S - Oman Daily Observer

HM invited to Peru summit 

HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos has received an invitation from 

President Ollanta Humala of Peru to attend the 3rd Arab-South 

American Summit due to be held in Lima in October. The message 

was received on behalf of His Majesty by Sayyid Badr bin 

Hamad al Busaidy, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, 

when he received Jose Beraun, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 

and Personal Envoy of the president. � See page 3 

�� Sunday, July 8, 2012/Shaaban 18, 1433 AH 

www.omanobserver.om ��editor@omanobserver.om 

Solar plane lands in Spain 

A SOLAR-powered plane landed in Spain yesterday on 

its way back home after breaking a record with the first 

intercontinental flight by an aircraft run on the sun’s 

energy. Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, 54, piloted 

the experimental plane Solar Impulse on the 17-hour 

flight from Rabat in Morocco and landed at Madrid’s 

main airport overnight early yesterday, his team said. 

A STRING of victories hands The Wave, Muscat a commanding lead in the Extreme Sailing Series leaderboard in Porto. � Details, P6 

Control price rise 

Fahmi bin Khalid al Harthy, Editor-in-Chief 

�� 

THE month of Ramadhan is round the corner. As usual, a large number 

of Iftar and Ramadhan-related events are being planned at individual 

and social levels. In this context, the importance of maintaining price 

stability during this month cannot be over emphasised. 

The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Public Authority 

for Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and other 

government authorities as well as the national media have repeatedly called 

upon traders, especially foodstuff dealers and hypermarkets, to maintain adequate 

quantities of essential goods, so as to ensure stable prices. 

As a result of daily numerous mass Iftar and Suhoor (pre-dawn) events 

held by individuals and organisations, the demand for many products shoots 

up significantly. The increase in demand should not be considered as a boon 

by the traders. Dishonest practices by a section of unscrupulous dealers 

aimed at increasing prices must be curbed. 

Any increase in the prices of essential commodities causes much harm to 

common people. Even people belonging to low and modest income groups 

try their best to organise events for their family and friends to share Iftar and 

Suhoor meals in spite of their limited means. 

So though they welcome the month of Ramadhan wholeheartedly, they 

also apprehend a new round of price rise during and well before the advent 

of this month, owing to dishonest practices of some traders and hypermarkets 

who want to make quick bucks. 

Such dishonest practices go against the very teachings of this sacred 

month. A section of importers, wholesalers and retailers seldom show regard 

to the teachings of Ramadhan. 

Fasting people should perceive the fact that one of the main reasons for 

the ordainment of Ramadhan is the objective of avoiding extravagance and 

encouraging saving and tolerance as a spiritual practice. � To page 3 

130 accidents in a week 

MUSCAT — The Royal Oman Police 

(ROP) said that 15 people died and 

166 others were injured in 130 road 

accidents in different governorates last 

week. The Governorate of North Al 

Batinah recorded the largest number 

of deaths with seven victims. 

Collision between vehicles was the 

most common accident during the last 

week. Seventy were accidents, 24 collisions 

with stationary objects, 19 rollovers 

and 17 run-overs. 

News Briefs 

The statistics released by ROP 

pointed out that among the most deadly 

accidents was the collision between 

two vehicles which took place in the 

Wilayat of Mahout in the Governorate 

of Al Wusta, which led to the death of 

three people and four others sustained 

serious to moderate injuries. 

ROP urges all road users to exercise 

caution, regularly check the vehicle, 

abide by traffic rules and observe 

speed limits. — ONA 

Libya holds free elections — P9 Delhi Metro shut for repair — P10 

Amazing information trove — P13 Yahoo, FB unveil alliance — P24 

15 28 20 

Export of 54,000 tonnes gabbro rocks 

�� 

SOHAR — Al Batinah Quarries 

Company recently export- 

ed the first shipment of gabbro 

rocks to the State of Qatar via 

Sohar Industrial Port. 

Shaikh Ali bin Abdullah al 

Badi, Board Chairman of Al 

Batinah Raw Materials Company, 

said that the shipment 

consisted of 54,000 tonnes of 

high quality gabbro rocks used 

in all asphalt and tarmac compositions 

for the construction 

of roads and ports. 

New planning 

in agriculture 

MUSCAT — A 4-day regional training workshop 

on drafting effective national agricultural 

development programmes began at Grand 

Hyatt Muscat Hotel here yesterday. 

The workshop deals with the process of 

preparation of the integrated systems designed 

for implementation in member states of the 

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 

Thirty-six officials are taking part in the 

workshop, which was opened by Dr Hamad 

bin said al Oufi, Under-Secretary of the Agriculture 

and Fisheries Ministry for Fisheries. 

Dr Khalid bin Mansour al Zadjali, Director-General 

of Planning and Investment 

Development, said that the workshop aims 

at enhancing the capacity of FAO representatives 

and upgrade the level of technicians to 

support agricultural development through effective 

strategic planning. 

It also seeks to enhance the capacity of 

specialists in agricultural and fish planning 

by imparting knowledge and the skills needed 

to implement national programmes. 

Al Zadjali pointed out that effective national 

programmes include several themes, 

including medium-term joint response between 

governments and the FAO by optimising 

the outcome of joint studies. 

FAO Representative in the Sultanate, El 

Zein al Muzzammil, said the workshop is one 

of the methods to identify medium-term response 

to the needs of member states in pursuit 

of development objectives. � To P2 

Solar project soon 

MUSCAT — Oman Power and Water Procurement 

Company (OPWP) says it is committed 

to overseeing the implementation of a largescale 

solar power project in the Sultanate upon 

receiving the government’s green light. 

The project is currently under discussion 

by government entities, according to the 

offtaker of power and desalinated water. 

“The OPWP has supported this study and 

stands ready to progress this project further 

once the go ahead from government is received,” 

the company stated in its newly released 

Annual Report. � Details, P21 

Floods hit millions 

GUWAHATI — The death toll from heavy 

monsoon rains which have caused massive 

flooding in India’s northeast has risen to more 

than 120, with six million forced to flee their 

homes, officials said yesterday. 

The weather office forecast that more rains 

during the next 24 hours would lash the region, 

which is suffering from its worst flooding 

in recent years. 

Asom state has been hardest hit by the annual 

rains with the mighty Brahmaputra River 

overflowing its banks, while flooding has also 

struck other states. � Details on page 11 

The consignment is the 

product of activities of local 

crushers and quarries, said Al 

Badi. � To page 3 

Colourful opening of games 

A COLOURFUL ceremony marked the opening of 

the fifth Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World 

Championships, the first global sports competition 

to be hosted by the Sultanate, at the picturesque 

Al Musannah Sports City yesterday. The evening’s 

proceedings were launched with a brief and but 

colourful show welcoming the participating teams. 

41 units to save 

fungal reserves 

The authorities 

will monitor illegal 

poaching, smuggling 

operations and train 

locals to operate as 

inspectors 

�� 

MUSCAT — The Ministry 

of Environment and Climate 

Affairs has set up 41 units for 

the protection of fungal life in 

different parts of the Sultanate 

as many as 263 supervisors 

and inspectors from among 

the local population in each 

locality are entrusted with the 

responsibility of monitoring 

the conservation of the 

organisms. 

The new units will follow 

up the management of natural 

reserves and supervising the 

implementation of fungus 

protection plans as per the 

strategies in place. 

The units will also work 

to raise public awareness 

about the significance of 

preserving the elements of the 

environment and the need to 

combat poaching and misuse 

of natural resources. 

Dr Mohammmed 

bin Jumaa al Sharyani, 

Deputy Director-General of 

Environment Conservation at 

the Ministry of Environment 

and Climate Affairs, 

said that the ministry is 

conducting regular checks 

on illegal practices which 

include poaching of natural 

reserves and smuggling of 

fungus abroad. Al Sharyani 

pointed out that the ministry 

attaches importance to the 

training of its inspectors by 

enabling them to use modern 

technology in their tasks. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry 

of Environment and Climate 

Affairs yesterday started 

a training course for 75 of 

its personnel in the field of 

armament and self-defence. 

The trainees are among the 

ministry’s personnel entrusted 

with the conservation of 

nature and protection of fungal 

life around the Sultanate. The 

training course comes as part 

of ongoing co-operation with 

the Royal Air Force of Oman 

to enhance the protection of 

fungal life. 

Drug dealer arrested in Seeb 

MUSCAT — Officers at the 

Directorate-General for Combating 

Abuse of Drugs and 

Psychotropic Substances at 

the Royal Oman Police (ROP) 

arrested a drug dealer from Al 

Maabela South in the Wilayat 

of Seeb. 

The department’s investigation 

team, acting on a tip- 

off, launched an investigation 

that confirmed the man’s involvement 

in the illicit trade. 

The team raided the drug dealer’s 

house in � To page 6

Public Consultation 

on anti-spam Regulations 

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2 OMAN 

OMAN DAILY Observer 

SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

Strategic planning in agriculture 

From page 1 

El Zein pointed out that 

the devising of the national 

framework for programming 

is a shared responsibility between 

the governments and 

the FAO with participation 

of national stakeholders, 

including the private sector 

and civil society institutions. 

The FAO launched early 

this year a programme to 

promote knowledge and upgrade 

skills on results-based 

programming, management 

and resource mobilisation at 

the national level. 

Richard Moore, FAO 

Head of Human Resources 

Department, said in a speech 

that partnership with the Sultanate 

is a good opportunity 

to achieve important goals 

and transform knowledge 

into reality. 

He stressed that effective 

national programme 

provides an opportunity to 

exchange opinions and improve 

policies. — ONA 

Training 

programme 

to develop 

teachers skills 

MUSCAT — Activities of 

the Summer Training Programme 

for biology, chemistry, 

physics and mathematics 

teachers, organised by 

the Ministry of Education in 

co-operation with the Sultan 

Qaboos University (SQU) 

began at SQU Cultural Centre 

yesterday. The training 

programme concludes on 

July 18. 

Zaheya bint Nasser al 

Shukailiya, Head of Teacher 

Training Unit at the Qualification 

and Training Department 

in the Ministry, said 

this was the first year that 

they were conducting this 

programme and will study 

the feasibility and advantages 

of the programme and 

measure the impact of training. 

OAC seminar 

focuses on 

safety aspects 

MUSCAT — The training 

workshop for motorsports 

competition’s organisers and 

racers in the Sultanate, organised 

by Oman Automobile 

Club (OAC) under the 

supervision of the Institute of 

safety in the Federation Internationale 

de l’Automobile 

(FIA) in co-operation with 

trainers in the Syrian Automobile 

Club and the British 

Motorsport Association and 

the Traffic Safety Institute 

at the Royal Oman Police 

(ROP) began at the Traffic 

Safety Institute yesterday. 

The four-day training 

seminar aims at introducing 

rescue and first aid for motorsports, 

the safety equipment 

for drivers, organisers 

and fans. Col Mohammed 

bin Awadh al Rowas, Director 

General of Traffic at 

ROP and Anwar bin Ali al 

Zedjali, Deputy Director of 

Oman Automobile Association 

gave presentations for 

racers on security and first 

aids. — ONA 

www.housing.gov.om 

MINISTRY OF HOUSING 

Tender Announcement 

The MINISTRY OF HOUSING invites to the following Tenders:- 

Tender 

Number 

Description Grade 

Construction of (3) Housing Units in the 

40/2012 

Wilayat of Bausher (Phase 1), Muscat 

(Re-Tender) 

Governorate 

68/2012 

69/2012 

70/2012 

71/2012 

Construction of two Buildings at Ibri in 

Al Dhahira Governorate 

Construction, Completion and 

Maintenance of Public Majlis at 

Jabal Al Akhdhar in Al Dakhiliyah 

Governorate 

Construction, Completion and 

Maintenance of (3) Housing Units 

(Maninat Al Nahdah, Jahloot & 

Al Maltaqa) Wilayat of Al Amerat in 

Muscat Governorate 

Construction of (2) Housing Units in the 

Wilayat of A'Seeb, Muscat Governorate 

Last date 

of Buying 

Date of 

Submission 

Tender 

Price R.O. 

Third 30.7.2012 6.8.2012 34/- 

First 30.7.2012 6.8.2012 95/- 

First 30.7.2012 6.8.2012 200/- 

Third 6.8.2012 13.8.2012 34/- 

Third 6.8.2012 13.8.2012 25/- 

Interested Companies registered with Tender Board (in the above mentioned Grade) may obtain Tender 

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Panel marking Nizwa Capital 

for Islamic Culture meets 

MUSCAT — The Preparatory 

Committee of Marking 

Nizwa as the Capital for 

Islamic Culture 2015 held 

its 6th meeting under the 

chairmanship of Dr Ahmed 

bin Khalfan al Rawahi, 

President of Nizwa University. 

The meeting discussed a 

comprehensive proposal to 

mark the city, including the 

infrastructures and cultural 

activities. — ONA 

3 OMAN 



Dutch naval commander visits Port of Salalah 

From page 1 

In the past, the experience 

of the consumers has been 

very bad. Notwithstanding 

claims by the authorities 

that price stability will be 

maintained and promises 

by traders to this effect, the 

prices of most consumables 

go skyward only to worsen 

the plight of the consumers 

during this month. 

It is heartening to note 

that this year the good news 

is that the Public Authority 

for Consumer Protec- 

tion and other government 

entities have attached 

much importance to the 

question of price situation 

well ahead of the holy 

month. 

The authorities would 

do well to fix prices of 10 

to 15 commonly used essential 

commodities. 

They also need to summon 

trade bodies and hypermarket 

managers and 

direct them to keep prices 

within limit so that prices 

remain within the reach of 

SALALAH — Sayyid Mohammed 

bin Sultan al Busaidy, 

Minister of State and Governor 

of Dhofar, yesterday received 

Commodore Ben Bekkering, 

Commander of the Dutch naval 

vessel Evertsen and his escorts, 

while anchored at the Port of 

Salalah. During the meeting, 

cordial conversations were exchanged 

and matters of common 

concern between the two friendly 

countries were discussed. The 

Evertsen class is a class of coastal 

defence ships of the Royal Netherlands 

Navy. The class comprises 

Evertsen, Piet Hein and 

Kortenaer. — ONA 

Control price rise 

the consumers. 

Simply issuing directives 

won’t produce results. 

Trade bodies should 

be warned that strong 

disciplinary measures will 

be taken against illegal practices 

of dishonest traders. 

The key point is to 

work from now onwards 

towards maintaining the 

steady supply of essential 

commodities. To be sure, 

uninterrupted flow of essential 

commodities is the 

key to price stability. 

Export of gabbro rocks 

From page 1 

He added that more shipments 

will be exported at 

a rate of one per month towards 

a target quantity of 

one million tones according 

to the agreement between Al 

Batinah Quarries Company 

and Qatar Raw Materials 

Company. 

Al Badi added that his 

company seeks to increase 

its production capacity from 

one million per annum to four 

millions. Al Batinah Quarries 

Company operates from 

its quarry site at Liwa, 25 km 

away from Sohar Industrial 

Port. 

The company has 200 million 

stock of gabbro rocks, 

which are of abundant quantities 

in the mountains of Oman. 

The rocks are used for landfill 

in sea shores, concrete and 

construction works. 

Humaid bin Saleh al Mus- 

limani, Director-General of Al 

Batinah Quarries, said that the 

contract signed with Al Batinah 

Quarries Company is the 

first contract for the export 

of high quality gabbro rocks 

from the Sultanate to Qatar. 

The operation will open 

wide scope for Omani exporters, 

who may consider regional 

and international markets. 

Gabbro rocks are extracted 

from Al Shaikh Mountain in 

the wilayat of Liwa. 

SAYYID Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry, with 

Jose Beraun, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Envoy of Peru. —ONA

IT is well known that the 

economy of Oman mostly 

depends on oil and gas. 

There are some other economic 

areas on which a lot were 

written but practically not well 

observed in the country yet, 

like, tourism, industry, people's 

skills and knowledge and 

agriculture. 

However, agriculture is 

one of the essential part of 

an economy. There are many 

countries which don’t produce 

oil and gas but depend on agriculture. 

It means agriculture 

has its due importance in the 

economic circle. Oman has 

a strategic location and nice 

climate and yet its agriculture 

has yet to gain better focus and 

value to become a part of its 

economy. The land of Oman is 

a great gift from the Lord and 

from which many things can 

be produced agriculturally. 

History has witnessed that 

before agriculture people got 

all their food by gathering wild 

plants, hunting and fishing. In 

current life and according to 

some researches agriculture 

provides us with nearly all our 

food, with fibres for clothing, 

raw materials for industry, and 

half of the world's workers are 

farmers, and about a third of 

the earth's land area is used for 

agriculture. 

The agricultural revolution, 

which started in early 1700 

in Britain, brought on many 

changes, the first was proper 

understanding of the value of 

agriculture and how it develops 

people and countries economically. 

In this revolution 

the three main developments 

were: improved crop growing 

methods, advances in livestock 

breeding and invention of new 

farm equipment. 

Of course, agriculture is not 

only about food. But also about 

THE problem of poor 

educational standard 

is something more 

than just failure at school or 

university, it triggers social 

imbalance, affects the relationship 

between members of 

the society and harms the social 

fabric. That’s because the 

society is nothing more than 

individuals living at a specific 

place which means that the 

deeds of any one of those individuals 

impinge on the society 

in its entirety. 

There are many interconnected 

reasons for educational 

failure, the most serious of 

which have their roots in the 

family level, because it is the 

fundamental pillar of the society. 

The values that a child 

is brought up in at home and 

school have an enormous effect 

that spans his or her entire 

life and future. Therefore, we 

have to choose the optimum 

and viable child-raising approaches 

that are capable of 

preparing studious diligent 

shelter, clothing and medicine. 

These four are the very basic 

needs of people. 

Some of the questions that 

need to be raised are how can 

agriculture contribute to economic 

development? How 

does it reduce world poverty? 

How does it relate to other 

sectors? In Oman where does 

agriculture stand? These are 

very basic queries for Omani 

economists and once these 

are properly answered and 

handled, then the economic 

problems can be dealt with to 

a great extent. 

In my observations, I 

found that agriculture has not 

got its due importance and its 

economic value has not been 

properly evaluated. 

Ironically, this is one of 

the greatest opportunities for 

economic growth. The things 

which need to be done in this 

area are: understanding that 

agriculture is vital for economic 

development, presenting the 

Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, 

Threats (SWOT) 

analyses to local and foreign 

investors. Since I did not study 

at Sultan Qaboos University 

(SQU), I don't have any idea 

what role the agriculture college 

is playing, theoretically 

and practically. What kind of 

knowledge and skills do these 

students acquire during their 

college study, where can the 

knowledge will be utilised, 

and where do these students 

go after graduating? 

However, in my opinion a 

proper strategy should be adhered 

to whereby agriculture 

can be connected with economic 

development. One of 

my suggestions is that the students 

should be given opportunities 

to learn and understand 

agricultural practices in some 

farms during their summer 

vocation, like how they study 

computer in institutes and recite 

Quran in mosques. 

In Oman there still large ar- 

4 OUTLOOK 



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

Agriculture and its role in our economy 

Mohammed Al Balushi 

morwared@hotmail.com 

Raising educational standards 

Sawsan Al Busaidiyah 

Bad company is an important 

factor contributing to failure in 

education. Children have a natural 

tendency to imitate the conduct of 

their peers, especially when their 

parents are too busy to watch their 

behaviour and direct them 

on the right path 

pupils capable of coping effectively 

with schooling requirements. 

Social problems and persistent 

differences between 

parents inhibit the pupils from 

studying their lessons and 

thus reduce their educational 

achievement. Students living 

in such conditions normally 

tend to behave awkwardly 

and neglect their homework 

as a form of rejection to the 

circumstances they are experiencing. 

Similarly, the parents’ 

unequal treatment of their 

children is another risk factor 

which has several negative effects 

on the child’s character. 

Economic problems can 

also create upbringing problems 

or exacerbate existing 

ones. Many low-income families 

push their children into 

work so as to help them with 

the cost of living; this naturally 

leads to the child neglecting 

school duties or dropping out 

of school altogether. On the 

other side of the spectrum, 

There are many countries which don’t produce oil and gas 

but depend on agriculture. It means agriculture has its due 

importance in the economic circle. Oman has a strategic 

location and nice climate and yet its agriculture has yet to 

gain better focus and value to become a major part of its 

economy. The land of Oman is a great gift from the Lord 

and many things can be produced agriculturally 

children born to wealthy parents 

also pay little attention to 

education, seeing it as a needless 

matter since their every 

want is easily met. 

Bad company is another 

important factor contributing 

to failure in education. Children 

have a natural tendency 

to imitate the conduct of their 

peers, especially when their 

parents are too busy to watch 

their behaviour and direct them 

on the right path. Generally, 

the absence of co-operation 

and co-ordination between the 

school and family spoils the 

children and gives them the 

chance to act freely without 

fearing the consequences of 

misbehaviour or negligence of 

school duties. 

We cannot expect the children 

to excel at school unless 

we provide them with the optimum 

conditions that help 

them do that. 

First, try to provide a fitting 

family atmosphere free 

from tension and troubles. 

Parents have to try as far as 

possible to conceal their differences 

and to show respect 

to one another. 

Second, treat them all 

equally, making sure that no 

one feels that he or she is discriminated 

against in one way 

or another. 

Third, do not discuss monetary 

problems before them 

so that they do not feel the responsibility 

of supporting the 

family financially. 

Fourth, watch their behaviour 

closely and try your 

best to keep them away from 

bad company who can corrupt 

their conduct. Sixth, do 

not spoil their behaviour by 

giving them too much money 

or catering to their every desire. 

Contrary to the common 

belief, too much pampering 

spoils the children. Seventh, 

make sure to bridge any gap 

between the school and the 

family and create strong links 

between the two. 

MAKE sure not to say 

‘No’ after you have 

said ‘Yes’ or else 

you will bring disgrace upon 

yourself and end up being 

regretful. That’s because being 

remiss brings about regret 

whereas commitment results 

in goodness. 

However, commitment is 

normally avoided by many, 

particularly when they see it 

as some sort of obligation that 

should be obeyed no matter 

how tough it is. 

Whenever someone is 

committed to a duty, pledge 

or promise it puts a heavy burden 

on him and causes him to 

suffer severe psychological 

strain. On the other side of the 

spectrum there are those who 

take things lightly and release 

themselves of all commitments, 

even the lightest ones 

that require only little effort. 

Commitment for some involves 

some troubles. For me 

it is the cause of all troubles. 

Not everyone is capable of 

undertaking commitments; it 

all depends on the type of personality 

and whether this or 

that person is ready to accept 

and fulfil his commitments. 

At the same time readiness for 

commitment doesn’t necessarily 

lead to success. Indifferent 

people could sometimes be 

successful to a great extent, 

again it depends on circumstances. 

But the committed gain 

people’s respect and are ap- 

eas which are empty and can 

be well used for agriculture. 

Agriculture has been practised 

in the region since ancient 

times and it has been referred 

to in the verses of Quran. 

For example; the verses (22) 

and (61) from Sura Al Baqara 

talks about agriculture. Verse 

2/22: "Who has made the earth 

a resting place for you, and the 

sky as a canopy, and sent down 

water (rain) from the sky and 

brought forth therewith fruits 

as a provision for you…" and 

in verse 2/61 "And remember 

when you said O Musa! 

preciated for the trait of keeping 

their word. We hear many 

stories of people who brought 

big trouble upon themselves as 

a result of refusing to renege 

on their obligations. Some 

people have ended up hanged 

to death as a result of refusing 

to break their promises. 

In spite of all this commitment 

causes serious people to 

feel psychologically relieved 

because they just cannot be 

otherwise, neither can they 

espouse a personality with different 

qualities. On the other 

hand, indifferent people are 

unable to show seriousness in 

We cannot endure one kind 

of food. So invoke your Lord 

for us to bring forth for us of 

what the earth grows its herbs, 

its cucumbers, its Fum (wheat 

or garlic), its lentils and its onions." 

If the agricultural revolution, 

which began once in 

1700, has revolutionised the 

world why can't it happen once 

again so that it may reduce the 

world’s economic problems? 

Oman should take the proper 

initiative in this area and the 

people concerned should spare 

the time for this issue. 

Striking a balance between 

commitment and indifference 

Ahmed Al Falahi 

dreemlife11@yahoo.com 

many life situations but they 

sometimes pay a hefty price 

for such an attitude. 

The consequences of indifference 

could be an embarrassing 

situation, for example 

when you promise someone 

money and fail to respect your 

word. In such a situation the 

committed person would never 

give the chance for an apology 

and forget about his commitment, 

instead he would strive 

to pay the required money by 

all means because respecting 

his promise is part of this person’s 

character. 

Whenever someone is 

committed to a duty, pledge or 

promise it puts a heavy burden 

on him and causes him to suffer 

severe psychological strain. 

On the other side of the spectrum 

there are those who take 

things lightly and release 

themselves of all commitments, 

even the lightest ones that 

require only little effort 

It is quite difficult to accustom 

yourself to commitment 

if it is not an intrinsic 

part of your personality. This 

has been proven by the experiences 

of those who lived 

ahead of us. 

But let’s try to be committed 

as far as possible and 

this will open many gates that 

were previously closed and 

life will be brighter and more 

beautiful. 

Losing one’s 

respect! 

• Be not like the hypocrite who, when he talks, tells lies; 

when he gives a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, 

he proves dishonest. — Islamic — Bukhari and Muslim 

• Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish 

men from beasts? — Confucius 

• God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot 

change; the courage to change the things I can; and the 

wisdom to know the difference. — Reinhold Niebuhr 

• I am not concerned with your liking or disliking me. 

All I ask is that you respect me as a human being. — Jackie 

Robinson 

IT always happens in life. Once you lose your respect, esteem 

and standing it will be very difficult to get it back — 

however hard you may try! 

It had happened to me several years ago when I was in 

Dubai. Just want to say something here before I proceed. 

In writing, a source is very important — as one can deny or 

change his mind later — and end you in big troubles. This is 

why I always use my own cases to refer to — or those cases 

well known to me! 

Now that has been put behind us. While in Dubai I had sent 

in my Dodge Durango for thorough cleaning after the road trip 

from Muscat. At the queue there was this Rolls Royce Silver 

Shadow being cleaned. So I asked the person who seemed to 

me to be the driver if I could look inside? I always adore these 

cars! 

The good Indian guy was 

kind enough to let me do 

this. After this as usual I put 

my foot in my mouth and the 

'dry sense of humour' just 

kicked in! So I said to the 

poor man: Your boss must 

be very proud of this car and 

may even want to drive it too 

instead of you? He curtly replied: 

Yes, if you mean the 

wife she sure does but I just 

do not allow her to drive it! 

Seeing my embarrassment 

the poor man wanted 

me to feel comfortable. So 

he asked me if in Oman 

there are no Indians that own 

Rolls Royce like he did? I 

just looked at him and I kept 

my mouth shut after that! It 

was very embarrassing and I 

knew immediately I had lost 

all the respect and rapport I 

had just built a few minutes 

back when we had met! 

During my consultancy 

Majid Al Suleimany 

www.majidall.com 

How many times in 

life have we met these 

same people that we 

highly admire, respect 

and esteem. They 

may really shock and 

disappoint you at the 

worst expected times 

when you are looking 

up to them, by their 

crude, abrupt abnormal 

behaviours that lack 

ethics, principles and 

professionalism even! 

business I was going with my Indian lady assistant for a business 

meeting where we had just made a business proposal. The 

meeting was going on fine until their GM asked: By the way 

who is going to run this Human Resources HR Project if we 

decide to give it to you? 

It seemed that the man had just glossed over the proposal so 

I told him point-blank that I will do it myself. He then turned 

to my more than ever now feeling embarrassed assistant and 

asked in the home lingo: What does he know about HR? The 

poor woman knew that I could understand the lingo — though 

not speak it! 

How many times in life have we met these same people that 

we highly admire, respect and esteem. They may really shock 

and disappoint you at the worst expected times when you are 

looking up at them by their crude, abrupt abnormal behaviours 

that lack ethics, principles and professionalism even! 

Once I did an HR project for one such famous customer, 

a man I really admired and who always talked about treating 

people right. He told me: Do not worry I will pay your worth. 

So I was expecting a good pay-in and the 'shock and awe' was 

mine when he paid me just pittance for this very difficult and 

complex project I had done for him! 

When I raised a protest he brought in religion and told me 

to be thankful for what I have got instead of sitting idle at 

home! The same thing happened when I protested to another 

such person who had threatened me to get out of the office 

'for disturbance' as I was emotionally speaking at high pitch to 

the person! He said I was 'not respecting' his position 'by your 

crude behaviour'! Sic! 

There is also this element — more in the offices' environments. 

Some people still think that when they see a friendly 

outgoing extrovert woman peer that she might be a 'softie and 

easy target' and many people have lost their respect by such 

stereotyping and their outlook — especially with the 'foreign 

lady peers' and even with the educated locals for that matter! I 

have had many cases where the ladies come to me with complaints 

when I was in HR. 

Another way one can lose ones respect is by ones changed 

behaviour, outlook and focus and being pompous and conceited, 

especially because they have got some extra cash in 

their pocket or a recent promotion which goes into their head 

— treating others with contempt. For me these people are completely 

lost in life and people who we must avoid — like Hell! 

My late dad used to say: If the Heaven’s doors were being 

manned by some certain type of people — nobody will ever go 

to Heaven! Their jealousies and envies will ensure this for certain? 

Thank God that He is more gracious, kinder and merciful 

than us human beings! 

Have you noticed that the more you ask others for favours 

the more you lose your respect — while with the Good Lord 

it is just the opposite — because He likes it more if His creations 

come to him. And that is the main difference! The East 

Africans say: carving your face — which means your face will 

not remain the same after begging! 

Once you have lost your respect it is not easy to regain it. 

So one needs to always keep this in mind. I used to fight for a 

person who was being 'victimised' until I learnt the hard way 

when I was doing some work for him, that I had all my ideas 

all wrong and that indeed he was not that 'good a person' I had 

thought before! 

May Allah protect and preserve us all — Amin. Take Care!

MUSCAT — Ahmed bin Hassan 

al Dheeb, Commerce and 

Industry Ministry's Under- 

Secretary for Commerce and 

Industry, yesterday met with 

Jose Beraun, Vice-Minister of 

Foreign Affairs and Personal 

Dialogue aims to bolster research 

SALALAH — The 2nd Dialogue 

of Cultural and Societal 

Centres began at Hilton Salalah 

yesterday. 

The dialogue is organised 

by Tawasul International for 

the second consecutive year. 

This year's dialogue, which 

hosts 34 participants repre- 

Envoy of the President of Peru 

who is currently visiting the 

Sultanate. 

The meeting discussed 

matters pertaining to joint 

trade co-operation between 

the two countries, means of 

senting several Gulf and international 

intellectual centres, in 

addition to local participation 

of the Sultanate, aims at enhancing 

communication and 

strengthening the impact of 

research and study centres and 

thought in the GCC countries, 

as well as expanding frame- 

enhancing such co-operation, 

as well as upgrading the volume 

of trade exchange between 

the two countries. Al 

Deeb welcomed investors 

from the Republic of Peru 

who would like to join invest- 

works in a bid to achieve their 

sustainable development. 

It also aims at providing 

constructive and sustainable 

solutions on how the concerned 

centres contribute in 

enabling the public and private 

sectors to utilise them in youth 

participation. 

ment ventures in the Sultanate 

that would attract a large 

category of sectors. 

He stressed the necessity to 

�nd a mechanism to exchange 

visits between businessmen in 

both countries. The meeting 

Parliamentary expert Dr 

Mohammad al Faili, Faculty 

member at the Department of 

General Law in the University 

of Kuwait, in his speech 

said the challenges that hinder 

improving the quality of research 

and the results of the 

co-operation between expertise 

centres. 

Dr Obaid Yonsei from 

RAND Qatar Institute presented 

in the opening session a 

paper entitled “How to Identify 

Affecting and Affected Factors 

and Involving Them”. 

Hania Bakdash presented 

the second paper entitled “Assessing 

the Impact of Intellectual 

Centres in GCC Countries: 

Mechanisms for Measuring 

In�uence Standards”. 

The dialogue's activities 

continue to provide many 

seminars and working papers. 

— ONA 

5 OMAN 



Joint trade ties with Peru discussed 

was attended by of�cials at the 

Ministry and Oman Chamber 

of Commerce and Industry 

(OCCI). 

Jose Beraun also visited 

the Sultan's Armed Forces 

(SAF) Museum. 

He was received at the 

museum by the Acting Chairman 

of Military Protocols and 

Public Relations who accompanied 

him in a tour to various 

sections of the museum. 

The guest was briefed on 

the Omani military history and 

the progress enjoyed by SAF 

in the prosperous reign of His 

Majesty Sultan Qaboos, the 

Supreme Commander of the 

Armed Forces. 

At the end of the visit, the 

guest signed the visitor's book 

expressing his delight over the 

ancient military heritage, the 

civilisational heritage and aspects 

of progress and development 

in the Sultanate. 

— ONA 

Rafo commander visits SAF team in Bisley 

NOTICE 

This is to inform all concerned that Mr. Said 

Bin Abdul Qadir Bin Said Al Ajili, with 

ID Card No. 03321061, whose photograph 

shown here, is no longer working with us with 

immediate effect since 10.04.2012. 

Henceforth anyone who is entering into any 

transaction with him will do at their own risk 

and we will not be responsible after the date 

mentioned above. 

Risk Management Services L.L.C 

ASSARAIN FURNISHING LLC 

Urgently Requires 

SALES CONSULTANTS 

Applicants must have an experience of 5 - 7 years around 

30 years of age capable of supporting & coordinating Sales 

of Interior Fitout Projects. Possess demonstrative ability of 

determining market trends, developing and generating new 

business as well as develop and expand the existing client 

relationships and penetrative skills in a highly competitive 

market. Strong interpersonal skills with good command over 

written Please and send spoken resume English, to: omanbraysm@yahoo.com 

working knowledge of Arabic 

�� or �� Fax �� to: �� 2449 �� 6343 �� 

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be computer literate and possess a valid Oman driving license. 

Remuneration, Perks and working environment amongst the best in the Country. 

Please apply with your Resume & colored photo to: 

P.O Box: 1475, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Sultanate of Oman 

email: admin.furn@assarain.com 

Staff Appreciation Day 

held at SQU Hospital 

By A Staff Reporter 

MUSCAT — With the contribution 

of Omantel, the 

Department of Physiotherapy 

and Rehabilitation at Sultan 

Qaboos University Hospital, 

recently conducted “Staff Appreciation 

Day”. 

The aim of the event was 

to motivate each member of 

the Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation 

Department staff of 

SQUH. 

Suleiman al Alawi, Head 

of Physiotherapy and Reha- 

bilitation, and Dr Ahmed al 

Mandhari, Hospital Director 

General, expressed their 

gratitude and appreciation by 

giving gifts and certi�cates of 

appreciation to the deserving 

members of the organising 

committee of the Rehabilitation 

Week (April 21-25). 

Those who had worked 

hard through the whole year 

were also given gifts and certi�cates. 

The department thanked 

Omantel for their contribution 

to this very special event. 

LONDON — Air Vice Marshal 

Mattar bin Ali al Obaidani, 

Commander of the Royal 

Air Force of Oman (Rafo), 

yesterday visited the shooting 

team of the Sultan’s Armed 

Forces (SAF) taking part in 

the military marksmanships 

currently being held in Bisley, 

the United Kingdom. 

Al Obaidani listened to a 

brie�ng about the achievements 

of the SAF shooting 

team during the competitions, 

of which the Omani team 

won most of the top places, 

both at individual and group 

games. 

Al Obaidani was accompanied 

during the visit by Air 

Commodore Al Zubair bin 

Mohammed al Zubair, Assistant 

Chief of Staff of the 

SAF for Training and Joint 

Exercises, and Brigadier 

Nasser bin Salim al Tamtami, 

the Military Attache of the 

Sultanate in the United Kingdom. 

— ONA 

Manpower Ministry recruits job seekers 

through employment centres 

MUSCAT — The Ministry of Manpower 

continues to recruit job-seekers in the private 

sector's establishments through direct employment 

centres. 

The ministry yesterday received job-seekers 

from the Higher College of Technology at the 

Direct Employment Centre in the Governorate 

of Muscat. The number of job-seekers stood 

at 587. About 85 of them attended, while 47 

job-seekers were accepted and 33 rejected the 

jobs offered for them. 502 job-seekers did not 

show up for the interview though they were 

shortlisted. 

32 job-seekers were sent for training in the 

governorates of South and North Al Batinah. 

Only 13 job-seekers showed up, while 11 of 

them were accepted and 8 refused the jobs of- 

fered for them. Hamad bin Khamis al Amri, 

Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Manpower 

for Labour Affairs, said that Direct Employment 

Centres are designed to offer direct employment 

opportunities for job-seekers and give them multiple 

options in the presence of companies. 

He added that the Manpower Ministry continues 

to provide employment opportunities 

and avail source of livelihoods for job-seekers 

to provide living and social stability through 

such centres. He also said that Manpower Ministry 

has conducted an analytical study on reasons 

hindering job-seekers in �nding suitable 

employment opportunities for them, as well 

as their reluctance to accept the opportunities 

shown earlier by developing solutions through 

providing jobs suitable for everyone. — ONA 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH 

ANNOUNCEMENT 

The Ministry of Health invites specialized companies to participate in the following Tenders:- 

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6 OMAN 



60 Opal professionals attend workshop on job evaluation 


MUSCAT — Oman Society 

for Petroleum Services (Opal) 

supported by PDO recently 

conducted a Job Evaluation 

workshop. 

In his opening statement 

at the workshop, Mohamed 

al Harthy, CEO Opal said that 

“the workshop reflects Opal’s 

proactive effort to elevate 

professionalism, competency 

and enhance the Strategic 

Role of HR in Oman’s Oil 

and Gas sector. 

Opal’s aim is to assist 

its member companies particularly 

SME’s who are ex- 

pected to benefit most out of 

this experience, guiding and 

providing them with effective 

HR tools and solutions that 

address current challenges”. 

Sixty HR Managers and 

Professionals from Opal 

member companies attended 

the workshop. 

Ahmed al Zakwani, Head 

Organisation Advice and 

Job Evaluation at PDO, was 

the instructor. He shed light 

on job analysis and exercises 

on drafting job description 

which are essential 

elements in the pre evaluation 

process. 

The participants were also 

introduced to HAY Int’l meth- 

odologies of job profiles, and 

at the end, discussions and 

exercises were conducted in 

topics related to job evaluation’s 

processes and impacts 

to the organisation effectiveness, 

remuneration, and resourcing. 

Hamid al Bahri, Opal HR 

Executive Manager, said the 

The Wave, Muscat takes commanding lead 


MUSCAT — The Wave, Muscat 

will be looking for some 

no risk ‘steady’ performances 

today after an outstanding day 

where it claimed victories in 

six races to stretch its lead at 

the top of the Extreme Sailing 

Series leaderboard in Porto. 

Morgan Larsson’s Oman 

Air also posted a string of podium 

places — five in total — to 

rise to third place overall, equal 

in points to Groupe Edmond 

de Rothschild and five behind 

second placed Red Bull Sailing 

Team. 

But the day belonged to the 

crew on The Wave, Muscat who 

started with a win in the first 

open water race in the Atlantic 

despite reporting big swells, at 

almost two metres high combined 

with six knots of breeze 

which made boat handling difficult. 

They hit their straps when 

the fleet moved into the stadium 

for another seven closely 

fought races on compressed 

courses, which culminated in 

another five wins and a strong 

22 point lead in the Act IV Porto 

rankings. 

“It was probably our best 

day of the year so far,” said a 

delighted McMillan. 

“Everything went our way 

today. We had some good starts 

and the whole team worked 

really well together so we are 

extremely happy. 

“Tomorrow might be different 

because it is rare to get 

two decent days in a row. Now 

we have to have a steady day 

tomorrow, taking the same 

conservative approach with no 

risks and we will be in good 

shape.” 

The Wave Muscat’s bowman, 

Hashim al Rashdy added: 

“We have a big lead which is 

really good. It was all about the 

currents and shifts today and 

we managed them well because 

the team is working really well 

— our boat handling was excellent. 

If we do tomorrow 

what we did today, we should 

be OK.” 

Oman Air’s Nasser al 

Mashari added: “I think we are 

getting better and we are hoping 

we will be on the podium 

by the end but the teams here 

are very strong and we are racing 

in a tiny place on the river. 

We have a lot to do still but we 

have climbed three places so 

hopefully we can have another 

good day tomorrow.” 

The third day of Act IV 

Porto starts with the open racing 

in the morning with another 

exciting round of close quarter 

racing in the stadium in the afternoon. 

Microsoft Corp rolls out Office 365 


MUSCAT — Microsoft Corp 

has announced the commercial 

launch of Microsoft Office 

365, the company’s nextgeneration 

cloud productivity 

service for businesses of all 

sizes, in the Middle East and 

Africa region. 

