Times of Oman - June 10, 2015

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WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 / 22 Sha’aban 1436 AH

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Will Ashobaa prove ‘unlucky’ for Oman?

Abu Dhabi

Ashobaa heads towards Oman

IRAN Muscat

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CABLE

His Majesty sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Dr Ameena Gurib Fakim of the Republic of Mauritius on the occasion of being appointed as the president of the republic.

In his cable, His Majesty the

Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes of success to President Fakim to lead her country’s people towards further progress and prosperity, and further progress to the relations between the two countries. -ONA

UAE Sur

PAKISTAN

Wind speed

Most of the meteorological predictions say that the tropical storm is moving to the west

Masirah OMAN

65-83 Km/h

SAUDI ARABIA

Duqm ARABIAN SEA

WAT E R C R I S I S

‘Report rip-off by tanker operators’ TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com

YEMEN Salalah

As names go, this tropical cyclone does not have the most auspicious title as Oman becomes a nation of storm-watchers

REJIMON K FAHAD AL GHADANI

reji@timesofoman.com fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: In Sri Lanka it means ‘unlucky’ or ‘something may go wrong’. Now Oman faces a nervous wait to see if the Tropical Storm Ashobaa lives up to its name.

Hospitals in Muscat are already on alert with some staff having their weekend leave cancelled.

Muscat Municipality has already briefed its staff to be prepared to help the public, while official channels underlined the often-ignored safety advice to stay away from wadis, check the weather forecasts and avoid the sea, which is unsurprisingly expected to be rough. But last night the Oman meteorological office was playing down fears that Ashobaa could grow into another Gonu.

Dr Juma Said Al Maskari, Di-

rector General of the General Directorate of Meteorology at the General Authority of Civil Aviation, told Al Shabiba, the sister publication of Times of Oman, that the expected rain in the worst-case scenario is 100mm, compared with more than 900mm in Gonu in 2007.

He added that the possibility of the tropical storm turning into a hurricane is a weak one, and insisted that there would be no direct impact on the aviation traffic in the Sultanate. However, the approaching storm has gripped the public in Oman.

A live weather map by www. windyty.com carried on www. timesofoman.com, which tracks the progress and the path of Ashobaa, was viewed more than 15,000 times yesterday afternoon while stories related to the weather were TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

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Missing child at Seeb beach is rescued

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A child who went missing at Seeb beach was rescued by police. >A3

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Varsities raise funds for Dar Al Atta’a

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Universities and colleges raised OMR39,449 for Dar Al Atta’a. >A4

WORLD Galfar to take arbitration route; share trading to resume today

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Egypt court upholds death in football riots

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An Egyptian court upheld death sentences of 11 football fans.>A14

HUGE LOSS

No roof over their heads for 25 families affected by CBD fire REJIMON K FAHAD AL GHADANI

reji@timesofoman.com fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: At least 25 of the 45 families staying in the building that caught fire early morning on Monday in the Central Business District (CBD), are stranded without a roof over their heads.

While some have found temporary shelter with friends, others are still looking for hotels.

“We do not know what to do.

The loss is huge. The flats are not in a condition to stay. The building owner is reluctant to provide even a temporary shelter,” said tenants from the affected floor of the building.

“The fire broke out in a flat opposite ours, and it was gutted very quickly. They had visitors from Dubai including children, but all of them managed to escape with-

out major burns or injuries. If there had been smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, this incident could have been avoided,” tenants staying on the sixth floor said on Monday evening.

Speaking to the Times of Oman, the tenant of the flat which was gutted, said that he was using the flat as an office and his relatives had been staying there temporarily. “The reason behind the fire is

still unknown. There were guests from Dubai too. We have lost everything including the travel documents,” said the tenant.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that four members of a family have been hospitalised as they suffered from suffocation due to the smoke.

“The smoke alarms did not go off, and since it was early morning most of the residents were just getting out of bed. By the time we were alerted, the corridors were filled with thick smoke. We all had to run out of the building in our night dress,” said some residents of the building.

“I was alerted by my neighbours, but by then, smoke had filled the corridors of the fifth floor. I ran to the fire exit and managed to reach the third floor, but could not go any further as I developed breathing problems,” said a tenant. >A6

read more than 80,000 times. Officials hope that the public will take as much notice of their latest warning, saying: “Be cautious, stay away from low lying areas, avoid crossing wadis and check out for latest weather updates. As the sea will be rough and the wave heights will range between three to six metres, fishermen and seagoers should also avoid venturing into the sea.”

According to the Oman meteorology office, heavy rain associated with strong wind is expected in South and North Al Sharqiyah, Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah and South Batinah from this afternoon until Friday.

The Indian meteorological department stated in its latest update that the storm system would intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm. >A6 See also >A5

MUSCAT: Consumers have been urged to report water tanker operators who charge them unfair rates, to the Public Authority of Consumer Protection (PACP).

Speaking to the Times of Oman, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Mahrouqi, chairman of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW), said that there is a system in place to monitor private water dealers who charge exorbitantly.

“Whenever we receive a complaint it will be processed through the Public Authority of Consumer Protection. The consumer protection agency will take action against the tanker owner,” he said.

Consumers can report the water tanker’s licence plate number to the authority, said Al Mahrouqi.

Explaining the PAEW’s water distribution system during the current crisis, he said, “We provide water to the house or citizens who come to the distribu-

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Mahrouqi, chairman of PAEW.

tion point chosen by the PAEW. They pay nothing.”

“Commercial water suppliers are available at all times and they are chosen by the residents,” he said. “If the customers find the commercial water suppliers more convenient, they can negotiate the price, but, in general, the PAEW provides tankers free of charge during crisis,” he added. >A6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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TOP US GENERAL MEETS AL NU’AMANI, AL BUSAIDI Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nu’amani, Minister of the Royal Office and Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, on Tuesday received separately General Lloyd J. Austin, Commander of the United States Central Command. —ONA

SQU RESEARCH

Unique date tree bacteria discovered MUSCAT: A group of bacteria believed to be harmless and which live in the roots of palm trees, has been discovered by the Department of Biology, College of Science at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).

These bacteria help the tree in the process of melting and absorption of essential elements, as well as the secretion of hormonal substances to help them bear excess soil salinity.–ONA PAC D A E F F O R T S

Missing child is rescued Staff Reporter MUSCAT: A child who went missing at Seeb beach was rescued by police and admitted to hospital late in the evening on Tuesday. “The child has been rescued late in the evening and has been admitted to hospital with serious injuries,” Public Authority for Civil Defense and Ambulances (PACDA), posted in its official Twitter handle. Last month, three-year-old Marwa had gone missing from Shinas beach and four days later her body was found in Soor Al Balush area.

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years that a fish bone remained in the lungs of an Omani man, until it was removed after an operation in the south Indian state of Kerala recently.

University, college students raise funds for Dar Al Atta’a Dar al Atta’a Big Give Competition collected OMR39,449

CABLE

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to Dr Anibal Cavaco Silva, President of the Republic of Portugal, on his country’s National Day. His Majesty expressed his sincere greetings and wishes of good health and happiness to the president and his country’s people further progress and prosperity. - ONA

for charity. College students competed

M E D I C A L T R E AT M E N T

with each other and

Fish bone removed from lungs

also implemented a project to raise funds

Times News Service MUSCAT: A number of universities and colleges came together to raise OMR39,449 for charity at Dar Al Atta’a Big Give Competition. Dar Al Atta’a association honoured the winning teams of the third and fourth edition of the Big Give Competition at an event held at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. The event was held under the auspices of Her Highness Dr Muna bint Fahad Al Said.

The idea of this competition is based on the formation of teams from the colleges and universities which compete with each other and also implement a project to raise funds for programmes implemented by Dar Al Atta’a association.

The association has sought to achieve through this competition several objectives such as raising awareness of the importance of volunteerism, encouraging young people to become involved in philanthropy and volunteerism, to contribute to the development of skills in teamwork, and project planning and implementation.

In the third and fourth round,

SOCIAL IMPACT: The participating students interacted with each other in the Big Give Competition. The organisers were impressed with

their dedication to the cause of charity.– OK Mohammed Ali/TIMES OF OMAN

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26 teams from nine local colleges and universities competed, out of which ten teams from five local universities and colleges qualified for the final. The teams together raised OMR39,449.

Before the launch of the competition, the association organised lectures at universities and colleges to introduce the association’s programmes and the conditions for the competition. They also organised a training course for the participating teams to help them in the planning, marketing and implementation of their projects in collaboration with Injaz Oman.

After presenting all projects to the panel of judges the best teams were selected. The winning team for The Best Idea was Khatwat Atta’a from the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), while the winner for Maximum Public Awareness was OUN from the Germany

University of Technology in Oman GUtech. The winner for Best Project Implementation was Tatawi Janaty from Waljat College of Applied Sciences and for Most Funds Raised the winner was Mubadroon from Nizwa College of Technology.

Maryam Al Zadjali, chairperson of Dar Al Atta’a said, “We were thrilled to see how the students interacted in the competition and their dedication to volunteerism, while competing in the innovation and implementation of their projects. We also saw the positive impact of this action on their personalities and their ideas. Our goal from this competition is not so much to raise money as much as it is to provide an opportunity for those young people to gain new skills and show their unity in helping the needy from their own community, to enable them to live happily on the land of this generous country.”

“We wish to thank the sponsors of the competition, Oman Arab Bank, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and Business International Group LLC,” she added.

KOCHI: A fish bone which remained stuck in the lungs of a 37-year-old man for seven years, was removed by doctors at a private hospital here.

The patient, an Omani Military Service personnel, had flown to the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre here recently from Muscat after repeated hospitalization for pneumonia over the past several years. The fish bone measuring 1.5 cm x 1.4 cm, tucked away within the lower lobe of the right lung, was removed successfully and the pus formed around it drained out, said the hospital in a release on Tuesday.

“It was life-threatening. A foreign body made it difficult for the person to bring out secretion. Behind the foreign body, there was pus formation and it could not come out. The lung behind it had become necrotic,” said Dr Arun Nair The fish bone was not detected by doctors during earlier hospitalization in Oman as CT scans did not pick it up. Normally such foreign bodies get stuck in the lungs of children, but in the case of an adult, it was a rare incident.-PTI

C I V I C A F FA I R S

Majlis Al Shura holds talks on water shortage in governorates MUSCAT: As part of the efforts being made by Majlis Al Shura to identify the reasons behind the water crisis in a number of governorates of the Sultanate, as well as the measures taken to address this problem, a meeting was held.

Majlis Al Shura reviewed the report on the joint meeting between members of Majlis Al Shura and the Chairman of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).

The report of the team highlighted a number of recommendations, such as restructuring the water sector and benefiting from the capabilities of education and research centres in implementing water projects.

The report highlighted the need to qualify new companies in this sector and establish mobile stations that can serve as alternative source for water dur-

ing crisis and identify energy sources for the operation of water desalination plants.

The Majlis approved the report of the food and water security committee on the status of dams in the Sultanate.

Research plans It also approved the report of the Education and scientific research committee on evaluating and developing the education curricula policies.

