BankMuscat announces aeTake off with VisaAE contest winner.

Byline: Mohana Prabhakar

Ali Abdul Hussain Jawad, a

customer of BankMuscatAEs Al Khuwayr branch, has won US$5,000 in the recently concluded aeTake off with VisaAE

promotion that was conducted by Visa International. The summer promotion was exclusively held for all Visa cardholders enabling them to qualify for an entry in the draw by just using their Visa card while travelling overseas. Visa International developed this summer travel promotion to encourage overseas card usage, according to a press release. Every purchase or ATM withdrawal through a Visa card in a foreign country provided a chance to the customer to win back their holiday spends. In addition to partnering with Visa in the Visa card promotion, BankMuscat independently launched attractive promotions, extending exclusive offers to its cardholders from time to time. These promotions are in line with the bankAEs commitment

to continuously bring exciting products for the benefit of

its customers.

OmantelAEs Customer Service Centre in Zakher Mall is now open to provide services to its subscribers. The new centre provides services in fixed phones, Internet and mobile services, a press release said.

Said Sultan al Abri, supervisor of OmantelAEs Customer Service Centre in Zakher Mall, said that the new outlet has already received hundreds of subscribers who flocked to apply for various services. He also said that the centre in Zakher Mall has a separate section for corporate customers and another for ADSL subscribers who can submit their applications here.

Said al Abri added that Omantel now has a technical support team for various Internet services (normal and high speed Internet), wireless Internet and prepaid Internet services (Al Ufuq). Shifting from Burj al Khuwayr to Zakher Mall has resulted in more subscribers,

he informed.

(Images: Karen.jpg)

Come March 13, and H E Anil Wadhwa, the Indian ambassador to Oman, will be opening his doors at the new embassy premises at Shatti al Qurm to a black tie ball with one focus: increase the international communityAEs involvement in and awareness of the charity organisation Dar al AttaAEa.

When Karen Green, the leading force behind this event, approached Dar al AttaAEa, Shatha Abbas, the charityAEs spokesperson, said, oWe were honoured to be involved with the Green Sapphire Ball. We have worked with Karen earlier on two events and she has been a great

supporter. ItAEs fantastic when someone wants to do something for us, and how can you turn away an offer like that? I also think it is a very good idea to involve the international community. I think a lot of Omanis appreciate that you are getting that support from everyone across

communities and we should advertise that.o

Said Karen, who is well known in Oman as a fashion show and event organiser, oThis kind of an event is a first for me. It is not a fashion show but a formal dinner-dance. We have a bit of entertainment, which is local because though we looked at acts from abroad, it didnAEt feel right to pay out money that could go to Dar al AttaAEa instead. We donAEt want to take away from the real reason why we are there.o

For the Indian embassy too, this is a kind of first. H E Wadhwa had first heard of KarenAEs plans sometime back with another embassy, but when that got derailed, he offered to be the host. He had been closely involved in charitable initiatives in Poland, where he was last posted, and oit was very important for me to be involved with charities. When I came here, I got to know about Dar al AttaAEa and other organisations. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to help.o

H E Wadhwa is also rather keen that people here see the other side of India. oThis is a place where we have so many from the community who are in a position to help increase business between Oman and India. The other thing is that India has always projected an image of classical offerings. ItAEs a great tradition but there is so much more to India. IndiaAEs image has changed and the embassy wants to let people here know we can do other things besides what we have been doing so far.o

The money raised from this

event has not been specifically earmarked for any particular project

of Dar al AttaAEa. Said Shatha, oWe have a number of ongoing projects that we need help with, but this will probably go into the family

sponsorship project because at the moment we have highlighted a lot of houses that need to be renovated. We did raise a lot of funds, but

during Gonu most of it went towa-rds houses that were completely destroyed. But there are many more - we keep going out and realising there is so much to be done.o

So the idea is to go out there and have a good time and yet not forget that it is about raising awareness. While Dar al AttaAEa has been around for about five years, they received their official status last year and Karen stresses on the fact that people need to know about the good work they do. KarenAEs theme for the Green Sapphire Ball is aethe international community for Dar al AttaAEaAE. oThey didnAEt just help Omanis during Gonu, they helped everybody. For me this is a way of saying thank you for being there.o

Contact Karen on 95098605 for tickets

(Pics: book.jpg)

oIt was Jan van DykAEs brainchild,o said Tara Chandrasekhar, marketing communications manager at the Grand Hyatt Muscat, of the hotelAEs new recipe book. oGuests at Tuscany often ask for recipes, even when dishes are off the menu, so we thought weAEd give them away. Recipes are not sacred - the skill

is in how the chefs cook and

prepare them.o

Tuscany, the cookery book, is a paean to the restaurant and the

people who frequent it. Described

by Tara as a landmark of the

city, Tuscany is synonymous with 

expertly cooked Italian food and

has won the Italian category in the Oman Today Restaurant Awards for several years.

