Oman Observer

HM to preside at annual Royal horse races today

MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos will preside over the annual Royal Horse Race Festival at Medinat al Adiyat, Wilayat of Seeb, today. The festival will consist of six races — Jabal Samhan, race for pure Arabian horses 1,100m (girls), Al Jabal al Akhdar, race for pure Arabian horses 1,800m, Jabal al Koor, race for thoroughbred horses 1,600m,....

HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos has received more cables of greetings on the advent of the new Hijri year from Shaikh General Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice-President of the UAE, Head of the Council of Ministers and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and Ruler of Fujairah,....

US vacates Baghdad palace

BAGHDAD — US officials yesterday withdrew from the Saddam Hussein-era palace they have occupied in Baghdad since 2003, a sign of the change of power when their troops come under Iraqi authority at midnight. The US force in Iraq, now more than 140,000 strong, has operated since 2003 under a UN Security Council resolution which expired at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Oil eases below $39

LONDON — Oil eased below $39 a barrel yesterday, heading for a fall of more than 60 per cent in 2008 as the global economic slowdown bit deep into energy demand and the latest US inventory data showed further rises in fuel stocks. Prices have plunged since hitting an all-time high above $147 in July....

B’desh’s Hasina ready to share power with rival

DHAKA — Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday she was willing to share power with the disgruntled opposition after winning a massive majority in Bangladesh’s parliamentary election this week. A senior opposition party leader did not rule out co-operation but said it would wait to see if the winning....

Sharks have wimpy bites and can crunch their prey

WASHINGTON — Sharks have wimpy bites for their size and can crunch through their prey only because they have very sharp teeth — and because they can grow to be so big, researchers reported. Their studies of shark jaws show that lions or tigers win hands down when it comes to jaw strength — but sharks prevail in the water because of their wide jaw size.