It approved the report of the culture and media committee on the status of visual and audio media in the Sultanate and how to develop it from the Omani public perspective.

It also approved a number of proposals by members related to appointing graduates of kindergarten and graphic design, promoting awareness programs on the Omani values and tradi-

tions by the Ministry of Tourism and revising the regulations for proclaiming the Sports Club in Oman.

Majlis Al Shura also listened to a number of replies including the reply of the Minister of Transport and Communications on the specifications and pathways of some roads.

The Majlis will host on Wednesday, the Minister of Commerce and Industry who will deliver the Ministry’s statement on a number of themes including industry, mining and commerce sectors, in addition to, electricity and water sector development.

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OAPD REVIEW MEETING

Major project plans reviewed Times News Service MUSCAT: The feasibility of establishing a flight academy in Sohar was discussed, as the Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPD) reviewed several projects currently being developed, including the National Youth Academy and Oman Centre for Marine Biotechnology.

The Board of Trustees of the Omani Authority for Partnership for Development held its second meeting recently at the headquarters of the Authority under the chairmanship of Dr Ali bin Masoud bin Ali Al Sunaidy, minister of commerce and industry and the chairman of the board.

The board approved the revised regulations for the Partnership for Development (PFD) Programme (Omani Offset Regulations) and these come into effect immediately.

MARINE WEALTH: Among the projects reviewed by OAPD was the plan for Oman Centre for Marine Biotechnology.

The board also discussed the latest administrative developments and future plans of the Authority while also reviewing a number of projects currently under development.

These projects include, the establishment of a National Youth Academy in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower to train and empower Omani youth in the logistics sector; and the creation of an Oman Centre for Marine Biotechnology in cooperation with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), which aims to become the premier commercially operated research and development institution in marine sciences in the Region.

The Centre will be located at Al Hail on land belonging to SQU. The Authority, along with Oman Air and the Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC), is looking into the feasibility of establishing a flight academy in Sohar. The aim of this project is to provide ab initio flight training leading to a commercial pilot’s license and a career in international aviation.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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B I L AT E R A L T I E S

Oman-Italy panel meeting lays stress on cooperation ROME: Trade, investment and cultural cooperation between the two countries were highlighted at the Omani-Italian Joint Committee’s fifth meeting held in the Italian capital Rome on Tuesday.

The meeting discussed areas of economic, investment and cultural cooperation between the two friendly countries. The Omani side was chaired by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, secretary general of the Foreign Ministry while the Italian side was headed

by Michele Valensise, secretary general of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Sayyid Badr stressed the progress being witnessed by the political and economic relations between the two sides. He explained that several rounds of talks have been held between the two sides in a bid to enhance these relations.

BOOSTING TIES: The fifth meeting of the Omani-Italian Joint

Committee was held in Rome on Tuesday. - ONA

In his speech, Sayyid Badr highlighted the trade, investment and cultural cooperation between the two countries. He affirmed that the private sector is playing a great role in stimulating investments as a key for cooperation in

various economic areas.

Michele Valensise touched on the growing relations between the two friendly countries, affirming the keenness of his country on promoting and enhancing these relations. -ONA

What is Ashobaa?

In Sri Lanka, Ashobaa means ‘unlucky’ said an Sri Lankan expatriate in Oman

MUSCAT: Will Ashobaa, hit the Oman coast? While that question remains on top of everybody’s mind, another question that is exercising some is, what does the word mean?

This cyclone has been named

by Sri Lanka, one of the eight countries on a World Meteorological panel that chooses the names

of cyclones over the Northern Indian Ocean.

“In Sri Lanka, Ashobaa means unlucky,’’ said a Sri Lankan expatriate working in Oman. It remains to be seen what the cyclone brings with it, he added.

The next cyclone, whenever that happens, will be named Komen, and this has been given

by Thailand. Komen is a very popular Thailand name for babies and means ‘precious stone’.

Practice Oman is among the Northern Indian Ocean countries with Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Maldives, apart from Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand that provide names for cyclones in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

The Northern Indian Ocean re-

gion’s tropical cyclones are being given names since October 2004.

Six lists are used in rotation and storms are named from an alphabetically arranged list.

The last cyclone in the region, Nilofar, which weakened by the time it arrived in the western state of Gujarat in India in 2014, was named by Pakistan. Nilofar is a Persian word meaning Lotus or Water Lily.

Nilofar’s predecessor, Cyclone Hudhud, which made a landfall in Visakhapatnam in India was named by Oman.

“All tropical cyclones are given names only to provide easy communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, cyclone watches and warnings,” said an official of Meteorology department.

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Oman Air is delighted to be partnering with Garuda Indonesia to offer customers of both airlines even greater choice and convenience Abdulrahaman Al Busaidy, chief operating officer

Oman Air signs codeshare pact with Garuda Indonesia The agreement will enable Oman Air’s customers to book flights operated by Garuda Indonesia, between Jakarta and Bali, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok

EXTENDING HORIZONS: Oman Air is currently engaged in an ambitious fleet and network expansion programme. – Supplied picture

Times News Service

In turn, Garuda Indonesia’s customers will be able to book flights, operated by Oman Air, between Muscat and Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta or Salalah.

Announcing the new agreement, Abdulrahaman Al Busaidy, chief operating officer (COO) of Oman Air said, “Oman Air is delighted to be partnering with Garuda Indonesia to offer customers of both airlines even great-

MUSCAT: Following a new codeshare agreement signed by Oman Air and Garuda Indonesia, customers of both airlines will enjoy a greater choice and convenience.

The agreement will enable Oman Air’s customers to book flights, operated by Garuda Indonesia, between Jakarta and Bali, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

CBD FIRE

er choice and convenience.”

“Garuda Indonesia shares Oman Air’s commitment to offering the highest quality of service and hospitality, aboard outstanding aircraft. Since the launch at the end of last year of Oman Air’s new service from Muscat to Jakarta, we have been delighted with the response from our customers and the new codeshare agreement will enable them to travel further

afield without booking with multiple airlines,” he said.

“Equally, Garuda Indonesia’s customers will now find that flying to Oman and exploring the Sultanate’s awe-inspiring beauty could be easier,” said the COO. “Oman Air looks forward to welcoming Garuda Indonesia’s customers aboard our services and offering them the very best of authentic Omani hospitality,” he added.

Garuda Indonesia Commercial Director Handayani, while welcoming the new codeshare service with Oman Air said, “This partnership will extend our network worldwide – especially to Oman and represents our commitment to “bring the world to Indonesia” by providing a seamless yet convenient connections between Oman and Indonesia. At the same time, the agreement is expected to boost trade and tourism activities by making Indonesia much more accessible for Oman visitor,” said Handayani.

“Moreover, through this partnership, we also offer greater choices and wider access flexibility for Oman visitors to several

destinations served by Garuda Indonesia such as Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok which will be served with the award-winning service, ‘Garuda Indonesia Experience’,” she added.

Oman Air is currently engaged in an ambitious fleet and network expansion programme which will see the number of aircraft it operates increase to 50 by 2018, and to 70 by 2020. In addition it is launching new services to a range of exciting destinations, increasing frequencies on many of its established routes and improving connections at Muscat International Airport.

The carrier launched new services to Jakarta and Manila in December 2014, and has just opened up new routes to Singapore and Goa. Oman Air is the flagship carrier of the Sultanate and an official 4 Star Airline (Skytrax 2011).

Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.

EXTENDING HELP

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‘Army helps us in crisis situations’

“There have been no cases where their tankers have charged a fee,” he added.

Al Mahrouqi also clarified that the Royal Army of Oman (RAO) has given PAEW a lot of support during this crisis.

Specific consumers Though the army is not involved in distributing water to residents, they are helping with “big tankers” for specific consumers such as hospitals, schools and other ‘critical’ facilities that provide essential services and cannot do without water.

“These consumers are listed in the emergency plan of the PAEW,” he said. “We do not use the army for residences because they do not have small tankers,” he said.

“The army is a big supporter of the PAEW. It is not only the tankers that the army can provide us with when we need, they help us in many different ways,” he said.

Al Mahrouqi said that the armed forces are assisting the PAEW with logistics of the affected areas, providing them with equipment and human resources whenever needed, and also helping them to dig more wells to look after the needs of those areas.

H O S P I TA L S G E A R U P

Campaign on Storm to weaken after landfall near coast A1 A1 fire safety soon < FROM

< FROM

“However, some police officials saw me and brought me down to the ground floor in the elevator,” said a tenant.

An official from the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) services had said that building owners should not compromise on the safety aspects.

Smoke alarms “Smoke alarms and other fire safety measures should be installed and checked periodically in all the buildings. With a possibility of more such incidents in the future, we will launch a campaign in the next few days to ensure the safety of people,” said the official.

A fire had broken out on the

sixth floor of the nine-storeyed residential building in the CBD and fire-fighters used ladders to rescue occupants trapped inside.

The blaze started at 6 am and was doused by fire-fighters by 8:30 am. More than a dozen fire engines and dozens of fire-fighters were pressed into service to contain the flames and rescue the tenants.

Last week, a residential building in Muttrah also caught fire, but there were no casualties. It took two hours for the fire-fighters to control that blaze.

A senior official from a national insurance company had also said that out of the total number of personal properties in Oman less than 10 per cent have been insured.

“The system would intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm, move nearly northwestward during next 24 hours and westnorthwestward towards Oman coast thereafter. The cyclonic storm would cross Oman coast between latitude 21.50N and latitude 23.00E near Ras Al Hadd (22.30 N /59.80E) during the night of June 11 (Thursday),” the Indian meteorological department said in its latest update.

A meteorologist from Accuweather.com also confirmed that Ashobaa is expected to push into Oman between Sur and Muscat tomorrow.

“The storm will weaken rapidly as it nears the coast and starts pulling in dry desert air. The impacts will depend on the strength of Ashobaa if and when it makes landfall, but winds will likely be a minor concern. The main concern

would be for heavy rainfall and possible flooding along the coast of Oman between Sur and Muscat,” Jason Nicholls, Senior Meteorologist at Accuweather, wrote to Times of Oman.

“Dry desert air will tend to hold back rain amounts farther inland and limit the flooding threat inland. Some models suggest Ashobaa will dissipate before making landfall, but it still looks like some rain could still impact coastal areas south of Sur late on Wednesday and Thursday,” Jason added.

“It is already windy and cloudy.

Even though the weather updates show that Oman will not be affected badly, people are prepared to face the situation. Many have already started to stock food and water. As it is expected in the end of the week, many have already avoided their travel plans and stay back at home,” residents in Mus-

cat, Sur and Laskhara, told Times of Oman. Even though, the airlines have not made any changes to their schedules, many who had travel plans to on June 11 have postponed it.

“It is risky to fly when there is a cyclone. I had travel plans to India on June 11. But have postponed my ticket,” an Indian resident in Muscat said.

Exams Ministry of Education affirmed that exams of the general education diploma will continue on (Wednesday), June 10 as per the approved schedule. In a statement, the Ministry said that the exams for Thursday will be confirmed on Wednesday in case of any changes.

