MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 | MUHARRAM 16, 1441 AH

editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.omfollow us @omanobserver

OMAN DAILY

VOL. 38 NO. 306 | PAGES 28 | BAISAS 200

P16GLOBAL ECONOMY ‘FAR’ FROM RECESSION, SAYS IMF

Editor-in-chief Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili

Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and AdvertisingPO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

HM greetings to Mexican leader

Students can lookfor work in UK

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has sent a cable of greetings to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the United Mexican States on the occasion of his country’s Independence Anniversary. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere greetings and best wishes of good health and happiness to President Obrador and his country’s friendly people further progress and prosperity.

MUSCAT: Omani students studying in the UK will be allowed to stay and look for work for up to two years after graduation as per the new immigration route announced recently. According to reports, international students make up nearly half of all full-time postgraduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects in the UK. In 2012, the government had reduced the period that international graduates of UK universities could remain in the country to work from two years tofour months. DETAILS ON P2

OMAN

PRAYER TIMINGSFAJR: 04:38DHUHR: 12:07ASR: 15:34MAGHRIB: 18:16ISHA: 19:26

WEATHER TODAY

MUSCATMAX: 400CMIN: 270C

SALALAHMAX: 400CMIN: 300C

NIZWAMAX: 290CMIN: 260C

SUNRISE 05.53 AM

PROTESTERS BLOCK ENTRY TO FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW P10

INDONESIA LOCKED IN AN EPIC BATTLE AGAINST JUNGLE BLAZES P7

INSIDE

P21OMANI ARTIST CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF CHINA IN PAINTINGS

P27

Established 1981

MUSCAT: Election committees in

all the wilayats of the Sultanate on

Sunday announced the preliminary

lists of voters for the elections of the

Majlis Ash’shura for the ninth term,

and placed them in prominent

places in the offices of the governors.

The Ministry of Interior

published these lists on the election

website to inform citizens.

The ministry announced that

the total number of voters in the

preliminary lists stood at 713,335,

including 375,801 male voters and

337,534 female voters. They will

elect 86 members to the Majlis.

The Ministry of Interior, as

explained in Article 28 of the

Majlis Ash’shura Elections Law,

shall prepare the preliminary lists

of voters in each wilayat according

to the data of the electoral register,

taking into account the updated

data from the civil register and

deleting the names of the dead from

the lists.

According to Article 29 of the

electoral law, the preliminary voters

list is sent to the election commission

for putting up in a prominent place

in the Office of the Governor, and

as explained under Article 31 of

the election law that each party

may file any objection to the names

contained in the preliminary lists of

voters to the election commission

during the 5 days from the date of

the announcement of these lists,

stating the reasons for the objection,

accompanied by supporting

documents. The Supreme

Committee for Elections shall

issue its decision to appeal within

15 days from the day following the

expiry of the period stipulated in

the preceding paragraph, and its

decision in this regard shall be final

and not subject to judicial appeal.

Article 33 indicated that

the ministry shall amend the

preliminary lists of voters, and

submit them to the main election

commission for review and

adoption as final lists of voters who

are entitled to vote. — ONA

People pose for a picture after casting their vote during presidential election in Tunis, Tunisia, on Sunday. Around 7.2 million people are registered to vote in around 4,567 polling stations across the country in the single-day balloting. DETAILS ON P6

FDA warning on ranitidine under check, says MoHVINOD NAIRMUSCAT, SEPT 15

The Ministry of Health is following

up the warning by US Food and Drug

Administration’s (FDA) warning that

some ranitidine medicines, including

common Zantac brand, contain some

dangerous substance.

The ministry said the US agency

had indicated that the substance

was classified as a potential human

carcinogen — a substance that could

cause cancer.

According to the warning, the

drug contains a nitrosamine impurity

called N-nitrosodimethylamine

(NDMA) at low levels.

“The ministry and other

competent authorities are evaluating

whether low levels of the substance

in ranitidine pose a risk to patients,”

an announcement from the

Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

MoH said it has taken the

necessary precautionary measures

with all authorities concerned to

make sure that this substance is not

present in the said medicine and

marketed in the Sultanate.

The ministry also confirmed that it

will follow closely any developments

in this regard and issue updates

accordingly.

The FDA has been investigating

NDMA and other nitrosamine

impurities in blood pressure and heart

failure medicines called Angiotensin

II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)

since last year.

In the case of ARBs, the FDA has

recommended numerous recalls as

it discovered unacceptable levels of

nitrosamines.

Ranitidine is an over-the-counter

(OTC) and prescription drug. It is

an H2 (histamine-2) blocker, which

decreases the amount of acid created

by the stomach.

Over-the-counter ranitidine is

approved to prevent and relieve

heartburn associated with acid

ingestion and sour stomach.

Prescription ranitidine is approved

for multiple indications, including

treatment and prevention

ulcers of the stomach and intestines

and treatment of gastroesophageal

reflux disease.

The FDA is not calling for

individuals to stop taking ranitidine

at this time; however, patients taking

prescription ranitidine who wish to

discontinue use should talk to their

healthcare professional about other

treatment options.

TUNISIA VOTES IN PRESIDENTIAL POLL

Travel medicine clinics to benefit touristsSTAFF REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

The Ministry of Health on

Sunday launched travel medicine

clinics as a medical service in the

primary healthcare institutions in

the Sultanate.

On this occasion, Dr Ahmed

bin Mohammed al Saeedi,

Minister of Health, emphasised

on the necessity of providing

extension and therapeutic

services to travellers wishing

to travel to countries with

diseases and outbreaks that are

not existing in the Sultanate

at the present.

The event was held under the

auspices of the minister of health

at Hotel Muscat Holiday, Al

Khuwair, on Sunday.

While calling upon all citizens

and residents to benefit from

this service, he said that they

will be informed of the diseases

and epidemics spread in the

country of destination in addition

to prevention and treatment

methods.

“If any symptoms occur after

returning, one should visit the

health centre for checkup,” he said.

Director-General of Primary

Healthcare Dr Saeed al Lamki

said that the service would ensure

that primary care physicians

and nurses are equipped with

knowledge to provide high quality

pre-travel advice and service

like malaria prophylaxis and

immunisations and advice on

other risks.

713,335 VOTERS TO ELECT 86 TO MAJLIS ASH’SHURA

U N E N V O Y H A I L S

OMAN’S EFFORTS FOR CHILD RIGHTSKABEER YOUSUF MUSCAT, SEPT 15

The Sultanate has a

strong political will

which helps protect

children from all sorts of

violence, said Dr Najat Maalla

M’jid, Special Representative of

the UN Secretary-General on

Violence against Children.

“Oman has a strong political

commitment in protecting

the rights of children. It also

does not tolerate crime against

children as it is marching

towards achieving the

Sustainable Development Goals

towards 2030,” Dr Najat said.

She made the comments

during an interview with the

Observer on the sidelines

of seminar conducted by

International Society for the

Prevention of Child Abuse and

Neglect (ISPCAN) at the Oman

Convention and Exhibition

Centre on Sunday.

“NGOs such as Children

First are more useful in

organising the civil societies

to work towards achieving the

goal. I could see that children

are protected from all sorts of

violence and also ensuring the

fundamental rights of every

child born here,” she said.

Dr Najat also hailed the case

management and coordination

among many sectors that help

implement children’s safety

effectively. TURN TO P3

TURN TO P3

follow us @omanobse

Editor-in-chief Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili

Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and AdvertisingPO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

OMANI ACAPTUREESSENCEIN PAINT

CITY STUNNED BY NORWICH AS LIVERPOOL STRETCH PREMIER LEAGUE LEAD

OMANDAILYOBSERVER2insideoman

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

STAFF REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Omani students in the UK will be allowed to work

for up to two years after graduation as per the new

immigration rules announced recently. According

to reports, international students make up nearly

half of all full-time postgraduate students in science,

technology, engineering and maths in the UK.

In 2012, the government had reduced the period

that international graduates of UK universities could

remain in the country to work from two years to four

months. As per the new immigration rule, announced

on September 11, students will have to complete a

degree from a UK university or higher education

provider with a proven track record in upholding

immigration checks and other rules on studying in the

UK, according to reports.

“With this, the government will be able recruit and

retain the best and brightest global talent, but also open

up opportunities for future breakthroughs in science,

technology and research,” the reports said.

The Ministry of Higher Education in Oman has

updated the lists of institutions recommended for

study by the Ministry on a systematic basis, which was

approved by the Committee for the recognition of non-

Omani higher education institutions.

New rule allows Omani students to work in UK

Making science, maths fun for kidsKAUSHALENDRA SINGH SALALAH, SEPT 15

With a view to boosting scientific and

mathematical temperament among school

students, the Directorate of Education in

Dhofar Governorate organised a training

programme for 150 teachers who were

provided with inputs about the latest

teaching techniques.

“We have successfully done programmes

for grades one to four in previous years and

for five and six last year. To ensure continuity

and sustainability of the programme, we

decided to do it with the students of seven

and eight grades this year. There has been

brainstorming and interactive sessions that

allow the participants understand the core

value of the programme and reach out

to the students with interesting facts and

figures,” said a trainer and participant of the

programme.

Khalid bin Abdullah Bashaib, Assistant

Manager for Training and Human

Resources, put stress on the programme’s

continuity and exhorted the participants to

work on the core values of the curriculum

and equip the students with right approach

in science and mathematics, which are vital

foundations for their knowledge.

Dr Said bin Bakhit al Mahri, Education

Expert in the Directorate General of

Education in Dhofar, interacted with the

trainers and participants and called for

modules which make teachings in science

and mathematics interesting and easy to

understand.

Some participants put stress on more

and more practical inputs in the curriculum

while others sought for building strong

foundation of the subjects.

Muna bint Ali, Head of Vocational

Training and Development, said the

Ministry of Education started implementing

the science and mathematics chain project

from grades one and four and in the

last academic it was applied among the

students of fifth and sixth grades. “The

results were encouraging which made us

think over applying it to senior classes after

proper training.” The programme goal is

to introduce the philosophy of modern

curricula among the teachers and train

them how to deal with the curriculum units

and teach them properly. It is also aimed at

establishing a clear understanding of the

changes in the curriculum and developing

the teaching skills of the teachers.

“It is important for the participants to

learn the methods of planning in the new

curricula and rule out the difficulties there

in,” she said.

150 teachers from all over Dhofar undergo training programme to make subjects more interesting and easy to understand

Teachers at the training programme organised by the Directorate of Education in Dhofar Governorate in Salalah.

OMANDAILYOBSERVER 3insideoman

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

IN BRIEF

Poachers held for hunting gazelles, birds in DhofarMUSCAT: Poachers were held on charges of violating wildlife law in two separate cases in the Governorate of Dhofar last week. Their weapons including bullets and torches were also confiscated. In the first case, a number of people were caught red-handed after hunting 10 Arabian gazelles, 23 sandgrouse birds and 4 wild rabbits in the Al Shuwaimiyah area in Shalim and Al Halaniyat Islands in Dhofar.

In the second case, a number of people were arrested after hunting 9 sand partridges in the Al Najd area in Dhofar. The arrest was made by the wildlife inspectors from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs with the cooperation of Royal Oman Police and a number of citizens. Legal actions have been initiated against them.

Parlours offering microblading inspectedMUSCAT: Muscat Municipality’s Department of Health Affairs in Bausher conducted an inspection visit to beauty parlours that use microblading.

The campaign is part of the plans to complete the necessary procedures to ensure that such services follow safety guidelines, a statement said.

Microblading is a tattooing technique in which a small handheld tool made of several tiny needles is used to add semi-permanent pigment to the skin.

It differs from standard eyebrow tattooing because each hair stroke is created by hand using a blade which creates fine slices in the skin, whereas eyebrow tattoos are done with a machine and a single needle.

L&T to build Mandarin hotel, luxury residencesMUSCAT: L&T Oman has been awarded the main works contract of The Mandarin Oriental, Muscat. To be ready next year, the project involves the construction of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Muscat and the residences at the Mandarin Oriental, Muscat.

L&T will oversee the overall construction within the site, which includes a 150-key hotel and 156 units of branded residences, as well as 1,622 square metres of retail areas, podium and basement.

The project also comprises 156 residences that are being introduced for the first time in the region and will feature some of the most select private apartments in the capital ranging from 75 to 260 sqm in size.

STAFF REPORTER MUSCAT, SEPT 15

Engineering and contracting

company, Galfar, refuted

reports about any financial

irregularities by one of its

employees. It also confirmed

that the delayed salaries to its

staff will be released next week.

Galfar said the reports about

misappropriation of around RO

4 million by an employee are

untrue. “No money has been

misappropriated by anyone in

the company,” a statement said.

It added, however, a whistle-

blower had informed the

company of a fraud committed

by an ex-employee with

third parties, which is under

investigation by the public

prosecution. Galfar said it is

in consultation with clients

and the banks to overcome the

current cash shortfall and is

committed to paying salaries

during next week.

Galfar denies reports on fund misuse

MEDIA WORKSHOP BEGINS IN OEPPA

MUSCAT: A workshop “Crisis Management Through Media” began at Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) on Sunday. The 5-day workshop is being implemented by the Ministry of Information with the participation of 15 employees from various departments of the ministry.

UN envoy hails Sultanate’s efforts for child rightsFROM PAGE 1

Cross sectoral and reference system

should be made prompt to ensure that

children have very quick response to

their requirements.

The conference was organised

under the auspices of HH Sayyida

Dr Mona Fahd al Said, Assistant

Vice Chancellor for International

Cooperation at SQU and Chairman

of the Conference Organising

Committee, said that the protection of

children. It is held in cooperation with

the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU),

Ministry of Social Development,

Children First Association and the

Unicef, and attended by nearly 400

experts, professionals and high-

level officials from over 35 different

countries around the world.

Additionally, Unicef representatives

from 14 country offices including the

regional offices and headquarters are

taking part in the conference.

“ISPCAN is the sixth version of

this international platform that brings

practitioners from different sectors

on issues related to violence against

children. We are closely working with

the government hand in hand to make

sure that we have some workshops and

events that will yield some practical

initiatives that can be implemented

in further enhancing the rights of the

children”, said Lana Wreikat, Unicef

representative to the Sultanate.

In the Sultanate, the government

has ratified the Convention on the

Rights of the Child in 1996 and

the Child Protection Law of 2014

deals with crimes against children

with stricter penal modalities. Very

recently, the country has re-enforced

the execution of the Child Rights Law.

“Such international conferences are

instrumental in bringing forth experts

from across the world in different fields

sharing their knowledge and expertise,

analysing their challenges and find

common solutions. I hope the 227

scientific papers being presented at the

conference will be of great use, and we

hope to transform these theories into

actual practices on the ground”, HH

Dr Sayyida Mona said.

Several protection themes are

addressed and they include, besides

violence against children and child

abuse, cyberbullying, domestic

violence and its impact on the

well-being of the child, legislation,

successful initiatives addressing child

violence and the like during the 3-day

conference. Unicef will also introduce

during the closing ceremony a new

dimension to child protection by

evidencing the power of music as a

healing agent.

Composer and musician Jad

Rahbani will perform along with

Omani children on the occasion,

which will also witness the launch

the Child Protection Ambassadors

programme. “We are always supportive

of the initiatives aimed at schools to

build additional infrastructure for

kids besides smart TVs for both public

and the expatriate schools while

encouraging children to save for their

future”, said Aisha al Kharusi, AGM,

Head of CSR, Al Izz Islamic Bank, one

of the key supporters of the event.

Travel medicine clinics to aid touristsFROM PAGE 1

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health

represented by the Directorate-

General for Disease Surveillance

and Control as well the Directorate

General of Primary Healthcare have

jointly collaborated to establish

a Travel Medicine Service in the

Sultanate by organising a five-day

training workshop.

The workshop, run by experts

from the College of Travel Medicine

of the Royal College of Physicians

and Surgeons in Glasgow, UK, trains

60 healthcare workers from doctors

and nurses in primary healthcare

institutions from all governorates

of the Sultanate in Travel Medicine

Service.

The implementation of the Travel

Medicine Service is designed to

enhance national health security by

preventing any infectious diseases

or outbreaks associated with the

travel of Omanis or non-Omani

outside the Sultanate and meeting

the requirements of joint external

assessment and comprehensive

healthcare.

Notably, preparation for the

establishment of the Travel Medicine

Service has been under way since

2014.

A consultative mission was

carried out from international

specialists in travel medicine

and the Oman Travel Medicine

Conference held from February 14-

15, 2015, as a part of preparation

for the establishment of the Travel

Medicine Service at the primary

healthcare health centres in the

Sultanate.

One of the most important

recommendations resulting from

the consultancy mission and the

Travel Medicine Conference was

the necessity of develop a practical

strategy for the service of travel

medicine in the Sultanate.

There is an importance of raising

awareness among citizens and

residents to visit travel medicine

clinic in the primary healthcare

centres for medical consultation

before travelling and after returning.

HH Sayyida Dr Mona bint Fahd al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation, SQU and Chairperson of the Organising Committee of the conference; Dr Yahya Bader al Mawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development; and Dr Abdulmunim bin Mansour bin Said al Hasani, Minister of Information; at the conference at SQU premises on Sunday.

Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children.

OMANDAILYOBSERVER4

LAKSHMI KOTHANETH

Fatma Mohammed al

Balushi is a mother

of twins with Down

syndrome. Her

children have adapted

well to the services

provided by the Association of Early

Intervention for Children with

Special Needs and now have reached

an age where they should have been

in school.

“We have benefited in a great

way from the Association of Early

Intervention and we are very

grateful but now the children need

to get admission to school. The

options are very limited and they are

expensive but I need my children to

be educated. They have no mental

disabilities. One child suffers from

hearing impediment although it had

hyperactivity which was corrected

through the experts at Association of

Early Intervention.

“My other child, as long as he is

sitting or moving is fine, but while

standing there are chances that he

might fall down. I worry whether

they will be bullied at school,” she said

with great concern.

Many other parents like Fatma

face similar situation in choosing

what is the best for their children.

Dr Ameera Raidan, Head of Mental

Health Department at the Ministry

of Health, said early monitoring is

extremely important in the form of

screening, diagnosis, assessments and

ending with rehabilitation.

According to her, there is a need

to find out whether there is any

developmental delay before the child

reaches school age. Sometimes a

child might be just mildly autistic but

treated differently and the parents

would have to go through the long

process of screening and analysis.

“It is difficult for parents to

accept at first. What is important for

parents is to maintain patience as the

rehabilitation in certain cases takes

time. They have to remember they

are not being discriminated. School

inclusion, whether it is full or partial,

is important,” said Dr Ameera.

There is no exact data of children

in Oman with down syndrome. The

Oman Association for children with

Down syndrome since 2014 has

been providing services for about

120 children at the Association’s

Rehabilitation Centre and has more

than 450 members.

Located at Athaiba, the centre

provides the children with

physiotherapy, occupational therapy,

speech therapy, behavioural therapy

and special education.

The chairman of the Association

for Down syndrome, Nasser al Amri

pointed out, “We are responsible

to find proper system of education

for them.” When asked if there are

enough options Al Amri said, “We

are now trying through the Ministry

of Education to provide children with

Down syndrome proper education

through private schools. We have

three types of education — the fully

inclusion, partial inclusion and

special needs.”

He explained that globally it

is known that children with mild

or moderate Down syndrome are

included in the normal schools. Some

of the children can only be included in

partial inclusion. Some children have

a combination of Autism and Down

syndrome in such cases the students

are referred for special education.

The association is now looking at

adapting the Bavarian Curriculum

from Germany that could serve

children from four months to 18

years. “It is unique because as of

now there is no connection between

technical and academic services right

now, but we can overcome that by

providing them with the academic

services too that can enhance their

capabilities and skills. We have four

categories — 4 to 6 years, 6 to 8, 8 to

16 and 16 to 18,” explained Al Amri.

The Association hopes to

introduce the system by next year

but there are challenges. “To meet the

global system of education we need

class rooms and open areas as well as

resources. We are taking step by step,”

he said.

While the public school do not

enrol children with Down syndrome

as inclusive students although

children with autism are included

in the mainstream, however three

students did manage with one

student currently going through her

12th grade.

Globally children with Down

syndrome move into mainstream

schooling because this shortens the

rehabilitation process.

“The children mainly want the

inclusion with the society. They

want to be with their age group,

school and their friends. This is why

the association began with the full

inclusion project in the private sector

through the Ministry of Education.

Last year we included four girls and

this year we are starting with 25

children. Three of the four students of

the first batch are doing well,” he said.

Aisha is the first student who has

reached the 12th Grade and she is a

student at Madinat Sultan Qaboos

Private School.

Two other girls joined the

government school as fully inclusive

students as they were not identified as

children with special needs.

Anwar reached till grade nine,

while Mariam studied till grade

four, but her mother regrets the

mistake she did by requesting her

class teacher to give extra attention to

Mariam as she is a child with special

needs. That changed the attitude of

the teacher who was strict earlier and

became relaxed with the realisation of

Mariam’s condition when she failed to

do her homework saying that she is a

special child. The expectations from

Mariam were reduced. Gradually her

performance went down.

“Let us not differentiate between

the children when it comes to

teaching them like in the case of

Mariam. Anwar could not continue

in the school after 9th grade. But we

have arranged for Anwar to intern at

Al Jizr Foundation for three months,”

said Al Amri encouragingly.

Every parent’s dream is to see

their children develop life skills and

knowledge to live independently with

financial security.

NOT SPECIAL

T R E A T T H E M A S N O R M A L

Children with Down syndrome often find it difficult to find the right school and teachers. Every parent’s dream is to see their children develop life skills and knowledge to live independently with financial security

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9NDAILYOBSERVER

med al

mother

h Down

Her

adapted

services

of Early

n with

reached

ve been

years. “It is unique b

now there is no connec

technical and academic

now, but we can overc

providing them with t

services too that can e

capabilities and skills. W

categories — 4 to 6 year

16 and 16 to 18,” explain

The Association

introduce the system b

D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

spotlight

insideomanOMANDAILYOBSERVER 5M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

STAFF REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

National carrier Oman Air has extended its successful stopover programme with the addition of a new hotel — Sundus Rotana Muscat. The popular programme gives guests the opportunity to break their journey and enjoy some of the Sultanate’s highlights on their way to their final destination. Now, all Oman Air guests — flying in all classes, to and from any city — can enjoy a free night’s stay in the ideally located, top-quality hotel.

Richard Bodin, Senior Vice President of Oman Air Holidays, said: “This campaign has been a great success. Not only have we attracted many hundreds of guests to visit the Sultanate to

experience the delights of our capital, we have also communicated to the world that Oman is energetically keen to promote tourism and works across the travel industry to pull together innovative and attractive products.

“Adding the Sundus Rotana and being able to extend the offer into the busier winter months is another great step. The hotel has the benefit of being conveniently located just a few kilometres from the airport, yet close to the centre of Muscat. It is a modern, 4-star property with great dining options and leisure facilities. We are delighted to add them to the programme.”

David Faull, General Manager at the Sundus Rotana, added, “We are delighted to be able to offer this deal

to guests of Oman Air and build further on our strong relationship. Muscat is a magical city with unique attractions and culture that make the capital, and our modern hotel, a truly ‘must visit’ destination”.

The Sundus Rotana Hotel is a modern hotel designed with guests’ comfort in mind. The 215 rooms and suites are spacious, with contemporary furnishings and stylish décor. Modern amenities and the latest technology ensure guests feel at home and several excellent dining options complete the experience. Ideal for corporate and leisure travellers visiting the Sultanate’s capital, the property is close to the city’s major landmarks, attractions and commercial districts.

AMAL AL RIYAMINIZWA, SEPT 15

A manuscripts exhibition, which

was organised by the Ministry of

Heritage and Culture and supported

by Occidental of Oman, opened at

Nizwa Cultural Centre on Sunday.

The exhibition was inaugurated

by Shaikh Rashid bin Said al Kalbani,

Wali of Nizwa.

During the opening ceremony

Mohammed al Maskari, Managing

Director of Manuscripts at the

Ministry of Heritage and Culture,

said the exhibition featured ancient

manuscripts and documents. It carries

an important message to preserve

Omani manuscripts for future

generations. A documentary on the

manuscripts was then screened.

The exhibition comes to honour

and commemorate the efforts of the

late Sayyid Faisal bin Ali al Said to

preserve and disseminate the Omani

intellectual heritage.

It hosts 15 manuscripts, in

cooperation with Memory of Oman

and the House of Restoration with the

aim of involving interested entities in

manuscripts to highlight the Omani

heritage.

It will feature manuscript dating

back 531H, which is around 900

years ago. A rare manuscript of

jurisprudence entitled “Majmoa

Al-Syar Al-Jawabat” (a collection

of biographies and answers). It

is regarded as the oldest Omani

manuscript found ever. It was

transcribed in 531 of the Hijri

Calendar. The manuscript contains

assortment of biographies and

answers. The most important content

is the commentary on Al-Manahi

book written by Abi Malik Ghasan bin

Mohammed bin al Khodhor al Salani,

a prayer book and rare jurisprudence

answers by Abi Abdullah Mohammed

bin Mahbob (3rd Hijri Century).

It also features Masel Moeain

bin Moeain (questions of Moeain)

written by Abi al Hasan al Basiawi

and answers given by Abi Alqasim

Said bin Quraish al Aqri al Nazwai

(5th Hijri Century) to the questions of

Kolwa people.

There is also a rare copy of the

Holy Quran (Mushaf) of the Seven

Modes of Recitation as transcribed

by the renowned Omani Calligrapher

Abdulla bin Bashir bin Masoud

al Hadhrami of Suhar (Hijri 12th

Century). Calligrapher Al Hadhrami

had meticulously arranged the Mushaf

pages and lines in such an innovative

way that each page contains 15 lines

where the first letter of the first word

in the first line on top of each page

corresponds with the first letter of the

first word in the last line at the bottom

of the same page, and the same applies

to the first letter of the first word in the

second line from top of the page which

corresponds with the first letter of the

first word in the second line from the

bottom of the same page, and so forth.

Omani Calligrapher Al Hadhrami

completed this Mushaf transcription in

1153 of the Hijri Calendar.

A manuscript written by the

Omani doctor Rashid bin Omaira bin

Thani bin Khalaf al Hashmi (10-11th

Hijri Century) contains a number of

medical topics a poem of on the life

of mankind, poem on anatomy of the

human body and a letter on cautery. It

also has a diagram of eye and how it is

linked to the brain.

Nabhat Alghafil (unmindful

attention) is a manuscript of marine

science written by unknown author.

The manuscript contains nautical

and astronomical tables for latitude

and longitude, the use of compass to

show directions, beautiful drawings

of sailing ships and an instrument to

show latitude and longitude. It was

transcribed by Said bin Salim bin Said

al Jamaei in 1326 of the Hijri Calendar.

Al Moatabar is a manuscript

of jurisprudence transcribed on

multicoloured papers written by the

Omani Abi Said Mohammed bin

Said al Kadami (4th Hijri Century).

