15bn projects at Sohar Port - Oman Observer

World News 

P3 SQU law students take part in Vienna Moot Court 

OMAN 

ANALYSIS 

INDIA 

P7 US Navy to be ined for reef damage P13 SC to hear plea against Musharraf 

Vol. 32 No. 143 | 200 baisas | 32 pages www.omanobserver.om facebook.com/omanobserver twitter.com/omanobserver editor@omanobserver.om AppStore 

Sultanate, UAE 

discuss ties 

THE Sultanate and the United Arab 

Emirates (UAE) yesterday discussed 

various aspects of co-operation 

and co-ordination on issues of joint 

interest in Muscat yesterday. Shaikh 

Mansoor bin Zayed al Nahyan, UAE 

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister 

of Presidency Affairs and head of 

the UAE side at the Oman-UAE 

Joint Committee, made a visit to 

the Sultanate during which he held 

talks with Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal 

al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of 

Royal Court. 

How dangerous 

is North Korea? 

THE United States has pursued 

but for 60 years never found a 

resolution to the conlict with 

North Korea. Despite Pyongyang’s 

growing threats to drop nuclear 

bombs on the United States, there 

still seems no clear strategy, only 

the assertion that North Korea’s 

bark is worse than its bite. Once 

again, US President Barack Obama 

has been caught off guard. 

FULL STORY ON PAGE 8 

Toll in building 

collapse at 48 

EVEN as the death toll in Thursday 

evening’s seven-storey building 

collapse rose to 48, two oficials 

were suspended yesterday for 

not heeding complaints regarding 

the unauthorised structure. 

Disaster management and ire 

brigade oficials continued rescue 

operations yesterday. 

FULL STORY ON PAGE 10 

PRAYER TIMING (Muscat) 

Fajr Dhuhr Asr Magrib Isha 

04:38 am 12:14pm 03:42pm 06:29pm 07:41pm 

WEATHER 

Muscat Nizwa Sohar Sur Duqm Salalah 

Max 34 34 32 36 31 31 

Min 23 20 23 25 22 23 

EXCHANGE RATES 

RO1 €1.99711 / $2.59774 

GOLD 

Price $1,579.90 

Low pressure to 

affect weather 

MUSCAT — The latest weather forecast shows that 

the Sultanate will be inluenced by a low pressure 

system and unstable weather conditions today 

and tomorrow, said in a statement from the Directorate-General 

of Meteorology and Air Navigation 

(DGMAN) of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation. 

The weather will be cloudy with chances of 

scattered rains as well as thundershowers accompanied 

by active winds and hail in governorates of 

Muscat, Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, North 

Al Batinah, Al Dakhiliyah and Al Sharqiyah. 

The DGMAN said waves will be high and the sea 

condition will be rough along most of the Sultanate’s 

coast. It called upon people to exercise caution 

during rains and avoid crossing overlowing 

wadis. Fishermen and others were told not to venture 

into the sea. — ONA 

P32 Moroccan Music Mesmerises Muscat 

$15bn projects 

at Sohar Port 

Free zone to provide jobs 

SOHAR — The volume of investments 

at Sohar Port will increase to 

more than $15 billion, while another 

RO 150 million will be invested in 

Sohar Free Zone (SFZ), said Jamal bin 

Tawiq Aziz, Deputy CEO of Sohar Industrial 

Port Company (SIPC), adding 

that many large projects will be unveiled 

shortly in the port and the SFZ. 

He pointed out, in a statement 

to Oman News Agency, that these 

projects will provide a number of 

jobs for Omani youth in the Governorate 

of North Batinah and adjoining 

governorates. 

Omanisation rate in the Port of 

Sohar stands at more than 70 per 

cent in many areas, said Jamal, noting 

that the SFZ seeks to attract new 

investment projects, notably in ferrochrome-based 

industries, a sector 

which will provided a high rate of 

added value to the Omani raw materials 

which can be processed within 

the Sultanate. 

The oficial explained that the 

projects, which will have a value of 

RO 100 million, will be set up an a 

total area of 500,000 square metres 

and will be producing 500,000 

tonnes of ferrochrome annually and 

will be exported to different parts of 

the world. 

The oficial reafirmed that the 

new projects will be a nucleus for the 

establishment of converting industries, 

like rust-resistant steel industries, 

which have a To page 3 

DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI Chief Executive Officer 

FAHMI BIN KHALID AL HARTHY Editor-in-Chief 

Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising 

PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 

Saturday APRIL 6, 2013 | JUMADA AL ULA 25, 1434 AH 

Torres strikes twice P27 

The partly submerged Atlantik Conidence with steel structures. (Exclusive photo) 

3 held for cultivating narcotic plants 

30pc of Seeb road dualisation over 

MUSCAT — The 30 per cent of 

the work on dualisation of Seeb 

road has been completed, according 

to the Town Planning 

150 tonnes of fuel on board sunken ship 

By Conrad Prabhu 

MUSCAT — Oman has 

placed its pollution con- 

authorities at the Muscat Municipality. 

The project, part of the expansion 

programmes of the na- 

trol apparatus on alert as a 

precaution against a possible 

leak of fuel oil from the 

Turkish bulk carrier that 

ROP has arrested three men on charges of cultivating narcotic plants khashkhash at their residence in the Wilayat of Bahla. 

MUSCAT — The Royal Oman Police (ROP) arrested 

three men on charges of cultivating narcotic plants 

of khashkhash, of which the suspects planted 65 at 

their residence in the Wilayat of Bahla. Acting on 

a tip-off, the police raided the suspects’ home and 

transferred them to the Public Prosecution Department 

for further legal action. 

The ROP ambushed a drug traficker who tried 

to bring into the Sultanate large amount of drugs, 

including 94 capsules of heroin, via Muscat International 

Airport. 

Oficers of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances 

Control Department apprehended the suspect 

who looked suspicious during checking at the 

Customs Section of the airport. The man was transferred 

to the Police Hospital where X-ray examination 

showed that he had been carrying the capsules 

in his stomach. The suspect was then transferred to 

sank in the Arabian Sea off 

the Sultanate’s southeastern 

seaboard last week. 

The ill-fated Atlantik 

the Public Prosecution Department for his trial before 

the designated court. 

The ROP thanks citizens and residents for their 

co-operation in combating drug abuse and requests 

all to report any suspicious action to the Hotline 

Number 1444 or the Emergency Number 9999. 

The ROP also keeps cracking down on illegal immigrants 

who often engage in drug traficking, theft 

and other crimes. To page 3 

tion’s infrastructure facilities, 

envisages a number of bridges 

and other roads with the highest 

standards. See page 4 

Conidence is understood 

to have had around 150 

tonnes of bunker fuel when 

it went down To page 2 

RO 21 billion 

bank assets 

MUSCAT — Total assets of commercial 

banks increased by 14 per 

cent to RO 21.09 billion in February 

2013 compared to RO 18.50 billion 

a year ago. Of the total assets, credit 

disbursement accounted for 67 per 

cent and increased by 10.9 per cent 

over the year to RO 14.18 billion as 

at the end of February 2013. 

While credit to the government 

declined by 6.6 per cent, credit to 

the private sector and public enterprises 

increased by 11.5 per cent 

and 15.7 per cent, respectively. 

Of the total credit to the private 

sector by end of February 2013, the 

share of the household sector — 

mainly in personal loans — stood 

at 46.6 per cent, followed closely by 

the non-inancial corporate sector at 

45.9 per cent, inancial corporations 

at 5.1 per cent, while other sectors 

constituted 2.4 per cent. Commercial 

banks' overall investments in 

securities increased by 16.4 per 

cent to RO 2,227.4 million as at the 

end of February 2013. 

Of the total investments, the 

value of CBO certiicates of deposit 

stood at RO 1,101 million, while investment 

in government development 

bonds increased by 17.1 per 

cent to RO 468.3 million as at the 

end of February. 

Commercial banks' investments 

in foreign securities To page 3 

UN slams failure to 

shut Guantanamo 

GENEVA — Washington is breaking 

international law by holding detainees 

indeinitely at Guantanamo and 

must honour a pledge to shut the 

controversial jail, the UN's human 

rights chief said yesterday. 

"I am deeply disappointed that 

the US government has not been 

able to close Guantanamo Bay, despite 

repeatedly committing itself to 

do so," Navi Pillay said. 

"The continuing indeinite incarceration 

of many of the detainees 

amounts to arbitrary detention and 

is in clear breach of international 

law," she said. 

"It severely undermines the 

United States' stance that it is an 

upholder of human rights," the UN 

rights oficial added. — AFP

2 

OMAN 

Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidency Affairs, holding talks with 

Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court. — Picture by Salim al Hashly 

150 tonnes of fuel on board sunken ship 

From page 1 

about 149 nautical miles southeast 

of Masirah Island last Wednesday. 

Omani maritime assets monitoring 

the surrounding waters have so far 

found no signs of any leak emanating 

from the sunken ship, an oficial 

of the Ministry of Environment and 

Climate Affairs said. 

“Our pollution control machinery 

is ready to respond in the event of a 

pollution threat. The situation is being 

carefully monitored by a vessel 

of the Royal Navy of Oman. Barring 

a minor oil spill detected at the outset 

of the crisis last week, it appears 

that the ship’s fuel tanks are intact 

for now. So there appears to be no 

immediate concern of a wider spill,” 

the oficial added in comments to 

the Observer. 

With sea conditions continuing 

to the relatively mild in the vicinity 

of the sunken cargo ship, any fuel oil 

leaking to the surface would hopefully 

dissipate and degrade at sea, 

the oficial explained. 

“One likely scenario is that any 

fuel oil rising to the surface will 

eventually evaporate leaving behind 

tar-balls that have a tendency 

to sink to the bottom. Consequently, 

the possibility of some of the tarlike 

residue ending up on Oman’s 

shores is quite small, particularly 

in light of the fact that the wreck is 

150 nautical miles away from land. 

But should weather and sea conditions 

become unfavourable, then 

we shall be ready with booms to 

contain and tackle possible leaks.” 

The 196-metre long merchant 

ship sank at 1055 hours on 

Wednesday nearly four days after a 

devastating ire engulfed part of the 

vessel. The blaze, which erupted in 

the engine room, triggered an explosion 

that caused a breach in its 

hull. As a result of water ingress, the 

engine room began to lood, leaving 

the bow partly submerged. 

The ship’s 21-member crew, who 

had taken to lifeboats by then, were 

rescued by transiting commercial 

ships. They were eventually brought 

ashore at Masirah Island with assistance 

provided by the ROP Coast 

Guard. The crew — all Turkish nationals 

— later lew out via Muscat 

International Airport in two batches 

over Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, more details have 

emerged about the abortive attempt 

by the ship’s owners to salvage the 

vessel and its cargo of mainly steel 

structures for the Muscat International 

Airport project. Around 5,000 

metric tonnes of project cargo, due 

to be discharged at Sohar Port, were 

lost when the ship went down. 

The Observer has learnt that, at 

the request of the ship-owners, two 

tugs had left Dubai on Tuesday to 

mount a possible salvage of the ship 

and its cargo. While one of the tugs 

headed for Muscat to collect some 

critical equipment required for the 

operation, the other headed directly 

to the site of the stricken Atlantik 

Conidence, by now a ‘ghost ship’ 

abandoned at sea. 

According to oficials, the goal 

was to secure a line to the partly 

submerged cargo ship and to tow it 

to a “shelter” closer to Oman’s coast 

where a full-scale salvage would 

then be undertaken. However, arriving 

at the site of the ire-ravaged 

vessel, the tug’s master found that 

the Atlantik Conidence’s bow had 

been almost fully submerged, thus 

making any salvage not only impractical 

but also dangerous for the 

tug in question. 

As the tug’s crew watched from a 

safe distance, the bulk carrier began 

to rapidly sink, bow irst. Within 

minutes, the rest of the vessel began 

to go under with a giant whoosh. 

SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2013 

Cruise ships call at Port of Salalah 

SALALAH — The Italian- 

lagged cruise ship Costa 

Deliziosa called at Salalah 

Port with 2,170 passengers 

on board, 1,278 are 

tourists, as part of her 

world tourism voyage. 

A large number of tourists 

toured Dhofar Governorate’s 

most attractive 

destinations and historic 

sites as well as souqs in 

the city of Salalah. 

The ship was on her 

way from Sultan Qaboos 

Port en route to Sharm el 

Sheikh Port in Egypt. 

Last month, the Italian 

cruise ship Costa Classica 

visited Salalah port with 

1,250 tourists onboard. 

The tourists visited archaeological 

and historic 

landmarks in Dhofar. 

9,810 travel 

by ferries 

this year 

MUSCAT — The number 

of travellers on board ferries 

belonging to National 

Ferries Company (NFC) 

during the irst quarter 

of this year rose to 9,810 

passengers, compared to 

3,728 during the corresponding 

period in 2012, 

an increase of 263 per 

cent, according to statistics 

issued by the NFC recently. 

The increase in the 

number of passages was 

coupled with an increase 

in the number of voyages, 

which also grew by 221 

per cent in the irst quarter 

of this year. 

Mahmoud bin Hussain 

al Lawati, Specialist of Logistic 

Services at NFC, told 

Oman News Agency that 

Khasab route witnessed 

the highest turnout of 

passengers during the 

irst quarter 2013. More 

than 7,000 passengers 

were transported, with 

71 per cent of the total 

number of travellers in 

the area using ferries. 

Conference to spotlight 

Oman as logistics hub 

By A Staff Reporter 

MUSCAT — Oman’s ambitions 

to become the logistics 

hub of the Arabian 

Gulf and the Indian Ocean 

Rim will take centre-stage 

next week as it hosts a major 

conference that seeks 

to rivet regional and international 

attention to this 

longstanding goal. 

The GCC Supply Chain 

& Logistics Conference, 

set for April 15-16, at Al 

Bustan Palace — A Ritz 

Carlton Hotel, has been 

billed as the most highproile 

of events spotlighting 

the Sultanate’s rapidly 

expanding transport and 

logistics sectors. 

The two-day event has 

been organised by Al Nimr 

Expo in association with 

the Ministry of Transport 

and Communications. Signiicantly, 

the Oman Logistics 

and Supply Chain 

Association (under formation) 

has thrown its weight 

behind the conference. 

So have the Chartered Institute 

of Logistics and 

Transport (CILT) and the 

Embassy of Netherlands in 

Muscat. 

The newly established 

Communications & Special 

Projects Department 

of Oman Establishment 

for Press, Publication 

and Advertising (OEPPA) 

— publishers of Oman 

Daily Observer and Oman 

Arabic newspapers — 

has been roped in as 

Strategic Partner. 

For the irst time, deliberations 

during the two- 

day conference will focus 

on logistics and supply 

chain imperatives encompassing 

all four modes of 

transportation — road, air, 

maritime, and rail. These 

issues will be covered under 

ive broad themes: 

Oman — The Logistics 

Gateway from the Indian 

Ocean into the GCC; Oman 

& GCC Railway Project — 

The Game Changer; The 

Future of Airline Industry 

and Supply Chain Logistics; 

Supply Chain with 

Emphasis on SME Development 

and Job Creation; 

and Strategies and Technologies 

to Support Trade 

Facilitation. 

Importantly, the conference 

will bring together 

top government oficials 

from Oman and overseas, 

along with more than 30 

regional and global industry 

leaders who will share 

their views on various topical 

issues and opportunities 

for the supply chain 

and logistics sector. 

Setting the tone for two 

days of insightful deliberations 

will be keynote presentations 

by Dr Ahmed 

bin Mohammed al Futaisi, 

Minister of Transport and 

Communications, and 

Melanie Schultz van Haegen, 

Minister of Infrastructure 

and the Environment, 

Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

The line-up of keynote 

speakers also includes 

Roger Agnelli, former 

Chief Executive of Brazilian 

mining giant Vale and 

currently Founder, AGN 

Participaçõ es, Brazil; and 

Robert Kaplan, Journalist, 

author of Monsoon, and 

Chief Geopolitical Analyst 

for Stratfor, USA. 

Through interactive 

panel discussions, leading 

industry experts will also 

highlight the important 

role that Oman will play 

in the GCC and the Arab 

region through its mega 

infrastructure projects, 

which have the potential 

to transform the Sultanate 

as the next regional hub 

and ideal gateway for global 

businesses. 

Additionally, the event 

will also be an opportunity 

for delegates to explore 

and identify key investment 

prospects associated 

with Oman’s world-class 

ports, airports and free 

zones. 

Against the backdrop of 

the conference, the Dutch 

Embassy will oficially 

launch Expedition Oman — 

a documentary ilm about 

the unique and intriguing 

real-life tale of the crew of 

Amstelveen, a cargo ship of 

the Dutch East India Company 

that was shipwrecked 

off Oman’s coast some 250 

years ago. Separately, a 

roundtable discussion on 

Omani-Netherlands cooperation 

in transport and 

logistics will also be held. 

The Gulf Supply Chain 

and Logistics Conference 

is supported by Port of 

Salalah, Port of Sohar, Port 

of Duqm, Port Services 

Corporation, Port of Rotterdam, 

and Oman Shipping 

Company.


Oman wins 7 medals 

at GCC skills contest 

BAHRAIN — Oman won a total of 

seven medals — 2 gold, 3 silver and 

3 bronze — in the 3rd GCC Skills 

Competition which was hosted by 

Bahrain under the patronage of 

Chairman of the Supreme Council 

for Youth and Sport and Bahrain Olympic 

Committee President Shaikh 

Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa, recently. 

The Ministry of Manpower represented 

the Sultanate through students 

of technical colleges, vocation- 

RO 21 billion 

bank assets 

From page 1 

also increased signiicantly 

to RO 442.2 million in 

February 2013 from RO 

326.7 million a year ago. 

The banking sector in 

Oman continued its positive 

growth consistent 

with an overall economic 

uptrend in the irst three 

quarters in 2012, with 

the GDP showing a nominal 

increase of 13.1 per 

cent from January to September. 

The iscal position and 

balance of payments also 

showed an improvement, 

mainly due to a rise in 

crude oil revenues. 

Meanwhile, inlation 

has also been improving 

in Oman. 

During January, average 

inlation based on CPI 

for Oman stood lower at 

2.8 per cent, compared 

to 3.7 per cent during the 

same period in the year 

before. 

With greater participation 

of commercial banks 

in the development process, 

in addition to large investments 

by the government, 

the balance sheet 

and proits of commercial 

banks are expected to remain 

healthy. 

The advent of Islamic 

banking is expected to 

further diversify banking 

services and expand inancial 

base. — ONA 

SQU law students take part in Vienna Moot Court 

MUSCAT — Four students from 

the College of Law at Sultan 

Qaboos University who participated 

in the International Moot 

Court for Commercial Arbitration 

held in Vienna recently, performed 

well at this annual meet 

and returned with certiicates of 

honour. 

The students Ahmed Al Qasmi, 

Qais Al Amri, Issac Al Jabri and 

Mohsin Al Shereiqi participated in 

the Vienna competition under the 

supervision of Dr Amel Abdulla 

and Dr Yakob Al Waily, Assistant 

Deans of the College of Law at 

SQU. 

Dr Yakob Al Waily said that 

the goal of the Vienna Moot Court 

is to develop the study of international 

commercial law and alternative 

resolutions of international 

al training centres. 

Khamis bin Hamad al Hadhrami, 

Deputy Director of Voational Traning, 

expressed his happiness over the 

achievements adding the win came 

despite the short period of training. 

Those who won include Mohammed 

bin Ali al Adwani (wielding) and 

Dawood Salim al Yaroubi (motoring) 

won Omani gold. 

Mohammed bin Nasser al Naebi 

(electricity), Sami bin Saif al Busaidy 

(computer applications and pro- 

gramming) and Nouriaya bint Hilal al 

Abriya (networks) won silver while 

bronze was claimed by Ghulam al 

Balushi (graphic designing ) and 

Marwan bin Mohammed al Busai 

(web designing) 

Khamis bin Hamad al Hadhrami, 

Deputy Director of Vocational Training 

said the good results we achieved 

at the 3rd Skills Competition have 

directed out attention to speciic defects 

that need to be remedied so as 

to avoid the past mistake. — ONA 

3 held for cultivating narcotic plants 

From page 1 

Besides violating the 

Expatriates Residency Law, 

the intruders also violate 

the Labour Law by working 

without licence. 

During the irst quarter 

this year, the ROP, acting 

in co-operation with other 

military and security departments 

and citizens, 

arrested 2,947 foreigners 

of different nationalities 

who entered the Sultanate 

illegally at various governorates. 

The ROP also 

deported 2,576 intruders 

found to be in violation of 

the Labour Law during the 

same period. 

A national strategy has 

been made to tackle the 

$15 bn projects at Sohar Port 

From page 1 

large market in different 

parts of the world. 

He added that priority 

is to given to projects 

which will optimise economic 

yield in terms of 

direct and indirect job opportunities 

and support to 

small and medium enterprises, 

particularly service-related 

projects. 

With the fruition of the 

mega projects, Sohar is 

set to become an important 

centre for the steel 

industries, especially after 

problem of illegal immigration. 

In addition to monitoring 

the areas typically 

used as illegal immigration 

points, the ROP has upgraded 

co-operation with 

the Public Prosecution Department 

and the Ministry 

of Manpower. 

The ROP also formed a 

marine surveillance team 

which operates along the 

coast in Muscat Governorate 

and Musandam Governorate 

to intercept boats 

bringing illegal immigrants 

to the Sultanate. People 

who facilitate the entry of 

intruders are also being arrested. 

The team works in cooperation 

with the Coast 

Guards Command, the 

the port area has been upgraded 

to host steel industries 

by Vale Project, Jindal 

Shadeed Iron and Steel 

industries and Sohar Steel, 

said Jamal. 

He added that steel 

industry, compared to 

other industries, is the 

most economical due 

to the fact that it needs 

less power and provides 

greater opportunities for 

the employment of Omani 

citizens. 

As for the role of SFZ 

in supporting SMEs, the 

oficial said that SFZ is an 

Royal Air Force of Oman 

(RAFO) and the Royal Navy 

of Oman (RNO). 

When deporting illegal 

immigrants, the ROP takes 

into account legal and humanitarian 

practices. Before 

being deported, the 

intruders are irst kept in 

special accommodations 

where they receive food 

and medical care. 

The Sultanate follows 

international legal procedures 

organising the 

deporting of illegal immigrants 

as per the international 

agreements organising 

the deporting of illegal 

immigrants, including coordination 

with the intruders’ 

embassies for checking 

identities. 

important channel for the 

establishment of SMEs as 

investment projects in the 

area will activate the market 

in various services. 

In reply to a question 

about the development 

of infrastructure in the 

SFZ, Jamal bin Tawiq said 

that the irst stage of infrastructure 

development 

like roads and basic services 

has been completed 

and work is under way to 

establish electricity, water 

and communications networks 

in the zone. 

— ONA 

MUSCAT — The Omani Studies 

Centre at Sultan Qaboos University 

will host a symposium on “Omani-Al 

Azhar Scholars and Commonalities” 

from of April 14 to 16. 

Noted Islamic scholars from 

the Arabic and Islamic world will 

attend the three day symposium 

which will discuss 28 working papers. 

In the opening ceremony of the 

event, Dr Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, 

Vice-Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos 

University, Shaikh Ahmed bin 

Hamad al Khalili, Grand Mufti and 

Yusuf al Qaradawi, noted Islamic 

theologian based in Qatar, will deliver 

speeches. 

A number of Islamic scholars 

and researchers from the Sultanate, 

the Al Azhar, a historically important 

centre of Islamic learning 

based in Egypt, and universities 

and educational institutions will 

attend the symposium. 

The Omani Studies Centre at 

SQU is organising this symposium 

as part of its effort to promote re- 

business disputes. 

“Law leaders of tomorrow will 

be trained to tackle a practically 

relevant problem of a client engaged 

in international commerce. 

The competition starts in the 

irst week of October. 

The Vienna Moot Court consists 

of two parts: the preparation 

of two written memoranda 

in support of the claimant's and 

subsequently the respondent's 

position, and the oral hearings in 

Vienna. Pleadings in Vienna took 

place from March 19 to 29”, Dr 

Amal said. 

The Vienna Moot Court is a 

competition for law students with 

more than 250 participating universities 

worldwide. 

This year was the 20th consecutive 

edition of this annual com- 

petition. 

In addition to around 2000 

students, 400 arbitrators, advocates, 

law educators from different 

parts of the world attended 

the event. 

SQU College of Law has been 

participating in this competition 

for ive years. 

Dr Amel said that the college 

is planning to send its students 

to other reputed moot court 

competitions such as the Foreign 

Direct Investment International 

Arbitration Moot and ICC international 

mediation competition 

in Paris. 

These moots are designed to 

acquaint the law student participants 

with advocacy skills in alternative 

dispute resolution processes, 

speciically, mediation. 

OMAN 

GCC experts take part in 

family coherence drive 

By Kaushalendra Singh 

SALALAH — Experts in 

family development laid 

stress on inding reasons 

behind the rise in the cases 

of family discord and exhorted 

the parents, school 

and college teachers to do 

a critical assessment of the 

situation, which is vital not 

only for the family in question 

but also for the society 

and the nation as well. 

A drive to create awareness 

for all the family issues, 

launched in Salalah 

under the joint auspices of 

the Salalah Club, Dahariz 

School and Hateen Mosque. 

The drive will continue for 

one month and all the villages 

of Dhofar Governorate 

would be covered under 

the programme. 

The experts from Saudi 

Arabia, Kuwait and Oman 

are taking part in the drive 

and a committee has been 

formed to monitor the 

awareness campaign and 

do a follow up. 

Khalid Saud al Holaby, 

Faculty Member at the University 

of Imam Mohammed 

bin Saud Islamic University, 

Saudi Arabia, said 

the family is the main pillar 

of the society and every effort 

should be made both 

by the society and the gov- 

Khaled Amer Salem Khalid Saud al Holaby 

ernment to keep the institution 

of family intact. 

“It is the time for all 

of us to understand the 

changing pattern and give 

our children right direction. 

The market is looded with 

all sorts of information and 

this is our responsibility to 

tell them what they have to 

receive,” he said. 

Al Holaby said: “Our 

module of education has 

to be changed according to 

the changes happening in 

the world and this requires 

some kind of training also 

to the parents and teachers. 

They need to be educated 

about how to handle 

the new generation children 

who are drifting away 

from their own culture.” 

He thanked the Salalah 

Club for taking up an important 

cause and urged 

other establishments to 

follow the suit. 

Khaled Amer Salem 

Fadhel, Deputy Chairman 

of the Salalah Club, called 

upon all the stakeholders 

not to ignore the issue and 

take the younger generation 

into conidence in the 

larger interest of the society 

and the nation.” 

“By this drive we are 

trying to convince everyone 

involved in imparting 

education to the children 

of this generation including 

teachers and parents that 

the world is changing very 

fast, which is creating a gap 

between the children and 

their parents. We have to 

reduce the gap by develop- 

search in Islamic studies and theology 

and arrange a platform for 

scholars specialised in Islamic religion 

and culture from within and 

outside the Sultanate to interact 

with each other. 

The symposium will address 

several topics pertaining to Oman 

Al Azhar relationships in the past 

and present. 

The irst session will focus on 

“Scholarly studies between Oman 

and Al Azhar” and discuss links 

between the Omani and Al Azhar 

scholars in different disciplines 

such as linguistics, literature, history, 

science and geography . 

The second session titled “Cultural 

and educational links” will 

deal with Omani missions to Al 

Azhar and subsequent cultural exchanges. 

The third session is titled 

“Omani and Al Azharite contributions 

to Islam” will discuss among 

other related topics, the services 

of Sultan Qaboos Chair for Islamic 

Studies in promoting Islamic studies 

and culture, identify comparative 

studies, and explore the role 

played by Omani biographies in 

promoting Islamic culture. The 

last session entitled Omani and 

Al Azhar vision will review future 

perspectives. Al Azhar, located in 

Cairo, Egypt, is a historically important 

centre of Islamic learning. 

Al Azhar University has long 

been regarded as the foremost institution 

in the Islamic world for 

the study of theology and sharia, 

or Islamic law. 

3 

ing better ways communication 

to save the children 

from many kinds of vices, 

which they are picking up 

unknowingly,” he said. 

Fadhel made his point 

by suggesting that the current 

generation were being 

controlled more by computers 

and TVs than by the 

family itself. 

“Though they are living 

with us, it is not necessary 

that they are listening 

to us. The inluence of the 

outside world on our children 

is very high. Now it is 

becoming dificult for them 

to judge what is right and 

what is wrong. Instead of 

listening to their fathers 

and mothers, they are listening 

to their sports stars, 

ilm stars etc and are trying 

to emulate them in their 

day-to-day life.” 

He suggested the parents 

to play a pro active 

role, as tools like “shouting 

and hitting” have become 

totally redundant. 

“Our children are becoming 

victims of many 

vices unknowingly. The 

situation demands greater 

involvement of parents and 

all the stakeholders of the 

society with the children to 

retain them as good human 

beings and responsible citizens,” 

he said. 

Symposium on Omani and Al 

Azhar scholars, commonalities 

Farmers society in Buraimi Governorate planned 

BURAIMI — The Food 

Security Committee at 

the Buriami branch of the 

Oman Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry held its 

irst meeting for this year 

under the chairmanship of 

Said bin Aubaid al Kaabi in 

the presence of the committee 

members. 

During the meeting the 

recommendations that 

came out of the previous 

meeting including setting 

up farmers society in 

Buraimi Governorate, setting 

up a co-operative 

society or a public stock 

company for marketing of 

agricultural products. It 

was decided to speed up 

efforts to inalise the economic 

feasibility study to 

set up the company.

4 

By Kabeer Yousuf 

MUSCAT — The dualisation of the 

Seeb road has reached 30 per cent 

completion rate according to the 

Town Planning authorities at the 

Muscat Municipality. 

The project, part of the expansion 

programmes of the nation’s 

infrastructure facilities, envisages 

a number of bridges, and other 

roads with the highest international 

standards looking at the future. 

It also aims at reducing trafic bot- 

OMAN 

tlenecks in this area and is a part of 

similar projects at various parts of 

the city to cope up with the increasing 

number of trafic. 

“The expansion works of the 

Seeb road dualisation project including 

various bridges and lyovers 

and pedestrian crossings have 

reached 30per cent and the work 

is continuing at a reasonable pace 

involving day and night”, a senior 

spokesperson at the Municipality 

told the Observer. 

The project, once completed, will 

substantially ease trafic in this area 

while triggering the movement to 

and from the Muscat International 

Airport. 

“The construction of new concrete 

bridge that connects Sultan 

Qaboos Street with the other side 

of the road is being carried out. 

Meanwhile, trafic will be diverted 

through the approach roads on either 

side”, he further said. 

“Muscat Municipality has earlier 

announced the Majestic Muscat 

project which is an attempt to 

beautify and make the city one of 

the best sought after cities of the 

world. I hope the recent accreditation 

of Muscat as the ‘Arab Tourism 

Capital’ is a great landmark and 

we need to upkeep the same in the 

coming days”, the oficial said. 

“The aim of the Muscat Municipality 

by implementing these 

projects is to enhance the country’s 

basic infrastructure and other 

amenities for both nationals and 

residents as well as for the investors 

and other visitors and to make 

the city one of its kind in the world 

map”. 

The Muscat Municipality is also 

gearing up to launch a package of 

service and development projects, 

Sultan bin Hamdoon al Harthy, 

Chairman of Muscat Municipality, 

had said. 

In an interview with Oman, sister 

Arabic daily of the Observer, he 

said the municipality is preparing 

to start the implementation of a 

number of development and service 

projects in the Governorate of 

Muscat. 

The municipality has inalised 

architectural drawings and technical 

layouts of these projects, which 

will be exhibited in the hall of Bank 

Muscat headquarters. These will 

include development projects and 

future plans to develop the city in 

various ields. 

Al Harthy said the “Enchanting 

Muscat” Exhibition will showcase 

24 different schemes in the beautiication 

of public sites, utilisation 


30 pc of Seeb road dualisation 

project over: Municipality 

of wide spaces, planting of trees, 

construction of parks, markets 

and public utilities as well as enhancing 

residential and commercial 

areas to add more dimensions to 

the city. 

Due to the great importance attached 

to a modern road network 

in the city, Muscat Municipality has 

prepared drawings and technical 

layouts to carry out numerous vital 

projects in this sector, especially 

with the increase of population and 

number of vehicles, besides the ur- 

ban, economic and tourism growth. 

These include tunnel and lyovers 

in Darsait, Al Wadi al Kabir 

road, enhancement of the road network 

in Qurum area, service roads 

at both sides of the Grand Mosque 

motorway, dualisation of the Exhibition 

road, an intersection at 

Ghala Industrial Estate to be connected 

with Muscat Expressway, an 

interchange to connect the existing 

entrance to the airport with the Expressway 

and the improvement of 

18 November Street.


Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Astute-class Submarine Building at BAE Systems in 

Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, northern England, yesterday. The Duke of Cambridge is Commodore-in-Chief 

of the Royal Navy Submarine Service and during their visit they toured the ofices of Vanguard replacement 

programme and meet with the crew of Artful and their families, who are now based in Barrow. — AFP 

ZAGREB — Croatian tourism is 

providing a badly-needed source 

of income for the country's 

struggling economy as it 

prepares to join the European 

Union in July, and the sector is 

expected to expand further this 

year, Tourism Minister Darko 

Lorencin said yesterday in a 

statement. 

"The fact that, despite (a 

dificult) economic situation 

across Europe, a positive trend in 

tourism income continues, proves 

that Croatia has really become a 

recognised and desired tourist 

resort," a ministry statement 

quoted Lorencin as saying. 

Although 2013 was tipped to 

be a "very challenging" year, the 

minister said he expected 

tourism igures to continue 

growing. 

In 2012, income from the 

sector rose by 3.2 per cent on an 

annualised basis to the equivalent 

of 6.8 billion euros ($8.8 billion), 

the statement said. 

That represented 15.4 per cent 

of Croatia's total gross domestic 

product, a slight increase from 

2011 when it accounted for 14.4 

of GDP. 

Last year, the country of 4.2 

million people hosted a record 

11.8 million tourists — mostly 

Germans, Slovenians, Italians and 

Austrians — who headed for the 

most part to Croatia's stunning 

Adriatic coast. 

The government hopes that 

the former Yugoslav republic’s 

admission to the European Union 

on July 1 will contribute further to 

growth of the sector. — AFP 

EUROPE 

Spain's royal family agrees 

to open up to scrutiny 

MADRID — Spain's embattled 

royal family has agreed 

to open its affairs to more 

public scrutiny under a new 

transparency law intended 

to restore conidence in a 

political establishment undermined 

by corruption 

and a deep economic crisis. 

Two days after King 

Juan Carlos's daughter was 

charged in an embezzlement 

case, a palace source 

said that the royal household 

had, after two months 

of negotiation with ministers, 

accepted that it should 

be subject to the new freedom-of-informationlegislation, 

along with other organs 

of the state. 

The move relects the 

royal family's concern 

about retaining its inlu- 

FM under ire over disabled parking gaffe 

LONDON — Britain's beleaguered 

Finance Minister George Osborne 

faced fresh pressure over his hardline 

stance on the social welfare 

system yesterday after his car was 

photographed parked in a space 

reserved for disabled drivers. 

Osborne, a deeply unpopular 

igure among critics of his government's 

austerity programme, apparently 

went to pick up lunch 

from a McDonald's at a motorway 

service station, unaware that his 

driver was parked in the space. 

"George does not condone this 

in any way," a Conservative party 

source said. 

Osborne's ministry was yet to 

oficially comment on the photograph 

of the Land Rover, which was 

splashed on the front page of the 

Daily Mirror tabloid with the head- 

Berlusconi calls for broad govt or early vote 

ROME — Former prime 

minister Silvio Berlusconi, 

buoyed by new opinion 

polls showing a lead for his 

centre-right coalition, said 

yesterday Italy must return 

to the polls quickly unless 

the centre left agrees 

to govern with him. 

Italy has been gridlocked 

since an inconclusive 

February election 

gave no bloc enough votes 

to govern, forcing outgoing 

Prime Minister Mario 

Monti to stay on as a caretaker 

until the impasse can 

be broken. 

"It's crucial to form a 

strong and stable government 

immediately," 

Berlusconi said in a tweet. 

He added that if the centreleft 

Democratic Party (PD) 

continues to reject his call 

line: "Despicable". 

The chancellor's car had 

stopped at a motorway service station 

in south Wales after he had 

made a speech in Cardiff. 

Osborne has had a tough week, 

overseeing the introduction of 

widespread reforms to state beneits 

which churches, charities and 

the opposition Labour party say 

will punish some of the most vulnerable 

people in Britain. 

On Thursday, he stoked criticism 

by linking the high-proile 

case of Mick Philpott, a man jailed 

for life for killing six of his children 

in a bungled arson plot linked to 

hefty state handouts, to the welfare 

reforms. 

"Philpott is responsible for these 

absolutely horrendous crimes, 

these are crimes that have shocked 

for a broad coalition, "we 

must return to the polls." 

The 76-year-old media 

magnate, who was widely 

written off after he was 

forced from power in 2011 

by a mounting debt crisis, 

is once more a key player 

on Italy's political scene 

and polls suggest he might 

well come out on top in any 

new election. 

February's vote produced 

three main blocs in 

parliament — the centre 

left headed by PD leader 

Pier Luigi Bersani, Berlusconi's 

centre right and 

Beppe Grillo's anti-establishment 

5-Star Movement. 

Bersani, who won control 

of the lower house 

but fell short of the Senate 

majority that would allow 

him to govern, rules out 

a "grand coalition" with 

Berlusconi, while Grillo 

refuses a pact with parties 

he blames for Italy's social 

and economic crisis. 

A poll published yesterday 

by the SWG agency 

gave Berlusconi's centreright 

alliance 31.4 per cent 

of the vote, up 2.2 points 

since the election and now 

2.1 points ahead of the centre 

left. 

Grillo's 5-Star Movement 

was on 25.4 per cent, 

the nation," Osborne said. 

"The courts are responsible for 

sentencing. But I think there is a 

question for government and for 

society about the welfare state, and 

the taxpayers who pay for the welfare 

state, subsidising lifestyles like 

that." 

Osborne's critics seized on the 

comments, with Labour inance 

spokesman Ed Balls accusing him 

of "nasty and divisive" tactics. 

Philpott was jailed on Thursday 

for a minimum of 15 years for manslaughter, 

while his wife Mairead 

was jailed for at least eight and a 

half years. 

With 18 children in total by six 

different mothers, Philpott was already 

a notorious igure, dubbed 

"Shameless Mick" by the press 

for his feckless lifestyle funded by 

Germany 

summons 

ambassador 

over crisis 

BERLIN — Germany 

summoned North Korea's 

ambassador yesterday 

to convey Berlin's "serious 

concern" over the 

sharp spike in tensions 

on the Korean peninsula, 

a spokesman said. 

"The serious concern 

of the German government 

in light of the escalation 

on the Korean peninsula 

for which North 

Korea is responsible was 

conveyed to him in no uncertain 

terms in the name 

of the foreign minister 

(Guido Westerwelle)," the 

ministry spokesman told 

a regular government 

brieing. 

"It was made clear to 

him that the recent steps 

toward escalation by 

North Korean are in no 

way acceptable for the 

German government in 

word or deed." 

The spokesman said 

Germany was closely 

consulting with "international 

and European 

partners" on the crisis 

and that the subject was 

certain to igure prominently 

in a meeting of G8 

foreign ministers next 

week in London. —AFP 

Spain raises marriage age to 16 years 

MADRID Spain will 

raise the minimum legal 

age for marriage from 14 to 

16 years, the government 

announced yesterday. The 

minimum age for marrying 

is 18 years. 

But until now, people 

as young as 14 years could 

marry with permission 

almost stable since the 

election despite signs of 

internal division and widespread 

media criticism of 

the former comic's refusal 

to co-operate with the centre 

left to allow a government 

to be formed. 

Berlusconi is following 

a two-pronged strategy. 

While he calls for the centre 

left to be "responsible" by 

forming a broad coalition 

with him, he also appears 

to have already launched a 

new election campaign. 

Last month his followers 

packed Piazza del Popolo, 

one of Rome's most famous 

squares, in a rally at which 

he promised to "win big" in 

a new election, and he has 

scheduled another rally in 

the southern city of Bari on 

April 13. — Reuters 

Croatian tourism underpins next EU member 

from a judge or their family. 

Marriages of minors are 

rare in Spain. In the irst 

half of 2010, four boys and 

64 girls aged about 17 got 

married, according to the 

daily El Pais. The limit of 

16 years will be similar to 

other European countries, 

hefty state welfare handouts which 

he launted on TV shows. 

The case has sparked debate 

over whether the killings can be 

linked to the beneits system after 

the Daily Mail tabloid reported the 

guilty verdict with the headline: 

"Vile product of welfare UK". 

The changes to the welfare system 

introduced this week include 

a cap on the total beneits that 

working-age people can receive, 

and a housing beneit cut for people 

whose state-owned homes are 

considered larger than they need. 

It is not the irst time that 

Osborne has been embarrassed by 

his travel arrangements. 

Last year, he was forced to rebuff 

allegations that he tried to travel in 

a irst class train carriage using a 

standard ticket. — AFP 

Health Minister Ana Mato 

said here yesterday. 

The government will 

also ask parliament to raise 

the minimum age of consent 

for sex from the current 

13 years, the minister 

said. The measures aim at 

reinforcing the protection 

of minors from sex abuse. 

ence in its largely igurehead 

role as scandals erode 

its popularity among Spaniards 

stricken with economic 

malaise. 

The 75-year-old king, 

born in exile but recalled 

to succeed the dictator 

Francisco Franco as head of 

state in the 1970s, once enjoyed 

huge popularity as a 

constitutional monarch, not 

least after he helped quash 

a military coup in 1981. 

But talk of his extravagance 

— notably when he 

took off on an elephant 

hunt in Africa last year as 

the government pleaded 

for indulgence from international 

creditors — as 

well as the case against his 

daughter and son-in-law 

have strengthened calls for 

his abdication in favour of 

his son. For the time being, 

few Spaniards want a return 

to a republican constitution. 

Prime Minister Mariano 

Rajoy, whose centre-right 

People's Party is also embroiled 

in a number of corruption 

scandals, has sent 

to parliament a bill for a 

new transparency law that 

would give the public a 

right of access to oficial 

documents. 

It is currently being debated. 

New rules could give the 

public more right to monitor 

how much the government 

grants to the royal 

family for its oficial functions. 

Unlike, say, the British 

queen who has vast per- 

5 

sonal wealth accumulated 

over the centuries, Spain's 

Bourbon royals lost much 

of their property when 

forced to lee in 1931. 

The constitution establishes 

an annual allowance 

for the royal household, 

which employees some 

500 people. Last year the 

allowance was 8.26 million 

euros, down 7 per cent 

since 2010. 

Out of the larger stipend, 

the king in 2011 reported 

pre-tax personal earnings 

of some 300,000 euros 

while the crown prince had 

around 150,000. 

Queen Soia and her two 

daughters had expense accounts 

of some 375,000 

euros in 2011. 

— Reuters

6 

Abbas demands two-state 

map from Netanyahu: aide 

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories 

— Palestinian President Mahmud 

Abbas has demanded that Israel's 

prime minister present a map for a 

future Palestinian state before any 

peace talks can resume, an aide said 

yesterday as Hamas asked the United 

Nations agency to resume in operations 

in the Gaza Strip. 

Abbas "wants to know, through 

a map to be presented by Benjamin 

Netanyahu to (US Secretary of State 

John) Kerry, what the prime minister's 

view of a two-state solution 

would be, especially the borders," political 

adviser Nimr Hammad said. 

The remarks came days ahead of 

a visit by Kerry, who will hold fortnightly 

meetings with Israeli and Palestinian 

leaders, local media say, as 

he tries to revive the peace process. 

"Any return to negotiations requires 

Netanyahu to agree on 1967 

borders," Hammad said. 

Abbas has insisted that participation 

in new talks be conditioned on 

using the lines that existed before the 

1967 Six-Day War as the basis for negotiating 

future borders. 

Abbas also repeated to Barack 

Obama, on his irst visit to the region 

as US president in March, that a halt 

to Israeli settlement building in the 

Palestinian territories was a precondition 

for any peace negotiations. 

