Times of Oman - June 1, 2015

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MONDAY, June 1, 2015 / 13 Sha’aban 1436 AH

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S U P R E M E C O M M I T T E E F O R N AT I O N A L D AY

HM the Sultan approves 45th National Day logo

RELIEF TO WORKERS: This year the three-month-long mid-day break begins today. – Times of Oman

Call ministry to report mid-day break violations The Ministry of Manpower has asked for people’s help in ensuring that the offenders are punished and workers get the due relief

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: As the mid-day break begins today, the Ministry of Manpower says that public can call them directly at 80077000 or 24766470 if they see any violations.

“The public can directly call the number and report violations.

The violating companies will be penalised and the workers will be provided relief,” an official from the Ministry of Manpower said.

“The department concerned and its officials are set to help the workers and penalise the companies who are violating mid-day break rule. The officials are already carrying out a campaign among the workers on how to beat

the heat,” the officials added.

The regulations on occupational safety and health at facilities governed by the Labour Law issued by Ministerial Decision No. 286/2008, Article 16, prohibit the employment of workers at construction sites, or in open spaces, during periods of high temperature, particularly from 12:30pm to 3:30pm in the months of June, July, and August.

Higher temperature This year’s three-month-long mid-day break begins today.

Last week, the temperatures at many places in the Sultanate were hovering at around 48 degree Celsius and the global weather predictions have revealed that summer will be hotter

as the sea surface temperatures are going up due to the El Nino phenomenon.

“The International Labour Organisation (ILO) codes and other treaties warn of risking workers’ health and safety by putting them to work under harsh conditions.

It is inhuman to compel workers to toil under this scorching heat,” Mohammed Al Khaldi, board member of General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU), told the Times of Oman.

“Workers can directly contact us if the companies are violating the mid-day break rule. We will coordinate with the ministry to penalise the violators,” Mohammed said, adding that the trade union is conducting awareness programmes for workers on how to beat the heat and keep themselves fit during these days when the temperature in the country is hovering around 50 degree Celsius.

In 2014, during the mid-day break period, the ministry had inspected 700 facilities and fined 172 for violating the rule. In 2013, the ministry fined close to 35 companies. >A3 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Employee can be sacked in probation

1 Abide by car window tinting rules: ROP

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30TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

ROHM season to focus on Omani, Arab artists SARAH MACDONALD

sarah@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Celebrations of Oman’s 45th National Day and the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra’s 30th anniversary concert will be among the highlights of the 2015-2016 season at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM), a lineup that has a strong focus on Omani and Arab artists.

Honour The new season, which features more than 40 different productions and 70 performances, was announced at a press confer-

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PHOTO GALLERY

You always have the option to approach the Ministry of Manpower to settle your grievances with your employer.

But in your case, the employer is within its rights to terminate your employment during the probation period. >A3

OMAN

Oman Air is set to train more pilots

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Oman Air is to train more Omani pilots to enhance their job prospects and career progression opportunities.

The move is part of a broader programme of training and development of employees in the company. >A4

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N .C O M

MARKET ence at the ROHM on Sunday morning.

It will begin on September 16 with a concert by internationally renowned tenor Jonas Kaufman with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, followed by a special concert by the orchestra the following evening as a tribute to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the Sultanate of Oman. >A4

‘Family businesses better off as private’

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While the government is encouraging familyowned businesses to become publicly listed, a section of business community believes they are better off remaining private if their firms are performing well. >B1

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has blessed the logo of the 45th Glorious National Day 2015, the Supreme Committee for National Day Celebrations announced.

Sheikh Saba’a bin Hamdan Al Sa’adi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for National Day Celebrations, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has approved the logo.

The Supreme Committee for National Day Celebrations had launched a competition to design the logo and received a variety of designs from the public, he said.

Logo to be highlighted He added that all the government agencies would be asked to highlight the logo in their official publications during 2015.

45th Glorious National Day 2015 logo. – ONA

He prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant His Majesty the Sultan good health, a long life and wellbeing and further progress and prosperity to Oman on such glorious and other events. -ONA

NEW RULE

Expats must pay traffic fines before flying: ROP Times News Service MUSCAT: Expatriates heading for summer holidays or for good, have to settle all the traffic fines, as the police have activated traffic fines clearance at the airports and borders, according to a reliable source at the Royal Oman Police (ROP).

The source said the new rule

would come into effect from Sunday. The rule targets expatriates travelling temporarily or permanently. “There will be campaign to spread awareness among public,” added the source.

The ROP stressed the importance of paying the fines before completing travel documents and ensuring payment of all dues before leaving the Sultanate.

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DUBAI OFFICIAL

Smart apps to help expats get UAE visa Times News Service DUBAI: Expatriates residing in any GCC country will soon be able to use smart applications to apply for a visa to enter the UAE, said Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, GDRFA-Dubai, The National newspaper reported.

According to a press release issued by the GDRFA-Dubai, Major General Al Marri said 2,628 online visa applications of GCC residents were received in only one month, including 2,512 for expatriate residents and 116 for domestic helpers. The online visa service, which started in April, has helped simplify the procedures and swift completion of the transactions at the airport, he added.

UAE entry Al Marri said the online visa process allows expatriates residing in any GCC country to enter the UAE through any of its borders. He added that the online visa service comes as per the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to shift to Smart Government, and to provide all government services round-the-clock via mobile phones and smart devices.

Lt. Col. Talal Shanqeeti, Assistant Director-General for Ports Affairs at the GDRFADubai, said the GDRFA is encouraging the public to use the online visa portal. >A4

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

OMAN H E A LT H I S S U E S

Sixth Mers case reported in Oman Times News Service MUSCAT: A new case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-COV) has been reported in Oman, taking the total number of cases in the country to six, Ministry of Health reported.

“The 75-year-old patient is suffering from severe pneumonia and high fever but is in a stable condition and under observation at a referral hospital,” said a Ministry of Health press statement.

The new case is the sixth case recorded in Oman. The case was diagnosed in January this year, said the Ministry statement.

The Ministry of Health ensured its continued efforts to monitor and control the diseases by using an effective epidemiological surveillance system and the readiness of the referral hospitals to handle such cases.

The Ministry has called upon all citizens and residents to adhere to the advice and guidance that effectively deal with health problems and infections, including respiratory diseases.

Foremost among these guiding points are public hygiene, cleaning hands and following proper health practices while coughing and sneezing.

Relief to Yemen, Nepal enhanced Oman has standard terms for sending assistance

MUSCAT: Oman has been providing assistance to victims in the Yemeni Republic and Nepal, an official at Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) said on Sunday.

The OCO said that the emergency assistance programme for the people of Yemen is being conducted on two dimensions. “The Sultanate, represented by OCO provides assistance and logistic facilities to brothers, friends and

all those who cross the borders between the two countries,” the OCO added.

“A number of families from friendly countries benefited from the assistance provided by the Sultanate, namely providing them return tickets to their home countries. OCO opened shelter centres for those who have fled from Hadramout and Al Mahara governorates.

“The number of families cared for by the Sultanate as of now stands at 4,500 (about 25,000 people).

“The second dimension of aid is providing humanitarian assistance to the conflict and war zones in the middle, north and west of Yemen. The Sultanate has dedicated a budget to assist brothers with medicine, food and

shelter through organisations, such as Red Cross Internaitonal Committee, Higher Commission for Refugee Affairs and other international organisations. The Red Cross International Committee will soon start operating from the Yemeni borders.”

Oman has standard terms for sending humanitarian assistance to Yemen. Until now, no assistance has been sent through the Sultanate by any outside party.

The terms stipulated are that the assistance should be for humanitarian purposes namely medicine, food, shelter and medical appliances. The assistance should be sent to the International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent and no propaganda or media campaign should be involved. –ONA

PUBLIC SAFETY

Accidents decline by 9.1 per cent MUSCAT: Accident rate registered a 9.1 per cent decrease in the Sultanate during last April.

The fatality rate also decreased by 28.1 per cent, while the instances of injuries dropped by 64.7 per cent.

A total of 1,781 road traffic accidents were recorded in the Sultanate last April, resulting in 207 deaths and injuries to 999 people, according to the latest statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics & Information based on the data of Royal Oman Police (ROP).

The statistics indicate that 1,781 accidents were recorded until the end of last April, compared to 1,959 accidents recorded during the same period last year. A total of 506 accidents were recorded in the month of April last. –ONA

NAT I O NA L E C O N O M Y

Cruise tours set to grow this season REJIMON K reji@timesoman.com MUSCAT: Cruise tourism in Oman is set to witness a 10 to 15 per cent growth during the current season, compared to the previous one, a top official from the Ministry of Tourism said.

“Our strategy aims to promote Oman destination internationally as a quality cruise destination. We are coordinating with all the stake holders in this industry. Compared to last season, we are expecting a growth of 10 to 15 per cent in the present season,” Khalid Al Zadjali, Director of Tourism Events, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, told the Times of Oman.

Oman is expecting more cruise liners to visit Muscat and Salalah ports this season ever since ‘Cruise Arabia’ was formed last

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CRUISE TOURISM: The ship will be heading to Cochin and then to Singapore and then to Shanghai in China.– Cio Datan/TIMES OF OMAN

year with Dubai and Abu Dhabi to build on the region’s international cruise appeal.

The total number of tourists who visited Post Sultan Qaboos in 2013 and 2014 was 321,317 and the number of cruise vessels that visited in 2013 was 115.

“Big ships will be coming in the

winter season,” the official added.

The director of tourism was talking on the sidelines of a tour conducted onboard Royal Caribbean’s quantum-class Quantum of the Seas’ maiden call at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat on Sunday.

“The Quantum of the Seas, the second largest ship in the world,

had set sail for a global journey from New York to Shanghai last October, bringing never-beforeseen four continents and incredible destinations. Bringing in such ships will open up fresh opportunities for Oman in cruise tourism,” Aju Thomas, the General Manager at Wilhelmsen Ships Service, said.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service is the port agent for the Quantum of the Seas. “The epic journey around the world via the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean is a onetime-only voyage,” Aju Thomas said, adding, “We are expecting more cruise ships in Oman.”

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OMAN MANPOWER MANAGEMENT

LEGAL COLUMN

Employee can be sacked in probation period I have resigned from the company I was working with and I am not expecting to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from my employers. I have got a job offer in Dubai and I shall be joining the new job after my departure from Oman. My visa status will be that of a manager in the Dubai company. Can I come to Oman on business visit by road or by air? Will there be restriction on getting business visa if the NOC is not provided?

The rule states that anyone re-entering Oman shall have a no objection letter from his/ her previous employer/sponsor and this rule is applicable to all categories of visas, including visit, family joining, family visit, employment or investor.

However, there are instances of people entering the Sultanate from other GCC countries without any no objection letters from their previous sponsors.

We are not sure whether those who fall under the GCC Rules are excluded from the purview of the re-entry restrictions and this needs to be clarified by the ROP.

I came to Oman on a work visa. The position my new employers offered me was of general manager. The offer letter, which they emailed, said probation (they termed it as ‘test period’ ) would be for two months and on successful completion of the period, my salary would be increased. But at the end of the third month (February 11, 2015), they sent me a termination letter with imme-

diate effect. Moreover, they paid me only one month’s salary (in fact, same was the case for all employees) during this period. I requested the employer to provide me an NOC and settle my dues.

Initially, they said they would provide the NOC but later they did not respond to calls or mails. This is third month after my last date of working and they have not settled my dues. If I take the

legal route, shall I get NOC? You always have the option to approach the Ministry of Manpower to settle your grievances with your employer. But in your case, the employer is within his rights to terminate your employment during the probation period, which is three months as per Oman Labour Law. We do understand that you have gone through an unpleasant experience in Oman and have been subjected to mental agony and physical trouble.

Unfortunately, we do not have system in Oman that would grant you relief in such things.

However, you may proceed against your employer for any unpaid salaries and entitlements until the last day of your employment.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this column are for general guidance purposes only. They are based on facts presented to us and are not substitute for expert legal advice. Readers are advised to seek legal assistance for specific legal issues. Times of Oman and Khalifa Al Hinai Advocates & Legal Consultancy do not assume any responsibility towards anyone on this matter.

LABOUR ISSUES

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‘Workers deserve care, dignity’

“Everybody deserves a decent living at various levels and their circumstances. Providing decent rights for the workers won’t harm or destabilise the nation’s developmental process. Islamic principles direct us to ensure welfare of the workers. We want workers to be considered like all other human beings,” Mohammed added.

Article 118 of the Labour Law states that violators would be penalised either with a fine not less than OMR100 and not more than OMR500, or a jail term of not more than one year, or both, and also that repeated violations

would lead to the penalty being doubled. “Companies should abide by the rule. The working condition during the summer is beyond imagination for the workers, especially for those working in oil and gas sector since for them it is an unbelievable situation. So, companies should not only abide by the mid-day break rule but also provide proper shelter during the resting time,” Saud Salmi, chairman of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) trade union and chairman of oil and gas sector unions, said.

Meanwhile, a human rights offi-

cial also said that workers should be treated as human beings and priority should be given to their health and safety aspects. “They should be considered human beings. Their safety and health should be given priority. The workers can be made to work late in the evening so that the schedule is not affected,” Dr Obaid Said Al Shaqsi, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) secretary general, said.

An expatriate resident said that the workers need and deserve the care, respect, dignity and kindness that Oman is famous for.

Face legal action for ‘over-tinting’ Car window tinting businesses in Muscat offer dangerous levels of tinting. Traffic laws state that the use of any film that affects the transparency of glass and reduces vision by more than 30 per cent is illegal

Times News Service MUSCAT: With temperatures hovering around 45 degrees, citizens and residents are rushing to have their car windows tinted to ensure less heat inside their vehicles and to enhance their air conditioner’s efficiency.

However, car window tinting businesses in Muscat offer dangerous levels of tinting, at times making these opaque to the extent of 60 per cent, which is against the law. “The legally permissible level for tinting is 30 per cent. Anyone going beyond that limit risks being fined,” a Royal Oman Police (ROP) official said.

According to road safety experts, studies have shown that ‘over-tinting’ is responsible for several serious road accidents as it hampers the driver’s vision.

The view through side mirrors also gets affected. “We are again calling upon everybody not to risk their lives by getting their car windows tinted to more than the required level,” Daryle Hardie, CEO of Safety First Oman, said.

He also said that driving at night

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DANGER SIGNALS: Studies have shown that ‘over-tinting’ is responsible for several serious road accidents as it hampers the driver’s vision. – AR Raj Kumar/TIMES OF OMAN

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can be a nightmare if the drivers can’t see through the windscreen or rear-view mirrors. “They are a danger to themselves, passengers of the vehicle and other drivers on the road,” he said. During vehicle inspection, prior to renewal of vehicle registration, window tinting is checked for compliance.

Traffic laws state that the use of any film that affects the transparency of glass and reduces vision by more than 30 per cent is illegal.

“Tinting should provide protection from the sun and should not block drivers’ vision. This is a violation of traffic regulations,” road safety experts said.

They also said, “The issue of car-window tinting has been there for many years. While it

makes sense to tint car windows to reduce glare and help control the temperature inside the vehicle, using a tint that is too dark is both a safety hazard and a security issue. That is why the law stipulates that the maximum allowable tint is 30 per cent.”

In a country that has a high number of road deaths, eliminating the widespread use of illegal window tinting ought to be a priority. “If glare is a problem, the drivers should wear sunglasses,” road safety experts argued.

Listing the benefits of having your car tinted, representatives of car repair shops at Wadi Kabir say: “The temperature inside the car can get very uncomfortable and tinting provides protection from the heat, helps reduce energy consumption and makes air conditioning more effective.”

It may cost from around OMR10 for relatively cheaper brands and can go up to OMR25 for more superior ones.

“Privileged expatriates like me experience the generosity and hospitality of Oman as soon as we arrive, and it is part of the reason why many of us decide to live here for long periods. We also enjoy the beautiful architecture, clean roads and the many modern facilities that would not be here if it wasn’t for the hard work, often in extreme conditions, of the manual workers. They especially need and deserve the care, respect, dignity and kindness that Oman is famous for,” Helen Sayers, Director and trainer, Oasis Life-Skills Training Services, said.

Civil Service Council reviews staff issues MUSCAT: Civil Service Council reviewed a number of requests from different public organisations related to regularising the professional conditions for some categories of employees to ensure consistency with the service conditions of their organisations and their responsibilities.

Civil Service Council on Sunday held its second meeting for this year under the chairmanship of Sayyid Khalid Bin Hilal al Busaidi, Minister of Diwan of Royal Court and Chairman of the Civil Service Council. The meeting decided that the professional conditions of employees will be regularised in ac-

cordance with the legal provisions stated in Civil Service Law and its Executive Regulation.

The meeting reviewed the follow up report on the implementation of the decisions and recommendations made at the first meeting for 2015. The Council discussed a number of issues related to the appointment requests, the contracts for some technical, the reasons for such applications, and the need to implement important projects.

It also discussed a number of aspects related to a number of jobs and the practical experience needed by those holding these jobs and their responsibilities.–ONA

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

OMAN

61%

Omani passengers say that they are frequent travellers on flydubai

Oman Air to train more pilots for career growth

OPINIONS

Under the programme, Omani pilots who hold a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL), will be eligible to join Oman Air’s intensive training courses, which aim to polish technical and practical skills.

Once the training has been successfully completed, the pilots will be considered for positions within Oman Air’s flight crews.

Under the FIRST CHOICE: flydubai has been operating in Oman since 2010 and is currently offering 56 flights per week to the Sultanate.

programme, Omani

‘flydubai a favourite with Omani flyers’

a Commercial

pilots who hold Pilot’s Licence, will be eligible to join Oman Air’s

Times News Service MUSCAT: Dubai-based flydubai has published new research focussing on the latest travel trends, behaviours and preferences based on the analysis of more than 4,000 independent opinions compiled on a weekly basis from flydubai passengers.

The analysis offered some unique insights into the profile of Omani passengers, with 61 per cent of those surveyed stating that they are frequent travellers on flydubai.

Forty-three per cent of Omani passengers surveyed said they use flydubai to travel for business while 30 per cent travel for leisure.

The survey data provided the findings that flydubai’s Omani passengers recognise the benefits of direct air links as key factors influencing their airline choice with priority given to direct flights to destinations (28 per cent) and value for money (22 per cent).

A large number of those surveyed (74 per cent) book their flights through travel agents.

“Those travelling from Oman with flydubai also recorded the helpfulness of cabin crew who received an excellent rating in the airlines survey,” the report said. flydubai, which recognises the importance of convenient and efficient travel, has worked with the relevant authorities to reduce time spent at airports with 81 per cent

of those surveyed finding the immigration queue lasting less than five minutes.

As part of the research, data from business class passengers provided valuable insight into the service which was launched in October 2013 and is available across the flydubai network.

The figures from Omani passengers are in line with the results of the survey covering all markets which showed that 62 per cent of passengers repeatedly use the service and 86 per cent across the network recommend business class.

Important features of the business class experience such as comfort of the seat (81 per cent), legroom (86 per cent) and checkin times of five minutes or less (78 per cent) all scored highly and focus on what is important to the executive traveller. flydubai has been operating in Oman since 2010 and is currently offering 56 flights per week to the Sultanate, making it one of their highest frequency routes.

“Growing trade and tourism links between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have convinced Dubaibased flydubai, to introduce seven new flights a day between Muscat and Dubai from May 7,” said Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president – commercial operations (Indian sub-continent/GCC/Africa), in an exclusive interview to the Times of Oman.

intensive training courses which aim at polishing technical and practical skills

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air is to train more Omani pilots in order to enhance their prospects for employment and career progression opportunities.

The move is part of a broader programme of training and development of employees in the company.

The programme was recently agreed upon by Oman Air’s

SHARPENING SKILLS: The programme is being put into action with the enthusiastic support of Oman’s Ministry of Manpower.

Board of Directors and executive management.

Chance to showcase skills It will provide opportunities for young Omanis to showcase their abilities and contribute to the national development process in line with the assertion of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said that

young people are the backbone of the nation.

The programme is being put into action with the enthusiastic support of Oman’s Ministry of Manpower. Oman Air’s department of Training and Development, part of the airline’s Support Services Unit, will oversee its roll-out.

Right mechanisms In addition, Oman Air has already met with the Ministry of Manpower and a range of other agencies with the aim of ensuring that the right mechanisms are in place to attract qualified young Omanis to engage in aviationrelated studies.

The initiative builds on Oman Air’s continuous efforts since its establishment to raise the percentage of Omani employees at all levels of the company.

As key members of the workforce, significant work has been undertaken to boost the number of pilots employed.

The aviation sector is one of the most promising sectors supporting the tourism industry in Oman.

The Board of Directors at Oman Air has adopted a strategy that also underlines Oman Air’s commitment to the Sultanate of Oman’s policy of Omanisation at a time when the company is undergoing rapid strategic expansion.

GULF RESIDENTS

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A1 From October, visa applications to be filled online He said that from October, all visa application processes for expatriates who have valid residence visas in any Gulf country, irrespective of their nationalities, must be completed online or via smart apps where they can register, fill in the form and pay the fees online as well.

He said that applicants receive immediate notification on their mobile phones when the visa is ready.

Maj. Abdullah Omar Al Bannai, Head of Services Section, said expatriate residents of any Gulf country can come on a 30-day visit visa which can be renewed

for another 30 days. The cost of the visa is AED220 and the same is applied to family members, while the visa for domestic helpers accompanying the GCC citizens is valid for 60 days and can be renewed twice for another 60 days.

The National quoted Amna Ab-

dullah Ali, Head of Relations and Protocol Department at GDRFADubai at Dubai Airport, saying that passport control officers are distributing brochures in Arabic and English to all visitors to Dubai from any of the GCC countries in order to raise awareness about how to use the new service.

C E L E B R AT I O N S

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A1 ROHM’s focus on Arab music “We have tailored many performances during the first half of our season to celebrate the Sultanate’s 45th Anniversary of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said,” said HH Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd Al Said, Member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Opera House Muscat.

Continuing the celebrations of Oman, there will be a special concert on October 22 and 24 called “Music for 45 Years of Loyalty and Love”, featuring Arab and Omani artists who will sing songs for Oman. The annual Omani Women’s Day Celebration and the Military Music of Oman will add to the special festivities of the season.

The strong emphasis on Arab music will be explored by a number of Omani and regional artists, explained Dr Issam El Mallah, Advisor to the Board for Programming and Events, saying this was an important aspect of the diversity of the venue’s programming.

“This diversity can be seen not only in the range of genres we present across different cultures, including opera, ballet and classical music for example, but also from our own Arab culture such as folklore, traditional tarab, modern songs and contemporary symphonic works,” El Mallah commented.

An oud symposium and concert will highlight the beautiful Middle Eastern string instrument, and a number of concerts will emphasise the beauty of “tarab,” the art of Arabic songs. Stars will include Lebanon’s Wael Jassar, Egypt’s Hanni Shaker, Lebanese-Swedish singer Maher Zain, and a number of artists who will perform for the annual Kulthumiyat concert that pays tribute to Umm Kulthum, and for a special concert featuring the music of Iraq.

Opera fans will be delighted by the selection of operas that will be staged this season, beginning with an encore Puccini’s Turandot staged by Franco Zeffirelli, the same production which opened the ROHM in 2011. Other operas include three by Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor by Teatro Carlo Felice of Genua, L’elisir d’amore by Teatro La Fenice of Venice and La fille du Régiment

by Teatro Massimo of Palermo. A Hungarian operetta by Emmerich

Kálmán, The Csárdás Princess by the Budapest Operetta Theatre will surely delight the audiences, and they will be moved by the tragic story of Werther by Jules Massenet from the magnificent Vienna State Opera.

Ballet and dance fans will be able to choose from a variety of performances, too. The superb Cuban National Ballet will present the classic, Don Quixote in October 2015. Russia’s Perm Opera & Ballet Theatre will present The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, inspired by the poem of the same title by Alexander Pushkin in November.

The New Year brings an innovative and sophisticated Oriental production – The Silk Road by the Dubai-based Ornina Theatrical Dance. The prestigious English National Ballet will perform their exhilarating version of Le Corsaire – a thrilling ballet about pirates.

Jazz concerts include the famous Cuban Buena Vista Social Club; singer and song-writer Natalie Cole whose celebrated album, Unforgettable, won a number of Grammy Awards; Cassandra Wilson singing in homage to Billy Holiday; one of the leading figures in World Music today – the sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar; and the acclaimed African star Salif Keïta.

The new season will have a number of world class concerts featuring stars who have become legends in their own time, such as Russian baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky with the Orchestra of Teatro Carlo Felice of Genua; pianist Hélène Grimaud with Kammerorchester Basel; sopranos Sondra Radvanovsky with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra; and Diana Damrau with the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo of Palermo.

In a wonderful artistic coup for Oman, internationally acclaimed Arab pianist, Saleem Ashkar will perform with the Bamberg Symphony under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach. A joyful New Years Eve gala concert will feature the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Levi, with tenor Michail Schade, soprano Fatma Said and violinist Anna Tifu.

Children and their parents will enjoy a number of special concerts

and interactive productions, too.

On March 22 and 23 The Magic Flute for Children, a ROHM production which was a great success this past April, returns by popular demand and will again feature the interactive participation of Omani school children. The Palestine Youth Orchestra will perform on March 25, and the Regensburg Boys Choir from Germany will take to the stage on April 20.

Colourful world music shows Viva Madrid from Spain, Troy an Anatolian legend from Turkey and China’s Golden Acrobat Show, complete the season, along with a host of educational and outreach events. The latter include both oud and pipe organ symposia, a silent movie night with live pipe organ music played as the soundtrack for Buster Keaton’s The General, Open House events, workshops with visiting artists, daily public tours and pre-performance talks.

“Over the past four years, there are many significant accomplishments to be noted, including the extremely popular Open House events and the well-attended pre-performance lecture series,” said Dr Nasser Al Taee, Advisor to the Board for Education and Outreach.

Some changes to the timings of the ROHM performances were also announced. For the convenience of the public, the start time of all performances from September 2015 through end of February 2016 will be 7pm. From March through the end of May 2016, all events will commence at 7:30pm.

All family events throughout the season will begin at 4:30pm.

Umberto Fanni, acting director general and artistic director of the ROHM, said the aim of the upcoming season is to continue offering new programmes that feature new and original programming, and that of exceptional quality.

“But, above all, we are pleased to observe our increasing success in implementing the vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said — may God protect him — for the Royal Opera House Muscat to be a vital access portal and an exciting cultural hub facilitating global dialogue and cultural exchange in the interest of world peace and harmony,” Fanni said.

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

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OMAN

Ithraa fetes Omani who won top Marriott award for Oman. Hadid’s success clearly demonstrates the standards our travel and tourism sector has reached, said Maitha Al Mahrouqi, under secretary, Ministry of Tourism

TARIQ AL HAREMI

MUSCAT: To celebrate Mirbat resident Hadid Bait Shamasa’s J. Willard Marriott Award for Excellence from Marriott Hotel Salalah, Ithraa held a VIP reception for the Omani who earlier worked as a bellboy at the Salalah Marriott Resort.

Hadid received Marriott International’s highest award, at a ceremony organised earlier this month in Bethesda, Maryland.

Maitha Al Mahrouqi, under secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Muna Al Jardani, under secretary of the Ministry of Manpower for Technical Education and Vocational Training as well as Ithraa representatives at the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export joined the celebrations held in his honour at Ithraa.

The Marriott Awards of Excellence established in 1987 is presented annually to Marriott associates nominated by their supervisors or peers for their outstanding performance. Flown

50 FULL-TIME KEY POSITIONS

Oman convention centre launches recruitment drive Times News Service

This is a great day

tariqh@timesofoman.com

MOMENT TO CHERISH: Hadid Bait Shamasa received Marriott International’s highest award, at a ceremony organised earlier this month in Bethesda, Maryland. – Ismail Al Farsi

in from around the globe, those honoured and their families are treated to an evening of celebration and praise featuring Marriott senior leadership and hundreds of fellow associates.

Bait Shamasa recalled that taking a low ranking job is usually frowned upon in his native wilayat, as it is not considered a ‘proper’ job. He had been a bellboy before being promoted to work at the reception desk.

“My fiancé didn’t know about my job, but when she found out she gave me two choices. Either I keep the job, or marry her. But I did something that was hard for anyone to do,” said Hadid.

“I was about to resign, but now I’m grateful to Samer Kheir who talked me into keeping my job,” he added. He explained that at the hotel, employees practised the same thoughtfulness as in one’s home, where bags are carried for over-

night guests and Omani hospitality is always on display. Also, inside the hotel there is no shame is doing one’s job.

Samer Khair, General Manager of Salalah Marriott Resort said, “We’re delighted that Ithraa has organised this reception and recognised Hadid’s achievements.

From its 150,000 employees worldwide, Marriott International selects only ten staff members to honour, being those folks who have excelled in their jobs and really stood out. This is a remarkable achievement for both Hadid and Oman’s travel and tourism sector.

We couldn’t be more proud.”

Commenting on the achievement for both Hadid and the country, Maitha Al Mahrouqi said, “This is a great day for Oman. Hadid’s success clearly demonstrates the standards our travel and tourism sector has reached. Awards such as this go a long way in pro-

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moting Oman’s travel and tourism offers. With folks like Hadid, we are a winning team.”

Dr. Mona Al Jardani noted the importance of Omani youths to society and the establishments they work in. She said they are one of the most important contributors to the success of a business and, “as long as there is an environment for creativity and innovation, it will motivate the youths to be successful.”

“The nation has many treasures, and the most precious of them are youths. In all establishments, whether be it educational or work, we should be able to take in youths and guide them to success,” said Dr. Al Jardani.

“This is a marvellous achievement and one that has to be celebrated. Hadid’s hard work, commitment and loyalty has paid dividends. He’s an inspiration to us all,” she added.

MUSCAT: As the Sultanate’s iconic landmark venue prepares for its highly-anticipated Phase One opening in the first quarter of 2016, the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is launching a drive to recruit qualified Omani and international candidates to fill 50 full-time key positions in events, operations, hospitality and technology.

This campaign will highlight the OCEC’s role as a major force in the creation of employment opportunities for Oman’s talent pool. Commenting on the Travel and Tourism industry’s significant contribution to Oman’s national economy, Eng. Wael Al Lawati, Omran’s Group CEO, the government body that drives the investment, growth and development of tourism in the Sultanate, highlighted that the OCEC will not only serve to boost Oman’s image and accessibility as a tourist destination, but will also generate a significant economic stimulus and on-going revenue.

Also, while doing so, it will also contribute towards further diver-

sification of the national economy, he added. “The OCEC, with its surrounding precinct, is expected to generate over USD760 million in local spending during the development phases, and will create thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities for citizens,” said Eng. Al Lawati.

Commitment OCEC’s General Manager, Trevor McCartney added, “As a leader in the business events industry and business development in Oman, one of the main roles of the OCEC is to power employment and commercial opportunities in this sector, driving the Sultanate towards a diversified, sustainable and prosperous economic future.”

“This recruitment campaign is very much part of our commitment to that vision and is one of many to come. We look forward to welcoming new employees to the fast-growing OCEC family and eagerly anticipate their contributions, as we look forward to welcome over 600,000 visitors per annum on completion,” said McCartney.

POWERING GROWTH: As a leader in the business events industry and business development in Oman, one of the main roles of the OCEC is to power employment and commercial opportunities in this sector, driving the Sultanate towards a diversified, sustainable and prosperous economic future. – Supplied photo

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

OMAN

A Majlis is the heart of every Omani village, and a place where elders and youth alike gather together for councils, meetings and celebrations.

Hamood Bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Saraya Bandar Jissah

Saraya Bandar Jissah sets up Qantab Majlis

C B S E R E S U LT S

The Majlis is likely to become a central venue for events and gatherings in Qantab area SOCIAL TIES: The Majlis will serve as a landmark of the symbiotic relationship that the company shares with families.– Supplied photo

Times News Service MUSCAT: Saraya Bandar Jissah has implemented an array of community based initiatives aimed at creating a meaningful difference within the neighbourhood of Qantab.

Saraya Bandar Jissah has commissioned the construction of a Majlis in the village of Qantab,

with the construction contract recently awarded to Ghantoot Transporting & General Contracting Establishment (GTGC).

