucial battles for liberals.
O’Malley has long opposed them too.
Clinton supports the death penalty
but has questioned the frequency with
which it is applied. In October she
expressed concern it was being used in
an “indiscriminate” way. — AFP
PARIS: France plans to go ahead with
a global climate change summit in
Paris at the end of the month, despite
a wave of deadly attacks.
Asked whether the meeting,
bringing together almost 200
countries, could be postponed,
moved or cancelled, a senior
French diplomatic source said on
Saturday: “That is in no way under
consideration.”
Nick Nuttall (pictured), spokesman
for the UN Climate Change Secretariat
in Bonn, also said the conference “is
going ahead as planned”.
About 118 world leaders, including
US President Barack Obama, are
expected to attend the opening
day of the November 30-December
11 conference, which is due to nail
down a global deal to limit rising
greenhouse gas emissions.
Overall, between 20,000 and
40,000 delegates are expected to
attend.
“Security at UN climate
conferences is always tight but
understandably it will be even tighter
for Paris,” Nuttall said.
The United Nations has the main
responsibility for security inside the
conference venue at Le Bourget, to
the north of the capital.
Organisers of a march to press
for climate action planned for Paris
on November 29, the eve of the
summit, said they would meet on
Monday “to discuss ways forward”,
said Alice Jay, Director of the citizens’
campaign group Avaaz and one of
the organisers. Organisers have been
hoping to imitate a “People’s Climate
March” in New York last year that
attracted hundreds of thousands of
people, the largest protest against
global warming in history. — Reuters
FRANKFURT: A 45-year-old woman who was arrested after eight babies were found
dead at an apartment in Germany has made a “partial confession”, police said on
Saturday. The woman had been detained on Friday, suspected of killing the children,
police in the southern state of Bavaria said in a statement.
The woman said she was the mother of some of the babies, and admitted to killing
some of them, the dpa news agency reported, citing a police spokesperson.
The woman’s partner, 55, who had been arrested at the same time, has been
cleared and set free, police said.
The investigation is ongoing and an autopsy is to be performed on the babies.
Police in the small town of Wallenfels were alerted Thursday by a resident who
found an infant’s body in the apartment.
When officers arrived at the apartment they uncovered several other bodies,
wrapped in hand towels and placed in plastic bags.
Germany has seen several infanticide cases in recent years.
In May, a woman was sentenced to 44 months in prison for killing two of her
children and hiding them in a freezer.
In October 2013, also in Bavaria, construction workers found the bodies of two
babies who had been dead since the 1980s. — AFP
The set at Sheslow Auditorium where the Democratic Presidential Debate will
be in held in the Old Main building at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
— AFP
Relatives search for missing, grief pours out
LONDON: Scores of appeals for missing people circulated on Twitter and green “I
am safe” ticks appeared on Facebook profiles of many Parisians on Saturday, as an
outpouring of shock and grief over Friday’s deadly assault dominated social media.
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook were flooded with tributes, messages of
condolences and solidarity for the victims and for France, with #PrayforParis and
#PrayersforParis the top trending hashtags by far.
“I am trying to locate my cousin Callum Hamish MacDonald,” one woman wrote
in English on Twitter. The 24-year-old father of a toddler was last seen at the Bataclan
concert venue, she said.
A man by the name of Jo wrote: “My girlfriend was at the concert. I was supposed to
get engaged with her. I don’t know if I will see her again.” His post on Twitter had been
retweeted nearly 3,000 times, with people sending replies of support.
Profile pictures were changed en masse, some showing the blue, white and red
stripes of the French tricolour flag across their personal photos, or a roughly painted
peace symbol doctored to resemble the Eiffel Tower. — Reuters
REGION
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
Israel razes homes of four Palestinians
CLASHES CONTINUE: 19 wounded in fights between youths and security forces
NABLUS: Israeli troops on Saturday
razed the West Bank homes of four
Palestinians accused of attacking
Israelis, pressing ahead with a
controversial policy of punitive
demolitions after weeks of deadly
unrest.
Separately, 19 Palestinians were
wounded in clashes between stonethrowing youths and Israeli security
forces in the south of the occupied West
Bank.
In Nablus in the north, troops
destroyed the homes of three
Palestinians accused of killing an Israeli
settler couple on October 1 at the start
of the latest flare-up of violence, the
army said.
Before dawn, the army destroyed the
family homes of Kerem Razek, Samir
Kusa and Yahya Haj Hamed.
All three are awaiting trial for the
murder of Eitam and Na’ama Henkin
in their car in front of their young
children.
In Silwad, northeast of Palestinian
political capital Ramallah, the army
razed the home of a man accused of
killing an Israeli on a West Bank road
in June.
The home of Mouad Hamed, accused
of killing Malachi Rosenfeld, was
destroyed in a controlled explosion that
also damaged at least two neighbouring
houses, a photographer said.
In an unrelated protest in the
southern West Bank city of Hebron,
19 Palestinians were hospitalised
after being shot in clashes with Israeli
security forces, Palestinian medical
sources said.
Fourteen were hit by live
The demolitions came
hours after two Israelis were
shot dead in an apparent
ambush near the flashpoint
West Bank city of Hebron on
Friday.
Palestinians inspect the rubble of a house that was demolished by Israeli troops in the West Bank. — Reuters
ammunition and five were struck by
rubber bullets, the sources said.
The army operation came after
the High Court ruled in favour of the
demolitions on Thursday.
The policy is controversial even in
Israel. The government argues that it
acts as a deterrent, but critics say the
main victims are relatives forced to pay
The hunt for extremist
John took months
WASHINGTON: The US-British
missile strike believed to have killed
‘John’ came together at lightning speed,
but was months in preparation.
Shortly before midnight on
Thursday, two US MQ-9 Reaper drones
and one British MQ-9 cruised above
Raqqa, the Syrian heart of the IS’s selfdeclared caliphate that stretches deep
into Iraq, US officials said.
The aircraft’s controllers monitored
two people who had entered a parked
car.
US officials said the US and British
military operation to kill Emwazi had
been in the works well before the drones
finally unleashed Hellfire missiles on
Thursday night.
US and British agencies had
tracked the IS propagandist and
alleged executioner for months
before delivering information on his
movements and location to the US
military, officials said.
In the days leading up to the strike
Emwazi had been moving around
Raqqa, visiting his wife’s residence and
an IS media operations cell, said one
US official, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
The subsequent US and British
operation unfolded quickly. Two
missiles destroyed the car targeted in
the strike.
The US expressed growing optimism
on Friday that Emwazi was dead but
cautioned that a formal determination
would take time.
“We’re 100 per cent sure the guy we
hit is dead. We are reasonably sure the
dead guy is John,” said one US official,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
The strike illustrates an apparent
improvement in Western intelligencegathering over the past year or more in
a rugged region where reliable on-theground information is scarce and where
the USs has struggled to infiltrate the
extremist group.
Use of American spy satellites,
eavesdropping sensors and drones have
been expanded over the past year, US
officials and a former official said. Some
monitoring resources were moved to
Syria from Afghanistan.
— Reuters
for another person’s actions.
Last month, the government
ordered an intensification of the policy
in response to a wave of stabbing and
shooting attacks and other deadly
unrest.
Dalia Kerstein, Director of the
Hamoked NGO which filed the appeals
against the demolitions, said she had
expected the families to be given 48
hours to leave.
“The demolitions are immoral, it
is collective punishment and they will
ignite the West Bank,” she said.
“How can Israelis not see it will fan
the flames?”
Demolition orders against several
other homes of alleged attackers are still
being contested in the Israeli courts.
The intensified demolitions are
among a raft of get-tough policies
ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu under pressure from farright coalition partners.
These also include minimum jail
terms for Palestinian stone-throwers,
looser rules of engagement for the army
and withholding the bodies of alleged
attackers to prevent funerals from
becoming political rallies.
But the crackdown has done little to
stop the violence.
The demolitions came hours after
two Israelis were shot dead in an
apparent ambush near the flashpoint
West Bank city of Hebron on Friday in
the most serious attack on Israelis in
nearly a month.
Since October 1, 12 Israelis have
been killed.
On the Palestinian side 81 people
have died, including one Israeli Arab.
Many have been alleged attackers but
they have also included protesters shot
in clashes with the army.
Friday saw three Palestinians die
after being shot by troops. — AFP
SUMMIT RIDE
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) drives a golf buggy with Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek (L) before
attending a bilateral meeting with South African President Jacob Zuma (not pictured) prior to the G20 Summit on November
14, 2015 in Antalya. Leaders from the world’s top 20 industrial powers meet in Turkey from November 15 seeking to
overcome differences on a range of issues including the Syria conflict, the refugee crisis and climate change. — AFP
13
Paris attacks
‘crimes against
humanity’:
Iran president
TEHRAN:
Hassan
Rouhani
postponed on Saturday what would
have been the first visit to Europe by
an Iranian president in 10 years after
attacks in Paris he described as “crimes
against humanity”.
Rouhani had been due to hold talks
in Rome with Pope Francis as well as
Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella
and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi
before travelling on to the French
capital.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif, who had been due to travel with
Rouhani, told state television he would
now instead head Iran’s delegation
to international talks on the Syrian
conflict in Vienna.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir Abdollahian had been due to
lead the Iranian team.
Rouhani sent a message of
condolence to French President
Francois Hollande on the shootings
and bombings in Paris that killed at
least 128 people, Iran’s official IRNA
news agency reported.
“In the name of the Iranian people,
who have themselves been victims of
terrorism, I strongly condemn these
crimes against humanity and offer my
condolences to the grieving French
people and government,” Rouhani
said.
— AFP
US wages air
strike on IS
leader in Libya
WASHINGTON: The US military
said on Saturday it launched an air
strike targeting the IS senior leader in
Libya, where the militant group has
grown stronger in the chaos following
the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi
four years ago.
The Pentagon said the strike,
carried out on Friday, was authorised
and planned before the attacks the
same day by gunmen and bombers in
Paris that killed 127 people.
IS has claimed responsibility for the
coordinated assault.
US officials, speaking on condition
of anonymity, expressed confidence
that Abu Nabil, also known as Wissam
Najm Abd Zayd al Zubaydi, was likely
killed in the air strike by F-15 aircraft
on a compound in the city of Derna.
“Nabil’s death will degrade ISIL’s
ability to meet the group’s objectives
in Libya, including recruiting new
ISIL members, establishing bases in
Libya, and planning external attacks
on the United States,” said Pentagon
spokesman Peter Cook, using an
acronym for IS.
Four years after the overthrow
of Gaddafi, IS has steadily grown,
controlling the city of Sirte, and
worrying Western governments who
fear it can only become stronger.
— Reuters
New evidence of the extremists’ horrific abuses beginning to emerge
Iraq Kurds clearing Sinjar of bombs; mass grave found
ARBIL: Iraqi Kurdish forces were
working to clear bombs planted by the IS
group in Sinjar, where a grave believed
to hold dozens of the victims was found
on Saturday.
The bombs must be removed before
the northern town’s mainly Yazidi
residents — members of a minority
group who were targeted in a brutal
campaign of massacres, enslavement
and rape by IS — can return and begin
rebuilding their lives.
Kurdish regional president Massud
Barzani on Friday announced the
“liberation of Sinjar”, a day after the
launch of a major ground operation to
drive out the rebels.
“Until now, we defused 45 bombs
and a car bomb,” said Sulaiman Saeed,
a member of the autonomous Kurdish
region’s peshmerga forces who works in
explosives disposal.
“Bombs are widespread in houses,”
Saeed said, adding that some 20
tonnes of explosives were found in a
bomb-making factory, while they also
discovered 20 barrels of explosives.
“Now that they’ve seized Sinjar,
or freed Sinjar, the next phase is to
go back and clear it,” Colonel Steve
Warren, spokesman for the international
operation against IS, told a news
conference on Friday.
“That will take a while, that will
probably take a week, 10 days, maybe
even two weeks, depending on the
complexity of the minefields and
obstacles that (IS) left behind,” Warren
said.
But bombs are not the only obstacles
to a return by residents, as many houses
and shops were smashed during the
fighting.
Peshmerga fighters from the Yazidi minority hold a Kurdish flag while entering Sinjar.
With the town retaken from IS, new
— AFP
evidence of the extremists’ horrific
abuses is beginning to emerge.
Based on information from young
women who witnessed the executions
and were enslaved by IS but later
escaped, officials found the site of a mass
grave believed to hold dozens of Yazidi
women killed by the extremists.
Miyasir Hajji, a local council member
for Sinjar, said that the grave on the edge
of the town, which has not yet been
excavated, is thought to contain the
bodies of 78 women aged from 40 to
around 80.
“It seems that the IS terrorist members
only wanted young girls to enslave,” Hajji
said, referring to the rebels using women
as slaves who can be bought and sold.
Mahma Khalil, the local official
responsible for the Sinjar area, confirmed
that the mass grave had been found, and
estimated it held some 80 victims.
The ground operation to drive
the rebels out of Sinjar, which began
Thursday morning, was led by
peshmerga forces and also involved
Yazidi fighters, with support from USled air strikes.
They were able to cut Highway 47,
one of IS’s main supply routes linking
territory it holds in Iraq and Syria, in the
Sinjar area on Thursday, and moved into
the town the following day.
IS overran Sinjar in August last year,
forcing thousands of Yazidis to flee to a
mountain overlooking the town, where
they were trapped by the extremists.
The United Nations has described
the attack on the Yazidis as a possible
genocide. Aiding the Yazidis, whose
unique faith IS considers heretical, was
one of Washington’s main justifications
for starting its air campaign against the
rebels last year. — AFP
14
#ICYMI
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
omandailyobserver
PHOTO OF THE DAY
READER’S CHOICE
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Thank you @alinasser41 for this charming view. Head out to his gallery to see his other works.
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S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
HOT READ
TRENDING
WHAT’S UP
OMAN SAYS PARIS ATTACKS
‘DEPLORABLE’
127 DEAD IN PARIS ATTACKS,
HOLLANDE DECLARES EMERGENCY
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
SHARE?
In his tweet, Sayyid Badr al Busaidi, SecretaryGeneral at Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned
the Paris attacks as utterly deplorable and extended
the Sultanate’s sympathy to the victims. Get the
latest news updates in What’s App today.
France has declared a national state of emergency
and tightened borders after at least 127 people
were killed in a night of gun and bomb attacks in
Paris. — Reuters
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Appreciating the Oud
CelebriTweet
Source: viralnova.com
Notification
I
f you have kids, then you’re probably familiar with Disney and may have, at some point,
memorised the lyrics of “Let It Go” from the world famous animated movie, Frozen.
Just reading that first paragraph, you might already have smirked a little knowing how
close it is to the truth.
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Without a doubt, Disney is an influential movie studio. It is a magical place where fantastic
lands come alive, where frogs and beasts are given voices, where damsels seemed to be
always in distress and there’s always a prince or a hero most willing to save the day.
The Oud, or the Middle Eastern lute, hit a new note this
week as the Oud Hobbyists Association organised a Sehr Al
Sharq of four musicians at the American British Academy.
Engaging Post
Govt moves to curb ‘unnecessary’ tests
But did you ever wonder how Disney come up with their fantastical places?
Viral Today
Today, we round up the Internet to hunt for clues. It seems like streets and castles used on
our most beloved Disney movies were inspired by actual places in existence today.
The River Of Five Colours
Caño Cristales is one the world’s most amazing places that
has to be seen up close.
Found in Meta, Columbia, the river is commonly called
the “River of Five Colours” or the “Liquid Rainbow”, and is
even referred to as the most beautiful river in the world due
to its striking colours.
The sultan’s palace in Aladdin is
probably one of the most recognisable
Disney locations. It was, of course,
inspired by the Taj Mahal.
Source: Flickr / TANAKA Juuyoh)
The Ministry of Health is moving to put in place guidelines
that will curtail — if not eradicate — the practice by some
private hospitals to prescribe unnecessary laboratory and
diagnostic tests.
Comment of the Day
The bed of river in the end of July through November
is variously coloured yellow, green, blue, black, and
especially red, the last caused by the Macarenia clavigera
(Podostemaceae) on the bottom of the river. (Source:
wikipedia.com)
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The Island of Corona in Tangled was
set in Germany. But it’s actually based
on the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey in
Normandy, France.
Letters to the Editor
editor@omanobserver.om
DRUG SMUGGLING BID FOILED
(NOVEMBER 11, 2015)
Photo source: GM Vieos
(Photo source: Flickr / Roland Keates)
We have been hearing a lot of reports lately about
drugs and cigarettes. Truth be told, I don’t get why
people would go to extraordinary lengths to harm
their bodies and their minds.
The emperor’s home in Mulan
seems like an unreal place, but
it’s almost an exact copy of the
Forbidden City in Beijing, China.
It is impossible not to know the harmful effects of
drugs as the information is now available online and
wherever or whatever website you check, the long
term effects of drugs is not at all good. Young people
should really think twice before doing anything to
harm their bodies.
As for the people smuggling drugs, I hope they will
be caught before they can destroy the future of other
people. I hope they realise that what they are doing
is bad. My appreciation to the police for being always
alert.
Osman T, Muscat
(Photo source: Flickr / Dimitry B.)
Photo source: Fredy Gómez Suescún
15
Terror casts shadow over the City of Light
PARIS TERROR ATTACK
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
PALL OF GLOOM: A city famed for its glamour and bustling streets seemed garbed in mourning
PARIS: The Eiffel Tower was closed,
the Champs-Elysees was lifeless and
museums, markets and schools were
shuttered on Saturday as Paris reeled
after the bloodiest terror attack in French
history.
A city famed for its glamour and
bustling streets seemed garbed in
mourning as Parisians struggled with
the shock of the multiple attacks that
claimed scores of lives.
“All city facilities are closed today,”
Paris City Hall said on its website, listing
schools, museums, libraries, sports halls,
swimming pools, tennis courts, food
markets and district town halls.
Only civil registration offices, to
record marriages, will be open, it said,
adding that security would be beefed up
at district town halls.
At noon, the city’s main cinema
chains said they too would close.
A line of people at least 100 metres
(yards) long formed outside the city’s
main blood donation centre to offer their
blood.
Outside a Cambodian restaurant
where 12 people were killed, mourners
placed flowers, a candle and the French
tricoloure.
On the national flag were written the
defiant words ‘Fluctuat nec mergitur’ —
the Latin slogan of Paris, meaning “It is
buffeted by the waves, yet remains afloat.”
The closures came after simultaneous
assaults on a concert hall, restaurants
and the Stade de France stadium.
It was the second terror strike in
less than 10 months. In January, 17
people were killed, including five of the
cartoonists at the satirical magazine
‘Charlie Hebdo’, in gun attacks.
In the Place de la Bourse, a large
square near the Paris Opera, traffic was
unusually thin and pedestrians were few.
“People are worried,” Jean-Louis
Masson, 50, who lives locally, said a
reporter.
“You can see that in the SMS
messages that are going around. We were
concerned for one of our children who
was out last night, and we called to make
sure she got home.”
Masson’s son, Adrien, 13, said he was
a “bit worried. You get to be afraid that
something could happen.”
In a cafe, a man who gave his name as
Luc, aged 46, said he was stupefied.
“I just don’t understand. They keep
telling us that they’ve thwarted attacks,
that they’ve made arrests, and here
you’ve got guys shooting at everyone in a
concert hall in the centre of Paris.
“They’re unable to protect this city,
that’s what it’s about.”
The street outside the Galeries
Lafayette department store was empty,
after the emporium — which initially
What we know and
what we don’t know
Berlin: Many questions remain open about the series of terrorist attacks in
Paris.