The book itself was a labour of love for an extensive team -

conceived by the hotelAEs executive chef Jan, featuring recipes by

Italian-born Luca Digirolamo (formerly TuscanyAEs chef de cuisine and now executive sous chef), it was photographed by Hector Sanchez, coordinated by Tara and designed by Gerry Alcantara.

Smart and stylish, the book sports a clean, modern design that should appeal to the well-heeled clients it is intended for - Tuscany is not available in bookshops but is being given to loyal guests and is available at the hotel. Key to its visual appeal are HectorAEs photographs, which were shot in-house over two weeks. The shoots involved the chefs staggering completion of several plates of each dish so that Hector could capture every ingredient at the optimum moment. Salad leaves are inclined to wilt under bright lights - in Tuscany thereAEs not a wilted leaf in sight.

Prior to the book Hector had already worked with the hotel on a general shoot. Food photography and still life are his preferred subject matter and this, combined with the fact that he was then based in Oman, made him an obvious choice, according to Tara.

oI come from a medical background but photography was my first love,o Hector explained on a recent return trip to the capital from New York, where he now lives. oWhen I was in seventh grade I inherited some vintage photogr-aphic equipment from an attic

and I took it on from there. I love photography - as long as IAEm photographing, IAEm happy.o

His images have appeared in magazines such as Cond Nast Gourmet and Real Simple and he is currently working on a project in the States with celebrity chef Rachel Ray. In the future though, heAEll reappear, albeit briefly, in Oman - Tuscany is not a one-off project and the team plans to produce three other books inspired by the hotelAEs restaurants. Marjan, which will focus on South East Asian cooking, is next in line and The Grill House and Mocha Caf will follow. oAnd the next one will be an even better book,o Hector concluded. Watch this space.

Graphic International Centre, Muscat, in partnership with 3M Gulf, recently organised an

exhibition to showcase its range of 3M products in projectors, digital boards and digital wall displays at its showroom in Ruwi. Nisrine Chahine Tanios

of 3M, along with a graphic team, demonstrated the features, advantages and the utility of the featured high-end produ-cts especially in the educational and business sector, a press release said. The products on display were DM 815, Digital DB578, Digital Interactive Easels DE343 and the X62W projector.

These 3M products are

ideal for business, education, multimedia and multipurpose 

environments to present a profssional image. They increase productivity and enable easy sharing of ideas and brainstorming through their cost effective, user-friendly and hig-hly effective tools for enhancing business, educational and corporate presentations. The event was well attended.

Hyundai has launched its first promotion this year for its customers. The 40th Anniversary Celebration campaign, a press release said, gives every customer an opportunity to win a 32 inch plasma television set. The luckiest among the participating customers will win a Veracruz 4WD. The promotion will run up to April 18 and every week three lucky winners will win plasma TVs in this simple aeBuy & WinAE contest. This being HyundaiAEs 40th anniversary, there are a total of 40 TVs and one Veracruz to be won throughout the promotion period. Additio-nally, customers also get free service and insurance.

The Arabian leopard, which once thrived in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Yemen and Oman, is today a critically endangered species. Barely 250 such cats are now left in the peninsula. The Arabian Leopard Research Project in Oman, which was conceived by the Diwan of Royal Court almost a decade ago, has been at the forefront of conservation efforts.

Biosphere Expeditions, a nonprofit-making organisation offering hands-on wildlife conservation expeditions in various parts of the world, has been involved with this project since 2006, working with scientists from the Office of the Advisor for Conservation of Environment (OACE) of the Diwan of Royal Court with the aim to see whether the endangered cat is still present in the Musandam Peninsula.