Netanyahu has on several occasions 

said he would not accept a return 

to the 1967 borders. 

Hamas, meanwhile, urged a United 

Nations agency yesterday to resume 

its operations in the Gaza Strip, accusing 

the world body of over-reacting 

by shutting down after its headquarters 

was stormed by demonstrators. 

The main UN humanitarian agency 

for Palestinians closed all its ofices 

in Gaza on Thursday after protesters 

stormed its headquarters to demand 

it reverse a decision to cut an annual 

$40 handout to the poorest Gazans. 

The dispute comes against a 

broader backdrop of growing Palestinian 

unrest in both Gaza and the 

occupied West Bank, with no end in 

sight to the decades-old Middle East 

conlict. 

Kerry is due to arrive tomorrow, 

with meetings scheduled in both 

Ramallah and Jerusalem from April 

7-9, just two weeks after President 

Barack Obama's irst visit to the region. 

Like Obama before him, Kerry is 

not expected to bring any new initiative 

to revive peace talks, which broke 

down in 2010. 

The past week saw violent clashes 

between youths and Israeli security 

forces in the West Bank, which raised 

fears that a new uprising, or Intifadha, 

might be brewing. There were 

reports of sporadic confrontations 

yesterday, but not on the same scale 

as earlier in the week. 

In another sign of the tensions, 

rockets were ired out of Gaza for 

three days running this week, while 

Israeli warplanes carried out their 

irst strike on the territory since November. 

The storming of the UN Relief and 

Works Agency (UNRWA) compound 

in Gaza on Thursday was part of a 

dispute that has been brewing for 

weeks and was not tied to diplomatic 

events, but it laid bare the frustration 

brewing amongst Palestinians. 

No progress in nuclear talks with Iran 

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Iran and 

world powers yesterday failed to 

reach a breakthrough in the Iranian 

nuclear deal during talks that saw Tehran 

being criticised for failing to give 

a clear response to a proposal. 

The powers are seeking answers 

about a nuclear programme that 

Iran insists is peaceful but world 

powers fear may hide military dimensions. 

The onus is now on Iran to accept 

a series of demands that include 

curbing enrichment activities in exchange 

for concessions which would 

ease UN sanctions that have choked 

the Iranian economy and seen its currency's 

value plummet. 

Iran said its chief negotiator Saeed 

Jalili opened the negotiations in the 

Kazakh city of Almaty with goodwill 

by presenting a three-point outline 

of its own vision for how the dispute 

may be resolved. 

"At this morning's meeting, his excellency 

Dr Jalili presented speciic 

plans and proposals for starting a 

new round of co-operation between 

Iran" and the world powers, his deputy 

Ali Bagheri told reporters after 

the irst plenary session wound down 

after three hours. 

But Western oficials claimed the 

plan was a rehash of old ideas that 

had already been cast aside at a meeting 

last year in Moscow. 

"There has not yet been a clear 

and concrete response to the E3+3 

Almaty I proposal" that the powers 

made at the last nuclear negotiations 

at the same venue in February, a 

Western oficial said in a statement to 

AFP also backed by a second source. 

"Their presentation was pretty 

much a repetition of what they put 

forward in Moscow. There were some 

not fully explained general comments 

on our ideas," said the oficial on condition 

of anonymity. 

The day's second plenary session 

ended after nearly three hours with 

the two sides at least agreeing to 

meet for another plenary session today. 

Iran's Bagheri said Jalili presented 

"detailed" answers to a list of questions 

from the world powers. 

"The answers prompted more 

questions," Russian news agencies 

quoted chief Russian negotiator Sergei 

Ryabkov as saying. 

"But this proves that these talks 

are serious," he added. — AFP 

Consensus builds on new Lebanon PM 

BEIRUT — Tamam Salam, a member 

of Lebanon's opposition, emerged 

yesterday as a consensus candidate 

for the post of premier, winning key 

endorsements from across the political 

spectrum. 

The ofice has been vacant since 

March 22, when prime minister Najib 

Mikati announced his surprise resignation, 

in effect bringing down the 

Hizbullah-dominated government. 

Yesterday, parliamentary representatives 

began submitting their 

nominations to President Michel Sleiman, 

with Salam the clear favourite. 

He had already been endorsed by 

the opposition on March 14 coalition 

and Walid Jumblatt, the veteran kingmaker 

who leads Lebanon's Druze 

community, and yesterday key allies 

of the Hizbullah movement also announced 

their support for him. 

Salam's nomination is "a chance to 

re-establish peace among the Lebanese," 

said parliamentary speaker 

Nabih Berri, an ally of Hizbullah. 

REGION 

Iranian student Ali Sharghpasand of "Mechatronics Research Laboratory" from Iran's Azad University of 

Qazvin checks on his robot betore their football match against Team Koletes from Greece during the Robo-Cup 

Iran Open 2013 in Tehran yesterday. — AFP 

"All the parties in Lebanon want to 

tamp down tensions," Hilal Khachane, 

a political science professor at the 

American University in Beirut, said. 

Media reports and analysts also 

said neighbouring countries had 

pushed for Salam's nomination, seeing 

him as a candidate acceptable to 

Lebanon's opposition, and Hizbullah 

and its ally Syria. 

"They want to avoid any disagreement 

between groups in Lebanon," 

Khachane said. 

Salam's nomination would be a 

irst step towards resolving the crisis 

sparked by Mikati's resignation. 

Mikati led a government dominated 

by the so-called March 8 coalition, 

made up of Hizbullah and its partners. 

The 128-seat Lebanese parliament 

includes 61 members from the 

Hizbullah-led coalition, with 60 seats 

held by the opposition. 

Jumblatt, who holds seven seats, 

has charted a complex political path. 

He is iercely opposed to the Syrian 

regime, but has also stood by 

Hizbullah, opposing any attempt to 

disarm the group by force. 

The opposition announced their 

support for Salam on Thursday, with 

former prime minister Fuad Siniora 

saying he was a "unanimous" choice 

because of his "national and moral 

engagement." 

"It's a great national responsibility... 

I thank my brothers in the March 

14 coalition," Salam said. 

Jumblatt's endorsement followed 

shortly afterwards in an interview on 

Lebanese television, with him terming 

Salam "the voice of moderation." 

Even with such broad agreement 

on the premier, the business of forming 

a government is likely to be both 

lengthy and fractious. 

Hanging over the process is the 

question of whether elections will 

go ahead as scheduled in June, amid 

broad opposition to the electoral law 

currently on the books. —AFP 

Egypt, Sudan plan to double trade 

KHARTOUM — Egypt and Sudan plan 

to double their trade and investment, 

stepping up co-operation in sectors 

ranging from manufacturing to tourism, 

President Mohamed Mursi said 

yesterday, ending his irst visit to 

Khartoum. 

"We agree to beneit from all the 

resources we have to reach full integration, 

through joint agricultural 

projects for food security, and to double 

the amount of trade and investment," 

Mursi told reporters at a press 

conference with his fellow Islamist, 

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. 

Mursi arrived on Thursday in Sudan 

and left after about 24 hours. 

Bashir's ofice called the visit "historic" 

but observers questioned why 

Mursi had not come sooner. 

Mursi, a former Muslim Brother- 

7 killed in Iraq protests 

BAGHDAD — Seven people were 

killed in Iraq yesterday, as protests 

continued for a fourth month leading 

to a widening political crisis with the 

government. 

Four people were killed and 14 injured 

in a blast and two separate gun 

attacks in the city of Baquba, around 

60 kilometres north of Baghdad. 

In Hilla city, south of Baghdad, 

three civilians died when a bomb 

went off in a vegetables market. 

Iraq has witnessed near-daily attacks 

since US troops withdrew in 

December 2011. Thousands of protesters 

have been holding protests 

for more than 100 days to demand 

that Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki repeal 

laws they claim target a section 

of the population. 

Thousands gathered in Mosul demanding 

the government and security 

forces stop arresting protesters, 


Israeli border guards detain a Palestinian protester during clashes in the Issawiya district of Arab east 

Jerusalem yesterday. — AFP 

hood leader, was elected in June last 

year. 

Co-operation between the government 

in Cairo and Khartoum poses 

no threat and yet they both face "enemies", 

Mursi said earlier yesterday. 

"We in Egypt and Sudan are integrated, 

and you will ind enemies for 

this integration," Mursi stressed before 

thousands of people, including 

Bashir, at Al Noor mosque in Khartoum 

North. 

"This co-operation is not against 

anyone," Mursi said, adding that the 

two countries "don't seek a war or 

aggression" against others. 

Banners outside the mosque proclaimed, 

"Sudan and Egypt are brothers", 

and shouts of welcome greeted 

the visiting leader. 

On Wednesday, Egypt summoned 

Mohamed Abdullah, a cleric, said. 

"Protesters reject any negotiations 

with anyone from the government 

until the release of all those who 

were unjustly imprisoned," he said. 

In Kirkuk, thousands took to the 

streets following the noon prayers to 

demand an end to executions and the 

release of prisoners. 

According to US-based rights 

group Human Rights Watch, broad 

phrases in Iraq's 2004 anti-terrorism 

law "allow Iraqi authorities to impose 

the death penalty arbitrarily by 

encompassing even peaceful political 

protests within the vague ambit 

of 'terrorism'." London-based human 

rights group Amnesty International 

said Iraq imposed death sentences 

on most terrorism-related cases 

and carried out the fourth-highest 

number of executions worldwide in 

2011. — dpa 

the United Arab Emirates charge 

d'affaires to urge a quick conclusion 

to an investigation into Egyptians detained 

in the Gulf state on suspicion 

of links to the Muslim Brotherhood. 

Bashir was elected in 2010 but foreign 

observers said the vote failed to 

reach international standards. 

Opposition parties and rebels have 

been seeking an end to his administration. 

Turabi was among a group of 

political igures who met Mursi yesterday 

at a luxury hotel. 

He later said the "revolutionary" 

Egyptian regime should foster tighter 

ties between its people and those of 

Sudan. "The people should be linked 

with the people. It's more lasting than 

a government with a government, especially 

one which is revolutionary," 

he said. 

Ben Ali kin dies in 

custody: Tunisia 

prison chief 

TUNIS — Moncef Trabelsi, the 

brother-in-law of former Tunisian 

president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 

who was jailed for fraud, has died in 

custody of a brain tumour, the country's 

prisons chief said yesterday. 

"He died at the neurological hospital 

where he was taken (from jail) 

on March 18. He had been operated 

on for a brain tumour," the prisons 

chief, Habib Sboui, said. 

Sboui added that Trabelsi, 69, 

had been unconscious for the past 

"four or ive days". But his lawyer, 

Wissem Saidi, blamed the authorities 

for his death, alleging that 

Trabelsi did not get proper care. 

"I consider that... the ministry of 

justice and prison authorities are responsible 

for his death," Saidi said. 

A boy sits on a fence with pro-democracy protesters during Friday prayers at a weekly rally on Siteen Road in 

Sanaa, yesterday. — Reuters


Philippine and US troops salute in front of their national lags during the opening ceremony of annual 

military exercises at a military camp in Manila yesterday. — AFP 

US, Philippines start war games 

MANILA — Thousands of US and 

Filipino troops began annual military 

exercises yesterday that the 

Philippines said were vital to building 

its defence capabilities to face 

the rising threat of China. 

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert 

del Rosario used the launch of 

the 12-day Balikatan manoeuvres 

to accuse China of destabilising Asia 

with aggressive and illegal actions in 

the South China Sea. 

"For our region excessive and exaggerated 

maritime and territorial 

claims have not only created uncertainty 

but have undermined the rule 

of law," del Rosario said in a speech 

at the nation's military headquarters 

in Manila. 

"Regional peace and stability 

have been placed at serious risk." 

Del Rosario later said he was referring 

speciically to China. 

China claims most of the South 

China Sea, including waters and tiny 

rock outcrops near the coasts of 

smaller neighbours such as the Philippines. 

Tensions have escalated in recent 

years as China has sought to stamp 

its authority over the region. 

The Philippines has accused 

US Navy to be ined for reef damage 

MANILA The Philippines will ine 

the US Navy $1.4 million for damaging 

more than 2,300 square metres of 

coral reefs at a marine sanctuary, an 

oficial said yesterday. 

A US Navy ship, the former USS 

Guardian, got stuck at the Tubbataha 

National Marine Park off Palawan 

province, 600 kilometres west of Manila, 

when it ran aground on January 

17. 

A week-long assessment found 

that 2,345.67 square metres of coral 

reefs were damaged due to the accident. 

The size of the damage area at 

the Unesco World Heritage Site was 

less than the initial estimate of 4,000 

square metres. 

Angelique Songco, head of the 

Tubbataha Management Ofice, said 

Philippine laws mandate a ine of 

$600 per square metre of damaged 

corals to cover for penalties and rehabilitation 

costs. 

"The $1.4 million is but a slap on 

the wrist, as the salvage operation 

has been estimated to cost close to 

$45 million," she said in a statement. 

"However, we respect the rule of 

law and these are the ines stipulated. 

The Tubbataha Management Ofice 

13 Myanmar soldiers killed 

in south near Thai border 

BANGKOK Thirteen soldiers 

from Myanmar were 

killed yesterday in the far 

south of the country near 

the Thai border, Thai oficials 

said. 

Myanmar oficials asked 

Thailand for co-operation 

in monitoring the border 

area after a ireight with an 

unidentiied armed group 

left the soldiers dead, Deputy 

Thai Army spokesman 

China of occupying a shoal close to 

its main island, and appealed to the 

United Nations to rule on the validity 

of Chinese claims to the resourcerich 

sea. 

And last month China's navy 

began patrolling disputed waters, 

sending vessels to within 80 kilometres 

of the Malaysian coast and 

at one point iring "warning signal 

shells" at a Vietnamese boat. 

Amid the rising tensions, the Philippines 

has sought closer diplomatic 

and military ties with the United 

States, its former colonial ruler. 

The two countries share a 61year-old 

mutual defence pact, which 

requires the United States to come 

to the aid of the Philippines if it is 

attacked. 

Del Rosario said the Balikatan 

(shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises 

were a very important part of the 

Philippines' efforts to secure US support. 

"For my country we need to secure 

our borders and protect our 

territorial integrity more vigorously 

than we have before," he said. 

"Balikatan... is an important contribution 

in not only preparing both 

our armed forces to work together 

Colonel Winthai Suraree 

said. Myanmar gave no further 

information, he said. 

The incident happened 

near the southern tip of 

Myanmar across from 

Thailand's Ranong province 

about 470 kilometres 

south of Bangkok. 

In July Myanmar arrested 

92 Thais in that area for 

illegally entering the country. 

The Thais claimed they 

had been using the land 

for years and it was part of 

Thailand. 

Myanmar released 83 

of those detained. The remaining 

eight are still being 

held. 

In August the Bangkok 

Post reported one of the 

92 arrested was reportedly 

killed, according to the 

man's son. — dpa 

but also in building my country's 

own capacity to defend itself." 

The manoeuvres involve more 

than 8,000 US and Filipino troops, 

30 military aircraft including a 

dozen US F/A-18 Hornets and 

three naval vessels, the two countries 

said. 

Yesterday’s launch only involved 

speeches from military and political 

leaders from the two sides. 

The media will be allowed access 

to exercises next week, some of 

which will involve combat drills and 

simulated rescue work for natural 

disasters. 

Del Rosario also said it was vital 

for the Philippines to have more US 

forces rotate throughout the year, 

and not just for scheduled exercises 

such as Balikatan. 

"This will be crucial in our efforts 

in the short term to establish our 

minimum credible defence posture, 

and in the long term to build a more 

robust national defence structure," 

he said, without giving details. 

The Philippines said last year it 

would allow more US troops to visit 

for short durations, such as for naval 

port calls, although it ruled out a return 

of permanent bases. — AFP 

will not ask for anything more," she 

added. The US Navy cut up the nearly 

70-metre minesweeper to remove 

it from Tubbataha without causing 

further damage. The operation took 

more than two months and was completed 

only on March 30. 

The US Navy and US Ambassador 

to Manila Harry Thomas have apologised 

for the accident after growing 

anger. 

In 2005, environmental activist 

group Greenpeace was ined almost 

$7,000 when its ship ran aground at 

the same area. The group blamed an 

inaccurate chart. — dpa 

Military to return 

some Okinawa 

land to Japan 

TOKYO — Japan and the 

United States yesterday 

agreed on a plan that will 

see some land occupied 

by the US military returned 

to the islands in a 

bid to break the deadlock 

in a long-stalled deal. 

Prime Minister Shinzo 

Abe and US Ambassador 

John Roos issued a joint 

statement on the agreement, 

under which ive 

US military facilities and 

other areas on Okinawa's 

main island will return 

to Japan over the coming 

years. 

Tokyo and Washington 

also agreed they will return 

land currently occupied 

by the controversial 

Futenma airbase "in iscal 

2022 or later" the joint 

statement said. 

"I am glad to see the 

long-stalled issue move 

forward," Abe said in a 

meeting with the ambassador. 

— AFP 

ASIA 

N Korea warns embassies of 

war risk as missiles moved 

LONDON/SEOUL — North Korea has 

asked embassies in Pyongyang that 

might wish to get staff out if there is 

a war to submit plans to it by April 

10, Britain said yesterday, as it upped 

the pressure as part of a war of words 

that has set the Korean peninsula 

on edge. Initial reports by Russia's 

Foreign Ministry and China's Xinhua 

news agency suggested that North 

Korea had suggested that embassies 

should consider closing because of 

the risk of conlict. 

The request came amid a military 

buildup by the United States in South 

Korea following the North's warnings 

that war was inevitable due to UN 

sanctions imposed for a nuclear test 

and what it terms "hostile" US troop 

drills with South Korea. 

"We believe they have taken this 

step as part of their continuing rhetoric 

that the US poses a threat to 

them," Britain's Foreign Ofice said 

in a statement after the reports from 

Russia and China. 

A British diplomatic oficial, who 

spoke on condition of anonymity, said 

that European Union embassies in 

Pyongyang had been summoned to 

deliver their evacuation plans. 

Under the Vienna Convention that 

governs diplomatic missions, host 

governments are required to facilitate 

the exit of embassy staff in the event 

of conlict. 

Russia's Foreign Ministry said earlier 

that North Korea had "proposed 

that the Russian side consider the 

evacuation of employees in the increasingly 

tense situation", according 

to Denis Samsonov, a spokesman for 

its embassy in Pyongyang. 

A report from Chinese state news 

agency Xinhua chimed with the Russian 

report, saying that Pyongyang 

had asked embassies to consider 

evacuation if the situation deteriorated. 

North Korea, ruled by 30-year old 

Kim Jong-un, has not issued any statement 

indicating which of the conlict- 

Visitors look at replicas of the 

Hawk Guided Missile at Imjingak 

peace park near the demilitarised 

zone dividing the two Koreas in the 

border city of Paju. — AFP 

ing reports was true. 

In a fusillade of statements issued 

over the past month, North Korea has 

threatened to stage a nuclear strike 

on the United States, something it 

lacks the capacity to do, according to 

most experts, and has declared war 

on South Korea. 

Yesterday, South Korean media reported 

that North Korea had placed 

two of its intermediate range missiles 

on mobile launchers and hidden 

them on the east coast of the country 

in a move that could threaten Japan 

or US Paciic bases. 

The report could not be con- 

irmed. But any such movement may 

be intended to demonstrate that the 

North, angry about joint US-South Korean 

military exercises as well as the 

sanctions for its third nuclear test, is 

prepared to demonstrate its ability to 

mount an attack. 

Speculation centred on two kinds 

of missiles neither of which is known 

to have been tested. One was the socalled 

Musudan missile which South 

7 

Korea's Defence Ministry estimates 

has a range of up to 3,000 km, the 

other is called the KN-08, which is believed 

to be an inter-continental ballistic 

missile, which is again untested. 

The month-long verbal assaults 

from North Korea have set inancial 

markets in South Korea, Asia's fourth 

largest economy, on edge. 

South Korean shares slid on Friday, 

with foreign investors selling 

their biggest daily amount in nearly 

20 months, hurt after aggressive easing 

from the Bank of Japan sent the 

yen reeling, as well as by the tension 

over North Korea. 

"In the past, (markets) recovered 

quickly from the impact from any 

North Korea-related event, but recent 

threats from North Korea are stronger 

and the impact may therefore not 

disappear quickly," Vice Finance Minister 

Choo Kyung-ho told a meeting. 

While few observers believe that 

North Korea will launch a military attack, 

alarm has grown over the intensiication 

of the threats. 

The comments from the North 

could well continue until the end of 

April when the joint US and South 

Korean military exercises are due to 

end. "The rhetoric is off the charts," 

said Victor Cha, former director for 

Asian affairs at the White House National 

Security Council and now senior 

adviser at the Centre for Strategic 

Studies in Washington. 

The youth of Kim Jong-un has become 

an issue. He is the third member 

of his family to rule in Pyongyang 

and took over in December 2011 after 

the death of his father Kim Jongil, 

who staged confrontations with 

South Korea and the United States 

throughout his 17-year rule. 

Counterbalancing that, the young 

Kim is surrounded by generals and 

advisers in their 70s who have been 

through this before, but there are 

concerns that he may view the risk of 

conlict as one worth taking. 

— Reuters

8 

A wave of political scandals at a time 

of economic woe is coming together to 

reinforce populist theories, the theory 

that they are all rotten. But in some 

countries fury has coiled into potent 

blowback, writes Fabrice Randoux 

An explosive mix 

A 

WAVE of corrosive political scandals at a time of economic woe is exacerbating 

the outrage of European citizens, who are channelling resentment 

into street protests or at the polls. 

Italy, Spain and Greece have all been hit by fraud or graft cases allegedly involving 

the top brass. France joined the ranks of scandal-hit nations last week 

after its former budget minister was charged with tax fraud. 

"Everything is coming together to reinforce populist theories — the theory 

that 'they're all rotten'," said Eddy Fougier, a researcher at the Paris-based IRIS 

think-tank, which analyses international issues. In France, outrage over the 

budget minister scandal has yet to erupt into popular protests. 

But in some countries of southern Europe, which for several years have 

been hit by austerity measures more severe than in France, fury has coiled 

into potent blowback. 

Italy, for instance, is currently in the midst of a major political impasse triggered 

in part by voter discontent over a string of scandals. 

Ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is involved in tax fraud and other cases. 

Fed-up Italians registered their anger en masse in February general elections, 

giving former comedian Beppe Grillo's new anti-corruption, anti-austerity 

party — the Five Star Movement — 25 per cent of the votes. 

That led to a three-way split between the parties of Grillo, Berlusconi and 

a centre-left party run by Pier Luigi Bersani. The result was a failure to form a 

new government in the euro zone's third-largest economy. 

"No political party must be under any illusion. Even if they did not all act in 

the same way, there is rage against them," said Giacomo Marramao, a professor 

of political philosophy at Roma Tre University. 

A series of scandals has also sparked anger in Spain, where citizens brandish 

drawings of envelopes — a reference to hiding wads of cash in a symbol 

of graft — in street protests and on the Internet as a sign of their disgust. 

"In Spain, people have never really forgiven the act of pocketing money, and 

if it coincides with a period of general crisis, then it spawns incredibly hostile 

feelings," said Emilio de Diego, professor of contemporary history at the Complutense 

University of Madrid. 

The country's ruling Popular Party, in power since the end of 2011, has 

been rocked by two separate probes. 

It has been accused of using a slush fund to make secret payments to senior 

members, including Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy — a claim he denies — and 

is also involved in a corruption scandal related to awarding state contracts. 

The royal family has also been drawn into the storm, with a Spanish judge 

naming Princess Cristina as a suspect in a graft case centred on allegations of 

embezzlement and inluence-peddling against her husband and his ex-business 

partner. In Greece, where tax evasion is widespread, thousands have over 

the months taken to the streets to denounce the "thieves" sitting in parliament, 

in protest against tough austerity measures. 

A scandal involving more than 2,000 prominent Greek politicians, media 

and industry moguls with Swiss bank accounts has also made waves. 

The scandal is based on a list of names originally sent from Paris in 2010 

but kept buried for two years and under two successive governments. 

It recently resurfaced in the press, with calls to use it in the battle against 

tax evasion. 

Even in northern Europe, the crisis has exacerbated public anger over 

abuse of power and corruption. 

In Belgium, the formation in late 2012 of a private foundation by Queen 

Fabiola sparked a public uproar, as it was widely perceived as a way to avoid 

paying the country's 70 per cent inheritance tax. 

The 84-year-old has since dissolved the charitable vehicle, and her annual 

income from the state has been reduced from 1.4 million euros ($1.8 million) 

to around 900,000 euros. 

AFFORDABLE housing is the key 

to India's realty industry being 

able to change lanes to the fast 

track but cost escalations due to delayed 

permissions, lack of access to 

cheap credit and shortage of building 

material are proving to be major 

hurdles. The solution: Policy changes 

covering land to lending. 

The demand for affordable homes 

alone, in the range of Rs 1-5 million, 

is in the range of ive million. Over a 

third of new homes is in this category. 

According to industry statistics, 

out of 500,000 homes to be delivered 

this year, a large part will be the 

affordable housing segment. 

But the affordability of homebuyers 

has been severely hit by cost 

escalations and high project cost is 

proving to be the main deterrent. 

The lack of sustained funds low to 

the realty industry not only restricts 

supplies, leading to housing shortage 

(mostly in the affordable category), 

but also results in a spurt in property 

prices. 

Amid this liquidity crisis, a large 

number of realty companies today 

ind themselves in a debt trap. So 

much so that promoters of a few 

companies have pledged a major 

part of their holdings to seek debt. 

ANALYSIS 

There is a need to ease bank funding 

and make foreign direct investment 

and external commercial borrowings 

more accessible to developers. 

On the private equity front, statistics 

show that such investments in 

the residential segment registered a 

50 per cent decline compared to the 

ofice realty space, as these investors 

were more interested in income-gen- 

How dangerous is N Korea? 

THE United States has pursued 

but for 60 years never 

found a resolution to the 

conlict with North Korea. Despite 

Pyongyang's growing threats 

to drop nuclear bombs on the 

United States, there still seems no 

clear strategy, only the assertion 

that North Korea's bark is worse 

than its bite. 

Once again, US President 

Barack Obama has been caught 

off guard. Just as with the Arab 

Spring of two years ago, no one 

saw the newest crisis coming 

with the pariah Stalinist state. 

Tensions have been escalating on 

a near daily basis. 

The US has had a two-pronged 

reaction. Rhetorically, the world's 

last remaining super power signals 

that Pyongyang's sabre-rattling 

is not overly worrisome, and 

that there are still no North Korean 

soldiers marching to war. 

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is 

deploying missile destroyers and 

stealth bombers to the region. 

There is a sense of helplessness 

over the daily provocations from 

North Korea, though it remains 

unclear how dangerous the crisis 

really is. 

Oficial Washington has played 

down the standoff. Even the major 

US newspapers last Thursday 

buried the news about the most 

serious threat to date: that North 

Korea has approved a nuclear attack 

on the US. 

The White House and State De- 

erating assets. In this context, speeding 

up the launch of real estate investment 

trusts, or listed companies 

that own and manage property on 

behalf of shareholders, on the bourses 

will help meet the large-scale fund 

requirement for mass housing. 

It is, indeed, heartening that the 

National Housing Bank (NHB) is setting 

up an urban housing fund with 

partment note nearly every day 

that troop movements in North 

Korea have not been observed. 

There has only been "bellicose 

rhetoric," unsupported through 

deeds, they say, and echoing from 

past crises on the peninsula. 

"The behaviour of the regime 

in Pyongyang that we are seeing 

now... represents a familiar pattern," 

presidential spokesman Jay 

Carney said. 

Secretary of Defence Chuck 

Hagel, though, sounded a different 

tone: "We take those threats 

seriously. We have to take those 

threats seriously." Washington 

regularly insists there is no doubt 

that if it comes to it, the US would 

not hesitate to use weapons. 

"Let me be perfectly clear here 

today: The United States will defend 

and protect ourselves and 

our treaty ally, the Republic of 

Korea," Secretary of State John 

Kerry said. 

The Defence Department 

has sent missile destroyers to 

the western Paciic and stealth 

bombers lying over South Korea. 

Washington has accelerated 

by two years its installation of a 

land-based missile defence system 

on the island of Guam, to free 

up the destroyers to move closer 

to North Korea. 

All of this signals how serious 

Washington takes the threat. 

"It only takes being wrong 

once, and I don't want to be the 

secretary of defence who was 

wrong once," Hagel said. 

Washington still has 28,000 

soldiers in South Korea, whose 

presence as de facto hostages 

keeps the country under the umbrella 

of the US nuclear deterrent. 

Their commander, General James 

Thurman, called the situation 

"volatile" and said his job was "to 

prevent war," even as he feared a 

miscalculation that could result 

in hostilities. 

Miscalculation is the key word 

in any discussion of the Korean 

crisis in Washington. The crux of 

the matter is that there is no direct 

contact with Pyongyang and 

its young, new ruler, Kim Jong Un, 

who remains an enigma. What 

happens if he overplays his hand? 

Asia expert Mike Chinoy takes 

Obama to task for not making an 

honest effort to seek contact — at 

least under the table. 

"The truth has to be faced: US 

policy towards North Korea is 

not working," Chinoy wrote in the 

Washington Post. 

While conceding that North 

Korea's nuclear and missile programmes 

pose a serious threat, 

Chinoy called for the Obama administration 

to take the one route 

that it has "adamantly resisted: 

engagement at the highest levels." 

Mid-level envoys don't work 

because the top leader makes all 

the key decisions, Chinoy said. 

Other experts disagree. 

Kongdan Oh of the Brookings 

Institution, a Washington-based 

think-tank, says the North Korean 

leader is resistant to any outside 

inluence — except from Beijing. 

"It would seem that Kim Jong- 

The US is 

deploying 

missiles 

and stealth 

bombers in 

the region as 

there is a sense 

of helplessness 

over daily 

provocations 

from North 

Korea, writes 

Peer Meinert 

Un can only be moved by the 

wrath of his people or by strong 

pressure from the Chinese. No 

one else has leverage over him," 

Oh wrote. 

Korea expert Scott Snyder at 

the Council on Foreign Relations, 

another Washington think-tank, 

sees the biggest danger in the 

possibility that a "miscalculation" 

could have "deadly consequences." 

Snyder said he has seen no 

evidence of troop movements in 

the north but has another worry: 

"guerrilla-style provocation," in 

tune with Pyongyang's penchant 

for "the element of surprise." "I 

worry more about North Korea 

when they are not rattling the sabre," 

Snyder said. 

Meanwhile, South Korea deployed 

two warships to watch for 

a possible North Korean missile 

launch, as Pyongyang reportedly 

began moving missile and launch 

equipment to its coast. 

Yonhap news agency quoted 

unnamed military sources in 

Seoul as saying the North had dispatched 

two intermediate-range 

missiles on mobile launchers to 

its east coast. 

The isolated communist regime 

also proposed that foreign 

embassies in Pyongyang evacuate 

their staff as it could not guarantee 

their safety in the event of 

conlict after April 10. 

Russia said it was in close contact 

with the US, China and South 

Korea on the status of diplomatic 

missions in the country. 

Policy changes key to affordable housing 

The affordability of home-buyers in 

India has been severely hit by cost 

escalations and high project cost 

which is proving to be the main 

deterrent for many to acquire a 

house, says Vinod Behl 

A South Korean soldier at a military guard post near the demilitarised zone in the city of Paju. — AFP 

A large number of realty companies ind themselves in a debt trap. 


Rs 2,000 crore ($360 million) to spur 

affordable housing. 

The Housing and Urban Development 

Corp, with a target to build 

500,000 affordable homes, has in its 

irst tranche raised about Rs 2,200 

crore ($400 million). Both these 

funds will work as a "pool fund" to 

incetivise cash-strapped developers 

aspiring to tap the high potential 

segment of affordable housing. 

It is on the policy front that there 

is the lack of effective initiatives. 

This year's budget sop of Rs 100,000 

($1,800) additional tax beneit on 

home loans will largely beneit tier II 

and tier III cities. But given that the 

top six-seven cities constitute less 

than a fourth of the overall affordable-housing 

supply, there is a need 

to launch incentivised policies for 

developers to provide mass housing 

in the suburbs and satellite towns of 

metros and Tier I cities. 

With urbanisation expected 

to grow at a compounded annual 

growth rate of more than two per 

cent over the next two decades, there 

is the need to liberalise obsolete development 

norms, rationalising loor 

area ratio and density. There should 

be policy initiatives in place to fasttrack 

the route.


Africa’s rise pays out dividends for democracy 

African Development 

Bank President Donald 

Kaberuka believes 

Africa has now reached 

a milestone moment, 

reports Pascal 

Fletcher 

AFRICA is rising not only on the growth charts of economists. 

The continent that was a byword for poverty, 

chaos and bloodshed only a few decades ago, providing 

a media feast of famines and wars, is slowly but steadily 

notching up gains on the democracy scorecard too. 

Last month’s generally peaceful Kenyan presidential election 

— and the Supreme Court process that conirmed Uhuru 

Kenyatta’s narrow win — confounded pundits’ predictions 

that East Africa’s biggest economy would tumble back 

into the same inter-tribal violence which bloodied a 2007 

vote. 

The Kenyan ballot, following a line of hotly-contested but 

broadly smooth elections last year in Senegal, Sierra Leone 

and Ghana, has bolstered what many see as a spreading embrace 

of multi-party democracy in Africa. 

Combined with better economic management by many 

governments and a fast-growing population of young workers 

and consumers, this improving political maturity will underpin 

expected GDP growth for Sub-Saharan Africa of ive 

per cent or more this year. 

“If you peel back ‘Africa Rising’, it is not just growth rates,” 

said John Stremlau, Vice-President for Peace Programs at the 

Atlanta-based Carter Center and a veteran observer of African 

elections, including the most recent Kenyan one. 

In a December outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, Fitch Ratings 

called the vote in Kenya, seen as a political and econom- 

THE Institute of Cetacean Research can be 

found in a nondescript white-brick ofice 

building in Tokyo’s port district. Down 

a hallway and through an unmarked door is a 

small lobby with a model ship, a poster showing 

various whale species, and a sign that reads 

"Keep Out". 

Japan says the research that goes on behind 

the locked security door is crucial for studying 

whale populations, but critics slam the practice 

as a loophole to get around an international ban 

on commercial whaling. 

Captured whales are studied by the Institute, 

which refers to its work on them as "lethal research" 

before their meat is sold across Japan, 

including in restaurants in nearby Tsukiji market 

where a sushi-style piece of the purple lesh 

costs a few dollars. 

Telephone and fax requests for an interview 

went unanswered. An AFP reporter who visited 

the ofice recently was confronted by two men 

who did not identify themselves. 

Norway and Iceland are the only other nations 

that hunt whales in open deiance of a 

1986 moratorium, and Japan’s annual hunt has 

drawn criticism from both activists and foreign 

governments. But the Institute insists "antiwhaling 

is not ‘world opinion’". 

"Rather, it is a predominantly Western phenomenon 

in developed countries ampliied by 

anti-whaling fundraising NGOs (non-governmental 

organisations) and the Western media," 

it says on its website, pointing to hundreds of 

whaling research papers. 

"The purpose of Japan’s research is science 

— science that will ensure that when commercial 

whaling is resumed it will be sustainable." 

What Japan sees as research is at the heart 

of a bitter grudge match between militant activists 

intent on ending the nation’s annual whale 

hunt and an equally determined Tokyo, which 

dismisses the campaigners as "terrorists". 

Japan’s whaling leet left port in December 

aiming to catch about 1,000 whales in the icy 

ic anchor in East Africa, an “important inlection point”. 

Despite technical glitches and some localised violence, 

Kenya passed this test without repeating the 2007-2008 

bloodletting that killed more than 1,200 people, helping to 

mend its image as one of Africa’s most stable democracies. 

Standard Bank economist Simon Freemantle said the 

Kenya vote added to a list of recent African elections where 

incumbent leaders accepted defeat, such as Zambia’s Rupiah 

Banda in 2011 and Senegal’s Abdoulaye Wade in 2012, or 

where losing challengers heeded the verdict of the ballot box 

and the courts. 

A dissident takeover in Central African Republic last 

month became the latest lashpoint of regional instability. 

This sucked in South Africa which suffered a blow to its ambitions 

to be the continental superpower by losing 13 soldiers 

on a military training mission killed in confused ighting 

there. 

France’s robust military intervention in its former Sahel 

colony Mali in January repulsed a mix of Al Qaeda allied dissidents, 

but at the same time raised fears of a backlash in 

North and West Africa, not least in Nigeria where the government 

is battling the northern Boko Haram insurgency. 

Democratic Republic of Congo’s east remains a political 

and ethnic tinderbox and a surprise attack by pro-secessionist 

dissidents in March on the second city and mining hub of 

Lubumbashi added to the instability woes of the central Af- 

Crew of Japan’s whale research vessels, stand in a returning ceremony of the 7,575-tonne Nissin-maru, mother ship of the whale research 

at the Tokyo port in this ile photo. — AFP 

A flashpoint in global dispute 

What Japan sees as 

research is at the 

heart of a bitter 

grudge match between 

activists intent on 

ending the nation’s 

annual whale hunt and 

an equally determined 

Tokyo, write Peter 

Brieger and Hiroshi 

Hiyama 

waters of the Antarctic, where they are regularly 

pursued by militant environmentalist group 

Sea Shepherd. Activists said this year’s hunt 

ended in March with no more than 75 whales 

killed. 

They have clashed violently in exchanges 

that have in the past seen stink bombs thrown 

at Japanese crew and water jets trained on protesters. 

The bitter ight has also reached the legal 

arena with both sides launching lawsuits. 

Tokyo says that researching the mammals 

is "perfectly legal" under international whaling 

rules, as is selling meat by-products. Organs including 

ovaries and stomach contents are crucial 

for research, the Institute says. 

"Some indispensable data have to be collected 

by lethal means, which simply cannot be obtained 

by non-lethal means," it says, adding that 

death "is as rapid as possible". "A large proportion 

of the whales taken are killed instantly by 

an explosive harpoon". 

Critics question what remains for the Institute 

to conclude about sustainable whale populations 

after carrying out its research in the 

decades since the moratorium on international 

whaling was established. 

"They (the Institute) don’t really have an argument 

to justify themselves anymore," said 

Junichi Sato, executive director of Greenpeace 

Japan. "If they can’t get enough data by killing 

thousands of whales, then that is a failure of the 

science," he said. 

But "it’s about pride. Japan has been claiming 

this is part of Japanese culture. Once you raise 

that issue, it’s very dificult to back down." 

Questions remain about the economic viability 

of whaling given the decades-long decline in 

Japanese consumption of the meat. A report by 

the International Fund for Animal Welfare recently 

said the whaling programme costs Japanese 

taxpayers $10 million a year. 

There was little appetite among private irms 

to restart commercial whaling given the prohibitive 

expense, Sato said. 

rican giant. 

A raid by opposition Renamo supporters in Mozambique 

on Thursday, killing four policemen, may also worry mining 

irms exploring huge coal and natural gas reserves. Nevertheless, 

most Africa watchers say the continent has unquestionably 

moved on from the time when government change 

was more likely to come from the point of a gun than a ballot 

box. 

In its 2012 “Africa attractiveness” survey, Ernst & Young 

recalled that between 1960, the milestone year for African 

independence, and 1990 there was only one instance of an 

African leader or ruling party being voted out of ofice. 

The continent gained an unenviable reputation for bloody 

coups, kleptocratic “Big Men” rulers, and brutal civil wars 

fought over resources and often featuring child soldiers — 

an image of chaos and conlict that has endured over the 

years. 

“The perception is that Africa is often more politically unstable, 

more corrupt and more challenging to do business 

than anywhere else in the world,” the Ernst & Young survey 

said. But it argued the facts now “tell a different story,” noting 

that most African countries have transitioned, or are transitioning 

towards, some form of participatory democracy. 

In its 2012 Democracy index, the Economist Intelligence 

Unit said elections had become a “normal occurrence” in 

Sub-Saharan Africa, while coups had declined sharply. 

Scotland’s debate over 

non-nuclear Nato bases 

By Daniel Bases 

ANALYSIS 

ALEX Salmond wants to see an independent Scotland free of submarines 

laden with nuclear missiles, but he says he is open to hosting Nato bases 

without weapons of mass destruction. As leader of the Scottish National 

Party (SNP), which controls the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh, the Scottish 

irst minister announced last month that on September 18, 2014, Scots would 

have a chance to decide whether or not to break from the United Kingdom after 

more than 300 years. 

A Scotland free of British Trident nuclear submarines has been a longstanding 

aim of the SNP. In an interview with Reuters in New York on Thursday, 

Salmond said he would not get into a debate before the referendum about 

allowing foreign military bases on Scottish soil. But he did say it was the SNP’s 

intention to be a Nato member. 

"The choice in policy terms is to be a non-nuclear member of that organisation," 

he said. "So then if we are talking about a non-nuclear base, then of 

course that would be something that would be possible in terms of the (Nato) 

treaty agreement." In February, the British government led by Conservative 

Prime Minister David Cameron warned in a legal opinion that an independent 

Scotland would forfeit its membership in international bodies such as Nato 

and the European Union. 

Salmond said an application to join the EU would be one of his irst acts after 

a successful referendum. He predicted EU entry for an independent Scotland 

in 2016. Salmond is in the United States to promote the independence 

cause and to drum up investment to bolster the economy of the 5.2 million 

strong Scottish nation. He will seek to promote a distinct foreign policy view 

when he visits Washington next week and meets with US lawmakers. 

Salmond said neither he nor Washington had broached the subject of a US 

military base in Scotland, but the SNP had had discussions with US representatives 

about Nato membership. 

Cameron visited Scotland on Thursday and welcomed back the crew of a 

Trident submarine. He is at odds with some members of his own coalition 

government in saying that scaling back Britain’s nuclear deterrent would be 

unwise given potential threats from some countries. 

Salmond argues that Scotland’s annual contribution of £180 million ($275 

million) to help maintain the submarines would be better spent elsewhere. 

"I accept that cleaning up contaminated land is part of the responsibilities of 

government, but the most important step in decontaminating nuclear materials 

in Scotland is not to renew a nuclear missile system for the next half century," 

he said. Salmond and the SNP face a hard battle to secure independence. 

Opinion polls around the time the referendum date was set showed support 

for independence at 30 per cent of the Scottish electorate while 50 per cent 

favour the status quo. Salmond hopes to boost support for the SNP cause by 

convincing Scots they would be better off with independence, not least by redirecting 

North Sea oil and gas revenues to their own Treasury. 

According to the Scottish government, in the iscal year ending in March 

2012, Scotland accounted for 9.3 per cent of UK public spending but 9.9 per 

cent of UK tax revenue. Oil and gas aside, Scotland is pushing wind energy 

while building technology services in addition to tourism and Scotch Whisky 

industries. Salmond reiterated his challenge to debate Cameron on television 

about the merits of Scottish independence. He accused the prime minister of 

visiting Scotland to "scare" Scots about the impact of independence just as he 

was trying to promote its business and culture in the United States. 

Alex Salmond speaks during an interview in New York. — Reuters 

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

9

10 

INDIA 

Rescue workers and local residents gather around the rubble of a collapsed residential building during a search 

for survivors in Thane district, on the outskirts of Mumbai yesterday. At least 39 people were killed and dozens 

injured after an illegal, half-constructed building collapsed in seconds ‘like a pack of cards’ on the outskirts of 

India's inancial centre Mumbai, oficials and witnesses said. — Reuters 

CBI seen giving clean chit to Raja Bhaiyya 

LUCKNOW — Ghuraj Pratap Singh 

alias Raja Bhaiyya has been summoned 

by the Central Bureau of Investigation 

(CBI) to appear before 

it within a week, in connection with 

the triple murder at Balipur village 

on March 2. 

Reports indicate that the preliminary 

investigation by the CBI has 

found nothing incriminating against 

the former minister in the murders 

of Balipur village head Nanhe Yadav, 

his brother Suresh and Deputy 

Superintendent of Police Zia-ul- 

Haq. 

Sources in the CBI said the summons 

were issued to "clear some 

doubts". The former minister has 

been asked to present himself at 

the camp ofice of the CBI. The 

notice was sent to Raja Bhaiyya's 

houses in Kunda and Lucknow 

late on Thursday. Raja Bhaiyya has 

been mentioned as a conspirator in 

the murder of the police oficial by 

Haq's widow, Parveen Azad, a medical 

student. 