Previously available on a 

trial basis in markets across 

the Middle East and Africa, 

Office 365 is now commercially 

available in 16 countries 

across the region. 

The cloud solution will 

also be available with local 

pricing in Turkey, Saudi Ara- 

bia and South Africa. 

Leading regional service 

providers will bring the service 

to their customers. 

These leading providers 

will each integrate Office 

365 with its other offerings 

and market the service to 

millions of small and midsize 

business customers worldwide. 

Office 365 brings together 

Microsoft Office, Microsoft 

SharePoint Online, Microsoft 

Exchange Online and 

Microsoft Lync Online in an 

always-up-to-date service, at 

a predictable monthly cost. 

The service was introduced 

in limited beta last year 

with enthusiastic response, 

particularly among small and 

midsize businesses. 

Over a few months, more 

than 10,000 organisations, 

many of which were small 

and midsize businesses, 

signed up and began testing 

Office 365, creating one of 

Microsoft’s largest global 

beta programmes for businesses. 

“Today, we are evolving 

from the information age to 

the collaboration age, where 

the ability to take action on 

information will set successful 

businesses apart from 

the rest,” said Tareq Hijazi, 

Country Manager, Microsoft 

Drug dealer arrested in Seeb 

From page 1 

the Wilayat of Seeb where the 

squad discovered an amount 

of drugs hidden inside his 

vehicle, a belt with 73 bullets 

and mobile phones used to 

promote the drugs. 

The accused was referred 

to the Public Prosecution for 

further legal procedures in 

preparation for his trial before 

the respective court. 

Meanwhile, a fraudster 

was handed down a four-year 

jail term and ordered to pay a 

fine of RO 600 by the Court 

of First Instance in Izki for 

swindling a man of RO 270 

by promising to offer him a 

job at a local company and a 

driving licence. 

The fraudster repeated the 

same trick with more people 

and collected money on 

promises of employment, but 

he was repeatedly reported to 

the police which took action 

against him in co-operation 

with the Public Prosecution 

Department. 

In another case, the Court 

of First Instance in Shinas 

handed down a 1-year jail 

sentence to a man who was 

found guilty of transgressing 

the private life of a family 

by using the Internet and 

ordered him to pay a fine of 

RO 1,000. 

The convict, through his 

Facebook account, impersonated 

a woman he used 

to know and ascribed to her 

vulgar statements with the 

intention of blemishing her 

reputation. 

In a similar case, a man 

was awarded a six-months 

jail sentence and ordered to 

pay a fine of RO 100, in addition 

to the repayment of the 

sum of RO 9,420 to a woman 

he swindled of a large sum of 

money by claiming to cure her 

of a chronic disease through 

acts of superstition. 

Oman and Bahrain. 

“Today’s launch of Office 

365 will accelerate that evolution 

by delivering enterprise-grade 

collaboration for 

everyone.” 

Moving to the cloud with 

Office 365 doesn’t require a 

business to change the way 

it works, because the service 

is based on familiar productivity 

tools people know and 

trust, including Microsoft 

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, 

OneNote, Access and more. 

Employees get new ways to 

work together with ease, on 

virtually any device or mobile 

phone, and businesses 

get the reliability, security 

and IT controls they need 

in the cloud, even without a 

dedicated IT staff. 

With Office 365 for small 

businesses, professionals and 

small businesses can be up 

and running with Office Web 

Apps, Microsoft Exchange 

Online, Microsoft Share- 

Point Online, Microsoft Lync 

Online and an external website 

in just 15 minutes, for a 

monthly fee. 

These tools put e-mail, 

voicemail, enterprise social 

networking, instant messaging, 

Web portals, extranets, 

video conferencing, web 

conferencing and more at 

everyone’s fingertips. 

Focus on bilateral 

ties with Peru 

MUSCAT — Jose Beraun, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs 

and Personal Envoy of Peru affirmed keenness of his country's 

government in enhancing and promoting the bilateral 

co-operation relations with the Sultanate's government in 

various spheres. 

In a press meeting held at the Diplomatic Club here yesterday, 

he said that his visit aims at handing over a written 

message to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos from President Ollanta 

Humala of Peru inviting His Majesty to attend the 3rd 

Arab-South American Countries Summit, due to be held in 

Lima on October 2. 

He added that his visit to the Sultanate also aims at discussing 

the bilateral co-operation relations between the two 

countries in various tourism, environmental and natural resources 

fields and benefiting from the Omani experience in 

setting up economic projects in energy and petrochemicals 

industry. 

Jose also explained that his country has the potential, 

which would help in setting up joint investments, such as the 

natural gas, which is one of the bases in setting up important 

industrial projects. 

The Peruvian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed 

out that that the 3rd summit, which will be hosted by his 

country, will discuss areas of enhancing the joint investment 

opportunities and increasing the volume of trade-exchange, 

as well as the industrial, tourism and environmental co-operation. 

This he said also affirms that the summit will avail the 

opportunity for businessmen in the Arab and South American 

countries to explore the available opportunities in their 

countries and setting up joint ventures that will contribute 

in supporting the co-operation and activating the trade relations 

among countries. — ONA 

participants appreciated the 

strength of job evaluation as 

a tool, specially if conducted 

across the company, in bringing 

consistency, benchmarking 

of jobs in an organisation 

and providing controls in organisational 

structure. 

They now understand 

that having job evaluation is 

SALALAH — As part of the 

activities of Salalah Tourism 

Festival, the US Embassy’s 

exhibition was opened at the 

Municipality’s Recreational 

Centre yesterday under the 

patronage of Shaikh Salim bin 

Ofait al Shanfri, Head of Dhofar 

Municipality and Head 

of the Festival’s Organising 

Committee. 

The five-day exhibition 

included a number of 

educational and cultural programmes 

presented by the US 

Embassy to Omanis, in addition 

to books and publications 

in Arabic and English, which 

are distributed to visitors to 

the exhibition. 

The acting Cultural and 


MUSCAT — The Traffic 

Safety Expo 2012, due to be 

held during October 16-18 at 

the Oman International Exhibition 

Centre, will feature a 

wide range of vehicular safety 

features and technologies, according 

to organisers Oman 

International Trade & Exhibitions 

(OITE). 

Improvements in vehicular 

designs have been instrumental 

in reducing injury and 

death rates in most countries. 

Nevertheless, auto collisions 

are the leading cause of injury-related 

deaths globally. 

In Oman the top four causes 

for accidents and casualties 

by way of collision, collisions 

with fixed objects, overturning, 

running over pedestrians 

or animals, include speeding 

(3,861), Improper Acts 

(1,726), Neglect (569) and 

Inadequate Safety Distance 

(566), as reported by the Royal 

Oman Police (ROP). 

Although a lot of factors 

contribute to road accidents, 

a systematic way to ensure 

that all workers know what 

is expected of them and ensure 

that everyone is working 

towards a common set of 

agreed goals. 

After thanking the five 

organisations that sponsored 

this invaluable workshop (Al 

Hassan Engineering, Dalma 

Media Attaché at the US Embassy 

pointed out that the US 

Embassy’s participation this 

year at Salalah Tourism Festival 

(STF) 2012 witnesses a 

number of activities that suit 

one of the ways to ensure traffic 

safety is considering safety 

features that a particular vehicle 

comes with while purchasing 

the said vehicle, being 

aware of the usage of the 

same, and putting the safety 

features to use to avoid a crisis 

situation. 

The latest vehicle safety 

equipment and technology is 

key to reducing rash driving 

and securing a risk free driving 

environment. 

Besides airbags, seatbelts 

and anti-lock brakes, important 

safety features that will be 

spotlighted include ABS Tips, 

All Wheel Drive, Electronic 

Stability Control, Traction 

Control Systems, Daytime 

Running Lights, Blind Spot 

Detection Systems, Back-up 

Warning Systems, Forward 

Collision Warning with Automatic 

Braking, Lane Departure 

Warning, Rearview/ 

Exterior cameras, Bluetooth 

hands free, and so on. 

Aimed at promoting safer 

driving habits and fostering an 

attitude that encourages traf- 

Energy, Dodsal, OHI Group 

and RAY International), he 

encouraged other private 

companies to support such 

programmes that aim at promoting 

HR Best Practices 

that, if implemented, will 

make a great contribution to 

the member companies’ bottom 

lines. 

MUSANDAM Oman Sail goes past the Statue of Liberty after the start 

in the KRYS Ocean Race in New York yesterday. — AFP 

US exhibition opens at STF 

all age categories as the exhibition 

allocates a special 

pavilion for children to mark 

the Child Year, which is being 

highlighted by the Sultanate 

this year. — ONA 

Traffic Safety Expo 2012 to 

spotlight new safety trends 

fic safety, Traffic Safety Expo 

2012 will bring senior government 

officials, senior police 

representatives, fire and rescue 

safety officers, local authorities, 

industry, executives, 

engineers, fleet managers and 

other road safety related professionals 

under one roof to 

bring about awareness regarding 

the latest road safety solutions, 

technological advancements 

and safe practices that 

will lead to accident reduction 

and promote a safer driving 

environment. 

The event will also highlight 

the role of automotive 

dealers in enlightening customers 

about the latest safety 

features and technologies. 

Their key position in selling 

an automotive brand and 

strengthening the reputation 

of the same, make them the 

prime source that customers 

rely on most when it comes to 

automotive information. 

They hold the key to steering 

the customers to make 

decisions regarding automobiles.

Japan mulls buying disputed islands 

TOKYO — Japan is considering 

buying a chain of islands 

at the centre of a bitter territorial 

dispute with China and Taiwan, 

Prime Minister Yoshihiko 

Noda said yesterday, sparking 

an angry response from Beijing. 

The islands in the East 

China Sea are called Senkaku 

in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. 

“There is no question that 

the Senkakus are an integral 

part of our country’s territory 

in terms of history and international 

law,” Noda told reporters. 

“There exists no territorial 

issue or ownership issue as Japan 

is in effective control of the 

islands. 

“From the viewpoint of 

how to maintain and manage 

the Senkakus in a calm and 

stable manner, we are making 

comprehensive studies on 

the matter by keeping in touch 

with the owner.” 

Chinese foreign ministry 

spokesman Liu Weimin said 

Japan had no right to purchase 

the islands. 

“The Chinese government 

will continue to take necessary 

measures to resolutely safeguard 

the sovereign rights of 

the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent 

islets,” he said according to the 

Xinhua state news agency. 

“The Diaoyu Islands and 

their adjacent islets have been 

inherent parts of Chinese territory 

since ancient times, and 

China has indisputable histori- 

cal and jurisprudential evidence 

for this.” 

Noda’s comments came after 

a report in the Asahi Shimbun 

said the government on 

Friday informed Tokyo’s Governor 

Shintaro Ishihara of its 

plan to buy three of the islands 

from their private Japanese 

owner. 

In April, Ishihara announced 

he was in talks to buy the three 

islands — Uotsurijima, Kitakojima 

and Minamikojima — 

claiming that Japan was not 

doing enough to protect the 

territory. 

The chain includes two other 

islands and an outcropping 

of rocks. 

The influential daily said 

senior government officials 

were already negotiating with 

the owners, the Kurihara family, 

hoping to finalise the nationalisation 

plan by the end of the 

year. The Tokyo metropolitan 

government said it had already 

collected more than 1.3 billion 

yen ($16.3 million) in donations 

from across the country 

to fund the purchase. 

The governor confirmed 

later yesterday that senior government 

officials had visited 

him on Friday to apprise him 

about Noda’s plan to put the 

three islands under state control. 

“It could be a mere publicity 

stunt,” said the outspoken 

Ishihara, well known for his 

nationalistic views. “If they 

really want to buy them, they 

should have said earlier.” 

The island chain, which 

lies in rich fishing grounds and 

may harbour valuable mineral 

reserves, was bought by the 

Kurihara family decades ago 

from descendants of the previous 

Japanese owners. 

The islands were inhabited 

by Japanese fishermen before 

the end of World War II. 

The waters around them 

have been the scene of territorial 

spats including the arrest 

of a Chinese trawlerman in late 

2010 when he rammed his boat 

into two Japanese patrol boats. 

On Thursday, two Japanese 

nationals swam to Kitakojima 

and stayed there for 90 minutes, 

the coastguard said. 

Earlier this week Taiwanese 

vessels brushed against 

Japanese patrol ships in waters 

near the islands. — AFP 

7ASIA 



PARAMILITARY policemen attend a training session at a military base in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, yesterday. — Reuters 

No need to fear China: Xi Jinping 

BEIJING — China’s leader-inwaiting 

Xi Jinping insisted yesterday 

that Beijing would never 

impose its will on the rest of 

the world and instead wanted 

to “abandon the old mindset” 

and strive for global peace. 

Speaking at a forum in Beijing, 

Vice-President Xi sought 

to reassure other countries that 

the rise of China, which in 

2010 became the world’s second 

largest economy, was not 

something to be feared. 

“Even when China becomes 

developed in the future, it will 

never seek hegemony,” Xi 

told the World Peace Forum. 

“China is always committed to 

economic development, world 

peace and common develop- 

ment of mankind.” 

“We must abandon the old 

mindset and approach that has 

been rendered obsolete, we 

must keep pace with the times, 

forge ahead with innovation 

and foster a new security concept,” 

he added. 

China has been pushing for 

emerging powers to take a bigger 

role in international institutions, 

such as the International 

Monetary Fund where Beijing 

is playing a leading part, and 

Xi said this trend would continue. 

“China will actively participate 

in the reform of the international 

system for governance 

with a view to move toward a 

more just and equitable inter- 

E Timor votes in polls 

DILI — East Timor voted yesterday 

in a parliamentary election 

in which Prime Minister 

Xanana Gusmao’s party faces 

a stiff challenge from two opponents 

as it seeks to extend 

its term at the helm of Asia’s 

newest and one of its poorest 

nations. 

Gusmao told reporters he 

was confident his National 

Council of Timorese Resistance 

party (CNRT) would win 

44 of 65 parliamentary seats 

on its platform of seeking foreign 

loans for infrastructure 

projects and expanding the 

amount of an oil fund used 

for the state budget beyond its 

current limit of 3 per cent. 

Gusmao became the first 

president after independence 

in 2002. The main opposition 

Fretilin party, also a key player 

in the fight to secure independence, 

opposes foreign loans 

and wants to maintain the percentage 

of the $10.5 billion 

petroleum fund used for the 

budget at current levels. 

Peace and stability are also 

key concerns for over 600,000 

eligible voters in a country that 

saw factional violence in 2006 

as well as in the period leading 

up to independence. 

“I have given my vote and 

I hope my vote will not fall to 

the ground and go to waste, 

that what the parties have 

promised us, such as to open 

more jobs and peace, will be 

realised,” Floriano da Silva, a 

student, said. 

national political and economic 

order.” Besides its growing 

economic power, China’s increasing 

military might has 

also irked other countries, especially 

its regional neighbours 

and the United States, which 

has realigned its forces to address 

Beijing’s buildup. 

Xi is widely expected to be 

named head of the ruling Communist 

Party later this year and 

become president next March 

in the country’s once-in-adecade 

leadership transition, 

replacing Hu Jintao. 

Meanwhile, China yesterday 

signed 17 loan agreements 

valued at more than $500 million 

to finance various reconstruction 

projects in Angola. 

HONG KONG — A joint 

operation by Hong Kong 

and US authorities, nicknamed 

‘Surfing Coke’, has 

helped net the city’s largest 

cocaine haul, worth around 

HK$760 million ($98 million). 

The Hong Kong government 

said its customs department 

had discovered 649 kg 

(1,425 pounds) of cocaine 

in a container shipped from 

Ecuador. 

Disguised as blocks of 

laurel wood, officers found 

22 nylon bags containing 

a total of 541 slabs of cocaine, 

with each slab weighing 

about 1.2 kg. 

Three local men have 

Angolan Minister of Finance, 

Carlos Alberto Lopes, 

said the loan deal would be 

used for the construction of 

hospitals, energy and drinking 

water treatment plants across 

eight of the country’s provinces. 

Angola has maintained 

close economic ties with China 

since peace returned to the 

country in April 2002. Africa’s 

second largest oil producer, it is 

the largest supplier of crude to 

China. 

China has granted credit 

lines worth several billions of 

dollars to the administration 

of President Jose Eduardo dos 

Santos for the rebuilding of infrastructure 

destroyed during 

the civil war. 

been arrested and appeared 

in court yesterday. 

If convicted, they could 

face life imprisonment and 

a fine of HK$5 million for 

trafficking in a dangerous 

drug. 

Lee Cheung-wing, head 

of Hong Kong’s Customs 

Drug Investigation Bureau, 

said the city had been working 

with the US Drug Enforcement 

Administration 

(DEA) and US Customs and 

Border Protection this year 

to combat the rising frequency 

of narcotics being 

transported to Hong Kong. 

“Between April and 

June this year, the DEA has 

referred a batch of Hong 

UOTSURI Island, part of the disputed Islands in the East China Sea. — Reuters 

In another development, a 

Hong Kong newspaper said 

it had filed a lawsuit over the 

brief detention of one of its 

journalists after he asked Chinese 

President Hu Jintao a 

question. 

The Chinese-language Apple 

Daily News, known for its 

anti-Beijing stance, said it was 

suing the police over the “unlawful 

detention” of reporter 

Rex Hon in a civil case filed 

with the city’s high court. 

Hon asked Hu the question 

when the Chinese leader was 

in Hong Kong to mark the 15th 

anniversary of its handover 

from Britain to Beijing and to 

inaugurate the city’s new leader 

Leung Chun-ying. — AFP 

Kong-bound containers exported 

from South American 

countries to Hong Kong 

Customs for follow-up action,” 

he said in the statement. 

Hong Kong police 

smashed a multinational 

drug syndicate, seizing cocaine 

worth HK$600 million 

and arresting eight people, 

in September 2011. 

Drugs shipped to Hong 

Kong are believed to be 

bound for larger markets 

such as the mainland. Lee 

said the latest cocaine haul 

was likely to have been 

heading to a Southeast Asian 

country or the mainland, according 

to local media. 

Hackers fight download 

law by picking up litter 

TOKYO — About 80 masked 

people, calling themselves 

allies of the global hacker 

group Anonymous, picked 

up litter in Tokyo yesterday 

in a novel protest against Japan’s 

tougher laws against 

illegal downloads. 

In light rain, they took 

part in an “anonymous cleaning 

service” for one hour in a 

park and on pavements in the 

shopping and entertainment 

hub of Shibuya, a change 

from the group’s trademark 

website attacks. 

They were dressed in 

black and wore masks of Guy 

Fawkes, the central figure in 

England’s 1605 Gunpowder 

Plot to blow up parliament, 

which have become a symbol 

of protests by the loosely 

linked alliance around the 

world. 

Last month, Japan’s parliament 

enacted new copy- 

JAKARTA — A helicopter 

which sent out a distress signal 

in poor weather was feared 

to have crashed yesterday in 

Papua New Guinea’s rugged 

highlands, with two Australians 

and a New Zealander on 

board. 

Hevilift, a Singapore-based 

air charter company catering to 

mining and energy operators, 

said the Bell 206 went missing 

in the mountainous Southern 

Highlands region with two pilots 

and an engineer on board. 

The chopper had issued a 

mayday call five minutes after 

taking off from an InterOil 

drill rig in conditions of low 

cloud and reduced visibility. 

“Aircraft in the vicinity 

heard the distress call from the 

helicopter,” Hevilift said. 

JAKARTA — An orangutan 

who became the star attraction 

of an Indonesian zoo for 

her penchant for puffing on 

cigarettes will be forced to 

quit cold turkey, a conservationist 

said yesterday. 

Visitors began throwing 

lit cigarettes into the cage of 

15-year-old Tori when it was 

five, and the female orangutan 

had developed an addiction 

over the years, Centre 

for Orangutan Protection coordinator 

Daniek Hendarto 

said. 

“We are working with the 

zoo’s management to try and 

move her to an island, in a 

big lake in the middle of the 

zoo, away from the other orangutans 

and where visitors 

right laws that could mean 

jail for anyone illegally 

downloading copyrighted 

music and movies. 

On June 26, websites of 

the Japanese finance ministry, 

the Supreme Court and 

other public offices were defaced 

or brought down after 

an Anonymous online statement 

denounced the new 

laws. 

The statement claimed Japan’s 

recording industry and 

other content providers were 

now pushing Internet service 

providers to implement 

surveillance technology that 

will spy on every single Internet 

user in Japan. 

The group, which assembled 

for the clean-up service 

in Tokyo, attributed the cyber 

attacks to other Anonymous 

elements around the 

world. 

“We prefer constructive 

“A localised search using 

Hevilift helicopters... commenced 

immediately, but 

deteriorating weather meant 

the helicopters were unable 

to search for long before the 

weather and last light closed 

down the search.” 

Efforts resumed at first light 

but Hevilift said the helicopter 

was yet to be found, and no 

rescue beacon signals had been 

detected from the “thickly forested” 

region where it was believed 

to have gone down. 

Seven helicopters were 

involved in yesterday’s hunt 

along with a Dornier 328 fixedwing 

airplane dispatched from 

Australia which was specially 

equipped to pick up electronic 

signals. 

PNG and Australian 

can’t toss her anymore cigarettes,” 

Hendarto said. 

He said Tori’s parents had 

also been smokers, adding 

that orangutans easily mimic 

human behaviour, including 

smoking. 

News of the smoking orangutan 

spread quickly 10 

years ago, attracting more 

visitors to the Taru Jurug 

Zoo in the central Javanese 

city of Solo, Hendarto said. 

“Until we get approval 

from the zoo to move her, a 

guard has been placed outside 

her cage to make sure 

she doesn’t smoke and she 

is undergoing therapy. She 

will have to go cold turkey,” 

he said. 

Indonesian zoos have 

and productive solutions,” 

the group said in a statement. 

“We want to make our fellow 

citizens aware of the problem 

with a productive message.” 

“In IRC (Internet relay 

chat), somebody proposed 

cleaning as a means of protest 

as we didn’t want to 

follow the style of mass 

anti-nuclear rallies which 

are getting too much,” said a 

spokesman for the assembly. 

“I guess this is the first 

time that a Japanese-led 

Anonymous group stages an 

outside operation,” said the 

man who said he works as 

an engineer in the computer 

industry. 

“The cleaning service has 

amused overseas Anonymous 

allies as something 

unique to the Japanese,” said 

another spokesman. “We 

want to continue stating our 

case on the net.” — AFP 

Chopper missing after distress call 

military aircraft, as well as 

commercial helicopters and 

aircraft from other local companies 

like Exxon Mobil PNG, 

helped with the search. Hevilift 

said weather conditions 

were “favourable”. 

PNG aviation officials said 

the helicopter was thought to 

have gone down at Kikori, a 

densely wooded and oil-rich 

settlement at the head of the 

Gulf of Papua, but they were 

yet to find the wreckage and 

could not confirm fatalities. 

“It was coming in from 

InterOil, one of the sites, into 

(Mount) Hagen and halfway 

through Hagen it actually 

went down,” aviation authority 

spokesman Yaqub Amaki 

told ABC Radio of the missing 

aircraft. 

HK customs bust drug ring Smoking orangutan forced to quit 

drawn international criticism 

in recent years for their 

poor treatment of animals. In 

March, a giraffe at a zoo in 

eastern Java was found dead 

with a 20-kilogram beachball-size 

lump of plastic in 

its stomach from visitors’ 

food wrappers thrown into 

its pen. 

Indonesia is also one of the 

world’s last bastions of big 

tobacco, where few restrictions 

are placed on marketing 

and smoking rates have 

risen six-fold over the last 40 

years, according to the World 

Health Organization. 

Several cases of children 

as young as two with smoking 

addictions have been reported. 

— AFP

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul yesterday. — AFP 

US signals no abandoning Afghanistan 

KABUL — Washington declared 

Afghanistan a major 

non-Nato ally yesterday, a 

largely symbolic status reinforcing 

its message to Afghans 

that the country will not be 

abandoned. 

Secretary of State Hillary 

Clinton announced the 

decision, made by President 

Barack Obama, during her 

unannounced visit to Kabul 

where she met President Hamid 

Karzai on the eve of a 

major donors' conference in 

Tokyo. 

SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines 

— Leaders of the Philippines' 

rebel group yesterday 

criticised the slow pace of 

peace talks with the government, 

warning that some 

members were growing dissatisfied. 

The comments came as 

thousands attended a Moro 

Islamic Liberation Front 

(MILF) gathering at their 

camp in the southern island of 

Mindanao, including heavily 

armed fighters and government 

peace negotiators. 

MILF chairman Murad 

Ebrahim said despite the 

slow pace of talks his group 

remained committed to the 

negotiations. 

"It is sad... that even though 

"Please know that the United 

States will be your friend 

and your partner. We are not 

even imagining abandoning 

Afghanistan. Quite the opposite," 

Clinton told a press briefing 

with Karzai before jetting 

off to Tokyo. 

Obama's decision meets 

a pledge he made on a visit 

to Afghanistan this year to 

upgrade Kabul to a special 

security status given to only 

a limited number of US partners 

which are not members 

of Nato. 

Philippine MILF slams 

‘snail’s pace’ of talks 

the MILF has drastically scaled 

down its position, negotiations 

with the government are moving 

at a snail's pace," he told 

MILF supporters. 

"The Philippine government 

is not too inclined to 

solve the armed conflict but 

(wants) to manage the armed 

conflict to a level where it 

can... rule the (Muslim people) 

and exploit the resources 

of (their) homeland." 

Murad said he hoped the 

government of President Benigno 

Aquino would be different 

from previous administrations. 

"It is only when negotiations 

fail that we will consider 

all other options that may be 

available," he said. — AFP 

8 

THE PHILIPPINES/SUBCONTINENT 


This is the first such designation 

by Obama's administration. 

Other countries with the 

designation include Pakistan, 

Israel, Egypt, Japan, Jordan 

Korea, Argentina, Australia 

and New Zealand. 

The new status, which 

comes into effect immediately, 

makes it easier for a country 

to purchase and finance 

its acquisition of US defence 

equipment, along with other 

benefits. 

Clinton said the security 

situation in Afghanistan 

"though far from ideal, is certainly 

more stable", while the 

capacity of the Afghan security 

forces had "significantly 

improved". 

Nato has a total of 130,000 

soldiers in the country and 

they are due to withdraw by 

the end of 2014 when the transition 

process is complete. 

The US and Afghanistan 

have signed a Strategic Partnership 

Agreement. Clinton's 

visit to Kabul was a three-anda-half 

hour stopover on her 

way to Tokyo. — Agencies 

11 Afghans killed by 

bombs and rocket 

KABUL — Bomb blasts and a rocket attack have killed 11 civilians 

including at least four children in the space of 24 hours 

in southern Afghanistan, officials said yesterday. 

A roadside bomb ripped through a pick-up truck yesterday 

in the Chora district of Uruzgan province killing six people, 

provincial police spokesman Jawed Faisal said. 

"All six civilians on board were killed and their vehicle was 

destroyed," he said. 

Also a bomb exploded in the Gereshk district of southern 

Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province, killing one child and 

wounding another, a statement from the provincial media office 

said. 

In the same district on Friday a bomb blast killed three children 

and wounded two others, the statement said. 

Meanwhile, a rocket attack targeting the governor's office 

in the southwestern province of Farah yesterday killed one civilian 

and wounded 26 others, officials said. 

Improvised explosive devices planted on roads are a common 

insurgent tactic but they frequently miss their intended 

target — Afghan and Nato troops — resulting in civilian 

deaths. 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. — AFP 

PEOPLE from a poor area of Manila get free dental procedures at a special aid programme in the Philippine capital 

yesterday. The group was trying to set a Guinness World Record for the most blood pressure and blood glucose 

tests in an eight-hour period and the most dental exams in 24 hours. — AFP 

KARACHI — The Federal Board 

of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan's highest 

tax authority, has refused to accept 

the jurisdiction of the International 

Arbitration Court in a dispute 

with a logistic company over an 

automated clearance system. 

“A team representing the board 

has pleaded before the international 

arbitration court that it has no jurisdiction 

over the issue,” Mumtaz 

Haider Rizvi, chairman of the FBR 

said on Friday at an official launch 

of Web-Based One Customs (We- 

BOC), an in-house automated cus- 

toms clearance system. “We have 

presented our point of view and we 

are waiting for judgement,” FBR 

chairman said. 

The International Centre for 

Settlement of Investment Dispute 

(ICSID), an institute of the World 

Bank, had initiated arbitration in a 

dispute between the FBR and M/s 

Agility, a Kuwait-based logistic 

company over the previous automated 

clearance system, which was 

adopted by Pakistan Customs. 

Agility, which owned the software 

to run Pakistan Automated 

Customs Computerized System 

(PaCCS), lodged the case on March 

28, 2011 over no response by the 

FBR for resolving payment issue. 

PaCCS was rolled out as pilot 

project in 2005 at various terminals 

in Pakistan. 

WeBOC, which replaced the 

PaCCS, initially started as a pilot 

project at Qasim International 

Container Terminal (QICT) in 

April 2011. The system further 

expanded at the Karachi International 

Container Terminal (KICT) 

and the Pakistan International 


PESHAWAR — Authorities 

in Pakistan's northwestern city 

of Peshawar have finalised a 

set of measures for Nato supply 

vehicles in a bid to ward off 

any threat. 

A senior security official 

said that there would be complete 

ban on parking of vehicles 

— supplying goods for 

Nato forces in Afghanistan — 

in the limits of provincial capital. 

These vehicles would be 

allowed to enter Peshawar district 

early in the day and leave 

for Afghanistan before sunset. 

Peshawar SSP (operations) 

Tahir Ayub said that the plan 

was finalised at a meeting to 

avoid any untoward incident 

after the government's decision 

to reopen supply routes. 

He said that the main supply 

route of Ring Road would be 

fully secured by police in their 

Clinton to 

meet Khar 

PARIS — US Secretary of 

State Hillary Clinton will 

meet Pakistan's foreign minister 

in Tokyo today after 

Islamabad agreed to reopen 

land routes used to supply 

troops in Afghanistan, a US 

official said. 

Clinton this week apologised 

for a November Nato 

air strike that killed 24 Pakistani 

soldiers, and Islamabad 

responded by reopening the 

overland supply routes. 

Clinton will meet Foreign 

Minister Hina Rabbani Khar 

on the sidelines of a Tokyo 

conference on Afghanistan, a 

senior US official with Clinton 

in Paris said on Friday. 

Clinton delivered the US 

apology — long sought by 

Pakistan but resisted by the 

Obama administration — in 

a telephone conversation 

with Khar last week and the 

two pledged to work to improve 

relations. — Reuters 

Container Terminal (PICT) in December 

2011 and January 2012, 

respectively. 

FBR chairman said that We- 

BOC was a home-grown product 

and developed by skilled officials 

of the Pakistan Customs and the 

Pakistan Revenue Automation (Private) 

Limited (PRAL). He said that 

the country managed to secure huge 

foreign exchange reserves due by 

replacing the clearance system. “An 

amount of $240 million would have 

been paid to a foreign company if 

the authorities adopted the previous 

Plan for Nato trucks: 

no parking areas set 

respective jurisdictions. 

"We have to follow directives 

of the interior ministry to 

facilitate the Nato goods supply, 

but the drivers will have to 

reach their respective stops in 

daytime. In the past, problems 

were created due to presence of 

Nato terminals on Ring Road. 

Now there will be no parking 

facility there for them," he 

said. 

The SSP made it clear that 

additional force would not 

be deployed for the purpose, 

while patrolling of concerned 

police would be ensured to 

take timely action in case of 

any eventuality or threat to the 

vehicles. 

About the limit of vehicles, 

he said, it was up to the customs 

department if it could arrange 

clearance of containers. 

However, the police had put 

no condition in this regard. "We 

have not yet finalised all the 

matters, particularly concerning 

manpower and expenditure 

required for the security task, 

but such issues would be settled 

in due course of time," he 

added. Ayub said that police 

and political administration of 

Khyber Agency were in constant 

contact to ensure smooth 

and safe transportation of Nato 

goods. 

When contacted, Capital 

City Police Officer Imtiaz Altaf 

said that police had no special 

helicopters to ensure security 

to Nato supplies. However, he 

said that smooth flow of Nato 

supply would be ensured like 

in the past. Answering a question, 

Altaf said that he could 

not disclose specifics of the 

security plan discussed at the 

meeting. — Internews 

Meet on Kabul in Japan today 

TOKYO — A major development 

conference for Afghanistan 

will take place here today 

where a total aid of more 

than $16 billion for four years 

to 2015 was expected to be 

pledged, Japanese Foreign 

Minister Koichiro Gemba said 

yesterday. 

Japan, which will co-chair 

the one-day conference with 

Afghanistan, will provide up 

to $3 billion for the five years 

to 2016, in addition to $1 billion 

for the nation's neigh- 

bouring states, he said. 

"This scale of pledge will 

satisfy the fiscal gap that the 

World Bank and the Afghan 

government have said would 

be needed for the development 

of the country," he said. 

Afghan President Hamid 

Karzai, who will be in Tokyo 

along with US Secretary 

of State Hillary Clinton and 

United Nations chief Ban Ki- 

Moon, has called for $4 billion 

a year in civilian aid. 

The focus of the Tokyo 

system,” he added. 

Rizvi said that about 70 per cent 

of the country’s imports and exports 

were cleared through the new system. 

“It is a fully-automated system 

and no cost was incurred on developing 

the system,” he added. The 

FBR chairman said that the present 

system had a strong Risk Management 

System (RMS) for clearing 

the consignment. 

“This feature was not available 

in the previous system,” he added. 

On a query about reopening the 

Nato supply routes by Pakistan, 

meeting is set on whether the 

international community will 

stay committed to supporting 

Afghanistan in the years after 

foreign forces leave. 

"Japan should contribute 

to making a systematic framework 

which will cover the socalled 

'Transformation Decade' 

after 2015," Gemba said. 

Tens of billions of dollars 

have poured into Afghanistan 

since the Taliban were unseated 

in late 2001 after the Nato 

entry. — AFP 

JAPANESE Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba in Tokyo yesterday. — Reuters 

20 die in drone attack 

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan — 

At least 20 people were killed 

in a drone attack late on Friday 

in Pakistan's north-western 

tribal region along the Afghan 

border, officials said. 

They said the attack took 

place in the village of Zavi 

Nirai in the Dattakhel region 

of North Waziristan. 

Twelve people were earlier 

reported dead in the strike. 

A security official said 

that six to eight missiles had 

been fired at a compound and 

a couple of vehicles parked 

inside it. 

"At least 20 people present 

were killed; around 10 injured," 

the official said. 

This was the first drone 

attack since Pakistan announced 

on Tuesday that it 

would reopen Nato's supply 

route through the country, 

which was closed after a US 

attack on a border post in November 

killed 24 soldiers. 

Public anger over US 

drone attacks has helped in- 

flame tensions between Pakistan 

and the United States. 

A day before the strikes, 

two trucks carried Nato supplies 

across the border into 

Afghanistan — the first shipments 

since convoys were 

halted by Pakistan last November. 

Pakistanis say the drone 

attacks encroach on Pakistani 

sovereignty while killing civilians. 

The United States 

claims the attacks are selective 

but accepts civilians are 

killed. 

The CIA has stepped up 

operations in North Waziristan 

in recent weeks. 

The resumption of crossborder 

shipments to Afghanistan 

gave a boost to the uneasy 

partnership between Pakistan 

and the United States. 

Pakistan agreed to the resumption 

after US Secretary 

of State Hillary Clinton apologised 

for an air attack that 

killed 24 Pakistani soldiers 

last November. — Agencies 

he said that there would be no additional 

burden on the clearance 

system. The FBR chief said that 

WeBOC will be implemented at 

all clearance terminals across the 

country in phases. 

At the opening ceremony, 

Amir Khan Marwat, Chief Collector, 

Model Customs Collectorate 

(MCC) South said that the WeBOC 

was developed under immense pressure 

especially when customs authorities 

had been receiving threats 

that the foreign company could stop 

the clearance operation at any time, 

Philippine 

leader signs 

mining 

reforms 

MANILA — Philippine 

President Benigno Aquino 

has signed an executive order 

revamping the mining 

industry, the presidential 

palace said yesterday. 

However, Aquino spokesman 

Edwin Lacierda refused 

to give details of the order, 

saying copies of the reforms 

would be released tomorrow. 

"He has signed it. Next 

week, we will release it," 

Lacierda told reporters. 

The order, originally 

due out in February, was intended 

to boost government 

revenues from the mining 

industry while addressing 

concerns of environmental 

groups and local governments 

that mining was causing 

too much damage. 

Aquino was forced to 

postpone signing the order 

after mining companies 

complained it would scare 

away investors. 

The mining industry has 

been closely awaiting the 

order, which is expected to 

clear up conflicting rules. 

Aquino had previously 

said the order would give the 

government a bigger share of 

mining revenues and would 

ban mining in areas deemed 

crucial for tourism. 

The Philippines is believed 

to have some of the 

biggest mineral reserves in 

the world — the government 

estimates the country has at 

least $840 billion in gold, 

copper, nickel, chromite, 

manganese, silver and iron. 

Alert for 

mystery 

disease 

MANILA — The Philippines 

has stepped up screening of 

airport arrivals to prevent the 

entry of a mysterious disease 

that has killed 60 children in 

Cambodia, the health secretary 

said yesterday. 

"We are more vigilant 

in screening passengers because 

of this latest news and 

there will be no let-up until 

this has been contained," 

Health Secretary Enrique 

Ona told reporters. 

He stressed that there 

were no travel restrictions to 

Cambodia despite the alert. 

The disease has killed 60 

young children in Cambodia 

in three months, the World 

Health Organization said 

earlier this week. — AFP 

Gunmen kill 

18: officials 

QUETTA, Pakistan — Unidentified 

gunmen in southwest 

Pakistan killed 18 

people who were trying to illegally 

cross into neighbouring 

Iran in three vehicles late 

on Friday, officials said. 

"Motorcycle riding gunmen 

stopped their vehicles 

and forced them to come out 

with their hands up. In all 18 

people have been killed and 

two were injured," Mohammad 

Aslam Tarin, a senior 

government official said. 

The incident took place 

in the far-flung Kechh district, 

some 1,250 kilometres 

southwest of Quetta, the 

main town of of Pakistan's 

Baluchistan province, close 

to the Iranian border. 

"We have started investigating 

but the motive of the 

attack is still unclear," Tarin 

said, adding that teams have 

been sent to the area to recover 

the dead bodies. 

Islamabad refuses to accept jurisdiction of international court on tax issues 

which would result in a fiasco. 

He said that as a member of 

the World Trade Organisation and 

World Customs Organisation, Pakistan 

adopted best international 

practices in developing the online 

cargo clearance system. “Automation 

of trade consignment clearance 

was the basic aim while developing 

the system,” he added. 

Earlier, Syed Tanveer, Project 

Director WeBOC, said that the system 

started after incorporating necessary 

modules in the new clearance 

system. — Internews

9 THE WORLD 



A WOMAN shows her ink-stained finger after voting at a polling station in the eastern city of Benghazi yesterday. — AFP 

Libyans part with Gaddafi legacy 

TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI — Crowds of 

joyful Libyans parted with the legacy 

of Muammar Gaddafi’s rule yesterday 

as they voted in the first free national 

election in 60 years. 

But in the eastern city of Benghazi, 

cradle of last year’s uprising but where 

many now want more autonomy from 

the interim government in Tripoli, protesters 

stormed a handful of polling 

stations and publicly burned hundreds 

of ballot papers. 

Authorities said gunmen prevented 

voters from entering some polling stations 

in the eastern oil port town of Ras 

Lanuf and other centres in the restive 

south failed to open, but said that overall, 

94 per cent of stations were running 

normally. 

Libyans, most voting for the first 

time after four decades of Gaddafi rule, 

are choosing a 200-member assembly 

which will elect a prime minister and 

a cabinet before preparing full parliamentary 

elections next year under a 

new constitution. 

“I am a Libyan citizen in free Libya,” 

said Mahmud Mohammed al Bi- 

zamti. “I came today to be able to vote 

in a democratic way. Today is like a 

wedding for us.” 

Security was light in the coastal 

capital, where cars raced through the 

streets, horns honking and passengers 

waving the red, green and black Libyan 

national flag out of the window. 

In Benghazi, protesters stormed a 

polling station just after voting started 

and set fire to hundreds of ballot slips 

in a public square in a bid to undermine 

the election’s credibility. 

Witnesses said at least four polling 

stations had been hit in such attacks. 

One man was shot in the arm and taken 

to hospital with heavy bleeding after a 

stand-off between vote boycotters and 

those in favour of the elections. 

“There wasn’t enough security at 

the station to stop the attackers,” Nasser 

Zwela, 28, said, saying protesters 

armed with assault rifles had stormed 

one local polling station and shouted at 

everyone to stop voting. 