As directed by Lt. Gen Hassan bin Mohsen Al Shraiqi, Inspector General of Police and Customs, Chairman of the National Com-

mittee for Civil Defense, in collaboration with specialists at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation, is following closely the progress of the tropical storm and its possible effect on the Sultanate.

Meanwhile, private hospitals throughout Oman are getting prepared for the worst.

“We are fully prepared to tackle the emergencies cases that may come in,” said Rajagopal T. Naganathan, Medical Director at Atlas Hospital in Ruwi. He also said that plans for staff to stay over if necessary have been put in place.

“All the departments will be working over the weekend also,” he said, adding that the hospital had enough food and medical supplies for three days beyond the normal supplies. A few numbers of events have also been postponed in the wake of storm approaching Oman coast.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015 The party welcomes holding the Geneva conference for consultations between Yemeni political components without any preconditions from any group, with good will and under the patronage of the United Nations almotamar.net, Website of General People’s Congress

Saleh’s party welcomes peace talks in Geneva UN envoy met General People’s Congress party representatives in Sanaa late last month as part of his efforts to convene the talks in Geneva

SANAA: The party of Yemen’s former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key rebel ally, on Tuesday welcomed UN-brokered peace talks due to open in Switzerland at the weekend.

The General People’s Congress said it had not yet received a formal invitation from the United Nations but the UN envoy met with party representatives in the rebel-held capital late last month as part of his efforts to convene the talks in Geneva.

Saleh himself is under UN sanctions for his support for the rebels and did not take part in the meetings, party sources said.

The party “welcomes holding the Geneva conference for consultations between Yemeni political components without any preconditions from any group, with good will and under the patronage of the United Nations”, its almotamar.net website said.

Saleh, who ruled for 33 years before being forced from power in 2012 after a year-long protests, threw the support of his loyal-

REDUCED TO RUBBLE: A guard stands on the collapsed roof of the house of General Ali Al Dhafif, a Yemeni army brigade commander, after it was hit by Saudi-led air strikes near Sanaa, Yemen, on Tuesday. – Reuters

ists in the army behind the rebels in the sweeping offensive that forced his successor into exile in March.

He himself proposed Geneva as the venue for the talks as a compromise between rebel-held Sanaa and the Saudi capital Riyadh, where exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi is based.

Targeted His loyalists have been repeatedly targeted alongside the rebels in a Saudi-led bombing campaign launched in support of Hadi on March 26.

The peace talks are due to open in Geneva on Sunday. They had initially been scheduled for May 28 but were postponed after Hadi demanded the rebels first withdraw from seized territory.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has urged all sides to join the talks without preconditions in abid to end a conflict which has killed more than 2,000 people since March. But the exiled president set new conditions in an inter-

view broadcast on Monday, insisting the sole item for discussion would be implementation of a UN resolution demanding the rebels withdraw.

“There will be no negotiations,” Hadi told Al Arabiya television.

Yemeni sources said that Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 19 people on Tuesday, a day after Saudi Arabia said shells fired from Yemen had killed two of its soldiers. Yemeni sources said nine Houthi fighters were killed in air strikes on their positions in oil-producing Marib province, east of the capital Sanaa, while four others died in the central Ibb province.

Houthi officials were not immediately available to comment on those reports.

But the state news agency, controlled by the Houthis, said three women had been killed by shelling in Haidan, in the northern Saada province. The agency also said three Yemenis had been killed and four injured in the Hamdan district of Sanaa. — Agencies

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015 Sea and wind currents are moving from south to north direction... We are confident of finding the missing aircraft S. P. Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard (East)

INDIA R E TA L I AT O RY AT TA C K

12 Maoist rebels killed in gun battle with police in Jharkhand NEW DELHI: Twelve Maoist rebels have been killed in a gun battle with police in a forest in eastern Indian state of Jharkhand known as a rebel stronghold, officers said on Tuesday.

They said firing erupted when police tried to intercept a group of suspected guerrillas who they thought were heading to a village to extort money in Jharkhand state late on Monday.

“They started firing when we tried to stop them,” said Hemant Toppo, deputy inspector general of police in Palamu district where the incident occurred.

“We retaliated and 12 Naxals were killed in the exchange that lasted for almost an hour,” he said.

Toppo said police have recovered the rebels’ bodies along with

guns and ammunition from the forest, which is 193km northwest of the state capital Ranchi.

“Some rebels also managed to escape into the nearby forest areas and our teams are now looking for them,” he said.

India’s long-running Maoist insurgency began in the 1960s, and has cost thousands of lives.

The rebels, described by former prime minister Manmohan Singh as India’s most serious internal security threat, say they are fighting authorities for land, jobs and other rights for poor tribal groups.

They are believed to be present in at least 20 Indian states but are most active in forested, resourcerich areas in the states of Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Police said that Monday’s attack was their biggest clash with the rebels in the state in more than a year, after Maoists ambushed a police vehicle there in April 2014 and killed six officers.

“Our forces across the state have been put on high alert over the possibility of a retaliatory attack by the rebels,” A. Natarajan, police inspector general of Palamu, said.

Critics believe attempts to end the revolt through tough security offensives are doomed to fail, saying the real solution is better governance and development of the impoverished region.

Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover called for an investigation into the attack, saying India’s police had a history of killing suspected rebels in “cold blood”.

“It is important to investigate (such cases) in a transparent manner to ensure that there is confidence in the actions of the state,” Grover said in Delhi.

Indian police have long been criticised for so-called “encounter killings”, in which they shoot suspected criminals to sidestep court procedures and then claim the victim fired first.

In April police in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh launched an investigation into officers who gunned down 20 sandalwood smugglers.

Officers claimed they were acting in self-defence after they came under attack.

But families of the victims launched protests, saying they were innocent. - AFP

ARMS CACHE: Central Reserve Police Force personnel with arms

and ammunition recovered after an encounter with Maoist rebels in Latehar district of Jharkhand state on Tuesday. - PTI

Delhi’s Law minister arrested in fake degree case; party cries foul No political vendetta behind Tomar’s arrest: BCD chairman

Jitendra Singh Tomar, MLA from Trinagar and a first time minister, was arrested following investigation into a complaint by Bar Council of Delhi that he had obtained a fake law degree from Bihar

NEW DELHI: Delhi state Law Minister of Delhi Jitendra Singh Tomar was on Tuesday arrested on charges of cheating and fraud in obtaining his law degree, triggering a no-holds barred attack by the party which accused the Centre of creating an “Emergency-like situation” in the city.

Tomar, MLA from Trinagar and a first time minister, was arrested at around 11am following investigation into a complaint by Bar Council of Delhi that he had obtained a fake law degree from the Institute of Legal Studies College in Munger in Bihar.

The arrest came in the midst of a raging battle between the AAP

IN A SOUP: Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar who was

NEW DELHI: The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) Chairman on Tuesday claimed there was no “political vendetta” behind the complaint lodged by the organisation against Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar for allegedly obtaining fake degree and his subsequent arrest.

BCD Chairman K. K. Manan alleged Tomar’s law degrees were forged and they had given a complaint to Delhi Police on May 11 in this regard and the police after taking cognizance of it, lodged an FIR and arrested the minister on Tuesday.

He also raised questions as

to why Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was favouring Tomar, instead of getting verified the Law Minister’s claim that his degrees were genuine.

Affidavit wrong “Instead of shunting out this person, the chief minister and the party are creating ‘halla gulla’ (ruckus).Why the chief minister has not got Tomar’s claim verified, he has all the infrastructure to get it done,” Manan said.

The chairman also claimed that the affidavit given by Tomar at the time of his enrolment as a lawyer was also “wrong”. - PTI

arrested by the police in New Delhi on Tuesday in the alleged fake degree case. - PTI file photo

government and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung over the powers of the city government, giving a new political twist to the murky fight.

Stung by the arrest, AAP unleashed an attack on the Modi Government accusing it of creating an “Emergency-like” situation in the national capital to avert the Delhi government’s crackdown on corruption.

One of the AAP leaders alleged that the arrest “conspiracy” was hatched in the Union Home Min-

ister’s office at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party would not be cowed down but fight back.

Criminal conspiracy An FIR was registered against Tomar on Monday night in Hauz Khas Police Station and he was slapped with various sections of IPC relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Police first brought Tomar to Hauz Khas police station and later

shifted him to the Vasant Vihar police station.

Tomar was interacting with a group of people in his office in Trinagar when about 30-40 policemen took him away on the pretext of getting some documents and then drove him to the Hauz Khas police station, according to his staff.

Delhi Police Commissioner B. S. Bassi said the arrest has been carried within the purview of law and prescribed norms for arresting a minister were followed.

“There are certain procedures which need to be followed while arresting a minister and they have been followed in this case. The complaint had come to us long time back and we have seriously looked into the matter. Action has been taken within the legal framework,” Bassi said when his comments were sought on Tomar’s arrest.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday rubbished Aam Aadmi Party charge that the arrest of Delhi Law

Minister was a conspiracy hatched in his ministry saying it had not ordered the arrest.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs does not indulge in such activities.

The law takes it own course. There is no interference by the MHA in any such matter,” Singh said.

He was responding to reporters’ query on arrest of Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar on charges of cheating and fraud in obtaining law degree.

When it was pointed out that a minister in NDA government at the Centre was facing similar charges, Singh said an arrest is made on specific allegations.

Procedures not followed Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said that the laid-down procedures were not followed and he was not informed about Tomar’s arrest.

“I was not informed about the arrest,” Goel said.

Terming the arrest “totally unconstitutional”, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said it was an attempt by the Modi government to “teach AAP a lesson” and asserted that no one involved in corruption will be spared.

“Attempts are being made to create an emergency-like situation in Delhi through dictatorship as we have come down hard on those involved in corruption,” said Sisodia.

Accusing police of treating Tomar as a “mafia”, Sisodia said they forcibly put him into a car without giving any specific reason and seized his vehicle before bringing him to the police station. - PTI

SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT

Dornier plane with three crew goes missing off the coast of Tamil Nadu CHENNAI: Fears mounted over the safety of a three-member crew of a Coast Guard Dornier surveillance aircraft that has gone missing off the coast of Tamil Nadu even as a massive search operation was launched to trace the plane.

Ships and aircraft were pressed into service for the search of the CG-791 plane which was in touch with airport authorities in Tiruchirappalli and was located on Monday night about 16 nautical miles off the coast of Chidambaram, somewhere between Cuddalore and Karaikal, a top Coast Guard (CG) official said.

Eight ships — four each belonging to CG and Navy — are involved in the search operation upto 180 nautical miles in the northerly direction, Inspector General S. P. Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard (East), told reporters here.

A long-range maritime surveillance aircraft P81 and helicopters have also been involved in the exercise, he said, as questions were raised about the fate of the three crew comprising Pilot, Deputy Commandant Vidyasagar, Co-pilot Deputy Commandant M. K.Soni and Navigator Deputy Commandant Subash Suresh of the plane which was inducted last year.

The Coast Guard is in touch with the family members of the crew who are showing “resilience”, the official said, expressing confidence about locating the

the base,” CG said, noting that the progress of search and rescue efforts is being closely monitored.