It was transcribed by the Calligrapher

Hamad bin Owaimer al Khamisi in

1305 of the Hijri Calendar and bound

by the Royal Press in Zanzibar.

The exhibition also features devices

used in the manuscript photography,

the process of developing these devices

and the stages of filming the manuscript

and save it by digital copying. It also

includes a corner for tools used in the

restoration of manuscripts, process of

restoration and binding.

Besides the exhibition, a training

course on (how to read a manuscript)

and another course in Arabic

calligraphy will be held. The one-year

exhibition was earlier held in Muscat

and Dhofar.

Oman Air extends stay programme for stopover travellersManuscripts reveal Oman through ages

Shaikh Rashid bin Said al Kalbani, Wali of Nizwa, and other dignitaries at the manuscript exhibition held in Nizwa on Sunday.

OMANDAILYOBSERVER6region

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

BAGHDAD: Iraq on Sunday

signed a landmark deal with the

Gulf Cooperation Council for

a transmission line that would

import 500 megawatts of electricity

to its overstretched grid by 2020.

The 300-kilometre transmission

line would run from Kuwait to

Iraq’s southern port of Faw and be

financed by the GCC, according

to the electricity ministry. It is the

second deal the ministry signed in

as many days to boost electricity

supply in Iraq, where generation

falls about 9 gigawatts below

estimated demand of some 24 GW.

Electricity Minister Luay al

Khatteeb signed the agreement

with the GCC Interconnection

Authority (GCC IA) head Ahmad

Ibrahim on the sidelines of an

energy conference in Baghdad.

“This is the first deal of its

kind with the GCC,” Khatteeb

told journalists, adding that Iraq

was also in separate talks with

neighbours Saudi Arabia, Jordan

and Turkey to import electricity.

The line from the GCC could be

developed further to contribute as

much as 2 GW to the grid, he said.

The GCC IA said building the

line would cost some $220 million,

and a separate agreement would

need to be signed on the actual

imports. “This is the first type of

linkage outside of the GCC. This

is part of our vision,” Ibrahim said.

“This first step will pave the

way to discuss further and higher

capacity projects, not only to

supply Baghdad and northern

Iraq, but also as a pathway to other

countries,” he said.

Ibrahim said the project had

“more than a technical or economic

aspect. It has a political aspect.”

— AFP

Iraq signs deal to plug into Gulf power grid

Idlib chaos forces displaced Syrians into strange dwellingsBIRAT ARMANAZ: Inside a rusty,

abandoned bus in northwestern Syria,

Umm Joumaa washes a silver tray and

glass teacups, light pouring into her

makeshift kitchen through broken

windows.

Around her, towels, bedsheets,

clothes and plastic bags hang from

wires that stretch across the smashed-

out vehicle where the 44-year-old

widow lives with her six children.

“We used to live in Al Shariaa”, a

village in the northwestern province of

Hama, she said, a brown veil wrapped

around her head.

“My home was hit once, and then

hit a second time, while we were

living there,” she added, saying this

forced her to flee to olive groves in the

neighbouring province of Idlib.

Now, she lives in the village of Birat

Armanaz in western Idlib, in a bus

riddled with holes, its interior cleared

of all furnishings.

“We cleaned the bus and I settled

here with my children,” said Umm

Joumaa, whose husband was killed

seven months ago by artillery fire from

the Syrian regime.

Her set-up is rudimentary: foam

mattresses and thick blankets are

arranged at the rear, while a kettle and

basic utensils are stored inside a plastic

crate.

Water containers and firewood are

propped against the mangled front

bumper.

More than 400,000 Syrians have

been displaced by violence in Idlib

region since the end of April, the

United Nations says.

A four-months-long Russian-

backed regime offensive has killed

more than 970 civilians, according to

the Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights.

A ceasefire announced by Moscow

on August 31 has reduced air strikes,

but skirmishes on the ground persist,

despite the agreement.

The truce was the second such deal

between the Syrian government and

fighters since August 1.

The previous ceasefire collapsed

after just a few days.

The Hayat Tahrir al Sham alliance,

led by Al Qaeda’s former Syria affiliate,

controls most of Idlib as well as parts

of neighbouring Aleppo and Latakia

provinces.

The region of around three million

people is one of the last holdouts of

opposition to the forces of Syrian

President Bashar al Assad.

In a tight cave near the Turkish

border, Abu Ahmad and his young son

chip away at stone walls with metal

rods and hammers.

The 49-year-old father of three

has dug a cave for his family in the

village of Kafr Lusin, three months

after fleeing bombardment of his

hometown of Termala, south of Idlib.

“I had dug a cave in Termala

where we were living throughout the

revolution, so I had the idea of digging

a cave here as well,” Abu Ahmad said.

“There, I dug a cave out of fear of air

strikes and bombing, but here, it’s out

of fear of the cold,” he added.

Abu Ahmad said the cave is a better

place to live than in a tent, especially

in winter or during periods of heavy

bombardment.

“The tent does not protect you, not

in summer or winter,” he said.

“I want to make this cave big

enough for my whole family,” he

added, his face red from hours of hard

labour.

Sitting cross-legged on a large

green carpet on the cave’s floor, his

wife lamented her losses.

“We spent our entire lives working,

struggling, building — and then, in

an instant, a war plane destroyed our

house with one missile,” said Khadija,

pillows and mattresses stacked behind

her. Overhead, a green water cooler

hangs from a metal rod.

A handful of cooking utensils are

kept in a plastic container and, besides

a few spices and pickles stored in water

bottles, there isn’t much else.

“Look around, this is where I live,

this is my life,” she said. “This is the

alternative to a home.” — AFP

TUNISIA VOTES IN TIGHT PRESIDENTIAL POLLTUNIS: Tunisian voters turned out

on Sunday to choose from a crowded

field of candidates after a divisive

campaign in the country’s second free

presidential poll since the 2011 Arab

Spring.

Prominent candidates, in the

absence of opinion polls, included

media mogul Nabil Karoui, behind

bars due to a money laundering probe,

Abdelfattah Mourou, heading a first-

time bid for Ennahdha, and Prime

Minister Youssef Chahed.

Some 13,000 polling booths opened

across Tunisia at 8 am and Mourou

smiled broadly as he cast his ballot,

while Chahed said he was “proud of

this great event”, after voting.

“The world is watching. By tonight

or tomorrow, Tunisia will be in good

hands,” the premier said.

His popularity has been tarnished

by a sluggish economy and the rising

cost of living.

The prime minister has also found

himself having to vehemently deny

accusations that Karoui’s detention

since late August was politically

inspired.

At polling stations visited by

journalists in the early hours, there

was a high proportion of older voters,

but few young people.

“Where are the young people? This

is their country, their future,” said Adil

Toumi, a man in his 60s who came

to vote “to participate in a national

celebration, a victory for democracy”.

By 1 pm local time, turnout had

reached 16.3 per cent, according to the

national elections body.

The election follows an intense

campaign characterised more by

personality clashes than political

differences.

It had been brought forward by the

death in July of 92-year-old president

Beji Caid Essebsi, whose widow also

passed away on Sunday morning.

Essebsi had been elected in the

wake of the 2011 revolt that overthrew

former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben

Ali.

Publication of opinion polls has

officially been banned since July, but

one thing appeared sure — many

voters were undecided until just ahead

of voting, due to the difficulty of

reading a shifting political landscape.

Some hopefuls have tried to

burnish anti-establishment credentials

to distance themselves from a political

elite discredited by personal quarrels.

One key newcomer was Kais Saied,

a 61-year-old law professor and expert

on constitutional affairs, who avoided

attaching his bid to a political party.

Instead, he lobbied door-to-door to

drum up support for his conservative

platform.

Another independent candidate

was Defence Minister Abdelkarim

Zbidi, a technocrat running for the

first time, although with backing from

Essebsi’s Nidaa Tounes party.

The long list of active runners

was trimmed by the last-minute

withdrawal of two candidates in favour

of Zbidi: former political adviser

Mohsen Marzouk and businessman

Slim Riahi, although their names

remained on the ballot paper.

But Karoui’s detention, just 10 days

ahead of the start of campaigning, has

been the top story of the election.

Studies suggested his arrest boosted

his popularity.

A controversial businessman,

Karoui built his appeal by using his

Nessma television channel to launch

charity campaigns, handing out food

aid to some of the country’s poorest.

But his detractors portray him as a

would-be Silvio Berlusconi, the former

Italian premier who they allege partly

owns his channel.

On Friday, an appeal for the

Tunisian mogul’s release from prison

ahead of the election was rejected, his

party and lawyers said, two days after

his defence team announced he was on

a hunger strike.

The polarisation risks derailing the

electoral process, according to Michael

Ayari, an analyst for the International

Crisis Group.

Isabelle Werenfels, a researcher at

the German Institute for International

and Security Affairs, called the vote

a democratic “test” because “it may

require accepting the victory of a

polarising candidate” such as Karoui.

Distrust of the political elite has

been deepened by an unemployment

rate of 15 per cent and a rise in the cost

of living by close to a third since 2016.

Militants attacks have exacted a

heavy toll on the key tourism sector.

Some stations were staying open

until 6 pm, while others were to

close two hours earlier for security

reasons.

Around 70,000 security forces were

mobilised for the polls.

Exit polls were expected overnight

Sunday into Monday, but preliminary

results not due from the electoral

commission until Tuesday.

The date of a second and final

round between the top two candidates

has not been announced, but it must

be held by October 23 at the latest and

may even take place on the same day

as legislative polls, October 6. — AFP

TOWARDS BETTER FUTURE: Election follows an intense campaign characterised more by personality clashes

Assad decrees amnesty, reduces sentencesDAMASCUS: Syria’s President Bashar

al Assad on Sunday issued a decree to

release or decrease the punishment

of various prisoners, including some

detained under the war-torn country’s

“terrorism law”.

The so-called “general amnesty”

is the latest in a line of such decrees,

including one in 2014 that saw

thousands released.

Sunday’s decree also promised to

reduce sentences of some detainees.

It would include freeing some

prisoners detained under a 2012

“terrorism law”, using a catch-all term

for anti-government activists, rebels

and militants.

Those imprisoned under the

2012 law over “conspiracy” or failing

to inform the authorities of an act

of “terrorism” are to be released,

according to the decree.

But the amnesty does not extend

to those condemned over killing

someone or rendering them paralysed.

Exceptions aside, prisoners

sentenced to death are instead to serve

life in jail with hard labour.

Those sentenced to a life of hard

labour are instead to work for 20 years,

and those handed a life sentence are to

do time for 20 years instead.

Prisoners with incurable diseases

over the age of 75 years old and who

have been condemned would also be

released.

Deserters who hand themselves

over within three months inside Syria

or six months outside the country are

to be exempted from punishment.

The same goes for kidnappers who

release their hostages safe and sound

within the next month.

In 2014, after securing a new term

in a controversial election conducted

only in government-controlled areas,

Assad issued an amnesty.

Later the same year, a minister said

around 11,000 detainees had been

released.

But the Syrian Observatory for

Human Rights, a Britain-based

monitor, said the number released

was close to 7,000 — just a tenth of

prisoners that had been expected to

benefit.

Syria’s war has killed 370,000

people and displaced millions since it

started in 2011 with the repression of

anti-government protests. — AFP

MORE THAN 400,000 SYRIANS HAVE

BEEN DISPLACED BY VIOLENCE IN IDLIB REGION SINCE THE

END OF APRIL

The children of Abu Ahmad, a displaced Syrian from Termala, clear material as he digs a cave for shelter in the village of Kafr Lusin, near the Syria-Turkey border. — AFP

Presidential candidates Abdelfattah Mourou, vice-president of Ennahda party and Tunisia’s Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, casting their vote at polling stations during presidential election in Tunis. — Reuters

HONG KONG: Hong Kong riot

police fired tear gas and water cannons

at hardcore pro-democracy protesters

hurling rocks and petrol bombs on

Sunday, tipping the violence-plagued

city back into chaos after a brief lull

in clashes.

Tens of thousands of people defied

authorities to march through the

streets of the city in an unsanctioned

rally on Sunday, the latest expression

of a popular revolt that has raged for

the last 99 days.

But the rally descended into

violence when small groups of

hardcore activists — known within

the movement as “braves” — tried

to attack the city’s main government

complex.

Police fired repeated volleys of tear

gas and deployed water cannon trucks

after Molotov cocktails and rocks

were thrown over security barriers

surrounding the complex, which has

become a frequent flashpoint in the

ongoing protests.

Local television networks broadcast

footage of protesters tearing down

and burning a banner celebrating the

upcoming 70th anniversary of the

founding of communist China — as

well as burning a Chinese flag.

As evening set in, protesters

retreated, chased by riot officers and

water cannon firing blue-dyed water.

Some demonstrators built

barricades, set fires and vandalised

subway stations but the crowds

avoided further direct clashes and

largely ran away when ranks of police

officers got close.

The clashes ended a relative

lull in recent days in the intensity

of skirmishes between police and

protesters.

The once-stable international hub

has been convulsed by weeks of huge,

sometimes violent rallies calling for

greater democratic freedoms and

police accountability.

The movement is the biggest

challenge to China’s rule since the city

was handed back by Britain in 1997

and shows no sign of ending.

Under a deal signed with Britain

ahead of the handover, Hong Kong is

allowed to keep its unique freedoms

for 50 years.

But democracy activists accuse

Beijing of reneging on those promises

by tightening political control over

the semi-autonomous territory and

refusing calls for universal suffrage.

Earlier on Sunday, protesters

rallied outside Britain’s consulate in

Hong Kong, demanding London do

more to protect its former colonial

subjects and ramp up pressure on

Beijing over sliding freedoms.

Hundreds of demonstrators sang

“God Save the Queen” and “Rule

Britannia” outside the consulate,

waving the Union Jack as well as

Hong Kong’s colonial-era flags.

Many of the protest signs accused

Britain of not doing enough to

confront Beijing over its tightening

grip on the semi-autonomous city.

“Sino-British Joint Declaration is

VOID,” one read, referencing the 1984

agreement that paved the way for

the city’s handover, a deal that Hong

Kongers were given no say over.

Many called for Hong Kongers

who want to leave the city to be

granted citizenship in Britain or other

Commonwealth nations.

Some Hong Kongers were given

British National Overseas (BNO)

passports before the handover, a

document that allows holders easy

travel to the UK but grants no working

or residency rights.

“At least with the full citizenship,

they can protect Hong Kong people

from the Chinese government,”

protester Anthony Chau, who holds a

BNO passport, said.

Earlier this week, some 130 UK

lawmakers signed a joint letter calling

for Britain and Commonwealth

countries to come up with an

“insurance policy” for Hong Kongers

to resettle overseas should they wish

to.

Hong Kong’s summer of rage was

sparked by a now-abandoned plan to

allow extraditions to the authoritarian

mainland, a move that prompted

million to hit the streets.

As Beijing and local city leaders

doubled down, the protests rapidly

snowballed into a much wider anti-

government movement.

But the pro-democracy movement

has vowed to continue until key

demands are met, including an

inquiry into the police, an amnesty for

those arrested and universal suffrage.

City leader Carrie Lam and Beijing

have shown little appetite for making

any further concessions. — AFP

Hong Kong, the once-stable interna-tional hub has been convulsed by weeks of huge, sometimes violent rallies calling for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability

OMANDAILYOBSERVER 7M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

asia

AFGHAN, US FORCES KILL TALIBAN GOVERNORS, FIGHTERS

KABUL: Afghan forces backed by

US forces killed two senior Taliban

leaders and at least 38 fighters of the

hardline insurgent group in joint

air strikes conducted in northern

and western regions of Afghanistan,

officials said on Sunday.

The operations, launched on

Saturday night, were aimed at foiling

attacks planned by the Taliban on

Afghan forces, said a senior security

official in capital Kabul, adding that

clashes have escalated following the

collapse of diplomatic talks between

the US and the Taliban.

The defence ministry in a statement

said that the Taliban’s designate

governor for northern Samangan

province, Mawlavi Nooruddin, was

killed along with four fighters in an air

strike in Dara-e-Soof Payeen district.

But the Taliban denied the

governor had been killed.

“He (Nooruddin) is alive,” said

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban

spokesman said in a statement.

In a separate incident, Mullah

Sayed Azim, a Taliban designate

governor for Anar Dara district in

western Farah was killed in a joint

Afghan and foreign force raid.

“Sayed Azim was killed along with

34 other insurgents in Anar Dara,”

said Mohibullah Mohib, a spokesman

for Farah provincial police.

Senior security officials in Kabul

said several joint operations will

be launched against Taliban and IS

fighters to prevent attacks on Afghan

forces and civilians ahead of the

presidential polls on September 28.

Fighting picked up in several

parts of Afghanistan last week after

US President Donald Trump’s abrupt

cancellation of talks with the Taliban

aimed at withdrawing US troops and

opening the way to end to 18 year-

long war in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, a suicide bombing

has taken place at the entrance to

an Afghan military camp in Kabul

province, an official said.

The bombing took place around

12:50 pm at an Afghan military

commando training camp in the

Rishkhoor area of Chahar Asyab

district, Interior Ministry spokesman

Nasrat Rahimi said.

Rahimi did not disclose the type

of explosion or number of casualties

caused by it so far.

Karim Amini, a reporter for local

TV news channel ToloNews, said

the explosion was caused by a car

bomb. Amini added that a number

of gunmen had attacked the base and

fighting was ongoing.

No group has claimed

responsibility for the attack so far.

The Afghan Taliban rescinded a

months-long ban on the International

Committee for Red Cross (ICRC)

working in areas under their control

Sunday and restored security

guarantees for those working for the

organisation.

— Reuters

Afghanistan Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi (R) speaks as Defence Ministry spokesperson Rohullah Ahmadzai during a press conference in Kabul. — AFP

Indonesia locked in epic battle against jungle blazesPEKANBARU: Working around the

clock, thousands of firefighters are

struggling to contain smog-belching

blazes raging across rainforests and

farmland in Indonesia, one of the

frontlines against fires blamed for

aggravating global warming.

Those leading the response are

short on equipment, with some

wearing just flimsy masks and rubber

boots as they blast streams of water at

flames consuming the jungle — and

enveloping wide swathes of Southeast

Asia in toxic haze.

“I’m supposed to wear

proper protective gear but we’ve

only got limited equipment,”

said Darmadi, a soldier deployed to

Kampar district on hard-hit Sumatra

island.

“Still, I have to be ready when duty

calls’’.

AFP images from the worst-

affected areas show the dark silhouette

of firefighters set against the orange

glow of jungle blazes, endless stretches

of scorched earth and charred trees,

deserted schools and suffering

residents.

The culprit is usually illegal fires set

to clear land for farming on Sumatra

and Borneo islands.

The most serious fires occur

in peatlands, which are highly

combustible when drained of water to

be converted into plantations.

But Indonesia is only part of a

bigger problem.

Huge fires tearing through the

Amazon are also compounding

concerns about the long-term impact

of such blazes — rainforests play a key

role in protecting the planet against

global warming.

The situation this year has been

worsened by drier weather in

Indonesia, with air pollution drifting

over to neighbouring Malaysia and

Singapore and stoking diplomatic

tensions.

Thousands of personnel and water-

bombing helicopters are only keeping

the flames at bay and the rainy season

— which usually starts in October —

could be the only thing able to douse

them.

That respite cannot come soon

enough for people who live in and

around Pekanbaru, a provincial capital

on Sumatra blanketed with dense

smoke that leaves the sky dark even at

midday.

One Pekanbaru clinic has been

treating as many as 75 smog patients

daily, including a pale and fatigued

Hasan Abdullah.

“I’m dizzy and had a fever since

yesterday so my dad brought me here,”

said the 10-year-old who had oxygen

tubes in his nose.

“To the people who started these

fires, I say please don’t be so selfish,”

said Sri Wahyuni, a 31-year-old

mother of three, as thick smoke floated

into the backyard of her home outside

Pekanbaru. — AFP

A statue of national heroes is seen as smoke and haze choke the air over Pekanbaru. — AFP

Tigers rescued from infamous Thai temple have diedBANGKOK: More than half of the tigers that Thai authorities confiscated in 2016 from an infamous Tiger Temple tourist attraction have died from a viral disease because their immune systems were weakened by inbreeding, media reported.

The Buddhist temple west of Bangkok was a tourist destination where visitors took selfies with tigers and bottle-fed cubs until authorities removed its nearly 150 tigers in 2016 in response to global pressure over wildlife trafficking.

The confiscated animals were taken to two state-run sanctuaries but it soon became apparent they were susceptible to canine distemper virus, said a senior official from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

“When we took the tigers in, we noted that they had no immune system due to inbreeding,” the department’s Deputy Director-General, Prakit Vongsrivattanakul, told the state-owned broadcaster MCOT on the weekend.

“We treated them as symptoms came up,” Prakit said.

Prakit did not give a figure for the number of tigers that had died but public service broadcaster Thai PBS reported that the toll was 86 of the 147 rescued animals.

— AFP

Philippine town first to have all-women police stationMANILA: A town in the central Philippines has become the first municipality in the country with a police station run entirely by female officers.

The national police launched the all-women police station in the town of Maria on the island-province of Siquijor, 669 kilometres south of Manila, on Saturday.

“The move will strongly advance women empowerment in promoting public safety and security services at all levels of police units and offices in the region,” said Brigadier General Debold Sinas, a regional police director.

The police station in Maria started with only six female officers,but is now operating at full capacity with 21 personnel, Sinas said.

Colonel Angela Rejano, provincial police director, said the police officers of the Maria town were trained in driving, shooting, arresting techniques and other police operation and intervention procedures.

Rejano said the all-women police station was part of the national police’s “Mariang Pulis” (Mary police) programme, which aims to highlight the contribution of female officers to the force.

“Mariang Pulis signals the time to move forward in promoting the vision and mission of the national police in creating an opportunity for women to strengthen their role... in law enforcement,” she said.

Around 12 per cent of the Philippines’ 190,000-strong national police force were women in 2018. Police officials said they were open to hiring more women in the force, amid calls for more women to be recruited. — dpa

Unrest across HK as protesters defy policeCHAOS AGAIN: Hong Kong riot police fire tear gas, water cannon, blue water jets to break up protests

An anti-government protester wearing a mask attends a demonstration in Hong Kong. — Reuters

IN BRIEF

OMANDAILYOBSERVER8 M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

india

KOCHI: While the time is running

out for the flat owners in the posh

Maradu apartment complex, to be

demolished by Friday as per the

Supreme Court order, the builders

have washed their hands off it

and the Kerala government has

convened an all-party meeting in

Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

The Maradu complex comprises

356 flats in five buildings and 240

families are living there. The apex

court on September 6 had ordered

its demolition by September 20 for

violating the Coastal Regulation

Zone (CRZ) rules.

The apex court had also asked

the Kerala Chief Secretary to

be present before the Justice

Arun Mishra-headed Bench on

September 23.

After that, the Maradu

municipality served notices to flat

owners to vacate the premises by

Saturday. But the flat owners have

begun a relay hunger strike. From

Monday, they will stage protest at

the Maradu local body that gave

sanction for the complex over a

decade ago.

“I bought a flat few years back

from a person who was staying

here. When I purchased it, I didn’t

look into who the builder was but

the documents and various tax

receipts.

“The bank that had given

loan also checked everything. It’s

the responsibility of the Kerala

government to take appropriate

action against wrong-doers,” said

an angry flat owner. — IANS

VISAKHAPATNAM: At least 12

persons were killed and many others

were missing as a boat with over 60

tourists capsized in Godavari river

in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari

district on Sunday, officials said.

Locals rescued 24 people while

search was on for others.

The accident occurred in popular

tourist spot Papikonda. Rescue

workers pulled out 10 bodies.

The boat was carrying 63 tourists

and nine crew members.

A majority of those on the boat

operated by a private operator were

from Telangana. Officials said 22 of

the tourists from Hyderabad and 14

from Warangal.

The boat was operated despite

floods and in violation of safety

guidelines of the Tourism

Department.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y

S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed his

shock over the tragedy. He directed

the officials to carry out rescue

operations on a war-footing.

He asked them to use National

Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

teams, besides pressing into service

Navy and ONGC helicopters in the

rescue operations.

The Chief Minister also ordered all

the available ministers in the district

to rush to the scene and supervise the

rescue work.

He directed the officials to suspend

all boating services immediately in

the region.

Jagan Mohan Reddy announced

ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the

families of the dead.

As reports suggest that boat was

being operated without a licence,

Reddy asked officials to check for the

licence of the boats and if adequate

training was given to the staff or not.

The Chief Minister sought a

complete report on the incident and

directed framing of safety guidelines

by an experts committee.

Telangana Chief Minister K

Chandrasekhar Rao also expressed

his grief over the tragedy. Since there

were people from Telangana among

those dead, he instructed officials

concerned to take the necessary

action. He also announced Rs 5 lakh

ex-gratia for the kin of those dead.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

on Sunday expressed his grief over

the boat accident.

“Extremely pained by the capsizing

of a boat in Andhra Pradesh’s East

Godavari. My thoughts are with the

bereaved families. Rescue operations

are currently under way at the site of

the tragedy,” he said in a tweet.

Modi posted another tweet

in Telugu, calling the incident

“traumatic”. — IANS

NEW DELHI: When Finance

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman claimed

that a preference by millennials for

ride-hailing apps was contributing to

a painful slump in car sales, it sparked

an online backlash from furious

youngsters.

They started a campaign using ironic

hashtags such as #BoycottMillennials

and #SayItLikeNirmalaTai last week

to push back against older generations

blaming them for today’s problems in

society.

While data shows firms such

as Uber and Ola are popular with

younger consumers more comfortable

with shared mobility and digital

trends, analysts say the auto industry’s

problems run deeper than that — and

it is facing more serious bumps in the

road.

With a population of 1.3 billion

people, India is the world’s fourth-

largest car market and one where

owning a vehicle is as much a status

symbol as a means of transport.

But the country’s once-booming

auto sector — seen as an important

barometer of overall economic health

— is in the slow lane, with sales

slumping for the 10th-straight month

in August.

“The minimum (priced) car that

you can get nowadays starts from six

to seven lakhs,” university student

Somya Saluja said.

“So it’s much easier to pool-in

rather than to buy a new car’’.

Even India’s richest banker, Uday

Kotak, recently said that his son was

more comfortable using ride-sharing

apps than owning a car.

Uber and Ola reportedly facilitate

some 3.65 million daily rides.

Still, Avanteum Advisors managing

partner VG Ramakrishnan said

the key reason for the drop in car

purchases was economic.

“I think the slowdown is primarily

because consumer confidence is low

and income growth has really been

impacted in the last couple of years,”

he said.

The economic growth slowed for

the fifth-straight quarter in April-June

to reach its weakest pace in five years.

Banks are also more reluctant

to lend owing to a liquidity crunch

caused by the near-collapse a year ago

of IL&FS, one of India’s biggest shadow

banks — finance houses responsible

for significant consumer lending.

There are also extra production

costs caused by new rules requiring

cars to be compliant with emissions

and safety standards, while a 28 per

cent introduced in 2017 has dampened

demand, analysts said.