Western supporters of the Natobacked 

uprising that overthrew Gaddafi 

dismissed suggestions the setbacks 

Police make 7th arrest 

in terrorism probe 

LONDON — Police investigating a potential terrorist attack 

said they had arrested a seventh person, a 22-year-old woman, 

in east London yesterday. 

Police are on high alert ahead of the London Olympics but 

said the latest arrest and those of a woman and five men in 

London earlier last week were not linked to the Games. 

All seven suspects have been held on “suspicion of the 

commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”, 

police said. 

Britain has spent millions of pounds beefing up security in 

preparation for the Olympics. 

Security chiefs have said repeatedly that they have no information 

that the Olympics are being targeted, but Jonathan 

Evans, head of the domestic intelligence agency MI5, has said 

the Games present an attractive target. 

In a separate operation last week police arrested seven men 

on suspicion of terrorism after weapons were found in a vehicle 

stopped on a motorway in Yorkshire, northern England. 

A police source said that in that case too, there was nothing 

to suggest any link with the Olympics, which start on July 27. 

In both cases security sources have said the suspects were 

linked to militancy, but that it remained unclear what was 

planned. The London suspects were arrested when their plotting 

was at an early stage, the sources added. 

In a sign of heightened vigilance ahead of the Games, 

armed police closed the M6 motorway near Birmingham, 

in the Midlands, for four hours on Thursday after a man 

was reported acting suspiciously on a coach heading to 

London. — Reuters 

At least 99 die in south 

Russia floods tragedy 

MOSCOW — Severe flash 

floods in Russia’s southern 

Krasnodar region have killed 

at least 99 people and affected 

nearly 13,000 in the area’s 

worst natural disaster in decades, 

officials said yesterday. 

Residents were caught 

completely by surprise by 

the force of the waters, which 

ripped up paving and traffic 

lights and flooded the ground 

floors of houses within minutes, 

witnesses and officials 

said. 

One woman reportedly had 

to spend a night up a tree before 

being rescued from the 

floods caused by exceptionally 

heavy rainstorms. 

In the district of Krymsk, 

the area worst hit by the disaster, 

officials had already discovered 

88 bodies including 

that of a 10-year-old child, re- 

gional police spokesman Igor 

Zhelyabin said. 

Officials have not been able 

to explain the large number of 

deaths, except by saying that 

the disaster struck while residents 

were asleep. 

“Everything happened at 

night and very quickly,” the 

regional administration said in 

a statement. 

Zhelyabin declined to 

speculate on the reasons behind 

the massive toll, saying 

Moscow-based investigators 

were conducting a probe. 

The Russian Internet was 

abuzz with speculation that 

people died in a man-made 

catastrophe resulting from an 

open sluice gate at a water reservoir. 

Authorities denied the reports. 

“Unfortunately, the rumour 

proved the election lacked legitimacy. 

“I think the best thing for Libya is 

not to have Muammar Gaddafi massacring 

his own people ... So far, all 

indications are that this election was 

free and fair,” US Senator John Mc- 

Cain said in Tripoli after being briefed 

by poll officials. 

UN envoy to Libya Ian Martin told 

reporters in the capital: “I think we can 

see already that the problems are in a 

small enough proportion of the polling 

centres that it’s not going to undermine 

the overall credibility of the election.” 

Some voters struggled with procedures 

for casting their ballot. In one 

central Tripoli district, two women disappeared 

into a voting booth together 

before an election worker hurriedly explained 

they must vote alone. 

“Some of these women are crying 

as they vote. It is such an emotional 

day,” said one poll official. 

Polls closed at 8 pm (1800 GMT) 

but meaningful partial results are not 

due until today and a full preliminary 

count is not expected until tomorrow at 

the earliest. 

Many easterners, whose region is 

home to the bulk of Libya’s oil sector, 

are angry that the east has been allotted 

only 60 seats in the assembly compared 

with 102 for the west. 

On Friday, armed groups shut off 

half of Libya’s oil exports to press 

demands for greater representation in 

the assembly. At least three major oilexporting 

terminals were affected. 

“The country will be in a state of 

paralysis because no one in the government 

is listening to us,” Hamed al 

Hassi, a former rebel who now heads 

the High Military Council of Cyrenaica, 

the name of the eastern region, 

said. 

Port agents said the oil depot closures 

would last 48 hours but the government 

sent a team yesterday to negotiate 

a full reopening of a sector that 

provides most of Libya’s revenues. 

In Gaddafi’s home town of Sirte, a 

former fishing village on the Mediterranean 

Sea, the mood before the polls 

was restrained and some said they 

would not vote. But no trouble was reported 

on election day. — Reuters 

PRINCESSES Amalia (C), Ariane (L) and Alexia of the Netherlands during 

the annual summer photo call in Wassenaar yesterday. — Reuters 

mills works much faster than 

the official information,” a 

spokeswoman for the regional 

governor, Anna Minkova, said 

on popular Echo of Moscow 

radio. 

“No water reservoir, no 

gate has been opened,” she 

said, adding that the district 

did not have a reservoir that 

might have caused the flooding. 

Nine people were reported 

killed in the Black Sea resort 

town of Gelendzhik and another 

two in the port of Novorossiisk 

over the past two 

days, Zhelyabin said. 

The victims included two 

women and three men electrocuted 

in Gelendzhik on Friday. 

The authorities said they 

had to switch off power in the 

worst-affected areas to avoid 

more deaths. — AFP 

Church of England set to 

vote on woman bishops 

LONDON — The Church of England is set to take a final vote 

tomorrow on whether to ordain woman bishops, after years of 

wrangling between traditionalists and liberals. 

The General Synod, the governing body of the worldwide 

Anglican Communion’s mother church, voted on Friday to 

stage a further discussion and a vote tomorrow. 

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the communion’s 

spiritual leader, warned the Church it was “looking into 

the abyss” over the issue, saying a vote against the move would 

put it off the agenda until 2015. 

“Like the majority of members of the synod, and the majority 

of the members of the Church of England, I am very firmly 

of the view that we need to proceed as speedily as we can to 

resolve this question because I, like most of you, long to see 

woman bishops in the Church of England,” he said. 

“I also long for there to be the kind of provision for those 

who continue to have theological reservations on this subject, 

for their position to be secured in such a way that they can feel 

grateful for the outcome as others do.” 

However, a last-ditch amendment would give traditionalist 

parishes the right of access to an alternative male bishop who 

shares their views about woman clergy. 

Pro-women campaigners have claimed this would enshrine 

discrimination against women in law, and are therefore threatening 

to vote alongside traditionalists. 

The legislation will need a two-thirds majority in all three 

Houses of the General Synod, of clergy, laity and bishops, if it 

is to get final approval. — AFP 

Syria conflict 

Tensions 

rise in 

Lebanon 

BEIRUT — Syria’s conflict 

spilled further into Lebanon 

yesterday when mortar fire 

from Syrian forces hit villages 

in the north, killing 

five people after dissidents 

crossed the border to seek 

refuge, residents said. 

Dissidents fighting to unseat 

President Bashar al Assad 

have used north Lebanon 

as a base and his forces have 

at times bombed villages 

and even pursued insurgents 

over the border, threatening 

to stoke tension in Lebanon, 

whose sectarian divisions 

mirror those in Syria. 

Residents of Lebanon’s 

Wadi Khaled region said 

several mortar bombs hit 

farm buildings 5 to 20 km 

from the border around 2 

am. At midday villagers reported 

more explosions and 

said they heard gunfire close 

to the border. 

In the village of Al Mahatta, 

a house was destroyed, 

killing a 16-year-old girl and 

wounding a two-year-old 

and a four-year-old, family 

members said. 

A 25-year-old woman 

and a man were killed in 

nearby villages, residents 

said. 

Two Bedouins were 

killed in the village of 

Hishe, which straddles a river 

demarcating the border, 

when two rocket-propelled 

grenades fired from within 

Syria hit their tent, according 

to local residents. 

Lebanon’s army confirmed 

one of the deaths and 

said several Syrian shells 

had landed in Lebanese territory, 

but had no further information. 

Lebanese President 

Michel Suleiman issued 

a statement regretting the 

deaths and promising an investigation. 

— Reuters 

4 shot dead 

in Yemen 

ADEN — Security forces 

shot dead four men and 

wounded 18 at demonstrations 

by separatists in south 

Yemen yesterday, protest 

leaders said, but officials 

said protesters had attacked 

security personnel and soldiers. 

Three men were shot as 

they marched with several 

hundred protesters trying 

to get into a public square 

in the Mansoura district of 

Aden, said Hussein Zaid 

bin Yahya, a leader of the 

Southern Movement. 

Security forces and the 

army had tried to block the 

protesters’ way near the 

square, Yahya said, adding 

nine people were wounded 

in the skirmish. 

A security official said 

“armed elements in the 

march” had fired on security 

forces and the army. 

He could not confirm the 

deaths. — Reuters 

Heavy rains 

in Britain 

LONDON — One man 

died in Britain yesterday, as 

heavy rains and flash flooding 

across the country caused 

transport chaos amid warning 

of more severe flooding. 

A driver in his early 20s 

died in the north-east of England 

after his car left the road 

in heavy rains, police said. 

The Environment Agency 

issued more than 200 flood 

warnings across England, 

Wales and Scotland. 

Many train services were 

delayed or cancelled after up 

to a month’s worth of rain 

fell in some 24 hours, echoing 

conditions across continental 

Europe. 

Meanwhile, storms in 

Germany have killed three, 

including a nine-year-old 

girl, and injured at least 20, 

officials said yesterday. 

The girl was struck by 

lightning late on Friday 

near the eastern city of 

Dresden. — dpa 

KING Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit are 

pictured on a boat at Siriraj Hospital pier in Bangkok 

yesterday. The king travelled on boat from Siriraj 

Hospital pier to preside over a blessing ceremony 

of five irrigation projects located in five different 

provinces of Thailand. — Reuters 

RELATIVES of Nadia al Ouisi mourn during her 

funeral in Wadi Khaled town after shelling by Syrian 

forces towards villagers’ houses in North Lebanon 

yesterday. The shelling struck a number of houses in 

Wadi Khaled area, killing 16-year-old Nadia 

and injuring five others. — Reuters 

PROTESTERS shout slogans as they demonstrate in 

Sanaa yesterday to commemorate the end of a 1994 

civil war between South Yemen and North Yemen. 

PERUVIAN police block the way to people carrying 

the coffins of three of the demonstrators who died 

during the protests against the Conga mining project 

in Celendin, Cajamarca, Peru. The death toll from 

clashes between security forces and demonstrators 

fighting a planned $4.8 billion gold mine by US-based 

Newmont in northern Peru has climbed to five. 

AN M23 dissident fighter mans a position in Bunagana 

yesterday. The dissidents launched a mutiny against 

the government early this year after breaking away 

from the army. Bunagana fell into dissident 

hands after a clash. — AFP

A MOTORCYCLIST rides his bike through a waterlogged street in New Delhi.— AFP 

Monsoon arrives in Delhi 

NEW DELHI — The muchawaited 

monsoon — which 

got delayed eight days from 

its scheduled arrival — finally 

hit Delhi yesterday with 

the city recording a total of 

40.1 mm rainfall in the first 

few hours. 

"Till 8.30 am, Delhi had 

40.1 mm rain and by 5:30 in 

the evening, it recorded only 

0.3 mm rainfall which was 

not much," said an official of 

the India Meteorological Department 

(IMD). 

The monsoon is expected 

to last till September 18 but 

its position might change, 

HYDERABAD — They 

may have handed over blank 

papers but they have still 

qualified for admission into 

professional degree courses 

in Andhra Pradesh. Unbelievable 

but true, say officials. 

Twenty-two of 78 students 

who scored zero in the 

entrance test this year will get 

admission in engineering and 

agriculture courses as they 

belong to Scheduled Caste 

(SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) 

communities. 

According to officials 

in the education department, 

despite scoring zero in 

EAMCET (Engineering, Agriculture 

and Medical Common 

Entrance Test), these 

students have qualified as 

they got the minimum 40 per 

cent marks in the qualifying 

XII exam. 

While nine students will 

get admission into engineering 

colleges, 13 can pursue 

other courses except MBBS. 

Even this was possible till 

2008 when the Medical 

Council of India (MCI) tightened 

the norms. 

The Dalit/tribal students 

who qualified despite scoring 

zero in the medical stream in 

EAMCET can get admissions 

into agriculture, veterinary 

and horticulture courses. 

The Jawaharlal Nehru 

Technological University 

(JNTU), Hyderabad, conducts 

EAMCET every year 

for admission into engineering, 

medical, dental and 

agriculture courses both in 

government and private colleges 

in the state. The results 

of EAMCET 2012 were announced 

last week. 

Of 90,917 students who 

wrote EAMCET in the medicine 

stream, 83,686 qualified. 

For the general category 

students, the competition 

will be tough with only 4,950 

seats available in 37 medical 

colleges and 1,870 seats in 21 

dental colleges. 

Andhra Pradesh has the 

highest number of engineering 

colleges (671) in the 

country. 

Of 283,477 students who 

wrote engineering entrance, 

223,886 have qualified. This 

number has come down to 

about 200,000 as many students 

did not pass the XII 

exam. 

This means over 100,000 

engineering seats would still 

go vacant in the academic 

year 2012-13. The state has 

321,000 engineering seats. 

Academics say the number 

of vacant seats in engineering 

colleges would be even 

higher as the top rankers will 

opt for the Indian Institute of 

Technology. 

Till 2010, passing XII 

exam was enough to get admission 

into engineering college 

even if the students score 

zero in EAMCET. 

Last year, the All India 

Council for Technical Education 

(AICTE) prescribed 

a cut off percentage of 50 in 

12 Class for general category 

and 40 per cent for the reserved 

quota students. 

The total marks in EAM- 

CET are 160, and for the general 

category and the qualifying 

marks are 25 per cent of 

the total. 

Governor E S L Narasim- 

10 INDIA 



Zero in entrance tests is no hurdle for admission 

PANAJI — Bowing to diplomatic 

pressure, Goa Police 

have reopened the case of a 

British woman's mysterious 

death here in April 2010 to 

find out if she was murdered, 

an official said yesterday. 

Denyse Sweeny, 35, from 

Derbyshire, died at an Anjuna 

hospital after mysteriously 

falling ill at the Primrose 

nightclub near here in April 

2010. Police had then said 

that she died of drug overdose. 

The mother of two was a 

volunteer at a veterinary clin- 

said the IMD. 

The maximum temperature 

was recorded six notches below 

average at 30.3 degrees. 

The minimum temperature 

settled at 23.2 — four notches 

below average. 

Despite no heavy rain during 

the day, major traffic intersections 

in the capital witnessed 

traffic snarls during 

peak hours. 

However, traffic police 

claimed to have cleared all the 

snarls by the evening. "There 

were traffic jams in the morning 

but all have been cleared 

by now," said an official from 

ic in Goa. 

A senior police official said 

the case was reopened following 

pressure from Britain. 

"We have been told to 

revisit the case and explore 

the murder angle after two 

years," the official said. 

The case has been reopened 

and registered under 

section 302 of the Indian Penal 

Code (murder) on a complaint 

filed by the woman's 

sister, Maureen, who claimed 

Denyse was murdered, a police 

spokesperson said. 

The official said Denyse's 

the traffic department. 

The met department has 

forecast more spells of rain 

today. 

According to the IMD, the 

minimum and maximum temperatures 

are likely to hover 

around 33 and 24 degrees 

Celsius respectively. 

After undergoing unrelenting 

heat for several days, 

the capital had pre-monsoon 

showers on Friday evening 

which brought down the 

maximum temperature to 

38.4 degrees Celsius, two 

notches below the average for 

the season. 

autopsy report, forensic lab 

report and doctors' opinion 

could not ascertain the exact 

cause of her death. It remained 

doubtful and inconclusive. 

Denyse's sister said she 

was suspicious about the circumstances 

of her death, the 

official said. 

Denyse's family members 

had approached Britian's 

member of parliament from 

South Derbyshire Margaret 

Beckett seeking a criminal 

investigation into the death. 

Beckett later approached 

No policy on safety 

drills near N-sites 

CHENNAI — India's apex 

disaster management authority 

has not framed any policy 

on training people in safety 

drills or other such exercises 

in an area, before commissioning 

a nuclear power plant, 

an anti-nuclear project activist 

said yesterday citing an 

RTI reply. 

Replying to a query raised 

by the coordinator of People's 

Movement Against 

Nuclear Energy (PMANE) 

S P Udayakumar last month 

under the Right to Information 

(RTI) Act, the National 

Disaster Management Authority 

(NDMA) in its July 

3 reply said: "...there is no 

policy made by NDMA about 

preparing the local project affected 

people before commissioning 

a nuclear power plant 

anywhere in the country." 

Referring to NDMA's publication 

Management of Nuclear 

and Radiological Emergencies, 

2009, Udayakumar, 

in his letter to the authority, 

said the guideline does not 

KOLKATA — With the 

prices of potato soaring, the 

West Bengalgovernment 

yesterday started selling the 

tuber from ration shops in 

the city and satellite town of 

Salt Lake. 

"We have started selling 

potatoes from ration shops at 

Rs 12 per kg in Kolkata and 

Salt Lake as in the prices 

have steeply risen in these 

areas," state Food and Supplies 

Minister Jyoti Priya 

Mallick said. 

Mallick said the shops 

were selling two kg of potatoes 

to every buyer. 

"We will sell two kgs to a 

person per day," he said. 

MUMBAI — A three-year-old 

girl, kidnapped from a railway 

station in Mumbai last month, 

has been traced in the town of 

Haridwar from where she was 

rescued yesterday, police said. 

The alleged kidnapper has 

been arrested by the Haridwar 

Police, they said. 

“Haridwar Police has informed 

us about the development 

and a team is being sent 

there,” Mumbai Railway Police 

Commissioner Prabhat Kumar 

said. The girl was taken away 

by an unidentified man as she 

and her parents were sleeping 

at the Chhattrapati Shivaji 

Terminus station on June 10, 

the British Foreign Secretary 

William Hague, asking him to 

take up the issue with Indian 

authorities. 

"The moment we read the 

words 'drug overdose', we said 

'no'... We did not accept that 

at all. If we had known two 

years ago that whatever investigation 

was done by the police 

in India would have been 

so rubbish, we might have 

acted sooner. We thought the 

British Consulate would look 

after her," Maureen told the 

British media, after a second 

post mortem on Denyse said 

discuss the pre commissioning 

safety drills and evacuation 

drills that must be administered 

to local people within 

30 km radius of the project. 

If fire drills were conducted 

in all the schools and 

movie theatres all over the 

country, should not they be 

conducted in every village 

and town in the 30 km radius 

of a nuclear plant before 

commissioning the project, 

Udayakumar asked in his RTI 

application. 

His application sought information 

on NDMA's policy 

on preparing the local people 

before commissioning a nuclear 

power plant. 

Udayakumar said: "There 

should be a policy on preventive 

safety measures with 

NDMA." 

To prevent any untoward 

disaster, in my opinion, 

NDMA should also be a part 

of the site selection committee 

for nuclear power plants, 

M Pushparayan, another 

PMANE leader, said. 

Bengal rations potatoes 

Seven thousand bags of 

potatoes came to Kolkata 

on Friday for this purpose, 

and another 7,000 would be 

coming tomorrow, he said. 

The minister said the 

government would also sell 

lady's finger, pointed gourd 

and green chilli from today 

through the ration shops. 

He alleged that prices of 

these vegetables have escalated 

following machinations 

of hoarders and middlemen. 

Although the state is the 

second largest producer of 

potato in the country, this 

tuber was being sold at Rs 

16 a kg in some of the major 

markets in Kolkata. 

Kidnapped child found 

2012. The parents were contract 

labourers from the Vidarbha 

region of Maharashtra. The 

Railway Police had released a 

photograph and CCTV footage 

to track down the culprit. 

The CCTV footage showed a 

limping man alighting from a 

train and wandering around the 

station before spotting the family 

with the sleeping baby. He 

then sat besides her and took 

her away. The girl’s parents 

used to clean the railway tracks. 

They were to board a train in 

the night but missed it, following 

which they decided to sleep 

at the station and catch the next 

train, police said. 

han, who is the chancellor of 

all universities in the state, is 

unhappy over the state of affairs. 

Addressing JNTU Hyderabad 

convocation in May, 

he disapproved of the trend of 

giving admissions to students 

who don't score a single mark 

in EAMCET. 

"There should be some 

minimum qualifying marks. 

What do you expect of such 

students, who score zero, to 

do in classrooms? Do you 

want to develop an inferiority 

complex among such students?" 

he asked. 

Last year, 26 out of 73 

students who got zero marks 

in EAMCET were declared 

qualified. Of them, 17 got admissions 

into engineering and 

nine in agriculture/veterinary 

colleges. — IANS 

Police to probe if UK woman was murdered 

there was no trace of alcohol 

or drugs in her body. 

What added to the family's 

suspicion was that a friend 

Denyse had gone on record 

saying that she was in a casual 

relationship with a police official. 

The case is similar to 

the one involving 15-yearold 

British teenager Scarlett 

Keeling, who was assaulted 

and left on the Anjuna beach 

to die. The police first called 

it a case of suicide, but a second 

probe revealed she was 

drugged. 

Shettar to be new 

Karnataka CM 

NEW DELHI — Bowing to 

pressure from B S Yeddyurappa, 

the Bharatiya Janata 

Party (BJP) yesterday chose 

Karnataka's Rural Development 

Minister Jagadish Shettar 

to replace Chief Minister 

D V Sadananda Gowda. 

The decision was taken 

at the BJP's core committee 

meeting here, according to 

BJP sources. 

The change in the leadership 

of the BJP government 

in Karnataka, the second 

since the party came to power 

in 2008, comes after Yeddyurappa, 

the former chief 

minister, brought pressure 

on the party to get Gowda 

replaced with Shettar. 

After the core committee 

meet, BJP spokesperson 

Ravi Shankar Prasad 

said Gowda will meet the 

party leaders in the evening 

here after which a formal 

TRIVANDRUM — The Kerala 

State Entrepreneur Development 

Mission (KSDM), 

launched last year to generate 

50,000 entrepreneurs, has 

evoked good response among 

the young professionals. 

The second phase of online 

registration at the official website 

of the Kerala Financial 

Corporation www.kfc.org began 

yesterday and the officials 

say entrepreneurs are coming 

up with innovative projects in 

large numbers. 

"The first phase itself had 

seen the emergence of 231 enterprises 

by a total of 571 prospective 

entrepreneurs which 

are in the process implemen- 

announcement would be 

made. 

Yeddyurappa had to quit 

as chief minister July last 

year after being indicted by 

the state Lokayukta over a 

mining scandal and other 

tation," said Yogesh Gupta, 

managing director of the KFC, 

which is the nodal agency for 

the ambitious project. 

The aspirants could just 

take a printout of the registration 

and sent it to the secretary 

of the local body in which the 

unit is proposed for certification 

which will be forwarded 

to the nearest KFC branch. The 

candidates will be apprised of 

each stage of the processing 

through automatic SMS. 

The entrepreneurs can also 

check the status online. An automatic 

system, wherein there 

will be cyclical repetition 

of the subsequent processes 

of scrutiny, selection, train- 

SOLDIERS stand guard after a shootout in Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar 

yesterday. One soldier was killed and another was injured after suspected 

guerrillas opened fire on an army patrol. — Reuters 

Malappuram lagging 

behind in development 

By Ashraf Padanna 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 

— All six districts of Kerala's 

Malabar region remain laggards 

and going by every indicator, 

Malappuram district, 

which boasts of having five 

cabinet ministers, is the most 

backward, according to the 

official data. 

Per capita income in 

Malappuram is the lowest at 

Rs 36,740 followed by Wayanad 

(Rs 39,051), Kasaragod 

(Rs 44,572), Palakkad 

(Rs 50,519), Kozhikode (Rs 

53,298) and Kannur (Rs 

53,569), according to the 

Economic Review 2011 of the 

state's planning board. 

At Rs 85,070, Ernakulam's 

per capita income is more than 

double that of Malappuram. 

Kottayam stands second with 

Rs 64,648 followed by Thiruvananthapuram 

(Rs 60,945), 

Pathanamthitta (Rs 60,370), 

Thrissur (Rs 59,127), Alappuzha 

(Rs 57,298), Idukki 

(Rs 54,645) and Kollam (Rs 

53,595). 

Of the state's 33.3 billion 

population, 43.89 per cent live 

in these six districts. The decadel 

population growth rate as 

an indication of socioeconomic 

backwardness is highest in 

Malappuram (13.39 per cent), 

followed by Kasaragod (8.18), 

Palakkad (7.39) Kozhikode 

(7.31), Kannur (4.84) and 

Wayanad (4.6). 

While the southern districts 

like Pathanamthitta (-3.12) 

and Idukki (-1.93) entered 

corruption charges. Gowda 

was Yeddyurappa's choice 

then to replace him. 

But after the Karnataka 

High Court struck down 

the Lokayukta report with 

respect to its indictment 

of Yeddyurappa, he had 

stepped up efforts to get 

back as the chief minister. 

Gowda, who fell out 

with Yeddyurappa, wanted 

the central leadership not to 

take any decision on removing 

him as chief minister in 

haste and contended that he 

had put in his best to give a 

corruption-free government. 

"As I have said earlier, 

I would abide by whatever 

decision the party high 

command would take on 

the leadership issue. If I am 

asked to quit, I will resign 

and if I am asked to continue, 

I will stay," he told 

reporters. 

Entrepreunership mission proves hit 

Custody battle 

turns ugly 

THIRUVANANTHAPU- 

RAM — The legal tussle of 

Kerala actors Manoj K Jayan 

and Urvasi for their child's 

custody has taken an ugly 

turn with Urvasi deciding to 

sue her former husband for 

portraying her as a drunkard. 

Urvasi, who spent an hour 

with her 12-year-old daughter 

in the family court in Kochi, 

said she was under heavy 

medication after undergoing 

surgery and Jayan tried to 

make Kunhatta believe that 

she was drunk. 

"I wanted Kunhatta's custody 

since I'm convinced that 

she loves my presence. So 

I've been fighting this case 

for the past five years," Urvasi 

said. "I would withdraw 

from the case the moment she 

says she do not want me". 

According to her, she 

flew down from Chennai in 

the morning without waiting 

for her wounds to heal and 

straightway drove to the court 

to see her daughter. But she 

could not spend much time 

on the court premises to be 

with her daughter. 

"He had tried to portray 

me as a mentally deranged 

person. All these are being 

done to obtain permanent 

custody of my child," she 

said. "I was not able to hang 

around for long. Today also 

I could spend only one hour 

with my daughter as I was not 

recovered yet". 

Family court judge N 

Leelamani had the other day 

asked Manoj K Jayan to take 

her with him and produce her 

again yesterday. 

ing and funding every two 

months, is also in place. 

All major banks in the State 

like State Bank of Travancore, 

Punjab National Bank and 

Canara Bank are partnering 

in the project, announced by 

Finance Minister KM Mani in 

the Budget this year. Most of 

the projects coming up in the 

first phase are in the southern 

districts. 

"With the Mission having 

successfully crossed the 

last major hurdle, the process 

of enabling fulfilment of aspirations 

of large number of 

educated youth of the State is 

being set in motion," Gupta 

said. 

the negative territory of the 

population growth, Alappuzha 

shows almost nil growth of 

population (0.6 per cent). 

Though 12.31 per cent of 

the state's population live in 

Malappuram, for instance, 

only 10,987 of the 670,516 

state-funded jobs are in 

Malappuram. The document 

shows stark disparities in all 

areas including physical infrastructure 

like road networks. 

Of the 2,495 governmentfunded 

high schools in the 

state, only 862 are in Malabar, 

though total number of 

schools in all categories are 

almost proportionately distributed 

among the districts. 

Coming to the professional 

colleges, only 60 of the state's 

189 arts and science colleges 

and only 31 of the 142 engineering 

colleges are in Malabar. 

There are 14 governmentfunded 

colleges but only six 

are in Malabar. 

These colleges together 

have a sanctioned intake of 

45,147 of which only 9,076 

seats are in Malabar. While 

population per doctor in 

Pathanamthitta is lowest 

(6,654 persons for a doctor) 

it is highest in Malappuram 

(11,388). 

The co-operative sector is 

an active player in healthcare 

in Malabar. Kannur boasts of 

the highest number of hospitals 

run by co-operatives (17) 

followed by Kozhikode (14), 

Thrissur (9), Malappuram (7) 

and Palakkad and Alappuzha 

(5 each).

NEW DELHI — The Delhi 

Metro Airport Express, which 

suspended its operations last 

night after major construction 

defects were detected, is 

likely to re-start only in late 

August, much to the discomfort 

of commuters. 

The Airport Metro, which 

ferries over 15,000 people 

daily on the 23-km network, 

covers the distance between 

the New Delhi railway station 

and the Indira Gandhi 

International Airport in 18 

minutes. 

“We have to stop the 

service for commuter safety. 

By the end of August, we 

expect the line to be functional 

again. We have full 

con�dence the line will be 

restored after a month,” Urban 

Development Secretary 

Sudhir Krishna told a press 

conference. 

He also said Reliance Infrastructure 

had reported that 

there were some defects in 

the civil structure and insisted 

that the operations should 

be suspended till the repair 

work goes on. 

In a recent annual inspection, 

the Reliance Infrastructure-led 

consortium reportedly 

found 230 of the 2,100 

bearings on the elevated corridors 

to be shaky. These are 

concrete structures on top of 

pillars on which the girders 

rest. 

“A high-level committee 

comprising of�cials of Indian 

Railways, Delhi Metro and 

Reliance Infrastructure is already 

checking the nature of 

defects. There are problems 

with the bearing, which is the 

interface between the pillar 

and girder,” Krishna said. 

“Repairs have to be done 

below the girders,” he said, 

adding the committee will 

submit a report within 10 

days, after which recti�cation 

work will start. 

“As per the agreement, 

an investigation will be done 

and we will also see how 

much the contractor is liable.” 

Sumit Banerjee, chief 

executive of Reliance Infra, 

said the decision to suspend 

services was purely linked 

with safety. 

“It is no way connected 

with �nancial losses,” he 

said, but admitted the opera- 

tions were incurring losses. 

“I can tell you frankly that 

this line is not making any 

pro�t. But we will continue 

to run the line and will not 

close it down,” he said. 

The daily commuters 

were left fuming. 

“It is just 16 months since 

this line started and the civil 

structure is already having 

problems. This shows 

the laxity of of�cials. They 

are not concerned about our 

safety. I also have no option 

11 INDIA 



A WORKER tightens steel bars at a construction site of a metro station in Chennai yesterday. — Reuters 

Politicians lack spines: Mamata 

KOLKATA — The number 

of “so-called political leaders 

having no spines” is growing, 

a post on West Bengal Chief 

Minister Mamata Banerjee’s 

Facebook pro�le said yesterday. 

The post on the popular social 

networking site also urged 

the youth to stand up. 

“Nowadays, I’m not surprised 

when I see growing 

numbers of so-called political 

leaders having no spines. 

In my opinion, it has become 

a potential area of doing research 

work on this aspect,” 

the post read. 

The post said lack of ideals, 

courage and links with roots 

of common people had led to 

leaders becoming weak and 

afraid to �ght for the cause of 

common people and reveal the 

truth. 

“Let us dedicate ourselves 

for the common people. I appeal 

to the young generation 

to awake, �ght, stand up and 

instil a spirit of mind without 

fear,” read the post which has 

received over 600 likes and 

200 comments. 

Of the comments, the one 

by Shubhashis Bhattacharya 

stands out: “It is the world of 

sycophants where spines don’t 

work. Dinesh Trivedi (former 

railway minister) had one 

perhaps, but you’ve chosen 

someone else. Have you ever 

checked the structure of your 

party? Where are the spines? 

And if you boast of your spine, 

where is the head?” 

Mamata also urged the 

Bengali diaspora to come forward 

and share their expertise 

for the comprehensive development 

of the state. 

“I welcome you all. This 

is your state. Please come and 

share your ideas, views and 

give suggestions to make this 

state better,” Banerjee said in 

a recorded audio visual message 

that was played at North 

American Bengali Conference 

(NABC) in Las Vegas in 

America. 

“I know you all love your 

state and have sentiments attached 

to the soil. Come and 

System for co-operation 

share your expertise in all 

spheres from education to culture 

to �nance to tourism or 

whatever you feel can make 

a comprehensive effect in our 

state,” she said in the video 

message. 

State Finance Minister 

Amit Mitra is in the US for an 

interaction with the of�cials of 

top US companies. 

“The experience was positive 

and immense as many 

people, young and old, had 

come to me and expressed their 

interest to become a part of the 

ongoing development back 

home in West Bengal,” the of- 

�cial website of the Trinamool 

Congress quoted Mitra as saying 

at the interaction while de- 

in �ghting corruption NEW DELHI — The Bharatiya 

Janata Party (BJP) yester- 

HYDERABAD — The Central 

Vigilance Commission (CVC) 

is developing a system for cooperation 

among anti-corruption 

agencies across the world, 

an of�cial said here yesterday. 

A Task Force of the CVC is 

developing Knowledge Management 

System, which will 

enable the anti-graft agencies 

to exchange their information, 

knowledge and experiences, 

said Chief Vigilance Commissioner 

Pradeep Kumar. 

Addressing the ninth anniversary 

of Vigilance Study 

Circle here yesterday, Kumar 

said that CVC as a member of 

the International Association 

of Anti-Corruption Authorities 

was working on the system for 

global co-operation. 

He observed that the international 

co-operation in corruption 

investigations and a 

concerted approach for recovery 

of stolen assets should be 

given priority. 

“Fighting corruption is no 

longer a purely domestic affair 

as corruption has taken international 

dimensions. 

“Proceeds of corruption are 

laundered in other countries 

through various forms of illicit 

�nancial transactions and it is 

proving dif�cult to take action 

against foreign companies that 

are involved in bribery in India,” 

Kumar said. 

Kumar hoped that governance 

reforms, which were long 

overdue but being introduced 

in India, would go a long way 

in tackling the menace of corruption 

effectively. 

“I am very optimistic that 

these important reforms, when 

implemented, would result in a 

paradigm shift in the approach 

towards �ghting corruption 

and also improve governance”, 

he said. 

While pointing out that 

corruption has been in the 

mainstream of public debate 

in the last two years, Kumar 

said: “While it cannot be said 

de�nitely whether corruption 

has increased, the negative 

perception about corruption in 

India has certainly increased. 

Though the situation may seem 

grim, let us not go home with 

the impression that nothing or 

very little is being done.” 

Airport Metro to remain shut till late August 

A VIEW of the Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Line station in New Delhi. 

scribing his experience during 

his visit to the country. 

“I had a young man visiting 

me who was willing to 

set up Information Technology 

Cloud. Another gentleman 

came up to me said they are 

managing the security system 

at the Toronto airport in Canada 

and would like to extend 

their expertise back home in 

West Bengal,” he was quoted 

as saying. 

Mitra also said that an NRI 

Cell was under construction at 

the Writers’ Building (the state 

secretariat) which will be inaugurated 

by Banerjee soon and 

will look after all the development 

and happenings across 

the NRI fraternity. 

Chidambaram as telecom 

EGOM head a joke: BJP 

day described as a “cruel joke” 

reports that Home Minister P 

Chidambaram will head the 

empowered group of ministers 

on telecom and called for making 

him a co-accused in the 2G 

spectrum allotment case. 

BJP spokespeson Ravi 

Shankar Prasad told reporters 

here that Chidamaram had, 

along with former telecom 

minister A Raja, taken the decision 

on 2G spectrum allocation 

and hence there have been 

demands that he should be 

questioned by the CBI. 

He demanded that the 

Prime Minister should explain 

how this move to appoint 

Chidambaram goes in accordance 

with his claim. 

“The Prime Minister had 

said in Parliament that the pric- 

ing of spectrum was decided 

after the meeting between then 

telecom minister A Raja and 

Chidambaram,” Prasad said. 

Chidambaram had taken 

this decision on spectrum pricing 

at 2001-rate despite his 

of�cials advising him against 

this. 

Prasad said that Raja has 

claimed that Chidambaram 

should also be questioned 

while some feel he should be 

made a co-accused. 

“How can Chidambaram 

be even remotely considered 

for EGOM and he should be a 

co-accused with Raja,” Prasad 

asserted. He described this as a 

“cruel joke” on the nation and 

alleged that the government 

has set aside constitutional 

propriety, Parliamentary accountability 

and political integrity. 

now but to use my car,” said 

Gautam Datt, a regular from 

Dwaraka to Shivaji Stadium. 

Delhi government chief 

secretary P K Tripathi said 

passengers could use other 

means of transport for connectivity, 

as long as the services 

are not restored. 

Anita Jha, another commuter, 

felt the services should 

have been suspended as soon 

as the faults were detected. 

“What if there was a mishap 

like at Zamradpur?” she 

queried. She was referring to 

the collapse of a girder on the 

Badarpur Delhi Metro line in 

2009 that killed six people 

and injured over a dozen others. 

As a public-private 

project, the Delhi Metro Rail 

Corp (DMRC) was to carry 

out civil works of the airport 

project and a consortium led 

by Reliance Infrastructure 

was to operate the line for 30 

years and share the revenue. 

According to some of�cials, 

Reliance Infrastructure 

may be able to demand some 

compensation from DMRC 

for the time the Airport Metro 

services are closed. 

Built at a cost of Rs 5,700 

crore ($1.2 billion at the exchange 

rate then), 70 per cent 

of those using the line are headed 

to the airport. — IANS 

AI retracting on its 

commitment: Pilots 

MUMBAI — The Indian Pilots 

Guild (IPG) has accused Air 

India of retracting on its commitment 

to “sympathetically” 

consider their grievances even 

as nearly 300 pilots having allegiance 

to IPG have started 

reporting to work after nearly 

three months of strike. 

“We had a meeting with representatives 

of Air India management 

on Friday under the 

supervision of the chief labour 

commissioner. However, they 

(management) failed to �nd a 

solution to our problems,” Rohit 

Kapahi, committee member 

of IPG, said. 

After initially making 14 

demands, the pilots are now 

only asking for reinstatement 

of their 101 colleagues who 

were sacked during the strike. 

The IPG late on Friday said 

that in their talks with the management, 

Air India of�cials 

NEW DELHI — Opposition 

Presidential nominee P 

A Sangma yesterday sought 

the Election Commission’s 

intervention for a fresh probe 

into his objections against the 

candidature of UPA nominee 

Pranab Mukherjee for President, 

levelling new allegations 

that he was still holding two 

more of�ces of pro�t. 

Expressing dissatisfaction 

over the Returning Of�cer’s 

dismissal of their complaint, 

a three-member delegation 

on behalf of Sangma met the 

Election Commission, which 

gave them time to present their 

written submission on their demand 

by tomorrow evening. 

After the meeting, Janata 

Party President Subramanian 

Swamy claimed that Mukher- 

KOLKATA — India Inc is 

suffering from sharp rupee 

depreciation against the US 

dollar, but should be “realistic” 

about the Indian currency’s 

fall and learn to live 

with a rate of around Rs 50 

per dollar, chief economic 

adviser Kaushik Basu said 

yesterday. 

“Rupee volatility at Rs 

56-57 (to the dollar) is not 

desirable. But, you have to be 

realistic. The days of Rs 46/ 

Rs 47 (rate) has gone. It will 

be Rs 50 or below 50. But we 

have to live with that,” Basu 

said at a programme organised 

by the Bharat Chamber 

of Commerce. 

Major gains 

for BJP in 

UP civic polls 

LUCKNOW — The Bharatiya 

Janata Party (BJP) got a 

fresh lease of life in Uttar 

Pradesh as it is set to win 

10 mayoral seats in the 13 

municipal corporation polls, 

counting for which began 

yesterday. 

According to of�cials, the 

BJP won the mayoral seat in 

Moradabad, Meerut, Jhansi, 

Gorakhpur and Aligarh and 

was leading in six other 

places. 

An independent candidate, 

I S Tomar, won the 

Bareilly mayor’s post while 

Abhilasha Gupta, another independent, 

has been elected 

as the Allahabad Mayor. She 

is wife of former BSP minister 

Nand Kumar Gupta 

‘Nandi’. 

Surya Pratap Shahi, a 

senior BJP leader and former 

state president, thanked the 

people of Uttar Pradesh for 

the mandate. 

The BJP was also heading 

for a majority in the Moradabad 

Municipal Corporation 

winning most seats for which 

results were announced. 

In Lucknow, incumbent 

mayor Dinesh Sharma has 

taken a huge lead over his 

nearest rival. 

expressed their inability to 

commit anything on reinstating 

pilots or addressing their 

demands. 

“The management of�cials 

said they needed more time to 

consider our two demands — 

reinstatement of 101 sacked 

colleagues and recognition of 

IPG,” Kapahi said. 

“They (Air India) failed 

to reciprocate IPG’s goodwill 

gesture of calling off the agitation,” 

IPG general secretary E 

A Kapadia said. The impasse 

notwithstanding, the pilots will 

not resume the strike, he said. 