“There is tremendous coordination among various agencies involved in the search and rescue operation and we are confident that we will be able to locate the aircraft soon”, the official said.

BRIEFING: Inspector General

S.P. Sharma addresses media in Chennai about the missing Dornier aircraft on Tuesday. - PTI

aircraft soon. The plane was undertaking a night sortie as part of CG’s regular surveillance operations which look “for suspicious activities” in the seas when it lost contact at 9.23pm yesterday, Sharma said.

It had taken off from Chennai at 5:30pm and was being flown by a “highly qualified” and “welltrained” crew. Moments before the plane went missing, it was trying to get in touch with air traffic control authorities, a senior CG official said.

“The aircraft CG-791 was deployed along the Tamil Nadu coast and Palk Bay from the Coast Guard Air Station Chennai last evening and it failed to return to

Low altitude He said these aircraft cannot fly above 10,000 feet and are mainly used for low altitude maritime surveillance. Officials maintained that while life-saving parachutes and other gadgets were available in the aircraft, the lower altitude of the plane could make an escape challenging.

Soon after receiving information, another Dornier aircraft was pressed into service to locate the missing aircraft, Sharma said.

“Sea and wind currents are moving from south to north direction... We are confident of finding the missing aircraft,” he said.

The aircraft, inducted only last year, lost contact with the Coast Guard radar, the airports in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli and finally at around 11.45pm on Monday the Air Traffic Control raised an “overdue” alarm, after the flight had exhausted its endurance capabilities, he said. When asked whether an inquiry would be ordered, Sharma said this could take place after the search and rescue operation was completed. - PTI

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INDIA

Congress attacks Modi on communal situation Congress President Sonia Gandhi said the prime minister was allowing his colleagues to create an atmosphere of ‘fear and foreboding’ by fomenting ‘communal polarisation’

NEW DELHI: A conclave of Congress chief ministers on Tuesday attacked the “attempts” by sections of the ruling establishment to disturb social peace and communal harmony after Sonia Gandhi accused the Modi government of engaging in a “dangerous duplicitous game” of polarisation.

A resolution adopted at a daylong meeting attended by the party brass including former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President Rahul Gandhi, resolved to “resist these attempts forcefully”.

The tone for the meeting in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under attack from Chief Ministers, especially those from the northeast over not getting appointment from him, was set by Sonia who said he was allowing his colleagues to create an atmosphere of “fear and foreboding” by fomenting “communal polarisation”.

Charged She also charged the government with making “systematic attempts” to dismantle the edifice of the welfare state and asked partymen to “strongly oppose” its moves on the land bill and food security law.

“On the one hand, the prime minister wants to project himself as the great champion of good governance and Constitutional values while on the other he allows many of his colleagues to make vile statements and foment communal polarisation,” Sonia said.

The resolution rejected “boast-

MEETING: Congress President Sonia Gandhi addresses the media as party vice president Rahul Gan-

dhi and other leaders look on after the Congress chief ministers’ meeting at party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

ful claims, exaggerations and downright falsehoods” of the central government on its achievements of the past year and its systematic efforts to deny the UPA Government credit for the progress made during its 10-year rule.

Compliment Speaking at the meeting, Manmohan Singh paid a left handed compliment to Modi saying he has been “a more adept salesman, event manager and communicator than me” and said the UPA’s accomplishments should not be forgotten.

On his part, Rahul Gandhi made a veiled attack on Modi saying “our opposition believes in centralising power and ensuring that one or two people run our country”.

The Conference expressed grave concern over the Centre “abdicating” its primary responsibility in human and social development and the substantial cuts in the allocations for health, education, women and child development, drinking water and agriculture.

It demanded restoration of allocation to these programmes while the chief ministers asserted they will not cut back on these programmes.

Addressing a press conference along with the chief ministers,

senior leader A. K. Antony said that everyone in the meeting felt that the last one year of the Modi government was a “disaster”.

This, he said, was because the economy was “in a shambles” and prices of essential commodities were “shooting up”.

The party chief ministers in the northeast spoke of “total neglect” of the region. The resolution reiterated its opposition to the “hasty and ill-considered” abolition of the Planning Commission and to the manner in which the distinction between Special Category and non-Special Category states was done away with.

The meeting said the move has adversely affected the eight northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand and Jammu and Kashmir as also the residual Andhra Pradesh.

While Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabom Tuki accused the prime minister of not talking to the chief ministers of the northeast, his Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi said that Modi was “not for cooperative federalism, but for concentration of power”.

Gogoi dubbed the NITI Aayog as a “toothless body” and a “directionless” organisation at a time when the issue of regional imbalance is getting acute.

A9

This has been affecting the northeastern states the most as they are “geographically disadvantaged children of Mother India”, he said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and his Uttarakhand counterpart Harish Rawat disputed centre’s claims that the states were getting much more funds than during the UPA dispensation.

The meeting resolved to pass state-level legislation to give statutory status to the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and the Tribal Sub-Plan and demanded that the Centre do likewise.

“This would be the best tribute to the memory of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary”, the meeting said at a time when there has been a tussle between the party and the BJP to appropriate his legacy.

The resolution rejected the proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition bill of 2013 and the recommended dilutions to the Food Security Act 2013.

Rahul Gandhi told the party chief ministers that they should maintain a “minimum level of performance”.

“It should be felt that the nine Congress state governments are the best performing governments in the country”. - PTI

B R I B E RY A L L E G AT I O N

TDP-TRS slugfest grows shriller in cash-for-vote scam HYDERABAD: Amid the cashfor-vote scam triggering bitter wranglings between the ruling parties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Anti-Corruption Bureau sleuths on Tuesday searched the residences of TDP MLA Revanth Reddy and two others arrested in connection with the case.

As political bitterness soared, as many as 50 FIRs were registered by the Andhra Pradesh Police against Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, based on complaints by TDP workers over alleged illegal tapping of the phones of his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu.

Adding to the woes of Naidu, YSR Congress, the main opposition in Andhra Pradesh, demanded his resignation and accused him of “whipping up regional passions” between the two states born out of bifurcation of the composite Andhra Pradesh state a year back.

Three teams of ACB sleuths conducted simultaneous searches at the residences of Reddy, Sebastian Harry and Uday Simha, all arrested earlier this month, and seized one computer CPU from the MLA’s home, ACB Deputy Superintendent Ashok Kumar said.

Reddy and the two others were arrested on May 31 while allegedly trying to hand over Rs5 million as bribe to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to vote for TDP nominee in the Telangana Legislative Council polls.

The bribe for vote allegation and audio tapes aired by local channels in connection with it have spawned a no-hold-

LAW AND LAWMAKER: TDP

lawmaker Revanth Reddy comes out after appearing before The Anti-Corruption Bureau in Hyderabad on Tuesday. - PTI

barred spat between leaders of TDP and TRS, in power in the Andra Pradesh and Telangana respectively.

Based on complaints by TDP workers accusing the Telangana government of illegally tapping Naidu’s phone, cases were registered under different sections of IPC and relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, police said on Tuesday.

Joining the issue, YSR Congress asked Naidu to come clean on the authenticity of the tapes and prove his innocence.

“Ever since the scam broke out, Chandrababu Naidu did not condemn it nor did he categorically state that the voice recorded in the phone was not his, instead he has been giving inflammatory speeches and whipping regional passions. Instead he should quit and prove his innocence by facing an inquiry,” party leader Botsa Satyanarayana told reporters here. - PTI

FLOOD BULLETIN

80,000 hit by Assam floods GUWAHATI: Over 80,000 people in 10 districts of Assam were reeling under floods, while one person died in Lakhimpur district, where surging waters have flooded over 27 villages, the authorities said on Tuesday.

A flood bulletin issued by the state government on Tuesday

said 81,026 people were affected in Barpeta, Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara, Jorhat and Kamrup (Metro) districts.

A total of 192 villages have been submerged in the floods, and over 3,766 hectares of crop land have been damaged. - IANS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

PAKISTAN INSURGENCY

Air strikes kill 12 militants in Khyber region PESHAWAR: In precise air strikes on Tuesday morning, 12 militants were killed in Khyber Agency, close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an Inter-Servies Public Relations (ISPR) statement revealed.

The deeply forested areas near the border are a key smuggling route between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and are dotted with Taliban bases, used as launch pads for attacks on Pakistani forces.

In the air strikes 12 terrorists were killed while initial reports revealed that some militants hideouts were also destroyed.

Shawal Valley Last month, air strikes killed at least 15 suspected militants in Shawal Valley a week after security forces moved in on Taliban strongholds there. Similar air strikes and operations have continued in the area in efforts to eliminate terrorism from the country. — Express Tribune TA L I B A N ’ S S WAT I G R O U P

Police official gunned down in Karachi KARACHI: District Superintendent Police (DSP) Majeed Abbasi was killed on Tuesday when assailants allegedly belonging to the Swati faction of Pakistani Taliban opened fire at his vehicle in Karachi’s Shah Latif Town.

According Police officials, the attackers belonged to the Swati group of Taliban and were previously involved in targeting other senior police officials including Hyderabad jail official Ejaz Hyder who was gunned down last month.

Initial reports had revealed that Abbasi was shot several times by assailants on motorbikes and succumbed to injuries as he was shifted to Jinnah Hospital.

Abbasi was on his way to the police station when armed men opened fire at the police vehicle, injuring him and his driver.

While two of the assailants stopped the car, two others fired at the front and back of the vehicle.

As police cordoned off the area, the paramilitary Rangers arrived at the crime scene and commenced investigations. — Express Tribune

Family feels relief as ‘teen’ killer’s hanging is put off The reprieve for Shafqat Hussain, sentenced to hang for killing a seven-yearold boy in Karachi in 2004, came just hours before he was due to go to the gallows around dawn

MUZAFFARABAD: Relatives of a Pakistani death row prisoner said on Tuesday they “felt a wave of life” when his execution was halted to examine claims he was a juvenile when the crime was committed.

The reprieve for Shafqat Hussain, sentenced to hang for killing a seven-year-old boy in Karachi in 2004, came just hours before he was due to go to the gallows around dawn at a prison in } the city.

It was his fourth stay of execution in five months in a case that has prompted grave concern among international rights campaigners and the United Nations.

Hussain’s lawyers and family say he was under 18 at the time of the killing, and therefore not eligible for execution under Pakistani law.

They also claim he was tortured into confessing. His brother Manzoor Hussain said relatives gathered in Muzaffarabad, the main town of Pakistan-administered Kashmir where the family hails from, to keep a vigil during the night of the expected hanging.

Felt a wave of life “When we were informed at 3:00 am that he has survived, we felt a wave of life inside us,” he told AFP. “We were not expecting this, we had even found a place for his grave in a local cemetery here in Muzaffarabad.”

Hussain’s elderly mother Makhni Begum said she had faith that God would spare her son. “My heart says that my son is innocent.

REPRIEVE: Makhni Begum, left, and Shah Zula, centre, the parents of convicted killer Shafqat Hussain, pray as they sit with relatives in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, on Tuesday. — AFP

We spent the whole night awake, we received a call at the last moment to say the execution has been postponed,” she told AFP in Muzaffarabad.