The Majlis will not only provide a meeting point and community centre, but will serve as a landmark of the symbiotic relationship that the company shares with the families and the youth of

the village. The Majlis is set to become a central community venue for events and gatherings for the members of the Qantab village.

“After handing over the FIFA-standard football field to the Qantab Football Team last month, we are happy to announce that the construction of the Majlis has already begun. A Majlis

is the heart of every Omani village, and a place where elders and youth alike gather together for councils, meetings and celebrations. At the initial planning stage, we stayed mindful of the importance of building a Majlis with state-of-the-art modern amenities,” Hamood Bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Saraya Bandar Jissah, said.

On being awarded the contract, Nidal Al Armouti, Area General Manager at GTGC, said, “We are proud to be involved in this community-driven project. At GTGC, it is our constant endeavour to deliver projects of global standards safely and efficiently in keeping with our best practices.

That said, we are confident to be able to deliver the Majlis for the village of Qantab within the designated timeframe and bolster Saraya Bandar Jissah’s contributions to the local community.”

Muladha students celebrate success ISAS upbeat over in CBSE Class X results ACADEMIC HONOURS

Times News Service MULADHA: The entire batch of 104 students of Indian School Muladha (ISML), cleared the Class X CBSE examinations. ISML’s 25 students scored a perfect CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) score of 10 with A1 grades in all the five subjects. Fourty-eight students scored above 90% and 84

secured distinction. Subject-wise performances are as follows: Out of 104 students, 44 secured A1 in English, 32 students in Science and Social Science, and 27 students in Mathematics.

Out of 36 students, 28 students bagged A1 in Malayalam while 16 students out of 39 secured A1 in Hindi. In Arabic 15 students out of 29 secured A1.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Indian School Al Seeb students performed admirably in the Central Board of Secondary Education, Class X examination, the results of which were declared on May 28.

All 222 students who appeared in the examinations gave the school a 100 per cent result. To top it all, 36 students achieved A1 grade in all 5 subjects with a CGPA of 10.

Among the students who achieved A1 in all subjects are Angeline Moses, Dhiya Elizabeth Jacob, Gayathri Dileep, Gopika Gokul, Irine Ann Thomas, Kshitij Bhardwaj, Maryam Raza, Preethi Sarah Koshy and Sania Aslam Bijle.

The other successful students are Sanika Vincent, Shaik Safia Kousar, Sharon Viji Joseph and Sheryl Martis, along with Shilpa Sivadas, Sidharth

Praveen, Aishwarya Jayasankar, Ann Mary Pinherio and Aparna Pradeep Kumar.

Aradhra S Madhavan, Ashish P Alexander, Christyl Thomas Sunny and Fathimathul Haniya along with Hasna Mehnes, Joshna Jabbar K, K V Amala and Merline Kuriakose were among the 36 who scored A1 in all subjects.

Neethu Shajan, Nishanth Roy, Sajid Padiyath Sadique, Sandra Mariam Binu, and Santhra

Pradeep, in addition to Shruthi Chikkuraj Pillai, Sreya J S, Sruthi Sujatha Shibulal, Sebin Jolly and Athul Soman Thekkedath also made it into the A1 list.

The students lauded the guidance of their teachers, the principal and vice principal and thanked the management for their support.

The parents gave credit to the school’s academic ambience and to the hard work of the students and the dedication of the teachers.

C L A S S 1 0 R E S U LT S

Jalan students excel in exams

JALAN: Indian School Jalan students have come out with flying colours in the CBSE Class 10 examinations with four of them securing 10 point and five of them scoring 9 point grades.

The school had got which got CBSE affiliation two years ago.

Najiya, Mathew Jomy, Goodwin Wilson and Harmanpreet Kaur scored a CGPA of 10, and the rest of them secured good grade points. Their achievement was appreciated by the School Management Committee.

Anupama Suresh of Indian School Ghubra has scored a perfect 10 CGPA.

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

REGION

The situation is under control. And if something happens, we will deal with it when the time comes.

Mohammed bin Nayef , Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Interior Minister

TRAGEDY

Many children among 27 dead in Syria clinic blaze DAMASCUS: A fire at a small clinic in northeast Syria on Sunday killed 27 people, mostly children, and injured about 30 others, official media said.

State news agency SANA, citing police, said dry branches had caught fire and the blaze spread to a fuel tank which exploded.

“At least 27 people were killed ... and at least 30 people are being treated for burns,” it said, citing a doctor at the scene. It said the clinic had also suffered “significant material damage”.

State television said most of the victims of the blaze at the Maysalun clinic in the majority Kurdish city of Qamishli were children.

The city lies on the border with Turkey in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakeh. Control of Qamishli is divided between Kurdish forces and regime Assad troops.

Meanwhile, regime air strikes killed at least 20 civilians in a rebel-dominated area of northwestern Syria, a monitor said on Sunday after raids elsewhere in the country left more than 70 dead.

“The regime’s planes have committed another massacre, this time in Jabal Al Zawiya,” a mountainous region in Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said of the Saturday bombing. “Many wounded are in critical condition,” said the Britain-based group, which relies on a network of sources on the ground. The raids came on the same day that barrel bombs dropped by Assad’s helicopters killed more than 70 civilians, including children, in the northern province of Aleppo. — AFP

Coalition planes hit Houthi rebels throughout Yemen The United Nations has said that more than 1,976 people have been killed and more than 8,000 wounded in the conflict since March 19.

The raids hit an air base near Sanaa airport and a military installation aligned with the Houthis overlooking the presidential palace compound

SANAA: Aircraft from a Saudiled coalition bombed Yemen’s Houthi rebels throughout the country on Sunday, residents said, a day after border clashes killed a Saudi serviceman.

The air raids hit an air base near the airport in Sanaa and a military installation aligned with the Houthis overlooking the presidential palace compound there.

The Houthis’ TV channel Al Masira said the coalition had launched 25 air strikes on the main Houthi provinces of Saada and Hajja along the kingdom’s border, without giving details, and said Saudi ground forces were also shelling the areas.

Residents in Saada confirmed said by telephone that Houthi positions were heavily bombed by war planes, but there was no immediate confirmation by Saudi authorities.

DESTROYED: A Houthi militant stands in front of a court building, which was damaged in a Saudi-led air strike, in Saada, on Sunday. – Reuters

In the central city of Taiz, also a main battleground between armed Hadi loyalists and Houthi militiamen, residents reported Arab air strikes on Houthi forces gathered in a historic mountaintop fortress and a nearby special forces base.

The Saudi-led coalition began air strikes in Yemen in the month of March in a campaign to restore

Yemeni President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi to power. He fled in March, after Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa in September and then thrust into central and south Yemen.

Heavy artillery clashes along Yemen’s border with the kingdom have increased as the war enters its ninth week.

Houthi TV reported that the re-

IS CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

Five killed in Libya suicide attack TRIPOLI: The IS group on Sunday declared “war” on the powerful Fajr Libya militia alliance that controls Tripoli and claimed a suicide bombing that killed five of its fighters.

The dawn blast in northwest Libya is the latest in a series of attacks by IS in the politically divided North African country, where the militants have exploited chaos to gain a growing foothold.

“A car suicide bomber blew himself up near a checkpoint at an entrance of Dafniya,” between the town of Zliten and Libya’s third city Misrata, said a spokesman for Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn).

The attack killed five fighters and wounded seven others, he added. The LANA news agency of I S AT TA C K S

Security in Saudi Arabia ‘under control’ RIYADH: Security in Saudi Arabia is “under control”, the kingdom’s crown prince, who led a previous crackdown on Al Qaeda, said on Sunday after the IS militant group on Friday claimed a fatal mosque attack.

“Incidents such as this will not destabilise us. We have been through bigger ones,” said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who is also the interior minister.

Ready for all eventualities “The situation is under control. And if something happens, we will deal with it when the time comes.”

He was quoted by the official Saudi Press Agency as speaking to foreign ambassadors.

In a statement carried by militant accounts on Twitter, IS said it was responsible for Friday’s suicide blast which killed three people and wounded four outside the Al Anoud mosque in Dammam city, on the Gulf coast.

The attack came exactly seven days after the IS group claimed a suicide blast at another mosque, in the nearby community of Kudeih.

That bombing killed 21 people and wounded dozens in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

IS has claimed numerous atrocities including the beheading of foreign hostages. — AFP

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the militia-backed Tripoli administration gave a similar account of the attack, and also reported that five were dead. IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted on Twitter, identifying the suicide bomber as a Tunisian named Abu Wahib Al Tunsi. The militant group also warned Fajr Libya to be ready for “war”.

“The apostates of Fajr Libya... must know that a war is coming to cleanse the land of their filth unless they repent and go back to their true religion,” said the extremist group.

Libya plunged into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi, with battle-hardened former rebels

armed with heavy weapons carving out their own fiefdoms.

Fajr Libya, an alliance of armed groups including militants opposed to the extremist views of IS, seized power in Tripoli last year.

Weapons sought It installed a new government and parliament in the capital, prompting the administration recognised by the international community to flee to the east of the country.

Sunday’s attack comes a day after Libya’s recognised government called on the international community to provide it with weapons to battle IS. A statement warned that IS plans on seizing “oilfields to fund its operations”, as it has done in

Syria and Iraq where the militants last year set up a “caliphate” straddling both countries.

The government’s plea comes after IS on Thursday seized control of the airport in Sirte, Gaddafi’s hometown east of Tripoli, after Fajr Libya fighters withdrew from the facility.

It was the first time that IS in Libya has recorded such a military gain. The Gardabiya airport, which is also a military base, lies just 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Libya’s so-called “oil crescent” -- home to key oilfields and export terminals.

Officials in Tripoli said that IS had allied with supporters of the ousted Gaddafi regime to deploy across Sirte. — AFP

bels fired 20 rockets at Saudi Arabia’s southwestern border city of Najran on Saturday.

Border guard killed A Saudi Ministry of Interior spokesman said a border guard was killed and seven others were wounded on Saturday in the Najran region due to rocket attacks from inside Yemen.

Barrel bombing Human Rights Watch said in a report on Sunday that three bombings it had investigated in the northern province of Saada used cluster bombs, which are banned by most countries, adding that it suspected the munitions were fired by Saudi-led forces.

Two of the alleged attacks in April wounded at least six Yemenis, including a 10-year old boy, but another incident on May 23 did not cause any casualties, it said.

“These weapons can’t distinguish military targets from civilians, and their unexploded submunitions threaten civilians, especially children, even long after the fighting,” said Ole Solvang, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. Saudi officials did not provide an immediate response to the report.

In Washington, a State Department official said several Americans have been detained in Yemen amid reports that at least four US citizens are being held hostage by rebels there.

The department had seen the “reports that several US citizens have recently been detained in Yemen,” the official said, adding “we are doing everything we can to get these individuals released.”

But he could not confirm any details about how many where held or who was holding them. — Agencies

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

INDIA

Though it seems that prime minister Modi doesn’t place importance on needless issues like banning a democratic group, his ministers interfering unilaterally and in an authoritarian manner in such issues will impede youth’s thought process and affect the nation’s peace M Karunanidhi, DMK leader

AMBITIOUS MOVE

India seeks to douse century-old coal fires to increase output JHARIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to move more than 100,000 people living near coalfields in eastern India to new homes, making it easier to douse underground fires that have burned for a century and mine huge reserves of premium coal.

Reviving output from India’s nationalised coal sector has been one of Modi’s most tangible achievements during his first year in office, one that he hopes will secure continuous power to all and eat into an annual coal import bill of $15 billion.

The burning deposits of Jharia, in Jharkhand state, are particularly prized because they are the only source of top quality steelmaking coal in the country. India spends as much as $4 billion a year on importing that grade alone.

Modi travelled to Jharkhand in February and urged the chief minister to speed up work on putting out the fires and shifting the people living there.

“The fact that the prime minister is directly involved shows that the government is very seri-

seen by Reuters. Its success will help decide how close Coal India gets to its ambitious target of output of 1 billion tonnes by 2019/20.

Previous attempts to control the fires by sealing the surface, trenching and pumping in inert gases had limited success and were blamed for driving BCCL close to bankruptcy. After 2008, the company tried instead to dig deeper and wider to remove burning coal.

ous about it,” Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said in New Delhi.

Right direction “It’s a huge task but the good news is that we have started moving in the right direction.”

For some of the thousands living in run-down settlements around the coal deposits, the urgency is clear. Shakili Devi, 60, has lost count of the number of huts she inhabited over the years that caved in because of intense heat and shifting ground around her.

“We’re scared, but what can we do?,” she asked, her shack standing next to a crack in the ground leaking hot gas.

“We can only wait for the government to find us a new home.”

Until then, Devi and others like her are stuck. Many families are squatters who rely on casual work from contractors working the mines and on free water pumped to the settlements.

The glowing coals and rising smoke date back to 1916, a quarter of a century after private firms began to mine the field.

GLOWING COAL: A truck is loaded with soil at the burning Jharia

coalfield in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand state in this file photo taken on September 17, 2012. - Reuters

India nationalised most coal assets in the 1970s. According to experts, those firms failed to backfill mines after digging, exposing them to the open air and allowing fires to start by spontaneous combustion.

Bootleggers who used abandoned mine areas made things worse, because some failed to put out fires they lit to run the stills.

Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL),

the Coal India unit which controls the Jharia field, estimates fires have already devoured about 37 million tonnes of coal and blocked access to 2 billion tonnes more, theoretically worth $220 billion.

BCCL accounts for about 7 percent of Coal India’s output and has projected growth of 54 per cent to 53 million tonnes in five years, according to a company document

New method Though more effective, this method has been criticised for scarring the landscape. The coal that heats up to 800 degrees Celsius is then cooled by water over ground and the stones are deposited around the mines, creating heaps that take almost two years to cool off.

The new method has helped cut the burning area to 2.2 square km in April 2014 from over 9 square km six years ago, according to satellite analysis by the state-run National Remote Sensing Centre.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed, but the fire could again get out of control,” said Swarup.

Part-time tutor Arjun Ram, whose father retired from BCCL, lives in a settlement near a hill radiating intense heat.

Three years ago the Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA) identified Ram as one of about 50,000 people who should be moved but has yet to provide him a home.

JRDA managing director Kripa Nand Jha said the delay in building new quarters was partly due to “confusion” over compensation to be paid under a 2013 Land Acquisition Act. He said both the union and state governments, run by Modi’s BJP, have agreed to buy land at four times market prices instead of the going rate as in the past.

There is also a proposal to pay up to seven times in urgent cases and offer jobs to some.

Over recent months, about 1,000 families have moved to two-bedroom flats away from the mines and hundreds of acres of land have been bought for more houses, Jha said. Costs are likely to jump from an estimate of $1 billion. -Reuters

‘Proactive premier is a support not challenge’ There is never a competition between the team members for number one, two or three. Team plays together, said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: Asserting that a “proactive” Prime Minister was not a “challenge”, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said Narendra Modi has not imposed any “restrictions” on her and it was she who prefers to keep a “low profile”.

“Proactive Prime Minister is a support and never a challenge,” Swaraj said when asked if PM Modi’s proactive attitude was a challenge for her.

Addressing a press confer-

LISTING ACHIEVEMENTS: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj releases a report on one year of National Democratic Alliance government, in New Delhi, on Sunday. - PTI

ence organised here to highlight National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s achievements in the last one year on the foreign policy front, Swaraj also noted that she keeps a “low profile” because she believes that it “goes with her role”.

“There is never a competition between the team members for number one, two or three. Team plays together. Competitions happen between opponents and not among team members. All my colleagues are working as number one and doing their best.

“As far as low profile is concerned, this is what goes with my profile. Prime Minister has not imposed any restrictions on anyone so why will he put it on me.

“But why you feel that I am low profile is because I have become External Affairs Minister from the position of Leader of Opposition. In LoP’s profile, I had to speak everyday.

“But as Foreign Minister, my opinion is that I should not speak on domestic issues. Because when the Foreign Minister speaks, it is not his/her personal opinion

or party’s but country’s opinion.

Therefore, a Foreign Minister should not speak... So I decided that the profile I have got, I should not speak and I follow that,” Swaraj said.

Her response came as reporters repeatedly kept asking about Modi hogging the limelight in international arena and she maintaining a low profile.

She said in the past also foreign ministers kept a low profile.

Highlighting the work done by her government in its first year in power, she said emphasis has been on three areas — visits, dialogue and outcome — and noted that 162 diplomatic engagements have taken place with 101 countries between Modi, herself and Minister of State for External Affairs.

Apart from the details of engagements with neighbours including Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan, she also spoke at length about India’s involvement with world superpowers such as the US, China and Russia. Noting that the focus of foreign policy would be on “diplomacy with development”, Swaraj said major domestic flagship programmes of the government would be incorporated in the international engagements. - PTI

DERECOGNITION OF STUDENTS’ BODY

Minister’s interference behind IIT-M unrest: Opposition leader CHENNAI: Castigating Union Human Resources and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani for “authoritarian” interference that allegedly led to derecognition of a students’ body at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M Karunanidhi on Monday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “direct intervention” for revocation of the order and to restore “peace” on the campus.

The former Tamil Nadu chief minister, however, absolved Modi of any personal culpability in the episode. Without naming Irani, he said that “unilateral” and “authoritarian” interference by Modi’s ministers on such issues will impact both the youth of the country and the nation’s peace.

“Though it seems that prime minister Modi doesn’t place importance on needless issues like banning a democratic group, his ministers interfering unilaterally and in an authoritarian manner in such issues will impede youth’s thought process and affect the nation’s peace,” he said.

‘Revoke derecognition’ In a statement here, he called for prime minister’s “direct intervention” to ensure that the derecognition of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) by IIT Madras authorities was revoked immediately to ensure that peace and a

PROTEST: NSUI students protest near the National Media Centre where Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani was attending a programme in New Delhi on Saturday. - PTI

healthy atmosphere prevailed at the institute.

“Because of this incident, the otherwise peacefully functioning institute has turned into a war zone,” he said. Karunanidhi also asked if the AIADMK government, “by not making any explicit statement against the ban and remaining silent,” was supporting the Centre on this issue.

IIT-M is in the eye of a row over derecognition on Friday of the students group, many of whose members are Dalits, following a complaint that it was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The move has led to a string of protests by political parties including Congress and AAP. The premier technical institute

has maintained that APSC had “violated” defined guidelines of IIT-Madras, resulting in its temporary derecognition.

“As per the guidelines in force, student bodies cannot use the name of IIT Madras or its official entities in any capacity to publicise their activities or garner support without official permission,” Prof Ramamurthy, Acting Director, had said, adding “this group has violated the guidelines while conducting their meeting.”

A separate statement by the institute said that while IIT-M does not “curtail” students’ freedom of expression, “it is expected that student groups adhere to these guidelines while conducting their activities.”

The HRD ministry had forwarded a complaint by some students about APSC to the institute wherein it accused the group of creating “hatred” against Modi and instigating protests against Centre’s policies.

Opposition parties have alleged that HRD ministry’s letter was behind the clampdown on the group.

Karunanidhi said members of the study circle had claimed they were working on progressive issues and those which affected the society. He also recalled that his party founder, late C N Annadurai, had as early as in 1947 advocated participation of students cutting across political lines to work for propagating rationalism. - PTI

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INDIA

President gives nod to third land acquisition ordinance now have to be laid before both Houses of Parliament and shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the date of reassembly if it is not converted into law EXECUTIVE ACTION: President Pranab Mukherjee receives a bouquet of flowers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his ceremonial departure for the state visit to Sweden and Belarus at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, on Sunday. - PTI

protests by Congress whose vice president Rahul Gandhi termed the measure as reflecting the “amazing hurry” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “grab”land from the farmers.

Opposition charge Rahul, who has been aggressively opposing the land bill, both in Parliament and outside, has vowed to continue to the fight for the rights of the farmers.

“Modi ji in an amazing hurry to grab land from poor farmers at any cost. A third attempt at pushing the anti farmer Land Ordinance!”

“Congress Party will continue to fight for the rights of the kisan and mazdoor against this #suitbootkisarkar”, he had said in tweets soon after the Cabinet decided to re-promulgate the ordinance.

Senior leader Jairam Ramesh, who was the Rural Development Minister during UPA rule, said the Modi government had insulted Parliament by re-promulgation as a Joint Parliamentary Com-

mittee was already looking into the land bill. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also castigated the government for its action, saying it wanted to “snatch” the rights of farmers. The ordinance was promulgated for the first time in December last year to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

It was then replaced by a bill.

While Lok Sabha passed it with 10 official amendments, the government did not take it to Rajya Sabha where it lacked majority.

The ordinance was re-promulgated in March this year and would have lapsed on June 3.

To re-promulgate the ordinance, the government had prorogued Rajya Sabha.

An amended land acquisition bill is under consideration of a joint committee of parliament.

The fresh ordinance is a copy of the bill pending before the Parliamentary committee and has

VIOLENCE

Naxals impede growth: Minister CHINTAGUFA (Chhattisgarh): Describing Naxals as obstacle to development, Home Minister of Indian Union Rajnath Singh on Sunday said violence is not the way to express grievances and the Centre was ready for “any tough stand” to ensure peace.

Singh, who is the first Union Home Minister to visit this Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp located in the dense forests

E C O N O M I C A L LY U N V I A B L E

Will buy only 36 French Rafale fighter jets: Parrikar

Left parties hit out at government over the issue

The ordinance will

NEW DELHI: The controversial land ordinance was on Sunday re-promulgated for the third time with President Pranab Mukherjee giving his assent notwithstanding opposition protests over the measure.

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, had decided to re-promulgate the ordinance, insisting it was necessary for maintaining continuity and providing a framework to compensate people whose land is acquired.

The ordinance will now have to be laid before both Houses of Parliament and shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the date of reassembly if it is not converted into law.

The president has given assent for the re-promulgation of the ordinance, official sources said.

The ordinance has been promulgated for the third time and it is the 13th executive order of the NDA government since it came to power in May last year.

The move came despite vehement

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of Bastar, assured the security forces full support of the central government in their endeavour.

“You are fighting for the country and you will win. We are all solidly behind you,” he said addressing jawans of the paramilitary force here.

This inaccessible part of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district is considered to be the den of the Communist Party of India (CPI(Maoists))

and security forces have lost at least 200 personnel in the last five years due to the violence perpetrated by the rebels.

Shun violence Inaugurating a “fortified” police station at Dornapal in the same district, the Home Minister said there is no place for bloodshed in a democracy and asked the Maoists to shun violence. - PTI

no new provisions or changes, sources said.

The first meeting of the panel on Saturday saw a number of opposition members questioning the rationale behind changing the provisions of the 2013 law enacted by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

Consent clause While the 2013 law required the consent of 80 per cent of land owners be obtained for private projects and of 70 per cent for public-private partnership projects, the present bill exempts five categories — defence, rural infrastructure,affordable housing, industrial corridors and infrastructure, including PPP projects, where the government owns the land.

The 2013 Act also mandated a social impact assessment to be conducted to identify affected families and calculate the social impact of land acquisition, a provision that has been done away with in the new bill. - PTI

NEW DELHI: Left parties on Sunday strongly condemned the re-promulgation of the controversial land acquisition Ordinance and demanded that it should be kept in abeyance till the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) submits its report and Parliament takes a position on the issue.

The CPI(M) and CPI also lashed out at the government for not being “honest and truthful” to Parliament and asked what the urgency was to reissue the ordinance when the legislation was being scrutinised by the JPC and the Prime Minister saying it was not a ‘life and death question’ for him. Accusing the government of lacking sincerity and honesty, CPI said the government should not take Parliament for “granted”.

“This Government is not truthful to Parliament. It is not truthful to the people. And we, as a party, oppose this Government’s re-issuing of Ordinance. The legislation is already under scrutiny by the JPC. The government should not take Parliament for granted,” CPI National Secretary D Raja said. - PTI

TOO EXPENSIVE: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the previous government’s plans to buy 126 of the fighter jets from French firm Dassault were “economically unviable and not required”. - AFP file photo

NEW DELHI: India will only buy 36 Rafale fighter jets as they are “way too expensive”, the defence minister said on Sunday, dashing lingering French hopes of a larger deal that has been years in the making.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the previous government’s plans to buy 126 of the fighter jets from French firm Dassault were “economically unviable and not required”.

“We are not buying the rest. We are only buying the... 36,” Parrikar told the Press Trust of India news agency. During a visit to France in April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that New Delhi was ordering 36 of the “ready to fly” planes.

The deal — estimated to be worth five billion euros ($5.5 billion) — followed tortuous yearslong negotiations on buying the jets. But the purchase agreement fell a long way short of previous proposals for India to buy 126. Frustrating negotiations for that deal stalled over costs and assembly guarantees.

Parrikar has since played down expectations of a larger deal, but his comments on Sunday were some of his strongest yet, saying buying more of the jets would blow the defence ministry’s procurement budget. - AFP

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

PAKISTAN LETTER

The letter written Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also demanded that Pakistan place Taliban leaders in Quetta and Peshawar under house arrest and detain members of the Taliban-allied Haqqani network ‘responsible for the recent terror campaign in Afghanistan’

Duo out to wean youth from extremism with comic book ‘Paasban’ — or

Ashraf Ghani

‘Guardian’ — a

Ghani calls for action against Afghanistan’s Taliban rebels

three-part series

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani demanded tough action from Pakistan against Taliban militants in a letter seeking greater anti-terrorism cooperation, after facing strong public criticism over a controversial intelligence-sharing deal between the neighbours.

The spy agencies of both countries this month agreed to trade intelligence and bolster cooperation in their fight against the Taliban, the latest sign of a thaw in oncefrosty ties.

The Afghan government played down the significance of the deal, which triggered uproar in parliament and an avalanche of public criticism, with many accusing Ghani’s government of selling out to longtime nemesis Pakistan.

of them drops out

‘Condemn offensive’ In the letter, whose contents were shared by officials with AFP on Sunday, Ghani asked Islamabad’s civilian and military leadership to condemn the Taliban’s annual spring offensive and reiterated Kabul’s long standing demand of denying insurgents sanctuary on their side of the border.

The letter also demanded that Pakistan place Taliban leaders in Quetta and Peshawar under house arrest and detain members of the Taliban-allied Haqqani network “responsible for recent terror campaign in Afghanistan”.

The letter comes as the Afghan Taliban intensify their annual spring offensive, launched in late April, which has sent civilian casualties soaring.

Harbouring insurgents Afghan officials have frequently accused Pakistan of harbouring and nurturing Taliban insurgents, who are waging a 13-year war against local and foreign troops in the country.

But Ghani has actively courted Pakistan, which has historically backed the Taliban, since coming to power in what observers say is a calculated gambit to pressure the insurgents to the negotiating table. — AFP

featuring a group of close friends at college who begin to worry when one to join an extremist student group that is ostensibly working for charitable causes.

Some in the group however, suspect it may have darker motives PENS NOT GUNS: In this photograph taken on May 20, 2015, a Pakistani comic book artist works at the Creative Frontiers office in Lahore. When Taliban militants stormed a school in Pakistan’s northwest last December, killing 150 people, mainly children, in the country’s deadliest terror attack, comic book creators Mustafa Hasnain and Gauhar Aftab decided it was time to act. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: When Taliban militants stormed a school in Pakistan’s northwest last December, killing 150 people, mainly children, in the country’s deadliest terror attack, comic book creators Mustafa Hasnain and Gauhar Aftab decided it was time to act.

The pair had already been working on a series to raise awareness about the corruption that plagues the country.

But they quickly decided to shift their focus to violent extremism -and felt holding candle-light vigils was not the best way to effect change.

Creative Frontiers Hasnain, a British-educated computer graphics specialist, founded his own company Creative Frontiers in 2013, today employing 20 people, including young male and female artists, programmers and writers, in a hip Silicon Valleystyle office in the city of Lahore.

He explained: “It was a huge watershed moment for us. I got together with Gauhar and I said ‘We really have to do something about this’.

“We used to stand over there (at vigils) with a candle... but we wanted to do something more.”

The result was Paasban — or Guardian — a three-part series featuring a group of close friends at college who begin to worry

While comic books in the US tradition often feature heroes with super-powers such as Superman, Paasban’s creators decided to concentrate on creating ordinary heroes, or ‘Guardians’ they felt the Pakistani audience would relate better to

when one of them drops out to join an extremist student group that is ostensibly working for charitable causes. Some in the group however, suspect it may have darker aims.

Tailor-made app Fifteen thousand of the books are set to be distributed for free from June 1 at schools in the cities of Lahore, Multan and Lodhran while some copies will be made available in book stores. The comic will also be distributed on a tailor-made app the group have developed for Apple and Android smartphones.

For English-language scriptwriter Aftab, the pathway from disillusionment to signing up to carry a gun and fight the so-called

enemies of Islam was not just something he had read about in the news -- it was a choice he had almost made as a child.

A product of Aitchison College in Lahore, Pakistan’s elite equivalent to Britain’s Eton, Aftab came under the influence of a charismatic teacher who convinced him at the age of 13 to leave behind his school and family to fight against the Indian army in the disputed region of Kashmir.

Eventually pulled back by a last-minute family intervention, he came to identify the methods that radicals use to attract young people to their cause.

By creating a storyline that features a protagonist going through these experiences, said Aftab, young people who see the same

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thing going on in their lives or those of their friends will be better equipped to identify and avoid the same fate.

Renowned script-writer The Urdu translation was written by renowned script-writer Amjad Islam Amjad, responsible for some of Pakistan’s most popular TV shows, in an effort to ensure an audience that is as wide as possible in a country where English is mainly used by the educated elite.

While comic-books in the US tradition often feature heroes with super-powers such as Superman, Paasban’s creators decided to concentrate on creating ordinary heroes, or “Guardians” they felt the Pakistani audience would relate better to.

The art is inspired by Alphonse Mucha and Pakistani artist Abdur Rahman Chughtai, though the action is more in line with Western comics and Japanese Manga, according to creative director and co-creator Yahya Ehsan.

But what the three hope will eventually land them a sustainable revenue stream beyond the donor-funding they currently receive is a digital app they have developed that they say is the best of its kind in the world for bringing graphic novels to life on smartphones.

The app is optimised to work on the low-end smartphones available from about $70 that have flooded the Pakistani market since the advent of 3G data connections last year, with some estimates placing smartphone penetration at 20 per cent of the country’s estimated 80 million mobile users.

Users can swipe from panel to panel, with simple animations depicting new characters entering a scene, all set to a brooding background soundtrack.

“We want to promote the idea that you don’t have to be secular to be non violent... What you need to be is a Muslim who rejects the violent extremist form certain groups have given to our faith,” said Aftab. — AFP

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ELECTION VIOLENCE

Leader arrested over death of rival political party worker PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (PTI) central general secretary and ex- provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain was arrested on Sunday over the death of a Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) worker.

A PTI worker, Habibullah, was killed during aerial firing outside Iftikhar’s residence in Pabbi locality of Nowshera district in the early hours of Sunday.

“After the declaration of initial results of local government polls in the area, PTI and ANP workers gathered in Pabbi Bazaar and members of both the parties started chanting slogans against each other,” Station House Officer of Pabbi Police Shad Ali Khan said, while speaking to The Express Tribune.

“Things went sour and Mian Iftikhar came out to tackle the situation but it was too late,” he added.

The police official explained that activists of both parties resorted to aerial firing owing to which two PTI activists were injured.

“They were rushed to a nearby hospital but one of the activists, identified as Habibullah succumbed to his injuries after which his father Sher Alam filed a case against Mian Iftikhar and his guard Jehangir,” he added.

Iftikhar was presented to Judicial Magistrate in Nowshera where he was handed over to the police on a one-day remand for

Further, he said, “If the police and army did not take action I might not be standing in front of you today.”

Mian Iftikhar Hussain

further investigations.

“Iftikhar was then shifted back to the sub-jail, police rest house at Pabbi police station as further investigations into the case were underway.”

Aerial firing A case was registered against the ANP leader and his guards following the worker’s death.

However, denying involvement in his murder, Iftikhar said, “I cannot think of murdering anyone. The worker died owing to aerial firing from his own party’s workers,” he added.

Addressing the media from the court Hussain said, “I am very upset at the way I am being treated, I have done nothing and everyone knows that.”