According to the pilots, the 

chief labour commissioner has 

recorded Air India’s stand and 

would report to the Delhi High 

Court tomorrow. 

The pilots having allegiance 

to IPG called off their strike 

after Air India on Tuesday told 

the Delhi High Court that it 

jee continued to hold two 

more of�ces of pro�t — as 

Vice-President of Birbhum 

Institute of Engineering and 

Technology and Chairman 

of Rabindra Bharti Society, 

which forms the Rabindra 

Bharti University. 

He said the delegation met 

the Chief Election Commissioner 

V S Sampath and placed 

their concerns. The Constitution 

allows the EC to intervene 

in the conduct of elections. 

“Here the issue is of fraud. 

Let the EC decide on whether 

there is a fraud in the nomination 

process. Let the EC take 

the �nal decision,” Swamy 

said. 

The delegation, which 

also included BJP leader and 

Sangma’s counsel Satya Pal 

He said although rupee 

was depreciating too much, 

India’s apex bank, the Reserve 

Bank of India, could 

not resort to sale of too much 

dollars to prevent a sharper 

fall in rupee as there was a 

tendency to panic if foreign 

exchange reserves dipped. 

He said Indian entrepreneurs 

should take this opportunity 

of rupee depreciation 

to export more. 

“Service sector export is 

doing very well, but manufacturing 

goods export was 

not any way near to its potential. 

Increasing export is essential 

in managing the current 

account de�cit,” he said. 

Jailed politician to 

be awarded PhD 

PATNA — Another jailed 

Bihar politician Vijay Kumar 

Shukla alias Munna Shukla, 

sentenced to life imprisonment 

for killing a minister, is 

set to be awarded a PhD for 

his research on expression of 

political awareness in Hindi 

novels. 

Shukla’s research guide, 

Prof Devnandan Kumar Prasad 

of Rameshwar College, 

Muzaffarpur said that Shukla 

had submitted his thesis and 

appeared for the �nal interview. 

B R Ambedkar Bihar University 

examination controller, 

Arun Kumar Singh said 

that Shukla would be awarded 

a doctorate degree soon. 

Shukla, in his late 40s, appeared 

before a team of experts 

for his �nal interview 

on Friday after submitting his 

thesis. 

Brought from the Muzaffarpur 

jail under heavy security, 

the former legislator of ruling 

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) 

was upbeat and thanked all 

for the help in completing his 

research work, another of�cial 

of the university said. 

A local court two years ago 

had sentenced Shukla to life 

imprisonment in the sensa- 

would sympathetically consider 

their grievances. 

According to an airline of- 

�cial, nearly 300 pilots belonging 

to the IPG have begun reporting 

back to work. 

Before resuming work, the 

pilots will have to get their �tness 

checked by doctors and 

undergo refresher training 

and a mandatory route �ying 

check. 

“There are four levels that 

the pilots need to cross, including 

�tness test, ground training 

refresher, simulator trials and 

�nally a route check exam. 

These procedures will take 15- 

20 days to complete,” said the 

of�cial. 

For the route �ying check, 

the pilots who have not �own 

an aircraft for over 30 days will 

operate a �ight with a check (instructor) 

pilot who will oversee 

their performance. — IANS 

Sangma seeks EC’s intervention 

Jain and his election agent 

Bhartruhari Mahtab, raked up 

the issue of Mukherjee’s signature 

on his letter of resignation 

from the Indian Statistical 

Institute and its acceptance. 

Opposing the Returning 

Of�cer’s decision, Jain said 

they have made three submissions 

before the EC and sought 

its intervention. “As per rules, 

the EC has powers to intervene 

as the election process 

is on. We would be �ling our 

written statement petitioning 

the Election Commission on 

Monday.” 

He said, under Article 324 

the EC has overall jurisdiction 

over the conduct and supervision 

of all elections and said 

the situation calls for its intervention. 

‘India Inc has to live 

with dollar at Rs 50’ 

Expressing concern over 

the high current account deficit, 

Basu said the prevailing 

de�cit of 4.2 per cent of 

the country’s GDP was the 

highest that India ever had. 

He said wholesale price 

index was expected to come 

down in September this 

year from the present 7.5 

per cent. “In�ation is now 

at 7.5 per cent. However, in 

another two to three months 

there will be some softening,” 

Basu added. 

Basu also hoped that 

West Bengal Chief Minister 

Mamata Banerjee will give 

a nod for FDI in retail trading. 

tional murder case of former 

Bihar minister Brij Bihari 

Prasad, on June 13, 1998. 

Earlier, Shukla was also 


in 2007 in the case of 

the murder of an Indian Administrative 

Service of�cer G 

Krishnaiya in 1994. He was 

later acquitted by the Patna 

High Court. 

Krishnaiya, a 1985 batch 

of�cer of Bihar cadre, was 

shot at and then stoned by a 

mob near Muzaffarpur town 

on December 5, 1994. 

Shukla also faces several 

criminal cases, including 

those related to murder, 

attempt to murder, extortion 

and abduction in various 

courts. His wife, Annu Shukla 

is a JD-U legislator from Lalganj 

in Vaishali district. 

Shukla is not alone, two 

other ‘bahubalis’ or criminalturned-politicians 

have been 

awarded a doctorate degree 

earlier. 

Three years ago, then jailed 

JD-U legislator Sunil Pandey, 


for kidnapping a doctor, 

was awarded a PhD for his 

research on Lord Mahavir’s 

philosophy of “Ahimsa (nonviolence)”. 

— IANS

12 

ANALYSIS/OPINION 



A WOMAN casts her vote at a polling station during the National Assembly election in Benghazi yesterday. — Reuters 

A historic day for Libyans 

By Dominique Soguel 

EAGER voters cast ballots 

yesterday in Libya’s 

�rst free national 

elections for decades, but protesters 

disrupted some polling 

in the troubled east. 

In Tripoli, voting got under 

way with queues of people 

keen to elect the General National 

Congress, which will be 

at the helm of the country for 

a transition period. 

“Words cannot capture my 

joy, this is a historic day,” said 

Fawziya Omran, 40, one of 

the �rst women in line at the 

Ali Abdullah Warith school in 

the heart of the capital. 

“I’ve made my choice. I 

hope it is the right choice and 

that the candidate will not disappoint 

us,” she said. 

Voters in the capital turned 

up draped in black, red and 

green �ags — the colours of 

the recent movement. Joy was 

also palpable in the eastern 

city of Benghazi, cradle of the 

uprising. 

“I feel like my life has been 

wasted so far, but now my children 

will have a better life,” 

By Katrin Gaensler 

THE seizure of northern 

Mali by violent groups 

has led to chaos, with 

thousands of people �eeing the 

region to avoid the massacre. 

The Economic Community of 

West African States (ECOW- 

AS) wants to send about 3,000 

troops to Mali — a move that 

carries serious risks. 

But with food running short 

and a major humanitarian crisis 

unfolding, fear is growing 

among the local populace 

about the new ruling powers 

in Timbuktu and Gao. Nearly 

200,000 people have already 

�ed Mali and sought refuge 

in neighbouring countries, 

according to the UN Refugee 

Agency (UNCHR). 

Another 155,000 people 

have been displaced within 

Mali itself. 

“It became too risky for 

myself and my family in Timbuktu. 

Nobody knows what 

will happen next,” Mahmud 

Ag Abdulahi said from a refugee 

camp in Burkina Faso. 

There is also growing fear 

that the con�ict could engulf 

the entire Sahel region of West 

Africa. Comparisons have 

been made between the fractured 

situation in Mali and that 

of Afghanistan. 

ECOWAS wants to step 

in before the situation dete- 

The vote marks a milestone in 

the transition to democracy and to 

have this election in the country less 

than one year after the fall of Tripoli is 

a very important achievement 

said Hueida Abdul Sheikh, a 

mother of three in line. 

However, protesters calling 

for greater representation 

forced the closure of several 

polling stations elsewhere in 

the tense region. 

Nuri al Abbar, Chairman of 

the electoral commission, said 

acts of sabotage, mostly in the 

east, prevented 101 polling 

stations from opening. 

“Ninety-four per cent of 

polling stations opened,” told 

reporters in Tripoli, with vot- 

riorates any further and the 

groups destabilise the whole 

region. However, everyone 

involved is acutely aware of 

the risks attached to any military 

intervention. Apart from 

armed Tuareg organisations, 

the region also hosts other 

groups. 

A regional summit of 

ECOWAS heads of state this 

week, in Burkina Faso’s capital 

Ouagadougou, brings hope 

of agreement on a strategy for 

dealing with Mali. 

“The unity of Mali has to be 

secured,” ECOWAS spokesman 

Sunny Ugoh said in the 

Nigerian capital Abuja. 

Mali’s weak central government 

and its powerless parliament 

in Bamako have both 

ing under way in 1,453 out of 

1,554 centres. 

“Some of the polling stations 

were not opened. Because 

of security reasons, 

logistical materials haven’t 

reached them,” he said. 

“We are currently dealing 

with this, sending material to 

the polling stations so they can 

start voting,” he said. 

Protesters in the east, unhappy 

over the distribution 

of seats in the new assembly, 

had threatened to sabotage 

appealed for African solidarity 

and called for the deployment 

of troops. 

Interim President Dioncounda 

Traore has been in 

Paris since the end of May, 

after being attacked by demonstrators 

in the capital. 

The African Union (AU) 

also plans to discuss Mali at 

its summit this week in Addis 

Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. 

With Mali essentially split 

in two, and groups controlling 

the north, there are fears that 

the violence could increase 

further. 

At a sit-in in Bamako earlier 

last week, more than 2,000 

demonstrators demanded action 

against the northern separatists. 

The people of Mali 

the vote, staging a string of 

disruptive acts of violence in 

recent days. 

In Tripoli, a senior electoral 

of�cial con�rmed there 

had been some incidents in the 

east but dismissed reports the 

vote could be delayed in those 

areas, stressing they were 

working towards a solution. 

“Ninety-two per cent of 

voting centres are open,” he 

said. Interim leader Mustafa 

Abdel Jalil, who voted in 

his eastern home town of Al 

want steps to be taken against 

all the armed groups in the 

north, according to Hamidou 

Konate, Director of Radio Jamana. 

Fear is growing in the south 

that the groups could achieve 

their objective — a divided 

Mali, with the north under 

separatist control. 

Not every group active in 

the north of the country can 

be considered religious. A 

Tuareg tribal group known as 

the Liberation Army of Azawad 

(MLNA) is also �ghting 

for autonomy for the north 

of Mali, but was ousted from 

Gao and Timbuktu by religious 

�ghters. 

On April 6, the MNLA declared 

an independent north 

Bayda, said the situation there 

was “excellent.” He expressed 

hope for a successful vote and 

hailed as a martyr an electoral 

worker killed last Friday. 

“We hope that our brothers 

in Benghazi will stay away 

from such problems and that 

the voting will go ahead as 

planned,” he said. 

Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, 

who heads a team of 

21 European Union observers, 

said the vote marks a major 

milestone in the transition to 

Malian state, naming it Azawad. 

The Tuaregs signalled 

that they would be prepared to 

take on the groups if Azawad 

was recognised. 

It remains unclear, however, 

whether the MNLA is in 

the position to mobilise any 

kind of signi�cant armed force 

to take on the �ghters. 

MNLA spokesman Mossa 

Ag Assarid recently admitted 

democracy. 

“We believe that to have 

this election in Libya less than 

one year after the fall of Tripoli 

is an important achievement,” 

Lambsdorff said. 

“We only hope that the situation 

remains peaceful across 

the country. The majority of 

Libyans want to vote. Eighty 

per cent want to vote.” 

On the eve of the ballot, 

gun�re struck a helicopter in 

eastern Libya killing an election 

worker. 

Also, �ve oil facilities 

were forced to shut down by 

gunmen who want greater representation 

for the east in the 

200-member congress. 

And last Sunday, gunmen 

ransacked the of�ce of 

the electoral commission in 

Benghazi. The make-up of the 

congress has been a matter of 

heated debate, with factions 

such as the federalist movement 

calling for more seats. 

The outgoing National 

Transitional Council (NTC) 

says seats were distributed according 

to demographics, with 

100 going to the west, 60 to 

the east and 40 to the south. 

that the north of Mali was in 

the hands of the �ghters. The 

destruction of seven shrines 

in Timbuktu is seen as clear 

evidence that the rebels will 

halt at nothing. The MNLA 

army has long lost control of 

the region. 

“We are still strong but the 

others have weapons and money 

with which they are able to 

buy the people,” said Assarid, 

India needs a 

fresh strategy 

By Amulya Ganguli 

ALTHOUGH India has 

faced insurgencies for 

decades, the security 

forces still seem to �ght their 

battles in a half-hearted manner 

without any overall operational 

plan. They and their 

mentors in the Home Ministry 

do not appear to have learnt 

any lessons from the years 

of battling the groups in the 

northeast and in Kashmir and 

now over wide areas in the interior 

against the Maoists. 

Their approach is apparently 

the same — the forces 

sit in the barracks as these 

groups consolidate their position 

and then launch an offensive 

in which there is as much 

chance of innocents being 

killed as the Naxals. This is 

what seems to have happened 

in Chhattisgarh, where there 

are doubts as to how many of 

the 19 killed were Maoists and 

how many were hapless civilians. 

It is only now when the security 

forces are facing widespread 

criticism that there is 

talk of providing them with 

night vision goggles so that 

they will be able to detect 

whether there are women and 

children in the �ring line. Yet, 

ensuring that the forces are 

adequately equipped — and 

not with weapons alone — to 

take on an adversary should 

have been the �rst task of the 

backroom boys in Delhi. 

But, just as the gunning 

down of the jawans by the 

Maoists in the early stages of 

the confrontations with them 

in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, 

Silda in West Bengal and elsewhere 

�nally persuaded the 

security forces to learn some 

basic rules of jungle warfare, 

including that of not venturing 

into unknown territory 

without prior intelligence, 

similarly, the deaths of minors 

in Chhattisgarh may compel 

the authorities to equip and 

train the forces with greater 

diligence. 

However, there is an unstated 

reason why the earlier 

deaths of the paramilitary personnel 

took place, and why 

the loss of innocent lives may 

not make much of a difference 

among the bigwigs in the corridors 

of power — it is that 

public memory is apparently 

much shorter in India than 

elsewhere. 

As a result, the outrage 

caused by the meaningless 

deaths is soon forgotten or is 

overtaken in public perception 

by some other scandal. Given 

the turbulent nature of the political, 

social and economic 

scene in India, incidents such 

as the deaths of more than 

who condemned the destruction 

of the holy shrines in 

Timbuktu, which are Unesco 

world heritage sites. 

The MNLA hopes it can 

hold its position. 

“We have erected roadblocks 

to prevent the others 

from advancing any further. 

We have a presence,” he said. 

The UN Security Council 

last Thursday passed a reso- 

80 men of the Central Reserve 

Police Force (CRPF) in 

Dantewada in April 2010 or of 

the civilians in Chhattisgarh 

soon become mere statistics, 

to be dredged up only when 

a similar outrage takes place 

again. 

There is another probable 

reason why no long-term 

plans for tackling insurgencies 

are prepared. It is the 

belief that none of these rebellions 

pose any serious threat. 

There is little doubt that the 

groups in the northeast and in 

Kashmir is regarded with such 

insouciance. They are seen as 

mere pinpricks which may be 

a nuisance but do not require 

anything other than occasional 

offensive forays by the 

security forces to scatter the 

malcontents. 

The Khalistan movement 

of the 1980s was different because 

of Punjab’s proximity 

to Delhi. The state’s tactical 

response was also different. It 

was based primarily on “fake 

encounters” instead of frontal 

confrontations involving 

hundreds of security personnel. 

There is little doubt that 

the tactic succeeded in ending 

the menace although innocent 

lives were lost, as is evident 

from the more than 2,000 cases 

of illegal cremations by the 

police, as noted by the Central 

Bureau of Investigation. 

Fake encounters — or 

staged shootouts — were also 

a feature of the police action 

during the Naxalite movement 

in West Bengal in the 1970s 

and one such has been alleged 

in the case of the death of the 

Maoist leader, Cherukuri Rajkumar 

aka Azad, in 2010. But 

both the Punjab insurgency 

and the Naxalite uprising were 

essentially urban phenomena. 

If the Maoists have now based 

themselves in the forested areas, 

it is because of the lesson 

they learnt from the mistakes 

of the Naxalites, who focused 

more on attacking constables 

in towns than landowners in 

villages. It becomes easier for 

the intelligence agencies to in- 

�ltrate an urban-based movement 

than one which operates 

from the jungles. 

The Maoists are obviously 

trying to replicate Mao Zedong’s 

ideal of a peasant army 

“liberating” the countryside 

before attacking the towns. To 

an extent, they have succeeded 

in erasing of�cial presence in 

some of the areas under their 

control because the government 

was initially blissfully 

oblivious of how they were 

building their bases. That 

intelligence failure has now 

made the authorities concentrate 

on frontal assaults by the 

security forces. 

Africa ponders over Mali as crisis deepens 

There is a growing fear that the 

con�ict in Mali could engulf the 

entire Sahel region of West Africa. 

Comparisons have been made 

between the situation in Mali and 

that of Afghanistan. Hence these 

states want to step in before the 

situation deteriorates further 

PEOPLE travel on carts drawn by donkeys on a road near Segou in the Niger Delta region in central Mali. — AFP 

lution calling for sanctions 

against the �ghters blamed for 

the desecration of the tombs. 

The Council expressed 

“deep concern” at the increased 

threat in the region 

due to the presence of the Al 

Qaeda �ghters. The group has 

been blamed for numerous 

kidnappings and violent attacks 

in several west and north 

African countries.

Cautionary 

tale from 

experience 

By Stephanie Rice 

A CALIFORNIA 

city 

which was once a 

thriving Gold Rush 

town has become a cautionary 

tale about �nancial excess 

and the still-struggling 

US economy — by going 

bankrupt. In the 19th century 

Stockton, which lies two 

hours east of San Francisco, 

was a destination for optimistic 

miners looking to strike it 

rich in the Wild West. 

Last week, in a sobering 

reminder of the still-painful 

fallout from the 2008 near 

economic meltdown, it became 

the largest US city to 

ever declare bankruptcy. 

The inland agriculture 

hub has been crushed by the 

foreclosure crisis, increasingly 

costly retiree bene�ts 

and debt for civic projects 

taken on in better times. 

Connie Cochran, a 

spokeswoman for the riverport 

city, said Stockton has 

been operating on a barebones 

budget for several 

years that has forced cuts to 

essential services like police 

and �re�ghters. Of�cials 

could not close a $26 million 

hole in this year’s $521 

million budget, she said. 

“We had to do this to protect 

the health and welfare of our 

city,” she said. 

Stockton’s �nancial situation, 

while extreme, is not 

unusual. Cash-strapped cities 

across the Golden State 

— the world’s eighth largest 

economy, if it were a country 

— are still struggling to 

recover from the worst economic 

downturn since the 

Great Depression. 

“Cities are obviously 

in very dif�cult times 

economically,” said Eva 

Spiegel with the League of 

California Cities. “Lots of 

cities are really struggling, 

trying to keep providing the 

right services.” As of�cials 

look for ways to bring local 

budgets out of the red, cities 

are watching the unusual 

Stockton case closely to see 

whether bankruptcy may 

provide a solution. 

“Everyone is watching 

to see if someone comes up 

with a way to quickly, effectively 

resolve these matters 

with the least amount 

of pain,” said Chicago 

bankruptcy attorney Jim 

Spiotto. 

City bankruptcies are extremely 

rare, Spiotto said. 

The process is banned or 

restricted in many states, he 

said, and there have been 

only 641 such �lings since it 

became legal in 1937. 

By Meagan Weymes 

EAST Timor’s voters went to 

the polls yesterday in parliamentary 

elections seen as 

a key test for the young and fragile 

democracy and likely to determine 

if UN peacekeepers can leave by the 

end of the year. Polls opened at 7:00 

am (2200 GMT Friday) and voting 

continued until 3:00 pm for some 

645,000 registered voters, who trickled 

in a steady stream at polling stations 

across the capital Dili. 

There have been concerns that 

violence could reignite in the energy-rich 

but underdeveloped state if, 

as predicted, none of the 21 parties 

wins a parliamentary majority and a 

fragile coalition takes power. 

Presidential polls that were held 

over two rounds in March and April, 

however, passed off peacefully. The 

United Nations sees yesterday’s 

elections as the last big test that 

will decide whether its remaining 

1,300 peacekeepers and other security 

staff can withdraw as planned 

within six months. 

Following the end of Portuguese 

rule in 1975, East Timor was occupied 

by Indonesia for 24 years. 

Some 183,000 people died from 

�ghting, disease and starvation before 

the half-island state voted for 

independence in 1999. 

The country has offshore �elds 

of oil and natural gas and its Petroleum 

Fund has swelled to $10 billion, 

but corruption is endemic. Half 

of East Timor’s 1.1 million people 

are of�cially classi�ed as living in 

poverty, posing the main challenge 

for the future government. “I want 

the government to look after infra- 

13 

ANALYSIS/OPINION 



S SUDAN’S Philip Juma perusing catalogued records of the nation’s history belonging to the National Archive in a building of the Ministry of Culture in Juba. 

Salvaging history from dust 

By Hannah McNeish 

SURROUNDED by walls of boxes, 

researchers scan and catalogue 

the crumbling, mildewed 

pages, some nibbled by rats, which 

make up the national archives of the 

one-year-old republic of South Sudan. 

During the �ve decades of civil war, 

an extreme climate and an assortment 

of animals have eaten away at the archives, 

some of which are still piled up 

in a giant city centre tent — unbearably 

hot and humid even in early morning. 

“We cannot leave our history to be 

destroyed by termites, rats and water 

— we have to rescue these documents,” 

said archivist Youssef Fulgensio Onyalla. 

He shudders at the memory of 

discovering documents largely ravaged 

by rain, cockroaches and rats in 

the basement of a school in 2007, two 

years after a peace deal ended one of 

Africa’s longest civil wars. 

“We broke the windows and left it 

open for three days for ventilation,” 

but the smell and dust was so strong 

that the team got sick and two people 

were hospitalised, he said. Ever since, 

Onyalla has feared for these documents 

like an anxious parent. 

“The moment I saw those papers in 

that condition, I knew I had to take care 

of them, protect and preserve them for 

the future,” he said, carefully touching 

the boxes of yellowing papers. “This 

is quite literally the national history... 

from 1903 right the way up to the 

1990s — almost 100 years of South 

Sudanese history that’s been rotting in 

structure and improve healthcare for 

the people,” said Martinho Afonso, 

a 55-year-old farmer, as he cast his 

ballot in the Dili suburb of Farol. 

“Things need to improve for the 

poor people in rural areas, where 

people have no home, no electricity, 

no water,” he said. 

The left-wing Fretilin party, 

which is synonymous with the proindependence 

struggle, has campaigned 

on a populist platform of 

spending oil revenues to lift income 

and education levels. 

The centre-left National Congress 

for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) 

is promoting longer-term investment 

on major infrastructure projects such 

as roads, electricity and water. 

CNRT leader Xanana Gusmao, a 

charismatic �gure and a resistance 

hero during the struggle for independence, 

is �ghting to stay on as 

prime minister. 

Gusmao kissed voters and joked 

with journalists and observers after 

casting his ballot with his wife at a 

small polling station around the corner 

from his residence in Dili’s beachfront 

suburb of Bidau Lecidere. 

The vote will decide whether East 

Timor, which celebrated a decade 

of formal independence in May, is 

ready to take on its own security. 

A 450-strong International Stabilisation 

Force (ISF) — made up 

of troops from New Zealand and 

Australia — is also awaiting the outcome 

of the poll before �nalising a 

pullout. 

The United Nations Integrated 

Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) — 

with a total current military, police 

and civilian force of about 3,000 — 

was deployed in 2006, after a political 

crisis in which dozens were killed 

So far we’ve reached 2,300 boxes 

of information, we’re probably 

going to reach around 6,000 — it’s 

an absolutely amazing treasure 

trove of information 

a tent”, said Nicki Kindersley, a history 

student at Britain’s Durham University, 

one of three foreigners helping 

to clear out the tent. 

“So far we’ve reached 2,300 boxes 

of information, we’re probably going 

to reach around 6,000 — it’s an absolutely 

amazing treasure trove of information”, 

she said. The �nds include 

original political party constitutions, 

lists of the �rst Southern political parties 

and minutes of the court cases of 

the 1955 mutineers who sparked South 

Sudan’s �rst civil war. 

“We’ve never seen everyone’s 

names and the details of what happened 

before,” said Kindersley. There 

are also insights into the lives of 

former British colonists as they muddle 

through tasks like legislating against 

suspected witchcraft in the Zande people 

in the steamy jungles close to the 

Democratic Republic of Congo. 

“In a scene reminiscent of the 

and tens of thousands displaced, with 

a mandate to restore security. 

The only major violence since 

then was a failed assassination attempt 

in 2008 on then president Jose 

Ramos-Horta, the Nobel peace laureate 

who lost to Taur Matan Ruak in 

the recent presidential election. 

witches in Macbeth, the sergeant major 

surprised three Zande at night... 

murmuring incantations over a cauldron,” 

one colonial commissioner 

wrote in a report. 

The restoration project was originally 

funded to �nd maps showing 

Southern districts drawn up around 

Sudan’s 1956 independence, to help 

solve outstanding issues of borders, 

contested territory and the sharing of 

oil wealth following South Sudan’s 

split from the north. 

“These are going to be useful when 

we go for arbitration over the territories”, 

said Pagan Amum, South 

Sudan’s top negotiator and secretarygeneral 

of its ruling SPLM party. But 

the bene�ts are in fact even wider. 

Archivists also hope historical 

records of internal con�icts over borders, 

cattle and grazing land will help 

resolve modern-day violence of the 

same type that kills thousands every 

Ramos-Horta, who still commands 

popular respect, has thrown 

his weight behind the 66-year-old 

Gusmao and a unity government. 

However, Fretilin, which received 

the largest number of votes in 2007 

but failed to form a coalition, has 

dismissed any talk of working with 

year. As people �ock back to South 

Sudan following the years of war, 

these documents may also help to 

prove land ownership. 

Onyalla’s family won an age-old 

claim after he stumbled across 1955 

information about his grandfather’s 

inheritance from a leper cousin. 

Jok Madut Jok, an academic and 

under-secretary of the Ministry of Culture, 

says the country is producing its 

�rst history textbook for high school 

thanks largely to the archives. 

“I think it will really help students 

in the South to know about their own 

history,” said Thomas Becu, who 

knew nothing about his country apart 

from �ghting until 2006, when he returned 

from Uganda and began work 

in the archive. 

After a war that sent people abroad 

or to the bush, Jok says it is vital to 

teach people their past to form a national 

identity. 

A key test that could help peacekeepers quit 

CNRT leader Xanana Gusmao (L) casts his vote for East Timor parliamentary elections in Dili yesterday. 

the CNRT on forming a post-election 

government. 

“Fretilin should win, and I believe 

that even if we don’t Fretilin will still 

have a political role in the future,” 

said party president Francisco Guterres, 

popularly known as “Lu Olo,” 

after casting his ballot. 

‘Troubles’ case 

of free speech 

By Ross Kerber 

RESEARCHERS do 

not have free speech 

protections that would 

allow them to keep interviews 

with �ghters from Northern 

Ireland’s “Troubles” sealed, 

a US Appeals Court ruled on 

Friday, siding with prosecutors 

who want access to their 

papers. The decision could 

open an unsettling diplomatic 

process because material already 

released from the archive 

kept at Boston College 

has connected public �gures 

to a notorious killing by the 

Irish Republican Army during 

the armed con�ict, ended 

by a 1998 peace treaty. 

After an account was published 

in 2010, British authorities 

enlisted the US Justice 

Department to subpoena the 

papers last year from Boston 

College. The college and the 

researchers who conducted 

the interviews �led legal actions 

to block the release. Efforts 

by the college to block 

some disclosures are still underway, 

leaving the immediate 

impact of Friday’s ruling 

uncertain. 

The researchers — Irish- 

American journalist Ed Moloney 

and former IRA memberturned-historian 

Anthony 

McIntyre — had argued in 

court against any disclosure 

of the material. They stressed 

that �ghters they interviewed 

from both the Catholic and 

Protestant sides of the con- 

�ict were promised con�dentiality 

until their deaths. 

But the researchers’ arguments 

were rejected by lower 

courts and again on Friday 

by a three-judge panel. In her 

ruling, Chief Judge Sandra 

Lynch wrote the researchers 

could not state a claim that 

they have rights under a legalassistance 

treaty between the 

United States and the United 

Kingdom. 

She also wrote that while 

the researchers claim an academic 

research privilege under 

their constitutional rights 

to freedom of speech, the US 

Supreme Court ruled in its 

1972 “Branzburg v. Hayes” 

decision that journalists do 

not have the right to refuse 

subpoenas based on their own 

promises of con�dentiality. 

“As in Branzburg, there 

is no reason to create such a 

privilege here,” Lynch wrote. 

“The choice to investigate 

criminal activity belongs to 

the government and is not 

subject to veto by academic 

researchers.” 

Another judge on the panel, 

Juan Torruella, wrote in a 

By Nastassia 

Astrasheuskaya and 

Timothy Heritage 

RUSSIA’S lower house 

of parliament gave 

preliminary approval 

on Friday to a law that 

would brand many rights and 

campaign groups “foreign 

agents”, a move opponents 

say is an attempt to sti�e 

protests against Vladimir 

Putin. The law, presented by 

the president’s United Russia 

party for the �rst of three 

readings, would tighten controls 

on non-governmental 

organisations that receive foreign 

funding by forcing them 

to submit reports on their activity 

twice a year. 

Critics say the law, approved 

by 323-4 in the 450seat 

chamber, is part of a crackdown 

on civil liberties and the 

opposition movement that has 

been protesting against Putin’s 

return to the presidency for a 

new six-year term. Although 

the Kremlin denies planning 

any crackdown, NGOs are 

also worried because the term 

“foreign agents” has a hostile 

ring to it reminiscent of the 

Cold War. 

“This is an odious, repressive 

bill that seeks to halt the 

wave of public protests,” said 

Boris Nemtsov, an opposition 

leader and one of the organisers 

of the protest wave that 

concurring opinion that he reluctantly 

agreed with the decision 

to reject the researchers’ 

claims, based on precedents. 

But he wrote that he did not 

agree with what he described 

as the other judges’ apparent 

view that the First Amendment 

of the US Constitution 

does not provide some protection 

to the researchers. 

The case has been closely 

watched on both sides of the 

Atlantic, partly because it 

marked a rare intrusion of 

prosecutors into academic 

efforts. US leaders including 

John Kerry, chairman of 

the Senate’s Foreign Relations 

Committee, had also 

urged authorities to back off 

their efforts on fears that they 

could destabilise still-touchy 

efforts at reconciliation in 

Northern Ireland. 

Court �lings have stated 

the matter began when UK 

police of�cials followed up 

new leads that emerged in 

2010 in a notorious killing, 

the 1972 abduction and killing 

of Northern Irish woman 

Jean McConville. A widowed 

mother of 10, McConville 

was killed by the IRA on suspicion 

of being a government 

informer — something her 

family has denied. Her body 

was recovered in 2003. 

Her case got new attention 

in 2010 following the death of 

an IRA �gure, Brendan Hughes. 

His death freed Moloney 

to publish a book based partly 

on interviews Hughes had 

granted for the archive. In the 

interviews Hughes connected 

political leader Gerry Adams 

to McConville’s death. 

Now president of the Sinn 

Fein political party, Adams 

has consistently denied being 

part of the IRA. Moloney 

said via email on Friday he 

would not immediately comment. 

A spokesman for Boston 

College did not return a 

message. 

In a statement, a US Justice 

Department spokeswoman 

said the agency was 

pleased the court recognised 

the legal-assistance treaty 

does not create private rights 

for individuals. 

“The decision of the Court 

also recognises the strong 

public interest in not impeding 

criminal investigations, 

and the federal interest in 

reciprocal co-operation in 

criminal proceedings between 

foreign nations,” it said. 

Jim Cotter, one of the researchers’ 

attorneys based 

near Boston in Quincy, Massachusetts, 

said in a telephone 

interview he was “tremendously 

disappointed” by the 

ruling. 

In the aftermath 

of a law change 

began last December after 

alleged fraud in a parliamentary 

election. 

The draft law could put at 

risk the work of organisations 

such as Amnesty International, 

which campaigns for human 

rights, and Transparency 

International, a corruption 

watchdog, he added. 

The law on NGOs requires 

three readings in the 

Duma and one in the upper 

house. Under it, any NGO 

that receives foreign funding 

and refuses to register as 

a “foreign agent” and comply 

with the new law could 

face suspension for up to six 

months. 

“The law contradicts the 

Russian Federation’s constitution, 

which calls for political 

diversity and ensures 

every citizen has the right to 

participate in managing state 

affairs,” said Mikhail Fedotov, 

head of Putin’s advisory 

human rights council. 

But United Russia, which 

has a simple majority in the 

Duma, said the law was 

needed to guarantee openness 

about NGOs. “The bill 

does not ban foreign �nancing, 

it only calls for honesty. 

As one says one’s name when 

introducing oneself to others, 

NGOs should in the same way 

be saying who they are when 

they introduce themselves,” 

United Russia deputy Irina 

Yarovaya, told the Duma.

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Electrical & Carpentry 

Works. Contact: 

�97014234/ 97123569, 

24504281. 

SHAMPOO cleaning 

of mosque carpet and 

house majlis, sofa carpet 

and curtains, general 

cleaning all types of 

old and new building, 

gardening mosaic tiles 

polishing marbles and 

granites, house painting 

�96642500. 

T 

OURS 

MARINE Tourism 

� 92808636, e-mail: 

info@alainain.com 

EXECUTIVE office 

services available: 

Modern furniture, 

personalised telephone 

line with receptionist 

services, Unlimited 

wireless Internet, 

P.O. Boxes address, 

executive conference 

room (10 people), prime 

location (Al Khuwair), 

complimentary tea & 

coffee, service duration 

quarterly. Contact: 

�99463334/99201763/ 

24479400. 

P.C.O. (PEST 

CONTROL OMAN 

CO. LLC) 

Professionals who 

specialise in all types 

of Pest Control 

Services & Snake 

control and 

Guaranteed Termite 

Control. Also 

available Gel 

treatment for 

Cockroaches. 

Suppliers of UK 

Pesticides Chemicals, 

Snake Repellent, 

Cockroach Gels and 

Peripel treated 

Mosquito Nets. 

�24787606, 

24787503, 

Fax: 24787607. 

F 

U 

OR SALE 

FOR NRIs — 4 BHK + 

maid + study room, row 

house villa in Bangalore. 

Contact: �92210391. 

BIG villa for sale, 

RO 270,000 at Al Ghubra, 

9 bedrooms with 

bathrooms, 2 halls, 2 

sitting rooms, 2 kitchens, 

with all split units. 

Contact �97711405, 

99332907. 

IN Al Khoudh, near 

Health Center, 4 

bedrooms + sitting + 

family hall + kitchen + 

store + laundry + 4 

toilets + servant room in 

1st flr + car parking. 

Contact: �99377249. 

MRAH/HAJ 

MRAH/HA 

AL Hikmani 

for 

HAJ and UMRAH UM 

— With a ho 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. 

G 

FREE FRE 

INFORMATION 

INFORM 

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 

AYURVEDIC Treatment, 

Yoga massage & 

slimming. Contact: 

�92504980/ 24475280 , 

www.drsajjay.com 

FOR NRI. BOOKING 

open for villas in Aluva, 

Kochi, Kerala. Rs 50 

lacs onwards near UC 

College. Contact: 

�98934705, or 

skprealty@yahoo.com. 

F 

C 

ARGO 

HURRY! Ramadhan 

sailing. Cargo for 

ZANZIBAR, DAR 

ES SALAAM & 

MOMBASA. 

Maritime Shipping 

Agency. 

�24834850/ 

99323513 

CARGO transfer with 

attractive price to all 

areas in the Sultanate 

and outside of Oman 

(by truck). 

Contact: �00968- 

99171758 

G 

OR RENT/INVEST. 

RENT 

INDUSTRIAL land in 

Rusayil, 400m 2 divided 

1,000 m 2 , divided 1,000 

m2 for each land. Ready 

for industrial workshops 

�99323957, 95490842, 

96554668. 

UEST HOUSE HO 

MURAHIB HOTEL H 

APARTMENTS 

APARTMEN 

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. 

CLASSIFIED SECTION: 

F 

OMAN DAILY Observer � SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

SAVILLS OMAN 

QUALITY homes for 

rent throughout 

Capital Area Muscat. 

Contact: �24692151. 

www.sav-oman.com 

A FLAT consists of 

a bedroom, a toilet 

and a small kitchen. 

ACs provided at Al 

Khoudh 3. Contact: 

�93366421. 

VILLA for rent at 

Maabela south phase 

4, block 2, consists 

of sitting room, 4 

bedrooms, 2 halls, 7 

toilets, dining room, 

kitchen, car parks and 

open yard. Contact: 

�99860416. 

TWIN villa for rent at 

Maabela south phase 4, 

block 5, consists of 

sitting room, 2 halls, 5 

bedrooms, dining 

room, kitchen, 6 

bathrooms. Contact 

�99238199. 

FLAT for rent in Wattayah 

behind Honda 

showroom consists of 2 

rooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting 

hall and kitchen with 

balcony �98444802 

2 BEDROOM flat 

at Medinat al Alam 

with a small garden 

�24704994, 99238012. 

VILLA at Medinat al 

Alam with sea view 

�24704994, 99238012. 

HOUSE for rent — RO 

400 p.m. containing 

six large rooms and 

two bathrooms at Wadi 

Kabir. If you cannot afford 

the rent, please do 

not contact me, thanks. 

�93957245. 

FAMILY flat in Al Ghubra 

south, 3 bedrooms, 

Majlis and family hall 

RO 425. �99801515. 

ACCOMMODATION 

for camp at Al Khuwair 

33, RO 600. Contact 

�97711403, 93961672. 

VILLA for rent at Al 

Hail North, 3 bedrooms 

with bath, 1 big hall, 

1 sitting room, outside 

kitchen, car parking, 

RO 550. Contact 

�97711403, 93961672. 

VILLAS AT AMERAT: 

Furnished 6 bedrooms 

with servant quarter & 

new 7 bedrooms with 

excellent finish. Contact 

�99884921, 99345914. 

FLATS — 2 BHK for 

rent in Wadi Kabir, 

behind Sanaa, RO 300. 

�95122188. 

SUPER deluxe villa for 

rent (European style) Al 

Hail South (land 2,900 sq 

m), 3 bedrooms with attached 

bath, 1 hall, kitchen, 

big garden, RO 800. 

Contact �97711405, 

93961672. 

VILLA for rent at Maabela 

�92282277. 

FLAT for rent at Al 

Qurum opposite Qurum 

garden, 3 bedrooms, 

1 hall, 1 sitting room, 

kitchen. Contact 

�97711403, 99361672, 

97711405 

NEW villa for rent RO 

400, St Falaj al Shams, 

Al Ansab, 4 bedrooms 

with attached bathrooms, 

2 halls, 2 sitting rooms, 

kitchen, pantry. Contact 

�97711403, 93961672. 

FLAT for rent located 

at MBD Area — 1 & 2 

bedroom. �96021273. 

VILLA located at Al 

Falaj, behind Khimji 

Mart. �99334158/ 

99325344. 

IN Wadi Adei, 4 

bedrooms + sitting + 

family hall + kitchen + 

3 toilets. �99377249. 

250 SQ M Warehouse 

at Al Seeb. Contact: 

�95333309, 

99362225. 

VILLA near KFC Al 

Khoudh, 5 bedrooms, 6 

bathrooms, majlis, 

living room, car park. 

�99242357. 

FLAT — 3 bedrooms 

+ sitting room, kitchen 

+ 3 bathrooms + hall 

�99419831. 

FROM owner: New 

building with 5 flats of 

3 bedrooms and family 

hall with AC split 

units in Seh al Ahmer 

Fanja, RO 1,300 monthly 

�99237822. 

QUALITY 2, 3 BHK 

apartments with security 

parking at North Al Ghubra. 

�97711553. 

OFFICES, shops, villa 

at Al Khuwair, flats 

at Al Khuwair, Wadi 

Kabir, MBD, Mumtaz, 

furnished/unfurnished. 

� 96596348. 

Sulaiman Awlad Thani: 95181747 

Ali al Maashari: 99639264 

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

S 

14 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

Available on very GOOD prices 

HP 1050 3 in 1 Printer 

RO 15.500 only 

HP 2050 3 in 1 Printer 


HP OJ 4500 Printer 


HP Colour Laser M175a 3 in 1 

RO 109.900 only 

AII HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, Samsung 

Cartridges also available. 