“Cars are increasingly becoming

unaffordable now because of so many

taxes,” Karvy Stock Broking auto

analyst Mahesh Bendre said.

“To put things in perspective, if you

buy a car in India, at least 40-45 per

cent of costs go to the government in

terms of taxes and registration charges

and so on.” A year ago, India displaced

Germany to become the world’s fourth

biggest car market, having clocked

up annual sales growth above seven

percent for several years.

But the promising growth ride is

screeching to a halt, with passenger

car sales tumbling this year, including

a 41 per cent drop last month — the

worst since records began more than

20 years ago. Sales of commercial

vehicles, motorcycles and scooters

have also been hammered.

With the industry — a major

employer in India — contributing

more than seven per cent to total GDP

and almost half of manufacturing GDP,

the potential fallout from an extended

slowdown is sending shockwaves

through the economy. – AFP

Blame game as wheels come off automobile sector

Maradu crisis deepens, flat owners begin hunger strike

TRAUMATIC: Rescue workers pulled out 10 bodies from the accident in Papikonda, a popular tourist spot

12 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Godavari

CHAOS DUE TO FLOODS

Residents wade on a road through floodwaters in the Ganga Nagar area of Allahabad as the water level of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers rise. — AFP

Cab drivers clean their vehicles while parked at a radio taxi stand near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. — AFP

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief

Minister Yogi Adityanath (pictured),

on Sunday said that with the help of

IIM-Lucknow, he planned to achieve

the goal of a $1 trillion economy for

the state.

He was speaking at the second

edition of ‘Manthan’ — a leadership

development programme conducted

by the senior faculty of the Indian

Institute of Management (IIM) here

for the Chief Minister, his ministerial

colleagues and senior bureaucrats.

“I am confident that when

institutions like the IIM join hands

with the government and take forward

the programmes, we will be able to

deliver good results,” Adityanath said

at the programme.

“Through this programme, we will

be able to deliver development and

good governance to people of Uttar

Pradesh and also reach the figure of

$1 trillion economy.

“This is team work and this

initiative will tell us how we can work

as a team for the development of the

state, give results and achieve targets. I

feel it will help in achieving the targets

of development and good governance

for the state’’.

For the second consecutive

Sunday, Chief Minister Adityanath, all

ministers of his government and IAS

officer of the Secretary rank attended

a day-long session on leadership

development in IIM Lucknow.

Adityanath said that such

lessons were part of the leadership

development programme ‘Manthan’

to prepare a road map for development

and good governance in the state.

Talking about the first edition of

the programme which was organised

here on September 8, he said his

ministerial colleagues had prepared

a road map for good governance and

development of the state.

“In the third phase, this team will

sit with IIM-Lucknow and deliberate

how to implement the roadmap for

the holistic development of UP, to

move forward on the work plan which

we have prepared for the concrete

development of the state,” he said.

During the nine-hour long

training session, the ministers gave

a presentation of their respective

departments and took feedback from

senior faculty members to develop

innovative ideas and implement them

in a progressive manner.

Earlier, on the request of the UP

government, three special sessions

were planned to be organised at the

IIM classrooms where ministers

and officers were groomed for better

management skills.

— IANS

UP to build $1tn economy with IIM-Lucknow help

MEGA PLANS

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief

Minister Manohar Lal Khattar

on Sunday said that the National

Register of Citizens (NRC) would

also be implemented in the state,

like in Assam.

Besides this, constitution of

a Law Commission is also being

considered in the state while a

separate voluntary department

would also be set up to avail

services of intellectuals of society.

The Chief Minister was

addressing the people in

Panchkula town near here on the

last day of the Maha Jan Sampark

Abhiyan organised to inform the

people about works done by his

government.

Speaking to the media, the

Chief Minister said he met

dignitaries, including the Haryana

State Human Rights Commission’s

former Chairman, Justice (retd) H

S Bhalla, former Indian Navy chief,

Admiral Sunil Lanba (retd) and Lt

Gen Baljit Singh Jaswal (retd).

Khattar said social audit system

would be implemented so that the

audit of development works could

be done by the intellectuals.

The Chief Minister said the

state is working on a fast pace on

a family identity card and its data

would also be used for the NRC.

— IANS

NRC to be implemented in Haryana too, says Chief Minister Khattar

Extremely pained by the capsizing of a boat in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Rescue operations are currently under way at the site of the tragedy NARENDRA MODI

Prime Minister in a tweet

Relatives mourn the victims who died or disappeared in a boat accident at the Godavari river near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. — AFP

OMANDAILYOBSERVERM O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9 9

analysis

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this page are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the opinion of the Observer.

ESTABLISHED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1981

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili

HEAD OFFICETel: 24649444, 24649450, 24649451, 24604563, 24699437 Fax: 24699643

SALALAH OFFICETel: 23292633Fax: 23293909

NIZWA OFFICETel: 25411099P.O. Box 955, P.C. 611

Website: omanobserver.om e-mail: editor@omanobserver.om

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and AdvertisingP.O. Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

subscribe@oeppa.om

ADVERTISINGAL OMANEYA ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, P.O. Box 3303, P.C. 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of OmanTel: SWITCHBOARD: 24649444 DIRECT: 24649430/24649437/24649401Fax: 24649434

DISTRIBUTION AGENTAl OMANEYA for Distribution & Marketing, P.O. Box 974, P.C. 100, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanTel: 24649351/24649360Fax: 24649379

ZACHARY FAGENSON

s rescuers search for bodies amid mountains of debris and the stench of

death on the Bahamas island of Abaco, life on most of the archipelago’s

700 isles is little changed.

Cruise ships have pulled in and out of the capital and tourist

hub Nassau in the two weeks since Hurricane Dorian struck the

northwestern islands, depositing foreign sightseers on shore who

haggle for conch shells and T-shirts.

Workers in the country’s vital tourist trade are hoping for a quick

comeback, even as the Bahamas struggles with its first steps towards

recovery from a storm that killed at least 50 people and left around

70,000 more needing shelter, food and water and medical aid.

The sector faces many challenges: Two popular tourist destinations

— Abaco and the island of Grand Bahama — were essentially swept off

the tourist maps by Dorian.

“Those were our second and third most important destinations,”

said Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, Deputy Director-General of the

Ministry of Tourism and Aviation.

Thompson said no one was talking about “throwing up our

hands and giving up” on the hard-hit islands. But the images of the

devastation have affected everyone from tour operators on the islands

to US-based travel agents who help connect travellers with cruise ships

and activities.

Highlighting the destruction, United Nations Secretary-General

Antonio Guterres said he was “horrified” on Saturday after taking an

aerial tour of Abaco.

“I’ve never seen such a level of systematic devastation,” Guterres told

reporters. “Hurricane Dorian has been classified as Category 5, I think

it is Category Hell, but it was not powered by the devil.” Tourism last

year accounted for $5.7 billion, about half the country’s gross domestic

product, according to Thompson.

Away from Nassau’s tourist strip, luxury hotels were also bustling.

At Baha Mar, an opulent hotel and entertainment complex, the casino

floor was littered with vacationers shooting craps, sipping martinis at a

piano bar and ordering $100-plus platters of sushi.

Just over 145 km to the north, the hunt for bodies continued

amid the wreckage of Abaco, where the United Nations’ World Food

Programme says about 90 per cent of structures were destroyed.

“This has devastated our spirits and we are mourning with our friends

who lost loved but the reality is that life has to go on,” said construction

company owner Jackson Brennen, 57, who was celebrating his wife’s

birthday at Nassau’s Baha Mar.

“Only two of the islands were devastated, we’re still open for

business, but it’s very difficult because the pain hasn’t stopped.”

— Reuters

Bahamas tourist industry hopes for quick comeback

Biden maintains grip after third debateJAMES OLIPHANT

hose expecting Joe Biden’s presidential

candidacy to flame out any day now will

have to keep waiting.

The former US vice-president survived

another Democratic debate on Thursday

largely unbloodied and unbowed, leaving

those on the margins of the race for the

party’s 2020 nomination wondering if

their time to gain ground on the front-

runner is running out.

If anything, the third Democratic

debate in Houston was notable for how

few of the nine other candidates took hard

swings at Biden, a marked contrast from

earlier debates when his record was more

directly challenged.

The evening likely left the race

fairly much as it was before the debate,

with Biden holding a sizeable, but not

overwhelming lead over US Senators

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

None of the other 17 Democratic

presidential candidates seeking the

chance to battle Republican President

Donald Trump in the November 2020

election have more than 4 per cent

support, according to the latest Reuters/

Ipsos poll released on Wednesday.

Biden seemed more vulnerable than

ever coming into the debate, facing

persistent questions about his age,

verbal slip-ups and performance on the

campaign trail. But on Thursday, his

resilience and forceful defence of his

record as a US senator and No 2 to former

president Barack Obama left wide open

the question of who else in the field might

rise to shake up the race.

“Most had a decent night, but the front-

runners are still the front-runners,” said

Leah Daughtry, a Democratic strategist

in South Carolina, a critical early voting

state in next year’s nominating contests.

It was the first time Warren was on a

debate stage with Biden and the matchup

between the old-school Democratic

centrist and the spirited progressive

senator from Massachusetts was widely

anticipated. Yet, it produced no fireworks,

as Warren stuck to her pattern of not

criticising other Democrats.

More fortunate for the 76-year-old

Biden: Aside from a few slips of the

tongue, he provided little ammunition for

those who argue he is too old or too out of

step to be the party’s nominee.

Rather, most of the candidates

stressed party unity and worried

aloud about not appearing divided in

front of the American people, a shift

from earlier debates where intraparty

conflict was the story.

When Biden’s rivals on stage did go on

the attack, their attempts largely backfired.

Most notable was a guided missile fired by

Julian Castro, the US housing secretary

under Obama, who worked hard to

portray Biden as past his prime.

Castro, 44, alleged Biden was

“forgetting” something he had said a

few minutes earlier and then followed it

up by charging that he, not Biden, was

the better steward of Obama’s legacy,

resulting in audible gasps from the large

crowd in attendance. As it turned out,

Castro was incorrect about what Biden

had said earlier.

Biden’s advisers criticised Castro

for what they called a “cheap shot” and

argued that Castro had not learned the

lesson of the first two debates — attacking

Biden does not pay off.

“Castro went too far, tone-wise,” said

Delacey Skinner, a Democratic strategist

in Washington who is unaffiliated with

a campaign. “The jab at Biden’s age was

cringeworthy.” Even US Senator Amy

Klobuchar of Minnesota, a candidate

on stage with Biden, told ABC News

afterward that Castro’s attack was “so

personal and so unnecessary.” Asked

afterward about the charge he had taken

a cheap shot, Castro told MSNBC: “I

completely disagree,” and said he was not

suggesting Biden was too old but seeking

to highlight their policy differences on

healthcare.

Biden was helped as well by several

candidates paying homage to Obama’s

record, which reinforced Biden’s long-

standing argument that he is best

positioned to build on the former

president’s achievements and reverse

Trump’s policies. — Reuters

Will be responsible or self-interested candidates?

A

T

A

s the election process for the upcoming

ninth edition of Majlis Ash’shura

term is round the corner, the newly

nominated candidates are busy with

their awareness and promotional

campaigns.

Each one is sparing no effort to do

their best! All of them are working

hard to obtain as many nominees

as possible, so they can win the

competition. Different means of

promotions are being used all over the

country as each one is claiming to be

the best in serving the society! Some

have relied on traditional ways for

their campaign. All that they could do

is the outdoor signboards, posters and

a word of mouth.

However, others have gone far by

having a properly organised public

campaigns. They have publicly

released their motive for applying as

a potential candidate for the Majlis

Ash’shura. As well, they have set

their national objectives, which they

are working on to achieve during

their membership. Others have been

announcing promises to the society.

The Majlis election is witnessing a

competition between 717 candidates,

including 41 female candidates from

different governorates of the Sultanate.

There is no doubt that the competition

is tough, but every one of them is

leaving no stone unturned to win the

election.

What really matters is that all

should be streamlining their efforts

and objectives towards serving the

nation and people of Oman. Being

a member of the Majlis Ash’shura,

which is the consultative parliament, is

a great responsibility. Hopefully, they

all would be capable to shoulder the

responsibility.

As a matter of fact, Majlis Ash’shura

has been established to strengthen the

relation between the government and

citizens as well as to share the nation-

building responsibility between the

two. Accordingly, the would-be elected

members of the Majlis to represent

thousands of people are expected to

be honest, responsible and devoted in

serving the citizens, government and

the entire nation.

In the first place, not only citizens,

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has

accorded his personal confidence on

all members of the Majlis. As he said:

“We are fully confident that you are fit

to bear the trust placed in you, and we

have great hopes that you will carry out

your momentous tasks capably and

with a spirit of allegiance and loyalty

to this dear country, for the sake of a

brighter tomorrow – a tomorrow of

prosperity and growth.”

Therefore, the people who voted for

the candidates and supported them to

get elected have given all their trust and

hope to have a good representative.

Members of the Majlis are regarded

ambassadors to convey the people’s

needs and demands to the government

authorities. Therefore, candidates

should never let them down; without

their support they could have not get

the honour of being a member of this

high profile entity.

As today, candidates in every

corner of the country are busy with

their campaigns, they should recall the

big responsibility, which they will be

shouldering soon!

For them, it is the moment to

make their day or to lose the dream!

However, nominees have placed all

their trust and faith on candidates who

should always passionately strive to

support people and serve the country.

They have been elected to call upon

this national duty; otherwise, they

will betray the responsibility given to

them.

Dear candidates, are you ready to

bear the burden of carrying on this

national responsibility upon which

you will be judged for your honesty,

devotion and trust?

At all times, you must be willing

to sacrifice your time and efforts to

handle issues of the nation and citizen’s

higher interests. You have to make a

personal, sincere promise that you

take the membership responsibility to

serve with no other purpose, but that

of public interest.

Wish the best of luck to all

candidates in their mission.

ABDULAZIZ AL JAHDHAMIaljahdhami22@gmail.com

The former US vice-president survived

another Democratic debate on Thursday largely unbloodied

and unbowed, leaving those on

the margins of the race for the party’s 2020 nomination wondering if their

time to gain ground on the front-runner

is running out

OMANDAILYOBSERVER10europe

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

SUPERMOON

The full moon is seen rising above the London skyline. — Reuters

FRANKFURT: Several hundred

protesters blocked the main

entrance to the Frankfurt

International Motor Show (IAA)

on Sunday. Wearing white suits,

they held up placards with

slogans such as “disempower

car companies” and “the street

is occupied — transportation

turning point now.”

The IAA called on Twitter

for participants to use other

entrances. However, protesters

also blocked one of these

entrances. Police said the protests

were peaceful.

The goal is to disrupt the

motor show with “peaceful

blockades,” according to the

organisers of the demonstration.

“We’re taking a clear stand

against the destructive transport

system for which the world’s

largest motor show still stands,”

they said.

The demonstrators are calling

for car-free cities, free public

transport and the development

of cycle paths. “A real change

towards climate-friendly

transport is not compatible with

the profit interests of the car

lobby,” they said.

Protesters also gathered in

Frankfurt a day earlier, the first

day the IAA was open to the

public, to demonstrate for more

climate-friendly mobility.

Organisers said 25,000

people had come to attend

a demonstration outside the

event venue on Saturday, while

the police said the number was

15,000.

Manufacturers unveil new

models at the IAA motor show,

which was opened by German

Chancellor Angela Merkel on

Thursday. During her visit,

she praised the auto industry

for stepping up its efforts in

developing climate-neutral

technologies.

But environmentalists have

slammed carmakers for starting

e-mobility transition efforts

too late and for shirking their

responsibility for air pollution,

especially in regard to the diesel

emissions scandal. — dpa

Several hundred protesters block entry to Frankfurt motor show

Bosnian town left alone to deal with thousands of desperate migrantsBIHAC: In camp Vucjak, 700 migrants

sleep under canvas tents on mattresses

that lay directly on the ground of the

former garbage dump and wait in long

queues for two meagre meals a day.

The camp is near Bihac, a town

on Bosnia’s border with EU-member

Croatia, an area where some 7,000

migrants are stranded on their

dangerous attempt to reach wealthier

parts of Europe.

The town found itself straddling the

latest branch of the Balkan migration

route, forged after borders were

hardened on the journey that runs

from Serbia to Hungary and Croatia.

Camp Vucjak is the response by

the town and the northern Una-

Sana region of Bosnia to a crisis

nearly everybody else ignores. “It was

dropped on a small organisation, the

Bihac Red Cross, to take care of all

these people,” the head of the branch

Selam Midzic said. “It takes a heroic

effort to run the camp with five people

and provide 1,400 meals each day.”

Midzic said that the canton —

a regional administrative unit in

Bosnia — receives help neither from

the government nor the international

community, only from non-

governmental organisations.

“The Bosnian government is

uninvolved and has not provided

locations for a permanent camp,”

Midzic said. “The European

Commission refuses to recognise

Vucjak as a formal camp and is not

providing any assistance, aggravating

the already huge problem.”

Dirk Plannert, a 52-year-old

German photographer, journalist and

activist, agrees. He had helped with

humanitarian transports to Bihac

when it was enclosed during the 1992-

95 Bosnian war and is now running a

medical tent in the camp.

“Someone decided to simply throw

away 1,000 people,” he said.

In the camp, the lack of funding

is visible. The toilets are filthy and

nourishment is thin.

But outside the camp it is worse.

Thousands squat in derelict factories

and abandoned houses or simply sleep

in the streets. In several sites right on

the border, people live in the open,

mountainous terrain, waiting for a

chance to sneak into Croatia.

There, their ordeal may go up by a

magnitude.

Croatian police closely monitor the

closed border zone. After that, there

are patrols and checkpoints along the

entire 120-kilometre route to the next

country, Slovenia. — dpa

Underfire Johnson claims ‘huge’ Brexit progressLONDON: Prime Minister Boris

Johnson insisted on Sunday that

“huge” progress was being made

in Brexit talks and declared Britain

would break out of the European

Union just like the comic book hero

“The Incredible Hulk”.

The Conservative leader made the

comments ahead of meetings with

European Commission chief Jean-

Claude Juncker and EU negotiator

Michel Barnier in Luxembourg on

Monday.

Johnson told the Mail on Sunday

newspaper he was “very confident” of

getting a divorce deal at an EU summit

on October 17, in time for Brexit on

October 31.

In an odd analogy, he compared

Britain to the Marvel Comics character

Hulk — the destructive alter ego of

scientist Bruce Banner who turns

into the ferocious green giant when

enraged or stressed.

“The madder Hulk gets, the

stronger Hulk gets and he always

escaped, no matter how tightly bound

in he seemed to be — and that is the

case for this country,” he said.

But Johnson is facing strong

opposition in parliament to his threat

to leave the EU without a deal on

October 31 if his negotiations fail.

Many of the rebels are on his own

side and on Saturday night, one of his

Conservative MPs defected to the pro-

European Liberal Democrats.

Former universities minister Sam

Gyimah, who briefly ran against

Johnson for the party leadership this

summer, condemned him for “veering

towards populism”.

The Lib Dems, who now have

18 MPs in the 650-seat House of

Commons, on Sunday voted at their

party conference to reverse Brexit if

they ever won a majority in parliament.

Elsewhere, former prime minister

David Cameron, who led the failed

campaign to stay in the EU in 2016,

accused Johnson in his memoirs of

only pursuing Brexit out of political

ambition.

The turmoil comes ahead of another

crucial week, as the Supreme Court

considers the legality of Johnson’s

decision to suspend parliament earlier

this month until October 14.

HULK WAS A ‘WINNER’

Johnson was a leading “Leave”

campaigner in the referendum, and

took office in July promising to deliver

Brexit no matter what.

He wants to renegotiate the terms

struck by his predecessor Theresa

May, which MPs have rejected, but EU

leaders have so far refused.

Johnson repeated that “under no

circumstances” would he delay Brexit.

However, he may have no choice

after MPs last week passed a law

to postpone Britain’s exit date until

January if he does not get a deal by the

EU summit.

His comparison with Hulk drew

derision from Guy Verhofstadt,

Brexit coordinator for the European

Parliament.

“Even to Trumpian standards the

Hulk comparison is infantile. Is the

EU supposed to be scared by this? The

British public impressed?” he tweeted.

However, Brexit Secretary Steve

Barclay told Sky News: “The Hulk was

a winner and was extremely popular.”

STICKING POINTS

Johnson told the Mail there was

a “very good conversation” going

on about the key sticking point in

the Brexit deal, the issue of the Irish

border. “A huge amount of progress is

being made,” he said.

Much of the British opposition to

the current terms is focused on the so-

called backstop plan to keep open the

Irish border.

It could keep Britain indefinitely

tied to EU trade rules to avoid frontier

checks between British Northern and

EU member Ireland.

Barclay insisted “the backstop

needs to go”, but fuelled speculation

that an alternative might be taking

shape.

“We can see a landing zone in terms

of a future deal but there is significant

work still to do,” he said, adding that

Monday’s talks would be “an important

step forward”.

‘TRUTH-TWISTING POPULISM’

Twenty-one Conservatives rebelled

to back the law on delay Brexit and

were expelled from the party, leaving

Johnson without a majority in the

House of Commons.

The departure of Gyimah, one of

the 21 and the second Tory MP to

defect to the Lib Dems in the past

fortnight, contributes to a sense of a

party in crisis.

Former leader Cameron also laid

into Johnson in his memoir “For The

Record”, which was serialised in the

Sunday Times ahead of its publication

on Thursday.

The ex-premier said Johnson only

backed Brexit because he believed

it would make him the “darling” of

the Tory party, saying he “risked an

outcome he didn’t believe in because it

would help his political career”.

Cameron also accused Johnson

and fellow Brexit campaigner

Michael Gove, now a top minister,

of “becoming ambassadors for the

expert-trashing, truth-twisting age of

populism”. — AFP

INCREDIBLE STORY: PM compares Britain to comic book character the Hulk, always escaping from tight situations

BOSNIA NOT ON THE BALKAN MIGRATION ROUTE, BUT BORDER

CLOSURES BY SURROUNDING

COUNTRIES TURNED THE FLOW ITS WAY. WITHIN BOSNIA, THE TOWN OF BIHAC AND A SMALL BRANCH OF THE RED

CROSS HAVE BEEN LEFT ALONE TO PROVIDE FOR

THOUSANDS Migrants walk towards vehicles at the port in Lampedusa after the Italian government allowed the disembarkation of 82 migrants on board the rescue ship Ocean Viking, Italy. — Reuters

Britain’s Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson talks to a reporter as she leaves BBC studios in London. The party on Sunday toughened its anti-Brexit stance, formally adopting a policy to cancel leaving the EU if it wins power at a national election.

— Reuters

Activists block a road leading to the venue of International Frankfurt Motorshow during a demonstration against climate-damaging cars in Frankfurt. — Reuters

OMANDAILYOBSERVER 11M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

world

The J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Tech

Experience Index (TXI) Study

ranked the Hyundai Kona as earning

the highest score for overall vehicle

technology satisfaction in the study’s

small vehicle segment.

The TXI Study measures owners’

experiences, usage, and interaction

with driver centric vehicle technology

at 90 days of ownership, and provides

an understanding of opportunities for

minimising the gap between customer

experience and execution.

The Hyundai Kona was

recognised for scoring the highest

in categories such as entertainment

and connectivity, driving assistance,

smartphone mirroring and navigation.

The Hyundai Kona is also joined

by the Hyundai Elantra and Hyundai

Santa Fe in the TXI rankings, which

respectively earned top 3 scores in

the compact and midsize vehicle

segments.

“We take great pride in offering

cutting edge safety technologies in all

Hyundai models,” says Scott Margason,

Director, Product Planning, Hyundai

Motor America. “The Hyundai

Kona not only showcases advanced

technology, safety and convenience

features, but also creates a comfortable

and satisfying experience for the

whole family.”

The expressive and powerful all-

new Kona has been sweeping multiple

awards across the globe, including the

top three worldwide renowned design

awards. Kona has just added another

feather in its cap by gaining top spot in

the J.D. Power Tech Experience Study

in the US.

The all-new Kona was introduced

in Oman market recently and it

is becoming increasingly popular

with the young and style-conscious

customers with an active urban

lifestyle. The car, named after the Kona

district in Hawaii, offers four-wheel

drive, 7-speed DCT transmission and

Hyundai’s latest powertrains.

The launch of the all-new Kona

has further strengthened the Hyundai

line-up in Oman. Hyundai offers an

array of SUVs and sedans in Oman

that appeal to almost every segment

in the market. The sedan line-up

includes Grand i10, Accent, Elantra,

Sonata & Azera, while trend setters

for the modern youth continue to be

the Veloster & Veloster Turbo. Ioniq,

Hyundai Motor’s innovative Hybrid

model delivers an uncompromising

design and driving experience

coupled with the latest in safety and

convenience technologies, makes it

an appealing choice for a wide range

of buyers. Hyundai SUV range offers

exciting style, versatility, space and

comfort. The line-up includes Creta,

Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Grand Santa

Fe & Palisade, each designed to fulfil

the practical requirements.

OTE Group is the distributor for

Hyundai in Oman. With a nationwide

network of showrooms and service

centres, OTE Group ensures that

Hyundai customers are never far from

getting high quality service. For more

details please contact 800-50003.

J.D. Power Tech Experience Index Study ranks Hyundai Kona top in segment

MADRID: Spanish police said on

Sunday they had broken up a major

drugs ring run by a Moroccan known

as the “Messi of hashish”, who is now

on the run.

The operation began in February,

when police on the British territory of

Gibraltar found a boat that was about

to sink with its three crew on board —

and 84 bales of hashish. Gibraltar sits

off the south coast of Spain at one of

the shortest crossing points to north

Africa.

Since then, Spanish police have

arrested 45 people and issued

warrants against another 16,

including the leader, El Haj. Police

had arrested Abdellah El Haj in

November 2017 before releasing him

on bail last March, since when he has

been untraceable, said a spokesman

for Spain’s Guardia Civil force.

“’Messi’ has been on the run for

a long time and runs the network

from the outside, but several of his

lieutenants have fallen,” he added.

A statement from the force said the

arrests so far had effectively broken up

one of the most active drugs networks

operating on the Guadalquivir River.

The river, which comes out into the

North Atlantic Ocean just north of

Cadiz and not far from north Africa,

is considered the main route for gangs

smuggling Moroccan hashish into

Spain.

Police have seized five boats, 17

vehicles, more than half a million

euros and several weapons. They

also dismantled a shipyard that

was building the go-fast boats used

to smuggle the drugs across from

Morocco.

Spain has over the last year

stepped up its campaign against drug

trafficking in southern Spain, having

boosted police numbers there last

year. — AFP

WASHINGTON: US President

Donald Trump mounted an angry

defence of Supreme Court Justice

Brett Kavanaugh on Sunday as the

controversial judge faced calls for an

investigation over fresh allegations of

misconduct.