Oficials say the former UP minister 

would be interrogated on his 

whereabouts at the time of the triple 

murder. He would be grilled on 

any "insights" into the role of his 

close aides and a driver, who have 

been arrested in the case. 

Earlier, the agency grilled his 

cousin and former MP Akshay 

Pratap Singh alias Gopalji. 

The investigating team of the CBI 

has also questioned Kunda Nagar 

panchayat head Gulshan Yadav, representative 

of the former minister, 

Hari Om Srivastava, driver Rohit 

Trinamool councillor Kow 

arrested in murder case 

KOLKATA — Trinamool Congress 

councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation 

Shambhunath Kow, prime 

accused in the murder of party leader 

Adhir Maity in March, was arrested 

from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh early 

yesterday, police said. 

"Kow was nabbed from Ballia early 

today following a tip-off. He was produced 

in court there, which ordered 

transit remand for him till April 7. 

He is being brought to Kolkata," Joint 

Commissioner of Police (Crime) Pallab 

Kanti Ghosh said here. 

Kow had been on the run since 

March 20, when Maity was killed 

during a clash by miscreants allegedly 

led by the councillor over a land 

dispute at Mathpukur in the city's 

eastern fringes. 

Ghosh said Kow was nabbed from 

a house in Maturi village in the wee 

hours after a tip-off. Three mobile 

phones and Rs 28,000 were seized 

from him. "Since the day of the incident, 

we had been searching for him 

in Kolkata, its surrounding areas and 

in neighbouring states. Last Saturday, 

we arrested one of his relatives in 

Kolkata. Following information given 

by him, we seized Rs 59 lakh in cash 

and gold jewellery from a house in 

Maheshtala," he said. 

Police then fanned out into neighbouring 

states Odisha, Jharkhand 

and Uttar Pradesh. Kow was arrested 

after a 15-day manhunt. 

Asked about Kow's whereabouts 

since March 20, Ghosh said that "he 

mostly stayed outside Kolkata". 

Delhi assault case: Court 

reprimands defence lawyer 

NEW DELHI — The fast track court 

hearing December 16 gang rape 

case yesterday came down heavily 

on defence lawyer M L Sharma, saying 

he must "behave properly" and 

"mind his words while addressing 

the court". 

Additional Session Judge (ASJ) 

Yogesh Khanna pulled up Sharma, 

counsel for accused Mukesh, when he 

suggested the judge take an off on Saturday 

as he (Sharma) will be on leave. 

"Mind your words while addressing 

the court. I am sitting on the 

bench. You must behave properly. 

What is this 'chhutti le lejile'?," the 

court told Sharma asking him to 

maintain the decorum of court. 

"When I am working tomorrow, 

how can you ask me to take leave. 

You are the counsel in the case, you 

have to come to the court tomorrow," 

the ASJ said. The court said it will 

hold the court proceedings today and 

asked the counsel to remain present 

in the court at 2 pm sharp. 

Special Public Prosecutor Dayan 

Krishnan, also expressed his displeasure 

over the conduct of Sharma, 

saying: "I have never seen counsel 

telling the judge to take a holiday." 

Meanwhile, Sharma and fellow 

defence lawyer A P Singh, who is representing 

accused Vinay and Akshay, 

also got into heated arguments in the 

court after Singh said that this court 

should not be used as "learning forum". 

The tiff started when Sharma 

was cross-examining a prosecution 

witness and spent nearly two hours 

asking irrelevant questions from him. 

When the judge objected and told 

Sharma to ask only relevant questions, 

Sharma replied that he is learning 

through this case. At this point, Singh 

also lost his cool and shouted at him. 

"Counsel (Sharma) should not 

make this case as learning forum. If 

he wants to learn, there are so many 

cases... he can learn from that cases. 

Its an important case and life of all 

the accused are on stake. Counsel 

should not use this case as learning 

point," screamed Singh. — IANS 

Singh and legislator Vinod Saroj. 

Haq's widow recently visited 

Kunda to take back her husband's 

belongings from his oficial residence, 

and expressed satisfaction 

at the probe so far. She said she 

expected investigations to be "free, 

fair and without any political inluence." 

The family of village pradhan 

Nanhe Yadav has alleged, meanwhile, 

that the CBI was trying to 

"water down" the case. 

The CBI, earlier this week, sought 

the transfer of four station house 

oficers at Kunda and of other police 

oficials outside the area, citing 

"political inluence". 

Following this, the state government 

transferred 108 policeman 

out of Pratapgarh district. — IANS 

Former Odisha 

minister’s son 

gets bail in 

dowry case 

BHUBANESWAR — The district 

and sessions court yesterday 

granted bail to Raja Shree Mohanty, 

son of former Odisha minister Raghunath 

Mohanty, over a fortnight 

after he was arrested for allegedly 

torturing his wife for dowry, his 

lawyer said. 

The district and sessions judge 

at the district headquarters town 

of Balasore, V Jayashree, granted 

bail on condition that Mohanty not 

leave the state without permission 

from the court, and co-operate 

with the police in investigations, 

lawyer Gouri Kumar Barik said. 

In her complaint at a police station 

in Balasore, about 220 km 

from here, Barsa Swony Choudhury 

alleged that she had been 

physically and mentally tortured 

by her husband Raja Shree since 

their wedding in June 2012. 

She also alleged that her fatherin-law 

Raghunath, mother-in-law 

Pritilata, sister-in-law Rupashree 

and other family members were 

also involved in the crime. 

She claimed that her parents 

had given Rs 10 lakh at the time of 

the marriage, as was demanded, 

but her husband and family-in-law 

were unhappy, insisting that her 

parents pay Rs 25 lakh and also 

give them a multi-utility vehicle. 

While Raja Shree was arrested 

on March 17, his parents were arrested 

from Kolkata on March 30. 

Another local court had granted 

bail to the parents on April 2. 

Raja Shree's father Raghunath 

Mohanty is a ive-time legislator 

from Basta constituency in Balasore 

district, who resigned from 

the state cabinet on March 15, 

a day after his daughter-in-law 

lodged a complaint with the police 

against her husband and members 

of his family. 

Mohanty, 64, had been holding 

the portfolios of law, urban development 

and information technology. 

— IANS 


2 officials suspended after 

building collapse kills 48 

THANE, Maharashtra — Even as 

the death toll in Thursday evening's 

seven-storey building collapse rose 

to 48, two oficials were suspended 

yesterday for not heeding complaints 

regarding the unauthorised 

structure. 

Civic and police oficials said that 

Deputy Municipal Commissioner 

Deepak Chavan and Senior Police 

Inspector K P Naik of Shil-Daighar 

Police Station had been suspended. 

"The ward oficer of the zone was 

suspended in January by the civic 

commissioner for laxity in acting 

against complaints of unauthorised 

structures," a civic oficial said. 

Disaster management and ire 

brigade oficials continued rescue 

operations yesterday. 

"We have pulled out 48 dead bodies. 

We have rescued 59 people. At 

least 25 are still trapped under the 

rubble," National Disaster Response 

Force Commander Alok Awasthi 

said. 

Another oficial said many victims 

were yet to be identiied. "Eight 

to 10 critically injured have been 

shifted to hospital in Mumbai," he 

added. 

At least 10 children succumbed 

to their injuries in the incident, police 

said. The building was on forest 

land, a civic oficial conirmed, stating 

that the forest department did 

not heed to its correspondence. 

"We had written to the concerned 

oficial to look into the construction 

in October last year. We sent a reminder 

next month but did not get 

any response," he said. 

The oficial said that in March, a 

notice was slapped on builder Adnan 

Seth, one of the partners in the 

irm constructing the structure. 

A forest oficial said that the land 

was privately owned and did not 

come under the purview of the forest 

department. 

Police have registered a case of 

culpable homicide not amounting 

to murder against the two builders, 

Jamil Qureshi and Salim Shaikh, who 

have gone underground. 

Civic sources also said that substandard 

material was used in construction 

of the building. They also 

hinted at the involvement of politically 

motivated fourth party. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj 

Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister 

Ajit Pawar and Home Minister R R 

Patil visited the spot. 

Termed as one of the worst building 

disasters in the state in the past 

decade, activists from the area said 

there were scores of such building 

in the Mumbra-Kalyan region due 

to the builder-oficials-police-politicians 

nexus. 

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 

(MNS) legislator from the area 

Ramesh Patil alleged that the municipal 

commissioner did not pay heed 

to his complaints about the building 

being unauthorised and unit for occupation. 

There were around 35 families 

residing in the building. Local activist 

Mangal Patil had also registered 

repeated complaints with the Thane 

Municipal Corporation about the unauthorised 

structure, but to no avail. 

Speaking to mediapersons, Mangal 

Patil claimed that there were over 

100 such buildings in the area. 

Rescue workers carry a woman rescued a day after the collapse of a residential building in Thane district, on 

the outskirts of Mumbai yesterday. — Reuters 

Punishment 31 years after the crime 

LUCKNOW — Three decades 

after the cold-blooded shooting 

and murder of 12 villagers and a 

police oficial, a special CBI court 

here yesterday sentenced three 

Uttar Pradesh Police personnel 

to death and ive others to life in 

jail. 

A Central Bureau of Investigation 

(CBI) court pronounced the 

sentences on the 18 police personnel 

convicted in the March 12, 1982 

staged shootout killing of the residents 

of Madhopur village in Gonda 

district. 

The 10 other convicts have died 

during the period of the trial. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police 

(DSP) K P Singh was also killed in 

the incident. 

Suspecting that the killing was 

staged, the widow of the police of- 

icial Vibha Singh and Allahabad- 

By Ashraf Padanna 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — 

The legal battle between actorpolitician 

KB Ganesh Kumar and 

his estranged wife Dr Yamini 

Thankachi appeared heading for 

a compromise with a magistrate 

repositioning herself as broker for 

peace. 

Both sides reportedly agreed on 

sharing assets but differences prevailed 

on the alimony to be paid to 

Dr Thankachi, who also insisted 

on a public apology from Kumar 

for making defamatory statements 

against her. 

Chief Judicial Magistrate MB 

Snehalatha held talks with the 

couple, who have sought divorce, 

jointly and separately in her chamber 

for nearly three hours, giving 

enough time to consult their lawyers. 

Sources said the magistrate 

had invited the two for further 

talks next Friday. 

Kumar, who resigned as the 

minister for sports, forests and cin- 

based social activist Chitranjan 

Singh had iled separate petitions 

in the Supreme Court (SC). The top 

court then had ordered a CBI investigation 

into the matter. 

The premier investigative agency 

began its probe in 1984 and found 

19 police oficials to be involved. 

Charge-sheets were iled against 

all the accused and in March, after 

31 years of legal process, the special 

CBI court convicted 18 people. 

One of the accused, Prem Singh, 

however, was let off due to want of 

suficient evidence. 

CBI judge Rajendra Singh, in his 

judgement, said there was enough 

evidence for capital punishment 

against the then Kaudia station 

house ofice (SHO) R B Saroj, the 

then constable Ram Karan Yadav, 

and head constable R N Pandey for 

plotting to kill the DSP. 

ema after Dr Thankachi publicly 

raised allegations of domestic violence, 

came to the court along with 

his ilm-maker friend Shaji Kailas 

and lawyers. 

The magistrate however kept 

their friends and lawyers outside 

the chamber and directed them 

to refrain from making public 

statements. The magistrate held 

talks with the lawyers representing 

them separately. 

Kumar had earlier agreed to 

part with his house in the city, sell 

off his apartment in Chennai and 

pay Dr Thankachi Rs 15m from its 

proceeds and Rs 2.5m in cash besides 

making ixed deposits of Rs 

2.5m each in the bank accounts of 

his two sons. 

The deal reached at the initiative 

of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy 

fell apart after Dr Thankachi insisted 

cash payment of Rs 5m meant 

for the children and Kumar retorted 

by iling for divorce alleging domestic 

violence against her. 

Both Kumar and Dr Thankachi, 

Ramakant Dixit, Nasim Ahmad, 

Mangla Singh, Rajendra Prasad 

Singh and Pervez Hussain were given 

life sentences for facilitating the 

crime. 

Police oficials privy to the 

case informed that all the accused 

awarded the death and life sentence 

had retired from service 

while Pandey was still serving and 

is currently posted as a a sub-inspector 

in Jaunpur. 

Reacting to the sentence, the 

widows of the victims demanded 

that the state government give their 

families ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 

lakh each, pension and construct 

an inter college at Madhopur in the 

memory of the slain DSP. 

They have also asked the state 

government to give jobs to one member 

from each family that suffered in 

the staged shootouts. — IANS 

Magistrate in bid to broker marital peace 

a senior research fellow at the Sree 

Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences 

here, had alleged physical assault 

in their police complaints and furnished 

photographs in support. 

Dr Tankachi had also sought treatment 

from a hospital in the city. 

On Thursday, the CJM in her 

interim order on the petition under 

the Protection of Women from 

Domestic Violence Act, 2005, restrained 

Kumar from forcibly evicting 

Dr Yamini Thankachi and their 

two children from their city home. 

She had also demanded Rs 

200m from Kumar as damages 

for breaching the deal agreed 

upon in the presence of the chief 

minister and alleged physical 

abuse and defamation, besides 

an interim relief of Rs 22.5m 

and a monthly maintenance of 

Rs 200,000. 

According to her, Kumar had 

been indulging in physical violence 

against her for the past 16 years 

and she had been suffering continuous 

assault.


Jet deal with France hits problems 

NEW DELHI — Negotiations with 

France's Dassault Aviation on a $12billion 

deal for Rafale ighter jets have 

stalled due to disagreements over the 

production of the planes in India, a 

report said yesterday. 

The defence deal, one of the biggest 

ever, was to see the manufacture 

of the irst 18 of the jets in France 

with the remainder to be produced 

under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics 

Limited (HAL), a state-run Indian 

aerospace behemoth. 

The Indian Express newspaper, citing 

anonymous sources in its report, 

said that Dassault had refused to take 

responsibility for the 108 jets to be 

manufactured by HAL, sparking a row 

with New Delhi. 

The French irm reportedly told 

Indian oficials that New Delhi would 

have to negotiate two contracts, one 

with Dassault for 18 ighters and the 

other with HAL for the remaining 

108 aircraft. The defence ministry 

"completely rejected this suggestion 

and made it clear to Dassault that it 

(the French company) will be solely 

responsible for the sale and delivery 

of all 126 aircraft," the newspaper reported, 

citing sources. 

Dassault is thought to have reservations 

about the ability of HAL, a 

irm renowned for its ineficiencies, 

to handle the complex manufacturing 

and technology transfers which are a 

Complaint iled over Google mapping 

NEW DELHI — India's national surveying 

agency has iled a police complaint 

against Google over a contest 

organised by the irm for its Map 

Maker application, a senior oficial 

said yesterday. 

The software giant organised its 

"Mapathon 2013" competition from 

February to March, asking Indian users 

to send in details of restaurants, 

hospitals, shops, addresses and 

street names using the Google Map 

Maker service. 

R C Padhi, major general of the 

Survey of India, said that his ofice 

had iled a police complaint against 

Google in Delhi last week because of 

a possible security risk. 

"We iled a complaint against 

Google because Mapathon 2013 is 

not in accordance with Indian law 

or our national mapping policy and 

it has serious security implications," 

Padhi said. 

Padhi said that Map Maker users 

might send in information revealing 

Indian hotelier arrested for 

drugs in Florida: reports 

MIAMI — Indian hotelier and playboy 

Vikram Chatwal was arrested 

at a Florida airport this week after 

trying to board a light with heroine, 

cocaine and other drugs, local media 

reported. 

Chatwal, who owns Dream Hotels 

in South Beach Miami and New York, 

was stopped at the Fort Lauderdale 

Airport on Tuesday after Transportation 

Security Administration agents 

found what turned out to be prescription 

pills rolling around loose in 

a carry-on bag. 

A search turned up a half gram of 

cocaine wrapped in a small plastic 

package in his shirt pocket, six grams 

of heroin tucked in the crotch of his 

pants along with marijuana and ketamine, 

the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel 

reported. 

"The arrestee provided a statement 

to narcotics detectives admitting 

possessing and purchasing the 

controlled substances illegally," the 

arresting oficer wrote in her report, 

the Miami Herald said. 

Chatwal, 41, was charged with 

sensitive details of security installations 

and defence establishments. 

"How will the common man know 

what is an installation or not, what 

is a security risk or not? You cannot 

just publish a map online using any 

data without getting clearance from 

the right government authorities," 

he said. 

He added that he had not yet seen 

any Google maps showing sensitive 

addresses or buildings. 

A Google India statement released 

to AFP said that the company organised 

the contest to encourage Indians 

to use Map Maker, which was 

launched in the country in 2008. 

"Relevant Indian authorities, including 

the ministry of science and 

technology and the surveyor general 

of India, have been briefed on Map 

Maker, which complies with all applicable 

laws," the statement said. 

"We take security and national 

regulations very seriously, and we're 

open to discussing speciic concerns 

eight drug counts, including one for 

traficking because of the amount of 

heroin he was holding. 

The son of an Indian billionaire, 

Chatwal has dated a string of glamorous 

women including Brazilian 

supermodel Gisele Bundchen and is 

said to be good friends with Lindsay 

Lohan, who has herself been in and 

out of trouble. 

with public authorities and oficials." 

A senior police oficial in Delhi 

said they had received the complaint, 

but had not registered an irst information 

report (FIR) which is the irst 

step in a criminal case. 

"We have received the complaint 

and have passed it on to our cyber 

crimes cell. No investigation has 

been launched yet," Chhaya Sharma, 

a deputy commissioner of police in 

south Delhi said. 

Google has run into problems 

with Indian authorities in the past, 

particularly over its mapping services. 

Indian police in the software hub 

of Bangalore ordered the company 

to stop taking photographs of the 

city in June 2011 for its Street View 

product because of fears the images 

could be used by militants. 

Street View, which allows users 

to see places around the world from 

a 360-degree view is currently unavailable 

for India. — AFP 

Navy chief 

awards oficers 

and sailors 

MUMBAI — Indian Navy chief Admiral 

D K Joshi gave away gallantry 

awards to oficers and sailors at the 

annual investiture ceremony here 

yesterday. 

The Nao Sena Medal for Gallantry 

went to Commander Srivatsa 

Sheshadri, who evacuated a 

sailor from a German warship in 

bad weather. He overcame multiple 

engine emergencies in his Seaking 

helicopter the aircraft and safely 

landed on INS Viraat with all seven 

crew members unharmed. 

Lt Commander Dhirendra Bisht 

was awarded the Nao Sena Medal 

for Gallantry for exceptional courage 

and lying skills to execute a casualty 

evacuation from a submarine, 

INS Sindhuvir, in adverse sea conditions 

and rendering timely critical 

medical help. 

Lt Harisanker was awarded the 

medal for saving a sailor from a 

merchant vessel, MV Vishwa Vikas, 

in adverse sea and weather conditions. 

— IANS 

CBI probe sought into student leader's death 

KOLKATA — Family members of SFI 

leader Sudipto Gupta yesterday expressed 

disgust over West Bengal 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbing 

his death in police custody as a 

"petty and small" matter. Asserting 

that the youth was "murdered", they 

also demanded a CBI probe. 

"This is murder. The bus driver has 

reportedly said that he (Gupta) was 

forced out of the vehicle and beaten 

up. There were so many injury marks 

on his body. The truth can come out 

only if there is a CBI enquiry," Gupta's 

elder sister Sumita Sengupta told the 

media after meeting Governor M K 

Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan. 

Flaying Banerjee, who had told 

reporters in Bangalore on Thursday 

that Gupta's death was an "accident" 

and "a petty matter" and "small matter", 

she said: "Our chief minister 

does not know how to react to such 

situations. Would she have made a 

similar comment had my brother 

been a Trinamool Congress worker?" 

The SFI leader's father Pranab said 

Banerjee should step down from her 

chair for making such a comment. 

"We have no faith in her 

(Banerjee), otherwise we would 

not have come here to meet the 

governor," said Pranab adding that 

Narayanan listened to their demands 

but did not made any comment. 

Leader of the Opposition Surya 

Kanta Mishra, who met family members 

at their residence and then accompanied 

them to the Raj Bhavan, 

said they had "no faith in the state 

police" and wanted either a judicial 

inquiry or a probe by the Central Bureau 

of Investigation (CBI). 

Gupta, an activist of Communist 

Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) af- 

iliated Students Federation of India 

(SFI), died in police custody on Tuesday 

after he took part in an agitation. 

Left activists said Gupta was "mercilessly 

beaten" while he and other 

students who had staged a protest 

seeking elections in colleges, were 

being taken in a bus to the Presidency 

Correctional Home. 

crucial part of the deal. 

The snag could further delay the 

conclusion of the deal, which has 

been under negotiation for more than 

a year. Dassault had hoped to sign the 

contract in 2013. Experts point out 

that HAL has several existing licence 

deals with foreign irms to produce 

the British-supplied Hawk trainer aircraft, 

Russia's SU-30 multi-role ighter 

jets and European helicopters. 

It is also Dassault's partner in upgrading 

the Indian army's Frenchmade 

Mirage-2000 jets. 

Dipankar Banerjee, a retired major 

general and expert at the Institute 

of Peace and Conlict Studies in New 

Delhi, said that the disagreement with 

Dassault was part of the ongoing dialogue 

process. 

"With such a large number of aircrafts, 

the country would have the 

right for domestic manufacturing, 

under licence. It has to be part of the 

deal. But it's a major issue in the negotiation 

process," he said. 

Dassault has pushed for greater 

control over the production process 

in India, including the right to name 

suppliers, and fears being hit with severe 

inancial penalties if production 

fails to meet the targets in the contract.— 

AFP 

INDIA 

11 

Several agreements with 

Germany to boost ties 

NEW DELHI — India and Germany 

are likely to sign several pacts in areas 

including renewable energy, trade, 

infrastructure and education during 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 

visit to Berlin this week. 

Speaking to reporters here ahead 

of the three-day visit, German Ambassador 

to India Michael Steiner 

said the visit will boost trade and 

investment between the most populous 

countries in South Asia and Europe. 

He speciically mentioned the 

second-round of Inter-governmental 

Consultations on April 11 where the 

prime minister will lead a ive-member 

ministerial delegation from India, 

while Chancellor Angela Merkel will 

head the German side. 

"Germany is the only country with 

which India has such a format of 

high-level discussion," the ambassador 

said, adding it covers a host of areas 

ranging from urban development 

to nuclear safety. 

The irst round was held in New 

Delhi in May 2011 during Chancellor 

Angela Merkel's visit. The prime 

minister had last visited Germany in 

December 2010. 

Those accompanying him include 

External Affairs Minister Salman 

Khurshid, Commerce Minister Anand 

Sharma, Renewable Energy Minister 

Farooq Abdullah, Human Resource 

Development Minister M M Pallam 

Raju and Science and Technology 

Minister S Jaipal Reddy. 

The German chancellor had visited 

India previously in October-November, 

2007. During her visit in 2011 

she was conferred the Jawaharlal 

Nehru Award for International Understanding 

for the year 2009 . 

Germany is India’s largest trading 

partner in Europe and bilateral trade 

with the country had registered an 

18.4 per cent increase to touch 18.37 

billion euro in 2011. 

According to the ambassador, 

Manmohan Singh will mark the close 

of the “Days of India in Germany” - 

that was kick-started in 2011 with 

four themes, “Connecting Cultures”, 

“Connecting Ideas”, “Connecting Capabilities” 

and “Connecting Minds”. 

According to India's foreign of- 

ice, Germany has a vibrant Indian 

community of 110,000 people with 

43,175 holding Indian passports and 

67,029 of them being nationals of 

that country. — IANS 

US astronaut Sunita Williams (2R) and Gujarat Science City's Executive director, Dilip Gadhavi (3L) pose with 

the life sized cut-outs of Indian astronauts Late Kalpana Chawla (L), and Rakesh Sharma (2L) during her visit 

at the Gujarat Science City on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on April 5, 2013. Williams holds a world record for 

total cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut and has spent a total of 322 days in space 

on two missions. — AFP 

Need to track funds, information 

about transfer beneiciaries: PM 

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister 

Manmohan Singh yesterday said he 

had been informed that the process 

of tracking and monitoring system in 

Direct Beneit Transfers (DBT) was 

"unsatisfactory" and asserted that 

there was a need to track the funds 

and collect information about the 

beneiciaries. 

"We need to change the way 

we transact business, the way we 

release funds, the way we track 

funds and the information we have 

on beneiciaries. I hope due attention 

will be paid to these aspects as we 

move forward in implementing the 

programme," Manmohan Singh said 

at a meeting on DBT here. 

Saying he was told that the 

"exercise of implementing Direct 

Beneits Transfers has revealed the 

unsatisfactory nature of tracking 

and monitoring systems we have 

in various departments", the prime 

minister said: "If we need to ensure 

that the money we spend delivers 

CHANDIGARH — Slated to be 

released yesterday, Punjabi ilm 

Sadda Haq became a non-starter 

in cinema halls across Punjab, 

Haryana and Chandigarh after authorities 

in both states and the union 

territory imposed a ban on its 

screening. 

Producer-actor Kuljinder Singh 

described the decision to ban the 

ilm as "shameful". 

The ilm is about the days of 

terrorism in Punjab. The state had 

witnessed a bloody phase of terrorism 

from 1981 to 1992. 

"The Punjab government has 

imposed ban on the screening of 

outcomes, it is necessary that we 

have a robust monitoring system in 

place. 

"That is one of the things that 

Direct Beneits Transfers will 

achieve, in addition to making the 

process of getting beneits simpler 

for the beneiciaries and eliminating 

corruption and wastage." 

Noting they had "come some 

distance since Direct Beneits 

Transfer programme was rolled out 

in January, he said: "In this period, 

we have resolved a number of 

operational issues. 

“I am encouraged by this progress 

and hopeful about the future. But we 

have also run into dificulties that 

we had not anticipated at the time 

when we began the programme. We 

must therefore renew our efforts in 

order to successfully implement the 

programme." 

He said that the programme 

would be extended to 78 more 

districts. 

movie Sadda Haq till further orders. 

This step has been taken to 

maintain communal harmony in 

the state," an oficial spokesman 

said yesterday. 

The ban was imposed in neighbouring 

Haryana and Chandigarh 

too. 

The ilm had already got clearance 

from the censor board and 

even a panel of the Shiromani 

Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee 

(SGPC) had also cleared the ilm 

for screening in Punjab earlier. 

"This is a blot on democracy. 

The censor board had already 

cleared the ilm," the ilm-maker 

"With this, we will cover over 120 

districts which is roughly one-ifth of 

the country. I am also happy that we 

will be including the three pension 

schemes of Rural Development 

under the programme." 

The prime minister asked all 

departments to apply themselves 

with commitment to this major 

initiative. 

"There should be a system in 

place where people can get a simple 

bank account on demand if they have 

an Aadhaar card. Such a spread of 

inancial inclusion will have many 

other beneits, far beyond cash 

transfers alone. 

“For bankers, this is an investment 

in their bank`s own future growth," 

he said. 

He stressed that it must also 

be ensured that the coverage of 

Aadhaar is adequate and no one is 

left out. Aadhaar should be available 

on demand, he added. — IANS 

Punjab, Haryana ban movie Sadda Haq 

said. 

The release of the ilm was opposed 

by some right-wing groups. 

Radical Sikh group Dal Khalsa 

condemned the Punjab government 

for banning the ilm on 

"frivolous charges" and sought a 

re-think on it. 

Dal Khalsa president H S Dhami 

said that the Akali Dal-led Punjab 

government had bowed to the 

pressure from the bureaucracy. 

"The government has attempted 

to suppress the right to 

expression by banning the ilm in 

the state," he said in a statement. 

— IANS

12 

AMERICAS 

Police oficers carry children from a building to a city bus near the scene of a shooting in Gatineau, Quebec 

yesterday. A shooting at a daycare centre near Ottawa yesterday left one adult, presumed to be the gunman, 

dead, but all 53 children at the centre — including ive babies — were unharmed. — Reuters 

US advisory to doctors on bird lu 

CHICAGO — The US Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention said 

yesterday it has issued an advisory to 

US doctors that may help them identify 

any cases of the new bird lu virus 

known as H7N9, but stressed that no 

cases have been found in the United 

States. 

So far, the new strain of bird lu 

that has infected 16 people in China 

and killed six has not been shown 

to be capable of transmission from 

person to person, CDC's Dr Thomas 

Frieden told reporters on a teleconference. 

Frieden said the CDC has not issued 

any formal travel advisories and 

Obama offer for budget agreement 

WASHINGTON — President Barack 

Obama will make key concessions to 

Republican foes next week when he 

unveils his US budget that proposes 

cuts to cherished entitlement programmes, 

the White House said yesterday. 

Obama's iscal blueprint slashes 

the deicit by $1.8 trillion over 10 

years, in what a senior administration 

oficial described as a "compromise 

offer" that cuts federal 

spending, inds savings in Social Security, 

and raises tax revenue from 

the wealthy. 

Republicans led by House Speaker 

John Boehner are widely opposed to 

any new tax hikes, after the president 

secured $600 billion in increased tax 

revenue in a year-end deal. 

But Obama's concession to conservatives 

in the form of reduced 

cost-of-living payouts for Social Security 

beneits could revive consideration 

of a deicit-reducing "grand 

bargain" that has proved elusive in 

recent years. 

said there are no steps US citizens 

need to be taking to protect themselves. 

Of the 16 conirmed cases so far, 

all appear to be isolated, with no links 

between the lu strains that would 

suggest they were being passed from 

person to person, Frieden said. 

"Today, we issued a health advisory 

to inform clinicians and public 

health specialists throughout the US 

of what is happening and what they 

should do if they have a suspected 

case in a traveller who is returning 

from China in terms of testing, infection 

control and care," he said. 

Frieden said Chinese authorities 

Such cuts to public pension programs 

and public health insurance 

for the elderly — seen as sacred 

cows for Obama's Democrats — have 

been long standing demands of Republicans. 

"While this is not the president's 

ideal deicit reduction plan, and 

there are particular proposals in this 

plan like the CPI (consumer price index) 

change that were key Republican 

requests and not the president's 

preferred approach, this is a compromise 

proposal built on common 

ground," the administration oficial 

said. 

The president is willing to "do 

tough things to reduce the deicit," 

but only in the context of a package 

that includes new revenues from the 

wealthy, the oficial added. 

"This isn't about political horse 

trading; it's about reducing the deicit 

in a balanced way that economists 

say is best for the economy and job 

creation." 

Obama's new revenues will draw 

are studying two cases to determine 

if there was human to human transmission, 

but he stressed there have 

been "no human to human transmissions 

as of now." 

Frieden said the CDC has developed 

a test that could be used on 

travellers returning from China to 

screen for the new bird lu strain 

and said the United States is developing 

diagnostic test kits that it will 

distribute to China and other countries 

to ensure there is rapid diagnosis 

of the lu, which could help 

contain the spread of the virus if it 

does learn to easily pass from person 

to person. — Reuters 

in part from capping retirement savings 

plans for millionaires, and closing 

some loopholes that beneit the 

rich. The annual budget deicit is projected 

at 5.5 per cent of gross domestic 

product for the iscal year ending 

in September. Under the Obama 

budget, that would decline to 1.7 per 

cent of GDP by 2023. 

Combined with the $2.5 trillion in 

savings already achieved since negotiations 

in 2010, the Obama budget 

would bring total deicit reduction 

to $4.3 trillion over 10 years, slightly 

higher than the overall goal agreed to 

by both parties for stabilising the national 

debt. Boehner offered a lukewarm 

reaction to the plan. 

"One of the best things President 

Obama can do is follow the House 

and outline a balanced budget next 

week — one that includes entitlement 

reforms that are not conditional 

on enactment of more tax increases, 

which will suppress growth 

instead of encourage it," Boehner 

said in a statement. 

Haitian commuters pass trash dumped on a street in the Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Martissant 

yesterday. The Haitian Human Rights Organization (POHDH) believes that the degrading environmental 

situation of Haiti threatens the survival of the population and calls for an awareness of all citizens and the 

commitment of the government in resolving the problem. — AFP 


Fidel Castro tells North 

Korea to avoid conflict 

HAVANA — Former Cuban leader 

Fidel Castro warned North Korea 

against war yesterday and described 

the current tensions on the Korean 

Peninsula as one of the "gravest 

risks" for nuclear holocaust since 

the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. 

Saying he spoke as a friend, Castro 

wrote in Cuban state media that 

North Korea, led by 30-year-old Kim 

Jong-Un, had shown the world its 

technical prowess and now it was 

time to remember its duties to others. 

North Korea, which along with 

Cuba is one of the world's last communist 

countries, has been ratcheting 

up pressure by declaring war on 

neighbour South Korea and threatening 

to stage a nuclear strike on 

the United States. 

Few observers believe it will actually 

attack anyone, but Castro has 

become an anti-nuclear advocate in 

recent years. 

"The Democratic People's Republic 

of Korea was always friendly with 

Cuba, as Cuba always has been and 

will continue to be with her," Castro 

wrote, using an almost paternalistic 

tone. 

"Now that it has demonstrated its 

technical and scientiic advances, we 

remind it of its duties to other countries 

who have been great friends 

and that it would not be just to forget 

that such a war would affect in a 

special way more than 70 per cent 

of the world's population," said the 

86-year-old, who turned Cuba communist 

after taking power in a 1959 

revolution. 

Castro called the present situation 

on the Korean Peninsula "incredible 

and absurd," but said "it has 

to do with one of the gravest risks of 

nuclear war since the Crisis of October 

(Cuban Missile Crisis), 50 years 

ago." 

He led Cuba through the October 

Mexico foils plot to kill 

two leftist lawmakers 

MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities 

on Thursday broke up a plot to 

assassinate two brothers, both leftist 

lawmakers, including the former 

campaign manager of the runner-up 

in last year's presidential election. 

Mariana Benitez, a senior prosecutor, 

said an unspeciied number 

of people were detained in a Mexico 

City hotel over plans to kill Senator 

David Monreal and his brother Ricardo, 

who managed Andres Manuel 

Lopez Obrador's campaign. 

Authorities seized weapons, communications 

equipment and a sportutility 

vehicle, "which they planned 

to use for the attacks," Benitez told a 

news conference. The raid was conducted 

"without violence." 

She said the suspects came from 

outside Mexico City and they had 

confessed to the crime, but the prosecutor 

did not indicate a motive. An 

investigation is under way to ind any 

other suspects. 

The Monreal brothers were personally 

notiied about the plot and 

were offered protection, Benitez said. 

She said intelligence reports led to 

the arrests. 

Lopez Obrador voiced his "solidarity" 

with the brothers on Twitter 

and called for quick answers about 

the plot. 

"Smokescreen, intimidation, terror 

and from whom? The truth must rapidly 

be known," said the leftist politician 

and former Mexico City mayor. 

Lopez Obrador lost the July 2012 

election to Enrique Pena Nieto, the 

candidate of the Institutional Revolutionary 

Party (PRI) that had ruled 

Mexico for most of the 20th century. 

The leftist charged that the PRI 

bought votes to secure victory, but 

electoral authorities threw out his 

claim. He had also claimed fraud after 

losing the 2006 election to Felipe 

Calderon, whose six-year term ended 

in December. 

Ricardo Monreal, 52, is the 

co-ordinator of the Citizen Movement, 

a small left-wing party in the 

lower house of Congress, while his 

47-year-old brother David is a senator 

from the Labor Party. — AFP 

1962 showdown when the United 

States and Soviet Union nearly went 

to war over the placement of Soviet 

nuclear missiles on Cuba, 90 miles 

(144 km) south of Florida. 

At one point, Castro wrote a 

letter to Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev 

urging a nuclear attack on 

the United States, which he assumed 

was about to invade the Caribbean 

island. 

Cooler heads prevailed as Khruschev 

and President John F 

Kennedy reached an agreement in 

which the Soviet missiles were removed 

and the United States promised 

never to invade Cuba. 

Castro ruled Cuba for 49 years 

before age and ill health forced him 

to step down in 2008. 

He was succeeded as president by 

younger brother Raul Castro, 81, but 

remains a power behind the scenes 

and writes occasional columns for 

Cuban press. 

Michelle plants vegetable garden 

WASHINGTON — First Lady 

Michelle Obama shared what has 

become a rite of spring in Washington 

with a small group of ifthgrade 

students on Thursday, planting 

vegetables in the White House 

garden. 

On a day that began with recordcold 

temperatures that have pushed 

back the blooming season for the 

city's famous cherry trees, Michelle 

welcomed about 30 students to help 

her plant the garden, a project she 

has championed as a model for children 

and their parents to emulate as 

a way to reduce childhood obesity. 

"Where are your jackets? I'm 

going to be the mother," Michelle 

joked with the group of earnest, 

polite kids, most wearing t-shirts 

bearing the names of their schools 

in Florida, Massachusetts, Tennessee 

and Vermont. 

Michelle has helped push for 

changes in school lunch rules to 

require more vegetables and fruit. 

The schools were chosen because 

they have implemented the new 

rules in creative ways and started 

their own gardens. 

Harvard-educated Michelle, who 

was more popular in polls during 

the 2012 election campaign than 

any of the candidates, started the 

garden on the White House south 

lawn in 2009, the irst time veg- 

etables had been grown there since 

Eleanor Roosevelt's "victory garden" 

during World War Two. 

Michelle, sporting sneakers 

without socks, put aside a pair of 

lime green gardening gloves as she 

crouched between two raised garden 

boxes, carefully placing tiny 

wheat kernels into freshly turned 

soil. From Somerville, Massachusetts, 

11-year-old Ariana Docanto 

chatted with Michelle as she helped 

plant the wheat, which the White 

House hopes to harvest and use for 

bread and risotto. 

Docanto described the experience 

in a single word: "Amazing!" 

— Reuters 

United States irst lady Michelle Obama and schoolchildren from around the US plant the ifth annual White 

House kitchen garden on the South Lawn in Washington on Thursday. — Reuters 

US and partners 

secure bomb-grade 

uranium 

WASHINGTON — The United States 

and its allies have secured 68 kilograms 

of highly enriched uranium 

from the Czech Republic as part of an 

effort to keep nuclear materials from 

falling into the hands of extremists, 

the White House said yesterday. 

The uranium, enough material 

for two nuclear weapons, was 

transported to Russia where it will 

be blended down into low-enriched 

uranium for nuclear power reactors, 

according to a statement from Caitlin 

Hayden, spokeswoman for the 

National Security Council. 

The Czech Republic becomes 

the 10th country from which all 

highly enriched uranium has been 

removed in the last four years, Hayden 

said. 

"Today we can announce that the 

United States, with the co-operation 

of our international partners, successfully 

removed 68 kilograms of 

highly enriched uranium (HEU) — 

enough material for two nuclear 

weapons — from the Czech Republic," 

she said. — Reuters


Former US president Jimmy Carter visits the Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon yesterday. Carter headed to Myanmar and Nepal. — AFP 

Myanmar leader calls for unity 

NAYPYIDAW — A degree of "chaos" 

is inevitable as Myanmar undergoes 

a transition to democracy, 

President Thein Sein's spokesman 

said, appealing for unity in the 

wake of deadly religious violence. 

At least 43 people were killed 

while homes were destroyed in 

unrest in central Myanmar last 

month, casting a shadow over 

widely praised political reforms. 

Presidential spokesman Ye Htut 

conceded the end of decades of authoritarian 

military rule two years 

ago had laid bare sectarian fault 

Campaign targets 

smoke-free capital 

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's top 

court yesterday said it would 

hear a case seeking charges 

against former president Pervez 

Musharraf, lawyers said. 

The Supreme Court accepted 

a petition by members of the 

Bar Association to try the former 

leader for abrogating the constitution 

twice under his rule, 

which carries the death penalty. 

"There is no doubt that he 

(Musharraf) should be tried and 

since government was not taking 

any step to initiate his trial, 

we have stepped forward," said 

Chaudhry Zuliqar, a lawyer and 

former president of the bar association. 

The irst hearing was set for 

Monday. 

"It is against the law as only 

the federal government can initiate 

legal proceeding against 

anyone for abrogating the consti- 

lines in the ethnically diverse nation 

formerly known as Burma. 

"We cannot avoid this time of 

chaos but what we're trying to do 

is bring a good legal framework to 

overcome all these challenges," he 

said in an interview in the capital 

Naypyidaw. 

"We need to strike a balance between 

freedom and responsibility 

of the society," he added. 

Some nationalists are among 

those accused of violence and ramping 

up the rhetoric via the Internet, 

raising tensions between com- 

ISLAMABAD — With efforts for securing compliance of 

tobacco control laws gaining momentum as part of the 

Smoke-free Islamabad Initiative, 'Chaaye Khana' in Super 

Market is rigidly ignoring the numerous warnings that it 

has received for closure of its designated smoking area. 

Metro, on the other hand, has been quick to respond 

to all objections in order not to be classiied as a selfservice 

wholesale outlet that is promoting tobacco use. 

The smoke-free Islamabad Initiative, which is being 

enforced by the Tobacco Control Cell in collaboration 

with the Islamabad district administration, is currently 

in its third phase of implementation. 

A co-ordinated movement for the enforcement of tobacco 

control laws, it may be recollected, was initiated 

by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration 

in January. 

Pursuing a new strategy, the Tobacco Control Cell has 

directly involved Assistant Commissioners (sub-divisional 

magistrates) in all enforcement activities. These 

magistrates visit different areas, along with police and 

oficials of the Tobacco Control Cell, to register cases 

against violators. 

It was learnt that in the last week of March, sub-divisional 

magistrate-Sadar Rabia Aurangzaib raided retail 

outlets in different sectors and Metro, where stark violations 

of Tobacco Advertising Promotion and Sponsorship 

(TAPS) guidelines were observed. 

tution, said Salman Safdar, who 

is representing Musharraf in another 

case. 

Musharraf returned home last 

month, ending nearly four years 

of self-imposed exile. 

Musharraf suspended the 

constitution in 1999 after he 

took power in 2007 when he introduced 

emergency laws. 

If the petition is successful, he 

will be the irst former ruler to 

be tried in Pakistan. 

He plans to run in a parliamentary 

election on May 11. 

Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim 

League said yesterday that 

his application to run for a seat 

for the constituency of Kasur 

near the eastern city of Lahore 

were rejected. 

Meanwhile, election board 

barred yesterday Musharraf 

from contesting polls in one constituency 

and the Supreme Court 

munities that once lived side by 

side. Ye Htut said the wave of hate 

speech was the ugly by-product of 

new freedoms allowed by the reformist 

government. 

"In the past, the military tightly 

controlled the press and the political 

movements," he said. 

"With freedom of expression we 

have found out that there were was 

a lot of hate speech, extremist religious 

ideas, racial discrimination." 

Since taking power two years 

ago, former general Thein Sein has 

freed hundreds of political prison- 

UN lays Afghan massacre 

UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security 

Council strongly condemned the attack 

on an Afghanistan courthouse by Taliban 

forces that left more than 40 people dead. 

In an unanimous statement, the 

15-member panel said it "condemned in 

the strongest terms" last Wednesday's attack 

in the western province of Farah. 

Oficials in Afghanistan have said 

Taliban gunmen went from room to room 

in the court building, shooting anyone they 

could ind as they looked to free others 

facing trial. Forty-six people were killed 

and around 100 people were wounded in 

the assault, the oficials said. 

The UN Security Council reiterated its 

"serious concern" at the threat posed by 

Taliban, Al Qaeda and illegal armed groups 

but pledged that the violence would not 

derail peace efforts. 

"The members of the Security Council 

reiterated that no terrorist act can reverse 

the path towards Afghan-led peace, 

democracy and stability in Afghanistan, 

which is supported by the people and the 

Government of Afghanistan and the international 

community," it said. 

Meanwhile, a pick-up truck smuggling 

fuel crashed yesterday into a car carrying 

15 Afghans in southeastern Iran, bursting 

into lames and killing all on board as well 

as three Iranians, media reported. 

"The crash and resulting ire claimed 

the lives of 15 Afghans who had entered 

the country illegally," the state Irna news 

agency quoted local oficial Sadeq Dadollahpour 

as saying. 

He attributed the accident to the "excessive 

speed" of both vehicles. 

The Mehr news agency said the crash 

took place in Kerman province on a transit 

route for Afghans illegally crossing the 

border in the hope of inding work. 

