SUNDAY | MARCH 8, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 17, 1436 AH P21 Wireless connectivity in vehicles VOL. 34 NO. 114 | PAGES 32 | BAISAS 200 P30 How to shoot like a National Geographic photographer P25 Pakistan eye last-eight with South Africa shock Inside Chief Executive Officer DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI Editor-in-Chief ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman www.omanobserver.om FOLLOW US ON: [email protected] 40,000 JOBS EVERY YEAR OMAN HM greetings to Iceland conveyed REYKJAVIK: Iceland’s President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson received credentials from Khalid bin Sulaiman Ba Omar, Sultanate’s accredited ambassador to Germany as a non-resident ambassador to Iceland, at the presidential palace here, yesterday. The ambassador conveyed the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to the President and the friendly people of Iceland. On his part, the Iceland President sent his best greetings to His Majesty wishing him good health and long life and the Omani people further progress. REPORT ON P2 AMBITIOUS: Ninth five-year plan to focus on diversification of economy REGION Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing CAIRO: Egypt will reopen its Rafah border crossing with Gaza for two days from tomorrow, for the fourth time since it was closed after a bombing, security officials said. The terminal was shut after the bombing in the Sinai Peninsula in October killed 30 soldiers, and has since been reopened three times. The only access point to the Gaza Strip will reopen tomorrow and day after to allow Palestinians stranded on both sides to cross. REPORT ON P13 Entire Muscat under dust cover STAFF REPORTER MUSCAT March 7: Flight operations at Muscat International Airport that were suspended in the morning were restored by late afternoon, a top airport official told the Observer. The services that had to be suspended for couple of hours due to poor visibility were restored by late afternoon. An Omani national who had to travel to Thailand in the evening said that he was relieved that the airport is functioning properly. “Otherwise it would have affected my plans very badly as I had an important medical appointment with my doctor on Sunday evening.” Meanwhile, poor visibility on the roads was reported by motorists across Muscat yesterday as dust engulfed entire capital for the first time of that magnitude in years. At one point, the visibility was low even at 500 metres, according to the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA). “I could not see even a building just opposite to that of ours around 11 am,” a resident of Darsait said. AMERICAS White House shut down after a noise WASHINGTON: The US Secret Service locked down the White House press room yesterday after a loud noise was heard as reporters gathered to await President Barack Obama and wife Michele’s departure for Selma, Alabama, a pool report said. The Washington fire department reported a fire at a food cart near the White House and that its units had extinguished it. It was unclear if the fire was the source of the noise. The Washington DC Fire Department, meanwhile, reported a fire at a food cart on 15th Street NW on the east side. INSIDESTORIES EXTINCT MYANMAR BIRD FOUND AFTER 73 YEARS P7 CLIMATE CHANGE A WOMAN’S PROBLEM P9 Malaysia hopeful of finding MH370 Bangladesh premier escapes blast South Sudan peace talks collapse Enrolment of girls in Omani schools at 50.3 per cent LAKSHMI KOTHANETH MUSCAT March 7: Today the world celebrates International Women’s Day. This year the highlight is the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic road map signed by 189 governments 20 years ago which sets the agenda for realising women’s rights. According to the organisers, while there have been many achievements since then, many serious gaps remain. In Oman, Y-Peer, the Youth Peer Education Network, a youth-to-youth initiative pioneered by UNFPA wants to mark the day on March 15 with a roundtable conference. “The International Women’s Day Roundtable Conference will be attended by leading women in the Sultanate. It aims to raise awareness on women’s rights and gender equality among young Omani women. We are expecting an audience of maximum of 100 of the brightest minds in the Sultanate The International Women’s Day Roundtable Conference will be attended by leading women in the Sultanate. It aims to raise awareness on women’s rights and gender equality among young Omani women. MAZIN AL ARAIMI Y-Peer Focal Point in Oman coming from different universities and colleges including College of Banking and Finance. All delegates are students with excellent skills, who are active in the society with the drive to raise awareness,” said Y-Peer Focal Point in Oman, Mazin al Araimi. According to National Centre for Statistics and Information, women employment has seen a leap over the years. In 2009 there were 36.8 per cent of women employed in the government and 18.5 per cent in the private sector, where as in 2013 the percentage increased to 44.3 per cent in government sector and 20.9 per cent women employed in the private sector. TURN TO P3 MUSCAT: Financial allocations for projects during the 8th Five-Year Plan in the Sultanate stood at more than RO 12 billion ($33.3 billion). The plan targets a growth of 3 per cent at fixed rates, and 6 per cent at current rates. It also targets to keep inflation rate at 4 per cent, and to increase the total value of investments to RO 30 billion, a growth by 113 per cent compared to the 8th plan. The Supreme Council for Planning (SCP) follows up the efforts being made to ensure sustainable growth of the national economy through a number of strategic plans which aim at diversifying sources of national economy, enhancing social policies, achieving more social benefits and welfare for citizens and activating the contribution of the private sector to the gross domestic product (GDP). The strategic objectives and policies of the strategic plan (Vision 20202040), which takes into consideration the economic and financial developments in the Sultanate, will focus on diversifying sources of national economy, supporting the private sector’s contribution, as well as the utilisation of oil and gas traditional resources to achieve balanced investments, sustainable growth and affirming the social and human resources development policies. The council continues organising a number of seminars and conducting studies to finalise the 9th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). To this end, it has reviewed the lessons learnt from the (Vision 2020) and the effects of the same on the preparation of the plan and Vision 2040. It also assesses the Sultanate’s performance based on international competitiveness indicators and opportunities for economic diversification, as well as the Sultanate’s competitive edge. While developing strategic plans, the council also takes into consideration a study of economic changes including the current slump in oil prices. The plan attaches special care to provide national manpower with new jobs and it is expected to provide between 200,000-275,000 new job opportunities (about 40,000 new job opportunities each year). OIL COMPANIES CAN’T CUT JOBS TO TRIM COSTS VINOD NAIR MUSCAT March 7: There can be no termination of employees as part of cost-cutting measures in the oil and gas sector necessitated by the current trend of low prices, said Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, UnderSecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas. The Observer has been receiving reports of companies in the affected sector issuing termination letters to their employees. One such company cited the loss of a rig contract the reason to issue the termination orders. Al Aufi was answering to queries at a panel discussion organised by SPE-Oman on ‘Weathering the low oil price storm.’ When his attention was brought to the fact that some job losses have been reported in the sector, he said: “All contracts have their start and end dates. Due to prevailing crisis in the industry, some contractors have not been able to find new projects, which may lead the employees involved with that contract to face certain issues at the end of their agreement.” TURN TO P4 The council also focuses on economic diversification and social aspects related to welfare of citizens, training, rehabilitation and providing job opportunities for Omanis. Within the framework of developing Oman Vision 2040, the council has delegated the World Bank with the task of assessing the growth of the private sector in the country. TURN TO P3 Password stealing is a key element in online identity theft, the biggest source of fraud complaints As hacking grows, biometric security gains momentum P14 UNDERCOVER TOURIST, TAX SPIES IN GREECE WEATHER TODAY MUSCAT MAX: 250C MIN: 190C SALALAH MAX: 270C MIN: 210C SUNRISE 06.23 AM PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR: 05:08 DHUHR: 12:23 ASR: 15:46 MAGHRIB: 18:18 ISHA: 19:28 NIZWA MAX: 290C MIN: 190C WASHINGTON: With hackers seemingly running rampant online and millions of users compromised, efforts for stronger online identity protection — mainly using biometrics — are gaining momentum. Biometrics, which can include fingerprints, iris scans, facial or voice recognition and other methods, got a major boost with Apple’s introduction of its iPhones with Touch ID. Samsung followed with its own fingerprint scanner and Qualcomm recently unveiled its 3D fingerprint technology incorporated in the chips used in many mobile devices. From major tech firms such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to US cybersecurity officials, consensus is growing that the simple password, often the weak link in security breaches, needs to be replaced. “I would love to kill the password dead as a primary security method because it’s terrible,” White House cybersecurity coordinator Michael Daniel told a security forum last year. Tens of millions of passwords have been stolen in breaches of major retailers and banks including Target, Home Depot and JP Morgan Chase. Password theft is a key element in And a survey of large corporations revenue lost due to fraud. identity theft, the biggest source of fraud using mobile commerce by RSA and Biometrics are likely to be a major complaints in the United States. TeleSign found around three per cent of part of any new identity verification effort, says Ramesh Kesanupalli, vicepresident of the standard-setting Fast IDentity Online Alliance (FIDO) which now has over 170 members including makers of hardware, software and financial firms. Kesanupalli said that even solutions that add verification on top of a password are not as robust as biometrics. “If you don’t eliminate dependency on the password you’re not solving the problem, you are only treating the symptom,” Kesanupalli said. He says fingerprint identification made major strides with the iPhone, and that other technologies such as facial recognition are still being improved. — AFP 2 ELECTRICITY, WATER PRODUCTION UP S U N DAY l M A R C H 8 l 2 0 1 5 A STORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATION The total production of electricity and water sector in the Sultanate recorded a significant increase at the end of 2014. The total Omani production of electricity increased to more than 28.7 thousand gigawatts, logging a 9.6 per cent increase compared to the production recorded in 2013. Meanwhile, the water production increased to more than 323.1 million cubic meters, an increase of 13.2 per cent. OMAN Envoy presents credentials to Iceland president REYKJAVIK: Iceland’s President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson received credentials from Khalid bin Sulaiman Ba Omar, the Sultanate’s Accredited Ambassador to Germany, as a non-resident ambassador to Iceland, at the presidential palace here yesterday. The ambassador conveyed the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to the President and the friendly people of Iceland. On his part, the Icelandic president sent his best greetings to His Majesty the Sultan wishing him good health and long life and the Omani people further progress and prosperity. He hailed the great regional and international role being played by the Sultanate of Oman under the leadership of His Majesty as well as the Sultanate’s attention accorded to environmental conservation and economic sustainability. The president also spoke about the potential of cooperation between the two countries several fields including fisheries and energy. The meeting was attended by the chief of protocol and a number of officials at the presidential office. — ONA Khour Rori area ‘Sumharam’ in the Governorate of Dhofar is one of the most important archeological sites in the Sultanate. The Government accords the area a close attention due to its historical status and the interest of scholars from various parts of the world. NEW PROJECTS: Three more ports to be ready by the end of this year in Barka, Taqa and Al Halaniyat Duqm to house Oman’s largest fishing port MUSCAT: Dr Hamad bin Said al Aufi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that construction of the Sultanate’s largest fishing port in the Wilayat of Al Duqm will commence in the second half of this year. The RO 30 million project is part of the ministry’s strategy aimed at developing the fishing sector and upgrading its infrastructure. The new port will receive local and international catch and feed the fish industries zone which is planned to be constructed in Al Duqm. The port will be 6 metres deep with two wave breakers, 850-metre long jetty for the loading and off-loading of fish, 5 floating anchorages for the fishing boats, a crane for ship maintenance, a 1.6 million square metre basin and other services and administrative facilities, Al Aufi said. Three more sea fishing ports will be ready by the end of this year in Barka, Taqa and Al Halaniyat to complement the infrastructure of the fishing sector. Additionally, construction work at the sea fishing ports in Al Musannah and Liwa will begin in April this year and tenders will be floated for another four ports by the end of this year. Currently there are 19 fishing ports in all governorates of the Sultanate and the ministry is planning to upgrade 8 old ports that were constructed in the 1980s, Al Aufi said. — ONA OMAN S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 omandailyobserver 3 40,000 jobs to be created every year Enrolment of girls in FROM PAGE 1 The assessment, which will provide valuable data and analysis, includes identifying the avenues for economic diversification in the non-oil sectors and developing policies which help in drafting the 9th plan. The financial framework of the 9th plan has been drafted in a way that supports the stability and growth of the national economy. The oil revenues were estimated on the assumption that the average daily production will increase to 900,000 barrels. The other government annual revenues were estimated at about RO 8 billion and the government expenditure during the plan is estimated at about RO 8.5 billion per year. The plan seeks to expedite the speed of economic diversification and focuses on development of tourism, industry, agriculture and fisheries sectors by developing a package of sectoral aims, policies and mechanisms. The growth of non-oil sectors during the plan is expected to be about 10 per cent with current prices and about 6 per cent in fixed prices. In light of the international economic developments, the national economy will deal with the developments in oil markets in a realistic way. The oil market experts affirm that prices will go up within months of 2015 and the next five years. The financial revenues of the Sultanate’s oil exports will thus meet the needs of the general expenditure of the state in the next five budgets (2016-2020). The main achievements of the 8th plan included pumping more than RO 1.5 billion worth investments by the private sector and more than RO 500 million worth investments by the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) to enhance electricity and water networks to meet the growing demand for electricity and water. During the 8th plan, the industry sector has achieved a remarkable growth. This, in turn, increased the number of industrial projects and Omanis working for the sector. The average annual growth rate of the manufacturing sector during the plan stood at 18.4 per cent compared to 23.2 per cent by refined oil products sector, 20.2 per cent by basic chemical materials sector; the highest growth rates compared to other sectors in the Sultanate. The 8th five-year plan has focused on human resources development. This is very clear from the allocation for expenditure on this aspect during the plan period. The gross expenditure of the government during the five years of the plan is expected to grow by 52 per cent and 88 per cent respectively compared to the expenditure during the 8th plan. The Sultanate’s government realises that achieving diversification cannot be accomplished quickly by decisions only, especially oil revenues constitute 83 per cent of the state revenues (other sectors contribute only 17 per cent). The investment expenditure of the 8th plan focused on developing infrastructure, as well as construction of ports, airports — ONA and different industries. TRADITIONAL HORSE GAMES The Oman Equestrian Federation in cooperation with the Adam equestrian committee organised the 7th Traditional Horse Games Festival in the Wilayat of Adam under the auspices Dr Khalifa bin Hamad al Saadi, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, on Thursday. — ONA schools at 50.3 per cent FROM PAGE 1 According to NCSI’s Education Profile, the enrolment distribution by gender for grades 11 and 12, the male students are 49.7 per cent while female students are 50.3 per cent during 2012/13. It also says there is, “No gender barriers in general education.” The enrolment rate in higher education doubled compared to four years ago — male students 44 per cent and female students 56 per cent. About 22 out of 100 Omanis working in the private sector and registered in PASI are Omani women. NCSI’s study also found that women are more likely to prefer a job in the private sector. By the end of 2012, Omani women hold 10 per cent of all senior public sector roles, the NCSI report stated. More and more female students are preferring private schools. According to NCSI, the number of women at the top management, middle management and direct management positions witnessed a healthy 50 per cent growth since 2008. The theme of the Roundtable Conference is, ‘Women Empowerment.’ “How can we set examples for the younger women? We want to ask the accomplished women present at the roundtable how their path to success was. What were the right steps they took to reach where they are? Y Peer members are excited,” said Al Araimi. The scenario for the working women improved further with the Royal Decree No 113/2011. Out of the many amendments, there were provisions for women such as special leave and working hours for female employees were taken into consideration. The Labour law incorporated maternity leave of 50 days fully paid to cover the preand post- maternity period. The law also brought in the working hours for female employees to work and prohibiting work between 9 pm and 6 am depending on their professions. The Beijing Platform for Action focuses on 12 critical areas of concern, and envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination. To this end, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is the clarion call of UN Women’s Beijing+20 campaigns “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!” Y-PEER has been established in 55 countries including Oman. The network is still in progress of expanding by launching in other countries. Y-PEER is a network of more than 500 non-profit organisations and governmental institutions. Its membership includes thousands of young people who work in many areas. It has been found that to put across the information for the targeted audience; the information should be presented in a fun, interesting & interactive way. Y-PEER in Oman has had an efficient and effective means of promoting youth participation in youth relevant issues, such as reproductive health, HIV/Aids awareness, and healthy lifestyles. To this end, it builds partnerships between young people and adults by advocating for — National youth development strategies, increased access to information, knowledge and services, sharing lessons learned across borders and between cultures Standards of practice and improved training. This year the organisers of UN International Women’s Day says this is the time to uphold women’s achievements, recognise challenges, and focus greater attention on women’s rights and gender equality to mobilise all people to do their part. 4 omandailyobserver OMAN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE: Water output at 323.1m cubic metres Oman’s electricity production exceeds 28,755 GW per hour MUSCAT: The total production of electricity and water sector in the Sultanate recorded a significant increase at the end of 2014 compared to the production recorded in 2013. The total Omani production of electricity increased to more than 28.7 thousand gigawatts (GW), logging a 9.6 per cent increase compared to the production recorded in 2013. Meanwhile, the water sector as the production increased to more than 323.1 million cubic metres, with an increase of 13.2 per cent compared to the production in 2013. The latest statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicated that the Sultanate’s total production of electricity till the end of December 2014 reached 28,755.8 GW per hour compared to the production recorded in 2013; which reached 26,240.4 GW per hour, with an increase rate of 9.6 per cent. The total electricity production in the Governorates of North and South Al Batinah, in addition to Al Dhahirah Governorate reached 15,326.1 GW per hour. It is the highest percentage recorded at the governorates’ level, logging an increase of 10.6 per cent compared to 2013 during which the three mentioned governorates produced 13,855.7 GW per hour. The Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah recorded the biggest rate at the production level increase compared to the levels recorded during 2013. The production level increase in these two governorates reached 63.9 per cent. The total production of the previous year reached 2,859.7 GW per hour compared to the production recorded in 2013 during which the production of the two governorates reached 1,744.6 GW per hour. The total electricity production in the Governorate of Muscat reached 5,930 GW per hour with a decrease rate of 4 per cent compared to the production The highest percentage of increase was recorded in the Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah with 65.1 per cent. recorded in 2013; which witnessed the production of 6,174.3 GW per hour. In the Governorate of Dhofar, the total electricity production last year reached 2,934.7 GW per hour with a 7.9 per cent increase compared to the production recorded in 2013; which reached 2,721.1 GW per hour. The total electricity production in the Governorate of Musandam increased with 10 per cent. It recorded 332.1 GW per hour at the end of the last year compared to the production recorded in 2013; which reached 301.9 GW per hour. The total electricity production in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah reached 1,110.8 GW per hour compared to the production recorded in 2013; which reached 1,205.2 GW per hour, with a decrease rate of 7.8 per cent. In the Governorate of Al Wusta, the total electricity production increased by 10.5 per cent at the end of the last year. It recorded 262.5 GW per hour compared to the production recorded in 2013; which reached 237.6 GW per hour. The Sultanate’s net electricity production according to the governorates till the end of December last year reached 2,7794.2 GW per hour; compared to the figures recorded in 2013; which reached 2,5650.8 GW per hour with an increase rate of 8.4 per cent. This production includes the procurements of Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) and the procurements of the Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC). The highest percentage of increase was recorded in the Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah with 65.1 per cent. The net electricity production in the two governorates at the end of the last year reached 2,832.7 GW per hour compared with 2013 during which the net electricity production reached 1,715.7 GW per hour. — ONA NCT holds open discussion for students NIZWA: Business Centre of Nizwa College of Technology (NCT) has conducted an open discussion on the challenges and opportunities of students in the public and private sector job market after their graduation from the college. The discussion was headed by Abdulla bin Saleh al Yafei, the General Manager of HR and Admin at Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC). The programme was also graced by the presence of Shaik Mohammed bin Waleed al Hinai, the Head of Staff Relations at OAMC. The discussion was the part of a series of programmes being held by Business Centre of NCT throughout the academic year, aiming at the empowerment of students for their future life. In his motivational presentation, Abdulla shared his own long and rich experience being the head of job recruitment and HR management of OAMC with the audience, mainly consisting of students. He also stressed the qualities and skills that a job aspirant should have in making his/ her future life successful. Abdulla also stressed the need of entrepreneurship qualities among the students for achieving the goals of their life. Al Yafei also impressed the audience, which mainly comprised of students, with his in-depth knowledge and eloquence during his presentation. The question session held at the end was highly beneficial to the students as they got opportunity to clear their doubts regarding the challenges and opportunities in the job market in Oman. The OAMC team also held discussion with Dr Khalid Zayed al Muharrami, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, NCT and assured him of the cooperation of the reputed organisation (OAMC) for the welfare of NCT students. Suleiman al Harthy, the coordinator of social committee of NCT, proposed the vote of thanks and Ismail Al Riyami, Director of Business Centre, NCT and Sameer al Mahrooqui took lead role in organizing the open discussion meticulously. Dr Saravanan Paramasivam (HoD, Engineering), Saud al Fahdi (HoS, Business Studies) and Premanand Edacheri (Media Coordinator, NCT) also extended their support in the smooth conducting of the event. S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Muscat book fair sees huge turnout HASAN KAMOONPURI MUSCAT March 7: The 20th Muscat International Book Fair, which concluded yesterday, attracted the largest ever visitor turnout. “The additional feature at this year’s Book Fair was that Nizwa as Capital of Islamic Culture was featured as a guest of honour. A media centre in addition to two halls for cultural and other events were an added feature at the Fair,” said Dr Abdulmunim bin Mansour al Hasani, Minister of Information and Head of the Organising Committee for the festival. More than 633 publishing houses and 481 publishers from 24 countries participated in the Muscat International Book Fair that concluded yesterday. It offered something for people of all age groups and tastes. All stalls were popular among visitors but some of them such as those showcasing children’s book, science and technology, soft skills, leadership, healthy living, food and history were among the key corners and biggest attractions. Now in its 20th year, the Muscat book fair encompasses the broad spectrum of the publishing industry and is a remarkable market place and leading business-to-business exhibition for rights negotiation and the sales and distribution of content across various media, several publishers told the Observer. Those who wanted to explore children’s books, for them there was no better place than Al Maktaba Al Hadissa publishers from Lebanon and others stalls from India, Egypt and UK. These stalls showcased a number of illustrated titles for children. These stalls were stacked with a host of good titles for kids such as The Arabian Nights, Around the World in 80 Days, King Solomon’s Mines, The Adventures of Sherlock, The Prince and the Pauper and Twenty thousand Leagues under the Sea, to name a few. The Ministry of Education’s workshop on children’s literature, organised by the Department of Development of the Arabic Language Curricula, was much appreciated by visitors. Children love reading stories and many books with illustrations and a world of activities and exercises to test their understanding of the book are selling a lot at the fair. Similarly, the Goodword, an important Indian publishing house, offered a number of titles for children with illustrations on topics such as the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Great Stories from the Glorious Quran, and Importance of Hijab (modest Islamic dress) for girls. With each of this book, children not just get to read about a good story, but also get a chance to know new values, morals and perspectives on the fact that materialism pales into insignificance in front of spiritual values. “Muscat Book Fair is your gateway to the latest encyclopedia and dictionaries”, said a visitor from Sultan Qaboos University. Name any field of human endeavour and you can find huge encyclopaedia and dictionaries both for young student and researchers. Some of the popular titles included Infinity’s Science Encyclopaedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21st Century Children’s Encyclopaedia, The Muslim Prayer Encyclopaedia, Beacon’s Junior Encyclopaedia, A Dictionary of the Quranic Words, and Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Al Batra Bookshop, a major distributor of leading titles in the Middle East region, has been participating in Muscat Book Fair since 1996. Al Batra displayed 10,000 titles in their six stalls, which was one of the largest in terms of display and size, at the book fair. This year’s book fair was very different from all the previous editions on two counts. First, there was an unprecedented collection and variety of books on a big range of topics. Second, it offered a rich treat to visitors with titles on all types of encyclopaedias of science, arts, history, management, space science and what not. A total of 180,000 titles listed on the site could be accessed through the website of the book fair. Oil firms can’t cut jobs to trim costs FROM PAGE 1 He added that the ministry is doing everything to prevent loss of jobs in case the companies are forced to take some extreme measures. It was said that affected employees should come to terms with the reality with the pattern of the oil and gas sector when a contract ends naturally. Al Aufi said that the present crisis should be seen as an opportunity to take corrective measures wherever required. It will also help to weed out inefficient and expensive producers who entered the market due to opportunities for a good margin as a result of high prices. These producers would be eventually forced out of the market at some stage due to falling prices. He also said that it is an opportunity for policy-makers to end their dependence on one sector for development. “Oil producing countries tend to pump all the money they get from oil into the economy and subsequently that cushion factor is missing when the going becomes tough.” “If the economy is diversified and other sectors are also forced to contribute to the economy, then it would not matter if the oil price is $50 or $100. The extra money that we may get due to high oil prices could be moved to the reserve fund. It was reported that a drop in supply is expected in the summer and the market wants oil prices to go up. “The current level of oil prices is not sustainable,” he added. Meanwhile, experts at the panel discussion also pointed that BP’s Khazzan project is progressing as per schedule. The world energy demand is to go up by 2035 and India is expected to overtake China in overall demand for energy. Experts also said there should be no compromise on safety standards during crisis and it is a big opportunity to do things differently. The falling prices are forcing companies to focus on manpower optimisation. It was also said that rig counts are not an indicator of oil prices and difficult to fix the right price for oil. Around 550 US rigs are now idle in the last ten weeks, it was pointed out. Since the beginning, Sumharam had been a global commercial port because of its geographical location Sumharam tells story of great ancient civilisation MUSCAT: Khour Rori area “Sumharam” in the Governorate of Dhofar is considered as one the most important archaeological sites in the Sultanate. The government accords the area a close attention due to its historical status and the interest of scholars from various parts of the world. Khour Rori area was one of the most prominent human settlement areas in the Before-Christ period. Frankincense trade from the ports of Sumharam, Al Baleed, Mirbat and Hasik played a major role that led to a boom in the ancient kingdoms across the caravan route from Dhofar to Shabwa, Ma’rib, Petra down to Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Mediterranean Southern coasts, East to the Indus Valley and China. However, this region disappeared and no longer exists except in the writings of historians and scholars. Sumharam was a seaport and it had, during its long history, links with the remote places around the world, such as the Mediterranean Sea, Northern Oman and the Indian Ocean. The fortified City of Sumharam is located next to Khour Rori, overlooking the Indian Ocean, and it was protected by a beautiful natural harbor, at the centre of the areas of the finest frankincense. Sumharam was once a small area city, not more than one hectare, with dense population. The city wall was very thick, with openings and main gate complex. The city was divided into different neighbourhoods like the residential area where there was a big building to protect the well, the storage of commercial goods and the temple. The residential area is located near the entrance to the city. The entrance at the gate complex was narrow and winding. Since its beginnings, Sumharam was a global commercial port as its geographical location was strategic for trade between Indian and Roman civilisations. It was located approximately midway between India and Rome, an was very close to the famous frankincense production areas. The commercial goods that are exported were present in Sumharam since the early stages. They were of a significant economic payoff to the extent that they have become a topic of study in archaeology and joint ventures by scholars in these disciplines. There is also evidence of the close relationship between Sumharam and the Gulf States. Today, Sumharam is among the archaeological sites that received much attention by the Office of His Majesty the Sultan’s Adviser for Cultural Affairs. Dozens of scientists and researchers from around the world, who attended the last week’s Archaeological Parks and Sites Conference, organised by His Majesty the Sultan’s Adviser Office in the city of Salalah, hailed the great efforts being made for the preservation of the archaeological sites, the foremost of which is Khour Rori ‘Sumharam.’ — ONA OMAN S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 MODERNISING: Pact aims at tuning DU to meet global trends DU, Nebraska university focus on boosting skill, research KAUSHALENDRA SINGH SALALAH March 7: Dhofar University (DU) entered into an agreement with University of Nebraska Omaha, USA, with a view to raising DU’s academic bar and giving its students an international perspective. Both the universities hoped to have serious engagement with the students and faculty members as also in the areas of curricula modernisation, increasing its relevance and impact, and further tuning to meet the international trends in education. The agreement was signed at simple ceremony at Dhofar University on Thursday, while the signatories of the agreement were Dr Hassan Kashoob, Vice-Chancellor Dhofar University and Thomas E Gouttierre, Dean International Studies and Programmes of University of Nebraska. Dr Kashoob and Thomas Gouttierre expressed serious commitment for the welfare of Dhofar University, which has high potential for growth in all aspects of education, research and community needs. Besides achieving overall educational goals of Dhofar University, the agreement lays special focus on the modernisation of College of Arts and Applied Sciences (CAAS) through changes in the curricula Dr Hassan Kashoob and Thomas Gouttierre signing the agreement. and increasing its relevance and impact. The programme would be within the framework of the regulations applying in each university and subject to the availability of resources the two universities will seek well defined objectives. The programme is aimed at “support CAAS faculty and staff in all scientific fields through enabling human resources development, community engagement, and capacity building programs involving state-of-the-art educational pedagogy. Special attention will be given to English teaching programmes, Education programmes, as well as entrepreneurship and soft-skills programmes. Workshops will be designed to promote active learning, the use of instructional technology and the scholarship of teaching,” the signatories said. The programme also aspires to “create a student exchange programme for outstanding CAAS students who meet University of Nebraska requirements to spend one or two semesters in University of Nebraska. Courses will be identified that best support CAAS’s educational objectives. Also create a study abroad course in Oman for University of Nebraska students to study Arabic and Arabic civilisation and any other courses offered at DU that could be of interest to University of Nebraska students.” omandailyobserver 5 Insurance sector grows by 10 per cent MUSCAT: Ahmed bin Ali al Ma’amari, Director-General Supervising the Insurance Sector at the Capital Market Authority (CMA), said that the insurance sector in the Sultanate has achieved growth in the total value of premiums in 2014 compared to 2013. However, the rate of this growth varied according to the different types of insurance branches. In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Ma’amari added that unaudited financial statements for the sector indicate that the value of insurance premiums in 2014 grew by 10 per cent to hit RO 36.37 million, from RO 364 million in 2013 to RO 400.4 million in 2014. He explained that despite the uneven growth rates, however, all branches of insurance have recorded good growth through 2014, except insurance branch of the property and other insurance, as both fell by 3 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. Health insurance branch recorded the highest growth rate with a 31 per cent increase, followed by transport insurance with 21 per cent. On the total net premiums for 2014, Al Ma’amari further said that growth rates achieved by the sector in net written premiums for 2014 reflected Health insurance recorded the highest growth rate with a 31 per cent increase, followed by transport insurance with 21 per cent. positively on the total net premiums, which are the premiums held by the insurance company after deducting what is re-insured by the reinsurers. He pointed out that the total value of net direct premiums rose by 13 per cent in 2014, compared to the same period in 2013 as health insurance and other insurance achieved the highest growth rates, compared to the other types of insurance, which rose by 69 per cent and 17 per cent respectively compared to 2013. About retention rates, Al Ma’amari pointed out that the insurance industry will continue to grow in the retention rates as most insurance products witnessed a rise in rates of retention, adding auto insurance branch (comprehensive and third-party) was the highest among the various branches of insurance with 88 per cent in comprehensive insurance and 83 per cent for third party insurance while the property insurance, engineering insurance and transport insurance branch is the lowest compared to other types of insurance with 9 per cent, 23 per cent and 21 per cent respectively as a result of reinsurance of the bulk of these risks with reinsurance companies. He added that unaudited data also showed a slight decrease in percentage of retention in the individual life insurance branch of 73 per cent in 2014. As for the total operation results for insurance companies in 2014, Al Ma’amari noted that the value of the premiums in 2014 rose by 11 per cent compared to 2013 as the total value of premiums amounted to RO 213 million in 2014 compared to RO 191 million. He added that the total net compensation increased to RO 137.1 million in 2014 compared to RO 105.1 million in 2013. The total net commissions, commissions taken by insurance companies from global reinsurers for the reinsurance of part of the local insurance policies, increased from RO 16.3 million in 2013 to RO 22.5 million in 2014. There is a noticeable change in the cost of production data in 2014 compared to 2013, rising from RO 23.4 million to RO 44 million. — ONA OCCI DELEGATION IN TURKEY Omani products exhibition in Sohar SOHAR: As part of a series of exhibitions of the Omani Products Campaign “Omani 2015,” the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), in cooperation with Silver Star Corporation, will organise the Omani Products Exhibition at Oman International Exhibition Centre, Sohar Branch on Tuesday. The exhibition aims at offering a perfect gateway to reach highly potential markets in the GCC region. The event also aims at showcasing quality machinery, products, services and technology of international standard at competitive prices. The exhibition will be opened by Shaikh Muhanna bin Saif al Lamki, Governor of North Al Batinah. The “Omani” campaign encourages consumers, whether individuals or institutions, to purchase local products and services, and eventually support the national economy and generate loyalty to locally manufactured products and services. The campaign of promoting locally manufactured products is a national initiative designed to encourage consumers and organisations to buy Oman made goods and services wherever possible, promote national pride in the manufacturing industry and highlight the economic importance of buying Omani made products. — ONA Seminar on re-defining SMEs MUSCAT: The Public Authority for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (PADSME) will organise a seminar on re-defining small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on Sunday at Grand Hormuz Muscat hotel. Organising the seminar comes as per outcomes of the symposium on evaluating the implementation of decisions made at Saih Al Shamikhat. Three working papers will be presented at the seminar touching on reasons that require reviewing the current definition, basis and criteria. — ONA The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s11-member delegation concluded a visit to the Turkish city of Mersin where they took part in a food and agricultural products exhibition. — ONA 6 INDONESIA PRESIDENT FIRM ON EXECUTIONS S U N DAY l M A R C H 8 l 2 0 1 5 CHINA AIMS TO FINISH FREE-TRADE TALKS Indonesian President Joko Widodo has defended his decision to reject clemency for foreigners on death row for drug smuggling, but said he does not rule out abolishing capital punishment in the future. Indonesian authorities this week moved the two Australian ringleaders of the so-called “Bali Nine” drug trafficking gang from Bali to the prison island of Nusakambangan. ASIA China hopes to finish talks on creating an Asian free-trade bloc estimated to cover 28 per cent of the world economy by the end of this year, the country’s trade minister said on Saturday. Gao Hucheng said on the sidelines of China’s annual session of parliament that China would work hard to wrap up talks for the RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, before the end of this year. China pollution film disappears from local video sites BEIJING: A popular documentary on China’s struggles with pollution was inaccessible on the country’s video sharing websites on Saturday, sparking concern from Chinese Internet users that it had been censored within a week of its launch. Under the Dome, a film by journalist Chai Jing that explains air pollution in straightforward terms, spurred a national debate after its release last weekend and quickly garnered hundreds of millions of views on streaming video sites. Its removal will likely be seen as underscoring the government’s prime focus on maintaining social stability. The ruling Communist Party has previously described tackling pollution as a top priority and promised greater transparency on the subject. Just on Thursday, at the opening of the annual session of parliament, Premier Li Keqiang called pollution a blight on people’s lives and vowed to step up efforts to combat it. In a sign of the sensitivity around the issue, no reporters from major foreign news outlets were called on to ask a question at a news conference held by the environment minister on Saturday. The issue of Chai’s film being pulled from the Internet did not come up in the questions that were asked. Under the Dome by journalist Chai Jing spurred a national debate after its release last weekend and quickly garnered hundreds of millions of views on streaming video sites The film started becoming inaccessible on the country’s biggest online video sharing websites late on Friday. By Saturday morning, it was inaccessible on all the major video sites, as well as a number of smaller video HORSE POWER sites, with users getting error messages when they tried to play it. Neither Internet regulator the Cyberspace Administration of China, nor the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television responded to requests for comment. Youku Tudou Inc, Tencent Holdings Ltd, Sohu.com Inc and iQiyi, the online video service of Baidu Inc, which operate video streaming services, also did not respond to requests for comment. Nor did Chai, the film-maker. The website of Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily, which had originally posted the video on its site, did not answer repeated calls requesting comment. China operates one of the world’s most sophisticated online censorship mechanisms, known as the Great Firewall. Censors keep a grip on what can be published online, particularly content seen as potentially undermining the Communist Party. Chai was a well-known journalist on state-run television before making the film, which was released just as China’s leaders prepared to hold the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) this week. The disappearance of the video was met with anger from many Internet users. “Some people have the power to completely smother Chai Jing’s Under the Dome on the Internet, but don’t have the power to smother haze in this country,” one Internet user said on the Twitter-like site, Weibo. —AFP ONE YEAR ON: Kin of 239 passengers, crew critical of search plan Malaysia hopeful of finding flight MH370 Residents watch horse fighting in Rongshui county, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Friday. — Reuters WWII Japan shipwreck salvage unlikely: Filipino official MANILA: The presumed wreck of one of Japan’s most famous World War II battleships whose discovery in the Philippines was announced by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen this week is unlikely to be salvaged, an official suggested on Saturday. The American billionaire said on Wednesday his exploration team had found the Musashi on the bed of the Sibuyan Sea in the central Philippines some 70 years after it was sunk by US forces in World War II. Excited historians have likened the PAINFUL PAST Japan, N Korea to resume talks on abduction TOKYO: Japan and North Korea could resume talks as early as this month over an investigation North Korea is conducting into the fate of Japanese citizens it kidnapped decades ago, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Saturday. There was informal contact between Japanese and North Korean diplomats in China in late February, and the two sides agreed to hold a meeting about the investigation in China sometime late March or early April, the Nikkei said without citing sources. If the talks do take place they would be the first official contact since Japan sent a diplomatic mission to Pyongyang in October only to be disappointed to learn that North Korea had no new information about abductees. —AFP discovery, if verified, to finding the wreck of the Titanic, the famed British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after colliding with an iceberg in 1912. President Benigno Aquino’s spokeswoman Abigail Valte said officials of the Philippines’ National Museum are contacting Allen and his team to “coordinate” on what to do with the wreck, which Allen says lies a kilometre (0.6 miles) under water. However, the Musashi will likely remain where it was found, she told government radio. “There have been groups in the past that have also been looking for the Musashi and, in fact, a dozen sunken Japanese warships have already been found in various places in the Philippines,” she said. “As to queries on whether it will be salvaged, the answer is no, these are not normally refloated.” A 2009 act for the protection and conservation of national cultural heritage will apply to the wreck, she said, describing the wreck as an “underwater archaeological site”. — AFP Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s transport minister said on Saturday the hunt for MH370 would be sent “back to the drawing board” if the search now under way comes up empty, but insisted his government remained committed to finding the plane. Liow Tiong Lai’s comments, made on the eve of the tragedy’s anniversary, echoed recent remarks by Australian officials who have suggested the expensive search effort in a 60,000-square-kilometre (23,000-square-mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean could be abandoned. “If the search does not yield anything by May or after we have completed the 60,000-square-kilometre search, then we have to go back to the drawing board,” Liow said. He said that would mean reexamining all available data that was used to determine the suspected crash zone for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, but would not specify what could happen next. “I would like to say to the next of kin that we will continue to be committed to the search.” Sunday’s anniversary looms as a painful milestone for relatives of the 239 passengers and crew aboard the plane — which inexplicably diverted from its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route shortly after takeoff last March 8 — many of whom are deeply unhappy with the lack of progress. Four ships involved in the Australian-led search are now using sophisticated sonar systems to scour a huge and previously unmapped Items from prehistoric Ban Chiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site A message left on a board of remembrance by Kelly (last name not given), 29, the wife of a passenger aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, at a vigil ahead of the one-year anniversary of its disappearance in Kuala Lumpur. — AFP undersea region. More than 40 per cent of the “priority search zone” has been scanned, with nothing detected on the seafloor aside from a few sunken shipping containers. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Thursday that, while committed to the current operation, he “can’t promise that the search will go on at this intensity forever”. Many next of kin have been deeply critical of Malaysia’s initial response to the crisis, saying that opportunities to intercept or track the plane were lost. Liow said an international investigative team formed in the weeks after the plane vanished was expected to hand over its findings on the sequence of events leading up to the disappearance any day now. He said the government needed to review the report before releasing it and he did not know exactly when it would be publicly available. However, some next of kin said Malaysia Airlines had informed them the report would be released at 0700 GMT on Sunday. Liow, who was named transport minister three months after the disappearance, said the government “will take appropriate actions if necessary”, based on the report’s findings, but declined to speculate on its contents. —AFP IN THE NAME OF FATHER US museum to return artifacts seized in probe to Thailand BANGKOK: A San Diego museum will be told to return to Thailand ancient artifacts found in a high-profile 2008 federal investigation into allegations the museum had received looted cultural treasures, authorities said on Friday. Dozens of pieces of pottery and other items from the prehistoric settlement of Ban Chiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were tagged as evidence at the Mingei International Museum during a series of raids that targeted four California museums. The Mingei artifacts were left in the museum’s vaults for the last seven years. “After a careful review of the matter, we are planning on lifting the ‘seizure in place’ order and directing the Last year, hundreds of pieces of Ban Chiang tools, beads, pottery and bronze items at the Bowers Museum in California, were returned to Thailand under a nonprosecution agreement museum to repatriate the artifacts that we believe were illegally obtained,” said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the US Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. “In short, the museum will soon be informed that it should not have possession of the items and it should take immediate steps to do whatever it can to return the items to their country of origin,” he said. No charges have been filed against the museum or any staff members. After a five-year investigation that featured an undercover operative, federal prosecutors alleged that looted artifacts were sold to clients who then donated them to museums at overstated appraisals to secure higher tax breaks. Last year, hundreds of pieces of Ban Chiang tools, beads, pottery and bronze items at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, were returned to Thailand under a nonprosecution agreement between the museum and the US attorney, according to Mrozek. — Reuters Nurul Izzah, daughter of jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, speaks to the crowd during a rally to protest against his imprisonment in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Malaysia’s highest court found opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim guilty on charges of abuse last month in a case that his supporters claim was politically motivated. — Reuters SUBCONTINENT S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 RESOLVE: ’We will safeguard the achievements of the past 13 years under Karzai’ Ghani says won’t compromise social freedoms in peace bid KABUL: The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday he would not compromise on the social freedoms introduced since the Taliban’s 2001 ouster as his government works towards opening peace talks with the insurgents to end Afghanistan’s long war. “We will not let the price of peace be greater than the price of war,” Ghani said in a speech before Parliament after the body’s winter recess. “We will firmly safeguard the achievements of the past 13 years under former President Karzai,” he said. Ghani did not refer to specific achievements, but these might include more rights for women and greater freedom of speech. His assurances came two weeks after officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan said the Afghan Taliban had signalled they were willing to open peace talks with Kabul, a push that appeared to be driven by Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, which recently offered to help broker the talks. The possibility of the Afghan government opening negotiations with the Taliban raised hopes for peace efforts, which failed to get off the ground under Afghanistan’s previous government. But the reports have also been met with some ambivalence, due in part to concerns that not all elements of the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani inspects a guard of honour during the inauguration ceremony of the new session of parliament at Parliament House in Kabul on Saturday. — AFP Taliban, now a fractured group, may be on board. Taliban representatives have publicly cast doubt on the possibility of talks. Ghani has not commented directly on the reports the Taliban are finally ready to open negotiations. But he said in Saturday’s speech that he has started “consultation meetings” within Afghanistan on the peace process, in which he called for religious leaders, politicians, women and youth to be involved. “Peace is a national issue, not only government’s responsibility,” Ghani said. With the departure of most US and other foreign troops at the end of last year, Afghan security forces have been struggling to defeat the insurgency, while the Taliban have been unable to hold much territory. The number of Afghan security forces fell sharply last year, due in part to desertions and casualties, according to US military data released on Tuesday. — Reuters Bangladesh PM Hasina narrowly escapes blast DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday narrowly escaped a bomb blast which occurred in a Dhaka neighbourhood minutes after her convoy passed the area, according to media reports. Several crude bombs exploded in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area only 10 minutes after the prime minister’s convoy passed, bdnews24.com reported citing a police official. The official added that one police personnel received minor injuries in the blasts, though he was “fine and is still on duty”. Hasina crossed the area on her way to the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan to attend a rally organised by the ruling Awami League, which she leads. The blasts occurred amid a transport blockade and shutdown across Bangladesh, enforced by the Khaleda Zia-led opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies. Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s 20-party opposition alliance, which boycotted the general election held January 5 last year, has enforced a non-stop nationwide blockade since January 5 and shutdowns since February this year, demanding fresh parliamentary polls under a non-party caretaker government system. More than 100 people have been killed so far in the ensuing political violence and most of them have been killed in fire bomb attacks on public vehicles. Frequent bomb blasts, arson attacks and numerous strikes have crippled normal life in Bangladesh. —IANS The Jerdon’s Babbler was last spotted in the country in 1941 ‘Extinct’ Myanmar bird rediscovered after 73 years YANGON: A bird that was long thought to have gone extinct has been rediscovered in Myanmar after a team of scientists used a recording of the species’ distinctive call to track it down. The Jerdon’s Babbler (chrysomma altirostre altirostre) — a small brown bird similar in size to a house sparrow — was last spotted in Myanmar in 1941 and was thought to have died out altogether. But a team of scientists in May 2014 managed to uncover multiple birds nesting in a small area of grassland in Myanmar’s central Bago region, according to their report published in the latest edition of Birding Asia. The scientists targeted some of the few remaining patches of wild grassland left along Myanmar’s mighty Irrawaddy river, now one of the most heavily cultivated and densely populated regions of the impoverished but emerging southeast Asian nation. At one small patch of grassland near an abandoned agricultural station, the team heard what they thought could be the babbler’s call. They then used a recording of a Jerdon’s Babbler from the Indian subcontinent to see if the bird would show itself. Frank Rheindt, from the National University of Singapore, said he was the first person to spot the bird during the survey, which was also carried out with members of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Myanmar’s Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division. “It was unbelievable,” he recalled. “We played the sound recordings and one of the birds came up from the reed beds. Like many song birds in reed beds you hardly ever see them, they only come out to defend their territory when they hear a territorial call.” Further searches over the next two days uncovered more birds allowing researchers to obtain blood samples and photographs. But researchers warned that the bird’s survival is still far from guaranteed given pressure on Myanmar’s few remaining grasslands. “This discovery not only proves that the species still exists in Myanmar but that the habitat can still be found as well,” Colin Poole, director of Wildlife Conservation Society’s regional hub in Singapore, said in a statement. “Future work is needed to identify remaining pockets of natural grassland and develop systems for local communities to conserve and benefit from them,” he added. Rheindt said the area of grassland where the bird was found was very small, “around 50-80 hectares” and that new chicken and fish farms were being built nearby. He added that its plumage and song were significantly different to how it had been described by ornithologists in the early twentieth century — leading the team to suspect that it may differ from threatened populations found in Nepal, India and Pakistan. — AFP REFORMS Punjab toughens underage marriage laws ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most populous province of Punjab increased the minimum marriage age for girls and strengthened punishments for those arranging underage marriages, officials said on Saturday. The eastern province enacted the laws on Friday ahead of international women’s day on Sunday, said provincial law minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman. The minimum age for girls has been increased from 16 to 18 years, making it the same as the lawful marriageable age for males. The punishment for those arranging or encouraging child marriages has been increased from one month to six months in prison, with fines increased from 1,000 rupees ($10) to 50,000 rupees. The law in its objectives states that “it has been enacted to curb the menace of child marriages prevalent in the country and to save the women from exploitation.” — dpa omandailyobserver 7 Pakistan reforms panel unveils proposal for developing tribal region ISLAMABAD: A six-member panel has recommended ‘a middle road’ for improving the status of Pakistan’s northwestern tribal regions through greater participation of public representatives in the utilisation of developmental and non-developmental funds, a highly placed source said. The panel known formally as Fata Reforms Commission (FRC) and headed by former provincial chief secretary Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi also pressed for “the building of consensus among all stakeholders” so that the Fata people’s administrative, political and economic grievances can be addressed. It said that Fata legislators, key political parties of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and other stakeholders should evolve a consensus before reviewing the current legal and institutional systems. Constituted by K-P Governor Sardar Mehtab Khan in May 2014, the FRC is exclusively responsible for framing and steering reform initiatives. According to its terms of reference, the panel is supposed to recommend ways and means for a pro-investment policy in different sectors, including oil and gas, power, dams and minerals, to improve the quality of life of people of Fata. It was also assigned to prepare integrated development and economic development strategies for the tribal areas. The ‘middle road’ provides the reconstitution of Fata appellate tribunals, holding of local council elections in consultation with tribal elders and steps for immediate and proper rehabilitation of displaced tribesmen with appropriate financial compensation. One-third of Fata’s population, according to the FRC, has been uprooted by terrorism and counter-terrorism operations over the last decade. A large number of houses, business centres, educational institutions, hospitals, roads and government buildings have been destroyed. One of the panel’s recommendations is that the Fata appellate tribunals should be headed by high court level judges and it should be mandatory for such tribunals to decide the appeals within six months. It has also recommended that local council polls be held within two years. “All those proposals that were agreed upon by the previous committees have also been incorporated in the recommendations of the FRC,” said an official who is familiar The panel known formally as Fata Reforms Commission (FRC) and headed by former provincial chief secretary Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi pressed for “the building of consensus among all stakeholders” so that the Fata people’s administrative, political and economic grievances can be addressed. with the latest report. A tussle appears to be building between Awami National Party (ANP) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) over the future set-up of Fata. Both ANP and QWP have been demanding a merger of Fata into K-P, while the PkMAP has historically been supporting a separate legislature, executive and judiciary for the tribal belt. A majority of tribesmen and their legislators have pleaded for a separate province comprising all the seven agencies (districts) of the tribal areas. Religious scholars and tribal elders (Maliks) of Fata, however, are opposed to any change in the existing set-up. Parliamentarians representing Fata in the National Assembly and Senate have been demanding a rational share from the foreign funds received by the federal government for the development of Fata. Last year, several parliamentarians had claimed that of all the financial aid that was received during the last 15 years for Fata, not even five per cent was actually given to the tribal people. Immediate completion of all mega projects is also among their demands. It has been demanded that the people of Fata should be given preference in employment opportunities in their areas. The parliamentarians have also been pleading for the federal government to honour its commitment of scholarship for Fata students immediately. The alleged bypassing of Fata in the $43 billion investment agreement with China has also been a source of annoyance of the tribal people. — Internews 8 ANALYSIS omandailyobserver S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 ARE YOU A FRIEND OF BOOKS OR NOT? ABDULAZIZ AL JAHDHAMI [email protected] A love for reading is a gift that is not given to many people; especially reading books. However, today it’s common that reading from different sources of knowledge is becoming a habit for many people of different ages. Reading books, newspapers, magazines, novels or even reading e-books on mobiles or computers is becoming must-to-do daily task for lot of people. Despite the addiction to modern technology and social media, there are people who never quit their habit of starting the day with reading. Newspapers, books and novels are most popular and widely read by people in offices, coffee shops or at home; as some love reading before going to bed. Are you among the reading enthusiasts who regard reading as daily routine?! Imagine they never skip a day without reading a few pages of a book. Their life is meaningless without the blessing of a book being kept in their cars, bedrooms, offices. Always book lovers never go to bed alone! It’s just books that make their day. Perhaps they believe in the saying: “Let books be your dining table, and you shall be full The Muscat Book of delights. Let them be your mattress, and you Fair is one of the shall sleep restful nights”. Do you believe that even toilets are outfitted most significant with a small shelf of books and magazines? Are cultural phenomenon they that much crazy about reading, or they just enjoying their time in toilets with some reading! happening in the I’ve seen this in a house of a friend when I Sultanate. However, visited him in his country three years back. it comes every year I was shocked to see a shelf jam-packed with magazines and novels in the one-metre toilet. with almost the same You hardly get enough space in that toilet; how agenda, only books would they enjoy reading in such a nasty and and workshops. tiny place!! Being a close friend, I had the courage to ask him surprisingly; are you reading in your toilet?! He cheerfully answered me that he reads novels and his wife reads magazines. No more comments I uttered; but I felt it’s weird to realise this. Anyway, we can’t blame people for their habits and life secrets. On top of all this, let’s think aloud and evaluate ourselves; Are we real readers? While I was roaming around at the Muscat Book Fair a few days ago, I had a starling question in mind; are we reading enough? In other words, how much we care about reading as parents, students or professionals? You see people of different ages in the fair grabbing books, stories, references and other educational material, but do they read all of these? I don’t think so! For some, visiting the book fair is a kind of entertainment to enjoy their time or out of curiosity. Even though, it is very thrilling to see individuals, parents and groups of school students visiting the fair. Purchasing books is always good; definitely they will be of real value and good use someday sooner or later. It’s a good time to teach students and children the values and significance of reading. Getting children in the fair is an efficient dose of encouragement for them; allow them to choose the books and stories they like. Through this experience, teachers and parents should urge children to love reading and make it a habit. Generally, the biggest pleasure comes from what we read, not from on what we read. The real difference lies in our attitude towards reading. It’s said that there is a great difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read. The book fair is one of the most significant cultural phenomenon happening in the Sultanate. However, it comes every year with almost the same agenda; only books and workshops. With full recognition of the significance of written works, new activities shall be added in the fair’s agenda to make it more attractive. A man poses with a sign in front of police officers during a demonstration in Chibok, Abuja. — AP A life under the Boko Haram W HRW and other experts say the incidents of females hen Boko Haram attacks made life at home unbearable, Rebecca Samuel was confronted with a stark choice that and other “vulnerable groups” being targeted has risen dramatically since Boko Haram began facing increased any mother would struggle to make. Her family had decided to leave the remote town of military pressure in 2013. Overall, the plight facing women in the rebels’ Chibok, northeast Nigeria, in March 2014 because of the persistent threats from the militants. But Samuel decided stronghold is “a picture of violence and intimidation”, Jacob that her 17-year-old daughter Sarah should stay back for Zenn and Elizabeth Pearson wrote in the US Journal of Terrorism Research. an extra month to take her final secondary school exams. Hauwa Mohammed was one of 158 hostages released by On April 14, Boko Haram gunmen stormed Sarah’s Boko Haram on January 23, two weeks after their abduction school, kidnapping her and 275 of her classmates. Fifty-seven girls escaped, but the rest, including Sarah, from the village of Katarko, in northeast Yobe state. “I was full of rage and hatred against (the groups),” said have not been heard from since. “Every day I am crying,” said Samuel, 36, who had Mohammed, recounting her time in captivity. She said her mind was fixated on what the captors might been living with her family as refugees in neighbouring do to her three daughters, who were also Cameroon before relocating to Nigeria’s kidnapped, as all the hostages faced capital, Abuja. Boko Haram has pressure to swear allegiance to Boko But while the Chibok abductions increasingly used Haram. remain the most prominent attack of the “How could I ever subscribe to this six-year insurgency, they represent only females, including ideology that supports killing, wanton a fraction of the atrocities inflicted on young girls, as human destruction, kidnap and rape?” Hauwa women and girls in the bitter conflict. bombs in attacks said in an interview after her release. Human Rights Watch (HRW) last year She could not explain why the estimated that the rebels had kidnapped across the north, extremists chose to release the group but more than 500 women and girls since writes COUMBA SYLLA noted that countless others have been far 2009, including those seized from Chibok less fortunate. but the figure could be much higher. “I pray for all the Female hostages have been forced into they are holding captive to marriage, raped and been made to work as domestic slaves women for extremist fighters. Some recounted being deployed to be freed from the life of horror they are going through,” she said. carry ammunition on the front line. The insurgency in northern Nigeria, which has killed Other women forced to run from attacks have trekked for days through the northeast’s harsh bushlands, more than 13,000 people since 2009, has also thrown the spotlight on the deeper societal crisis in the impoverished sometimes with infants strapped to their backs. And, in a new tactic widely reviled even by other fighters, region, including grave gender disparities. Roughly half of Nigeria’s 173 million people live in Boko Haram has over the last 10 months increasingly used females, including young girls, as human bombs in attacks the north of the country. Only three per cent of females from the north complete secondary school, the British across the north. A 33-year-old woman was beaten to death last Sunday Council said in a 2012 report, which was researched before the insurgency crippled the region and forced school at a market in northern Bauchi state following suspicion closures in parts of the northeast. that she had explosives strapped to her body. African tourism struggles to shake off Ebola stigma T he impact of the deadly Ebola virus fell mainly on three African countries but tourism has taken a hit across the continent of more than 50 nations as fear has kept many visitors away, tourism chiefs say. Some 56 million tourists visited Africa in 2014, a two per cent rise from the previous year, according to UNWTO figures, but growth in Africa lagged behind that in Europe, Asia or the Americas. Africa had seen a robust 4.8 per cent increase in tourists a year earlier. “Africa did well (last year) in spite of suffering from the Ebola symptoms which were associated unfairly” with Africa as a whole, Taleb Rifai, head of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), said at the Berlin tourism fair (ITB). He said Africa needed support, especially after the Ebola crisis, adding: “It was very unfair the generalisation that happened.” Marie France Adieme-N’Dja, of Ivory Coast’s tourism office, said that Ebola had created panic. “We have operators who have had cancelled bookings because of the fear of Ebola. However in Ivory Coast there has not been a single case,” she said. Showing off its nine national parks and 550 km of sunny beaches, the Ivorian tourist office is one of many African stands at the ITB trying to woo back visitors as the epidemic appears to have been brought under control. Almost 24,000 people have been infected with the Ebola virus since December 2013, almost all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and 9,807 of them have died, according to the WHO. The countries at the centre of the Ebola epidemic are forecast to lose 12 per cent of their combined gross domestic product this year, according to World Bank estimates. Africa’s association with Ebola however has spread much further than the western part of the continent actually affected. “There was an impact (from Ebola), we got a few cancellations,” a tourism professional from a Kenyan tour operator, who declined to be identified, said at the ITB, which runs until today. He bemoaned that some customers made up their minds not to go to Africa without inquiring more Showing off its nine national parks and 550 km of sunny beaches, the Ivorian tourist office is one of many African stands at the ITB trying to woo back visitors to Africa, notes MARIE JULIEN deeply about Ebola. “The distance between South Africa and west Africa, or Kenya and west Africa, is further away than the distance between west Africa and North America even,” Rifai, UNWTO’s Secretary-General, pointed out. Industry experts from Namibia — a popular safari destination for Germans in particular — at the fair were keen to press home a similar message. Digu Naobeb, chief executive of the Namibia Tourism Board, said he had resorted to using a map since the Ebola outbreak to point out to tour operators exactly where his country is located. “In fact, Europeans are closer to the epicentre of Ebola than Namibia,” he said. As a result of acting quickly to try to allay people’s fears about Ebola, he said tourism to Namibia had seen “a bit of a decline but not very significant”. One initiative set up by several tourism organisations to combat “geographical ignorance” is the website unite4westafrica. org to promote a positive image of west Africa. It also sets out to whet visitors’ appetites for countries in the region that have not been touched by Ebola, such as Senegal, Benin or Burkina Faso. In Sierra Leone, tourism had just started to take hold after the decade-long civil war in the 1990s. A woman speaks on a cell phone at a booth presenting several African countries at the international travel trade fair ITB in Berlin last Thursday. — AFP ANALYSIS S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 omandailyobserver 9 Shyness does not make one any less of a person I RAY PETERSEN [email protected] ’m enjoying my work at the moment, and a large part of the reason for that must be the way in which my students, all in Level Three of a Foundation programme, at the University of Nizwa, are maturing, academically, before my eyes. I will not mention any of them by name, for reasons you will appreciate, but their journey from schoolgirls to students, appears to have taken on a new vitality as they implement the academic processes required for their further development. I have put some requirements in place such as particular resources are to be brought to class on particular days, that each student must take full responsibility for their own homework file, and that there are set days for having that file checked, in order to ensure that the work is being completed on, or ahead of, schedule. What has impressed me most is their personal development, and the ability of shy students to recognise that their ‘shyness’ does not make them any less of a person, or a student. This follows a recent discussion, where we talked about the fact that some people are introverts and others are extroverts. It doesn’t follow that one is necessarily more of a ‘person’ than the other! The great philosopher, Carl C Jung postulated that there is actually a state of ambience, which is not a ‘label’ but a state, implying, I believe, that we For an introvert, to be alone with their thoughts is probably akin to a ‘nice cuppa tea,’ or sitting safe, all have introverted/extroverted tendencies and warm and dry, when there is a storm outside! activity. If we look a step further, current thinking appears to be that ONLY difference is that extroverts At the end of the day, I think it’s all about offering draw energy from others, while introverts get the introvert an opportunity to develop holistically theirs from being alone. This is confirmed by Dr by respecting their time and space, by allowing Hans Eysenck, who, in the them to observe the comfort 60’s, proposed that our brains of others at work or play, and required different levels at giving them just a wee bit more I think it’s all about which our bodies and minds time to frame their responses. respond to stimuli. They are not alone however, offering the introvert His view therefore was that as despite appearances to the an opportunity to while extroverts may appear to contrary, the extrovert too needs develop holistically by room to move. We must accept be the ‘life of the party’, they are in many cases creating an their enthusiasm, and make the respecting their time environment of heightened of it. We should respect and space, by allowing most activity that then stimulates their independence, in spite them to observe the them! For them, when the of the fact that we know they verbal ‘poke’ at someone, or feed off others, and we should comfort of others. the joke played on someone, encourage them to be, not what or even the declaration of we want, but what they are! attraction for another is We are, most of us, reciprocated, they are ‘activated!’ somewhere in the middle, and I recall being Conversely, the introvert seek quiet places, told, in this debate years ago, “Just because you and quiet times. It’s not that they are anti-social, are right-handed, doesn’t mean your left hand is but it is believed that stimulation takes much useless!” And that has stuck with me since. I think longer to reach the active section of their brain. that what’s important in this discussion is that we don’t offer too much respect, and enforce too much control, based on a layman’s opinion but offer all, not only those at the behavioural extremes, the opportunity to be the best they can possibly be! I’m no psychologist, or psychiatrist. I just know that we have some amazing students, with excellent minds, and I’m not certain that their ability to function effectively, academically, has always been serviced appropriately as they have been pigeon-holed rather too early!. They have much more ability than skills. If that sounds like a contradiction in terms it’s not. What it is though, is a realistic appraisal of the capacity of the Omani student for learning, and should they also have an enthusiasm for learning. I put my views to the test this week, and offered one of the less ebullient students an opportunity to ‘micro-teach’, or ‘peer-present,’ a valuable writing process. If it had not been important, the student, myself, and the class, may have all recognised it as a facile exercise. It had to have some importance, or it would be meaningless. I was delighted to observe the quiet, reticent, and often anonymous student, prove to be assured, articulate and to present the subject in a very competent manner. I had to do very little reinforcement in review. I was so delighted, but for the student rather than myself! FILLING THE GAPS BIRGIT REICHERT B oniface Packiam is a busy man in the service of the Lord, saying Mass five times a week in the Roman Catholic parish centred on Trier in the far west of Germany. The 42-year-old priest from southern India came out seven years ago to help fill the gaps in the pastoral care provided by the church. Apart from saying Mass, Packiam officiates at baptisms and funerals and ministers to the faithful. “Trier has now become my second home,” he says. He is one of around 1,800 foreign clerics currently making a major contribution to the Catholic Church in Germany. Given the decline in home-grown priests, many Masses would no longer be said without this missionary effort. Priests from India, Poland and Africa have long been assisting in Catholic parishes in Germany. The diocese of Trier, where there are already around two dozen foreign priests, is taking on more. A new cooperation project with the Institute for Pastoral Management in Bangalore in southern India is to provide five Indian priests a year for the diocese. To prepare them for their mission in Germany, the priests undergo a 10-month course in India, including three language courses, according to Markus Nicolay, an advisor to priests in Trier. They also learn about German ecclesiastical history, liturgy and pastoral care. The first priests to pass the course are expected in Trier at the end of April. Before they go out into the parishes, the priests undergo a sixmonth language course in Germany, and another round of lectures at the Trier seminary helps them find their way through the new cultural environment. Around 50 Indian priests are expected over the years ahead. “I believe that if we do our best, this project will be a success,” Nicolay says. “Then parishioners will accept the work of these priests from abroad and hopefully see them as enriching.” The Indian priests will have the services of a language assistant to help with their sermons. The intention is that they will stay in Germany for a maximum of 10 years, so that they will be able to reintegrate into life at home, Nicolay says. “Knowing German is the alpha and the omega,” says Packiam, who is generally known as Father Boni. “How else would you be able to approach people?” Packiam learnt his German at Trier University. Alongside his parish duties and pastoral work in a hospital, he has also written a doctoral thesis on theology. In the diocese of Muenster there are already some 150 priests from around the world in action, many of them from India, according to diocese spokesman Stephan Kronenburg. Students attend a ceremony promoting education and human rights at their Antenor Oregon school in Lima, Peru, on December 12, 2014. — AP Man-made climate change a woman’s problem M en and women may not always be on the same footing but you would think both sexes would be equal in the face of gigantic floods, typhoons or droughts. Think again. Countless studies show that natural disasters on average kill more women than men — 90 per cent female fatalities in some cases, prevent girls from going to school, increase the threat of assault. And the list goes on. This issue has come to the fore in global negotiations on climate change, which scientists warn will be responsible for increasingly violent and frequent natural catastrophes around the world. “It boils down to the fact that women and men have different types of vulnerabilities already in the world,” said Tara Shine, special adviser to the Mary Robinson FoundationClimate Justice think tank, headed by the former Irish president-turned UN special envoy for climate change. “And then climate change comes along and accentuates all of those,” she added on the sidelines of the ongoing UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the issue of climate change and rights was debated. According to the World Bank, 90 per cent of some 140,000 victims of the 1991 cyclone that battered Bangladesh were women, as were nearly two thirds of those killed by Myanmar’s 2008 Cyclone Nargis. “There are many reasons but one of them is that they cannot swim, they cannot climb trees, it’s cultural,” said Elena Manaenkova, Assistant Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “In many countries — and it’s also cultural — they are not supposed to run, they are supposed to wait until their husband will call them to action.” One of the WMO’s objectives is to reach out to people in disaster-prone areas with forecasts that could save their lives or livelihoods, for which mobile phones are an important tool. But according to Manaenkova, 300 million fewer women have mobile phones than men, which means warnings often do not reach them. Beyond this, women and girls are also impacted by climate change in their everyday lives — education being a prime example. In many parts of the developing world, for instance, they are the ones who fetch water for their families, and as global warming impacts the availability of fresh water sources, they have to trek farther afield to find them — meaning less time for school. According to the United Nations Development Programme, a survey conducted in Tanzania found girls’ attendance to be 12 per cent higher for those in homes located near a water source than in homes one hour or more away. Attendance rates for boys appeared to be far less affected. Plan International conducted extensive research on the subject in 2010 in drought-ridden Ethiopia and flood-prone Bangladesh, and found the long walks were also dangerous. “I know two girls who were raped going to fetch water. When you go far and there are not many people around, it happens,” Studies show natural disasters on average kill more women than men — 90 per cent female fatalities in some cases, prevent girls from going to school and increase the threat of assault, reports MARIANNE BARRIAUX Endager, a 16-year-old girl from Lasta district in Ethiopia, was quoted as saying in the NGO’s report. Poverty-inducing natural disasters can also increase the propensity for child marriage. “After cyclones, families think their condition is worse and send their daughters to get married,” a young girl from Barguna in Bangladesh was quoted as saying. “Almost 50 per cent of girls drop out of education because of early marriage. In very remote villages, it is probably more 70 to 75 per cent.” So what can be done? Simple, experts say — empower women, get them involved at all levels, and remember that they exist. According to Shine, the issue is expected to feature prominently in a crucial new agreement aimed at averting catastrophic global warming to be signed in Paris later this year. Some countries — such as Mozambique — are already factoring gender into their response to climate change, she says. “When it (Mozambique) is increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers’ livelihoods to the impact of climate change, it doesn’t forget the majority of its smallholder farmers are women,” she said. “It therefore has to tailor the supports, advice and technologies that it makes available to them to be appropriate to their needs and to ask them what they want.” Other concrete measures include making sure typhoon shelters have separate female and male toilets, so women will feel safe and go there during a storm. “It’s often such obvious stuff but if the people responsible for it aren’t a little bit aware that there are gender differences... with all the good intention in the world, they can end up doing something that has a negative effect,” said Shine. ESTABLISHED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1981 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Dr Ibrahim bin Ahmed al Kindi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili HEAD OFFICE ADVERTISING Tel: 24649444, 24649450, 24649451, 24604563, 24699437 Fax: 24699643 AL OMANEYA ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, P.O. Box 3303, P.C. 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman Tel: SWITCHBOARD: 24649444 DIRECT: 24649430/24649437/24649401 Fax: 24649434 SALALAH OFFICE Tel: 23292633 Fax: 23293909 NIZWA OFFICE Tel: 25411099 P.O. Box 955, P.C. 611 Website: omanobserver.om DISTRIBUTION AGENT Al OMANEYA for Distribution & Marketing, P.O. Box 974, P.C. 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Tel: 24649351/24649360 Fax: 24649379 e-mail: [email protected] PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising P.O. Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman [email protected] Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these pages are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the opinion of the Observer. 10 omandailyobserver INDIA S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 BILATERAL ISSUE: ‘Law has provision to ‘shoot’ anyone trying to intrude into the country’s waters’ Lankan PM justifies shooting of fishermen COLOMBO: Amid diplomatic moves to forge closer ties, the festering fishermen’s issue between India and Sri Lanka on Saturday threatened to snowball into a major row with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe justifying his country’s navy shooting intruding Indian fishermen. Wickremesinghe told a television channel that his country’s law has a provision to “shoot” anyone trying to “break into my house” — referring to Indian fishermen intruding into his country’s waters, as he met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here. Sushma is here to prepare the ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral visit next week, the first by an Indian prime minister since 1987. Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that India will take up the fishermen issue with Colombo during talks between Sushma Swaraj and the Sri Lankan side. “This is an ongoing dialogue between India and Sri Lanka; the external affairs minister will certainly take up this matter both with her Sri Lankan counterpart and with the Sri Lankan prime minister. We want to ensure both India and Sri Lanka are able to work together,” the INTRUSION Pakistan arrests 45 fishermen KARACHI: Pakistani marine forces have arrested 45 Indian fishermen for violating territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, police said on Saturday. Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency (MSA) detained the fishermen on Friday after they strayed into Pakistani waters, and they were handed over to local police in the port city of Karachi, a senior police official said. “The MSA has handed over 45 arrested Indian fishermen to police who will be presented before a magistrate and later sent to jail,” senior police official Fida Hussain said. Such arrests are frequently carried out by both countries, as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and many fishing boats lack the technology needed to be certain of their precise location. The fishermen often languish in jail even after serving their term, as poor diplomatic ties between the two arch-rivals mean fulfilling official requirements can take a long time. Relations between the nucleararmed neighbours have taken a turn for the worse in recent months, with shelling on the disputed border in Kashmir. Last month Pakistan released 172 Indian fishermen as “a goodwill gesture” and it had still 349 Indian inmates in custody by then. In January, marine forces arrested 38 Indian fishermen after they strayed into Pakistani waters. — AFP with India with respect to fishing rights. To a question if shooting at intruding Indian fishermen can be justified, Wickremesinghe said: “If someone tries to break into my house, I can shoot. If he gets killed law allows me to do that. On the fishermen issue, as far as I’m concerned, I have very very strong lines. These are our waters. Fishermen of Jaffna should be allowed to fish. We stopped them from fishing. That’s why the Indian fishermen came in. They are willing to have a deal. Let’s have a reasonable deal. But not at the expense of the income of the northern fishermen.” Wickremesinghe continued: “Why are you coming into our waters? Why are you fishing in our waters? Stay on the Indian side. There will be no issue. No one will shoot anyone else. You stay on the Indian side, let our fishermen stay on the Sri Lankan side. Otherwise don’t make accusations of human rights violation by the navy. You came in there.” He also took a pot shot at India for filing murder charges against two Italian Marines over the killing of two Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrives with Mangala Samaraweera (R), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, for their fishermen in 2012. “Why do you all meeting in Colombo. — Reuters pick up the Italian sailors? You say you spokesperson said. Samaraweera during which all bilateral a Chennai-based news channel, are friendly with Italy, show that same Sushma Swaraj also held delegation issues were discussed. Wickremesinghe said his government magnanimity to Italy that you want us to — IANS level talks with her counterpart Mangala In an interview to Thanthi TV, was willing to make a “reasonable deal” show.” Kerala speaker G Karthikeyan dead THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A seven-day mourning was declared in Kerala following the demise of state assembly speaker G Karthikeyan at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday. A special cabinet meeting in the evening discussed how the prominent Congress leader be given his last farewell, befitting Karthikeyan’s stature. The 66-year-old Congress leader Three suspended after suspect abuser lynched NEW DELHI: Authorities in Nagaland have suspended three senior officials after a mob stormed a jail and lynched a rape suspect, local media reported on Saturday. A mob in Dimapur city lynched the abuse suspect alleging he was an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh. The government suspended the city’s police chief, the jail warden and a top district official late on Friday, broadcaster NDTV reported. One person died after police opened fire at the mob. Twenty people were arrested. Dimapur has been placed under curfew. The 35-year-old man was in prison pending trial for allegedly raping a 20-year woman from the Naga ethnic group on February 23. Mobs dragged him out of jail, beat him to death and hung his body from a clock tower. Riot police patrolled the city, enforcing round-the-clock curfew Tribal groups have for years accused the growing population of Bengalispeaking people from nearby Assam state and Bangladesh of illegally settling on their land for a second day as the killing was condemned as “barbaric and inhuman”. Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang said “the situation remained tense but under control”. “The act is barbaric, heinous and inhuman,” Tarun Gogoi, the chief minister of Khan’s home state of Assam, said of the lynching. The mob as well as Nagaland’s Cooperate with CBI probe: Mukul Roy KOLKATA: Amid speculations that Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul might be called for quizzing by the CBI for his alleged links with a ponzi firm, sidelined party leader Mukul Roy on Saturday insisted that all law abiding citizens have an obligation to cooperate in such a probe. Roy, who was earlier quizzed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the multi-crorerupee Saradha scam, also called for indemnifying the investors who were ruined by the scandal that came to light in April 2013. “While there should be efforts to indemnify the investors, I feel if any law abiding citizen is called for the sake of inquiry, in the interest of the probe he should cooperate,” said Roy when asked to comment about Paul whose Kolkata residence was raided by the CBI on Wednesday. Paul’s house was one of the 43 locations of the Rose Valley Group that mast,” he said. The Kerala government also announced a half-day holiday on Saturday in all government and educational institutions in the state. “Tomorrow morning the body would be kept for a while at the Legislature Complex members lounge. From there, it would be taken to the Congress headquarters and from there to the Secretariat Durbar Hall. — IANS served as a minister in the Kerala cabinet on two occasions. He was elected to the assembly six times. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy later told reporters that Karthikeyan’s body would be brought from the airport to his official residence here and would be kept there till Sunday morning. “The state government has declared a seven-day mourning. Today and tomorrow, the Tricolour will fly at half Roy, who was earlier quizzed by the CBI in connection with the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam, also called for indemnifying the investors who were ruined by the scandal that came to light in April 2013 was searched by the CBI as a part of its probe into a chit fund scam. Accused of raising money from the public through unapproved investment scheme, the Rose Valley has been under the scanner of various central agencies including market regulator Sebi, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A former director of the group’s films division, Paul has virtually aped Roy in professing cooperation with the central agency if he was summoned. Incidentally, Roy — once considered West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s right hand man — was gradually sidelined from the party and even stripped of the position of national general secretary, when he went against the party stand to promise cooperation with the CBI. The Trinamool, with several of its leaders including state Transport Minister Madan Mitra under arrest and interrogation, has been going hammer and tongs against the CBI dubbing it a “political tool” in the hands of the BJP which is in power at the centre. The state’s ruling party even had moved the Supreme Court against the CBI probe, but its petition was rejected. Roy — often hailed as the architect of the Trinamool’s electoral successes — said it was up to the party to decide about his role in the upcoming municipal polls. —IANS government had earlier called him a Bangladeshi migrant. “The manner in which the youth was dragged out of police custody and killed brutally by a mob on the streets is highly condemnable,” Gogoi said in a statement. Khan’s brother Jamaluddin said the killing was “politically motivated” and accused police of “falsely implicating his brother on behest of Naga groups, who want to root out non-tribals from the state”. Nagaland’s indigenous tribal groups, especially the largest Naga tribe, have for years accused the growing population of Bengali-speaking Muslims from nearby Assam state and Bangladesh of illegally settling on their land and usurping resources. Nagas have previously campaigned to evict Bengali-speaking immigrants from their territory, who they claim entice local girls into marriage for getting tribal status. Jamaluddin, an Indian army sergeant, accused Nagaland’s government of “deliberately dubbing him as a Bangladeshi immigrant to justify the killing”. “The girl’s medical report didn’t confirm rape but still my brother was jailed and then handed over to the mob who lynched him just because he was a Bengali-speaking person,” he said from his home in Assam. He said his brother had been living in Dimapur for 10 years, where he married a local girl and had a daughter. Rights group Amnesty International also condemned the killing as a “serious lapse in the criminal justice system”. “The Nagaland government must ensure that every person who was part of the mob is brought to justice,” said Shemeer Babu, Amnesty India’s programmes director. — dpa SIKH FESTIVITIES IN BRIEF Mulayam down with swine flu GURGAON/LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is suffering from swine flu and has been admitted to a private hospital in Gurgaon, a doctor said on Saturday. His party, however, said there is no need to worry. Mulayam Singh was admitted at Medanta Medicity hospital in Sector 38. AK Dubey, medical superintendent of the hospital, said: “Mulayam Singh is responding to the treatment. His parameters are stable but we can’t say when he will be discharged.” A team of doctors headed by Sushila Kataria is monitoring his condition. Sources said Mulayam Singh was brought to the hospital at 1.30 am yesterday. He is also undergoing tests under the supervision of cardiologist Naresh Trehan, a party spokesman said. “Mulayam Singh was undergoing some tests at Medanta under the supervision of Naresh Trehan,” Rajendra Chowdhary, party spokesman and cabinet minister, said in Lucknow. “Doctors have advised him rest for three days and there is no reason to worry over his health,” he added. Family sources said he reported unease, high fever and breathlessness for most of the week and the step was taken after his condition showed no improvement. Manjhi’s HAM to contest 125 seats PATNA: A week after launching a new political front, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced on Saturday that his party would contest 125 of the 243 seats in the assembly polls later this year. “We would contest 125 seats in the next assembly polls,” Manjhi, who is the convenor of HAM, said at a function here. Manjhi also hinted that HAM may join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to defeat the ruling JD-U of chief minister Nitish Kumar. “HAM may have seat adjustments with BJP in the state,” he said. Last week Manjhi, who was forced to quit as Bihar’s chief minister, launched the new political front to “expose the real face” of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Manjhi’s supporters mostly belong to Mahadalit communities. Nine Maoists surrender in Odisha Devotees spray perfume on the Palki Sahib, which carries the Sikh holy books, to mark the Hola Mohalla festival at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. — AFP BHUBANESWAR: Nine armed Maoists surrendered in Odisha’s Koraput district on Saturday, police said. The rebels were members of the Koraput Division of Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist. They surrendered before police in the district headquarter town of Koraput, about 500 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. Before joining the CPI-Maoist, they were active members of the local Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) an association of peasants, bonded labourers and tribals, Inspector General of Police (south western range) Yashwant Jethwa said. — IANS INDIA S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 SALMAN CASE Statements of dead bodyguard, medico allowed MUMBAI: A Mumbai sessions court on Saturday permitted the prosecution in the Salman Khan hit-and-run case to rely on the statements of his deceased bodyguard Ravindra Patil, who was a witness to the 2002 accident, and a medico who performed the autopsy on the accident victim. Patil, a police bodyguard, died in October 2007 due to natural causes when the trial was underway before the magistrate court, while Sanap, the doctor who performed the autopsy, lives in the US. The late Patil had earlier recorded his statement before a magistrate, which the prosecution demanded should be taken on record in the ongoing fresh trial in the sessions court after the additional charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was slapped against Salman Khan. In his statement, Patil said he was sitting next to Salman Khan and warned him against rash-driving but the actor did not heed the advice. Later, he lodged the police complaint after the accident in which a pavement dweller was killed and four others were injured in Bandra in the early morning of September 28, 2002. Judge DW Deshpande allowed the prosecution and defence to file their replies on Patil’s statement and said Salman Khan would be granted an opportunity to have his say in the matter and crossexamine the investigation officer. Salman’s lawyer Shrikant Shivade had opposed prosecutor Pradeep Gharat’s application, contending it would be prejudicial to his client. — IANS PARTY LEADERS BLAMED: ‘A small group of party decision makers has removed me from the informal BBM group’ 11 WOMEN POWER I am being targeted by AAP: Mayank Gandhi MUMBAI: Senior AAP leader Mayank Gandhi (pictured) said here on Saturday that he has been targeted by some party leaders for his March 5 statement challenging a gag order and revealing the proceedings of the AAP national executive meeting. Gandhi claimed a ‘concerted attempt’ is being made in the social media to label him “anti-party and anti-AK (Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal)” and reiterated his statement that a price might have to be paid by him. “A small group of party decision makers in Delhi has already removed me from the informal BBM group. Attacks have begun against me from AAP leader Ashish Khetan and others. Some dissatisfied members from Maharashtra have started giving interviews against me, some old cases are being re-opened,” Gandhi said in a blog. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may decide not to fight the BMC polls (Mumbai) or delay the decision for the same, the leadership of Maharashtra will be challenged and discredited by some individuals and information would be leaked to media, he said. “More will come and I will be finally humiliated so much that I will quit. That was what was planned for AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, but they overturned the plan by staying in the party. Let me see if I can withstand the muck that will be thrown,” Gandhi said, expressing apprehensions about the future. On March 4, the AAP announced that it ousted top leaders Bhushan and Yadav, from its decision-making Political Affairs Committee (PAC). The announcement was made after a nearly six-hour meeting of the national executive that followed a virtual war between the two leaders and loyalists of Kejriwal. Bhushan, a leading Supreme Court lawyer and an AAP founder member, and Yadav, a known political expert, were ousted from the nine-member PAC, the supreme body in the party. The party was formed in 2012 and stormed to power in Delhi last month by sweeping 67 of the 70 seats in the assembly. Referring to his previous blog, Gandhi asserted that he had “personally challenged” a gag order on the proceedings of the national executive and it was not intended to be any form of defiance against the party leadership. Additional Rs 12,600 crore from Day Three of coal auctions NEW DELHI: The government stands to gain an additional Rs 12,600 crore on Day Three of the coal auction, potentially swelling its kitty by nearly Rs 145,000 crore from the 19 rounds in the first tranche and the three rounds thus far in the second leg, as per the latest data. The Tara coal block in Chhattisgarh went to Jindal Power and the Dumri block in Jharkhand to Hindalco in the latest round. The third block on offer, Nerad-Malegaon in Maharashtra, went to Indrajit Power. “Hindalco is highest bidder at Rs 2,127 (per tonne) for Dumri and Jindal Power at Rs 126 (per tonne) for Tara coal block,” Coal Secretary Anil Swarup tweeted, as bidding ended. This final bid cost works out to Rs 9,800 crore for the Tara block and Rs 2,100 crore for Dumri. Indrajit Power bid the highest for Nared Malegaon at Rs 660 per tonne — or a little over Rs 660 crore. omandailyobserver The Tara coal block in Chhattisgarh went to Jindal Power and the Dumri block in Jharkhand to Hindalco in the latest round. The third block on offer, NeradMalegaon in Maharashtra, went to Indrajit Pow Under the bidding process, participants are required to submit an initial financial bid along with the technical details. On the actual date of the e-auction, the qualified bidder is permitted to anonymously submit as many final price offers as desired. While the highest bid can be viewed, the name of the bidder will not be divulged. Each subsequent bid has to be made with an increment of Rs 2, within the notified start and the closing time. The successful bidder will then be immediately notified thereafter. The auction has a clause that extractable reserves of the allotted coal mine cannot exceed 150 per cent of the annual coal requirement of the specified end-use plant over a period of 30 years. As regards the payment, an upfront amount has been notified for each block. An amount of 50 per cent of that is payable immediately, 25 per cent upon the execution of the mining lease and the remaining upon the grant of mine opening permission. The licencee shall also make monthly payments on the basis of the final price and it will have to be made within 20 days of the expiry of each month. There will also be an escalation in the price annually, based on a reference mechanism that will be published in the first week of April. — IANS COLOURS GALORE “I am generally non-confrontational. But now is the time to take a stand. This is not to weaken the party nor our leadership, but to strengthen the AAP and the principles that we have espoused,” Gandhi said. Since the national executive meeting, thousands of worried volunteers from across the world have been asking about the difference between the AAP and other political parties, he said. “I want to tell the country that there is a huge difference and in the next few weeks, we volunteers shall demonstrate the same,” Gandhi declared. Seeking mass participation in the AAP decision making processes, he cited the example of Iceland which crowd-sourced its constitution in 2013. “AAP volunteers need to propose to the national executive about processes and systems on inner party democracy, volunteer management and communication, constitution of the PAC and national executive, code of conduct for volunteers and leaders, gender justice, conflict resolution mechanisms, and policy stands,” Gandhi said. He said it is time to participate in the party functioning in the best traditions of ‘Swaraj’, non-confrontational, graceful and constructive, respectful to the leadership. “We are all learning,” he said. Gandhi repeated that he truly believed Kejriwal is the hope for the country and his statements were not rebellious, not anti-leadership nor seeking personal attention. — IANS Family waits for MH370 passenger CHENNAI: It has been a year since the fateful day of March 8 when the Narendrans lost their loved one, Chandrika Sharma, an unfortunate passenger in the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 that disappeared mysteriously. The 51-year-old Chandrika Sharma headed the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), an NGO here as its executive secretary. Her husband KS Narendran is a management consultant and daughter Meghna a college student. She had gone to attend a conference organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Mongolia when the Malaysian Airlines flight vanished into thin air. “Narendran does not want to be disturbed. He wants to spend a quiet time,” Chandrika Sharma’s colleague and a family friend said not wanting to be named. — IANS A woman holds a placard during a silent protest on the eve of International Women’s Day in Bangalore. — AFP Parliament set to discuss rail, general budgets NEW DELHI: Financial business, including a discussion on the railway and general budgets for 2015-16, and consideration and passing of the bills to replace the ordinances will be the main issues before both houses of parliament next week. Government business in the Lok Sabha for the next week includes consideration and passing of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, an official statement said here on Saturday. It said general discussion and voting on the railway budget for 2015-16, demands for Grants on Account (Railways) for 2015-16 and supplementary demands for grants for railways for 2014-15 are part of the business to be taken up by the Lok Sabha next week. Consideration and Passing of related appropriate bills and general discussion and voting on general budget for 201516 are some of the things that will be taken up, it added. In the Rajya Sabha, two bills to replace ordinances — The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 and Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015, passed by the Lok Sabha have been listed for consideration and passing on Monday. Statutory resolutions seeking disapproval of the two related ordinances will also be taken up along with the bills. Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014 is one of the three bills already pending in the Rajya Sabha, for the withdrawal of which the government has earlier moved motions and the same were deferred following some issues raised by the opposition. The other two pending bills relate to raising FDI limit in the insurance sector and allocation of coal blocks through open bidding. Discussion and voting on the railway budget for 2015-16 and supplementary demands for grants for 2014-15 and passing of related appropriation Bills is the financial business to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha during the next week, it said. — IANS Credit for successful elections vests with Election Commission Sayeed’s comments tantamount to treason, says Shiv Sena A woman gets drenched with coloured water during the ‘Dadjee ka Huranga’ festivities in Baldeo, Uttar Pradesh. — AFP MUMBAI: The recent comments by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Pakistan and hanged parliament attack convict Afzal Guru tantamount to “treason” and “contempt of Supreme Court”, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier this month allied with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. “Right after the swearing-in ceremony at which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, Sayeed credited Pakistan and Pakistanisupported terrorists for allowing the peaceful elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Shiv Sena said. A day later, Sayeed and his PDP demanded handing over of the remains of hanged terrorist Afzal Guru — who was guilty of the attack on Indian parliament — to the state. The Shiv Sena pointed out that the credit for successful elections vests with the Election Commission, the people who queued up braving terror threats, and the Indian armed forces which fights terrorists 24x7. “However, by crediting Pakistan and terrorists, Sayeed has insulted all of them (EC, people and armed forces), and by demanding remnants of Afzal Guru, he has crossed all limits of treason,” the Shiv Sena said in a stinging edit in party mouthpiece Saamana. “After all, Afzal Guru was a criminal, and sympathising with him tantamounts to a contempt of Supreme Court and a bonfire of Indian laws. If Sayeed continues in this vein, the country will have to pay a heavy price,” it warned, adding that even the BJP would have to suffer for allying with PDP in governing the border state. Lashing out at the PDP patron, the Shiv Sena said those who know the Sayeed family and their PDP would never have allied with it, nor was Sayeed ever regarded as a patriotic Indian. “The BJP’s courage and stubbornness (to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir) is astounding,” it said. He said that tough decisions have to be taken at times in national interest and this could be one such occasion. — IANS AMERICAS 12 SHALALA TO HEAD CLINTON FOUNDATION S U N DAY l M A R C H 8 l 2 0 1 5 Donna Shalala, a former US secretary of health and human services, will lead the nonprofit Clinton Foundation after its previous chief executive resigned in January, former President Bill Clinton announced on Friday. Shalala, who has a decades-long friendship with the Clintons and served in Bill Clinton’s cabinet, will become the foundation’s president and chief executive officer in the coming months. WORLD People wait in line to attend an anniversary event at the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Saturday in Selma, Alabama. - AFP SELMA: Tracing the footsteps of civil rights leaders who made his journey to the White House possible, President Barack Obama was to visit Selma, Alabama late on Saturday to enlist a new generation in their fight. America’s first black president will mark the 50th anniversary of the fateful march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where brutal state suppression only catalysed support for black voting rights. Accompanied by wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, Obama will argue that events in this tiny city half a century ago are not confined to place or time. “Selma is not just about commemorating the past,” Obama said on the eve of the visit. “It’s about honouring the legends who helped change this country through your actions today, in the here and now.” On March 7, 1965, some 600 peaceful activists were attacked by police with clubs and tear gas at the bridge, a seminal moment in America’s democracy. A few months later, the Voting Rights Act was passed. Before the act, it was easier for states like Alabama to restrict voter registration through violent intimidation and bureaucratic racism. “Selma is about the courage of ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they believe they can change the country,” Obama said. “Selma is about each of us asking ourselves what we can do to make America better. And historically, it has been young people like you who helped lead that march.” The history of what happened at Selma on “Bloody Sunday” has recently returned to prominence thanks to an Oscar-nominated film starring actor David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King. — AFP Senator Menendez facing graft charges WASHINGTON: Senator Robert Menendez denied any wrongdoing on Friday and said he was “not going anywhere” after CNN reported the US Justice Department is preparing criminal corruption charges against the New Jersey Democrat. Citing unidentified sources briefed on the case, CNN said the charges centre on allegations Menendez used his office to promote the business interests of a Democratic Party donor and friend in “I have always conducted myself exchange for gifts. appropriately and in accordance with Top Brazilian politicians being investigated in Petrobras scam Senate President Renan Calheiros (L) from the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party and President Dilma Rousseff during a ceremony at Planalto Palace in Brasilia. — AFP BRASILIA: Brazil’s Supreme Court will investigate the speakers of both houses of Congress and 32 other sitting politicians in connection with a multibillion-dollar kickback scheme at state-controlled oil company Petrobras . The scandal has shaken the political establishment and undermined support for President Dilma Rousseff, who was narrowly re-elected last year and is struggling to stave off an economic recession and a downgrade by credit rating agencies. A court official said on Friday that 12 senators and 22 congressmen from five parties are under investigation, all but one from Rousseff ’s governing coalition. The most prominent are the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha, both of the PMDB, Brazil’s largest party and Rousseff ’s main coalition ally. The Progressive Party has 21 members under investigation, the PMDB six and the Workers’ Party five, including Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, Rousseff ’s chief of staff during her first term. The party’s treasurer João Vaccari will be investigated. Only one opposition politician, Senator Antonio Anastasia, of the PSDB party, was on the list, which includes The US space probe Dawn began orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres on Friday on a voyage of discovery into the solar system’s main asteroid belt, where it will collect a trove of data and photos, Nasa said. Obama to mark Selma march anniversary Wisconsin police shoot black teen dead, ignite protest WISCONSIN: Wisconsin police fatally shot an apparently unarmed African-American teenager on Friday, prompting dozens of people to protest at the site of the killing, according to police and videos published on social media. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval told reporters that an officer responded to a disturbance at around 6:30 pm local time and later forced his way into an apartment that the 19-year-old, who was also suspected of a recent battery, had gone into. Koval said that a struggle between the suspect and the officer ensued and the teen was fatally shot, according to a recording of the news conference published by broadcaster WKOW. “The initial finding at the scene did not reflect a gun or anything of that nature that would have been used by the subject,” Koval said. The shooting comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of police violence against minorities across the country. Protests have been held in Los Angeles and Washington state in recent days over police killings of unarmed men from minority groups. Videos published on social media showed around 100 protesters at the scene of the shooting chanting slogans like, “Who can you trust? Not the police,” in front of a row of officers. Many of the demonstrators then moved the protest to inside the Madison City County building, according to videos published on Twitter. — Reuters ‘DAWN’ ENTERS ORBIT OF DWARF PLANET A court official said that 12 senators and 22 congressmen from five parties are under investigation, all but one from Rousseff’s governing coalition. Senator Fernando Collor de Mello, a former president who resigned in 1992 to avoid impeachment for corruption. Under Brazilian law, elected politicians can only be tried by the highest court, which must now decide with the help of prosecutors whether there is enough proof to put them on trial. The investigation could take years. Brazil’s largest political corruption case until now, involving monthly payments to lawmakers in return for support in Congress for Rousseff ’s Workers’ Party, took seven years to get to trial in 2012. The immediate casualty of the political crisis could be Finance Minister Joaquim Levy’s belt-tightening plan to bridge Brazil’s gaping fiscal deficit and avert a rating downgrade. In a surprise setback on Tuesday, Senate President Calheiros threw out an austerity measure decreed by the president for what he called procedural reasons, though it appeared to be retaliation for not clearing his name from the corruption probe. “The political situation is going to get even worse for the president,” a senator in the ruling Workers’ Party said on the condition that he not be named. “There is a widespread feeling among the political class, especially in the PMDB, that the government manipulated the list of the lawmakers involved in the investigation to lessen the damage for the Workers’ Party,” the senator said. He said lawmakers were planning to block other austerity measures. Rousseff faces more trouble in Congress from a parliamentary inquiry commission set up to look into the corruption scandal. Its first witness called to testify will be former Petrobras manager, Pedro Barusco, who has said in a plea bargain statement made public that the Workers’ Party received up to $200 million from bribes paid on Petrobras contracts. The scandal threatens Brazil’s already weak economy by prompting Petrobras to halt or cancel key investment projects. Companies in the energy and construction sectors are finding it harder to obtain credit. The corruption probe has so far led to 40 indictments on racketeering, bribery and money laundering charges, including two former Petrobras senior managers and 23 executives from six of Brazil’s leading construction and engineering firms. Rousseff was chairwoman of Petrobras’ board of directors from 2003 to 2010, when much of the alleged corruption took place. She has denied knowing about the scheme during those years and has vowed to respect the judiciary’s independence. — Reuters the law,” Menendez said in a statement he read to reporters in Newark, New Jersey. “I am not going anywhere,” the senator said. He did not take any questions. CNN said Attorney General Eric Holder has given the green light for prosecutors to proceed with charges and an announcement could arrive in coming weeks. Holder, who was travelling in South Carolina with President Barack Obama, said he could not comment. Justice Department officials declined to comment. Federal authorities have probed Menendez’s relationship with Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, a Democratic donor who has been accused of over-billing the Medicare programme. The senator said his friendship with Melgen had spanned decades and they “have given each other birthday, holiday and wedding presents — just as friends do.” Two law enforcement officials said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been conducting a major corruption investigation of Menendez for some time, and one said it was nearing completion. Menendez is the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he is now the top Democrat. He has been a critic of the Obama administration’s policy on Cuba and Iran, but he is a staunch supporter of the White House on other issues. — Reuters IN BRIEF Ohio man says would have shot Obama 6-way kidney swap at San Francisco hospital complete SAN FRANCISCO: Doctors at a San Francisco hospital on Friday completed kidney transplant surgeries in a rare organ-transplant chain from living donors that resulted in healthy kidneys going to six sick people. The group of 12 donors and recipients, ranging in age from 24 to 70-years-old, were recovering after their operations at California Pacific Medical Centre, said hospital spokesman Dean Fryer. “All the surgeries went smoothly. Everybody is now in their recovery rooms and getting some welldeserved rest,” Fryer said, adding that donors typically can be released in two to three days and recipients in three to five days. The first round of operations began on Thursday and all the surgeries were completed by late Friday afternoon, Fryer said. Five surgeons and dozens of hospital staff were on hand for the two days of procedures, he said. Among those recovering from Thursday’s surgery was Zully Broussard, 55, of Sacramento, California, a so-called altruistic donor who had triggered the domino effect. Broussard, whose son and husband both died of cancer, offered to donate a kidney to a friend, but the friend ultimately had to use another donor, according to hospital officials. Broussard was still willing to donate, so she was matched with a man she did not know from Benicia, California. — Reuters WASHINGTON: An Ohio man claiming sympathy with IS militants and charged with plotting to attack the US Capitol said in a television interview that he would have shot President Barack Obama in the head. Christopher Cornell, 20, told Cincinnati’s FOX 19 WXIX TV that if he had not been arrested by FBI agents in January, he would have carried out an alleged plot to plant pipe bombs on the Capitol and at the Israeli Embassy. “What would I have done? I would have took (sic) my gun, I would have put it to Obama’s head and I would have pulled the trigger,” Cornell, of Cincinnati, said in a telephone interview from the Boone County, Kentucky, jail aired on Friday. “Then I would have released more bullets on the Senate and the House of Representative members, and I would have attacked the Israeli Embassy and various other buildings.... That’s what would happen,” he said. Cornell was arrested after he researched how to make pipe bombs, purchased a rifle and ammunition and made plans to travel to Washington to carry out the plot, according to court testimony from an FBI informant. He is being held without bail. The charges include attempted murder of government officials, possession of a firearm to commit a crime and solicitation to commit a violent crime. — Reuters Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan (L) administers the oath of office to Defence Secretary Ash Carter (R) during a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington on Friday. — Reuters Mummified bodies found on Mexico’s peak PUEBLA, Mexico: Two mummified bodies found on Mexico’s highest peak appear to be embracing each other and their discovery could put an end to the mystery of climbers who vanished after an avalanche in 1959, officials said. A mission to recover the bodies from the Pico de Orizaba was suspended until next Monday in order to build a special container to carry the remains intact, one of the rescue workers said on Friday. The expedition in the central state of Puebla was launched on Thursday after climbers found a frozen head sticking out of the glacier near the summit earlier in the week. As two members of the expedition began to dig around the body, they discovered a second body, said Francisco Rodriguez, one of the mountaineers. “Their position surprised us because they are apparently in an embrace. The arm of one of them is on the body of the other,” Rodriguez told Radio Formula, adding that reddish pieces of clothing were on the bodies. In pictures and video distributed by a local town council, the upper torso of one of the mummified bodies can be seen along with pieces of fabric jutting out of the snow in the very steep upper reaches of the mountain. — AFP REGION S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Hadi says Aden is Yemen ‘capital’ ADEN: Beleaguered Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Aden after escaping from militia controlling Sanaa, considers the southern port city the country’s capital, an aide said on Saturday. Meanwhile, tensions were high in the city, as special forces suspected of links to the militia, known as Huthis, readied defences against an anticipated assault by Hadi loyalists. “Aden became the capital of Yemen as soon as the Huthis occupied Sanaa,” the aide quoted Hadi as saying in reference to their takeover of the city several months ago. Hadi’s claim is purely symbolic, as moving the capital would require a change to the constitution, but it reflects the president’s determination to hold out against Huthi efforts to extend their sway. Several Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, have already moved their embassies to Aden after an exodus of foreign diplomats from Sanaa in February over security concerns. But the United States, the first to close its mission in Sanaa, has said it will not do so. The southern city, the country’s second largest, was capital of a once independent south Yemen. The Huthis named a “presidential council” after Hadi and Prime Minister Khalid Bahah tendered their resignations in January in protest at what critics branded an attempted coup. Hadi fled house arrest in Sanaa and resurfaced in Aden, where he retracted his resignation. Bahah remains trapped in the capital. Meanwhile, special forces commander Abdel Hafez al Saqqaf has defied a decree by Hadi sacking him and said he will only follow orders coming from the presidential council in Sanaa. — AFP omandailyobserver AIMING HIGH IN BRIEF Syrian air strike kills an IS commander A fighter from the Iraqi Imam Ali Brigade, takes part in a training exercise in Iraq’s central city of Najaf ahead of joining the military operation in the city of Tikrit. Some 30,000 Iraqi security forces members and allied fighters launched an operation to retake Tikrit at the beginning of March, the largest of its kind since IS group forces overran swathes of territory last June. — AFP IS fighters raze Iraq’s ancient Hatra city PART OF HISTORY: Hatra presently under the control of radicals was named a world heritage site in 1987 BAGHDAD/ERBIL: IS fighters have destroyed ancient remains of the 2,000-year-old city of Hatra in northern Iraq, the tourism and antiquities ministry said on Saturday. An official told Reuters that the ministry had received reports from its employees in the northern city of Mosul, which is under the control of the radical group, that the site at Hatra had been demolished on Saturday. The official said it was difficult to confirm the reports and the ministry had not received any pictures showing the extent of the damage at Hatra, which was named a world heritage site in 1987. But a resident in the area said he heard a powerful explosion early on Saturday and said that other people nearby had reported that IS fighters had destroyed some of the larger buildings in Hatra and were bulldozing other parts. Hatra lies about 110 km south of Mosul, the largest city under IS control. A week ago the fighters released a video showing them smashing statues and carvings in the city’s museum, home to priceless Assyrian and Hellenistic artefacts dating back 3,000 years. On Thursday they attacked the remains of the Assyrian city of Nimrud, south of Mosul, with bulldozers. The United Nations cultural agency Unesco condemned the actions as “cultural cleansing” and said they amounted to war crimes. Unesco has condemned the actions as ‘cultural cleansing’ and said they amounted to war crimes Hatra dates back 2,000 years to the Seleucid empire which controlled a large part of the ancient world conquered by Alexander the Great. It is famous for its striking pillared temple at the centre of a sprawling archaeological site. Saeed Mamuzini, spokesman for the Mosul branch of the Kurdish Democratic Party, said the fighters had used explosives to blow up buildings at Hatra and were also bulldozing it. The antiquities ministry said the lack of tough international response to earlier IS attacks on Iraq’s historic sites had encouraged the group to continue its campaign. “The delay in international support for Iraq has encouraged terrorists to commit another crime of stealing and demolishing the remains of the city of Hatra,” it said in a statement. Archaeologists have compared the assault on Iraq’s cultural history to the Taliban’s destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas in 2001. But the damage wreaked by IS, not just on ancient monuments but also on rival places of worship, has been swift, relentless and more wide-ranging. Last week’s video showed them toppling statues and carvings from plinths in the Mosul museum and smashing them with sledge hammers and drills. It also showed damage to a huge statue of a bull at the Nergal Gate into the city of Nineveh. IS, which rules a self-declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, promotes a fiercely purist interpretation of which draws its inspiration from early Islamic history. Last July it destroyed the tomb of the prophet Jonah in Mosul. It has also attacked places of worship and last year gave Mosul’s Christians an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a religious levy or face death by the sword. It has also targeted the Yazidi minority in the Sinjar mountains west of Mosul. — Reuters S Sudan peace talks collapse A Palestinian woman protests in front of Israeli security forces during a rally to mark the International Women’s Day and against Israel’s controversial separation barrier at the Qalandia checkpoint, between the cities of Jerusalem and Ramallah. — AFP Palestinian fisherman killed in firing GAZA CITY: The Israeli navy on Saturday killed a Palestinian fisherman off the Gaza Strip, medics in the coastal enclave said. A health ministry spokesman said 32-year-old fisherman Tawfiq Abu Ryala died of his wounds at Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The Israeli army confirmed it shot at boats, saying warning rounds had been fired first. A military spokeswoman said the army is treating every breach of the naval security zone around Gaza as a potential threat, citing recent smuggling attempts. Soldiers also arrested two fishermen and confiscated their boats. On Thursday, two Palestinian fisherman were injured and four detained by the Israeli navy, local media reported. Nizar Ayyash, chairman of a union of Gaza fishermen, said Israel has stepped up measures against fishermen in the past two weeks. In January, Israel said it captured a vessel heading from Egypt to Gaza, which contained material that could have been used to help produce rockets. Israel and Hamas-led fighters fought a 50-day war last year, which left some 2,300 people dead and ended with an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. Palestinians charge that recent attacks against the fisherman are a violation of the ceasefire. Israel has restricted the fishing zone around the enclave, which is run by the Hamas movement, to six nautical miles. — dpa 13 ADDIS ABABA: South Sudan’s warring leaders failed to reach a deal to end more than a year of civil war, mediators said on Friday, with the latest collapse in peace talks paving the way for possible sanctions. Ethiopia’s prime minister said South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar missed a deadline to reach a peace agreement by midnight Thursday, and that further talks on Friday “did not produce the necessary breakthrough.” “This is unacceptable, both morally and politically,” Hailemariam Desalegn said in the statement issued by the east African regional bloc IGAD, which has been trying to mediate a peace deal. Hailemariam also gave IGAD’s harshest criticism yet of Kiir and his former deputy Machar, whose personal feud has exploded into ethnic massacres, gang rapes and the forced displacement of civilians, pushing the country to the brink of famine. “Continuing a war flagrantly disregards the interests of you, the people,” he said, addressing the people of South Sudan, whose country only gained independence from Khartoum in 2011 after a long, bitter war. “It is an abdication of the most This is unacceptable, both morally and politically’ HAILEMARIAM DESALEGN Prime Minister of Ethiopia sacred duty leaders have to you, their people: to deliver peace, prosperity and stability,” the Ethiopian premier said of Kiir and Machar, both of who have been implicated in atrocities. “I asked them to be courageous in offering compromises and alternatives, rather than only reiterating old positions... unfortunately, as the missed deadline shows, our pleas have not been heeded.” UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon said he was “profoundly disappointed” with the failure to reach a peace deal. Ban said the leaders failed “to display statesmanship” but he nevertheless called “for the continuation of the negotiations.” South Sudan’s civil war started in December 2013 when Kiir accused Machar, who had been sacked as vice president, of attempting a coup. More than two dozen armed groups — including government soldiers and allied militia backed by Ugandan soldiers on one side, and a range of rebel factions on the other — have been battling it out since. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict, two million have been uprooted and 2.5 million are in desperate need of food aid. In a bid to force a deal, the United Nations this week passed a resolution threatening sanctions against individuals deemed to be undermining peace efforts. Possible targets include leaders or officials who obstruct peace talks, impede humanitarian aid deliveries, recruit child soldiers or attack UN peacekeepers. — AFP Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing with Gaza CAIRO: Egypt will reopen its Rafah border crossing with Gaza for two days from Monday, for the fourth time since it was closed after a suicide bombing, security officials said. The terminal was shut after the bombing in the Sinai Peninsula in October killed 30 soldiers, and has since been reopened three times. The only access point to the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel will reopen on Monday and Tuesday to allow Palestinians stranded on both sides to cross. Palestinians who travel through Rafah are mostly students heading to universities in Egypt or beyond, and those seeking medical treatment. October’s attack also led to a state of emergency and curfew being imposed in some parts of North Sinai where security forces are battling an opposition insurgency. The army has also created a wide buffer zone along the border with Gaza aimed at preventing infiltration by militants. Despite these measures, on January 29 another 30 people were killed when rockets and a car bomb targeted a military base and other security posts in North Sinai. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, a fighter movement affiliated to the IS group that has seized territory in Syria and Iraq, has claimed most of the attacks in North Sinai, including those in October and January. It says its attacks are retaliation for a brutal government crackdown on supporters of president Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the army in July 2013. The military has also said that in February 172 militants were killed in joint police and army operations in the peninsula. — AFP BEIRUT: The Syrian army has killed an IS commander in an air strike in central Syria that killed more than two dozen members of the group, a monitoring group said on Saturday. The IS commander was identified as one of the group’s self-declared provincial governors by Syrian state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the war using sources on the ground. IS supporters circulated a statement on Twitter announcing the “martyrdom” of the commander, Deeb Hedijan al Otaibi, together with photos showing him dead and alive. Otaibi was also identified as Abi Ammar al Jazrawi, likely to be his nom de guerre. The Observatory also said a total of 26 IS fighters were killed in the air strike near the town of Hamadi Omar, some 50 km southwest of the city of Hama. Syrian state media said a convoy of dozens of military vehicles had also been destroyed in the air strike. Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said it was not clear if the air strike had been launched on Friday or Saturday. A US-led alliance that is bombing IS in both Syria and Iraq has rejected the idea of partnering with President Bashar al Assad in the fight against the group, describing him as part of the problem. — Reuters Egypt carries out first hanging CAIRO: Egypt carried out on Saturday the first death sentence handed down over the violence that erupted after the army overthrew president Mohamed Mursi in 2013, the interior ministry said. Hundreds of Mursi supporters have been sentenced to death after speedy mass trials, which the United Nations has described as “unprecedented in recent history”. Mahmoud Ramadan, who was hanged at 7 am, was the “first to be executed of those involved in violent clashes,” ministry spokesman Hani Abdel Latif said. A court in Egypt’s second city Alexandria sentenced Ramadan to death in 2014 after convicting him of throwing youths off an apartment block, killing one of them. He was among dozens of people tried over deadly violence in the city’s Sidi Gaber neighbourhood on July 5, 2013, two days after Mursi’s ouster by then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. The unrest came as Mursi supporters and opponents held rival demonstrations across the city. Amateur video footage of the protests had gone viral on the Internet, with prosecutors using it as evidence in the case involving Ramadan. In one scene, a bearded Ramadan in a white vest and black trousers is walking on the roof of a building. Four youths are seen cowering on top of a structure there that appears to be a water tank as the man identified as Ramadan and others throw stones at them. Minutes later two youngsters fall off the structure onto the roof. In separate footage, aired by a private television channel after his alleged confession, Ramadan says: “When I appear before the prosecution, I will demand to be executed.” A government crackdown on Mursi’s supporters killed hundreds, with thousands more arrested and tried. The ousted president is himself facing multiple trials on charges that carry the death penalty. — AFP 14 omandailyobserver EUROPE S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 EU wary of new Russia sanctions BALLOT BATTLE FRAGILE CEASEFIRE: Divisions over whether to act quickly on renewing sanctions Britain’s Prime Minister and Conservative political party leader David Cameron (C) delivers a speech to supporters in north London on Saturday. CAUCASIAN DUO 2 suspects held over murder of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov MOSCOW: Two suspects have been detained over the killing of Boris Nemtsov, Russian officials said, a week after he was shot dead near the Kremlin in the most high-profile killing of an opposition figure in years. The Investigative Committee, the state body leading the investigation, named the two men as Anzor Gubashev and Zaur Dadayev. Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the detentions, officials said. “The individuals detained are, according to our investigation, involved in the organisation and execution of the killing of Boris Nemtsov,” the committee said in a statement. Russian state-controlled media reported the two were from the Caucasus, a violent and impoverished region on Russia’s southern flank. They were expected to be formally arrested at a court hearing in Moscow on Sunday, the reports said. Since Nemtsov was shot dead on the night of February 27 as he walked home near Red Square, his friends have said they suspect the Kremlin of involvement. Russian officials deny it. —AFP — Reuters Greece to hire undercover army of tourist and student tax spies Athens: The Greek government plans to hire an army of amateur tax sleuths — including tourists — in a bid to fill the gaping hole in the country’s finances, according to an embarrassing leak published on Friday. The document, which purports to list the seven major reforms Athens will present at a crunch meeting of the Eurogroup in Brussels on Monday, claimed these “casual onlookers” could be equipped with hidden cameras and recording devices to catch businesses dodging tax. “The culture of tax avoidance runs deep within Greek society,” the leak published by the Financial Times said. “Tax authorities are not only understaffed but immersed in the logic of book-checking when the real A man sells balloons at Monastiraki Square in Athens on Saturday. — AFP problem lies off the books,” it went on. unable to tread, making a “serious dent” Athens’ new fraud-busters would be The culture of tax in VAT fraud “that typifies nightclubs hired “on a strictly short-term casual avoidance runs and medical services”. The document basis — no longer than two months also includes a series of innovative and without any prospect of being deep within Greek to streamline and digitise rehired,” it added. The leak, a copy of a society...Tax authorities are measures Greek bureaucracy, making it more letter apparently sent by Greek Finance user-friendly and forcing public officials Minister Yanis Varoufakis to Eurogroup not only understaffed but to be more pro-active, as well as raising president Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said immersed in the logic of revenue from online gaming. those “students, housekeepers even But it was the idea for part-time tax tourists” recruited would be given book-checking when the real inspectors that set Greek social media minimal training as their presence on problem lies off the books buzzing. “What we need of in Greece the streets would be deterrent enough. YANIS VAROUFAKIS is law, competence and efficiency, not It also claimed that Varoufakis in a leaked letter spying ‘onlookers’,” complained @ argued that this undercover army could go where traditional tax inspectors were damanthj. — AFP RIGA: EU foreign ministers showed little appetite on Saturday for stepping up pressure on Russia over Ukraine, preferring to give a fragile ceasefire a chance before deciding whether to apply more sanctions or even to extend existing ones. Most ministers at an EU meeting in the Latvian capital pinned their hopes on the latest Minsk agreement succeeding and said the EU should only consider tightening sanctions if the ceasefire was seriously violated, such as by a separatist offensive on the Ukrainian port of Mariupol. Both Kiev and pro-Russia separatists have accused each other of violence since last month’s peace accord called for heavy weapons to be withdrawn from the frontline in east Ukraine. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni saw “encouraging signals” on the ground in eastern Ukraine. “At the moment we don’t need either new sanctions or automatic renewals (of sanctions),” he told reporters. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz agreed. “There is a glimpse of hope since Minsk...We should do everything now to improve the situation and decide later whether that improvement really happened and we can reduce the sanctions, or if we have to extend them,” he said. The comments reflect divisions within the 28-nation EU over sanctions on Russia, the bloc’s biggest energy supplier. While Britain, Poland and the Baltic states take a tough line, many other EU members, including Italy, Austria and Cyprus, are sceptical about sanctions. Alexis Tsipras’s election victory in Greece has strengthened the dovish camp. A key decision that the EU must face soon is whether to extend economic sanctions against Russia which it adopted for one year last July. Unanimity is required to extend them. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Friday that a debate was A woman carries eggs as she visits a food market, which operates once a week on Saturday, in Stavropol. Inflation in Russia has been rising steeply as a result of a slide in the rouble, which has pushed up import prices, and restrictions on many Western food imports in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. — Reuters going on in the EU, with some countries saying the bloc should state now that it would extend the economic sanctions until the end of the year. “Others say it would be a bit contradictory to say, on the one hand, Minsk is being applied and on the other hand we are going to go (extend sanctions) until the end of year,” Fabius told reporters in Riga. He said a decision on whether to extend existing economic sanctions on Russia could wait until around July. “If Minsk develops positively, then it is likely that nothing new will be done on sanctions,” he said. If, on the other hand, there were serious violations to Minsk, sanctions remained available, he said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, an EU hawk on Russia, said on Friday that extending sanctions to the end of the year was “the least we can do”. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said on Saturday existing sanctions would probably be extended until year-end. “What matters is that... we maintain unity within the EU, and above all that we continue to put on pressure so that things change on the ground,” he said. — Reuters NO TO NUCLEAR Report says nod given for Archbishop to be interviewed by a parliamentary probe panel Pope helps shed light on Italy’s former PM murder ROME: Pope Francis is breaking decades of Vatican silence to help Italy shed light on one of its most notorious crimes, the 1970’s murder of former premier Aldo Moro, the Corriere della Sera daily said on Saturday. Francis has given permission for Archbishop Antonio Mennini to be interviewed by a parliamentary commission, 37 years after Moro was kidnapped and killed by the Red Brigades, a leftist Italian militant group. Mennini is reported to have heard Moro’s final confession and served as a go-between between the militants and Pope Paul VI, who is believed to have attempted to buy the former prime minister’s release. Francesco Cossiga, president of Italy from 1985 to 1992, confessed before he died that “Mennini managed to reach Aldo Moro in the Red Brigades’ den and we did not find out about it,” the Italian daily said. The Holy See’s ambassador to Britain, Mennini has been shielded from prior investigations due to diplomatic A pilgrim throws a blue hat in direction of Pope Francis (C) as he waves to the crowd in St Peter’s square on Saturday at the Vatican. — AFP immunity, but on Monday will go before the new commission investigating the murder, it said. The Vatican would neither confirm nor deny the report. The pope, who has promised greater transparency from an institution famed for secrecy, may be hoping not only to throw light on an event that scarred the national psyche but highlight the Vatican’s bid to save Moro. The Red Brigades abducted the Christian Democrat on March 16, 1978, killing his five bodyguards. Paul VI made a personal appeal to the kidnappers on April 23, saying “I pray to you on my knees, liberate Aldo Moro,” but the latter was found dead in the boot of a car in a Rome backstreet after two months in captivity. Fabio Fabbri, ex deputy-head of Italy’s prison chaplains, in 2012 told a trial investigating alleged dealings between the state and the mafia that he had seen the pope with “a mountain of money... ready to ransom Aldo Moro.” Giuseppe Fioroni, head of the parliamentary commission into Moro’s death, holds high hopes of Mennini’s testimony, describing him as “the man closest spiritually to Aldo Moro,” the Corriere said.“There are so many points he will be able to address: his role, his contacts, the enormous effort made by Paul VI to launch negotiations to restore an alive Moro to his country and family, and why this effort was unsuccessful,” he said. — AFP A man during a demonstration to protest against the government’s nuclear politics, in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Saturday. French and German protesters gathered, asking for the end of Fessenheim’s nuclear plant. — AFP Portuguese PM under fire for failing to pay taxes on time LISBON: Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, who imposed the largest tax hikes in Portugal’s modern history and is vying for reelection this year, has come under fire for failing to pay his own taxes on time. Antonio Costa, the leader of the main opposition Socialists, said on Friday Passos Coelho had “abused his political immunity... at a time of fiscal martyrdom for Portuguese who have to fulfil their obligations to which the government and this prime minister have been absolutely insensitive”. Several Socialists called for Passos Coelho to resign, but Costa said he would wait for the prime minister to explain himself in parliament. Costa spoke after Passos Coelho acknowledged to Sol newspaper that “there were years when I declared and paid taxes past the deadline, but with fines and interest — sometimes through lapse of memory, others because I didn’t have the money.” Confronted with reports that tax authorities had to threaten to seize assets for back taxes worth some 6,000 euros in 2003-2007, Passos said he ultimately always paid what he owed. “I have no debts with the tax service... I was treated as any other citizen, without any privileges. I humbly recognise that I have had delays, I’m not proud of it, but I always paid everything and declared everything,” he told reporters. “I also paid everything to the Social Security,” he said. — Reuters INTERNATIONAL S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Kerry: No nuclear deal yet on Iran NOT AS EXPECTED: Negotiations between US and Iran are to pick up again on March 15 French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (R) listens as US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a joint press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Paris. — AFP PARIS: US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday there were still “deficiencies and divergences” over reaching a “solid agreement” with Iran on its controversial nuclear programme. Kerry was speaking in Paris where he met European counterparts to discuss progress in the latest negotiations with Iran. The United States is leading the talks that world powers have been holding with Tehran over the programme, which many suspect is geared towards the production of nuclear weapons — something Iran denies. Kerry’s visit to Paris was to confer with the French, German and British foreign ministers — Laurent Fabius, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Philip Hammond — as well as the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini. The international talks with Iran also include Russia and China. Militants kill 5 in attack on restaurant in Mali capital BAMAKO: Fighters killed five people in a gun attack on a restaurant in Mali’s capital in the early hours of Saturday, including a French citizen and a Belgian security officer with the EU delegation in the country, authorities said. Mali’s desert north, where French forces wrested control of territory from separatist rebels and Al Qaeda-linked fighters, is plagued by frequent attacks. But this is the first such attack for years in Bamako in the south and raises fears that the capital will become targeted more by militants. Three Malians were killed in and around La Terrasse restaurant, the government said. The attack began at around 1 am and left nine people wounded, said a senior security official, adding that two people had been arrested. “There were two individuals who were armed and hooded. One burst into the La Terrasse restaurant and opened fire on people. Then he got into a vehicle in which the other was waiting,” said senior police officer Falaye Kanté. “As they fled down a neighbouring street, they shot a Belgian man who was in front of his house. He’s dead. Not far away they came across a police vehicle and threw a grenade, killing the driver,” he said. Those killed included a girl who died in hospital, Kanté said. Witnesses said police had secured the street where the restaurant shooting took place because of unexploded grenades. Two international experts with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) were among the wounded, according to initial Mali’s desert north, where French forces wrested control of territory from separatist rebels and Al Qaeda-linked fighters, is plagued by frequent attacks reports, said Mongi Hamdi, UN special envoy for the peacekeeping mission to Mali. Two Swiss army personnel were wounded and brought to hospital where they are in a stable but critical condition, said a statement from the Swiss Armed Forces International Command. One worked for UNMAS and the other is part of a fact-finding mission, it said. The restaurant popular with expatriates is situated on one of the busiest streets for night life and entertainment in Bamako. La Terrasse is a semi-open air place upstairs in a building that also houses the Cotton Club nightclub. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta toured the site on Saturday in the aftermath of the attack. “The Malian government has opened an enquiry and is determined to keep going until those guilty are found and punished as they deserve,” a government statement said. In Paris, French President Francois Hollande’s office said he had spoken with Keita and that they had agreed on new “common measures” to reinforce security in Mali. The statement gave no details on the measures. French forces took control of northern Mali two years ago but insurgents continue to mount attacks. — Reuters Policemen stand near the La Terrasse restaurant in Bamako after five people, including a French and a Belgian national, were shot dead in a suspected terror attack. — AFP Of the international talks, Mogherini said: “Negotiations are still ongoing. There will not be a deal if it is not a good deal. Everybody in the world has to be sure that the deal we are working at is a deal that guarantees that there is no military possibility... to the nuclear programme of Iran.” Nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran are to pick up again on March 15 after three days of recent talks in Switzerland. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he was confident about the upcoming talks. “The prospects for success are better than the prospects of failure,” the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted him as saying on Saturday. But, he added: “Failure would not be the end of the world.” The international powers are ready to offer Iran sanctions relief in return for Iran limiting its nuclear programmes. Israel in particular has expressed strong opposition to the talks with Iran, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning during a controversial speech to the US Congress on Tuesday that he believed the deal being worked on would be a “bad” one. On Thursday, speaking in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Kerry sought to reassure Arab Gulf states worried about Iran’s nuclear ambitions by saying a safer region “begins by preventing (Iran) from having a nuclear weapon.” — dpa omandailyobserver 15 Miliband insists on TV debate, says Cameron ‘chickening out’ LONDON: British opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband (pictured) on Saturday accused Prime Minister David Cameron of trying to “chicken out” of head-to-head televised debates with him ahead of a national election on May 7 and said he would take part with or without Cameron. Broadcasters had proposed three debates, two of them between the leaders of seven parties and one between just Miliband and Cameron, the two people most likely to become prime minister after May 7, but Cameron has rejected their proposal. Instead, the Conservative leader has said he would take part in just one debate, with six other party leaders, a stance widely seen as a tactic to protect his own high personal ratings and deprive his main rival of publicity. In a speech at the annual conference of Labour’s Scottish branch, Miliband said his party had written to the broadcasters to confirm he would take part in the proposed debates whatever Cameron did. Pressure from Miliband and from the broadcasters poses a dilemma for Cameron, who must decide what would be worse for him: letting the debates go ahead without him, or backing down and agreeing to take part after all. “He says this election is all about leadership, all about the choice between him and me, and when it comes to a debate between him and me, he’s running scared,” Miliband said. “I say to David Cameron... You can try to chicken out of the debates, but don’t ever again claim that you provide strong leadership... when all people will see is an empty chair, his claims of leadership will be exposed as empty.” Cameron is isolated over the debates issue, with the other main party leaders saying they are keen to take part. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats who have been the junior coalition partners since 2010, on Saturday accused the Conservatives of “arrogance” for trying to dictate the terms of the debates. “If David Cameron is too important or too busy to turn up, if he doesn’t want to defend the record of this coalition government, then I will,” Clegg told the BBC. Labour and the Conservatives are neck-and-neck in the polls, the Lib Dems’ ratings have collapsed since the last election and three other parties are enjoying a surge in popularity. If neither of the two main parties wins an outright majority of seats in parliament’s House of Commons, as seems likely, one or more of the smaller parties will hold the balance of power and complex coalition talks will ensue. — Reuters 16 omandailyobserver PANORAMA S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 A man takes pictures of a replica of the Sphinx, which is part of an unfinished movie and animation tourism theme park, in Chuzhou, Anhui province. — Reuters A woman embraces her Komondor dog at Crufts dog show in Birmingham, central England on Friday. Crufts is one of the largest dog events in the the world, with thousands of dogs competing for the coveted title of ‘Best in Show’. Founded in 1891 by the late Charles Cruft, the four-day show attracts entrants from around the world. — AFP A participant in the Chicago Polar Plunge dressed as the character “Elmo” emerges from the partially frozen waters of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. — Reuters A student pose in front of a 3D painting at the Art In Island Museum in Quezon City, near Manila. The Art In Island is considered one of the biggest interactive 3D museum in Asia. — Reuters A trainer picks up Chinese Yuan banknotes from a crocodile’s mouth at a zoo in Wenling, Zhejiang. — Reuters Monks practice martial arts in subzero temperatures after snow at Wanshou Temple in Changchun, Jilin province. — Reuters A woman looks at a snow woman she built during a contest held at the Dizin ski resort, some 125 kms away from Tehran, on Friday. — AFP SUNDAY | MARCH 8, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 17, 1436 AH P18 P20 P21 Inside Lenovo unveils pocket projector Ireland looks forward to dairy boom BankDhofar conducts ‘Basel III’ workshop FOLLOW US ON: www.omanobserver.om [email protected] SPOTLIGHT: Capacity of giant power project to be shared between Ibri which is tipped to host a major industrial park and Sohar sites OPWP to float for Oman’s largest power scheme CONRAD PRABHU MUSCAT Mar. 7: A Request for Proposals (RfP) will shortly go out to a number of international consortiums that have been prequalified by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) — the state-run procurer of all new power and water capacity under the Sector Law — to compete for a licence to build the Sultanate’s largest Independent Power Project (IPP). Sized at an impressive 2,600 megawatts (MW) — with a potential to be scaled up to a mammoth 3,200 MW –— the new IPP will rank among the biggest green-field power schemes currently in operation in the Middle East. Besides, the scale of the venture attests to the rapid pace at which the Omani economy is anticipated to grow, fuelled by investments in infrastructure, industry, commerce, tourism and real estate, say experts. OPWP is set to issue RfPs to international developers who met the procurer’s prequalification criteria to participate in a competitive tender for a licence to develop, finance, design, engineer, construct, own, operate and maintain two gas fired power plants and associated facilities to be located at Ibri in Dhahirah Governorate and Sohar in Batinah North Governorate. According to OPWP, the two power plants will boast a combined net capacity between 2,500–2,650 MW (potentially scaled up to 3,200 MW) at reference site conditions. Natural gas will be the primary fuel for electricity generation at either plant, with fuel oil used as a backup option. The full capacity is expected to be commissioned and made available by April 1, 2018, although there is a requirement for the successful bidder to location for investments in logistics, make available early power capacity of value add manufacturing, and rail-related 700 MW at the Ibri site by April 1, 2017. maintenance, say experts. In choosing to locate part of the TO PAGE 19 capacity in Ibri — the first power project planned for implementation in Dhahirah Governorate — OPWP is catering for what is anticipated to be a major rampup in infrastructure and economic investment in this region of the Sultanate. Ibri is tipped to host a major industrial park as well as a mega logistics hub integrated with the Oman National Rail Project. Its proximity to the UAE border at the point where the national rail system connects with the GCC Rail Network makes Ibri an advantageous Inauguration of Weatherford Technology Center in Oman WEATHERFORD Oman has accomplished one of its important goals in building a state of art technology center in Muscat, Oman. A grand opening of the facility was done on 5th of March 2015 under the Auspices of His Excellency Eng. Salim ϐǡ in the Ministry of Oil and Gas. The ceremony was attended by top management of major operating companies in Oman. The center, named as “Formation Evaluation Technology Center”, is 3000 sq. m facility built in two portions. It offers advanced services for Oil and Gas Sector with Laboratories for Core Analysis as a major division of the center. Other services include Drilling Services, Surface Logging, Wire Line and Petroleum Consultancy Services. The facility is a unique center offering a multidimensional approach to an integrated solution. The center is one of the most important contributions from Weatherford towards its In-Country Value commitment that will provide numerous opportunities in Oman including developing local engineers and technicians, and bring in latest technologies to Oman. Omani graduates would have opportunities to have support for post graduate studies and PhD Thesis Mentoring. Local Engineers and graduates would have exposure to latest technologies with training opportunities. The center, offers latest capabilities including digital 3D modelling of core, Fracture Mapping, Virtual plug imaging, Core orientation, Capillary Pressure measurements at reservoir conditions, Relative Permeability measurements at high pressure and high temperature, Micro Darcy Permeability measurements for tight rocks, etc. The center has acquired latest technologies that could provide quick turnaround for Mineralogical and Elemental Analysis. The lab is also capable of performing organic analysis of rock cuttings providing TOC, Maturity, S1 S2 Peaks etc., which can be a useful tool in targeting unconventional reserves. Weatherford Lab Back ground: Over the last quarter century, around the globe, a group of seven entrepreneurial companies have emerged as undisputed experts in laboratory services for the oil and gas industry. ϐ industry leaders in regional core, ϐ Ǣ Ǣ characterization of coals, Shale and Ǣ formation damage and reservoir optimization, as well as two of the world’s largest core analysis companies. Based in Canada, the United States, Australia, Europe and the Middle East – with a worldwide network of satellite laboratories – these ϐǦǦǦǡ a premier team of geologists, geochemists, analysts, engineers, technicians and software developers committed to cultivating and delivering Higher Standards. Joined together as Weatherford Laboratories, these companies create a synergy previously unknown in laboratory services. The result is a single source for comprehensive laboratory services, a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Through this dynamic synergy comes an elevated level of excellence providing unmatched intellectual capital, unparalleled expertise, superior technological knowledge, and a higher standard of excellence and innovation on a global scale. This is the synergy of Weatherford Laboratories. Weatherford Laboratories – Muscat, Oman The lab was established in October 2008 and is located in the industrial area of Muscat. A number of laboratories and workshops cover routine core handling, sample preparation, cleaning, conventional core analysis and Special core analysis. An area in the adjacent warehouse is set aside and prepared for core storage. In conjunction with our plans for geographical expansion in the region, Weatherford Laboratories has built a new facility in Muscat, Oman which could take care of growing demand not only in Oman, but the entire Middle-East region. It is an International Standard Laboratory covering most of the basic and advanced required analysis requirement. The facility is built with a vision to cater for future expansion to include advanced services. The plan with current and future capabilities covers Conventional Core Analysis (CCA), Special Core Analysis (SCAL), Digital Studies using CT scanner, Geological Services, Fluid Analysis (PVT) Development, Geochemistry and Unconventional Resource Evaluation. The center is the most comprehensive and technologically ad ϐ Formation Evaluation studies in the MENA Region with 60+ workforce (Scientists, Engineers & Technicians) and 85%+ Omanisation. 18 omandailyobserver BUSINESS ALERT OAB, Administrative Court sign pact MUSCAT: An agreement of Electronic Collection System was signed between OAB and the Administrative Court at Hormuz Grand Hotel recently. Shaikh Majid bin Abdullah bin Mubarak al Alawi, Head of the Administrative Court, and Rashad bin Mohammed al Zubair, Chairman of the bank signed the agreement. The agreement aims at providing electronic payment service at all the Administrative Court branches with OAB which is considered a new electronic service that helps customers pay the fees. This step comes in line with the application of the Administrative Court Electronic System which is consistent with e-governance. The provision of these systems leads to processing financial operations accurately, and expedite transactions allowing direct benefits for the customer. This agreement for providing the e-payment services comes in line with the Court’s vision to provide e-services, and it comes within the scope of the government to enhance such services within the public/government and the private sector. In fact it participates in pushing the economic and social development wheel forward sustainably and massively, together with bringing in state-of-the-art technology and maintaining the staff ’s skills for better production development. Amin al Husseini, CEO of OAB, stated that: ‘‘We have the pleasure to sign this agreement with the Administrative Court; we are confident that it will facilitate the Court’s customers’ transactions in an easy, accurate and fast way. This system will help the customers use their OAB smart cards in an absolute safe manner, in addition to using other bank’s cards. Moreover, the Bank will provide POS, operating programmes, periodical and urgent maintenance, in addition to upgrading the system software and training the Court staff in using the collection process after installing the machines at all the Court branches.” Lexus LS wins best resale value award LEXUS’ flagship luxury sedan — LS is renowned to be one of the finest luxury sedans in the world. Engineered to be truly rewarding in all aspects like luxury, power, driving dynamics and more, the LS has rapidly made its mark not only in the hearts of its enthusiasts but in hearts of judges at major automotive shows too. The latest award won by the Lexus LS was in the Best High-End Luxury Car Segment of kbb.com’s ‘2015 Best Resale Value’ Award. The 2015 Best Resale Value Awards are based not on a feeling or a guess or a simple calculation, but instead on what we consider to be the best research and analysis process in the industry. kbb.com’s resale value projections take into account current vehicle data, sales data, market conditions OMAN for each vehicle, competition within vehicle segments, expectations of the future economy and the combined experience of Kelley Blue Book’s team of market and pricing analysts. LS is complemented with many exceptional improvements including three world firsts, no less than 15 Lexus first, and a host of technical innovations and features. The LS flagship model accentuates the passion and relentless push to exceed the boundaries of design, technology and craftsmanship in creating the ultimate car for customers across the world. The LS line-up includes the LS460, LS460L and the world’s most powerful hybrid V8 — the LS600hL. The LS Hybrid is available with a full-time AWD system. All the models also come with 8-speed automatic transmission. The entire LS line-up is refined with dynamic, fresh styling that reflects the new face of Lexus. The aggressive spindle grille gives the new LS a greater road presence and stronger brand identity while heralding a significant improvement in driving dynamics, responsiveness and handling. The new LS thus carries forward the legacy of Lexus in terms of fusing the most advanced technology with refined Japanese aesthetics. Making its first-ever appearance in the F Sport performance-based category, the All-New LS460 F SPORT combines a more aggressive exterior with a unique sport interior featuring F SPORT seats with larger bolsters, a leather steering wheel with paddle shifters and genuine aluminium trim. With a sport tuned air suspension that has been lowered 0.4 inches, a Torsen® limited slip rear differential (RWD model), Brembo six-piston calliper brakes, and 19” forged wheels with summer or all-season tires, the LS F SPORT promises to be the most engaging LS ever. Pathfinder’s enhanced driving performance THE Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is set to define what the next generation SUV should offer: perfect offroad capability (i-Auto 4WD system), dynamic design, classleading comfort, thoughtful technology, and a rewarding driving experience. With the introduction of the all-new fourth generation, not only does Pathfinder provide capability with spacious seating for seven, and an intuitive 4 Wheel Drive System, but it also resets the standard for the segment with an unprecedented level of premium style, comfort, fuel economy and thoughtful technology. The Pathfinder now enters the Nissan range at a time when demand for SUVs in Oman continues to show considerable growth. With the feature-packed all-new Pathfinder, Nissan is confident of capitalising on this growth and strengthening its position in the off-road segment. Along with reduced weight, Pathfinder’s new unibody platform provided the designers an opportunity to create the more aerodynamic exterior without compromising headroom or cargo capacity. Moving upscale in appearance, the new exterior styling presents a smart fusion of signature Nissan styling cues and dynamic strength. The look is adventure-ready with wheel-oriented muscular fenders and a strong, stable stance. The upper body features an open cabin with large windows which can be complemented with an available Dual Panoramic Moonroof, to enhance the new Pathfinder’s open, airy interior environment. The new Pathfinder offers the comfort of a larger SUV with its flat floor enhancing interior packaging flexibility. The Pathfinder’s unique versatility is exemplified in the design of the EZ Flex™ Seating System, giving 5.5 inches of sliding second row seating travel while additionally providing exceptional third row access even with a child safety seat remaining securely in place (on the passenger curb side). Dental surgeon joins Badr Al Samaa DR Remitha Ramakrishnan, dental surgeon and oral implantologist, has joined Badr Al Samaa’s Al Khuwair branch. She completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery and Post Graduation in Oral Implantology (BDS and PGCOI) from Dr MGR University, Chennai, India. Dental implant treatment is the replacement of missing tooth roots with supportive posts. It is usually made of titanium and can be used to replace single tooth, several teeth or for the complete reconstruction of a collapsed mouth. S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Omantel launches trial testing of Wi-Fi roaming OMANTEL has successfully participated — as the first Omani operator at the trial testing of Wi-Fi next generation hotspot (NGH) and PasspointTM/ Hotspot 2.0 technology at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, from March 2-5. The new technology will allow Omantel customers using IOS and selected Android devices to roam onto Wi-Fi networks using secure credentials and benefit from a secure Wi-Fi connection in the future. Commenting on this participation, Mohammed Yahya al Salmi, Senior Manager Corporate Communications at Omantel said, ‘Omantel is keen on participating annually at MWC which focuses on IT&C issues especially it provides an ideal opportunity to meet with the major mobile operators and technology supplier to discuss with them the best and most advanced solutions that develop the experience of our customers”. He added: “Omantel joined hands with more than 30 International operators, the GSAM and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) to offer our customers a secure and safe roaming utilising the next generation of Wi-Fi with Passpoint TM/Hotspot 2.0 technology.” ‘Omantel is the first operator in the Sultanate and one of few in the region to take part in this trial. This confirms Omatel’s commitment to lead innovatively, ensures our customer’s privacy while seamlessly keeping them connected on the run,” he added. Omantel’s delegation is taking part at the MWC 2015 and accompanied by a media delegation that includes Abdullah al Bahrani and Dr Ali al Shidhani, the founding partner for Oman Technical Voice Initiative. The team contributed to transmitting the launch of the new Galaxy S6 mobile device from Samsung and the HTC M9 mobile device. Bentley staff attend training in UK BENTLEY Oman has always had a reputation for offering a first class workplace environment with high quality training and development opportunities to its employees. In keeping with this, Bentley Oman had recently flown Faisal Nawaz, Marketing Manager, and Fahad al Wahaibi, Brand Manager from Wattayah Motors, the official dealership for Bentley in Oman for a specialised two-day training course on ‘Brand Immersion’. The training was held at the Bentley academy in Crewe, UK by acclaimed brand specialist and was attended by Bentley dealers from around the world. Fahad al Wahaibi said, “Whilst serving as the perfect platform to exchange thoughts and ideas with Bentley dealers from different parts of the world, the course provided comprehensive training on ‘brand immersion’, enabling attendees to become Brand Advocates for the future and represent the Brand on a higher level;. The highly interactive course sessions included topics such as Bentley Marque Pillars, Brand Values, Lineage, Product insights, etc to name a few. We were also given a guided tour of the Crewe facility and witnessed firsthand the world-class craftsmanship and engineering perfection required to create a Bentley motor car. OMAN/INTERNATIONAL S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 omandailyobserver 19 SPOTLIGHT: The second annual gathering designed to build awareness and capacity of Omani companies in securing projects DCRP forum to help SMEs compete for power deals BUSINESS REPORTER MUSCAT Mar. 7: The second annual gathering of companies (contractors and suppliers) operating in the electricity sector will be held at InterContinental Muscat tomorrow, March 9. Organised by the Distribution Code Review Panel (DCRP) on the theme, ‘Sustainability of Performance — Quality and Standards’, the day-long event will take place under the auspices of Omar bin Khalfan al Wahaibi, CEO of The Electricity Holding Company Group (Nama) with the attendance of CEOs of electricity distribution companies and a number of engineers and officials working in the sector. the sector in order to exchange views as well as understand the problems and challenges faced by companies in the implementation of the projects. He explained that DCRP was seeking through this meeting to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in building their capacity to secure and implement electricity contracts, familiarising them with the registration formalities regulations and standards applicable to firms looking to operate in HAMAD BIN SALIM AL MAGHDARI the electricity sector, and introducing CEO OF RAECO suppliers to the types of equipment and devices approved for use by electricity Hamad bin Salim al Maghdari, CEO line with DCRP’s broader objective distribution companies. The goal, of the Rural Areas Electricity Company to meet on an annual basis with he explained, was to help the SMEs (RAECO), said the forum was in contractors and suppliers operating in delivery projects according to the Forum is in line with DCRP’s broader objective to meet on an annual basis with contractors and suppliers operating in the sector in order to exchange views. BankDhofar conducts ‘Basel III’ workshop MUSCAT: In line with its commitment to adopt best international practices and to follow global banking standards, BankDhofar recently held a Basel III workshop for key members of staff from various departments and units at the bank. Basel III is a comprehensive set of reform measures, developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, to strengthen the regulation, supervision and risk management of the banking sector. These measures aim to improve the banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress, improve risk management and governance, and strengthen banks’ transparency and disclosures. The 4-day programme was conducted in collaboration with EURO MONEY’s international trainer John Hurlock at BankDhofar training centre from March 1-4, 2015, and was attended by 19 participants from Risk Management, Compliance, Finance, Treasury, Wholesale Banking, Audit, Policies and Procedure department. It aimed to give participants an insight on Basel III regulations and to further facilitate the implementation of the scheme guidelines. Over the years, BankDhofar has been committed to apply global standards, reaffirming its credibility as the best bank in the local and regional market. The bank believes that its strength as an organisation comes from the commitment to follow highest international standards in the banking sector. BankDhofar strives to lead the banking scene across the region in creativity and innovation, and it takes pride in what it has been achieved in the past few years. Today the bank works to boost its position and moves forward by following the best international standards. Learning and development is one of the key pillars for BankDhofar operational strategy. The combination of the long-term vision of the bank’s executive management, the comprehensive operational strategy that revolves around best international banking practices and best customer experience, as well as commitment to community development and contribution to the growth of the national economy, placed BankDhofar on the top list of best banks in the region. The bank was awarded a number of local and international recognitions during 2014, including: ‘Best Managed Advisory Service’ and ‘Best Mobile Banking App’ by Banker Middle East Awards 2014, ‘Best Islamic Community Support Bank 2014’ and ‘Best Evolved Brand Award, 2014’ by Global Financial Market Review, ‘Best Bank in the Sultanate 2014’ by CPI Financial, ‘2nd Prize Best Banks in Oman 2014’ by Business Today, ‘The Sultan Qaboos Award for Excellence in e-Government 2014’ for ‘Best Mobile Service 2014’, ‘The Customer Delight Award 2014’ MENA, Oman, by The British Institute of Sales & Marketing Management. Aspiring to be the best bank in the Sultanate and the wider Gulf area, BankDhofar is committed to provide customers with the best banking experience through a diverse range of unique products and services. Today BankDhofar is one of the fastest growing banks in the Sultanate, with a strong presence in corporate and retail banking, investment and project finance. The bank has an extensive network of branches across the Sultanate, in addition to ATM and CDM facilities that are located in all parts of Oman. Smart appliance may alleviate water, energy woes MUSCAT: The Gulf region leads the world in water consumption, with 500 to 700 litres of water consumed every day. And with the global average standing at 250 litres, management consulting firm McKinsey predicts that demand for potable water will potentially outstrip supply around the world by 2030. At the same time, energy supply is not keeping up with demand across Gulf countries. As pressures mount, consumers are seeking sustainable and innovative solutions to their woes, and smart, high-efficiency Washing Machines are emerging as one answer in the marketplace. Thanks to cutting-edge sensor technology, high-efficiency washing machines are helping consumers to conserve more water to the drop. The Samsung WW9000, for instance, uses four sensing technologies that determine the degree of dirt and level of grime on clothes, and then decides how much water and detergent to use. This feature, which Samsung calls ‘Auto Optimal Wash,’ uses the information that the sensors collect to dispense detergent from a reserve large enough for 19 loads of laundry, and only doles out the minimum amount of water necessary, unlike a conventional washer. The WW9000’s sensors also calculate the amount of heat required to remove the dirt, which is where conventional washers really rack up energy costs. According to the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colourists, nearly 80 per cent of energy that a washing machine generates is used to heat the water. Samsung’s latest washing machine also feature drumtype bodies that facilitate ‘no water’ drying technology, or produces spins so effective that clothes spend less time in the dryer, which conserves even more energy per household. The ‘Speed Spray’ function makes the WW9000 shortens the rinse cycle, as well, with powerful and focused jets. To engage these energy-saving and water-conserving functions, consumers just need to tap into the intuitive interface of the machine. The WW9000 is equipped with an intuitive 5-inch colour Full Touch Screen that provides effortless usability and control. If a user has identified his favourite energy-saving or water-efficient setting, he can tap into the ‘Most Used’ features, which remembers frequently used cycles and configurations, while ‘Favourites’ allows users to personalise wash cycles with options such as temperature and spin. With so many options to help consumers relieve pressures on energy and water supply, the WW9000 is one unconventional solution to a global problem. standards of efficiency and quality set by the sector. A similar meeting held last year resulted in a number of proposals and recommendations that were subsequently adopted by DCRP and subsequently implemented across the sector. The exercise helped raise the performance and quality standards of contractors and suppliers registered with DCRP. In all 203 companies have been approved by DCRP as of February 2015, including 70 during 2014 and 16 during the first two months of this year. Al Maghdari, who is also the Chairman of DCRP, said the updated registration criteria were designed to help SMEs compete in the local market. The Distribution Code Review Panel is an entity operating under the Law Regulating the Electricity sector and Related Water Sector issued by Royal Decree 78/2004, Article (90). DCRP lists electricity distribution companies including Muscat Electricity Distribution Company, Rural Areas Electricity Company, Mazoon Electricity Company, Majan Electricity Company and Dhofar power Company. It also includes representatives from the Authority for Electricity Regulation — Oman, Oman Electricity Transmission Company and Oman Power and Water Procurement Company. Tender for largest power scheme FROM PAGE 17 A green-field inland site at Ibri has been identified by OPWP for the development of part of the capacity of the giant power scheme. Site selection was based on proximity to gas supply infrastructure and the availability of sufficient water supply for cooling water purposes. As for the Sohar component of the power scheme, the procurer has decided to locate it at Sohar Industrial Port, already home to a string of power plants. Importantly, the split of power capacities between the two sites and the choice of technologies to be used for delivering the required capacities will be determined by the bidders subject to the conditions set out in the RfP, says OPWP. Gas supply infrastructure will be constructed by or on behalf of the Ministry of Oil and Gas and will be located in the vicinity of the sites and operated by Oman Gas Company. Significantly, the successful bidder for the two projects is expected to establish separate special purpose project companies as Omani companies. Moreover, each of the Project Companies will be separately and independently financed. Although subject to separate licensing arrangements, they will be owned directly by the successful bidder or, in the case of a bidder that is a consortium, by the same Managing Member of that consortium (although each Project Company may be owned by the same consortium members in different proportions or by different consortium members) subject to certain ownership constraints on Qualifying Consortium Members). A contract award is expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of this year. A worker walks past containers at San Pedro’s Port. Ivory Coast’s second largest port of San Pedro will hold a roadshow in France and Britain next month as it seeks to raise 180 billion CFA francs ($300 million) to fund upgrades, the port’s director said. — Reuters BP unveils $12 bn investment in Egypt LONDON: British energy giant BP said it would invest $12 billion (11 billion euros) in gas fields in Egypt together with Russian-owned partner DEA, calling it a “vote of confidence” in the country. “The WND (West Nile Delta) project investment is the largest foreign direct investment in Egypt,” BP’s Chief Executive Bob Dudley said in a statement after final agreements were signed. “WND production is key to Egypt’s energy security,” he said, with BP announcing that all the gas would be fed into the national grid and would eventually double BP’s supply to the domestic market. Hesham Mekawi, BP North Africa’s regional president, said the agreements marked “a critical milestone in the Egyptian oil and gas history”. BP said that during the construction phase the project would employ thousands of people. The aim is to develop five trillion cubic feet of gas resources and 55 million barrels of condensates, with production expected to begin in 2017. “The project underlines BP’s commitment to the Egyptian market and is a vote of confidence in Egypt’s investment climate and economic potential,” the statement said. — AFP Avago’s ambitions may spark more semiconductor dealmaking SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK: Avago Technologies Ltd may be one of the pacesetters among companies looking to make a purchase in the semiconductor industry after its advanced talks last month to acquire Freescale Semiconductor Ltd fell through. Demand for cheaper chips and new products to power Internet-connected gadgets is expected to drive chip industry consolidation beyond NXP’s $12 billion purchase of Freescale announced this week, analysts said. “The pace of M&A in semis has been elevated,” said Jefferies analyst Mark Lipacis. ‘‘We expect more of the same.” Avago’s main business is its wireless segment, which last quarter accounted for about 40 per cent of revenue, and it sells radio frequency chips for products such as Apple Inc’s iPhone. The company, which has a market cap of $32 billion, could now look at expanding in areas ranging from analog semiconductors to radio frequency technology, and could roll up several smaller analog companies or pursue a larger acquisition, Reuters reported. It couldn’t be learned what companies Avago was pursuing. Deals that could occur over the next few years are in the range of $600 million to $2 billion to $3 billion. Analysts see companies that make chips for Relatively small chipmakers with annual connected devices as top contenders for deal sales below $1 billion in markets from the auto activity. industry to consumer gadgets are in the cross hairs of larger players awash in growing amounts of cash and rising stock prices not seen in more than a decade. With steady demand from automakers, makers of consumer electronics and data centre operators, chip companies have cut costs in recent years and returned growing amounts of cash to shareholders who, in turn, have rewarded those companies’ stocks. Chipmakers that roughly fit the target model for potential deals, in terms of size and products, include smaller companies such as Micrel, Intersil, Atmel, M/A-COM and Silicon Laboratories, analysts said. These companies make a variety of chips that manage power, allow wireless communication and control devices, among other things. Features such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that once required chips sold by separate companies can now be squeezed onto single pieces of silicon made by industry leaders’ technology. The firms could pursue mergers with smaller peers or could also become targets for larger chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Skyworks Solutions, according to analysts. Micrel in January said its board had hired a bank to review strategic alternatives and to maximise shareholder value. Nearly all the deals announced so far have driven up shares of the acquirers, which gives other companies confidence to pursue M&A since investors reward them for it. — Reuters 20 omandailyobserver PERSPECTIVE S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 ECONOMY Need for more reforms in Oman comes to the fore Samuel Kutty T he urgency of more fiscal reforms in Oman has once again come to the fore even though the government has been focusing on widening its revenue base to commensurate the loss from oil income. The International Monetary Fund Mission (IMF) during its visit to Oman, last week, opined that the Sultanate cut the burgeoning subsidies and also the mounting public wage bill to keep its financial reserves steady. Ananthakrishnan Prasad, who headed the IMF mission to Muscat said, “The Sultanate has to adopt new reforms at the earliest as possible to avoid more draining from its coffers. Otherwise the country will have to depend on more debts. Oil decline has made undertaking of reforms more urgent for Oman.” Generalised price subsidies are a common feature in many developing and emerging markets economy. In the Middle East subsidies are used by governments to achieve several objectives including support to real incomes and protect the poor by maintaining low prices on widely used products such as energy, water and food. But while taking away this social protection, the governments may come in for criticism and face public ire. Ananthakrishnan says, “Reforms should be phased to avoid destabilising the economy or causing social discontent”. Still, “the government needs to limit growth to public sector wages and reform the system of subsidies for fuels, electricity and water. The government also needs to further diversify the economy and increase non-oil revenue through direct and indirect taxation”. According to Lo’ai B Bataineh, General Manager & Head of Investment Management Group, Oman Arab Bank, the fuel subsidy has been, and is still one of the main burdens shouldered by many governments over the last decades. “No doubt that the design and architecture of subsidy programmes for services and energy resources in many ME countries lead to unfair and irrational use of these resources which in turn results in exhaustion of the public revenues”, he says. One of the effective tools to improve the competitive status of any country and enhance confidence in the national economy is to strive to control state budget deficit and contain both the trade imbalance and foreign debts. “The recommendations by most of the international agencies and institutions always evolve around lifting subsidy on some basic services and goods in order to reduce the burden on the state budget and treasury. While trying to address the growing deficits, the governments especially in developing countries, face many challenges such as tax evasion, financial and administrative corruption, tax incentives, custom exemptions organisations and diseconomy of the public funds”, Lo’ai says. IMF favours cut on subsidies and public wage bills “We should, therefore, bear in mind that addressing subsidy issues entails lots of efforts and will be full of difficulties and challenges. We should thus encourage people to change their misperceptions and bad lifestyles”, he adds. Ahmed al Esry, Managing Partner, Ernst and Young, says, “Despite fall in oil revenues, the Sultanate is making all-out efforts to diversify the economy and boost its revenues”. He was referring to taxation in the current macroeconomic environment at a session at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Muscat the other day. Ananthakrishnan is of the opinion that “oil price decline has made undertaking of reforms more urgent for Oman. Without any reforms at this stage the country will either have to use its buffers or increase debt, and there could be spill-overs from the fiscal sector to the rest of the economy.” Al Esry says, ‘‘With oil at a much lower price level than it was over the past few years, economic diversification and reduction on oil dependence will have to be pursued actively. The government has ensured that ongoing projects in the country would not be affected, announcing its biggest ever budget-spending for 2015.” Accordingly, the 2015 budget tax revenue was increased by 25 per cent from BREAD & BUTTER RO 400 million to RO 500 million, despite no further increase in tax rates. This is an indication of the government’s confidence that the economy will continue to grow in 2015. But Lo’ai says, “As we know the deficit is expected to hit the maximum in Oman history due to the accelerating of the expenses last 4 years and now the government revenue is under severe pressure as a result of the sharp drop of the main source of revenue — oil and gas — which were used to represent almost more than 85 per cent of the government revenues”. “I believe we should think and study these severe economic factors which affect Omani economy now in a clear and wise way to find solutions to address the growing budget deficit. We need to introduce many sacrifices and radical solutions at least for the coming few years”, says Lo’ai . The government should improve the methods used in collecting taxes and fees as well as providing comprehensive set of procedures to reduce public expenditure on the short and medium-term and improve revenues. Also the government is required to take effective and tangible steps that improve the collection of taxes and limit tax evasion, one of the fatal ills suffered by most of the countries in the region. Most of the countries tried to reduce budget deficit at the state budgets through internal and external finance or postponing or refusing the foreign finance because it is usually linked to economic and political pressures and requirements. Financially, there are many effective ways to address and limit the state budgets. These ways include improving the collection of taxes, promoting tax awareness and encouraging expansion of investment projects as this will in turn result in growth of the collected taxes and fees. After years of surpluses, the country recorded a budget deficit of RO 600 million last year, according to the Ministry of Finance. It estimated that the deficit will widen to 8 per cent of gross domestic product this year, assuming an oil price of $75 a barrel. Oman crude oil trading on the Dubai Mercantile Exchange last month rebounded strongly from the multiyear lows recorded in January, pushing towards the $60 per barrel range and recording its largest gain since the summer of 2009. TOURISM REVIVAL Ireland looks forward to dairy boom Travel agencies return to growth once European Union quotas go I F our weeks from the lifting of European Union milk quotas, Ireland is looking forward to a radical shake-up of its farming sector that would boost dairy output by 50 per cent over the next five years. Exporters are aiming to expand sales of Irish milk and cheese in a boom that would make Ireland the fastest-growing dairy producer in the world. “Good riddance is what I’ll say about the quotas,” said Mike Magan, a dairy farmer in County Longford in central Ireland. “They’ve held back the natural ability of farmers to grow for three decades, so I’m glad they’re going.” The quotas, which end on March 31, were introduced in 1984 to prevent over-production, and Irish agriculture minister Simon Coveney said their abolition was “the most fundamental change to Irish agriculture in a generation”. “For the first time, Ireland will be able to fulfil its potential in terms of producing milk at a volume that makes sense for us,” he said. According to research by Teagasc, a state-backed research body, 60 per cent of dairy farmers plan to expand production in the next two years. Over 80 per cent of Irish dairy product is currently exported, and the additional output is likely to be targeted at developing markets outside the EU. Ireland currently produces 5.4 billion litres of milk, so even if it hits its targets for 2020 it will remain a relatively small global player compared with India, China or the United States. In Europe, France and Germany also have annual production in the tens of billions of litres. “In a global sense, we’re a small player by volume, but we can be a very significant player in terms of supplying premium high-end markets,” Coveney said. “We will be the fastest-growing dairy producer in the world probably in the next decade in terms of a percentage increase in volume year-on-year,” he added. Processors in Ireland, which buy the vast majority of milk from farmers, are also gearing up for the post-quota environment. Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GIL), which processes some 30 per cent of all Irish milk, has invested over 235 million euros ($267 million). A new plant, largely for dry milk powder, will be opened this week with the company expecting it to support 1,600 jobs, a welcome boost in a country where unemployment remains over 10 per cent. The company exports to 50 countries largely in the form of butter, cheese, whey protein and infant formula. Jim Bergin, Chief Executive of GIL, said quotas have hindered the potential for natural organic growth. “This brings a huge opportunity from a growth perspective. Asia will be a growing market for us but also the Middle East,” he said. Ireland’s current coalition According to research by Teagasc, a state-backed research body, 60 per cent of dairy farmers plan to expand production in the next two years. government, which came to power at the height of the financial crisis in 2011, has placed a strong emphasis on the possibilities of the agriculture sector in reviving the economy. Prime Minister Enda Kenny in February announced that Ireland would become the first EU country to resume beef exports to China, restricted since the BSE mad cow disease scandal of the late 1990s. The announcement came weeks after a similar move from the United States to lift its ban on Irish beef. But state food agency, Bord Bia, is most excited about the end of the quotas in dairy which brought in more than 3.0 billion euros last year in exports. “Of our total food and drinks exports, dairy will dominate and account for close to 50 per cent by the end of this decade,” David Owens, dairy sector manager with Bord Bia said. While the whole sector is largely positive about the changes, there are concerns about the impact of milk price volatility at the farm level. “Milk price volatility is going to be the biggest challenge and farmers are worried about being able to ride out the difficult years,” Sean O’Leary, chairman of the Irish Farmers’ Association Dairy Committee. “Farmers have to look at their own situation. Bigger doesn’t always mean better, especially with predicted milk prices being lower this year.” Many dairy farmers are also facing EU fines for producing more milk than their quotas allow as they crank-up production ahead of March 31. O’Leary, a dairy farmer in County Cork, said he aimed to increase his herd by eight per cent to 130 cows in the next 12 months. “There’ll be a bit of pain to be taken in year one but hopefully it’ll all be worth it,” he said. — AFP t almost seems like a foregone conclusion in the business world: travel agencies will go the way of bookshops, with more closures set to leave a tiny core of a few big chains left standing, enjoying a mere shadow of the dominance they had before the market became saturated by online portals. Against this background, it seems brave for Friedrich Joussen, the head of Europe’s largest tour operator, Tui, to say at the company’s most recent annual general meeting that “the travel agency has not yet had its day.” The data does seem to back up his claim. But, in order to take advantage of the upswing, travel agencies will have to take much more advantage of their own online presence to drive business. At first look, the numbers do seem good. For the first time in 10 years, the number of travel agencies rose last year by 100, to reach 9,829 branches across Germany. Agencies with two or more licences are doing better than smaller ones, which tend to specialise in niche markets, such as exotic holidays. The agencies themselves have improved their image, with fewer featuring counters and offices, instead opting for more cozy corners to sit and chat and cafe-style facilities. Tui’s own Hapag-Lloyd and First travel agencies now have sofas and coffee bars in order to stimulate a little bit of the holiday feeling well in advance of the trip. But not everyone is on board with Joussen’s forecast. For example, the head of German’s Association of Internet Travel Business, Michael Buller, is not happy about any talk of the revival of travel agencies. “The message is wrong. Digitalisation is progressing,” he said this week at the world’s largest travel trade fair, ITB, in Berlin. Germany’s Internet travel business is still relatively new, Buller says. “Until now it has only been finger exercises,” he says, adding, however, that the Internet is the biggest driver of the travel business in Germany. While the travel market grew by 6 per cent in Germany in 2014, online bookings, which accounted for 39 per cent of overall business, grew by 13 per cent. Travel agencies have to expand their online presence in parallel with their physical stores in order to appeal to as many consumer groups as possible. The latest nationwide study shows that the groups that are continuing to grow are older travellers and the well-off, who much prefer to go to a travel agency than younger people, who are more likely to book a holiday on their mobile phone. A survey of holidaymakers under 27 years of age showed that it was very important for them to get authentic impressions of the destinations they were considering travelling to, requiring more detailed and extensive presentations on the websites of operators, portals and travel agencies. — dpa TECHNOLOGY S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 omandailyobserver HEAD GEAR 21 WI-FI Sony virtual reality head gear set for release in 2016 Visitors try out a virtual reality system at the Oculus booth during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California. — AFP SONY was at a major game developers’ gathering last week showing off a prototype of ‘Morpheus’ virtual reality head gear set for release next year. The Japanese consumer electronics titan did not disclose how much it planned to charge for the virtual reality (VR) system synced to work with its popular PlayStation 4 video game consoles. ‘With the technical specs achieved on the new prototype, we are one step closer to realising our vision for making amazing VR experiences on PS4, and ultimately to deliver a real sense of presence to players,’ said Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida. ‘We believe that the near-final technology of Morpheus, combined with the power of PS4, will provide a standard for game developers to target as they build on their creative ideas and turn them into VR games and experiences.’ Sony is among several companies developing VR head gear and pitching their technology at a Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Facebook-owned Oculus VR and Sony were each headlining last Wednesday sessions likely to be packed with game makers. Sony billed VR as the future of gaming while introducing the latest prototype from Project Morpheus, which was unveiled in March of last year. Sony said that, since then, it has been listening to feedback and making enhancements ‘that will further the capability of Morpheus to deliver a sense of presence and push the boundaries of play.’ Prototype improvements included a screen with a larger field of view to remove blur and flicker, along with faster frame rates for smoother visuals, according to Sony. As GDC got under way, Valve and Taiwanbased smartphone maker HTC announced they are working together on Vive virtual reality head gear on track for release by the end of this year. — AFP Wireless connectivity to entire Audi 2016 model vehicle line-up AT the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, car maker Audi of America and wireless carrier AT&T announced a joint plan to bring LTE, 4G and 3G wireless connectivity to all of Audi’s 2016 model-year vehicles. Audi released a vehicle with a 4G LTE connection last year in its A3 model. It was the first car to ever contain a Wi-Fi hot spot using a 3G service tethered to Audi‘s T-Mobile-supported Connect system. The 2016 AT&T-connected models include the A3, S3, Q3, A4, S4, Allroad, A5, S5, Q5, SQ5, A6, S6, A7, S7, RS7, TT, TTS, A8 and S8. Drivers who opt for Audi 2016 models will receive an AT&T SIM card that provides the connection to AT&T‘s wireless Connect network which will grant customers ‘enhanced traffic information and navigation, over the air map updates, social media and mobile app integration with access to more than 7,000 Web radio stations as well as Internet radio in vehicles with 4G/LTE hardware.’ ‘The convenience and added benefit of having Audi Connect services in our vehicles, along with Wi-Fi access for up to eight devices, serves as a competitive advantage for our brand,’ Filip Brabec, Audi’s director of product management, said in a press release. ‘We have been and intend to remain innovators in this field.’ Many of the 182,000 cars Audi sold last year were ordered with the Connect system included. As a part of the new agreement, AT&T now has the means to subscribe drivers to new or expanded data contracts as they become used to using faster Internet download speeds. Other car manufacturers will likely follow Audi and AT&T in the connected car trend. For instance, General Motors has already offered 4G LTE in several of its models in 2013. However, while 4G LTE is faster and more reliable than 3G networks, it can get become an expensive proposition. In-car network plans vary, but $50 per month payment plans (add extra fees for greedier downloaders) have been typical. Given the prices of Audi’s autos, which go from the $30,000 A3 to the $115,000 S8, frugal drivers may want to saddle kids and companions with the smartphones and tablets they’ll likely carry into the car anyway. PROJECTOR Lenovo launches affordable Pocket Projector CHINESE manufacturer Lenovo has unveiled its new Pocket Projector last week at the Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona. The projector can be paired with Android devices (v4.3 and above) and relays videos and images up to 110-inch from one corner to the other. At 4x4-inches, the new Lenovo Pocket Projector is small enough to carry around in a jacket pocket, with the curved edges making it smooth to slip in and out of the pocket. The part with the projector lens tilts up to 90-degrees. However, the projector relays content at 854x480p resolution, so the content and videos won‘t be too sharp, especially at larger sizes. Users can watch videos in both popular aspect ratios, ie 4:3 and 16:9. The Lenovo Pocket Projector is equipped with 50-lumens. high contrast display along. Lenovo allows users to connect the Pocket Projector with Android devices via microUSB, DLNA and Miracast. They can also use a microSD card (up to 32GB) to view the content using this projector. The battery life of the new Pocket Projector is rather low at 2.5 hours, which means that users will not be able to watch a couple of movies without recharging the device at least once. Priced at $250, Lenovo Pocket Projector will hit the market in June. The company officials at the Lenovo booth could not give a timeline for the Asia launch. AUTOSHOW 85th GIMS: Fascinating vehicles, exciting techs The interior of a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse ‘La Finale’ is seen during the 85th International Motor Show in Geneva. The Geneva International Motor Show opened to the public from March 5 – 15, 2015. Some 130 new models and concept cars are presented to more than 700,000 visitors and will occupy every square metre of space in the exhibition halls of Palexpo. This year some 900 vehicles are on exhibit, nearly a hundred of which already conform to the strict European Union emission norms that will come into effect in 2021. — Reuters SMARTPHONE HTC introduces One (M9) with octa-core processor HTC has launched its new flagship phone, One (M9), at its Utopia in Progress event on the sidelines of Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona. HTC has taken cues from luxury watchmakers by using a two-tone metal design, every handset has its edging picked out in a complimentary colour. One (M9) features the same design as its predecessors except that the display panel has thinner bezels and the metal body is now two-tone with the edges featuring a different colour tone. HTC One (M9) sports a 5-inch Super LCD3 full-HD display (1920x1080p). Powered by a 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 64-bit octa-core processor and 3GB RAM, the phone offers 32GB storage and a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 128GB storage. The phone sports a 20MP rear camera (BSI, sapphire glass lens) and a 4MP Ultrapbixel front camera with super-wide angle lens. HTC One (M9) runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with Sense UI 7 running on top. In line with previous rumours, The Sense 7 UI skin is not very different from its current avatar but now offers the ability to customise the UI theme with a source image and has a location-aware menu that changes app shortcuts depending on the user’s location. It also lets users select theme packs for app icons and the BlinkFeed home screen also offers meal time suggestions. There’s also a new photo editor. In terms of connectivity options, the One (M9) supports Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ ac, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GLONASS, GPS, micro-USB, 3G, and 4G LTE. It has a 2840mAh battery and HTC’s BoomSound audio will now be powered by Dolby Audio Surround. The One (M9) will be available starting mid-March in Asia and India in silver, gunmetal grey pink and gold colours. 22 LEISURE omandailyobserver S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Online Editor’s Choice CARTOONS 1 ADAM @ HOME by Brian Basset 7 8 10 CALVIN AND HOBBES 11 14 16 17 19 21 22 23 26 28 29 30 31 by Bill Watterson 32 33 GARFIELD DOWN 1 They’re amusing in many low ways (6) 2 Led astray with no love by a simpleton (6) 3 Still swallowed by boozers in Sevenoaks (4) 4 Sack of loot (7) 5 Once more returning from Niagara (5) 6 To tidy up the ranks may be just a habit (5) 8 So, for half an hour, is bitter (4) 9 Many an extraterrestrial is encountered (3) 12 Side-show boy? (3) 13 Getting three wrong may put you out (5) 15 Christmas card decorator (5) 18 A grower going on and on, touring India (5) 19 He-man’s bit of skirt? (3) 20 Resinous substance found in glaciers (3) by Jim Davis STONE SOUP CRYPTIC PUZZLE ACROSS Such a bowler can make a difference (6) Rustic Reg returning to his house (8) Not all are out of agreement with the totalitarians (4) Now possibly including a poem that’s spiritless (6) Not showy attire (6) Last month in business (3) Damages a Frenchman’s teeth (5) Angry with Rose? (4) Eighteen, of course? (5) Ban an untidy beard (5) Paper strips, perhaps (5) One informally informative? (4) Tree or horse out West (5) Deity all for cookery? (3) Outer coat with a name in (6) One girl or a couple (6) Friend going completely without a drink (4) Full treatment in a factory (3,5) A back seat (6) 9 12 13 15 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 CR O SSW O R D THURSDAY’S CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Gross 6, M-aths 9, Weekday 10, Tacit 11, Med-Al 12, Terms 13, Laggard 15, Del 17, Onus 18, All-U-re 19, (hell’s) Bells 20, Angels 22, Sa-V-e 24, L-i.e. 25, Pest-Les 26, Twain 27, Beg-UN 28, Aide-d 29, Turn-off 30, Syrup 31, Terry. 21 Finished mending the roof end (4,3) 22 Machine part moving backwards? (3) 23 Caught working in lead improperly (6) 24 It’s convenient for him to follow a hothead (4) 25 Word possibly linked with starting a fire (6) 26 Hires for part of the current season (5) 27 Hesitate to be the flag bearer? (5) 28 Friendly card from the palace (3) 30 A great deal of service (4) 1 7 8 10 11 EASY PUZZLE ACROSS Crops up (6) Unconscious (8) Pudding ingredient (4) Swiss villa (6) Halve (6) 14 16 17 19 21 22 23 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 Allow (3) Skeleton parts (5) Performs (4) Petty officer (5) Number (5) Started (5) Large shrub (4) Material (5) Age (3) Sensual (6) Pictures (6) Ancient symbol (4) Brolly (8) Searches (6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 DOWN Bush (6) Weighing device (6) Northern Briton (4) Fish (7) Witches’ group (5) Defeats (5) Seasoning (4) DOWN: 2, Re-A-gan 3, Swings 4, Set 5, Skied 6, Mammals 7, A-yes 8, Heater 12, Tries 13, Local 14, Gu-NG-e 15, Ducal 16, L-ewes 18, A-lien 19, Blown up 21, Nicely 22, Str-if-e 23, Veneer 25, Piano 26, TuTu 28, A-ft. THURSDAY’S EASY SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Dance 6, Sense 9, Located 10, Asian 11, Virgo 12, Asset 13, Respect 15, Led 17, Ores 18, Parade 19, Trial 20, Samson 22, Peri 24, Try 25, Cabinet 26, Spoon 27, Devil 28, Eager 29, Descent 30, Steed 31, Deter. DOWN: 2, Answer 3, Clamps 4, Eon 5, Waist 6, Several 7, Edit 8, Sagged 12, Acorn 13, Roast 14, Seamy 15, Laden 16, Debit 18, Pagan 19, Toppled 21, Arrest 22, Pirate 23, Recede 25, Conch 26, Side 28, End. Hospitals by Jan Eliot Hospital. . . . . Board . . . . . . . Emergency Royal . . . . . . . 24599000 . . . 24590491 Health Services Department YO UR STARS 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 IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY: You will no doubt have profited from the experiences of the last few months and are convinced that there is nothing to be gained by continuing an association, which has gone wrong. There will be an opportunity to put the relationship on a more stable footing quite son, and happier times are ahead. Obtain (3) Boy (3) Stop (5) Tycoon (5) Conifer (5) Large (3) Transgression (3) Inhabitant (7) Section (3) Hypnotic state (6) Anger (4) Follows (6) Antidote (5) Burial chambers (5) Flightless bird (3) M East country (4) Haima . . . . . . . . 23436013 . . . . 23436055 Sohar . . . . . . . . . 26840022 . . . . 26840099 Al Buraimi. . . . . 25650855 . . . . 25652319 Sur . . . . . . . . . . . 25440244 . . . . 25461373 Tanam . . . . . . . . 25499011 . . . . 25499033 Masirah . . . . . . . 25404018 . . . . 25404018 Ibra. . . . . . . . . . . 25470533 . . . . 25470535 Adam. . . . . . . . . 25434167 . . . . 25434055 Bidiya . . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535 Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990 Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148 Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187 Dibba. . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443 Burkha. . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397 Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338 PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI CANCER LEO February 20March 20 March 21April 20 April 21May 20 May 21June 21 June 22July 21 July 22August 21 A rare chance to meet at long last a very important person must not be missed. Be ready to drop everything you are doing when the opportunity comes along. Make more of an attempt to put into practice the good counsel you are so ready to give to others. Think your own problems through before deciding on a course of action. Be very careful what you say in an email to a distant friend when writing about people you both know and beware especially of strong criticism of a third person. It will soon be copied to the relevant people. An older person who has shown good common sense in the past will influence you in making an important decision which is facing you and you will be grateful for his advice You have a very selective mind and are in the lucky position of being able to accept only those ideas which seem reasonable and profitable and to discard the rest. A long awaited letter may not be the reply you had hoped for, and it may disappoint you. But future correspondence may clarify matters and make the sender change his mind. VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN AQUARIUS August 22September 22 September 23October 22 October 23November 21 November 22December 21 December 22January 20 January 21February 19 After several fruitless attempts you will be gratified to learn that you can expect the full co-operation of some friends in planning a social event. A reserved person is more likely to come out of his shell if you keep a conversation on an impersonal level. Television is a good subject for light-hearted chat. A matter, which is liable to affect the whole family, should be discussed at a gathering of all members in order to get the opinions of everybody. The best help you can give to an over-worked partner is to provide an atmosphere of love and relaxation at home. One of the least prepossessing acquaintances you know may surprise you one day and make an excellent match to the envy of all his friends. Try to explain the reason for your unusual actions to the people who are involved, so that they are in a position to understand your motives. CLASSIFIEDS S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2 0 1 5 omandailyobserver 23 Situation Vacant WE Al Mayar Co LLC are seeking talented experienced Sales Executive for the ǡ Electronic Sales. The interested persons can send thire CV’s to ultrasales@almayarllc. com and pnoman@ gmail.com. REQUIRED Public ϐ with 7 years experience. 95955041. ····· ····· WANTED Sales Managerǡ Company in Oman. ǣΪǡ preferably in Oman. Salary: negotiable. Preference for Omani nationals. Interested candidates may please forward their resume to e-mail id: recruitment.hr73@ gamil.com SYRIAN Mashavi Cook and Moroccan Lady Cook for Qurum Beach Hotel. 24704994 or 99238012. ····· REQUIRED family driver with valid Omani driving licence. Accommodation will be provided. 92230282. ····· ····· PURCHASE manager with 14 years experience in construction indusrty with valid D/L & NOC. Contact: 92884811. E-mail: bati.rajesh@gmail. com ····· MBA with specialisation ϐ ǡ ǡ graduate diploma in marketing with 2 years experience as accounts executive in ǡ ǡ Oman on visit. Contact: ͻͻͶͺͷͶͻǡͻͺͷͶͲǤ ····· INDIAN ǡʹͻ ǡǡ ǡͶ ǡʹ ǡ looking for placement. NOC available. 93298395. ····· CIVIL ǡ ͵ ǡ looking for suitable ǡǤ Contact: 98545520. e-mail: furkanazeem20@ gmail.com ····· ELECTRICAL Engineer ǡͻ years experience and UAE driving licence. 94429749. ····· ····· REQUIRED Salesman ϐ ǡ have experience on ϐ licence. Contact: alkhatwa2009@ hotmail.com ····· Situation Wanted Housemaidǡ with release required for a family in Medinat Al Alam. ʹͶͲͶͻͻͶǡ 99238012. Situation Wanted Ȅ ȄͳʹΪ Gulf experience in high rise building and land development. MS ǡǡ ϐ ǡ available. Living in Salalah ͻͶͲͻ͵͵ͲͲǡ 93884335. E-mail: asuresh84_2007@ yahoo.com ····· ǡ ǡͷ experience in a reputed multi national company as Branch Head. Well experienced in management & coordination. Looking for suitable position in Suwaiq & Sohar area. 92700670. E-mail: [email protected] ····· AN Iraqi electrical engiǡ construction works and factory maintenance getting electrical works and driving licences looking for suitable replacement. Contact: 98959043 ····· ····· Tourism Services ARE you looking for a voyage with your family on a legacyǡ buffet? Only with RO ͳͷȀǦǤ info@ alainaintourism. com 92808636. ····· Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ ȋǦ Ǧ WANTED: 1. A/C Mechanic; 2. Electrician plumber; 3. Computer headwear Tec. Contact No. 99447257/ 97014234 mansur75@ hotmail.co.uk. ····· WE need HSE personal, Salesman and Electrical Supervisor with Omani Driving licence. Apply to: grandmuscat@yahoo. com Contact No: 00968 95714746. ····· MAITENANCE: 1. A/C Maintenance & ǢʹǤǡ Washing Machine & Dish washer repairing; 3. Painting & cleaning services; 4. Electrical & Plumbing Carpentry work. Contact: ͻͻͶͶʹͷǡ ͻͲͳͶʹ͵ͶǡʹͶͷͲͶʹͺͳǤ ····· Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ ȋǦ Ǧ Ȍ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ǧ For information, please call: 99841230-95919344 92721879 - 99639264 Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590 BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011 Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001 E-mail: [email protected] ǡǡ 2 years exp as system ǡ 3+ yrs exp in India ȋǡǡ ǡ Ȍǡ ͳǡǡ ǡ ǡǡ Mysql. NOC available. Contact: 97496998 ····· ǡʹͷǡ ǡ ǡ having valid Omani Ǥ ǡ Ͳͻǡ ǡ ǡ suitable placement in Sales and Marketing ϐǤ ǣ 98730659. E-mail: [email protected] ····· CHARTERED Accountant 9 years experience in Ȅ ǡǡǡǡǡȀ AR. Currently working Ǥmediate. NOC available. Contact: ͻͷͶͺͻʹͻǡ [email protected] ····· ǡ ϐ Ǥ Please call: 92757135. ····· For Sale Announcement INDUSTRIAL area ǡͷǡͲͲͲ Sq.mt and building with 8 shops. Contact ͻͷͶͻͲͺͶʹǡ 92702891. ····· Groves Cordoba Trading & Contracting LLC ȋ Ȍǡ register No. 1060079 announces that it is intending to convert its name to Al Maktomi Company Services and Supply LLC (recommendation). Beneficiaries should be informed of the changes. ····· 3 BEDROOM house at Betras Zanzibar RO ͻͲǡͲͲͲǤ ǣ 99348943. ····· ǡ ǡ Hypermarket Center. Contact: 97655500. ····· A 400 sq m residential commercial building situated at the first line of the public road in Rawdat Samad Al Shaan. The building is within 300 m far from the Imam Noor Al Din Al Salmi. It houses a 100 sq m 3 outlets. The remaining 300 sq m plot is workers resi ǡlet. The premise is at RO ͷͷǡͲͲͲ͵ commission. 99600909. ····· REQUIRED Salesman cum Hardware Engineer for Computer Shop at Ruwi with minimum 2 years experience. E-mail: strns1@gmail. com 98825805/ 98825806. ····· Services Situation Wanted ARABIC/English ϐ ····· ǡǡǡ ǡʹͷǡ ͺ ǡ ǡ Ǧǡ ͷ ϐ INDIAN male 26 (management and ǡǦ ǡǡǡ LINUX having 4 years Ȍǡ Ƭǡ with Primavera P6. experience including ǡʹ Contact: ǡ ǡ ͻͶͺͲͳͲǡ suitable position. working in Oman. e-mail: Contact: 94282980. (Visit visa). Contact: ͻ͵͵ͷͶͷʹǡǦǣ abdelgader1982@gmail. e-mail: [email protected] com [email protected] ····· Situation Vacant Lost MUAMMAD Naseer has lost Pakistani passport ͻͺʹͲͲͳǤ please handover to ROP. ····· CLASSIFIED SECTION RUWI : 24785668 1. HOOPOE SMART CARD SERVICES 2. AL FAHAD TRANSLATION SERVICES STOP!!! Good News to all our dear customers: Our PRO will visit your ϐ Ȁ documents for typing or clearing and will deliver the same on completion. Our services include typing all forms related to Ministry of ǡǡ ǤǤǡǡ ǡ related to Ministry of Ƭǡ ǤǤǡ ǡ amendment of activities of the company and all services related to Royal Oman Police; Cancellation of Visas at the Muscat International Airport for repatriation of employees; Directorate General ϐ Ǣ Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Translation of legal documents. Medical ǡ ǡ ǡ ȋǣ ǡ ǡ ǡ & Italian) ǣǡ Adjacent to Gulf Transport Co. (GTC). Telephones: 24793331 /24794286 GSM: 99231500 /96777170/ 95959838 Managed by: Salim Khalfan al Hadi (33 years of experience in management) ····· 1. AC maintenance and servicing. 2. ǡ machine and dish washer repairing. 3. Painting and cleaning services. 4. ǡ plumbing and carpentry work ͻͲͳͶʹ͵Ͷǡ ͻͻͶͶʹͷǡ 24504281. ····· Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ ȋǦ Ǧ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ ȋǦ Ǧ Ȍ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ Ǧ For information, please call: 99841230-95919344 92721879 - 99639264 Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590 BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011 Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001 E-mail: [email protected] SUNDAY l MARCH 8, 2015 l JUMADA AL ULA 17, 1436 AH [email protected] www.omanobserver.om RENT A CAR z Low Rates z Wide Range of Cars z Excellent Service Contact: Muscat 24489248, 24489648. Salalah: 23296246. E-mail: [email protected] SPECIAL Rates on New Cars & 4 WDs RENTING & LEASING Tours and Airport Transfer Tel: 24582663 GSM: 95859497, Fax: 24582664, [email protected] Umrah/Haj AL Hikmani for HAJ and UMRAH — With a host of services including the following: Hiring luxurious coaches, arranging weekly trips, preparing visas for expats at cost-effective price, including transport, housing, meals and visits to shrine locations. Land and air trips weekly. (99311310, 24566016, 99361982, 99707248, 99322124. ····· Car for Sale PORSCHE Cayenne S-2004, white colour, 158,000 km, RO 4,500/96417989. ····· MERCEDES CT 55, 2001, black colour, 122,000 km, RO 2,900/96417989. ····· MERCEDES S 55, 2001, dark blue, 250,000 km, RO 1,900/96417989. Supply of Pesticides, Gel (Cockroaches), Public Health chemicals, Agriculture chemicals, Snake repellent, Rodent baits and other insect repellent from Agropharm Ltd UK. PROFESSIONALS in Pest Control Service, Bedbug Treatment, Rodent Treatment, Snake Treatment and Termite Treatment (Pre and Post Construction). Tel: 24787606 / 24787503 Fax: 24787607 E-mail: [email protected] P. O. Box: 565, Wadi Kabir, Postal Code: 117, SULTANATE OF OMAN FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM Good News DO you or your family members require skilled daily? Dedicated to chronic care & physical rehabilitation from injury or illness; Rochester Wellness offers specialised medical recovery services. For more information contact our coordinators at +968 22094265. ····· AYURVEDIC Treatment, Yoga Massage & slimming. Web address: www. siddhayur.com 92504980/ 24475280. ····· Sale and Buy ····· LINCOLN Navigator 4WD, 1998, grey, 335,000 km, RO 1,600/96417989. ····· OFFICE & Household furniture and electronics items. 99834373, 97102699. ····· AUTO REPAIR CENTRE Available on UNBEATABLE prices Tours Announcement DOLPHIN WATCHING TOUR. Every Day 8 am and 10 am. For booking 94110088/ 91162534. E-mail: coraloceantours@ gmail.com Web: www. coraloceantours. com. Abu Ayyub al-Hashemi land transport (recommendation), register No. 1205902 announces that it is intending to convert its name to Abu Ayyub alHashemi trade (recommendation). Beneficiaries should be informed of the changes. ····· ····· 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 al-haditha centre GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! For Rent FLATS and shops for rent 93009999. ····· SHOP for rent, 200 sq m in Maabela Industrial. Call: 97314122, 99349878. ····· A 735 Sq M2 store in Bausher, Al Misfah Industrial is offered for rent. The premise is built in accordance to high standards. A 3-5 year lease contract is required 99332902, 99047584. ····· VILLA in Bausher (Al Awabi) consists of majlis, 5 bedrooms, 5 toilets, 2 living rooms and external kitchen 99364586. ····· GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! al-haditha LLC PEST CONTROL OMAN CO. LLC. 1510 Printer RO 11.000 only HP All Cartridges also available on UNBEATABLE prices AII HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, Samsung Cartridges also available Ruwi: 24792-792 [email protected] GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! INDUSTRIAL land in Misfah for rent. 93009999. ····· BRAND new villa in Qurum, near Crowne Plaza. Walking distance from beach. 6 bedrooms, 3 halls with elevator! 92230282. ····· BRAND new twin villa in Al Khuwair, near technical College. Modern style with high quality finishing. 6 bedrooms, RO 950 only 92230282. ····· FURNISHED offices for rent in prime location in Ruwi (Mumtaz) with free electricity, water and Internet. For lease long & short term 95950012, 99331181. ····· FURNISHED house in Mabella - 2 rooms, kitchen, hall and 3 toilets for rent. Call: 99357404. ····· FLAT in Mabella 3 rooms, sitting room, hall, kitchen (spacious) with 4 toilets. Call: 99357404. ····· 2 STOREY villa at Mabella with 2 sitting rooms with toilets, 2 halls, 3 bedrooms with attach toilets (Municipality water available). Call: 99357404. For Rent FULLY licenced restaurant in Qurum Beach Hotel. 24704994. ····· OFFICE space available ϐͲͲ ϐ ͷ building at Al Khuwair ͵͵Ǥǣϐ ǣ 24790449 or E-mail: infoajest@ gmail.com ····· SHOWROOM Front 120/ M2, Back 130/M2. First floor commercial flat 1BHK, 2 BHK, Al Athaiba North, behind Al Fair. 99565364, 95497323. ····· ǧhouse behind GUtech, Halban, is for rent. The building consists of 4 bedrooms, majlis, kitchen and 3 toilets. 91239119. DELUXE 3 bedrooms apartment for rent in Mumtaz area. For more information contact: 99336263. FLAT located in Al Muhaj Sq/Al Amerat on the main road. 98895553. ····· A COMMERCIAL shop & room with accessories in Al Ghubra. 95054077, 99219333. ····· ····· 1 B/R available in Rex Road, Ruwi, suitable for bachelors. 99889590. ONE B/R flats in Madinat Al Alam for executives/ small family. 99238012/ 24704994. 3 BEDROOMS, 3 baths apartment for rent in Sidab, opposite Petrol Station. 97779755. ····· ····· ····· ····· ROOM for rent (with AC and some furniture), opposite Zakher Mall. 96339371. CLASSIFIED SECTION: (ROP approved Grade A Workshop) COMPUTER SUPPLIES For Rent 2 BEDROOMS, 2 baths and hall apartment for rent in Al Wattayah, behind Honda Showroom. 99428161 (Owner). ····· Quality Repairs & Maintenance of all types of Cars and Heavy vehicles GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! Rent-A-Car ····· G FLOOR, 2 bedroom flat, near Indian School, Wadi Kabir, 1st April, RO 300 monthly. 93801805. ····· SHOP for rent: Shops for rent in Ruwi at prime location. Contact: 98825805/ 98825806. ····· THREE bedrooms, sitting lounge, Mawaleh North. Contact: 99420312. Telephone: 24595951/1414, Fax: 24597979. 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Call Owner 92515989. ····· Investment LOOKING for an investor for a fullequipped existing medical complex as soon as possible in Wilayat of Haima, Governorate of Al Wusta. 92212557, 99242249. ····· ····· RUWI : 24785668 Behind Royal Oman Police, Adjacent to Dhofar Building Guest House QURUM BEACH HOTEL24564070. ····· Ali al Maashari: 99639264 [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Mohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 [email protected] DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590 SUNDAY | MARCH 8, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 17, 1436 AH BEST QUOTE It was almost like a car that’s stuck in second or third gear and that’s not going to win you cricket games, especially not under pressure and in big tournaments like this. AB DE VILLIERS, SOUTH AFRICAN CAPTAIN, AFTER THE LOSS TO PAKISTAN IN THEIR POOL B MATCH. BEST BATTING 77 AB De Villiers for South Africa against Pakistan. BEST BOWLING Pakistan eye last-eight with South Africa shock SYDNEY: Pakistan clinched a thrilling 29-run win over South Africa at the World Cup on Saturday to put themselves on course for the quarterfinals, while Ireland were also in sight of a last-eight place. Chasing just 232 to win under the Duckworth-Lewis method at Eden Park in Auckland, South Africa, who would have been assured of a quarterfinal slot had they won, were bowled out for 202 despite captain AB de Villiers’ valiant 77. Rahat Ali grabbed a career-best three for 40, with fellow left-arm seamers Mohammad Irfan (three for 52) and Wahab Riaz (three for 45) as South Africa were dismissed in 33.3 overs in a game which ended in a torrential downpour. The result left South Africa and Pakistan both on six points and wellplaced for the quarter-finals. Non-Test playing Ireland were set also to move to six points after they piled up 331 for eight against Zimbabwe in Hobart, a result which would leave the West Indies’ hopes of making the next round on a knife-edge. Pakistan had suffered a trademark batting collapse following two rainbreaks in Auckland and were dismissed for just 222, having been 92 for one and 156 for three. The match was twice held up for rain and the second stoppage did little for Pakistan’s fragile confidence as they lost five wickets for the addition of just 25 runs. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq top scored with 56 off 86 balls — his fourth halfcentury in five matches at this World Cup and the 42nd of his career — as the 40-year-old went past 5,000 oneday international runs, although he still awaits a first century. Shahid Afridi added a brisk 22, passing 8,000 ODI runs but Pakistan were left kicking themselves after squandering an impressive start which had seen Sarfraz Ahmed mark his first game of the tournament with 49 before he was run out and veteran Younis Khan hit 37. Sarfraz later claimed a recordequalling six catches behind the stumps and was named man-of-thematch. “I am very thankful to the world and Pakistan for this opportunity,” said Sarfraz who replaced Nasir Jamshed at the top of the order. Pakistan’s Rahat Ali celebrates dismissing South Africa’s Francois du Plessis during their World Cup match in Auckland on Saturday. — Reuters South Africa revive old doubts in defeat 3-40 Rahat Ali for Pakistan against South Africa. AUCKLAND: South Africa failed to chase down an opposition total for the second time in the cricket World Cup on Saturday to resurrect old doubts about their ability under pressure. Captain AB de Villiers did his best to win the Pool B game against Pakistan on his own as wickets fell at the other end but his dismissal for 77 signalled the end of South Africa’s challenge. Pakistan eventually won the match by 29 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method after South Africa collapsed to 202 all out from 33.3 overs. They lost an earlier group game to India by 130 runs. It was also the second match in a row at Eden Park to be dominated by the bowlers after last weekend’s epic one wicket win by New Zealand over co-hosts Australia. — Reuters Waqar sees spirit of 1992 in reborn Pakistan AUCKLAND: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis senses his team are developing the same belief which propelled Imran Khan’s “cornered tigers” to the World Cup in 1992 after their thrilling victory over South Africa. Pakistan pulled off a sensational 29-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method after the match was reduced to a 47-over-a-side contest due to rain at Eden Park in Auckland. Pakistan, whose innings were twice interrupted by rain, were bowled out for 222 in 46.4 overs with skipper Misbahul-Haq hitting 56 and recalled wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed scoring a run-a-ball 49. Pakistan’s left-arm pace trio of Rahat Ali (3-40), Wahab Riaz (3-45) and Mohammad Irfan (3-52) then bowled with venom to bundle South Africa out Pakistan’s coach Waqar Yuonis attends a team training session ahead of their Group B match against South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland. — AFP “This is my World Cup debut, but Mushtaq Ahmed (one of the team’s coaching staff) encouraged me and told me to go out and enjoy myself.” Fast bowler Dale Steyn led a disciplined South Africa bowling performance with three for 30 and also held a brilliant, flying catch to get rid of for 202 in 33.3 overs. AB de Villiers smashed an impressive 58-ball 77 with five sixes and seven boundaries but his dismissal ninth man down sealed a third win in a row for Pakistan. The victory gave Pakistan six points from five matches and revived their chances of a quarter-final place from Pool B while South Africa are also on six points from five games. Waqar said the team is gaining the same spirit of 1992 after defeats in their first two matches. “I hope it turns out to be the same,” said Waqar of the 1992 triumph which was also sealed in Australia and New Zealand. “The World Cup means pressure games and in 1992 the team handled the pressure very well. — AFP Ahmed Shehzad. Fellow seamer Kyle Abbott took two for 45 despite being expected to be dropped to accommodate a returning Vernon Philander. When they batted, South Africa lost out-of-form opener Quinton de Kock for a second ball duck which followed scores of 7, 7, 12 and 1. But Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis comfortably put on 67 for the second wicket before Pakistan sensationally lived up to South Africa coach Russell Domingo’s pre-match assessment of the 1992 champions’ “predictable unpredictability”. South Africa conclude their pool programme against the UAE in Wellington on Thursday, while Pakistan face Ireland in Adelaide next Sunday, the same day that the West Indies play the UAE in Napier. India’s four-wicket win against the West Indies in Perth on Friday kept the defending champions top of Pool B with eight points from four victories in four matches and assured them of one of the quarter-final places. Also in Pool B, Ireland were on course for victory over Zimbabwe in Hobart. Ireland veteran Ed Joyce made Zimbabwe pay for dropping him early in his innings with a hundred while Andrew Balbirnie struck a quickfire 97 as the non-Test side piled up 331 for eight at the Bellerive Oval. Left-hander Joyce’s 112, his third SCOREBOARD PAKISTAN S Ahmed (run out) ................................... 