“They [PTI workers] came to attack me and when the police failed to protect me two contingents of army were called in,” the veteran ANP leader added.

Post-poll chaos Chaos, mismanagement and violence marred local government polls in K-P which saw at least nine people killed and more than 32 injured in election-related violence across the province.

Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) district council candidate in Ameerabad, Tangi, Afzal Khan, was killed while ANP’s Youth Council candidate Alam Zeb Khan was also injured in a firing incident.

In addition to the QWP candidate’s murder, at least six people were killed in Charsadda. According to police, a man was gunned down in a brawl in Sherpao area while two others were injured.

In Tarnab area of Charsadda, two brothers belonging to the QWP were gunned down. Two more people were killed in Mandani area of the district in separate gun related incidents.

Police arrested the Charsadda general secretary for Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) Mufti Gauhar Ali for allegedly causing disruption in the voting process.

Further, police booked at least 58 people in Mardan, Charsadda and Swabi, registering cases against them. — Express Tribune

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015 Lit by white lights on its wings, the Solar Impulse 2 plane rolled down the runway before climbing into a misty sky with its four whirling propellers nearly silent. Ground crew members cheered as it took off. The 8,500 kilometre flight could set a record for duration by a single pilot, organisers said

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WORLD

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Solar Impulse on China-Hawaii flight

ACCIDENT: Police officers stand guard at the entrance of the

Geneva University Hospital, in Geneva, on Sunday while US Secretary of State John Kerry receives treatment there after a cycling accident. — AFP

Kerry’s leg broken in cycling accident US Secretary of State John Kerry broke his femur while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route near Scionzier, France but the injury is not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, spokesman John Kirby said

GENEVA: US Secretary of State John Kerry broke his right leg in an accident while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route near Scionzier, France, on Sunday and is returning to the United States, his spokesman said.

He has cancelled visits to Madrid and Paris.

Kerry broke his femur but the injury is not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, spokesman John Kirby said. He was taken to Geneva’s main hospital and was in a stable condition.

Kerry had been due later on Sunday to travel to Madrid, his first visit to Spain as secretary of state, to sign a bilateral defence agreement that would allow the United States to have permanent use of Moron air base, near Seville.

Was to meet Iraq’s PM He had then been due on Monday to fly to Paris for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al Abadi and members of a US-supported coalition fighting IS. Kerry, 71, is still an avid sportsman and often takes his own bike on official trips abroad. The accident came the day after he met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Geneva to try to overcome obstacles in negotiations on curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme.

It was not immediately clear how his injury would affect the nuclear negotiations with just a month left before a June 30 deadline for a final agreement be-

Kerry, 71, is still an avid sportsman and often takes his own bike on official trips abroad

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tween Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

Flown by helicopter Kerry was flown by helicopter from the scene of the accident after he was stabilised by a doctor and paramedic who were with his accompanying motorcade. He was resting comfortably and in good spirits in the Geneva hospital, Kirby said.

A senior State Department official said it appeared Kerry had hit a curb. There was no vehicle involved. — Reuters

DAFFODIL FESTIVAL A boat carrying an elephant figure, made out of daffodil flowers (Narcissus radiiflorus), takes part in a parade SCAN THIS FOR at the Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival) MORE PHOTOS along Grundlsee lake in the village of Bad Aussee, on Sunday. The Daffodil Festival takes place every year in the Ausseerland to celebrate the blossoms and the start of springtime in this mountainous region of Austria. — Reuters

NANJING (CHINA): The revolutionary Solar Impulse 2 aircraft took off early on Sunday for a sixday, six-night flight over the Pacific Ocean, the most ambitious leg of its quest to circumnavigate the globe powered only by the sun.

Pilot Andre Borschberg, 62, left the ground in Nanjing, in eastern China, heading for the US island of Hawaii, at about 2:40 am (1840 GMT), after extended delays awaiting a suitable weather window over safety concerns.

Lit by white lights on its wings, the plane rolled down the runway before climbing into a misty sky with its four whirling propellers nearly silent.

8,500 kilometres to go Ground crew members cheered as it took off. The 8,500 kilometre (5,270 mile) flight could set a record for duration by a single pilot, organisers said.

“I cross my fingers and I hope to cross the Pacific,” Borschberg told reporters just hours before the take-off. “We have a good weather

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The journey began in Abu Dhabi in March and is scheduled for 12 legs, with a total flight time of around 25 days.

AMBITIOUS: Swiss pilot Andre Boschberg sits in the cockpit of Solar Impulse 2 plane as he gets ready to take off at the Nanjing Lukou International Airport, China, on Sunday. — Reuters/Stringer

window, which means we have a stable corridor to reach Hawaii,” he said, shortly before climbing into the cockpit to test the instruments. The current flight plan saw no threat from typhoons, a typical weather threat in Asia.

“I’m really confident we should be able to get through and find the right way,” he said.

It is the seventh and longest section of the maiden solar-powered global circumnavigation, an attempt to promote green energy.

Two-month stay Nonetheless Solar Impulse 2 spent two months in China after arriving at Chongqing airport from Myanmar on March 31, where it had been due to make only a brief stop before continuing to Nanjing but was held up for weeks by weather issues.

After more than eight hours in the air, the plan was over the East China sea and Borschberg could be heard discussing light turbulence along the upcoming journey with the Solar Impulse team.

“For the Pacific, I need to be ready for the unknown,” Borschberg tweeted before takeoff. — AFP

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Fifa reformation recedes with Blatter’s victory

S

epp Blatter’s unruffled demeanour and calm pronouncements over the past few days have given the impression of a man barely touched by the storm raging around him. His re-election as Fifa president might explain his composure. The general assumption a week ago was that Fifa’s reputation was already as bad as it can get.

Events since Wednesday’s dramatic dawn raids on a Zurich hotel have emphasised just how grubby football’s governing body truly is. And yet, against all logic, Blatter presented himself as the man to clean up the mess. Even more bizarrely, at least from an outsider’s perspective, he has retained the support of a majority of Fifa members — primarily outside Europe. Yet even putting aside the identity of its leader, there are inherent difficulties associated with fundamental reform of Fifa as a global organisation. After all, at stake are truly monstrous sums of money. The 2014 World Cup alone is said to have generated $4.8bn of revenue for the Fifa coffers. And because of Fifa’s commitment to developing the game around the globe, a disproportionate amount of its largesse is funnelled to national associations which cannot rely on their own Premier League-style returns. They are, in short, largely reliant on Fifa for their future sustainability. And stereotypes aside, the simple fact is that many of the poorer associations are in countries where corruption is rife throughout every layer of politics, business and law enforcement.

Fifa is not the only global sporting association to have come under the spotlight in recent times. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) became mired in scandal when board members were accused of accepting bribes during the bidding process for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The head of the Formula One Group, Bernie Ecclestone, settled a bribery action brought against him in Germany in 2013 without admitting liability. And while the International Cricket Council places itself at the forefront of the fight against corruption in sport, its effectiveness has frequently been questioned.

The task ahead, therefore, is hardly straightforward. But is everything lost? After all, the IOC slowly rebuilt its image after the Salt Lake City disaster: sanctioning members found to have acted improperly; controlling the Olympic bidding process more tightly; and introducing age limits and fixed terms for committee membership. Imperfections remain, but the IOC has become substantially more transparent and its reputation has improved accordingly. The problem for Fifa is that it is only four years since its last attempt to prove that it could root out the wrongdoers. At the end of 2011, Mr Blatter announced the formation of an Independent Governance Committee (IGC), which made many recommendations, including the establishment of a twochamber Ethics Committee and a new Audit and Compliance Committee. The majority of the IGC’s proposals were duly implemented — to what end now seems unclear. — The Independent

COMMENTARY

Bosnian War features reflect in Syria today CHRISTOPHER R. HILL

A welcome consensus

R

eports that all political parties had reached consensus regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are welcome indeed. Let there be no mistake — the CPEC is the singlemost important development in Pakistan in decades, and may really present an unrivalled opportunity for the country to finally, belatedly, attain its true potential. Reaching consensus was no easy task, and the back-story has now emerged. The concept of the CPEC has been widely misunderstood; possibly wilfully so on behalf of some political parties. It is a multi-layered mix of projects strung along three arterial routes. It is vast — so vast that it is impossible to build all three routes simultaneously, and the sticking point has been which of the three — east, central or west — would be built first.

By far the easiest in real terms to build is the eastern route, primarily because it already has much of the necessary infrastructure in place.

Thus the government, and the Chinese who are bankrolling this enterprise, opted to build this route first. Not so fast, said the political parties whose power bases are elsewhere than Punjab. A tussle commenced, with a slightly surprising outcome. So important is the CPEC that the government was forced into a process that was genuinely consultative, and listened to all sides. A round of behind-the-arras meetings, including those with the Chinese before the APC, wrung pragmatism from the government side — and a change in its original decision. The western route is to be built first, by far the most difficult and challenging at every level, and especially in terms of security. The other two routes will also be worked on, but that to the west will have priority. It is now for the government to sit with the Chinese to work out the modalities, and a parliamentary committee is to be set up to oversee the project. One cannot help but surmise how much easier the government’s life would have been had it adopted a pragmatic and inclusive posture from the outset — but better late than never. Over the next 20 years, the CPEC will hopefully benefit all. We wish it well. —The Express Tribune

Investments help create jobs for the young Omanis This refers to the news story, Strict labour law will hurt country’s economy (May 31). The article made my day, because as long as there are people like you in this country, there’s a future. You reminded your readers the value of an expat, and while expats should respect the locals and their land, we all should work for the development of the Sultanate. I am one among a huge number of expats born and brought up in Oman, and consider it our home too. Omanis do have expertise in quite a few fields, but there’s always more to learn. The way forward is to welcome foreigners, invite them to invest, so that they can create jobs for the young Omanis. A person who has just learnt to swim cannot compete in the Olympics, in the

same way a fresh graduate isn’t ready to be a manager.

Brendon Aranha Muscat

Unregulated flow of expats will not serve country well This refers to the news story, Strict labour law will hurt country’s economy (May 31). I have been in agreement with your perspectives in the past but you have indeed disappointed me on the referred story.

It is true that every country needs skilled foreigners but the need and use of expatriates should never be unchecked or unregulated.

You have failed to appreciate that the regulations must be in place in Oman or else the unregulated flow of expats will only lead to a situation which will not be in the best interest of the country or its

Those who recall the Bosnian War can find many of its features in Syria today. Like Bosnia, Syria seems hopelessly divided among warring factions, and the violence there seems to be unstoppable

C

onflict and crisis may seem to be unique to their participants and contemporaries. But such episodes often play out according to distinct patterns — though usually after the events that comprise them have faded from our collective memory. Such is the case with Syria’s civil war. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Accords, which ended the Bosnian War. It was a brutal war for territory, in which civilians were targeted more often than combatants, making a mockery of international humanitarian law (indeed, it has taken decades to round up known war criminals, some of whose trials remain ongoing). And it was a war that divided the international community, especially the Western allies, as it grappled with its first post-Cold War crisis. Today, the Bosnian War is barely remembered. When it is, observers typically cite the use of Nato airpower, as if that were the only factor that helped end it.

But Bosnia was an important war in history.

With Europe and the United States drifting apart, it ultimately brought them closer together and put to rest questions about US preparedness to lead and work with others. In fact, much of what happened in Bosnia — including the effort, in its aftermath, to realize concepts of universal justice — has applications for the contemporary world.

Indeed, those who recall the Bosnian War can find many of its features in Syria today. Like Bosnia, Syria seems hopelessly divided among warring factions, and the violence there seems to be unstoppable. The international community has been unable to achieve any unity of action, much less agreement on a way forward. Of course, there are important differences as well. But these, too, are instructive when it comes to Syria.

At several points during the Bosnian War, the view emerged that the international community should not deal with certain players. But, unlike in Syria, at no time did the view emerge that the international community should never deal with certain players. At one juncture, former US President Jimmy Carter went to the Bosnian Serb redoubt in Pale to meet with the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić, who now sits in a jail cell in The Hague.

The Bosnian War’s counterpart to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević. Though some Western diplomats opposed dealing with him, the vast majority under-

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Every hero becomes a bore at last RALPH WALDO EMERSON

stood that he was the key figure in controlling the Serbs and delivering peace. When US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and his team travelled to Belgrade to meet with Milošević in August 1995, there was scepticism about the trip, but most serious voices understood the need to meet with him.

A similar decision today to meet with Assad would simply not be countenanced. One can only imagine the howls of derision that would be directed at President Barack Obama’s administration were it to send an envoy to Damascus for such a meeting.

What made the approach to Milošević possible was not that the 1990s were a gentler era. Rather, the key was the existence of a peace roadmap known as the Contact Group plan, which laid out an eventual solution for Bosnia. No one liked the Contact Group plan, but no one came up with a better solution than a federalised Bosnia, within its existing borders, that would provide guarantees for minorities. That plan was eventually implemented in the Dayton Accords. To this day, it, too, has many detractors, especially among those who believe that the Bosniaks should have been given the means to do to the Serbs what the Serbs had tried to do to them. But few can argue that the Contact Group process did not end one of Europe’s bloodiest wars and create the conditions for eventually integrating the Balkans into transatlantic structures.

The Syrian conflict calls for a similar international effort and focus. “Levelling the battlefield” by providing weapons to moderates is, at best, a prescription for prolonged violence, with even more civilian casualties and refugees.

A political plan for Syria is needed, one that envisages decentralised political structures within existing international borders, problematic as they may be. Democracy entails not only majority rule, but also minority rights. Syria may be heading for eventual sectarian rule, displacing the political dominance of Assad’s Alawite sect.

But Syria cannot be governed by just one political party or sectarian group. The country needs a power-sharing regime and the governance structures that protect it. That concept is unlikely to emerge from the combatants themselves, which is why an international plan along these lines is so important. A Bosnia-style contact group would also orient all players — both the international community and Syria’s warring factions — by providing a simple litmus test for identifying “moderates.” One could simply ask who supports the plan and who does not. — Project Syndicate

citizens. Time has come now when we the nationals must take charge and responsibilities.

Ali Al Amri Muscat

There should be rules to protect expats as well This refers to the news story, Strict labour law will hurt country’s economy (May 31). Not only Oman but any developing country relies on expatriates to some extent. As an Omani I know that pride is one of other things that we have, but it should be put aside when need be. While it’s important to give priority to citizens who qualify and can handle responsibilities, when we can’t fill in these positions with Omanis, then we should let someone from abroad to do it. Yes you can have laws that will favour

we the citizens but the least you can do is to have laws to protect the expats who help build our nation.

Keep this in mind: “You don’t miss the water till the well runs dry.”

Let’s rethink our decisions for the betterment of Oman.

Mufied M H Aljabry Muscat

Oman should gradually cut dependence on expatriates This refers to the news story, Strict labour law will hurt country’s economy (May 31). Oman belongs to its people and employing expats is only a process towards the development of the country. It is time now for Omanis to work in their own country for the good of their country.

Ester Sasser Muscat

Letters, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi), by fax (24813153) or by e-mail (times@omantel.net.om)

T I M E S OF OMAN

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

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PERSPEC IVE Greece, Argentina, and the middle-income trap ANDRÉS VELASCO

Latin America or East Asia that worry about being stuck at middleincome level. The Acemoglu-Robinson account of a single small elite pulling all the strings needs to be replaced by a different narrative, in which an array of politically powerful groups exercise veto power over decisions that affect their economic interests

A

side from an established tradition of bad macroeconomics, what do Greece and Argentina have in common? One answer is that they were the world’s longest-held captives of the so-called middle-income trap — and remain within its reach to this day. With countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin American fearing that, having reached the international middle class, they could be stuck there, Greece and Argentina shed light on how that might happen.

A recent paper by economists from Bard College and the Asian Development Bank categorizes the world economy according to four groups — with the top two categories occupied by upper-middleincome and high-income countries — and tracks countries’ movements in and out of these groups.

Which countries were stuck for the longest period in the upper-middle-income category before moving to high income? You guessed it: Greece and Argentina. Correcting for variations in the cost of living across countries, the paper concludes that $10,750 of purchasing power in the year 1990 is the threshold for per capita income beyond which a country is high income, while $7,250 makes it upper-middle income. By these criteria, Argentina became an upper-middle-income country all the way back in 1970, and then spent 40 years stuck in that category before reaching high-income status in 2010. Greece joined the international upper middle class in 1972, and then took 28 years to reach the top income group, in 2000. No other country that became upper middle income after 1950, and then made the transition, took nearly as long. In fact, the average length of that transition was 14 years, with economies such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong taking as little as seven years.

Data in the paper stop at 2010, but the story may well be worse today. According to IMF figures, Greece’s never-ending crisis has cut per capita GDP by 10 per cent since 2010, and by 18 per cent since 2007. Indeed, Greece may have dropped out of the high-income category in recent years.

Argentina’s per capita income has risen, albeit slowly, during this period, but the country was never far from a full-blown macroeconomic crisis that could reduce household incomes sharply. So it seems fair to conclude that both countries are still caught in the middle-income trap.

What kind of trap is it? In Greece and Argentina, it is both political and economic.

Start with the politics. In their book Why Nations Fail, Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson argue that societies with political arrangements

that concentrate power in the hands of a few seldom excel at innovation and growth, because innovators have no guarantee they will keep the fruits of their labors. And, to the extent that outsiders cannot generate wealth, they have few resources with which to challenge the power of insiders; as a result, exclusionary political arrangements are mostly self-sustaining.

That is a useful account of why there is a poverty trap — which is the question the book seeks to answer — but it does not clarify why there is a middleincome trap. Greece and Argentina are, after all, democracies, however imperfect, and so are most of the countries in Latin America or East Asia that worry about being stuck at middle-income level.

The Acemoglu-Robinson account of a single small elite pulling all the strings needs to be replaced by a different narrative, in which an array of politically powerful groups exercise veto power over decisions that affect their economic interests.

Think of powerful business groups vetoing moves to improve tax collection or strengthen competition policy. This helps explain why the Greek and Argentine governments are perennially in deficit (until borrowing options dry up and adjustment is inevitable), or why prices — and profits — are high in sectors (for example, transportation and telecoms) that provide would-be entrepreneurs with crucial (but often unaffordable) inputs.

Or think of public-sector unions vetoing changes in benefits for their members. That goes a long way toward explaining (add a bit of ideology to the mix) why the current Greek government has gone to the brink of default before agreeing to restrain publicsector pensions, as its European Union partners demand. It also helps explain why both Greece and Argentina have sizeable governments (public spending accounts for 46 per cent and 39 per cent of GDP, respectively) but puny public investment and outdated infrastructure.

This is not a case of too much democracy, as conservative commentators sometimes claim, but of too little. Underdeveloped democratic institutions allow for decisions that are individually rational but collectively shortsighted and harmful.

And bad politics makes for bad economics. To go from middle-income to high-income status, countries have to redeploy resources to high-productivity, knowledge- and skill-intensive sectors.

That is a transition that Greece and Argentina, with their financial instability, poor infrastructure, and weak education systems, have never made. — Project Syndicate

Tony Blair should have quit two years ago ROBERT FISK

T

ony Blair’s time as Middle East envoy representing the US, Russia, the UN and the EU has finally come to an end. Eight years after he took up the role, Blair tendered his resignation and left one question: how come a war criminal ever became a “peace envoy” in the first place?

The people of the Middle East — and much of the world — have been asking this question ever since Blair was appointed the Quartet’s man in Jerusalem, solemnly and hopelessly tasked to bring “peace” between Israelis and Palestinians.

Was his new mission supposed to wash the blood from his hands after the catastrophe of the BushBlair invasion of Iraq and the hundreds of thousands of innocents who died as a result?

For Arabs — and for Britons who lost their loved ones in his shambolic war in Iraq — Blair’s appointment was an insult.

The man who never said he was sorry for his political disaster simply turned up in Jerusalem four years later and, with a team which spent millions in accommodation and air fares, managed to accomplish absolutely nothing

in the near-decade that followed.

Blair appeared indifferent to the massive suffering of the Palestinians — he was clearly impotent in preventing it — and spent much of his time away from the tragedy of the Middle East, advising the great and the good and a clutch of atrocious dictators, and telling the world — to Israel’s satisfaction — of the dangers are represented by Iran.

The more prescient he thought he was, the more irrelevant he became in the eyes of the region he was sent to protect.

A Blair supporter once defended him on Channel 4 by recalling how he had travelled to the Middle East almost 100 times — without realising the essential irony: that Blair abandoned the region almost 100 times for more rewarding destinations.

Blair was supposed to produce more than the easy panaceas that slipped from his lips, the most outrageous of which was his contention that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be easier than ending the Northern Ireland crisis.

But the Palestinians have much more in common with the Irish

Catholics cleansed from their lands by the Protestant planters of the 17th century than with the pitiful historical battle in the province, whose resolution proved to be Blair’s only lasting accomplishment.

If only he had resigned more than two years ago, after Palestinian leaders had themselves characterised his job as “useless, useless, useless”.

Israel, of course, would never have described him as this. Stoutly condemning the campaign for Israel’s “delegitimisation”, Blair talked about this as a form of bias which was “an affront to humanity” — a choice of words he never used about the massive civilian casualties inflicted by Israel on the Palestinians of Gaza.

The Arabs will now wait to see if the Quartet will repeat its folly by appointing an even more unsuitable candidate — a truly difficult task — although many in the region think the whole panjandrum must be abandoned.

Eight years ago, there just might have been the slimmest chance of bringing a Palestinian state into being. Today there is none. — The Independent

Contain and amplify abroad THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

T

he Arab world is a pluralistic region that lacks pluralism — the ability to manage and embrace differences peacefully.

As such, the Middle East’s pluralistic character has long been managed by iron fists from above.

But after we removed the fists in Iraq and Libya, without putting a new bottom-up order in place, and the people themselves tried to remove the fists in Syria and Yemen, without putting a new liveand-let-live order in place, a horrifying war of all against all has exploded.

The fighting has laid bare just how much the last 60 years of predatory leadership in that region failed at human development and citizenship building.

The whole Arab world package, with its artificially straight-line borders, was held together by oil and brute force. In the wreckage, people are falling back on the only identities they think might keep them safe: tribe and sect.

It is a measure of how far things have unravelled that many Iraqis prefer the lunatic Isis, than to fight and die for the government in Baghdad. I have never seen it this bad.

The Middle East analyst Simon Henderson captured the disintegration well in an essay in The Wall Street Journal, “The violent chaos in Yemen isn’t orderly enough to merit being called a civil war.”

Mind-set The fundamentalist mindset seems to be taking hold everywhere. The Middle East Media Research Institute recently posted a video from last month of Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al Naqib, a lecturer on education at Mansoura University north of Cairo, criticising Isis, but he added, “There is no doubt that they are much better than the criminal Rafidites, who kill the (others) because of their (sectarian) identity.”

Otto Scharmer, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who works with communities trapped in perpetual conflicts, defines the main features of the fundamentalist mind-set by its opposites: What is the opposite of an open mind? he asks.

“You are stuck in one truth.” What is the opposite of an open heart?

“You are stuck in one collective skin; everything is us-versus-them and, therefore, empathy for the other is impossible.”

And what is the opposite of an open will?

“You are enslaved to old intentions that originate in the past and not from the

present, and so you cannot open up to any emerging new opportunities.” If that zero-sum mind-set continues to prevail, you can only weep for the future of this region when there is much less oil, many more kids, and much less water. It will be a freak show.

For now, I see only two ways coherent self-government can re-emerge in Libya, Iraq, Yemen and Syria: If an outside power totally occupies them, snuffs out their sectarian wars, suppresses the extremists and spends the next 50 years trying to get Iraqis, Syrians, Yemenis and Libyans to share power as equal citizens. Even that might not work. Anyway, it’s not going to happen.

The other is just wait for the fires to burn themselves out. The Lebanese civil war ended after 14 years by reconciliation-throughexhaustion.

All sides accepted the principle of “no victor/no vanquished,” and everyone got a piece of the pie. That’s how Tunisia’s factions managed to find stability: no victor/no vanquished.

We cannot effectively intervene in a region where so few share a common goal.

For instance, in Iraq and Syria, almost all foreign interventionists have acted as “arsonists” and “firefighters.”

The US policy now should be “containment, plus amplification.”

Let’s help those who manifest the will to contain Isis, like Jordan, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and the Kurds in Iraq, and amplify any constructive things that groups in Yemen, Iraq, Libya, or Syria are ready to do with their power, but we must not substitute our power for theirs.

This has to be their fight for their future. If the fight against Isis is not worth it to them, it surely can’t be for the US. I was behind a car this weekend that had a Virginia license plate bearing the motto “Fight Terrorism.”

Sorry, but I don’t think that should be on any state’s license plate. We’ve spent more than a decade of lives and treasure trying to “fight terrorism” to fix a part of the world that can’t be fixed from the outside.

A waste It has been a waste. I wish it had worked. The world would be better for it. But it didn’t. And the beginning of wisdom is admitting that and stopping throwing good money after bad.

We need to stop being the “United States of Fighting Terrorism.”

If Virginians need a license plate motto, how about: “Contain and Amplify Abroad.

Build Virginia at Home.” — The New York Times News Service

Jackson’s Neverland Ranch up for sale

TODAY IN HISTORY

The California ranch once known as Neverland and owned by late pop star Michael Jackson is going on the market for $100 million 100m

1981: Developer William Bone builds Sycamore Valley Ranch 1987: Jackson buys property for $19.5m and renames it Neverland after Peter Pan’s island dwelling

Site of former zoo, housing elephants, giraffes, tigers and orangutans

2005: Jackson distances himself from ranch after being acquitted of charges he molested children there 2008: Investment firm Colony Capital enters into joint ownership deal with Jackson after bailing him out of $23m debt

Jackson and children ride merry-go-roun d at Neverland, 1994

Site of former funfair

Cinema

Floral clock and train station

WHAT YOU GET FOR $100M

1,100 hectares of land with 22 structures 1,115m2 house (6 bedrooms + staff quarters) Two guest houses (4-bed and 2-bed) Pool, basketball court, tennis court 50-seat cinema with theatre stage Mini-railway and train station

100km Neverland Los Angeles

Iconic “Neverland” floral clock remains on property

Normandy-style main house

193

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The Roman emperor, Marcus Didius, is murdered in his palace.

1533

Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s new queen, is crowned.

‘LAW AND SOCIETY’ FORUM BEGINS

1774

The British government orders the port of Boston closed.

1864

The Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, begins as Confederate general Robert E. Lee tries to turn Union general Ulysses S. Grant’s flank.

1915

Germany conducts the first zeppelin air raid over England.

1921

A race riot erupts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing 85 people.

MUSCAT: Sayyid Al Mutasim bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, minister of state and governor of Muscat, opened a forum on ‘Law and Society’ at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) yesterday. The forum, which aims at upgrading legal awareness among administrative leaderships, will discuss over two days the provisions of the civil code, administrative, judiciary, and penal procedures. It is being organised by Muscat Municipality in cooperation with the OOCI and the College of Sharia and Law. The forum was addressed by Sheikh Salim bin Hilal Al Khalili, OCCI president; and Sayyid Said bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi, Muscat deputy governor. Sayyid said that the promulgation of the basic statute of the state marked the start for the introduction of a series of legislation in the country including the recent laws on the judiciary. Law experts from the College of Sharia and Law and the OCCI will deliver lectures at the forum on the science of law, the civil code and the other legal issues in the Sultanate.

HISTORYNET.COM Source: Wire agencies

Graphic News /

Graphics

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015 Beau Biden briefly considered running for the US Senate to take the seat vacated when his father Joe Biden became vice president after the 2008 election, but he ultimately decided to continue working as Delaware’s attorney general

A15

WORLD

SPYING CHARGES

Qatar reduces death penalty for Filipino

Joe Biden’s son dies of cancer Beau Biden, 46 , the eldest son of US Vice President Joe Biden, had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer

WASHINGTON: Beau Biden, the eldest son of US Vice President Joe Biden and the former attorney general of Delaware, has died of brain cancer, his family announced Saturday. He was 46.

Beau Biden, who had served in Iraq as a lawyer with the Delaware Army National Guard, had been undergoing treatment at the Walter Reed Medical Center just outside Washington.

“He battled brain cancer with the same integrity, courage and strength he demonstrated every day of his life,” the vice president’s family said in a statement.

“The entire Biden family is saddened beyond words. We know that Beau’s spirit will live on in all of us -- especially through his brave wife, Hallie,

and two remarkable children, Natalie and Hunter.”

Beau Biden was a popular Democrat in his East Coast state of Delaware and had once been expected to follow his father onto the national political stage.

He joined the National Guard in 2003 as a judge advocate general, or military lawyer, and deployed to Iraq in 2008 as his father was campaigning for the vice presidency as Barack Obama’s running mate.

Beau Biden briefly considered running for the US Senate to take the seat vacated when his father became vice president after the 2008 election, but he ultimately decided to continue working as Delaware’s attorney general.

Homage Obama paid homage late on Saturday, praising Beau Biden’s commitment to his family.

“Like his dad, Beau was a good, big-hearted, devoutly Catholic and deeply faithful man, who made a difference in the lives of all he touched -- and he lives on in their hearts,” Obama said in a statement. “But for all that Beau Biden achieved in his life, nothing made him prouder; nothing made him happier; nothing claimed a fuller focus of his love and devotion than his family. Just like his dad,” the president added. — AFP

DOHA: A death sentence handed to a Filipino in Qatar for spying was reduced on appeal by a Doha court on Sunday to life imprisonment.

Two other sentences of life imprisonment against another pair of defendants, also from the Philippines, were reduced at the same time by Qatar’s Court of Appeal to 15 years in jail.

One of the men sentenced to serve 15 years has been named as Ronaldo Lopez Ulep.

All three had been convicted last year on charges of espionage and passing on Qatar military and economic secrets to the Philippines government. The unnamed defendant who was originally sentenced to death is likely to spend up to 25 years in prison. He worked

as a supervisor at Qatar Petroleum.

The other two defendants worked for the Qatar Air Force.

At the time of their conviction it was alleged that the two men working for the air force supplied information to the third man for cash.

Following Sunday’s brief hearing, the Philippines ambassador to Qatar, Wilfred C. Santos, said the

reduction in sentences was “welcome” but a further appeal may take place. “We welcome this development and we will continue to monitor the case,” he said.

“We are willing to exhaust all legal avenues.”

Manila has “emphatically” denied spying on Qatar.

All three men have been detained since 2010. — AFP

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, JU N E 1, 201 5

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‘Family-owned businesses better off remaining private’ Companies may have varying views on going public, but the market is not stable enough for family businesses to sell their shares

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: While the government is encouraging family-owned businesses to become publicly listed, a section of business community believes they are better off remain-

ing private if their companies are performing well.

The government has been seeking to offer more incentives for family business to become publicly listed. It was announced in early March that a draft law allowing family-owned businesses to float 25 per cent of the share capital in an initial public offering (IPO), rather than the 40 per cent required by law, has been prepared and is awaiting final approval.

Other companies have also received special exemptions from the Capital Market Authority (CMA), allowing them to float 25 per cent of their share.

Some officials believe that public firms have a higher chance of survival through the years and going public can help companies adopt higher corporate governance standards and raise capital from the market for funding their expansion plans.

Ali Mohammed Awadh Al Ajmi,

If the company is operating very well, why would you want to sell your shares? No one would want to do that Ali Mohammed Awadh Al Ajmi Vice chairman of Oriental Group of Companies

vice chairman of Oriental Group of Companies, noted that companies may have varying views on going public, but argues that the market is not stable enough for family businesses to sell their shares.

“If the company is operating very well, why would you want to sell your shares? No one would want to do that,” Al Ajmi told Times of Oman after at-

tending a seminar held recently

by RSM International, a world leader in providing audit, tax and advisory services.

“The market is not stable. If I release an IPO, there is a large possibility that I will not get as much,” he said, referring to lower oil prices and the volatile situation in the region.

He also noted that he prefers not

to enter into any joint venture if the company is successful.

In addition, Al Ajmi said that some regulations, especially those related to the labour laws, are posing a challenge to family-owned businesses in Oman.

“I am considered to be the second generation. I am not as much worried about business transferring to the third generation as I am about sustaining and stabilising the business because of the new rules that are coming up in Oman, such as the labour laws,” he further added.