In another incident, a bomb strapped to 

the back of a donkey killed one policeman 

and wounded three civilians in eastern Afghanistan 

yesterday, oficials said. 

The explosives were set off when the 

animal walked close to a police post in the 

district of Alingar in Laghman province 

early in the morning, provincial spokesman 

Sarhadi Zwak said. 

"The bomb on the back of the donkey 

was remotely detonated, one policeman 

was martyred and three civilians wounded," 

he said. 

Provincial Governor Fazlullah Mojadidi 

conirmed the incident and casualties. 

SC to hear plea against Musharraf 

Pervez Musharraf 

agreed to look into a complaint 

against him. 

The former president returned 

last month after nearly 

four years of self-imposed exile 

to contest a May 11 general 

election despite the possibility 

of arrest on various charges and 

ers, welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi's 

opposition party into mainstream 

politics and liberalised swathes of 

the economy. 

In response, the international 

community has rolled back many of 

the sanctions imposed in response 

to past human rights abuses, and 

promised huge sums of development 

aid and foreign investment. 

But fears abound that the 

progress of the nation — home to 

several major religions and a patchwork 

of ethnic groups — could unravel 

if the violence worsens. 

death threats from the Pakistani 

Taliban. 

The Election Commission 

barred Musharraf from the polls 

in Kasur in Punjab province because 

of court cases against him, 

commission oficials said. He 

could also face disqualiication 

in the three other constituencies 

where he plans to run. 

The oficials, who declined to 

be identiied, also said the decision 

was based on a clause in the 

constitution which requires candidates 

to be of good character 

and the fact that he had not declared 

all of his assets. 

"Musharraf has been disquali- 

ied under articles 62 and 63 of 

the constitution, among other 

reasons," an election commission 

oficial said, referring to clauses 

that require a candidate to be "of 

good character", among other 

things. — Agencies 

SUBCONTINENT 

13 

Pakistan seeks political 

solution in Afghanistan 

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan yesterday said it 

would remain committed to efforts seeking 

a political solution to the lingering 

conlict in Afghanistan despite renewed 

tensions between the two neighbours. 

At his weekly news brieing yesterday, 

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aizaz 

Ahmed Chaudhry observed restraint in 

the face of Afghan charges against Pakistan 

ranging from constructing a new 

checkpoint to sabotaging peace process. 

"There is a need for ever closer engagement 

between the two governments so 

that the process of peace and stability in 

Afghanistan can be advanced," the spokesman 

said. 

Islamabad and Kabul have been at odds 

with each other in recent weeks with Afghanistan 

accusing Pakistan of setting preconditions 

to support the peace process in 

the war-torn country. 

The spokesman said Pakistan would 

back all efforts leading to the peaceful solution 

of conlict in Afghanistan. 

Last Wednesday, he said, trilateral talks 

were held between Pakistan, Russia and 

China in Beijing on the current situation 

of Afghanistan. The objective of the threeway 

talks was to promote and co-ordinate 

the shared objective of facilitating peace 

and stability in Afghanistan and how best 

to contribute to that process, he added. 

The spokesman said all three countries 

agreed to extend full support to the peace 

process. 

The three parties also agreed to make 

concerted efforts to safeguard peace, stability 

and security in Afghanistan and the 

region, and support the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned 

reconciliation process, said 

a separate statement issued by the foreign 

ministry. 

Playing down tensions between Pakistan 

and Afghanistan, a senior Afghan diplomat 

said that Kabul gives top priority to 

Islamabad's role in the peace process under 

the three-track reconciliation strategy. 

The Afghan government has put in 

place a three-track plan for talks with the 

Taliban and other groups — one inside Afghanistan 

and the other between Pakistan, 

Afghanistan and Qatar, the diplomat, who 

did not wish to be named, explained. 

"The Afghan government and the High 

Peace Council believes in strengthening 

the Pakistan track as it is much more important 

compared to the other two," the 

diplomat said. — Internews 

Forex reserves drop to $12.2bn 

KARACHI — Pakistan’s foreign exchange 

reserves reduced by $168 million to 

$12.202 billion as of March 29 against 

$12.370 billion in the previous week, the 

central bank said yesterday. 

The oficial reserves of the SBP went 

down by $149 million to $7.128 billion 

against $7.277 billion last week. However, 

the foreign exchange reserves held 

by commercial banks witnessed a steady 

trend and stood at $5 billion during the 

week under review. 

Meanwhile, the caretaker minister for 

water and power Dr Musadik Malik on his 

irst day in ofice barred the board of directors 

of all the 14 corporate companies 

10 distribution, three generation and a 

transmission and dispatch company from 

Ex-FM not to ight polls 

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's youngest and 

high proile former foreign minister, Hina 

Rabbani Khar, is out of the race for the upcoming 

May general elections. In Pakistan 

even though former foreign ministers have 

contested elections after a stint in the Foreign 

Ofice, it is rare that they have been 

returned in the following elections. 

"I will be a covering candidate for my 

father Noor Rabbani Khar who has been 

awarded a PPP ticket for NA 177 Muzaffargarh-11. 

I did not apply for a PPP reserved 

seat for women, so the question does not 

arise of not being given a ticket. 

"I will be involved with the PPP during 

the election campaign, and who knows 

what the future holds for me," Khar said. 

Hina Rabbani Khar has in the past 

contested twice on general seats and has 

never expressed an interest in reserved 

seats for women. Such is the popularity of 

the Khars in NA 177 that in one past election 

she defeated her opponent by 34,000 

votes. 

Noor Rabbani Khar is a likely winner 

for NA 177 because of his popularity and 

development work he has carried out for 

decades in his constituency. 

holding their board meetings until further 

orders. In case of any pressing requirement, 

the boards would have to seek prior 

approval of the meeting, along with agenda 

from the water and power ministry. 

The decision, said an oficial, was taken 

following reports that some boards were 

planning to take decisions to grant personal 

beneits to their members and promote 

selective oficers. 

“This meant that the independence of 

corporate companies and their board of 

directors had been withdrawn,” said a senior 

power ministry oficial and wondered 

if this was permissible in companies ordinance 

under which these companies had 

been registered with the Securities and 

Exchange Commission of Pakistan. 

Hina Rabbani Khar decides to stay away from May general elections. 

Responding to a report in media about 

regularising temporary employees of the 

Foreign Ministry, most of them from her 

home town of Muzaffargarh during her 

last day in ofice. 

Khar responded "Have you forgotten 

that I got four additional seats of grade 22 

approved for the Foreign Ministry." This in 

itself was no easy task. I ensured during 

my tenure that I got private sector expertise 

from the legal, international law and 

public diplomacy side for the Foreign Of- 

ice." 

"I also regularised people who were 

needed at the Foreign Ofice as ascertained 

by the administration. It is typical 

for people to make stories over such 

things. I consider all of these to be positive 

contributions?" 

During the time that Khar was in ofice, 

her former party colleague Jamshed Dasti 

spared no opportunity to criticise and embarrass 

her, comments that Khar felt were 

not worth responding to while in ofice. 

Meanwhile, major snags have surfaced 

in the scrutiny of nomination papers as 

it has emerged that cases of some candidates 

have not been forwarded.

14 

THE WORLD 

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L) gestures as she and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (R) arrive for a joint press 

conference after talks at the Danish parliament in Copenhagen yesterday. Niinisto is on a two-day oficial visit to Denmark. — AFP 

Cash to fund Kenyatta poll pledges 

NAIROBI — Kenya's government 

will table a supplementary budget 

for the 2012/13 (July-June) iscal 

in parliament seeking to re-allocate 

cash to pay for promises made 

by President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta 

during his campaign, the inance 

minister said yesterday. 

The budget to be tabled when 

parliament in east Africa's biggest 

economy starts sitting on April 16 

will aims to re-allocate 44 billion 

shillings ($518 million) to avoid 

further borrowing, Njeru Githae 

said. 

"We are trying to re-align the 

budget to take into account the Jubilee 

manifesto," the minister said, 

referring to Kenyatta's Jubilee coa- 

lition that swept to power in March 

4 polls. The funds will be spent 

on the provision of free maternal 

health care, a milk-for-schools programme 

and a youth enterprise 

fund, all pledges Kenyatta had committed 

to deliver in his irst 100 

days in ofice. 

Githae, who presented a national 

budget worth 1.46 trillion shillings 

for this iscal year last June, 

said they would take cash allocated 

to some projects that were yet to 

start and use it to fund Kenyatta's 

pledges. 

Githae did not specify which 

projects had yet to kick-off. Over 

the years, some ministries usually 

return to Treasury cash that had 

France reassures Mali 

over troop withdrawal 

BAMAKO — The French foreign minister 

was in Mali yesterday to reassure the wartorn 

nation that France is not planning an 

"overnight" withdrawal of the troops it 

sent there to ight Al Qaeda-linked dissidents. 

Laurent Fabius met military oficials 

and his Malian counterpart Tieman 

Coulibaly and was later due to see President 

Dioncounda Traore to discuss the 

pullout scheduled for the end of April 

and to push Mali to hold elections as 

planned in July. 

"The international community has its 

eyes ixed on you. Restoring security is essential 

but restoring democratic dialogue 

is also essential. It rests on your shoulders," 

he said after meeting Coulibaly. 

France sent 4,000 troops to Mali in 

January to block an advance on the capital 

Bamako from the north by ighters. 

Paris is preparing to hand over to a 

UN-mandated African force of 6,300 in 

the coming weeks, placing a spotlight on 

Mali's poorly-paid, ill-equipped and badlyorganised 

armed forces. 

Paris has announced the beginning of 

its troop withdrawal from Mali late April, 

with its deployment halving by late July 

and a UN peacekeeping force of more than 

11,000 troops expected to deploy around 

the same time. 

"I'll tell my partners that we will not go 

overnight," Fabius told reporters, noting 

that France intended to keep a residual 

force of around 1,000 men in its west African 

former colony until the end of the 

year. 

Fabius said the other objective of his 

visit was to encourage Mali's politicians 

to begin the process of reconciliation, particularly 

between the north and the south, 

and organise presidential elections for 

July. He said the "policy decisions had already 

been taken" for a July poll. 

"Technically and politically it is feasible" 

to have "a legally elected president in 

July," he added. 

Analysts have voiced doubts over the 

possibility of a vote within such a tight 

timeframe because of the continued instability 

in the north and the problem of 

getting 400,000 people displaced by the 

conlict to the ballot box. — AFP 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R) meets with Mali's interim president 

Dioncounda Traore in Bamako yesterday. — AFP 

been allocated for speciic projects 

after they failed to take off owing to 

red tape in the tendering process. 

The country's debt-to gross domestic 

product (GDP) ratio stood 

at just under 44 per cent at the end 

of last year and it is expected to fall 

further in the years ahead on the 

back of expenditure control and 

higher tax collections. 

Githae dismissed claims in the 

local media that Kenyatta and his 

deputy President-elect William 

Ruto were considering keeping him 

at his post as the head of the Treasury 

when they form their government 

by next week. 

"That is just sheer speculation. 

That appointment is the pre- 

Militiamen kill four 

Mozambique police 

MAPUTO — Mozambican 

opposition militiamen 

killed four policemen in 

an attack on a provincial 

station to try to free more 

than a dozen comrades arrested 

in a police raid on 

their party headquarters, 

police said yesterday. 

The Renamo opposition 

party conirmed its 

members carried out the 

attack on Thursday in the 

town of Muxungue in the 

central province of Sofala, 

home to the Renamo 

headquarters which had 

been raided by police the 

previous day. 

Party security chief Osufo 

Madate said it showed 

Renamo's refusal to tolerate 

"oppression" by the 

rogative of the two (Kenyatta and 

Ruto)," he said. 

Kenyatta, son of the country's 

founding president Jomo Kenyatta, 

will formally take over from 

President Mwai Kibaki on April 9 

when he takes the oath of ofice to 

become the country's fourth president 

since independence from Britain 

un 1963. 

Last month's generally peaceful 

Kenyan presidential election 

— and the Supreme Court process 

that conirmed Uhuru Kenyatta's 

narrow win — confounded many 

pundits' predictions that the country 

would suffer the same intertribal 

violence which marred a 

2007 vote. — Reuters 

Mandela getting better 

after a week in hospital 

JOHANNESBURG — Nelson 

Mandela is "ine" and 

improving after more than 

a week in hospital, his 

wife has said in the latest 

positive update on the 94year-old 

icon's pneumonia 

treatment. 

"Madiba is ine, Madiba 

is getting better and better," 

the private eNCA news 

channel quoted Graca 

Machel as saying, referring 

to Mandela by his clan 

name. 

"He is in hospital simply 

because the doctors want 

to be absolutely sure that 

he is strong enough to go 

home and nothing is going 

to recur," she said late on 

Thursday. 

Her comments marked 

the latest upbeat update 

on the country's irst 

black president, who was 

hospitalised shortly before 

midnight on March 27. 

The admission was 

his third hospital stint 

since December. On 

Thursday, President 

Jacob Zuma said he had 

visited his predecessor 

and that doctors said he 

was showing continuous 

improvement. 

To help him breathe 

without dificulty, doctors 

last week drained excess 

luid that had built up on 

the lining of his lungs. 

Last month Mandela 

spent a night in hospital 

for a scheduled check-up 

and in December he was 

admitted for 18 days for 

a lung infection and gallstones 

surgery. 

It was his longest hospital 

stay since he walked 

free from 27 years in jail 

in 1990. 

Admitted for recurring 

pneumonia infection, Mandela's 

latest health scare 

has sparked an outpouring 

of wishes and prayers from 

across the globe and at 

home. — AFP 

ruling Frelimo party, its 

enemy in a 16-year postindependence 

civil war in 

the southern African country 

that ended in the early 

1990s. 

"For the past 20 years 

we have fought for peace 

and have been repeatedly 

attacked and humiliated," 

Madate said. 

"But since October 

2012 we have changed our 

stance. If we continue with 

our peaceful behaviour, 

it will mean the end of us. 

From now on, whenever 

we are attacked, we will 

retaliate adequately." 

Police declined to comment 

other than to conirm 

the death toll from Thursday's 

attack. — Reuters 


‘Debate on dead soldiers 

could threaten security’ 

JOHANNESBURG — President Jacob Zuma 

yesterday hit back at people demanding 

answers about the deaths of 13 South African 

soldiers deployed to the Central African 

Republic, warning they threaten state 

security. 

"Political parties and commentators 

should be careful not to delve into operational 

matters that could endanger state 

and personnel security," the presidency 

said in a statement. 

Zuma on Thursday announced that the 

remaining South African soldiers would 

be withdrawn from the poor and violenceprone 

country after a bloody dissident 

coup. 

Thirteen South African troops died and 

27 were wounded — three critically — on 

March 23 when they came under ire from 

Seleka dissident ighters near the capital 

Bangui. Several thousand dissidents toppled 

the regime the following day. 

Zuma now faces thorny questions over 

why South Africa had troops in the country 

in the irst place, amid accusations of 

dodgy deals with ousted president Francois 

Bozize. The government has vehe- 

mently denied any wrongdoing. 

"Do you think we would take the South 

African National Defence Force, send them 

out to go and defend or protect what belongs 

to individuals? It's so incorrect," Defence 

Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula 

told lawmakers on Thursday during a 

testy debate. 

Mapisa-Nqakula's appearance prompted 

outrage from the opposition, when 

Zuma's African National Congress (ANC) 

supporters appeared to employ parliamentary 

stalling tactics to stile the debate. 

Opposition defence spokesman 

David Maynier described the hearing as "a 

disgrace," accusing the ANC chair of trying 

"desperately to make sure that the hard 

questions were suppressed, and eventually 

that the meeting was closed." 

"The committee was a national and international 

embarrassment," he said. 

On yesterday the presidency strongly 

denied opposition allegations that Zuma 

failed to adequately inform the public and 

parliament about the deployment, which 

at one time numbered more than 200 

troops. — AFP 

Banda graft case delayed again 

LUSAKA — The start of a highly-charged 

trial of Zambia's ex-president Rupiah 

Banda on corruption charges was again 

delayed yesterday, after his lawyers questioned 

the jurisdiction of the court. 

Banda's lawyers argued that a magistrate 

court could not hear a case that involved 

offences allegedly committed when 

Banda was head of state, because they 

concern constitutional matters. 

Magistrate Joshua Banda postponed 

the case to April 17 when he will make a 

ruling on whether he can hear the matter, 

which many believe is politically motivated, 

or shift it to the High Court. 

Banda is accused of corruption in relation 

to a Nigerian crude oil contract, a deal 

which is alleged to "beneit himself and his 

family". The case had been initially slated 

to open on Wednesday, but was postponed. 

Parliament last month stripped ex- 

president Banda of his presidential immunity 

leaving him open to prosecution. 

Banda is ighting, in a separate court 

battle, the lifting of his immunity. "The 

serious matter of this nature needs to be 

determined by the High Court," one of 

Banda's lawyers, Patrick Mvunga, told the 

magistrate. "This is a fundamental issue in 

the history of this country and it cannot be 

glossed over," he said. 

Banda, who ruled Zambia from 2008 

to 2011, was in the dock and smiled and 

nodded his head for most of the court session 

as his lawyers argued the matter. 

His lawyers also asked the court to ban 

the privately owned Post Newspaper from 

covering the trial over what they alleged 

was biased coverage. In an editorial on 

Thursday headlined "What is Rupiah Afraid 

of?" the paper claimed that Banda was 

guilty of corruption. — AFP 

East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (R), who is also the defence and 

security minister, meets Australia’s Defence Minister Stephen Smith at the 

former's ofice in Dili yesterday. The two met to talk about defence agreements 

between the two countries. — AFP 

US snatchs African drugs 

kingpin in high seas sting 

BISSAU — US agents have captured the 

former head of Guinea-Bissau's navy, 

an alleged kingpin in the west African 

nation's drugs trade with Latin America, 

in a sting operation on the high seas, 

intelligence sources and media said. 

Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto was 

transferred to the United States after 

being snatched in international waters 

near Cape Verde in an operation by US 

and Cape Verdian agents, state TV in 

the Atlantic island state reported. 

Bubo Na Tchuto has since 2010 

been on a list of suspected drug barons 

drawn up by the United States, which 

has also imposed a US travel ban and 

asset freeze on him. He is one of several 

military igures in notoriously unstable 

Guinea-Bissau alleged to be involved 

in helping Latin American drug 

cartels smuggle cocaine into Europe 

via Africa. There was no immediate of- 

icial comment by US oficials, but Radio 

France Internationale said a New 

York court would later inform Bubo Na 

Tchuto and four others arrested with 

him of the charges against them. 

The head of Guinea-Bissau national 

radio, Carlos Gomes Nhafe, a friend of 

Bubo Na Tchuto, said he had received a 

phone call from the former navy chief, 

who has been involved in several failed 

coups in the impoverished former Portuguese 

colony. "He called me last (Thursday) 

morning from Sal, in Cape Verde, to 

tell me he had been arrested and that he 

is en route to the US," he said. 

No military oficial in Bissau would 

comment. But an intelligence oficer, 

speaking on condition of anonymity, 

said the ex-rear admiral was "captured 

by American agents". — AFP


Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) rally outside the Cabinet Ofice in central London yesterday as they strike for half a 

day in a row over pay, pensions and terms and condition. — AFP 

Bulgarians unite in prayer after self-immolations 

SOFIA — Bulgarians set aside religious 

and political differences yesterday 

at the start of three days of 

prayer, as President Rosen Plevneliev 

sought to heal rifts following 

protests over poverty and the deaths 

of four men who set themselves on 

ire. 

The country has been rocked 

by demonstrations which brought 

down the centre-right government 

in February and in particular by the 

self-immolations highlighting low 

living standards and suspected corruption 

among the political elite. 

The prayer initiative, which drew 

more worshippers than normal 

to mosques yesterday, came after 

Plevneliev met leaders of the domi- 

Unable to pay 

rent, couple 

kill themselves 

ROME — An Italian couple 

in their sixties, overwhelmed 

by crushing inancial 

dificulties and unable 

to pay their rent, committed 

suicide by hanging, police 

told local media yesterday. 

Their bodies of Romeo 

Dionsi, 62, and Anna Sopranzi, 

68, were discovered 

by their neighbours yesterday 

morning at their home 

in Civitanova, a small village 

in the central Marche region 

on the Adriatic Sea. 

Learning the news, the 

woman's brother Giuseppe 

Sopranzi, 73, threw himself 

into the sea. His body 

was retrieved by rescuers 

who were unable to revive 

him. Police said there was 

no doubt the suicide was 

linked to economic problems. 

— AFP 

nant Orthodox Christian church and 

minority Muslim, Jewish and Catholic 

communities. 

Orthodox Christianity accounts 

for more than 80 per cent of the 

7.3-million population of Bulgaria, a 

country where 45 years of Communist 

rule undermined its inluence. 

"We need to have more hope and 

believe that we can pull through," 

Plevneliev told reporters at his presidential 

ofices. "As we face up to the 

challenges, we should draw lessons 

and believe more. "We need solidarity 

— personal, human, fraternal 

solidarity," Plevneliev added. "Let us 

look after the sick, give a hand to a 

neighbour who is in distress. Let us 

not leave people alone." 

I want to be president: Russian 

opposition leader Navalny 

MOSCOW — Charismatic Russian 

opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a 

leading critic of President Vladimir 

Putin, declared his ambition to 

stand for president as he prepares 

for a trial that could see him jailed. 

Navalny said he expected to be 

convicted in the embezzlement 

case, which his supporters claim is 

politically motivated, but insisted 

he did not fear prison. 

He also said that he would jail 

his top foes in the unlikely event 

that he did come to power. "I want 

to be president," he told the opposition 

Dozhd (Rain) television 

channel in a late-night interview on 

Thursday. 

"I want to change life in the 

country. I want to change the way it 

is ruled. "I want to do things so that 

the 140 million people who live in 

this country, who have oil and gas 

coming out of the ground, do not 

live in poverty or dark squalor and 

live normally like in a European 

country." 

China's President Xi Jinping (R) and Myanmar's President Thein Sein shake 

hands at an signing ceremony as President Thein Sein arrives for the 

upcoming Boao Forum, in Sanya, Hainan province, yesterday. — Reuters 

Special prayers will be held at 

mosques across the country, the 

synagogue in the capital Soia and 

all Bulgarian Orthodox and protestant 

churches over the next three 

days. The Armenian church will also 

hold prayers. 

The Orthodox Church has already 

expressed concern about the recent 

wave of self-immolations, with newly-elected 

Patriarch Neoit urging his 

followers not to take their own lives 

"under any circumstances". "Bulgarians 

must not fall victim to hopelessness," 

he said. 

Images of people setting themselves 

alight in protest, a new 

phenomenon in the country, have 

shocked Bulgarians. 

A Russian court announced on 

Thursday that Navalny would go 

on trial on April 17 in the provincial 

city of Kirov in the case, which 

concerns a business deal struck by 

the local government he advised in 

2009. 

If found guilty, he faces up to 10 

years in jail. "I do not doubt that the 

The most famous case was that of 

36-year-old artist Plamen Goranov, 

who died last month after setting 

himself on ire in the Black Sea port 

of Varna while holding a poster protesting 

against the city's mayor, who 

subsequently resigned. 

Underlining the level of concern 

over such cases, the health ministry 

has ordered public hospitals to offer 

free psychological counselling to 

people contemplating suicide. 

"I will burn a candle and will 

pray for an end to the suicides," said 

Yordanka Koleva, a 69-year-old pensioner, 

outside Soia's main cathedral, 

St Alexander Nevski. "We have 

to be strong and patient even during 

the crisis." — Reuters 

verdict will be guilty," said Navalny, 

who vehemently maintains he is 

innocent. He noted that under Russian 

law even a suspended jail sentence 

would disqualify him for running 

for ofice. 

He said he did not fear "any kind 

of sentence" but added: "Like any 

normal person, I don't have the 

slightest desire to end up in jail." 

He refused to predict what sentence 

he could receive but appeared 

to claim that it would be ordered by 

Putin himself. "It's hard to say... I 

don't have any telepathic powers to 

enter Putin's brain." 

Navalny vowed that should he 

win ofice he would ensure the 

criminal prosecution of his enemies 

including Putin and the president's 

tycoon acquaintances Gennady 

Timchenko and Arkady Rotenberg. 

Both men vehemently deny opposition 

allegations of improper 

business dealings. "One day we will 

be victorious and we will have them 

jailed," said Navalny. — AFP 

Controversial searches 

of NGO ofices defended 

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin defended yesterday 

controversial searches of Russian and foreign non-governmental 

organisations amid mounting concern from Europe. 

Speaking ahead of trips to Germany and the Netherlands, Putin 

argued that Russian authorities need to keep tabs on foreign 

groups involved in politics in his country. 

"In Russia, there operate 654 non-governmental organisations 

receiving — as it has now become clear — money from abroad. 

Six hundred and ifty-four organisations — this is an entire network 

across Russia, including all of its regions," Putin told Germany's 

ARD television in an interview. 

"Can you imagine how much money has come into the accounts 

of these organisations just over the four months after we 

adopted the relevant law?" Putin said in remarks released by the 

Kremlin. "You cannot imagine that and I did not know it either: 

28.3 billion roubles — this is nearly a billion dollars," he said. 

"Should not our society know who receives this money and for 

what purpose?" 

By contrast, only two groups inanced by the Russian state 

work in the West: one in the United States, and the other one 

in Europe, Putin said. Upon Putin's return to the Kremlin for a 

controversial third term last May, the Russian parliament fasttracked 

a law requiring NGOs receiving foreign funding to register 

with authorities as "foreign agents". — AFP 

THE WORLD 

15 

Call for protests 

against Hollande 

PARIS — Opponents of French President 

Francois Hollande called yesterday 

for mass street protests against his 

government, as he faced fresh ire over 

a tax scandal that saw his budget minister 

resign in shame. 

Critics have rounded on Hollande 

and his cabinet over the scandal which 

saw Jerome Cahuzac — once the minister 

responsible for tackling tax evasion 

— charged with tax fraud after he admitted 

to having an undeclared foreign 

bank account containing some 600,000 

euros ($770,000). 

Criticism has focused on Hollande, 

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and 

Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, but 

the president has deied calls from the 

right for a major government reshufle. 

Yesterday far-left parties joined the 

chorus of outrage, with one-time presidential 

contender Jean-Luc Melenchon 

of the Left Front calling for a major 

demonstration against the government 

on May 5 — the eve of the irst anniversary 

of Hollande's election. 

"We cannot accept that the humiliated 

French people... do not get involved," 

Melenchon told France Info radio. "This 

was not the failure of one person, this 

reveals a system that is intrinsically 

rotten." Communist Party Chief Pierre 

Laurent backed the protest call, saying 

it was time to "mobilise the forces of 

change" after the "political crisis caused 

by the Cahuzac scandal". 

The French far-left can count on 

widespread support in the streets and 

Melenchon drew tens of thousands of 

followers to rallies during last year's 

election campaign. 

The scandal has been the biggest 

challenge to Hollande since he took of- 

ice last year after defeating right-winger 

Nicolas Sarkozy. French newspapers 

yesterday said no end to the crisis appeared 

in sight, with daily Liberation 

headlining its front page: "Hollande under 

siege". 

The scandal erupted this week after 

Cahuzac admitted to investigators that 

he had the account. — AFP 

Harmful pesticides’ ban sought 

LONDON — The government must suspend 

the use of dangerous pesticides 

linked to the death of bees, a committee 

of MPs said yesterday. The Environmental 

Audit Committee said in a report that 

the government was relying on "fundamentally 

lawed" studies on the issue 

and that two-thirds of honey bees have 

suffered population declines in the UK. 

Britain is blocking attempts to introduce 

a Europe-wide ban on the world's 

most widely used insecticides, neonicotinoids, 

arguing that their impact on 

bees is unclear. But the MPs say the 

government is acting complacently. 

"We believe that the weight of scientiic 

evidence now warrants precautionary 

action, so we are calling for a 

moratorium on pesticides linked to bee 

decline to be introduced by 1 January 

next year," said Joan Walley, chair of the 

committee. 

France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia 

have already suspended the use of 

certain neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid, 

clothianidin and TMX, which 

are attractive to bees. EU governments 

failed last month to agree a ban on 

three widely used pesticides linked to 

the decline of honeybees, but the European 

Commission is threatening to 

force such a ban through unless member 

states agree a compromise. 

"Decisions on neonicotinoids must 

be based on sound scientiic evidence," 

said a Department for Environment, 

Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) 

spokesman. — Reuters 

Members of the Mortgage Victims' Platform (PAH) attend an "escrache" 

(denunciation) protest near the house of Popular Party congressman 

Ignacio Gil Lazaro in Valencia, Spain, yesterday. — Reuters 

Suspect’s extradition halted 

THE HAGUE — A Dutch court yesterday 

halted the extradition of a Dutch-Pakistani 

Al Qaeda suspect to the United 

States, saying he would not be handed 

over until Washington guaranteed the 

same treatment for his post-traumatic 

stress disorder as in the Netherlands. 

The Hague judge "prohibits the 

State to extradite Sabir Khan as long 

as the United States cannot guarantee," 

that Khan, 26, gets a very speciic 

type of treatment for his disorder, commonly 

referred to as PTSD, said a court 

document. 

Khan, 26, is wanted by the US for 

allegedly planning acts including a suicide 

bombing at a US military base in 

Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province. 

He faces ive terror-related charges 

before a New York court, but details 

have never been made public and it is 

unclear if the suicide attack ever took 

place. 

Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten in 

December gave his inal approval for 

Khan's extradition, but said Khan could 

only be transferred if he would get 

similar treatment for PTSD, which his 

lawyers said he suffered as a result of 

torture in a Pakistani jail. 

Khan, who allegedly also suffers 

from depression, received so-called eye 

movement desensitisation treatment 

(EMDR) in the Netherlands, which is 

not used in US prisons, according to the 

court document. The treatment is controversial 

and US authorities said in a 

letter "EMDR is not universally used or 

accepted. It is not a treatment used by 

the Bureau of Prisons." 

Khan lost a bid in February to stop 

his transfer after a Dutch court slapped 

down his lawyers' previous arguments 

that the US was complicit in his torture 

in Pakistan and his rights would be violated 

should he be sent to a US jail. 

His lawyers then iled a second urgent 

appeal — to which a judge agreed 

yesterday — saying Khan could not be 

extradited unless he gets exactly the 

same EMDR treatment for his disorder. 

Khan was arrested on September 

23, 2010 in a dawn raid on the western 

Pakistani city of Quetta. — AFP

16 

PANORAMA 

A racegoer poses for photographers as they attend Ladies Day, the second day of the Grand National Meeting 

horse racing event at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England yesterday. — AFP 

Zoo to recycle dung 

of celebrity pandas 

Clear-blood fish at 

Japan aquarium 

TOKYO — The deep oceans have 

yielded many mysteries that have 

puzzled people for centuries, from 

the giant squid to huge jellyish that 

look like UFOs. To that list add a ish 

with totally transparent blood. 

The Ocellated Ice Fish lives in 

the freezing waters of the Antarctic 

Ocean, where it manages to keep 

its body doing all the things that 

other ish do, but with blood that 

is absolutely clear, researchers said 

yesterday. The reason, say experts 

at Tokyo Sea Life Park, is that the 

Ocellated Ice Fish has no haemoglobin, 

making it unique among 

vertebrates the world over. 

Haemoglobin is the protein 

found in every other animal with 

bones. It is what makes blood red 

and is the agent that carries oxygen 

around the body. The ish, which 

has no scales, is a prize catch for 

the aquarium, the only place on the 

planet that has the curious specimen 

in captivity. Satoshi Tada, an 

education specialist at the centre, 

said very little is known about the 

ish, which was brought back to 

Japan by krill ishermen. 

A Greenpeace activist dressed in a polar bear costume, stands holding 

ORLEANS — Not content with 

housing a pair of celebrity pandas 

that attract hordes of avid onlookers, 

a zoo in France has decided to 

put their droppings to good use by 

recycling them into gas and electricity. 

Yuan Zi and Huan Huan — 

"Chubby" and "Happy" in Chinese 

— arrived at Beauval zoo in central 

France in January last year, on loan 

from China for 10 years at a cost of 

around a million dollars a year. 

The zoo announced yesterday 

it would build a facility that would 

process the dung of the two pandas 

and of other animals, as well as 

plant matter, to produce biogas that 

a mock letter addressed to visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Jens 

will then be turned into heat and 

Stoltenberg, near the Fontanka Canal in St Petersburg yesterday. electricity. 

A girl tries to feed a goose at Beijing Zoo yesterday. — Reuters 


A Palestinian boy carrying toy balls walks past Israeli border guards in 

Jerusalem's Old City yesterday. — AFP 

Street to be renamed 

NANCY, France — The last street 

in France named after the leader 

of the country's collaborationist 

World War II-era Vichy government, 

Marshal Philippe Petain, is inally 

being renamed. 

The street, in the tiny village of 

Belrain about 40 kilometres from 

the northeastern city of Verdun, 

was oficially unnamed during a 

local council vote last month, Mayor 

Patrick Gondouin said. 

A public consultation with 

residents of the hamlet of about 

40 people will be held this month 

to choose a new name for the 

street, he said. "Petain Street had 

existed since the 1930s, without 

really causing a stir," Gondouin said. 

Petain, a French military leader was 

hailed as a hero of World War I.

OMAN 

>> International 

INTERNATIONAL 

P24 Lagardere to sell 7.5pc stake in EADS P23 Prospects bright for solar power in the Sultanate 

P19 P24 

P19 

Certiicates of deposit 

tender results 

MUSCAT — Certiicates of deposit 

tender was held at the Central 

Bank of Oman last week. The total 

amount allotted for issue No 811 

was RO 405.5 million. A bulletin 

issued by the CBO stated that 

the average interest rate of these 

certiicates was 0.13 per cent whilst 

the maximum accepted interest 

rate was 0.13 per cent. The tenor of 

these certiicates is 28 days and so 

their maturity date is on May 1. 

The certiicates of deposit issued 

to licensed banks by the CBO as a 

monetary policy instrument aimed 

at absorbing excess liquidity at the 

banking sector in particular and 

maintaining stability of the interest 

rate and the money market in 

general. The Repo rate during April 

3 to 9 is 1 per cent. — ONA 

Hilco to rescue UK 

music retailer HMV 

LONDON — Restructuring specialist 

Hilco could seal a £50 million 

($76 million) deal to rescue Britain's 

most high proile entertainment 

retailer HMV, a source familiar 

with the deal said. 

Hilco is expected to acquire 

around 130 HMV stores and all 

nine cut-price Fopp branded outlets 

in a deal that could save 2,500 

jobs. It has long been the favourite 

to take HMV out of administration 

after the irm bought up its debt in 

January. 

HP Chairman Ray 

Lane resigns 

SAN FRANCISCO — Hewlett- 

Packard Co Chairman Ray Lane, 

who has come under ire from 

shareholders for his role in the 

acquisition of software company 

Autonomy Plc, has relinquished his 

post in the No 1 personal computer 

maker's latest board shake-up. 

HP said director and activist 

investor Ralph Whitworth will serve 

as interim chairman until Lane's 

replacement is found. — Reuters 

Saturday 

APRIL 6, 2013 | JUMADA AL ULA 25, 1434 AH 

www.omanobserver.om facebook.com/oman observer twitter.com/omanobserver editor@omanobserver.om AppStore 

Spain’s banks face 

gloomy outlook 

MADRID — Global credit rating 

agency Moody's warned yesterday 

that Spain's battered banks face a 

grim outlook even after a Europeanfunded 

rescue, with high levels of bad 

assets set to worsen "signiicantly" in 

the recession. 

Moody's Investors Service said it 

was keeping a "negative" outlook on 

the Spanish banking industry, imposed 

since 2008. 

The banks' balance sheets were 

strewn with red ink after a 2008 

property crash, forcing the government 

to prop them up with 42 billion 

euros ($54 billion) in rescue loans offered 

last year by its euro zone partners. 

Nevertheless, their prospects remain 

bleak. 

"Over the next 12-18 months, we 

believe that the banks will continue 

to operate in a recessionary economy, 

burdened by high levels of non- 

ATHENS — The Greek parliament 

approved legislation to boost private 

investment, a key condition to get the 

crisis-struck country out of its worstever 

peacetime recession. 

The new investment incentive 

law aims to cut red tape by making a 

broader range of projects eligible for 

fast-track licensing and by creating a 

new one-stop-shop agency for investors. 

Amongst other things, the law sets 

out for the irst time speciic rules for 

licensing and operating seaplanes. 

Greece, which has hundreds of poorly 

connected islands and a big tourism 

industry, says this will encourage 

seaplane operators and improve access 

to many holiday resorts. 

"We can't achieve growth and employment 

with theories alone ... we 

need new investment," deputy development 

minister Notis Mitarachi said 

during the parliamentary debate. 

The global inancial crisis and severe 

austerity measures imposed 

under two consecutive EU/IMF bail- 

performing assets that are expected 

to signiicantly deteriorate further 

across all asset classes," Moody's said 

in a report. 

This in turn would put pressure 

on banks' proits and capital levels, 

the rating agency said. 

In addition, Spanish banks are unable 

to obtain market inancing in 

normal conditions, forcing them to 

lean on the European Central Bank. 

The banks have "sizeable" holdings 

of Spanish government bonds, which 

are rated just above junk-bond status 

by Moody's. 

"Improved bank capital levels, 

partly because of current recapitalisation 

efforts, do not fully offset these 

sources of rating pressure, especially 

if the economy does not improve notably 

during 2013," the agency said. 

"This results in an ongoing negative 

outlook for the domestic Spanish 

banking system." — AFP 

Greece new law to spur 

investment, tourism 

outs since 2010 

have shrunk 

the Greek economy 

by about 

a ifth in the 

period from 

2008 to 2012. 

Investment has 

plummeted by 

about 60 per 

cent over that 

Notis Mitarachi 

period. 

Weighed down by red tape, corruption 

and doubts as to whether it 

will manage to stay in the euro zone, 

debt-laden Greece is currently seen 

as one of Europe's worst places to 

do business and invest. The country 

performs badly in almost all the international 

competitiveness tables 

compiled by institutes and organisations 

such as the World Economic Forum 

or the International Institute for 

Management Development. However, 

Athens and its international lenders 

expect investment to rebound 

strongly after 2014. — Reuters 

German industry orders jump 

BERLIN — Swelling domestic demand 

for capital goods drove a strongerthan-expected 

rise in German industrial 

orders in February, adding to 

signs Europe's largest economy and 

growth engine is back on track after a 

dismal end to last year. 

Seasonally and price-adjusted order 

intakes rose 2.3 per cent on the 

month, data from the Economy Ministry 

showed yesterday, well above a 

forecast in a Reuters poll of 34 economists 

for a 1.2 per cent rise. It was the 

strongest rise since October, and made 

up for a 1.6 per cent fall in January. 

The data was a further indication that 

Germany's robust domestic economy 

will probably compensate for weak 

demand this year from top trading 

partners in Europe. 

"Today's new order data add to the 

evidence that the German economy's 

decoupling from the rest of the euro 

zone is continuing," said ING's Carsten 

Brzeski. "With the solid labour market 

and surprisingly strong retail 

sales, domestic demand should be an 

important growth driver this year." 

"In addition, the pick-up in non-euro 

zone demand shows that the German 

economy beneits from the gradual recovery 

of the global economy," he said. 

German retail sales also rose in February, 

for the second month in a row, igures 

showed last week. 

By contrast, trade in euro zone 

shops overall was weaker than expected 

in February, falling 0.3 percent on 

the month and raising doubts about 

how quickly the euro zone can recover 

from recession. Friday's data showed 

domestic industrial orders were up 

2.2 per cent, while intake from abroad 

increased 2.3 per cent. Orders from 

the euro zone were up 1.6 percent, 

after dropping 3.8 percent in January, 

while intake from further aield rose 

2.7 per cent. — Reuters

18 OMAN/INTERNATIONAL 

Business Alert 

Ford’s EcoBoost engine wins award 

MUSCAT — Ford’s 

passion for excellence in 

automobile engineering 

has paid off yet again. 

And not just by making 

a fantastic mark all 

around the world. 

But by winning one 

of Germany’s most 

prestigious award – 

the International Paul 

Pietsch Award 2013. 

Ford’s 1.0-litre 

EcoBoost engine 

has won the Award 

for technological 

innovation at the Auto 

Motor und Sport Best 

Cars Awards. The 1.0litre 

EcoBoost is the 

junior member of Ford’s 

growing global family 

of EcoBoost engines, 

which includes 1.6- and 

2.0-litre four-cylinder, 

and two 3.5-litre V6 

variants. Ford’s awardwinning 

EcoBoost 

technology combines 

direct fuel injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to enable a 

downsized engine to reduce consumption by up to 20 per cent over larger 

engines with no loss of performance. 

This newest award is the ifth that Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has 

won globally since launching in spring 2012, including; the Dewar Trophy 

from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain, a Breakthrough Award from 

Popular Mechanics magazine in the US and 2012 International Engine of 

The Year from Engine Technology International — won by the largest voting 

margin in the award‘s history. 

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost is unlike any engine in Ford’s history. Not only 

is it the company’s irst three-cylinder engine, but it debuts many new 

technologies never before seen in a Ford vehicle. These include an integrated 

exhaust manifold, variable oil pump, a split cooling system, an offset 

crankshaft and a small, highly-responsive turbocharger that spins up to 

248,000 rpm. 

The result of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine’s advanced design is a 

quiet, smooth-running engine that develops roughly the same output as 

a traditional 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Thanks to its high-tech, 

low-friction design, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost is able to deliver class-leading fuel 

economy of 4.8 l/100km (58.9 mpg) and CO2 emissions of 109g/km in the 

100 PS version of the Ford Focus. 

Ford vehicles are known the world over for their exceptional safety, 

luxury and unsurpassed technological superiority. Ford ploughs in millions 

of dollars into R&D each year to ensure that every Ford offers maximum 

safety and motoring pleasure for its customers. 

In Oman, Ford vehicles are marketed by Arabian Car Marketing Co 

LLC, a part of the renowned Saud Bahwan Group. They come with 6 years 

unlimited mileage protection, service and parts network that stretches 

across the Sultanate, over 98 per cent parts availability and Ford Privilege 

Card which provides 24 hours On-road assistance from AAA. 

Lexus art at Milan Design Week 2013 

AS part of its passion to continuously breach the boundaries of conformity, 

Lexus boldly treads into areas that encourage innovation. And not 

surprisingly, this passion has begun to extend beyond the four walls of 

automobile design activities. 

At this year’s Milan Design Week, Lexus plans to amplify its futuristic 

design language by staging a design exhibition in partnership with a worldrenowned 

artist. This exhibition will also display winning designs from the 

irst Lexus Design Award launched last year. 

Milan Design Week is the world’s largest design exhibition. Furniture 

makers and fashion brands stage a variety of related events throughout 

Milan during the week to highlight the appeal and originality of their designs. 

The show is also known as Milano Salone. 

Since a while now, Lexus has supported up-and-coming amazing artists. 

And this has been evident through the launch of the Lexus Design Award, 

Lexus Short Films and now the “-amazing low-” exhibition at Milan. 

At the Milan Design Week, Lexus’ exhibition area will be based on the 

concept of “amazing low” created by Akihisa Hirata, an up-and-coming 

Architect. The space will present a multi-sensory experience of “low” 

through which visitors, can see the connection that brings together roads, 

humans, wind, and water as a single entity. The exhibition aims to deliver an 

amazing experience that will challenge visitors to imagine how the cities of 

the future will be. The “amazing low” project will be supervised by Mr. Toyo 

Ito also an Architect and who has been serving as the Judge of the irst Lexus 

Design Award. The exhibition will take place at central Milan’s Museo della 

Permanente art museum from April 10, 2013 to April 14, 2013. 

Born in 1971 Akihisa Hirata completed Master of Engineering from the 

University of Kyoto in 1997. After having worked for Toyo Ito & Associates, 

Architects, he went on to establish his own Architecture irm in 2005. 

Akihisa Hirata has won many awards for his works. These include 

the Japan Institute of Architects’ New Face Award, the Elle Deco Young 

Japanese Design Talent award and the Elita Award. In 2012, he was awarded 

the Golden Lion at the 13th Venice Biennale International Architecture 

Exhibition. In addition, his proposal for the Post-disaster Restoration 

Housing and Kindergarten Competition in Kamaishi earned several awards, 

including the grand prize. 