WHAT WE KNOW:
A man pays his respect outside the Le Carillon restaurant the morning after a series of deadly attacks in Paris on Saturday. — Reuters
You can see that in
the SMS messages
that are going
around. We were
concerned for one of our
children who was out last
night, and we called to make
sure she got home.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
 It is not clear if all the terrorists were killed or whether there were other
attackers or accomplices other than the eight that died.
 The attackers’ identities are largely unknown, apart from a report that a
Frenchman who had been known to security services was likely involved.
 Did they come from abroad or were they homegrown terrorists? How
are they connected to each other? How were they organised? Did they
plan the attacks independently, or was there someone behind the scenes
instructing and directing them? Were they completely unknown to the
security forces or were they already subject to investigation? The answers
to these questions will also reveal any security lapses.
 There is also the case of a Montenegrin man stopped by police in
southern Germany the previous week with a car full of guns, hand
grenades and explosives. He was reportedly on his way to Paris. It was
not clear if he was going to be part of Friday’s series of attacks.
 Two Belgians and an Australian have been identified among the dead,
but the nationalities of the other victims is not yet known. — dpa
JEAN-LOUIS MASSON
a local citizen
declared it would remain open —
closed its doors. At the approach of
the Christmas season, the store’s glitzy
windows are usually crowded by young
Parisians, eager to watch automated
puppets in scenes from popular tales.
On Saturday, the puppets went
through their movements without
an audience as fairy music played in
the background. A line of Star Wars
stormtroopers stood grimly to attention,
impressing no one.
At the Starbucks coffee house in
the Boulevard Haussmann, a barista
shrugged his shoulders. He and his
colleague had seen three customers in an
hour and a half.
“It’s empty,” he said. “Normally, we
have five or six people here at any one
time. They are often tourists who stay in
hotels in the Opera district and want to
save on the cost of breakfast.”
Around the Champs-Elysees, Gucci,
Zara and other brand stores were closed
 They were carried out on Friday evening by at least eight people and
struck almost simultaneously in the French capital. The attackers fired
indiscriminately at the public and set off several bombs. All indications
are that it was a carefully pre-planned operation.
 The eight attackers died: one was shot dead by police, the others blew
themselves up.
 The largest number of casualties was at a sold-out rock concert by
band Eagles of Death Metal at the Bataclan music venue. There were
also attacks at three cafes and restaurants nearby, as well as outside the
national football stadium, Stade de France, where the home team was
playing Germany.
 French President Francois Hollande blamed the IS group for the carnage
and spoke of an “act of war.” IS claimed responsibility in an online posting,
blaming France’s participation in the US-led coalition launching air strikes
against the extremists in Syria.
 The French government declared a state of emergency. Almost all public
buildings were closed, including libraries, sportscentres, museums and
the iconic Eiffel Tower. Hospitals were placed on high alert.
Police patrol the Eiffel Tower which has been closed to the public. — AFP
and cafe terraces were empty.
At newspaper kiosks, dramatic
headlines and pictures likened Paris to
a combat zone, after militants attacked
crowds and restaurants goers.
“War in the heart of Paris,” the
conservative daily ‘Le Figaro’ said. “This
time, it’s war,” ‘Le Parisien’ said.
Police said all public demonstrations
in the Paris area would be banned until
Thursday, and the French secretary of
state for sports issued instructions to
regional sports federations to cancel
matches this weekend.
Cancelled events include a European
Champions Cup rugby match between
Racing 92 and the Glasgow Warriors.
The Eiffel Tower, normally visited by
up to 20,000 people a day, will be closed
“until further notice,” a spokeswoman
said. Disneyland Paris, which is located
on the eastern rim of the Paris region,
said it would not open on Saturday “in
light of the recent tragic events in France
and in support of our community and
the victims of these horrendous attacks.”
The Paris Opera cancelled its concerts
for Saturday, and the city’s philharmonic
orchestra said its venue would close all
weekend. Irish rock band U2 also called
off a Paris concert planned for Saturday.
The Palace of Versailles, the Louvre
and other Paris museums opened early
but then closed.
Paris’ Bateaux-Mouches tourist boats,
which provide excursions on the Seine,
said it would maintain its schedule.
“We will have added security —
searches and no large luggage allowed
onboard, and we will have more security
guards onboard,” a switchboard operator
said. — AFP
A woman holds signs at the harbour in Marseille. — Reuters
Deadly serial attacks reveal ‘next stage of IS’: experts
BEIRUT: The IS group’s ability to
carry out the deadly Paris attacks
that it has claimed reveals the
growing sophistication and reach of
the global network, analysts said on
Saturday.
At least 128 people were killed
in gun and bomb attacks in the
French capital Friday, in what
President Francois Hollande called
“an act of war.” IS’s online claim of
responsibility boasted that “eight
brothers wearing explosive belts and
carrying assault rifles” conducted
a “blessed attack on... Crusader
France.” The coordinated assault
came just a day after more than 40
people were killed in twin suicide
bombings in a southern suburb of
Beirut, in an attack also claimed by
IS.
The network has repeatedly
threatened European countries,
including France, with violence.
A video aired in July that featured
a French-speaking fighter said IS
would “slaughter you in the streets
of Paris.”
But the Paris attacks were the
first case of large-scale IS violence in
Europe.
Experts say they demonstrate IS’s
evolution from localised operations
in Iraq and Syria to the West.
“The push to France likely
represents the next stage of IS,” said
Clint Watts, a senior fellow at the
Foreign Policy Research Institute.
“We’ll see them increasingly
move away from conventional and
insurgent operations in Iraq and
Syria and more towards terrorist
attacks in their extended network,”
he said.
Since the January attack on the
Paris offices of satirical weekly
Charlie Hebdo, in which more
than a dozen people were killed,
French police have detained several
individuals with alleged ties to IS.
The string of incidents, according
to analyst Aymenn al-Tamimi,
indicate that “it’s questionable to call
(the Paris attack) a shift in strategy.”
But it does demonstrate a shift in
success rates, Tamimi said.
“It is certainly an unprecedented
attack for them in terms of results
in Europe. It shows they have
sophisticated networks in Europe,
not mere lone-wolf fan boys,” he
added.
And with France’s focus on
sectarianism and the high number
of French citizens who have joined
the ranks of IS fighters, Paris was a
logical target, Tamimi said.
The coordinated attack saw
shootings, suicide bombings, and
hostage situations at a stadium, a
concert hall, and other areas around
the French capital.
Charlie Winter, IS expert at the
London-based Quillaia Foundation,
said: “This is the logical trajectory
for IS’s strategy.”
“It’s moving away from the
expansion and consolidating in
Iraq, Syria and Libya to make sure
it has momentum now by carrying
out attacks in foreign countries like
Lebanon, the Gulf and France.”
For Watts, France’s delay in
“acknowledging
its
extremist
problem” has left room for IS to
build a budding network.
“France has a serious problem.
Per capita, they have some of the
highest numbers of foreign fighters
heading to and from Syria,” as well as
unparallelled “facilitation pipelines
for terrorists.”
“A big part of what we are seeing
now arises from the glut of foreign
fighters currently hanging out in the
European Union,” Watts added.
And as governmental efforts
make it more difficult for radicalised
individuals in France to reach Iraq
and Syria, they may “act out at
home,” he said. Police and a source
close to the investigation said a
French national is believed to be one
of the four men who stormed the
concert hall.
— AFP
16
omandailyobserver
PANORAMA
Smoke rises as Palestinians watch clashes with Israeli troops near the border between Israel and east Gaza city. — Reuters
A butterfly rests on a flower in Nakhon Sawan province, north of Bangkok. — Reuters
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Indonesian dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the 13th World Wushu Championships in Jakarta. Indonesia
hosts the 13th World Wushu Championship from 14 - 18 November. — AFP
High school students stand next to paintings by artist Michael Soi at the
Kenya Art Fair 2015 exhibition at the Sarit Centre in Nairobi. — Reuters
Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales prepares to cut his bithday cake during a reception
with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall to celebrate the Prince’s birthday at the Cottesloe Civic
Centre in Perth. — Reuters
A woman takes a “selfie” at a sunflower field in Lopburi province, north of Bangkok. — Reuters
SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 15, 2015 | SAFAR 3, 1437 AH
Inside
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Renewables-based hybrid cooling to be piloted in Oman
CONRAD PRABHU
MUSCAT
Nov 14: A ground-breaking initiative
that aims to harness a combination of
renewable energy resources to provide
sustained air-conditioning — which
accounts for a staggering three-fourths
of electricity demand during the hot
summer season — is proposed to be
piloted in the Sultanate.
The initiative is being jointly
spearheaded by The Research Council
(TRC), the Sultanate’s R&D flagship,
and the GFZ German Research
Centre for Geosciences, the national
research centre for earth sciences in
Germany. It moots the establishment
of a pilot plant in the Sultanate for the
testing of a hybrid of technologies — a
potential world first — for the cooling
of buildings.
The project, funded by The Research
Council, was flagged off at a workshop
held in Muscat late last week. In
attendance were experts and scientists
Sultanate to host world’s
first pilot project that
produces cooling based
on combination of solar
heat, geothermal energy
and underground
storage.
representing The Research Council,
Sultan Qaboos University, German
University of Technology (GUtech),
Sohar University, GFZ German
Research Centre for Geosciences,
Technical University of Berlin and The
Helmholtz Centre Berlin.
In a statement, Project Leader
Prof Ernst Huenges, who heads the
International Centre for Geothermal
Research at GFZ, explained that
the initiative centres on the use of a
combination of solar heat, geothermal
heat and terrestrial storage to provide
a continuous supply of cooling for
buildings. Heat from this trio of energy
sources is used for compression that in
turn generates cooling, he said.
Temperatures mapped at depths
ranging from 500 to 1,500 metres
within the Block 6 concession of
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)
have revealed a peak temperature of
174 degrees centigrade. This heat,
observed in the northern part of
Oman, is seen as a potential source of
energy.
Significantly, the initiative is part of
a raft of research projects sanctioned
by The Research Council in line with
a broader national effort to identify
viable energy alternatives to help
mitigate the huge burden placed on
the electricity grid by air-conditioning
systems during the hot summer
months in Oman.
Residential
and
commercial
buildings typically consume 60-70
per cent of electricity output, with
air-conditioning systems accounting
for the lion’s share of this intake.
Studies by the Authority for Electricity
Regulation Oman (AER) also found
an increase of 31 per cent and 63 per
cent in the energy intensity for the
residential and commercial sectors
respectively between 2005 and 2012.
It deemed the increase in energy
intensity, as well as the escalating
electricity demand in the Sultanate, to
be substantial and unsustainable in the
long run.
Germany’s GFZ says it is bringing to
the table its comprehensive expertise in
the field of underground heat storage.
Also pitching in are GFZ’s partners
— the Helmholtz Centre Berlin HZB
and the Technical University TU of
Berlin — which specialise in absorber
cooling and solar technologies.
Importantly, the research initiative
will also pave the way for the
establishment of a non-university
research institute, according to
the Dr Ludwig Stroink, Head of
International Relations at GFZ.
Development of the ‘Oman Institute
for Advanced Technology Integration’
will be supported by the GEOMAR
Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research,
Kiel and the Helmholtz Centre for
Environmental Research in Leipzig.
18
omandailyobserver
BUSINESS ALERT
#LoveOman video goes viral with over
half a million views in first three days
MUSCAT: On the occasion of Oman’s 45th National
Day, the #LoveOman video has gone viral with its
mesmerising acapella touch. Sponsored by Ooredoo, the
first-of-its kind Islamic production, without any musical
instruments, features three of the region’s biggest talents
and has gathered more than 550,000 views on YouTube
since being released on 4 November.
Shot in Jabal Akhdhar and in the Cinema, the seven minute clip features
a group of Omani youth singing acapella, interspersed with shots of acting
sensation Buthaina al Raisi. Led by the soulful vocals of Khaliji star Al Wasmi, the
video also includes the work of world-renowned Omani poet Mazin al Haddabi.
Raed Dawood, Director of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs at
Ooredoo said (pictured), “This was a unique concept developed and implemented
by young Omani talent to thank our visionary leader; His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
bin Said, for 45 years of inspirational leadership. We are delighted to have played
a part in this special tribute to Oman for National Day.”
Hyundai All-New Sonata named best
mid-sized sedan by region’s auto experts
HYUNDAI’S All-New Sonata has
received the Middle East Car of the
Year Award in the best mid-sized sedan
category. This was the second regional
award win for the model in the past four
months, with Saudi Auto hailing the
model as their car of the year in August.
Taking place at Raffles Hotel Dubai, the Middle East Car of the Year Award
(MECOTY) is in its second year and is fast becoming one of the most prestigious,
with each category judged by 12 highly regarded automotive journalists from
across the Middle East. Collectively, the judging panel is made up some of the
most seasoned automotive journalists in the region. Their opinions are the most
sought after in the Middle East, thus making it the most unbiased, credible and
prestigious award of its kind.
Leading kitchen brands set to exemplify
German technology at The Home Show
LEGENDARY German technology,
design and workmanship will be
proudly showcased in two leading
brands of kitchen systems that will
take centre-stage at this year’s keenly
awaited Home Show to be held at
Oman International Exhibition
Centre during December 7- 9, 2015.
The three-day trade fair, which is
the Sultanate’s signature exposition
OMAN
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
The new 1.6 litre diesel engine maximizes performance, especially in the lowon the ideal home environment, is being organised by well-known event
management firm Global Exhibitions & Conferences LLC (GEC), with the mid speed range, producing a flat power curve between 3,400-4,000rpm and flat
torque between 1,500-2,500rpm.
backing of a number of government departments and private sector sponsors.
Iconic German kitchen system brands Störmer Küchen and KitchenclicK will
enjoy pride of place at The Home Show 2015, courtesy of their local distributor
Dhawahi Al-Ayin Trading Est. Both brands are poised to make strong inroads
into the Omani market, which has been enjoying remarkable growth on the back
of a construction and housing boom.
BENTLEY’S new luxury flagship,
the Mulsanne Speed, has been
awarded the Middle East Car
of the Year Award in the Large
Luxury Sedan category.
In its second year, the Middle
TOYOTA Chairman Takeshi
East Car of the Year Awards
Uchiyamada likes to tell the
(MECOTY), were judged by
story of how his team couldn’t
12 highly regarded automotive
get the first Prius prototype to
journalists from across the Middle East, whose opinions are the most sought after
move for 49 days. According
in the region, thus making it the most credible and the most prestigious award
to him, “We had no idea what
of its kind.
was wrong, so we worked late
Accepting the award on behalf of Bentley Motors, Neil Wilford, Regional
every night trying to figure it out. We finally got it to move around Christmas
Manager Middle East, India and Africa said, “I am delighted to accept this award
time, but it only went 500 meters!”
That was back in 1995, when hybrid cars were unproven, experimental on behalf of Bentley Motors. The new Mulsanne Speed is the car that defines
machines with a very unclear future. Fast-forward twenty years, and Toyota is Bentley as a flagship for driving luxury performance. Our customers don’t
proud to announce that it has now sold over 8 million hybrid vehicles, with just compromise, and we’ve adopted the same approach in the design, engineering
and crafting of our new flagship.
10 months between this and the last million-unit milestone.
It can be hard to get a sense of what the number 8 million might mean for
the environment and for hybrid owners. For a bit of context, Toyota calculates
that as of July 31, its hybrid vehicles have resulted in approximately 58 million
fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions than would have been emitted by gasolinepowered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. Toyota also estimates
that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 22 million kilolitres of gasoline LAND
Rover
MENA
has
compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar sizes.
showcased the one-of-a-kind
Defender 2,000,000 among its
outstanding line-up of Land
Rover vehicles at this year’s Dubai
International Motor Show 2015.
SSANGYONG
Motor
As the production of current
Company, the premium SUV
Defender enters its final phase, this vehicle has been built to commemorate the
maker from Korea launched
UK production of the two-millionth Series Land Rover and Defender. With a
Tivoli diesel and showcased
bespoke design and an all-star cast of special guests who helped complete the
two new concept cars, the
momentus build, the Defender 2,000,000 has been created to celebrate 67 years of
XLV-Air and XAV-Adventure
iconic Land Rover production.
at the recently concluded
Life-long Defender fans will get a final look at the Defender 2,000,000 at the
Frankfurt Motor Show.
Dubai International Motor Show 2015, which will be the final destination on the
Tivoli is a smart, compact SUV offering contemporary styling, class-leading custom-built vehicle’s schedule of public appearances.
safety and dynamic driving characteristics. Following its international launch at
Visitors to the Land Rover MENA stand are invited to take a closer look at
the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, sales of the petrol powered Tivoli began this unique piece before it is auctioned at the prestigious charity event, held
in May, and in just a few months, the car is already proving to be the perfect at the Bonhams auction house in New Bond Street, London on Wednesday
choice for customers seeking value and practicality.
16 December. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Land Rover’s
Now with the addition of diesel power, Tivoli will offer increased driving humanitarian and conservation partners — the International Federation of Red
dynamics, enhanced fuel economy, and even greater choice.
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Born Free Foundation.
Bentley Mulsanne wins ME Car of the
Year Award for large Luxury Sedan
Toyota hybrids: 8 million
units sold and still counting!
Land Rover Defender makes final public
appearance at Dubai Motor Show 2015
SsangYong launches Tivoli Diesel and
showcases new concepts at Frankfurt
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Crowe Horwath
workshop to focus
on taxation of PEs
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
Nov 14: Nasser H S al Rawahy
(pictured), Deputy Chairman of the
State Audit Institution, will preside
over the opening of a key tax workshop
that will take place at the Crowne Plaza
Muscat on Tuesday, November 17,
2015 at 8.30 am. The day-long event,
organised by Crowe Horwath Oman,
that will focus on taxation issues
impacting deemed permanent entities
(PEs) and offshore service providers.
Of late, taxation of deemed
permanent
establishment
(PE)
of
foreign entities and offshore
service providers is becoming quite
a challenging task both for the tax
department and companies in the
Sultanate,
“Foreign companies, particularly
those from non-treaty countries, were
at risk of PE being created in Oman
by doing business for short duration/
limited visits to Oman. But the new tax
law provides clarity by specifying the 90
days threshold in a tax year for creating
a service PE, therefore unintended PE
consequences are avoided,” said Ramya
Annadurai, Director Tax advisory at
Crowe Horwath Oman.
The PE provisions also include a
dependent agent clause whereby the
definition of PE includes activities in
Oman carried out directly or through a
dependent agent. These provisions will
also deem the local agent to be principal
officers of the foreign company, she
noted.
The workshop will provide an update
on latest changes in the tax law, rules and
procedures by identifying, analysing
and understanding compliance issues,
and challenges relating to different
sectors of industry, trade and business.
Senior government officials and
corporate professionals from a wide
range of Industries and businesses are
expected to attend the workshop, which
has been organised as a CSR initiative
of Horwath Mak Ghazali, auditors
and business advisors, the member
firm of Crowe Horwath International,
the top ten global accounting network
operating in 126 countries. The firm was
recently named the Global Advisory
Firm of year 2015 by the International
Accounting Bulletin.
OMAN/INTERNATIONAL
MUSCAT: Fraud costs organisations
worldwide an estimated 5 per cent of
their annual revenues, according to a
study conducted by the Association of
Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). If
applied to the 2014 estimated Gross
World Product, this translates to a
potential projected global fraud loss
of approximately $3.9 trillion.
Highlighting the seriousness of the
global fraud problem, ACFE Oman
is participating in the International
Fraud Awareness Week from
November 15-21 as official supporter
to promote anti-fraud awareness
and education. The Fraud Week
champions the need to proactively
fight fraud and help safeguard
business and investments from the
growing fraud problem.
ACFE Oman joins hundreds of
organisations who have partnered
with the ACFE, the world’s largest
anti-fraud organisation and premier
provider of anti-fraud training and
education, for the annual Fraud Week
campaign.