Family businesses in Oman employ a large number of labourers, and if they fail, many employees will lose their jobs, added Al Ajmi.

He also noted that more consultancy firms, such as RSM International, are required to help Omani companies apply best international practices and improve their performances.

Echoing a similar view on going

public, Ibrahim Salim Al Hoqani, managing director of Nizwa Food Industries, argues that remaining private will increasingly benefit both the company and the country’s economy.

A family business will be ‘stronger’ if it is privately owned instead of publicly listed, he added.

Asked about the challenges he is facing, Al Hoqani said that most families in Oman are large and there are many children, some of whom are working in the family business and others in the government sector or other fields.

So when the need comes to expand the business, others come inside the company who do not know how to run the business, which might lead to the failure of the business, he added.

The culture of transparency inside the family business and in planning for succession are also crucial for the success of the company, said Al Hoqani.

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

MARKET R E A L E S TAT E

UAE firm’s residential projects on track for completion in 2016 Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Shafar General Contracting, an award-winning UAE construction group, has reported that its existing projects with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Abu Dhabi Gas Development Company (Al Hosn Gas) are on track for completion by 2016.

These projects, awarded in 2014, include a Dh156 million

project with Adnoc to build a 206room guest house and supporting facilities in Al Ruwais and a Dh164 million contract with Al Hosn Gas to construct a compound and residential accommodation complex in Qusahwira, said a release.

These projects reflect the success of Al Shafar’s ability to diversify its residential construction skills and transfer them to highgrowth industry sectors, such as

oil and gas. Founded in 1989 in Dubai, Al Shafar provides general contracting solutions across a range of market sectors, including residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, industrial, leisure, infrastructure, and oil and gas.

In addition to undertaking large-scale construction projects, Al Shafar also offers a number of related construction products and services, including mechanical,

electrical and plumbing services, structural steel, ready-mix concrete and pre-cast concrete products, as well as interior fit-outs through a number of subsidiaries.

Bishoy Azmy, chief executive officer of Al Shafar, noted, “In line with our diversification strategy, we are capitalising on sector opportunities across the region and are continuing to broaden our business, as we move our con-

struction expertise into residential and hospitality components of the oil and gas sector.”

“On behalf of the entire Al Shafar team, I am pleased to confirm that our projects with Adnoc and Al Hosn Gas are well underway and scheduled to be completed next year. These projects will provide excellent reference sites for our business, as we continue our growth momentum,” he added.

During the past 25 years, Al Shafar has worked on more than 250 projects and developed a deep understanding of the local construction market, with a reputation for consistently delivering high-quality projects. Al Shafar clients include Meraas Holding, Dubai Properties, Bloom Properties, Emaar Misr, wasl Asset Management, Al Habtoor Group, IFA Hotels & Resorts and Damac.

ECONOMY

India set for third rate cut of the year MUMBAI: India’s central bank is expected to cut interest rates for a third time in five months when it meets this week, confident that inflation is stable enough to weather the summer monsoon.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already lowered its benchmark repo rate, the level at which it lends to commercial banks, by 50 basis points to 7.5 per cent this year.

And analysts believe the RBI will snip rates again at its next meeting on Tuesday in a bid to encourage greater lending to businesses and increased consumer spending, stimulating the economy. “I expect the RBI to cut the rate by 25 basis points,” Ashutosh Datar, an economist at IIFL Institutional Equities, told said.

Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at L&T Financial Services, agreed, saying she believed the Mumbai-based bank would opt for a ‘modest’ cut.

“Given the uncertainty concerning oil prices and the depreciation in the rupee, which have a high inflationary potential, I don’t think many people are expecting a 50-point cut,” she said.

The RBI, led by governor Raghuram Rajan, sliced 25 basis points off the repo rate. - Reuters

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

B3

MARKET Expert urges Oman to make use of free trade pact with US relations with the US. Oman has a largely transparent trading system that is comparable to that in the US, he added.

FTA requires Omani exports of textile and apparel products to contain no less than 35% Omani yarn and fabric in order to qualify for US dutyfree treatment

Times News Service MUSCAT: Businesses in the Sultanate must take advantage of the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to tap the enormous American market, according to Dr Joseph McDonough, Attorney and Fulbright Scholar, who is in Oman performing research and teaching business and commerce law.

Speaking recently at a seminar on the US-Oman FTA, organised by the Modern College of Business and Science in association with Franklin University, Dr McDonough noted that there is an excellent opportunity for Omani firms to boost their trade with the US, especially in textiles and apparels, dates, metals and other industries, where significant partnership agreements could be forged with Omani enterprises.

MAKING A POINT: Dr Joseph McDonough says there is an excellent opportunity for Omani firms to boost their trade with the US, especially in textiles and apparels, dates, metals and other industries, where significant partnership agreements could be forged with Omani enterprises. – Supplied photo

The free trade aggrement requires Omani exports of textile and apparel products to contain no less than 35 per cent Omani yarn and fabric in order to qualify for US duty-free treatment.

Also, several US manufacturers of medical systems and equip-

ment are looking to forge business ties with Omani firms, and this could be a potential area of cooperation, he said.

The FTA, signed in 2009, strives to boost investment and trade between the two countries by significantly reducing tariffs,

TA I WA N

Computex to showcase new wave of smart technology TAIPEI: Smart living and wearable technology will take centrestage at Asia’s largest tech trade show from Tuesday with gadgets promising to do everything from analysing state of mind to identifying burglars.

Held in the capital Taipei, Computex will see 1,700 exhibitors from Taiwan and around the world with 130,000 visitors expected over the five-day event, now in its 35th year. “Smart living and wearable technology remain the focus, but visitors will find more mature products,” said David Liu, of the Taipei Computer Association.

While standalone smart products were on show previously, tech firms are now broadening their ambitions, says Liu. “Many of the exhibitors demonstrated their smart home devices last year, like plugs, lights or locks, but those devices did not work as systems,” he said.

“The latest products use an app

and infrared sensors to come up with a total solution. So in the case of home security, say, users can now automatically receive images of any intruders into their home.”

Wearables have a dedicated area — including smart watches, fabrics and glasses — and will this year feature a new device which promises to measure stress levels caused by work through analysing “mind waves”, organisers said.

Mobile technology and 3D innovations will also be key areas of this year’s show.

Competition from China But though Computex continues to attract major international players such as Intel, Microsoft and Ford, it comes at a time when Taiwan is fighting to maintain its tech edge in the face of intense competition from China.

Taiwan last month lowered its growth forecast, blaming increased competition from the mainland in the technology in-

dustry. China has been forging ahead with the development of domestic smartphone brands and homegrown hardware, putting pressure on the export-driven technology hub.

Industry observers say that Taiwan must innovate in the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) market — web-connected objects from watches to kitchen appliances — if it is to keep its position.

The IoT market is forecast to grow 19 per cent in 2015, according to US research firm IDC. “In the years ahead, the Internet of Things will include millions of wearables for consumers as well as sensors and networks used in smart city rollouts throughout the world,” said Singapore-based tech blogger Alfred Siew.

Over 1,000 Taiwanese firms will set out their stalls at Computex and will be anxious not to lag behind in the nascent IoT market, said Siew, having struggled to compete in the mobile sector. - AFP

as well as non-tariff barriers, and ensuring protection of investors.

He noted that with Oman being on par with the US, in terms of intellectual property rights, labour and environmental standards, as well as dispute settlements, the Sultanate can easily build trade

Foreign investors Oman offers the highest levels of protection in the world to foreign investors. A commendable step by the Sultanate is the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Invest Easy, a one-stop shop that makes setting up businesses in Oman easy and quick, he said.

Dr McDonough, who has been serving as a consultant to the Dubai Judicial Training Institute and the Oman Ministry of Justice, as well as assisting with the opening of the Higher Judicial Training Institute, is presently teaching law at Modern College of Business and Science.

Opening the seminar, Prof Ahmed al Naamany, the dean of Modern College, said many Omani entrepreneurs and firms are not aware of, or fail to appreciate, the advantages and benefits offered by the FTA between Oman and the US. “We hope that more Omani companies realise the significance of the trade agreement and leverage the same to boost business,” he said.

Representatives of various government bodies, business managers, entrepreneurs and students attended the seminar.

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com haveyoursay@timesofoman.com

AV I AT I O N

Airbus expects massive orders at Paris Airshow PARIS: Airbus could announce ‘several hundred’ airplane orders at the June 15-21 Paris Airshow, Fabrice Bregier, chief executive of the planemaking unit of Airbus Group, said on Saturday.

“It will be a good show,” he told i-Tele television.

Airbus has seen a surge in demand for jets like the mediumhaul A320, but is struggling to find buyers for its largest model, the 544-seat A380 superjumbo.

Despite calls by Dubai’s Emirates to update the engines, Bregier said a A380 revamp was “not currently on the agenda”, adding, “we’ll do that when the time is right”. Bregier said the recently weakened euro was at a “good level” for European businesses.

Asked about suggestions Airbus would quit Britain if it leaves the European Union, he said: “We produce all our wings in Britain and I have no intention of changing this strategy. I am very satisfied with the support we receive from the UK.” The head of Airbus UK warned last week of “huge” economic risks for Britain outside the EU and said Airbus would reconsider investments if Britons voted to leave the bloc in a referendum due by the end of 2017.

“As a European citizen, and as the head of one of the few flourishing European enterprises, I hope the UK stays in Europe, but it is up to them to determine themselves,” Bregier said. “If the UK happened to leave then we would examine the consequences for our business.

I think we will avoid this, because Europe has made progress on the basis of crises that subsequently lead to progress.” - Reuters

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

MARKET MSM index edges down Sohar Power, which rose by 2.78 per cent, gained the most. Al Anwar Holding, which lost 2.93 per cent, was the top loser

MUSCAT: For the ninth straight session, Muscat bourse traded within a very narrow range of 15 points between 6,388 and 6,373 to end flat amid thin volumes.

The benchmark MSM30 Index closed at 6387.85 points, with marginal decline of 0.04 per cent, whereas MSM Shariah Index witnessed marginal gains of 0.09 per cent and closed at 990.27 points.

Bank Sohar remained the most active stock in terms of volume as well as turnover. Sohar Power, which appreciated by 2.78 per cent, gained the most. Al Anwar Holding, which lost 2.93 per cent in value was the top loser.

As many as 581 trades were ex-

ecuted in the session generating a turnover of OMR1.70 million with more than 8.24 million shares changing hands. Out of 45 traded securities, 8 advanced, 14 declined and 23 remained unchanged.

Domestic investors were net sellers to the tune OMR581,000 while foreign investors were net buyers at OMR379,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors who bought stocks amounting to OMR202,000.

Financial Index closed at 7713.49 points, down by 0.21 per cent. Al Madina investments, Global Financial Investments, and Al Batinah Development Holding increased by 2.56 per cent,

0.91 per cent, and 0.83 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Anwar Holding, Fincorp, Gulf Investment Services, Bank Nizwa, and Oman and Emirates Investment Holding declined by 2.93 per cent, 2.65 per cent, 1.48 per cent, 1.37 per cent and 0.92 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 8318.75 points, up by 0.23 per cent. Al Jazeera Steels, Al Anwar Ceramics, and Oman Cement increased by 2.41 per cent, 1.42 per cent, and 0.73 per cent respectively. Construction Materials, Galfar Engineering, and National Mineral Water declined by 2.56 per cent, 1.64 per cent, and 1.41 per cent respectively.

Services Sector Index was down by 0.09 per cent before closing at 3,467.60 points. Sohar Power was the only gainer among the sector stocks, and was up by 2.78 per cent before closing at 370 baisas. OIFC, National Gas, Al Batinah Power, Ooredoo, and Al Suwadi Power were down by 2.86 per cent, 1.52 per cent, 1.02 per cent, 0.52 per cent and 0.51 per cent respectively.

Qatar stocks gain Qatar’s stocks advanced after the re-election of FIFA’s president reduced concern that Doha’s hosting of the soccer World Cup is in jeopardy.

The benchmark QE Index climbed 1.2 per cent to 12,044.08 in the capital. Qatar National Bank, which has the biggest weighting on the gauge, led the increase with a 2.5 per cent gain. Dubai’s DFM General Index retreated 2 per cent, while Abu Dhabi’s measure added 0.2 per cent.

Qatar’s shares last week posted their biggest two-day drop since December after Swiss authorities said they’re probing the vote that awarded the Gulf nation the right to host the 2022 event, and United States prosecutors unveiled charges detailing “rampant” corruption in international soccer.

Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index was little changed.

Ministers from Opec’s 12 nations, of which Saudi is the biggest member, will meet in Vienna on June 5.

- United Securities/Bloomberg News

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,394.34 .............. 6,386.37 ....................6,387.85 ...................6,390.40.................. -2.55 .................. -0.04 Financial Index ..................................... 7,730.13 ...............7,695.63 .................... 7,713.49 ................... 7,729.54................ -16.05 .................. -0.21 Industrial Index ................................... 8,322.16 ...............8,296.79 ....................8,318.75 ...................8,299.52..................19.23 ...................0.23 Services Index .......................................3,476.16 ...............3,467.42 ................... 3,467.60 ...................3,470.82..................-3.22 .................. -0.09 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................990.76 ...................989.11 ...................... 990.27 ...................... 989.40....................0.87 ...................0.09 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 8,240,635 .................... 1,701,839 ..................... 581 ............... 14,794,513,026 .................. 8 ......................14 .................... 23 .........................45

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, MAY 31 ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER..............................................................29,560 .............10,937........................4 ........... 0.370 ...........0.370 ...........0.370........... 0.370 .............0.360 ............0.010 ............. 2.778 ................0.370..............0.370...................0.378................... 81,773,700 .........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 803,668 ........... 63,902.....................40 ........... 0.079 ...........0.080 ...........0.079........... 0.080 .............0.078 ........... 0.002.............2.564 ................0.079..............0.079...................0.080 ...................16,572,111..........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ......................... 40,000 ............ 10,200........................1 ........... 0.255 ........... 0.255 ...........0.255........... 0.255 .............0.249 ........... 0.006............. 2.410 ................0.255..............0.241...................0.250 ..................31,848,980 .........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 333,800 .........143,490......................12 ........... 0.428 ...........0.432 ...........0.428........... 0.430 .............0.424 ........... 0.006..............1.415.................0.432..............0.430...................0.432.................. 127,371,883 ........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..................15,000 ...............1,660........................2 ............0.111 ............0.111 ............0.110 ............0.111.............. 0.110.............0.001 .............0.909 ................0.110 .............. 0.110................... 0.111 .................. 22,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ....................... 26,000 ............... 3,138........................7 ............0.123 ........... 0.123 ...........0.119 ............0.121 .............0.120 ............0.001 ............. 0.833 ................0.119 .............. 0.119...................0.120....................3,630,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................20,421 .............11,232........................3 ........... 0.550 ...........0.550 ...........0.550........... 0.550 .............0.546 ........... 0.004............. 0.733 ................0.550..............0.540...................0.550.................. 181,979,991 ........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE .......................................893 .................. 268........................1 ........... 0.300...........0.300 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.300 ............ 0.000...................0.300 ..................30,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ............................................................. 500 .................. 778........................1 ............1.555 ........... 1.555............1.555 ............1.555 ............. 1.555............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.555 .............. 1.550...................1.575 ..................311,000,000........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............35,000 ............... 7,597........................7 ............0.218 ........... 0.218 ...........0.217 ............0.217 ............. 0.217............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.217 ..............0.217...................0.220 ...................4,557,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 101,724 .............36,615........................4 ........... 0.354 ...........0.360 ...........0.354........... 0.360 .............0.360 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.360..............0.358...................0.000 ..................22,033,538.........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ....................................................... 29,778 ...............4,050........................1 ............0.136 ........... 0.136 ...........0.136 ............0.136 ............. 0.136............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.136 ..............0.132...................0.136...................42,264,032 ........0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING .............................................................37,193 ............. 17,109........................4 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.460........... 0.460 .............0.460 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.470................... 79,774,695 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 329,877 ......... 178,897..................... 54 ........... 0.542 ...........0.544 ...........0.540........... 0.542 .............0.542 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.542..............0.542...................0.544 ............... 1,242,167,848 ......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 134,725..........224,629......................11 ............1.670 ........... 1.670 ...........1.655 ............1.665 ............. 1.665............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.655 .............. 1.655...................1.670 ................1,248,750,000 ......0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA .................................................5,000 .............. 4,200........................1 ........... 0.840...........0.840 ...........0.840 .......... 0.836 .............0.836 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.840..............0.836...................0.000 .................133,760,000........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ......................................... 3,100 ...............1,022........................3 ........... 0.338 ...........0.338 ...........0.322........... 0.338 .............0.338 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.322..............0.326...................0.336...................95,347,925 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,444,102 ......268,406......................17 ............0.186 ........... 0.186 ...........0.184........... 0.186 ............. 0.186............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.186 .............. 0.183...................0.186..................268,107,840........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ....................................................... 4,677 ................1,871........................8 ........... 0.400...........0.400 ...........0.400 .......... 0.400 .............0.400 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.400............. 0.400...................0.410.................. 24,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ...................................1,053 ............... 3,591........................2 ............3.410 ........... 3.410 ...........3.410 ............3.410 ............. 3.410............ 0.000.............0.000 ................3.410 .............. 3.410...................3.450...................33,350,537 .........1.000 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH.................................................. 3,029 ............... 7,474........................3 ........... 2.465 ...........2.470 ...........2.465........... 2.465 .............2.465 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.470..............2.470...................2.500 .................235,301,986........1.000 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL................................................. 2,939 ..................250........................1 ........... 0.085 ...........0.085 ...........0.085........... 0.085 .............0.085 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.085..............0.085...................0.087...................14,875,000 .........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .................................................... 1,846 .................. 934........................3 ........... 0.506 ...........0.506 ...........0.506............0.516 ............. 0.516............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.506..............0.506...................0.516 ...................27,090,000.........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 251,876.............49,125......................31 ............0.193 ........... 0.196 ...........0.193 ............0.195 ............. 0.196............-0.001 ........... -0.510 ...............0.196 .............. 0.196...................0.197..................139,309,236........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO........................................................................ 44,480 ............ 34,536........................8 ............0.780 ........... 0.780 ...........0.776 ............0.776 .............0.780 ...........-0.004 ............-0.513................0.776 .............. 0.776...................0.780..................505,132,722........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 130,375............. 17,728..................... 10 ............0.135 ........... 0.136 ...........0.135 ............0.136 ............. 0.137............-0.001 ........... -0.730 ...............0.136 .............. 0.136...................0.137 ................. 272,042,539 .......0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 684,077 ........... 73,880..................... 30 ............0.108 ........... 0.108 ...........0.108........... 0.108 .............0.109 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.917................0.108..............0.108...................0.109...................13,162,500 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 317,004............. 61,811..................... 39 ............0.193 ........... 0.196 ...........0.193 ............0.195 ............. 0.197............-0.002 ............-1.015................0.196 .............. 0.196...................0.197..................131,603,049 ........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................39,270 ...............5,223........................3 ............0.133 ........... 0.133 ...........0.133 ............0.133 ............. 0.135............-0.002 ............-1.481................0.133 .............. 0.133...................0.134.................... 7,826,148 ..........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................19,960 ................7,737........................7 ........... 0.380 ...........0.390 ...........0.380........... 0.388 .............0.394 ...........-0.006 ............-1.523................0.390..............0.390...................0.394 ..................19,400,000.........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 296,460 ........... 35,668..................... 46 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.120........... 0.120 .............0.122 ...........-0.002 ............-1.639................0.120..............0.120................... 0.121 ................... 34,797,676 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 114,227............. 27,191......................14 ........... 0.239 ...........0.239 ...........0.238........... 0.238 .............0.245 ...........-0.007 ........... -2.857 ...............0.238..............0.238...................0.241...................47,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 970,652 .........225,630..................... 96 ........... 0.220...........0.238 ...........0.220 .......... 0.232 .............0.239 ...........-0.007 ........... -2.929 ...............0.232..............0.232...................0.234 ..................30,276,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 6,272,266...1,540,778...................474 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......33........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ...................................................2,000 ............... 1,016........................2 ........... 0.508 ...........0.508 ...........0.508........... 0.508 .............0.508 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.508..............0.500...................0.512...................80,010,000.........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................66,025 ...............3,575......................11 ........... 0.054 ........... 0.055 ...........0.054........... 0.054 .............0.054 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.054..............0.054...................0.055....................6,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING................................... 20,420 ...............2,001........................3 ........... 0.098 ...........0.098 ...........0.097........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.098..............0.097...................0.098.................... 7,370,384 ..........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK..................................................... 600 .....................50........................3 ........... 0.084 ...........0.084 ...........0.084........... 0.084 .............0.084 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.084..............0.078...................0.084 ................. 84,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE .............................. 99,150 .............11,204......................16 ............0.113 ........... 0.113............0.113 ............0.113 ............. 0.113 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.113 ...............0.113...................0.000 ..................11,300,000 .........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,335,576 ........ 96,498..................... 50 ........... 0.072 ........... 0.073 ...........0.072........... 0.072 .............0.073 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.370................0.072..............0.070...................0.072................. 108,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001285 ............NATIONAL MINERAL WATER ...............................36,000 ...............2,527........................4 ............0.071 ........... 0.071 ...........0.070........... 0.070 ............. 0.071............-0.001 ........... -1.408 ...............0.070..............0.070...................0.071.................... 1,890,213 ..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................10,000 ..................380........................1 ........... 0.038 ...........0.038 ...........0.038........... 0.038 .............0.039 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.564 ...............0.038..............0.038...................0.039....................3,230,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002911 ............THE FINANCIAL CORPORATION ...................... 390,933 ........... 43,003..................... 10 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.113 ............-0.003 ........... -2.655 ...............0.110 .............. 0.110................... 0.112 .................... 7,703,296 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,960,704 ...... 160,253...................100 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET .................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 .............................................. 5,113 .................. 537........................3 ............0.101 ........... 0.105 ...........0.101 ........... 0.105 ............. 0.101............ 0.004............. 3.960 ................0.105 ..............0.105...................0.110 ...................33,562,481 .........0.100 OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 .......................... 2,423 .................. 258........................3 ............0.104 ........... 0.107 ...........0.104........... 0.104 .............0.104 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.107 ..............0.107...................0.108...................31,485,908 .........0.100 OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ................................................129 .....................13........................1 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.103........... 0.103 .............0.103............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.103 ..............0.105...................0.107....................7,364,500 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .......................................................................................7,665 ..................808........................7 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 3........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

AV I AT I O N

rier Jazeera Airways has formally submitted a letter of intent to acquire 35 per cent of Kuwait Airways, which is currently undergoing a privatisation process by the country’s government.

The 35 per cent stake is the maximum allowed stake by a single private investor as stipulated under the Kuwait Airways Privatisation Law 6/2008 and its accompanying amendments, a statement said.

TRACCS bags award for ‘best place to work’ Times News Service MUSCAT: TRACCS, the largest home-grown public relations network in the Middle East & North Africa, has been named the ‘Best Consultancy to Work For’ in Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa by The Holmes Report, making it the first regional agency to ever win this prestigious accolade.

This distinction by one of the foremost global authorities on the public relations (PR) industry is considered the ultimate benchmark of PR firm culture and workplace performance in an industry whose primary asset remains its people.

The employee-voted recognition is determined by a comprehensive survey of agency employees from around 40 PR firms throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa. The process solicits employee views on a wide range of issues ranging from the integrity of senior management and the quality of professional development to empowerment, risktaking and compensation.

“This recognition is a huge vote of confidence in our approach to hiring and training Arab PR practitioners and our unwavering belief that a professional and sustainable communications industry needs to be built from the ground up, without relying overly on imported talent. Building indigenous Arab talent is the only way forward for the PR industry in the Middle East,” said Mohamed Al Ayed, TRACCS chief executive officer.

“TRACCS is deeply committed to transforming itself from an ‘executing’ organisation to a ‘thinking and learning’ organisation.

This is a painstaking process that requires coaching, mentoring and integrating new talent within the core teams of the network.”

“Agencies and other industry drivers need to look at building talent within their respective agencies as a strategic imperative rather than something that is part of the HR function. Moreover, in high density, high potential markets such as the Middle East and North Africa, there needs to be concerted efforts to bridge the gap between the educational offering and real requirements within a highly competitive job market,” Al Ayed said.

In 13 countries TRACCS operates in 13 countries in the region, making it the largest PR network in Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

Globally, the agency currently ranks 107 the among The Holmes Report Top 250 PR Firms in the world. Today, TRACCS has a presence in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dubai, Muscat, Kuwait, Doha, Manama, Cairo, Beirut, Amman and Damascus with affiliate offices in Tunis, Algiers and Casablanca.

Hassan Al Saleh, managing partner of TRACCS Oman said, “Our mandate is to create a strong

Our mandate is to create a strong presence in the market and the only way to do so is by hiring local talent and helping practitioners evolve from being service based to expert driven Hassan Al Saleh Mmanaging partner, TRACCS Oman

presence in the market and the only way to do so is by hiring local talent and helping practitioners evolve from being service based to expert driven. This in turn facilitates knowledge sharing and skills transfer which lies at the heart of building a strong and collaborative company culture that values employee satisfaction and growth as much as successful business results. Easier said than done – but we are living proof that it is not only possible but successful.”

In the past few years, TRACCS has deployed a number of signature programmes internally and externally to further promote the benefit, value and importance of building an indigenous public relations industry in the Mena region, all of which have won awards on an international level. The Maestros, its internal employee relations program that is geared towards encouraging and promoting talent across the TRACCS network, was awarded a Silver Sabre in 2015 for ‘Best PR Agency Employee Program’.

Driver’s Seat, another awardwinning proprietary programme developed by TRACCS won a Silver Sabre in 2014. Driver’s Seat teaches public relations to university students using a creative, interactive and non-conventional approach and aims at training 1,200 students annually across the Mena region.

MEDIA

Jazeera Airways bids to buy 35% of Kuwait Airways KUWAIT: Kuwait’s low-cost car-

HOLMES REPORT

The privatisation of Kuwait Airways will be the first privatisation exercise transaction by the government of Kuwait that exceeds the $3 billion mark.

“Today, we launch our bid for the acquisition of 35 per cent of Kuwait Airways, armed with a vision to grow Kuwait Airways into a leading airline that meets the ambitions of the Kuwaitis and travellers across the world, starting by reclaiming Kuwait Airways’ home

market,” said Marwan Boodai, Jazeera Airways chairman.

“As witnessed in airline privatization exercises over the last 50 years, we believe an efficiently run Kuwait Airways with a private sector management approach benefits all stakeholders, especially employees who will be presented with an opportunity to transform and grow the airline into one that travellers seek as a first choice rather than a last resort,” he added.- Agencies

Newspapers in US struggle to find path in digital age WASHINGTON: The news remains mostly bleak for the American newspaper industry, struggling over the past decade to adapt to the new digital landscape.

The sale of the San Diego ‘Union-Tribune’ in early May for $85 million underscored the horrific slump in the value of ‘old media’ companies in recent years.

Although the sum paid by Tribune Publishing was only marginally below the $110 million in a 2011 sale of the San Diego group and excluded some valuable real estate, the newspaper was believed to be worth as much as $1 billion as late as 2004.

The story is the same at other once-proud US metropolitan dailies: according to the Pew Research Center, valuations are down by more than 90 per cent from their peaks at the Boston Globe, Philadelphia ‘Inquirer’, Chicago ‘Sun-Times’ and Minneapolis ‘Star-Tribune’.

While newspapers are trying to get readers with digital sub-

scriptions and mobile apps, they are swimming against a powerful tide. For the US daily newspaper sector over the past decade, weekday circulation has fallen 17 per cent and ad revenue more than 50 per cent, according to Pew. And in 2014, three big media companies decided to spin off newspapers to focus on more profitable broadcast or digital properties.

“Every newspaper chain talks about getting digital faster. The plain truth is that despite almost two decades of effort, most aren’t close to where they need to be,” says Ken Doctor, an industry analyst who writes the Newsonomics blog and is a consultant for the research firm Outsell.

Soon, said Doctor, newspapers will have few options aside from cutting the frequency of the print edition, as several dailies have done, to save expenses.

Doctor said the industry has failed to increase revenue since 2008, making it hard to invest in

digital. In the first quarter of 2015, seven of the largest newspaper groups made a combined profit of $21 million. In 2005, the large Gannett group alone earned $1.8 billion. “These companies have little to invest,” Doctor said.

“They’re still paying off debt, issuing dividends, keeping up with pension obligations, and anticipating print ad results that can’t find a bottom.”

Even the ‘New York Times’, among the most aggressive in shifting to digital news, acknowledged recently that 70 per cent of its revenues come from print.

But newspaper organisations need to rethink their strategy to act more like startups, says Alan Mutter, a former Chicago newspaper editor who is now a consultant on digital news.

“People in the media business have to recognise they’re not in the print or broadcasting business, they are in the business of attracting audiences” to sell advertising, he said. - AFP

B

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M ON DAY, JU N E 1, 2015

SECTION

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

Avoiding a visit to gadget graveyard

FLAT OVERHEAD VIEWS IN YOUR GOOGLE MAPS Tired of flat overhead views in your Google Maps when you leave the Satellite mode? In the Google Maps app for Android and iOS, press two fingers and drag them up on the screen to tilt the angle of the current map and get more depth and a different perspective. You can still pinch and zoom in for a close-up in the tilted view, and use two fingers to spin the map around.

SMARTPHONE APPS

There are mechanics who

How to bring science to life through tech

can keep your gear going. Solutions include experts who will pay a visit to fix devices like iPods, as well as mail-in repair services. Plus there are a host of how-to sites so you can solve the problems yourself

W

hat if planned obsolescence does not fit into your personal plans?

Because of pragmatism, frugality, nostalgia or all of the above, some people just do not — or cannot — upgrade the latest version of a device or programme, even when the manufacturer stops supporting its old products to focus on developing sleek new hardware and state-of-the-art software to sell.

For those who fall into that group, there’s good news. There are mechanics who can keep your gear going. Solutions include experts who will pay a visit to fix devices like iPods, as well as mailin repair services. Plus there are a host of how-to sites so you can solve problems yourself.

Fans of the iPod Classic may feel particularly concerned by the obsolescence trend, especially since Apple quietly discontinued the model last year. If Genius Bar service at a nearby Apple Store is not an option, the company’s support site still offers battery replacement and repairs, but said services for “vintage and obsolete iPod products” were limited to California customers — leaving owners elsewhere to find their own way through an inevitable future of dying batteries, failing hard drives and other symptoms of electronic old age.

Support market Thankfully, there’s a healthy support market, as well as repair professionals who have accumulated years of experience since the original chunky white iPod came out in 2001. Better yet, out-of-warranty enhancements (like swapping in flash drives for hard drives) can bolster the capabilities of the ancient iPods, and it is not hard to find someone to do the job.

“I get a lot of requests for the bigger battery modification, which allows for 100 hours of play time on the iPod,” said Demetrios Leontaris, the founder and owner of NYC iPod Doctor, a Manhattan-based computer and electronics repair service

he started in 2004. “Occasionally, I get someone who wants a 240-gigabyte drive instead of the 160-gigabyte drive.” He charges about $190 for a 128-gigabyte flash storage upgrade and $110 for the bigger battery (or just $90 for the battery if that is purchased with the flash upgrade), and handles other ailments plaguing Apple devices, like smashed screens. Although Leontaris works from home with his mail-in repair service, he has a page of glowing Yelp reviews praising his on-thespot house calls for customers primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn, where he arrives with a supply of iPhone and iPod parts.

Although iPod repairs had dipped for a while, he has had a “300 per cent increase” recently from customers who want to keep their older models working, he said. One recent customer even sought the revival of a first-generation 5-gigabyte iPod. “His wife has passed away and it was sentimental to him, so we got the player back up and running,” Leontaris said.

Remote areas For people living in areas where technicians do not roam and repair shops are scarce, consider mailin services like RapidRepair. com, uBreakiFix.com and iResQ. com. All three handle iPad and iPhone repairs.