49 A Shehzad c Steyn b Abbott ..................... 18 Y Khan c Rossouw b De Villiers ................ 37 Misbah c Morkel b Steyn ......................... 56 S Maqsood c Rossouw b Abbott................. 8 U Akmal c de Villiers b Morkel ................. 13 S Afridi c Duminy b Steyn ........................ 22 W Riaz lbw Tahir......................................... 0 S Khan c Duminy b Morkel ........................ 3 R Ali c Tahir b Steyn .................................... 1 M Irfan (not out) ........................................ 1 Extras: (LB-7, NB-1, W-6) ........................ 14 Total (all out, 46.4 overs) .............. 222 Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-92, 3-132, 4-156, 5-175, 6-212, 7-212, 8-218, 9-221. Bowling: Steyn 10-3-30-3, Abbott 9-0-45-2, Morkel 9.4-0-25-2, Tahir 9-1-38-1, De Villiers 6-0-43-1, Duminy 3-0-34-0. SOUTH AFRICA (Revised target 232 in 47 overs) De Kock c Ahmed b Irfan............................ 0 H Amla c Ahmed b Riaz............................ 38 Du Plessis c Ahmed b Ali ......................... 27 R Rossouw c Khan b Riaz ........................... 6 De Villiers c Ahmed b Khan ..................... 77 D Miller lbw Ali .......................................... 0 Duminy c Riaz b Irfan............................... 12 D Steyn c Ahmed b Irfan .......................... 16 K Abbott c Younis b Ali ............................. 12 M Morkel (not out) .................................... 6 I Tahir c Ahmed b Riaz................................ 0 Extras (LB-1, W-7)8 Total (all out, 33.3 overs) .............. 202 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-67, 3-67, 4-74, 5-77, 6-102, 7-138, 8-172, 9-200. Bowling: Irfan 8-0-52-3, Khan 5-0-36-1, Ali 8-1-40-3, Afridi 5-0-28-0, Riaz 7.3-0-45-3. one-day international hundred in 49 matches, was the cornerstone of Ireland’s total and he put on 138 for the third wicket with Balbirnie. The only sadness for Ireland came when Balbirnie, deprived of the strike late in his innings, was run out three runs shy of what would have been a maiden ODI hundred in the final over. — AFP We were stuck in second gear, says de Villiers ‘I’m not blaming anyone. I’m not saying anyone didn’t have the energy. I just didn’t feel any electric vibe at the warm-up’ AUCKLAND: South Africa captain AB de Villiers took responsibility for the shock 29-run World Cup loss to Pakistan on Saturday, blasting his team for being stuck in “second or third gear”. Pakistan pulled off a hard-fought triumph under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a match shortened to 47-overs-a-side at Auckland’s Eden Park. Pakistan’s 222 in 46.4 overs, interrupted by two delays for rain, was boosted by 56 from skipper Misbahul-Haq while recalled opener Sarfraz Ahmed chipped in with a brisk 49. De Villiers fought a lone hand in South Africa’s 202 in 33.3 overs with a brilliant 58-ball 77 including five sixes and seven boundaries. But chasing a revised target of 232, the Proteas were undone by Pakistan’s South Africa’s AB de Villiers lines up a sweep shot watched by wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed (left) of Pakistan during their Pool B match. — Reuters trio of left-arm seamers Rahat Ali (350), Wahab Riaz (3-45) and Mohammad Irfan (3-45) who thwarted de Villiers’s hopes of wrapping up a quarter-final place before the last round of pool games next week. Both Pakistan and South Africa now have six points from five matches, behind Pool B leaders India who have a perfect eight from four. “I’m not blaming anyone. I’m not saying anyone didn’t have the energy. I just didn’t feel any electric vibe at the warm-up,” said de Villiers. — AFP S U N DAY M A R C H 8 l 2 0 1 5 26 iN BRIEFS AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 14 TO MARCH 29 Ireland hold nerve to edge past Zimbabwe GRITTY IRISH: The see-saw match turned back the non-Test nation’s way when Williams was given out wrongly Clarke puts his spin on SCG pitch for Sri Lanka Sydney: Michael Clarke expects spin to play a role in Australia’s World Cup showdown with Sri Lanka on a dry Sydney Cricket Ground pitch on Sunday. The 1996 champions, Sri Lanka lead the four-time champion Aussies by one point in the Pool A standings and a win would likely leave them second in the group behind current leaders New Zealand. But a defeat for either nation would increase the possibility of finishing third in the group and thereby the chances of encountering South Africa in the quarterfinals. The SCG is Australia captain Clarke’s home ground and he believes Sunday’s pitch will play differently to the one on which South Africa smashed 408 for five against the West Indies on February 27. — AFP Pocket dynamo Mushfiqur key to Bangladesh Sydney: Mushfiqur Rahim may not be in the same league as the leading stumper-batsmen at the World Cup such as Brendon McCullum and Kumar Sangakkara but the diminutive Bangladesh glovesman has proved he is no less crucial to his team’s progress. New Zealand’s success depends to some extent on the kind of start McCullum provides while Sangakkara’s role for Sri Lanka is more nuanced, a combination of protector and punisher who must rescue as well as rampage according to match situations. The 167 runs Mushfiqur scored from three innings with a 121-plus strike rate to establish himself as Bangladesh’s top scorer in the tournament suggests the 26-year-old is equally central to his team’s fortunes. — AFP Pietersen receives county offers to boost England hopes LONDON: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has received “a few” offers from English county sides as he bids to return to the test team, the 34-year-old said. Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves refused last week to rule out a return to the England set-up for the controversial Pietersen but said the South African-born batsman would need to score runs at county level to help his cause. Pietersen said he was excited by the development but would need to weigh up his options. Leicestershire have tabled a bid for Pietersen to play Twenty20 matches for them this year and other counties have expressed their interest, according to the player. — Reuters Hobart, Australia: Ireland just did enough to see off Zimbabwe by five runs in a thrilling World Cup clash in Hobart on Saturday that kept them on course for the quarterfinals. Zimbabwe chasing a huge 332 to win, were all but beaten at 74 for four after a top-order collapse. But stand-in captain Brendan Taylor’s superb 121 and a fifthwicket stand of 149 with Sean Williams (96) gave Zimbabwe hope. However, a see-saw match turned back the non-Test nation’s way when Williams was given out caught right on the boundary by John Mooney. There was a suggestion that Mooney may have touched the rope in completing the catch, which would have been a six to Zimbabwe. But while the umpires’ review was in progress, Williams — whose runs came SCOREBOARD Ireland W Porterfield c Masakadza b Williams .........29 P Stirling c Williams b Panyangara ...............10 E Joyce c Ervine b Chatara ..........................112 A Balbirnie (run out) .....................................97 K O’Brien c Chakabva b Chatara ...................24 G Wilson c Chakabva b Williams ..................25 J Mooney b Williams ....................................10 N O’Brien c Panyangara b Chatara ..................2 G Dockrell (not out) ........................................5 A Cusack (not out) ...........................................2 Extras (LB-4, W-8, NB-3)...............................15 Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) ................ 331 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-79, 3-217, 4-276, 5-308, 6-319, 7-322, 8-326. Bowling: Panyangara 9-0-69-1, Chatara 100-61-3, Mupariwa 10-0-56-0, Raza 9-0-51-0, Williams 9-0-72-3, Masakadza 3-0-18-0. Zimbabwe C Chibhabha c Porterfield b Cusack..............18 S Raza c Stirling b Mooney ...........................12 S Mire c Cusack b Dockrell ............................11 H Masakadza c Wilson b K O’Brien .................5 B Taylor c K O’Brien b Cusack ......................121 S Williams c Mooney b K O’Brien .................96 C Ervine c N O’Brien b McBrine ....................11 R Chakabva b Cusack ....................................17 T Panyangara c Porterfield b Mooney .............5 T Mupawira c Porterfield b Cusack ................18 T Chatara (not out)1 Extras (LB-8, W-2, NB-1) ................................11 Total (all out, 49.3 overs) .................. 326 Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-32, 3-41, 4-74, 5-223, 6-259, 7-300, 8-305, 9-325. Bowling: Cusack 9.3-2-32-4, Mooney 10-058-2, K O’Brien 10-0-90-2, Dockrell 10-0-56-1, McBrine 8-0-56-1, Stirling 2-0-26-0. Ireland cricketers celebrate after winning at the Bellerive Oval ground during the Pool B match against Zimbabwe in Hobart. from 83 balls with seven fours and two sixes — walked off the field, effectively making the decision for the officials and Zimbabwe were 300 for seven. Big-hitting from tailender Tawanda Mupawira got the target down to seven off the last six balls with two wickets standing. However, seamer Alex Cusack had Regis Chakabva playing on with the first ball of the 50th over and, two deliveries later, Mupawira holed out to Ireland captain William Porterfield in the deep as the Irish won with three balls to spare. Cusack finished with fine figures of four for 32 in 9.3 overs as Zimbabwe, who tied a World Cup match with Ireland in 2007, saw their bid for a last eight place come to a dramatic end. Victory left Ireland as one of three teams in Pool B on six points behind already qualified leaders India, the defending champions. Earlier, Ireland veteran Ed Joyce’s 112 was the centrepiece of an imposing total of 331 for eight. Joyce made Zimbabwe pay for dropping him early in his innings by going on to 112 while Andrew Balbirnie struck a quickfire 97 after Ireland lost the toss. The pair put on 138 for the third wicket at Bellerive. Taylor, leading the side in place of the injured Elton Chigumbura, opted to bowl first in overcast conditions after winning the toss. Zimbabwe had an early success when Paul Stirling (10) guided Tinashe Panyangara to Williams at backward point. Weary Afghans look to bounce back against New Zealand Napier, New Zealand: Afghanistan put a brave spin on their arduous World Cup travel schedule on Saturday as they prepared to “come back strongly” against unbeaten New Zealand in Napier. As if playing the tournament top dogs was not tough enough, Afghanistan face New Zealand after their second transTasman crossing in a week. “It’s true to say that we’re a bit weary. We’re trying to put a positive spin on it,” said coach Andy Moles whose side are estimated to have travelled 15,000 km on their World Cup odyssey over the last three weeks. After playing Scotland in the southern New Zealand city of Dunedin late last week, the tournament minnows flew to Perth on the west coast of Australia to play the Australians before returning to Napier in the North Island of New Zealand for Sunday’s game. Afghanistan have already provided one of the highlights of the World Cup by celebrating their inaugural entry into cricket’s most prestigious ODI tournament with a one-wicket victory over Scotland. Moles said to secure a win and to face top-tier World Cup regulars such as Australia and New Zealand can only benefit Afghanistan and far outweighs the difficulties with their travel itinerary “It’s not ideal, but we’re not going to use it in any way as an excuse,” Moles said. “One thing about these Afghans, they’re very passionate and proud people and they’re fighters. Their history back at home shows that they’re full of fight. “They want to make sure in every fixture we play, we want to compete. It didn’t happen in Australia. We know Joyce should have been out when, on 34, he saw Mupariwa drop a skyed caught and bowled chance. The left-hander came out of his shell and went on to a 96-ball hundred with eight fours and two sixes. He was dropped again, on 105, by Craig Ervine before the same fielder held an easy chance at short midwicket to dismiss him. Meanwhile Balbirnie, who gave a tough caught and bowled chance to Williams early on, scored his second successive fifty following his gutsy 58 in the 201-run thrashing by South Africa. He faced just 79 balls, with seven fours and four sixes, before falling agonisingly short of what would have been a maiden ODI century when run out in the final over of Ireland’s innings. — AFP Zimbabwe were left needing to set a new record score by a team batting second to win a World Cup match, surpassing Ireland’s 329 for seven against England in Bangalore four years ago. However, their top-order failed to make an impact before Taylor and Williams repaired the early damage. Taylor was especially impressive with a 79-ball hundred — the fastest by a Zimbabwe batsman — including 10 fours and two sixes. It was Zimbabwe’s first century of this World Cup and the 29-year-old Taylor’s seventh in 166 ODIs. Taylor struck two sixes in one over from left-arm spinner George Dockrell before he was deceived by Cusack’s slower ball and skyed a catch to Kevin O’Brien. — AFP WORLD CUP STANDINGS STANDINGS (PLAYED, WON, LOST, TIED, N/R, POINTS, RUN RATE) POOL A POOL B New Zealand 4 4 0 0 0 8 +3.589 India (qualified) (qualified) Sri Lanka 4 3 1 0 0 6 +0.128 South Africa Australia 4 2 1 0 1 5 +1.804 Pakistan Bangladesh 4 2 1 0 1 5 +1.182 Ireland England 4 1 3 0 0 2 -1.201 West Indies Afghanistan 4 1 3 0 0 2 -1.953 Zimbabwe Scotland 4 0 4 0 0 0 -1.423 UAE NOTE: Top four in each group qualify for quarterfinals 4 4 0 0 0 8 +2.246 5 5 4 5 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 6 4 2 0 2 2 1 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 +1.462 -0.194 -0.820 -0.511 -0.595 -1.691 Sri Lanka peaking at the right time, says Mathews The Afghanistan team take a drinks break during the Pool A match against Australia in Perth. — AFP ‘One thing about these Afghans, they’re very passionate and proud people and they’re fighters. Their history back at home shows that they’re full of fight’ . we’re in for a very tough examination again (against New Zealand). “But as a group of both coaching staff and individuals, we’re looking forward to showing what qualities we do have in the team.” Their maiden World Cup outing was a loss to Bangladesh by 105 runs followed by a four-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka, the win over Scotland and then a thrashing by Australia who made 417-6 and bowled Afghanistan out for 142. Afghanistan wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai referred to the Australia loss as “a bad day” but said they would “come back strongly against New Zealand.” Moles described the hiding in Perth as “an experience that was a bit brutal”, and said it highlighted the need for emerging nations to be provided games against top teams outside World Cups “It becomes a common theme here from all the Associates. When you come across these type of players once every four years, it’s difficult. “The guys have got to face 150 km/h-plus bowlers on probably the quickest bouncers’ wicket in the world. It’s totally alien to them.” Moles said to have a win in their first World Cup was “a huge positive” and he was impressed with how Hamid Hassan and Samiullah Shenwari had measured up. Hassan took one for 32 off 10 against Scotland and three for 45 against Sri Lanka while Shenwari has scores of 42, 96, 38 and 17 from his four innings so far. — Reuters SYDNEY: Sri Lanka are slowly coming to the boil at the World Cup after a poor warm-up tour of New Zealand and are aiming to peak for the knockout stages, skipper Angelo Mathews said on Saturday. Three victories in their first four matches, including a nine-wicket thumping of England last time out, mean the Sri Lankans will approach Sunday’s crunch Pool A match against co-hosts Australia full of confidence. That was not the case at the start of the campaign when, having lost a sevenmatch series against New Zealand 4-2, they were beaten by 98 runs by the cohosts in the tournament opener. “Coming into the World Cup, no one really gave us a chance, we had a pretty poor series against New Zealand and we weren’t playing good cricket,” Mathews told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). “We are picking ourselves up and I think we are peaking at the right time. It’s going to be an even contest, from the quarterfinals onwards, whoever plays the best cricket will go on to win the World Cup.” Sunday’s match is considered a crunch encounter because it is likely to determine which of the two teams finishes second in Pool A behind Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews catches the ball as the team trains ahead of their Group A match against Australia, in Sydney. — AFP New Zealand and avoids India or South Africa in the quarterfinals. Although Sri Lanka have not beaten Australia in five attempts at a World Cup since the 1996 final, they have won four of their last six matches against them at the SCG. “Recently when we’ve played against Australia, we beat them in England and we beat them here, so we have the capacity, we have the skill, it’s just they are a very hard team to beat,” he said. “But we’ve just got to flush out the past and go out an enjoy ourselves tomorrow.” With leg-spin bowling always traditionally a factor at the SCG, Mathews said Seekkuge Prasanna could be drafted straight into the team a day after being approved as an injury replacement. — Reuters SPORT S U N DAY MARCH 8l 2015 omandailyobserver 27 BIG GUNS FIRE: World number one Djokovic dispatched Mate Delic and Troicki beat Cornic to give Serbia 2-0 lead against Croatia Djokovic, Murray on the mark in Davis Cup ties Paris: Serbia’s world number one Novak Djokovic and Great Britain’s Andy Murray breezed to comfortable wins as Davis Cup World Group first round action began in dramatic style on Friday. Djokovic dispatched Mate Delic in three sets and Viktor Troicki came through in five against Borna Coric to put 2010 champions Serbia 2-0 up against a Croatia team struggling without US Open champion Marin Cilic. “Mate is a talented player with a lot of potential to reach the top in the tennis world, but I’m happy with my performance and that I managed to win,” Djokovic said. Murray, like Djokovic, opened for the British against the United States in Glasgow, the world number five dominating Donald Young 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. WARD IN THRILLER The packed house in Murray’s hometown were treated to some gripping Davis Cup theatre as James Ward pulled off a thrilling 6-7 (4/7), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 15-13 win over John Isner to make it 2-0 to the hosts. Ward, ranked 111 in the world, looked destined for defeat as he lost the first two sets against the big-serving Isner. Isner, the man who triumphed in the longest tennis match in history at Wimbledon in 2010, saved five match points in an epic final set, but Ward eventually prevailed after the world number 20 hit a backhand into the net. After four hours and 57 minutes of action, Ward said: “That was by far the best atmosphere I’ve experienced in the Davis Cup. “I’d prefer not to play these five-set matches but the crowd were incredible and really helped me through.” Over in Liege, Switzerland, missing big guns Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, were all square 1-1 with Belgium. Unheralded Henri Laaksonen gave the defending champions the perfect start with a surprise 1-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Ruben Bemelmans. Steve Darcis then got the Belgians up and running with a one-sided win over Michael Lammer. The winner of that tie will face either Canada or Japan, who were all square at 1-1 after wins for Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori in Vancouver. Canadian number one Raonic, ranked sixth in the world, got the hosts off to a smooth start with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory over 85th-ranked Tatsuma Ito. Raonic fired 17 aces and never faced a break point. Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runnerup, ranked fourth in the world, found the going a bit tougher against Vasek Pospisil, but leveled the tie with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win in two hours and 19 minutes. The split sets the stage for a key showdown between Raonic and Nishikori in Sunday’s reverse singles. Beaten 2014 finalists France were fully in control of their clash with Germany after wins for Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils over Jan-Lennard Struff and Philipp Kohlschreiber respectively. KOKKINAKIS SHOCKS ROSOL Australia were in a similarly Serbia’s tennis players Novak Djokovic (left) and Nenad Zimonjic compete against Croatia’s Marin Draganja and Franko Skugor during their Davis Cup World Group first round match in Kraljev. — AFP comfortable position in Ostrava against the Czech Republic. Teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis stunned the Czech’s top player Lukas Rosol 4-6, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3, with but I felt good. I’m so happy with that added. In Almaty, Kazakhstan and Italy were Bernard Tomic then seeing off Jiri Vesely win,” said Kokkinakis. 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). “I hung in there, kept “When my back’s against the wall I level at 1-1, as were Argentina and Brazil digging. I was a break down in the fifth usually can find a way to get it done,” he in Buenos Aires. — AFP Rodgers wants silver finish to Liverpool surge LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has challenged his players to turn their scintillating current form into silverware ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal at home to second-tier Blackburn Rovers. After a poor start to the campaign, Liverpool have rediscovered their swagger in 2015, winning seven of their last eight Premier League games to revitalise their push for Champions League qualification. Only Wolfsburg, who have taken 16 points from a possible 18, can rival Liverpool’s return of 23 points from a possible 27 since the turn of the year in Europe’s top five leagues and with a Wembley semi-final within touching distance, Rodgers wants his side to make their form count. “The first year here was about integration,” he told his pre-match press conference. “The second-year objective was to get in the Champions League. This season I felt we had the depth to challenge for trophies. “If we can arrive in the top four and win a trophy, that will be success for us this season.” Rodgers has yet to lift a trophy in his two and a half years at Anfield and it is three years since Liverpool last won something. They visited Wembley twice in the space of three months in 2012, beating Cardiff City on penalties in the League Cup final and then losing 2-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup final. Rodgers succeeded Kenny Dalglish less than a month after that loss to Chelsea and having steered Liverpool to the brink of last season’s league title, his shrewd mid-season adjustments — notably the introduction of a 3-4-2-1 formation — have got the club back on ‘The second year objective was to get in the Champions League. This season I felt we had the depth to challenge for trophies. If we can arrive in the top four and win a trophy, that will be success for us this season’ FA CUP Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and Daniel Sturridge as he is substituted. — Reuters the trophy trail. With Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur among the teams to have fallen by the wayside already and with only one of Manchester United and Arsenal guaranteed to make the semifinals, Liverpool’s fans could be forgiven for thinking the stars are aligning for their team. Underpinning the club’s quest for an eighth FA Cup is the desire to give Steven Gerrard a glorious sendoff in the final, which falls on his 35th birthday, before his departure for the Los Angeles Galaxy. ‘DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH’ The Liverpool captain has missed Liverpool’s last six games with a hamstring problem, but returned to training this week and could be in contention to feature against Gary Bowyer’s Blackburn. Liverpool are unbeaten at Anfield since November 8 and Blackburn have not won there in 11 visits, but it is a ground that holds fond memories for the Lancashire club, who are currently 10th in the Championship. It was there, in May 1995, that a team bankrolled by late former owner Jack Walker pipped Manchester United to the Premier League title despite a nervejangling 2-1 loss to Liverpool on the season’s final day. Five years later, on their last visit to Anfield in the FA Cup, Blackburn pulled off a shock 1-0 win courtesy of a coolly taken late goal by Welsh striker Nathan Blake. Blackburn have already seen off two Premier League sides in this season’s competition — Swansea City and Stoke City — and Bowyer is relishing the prospect of pitting himself against Liverpool. “It’s David versus Goliath,” said the Blackburn manager. “Nobody’s giving us a chance outside of our dressing room. “I think they’re the most impressive team in the Premier League at the moment and the football that they’re playing is fantastic. Obviously full credit to the manager for the way he changed his formation. “We’ve studied the videos, we’ve come up with a game plan, and we’ve worked with the players on it. We’ll go and take the challenge to Liverpool.” Blackburn’s hopes of an upset have been beset by injuries, however. Josh King, who scored a hat-trick against Stoke, is sidelined along with Shane Duffy, Jason Lowe, Alex Baptiste and Grant Hanley. — AFP SPANISH LEAGUE La Liga demands pooling of TV rights MADRID: Spanish football authorities on Friday demanded the government enforce centralised bidding for broadcast rights for first and second division matches to defend smaller clubs against their richer top-league rivals. To stop the top two Spanish clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona, sucking in all the money from broadcasting contracts, they want broadcasters to be obliged to bid collectively rather than striking deals with each club individually. A joint commission of Spain’s Professional Football League and the Royal Football Federation called in a statement for “a model for the centralised sale and fair distribution of broadcast rights of the Liga and second division, and solidarity with amateur football”. It called on Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government to approve legislation to that effect “urgently”. European leagues were alarmed last month when a bidding war for rights to English Premier League matches drove up the price by 70 per cent, with two broadcasters paying the equivalent of 7.0 billion euros ($7.7 billion) between them. Leagues in other European countries fear that a disproportionate flow of cash to the Premier will lead to the best players from their clubs abandoning ‘We trust that Spanish government leaders will be able to realise that this is very important so that Spanish football can continue being competitive’ them for England. “We trust that Spanish government leaders will be able to realise that this is very important so that Spanish football can continue being competitive,” said the president of Spain’s Professional Football League, Javier Tebas, on Thursday. Spanish clubs currently negotiate the rights to their matches individually with broadcasters, giving an advantage to Real Madrid and Barcelona, the two most successful Spanish sides and the best-known worldwide. Barcelona for example last month sold the broadcast rights to its matches next season to Spanish company Telefonica for 140 million euros, according to media reports. The commission wants clubs to be obliged to cede the rights to the League for it to negotiate with broadcasters on their behalf. — AFP Wembley should be saved for FA Cup final: Rodgers LONDON: Liverpool are just one game away from playing at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup — but their manager Brendan Rodgers rather wishes they were not. If Liverpool beat Blackburn Rovers in their quarter-final on Sunday, they will travel to London to play the semi-final at English football’s most famous stadium but Rodgers believes only the final should be at the home of the national game. “In many ways I wish semi-finals weren’t at Wembley as I think it takes something away from it. Wembley should be just for the final,” said Rodgers at a news conference on Friday. It is a sentiment which will gain much sympathy from English football fans who believe that the decision to hold the Cup semis at Wembley every year since 2008 after the new stadium was opened has only served to remove some of the gloss from the old showpiece feel of the final. Still, even if he would prefer the semi-final to be held elsewhere, Rodgers is confident that his thriving side are playing well enough not just to turn over second tier side Blackburn at Anfield but to go on to earn him his first trophy as Liverpool boss. “The first year here was about ‘If we can arrive in the top four and win a trophy that will be success for us this season’ integration, the second year objective was to get in the Champions League, and this season I felt we had depth to challenge for trophies,” said Rodgers, who has overseen a dramatic Liverpool surge since the New Year. “If we can arrive in the top four and win a trophy that will be success for us this season.” Rodgers said the fitness of captain Steven Gerrard, who has been sidelined with a hamstring problem, would be assessed before Sunday’s tie. If he does not play, the in-form Jordan Henderson will continue with the captain’s armband, but Rodgers was keen to put a halt to any comparisons between the pair. “There is no comparison,” said Rodgers. “People should stop trying to put pressure on a young player like Jordan. “Just because Jordan takes corners doesn’t mean he’s the next Steven Gerrard. Just because he shoots from outside box, doesn’t mean he’s the next Steven Gerrard.” — Reuters 28 SPORT omandailyobserver S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 HSBC CHAMPIONS: Park produced a third bogey-free round of the week as she fired a four-under-par 68 for a 13-under-203 total Perfect Park in pole position but Ko and Lewis lurk SINGAPORE: The top three players in women’s golf will square off for the HSBC Champions title on Sunday with South Korean Park In-Bee holding a two-shot advantage over world number one Lydia Ko and American Stacy Lewis. Five-times major winner Park put herself in prime position to claim one of the few titles missing from her glittering resume by producing a third bogey-free round of the week as she fired a fourunder-par 68 on Saturday for a 13-under 203 total. New Zealand teen Ko and world number three Lewis were tied at 11-under after both made the most of slightly cooler temperatures in steamy Singapore to fire 67s. Spaniard Carlota Ciganda, who shared the overnight lead with Park, slipped down into a tie for eighth after a two-over 74 left her at seven-under for the $1.4 million championship. Her compatriot Azahara Munoz (70) and Scandinavians Suzann Pettersen (68) and Anna Nordqvist (68) were tied fourth at nine-under but they appear to be too far back to mount a challenge against the smooth-swinging Park. The tricky Serapong Course on Sentosa Island has tripped up many but the South Korean has negotiated her way around 54 bogey free holes in an exemplary display. “I hit a lot of shots really close and probably could have made a couple two, three more. Hopefully my putter works tomorrow,” the Korean said. She opened Saturday’s third round with five straight pars before picking up two consecutive birdies at the par-four sixth and the generous par-five seventh to move ahead of the big-hitting Ciganda. But while Park continued to churn out the solid pars, the Spaniard wilted with four bogey fives in seven holes from the 10th to fall away. The 17-year-old Ko, who became golf ’s youngest world number one when she surpassed Park in the rankings in January, matched the Korean’s consistency with two birdies on the front nine before two more at the start of her back nine. Ko, looking for her third consecutive tournament win after successes in Australia and at home in New Zealand, closed out her round with another at 18 to boost her chances. “That would be a dream three weeks, but I’m just going to try my best,” she said. Lewis, who topped the world rankings last year, also birdied the par five 18th — one of six birdies in her round with three coming in the last four holes. The 2014 LPGA Player of the Year was buzzing at the prospect of being in the final three-ball on Sunday. “It will be great fun,” she told reporters. “It’s great for the fans and for our Tour. This leaderboard all week has been unbelievable. “Just a ton of really good players up in the mix, and you know, this golf course, we have got to be careful.” — Reuters Lydia Ko Barwani claims under-18 tennis spoils MUSCAT: InterContinental Muscat has successfully completed in hosting its 30th Open Tennis Tournament for the year 2015. Organised by Peter Burwash International the largest tennis management organisation in the world which coincided with its 40th anniversary since the inception in the year 1975. The event attracted more than 50 top juniors from different nationalities fighting for top honours. The tournament is one of the important stops for the Junior Circuit in the country. The category include Boys/ Girls U-10 which was won by Vatsal from India beating Isa al Suleimani from Oman in a well fought 9 game Pro set. The scoreline would read 9-5 in favour of Vatsal. The other category in the Boys section is U-12. Muneer al Rawahi the talented young boy from Oman once again defended his title by beating upcoming and gritty Sanskar Dubey of India with a scoreline 6-1, 6-4. Muneer has played many finals and have had success and once again his experience in key moments of the second set saw him nudging ahead to win yet another title. In the Girls U-12, Nao Nishino of Japan who was awarded the most promising player in the last year edition, went ahead in winning comfortably her title by beating Lula al Riyami of Oman with 9 game Pro set format with the score 9-1. In the Girls U-14, Aisha al Suleimani of Oman who was not only awarded this year’s most promising player put away the challenge of Nao Nishino of Japan with the comfortable win 6-2, 6-3. Coming back to the Boys U-14 LOCAL TENNIS Prize winners of the 30th Open tennis tournament. category once again the two top juniors of the country fought in an exciting first set. Tim Ratherford of UK fully used his built to overcome the challenge of Muneer al Rawahi of Oman in straight sets with the scoreline of 7-5, 6-0. In the first set Muneer was up a break and was leading 5-3 but his mental block and Tim’s experience in handling key moments saw him break back and leveling at 5-5 before he stepped on to his next level in exhibiting his skills to win the first set 7-5. Muneer then “threw in his towel” and did not offer much fight and to the better opponent on the day in the second set. The match of the tournament in no uncertain terms was the Boys U-18 finals between Abdullah al Barwani the top seed and the defending champion up and against gain killer in Tim Ratherford of UK, who upset Younis al Rawahi of Oman (the second seed) in the semi-finals. The match started on expected note of abudullah notching ahead with one break of serve in the first set by winning 6-3. However, in the second set, Tim took advantage of Abdullah’s lack in concentration and few unforced errors took an early service break to win the second set 6-3. Just when the crowd started to feel the grip of the match with quality stroke play and long baseline rallies the third set begun. Going with serves until 6-6 games all. Tremendous court craft exhibited by both the players until this stage. In the tiebreaker too hardly any point differentiated until 5 -5, when Tim had a dizzy feeling and took an injury time out. The match was already in Abdullah’s hand and went to defend his title by winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (tie break score of 7-5). Much to the appreciation of the crowd the players did get a rousing applause and a standing ovation. The most promising player in the “Boys” category went to Vivek Kollaru of India. This year the event is sponsored by Towell Engineering and their founder, CEO and MD, Balaji Srinivasan, Raja Raman Kannan GM commercial and legal of TE, Krishnan Balaji GM Towell Drilling and P S Sudheer Financial Controller TE and Said al Muskery Sports and Recreation Manager Hotel Intercontinental Muscat gave away the prizes. Towell Engineering has been the main sponsor for the last 7 years. The support sponsor was National Bank of Oman (NBO) Karthikeyan Rajamani PBI Tennis Director read the thank you note to deeply appreciate the role of sponsors who have helped make this year’s event a great event. He also extended his gratitude to the management of Intercontinental for their support and all the players, parents and back ground staff without them this event would not be possible. Easier to beat Blatter with one: Praag AMSTERDAM: Dutch Football Association President Michael van Praag believes he and former Portugal international Luis Figo have no chance of unseating Sepp Blatter in the Fifa leadership elections if they both stand against the Swiss. “That’s what I think and (UEFA president) Michel Platini too,” Van Praag was quoted as saying by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on Saturday. “What Figo thinks about that I don’t know but it would be much better for Europe if we presented one candidate.” Predictably, Van Praag said he was the better option. “Figo is more photogenic. All the South American member association presidents wanted to take their photo with him. But they didn’t want to say if they would vote for him,” the Dutchman said on his return from the CONMEBOL Congress in Paraguay this week. Both were lobbying for support for the election at the end of May, where they are up against Blatter and Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, another ally of Platini. Van Praag and former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Figo share similar ideas on how to reform the world governing body but they do differ slightly on how to allocate the annual grant to the 209 member associations, the Dutchman said. “I want to hand over one million Euros ($1.08 million) (annually) but Figo wants to double that. That would bankrupt Fifa. A million is the most that can be disbursed without putting Fifa in danger.” Van Praag kept up his criticism of the spendthrift ways of Blatter, who travelled by helicopter for lunch with Paraguay President Horacio Cartes after the congress in Asuncion. “Why did Sepp Blatter have to travel to South America in a private jet when there are good air connections between Europe and South America? “There is far too much spent on travel, salaries and tournament costs. It is our money. The money of the national associations. That’s what I’ve been telling everybody.” Van Praag said two of the 10 South American associations had promised him support in the May 29 election. However, a source said on Tuesday the confederation would back the 78-year-old Blatter, who has held power since 1998, for another four year term. Van Praag said he would travel to other continental confederation congresses in coming weeks to present his ideas. — Reuters LOCAL CRICKET Sarco in contention for semi-final berth MUSCAT: In an Enhance sponsored ‘E’ Division T20 match played in the morning session during the week end at the Ministry Ground No 1 at Al Amerat, SARCO stayed in contention for top honours when they recorded a massive 5 wicket win against Oman Engineering. Winning the toss and deciding to bat a 10-man, Oman Engineering were bowled out for 133 off 19.1 overs with valuable contributions coming from No 3 batsman Qamar Nazir 47 (36b) and opening batsman Irteza Ahmed 30 (16b). Jeethesh Shridhara picked up 4 wickets conceding 25 runs. SARCO in reply got to their target scoring 136 for the loss of 5 wickets off 14.4 overs. 