“I bowed to God after this phone call. Now my heart is satisfied that if he is surviving like this, God will save his life.”

Nusrat Mangan, prisons inspector for the southern province of Sindh, confirmed early Tuesday that the hanging -- first scheduled for January -- had been postponed.

The Supreme Court will examine the question around Hussain’s age, which his supporters have put at 14 or 15 at the time of the offence. The court met lawyers in the case briefly on Tuesday morning and arranged a detailed hearing for Wednesday.

Rights groups including antideath penalty campaigners Re-

prieve and Amnesty International had pleaded with the government to halt the execution. Hussain’s brother Gul Zaman, who had waited anxiously outside the prison for news, told AFP the reprieve was thanks to pressure from the media and rights groups.

Hussain’s true age has proved difficult to ascertain -- exact birth records are not always kept in Pakistan, particularly for people from poor families.

The UN estimates that only around a quarter of births in Pakistan are officially registered, one of the lowest rates in Asia.

An official probe into his age earlier this year found he was an adult at the time of his conviction -- though the results have not been published officially and Hussain’s supporters say the investigation was flawed.

In an open letter on Sunday,

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Reprieve urged President Mamnoon Hussain to grant Hussain clemency.

The letter said he had been coerced into confessing with beatings, electric shocks and cigarette burns.

Halt another execution The campaigners also said Hussain’s lawyer did an inadequate job at his trial. Rights groups and church leaders on Tuesday also urged officials to halt another contentious execution, this time in the eastern city of Lahore.

They say Aftab Bahadur Masih was only 15 when he was convicted of murder in 1992 and was condemned on the basis of faulty evidence. Pakistan has hanged more than 130 convicts since restarting executions in December after Taliban militants murdered

more than 150 people at a school, most of them children.

A moratorium on the death penalty had been in force since 2008, and its end angered rights activists and alarmed some foreign countries.

The Hussain case has drawn particular concern, with a panel of UN rights experts calling on Friday for his hanging to be halted.

Hussain, the youngest of seven children, was working as a watchman in Karachi in 2004 when a seven-year-old boy went missing from the neighbourhood.

A few days later the boy’s family received calls from Hussain’s mobile phone demanding a ransom of half a million rupees ($8,500 at the time). Hussain was arrested and admitted kidnapping and killing him but later withdrew his confession, saying he had made it under duress. — AFP

FA I LU R E T O R E G U L AT E

Helmet-compulsory drive deferred for another day KARACHI: The helmet-compulsory drive that was due to kick off from Monday, could not unfortunately get the response officials were hoping for.

According to a traffic police official, Muhammad Idrees, who is reader to the Traffic Deputy Inspector General Amir Ahmed Shaikh said, “We have granted one more day so people can buy the safety device,” he said.

On Monday, traffic police officials were seen warning the motorcyclists without helmets about the campaign.

Meanwhile, the section officer of the Defence Chowki, Fehmida Abbasi, said they already issued around 100 tickets to motorcyclists without helmets.

The officer was of the opinion that the traffic police will not be able to make every motorcyclist or pillion rider wear the helmet at once.

“It will take time,” she said, adding that the effect of the campaign, which has been run through the media, could already be seen on the roads.

“One can see at least the motorcyclist, if not the pillion rider, wearing the helmet,” she pointed out.

“Today, at least one in six motorcyclists is wearing the safety gear.” Abbasi said.

Cracking jokes Albeit, for the last two days, Abbasi has been warning female pillion motorcyclists to buy helmets, only to be laughed back. “They complain it won’t be possible for them to wear helmets and some think I am cracking jokes with them,” she said.

One can see at least the motorcyclist, if not the pillion rider, wearing the helmet, said Fehmida Abbasa local section officer

A few of the violators were, however, fined Rs150.

At Defence Morr, 15-year-old Mustafa was stopped by traffic police constable, Mushtaq Ahmed. Ahmed asked for Mustafa’s licence, which he did not have.

“Don’t you know helmets have been made compulsory for motorcyclists as well as the co-riders?” asked Ahmed.

‘Mustafa and his mother, who was sitting behind him, stared at him blankly, or at least pretended to have no idea about the campaign.

Another young motorcyclist, 18-year-old Komail, was passing Defence Morr, when Ahmed stopped him. Komail said that he knew about the drive, but couldn’t get time to buy it.

He promised, however, to buy

the helmet as soon as possible.

Idrees was reluctant to force women to wear the safety gear.

“There is already a petition against the drive in the Sindh High Court,” he said. “Though we have not received any notice, we are careful in this regard and won’t be very strict with females for the time being.”

Free helmets for women According to Idrees, an awareness seminar will be held at Arts Council this week, to educate people about the importance of helmets.

“We will distribute around 500 free helmets to women at the session,” he revealed adding that such awareness camps would be established in all the districts of Karachi in the current week. — Express Tribune

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Subscription: RO70 per year.

This ‘short-termism’ will harm Britain in long run

I

f ever you wanted a definition of short-termism, we suspect that British Government is about to provide it. Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat former energy and climate change secretary, fears that the Treasury will finally succeed in cutting the budget for energysaving programmes. It was a budget he fought hard to defend, he tells The Independent on Sunday, and, although he praises Amber Rudd, his Conservative successor, he thinks George Osborne will now prevail. The problem is that energy efficiency is unglamorous, hard to get right, and no one suffers immediately if it does not happen. It is, therefore, an obvious target for the Chancellor looking to make savings.

Osborne’s announcement last week of cuts of £3bn in this year’s departmental budgets was a statement of intent. Although the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) got off quite lightly, with just 2 per cent shaved off its spending, this was merely a hint of the deep cuts to come.

Part of the problem that Rudd will have in making the case for the energy efficiency budget is that existing programmes have been badly designed and poorly implemented. The Green Deal, the scheme to subsidise home insulation and more efficient boilers, which would be paid for in the long run by savings on energy bills, has had a disappointing take-up. After two and a half years, only 7,800 households had taken advantage of it. Greg Barker, the Conservative former minister who launched it, blames the Big Six energy companies for failing to seize the opportunity provided by the scheme. In an interview today, he says: “They prefer to invest their capital in just selling electricity down a wire, as they always have.” While he admits that making houses energy efficient is complex, it was not an unforeseeable problem and it must be asked whether the energy sector has the right structure of incentives in place to give the companies a sufficient interest in helping their customers to save energy.

The failure of the Coalition to drive this programme ahead with more vigour is a classic example of how short-termism gets in the way of doing the right thing in the long run. If the Green Deal were to be wound down, rather than redesigned and revitalised, that would compound the error. Other parts of the Decc budget also seem vulnerable.

There is speculation that the decommissioning of some old nuclear stations could be delayed as a way of saving money. Again, this is an unglamorous and technical subject, which seems as if it might yield short-term savings, but incurring greater costs for the taxpayer in the long run. Osborne is like an inverted Jean-Baptiste Colbert. The 17th-century French minister of finances said: “The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the least possible amount of hissing.” Osborne’s aim is not to tax but to cut public spending with the minimum of squawking.

Politically astute, sadly, but not in our collective interests in the long term. - The Independent

LOST GENERATION

Educating the Syrian refugees in Lebanon

O GORDON BROWN

Confronting the past in Tunisia

A

s part of its remarkable journey toward democracy, Tunisia has embarked on a painful reckoning with its past. Since last year, its Truth and Dignity Commission, created by constitutional mandate in 2013, has been collecting harrowing accounts of torture suffered by thousands of Tunisians over nearly six decades, primarily under the regimes of the dictators Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The testimony by women has been particularly brave and disturbing. In a culture where women’s virtue is often seen as the embodiment of family honour, the accounts have made it clear that shaming through rape, sexual humiliation and brutal physical torture were routinely used.

This month, the commission will begin public hearings. The challenge will be ensuring that they lead to justice for victims and accountability for the guilty. Many members of Tunisia’s business and political elite during the years of dictatorship remain in positions of influence and power. President Obama announced last month that he would designate Tunisia a major non-Nato ally, a vote of confidence in the progress the country has made since the overthrow of the Ben Ali regime in 2011.

It would be a setback if President Beji Caid Essebsi, who held senior positions in both dictatorships, proceeded with his proposal for amendments to weaken the law that created the commission.

Instead, he should ensure that there are no more delays in government financing for the commission and that the police allow the commission access to government archives. As Essebsi himself has said: “If we want what we have achieved not to be threatened, we must keep going forward.” Making sure that the Truth and Dignity Commission’s work proceeds unimpeded and that accountability and justice prevail is the best way for his government to secure Tunisia’s future. - The New York Times News Service

Where are private tankers sourcing the water from?

This refers to the news story, Army call-up on water not needed: PAEW (June 9). Can someone explain how private companies have access to water they can sell at inflated prices while ordinary people are left without? If there is a water shortage, where do the private merchants source their water from?

David Wright Muscat

This seems to be a unique way to solve water crisis This refers to the news story, Army call-up on water not needed: PAEW (June 9). So they at PAEW are waiting for people to go on leave or holidays and let the escalating water crisis in Muscat to subside,

rather than resolving the problem by adopting the appropriate measures.

Mumtaz Khan Muscat

Does the PAEW have no solution to water crisis?

This refers to the news story, Army call-up on water not needed: PAEW (June 9). The residents of Muscat are indeed stunned by the solution the PAEW chairman has offered.

So, the PAEW has admitted that it is unable to solve the deepening water crisis in Muscat and the authorities are only banking on people to go on holidays. This will reduce the intensity of the crisis as the demand for water in the city will reduce. This is indeed a strange solution. I don’t know how to react to the solution being of-

Lebanon is one of the world’s weakest, leaststable countries, riven by factionalism and riddled with violent extremist groups. And yet it has found the resources to house 1.1 million Syrian exiles — equivalent to nearly a quarter of its population

n a recent visit to Beirut, I met a girl and a boy who struggled through a year filled with dread. Both of them are 14-year-old Syrian refugees in Lebanon, eager for an education, but unable to go to school. Their stories show what is at stake in the next few months, as Lebanon struggles to raise funds for an ambitious effort to provide education for its resident refugee population. This year should have been the Year of the Child — the deadline for the Millennium Development Goal of providing all children with primary education.

Instead, for hundreds of thousands of young people, it has become what some are describing as the Year of Fear.

The girl — Dilan — fled Syria with her mother when she was ten. The two of them found work in Lebanon in a garlic factory. Dilan spent her 11th birthday peeling garlic cloves, earning only the right to the roof over her head. For the last 18 months, she has been out of school; the closest she has gotten to a real classroom is a day centre where she has studied Arabic.

Even though she is now fluent, her goal of attending school remains elusive; she has no money with which to pay the necessary fees. All she wants, she says, is to train to be a teacher — “to help remove the sadness from children’s hearts.”

Ahmad, the boy, has not attended school for a year. He wants to become a doctor, but first he must undergo a different kind of healing: dealing with the memory of his last day in school, when armed men entered his classroom and forced everyone to flee.