Last year, Biosphere Expeditions was able to report that the Arab-

ian leopard still survives in the Musandam area though the animalAEs numbers have dwindled consid-erably. This year, OACE invited

Biosphere Expeditions again to conduct a collaborative research in Dhofar, where a sizeable population of Arabian leopards still exists. Marcelo Mazzolli, a key member of the expedition team, mentioned that the results were stimulating. oWe worked in a part of Dhofar with good habitat for the leopard. Signs of the presence of the leopard were so far not conclusive, but our survey helped locate good places to install camera-traps,o Marcelo said.

The US Embassy in Muscat will bring the sounds of New York jazz to Oman through a public concert at 8pm on March 2 at the Jabreen Ballroom of the InterContinental Muscat Hotel. According to a press release, the concert is free and open to the public. Exegisis, a quartet of talented young American musicians who draw on jazz traditions - like works by Billy Strayhorn, John Coltrane and Cole Porter - to cre-

ate very contemporary sounds, will

be performing.

Exegesis is visiting Oman through a special programme of the US Dep-artment of State titled The Rhythm Road - American Music Abroad,

produced in partnership with New YorkAEs Lincoln Center. While in the region, the band will also visit Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and the UAE. The Rhythm Road presents selected professional American performers of jazz and urban music styles on concert tours in countries where there is limited exposure to live American culture. oWe are proud to be able to bring American music to audiences here in Oman,o said H E Gary A Grappo, the US Ambassador. oMusic, of course, is a universal language and jazz is a wonderful way to build bridges between cultures.o

The band has David Cook on the piano, Michael Blanco on the bass, Nick Demopoulos on the guitar and Tomas Fujiwara on drums.

National

carrier Oman Air has shed the

predominantly red and green colours and khanjar that it has sported on its aircraft since 1993

in favour of a new, modern and

contemporary design, marking its

transition from a regional carrier to a world-class airline. The new logo - a gold and silver swirl - is a contemporary rendition of frankincense smoke. oOmani frankincense is one of the most powerful and evocative expressions of our nation's vibrant history. Gold represents excellence and achievement and embodies the traditions and bountiful natural wealth of Oman. The turquoise blue denotes Oman's hospitality and the colour also refers to the seafaring heritage of our people,o Ziad al Haremi, CEO, Oman Air, said at the launch ceremony.

The 'smoke swirl' design has been created by TBWA/Zeenah and the colour scheme of the aircraft has been designed by Airbus. Oman Air has also received its first aircraft, a Boeing 737, in the new colours.

oAll the new planes ordered by the

company will sport the new livery, while the existing planes will be painted in the new colour scheme when they go for their C checkso, said Haremi.

Haremi also told the media that there are plans to set up a pilot-training school in association with Eurocopter and the Ministry of Defence. "It is the right move to address the severe shortage of pilots. The school will start this year and will be open to higher secondary graduates. Admissions will not be restricted to Omanis; it will

be open to all students of all nationalities and we will market it

everywhere." The academy will churn out 144 pilots a year and

will utilise 37 single-engine planes

for the training programme. The course duration will range between 15 to 18 months. At present, Oman Air sends its trainee pilots overseas, particularly to the UK for training. However, the latest batch of 15 trainees have been sent to Melbourne, Australia, to avoid the weather conditions in the UK that hinder training.

Haremi also said that the Oman Air headquarters in Seeb would be expanded. "Work on the new offices will start soon. We are fast running out of space and we need it for

additional offices, training and pilot-simulator centres."

Information Technology Authority (ITA) of Oman and Microsoft Gulf have signed an agreement to run

the Imagine Cup 2008 programme

in the sultanate. According to a press release, the worldwide technology competition, which this year incl-udes nearly 100,000 students from 111 countries, is a way to inspire young people to apply their imagination, passion, and creativity to technology innovations that can create a better world. Imagine Cup is a premier student technology competition, in which teams and individuals submit their projects online or in person for a chance to compete at the global finals held in a different country each year. This year the final event will be held in Paris. The main aim of the event is to inspire young

people to conceive and build

innovative technological solutions to real-world challenges.

This year, teams and individuals can enter nine categories including software design, embedded development, web development, short film, photography, IT, algorithms and a programming battle called Project Hoshimi. Details are available at www.imaginecupgulf.com.

All applicants from Oman will undergo training from Microsoft for their entries into the Imagine Cup in association with ITA. Cooperative efforts will be undertaken by ITA

and Microsoft to visit colleges

and universities in the sultanate

to create adequate awareness and motivate the students to participate in the Imagine Cup 2008.