Trump blasted the media and

“Radical Left Democrats” after a

former Yale classmate of Kavanaugh

alleged that the jurist — one of the

most senior judges in the land —

exposed himself at a freshman year

party.

The latest allegation in The New

York Times came after Kavanaugh

denied misconduct accusations

levelled against him by two women

during his confirmation to the

Supreme Court last October.

“Now the Radical Left Democrats

and their Partner, the LameStream

Media, are after Brett Kavanaugh

again, talking loudly of their favorite

word, impeachment,” Trump tweeted.

“He is an innocent man who

has been treated HORRIBLY. Such

lies about him. They want to scare

him into turning Liberal!” The new

allegations came from Max Stier, who

runs a non-profit in Washington. His

concerns were reported to the FBI

during Kavanaugh’s 2018 confirmation

process but not investigated, according

to the Times.

Stier has not spoken publicly

about the incident but his story was

corroborated by two officials, the

Times said.

It is the latest in a string of

accusations of unwanted contact

or assault against Kavanaugh since

Trump nominated him to the Supreme

Court.

‘SHAME’

Christine Blasey Ford testified before

Congress that Kavanaugh assaulted her

in the 1980s, while Deborah Ramirez

told The New Yorker Kavanaugh had

exposed himself in front of her at a

1980s dormitory party.

The latest allegation surfaced

during a 10-month investigation

by Times reporters Robin

Pogrebin and Kate Kelly, and features

in their upcoming book, The Education

of Brett Kavanaugh: An Investigation.

Trump called on Kavanaugh to

take legal action over the claims,

suggesting also that the Department of

Justice should intervene on the judge’s

behalf and “come to his rescue.” But

Democrats seeking to be Trump’s

opponent in the 2020 election called

for the judge to be investigated.

“Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation

is a shame to the Supreme Court.

This latest allegation of assault

must be investigated,” former

housing secretary and Democratic

presidential candidate Julian Castro

tweeted.

Minnesota Senator Amy

Klobouchar, a member of the Senate

Judiciary Committee who was

involved in a heated exchange with

Kavanaugh during his confirmation,

described the process as a “sham.”

— AFP

HARARE: Union activists and rights

campaigners on Sunday accused

Zimbabwe’s security forces of

kidnapping the leader of a doctors’

union, who disappeared during a

strike he had helped organise.

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctor’s

Association (ZHDA) said Peter

Magombeyi had not been heard from

since he sent a WhatsApp message

on Saturday night saying he had been

“kidnapped by three men”.

The ZHDA accused the security

forces of abducting him because of his

role in organising the work stoppages.

A few dozen doctors and nurses,

who are paid less than $200 a month,

marched on Sunday in Harare to

protest his disappearance.

Captions on the improvised

placards included “Free Dr

Magombeyi unharmed now” and “No

Dr Peter, no work: simple”.

Striking doctors are demanding

pay rises in a country still struggling

with high inflation and fuel and food

shortages after decades of economic

crisis under former president Robert

Mugabe, who died a week ago.

“Efforts to reach him after he

had sent the alarming message have

been fruitless,” the ZHDA said in a

statement, calling for his release and

for medics to protest.

Before he disappeared, Magombeyi

had said he had received threatening

calls and messages on his phone.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyers

association called for his release.

“Expressing their concerns on

poor working conditions is a right not

a privilege,” it said.

A Zimbabwe police spokesman

did not immediately respond to the

allegations.

Zimbabwe’s once-vaunted public

health system has deteriorated after

years of neglect under the Mugabe

regime, and doctors complain about

lack of supplies and poor conditions.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa,

who was elected to replace Mugabe

after he was ousted in 2017, has been

under pressure to deliver on promises

of more investment and jobs.

A measure to double fuel prices

this year sparked nationwide protests,

prompting a crackdown on the

opposition and clashes in which 17

people were killed when soldiers

opened fire. — AFP

Spanish police break up major drugs ring

Trump defends supreme court justiceTO THE RESCUE: Says Kavanaugh should ‘start suing’ after new allegation

Zimbabwe doctors’ leader ‘kidnapped’ during strikes

Zimbabwe junior doctors stage a march in Harare protesting the alleged abduction of Dr Peter Mugombeyi, president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association. — AFP

Striking doctors are demanding pay rises in a country still struggling with high inflation and fuel and food shortages after decades of economic crisis

NASSAU: Tropical Storm Humberto

lashed already devastated parts of the

Bahamas with heavy rain and strong

winds before crawling northwest,

and forecasters said it was likely to

become a hurricane.

The storm, packing maximum

sustained winds of 85 km per hour,

was expected to move well offshore

of the east coast of Florida and into

the Atlantic Ocean through early

next week, according to the US

National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said the storm could

drop up to 15.24 cm of rain in some

areas of the Bahamas on Monday, but

it did not produce a dangerous storm

surge in the northwestern islands,

which were hammered earlier this

month by Hurricane Dorian.

Humberto could, however,

complicate relief efforts in the area

where thousands of structures were

flattened and 70,000 people were

left needing shelter, food and water

and medical aid. Dorian slammed

into the Bahamas on September

1 as a Category 5 storm, one of the

strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever to

hit land, packing top sustained winds

of 298 km per hour.

Meanwhile, United Nations

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

arrived in Nassau in a show of

international support. He looked

visibly shaken on Saturday after

taking an aerial tour of Abaco, which

bore the brunt of Dorian’s impact.

— Reuters

Another storm Humberto lashes Bahamas

Debris lies around a damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in Treasure Cay on Abaco island, Bahamas. — AFP

NO TO NATO

Supporters of Alliance of Patriots of Georgia attend a protest action in front of the US Embassy in Tbilisi on Sunday, protesting against Georgia’s joining Nato and for normalisation of ties with Russia. — AFP

Law enforcement arrives at a rally in support of US President Donald Trump, organised by white nationalists in Dahlonega, Georgia. — Reuters

OMANDAILYOBSERVER12panorama

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

Fiery massage: Egyptian masseur plays with fire to ease painGHARBEYA: An Egyptian masseur

plays with fire to relieve his clients’

muscle pain at his spa in the Nile Delta

governorate of Gharbeya.

Abdel Rehim Saeid, 35, applies

the ancient Pharaonic technique,

known as the “fiery towel” by starting

with a standard massage, using oil

and camomile, to stimulate blood

circulation and alleviate some of the

pain in affected areas.

Then comes the heat.

Saeid places several layers of towels

and other isolating materials on the

client’s back. Then a towel soaked in

spirit is placed on top and set on fire. It

burns for roughly a minute before the

flames are put out with a wet towel.

“It is ... called a fiery massage,” Saeid

said, that works by sucking moisture

out of the body.

“I communicate with the human

body, coming into close contact with

the body of the human in front of me,”

he said.

Saeid said he cannot use the

technique with people suffering from

high blood pressure, kidney failure or

haemophilia.

He said he trained under an

expert in the fiery towel technique

in Morocco, and had earned

several massage certifications from

institutions in Egypt.

Mohammed al-Shaer, a client in his

30s, said his pain had improved “100

per cent” after the fiery treatment.

“Before, I could not stand to pray.

I couldn’t stretch my back when I got

out of a car,” he said.

“Now, after the second session,

my body is getting better and my

movement is better. I used to be very

lazy but this is no longer the case.”

— ReutersMassage therapist Abdel Rehim Saeid performs the ‘fiery towel’ method to ease a patient’s muscle pain in Gharbia. — Reuters

BLESS YOU! A monk plays with a tiger at the Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua, also known as Tiger Temple, in Kanchanaburi province of Thailand. — Reuters

HELPING HAND: A differently-abled boy, assisted by his instructor, prepares a clay pot on a potter’s wheel at a workshop at ‘Narayan Seva Sansthan’, a Non-Governmental Organisation for differently-abled people, on the outskirts of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India. — AFP

SKILL SHOW: Russia’s Bumblebee (Sergey Chernyshev) performs on the stage of the men’s breakdance final at the World Urban Games in Budapest. — AFP

GOLDEN MORNING: A fisherman leaves the harbour during sunrise in Loctudy, Brittany, France. — Reuters

BIKE FEST: People ride their bike past the Kremlin as they attend a bicycle festival in central Moscow. — AFP

MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 | MUHARRAM 16, 1441 AH

business editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.omfollow us @oman_biz

MUSCAT STOCK

MARKET

4,021.14

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Standard Chartered and Oman

Shipping Company (OSC), a member

of the Asyad Group, have announced

a $110 million re-financing facility

for three tanker vessels and two Very

Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).

The signing ceremony took place

at Asyad’s headquarters and was

attended by senior executives from

Standard Chartered Oman, ASYAD

Group and Oman Shipping Company.

The facility has been solely arranged

by Standard Chartered.

Yesterday’s announcement is a

clear indication of the strength of

OSC’s balance sheet and the support

the company enjoys from Asyad

Group, both of which were key factors

in negotiations. This new financing

facility will enable Oman Shipping

Company to optimize its debt position

by reducing overall borrowing costs

and eliminating refinancing risk, all

while diversifying the company’s pool

of financial partners.

The agreement also highlights

Standard Chartered’s commitment

to assisting economic growth in

Oman, and will help OSC explore

opportunities to expand its offering yet

further — supporting the company’s

ever-growing customer base and

connecting them to global markets

through its full-service fleet of over 50

world-class vessels.

Hussain bin Ghalib al Yafai,

Chief Executive Officer, Standard

Chartered Oman said: “We are truly

privileged to lend our expertise and

resources in support of our clients.

This deal gave us the opportunity to

work across teams globally in order

to propose the most optimal and

innovative financing solutions for

Oman Shipping Company. Over more

than 50 years, Standard Chartered

has served the Omani community

and contributed to its economy and

infrastructure development. We are

strongly committed to the Sultanate

and dedicated to continue supporting

our clients as they expand and grow

their businesses globally’’.

Michael Jorgensen, Acting Chief

Executive Officer, Oman Shipping

Company, said: “We are delighted to

have agreed this substantial finance

facility for five of our vessels with

Standard Chartered. OSC is growing

from strength to strength, and today’s

announcement will help us explore

opportunities to expand our full-

service shipping offering yet further’’.

Asyad’s OSC is an integral part

of Oman’s drive to become a top-ten

global logistics hub and is supporting

the integration of all supply chain

activities in the Sultanate — providing

customers with rapid and unrivalled

distribution capabilities across the

Middle East, as well as acting as the

region’s gateway to global markets.

OSC is a full-scale shipping company

handling ship owning, technical

management and chartering.

Oman Shipping, StanChart ink $110 million finance facilityKEY AGREEMENT: The financing facility covers three tanker vessels and two VLCCs

DUBAI/RIYADH: Saudi stocks fell

sharply on Sunday, after attacks on two

plants at the heart of the kingdom’s oil

industry a day earlier knocked out

more than half of Saudi crude output.

Sunday’s decline extended a losing

spree for Saudi stocks, which in recent

weeks have been hit by expensive

valuations, weak oil prices and

concerns about the economic outlook.

The drone attacks were carried out

by Yemen’s Houthi group, its military

spokesman said on Al Masirah TV.

The index opened down 2.3 per

cent but later pared some losses.

At 0914 GMT, the Saudi market

was down 1.3 per cent. The index has

lost all its gains this year and is down

about 18 per cent from its 2019 high of

9,403 points seen in early May.

The index’s earlier gains were

fuelled by Saudi Arabia’s entry into the

MSCI and FTSE Russell’s emerging

market indices, but analysts said that

effect had faded in recent weeks.

Saudi Basic Industries (SABIC),

the kingdom’s biggest petrochemicals

firm, was down 2.4 per cent after it

said it had curtailed feedback supplies

by about 49 per cent following the

attacks.

Aramco has agreed to buy a 70 per

cent stake in SABIC from the state

Public Investment Fund in a $69.1

billion deal that is awaiting regulatory

approvals.

Other petrochemical companies

such as Yanbu National Petrochemicals

Co and Kayan also announced

significant reductions in feedstock

supplies.

“The stock market has been

affected, especially the petchem sector,

(as) the efficiency of some major

companies will be about 50 per cent

in the coming 10 days,” said Mazen al

Sudairi, head of research at Al Rajhi

Capital.

Other Gulf markets also reacted

negatively to the attacks, with Kuwait’s

premier index down 0.4 per cent and

Dubai stocks falling 0.5 per cent,

although they recovered from sharper

intra-day losses. — Reuters

Saudi, Gulf stocks fall after attacks on Aramco oil plants

CONRAD PRABHUMUSCAT, SEPT 15

There is growing anticipation

that the newly announced third

telecom operator, anchored by

global heavyweight Vodafone, will

bring about a seismic shift in the

Sultanate’s telecom industry when

commercial services are launched

in the second half of next year.

The transformational impacts,

according to experts, will come not

only in the form of cutting-edge

technologies and services, but also

competitive tariffs and enhanced

quality-of-service standards.

Ranked among the Top 5

Telecom companies worldwide,

with a presence on the coveted

Fortune Global 500 Top listing as

well, Vodafone Group’s imminent

arrival in Oman not only bodes

well for the healthy growth of the

telecom sector, but is also expected

to add to the Sultanate’s cachet as an

investment destination in its own

right.

The Group, with its 650 million

subscribers worldwide, achieved

revenues of around 46 billion

euros last year, and has ambitious

plans to invest in gigabit networks,

the Internet of Things (‘IoT’) and

mobile financial services to connect

a further 350 million people by

2025.

According to a source at Oman

Future Telecommunications

(OFT), the third telecom licensee

which announced a partnership

with Vodafone Group, the latter

was selected after an intensive

review of key players operating in

the global telecom industry.

“We looked at a number of

possible vendors and finally

worked on a shortlist of four

players. Vodafone Group eventually

emerged as our partner of choice,”

the source told the Observer.

Playing a pivotal role in the

selection process was Itqan Tech

Development, a local Omani tech

firm specialising in Information

& Communications Technology

(ICT) projects and services. Itqan

represents the shareholding of

Oman 70 Holding, which is a

primary shareholder in Oman

Future Telecommunications

(OFT). Private investors

comprise around 45 per cent of

OFT’s equity, while the balance

55 per cent is made up of Omani

pension funds.

“Since the announcement by

the government last year that the

third telecom operator would be an

Omani consortium, Itqan worked

on this opportunity to finalise the

license with the Telecom Regulatory

Authority (TRA), as well as meet

the government’s licence criteria.

Itqan also set up the relationship

with the vendor, Vodafone, and

worked on finalising the agreement.

These efforts culminated in the

establishment of Oman Future

Telecommunications (OFT), which

is now taking the process forward

as the third telecom operator.”

Iqtan Tech Development, a

wholly owned subsidiary of Oman

70 Holding (a well-diversified

Omani business house), has

undertaken a number of ICT

projects for government and public

sector organisations.

Oman’s eventual addition to

Vodafone’s expanding footprint in

the Middle East augurs well for the

growth of telecom services in the

Sultanate, the source pointed out.

Vodafone’s entry will be transformative for Oman’s telecom sector

CONRAD PRABHUMUSCAT, SEPT 15

The US International Trade

Commission (ITC), a federal agency

tasked with investigating antidumping

claims, says it will press ahead with its

inquiry into complaints alleging that

polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet

imported from Oman is sold in the US

at “less than fair value”.

The announcement came in a

provisional ruling issued by the

Washington DC-based agency last

week.

“The United States International

Trade Commission (USITC) today

determined that there is a reasonable

indication that a US industry is

materially injured by reason of imports

of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

sheet from Korea and Oman that are

allegedly sold in the United States at

less than fair value. The Commission

further found that imports of this

product from Mexico are negligible and

voted to terminate the investigation

concerning Mexico,” it stated.

Officials at Oman-based

petrochemicals firm OCTAL, currently

the only producer and exporter of PET

sheet from the Sultanate into the US

market, have denied consistently the

dumping claim and pledged to contest

the allegation.

“We do not dump,” an official of the

Salalah-based firm told journalists in

July when the story first surfaced. “Our

exports into the US market are based

on our (competitive) cost structure,” the

official stressed. , adding that Oman’s

authorities were expected to provide

legal support and other assistance to

the company in contesting the claim.

A final ruling on the case is expected

next month.

Ruling on PET ‘dumping’ case expected next month

Saudi investors monitor stocks at the exchange market department at the National Commercial Bank (NCB) in Riyadh. — AFP

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVER14insideoman

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Abu Dhabi Airports

has announced the

commencement of four

weekly flights between Abu

Dhabi and Muscat in Oman

with SalamAir.

The inaugural flight,

which is operated by

Oman’s first low cost

airline, SalamAir, arrived

from Muscat to Abu Dhabi

International Airport

(AUH) on September 10.

The flights will take-off

from Muscat International

Airport (MCT) at 9:00 am

every Tuesday, Wednesday,

Thursday and Saturday, and

will arrive at Abu Dhabi

International Airport at

10:20 am. The return flights

will take-off from Abu

Dhabi at 11:05 am, arriving

in Muscat at 12:05 pm local

time.

The new flights allow

both citizens and residents

to enjoy a short flight to visit

Muscat, whether for tourism

or business purposes, at

affordable rates.

Commenting on the new

route to Muscat, Maarten De

Groof, Chief Commercial

Officer at Abu Dhabi

Airports said: “Muscat is

one of the most popular

destinations among the UAE

citizens and residents, and

these four new flights will

give them new convenient

options to visit Muscat. We

are also happy to welcome

travellers from Muscat who

will enjoy a short flight

before arriving in Abu

Dhabi, where they will be

able to explore the rich

cultural, historic and leisure

activities and attractions the

nation’s capital has to offer’’.

De Groof added:

“This partnership

demonstrates Abu Dhabi

Airports’ commitment to

continuously developing its

network and connectivity,

with the aim of providing

travellers with ever more

choices. We are always keen

to attract new airlines to our

airport, particularly from

popular destinations, such

as Oman’’.

Between July 2 and

September 7, 2019, SalamAir

operated three weekly flights

between Abu Dhabi and

Salalah, a popular holiday

destination on the southern

coast of Oman.

SalamAir launches four weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to Muscat

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Tech-savvy students are gearing up

for a new round of challenge as the

second edition of Omantel Olympics

of Coding announced.

Registration in the competition for

grades 8 to 11 has opened yesterday

and it will remain active until

Thursday next week.

The initiative, which will be

held for the second year in a row

in collaboration with Ministry of

Education, aims to instill technology

and innovation in youngsters,

and set them ready for the Fourth

Industrial Revolution. Participants

are encouraged to push their limits

and excel in a number of skills, like

problem solving and critical thinking

as well as in finding solutions using

algorithms that transfer to coding

languages like Java, C++ and Python.

Furthermore, the initiative is a

platform to find the most talented

Omani youngsters in coding and

help them to shine internationally as

winners in the coding Olympics will

be qualified to compete abroad.

“We share a common belief

with Omantel on the importance of

developing students’ capabilities in

coding and enabling them to cope

with the rapid changes in Industry 4.0

innovations, e.g. artificial intelligence,

robots, IoT and many others as well as

to be able to compete internationally,”

Dr Maya al Azri, Director of

Innovation and Scientific Olympiad

at the Ministry of Education,

commented.

Laila al Wahaibi, CSR Manager

at Omantel, said, “We are glad to

cooperate with Ministry of Education

to organise the second edition of

Omantel Olympics of Coding,

and hand in hand we seek out and

empower the most capable Omani

youngsters. Last year, the initiative

had seen more than 4,000 participants

and we expect the same momentum

this year.”

She also said, “Registration is open

to all students from grades 8 to 11

through Omantel and Ministry of

Education’s social media platforms

(Twitter & Instagram) and we urge

students to hurry up and register’’.

Registration opens for Omantel Coding Olympics

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Spearheading the future of Oman’s

fuel industry, Oman Oil Marketing

Company (OOMCO) recently held

its Commercial Container Event

highlighting its latest innovative

fuel solutions for businesses and

announcing the launch of its new

Portable Fuel Container Station. A

service set to offer mobile fuel services

to a wide range of industries across the

Sultanate.

“As part of our efforts to meet

the needs of the growing number

of development projects across the

Sultanate, we’re pleased to offer our

new Portable Container Fuel Station,

which can be delivered almost

anywhere in Oman.

Through this innovative service

we’re helping businesses increase

efficiency and reduce expenses by

giving them more control over their

energy systems,” said Amer Suhail Issa

Jaboob, General Manager Business

to Business at Oman Oil Marketing

Company.

The Portable Container Fuel Station

is an easily and transportable, mini-

fuelling station, perfect for a wide

range of applications and industries

including fully functioning retail sites,

modular fuel farms, rigs and off-plot

sites, marine fuel storage and refueling,

aviation tanks and dispensing, a range

of military applications, mining and

quarry support, commercial road

transport, and power generation.

“The event was a great opportunity

for us to touch base with our

commercial clients, with whom

we have solid and long-standing

relationships, showcase our latest

services and technologies, and

reinforce our commitment to offering

them quality products and services.

Through our new and innovative

services, we aim to cater to all sectors

and help support the continued

diversification of Oman’s economy,” he

added.

The event underscored OOMCO’s

long-term strategy to transform the

Sultanate’s fuel industry by introducing

state-of-the-art products and services

across all aspects of the business, both

locally and internationally. With a

focus on the development of strategic

partnerships and offering services

that deliver more than just fuel, the

company aims to position itself among

the top five fuel marketers in the GCC

by 2025.

OOMCO launches new portable container fuel station

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the

flagship financial services provider

in the Sultanate, and food and

beverages giant Oman Refreshment

Co (Pepsi Oman) have signed an

agreement to on-board Oman

Refreshment Co operations to

Bank Muscat’s B2B platform while

also providing access to the bank’s

Remote Deposit Capture (RDC)

facility. The agreement was signed

by Youssef Ezzikhe, Chief Executive

Officer, Oman Refreshment Co, and

Tariq Atiq, DGM — Transaction

& Public Sector Banking, Bank

Muscat recently and comes as part

of the bank’s initiative to on board

more corporates to the various

digital solutions and services

provided by the bank.

The bank’s B2B solution will

seamlessly and securely integrate

with Oman Refreshment Co’s ERP

to provide an automated, two-way

data transfer service for high volume

online payments. The corporate will

be able to optimise the efficiency of

its employees by saving on man-

hours since personal visits and

face-to-face interaction with bank

employees will not be required

on a daily basis for payment

processing and reconciliation. Thus

Oman Refreshment Co will be in

a position to provide better service

to its vendors, customers and

other stakeholders because of the

straight-through nature of online

channels. The food and beverages

giant’s operations in Oman will

also be able to achieve a high

degree of automation in payables

reconciliation and minimise risks

related to payment processes

because of the onboarding to the

new Host to Host/B2B Connect

solution.

Bank Muscat’s RDC facility is

an online cheque clearing solution

which facilitates faster clearance

and efficiencies in account

receivables. Oman Refreshment Co

employees will be able to scan the

images of cheques from their offices

or branches before these cheques

are physically submitted to the bank

for clearing. This will lead to faster

credit with complete management

information services (MIS) and

save time, effort and cost for Oman

Refreshment Co in handling its

collections.

Tariq Atiq, DGM - Transaction

& Public Sector Banking, Bank

Muscat, said: “In step with the rapid

developments in digitalisation, the

bank’s strategy is to help corporates

keep pace with these developments

and optimise their performance.

Digital solutions are playing a

bigger role in the development of

the economy today. With a series

of innovative online banking and

technology developments, Bank

Muscat is in a position to address

the complete payment requirements

of organisations of any size.”

Youssef Ezzikhe, CEO, Oman

Refreshment Co, said: “This

agreement will facilitate exchange

of knowledge between both

parties and enhance the service

level provided to our customers.

We hope that the digitalization

of services will greatly improve

satisfaction for our stakeholders.

We are proud to partner with Bank

Muscat to pioneer these new digital

initiatives.” The niche B2B Connect

solution is an advanced version of

online banking targeted mainly at

large corporates.

Bank Muscat, Oman Refreshment sign pact on B2B Platform, RDC solution

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

BUSINESS ALERTOAB Innovation Hub interns graduate from six-month innovation programme

MUSCAT: Under the umbrella of

its innovation pillar, Oman Arab

Bank (OAB) hosted its first ever

Innovation Hub earlier in the year

with over 320 students, FinTechs

and employees participating to

create an innovative proof of

concept. Following the 24-hour

pressure-cooker event, ten student

participants had gone on to join OAB as interns. These bright students have now graduated from the

bank’s intensive six-month innovation internship programme.

They were each handed their certificates at a dedicated graduation ceremony, organised by the

Bank on Sunday, September, at Fraser Suites Hotel and presided over by CEO, Rashad al Musafir.

Also in attendance at the event were Leen Khattar al Atassi, Head of Innovation, together with other

senior members of management and staff at OAB.

Ateliers deMonaco’s Tourbillon — Oculus 1297 Only Watch: A spectacular masterpiece

WATCHMAKER Ateliers deMonaco has created a one-of-a-

kind timepiece exclusively for the Only Watch biennial auction

in November this year. Only Watch is held in order to support

treatment of muscular dystrophy diseases and pushing the

boundaries of science.

Created by the Masion’s co-founder, master watchmaker and

CEO Pim Koeslag, the Tourbillon — Oculus 1297 Only Watch is an unique masterpiece that evokes

the brand’s ethos of innovation and craftsmanship complimented by cutting-edge design. The watch,

designed, produced, and assembled in Ateliers deMonaco’s workshops, pushes the boundaries of

innovation with its 44mm case made from forged carbon, a technique used in the automotive industry.

All new Mercedes AMG GT R Roadster: Powerful drive and expressive design

THE new AMG GT R Roadster is just as much at home on winding

racetracks as it is on prestigious boulevards or beautiful coastal

roads. With its powerful drive and expressive design, it addresses a

new, lifestyle-oriented target group which lives life to the full.

“The new AMG GT R Roadster is far more than a combination

of the thrilling vehicle dynamics of the GT R with the special flair of

our GT Roadsters. It is the essence of two worlds, blending to deliver

our brand pledge, Driving Performance, in a very special way. With our GT R Roadster, we have

without doubt once again developed a brand-defining sports car. It too embodies Mercedes-AMG

in form, function and vehicle dynamics and enriches our GT family with a highly exclusive variant

limited to 750 units”, says Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG

GmbH.

Rugby World Cup live and exclusive on beIN channels

THE Rugby World Cup, through the upcoming 2019 edition, is a

men’s rugby union tournament contested every four years between

the top international teams. The tournament was first held in

1987, when the tournament was co-hosted by New Zealand and

Australia. The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be the ninth Rugby

World Cup, and to be held in Japan on September 20 to November

2. This will be the first time the tournament is to be held in Asia.

The Rugby World Cup will be aired on beIN HD 13 channel

and is available for all beIN existing subscribers. New customers can subscribe through Mustafa

Sultan Electronics showrooms in Al Khuwair & Markaz Al Bahja or from their sub dealers across

Oman. The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup will take place at the Ajinomoto Stadium

in Chōfu, Tokyo, and the final match will be held at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. 20 teams have

qualified for the tournament with the host country Japan, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Samoa, New

Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada, England, France, Argentina, United States, Tonga,

Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji and Uruguay.