Like iPod Classic owners, those still declining to upgrade from Windows XP are also living in a left-

For users that plan to continue to use XP, consider utilising a software or hardware application to ‘sandbox’ your Internet activities from the rest of your computer Andrea Eldridge Chief executive and co-founder Nerds on Call

behind world, as Microsoft finally retired its support for the system in April 2014. Granted, if the computer is just used offline, it should be fine as long as it has no active Internet connection. People who still need to venture online should take extra safety precautions.

“For users that plan to continue to use XP, consider utilising a software or hardware application to ‘sand-

box’ your Internet activities from the rest of your computer,” said Andrea Eldridge, the chief executive and co-founder of Nerds on Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair company. She suggested a $35 program called Sandboxie, which puts the Web browser in an isolated environment so that any malicious code from the Internet can’t gain access to the operating system.

“When you’re done cruising the Net, empty the sandbox and it will remove anything that you installed or downloaded during your Web surfing session,” Eldridge said. As an alternative, she also suggested the iCloak Stik, a $50 bootable USB dongle running a secure version of the Linux operating system to use for safe surfing instead of the PC’s browser.

Microsoft may have moved on, but several antivirus programs still support Windows XP machines in need of general protection. Of the available offerings, Eldridge liked Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2015, which promises to continue support for XP until 2018, as long as the computer has Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed.

Hardware repair and upgrades for memory and hard-drive space are easy enough to get from places like Best Buy’s Geek Squad, or even by mail with sites like MailYourPC. com. If a professional repair service is beyond the budget, the do-it-yourself path remains. How-to sites like FixYa.com and iFixit.com or even YouTube videos posted by cheerful enthusiasts can light the way.

The community-driven iFixit. com has free illustrated instructions for repairing MP3 players, computers, cameras and other items. Guides for fixing game consoles also abound, like the one for the infamous “Red Ring of Death” overheating issue with Microsoft’s Xbox 360.“On the ‘Red Ring of Death,’ we’ve had 3,000 views in the past month,” said Kyle Wiens, the site’s founder and CEO. “That means there’s 3,000 people interested in fixing their Xboxes.”

— J D BIERSDORFER/The New York Times News Service

PHYSICS, chemistry, biology and lots of other sciences are behind almost every part of our technology-driven lives.

But learning about those topics is often not easy, which is where tech steps in to help illuminate some of science’s fascinating secrets.

One of my favourite sciencebased apps is The Elements in Action, which costs $4 on iOS. You will probably remember the periodic table, where all 118 known elements — like hydrogen and helium, and including weird radioactive elements like einsteinium — are set out in a grid. The elements are the basic building blocks of everything you see around you.

This app brings 79 of the elements to life through videos that show some of their more amazing characteristics. For example, strontium is a metal that is soft, easy to cut and is so fiercely reactive in air that it quickly turns into an ashy white powder, as demonstrated in one of the app’s videos. Each video is accompanied by clearly written text that gives more details about the element’s characteristics.

Elements in Action The Elements in Action is easy to navigate and attractively designed. It is not going to bring you to a PhD level in chemistry, but it can definitely teach you about dangerous elements, like mercury, without the risks of experimenting on your own.

Physics is sometimes called the mother of all sciences because its grand aim is to explain everything, including chemistry and other sciences. Learn Physics, whose basic version is free on iOS and Android, can help people master the basics.

The app takes a tutorial approach, breaking down subjects like Newton’s laws of motion into smaller parts and explaining them, a bit like an intelligent textbook. There are clear diagrams that accompany the text and you can test your knowledge by trying the interactive quizzes in each section.

To help you understand some of the math, there’s a built-in calculator that lets you test different values when you’re trying to figure something out.

The app is definitely not the prettiest and it does sometimes feel dry, and the embedded ads can get annoying. It also requires you to have at least a working knowledge of math.

But it does cover a range of topics, like magnetism and thermodynamics. The full app is $1.

To gain an appreciation of how much science goes into everyday things, check out the Journeys of Invention. This is a $10 iPad app that is jammed with information about the workings and history of a long list of inventions, like the telegraph and the lunar landers of the Apollo space program.

The idea is that by looking back through the history of science and invention, you can see how earlier ideas led to modern ones. For example, we would not have movie theatres without the magic lantern invention of the 17th century.

Journeys of Invention uses photos, text and video to tell its many stories and to bring complex ideas alive in an interactive and modern way. Sometimes the explanations feel a little thin, and you will definitely find that you exit the app from time to time to do some Web searches.

For a deeper and more traditional educational science app, look no further than Khan Academy. This online learning app uses narrated videos to teach topics like physics and chemistry, with each science broken down into smaller subjects like evolution or nuclear chemistry.

Khan Academy contains hour upon hour of high-quality lectures that may feel more approachable than any science lesson. A lot of the ideas in the app are complex and there is, unavoidably, some tricky math involved. But because you can switch among the different lessons at will, and stop the videos to look things up elsewhere, the app doesn’t feel overly heavy or intellectual.

The app is free on iOS and there’s also a free unofficial Android viewer app.

Star Walk Kids is slick, fun and its cartoony graphics can almost certainly teach little stargazers a thing or two. — KIT EATON/The New York Times News Service

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BP Oman’s programme graduates entrepreneurs Throughout the Khazzan Growth Finance programme the entrepreneurs were coached on how to develop their individual business plans, create project cash flows and produce market and competitive surveys in the areas in which they operate

MUSCAT: Twenty-three entrepreneurs from across the Al Dakhiliyah and Al Dhahira regions have just graduated from the Khazzan Growth Finance mentoring programme, run by BP Oman to support the sustainable growth of small businesses in Oman.

A graduation ceremony was held on Sunday at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Nizwa under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Khalifa bin Hamad bin Hilal Al Sadi, governor of Al Dakhiliyah, says a press release.

BP Oman’s deputy general manager, Khalid Al Kindi attended the event, saying: “BP is proud to

foster sustainability within local communities. The programme provided the entrepreneurs with focused training and workshops to help them grow and sustain their small businesses, and in so doing, help the economy of their communities and Oman more broadly.”

Khazzan Growth Finance is a part of BP Oman’s Social Investment Programme. The fourmonth programme was managed

by Sharakah, and implemented by SME consultancy, Inspired Solutions with the mission of developing enterprises and contributing to Oman’s In-Country Value.

Throughout the programme,

the entrepreneurs were coached on how to develop their individual business plans, create project cash flows and produce market and competitive surveys in the areas in which they operate. Inspired Solutions provided the trainees with world class MBA-style training as part of the programme.

One of the participants, Kazyh Hamd Al Nabhani, a private primary school owner in Al Hamra, confirmed that the programme has helped her to improve her financial planning, saying: “As a result of the programme, I have changed the way I manage the school’s finances. I started by opening an official bank account for the school.

The programme also helped me

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ISLAMIC BANKING

Meethaq workshop on investment of zakat funds tomorrow MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, is hosting a workshop on investment opportunities for zakat funds and inheritance wealth tomorrow under the auspices of Sheikh Muhanna bin Saif Al Lamki, Governor of North-Batinah Governorate, at Majan Auditorium in Sohar.

The workshop to be addressed by prominent Shari’a experts and businessmen will discuss how to utilise zakat funds and inheritance wealth through innovative Islamic banking products and services, says a press release.

Meethaq Islamic Banking offers investment avenues for zakat funds and inheritance wealth in a manner consistent with the principles of Shari’a law, serving the interests of community and business. The advent of Islamic banking in the Sultanate is contributing to the growth and development of the banking sector and innovative products and services are required to meet evolving needs of the public, including utilisation of zakat funds and inheritance wealth, in compliance with Shari’a laws.

The workshop reflects the

The workshop reflects the bank’s commitment to responsible banking aimed at contributing to the country’s development bank’s commitment to responsible banking aimed at contributing to the country’s development.

Meethaq strives to fulfil the needs of customers with innovative Shari’a based products and is well positioned to provide Islamic financial expertise to diverse segments and thereby promote the good of society as a whole.

Meethaq has adopted the best practices in Islamic banking and finance worldwide to combine a robust model which protects customers and complements the Islamic banking industry. Every Meethaq product goes through the process of Shari’a compliance certification by the Shari’a Supervisory Board and is created in line with the guidelines of the CBO.

I N S TA N T R E WA R D S

AEE, MoneyGram to offer customers more options MUSCAT: Asia Express Exchange (AEE), the fastest growing money exchange company operating in the Sultanate of Oman, has signed an agreement with MoneyGram, a leading money transfer company that provides essential services to consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions.

The signing ceremony witnessed the presence of senior management of Asia Express Exchange and Maher Haddad, Money Gram’s senior regional director for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, says a press release.

Adeeb Ahamed, managing director, Asia Express Exchange speaking on the sidelines said, “At Asia Express Exchange we believe in providing the customers an array of remittance services to choose from. Be it bank remittance solutions or instant money transfer solutions such as MoneyGram, Asia Express Exchange has always tried to be one step ahead in understanding the customer needs and reaching out in more than one way to address them.”

MoneyGram offers worldwide money transfer services in more

to create a complete monthly report analyses and bank balance.

We also studied how to set up a new project; for example, how much it would cost and the supplies that would be needed. In addition, I learned the skills and strategies needed to be more competitive in the market and to manage customer service.”

William Crew, CEO of Inspired Solutions, said, “We always look for opportunities and collaborations that will enable us to add value for local people. By the end of the programme, the entrepreneurs had met our main objective of achieving a high level of critical thought with regards to the planning for their businesses.”

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than 200 countries and territories through a global network of 347,000 agent locations, including retailers, international post offices and banks. MoneyGram also offers bill payment services, issues money orders and processes official checks in select markets.

With the addition of MoneyGram services Asia Express Exchange can now boast of having almost every internationally renowned name to serve the customers.

“One stop solution for all remittance and foreign exchange needs is what we promise and I believe with the addition of MoneyGram we have taken yet another step

towards fulfilling our promise,” added Ahamed.

Asia Express Exchange currently operates in Oman with twenty five branches across the length and breadth of the Sultanate covering six regions.

“Our new relationship with Asia Express Exchange, one of the largest exchange companies in Oman, will offer consumers more convenient options to send or receive funds, ultimately bringing them closer to friends and family around the world,” said Maher Haddad, Money Gram’s senior regional director for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Omantel picks promotion winners MUSCAT: Omantel announced the winners of the first two weeks in the ‘Spend and Win’ promotion; the latest offer for Hayyak customers, which gives those who spend more than 700 baisa per day the chance to win OMR500 in the daily draw.

The winners list for those who won OMR500 in the first two weeks includes Abdullah Mohammed Al Manaahi, Mohammed Ali Al Badi, Marzouq Mohammed Al Shahi, Salem Rajab Al Noobi, Kashif Shazad, Khamis Ali Al Hashmi, Ayman Salem Rashid, Mohammed Nayan, Mohammed Shajir, Said Rashid Al Jabri, Maryam Ali Ezat and more.

Omantel continues the ‘Spend and Win’ promotion for Hayyak customers who will still have the chance to win the OMR500 in the

daily draw or the OMR10,000 in the grand draw scheduled to take place at the end of this promotion on June 12.

Hayyak pre-paid service is the

preferred choice for a large number of new subscribers.

The package comes with many beneficial services and continuous promotions.

E X PA N D E D OU T L E T

TOUR

Al Aufi visits RAY International lab MUSCAT: Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Oil and Gas, visited RAY International Oil Testing Laboratory and Wireline Workshop Unit in Ghala Muscat recently.

The undersecretary took a comprehensive tour of the laboratory and workshop. Dr. Tahir Al Kindi, chairman of RAY International introduced the dignitary to the staff and reviewed facility and its capabilities. Tameem Al Mahrouqi, MD, briefed him about the 2015 Plans and Testing Commission Services for Transformer, says a press release.

“The wireline unit is the first

The undersecretary at the Ministry of Oil and Gas expressed satisfaction on the performance of the lab

multitask unit that has been fully designed by Omani engineers and built in Oman,” explained Rashid Al Mahrouqi, Technical Director of RAY International Group.

Also, it is to reduce and contain the cost which will be beneficial to companies.

The undersecretary expressed satisfaction on the performance of the laboratory as well as the initiative taken by RAY International to build multitask wireline units that may have potential impact in the oil and gas industry in the Sultanate.

Malabar Gold opens its relocated outlet in Oman Avenues Mall MUSCAT: Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the leading jewellery retailers opened their relocated and expanded outlet in Oman Avenues Mall, Bausher.

The outlet was jointly inaugurated by Khamis Al Mandhri, acting chief of West Asian Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Shamlal Ahamed MP, managing director, Malabar Gold & Diamonds in the presence of Najeeb K. (regional head), Dilip S. Mehta (Muscat Pharmacy), Muhsin P, other directors, media representatives and well-wishers.

The grand inauguration was held on May 28, says a press release.

This revamped outlet is relocated to newly opened Oman Avenues Mall, the biggest shopping mall in Oman, keeping in mind their growing customer demand.

Oman Avenues Mall is an important landmark in the region and is one of the promising shopping locations for the residents and tourists in Oman.

Owing to the consistent in-

crease in the number of customers at their outlet, the new showroom offers added space than the former outlet and more prolific variety of designs has been introduced at attractive prices. The customers will surely be delighted to have Malabar Gold & Diamonds outlet in the prestigious Oman Avenues Mall, which will offer them more comfort and convenience.

Like all their outlets in Oman, a huge collection of high quality certified diamond jewellery ranging from OMR65 onwards is available in this showroom. The showroom also showcases meticulously crafted unique collection of classic, contemporary and stylish designs in gold and precious gems to suit the specific budget of every customer.

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AHMAD, LLOYD IN TOP FIVE START AT SILVERSTONE Ahmad Al Harthy and teammate Daniel Lloyd will be aiming to continue their Avon Tyres British GT Championship podium finishing momentum during the Silverstone 500, after qualifying fifth fastest for round four of the season. >C3

Tsonga sets up Nishikori clash Swiss eighth seed Stan Wawrinka eased into the French Open quarterfinals on Sunday with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over French 12th seed Gilles Simon in a late match

PARIS: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat fourth seed Tomas Berdych at Roland Garros on Sunday, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 to show the way into the quarterfinals for a five-strong French contingent.

Played in cold, damp conditions, Berdych looked out of sorts from the start, allowing Tsonga to dominate rally after rally with his powerful serve and shot-making.

The Czech player rallied briefly in the third set as Tsonga’s level dropped, but after a brief scare at the start of the fourth set, Tsonga won five games in a row to move through.

The 14th seeded Frenchman will next play Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori for what would be his second ever appearance in the French Open semifinals after that of 2013.

“I was into the match from the start, but he is a great champion and stuck with it,” Tsonga said.

“I had a little bit of a concentration lapse and I had been talking to my coaches about that.

“And that’s what helped me win in four sets. That’s the best match I have played in some time.”

With menacing dark clouds overhead sending down drops of rain there were doubts that the match could get going at all, but when it did Tsonga immediately looked the stronger, breaking in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.

Two games later the rain grew in intensity and there was a delay of ODI SERIES

Third match rained off LAHORE: The third and final One-day International between Pakistan and Zimbabwe ended as a no result after rain halted play at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan took the series 2-0.

Play was halted for 50 minutes before Zimbabwe were set a revised target of 281 in 46 overs but rain stopped play again only after one over of play, but the rain continued to ensure that no play was possible.

Zimbabwe were 62-0 after eight overs after set a target of 297 set by Pakistan, who won the toss and decided to bat.

The visitors added another eight runs in the one over play made possible before the match was stopped again.

Earlier, opener Mohammed Hafeez and debutant Babar Azam hit dashing half centuries to propel Pakistan to 296 for 9.

Hafeez scored a run-a-ball 80 with eight fours and a six while Babar notched a 60-ball 54 after Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat on another flat Gaddafi Stadium pitch.

Hafeez gave Pakistan a sound start of 115 with skipper Azhar Ali, who made 46, before Babar and Anwer (38 not out) gave the score a significant boost in the final overs with sublime batting.

Pakistan won the first game by 41 runs and the second by six wickets — both in Lahore.

Zimbabwe is the first Test playing nation to tour Pakistan since an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore six years ago. Security was enhanced after Friday night’s blast which police said was a cylinder explosion federal information minister Pervez Rasheed described it as a failed suicide attack which killed two people. — AFP

JUBILANT: France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrates after defeating Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych. – AFP

a few minutes that confused both players and had the umpire working overtime pondering what to do next. But they all stuck it out courtside and on the resumption Tsonga duly pocketed the opening set.

He then broke again to start the

second and clearly had Berdych on the back foot, struggling to deal with the sheer power of the Frenchman’s shots.

A third break of serve for Tsonga in the fourth game effectively took care of the set and there looked no

way back for Berdych, who had a 1-5 five-set win-loss record at Roland Garros coming into this year’s tournament.

The third set though was more evenly balanced with Tsonga failing to serve out for the win at 5-4, and he paid the price in the ensuing tie-breaker letting slip a 3-0 lead to allow Berdych a way back into the match.

Tsonga is one of five French players into the last 16, equalling the best home showing at Roland Garros in the Open-era since 1968.

But on the two previous occasions that happened, only one man reached the quarterfinals.

The two other Frenchmen into the last 16 — Richard Gasquet and Jeremy Chardy — were down to play their ties on Monday with Gasquet against top see Novak Djokovic and Chardy facing third seed Andy Murray.

No Frenchman has won at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah in 1983 and prior to that it was Marcel Bernard in 1946.

Nishikori’s win made him the first Japanese man in 82 years to reach the French Open quarterfinals. Jiro Satoh was the last Japanese man to enjoy such a run in Paris when he went on to the semifinals in 1931 and 1933.

Nishikori hadn’t played since Wednesday after scheduled third round opponent Benjamin Becker withdrew with an injury.

Asked about his thoughts about taking on Tsonga in the last eight, Asia’s top player said he expected it to be a “fun match.” “We haven’t played for a long time, maybe couple of years,” he said. “But, you know, he was injured and he came back now and he’s coming back very strong. You know, he has a big serve, big forehand. He’s always a dangerous player.”

Swiss eighth seed Stan Wawrinka eased into the French Open quarterfinals on Sunday with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over French 12th seed Gilles Simon.

Wawrinka will face either second seeded compatriot Roger Federer or home hope Gael Monfils, the 13th seed, for a place in the semifinals.

Wawrinka also made the lasteight in 2013 where he lost to Rafael Nadal. - AFP

Ivanovic, Svitolina in last-8, rain puts off Sharapova match

IN QUARTERFINALS: Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic celebrates after winning the match against Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova. – AFP

PARIS: Ana Ivanovic made the French Open quarterfinals for the first time since her 2008 title run on Sunday where she’ll face Elina Svitolina, the first Ukrainian to make the last eight.

But defending champion Maria Sharapova’s scheduled last-16 clash against Lucie Safarova was pushed back until Monday after rain caused a lengthy stoppage at a chilly Roland Garros.

The Russian second seed now faces the prospect of playing matches on two successive days with the first two women’s quarter-finals already programmed for Tuesday.

Seventh-seeded Serb Ivanovic defeated Russian ninth seed Ekaterina Makarova, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open in January, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 to book her eighth career Grand Slam quarter-final.

Watched again by German World Cup winning football star Bastian Schweinsteiger, the 27-year-old Ivanovic shrugged off a two and a half hour rain stoppage to secure her third three-set win in four rounds in Paris.

The 20-year-old Svitolina

beat fellow former Roland Garros junior champion Alize Cornet on a windy, chilly Court Philippe Chatrier 6-2, 7-6 (11/9).

“It’s amazing to be in the quarterfinals again. To be honest, coming into the tournament I didn’t really expect that at all,” said Ivanovic. “But I really worked hard for each match. I worked hard even before the tournament to reach the quarter-final again.”

Svitolina, seeded 19, is only the second Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal after Kateryna Bondarenko made the last eight at the 2009 US Open.

It was Svitolina’s first win over Cornet in three meetings and the result ended French hopes in the women’s singles for another year. She displayed nerves of steel to achieve victory, failing to serve out the tie in the 10th game of the second set and then allowing five match points to slip through her fingers.

However, she secured victory on her sixth match point when Cornet went long with a backhand, her 42nd unforced error of the windswept tie. — AFP

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AHLI-SIDAB OUTSMART AL NASR TO CLINCH NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE CROWN Ahli-Sidab Club edged Al Nasr Club to lift the title at the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) National Hockey League title on Sunday. In in a keenly contested final played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, it looked like the match will go into the shootout as the teams were tied at 1-1 well into the final quarter. But Ahli-Sidab prevailed with a late goal to seal the title. Earlier, Seeb routed Salalah 4-1 to settle for the third place. Muhanna Saif Al Mawali, Wali of Bausher, presided over the final and handed over the trophies and medals in the presence of OHA and other sports officials. — Times of Oman/O.K. MOHAMMED ALI

Watling hits ton, Kiwis turn screw on England SCOREBOARD

New Zealand 1st innings: 350 England 1st innings A. Lyth run out 107 A. Cook lbw Craig 75 G. Ballance b Boult 29 I. Bell c Craig b Southee 12 J. Root c Ronchi b Southee 1 B. Stokes c Craig b Boult 6 J. Buttler c Taylor b Southee 10 M. Ali c Guptill b Southee 1 S. Broad b Henry 46 M. Wood c Ronchi b Craig 19 J. Anderson not out 10 Extras (b-19, lb-5, w-5, nb-5) 34 Total (all out, 108.2 overs) 350 Fall of wickets: 1-177, 2-215, 3-238, 4-239, 5-247, 6-257, 7-266, 8-267, 9-318.

Bowling: Boult 30-7-98-2 (nb-5, w-1); Southee 30-5-83-4 (w-2); Henry 20.2-492-1 (w-2); Craig 26-12-48-2; Williamson 2-1-5-0.

New Zealand 2nd innings T. Latham c Buttler b Broad 3 M. Guptill c Root b Wood 70 K. Williamson c Buttler b Broad 6 R. Taylor c Stokes b Wood 48 B. McCullum lbw b Wood 55 BJ Watling not out 100 L. Ronchi c Buttler b Anderson 31 M. Craig not out 15 Extras (b-4, lb-6) 10 Total (6 wkts, 75 overs) 338 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-23, 3-122, 4-141, 5-262, 6-315.

Bowling: Anderson 16-4-58-1; Broad 131-52-2; Wood 14-2-64-3; Stokes 12-1-61-0; Ali 15-0-70-0; Root 5-0-23-0.

Watling and Brendon McCullum added 121 runs against a toothless England attack to help New Zealand move 338 ahead with two days of a fluctuating match left

LEEDS: BJ Watling scored a fine century as New Zealand dominated the final session with steely resolve to reach 338 for six on the third day of the second Test against England on Sunday.

Watling and Brendon McCullum added 121 runs against a toothless England attack to help New Zealand move 338 ahead with two days of a fluctuating match left, well placed to level the two-Test series at 1-1.

England had resumed in the morning on 253 for five in overcast conditions at Headingley and New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee claimed three early wickets to reduce the hosts to 267 for eight.

Ian Bell, on 12, edged a wide ball to Mark Craig at second slip, Jos Buttler nicked a full delivery to Ross Taylor at first slip to depart for 10 and Moeen Ali made one before being smartly taken at third slip by Martin Guptill.

New Zealand were eyeing a healthy first-innings lead but Stuart Broad and Mark Wood had other ideas and the pair added 51 runs for the ninth wicket from 49 balls.

Off-spinner Craig had Wood caught by wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi for 19 but Broad put on 32 for the last wicket with James Anderson before being bowled for 46.

England were all out for 350, only the eighth time in test history that both teams made the same total in their first innings.

Broad continued to shine after lunch with the ball.

TIMELY TON: New Zealand’s B.J. Watling celebrates after completing his century on the third day of their second Test match against England at Headingley in Leeds on Sunday. – Reuters

Tom Latham edged him to wicketkeeper Buttler for three and Kane Williamson fell in identical fashion for six to leave New Zealand tottering on 23 for two.

But Guptill and Taylor, dropped on six runs by Gary Ballance at slip, raced to a fifty partnership off 28 balls.

Guptill lifted Moeen straight for

six to reach his half-century but the stand was broken at 99, Taylor driving Wood to Ben Stokes at cover to fall for 48.

Guptill’s fine knock ended on 70 when he edged Wood to Joe Root at third slip but McCullum and Watling showed fierce determination in a patient fifth-wicket partnership.

McCullum went past 6,000 test runs, the second New Zealander after Stephen Fleming to achieve the feat, before Wood trapped him lbw for 55.

Ronchi, after making a rapid 31, was caught by Buttler off Anderson but Watling completed a deserved century, his fifth in tests which included a six and 13 fours.

He will resume on 100 not out in the morning with Craig on 15 and New Zealand will attempt to bat England out of the game.

England won the first Test at Lord’s by 124 runs. - Reuters

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SPORTS ‘Sultanate of Oman’ extend lead in Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour opener Day three of the Austria Cup, the inaugural event of the new Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour on Lake Traunsee in the Austrian Alps, started strong for the Omani boat with Leigh McMillan and the team starting where they left off a day earlier, winning the first race with an emphatic 650m lead over second boat Spindrift

MUSCAT: Oman Sail’s GC32 “Sultanate of Oman”, supported by the Ministry of Tourism of Oman and EFG Bank Monaco, extended its lead at the top of the table in Austria after a challenging day where only two races were completed due to the lack of breeze.

Day three of the Austria Cup, the inaugural event of the new Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour on Lake Traunsee in the Austrian Alps, started strong for the Omani boat with Leigh McMillan and the team starting where they left off a day earlier, winning the first race with an emphatic 650m lead

CLOSE CONTEST: Sultanate of Oman had extended its lead at the top to nine points over second placed Spindrift (not in picture) tied on points with Alinghi with one day’s racing remaining. – Supplied photo

over second boat Spindrift.

But as the breeze started to disintegrate, so the racing became more random and according to Sultanate of Oman’s Pete Greenhalgh, a tactical decision which

did not go their way when the wind died in the second race saw them drop dramatically from first place to fifth before recovering to finish in fourth.

“It was a really wacky day and we

had to piece it all together,” he said.

“The first race was clean and steady but in the second, we were leading until half way up the last beat when we tacked to protect our position at which point it went super light and

MOTORSPORTS

Ahmad Al Harthy and Daniel Lloyd in top five start at Silverstone 500 MUSCAT: Omani racing driver Ahmad Al Harthy and teammate Daniel Lloyd will be aiming to continue their Avon Tyres British GT Championship podium finishing momentum during the Silverstone 500, after qualifying fifth fastest for round four of the season.

Concluding the two free practice sessions seventh quickest on combined times, the Oman Racing Team (ORT) pairing went on to deliver a competitive showing in their respective qualifying runs to ensure a bid for silverware in three-hour race is very much a realistic proposition.

Ahmad took the wheel of their Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 in the opening 10-minute period and delivered typically impressive speed, posting the second fastest time at that point with a lap of 2m04.471 seconds (105.87mph).

Placing the Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa ambassador just 0.081 seconds shy of the outright pace, added to the lap of 2m03.578 seconds (106.63mph) which Lloyd achieved in the subsequent ‘Pro’ session the No.2 car will line-up on the third row for the race’s rolling start.

“We’re feeling good for the race, qualifying went well and I was very happy with my session,” said Ahmad.

We’re feeling good for the race, qualifying went well and I was very happy with my session. Dan did his best too Ahmad Al Harthy ORT driver

“Dan did his best too during his run, fifth is definitely a respectable place to start such a long race from and we’re looking forward to fighting for a good result.

“It’ll be tough, as always, but if we can get a podium it’ll be amazing. We obviously want to try and win but a lot can happen, so if we can score some big points for the championship we’ll be happy

and satisfied with that.”

Just one week on from the Oman Racing Team’s last outing at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in the Blancpain Endurance Series, Oman Air, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Group-backed racer Ahmad Al Harthy is sure the experience will pay dividends.

“It’s good to be back in action at Silverstone again so soon after Blancpain, we learnt a lot there which has been helpful this weekend”, added the 2014 British GT Vice-Champion.

“It’s going to be all about strategy as usual but if we can have a smooth race, good pit-stops and great team-work, we’ll have a very good chance of a great result.”

everyone sailed round us.

“But that was the way it was.

That was the nature of the course, the nature of the wind and the way the boats perform. It’s a bit like a roll of a dice.”

The second race turned out to be the final race to yield a result since two others were started but had to be cancelled when the wind died but by then Sultanate of Oman had extended its lead at the top to nine points over second placed Spindrift tied on points with Alinghi with one day’s racing remaining.

It was another strong performance by the Omani team who came together for just four days before the start of the 2015 Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour but a quick grasp of foiling, aided by their two America’s Cup experts Glenn Ashby and Alister Richardson has hugely helped their progress.

“This is a new concept for us coming from the Extreme 40s,” said Greenhalgh referring to himself, Leigh McMillan and Nasser Al Mashari who are regular crew on Oman Sail’s Extreme 40 The Wave, Muscat.

“Boat-handling and trimming wise, it’s a whole new ball game.

“We might not be up on the foils but we are still towing them round on the water and they require a lot of trimming so for them to be efficient, we have to get our timing and manoeuvres spot on.”

Ashby agreed that the learning curve was steep for Sultanate of Oman’s crew but shared knowledge was the key and they had no complaints over the day’s results.

“A 1-4 for the day is not a bad day and we are still in pretty good shape,” said Ashby who will be returning to his America’s Cup team Emirates Team New Zealand at the end of the Austria Cup on Sunday.

“Obviously this is a huge learning curve for everyone but having the fundamental knowledge of what needs to happen is useful because then you try to get all five guys on the same page working well together.

“We are getting the boat around the track pretty nicely. It is really enjoyable racing and hopefully we’ll get some more breeze tomorrow to get the boat ripping along.”

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SPORTS Barca follow familiar route towards treble Like so much of this season for Barca, Saturday’s final was a flashback to the 2008-09 when the Catalans claimed league, Cup and Champions League in the same season for the first time BEST SEASON: Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez, right, and Andres Iniesta celebrate with the trophy. – AFP

BARCELONA: Another majestic performance from Lionel Messi put Barcelona on the brink of becoming the first team ever to win the treble twice as they put Athletic Bilbao to the sword 3-1 in the Copa del Rey final.

Like so much of this season for Barca, Saturday’s final was a flashback to the 2008-09 campaign when the Catalans claimed league, Cup and Champions League in the same season for the first time.

Athletic were also their victims in the Cup final back then, whilst English, French and German opposition were swept aside on their route to the Champions League final.

Six years ago Pep Guardiola’s men travelled to the Italian capital to complete the job against Manchester United, next weekend it is the Italian champions that lie in wait in Berlin as Juventus try to stop a side with frightening momentum.

Recreating the glorious 14-trophy haul during Guardiola’s four years in charge was what the club had in mind when they hired Luis Enrique 12 months ago after a first trophyless season in six years.

As well as being a former teammate of Guardiola, Enrique succeeded his friend as Barca B coach to start his managerial career and was well aware of the demands at the club having captained Barca in a eight-year playing career between 1996 and 2004.

However, just as with Guardiola’s sides, the catalyst on the pitch

Xavi aims for perfect send off BARCELONA: Barcelona midfielder Xavi raised the King’s Cup aloft alongside Andres Iniesta in his final appearance at the Camp Nou on Saturday and now victory in the Champions League would make it a perfect send-off for the club legend.

“We are now in a position where we can start to make

has been Messi with the addition of two world class strikers in Neymar and Luis Suarez allowing him the extra freedom needed to be even more deadly.

The Argentine struck twice, including a sensational individual effort to open the scoring, against Athletic either side of Neymar’s tap in to take the star South American trio’s tally for the season to a whopping 120 goals.

Tellingly, the two times Barca won the Champions League under Guardiola, Messi was well-supported when it came to goalscoring.

Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry netted a hitherto record 100

comparisons although there is a long way to go and next Saturday we will see what happens,” Xavi said.

“We need to be cautious because Juventus also are a great side that have a lot of confidence. They also have a double and we will see how it works out but we want to make history.” -Reuters

goals in the treble winning campaign, whilst Pedro and David Villa added 45 to Messi’s 53 in 2010-11.

However, with Xavi and Andres Iniesta less of an influence than they were in those sides, the pace and aggression of Neymar and Suarez has also offered a more direct route that makes this Barca team arguably even tougher to stop.