Born in 1941, Toyo Ito graduated from the University of Tokyo, 

Department of Architecture in 1965 and thereafter worked with the 

Metabolist architect Kiyonori Kikutake until 1969. In 1971 he opened his 

own ofice, Urban Robot, which was renamed to Toyo Ito and Associates, 

Architects in 1979. He has been a commissioner of the Kumamoto Artpolis 

since 2005. 

Toyo Ito’s award-winning works include Sendai Mediatheque, TOD’S 

Omotesando Building, Tama Art University Library (Hachioji campus), Main 

Stadium for the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung (Taiwan ROC), Toyo Ito 

Museum of Architecture, Imabari, and more. He also has works in progress 

like the Taichung Metropolitan Opera House (Taiwan ROC), Extension for 

“The Fair of Barcelona Gran Via Venue” (Spain), Multimedia Complex on the 

site of Gifu University’s School of Medicine (tentative) and more. 

Toyo Ito has won a number of awards and prizes like the Architectural 

Institute of Japan Prize, Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, Royal Gold 

Medal from The Royal Institute of British Architects and the 22nd Praemium 

Imperiale in Honour of Prince Takamatsu.. 

SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2013


INTERNATIONAL 

Omantel wins award for quality, best trade name 

‘Award reflects Omantel’s continued commitment to quality and excellence’ 

By A Business Reporter 

MUSCAT — Omantel — the pioneer integrated 

telecom services in Sultanate has been 

awarded the Platinum Technology Award for 

Quality and Best Trade Name by OtherWays 

Association Management and Consulting. This 

award is in addition to a series of ISO certiications 

the company has received over the last 2 

years. 

47 companies from different countries, 

represented by their executive leaders participated 

in the awards ceremony at a conference 

HONG KONG — The mystery lender 

behind a Thai billionaire’s $9.4 

billion purchase of a stake in China’s 

No 2 insurer was UBS, which 

offered the region’s fourth largest 

bridge loan ever and a complex inancing 

package known to only a 

few involved, people with knowledge 

of the matter said. 

The Swiss bank’s inancial backing 

for the biggest foreign purchase 

of Chinese stock explains how a 

Thai conglomerate scraped together 

$7.4 billion in cash for the deal’s 

inal payment, after its main lender 

backed out at the 11th hour. 

The rescue role the bank played 

in CP Group’s acquisition of HSBC’s 

15.6 per cent stake in Ping An Insurance 

Group Co of China was not 

disclosed by the companies. 

People with direct knowledge 

say that UBS AG backed the deal 

with two inancing facilities, the 

major piece being a ive year, 

roughly $5.5 billion loan. 

The short term facility was a 

bridge loan that was replaced by 

longer term inancing, the people 

say. At $5.5 billion, the short term 

facility would have been the fourth 

largest Asia Paciic bridge loan 

LONDON — Bailed-out British lender 

HBOS was so badly run it would have 

failed even without the 2008 inancial 

crisis and the regulator should consider 

banning its former bosses from 

the industry, UK lawmakers said in a 

damning report. 

The Parliamentary Commission on 

Banking Standards, tasked with inding 

ways to reform UK banks, said 

yesterday that HBOS was an "accident 

waiting to happen", with bad lending 

and losses across the business likely to 

have led to its insolvency even without 

the funding and liquidity problems of 

the inancial crisis. 

The committee said regulators 

bore some of the blame, but primary 

responsibility lay with Dennis Stevenson, 

chairman from the formation of 

HBOS in 2001 until its collapse, and 

former chief executives James Crosby 

and Andy Hornby. There was a "colossal 

failure of senior management and 

the board", said Commission chairman 

Andrew Tyrie, a Conservative lawmaker 

who expressed surprise that only 

Peter Cummings, who was head of 

corporate lending at HBOS, had so far 

held in Berlin on March 25-26. The companies 

participated are from a variety of sectors 

including, banking, telecommunications and 

services. The Award is presented to companies 

for corporate achievement and to recognise 

prestige, innovation, quality and excellence. 

Charbel S Tabet, President of OtherWays 

Association Management and Consulting said 

following the ceremony “Omantel has demonstrated 

excellent market leadership and transformed 

the Omani telecom sector, by providing 

excellent network quality, innovative products 

and superior customer service. Such market 

UBS mystery lender for Ping An deal Samsung operating proit at $7.7 bn 

People walk in front of a branch of Swiss bank UBS in Zurich. — Reuters 

on record, according to Thomson 

Reuters data. 

For the help it provided, UBS is 

set to earn another milestone. People 

familiar with the matter say the 

bank is expected to reap, over time, 

about $100 million in arranging 

fees alone, a massive amount for 

one bank on a single deal. 

In estimated fee terms, that is 

more than Deutsche Bank earned 

from four investment banking divisions 

in Asia-Paciic in the irst 

UK lawmakers urge executive bans for ‘colossal’ HBOS failure 

‘The failure of HBOS 

was a ‘symptom of the 

inancial crisis and 

the regulatory system 

in place at that time’. 

The introduction of 

a tighter regulatory 

regime would help 

prevent future failures’ 

been punished. 

"The Commission has asked the 

regulator to consider whether these 

individuals should be barred from undertaking 

any future role in the sector," 

Tyrie said in the report. 

Following the report, Crosby resigned 

as an advisor to private equity 

irm Bridgepoint. He is also senior 

independent director at the world's 

biggest catering company, Compass 

leadership of Omantel is commendable, particularly 

in a tough competitive environment 

— and it would not be possible without corporate 

commitment to pursuit of network quality 

and service excellence”. 

For Omantel, this award relects the Company’s 

continued commitment to quality and 

excellence in our networks, our products and 

services and customer satisfaction. On being 

congratulated on receiving the award, Samy al 

Ghassany, Chief Operating Oficer stated that 

"At the end of the day, it's about delivering to 

customers the products and services they 

quarter of 2013, according to estimates 

by Thomson Reuters/Freeman 

Consulting. 

Such an extraordinary arrangement 

with a prized client, Thai billionaire 

Dhanin Chearavanont, is 

both a rare move for UBS and signals 

a key shift in strategy for the 

bank. 

The Dhanin deal shows that the 

investment bank is focusing more 

on high margin transactions than 

standard deal low. — Reuters 

(CPG.L), which declined to comment 

on his position. 

Cummings was ined £500,000 

($759,000) by Britain's inancial 

services regulator in September and 

banned for life from the industry. 

HBOS, Britain's biggest mortgage 

lender, had to be rescued with a government-engineered 

takeover by rival 

Lloyds (LLOY.L), which subsequently 

needed a 20-billion-pound bailout to 

SEOUL South Korea's Samsung 

Electronics said yesterday it expected 

a sharp increase in irst-quarter operating 

proit to 8.7 trillion won ($7.7 

billion), up 52.9 per cent from the 

irst three months of 2012. 

Samsung, the world's largest technology 

irm by revenue, was giving 

earnings guidance before oficial results 

are made available later this 

month. 

The January-March operating estimate 

comes after a record quarterly 

operating proit of 8.8 trillion in the 

fourth quarter of last year. 

Samsung proits soared in 2012, 

largely on the back of sales in the lucrative 

smartphone market. 

Sales in the irst quarter of 2013 

were expected to reach 52 trillion 

won, up 14.9 per cent from a year 

earlier, but down 7.2 per cent from 

the previous quarter. 

While Samsung overtook Nokia 

as the world's largest mobile-phone 

maker and Apple in smartphones last 

year, Apple was twice as proitable as 

Samsung in terms of gross proit margin, 

analysts say. 

Mobile devices generate the bulk 

of proits at both companies. Analysts 

say an increased presence in the 

high-end market will be crucial for 

Samsung in maintaining margins for 

Former HBOS CEOs James Crosby (L) Andy Hornby (R) and chairman 

Dennis Stevenson (C) are seen in a combo images in London. — Reuters 

survive. 

Hornby, who since leaving HBOS 

has worked as chief executive of 

healthcare group Alliance Boots and 

is currently the boss of betting shop 

chain Coral, declined to comment on 

the report. 

Coral, however, had nothing but 

praise for Hornby, and a spokesman 

said his position was safe. 

"Coral is performing extremely well, 

need, in the simplest way, and providing them 

with excellent after sales service". 

Samy al Ghassany explained that Omantel 

has taken a number of initiatives to improve 

the quality and service excellence. In terms of 

network quality, we obtained a second carrier 

in the 3.5G spectrum and have added more 

3.5G sites to provide customers with additional 

broadband speed and capacity. Last year, we 

have also launched LTE technology to provide 

ultra high speed broadband services to our 

customers. By the end of 2013, we will deploy 

more than 400 LTE sites to provide our customers 

better broadband coverage across the 

country. On the other hand, Omantel has substantially 

increased international connectivity 

over the years, and achieved 3rd place in our 

region for International connectivity. We are 

now hosting some of the world’s major content 

delivery providers at our data centres, to 

provide faster content delivery to our domestic 

and international customers. 

We have also brought excellence in service 

through a range of voice and high speed broadband 

services as well as customised solutions 

for our corporate customers. Quality and excellence 

is also a key feature of our customer 

touch points — our rebranded stores across 

the country providing pleasant purchasing experience. 

“I would like to thank our valued customers 

who provided us with very useful feedback 

that helped us to make these achievements. 

Network quality, product innovation and service 

excellence will continue to be the main 

drivers of our market leadership and success” 

its mobile business amid stiff competition. 

"Samsung still lags behind 

Apple in the high-end market," which 

is where the money is, Lee Sun-Tae, a 

Seoul-based analyst with NH Investment 

and Securities told Dow Jones 

Newswires. 

Samsung Electronics is estimated 

to have sold 25 million smartphones 

each month this year, which puts its 

quarterly sales at over 70 million 

and we are really pleased with the 

great job Andy is doing." 

Stevenson, who sits in the upper 

chamber of parliament, could not be 

reached for comment. 

HBOS was created in 2001 by a 

merger between Halifax, a former mutually 

owned savings and loans irm, 

and the 300-year-old Bank of Scotland. 

It ramped up lending using cheap 

funding on the wholesale markets 

rather than safer customer deposits, 

and its high-risk strategy was exposed 

when that funding dried up following 

the collapse of US investment bank 

Lehman Brothers in 2008. 

HBOS's managers blamed the inancial 

crisis for the collapse, but the 

Commission said the bank's business 

model was inherently lawed and its 

board was a "model of self-delusion". 

"The sums would never have added 

up," Tyrie said. 

"The Commission has estimated 

that, taken together, the losses incurred 

by the corporate, international 

and treasury divisions would have led 

to insolvency, regardless of funding 

and liquidity problems, had HBOS not 

19 

Al Ghassany concluded. 

Omantel is the pioneer provider of leading 

edge telecommunications services in the 

Sultanate of Oman connecting individuals, enterprises 

and government across the country 

through a state-of-the-art network. By offering 

unmatched range of innovative products 

and after-sales service, Omantel is the market 

leader. We serve our customers nationwide 

through online channels, shops and distributors. 

Shoppers look at Samsung smartphones at a shop in Seoul. — Reuters 

units, according to Hong Kong-based 

market researcher Counterpoint Research. 

The South Korean irm continued 

to dominate the global smartphone 

market in terms of market share, 

with its stake in the irst two months 

of the year standing at 35 per cent, 

compared with 32 per cent in the 

fourth quarter of 2012, Counterpoint 

said. — AFP 

been bailed out by both Lloyds and the 

taxpayer," he said. 

The Commission said £25 billion 

was lost on bad corporate loans, and 

there were losses of 15 billion at its international 

business and 7 billion at its 

treasury unit. 

The report said the role played by 

Britain's inancial regulator had been 

"thoroughly inadequate". It said the Financial 

Services Authority, which was 

closed down at the beginning of April, 

had identiied some of the issues that 

would eventually contribute to the 

bank's downfall but failed to follow 

through on its concerns. 

Britain's Finance Ministry said the 

failure of HBOS was a "symptom of 

the inancial crisis and the regulatory 

system in place at that time". It said 

the introduction of a tighter regulatory 

regime would help prevent future 

failures. The responsibilities of the FSA 

have been passed to two new bodies, 

the Financial Conduct Authority and 

the Prudential Regulation Authority. 

Crosby was chief executive of HBOS 

between 2001 and 2006 before being 

succeeded by Hornby. — Reuters

Rent-A-Car 

Latest Model Cars — Excellent Service 

Saloon Cars, 4WD, Pick-ups, Buses 

Luxury Cars with Chauffeur 

Al Khuwair: 2448 9248/9648 

Ruwi: 24707074, Qurum: 24691110 

Mct. Airport: 24521189, 

Sohar: 26845565 

Salalah: 23296246, 

Sll.Airport 99323619 

SPECIAL Rates on 

New Cars & 4 WDs 

RENTING & LEASING 

Tours and Airport Transfer 

Tel: 24582663 

GSM: 95859497, 

Fax: 24582664, 

abcrent@omantel.net.om 

PICK-UP car for carrying 

furniture. 

92299583. 

MARBLE Marble 

polishing and 

crystallisation building, 

cleaning floor, floor 

polishing, carpet, sofa 

shampooing, pest 

control, anti-termite, 

shifting, maintenance. 

99504275. 

· · · · · 

HOOPOE SMART 

CARD SERVICES Sanad 

Service Centre 

We provide the 

following services: 

Typing, clearing all 

transactions related 

to government 

departments and 

private sector, eg 

labour agreement for 

Omanis and expatriates, 

typing of labour 

card for expatriates, 

typing of visas and 

document clearing 

from immigration 

department, Ministry of 

Commerce & Industry, 

Ministry of Manpower, 

Commercial names 

reservation, renewal of 

commercial registration, 

renewal of OCCI 

membership, attestation 

of all documents from 

OCCI & Ministry of 

Foreign Affairs. Renewal 

of labour cards through 

electronic payment or 

cash payment. Please 

note you may deliver 

your transaction 

through our e-mail 

and our representative 

will deliver it to your 

ofice personally after 

completion. Our address 

is: Ruwi, near Gulf 

Transport Co. (GTC), 

Fax: 24793331, GSM: 

98793665 (Direct) 

99231500. 

E-mail: hoopoeoman@ 

gmail.com 

AL FAHAD 

TRANSLATION 

SERVICES 

Translation of all 

kinds of legal, medical, 

and other types of 

documents, Commercial 

Agencies, etc. Ruwi, near 

Gulf Transport Co (GTC), 

Fax: 24794286. GSM: 

98793665 (Direct) 

95959838. E-mail: 

bptland@gmail.com 

LANDRAIL TRADING 

& SERVICES (Smart 

Card) Ruwi, near 

Gulf Transport Co. 

(GTC), Tel: 24789117, 

GSM 98793666 (Dir), 

96777170. E-mail: 

landrailoman@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

Services 

PEST CONTROL 

OMAN CO. LLC. 

Supply of 

Pesticides, 

Gel (Cockroaches), 

Public Health 

chemicals, 

Agriculture 

chemicals, 

Snake repellent, 

Rodent 

baits and 

other insect 

repellent from 

Agropharm 

Ltd UK. 

PROFESSIONALS 

in Pest Control Service, Bedbug 

Treatment, Rodent 

Treatment, Snake Treatment 

and Termite Treatment 

(Pre and Post Construction). 

Tel: 24787606 / 24787503 

Fax: 24787607 

E-mail: pcomctom@omantel.net.om 

P. O. Box: 233, Wadi Kabir, 

Postal Code: 117, 

SULTANATE OF OMAN 

FOR Building 

maintenances and 

repairs. 95218056 

· · · · · 

INSTALLING, transferring 

furniture. 92471173. 

· · · · · 

INSTALLING, transferring 

furniture. 98949690. 

· · · · · 

1. AC, Fridge & Washing 

Machine Servicing & 

Repairing 2. Painting, 

Plumbing, Electrical 

& Carpentry Works. 

Contact: 97014234/ 

97123569, 24504281. 

· · · · · 

WE are ready to collect 

waste oil from your side. 

Hamed 93299149. 

· · · · · 

Announcement 

AN INVESTOR is 

required — We have 

a Medical Centre in 

Jaalan Bani Bu Ali that 

consist of two loors. 

The ground loor is 

dedicated for Medical 

Services and the 

Second loor is for the 

accommodation of 

Staff. The Medical Centre 

is fully equipped, its 

area consist of 1,000 

square metre. Those 

who are interested to 

invest in this Medical 

Centre shall call us on 

the following contact. 

00968 99367492, 

Fax No 25553322, 

P B Box: 235. 

P Code: 416, 

Sultanate of Oman 

REQUIRED an investor 

for CR of collection, 

old steel iron, batteries 

and plastics. Hamed. 

93299149. 

· · · · · 

MURAHIB HOTEL 

APARTMENTS 

welcome our valuable 

GUESTS to our 

excellent location, 

AL KHUWAIR, near 

AL ZAWAWI 

MOSQUE, a single 

bedroom, a bedroom 

& majlis, two 

bedrooms & majlis. 

24478087, 

Fax: 24482454. 

QURUM BEACH HOTEL 

24564070. 

· · · · · 

Guest House 




SITUATION VACANT 

Senior Salesman 

Senior Salesman required for 

a NEW showroom with 3 years 

experience in jewellery & watches 

Apply to: goldwatch751@gmail.com 

SAVILLS OMAN 

QUALITY homes 

for rent throughout 

Capital Area 

Muscat. Contact: 

24692151. 

www.sav-oman. 

com 

OFFICES, shops 

villa at Mumtaz, lats 

at Wadi Kabir, MBD, 

Al Khuwair, Al Ghubra 

and Mumtaz (furnished/unfurnished). 

96596348. 

· · · · · 

INDUSTRIAL shops 

and workshops (under 

construction) for reservation. 

99486118, 

99323957. 

2 BEDROOMS, 2 

bathrooms, living room, 

kitchen + store for RO 

350 at Al Ghubrah North, 

near to Al Ghubrah 

Health Centre. Please 

call: 95347854. 

· · · · · 

1 & 2 BEDROOM flats 

for rent at Wadi Kabir. 

99319482. 

· · · · · 

SHOWROOM/Shops for 

rent in Barka industrial 

area. 99374727. 

· · · · · 

A BUILDING in south 

Al Hail consisting of 18 

apartments and 6 shops 

with ACs. The apartment 

consists of two rooms 

and a living room, to be 

rented to one direction 

or certiied companies. 

94222882. 

· · · · · 

TWO high quality villas 

in Al Hail north near to 

Oman Oil and not far 

from the sea. Each side 

has 2 floors, 4 bedrooms 

with split ACs. All have 

private car park and 

remote controlled gate. 

Cooking gas range 

installed in the kitchens. 

One has extra kitchen 

and maid room outside. 

RO 750 and 840 

respectively 

99333479 or 

95215360. 

· · · · · 

FOR rent: 3 minutes 

walking distance from 

City Centre, Al Seeb, Villa 

with 4 bedrooms + 4 

bathrooms and sitting 

room for RO 800/- (Six 

month advance). 

99080050. 

· · · · · 

For Rent 

VILLA for rent in 

Wattayah 3 bedroom. 

99071071, 99469636. 

· · · · · 

EXCELLENT 4 bedroom 

apartment with utilities 

in Al Hail. 

92817777. 

· · · · · 

FLAT, 3 bedrooms + 

kitchen + 2 toilets, Al 

Khoud, family only. 

RO 260/month 

99385957. 

· · · · · 

PENTHOUSE, 3 

bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 

kitchen & sitting room, 

balcony. 99332907. 

· · · · · 

NEW, Villa in Al Mawaleh, 

2 loors 5 bedrooms 

with bathrooms+ Majlis 

with bathroom+ family 

hall+ kitchen, asking for 

600 RO per month 

99888877. 

· · · · · 

LEXUS Rx 350 model, 

RO 9,900. 

95594498. 

· · · · · 

PORSCHE cayenne GTS 

2009 model orange 

colour, 32,000 km. 

Factory warranted upto 

February 2014. OR 

21,000,000 

99334347. 

· · · · · 

Vehicle Sale 

Buying/Selling 

BUY and sell — Land 

anywhere in Muscat 

97222272. 

· · · · · 

Umra/Haj 

AL Hikmani for 

HAJ and UMRAH 

— With a host of 

services including 

the following: Hiring 

luxurious coaches, 

arranging weekly 

trips, preparing 

visas for expats 

at cost-effective 

price, including 

transport, housing, 

meals and visits to 

shrine locations. 

Land and air trips 

weekly. (99311310, 

24566016, 99361982, 

99707248, 99322124. 

CLASSIFIED SECTION: 

ILYA MANPOWER 

HOUSEMAIDS 

available from 

Philippines, Sri 

Lanka & Africa. 

All types of SKILLED 

WORKERS 

(Waiters, 

Cooks, Drivers, 

Constructions, 

Industrials, Hotels 

& Ministries...) 

Tel/Fax: 22050086 

Hail Shimaly al Jabri 

Bldg, next to Bahja Mall 

Ali al Maashari: 99639264 

Salim al Naamani: 99355675 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

Available on very GOOD prices 

HP 1050 Wireless Printer 

RO 13.900 only 

HP 4610 4 in 1 Printer 


HP OJ 8100 wifi Printer 


HP LED 18.5” Monitor 


AII HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, 

Samsung Cartridges also available 

COMPUTER SUPPLIES 

Ruwi: 24792792 

Car Buy & Sell 

IF you are interested 

to sell your cars, send 

SMS, we pay cash. 

Contact: 99333088. 

Manpower 

FRIENDS MANPOWER: 

Filipino housemaids 

and all kinds of workers. 

24489268 Tel/Fax: 

24478153. 

· · · · · 

Sale/Rent/Purchase 

REQUIRED immediately 

on sale, lease or 

purchase plots in Seeb 

or nearest places. We 

sell your industrial and 

commercial land. 

95490842, 

99323957. 

· · · · · 

Good News TECHNICIAN for AC 

ALL Season clinic 

Ayurvedic Treatment, 

Yoga massage & 

slimming. Contact: 

92504980/24475280. 

· · · · · 

LUXURIOUS cars for 

delivering from home 

to home, for more 

information, Contact: 

9204595. 

· · · · · 

For Sale 

REPUTED Travel Agency 

established since 1977. 

Contact 99338401. 

· · · · · 

REAL estate services, 

renting, selling and 

brokerage for lands, 

construction contracting 

with special prices and 

service. 94222882. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIED 

SECTION 

RUWI: 

24785668 

Wanted 

refrigerator and washing 

machine. Contact: 

94034545, 97014234. 

· · · · · 

ONE of the most 

reputed construction 

companies requires 

experienced and 

competent Civil 

Engineer very urgently. 

Forward CV to E-mail: 

hr@civilco.com.om or 

Fax: 24590541, 

96249265. 

· · · · · 

ACCOUNTANT, 

minimum 5 years 

experience, preferably 

in Franchise related 

organisations. 

Administration 

Manager: minimum 

3 years experience, 

graduate in Business 

Management. Must 

have excellent oral and 

written skills in both 

English and Arabic. 

(Omani only). PRO: 

minimum 5 years 

experience, (Omani 

Only). Contact Miss. 

Smisha 

24542111, E-mail: 

smishaa@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

REQUIRED a Chef with 

experience in making 

Eastern desserts, fulltime 

or part-time 

94372613. 

· · · · · 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590 

e-mail: classified@omandaily.om 

PORTA CABINS / TURNKEY CAMPS 

Our Services Manufacturing, Erection, Mobilization. 

Our Products Camps, Kitchens, Offices, Ablutions 

Phone 24503725 Fax 24503723 

Mobile 95228450 Mobile 99277505 

e-mail info@speedhouseoman.com 

Web www.speedhouseoman.com 

SPEED HOUSE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION LLC 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

REQUIRE 

1. ACCOUNTANT: 

With administration 

skills in the industrial 

sector with minimum 5 

years experience. 

2. SALES EXECUTIVE: 

With experience in 

selling concrete blocks 

and pavement tiles. 

Send CV to: Box: 3461, 

Ruwi, PC: 112. 

FREE 

INFORMATION 

ABOUT ISLAM 

If you would like to 

know more about 

Islam, please call: 

Tel : 99425598, 

96050000, 99353988, 

99253818, 99341395, 

99379133, For ladies: 

99415818, 99321360, 

99730723 

Or visit: www.islamfact. 

com 

VILLA at Al Athaiba, 7 

rooms, 6 toilets, 9 ACs 

with good condition. 

99323242. 

· · · · · 

Sale/Rent 

Situation Vacant 

REQUIRED Electronic 

Technician, ITI or 

diploma holder with 

experience required for 

a company in Oman. 

Send CV to admin@ 

reliablegulf.com 

· · · · · 

FOLLOWING positions 

are required for a 

reputed FMCG 

company 

manufacturing 

Cosmetics in Muscat, 

(1) 10-12 years 

experienced stores in 

Charge - one No. & (2) 

4-5 years experienced 

Salesman Cum 

Merchandiser - One 

No. Valid Omani driving 

licence and knowledge 

of Arabic (speaking) 

will be an added 

advantage. Interested 

candidates may send 

their resume at 

sunnex3@gmail.com. 

· · · · · 

SALES clerks required. 

• Two clerks • 

Experience in the field 

of decor • Fluent 

Arabic/ English skills • 

Holding a valid licence. 

95453149. 

· · · · · 

al-haditha 

AUTO REPAIR 

CENTRE 

(ROP approved Grade A Workshop) 

HURRY! HURRY! 

FREE AC CHECKUP 

with every Service 

of your Vehicle 

50% DISCOUNT 

on every 3rd Service 

(Offer valid for a limited period only) 

Conditions apply 

Best Mechanical & 

Electrical Repairs 

Top Class Denting & Painting 

with Quality Service at Very 

Reasonable cost 

Call: 24595951/Fax: 24597979 

Workshop@ahoman.com 

www.AlHadithaOman.com 

DOLPHIN WATCHING 

Snorkelling & Sunset 

Trip 

Private Luxury Yacht 

charter 

For booking: 

94110088 

Coral Ocean Tours LLC 

E-mail: 

coraloceantours@ 

gmail.com 

Web: www. 

coraloceantours.com 

MARINE Tourism 

92808636, e-mail: 

info@alainain.com 

MORNING STAR 

DRIVING SCHOOL — 

Learn driving manual/ 

automatic with 

professionally 

qualified male/ female 

trainees in brand new 

cars and flexible 

payments. Call: 

99043283, 

24478589, 24478505, 

www.chamberman. 

com/member/ 

morningstar www. 

morningstar.com 

· · · · · 

Tours 

Driving School 

SURVEYOR with 

AutoCAD proficiency, 

Minimum 4 year 

experience in Electrical 

Overhead lines and 

UG cabling projects in 

Oman, Email: adm@ 

aljood-oman.com, 

or by fax.: 00968 

24437007 

· · · · · 

URGENTLY required 

following professions 

with valid labour card 

and release letter from 

the sponsor: A) Marble 

Cladding Mason 

9 Nos, B) Marble 

Flooring Mason, 9 

Nos, C) False Ceiling 

Technician 7 Nos, D) 

Heavy Equipment 

Mechanical 2 Nos. All 

candidates to send their 

CV along with copy 

of their valid labour 

card and release letter 

to: ppmoman@gmail. 

com or call Mr Evros 

Erodotou 

95346587. 

· · · · · 

REQUIRED an Indian 

female for beauty salon 

in Al Amerat 

93336061. 

· · · · · 

Classifieds 

Continued on P21

SRI Lankan Quantity 

Surveyor, having 7 

years experience on 

hand including 4 years 

Middle East experience. 

Successfully completed 

higher national diploma 

in Civil Engineering 

(HNDE-BTECH-UK), 

advanced diploma in 

quantity surveying 

(City & Guids-UK). 

Currently working in 

Qatar, notice period 

30 days. Contact: 

974-66140218. E-mail: 

unaisnt@yahoo.com 

· · · · · 

SRI LANKAN Muslim, 

well experienced trust 

worthy (bus/light 

vehicle) driver (45 

age) worked in Saudi, 

speaking Arabic, Hindi 

and English. Looking for 

a suitable placement. 

Contact: 

+94776184096. 

· · · · · 

SENIOR Web Designer/ 

Developer, graphic 

designer, 7 years 

experience, seeks 

suitable position. 

Contact: 98030987, 

farhanamumtaz2000@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 30 years, 

having Omani driving 

licence, seeks suitable 

placement. Contact: 

96495931. 

· · · · · 

B TECH (Computer 

Science Engineering) 

seeks networking 

trouble shooting job. 

Contact: 93403156. 

· · · · · 

FILIPINA female with 

12 yrs experience in 

Oman & Philippines, 

looking for procurement 

and administration job. 

Contact: 99310270/ 

96188608 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, diploma 

in Tool & Die Making, 

working as an 

engineering training, 

production company, 

2½ yrs experience seeks 

suitable placement. 

96761026. 

· · · · · 

BE MECHANICAL 

Engineer, Indian male, 

11 years experience in 

various mechanical ield 

with one year Oman 

experience, on visit visa. 

99067951. E-mail: 

vsudhakar_1979@ 

yahoo.co.in 

· · · · · 


MBA Finance, Indian 

male, 25 yrs, having 

4 years experience 

in Accounts & Audit, 

working in a reputed 

co in Oman seeks 


91073728. E-mail: 

prth4111@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN, male, 28 yrs, 

MBA, B Com, DCA Focus 

RT, 4 yrs experience 

in Oman as Asst 

Accountant, having 

valid Omani D/L seeks 


Contact: 92113508 

E-mail: kjsuvarna@live.in 

· · · · · 

FILIPINA, female, BS in 

Commerce graduate, 

1 year experience in 

Oman as PA/executive 

secretary to the GM and 

4 yrs experience in UAE 

as operations oficer 

with secretarial skills 

in line with tourism 

industry, knowledge 

in MS Ofice, business 

correspondence and 

highly levelled customer 

service oriented. 

96893261158. E-mail: 

arcel77@yahoo.com 

· · · · · 

FEMALE, graduated 

from Sultan Qaboos 

University - Tourism 

Operations Management 

is looking for a 

suitable job. Two years 

experience on coordination. 

92440509/ 

95247995. noor_313@ 

hotmail.com 

· · · · · 

CIVIL Engineer 

(Diploma), 2 years 

experience, Omani D/L, 

seeks placement. 

96690396. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 41 

years accounts/ 

inance, data entry, 

computer operating, 

stores keeping, sales 

and purchase entries. 

BA (Eco), DCA, Auto- 

Cad, Tally 9 Wings, 

Focus A/C packages 

done. 10 years India 

exp in accounts, 

currently working 

in reputed company 

in Oman seeks 


95244766. 

· · · · · 

B TECH graduate in 

electrical, 2 years 

experience, Indian 

male, 27 years, seeks 


Please contact: 

95127014. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male 41 years, 

Diploma Engineering 

in Electronics with 10+ 

years of experience in 

sales in India (furniture 

industry), seeking 

suitable placement, 

holding valid 

Oman D/L.Contact 

96151002. Email: 

binomathew.2008@ 

rediffmail.com. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, BE 

Mechanical, 4 years 

experience, PG 

diploma in pipeline 

engineering, seeks 


98267801. 

· · · · · 

17 YEARS experienced 

Accountant, seeks 

suitable position. 

Contact: +968 

95370549 or e-mail: 

nilappana1970@ 

yahoo.co.in 

· · · · · 

I’M M S Ahamed 

Iham, 32 years old 

(Sri Lankan) with 5 

years Gulf + 5 years 

local experience in 

Sales/Marketing 

ield, looking for a 

suitable placement in 

Oman (Senior Sales 

Executive/Sales/ 

Showroom Manager). 

Presently I’m working 

as Showroom Manager 

for Rivoli Group, 

Qatar. My extensive 

experience in the local 

reputed companies, 

such as Andrews’s 

Pharmaceutical (Pvt) 

Ltd and DNN (Pvt) 

Ltd, Sri Lanka. Contact 

me for more details 

+974 70112953 

(Qatar), +968 

96953676 (Oman) 

E-mail: msa.iham@ 

yahoo.com. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 

graduate having 

diploma in computer 

management, working 

as Logistics Supervisor 

(PDO approved) with 

14 years of experience 

in logistic ield in 

Oman, seeks suitable 

placement. Contact: 

96093876. 

· · · · · 

B. TECH (Electrical & 

Electronics) Engineer 

with 2 years experience 

in MEP projects, 

proicient in AutoCAD. 

Premavera with 

driving licence, seeks 


99790427. 

genius6551@yahoo. 

com 

· · · · · 

Mailing Address: OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS SECTION, P.O. Box 974, Muscat, P.C. 100 

Location: OEPPA HEAD OFFICE, Medinat Al Alam, 

Near Ministry of Information 24649 593, 594, 594, 595, 596, 597 

& OEPPA Ruwi Office, Next to Dhofar Bldg, Behind Ruwi Police Station 24785668 

14 years in Oman, 

Indian male, English, 

Arabic, Hindi & Urdu 

speaking driver cum 

delivery salesman, 

seeks immediate 

replacement with 

local release. Driving 

licence valid till 

2020. Contact at 

92397408/99331481 

· · · · · 


years, MCom with 

valid Omani driving 

licence, more than 


in marketing in 

Oman, looking for 

good placement. 

92238560. 

· · · · · 

DEGREE in Civil Engg 

(BE) 5 years exp in 

Muscat. Indian male 

(28) well exp in govt 

and multi storeyed 

projects, seeks suitable 

position in reputed 

company. Oil and gas 

preferred. Contact: 

96381205. E-mail: 

civilenggjob2013@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

CHARTERED 

Accountant Inter, 

Bachelors in Commerce 

and article ship 

from big 10 having 

more than 8 years of 

experience in audit 

and accountancy 

both nationally 

and internationally 

seeks placement. 

98508174 E-mail: 

zahidulhassangulf 

@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, MBA, 


in sales & marketing, 

having Omani D/L 

looking for suitable 

opening. Contact: 

95475833. 

· · · · · 



as HR Executive/ 

Administration (PDO 

Project) seeks a 

suitable placement 

92576038. E-mail: 

rijoshmp@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN female, 28 

years, BE in Electronics 

and Communication, 

2 years industry 

experience (telecom) 

and 4 years teaching 

experience in 

engineering college, 

good computer 

knowledge, presently 

in Oman. Contact: 

95915617. 

· · · · · 

PAYROLL & payable 

accountant , NOC 

release available, I 

will be available in 

Oman till April 20. 

BCom, 29 years, Indian 

male, total 7 years 

experience. Last 5½ 

yrs working in Oman 

as payroll & payable 

accountant. Also prefer 

inventory & logistic 

co-ordinator position, 

Can join immediately. 

96979350, 

98738602. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, BCom, 

10 + Gulf experience 

in admin, HR, 

operations, purchase, 

sales, marketing 

and banking, back 

ofice compliance 

with Oman/UAE D/L 

with 2 years visa 

transfer. 91015956/ 

99763107. E-mail: 

sas67672@yahoo.com, 

sasisuku1@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

Situation Wanted 

SRI LANKAN, 32 years, 

10 years experience in 

sales/ marketing ield, 

seeks placement as 

Senior sales executive/ 

sales/showroom 

manager. Contact: 

96953676. E-Mail: msa. 

iham@yahoo.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN female, MBA 

(HR), 1½ years of 

experience, seeks 


Contact: 95662154. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male (23), BE 

Mechanical with one 

year experience seeks 


93638564, e-mail: 

rexmich31@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

ENGLISH language & 

communication skills/ 

soft skills trainer 

seeking employment 

(6+ years experience 

in corporate (MNC) & 

retail 

training sector. Call 

96538106. 

· · · · · 

TUNISIAN male, having 

4 years experience as 

Tourist Guide, knows 

English, Arabic, French, 

Spanish, Italian looking 

for suitable placement. 

Contact 92623297. 

· · · · · 


yrs )BE (elec and 

communication) 

having good 

experience at multinational 

IT company, 

good knowledge of 

hardware and software, 

seeks opportunity 

93252358. 

· · · · · 


M Sc postgraduate 

1½ years experience, 

seeks suitable job 

92532438, E-mail: 

bigsvp@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

NOC release available, 

B Com, Indian male, 29 

yrs, 7 yrs experience. 

Last 5½ yrs working 

in Oman as an 

accountant payroll 

and payable position 

looking for suitable 

placement. Also 

prefer HB & logistic 

co-ordinator position. 

Can join immediately 

96979350, 

98738602. 

· · · · · 


yrs, BE electronics 

and communication, 

2 yrs work experience 

in procurement/ 

administration 

(Dubai) seeks 

suitable job. Contact 

95986104. Email: 

rodriguespreethi@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

B.TECH Mechanical 

Engineer (Indian) with 


having valid Omani 

driving licence 

seeks placement. 

93952957. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 27, 

BTech, Electrical 

Engineering, 2 

years experience in 

Oman with Omani 

driving licence seeks 


93487256. 

· · · · · 

MBA (Finance), Indian 

male, 24 years, having 

one year experience in 

India as an Accountant, 

currently in Oman on 

visit visa, seeks suitable 

position. 92601455. 

E-mail: sharis246@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

IB-TECH mechanical 

engineer (Indian) with 


having valid Omani 

driving licence. Seeks 

placement. Contact 

93952957. 

· · · · · 


years, BE (Mechanical 

Engineer) with one 

year of experience 

as QA/QC Engineer 

in LNG project in 

India, holds CSWIP3.1 

and ASNT level II 

certiications, seeks 


93569223. E-mail: 

thufz00@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 

35, M.com (tax) 

accountant, more than 


in accounts, 2 years 

in Oman. Seeks 

immediate placement. 

Contact 

98563942. 

E-mail: ajithparappur@ 

yahoo.com 

· · · · · 


MBA (Finance) with 


in inancial sector. 

Currently on visit visa, 

looking for immediate 

placement 

96329757, 92877083. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN female, 

26 MCA, 2 years 

experience in 

Software, family visa, 

preferred teaching 

profession seeks 


96704824. 

· · · · · 

COMPUTER Engineer, 

Iraqi male M Sc in 

Computer Science, 

Pune University, India, 

holding certiicates 

from Microsoft in 

MCITP Server 2008Rz, 

MCSA, MCTS, Network, 

Java language. E-mail: 

mohanadasw@hotmail. 

com 94369946. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male in Al 

Ghubra, has B.Com 

Degree, works 

Accountant with 

two years working 

experience looking 

for job like Computer 

Software, 

95089550, 99142416 

· · · · · 

MECHANICAL Engineer 

with 3 years experience 

available for any job 

96186976/ 

99482476. 

· · · · · 

• Cars for sale 

• For rent 

• Job application 

• Sharing residence 

• Transport cars 

• Real Estate (salerent 

- investments 

CLASSIFIEDS 

INDIAN male 26 

years, MCom having 

more than 5 years of 

experience (including 

CA Articleship) in 

Finance (Finalisation of 

accounts and cash low 

statements) with good 

proiciency in Tally, 

MS Ofice, Sap and 

AS 400 seek suitable 

placement. 

93267372. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male 25 

years, BE Mechanical 

& Diploma in 

AutoCAD with 2 

years experience, 

seeks suitable 

position. Contact: 

92481817 or e-mail: 

mohammed241988@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 


MBA with 2 years 

experience, currently 

on visit visa, looking for 


Contact: 94269756. 

· · · · · 

IT Qualiied & Accounts 

Executive, having 


in accounts and 

Administration, seeks 


93888504. 

· · · · · 


yrs of teaching exp in 

Business in college in 

India, 3 yrs in business 

studies in international 

school in Oman, seeks 

placement in school, 

college. Contact: 

96040624. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, B Sc IT 

with MBA in marketing 

& management, 28 

yrs, presently working 

in Godrej & Boyce in 

India, seeks suitable 

position. Contact: 

99341622. 

· · · · · 

B E Electrical & 

Electronics engineer 

with 4 years 

experience, in 

Oman 2 years 

experience in MEP 

project, seeks 


93797378, 

96681536, e-mail: 

morshed602@gmail. 

com. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 23, CNC 

operator, mechanical 

engineering, computer 

numerical control & 

mechanical AutoCad. 

Contact: 99678941. 

· · · · · 

21 

INDIAN female (29), 

work ex (2 years 

- India), 6 months 

(Oman with PDO 

contractors) looking for 

full/part-time/contract 

based job in Admin, HR, 

back ofice. Education: 

B Tech (CSE), MBA 

(HR), Final Sem, 

Contact 93653426, 

95328330. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, B Com, 

ICWAI intermediate 

having 5 years 

experience in accounts, 

credit operations, 

audit, insurance, 

cashlow statement 

and inalisation, seeks 


Contact: 91086695. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN female 26 yrs, 

(diploma nursing) with 

MoH licence, 5 yrs exp, 

presently working 

in Oman, seeks 


in hospital. 

96114228. 

· · · · · 

PAKISTANI male, 

MBA marketing & 

management, 10 

years experience, on 

visit visa, looking for 


92740973 E-mail: 

liaquatalinaz8@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN with 5 

years experience as 

driver seeks suitable 

openings as Driver for 

companies. 

Knowledge of Arabic 

and Hindi. Contact 

93324375 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male (30 years) 

M Sc postgraduate 

having 9 years of rich 

experience in Admin/ 

secretarial ields, seeks 


95912433. 

· · · · · 

GENERAL manager 

with more than 

20 (Twenty) years 

experience in civil 

construction, currently 

working in a reputed 

construction company, 

seeks change. 

94006761. 

· · · · · 

MALE 27years BBA, 5 

years experience in 

sales & Purchasing 

sector. Working as 

Purchaser in MNC, 

seeks a suitable job. 

95417920. vimalff@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

• Hajj and Umra 

• Used furniture for sale 

• Launch ceremonies of (restaurants - 

shops - clinics) 

• Job ads 

• Teaching driving 

• Houses cleaning - services and pest 

control 

For information, please call: 

95919344 - 92721879 - 99639264 

Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590 

BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011 

Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001 

HSBC account: 206-004012-001 

E-mail: a.almashari@omandaily.om

22 

FILM INFORMATION 

www.citycinemaoman.net 

AL BAHJA CINEMA: 

24540856, 24540855. 

AL NASR CINEMA: 

24831358, 24831809 (after 3pm) 

AL SHATTI PLAZA: 

24607360, 24692656 (after 2pm) 

STARS CINEMA: 

24791641, 24792360 

Majlis A’Shura 

Addresses 

Keep in touch with Majlis Ash’shura’s news. 

Log on to the Majlis’s website: 

www.shura.om 

and the Majlis’s 

e-mail: info@shura.om 

Or write to the Majlis’s postal address: 

P O Box 981 

Postal Code 111, Muscat 

Tel: 24510344 / 24521427/ 

Fax 24510560 

Information 

Ministry Websites 

Ministry: www.omanet.om 

Oman TV: 

www.oman-tv.gov.om 

Oman Radio: 

www.oman-radio.gov.om 

Omani Centre for Traditional Music: www. 

octm-folk.gov.om 

Oman Radio 

06.00 am Opening, Royal Anthem, The Holy 

Quran, Preview of Morning Programme, 

Weather Forecast, Pharmacies on Duty; 06.15 

Good Morning Oman; 07.00 News Bulletin; 

07.10 Good Morning Oman (Sat-Wed); 10.00 

News Headlines; 10.02 Classical Music; 12.00 

News Headlines; 12.02 Around Town (June); 

02.30 News Bulletin; 02.40 Afternoon Buzz; 

04.00 News Headlines; 04.02 Radio Magazine 

- (Laxmi); 06.30 News Bulletin; 06.40 Herbs 

and Health- (Huda Sultan); 07.00 Sun down 

Rhythm (Frank) Live; 08.00 News Headlines; 

08.02 Sun down Rhythm (Frank) Live; 10.00 

News Bulletin; 10.10 Country Music (June); 

11.00 Jazz Cafe (Suhail); 12.40 News 

Summary; 12.45 The Holy Quran; 01.00 

National Anthem, Close Down. 