Ahmad’s deep anxiety is that he will not be able to complete his education. When I spoke to him in Beirut, he told me: “What are we out-ofschool Syrians going to be in the future? We will be illiterate, and it will be like we turned back time to decades or centuries ago. We need education to become better people.”

It is said that “you can survive 40 days without food, eight days without water, and eight minutes without air, but not for a second without hope.” Like many of the young refugees in Lebanon, Dilan and Ahmad are losing hope that they will ever be able to attend school again.

Providing the refugees with an education would cost around $500 a year — less than $10

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Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain LILY TOMLIN

a week — per pupil. That is a small price to pay for hope. Until now, however, the international community has failed to do enough to help.

Lebanon is one of the world’s weakest, leaststable countries, riven by factionalism and riddled with violent extremist groups. And yet it has found the resources to house 1.1 million Syrian exiles — equivalent to nearly a quarter of its population — and lead an international endeavour to ensure that refugee children are provided access to education. Education Minister Elias Bou Saab has cut through red tape and sectarian disputes to introduce a double-shift system in the country’s schools, beginning in September. In the morning, Lebanese children will be educated in French and English. In the late afternoon and early evenings, some 500,000 Syrian children will be taught in Arabic.

The programme — at a cost of $263 million — is set to be the largest education humanitarian effort ever mounted during an emergency. And yet, so far the urgency of the appeals has been matched only by the slowness of the response.

With just three months until the beginning of the next academic year, only $100 million has been raised. Usually, in an emergency situation, there are no buildings in which to hold classes and no staff able to teach them. This gives donors an easy excuse: they would have helped, if only there was the capacity to do so. In Lebanon, however, with schools ready and teachers available, there is only one stumbling block: the will of the international community. If each international aid agency gave no more than an extra $10 million, a half-million children in Lebanon could begin the new school term in September.

The uncertain fate of programmes such as Lebanon’s underscores why it is a tragedy that education receives only two per cent of humanitarian aid — and why it is so important to establish a permanent fund for education in emergencies. Why should refugee children have to wait for months while the begging bowl is passed around? Dilan and Ahmad illustrate the stark choice that all of us must confront: either we properly educate a future doctor and teacher, or we abandon them. If we choose the latter, we should be clear about what that means: a lost generation, at risk of abuse or trafficking — or, worse, a permanent source of fuel for radicalisation and ongoing violence. - Project Syndicate

fered to the water crisis which isn’t expected to ease anytime soon and people will suffer more for water.

Ravindra Kumar Al Khud

Need to ban the eating of popcorns in movie theatres Every time I go for a movie, I am distracted by the crunching noise of popcorns while the movie is on. Many a time, the dialogues cannot be heard. The funny part is there are people who start eating popcorns right from beginning of a movie and continue to chew the stuff until the end of the movie.

Can we not ban eating popcorns in cinema theatres? A ban is also needed because popcorn eaters scatter more than what they eat.

Krishnan R Al Khuwair

Why can’t women also ride motorcycles?

This refers to news story, Female motorcyclist pitches for helmets, safety awareness (June 9).

Tayyaba, 26, who sets an example to other Pakistani girls, rightly said “If a girl can drive a car, why cannot she ride a two-wheeler?” We must support our women in their efforts and encourage them to gain confidence in all aspects of life.

Tayyaba is not only courageous but also intelligent as she abides by the law and uses helmet for her safety.

Standing against a particular mind-set needs a lot of courage, which Tayyaba has shown and has proved that girls too can do many things which they have been kept away from. Women today are equal to men if not better.

Munawar Hameed 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 MES O F OM AN

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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PERSPEC IVE Russia values the opportunity to work with Oman in energy sector R

ussia is a country of ancient culture, unique history and rich traditions. On the global stage, Russia is a well-known political and economic power that is renowned for its strong traditions of cooperation with the Arab world.

Russia’s partners in the Middle East acknowledge the advantages of the hightech products made by the Russian companies, especially in the fields of energy and machinery — reliability, efficiency and competitive price.

Gas industry plays an important role in the economic development of Russia.

For almost half a century, Russian gas has been an essential resource for the European countries economy.

Today Russia is developing new centres of gas production on the Yamal Peninsula, Eastern Siberia, Yakutia, the Far East, and planning to increase the use of the huge gas potential of Russian shelf in the future.

With nearly a quarter of the world’s natural gas reserves, Russia’s daily average production exceeded 60 bcf of gas in 2014.

For many years, Russia has been the top gas exporter in the world. The annual gas exports account for more than 7000 bcf.

Russia has a favorable geographical position between the largest to date market importer — the EU and the most promising gas market — China, thus giving it wide opportunities to fully develop its exports potential in the long term.

At the same time, fulfilling all contractual obligations is a cornerstone for dealing with all our partners.

VICTOR ZUBKOV

Diversification of gas exports One of the most important concepts is the diversification of gas exports. In May last year, Gazprom signed a contract to supply gas to China. Contracted volumes of the long-term contract account for more than 35300 bcf.

Annual supply of 1340 bcf of natural gas has Yakutsk and Irkutsk gas production centres as the resource base. The new pipeline is “The Power of Siberia” (“Eastern route”). There are already discussions of the prospects of Russian gas supplies to China through the “Western route”, which will be provided by the resource base of Western Siberia.

In December 2014, a decision was made to cancel the “South stream” project that included four pipelines in the Black Sea from Russia to Bulgaria and the construction of more pipelines in the European countries territory to supply gas to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy with possibility to supply Austria.

This forced decision is another illustration of the negative impact of the so called “Third Energy package” on interests of both the European Union and Russia.

In December 2014, a decision was made to cancel the ‘South stream’ project that included four pipelines in the Black Sea from Russia to Bulgaria and the construction of more pipelines in the European countries territory to supply gas to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy with possibility to supply Austria. This forced decision is another illustration of the negative impact of the so called ‘Third Energy package’ on interests of both the European Union and Russia

Permission denied Russia was denied from receiving the construction’s permission until it would guarantee the compliance with the “Third Energy Package” to reserve the half of the pipeline capacity for an unknown gas of unknown gas suppliers.

As a matter of fact, the European Union completely ignored Russian reasonable interests as a gas supplier.

Now Gazprom started technical implementation of a different project. It will also start on the Russian shore but its sea part will come to Turkey and then the gas will be transported to the border of the European Union.

It is planned to start gas supplies to Gazprom’s partners in Turkey in less than two years, and after 2019 to bring the new gas pipeline system to full capacity of 6.1 bcf per day.

Measures taken Measures taken for the development of Russian LNG production also contribute to the diversification of gas exports using geographical advantages of the Russian fields.

The expansion In addition to the expansion of existing LNG project Sakhalin-2 in the east of Russia and Vladivostok LNG which are focused on the main LNG market in the Asia-Pacific region, Gazprom has a new Baltic LNG project in the pipeline with an initial capacity of 10 million tons annually mainly for the supply of the Atlantic basin and the Middle East countries and for purposes of bunkering.

Russian Company NOVATEK together with foreign partners is implementing the Yamal LNG project with the resource base of the South Tambeyskoye field. First phase will lead to the annual production of 16.5 million tons of LNG and is targeting mainly the Asian market.

Increasing availability In addition, another Russian company Rosneft is preparing Far East LNG project with the resource base of Sakhalin-1 project.

Thus, the options of getting natural gas from Russia to our existing and potential customers are expanding. Of course, the implementation of such complex projects could be another platform to strengthen international trade and economic relations and solidify positions of the leading international suppliers of the technology, equipment and materials in the Russian market.

For example, “The Power of Siberia” project that was mentioned above is huge with its length more than four thousand kilometers.

The first phase of the project will require 1.7 million tons of pipes, a significant amount of gas pumping units, different valves and fittings.

However, part of the global manufacturers of this equipment, our foreign partners, cannot participate in these projects now due to the sanctions. In these circumstances, there is an ongoing search for additional resources to develop programmes for import replacement.

This is why we are interested in Oman’s experience in increasing the share of the added in-country value in the energy sector by engaging the local companies in the implementation of major oil and gas projects.

The cooperation between Russia and Oman is developing positively within the framework of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which is working with all concerned parties in the energy market In the declarations of the two past GECF summits held in Doha in 2011 and in Moscow in 2013, the leaders of the GECF countries expressed their common commitment to market principles of international gas trade, on terms of parity distribution of risks among all participants.

Crucial role It is necessary to stress the important role of the Sultanate of Oman in conducting an independent and unbiased approach towards dealing with matters related to both political and economic issues.

Oman is successfully acting as an independent mediator when dealing with regional problems concerning relations between different countries. It is one of the reasons why Russia values so much the opportunity of cooperating with Oman, especially in the energy sector.

Considering the current complex situation in the world, both Russia and Oman should concentrate their efforts to encourage mutual openness and views exchange on all important matters.

The author is the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for cooperation with the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Chairman of Gazprom Board of Directors. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely his and not of Times of Oman.

The Greek implosion ROGER COHEN

T

rying to save Greece has become an exercise in the absurd. Greece is near-enough bankrupt. Most Greeks know that. It can never repay its debts, no matter how many deals with creditors are pulled out of a hat.

The country is now run by a radical left party whose ministers have close to zero executive experience.

Their executive experience nonetheless exceeds their diplomatic experience.

This stands at less than zero — and it shows. The party, Syriza, includes people who want to re-fight the Greek Civil War (1946-49) in the belief the Communists will triumph this time.

For now, the party’s main enemies are international creditors and of course the Germans, who want the Greeks to present a plan of some sort to balance their books before doling out more cash — about $8 billion in fact — as part of an enormous bailout programme.

The thing is, however, that Syriza was elected precisely to say foreign-imposed austerity had already done enough damage to Greece.

The country, which desperately needs the $8 billion, is drowning under a welter of statistics that present a devastating picture of unemployment, unpayable pensions, youthful pensioners, uncollected taxes, drastic fiscal adjustments, and of course debt.

Given all this, Alexis Tsipras, the prime minister, declared the latest proposals from creditors “absurd” — you see what I mean about diplomacy — a view that reportedly caused Jean-Claude Juncker, the chief executive of the European Union, not to pick up a call from Tsipras over the weekend.

There’s one thing about reality: It tends to come back and kick you in the teeth. Forcing Greece and Germany to coexist in a currency union will always be an exercise in smoke and mirrors. Their economies are mismatched, their temperaments even more so.

Many Greeks are awaiting the worst. The rich, of course, already have their money elsewhere. Just about everyone has a few thousand euros stashed away — 5,000 per person where possible. Stores are taking out anti-looting insurance.

Public hospitals are making contingency plans for operating when money dries up. More than $5 billion was pulled from bank accounts in April alone by companies and individuals.

Speculation is rampant — absent a debt deal — of a bank run, capital controls and the issue of i.o.u.’s (that will promptly lose 50 per cent of

their nominal value, especially if adorned with the face of Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis). Shortly thereafter follow economic collapse, unrest and new elections.

That sounds terrible, but I’m not sure. It would represent reality rather than the repetitive evasion of it. Things are very bad here.

But just how bad is not clear because it has not been fully tested. The surface has a way of glimmering.