During the Fraud Week, the
ACFE Oman will engage in various
activities, including hosting fraud
awareness training for the community
and teaming with local media to
highlight the problem of fraud.
Thomas Totton, General Manager
— Internal Audit, Bank Muscat and
ACFE Oman Chapter President,
commented: “The fraud awareness
week is an important milestone in the
ACFE campaign to raise awareness
of the global menace that fraud
presents to the business community
in general, and specifically to financial
institutions in the Sultanate. Bank
Muscat supports the efforts of the
local ACFE Chapter and encourages
everyone to play their part in
reducing the impact of frauds and
help safeguard the economy from the
growing fraud threat.”
James D Ratley, ACFE President
and CEO, said that the support of
organisations around the world helps
make the Fraud Week an effective tool
in raising anti-fraud awareness.
James D Ratley said: “The latest
statistics tell us that fraud is not
going away and companies that do
not have protective measures in place
stand to lose the most. That is why it
is reassuring to see many businesses,
agencies, universities and other
organisations involved in the Fraud
Week movement. The first step in
combating fraud is raising awareness
worldwide that it is a serious problem
that requires a proactive approach
toward preventing it. Since the first
Fraud Week more than 10 years ago,
the movement continues to grow. I
heartily thank all the supporters of
Fraud Week for making it what it is
today.”
19
Al Mazyona to mark 45th National
Day with RO 450,000 prize draw
MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship
financial services provider in the
Sultanate, is all set to reward al Mazyona
customers with the 45th National Day
special draw offering big prizes totalling
RO 450,000.
The winners will be picked at the 45th
National Day celebrations to be held at
the bank’s head office on November 18.
Customers maintaining a minimum
balance of RO 1000 are eligible for the
special prize draw offering RO 45,000
each for 10 winners. Marking Oman’s
45th Renaissance anniversary, Bank
Muscat raised the 2015 al Mazyona prize
money to RO 9 million.
Structured on the thematic ‘45’
reflecting the Sultanate’s 45 years of
Renaissance under the leadership of
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, the 2015 al
Mazyona savings scheme campaign has
been immensely successful in reaching
out to the people with the ‘Save more,
Dream big’ call to action, guaranteeing
more for everyone to share in the biggest
prize money in Oman and the region.
With attractive weekly, monthly,
special and year-end grand prizes
totalling RO 9 million, the Sultanate’s
flagship savings scheme offers high-value
prizes throughout the year to maximum
number of customers. The climax of 2015
al Mazyona scheme is the grand year-end
prize offering a whopping RO 1.5 million
to be shared by 15 winners.
Customers maintaining a minimum
balance of RO 1000 are eligible for the
grand prize draw offering RO 100,000
each for 15 winners.
The higher the balance, higher the
chances to win. Bank Muscat attaches
great importance to inculcating prudent
savings and spending habits and has
tailored al Mazyona with this objective
in mind. Bank Muscat understands
customer expectations and big prize
money is not the only way by which al
Mazyona seeks to transform the lives of
prudent savers.
The scheme is targeted to
accommodate all segments, including
asalah Priority Banking, al Jawhar
Privilege Banking, ladies, youth, children
and customers in all regions, thereby
inculcating prudent savings habit among
citizens who are responsible for the
future development of Oman.
The underlying principle of the
scheme is that the greater the deposit
balance, the higher the chances of
rewards. Customers can win more
by saving more with Bank Muscat. al
Mazyona scheme reflects innovative
customer segmentation based on two
principles — region and demographics
— ensuring a higher winning chance to
all customers across the Sultanate.
Winning with al Mazyona has never
been simpler as customers are not
required to block their money or wait for
a long time to win big prizes.
Over the years, al Mazyona has
succeeded in inculcating a strong savings
culture in Oman.
The objective of al Mazyona is to
create a lifetime change for winners and
allow them to invest the prize money in
things that will make a lasting difference
and the well-being of their families.
The flexible scheme makes regular
saving easier and is available across the
largest network of branches in Oman.
30% Club launches GCC Chapter to
promote women in corporate leadership
BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT
ACFE Oman Chapter
to participate in Intl
Fraud Awareness Week
omandailyobserver
Nov 14: Business leaders across the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries have announced the launch
of the regional chapter of the 30%
Club, a global business-led initiative
committed to achieving better gender
representation in senior leadership
positions of organisations.
The 30% Club GCC Chapter is a
volunteer effort by business leaders
from across the Gulf region seeking
better representation of women on
boards and in senior level positions in
the belief that gender balance on boards
not only encourages better leadership
and governance, but further contributes
to improved board performance.
Ultimately, we believe diversity
increases corporate performance for
both companies and their shareholders,
the Club said in a statement.
The 30% Club GCC chapter is led
by a steering committee of prominent
women and men representing some
of the most successful businesses,
institutions and advisory firms in the
region.
“We are honoured to help launch
this important initiative in the region,”
said Raeda al Sarayreh, on behalf of
the 30% Club GCC Chapter steering
committee.“We are working together to
support the efforts of GCC governments
and companies to increase women’s
participation in the workforce and
accelerate the pace of creating a pipeline
of talented and capable women ready
for senior positions across all sectors
in the region.” Formed in London in
2010, the 30% Club began its efforts in
the UK campaigning for at least 30% of
women on FTSE 100 boards by 2015.
There are 10 chapters across the
world including the new GCC chapter.
The initiative has since seen wide
acceptance among key businesses
The 30% Club operates on the strong
belief that business-led change is the
right way forward, rather than focusing
on quotas.
Research shows that women are
a key driving force for the GCC
economic engine. However, while
women constitute around 40 per cent
of the GCC population and have a
higher literacy rate than men, their
participation in the workforce remains
low.
The 30% Club GCC Chapter is
seeking to empower women at different
levels of the organisation and into
leadership positions across a diverse set
of institutions and industries.
The announcement was made
during a special event hosted at the
Capital Club at DIFC in Dubai, and
across the world, with women in the featured a range of business and
UK now accounting for 26.1 per cent community leaders all united in the
of FTSE 100 boards, up from 12.6 per belief that better gender balance on
boards is better for business.
cent in 2009.
Inclusion of yuan in currency basket: China hails move
BEIJING: China on Saturday welcomed
backing from IMF experts that the
yuan should be included in its reserve
currencies, saying the move would
strengthen the world’s financial system.
Now the world’s second-largest
economy, China asked last year for the
yuan to be added to the elite basket of
SDR currencies, but until recently it
was considered too tightly controlled to
qualify.
It now looks likely the yuan will be
formally admitted to the IMF’s “special
drawing rights” currency basket at the
end of the month, which would mark a
milestone in China’s efforts to become a
global economic power.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde said
the fund now deemed the yuan “meets
the requirements to be a ‘freely usable’
currency” — a key hurdle to joining the
yen, dollar, pound and euro as a leading
unit in international trade.
The yuan hit headlines in August
when China’s central bank devalued the
currency and said it would use a more
market-oriented system to calculate the
point around which the currency can
trade each day.
The move sent markets into a
tailspin as investors took it as a sign of
slowing growth in China, a key driver of
the world economy, but the central bank
on Saturday said such reforms had taken
it closer to joining the SDR basket.
“China thinks that the inclusion of
the RMB (yuan) into the SDR basket
will strengthen the representativeness
and the attraction of the SDR (and) that
it will improve the existing international
monetary system,” the People’s Bank of
China (PBoC) added.
“It will have win-win benefits both
for China and the world.”
The yuan has rapidly grown in
importance in recent years as China —
the world’s top trading nation — has
used it to settle more of its commerce,
and made it directly convertable with
more currencies.
Including the Chinese currency in
the SDR would likely boost demand
for yuan-denominated assets among
central banks, and give it a sheen of
respectability at a time when many
investors are questioning Beijing’s ability
to manage the slowing economy.
Lagarde said IMF experts ruled
Beijing had addressed “all remaining
operational issues” required for SDR
inclusion, which will be decided by
the executive board at a November 30
meeting.
“I support the staff ’s findings,” she
said, adding to expectations that the
board will also back the yuan.
That would mark an about turn
from the beginning of August — before
the yuan devaluation — when the Fund
said the currency was not freely usable
enough to be included in the basket.
Despite the recent misgivings, there
has been strong pressure for the IMF
to act now as the SDR basket is only
reviewed every five years.
— AFP
20
omandailyobserver
SHOPPING
INTERNATIONAL
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
EXPERIENCE
We’re watching you: Carrefour lights have eyes
T
he strip lights in the
hypermarket
know
where you are — and
can tell you where
to go.
The new
technology
being
trialled by French retailer Carrefour
tracks your movements and beams data
to your smartphone via light pulses
undetectable to the eye, to guide you
to the right shelves for tailored special
offers. It is the latest attempt to combine
the online and real-world shopping
experience, regarded as the holy grail for
the industry at the moment.
As part of a new loyalty scheme
launched last month, for example,
Britain’s Marks and Spencer is sending
promotional text messages to shoppers
who are in or near its stores — but only
those who have agreed to receive them.
In fact almost three-quarters of
British retailers are using technology,
including facial recognition software, to
track customers in stores, according to a
survey of retail executives by IT services
firm CSC. It is mostly for security
purposes, but also to help provide a
more personalised service.
Even in Germany, where privacy
is particularly closely guarded, major
retailers have been signing up to
US app Shopkick, which rewards
consumers with points when they enter
participating stores and scan products
with their phones.
But retailers must tread with caution,
especially among older customers.
“We are already flooded with offers
on smartphones. We are being tracked
The Euralille hypermarket
replaced its fluorescent
lighting with Philips LED
lights that can transmit
data via pulses which are
registered by smartphone
cameras, at this stage only
iPhones.
to death. I guess I’m old school, but I
want to keep my privacy,” said Yves, 50,
an insurance executive shopping at the
Carrefour store that is testing the new
lights.
The Carrefour project — a joint trial
with Dutch tech firm Philips — is at the
sprawling store next to the train station
in the northern French city of Lille,
chosen for the test because of the young
and urban crowd it attracts.
The Euralille hypermarket replaced
its fluorescent lighting with Philips LED
lights that can transmit data via pulses
which are registered by smartphone
cameras, at this stage only iPhones.
‘NEW TOYS’: Customers who
have downloaded the “Promo C-ou”
(Where is the special offer) app can let
their smartphone camera point up so
the lights in the ceiling determine their
location. A blue arrow on the phone
screen then guides them to the right
shelf.
“We want to facilitate the shoppers’
experience and be more convivial,”
said Carrefour store manager Thierry
Demettre.
The service helps direct busy
A woman demonstrates the use of the application “Promo C-Ou” on her smartphone at the Carrefour supermarket in Lille,
France. — Reuters
shoppers to the 200 to 300 different
items on promotion each week, he said.
Carrefour said the app was being
used about 50-100 times a day in a store
which serves 11,000 customers a day. It
is recruiting students to help customers
use the app during the busy holiday
season.
When Reuters visited the store, it was
hard to find shoppers who knew about
the app, despite banners advertising the
service in the aisles.
Karine, a 40-year-old civil servant
who works nearby, said she could
imagine using the app: “I could save
time when shopping,” she said, adding
she did not mind sharing her data. “They
would not be the first nor the last to send
us messages.”
Eight in 10 consumers around the
world are willing to share key pieces
of personal information with brands,
but only about 8 per cent feel they
are receiving better offers as a result,
according to a survey of 20,000 people
in 11 major countries conducted by
marketing and loyalty company Aimia.
“Marketers have got lots of new toys
RESTRUCTURING
As Lonmin fights for survival,
miners move to cash in and quit
A
s
loss-making
platinum producer
Lonmin
appeals
for
cash
from
shareholders
and
slashes costs, many
of its mine workers are eager to grab
redundancy deals and leave a company
battling to stay afloat.
Battered by strikes, rising costs
and weak platinum prices, Lonmin is
seeking to raise $407 million in a share
issue — priced at a 94 per cent discount
last week — and another $370 million in
loans. It says the money is crucial for its
survival.
The company, which operates
in South Africa, is also closing or
mothballing several mine shafts and
cutting 6,000 jobs, or 15 per cent of its
workforce.
The cuts, announced in July, were
expected to be a hard sell in a country
where the jobless rate is over 25 per
cent and unions have reacted to layoffs with wildcat strikes in the past.
But so far more than 3,000 staff have
left of their own volition, keen to snap
up the voluntary redundancy and early
retirement packages on offer, and others
are seeking to follow.
“Some of us don’t want to wait until
we die to get the money. I am a licensed
rock drill operator so chances that I
would be rehired at some point are high,”
a miner at Lonmin’s Rowland shaft in
Marikana, about 120 km northwest of
Johannesburg, said.
He is set to leave a company whose
shares have tumbled over 90 per cent this
year and which has knocked $1.8 billion
off the value of its assets. The 106-yearold firm is now fighting to convince the
market it can be a viable business.
“Am not sure Lonmin will exist in
five years’ time,” said Bernstein Research
analyst Paul Gait. “How can you have
the levels of wage inflation in South
Africa, coupled with increasing mine
depth against the backdrop of zero
productivity increases, and believe that
is going to give you a sustainable future
for the mining operations.”
1 PENCE A SHARE: Lonmin’s
in the toy cupboard but the risk is you
end up doing cleverer versions of spam,”
said Aimia Chief Operating Officer
David Johnston.
DATA MOUNTAIN: The new
M&S Sparks loyalty scheme aims to get
around that by asking members to share
their interests when they join so they
can get tailor-made offers and invites to
special events.
“This personalisation is a key aspect
of what we will deliver,” said Suzanna
Broer, M&S director of customer insight
and loyalty. “People are getting tired
TAXATION
British town tries
offshore tax tricks to
rattle government
S
A mine worker returns from the Lonmin mine at the end of his shift, outside Rustenburg. — Reuters
plight was illustrated recently when it
priced its rights issue at just 1 pence a
share — a huge discount to the stock’s
closing price of 16.25 pence on the
previous Friday.
That meant investors would have to
buy 46 new shares for every one they
already hold, just to retain their current
stake in percentage terms.
Analysts said the massive discount
was a strategy to force investors to take
up their entitlement or risk having their
investment in the company almost
completely diluted.
“I suspect supporting the rights is the
only course of action for shareholders as
the current equity is probably worthless
without it,” said a top-30 investor in
Lonmin.
Lonmin has said the share sale has
been fully-underwritten. It said South
Africa’s Public Investment Corporation,
which owns about 7 per cent of the
company, had committed to buying
its full entitlement and had “subunderwritten a material portion” of the
issue, over and above its entitlement.
But investor concerns over the
company’s viability remain, due to rising
costs and lower platinum prices.
Lonmin has said the
proposed restructuring
would take about 100,000
ounces out of production
and bring in savings of 15 to
20 per cent.
Spot platinum hit multi-year lows
this year on concerns about oversupply
and slowing demand in top consumer
China. A five-month strike last year by
South African platinum-sector workers
who were demanding higher wages did
little to boost prices due to ample aboveground stocks.
Lonmin was hit hardest by the
strike — South Africa’s longest and
costliest — because unlike peers such as
Impala Platinum and Anglo American
Platinum, virtually all its operations
are concentrated in the strike-affected
Rustenburg area.
OUTPUT CUT: Chief Executive Ben
Magara said the company had a tough
year and had worked hard to make its
workers and labour unions understand
the implications of its strained balance
sheet.
But it had not yet reached at a point
where it had to forcibly lay-off employees
as some were leaving voluntarily, he said.
“The progressive way this process has
unfolded would have been unthinkable
two years ago,” the CEO added.
The biggest operation earmarked
for closure is the company’s high-cost
Hossy shaft, which accounts for about
8 per cent of annual production of over
700,000 ounces.
Lonmin has said the proposed
restructuring would take about 100,000
ounces out of production and bring in
savings of 15 to 20 per cent.
The miner in Marikana who
wants leave the company said he had
volunteered to go after finding out he
would get 85,000 rand ($5,979) for nine
years of service, but has yet to receive a
final confirmation from the company.
Others are not so keen to head to the
exit, however. Another miner said he
had also been willing to take voluntary
redundancy, but changed his mind after
being offered only 130,000 rand ($9,145)
for 18 years of service.
“I was not satisfied with the money
so I am staying.” — Reuters
of being completely spammed with
untargeted, irrelevant offers.”
Steve Laughlin, retail expert at IBM
Global Business Services, said stores
were only just starting to work out how
to make the best use of the mountains of
data they are gathering and make money
from it.
When IBM analysed customer data
for a coffee chain, for example, it found
the air temperature point at which people
tend to order cold drinks over hot drinks
was several degrees lower than the chain
had expected, Laughlin said.
“They were sending promotions for
hot drinks when they should have been
sending promotions for cold drinks,”
he said. Lasse Bolander, chairman of
Denmark’s largest supermarket chain
Coop, said offering targeted discounts
was particularly difficult for grocery
retailers as customers shop so frequently
and for a huge range of items.
That explains why some retailers
— like British upmarket supermarket
Waitrose — are allowing loyalty card
holders to pick the items on which they
want special offers.
But Bolander, whose Coop chain is
owned by more than 1.5 million Danish
customers who share their data in return
for discounts, says retailers need to be
careful. “We have to make it transparent
what we use the data for and easy to opt
out,” he said. “Until we are absolutely
certain we can give people the right
offer at the right time we should take a
step back — otherwise people will get
annoyed.”
— Reuters
mall businesses in a British town including a baker, a bookseller
and an optician are mimicking the tax avoidance schemes used by
multinational corporations in an effort to pressure the government
on loopholes. Small shops in the town of Crickhowell in southeast Wales,
which has a population of 2,800, are drawing up plans to minimise their
tax bills.
They hope their move will be copied by other towns — and force the
government to crack down harder on tax avoidance by some of the world’s
biggest companies. They are being advised by experts and the attempt is
being carried out for a 2016 BBC documentary called “The Town that
Went Offshore”.
The historic town is
the birthplace of George
Everest, after whom
Mount Everest is named.
Its
centre
is
dominated
by
independent traders.
Businesses involved
in the attempt also
include a coffee house
and a smokery.
“It’s jolly clever,” said Jo Carthew, who runs the Black Mountains
Smokery, a family-run business selling smoked salmon and cured meats.
“Until now, these complicated offshore tricks have only been open to
big companies who can afford the lawyers’ fees. But we’ve put our heads
together, and worked out a way to mimic these big tax dodgers.”
Meeting with the taxman: In recent weeks, the group had a meeting
with officials from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Britain’s
taxation authority. “We believe in paying tax but firmly believe that big
companies should pay their fair share too,” Carthew said.
“The concept we have come up with will hopefully demonstrate that, in
principle, small businesses, working in coalition, could become more tax
efficient by mimicking strategies used by multinationals,” she said.
“We intend this to serve as a threat to government rather than a promise
— an incentive to encourage them to close loopholes in the tax laws.”
Last December, Britain slapped a new 25 per cent tax rate on the UKgenerated profits of multinational companies that seek to avoid paying
their fair share to Treasury coffers.
The move came amid simmering public anger over the tax affairs of
multinationals like US technology giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook and
Google and coffee group Starbucks, who seek to shift their profits from
higher tax countries to those with lower tax rates.
The companies concerned say they respect the law in the countries in
which they operate. The Diverted Profits Tax seeks to raise more than £1.0
billion ($1.5 billion, 1.4 billion euros) over the next five years.
An HMRC spokesman said of the Crickhowell plans: “They came in
and talked and put some of their concerns about this incorrect perception
that large business isn’t taxed properly.