INFORMATION / LEISURE 

Flight Schedule 

ARRIVALS IVALS — SATURDAY DEPARTURES 

Flight No Aircraft From/Via STA 

Flight No Aircraft To / Via STD 

WY614 

WY648 

WY682 

WY716 

BG023 

TK858 

PK259 

QR170 

EY384 

EK866 

GF560 

MS930 

WY146 

WY122 

WY114 

WY652 

WY662 

FZ043 

WY132 

WY632 

WY914 

WY674 

WY202 

WY602 

WY328 

WY274 

WY322 

WY102 

WY286 

WY262 

EK862 

QR166 

G9113 

EY382 

9W530 

PK191 

WY604 

IX543 

IX337 

WY916 

WY314 

WY3302 

GF562 

WY918 

WY606 

WY924 

FZ045 

WY664 

WY654 

WY204 

WY638 

WY326 

WY244 

IX817 

WY3304 

WY236 

WY298 

WY216 

GF564 

WY930 

G9117 

FZ047 

WY620 

WY338 

AI973 

BA073 

WY616 

WY926 

AI907 

WY406 

WY381 

LH618 

EY388 

LX242 

QR168 

WY228 

WY656 

WY624 

AI985 

WY928 

WY668 

WY672 

WY636 

WY686 

9W534 

WY816 

9W540 

WY258 

KQ318 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

DC10 

B737-8 

B737-3 

A320 

A320 

B777 

E190 

B737-8 

A330-200 

A330-300 

A330-300 

E175AR 

E175AR 

B737-8 

A330-200 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-300 

A330-300 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B777 

A321 

A320 

A320 

B737-8 

ATR42 

E175AR 

B737-8 

B737-8 

E175AR 

B737-8 

ATR42 

E190 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

E175AR 

E175AR 

B737-8 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A319 

B737-8 

A320 

B737-8 

E175AR 

B737-8 

A320 

B777 

B737-8 

E175AR 

A319 

A330-300 

A330-300 

A330 

A320 

A330 

A320 

B737-8 

B737-8 

ATR42 

A321 

B737-8 

B737-7 

A330-300 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-200 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

Dubai 

Kuwait 

Riyadh 

Dar-es-Salaam 

Dacca 

Istanbul 

Islamabad 

Doha 

Abu Dhabi 

Dubai 

Bahrain 

Cairo 

Malpensa 

Munich 

Frankfurt 

Bahrain 

Doha 

Dubai 

Paris 

Abu Dhabi 

Salalah 

Jeddah 

Bombay 

Dubai 

Lahore 

Jaipur 

Karachi 

London Heathrow 

Bangalore 

Lucknow 

Dubai 

Doha 

Sharjah 

Abu Dhabi 

Trivandrum 

Turbat 

Dubai 

Trivandrum-Cochin 

Calicut 

Salalah 

Chittagong 

Mukhaizna 

Bahrain 

Khasab 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Dubai 

Doha 

Bahrain 

Bombay 

Abu Dhabi 

Islamabad 

Delhi 

Mangalore-Abu Dhabi 

Mukhaizna 

Hyderabad 

Calicut 

Trivandrum 

Bahrain 

Salalah 

Sharjah 

Dubai 

Dubai 

Kathmandu 

Delhi 

London Heathrow-Abu Dhabi 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Madras 

Cairo 

Male-Colombo 

Frankfurt-Abu Dhabi 

Abu Dhabi 

Zurich-Dubai 

Doha 

Cochin 

Bahrain 

Al Ain 

Ahmedabad-Bombay 

Salalah 

Doha 

Jeddah 

Abu Dhabi 

Dammam 

Cochin 

Bangkok 

Bombay 

Madras 

Nairobi-Dubai 

0005 

0015 

0015 

0015 

0130 

0130 

0200 

0315 

0350 

0355 

0425 

0500 

0605 

0630 

0645 

0700 

0700 

0740 

0745 

0800 

0800 

0800 

0800 

0825 

0840 

0840 

0900 

0900 

0920 

0920 

0930 

0950 

0955 

1000 

1045 

1055 

1100 

1130 

1155 

1200 

1210 

1230 

1235 

1315 

1330 

1440 

1545 

1615 

1650 

1655 

1655 

1710 

1710 

1725 

1730 

1730 

1750 

1805 

1810 

1810 

1905 

2020 

2020 

2100 

2125 

2130 

2145 

2155 

2200 

2215 

2215 

2225 

2235 

2235 

2235 

2250 

2305 

2305 

2310 

2310 

2310 

2315 

2315 

2320 

2330 

2335 

2340 

2340 

2350 

BA072 

AI986 

9W539 

WY601 

WY631 

WY261 

WY201 

9W529 

WY661 

WY285 

WY651 

WY327 

WY313 

WY273 

WY321 

TK859 

BG024 

PK260 

EK867 

EY385 

QR171 

MS931 

GF561 

WY603 

WY915 

WY3301 

FZ044 

WY929 

WY717 

WY243 

WY823 

WY297 

WY215 

WY235 

WY815 

WY381 

WY917 

WY605 

WY325 

G9114 

WY923 

WY203 

EK863 

EY383 

QR167 

PK192 

9W533 

WY337 

WY113 

WY663 

IX542 

WY653 

WY405 

GF563 

WY3303 

WY637 

IX350 

WY101 

WY227 

WY671 

WY257 

FZ046 

WY619 

WY925 

WY615 

IX146 

GF565 

WY927 

WY347 

WY685 

WY681 

WY655 

G9118 

WY667 

WY635 

WY623 

WY613 

FZ048 

WY913 

AI908 

AI974 

EY381 

QR169 

LX243 

LH619 

B777 

A321 

B737-8 

B737-8 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

E175AR 

B737-8 

E175AR 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-300 

B737-8 

DC10 

B737-3 

B777 

A320 

A320 

B737-8 

E190 

E175AR 

E175AR 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-200 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-200 

A330-300 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A320 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B777 

A320 

A321 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A330-200 

E175AR 

B737-8 

E175AR 

A330-300 

E190 

ATR42 

ATR42 

B737-8 

A330-300 

B737-8 

A330-300 

B737-8 

B737-8 

E175AR 

E175AR 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A319 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A320 

B737-7 

B737-8 

ATR42 

B737-8 

B737-8 

B737-8 

A319 

A320 

A320 

A320 

A330 

A330 

Abu Dhabi-London Heathrow 

Bombay-Ahmedabad 

Bombay 

Dubai 

Abu Dhabi 

Lucknow 

Bombay 

Trivandrum 

Doha 

Bangalore 

Bahrain 

Lahore 

Chittagong 

Jaipur 

Karachi 

Istanbul 

Dacca 

Islamabad-Lahore 

Dubai 

Abu Dhabi 

Doha 

Cairo 

Bahrain 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Mukhaizna 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Zanzibar-Dar-es-Salaam 

Delhi 

Kuala Lumpur 

Calicut 

Trivandrum 

Hyderabad 

Bangkok 

Male-Colombo 

Khasab 

Dubai 

Islamabad 

Sharjah 

Salalah 

Bombay 

Dubai 

Abu Dhabi 

Doha 

Turbat-Gwadur 

Cochin 

Kathmandu 

Frankfurt 

Doha 

Trivandrum 

Bahrain 

Cairo 

Bahrain 

Mukhaizna 

Abu Dhabi 

Calicut 

London Heathrow 

Cochin 

Jeddah 

Madras 

Dubai 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Dubai 

Amritsar 

Bahrain 

Salalah 

Kuwait 

Dammam 

Riyadh 

Bahrain 

Sharjah 

Doha 

Abu Dhabi 

Al Ain 

Dubai 

Dubai 

Salalah 

Madras 

Delhi 

Abu Dhabi 

Doha 

Dubai-Zurich 

Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt 

0001 

0005 

0045 

0115 

0120 

0125 

0130 

0130 

0130 

0135 

0140 

0200 

0200 

0205 

0220 

0220 

0300 

0300 

0500 

0525 

0550 

0600 

0700 

0800 

0800 

0800 

0820 

0825 

1000 

1000 

1005 

1005 

1010 

1010 

1010 

1030 

1030 

1030 

1030 

1035 

1035 

1040 

1045 

1050 

1055 

1130 

1145 

1155 

1200 

1215 

1220 

1300 

1310 

1315 

1333 

1345 

1355 

1400 

1445 

1540 

1545 

1630 

1715 

1750 

1805 

1815 

1855 

1905 

1905 

1905 

1910 

1915 

1945 

2000 

2015 

2015 

2045 

2105 

2245 

2300 

2310 

2325 

2335 

2335 

2350 

Quotations for Today 

Power is of two kinds. One is 

obtained by the fear of punishment 

and the other by acts of love. Power 

based on love is a thousand times 

more effective and permanent 

than the one derived from fear of 

punishment. 

— Mahatma Gandhi 

Cinema 

ARIES 

(March 21-April 20) 

Once you have made 

up your mind about 

something nothing will make 

you change your mind. This 

may not always be wise. Try to 

be a bit more lexible in your attitude. 

TAURUS 

(April 21-May 20) 

You will be very happy 

in the knowledge 

that a certain harmful inluence 

in your life has been removed 

and that you can now go ahead 

without interference. 

GEMINI 

(May 21-June 21) 

It would be best not 

to embark upon a 

course of action suggested to you 

by a much older friend because 

your need for peace of mind is 

greater than his. 

CANCER 

(June 22-July 21) 

By failing to contradict 

a scandalous rumour 

you may be contributing 

to its further spread to the detriment 

of a person who doesn’t deserve 

a spoiled reputation. 

PHARMACIES 

24-HOUR SERVICE 

Al Hashar ph, Ruwi 24783334 

Muscat ph, Ruwi, 24702542 

Al Sarooj, 24695536 

Scientific ph, Qurum, 24566601 

DAY DUTY 

Muscat Al Khuwair 24482044 

Muscat 24538953 

Belqees 24454624 

Scientific 24877751 

Sur Badr al Samaa 

25546112 

Ibri Al Ziyana 25694458 

Buraimi Al Buraimi 25650392 

Nizwa Badr al Samaa 

25447777 

Salalah Al Khuwair 23298892 

Sohar Scientific 26845798 

NIGHT DUTY 

Muscat Muscat 24695536 

Ibn Sina 24540137 



Sur Ibn Saleem 

25543770 

Ibri Sara 25689460 

Buraimi Yaas 25653825 

Barka Muscat 26885372 

Rustaq Al Musalhi 26877687 

Nizwa Qarn al Rowdha 

25425012 

Samayil Al Hurriya 25351453 

Salalah Muscat 23291635 

Mudhaibi Muscat 25524810 

Ibra Al Lamaa 25571878 

Sohar Badr al Samaa 

26847033 

Saham Al Mazini 26854066 

Khoula Hospital Visiting Hours 

Private & Other Wards 

Working Days: 16:00-18:00. Weekends & Public 

Holidays: 10:-12:00, 16:00-18:00 

ICU 

Working Days: 16:00-17:00. Weekends & Public 

Holidays: 16:00-17:00 

Special Care Baby Unit 

Working Days: Parents may visit at any time. 

Weekends & Public Holidays: Parents may visit at 

any time 

YOUR STARS 

IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY: You have had some elaborate plans lately and will want to take advantage of present conditions 

to put a few of them into practice. It is in your nature to stick to your decisions and to work with determination towards 

the goal that you have set yourself. Overcoming hurdles will be easy for you. 

LEO 

(July 22-August 21) 

Although you will be 

sad to hear of the separation 

of an apparently devoted 

couple you know you can at least 

be glad that there are no children 

to be hurt by their action. 

VIRGO 

(August 22- 

September 22) 

Try to avoid inding 

too many faults when dealing 

with a youngster. By encouraging 

his good points you are more likely 

to arouse his desire to improve. 

LIBRA 

(September 23- 

October 22) 

An old investment 

which you are about to write off 

may show some satisfactory results 

in the near future so don’t 

give up on it just yet. 

SCORPIO 

(October 23- 

November 21) 

The conventional life 

you lead may seem irksome at 

times, but as you are not a true 

rebel by nature it would be wiser 

for you to carry on in the same 

way. 

CARTOONS 

SAGITTARIUS 

(November 22- 

December 21) 

This is not the time 

to make an important 

decision if you have recently 

suffered an emotional upset, 

you should bide your time for a 

while. 

CAPRICORN 

(December 22- 

January 20) 

Put your inancial 

future on a secure 

footing before looking around 

for speculative gains, which may 

prove disappointing. 

AQUARIUS 

(January 21- 

February 19) 

Relatives may shock 

you with their selfishness 

but you won’t be able to 

change them so don’t waste time 

and energy trying. 

PISCES 

(February 20- 

March 20) 

Don’t let further 

meetings with a person 

of the opposite sex cause you 

to dismiss your first doubtful 

impression which should be 

borne in mind. 

ADAM @ HOME by Brian Basset 

CALVIN AND HOBBES by Bill Watterson 

GARFIELD by Jim Davis 

STONE SOUP by Jan Eliot 

Hospital. . . . . Board . . . . . . . Emergency 

Royal . . . . . . . 24599000 . . . 24590491 

Health Services Department 

Muttrah . . . . . . . 24797602 

Quriyat . . . . . . . 24845001 . . . . 24845003 

SQH, Salalah. . . 23211555 . . . . 23211151 

Police. . . . . . . . . 24603988 . . . . 24603980 

Al Nahda . . . . . . 24831255 . . . . 24837800 

Ibn Sina. . . . . . . 24876322 . . . . 24877361 

Nizwa. . . . . . . . . 25439361 . . . . 25425033 

Al Rustaq. . . . . . 26875055 . . . . 26877186 

Sumayil . . . . . . . 25350055 . . . . 25350022 

Izki . . . . . . . . . . . 25340033 . . . . 25340033 

Haima . . . . . . . . 23436013 . . . . 23436055 

Sohar . . . . . . . . . 26840022 . . . . 26840099 

Other Hospitals 

CRYPTIC PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

9 In one piece, therefore, 

myself, and healthy (9) 

10 Interact curiously with 

the one within: it’s 

complicated (9) 

12 Small, can and may, 

when motherless (4) 

13 The poor creature, cold 

and shivering, threw 

outside (6) 

14 Dismiss for having run 

his in a crooked race (7) 

15 The role of the oddball? 

(9) 

17 Only be attracted by Ð 

isn’t that strange! (4,5) 

18 ‘Help!’ the dope said (7) 

19 Kind, do all you can (6) 

20 That’s you and he in half 

term (4) 

23 Revealed to have dust 

clogging inside, ceases to 

operate (5,4) 

25 A journalist at the Post 

first (9) 

26 Said ‘Keep in touch’ 

(stereotyped behaviour) 

(4) 

27 It keeps one afloat with 

very little work (6) 

29 Mad, I agree. Unfinished 

surrealistic drawing (7) 

32 Watch for a while before 

taking part (9) 

34 Rehearsed an act in 

‘Spider Web’ (9) 

35 A giant pig, swishing a 

curly tail, enters (7) 

36 He advises —he’s 

accustomed to handling 

money (6) 

37 Dash! It’s a security 

device! (4) 

38 A figure enters — an 

unknown person — the 

killer (9) 

39 Alteration possibly 

meant to conceal a repair 

(9) 

DOWN 

1 Very quickly they show 

there are no mistakes in 

either (3,5) 

2 In which are the 

proceeds from the 

co-authored story? (5,7) 

3 Much coverage for the 

tours arranged — very 

good (4,4) 

4 Less liquid for the dog 

ACROSS 

2 Escort (5) 

7 Begin (5) 

8 Retransmit (5) 

10 Herb (5) 

12 Limb (3) 

13 Ermine (5) 

15 Found (7) 

17 Sport (6) 

19 Youth (3) 

20 Beermat (7) 

23 Region (4) 

25 Toy (4) 

26 Pig’s-foot (7) 

30 Expire (3) 

31 Gully (6) 

34 Repel (7) 

37 Yearns (5) 

38 Murmur (3) 

39 Unspoken (5) 

40 Water-lily (5) 

41 Soil (5) 

42 Gem (5) 

DOWN 

1 Assert (5) 

2 Citified (5) 

3 Stationary (6) 

4 Bad (4) 

Al Buraimi. . . . . 25650855 . . . . 25652319 

Sur . . . . . . . . . . . 25440244 . . . . 25461373 

Tanam . . . . . . . . 25499011 . . . . 25499033 

Masirah . . . . . . . 25404018 . . . . 25404018 

Ibra. . . . . . . . . . . 25470533 . . . . 25470535 

Adam. . . . . . . . . 25434167 . . . . 25434055 

Bidiya . . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535 

Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990 

Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148 

Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187 

Dibba. . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443 

Burkha. . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397 

Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338 

(6) 

5 Pot at the thing moving 

overhead: a bird (8) 

6 Have for sale to this day 

— it’s not moving (5-5) 

7 Forewarns it’s topless 

(4,3) 

8 Paying for repairs to the 

worn cuffs? (10) 

11 A Welsh girl with a 

foreigner (5) 

16 Are going round the 

globe with us to 

galvanise people (6) 

19 Thinking putting it in a 

mug is wrong (3) 

21 It should make switches 

redundant (4,8) 

22 Collision that’s the work 

of the devil (6) 

23 The planner from the 

start gets involved with 

one in (10) 

24 Said it’s where a patch 

should go, generally 

speaking (2,3,5) 

25 The line spoken, having 

got the signal (3) 

28 Pass for a girl, for a start! 

(8) 

29 Put off when I am going 

through with the 

measure (8) 

30 Think a pal is about to 

polish up the writing (8) 

31 From a run in the 

country’s acquired 


Museums in Oman 

FAISAL BIN ALI AL SAID MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24641650 

MUSEUM OF OMANI HERITAGE, 

Tel: 24600946 

CHILDREN’S SCIENCE MUSEUM. 

Tel: 24605368 

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24641374 

NATIONAL MUSEUM, Tel: 24701289 

SULTAN’S ARMED FORCES 

MUSEUM, Tel: 24312646 

CURRENCY MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24796102 

MUSCAT GATE MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24739005. 

OMANI-FRENCH MUSEUM (Bait 

Fransa), Tel: 24736613 

BAIT AL ZUBAIR, Tel: 24736688 

BAIT A’NAMAN, Tel: 24641300 

SOHAR FORT MUSEUM, 

Tel: 26844758 

NAHKAL FORT, Tel: 26781384 

BAIT AL MAKHAM, Tel: 24641300 

BAIT ADAM MUSEUM, QURUM, 

Tel: 24605033, 24605013 

OIL AND GAS EXHIBITION CENTRE 

AND PLANETARIUM, Tel: 24677834. 

PLANETARIUM, Tel: 24675542. 

AQUARIUM at the Marine Science 

and Fisheries Centre (located next 

to Marina Bandar Rowdha, Sidab). 

SALALAH MUSEUM, Tel: 23294549 

CULTURAL CENTRE, Tel: 23294549. 

SUR MARITIME MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24541466. 

BAIT AL BARANDA, Tel: 24714262. 

CROSSWORD 

injuries E (7) 

33 E the gentleman’s about 

forty-nine. An English 

runner (5) 

34 Post, as usual, to guard 

the sick (6) 

EASY PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

9 Food fish (5,4) 

10 Native Australian (9) 

12 Comb this (4) 

13 Pill (6) 

14 Small pools of water (7) 

15 Morning meal (9) 

17 Part of the day (9) 

18 Ties up (7) 

19 Picturesque (6) 

20 Arm or leg (4) 

23 Cease operations (5,4) 

25 Widespread (9) 

26 Mediocre (2-2) 

27 Artist’s workroom (6) 

29 Vintage (7) 

32 Clumsy (3,6) 

34 Brotherly (9) 

35 Requests forcibly (7) 

36 Backless seats (6) 

37 Opera song (4) 

38 Appearing where 

unwelcome (9) 

39 Beekeepers (9) 

DOWN 

1 Set of letters (8) 

2 Two-handed (12) 

3 In these times (8) 

4 Piece of small shot (6) 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

5 Late (7) 

6 Traps (5) 

9 Permit (3) 

11 Crustacean (7) 

13 Rob (5) 

14 Beginning (5) 

16 Crib (3) 

18 Mildest (7) 

21 Songbird (5) 

22 Runs (5) 

Royal Oman Police 

EMERGENCY 9 9 9 9 

DG of Passports & Residency, 24569603 

DG of Customs, 24714626 

Traffic offences, 24510227/228 

ROP Public Relations, 24569270 

Consumer Complaints Cell, 24817013 

Muscat Governorate Headquarters, 24560021 

Muscat, 24736611 

Wattayah, 24677990 

Ruwi, 24701099 

Muttrah, 24712211 

Bausher, 24600099 

Al Amerat, 24875999 

Qurayat, 24845555 

A’Seeb, 24420099 

Al-Athaiba, 24521099 

AI-Khodh, 24425012 

Directorate of the University Security, 

24513999 

Directorate of Traffic Muscat, 24567898 

Al Batinah Headquarters, 26840096 

Al Rustaq Division, 26875099 

Al Dakhiliyah, 25425099 

Nizwa Division, 25425099 

Samayil Division, 25350099 

Al Sharqiyah Headquarters, 25545070 

Ibra Division, 25570100 

Al Dhahirah Headquarters, 25650099 

Al Buraimi Division, 25650199 

Ibri Division, 25689099 

Al Wusta Headquarters, 23436099 

Haima Division, 23436211 

Special Task Force, 24560088 

Coastguard Headquarters, 24714888 

Dhofar Governorate Headquarters, 23234599 

Salalah Police Station, 23290099 

Thamrait Division, 23279099 

Musandam Governorate Headquarters, 

26730299 

Khasab Division, 26731502 

ROP websites: www.rop.gov.om, www. 

ropoman.net and 

e-mail: ropnet@omantel.net.om 

5 Clothing business (3,5) 

6 Fellow countryman (10) 

7 Embers (7) 

8 Fair, average (10) 

11 Eskimo house (5) 

16 One in charge of animals 

(6) 

19 Male offspring (3) 

21 Quirk (12) 

22 Breathe in (6) 

23 Slapstick comedy item 

(7,3) 

24 Hopeful (10) 

25 The self (3) 

28 Calamity (8) 

29 Type of clergyman (8) 

30 Cave in (8) 

31 Invent, devise (5,2) 

33 Restrict (5) 

34 Of flowers (6) 

YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 4, Secret 7, True 

love 8, Norma-L 10, Flock 

13, H-one 14, F-is-h 15, Sure 

16, Pet 17, Aden 19, Mail 

21, Broadcast 23, Fits 24, 

Runt 26, Pat 27, Aver 29, 

Eve-R 32, (man-)Aged 33, 

Tripe 34, Staves 35, Traction 

36, Trunks. 

DOWN: 1, Stiff 2, Kudos 3, 

Fla-k 4, Sen-or 5, Co.-re 6, 

Ena-Mel 9, One-man 11, Lip 

12, Cha-r-t 13, Hundred 15, 

Sea 16, Pit 18, Dosage 20, 

Aster 21, Bit 22, Cur 23, 

Faster 25, Pep 28, V-ests 30, 

VIVID 31, Reins 32, Avon 

33, Tuck. 

YESTERDAY’S EASY 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: ACROSS: 4, Get off 

7, Inedible 8, Narrow 10, 

Banal 13, Cost 14, Slow 15, 

Chat 16, Hen 17, Aloe 19, 

Used 21, Presenter 23, Lees 

24, Seen 26, Sew 27, Suet 

29, Save 32, Lens 33, Sepal 

34, Second 35, Elongate 36, 

Editor. 

DOWN: 1, Limbs 2, Beano 

3, Dial 4, Genoa 5, Tart 6, 

Flowed 9, Astute 11, Ale 

12, Aware 13, Cheeses 15, 

Cos 16, Her 18, Lessen 20, 

Sense 21, Pew 22, Net 23, 

Legend 25, Ova 28, Under 

30, Appal 31, Elder 32, Loot 

33, Sane. 

24 Tiring (7) 

27 Lubricate (3) 

28 Sword (6) 

29 Furnishings (5) 

32 Essential (5) 

33 Homes (5) 

35 Container (3) 

36 Relax (4) 

YESTERDAY’S QUICK 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 2, Leads 7, Hero 

8, Torrid 9, Giddy 11, Egg 

13, Aid 15, Pelt 16, Vet 18, 

Able 19, Disowns 20, Toss 

22, Debt 23, Showmen 

25, Prey 27, Sin 28, Acts 

30, Has 31, Eat 33, Melts 

36, Cinema 37, Oven 38, 

Preen. 

DOWN: 1, Ledge 2, Log 3, 

Add 4, Sty 5, Era 6, Civil 

10, Dyes 11, Epitaph 12, 

Glasses 13, Absence 14, 

Dentist 16, Views 17, Token 

18, And 21, Shy 24, 

Mire 26, Rapid 29, Taxes 

32, Gem 33, Map 34, Lie 

35, Son.

Energy 

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 2013 

Economy Monetary Policy 

PERSPECTIVE 

Prospects bright for solar power in the Sultanate 

By Olliver Cornock 

SOLAR energy looks set to play a 

growing role in Oman’s energy 

mix as the Sultanate moves to address 

the two-fold challenge it faces of 

meeting rising demand for electricity 

while reducing state support for the 

power sector. 

Oman is well placed to harness the 

sun’s power, having what is thought 

to be one of the highest solar energy 

densities in the world. At present, 

most of the sultanate’s electricity generation 

is from gas, which accounts 

for around 70% of all fuel used in the 

country, while the rest is largely derived 

from oil in the form of diesel. 

Oficials are keen to boost the part 

played by renewables in meeting domestic 

electricity demand, since this 

would free up more of Oman’s hydrocarbon 

output for export and help 

reduce losses in revenue incurred 

through channelling supplies to the 

privatised power sector at a rate well 

By Jason Lange 

AMERICAN employers likely 

hired at a moderate pace in 

March, a sign the economy was 

gathering momentum even as Washington 

stepped up an austerity drive 

by enacting painful spending cuts. 

The economy probably added 

200,000 jobs last month, with the 

jobless rate steady at 7.7 per cent, according 

to a Reuters survey of economists. 

That would mark the fourth time 

in ive months that nonfarm payrolls 

increased by least 200,000, a robust 

trend considering the drag on the 

economy from a January tax increase 

and federal budget cuts that began in 

March. 

Indeed, with Europe bogged down 

in a sovereign debt crisis that has 

fueled record joblessness, the apparently 

resilient US economy is looking 

like one of the world's star performers. 

"It looks like growth in the irst 

quarter of this year was actually pretty 

good," said Paul Dales, an economist 

at Capital Economics in London. 

The Labour Department will release 

the March employment report 

yesterday at 8:30 am. 

The job gains could fuel discussion 

at the Federal Reserve about whether 

the central bank should dial back 

its bond-buying stimulus program, 

perhaps as soon as this summer. 

Optimism over the US economy has 

helped drive a 6 per cent gain in the 

below market value. 

According to estimates from the 

Authority for Electricity Regulation, 

Oman, state electricity subsidies for 

the area covered by the Main Interconnected 

System (MIS) were expected 

to increase 50 per cent in 2012 

year-on-year. 

The regulator said in a report issued 

at the end of last year that electricity 

subsidies for users connected 

to the distribution grid would reach 

RO 165m ($428.5m), accounting for 

almost 30 per cent of the total cost of 

powering the country. In its report, 

the authority pointed out that the real 

cost was even higher, given that users 

beneitted from an indirect subsidy 

on fuel sold to production facilities at 

below open market value. 

“Foregoing opportunities to use 

domestically produced gas and diesel 

fuel for purposes such as export 

or increasing allocations to industrial 

projects, imposes real costs on the 

government,” the regulator said. The 

MIS distribution grid provides electricity 

for most of Oman, except the 

Salalah region and those parts of the 

country served by the Rural Areas 

Electricity Company (RAEC). 

In the 2013 draft budget, Oman’s 

fuel subsidies, including those given 

for petrol, add up to $1.9 bn and account 

for more than 40 per cent of the 

projected deicit for the inancial year 

and more than half of the total subsidies 

bill. 

Announcing the budget in mid- 

March, Darwish bin Ismaeel al 

Standard & Poor's stock index since 

the beginning of the year. 

At the same time, analysts note 

that the spending cuts have only just 

begun and will be a more substantial 

drag on the economy between April 

and June, when many government 

workers begin taking days off work 

without pay. 

Government payrolls are expected 

to shed only 9,000 workers in March, 

roughly the same as in the prior 

month. 

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, who 

has said the labour market must show 

sustained improvement before monetary 

stimulus is eased, has voiced concern 

about the spending cuts. 

Bumps on the road 

Even a modest miss for the payroll 

reading would leave the labour market's 

recovery broadly on track, analysts 

said. 

Unusually cold weather in March 

might have dulled hiring in areas such 

as construction, while nervousness 

over the federal budget cuts might 

have made businesses shy about hiring. 

These factors could explain some 

of the slowdown in job growth last 

month tracked by private payroll 

processor ADP. They also may have 

contributed to a dip in sentiment 

among factory managers and an increase 

in new claims for jobless bene- 

its last month, said Carl Riccadonna, 

an economist at Deutsche Bank in 

New York. 

Balushi, the Minister Responsible for 

Financial Affairs, said a careful review 

of fuel subsidies was needed to rein 

in rising costs and promote more ef- 

icient electricity usage. 

A national energy policy review 

currently being inalised is expected 

to put a greater emphasis on renewable 

power sources. Estimates indicate 

that thanks to its high solar energy 

densities, or “sky clearness”, Oman 

could more than meet its present electricity 

needs by deploying concentrated 

solar power (CSP) technology over 

an area equivalent to just one tenth of 

its land mass. The government has al- 

Nonetheless, these are widely seen 

as temporary headwinds for the job 

market recovery. 

"The underlying momentum remains 

intact," said Riccadonna. 

Since the 2007-09 recession ended, 

the US economy has struggled 

to grow above a 2 per cent annual 

pace, while output barely grew in the 

fourth quarter. But growth is widely 

expected to rebound in the irst quarter 

before growing at around a 2.5 

per cent in the second half of the year. 

Rising incomes and progress made 

by families in reducing debt are seen 

fuelling the above-trend growth. 

In March, average hourly earnings 

are expected to have risen 0.2 per 

cent. That would be the ifth straight 

month of gains. The length of the average 

work week is expected to have 

remained steady at 34.5 hours. 

Employment gains last month 

should be below the 236,000 jobs 

created in February, but that would 

still be well above what has passed 

for normal in recent years. Since the 

country emerged from a deep recession 

and payrolls began growing 

again in 2010, hiring has averaged 

just 159,000 per month. 

Another indicator of labour market 

health will come in the share of the 

population that is either employed or 

looking for work. The jobless rate has 

fallen a half percentage point since 

July, but some of this is due to workers' 

leaving the labour force, either 

because they retired, went back to 

school or gave up looking for work. 

ready set a target of generating 10 per 

cent of its electricity from the sun by 

2020, and many believe the indings 

of the review will prompt oficials to 

consider increasing the percentage, 

given the rising cost of supporting 

conventional electricity generation. 

Oman’s bid to boost the use of 

alternative power is already moving 

forward, with the Authority for 

Electricity Regulation announcing in 

mid-March that it planned to issue 

new guidelines promoting the use of 

renewable energy in rural areas. The 

RAEC is now required to include a 

component of renewable energy tech- 

By Leika Kihara 

TOKYO — The Bank of Japan's decision to ire one big 

shot in its ight to end delation is a clear signal new 

Governor Haruhiko Kuroda is not one for constant 

tinkering with settings, and it will take something big 

for him to load up his policy cannon again. 

The Japanese central bank unleashed the world's 

most intense burst of monetary stimulus at Kuroda's 

irst rate review on Thursday, promising to inject about 

$1.4 trillion into the economy in less than two years in 

a radical gamble that sent the yen reeling and bond 

yields to record lows. 

The BoJ has not ruled out more stimulus should the 

economy face a severe market shock, such as a sudden 

yen spike, but the threshold for action has become 

much higher and any future steps would be within the 

framework established on Thursday, say oficials familiar 

with its thinking. 

"It's a different world from when the BoJ acted bit 

by bit. It offered all it has on Thursday, so there's no 

such thing as 'what's next' here," one oficial said on 

condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak 

publicly. 

While aware of the risk of using all its ammunition 

at once, the board decided to back Kuroda's "big bang" 

approach that is based on the belief that when the central 

bank acts, it must use all its resources to maximise 

the market impact, the oficials say. 

That said, central bankers do not yet have a clear 

strategy on how to respond if a yen spike or a global 

slump pushed the export-reliant economy back into 

recession and threatened the goal of getting inlation 

to 2 per cent in two years. 

Some market players still expect the central bank 

to come under pressure for further easing in October, 

if its quarterly review of its long-term economic and 

price forecasts shows that 2 per cent inlation remains 

distant. 

But the oficials said that Kuroda's BOJ no longer 

sees such quarterly reviews as key triggers for policy 

action. 

Fed style 

Kuroda made it clear there would be no follow-up 

stimulus anytime soon, telling reporters on Thursday 

that the BoJ had taken "all available steps" it could 

think of. 

He also replaced the BoJ's usual line that it would 

ease again if economic conditions warranted, instead 

saying the central bank would "make adjustment" to 

policy as needed — a sign there would only be tweaks 

to the new framework, not a series of regular policy 

changes. 

"As for future BoJ policy, the word 'adjustment' says 

it all," another oficial said. 

Some analysts say Kuroda's approach is similar to 

that of US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, 

who would launch a "big bang" stimulus, monitor its 

effect for at least half a year or so and embark on another 

big program if the need arises. 

The difference is that with Thursday's measures, 

the BoJ has left itself with very few avenues to boost 

asset buying. The BoJ scrapped a limit on the duration 

of government bonds it targets and will buy 7.5 trillion 

yen ($78 billion) of bonds per month, roughly 70 per 

nology, which could be either solar or 

wind, in any project where funding 

has been requested. The only exceptions 

will be projects where the use 

of renewables is not technically feasible 

or inancially viable, the authority 

said. 

In a press statement issued on 

March 16, John Cunneen, the authority’s 

executive director, said the new 

regulations were conirmation of 

Oman’s commitment to renewable 

energy. “These new requirements for 

electriication funding will accelerate 

the deployment of renewable energy 

technologies in rural areas and en- 

23 

sure projects are subject to competitive 

tendering,” Cunneen said. 

The requirement to utilise renewable 

power in rural projects will 

provide greater opportunities for 

suppliers of solar and wind energy 

technology, while helping to strengthen 

the market for such services. 

Currently, the costs for solar energy 

are higher than those of power stations 

using conventional fuels. However, 

the gap is narrowing as economies 

of scale take effect, with higher 

volumes of production for materials 

and improved technology lowering 

margins. Oman will also beneit from 

being able to redirect more of its gas 

production to the export market or 

towards supplying its expanding industrial 

base. 

While shorter-term costs, including 

initial investments required to establish 

a viable solar energy production 

sector, may push up per-unit prices, 

these should be offset by long-term 

beneits. Overall, the stronger commitment 

to renewable energy sources 

should help Oman reduce the drain 

on its own hydrocarbons reserves and 

bring down subsidies, allowing the 

Sultanate to redirect budgetary funds 

elsewhere. 

Job gains bolstering growth No Plan B in Japan central 

bank’s new playbook 

People wait to meet a job recruiter at the UJA-Federation Connect to Care job fair in New York. — Reuters 

cent of bonds sold in markets. 

Number-crunching inside the BoJ showed that was 

the maximum amount the bank thought it could realistically 

buy, sources said, which means further increases 

in bond buying are highly unlikely. 

The central bank also boosted purchases of exchange-traded 

funds and real-estate trust funds, and 

some analysts expect it may opt to boost purchases of 

such riskier assets if it were to ease again. 

With markets for these assets relatively small, however, 

the BoJ will not be able to achieve the same effect. 

Loading up on such assets would also expose its balance 

sheet to bigger losses because their prices tend to 

be more volatile than bonds. 

"The BoJ is essentially pushing investors out of the 

bond market and forcing them to put their money 

somewhere else," said Izuru Kato, chief economist at 

Totan Research in Tokyo. 

"It's already heavily distorting markets and that's 

the cost it decided to pay. What happens next, though? 

There's really no options left for the BoJ." — Reuters 

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda walks 

into a room as he attends his irst monetary policy 

meeting as BoJ governor in Tokyo. — Reuters

24 

OMAN / INTERNATIONAL 

Asian markets mostly slip 

Pedestrians walk past an electronic share prices board in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP 

HONG KONG — Asian markets mostly 

fell yesterday on concerns over the US 

economy, but Tokyo enjoyed a second 

straight rally and the yen slipped after 

the Bank of Japan unveiled a vast plan 

to boost the economy. 

Japan's Nikkei surged more than 

four per cent in early trade to its highest 

level since August 2008, a day after 

the BoJ's stimulus aimed at bringing 

years of delation to an end. 

However, proit-taking later in the 

day meant the rally petered in the 

afternoon, while the yen regained 

slightly after suffering a big sell-off in 

the wake of the bank announcement. 

By the end of trade the Nikkei 

index closed 1.58 per cent higher, 

adding 199.10 points to 12,833.63, 

still its best close since September 1, 

2008, weeks before the global inancial 

crisis rocked markets. 

Other regional markets struggled 

as jitters set in over the US economy 

and tensions on the Korean penin- 

sula. Seoul closed down 1.64 per cent, 

32.22 points, at 1,927.23, a day after 

falling 1.20 per cent. Sydney lost 0.45 

per cent, or 22.1 points, to end at 

4,891.4. 

Hong Kong ended off 2.73 per cent, 

or 610.59 points, at 21726.90, with 

analysts saying traders were also 

concerned about a number of bird 

lu deaths in mainland China, which 

rekindled memories of the SARS outbreak 

in 2003. 

Shanghai and Taipei were closed 

for a public holiday. 

In the irst meeting under new 

governor Haruhiko Kuroda, the BoJ 

announced a doubling of the money 

supply and aggressively increased asset 

purchases, while vowing no let-up 

in the battle against falling prices. 

The move immediately sent the 

yen diving and exporters soaring, 

lighting a ire under the Nikkei. Investors 

continued the trend yesterday. 

"Foreign investors now have no 

choice but to buy Japanese stocks," 

said Kenichi Hirano, market analyst at 

Tachibana Securities. 

In Tokyo forex trade, the dollar 

rose at one point to 97.04 yen — its 

highest since August 2009 — from 

96.33 yen on Thursday in New York 

and way up from 92.71 yen before 

the BoJ measures were unveiled. The 

euro bought 125.20 yen from 124.60 

yen in New York and from 119.66 yen 

ahead of the announcement. 

But in the afternoon in Tokyo the 

dollar sat at 96.32 yen and the euro 

bought 124.33 yen. 

The euro fetched $1.2904, compared 

with $1.2934 in New York. 

While Japanese investors enjoyed 

a bumper session, the rest of Asia was 

grappling with a weak set of US data. 

The Dow rose 0.38 per cent, the 

S&P 500 added 0.40 per cent and the 

Nasdaq climbed 0.20 per cent but 

gains were capped by a disappointing 

report on US jobless claims, which 

unexpectedly rose for the week ending 

March 30. 

Those igures come as markets 

nervously await the release of key 

non-farm payrolls data later in the 

day, with expectations low after huge 

federal spending cuts came into force 

at the beginning of last month. 

"Given that the US jobless claims 

data underwhelmed, there is concern 

the non-farm payrolls will follow suit, 

and add to the recent run of bearish 

signals," William Leys, Sales Trader 

at CMC Markets wrote in a note to clients. 

"If this does occur, another selloff 

is on the cards," he said, according 

to Dow Jones Newswires. 

"On the other hand, a positive report 

may lead to a bounce against the 

recent downtrend and provide some 

welcome relief for equities across the 

board." 

Adding to regional selling pressure 

is news that the United States said 

it was taking "all necessary precautions" 

after North Korea moved a medium-range 

missile to its east coast. 

It was the latest move by 

Pyongyang which has issued a series 

of threats of nuclear war in recent 

weeks in response to UN sanctions 

and South Korea-US military drills. 

Oil prices rose, with New York's 

main contract, West Texas Intermediate 

light sweet crude for delivery 

in May, shedding 17 cents to $93.09 

a barrel while Brent North Sea crude 

for May rose three cents to $106.37 in 

the afternoon. 

Gold was at $1,551.20 an ounce at 

0810 GMT compared with $1,544.90 

late on Thursday. 

In other markets, Wellington ended 

lat, adding 2.81 points to 4,432.97. 

Fletcher Building ended up 1.9 per 

cent at NZ$8.76 and Telecom fell 2.4 

per cent to NZ$2.41. 

Manila closed 0.83 per cent lower, 

shedding 56.58 per cent to 6,727.14. 

SM Investments fell 2.11 per cent 

to 1,112 pesos, Bank of the Philippine 

Islands also dropped 2.11 per cent 

to 102.20 pesos and Ayala Land retreated 

0.80 per cent to 31.10 pesos. 

— AFP 

TEL: 24601003, 24600586 • FAX: 24600736 

• WEBSITE: www.salalahport.com 

BIZ BRIEFS 


Lagardere to sell 7.5pc stake in EADS 

PARIS — French 

media group Lagardere 

said yesterday 

it plans to sell its 7.5 

per cent stake in the 

European defence 

and aerospace company 

EADS by the end 

of July, which would 

raise roughly 2.5 billion 

euros ($3.2 bn) 

at the current share 

price. 

"As previously indicated 

to the market, 

a signiicant portion 

of the proceeds 

generated by this 

disposal would be 

distributed to Lagardere shareholders," the company said in a statement. 

The company said the sale may or may not fall within the scope of 

the share buyback programme implemented by EADS, and that it had 

priority to dispose of the shares given its status as having been one 

of the main investors in the company. Lagardere is in the midst of a 

restructuring process that will see it sell off the stake in EADS, which 

owns passenger aircraft manufacturer Airbus, as it seeks to reduce 

debt and improve the market value of its main media assets. 

The media company holds magazine titles including Elle and Paris 

Match, sold off its foreign magazine stable to US media company 

Hearst in 2011 to 651 million euros. 

Earlier this week it announced the sale of its 25 per cent stake in 

Amaury, the publisher of the Le Parisien newspaper and sports daily 

L'Equipe, for 91.4 million euros. Lagardere is also looking for a solution 

for its 20 per cent in pay-TV operator Canal+ France and a 42 per 

cent stake in women's magazine Marie-Claire. 

The company suffered a 700 million euro loss in 2011 due to the 

poor performance of its sports assets, but rebounded in 2012 with a 

proit of 89 million. 

Sberbank unveils order for Boeing jets 

WASHINGTON — 

US aerospace giant 

Boeing and Sberbank 

of Russia announced 

that the top Russian 

bank has agreed to 

buy 12 Boeing 737 

aircraft for leasing. 

The deal is valued 

at more than $1 billion 

at current list 

prices, the companies 

said in a joint 

statement. 

The bank's Sberbank 

Leasing unit 

will lease the dozen Next-Generation 737-800 planes to Transaero, 

one of the bank's key corporate customers. Through the accord, the 

companies hope to lay the groundwork for developing an environment 

for inance and operational leasing of imported aircraft in Russia. 

"The agreement that we have reached today marks a very signiicant 

step forward and is evidence of Sberbank's commitment to aviation 

inancing," Sberbank chairman and chief executive Herman Gref 

said. "It substantially contributes to the development of trade and 

economic relations between Russia and the US." 

Shep Hill, president of Boeing International, said the US irm was 

"privileged to enjoy the support and conidence of Sberbank as the 

bank moves into aircraft leasing." 

The Boeing 737-800, a version of the Next-Generation 737 family, 

can seat between 162 to 189 passengers. The single-aisle Boeing 737 

is the best-selling jetliner in aviation history. 

Boeing trails Airbus in Q1 plane orders 

WASHINGTON — 

US aerospace giant 

Boeing trailed European 

arch-rival Airbus 

in jetliner orders 

and deliveries in the 

irst three months of 

the year, according 

to company data released. 

Boeing, which last 

year wrested back 

the title as the world's largest aircraft maker from Airbus, reported 

209 net orders for its commercial aircraft in the irst quarter. Francebased 

Airbus posted nearly double that amount — 410 net orders 

—boosted by a massive 234-plane order from Indonesian budget 

carrier Lion Air in late March. Of Boeing's 209 orders, 153 were for 

its single-aisle 737, the industry's best-selling plane. 

There were 42 orders for Boeing's problem-plagued 787 

Dreamliner, all from American Airlines. 

The cutting-edge 787 has been grounded worldwide since January 

16 after overheated lithium-ion batteries sparked a ire on a Japanese 

Airlines plane parked at a Boston airport and forced an All Nippon 

Airways into an emergency landing in Japan. 