For a little more than a decade, the month of February has had a special meaning for the residents of Sur and employees of Oman LNG. It is an opportunity for the company to commemorate its establishment by a Royal Decree on February 9, 1994 and the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone for the company under the patronage of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

This year, Oman LNG celebrated its 11th annual day in Sur on February 20-21. Hundreds of Sur residents dressed in their traditional outfits descended on the Khor al Bateh at the corniche on February 20 to kickstart the celebrations.

The atmosphere was electrifying, the happiness of the people palpable. "It is our way of expressing

gratitude to our beloved Sultan. The enthusiasm is an outpouring of love for him," explained an elderly resident of Sur.

"The Oman LNG Foundation Day is a day for celebration. It is an opportunity for community building as well," explained Dr Brian Denis Buckley, president and CEO, Oman LNG. The folk dancers and drummers had the audience in a trance. There was a sizeable

number of tourists who had come down this year to be part of the extravaganza. oThis is awesome,o an Australian tourist remarked, frantically capturing the images on his fancy handycam.

Nasser al Kindi, head of communications at Oman LNG, admits

that the company's annual day is becoming a big tourist attract-

ion. Spectacular fireworks that lit up the night sky brought down

the curtains on the opening day

of celebrations.

On the following morning, a

traditional boat race at the Nimah beach attracted a large number of enthusiasts. oThis boat race aims

at reviving the maritime heritage

of the sultanate in general and

Sur in particular. All the boats

have been built locally," Buck-

ley informed.

The traditional rowing methods employed in the boat races are reminiscent of the ones used by the

people of Sur in their short fishing trips and long trade ventures. "These type of competitions reflect the traditional Omani lifestyle in

successive periods, where these traditional boats were often a vital and essential part of life in coastal cities," Nasser added.

The racing boats were divided into two categories - the first categ-ory was for the small boats with two rowers, the second category was

for the bigger boats where up to 16 rowers could take part. The

participants were egged on by wil-dly cheering locals and drum

beating musicians.

The Ministry of Sports is

now considering the possibility of organising these races as an annual national competition. "Oman LNG's initiative to organise these traditional boat races is reflective of the company's keen interest in preserving Oman's maritime heritage," said Nasser al Alawi, director of sport affairs, Sharqiya region.

The boat races were inaugurated by the guest of honour H E Ahmed al Harthy, Advisor of State. The

celebrations were rounded off

with a lunch at the company's Hay A'Shurooq residential complex, which was attended by over

200 dignitaries.

As part of his first ever visit to the

sultanate, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman David Lewis, took time out to award the prestigious Mansion House Scholarship to Fatma Abdul Rahim al Maimani at the residence of the British Ambassador, H E Noel Guckian, on February 16.

Fatma, an investment analyst with the Public Authority for Social Insurance, is the second Omani

to receive the award which funds scholarships for students and

young business executives from overseas to travel to the UK to study in the financial services sector. The scholarship is partly funded by British Scholarships Oman (BSO), which is run on a voluntary basis by British and Omani companies.

Overjoyed at receiving the scholarship, Fatma explained that she

relished the idea of studying for her MasterAEs degree in a top-ranked British university, where she could improve her social, communication and analytical skills. "The UK is renowned for its high quality education and being in the financial centre of London will no doubt help me

to progress and fulfil my dream of becoming a leader," she added.

Chris Green of BSO was also

present at the ceremony and explained that the type of candidate sought for the scholarship was a

natural leader and someone with sound general knowledge as well as expertise in their area of specialisation. Fatma successfully proved

herself in these areas and also in

her academic background, as she was first in her class, majoring in finance at SQU, as well as in her positive outlook.

Lord Mayor David Lewis explained that Fatma had done extremely well as only a dozen Mansion House Scholarships are awarded every year and that they are not easy to win. "Each person to receive one acts as a mini ambassador for their country," he added.

H E Guckian agreed and commented that Fatma truly deserved the award and that human resources development was the cornerstone to improving links between Oman

and the UK.

On this visit, the Lord Mayor also met H E Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Indus-try, and Omar Zawawi, Special Representative of Sultan Qaboos bin Said for Foreign Affairs.