ITUATION VACANT 

LOOKING for fo an 

Omani unmarried unmar girl 

fluent in Arab Arabic and 

English languages and 

computer skills to work 

for a herbal shop in Al 

Khuwair. Timings: 9.30 

am-1 pm & 4 to 9.30 pm. 

�97218466. 

REQUIRED housemaid 

�93387962. 

SALESMAN, Indian 

with 1 year experience 

in electronics and a 

valid Omani driving 

licence required 

urgently for a reputed 

company. E-mail: hrd@ 

nationalstore.ae, hr@ 

jk.ae �Dubai +971- 

43535365, Fax: +971- 

43535413. 

COMPUTER SUPPLIES 

Ruwi: 24792792 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

Reputed FMCG Company is urgently looking for 

the candidates for the following positions:- 

� 2 Female Cashier 

� 1 Baker 

� 1 Head Baker 

� 1 Storekeeper 

� 1 Head Supervisor 

Please fax your resume to 24607019 

A 

SITUATION VACANT 

NNOUNCEMENT 

NNOUNC 

MOTIVATED team 

of experienced national 

and international 

lawyers provide legal 

advice and consultancy 

— efficient, prompt, all 

fields of local and international 

law. �00968 

96441968, 0041 

786120068. E-mail: 

alex@marlawfirm.com 

PROVISION of exclusive 

contacts for business 

co-operation with 

SWISS and GERMAN 

companies. Legal and 

Marketing Consultancy. 

�00968 96441968, 

0041 786120068. 

E-mail: ch-oman@ 

bluewin.ch 

TRATH Al Qrytayin Trad/ 

Partnership registered in 

Administration of Commerce 

& Industry in Al Dhakhiliyah 

Governorate under 

the No 1030273 announces 

that its legal format from 

Joint Liability Company 

will be converted to Partnership 

Company according 

to Article 13 repeated 2 

of Commercial Companies 

Act No 4/74 and its amendments. 

If any parties have 

objection on that announcement, 

they have to explain 

objection's reasons during 

two months from the date of 

announcement publishing. 

DIRECT: 24649594 - FAX : 24649590 

e-mail: classified@omandaily.om 

CLASSIFIED SECTION 

RUWI: � 24785668 

Behind Royal Oman Police 

Adjacent to 

Dhofar Building 

FOR RENT 

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

9000M² of secured 

open land, with basic 

office and labour 

camp facilities in 

GHALA. To be 

leased for long and 

short term lease. 

Serious offers write 

to 2275/112. 

Tel : 24791485/ 

92137157 

R 

A 

EQUIRED EQUIRE 

Investor is required: 

For Commercial/ 

Resident land at 

wilayat Al Suwaiq (Al 

Tharmad), 4,893 sq 

m on Muscat, Sohar 

road + a building (13 

shops + 4 flats (all 

are for rent). Annual 

income RO 24,000. 

A big surrounded 

space suitable for a lot 

of activities and for 

long-term investment. 

Contact �99221466, 

0097150-6676406. 

D 

MORNING STAR 

DRIVING SCHOOL S 

— LLearn ddriving i 

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 

CCOM Wanted W 

SINGLE room or sharing 

a room required for 

an expatriate (Kerala) 

bachelor �99025024 

(Sayed). 

V 

RIVING SSCHOOL 

EHICLE SALE 

ELANTRA, model 

2001, full auto, 480,000 

km, red colour. Wanted 

price RO 800. Contact: 

�95050009. 

al-haditha 

centre 

AUTO REPAIR 

CENTRE 

Quality Repairs & Maintenance of all 

types of Cars and Heavy vehicles 

(ROP approved Grade A Workshop) 

Telephone: 24595951/1414, Fax: 24597979. 

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 

Blg. next to 

Bahja Mall. 

M 

L 

ANPOWER 

ANPOWE 

FRIENDS 

MANPOWER: Filipino 

housemaids and all kinds 

of workers. �24489268 

Tel/Fax: 24478153. 

ETHIOPIAN/Filipino 

housemaids for 

release RO 390-900 

�93320020. 

C 

AR BUY & 

SELL 

IF you are in interested 

to sell your ccars, 

send 

SMS, we pay cash 

�99333088. 

OST 

NOOR Al Nabi Haleem 

has lost Bangladeshi 

Passport No BI-494864. 

Finder please handover 

to ROP. 

MOH'D Jabed Ahmed 

has lost Bangladeshi 

Passport No AA- 

5088290. Finder please 

handover to ROP. 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Continued on P-15

S 

ITUATION WANTED SITUATION WANTED SITUATION WANTED 

30 YEARS Indian male 

PGDBA operations, 

having 8 years experience 

in sales co-ordinator and 

logistics looking for 

suitable placement. 

�92337137. 

HEAVY & light driver, 

experience 8 years 

�92112432, 96164017. 

INDIAN male, BSc, 

computer science + 

MCSE, CEH in 

networking and 

information security 

courses, 6 years 

experience as system 

administrator in India, 

seeks suitable placement. 

�98344993. 

BE, electrical & electronics 

engineer with 2 years 

experience in MEP, seeks 


�99790427, 

e-mail: genius6551@yahoo. 

com. 

EXECUTIVE Secretary 

cum Sales Co-ordinator, 

13 years experience in 

Oman. �99011423. 

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 

15 

SPOTLIGHT/CLASSIFIEDS 


INDIAN male, qualified 

and 14 years experience in 

Accounts and Finance, 11 

years in Oman. Contact: 

Zubin �92177046. E-mail: 

zubindiva@gmail.com 

FINANCE manager, 15 

+ years (Oman, India), 

experience in business 

management, project 

�nance accounts & costing, 

business development, 

feasibility study, ERP, 

systems & procedures, 

business process, versatile 

industry experience, seeks 

suitable placement. Contact 

92439941. 

INDIAN male, 32 years 

‘Steel Foreman’ having 

7 years Gulf experience 

in well reputed company 

working as cutting, 

bending and �xing 

supervision of steel. 

Seeking immediately 

placement in well reputed 

company. Contact 

�94105072. 

BE with MBA (Marketing 

and Operations), having 

1½ years experience in 

Sales/marketing now on 

visit looks for a suitable 

opening in Sales/Logistics/ 

Operations etc. 

Contact �93949203, 

e-mail: jm.hassan86@ 

gmail.com 

ACCOUNTANT having 

five years experience, 

knowledge up to 

finalisation, seeks 

placement �93396879. 


SOLAR Impulse piloted by Bertrand Piccard takes off from Rabat airport on Friday. — AFP 

Solar plane lands in Spain from Morocco 

MADRID — A solar-powered 

plane landed in Spain yesterday 

on its way back home after 

breaking a record with the 

�rst intercontinental �ight by 

an aircraft run on the sun’s energy, 

organisers said. 

Swiss adventurer Bertrand 

Piccard, 54 (pictured right), 

piloted the experimental plane 

Solar Impulse on the 17-hour 

�ight from Rabat in Morocco 

and landed at Madrid’s main 

airport overnight early yesterday, 

his team said. 

The Solar Impulse, which is 

made of carbon �bre and �ies 

without fuel, is on its way back 

to Switzerland after last month 

�ying from Spain to Morocco, 

the �rst time a solar-powered 

aircraft has crossed continents. 

The �ights are a rehearsal 

for an attempted round-theworld 

trip in 2014 by an updated 

version of the plane. 

The 900-km Morocco to 

Spain leg was “a particularly 

tactically challenging �ight” at 

an average of 60 km an hour, 

with the plane hitting strong 

crosswinds, the team said. 

“The aircraft’s technology 

has once again proven its reliability 

and its energy-saving 

ef�ciency,” Solar Impulse 

co-founder Andre Borschberg 

said in the statement. 

“This �ight has taught us 

even more about the aircraft, 

allowing us to �y through 

winds superior to the speed of 

the airplane.” 

The statement said the plane 

would stay in Spain for “a few 

days” for of�cial and sponsorship 

events before heading for 

Switzerland. — AFP 

QUALIFIED �nance 

controller with 10 years 

experience in manufacturing, 

trading & 

construction in Oman 

looking for an opportunity 

�96341326. 

BE (Electronics & 

Communication) 24 yrs 

Indian male, on-going 

MBA, CCNA, experience 

in India on visit, seeks 


Contact: �93807203/ 

thejus2310@gmail.com 

INDIAN female,36 years, 

MCA, 6 years experience 

in real estate in India 

looking for job in 

accounts, admin, 

documentation, 

customer service, 

secretary. 

Contact �92643204. 

INDIAN female, BBA in 

Finance available for 

immediate placement 

under finance/ banking/ 

back office/ accounts/ 

administration. Contact: 

�95910427. 

SALES & purchase 

executive, Indian male, 39 

years, 15 years experience 

in building materials, in 

Saudi Arabia, China, 

Thailand, India seeks 

suitable placement in 

Oman. Contact 

�92781754. 

Windmills breathe life 

into failing shipyards 

GDANSK, Poland — Just 

yards from where Lech Walesa 

made his �rst moves to bring 

down communism in eastern 

Europe, Danish businessman 

Thomas Gaardbo is taking 

advantage of the skilled workforce 

from the era to rescue 

one of Poland’s most cherished 

historical sites. 

When the European Union 

banned state help for the 

Gdansk shipyard in 2008, 

forcing it into bankruptcy for 

a third time, it seemed that 

all was lost for the enterprise 

which gave birth to the Solidarity 

movement in the 1970s. 

But Gaardbo has found 

that the 6.5 hectare hall that 

once churned out ocean liners 

is perfect for building the giant 

steel towers needed for the 

windfarms driving Europe’s 

shift towards cleaner renewable 

energy. 

Ant-like welders climb 

along the inside of the towers, 

which are up to 120 metres tall 

and 7.5 metres in diameter and 

carry sails that weigh as much 

as a Boeing 757. 

A major cost in their manufacture 

is their problematic 

transport, and the decision by 

Gaardbo’s company GSG Towers 

to invest 250 million zlotys 

($73.48 million) in production 

in Gdansk was largely based 

on the advantage of being able 

to load the tubes directly onto 

ships in the old free city’s harbour 

on the Baltic. 

“It is the perfect place for 

this; as they say, location, location, 

location. About 30 per 

cent of the cost of wind towers 

is transport,” he says. 

“We are proud to be helping 

this historic site. Maybe 

it’s because I am an outsider I 

HR manager/ 

administration manager 

with 25 years experience 

in Oman. Contact 

�92719485. 

BE Civil Engineer, 25, 

male, Indian, 3.5 years 

experience in Oman with 

valid driving licence seeks 


Release possible. Contact: 

�97109219. E-mail: 

sharath007m@gmail.com 

INDIAN female having 15 

years experience as 

Secretary and 3 years as 

designer, seeks suitable 

placement. �92911634. 

INDIAN female graduate 

+ 8 years exp seeks a job 

under banking & finance, 

co-ordinator, secretary, 

back office. Contact: 

�95433987. 

MEP procurement 

Engineer, Indian, 8 years 

experience (5 years in 

UAE and Oman), having 

Omani driving licence, 

looking for suitable 

opportunities. Contact 

�96964915. 

INDIAN, BBA, MBA 

(marketing), experience 

2½ years looking for 

suitable placement 

�96766971, E-mail: 

rahulvrkdl@gmail.com 

have to admit that I feel deep 

responsibility for the people 

and this place.” 

The yard, spread over a 

series of islands and canals in 

Gdansk’s historic town centre, 

employed as many as 20,000 

workers in its heyday in the 

1970s and 80s and was almost 

a town in its own right, with 

bars, buses and shops. 

Much of the period since 

has been one of struggle for 

the city’s ordinary working 

population and the shipyard’s 

reinvigoration is a symbol 

of the investment which has 

made Poland one of Europe’s 

few recent economic success 

stories. 

Some 77 companies now 

operate on the grounds, many 

of them the sort of small-scale 

entrepreneurs who have allowed 

the EU’s biggest eastern 

economy to grow constantly 

through four years of �nancial 

turmoil that has battered the 

euro zone. 

Adam Muczynski’s father 

was working as an electrician 

at the time of the 1980s 

strikes. His grandfather and 

even grandmother worked in 

the yards which he says are 

Gdansk’s spiritual heart. 

“There is no person in 

Gdansk who hasn’t had a 

family member work for the 

shipyard,” says the 30-yearold 

engineer, who works for a 

burgeoning luxury yacht business 

that was worth almost 60 

million zlotys last year. 

“This is Gdansk. This is 

us.” 

Gaardbo says the expertise 

of the former shipyard workers, 

their eagerness and ability 

to learn new skills, and the 

low overall cost of labour in 

BE, Mechanical 

Engineer, male, 22 years 

experience, 7 years in 

Oman with valid Omani 

driving licence. Business 

development, marketing, 

sales �97851969, e-mail: 

esteem605@gmail.com 

DIPLOMA civil engineer 

Indian male 26, 3.5 years 

experience in building 

construction, 1.5 years 

in Oman with Oman 

driving licence. Contact 

�95989500. E-mail: 

cv.shihabedappal@gmail. 

com 

B TECH Mechanical 

Engineer with two years 

experience, seeks suitable 

job. Contact e-mail: 

sujithadoor@yahoo.com 

�97345248. 

PHARMACIST with MoH 

licence, seeks suitable 

placement in Muscat area 

�99566311. 

what is still one of the European 

Union’s poorest countries 

gives him an advantage over 

competitors in other Western 

countries. 

Wind power is an example 

of the kind of opportunity that 

appears to have come to the 

right place at the right time for 

Poland. 

Although the technological 

and political future is uncertain 

for a sector that still needs 

large state subsidies to make it 

competitive on cost with gas, 

coal or oil, wind power accounted 

for more than 20 per 

cent of the new power generation 

brought on line in Europe 

last year, worth almost 13 billion 

euros and led by Germany, 

Britain, Sweden and Spain. 

GSG Towers can produce 

up to 300 onshore and offshore 

windmills annually and Poland 

— which has quadrupled wind 

power generation in the last 

four years — may have to install 

around triple that number 

in its bid to reach an EU target 

of obtaining 20 per cent of its 

power needs from renewable 

power. 

Other European countries 

are already nearing those levels 

of green energy but many 

plan to push on further. 

Germany has switched 

away from nuclear power as 

a source of “clean” low-emissions 

energy which means 

a further 23 windfarms are 

planned off its Baltic coast, 

keeping orders �owing in to 

the Gdansk plant. 

“We are at full capacity 

now,” Gaardbo says. “In �ve 

years’ time we will be one of 

the main suppliers of wind turbine 

solutions in the world.” 

— Reuters 

MBA male, 6 + years 

of experience in human 

resource, training & 

development, admin and 

projects. Looking for 

suitable position. Contact 

�97603723. 

ACCOUNTANT, Indian 

male, 27 years, MBA 

Finance with 6 years 

of working experience 

(2 years in Oman) in 

accounts, �nance & 

purchase, seeks 


Contact: 

�93750815. 

MALE, having 5 years 

working experience as 

an of�ce assistant and 

having bachelor degree, 

computer literate, MS 

Of�ce, looking for suitable 

placement in Oman. 

Contact �92758192. 

E-mail: asifbhatti_53@ 

hotmail.com 

CLASSIFIED 

SECTION 

RUWI: 

� 24785668 

Behind Royal Oman Police 

Adjacent to 

Dhofar 

Building

FLIGHT LIGHT SSCHEDULE 

CHEDULE 

ARRIVALS ALS S — SUNDAY SSUNDAY 

Flight No Aircraft From om / Via STA 

WY614 B737-8 Dubai 0005 

WY648 B737-8 Kuwait 0015 

WY682 B737-8 Riyadh 0015 

WY717 B737-8 Zanzibar-Dar-es-Salaam 0015 

WY648 B737-8 Kuwait 0015 

WY824 A330-200 Kuala Lumpur 0100 

NL771 B737-2 Peshawar 0130 

IX141 B737-8 Amritsar 0140 

PK223 A310 Sialkot-Peshawar 0230 

KU677 A320 Kuwait-Dubai 0230 

QR170 A320 Doha 0315 

EY384 A320 Abu Dhabi 0350 

EK866 B777 Dubai 0355 

FZ041 B737-8 Dubai 0415 

GF560 E190 Bahrain 0425 

RJ600 A319 Amman 0505 

WY662 E175AR Doha 0700 

WY114 A330-200 Frankfurt 0725 

FZ043 B737-8 Dubai 0740 

WY632 ATR42 Abu Dhabi 0800 

WY602 B737-7 Dubai 0800 

WY914 B737-8 Salalah 0800 

WY202 B737-8 Bombay 0800 

NL669 B737-2 Sialkot 0830 

WY274 B737-8 Jaipur 0840 

WY238 B737-8 Hyderabad 0850 

WY102 A330-300 London Heathrow 0900 

WY254 B737-8 Madras 0920 

WY262 B737-8 Lucknow 0920 

WY218 B737-8 Trivandrum 0925 

WY224 B737-8 Cochin 0925 

EK862 B777 Dubai 0930 

QR166 A321 Doha 0950 

G9113 A320 Sharjah 0955 


9W530 B737-8 Trivandrum 1045 

WY3302 ATR42 Mukhaizna 1045 

IX549 B737-8 Trivandrum 1050 

WY604 E175AR Dubai 1100 

WY336 B737-8 Kathmandu 1140 


IX337 B737-8 Calicut 1255 

WY918 ATR42 Khasab 1315 

WY606 B737-8 Dubai 1330 

WY924 B737-8 Salalah 1440 

WY324 B737-8 Karachi 1440 


MP097 B747F Amsterdam 1600 

WY654 E175AR Bahrain 1615 

WY204 B737-8 Bombay 1655 


QR164 A321 Doha 1735 

WY608 B737-8 Dubai 1740 

WY298 B737-8 Calicut 1750 

WY664 B737-7 Doha 1800 

WY284 B737-8 Bangalore 1800 

GF564 A319 Bahrain 1810 


TG507 A330 Bangkok-Karachi 1900 

G9117 A320 Sharjah 1905 

WY374 B737-8 Colombo 1905 

WY316 B737-8 Chittagong 1910 


FZ047 B737-8 Dubai 2020 

WY124 A330-300 Munich 2030 

WY142 A330-200 Malpensa 2040 

KL449 A330 Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi 2045 

WY134 A330-200 Paris 2045 

AI973 A320 Delhi 2125 

BA073 B777 London Heathrow-Abu Dhabi 2130 

WY616 B737-8 Dubai 2145 

AI907 A319 Madras 2200 

LH618 A340 Frankfurt-Abu Dhabi 2215 

QR168 A320 Doha 2235 


LX242 A330 Zurich-Dubai 2235 

GF566 B737-7 Bahrain 2250 

WY624 ATR42 Al Ain 2305 


WY668 B737-7 Doha 2310 

AI985 A321 Ahmedabad-Bombay 2310 

WY672 B737-8 Jeddah 2315 

WY636 B737-8 Abu Dhabi 2315 

WY686 B737-8 Dammam 2320 

WY423 B737-8 Beirut-Amman 2325 

9W534 B737-8 Cochin 2330 

WY816 A330-200 Bangkok 2335 

9W540 B737-8 Bombay 2340 

QUOTATIONS FOR TODAY 

Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it 

each day, and at last we cannot break it. 

— Horace Mann 

Love looks through a telescope; envy, 

through a microscope. 

— Josh Billings 

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, 

and paints his own nature into his pictures. 

— Henry Ward Beecher 

CINEMA 

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 Piano; 

11.00 Instrumental Music; 11.30 Light Classical 

Music; 12.00 News Headlines; 12.02 Artist of the 

Day (June); 12.07 Mid Day Edition - June; 02.30 

News Bulletin; 02.40 Behind The Wheel (Laxmi); 

04.00 News Headlines; 04.02 Omanesque (Laxmi); 

06.30 News Bulletin; 06.40 Out in Oman; 07.00 

Premium League (Murtadha) Live; 08.00 News 

Headlines; 08.02 The Oasis (Frank); 10.00 News 

Bulletin; 10.10 Euro Hits; 11.00 Selector Part 1 

(Repeat); 12.00 Selector Part 2 (Repeat); 12.40 

News Summary; 12.45 The Holy Quran; 01.00 

National Anthem, Close Down. 

Flight No Aircraft 

DEPARTURES 

To / Via STD 

BA072 B777 Abu Dhabi-London Heathrow 0001 

AI986 A321 Bombay-Ahmedabad 0005 

WY113 A330-300 Frankfurt 0045 

9W539 B737-8 Bombay 0045 

KQ318 B737-8 Nairobi 0050 

WY253 B737-8 Madras 0115 

WY601 B737-7 Dubai 0115 

WY217 B737-8 Trivandrum 0115 

WY237 B737-8 Hyderabad 0120 

WY223 B737-8 Cochin 0120 


WY261 B737-8 Lucknow 0125 

WY661 E175AR Doha 0130 

WY241 B737-8 Delhi 0130 

WY201 B737-8 Bombay 0130 

9W529 B737-8 Trivandrum 0130 

WY123 A330-300 Munich 0200 

WY141 A330-200 Malpensa 0200 

WY273 B737-8 Jaipur 0205 

NL668 B737-2 Sialkot 0215 

IX816 B737-8 Abu Dhabi-Mangalore 0220 

WY133 A330-200 Paris 0230 

WY335 B737-8 Kathmandu 0235 

PK224 A310 Peshawar-Sialkot 0330 

FZ042 B737-8 Dubai 0500 

EK867 B777 Dubai 0500 


KU678 A320 Dubai-Kuwait 0540 

QR171 A320 Doha 0550 



RJ601 A319 Amman 0715 


FZ044 B737-8 Dubai 0820 

WY315 B737-8 Chittagong 0900 

NL772 B737-2 Peshawar 0930 

WY373 B737-8 Colombo 1000 

WY297 B737-8 Calicut 1005 

WY815 A330-200 Bangkok 1010 

WY283 B737-8 Bangalore 1015 

WY323 B737-8 Karachi 1020 

WY605 B737-8 Dubai 1030 

WY917 ATR42 Khasab 1030 

WY923 B737-8 Salalah 1035 

G9114 A320 Sharjah 1035 

WY203 B737-8 Bombay 1040 

EK863 B777 Dubai 1045 


QR167 A321 Doha 1055 


9W533 B737-8 Cochin 1145 

IX554 B737-8 Cochin-Trivandrum 1150 


WY823 A330-300 Kuala Lumpur 1300 

WY423 B737-8 Beirut-Amman 1310 

WY405 B737-8 Cairo 1310 


WY663 B737-7 Doha 1330 


IX350 B737-8 Calicut 1355 

WY101 A330-300 London Heathrow 1400 

WY607 B737-8 Dubai 1440 


WY671 B737-8 Jeddah 1540 


MP097 B747F Sharjah-Hong Kong 1800 

WY615 B737-8 Dubai 1805 

QR165 A321 Doha 1840 

GF565 A319 Bahrain 1855 

WY685 B737-8 Dammam 1905 

WY647 B737-8 Kuwait 1905 

WY681 B737-8 Riyadh 1910 

WY667 B737-7 Doha 1910 


G9118 A320 Sharjah 1945 

TG508 A330 Karachi-Bangkok 2005 

WY927 B737-8 Salalah 2010 

WY635 B737-8 Abu Dhabi 2015 

WY623 ATR42 Al Ain 2015 

WY613 B737-7 Dubai 2045 

FZ048 B737-8 Dubai 2105 

KL450 A330 Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam 2200 

WY817 A330-300 Bangkok 2205 

WY913 B737-8 Salalah 2245 

AI908 A319 Madras 2300 

AI974 A320 Delhi 2310 


LX243 A330 Dubai-Zurich 2335 

QR169 A320 Doha 2335 

GF567 B737-7 Bahrain 2345 

LH619 A340 Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt 2355 

CRYPTIC PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

1 A quotation of loving 

nature (6) 

7 He gets bounty of historic 

character (8) 

8 Savage associate of the 

tiger? (4) 

10 Breaks of service, shall we 

say? (6) 

11 Not much left but to 

change the title (6) 

14 Railway timetable extract 

(3) 

16 Encouragement brought by 

an American leader? (5) 

17 Animals seen around 

Derwentwater (4) 

19 She’s duly mimicked (5) 

21 Doctrine of equable return 

(5) 

22 Historic group I want to 

reassemble (5) 

23 The measure of a pious 

testament (4) 

26 Emblematic form of motet 

(5) 

28 Its driver may well have 

the knowledge (3) 

29 Have such styles only one 

vital difference? (6) 

30 Some crocodiles, when 

disturbed, can be harmless 

(6) 

31 Certain fluids can form a 

skin (4) 

32 Projects in which it’s a bit 

of a job to shake a duster! 

(8) 

33 Injured the limb he’d 

struck out! (6) 

DOWN 

1 Followed in the most fussy 

detail (6) 

2 The club for many a crosscountry 

runner (6) 

3 Red-headed, possibly shy 

Welshman (4) 

4 If misquoted in a new 

edict, there’s something 

lacking (7) 

5 Stick to relatively cheap 

jewellery (5) 

6 Does it augment the zoo 

stock? (5) 

8 Crippled due to a terrible 

meal (4) 

16 

INFORMATION/LEISURE SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

PHARMACIES 

PHARM 

24-HOUR SERVICE 

Al Hashar H h ph, h Ruwi 24783334 

Muscat ph, Ruwi, 24702542 

Al Sarooj, 24695536 

Scientific ph, Qurum, 24566601 

Ruwi, 24702850 

DAY DUTY 

Muscat Middle East 24540924 

Al Bawariq 24455561 

Muscat 24817331 

Al Rimah Medical 

Centre 24479664 

Sur Ibn Al Nafees 

25544779 

Ibri Al Zayana 25694458 

Buraimi Yaas 25653855 

Nizwa Qalaa 25410076 

Salalah Al Riyadh 23295296 

Sohar Muscat 26840211 

NIGHT DUTY 

Muscat Starcare 24557222 

Khat Al Hayat 

24422039 

Muscat 24833323 

Muscat 24485740 

Sur Markaz Al Madinah 

25542965 

Ibri Al Aryaf 2, 25691389 

Buraimi Al Naseem, 25653070 

Barka Al Razi 26882168 

Rustaq Badr Al Jashmi 

26875798 

Nizwa Al Qalaa 25431666 

Samayil Al Jinan 25351030 

Salalah Al Mawasah 

23294400 

Sohar Scientific 26845798 

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 

CROSSWORD 

9 It’s allowed on court (3) 

12 An article? Definitely! (3) 

13 No elm can produce fruit! 

(5) 

15 Moony female beset by 

conflicting directions (5) 

18 John, on record knightly 

(5) 

19 Being French, I come to 

the right conclusion about 

a plane (3) 

20 He sits in silence (3) 

21 An interruption during the 

play (4-3) 

22 In three ways, he’s like 

Rob, Mal, Den, Seb, etc. 

(3) 

23 He gets things all wrapped 

up (6) 

24 Winged wader, once 

worshipped (4) 

25 Ultimately, that which 

surpasses the limits of 

endurance (3,3) 

26 An old house or its style 

(5) 

27 The gardener can rake it 

fine (5) 

28 One in prison for a trick? 

(3) 

30 Nice meal to keep a girl 

quiet (4) 

EASY PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

1 Love apple (6) 

7 Diabolic (8) 

8 Body part (4) 

10 Noisy quarrel (6) 

11 Thin candles (6) 

14 Drag (3) 

16 Challenges (5) 

17 Consumes (4) 

19 Electricity supply (5) 

21 Polite (5) 

22 Welcome (5) 

23 The two (4) 

26 Pickling solution (5) 

28 Small flap (3) 

29 Yearly (6) 

30 Spanish dance (6) 

31 Merely (4) 

32 Decompression sickness 

(3,5) 

33 Easy scoring chance (6) 

DOWN 

1 Chewy sweet (6) 

2 Counting frame (6) 

3 Betting chances (4) 

4 City stronghold (7) 

5 Snake (5) 

6 Board game (5) 

8 Stop (4) 

9 Horse (3) 

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 

12 Standard (3) 

13 Refute (5) 

15 Group of witches (5) 

18 Decorate (5) 

19 Pastry dish (3) 

20 Wag (3) 

21 Invents (7) 

22 Wildebeest (3) 

23 Classical dance (6) 

24 Do as ordered (4) 

25 Car horn (6) 

26 Indian dish (5) 

27 Bury (5) 

28 Unit of weight (3) 

30 Employer (4) 

YESTERDAY’S CRYPTIC 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 1, St-age 6, Sabre 

9, Ex-tract 10, Me-T-re 11, 

Rouge 12, Gleam 13, Cara- 

Mel 15, Dub 17, Anon 18, 

Sprite 19, Fifty 20, Clo-SE-d 

22, Sign 24, Hot 25, Scuttle 

26, P-luck 27, Tabo-O 28, 

Tonne 29, S-wind-on 30, 

Tent-s 31, O.G.-Les. 

DOWN: 2, The man 3, German 

4, Ex-e 5, Drol-L 6, Scrappy 

7, A-to-M 8, RA-gout 12, Gel- 

I’d 13, Catch 14, Robot 15, 

Dig-it 16, Bern-e 18, S-tuck 

19, Fellows 21, Lo-cat-e 22, 

Strong 23, Glance 25, Scone 

26, Post 28, Too. 

YESTERDAY’S EASY 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 1. Fatal; 6. Douse/ 

Dowse; 9. Nigeria; 10. Trite; 

11. Grout; 12. Gives; 13. Fade 

out; 15. Jar; 17. Edam; 18. 

Stroke; 19. Slips; 20. Equate; 

22. Sane; 24. Rum; 25. 

Feather; 26. Trial; 27. Actor; 

28. Petal; 29. Guitars; 30. 

Recap; 31. Osier. 

DOWN: 2. Abroad; 3. 

Anthem; 4. Lie; 5. Befit; 6. 

Digests; 7. Oars; 8. Squeak; 

12. Guile; 13. Fever; 14. 

Datum; 15. Jonah; 16. 

Refer; 18. Spiel; 19. Stirrup; 

21. Quiche; 22. Stress; 23. 

Negate; 25. Fatty; 26. Toga; 

28. Pro. 

IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY: After having enjoyed a period of building castles in the air you will 

have to come down to earth and let the practical side of your nature take command. 

You will get into a realistic and resourceful mood, full of positive action and the 

good results you achieve will make you feel much happier. 

CANCER 

(June 22-July 21) 

A younger member of the 

family who is inclined to 

be casual in his attitude 

will be grateful to you in later 

life if you teach him to mind his manners. 

LEO 

(July 22-August 21) 

If you really want the sincere 

advice of a friend you 

must not withhold any pertinent facts or 

be angry or upset if he speaks the truth 

as he sees it. 

VIRGO 

(August 22- 

September 22) 

You will be called upon to 

contribute your share to the 

preparations for a family gathering and 

will be glad to help. 

LIBRA 

(September 23- 

October 22) 

If you know you will have 

to take an exam in the future it would 

be better to prepare for it now instead 

of waiting until the last minute. 

� YOUR STARS � 

SCORPIO 

(October 23- 

November 21) 

When contemplating a radical 

change in your home get a number 

of estimates and discuss all the details 

with your partner before deciding. 

SAGITTARIUS 

(November 22- 

December 21) 

Try to make time to visit 

a bereaved elderly relative on whose 

hands time hangs heavily. You will 

realise the sweet nature of the person 

concerned. 

CAPRICORN 

(December 22- 

January 20) 

If there is a birthday person 

in the house today make a special effort 

to have a memorable celebration. The 

person is in need of cheering up. 

AQUARIUS 

(January 21-Feb 19) 

Your decision to put a full 

stop to a certain activity 

of yours may meet with strong reaction 

from others concerned. Keep your 

promise to yourself. 

PISCES 

(February 20-March 20) 

A very personal matter 

would be better handled 

by yourself rather than entrust somebody 

else with it. They do not know 

all the facts. 

ARIES 

(March 21-April 20) 

You will be able to impress 

senior executives with 

the way you handle an emergency at 

work and your efficiency will be 

borne in mind when promotion is considered. 

TAURUS 

(April 21-May 20) 

If you are still having pangs 

of doubt about your refusal 

to help a friend in trouble it is not too 

late to change your mind and do your 

good turn. 

GEMINI 

(May 21-June 21) 

Don’t let your generosity be 

abused by a certain person 

who prefers not to spend his own money 

in spite of a healthy bank balance. 

OTHER HOSPITALS 

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 

ACROSS 

3 Principle (5) 

9 Load (6) 

10 Give (6) 

11 Composition (5) 

12 Dispatched (4) 

15 Broad (4) 

17 Betrothed (7) 

20 Vehicle (3) 

21 Cubed (5) 

23 Group (4) 

25 Press (4) 

26 Domesticated (5) 

28 Nourished (3) 

30 Disfigured (7) 

33 Thought (4) 

35 Manufactured (4) 

36 Wire (5) 

38 Race (6) 

39 Enrol (6) 

40 Whiskers (5) 

DOWN 

1 Revile (5) 

2 Fetch (5) 

3 Golf-peg (3) 

4 Followed (6) 

5 Cheese (4) 

M USEUMS 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 PLANE-TARIUM, 

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. 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

6 Plaything (3) 

7 Anxiety (5) 

8 Drain (5) 

13 Tolerated (7) 

14 Implicit (5) 

16 Discouraged (7) 

18 Ate (5) 

19 Garland (3) 

22 Vision (5) 

24 Faucet (3) 

27 Trader (6) 

28 Demon (5) 

29 Demise (5) 

31 Carp (5) 

32 God (5) 

34 Sensible (4) 

CARTOONS 

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 

36 Horse (3) 

37 Finish (3) 

YESTERDAY’S 

QUICK SOLUTION 

ACROSS: 1, Letter 5, 

Sodden 9, Water 10, 

Varlet 11, Valued 12, 

Revel 14, Slid 17, Den 

18, Best 20, Hades 22, 

Madly 23, Besides 24, 

Cheat 26, Teach 29, 

Rear 30, Bog 32, Duke 

33, Tonal 35, Vendor 

36, Pother 37, Refer 38, 

Nudged 39, Dearth. 

DOWN: 1, Lavish 2, 

Torrid 3, Ewer 4, Rated 

5, Seven 6, Oral 7, 

Daubed 8, Nudity 13, 

Venison 15, Lathe 16, 

Debar 18, Based 19, 

Slack 21, Set 22, Met 

24, Craven 25, Earned 

27, Author 28, Hearth 

30, Bored 31, Gaped 

33, Tore 34, Lore. 

ADAM @ HOME by Brian Basset 

CALVIN AND HOBBES by Bill Watterson 

GARFIELD by Jim Davis 

STONE SOUP by Jan Eliot

17 SPORT 



Alonso on pole at Silverstone 

FERNANDO Alonso and Sebastian Vettel drive during the qualifying session at the Silverstone circuit yesterday. — AFP 

SILVERSTONE, United 

Kingdom — Fernando Alonso 

claimed his and Ferrari's first 

pole since 2010 and 21st of 

his career after topping the 

times during yesterday's raindrenched 

qualifying session 

for today's British Grand Prix. 

The Spaniard, who won 

last year's Silverstone race and 

is leading this season's drivers 

standings, clocked a fastest 

lap of the very wet Silverstone 

circuit in one minute 51.746 

WHITE SULPHUR 

SPRINGS, West Virginia — 

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson 

were set to miss the cut 

as US Open champion Webb 

Simpson moved one stroke 

clear in Friday's second round 

of the weather-delayed Greenbrier 

Classic at White Sulphur 

Springs in West Virginia. 

Woods, the hottest player 

on the US circuit this season 

with three victories in his last 

seven events, struggled with 

distance control in his approach 

play on the way to a 

one-under-par 69 on the Old 

White TPC Course. 

The 14-times major champion 

needed to ace the parthree 

last to ensure he advanced 

to the weekend but his 

tee shot settled seven feet from 

the cup from where he sank the 

birdie putt for an even-par total 

of 140. 

It will be only the ninth 

time Woods has missed the cut 

in a PGA Tour event as a professional, 

and the second occasion 

this year after his failure 

to progress at the Wells Fargo 

Championship in May. 

"I didn't quite have it," a 

frustrated Woods told report- 

seconds. That scintillating effort 

edged out Mark Webber 

of Red Bull by less than five 

hundredths of a second. 

Despite almost missing out 

on Q3, Alonso, fastest in the 

morning, rose to the occasion 

and set his fastest time on his 

final lap which was enough to 

see off Webber and claim Ferrari's 

first pole in Britain since 

2003. 

The double champion said 

he was delighted to have put 

ers after mixing four birdies 

with three bogeys. "I drove it 

really good today and I just did 

not have the feel for distances. 

"The ball was just going 

forever. I know we're at altitude 

but I just couldn't get 

the ball hit pin-high no matter 

what I did. And consequently I 

made some bogeys." 

Woods, who overtook Jack 

Nicklaus in second place on 

the all-time list of PGA Tour 

winners with his two-shot triumph 

at the AT&T National 

last Sunday, missed the cut in 

his next start after a victory for 

the third time in his career. 

"It happens," the world 

number four said. "You miss 

cuts out here. I've been doing 

it for a long time (as a pro) 

and I've missed nine cuts. So 

one every couple of years, I 

guess." Mickelson carded a 

second successive 71 to finish 

three strokes outside the 

projected cutline as he and 

Woods are poised to miss the 

cut in the same event for the 

first time since the 1993 Byron 

Nelson Championship. 

"I don't know what to say 

about that," Mickelson said 

after a round including three 

an end to Ferrari's run without 

poles but played down the significance 

of his grid position, 

suggesting the weather would 

have the biggest role to play. 

He said: "I'm happy to be 

on pole after nearly two years, 

but in these conditions the 

qualifying is probably the least 

important of the year but obviously 

for visibility it is always 

better to be on pole." 

"It was tricky conditions for 

everyone. You have to be calm 

Simpson leads as Woods, Mickelson head for exit 

birdies, two bogeys and a 

double-bogey at the par-three 

15th. "The parts don't feel 

that far off, but I haven't been 

putting them together. 

"I just don't get it," added 

the American left-hander, 

who also missed the cut here 

Sharks keep play-off hopes alive 

SHARKS’ Ryan Kankowski gets past the tackle of Bulls players in Durban. — Reuters 

DURBAN — The Sharks 

kept their Super Rugby playoff 

hopes alive with a 32-10 

drubbing of the Bulls in their 

South African derby at Kings 

Park on Friday. 

The bonus-point win lifted 

the hosts to sixth in the standings 

with one round left. The 

top six contest the play-offs. 

The Sharks had not played 

a competitive match since June 

2, when Super Rugby went in 

to a three-week break during 

the international season, but 

showed no sign of rustiness 

and ran the ball whenever they 

could to chalk up four tries in 

front of a 29,515 crowd. 

“"I'm proud of the way we 

played," said captain Keegan 

Daniel. “We knew we had to 

stop their lineout drives." 

The Sharks took the lead 

in the 12th minute when burly 

hooker Bismarck du Plessis 

forced his way over for a converted 

try after a bulldozing 

run. The Pretoria-based Bulls 

hit back with a penalty from 

flyhalf Morne Steyn before 

Sharks centre Frans Steyn restored 

the home team's sevenpoint 

buffer with a massive 

54-metre penalty. The Sharks 

grabbed their second try in 

the 26th minute when wing 

JP Pietersen darted over in the 

right-hand corner for a converted 

score. 

Flyhalf Michalak then 

kicked a penalty to hand the 

home team a commanding 

20-3 lead at halftime. 

in some difficult moments 

— in Q3 we had the difficult 

choice between inter and full 

wet (tyres), but when we saw 

everyone on the inter, we 

relax a little and put a lap together." 

Second-placed Webber said: 

"It was a very tight session." 

Seven-time champion Michael 

Schumacher of Mercedes was 

third fastest ahead of defending 

champion Sebastian Vettel 

in the second Red Bull. Felipe 

12 months ago. "I certainly 

struggled a little bit on the 

greens both years, but nothing 

that should have led to these 

scores." Play was suspended 

for just over two hours earlier 

on Friday due to the threat of 

lightning and the second round 

Massa was fifth-fastest in the 

second Ferrari followed by 

Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus and 

Spanish Grand Prix winner Pastor 

Maldonado of Williams. 

Home-hero Lewis Hamilton 

on McLaren was eighthfastest 

for McLaren ahead of 

German Nico Hulkenberg in 

the second Mercedes. 

Frenchman Romain Grosjean 

was not able to run after 

he spun at the end of Q2 and 

was unable make it back to the 

pits — he will start tenth. 

Despite a relatively dry run 

during yesterday morning's 

final practice, the rain began to 

fall moments before qualifying 

started. 

That meant all 24 drivers 

were forced out on track in a 

desperate attempt to secure a 

decent lap time before the rain 

took full effect. 

Vettel went fastest, but out 

went McLaren driver Jenson 

Button, who, despite having a 

reputation for his wet weather 

driving and performing in front 

of his English home crowd, 

could not put an end to his dismal 

qualifying run which has 

plagued him since the Spanish 

Grand Prix in May. 