In aircraft deliveries, the race between the world's two biggest 

commercial aircraft manufacturers was much closer. 

Boeing delivered 137 planes, including one 787 to Air India before 

the plane was grounded. The company continues to produce 787s at 

the rate of ive per month as it awaits regulatory approval for it to ly 

again. Airbus delivered 144 aircraft. 

Competition between the two companies, which hold a duopoly in 

the large commercial aircraft market, is ierce. — Agencies

TENNIS 

CRICKET 

SWIMMING 

>>MOTOGP P26 Lorenzo keen to defend title >>NBA 

P28 Nuggets edge Mavericks 95-94 

P26 

Murray signs up with 

Bhupathi agency 

LONDON — US Open and Olympic 

champion Andy Murray on Thursday 

signed on as the irst client of a 

new partnership between his management 

company and Indian doubles 

star Mahesh Bhupathi's GloboSport. 

The venture is aimed at helping 

Murray, ranked second in the world 

after last week's win at the Miami 

Masters, develop his off-court interests 

in Asia and the Middle East. 

Murray's commercial activities 

have been managed by Simon Fuller's 

XIX Entertainment since 2007, 

but there had been speculation the 

25-year-old Scot may switch to a rival 

to help him further his business 

interests. — AFP 

Pietersen meets 

team-mates at Kotla 

NEW DELHI — Dashing England 

batsman Kevin Pietersen turned up 

at the Delhi Daredevils' training session 

here at the Ferozeshah Kotla 

yesterday to boost the morale of his 

team-mates. 

Pietersen, ruled out of the Indian 

Premier League (IPL) due to a knee 

injury, was seen talking to his teammates 

ahead of Delhi's game against 

the Rajasthan Royals today. 

The 32-year-old, who was 

seen wearing knee braces, is in 

the national capital on a personal 

visit. 

Lance bid for swim 

comeback thwarted 

WASHINGTON — Disgraced US 

cyclist Lance Armstrong has been 

barred from entering a swim race in 

Texas following objections from the 

sport's global governing body, organisers 

conirmed on Thursday. 

Armstrong, 41, who was stripped 

of his seven Tour de France wins 

and banned for life before later confessing 

to drug-taking throughout 

his career, had hoped to compete 

in a US Masters Swimming event in 

Austin this weekend. 

However Armstrong's participation 

was swiftly opposed by swimming's 

global governing body FINA, 

who said in a statement the cyclist 

should be barred from competing 

under anti-doping regulations. 

P27 P28 




New Zealand recall Guptill, 

Vettori for England tour 

WELLINGTON — Former Test captain 

Daniel Vettori and top order 

batsman Martin Guptill have been recalled 

for New Zealand's tour of England 

in May and June after recovering 

from injury. 

Vettori, who has been battling a 

long-term Achilles injury, was included 

in the one-day squad that will also 

contest the one-day Champions Trophy 

in June but not the Test side. 

The 34-year-old retired from limited-overs 

cricket following the 2011 

World Cup in a bid to prolong his Test 

career but subsequently made himself 

available for the World Twenty20 

in Sri Lanka last year, having not 

played the shortest form of the game 

at international level for more than 

two years. 

Vettori's last one-day international 

was against Sri Lanka in the semiinal 

of the 2011 World Cup. 

He will play in the lucrative Twenty20 

competition in India before joining 

the New Zealand one-day side, 

who will assemble for three matches 

against England beginning on May 31 

and then play the Champions Trophy 

from June 9. 

Guptill is recalled to the Test and 

one-day squads after recovering from 

the thumb injury that forced him 

to miss the recent three-Test series 

against England, which inished 0-0 

after a thrilling inal day last week. 

An aggressive opening batsman, 

Guptill has performed well in limited-overs 

cricket but struggled at the 

top of the order in the longer form 

against the major nations. 

With the emergence of Hamish 

Rutherford and resurgence of Peter 

Fulton in the England Test series, 

Guptill could be forced to re-establish 

his Test career from the middle order, 

possibly battling with Dean Brownlie 

for the role at number ive. 

Wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi, 

who was born in New Zealand 

but raised in Australia, has been included 

in the one-day side. 

Ronchi played four one-day internationals 

for Australia in 2008 but 

returned to his place of birth in 2012 

to try to make the New Zealand team. 

Wellington pace bowler Mark 

Gillespie, who was not considered 

for the recent England series, was recalled 

to the Test squad after a strong 

irst-class season for Wellington. 

Test squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), 

Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, 

Peter Fulton, Martin Guptill, Mark Gillespie, 

Tom Latham, Bruce Martin, Hamish Rutherford, 

Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, B 

J Watling, Kane Williamson. 

ODI and Champions Trophy squad: Brendon 

McCullum (capt), Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, 

Andrew Ellis, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, 

Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, 

Kyle Mills, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Tim 

Southee, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson. 

— Reuters 

Shakib al Hasan returns 

for Zimbabwe Tests 

DHAKA — Star all-rounder Shakib al 

Hasan yesterday returned to bolster 

Bangladesh for an upcoming two- 

Test series in Zimbabwe after recovering 

from a shin-bone injury. 

Shakib, who underwent surgery 

in Australia in February, missed last 

month's tour of Sri Lanka. He has 

scored 1,835 runs and taken 102 

wickets in 28 Tests. 

The left-hander is likely to play as 

a batsman only in the irst Test, chief 

selector Akram Khan said. 

"We do not want to take any risk, 

so he will play as a batsman in the 

irst Test," Khan said. 

Both Tests will be played in 

Harare, with the irst match starting 

on April 17. 

Bangladesh will also play three 

one-day internationals and two 

Twenty20 matches on the tour. The 

teams for the limited-overs games 

will be named later. Opener Tamim 

Iqbal, who was injured during the recent 

one-day series in Sri Lanka, was 

also named in the 15-man. 

Fast bowler Sajidul Islam made a 

comeback to the Test side after ive 

years, replacing the injured Abul 

Hasan. Islam played two Tests against 

New Zealand in 2008. 

Bangladesh's Test squad: Mushiqur 

Rahim (capt), Mohammad Mahmudullah, 

Tamim Iqbal, Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Ashraful, 

Shakib al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir 

Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat 

Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Enamul Haque, Robiul 

Islam, Sajidul Islam. — AFP 

Inside 

Kings grab late draw with Brumbies 

Torres shines as Chelsea down Rubin 

Bettencourt, Tomasulo surge ahead 

Holders Czechs lead Kazakhstan 2-0 after first day 

ASTANA — Holders Czech Republic 

overcame the absence of their top two 

players, Tomas Berdych and Radek 

Stepanek, to take a 2-0 lead against 

Kazakhstan in their Davis Cup quarterinal 

yesterday. 

Jan Hajek had little trouble disposing 

156th-ranked Mikhail Kukushkin 

6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the opening singles before 

Lukas Rosol prevailed over world 

No 205 Andrey Golubev 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 

7-6 to put the defending champions in 

command after the irst day. 

"It's not that easy to play the irst 

match so I had to keep my focus and 

followed my plan for most of the 

match and it paid off in the end," 94thranked 

Hajek told reporters. 

World No 6 Berdych was forced to 

pull out of the three-day indoor tie, 

played on clay at the National Tennis 

Centre in Astana, after injuring his 

shoulder at last week's Sony Open in 

Maimi, while 45th-ranked Stepanek 

was rested for the singles matches. 

Stepanek, who has not played since 

undergoing neck surgery in January to 

relieve stress on a nerve, will have the 

chance to seal victory for the Czechs 

Czech Jan Hajek returns a shot against Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin during their Davis Cup quarterinal in 

the Kazakh capital Astana, yesterday. — AFP 

when he makes his competitive comeback 

in today's doubles rubber. 

"Radek wants to play tomorrow 

to inish our tie so I hope that they 

can inish it," Czech Republic captain 

Jaroslav Navratil said. 

Berdych and Stepanek led the 

Czechs to their irst Davis Cup title as 

an independent nation last year. 

Kazakhstan, with all four of their 

players coming from Russia, shocked 

the Czechs 3-2 in their only previous 

Davis Cup tie in Ostrava in 2011 when 

they made their debut in the World 

Group as an independent nation but 

must produce a miracle to stage another 

upset this time round. 

In other last eight ties this weekend, 

Argentina host France, a Novak 

Djokovic-led Serbian side take on 

32-times champions United States 

in Boise, Idaho, while Canada face 

Italy. 

Results: World Group quarterinals: Kazakhstan 

2 Czech Republic 0 (Lukas Rosol bt Andrey 

Golubev 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6); Jan Hajek 

bt Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. 

Asia/Oceania Group One relegation playoff: 

India 2 Indonesia 0 (Somdev Devvarman bt 

Wisnu Adi Nugroho 6-1, 6-2, 6-2; Yuki Bhambri 

bt Christopher Rungkat 6-3, 6-2, 6-2). China 

2 Taipei 0 (Wu Di bt Chen Ti 1-6, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4; 

Zhang Ze bt Yang Tsung-Hua 7-5, 6-1, 6-1). 

Asia/Oceania Group One 2nd round tie: 

Uzbekistan 1 Australia 1 (Bernard Tomic bt Farrukh 

Dustov (UZB) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-4; Denis 

Istomin (UZB) bt Marinko Matosevic 6-4, 7-6 

(7/1), 3-6, 6-4). Japan 2 South Korea 0 (Tatsuma 

Ito bt Jeong Suk-Young 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; Go Soeda bt 

Cho Min-Hyeok 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2).

26 

SPORT 

Weepu leads Blues to victory over Highlanders 

Steven Sykes (top centre) of the Southern Kings celebrates a try against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra. — AFP 

Lorenzo keen to defend title 

Jorge Lorenzo rides during a free practice for the Qatar Grand Prix at 

Losail International Circuit in Doha yesterday. — Reuters 

PARIS — The wraps come off the 

2013 MotoGP season in Qatar this 

weekend with pre-season testing 

suggesting Jorge Lorenzo has a massive 

ight on his hands to defend his 

world championship title. 

The Spaniard prevailed in a gripping 

season-long tussle with Dani 

Pedrosa to claim the 2012 crown in 

the penultimate race in Australia after 

his Honda rival crashed out. 

Pedrosa, on the speedy and reliable 

Honda, will be hungry to go one 

Singapore gears up to host Extreme Sailing Series 

MUSCAT — The high-rise and cosmopolitan 

city of Singapore is getting into gear to host Act 

2 of the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series in just one 

weeks time. It’s not the irst time the Extreme 

40s have raced in Singapore but this iconic city 

is now a regular ixture on the global, 8-stop 

tour for the next three years supported by Local 

Partner, Aberdeen Asset Management, the Singapore 

Sports Council and the Singapore Sailing 

Federation. 

Eight international teams with 28 World 

Championship titles, 20 Olympic campaigns 

and 25 America’s Cups between them will line 

up on the April 11 for four days of intense stadium 

racing on Marina Bay Reservoir, including 

local heroes Scott Glen Sydney and Justin Wong 

and their home nation invitational entry, Team 

Aberdeen Singapore. The eight international 

better but Lorenzo faces an arguably 

greater danger much closer to home. 

Nine-time champion Valentino 

Rossi's decision to end his disastrous 

Ducati spell and return to Yamaha 

injects spice to the 2013 campaign 

given the two riders' stormy past. 

Rossi and Lorenzo 'have history' 

from their previous spell as teammates 

— their relationship became 

so toxic at one stage a wall was 

erected between their two garages to 

stop the sharing of data. — AFP 

teams dispersed after Act 1 in Muscat while 

the Extreme 40 leet made the 6,904km (3,728 

nautical mile) journey from the Middle East to 

the Far East. The shape at the top of the leaderboard 

is perhaps no surprise after Act 1 with 

the three most experienced teams leading the 

charge. 

Returning champion Leigh McMillan and The 

Wave, Muscat snatched victory from Roman 

Hagara’s Red Bull Sailing Team in the inal seconds 

of the inal race in Muscat, and light-wind 

specialist Hagara is determined that Singapore 

will be the event where he inally puts his demons 

to rest to win his irst ever Act. The double 

Olympic gold medal winner, who recently 

announced his participation in the America’s 

Cup World Series in Naples, commented: “Its 

our third time racing in Singapore, and we ex- 

AUCKLAND — Piri Weepu scored 

two second-half tries to lead the 

Auckland Blues to a 29-18 victory 

over the Otago Highlanders at Eden 

Park yesterday, the home side reviving 

their Super Rugby campaign after 

three straight losses. 

The hapless Highlanders slipped to 

a sixth defeat in as many matches, virtually 

extinguishing any hope the side 

had of reaching the playoffs, despite 

being tipped by many as title contenders 

ahead of the tournament. 

The Blues were also desperate 

with their season having reached a 

tipping point after they had followed 

up a pair of season-opening wins with 

a trio of defeats that left them in danger 

of slipping further into a downward 

spiral. 

As such, play was scrappy and high 

risk, with the visitors throwing the 

ball around and trying to keep it alive 

while the Blues were more controlled 

and patient but turned over possession 

too many times in the tackle. 

Poor discipline also cost the visitors 

after they had opened a 10-0 lead 

courtesy of a Colin Slade penalty and 

a converted Ben Smith try. 

Highlanders inside centre Ma'a 

Nonu was then sinbinned for an illegal 

shoulder charge on friend and 

All Blacks team mate Weepu, though 

referee Steve Walsh initially awarded 

only a penalty before he saw a replay 

on the big screen. 

The Blues capitalised on their manadvantage 

with tries to loose forward 

Steven Luatua and tighthead prop Angus 

Ta'avao, while lyhalf Chris Noakes 

added a conversion to give them 12 

unanswered points while Nonu was 

off the ield. 

Slade responded for Otago just 

before the break when he landed his 

second penalty to put the Highlanders 

13-12 ahead at halftime. 

Blues winger George Moala was 

sinbinned four minutes into the second 

half for a high tackle on Buxton 

Popoalii that appeared to knock the 

Highlanders winger out cold. 

The Highlanders pack then demolished 

the Blues at the scrum for a 

sustained period and numerous penalties, 

but the home side were able 

to hold them out and then seized the 

lead when Weepu took the inal pass 

to saunter over after a patient buildup. 

Noakes' conversion gave the Blues 

pect tough weather conditions — it will be a 

light wind event which just means you have to 

sail the boats differently, use different tactics 

and that should be an advantage for the more 

experienced teams on the circuit. So I expect 

Red Bull Sailing Team to inish on the podium.” 

The public is expected to be out in force during 

the public event days (April 12-14) supporting 

Singaporean sailors Scott Glen Sydney and 

Justin Wong onboard invitational entry Team 

Aberdeen Singapore. Sailing’s international 

superstar Robert Greenhalgh, winner of the 

irst ever Extreme Sailing Series will take the 

helm and speaking about the competition said: 

“There are many more competitive teams now 

than when I irst sailed an Extreme 40. For sure 

The Wave, Muscat and Red Bull Sailing Team are 

the ones to beat I think, but the inal podium 

spot is up for grabs possibly. I think this event 

will be even closer at the top then in Muscat 

with more teams ighting for the podium. I am 

looking forward to racing with a new team and 

hopefully getting some good results and hope to 

inish in the top half but it won’t be easy.” 

There will be new faces on the start line in 

Singapore as four of the teams announce crew 

changes. Regular Alinghi helm Ernesto Bertarelli 

will be absent for this Act, as America’s 

Cup sailor Morgan Larson steps into the driving 

seat, paving the way for Aussie Stuart Pollard to 

make his Extreme 40 debut as tactician. 

Comparing this years Series to 2012, Larson 

said: “This year’s leet is quite a change from 

last year. The young talent will improve at every 

race and I really see things getting competitive 

by mid season.” 


a 19-13 lead, though the Highlanders 

struck back almost immediately when 

Phil Burleigh inished off a break 

from replacement scrumhalf Fumiaki 

Tanaka in the corner. Slade's conversion 

was unsuccessful. 

Noakes slotted a penalty to extend 

the advantage to four points before 

Weepu, again backing up a brilliant 

counter attack, gave the home side a 

comfortable 11-point lead with a little 

more than 10 minutes remaining. 

Meanwhile, No 8 Cornell du Preez 

scored his second try three minutes 

after the fulltime siren to provide the 

Southern Kings with a battling 28-28 

draw with Super Rugby leaders the 

ACT Brumbies in Canberra. 

The Kings, who are making their 

debut this season and had been beaten 

55-20 by the Canterbury Crusaders 

and 46-30 by the Wellington Hurricanes 

in the past two weeks, had 

been expected to be well beaten by 

the table-topping Brumbies. 

“Our mindset wasn’t right from the 

start and while we got some points 

on, we turned off and let them back 

in,” Brumbies captain Ben Mowen 

said. “Inconsistency has cost us but 

certainly you have got to give credit to 

them.” 

The Brumbies had started the 

game like it was a contested training 

session, taking control of the ball, recycling 

and building phases to march 

down ield and set up Christian Lealiifano’s 

penalty and tries to Henry 

Speight and Joe Tomane. 

While Lealiifano missed both conversions, 

the ruthless eficiency the 

home team displayed to quickly establish 

a 13-0 lead suggested it would 

be an easy stroll to a bonus-point victory. 

The Kings, however, whose line 

speed in defence and ability to hold 

the ball through phases has made 

them combative, went to their 

strength and got back into the game. 

Loosehead prop Schalk Ferreira 

inished off an impressive move that 

involved constructive running interplay 

from the forwards. 

While Brumbies scrumhalf Nic 

White kicked a long-range penalty 

to give the home side a nine-point 

lead, the Kings simply regrouped and 

responded and lanker Wimpie van 

der Walt crashed over from a rolling 

maul following an attacking lineout. 

— Reuters 

Royal Challengers snatch last ball win 

BANGALORE — Seamer Vinay Kumar 

took two wickets off as many deliveries 

in the 20th over as Royal Challengers 

Bangalore snatched a thrilling 

two-run win over Mumbai Indians in 

their opening Indian Premier League 

ixture here on Thursday. 

Bowling the 20th over with 

Mumbai Indians needing 10 runs, 

Vinay Kumar dismissed Dinesh 

Karthik (60: 37b, 3x4, 4x6) and Ambatti 

Rayudu (18) off the second and 

third balls, but more crucially gave 

away only six runs off the next three 

to fashion RCB's maiden win at home 

against the visitors. 

Earlier, it was yet again opener 

'man of the match' Chris Gayle (92 

not out: 58b, 11x4, 5x6) who held the 

RCB innings together and helped the 

home team put up 156 for ive, a total 

that nearly proved insuficient as 

Mumbai Indians came within a stroke 

of winning before inishing on 154 for 

ive. The match provided considerable 

drama as 19-year old seamer and 

debutant Jasprit Bumrah picked up 

three wickets after being hit for three 

boundaries in his irst over, while 

Gayle played a lone hand for RCB despite 

suffering an injury early in his 

innings while Vinay Kumar gave a inal 

twist to the game. 

Dinesh Karthik's cameo all but 

CHRIS GAYLE 

overshadowed Gayle's typically explosive 

innings, as he took Mumbai 

close to the winning post by smashing 

24 off Daniel Christian's over, the 

17th of the innings, but eventually, it 

was Vinay Kumar's inspired spell that 

carried RCB home. 

RCB skipper Virat Kohli was all 

praise for Gayle and his bowlers. 

"We lost a few wickets early when 

the ball was doing a bit, but managed 

to put up a decent total. We also 

bowled and ielded well. 

A disappointed Mumbai Indians 

captain Ricky Ponting said: "We did 

well and should have got through, but 

we fell a bit behind at the half-way 

mark. Our bowling was a bit behind 

too and these are the areas we need 

to work on." 

SCOREBOARD 

Royal Challengers Bangalore 

C Gayle (not out) .........................................................92 

T Dilshan b Johnson .....................................................0 

V Kohli lbw Bumrah ..................................................24 

M Agarwal c Tendulkar b Bumrah .........................1 

D Christian c Johnson b Harbhajan .......................4 

K Nair lbw Bumrah .......................................................0 

A Karthik (not out) ....................................................19 

Extras: (lb-11, b-5) ...................................................16 

Total: (5 wkts, 20 overs) ..................................... 156 

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-28, 3-31, 4-75, 5-80. 

Bowling: M Johnson 3-0-15-1 (w-2); M Patel 

4-0-40-0; J Bumrah 4-0-32-3; J Oram 4-0-22-0 

(w-2); H Singh 4-0-21-1 (w-1); K Pollard 1-0- 

15-0. 

Mumbai Indians 

R Ponting st A Karthik b M Karthik ....................28 

S Tendulkar run out ..................................................23 

D Karthik c Agarwal b V Kumar ...........................60 

R Sharma b V Kumar .................................................11 

A Rayudu b V Kumar .................................................18 

K Pollard (not out) ........................................................5 

H Singh (not out) ...........................................................1 

Extras: (b-1, lb-4, w-2, nb-1) ...................................8 

Total: (5 wkts, 20 overs) ..................................... 154 

Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-62, 3-88, 4-148, 5-148. 

Bowling: J Unadkat 4-0-26-0; D Christian 4-0- 

42-0 (nb-1); Vinay Kumar 4-0-27-3; M Muralitharan 

4-0-30-0; M Karthik 4-0-24-1 (w-1). 

Hyderabad post 126/6 

HYDERABAD — Sunrisers 

Hyderabad scored 126 for six against 

Pune Warriors India in an Indian 

Premier League (IPL) match at the 

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium 

here yesterday. 

Pakistanis need 

to improve swing, 

says Akram 

LAHORE — Famed paceman Wasim 

Akram yesterday told Pakistani 

bowlers that they must master 

swing bowling to win internationally, 

as he readies to nurture the country's 

talent at a key training camp. 

"I was disappointed the way our 

fast bowlers performed in South 

Africa, so I will try to teach the fast 

bowlers how to swing the ball which 

is important for performing well at 

international level," Wasim said at 

the launch of the camp. 

Known fondly as "Sultan of 

swing" for his mastery, the 46-yearold 

left-arm fast bowler will train 

around 15 current and upcoming 

bowlers at a camp in Karachi from 

April 20 to 29. 

Wasim was invited to do so by 

the Pakistan Cricket Board ahead of 

the eight-nation Champions Trophy 

in England in June, after Pakistani 

pacemen failed to impress on tour 

in South Africa earlier this year. 

Frontline paceman Umar Gul 

managed just ive wickets in two 

Tests while lanky Mohammad Irfan 

took two in two. 

Rahat Ali was the best with six 

wickets in two matches after going 

wicket-less in his debut Test. 

"If someone wants to be a really 

good fast bowler he will have 

to bear with the scorching sun and 

heat. If he does that, only then he 

can become a good bowler and it's 

a continuous process of learning," 

said Wasim. 

Wasim said that Irfan, the world's 

tallest bowler who stands at seven 

feet one inch, has to work hard on 

his itness. 

"If he keeps it then I am sure he 

can play for three-four years," said 

Wasim, who took 414 Test and 502 

one-day wickets. 

Wasim also expressed hope that 

India would allow Pakistani players 

to feature in their lucrative 

Twenty20 Indian Premier League 

(IPL). 

"I think politics should stay away 

from sports," said Wasim, who 

was the bowling coach of Kolkata 

Knight Riders in the IPL until last 

year. 

"Since Pakistani bowlers are 

better than India's, it will beneit 

the Indian league," he added. — AFP 

Beckham criticism 

strange and unfair, 

says Ancelotti 

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain coach 

Carlo Ancelotti yesterday rounded 

on critics of David Beckham for 

his performance in the Champions 

League quarterinal irst leg match 

against Barcelona. 

"Criticism of Beckham is strange 

and unfair. He had a very good 

match. He followed the strategy I 

laid out to the letter and gave the 

ball quickly," the Italian told a news 

conference. "Did the way he played 

make me want to start with him 

again in the second leg? Yes, of 

course it did. If Paris were good in 

the irst half-hour against Barca it's 

because Beckham was good as he 

looked to play quickly." 

Ancelotti was speaking after assessments 

that the 37-year-old 

former England captain, who started 

the game but was substituted 

after 70 minutes in the 2-2 draw, 

played the long ball well but fell 

short when it came to winning it. 

He added: "I'm not a friend of 

Beckham or a supporter. A player 

doesn't play if he's not good in training. 

Beckham deserves to play even 

if he's 37 years old. — AFP 

Oman Swimming 

Association 

holds meeting 

MUSCAT — The Oman Swimming 

Association (OSA) teams’ and coaches’ 

committee held a meeting under 

the chairmanship of Taha al Kishry. 

During the meeting it was 

recommended that the digital 

standards of qualiication of the 

Omani swimmers and divers 

participating during the GCC 

championship to be held in Kuwait 

this month should be upgraded. 

The committee also approved 

new mechanisms of work at 

the OSA’s swimming training 

centres.


SPORT 

Torres strikes twice as Chelsea down Rubin Kazan 

Chelsea’s Fernando Torres scores the third goal during the Europa League match against Rubin Kazan at Stamford Bridge in London on Thursday. — AFP 

By Andy Jalil at Stamford Bridge 

A 

double strike by Fernando 

Torres has put Chelsea in 

control of the quarterinal tie 

going into the second leg next week 

in Moscow against Rubin Kazan. In 

freezing temperature which would 

have suited the Russians more, the 

London side dominated much of the 

play and should have seen victory by 

a still bigger margin but for missed 

chances. Three weeks ago Torres, 

much-maligned for his lack of goals 

since joining the club two years ago 

from Liverpool, had put his club in the 

last eight with the winning goal and 

this time again he gave a sparkling 

display which took his tally of goals to 

nineteen for the season. 

Rubin Kazan had their moments 

too, breaking away from time to time 

with long-ball passes but the Chelsea 

defence stood irm thwarting their at- 

tempts each time. The visitors’ best 

chance to score came later in the 

game when they could have had a 

second equaliser as Cristian Ansaldi 

zipped into the box only to put his 

shot narrowly wide. 

Chelsea took control early in the 

game to the extent that Peta Cech in 

their goal touched the ball just once in 

the irst twenty minutes. 

Chelsea went into the lead in 

the 17th minute when David Luiz 

launched a long pass into the penalty 

area where Torres got the better of 

the tussle with the strongly-built centre-half 

Roman Sharonov who failed 

to clear the Spaniards’ irst effort and 

both landed in a heap. 

But the Chelsea striker was quick 

to stick his right leg out while still on 

the ground to put his side one up. 

The home side kept the pressure 

on with Juan Mata and Frank Lampard 

showing their eficiency in midield. 

When the opposition would win the 

ball in a tussle Chelsea were quick to 

tackle again. It wasn’t a surprise that 

the home side doubled the lead after 

32 minutes. Victor Moses’ header was 

irst saved by Sergei Ryzhikov but 

then the loose ball, which was crossed 

by Torres, was only half cleared and 

Moses hammered it into the net. 

With Chelsea comfortably ahead, 

four minutes before half time, Rubin 

were awarded a penalty. A shot from 

Benica punish Newcastle mistakes with 3-1 win 

LISBON — Goals from Rodrigo, Lima 

and Oscar Cardozo cancelled out Papiss 

Cisse's opener to hand Benica 

a 3-1 comeback win over Newcastle 

United on Thursday and put the twice 

European champions in command of 

their Europa League quarterinal. 

Hosts Benica extended their Europa 

League winning streak to ive 

having been behind to Cisse's 12th 

minute opener and will take a precious 

advantage to the second leg at 

St James' Park next Thursday. 

Newcastle put the home side under 

pressure early on and took the lead 

when Cisse connected with a pinpoint 

cross from French midielder Moussa 

Sissoko. 

Cisse was a constant threat to the 

Portuguese Premier League leaders, 

who had goalkeeper Artur to thank 

for a smart stop when he diverted 

Bale hurt as Spurs ight back for draw with Basel 

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur 

fought back from two goals down to 

claim a 2-2 draw at home to Basel in 

the irst leg of Thursday's pulsating 

Europa League quarterinal where 

Gareth Bale was carried off on a 

stretcher late on. 

Substitute Gyli Sigurdsson made it 

2-2 just before the hour when he cut 

inside and ired home a delected shot 

to give Spurs a ighting chance in the 

second leg after the Swiss champions 

had stunned the home crowd by taking 

a two-goal lead after 34 minutes. 

Spurs' joy was tempered by 

Bale, their shining light this season, 

being injured in the closing stages 

after turning his ankle in a challenge 

with David Degen. 

"I don't think there's any chance of 

him not being back for the (end of) 

season games. From what I understand 

from the medical department's 

irst analysis everything is possible," 

manager Andre Villas-Boas told 

reporters. 

The Portuguese said Bale may 

only be out for "the next two" games, 

which includes next Thursday's 

second leg. Basel deservedly opened 

the scoring on the half hour thanks to 

Valentin Stocker. 

The dangerous Mohamed Salah 

the ball against the post from a shot 

by the Senegalese striker. Instead it 

was Benica who levelled through 

Rodrigo with just over half of the irst 

45 minutes gone, when the Spanish 

striker outpaced Newcastle's defence 

to pounce on a thumping shot from 

Oscar Cardozo that Newcastle keeper 

Tim Krul failed to hold. 

Benica coach Jorge Jesus was 

thrilled both for the result and the 

spectacle. 

"What a great show that was for 

the fans. Speed in execution and 

movement from both sides. Shots hitting 

the woodwork, lots of misses and 

four goals," he told Portuguese radio. 

"It was a Champions League 

quality game in my opinion." 

Cisse should have put the visitors 

back in front when he found 

himself through on goal right after 

Benica’s Rodrigo Lima celebrates after scoring against Newcastle United 

during their match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon on Thursday. — AFP 

Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale takes a free kick against Basel in London on Thursday. — AFP 

halftime but his clever chip hit the 

post. Newcastle coach Alan Pardew 

lauded the striker's display. "I thought 

his performance was outstanding. 

Not just for the goal, but the whole 

night he was a threat," Pardew told 

reporters. 

Benica ruthlessly made the most 

of the visitors' mistakes in the second 

half when substitute Lima latched 

onto an underhit backpass from 

Davide Santon then dribbled around 

Krul and slid the ball home from a 

tight angle after 65 minutes. 

The hosts dealt another blow to 

Newcastle six minutes later when 

Cardozo, ordered to retake his irst 

penalty attempt, nervelessly converted 

from the spot after defender Steven 

Taylor handballed in the box. 

Pardew still fancies his side's 

chances despite the defeat. — Reuters 

crossed from the right and captain 

Marco Streller turned sharply and hit 

the post, with Stocker on hand to put 

the rebound into the empty net. 

Swiss league leaders Basel doubled 

their advantage four minutes later 

through Fabian Frei, who was left 

unmarked to head home after Spurs 

defender Jan Vertonghen could only 

divert a corner across the area. 

Spurs striker Emmanuel Adebayor 

then stabbed the ball home 

ahead of the break to give the hosts 

hope and the Londoners should have 

gone in level but Scott Parker put the 

ball wide of an empty net from close 

range. Iceland's Sigurdsson later managed 

parity to the relief of Villas-Boas. 

"Today they created more than us. 

They had more chances. They were 

the best side tonight. They could have 

won the game," the manager said. 

"The positive thing is we managed 

to get back into the tie. Had it inished 

2-0 our task would have been very 

dificult in Basel." 

Tottenham, who won the competition 

in its previous guise as the 

UEFA Cup in 1972 and 1984, were 

favourites to reach the semiinals 

going into the tie but Basel have two 

away goals for the second leg at St 

Jakob Park. — Reuters 

27 

Ansaldi hit John Terry’s left arm and 

the referee pointed to the spot. He 

booked the Chelsea captain for the 

offence which was harsh as the hand 

ball did not seem deliberate and Bebras 

Natcho, taking the kick, sent Cech 

the wrong way with a conidently 

taken shot. 

It was an important away goal 

which would give the Russians some 

hope for the second leg. The Chelsea 

coach, Rafael Benitez said after the 

game: “I am happy but not 100 per 

cent. We conceded a goal when we 

were in control of the game. It was a 

shame we were a little bit relaxed at 

that stage.” 

Chelsea continued to have the 

better of the play. A ine effort by 

Mata, soon after the break was saved 

by the goalkeeper but the rebound 

was wasted and in the 60th minute, 

a cross by Torres was headed away in 

front of the goal with Moses failing to 

beat the defender. He was replaced in 

the 65th minute by Eden Hazard and 

Chelsea also brought on Oscar and 

Marko Marin later as substitutes. 

The Russians second substitution 

came late in the game when defender 

Oleg Kuzmin was replaced by Alan 

Kasaev but it made little difference to 

their attack although they did come 

close to scoring when Cech fumbled a 

shot by substitute Jose Rondon before 

gathering the ball safely. 

Chelsea added a third goal in the 

70th minute with a wonderful header 

from Torres. 

Mata, receiving a pass on the left 

from Yossi Benayoun sent an accurate 

cross for the Spaniard to rise above 

three defenders. Finally, in the 90th 

minute a powerful drive by Ramires, 

from 25 yards, went just wide. 

Chelsea coach, Rafael Benitez, 

delighted with Torres’ performance 

said: “I am pleased for him, not just 

for the goals but with his contribution. 

We always talk about strikers needing 

goals so their conidence is there, and 

you could see that. From the beginning 

I had no doubts about his work 

rate or movement, but you could see 

his touch of the ball was much better 

after the irst goal because of the con- 

idence he had.” 

Fenerbahce 

beat Lazio 

Lazio’s Lorik Cana (right) is 

challenged by Fenerbahce’s 

Pierre Webo in Istanbul on 

Thursday. — Reuters 

ISTANBUL — Hosts Fenerbahce 

scored two late goals to down 

10-man Lazio 2-0 and seize the 

advantage after their Europa League 

quarterinal irst leg on Thursday. 

Pierre Webo scored a penalty in 

the 78th minute, sending Federico 

Marchetti the wrong way, after defender 

Stefan Radu had handled the 

ball. Dirk Kuyt put the Turks in an 

even better position in injury time, 

netting after a long range free kick 

from Mehmet Topuz was saved by 

Marchetti. 

Lazio were facing a losing battle 

from the moment Ogenyi Onazi 

was sent off just after the break for 

a second yellow card having looked 

the better side in the irst half. 

Ederson had a decent chance but 

the Italians failed to make spells 

of dominance pay and it was Fenerbahce 

who came closest to scoring 

when Moussa Sow's shot came 

back off the woodwork in the 16th 

minute. 

Fenerbahce's spirits were lifted 

by the red card in the second half 

and Raul Meireles had a number of 

opportunities before the home side 

inally made the breakthrough.

28 

SPORT 

Nuggets extend home-winning streak to 19 

Dallas Mavericks’ Chris Kaman (left) is fouled by Denver Nuggets’ Kosta Koufos as he takes a shot during their 

NBA game in Denver on Thursday. The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks 95-94. — AFP 

Wozniaki moves 

up in Charleston, 

Williams sisters 

delayed 

CHARLESTON, South Carolina — 

Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki advanced 

to the last eight of the Family 

Circle Cup without hitting a shot 

on Thursday, while matches involving 

Serena and Venus Williams were 

postponed after a lengthy rain delay 

here. 

A rain delay of nearly seven-anda-half 

hours forced organisers to 

push back top seed Serena's roundof-16 

match with qualiier Mallory 

Burdette and Venus' battle with 

Varvara Lepchenko to the following 

day. 

Second seed Wozniacki was given 

a free pass to the quarterinals 

when Andrea Petkovic withdrew 

with a calf injury just a few hours 

before their scheduled match. 

Third seeded Australian Samantha 

Stosur went down to 

Canadian qualiier Eugenie Bouchard, 

retiring hurt with a leg 

complaint after losing the irst 

set 6-1 and trailing 2-0 in the 

second. 

Serbia's Jelena Jankovic ousted 

19-year-old American Jessica Pegula 

in just 64 minutes 6-0, 6-4 but was 

affected by the lengthy delays. 

The former world No 1 was 

too strong for professional debutant 

Pegula, who won her irst two 

matches before getting completely 

outclassed in straight sets. 

"I wanted to take a nap, but I 

couldn't," Jankovic told reporters. 

"We joked that if they rained 

it out, we have a shopping 

day. 

"At the end of the day, I was lucky. 

I came out and played quite well." 

Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele 

prevailed 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 over 10th 

seed German Julia Goerges. 

Results (x denotes seeding): 

Singles 3rd round: Caroline Wozniacki 

(DEN x2) bt Andrea Petkovic 

(GER) walkove; Jelena Jankovic 

(SRB x9) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 

6-0, 6-4; Stefanie Voegele (SUI) bt 

Julia Goerges (GER x10) 3-6, 6-1, 

6-3; Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) bt 

Samantha Stosur (AUS x3) 6-1, 2-0, 

retired. — Reuters 

Choi, Suzann, Jodi share 

Kraft Nabisco lead 

RANCHO MIRAGE, California — 

Former Major winners Choi Na-Yeon 

and Suzann Pettersen spurred each 

other on to a share of the lead with 

unheralded Briton Jodi Ewart Shadoff 

in the opening round of the Kraft 

Nabisco Championship on Thursday. 

South Korean Choi and Norwegian 

Pettersen, playing together, ired unblemished 

rounds of four-under-par 

68 to top a crowded leader-board at 

the opening women's Major of the 

year at the Mission Hills Country 

Club here. 

World No 110 Ewart Shadoff 

needed six birdies to offset her two 

bogeys and stay with her more decorated 

rivals, a stroke clear of South 

Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England 

smiles on the 18th green after 

completing her irst round tied for 

the lead during the Kraft Nabisco 

golf tournament in Rancho Mirage, 

California, on Thursday. — Reuters 

Korean Amy Yang and Swede Anna 

Nordqvist at three-under. 

World No 8 Pettersen, winner of 

the 2007 LPGA Championship, has 

inished runner-up on three previous 

occasions at this event and was 

pleased with the start of her quest to 

go one better. 

"Today was everything I could ask 

for opening round," Pettersen told reporters. 

"Just feeling really good all week, 

and it's just about kind of trusting 

what you have, and I couldn't ask for 

a better start. 

"Bogey-free, gave myself a lot of 

chances, feeling good with my game, 

and if you hit a lot of fairways here 

you give yourself a lot of great looks 

on your approach shots, and I feel 

like I'm striking my irons good and 

I'm hitting a lot of shots that I'm seeing." 

Reigning US Open champion Choi 

believed playing together had helped 

both players. 

"I had a great round today," Choi 

said. "I played with Suzann and I 

think we motivated each other. 

"I hit a lot of fairways and that's 

why I got a lot of chances for birdies 

and I feel great and I'm really looking 

forward to the rest of the week." 

Ewart Shadoff's round featured 

four successive birdies from the 11th 

hole but the 25-year-old newly-wed 

was not surprised at her good form. 

"I've been playing really consistently 

the last three or four tournaments," 

she said. 

"And so I knew, like my game is 

right there, and I knew I was due to 

have a really good round." 

Americans Jane Park, Jacqui Concolino, 

Jessica Korda, Lizette Salas 

and Angela Stanford joined Koreans 

Shin Ji-Yai, Park Hee-Young and Inbee 

Park plus German Caroline Masson, 

Italian Giulia Sergas and Thailand's 

Moriya Jutanugarn in an 11-way tie 

for sixth just two off the lead. 

World No 1 American Stacy Lewis 

failed to produce her best on the way 

to a one-over 73 to be tied for 44th, 

while defending champion Yoo Sun- 

Young of Korea struggled to a iveover 

77. 

Top ranked amateur, New Zealand's 

15-year-old Lydia Ko, opened 

up with an even par 72. — Reuters 

LOS ANGELES — The Denver Nuggets 

won again at home but lost 

starting forward Danilo Gallinari to 

a knee injury for perhaps the rest of 

the NBA season. 

Andre Iguodala hit the go-ahead 

layup with 2.8 seconds left, Corey 

Brewer blocked Anthony Morrow's 

jumper at the buzzer, and the Nuggets 

extended their home-winning 

streak to 19 after edging the visiting 

Dallas Mavericks 95-94. 

"It's a win, but it doesn't feel as exuberant," 

Denver coach George Karl 

said. 

The victory on Thursday was bittersweet, 

however, when Gallinari 

was wheeled off the court after his 

left knee buckled in the second quarter 

with what could be a ligament 

tear. 

"I can't deny it, it doesn't look 

good," Karl added. "I usually look at 

the player's face. He was scared ... But 

I've had ones look bad and (the MRI) 

turned out to be a sprain." 

Gallinari exited the arena on 

crutches and an MRI is scheduled to 

determine the severity of the injury 

for the club's second-leading scorer. 

"It's tough, you never want to see 

anyone go down, especially a guy 

like Gallo, who's so important to us," 

Brewer said. "But we're going to ight 

through it." 

Brewer scored 23 points off the 

bench, Andre Miller added a seasonhigh 

22 for Denver, already playing 

without leading scorer Ty Lawson 

because of heel injury. 

The Nuggets also received 12 

points and 19 rebounds from Kenneth 

Faried, while Iguodala inished 

with eight points, nine boards and 

eight assists. 

Denver trailed 94-93 and 21 seconds 

left when Brewer forced Dirk 

Nowitzki to cough up the ball. Faried 

was fouled at the other end but 

missed both free throws. 

Brewer, however, swooped in to 

grab the miss and passed the ball to 

Faried before falling out of bounds 

for a timeout with 7.7 seconds left. 

Iguodala got the ball high on the 

right wing and drove through the 

lane past Nowitzki and Vince Carter 


for the game-winning left-handed 

layup before Brewer's game-saving 

block kept the winning streak alive. 

"We were trying to get Andre 

Miller the ball but when Dallas put 

Shawn Marion on him, I whispered 

to Iguodala, if they're disrupting Andre 

you've got to go," Karl said. 

"Andre got in the gap and inished 

the shot." 

Brandon Wright scored 16 points, 

Nowitzki and Chris Kaman added 

13 apiece for fading Dallas (36-39), 

which dropped three games behind 

the LA Lakers for the eighth and inal 

playoff spot in the West with seven 

remaining. 

Elsewhere, Oklahoma City Thunder 

put out San Antonio Spurs 100- 

88. 

Russell Westbrook scored 27 

points, Kevin Durant added 25, leading 

the Thunder past the visiting 

Spurs in a battle of the best in the 

West. 

The win moved the Thunder (55- 

20) one-half game behind the Spurs 

(56-20), for the top seed in the West 

and home-court advantage throughout 

the conference play-offs. 

Derek Fisher nailed ive triples 

en route to 17 points, while Serge 

Ibaka contributed 11 with as many 

rebounds for the Thunder, who split 

the four-game season series with 

their ifth straight home court victory 

over the Spurs. 

Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 

14 rebounds, while Tim Duncan added 

24 and 11 boards for the Spurs, 

who received just two points from 

All-Star guard Tony Parker in just 25 

minutes. 

In Brooklyn, Chicago Bulls got the 

better of Brooklyn Nets 92-90. Nate 

Robinson turned a steal into the goahead 

loater with 22.7 seconds remaining, 

and the visiting Bulls rallied 

from an early 16-point deicit to clip 

the Nets. 

The Bulls moved 1.5 games behind 

the Nets for the fourth play-off 

seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Results: Denver Nuggets bt Dalls 

mavericks 95-94, Oklahoma City Thunder 

bt San Antonio Spurs 100-88, Chicago 

Bulls bt Brooklyn Nets 92-90. 

Bettencourt, Tomasulo 

surge ahead in Texas 

Matt Bettencourt hits his tee shot on the 15th hole during the irst round 

of the Texas Open in San Antonio on Thursday. — AFP 

TEXAS, San Antonio — Matt Bettencourt 

and Peter Tomasulo got 

the jump on their rivals for the last 

remaining Masters invitation by taking 

a one-shot lead at the Texas Open 

on Thursday, while Rory McIlory endured 

another patchy round in his inal 

tune up for the year's irst Major. 

American pair Bettencourt and 

Tomasulo carded rounds of ive-under 

67 at the Greg Norman designed 

TPC San Antonio to be one shot clear 

of countrymen Billy Horschel, Bryce 

Molder and Harris English, and Irishman 

Padraig Harrington. 

World No 2 two McIlroy, who has 

struggled for form in the lead up to 

next week's Masters, had four birdies 

but offset them with four bogeys for 

an even par 72, leaving him ive shots 

off the pace. 

"I started off well but I threw in a 

couple of silly mistakes I was talking 

about trying to eliminate last week," 

McIlroy said. 