Animal Rescue announced in a press release its aeCatch, Neuter and Release ProjectAE which it has started in Muscat. Conducted successful in many parts of the world, the objective of this project is to reduce the number of stray cats in residential areas. The concept of this

programme is that by neutering 

captured cats and then releasing the neutered animals back into the

environment, the number of stray cats can be reduced and controlled in a humane manner without the need to resort to inhumane forms

of euthanasia.

The Madinat al Sultan Qaboos 

residential area is the first aetrappingAE area and Animal Rescue is asking for volunteers to help with this project. This is a great opportunity for

concerned individuals to acquaint themselves with the objectives of Animal Rescue and to have a genuine impact on the welfare of stray animals in Oman, according to the rescue centre.

Animal Rescue is formally

recognised by WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) and is pursuing a registered charity status in Oman. Animal Rescue also informed that trapping is carried out between sunset and 11pm. So pets should be kept indoors or collared to ensure they are not trapped

accidentally. Those interested in

volunteering time or money to

this project can email animalrescue

[e-mail].

Report on yacht fire at Marina Bandar al Rowdha

This is with regards to the letter oLack of Facilitieso published in Issue 259 of TheWeek. At about 10.45am on Saturday February 16,

a fire broke out aboard a large motor yacht, which was lying alongside its berth in Marina Bandar al Rowdha. The marina manager, with a fire fighting party in attendance, was quickly on the scene, where the boatAEs captain was already running out water hoses in order to fight

the fire.

There was a great deal of thick black smoke emanating from the vesselAEs engine room ventilators and other openings, indicating that the fire was probably well established and deep inside the hull. It was impossible for personnel to remain on the adjacent pontoon and there was no chance at all of entering the boatAEs cabin because of the smoke. Bearing in mind the close proximity of other boats and the marinaAEs fuel station (50m away), the reluctant decision was taken to move the boat out of the marina.

As the captain was unable to start the main engines, a workboat was attached and the motorboat was towed clear of the marina at about 10.55am. The captain then anchored his vessel about 100m outside the entrance and the workboat took off all personnel except the captain

who remained onboard to fight

the fire with the boatAEs aebuilt-inAE fire-fighting system.

By 12pm, the fire appeared

extinguished and the vessel remai-ned at anchor awaiting the arrival of the Coastguard. Shortly after Coast-guard personnel arrived onboard the vessel at about 2.30pm, the fire re-ignited and the flames quickly spread until those on board were forced to abandon ship. The boat then burned to the waterline and finally sank at about 6.30pm.

The above account contains the simple unembellished facts. The anonymous writer of the critical

letter should also know that the

captain and crew of the vessel were present when the fire started and no time was lost in raising the alarm and preparing to fight the fire. The decision to move the boat outside the marina was taken simply because there were many other boats berthed in the immediate vicinity and the fuel station with a capacity of 150,000lt of fuel was only 50m away from the burning vessel.

It will be apparent to those who know anything about fires afloat, that short of a full fire brigade attack party being on scene with their equipment when the burning vessel was still alongside, there was nothing useful that anyone here could

do to assist, no matter how many CO2 extinguishers (or indeed any other type) they had. The letter printed on page 3 of Issue 259 is unhelpful and detracts from the real efforts that were made by marina personnel, the stricken boatAEs crew and others.

The ROP and other appropriate government agencies carried out their enquiries in the two days imm-ediately after the fire and have made several recommendations as a result. There is no criticism in these recommendations of our stock of fire-fighting equipment, its maintenance or our ability and readiness to fight fires. However, we are not professional fire fighters, but trained and equipped to render first aid and fire-fighting assistance when requ-ired. It does not take a great deal of imagination to realise that, had the re-ignition of this fire occurred while the vessel was at the marina, we would now be looking at the results of a much greater catastrophe.

Bob Looker, marina manager, on email

Request for details

IAEm Paul, a South African national based in Dubai. IAEm a geology researcher specialising in fossils. I read your cover story in Issue 257, which discussed how the British School Muscat and Bluzone Waters-ports have collaborated in a project to preserve the ecosystem and coral reefs. I wish to take part in subsequent projects. I have done studies on coral and have also been carrying out research on the formation of coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf. Kindly send me more details about the project and contact details of the people in charge of the project.

Paul, Dubai, on email

Ed: The details have been sent to

you by email.