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

The Public Establishment for

Industrial Estates (Madayn) has signed

an agreement with Nafith Logistics

Services, Oman in order to build and

operate an access management system

for all current and future industrial

cities, on a long-term basis. The

agreement was signed by Hilal bin

Hamad al Hasani, CEO of Madayn,

and Sameer Mubarak, Chairman of

the Board of Nafith International.

Nafith Logistics Services is a

partnership between Shumookh

Investment and Services SAOC and

Nafith International LLC. Nafith

International is a company specialised

in delivering services to ports, customs,

and logistics hubs in order to manage,

control, streamline, and monitor

cargo and vehicle traffic, including

data acquisition and provision. Nafith

utilises state of the art technology,

including IoT, Deep Learning to fulfill

its objectives. Nafith International is

an International Finance Corporation

(World Bank Group) investee.

Al Hasani stressed the agreement

comes within Madayn’s efforts

to develop the provided services

to the investors and attract more

industrial investments. He said that

Madayn Access Management System

(MAMS) represents a key pillar of the

infrastructure development strategy

of the industrial cities, to keep pace

with the technology trends, provide

value adding services, and facilitate

the processes and procedures for the

investors and clients. This system

shall contribute in facilitating and

organising the movement of trucks,

and preventing traffic jams within the

industrial cities.

The system will be implemented

in Al Rusayl Industrial City, Nizwa

Industrial City, Suhar Industrial City

and Al Mazunah Free Zone within

the years 2019-2020, while the other

remaining current cities between

2021-2022. Nafith will be investing

RO 6.5 million within the first phase

of the project, with that investment

expecting to double over the lifetime

of the contract. It is expected that

this project will provide 135 job

opportunities, 80 per cent of which are

Omanised and will be directly related

to Madayn’s future vision.

Sameer Mubarak, Chairman of the

Board of Nafith International, said

the project represents a cornerstone

in Nafith’s offerings for the MENA

and beyond, as well as inducing

significant and positive change to

Madayn’s offering. “This investment

will contribute to the expansion of

the company’s resources opening new

horizons in the global market, where

we can offer what we do best: Trade

and Transport facilitation (TTF) for

emerging economies,” he said.

“The project entails the installation

of iGates on all entry points, and

iPortals on the exit points of all

of the industrial cities, provision

of Truck Marshalling Yards, and

most importantly the provision of a

comprehensive online/mobile access

control system enabling users to access

the system 24x7 through multiple

channels. The system will also apply

capacity optimisation of traffic in

order to have streamlined access. The

system shall be primarily managed by

a central Control Room located in the

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), in

addition to a few remote rooms for

convenience.”

Nafith will also install weighing

equipment at the entrances and exits

of the industrial cities in order to

apply the Sultanate’s axle load limits on

trucks, and be able to weigh the trucks

for the users. Nafith will apply a consort

of technologies to achieve the project

objectives: Secure RFID, Machine

Learning Vision, intelligent Gates, road

iPortals, Weigh In Motion scales for

trucks, and traffic classification devices,

that are manufactured by Nafith or

acquired directly by it.

Madayn signs deal for managing access to industrial cities

insideoman

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVER 15M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

Nafith will be investing RO 6.5 million within the first phase of the project which will provide 135 job opportunities, 80pc of which are Omanised and will be directly related to

Madayn’s future vision

IIC puts innovation in Oman’s F&B industry on international tableBUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Representatives from the Industrial

Innovation Centre (IIC) have

introduced the innovation that is

taking place in Food and Beverage

in Oman to international industry

professionals at Ireland’s National

Food and Drink Business Conference

& Exhibition 2019. The event is the

country’s premier trade event for the

food and drink processing, retail,

food service and hospitality sectors.

Taking part in the conference

and expo panel on the Future of

Food was IIC’s Food and Beverage

Innovation consultant Dr Bashair

al Riyami (pictured). During

discussions Dr Al Riyami took the

opportunity to highlight the activities

and preliminary results of the Food

and Beverage Innovation Project in

Oman. She also gave insights into

the novel approaches used by IIC to

identify opportunities for innovation

in the Sultanate’s food processing

sector as well as explaining how

sector-wide innovation is being

encouraged by the Centre. Delivering

value from waste as part of a Circular

Economy approach along with

market trends and insights for the EU

and Middle East markets were other

topics covered by the IIC innovation

consultant at Dublin’s Citywest

Convention Centre.

Congratulating the organisers

on an exceptional conference and

exhibition, Dr Al Riyami said: “This

has been a very productive event for

the IIC Team and we are delighted

by the highly positive reception IIC’s

work on innovation in the Food and

Beverage industry has received. It

has been gratifying too to forge new

links with like-minded European

industry innovators as well as

potential investors in IIC’s Food and

Beverage projects. We look forward to

introducing them to the possibilities

of the IIC Industrial Innovation

Ecosystem and the tremendous

commercial opportunities in Oman

in the coming weeks and months.”

Attended by over 3,000 industry

professionals, experts, investors and

influencers, Ireland’s National Food

and Drink Business Conference &

Exhibition highlights the key trends

and challenges facing the industry

and showcases the latest innovations,

developments in best practice and

new technological solutions available.

Its program of seminars and panel

discussions highlight the most

pressing issues facing the industry

and explore practical solutions to

current and upcoming industry

challenges.

Oman has a strong heritage in

the production of traditional Arabic

food and beverage products. Blessed

with extensive fish resources from the

Indian Ocean and a variety of fruit and

vegetable produce, the Sultanate’s Food

and Beverage industry has the potential

to make a significant contribution to

the growth of national exports. To

realise this promise, IIC is working

with enterprising producers across the

country through its Sector Innovation

Program to bring to market innovative

food products that combine tradition

with the evolving tastes and preferences

of modern Middle East consumers and

global markets.

LONDON: Hong Kong’s exchange

refused to give up on its bid to take

over the London Stock Exchange

after the British bourse emphatically

rejected its $39 billion takeover

offer.

The Hong Kong exchange said

it would now hold more talks with

LSE investors as it considers its next

step, aiming to keep alive its hopes

of becoming a more global player to

rival US giants ICE and CME.

“HKEX believes that

shareholders in LSEG should have

the opportunity to analyse in detail

both transactions and will continue

to engage with them,” it said in a

statement.

The LSE said, as it rebuffed

the Hong Kong approach, that it

was sticking with its $27 billion

acquisition of data and analytics

company Refinitiv — a deal that

the HKEX offer had required the

London exchange to abandon.

It told HKEX in a letter that it

had fundamental concerns about

key aspects of its takeover proposal

which it said had no strategic merit,

and that HKEX’s relationship with

the Hong Kong government would

“complicate matters”.

HKEX’s valuation of the LSE

falls “substantially short” and

the “ongoing situation in Hong

Kong” adds to uncertainty for

shareholders, the London bourse

added, a reference to weeks of pro-

democracy street protests in the

former British colony.

“Accordingly, the board

unanimously rejects the conditional

proposal and, given its fundamental

flaws, sees no merit in further

engagement,” the LSE said in a

statement.

HKEX, Hong Kong Exchanges

and Clearing, said it was

disappointed the LSE has refused to

“properly engage” in a compelling

proposal.

A source close to HKEX added

the quick dismissal of the surprise

offer meant the Hong Kong bourse

had very little time to discuss their

proposal with investors, a sentiment

echoed by some shareholders.

“As shareholders in LSE, it’s

difficult to evaluate the merits of

a combination with HKEX as we

have been given no information

on potential synergies,” said James

Bevan, chief investment officer at

CCLA, which holds a small stake.

LSE shares, however, rose on

the news of the offer rejection and

closed up 2.73 per cent at 7,450

pence. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: Trade tensions are

weighing on growth across the world,

but the International Monetary Fund

is “far” from forecasting a global

recession, an IMF official said, as

the fund prepares to release a new

economic outlook next month.

The IMF said tariffs imposed or

threatened by the United States and

China could shave 0.8 per cent off

global economic output in 2020 and

trigger losses in future years.

“The trade tensions are weighing

on growth. But we really don’t see

recession in the current baseline. I

think we’re far from that,” said the

IMF official, who is familiar with the

preparation of the outlook.

“While manufacturing activity

has been weak, we also see resilience

in the services sector and consumer

confidence is holding up. The question

is how long that resilience can last,

and we are monitoring carefully all

indicators,” said the official, who was

not authorised to speak publicly.

The fund issues an economic

outlook twice a year to coincide with

its spring and fall meetings, forecasting

global gross domestic product for the

current year and the following year.

Negotiators for the United

States and China are due to meet in

Washington next week to prepare

for minister-level talks aimed at

defusing a bruising trade war that has

roiled financial markets and sparked

concerns about a global recession.

Tensions eased somewhat this

week after a series of goodwill gestures

by Beijing and Washington. Friday’s

release of a report showing a greater-

than-expected increase in US retail

sales in August could also further allay

market concerns about a recession.

IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told

reporters the trade war, now in its

second year, was taking a toll on the

global economy, eroding business

confidence, investment and trade,

but gave no details on the upcoming

forecast. Economists polled by

Bankrate see a 41 per cent chance the

US economy will slip into recession

by the time of the November 2020

presidential election. — Reuters

Global economy ‘far’ from recession, says IMF

Saudi to cut 5.7m bpd after attacks on oil facilities

A woman checks her phone in front of IMF logo in Washington. — Reuters

businessbusinessOMANDAILYOBSERVER16international

HOUSTON: Saturday’s attacks on

key Saudi Arabia processing plants

will test the world’s ability to handle a

supply crisis as it faces the temporary

loss of more than 5 per cent of global

supply from the world’s biggest crude

exporter.

The attacks will cut the kingdom’s

output by 5.7 million barrels per day

(bpd), according to a statement from

state-run oil company Saudi Aramco,

or more than 5 per cent of global oil

supply.

A militant group in Yemen claimed

responsibility for attacks that shut two

plants at the Abqaiq facility, the heart

of the Saudi oil industry, which will

cut the kingdom’s production by about

5.7 million barrels per day (bpd), more

than half of the kingdom’s output,

according to a statement from state-

run Saudi Aramco.

Crude prices could spike by several

dollars per barrel when markets

open as a prolonged outage could

prompt the United States and other

countries to release crude from their

strategic petroleum reserves to boost

commercial stocks globally. The US

Energy Department said on Saturday it

is ready to release oil from its strategic

reserve if needed.

“Oil prices will jump on this

attack, and if the disruption to Saudi

production is prolonged, an SPR

release ... seems likely and sensible,”

said Jason Bordoff, founding director

of the Center on Global Energy Policy

at Columbia University in New York.

It is too early to know the extent

of the damage to the processing

plants and the Saudi supply chain

that brings crude from oil fields to

export facilities. The chief executive of

Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, said in a

statement that the company will have

more information within 48 hours, as

it works to bring back the lost output.

Aramco exported more than 7

million barrels per day (bpd) of crude

last year, with almost three-quarters of

its crude exports delivered to customers

in Asia last year. The country has

about 188 million barrels in reserve, or

roughly 37 days of Abqaiq’s processing

capacity, according to a Saturday note

from Rapidan Energy Group.

The spare capacity held by the

Organization of the Petroleum

Exporting Countries (Opec) to supply

consumers in the event of a significant

production shortfall has been

declining for decades as aging oil fields

have lost production capacity.

Saudi Arabia’s 2.3 million bpd of

effective spare capacity in August

accounted for more than two-thirds of

Opec’s on-hand supply of 3.2 million

bpd, according to the International

Energy Agency, with most of the rest

from Kuwait and the United Arab

Emirates.

Russia may have spare capacity

following the international pact

between Opec and its allies to curb

production in support of crude prices,

analysts said.

The US Strategic Petroleum

Reserve currently holds about 644

million barrels, according to the US

Energy Department, roughly equal to

52 days of US production.

A prolonged outage could spur

higher production and exports from

the United States, but it takes months

for US companies to respond to price

signals because of logistical limitations,

analysts and traders said.

The United States now produces

more than 12 million bpd and exports

more than 3 million bpd, but it is

unclear if US export facilities can

handle additional shipments.

“Every day the facility is shut

down, the world loses another 5

million barrels of oil production,” said

Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil

Associates. “The world’s spare capacity

is not 5 million barrels per day,” he

added. — Reuters

Apple has sour reaction to Goldman Sachs’ noteNEW YORK: Apple Inc truck out at

a Goldman Sachs Group Inc analyst

in a relatively rare public dust-up

between a blue chip Wall Street firm

and its client.

The disagreement came after

Goldman Sachs analyst Rod Hall

criticised Apple’s accounting methods

for the tech giant’s new TV+ product,

saying in a research note that it may

result in lower gross margins and

profits.

In response, Apple said it does

“not expect the introduction of

Apple TV+, including the accounting

treatment for the service, to have

a material impact on our financial

results.” A Goldman spokeswoman

declined to comment or to make

the analyst available for interview.

Apple also declined to comment on

the Goldman relationship beyond its

comment on the note.

While research departments at

large Wall Street banks have Chinese

walls separating them from other

functions, the rare public dispute is

an awkward moment between the

two companies.

Goldman Sachs has underwritten

more bond issuances for Apple in the

last decade than any other investment

bank, worth some $44 billion,

according to financial data provider

Refinitiv.

Goldman Sachs also advised

Apple on mergers and acquisitions as

recently as two months ago, guiding it

through its $1 billion deal to acquire

the majority of Intel’s smartphone

modem business, according to

Refinitiv.

And just last month, the two

worked together to launch both

companies’ first credit card — the

Apple Card.

Every bank formally separates its

equity research and investment bank

divisions because of laws passed in the

early 2000s that aimed to protect the

independence of the equity analysts

from investment bankers, who are

often covering the same companies

with different agendas.

Corporate clients usually respect

the independence of the research

division. When they don’t, it gets a lot

of attention. — Reuters

Hong Kong exchange vows to press on with $39bn LSE bid after rebuff

The logo of Apple company is seen outside its store in Paris. — Reuters

Statues are seen outside Hong Kong Exchange in cental Hing Kong. — AFP

The trade tensions are weighing on growth. But we really don’t see recession in the current baseline. I think we’re far from that

IMF OFFICIAL

Crude prices could spike by several dollars per barrel when markets open as a prolonged outage could prompt the United States and other countries to release crude from their strategic petroleum reserves to boost commercial stocks globally.

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

Regulators to question Facebook’s Libra amid EU concernsLONDON: Global regulators will question Facebook on Monday about its Libra cryptocurrency, amid concerns from European Union governments over the threat the digital currency poses to financial stability, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

Officials from 26 central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, will meet with representatives of Libra in Basel on Monday, the FT said, citing officials.

Libra’s founders have also been invited to answer key questions about the currency’s scope and design, FT said.

Countries including France and Germany have publicly criticised the social media giant’s Libra project, saying it posed risks to EU states’ sovereignty. — Reuters

Regulator not optimistic on Boeing 737 MAX return this yearDUBAI: The head of the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority said on Sunday he was not optimistic that the Boeing 737 MAX would return to operations this year and that the first quarter of 2020 was more likely.

The 737 MAX has been grounded since March while Boeing updates flight control software at the centre of two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that together killed 346 people within a span of five months.

Boeing Co is targeting regulator approval for the fixes in October, though the US Federal Aviation Administration has said it does not have a firm time for the aircraft to be flying again.

The GCAA will conduct its own assessment to allow the MAX to return to UAE airspace, rather than follow the FAA, Director General Said Mohammed al Suwaidi told reporters in Dubai.

He said the GCAA would look at the FAA decision and that the UAE regulator had so far not seen details of Boeing’s fixes.

The FAA has traditionally taken the lead on certifying Boeing jets, though other regulators have indicated they would conduct their own analysis. — Reuters

IN BRIEF

Smoke is seen following a fire at Aramco facility in the eastern city of Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. — Reuters

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVER 17perspective

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

hen India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that a

preference by millennials for ride-hailing apps was contributing

to a painful slump in car sales, it sparked an online backlash from

furious youngsters.

They started a campaign using ironic hashtags such as

#BoycottMillennials and #SayItLikeNirmalaTai last week to push

back against older generations blaming them for today’s problems

in society.

While data shows firms such as Uber and Ola are popular with

younger consumers more comfortable with shared mobility and

digital trends, analysts say the auto industry’s problems run deeper

than that — and it is facing more serious bumps in the road.

With a population of 1.3 billion people, India is the world’s

fourth-largest car market and one where owning a vehicle is as

much a status symbol as a means of transport.

But the country’s once-booming auto sector — seen as an

important barometer of overall economic health — is in the slow

lane, with sales slumping for the 10th-straight month in August.

“The minimum (priced) car that you can get nowadays starts

from six to seven lakhs ($8,500 — $9,800),” university student

Somya Saluja said.

“So it’s much easier to pool-in rather than to buy a new car.” Even

India’s richest banker, Uday Kotak, recently said that his son was

more comfortable using ride-sharing apps than owning a car.

Uber and Ola reportedly facilitate some 3.65 million daily rides.

Still, Avanteum Advisors managing partner VG Ramakrishnan

said the key reason for the drop in car purchases was economic.

“I think the slowdown is primarily because consumer confidence

is low and income growth has really been impacted in the last couple

of years,” he said.

India’s economic growth slowed for the fifth-straight quarter in

April-June to reach its weakest pace in five years.

Banks are also more reluctant to lend owing to a liquidity crunch

caused by the near-collapse a year ago of IL&FS, one of India’s

biggest shadow banks — finance houses responsible for significant

consumer lending.

There are also extra production costs caused by new rules

requiring cars to be compliant with emissions and safety standards,

while a 28 per cent goods and services tax (GST) introduced in 2017

has dampened demand, analysts said.

“Cars are increasingly becoming unaffordable now because of so

many taxes,” Karvy Stock Broking auto analyst Mahesh Bendre said.

“To put things in perspective, if you buy a car in India, at least

40-45 per cent of costs go to the government in terms of taxes and

registration charges and so on,” he added. — AFP

BEN KLAYMAN

arge pickup trucks that tow most of the

profits in to Ford Motor Co and General

Motors Co are holdovers from another

century — with heavy ladder frames and

big internal combustion engines in the

front driving the wheels in the back.

Now, Ford and GM are racing to design

radical new takes on their most profitable

models, replacing petroleum-fuelled

engines with batteries in a bid to outflank

Tesla Inc’s plan to eclipse their brands.

Ford’s F-150 pickup and GM’s Chevrolet

Silverado are the top selling vehicles in the

US market.

“This is going to be a real watershed

for the whole industry,” Ford Chairman

Bill Ford said in a recent interview. The

automaker has disclosed few details

about the electric F-series, but Bill Ford

hinted the truck could have load-carrying

space under the hood in addition to the

traditional bed in the back.

“You pick up all that extra space where

the engine compartment has been,” Ford

said. An electric F-Series could be a work

truck - with its batteries functioning as a job

site power source, he said. And it could be

positioned as a high-performance vehicle

next to the gas-fueled, 450 horsepower

Raptor pickup truck.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based

company has said it will invest $11.5 billion

electrifying its vehicles by 2022, including

adding 16 fully electric models, all of which

will be profitable.

Ford and GM have more than one

reason to take chances on electric pickups

— a concept that some analysts and

industry executives say could be a small

niche.

Electric pickups could help Ford and

GM generate the significant sales of EVs

they will need to meet tougher emission

standards and electric vehicle mandates

in California and other states. The Trump

administration is moving to roll back those

standards, but the electric trucks are a

hedge if California prevails.

Governments and corporations —

major buyers of pickups — could view

electric pickups as a way to show a

commitment to reducing greenhouse gas

emissions.

Competition from Tesla and EV startups

Rivian Automotive and Workhorse Group

Inc is another factor, although Ford

recently mitigated some of that risk by

investing $500 million in Rivian.

Three years ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk

declared he wanted to attack the heart of

the Detroit automakers’ franchises with a

Tesla electric pickup he has described as a

“cyberpunk” truck with the performance

of a Porsche 911 sports car. Tesla is

expected to unveil a prototype this year,

with analysts forecasting a 2022 debut.

Officials familiar with Ford and GM’s

plans said their electric pickups will be

introduced by early 2022.

“Our strategy is very clear,” Ted Cannis,

Ford’s director of electrification, said at the

No 2 US automaker’s product development

centre outside Detroit.

“We’re going to play to our strengths.

We’re good at pickups,” he added.

Ford’s electric truck will be built on

a company EV platform separate from

the vehicles it will offer later on a Rivian

platform.

Ford has said it will introduce a hybrid

F-150 next year. Bill Ford said the all-

electric F-150 “won’t be too far after that.”

At GM, Chief Executive Mary Barra

said in April the automaker would make

an electric full-size pickup, but provided

no further details.

The company has said it plans to invest

$8 billion to develop electric and self-

driving vehicles, launching 20 new EVs

globally by 2023.

Officials have not discussed plans for

the electric pickup, but GM is pushing to

introduce it within two years, according to

several people familiar with the plans.

The lead engineer is Josh Tavel, who

was the chief engineer for the Chevy Volt,

Cadillac ELR, and Spark and Bolt EVs as

well as executive chief engineer for full-size

pickups, GM said.

Rivian CEO R J Scaringe believes

positive reaction last fall for his company’s

R1T electric truck, due in fall 2020, shows

the potential demand.

“The question is how large is the demand

and does it translate across all price points

or does it stay more isolated in the higher

price points?” he said at the company’s

Plymouth, Michigan, headquarters.

Ford officials will not discuss sales

expectations for the electric F-150. But

Bill Ford said the electric pickup could

outperform conservative expectations — if

prospective customers try it. — Reuters

Ford, GM rev up pickup trucks to head off Tesla

* SLUMP SALES

Blame game as wheels come off India’s auto sector

L

W

* RADICAL MEASURES

* APPROPRIATE ACT

US Fed to cut rates again as optimism is testedDOUGLAS GILLISON

acing a dauntingly uncertain economic

horizon and ceaselessly pelted with

insults and demands for stimulus from

the US president, the Federal Reserve

is set to cut interest rates in the coming

week.

Though Chairman Jerome Powell

has at times struggled to send markets

a clear message, since announcing

the first rate cut in a decade over the

summer he has sent signals that lower

rates are coming.

In speeches and public appearances,

Powell promised the Fed will “act as

appropriate” to preserve the current

expansion.

While the world’s largest economy

is in a “good place,” he has warned of

“significant risks” to a deteriorating

outlook, persistently low inflation and

a trade war that looks set to drag on —

views echoed by influential New York

Fed President John Williams.

Translation: the Fed is cutting.

Futures markets as of Friday

overwhelmingly forecast the Fed

will lower rates on Wednesday at the

conclusion of the two-day meeting of

the policy committee. And another cut

before the end of the year is more likely

than not.

Indeed, Kathy Bostjancic, chief

US financial economist at Oxford

Economics, said her firm expects

three more cuts this year, meaning the

central bank will cut at every policy

meeting left in 2019.

“It’s good that the economy is not

crumbling right now,” she said, “and

that’s a good time to take out some

stimulus.” Which of course raises the

question: why cut rates again? The sky

is not falling. The jobless rate has been

at or near historic lows for a year and

a half. Consumer spending is resilient.

Inflation is firming. Wages are up.

Job creation is healthy. GDP growth

seems to be holding up. Business and

consumer confidence are softening but

still high.

So why the pit-of-the-stomach

feeling among so many? For starters,

the only thing sustaining the US

economy at the moment is consumer

spending, which accounts for two-

thirds of GDP. But by the time that

starts to weaken, it will be too late —

the recession will have begun already.

Hiring, while strong, has slowed.

Business investment is moribund.

Exports are weakening. And

manufacturing — always a vital

economic weather vane — is in

recession.

Meanwhile, the global economy is

slowing.

To top it off, Trump may not know

how to end the trade fight he picked

18 months ago with China, the world’s

second-largest economy.

Higher tariffs and uncertainty have

moved from posing a risk to actually

hurting the economy, including job

losses — about 11,000 in August alone,

according to one estimate.

Beijing and Washington in recent

days have made olive-branch gestures,

lifting market hopes of a resolution, or

at the very least a truce in a conflict that

deteriorated badly following the Fed’s

rate cut in July.

But there is a risk the good feelings

may not endure. After all, truces

reached in December and June did not

last long.

“We’ve been let down before,”

Bostjancic said.

Policymakers face the added burden

of trying to be heard over the din of

Trump’s unprecedented public assaults

on the central bank, she said.

Before addressing solemn

commemorative ceremonies at the

Pentagon on the morning of September

11, Trump took to Twitter to lambast

policymakers as “boneheads.” Since

the central bank’s last policy meeting

at the end of July, he has tweeted out

complaints and attacks on Fed once

every 22 hours on average, descending

ever further into name calling and

personal denigration, according to an

analysis of Trump’s tweets.

Despite hailing the American

economy’s vigour, Trump has

demanded immediate stimulus of the

kind reserved for dire economic crises,

calling for benchmark rates of “ZERO

or less.” “I don’t think they really think

too much about that,” said Joseph

Gagnon, a former Fed economist now at

the Peterson Institute for International

Economics. “Trump is happy to have

a scapegoat that he can blame when

something goes wrong.” But, he said,

“I don’t think he really wants the Fed

to follow his advice anyway because if

the Fed follows his advice and things go

badly, he’ll be blamed.” — AFP

F

A man rides his motorbike past parked Hyundai cars at a port in Chennai. — Reuters

A 2018 F150 pick-up truck moves down the assembly line at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. — Reuters

FORD AND GM ARE RACING TO DESIGN RADICAL NEW

TAKES ON THEIR MOST PROFITABLE MODELS,

REPLACING PETROLEUM-FUELED ENGINES WITH BATTERIES IN A BID TO

OUTFLANK TESLA INC’S PLAN TO ECLIPSE THEIR BRANDS.

INFLATION IS FIRMING. WAGES ARE UP. JOB CREATION IS HEALTHY. GDP GROWTH SEEMS TO BE HOLDING UP. BUSINESS AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE ARE

SOFTENING BUT STILL HIGH.

MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 | MUHARRAM 16,1441 AH

CLASSIFIED SECTION: Saada al Rashdi: 95919344Ali al Maashari: 99639264 ali.almashari@omandaily.omMohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 m.alrahdi86@yahoo.com DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590

94501166

For Rent For Rent

For Rent

Rent a Car

Buttercup Rent A Car

AMAZING OFFERS Rent a car for 10 days and get an extra free day.

Rent for one month and get 5 days free.

All the cars are 2016 brand new special prices for public departments, companies and long-term contracts.

972494490.· · · · ·

SPECIAL Rates on New Cars & 4 WDs

RENTING & LEASINGTours and Airport Transfer

Tel: 24582663 GSM: 95859497, Fax: 24582664,

abcrent@omantel.net.om· · · · ·

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, 90777858.