“We make sure that all businesses, large and small, pay the tax payable
under the law,” he said. — AFP
TECHNOLOGY
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
omandailyobserver
SOFTWARE
21
DEVICE
Now, turn 2D videos into 3D in a jiffy
New low-cost
battery to store
renewable energy
A
B
y using a software that powers sports video
games, researchers at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) and the
Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) have
developed a system that automatically converts 2D
video of soccer games into 3D.
The converted video can be played back over
any 3D device — a commercial 3D TV, Google’s
new Cardboard system which turns smartphones
into 3D displays or special-purpose displays such
as Oculus Rift. “Any TV these days is capable of
3D. There’s just no content. So we see that the
production of high-quality content is the main
thing that should happen,” says Wojciech Matusik,
associate professor of electrical engineering and
computer science at MIT.
Today’s video games generally store very detailed
3D maps of the virtual environment that the player
is navigating.
When the player initiates a move, the game
adjusts the map accordingly and, on the fly,
generates a 2D projection of the 3D scene that
corresponds to a particular viewing angle.
The MIT and QCRI researchers essentially ran
this process in reverse.
They set the very realistic Microsoft soccer
game “FIFA13” to play over and over again and
used Microsoft’s video-game analysis tool PIX to
continuously store screen shots of the action.
For each screen shot, they also extracted the
corresponding 3D map.
Using a standard algorithm, they ruled out most
of the screen shots, keeping just those that best
captured the range of possible viewing angles and
player configurations.
Then they stored each screen shot and the
associated 3D map in a database.
“The result is a very convincing 3D effect, with
no visual artefacts,” the authors noted.
In the past, researchers have tried to develop
general-purpose systems for converting 2D video
to 3D but they haven‘t worked very well.
“Our advantage is that we can develop it for a
very specific problem domain,” Matusik added.
“We are developing a conversion pipeline for a
specific sport.
We would like to do it at broadcast quality, and
we would like to do it in real-time.
What we have noticed is that we can leverage
video games,” he explained.
The researchers presented the new system
at the Association for Computing Machinery’s
Multimedia conference in Brisbane, Australia, last
week. — IANS
new battery that uses low-cost materials like sodium and
magnesium could bring the cost of storing power from
renewable sources more affordable. The new device’s energy
density was also found close to that of lithium-ion batteries. Storing
electric power from wind and sun for days when the air is still or the
sun is down remains a challenge, largely due to cost.
Today, lithium-ion batteries are the storage technology of choice
for many applications, from electric cars to smartphones.
But the $3,000 price tag for the pack itself plus installation costs
put it out of reach for most customers.
To make larger-scale energy storage more accessible, Maksym V.
Kovalenko and colleagues wanted to develop an affordable
alternative to lithium-ion.
The researchers started with magnesium as the battery’s safe,
inexpensive and high-energy density anode material and paired it
with pyrite, which is made of iron and sulphur, as the cathode.
The electrolyte — the electrically conducting component —
contains sodium and magnesium ions. It could get an additional
two- to three-fold boost with further development of magnesium
electrolytes, researchers said. And because it is made with low-cost
materials, it could one day help support grid-scale energy storage,
the researchers said. The findings were published in ACS’ journal
Chemistry of Materials. — IANS
SMART WATCHES
IMAGING DEVICES
Tag Heuer unveils high-end rival to Apple Watch
T
This combinations of pictures shows a TAG Heuer titanium Carrera Connected watch with various
watch-faces during its launch in New York. — AFP
AG Heuer, the Swiss watchmaker that is part of the
French luxury goods group LVMH, showed off its
first Internet-connected wristwatch last Monday
designed with Google and Intel.
The $1,500 Android-powered Tag Heuer Connected on
sale in the US starting last Monday is seen as a rival to the
Apple Watch, which launched earlier this year starting at
$349, with some versions at more than $10,000.
The TAG Heuer Connected — based on the Carrera watch
design from the group popularized by Brad Pitt — is built
with titanium, sapphire and the “best in class touchscreen
technology,” according to the company’s website. Like other
smartwatches, the new wearable tech device allows users to
receive notifications, text messages, and to identify callers on
a connected handset. It also can monitor the user’s heartbeat.
Tag Heuer and the US tech firms announced a partnership
in March to produce the watch. In the meantime, Apple
teamed up with French luxury market Hermes to produce a
version of the iOS watch starting at $1,250. Tag Heuer Chief
Executive Jean-Claude Biver said he believes there will be
demand for the new watch.
The companies call the new device ‘‘an elegant connected
watch that merges expertise of Swiss watchmakers with
Silicon Valley engineers to set a new standard for high-tech
performance, timeless aesthetics and supreme quality.’’
— AFP
Graphene could revolutionise
night-vision technology
S
cientists at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
(MIT) have integrated
graphene with silicon microelectromechanical
systems
(known as MEMS) to make a
flexible, transparent and low-cost
infrared vision system.
Testing showed it could be
used to detect a person‘s heat
signature at room temperature
without cryogenic cooling.
A thermal sensor could be based on a single layer of graphene, which would
make it transparent and flexible, said lead researcher Tomas Palacios from MIT.
The concept of humans — or aliens — having the power to see in the
infrared to help fight enemies in the dark has been around for decades.
Technology has allowed real-life military, police, firefighters and others to
do their jobs successfully at night and in smoky conditions.
It also helps manufacturers and building inspectors identify overheating
equipment or circuits. But currently, many of these systems require cryogenic
cooling to filter out background radiation, or „noise“, and create a reliable
image.
This approach, however, complicates the design of these imaging devices,
and adds to the cost and the unit‘s bulkiness. The findings appeared in the ACS’
journal Nano Letters. — IANS
EDUCATIONAL TOOL
Smart class: School equipped with robotic lab
I
n what is claimed to be a first in India, a
government school in Gurgaon has been
equipped with a robotic lab — with a
smart class on the way — to go beyond the
routine curriculum and spark the interest
of generation next in the Make in India and
Skill India initiatives.
“With our Robo Siksha Kendra initiative,
we are not only developing robotics
knowledge but focussing on 21st century
skills and providing opportunities to
access contemporary educational tools,”
Sudhanshu Sharma, founder of the India
Stem Foundation that has equipped the
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya with the robo
lab, said.
A robo lab enables students design,
operate and apply robots as well as computer
systems for their control, sensory feedback,
and information processing.
So, how did the Gurgaon school come
to be chosen? “The Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas are a unique concept under the
ministry of human resource development
specifically to find talented children in rural
areas of India and provide them with an
education equivalent to the best residential
school system. We chose this school as a CSR
initiative as it falls in our catchment area,”
Sharma explained.
Not surprisingly, the lab will make you
think you are in an upscale private school
but the major difference is that the school
doesn‘t charge any fees for academics and
boarding and lodging.
The experience will soon be enhanced
with a Smart Class funded by Samsung
electronics. The NGO is planning to
replicate the initiative in four more
government schools to provide deprived
and underprivileged children access to funcentric learning experience beyond their
traditional four walls and acquire hands-on
learning experience to face the challenges of
daily life.
“Such an initiative has never been taken
before in India,“ Sharma added.
Along with the robo lab, the NGO is also
providing training to the teachers, who, in
turn will take the process forward. It will also
look after the maintenance and upgradation
aspects.
22
LEISURE/CLASSIFIEDS
omandailyobserver
For Sale
USED portacabin
(5 Nos) for sale.
Interested parties
may contact
Mr Arif on GSM
No 99259157/
92332088 at NTS
Ghala Camp for
inspection. Sealed
offers should be
submitted on or
before 17.03.2015.
·····
A SPACIOUS running
restaurant (92 chairs)
with grill and tandoor
for sale in the heart of
the Muscat with 7 visas
(No of visa extendable)
and minimal rent
with outdoor sitting.
Contact between 5 pm
to 10 pm 94641548
For Sale
DELUXE fast food
restaurant in Prime
location in Muscat.
99363883.
·····
·····
AUTOMOTIVE
batteries for sale
in bulk. Contact
24794657
·····
LAND (Residence)
in Qantab - Muscat
‰‘˜‡”‘”ƒ–‡ȋϐ‹”•–”‘™
on the beach) 303 m2 —„‡”Ͷͳ͵ǡϐ‹ƒŽ
price 280,000
(900 Omani Rial
per square metre).
94056332/
24702522.
·····
·····
PRIME location in
Shatti Al Qurum
RESIDENTIAL
commercial plot at
for Sale. Ideal for
‡‡„‘—“ȋϐ‹”•–Ž‹‡
restaurant/ Coffee
on the main road)
Š‘’Ȁƒ•–‘‘†Ǥ
area 309m2 No. 157,
open corner from
97890657/
four sides. Permit for
96426312. E-mail:
‰”‘—†ϐŽ‘‘”Ϊ͵Ž‡˜‡Ž•
tess29.cayman29@
Ϊ’‡–Š‘—•‡Ǥ‹ƒŽ
gmail.com
Price RO 280,000
(approx. RO 900 per
metre). 94056332/ · · · · ·
24702522.
ͳȎ
·····
behind GUtech is
offered for sale. The
RESIDENTIAL land
land enjoys a permit
in Al Hajir - Wilayat
Al Amerat - square
for twin-villa.
(3) plot No. (219),
area of 600 square
2) A LAND is for sale
metre price RO
in Al Maabela 8 owner.
6800. 94056332/
95959166.
24702522.
·····
·····
well
maintained
Household items for
immediate sale at
throw away price
99047440
RESTAURANT
in an excellent
location in Salalah
with equipment
and workers.
93397812.
·····
RUNNING plastic
recycling factory with
yard for immediate sale.
Interested people can
contact Mr Sujith 93221125. Approximate
rate RO 80,000 including
yard, material and
‡“—‹’‡–™‹–Š‘ˆϐ‹…‡
facilities.
·····
SALE of cold rooms
in excellent running
condition:
1- New 15 MT capacity
‡ƒ…Šƒ–œ‹ǡ‹†ƒ›ƒƬŽ
Kamil.
2- 35 MT capacity at
Salalah.
‘”ˆ—”–Š‡”†‡–ƒ‹Ž•ǡ’Ž‡ƒ•‡
contact between: 08:00
ƒ–‘ͲͳǣͲͲ’ƬͲʹǣͲͲ
pm to 05:30 pm (Sunday
to Thursday). Contact
Mr Sasl 92880150, Mr
Safa 91404960.
·····
USED VEHICLES/EQPT
FOR SALE
y
25 Seater Toyota
Coaster
yMAN Prime Movers
4x2
y
25/35 Ton Cranes
y‘”Ž‹ˆ–ͷ‘Ȁͳͷ‘
y—‡Žƒ‡”ͷͲͲͲ
yVacuum Tanker
5000 IG
y Mitsubishi Pickup 4x4.
Contact 99465358/
99454660.
·····
SIT VACANT
URGENTLY
required by
a reputed
LLC company
in Oman:
SPARE PARTS
SALESMAN
(Indoor).
Diploma holder
with 2 years
experience, good
communication
and negotiation
skill, computer
knowledge. Age
not more than
35 years. Arabic
speaking is an
advantage.
SALES
EXECUTIVE
(Outdoor):
Diploma in
mechanical field
with 5 years
experience in
tools, hardware,
building
materials, safety
products, good
grasp in local
market with
Omani driving
licence. Interested
candidate may
send their CVs
with recent
photographs to:
info@gapmct.
com ·
·····
Announcement
LOST
Announcement of Amending Legal Form
According to provisions of Article 13 ȍȎ of Law
of Companies 4/74 and its amendments, Nsaim Al
Muzn Al Arabi for Trade (Partnership) registered
with the Secretary of Commercial Register under
No. 122452 announces it is changing its legal form
from Partnership to under the name Nsaim Al Muzn
Al Arabi for Trade (Limited Partnership). Who are
objecting to it shall submit reasons of objection
at the Secretary of Commercial Register at the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Muscat with
2 months of publishing this announcement.
SHAH Alam has lost
ƒ‰Žƒ†‡•Š‹ƒ••’‘”–
‘Ǥͺͻʹͳ͵ͺ͸Ǥ‹†‡”
please handover to ROP
·····
—••ƒ‹Ž‹
Šƒ•Ž‘•–ƒ‰Žƒ†‡•Š‹
Passport No. 85011758.
‹†‡”’Ž‡ƒ•‡Šƒ†‘˜‡”
to ROP
·····
ƒ‡†ƒ••‡”
has lost Yemeni
Passport No. 04085525.
‹†‡”’Ž‡ƒ•‡Šƒ†‘˜‡”
to ROP
·····
·····
CLASSIFIED SECTION
RUWI : 24785668
CARTOONS
ADAM @ HOME
by Brian Basset
1
6
9
10
11
12
13
15
17
CALVIN AND HOBBES
by Bill Watterson
18
19
20
22
24
25
26
27
28
GARFIELD
29
30
by Jim Davis
31
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
12
STONE SOUP
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
ACROSS
Do they play a supporting role
in the theatre? (5)
Can it bring us semi-penury?
(5)
Boy not yet ten but strong and
brave (7)
It’s totally different from a
weasel (5)
Does mending work for sailors
in sad disarray (5)
Ring for something to eat (5)
Claimed a cricket side to be in
the lead, falsely (7)
Well contradicted (3)
Look possible to make a hat out
of leather (4)
The business of winding
endless bandages (6)
A quiet, promising start (5)
Was he not cut out to be a
composer? (6)
Obviously not the main part of
an apple (4)
How time changes one (3)
Given in a big way (7)
Don’t allow a chap to be trite
(5)
Acceptable invalidity? (5)
The practise of standing
upright in the bath, maybe (5)
Carefully brushed garment? (7)
Not returning some of one’s
revenue (5)
She’s easily caught (5)
DOWN
Shake like a snake? (6)
Performer of an early
composition on the piano (6)
Fixed in a circle? (3)
Work with one’s hands (5)
Suffer in breaking ground out
East (7)
More than a marine animal (4)
He arranged a loan in the
middle of the road! (6)
Make a start, for instance, in
Situation Wanted
A SUDANESE with
Master Degree from
”‹–‹•Š‹˜‡”•‹–‹‡•‹
Project Planning and
National Development,
long experience in
Oman in planning,
preparation of
feasibility studies,
economic and financial
analysis of companies,
indentification
and evaluation
of investment
opportunities,
implementation and
follow up of projects,
9
10
11
12
13
15
17
18
19
20
22
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
2
3
4
5
6
7
·····
SRI LANKAN male, 27
›‡ƒ”•ǡ’—”•—‹‰ǡ
having 4 years retail
industry experience in
operations, customer
services, training and
development as an
executive is looking
for suitable placement.
Currently in Oman
on visit. Contact:
98445287. mihiran.
dhanuka1@gmail.com
·····
8
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
21
22
23
25
26
28
Safe (6)
Asian language (5)
Log (5)
Nut (5)
Style of music (5)
Make amends (5)
Spice (5)
Skin pigment (7)
Small lump (6)
Discussion (6)
Agreement (6)
Reels (5)
Fibber (4)
Finish (3)
THURSDAY’S CRYPTIC
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 3, Elect 8, Focus 10,
Hour-I 11, Jam 12, MA-caw 13,
(b-)Rambles 15, Pence 18, Lid 19,
Pelota 21, Hel-ic-a-l 22, Aces 23,
Smut 24, Mal-aria 26, Propel 29,
Do-T 31, Seno-R 32, Keyword 34,
Asses 35, Ere 36, Grace 37, Flesh
38, Hym-NS.
DOWN: 1, Kojak 2, Rumbles 4,
Leas 5, Chape-L 6, To-wel 7,
Trac-T 9, Cam 12, Medical 14, LIL 16, Norma 17, (the) Earth 19,
Para-Des 20, Lamps 21, Hero-N
23, Sit-well 24, Mersey 25, R-oy
27, Rear-M 28, Poach 30, Dress 32,
Keen 33, Ore.
CRO SSW O RD
the wine storage (5)
13 Alias Celia? (5)
14 Bitter, it could be most solemn
(5)
15 Where something is admitted,
when allowed (5)
16 Landowner with his own little
retreat at Land’s End (5)
18 Flying nurse? (5)
19 Spanish sportsman with a
pointed purpose (7)
21 Did he house people in Rome?
(6)
22 In the kitchen, it can go to a
pot (6)
23 Is such combat conducted on
radio? (6)
25 Give a moving performance (5)
26 Snack on a mere morsel,
sweetheart (4)
28 Taken in and put in the shade
(3)
EASY PUZZLE
ACROSS
1 Cheerful (5)
6 Hidden store (5)
various administrative
activities. 99246820.
Regain (7)
Temptress (5)
Farm (5)
Flower (5)
Chief city (7)
Undergarment (3)
Beers (4)
Piece of meat (6)
Without (5)
Tooth covering (6)
College head (4)
Sprint (3)
Subtlety (7)
Dead language (5)
Once more (5)
Keen (5)
Complaint (7)
Severe (5)
River mouth (5)
DOWN
Beast (6)
Summary (6)
Currency unit (3)
Tycoon (5)
Grave (7)
Snare (4)
THURSDAY’S EASY
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 3, Frets 8, Depot 10,
Rifle 11, But 12, Synod 13, Detects
15, Weedy 18, Par 19, Lessee 21,
Caramel 22, Lard 23, Pair 24,
Quietly 26, Possum 29, Roe 31,
Title 32, Remains 34, Asset 35, Son
36, Leant 37, Tenet 38, Tsars.
DOWN: 1, Rebel 2, Notepad 4,
Rays 5, Trowel 6, Sides 7, Glade 9,
Put 12, Stratum 14, Car 16, Essay
17, Yearn 19, Leveret 20, Slept 21,
Crust 23, Pleased 24, Quests 25,
Tom 27, Oiled 28, Slant 30, Inner
32, Rear 33, Ion.
Hospitals
by Jan Eliot
Hospital. . . . . Board . . . . . . . Emergency
Royal . . . . . . . 24599000 . . . 24590491
Health Services Department
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
Samayil . . . . . . . 25350055 . . . . 25350022
Izki . . . . . . . . . . . 25340033 . . . . 25340033
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
Bidiyah . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535
Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990
Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148
Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187
Daba . . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443
Bukha . . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397
Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338
CLASSIFIEDS
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Situation Wanted
FOR RENT
FURNISHED ϐŽƒ–•™‹–Š
daily and monthly rent.
93204595, 932034812, 24487827.
·····
SEMI furnished 2 & 3
BHK flats at Bausher near Atlas Hospital.
99348493/
93200424/
24502254.
INDIAN male, 12
years experience in
printing and advt
production and
Marketing, seeks
suitable placement.
92972898.
·····
STORES for rent
at Misfa, 500 to
3,000m2. Contact
99332291,
96046951
·····
A FLAT is offered for
rent opposite Bait Al
Falaj and consists of
two bedrooms and
majlis. 99612232.
·····
2 BEDROOM centrally
air-conditioned flat in
CBD, Central Bank
Area. 24714625,
94460790.
·····
A FLAT is offered for
rent in Al Wattayah,
behind Honda auto
showroom. The flat
consists of two
bedrooms and majlis.
97880278,
99612232.
·····
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.
·····
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
·····
·····
A VILLA is offered for
rent in Al Ansab 3. The
residence consists of
7 bedrooms + 7 toilets
+ 2 kitchens + majlis
+ annex. RO 670/- per
month. 99220443.
INDIAN male, 24 years
old, on visit visa, 3
years diploma in civil
engineering, 8 years
experience. Contact
98515106.
·····
FLATS in South Al
Maabela are offered for
rent. 99337455.
Situation Wanted
TWO bedrooms and
living room. Sohar,
Altariff. 92853555,
94222386.
INDIAN male, bachelor
degree in travel and
tourism with 1 year
experience in this field,
on visit visa, looking
for a job. Contact:
93675489.
·····
·····
·····
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.