Helping hands

With the increasing awareness on the human health front, the sultanate has been doing its best to meet the growing needs of patients requiring blood transfusion and has been helped in these efforts by voluntary bodies. One such body of expatriates from Andhra Pradesh, India, is Chiranjeevi Mega Youth Force (CMYF), an affiliate of the

parent body headquartered at Hyderabad, with Chiranjeevi, a Telugu film star as its founder. The Oman chapter under the dynamic leadership of Ramadas has been making concerted and earnest efforts for years in organising blood donation camps and encouraging volunteers to donate blood. The Ministry of Health has recognised the efforts of this forum and is honouring the team members for their humane services to mankind. Let us applaud these helping hands.

Ushadevi Suddapalli, on email

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker 

Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Sonu Sood, Ila Arun, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Punam S Sinha and

Suhasini Mulay

What's in a name? Obviously lots, if the furore caused by the title is

anything to go by. This epic movie, BollywoodAEs answer to Gone With The Wind, is a must see not only for all Indophiles but also for all history buffs and romantics worldwide.

Set in the opulent Mughal era, the movie captures the passionate rom-ance that evolves from a dynastic alliance. Told by her father to sacrifice herself for her motherland, Jodhaa (Aishwarya) is no submissive Indian bride. She asks Akbar (Hrit-hik) for two promises - one, that she is

allowed to practise her religion without hindrance and two, that she be allowed to build a temple inside AkbarAEs Muslim stronghold. Fortu-nately, Akbar is a man tolerant of other religions and struck by her courage and beauty, agrees. On hea-ring that Jodhaa does not love him, Akbar chivalrously tells her that the marriage would be consummated only when she wishes it. From then, the screen fairly sizzles with desire and yearning in AkbarAEs eyes. Rebellion, palace intrigues and assassination attempts also play their role in the film. Ashutosh Gowariker has fulfilled the earlier promise seen in Lagaan. The jewellery by Tanishq (all 400kg of it) is a visual treat, as are the authentic costumes and decor and the stunning cinematography. With A R RahmanAEs music, the film is a treat.

Coming back to the controversy, the film has a disclaimer about the historical authenticity of JodhaaAEs name. Popular perception in India always has had Jodhaa Bai as AkbarAEs wife and this is shaped by Indian textbooks, which till date pair the two. So why have some people awoken to aehistorical distortionAE now?

Hrithik is sure to melt female hearts (even the middle aged ones) with his tender looks to his beloved. Aishwarya has a slightly matronly look, but manages to hold her own. It also has enough blood, gore and hardware (the pre-gun type) to sati-sfy action seekers. The movie has easily filled its position as a prequel to the famed Mughal-e-Azam and Anarkali. It was disappointing that the audience was mostly the Indian diaspora, with a few Omanis, as its message of religious tolerance is a universal one today.

Going towards Hamariya in the evening is too much of a headache due to the crowds and the fact that people don't park their cars in the allocated spaces. While passing through the Hamariya Street, I saw a truck parked right in front of a board that said 'No parking for trucks'. The person owning the truck may not care if he breaks the rules and regulations or even if he is fined.

If a car had been parked in a 'No ParkingAE zone, either the car owner would have been fined or his car would have been towed away by the authorities. But what do we do if it is a truck standing in a 'No ParkingAE zone? Any thoughts on what can be done?

(pics: Suad)

One may wonder about the importance of patriotism and whether or not it is essential, or how will it affect the country or even why should anyone be patriotic in the first place - does the country deserve this love and devotion from its people and so on.

Patriotism is significant, especially to those who were born and/or grew up in the land involved. Patriots are those who are satisfied with what their country gives them and they serve the country without expecting anything in return. Patriotism is not a bond of give and take; it is a pure relationship where the citizens do something from their heart and love for their country.

Oman does deserve such love and affection from its people because those 3,204,897 people are Oman. Without their true love and devotion to the country, Oman would not have gained its present image. It is we who shape our country therefore, being patriotic is important.

Our beloved Sultan has strived to show us what it means to love our country. Oman is not as rich as the other Gulf countries yet it is evident that the GovernmentAEs money is wisely spent on its people and the country.

According to the Minister of National Economy, the government spends 49 per cent of total current expenditure on the health and education sectors. Moreover, a number of new projects are underway, for example, new roads are being built to solve traffic problems and reduce the number of hours people spend on roads travelling to their villages.