“At the end of the day what makes teams great is titles. You can play incredibly well and have millions of resources but if in the trophy cabinet you don’t have cups then it doesn’t mean anything,” said defender Gerard Pique, who was also a part of the treble-win-

ning squad. If at the end you are able to win, not the quantity of trophies we won with Pep, but an important number, then we can compare the two teams.

“Now I think we have more options. We know how to play on the counter-attack, which with Pep we didn’t exploit so much. Perhaps we don’t have the control of the game we did then, but that doesn’t guarantee you win more because this year we have won more than ever.

“They are similar teams with subtle differences. The change of coach and because the players have more experience. It is a more mature team and knows how to come through difficult situations.

Experience allows you to overcome bad moments in a game.”

Adversity has been an important part of the season.

Having left Messi and Neymar on the bench for a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad to begin 2015, Enrique looked on the verge of the sack with the club descending into institutional crisis as sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta was dismissed and club presidential elections called for the end of the season in the same week.

Since then they have suffered one material defeat in 34 matches to seal a sixth league and Cup double and to within one game of matching the best season in the club’s storied 115-year history. - AFP

I TA L I A N G P

Lorenzo takes third win in a row, Marquez crashes MUGELLO: Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo dominated the Italian Grand Prix to close the gap on championship-leading teammate Valentino Rossi to six points with his third MotoGP victory in a row on Sunday.

Ducati’s Andrea Iannone was second, a career best after starting on pole position for the first time, while veteran great Rossi delighted his home crowd by climbing from eighth place on the grid to the podium.

Rossi now has 118 points to Lorenzo’s 112.

Spain’s double world champion Marc Marquez crashed his Honda six laps from the finish after climbing from 13th, his worst ever qualifying performance, to second in the space of two laps.

Marquez is now fifth overall with 69 points.

“Three in a row. I think a few times in MotoGP I made three in a row but now the goal is to make four,” said Lorenzo, who took the lead on the opening lap and stayed there to the chequered flag.

“It’s going to be difficult but we’re going to try.”

Iannone appeared to make a slight jump start but gained no advantage, with Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso leading Lorenzo into

the first corner while Marquez roared up to fourth. Two laps later and Marquez was on Lorenzo’s tail but hopes of a great battle faded as the older Spaniard pulled away and the champion was reeled in by the chasing Ducatis.

“As always I tried to put my pace. Today the pace was a little bit slow but I could keep it high to give me the chance to go away,” said Lorenzo, on the podium for the 88th time in his career.

Behind him Rossi, the 36-yearold nine times world champion in all categories, was making his move after dropping to 10th at the start. Marquez’s crash opened the door to the Italian and he slotted into third place to chase Iannone to the flag.

“It was a very difficult race,” said Rossi, as a sea of fans invaded the track, climbing fences and flooding the pit straight. But at the end to stand here on the podium in Mugello in front of all the crowd is anyway a great result.”

The next race, round seven of the championship, is in Barcelona on June 14.

In Moto3, Miguel Oliveira became the first Portuguese rider to win a grand prix while Spain’s Tito Rabat took the Moto2 race for his first victory of the season. - Reuters

SHOOTING

Gurpreet gets quota place for Rio Games NEW DELHI: Gurpreet Singh secured India a fifth quota place in shooting for the Rio Olympics by finishing fourth in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol final at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shooting World Cup in Munich on Sunday.

Gurpreet scored 154 in the final, finishing behind winner Joao Costa (201.4 points) of Portugal.

Sun Yang (177.3) was third, securing a quota place for China, while Tomoyuki (200.4) Matsuda of Japan won the silver. Another quota place went to fifth placed Daemyung Lee (136) of South Korea.

Ace shooter Jitu Rai surpris-

ingly failed to make the final of the same event. The positive result for Gurpreet comes a day after the disappointment of missing a quota place in the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol where a fourth place was not enough.

He is the second Indian to have secured a Rio berth at the ongoing World Cup. Abhinav Bindra, India’s only individual Olympic gold-medallist, won a quota place with a sixth place finish in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle final.

Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai and Apurvi Chandela are the other Indians to have secured an Olympic quota place. - PTI

WORKSHOP ON SPORTS INJURIES CONCLUDES A three-day workshop on knee injuries organised by Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) concluded at the Sports Medicine Center of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. Dr. Sulaiman bin Hamdan Al Mawali, vice-chairman of the Sports Medicine Committee at OOC, and Salim Mohammed Al Ghailani, Director of Sports Medicine Department at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, attended the concluding ceremony. The workshop, which was organised as part of the plans and activities of the Sports Medicine Centre at OOC, has seen the participation of a number of physiotherapists from the various sports associations and sports clubs as well as from the Sports Medicine Department at the Ministry of Sports Affairs. — Supplied photo

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

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SPORTS Wenger wants Arsenal to use FA Cup as platform for title bid next season Revitalised Walcott greedy for Arsenal glory after year of woe

Wenger’s side made history at Wembley on Saturday with a 4-0 rout of Aston Villa that underlined their renaissance in the second half of the campaign and served as a warning to champions Chelsea

LONDON: Arsene Wenger has challenged his Arsenal stars to use their FA Cup final masterclass as inspiration to mount a serious bid for the Premier League title next season.

Wenger’s side made history at Wembley on Saturday with a 4-0 rout of Aston Villa that underlined their renaissance in the second half of the campaign and served as a warning to English champions Chelsea.

Goals from Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud ensured Wenger became the first post-War manager to win the FA Cup six times, while the Gunners are now the most successful club in the history of the famous old competition after lifting the trophy for the 12th time.

It was also the biggest FA Cup

VICTORY PARADE: Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny celebrate with the FA Cup during the team parade at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. – Reuters

final margin of victory since 1994, but even those gaudy statistics don’t do justice to the potential impact of Arsenal’s stylish display.

After a spluttering start to the season that raised renewed questions about Wenger’s future, the Frenchman and his team have got their groove back over the last few months, rattling off a long winning streak to climb to a third place finish in the league before winning the Cup. Now, 11 years after they were last crowned kings of England, Wenger is willing to talk bullishly about a sustained assault on the title and even invoked the memory

of his famous ‘Invincibles’, who went undefeated en route to winning the league in 2004.

“I feel we have made progress since the start of the season for sure, in the way we play, the way we manage games and our togetherness as well,” Wenger said.

“We finished third and won the Cup. It’s a good platform to do well next season. It’s about consistency at the top level. We have shown signs of consistency.

“Remember we are the only ones who didn’t lose for 49 games.

Nobody else has done it. When we have that kind of strong consistency we can challenge.”

Guile and grace Arsenal’s revival has been helped by the loosening of the purse strings at the Emirates Stadium, with the big-money acquisitions of Sanchez and Mesut Ozil over the last two years adding guile, grace and big-game know-how to a team of notoriously brittle confidence.

And the assured way they dealt with Villa, highlighted by Sanchez’s brilliant long-range strike, gave Wenger confidence he doesn’t need to invest in many more new signings over the close-season.

“We will see what is going on in the transfer market, but we already have a good basis and a good con-

LONDON: Theo Walcott has vowed to put a season of misery behind him and fire Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge next season following the club’s masterful FA Cup final triumph.

Walcott missed most of the season with a knee injury, but put in an eye-catching display in the Gunners’ 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday having been given the chance to impress in his favoured central striker role.

“I missed last season due to injury and personal problems and it was nice to come back with a bounce,” Walcott said.

The 26-year-old praised manager Arsene Wenger for sticking by him, and backed Arsenal’s “family” spirit to put them in the running for title honours next term.

“It is fantastic to win the

fidence level,” he said. “Lets be intelligent in the summer. Of course we can push on. We have won the league before when we had the potential to do it. Lets do it again.”

Even a football obsessive like Wenger wanted to focus on enjoying the fruits of a hard season for a few hours at least however and he

FA Cup in consecutive years, it’s a whole family here, but the league is the big ultimate goal. I’m looking forward to that challenge,” he said.

“This is one of the best squads we have had at Arsenal so we should be achieving more. We need to start well in the Premier League next year.”

World Cup winner Per Mertesacker said the pacy England international was playing with “great confidence” after his comeback.

“Theo did really well and is on a good run at the moment,” the giant German told reporters. “That’s why the manager picked him today, he has great confidence and we are delighted for him.”

Mertesacker echoed Walcott’s belief that, after two successive FA Cup triumphs, winning the league must be the next goal. - AFP

dodged any further questions on potential transfer targets.

“I’m not in a buying (players) mood tonight. I will just buy a drink for my players!” he said.

“How will I celebrate? The players have organised it all. I have organised the whole year so I will follow them for a change!” - AFP

FOOTBALL

Chelsea’s ‘responsibility’ to win in Australia: Mourinho SYDNEY: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says his English Premier League champions have a responsibility to field their best team and win their friendly against Sydney FC on Tuesday.

The Chelsea team was mobbed by supporters upon arrival at Sydney airport on Sunday ahead of its first match in Australia for 41 years.

Mourinho’s side, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, finished the recent EPL season eight points clear of 2014 champions Manchester City.

Mourinho left no doubt that he was planning on playing a full strength side against Sydney FC at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium on Tuesday. “We feel the responsibility to play well and use our best players. We feel the responsibility to win and give them (the fans) a good experience,” the 52-yearold Portuguese manager told a media conference.

“For us it’s important as a club, it’s a long time since we came here and to come one week after being

crowned champions is a big responsibility.

“We always feel responsibility; we were in Bangkok, we went to the stadium and there were 45,000 in blue shirts so you can’t lose, you can’t just play for fun.”

The English Premier League champions beat the Thai All Stars 1-0 in Bangkok for the first stop on their end-of-season tour.

Chelsea skipper John Terry said the team was delighted with the enthusiastic welcome it received from waiting supporters at the airport. “It was excellent as we came off the plane, their faces lit up and it was overwhelming,” Terry said.

“We’re used to it now, everywhere we go in the world we get that and we experienced it in Bangkok as well.

“When we first came through it was nice and polite, and then all of a sudden the boys who were filming for their Instagram accounts had to put their phones back in their pockets, but we’re really pleased with the reception.

“We’re delighted to be here, it’s a beautiful place and for many of us it’s our first time here.

“It will be huge, we’ll watch the game they played against Spurs but we know the standard will be very good and it will be a tough game.”

Rising England star Harry Kane scored the winner as Tottenham Hotspur beat Sydney FC 1-0 in Sydney on Saturday.

Organisers are forecasting a capacity 84,000 crowd for Tuesday’s game after the Spurs match drew over 71,000 fans.

Belgian Eden Hazard, the club’s Player of the Year, said his teammates were looking to finish their season with a victory in Australia.

“The fans here are crazy but that’s good, and I hope we can show them we are here to win the game and enjoy it,” Hazard said.

“We want to finish with a victory, we won in Bangkok and now we are here to win. After that we will have a holiday, a rest and be ready for next season.” - AFP

BOC SUCCESSFULLY HOSTS PREMIERE LEAGUE Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) emerged the champions while Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the junior title as Bosher Olympic Center (BOC) successfully organised the second BOC Premiere League cricket tournament here recently. A total of eight teams took part in the month long tournament. Madhu Jesrani, General Secretary of Oman Cricket (OC), Sheikh Hamed Marhoon, Vice-Chairman of Bausher Club, Iqbal Sikander, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Regional Development Officer, and Majeed Al Rawahi from Bosher Olympic Centre graced the prize-giving ceremony. — Supplied photo

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MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2 015

SPORTS

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Can’t live with each other and can’t live without each other But while Sepp Blatter, who controls the World Cup, and Michel Platini, with the Champions League, may be at daggers drawn, they each know they cannot afford a costly divorce

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AN’T live with each other, can’t live with out each other: the tangled relationship between Sepp Blatter’s Fifa and Michel Platini’s Uefa reached a new low with the corruption storm that hit football’s world body.

But while Blatter, who controls the World Cup, and Platini, with the Champions League, may be at daggers drawn, they each know they cannot afford a costly divorce.

Platini told Blatter to resign the day after Swiss police arrested seven Fifa officials in Zurich accused by U.S. authorities of taking tens of millions of dollars in bribes.

The French football legend said he was “disgusted” at the tarnishing of Fifa’s image.

On Saturday, the day after he won his fifth term as president of the world’s most powerful sporting federation, Blatter said there was a “hate” campaign coming from Uefa and “a person” within it.

Next Saturday, on the sidelines of the Champions League final in Berlin, the Uefa executive will “review its relations” with Fifa.

Some voices, such as Denmark’s Allan Hansen, a member of the executive, say Uefa should withdraw from the world body.

England’s Fifa vice-president David Gill has already refused to serve under Blatter because of the world body’s multiple scandals.

Platini says all options will be considered, but he opposes a split with Fifa, calling it the “headquarters” of football.

FOOTBALL’S SQUABBLING LOVERS: Sepp Blatter, left, and Michel Platini. – AFP

Blatter agreed. “Fifa needs Uefa, Uefa needs Fifa,” he told a press conference on Saturday after an executive meeting which his archrival attended.

Blatter chided the European body for blocking his efforts to introduce an “independent ethics commission”, which he said could have stopped rotten officials getting onto the executive.

But the war stopped there and Europe kept its 13 places at the 2022 World Cup without a major fight at the executive committee. It had feared an attempt to see numbers cut.

High financial stakes The world football war is nothing new. But the financial stakes are

growing. “It’s part of history,” according to Jerome Champagne, a former right-hand man of Blatter at Fifa who tried to stand against his ex-boss in the election.

Ever since controversial Brazilian Joao Havelange beat England Stanley Rous to the Fifa presidency in 1974 “Uefa has permanently — in 1998, 2002 and again in 2011 — tried to take power,” said Champagne.

Europe, dominated by its cash rich major clubs in the Champions League, wants to restrain Fifa’s power, according to Champagne.

“Behind the war of personalities, it is a war of strategic visions,” he added. “Today football is becoming like basketball where there is only one league that matters, the NBA.” The rival football enterprises

are both huge earners. Fifa made $5.7 billion between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, much of which goes back to small federations in Africa and Asia who backed Blatter this week.

It has a grip on the rules and regulations of the world’s most popular sport. But decisions from the award of World Cups to television contracts have been surrounded by corruption claims for many years.

Uefa predicts bumper revenue of more than $5 billion for 201516 alone when it stages the European Championships in France.

Earnings from the the Champions League are putting on healthy growth each year.

Its reputation is clean. But many

of the players who shine for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United come from beyond Europe however.

And that causes frustration for countries outside.

Franz Beckenbauer, the German legend who was on the Fifa executive, says Fifa and Uefa need “urgent” talks or football everywhere will suffer.

But with the U.S. corruption investigation growing and bitterness in Europe high, the squabble will not end soon. “I forgive everyone, but I will not forget,” Blatter said of his ties with Platini.

Platini could be ready to let the tensions run. He is said to be thinking about a run for the Fifa presidency in four years time. - AFP

NOT MOURNING

Indonesia shrugs off Fifa suspension JAKARTA: The Indonesian government on Sunday said Fifa’s decision to suspend it should not be “mourned excessively” and authorities were now focused on reforming the country’s crisis-wracked football.

The ban, announced on Saturday, means Indonesia cannot compete in world football and makes the national side ineligible for June matches that are qualifiers for both the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup tournaments.

The sports ministry, whose move to oust the Indonesian football association (PSSI) sparked the crisis, defended its actions and said the ban was “really not what we wanted”.

But it added in a statement: “Fifa’s sanction need not be mourned excessively.”

“We must be confident and believe that if reform of national football can be done with full sincerity, consistency, transparency and with better governance, then achieving great performance will no longer be a dream.”

The government will take measures to restructure the system of national football management and will restart domestic tournaments, it added.

It urged the PSSI to view the sanctions “objectively and wisely” and called for “solidarity” to deal with the crisis.

The sports ministry has insisted that taking on the PSSI, which has long been dogged by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, was a necessary step to clean up Indonesian football, which has for years been beset by crises.

The latest row erupted in April when the PSSI halted the country’s top-flight league due to a disagreement with the sports ministry over the participation of two clubs.

The ministry then froze all activities of the PSSI, and said it was setting up a transitional body as a step towards replacing the association.

Fifa, which takes a dim view of governments interfering in domestic associations, backed the PSSI, which insisted it remained in charge of football in Indonesia. - AFP

PASSAGE TO INDIA HONOURS CRICKET TEAM Passage to India Restaurant hosted a grand reception to felicitate the members of their cricket team who recently won the Oman Cricket-organised Senior Cup tournament. The management also presented cash awards to all the players. — Supplied photo

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SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LIFE & STYLE

W

e are in a collective, and most unfortunate, paroxysm of guilt and anxiety about stuff.

This is a cyclical event, and here we are, back in the eternal return of the same. We are being barraged with orders to pare down, throw away, de-clutter.

Magazine covers advertise formulas for how to get rid of things (most of which involve buying new things for this purpose).

Entire books (books we will soon enough be told to toss) cover the subject. And, even then there is an “art,” a Japanese art, no less, to doing so (and we all know that any Japanese art is the most artful art of all).

Entire companies are being built on the backs of a neurosis that makes us believe that the process of shedding is complicated to the point of paralysing.

It is all pointless and misguided, and it is time to liberate ourselves from the propaganda of divestment.

I would like to submit an entirely different agenda, one that is built on love, cherishing and timelessness. One that acknowledges that, in living, we accumulate. We admire. We desire. We love. We collect. We display.

And over the course of a lifetime, we forage, root and rummage around in our stuff, because that is part of what it means to be human.

We treasure.

Why on earth would we get rid of our wonderful things?

It is time to celebrate the gentle art of clutter. We live, and we pick up things along the way — the detritus of adventure; the vessels of mealtimes; the books and music of a life of the mind; the pleasures of our daily romps through the senses.

In accumulating, we honour the art of the potter, sitting at a wheel; we appreciate the art of the writer, sitting at a desk; we cherish the art of the painter, standing in front of an easel. (By this litany ye shall know that I have many books, many paintings, many pots — and many more things I love.)

I can assure you that I know all about moving into less space and different space. I am also here to tell you that stuff responds to mysterious forces at work in the universe in much the same way as do the moon and the tides.

No matter how much stuff you give your sister, still in her large house, so that you can fit into your

M O N DAY, J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5

IT IS TIME TOO LIBERATE ERATE OURSELVES FROM THE PROPAGANDAA OF DE-CLUTTERING AND TURN TO COLLECTING AND DISPLAYING WHAT WE TREASURE cosier shell, within a few years I guarantee you will have new possessions winking happily at you from tabletops and bookshelves.

And you will be glad to see them.

And yes, you will have bookshelves. Never enough of them.

And more books, to replace all those books you gave away. That, too, is a law of nature.

The stuff we accumulate works the same way our body weight does.

Each of us has a set point to which we invariably return. Each of us has been allotted a certain tolerance, if not a need, for stuff; each of us is gaited to carry a certain amount of weight in possessions.

Some of us, rare breeds, tend toward the minimalist; some tip into a disorder of hoarding. Most of us live in the middle range. How marvellous it is to simply accept that

and celebrate it.

These days, having moved several times in several years, I am still mourning the loss of a few things I ought never have given away. I am still overcome by object lust, from time to time. And I still want to fit yet another photograph or painting onto a wall.

Go ahead, call me materialistic.

I’ll just wonder what you think you are made of.

I am not done with living. I am not done with my things. I love them, in fact, more and more each year, as I recollect the journey that brought us together. I will cherish them, till death do us part.

And rather than fret about my inability to get rid of things, artfully, graciously, or otherwise, I am not only giving in to the desire to keep getting stuff but also fantasiz-

THE ART OF CLUTTER ing about how I am going to pass my things on to my children.

Who, I insist, must take them.

Even though they are already, at the tender age of 30 (mere children!), worried about having too many things. They don’t know from stuff.

I want to affix labels underneath things, telling them that what looks like a stained and rickety table is actually a Chinese altarpiece from the Ming dynasty with rolled bamboo marble. And if you run your hand along the top of it, you can feel the gradations that come of hand-cutting and polishing marble.

And that staining happened because all that marvellous Chinese furniture of the upper classes was stashed in damp barns for decades, their legs in puddles of water, hidden from the authorities who considered them the artefacts of decadence and wanted them destroyed.

That’s how powerful stuff can be.

“That tchotchke you think you’re going to put out on a tag sale table for $10?” I want to say to my sons. “That’s Nymphenburg. It is worth hundreds of dollars.” I found it at a tag sale for $10 and pounced.

-Dominique Browning/The New York Times News Service

C8

MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

EXTRA

As A s the the h director diirrec e to tor of of tthe he h e agency’s age gen nc cy’ y s Advanced Adva Ad dva vanc nced ed Exploration Exp xplo lora lo ra ati tion tion Sy S yst ste em ms d di iv viisi s on n, Ja J aso son Cru C Cr ru us san an iis s resp rresponsible re espon sp pon onsi ns siib blle for for pl fo plan anni an ning Systems division, Jason Crusan planning tth he mission miiss m ssiio on to oM ars ar s and an nd developing de d ev ve ello opi pin ng g the the he systems sys y te em ms s that tha hatt wi w ill l the Mars will enab en able ab le humans hum u an ns to to m ak a ke th tthe he trip trip tr ip enable make

O

n December 5, NASA completed its first test flight of the spacecraft Orion, a capsule built to carry humans to Mars within the next 15 to 20 years.

That may seem like a long time from now, but the Mars project is a huge one, involving thousands of scientists, engineers, astronauts and administrators. This is one in a series of profiles about some of these NASA employees as they head into “the Mars era.”

Jason Crusan wasn’t much of a stargazer when he was a kid — instead, he was a tinkerer.

“I was always trying to understand how things worked,” Crusan said. “My parents would come home and the dishwasher would be completely apart in the middle of the kitchen. Luckily, they didn’t react in a negative way.

They just told me I had to put it back together.

So I did.”

That love of technology — rather than a specific interest in space — is what drew Crusan to work at NASA. As director of the agency’s Advanced Exploration Systems division, he is responsible for planning the mission to Mars and developing the systems that will enable humans to make the trip. Those systems include such things as landing technology, life support inside the spacecraft and the “habitation vessel” that astronauts will live in while on Mars.

One of Crusan’s projects was onboard Orion during its December test flight — the sensors that monitor levels of radiation (dangerous energy from the sun) inside the capsule.

“Knowing you’ve got some hardware that’s actually on the vehicle, it feels like a part of you is actually there,” he said.

His team kept an eye on data from the sensors during the flight — a change in radiation

levels could signal that something was wrong with Orion’s safety systems. But in this case, no news was good news.

“Our folks actually commented on how boring their test was,” Crusan said, laughing.

“That’s what we want to hear.”

Looking at the next 20 years of the Mars era, Crusan’s division will be focusing on developing computer systems that can identify and solve problems without help from mission control.

These systems will be necessary for trips into deep space — beyond Earth’s moon — because of the time lag in communication that develops as spacecraft travel farther from Earth. On Mars, that lag could be as long as 40 minutes — far too long for problems with life support or other essential systems to go unnoticed.

“On our way to Mars we can’t send up a supply ship when something goes wrong,” Crusan said. “So we’re looking at: ‘How can we break that reliance on Earth? How can we have smart-enough systems that live on their own?”

Crusan doesn’t have the answers to those questions yet. Instead, he said, it’s the children of today who will probably come up with those solutions in 10 or 20 years.

“We have children today who are growing up in a time when people coming and going to the (International) Space Station is normal, who are building satellites,” Crusan said. (A satellite built by fifth-graders will launch from the space station later this year.)

“To me that’s the really exciting part — not just the exploration piece, but where the space programme is going to go with these children,” he said. “As they create the technologies of the future, they will change the course of our way to Mars.” -Sarah Kaplan/The Washington Post

MO NDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

C9

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA San Andreas (Act, Adv) (3D) PG Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 11:00 am, 5:00, 9:30 & 11:45 pm San Andreas (Act, Adventure) (2D) PG Cast : Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 1:00, 7:15 pm Mad Max Fury Road (Act, Adv)(3D) 12+ Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 5:00, 9:15 pm Tomorrowland (Act, Adventure) (PG) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson 3:00, 9:15 pm Two Faces of January (Rom) (PG12) Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst 1:00, 7:15 pm Maggie (Drama, Horror) (PG12) Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardso 3:00, 11:45 pm Jungle Master (Anim, Adv) (2D) PG Cast: Victoria Justice, David Spade 11:15 am Jungle Master (Animation) (3D) PG Cast : Victoria Justice, David Spade, Josh Peck 1:15, 3:15 pm Unfriended (Horror, Thriller) (18+) Cast: Heather Sossaman, Courtney 5:30, 11:30 pm Zanket Al Sittat (PG12) Cast: Hassan El Raddad, Amy Samir 11:00 am, 7:15 pm

3:15pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Com) (PG) Khan; 6:55pm San Andreas (2D) (Act/Thriller) (PG) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 11:15 am San Andreas (3D) (Act/Thriller) (PG) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 5:45, 9:40 & 11:45 pm Gold Class: 2:15, 09:00, 11:15 pm Jungle Master (3D) (Animation) (PG) Cast: Victoria Justice, David Spade 11:30 am & 1:30 pm Always Watching (2D) (Horror) (PG12) Cast: Alexandra Breckenridge, Jake McDorman, Doug Jones 3:15 pm Zanket Al Sittat (2D) (Com) (PG12) Cast: Hassan El Raddad, Amy Samir 5:00 pm Two Faces of January (2D) (Thr) (PG12) Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst 1:15 pm Maggie (2D): (Horror) (PG12) Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin 7:50 & 11:45pm, Gold Class: 4:30pm

SCREEN 1 Welcome to Karachi (Dra/Com) – PG12 Cast: Arshad Warsi, Nigel Barber 3:30, 6:30, 9:30pm SCREEN 2

Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2D) (Comedy/Romance) (PG) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz Khan 6:30 pm Tomorrowland (2D)(Sci-Fi) (PG) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie

Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Rom) – PG Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 pm SCREEN 3 Piku (Drama / Comedy) – PG Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan

3:45, 9:45 pm Masss - Tamil (Horror/Comedy/Drama ) – PG12 Cast: Suriya, Nayantara, Parthiban, Samuthirakani 6.45 pm

Mad Max: Fury Road - 3D (12+) Act, Cast : Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 9:20, 11:45 pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns- 2D (PG) Comedy | Romance Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz Khan 9:00 pm San Andreas - 2D (PG) Act | Dr | Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 3:00 pm San Andreas - 3D (PG) Act | Dr Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 7:00, 9:15, 11:30 pm Jungle Master - 3D (PG) Animation Cast: Victoria Justice, David Spade 5:15 pm Jungle Master - 2D (PG) Animation 3:15 pm The Two Faces of January - 2D (PG12) Romance | Thriller Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst; 2:30, 5:00 pm Zanket Al Sitat - 2D (Arb) (PG12) Romance | Comedy Cast: Hassan El Raddad, Amy Samir 5:10 pm Maggie - 2D (PG12) Drama | Horror Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin; 7:10, 11:50 pm Masss - 2D (T) (PG12) Com |Horror Cast: Suriya, Nayanthara, Pranitha 6:00, 9:00 pm

Unfriended - 2D (18+) (Horror | Thriller) Cast : Heather Sossaman, Courtney 4:15, 11:30 pm Tomorrowland - 2D (PG) (Action) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson 2:50, 6:50 pm

San Andreas – 3D (PG) Act, Drama Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 6:45, 9:45, 11:45 pm San Andreas – 2D (PG) Act, Thriller Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 3:45 pm Masss - 2D (PG12) Comedy, Horror Cast: Suriya, Nayanthara, Pranitha 7:15, 08:45 pm Jungle Master - 3D (PG) Anim, Adv Cast: Victoria Justice, David Spade; 3:00, 3:00, 5:45 pm The Two Faces of January – 2D (PG12) Romance, Thriller Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, 4:40, 06:20, 11:35 pm Green Street 3: Never Back Down – 2D (12+) Action, Drama Cast: Scott Adkins, Kacey Barnfield 03:15, 10:00, 11:50 pm The Dinosaur Project - 2D (PG12) (Adventure, Sci-Fi) Cast: Richard Dillane, Peter Brooke 05:15, 08:05 pm

San Andreas (3D) (Act| Adv) (PG) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 07.30, 09:30, 11.30 pm San Andreas (2D) (Act | Adv ) (PG) 4:00 pm Jungle Master (3D) (Animation) (PG) Cast: Victoria Justice, David Spade

4:30, 6.00 pm Jungle Master (2D) (Animation ) (PG) 8:00 pm Zanket Al Sitat (Arabic)(Rom) (PG12) Cast: Hassan El Raddad, Amy Samir Ghanem; 6:05 pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Hindi) (Comedy | Romance) (PG) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan 11:30 pm Spooks: The Greater Good (Action (12+) Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Ehle 9:35 pm

San Andreas (2D) (12+) (Act, Drama) 3:00pm San Andreas (3D) (12+) (Act, Thriller) 5:00, 9:15. 11:30pm Maggie (2D) (PG12) (Drama) Breslin; 1:15, 11:45pm Mad Max: Fury Road (3D) (12+) (Action, Adventure, Thriller) 5:00, 7:00pm The Two Faces of January (2D) (PG12) (Romance, Thriller) 12:15pm Unfriended (2D) (18+) (Horror) 2:00, 11:45pm Tomorrowland (2D) (PG) (Act, Mys) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson 12:00, 5:00pm Jungle Master (2D) (PG) (Animation) 11:45 am Jungle Master (3D) (PG) (Animation) 3:30pm Always Watching: A Marble Hornets Story (2D) (PG12) (Horror) 7:15pm Zankat Al Sitat (2D) (PG12) (Rom) 7:20pm Welcome to Karachi (2D) (TBC) (Adventure, Comedy, Crime) 9:15 pm Masss (2D) (PG12) (Com, Horror) 2:15, 9:00 pm

Mad Max: Fury Road (Action) Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult 7.45 pm; CP No: 1273 (12+) Unfriended ( Thriller ) Cast: Heather Sossaman, Mathew Bohrer, Courtney Halverson 2.00, 6.00 & 11.55 pm CP No: 383 (18+) Green Street 3: Never Back Down (Action/Drama ) Cast: Scott Adkins, Kacey Bamfield 12.00, 4.00 & 10.00 pm CP No: 1382 (12+) Two Faces of January (Rom/Thr ) Cast: Vigo Mortensen, Kristen Dunst 2.00 & 6.00 pm CP No: 1380 (PG12) San Andreas (Action / Thriller) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Deddario, Carla Gugino 12.00, 4.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 pm CP No: 1381 (PG)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776

Masss (Tamil) (Act/ Horror ) Cast: Surya and Nayanthara 3:00, 6:30 & 10:00 pm at Cinema Main Demonte Colony ( Tamil ) (Horror ) Cast: Arulinidhi and Rajesh Thilak 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30 pm at Cinema-2 Bhaskar The Rascal (Mal ) (Rom/Com) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara and Isha Talwar 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45 pm at Cinema -3, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm Cinema-4 Oru Vadakka Selfie (Mal) (Com) Cast: Navin Pauly, Manjima & Vineeth Sreenivasan 3:45 pm at Cinema -4 NEXT CHANGE : Chandrettan Evideya (Mal )

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ACES ON BRIDGE

You know the fourth, but does partner?

B

eyonce said, “We all have special numbers in our lives, and four is that for me. It’s the day I was born. My mother’s birthday, and a lot of my friends’ birthdays, are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date.”

Four is the special number for defenders trying to defeat game in a major.

Sometimes three winners are apparent and one defender sees the fourth, but maybe his partner cannot. Then that defender must take control to make sure there isn’t an accident.

In this deal, how should the defenders play to defeat four spades after West leads the diamond ace?

Under West’s diamond ace, East drops the nine, starting a high-low with his doubleton. West cashes the diamond queen and continues with the diamond king. What should East discard?

East can be confident that the third diamond will stand up. If West had begun with six solid diamonds, he would not have passed over one spade. And East knows the heart ace is the fourth defensive trick. But if he

discards the heart four, will partner be sure that is high and encouraging?

Or, if he pitches the club seven, will partner know it is low and discouraging?

East should take control of the situation. He should ruff his partner’s winner — which is fun! — and cash his heart ace.

Phillip Alder is combining in May 2016 with Kalos to run a bridge and golf river cruise starting from Bordeaux, France. Details are available on Phillip’s website: www.phillipalderbridge.com.