· · · · ·

Umrah/HajFREE

INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAMIf you would like to know more

about Islam, please

call: Tel : 99425598,

99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, 99379133, For ladies: 99415818,

99321360, 99730723Or visit:

www.iicoman.omwww.islamfact.com

WE BUY CARS BY

CASH

90202090

APARTMENT has 2 bedrooms, sitting room, 2 toilets at Athaiba.

99773958.· · · · ·2BHK Flat, Muttrah Corniche.

99024949, 99414644.· · · · ·IN Athaiba, 6 bedrooms brand new villa, high

with security system and car park.

92014914.· · · · ·

RESIDENTIAL building in Al Hamriya. Income RO 1,200. Required RO 115,000. 92273379.

· · · · ·

FROM OWNER A house in Al Amerat 5, close to Al Ihsan Roundabout. Consists of 3 bedrooms, majlis, sitting room, large kitchen. Area of building 205 sqm. Total area of land 450 sqm. It was built 16 years ago. Requested RO 52,000. Negotiable. Serious buyers only. 99639264.

· · · · ·

PAINTING, Plumbing, Building maintenance, Excavation, Stone Pitching, Gabion.

99057348.

· · · · ·

JEWELLERY workshop attached with showroom for sale at Walja, Way Number 4301, Al Fursan Street, shop Number 25.

24835276, 93035380.

· · · · ·

RESTAURANT in an excellent location in Salalah with equipment and workers.

93397812.

· · · · ·

MAINTENANCE: 1. AC Maintenance & Servicing; 2. Fridge, Washing Machine & Dish washer repairing; 3. Painting & cleaning services; 4. Electrical & Plumbing Carpentry work. Contact:

99447257, 97014234, 24504281.

· · · · ·

FOR sale: Extravagant and furnished residences for female students in Al Khuwair, Al Mawaleh and Al Khoudh along with all assets. 99001332.

· · · · ·

PAINTING/ plumbing/ building maintenance. Excavation/ stone pitching/ gabion.

99057348.

· · · · ·

PROVIDES all kinds of legal works, LLC registration, agreements, contracts. Takes all kinds of cases of companies.

97351649.

· · · · ·

PROFESSIONAL movers company number

94551284.

· · · · ·

INDUSTRIAL land for sale. Area of 20,500 square metres in the Rusayl area, Price RO 70/- per square metre. 99369192.

· · · · ·

behind GUtech is offered for sale. The land enjoys a permit for twin-villa.

2) A LAND is for sale in Mabaila 8 owner.

95959166.

· · · · ·

HOUSE for sale in Wadi Udai for RO 27,000 (neg).

99462401/ 99243291.

· · · · ·

WE supply quantities of excellent mountainous soil in Bausher (suitable for

99242445, 99327939.

· · · · ·

A SHOWROOM in Al Qurum in strategic location with extravagant interior design on 280 sqm is offered for sale at RO 25,000. 92470024.

· · · · ·

PICK-UPS, Double Cabin, Buses, Cranes, Primover & Trailers. 99465358 & 99454660.

· · · · ·

LUXURIOUS Toyota bus 2016, air-conditioned, 30 passengers, offered for daily/monthly/annually, Muscat. Contact: 98080609, 96316269.· · · · ·

We buy used and broken

cars which have instalments

in cash. 90202090.

Buying

AL Awsad Modern LLC, electronic and furniture used.

99834373.

· · · · ·Manpower

MANPOWER from Philippines. WhatsApp:

91206344.

· · · · ·

InvestmentAN organic jaggery (Al Harifayuh) manufacturing industry available for partnership or investment in Hubli India. 0091 9742421122.· · · · ·COMMERCIAL land in Bausher on main road 5,000 sq m, RO 4 per metre.

99328880.· · · · ·REQUIRED investor for a poultry farm (Land and permits available.

99321426· · · · ·

AL HAIL North, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, 3 bathrooms, kitchen and store. 92133551.· · · · ·1 BHK/ 3 BHK & studio

in central Ruwi 99238012/ 24704994.

· · · · ·AL KHUWAIR 33, 3 bedrooms, 2 master, sitting room, dining, family hall and 4 bathrooms, kitchen and store. 92133551.· · · · ·EXECUTIVE including ACs/water & electricity in central Ruwi 99238012/ 24704994.· · · · ·A HOUSE in Al Mabaila

two bedrooms + sitting room + kitchen + toilet for each room. 99700908.· · · · ·OPEN space prime

Qurum, adjacent to Muscat Private School on the main road, ground

every meter is RO 6.500 with general services.

95308724.· · · · ·AL SALEHAT hostel for lady students and staff, fully furnished, with a lounge, gym, private restaurant and private rooms for study. Place: Behind Sohar Referral Hospital. Contact

91291219.· · · · ·

villa in South Al Maabela, consists of 4 bedrooms, a sitting room, a toilet for every room, kitchen, store and air conditioners. It is located in a place opposite to industrial area and is served government water.

99700908.

· · · · ·

COMMERCIALrent, Al Maabela behind Zamzam Hypermarket.

residence or bachelors.

3 bathrooms. Clean, well maintained building. Lift and shaded car park, only

99076557.

· · · · ·

ROOM for rent at Barka (Al Haram). Room for rent for labourers can accommodate 500 to 1,000 people. One person rent is only RO 27 (negotiable) including water and electricity. Only serious persons can contact Mob No 99438360 Mr Shaikh Adil. (91)9895640505 Manesh (WhatsApp only).

· · · · ·

NEW Flats For Rent at Darsait near to Ministry of Sports, Mumtaz area

1 Living Room, 2 Bedroom, Kitchen, 3 Toilets, Every room with split A/C, High quality

is RO 320/- Interested persons, please contact.

00968-92225523.

· · · · ·

FLAT for rent at Al Khuwair 33, 4 bedrooms, majlis, 2 halls, kitchen and store. 99383446.

· · · · ·

TWO new apartment for rent in Al Qurum near Mina al Fahal.

94664635, 95850345.

· · · · ·

NEW apartment for rent, one room, 2 toilets, kitchen and dinning. Location, Al Khoudh Market, Red Taj

month rent RO 190/-. 92838118.

· · · · ·

NEW penthouse, N Ghubra — 2 bedroom + 3 toilets + 1 maid room with toilet and 1 big hall

99370300.

· · · · ·

FLATS for rent in Al Khuwair, Al Hail, Wadi Kabir, Al Falaj, MBD and Muttrah. 99119699/ 95250300/ 24813002.

· · · · ·

2 BEDROOM Khuwair. 99322344.

· · · · ·

STORE in Ghala 322 sqm, RO 600 per month.

99328880.

· · · · ·

APPROVED residential for labour camp available. Near Sohar Port. Area 15,000m2. Water and electricity available. For contact 91577774, 96198460.

· · · · ·

SHOP in Seeb market. 95250300/ 99110600/

24182000.

· · · · ·

VILLA for rent in Watayyah. 2 stairs, 3 bedroom, sitting room, private garage.

99071071.

· · · · ·

SHADE store in Ghalla Behind Kumatso 132 sq Mtr Contact

95958315.

· · · · ·

FOR serious people. Flats for rent in Mumtaz, Al Khuwair, Al Ghubra. 2 BHK and 1 BHK. Contact

99341138, 90991079.

· · · · ·

FLATS for rent in Al Hamriya. 79033790.· · · · ·

FLAT for rent in Al Khoudh near SQU. Monthly rent for RO 195

99522963.· · · · ·

NEWDarsait near the beach, 5 bedrooms, hall with AC, 4 bathrooms, balcony with sea view, RO 450 per month. Contact

99315986.

· · · · ·

A HOUSE in Muscat-Sidab is for rent. It has a bedroom, sitting room, kitchen and outdoor toilet. Contact

97252533.

· · · · ·

For Sale

THE located Al Ghubra Healthcare Centre is offering them for rent against RO 260 95548774,

99346417.· · · · ·

A HOUSE in North Al Ghubra, 514 sqm and the area of building is 244 sqm, advertised by the owner . 99361964.· · · · ·FLATS in Al Amerat, 3 bedrooms, RO 160.

91117335.· · · · ·

FLAT for rent in Maabela 3 master rooms.

96088926.

· · · · ·

Institution Licence contact 95595512.· · · · ·

Acc Available

commercial land in Nizwa, Hail Farq beside LuLu and Grand Mall is offered for sale. The plot is open from three directions and a corner. It is 750 sqm and RO 70,000 is requested. To check the plot’s map and inquiries, communicate with

97722292.

· · · · ·

DIESEL Tanker, 1,600 gallon Volvo, 1987.

92836774.

· · · · ·

For SaleSINGLE room with attached bathroom and air-condition for executive bachelor, non cooking, Wadi Kabir/ Al Falaj/ Ruwi High Street area. Contact

99657906

· · · · ·

VILLAS for sale/rents WADI KABIR/AL KHUWAIR),

rent/ Al Khuwair) (Flats for rent/Wadi Kabir).

· · · · ·

For Sale/Rent

For Rent

ONE bedroom flat at Darsait near Medical RO 170/-. Two BHK Al Khuwair RO 300/-. Athaiba behind Zubair RO 300/-. (24790449, Fax: 24790559.

· · · · ·

NEW building in Maabela Industrial Area available for rent. Corner location for showroom, hypermarket or bank.

99323030

· · · · ·

FLATS for rent in Salalah European design, farm view, good situation in the centre near the sea,

92181524 WhatsApp.

· · · ·

WELL maintained 1&2

store available at Rex Road. Contact

92227165

· · · · ·

APARTMENT for rent in Maabela 8 in Muscat. It’s the highest one of the other two. 3 rooms with 3 toilets one family room, small store and air-condition. 71136222.

· · · · ·

conditioner, middle Al Khuwair 93663380.

· · · · ·

NEW apartment in Ruwi near church consists of 2 rooms with its facilities. Contact. 94664635, 95850345.

· · · · ·

FLATS for rent near Diwan Zafraniya area end of Muttrah Corniche close to (Muscat Shiva Temple), family, bachelor. Contact

99083071, 99323015.

· · · · ·

FURNISHED in Muscat Grand Mall

99445771, 93204595 93203481.

· · · · ·

1BHK & 2 BHK flats for rent at Ruwi and Al Khoudh. 93994402, 93994403, 24834644.

·· · · · ·

FLAT for family for rent, Alaom Al Akhtar shop, behind Irani Bank, Abu Abdullah 99627724, Abu Abdulrahman

99315490.

· · · · ·

HOUSE room, sitting room + kitchen toilet in South Al Maabela, served government water located near Nesto and opposite to Starcare in Al Maabela.

99700908.

· · · · ·

WE have a farm for rent. The fee is RO 1/metre. The farm is located on Muscat-Yeti road. It is suitable for labour residency or for storage purposes. Contact

99639269.

· · · · ·

FLATS in Al Wadi Al Kabir near to the Al Kuwaiti Mosque. 99425958.

· · · · ·

for rent in Salalah, north Auqadain. Call

91711118.

· · · · ·

INDUSTRIAL land 5,500 sqm in Jufnin 95490842, 97928817.

· · · · ·

SEMI furnished 2 & 3 BHK flats at Bausher — near Atlas Hospital. 99348493/ 93200424/ 24502254.

· · · · ·

CLASSIFIED SECTIONRUWI :

24785668/ 99841230 Behind Royal Oman Police, Adjacent to Dhofar

Building, Ruwi.

classifiedsOMANDAILYOBSERVER 19classifieds

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

INDIAN senior accountant,

20+ years exposure (13 years in Oman)

95483577

· · · · ·

SRI LANKAN

2 years of experience in

· · · · ·

LIGHT94022005

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

INDIAN, Male 28 B

com

· · · · ·

INDIAN male 25

com

· · · · ·

I

· · · · ·

suitable

90485199, 79588741

· · · · ·

INDIAN

5 Years of retail sales

94395030,

com

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

INDIAN female, 22 years,

com

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

CIVIL

· · · · ·

INDIAN

years experience seeks

· · · · ·

INDIAN male 25,

· · · · ·

I

a cook please call me

· · · · ·

INDIAN female (22

· · · · ·CIVILten years experience in

· · · · ·

· · · · ·INDIAN 15 years experience

95954779· · · · ·INDIAN M

35 years experience in

· · · · ·INDIAN

com · · · · · SRI LANKAN Male (24),

com· · · · · A

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

Contact

· · · · ·

Please

· · · · ·

Fitness Trainer, seeks

· · · · ·

A

· · · · ·

PAKISTANI,

Contact 97531100

· · · · ·

INDIAN, female (22),

· · · · ·

CIVIL

· · · · ·

Contact

· · · · ·

place in Qurayat —

· · · · ·

ministries & consultants,

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

INDIAN, MBA in Finance,

Contact 97054007

· · · · ·

Contact

com

· · · · ·

INDIAN male, Kerala,

· · · · ·

ACCOUNTANT

· · · · ·

CIVIL

full time or part time Job

· · · · ·

years Oman experience

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

Contact

com

· · · · ·

(Keralite), 25 years in

Substations, seeks

· · · · ·

94005818

· · · · ·

Oman PDO experience,

93238983,

com

· · · · ·

95291202

· · · · ·

, 3 years experience in KSA,

· · · · ·

TO ADVERTISE HERE, CALL:

99841230 Mohammed al Rashdi m.alrahdi86@yahoo.com

99639264 Ali al Maashari ali.almashari@omandaily.om

DIRECT: 24649593 — FAX : 24649590

A prestigious bilingual

school in Oman is in need

for female experienced

teachers in the following

subjects, preference will

be given for teachers

experienced in Cambridge

curriculums and who are

based in Oman.

- English

- Math

- Science

- Lab Technician

Please send your resume on:

aps.candidates.2019@

gmail.com for more

information please Contact

0096898178180

· · · · ·

in Sultanate

Practitioner, Nurses, Dentist, Ophthalmologist, Internal Medicine, Orthodontic, Radiologist, Dermatologist and Gynaecologist, Must

· · · · ·

VACANCIES — Al Awael Private School.

Physics, Chemistry, Biological, General Science, Mathematics, English.

· · · · ·

1. Readymix Concrete Pump Operator

2. Readymix Concrete Salesmen

· · · · ·

HIGH

for Accounts ClerkPRO

· · · · ·

National Construction Company in

Planning Engineer

· · · · ·

Situation Vacant Situation Vacant

Beautician

· · · · ·

CIVIL

· · · · ·

INDIAN male, 40, MBA,

10 years experience

Contact · · · · ·

Marketeers. Contact

· · · · ·

a female accountant (Receptionist)

.· · · · ·

Situation Wanted Situation Wanted Situation Wanted

CIVIL one year experience

· · · ·

Contact

· · · · ·

INDIAN senior accountant, male,

20+ years exposure (13 years in Oman)

95483577· · · · ·

8 years experience in

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

AL SUMRI AC

install all types of

· · · · ·

Services

1. AC maintenance

2.

3.

4.

97014234,

· · · · ·

LLC,

· · · · ·

Sulaiman

A09294252

· · · · ·

Lost

Required for a reputed club

BARMANJob Requirements: Serve and billing, work schedule on shifts. Qualification: Minimum Secondary School Certificate with good communication skills (spoken and written English). Young and Energetic. Experience: 3-5 years work experience as a barman in a reputed location. Candidates will be required to attend interviews and undergo practical evaluation test.

SITUATION VACANT

Please send CV by email to: oceanint@omantel.net.om

Ras-Al-Hamra Recreation Centre (PDO Club)Requires

BAR STOREKEEPERQualification: Graduate or Secondary School Certificate .Fluent spoken and written English. Experience: 5 years as Bar Storekeeper. Receiving and issuing beverages and maintaining inventory Levels. Candidates to attend interviews and test.

SITUATION VACANT

Please send CV to: oceanint@omantel.net.om

Counter Sales Staff

contact

· · · · ·

Electrician with electrical licence (DCRP). Omani or expatriate (3

99337587, 99043127,

· · · · ·

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVER20businessfeature

‘This is our home’Kenya islanders demand say in foreign-backed projects

KIM HARRISBERG

Armed with maps, activists

on the tourist island of

Lamu have managed to

stall plans for Kenya’s first

coal-powered plant as local

communities become more

vocal about rising numbers of foreign-backed

projects on their doorsteps.

Kenya’s government in 2016 granted

a licence to Amu Power — a consortium

involving Kenya’s Gulf Energy and Centum

Investment, some Chinese companies as well

as US backers — to build the plant as demand

for electricity soared.

But using smartphones and GPS trackers,

activists collected information on wildlife

and historical sites to highlight in court the

impact the plant could have on the islanders’

environment and livelihoods.

“This is our home,” said Walid Ahmed, the

secretary general of Save Lamu, an advocacy

group which is part of the mapping campaign

for the World Heritage Site’s protection.

“We do want development of course, but

we also want to be informed about what this

development will look like,” he said from his

Lamu office with walls covered in maps of the

island.

In June a Kenyan environmental tribunal

delayed the licence for the planned power

plant, saying Kenya’s National Environment

Management Authority (NEMA) had granted

the licence without a proper environmental

study that consulted residents.

The court’s ruling was the latest in a long-

running legal battle over the plant — with a

Kenyan court last year suspending the project

for a second time — and the latest dispute over

a Chinese-backed project feared to impact local

livelihoods.

INVESTMENT

Like many African countries, Kenya has

courted foreign companies to invest in transport

and energy projects, with China funding a

quarter of infrastructure development in East

Africa in 2018, according to international

accounting group Deloitte.

But Cobus van Staden, a senior researcher

from the South African Institute of International

Affairs, said residents were increasingly

demanding more of a say on development

projects and how they could impact the lives of

local residents.

Van Staden said Lamu island — the oldest

Swahili settlement in East Africa — was caught

up in “a tango between the desire to modernise,

while protecting environmental and cultural

heritage”.

“We need mechanisms in place to engage

local communities and encourage public

disclosure,” van Staden said in a phone

interview.

The coal power plant was not the Lamu

islanders’ first legal battle against foreign-

backed development projects which they

fear could harm the area’s cultural and

environmental heritage.

In 2018 about 5,000 fishermen, again

using maps, won 1.76 billion Kenyan shillings

($17 million) in compensation for the loss of

traditional fishing rights due to constructing a

major port at Manda Bay, near the islands of

Lamu, Manda and Pate.

The port is part of the $26 billion Lamu Port-

South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET)

corridor that envisages, by 2030, a port, new

roads, a railway and an oil-export pipeline

linking Kenya with neighbouring South Sudan,

Uganda and Ethiopia.

A consortium of companies led by China

Communications Construction Company

won the 41 billion Kenyan shillings contract

to build the first three berths at Lamu port in

2013 where dhows — traditional sailing vessels

— glide across the Indian Ocean.

“The sea and this land are our wealth,” said

Ahmed of Save Lamu, referring to the fishing,

tourism, farming and pastoral activities which

the island’s tiny population of about 120,000

rely on to live.

“At least 80 per cent of our livelihoods in

Lamu are part of a delicate balance with the blue

economy,” said Mohamed Somo, chairman of

the Lamu Beach Management Unit, referring

to ocean resources.

The director general for LAPSSET did not

respond to several requests for comment.

LAMU HERITAGE

The backers of the Lamu power plant said

the project would help tackle Kenya’s frequent

blackouts by increasing generation capacity by

nearly a third and generating power that would

cost about half what consumers currently pay.

Cyrus Kirima, the consortium’s chief

operating officer, said the power plant would be

a “game changer” for the island and transform

“one of the most marginalised areas in the

country into an important economic zone”.

It would also create nearly 2,000 local jobs,

he said in e-mailed comments. Unemployment

on the island stands at 16 per cent.

Kenya’s National Environment Management

Authority declined to comment.

Kirima said islanders had been consulted

on the coal plant and public engagement

would remain a key part of the project for

Lamu, where donkeys roam the island’s streets

between ornate Swahili architecture and coral-

built houses.

He said the company had appealed the

environmental tribunal’s judgment delaying

the licence in August.

Community meetings and discussions

between the Kenyan government and local

campaign groups are helping to build consensus

on development projects, said Edmond

Moukala, head of the Unesco Africa Unit.

In 2018, Unesco met with 25 representatives

from different community organisations in

Lamu as well as government representatives in

Nairobi, the capital, to discuss concerns around

the coal plant, Moukala said.

In similar fashion, Unesco held an Africa-

China forum in Paris in June that brought

together experts from both regions to share

recommendations on heritage protection.

“The absence of dialogue is at the root of

many tensions ... there were a lot of questions

from all parties and we made recommendations

on how the community could be more

involved,” Moukala said. — Reuters

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

The old town waterfront is pictured in Lamu , a Unesco World Heritage site.

A fisherman, sitting near the stern, shows off part of his catch on board his dhow in Lamu, Kenya.

THE COAL POWER PLANT WAS NOT THE

LAMU ISLANDERS’ FIRST LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST FOREIGN-

BACKED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WHICH THEY

FEAR COULD HARM THE AREA’S CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

HERITAGE

editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.om

follow us @observersportzsport MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 | MUHARRAM 16, 1441 AH

ADIL AL BALUSHIMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Defending singles champion Asaad al

Raisi will take on Muhannad al Balushi

in the summit clash of the Sultanate’s

National Table Tennis Championship

(Singles, General category) as both

of them secured slots for the final

match. The three days tournament

was organised by Oman Table Tennis

Committee (OTTC) at the Sultan

Qaboos Sports Complex indoor courts

and concluded on Saturday. The singles

final match will be held along with of the

National Table Tennis Championship

(Teams) which will take place at the

same venue from September 26 to 29.

In the junior singles, Essa al Riyami

emerged champion after beating Muath

al Shehi 3-2 in the final. In the cadet

category singles final, Al Mudher al

Ghassani outplayed Ahmed al Riyami

3-2 in a thriller.

As many as 32 players took part in

the national TT for singles (general

category) played in eight groups. In

junior and cadet section, 16 players

participated in the tournament. The

technical system of the tournament

was based on the league system where

the top two teams will advance to the

knockout stages.

In the general category singles,

Asaad al Raisi secured a slot in the final

after registering a 3-2 win against Said

al Qarni, while Muhannad al Balushi

beat Al Khalil al Barashdi 3-1.

In the cadet category, Mohammed

al Mouta edged Omar al Ghassani 3-1

in the third-fourth place play-off. In

the junior category, Essa al Riyami,

Mashal al Shehi, Omar al Ghassani and

Al Mundher al Ghassani booked their

slots in the semifinal. Essa al Riyami

finished on top and Muadh al Shehi

claimed the second place.

Oman head coach Mohammed

Atoum stated that this edition of the

Sultanate Table Tennis Championship

for general, junior and cadet categories

(singles) recorded more participants in

comparison with the previous edition

especially at the junior and cadet

categories. “The technical performance

level of the domestic players has

improved. It was difficult to predict

the top players from any group as the

competitions were too tough. The

development of the technical level of

the national junior players is due to a

series of internal and external camps

which was held in the last period. Also,

the Sultanate’s participation at the West

Asian Championship in Jordan was one

of the factor of the raising the level of

the junior players,” Atoum added.

BEIJING: Three-time All-Star Marc

Gasol became only the second man to

win an NBA crown and the World Cup

in the same year after Spain brushed

aside Argentina 95-75 on Sunday.

Spain, who survived double

overtime against Australia to reach the

final, led throughout in Beijing to win

international basketball’s biggest prize a

second time.

The only previous occasion was in

2006 with the two Gasol brothers, Marc

and older sibling Pau, on the team.

Pau did not feature in China because

of injury.

The latest triumph was particularly

sweet for the 34-year-old centre Gasol,

who three months ago also played a

major part in the Toronto Raptors’ run

to the NBA title.

Gasol, who had 14 points, seven

rebounds and seven assists, joins

Lamar Odom, a double winner in 2010

with the United States and Los Angeles

Lakers.

Surprise finalists Argentina had

not triumphed since they hosted the

inaugural World Cup in 1950.

As a contest, the final was over by

the fourth quarter — although the

Argentines did rally belatedly to reduce

Spain’s previously mighty lead.

Fans of both teams had made it

feel more like a football match, decked

out in their national colours, chanting

loudly and refusing to sit down.

Spain, for whom Ricky Rubio of

the Phoenix Suns has been one of the

leading players of the tournament in

China, surged into a 14-2 lead.

In front of a capacity crowd,

Argentina’s 39-year-old talisman Luis

Scola could not escape the attentions of

Pierre Oriola.

Led by their slick-haired Italian

coach Sergio Scariolo, Spain were up

21-14 going into the second quarter

and increased their advantage to 43-31

at half-time.

With Rubio prominent, drilling

20 points, Spain never looked like

surrendering their lead, repeatedly

thwarting Argentina’s suffocated

offence.

AUSTRALIA WAIT GOES ON

France roared back after half-time

to defeat Australia 67-59 and claim a

second World Cup bronze in a row —

and extend the Boomers’ long wait for

a major medal.

Turkish-based guard Nando De

Colo led all scorers with 19 points for

France and Nicolas Batum had nine

points, six assists, three rebounds and

three steals.

The French, one of the tallest teams

at the tournament, defeated reigning

two-time holders the United States in

the quarterfinals, but then lost heavily

to Argentina. “For us it’s something

very, very special and important we did

it after a very difficult first half,” French

coach Vincent Collet said.

“Many teams could have given up,

even easy shots we were missing in the

first half.

“We started to move the ball better

in the second half and that’s why we

won this game.”

It was hard on Australia, who

similarly led for long periods in their

semifinal against Spain.

It is still the best finish for the

Boomers, who had never gone beyond

the quarterfinals at 11 previous World

Cups, but they are yet to claim a medal

at the worlds or Olympics.

Deposed champions the United

States, who were missing their elite

names, finished seventh, their lowest

position in tournament history.

They did, at least, qualify to defend

their Olympic title in Tokyo next

summer. With 32 teams, this was the

biggest Basketball World Cup ever.

The next one will be in 2023 in

Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

— AFP

Asaad takes on Muhannad in national TT title-clash

SPAIN BRUSH ASIDE ARGENTINAG A S O L C L A I M S R A R E N B A - W O R L D C U P D O U B L E I N C H I N A

7595

Argentina

Argentina

Men’s Basketball World Cup 2019

Source : FIBA

Serbia

Spain

Spain

France

Australia

80

95

66

France 6788

Australia 59

Poland

United States

France79

89

AustraliaCzech Rep.

8270

Semi-finals

Quarter-finals

FinalSept 15 Beijing

97

87

9078

SpainArgentina

3rd place

Spain’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Basketball World Cup final game against Argentina in Beijing on September 15, 2019. — AFP

OMANDAILYOBSERVER22football/cricket

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

SHAHZAD RAZAMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Six-hitters Muhammed Naseem

Khushi and Mehran Khan returned to

the team as Oman Cricket announced

its squads for the 14-team ICC Men’s

T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019, which

will be held in the UAE from October

18 to November 2, a preparatory five-

nation T20 tournament it will host

prior to the ICC event.

Group A comprises Scotland,

Netherlands, PNG, Namibia,

Singapore, Kenya and Bermuda while

Group B has UAE, Ireland, Oman,

Hong Kong, Canada, Jersey and

Nigeria.