For luxurious lifestyle alternatives, urban cities such as The Wave and The Blue City are being constructed. Special attention has been given to travel and tourism and this can be seen in Muscat International Airport, which is on its way to a total transformation. Further six regional airports are to be built and the construction design of these airports has been finalised.

After all of these developments, why would one not love his/her country back and serve it the way it served us?

Omani women, in particular, should be the most patriotic as they are granted many rights. In 1994, Omani women were the first in the Gulf to be given the right to vote. Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait followed OmanAEs path.

In Oman, women are equal to men in terms of remunerations and pension benefits. In fact, in many pension schemes in Oman, women have the option to retire earlier than men without any reduction to their benefits.

Job opportunities, education and much more are offered equally. The women of Oman must really be proud of being Omani for the trust and faith that the Government has shown them and for their treatment as equals of men. The Government has appointed women to take up very sensitive roles and responsibilities. Oman has four lady ministers and two lady ambassadors. Omani women are, also, more fortunate when compared to the women in the Arab world as a whole.

Our country is the first in all the Arab countries to appoint lady public prosecutors. Oman has eleven lady public prosecutors and five others are under training and are expected to take up their positions sometime by the end of 2008. With all these rights and privileges, Omani women should proudly lift their heads up and say, oI am an OMANI!o

Heritage and culture is very important in every society. Unfortunately, with the collapse of borders between countries as a result of trade agreements, the ethnic culture subsequently fades away from societies. Oman has signed a number of trade agreements such as Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement, bilateral Free Trade Agreements between Oman and the USA and at the GCC level, is negotiating for Free Trade Agreements with EU (in its final stages), China, Singapore, India, Pakistan and Japan.

Our Omani culture, despite the openness of our country has not been diluted by other cultures, as the Government while allowing the entry of foreign goods and services places appropriate limitations to preserve our culture, religion and heritage from erosion. Our culture will always remain dominant; it is our identity and we should be proud of it.

Some people in Oman are worried about the impact of tourism on our culture and tradition. I tend to think that our culture and tradition is strong and will be able to withstand the advent of tourists who come to enjoy the beauty of our beloved country.

The Government also works on preserving many historical sites such as Al Mirani Fort dating back to 1587. Falaj, which is the traditional irrigation system in Oman, is still used today. Oman has the best frankincense and exports large quantities to many countries. It is our culture that shapes our identity and makes us unique amongst the Gulf countries. Some countries in the Gulf have lost their culture due to globalisation but we, with the support of the Government, choose to cherish and celebrate our culture.

To those who lack love and affection for Oman and are negative about it, just think again. Let us think of all the privileges that we have been given. When comparing Oman with other countries, we should always keep in mind where we were back in the 1970s and where we are now. For better or worse, I love Oman and I am proud to be Omani

(IPL Money Just like Honey for cricketers)

ItAEs been raining riches for international cricketers at the Indian Premier League bonanza. Some of the big names in Bollywood like Shahrukh Khan and Priety Zinta have thrown their lot behind two of the IPL teams. Shahrukh is the owner of the Kolkata IPL team, which is captained by former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and includes the likes of Ricky Ponting and Shoaib Akhtar to name just a few. Zinta has a stake in the Mohali outfit, which also boasts of some big names.

It was the dashing Indian captain M S Dhoni who can claim the title of Lord of the Rings after being snap-ped up by Chennai for a whopping US$1.5mn. Of the Aussies, Andrew Symonds fetched the highest bid, beating his other team mates like Ponting and Lee. Ponting, who was signed on by the Kolkata team for US$400,000, expressed disappointment at the price he fetched at the auction.

Youngsters like Ishant Sharma made a killing, being picked up for the Kolkata team at US$950,000. Purists of the game are horrified by what they describe as obscene sums of money that will deal a death blow to the sport. Marketing gurus beg to differ. Cricket, especially the T-20 format, seems to have captured the imagination of the sporting public. The longer formats of the game, the five day test matches and even the 50 over one day internationals seem to have few takers.