— By Phillip Alder

MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Pretzel coating 5 Fizzy drink 8 Careless mistake 12 Conforming to reality 13 Crack pilot 14 Unfounded, as rumors 15 Trip around the sun 16 Left high and dry 18 Dad’s sisters 20 Roast beef au — 21 Hesitate 23 Dolly the clone 26 Rover’s planet 29 Prophets 31 Ocean crosser

32 Droll 33 “Fernando” band 34 Where the polka originated 36 Lingerie items 37 S&L offerings 38 Dome home 40 Chow mein additive 41 Sound thinking 45 Used again 49 Persia, today 51 Checkbook no.

52 Yalie 53 Tow-away — 54 Mild oath 55 Coloring 56 Kitty starter

DOWN 1 Farm enclosure 2 Survey finding 3 Hula-dance fete 4 Gull cousin 5 Old-fashioned and out-of-date 6 Autumn mo.

7 False testimony 8 Processes cotton 9 Out of the ordinary 10 Pamplona cheer 11 Served the meal 17 Mystique 19 Six-pointers 22 Ethical 23 Corsica neighbor 24 Fly catchers 25 Vega rocket org.

26 27 28 30 31 32 35 36 39 40 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 50

Frame of mind Long sighs Country addr.

Commuter vehicle UK. TV company Squirmed File label, maybe — and hiss Rock ‘n’ roll classic Ancient tale Sphinx site Common metal Pessimist’s word Tattered cloth Kind of system Vaccine amts.

England’s Isle of — Society column word

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE

SIDHI VINAYAK June 1, 2013

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C1 0

MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you aren’t likely to be dealt the best possible hands throughout your lifetime — but you will certainly learn to play those hands with skill and intuition in order to maximise your overall chances of walking away with the pot! Indeed, intuition is probably your single greatest asset, and you will learn that if your gut is telling you to do something — or not to do it — then you should comply as soon as possible.

You will realise at an early age that opportunities are not to be squandered because they may come only rarely, and you can make the most of them only if you are always prepared to jump at the chances you are given. Procrastination is not for you; you must always strike while the iron is hot!

You have remarkable personal style and charisma, and you are sure to attract a great deal of attention in your lifetime. Sometimes this may go against your deepest desires, one of which is to be left alone when you are in the mood for quiet solitude.

Make peace with the fact that you have a certain star quality that cannot be denied!

Also born on this date are: Marilyn Monroe, actress; Morgan Freeman, actor; Heidi Klum, model and television host; Andy Griffith, actor; Pat Boone, singer and actor; Alanis Morissette, singer; Brian Cox, actor; Frank Morgan, actor; Brigham Young, religious leader; Edward Woodward, actor; Nelson Riddle, composer and bandleader; Rene Auberjonois, actor.

W E AT H E R

M

EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming southwesterly light at night and along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea wind will be southwesterly moderate while over rest of the

WORLD

Max 44 Min 31 Max 19 Min 14

Max 39 Min 29

Max 43 Min 32 Max 16 Min 12

Max 43 Min 32

Max 24 Min 12

Max 46 Min 30

Max 48 Min 30

Max 44 Min 27

Max 43 Min 33

Max 40 Min 28

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] Max 33 Min 28

Max 25 Min 16

Max 36 Min 28 Max 16 Min 7

—www.met.gov.om

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

41 45 40 47 39 42

29 31 29 32 31 28

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

26 43 36 16 12 30 31 16 29 22 23 33 34 19 21 33 28 14

18 30 22 11 11 18 26 10 26 16 8 24 15 13 12 27 19 11

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22]

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You’ll be warned about something that you know lies dead ahead, yet circumstances may require you to continue on course.

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30 TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You may realise that you’re not likely to reach your destination, but that is no reason to change your plans.

Momentum plays a role.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may have to turn over control of a project to someone else, but only temporarily. Soon, you’ll be back in charge.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You’re willing to do something that others have avoided for quite some time. A new phase of accelerated progress is likely to begin.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] Focus on the big picture and don’t let anyone distract you with their own fears or predictions of disaster.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You’re trying to play out a scene that perhaps cannot be concluded as you had hoped. It may be time to adjust your thinking permanently.

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You’re tempted to do something that others have warned you against for quite some time. You may want to test the waters first.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] Things are likely to improve both on the homefront and at the workplace.

This is the result of a subtle shift in thinking on your part.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] A little more thought and a little less force should get you where you want to be by day’s end. Don’t let yourself be outfoxed by a rival.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You can avoid trouble by minding your own business, but take care not to ignore a personal issue that arises at home.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6:49pm 5.20am

High tide Low tide

9:16am 2:26am

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacific: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines:

MONDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

You’re expecting things to proceed according to plan, of course, but someone may inadvertently throw a wrench into the works.

12.10pm 3.29pm 6.54pm 8.15pm 3.54am

7:17pm 2:09pm

Sultanate wind will be southeasterly light to moderate.

SEA STATE: Moderate along the Arabian Sea coast with a maximum wave height of 2.0 metres and slight along the rest of Oman’s coast with a maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog patches.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the Arabian Sea coast.

Max

OMAN

CANCER

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

AIRLINES

ainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chances of clouds development over Al-Hajar mountains towards afternoon and chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea.

GEMINI One down, three to go — and you had better get them in the right order, or you may find that you have to start all over again.

PRAYER TIMINGS

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm.

National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

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ARRIVALS FROM

MEDINA 0005 KUWAIT 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 LAHORE 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 BEIRUT 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 MANILA 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 ABU DHABI 1335 DUBAI 1340 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 BAHRAIN 1635 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 MADRAS 1750 BANGALORE 1750 DUQUM OMAN 1755 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 RIYADH 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 MUNICH 2105 DACCA 2115 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 SALALAH 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 AHMEDABAD 2300 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2320 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY682 WY914 BG021 WY916 NL768 TK774 4H583 PK281 GF560 QR1132 EK866 ET624 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY412 WY658 WY638 4H562 WY902 WY644 WY326 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY678 WY668 WY132 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY432 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 G9841 WY236 G9114 WY282 EK862 WY242 WY252 QR1128 IX817 EY382 9W530 WY3302 WY604 WY918 WY652 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY705 WY904 WY634 WY818 BG023 WY670 WY324 WY332 PA950 PK191 WY606 WY906 WY920 FZ045 WY632 WY656 QR1126 WY3304 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 WY216 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY610 WY694 GF564 TG507 SV534 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 RG125 WY386 WY224 WY614 WY338 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 DACCA 0100 SALALAH 0120 LAHORE 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0300 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 AMMAN 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 JEDDAH 0645 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 KARACHI 0650 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 MEDINA 0710 DOHA 0715 PARIS 0735 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 TEHRAN 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 RAS AL KHAIMA 0855 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 DUBAI 0930 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1050 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1125 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 SALALAH 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 SIALKOT 1310 GWADUR 1320 DUBAI 1340 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 ABU DHABI 1605 BAHRAIN 1610 DOHA 1650 MUKHAIZNA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 TRIVANDRUM 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 DUBAI 1800 DAMMAM 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 MALE 2020 COCHIN 2025 DUBAI 2025 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 MADRAS 2135 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

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DEPARTURES TO

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY211 WY235 WY201 WY643 WY345 WY271 WY341 WY601 WY371 WY123 WY901 WY847 WY241 WY667 TK775 WY209 4H584 PK226 WY331 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY815 WY253 WY291 WY263 WY717 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY283 WY631 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 QR1129 EY383 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 WY655 FZ038 WY3303 IX350 PA451 WY113 WY663 WY683 WY131 WY645 WY143 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY433 WY3921 WY675 FZ046 WY613 WY905 QR1127 WY681 WY623 WY647 WY909 GF565 WY907 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY411 WY915 FZ050 AI978 4H561 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 WY677 WY705 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 HYDERABAD 0110 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 LAHORE 0145 DUBAI 0145 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 SALALAH 0215 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DACCA 0300 KARACHI 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 DUBAI 0750 SALALAH 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 BANGKOK 0905 MADRAS 0915 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 BANGALORE 1000 ABU DHABI 1015 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 CALICUT 1255 LAHORE 1315 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 RIYADH 1335 PARIS 1345 KUWAIT 1350 MALPENSA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 TEHRAN 1445 DUQUM OMAN 1455 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 DUBAI 1710 SALALAH 1735 DOHA 1750 RIYADH 1840 DUBAI 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1900 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 AMMAN 2100 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 JEDDAH 2215 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 MEDINA 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

AI986 9W539 SG062 WY657 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY345 WY271 WY601 WY341 WY431 WY371 WY123 WY325 WY901 WY241 WY667 WY383 BG022 NL769 TK775 4H584 WY331 PK282 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY651 WY3301 WY903 4H562 WY603 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY373 WY215 WY815 WY291 WY263 WY385 G9842 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 IX818 QR1129 EY383 WY311 WY919 9W533 GF563 WY223 WY655 FZ038 WY631 IX350 WY253 WY113 WY693 WY3303 WY663 WY131 WY143 WY645 WY101 BG024 PK192 PA951 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 SV535 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 WY915 FZ050 WY411 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 AHMEDABAD 0030 BAHRAIN 0055 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 LAHORE 0145 TEHRAN 0155 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 SALALAH 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0230 LAHORE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 DACCA 0300 KATHMANDU 0350 SIALKOT 0400 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 BAHRAIN 0730 MUKHAIZNA 0730 SALALAH 0740 DACCA 0745 DUBAI 0750 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 COLOMBO 0900 TRIVANDRUM 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 MALE 0945 RAS AL KHAIMA 0945 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 SALALAH 1020 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 MANGALORE 1100 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 KHASAB 1145 COCHIN 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 COCHIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 ABU DHABI 1240 CALICUT 1255 MADRAS 1255 FRANKFURT 1320 DAMMAM 1330 MUKHAIZNA 1330 DOHA 1330 PARIS 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 DACCA 1400 GWADUR-TURBAT 1405 SIALKOT 1430 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 MEDINA 1705 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 RIYADH 2000 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 ABU DHABI 2045 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 AMMAN 2205 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

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WY672 WY648 WY406 WY676 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK229 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY154 WY144 WY668 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY422 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 QR1128 EY382 WY844 9W530 WY604 WY918 WY3302 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 PA450 WY705 WY822 WY634 WY818 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY632 WY606 WY920 FZ045 WY3304 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY254 WY284 WY3922 WY610 GF564 G9116 WY684 WY646 FZ047 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY434 FZ049 KL441 AI977 WY124 4H561 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 WY906 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 WY717 SG061 EY388 WY910 9W540 WY908 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY612 WY696

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EXTRA BRIEFS

Eurasians’ forefathers came from Egypt, says study EGYPT WAS the major gateway for modern humans out of Africa and that migration followed a northern rather than a southern route, a new study suggests. The latest findings are based on new genomic analyses of people currently living in Ethiopia and Egypt.

Although scientists are confident that all modern human populations can trace their ancestry back to Africa, the route taken out of Africa is still unclear. The findings add a crucial piece of information to help investigators reconstruct humans’ evolutionary past. To uncover the migratory path that the ancestors of present-day Europeans and Asians took when moving out of Africa around 60,000 years ago, researchers analysed the genetic information from six modern Northeast African populations (100 Egyptians and five Ethiopian populations each represented by 25 people). The findings were published online in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Passive smokers need more anaesthetic during surgery

How easily shoddy science can make headlines A study showing that chocolate can help with weight loss was a trick to show how easily meaningless data can have you fooled

A

journalist seeking to lay bare how the research behind fad diets can be “meaningless” and based on “terrible science”, has revealed how he tricked international media into believing that chocolate can aid weightloss.

Posing as Johannes Bohannon, Ph.D, the research director of the fabricated Institute of Diet and Health, biologist and science journalist John Bohannon ran what he called a “fairly typical study” used in the field of diet research.

German broadcast journalists Peter Onneken and Diana Löbl asked Bohannon to conduct a clinical trial into the effects of dark chocolate, as part of a documentary exposing how simple it is for bad science to make headlines.

“It was terrible science. The results are meaningless, and the health claims that the media blasted out to millions of people around the world are utterly unfounded,” Bohannon wrote of his in an article for io9.com. To collate their data, the team asked 5

men and 11 women aged between 19 to 67 to follow either a lowcarbohydrate diet, or the same diet but with an added 1.5oz of dark chocolate. Meanwhile, a control group were asked to eat as normal.

While the data showed that the group which ate a low-carb diet while indulging in dark chocolate lost weight 10 per cent faster and had better cholesterol readings, Bohannon stressed that the study was set up for failure.

“Here’s a dirty little science secret: If you measure a large number of things about a small number of people, you are almost guaranteed to get a “statistically significant” result.”

Bohannon explained that thanks to a method known as “phacking”, the study could have just as likely shown that chocolate helped sleep or lowered blood pressure as the threshold for data being classed as “significant” is just 0.05 per cent. After a journal was duped into accepting the shoddy study for money, Bohannon and his colleagues then put

It was terrible science. The results are meaningless, and the health claims that the media blasted out to millions of people around the world are utterly unfounded together a press release which would be irresistible to journalists and editors looking for a story.

The research was splashed across newspapers and websites across 20 countries in half a dozen languages, seemingly proving

how easily dodgy science can circulate across the world’s media.

However, some have questioned the ethic behind the study, with one commenter writing below the piece: “Going out of their way to court media coverage (that was going to repeat the story but never, ever follow up on the hoax once it was revealed — and this is a hoax) was ethically problematic,” one commenter said.

“If you want to uncover the shady workings, that didn’t really help. It seems like only the people who were already aware of the problems are going to be reached by this reveal.”

The stunt came after Bohannon exposed how “open access” science journals were willing to publish deeply flawed research claiming that a drug had anticancer properties.

In the investigation for the prestigious journal Science, he revealed the dangers of abandoning the peer-review process expected in science publishing.

-Kashmira Gander/The Independent

STUDY

Why women are better at remembering tasks-to-do NOW IS the time to finally listen to your wife as women are better than men at remembering things to do, a new study finds.

The study involved putting 100 men and women through a battery of memory tests. These judged prospective memory; that is remembering to carry out plans.

The volunteers, who were aged between 15 and 40, found it harder to remember to do things the further they were into the future, Daily Mail reported. The females also excelled at remembering plans that involved doing, rather than saying, something.

“A real life example of this would be, in a family, you would expect the woman to be the one to remember to buy some milk after

work,” researcher Liana Palermo from the Aston University in Birmingham was quoted as saying.

“Or she will remember to give a book back to a friend when she sees him next. She will be better at all of these kind of tasks than a man,” Palermo added.

Palermo said the gender difference may be down to differences in hormones or brain structure.

The brain’s memory hub shrinks in men, but not in women, between the ages of 20 and 40. “An alternative hypothesis is that the gender differences we found could be due to the care-taking role often assumed by women and the fact that in addition to work responsibilities, women also have more responsibilities at home,” Palermo said. -IANS

DURING OPERATIONS both smokers and those exposed to passive smoke require more anaesthetic and painkillers as compared to non-smokers, a new research says.

The findings by Erdogan Ozturk and colleagues from Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey, suggest that nicotine could affect the metabolism of anaesthetic drugs in the liver, or may desensitise of the some nerve cells that sense pain. In the study, the authors investigated whether there is a difference among smokers, passive smokers, and non-smokers in terms of intraoperative anaesthetic and painkiller consumption.

High-capacity batteries made from wood pulp EVER HEARD of a battery made of wood pulp? Here is one, developed by researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, and Stanford University, US. Using nanocellulose broken down from tree fibres, the researchers produced an elastic, foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress. “It is possible to make incredible materials from trees and cellulose,” said researcher Max Hamedi from KTH. One benefit of the new wood-based aerogel material is that it can be used for three-dimensional structures.

“We are no longer restricted to two dimensions. We can build in three dimensions, enabling us to fit more electronics in a smaller space,” Hamedi said. A 3D structure enables storage of significantly more power in less space than is possible with conventional batteries, he said. -IANS

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MONDAY, JUN E 1, 2 015

EXTRA Marc Jacobs putting Cher in the limelight The 60-something Cher, with her 20-something face, in a Marc Jacobs evening dress so new it’s practically placental

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he World Wide Web seems to be a fragile creature, wont to topple over at any moment — at least, if you believe the number of pop culture blips tipped to “break the internet” on a bi-daily basis. The latest reason espoused for its “breaking” was the unveiling, this week, of an image of Cherilyn Sarkisian — better known simply as Cher –—as the new “face” of Marc Jacobs. It was published in Womenswear Daily and released on Instagram

by LOVE magazine’s editor-inchief and Marc Jacobs’ stylist Katie Grand. Before long, it went “viral” (as I believe the children call it). Like Kim Kardashian, or David Beckham’s 40th, Cher’s modelling turn was hurrahed as one of those “breaking point” moments for the poor old interweb. Whatever. It didn’t even slow my broadband down.

But out of the examples cited above, Cher’s Marc Jacobs campaign is the one I think justifies breaking the internet for. Because it’s pretty glorious — the 60-something Cher, with her 20-something

face, in a Marc Jacobs evening dress so new it’s practically placental. It’s from Jacobs’ autumn/ winter 2015 collection, which hasn’t hit shops just yet.

Advertising what?

That’s the point of the image of course, to advertise said wares.

Would an image of Cher in a gown incite you to purchase the frock?

I doubt it. I adore Cher, but I suspect that not many women want to look like her. There’s a few who do, of course — mostly the moneyed, multi-facelifted mavens who buy incredibly expensive high fashion. Perhaps this is an example of designers’ increasing tussle with the real world outside of their customary ivory walls. “Fashion must be the most intoxicating release from the banality of the world,” stated Diana Vreeland – the outre former editor-in-chief of American Vogue who, incidentally, “discovered” Cher and kick-started a modelling career in the 1960s.

Jacobs based his collection on Vreeland, so Cher fits the bill perfectly. Even if she’s about five decades too late. However, this Cher

campaign shows, if not the exact opposite to Vreeland’s maxim, certainly an alternative. It’s impossible not to think of Joan Didion’s turn in Celine’s spring campaign, nor Joni Mitchell’s for Saint Laurent. But Jacobs has glorified the older woman before, and did it before those others. Jessica Lange featured in his beauty advertising last year, and the last Louis Vuitton campaign under Jacobs’ tenure starred the then 70-year-old Catherine Deneuve and 43-yearold Sofia Coppola, alongside more standard fashion faces such as the 23-year old Edie Campbell.

Despite appearances to the contrary, Cher’s Marc Jacobs’ campaign isn’t about age. Nor is it, really, about advertising the dress, or even selling it. When was the last time you saw a dress in a fashion advert and legged out to buy it? If you’re a man, probably never. But if you’re a woman who buys such things, you’d already have clocked it on the catwalk (and maybe even pre-ordered it). Regardless, even if you did, Cher’s dress won’t be in stores for a few more months.

-Alexander Fury/The Independent

EXPERIMENT

Hairdos of the ancient Greeks

SOMETIMES RESEARCH into ancient history requires the use of a curling iron. That’s what Katherine Schwab discovered when she turned her attention to the hairstyles of the Caryatids, the six marble maidens created as columns on the south porch of the Erechtheion, part of the Acropolis of Athens.

The ancient figures wear their tresses in intricate, subtly individualised arrangements of curls and wraparound plaits, each anchored by a thick fishtail braid dangling down the back. An art history professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, Schwab wondered whether flesh-and-blood women could wear their locks the same way. She found a hair-

stylist to reproduce the Caryatid coiffures and used some of her students as models.

Now she has turned her experiment into an exhibition, which is on show at the Greek Embassy in Washington DC. The Caryatid Hairstyling Project includes photos of the stone Caryatids, photos of the student models during and after the styling session, and a video of the undertaking. An expert in Greek and Roman art and archeology, Schwab conceived of the project in 2007 when Fairfield hosted an art exhibition that included photos of the Caryatids.

The six figures date to about 420 B.C. Over the years, they were damaged by war and pollution, and in the early 19th cen-

tury, one of them was removed at the behest of Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, who appropriated many Greek antiquities.

In 1979, the remaining five Caryatids were moved for their protection, and they are now prized attractions at the Acropolis Museum, while reproductions stand at the original site.

(Lord Elgin’s Caryatid is at the British Museum in London.)

Looking at the photos, Schwab realised that although she could analyse the semiotics of the Caryatids’ clothing — their tuniclike robes and mantles indicate social status, for instance — their hair befuddled her. Humans, Scwhab observes, “are still the same breed then and now. Hair is a big thing”.-The Washington Post

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Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 For rent furnished, non furnished flats & shops in Duqm.

Contact: 97283999 Labour camp for rent 100 pax labour camp in Duqm near special zone. Contact 97283999 We have 2 BHK Flat in Ghubra near sea, 2 rooms with sitting hall, kitchen & 3 bathrooms only 350/R.O. Contact 93782735 / 99208033 We have 5 BHK villas in Al Khuwair near Taymour Mosque commercial villa good for office, companies & families. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact: 99366624 2 BHK near Medical Darsait R.O 250/-. Contact : 98748925 Room for rent family /ex bachelor/ sharing in Ruwi. Contact : 99777496 4 BHK Villa in Al khuwair. Contact 99792181

2BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (350/- R.O). Contact: 99342661 1BHK in Darsait near ISM (220/R.O). Contact: 99342661 1BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (280/- R.O). Contact : 99342661 2 BHK (with split AC) residential flat at Honda road.

Contact 98087644 / 99795241 We have, 2BHK flat in Mabela 7, 2 rooms, sitting hall, kitchen & 2 bathrooms only 200/- R.O. Contact 93782735/ 99208033 Flat in Darsait, Mumtaz behind Ministry of Sport 2 bedrooms, living room, 3 bathrooms & kitchen split 400/- R.O . Contact: 92479515 Flats in Al Ghubra near 18 Nov .St, 1 bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen with AC 280/- R.O family only. Contact: 92479515 Big flats in Darsait near Al Falaj hotel, 3BHK living room, dining room, 2 bathrooms, Kitchen AC FAMILY only 500/-R.O .Contact : 92479515

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 600/-RO.#92888115 We have 2 BHK flat in Ghala, 2 rooms, large sitting hall, huge kitchen & 3 bathrooms only 350/- R.O our building no water problem.

Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 2 BR flat for rent in Wadi Kabir Mazoon Building, behind Wadi Kabir Garden, very close to Al Maha petrol pump. Rent RO 275 PM. Call 99440826 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Rex Road. Contact 99792181 3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Azaiba.

Contact 99792181

Flat for rent South Ghubrah 3 bedrooms, 3 bath rooms & kitchen with A.C. Contact: 97896982 5000 sqm prime indusial land in Misfah, Bausher, with 550 sqm of covered warehouse and office space, for rent only. Contact: + 968 – 99264162 Executive 3 bedroom flat all attached with bathroom, air condition curtains, sitting room and big varanda R.O 400/- Athaiba round about behind bank Muscat Sohar Building way No 4216 HSE No 1067. Contact: Owner 99331413 / 99105169 2 bedroom flat for rent in Azaiba near Mitsubishi showroom .

Rent 300/-. Contact : 92447365 2 BHK Apartment for rent near MSQ area. Please contact 92888063

Labour Camp for Rent in Wadikabir.

Contact 99792181

2000 sqm Commercial land for lease in Ghala. Please contact 98154444

1BHK flats at Muttrah near Oman House. Contact: 93231403

Showroom 606 sqm Bousher height. Contact: 94300909

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255.

1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126 1 Villa & 4 big apartments of 2/3 BHK with hall, Kitchen & ACs Al Khoudh 6. Tel 97600322 alnehang@gmail.com 3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. It has Electricity and boundary wall.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Three new Executive flats opposite grand mall 287, 273 & 219 m2 respectively, Elevator available.

Contact: 99207840

Three bedrooms flat, first floor Al Rawdha Street Al Hail North.

Contact: 99207840 Flat for rent in Al Hamriyah, 3 rooms & accessories.

Contact: 99341112 Deluxe 3 Room Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 9507 0421 For rent new building 2 & 3 BHK flats at Wadi Al Kabir behind Muscat Bakery. Contact: 99338133 Commercial villa 10 BHK Al Khuwair 25 near HTC. Contact: 94300909 Independent villa in Darsait (Opp. KIMS Hospital, behind Khimji Mart) for rent 4 bedrooms, big hall and 1 kitchen + 1 pantry. Please call Ms Hiba Shaikh.

Contact 98048210/ Mr. Anil Kumar 99261773 1 Bedroom bachelors, sharing K & T in Al Khuwair R.O 100/-.

Contact 95154331

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DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336 Villa for rent - Al Seeb/Al Mawelah - Block 5 - 4 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, Majlis, 2 halls, kitchen and storeroom. split Ac and carpark.

Contact 99564616

FOR SALE

MV. SALE

Flat for rent in Ruwi, CBD. Contact: 92820734 Shfandish & tables for sale.

Contact 99368907

1 BHK Flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 92275454 Flat or rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419 2BHK flat with store room, split A/cs in CBD, Ruwi near QNB. Rent 400/-.Contact 99603696

FOR RENT

2 bedroom flat new building in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99313274 3 bedrooms flat for rent near NIT Institute Darsait. Contact 93494098 1-BHK apartment available for immediate occupancy from June 1st in Azaibah next to Al Meera hypermarket, close to highway and 18-November St. Call 93504997 for viewing.

Apartments for rent Ghubra : near Indian School Ghubra & Al Maha International Hotel (2BHK with 5 split A/C units).Contact 99273774 / 99202278 /94652485 506 sqm space with mezzanine available for rent in Al Wadi Al Kabir. Suitable for carpentry / auto workshop and /or electrical shop.

Interested parties may Contact 24703981 Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172 Flat with 2 rooms, toilet & kitchen in second floor in Souk Al Khoud behind bank Al Ahli 200/- R.O .

Contact : 99738881 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact : 92800007

2,560 sq mtrs industrial land Wadi Kabir Main Road, First line on way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to make petrol station or hotel. OMR 990 Thousand Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Labour camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99797422

Short term quick rental wanted (3 months) 2 bedroom flat (brand new).

Attached bathroom for each room. near school. Well-equipped ac only 200 OMR/month location: Al Hail South. Contact:99549745 Villa for rent in Azaiba near well roundabout & Umm AL Qura Mosque, 5 bedrooms, two hall, kitchen. Contact: Mr Sunil 92887809/ Mr. Habib 98048207

FOR SALE

Room main road, Al Khuwair R.O 110/-. Contact 97799175

5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each.

Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842 One BHK flat for rent in Ghobra with attach and common bathroom. For Indian family. Contact 92322096 3 flats for rent 3 bedrooms include A/C, near the highway (Bowshar Amerat). Contact 97777911 / 95533777 1st floor flat in Amerat Phase 5, 4 rooms, bathrooms (3), kitchen with A/C for family. # 95522405 2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms.

Contact : 99224748 / 99425665 2 BHK & studio flat at Darsait 1SM. Contact 99024730

1/3 BHK Flat Ghubrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880

Coffee shop for sale in North Al Ghubra. Contact 95256009

1& 2BHK for rent at Wadi Kabir, Hilal Al Sad and Al Khoud areas .

Contact Office: 24834644 Mobile: 93994401/02/03

Well equiped and running condition Restaurant for sale. Contact: 97710015 / 92934027 near Missfah Khanco Road Cement Factory

If require flats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send me messages through whatsapp or call 99376454 Spacious 2 BHK flats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499

Restaurant for sale well running with open area and good parking area. 3 new clearance also in Wadi Kabeer near Mars hyper market.

Contact 99656863

Brand new projectors and sun screens rear projection films for sale.

Contact: 99456456

23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 3 floor commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR 207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Studio flat Wadi Kabeer 160/-O.R. Contact - 99358589 / 97079146/ 95570288

Port cabin new & refurbished – porta cabin for sale & rent.

Contact: 96723468 / 97775501 / 97775502

Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569

1BHK flat near star cinema with split A/C 230/- O.R. Contact 99358589/ 97079146/95570288

3 Ton forklift for sale 2003/04 Daewoo forklift for sale.

Contact: 97677133

Showroom for rent 200 m in Al Misfah, Bousher facing the main road. Contact 95202430

Villa in Al Khuwair and Seeb.

Contact 95250300/ 99119699 / 92125648

Running restaurant going for sale in Ibri. Contact: 96774871

558 Sq mtrs residential land in Barka (Al Jenainah) near Lulu and near to school. OMR 32 Thousand.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Curtain shop for immediate sale South Al Hail with 2 clearance.

Contact: 99041337

Ladies beauty parlor for sale in Muttrah, above Ahla Sceps Market.

Contact : 93231403

Best Investment opportunity in Muscat a brand new furnished show room for electronics building, material mobiles etc available for sale at prime location. Contact : 91710624 / 98873484

60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 29 Per Square Meter.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127

New building, residential apartments and offices, in Al Khoud Souq. Contact 95202340

Industrial land for rent in Wadi Kabir 7000 Sq mtrs.

Contact 99354340

Flat for rent 1 & 2 bedroom available behind Zaker Mall Al Khuwair.

Contact - 99530405

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

Ghubra near Al Maha hotel & Indian school (2BHK with 5 split ac units). Contact 94652485/ 99273774 / 99202278

Running computer shops for sale Souq Sohar. Contact 99420543

Shopping center for sale at Bousher by good price 400 m2 with all equipment. Reason for selling part-time. Contact 92916490

2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Contact 97000155 or 92688692 2013 LEXUS ES350 for Sale 40,000 km Full Option Gold Color Bought from Bahwan dealership Price: 13,500 Riyals Call: 9291 2660 Land Cruiser 2012. #99336093 Toyota Yaris 2006, 1.3 cc Automatic, Gray, 101000 k.m, accident free, well maintained & sparingly used by diplomat. All services done through Toyota. Contact 96249208.

Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic. Contact: 99045803 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

ACC. AVAILABLE 2 Rooms with separate bathroom & kitchen for executive bachelors.

Gsm 942-888-63 Family room available at Muttrah.

Contact: 24712088 / 99022790 Fully furnished room attached bath for Executive bachelor behind Al Meera hypermarket Azaiba R.O 150/-Contact : 99455735 Furnished room available for Executive bachelor in Ghala near Oman LNG building. Contact: 93980900 Bath attached room for rent at Al Amerat. Contact 99008803 Excellent room, with A/C kitchen available from June/ July 1st, near ONTC Bus station (Ruwi). #95569740 Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 1BHK available Mumtaz area Ruwi.

Contact: 99269751 Sharing for non-cooking Executive bachelor in CBD area wi fi free, advance deposit. Contact 95934642 Contd on pg 7

D4

M O N D AY, J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian CA with 15 yrs exp working as Finance Head for MNC looking for suitable job.

NOC available. 94047434 ACA,ACMA & ACS qualified with rich experience in Finance & Accounts, more than 14 years in gulf, seeks suitable opening.

Contact: 00968-95591523 Email:anush123@hotmail.com ACCA & B.Com with Noc more than 5 years of experience in accounts & finance looking for a suitable job can join immediately.

Contact: 97012146 Indian male, 27 M.Com, MBA, 4.5 years experience in finance & accounts, tally & SAP currently on visit visa. Contact: 93484048 Male 24, B.Com / PGD having 2 years experience in accounts and inventory field, looking for suitable job, on visit visa. Contact: 94129550

ADMIN Omani lady HR Manager for a leading metal fabrication company. Min. 5 yrs exp, familiar with Oman labor Laws. Responsibilities – Making HR policies, Training of Omanis, liaising with various Ministries. Contact: operation@khancogroup.com

ACCOUNTANT A leading Company in Ruwi looking for Accounts Assistant, B Com with min 3 years of exp. Female candidate preferable. Please send your CV’s to hrruwi2015@gmail.com Assistant Accountant experience: 2 years. Contact: 24703484 / 96918100 Email: om.omanlights@gmail.com

DRIVER Omani family looking for full time lady driver. Contact: 91401838

EDUCATION Teachers required (B.A, BEd, BSc, and B.ed) for Omani Pvt. School Al Hail (North). Contact 95141554/ 96653118

ENGINEER Construction Company require Civil Engineer, minimum 2 year’s Gulf experience. Contact: 93806556 A reputed water treatment company is looking for 10 years experienced Civil Engineer with driving license.