The 2009 champion wound 

up almost a send off the pace 

required to escape the cut and 

wound up 18th fastest, his 

worst qualifying performance 

of the season. 

He joined Caterham drivers 

WEBB Simpson watches his shot during the second round in White Sulphur Springs. — AFP 

The second period began 

as the first had started for the 

Sharks and after four minutes 

forward Daniel spun his way 

out of a tackle to crash over in 

the left-hand corner. 

The Bulls finally woke 

from their lethargy and clawed 

a converted try back when fullback 

Zane Kirchner rounded 

off a fine move to narrow the 

gap to 25-10 after 52 minutes. 

The Sharks had the final say, 

grabbing the bonus-point try 

with two minutes left through 

fullback Louis Ludik. 

“We just couldn't get going," 

Bulls skipper Pierre 

Spies said. "“They put our 

set-piece under pressure and 

we just couldn't get out of our 

own half." — Reuters 

was eventually halted for the 

day in fading light with 12 

players still out on the course. 

While Mickelson and 

Woods were set to exit, fellow 

American Simpson carded a 

flawless four-birdie 66 to take 

control of the tournament with 

Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly 

Petrov, and Marussia driver 

Timo Glock, Hispania driver 

Pedro De La Rosa and Charles 

Pic in the second Marussia 

who opted not to run after also 

receiving a five-place grid 

penalty for changing his gearbox 

before qualifying. 

Drivers continued to struggle 

as conditions worsened in 

Q2 and after an array of 'almost' 

crashes and spins which 

included wet weather wizard 

Schumacher, the session was 

red-flagged with just over six 

minutes remaining. 

After more than an hour's 

wait, the session resumed and 

local hero Hamilton topped the 

times. Paul Di Resta wound up 

11th in the second Force India 

after being edged out in the 

final seconds by double champion 

Alonso who clocked a 

faster times despite there being 

yellow flags in section 14. 

Japanese Kamui Kobayashi 

was 12th for Sauber ahead of 

Nico Rosberg of Mercedes 

who received a five-place grid 

penalty for changing his gearbox 

after practice on Friday 

and will start in 18th place. 

That meant Daniel 

Ricciardo of Toro Rosso, 

Bruno Senna of Williams, 

Jean Eric Vergne also of Toro 

Rosso, Sergio Perez of Sauber 

and Button all gained a place 

on the grid for today's race. 

— AFP 

a nine-under total of 131 after 

36 holes. 

The 26-year-old, who 

clinched his first major title 

by one shot in last month's US 

Open at the Olympic Club, 

knocked in a six-foot birdie 

putt on the 18th green to snatch 

the outright lead. 

Compatriots Jonathan Byrd 

(68), PGA Tour rookie Charlie 

Beljan (62), Jeff Maggert (68) 

and Jerry Kelly (66) were tied 

for second. 

Simpson, who played with 

Woods for the first two rounds 

this week, needed no reminding 

by reporters that he led last 

year's Greenbrier Classic after 

36 holes before falling back 

into a tie for ninth. 

"I was confident last year, 

I'm confident this year," he 

said. "I don't think a whole lot 

has changed. I've learned a lot 

about myself in the final round 

since last year. 

"But I've still got a long 

way to go, and there's a bunch 

of good players right there." 

Eight-time Major champion 

Tom Watson, at the age 

of 62, birdied four of his first 

seven holes on Friday to shoot 

a 68. — Reuters 

Brumbies beat Waratahs to hold lead 

SYDNEY — The ACT Brumbies 

edged closer to clinching 

the Australian conference with 

a grinding 19-15 Super Rugby 

win over the New South 

Wales Waratahs in Sydney 

yesterday. 

The Brumbies maintained 

their five-point lead over defending 

champions Queensland 

Reds at the top of the 

Australian group with their 

first win in Sydney for a decade 

and their fifth consecutive 

away victory. 

They will seal the conference 

and their place in this 

month's top-six playoffs by 

earning at least one point 

against the lowly Auckland 

Blues in Canberra next weekend. 

The Waratahs hit the 

front 15-9 with just over 30 

minutes left in a grinding Australian 

derby at the sparselypopulated 

Olympic stadium, 

only for the Brumbies to come 

home the stronger in the closing 

stages. 

Fijian winger Henry Speight 

scored off Zack Holmes' floating 

pass, evading Wallabies' 

backs Adam Ashley-Cooper 

and Drew Mitchell on the right 

wing just after the hour. 

The Waratahs, with 10 

Wallabies in their starting XV, 

have now lost seven games by 

four points or less this season 

and are well out of contention 

for the playoffs later this 

month. 

NSW scored two tries to 

the Brumbies' one. "It wasn't 

exactly the victory we were after, 

but you've got to give credit 

to the 'Tahs, they are a quality 

side across the park and coming 

up here and winning, it's 

not something the Brumbies 

have done since 2002," skipper 

Ben Mowen said. 

"We keep breaking these 

hoodoos, we keep taking a 

step forward." The Waratahs 

looked threatening at times 

and scored tries through Wallabies 

Tatafu Polota-Nau and 

Berrick Barnes, but made 

some crucial errors in the final 

quarter as the Brumbies 

hit back. 

"It wasn't a good performance 

by us, we're a better team 

than that," Waratahs skipper 

Benn Robinson said. — AFP 

A COURSE for soccer coaches began yesterday. It will continue at the City Seasons Hotel. 

Stoner takes pole 

at Sachsenring 

CASEY Stoner of Australia takes a curve during the 

qualifying race in Sachsenring yesterday. — Reuters 

SACHSENRING, Germany 

— Defending 

champion Casey Stoner 

will start today's German 

motorcycling Grand 

Prix on pole position after 

topping yesterday's 

qualifying session at the 

Sachsenring. 

The Australian recorded 

a fastest time of 1min 

31.796sec on his final lap 

to record the 42nd pole 

of his career, as he pipped 

American Ben Spies to top 

spot by 0.193. 

Stoner's Honda teammate 

Dani Pedrosa was 

KOHLER, Wisconsin — 

Norway's Suzann Pettersen, 

following her game plan to 

near perfection, seized overall 

control while Michelle 

Wie provided the sizzle in 

Friday's second round of the 

US Women's Open in Kohler, 

Wisconsin. 

Pettersen, two strokes 

off the pace overnight at the 

year's third major, fired a 

sparkling four-under-par 68 

on a slightly cooler day at 

Blackwolf Run to grab a oneshot 

lead with a five-under 

total of 139. 

Wie was in hot pursuit, a 

best-of-the-week 66 lifting her 

into a share of second place 

with fellow American Cristie 

Kerr, who carded a 71. 

Germany's Sandra Gal 

(70), South Korea's Park Inbee 

(70) and American Vicky 

Hurst (70) were a further 

stroke back at three-under 

141. 

Pettersen, who won her 

first major title at the 2007 

LPGA Championship, was 

delighted with her position 

going into weekend after 

third — 0.285 off the pace. 

Stoner has three victories 

to his name through 

seven races of this year's 

World Championship and 

is level with Yamaha's 

Jorge Lorenzo on 140 

points at the summit of the 

riders' standings. 

Lorenzo qualified fifth 

and will start on the second 

row of the grid flanked by 

Britain's Cal Crutchlow 

and home favourite Stefan 

Bradl. 

Meanwhile, Ducati's 

Italian star Valentino Rossi 

was ninth fastest. — AFP 

Pettersen takes control, 

Wie in contention 

launching her second-day 

charge with four birdies in her 

first seven holes. 

"I got off to a very good 

start, hit a lot of the shots I 

tried to hit, and just tried to 

execute my game plan," the 

31-year-old Norwegian told 

reporters after mixing five 

birdies with a bogey at the 

par-four fourth. 

"There are definitely 

low scores and birdies out 

there, so I'm very happy where 

I'm at. I can put my legs up 

now and rest a little bit." 

— Reuters 

Yankees increase lead 

with win over Red Sox 

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees solidified their lead at 

the top of the American League East with a 10-8 victory over 

division rivals the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball at 

Fenway Park on Friday. Both sides started with in-form pitchers 

in the first of a four game series but neither Josh Beckett or 

Hiroki Kuroda could halt an explosive opening where both sides 

scored five runs in the first inning. The Yankees took control in 

the seventh, turning a 7-6 deficit into a 10-7 lead. 

The victory was New York's 50th win of the season (50-32) 

and kept them out in front in the division with the Red Sox 

(42-41) staying mired in fourth, eight-and-a-half games back. 

Results: Tampa Bay Rays bt Cleveland Indians 10-3, Detroit Tigers bt 

Kansas City Royals 4-2, Colorado Rockies bt Washington Nationals 5-1, 

Atlanta Braves bt Philadelphia Phillies 5-0, San Francisco Giants bt Pittsburgh 

Pirates 6-5, NY Yankees bt Boston Red Sox 10-8, Chicago Cubs bt 

NY Mets 8-7, Milwaukee Brewers bt Houton Astros 7-1, Minnesota Twins 

bt Texas Rangers 5-1, Chicago White Sox bt Toronto blue Jays 4-2, Miami 

Marlins bt St Louis Cardinals 3-2, Arizona Diamondbacks bt LA Dodgers 

5-3, Baltimore Orioles bt LA Angels 3-2, Oakland Athletics bt Seattle 

Mariners 4-1, Cincinnati Reds bt San Diego Padres 6-0. — Reuters 

Stormers crush Cheetahs 

BLOEMFONTEIN — The 

Stormers claimed top spot 

in the South African Super 

Rugby conference with a dour 

13-6 win over the Cheetahs 

yesterday. The victory moved 

the Stormers to 62 points, 

eight ahead of the Bulls and 

Sharks, with one round of 

league matches to play. 

The Cape Town-based 

team missed the chance to 

go top of the overall standings, 

however, as they failed 

to pick up a bonus-point for 

scoring four tries and are still 

one point behind leaders the 

Waikato Chiefs. 

The match was played in 

cold and very wet conditions 

SUZANN Pettersen reacts 

during the third round in 

Kohler, Wisconsin. 

with both teams content to 

play a tactical kicking game 

in an effort to gain territory. 

The safety first approach 

meant scoring opportunities 

were limited and it took 17 

minutes before Stormers flyhalf 

Peter Grant kicked a penalty 

for the first points of the 

contest. 

“The win was important for 

us,” said Stormers captain Jean 

de Villiers. 

“The conditions were terrible. 

You couldn’t play much 

and it was better not to have 

the ball. We have one match 

left and are happy where we 

are.” — Reuters

CHESTER-LE-STREET, 

England — Steven Finn's fourwicket 

haul laid the platform 

for England's eight-wicket 

hammering of Australia in the 

fourth one-day international 

here yesterday. 

England, set a modest 201 

for victory, finished on 201 

for two with 13 balls as they 

won the series, going 3-0 up in 

this five match campaign after 

Wednesday's clash in Birmingham 

was washed out. 

Jonathan Trott (64 not out) 

and Ravi Bopara (33 not out) 

shared an unbroken stand of 

65 as England recorded their 

ninth successive one-day international 

victory with 13 

balls to spare. Ian Bell (69) 

and Warwickshire colleague 

Trott had previously put on 66 

for the second wicket. 

Bell's 94-ball knock, featuring 

nine fours, meant that in 

five innings since taking over 

as an opener following Kevin 

Pietersen's limited overs retirement 

he'd scored 364 runs 

at an average of 72.8 with one 

hundred and three fifties. 

Meanwhile Trott's effort, 

in his 47th innings, saw him 

become the fourth fastest batsman 

to 2,000 ODI runs behind 

South Africa's Hashim Amla 

(40 innings) and Pakistan's 

Zaheer Abbas and Pietersen 

(both 45). 

Earlier, fast bowler Finn's 

haul of four for 37 in his 

maximum 10 overs sparked an 

Australia top-order collapse as 

the visitors struggled in overcast 

conditions after losing 

the toss. That Australia, still 

the world number one side in 

this format, recovered from a 

lowly 96 for six to 200 for nine 

was largely down to David 

Hussey's 70. 

England captain Alastair 

Cook and Bell made a sound 

start to the chase. 

Bell later eased fast bowler 

James Pattinson, recalled 

alongside fellow seamer Ben 

Hilfenhaus in place of left-arm 

quick Mitchell Johnson and 

spinner Xavier Doherty, to the 

cover boundary with typical 

elegance. 

Australia's problems in- 

18 SPORT 



Serena sees off Radwanska for fifth crown 

LONDON — American Serena Williams 

powered her way to a fifth Wimbledon title 

with an explosive start and a fighting finish to 

beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 

6-2 yesterday. 

The 30-year-old, contesting her seventh 

Wimbledon singles final, blew her nervous 

opponent off court in the first set but after a 

short rain interruption was then forced to go 

toe-to-toe with the Pole before winning the last 

five games. 

After pounding away a backhand winner 

after just over two hours to end Radwanska's 

brave resistance and secure a 14th Grand Slam 

singles title, Williams collapsed backwards to 

the court before climbing through the crowd to 

celebrate with her family and friends. 

"I can't even describe it," an emotional Williams, 

who suffered serious health issues after 

cutting her foot and was out for a year since 

winning her fourth title in 2010, said in an oncourt 

interview after collecting the trophy her 

older sister Venus has also lifted five times. 

"I almost didn't make it a few years ago. I 

was in hospital but now I'm here again and it 

was so worth it. I'm so happy. 

"Just never give up, you can continue. 

Thank you, guys in the box today, daddy, mum 

— I can't name everyone one but thank you 

from the bottom of my heart." 

Victory made her the oldest women's singles 

winner since Martina Navratilova won the 

title in 1990, aged 33. 

ENGLAND’S Steven Finn (left) celebrates after dismissing 

Australia’s Matthew Wade yesterday. — AFP 

LA PLANCHE DES BELLES 

FILLES, France — Race favourite 

Bradley Wiggins took command of 

the Tour de France yesterday as Sky 

team-mate Christopher Froome secured 

a deserved maiden victory on 

stage seven. 

Defending champion Cadel Evans 

of Australia finished second, with 

Wiggins in third only seconds behind 

as Sky's pace on the final, 5.9 

km climb to the race's first hilltop 

finish exacted a costly toll on some 

contenders. 

BMC leader Evans, who made 

a futile bid for the stage win only 

to be passed by Froome in the final 

SERENA Williams of the US hits a return against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at Wimbledon yesterday. — Reuters 

It looked like being a breeze for Williams as 

she took the opening five games and romped 

through the first set in 36 minutes against a 

clearly nervous Radwanska, who was contesting 

her first Grand Slam final. 

Radwanska finally got on the scoreboard in 

the sixth game to sympathetic applause from 

the Centre Court crowd. 

A short rain delay interrupted the match 

but when the players returned, Williams 

100 metres, is now second overall at 

10sec behind Wiggins. 

Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas, 

considered the biggest challenger 

to Evans and Wiggins, is third 

at 16 with Estonian Rein Taaramae of 

Cofidis in fourth at 32. 

"It's a great day for the team," said 

Wiggins, who started the first day in 

the hills in second place only seven 

seconds behind Fabian Cancellara. 

"I wanted to go for the yellow 

jersey and for Chris to win the stage 

but I had to tell him to slow down towards 

the end to keep something for 

the finish." 

Ahead of another, arguably trick- 

moved a break ahead in the second set before 

Radwanska suddenly came to the party. With 

Williams looking anxious, Radwanska broke 

back to level at 4-4 and then moved 6-5 ahead 

on serve. 

Williams sent a backhand long to give 

Radwanska two set points and another error 

allowed the Pole to take the match into a 

deciding set — an achievement in itself after 

looking completely overwhelmed early on. 

tensified as all-rounder Shane 

Watson and Lee both went 

off injured, meaning skipper 

Michael Clarke had to use 

part-time bowlers. 

But they did reduce England 

to 70 for one when Cook 

(29) drove McKay to substitute 

Steven Smith at short 

extra-cover. 

Bell had looked in command 

until he chopped on to 

seamer McKay, the only Australia 

bowler to take wickets in 

this match with two for 29. 

England would have had 

even fewer runs to chase had 

they not dropped four catches, 

with Hussey missed on 15 and 

29. Finn, twice on a hat-trick, 

ended just shy of his careerbest 

four for 34 which he 

achieved twice against Pakistan 

in the United Arab Emirates 

in February. 

England saw Finn claim 

two wickets in successive balls 

as Australia slumped to six for 

two in the sixth over. 

The series concludes with 

a day/night match at Old 

Trafford on Tuesday. 

As dark clouds closed in on Centre Court, 

Williams looked in trouble at 1-2 in the final 

set but she regained her composure, breaking 

in the fifth game when Radwanska sent a 

backhand long and again two games later with 

a delicate forehand drop shot. 

Serving for the match at 5-2 she cracked 

down yet another ace, her 102nd of the tournament, 

then powered in another unreturnable 

serve before finishing off with a backhand 

winner. 

Radwanska, who will rise to number two in 

the WTA rankings, was almost overcome with 

emotion at the end. 

"I think I had the best two weeks of my 

life," Radwanska, who had been suffering with 

illness before the match, said on court. "She 

was too good today but I'm just so happy to be 

here in the final. 

"I think it was not my day but I'll try again 

next year." 

Women’s singles final: Serena Williams 

(USA x6) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) 

6-1, 5-7, 6-2. 

Mixed doubles semifinals: Mike Bryan/ 

Lisa Raymond (USA/USA x2) bt Nenad Zimonjic/Katarina 

Srebotnik (SRB/SLO x3) 6-3, 

6-4; Leander Paes/Elena Vesnina (IND/RUS 

x4) bt Bob Bryan/Liezel Huber (USA/USA x1) 

7-5, 3-6, 6-3. 

Girls singles final: Eugenie Bouchard (CAN 

x5) bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x3) 6-2, 6-2. 

Four-star Finn stars for England 

ier day in the Swiss Jura on Sunday 

and the first of two long time trials on 

Monday, Wiggins said it was not too 

early to take the race lead. 

He said: "I don't think it's ever too 

early to take the lead of the Tour de 

France. It's the yellow jersey. 

"It's the hardest and biggest race 

in the world. It's huge for me, something 

I've dreamt about since I was a 

kid." 

Team Sky came to the race with a 

number of talented climbers and their 

high pace-setting from the bottom of 

the steep climb to the ski station finish 

line was too much for some. 

Michael Rogers led the way from 

the first, steep pitches and with 3.8 

km of the 199km remaining Australian 

compatriot Richie Porte took over 

at the front. 

Nairobi-born Froome then took up 

the duties of pacing Wiggins with 2.1 

km to race, dropping Russian Denis 

Menchov among others in the process. 

At that point, only Evans, Wiggins, 

Nibali and Taaramae could hold 

on. 

Evans then made a move for victory 

with just over 350 metres to go 

but on one of the steepest sections of 

the climb Froome eased past the Australian 

to come over the finish with 

room to spare. 

SCOREBOARD 

Australia 

S Watson b Bresnan .....................28 

D Warner lbw Finn ........................2 

P Forrest lbw Finn ..........................0 

M Clarke b Finn ...........................43 

G Bailey b Bopara .........................9 

D Hussey c Anderson 

b Bresnan ....................70 

M Wade c Kieswetter b Finn .........0 

B Lee c Broad b Anderson ...........27 

C McKay c Bresnan b Anderson ...6 

J Pattinson (not out) .......................8 

B Hilfenhaus (not out) ...................0 

Extras: (lb-2, w-4, nb-1) ...............7 

Total: (9 wkts, 50 overs) .......... 200 

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-57, 4-68, 

5-96, 6-96, 7-166, 8-174, 9-194. 

Bowling: Anderson 10-3-34-2; 

Finn 10-2-37-4 (w-1); Bresnan 9-0- 

46-2 (w-2); Broad 9-1-34-0 (nb-1); 

Bopara 9-0-29-1 (w-1); Patel 3-0- 

18-0. 

England 

A Cook c sub b McKay ................29 

I Bell b McKay ............................69 

J Trott (not out) ............................64 

R Bopara (not out) .......................33 

Extras: (w-4, nb-2) .......................6 

Total: (2 wkts, 47.5 overs) ....... 201 

Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-136. 

Bowling: Lee 2.2-1-12-0; Hilfenhaus 

9.4-0-36-0 (nb-1, w-1); McKay 

10-1-29-2 (w-1); Pattinson 10-1- 

46-0 (nb-1, w-1); Watson 1-0-5-0; 

Clarke 5-0-17-0; Hussey 8.5-0-48-0 

(w-1); Warner 1-0-8-0. 

Wiggins in yellow as Sky team-mate Froome triumphs 

"I'm really happy because I 

didn't expect this, not in the Tour de 

France," said Froome, who claimed 

his maiden Grand Tour stage win on 

last year's Tour of Spain where he 

finished runner-up just ahead of Wiggins. 

Former podium finisher Frank 

Schleck, meanwhile, was among the 

Radioshack riders dropped relatively 

early, along with German teammate 

Andreas Kloden, American Chris 

Horner and, as expected, overnight 

race leader Cancellara. RadioShack's 

best placed rider is now Spanish 

veteran Haimar Zubeldia in fifth at 

59. — AFP 

Federer and Murray 

playing for history 

LONDON — Roger Federer 

will try to make more of his 

own tennis history when he 

plays in a record eighth Wimbledon 

final, with the Swiss 

rolling the dice not only for a 

seventh trophy at the All England 

Club but also a return to 

the No 1 ranking. 

That rise back to the top 

would come through a defeat 

of Andy Murray, who has his 

own pressure as the first British 

man into the grass-court 

Grand Slam final since 1938. 

Britain has not won the trophy 

since Fred Perry in 1936. 

Federer saw off No 1 and 

top seed Novak Djokovic in 

a four-set semifinal and goes 

into today's showdown having 

beaten Murray in two finals 

at the majors. The Swiss 

lifted his last Grand Slam trophy 

— his 16th — in January, 

2011, over Murray in 

Australia. 

"Obviously I'd love to 

win the title, I have one 

more match to go," said the 

30-year-old Swiss. "These 

matches only help my confidence. 

I hope I can use it then 

for the finals." 

While Federer has an 7-8 

record against Murray, the 

16-time Grand Slam champion 

Swiss leads the Scot in 

finals, 4-2. 

"I know how good Andy is 

and finals are finals, I've had 

my tough losses with him as 

well. I remember the losses 

I had against him, in the finals 

particularly in Shanghai 

(2010) where he crushed me, 

and in Toronto (2010) I believe 

it was. 

"But now it's quite interesting, 

because we haven't 

played each other very often 

lately." 

Federer, 65-7 at Wimbledon, 

won his last title at the 

LONDON — Britain's 

newspapers breathed a 

sigh of relief yesterday 

and hailed Andy Murray 

becoming the first homegrown 

player to reach the 

Wimbledon men's tennis 

final in 74 years. 

Pictures of Murray 

celebrating his semifinal 

win over France's Jo-Wilfried 

Tsonga adorned the 

front pages of all Britain's 

major national newspapers 

— including the Financial 

Times. 

"And finally", said the 

front page of The Times, 

which called the Scot 

'Magnificent Murray', and 

said his achievement after 

so long was 'immense'. 

"Even to make the 

Wimbledon final, in an 

era graced by some of 

the greatest players ever, 

is a feat worthy of congratulation," 

its editorial 

said. 

"There remains the 

small matter of actually 

beating perhaps the 

world's greatest ever 

player, Roger Federer, 

whose own superb effort 

in reaching a record eighth 

final should not be forgotten 

either. 

"But good luck on 

Sunday, Andy. One huge 

obstacle cleared. Just one 

even bigger one still to 

go." 

"Now can he finish 

the job?" asked the Daily 

Mail. 

"Oh, the ecstasy. Andy 

Murray has done it. Finally. 

At last." 

The Daily Telegraph 

said Murray had to 

overcome both Federer 

'and the burden of expectation'. 

Murray has broken 

'one of the oldest curses in 

event in 2009. His match with 

Murray is exactly what he 

might have hoped for. 

"I always say in whatever 

country I am I like to play the 

local hero, and Andy is exactly 

that here at Wimbledon. 

"I hope I have some crowd 

support," said the tennis hero, 

"but it's not the very most important 

thing right now." 

Murray has shut himself 

off with only his team headed 

by iceman coach Ivan Lendl 

during the fortnight. 

The world No 4 cannot 

rise from that position even 

if he were to win the trophy 

which would end the 76-year 

home drought. 

"It's a great challenge, one 

where I'm probably not expected 

to win the match," he 

said. "But if I play well, I'm 

capable of winning. 

"If you look at his record 

here over the past 10 years or 

so, it's been incredible. The 

(extra) pressure that I would 

be feeling if it was against 

somebody else I guess it 

would be different. 

"But there will be less on 

me on Sunday because of 

who he is." 

Murray has been keeping 

away from television and 

newspapers and devoting all 

of his time to training and 

preparation. 

"Almost every time you 

step on the court you're trying 

to prove something to yourself. 

I think that's kind of what 

motivates you to get better. 

"You can't stay at the top 

in a sport, especially one 

as competitive as tennis, if 

you don't have very good 

self motivation. I think that's 

very important. Obviously I'll 

be very motivated on Sunday." 

— dpa 

HISTORY BECKONS: Murray (left) and Federer 

'Finally!' cries British press 

sport', the broadsheet said. 

"The man from Dunblane 

is unarguably the 

best player these islands 

have produced for many a 

long year — and if he does 

triumph, his status as a 

national icon will be more 

than assured." 

While Federer is 

looking to match Pete 

Sampras's record of seven 

Wimbledon titles, Britain 

craves just the one. 

"A nation will be praying 

that Andy Murray can 

deliver it." 

The Guardian said 

Murray was 'one step from 

heaven' following his last 

four victory, sealed with a 

disputed line call. 

"When the ending 

came it was as farcical as 

it was cathartic. But once 

Hawk-Eye had confirmed 

that Andy Murray had 

bucked 74 years of history, 

the Centre Court crowd 

roared their acclaim," the 

daily said. 

"At times during the 

fourth set of this semifinal, 

it had been very 

different as the ghosts of 

past British failures at 

this stage began to stalk 

their thoughts as they 

murmured and muttered 

beneath darkening 

skies. 

“But Murray held his 

nerve better than those 

watching." 

The Sun wished Murray 

good luck in the final, 

and urged him to enjoy 

himself, following the 

tears of his semifinal victory. 

"In this diamond jubilee 

year, a British triumph 

would be perfect. 

"And remember: if you 

do win, smile!" — AFP

Bahia Orchestra 

Project 

IMMERSE YOURSELF 

IN A SEASON OF SPLENDOUR AND SURPRISE 

Ballet Folklórico de México 

de Amalia Hernández 

The Suzanne Farrell 

Ballet 

20 mar 

Nine Jewels of India 

present Panchtatva 

27, 28 & 29 Apr 

7 & 8 Feb 

17 & 18 Sept 

27 Jan 

A voyage of unparalleled splendour begins this September as the world's most sought-after stars 

descend upon Muscat. The pride of Rio de Janeiro, London, New York, Dakar, Copenhagen, 

Mexico City, Muscat and beyond deliver an exquisite spread of jazz, world and classical music, ballet, 

modern and folkloric dance, opera, musical and family concerts. 

Whatever your taste, find your place this season at the Royal Opera House Muscat. 

Tickets on sale now 

For details and a full schedule of performances, visit rohmuscat.org.om 

For enquiries email boxoffice@rohmuscat.org.om or call + 968 2440 3332/3333/3334 

23 Oct 

September 2012 

– 

April 2013 

6 Dec 

Islamic Spirituality 

from Morocco to Oman 

www.rohmuscat.org.om 

29 & 30 Nov 

Roberto Alagna 

The Manganiyar Seduction 

Yasser Abdel Rahman 

with Budapest Symphony 

Orchestra (mav)

Alonso grabs 

pole at 

British GP 

Page 17 


KANDY — Sri Lanka are set 

to change their bowling lineup 

in a bid to secure their first 

Test series success since 2009 

when they face Pakistan in the 

third and final Test starting 

today. 

The hosts, who lead the 

three-match series 1-0, only 

need a draw at the Pallakele 

Stadium to triumph. 

They last won a series 

against New Zealand three 

years ago since when they 

have lost five and drawn 

three. 

Sri Lanka are likely to 

replace Nuwan Kulasekara 

and Nuwan Pradeep with Dilhara 

Fernando and Thisara 

Perera. 

"This is a perfect opportunity 

for us to win the test 

series," said Sri Lanka allrounder 

Angelo Mathews. 

"The second Test was pretty 

boring because the wicket 

was pretty flat and it was interrupted 

by the rain, so we 

couldn't go for a win." 

He expects Pakistan to 

come back strongly after 

Wiggins in yellow 

as Froome 

triumphs 

Colourful show marks opening of beach handball worlds 

By Our Sports Reporter 

MUSCAT — A colourful ceremony 

marked the opening of the fifth 

Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball 

World Championships, the first 

global sports competition to be 

hosted by the Sultanate, at the picturesque 

Al Musannah Sports City 

yesterday. 

The ceremony, presided over by 

His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin 

Tareq al Said, saw the presence of 

who is who of world handball including 

the International Handball 

Federation chief Dr Hassan Moustafa. 

The evening’s proceedings 

were launched with a brief but 

colourful show followed by one of 

the presenters welcoming the participating 

teams and the guests with 

the world: “Welcome all of you to 

Oman’. 

That was followed by the welcome 

speech of Organising Committee 

Chairman and Under-Secretary 

at the Ministry of Sports Affairs 

Rashad al Hinai. 

The IHF chief Dr Hassan Mous- 

tafa then gave a brief speech before 

Organising Committee Vice-Chairman 

Fahd al Raisi raised the Omani 

flag. 

Then chief guest His Highness 

Sayyid Shihab officially declared the 

championships open. 

IHF chief Dr Hassan, who arrived 

a day earlier, had already 

given his thumbs up for the arrangements 

in place after inspecting the 

facilities for the June 8 to 14 championships. 

Since the championship draw 

was held on May 5, the organisers 

with the help off various officials 

of Oman Handball Association, the 

Ministry of Sports Affairs and the 

other ministries as well as organisations 

like Royal Oman Police have 

been working round the clock to 

make the event a grand success. 

According to the organisers, the 

success of the 11-team test event 

proved that all arrangements are in 

place. 

The five committees which are 

entrusted with the special tasks like 

medical, accommodation, security 

and public relations have done their 

job and now the wait is for the action 

to begin. 

And the real action will begin 

today with the top 12 teams of the 

world, both in the men’s and women’s 

categories, launching their campaign 

at the Al Musannah Sports 

City. 

The men’s action in champion- 

ship will be kicked off with Oman 

tackling world champions Brazil. 

The hosts are expected to give the 

world champions a stiff competition 

in front of their home crowd. 

The Sultanate squad have been 

preparing well for this championships 

with a series of training camps 

abroad, including one in Turkey. 

However, their outing in third 

Asian Beach Games in Chinese city 

of Haiyang in June has been disappointing 

as they finished fourth. 

But the Omanis will be looking 

for a better show in front of their 

home fans as they did in the second 

Asian Beach Games hosted by Oman 

at the same venue back in 2010. 

Going by their performance in the 

test event, the hosts may go a long 

way in the world championships. 

But it remains to be seen how they 

begin against the Brazilians. 

Meanwhile, Croatia, the other title 

contenders, will also be in action. 

The European champions will start 

their campaign against Qatar. 

The women’s championships 

will be kicked off by Italy- Uruguay 

match. 

TODAY’S FIXTURES 

Men’s preliminary: Group ‘B’: 

Croatia vs Qatar (18:00 hours); Group 

‘A’: Ukraine vs Bahrain (18:00 hours); 

Group ‘A’: Russia vs Australia (18:00 

hours); Group ‘A’: Brazil vs Oman 

(18:50 hours); Group ‘B’: Spain vs Uruguay 

(18:50 hours); Group ‘B’: Egypt vs 

IOC (Kuwait) (19:40 hours); Group ‘A’: 

Bahrain vs Brazil (21:20 hours); Group 

‘A’: Australia vs Ukraine (21:20 hours); 

Group ‘B’: Qatar vs Egypt (22:10 

hours); Group ‘B’: IOC (Kuwait) vs 

Spain (22:10 hours); Group ‘A’: Oman 

vs Russia (23:00 hours); Group ‘B’: 

Uruguay vs Croatia (23:00 hours). 

Women’s preliminary: Group ‘A’: 

Italy vs Uruguay (18:00 hours); Group 

‘A’: Croatia vs China (18:50 hours); 

Group ‘A’: Denmark vs Australia 

(18:50 hours); Group ‘B’: Hungary vs 

Poland (19:40 hours); Group ‘B’: Brazil 

vs Singapore (19:40 hours); Group 

‘B’: Norway vs Thailand (20:30 hours); 

Group ‘A’: Australia vs Italy (21:20 

hours); Group ‘A’: Uruguay vs Croatia 

(21:20 hours); Group ‘A’: China vs 

Denmark (22:10 hours); Group ‘B’: 

Singapore vs Hungary (22:10 hours); 

Group ‘B’: Thailand vs Brazil (23:00 

hours); Group ‘B’: Poland vs Norway 

(23:00 hours). 

Page 18 

Croatia are champs, Oman 

finish second at test event 

MUSCAT — The three-day 

test event which concluded 

late on Friday night showed 

the glimpses what to expect 

at the Beach Handball 

World Championships with 

Croatia and Norway emerging 

men’s and women’s winners 

respectively after exciting 

action at Al Musannah 

Sports City. 

The men’s final was the 

most thrilling affair with the 

European champions Croatia 

taking on hosts Oman. 

The pulsating final saw, 

Croatia managing to stay 

ahead of a chasing Oman 

and clinch the first session at 

19-15. 

The second session was 

even more thrilling than the 

first with both teams fighting 

neck and neck. And to 

the delight of the organisers, 

putting up a good performance 

in Colombo. 

"Pakistan has always been 

a tremendous force in world 

cricket so we always expect 

a good challenge and it's not 

going to change in tomorrow's 

game," said Mathews. 

The last two Tests played at 

the Kandy venue, against West 

Indies and Australia, ended in 

weather-affected draws and 

rain is expected to play its part 

against Pakistan. 

The visitors' unbeaten run 

in Tests under Misbah-ul Haq's 

captaincy will end if they fail 

to win the final Test. 

Since Misbah took over, 

Pakistan have won five of the 

last seven series and drawn 

two. 

"We were aiming to square 

the series in the last test but we 

were unfortunate because of 

the rain," said Pakistan vicecaptain 

Mohammed Hafeez. 

"As far as the effort is concerned, 

everybody contributed; 

the batsmen taking the 

responsibility and the bowlers 

pitching in the right areas. 

the Omanis took the second 

16-15. 

In the ensuing shootout, 

Croatia managed to win 8-6 

and complete a 2-1 win for 

the title. 

Earlier, Qatar blanked Kuwait 

2-0 for the third place 

while Egypt finished fifth after 

a 2-0 win over Australia. 

Croatians were denied a 

double when their women’s 

team were edged out Norway 

in an exciting final. Norway 

won 2-1 (24-22, 14-15, 7-6). 

The third place went to 

Uruguay who beat Italy 2-0 

(11:10 18:10). 

Later during a simple 

prize-giving ceremony, Oman 

Handball Association Secretary 

General Faiz Rashid 

al Musalhi and Treasurer 

Abdullah al Raisi presented 

the trophies. 

Sri Lanka likely to change 

bowlers against Pakistan 

CHESTER-LE-STREET, 

England — Former England 

fast bowler Stephen Harmison 

has joined Yorkshire 

on a month-long loan, his parent 

county announced yesterday. 

Pictures by Faisal al Balushi 

The 33-year-old has spent 

much of this season in Durham's 

2nd XI while Yorkshire 

are short of seamers with 

former England left-armer 

Ryan Sidebottom injured and 

Mitchell Starc due to join 

"It is very important that 

we play the last test very well 

and the momentum we will 

definitely carry on in this 

game as well. 

"We all know this game is 

very important, because this is 

the last chance for us to square 

the series. We will give 100 

per cent to do it." 

Pakistan have a full squad 

to choose from with fast bowler 

Umer Gul having recovered 

from a leg injury, 

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene 

(captain), Tillakaratne 

Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, 

Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan 

Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, 

Prasanna Jayawardene, Rangana 

Herath, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan 

Kulasekara, Thisara Perera, Dilhara 

Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, 

Dinesh Chandimal, Nuwan 

Pradeep. 

Pakistan: Misbah-ul Haq 

(captain), Mohammed Hafeez, 

Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, 

Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, 

Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, 

Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema, 

Junaid Khan, Umer Gul, Mohammed 

Sami. — Reuters 

Harmison joins Yorkshire on loan 

Australia A for their tour of 

England later this month. 

Yorkshire have also lost 

Ajmal Shahzad, on loan to 

arch-rivals Lancashire after 

falling out with his native 

county. —AFP

By Conrad Prabhu 

MUSCAT — Oman Power and Water 

Procurement Company (OPWP) says it is 

committed to overseeing the implementation 

of a large-scale solar power project in 

the Sultanate upon receiving the government’s 

green-light. 

The project — Oman’s maiden foray 

into renewable energy development — is 

currently under discussion by government 

entities, according to the wholly 

state-owned offtaker of power and desalinated 

water. 

“The OPWP has supported this study 

and stands ready to progress this project 

further once the go ahead from government 

is received,” the company stated 

in its newly released Annual Report for 

2011. 

OPWP is awaiting a clear mandate 

from the Council of Ministers to go ahead 

with plans for the implementation of a 

Al Mazyona quarterly prize winner 

EXCITEMENT gripped Salalah Tourism Festival as the popular 

al Mazyona savings scheme from BankMuscat turned out to be 

a grand celebration for Amor bin Mohammed Salmin al Harthy 

from Samad Al Shan branch in North Sharqiyah governorate who 

won the second quarterly prize of RO 300,000. � Page 23 

commercial-scale solar project with a net 

output of around 200 MW. Modelled on 

the lines of an Independent Power Project 

(IPP), the plant is proposed to be located 

in the areas of Manah and Adam. Also as 

part of the scope of the project, which will 

displace future carbon fuels, the project 

will aim to establish a solar hub in Oman 

creating a centre of excellence in both 

development and manufacture of solar 

power technologies. 

Significantly, the solar power project is 

one of several initiatives slated to be taken 

in hand for implementation in the course 

of the current year, says OPWP in its Annual 

Report. The list includes the development 

of an IPP for Musandam Governorate 

in coordination with Oman Oil 

Company. The project is likely to be sized 

at around 120 MW of power generation 

capacity and intended to replace existing 

diesel-based generation as the primary 

source of electricity for the Governorate. 

Sunday, July 8, 2012 

OPWP ready to progress solar 

Natural gas as feedstock for the IPP 

will be supplied from an integrated oil 

and gas processing plant currently being 

developed by Oman Oil Company Exploration 

& Production (OOCEP). The 

project will be connected to a new 132kV 

grid infrastructure to be constructed by 

Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAE- 

CO). Commercial operation is slated for 

end 2014. 

Also targeted this year is the commissioning 

of early power from the Barka 

III and Sohar II power projects. Under 

license agreements drawn up with the 

respective developers, around 494 MW 

of early power is scheduled to be made 

available from either plant this year, followed 

by the balance 250 MW in 2013. 

However, due to likely delays in the 

commissioning of early power capacities 

from Barka III and Sohar II, OPWP had 

initiated a procurement process of around 

300 MW of temporary generation that 

became available ahead of summer this 

year. 

The selection of sites for new Independent 

Water Projects (IWP) at Qurayat 

and Suwaiq is another of OPWP’s undertakings 

for the current year. The offtaker 

says it is working in this regard with the 

Ministry of Housing and other key stakeholders 

to reserve sites for future power 

and water projects. 

Other initiatives in hand include the 

full commissioning of the Salalah Independent 

Water and Power Project (IWPP) 

at Taqah, and the finalisation of the bidding 

process for the Ghubrah IWP. 

Also scheduled this year is the operationalisation 

of a 132kV interconnection 

between the grid systems of Petroleum 

Development Oman (PDO) and Dhofar 

Power Company. The project was initiated 

last year with the goal of providing 

additional stability, as well as optimising 

the spinning reserve available to the two 

grids systems. 

Nawras stand comes to life at STF 

AS Nawras continues to deliver communication services for 

customers in the Governorate of Dhofar, the Nawras 

Executive Committee headed by CEO Ross 

Cormack met with Shaikh Abdullah bin Saif al 

Mahrouqi, Deputy Governor of Dhofar. . � Page 22 

power project upon govt nod growth fears 


Iran plans to 

sell oil via 

consortium 

DUBAI — Iran has reached 

agreements with European 

refiners to sell some of its 

oil through a private consortium, 

an official said yesterday, 

a move designed to circumvent 

sanctions intended 

to put pressure on Tehran to 

halt its disputed nuclear programme. 