·····
Umrah/Haj
AL Hikmani for
HAJ and UMRAH
— With a host of
services including
the following: Hiring
luxurious coaches,
arranging weekly trips,
preparing visas for
expats at cost-effective
price, including
transport, housing,
meals and visits to
shrine locations.
Land and air trips
weekly. 99311310,
24566016, 99361982,
99707248, 99322124.
·····
Good News
AYURVEDIC Treatment,
Yoga Massage &
slimming. Web address:
www.siddhayur.com
92504980/
24475280.
·····
IRAQI civil engineer
with 13 years
experience in
construction and
management field,
having a drivers licence,
resident in Oman now
looking for suitable job.
Contact 95525594,
bash_ze@yahoo.com
·····
11 YEARS experience
‹ƒ‹ϐŽ‡‡–ǡ
’—”…Šƒ•‹‰ǡ‘ˆϐ‹…‡™‘”ǡ
hotel and transport.
10 years Oman driving
licence seeking
immediate placement.
94133987
·····
INDIAN, male, BE
in Electrical and
electronics with
Post Graduate
Diploma in Power
Systems (Transmission
and distribution), seeks
placement. Presently in
Oman on visit. Contact
94669679. E-mail:
prsabarish@gmail.com
·····
CSIT Computer
Engineering B-Tech
presently working as
a Network & System
Engineer Having
excellent experience
looking for a
placement 968
91006851 Mohd
Nadeem Ullah
Khan. E-mail:
nadeemkhan126@
yahoo.com
Situation Wanted
MALE, 22, B.Tech
in mechanical
engineering,
dynamic personality,
knowing English,
Hindi, currently
in Oman, seeks
suitable position 93611341, 92603257.
·····
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.
dileep2468.a@gmail.
com
·····
INDIAN male
Accountant with 15
years experience in
Oman available for
immediate joining,
NOC available.
Contact 99881355,
99720602.
·····
INDIAN lady Chartered
Accountant is looking
for part-time job.
Having very good
experience in accounts,
audit, banking,
budgeting, project
financing etc. (more
than 7 years experience
in Oman. Visa needed.
Contact: 93134506.
·····
INDIAN male, 26
›‡ƒ”•ϐ‹ƒ…‡ǡ
accountant, 2 years
experience in Oman,
currently working.
NOC available. Contact
95671070. E-mail:
mf960591@gmail.com
·····
·····
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 switches,
Outlook, S/W
Installations. Contact
95406864. E-mail:
saad.m.ali79@gmail.com
INDIAN male, 23
years, BBM graduate
with computer
knowledge, having 2
years experience in
accountancy looking for
accounts, admin, stores
or sales. Currently on
visit visa 95356512.
·····
PAKISTANI with metric
and HSSC/A level
“—ƒŽ‹ϐ‹…ƒ–‘‹’‡”Ǧ
medical and 2 years
experience in teaching
in tutorials and one year
as dispenser in child
ward at district hospital
in Pakistan with vast
computer skills, seeks
suitable employment.
Contact 94453981.
·····
INDIAN male, 26 years,
Business Management,
‘™•ˆϐ‹…‡ǡ
Arabic, 5 years in Oman.
Contact 93931935
·····
NOC/network engineer,
Indian male, 27
years, having 5 years
experience in the field
of network engineering,
seeks better placement.
Currently on visit
visa, 97663834/
94737033.
·····
URGENTLY required
Asphalt Laying
Foreman for an
international road
construction company.
E-mail: payroll.om@
strabag.com
·····
WANTED Assistant
Accountant, Secretary
(male). Send CV with
photo to: mubasu23@
gmail.com
·····
PRIVATE school needs
English, Maths &
Science Teachers.
Contact: 91955777.
INDIAN female, IT
graduate, BA (Hons),
system administration
with 2 years experience
in teaching, seeks
suitable placement in
education/training
industry. 96447091,
fatimahaq24@outlook.
com.
URGENTLY required
Expatriate Heavy
Duty Drivers, JCB
Operators with valid
Omani licence. Send
your CV to gdsoman@
gdsoman.com.
Contact: 99890076,
93894018, Fax:
24590866.
·····
INDIAN male, 22 years,
mechanical engineer,
fresher, looking for
a placement in any
‡…Šƒ‹…ƒŽϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ
Contact 95020044.
·····
INDIAN male,
accountant available
for immediate joining.
NOC available with
Omani driving licence.
Call 99881355 or
99720602.
INDIAN male, post
graduate, 42 years old
with Omani Driving
Licence, having 5
years experience in
marketing (various
fields) looking for an
immediate placement.
Release available. Call
91141092.
INDIAN male, B.Tech
E&I , 10 years
experience in sales,
procurement & business
development, 6 years
Oman experience in
oil & gas sectors, seeks
suitable placement,
Omani D/L, NOC
available. Contact
97233074.
·····
·····
·····
·····
REQUIRED a female
Staff Nurse with MoH
licence for a high class
Dermatology Centre
in Barka (Muscat).
Interested candidates
please send your CV to:
Mdcjobs2015@gmail.
com
·····
ARCHITECTURE
engineer with good
experience in civil
works and had
implemented several
jobs with big world
companies like Shell,
ENI, Schlumberger,
BP, all jobs in Iraq.
009647806448408
mokhalad.farown@
gmail.com
Immediate Sale
Services
RUNNING plastic
recycling factory with
yard for immediate
sale. Interested people
can contact Mr Sujith,
GSM: 93221125.
Approximate rate:
RO 80,0000 including
yard, material and
‡“—‹’‡–™‹–Š‘ˆϐ‹…‡
facilities.
TO our valued
customers; we
regret to inform
you that LUSH
HAIR & BEAUTY
SALON located at
18 th November
St. Al Athaiba has
permanently closed.
For any concern
please contact
Fathi Al Busaidi
99623444.
·····
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
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Candidates having
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Please send CV by
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experienced in
medical goods sales
with minimum
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with a valid Oman or
GCC driving licence.
Apply to:
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send your CV to
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23
omandailyobserver
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SUNDAY l NOVEMBER 15, 2015 l SAFAR 3, 1437 AH
editor@omanobserver.om
www.omanobserver.om
RENTING & LEASING
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CLASSIFIED SECTION:
Ali al Maashari: 99639264 ali.almashari@omandaily.om
Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 m.alrahdi86@yahoo.com
94501166
DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590
SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 15, 2015 | SAFAR 3, 1437 AH
P26
P27
P28
Inside
India spin out South Africa for 214 Argentina, Brazil draw 1-1 in classic Thailand’s evergreen Thongchai in driving seat www.omanobserver.om
FOLLOW US ON:
editor@omanobserver.om
OMAN DESERT MARATHON: Ukraine’s Yevgeny Jeliva comes second while Jordan’s Salama finishes third
Moroccan Al Mirbati wins third time
MUSCAT: The Minister of Tourism
Ahmed bin Nasser al Mehrzi presided
over the award ceremony of the
3rd Oman Desert Marathon which
concluded in the Wilayat of Bidiya in
North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, on
Friday.
Morocco’s Rasheed al Mirbati
came first for the third time in a row
in the running the 165 km distance
in 13:18:21 while Ukraine’s Yevgeny
Jeliva claimed second place with
13:52:46 and Jordan’s Salama al Aqra
came third with 14:14:31.
Sweden’s Elizabeth won the
women’s title after fully dominating
the race from its very beginning with
a total time of 18:36:20 beating the
champions of the last two editions
Morocco’s Aziza al Raji who came
second with 20:31:20 and Uruguay’s
Silvia Amodo who finished third with
22:25:09.
MOSCOW: Russia has signalled
its willingness to carry out reforms
on anti-doping measures amid the
threat of its track and field athletes
being barred from competing at the
2016 Olympics.
Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko
said he expected Russia would be
competing at the Rio Olympics
despite the decision by ruling
athletics body IAAF to provisionally
suspend the country’s federation
over doping.
Russian Olympic Committee
(ROC) Chief Alexander Zhukov
meanwhile made a number of
undertakings on doping reforms
after a meeting with International
Olympic
Committee
(IOC)
President Thomas Bach.
“The
Russian
Olympic
Committee is determined that the
clean athletes should compete in the
Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,”
Zhukov said.
“Anyone found guilty of using
illegal drugs or anyone who
facilitated or was complicit in their
use must be punished.”
Mutko was quoted on Saturday
as saying he believed Russia’s doping
issues would be resolved in time for
the Olympics.
— dpa
Sweden’s Elizabeth won
the women’s title after fully
dominating the race from
the very beginning with an
overall time of 18:36:20
beating the champions of
the last two editions
Russia suspended after IAAF vote
LONDON:
Athletics’
governing body has voted
overwhelmingly to suspend
Russia from the sport for
widespread, state-sponsored
doping and the ban will
include the 2016 Olympics
unless the country can
demonstrate a major change
in their approach and
controls.
After
a
three-hour
teleconference on Friday,
hosted by its President
Sebastian
Coe,
the
International Association of
Athletics Federations’ (IAAF)
council voted 22-1 in favour
of the sanction, with the
Russian representative not
able to vote.
The meeting was called to
discuss Monday’s report by
the independent commission
of
the
World
AntiDoping Agency (WADA),
which
recommended
the
punishment
—
unprecedented for doping
offences. The report alleged
“systemic” collusion between
Russian athletes and both
the country’s federation and
anti-doping authorities and
a “deeply-rooted culture
of cheating” that enabled
athletes to take performanceenhancing drugs without
fear of being tested.
Russia’s national team athletes conduct training at their ground in Sochi, Russia.
The report recommended
suspending the Russian
federation until a “new
framework” was in place.
“We will get the change
we want and only then will
Russian athletes return to
international competition,”
Coe told reporters after
Friday’s call.
“This is not about politics,
this is about the protection
of clean athletes. I cannot
overstate the feeling around
Russia ready
for reforms to
avoid Olympic
ouster
the conference call this
evening about sending the
strongest possible message
that we can.
“This has been a shameful
wake-up call and we are clear
that cheating at any level
will not be tolerated. “But
we discussed and agreed
that the whole system has
failed the athletes, not just
in Russia, but around the
world.”
REQUIRED CHANGES
AL MUSANNAH BEAT FANJA
— Reuters
Asked if Russia would be
able to make the required
changes in time to return for
the Rio de Janeiro Olympics
next August, Coe said: “It is
entirely up to the Russian
federation. Our verification
team will be tough and will
want to make sure that before
there is a re-introduction to
the sport for their athletes
and the federation those
changes have taken place.”
— Reuters
Al Musannah beat Fanja 3-2 in their Mazda Professional Cup match at the Seeb Sports Stadium on Saturday.
26
omandailyobserver
SPORT
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
FREEDOM SERIES: AB De Villiers marked his 100th Test with a stroke filled 85 to bolster the score after Virat Kohli elected to field
Rampant India spin out South Africa for 214
BANGALORE: India’s spin twins
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra
Jadeja shared eight wickets as South
Africa crumbled for 214 on the opening
day of the second Test in Bangalore on
Saturday.
AB de Villiers marked his 100th
Test with a stroke-filled 85 to bolster
the score after Indian captain Virat
Kohli won the toss and elected to
field in overcast conditions at the
Chinnaswamy stadium.
Opener Dean Elgar’s 38 was the next
highest score as the top-ranked Proteas,
who lost the first Test in Mohali by 108
runs, once again floundered against the
spinners on a pitch that held no demons.
India replied with 80 for no loss by
stumps with Murali Vijay unbeaten on
28 and Shikhar Dhawan finding form
with 45 not out after being dismissed
for a pair in Mohali.
South Africa, aiming to bounce back
in the four-Test series, were reduced to
120-5 before being dismissed in just
59 overs during the post-tea session to
hand India the early advantage.
Off-spinner Ashwin wreaked havoc
with the top order by claiming three of
the first five wickets, including two in
his opening over when he was brought
on to bowl the eighth over.
Ashwin finished with four for 70 to
build on his eight-wicket match haul in
the first Test.
Left-armer Jadeja, who also took
eight scalps in Mohali, returned with
four for 50, including the important
wicket of de Villiers off the last ball
before tea.
De Villiers hit 11 boundaries and a
six, before wicket-keeper Wriddhiman
Saha dived in front of the stumps to
India’s Ravichandran
Ashwin.
— Reuters
POMS
POWER
England’s talent excites
veteran Collingwood
ABU DHABI: England’s consultant of
coaching Paul Collingwood on Saturday
showed excitement over a young bunch
of players who he believes put the team
in a strong place — with the long term
goal of winning the 2019 World Cup at
home.
England thumped Pakistan by 95
runs in the second match in Abu Dhabi
on Friday to level the four-match series
at 1-1.
The win set England on the right
path of progress after they shuffled the
team following a disastrous 2015 World
Cup where they failed to reach the last
eight.
Collingwood said the young group
can flourish.
“They’re a young group who want
to go out and give it their best, and it’s
fantastic there’s no ceiling to them...
the way they can flourish, and the
environment.
“It’s really exciting for English cricket
to have a young set of talented cricketers
like this... we’re in a very good, strong
place.”
Since the World Cup, England beat
New Zealand 3-2 and narrowly lost to
world champions Australia by the same
margin — both at home in the last five
months.
Collingwood, captain of England’s
World Twenty20 win in 2010, admitted
the long term goal is to win the 50-over
World Cup.
“We understand there’s a lot of
development to go on... and a lot of
learning to do. That comes from the
players themselves. The one thing that
is working for them is keeping that
same aggressive nature from the last
two series.
“Ultimately, we have a long-term
goal — to win the World Cup,” said
Collingwood of the elusive title.
England, who hosted the first three
editions of the 50-over World Cup
(1975, 1979 and 1983), have yet to win
the title in 11 attempts.
Collingwood praised England’s
bounce back against Pakistan, after
losing the first game by six wickets — in
Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
“We were disappointed with the
‘We understand there’s a
lot of development to go
on... and a lot of learning
to do. That comes from the
players themselves. The one
thing that is working for
them is keeping that same
aggressive nature from the
last two series’
way we batted in the first game, but
the way we bounced back was superb.
It took a lot of guts from the two
openers to go out there and take it to
the opposition and put them under
pressure,” said Collingwood of Alex
Hales who scored 109 and Jason Roy
who made 54.
“I thought we got well ahead of the
game with that great partnership, and it
really set the tone. To get to a total like
that on that surface was fantastic,” said
Collingwood of England’s 283-5.
Pakistan were bowled out for 188.
Collingwood praised 26-year-old
Hales and rates him good for Tests as
well.
— AFP
pick up a low catch.
“TOO MANY SOFT DISMISSALS’
South African coach Russell
Domingo blamed the batsmen for the
low total, saying there was nothing in
the wicket to suggest another bowlerdominated game.
Domingo, however, did not rule out
a turnaround in the Test.
De Villiers walked in at 45-3 to
generous applause from some 23,000
fans who regard him as one of their own
due to his stint with the Bangalore team
in the Indian Premier League.
He got off the mark with five runs,
courtesy of an overthrow by Indian
captain Virat Kohli that raced to the
fence. De Villiers, who went to lunch
unbeaten on 19, brought up South
Africa’s 100 with a superb cover drive
off fast bowler Varun Aaron and
reached his half-century with a single
off Ashwin.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa first innings:
Van Zyl lbw Ashwin ............................................... 10
D Elgar b Jadeja.................................................... 38
Du Plessis c Pujara b Ashwin .................................. 0
H Amla b Aaron....................................................... 7
De Villiers c Saha b Jadeja .................................... 85
J Duminy c Rahane b Ashwin ............................... 15
D Vilas c&b Jadeja ................................................ 15
K Abbott (run out) ................................................. 14
K Rabada c Pujara b Jadeja ..................................... 0
M Morkel c Binny b Ashwin .................................. 22
I Tahir (not out) ....................................................... 0
Extras (LB-2, NB-6) ....................................... 8
Total (all out, 59 overs) ............................ 214
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-15, 3-45, 4-78, 5-120,
6-159, 7-177, 8-177, 9-214.
Bowling: I Sharma 13-3-40-0, S Binny 3-2-1-0, R
Ashwin 18-2-70-4, V Aaron 9-0-51-1, R Jadeja 16-250-4.
India first innings:
M Vijay (not out) ................................................... 28
S Dhawan (not out) ............................................... 45
Extras (B-4, NB-3) ......................................... 7
Total (for no loss, 22 overs) ........................ 80
Bowling: M Morkel 7-1-23-0, K Abbott 6-1-18-0, K
Rabada 5-1-17-0, J Duminy 2-0-9-0, I Tahir 2-0-9-0.
Williamson anchors Kiwi chase
PERTH: In-form batsman Kane
Williamson carried New Zealand hopes
with another fighting half-century at
stumps on the second day of the second
Test at the WACA Ground on Saturday.
After Australia had declared their
first innings at 559 for nine, New
Zealand were 140 for two in reply on an
easy-going pitch.
Williamson was unbeaten on 70,
with Ross Taylor on 26 not out, the pair
having added 53 runs but the Kiwis still
trailing by 419 runs with eight wickets
in hand.
Put in to bat around 40 minutes
before tea, the Kiwis lost both their
openers.
Martin Guptill was trapped leg
before wicket by left-arm quick Mitchell
Starc for just one when the score was six.
Tom Latham again looked solid in
making 36, but Australian captain Steve
Smith was rewarded for his decision to
bring off-spinner Nathan Lyon back into
the attack.
Lyon removed Latham in his first
over after tea with Smith taking a sharp
catch low to his left.
Williamson again looked in total
control after scoring 140 and 59 in
Brisbane, and his only moments of
concern came when his concentration
appeared to waver during a short spell by
all-rounder Mitchell Marsh provoking
him to play a couple of false shots.
One significant setback for Australia
during the second day was an apparent
hamstring injury suffered by first
innings centurion Usman Khawaja.
The 28-year-old, who has scored
centuries in the two Tests against the
Kiwis and made 121 on Friday, pulled
up sharply after chasing a ball to the
boundary and immediately left the field.
He didn’t return and Cricket
Australia said his injury would be
assessed on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand foiled
Australian opener David Warner’s bid to
break more batting records when they
removed him for 253, caught in slips off
paceman Trent Boult.
Australia, ahead 1-0 in the threematch series after a 208-run win in
Brisbane, had resumed at 416 for
two, with Warner on 244 and eyeing
Matthew Hayden’s record WACA score
of 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
However, he added just nine runs
before some much-improved bowling
from Boult had him edging to Mark a
‘I faced 200 balls for the first
time last game. For me it
is about being determined
and focused. I achieved what
I set out to do and that was
to score a double hundred in
my career and it has put us
into a great position’
SAVIOUR
my career, and it has put us into a great
position.
“But it’s going to be tough to take 20
wickets on this deck.”
At one stage Australia were 512 for
four on Saturday, but they collapsed
after lunch with New Zealand spinner
Craig (3-123) on a hat-trick as the
wickets tumbled in the chase for quick
runs.
Paceman Doug Bracewell (2-81)
provided a rare moment of delight for
the visitors when he took a brilliant
reflex catch off his own bowling to
remove Marsh for 34.
Bracewell, who conceded a draw
was their main focus, said the Kiwis
were rewarded for bowling with more
consistency.
“It was pretty pleasing to have a good
day like that after yesterday,” he said.
“We spoke about improving and
being more consistent and we got a few
rewards.
“We talked about making them hit
our good balls rather than giving them
the release we were yesterday.” — AFP
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson tries to hit a delivery from Australia’s Mitchell
Johnson during the second day of the second Test at the WACA ground in Perth.
— Reuters
Craig in slips.
‘DETERMINED AND FOCUSED’
It was the second-highest individual
score at the ground, behind only
Hayden’s massive knock.