Top team from each group will move

to the semifinal of the tournament,

securing direct qualification to the

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020, with

three more teams from each group

featuring in qualification play-offs to

determine the other four qualifiers.

The six qualifying teams will

then join Afghanistan, Australia,

Bangladesh, England, India, New

Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri

Lanka and the West Indies in the main

ICC Tournament in Australia next

year.

Oman has been preparing hard for

the tournament under the watchful

eyes of head coach Dulip Mendis and

has picked a strong side packed with

plenty of impact players. Captain

Zeeshan Maqsood will be assisted by

vice-captain Aqib Ilyas for both the

assignments. Off-spinner Jay Odedara

is part of the squad touring UAE but

has been placed among reserves for

the five-nation home series.

OMAN SQUAD: Zeeshan Maqsood (captain), Aqib Ilyas (vice-captain), Jatinder Singh, Suraj Kumar, Khawar Ali, Sandeep Goud, Muhammed Naseem Khushi, Mehran Khan, Khurram Nawaz Khan, Sufyan Mahmood, Syed Amir Kaleem, Jay Odedara, Ahmed Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah and Bilal Khan. Officials: Chef de Mission: Pankaj Khimji. Manager: Madhu Jesrani. Head Coach: Dulip Mendis. Assistant Coach: Mazhar Saleem Khan. Spin Bowling/Fielding Coach: Ruwan Kalpage. Fast Bowling Coach: Avishkar Salvi. Team Trainer: Evert. Video Analyst: Zeeshan Siddiqui.

FIVE-NATION T20 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (ALL MATCHES TO BE PLAYED AT OC TURF 1):5 October: Oman vs Hong Kong (9.30 am), Ireland vs Netherlands (1.30 pm).6 October: Oman vs Ireland, Nepal vs Hong Kong.7 October: Netherlands vs Nepal, Hong Kong vs Ireland.9 October: Ireland vs Nepal, Oman vs Netherlands.10 October: Netherlands vs Hong Kong, Oman vs Nepal.

ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER 2019 SCHEDULE:18 October: Scotland v Singapore (10h00), Netherlands v Kenya (14h10) at ICC Academy 1; Hong Kong v Ireland (14h10), Oman v UAE (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.19 October: PNG v Bermuda (10h00), Netherlands v Namibia (14h10) at ICC Academy 1; Scotland v Kenya (14h10) at ICC Academy 2; Jersey v Nigeria (14h10), Ireland v UAE (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium.20 October: PNG v Namibia (10h00), Bermuda v Singapore (14h10) at ICC Academy 2; Hong Kong v Oman (14h10) at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Canada v Jersey (10h00) at ADC 1.21 October: Scotland v PNG (10h00), Kenya v

Bermuda (14h10) at ICC Academy 1; Hong Kong v UAE (14h10), Canada v Nigeria (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium; Ireland v Oman (14h10) at ADC 1.22 October: Scotland v Namibia (10h00), Singapore v Netherlands (14h10) at ICC Academy 1; UAE v Jersey (14h10) at ADC 1.23 October: Namibia v Bermuda (10h00), Singapore v Kenya (14h10) at ICC Academy 2; Ireland v Canada (14h10), Hong Kong v Jersey (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium; Oman v Nigeria (10h00) at ADC1.24 October: Scotland v Bermuda (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium; Netherlands v PNG (10h00) at ICC Academy1; UAE v Nigeria (10h00), Hong Kong v Canada (14h10) at ADC 1.25 October: PNG v Singapore (10h00), Namibia v Kenya (14h10) at Dubai International Stadium; Oman v Canada (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium; Ireland v Jersey (10h00) at ADC1. 26 October: Netherlands v Bermuda (14h10), Namibia v Singapore (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium; Ireland v Nigeria (10h00) at Zayed Cricket Stadium. 27 October: PNG v Kenya (10h00), Scotland v Netherlands (14h10) at Dubai International Stadium; Oman v Jersey (14h10), UAE v Canada (19h30) at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Hong Kong v Nigeria (10h00) at ADC 1.29 October: Play-off 1 – A2 v B3 (14h10); Play-off 2 – A3 v B2 (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium.30 October: Play-off 3 – A4 v Loser of Play-off 1 (14h10); Play-off 4 – B4 v Loser of Play-off 2 (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium.31 October: Play-off for fifth and sixth places – Winner of Play-off 3 v Winner of Play-off 4, ICC Academy 11 November: Semifinal 1 – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1 (14h10), Semifinal 2 – A1 v Winner of Play-off 2 (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium.2 November: Third place Play-off – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1 (14h10); Final (19h30) at Dubai International Stadium.

LONDON: Manchester City

succumbed to a first Premier League

defeat since January in stunning

fashion to newly-promoted Norwich

3-2 on Saturday, as Liverpool opened

up a five-point lead at the top of the

table by beating Newcastle 3-1.

Tottenham and Chelsea bounced

back to form with comprehensive

wins over Crystal Palace and Wolves

respectively, while Manchester United

held out for a much-needed three

points with a 1-0 victory over Leicester.

However, Liverpool were the big

winners of the day as the gaps left in

City’s defence by the injured Aymeric

Laporte were exposed at Carrow Road.

“Of course it is special day for us

and for the club,” said Norwich boss

Daniel Farke.

“We had to be special in our plan

for City because they are the best team

in the world and we had setbacks too

with our injuries, but we deserved the

win today. We were exceptional.”

Kenny McLean showed up the

champions’ struggles to defend set-

pieces with a towering header to open

the scoring and Teemu Pukki then

squared for Todd Cantwell to make it

2-0 inside 28 minutes.

City regained their composure

and got a foothold in the game before

half-time when Sergio Aguero headed

home Bernardo Silva’s cross.

However, with Laporte out till

January at least with a serious knee

injury, Pep Guardiola has problems

to solve at the heart of his defence as

John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi

gifted Norwich a third at the start of

the second-half.

Emiliano Buendia robbed

Otamendi on the edge of his own box

and set up Pukki to prod home.

City rallied late on, but Rodri’s first

goal for the club two minutes from

time was too little, too late.

“I know what we are as a team,

what we have done, what we are going

to do again, and I love my players. It

is a pleasure and honour to be with

them,” insisted Guardiola.

“That is the challenge in a high

level. The people cannot expect all the

time (to) win.”

LIVERPOOL TURN UP IN TIME

Liverpool also fell behind early on

to Newcastle as Jetro Willems brilliant

finish saw the Reds trailing at Anfield

for the first time since March.

Sadio Mane fired into the top

corner to start the revival, but it was

the introduction of Roberto Firmino

off the bench for the injured Divock

Origi that truly turned the tide in

Liverpool’s favour.

The Brazilian’s through ball was

spilled by Martin Dubravka to allow

Mane a simple task for his second just

before half-time, and another brilliant

Firmino flick teed up Salah to seal the

points 18 minutes from time.

“I started enjoying after 25 minutes,

around about when we arrived finally

in the game,” said Liverpool manager

Jurgen Klopp. “Second-half we scored

only one goal, but we played really

good football and I liked it a lot.”

RELIEF FOR LAMPARD

Frank Lampard has endured a

difficult start on his return to Stamford

Bridge as manager, but he enjoyed his

finest day so far in charge Chelsea with

his faith in youth again fully vindicated

in a 5-2 win at Wolves.

Tammy Abraham was the star of

the show with a hat-trick, but Fikayo

Tomori also scored his first goal for

the club and Mason Mount completed

a perfect day for three graduates of

Chelsea’s academy.

“All three goals were so different,

it just shows what he can do,” said

Lampard of Abraham, who now has

seven goals in three games.

“I am so delighted for him. I know

how hard the academy works and

Tammy has an enthusiasm to score

goals. He has a fantastic approach

to the game and how he wants to

progress.” — AFP

Big hitters return to Oman squad for T20 WC Qualifier

Norwich City’s Teemu Pukki celebrates scoring their third goal. — Reuters

CITY STUNNED BY NORWICH AS LIVERPOOL STRETCH

PREMIER LEAGUE LEAD

SPORTS REPORTERMUSCAT, SEPT 15

Oman team will remain in Group IV

of Davis Cup Asia-Oceania after their

2-0 defeat against hosts Jordan in the

play-off for first to fourth places at

Jordan capital of Amman on Saturday.

Oman, who had beaten Iraq and

Bahrain in the group stage, finished

third overall in the tournament.

Pacific Oceania, who beat UAE

2-0, and Jordan earned the promotion

to the Group 3. Jordan and Pacific

Oceania will meet in the final of the

tournament.

Against Jordan, Adeballah

Shelbayh beat top Omani player

Mohammed al Nabhani 6-4, 6-0 in

the first singles. Mousa Alkotop ended

the challenge of Oman’s Abdullah al

Barwani 6-1, 7-5 in the second rubber

to clinch the match in the hosts favour.

Oman had scored 2-1 wins over

Iraq and Bahrain to top Group B.

Veteran player Mohammed al

Nabhani scored a new record for

Davis Cup wins for Oman by beating

his brother Khaled al Nabhani’s feat

of 76 wins. Mohammed now has

77 wins to his credit, the highest

for an Omani player. In the Davis

Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV event,

hosts Jordan were joined by Oman,

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,

Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Guam,

Bahrain, Iraq, Bangladesh, Tajikistan,

Kazakhstan and Cambodia from

September 11 to 15.

Oman remain in Group IV after Jordan defeat, finish third overall

Mohammed al Nabhani

OMANDAILYOBSERVER 23cricket

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

Broad double helps England close in on Ashes-levelling winLONDON: England closed in on a

series-levelling victory in the fifth Test

at the Oval on Sunday as Australia

slipped to 68-3 at lunch on the fourth

day.

Joe Root’s side set the tourists an

unlikely 399 to win in London after

adding just 16 runs to their overnight

total.

Paceman Stuart Broad pounded

in, roared on by a packed crowd, who

raised the roof when he demolished

Marcus Harris’s off-stump in the fifth

over, removing the batsman for nine.

In his following over, Broad ended

David Warner’s miserable series, with

the opener edging him to Rory Burns

in the slips and departing for 11.

Warner, who returned to

international cricket in June after a

12-month ban for ball-tampering, had

a good World Cup but has endured a

torrid time in the Ashes.

The attacking batsman has scored

just 95 runs in 10 innings and has been

dismissed by Broad seven times.

Warner’s dismissal brought Steve

Smith to the wicket and he opened his

account with a sweet drive through

the covers for four off Jofra Archer.

Smith and Marcus Labuschagne

(14) took the score to 56 before off-

spinner Jack Leach beat the outside

edge of Labuschagne’s bat and Johnny

Bairstow whipped off the bails to

complete a sharp stumping.

Seamer Sam Curran and Leach

continued to apply pressure on Smith

and new man Matthew Wade but

Australia reached the lunch break

without losing a further wicket.

Smith was unbeaten on 18, with

Wade 10 not out.

England, who became world

champions in the one-day game for

the first time in July, are desperate to

end a long summer by levelling the

five-match series at 2-2.

If they manage to win, it would be

the first drawn Ashes series since 1972.

The tourists’ hopes rest almost

entirely on the shoulders of Smith,

who has dominated the series with

his bat despite missing one-and-a-

half Tests after being hit by an Archer

bouncer.

His 769 runs so far put him fifth on

the list of highest tallies in an Ashes

series behind Don Bradman’s two

entries, England’s Wally Hammond

and former Australia skipper Mark

Taylor.

Australia are seeking their first Test

series win in England since 2001 but

only once before have they scored

399-plus runs in the fourth innings to

win a Test match, against England at

Headingley in 1948.

Earlier, England took their second-

innings total to 329, with Archer and

Leach the last men out.

— AFP

England’s Stuart Broad celebrates taking the wicket of Australia’s David Warner. — Reuters

Ponting eyes batting shake-up for Australia summer TestsSYDNEY: Only three Australian

batsmen are certain to start the

summer Test series against Pakistan,

according to former skipper Ricky

Ponting, with David Warner among

them.

Ponting, who has been a sounding

board for coach Justin Langer in

recent months, unsurprisingly

nominated the in-form Steve Smith

and Marnus Labuschagne as the

other two.

That leaves holes to fill and

Australia’s greatest run scorer said

he would like to see young prospect

Will Pucovski, who has battled

mental health issues, given a debut

in the first Test at the Gabba on

November 12.

“Warner’s going to be a lock,”

Ponting told cricket.com.au, despite

the opener having a miserable Ashes

tour where he has struggled to get

into double digits.

“I don’t care if he gets another

duck in the second innings of this

Test match (at the Oval), he’s going

to be a lock for the Australian

summer. Marnus is an absolute lock.

Smith’s a lock.

“(There are) still question marks

around the guys in the middle,

(Matthew) Wade and (Travis) Head,”

he added. “(Opener Marcus) Harris

has looked tested against good

quality fast bowling in this series’’.

Australia have chopped and

changed their top and middle

order against England, with Usman

Khawaja and Cameron Bancroft

among those dropped after failing

to fire.

Their lack of form could open

the door to Joe Burns and Kurtis

Patterson, who were controversially

left out of the squad for England

despite making centuries in their

last home Test against Sri Lanka.

Wicket-keeper-batsman Alex

Carey could also get a look in,

although Ponting said Tim Paine

should continue as captain during

the summer Tests against Pakistan

and New Zealand.

“With so many gaps like that, I’d

like to see somebody like Pucovski

get an opportunity,” he added.

“Everyone’s talked about him for

a long time. A couple of years before

the next Ashes series you want to try

and blood someone in that No 6 role

and he’d be the obvious candidate’’.

The 21-year-old smashed a

superb 243 for Victoria against

Western Australia last season,

which saw him parachuted into the

national setup for two Tests against

Sri Lanka.

He was overlooked for the first

one in Brisbane and again missed

out on selection for the second in

Canberra before being released to

deal with mental health issues.

He had suffered similar problems

in the past.

— AFP

Former cricket players and TV pundits Nasser Hussain (right) and Ricky Ponting before the start of play. — Reuters

DHAKA: Najibullah Zadran hit a

blistering half-century as Afghanistan

beat Zimbabwe by 28 runs in their

first match of the tri-nation Twenty20

International tournament in Dhaka

on Saturday.

Zadran smashed an unbeaten 69

off 30 balls, with five fours and six

sixes guiding Afghanistan to 197-

5 before their bowlers restricted

Zimbabwe to 169-7 to equal their

own record of 11 consecutive wins in

Twenty20 internationals.

Regis Chakabva hit 42 off 22 balls

not out for Zimbabwe but they came

late as Afghanistan bowlers made

some early breakthroughs to take the

target beyond their reach.

Skipper Rashid Khan and left-arm

seamer Fareed Malik claimed 2-29

and 2-35 respectively, while Karim

Janat and Gulbadin Naib chipped in

with one wicket.

“Being a captain for the first

time in T20Is and winning, thanks

to Allah. Everyone contributed, in

batting, bowling and fielding,” Rashid

said after the match.

“I think that’s the beauty of

Afghanistan cricketers that they can

adjust very quickly as per the format,”

said Rashid.

Debutant Rahmanullah Gurbaz

made 43 off 24 balls and shared

57 runs in the opening stand

with Hazratullah Zazai (13) after

Zimbabwe captain Hamilton

Masakadza won the toss and elected

to bowl first.

But Afghanistan’s innings got real

momentum once Mohammad Nabi

joined Zadran to share 107 runs in

just 40 balls in a fifth-wicket stand.

The duo hit sixes on seven

consecutive balls between the 17th

and the 18th over to give Afghanistan

an imposing total.

Zimbabwe captain Masakadza

lamented the partnership.

“A bit of a disappointing day.

Our spinners bowled really well in

the middle, extracted turn from the

wicket but Najib and Nabi just took

the game away from us,” he said.

“The last two games we didn’t

really execute at the back end. But

the guys are working really hard,”

Masakadza added.

Nabi was the last man out in the

final ball of the innings after making

38 off 18 balls with four sixes.

Tendai Chatara and Sean

Williams claimed two wickets each

for Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe lost their first match in

the tournament by three wickets to

hosts Bangladesh on Friday.

— AFP

Afghanistan’s Najibullah Zadran plays a shot during the second match against Zimbabwe in the T20 tri-nations cricket series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. — AFP

SCOREBOARDEngland first innings: .................... 294Australia first innings: ................... 225England second innings (O/n: 313/8):R Burns c Paine b Lyon .......................20J Denly c Smith b Siddle ....................94J Root c Smith b Lyon ........................21B Stokes b Lyon ..................................67J Bairstow c Smith b Marsh ...............14J Buttler c Labuschagne b Siddle ......47S Curran c Paine b Cummins .............17C Woakes c Smith b Marsh ..................6J Archer c Paine b Cummins ................3M Leach c Hazlewood b Lyon ...............9S Broad (not out) ................................12Extras: 19 (B-7, LB-11, NB-1)Total: 329 (all out, 95.3 overs)Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-87, 3-214, 4-222, 5-249, 6-279, 7-305, 8-305, 9-317. Bowling: P Cummins 21-5-67-2, J Hazlewood 19-5-57-0, N Lyon 24.3-5-69-4, P Siddle 13-4-52-2, M Marsh 11-1-40-2, M Labuschagne 7-1-26-0.

Australia second innings M Harris b Broad .................................9D Warner c Burns b Broad..................11M Labuschagne st Bairstow b Leach ..14S Smith (not out) ...............................23M Wade (not out)...............................21Extras: 7 (B-1, LB-6)Total: 85 (For 3 wkts, 26 overs)Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-29, 3-56.Bowling: S Broad .................................8-0-34-2, J Archer ..................................4-0-15-0, S Curran 6-3-11-0, M Leach 5-1-13-1, C Woakes 3-1-5-0

ZADRAN FIFTY SETS UP RECORD WIN FOR AFGHANISTAN

scoreboardAfghanistan R Gurbaz lbw Williams ...........43H Zazai c Williams b Chatara ...13N Tarakai c Ndlovu b Williams 14A Afghan c Burl b Ndlovu ........14N Zadran (not out) ..................69M Nabi c Burl b Chatara ..........38Extras: (B-2, W-3, NB-1) .......6Total: (For 5 wkts, 20 overs)......................................197Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-60, 3-80, 4-90, 5-197. Bowling: Ndlovu 4-0-35-1, Jarvis 4-0-53-0, Chatara 4-0-53-2, Williams 4-0-16-2, Burl 1-0-4-0, Madziva 3-0-34-0. Zimbabwe B Taylor c Zazai b Fareed .........27H Masakadza (run out) ............. 3C Ervine lbw Karim .................10S Williams c Gurbaz b Fareed ... 0TM Tarakai b Rashid ................20R Burl b Rashid .......................25R Chakabva (not out) ..............42N Madziva c Nabi b Naib ........15K Jarvis (not out) .....................15Extras: (B-1, LB-5, NB-2, W-4)........................................12Total: (For 7 wkts, 20 overs)......................................169Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-30, 3-30, 4-44, 5-81, 6-96, 7-141Bowling: Mujeeb 3-0-29-0, Fareed 4-0-35-2, Karim 3-0-29-1, Nabi 2-0-9-0, Naib 4-0-32-1, Rashid 4-0-29-2.

OMANDAILYOBSERVER24football/local

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

Inter top Serie A as Juventus held

MILAN: Inter Milan reclaimed

top spot in Serie A after a 1-0

win over 10-man Udinese on

Saturday as Juventus lost three

players to injury in a painful

goalless draw at Fiorentina to

complicate preparations for

next week’s Champions League

opener.

Stefano Sensi’s diving header

was enough to seal a maximum

nine points for Antonio Conte’s

Inter ahead of their European

opener against Slavia Prague in

the San Siro next Tuesday.

But as Maurizio Sarri made his

debut on the Juventus bench after

recovering from pneumonia, the

Italian champions showed signs

of weakness four days before

their trip to Atletico Madrid.

Juventus are trailing two points

behind Inter Milan after three

games and could be overtaken

by city rivals Torino who host

promoted Lecce on Monday.

Napoli meanwhile warmed up

for European holders Liverpool

on Tuesday with a Dries Mertens

double sealing a 2-0 win over

crisis club Sampdoria, to move

up to fourth in the table.

“We wouldn’t have deserved

to win this game,” said Sarri

as Portuguese star Cristiano

Ronaldo and his team-mates

lacked inspiration and struggled

physically.

The reigning eight-time Serie

A champions are already missing

injured captain Giorgio Chiellini,

Mattia De Sciglio and Marko

Pjaca.

And Brazilian Douglas Costa

pulled up with a hamstring

problem minutes into the game

in Florence, followed by Miralem

Pjanic with a muscular issue with

Danilo later suffering cramps in

the heat.

They nevertheless held on

despite pressure with former

French international Franck

Ribery impressive on his first

start for the hosts.

“It was a very complicated

situation as we used all our

substitutions for injuries, and had

no fresh players to introduce at

key moments,” said Sarri.

“A team with less character

would lose such a game’’.

Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur

added: “We got an important

point, today we saw a bad

Juventus.

“We suffered on the wings,

they were very good. We still have

to get used to Sarri’s game, but we

are on the right track. Now we

want to win in Madrid’’.

‘BETTER THAN RONALDO’

Ribery, 36, went off to a

standing ovation from the crowd

at the Artemio Franchi Stadium

after an hour as his team earned

their first point this season.

Ribery “played better than

Ronaldo,” insisted Fiorentina’s

new owner Rocco Commisso,

as the former Bayern Munich

midfielder did well to neutralise

Ronaldo, who had scored four

goals for Portugal in European

qualifiers this week.

— AFP

Europe, US tied 8-8 at Solheim CupGLENEAGLES, United Kingdom:

The United States team fought back

in the fourballs on Saturday to level

the scores at 8-8 heading into the final

day of the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles.

Three of the four fourball matches

were decided on the final hole while

Americans Danielle Kang and Lizette

Salas beat Carlota Ciganda and

Azahara Munoz with a birdie on the

17th to go two up.

Gusty conditions with winds

clocked at over 50 kph made it

difficult for both teams to get going

and players also received warnings

for slow play.

“It was a tough day, a battle for

everyone,” Europe’s captain Catriona

Matthew said.

“But the first two days has shown

how close both teams are. Sunday will

come down to the odd shot that will

get momentum going one way or the

other’’.

The match between Europe’s Jodi

Ewart Shadoff and Caroline Masson

and Americans Lexi Thompson

Marina Alex finished all square after

both teams won three holes each to

halve the points.

Americans Brittany Altomare and

Annie Park and Europe’s Georgia

Hall and Celine Boutier won their

respective matches to ensure both

teams were level heading into

Sunday’s singles matches where 12

points are up for grabs.

“It was just back and forth the

whole day,” Park said.

“Both teams played some great

golf in these conditions. “It was tough

out there. I’m so glad I played the

Scottish Open. It was like this, maybe

even worse. But I’m glad that I got

that practice out’’.

Earlier, Europe held a slender one-

point advantage over the US with a

6-1/2 to 5-1/2 lead after the foursomes

saw the teams share two wins each.

The American Korda sisters,

Jessica and Nelly, picked up where

they left off on Friday at the PGA

Centenary Course with a dominant 6

& 5 victory over Ciganda and Bronte

Law.

Struggling Bronte and Law

failed to sink a single birdie as the

Americans claimed a point to level

the overall score.

Europe, who were leading 4-1/2 to

3-1/2 after Friday’s fourballs, then had

Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz to

thank for their 4 & 3 victory over

Danielle Kang and Megan Khang.

They were also boosted by Georgia

Hall and Celine Boutier whose 3 &

2 victory over Lizette Salas and Ally

McDonald at the 16th hole gave them

two points.

But Americans Morgan Pressel

and Marina Alex, who trailed Anna

Nordqvist and Anne Van Dam by four

after six holes, stunned the Europeans

by taking seven of the next nine for a

2 & 1 victory.

Defending champions US need

14 points to retain the Solheim Cup

while Europe must score 14-1/2 to

win the title for the first time since

2013. — Reuters

LOCAL FLAVOUR

MUSCAT: Arnav Mohnot won the boys under-13 singles title at the on-going Annual Table Tennis Tournament of the Indian Social Club Oman.

In the final, nine-year-old Arnav played with conviction and displayed brilliance beyond his young shoulders. He defied his elder opponents and in the final rallied from a game down to defeat 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11. Vishant started on a positive note and after winning the first game raced to an early lead before Arnav went on the offensive to win the second and third games. The fourth game was evenly contested and Arnav shrugged off an early deficit and held his nerves before edging past to win the fourth game and the under-13 title. Earlier in the semifinal, Arnav had defeated Jinay Bafna 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-9 and Vaishant overcame Anirudh Menon 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 for a place in the final.

The top-seeded team of Mayank Mehta and Rehan Ahmed will take on the second-seeded duo of Adhyatm Sharma and Viren Kundnani in the final of the junior doubles event. Adhyatm and Viren booked a place in the final after defeating Vaishant Bafna and Taher with a convincing 11-6, 11-6, 11-2 win in the semifinal. In the other semifinal, Mayank and Rehan also advanced to the final after coasting to a 11-2, 11-7, 11-3 victory over Arnav Mohnot and Jinay Bafna.

Viren Kundnani upset top seed Shounak Kelkar in the semifinal of the boys under-17 singles and lined up a clash in the final against second seed Adhyatm Sharma who downed third seed Mayank Mehta in the semifinal. In a superb exhibition of table tennis, Viren stunned Shounak 11-6, 6-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 15-13 and in the other exciting semifinal, Adhyatm Sharma prevailed over Mayank with scores of 12-10, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8.

Arnav wins U-13 TT title at ISC

MUSCAT: The Zubair Corporation LLC (Z-Corp) recently honoured the referees who officiated the fourth edition of annual Mitsubishi Oman Handball School Championship held across the governorates of the Sultanate between January and April 2019.

The Mitsubishi Oman Handball School Championship is annually organised by Mitsubishi Oman, represented by General Automotive Company, in association with the Oman Handball Association (OHA). General Automotive Company, which is the official distributor for Mitsubishi vehicles in Oman, the flagship enterprise of the Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp). Under the framework of augmenting public and private sector partnership, Z-Corp has been backing all the activities of OHA since it signed an agreement in October 2015.

The referees and coaches played a major role in ensuring the success of the tournament in which more than 312 students from different schools in the Sultanate participated. The championship took off at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher at the Muscat Governorate in which four schools participated.

In the second leg of the tournament, four schools from the Al Batinah North Governorate had participated. Four schools participated in the third phase which was held at Nizwa Sports Complex in the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. In the fourth set of championship matches that were held at Sur in the Al Sharqiyah South Governorate four schools participated. The fifth leg of the championship was held at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate. The final and sixth leg of the fourth edition of the Mitsubishi Oman Handball School Championship was held at Al Buraimi Governorate.

Dr Said bin Ahmed al Shehri said, “We owe the success of the Mitsubishi Oman Handball School Championship to the referees who officiated the tournament in a professional manner. We thank them for their competence and expertise. I would like to thank all those who play a part in the success of this tournament, which contributed greatly to achieving the objectives of the Omani Handball Association’’.