The head of the oil products 

exporters’ union said the 

agreement between the exporters’ 

union, Iran’s central 

bank, and the oil ministry 

would get round a European 

Union ban on shipping insurance 

for tankers carrying 

Iranian oil, though he gave 

few details and did not name 

the refiners involved. 

The EU put into effect a 

ban on the importation, purchase, 

or shipping of Iranian 

oil on July 1, and the Islamic 

Republic will see its oil exports 

fall by more than 50 

percent this month from last 

year’s regular levels, costing 

it billions of dollars a month 

in revenue. 

“There have been discussions 

with European refiners, 

and a final agreement 

has even been reached,” 

said Hassan Khosrojerdi, the 

exporters’ union head, according 

to Iran’s Mehr News 

Agency. 

“In accordance with the 

agreement, it is planned 

that 20 percent of Iran’s oil 

exports will go through this 

private consortium.” 

He added: “It is likely 

that because of international 

restrictions, we will give minor 

privileges or discounts 

to some of the buyers of our 

oil.” — Reuters 

Wall Street 

faces fresh 

NEW YORK — US stock 

markets looked set for a 

rough ride next week after 

Friday’s disappointing jobs 

report underpinned fears 

that the economy’s already 

tepid growth is slowing. 

The much-awaited June 

labour data showed dull 

job generation for the third 

consecutive month — at 

80,000 jobs, far below 

what is needed to reduce 

the 8.2 per cent unemployment 

rate. 

Stocks fell sharply as the 

weak hiring raised alarms 

the struggling three-yearold 

recovery from deep recession 

is petering out under 

pressure from Europe’s 

debt crisis. 

Adding to the uncertainty 

for employers was 

the November presidential 

election and the automatic 

spending cuts and tax hikes 

that kick in at the end of 

year, analysts said. 

Renaissance Services rights 

issue begins from July 10 

MUSCAT — Renaissance 

Services SAOG, the leading 

multi-national Omani oil and 

gas services company, said its 

rights issue of 423,141,678 

mandatory convertible bonds 

(MCBs) will open for subscription 

on July 10. 

The issue price has been 

fixed at RO 0.102 for each 

MCB, including face value of 

RO 0.100 and baisas 2 as issue 

expenses. The subscription period 

is from 10 to 24 July and 

the MCBs are expected to be 

listed on the Muscat Securities 

Market by August 8. 

The MCB is a quasi equity 

instrument similar to previous 

convertible bond issuances in 

the market that offers investors 

an internal rate of return 

of 16.9 per cent. The return is 

structured in the form of a coupon 

of 3.75 per cent per annum 

and 13.15 per cent per annum 

as conversion premium. This 

capital raise will strengthen 

the balance sheet of the company 

and will also provide the 

required growth capital to meet 

the overall investments needs 

of the company. 

Renaissance has consistently 

focused on delivering 

shareholder value and the rights 

issue is an important milestone 

in the life of the company. The 

Shareholders of Renaissance 

have approved the bond issuance 

in the EGM on June 18. 

The Capital Market Authority 

of Oman had approved the 

issue on June 26. BankMuscat 

Investment Banking Division 

is the issue manager and subscription 

bank while Trowers & 

Hamlins is the legal advisor to 

the rights issue. 

Commenting on the rights 

issue launch, Samir J. Fancy, 

Chairman of the Board said: 

“This initiative strengthens 

our balance sheet and provides 

a solid platform for growth. It 

demonstrates the belief and 

confidence we have in the future 

of our company.” 

On this occasion, AbdulRazak 

Ali Issa, Chief Executive, 

BankMuscat said, “We are very 

pleased to be appointed as the 

issue manager and subscription 

bank for Renaissance Services 

SAOG’s rights issue and believe 

that this is an important 

transaction for the company. 

Our extensive branch network 

across the Sultanate is ready 

to receive applications from 

investors and we look forward 

to making the offering a success. 

We would like to thank 

the Capital Market Authority 

for their support and guidance 

for this transaction.” 

The original application 

forms will soon be dispatched 

to addresses provided by shareholders 

to the Muscat Clearing 

and Depository Company. 

Shareholders should ensure 

that the Depository has their 

right addresses. In any case after 

July 17, shareholders can also 

visit their local BankMuscat 

branch if they have not received 

their application forms.

Nawras stand comes to life at 

Salalah Tourism Festival 


MUSCAT — As Nawras continues 

to deliver communication 

services for customers in 

the Governorate of Dhofar, the 

Nawras Executive Committee 

headed by CEO Ross Cormack 

met with Shaikh Abdullah 

bin Saif al Mahrouqi, Deputy 

Governor of Dhofar. During 

the meeting, the Executive 

Committee highlighted the 

company’s promise to provide 

customer-friendly and innovative 

services that delight and 

enthuse. 

With a progressive outlook 

and unwavering commitment 

to stakeholders, the Nawras 

corporate philosophy is based 

on delivering a rewarding cus- 

tomer experience by providing 

a range of mobile, broadband 

and voice products adding 

value, variety, quality and 

flexibility. To that end, the 

company continues to lead by 

example through an integrated 

and multi-faceted approach 

and a stream of ‘firsts’. 

Shaikh Abdullah Issa al 

Rawahy, Chief Strategy Offic- 

Toyota Avalon — elegantly engineered 

MUSCAT — Toyota has always had a history of vehicles that move forward. Avalon 

is Toyota's flagship comfort vehicle, rounding off a list of features with a distinctive 

exterior style and a rich and premium interior. 

Even with numerous refinements inside and out, the Avalon remains true to the idea 

that comfort is honest and uncomplicated. Consequently, the Avalon has dynamic and 

expressive lines and an infusion of comfort, safety and technology advancements that 

enrich the driving experience. 

The Avalon projects an elegant, outgoing presence. A wider, more substantial grille 

ties into state-of-the-art projector headlamps, working with a broad, undisturbed front 

hood to suggest a lowered centre of gravity and emphasise the Avalon’s wide stance. 

The headlamps, with HID low beams, utilise light pipes to create a signature, nighttime 

appearance. The front fog lamps, now integrated into a trapezoidal front bumper, 

provide a wider angle of illumination. Viewed from the side, new Avalon is enhanced 

by additional use of chrome trim, redesigned rocker panels, and glare-resistant outer 

mirrors with integrated turn signals. New 17-inch wheels on the Limited grade feature 

a 10-spoke design with a mirror finish. 

At the rear of the car, identification is cleanly defined by a single Avalon logo 

located above the licence plate. Dual-exhaust pipes are integrated into the cutaway 

trapezoid shape of the lower bumper for a modern image. Taillights have been reshaped 

to reduce turbulence at the rear, helping to create a lower coefficient of drag. 

The new lights integrate stop, turn and side marker lighting functions in one combined 

lamp. Unique LED light pipes with dark aluminised sides and both clear and red lenses 

project a modern appearance. 

The interior remains generously spacious and elegant, fitted with comfortable seating 

and thoughtfully integrated amenities. Co-ordinated colours and rich wood-grain 

materials were carefully chosen to convey an optimistic attitude and modern essence. 

Standard leather-trimmed front seats and seat backs on the limited are fitted with ventilation 

systems and an enlarged perforation area to help keep them cool. 

The rear seating area is configured to seat three passengers comfortably, with ample 

legroom and reclining rear seats, unique in the segment. The rear headrests have 

also been reshaped and enlarged for better support, and a convenient flip-down centre 

armrest provides storage when the middle seat is not in use. A power rear sunshade, 

deployable via a one-touch lever, filters direct sunlight coming through the rear window. 

The sunshade, which helps to protect rear seat passengers from unwanted light 

and heat, automatically detracts when the driver selects reverse gear. 

The steering wheel includes controls for Bluetooth hands-free phones, the audio 

system, climate system, and the information centre. 

Avalon’s exceptional combination of ample horsepower and excellent fuel economy 

offers one of the best overall dynamic performances in the large sedan segment. 

New Avalon is powered by a 24-valve, dual-overhead cam 3.5-litre V6 engine that 

produces 268 horsepower at 6,200 rpm. The engine is equipped with the latest dual 

VVT-i electronic valve-control mechanism that provides a broader power band, while 

requiring less fuel and generating fewer emissions. It is mated to a multi-mode sixspeed 

automatic transmission. 

The Avalon’s occupant-safety strategy includes use of extensively tested energy 

absorbing structures, protective side impact beams and overhead structure, advanced 

belt systems and active front headrests as standard equipment. Avalon will also have 

a redesigned accelerator pedal assembly and a brake override system. Nine airbags, 

including a front knee bag for the driver, and front side curtain airbags for both rows, 

are also standard. Toyota’s standard star safety system includes vehicle stability control 

(VSC), anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), 

brake assist, and TRAC traction control system. TRAC and VSC functions can be disengaged 

if the driver needs to free the vehicle if stuck in mud or snow. 

The Avalon is available in three grades, Avalon XL, Limited and Limited + Navi. 

These grades are well equipped with standard equipment like power driver’s seats, dual 

zone automatic climate control with air filtration, moon roof and 17-inch alloy wheels. 

Limited will have additional standard equipment, such as an eight-way passenger’s 

seat with lumbar support, driver’s seat cushion extension, rain-sensing wipers, Smart 

Key and cooled leather seats. 

This outstanding performer comes to you from Toyota — a household name in 

Oman and a part of people's lives. 

Toyota offers enduring quality and nothing comes close to it in terms of value-reten- 

er, Said Ahmed Safrar, Chief 

Customer Experience Officer, 

Hussain al Lawati, Chief Sales 

and Distribution Officer and 

Ghaneem al Mashikhi, Regional 

Director for Dhofar 

joined Ross Cormack on the 

visit and observed the vibrant 

‘must see’ Nawras stand come 

to life at this year’s Salalah 

Tourism Festival. 

22 OMAN SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

BUSINESS ALERT 

tion. It is no surprise; therefore, that Toyota soars far above the rest, with a dominant 

market share and ever-expanding customer base. 

The unmatched, nationwide parts and service support of Saud Bahwan Group 

makes Toyota's pride of place a reality. Toyota customers in Oman enjoy 6-year unlimited 

mileage protection, over 98 per cent parts availability and round-the-clock care, 

amongst many other exclusive privileges from the Group. 

Alargan Towell appoints new GM 

ALARGAN TOWELL Investment Company 

has appointed Tony Safarian as 

General Manager for Oman to head key 

projects in the country. With over 20 years 

experience in the GCC, Safarian was chosen 

to run the Joint venture between Alargan 

International Real Estate Company 

and W J Towell Group of Companies at 

the beginning of 2012. 

Originally from Lebanon, Tony Safarian 

draws on over decades of experience 

across the GCC in management, marketing 

and business development with leading, 

local and international institutions. As 

he takes over Alargan Towell in Oman, 

he will look on his experiences, mainly in 

property development, banking and Marketing 

industries to take them forward in 

a highly competitive property market. His 

move also ties in with the company’s relocation 

to their award-winning project, Qurum Gardens, opposite the Al Qurum park 

that inspired its name. 

‘We are very fortunate to have had Tony with us already as Chief Marketing Officer, 

so the progression to General Manager was an easy choice for us. His past experience 

in business development and management, combined with his extensive marketing 

knowledge, gives him a definite edge and a very fresh approach to all aspects of the 

business.’ said Hussain Jawad, Chairman of Alargan Towell Investment Company. 

‘I am also working closely with my team to ensure all projects work within financial 

criteria to make them attractive to a wide range of buyers. We even structured 

many of our own programmes to help with down payments and payment schedules 

while keeping the consumers’ best interest in mind and in line with the Central Bank’s 

regulations. This is a very important aspect for us to ensure that buyers get the best 

property for their money.’ he added. 

Suzuki launches all-new Swift D’zire 

MOOSA Abdul Rahman Hassan and Co LLC recently announced the launch of the all 

new Suzuki Swift D’zire to target the entry sedan segment. 

Virendra Agarwal, CEO of Moosa Group, said that Suzuki in Oman has a history 

of offering “True Value for Money” products to their esteemed customers and this 

tradition is being clearly taken forward by the introduction of the all-new Swift D’zire, 

which in the entry sedan segment will stand out as the first choice for consumers because 

of its practicality, excellent features and absolute cost effectiveness. 

What is further complimenting, says Anil Sethi, GM of Suzuki Division, is that 

every Swift D’zire is equipped with most important safety features such as the dual 

airbags and ABS with EBD, modern exterior and rich interior finish, all at a starting 

price tag of just RO 3,795, thus leading to lower monthly installments, making it a most 

affordable saloon car for all types of customers. 

Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan and Co LLC is the exclusive distributors for Suzuki 

vehicles in Oman. 

Carillion celebrates Sustainability 

Week to promote Greener Oman 


MUSCAT — Carillion Alawi 

last week celebrated Carillion’s 

Group’s annual Sustainability 

Week, which aims 

to raise environmental and 

sustainability awareness in its 

business and in the local community. 

Various awareness activities 

were carried out by its 

project teams as part of the 

week’s campaign, including 

beach cleanups carried out at Al 

Qantab public beach, Athaiba 

fishing beach, Al Quram public 

beach and Duqm beach. About 

120 Carillion Alawi employees 

actively participated and spent 

their own time to clean Omani 

beaches. 

As part of its corporate and 

social responsibility Carillion 

Alawi in co-ordination with 

Department of Laboratories 

(Ministry of Health) organised 

a series of blood donation 

campaigns at Court Complex 

Rutaq and Muscat Regional 

Office. 45 Carillion Alawi 

employees donated their valu- 

able blood to help save lives in 

Oman. 

Carillion Alawi national 

staff planted 30 sapling plants 

to help contribute to Oman’s 

carbon footprint reduction and 

to increase its commitment towards 

a Greener Oman. 

CBFS MSc partner 2nd in UK rankings 


MUSCAT — The College of 

Banking and Financial Studies 

(CBFS), which is set to launch 

Master of Science Programme 

in Finance this year in partnership 

with the University of 

Strathclyde, complimented the 

Accounting and Finance Department 

of the University of 

Strathclyde for coming second 

in UK rankings on the Good 

University Guide 2013. 

Dr Ashraf Nabhan al Nabhani, 

Dean of the College, sent 

a congratulatory message to 

Andy Marshall, Head of the 

Department at the university 

on this achievement. 

He said it was gratifying to 

note that the department is also 

4th in the Complete University 

Guide for 2013. 

It was a matter of pride for 

CBFS, he said, that the partner 

had managed to be in the top 5 

in both these lists for about 5 

years now. He said that these 

rankings reinforced the high 

quality element in the Strathclyde 

MSc. 

CBFS already has a very 

successful Post-Graduate level 

arrangement for MBA with 

the University of Strathclyde 

for over a decade now. 

The MSc Finance Programme 

represents continuity 

of collaborative efforts aimed 

at delivering high quality education 

in Oman. Dr Ashraf 

hoped the rankings would retain 

Strathclyde MSc Finance 

as a preferred choice for motivated, 

talented students keen 

to develop their knowledge of 

finance. 

Ahlibank’s MyHassad draw winners 

AHLIBANK announced 

yesterday the names of the 

MyHassad daily prize draw 

winners, Mubarak Hamed 

Mubarak al Ghafri and Hazaa 

Ali Said Abdullah al Sidairi 

from Ibri branch, Mohammed 

Abdul Wahab al Zadjali from 

Al Khoudh branch, Younis 

Hamed Said al Hajri from Ibra 

branch and Abdullah Mohammed Khusaif al Balushi from Seeb branch, were the lucky 

winners of RO 1,000 each for the week. 

MyHassad savings account continues to successfully satisfy the existing customers 

and attract new ones. 

Kia Sorento Stylo gets tumultuous response 

BUOYED by a warm and enthusiastic response, the new Kia Sorento Stylo is becoming 

the prized possession of many customers across Oman. 

One of the first owners of the Kia Sorento Stylo is Said Nasser al Ghaithy, a Senior 

System Administrator with Al Omaniya Financial Services. The reasons that prompted 

Mr Ghaithy to choose Sorento Stylo were mostly based on his own painstaking research 

“Before I made the decision to buy, I did pick-up the Auto Buyers Guide. I 

quickly noticed that the Kia has been getting consistently better and better ratings over 

the past years, to the point where it is rated at least average and usually better than 

average in almost all categories. Due to my requirement I decided to purchase the 

Sorento, a midsize 7-seater.” 

Al Ghaithy also mentions the case of his son’s friend that, “...he has to travel all of 

the time in rented cars. Many a time he has faced problems in traditionally popular cars 

but now he no longer chooses them, always preferring a Kia.” 

In Gaithy’s family, many love Kia. His cousin has clocked 50,000 kms on Kia 

Sportage after one year and nine months of ownership and he is happy to say that his 

“...car has been wonderful. The price I paid for my Sportage — I really didn’t think 

that there is anything else on the market that offers what the Sportage does!” Yet another 

cousin of Gaithy has owned 6 new vehicles since 1983 and after going through 

many brands he is of the opinion that Kia is put together better than any of them. The 

body seams are perfect, the paint is great and the doors, hood and trunk opens and 

closes as smooth as glass. He drove about 35,000 Kms. on it and has not found a single 

thing wrong with it.” 

The recently launched Kia Sorento Stylo has many style and stance features such as 

the front and rear body guards, adding to side step board for easy ingress and egress, 

especially for ladies. A chrome silver package (back lights molding + fog lamps + 

outer handles + air vent knobs + door scuff) for enhanced aesthetics. And many other 

features in this high powered, spacious SUV include 3.5 litre V6, 274 HP engine; A 

6-speed automatic transmission. 

Advanced safety features such as the DAB and ABS and a host of high-end features 

put the Kia Sorento Stylo in a league of its own. These include panoramic sunroof, 

18” alloy wheels — stylish and bold appearance, 10-way power driver seat, rear view 

camera with back warning sensors, dual auto ac, multi-control steering and led back 

lights; amongst others. 

The new Kia Sorento Stylo can be seen at the nearest Kia showroom. Reliable 

International Automotive, the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership 

experience for customers. Excellent product attributes and unmatched 18 facilities 

easily ensure their absolute satisfaction, every mile of the way. 

No wonder then that Reliable International Automotive has been ranked amongst 

the top Kia distributors worldwide and has been honoured with prestigious accolades 

including the Kia ‘Dealer of the Year’ award; Kia ‘Distributor of Distinction’ award, 

‘Family Like Care’ Service award and the ‘Zenith Club’ award for excellent performance. 

The prestigious ‘Kia Award for Overall Excellence and Outstanding Performance’ 

amongst Kia distributors worldwide was bestowed most deservingly.


MUSCAT — Excitement 

gripped Salalah Tourism Festival 

as Oman’s popular al 

Mazyona savings scheme from 

BankMuscat turned out to be a 

grand celebration for 60-yearold 

Amor bin Mohammed 

Salmin al Harthy from Samad 

Al Shan branch in North Sharqiyah 

Governorate who won 

the second quarterly prize of 

RO 300,000. 

Shaikh Salim bin Aufait al 

Shanfari, Chairman of Dhofar 

Municipality and Chairman of 

Salalah Tourism Festival 2012 

Organising Committee, presided 

at the event and picked 

the lucky winner. 

Al Harthy, who worked as 

a security guard with the Ministry 

of Education, has been 

banking with BankMuscat for 

many years and benefited from 

the loyalty bonus and got his 

chances multiplied, thereby 

giving him a big chance to 

win the RO 300,000 prize. 

He is second time lucky with 

BankMuscat as he had won 

RO 2,000 al Mazyona prize 10 

years ago. 

Al Harthy commented on 

the life-changing experience: 

“I am delighted to win this big 

prize from BankMuscat. This 

is an exciting scheme reflecting 

the dreams and ambitions 

of people. I always dreamt of 

winning a big prize and it has 

totally changed not only my 

life but also the future of my 

family.” 

Al Harthy has four sons 

married and settled in life. He 

said he will discuss with his 

children and decide how best 

to utlise the prize money. Al 

Harthy is familiar with Bank- 

Muscat products and services. 

Personally, he recommends 

BankMuscat to friends and 

relatives because of the many 

value-added services provided 

by the bank. “I am very happy 

with the banking facilities and 

the helpful and courteous approach 

by staff.” 

Said al Badai, DGM — 

Branches, said: “We congratulate 

Al Harthy for winning the 

al Mazyona quarterly prize. 

He represents the seasoned 

generation aware of the need 

to maintain prudent savings 

habits. Notably, customers 

banking with BankMuscat in 

all parts of the country are rewarded 

with attractive prizes 

and personalised services.” 

A large turn-out of children, 

citizens and residents witnessed 

the most awaited event 

in the Sultanate’s banking calendar, 

affirming the vision and 

constant efforts of BankMuscat 

to fulfil the aspirations and 

ambitions of the largest banking 

family in Oman. 

The celebrations included 

exciting entertainment programmes, 

folklore music and 

cartoon shows for children and 

family. Exciting prizes were 

given away to winners of competitions 

held on the occasion. 

Reckoned the savings 

scheme of the nation, al Mazyona 

offers one of the biggest 

prize money in the savings 

scheme history in Oman. 

This year, BankMuscat 

sprung a big surprise, taking 

the total prize money of al 

Mazyona Savings Scheme to 

a whopping RO 6 million with 

unparalleled winning chances 

for all segments across the 

Sultanate. 

Notably, the 2012 al Mazyona 

stands out as 'My scheme' 

for all individual segments as 

attractive prizes are earmarked 

for ladies, children, salaried 

employees and high savings 

balance customers in all regions. 

As on date, the scheme 

offers the biggest prize money 

in Oman and the region. 

Al Mazyona 2012 scheme 

reflects innovative customer 

segmentation based on two 

principles — region and demographics 

— ensuring a 

higher winning chance to all 

customers across the Sultanate, 

including ladies, children 

and salaried employees. The 

2012 al Mazyona scheme offers 

exciting weekly, monthly, 

quarterly and grand prizes. 

Winning with al Mazyona has 

never been simpler as customers 

are not required to block 

their money for long or wait 

for a long time to win that big 

prize. 

The weekly prizes include 

RO 3,000 each for 10 

guaranteed winners from the 

governorates, including one 

lady customer holding Zeinah 

savings account. Customers 

are required to maintain RO 

100 minimum balance for the 

weekly prize. Keeping in mind 

the large percentage of customers 

from Muscat and Batinah, 

three weekly prizes are 

given away to customers from 

Muscat, two prizes to customers 

from Batinah and one prize 

each to Dakhiliyah, Wusta, 

Dhahirah, Musandam, Dhofar 

and Sharqiyah governorates. 

The monthly prize is an exciting 

RO 30,000 each for nine 

winners covering the governorates. 

For eligibility, customers 


1,000 minimum balance for 

one month. 

Three weekly prizes are 

given away to customers from 

Muscat, two prizes to customers 

from Batinah and one prize 

each to Dakhiliyah, Wusta, 

Dhahirah, Musandam, Dhofar 

and Sharqiyah governorates. 

Already, 9 customers have 

won the prize last month from 

the governorates and they can 

now participate in the other 

upcoming draws. 

The quarterly prize significantly 

raises the appeal of al 

Mazyona, particularly for high 

savers. The big prize is RO 

300,000 every three months. 

For eligibility, customers are 

required to maintain RO 1,000 

minimum balance for three 

months. For every RO 1,000 

balance maintained by them, 

they get 10 chances each. 

The climax of al Mazyona 

is the year-end grand prize of 

RO 1 million. For the grand 

prize eligibility, customers 


1,000 minimum balance for 

all months. This prize is ear- 

23 OMAN SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

Samad Al Shan customer wins RO 300,000 al Mazyona prize 

marked for customers who 

consistently maintain a healthy 

savings of at least RO 1,000 

every month. Their chances 

keep on increasing month after 

month with a minimum of 10 

chances every month. 

A continuing attraction is 

that the winning chances get 

multiplied by the number of 

years customers are associated 

with al Mazyona savings 

scheme. 

For example, a customer 

who has been saving for 5 

years will multiply his winning 

chances by 5 times, while 

another customer who has 

been saving for 20 years will 

be able to multiply his winning 

chances by 20 times and so on. 

This benefit is unique only to 

al Mazyona savings scheme 

holders and no other bank offers 

this, as on date. 

In order to maintain the tradition 

of providing complete 

transparency of the scheme, 

BankMuscat will continue 

to conduct al Mazyona prize 

draws at public places and get 

these tested and certified by 

external auditors. BankMuscat 

pioneered this proactive 

step and is proud to continue 

this tradition in Oman. This is 

a good step in communicating 

good governance and transparency. 

Over the years, al Mazyona 

has succeeded in inculcating a 

savings culture in Oman. The 

flexible scheme makes regular 

saving easier and is available 

across the largest network of 

131 branches in Oman.

LONDON/FRANKFURT — A global 

investigation into manipulation of interbank 

lending rates widened yesterday 

with Britain’s fraud squad taking 

up the case and sources telling Reuters 

that Germany’s markets regulator had 

launched a probe into Deutsche Bank. 

Authorities in the United States, 

Europe, Japan and Canada are examining 

more than a dozen big banks 

over suspected rigging of the London 

Interbank Offered Rate (Libor). Britain’s 

Barclays has so far been the only 

SAN FRANCISCO — 

Facebook and Yahoo! announced 

a new advertising 

partnership as the two tech 

giants settled a court dispute 

over patents. 

The deal includes “a patent 

portfolio cross-license” 

and will allow the two firms 

to “work together to bring 

consumers and advertisers premium 

media experiences promoted 

and distributed across 

both Yahoo! and Facebook,” 

a statement by the companies 

said. 

The deal comes after Yahoo! 

filed suit against Facebook in 

March, accusing the social networking 

giant of infringing on 

10 patents. 

Facebook responded by 

accusing Yahoo! of infringing 

on its patented technology 

in a broad array of products 

including online venues for 

news, games, cars, travel and 

photo-sharing service Flickr. 

The fight between Yahoo! 

and Facebook heated up in 

April with the floundering 

Internet pioneer accusing the 

social network star of buying 

patents just to retaliate in 

court. 

But in the peace accord, Yahoo! 

and Facebook said they 

would “work together to bring 

Yahoo!’s large media event 

coverage to Facebook users by 

collaborating on social integrations 

on the Yahoo! site.” 

“We are excited to develop 

a deeper partnership with 

Facebook,” said Ross Levinsohn, 

interim chief executive 

of Yahoo!. 

“We are looking forward 

to building on the success we 

have already seen to provide 

bank to admit wrongdoing, agreeing 

last week to pay a fine of more than 

$450 million. 

The rate-fixing scandal has exploded 

into the front ranks of politics, especially 

in Britain, where politicians say 

the bankers responsible should end up 

in jail. Barclays CEO Bob Diamond 

was forced to resign this week and told 

a parliamentary committee that some 

of his firm’s former staff could face 

criminal charges. 

The Libor rates, compiled from es- 

Yahoo, Facebook unveil 

alliance, end dispute 

innovative new products and 

experiences for both consumers 

and sponsors.” 

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s 

chief operating officer, 

said the deal would “provide 

users with engaging social experiences 

while creating value 

for marketers.” 

The two firms already have 

a multiyear partnership allowing 

users to discover and connect 

news and information on 

Yahoo! sites and share them 

with their Facebook friends. 

The new agreement deepens 

the ties between the struggling 

Internet pioneer and the 

fast-growing social network. 

The statement said the 

firms “have agreed to work 

more closely and collaborate 

together on multiple tent-pole 

and anchor events annually 

over the next several years 

to provide unparalleled experiences 

for consumers and 

world-class sponsorship opportunities 

for advertisers.” 

Patent suits are a frequent 

occurrence among smartphone 

and tablet computer makers, 

and the world’s best known 

brands are ensnared in a com- 

plex web of legal claims, but 

such suits are relatively rare 

among social media companies. 

Yahoo! is undergoing yet 

another rebooting following 

the ousting of its chief executive 

after less than a year over 

a resume scandal. 

Levinsohn took over as 

interim CEO as a search for a 

new chief was launched. 

Various reports said Levinsohn 

was among the candidates 

being considered to the 

top job. 

Another candidate believed 

to be under consideration, 

Jason Kilar of the television 

group Hulu, said in a statement 

he “has graciously declined to 

be considered.” 

Yahoo!’s share of overall 

US online ad revenue dropped 

from 15.7 per cent in 2009 to 

just 9.5 per cent last year, according 

to industry tracker 

eMarketer. 

While the online advertising 

market is expected to grow 

23.3 per cent to $39.5 billion 

this year, Yahoo!’s share of 

revenues will fall further to 7.4 

per cent, eMarketer says. 

24 

OMAN/INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

Rate rigging probe escalates in UK, Germany 

PRESIDENT of Deutsche Bundesbank Jens Weidmann and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. — AFP 

timates by large banks of how much 

they believe they have to pay to borrow 

from each other, are used to determine 

interest rates on trillions of 

dollars worth of contracts around the 

world. 

Germany’s BaFin regulator has 

initiated a “special investigation” into 

Deutsche Bank, a process which is 

more severe than a routine investigation 

initiated by a third party, two 

sources said on Friday. The sources 

included a banker and a regulator, both 

of whom spoke on condition of anonymity. 

In Britain, the lack of criminal prosecutions 

of the rate fixing has been one 

of the issues infuriating politicians, 

after e-mails were published showing 

bankers boasting of fiddling figures 

and congratulating each other with offers 

of champagne. 

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office said 

in a brief statement that its Director 

David Green had decided formally to 

accept the Libor case for investigation. 

The SFO will now assemble a case 

team to pursue an investigation — although 

it could take years. A spokesman 

noted that its remit would not be 

confined to Barclays. 

“We don’t mention Barclays in our 

statement, just Libor,” the spokesman 

said. 

A source close to the SFO and familiar 

with its Libor case file said: “A 

lot of people will be calling around to 

find lawyers.” 

The SFO considered launching an 

investigation into Libor last summer 

but dropped the plans in September, 

in part for budgetary reasons, said the 

source, who spoke on condition he 

would not be identified. The SFO has 

been criticised in the past for failing 

to achieve convictions in high-profile 

fraud cases. It gave no further details 

of how it would conduct its probe. 

News of a “special investigation” 

in Germany also raises the stakes. 

Deutsche Bank said earlier this year 

it was co-operating with authorities 

investigating accusations of manipulation 

of Libor, the only German bank to 

make such a disclosure so far. 

One of the sources who disclosed 

the investigation to Reuters said the 

results were expected in mid July. 

The bank declined to comment 

on Friday but referred to its quarterly 

report, which said it has received subpoenas 

and requests for information 

from US and European authorities 

in connection with setting interbank 

rates. BaFin declined to comment 

specifically on whether it was probing 

Deutsche Bank but said it was in looking 

into suspected manipulation of Libor 

rates by banks. 

“We are making use of our entire 

spectrum of regulatory instruments, so 

far as this is necessary,” a spokesman 

said. 

Deutsche Bank has disclosed that 

it is co-operating with the US. Department 

of Justice, the US Securities and 

Exchange Commission, the Commodity 

Futures Trading Commission, and 

the European Commission on Libor. 

These inquiries relate to periods between 

2005 and 2011. 

As the credit crisis intensified between 

2006 and 2008, allegations 

started mounting that Libor no longer 

reflected the real cost banks were paying 

for funds. Authorities have been 

examining whether traders tried to influence 

the rate to profit on bets on the 

direction it would go. 

The daily Libor poll asks banks at 

what rate they think they will be able 

to borrow money from each other in 10 

major currencies and for 15 borrowing 

periods ranging from overnight loans 

to 12 months. — Reuters 

Libor scam spotlights on Citi, JPMorgan too 

NEW YORK — The harsh light 

of the Libor rate-fixing scandal 

has crossed the Atlantic, with both 

Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase saying 

regulators and investigators have 

requested information from them in 

a so-far preliminary probe of the 

case. 

Share prices for both — as well 

as Bank of America, which has not 

said if it was asked for information 

— have fallen sharply this week 

amid worries they could be in line 

for the type of heavy fines laid on 

Britain’s Barclays Bank, at the centre 

of the scandal. 

Barclays has been fined $452 

million (360 million euros) by British 

and US regulators for attempted 

manipulation of the markets for Libor 

and Eurobor benchmark interest 

rates between 2005 and 2009. 

Three top Barclays executives 

have resigned and on Friday Britain’s 

Serious Fraud Office said it 

would formally investigate the case, 

which has dented London’s reputation 

as a top financial centre. 

But speculation runs to other 

banks because the Libor rate is set 

based on information from 16 international 

banks, and many think that 

manipulating it would take more 

than one bank. 

The issue affects not just banks 

but commercial and retail borrowers 

around the world — in the United 

States, the payments of a floating 

rate home mortgage loan are often 

tied to the Libor base rate. 

Citi, JPMorgan and Bank of 

America are three of the 16 banks 

that fix the rate, as an average of 

what they say they pay for funds in 

London’s interbank market. 

All three have declined to comment 

on the scandal. 

But JPMorgan and Citi have said 

that they had received requests for 

information from regulators and 

were co-operating. 

Citigroup noted in its reports 

that the Japanese Financial Services 

Agency, among several regulators 

involved in the cross-border investigations, 

had taken administrative 

action against its Citigroup Global 

Markets Japan unit over “certain 

communications” made by two 

CGMJ traders about Libor and the 

Euroyen Tokyo interbank rate, or 

Tibor. 

The unit was given a two-week 

suspension from trading in yenlinked 

derivatives in January. 

JFSA also took administrative ac- 

tion against Citibank Japan in part 

related to the handling of the communications 

made by the CGMJ 

traders. 

“The inquiries by government 

agencies into various interbank offered 

rates are ongoing,” the bank 

said in a report to the Securities and 

Exchange Commission. 

Citigroup and JPMorgan also acknowledged 

private civil and classaction 

lawsuits filed against the Libor-setting 

banks beginning in April 

over the issue. 

The suits have been assembled together 

into one action proceeding in 

the New York federal district court. 

Even if there is not yet any formal 

investigation of the US banks over 

the Libor rate manipulation, their 

shares have already taken falls over 

worries they could be involved. 

JPMorgan shares were off 5.1 per 

cent for the week in afternoon trade 

on Friday; Citi shares were down 4.4 

per cent and Bank of America 6.5 

per cent. — AFP 

China’s buy of rare 

earths raises worries 

SHANGHAI — China has started stockpiling rare earths for 

strategic reserves, a state-backed newspaper said yesterday, in a 

move that may raise more worries over Beijing’s control of the 

coveted resources. 

China has already started the purchase — using state funds 

— and storage of rare earths for strategic reserves, the China 

Securities Journal said, but did not specify exactly when the 

initiative was launched. 

“This is China’s start of work for state strategic buying and 

storage of rare earths,” the newspaper said. 

The country produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s 

rare earths, which are used in high-tech equipment ranging from 

iPods to missiles, and it has set production caps and export quotas 

on them. 

Major trading partners last month asked the World Trade 

Organization (WTO) to form a panel to resolve a dispute over 

China’s export limits on rare earths after earlier consultations 

through the global trade body failed. 

The European Union, the United States and Japan accuse 

China of unfairly choking off exports of the commodities to 

benefit domestic industries. 

China has previously defended its rare earths policies, saying 

they aim to protect resources and the environment as part of an 

effort to promote sustainable development. 

A Chinese official said last month the regulation of the rare 

earths industry was in line with global trade rules. 

China had already announced its intention to build a strategic 

reserve system, but had not publicly said that it had started 

stockpiling. 

The China Securities Journal said current low prices for rare 

earths had prompted the start of strategic buying and the reserves 

could be used to address future shortfalls of the resources. 

Chinese market players hope the strategic buying will help 

stabilise prices, which plunged in the first half of this year after 

companies sold stocks ahead of planned tax changes, the newspaper 

said. 

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which 

oversees the industry, declined to immediately comment on the 

report. — AFP 

Apple faces new 

challenge in China 

BEIJING — A Chinese technology 

firm has filed a legal 

challenge accusing US giant 

Apple of infringing its patented 

voice recognition software 

with its Siri function on 

the iPhone, the company said 

yesterday. 

The move comes just days 

after Apple paid $60 million to 

end a dispute over who could 

use the iPad name in China. 

Shanghai Zhizhen Network 

Technology Co Ltd patented 

its Xiao i Robot software in 

2004, while Apple’s Siri, 

which made its debut with the 

release of the iPhone 4S last 

year, was first developed in 

2007. 

The Chinese company’s 

version operates in a similar 

way to Apple’s personal assistant 

and works on the iOS 

and Android operating systems. 

Si Weijiang, a lawyer acting 

for the Shanghai-based 

firm, said it had tried to contact 

Apple two months ago 

over the alleged infringement 

but received no response. 

“We sent legal notices to 

Apple in May, but no one contacted 

us. We filed the lawsuit 

in late June to the Shanghai 

number one intermediate 

people’s court,” Si said. “Currently 

the case is now at the 

court-mediated stage.” 

“We mainly ask Apple to 

stop infringing on our patent 

and cover the court costs, but 

once the court confirms Apple 

has infringed on our patent, 

we will propose compensation,” 

he added. 

The company’s chairman, 

Yuan Hui, told the Apple Daily 

newspaper that the firm had 

100 million users in China. 

“People feel that China has 

no innovation, that companies 

here just copy. But in fact, we 

are leaders in our field, and we 

have created our own innovation,” 

Yuan told the paper. 

It added that Apple was 

also facing legal action from 

another Chinese company for 

allegedly infringing its “Snow 

Leopard” trademark. — AFP 

TEL: 24601003, 24600586 • FAX: 24600736 

• WEBSITE: www.salalahport.com

By Kaushalendra Singh 

THE stage of open air theatre 

at the Salalah Tourism Festival 

was abuzz with chirpy 

children giggling and talking, as 

the tiny tots and older kids were 

dancing and acting, portraying the 

rich heritage of Oman and modern 

developments achieved in every 

sphere of life. 

`In the audience Minister of Education, 

Dr Madeeha bint Ahmed al 

Shaibaniyah, was sitting proud and 

watching the success story of her 

own ministry, clapping and appreciating 

every step of the tiny tots. 

Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan 

I am not star struck by 

Ranbir, says Sumona 

� Page 28 

al Busaidy, Minister of State and 

Governor of Dhofar; Shaikh Salem 

bin Ofeet al Shanfari, Chairman of 

Dhofar Municipality and dignitaries 

from government, public and 

private sectors graced the occasion. 

The programme marking the 

conclusion of the children’s activities 

at the Salalah Tourism Festival 

also delighted the parents, schoolteachers 

and large number of festival 

visitors. 

The children performed various 

dances and every dance had some 

message for the audience. Either 

they were expressing gratitude to 

His Majesty the Sultan for providing 

the best possible educational 

and living standards or they were 

Hazard free home during 

summer holidays 

� Page 26 

Think twice before 

loosening seatbelt 

� Page 27 

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ 

in Oman! 

� Page 26 

Fea ures 

Sunday, July 8, 2012 

calling upon the children to avail of 

the opportunities and do something 

good for the generations to come. 

And the message was loud and 

clear “They have miles to go before 

they sleep.” 

Shorooq al Rajhi, Class XII 

student of Al Satha School, loves 

drawing on natural themes and she 

is participating in the festival with 

many of her works. She finds the 

exposure at the festival “A great 

learning experience.” She finds her 

three weeks at the festival an amazing 

experience and admits she has 

learnt a lot in terms of confidence 

building. 

“Not coming here would not 

have given me an opportunity to in- 

teract with the media. This adds to 

my confidence and makes me to do 

more and more,” she says. 

Omar Humaid al Jaradi of Kaab 

bin Sur School (Class X) was equally 

elated over participation in the 

festival. “This is really a very good 

idea to let students like us participate 

in a festival like this. Here we 

learn many things while enjoying 

and by knowing many things about 

our own society and culture.” 

“This also gives me a proud 

feeling, when I see the real pictures 

of our past, that we have made substantial 

development and our quality 

of life has changed manifold,” 

he says. 

Omar participated in the festival’s 

children pavilion with a science 

project of a fire resistant car 

which can be useful in the event 

of fire. 

His car emits gas that extinguishes 

fire. It is fitted with wireless 

mobiles which the fire victims can 

use for alarm in the event of a fire. 

Shehab bin Suilaman al Fari, 

(Class IX) of Al Hawai Mohammed 

al Azdi School; Zahra al Habsi of Al 

Mamara al Talim al Assasi School; 

Musab Rashid al Muqbali (Class 

IX) of Mohammed Sulaiman al 

Ghafri School; Abha al Balushi and 

Aisha al Falahi expressed similar 

views regarding the advantages of 

Cheryl Cole to pen 

autobiography 

� Page 28 

Chirpy children convey serious message 

The Information 

Technology Authority 

organises fun activities 

and entertainment shows 

daily for children at its 

pavilion. The programme 

is aimed at introducing 

children and their parents 

to ITA and to the national 

initiatives it fosters with 

a view to implementing 

the e.oman Strategy and 

eGovernment 

The children performed various 

dances and every dance had 

some message for the audience. 