Warner faced 286 balls and was
at the crease for 409 minutes, hitting
24 boundaries and two sixes in an
impressive innings that was the highest
of his career and his first double-century
at Test level.
Warner said he was pleased to bat for
such a long period for the second match
in succession.
“I faced 200 balls for the first time last
game,” he said.
“For me it is about being determined
and focused.
“I achieved what I set out to do and
that was to score a double hundred in
Australia first innings: (O/n: 416-2)
J Burns b Henry .................................................... 40
D Warner c Craig b Boult .................................... 253
U Khawaja c Latham b Bracewell ........................ 121
S Smith c Watling b Henry.................................... 27
A Voges c Wating b Boult...................................... 41
M Marsh c and b Bracewell................................... 34
P Nevill st Watling b Craig .................................... 19
M Johnson st Watling b Craig ................................ 2
M Starc c Latham b Craig ........................................ 0
J Hazlewood (not out) ............................................ 8
N Lyon (not out) ...................................................... 4
Extras (LB-4, B-1, W-1, NB-4) ....................... 10
Total (For 9 wkts, 133 overs)..................... 559
Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-403, 3-427, 4-462, 5-512,
6-539, 7-547, 8-547, 9-547.
Bowling: Southee 29-6-88-0, Boult 26-2-1232, Henry 22-2-105-2, Bracewell 25-1-81-2, Craig
23-0-123-3, Williamson 3-0-11-0, Guptill 3-0-7-0,
McCullum 2-0-16-0.
New Zealand first innings
M Guptill lbw Starc ................................................. 1
T Latham c Smith b Lyon ....................................... 36
K Williamson (not out).......................................... 70
R Taylor (not out)................................................... 26
Extras (LB-4, NB-3) ....................................... 7
Total (For 2 wkts, 42 overs)....................... 140
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-87.
Bowling: Starc 11-3-17-1, Hazlewood 11-1-48-0,
Johnson 8-1-34-0, Lyon 8-1-24-1, Marsh 4-1-13-0.
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
SPORT
omandailyobserver
WC QUALIFIER: The result was better news for Brazil than for the hosts, who remained unable to gain ground
US open World
Cup qualifying
with 6-1 rout of
St Vincent
Argentina, Brazil draw 1-1 in classic
BUENOS AIRES: South American
football giants Argentina and Brazil
drew 1-1 on Friday in Buenos Aires,
in a World Cup qualifier that had been
postponed over heavy rain a day earlier.
The result was better news for Brazil
than for hosts Argentina, who remained
unable to gain ground en route to Russia
2018 after three games without a win at
the start of the qualifiers.
After three rounds of play in the
qualifiers, Ecuador top the standings
with a perfect score of nine points,
Chile have seven and Uruguay are on
six. Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia have
four, while Peru and Bolivia have three.
Argentina are on just two points, while
Venezuela have none.
The top four South American teams
will qualify directly for the World Cup
in Russia, while the fifth-placed team
will have another chance for a berth in
Russia 2018 in a play-off against a team
from Oceania.
Ezequiel Lavezzi was on target from
close range in the 34th minute, off a
good low cross from Gonzalo Higuain.
The goal appeared to do justice to the
first half of the match, where Argentina
were clearly the better side despite
playing without the injured superstar
strikers Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and
Carlos Tevez.
Ever Banega hit the woodwork barely
two minutes into the second half. From
then on, however, Brazil got back into
the game.
In the 58th minute, a header from
Douglas Costa hit the crossbar,but Lucas
Lima produced a half-volley to net the
ball off there bound. The second half
was more balanced and both teams had
chances.
Brazil defender David Luiz was sent
off for a second bookable offence with
just a handful of minutes left to play,
after elbowing one rival and stepping on
another in the space of a few minutes.
“We played a solid match and
unfortunately they got a draw in an
isolated instance of play,” said Javier
Mascherano.
INTL
FRIENDLY
England-France
friendly to go ahead:
French federation
PARIS: The England-France friendly
match scheduled for Tuesday in London
will go ahead despite deadly attacks in
Paris that left more than 120 dead on
Friday, according to the French football
federation.
“After talks with the English FA who
assured us there was no particular risk
in holding the match, we decided to go
ahead,” a federation spokesman said on
Saturday.
“If British authorities came to reevaluate the situation, obviously the
question of holding the match or not
would be addressed.”
The match is scheduled to kick off at
Wembley at 2000GMT on Tuesday.
France cancelled all public events
including a press conference and
a meeting with fans that had been
scheduled for Saturday. Instead, the
squad trained behind closed doors.
As France played Germany in a
friendly at the Stade de France on
Friday, three loud explosions were heard
outside the national stadium during the
first half.
At least four people died outside the
glittering venue which staged the 1998
World Cup final with several others
seriously hurt.
One of the explosions was near a
McDonald’s restaurant on the fringes
of the stadium. At least one of the two
explosions in rue Jules-Rimet was a
suicide bomb attack.
French President Francois Hollande,
who was watching the game, was
immediately evacuated. The two sides
played on to the end.
Afterwards, bewildered fans poured
onto the pitch while waiting for all
the exits to be declared secure and
LOS ANGELES: The United
States shook off a nightmare start
to launch their 2018 World Cup
qualifying campaign with a 6-1 rout
of St Vincent and the Grenadines on
Friday.
Jozy Altidore scored twice as
Jurgen Klinsmann’s men made a
quick recovery after Oalex Anderson
put the Caribbean visitors ahead in
the fifth minute at Busch Stadium in
St Louis, Missouri.
But Bobby Wood equalised six
minutes later and the United States
cruised from there.
Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron
and Gyasi Zardez also scored for
the United States, who came into
the match off of a Gold Cup flop on
home soil and a defeat by Mexico in
a crunch playoff for a place in the
2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
So it was especially nerve wracking
for the crowd to see St Vincent take
a quick lead after Anderson seized
upon a long ball over the top of
the American defence. He cut and
fired it past US keeper Brad Guzan.
Wood responded six minutes later,
heading a ball from DeAndre Yedlin
past St Vincent goalkeeper Winslow
McDowall.
Johnson extended the lead in the
29th when his free kick deflected off
the wall and into McDowall’s net.
“It’s very tricky to play against
these type of teams,” Klinsmann
said. “We had a similar experience
where we played against Antigua
and Barbuda. You might get a goal,
you might get a counter break and
then they bunker in and you have
to find a way to score the first and
the second goal. It seemed that —
very quickly — it turned into an
entertaining game.”
Altidore made it 3-1 in the 31st.
Left alone at the far post, he headed
into an open net after Jermaine Jones
had deftly nodded on a corner kick.
— AFP
Argentina’s Ezequiel Lavezzi celebrates with his team-mate Gonzalo Higuain after scoring against Brazil during their Russia 2018 Fifa World Cup South American Qualifiers
match, in Buenos Aires.
— AFP
“I think we deserved a bit more.
We played a great game, we had many
chances, but we missed the shots. These
things happen when you are not on
target,” said Angel Di Maria.
Their rivals were more satisfied.
“Considering it was Argentina, away,
it was a good result. Now we need to try
to win at home,” said Brazil coach Carlos
Dunga.
Dunga was not worried about the
lacklustre performance of his team’s star
‘After talks with the English
FA who assured us there
was no particular risk in
holding the match, we
decided to go ahead. If
British authorities came to
re-evaluate the situation,
obviously the question of
holding the match or not
would be addressed
the stadium eventually emptied in a
relatively calm atmosphere.
French and German players were
seen in apparent shock staring at a
television screen as they left the field.
One France player, Atletico Madrid’s
Antoine Griezmann’s sister had been
in one of the principal attack sites, the
Bataclan concert hall.
He later sent a tweet saying: “Thank
God my sister managed to get out of the
Bataclan. All prayers go to the victims
and their families.”
Straight after Friday’s match, the
English FA had said they would liaise
with their French counterparts before
deciding whether or not to maintain
Tuesday’s fixture.
It was almost 3am before the French
team left the stadium under police
escort while the Germans stayed all
night before heading straight back to
Frankfurt.
The Stade de France was one of at
least six different venues hit in a string
of coordinated attacks that left 128 dead.
England also played a friendly on
Friday night, losing 2-0 at European
champions Spain.
— AFP
striker Neymar, which he blamed on the
Argentinian defence.
“He will improve next time,” Dunga
said.
The match between the two South
American arch-rivals had been
postponed after a lengthy downpour
flooded the pitch where they were
scheduled to play on Thursday in
Buenos Aires.
Later on Friday, Peru beat Paraguay
1-0 with a powerful long-distancegoal
from veteran Jefferson Farfan in the 20th
minute to get back inthe race.
A minute’s silence was observed
ahead of the day’s two matches, in
Buenos Aires and Lima, over the deaths
of more than 100 people inattacks in
Paris, which affected among others the
Stade de Francewhere the hosts were
playing world champions Germany.
On Thursday, Ecuador rose to the
top of the South American qualifiers
standings with a perfect score of three
27
wins in as many games, asthey beat
previous leaders Uruguay 2-1. South
American champions Chile were held
to a 1-1 draw at home by Colombia,
while Bolivia defeated fellow minnows
Venezuela 4-2.
The South American qualifiers are
set to continue on Tuesday, with the
matches: Colombia-Argentina, BrazilPeru,
Uruguay-Chile,
VenezuelaEcuador and Paraguay-Bolivia.
— dpa
Renaissance beat NYDT in thriller
MUSCAT: The Khimji Ramdas
sponsored ‘A’ division match between
the Renaissance and NYDT took place
at the Municipality 1 ground during
the morning session on the 12th of
November. Renaissance won a close
contest by three wickets.
Batting first, NYDT put on 213/6 in
30 overs with Shuaib Ismail top scoring
with 100 and Paritosh Hitesh chipping
in with 56. Asmeer claimed 3 wickets for
Renaissance. In response, Renaissance
squeezed home by 3 wickets to 2 balls
to spare, scoring 216/7 in 29.4 overs.
Jahanzeb and Waruna top scored with
59 and 34 respectively. Shuaib Ismail
claimed 3 wickets for NYDT.
Match Summary: NYDT: 213/6 in 30 overs (Shoaib
Ismail 100 n.o., Paritosh Hitesh 56; Asmeer 3/41)
lt to Renaissance: 216/7 in 29.4 overs (Waruna 34,
Jahanzeb 59).
Points: Renaissance- 2; NYDT: 0.
OOREDOO ‘A’ BEAT HJB
The Khimji Ramdas sponsored ‘A’
division match between the Ooredoo ‘A’
and HJB took place at the Municipality
2 ground during the morning session on
the 12th of November. Ooredoo ‘A’ won
the contest by 46 runs.
Batting first, Ooredoo ‘A’ put on 220/9
in 30 overs with Vijeesh CV top scoring
with 105. Bharat Barmeda claimed five
wickets for HJB. In response, Ooredoo
‘A’ claimed the bonus point by restricting
HJB to 174/9 in 30 overs.
Renaissance team, who beat NYDT by three wickets, pose for a picture.
2-22.
Syed Ali and Imran Nasir top scored
with 82 and 123 respectively. Al Nahdha
completed their bonus point victory by
restricting Uday Khimji to 174/5 in 20
overs. Adil Abbas and Amir Nelson top
scored with 34 and 33 for Uday Khimji.
Arif Hussain and Syed Ali claimed 2
Match Summary: Ooredoo ‘A’: 220/9 in 30 overs wickets each for Al Nahdha.
(Vijeesh CV 105; Bharat Barmeda 5-42) bt HJB:
174/9 in 30 overs (Mudasser Iqbal 70, Syed Kazmi
45; Krishna Sanoop 3-22).
Points: Ooredoo ‘A’- 3 (BP) ; HJB - 0
Uday Khimji International v Al
Nahdha (B Division)
AL NAHDHA HAVE IT EASY
The Al Ansari group of companies
sponsored ‘B’ division match between
Al Nahdha and Uday Khimji took place
at the Municipality 1 ground during
the morning session on the 12th of
November. In this fixture, Al Nahdha
came out winners, beating Uday Khimji
comfortably by 76 runs.
Batting first, Al Nahdha put on a
massive 250/2 in 20 overs. Openers,
Match Summary: Al Nahdha: 250/2 in 20 overs
(Syed Ali 82, Imran Nasir 123) bt Uday Khimji: 174/5
in 20 overs (Adil Abbas 34, Amir Nelson 33; Syed Ali
2-24, Arif Hussain 2-26).
Points: Al Nahda: 3 (BP) ; Uday Khimji: 0
4. Mardhuf completed their bonus point Points: ISWK: 3 (BP); ISM: 0
victory by restricting L&T to 108/10 in
16 overs. Monty Navani claimed 3/11 of
ISG V PSM (U-19 GIRLS)
3 for Mardhuf.
ISG go through to the final in rain
Match Summary:
affected encounter against PSM
Mardhuf: 160/9 in 20 overs (Rahul Navin 66; Jitendra
The Al Turki Enterprises sponsored
4-34) bt L&T: 108 all out in 16 overs. (Monty Navani
3-11). Points: Mardhuf: 3 (BP); L&T: 0
‘Girls U-19’ division match between ISG
and PSM took place at the Municipality
ISWK v ISM (U-19 Girls)
ground 2 during the afternoon session
ISWK complete 38 run win over ISM on the 12th of November. ISG were
The Al Turki Enterprises sponsored on course to complete the victory
‘Girls U-19’ division semifinal match when rain intervened, forcing the
between ISWK and ISM took place game to be abandoned. ISG ended up
at the Municipality ground 2 during going through to the final on point’s
the morning session on the 12th of differential.
November. ISWK was the easy winner
Batting first, ISG posted 191/2 in 20
overs. Saya Channa and Nayan Anil top
by 38 runs and cruised into the finals.
Batting first, ISWK posted 161/3 in scored with 38 and 85* respectively. PSM
20 overs with Sumati Shenoy top scoring were a 100/6 in 15.2 over’s when rain
with 54*. ISWK completed the bonus interrupted play, causing the match to be
point win by restricting ISM to 123/7 in abandoned. Anupama and Tara claimed
20. Sumati and Simran claimed 3 and 2 2 and 3 wickets each respectively.
Match Summary:
wickets each respectively for ISWK.
MARDHUF BREEZE PAST L&T
The Raha Poly Products sponsored
‘C’ division match between the Mardhuf
and L&T took place at the Municipality
3 ground during the morning session on
the 12th of November. Mardhuf came
out winners, beating L&T comfortably
by 52 runs.
Batting first, Mardhuf put on 160/9
in 20 overs with Rahul Navin top
ISG: 191/2 in 20 overs (Nayan Anil - 85) bt PSM:
scoring with 66. Jitendra was the pick of Match Summary:
ISWK: 161/3 in 20 overs (Sumati Shenoy – 54*) bt 100/6 in 15.2 overs. (ISG) Tara 3-36, Anupama: 2-18)
the L&T bowlers with figures of 4/34 of ISM: 123/7 in 20 overs (ISWK) Sumati 3-25, Simran Points: ISG – 1 ; PSM – 1
28
SPORT
omandailyobserver
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
BMW MASTERS: The ex-Thai army paratrooper wiped out the overnight deficit of three shots with five birdies to go to the turn in 31
Thailand’s evergreen Thongchai in driving seat
SHANGHAI: Evergreen Thongchai
Jaidee is in pole position to claim his
second European Tour victory of the
season after a third-round 66 gave him
a one-shot lead in the BMW Masters on
Saturday.
The ex-Thai army paratrooper, who
turned 46 earlier this week, started
with a birdie blitz at Lake Malaren and
then held on to his lead at 15-under as
several of the biggest names in the game
charged up the leaderboard on a day of
low scoring.
Thongchai was three behind the
overnight leader Lucas Bjerregaard at
the start of play in Shanghai but quickly
wiped out the deficit with five birdies to
go to the turn in 31.
Denmark’s Bjerregaard had a twounder 70 and lies tied second alongside
Spain’s Sergio Garcia (67) and South
Korea’s An Byeong-Hun (66) on 14
under par in the $7 million flagship
event.
“I have pretty good confidence after
winning in Germany (at the European
Open in September),” said Thongchai,
a late bloomer who did not turn
professional until he was 30.
“I’m going to play my own game and
look forward to things tomorrow.”
Saturday is known as moving day
as players try to score low and put
themselves in position for an assault on
the title in the final round on Sunday. A
gaggle of big names did just that in the
third round.
US Ryder Cup player Patrick Reed,
who tied seventh in the WGC-HSBC
Champions at Sheshan last week, shot
“To have any chance, given similar
conditions tomorrow, I need to shoot
seven- or eight-under I think,” said
Stenson.
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters was
another to put himself in the mix with
a stunning round of nine-under 63, the
best of the week, to move to 11-under
for the tournament.
Kristoffer Broberg nearly matched
Pieters after an eagle three at the seventh
ignited a sparkling run of 10 holes played
in nine-under par.
But the Swede dropped his only shot
at the short 17th after missing the green
and he finished with 64 to lie fifth on 13
under for the tournament.
Meanwhile Rory McIlroy looks as
if he could retain his lead at the top of
the Race to Dubai heading into next
week’s season-ending DP World Tour
Championship.
McIlroy chose not to play this
week, leaving himself vulnerable to his
nearest challengers.
But Danny Willett, who is second in
the standings, had a round of 70 which
left him in a tie for 27th place. That
would leave the Englishman just 3,900
points short of being able to leapfrog
the Northern Irish world number
three.
World number six Justin Rose had
an improved five-under 67 on Saturday
which took him to 10-under for the
Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand tees off on the eighth hole during the third round of the BMW Masters at Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai.
— Reuters
tournament, five off the lead.
Rose needs to finish at least second
an eight-under 64 to move to 12-under
“I would think I would have to go win,” said Reed after his round.
a superb bogey-free 65, plus the English on Sunday to knock McIlroy off his
Also 12-under is Sweden’s world trio of Ian Poulter (68), Paul Casey (68) perch at the top of the standings.
par, in a tie for sixth place just three back shoot probably around close to the same
of Thongchai.
number I just did to have a chance to number seven Henrik Stenson, who shot and Ross Fisher (67).
— AFP
‘England may never close gap on Spain’
ALICANTE, Spain: England coach Roy
Hodgson admitted his side may never be
able to bridge the gap in technical ability
to Spain after losing 2-0 to the European
champions on Friday.
Defeat was England’s first in 15 games
since a disappointing exit after just two
matches at the World Cup in Brazil.
However, Hodgson’s men failed to
cope with Spain’s composure on the ball
before a stunning opener from Mario
Gaspar and Santi Cazorla’s cool finish
handed the hosts victory in the final 20
minutes.
“Most teams that play against Spain
there is a gap,” said Hodgson.
“The opposing team has less
possession of the ball because they are
so good technically and pass the ball so
well.
“That gap may always exist, we
knew that and knew we had to work
very hard defensively to stop them
using that ability to create goalscoring
opportunities, which we managed to do
for the best part of the game.
“If you say are we going to be able to
match them in that unbelievably clever
passing way perhaps we can’t, but we
don’t need to do that.
“We saw they had a disappointing
World Cup like ourselves, but they are
a good team and we’ve got work to do.
“I hope of course in the months
ahead with a stronger squad to choose
from we’ll become better.”
Hodgson left captain Wayne Rooney
‘Most teams that play
against Spain there is a
gap. The opposing team has
less possession of the ball
because they are so good
technically and pass the ball
so well’
ANALYSIS
England manager Roy Hodgson before the match.
on the bench in favour of a youthful
triumvirate of Harry Kane, Ross Barkley
and Raheem Sterling in attack.
However, they failed to overly trouble
the Spanish backline as the visitors only
came close to scoring when Rooney
clipped the bar and Kane forced Iker
Casillas into a smart save in stoppage
time.