142 for the loss of 9 wickets at the end of 20 overs. RAY playing with 10 men in their turn got to their target scoring 146 for 5 wickets off 18.3 overs, Ragunath M top scored with an unbeaten 61 (47b, 9x4). lt to SARCO: 136/5 off 14.4 overs (Tosim Khan 27, Mohammed Saeed Khan 24 n.o.; Muhammed Raza 3-24) Points: SARCO: 2 points (6 Games – 10 points) and Oman Engineering: 0 (6 Games – 7 Points) Brief scores:RAHRC: 198/6 off 20 overs (Sunil Kumar 116, Madan Nivrutti 56) bt Bank Sohar: 146 all out off 18.4 overs (Rashid Mohammed 31, Suren S 25 n.o.; Manoj V 2-14, Jassim Hassan 2-14, Rajesh Arumugam 2-20) Points: RAHRC: 2 points (8 Games – 7 points) and Bank Sohar: 0 (8 Games – 8 points) Brief scores:RK Group: 142/9 off 20 overs (Abhishek Kalla 29, Satish Sitaram 27, Vishal Bhupendra 24; Sugesh Ragavan 3-15, Vinu Narayanan Nair 3-25) lt to RAY: 146/5 off 18.3 overs (Ragunath M 61 n.o., Mifas Mohammed 36 n.o.; Abhishek Kalla 2-29) Points: RAY: 2 points (7 Games – 2 points) and RK Group: 0 (8 Games – 6 points). KUMAR SLAMS TON Sunil Kumar opening the batting slammed a brilliant 116 (62b, 3x6 and 13x4) to steer RAHRC to a 52 run win against Bank Sohar. The ‘I’ Division T20 match was played in the afternoon Brief scores: Oman Engineering: 133 all out session at the adjacent ground No 4 at off 19.1 overs (Qamar Nazir 47, Irteza Ahmed 30; Jeethesh Shridhara 4-25, Shakkir Puzhakkal 2-31) Al Amerat. KHALSA UNITED WIN In the afternoon at the same venue in an Oman Cricket organised ‘J’ Division T20 match Khalsa United thumped Starcare Hospital by a margin of 57 runs to spoil the team’s chances for top honours. Brief scores:Khalsa United: 187/5 off 20 overs (Sushil Kadam 60, Prashant Barua 50, Arvind Singh 47) bt Starcare Hospital: 130 all out off 17.3 overs (Jestin Augustin 33, Joshy Benedict 25; Harminder Singh 4-20, Mohammed Yasar 2-11) Points: Khalsa United: 2 points (8 Games – 9 points) and Starcare Hospital: 0 (8 Games – 12 Points). LANDSCAPE TRIUMPH In another Enhance sponsored ‘E’ Division T20 match played in the morning at the Municipality Ground No 3 at Al Amerat, Landscape Architecture trounced Ibrahim al Kishri by 68 runs. Brief scores:Landscape Architecture: 216/6 off 20 overs (Muhammad Mudassar 78, Prasad Peruli 72, Sajeev Sathanandam 31, Honoz Iqbal Ahmed 25; Anshul Jangid 3-17) bt Ibrahim al Kishri: 148/8 off 20 overs (Mohammed Shakil 31, Naqeeb Khan 27 n.o.; Vishal Vinod Soni 24, Wasif Bakkar 24; Laiju Jose 3-6, Muhammed Mudassar 2-27) Points: Landscape Architecture: 2 points (6 Games – 8 points) and Ibrahim al Kishri: 0 (6 Games – 2 points). RUKUN AL YAQEEN SCORE Rukun Al Yaqeen (RAY) defeated R K Group by 5 wickets in an ‘H’ Division T20 match played in the afternoon session at the same venue. Batting first R K Group scored LALCHETA STARS FOR AL TURKI Man of the Match Ajay Lalcheta with luring bowling figures of 7 for 12 off 5.4 overs including 3 maiden overs and a hat trick helped Al Turki NMC record an easy 79 run win against the National Youth Development Team (NYDT). The Muscat Pharmacy & Stores LLC sponsored ‘A’ Division 50 overs a side League match played on Friday at the MOS Turf Ground at Al Amerat. Invited to bat first Al Turki NMC after an opening partnership of 50 runs off 8.3 overs between Ajay Lalcheta 37 (53b, 4x4) and his partner Yogesh Patel 30 (24b, 6x4) slumped to 163 all out off 37.3 overs after the duo’s departure in quick succession. Shivpalsinh Rana chipped in with a useful 24 (49b, 1x4). Young Mohammed Ali Akbar al Balushi was the pick of the bowlers ending with figures of 4 for 49 off 10 overs whilst Sufyan Mahmood 3 for 27 and Kunal Pandya 2 for 29 lent support. Brief scores:Al Turki NMC: 163 all out off 37.3 overs (Ajay Lalcheta 37, Yogesh Patel 30; Mohammed Ali Akbar aAl Balushi 4-49, Sufyan Mahmood 3-27, Kunal Pandya 2-29) bt NYDT: 84 all out off 29.4 overs (Shuaib Ismail al Balushi 32; Ajay Lalcheta 7-12, Jay Odedra 2-17) Points:Al Turki NMC: 5 points (7 Games – 20 points) and NYDT: 0 (8 Games – 5 points) ENTERTAINMENT S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 Age not a concern for acting: Pooja Kumar A to worry about age. I think for any actor, what matters is the journey in an industry,” Pooja said. Pooja, who made her Tamil cinematic debut in “Kadhal Rojavae” way back in 2000, will next be seen in “Uttama Villain”, which also features Kamal in the lead. She admits she has changed a lot since “Vishwaroopam” ge is not a concern says actress Pooja Kumar, who made a comeback to Tamil filmdom at the age of 36 with Kamal Haasan’s spy thriller “Vishwaroopam”. She says the journey in the industry matters to her the most. “I feel age has nothing to do with acting. Even Sridevi and Hema Malini are still acting, aren’t they? I think I still have about 30 years to go before I have omandailyobserver 29 TINSELTOWN I’d love to play Indira Gandhi: Mallika Sherawat “I’ve changed a great deal. You know the good thing about acting is that it keeps changing. What worked for you as an actor yesterday may not work tomorrow. And the experience of being an actor changes you so much because you’re playing different characters in each film,” she said. Pooja is also looking forward to the release of “Vishwaroopam 2”. Hollywood A-listers embrace FLYING WITH PASSION high profile “very seriously” in order to promote personal flying. Q BARBARA MUNKER ROBERT MACPHERSON H arrison Ford, recovering from the crash of a vintage World War II trainer, is just one of many Hollywood stars who embrace flying as passionately as they do acting. Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and John Travolta are among the screen idols with pilot’s licenses in their wallets. Others include Michael Dorn, Edward Norton, Kurt Russell and Hilary Swank, who began learning to fly while starring in an Amelia Earhart biopic. “There’s a pretty good collection of folks in Hollywood who use general aviation for transportation and recreation,” said Thomas Haines of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Ford, 72, sustained multiple gashes to his head when his open-cockpit, two- seat Ryan PT-22 Recruit in US Army Air Corps colours crashed onto a golf course. He was attempting to return to Santa Monica airport in greater Los Angeles after telling air traffic controllers that his engine had failed. “Dad is OK. Battered, but OK!” his son Ben Ford said via Twitter, while Ford’s publicist said the “Indiana Jones” star looked likely to make a full recovery. On social media, fans fondly recalled a famous scene in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in which the swashbuckling archeologist and his reluctant dad crawl into an open-cockpit biplane. “I didn’t know you could fly a plane,” the tweedy Henry Jones, Sr — played by Sean Connery — shouts to his adventurous son. “Fly, yes! Land, no!” Indiana Jones yells back, as they soar off into the wild blue yonder. In real life, Ford is well known among American pilots as a seasoned airman, at home in a wide variety of aircraft, and as a tireless advocate for general aviation. His personal air force is understood to include Aviat Husky and de Havilland Beaver bush planes, a Cessna Sovereign business jet, a Bell 407 helicopter, plus the Ryan and a Waco Taperwing biplane. “I’ve been working for a living (as an actor) to support my airplane habit,” Ford — one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars — once quipped. Haines has flown several times with Ford, an AOPA member who has testified on Capitol Hill and spoken out in support of America’s smaller airports. “He is very skilled, very methodical in his approach to aviation,” Haines said, adding that the actor takes his TOM CRUISE, CLINT EASTWOOD, MORGAN FREEMAN, ANGELINA JOLIE, BRAD PITT AND JOHN TRAVOLTA ARE AMONG THE SCREEN IDOLS WITH PILOT’S LICENSES IN THEIR WALLETS Ties run deep Hollywood’s deep ties with flying go back to its golden era, when Cecil B. DeMille and Charlie Chaplin ran their own airports and Jimmy Stewart, a World War II bomber pilot, tooled around in a humble Piper Super Cub. Among Hollywood royalty today, Travolta owns several jets — including a Boeing 707 in vintage Qantas livery — which he keeps literally at the door of his Florida home at a private airport called Jumbolair. “We designed the house for the jets and to have, at our access, the world at a moment’s notice,” the “Pulp Fiction” and “Saturday Night Fever” star told Australian television last year. “I was five years old when I fell in love with aviation,” the New Jersey native added. “This is something in my blood. I can’t get rid of it.” Jolie began flying lessons in 2004, then got herself a Cirrus SR-22, a touring aircraft — best known for its built-in airframe parachute — that is the world’s best-selling single-engine plane. She personally flew it over Death Valley, in a crisp white suit, for a Vogue magazine feature in 2007 photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Last year, Jolie’s husband Pitt, perhaps inspired by his World War II movie “Fury,” reportedly dropped $3.3 million for the ultimate toy — an iconic Spitfire fighter. If that’s correct, he could invite Cruise to a dog fight: the “Top Gun” and “Mission: Impossible” hero owns, among other planes, a P-51 Mustang fighter on which he had “Kiss Me, Kate” emblazoned on the cowling in red letters. A recent YouTube video suggests that the affectionate nod to Katie Holmes now has been erased, after the couple divorced in 2012. Cruise has said he loved aviation as a child, carrying Mustang and Spitfire pictures wherever he went, but put off learning to fly until the early 1990s when he overcame dyslexia. — AFP A fter starring in “Dirty Politics”, actress Mallika Sherawat says she would love to feature in a biopic on late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. “Biopics are very challenging. I have not really thought about it but, if given a chance I would love to play Indira Gandhi,” Mallika said in reply to a query. “I really enjoyed ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’, one of the best biopics, and was very impressed by it.” There were reports that Mallika had shifted her base to the US. Clarifying this, she said: “I’m very much here and have not shifted to America. I am hoping this film will open doors for me and hope directors take me seriously and offer me performance-oriented roles.” Cate Blanchett adopts baby girl, names her Edith A ctress Cate Blanchett, who plays an evil stepmother in upcoming movie “Cinderella”, and husband Andrew Upton, have adopted a baby girl and named her Edith Vivian Patricia Upton. The news, confirmed by the Oscar winner’s publicist on Friday, comes amid some reports that the couple had named the child Vivienne, reports eonline.com. Edith has joined brothers Dashiell John, 13, Roman Robert, 10 and Ignatius Martin, 6 in the family fold. Though in 2013 Blanchett had compared handling three children while maintaining her film and stage commitments to a “military operation”, the 45-yearold star ultimately opted to add another troop to her brigade. SHOCK MOVE Uproar after Germany’s Eurovision hopeful bows out Q KATE MILLAR T Andreas Kuemmert waves to the audience he Eurovision Song Contest has had its fair share of controversy, but a shock move on live national TV by Germany’s entry to bow out even before the event sparked a media storm on Friday. Rock and blues singer Andreas Kuemmert was picked by television viewers in Germany’s pre-contest on Thursday evening to represent the country at the Eurovision final in Vienna on May 23. But to all-round surprise — and boos from the audience — instead of celebrating his win on stage, the 28-year-old said he couldn’t accept. “I’m a small singer,” the performer said, announcing he was “overwhelmed” and would cede the title to second-placed Ann Sophie, 24, who, stunned and tearful, hugged him. “I just think that she’s simply much more qualified and suited,” said the auburn-bearded singer, whose soulful style has been compared to late British singer Joe Cocker. The Eurovision Song Contest, an annual glitzy pop fest broadcast across Europe and beyond, pits hopefuls against each other in their quest to follow in the footsteps of ABBA or other past winners. The event, decried by some for being more about politics than music, is popular won.” Prestigious weekly Die Zeit said in its online edition that the “commotion” kicked up by his decision showed that “free will in show business apparently counts for nothing”. But criticism came from the Berliner Zeitung, which dubbed him t h e “anti-popstar”, saying: “He ought not have Anti-popstar Bespectacled Kuemmert, who hails from competed at all.” southern Bavaria, has become popular since Big decision winning reality talent show “The Voice of Some 3.2 million Germany” in 2013, and his decision topped viewers tuned in on radio and television news on Friday. “TV uproar,” said popular mass daily Bild Thursday to watch the outcome on its front page, adding “Winner doesn’t surprising ARD public want to sing for Germany” in what it said was on broadcaster. an unprecedented decision. “It’s the biggest effrontery in the history of the contest,” it added. News weekly Spiegel’s website commented that Kuemmert certainly wouldn’t be forgotten in a hurry “as the grand singer who didn’t want to win”. It praised him as an “independent, headstrong, genuine artist” who chose in the end to have nothing to do with the Eurovision “entertainment machinery”. “It’s just a pity for us... The man could have in Germany, which has won it twice, with performances by Nicole in 1982 and in 2010 with Lena. Ann Sophie, born in London and from the northern port city of Hamburg, will now represent Germany in May with her song “Black Smoke”. Disappointed and angry viewers took to social media, while others voiced respect for Kuemmert’s move. “Great personality and great courage are part of such a big decision. I take my hat off, Andreas Kuemmert!” read one tweet. The singer’s record label indicated that the build-up over the Eurovision contest, which was last year won by Austria’s bearded drag queen sensation Conchita Wurst, had apparently become too much. In an interview published on ARD’s Eurovision Internet page, Sigi Schuller of Universal Music said he believed Kuemmert’s decision had been spontaneous. “You saw that he wanted to. Perhaps he saw a bit too late that he couldn’t,” he said. “The spotlight is too big.” — AFP Ann Sophie performs during a qualification show. — AFP 30 LIFESTYLE omandailyobserver S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 A Night of Arabic Jazz at ROHM T he Royal Opera House Muscat is inviting jazz aficionados to a unique concert of Arab jazz featuring internationally renowned two Arab musicians, Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and Tunisian violinist Yasmine Azaiez, on March 10. The concert brings together the best of Arab and jazz traditions as both artists draw on their roots as well as their Western musical training. Kinan combines classical music with jazz and Syrian music with his famous ensemble Kinan Azmeh’s City Band. The Yasmine Azaiez Band brings together Arab, jazz and Gypsy music, and they will play a set of original compositions by Yasmine Azaiez, as well as traditional pieces rearranged with a modern, colourful sound. ROHM’s Artistic Director Umberto Fanni said of the musicians, “They are both incredibly gifted musicians who bring their own musical cultures into their passion for jazz, uniting the best of both genres. They are both wonderfully talented improvisers and their music fulfills the vision of this opera house to foster cultural dialogue.” Kinan Azmeh was born in Damascus in 1976. He studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. He was the first Arab to win the premier prize at the 1997 Nicolai Rubinstein International Competition, Moscow. In 2006 he formed the Kinan Azmeh’s City Band in New York City. He has a PhD in Music from the City University of New York. He was last seen at the Royal Opera House Muscat as part of the famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. He returns to present his unique style of Arab jazz. Tunisia’s Yasmine Azaiez started playing the violin when she was four years old. At 17, she competed in the Sevenoaks violin playing competition, where she impressed the jury of professors from the Royal College of Music in London and was named “Young Musician of the Year.” She has played at renowned venues such as the Royal Albert Hall under the baton of Mistlav Rostropovich, Jazz a Carthage, the Hammamet Festival with Naseer Shamma, and the Mawazzine Festival of Morocco. Her diverse musical background has allowed her to combine her knowledge of classical music, Maghrebian background and jazz studies to generate a modern new style of which she describes as “Fusion.” Kinan Azmeh and Yasmine Azaiez and their bands will play for one night only on March 10 at 7:30 pm. Seminar on ‘How to See and Shoot Like A National Geographic Photographer G reat, you are into photography, just got your SLR camera and have started to use it. Maybe you have dreamed of becoming a professional photographer, but what strategies and approaches should you be using to make your dream a reality... and by the way, how to boost your photography skills to the level of a National Geographic photographer? These and other fundamental photography questions will be answered in this two-day (March 13-14, 2015) national geographic seminar at Crowne Plaza, designed to show you what is the composition of a great shot, how to photograph like a pro, and how photography related to people’s dayto-day life. Hear National Geographic photographers Raymond Gehman and Photograph Composition Experts Dr Constance Avery-Clark for the insights on capture landscapes people and place, learn the unique relation between photography and psychology, and seize the rare opportunity to photograph outdoors with them. Raymon Gehman is a National Geographic photographer, with 25 years experience in photography. His passion Center. She has taken for natural world, extraordinary Gehman photography landscapes and fine arts is reflected workshops and is in his featured piece in Gehman’s contact in National Geographic Magazine Florida. including “The Vanishing Topics Covered Praine Dog”, “Tales of Better Photography Twin Cities” and by “Better Seeing”: Gaining “Rocky Times for insights on how Banff ”. He has technical tools, been awarded depth of field, three national aperture, light, geographic c omp o s it i on , c o v e r and different photographs angle can and earned make you images the honour communicate of being a more effectively. National Camera Technique G e o g r aph i c for Better Explorer in Raymond Gehman Photos: Take your Residence. He is the author of several National photography skills a step further by Geographic books and has his fine art understanding how the adjustment of photograph exhibited in Virginia, Texas, aperture, ISO, Shutter speed, focusing, and Washington DC. He has extensive flashing, and composition can enhance experience in teaching photography and your images you bring home from your conducting workshops around the world. travel. Discover How People Relate to Dr Constance Avery-Clark is an and Photographic amateur photographer and an active Photography member of Palm Beach Photographic in a Psychology Manner: Learn to photograph by heart and understand the importance of having fun while shooting. Learn the skills to connect your photograph with people, capture images that reflect a vivid character, as well as make your photography work reflects the human emotions and spirit in a most authentic way. Still have questions? send email to: [email protected] or x8tour@gmail. com Seminar Enrolment Form is available at http://xcitetour.com/ Photography Competition 2015 XCite Tour encourages all photographers in Oman to contribute their photos to this competition that will showcase the beauty and rich culture of Oman to the outside world through brilliant imagery. Sponsored by SKT photography equipment and Khimji’s Life Style, the competition is open to all citizens, residents, and visitors in Oman. Free entry. Deadline to submit your images: March 10, 2015 at 5 pm. Winner will be announced on March 14, 2015. For entry forms, and terms and conditions, visit http://xcitetour.com/ events/ or https://www.facebook.com/ x8tour. SAYEH WOODMAN [email protected] Mummy, you are doing a fab job! S o it’s Mother’s Day soon, on Sunday, March 15. Rather than share the endless amounts of ways you can show her how much you love her, and thank her for everything she’s done for you by what gifts and meals you can treat her too, after all our mums are great and deserve to be spoilt. Being a mum myself now, I want to thank all the mums out there for doing a cracking job, a hard job, but most rewarding. Here’s my little note, a letter, a reading, a story (however you like to digest it) to all those mothers — OK, not so little, it’s a long note as I do like a good natter! I shall start. Mothers are not rare to find. Good mothers are. Have you ever wondered what goes on to make a good mother? It is a pertinent question whose answer cannot be contained within a few words. Mothers comprise of a bundle of emotions that sometimes defy reason. So this goes out to all the mothers who have kept awake all night with their sick toddlers in their arms, constantly uttering those compassionate words, “It’s OK honey, Mummy’s here.” For all the mothers out there who can do the jobs that daddy does amongst their own, and still make their baby their number one priority. For those who show up at work with milk stains on their dress, and diapers in their handbags. You’ll always have something in your handbag to remind you of your baby, whether that is wipes, a storybook, a dummy, or even treats. For those mothers who cannot restrain tears from trickling down their cheeks when they hold their babies for the first time in their arms; and for the mothers who give birth to babies they’ll never see. For the mothers who gave homes to babies, and gifted them a family. For the mothers who yell at their kids who want chocolate all the time, who have tantrums, which constantly ask ‘Why?’ For the mothers who defy all odds just to watch their kid perform and repeat to themselves “That’s my child!!” For all the mothers who say “Goodnight” more than once in a night. For the mothers who taught their children to tie the shoelaces even before they started going to school and home schooled their little ones. For the mothers who incontinently turn their heads when they hear the word “Mum”, even though they know that their kids are nowhere around. For the mothers who silently shed tears for their children who have gone astray. For those strong mums that contain all emotions and feelings, until their little ones are in bed fast asleep, and then let it all out. For all those mothers whose heart aches to watch her son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time. So, this is meant for all the young and aged mothers, working mothers and housewives, married mothers and the single mothers, those with one and without... I’m hereby sending you a wish... I wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day for Sunday, March 15! IT workshop held at CAS-Ibri T he College of Applied Sciences Ibri recently organised a workshop for IT students on IT program specialisations. The workshop was given by Maryam al Amri, Akram al Raisi and Areef al Zadjali from Oman IT Society. Al Amri talked about social media networks’ negative and positive impact on youth and how to use social media in enhancing learning process. Akram al Raisi talked about information security challenges that face users and how to face them properly. Areef al Zadjali introduced the society’s vision and mission to participants explaining that OITS works in cooperation with other institutions to unify the efforts of IT workers in the Sultanate and to enhance cooperation among them in a bid to promote IT knowledge all over the country. STUDENTS’ DAY OUT SULC students tour RUSTAQ AND BARKA T he students of SULC recently visited Ain Kisfah in Al Rustaq and Ain al Thawarah in Barka. They enjoyed the hot spring and experienced the freshness of the mineral water found in the area. They talked to the locals in Arabic and shared their ideas regarding the traditions and culture of the Sultanate. The students were accompanied by the coordinator and one instructor. The SULC received new students from different countries such as America, China, South Korea, South Africa, Nigeria, Belgium, Australia and Netherlands. These students are here to study Arabic Language for one year. It was a long day tour experience for everybody. The students will keep these memories from us even after they leave Sohar University and they had good knowledge about Oman’s history and cultures. SULC organise such tours to different regions and places around Oman for international students to give them a chance to explore Omani culture and traditions ant its amazing places. SPOTLIGHT S U N DAY MARCH 8 l 2015 omandailyobserver 31 Interrogating PHOTOGRAPHS Q CLIVE G [email protected] Y oung or novice photographers sometimes ask me for advice on how to take better photographs. It is of course a moot point whether or not I am competent to give such guidance, but assuming for a moment that I am, my suggestions are usually three-fold. First, photograph that which you are passionate about — your cat, your kids, your car — so that your photographic practice will be imbued with a loving glow. But remember that, as a photographer, you do not just look at the images you take of your cat and say, “Ahhh! Tiddles is so cute!” You must also analyse the quality of the photographic representation of Tiddles as well, that is, the technical aspects of your photographs. After all, it is just as possible for a photograph to have a great subject but be a technical disaster as it is for an image to have very uninteresting subject matter and yet be technically superb. What we should be aiming for is meaningful subject matter and great technique rolled together into super pictures. Second, practise, practise and then practise some more. Photography is a skill just like chess or cooking, so the more you practice the better you will become, with the caveat that you should analyse with a critical eye the results of your practice in order to identify your shortcomings. Third, search through magazines, books and exhibitions to identify some photographs that you admire FROM A TECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW, then analyse them on a technical level. This is perhaps easier said than done for the beginner, so I would like to elaborate here on this great way to improve your technique. What I will do is give some technical analysis of a photograph, with examples of the types of questions and answers that such an analysis might involve, then ask you to do something similar on a second photograph. Imagine you are leafing through a magazine and you happen upon the image of an old Omani door that you see here, taken by yours truly just last week in the lovely town of Al Mudhayrib in Al Sharqiyah Governorate. Suspend your disbelief for a moment and imagine that you think it is absolutely superb, not only for its lovely subject matter, but also for the way it has been shot. “How did Clive take this amazing picture?” you say to yourself. Analyse the Depth of Field camera on Aperture Priority Mode (A or Av, depending on the make of camera), I had control over the aperture setting and the camera worked out the corresponding shutter speed. t 3FNFNCFS JG ZPVS TIVUUFS TQFFE falls below 1/60th of a second, you are likely to get a fuzzy image due to camera shake, unless you use a camera stabiliser, such as a tripod. “How come only the iron ring in the door is in sharp focus but the background gets progressively more blurred?” might be your next question. The answer, of course, is that the photographer selected a large aperture, or to put it another way, a small f-stop, in order to achieve a very shallow depth of field. He then focused on the iron ring and then took the shot. Consider the ISO In this image, the f-stop was f.2.8 t 3FNFNCFS UIF TNBMMFS UIF GTUPQ As this is an image of a static subject in the narrower the depth of field will be. Conversely, the larger the f-stop, the bright light, then there really is no point in having the ISO at anything other than deeper the depth of field will be. its lowest setting, which on my camera is ISO 100. But if the photograph you Estimate the Shutter Speed are analysing is of a fast-moving subject, “But wait a minute,” you say. “If it was then you should consider what ISO a bright sunny day and the photographer setting the photographer might have used a wide aperture of f.2.8, then he used. t3FNFNCFSQIPUPHSBQIFSTVTF*40 must have had to use a very high shutter speed to compensate for so much light to boost their shutter speeds, so the faster entering the lens.” The shutter speed the subject, the higher the ISO setting is was in fact 1/2000 of a second (one two- likely to be. Also remember that as ISO Analyse the Light thousandths of a second), so the camera settings rise, image quality tends to fall, As ‘photography’ literally means could easily be hand-held without so keep your ISO as low as your subject ‘to draw with light’, perhaps the first danger of camera shake. As I had my matter will allow. question you will ask is, “What are the lighting conditions in this photograph?” As you can see, the image was taken in LET’S BE HONEST, UNDERSTANDING THE TECHNICAL harsh, raking sunlight, creating strong ASPECTS OF GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY ISN’T ROCKET highlights and shadows and thereby bringing out the wonderful textures and SCIENCE, SO WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEIR designs in the wood. The image would CAMERAS ON FULL AUTOMATIC AND LEAVE EVERYTHING not look so good if it had been taken on UP TO THE COMPUTER CHIP INSIDE TO WORK OUT a dull day. t 3FNFNCFS UIF MJHIU JO ZPVS ALL THE SETTINGS? IS IT ANY WONDER, THEN, photograph has a strong deterministic THAT THE IMAGES TAKEN ON FULL AUTO OFTEN effect on the quality of the image. Poor FALL FAR SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS? quality lighting will almost always lead to a bad photograph. “Which of the so-called ‘rules’ of composition underpins the structure of this photograph?” you could ask. Clearly, the ‘rule of thirds’ is the compositional tool used here, since the main point of focus, the iron door ring, is situated on both an invisible horizontal third line. t 3FNFNCFS UIBU JU JT BEWJTBCMF UP practice following some of the ‘rules’ of composition, at least in the beginning, otherwise your photographs might look as if the camera went off accidentally! So now it is your turn. Analyse this photograph of a grungy interior, taken in the old settlement of Al Hamra. Consider which of the three answers to each of the five questions is the most likely. Question 1: What kind of light was used in the photograph? a. The low, ambient light of the interior. b. Direct sunlight. c. Flash. Question 2: What f-stop might the photographer have used? Why? a. f.2.8 because the depth of field is very shallow. b. f.22 because the depth of field is deep. c. f.5.6 because the depth of field was not important in this shot. Question 3: What might have been the shutter speed, if the aperture was f.22 and the ISO was 100? a. 1/2000th of a second. b. 15 seconds. c. 1 second. Question 4: Did the photographer use a tripod? Give reasons for your answer. a. Yes, because the sharpness of the image suggests a high ISO and the large depth of field suggests a small f-stop. b. Yes, because the sharpness of the image suggests a low ISO and the large depth of field suggests a small f-stop. c. Yes, because the sharpness of the image suggests a low ISO and the large depth of field suggests a large f-stop. Question 5: What rule of composition is evident in this photograph? a. The Rule of Thirds. b. Symmetry. c. Framing When you have finished, compare your results with the model answer at the end of this article. If you got them all right, well done! After these analyses, you should be in a position to take similar photographs of an old Omani door or a dim interior, though needless to say plagiarism is not the point of the exercise. The aim here is to broaden your technical skills and, by extension, the range of visual vocabulary you use in your work. But of course, we do not only learn about technique from studying great pictures. We can learn a lot by studying bad ones too, especially if they are our own bad pictures. So next time, we’ll do just that. If you struggled with the analysis, then you might want to Google these technical terms and make sure you understand them: Ambient light Aperture f-stop Shutter speed ISO Depth of field Answers 1. a; 2. b; 3. b; 4. c; 5. b. recognition of his many skills both in the Arab World and beyond. The evening was also made into a very special occasion by an invitation to the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra to participate. It has been highly active building for itself a worldwide reputation since its foundation in July 1987. Already it has a worldwide reputation. Among the many historic landmarks are ranked an appearance with world famous violinist Lord Yehudi Menuhin. It is no exaggeration to say ROSO has an international reputation in its own right and certainly showed great skill in opening the evening with Marcel Khalife’s Symphony of No Return. This linkage with ROSO was more than just a symbolic gesture. It was a sign and symbol of Oman’s growing reputation worldwide in the world of music. — Photo credit: Khalid al Busaidi, ROHM Analyse the Composition WORLD OF MUSIC THE TRIUMPH OF THE OUDH Q MAURICE GENT I t was a special occasion for many reasons. Marcel Khalife, Master of the Oudh for generations, was visiting Oman and the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, which has travelled worldwide showcasing the musical excellence of Oman was also going to be there. The mix created a programme, which was cheered to the echo. Marcel Khalife has been an important figure in the world of music since the 1970s when he taught at the Beirut National Conservatory of Music. The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra (ROSO) dates back to 1987 when it started to win worldwide praise for its performances. ROSO appropriately played the Symphony of No Return written by Marcel Khalife himself. The idea in the piece is to present a large number of forces working together in harmony, working to produce a richer and worthwhile life. ‘The goal in The Symphony of No Return was also to compose the melodies of life rather than the melodies of classical composition. The melodies I recalled from my early childhood, he says, which I remembered with overwhelming enthusiasm and love. They had many rhythms and intonations, which proved their worth. He then felt himself upon a mission to discover his own culture. Since 1974 he has also been composing music for dance, which has created a new genre of compositions. This has led to the creation of the Near Eastern Ballet. His compositions for dance included The March of the Prodigy and Black Tents. All this led to composing sound tracks and the creation of new connections in the world of music. “The goal in the Symphony of No Return was to compose the melodies of life rather than the melodies of classical tradition”. The melodies I recalled from my early childhood. He said he felt himself to be on a mission to discover his own culture, remembering melodies from recitals in his early childhood. “I listened with overwhelming love and enthusiasm to rhythms and intonations, which proved their worth in time. Since 1974 has felt himself on a mission to help develop a new culture, a new genre of composition. All this led to the creation of the Near Eastern Ballet. His compositions for dance have included The Marvels of the Prodigy and Black Tents. This has logically led to new sound tracks and a greater SUNDAY | MARCH 8, 2015 | JUMADA AL ULA 17, 1436 AH P29 P30 P31 Inside Age not a concern for acting: Pooja A Night of Arabic Jazz at ROHM The triumph of the Oudh FOLLOW US ON: www.omanobserver.om [email protected] HOME ON WHEELS, now in OMAN Q SWATI BASU DAS [email protected] I t was all about the love for travel until they reached a juncture — Iran — that changed the concept of travel they had perceived. As they encountered the place and the people of a country that completely brought a twist to their travel tale — the Ivan family is all set on the wheels since April 2014 with a moving phrase — Iran is Great. Irrespective of the negative image portrayed worldwide, Iran has given this family a stay and a tour worth remembering. As for them the image portrayed globally does not correspond to what they have encountered during their visit to the country, following which they made it a mission to bring the phrase closer to not only their life but touching lives of millions in whichever country they travel in their van. A selfless approach to narrate their own personal account has brought the house on wheels closer to the heart of not only Iranians but also the people of the Sultanate of Oman. Says Badr al Makrashi a resident of Wattayah: “It is great to see some people having such a great heart and a mission without any profitable intention. It is a pure love for the places they travel and the friends they make.” As the van brings a huge curiosity and even a smile to many a face whoever passes by it. Queries flows in and the Ivan family are ready to answer them all with a smile and never hesitate to detail out on their travelogue and thereafter making friends to know more about the place and the culture and the saga continues where ever their van puts a halt for few weeks. “I spoke to them near the Darsait area and found them quite interesting. Their campaigning is worth mentioning and great to know that it is selfless and no profit intent. A campaign that holds and shares only experiences,” says another passer-by who just peeped in the van to know if at all it is some interesting promotional activity. The van is a home that caters to the daily needs. From cooking, baking, work-station and even schooling, the van does it all. “We have been travelling for 5 years and our van is more than a transportation means. It is our home on wheels, the place where we grow as a family. Our kids don’t go to school. The van is the place we call school. We do road schooling or we should rather call it world schooling,” says the happy family on wheels who are currently enjoying the beauty of Sur. Keeping travel as their focus to know and connect more people through a simple yet very heavy phrase; the Ivan family project has nothing official about and how small they think of themselves “It is our experience which we to be. It is a lesson for their future as want to share with the world and it is world citizens”, says Cristian Ivan. “Travelling has always been our first irrespective of all customs. It is purely as we love to know the a family initiative to prove to the world c h o i c e that every place on earth is worth visiting and getting up close with the history, culture, nature and its people,” the Ivan family THEY HAVE puts forward. TRAVELLED ALL ACROSS Cristian and Audrey believes it is a project for EUROPE AND MIDDLE their kids to learn from. EAST, WITH ONE MISSION. “They can learn that they can do things without A MISSION THAT BRINGS taking direct advantage THEM CLOSER TO SEVERAL of them. CULTURES AND MILLION They can get involved in things they believe in, no OF HEARTS matter how big the project is it. people their culture and their habits, and we never knew that our visit to a country can move us so much that we will decide to move with it overland in different countries,” says Cristian. Travelling the globe on the Mercedes van for a cause that speaks more than their desire to new people and places, the Ivan family holds more than a travel connection with Iran where they have faced both odds and evens on their visit during the year 2013. “We were robbed in Iran with all our documents and valuables; but what followed changed our notion about the people there in the country. The way they reacted by offering us a great amount of help touched our life. The negative incident was overshadowed by the goodness we encountered. I have visited many cities in Urmia, Tabriz, Yazd, Kashan, Isfahan, Shiraz and each has a certain beauty to me, my family and I really enjoyed myself in Yazd. Extraordinary architectural monuments was new for us and very warm people ready to help us at every step,” says Cristian and his wife Audrey. Starting their journey from Europe with an initiative to introduce the cultural, natural, historical richness of Iran, the Ivan family is recently exploring the beauty of Oman and getting a hearty welcome by the people in the Sultanate. Terming Oman as a very calm and friendly country Cristian says, “In some countries our presence were ignored but here in Oman we were greeted dearly and the locals approached us wherever we stopped. Oman is a very hospitable country and we feel at home here.” He recalls they have made several friends in their one month stay in Oman. All with the eagerness to know what the Ivan family has to share with them as a welcoming experience of their travel and their mission. “We made so many friends in our short stay here and we were privileged as they all invited us to their homes and spent a lovely time together,” says the Ivan family. On there visit to the Sultanate the Ivan family was overwhelmed with the response they got from the people here. “The Omanis approached us wherever we stopped and we had the chance to visit quite a few families here in Oman. Many Omanis were interested in our message of peace we are carrying from Iran into the world. They wanted to know more and even asked how they can co-operate in our mission. This is really amazing” “It is the people of a country which make it amazing and Oman is indeed a country where a month is not enough to explore. We haven’t seen everything here but we like to leave some things for the next time we come here and we definitely want to return to Oman one day,” the Ivan family summed up.
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