The Greek bailouts have given time to other countries in the eurozone — including Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland — to either get their houses in order or embark seriously on the task.

Euro-unravelling contagion is now far less likely. One thing is sure: If a deal is reached with Greece, it will only be the prelude to the next crisis in a few months or so.

Creditors could tell Syriza: You have a century to repay the debt, but now you’re on your own. Fix the country, whether inside the euro or out.

Get foreign corporations to put their money in Greece.

You want to try the Putin route, with Gazprom stepping in for the IMF, go for it! We’re off your back now — so find a way to make Greeks believe in Greece again without the ready excuse that Berlin, or the International Monetary Fund or the European Commission is to blame.

The European Union has done its healing work here.

There will not be another civil war, come what may.

The sun will still shine; a gazillion islands will still delight; Greeks will still curse every form of authority; they will still smoke in every restaurant in defiance of the law; they will still have more money than they appear to have; tables in cheap “tavernas” will still offer views that have no price.

A Greek meltdown is not the same as a Slovakian meltdown. Life is not just.

So many mistakes have been made.

They began with the sentimental illusion that the cradle of Western civilisation was also an economy competitive enough to join the euro.

It was not. Then came all the easy credit handed out in the era when the view was that risk had ceased to exist.

The inevitable Greek implosion was followed by austerity measures whose symbol was Germany.

These failed to offer Greeks a positive vision of what all the sacrifice might produce.

The consequent anger created Syriza and its election victory and incoherent promises of a new way forward. Everyone is now caught in the web of their own contradictions.

More of the same might gain a few months. It will resolve nothing, sapping Europe’s energy, and Greece’s potential, for years to come. - The New York Times News Service

Russia’s R-500 cruise missile threat

500kg warhead

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Terminal guidance system

R U S S I A St. Petersburg Luga Moscow Kaliningrad

UK Germany

Poland

France 1,000km range

Kapustin Yar

1801

Tripoli declares war on the U.S. for refusing to pay tribute.

1864

At the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads in Mississippi, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest defeats the numerically superior Union troops.

1905

Japan and Russia agree to peace talks brokered by President Theodore Roosevelt.

TRAINING FOR SECURITY STAFF AT BUSTAN

ly

Turbofan engine uses jet fuel

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Ukraine

Ita

Wing deployed in flight

TODAY IN HISTORY

500km range: INF bans cruise missiles with range between 500km and 5,500km

800km

Suspected Iskander R-500 missile brigades May 2007: R-500 test fired at Kapustin Yar 2009: R-500 goes into production 2011: Missiles deployed to Luga 2013: Deployed to Kaliningrad Apr 2015: Ukraine claims R-500s deployed to Crimea

Crimea (annexed

by Russia) Launch from highly-mobile trucks carrying two sub-sonic R-500s in canisters

Solid-fuel booster

MUSCAT: Al Bustan Palace Hotel hosted a four- day training programme for security staff and supervisors recently. The four-day course, which focused on the development of security staff and supervisors, was conducted by David Cresswell of Group Four Securitas, based in the United Kingdom. It has for the first time ever united security staff from leading hotels in the Sultanate. Hotels such as the Radisson SAS Hotel Muscat, Crowne Plaza Resort Al Sawadi, Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat, Inter-Continental Hotel Muscat and Al Bustan itself have assigned key delegates to attend the security development programme. The programme addressed four key areas like understanding risks in the hotel industry, patrolling and vigilance, access control and emergency response, and supervising the security functions. “Security is a key service offered to hotel guests and hoteliers tend to tie up a high level of customer service with security,” the hotel said in a press note, adding that such programmes were ideal during the low season.

1909 An SOS signal is transmitted for the first time in an emergency when the Cunard liner SS Slavonia is wrecked off the Azores.

1940 The Norwegian army capitulates to the Germans.

Source: IISS, Stratfor, US National Institute for Public Policy, FAS, Pravda

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Libya factions ‘positive’ on draft peace agreement: UN one more year. It stipulates that the parliament elected last June, most of whose members back the internationally recognised government in Tobruk, should be the legislative authority for the interim period.

But it also provides for the formation of a high council of state, drawn mostly from members of the rival parliament in Tripoli, which “shall express binding opinion with a qualified majority on draft laws”.

The two sides would commit to the integration of their opposing militias into a reformed military under direct government control with former rebel fighters offered the opportunity to join up or be reintegrated into civilian life.

The quest for a deal seeks to prevent the strategic North African country from crumbling into a failed state

SKHIRAT (MOROCCO): Libya’s warring factions have reacted positively to a draft peace agreement, the UN envoy said on Tuesday, as they head for talks in Berlin with world powers anxious for an end to the conflict.

Libya descended into chaos after a 2011 NATO-backed protest toppled and killed veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi, with heavily armed former rebels carving out fiefdoms across the country.

The quest for a deal seeks to prevent the oil-rich and strategic North African nation from crumbling into a failed state.

Bernardino Leon, chief of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, presented the draft to delegations from the country’s rival sides at talks in Morocco late Monday.

Strong support With strong support from world leaders, he is pushing for a final accord before the start of the holy month of Ramadan on June 17.

“We have distributed, as you will have seen, a new proposed agreement. All I can tell you for now is that the reaction is positive,” Leon told journalists.

“We are looking at the possibility of a triple consensus -- within Libyan society, among the participants in the dialogue and also the international community.”

PUSHING FOR A FINAL ACCORD: Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mis-

sion in Libya, Bernardino Leon, answers journalists’ questions during a press conference as part of a new round of peace talks on the Libyan conflict, in the Moroccan city of Skhirat, 20 kilometres south of Rabat, on Tuesday. – AFP

He said there was “sense of optimism” emerging from the talks, but warned that no agreement would work without the backing of armed groups in Libya.

“The security track is important. We need strong support from the armed formations... We will not succeed if we don’t have their support,” Leon said.

The Spanish diplomat had spent on Tuesday morning shuttling between the negotiating teams to gauge their response.

“Then we will all head to Berlin to meet European leaders and member countries of the UN Security Council,” UN mission spokesman Samir Ghattas said, without saying whom they would meet.

SETBACK TO REGIME

nificant support” to help a new government rebuild infrastructure, including restoring public services and strengthening the economy.

Militant groups have exploited the lawlessness, which has also prompted a huge influx of migrants trying to make the dangerous crossing to Europe, with shipwrecks leaving hundreds dead and the European Union straining to respond.

The draft agreement put forward Monday is the fourth, with three previous rounds of negotiations failing to deliver a deal.

The 69-article plan provides for the formation of a transitional government of national unity for a period of one year, renewable for

Egypt court upholds death sentences in football riots CAIRO: An Egyptian court on Tuesday upheld death sentences against 11 football fans over a February 2012 riot in the eastern city of Port Said that cost the lives of 74 people.

The riot, the country’s deadliest sports-related unrest, broke out when fans of home team Al Masry and Cairo’s Al Ahly clashed after a premier league match between the two clubs. A Cairo criminal court confirmed the sentences handed down in April against 11 Al Masry fans, one of whom is a fugitive, after consulting the grand mufti, the government interpreter of law who plays an advisory role.

The court also sentenced two police officers, including then Port Said police chief Essam Samak, and two Al Masry club officials to five years in jail.

Twenty-one defendants, including seven police officers and one an Al Masry official, were acquitted.

The remainder were handed jail terms of between one and 15 years.

Tuesday’s sentence can still be appealed before the cassation court. Families of the victims expressed dismay after the verdict.

“They acquitted the police who planned everything. They were the ones who locked up our children in the stadium,” said a crying mother wearing a T-shirt with her sons picture on it.

“This is an unfair ruling...

They are laughing at the people,” the father of another victim grievingly said.

An appeals court had ordered a retrial in February 2014, after rejecting an initial verdict sentencing 21 people to death.

The clashes sparked several days of violent protests in Cairo, in which another 16 people were killed in fighting with security forces.

Dozens of people also died in clashes in the Suez Canal city after the 21 death sentences were handed down. — AFP

F LY I N G O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L R O U T E S

Rebels overrun Syrian army base BEIRUT: An alliance of Syrian rebel forces seized a key army base in the south of the country on Tuesday in a new setback for the regime’s embattled troops.

The Southern Front alliance took full control of the 52nd Brigade base in Daraa province after 24 hours of fierce clashes, a spokesman for the group said.

“The 52nd Brigade base was fully liberated from the regime army,” Major Essam Al Rayes said, adding at least 2,000 rebel fighters had taken part in the “short and quick” assault.

The base lies near a major highway running from Damascus to Syria’s southern border with Jordan and is also near the frontier with neighbouring Sweida province, which is largely regime-controlled.

“This base was one of the main lines of defence for the regime forces. It was a nightmare, because they used it to shell all the areas to the east of the province,” Rayes said.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has invited them to Berlin to continue talks on Wednesday with Leon as well as meet diplomats from the UN Security Council’s permanent five members, plus Italy, Spain and the European Union, his ministry said.

G7 leaders have thrown their support behind Leon’s efforts to persuade the factions to forge a united administration to replace the rival governments in the capital Tripoli and Tobruk.

In a closing statement after a summit in Germany, the G7 called on Libyan leaders to take “bold political decisions” to end four years of devastating conflict.

It said it would “provide sig-

Security arrangements The agreement sets out interim security arrangements for the withdrawal of armed formations from towns and cities and a timetable for disarming.

“The government of national accord, through its different relevant institutions, including the army and police, shall take the necessary steps to combat terrorist threats in Libya,” the draft says.

Some members of the internationally recognised parliament based in the eastern city of Tobruk, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is still disagreement on at least two points in the draft. They did not elaborate.

Both administrations have been fighting loyalists of the IS militant group, which has taken several coastal towns to the alarm of an international community fearful of a militant foothold on Europe’s doorstep.

IS, which controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, has won the loyalty of several hardline groups in Libya and claimed responsibility for a series of attacks and atrocities, including the killings of dozens of Egyptian and Ethiopian Christians. — AFP

2012 INCIDENT

The Southern Front was combing through the site for material left by regime troops, he said, adding the alliance would likely launch additional attacks from there in the near future. Diaa Al Hariri, spokesman for Faylaq Al Awwal, one of the groups in the alliance, said the base was being used as a launching pad for the army’s infantry. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed opposition groups had taken the base after clashes and intense shelling that left 15 rebel fighters and 20 government forces dead.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said rebel forces also seized two villages, including the Christian town of Al Rakham, as regime troops withdrew to the nearby village of Al Dara.

Rebels control a majority of Daraa province and its capital, Abdel Rahman said.

Syria’s official news agency SANA did not report the capture of the base. — AFP

Iran ‘to take legal action if US stops’ newly-acquired Mahan Air planes ANKARA: Iran will take legal action if Washington tries to stop newly acquired Iranian passenger planes flying international routes, the head of the country’s aviation authority said on Tuesday.

Iran’s Mahan Air, blacklisted by Washington, bought eight secondhand Airbus A340s and one Airbus A321 in May in defiance of US sanctions. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported last week that the planes would be used on international routes.