"I made two bogeys on the par 

ives and made a bogey with a wedge 

in my hand so if you eliminate those 

than it's not a bad score. 

"I hit the ball ok but not my best. 

It was tricky out there, the conditions 

were tough." 

Bettencourt and Tomasulo are two 

of 137 players in the ield who have 

yet to claim an invite to next week's 

Masters knowing only a win will get 

them there. 

Despite the huge carrot dangling 

in front of him, 37-year-old Bettencourt 

tried to put the Masters out of 

his mind. 

"I'm just going to go out tomorrow 

and have fun," he told reporters. 

"I haven't done anything great in 

golf in a couple of years so I just want 

to go have fun, put the ball in play off 

the tee because it's a really fun golf 

course when you put it in play out 

here." 

Harrington, who is already headed 

to Augusta, said it had been dificult 

to control the ball in windy conditions. 

"It was a cold wind and that really 

affects the ball," Harrington said. 

"If it's warm we can still get the golf 

ball to go out there but a cold wind 

is hard to move the ball and I have 

to say I didn't have good ball striking 

out there. 

"I just worked it well and got the 

ball in position and my misses were 

either in the right places or I got 

slightly fortunate and then got up 

and down. 

"It was a question of really paying 

attention and getting the most 

out of your round because you just 

couldn't hit pure shots all day, they 

just weren't the conditions for that." 

Capitals edge 

Islanders 

WASHINGTON — Captain Alex 

Ovechkin scored in the second 

round for the lone goal of the shootout 

and defenceman Mike Green 

tallied in regulation as Washington 

Capitals edged visiting New York Islanders 

2-1 in the National Hockey 

League (NHL) on Thursday. 

Ovechkin went to his backhand 

and lipped the puck under the 

crossbar to beat Evgeni Nabokov. 

Braden Holtby stopped the next 

two chances to clinch the victory after 

making 35 saves for the Capitals, 

who moved into irst place in the 

Southeast Division. 

In Toronto, former Toronto enforcer 

Jay Rosehill scored the gamewinner 

and helped knock Joffrey 

Lupul out of the game as visiting 

Philadelphia Flyers beat the Maple 

Leafs 5-3 and avoided a series 

sweep by the latter. 

Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn, Simon 

Gagne and Jakub Voracek also 

scored for the Flyers, who got 25 

saves from Ilya Bryzgalov in his 21st 

consecutive start. 

Sean Couturier had two assists 

to extend his point streak to four 

games (ive points) as Philadelphia 

won their season-high fourth consecutive 

game. 

In Carolina, Ben Bishop turned 

aside 45 shots in his Tampa Bay debut 

and Martin St Louis recorded a 

goal and two assists as the visiting 

Lightning beat Hurricanes 5-0. 

Benoit Pouliot registered a goal 

and an assist while Teddy Purcell, 

Tom Pyatt and defenceman Keith 

Aulie also scored as the Lightning 

won for the seventh time in the last 

eight trips to Carolina. 

Bishop, acquired from Ottawa on 

Wednesday, earned his second shutout 

of the season and tied Daren 

Puppa's franchise record for saves 

in a shutout. 

Results: Boston Bruins bt New Jersey 

Devils 1-0, Philadelphia Flyers bt Toronto 

Maple Leafs 5-3, Washington Capitals bt New 

York Islanders 2-1, Tampa Bay Lightning bt 

Carolina Hurricanes 5-0, Montreal Canadiens 

bt Winnipeg Jets 4-1, Columbus Blue Jackets 

bt Nashville Predators 3-1, St Louis Blues bt 

Chicago Blackhawks 4-3, Phoenix Coyotes bt 

Detroit Red Wings 4-2, Los Angeles Kings bt 

Minnesota Wild 3-0. — Reuters 

Twins tame 

Tigers 

MINNESOTA — Josh Willingham 

and Trevor Plouffe hit home runs in 

support of Mike Pelfrey as Minnesota 

Twins claimed the rubber match 

of the three-game series against Detroit 

Tigers 8-2 in the Major League 

Baseball on Thursday. 

Twins rookie Aaron Hicks delivered 

a two-run single in a ive-run 

eighth inning for his irst Major- 

League hit, and shortstop Pedro Florimon 

had a two-run double in the 

big frame. 

Pelfrey (1-0) pitched 5-1/3 innings 

in his Twins debut, allowing 

two unearned runs on ive hits to 

earn his irst win since August 24, 

2011. Six relievers combined to shut 

out the Tigers the rest of the way. 

In Tampa Bay, Chris Davis homered 

for the third day in a row and had 

his second straight four-RBI game 

as visiting Baltimore Orioles beat 

the Rays 6-3. 

Miguel Gonzalez (1-0) gave up 

two runs on ive hits in 6-1/3 innings, 

J J Hardy clubbed a two-run 

homer and Adam Jones had three 

hits as the Orioles piled up 20 runs 

in winning two of three. Jim Johnson 

earned his second save. 

Davis swatted a two-run homer 

in the second inning and added a 

go-ahead, two-run double off Tampa 

Bay starter Roberto Hernandez 

(0-1) in the sixth. He inished 7-of- 

11 with three homers and 11 RBIs 

in the series and became the irst 

player in Major League history with 

at least three RBIs in the irst three 

games of a season. 

In New York, starter Eric Stults 

pitched ive shutout innings and 

rookie Jedd Gyorko doubled in a 

run as visiting San Diego Padres defeated 

the Mets 2-1 and avoided a 

three-game sweep. 

Stults (1-0), picked up on waivers 

from the Chicago White Sox 

last season, allowed three hits, two 

walks and struck out seven. Yonder 

Alonso registered two hits and Gyorko 

earned his irst career RBI for 

the Padres. 

Results: Cincinnati Reds bt Los Angeles 

Angels 5-4, Chicago Cubs bt Pittsburgh Pirates 

3-2, Minnesota Twins bt Detroit Tigers 

8-2, San Diego Padres bt NY Mets 2-1, Kansas 

City Royals bt Chicago White Sox 3-1, Baltimore 

Orioles bt Tampa Bay Rays 6-3, Oakland 

Athletics bt Seattle Mariners 8-2, Washington 

Nationals bt Miami Marlins 6-1, NY Yankees 

bt Boston Red Sox 4-2. — Reuters

29 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie attends the Women in the World 

Summit 2013 last Thursday in New York. —AFP 

Amy keeps her style effortless, simple 

HOLLYWOOD actress Amy Adams 

has described her personal style as 

effortless because she believes in keeping 

things simple and practical. 

"I try to keep it pretty simple. I don't 

want to look as though I'm trying too 

hard. I want to be comfortable, but at the 

same time I also like to look elegant and 

feminine," contactmusic.com quoted Adams 

as saying. 

"I try to make it look as effortless as 

possible - that's important to me, especially 

now that I'm a mom. I want my 

clothes to be functional, but at the same 

times very chic," she added. 

The actress is a irm believer in the 

age-old saying that beauty comes from within and she thinks women 

look more striking without any make-up. 

Bollywood actors identify with sweets 

JU bari, "khir kodom" and 

KA"rosogolla" are lip-smacking 

sweets, no arguments about that. 

But now three Bollywood actors are 

identifying themselves with these mouthwatering 

desserts. 

At an event in Kolkata, Akshay Kumar 

referred to himself as "Kaju bari". 

The reason? "I think so, because that is 

my favourite sweet," he said. 

Imran Khan was quick to follow, calling 

himself "Khir kodom", as "the mystery 

lies inside". 

Sonakshi Sinha, who has already won 

many a heart with her radiant looks since her debut with blockbuster 

Dabangg in 2010, was not to be left behind. Pressing her own cheeks, 

she said: "Rosogolla". The gesture gave the reason why. 

Scarlett uses vinegar as face wash 

ACTRESS Scarlett Johansson cleans her 

face with cider vinegar. 

She admits the product can be harsh 

on skin, but she has discovered it is very 

effective at keeping spots at bay. 

"I researched natural skincare and 

found that apple cider vinegar is really 

effective. Using it as a toner can be harsh, 

but if you have breakouts, it can be really 

healing," femaleirst.co.uk quoted Johansson 

as saying. The 28-year-old has 

favourite fragrances, but doesn't stick to 

the same ones at all times. 

"I love Dolce & Gabbana Desire. It is a 

very feminine fragrance that's best worn at night." 

"For day, Bourbon French Parfums in Louisiana has these essential 

loral fragrances. I like to mix," Scarlett said. 

Stereotyping a lesser evil in 

Indian cinema: Freida Pinto 

By Radhika Bhirani 

WHO says Indian cinema 

is about stereotypes? 

Mumbai 

girl Freida Pinto, who left a 

lasting impression on the international 

arena with Slumdog 

Millionaire, says she faces 

more stereotypical roles 

abroad. Battling them means 

making the right choices at 

the right time. 

"Abroad, there is already 

a stereotype in your face 

(looks), and then there are 

stereotypes that silently exist 

in cinema. So far, we have 

been accepting — okay, 

kar lenge (we'll do it). But I 

feel besides, maybe, the big 

budget ilms, I have never really 

had to be objectiied for 

ilms," Freida said during a 

recent visit to New Delhi. 

The dusky beauty made 

a well-timed shift from the 

world of modelling to acting 

with a meaty role of Latika in 

Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning 

marvel "Slumdog Millionaire". 

She went on to make 

headway into Hollywood's 

glitzy red carpet events and 

managed to carve a niche 

through subsequent projects 

with ilmmakers of the likes 

of Woody Allen, Julian Schnabel 

and Tarsem Singh. 

Having starred in ilms 

like You Will Meet a Tall Dark 

Stranger, Miral, Rise of the 

Planet of the Apes and Immortals, 

Freida managed 

to break the mould and the 

stereotype of an Indian in a 

foreign movie. 

But it is sometimes okay to 

give in to stereotypes — like 

she did to play a virgin oracle 

ACTRESS-singer Kelly 

Osbourne says she has to 

keep her hair purple for two 

years for work, although she 

wants to change it. 

The 28-year-old would love 

to change her hair colour to 

green. "I'm contracted to this 

hair colour. I can't change it for 

two years. I wanted to go green, 

but was told I wouldn't be able 

to work anymore," femaleirst. 

co.uk quoted Osbourne as saying. 

However, the "Fashion Police" 

star is happy with her hair 

and loves being called queen of 

the granny girls. 

"In England, I'm called 

queen of the granny girls and I 

love it. My hair is a mix of gray, 

TOIFA kicks off in true Bollywood style 

FROM Sunidhi Chauhan, 

Mohit Chauhan and Hard 

Kaur to Kavita Seth and 

Shalmali Kholgade — the 

debut edition of Times of India 

Film Awards (TOIFA) kicked 

off with a musical night with 

high voltage performances by 

talented singers who belted 

out hit numbers like Pee loon, 

Masakali and Ishq suiyana and 

leaving the audience craving 

more. 

Held at Vancouver's Paciic 

Coliseum on Thursday, the 

concert was a mix of romantic 

ballads to pop numbers that 

in Tarsem Singh's Immortals. 

"It was a typical ilm, and I 

knew what I was getting into. 

I loved the ilm '300', and 

it was with the producers 

of the same movie. I knew I 

would get the experience of 

working on a big-budget ilm, 

which was going to be made 

in 3D, and of working with a 

director like Tarsem, who is 

phenomenal. 

"I wouldn't get that chance 

if I would simply say no to a 

project because I was afraid 

of the unsaid, silent stereotype," 

said Freida. 

As she continues to battle 

the stereotypes in Hollywood 

and pick the right options for 

herself, Freida is fairly clear 

about the ilms she would enjoy 

choosing on Indian turf. 

"I feel the stereotypes here 

would be fewer for me. They 

deinitely exist in Indian cinema 

— such as the typical Indian 

male, or the drunk guy... 

women in cinema are also 

objectiied. But the sensibility 

of ilms that I feel closest 

blue and lavender. It's hard 

to get this colour, you have to 

captivated the audience, mostly 

NRIs. 

Kavita performed her hit 

numbers including Iktaara 

and her most recent Tumhi ho 

bandhu, while Mohit, known for 

his romantic ballads, wooed the 

crowd with Dooriyan, Pee loon, 

Masakali and Nadaan parindey. 

It that was not enough, Sunidhi, 

known for her peppy and 

foot-tapping numbers, set the 

stage on ire when she took to 

the mic to render Ishq suiyana, 

Aavaiye, Bin tere, Halkat jawani, 

Te amo, Babli badmaash and 

Yaram. 

to have always been femaledriven 

and the female-empowerment 

kind of roles. 

Movies like Mirch Masala, 

Arth and Mandi are more like 

her pick and she is "glad" that 

ilm-makers who make those 

kind of projects are currently 

on the rise here. 

She particularly mentioned 

Vidya Balan-starrer 

Kahaani as a "good example" 

of a "female-driven ilm 

where the woman wasn't 

objectiied, and her strength 

was actually gloriied and 

celebrated". 

"So, yes, in India stereotyping 

is a lesser evil for me 

when I am so selective about 

my ilms," said the 28-yearold, 

who has already signed 

her irst Bollywood ilm 

NH10 opposite Rajkumar 

Yadav. 

All in all, it is about sticking 

out of the crowd for Freida. 

"I think with this token of 

being a different ethnic looking 

person, I already stick 

out (in Hollywood). The next 

thing on my list then is to 

pick roles which also stick 

out," she said. 

That's not always possible, 

she said, adding: "When you 

do an ensemble piece or a big 

blockbuster ilm, sometimes 

you will get a character that 

not necessarily sticks out. 

"But the point is that the 

effort to ind good projects 

and roles has to constantly 

be made because as soon as 

you stop making the effort 

and start going into oblivion, 

people start forgetting about 

you. Then it becomes harder 

to re-establish yourself from 

scratch," she said. — IANS 

Kelly Osbourne obliged to have purple hair 

have blond hair to get the right 

shade," she explained. 

The actress also revealed 

she has a number of Chanel 

hangbags at her home but never 

takes them outside. 

"I have Chanel handbags 

and I never wear them. I make 

music videos in my apartment 

with them. I don't want to ruin 

them. They make me happy," 

she added. Knightley doesn't 

want big fat wedding: Actress 

Keira Knightley is not keen on 

having a gala wedding, saying 

she doesn't need all that. 

The 28-year-old is engaged 

to musician James Righton and 

is currently enjoying the courtship 

period, reports dailymail. 

co.uk. 

The performances kept the 

audience on their feet — they 

were clapping, whistling, and 

dancing. 

Hard Kaur, the face of hip 

hop in India, performed some of 

the most popular dance tracks 

like Peeney Do, Char baaj gaye 

and Singh is king. 

The Pareshaan fame singer 

Shalmali performed Lath lag 

gayi and her recent hit song 

Radha. Not only that, multifaceted 

choreographer Shiamak 

Davar, revisited his singing days 

by crooning Jaane kisne song 

from his own album. 

OMAN ESTABLISHMENT FOR PRESS, PUBLICATION AND ADVERTISING; P.O. Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman; Tel: 24649444, 24649450, 24649451, 24604563, 24699437 Fax: 24699643 Website: omanobserver.om e-mail: editor@ 

omanobserver.om Salalah Office: Tel: 23292633, Fax: 23293909 Nizwa Office: Tel: 25411099, P.O. Box 955, P.C. 611 ADVERTISING: AL OMANEYA ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, P.O. Box 3303, P.C. 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: SWITCHBOARD: 

24649444, DIRECT: 24649430/24649437/24649401, Fax: 24649434 DISTRIBUTION AGENT: AL OMANEYA FOR DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING, P.O. Box 974, P.C. 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: 24649351/24649360, Fax: 24649379, subscribe@omandaily.om 


Bieber wants funny, 

intelligent girlfriend 

SINGER Justin Bieber, who recently split from 

girlfriend Selena Gomez, now wants to date 

a funny, intelligent girl. 

"I need a girl (who is) funny, who can make 

me laugh, who's, you know, beautiful on the inside 

and out. Someone who's intelligent, who 

can keep a good conversation - who has kissable 

lips," contactmusic.com quoted quoted 

Bieber as saying. 

The 19-year-old recently revealed he has 

trouble trusting people and only has four real 

friends. 

Beyonce and Jay-Z celebrate 

anniversary in Cuba 

BEYONCE and Jay-Z are in Cuba where on 

Thursday they had breakfast at a restaurant 

in Old Havana to celebrate their ifth wedding 

anniversary. 

The couple arrived on the island on Wednesday 

accompanied by several members of the 

family on a private visit, employees of the Hotel 

Saratoga told EFE. 

After breakfast at the La Moneda Cubana 

restaurant adjacent to the Plaza de la Catedral, 

the couple strolled around Old Havana. 

With her long hair tightly braided and put 

up in a huge, loose bun, wearing a yellow, black 

and gray patterned miniskirt and lat shoes, 

Beyonce tried a daiquiri - a traditional Cuban 

cocktail - and ate a salad, according to the owner 

of the establishment. 

"She seemed very pleasant to me, very 

friendly, normal and supernice. I really like how 

she sings and dances," Nanette Morales, the 

owner's 15-year-old daughter, said. 

Perrie Edwards labels Zayn 

Malik as best boyfriend 

SINGER Perrie Edwards says that after having 

loads of dating disasters, she is happy with 

One Direction singer Zayn Malik, who is perfect 

for her. 

"Zayn is so lovely. You know things are good 

when you can't wait to see the other person. It's 

a sense of friendship. The main thing I looked 

for is if he's fun to be around, if I can have a 

laugh with him," contactmusic.com quoted Edwards 

as saying. 

"When it's more of a friendship, it can blossom," 

she added. The 19-year-old also insists 

Malik, 20 treats her better than any other boyfriend 

she's ever had. 

"I had been on a few dates in the past with 

other boyfriends that didn't go too well. I had 

had loads of dating disasters! Zayn would never 

leave me with the bill like the other boys used 

to do!," she said. 

Printers and Publishers 

Oman Establishment for Press, 

Publication and Advertising

30 

PEOPLE’S 

PLATFORM 

THANK you Oman Observer for 

informing the public about all 

of the artistic exhibitions going 

on in Oman! I have always been 

a fan of a variety of different art 

forms and techniques but over the 

years I have put my passion for art 

on the backburner due to work and 

other obligations. However, upon 

reading about all the current events 

going on I managed to attend a few 

exhibitions and have to say that 

they have rekindled my passion for 

Art again. I plan to visit a lot more 

of them thanks to all of the information 

your paper is providing. 

— Maryam 

Editor: It is always fantastic to 

hear that our paper not only informs 

the general public but is also touches 

the lives of our dedicated readers! 

Stay Healthy 

READ the column on keeping 

I healthy and I think more articles 

like this need to be produced or 

more people made aware of what 

they are eating. “Hypertension 

causes around 7.5 million deaths” 

reading that is just shocking. There 

is no right way for everyone to eat 

but there are certain things we 

need to realise like eating a lot of 

fatty foods is not healthy. Our body 

isn’t just something that we can 

buy again if we damage it, once it’s 

damaged. All I want to say is that 

stay healthy, it’s not only for you it’s 

also important for the nation, your 

family and friends that you stay 

healthy and live life the fullest. 

— Roshan 

Editor: Well said! Keeping healthy 

is also in the interest of the people 

around you. The “goal of World 

Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart 

attacks and strokes,” but this can only 

be done if people go to their doctors 

and “check their blood pressures! Un- 

LETTERS 

derstand our body is like a machine 

it needs to be checked once in awhile 

just like our cars. 

Extreme sports 

AM looking forward to the days 

I when extreme sports activities 

in Oman becomes so widespread 

because we are a “hot destination 

for extreme sports” worldwide. 

There are so many beautiful places 

in Oman and they should be used 

Bayan College to organise Open Day 

Dr Ibrahim bin Ahmed al Kindi 

BAYAN College will organise 

on April 8, its open day, under 

the auspices of Dr Ibrahim bin 

Ahmed al Kindi, CEO of Oman Establishment 

for Press, Publication and 

Advertising. 

The open day programme includes 

Art scene in Oman is more than one might expect 

in an ecofriendly way to attract 

visitors and tourists such as offering 

rock climbing, sand dune bashing 

and desert journey. This does not 

directly hurt the environment, it 

would attract adrenalin junkies and 

would promote Oman as an extreme 

sports tourist destination. Sky diving 

would also be an amazing extreme 

sport opportunity that would drive 

tourism. Apart from risk taking 

foreigners I believe that both locals 

and residents of Oman who enjoy 

this sort of sports would also love to 

take part in these activities. 

— Julia 

Editor: An expansion of extreme 

sports opportunities in Oman would 

deinitely help boost tourism. However, 

there are a few things that one has 

to keep in mind and you touched upon 

one area, which is the environment. 

While it is important to drive tourism 

it is also just as important to be mind- 

ful of the consequences of mass tourism 

and how it can affect the natural 

environment of a country. Another 

important aspect is safety. These sorts 

of sports can end up wrong if they are 

not prepared and maintained to a 

certain level of safety. Professionals 

with a number of years of experience 

would need to be hired to develop the 

necessary facilities and also ensure 

that everything is being carried out in 

a proper and safe manner. 

Do you have a word of appreciation for any services you received? Or suggestions for improvement? Observer is giving 

you an opportunity to rant or rave about anything and everything around you: Please write to: 

a number of scientific, cultural and 

entertainment events, along with a 

number of accompanying exhibitions 

sponsored by a number of institutions 

and companies from the public and private 

sectors. 

Dr Jassem Mohammed Shaikh 

Jaber, Dean of Bayan College, said 

that the college is keen on strengthening 

its relations with the community 

through inviting parents, institutions 

and companies of the private 

and public sectors and the public to 

have an idea about the academic 

achievements of the students. 

On the other hand the open day is 

an opportunity for students to compete 

and showcase their abilities and 

skills in front of visitors and among 

each other. 

Dr Jaber added that the open day 

contributes to the activation of the 

student activities as the college believes 

in the importance of this event 

in reining the skills of students and 

ill their spare time with useful activities, 

adding that such activities 

are complementary to the academic 

side as the students use their academic 

knowledge in preparing the 

different activities of the open day 

and the college provides whatever 

needed to make the occasion a success. 

Tel: 24649451, Fax: 24649469; e-mail: observerfeatures@gmail.com 

facebook.com/oman observer twitter.com/omanobserver 

Academic advising day at Bayan College 

IN its continuous efforts to provide 

the best academic services to 

students, Bayan College recently 

organised an open day for academic 

advising which included meetings 

between students and their academic 

advisers to discuss study-related 

issues to help students focusing on 

their academic tasks. 

The open day also included a questionnaire 

on the academic guidance at the 

college aiming at developing this important 

aspect of student life. 

Dr Jassim Mohammed Sheikh 

Jaber, Dean of Bayan College said: 

"the academic advising is an important 

aspect of the educational process, 

as it provides many facilities for 

students. The counselling process is 

irst supporter for the students while 

studying in the college. 

The advising of the students, providing 

them with guidance information, 

as well as helping them in registration 

are all factors that help them 

adapt to college life. Most higher 

Muscat College to host graduation ceremony 

MUSCAT College will be hosting the 14th graduation ceremony of 

Bachelor of Arts and Higher National diploma graduates of the 

academic year 2012-2013 on Tuesday under the auspices of His 

Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki al Said. 

The number of graduates totals 298 from various specialisations of 

which 18 male and female students earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honour 

in Business Computing, Accountancy and Computing Science and 

Business studies from the University of Stirling; 40 male and female students 

will receive Bachelor of Arts in Computing Science, Business Studies 

and Accountancy and Finance; 12 students earned Higher National 

Diploma degree from The University of Stirling and 242 students will receive 

a Higher National Diploma degree from the Scottish Qualiications 

Authority, UK in Business and Accountancy, Administration and Information 

technology, Computing: Technical Support, Computing: Software Development 

and Construction Management. 

It is worth noting that a number of private sector institutions, Al Ro’ya 

Newspaper, Dhofar Bank and Omantel, will sponsor the event and will offer 

various facilities and gifts for outstanding graduates. 

This contribution comes as part of their relentless efforts to support 

the youth and motivate them to enroll in all sectors so as to serve our beloved 

country. 


education institutions rely on the expertise 

of faculty members in guiding 

students on academic matters such 

as choosing a major, and providing 

students with suggestions and tips to 

improve their progress in study and 

help them overcome academic and 

administrative problems.” 

It is noteworthy that Bayan College 

organises an open day for academic 

advising each semester out of the belief 

in the importance of academic advising 

in student life at the college. 

298 graduates to receive certificates 

Mangroves add to beauty 

IN whatever Oman does there is 

invariably an element of aesthetic, 

environmental protection and 

simplicity. This adds further charm 

and attractiveness to this land of 

breathtaking beauty and diversity. 

An example is the Sultanate’s 

Mangrove Reforestation and Creek 

Rehabilitation Programme, which has 

been continuing expeditiously since 

its inception in April 2000. 

During the past 40 years of the 

Sultanate’s blessed Renaissance 

march, special attention has been 

paid to environmental protection by 

striking a judicious balance between 

the needs for industrial development 

and conservation of the environment 

and heritage. In this context the mangrove 

reforestation programme assumes 

special signiicance because it 

holds out innumerable functional as 

well as aesthetic beneits for the Sultanate, 

which interweaves verdant 

wadis, spectacular deserts and dramatic 

jebels in its geographical fabric. 

Archaeological studies conducted 

at the Qurum Natural Reserve (QNR) 

has indicated the existence of mangrove 

plants in this area over 4,000 

years ago. The results of these studies 

clearly prove that the importance 

of the mangrove trees have long been 

recognised and Omani people had 

used mangrove trees for various purposes 

such as medicinal ingredient 

as they contain vital organic compounds, 

for building houses, boats, 

fencing, carving and for certain crafts 

and for making paper. In Oman, only 

one species of mangrove plant can be 

found — namely, Avicennia Marina — 

which had adapted to the harsh climatic 

conditions and scarcity of fresh 

water as well as hot and dry climates. 

— Hasan K 

Editor: More and more mangroves 

are being planted in Oman and this is 

good for the environment as well as 

for the tourism industry. 

ISG students bring 

home laurels 

SRINEIL Vuthalaru of Class 

12 stood irst at the State 

Level in the 15th National 

Science Olympiad conducted 

by International Science 

Olympiad Foundation. 

Srineil’s commendable 

performance has helped him 

make phenomenal strides and 

prove his mettle. The NCO has 

kindled the interest of many 

students over the years and 

has set them on the track of innovation 

by testing their scientiic 

and problem solving skills. 

This opportunity has given students 

a wider perspective of 

the subject and has kept them 

updated about the changes in 

the world of Science. 

Aparna Krishnan, a student 

of Class 10 has secured the irst 

rank at the State Level in the 

12th National Cyber Olympiad 

conducted by International 

Science Olympiad Foundation. 

Aparna’s outstanding performance 

at the National Cyber Olympiad 

is very commendable. 

The NCO provides a platform 

to gain exposure in thinking 

and reasoning skills thereby 

enhancing the spirit of competitiveness 

and identifying the 

cyber savvy talent in students. 

Students look forward to such 

opportunities which unlock 

their potential and prepare 

them for challenging experiences. 

Aparna has raised the 

bar and has made the school 

proud of her achievement.


New-look Rijksmuseum puts Dutch 

masterpieces into context 

A visitor takes a picture of “The Syndics”, a painting by Rembrandt 

By Sara Webb 

THE Dutch national museum reopens this 

month after a decade-long overhaul in which 

nearly everything has been changed except 

for the setting of its most famous painting. 

Rembrandt van Rijn's "The Night Watch" will be 

the only work still hanging in the same place when 

Queen Beatrix oficially opens the Rijksmuseum on 

April 13 after a 375 million euro ($482.02 million) 

renovation to a treasure trove of Dutch art. 

"We've had a complete transformation, everything 

is new," General Director Wim Pijbes said at 

a press preview on Thursday. "The only thing that 

hasn't changed is the place of 'The Night Watch'." 

Rembrandt's large masterpiece shows Amsterdam's 

civic guard setting off on a march and is approached 

along a "hall of fame" hung with works 

such as Johannes Vermeer's "Woman Reading a 

Letter", and "The Merry Drinker" by Frans Hals, as 

well as opulent displays of fruit and lowers. 

The opening will be one of the queen's last of- 

icial duties before she abdicates, showing off the 

country's art, its rich history as a naval power and 

society of merchants. 

Many of the prize pieces in the collection of 

8,000 works are now displayed in broader context, 

with related paintings, furniture, silver and ceramics 

arranged in close proximity to each other as 

part of the museum's new layout. 

Rembrandt's portraits of a wealthy lady in a delicate 

lace ruff and a man wearing an exotic turban 

hang close to a portrait of Rembrandt by his friend, 

the artist Jan Lievens, with whom he shared a studio. 

Nearby are works by another friend the silversmith 

Johannes Lutma and an oak cupboard inlaid 

with ebony and mother-of-pearl by Herman Doomer, 

whose work Rembrandt admired and whose 

portrait he painted. 

"The 10-year renovation project gave us the opportunity 

to entirely reinvent our collection," Director 

of Collections Taco Dibbits said. 

"You create the world in which they lived and 

Puppet theatre: Ancient art form redefined 

By Madhusree Chatterjee 

PUPPET theatre as creative entertainment has 

become integral to contemporary performances 

in the last few years drawing new legions of 

viewers to its fold in redeining an ancient art form 

- believed to have originated in India — to address 

new cultural needs. 

The Ishara International Puppet Theatre festival 

April 8-16 in Delhi, Gurgaon and Chandigarh will 

bring to the country troupes from Russia, Israel, Bulgaria, 

Iran, Portugal, Italy and Spain, who will perform 

a melange of new and traditional puppetry. In 

the last decade, puppetry has combined with other 

mainstream arts like acting, dance, theatre and stage 

dialogues. 

Puppetry, believed to have been born in India, 

inds reference in the Tamil epic Silappadikaaram 

written around the 1st or the 2nd century BC. Historians 

say it came into practise nearly 500 years before 

the birth of Christ. Traditional puppet theatre in 

India was themed on mythological stories and based 

on the ancient Natyashastra. 

Each region evolved its own puppetry tradition 

like the Kathputli of Rajasthan, Kundhei of Orissa, 

Gombeyetta of Karnataka, Bommalattam of Tamil 

Nadu, Pavakoothu of Kerala, Putul Natch of Bengal 

and Yampuri of Bihar. Over the centuries, it has 

moved beyond mythology to campaign on social issues. 

give a feeling of the times." 

Likewise, a room devoted to the country's history 

as a naval power contains an enormous model 

of the Dutch warship "Willem Rex" and a trophy of 

war - the stern carving from King Charles II of England's 

lagship "Royal Charles" which was captured 

by Dutch forces in 1667. 

The ship was towed to the Netherlands where it 

was scrapped apart from its carving of a lion and 

unicorn. Nearby is an ink on canvas picture of The 

Battle of Terheide by Willem van de Velde. The 

artist, an early war painter, even includes himself 

in the work, shown sketching aboard a ship in the 

foreground. 

The building itself has also had an extensive renovation. 

Designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, a 

Catholic, the museum opened to the public in 1885 

but was deemed too showy by Protestant critics. So 

gradually, many of the interior decorations, from 

murals to mosaics, were covered up or removed. 

Those have now been restored. 

A woman looks at the Nightwatch by 

Rembrandt in the Night Watch Gallery of the 

Rijksmuseum the Amsterdam. — Reuters 

Japan scientists can ‘read’ dreams: study 

SCIENTISTS in Japan said yesterday they had 

found a way to "read" people's dreams, using 

MRI scanners to unlock some of the secrets of 

the unconscious mind. 

Researchers have managed what they said was 

"the world's irst decoding" of night-time visions, 

the subject of centuries of speculation that have 

captivated humanity since ancient times. 

In the study, published in the journal Science, researchers 

at the ATR Computational Neuroscience 

Laboratories, in Kyoto, western Japan, used magnetic 

resonance imaging (MRI) scans to locate exactly 

which part of the brain was active during the 

irst moments of sleep. 

The scientists then woke up the dreamers and 

asked them what images they had seen, a process 

that was repeated 200 times. 

These answers were compared with the brain 

maps that had been produced by the MRI scanner, 

the researchers said, adding that they later built a 

database, based on the results. 

On subsequent attempts they were able to predict 

what images the volunteers had seen with a 60 

per cent accuracy rate, rising to more than 70 per 

cent with around 15 speciic items including men, 

words and books, they said. 

"We have concluded that we successfully decod- 

Masha and the Bear — a still from a Russian 

puppet theatre 

ed some kinds of dreams with a distinctively high 

success rate," said Yukiyasu Kamitani, a senior researcher 

at the laboratories and head of the study 

team. 

"Dreams have fascinated people since ancient 

times, but their function and meaning has remained 

closed," Kamitani said. "I believe this result was a 

key step towards reading dreams more precisely." 

His team is now trying to predict other dream 

experiences such as smells, colours and emotion, as 

well as entire stories in people's dreams. 

"We would like to introduce a more accurate 

method so that we can work on a way of visualising 

dreams," he said. 

Kamitani, however, admits that there is still a 

long way to go before they are anywhere near understanding 

a whole dream. 

He said the decoding patterns differ for individuals 

and the database they have developed cannot be 

applied generally, rather it has to be generated for 

each person. 

The experiment also only used the images the 

subjects were seeing right before they were woken 

up. Deep sleep, where subjects have more vivid 

dreams, remains a mystery. 

"There are still a lot of things that are unknown," 

he added. 

Kamitani's experiment is the latest in a government-led 

brain study programme aimed at applying 

the science to medical and welfare services, government 

oficials said. 

"Our expectations from the dream study are 

quite high," said an oficial of the science and technology 

ministry's brain research promotion programme. 

The producer of the Ishara International Puppet 

Theatre Festival, Teamworks Production, said the 

"festival has grown bigger this year to reach out to 

countries whose puppetry traditions do not always 

tour the globe". Countries like Bulgaria, Israel, Portugal 

and Italy will showcase their puppet theatres in 

India for the irst time. 

Petar Todorov, director of the entry from Bulgaria, 

Garbage for Plums, says the play "is based on a very 

popular and funny Bulgarian folktale, full of self irony 

and humour that is typical to Bulgarian folklore". 

"We try to transmit the traditional Bulgarian system 

of values to children in the country and to audiences 

elsewhere," Todorov said. 

The festival will begin April 8 with Masha and the 

Bear by the Moscow Regional State Puppet Theatre 

in English at the India Habitat Centre. The theatre 

narrates the tale of Masha, a little girl who loses her 

way while picking fruits. It uses a fusion of traditional 

Russian puppetry and modern theatre. 

On subsequent days, the festival will host master 

Indian puppeteer Dadi D Pudumjee's Heer ke Waris 

— based on Kitaab-e-Ishq by Waris Shah; Dhola 

Maru, a love story from the deserts of Rajasthan by 

Puran Bhat; Ravan Chhaya, a shadow puppet theatre 

of Odisha; The Pier is Alive from Portugal; Nonso 

and Nonsa from Italy; Garbage for Plums from Portugal; 

The Cubes Circus from Israel; The Musician Who 

Played the Moon from Israel and Bernarda's Backstage 

from Spain. 

SPOTLIGHT 

Haider Al Lawati 

haiderdawood@hotmail.com 

31 

Promoting the Concept 

of “Earth Hour” 

ON the 23rd of March 2013, The Sultanate of Oman joined the 

world in celebrating the "Earth Hour", which started at 8:30 

pm local time. Omani media and newspapers have promoted 

this event earlier while Oman TV actively broadcasted awareness 

footages urging the public to take part in this global event. In fact, 

thousands of cities and hundreds of the world's capitals recently 

participated in this event, including the capital Muscat and other 

Omani cities, in a step that aims at promoting the concept of environmental 

protection. There is a widespread hope that such a step 

— which is non-mandatory — can lead to increasing awareness on 

environmental protection at the local level, especially among Omani 

children, and that family members become prepared at all times to 

explain the importance and the concept of such steps to children 

who are the irst ones to ask questions in similar situations, when 

they see the head of the household turns off non-essential lights for 

one hour, for example. 

Institutions of civil society in the Sultanate and the whole world 

have played a major role in alerting the public on earth and energy 

issues and the damage inlicted to the universe during the past years 

as a result of breakthroughs that have occurred in the wall of the 

outer space from the negative effects of increasing rates of carbon 

dioxide in the atmosphere and overexploitation of various resources 

by humans at the industrial, productive and natural levels. This leads 

to increased consumption of excess energy, and therefore the operation 

of more factories and machines that affect the Earth's ambience 

and its inhabitants — humans, trees, plants, animals and other organisms. 

In other words, the whole universe is affected by that. 

Achieving this step in the framework of public awareness and 

education campaigns carried out by civil society aims at enhancing 

eco-friendly practices among the various segments of the Omani 

society. It helps build the foundations of a strong partnership with 

the public and governmental and civic bodies and institutions in 

order to develop good practices. This ultimately increases people's 

awareness about the phenomenon of climate change caused by 

large-scale manufacturing processes that expose the earth to serious 

issues, such as global warming, a subject addressed today via 

global forums and conferences held at the local and global levels by 

either governments or international organisations. Moreover, the 

worldwide celebration of the Earth Hour, especially in the Arab region, 

conirms the collective awareness shown by some Arab countries 

on energy issues. As a matter of fact, many other nations show 

greater interest in participating in such initiatives, where millions of 

people from different parts of the globe gather on time for the event 

to turn off unnecessary lights for one hour. This step, taken either 

by individuals, companies or government and private entities, actually 

help to protect the earth and reduce a little bit of global warming 

and climate change caused by the industrial and technological 

revolution. This requires everyone, especially the educated, to pay 

more attention to such initiatives and join the world in reducing 

overall energy consumption as well as make even a slight contribution 

in preserving the planet and enhancing public awareness on 

the effects of global climate change. 

No doubt that many of us began to notice that educating Omanis 

on issues of energy, the universe, the Earth and the environment in 

general is being enhanced year after year, with the help of a specialised 

Ministry interested in environmental and climate affairs together 

with civil society institutions, including Oman Environment Society 

that seeks to raise the level of public awareness on the importance 

of such issues and takes interest in spreading a culture of protecting 

the environment in general. An event like the "Earth Hour", according 

to international experts, deinitely aims at raising environmental 

awareness among communities on climate change and its current 

and future effects on life on Earth. It is a global environmental 

event that takes place once every year and carries the message that 

switching the lights off for one hour can make a simple change in the 

energy consumption at the level of each house or business. The fact 

is that taking this collective step makes a big difference in energy 

consumption, especially in countries we live in who get monthly 

support in the prices of electricity consumption. Last but not least, 

this collective step means greater awareness in this regard, and a 

greater return for the Earth in which we live and lourish. 

US Houston car auction features 

classics, exotics 

AN ongoing car auction 

in the fourth largest 

US city of Houston offers 

collector car lovers and 

potential buyers a close 

look at more than 7,500 

classic and exotic cars. 

Mecum Auctions, 

which is returning to 

Houston for its second 

annual collector car auction, 

generates increasing 

excitement as the consignment 

list consistently 

grows, now more than 30 

per cent larger than last 

year's auction, according 

to event organisers. 

A huge variety of 

collector vehicles, from investment-grade to entry-level, are being 

showcased at the three-day event that began on Thursday, reported 

Xinhua. Highlights include 25 consummate classics from the Gerald 

Byrd Collection with everything from muscle machines to time-honoured, 

luxury rides. 

More than 30 handpicked selections from the expansive and diverse 

group of vehicles in the Lynn Wardley Collection also joined 

the line-up. The Gerald Byrd Collection featured cars ranging from a 

1930 Studebaker Dictator to a 2009 Audi R8.

P31 

>> Entertainment 

Queen honoured 

with Bafta, and 

Bond accolade 

BRITISH actor Kenneth Branagh 

on Thursday presented Queen 

Elizabeth II with an honorary Bafta 

in recognition her support of British 

ilm and television. 

The Harry Potter star handed 

over the award at a reception held 

in Windsor Castle, the Queen's west 

London home. 

Chairman of Bafta John Willis 

paid tribute to the monarch in front 

of a star-studded audience. 

"The Queen has been patron 

of the Royal Academy of Dramatic 

Arts, the Entertainment Artistes' 

Benevolent Fund and the Cinema 

and Television Benevolent Fund — 

for which money is raised by Royal 

Film Performances — since 1952, 

so for more than 60 years, and visited 

countless industry organisations, 

shining a light on the work that we 

all do and lending her tireless support 

to our efforts," he said. 

He drew laughs when alluding 

to the Queen's apparent parachute 

jump during the London Olympics 

opening ceremony, calling her "the 

most memorable Bond girl yet." 

Branagh also brought up the 

stunt during his presentation 

speech. 

Malala to fund 

school project 

with Angelina 

FUND set up by Pakistani 

A schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, 

who was shot by the Taliban for 

campaigning for girls' education, 

is to send 40 girls to school in her 

home region with the support of US 

actress Angelina Jolie. 

Malala, 15, announced the fund's 

irst project in a video message late 

on Thursday to the Women in the 

World Conference in New York from 

Britain, where she was sent for surgery 

after the attack on her schoolbus 

last October. 

She said the $45,000 grant, raised 

with the help of Jolie and two women's 

charities, would send 40 girls 

aged between ive and 12 to school 

in Pakistan's Swat Valley, where she 

is from. 

"Announcing the irst grant of the 

Malala Fund is the happiest moment 

in my life," Malala said. 

P29 Kelly Osbourne obliged to have purple hair P29 Stereotyping a lesser evil in Indian cinema: Freida Pinto 

P30 P29 




Inside 

Bayan College to organise Open Day 

Japan scientists can ‘read’ dreams: study 

Car auction features classics, exotics 

Moroccan Music Mesmerises Muscat 

By Maurice Gent 

IT was a packed, intensive and enthusiastic 

audience, people who 

had clearly come to experience 

music, which is well known about and 

in many parts of the world but not 

so often performed. There was thus 

great enthusiasm amongst those, who 

A famous Iraqi 

musician, who lived 

from789 to 857 AD, 

emigrated to Spain 

and is credited 

with playing and 

advancing the 

cause of music in 

Andalusia and its 

fusion with Arabic 

tones and sounds 

felt they were being given a treat, and 

appreciation from those, who wanted 

to ind out more about a complex art 

form inluenced both by large parts 

of the Arab world and some of the 

rhythms of ancient Andalusia. 

The legacy of traditional Moroccan 

music is rich, dating back to the period 

from the ninth to the fourteenth century 

AD. It created a tradition of singing, 

which brought into play artists 

from many cultures. Important were 

the links between Arab Andalusian 

culture, which played a role in shaping 

sound and rhythm for a period of 

about 500 years from the ninth to the 

fourteenth centuries. 

The inluence of rhythm stretched 

across the Maghreb to Egypt,’ Poets 

and magicians from North Africa, 

Egypt and even so far aield as Iraq 

shared common themes. For the concept 

of the wandering minstrel certainly 

played its part in strengthening 

a musical tradition, which started in 

Spain and Morocco, but spread very 

much further. 

A famous Iraqi musician, who lived 

from789 to 857 AD, emigrated to 

The legacy of traditional Moroccan 

music is rich, dating back to the period 

from the ninth to the fourteenth 

century AD. It generated a tradition 

of singing, which brought into play 

artists from many cultures 

Spain and is credited with playing and 

advancing the cause of music in Andalusia 

and its fusion with Arabic tones 

and sounds. 

In Andalusia a new form of music 

evolved , inluenced strongly both by 

the sounds of Andalusia and those 

of the Maghreb. Simple and light 

rhythms often set in a more complicated 

form. 

With the collapse of this Spanish 

dynasty at the end of the 15th century 

much of its music was lost, but it lived 

on in fused compositions created by 

joint Arab and Spanish traditions. 

This fusion of styles, which has led 

to a separate and living tradition was 

presented by some of the most celebrated 

singers of their generation. 

The singer Abderrahim Souiri is a 

highly prominent igure on the Moroccan 

scene, and is internationally recognised 

as playing a role in handing 

present art forms to a new generation. 

A second famous singer spreading 

the message was Fuad Zbadi, who became 

locally famous at the age of ten, 

and his fame soon spread. He is now 

an international star standing out as 

an artist of international repute. 

Pictures by Khalid al Busaidi

15bn projects at Sohar Port - Oman Observer

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?