Knowledge of civil works, QS. Apply : md.mohamed@gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required Indian experience beautician, good salary + Accommodation + Food visa Available location Al Hail.

Contact: 92284899 / 92139922 Beautician required with good experience visa available.

Contact: 95867900

CATERING A leading Company in Ruwi looking for Accounts Assistant, B Com with min 3 years of exp. Female candidate preferable. Please send your CV’s to hrruwi2015@gmail.com

Electrical Engineer having 3 years gulf experience with driving license.

Contact: 24703484 / 96918100 Email: om.omanlights@gmail.com Urgently required Site Engineers & all kinds of civil construction workers for a reputed construction company. Interested candidates can send your CV’s to mohamed@oasisgrace. com, contact 99881459, 24826566, fax: 24812226

Well trained, with military base experience catering staff available for contractual catering operation.

Cook – 08, Waiter - 6, Utility worker - 6, Supervisor-1.

Contact: 97984335

Urgently required a Staff Nurse for a clinic at Hamriya area who has passed prometric exam with 60% or more. Contact: 99031408 Email: ranjitbarua63@yahoo.com

Urgent required House maid in Mabela. Visa available.

Contact- 95200180.

DRIVER A well reputed steel fabrication & machining Workshop Company in Oman requires forklift operator with valid Oman license.

Contact 92746349 Email: mydeen@midest.com

Required Salesman, Tailor and Barber. Contact : 96964767

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required Advertising & Media Sales Executives with Oman D/L. Trainee positions available for Freshers.

Email: jobs@interacoman.com Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.com Sales man for electrical and building material Items, experience: 2 years with driving license. Contact: 24703484 / 96918100 Email: om.omanlights@gmail.com

Furniture company urgently seeks outdoor sales team, attractive salaries for right candidates. Contact: batrading2014@gmail.com

Wanted Nurse for MCT area for GP Clinic Cont: 9670 9401

Required looking for full time Housemaid preface Indian / Sri Lanka for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact: 92454170

Vinyl Applicators (preferably for vehicles), Metal Fabricators.

Contact 98918344

Website Graphic Designer, .Net/ Oracle Certified Developer, Systems Analyst, Software Business Developer/Marketer. hr@takweenit.net

Shawarma /Arabic/Chinese/ cook & helper. Contact 95529970

An Indian family in Al Ghubra requires a full time living housemaid.

Contact : 97084023

Sales man Accountant, show room incharge, sports shop.

Email: j_msports@yahoo.com

IT

Wanted Female Nurse with or without MOH license for a Polyclinic.

Salary negotiable.

Contact: 97091664, 97327175.

Email: mmcmuscat@gmail.com

Wanted full time Indian Housemaid for Indian Muslim family. Should be skilled in preparation of Non-Veg dishes. Preferably from Hyderabad, India. Company visa, good salary + bonus, air –ticket for leave travel provided by company.

Contact 99349924.

Mason, C.C.T.V, Technician, Electrician cum Plumber. Contact: 99383044

Required Indian Salesman for a Spare parts Company, Good salary package and visa will be offered for suitable candidates. Can send CV on alrabhe@omantel.net.om

Looking for a Restaurant Manager for a well known restaurant in Muscat, with atleast 2 years of work experience in Oman. Candidate must have a valid Omani driving license, excellent marketing and communication skills and an eagerness to work. For enquiries and interview contact: 92978956 or 94027151.

DOMESTIC HELPER

MISCELLANEOUS

MEDICAL

Required a MOH licensed female Nurse for a private clinic near Al-Suwaiq. Call 93746086 Wanted Nurse for a dental centre in Mawaleh South. Interested may contact 93431024 Email: drasyanaseem@gmail.com Required Nurse for a Clinic in Al Buraimi, S. Of Oman.

Contact: 00968 92737149. Send CV to drpkabbas@yahoo.co.in Urgent required staff Nurse in Mabela. Contact- 95200180.

Urgently required Staff Nurse, Pharmacist and endodontist Female Staff nurse, Pharmacist and endodntist with MOH License/Prometric exam passed with 60% and above.

Contact 24780088, 97374459 Email : karamadental@gmail.com Immediate placement ( with or without MOH) A. Pharmacist 3 nos B. Asst.pharmacist - 2 nos Contact Tel.99338219 , 93240949 Wanted Lady Doctor GP or Gynecologist with MOH license.

Immediate opportunity.

Contact - 99310590

Required Sales Staff for a reputed insurance Broker male / Omani.

Contact at 97619595 or send CV to msaif@ace-ins.com website: ace-ins.com Marketing Representative – General items, Experience: Minimum 2 - 3 years, Should have knowledge about Oman market, Valid Oman Driving License must Forward CV to hr@barikgroup.com Urgently required out door Sales Executive for furniture company, minimum 5 years experience with Oman D/L. Contact: 93231403 Required Van Salesman for a major beverages company in Qatar. Salary 1800 Qatar Riyal + free accomodation & food+ Sales commissions averaging around 2000 Qatari Riyal.

Also require key accounts supervisor. Salary negotiable. Interested candidates may send their CV to rlkekkas@gmail.com or Contact 0097455096272 Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualification. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com Salesman experienced 5 yrs in Oman, in the field of industrial & oilfield service, garage equipment tools & spares, safety wears & rescue equipments. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SKILLED LABOUR Wanted experienced female tailor from Philippines. Contact: 99466062

Indian male 26 years having 2 years of experience in financial accountant looking for accountant job.

Contact: 00968 97483234 Indian male M.Com 6 yrs experience in accounts up to finalization in Oman having Oman D/L available to join immediately with NOC. Contact : 98363897 Email: princ9496@hotmail.com Accountant having 8 yrs, experience looking for part time job.

Contact: 99867456

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

DOMESTIC HELPER

Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154

Housemaid & houseboy, Indian with 4 yrs exp looking for job.

Contact 91299288

Jordanian, Senior accountant, 34 year old, 12 years experience in the GCC, 7 years in construction & 4 years in hospital having Oman D/L proficient in tally 9.0. Contact 96470036

Tunisian lady has Professorship in social and economical sciences and accounting, diploma in Experimental Sciences degree in English for media. Contact 95391050, aysser2013@gmail.com

Young dynamic Indian MBA having one year exp in CA Firm looking for an opening. Skills: MS Office & Tally.

Contact:+919744732896/ Email: asifakbar4@gmail.com

Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com

Finance Manager (15+yrs experience) thorough knowledge on Holding Company accounts. Well versed on Trading, Investment, Insurance Brokerage, Travel & Rent A Car accounts. Ability to manage Group of companies. Contact: 92701962 : amritaa.m2002@gmail.com

AUTO CAD/ARCHITECT

MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. Contact: 99424803 Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com Analyst accountant knowledge & skill excel Advance misreport account & finance administration work document oracle advertising knowledge degree MBA, BBM. Contact 91840109/99783953 Email: mohd.rashid19@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs B.com having experience in accounts for 3 yrs currently on visit looking to job.

Contact: 97937868 Email: rehman.naseer999@gmail.com Part time Accounts job & finalization work Muscat. Contact: 92917448 An Indian lady Chartered Accountant with five years experience (including article ship) on family visa in Oman looking for a suitable job. Please Contact 9621 0347 / 9943 5346, shincycrajan@gmail.com Sr. Accountant M.com (finance) 15 years experience (2years in Oman with a reputed firm) NOC available.

Contact: 92404608 Email: jin_75@rediffmail.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available. Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 MBA Graduate with 6 yrs exp in finance/accounts/ auditing. Specialized in accounts payable dept, Oracle app user, proficient in Sap (fico) end user & tally 9.0. lean &six sigma certified trainer on visit visa.

Contact – 91967213 / 99064780 India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment. contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com

Indian Female Architect (Interior Design), Knowledge in AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Max Studio, Adobe in design, Google Sketch up, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Office etc.. Currently on family dependent visa up to November 2015.

Contact: 95959494 , E-Mail: rasha.k973@gmail.com Autocad D man, Gulf exp in major projects, knows arch, structural, MEP, NOC available ph: 98225740 Female architect (27) 4 years experience seeking for suitable job in Oman experience in Oman, India & UK. Contact: 96146645 Email: anjuovil@gmail.com

ADMIN/HR MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in operations with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available.

Contact :93671437 Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact 95824598 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement.

Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com

DRIVER Driver 6 yrs exp knowing English, Arabic, Hindi Education B. A. Contact: 99512270 Driver with car 10 years experience part and full time looking for job light driver. Contact: 95897233 Looking for job LTV driver, exp 15 years. Contact: 93183817 Heavy P.D.O license.

Contact: 95606146 Light duty driver seeks job.

Contact : 91122145 / 95992137 Driver with car, 3 years experience part & full time looking for job.

Contact: 97456062 Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327 For Driving. Contact: 95870012 Driver light. Contact: 91020999

EDUCATION English Teacher female (M. A. B. Ed) having 14 years experience with 11 years experience in Oman with reputed Institute and School. Contact: 92289080 / 99318276 Email: babvjosev@yahoo.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com Indian male 24 years, Mechanical Engineer,pdms.1 yr experience in pipeline,16years in oman seeking immediate placement # 95775742 Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500 Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952 Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Sudanese Electrical Engineer, 2 years experience.

Contact: 91211592 Email: aymanhamza1990@gmail.com Network / system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job, currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact : 92589502 / 96216397, Email : jeganscareer@gmail.com Indian male 26 yrs mechanical Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Instrumentation Engineer, Indian male having 2 years experience in process instruments and sales seeks suitable placement on visit visa.

Contact: 95954385 Email: irfancisinn@gmail.com Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com.

Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Keralite Comp: Engr experienced in BPO on visit seeking any type of job. Email: khais2001@gmail.com, contact 92094926 Sr Manager, B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2 from UK. 24 yrs exp in EPC Project Management of Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Refineries & Power Plants. Seeking job immediately/on visit/ Contact- 00968-91263952/ josececy25@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 24 years with piping engineering, autocad & PDMS now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact : 99168054 / 96684345 email: mbkishore@hotmail.com MEP Contractor in Muscat looking for AC Foreman with minimum 5 years experience in Split AC installation. Contact: 92472326 Email:info@4dengineering.net Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com Indian male B.Tech Electronics Instrumentation, studied till 12th in Oman, presently on family visa seeking suitable position.

Contact: 99639646 / 99067950 Email: prajeeshpp12@gmail.com Electrical Engineer : Indian male 29 years , having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Pakistani 25yrs male B.E (Electrical) 3Y-2M exp building maintenance installation construction looking for suitable job. NOC Ready.

Contact: 97240616 Email: fiazhanss@gmail.com Civil Foreman, maintenance, 15 years Oman, 2 yrs Kuwait with Oman driving license. Contact 0096896405865 /91 9464255409 Email: sukhwinder9@yahoo.com Electronics Engineer with 4 years experience in product development looking for in instrumentation and industrial automation now in Oman visit visa. Contact : 968 95218030 Email: ronymreji@gmail.com Indian male B.Tech (ECE), currently working in HCL Chennai India, as Engineer Product Support Officer with 2.5 yrs experience looking for a suitable placementMobile: 92625379 ; Email: mekala.kashyap@gmail.com Sales Engineer (37), 15 yrs (12 yrs Oman) experience in structured cabling fiber optics, data centers, security & AV, Telecom, Network & datacom, OSP, Industrial Connectivity. Contact: 99771815, Noc. Indian male 30 years Mechanical Engineering Diploma with 4+ years of Experience in Fabrication drawings using CAD Software’s in India, now on a visit visa seeking for a suitable placement in OMAN. Will be available till 12/6/15 for interview.

Contact 99013952, vineetf56@gmail.com Civil Engineer male 13 years exp Indian seeking suitable job.

Contact: +919640973798 Email: firozbakhtiar2@gmail.com

Toms Davis, 5+yrs Exp in Projects and design, 10+2+Diploma in Mech Eng, 92068508 Civil Engineer, Indian Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99195433 Indian female 27 yrs-BSc Biotech and P.G Diploma in Quality Assurance having experience in Pharmaceutical Industry seeking immediate placement- Contact- 93218363.

B.Com DMM logistics Telecommunication Agriculture 15 years experience 2 years Oman seeking placement. Contact: 91227198 Email: raju_poduval@rediffmail.com Graduate Electrical Engineer having 6 years experience of Gulf and professional license available to join. Contact: 98063081 Indian male, (B.E) Electronics and Communication (ENC), 2 years experience in Instrument Engineer and plant supervisor in India.

Contact : 94188216 Email: azeez45ec@gmail.com Indian Civil Engineer (building) available immediately as supply contract. Contact : 95218004 Electrical Engineer 10 years experience in underground cables extension and distribution substation and terrestrial station available in Oman, on visit visa. Contact : 95471606 Electrical Engineer new in Oman B.Tech (Hons.) with Diploma of Electrical Engg. seeks a suitable job.

Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasqader97@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385

IT Software Engineer 6+ Exp.(MCA with Distinction) interested in IT/ Teaching Contact-92656246 MCA Indian male 24 yrs seeking suitable placement in software / Database support currently on visit visa. Contact 96785261 Email: sudheesh.edakkadan@gmail.com 25 yrs, Omani male, 5 years exp seeking job in IT and AutoCad all info in website.

Contact: najeeb719.weebly.com Indian female B.E 2 years of IT experience with IBM – Indian certified in oracle PL /SQL and forms developer seeking job in IT field in reputed company.

Contact: 95094189 Email: bijigopu7@gmail.com Indian male BCA, MCA, 2 years experience in software programming knowledge of Java, SQL, NET, C#, ASP.NET, DB2, Oracle. Contact: 99210940 Expat Lady (M.Sc IT), Looking for suitable position in IT/Office work.

Contact 98176793, Email : santhi.85@gmail.com Indian female 27 yrs B.Tech (IT) MBA one years of experience as a software analyst. Contact 91234864 Email: ashwinirathnam2011@gmail. com

Diploma in Civil Engineer with 10 yrs experience, valid Omani driving license, NOC available.

Contact: 94052815.

Indian male, 20+ years experience in IT management, ERP implementation, seeks suitable opening.

Contact: 96101779

5 years experienced Q.S ENG with driving license looking for suitable position. Contact: 98142595

Networking technician with driving license, with Noc, having 2 experiences in data & telephone structured cubing EPABX & CCTV installation is looking for suitable jobs. Contact: 96027516

Indian male 25, Diploma Civil Engineer 2 years experience insite Engineer looking for suitable placement. Contact: 96750429 Indian female 28 yrs having 2 yrs experience as Estimation and Design Engineer (BMS) with valid Omani driving license seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99047570 Electrical Engineer, 2 years as Project Engineer office works proposals / contracts site jobs installations/ maintenance. Contact: 96209298 English/ Arabic languages

Gulf experienced Software Developer & certified professional in English looking from a Job with vast experience in sales and Management + D/L. Contact 00968 96701312 Email: farhanaslam586@yahoo.com Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY

SALES / MARKETING

4 yrs exp (Money Exch. Services & hospitality services in Oman& India) Indian male 27, Graduate in Hospitality Science, fluent in English, Hindi & Arabic seeks job.

Contact: 91383167

Indian male 10 years experience in Welding Supervisor NDT Technician, MIG Welding specialist seeking suitable job. Contact 96771841

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female with over 9 yrs experience with good communication skills seeks jobs in customer service or sales field. Contact : 96108289, shijipaul84@gmail.com Indian male, 23 years Graduate – B. Sc Electronics / 1 year experience as Cashier cum Asst. Accountant, Currently in Muscat on visit visa, seeking for a suitable placement in any field . Contact 94154199, Email: navingeorge007@gmail.com

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com Indian male, 32 years having 3 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman, holding valid Oman driving license.

NOC available. Contact: 97615497 / +919894436645 Email: faraj7@gmail.com Result oriented male M. Com 25 yrs experience sales marketing, admin building material seeking immediate suitable placement having L /D. Contact : 92882408/ 92715831

Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact : 98803439

Indian female 28 years experience Sales Coordination, Administration, Secretarial and Accounting Software knowledge with Oman D/L. Contact : 96751993

13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

Indian male 32 yrs, 6 years experience instore in charge with Indoor salesman looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97385874

Construction Surveyor Indian looking for suitable job.

Contact 91977142 / 95141554

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Administration Manager, Male, MBA, 5years experience in MNCs. fardhaan@gmail.com,92700670 Sr Manager, MBA, 18 yrs professional exp in building material, tiles, sanitary wares, bath, turnkey projects, interiors, modular kitchens, hardwares & tools. Project sales in Gulf countries with GCC license on visit visa looking for job assignment.

Contact 93364846 Sr manager, B.Tech, MBA, Prince -2 from UK. 24 yrs exp in EPC project management of oil & gas pipelines, refineries & power plants. Seeking job immediately / on visit/ Contact: + 00968912639 Email: josececy25@gmail.com B.Com Graduate with 12 years experience in procurement/logistics/warehouse in construction and building materials seeks suitable placement.

NOC available. Contact : 94657319

MEDICAL 29 Indian male Nurse.B.SC prometric exam passed on a visit. 10 years experience in India & Italy seeks a suitable placement in multinational hospitals & clinics. Contact 96071773 – sanukochiparampil@gmail.com Assistant Pharmacist (Indian female, 28 yrs) with MOH license.

Contact 93022787 / 99108751 Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

SALES / MARKETING An Indian male having rich experience in procurement, Sales marketing and office administration seeking suitable position.

Contact: 93689602 Indian male MBA (HR& marketing) 2 years experience in sales seeking suitable position now on visiting.

Contact: 96483964 Indian male Graduate in business management having work experience of 12 years looking for a suitable position. Contact : 93431567 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job.

Contact - 92146864

Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in Sales knowledge of ERP & MS Office.

Email : syedismailnoor@gmail.com Indian male, 30 yrs, 6 years Gulf experience in shipping operations and customer service, NOC available.

Contact: 93042516 8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535 8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323 Indian male, 30, BSc, Food Science and Quality control, MBA 5 years experience, driving license.

Contact: 93405643 Indian male with 08 yrs exp in sales & marketing, seeks suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 95970204 Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements.

Contact - 9837 1144 Indian male, B.Sc (Mathematics) PGDBM (Marketing). 9 yrs of Oman experience in sales in midlevel management, NOC available.

Valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95278838 Email: anup2p4p@yahoo.com BE computer science 6 years experience software developer and support Engineering exp sales and management Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact: 98097722 P.H.D , 20 years, 2.5yrs Oman agriculture green house fertilizers marketing seeking suitable placement. Contact 93220249 Email: anthurium7777@gmail.com Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa.

Contact 93086105/33016546

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian male MBA having 10 years experience in Oman as Document controller and 2+ Years experience as Project Assistant / Executive Secretary seeks suitable placement.

NOC available Contact: 95373198, email: sydnvrng@yahoo.com Arabic – English translator having, 3 years experience currently on visit visa seeks translation or Bi-Lingual, Secretarial job.

Contact: 96599601 Email: gawadjamal@gmail.com Indian male more than 10 years Gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 99709336

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing.

Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job.

Contact 96990368.

Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female 30 Yrs ( Master in Hospital Administration ) Lead Auditor ISO 9001:2008 QMS; ISO 14001:2004 EMS Certified Having Total Exp. of 6+ years ( Last 3 Years In Oman ) In Healthcare Administration ,Quality , Training , HR & Healthcare Audit .Well versed In JCI (U.S.A.) Accreditation/NABH Accreditation .

Seeks Opening in Quality /Training / Auditing /HR&A Department .

Currently on Family Visit Visa (Received NOC).

GSM: 96683277 / 93747007 E-Mail: smsraza819@gmail.com Indian heavy duty driver with 8 years experience in oman available with NOC. GSM : 93601943 GSM : 94496457 INDIAN male, MBA GRADUATE as well as BBA specialized in Finance and Marketing, proficient in Tally.9, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 0091 7025696085, Email : praseed.nandhu@gmail.com Indian Female seeking a job in Back Office and Accountancy, 8+ years proven experience as a dynamic candidate with excellent Excel & Communication skills.Quick learner and Team player. Currently on visit Contact 94093154, 95963281, joyjohn_hhh@yahoo.com Indian Male, Mechanical Engineer 35 years, with 3 years of experience and on visit visa is looking for a suitable Job, Contact: 91991435,93310821 Indian male Oman experience in electrical and plumbing looking for a suitable position.

Please contact 00919591340961, 00917795583924.

MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com 6 years exp. including 4 years Oman exp. with Professional qualification Of CA strategic level I ACCA,B. com(Special). Experienced in financial Report preparation & Worked in ERP, ORACLE & SAP. seeking accountant position. #92008368 , Mujeeb75@ymail.com Key Account Executive , currently working with a reputed FMCG company Oman is looking for a placement asap, NOC available, valid Omani driving license.

Total experience in Oman is 12yrs and particularly in Sales is 8 1/2 years. Contact 95589765 Email : agnelfrancis@yahoo.co.in Senior IT Professional, Indian Male, more than 17 yrs. of experience in software development(PB, Oracle, SAP ABAP) and IT Support with valid Oman DL and NOC available Contact : 92193867, Email : cp.prasad@gmail.com Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa. Seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089 23,Male, ACCA with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit firm and Oil/ Gas,looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit.

Contact #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone- 98430089 Civil supervisor-8 year’s experience in commercial and residential building, including portable cabin, natural and artificial play ground’s, and Oxy petroleum field, at sultanate of Oman. GSM :91249005. Mail :sandeep88joseph@gmail.com Indian Male 28yr age having 6year gulf+ Indian experience in HR field.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com 8 yrs exp Site supervisor cum 2d, 3d Draughtsman (holding Omani driving license) seeking job.

Contact : 93790601 Iraqi Pharmacist with 15 years experience as regulatory affairs and Marketing Manager seeking job in pharmaceutical co. Mobile 96720441 Finance ACCA Affiliate, 2.5 years experience in audit/finance and oil company in reputed firms. Looking for suitable permanent placement.

Release available. Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. Contact 9588 7051, Email: ashwininakod@gmail Indian male, Engineer, BE Mechanical, having with 21 years of experience in India and 13 years in Oman, In production, project management, quality control and assurance and MR for ISO and API Standards looking out for a suitable placement in Oman. GSM: 00968 97311616.

E-MAIL: fahazasa@yahoo.com Indian female BA graduate. My total experience is 4 and half year in Call Center looking for jobs in admin and HR. Contact : 96089143, Email: sharanjit_kaur2009@yahoo.com Indian male, MBA marketing & finance with B com & diploma in IFRS seeks job.

Contact 99469726 / 99469729 Key Account Executive, Indian male, currently working with a reputed FMCG company Oman is looking for a placement asap, NOC will be given. Valid Omani driving license. Total experience in Oman is 12yrs and particularly in Sales is 8 1/2 years. Contact 95589765 Email : agnelfrancis@yahoo.co.in 25 Indian female, B.Sc fashion technologist, 5 years exp in merchandising, familiar with fashion marketing & designing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a visual merchandising job. Contact : 96990368, email jumshi@gmail.com Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer , 4 years experience in telecom field #97783092, Email: Alrsheed88@hotmail.com Indian male, 28 years, 7 years experience in transporting & heavy equipment renting company. Having Omani driving license seeks suitable positions. Contact 94410485 Civil autocad draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726 Working as Senior Accountant, 4 yrs.exp.in oman, relevant computer skills, Audit, Accounting upto finalization, valid oman driving license, languages known Arabic, Hindi.

NOC available can join immediately.

Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com) Mechanical Engineer, Indian, (B.E.) on visit visa, seeking suitable post.

Contact :99534733 Email: rajesh92prince@gmail.com Male, 19 years of experience in Finance and Administration currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99720132/ abidrafi33@hotmail.com Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer, 4 years experience in telecom field.

Contact : 97783092, Email: alrsheed88@hotmail.com Indian female, B.Com. knowledge of MS Office &Tally, 4yrs experience in Accounts &admin dept. looking for good placement in any field.

Contact: 98928220 Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

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M O N D AY, J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED B.E. Civil Engineer age 27, total 3 years of experience in Mumbai looking for placement asap in oman now on visit visa of 1 month ph 9571 3441 Email. Khatrialeem@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 years experience in different activities . Mobile No ; +96894549609 Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 9+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian Female, 24yrs, M.COM (Accounts) having 3yrs experience in Accounts, HR, Administration, Customer Service. Good Computer Proficiency. Seeking Suitable Position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available.

Contact: 99654913 ACCA affiliate, with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit firm and Oil industry, looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. Release available Contact #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com B.E Biomedical Engineer, having 5 years of experience in Diagnostics division seeking suitable position.

94151658 Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com B.E. Civil Engineer from India with 3 years of experience looking for suitable vacancy in oman now on visit visa. Contact 9571 3441, Email . Khatrialeem@gmail.com Indian male 21 IT Eng. networking & computer hardware diploma, 1 year experience, currently on visit visa looking for a suitable job#96036273 email: faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com Indian Female, Commerce Graduate, Total 9 yrs of experience in India. worked as Accounts Assistant and Business executive seeking for suitable placement.

Tel : 96173533/24222457 Email : topranidivya@gmail.com 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com Indian, 32 years, completed M.A. English, M.Sc. Psychology and B.Ed in English. Searching for suitable job in the field of teaching. To Contact: 00968 99869535 Email: sahadkeyi33@gmail.com 8 Years successful experience, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years. Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license seeks suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Female Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary with 27+ experience, worked with top management/Board in financial services with shorthand skills & Omani driving license, seeks suitable placement. call 95941515 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.8 years experience in Administration, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region.

Holding Oman valid driving license.

Contact :94501423 Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121.

Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Sr. Manager, MBA, 18yrs professional exp in Building materials, interiors, tiles, sanitary wares, Gypsum in gulf, seeking job immediately/on visit/ Contact - 93364846 / mgrprofessional@hotmail.com Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821 Civil Engineer, Diploma, Male 25, 3 years experience in site, CAD, 3d, MS Project, Seeking job in Oman.

Contact 92875345, jubincivileng@gmail.com Indian female B.ED & BCA looking for a suitable placement in school or admin office, having 5 yrs exp in same field. Contact – 97384206 / rani_sweet786@live.com Electronics and instrumentation Engineer 28 year Indian male, electrical, electronic, industrial, building & automation exp of 4+ yrs in India.

Contact - 93154156

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor - Al Falaj area & for lady at Wadi kabir (Al Maya) 95941515.

Sharing accommodation available opposite Mars at Al Ghubra for Executive bachelor or small family sharing, kitchen.# 94474351 / 96237050 Accommodation available for South Indian family, one bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen, hall in a villa, Al Ghubrah. Contact 99209160 Sharing acc. Available in Muttrah behind Oman house. # 99354340 Sharing family accommodation in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057 Room with attached bath, kitchen in Ghala. Contact: 99334770

BUSINESS

CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 96760618 email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com Indian female, B.Com. knowledge of MS Office & Tally, 4yrs experience in Accounts &admin dept. looking for good placement in any field.

Contact.98928220 Indian female with MBA (Finance) on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089 Indian female, IATA, Bsc, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact-95514305, email idraveendranmala@gmail.com

NRI

Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 year experience in different activities. Contact; +96894549609

Alliance invited for a Hindu Ezhava girl 24 years, 5’ 2”, slim, B.Tech, MBA (Star Makayerium) joining shortly to an international firm for work , reputed family of Thrissur dt. currently settled in Muscat, from parents of well educated & employed Ezhava boys preferably from Thrissur, EKM, Palakkad. Contact : 98986547

CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96 76 06 18 Indian male, total experience is 5 years in Retail industry. Currently supervisor in Sun and sand sports Muscat City centre. Contact : 96994345.

Email : jsp.jsr85@gmail.com

KERALA NAIR BOY working in Muscat, age 31 ,Height 165cm.

Seeking alliance from Nair / Nambiar girls, especially from north Malabar area. Manager visa with family status GSM: 96344388

Indian male, post graduate, currently in Oman on visit visa.

Seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92388346

We are Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

Indian male 60 years old have 30 years Muscat experience in all office works with Omani driving license.

Contact: 99024055

Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur.

Contact: 00919846877773

Male, 30 years Accountant, 1 year Oman experience in accountants, finance. Seeking suitable position in Muscat .Can join immediately, NOC available. Email: lalitbls1@gmail.com Call: 97903175 More than Ten years of experience in Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics& Administration.

Contact 91076608 / 99322748

MATRIMONIAL

Ready / under construction apartments / villas / row houses / shops, available for sale in North / South Goa (India). tel # 95867021 E- mail tonynoronha@rocketmail.com Software development based on requirements such as: Web development & cloud computing, SAP implementation & services. Android App development networking.

Contact 97423932

Residential plot 47 cents, also as 10-15 cents plots at Manjapra 15kms from Nedumbassery Airport with calm and beautiful surroundings.

Price IRS.180,000/cent. # 9193 6563

Kerala Nair girl, B.Com, 22 yrs, 5.2” very fair, slim, (Star Uthrattathi) Presently working in infosis, Chennai. Financially sound, from parents of nair boys from Trissur, Palakkad and Eranakulam & Calicut dist. .

Contact :0091 8301865688 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com Hindu Ezhava family, settled in Muscat looking for suitable groom working within Oman for their daughter 25 yrs (MBA) working with a reputed company in Muscat.

Contact : 98689663

Alliance invited for a Nair girl 24 yrs, 5ft, 1”, fair, slim, B.Tech graduate reputed family of Ernakulam dist. (Star Thiruvonam Sudhajathakam) financially sound, from parents of B.Tech nair boys from Trissur, Palakkad and Eranakulam dist. .

Contact :00919495924302 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

M O N DAY, J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

TRANSPORTATION Transportation.

Contact: 91310107

Transportation available. Contact: 99867456

Driver with vehicle. Contact 99159277

Transportation. Contact 99077348

Transport to ISWK. Contact 93172589

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Pick & Drop any time. Contact 97014786

Transportation. Contact 99508282

D8

M O N D AY, J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

COMPUTER

DRIVING

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

CLASSES

LOST Rejaul Karim Talukdar has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AF 0230303.

Finder please handover to ROP Muhammad Talha Ashraf has lost Pakistani Passport No. AB 7742842.

Finder please handover to ROP Sofiya Selman Ahmed has lost Ethiopia Passport No. EP 2662911. Finder please handover to ROP Sumon Bachchn has lost Bangladesh passport No E 1881716. Finder please handover to ROP

CHANGE OF COMPANY NAME Al Mayasi United for Trad (ASSO) Company which is recorded under the commercial register in directorate general for trade industry number 1157861 is going to change its name to Projects International for Industries Modren (ASSO). This is to inform anybody who concerns about that.

CHANGE OF NAME I , Mukkil Thodi Govindan (holder of Indian passport No. F4210888) Son of Late Mukkil Thodi Vellukutty having permanent residence in Mukkil Thode House, PO Vengara Pin – 676304, Malappuram Dt – Kerala (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in P.O Box No. 194, PC 611, S.OF. OMAN (complete postal address in Oman) intends to change my name form Mukkil Thodi Govindan (old name) to Pulikkal Govindan (new name) for all practical purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

I , Abdul Wahid Khokar (holder of Indian passport No. L 3321556) son of Abdul Rahim Qureshi having permanent residence in Mohalla Aggna Nawalgarh, Jhunjhunu Rajastha (St), India pin 333042 (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in Sultanate of Oman Royal Guard of Oman, P.O Box No. 198 PC No. 111, Seeb (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name form Abdul Wahid Qureshi (old name) to Abdul Wahid Khokar (new name) for all practical purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

We, Manoj Mathew (name of father as per the passport holder of Indian passport No G 2033631 and Sowmya Manoj Mathew (name of mother as per the passport holder of Indian passport No. K 2073697) having permanent address in Puthusariath House Vemom – PO Ondayangadi Mananthavady Wayanad 670645, (complete portal address in India) and presently residing at the following address in Wadi Kabeer, P.B No. 1009 PC No. 114, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child master Shawn Mathew ( name as per present passport), holder of Indian passport No. K6236717 date of issue 24/09/2012 issued at Kozhikode. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Shawn (given name) Manoj Mathew (Sur name) (new name for all purposes. Any objection towards change change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts.

Contact 95941515

GOOD NEWS

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain & neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909

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