“The (opening) goal came at the
wrong time and gave Spain a deserved
— Reuters
victory,” added Hodgson.
“We are left to rue the fact that at the
moment we are short on the ground,
especially when it comes to midfield and
forward players.
“We just have to learn our lesson
from it and remember that when you
are playing against teams of this quality
you can’t afford to make any technical
mistakes in the wrong areas because you
are going to get punished.”
Hodgson was unable to call on the
likes of Theo Walcott, Daniel Sturridge,
Danny Welbeck, James Milner and
Jamie Vardy through injury.
And he fears Manchester United
midfielder Michael Carrick could also
be set for a spell on the sidelines after he
was carried off in the second-half.
“It doesn’t look good, he’s got a
severely twisted ankle and that normally
means ligament damage.
“We won’t know that of course until
he’s had an x-ray or a scan, but it doesn’t
look good.”
England are due to face France in a
friendly at Wembley on Tuesday.
However, the game is now in doubt
after a series of horrific attacks in Paris
on Friday night, including outside the
Stade de France as France beat Germany,
killed at least 127 people and left another
180 injured.
A spokesman for the English Football
Association said they would liaise with
their French counterparts over the
weekend before taking a decision on
whether the game will go ahead. — AFP
CRICKET
NEWS
CA chief Sutherland
defends scrapped tour
PERTH: Australia’s cricket chief has
defended the postponement of a Test
tour of Bangladesh in the wake of the
decision by the country’s soccer team to
play a World Cup qualifier in the South
Asian nation this week.
Cricket Australia chief executive
James Sutherland called off the two-test
tour last month because of fears it could
expose their cricketers to potential
militant attacks in the country.
The Asian champion Socceroos,
however, announced on Friday that
they would play against Bangladesh at
the Bangabandhu National Stadium in
Dhaka on Tuesday. “I firmly believe that
we had no choice, absolutely no choice,”
Sutherland told ABC radio on Saturday.
“When it comes up again — if it does
— we’ll go through the same process. It
is a matter of circumstances on the day
and at the time.” Cricket Australia, who
were offered a level of security reserved
for visiting heads of state by their
Bangladeshi counterparts, consulted
with Australian Government agencies
and their own security advisers before
making the decision.
A delegation they sent to Bangladesh
was in the country when Italian aid
worker Cesare Travella was shot dead.
Days after Tavella was shot, a Japanese
man was killed. Islamic State claimed
responsibility for both attacks.
Football
Federation
Australia
(FFA) consulted with the Australian
and Bangladesh governments, the
Bangladesh Football Federation, Fifa
and the Asian Football Confederation
(AFC) before deciding to travel.
“We made our decision at the
time based on the best intelligence
and advice we had from all of the
relevant sources included government,”
Sutherland added. “I don’t know how
long they are going to be landed in
Dhaka for, but it is very different to
a three week tour. Going back and
forth to training in between times is
very different to a scenario where you
fly in to play a game and fly out.” The
Socceroos will arrive in Dhaka on the
eve of the match on Monday. “Right
from the outset our number one
priority has been the safety of our staff
and players,” FFA chief David Gallop
said. “Over the last month we have
undertaken an extensive intelligence
and risk management operation, driven
by our world-class security advisers and
the relevant government and security
agencies, and we are happy.’’ — Reuters
The team and delegation did not return to their hotel in Paris after Friday evening’s friendly international against France and were flownout
Germany team arrives home after Paris terror attacks
Football fans gather on the field of the Stade de France stadium
following the friendly match between France and Germany in SaintDenis.
— AFP
FRANKFURT: The German football squad
arrived in Frankfurt on Saturday after
spending the night at the Stade de France
following the series of terror attacks in Paris
that left nearly 130 people dead.
The team and delegation did not return
to their hotel in Paris after Friday evening’s
friendly international against France and
were flownout of Charles de Gaulle airport
shortly after 9 am (0800 GMT) Saturday.
Police vehicles and two officers armed
with automatic weapons were posted next
to specially chartered Lufthansa plane
which waited on anoutlying tarmac far
from the main terminal.
The German delegation had originally
intended to leave on Sunday for Hanover
for a friendly international on Tuesday
against the Netherlands.
Three explosions were heard during
Friday’s game at the stadium in SaintDenis just north of Paris, but spectators
and players were initially unaware of
events taking place outside the ground and
elsewhere in Paris.
Reports said three or four people were
killed in apparent suicide bombings near
the stadium. French President Francois
Hollande was in the stadium but left
during the game before declaring a state of
emergency.
Earlier on Friday the German team was
evacuated from its hotel in Paris following a
bomb threat.
It was not immediately clear whether
world champions Germany would go
ahead with Tuesday’s match against the
Netherlands.
Interim German football federation
(DFB) president Reinhard Rauball said he
would prefer the game to go ahead.
“No decision has been taken but I would
favour the match being played,” he said.
“We shouldn’t allow those who have done
this to triumph.”
France next play England at Wembley in
London on Tuesday. French football media
officer Philippe Tournon told Britain’s Press
Association that “no decision has been
made” on whether the game will continue.
French Football Federation president
Noel Le Graet told reporters after the game
the players were only informed about the
attacks after the final whistle.
“At half-time we said nothing because
we didn’t want the public to be disturbed
or to create panic in the crowd. At the end
of the match I informed the players like I’m
informing you,” he said.
“The French Football Federation shares
the pain of the bereaving families and their
loved ones.”
The Stade de France stadium will host
next year’s Euro 2016 final and other
matches including the tournament’s
showpiece opening game.
German coach Joachim Loew and team
manager Oliver Bierhoff are due back in
Paris next month for the Euro 2016 draw on
December 12. European football organising
body UEFA said it was “deeply shocked” by
the attacks.
— dpa
ENTERTAINMENT
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
Spielberg, Hanks take Cold
War thriller back to Berlin
Q DEBORAH COLE
S
elf-described
“history
geek” Steven Spielberg
said on Friday that his
phenomenal box office
clout allowed him to
keep swinging from gritty
passion projects to fantasy blockbusters
and back again.
As he presented his Cold War
thriller “Bridge of Spies” starring Tom
Hanks in Berlin, where the movie
was partially set and filmed, Spielberg
called himself an “eclectic” filmmaker.
The 68-year-old director, whose
movies have pulled in more than $9
billion in global ticket sales, said his
standing in the industry meant he
could take risks on projects that might
not appeal to the lucrative teenage
market.
“The great thing about being
successful in the movie business is
that at some point, it lets you put the
noose around your own neck,” he told
reporters with a laugh ahead of the
European premiere of “Bridge of Spies”.
“Some of them have paid off, some
of them haven’t. But don’t worry — the
fantasy is coming back next summer,”
when his adaptation of Roald Dahl’s
beloved children’s book “The BFG” is
due out.
Spielberg said his films at their heart
were always personal, from fantasies
such as “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park” to
historical dramas such as “Schindler’s
List” and “Munich”.
“Film has always been the greatest
way for me to unburden myself of
my demons and to therefore cast my
demons on you,” he said.
“Bridge of Spies” tells the true story
of the unassuming Brooklyn insurance
lawyer who secured the release of a
captured American pilot from the
Soviet Union in exchange for an
(From L) German actor Sebastian Koch, US director Steven Spielberg, US actress Amy Ryan and US actor
Tom Hanks in Berlin. — AFP
undercover Russian agent.
‘Special thrill’
The location of the film’s title is the
Glienicke Bridge, which during the
Cold War linked West Berlin with East
German territory, making it the ideal
location for dozens of spy swaps.
“It’s a very special thrill to be able
to recreate history at the place where it
took place,” Hanks said of the work onlocation.
“Driving out to that very historic
district... the lights of the West were
behind us and on the other side of
the bridge it was essentially dark —
it looked very much like it did in the
era of the GDR. It’s the type of place I
would have gone to as a tourist to hang
out.”
Spielberg has directed Hanks in
several films including the World War
II drama “Saving Private Ryan” and
collaborated with him on two historical
miniseries.
“I’ve always been a history lover
— Tom and I discovered about each
other when we first met that we were
history geeks and we’d always be
sharing documentaries and books and
biographies,” Spielberg said.
“Bridge of Spies” was filmed before
fighting broke out in Ukraine but
Spielberg said it resonated now amid
one of the worst rifts between Russia
and the West since the dark days
depicted in the movie.
“I don’t think there’s a Cold War
going on today that’s even comparable
to the division of Berlin,” he said.
“But there’s a little bit of a frost in
the air.”
When asked whether he saw
parallels between the cloak-and-dagger
intrigue while the Berlin Wall was
still standing and the spying scandals
exposed by former NSA contractor
Edward Snowden, Hanks said a healthy
dose of suspicion was still advisable.
“I believe that Verizon and Google
know more about my background than
the National Security Agency does.
They keep track of everything that I do
on my phone and on my computer so
my secrets are theirs,” he said.
“I think in some ways Snowden
just said ‘Hey, here’s what’s going on’
and some people view that as an act of
treason and other people view it as an
act of honesty.
“I don’t really care. I think I have
more distrust in the servers that are in
the employ of Google than I have of
anybody else.”
Adele cries when her music ‘moves’ her
O
If I was sad, if I was confused — which I would
say were the running themes for most of my
records so far — I’d just go with it,” she recalled.
“I’d let myself fall apart, and I’d sit in
darkness, and I’d feel sorry for myself, and I
wouldn’t accept any help to get out of it, in terms
of going out with my friends to cheer me up, or
staying busier.
“No! I loved the drama of it all,” she added.
But the “Someone like you” hitmaker said she
never wants to bring herself so low again, because
of her responsibilities to her partner Simon
Konecki and their three-year-old son Angelo.
“I haven’t got time to fall apart.
I’m the backbone for my kid, and I want to
be there for him. And I want to be there for my
boyfriend as well, and I don’t want to bring them
down with me for my art,” she added.
scar-winning singer Adele only feels
confident with her new material
when it has “really moved” her and
leaves her needing a moment alone to
compose herself.
“In order for me to feel confident with one of
my songs it has to really move me,” she told The
New York Times.
“That’s how I know that I’ve written a good
song for myself — it’s when I start crying.
It’s when I just break out in tears in the vocal
booth or in the studio, and I’ll need a moment to
myself,” she said.
The 27-year-old crooner admits she used to
“drown” in her emotions when writing her second
album “21” but loved the “drama” of “falling
apart”.
“I just used to let myself drown.
When Julia Roberts met nine namesakes Seduction key to getting what you want
A
ctress Julia Roberts was
taken by surprise when
she met nine women
who share her name, on
a late night talk show.
When she took the stage on
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” alongside
host Jimmy Kimmel for a planned
introduction to nine women who
share her name, the actress admitted
she never really dwelled on the fact
that there could be another woman
sharing her name, reports eonline.
com.
“I guess I am self-centred and it
never occurred to me that anybody else would be named Julia Roberts. I didn’t
think no one would be; I just never thought about it,” she said.
On the show, Roberts came face-to-face through a live video conference to
at least nine women who share her title across the continent.
One by one, the women shared the unexpected conveniences of sharing
a name with the A-list celebrity, including posh hotel rooms and convenient
dinner reservations. However, being named Julia Roberts also has its quirks.
One woman from Canada told the Hollywood A-lister she recently took a
trip to an ashram in India where they called her by a different name entirely.
“Nobody called me Julia,” she shared. ‘‘They called me Eat Pray Love.”
Another woman, the oldest Roberts in the group, told the actress that having
her name at times can be very inconvenient.
M
odel-actress
Amber Rose thinks
seduction is the key
to getting anything
you want from men.
“As women, we’re fortunate
enough to use our seductive skills in
order to be able to get money from
our significant others.
I also talk about seduction in the
book. A lot of women don’t know
how to seduce a man,” Rose was
quoted as saying by Time magazine,
reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“It is extremely easy once you get
to that point, and you can get anything you want out of them.
And I know it might sound messed up, but once you get to that point, it’s
not using,” she said, while adding, “It’s not using a man, it’s literally getting what
you want by any means necessary.”
Rose also made it clear that her past as a stripper should have no effect on
her business credentials.
“I am a mogul. I have a bunch of businesses, I’m now an actress, I’m an
author, I went on an entire world tour and I don’t even sing.
So if that doesn’t tell you that I am an entrepreneur, then I don’t know what
does,” she said.
“The fact that I was a stripper does not take away the fact that I’m smart, that
I am witty, that I am capable of running my own business.
omandailyobserver
29
TINSELTOWN
Fame comes with
pain: Amy Schumer
A
ctress and stand-up comedian
Amy Schumer doesn’t find it
“fun” being famous and says it
“comes with pain”.
“I’m, like, newly famous, and it
turns out it’s not fun. Did you guys
know that?
“You’re, like, you know that I’m
just now learning that my dreams
have been a sham, and that it’s actually
not great and it just only comes with
pain,” Schumer said to the audience
at her Act in Paris for the Sierra Club
show, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
The 34-year-old also joked she would
only last “three more months” before her
career takes a downward spiral.
She shared: “We all know it’s going to
last another three months because that’s how it works. I’m already burning
bridges like it’s already over.
“I’m telling you, this is the last time I’ll ever be onstage.
Would be weird to see someone
else play Harry Potter: Radcliffe
“
H
arry Potter” actor Daniel Radcliffe
doesn’t intend to play the
beloved wizard again but
says it would be “very weird” seeing
someone else picking up the role.
“Harry Potter and the Cursed
Child”, a stage production, will
debut on London’s West End in the
summer of 2016.
However, Radcliffe will not take on
the role of Potter, reports aceshowbiz.
com.
“I’m getting asked a lot, ‘Would you
play him?’ and I’m like, ‘No.’ Because I’ve
done it. But it would be very weird to see
someone else play him,” Radcliffe said on TV
show “Watch What Happens Live”. The eighth instalment in the “Harry
Potter” franchise, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will focus on Harry’s
youngest child Albus. According to the Pottermore Limited, the play will be
split into two parts “due to the epic nature of the story.” It will feature a cast of
30 actors which will be announced at a later date.
Shruti to play lecturer in
‘Premam’ Telugu remake
A
ctress Shruti Haasan, who plays
one of the female leads in the
Telugu remake of Malayalam
blockbuster “Premam”, will be essaying
the role of a college lecturer.
“Shruti will be reprising Sai Pallavi’s
role of a lecturer in the remake. She’ll
be undergoing special makeover for
her role.
She has already started prepping
for her role,” a source from the film’s
unit said. To be directed by Chandoo
Mondeti, the film is tentatively
titled “Majnu”, and will feature Naga
Chaitanya in the lead.
Anupama Parameswaran, who was
part of the original, will reprise her own role
in the film. The shooting of the film will start
from the first week of December.
This coming-of-age drama, which traces three stages in the life of its
protagonist over a decade, will be produced by S Radha Krishna.
Honour for Saoirse at Palm Springs fest
A
ctress Saoirse Ronan
is set to be honoured
at the upcoming 27th
annual Palm Springs
International Film Festival (PSIFF)
next year.
The 21-year-old actress will
receive the International Star Award
at the Awards Gala held on January
2 at the Palm Springs Convention
Center, reports aceshowbiz.com.
“From her unforgettable roles
in ‘Atonement’, ‘The Lovely Bones’,
‘Hanna’ and ‘The Grand Budapest
Hotel’, we have seen Saoirse
grow from a young girl to the
accomplished actress she is today,” festival Chairman Harold Matzner said.
“In John Crowley’s new film ‘Brooklyn’, Ronan gives a mesmerising
performance as a young woman from Ireland who is offered the chance of a
new life in New York,” he added.
The statement continued: “Ronan embodies the grace and depth of a classic
Hollywood screen star.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival is honoured to present the
2016 International Star Award to her.”
The International Star Award is given to an actor or actress who has achieved
both critical and commercial recognition across the globe throughout their
body of work.
30
omandailyobserver
LIFESTYLE
Budding musical talent
showcased at Muscat Icon show
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
SAYEH WOODMAN
sayehwoodman@outlook.com
It’s holiday time!
I
T
he City Amphitheatre at Qurum
resonated with the enchanting voices
of 14 young singers, who serenaded
a large crowd of music lovers at the
Muscat Icon — Minara Little Gems
2015 talent show at the past weekend.
The event marked the culmination of a months-long
competition that attracted musical talent from across
the spectrum of expatriate communities resident in
the Sultanate. Budding artistes in the age group of 7
— 13 years hailing from a number of nationalities —
Omani, Indian, Filipino, South African, Egyptian and
Jordanian — vied for prizes and accolades at last week’s were the original music videos compiled by Haider
Naqvi, Technical Director. Overseeing the snazzy
memorable finale.
Vishnu, one of the finalists, set the ball rolling with costumes and hair styling was Dr Sateja Dalal, Event
his powerful rendering of a classical, followed by a
more recent dance number. Shehab, the only Omani
finalist, sang an Arabic melody, and followed it up with
a patriotic song dedicated to His Majesty the Sultan and
the people of Oman. One by one, the other finalists
took to the stage to serenade the capacity audience
with a mix of Hindi, English and Arabic numbers
that drew sustained applause from fans. Making their
debut were Angel and Kristine (Philippines), sevenyear-old Shreeya who received a standing ovation for
her performance, Loay (Jordan), little wonder Rose,
Lyanda (South Africa), Malak (Egypt), and Sreedevi,
Shradha, Sreerag, Ananya and Sanjeev (India).
The dances were choreographed by Delicious &
Team, Dilip and Vineetha, and performed by talented
local artistes. Adding to the flavor of the evening
Coordinator.
Malak was declared the winner in the Arabic
Category, while Lyanda claimed the top prize in the
English category. A surprise tie in the Hindi category
prompted the judges to call for a tiebreaker round
that saw siblings Shreeya and Sreerag being declared
winners while Rose was named runner-up. Judging
the event were Kamil al Balushi, Sarthak Swami and
Dr Jaspinder Narula.
Commenting on the show, Dr Sanjay Dalal,
Founder of Talent Hunters Oman and Director of the
Event said: “Minara Little Gems really stunned Muscat
music lovers. So did all the performers, dancers and
fashion models. But we always aim to raise the bar on
quality and professionalism.”
TRICKS TO MAKE BORING FOOD EXCITING FOR CHILDREN
I
f your little ones are fussing over
healthy eating, try emphasising on
the colour of foods, and involve
them in food selection and
preparation to catch their interest, says
an expert.
Saumya Shree, a food specialist at
BiteClub.in, a Gurgaon-based chefdesigned virtual restaurant which
facilitates its native presence through
Android, iOS and web applications, has
shared tips on how to make healthy food
more interesting for children:
* Emphasise on colour: Children love
all things bright and colourful, even
when it is food.
Not only are they more appealing
to the children, but they are also
better for them. The naturally
colourful fruits and vegetables can help
your child’s body get the wide variety of
nutrients that he or she needs to grow
strong and healthy.
* Present food in shapes: To feed the
picky eaters, there is no way better than
presenting fancy shaped foods to them.
Using mini cookie cutters and
about a new food for children.
You can start calling cauliflower or
broccoli as baby trees or peas as green
marbles.
* Serve it differently: Presentation
can make a huge difference in eating
habits and doesn’t take much extra
time.
For instance, instead of slicing
the fruits, make fruit kebabs
with a chocolate dip or simply
make fruit balls and stuff it inside
the rind of empty hard shells of fruits
like watermelons with cheese cubes.
* Involve them in food selection
and preparation: Grown-ups avoid
taking their young ones for grocery
shopping and involving them in the
food preparation process at times,
but they are both important ways to
teach them about making good food
choices.
They give the children an opportunity
cutting
their
vegetables, fruit and even cheese into names to any food can make it easy to see the process of preparing food in a
stars and other shapes can really enliven to attract the children and build their healthier way and spend time with the
grownups that definitely makes things
interest in it.
their plate and boost their appetite.