Either they were expressing 

gratitude to His Majesty the 

Sultan for providing the best 

possible educational and living 

standards or they were calling 

upon the children to avail of the 

opportunities and do something 

good for the generations to come 

participation in the festival and they 

all are looking forward for another 

opportunity for such participation. 

The schoolchildren were duly 

recognised with citations and certificates 

which were given away by 

the Minister of Education. 

Meanwhile, most of the public 

and private sector participants 

at the festival are organising daily 

fun filled programmes for children 

in line with the festival’s theme of 

‘Oman: A secure childhood and a 

promising future.’ 

The Information Technology 

Authority (ITA) organises fun activities 

and entertainment shows 

daily for children at its pavilion. 

The programme is aimed at introducing 

children and their parents to 

ITA and to the national initiatives 

it fosters with a view to implementing 

the e.oman Strategy and 

eGovernment. 

Similarly, banks like Bank 

Sohar, BankMuscat and Dhofar 

Bank are organising This year’s 

kid’s programmes on the stage behind 

the children pavilion and giving 

away attractive gifts to the child 

participants. 

Telecom providers Omantel and 

Nawras have also lined up programmes 

for the kids with attractive 

gifts. 

— Pictures by Abdulrahim Subait

26 SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

Bank Sohar excels in its social services 

SINCE its inception, Bank 

Sohar has embarked on 

the road of excellence 

which led the bank to considerable 

success in the performance 

level. What has added 

to Bank Sohar`s excellence is 

the humane role it has been 

playing through its continued 

support to the institutions and 

associations which provide social 

services. 

Within this context came 

the renewed and continued support 

to the Creative Centre for 

Rehabilitation. Munira Macki, 

Deputy General Manager for 

Human Resources and Cor- 

porate Support handed over a 

cheque to Nabil al Balushi, one 

of the centre’s founders at the 

bank’s premises. These funds 

will aid in the ongoing functionality 

of the centre. 

Commenting on this support, 

she said “The ongoing 

support from Bank Sohar to 

the centre comes in line with 

the bank’s belief to actively 

contribute to a qualitative 

transformation in the social 

services as the private sector’s 

contribution to this sector is 

vital and necessary. We believe 

that joining hands in supporting 

social associations will 

enable them to improve their 

performance and develop and 

expand their services for those 

who need it the most.” 

“Through its support to 

the social institutions and associations, 

the bank desires to 

achieve two goals: the first is 

to make itself exemplary in the 

Sultanate as a financial institution, 

whose success goes hand 

in hand with the values of social 

giving, while, the second 

goal revolves around opening 

new horizons for the savvy social 

categories who need special 

care like the ones provided 

by the Creative Centre for Re- 

SWISS has further 

enhanced the scope of the 

customer services it provides 

via the Facebook and Twitter 

social media platforms. 

Customers can now use these 

online channels to contact the 

airline’s Service Centre at any 

time of the day or night with 

any inquiries or issues they 

may have: on flights, tickets, 

rebookings and similar. The 

new expanded facilities were 

introduced on July 1. 

SWISS has been utilising 

the Facebook and Twitter social 

media platforms for some 

time now to publish general 

information on the company, 

product news, competitions 

and more. The airline has now 

expanded its use of these online 

communication channels 

to ensure its round-the-clock 

reachability for its customers 

worldwide. SWISS is the 

first company in Switzerland 

habilitation” she added. 

On receiving the donation 

amount from Bank Sohar, 

Nabil al Balushi said “The centre 

endeavours to develop and 

expand its services to reach a 

larger number of the children 

with special needs. To achieve 

this goal, the centre needs support 

from the society and the 

private sector establishments”. 

Al Balushi extended his 

thanks and gratitude to Bank 

Sohar for its commitment and 

social sensitivity, saying that 

since the centre’s inception in 

2009, the bank has been showing 

its ongoing support. 

US Embassy’s cultural events in Salalah and Muscat 

THE US Embassy in 

Muscat is organising 

two free-admission 

cultural performances in 

Oman by ‘The Chinle Valley 

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ in Oman! 

FUN-FILLED themed party on July 

A 11 is all set to attract all the ‘wannabe 

pirates’ of Muscat. The Le-Grand Hall 

of Al Falaj Hotel will be the venue to a 

grand party catering to everyone spending 

their summer in Oman and seeking to be 

entertained in a big way. 

The expansive hall will be transformed 

into a pirate worthy setting with 

the lighting and decor creating the ambiance. 

Pirates and their mates can party 

their boots off on the dance floor with live 

band Midinotes performing hit music and 

DJ Boomerang from Mumbai spinning 

chart topping tracks. The theme of the informal 

event is ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ 

and attendees are encouraged to dress the 

part and unleash their inner ‘Captain Jack 

Sparrow’, ‘Elizabeth Swann’ or any other 

pirate character they fancy. Prizes will be 

given for the best outfits. 

Guests can expect a view of ‘The 

Black Pearl’ which will be positioned in 

the centre and other eye-popping pirate 

themed decor. An extensive continental 

and Asian buffet spread will take care of 

hungry pirate’s appetites. 

The event is a collaboration between 

Inspiration Design and Al Falaj Hotel. 

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ is the first of 

Singers’, a Native American 

performing arts group. 

The first event will take 

place in Salalah on July 11 at 

9 pm as part of the Embassy’s 

participation in the Salalah 

Tourist Festival, and the second 

performance will take 

place in Muscat at 8 pm on 

July 12 at Al Bustan Palace, 

A Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Both 

performances are open to the 

public. 

The Chinle Valley Singers 

are a Navajo family group 

who strongly believe in preserving 

culture through their 

rich Navajo tradition in storytelling 

and in songs and dances, 

which have been adapted 

from traditional ceremonies 

for social and entertainment 

contexts. 

The group’s music has its 

roots in the rich tradition of 

Canyon de Chelley, Arizona. 

The Chinle Valley Singers — 

Elsie Deswood, Linda Davis, 

Dempsey Deswood, Darren 

Deswood, Diadre Deswood, 

many events being planned by the organisers. 

“Our aim was to organise an innovative 

event that would appeal to those 

looking for something out of the ordinary. 

We have kept the entry reasonable and are 

expecting a lot of demand for the tickets 

which will be sold on a first come first 

serve basis,” said Uttam Kotian, Managing 

Director — Inspiration Design. 

“The significance of our tie-up with 

Al Falaj Hotel is that is signals not just 

one but a season of interesting events to 

come. We have planned a series of similar 

events from October through to Decem- 

Amanda Teller and Bodina 

Teller — began singing as a 

group in 1981 when they received 

a warm reception from 

communities in and outside of 

the Navajo community. 

Since then, they have performed 

at the Shiprock (New 

Mexico) Navajo Fair and have 

won numerous awards at the 

prestigious Navajo Nation 

Fair in Window Rock, Arizona. 

The group has also performed 

in Estonia, the Philippines, 

Italy, England, the 

Netherlands, Latvia, Dubai 

and now Oman. 

The group has recorded 

several albums of their music 

and has appeared in such 

films as “Feathers in the 

Wind” (Rocky Mountain Productions), 

“Grandfather Sky” 

(Chariot Productions), and 

“Indians of the Southwest” 

ber to raise the level of entertainment for 

residents of Muscat. The pirate theme will 

appeal to the young at heart who want to 

let their hair down and there will be no 

interruptions to the non-stop party taking 

place on the dance floor,” he added. 

The party begins at 8 pm and tickets 

for age 18 and above will include the dinner 

buffet. Door opens at 8 pm. Tickets 

can be picked up from Al Falaj Hotel, 

OUA outlets in Wadi Kabir, Madinat al 

Sultan Qaboos or Al Athaiba and Khana 

Khazana outlets in MBD, Wadi al Kabir 

or Airport. 

to provide a specially-trained 

service centre team to deal 

with customers’ inquiries at 

any time of the day or night. 

As well as calling up general 

information, customers 

can use the enhanced com- 

munications channels to ask 

specific questions about travelling 

with SWISS and the 

various products and services 

available, or with regard to a 

booking already made. The 

new 24-hour service is pro- 

Hazard-free home during summer holidays 

YOUR home can be 

hazard free even while 

you're away during 

summer vacations! That is 

the message Muscat Electricity 

Distribution Company 

(MEDC) is giving out to the 

residents of Muscat by propagating 

some very simple yet 

effective means of energy conservation. 

Most notable among 

the risks is domestic fire caused 

by electrical faults. 

“We notice that it is common 

for residents to leave their 

electricity on even when they 

are out for long period during 

the summer months and this 

can pose serious after-effects 

such as fire breakouts. We have 

to be very cautious about using 

energy as it is a precious and 

limited resource,” says Eng 

Sultan Ahmed al Hinai, HSE 

(Chariot Productions). 

The cultural performances 

of the band in the Sultanate 

are offered as part of the US 

Embassy Public Affairs Sec- 

acting Manager, MEDC. 

Some preventive measures 

1. Switch off the main switch. 

2. If outdoor lights are used, 

ensure that they are connected 

to a timer and that 

CFL bulbs are used. 

3. If you wish to keep the 

electricity on, make sure 

tion’s cultural programming 

this year, during which the 

embassy will host and participate 

in many events throughout 

Oman. 

that all appliances are all 

switched off and physically 

unplugged from the socket. 

4. Unplug small AC/DC converters 

and chargers as they 

may overheat if left on. 

5. If the fridge needs to be 

left on, make sure there is 

enough ventilation. 

On The 

Airwaves 

By Lakshmi Kothaneth 

lkairwaves@gmail.com 

Know the real from fake 

SALALAH Tourism Festival 2012 attracts more and 

more people as the weather continues to showcase the 

beauty of monsoon in Dhofar. People have been exploring 

various sites as the weather has been pleasant to enjoy 

outdoors. 

I have just been to the exhibition from Sudan that has 

just opened at the Festival ground at Eiteen. The Sudanese 

community in Salalah is thoroughly enjoying the event 

while other visitors gazed in wonder at the products that 

were on display. The very opening saw people picking up 

belts and handbags made out of reptile skin. Crocodile 

products enjoyed the central focus. The artisans are also 

here and with pride they showed me the walking sticks that 

are made out of ebony. Carved Ostrich eggs are another 

attraction. 

Within minutes the song and dance began at the theatre, 

which is where the participating wilayats also perform for 

the competition. The folklore band from Saudi Arabia has 

just finished the period of performances for the festival. 

The Yemeni folklore band has taken over the sessions. At 

the consumer exhibition the Yemeni corner is a huge attraction 

as well. The stands cover everything that Yemen is 

famous for — spices, frankincense, silver and honey. They 

have a whole line of products based on honey and herbs 

for health. In fact, according to them they look forward to 

Salalah Tourism Festival each year as the festival ensures 

good number of customers. Consumer exhibition is one of 

the major attractions of the festival as visitors turn out in 

huge numbers to shop for the season. The participants from 

Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, India, Pakistan and China 

have all come prepared for the customers. 

Speaking of consumers, the Public Authority for Consumer 

Protection has an extremely interesting exhibition 

that is a must for everyone to visit. It is an educational experience. 

Their request to the consumers is, “Please read 

the labels. And please collect the receipts.” Most people 

miss out on the expiry dates and many others never look 

into the ingredients. There is a huge corner with the display 

of T-shirts, shoes and accessories that have design of 

skulls imprinted in them. They are not allowed in Omani 

market. 

Another concern that has come up from the parents 

themselves is about certain firecrackers that have managed 

to infiltrate into the local markets. The officials pointed out 

while being interviewed on Radio Sultanate of Oman 90.4 

FM that children not only play with them not knowing the 

consequences, but play dangerously, causing burns while 

trying to strike the crackers and throw them at siblings and 

friends. Again the request is for the parents to pay attention 

to what their children are buying. 

So many times we might have walked past a product 

that looked just like the item you purchase usually and 

sometimes the product producers even use the exact trade 

mark colours even if the logo has a copyright on it. If we 

are careless it could be very well in your trolley and into 

your kitchen shelf. Maybe they are cheaper but isn’t your 

health more precious? 

On that regard one of the biggest concerns is the duplicate 

engine and spare parts of the vehicles. The automobile 

sector is participating in the exhibition by displaying the 

original parts next to the duplicate ones. If your engine 

fails you can buy a new car, but what if the brake fails? 

SWISS launches 24/7 customer service 

via Facebook and Twitter 

6. Make sure any appliance 

you leave on is not in proximity 

with any easy inflammable 

material such as paper, 

curtains, and clothes as 

it will generate heat. 

7. Ensure that all water heaters 

have functioning thermostats 

and are switched off. 

8. Make sure that no dripping 

tap is near the electric 

source. 

9. Gas installations must be 

secured and the master 

valve of the gas is off to 

avoid accumulating gas 

leaks that can be ignited by 

any spark. 

MEDC launched its ‘Save 

Energy’ campaign last year and 

has since initiated several programmes 

to spread awareness 

on how to save energy through 

simple and practical steps. 

vided in five languages, too: 

English, German, French, 

Italian and Spanish. 

Thanks to these expanded 

online facilities, SWISS customers 

can now get in touch 

with the airline quickly and 

directly from any Internetcapable 

device at any time of 

the day or night and wherever 

they may be. The service can 

be accessed via either Twitter 

(@SwissAirLines) or 

Facebook (facebook.com/Fly- 

SWISS). 

“Yet again, SWISS is showing 

its resolve to make sure 

that we are within customers’ 

reach in order to provide them 

the service they expect. The 

use of social media is quite 

apt considering its popularity 

especially here in the region,” 

said Mark Pey, Country Manager 

for Lufthansa German 

Airlines and Swiss International 

Air Lines.

PEOPLE’S 

PLATFORM 

ECONOMIC development has brought us a 

chance to live a very comfortable life. Oil 

wealth has given almost all countries in 

the Gulf some of the highest per capita incomes 

in the world. But it has also created lifestyles 

— overeating, high-sugar diets, cushy jobs and 

heavy reliance on automobiles for transport, according 

to experts these are leading to an explosion 

of diabetes in the region. 

Five of the 10 countries where diabetes is most 

prevalent are located in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation 

Council, according to the International 

Diabetes Federation (IDF). This is not in the case 

of Gulf nationals but even expatriates living in the 

Gulf have a higher incidence of diabetes than they 

do in their home countries. This suggests lifestyles 

are a major reason for the region’s problem. 

Exercise is the single most important factor for 

reducing diabetes... but it takes a lot of work to 

get people to follow a lifestyle they really don’t 

want to follow. 

The lifestyle, the luxury we live in, the lack 

of activity and our fatty junk food culture are all 

contributing factors for the prevalence of diabetes. 

Food is delivered, kids play sitting down at 

their computers. 

We need more facilities for exercising and 

encourage outdoor activities to decrease obesity 

and diabetes. We need as much exposure and 

awareness of this disease as possible. 

— Mohammed al Kindi 

Editor: Government and other agencies are reacting 

to the problem by launching public awareness 

campaigns to encourage healthy diets, exercise 

and early medical testing. Now it is in the hands 

of the people to follow a healthy lifestyle. 

Raising farm output 

in the Sultanate 

IT is a very good idea to raise farm output in 

the Sultanate. There is no denying the fact that 

Blame defective gene 

for malformed faces 

SCIENTISTS have located a gene whose mutation 

wrecks the shape of human faces as well as 

triggers mental retardation. 

They looked at patients with Potocki-Shaffer syndrome, 

a rare disorder that can result in significant 

abnormalities such as a small head and chin and intellectual 

disability, and linked it to mutation in the gene 

PHF21A, said Hyung-Goo Kim, molecular geneticist 

at the Medical College of Georgia Health Sciences 

University. 

The scientists confirmed PHF21A's role by suppressing 

it in zebrafish, which developed head and 

brain abnormalities similar to those in patients. "With 

less PHF21A, brain cells died, so this gene must play 

a big role in neuron (brain and nerve cell) survival," 

Kim, who led the study, was quoted as saying in The 

American Journal of Human Genetics. 

They reconfirmed the role by giving the gene back 

to the malformed fish — studied for their adeptness 

at regeneration — which then became essentially normal. 

They also documented the gene's presence in normal 

mice, said a university statement. 

While giving the normal gene unfortunately can't 

cure patients as it does the zebrafish, the scientists 

believe the finding will eventually enable genetic 

screening and possibly early intervention during foetal 

development, including therapy to increase PHF21A 

levels, Kim said. 

It also provides a compass for learning more about 

face, skull and brain formation. 

The scientists zeroed in on the gene by using a 

distinctive chromosomal break found in patients with 

Potocki-Shaffer syndrome as a starting point. Chromosomes 

— packages of DNA and protein — aren't 

supposed to break, and when they do, it can damage 

genes in the vicinity. 

"We call this breakpoint mapping and the breakpoint 

is where the trouble is," said Lawrence C Layman, 

professor of endocrinology at the Medical College 

of Georgia and study co-author. 

agriculture sector is one of the most important 

pillars of economic and social development in the 

Sultanate. 

Despite growth in other sectors, the Omani 

people are still attached to their land in various 

governorates. 

— Hasan 

Editor: There was a time Oman did not explore 

its oil wealth. The society was fully dependent on 

agriculture. Some of the Sultanate’s governorates 

are blessed with fertile land and they have easy 

access to water. I am sure the Ministry of Agriculture 

and Fisheries is giving due attention to raise 

farm output. 

27 

LETTERS/HEALTH SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

Is diabetes the dark side of our economic prosperity? 

Unhygienic behaviour 

AM really pissed off with the unhygienic 

I behaviour of my neighbour who puts the kitchen 

garbage on the stairs instead of throwing them in 

the municipality dustbin. She does it regularly and 

garbage remains there until the house caretaker 

comes and throws. It not only stinks, it also invites 

flies and cockroaches. — Sweta 

Editor: It is really something bad on the part 

of your neighbour and I can understand your situation 

of not telling her directly. You can try with 

some bold notes pasted near the place she keeps 

the garbage and then tell the caretaker or the 

house owner about the problem. Hope this works 

out. 

Travellers woes 

THE cases of missing luggage booked through 

transit luggage are happening so frequently 

that many fliers are choosing to wait at the Muscat 

airport and spending long hours than taking the 

transit way of travelling. 

I know at least two of my office colleagues 

who had this experience and due to their 

experience I chose not to book my luggage in 

transit. I spend four extra hours at the airport to 

ensure that my luggage reaches at the destination 

safely. 

— Siddharth 

Editor: The fliers should know certain rules 

that support them in such situations and should 

not hesitate in claiming them. When they claim 

compensation, it reaches to the higher ups and 

strong notice is taken. Otherwise it is hushed up 

at lower levels without fixing any responsibility 

Exhibition of handicrafts 

WAS delighted to see the exhibition of 

I handicrafts at the Salalah Tourism Festival. 

Some of the women are so talented that they 

are generating jobs not only for themselves but 

also for many of their family members and many 

others. 

They are really a source of inspiration for others. 

— Fatma 

Editor: It is said initiative is half work done. 

People hesitate from taking initiative and look 

at the government machineries for everything. I 

really appreciate such women. We should learn 

from them. 

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: 

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

Precautionary steps to travel easy with diabetes 

NOWADAYS, the lifestyle 

and the surge 

in standard of living 

make travelling an accolade to 

everyday mundane activities 

of home and profession. Be it 

a family tour or a professional 

one, 'travelling' always sounds 

enthralling. 

But travelling may not always 

be welcomed by many 

people owing to a number of 

causes, health issues being 

one of the prime reasons. The 

current scenario holds a grim 

picture with many lifestylerelated 

disorders like obesity, 

diabetes and heart ailments 

on the upsurge. The statistical 

data on prevalence of diabetes 

illustrates that 40.9 million 

people suffered from diabetes 

in the year 2007 and the incidence 

is projected to increase 

to 69.9 million by 2025. 

Happy journeys and pleasant 

trips may be a far cry especially 

for people with diabetes 

because often travelling comes 

as an emotional and physical 

burden for them. They remain 

stressed about the qualms of 

their meal and blood glucose 

management and, more often 

By Dr C M Batra 

than not, end with fluctuating 

blood sugar levels because of 

erratic meal timings and unhealthy 

binging. 

Virtually it is simple and 

easy for people with diabetes 

to stay at bay from such complications 

of blood glucose 

fluctuation. A little rational 

planning and preparation beforehand 

can help them sustain 

their focus on their destination 

rather than on diabetes. 

Some important precautionary 

and preventive 

measures: 

� See your healthcare 

provider prior to travelling 

Think twice before loosening 

seatbelt after rolling your car 

CARS frequently end up 

on their roofs after an 

accident in which they 

have rolled. Passengers possibly 

uninjured in the accident 

itself still face dangers if they 

are hanging upside down, held 

in place by their seatbelts. 

The German DVW traffic 

authorities says that loosening 

the seatbelt could result in serious 

injury to the head or vertebrae 

in the neck and offers the 

following advice. 

Rule number one: If you 

roll your car, wait to orient 

yourself before going into action. 

Wedge yourself into position, 

possibly with the hands 

against the roof and your feet 

against the dashboard. 

Once the lower part of the 

belt is no longer under tension, 

the fastener can be opened with 

one hand. Then slowly relax 

you legs and roll over your 

shoulders and arms towards the 

centre of the car. 

Provided that the doors are 

not locked tight, leave the car 

on the side away from the road. 

Then call the emergency services 

and try to secure the site of 

the accident by warning other 

motorists. 

If a disc problem is suspected, 

lie down and take 

painkillers: If a problem with 

to assess the current level of 

diabetes control and to get 

guidance on various diabetes 

management issues. 

� If you are on insulin, 

make sure to store it in a safe 

place, away from direct sunlight. 

Insulin loses its potency 

when subjected to extremes in 

temperature. 

� While travelling or during 

a trip, if you eat out quite 

frequently, take extra care in 

making right food choices. 

� Watch your meal timings 

and avoid long gaps in 

between the meals. 

� Avoid skipping meals 

as it may lead to hypoglycaemia 

(dangerously low level of 

blood glucose). 

� Keep some snacks 

handy while travelling to 

maintain blood glucose levels. 

Flying high with diabetes: 

Important tips while 

travelling abroad: 

� Patients with dietary restrictions 

should contact their 

airline in advance about special 

meal options. 

� The necessary medications 

and supplies should be 

a spinal disc is suspected, the 

patient should lie down immediately 

to take the strain off the 

back. 

Symptoms include sudden 

back pain as well as a numb 

feeling and lack of feeling in 

the legs. 

Lying down and supporting 

the calves with a cushion help 

to ease the load on the spine and 

to relax the muscles that have 

tensed up. 

German neurologist Curt 

packed in carry-on luggage 

rather than check-in baggage. 

� Consult your doctor regarding 

time zone changes, 

jet-lag and drug and insulin 

dosage. 

� Obtain a travel itinerary 

showing departure and arrival 

times, durations of flights, and 

time differences between the 

points of arrival and departure. 

� Remember to keep a 

doctor's letter for Customs 

officials regarding your medical 

supplies, in case you need 

medical treatment overseas. 

� If travelling abroad, 

prepare a list of suitable foods 

available there in advance to 

ease your meal plans. 

� Different food and sitting 

for long periods can make 

your BGLs rise, remember to 

test your blood glucose level 

while flying. 

� Stand up and walk 

around as often as possible 

to increase circulation, keep 

blood glucose levels under 

control and prevent clots. 

Healthy snacks which are 

fibre rich, low fat and low 

calorie, taken in between the 

Beil advises taking a dose of 

painkillers, with the aim of 

preventing the muscles around 

the disc in question from going 

into spasm and exacerbating the 

pain. 

The cause of the pain should 

be investigated by a doctor to 

determine appropriate therapy. 

According to Beil, conservative 

treatment with medication and 

physiotherapy is sufficient in 

most cases. After two or three 

weeks, the symptoms should 

main meals, are ideal for people 

with diabetes, especially 

while travelling. 

� Stick to the basics instead 

of binging on fat rich 

preparations. 

� Baked dishes are better 

than fried preparations as they 

offer lesser calories and fat. 

� Keep a check on portion 

sizes while eating out. 

� Have fibre-rich foods 

including whole grain preparations 

and salads. 

� Drink plenty of water 

and avoid having sugary 

drinks and alcohol. 

Snacking in between the 

main meals is a life-saving 

elixir for people with diabetes. 

Not only does snacking curb 

the hunger pangs by enhancing 

satiety, but it also defends 

the person from abrupt ebb 

and flow of blood glucose. 

Snacks prepared from 

whole grains like oats and 

ragi are rich in fibre, have a 

low glycemic index (GI) and 

slack the process of digestion 

releasing the sugar gradually 

in the blood stream unlike 

simple carbohydrates which 

promptly raise the blood glu- 

ease. 

Disc problems can be prevented 

by avoiding unbalanced 

strains on the spine, maintaining 

a healthy body weight, ensuring 

a well designed workplace and 

proper footwear. Those most 

at risk are usually between the 

ages of 30 and 50. 

Get baby to drink from 

cup as early as possible: Infants 

should learn to drink from 

an open cup as soon as they 

learn to sit up so as to prevent 

them developing the habit of 

drinking only from a bottle. 

While a baby's bottle is an 

important aid to infant nutrition 

and calming, drinking from a 

bottle is often bad for the first 

teeth, particularly if the bottles 

are filled with drinks containing 

sugars or acids. 

The milk teeth will suffer if 

they are constantly immersed in 

these liquids, with severe tooth 

decay the result. Parents should 

give their babies water or unsweetened 

tea to drink and not 

allow them to suck on a bottle 

constantly. 

The milk teeth are important 

not only for proper chewing of 

food, but also for speech development 

and the child's psychological 

progress. They also prepare 

the mouth for the arrival of 

the permanent teeth. — dpa 

cose levels. 

Oats and ragi, being good 

sources of soluble fibre, have 

been found to have cholesterol 

lowering effects, thus diminishing 

the risk of cardiac 

disorders. 

It is best to have baked 

snacks which have minimal 

fat rather than feasting on 

fat and calorie-dense fried 

preparations. Baked snacks, 

enriched with grains like oats 

and ragi, are fibre rich; low 

fat, trans-fat free and low 

calorie are the best pick for 

people with diabetes while 

travelling. Keeping a stock of 

such snacks before departing 

for a trip is better than regretting 

later. 

People with diabetes can 

bid farewell to their anxieties 

about blood fluctuation if a little 

preparation prior to travelling 

and adequate precautions 

while travelling are taken. 

(Dr C M Batra is a senior 

diabatologist at Apollo 

Hospital, New Delhi. 

He can be contacted at 

chandrabatra@yahoo.com) 

HEALTHY 

FOODS 

By Mini Padikkal 

Barley nutrition 

WHOLE barley comes hulled (also known as “pot 

barley’’), pearled, cracked, flaked and in flour 

forms. Pot barley is a grain with a rich, slightly 

nutty flavour and a chewy texture. Most barley that is sold 

is pearl barley, which has had almost all of the nutrients and 

fibre removed by processing, whereas pot or hulled barley, 

has had minimal processing and is therefore a good source 

of nutrients. Here are some of those that you would enjoy 

if you cook using this whole grain. 

Barley is consistently rated as one of the best whole 

grains for weight loss and blood-pressure control, as well 

as for protection against type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular 

disease and certain cancers. A cup of this whole grain 

contains 22 grams of protein, 61mg of calcium, 245mg of 

magnesium, 486mg of phosphorus, 832mg of potassium 

and 69mcg of selenium. It is also rich in copper and manganese. 

Unusually for a grain, barley contains lutein and 

zeaxanthin, which help to protect eyesight and eye health. 

All these nutrients and antioxidants play an important role 

in your health. 

• Barley is rich in antioxidants, such as selenium, quercetin 

and phenolic acids, which protect against damage to 

human body cells, and also contains a high concentration 

of tocols and tocotrienols, oils that help reduce the risk of 

cancer and heart disease. 

• This extremely nutritious starchy grain contains insoluble 

and soluble fibres that helps to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol 

and protect us from hormonal cancers and heart 

disease. Beta-glucans, which lower cholesterol and aid in 

immune function, are found in the soluble fibre portion. In 

fact, barley is the richest source of beta-glucans compared 

to any other grain. A study made by the American Journal 

of Clinical Nutrition in 2004, consuming diets with 3 to 

6 grams of beta-glucan soluble fibre effectively reduces 

6 to 8 per cent of LDL cholesterol. It contains arginine 

(14.3mg/g) at higher amounts which keep the blood vessels 

elastic, keeping the blood flow smoothly, melts away 

plaque that exist in blood vessel and also reduces blood 

clots and bad cholesterol. 

• Barley is one of the richest sources of chromium, 

which is important in maintaining proper blood glucose 

levels. Experts say that to keep your blood sugar level, you 

should eat foods with a glycaemic index (GI) of less than 

55. The GI of pearl barley is 25, making it a very low glycaemic 

food. 

• A little known nutrition fact: Barley is great for fat 

loss, especially when eaten early in the day. The secret is 

its fibre content. Just 200gms of barley can contain 55 per 

cent of the recommended daily fiber intake. That is more 

than most people consume from the average diet. Due to the 

high amount of soluble fiber in barley, it creates a very low 

blood sugar spike compared to other carbs and takes a long 

time to digest. Large blood sugar spikes lead to increased fat 

storage through the activity of insulin, a naturally occurring 

hormone. Barley provides you some protection against this. 

• Barley water made by steeping the grains in water 

has long been considered a health drink for its diuretic and 

kidney-supporting effect. 

• Though barley is low in gluten, it is not gluten free, 

so people with coeliac disease should not use it in place 

of wheat. 

• Pot barley needs up to two hours of simmering in 

water, but presoaking it for several hours will shorten the 

cooking time. Add it to soups and casseroles for extra nutrition 

and fibre. 

The fats in barley can make it go rancid after a short 

time, especially if kept in warm, conditions so store in a 

cool, dry, dark place in an airtight container and use within 

two to three months. Just the name barley, seems to make 

one think that it is a flavourless and not-so-satisfying food. 

In reality, barley is an essential food for us to incorporate in 

to our daily diet and surprisingly, it actually is delicious. 

(The writer is a dietician at Atlas Star 

Medical Centre, Al Khuwair, Muscat.)

I am not star struck by Ranbir, says Sumona 

Close, Byrne duel to 

the death in Damages 

GLENN Close and Rose 

Byrne (pictured) come 

out fighting in the series 

premiere of legal drama 

Damages, and both know that 

by the time the fifth and final 

season wraps, one of them 

may not make it out alive. 

Close, who portrays dubious 

legal eagle Patty Hewes in 

the series, and Byrne, her one- 

WHERE has all the 

creativity gone, 

wonder television 

viewers who find that an increasing 

number of soaps have 

annoyingly familiar stories, 

taken from one Bollywood 

blockbuster or the other. 

From Kya Hua Tera Vaada 

to Hitler Didi, many serials 

are taking a cue from the movies, 

whipping up storylines 

and adding some small screen 

flavour to keep the track going 

for as long as possible. 

The twists and turns in Kya 

Hua Tera Vaada are akin to 

Salman Khan’s Biwi No. 1; the 

latest track in Main Lakshmi 

Tere Aangan Ki reminds 

viewers of the wife selling the 

husband in the Anil Kapoor- 

Sridevi starrer Judaai. 

If in the 1997 Judaai 

Sridevi sells her husband to 

time protege and now fierce 

rival Ellen Parsons, have for 

years been locked in a lovehate 

relationship that has seen 

them work on the same cases 

even while loathing each other’s 

very existence. 

The new season, kicking 

off July 11 on DirecTV, promises 

more episodes based on 

real-life legal issues. More im- 

Urmila Matondkar to become 

rich, in Main Lakshmi..., the 

protagonist Lakshmi sells her 

husband Arjun to his ex-flame 

Soumya to bail her in-laws out 

from a financial crunch. 

In Ekta Kapoor’s Kya Hua 

Tera Vaada about an extra 

marital affair, Pradeep (Pawan 

Shankar) decides to move in 

with his ex-flame Anushka 

(Mouli Ganguly) and divorce 

his wife Mona (Mona Singh) 

(pictured). The way Mona is 

handling the situation bears 

uncanny resemblance to how 

the wronged wife (Karisma 

Kapoor) reacted in Biwi No. 

1. 

“As a writer, when we keep 

writing stories and there are 

times when it comes to a point 

‘now what?’ Then producers 

and writers take the decision 

that such a story can be incor- 

portant, fans will get the final 

insight into what personality 

traits have driven these two 

vengeful women the past four 

years. 

“Neither of them can get the 

other out of their lives or out of 

their sensibilities,” Close said. 

“A fascinating thing about this 

season is you learn Patty’s reason 

for behaving more than 

anytime before.” 

“She’s gone past the point 

of no return, and I think, she’s 

too proud and too, in some 

ways, emotionally isolated 

to change at this point,” she 

added. 

Along with its focus on the 

relationship between Hewes 

and Parsons over four seasons, 

Damages has become known 

for putting a unique spin on 

controversial issues of the 

day. 

After covering counterterrorism, 

Wall Street insider 

trading and Ponzi schemes in 

past years, the season five drama 

ventures into the world of 

information management and 

whether one man’s quest for 

free speech clashes with another’s 

demand for privacy. 

In the season’s storyline, 

actor Ryan Phillippe portrays 

Channing McClaren, a man 

loosely based on WikiLeaks 

founder Julian Assange, who 

is determined to expose corporate 

America with a group 

of top-secret whistleblowers.— 

Reuters 

28 

ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012 

YOUNG girls are 

swooning over 

Ranbir Kapoor’s 

cute, chocolate-boy looks 

in Barfi!, but TV actress 

Sumona Chakravarti 

(pictured) isn’t part of that 

league. The 24-year-old 

says she wasn’t star struck 

while sharing the frame with 

him in the movie, but was 

definitely impressed with his 

“chilled out” attitude. 

Sumona, best recognised 

as Natasha Kapoor in 

popular TV soap Bade 

Achche Lagte Hain, has a 

cameo in the film, which 

marks the Bollywood debut 

of southern actress Ileana 

D’Cruz. 

“I play Ileana’s friend in 

the movie. It’s a small, cute 

little part, but I have shared 

screen space with both 

RK (Ranbir) and Ileana. It 

was fantastic to work with 

Ranbir, he never made 

me feel as though I was 

someone he didn’t know. He 

was at ease interacting with 

everyone, which was great,” 

Sumona said. 

“Actually, I am a person 

who is not star struck by any 

actor. If anyone asks me, 

‘Who is your favourite male 

star?’, I usually have nothing 

to say! So it was the same 

with RK. He is a chilled out 

guy, very regular and very 

normal in attitude. We used 

to chit-chat on the sets and 

have tea while shooting in 

Darjeeling. It was a good 

atmosphere,” she added. 

Sumona ended up with 

a role in Barfi! thanks to its 

director Anurag Basu, whom 

she calls “Dada”. While 

most TV actors blow their 

own trumpet after bagging 

big screen projects, Sumona 

preferred to keep mum about 

her part in Barfi!. Asked 

why, she said: “It’s not my 

big Bollywood launch! 

Everybody is suddenly 

talking about my presence in 

the film. But I never wanted 

to talk about it. I just did the 

film for dada. I didn’t even 

know I was going to be a 

part of the trailer. It’s been a 

big bonus.” 

Surprisingly, this isn’t 

her first tryst with the big 

screen. As a youngster, she 

says she featured in Aamir 

Khan-starrer Mann, which 

released in 1999. 

But now she wants to do 

more big screen projects, 

especially “characterdriven” 

films. 

“I certainly want to be 

a part of good cinema, and 

language is no barrier for 

me. I would love to do a 

Bengali film with Aparna 

Sen or Rituparno Ghosh. 

But good, character-driven 

cinema is what I am looking 

at. It’s very interesting to see 

the kind of new age cinema 

that’s prevalent today, and 

I am more inclined towards 

that,” she said. — IANS 

porated and we tend to experiment 

with the storyline,” said 

writer Rajesh Joshi, who has 

penned shows like Kyunki 

Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, 

Kkusum and Pavitra Rishta. 

“Though it might prove 

to be a TRP safety measure 

to some extent, one isn’t sure 

how prominent will it be. The 

success depends upon the 

popularity of the show and its 

characters and how we incorporate 

it (new storyline) in the 

script,” he added. 

Mona admitted that the 

story of Kya Hua and Biwi 

No. 1were similar but said the 

treatment was different. 

“To a certain extent I agree 

because the man did have an 

extra-marital affair and there 

was infidelity in the film. But 

that was a three-hour movie 

and it got over, but this is a se- 

Boyzone 

planning 20th 

anniversary 

album 

IRISH boyband Boyzone 

are planning a special 

album and tour next year to 

mark their 20th anniversary 

in music. 

The group formed 

after responding to an 

advertisement hunting for 

stars in 1993, and their 

debut album — Said and 

Done — hit shelves the 

following year. 

“We’ve plans in place 

for a tour and an album 

next year for the 20th 

anniversary — that’s if 

people want to come and 

see us,” sun.co.uk quoted 

group member Keith Duffy 

as saying. 

“We’ve a very loyal 

fanbase that always come in 

their thousands. It’s a nice 

set-up. We never broke up, 

so we can take time out to 

do our own thing, and then 

get back together when 

it suits,” the 37-year-old 

added. — IANS 

Cheryl Cole to pen autobiography 

SINGER Cheryl Cole 

(pictured) is all set to 

tell her life story through 

an autobiography. 

She has inked a deal with 

publisher HarperCollins for it, 

reports contactmusic.com. 

The book is expected to lift 

the lid about her marriage and 

split from her soccer player 

husband Ashley Cole. It will 

also give readers an insight 

into her childhood and her rise 

to fame through ITV talent 

show Popstars: The Rivals. 

“Cheryl Cole is the nation’s 

sweetheart. We are absolutely 

thrilled to be publishing her 

story. Cheryl’s an amazing 

woman with a capacity to inspire 

everyone. She emerges 

from every challenge stronger 

and with more grace and good 

humour and beauty — inner 

and outer,” said publisher Carole 

Tonkinson. 

“We’re still pinching 

ourselves that Cheryl chose 

us as her publisher and 

we’re going to do everything 

in our power to make 

this the Christmas number 

one,” Tonkinson added. 

Syko to compose song for 

Enrique Iglesias disc: Rapper 

Syko, who records for 

Don Omar’s Orfanato Music 

Group label, was brimming 

with satisfaction at being given 

the chance to write a song for 

Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias. 

Syko told EFE that the opportunity 

came about during 

the presentation of the latest 

Don Omar disc, Meet the Orphans: 

The new generation, 

when Iglesias’ manager asked 

him to write a song for his next 

album. 

Christian Ramos, a.k.a. 

Syko, acknowledged that his 

contact with Iglesias, son of Julio 

Iglesias, happened because 

of the success of the songs 

Hasta que Salga el Sol (Until 

Sunrise) and Zumba, on which 

he worked with Don Omar. 

“I felt super-pleased at the 

opportunity. I’ve already recorded 

the song, but Enrique 

still has to record the voice,” 

Syko said from his home in Orlando, 

Florida. 

He said that the process of 

composing the song, whose 

title has not yet been decided, 

was “a little more complicated” 

in comparison with some other 

tunes, due to the timbre of Enrique’s 

voice, which is “sharper” 

than that of Don Omar. 

Syko said he also has a disc 

ready with 16 numbers that include 

songs in the categories of 

rap, ballad, bachata, rock, soca 

and a mambo with Spain’s Juan 

Magan. — IANS 

Small screen apes big; creativity down the tube 

rial and it will last for one or 

two years at least.” 

The story of Life Ok’s 

show Dil Se Di Dua... Saubhagyavati 

Bhava is close to 

Daraar, which starred Juhi 

Chawla, Arbaaz Khan and 

Rishi Kapoor. In the serial, 

Karanvir Bohra plays the 

over-possessive and violent 

husband, Harshad Chopra is 

the saviour and Sriti Jha is the 

distressed wife. 

Zee TV’s Hitler Didi recently 

wrapped up a track, 

which was loosely based on 

the film Khosla Ka Ghosla, 

where the protagonist Indira’s 

father sells the family home 

to a builder without telling 

his family. And how she 

fools the builder to get the 

house back. The serial has lots 

of incidents similar to the hit 

film. — IANS 

Chief Executive Officer DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI. Editor-in-Chief FAHMI BIN KHALID AL HARTHY 

Printers and Publishers OMAN ESTABLISHMENT FOR PRESS, PUBLICATION AND ADVERTISING 

Singer Demi Lovato performs on ABC’s Good 

Morning America in New York City. — AFP 

Singer Sarah Harding has reportedly reunited with 

ex-fiance Tom Crane. Harding, who split from her 

DJ partner after three years together last summer, is 

reportedly giving their romance another shot 

Actress Mischa Barton says she keeps life ‘interesting’ 

by never living in the same place for too long 

Actor George Clooney and his girlfriend Stacy Keibler 

suffered from food poisoning after having a 

bad meal in Italy. — IANS 

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