He added, “We observed that the students have raised their level of their game, thanks to the constant

efforts of The Zubair Corporation, Mitsubishi and Oman Handball Association who have helped and guided them. We are happy that there has been a remarkable growth in the number of participating schools since we started organising the tournament’’.

Faisal al Mandhari, Manager of Social Communication at Z-Corp said, “The referees have worked hard to officiate and ensure the success of the tournaments. We thank them for their proficient contribution to the success of the tournaments. We would like to praise the efforts and great cooperation shown by officials of Zubair Corporation, Mitsubishi Oman, represented by General Automotive Company and Omani Handball Association, Ministry of Education and local schools in holding a successful championship’’.

Al Mandhari said, “The championship has achieved its objective of creating an interest in handball among young people. It has encouraged a lot of school children to take up the game of handball. We are certain with the exposure they get; these children will one day represent Oman in international platforms’’.

Z-Corp honours handball referees

Inter Milan’s Italian midfielder Stefano Sensi (2ndL) celebrates with Inter Milan’s Uruguayan defender Diego Godin (C) and team-mates after scoring during the Italian Serie A match against Udinese at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. — AFP

Team USA’s Danielle Kang during the foursomes. — Reuters

ITALIAN SERIE A TABLE AFTER SUNDAY’S 1030GMT MATCH (PLAYED, WON, DRAWN, LOST, GOALS FOR, GOALS AGAINST, POINTS):

Inter Milan 3 3 0 0 7 1 9

Juventus 3 2 1 0 5 3 7

Torino 2 2 0 0 5 3 6

Napoli 3 2 0 1 9 7 6

Atalanta 3 2 0 1 7 6 6

Lazio 2 1 1 0 4 1 4

Bologna 2 1 1 0 2 1 4

Verona 2 1 1 0 2 1 4

Genoa 3 1 1 1 6 6 4

Sassuolo 2 1 0 1 5 3 3

Parma 2 1 0 1 3 2 3

AC Milan 2 1 0 1 1 1 3

Brescia 2 1 0 1 1 1 3

Udinese 3 1 0 2 2 4 3

Roma 2 0 2 0 4 4 2

Fiorentina 3 0 1 2 4 6 1

SPAL 2 0 0 2 2 4 0

Cagliari 2 0 0 2 1 3 0

Lecce 2 0 0 2 0 5 0

Sampdoria 3 0 0 3 1 9 0

ITALIAN SERIE A RESULTS ON SATURDAY:Fiorentina 0 Juventus 0

Napoli 2 (Mertens 13, 67) Sampdoria 0

Inter Milan 1 (Stefano Sensi 45) Udinese 0

Boys under-13 winner Arnav Mohnot (right) and Vaishant Bafna.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

ACROSS

1 Easiest thing to be fed with? (5)

6 The wear for Ascot? (5) 9 The style of playing in overs

(7)10 Something shaky on the

dining table? (5)11 Memorise a role by November

(5)12 One giving us a rondo

composition? (5)13 Contempt of one said to be

involved in a racket (7)15 Not happy in the previous

administration (3)17 Might he be backward in

German? (4)18 Possibly recent point of focus

(6)19 Latest thing in ties (5)20 In general, let loose as pretty

harmless (6)22 A dead bird (4)24 Fish her out in the repechage

(3)25 The boy’s in pain, nevertheless

a champion (7)26 It emerges as equating to

difficulty or problem (5)

27 A name for article nine, perhaps (5)

28 Disagreements about a stiff problem? (5)

29 Did he steal the friar’s last tin? (7)

30 Revises diets for publication? (5)

31 Just the place for a bronze medal (5)

DOWN 2 Allow me to join in a riotous

trip! (6) 3 Cheat excessively? (6) 4 As for the safety of people

who drop in? (3) 5 Villa site in the Birmingham

area (5) 6 The C.O., we hear, is a bit of a

nut (7) 7 Individual right to be an

outstanding person (4) 8 Jack’s double – the devil! (6)12 Land of jazz (5)13 To the little man, hot money!

(5)14 A painful injection (5)15 Put up with the bore? (5)16 The devil’s way of working in

a haunt of thieves, etc. (5)18 Weight of an article in a

vehicle (5)

19 Those blooming things in the

garden! (7)

21 Had a job to give a listener a

name (6)

22 Certain foreigners rush

around Northern Ireland (6)23 How formally polite beggars

may disagree (6)25 Topcoat, perhaps, carefully

brushed (5)26 If getting in the way, can be a

“riddle” (4)28 Great maybe, but it’s still a

little bird (3)

EASY PUZZLEACROSS

1 Float (5) 6 Handheld light (5) 9 Found (7)10 Cutlery item (5)11 Courage (5)12 Form (5)13 Sustainable (7)15 Insulate (3)17 Hero (4)18 Turn (6)19 Bird-like (5)20 Tree-lined street (6)22 Expensive (4)24 Zero (3)25 Protection (7)26 Settee (5)27 Clergyman (5)28 Easily frightened (5)29 Troop (7)

30 Drain (5)31 At no time (5)

DOWN 2 Torn (6) 3 Flowery (6) 4 Weight (3) 5 Tale (5) 6 Anxiety (7) 7 Poems (4) 8 Warning (6)12 Man’s name (5)13 Giant (5)14 New (5)15 Loaded (5)16 Sort (5)18 Black bird (5)19 Accountant (7)21 Economic (6)22 Wish (6)23 Lively (6)25 Fop (5)26 Amount of medicine (4)28 Number (3)

YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 3, Crow-d 8, U-pset 10, Armed 11, Pa’s 12, Ho.-use 13, Maginot 15, Hairy 18, GI-G 19, Tu-MB-le 21, Antwerp 22, L-ass 23, Peer 24, Aspirin(-g) 26,

Scotch 29, Lug 31, Ton-ic 32, Le-M-Ming 34, Met-er 35, Era 36, Sleep 37, Inept 38, Stuff.

DOWN: 1, A-pp-Al 2, Re-S-igns 4, Root 5, Wash up 6, Dr-E-am 7, Pear-L 9, Sag 12, Hogwash 14, Nit 16, Ibs-e-n 17, Y-E-arn 19, Trailer 20, B-last 21, Aston 23, Pi-gme-nt 24, Accept 25, Rum 27, Cow-L-s 28, Times 30, Snaps 32, Lea-F 33, Ire.

YESTERDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 3, Crisp 8, Ratty 10, Tower 11, Lea 12, Below 13, Glanced 15, Lever 18, Cos 19, Merino 21, Pelican 22, Eras 23, Pain 24, Tearful 26, Theses 29, Oar 31, Harem 32, Enticed 34, Epees 35, Tan 36, Pearl 37, Farce 38, Sense.

DOWN: 1, Tally 2, Stances 4, Rued 5, Stolen 6, Power 7, Seven 9, Tea 12, Besides 14, Col 16, Vital 17, Round 19, Matrons 20, Teeth 21, Paper 23, Puritan 24, Temple 25, Fat 27, Hated 28, Seers 30, Fence 32, Eels 33, Car.

CROSSWORD

internationalOMANDAILYOBSERVER

M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

FOLLOW US ON

FACEBOOKMissed a story? Check all the latest local and international happenings onfacebook.com/omanobserver/

Marc Chagall, the 20th century French-Russian artist who delighted fans with his vividly

coloured, whimsical works, did many of his paintings using the same nine pigments - and hardly ever used black, researchers said on Friday.

He was also so poor early on that his famed 1912 work “Fiddler” — a picture of a violinist dancing on a rooftop — was painted on a tablecloth when Chagall was a struggling Jewish immigrant in Paris.

The checkered pattern of the cloth is clearly visible in parts of the painting where the paint is thin, they said.

“He had so little money that he bought canvases from flea mar-kets, you know he painted on any canvas he got his hands on,” said Meta Chavannes, a conservator at Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum. “So a bed sheet, or a night shirt, even a tablecloth.”

The discoveries were made by researchers who spent five years studying the museum’s large col-lection of works by Chagall.

The Stedelijk, or city museum, houses modern and contempo-

rary art and will put 38 Chagall works on display this month, together with other pieces by immigrant artists in Paris who changed modern art, including Picasso and Mondrian.

Co-conservator Madeleine Bisschoff said it was typical of Chagall’s work that much of his focus — the contrasting colours that give his paintings vibrancy - was concentrated in one or two key areas of a painting with intense detail, while other parts were sparse or even bare.

Scans showed those central parts — such as the woman and

child in the 1913 “Pregnant Woman” — usually remained unchanged as Chagall worked. Details at the edges such as cows, houses and faces, had been tink-ered with, moved or redone.

Chagall, who was born in 1887 in a village in what is now Belarus, left for Paris in 1910, weathered World War I in Russia, returned to Paris and then fled World War II for New York in the 1940s, before returning to France and working until his death in 1985.

Throughout his long career, he overlapped with Impressionists, Cubists, Supremacists,

Surrealists and many other schools along the way, but he retained his own whimsical style. Often described as dreamlike, his paintings featured recurring themes including his wife, memo-ries from his childhood such as cows, donkeys and milkmaids, and scenes of Jewish life.

Until now, his work had not been as widely researched by art historians as bigger names of the 20th century. The full findings of the research done by the team at the Stedelijk will be published in a German academic journal next month. — Reuters

Chagall’s famed “Fiddler” painted on a tablecloth -researchers

25

BRITISH DESIGNER MOLLY Goddard focused on volume for women’s spring wardrobes at her London Fashion Week show on Saturday, presenting a colourful col-lection of puffy smock dresses, frilly skirts and plenty of her eye-catching trademark tulle frocks.

Goddard, whose dresses have been worn by singer Rihanna and featured in hit television show “Killing Eve”, kicked off her catwalk show with a long-sleeved cropped white top worn with a voluminous ruffled cream tulle skirt.

Models wore a range of tulle dresses and skirts in cream, black, bright blue and coral that were ruf-fled, layered or deconstructed.

Goddard also scrunched colour-ful open-collar smock and taffeta frocks and used puffy floral dresses to play with volume.

“I have spent the last six months exploring ways of creating volume through pattern cutting and manip-ulation so that each garment holds its own shape with no hidden sup-port,” Goddard said in show notes.

“The idea of pieces holding their own shape has a directness that has come to inform everything about this show.”

The spring/summer 2020 line also had dabs of denim that came in the shape of a V-neck jacket with puffed up sleeves and a long dress with floral decorations.

Goddard put bows on her knit-wear - on sleeves of jumpers and at the front of a cardigan.

Footwear consisted of colourful flat boots in black, red and sky blue as well as slip-on peep toe sandals in similar colours, sometimes in shiny versions. — Reuters

With frills and tulle, volume reigns at Molly Goddard fashion showfashion show

Speaking against a back-drop of two soaring, snow-capped volca-noes, Asuncion Diaz explains his fight to save the original

poblano chile, one of the most important ingredients in Mexican cuisine, from climate change and other threats.

The pristine panorama not with-standing, Diaz and other producers in Puebla say climate change is stalking this mountainous region in central Mexico and threatening the dark green chile pepper for which it is famous.

“The chiles get burned by the sun, and if it rains they go bad,” says Diaz, a 55-year-old agricultural engineer, taking a break from work on his plan-tation outside San Andres Calpan, a village nestled in the skirts of the region’s twin volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.

Looking up at the first volcano, which locals affectionately call “Popo,” fellow farmer Hilda Cruz concurs that the region is heating up.

“When I was a little girl, Popocatepetl had snow year-round. I was 35 when I saw it without snow for the first time. It made me cry,” says Cruz, now 64.

The disappearing snow has been caused in part by increased volcanic activity inside Popo’s crater. But Mexico’s environment ministry says climate change is also wreaking havoc on the region, causing droughts, frost and heavy precipitation.

Cruz runs a cooperative that helps local farmers sell their produce directly to some of Mexico’s most famous restaurants.

She says her mission is to save the “saberes y sabores” — the knowl-edge and flavors — of traditional Mexican food.

Climate change is just one of the threats facing the ingredients of Mexico’s renowned cuisine, which was named an essential part of the world’s cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010.

Hybrid seeds, globalisation and consumers’ demand for immaculate produce are also taking their toll on ingredients like the poblano, which is used in Puebla’s luscious “mole” — a spicy, chocolatey sauce — and in “chiles en nogada,” an iconic dish asso-ciated with Mexican Independence Day, September 16.

FIGHTING BACK Diaz says the poblano has also

taken a hit because of the arrival of hybrid seeds imported from China that grow year-round and are more weather-resistant — but also yield less-tasty, less-crunchy peppers.

“We’re losing the tradition of the original chile, the one our ancestors ate,” he told AFP.

Biting into a classic chile poblano at a family dinner in Mexico City, Enrique Garcia closes his eyes in bliss. He agrees.

“I haven’t eaten one like this since I was a boy. They’re like my grandmoth-er’s — the texture, the thickness, the crunchiness,” says Garcia, 49.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which launched a cam-paign last month to save Mexico’s clas-sic ingredients, six out of every 10

chiles consumed in the country today come from Chinese seeds.

But now some farmers and chefs are fighting back to save Mexico’s indigenous chiles, beans, tomatoes, gourds, maize and more.

They include star chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita, the man behind “Azul,” one of Mexico City’s top restaurants.

Every year in August and September — chile en nogada season — he regales customers with his lavish take on the traditional dish. It is a sym-bol of Mexico with its green peppers bathed in creamy white sauce and topped with red pomegranate seeds — the colors of the Mexican flag.

Munoz buys his chiles from Diaz’s plantation, which meticulously pro-tects its crop from hybrid seeds.

“They are saving the chile poblano,” says the chef.

But he is worried about many of the other 31 ingredients in the traditional chile en nogada, which is stuffed with a mixture of ground meat and fruits.

“The fruits in the stuffing are in serious trouble: panochera apples, San Juan pears, creole peaches, pink pine nuts and fresh walnuts,” he says.

Original versions of those ingredi-ents are increasingly scarce, in part because consumers have come to prefer imported hybrids.

Munoz illustrates the point clutch-ing two small, funny-looking apples in his hand.

“One of the reasons they’re in decline is their size. They’re tiny. These days everyone’s looking for the ‘ideal’ of big, shiny fruit,” he says.

But they are fooling themselves, he adds: the native version is sweeter and tastier. — AFP

featuresOMANDAILYOBSERVER26oman/world

Share your story on We know you have your own story to tell. Get a chance for your photos to be our Instagram

‘Photo of the Day’ by following and tagging us on

instagram.com/omanobserver/ INSTAGRAMM O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

INSTAGRAM TOP PICKS

FRESH CATCH

READY FOR THEIR CLOSE UP

D I S C O V E R Y

LIGHT IN THE DARK

A PAIR OF fifth-century skeletons buried hand-in-hand and known since their discovery in 2009 as the “lovers of Modena” are both men, researchers reported this week.

Unable to verify their sex, scientists had simply assumed the degraded skeletons belong to a man and a woman, possi-bly lovers who resided in the north Italian town famous for its vinegar.

But a new technique for analysing protein in tooth enamel has left no doubt that this was a same-sex burial.

Exactly why the two men were carefully laid to rest with their hands interlocked remains a mystery.

Several of 11 other skeletons unearthed at the same burial site showed signs of violent injury consistent with warfare, according to the study, published in Scientific Reports.

“The two ‘lovers’ could have been war com-rades or friends who died together during a skirmish and were thus buried in the same grave,” University of Bologna professor Frederico Lugli and col-leagues speculated.

“Alternatively, the two individuals were relatives — possibly cousins or brothers given their simi-lar ages — sharing the same grave due to their family bond.”

It seems unlikely, they continued, that they were buried as a same-sex couple.

“Although we cannot exclude that these two individuals were actually in love, it is unlikely that people who buried them decided to show such a bond by positioning their bodies hand-in-hand,” the researchers concluded.

There are at least half-a-dozen other examples of adults bur-ied with hands inter-twined reaching back to Neolithic times 8,000 years ago, but all are thought to be man-and-woman couples.

“The discovery of two adult males intentionally buried hand-in-hand may have profound implica-tions for our understand-ing of funerary practices in Late Antiquity Italy,” the researchers said.

The technique used to distinguish sex is based on a protein, called amel-ogenin, that is expressed differently in the tooth enamel of men and women. — AFP

Roman-era ‘lovers of Modena’, buried hand-in-hand, were men

INSTAGRAM TOP PICKS

SUN-KISSED

CATCH OF THE DAY

TIME FOR HARVEST

T H I S I S Y O U R S P O T

Want to share your photos with our readers? Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and when you post your photos, use #OmanObserver and #BeAnObserver.

GASTRONOMY Get full stories online at www.omanobserver.om

Farmers, chefs fight to save classic ingredients in Mexican cuisine

Nine Arab artists coming from Oman, Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco flew to China to take part in

the 11th Insight of China: Painting Workshop for Famous Arab Artists in China.

The nine artists were famous and masters in their respective fields. The trip which lasted for 17 days was fully packed not only with art workshops but sightseeing tours. The artists were given opportunities to appreciate the sights and draw inspiration from what they saw.

Departing on July 25 from Oman, Omani artist Saud al Hunaini was excited about the opportunity. It wasn’t his first time to join such event and he is very supportive of the event’s goal of “continuously strengthening the cultural and humanitarian ties between China and the Arab countries’’.

Widely recognised and welcomed by Arab artists, this workshop has been held annually from 2009 to 2018, making it an increasingly-known brand for China-Arab cul-tural exchanges. It has played a positive role in the promotion of friendly ties between the artists and the people of China and the Arab world.

For this year’s workshop, the nine Arab artists arrived in Hong Kong on July 25, were toured to Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Pitta Street Gallery in the morning of July 26 and were shown the Victoria Harbour and Taiping Peak in the afternoon. They had knowl-edge exchange with artists from the Hong Kong Association of Arts in the morning of July 27 and visited Lamma Island in the afternoon. July 28 to 30 were spent seeing Macau and exploring the Macau Museum of Art as well as seeing the local attractions. They were also given time to buy their painting materials as the overall goal was for them to

produce original work of arts inspired by China attractions.

July 31 to August 2 were sent vis-iting natural landscapes, historical and ancient remains and several art schools and studios where the artists were given more opportunity to interact with Chinese artists in Shenzhen City. The purpose of this interaction is for Arab artists to learn some techniques from their Chinese counterparts and vice versa.

September 3 to 8 were busy days for the group as they were in full artist mode working in the studio. The artists were given six days to create a minimum of two (2) major works which will be permanently collected by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and in return, earning them a certificate for the exchange.

AN IMPORTANT EXCHANGEOmani artist Saud al Hunaini has

studied art in Spain, Italy and the USA, graduating with a master’s degree in Art from Central Washington University. He is currently completing his doctorate degree in Fine Arts (History of Arts) at the Lincoln University in the United Kingdom.

For him, attending the event was a privilege and a great learning experience, an opportunity that not

a lot of artists get to experience.“This is my second participation

in this workshop. I was one of the few attendees during its first sea-son and I am glad to be back in its 11th season,” Saud shared.

Saud’s invitation was well-deserved. He has been awarded many prizes nationally and interna-tionally, the most prestigious of which was His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’ prize. Specializing in oil and mix media, Saud has a unique meth-od of painting. He also works with calligraphy, photography and sculp-ture. In addition, Saud is also an accomplished musician.

“To have been selected to partici-pate is an honour. This adds an important cultural aspect in the life and career of an artist. The exchange of experiences and work within the selected Arab creators and the interaction with Chinese artists allow us to learn from each other,” he said.

“The idea of the event is to visit different regions and provinces in China for visual nutrition. The paint-ings we produced in the workshop were inspired by our visits to the dif-ferent beautiful and important loca-tions. By seeing the different places that make China a remarkable country, we were able to simulate the environment and nature and we incorporated what we saw to our

painting to add authenticity to what we do,” he said.

Saud’s painting techniques are inspired by powerful Renaissance realists like Rembrandt. He also draws inspiration from modern masters of sensuality like Salvador Dali.

Saud’s painting has been described as “magic realism’’. A self-described minimalist, his art is anchored in his way of life and he often shifts between humanity, free-dom and peace as his themes.

“At first glance, his landscape paintings may seem like basic com-positions simply reflecting his Omani heritage. On further exami-nation, the paintings are like magic carpets filled with illusions as the unending surprises and flawless energy of this wizard are unveiled. His multi-dimensional compositions reveal new secrets each time. Everyday objects are painted with emotion and sensuality that makes them seem animated on canvas,” an observer once said.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AS AN ARTIST

The organiser of the workshop covered all expenses for the trip, from the airfare tickets to hotel accommodations even the painting tools. This allows the artists to focus on the creative.

Kuwaiti artist Ahmed Muqeem who joined Saud shared that it was his biggest honour and pleasure to have joined the trip.

“I worked in a studio with an amazing artist. I became best friends with Saud al Hunaini — a famous brilliant realist painter from Oman. During the trip, we exchanged opinions and critique each other’s works. It was an amazing learning opportunity and a great time to grow as an artist,” he said.

Ahmed has produced two paint-ings he titled “Macau in a photogra-pher’s eyes” showcasing the beauty of Macau modern landscape and “Lotus Lake” which shows the irre-sistible beauty of a lake in Shenzhen.

The photos were displayed in a gallery in China for the lovers and patrons of the art to appreciate and see.

oman/world

featuresOMANDAILYOBSERVER 27Join the discussion on

TWITTERReact on topics that affect you the most. Share your views, analysis and opinions and get a chance to see them featured here. Follow and tweet us on

twitter.com/omanobserver/ M O N D A Y l S E P T E M B E R 1 6 l 2 0 1 9

OMANI ARTIST CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF CHINA IN PAINTINGS

As the world marks Alzheimer’s Month,

Oman Observer features Voices of Alzheimer’s

Caregivers in coordination with Oman Alzheimer’s

Society. This edition we feature the voice of

Thubayta al Busaidy, who is also a member of

Oman Alzheimer’s Society

My personal experience began when

my mother seemed to forget where

she had kept her things. We did

notice this forgetfulness. All of us

in the family assumed that it simply due to old age

senility. Subsequently and gradually, she started

forgetting where she was (physical location), could

not recognize the people around her, often repeating

questions that we had already answered. At this

stage, we realized that this was not simply a matter

of senility. We then took her to various doctors for

consultations. The initial diagnosis was “Alzheimer’s

Dementia”. The disease changed her personality

completely; we didn’t know what to do or how to

handle her and ourselves. It was and still is hard

watching her decline. I would spend the whole day

watching her walking from one room to another

not knowing what she wanted, and she didn’t want

people to do things for her because, throughout her

life, she was someone who was highly organised

both on her personal as well as professional life. My

mother had been a trained teacher (after completing

her Secondary School education); she became

Headmistress and finally an Inspector. Her personal

life was a life of refinement in her duties to her family,

society, soft-spoken, articulate, forgiving and always

finding the good in others, seldom criticizing people;

instead often invoking Allah to guide that individual.

It is extremely hard for me to write these words by

referring to her in the past tense because she is

still physically alive. However, in reality, she is really

not there anymore. It was important to me to share

my experiences with others that they may learn

(and I also) about the emotional upheaval resulting

from having a close family member afflicted by

Alzheimer’s. Therefore I started to look for people

here in Oman with the same problem like mine or

who went through such experiences in the past. We

contacted each other and met, initially once every

fortnight then once a month. We were just a group of

caregivers and healthcare professionals each one of

us had a family member with Alzheimer’s or worked

with patients who had it. We formed the Alzheimer’s

Support Group, where one of our major objectives

was giving each other support. Now I am very proud

yet humble.

The first sign is

forgetfulness

BY YERU EBUEN

AN ATTACKER WIELDING a utility knife has badly damaged a work by the cel-ebrated French conceptual artist Daniel Buren at the Pompidou Centre in central Paris, the museum said on Friday.

The work, “Peinture [Manifestation 3]”, suffered “serious deliberate damage” in Thursday afternoon’s attack by the man, the muse-um said in a statement.

It said that a museum attendant alerted security, and video cameras allowed the rapid finding of the sus-pect. “He made no claim (over the attack) and was handed over to the police,” it said.

An investigation has been

opened by the judicial authorities after the muse-um filed a complaint to police.

The artist, 81, has been informed of the incident and the work itself transferred to the stores of the Pompidou Centre to estimate the dam-age and restoration needed.

It will be replaced on pub-lic display by another work from the artist.

The Pompidou Centre said it understood the sus-pect was no longer in deten-tion and had been trans-ferred to a psychiatric unit.

“Peinture [Manifestation 3]” was created by Buren in 1967 and shows red and white stripes. It was pur-chased for the museum’s collection in 1986.

Buren is perhaps best known for the succession of black-and-white columns he inlaid into the inner court-yard of the Palais Royal com-plex in central Paris in a hugely controversial instal-lation that opened in 1986.

The damage to the work comes just over a week after a stencilled work by the elu-sive British street artist Banksy was stolen from out-side the Pompidou Centre.

The Pompidou, which houses Europe’s biggest collection of contemporary art but does not own the Banksy work, filed a police complaint for destruction of property. — AFP

Knife attack badly damages work by top French modern artist

HEALTH WATCH

A R T A T T A C K

MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 | MUHARRAM 16, 1441 AH

observerfeatures@gmail.com www.omanobserver.omfollow us @omanobserver

47 METERSDOWN

Genre: AdventureRunning Time: 90 min

Language: EnglishSubtitle(s): Arabic

Two sisters vacationing in Mexico are trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With less than an hour of oxygen left and great white sharks circling nearby, they must fight to survive.

INSIDE STORIES

IN FOCUS GASTRONOMY

FARMERS, CHEFS FIGHT TO SAVE CLASSIC INGREDIENTS IN MEXICAN CUISINE

FASHION

CHAGALL’S FAMED “FIDDLER” PAINTED ON A TABLECLOTH -RESEARCHERS

Marc Chagall, the 20th century French-Russian artist who delighted fans with his vividly coloured, whimsical works, did many of his paintings using the same nine pigments — and hardly ever used black, researchers said on Friday p25

Joining his peers from Kuwait, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, Omani artist Saud al Hunaini travelled to China to take part in a painting workshop that gave him and his colleagues an opportunity to draw inspiration from the beauty of the host country and create art pieces that would best represent the work of Arab painters to this global powerhouse trying to make a mark in the world of art... P27

OMANI ARTIST CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF CHINA IN PAINTINGS

WITH FRILLS AND TULLE, VOLUME REIGNS AT MOLLY GODDARD FASHION SHOW

With his two fishing rods planted firmly on the bank of the Vistula river, 85-year-old Tadeusz Norberciak

peers at rocks exposed on the dry riverbed, a telling sign of Poland’s looming water

crisis p26

British designer Molly Goddard focused on volume for women’s spring wardrobes at her London Fashion Week show on Saturday, presenting a colourful collection of puffy smock dresses, frilly skirts and plenty of her eye-catching trademark tulle frocks p26

FAFICLINM

LLS AND OLUME T MOLLY FASHION

WrothrivTa

Molly d on en’s springr London ow on

nting a on