Will the young cricketers lose their focus? Will all this money go to their heads? These are questions

that need to be answered by the powers that be at the IPL. The bigger stakes will inspire the younger talent to push the bar even higher, argue IPL bosses. Picture this scenario! Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting plotting the dismissal of say, a Andrew Symonds, a scoreboard that reads Sanath Jayasuriya caught Murali bowled Warne. The globalisation of cricket is truly complete

As part of The Wave, MuscatAEs commitment to help the student fraternity of the sultanate, 22 trainees from the Sur Vocational Training Centre paid a visit to the project construction site recently. Mahmood al Amri, manager of Vocational Training Centre, said in a press release, oWe believe The Wave, Muscat is a pioneering development in the heart of Muscat and offers an exceptional opportunity for

our trainees to learn about the different aspects of modern

construction and architectural techniques.o During their tour, the trainees were taken to The WaveAEs sales centre, which reflects the development dynamics of the project and endeavours to give potential investors a true feel of their dream home on site.

The students also familiarised themselves with the

display apartments located on site and learnt about different architectural methods applied. The best was saved for last -

a visit to the construction

site, which left the students overwhelmed.

NPA Events, in association with Al Falaj Hotel, will stage a social comedy titled Anchilath Inchilath (Neither Here Nor There) on February 28 at Le Grand Hall, Al Falaj Hotel at 8pm. This social comedy, a press release said, will be presented by the well-known Lakumi Group from India, which has performed over 1,500 shows of nine plays in Karnataka and Mumbai in India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Kishore D ShettyAEs Anchilath Inchilath is a successful production and has been running to packed houses in Mumbai, Ban-galore and Mangalore. Besides Muscat, the play will also be staged in Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar. The play revolves around a small family comprising a

widow and her two grown up sons. The play brings out the essence of marriage - its intrinsic values and responsibilities

- in a humorous manner that has the audience in splits.

Naveen D Padil, the director, is a renowned name in Tulu theatre. He has over 43 full-length plays and the movie Birse to his credit. He performs a leading role in the play. Anand Bolar, Vasant V Amin and Sudesh Manjeshwar are the other performers in the play.

( pics: turkishdelight.jpg, turkish2.jpg, turkish3.jpg)

The history of art is not confined solely to analysing pictures,

sculpture and architecture and the men and women who create them - art historians are concerned too with the way in which socio-political events shape the visual arts. This was brought home to guests at a recent lecture delivered by Professor Dr G'nsel Renda on painting in the Ottoman Empire, during which she highlighted European and Ottoman cultural relations and the influence they had on contemporary painting.

Dr G'nsel was in Muscat at the invitation of H E Engin T'rker, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, who described her as an

outstanding lecturer. oItAEs not the knowledge you possess but the

way you relay it,o he said. oG'nsel has charisma. When she presents

something, she becomes the focus. She is like a star and has always

been throughout her career.o This

academic luminary obtained her BA and MA in the US and a PhD at Hacettepe University in Ankara, where she subsequently founded the Department of Art History. Three years ago, she left the capital for her hometown, Istanbul, where she now teaches at Ko University between lecturing round the world.

Dr G'nsel's interest in Ottoman painting grew out of her background in Western art; her early papers

and theses focused on the Italian Renaissance. Prior to the lecture, she explained that although today the West has numerous institutions

dedicated to Middle Eastern studies, when she was studying in the States, Islamic art was not a hot topic and research into Ottoman painting was weak. Her decision to specialise enabled her to combine an existing interest in painting with study into a new, relatively unexplored field.

The Ottoman Empire existed from 1299 to 1923 and produced a dizzying array of visual arts that ranged from textiles to ceramics and architecture. Early Ottoman painting was aemostly manuscript painting restricted to imperial patronageAE,

Dr G'nsel explained; later, as Western influence seeped across the borders, topographical, easel and wall painting gained popularity. She said that the same dynasty ruled the empire for around 700 years, a fact that has safeguarded Ottoman works of art for modern Turks; most of the pieces were kept in Ottoman palaces and thus remain in Turkey to this day, saved from the fate of many Persian treasures, which were

disseminated round Europe.

The influence of Europe on later Ottoman art is beyond doubt, but Dr G'nsel did note that the exchange

of ideas was two-way - Orientalist motifs came to adorn everything European from furniture to porcelain and Mozart was sufficiently inspired to compose Alla Turca.

aePainting in the Ottoman EmpireAE, held on February 23 under the

auspices of H E Dr Rawya bint Saud al Busaidi, Minister of Higher Education, in cooperation with the Council for Higher Education, was an intriguing introduction to an era of painting that is not intimately known outside Turkey.

A[umlaut] Apex Press and Publishing

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