It can instantly change the attitude fun.
* Use fun names: Giving fun
’m off to Dubai for a week to catch up with friends and to enjoy some sun.
Seeing as it’s getting rather chilly here in the UK.
Yep, the leaves are falling off the trees, the nights are drawing in, and
there’s a constant chill in the air.
Not forgetting the dull, foggy, rainy days.
But it’s great to get your wellies out and have a good sing song in the rain.
But I’m quietly looking forward to exchanging my wellies for my flip-flops!
Hoorah! So, apparently there is a bucket list of things to do when visiting
Dubai... I’ve put my own list together, based on my experiences and the
feedback and reviews from various websites.
The best way to really appreciate the scale and splendour of Dubai with its
skyscrapers is by helicopter.
A 25-minute tour soaring above the city, reveals how the once barren desert
has been transformed into the jewel, in the crown of the Arabian Gulf.
Either that, or a skydive... if you’re brave enough and can keep your eyes
open!
The Burj Khalifa is a must, and it’s a pretty stunning building as well.
Dubai truly is a testament to mans vision and ambition, by this 828m
building, being the world’s tallest.
Dubai is one of the seven United Arab Emirates, and is well served by
airlines, with direct flights from London taking under seven hours.
I used to love the fact that I could drive from Muscat to Dubai in roughly 4
hours. What a treat that was, and to be able to do that was a privilege.
Not costing much money either, with the fuel costs either to fill up the
tank and drive. Unfortunately now, being so far away, it wasn’t the case of just
packing a suitcase and heading off to the beautiful city.
The best time to visit is from June to August, as Dubai’s hotels offer deals
and discounts on accommodation and promotions, on dining and attractions.
If you’re looking for an ideal break for you and your family then aim to book
before the summer holidays, check in to one of the many splendid five star spa
hotels and prepare to be pampered with the city’s legendary service.
However, me visiting Dubai this November was an unexpected birthday
treat from my brother, so it was a great pressie, which of course I’m not going
to refuse.
If you haven’t done so already, an overnight desert safari is a must.
Spend the day on the dunes spotting Oryx and gazelles, and then sleep out
under the stars in a Bedouin camp for a truly memorable experience.
As if you don’t know already, but Dubai is the ultimate shopping destination
so if you need a dose of retail therapy then you will be in your element and
beyond.
No visit is complete without a trip to the Dubai Mall.
The world’s largest shopping mall with an entertainment complex with over
1,200 shops.
The Gold Souk is where to head if bling is your thing.
It’s narrow lanes are packed with retailers, all selling gold, making it a great
place to try out your bartering skills to bag that timeless, glittering souvenir of
the city. Shops are open late in the evening, so happy days!
There are a few water parks that will keep the family entertained, and let’s
face it you don’t ‘have to have kids to have a good time or visit the parks.
A day out on the slides and rides and a chance to enjoy interactions with
dolphins will appeal to everyone.
It’s a wonderful place! Just like Muscat with its own qualities.
It’s going to be a wonderful trip!
Comedian Karlous Miller
to perform in Muscat
CULTURE
Soorya presents classical fusion dance festival
S
oorya Stage and Film Society
is presenting their second
programme of the year, Soorya
Fusion Dance Festival at the
Le Grande Hall of Hotel Al Falaj on
November 24.
This time the public will be blessed
with an opportunity to experience the
unique and innovative combination of
three of world’s richest dance art forms
— Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Odissi.
This will be a very rare, perhaps,
once in a life time opportunity to
explore the natya, bhava and abhinaya
of the Bharatanatyam, absorb the
most complicated and difficult ‘Bols’
of Kathak and the thrills of the oldest
dance form in India The Odissi.
These mesmerising moments will be
brought to the community by India’s
topmost dancers/choreographers —
Rajendra Gagani, Sreelatha Vinod,
Rahul Acharya, Sonali Mohapatra and
Gayathri Ranbir.
Rajendra
Gangani,
Winner
of ‘Sangeet Raj’, ‘Shastriya Natya
Shiromani’, and the prestigious ‘Sangeet
Natya Academy Award’. Pt Rajendra
stands out for his style; making use
of his excellent blend of manly grace
and delicacy, he depicts the devotional
aspects that characterises the Jaipur
gharana.
Sreelatha holds double master’s
degrees in History and Dance and is
also a visiting member of the teaching
faculty at the Dept of Dance —
University of Madras.
She is the finest Bharathanatyam
dancers of her generation today.
Rahul Acharya, Widely known as
the Divine Dancer, Rahul is one of the
most loved and popular Odissi soloists
in the International arena today.
He was the first male Odissi dancer
to be honored with the Ustad Bismillah
Khan Yuva Puraskar award from
Sangeet Natak Academy.
Invitations
for
the
above
programmes can be collected from
the city branches of Oman UAE
Exchange.
E
veryone likes a good laugh every now and then. Karlous Miller, who
featured amongst the top 10 finalists in Season 8 of NBC’s ‘Last Comic
Standing’, is all set to impress Muscat with his versatile performance. He
will be headlining the show on November 21 at Jabrin Ballroom, InterContinental
Muscat, along with Simeon Goodson from Brooklyn, NY and Joseph Sims, the
head of Oman’s own Oman Comedy Central group. This visit is part of ‘Comedy
Zone with Karlous Miller’ tour that will have the group performing in Abu Dhabi,
Al Ain and Dubai as well.
Having made appearances on Nick Cannon’s ‘Wild n Out’, MTV’s ‘Yo Momma’
and Bill Bellamy’s ‘Who’s Got Jokes?’, Karlous has an impressive fan following. He
has previously performed in London, Germany, St Thomas, Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico, and has worked with various headlining comedians such as Katt
Williams, Daniel Tosh (Comedy Central’s Tosh.O), Doug Benson (VH1 Best
Week Ever) along with various others.
While this show will be a perfect platform to unwind with some subtle and some
side clutching comedy, it will not be a one-off event. Oman Comedy Central will
be putting up regular shows, looking at once every two months with the next two
already planned for the month, revealed Joseph Sims. “We have seen an interest in
comedy grow with a lot of people enquiring about the next performance. On an
average, we have a turnout of at least 200 people,” he adds.
SPOTLIGHT
CELEBRATING
S U N DAY
NOVEMBER 15 l 2015
FROM FLAGS TO WRIST
BANDS, CAR STICKERS
TO MEMORABILIA AND
DECORATIVE, GIFT IDEAS
AND ITEMS FOR OMAN’S
NATIONAL DAY RUNS
GALORE IN EVERY SHOP
IN THE SULTANATE
SWATI BASU DAS
AXISSWATI@GMAIL.COM
S
hops are witnessing a
spike in demand as the
45th Oman National Day
celebrations approaches.
With a variety of
designs, innovative items in
various sizes and prices on offer to mark
the annual occasion, shops are thronged
by customers ready to mark the day
with special gift items for their friends,
relatives or themselves.
Most shopping malls and retailers
around the country have
started
displaying National Day-related items
such as hats, T-shirts, scarves, stickers,
brooch, badge and other festive items.
Locals,
expats,
schools
and
companies celebrating the anniversary
caters to different demand groups.
For some it’s the national flag
whereas some are seen buying key rings,
wrist bands, mementos and others busy
decorating their pricey cars to mark the
occasion.
“To cater for the demand for Omani
flags, shops each year stock up on their
flag inventory in November.
“I remember when we used to import
ENVIRONMENT
Q SHEIKH QAYOOM
A
riot of colour and cackle
has returned to the wetland
reserves of Jammu and
Kashmir with the first
arrivals of thousands of migratory birds
from far off lands this year.
Migratory birds from Siberia, China,
the Philippines, Eastern Europe and
other areas arrive here every year to
spend winter months in the Kashmir
Valley to ward off the extreme cold of
their summer homes.
“We start receiving the first flights
of the avian visitors in the first week of
October.
The arrivals continue till February,”
Imtiyaz Lone, the Wetland Warden of
Kashmir, said.
from Pakistan, where many flags were
handmade, decades ago. Nowadays,
it’s easier and cheaper to import from
China,” Mohammed, an enthusiast who
spend a lot of time in decorating his car,
said.
A shopkeeper said most of his
customers for national flag of Oman are
business houses and schools that place
bulk orders.
Most wholesalers are located in Ruwi,
who import the flags, mainly from
China.
Depending on the size and quality,
Omani flags can be bought for as little
as RO 2.5 for a postcard-sized flag to
around RO 5 for a bigger size.
The larger flags are usually hung on
the facade of buildings, and are much
bigger in length than they are in width.
To attract customers, shops usually
reserve a dedicated section for Omani
flags, decorations and souvenirs.“We
do get some individual customers, but
mostly it’s government departments and
companies.
This is the season for Omani flags
and there’s something for everyone in
terms of variety and prices,” said Ismail,
a manager at a store.
Besides stationery shops and
omandailyobserver
31
NATIONAL DAY
with unique gifts
department stores, flags are also found
at car accessory and other shops, as
many motorists like to place or paint
Oman flags on their cars.
The demand for National Day
memorabilia is huge this year, said a shop
owner in Muttrah Souq, who bought
them from China. ‘‘Both nationals and
expatriates are on a shopping spree.
They are not only buying for
themselves but choosing some items like
bands, key rings even balloons to gift
it to others,” said Ahmed Kabeer, who
has been selling decorative memorabilia
in bulk for the last 10 years in Muttrah
Souq.
Apart from the regular items like
ribbons and balloons in national flag
colours — red, green and white —
national flags of different sizes carrying
His Majesty’s pictures, posters of His
Majesty on different materials, shawls
and scarves in the national flag colours
and stickers for vehicles, shopkeepers
have brought fancy items like toy
cameras and fans having red, green and
white colours this time.
“My shop has plenty of mobile with
national flag patterns on them.
Even certain USB also have similar
patterns and they are now sold out in
bulk,” says Emran who runs a mobile
shop in Honda Road.
“Nationals always want to be different
while buying decorative memorabilia.
They prefer something new every year.
So, I had to bring in something
different this time,” said Kabeer, who
travelled to China to order them six
months back.
“Memorabilia worth RO 100,000
was purchased and now we are running
short of stocks. We began the sale last
month and the shop remains open for
nearly 20 hours daily,” said Kabeer.
Faisal Mohammed, a taxi driver in
Ruwi who has bought items worth RO
50 to decorate his car, said that he buys
them from Kabeer’s shop every year.
“I have bought decorations for my car
and also for my home.
I have bought some unique toys for
my children as well,” added Faisal.
Other than
wholesale shop,
many small shops selling decorative
memorabilia are also doing good
business.
“Almost all shops selling decorative
memorabilia are experiencing brisk
sales. We are selling only stickers for cars,
but we are unable to meet the demand.
We have ordered for more,” said Iqbal
Mohammed, a shop owner near a petrol
filling stations.
Migratory birds keep tryst with Kashmir
“We will start receiving greylag
geese, wigeons, pochards, shovelers,
cormorants and sheldrake ducks by the
middle of November,” the official said.
Besides the migratory birds that
come to spend the entire winter in the
Kashmir Valley, there are some birds of
passage too.
“A bird of passage is a migratory
bird like the Sandhill crane and the
cormorant which arrive in the valley
with the beginning of the winter and
spend some time before moving down
to the Indian plains.
“In the spring months, these birds
of passage also spend some time in the
valley before moving to their summer
homes,” Lone said.
Despite giant strides in navigational
“For hundreds of years, these birds technology by humans, Lone says the
have been keeping their annual tryst flight navigation skills of the migratory
with the valley.
“Following the season’s change from
autumn to early winter, with an almost
arithmetical accuracy the migratory
birds land in the Hokarsar Wetland
reserve on the outskirts of Srinagar and
reserves like Shallabugh, Hygam and
Mirgund,” Lone added.
Already 250,000 migratory birds
including mallards, common teals,
gadwalls, pintails and coots, have
reached the Hokarsar Wetland reserve
so far this year.
Besides the reserves, migratory birds
also throng the Dal Lake, the Wullar
Lake and other big and small water
bodies.
birds is unparalleled. “The migratory
birds fly in highly disciplined patterns.
The eldest of the flock leads the flock
like an experienced pilot.
“It is always the elder bird which is
assigned the leadership duties during
the flight because of its familiarity with
the route. “Imagine, if the leader bird
falls sick or gets killed due to some
reason during the migratory flight, the
next in the line immediately takes over.
“It is like a co-pilot taking charge of a
flight in an emergency.
“Each migratory bird species flies
separately... The geese fly separately
from the mallards and the common
teals.
“It is because of this exclusivity of
flight that we have phrases saying birds
of the same feather fly together,” Lone
said.
Under the existing laws of the state,
THE MIGRATORY BIRDS FLY
bird shooting is a cognizable offence.
IN HIGHLY DISCIPLINED
But even then it is not uncommon to
see migratory birds being sold on the sly
PATTERNS. THE ELDEST OF
in the Kashmir Valley.
THE FLOCK LEADS THE FLOCK
“As far as wetland reserves are
concerned, there is no question of any LIKE AN EXPERIENCED PILOT.
poaching,” Lone said.
IT IS ALWAYS THE ELDER BIRD
“The problem arises because the birds
WHICH IS ASSIGNED THE
leave the reserves for nocturnal feeding
to other unprotected water bodies and LEADERSHIP DUTIES DURING
marshes.
THE FLIGHT BECAUSE OF
It is then that the poachers shoot
ITS FAMILIARITY WITH THE
them. “Each year, we seize weapons
ROUTE
of poachers and charge them with
poaching.”
Awareness to protect this fabulous
According to Lone, the wildlife
protection department is definitely legacy of Kashmir is growing fast,
understaffed, especially as far as covering especially among the young.
Dozens of school children visit the
unprotected water bodies and marshy
Hokarsar Wetland Reserve each week
lands is concerned.
to see the pageant of the migratory birds
as they wade and dance in the safety of
their protected environment.
“It is because the environment in the
valley has become comparatively safer
for these birds now that we have some
species like the mallards whose small
numbers prefer living and breeding here
instead of flying back to their summer
homes,” says Lone.
Most wetland reserves and other
water bodies continue to shrink because
of the people’s greed for land in Kashmir.
The cackle of the migratory birds at
night and their brilliant colours during
the day beckon us to preserve this
fabulous heritage.
SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 15, 2015 | SAFAR 3, 1437 AH
P30
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Inside
Adele cries when her music ‘moves’ her Tricks to make boring food exciting for kids Migratory birds keep tryst with Kashmir FOLLOW US ON:
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editor@omanobserver.om
Bait Al Quful
IN MUSANDAM
MOUNTAINS
S
ince ancient times the
Governorate of Musandam,
with its rugged nature
and towering mountains,
compelled the Omani man
to innovate the pattern
of his life and his livelihood and adapt
himself to the surrounding environment.
He paid attention to the basics of life,
most importantly for adequate safe
housing. He innovated in this regard
and built it in a difficult environment,
with the same rugged slopes and deep
valleys, which made it difficult to find
the necessary materials to build his safe
home.
The old houses built in the
Governorate of Musandam, particularly
on mountainous areas, are characterized
by unique architecture of its kind in the
construction and design. It is called
“Bait Al Quful” or “Lock House,” and
is considered as one of the ancient
pattern of houses in the governorate,
commensurate with their circumstances,
living conditions and their needs. The
houses are characterized by
their
ingenuity, excellence and the selection
of appropriate materials and safe sites
in altitude to avoid the risk of floods,
valleys and areas of rock falling.
Today, withstanding the forces of
nature ‘Bait Al Quful’ represents an
architectural landmark, still existing in
varying numbers, in the scattered villages
in the mountains of the governorate.
Ras al Jeeb in Al Ruhaiba Village in
the Wilayat of Khasab, host the large
number of these houses. ‘Bait Al Quful’
imposed itself on the prominent tourist
landmark list in the governorate.
A model of ‘Bait Al Quful’ was built
in Khasab Fort to be close to tourists and
visitors.
In old times ‘Bait Al Quful’ was
considered as a shelter for themselves and
their families and a store house for their
food and belongings by the residents of
the Musandam mountains. They lived in
it during the winter months and stored
their foods, such as dates, cereals, etc in
big clay jars called “Al Khars” and other appropriate in the light of the difficult and changing weather conditions of the
property when they migrated to coastal natural and geographical conditions region.
‘Bait Al Quful’ is difficult to open as
areas in the summer.
its owner is the only person who can
These jars were very big is size and
open it in a number of ways with
larger than the entrance of the
the help of specific tools. One
houses. So they were placed
of those tools is called “Al
at an early stage of the
THE OLD HOUSES
Mizlaj” or “latch” used to
of the
construction
BUILT IN THE GOVERNORATE
open the house from
house, making it
inside. The owner of
difficult to remove
OF MUSANDAM, PARTICULARLY IN
the house can open
the jars out of the
MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, ARE CHARACTERIZED
and close it from
house after the
BY UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE OF ITS KIND IN THE
outside by using
completion.
what the locals
‘Bait
Al
CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN. IT IS CALLED “BAIT
called “Al Alaq,”
Quful’
is
AL QUFUL” OR “LOCK HOUSE,” AND IS CONSIDERED
which is a long
characterized by
AS ONE OF THE ANCIENT PATTERN OF HOUSES
metal piece with
its construction
special curve and
design,
its
IN THE GOVERNORATE, COMMENSURATE
measure to move
durability and its
WITH THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, LIVING
the latch through slots
components, making
CONDITIONS AND THEIR NEEDS
in the latch, known in
it a safe haven and
number and location by the owner of
the house. The second tool is called “Al
Makthiba” where a wooden piece is put
under the door from within. The piece is
placed in a hole, directly under the door.
Part of it protrudes to the top to prevent
opening of the door. The owner of the
house could move and remove that
piece of wood from the hole in a manner
known only to the owner of the house
by means of a stick tied with a rope. This
is the secret to open and lock the house.
This is the reason for calling it ‘Bait Al
Quful’. — ONA
RELATIONSHIP
BIRDS READILY SACRIFICE FOOD FOR LOVE
W
ild birds readily sacrifice
access to food in order to
stay close to their partner
over the winter, a study
says.
Scientists found that mated pairs of great
tits chose to prioritise their relationships
over nutrition in a novel experiment that
prevented couples from foraging in the same
location.
The results demonstrate the importance
of social relationships for wild birds — even
when pursuing those relationships appear to
be detrimental.
“The choice to stay close to their partner
over accessing food demonstrates how
an individual bird’s decisions in the short
term, which might appear sub-optimal,
can actually be shaped around gaining the
long-term benefits of maintaining their key
relationships. For instance, great tits require
a partner to be able to reproduce and raise
their chicks,” said lead researcher Josh Firth
from Oxford University.
“Therefore, even in wild animals, an
individual’s behaviour can be governed by
aiming to accommodate the needs of those
they are socially attached to,” Firth noted.
The research involved the use of
automated feeding stations with the ability
to decide which individual birds could and
could not access the food inside.
Birds were allowed access based on radio
frequency identification tags that were linked
to the feeding stations.
In the experiment, mated pairs of birds
were unable to access the same feeding
stations as each other, meaning the male
could only access the feeding stations that
the female could not, and vice versa.
The researchers found that the birds
randomly selected not to be allowed access
to the same feeding stations as their partner
spent significantly more time at feeders they
could not access than birds that were allowed
to feed together.
The findings were published in the
journal Current Biology.
SCIENTISTS FOUND THAT
MATED PAIRS OF GREAT
TITS CHOSE TO PRIORITISE
THEIR RELATIONSHIPS
OVER NUTRITION IN A
NOVEL EXPERIMENT THAT
PREVENTED COUPLES FROM
FORAGING IN THE SAME
LOCATION