The US Treasury department said last month that Mahan Air had a “blockable interest” in the planes, meaning they could be subject to an asset freeze, raising the possibility that Washington may attempt to have them seized at airports outside Iran.

“As long as ... a disruption has not taken place, we cannot make a definite assertion. But if it happens, Iran will take legal action,” said Alireza Jahangirian, head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization,

UNDER SANCTION: Iran’s Mahan Air bought eight second-hand Airbus A340s and one Airbus A321 in May in defiance of US sanctions. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported last week that the planes would be used on international routes. – Files

according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).

“America does not have the right to stop our planes on international trips ... Under international laws, it is impossible to seize the new Iranian aircraft.”

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on two firms based in Iraq and the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of helping the purchase. Jahangirian said the planes

would join Iran’s aviation fleet “in the coming weeks”, after receiving their documentation.

Fars reported on June 1 that the four-engined A340s would start flying from Tehran to Dubai and Istanbul, and would then be used on long-haul routes.

Aviation experts say Iran is interested in aircraft such as the A340 because it lacks the approvals needed to fly two-engined air-

craft on long-haul routes following years of relative isolation in the global aviation market.

Iran has been hit by sanctions from the United States, the European Union and the United Nations over its disputed nuclear programme. The US sanctions ban the sale of aircraft and parts to Iran.

Under an interim deal reached between Iran and six major powers in 2013, the ban on the sale of spare parts was eased, but the sale of aircraft remains restricted.

However, Iran and the powers are in talks to clinch a final deal

by June 30 to end the decade-old standoff and usher in an end to sanctions. Iran’s airlines have been plagued by crashes, which Iranian politicians blame on the sanctions.

Iran’s 189 active passenger aircraft have an average age of 22 years, according to the British aviation consultancy Ascend. It also has 76 in storage with an average age of 24 years. They serve a country of 76 million people. — Reuters

ADVISORY

Hong Kong issues ‘red alert’ against travel to MERS-hit South Korea

STRICT VIGIL: In this photograph taken on June 5, 2015, passengers have their temperature checked as part of preventive measures against the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the Hong Kong international airport. – AFP

SEOUL/HONG KONG: Hong Kong issued a “red alert” advisory on Tuesday against non-essential travel to South Korea, where eight new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) were reported, bringing the total to 95 with seven fatalities.

The number of new South Korean cases was a sharp drop from 23 on Monday, but the number of schools closed grew to 2,208, including 20 universities.

“At this stage, to issue a clear message is something the Hong Kong government thinks is necessary,” Hong Kong’s number two official, Carrie Lam, told reporters just before the travel warning was posted. A red alert, the secondhighest outbound travel advisory on a three-point scale, is defined as a “significant threat” according to the Hong Kong government,

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and means people should “adjust travel plans” and “avoid non-essential travel”.

On Monday, Hong Kong upgraded its response to the outbreak in South Korea to “serious”.

Nam Kyung-pil, governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds the South Korean capital, Seoul, said 32 of its large general hospitals have joined the campaign to fight the outbreak by offering to take in anyone who is showing MERS symptoms.

“We are fighting two wars; The war against the disease and the war against fear,” Nam said.

The head of the Korean Hospital Association, who accompanied the country’s deputy prime minister on a visit on Tuesday to a Daejeon hospital where MERS patients were being treated, criticised the government for poor communication. “The hospitals that did not receive information on patients have been wounded deeply,” Park Sanggeun said during an open meeting.

It was only on Sunday that South Korean officials released the names of all the health facilities where MERS victims had been treated or visited, which now number 35.

The World Health Organization (WHO) began work on a joint mission with South Korean doctors and officials to review the country’s response and analyse the virus. The WHO has not recommended any curb on travel, but

thousands of tourists have cancelled plans to visit South Korea.

The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong has cancelled all tours to South Korea that were scheduled to set off between now and June 30, excluding cruises, with 10,000 to 12,000 travellers to be affected, the city’s public broadcaster reported.

South Korea’s response has been aggressive and is getting better, a WHO specialist, Peter Ben Embarek, said in Geneva, adding it should still not be surprising if there were a few cases of infection coming outside of hospitals.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has called for an all-out national effort to eradicate the outbreak, which has been spreading since a 68-year-old businessman brought it home from a Middle East trip last month. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

A1 5

WORLD

All the bones are from the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada, and have been in the Natural History Museum in London since they were collected about 100 years ago

Scientists hunt for dinosaur blood move things inside the microscope,” explained Bertazzo.

“So, combining the beam and the needle, we could cut small bits of the fossils and perform an analysis to check for any fragment of amino acids.”

Using molecular microscopy, a British team analysed eight bone fragments from dinosaurs that lived some 75 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period BREAKTHROUGH: This undated handout picture released by ‘Na-

PARIS: Scientists said Tuesday they have discovered what appear to be red blood cells and collagen fibres in dinosaur bones, a find that may boost prospects of prising organic remains from a much wider range of fossils.

Using molecular microscopy, a British team analysed eight bone fragments from dinosaurs that

ture’ on June 5, 2015 shows density-dependent colour scanning electron micrographs of samples extracted from ribs of an indeterminate dinosaur displaying mineralised fibres. Scientists said on Tuesday they have discovered what appear to be red blood cells and collagen fibres in dinosaur bones. — AFP/NATURE/SERGIO BERTAZZO

lived some 75 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period.

The fossils were so poorly conserved that it was impossible to tell precisely what type of animal

DANGEROUS CROSSING

100,000 migrants in one year add to Europe’s worries GENEVA: More than 100,000 migrants made the perilous crossing over the Mediterranean to Europe this year, the United Nations said on Tuesday, reporting a huge spike in arrivals that will add to Europe’s migration worries.

The immigration crisis is a burning issue for EU governments with member states trying to put in place ways of tackling human trafficking, while arguing over how to share the burden of the tide of people arriving on the continent’s shores.

UNHCR “is stepping up its presence in Greece and in southern Italy in response to the dramatic increase in numbers of refugees and migrants who we have been seeing arriving,” spokesman Adrian Edwards told journalists in Geneva.

Sub-Saharan Africans A frantic weekend of rescues saw nearly 6,000 people, most of them sub-Saharan Africans, pulled to safety from packed fishing boats and rubber dinghies off Libya, and taken to Italy, bringing the year’s total of new arrivals in the country to 54,000.

Pregnant women and children

Since January, 103,000 refugees and migrants have risked their lives often on flimsy boats to reach Europe, the UN refugee agency said

were among those picked up in the weekend’s major international rescue operation, coordinated by the Italian Coast Guard, Edwards said.

While the numbers arriving in Italy mark about a 10-per cent increase on the same period last year, the situation in neighbouring Greece has worsened dramatically.

A full 48,000 migrants and refugees have landed on Greek shores so far this year, compared to 34,000 arrivals during all of 2014, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). — AFP

some of them came from, study co-author Sergio Bertazzo from Imperial College London told AFP. The samples included the claw of a meat-eating dinosaur, a few

toe bones from a ceratopsid (a group that included the horned Triceratops) and a duck-billed hadrosaur, and rib fragments from an unknown species.

All the bones are from the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada, and have been in the Natural History Museum in London since they were collected about 100 years ago.

“What we found are structures that could be original red blood cells from the dinosaur specimens and also other structures that could be the original collagen fibres,” Bertazzo said by email.

Other researchers have previously found remnants of organic material in dinosaur bones, but

in exceptionally well-preserved fossils -- which are few and far between.

“Therefore we indicate that the likelihood of finding organic material in fossils is much higher than previously thought, at least at the microscopic scale,” said Bertazzo.

It had long been thought that protein molecules cannot survive for longer than four million years.

Bertazzo and a team used a special microscope which uses a beam of heavy atoms to make infinitely small cuts in a sample at the nanometric scale (a nanometre is a billionth of a metre).

“The same microscope also has a robotic arm with a micro needle that can be used to pick up and

Totally blown away The team had set out to analyse gaps left in bone by decomposed organic material, instead finding structures that appear to be red blood cells, and fibres similar to collagen, a protein which makes up the bulk of connective tissues in animals.

“Totally blown away!” is how Bertazzo described the team’s breakthrough, while cautioning that further evidence is needed to confirm the nature of the structures.

“This was absolutely not what we were expecting to find at all. It actually took quite a while for us to be convinced of what we saw.”

The team compared their ancient soft tissue to an Emu blood sample, and intriguingly found “similarities”. — AFP

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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Fuel depot blaze kills five in Ukraine city The fire burned overnight and by morning had spread to at least 16 tanks, most of them storing petrol. That sent a pall of black smoke over the area around the depot near Vasylkiv, 30 km from the capital Kiev

INFERNO: Firefighting trucks are parked near a fuel depot which is on fire near Vasylkiv, Kiev region,

VASYLKIV (UKRAINE): A massive fire at a Ukrainian fuel depot killed five people on Tuesday, officials said, including three firemen who went missing after the flames triggered a powerful explosion.

The fire burned overnight and by morning had spread to at least 16 tanks, most of them storing petrol. That sent a pall of black smoke over the area around the depot near Vasylkiv, 30 km (19 miles) from Kiev. The depot’s owners said they suspected arson.

“Firemen have the situation... under total control,” top security official Oleksander Turchynov said in a statement.

Remaining fires There was no longer any threat of the blaze spreading and emergency services were putting out remaining fires in the depot, he said.

Entire oil tanks were consumed in the flames, which emergency services had feared would spread

Ukraine, on Tuesday. — Reuters

The bodies of three firemen, unaccounted for after the explosion ripped through the area as they battled the fire, had been found, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said. Two other people died and several others were injured, the emergency services said

to another fuel depot nearby.

Weapons and equipment were removed from a neighbouring military base to a place of safety.

Within 12 hours “The crisis will be resolved entirely within the next 12 hours,” Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said in televised comments.

The bodies of three firemen, unaccounted for after the explosion ripped through the area as they battled the fire, had been found, Avakov said. Two other people died and several others were injured, the emergency services said.

Sixty-two fire-fighting units and three trains delivering water

and supplies have been mobilised, emergency services said.

Rescuers had evacuated people from within a two-kilometre radius of the fire, Turchynov said.

Violations or arson Interior Ministry official Zoryan Shkiryak said police were investigating three possible causes of the fire -- “violations of fuel storage regulations, technical malfunctions or arson”.

The owners of the depot, BRSM-Nafta, said in a statement they believed the fire was the result of an arson attack aimed at damaging its business.

Of the 16 fuel tanks affected, eight had a capacity of 900 cubic metres, while the rest were smaller in volume, the emergency ministry said.

The overall capacity of the depot is 25,000 cubic metres. — Reuters

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Nepal charter deal paves the way for eight provinces KATHMANDU: Nepal’s rival political parties have struck a historic agreement to end years of deadlock on a new constitution that will divide the country into eight provinces, spurred by a devastating earthquake.

The deal reached late on Monday comes weeks after an earthquake that killed thousands and piled pressure on politicians to end a stalemate that has paralysed the country.

Nepal’s lawmakers began work on a new national constitution in 2008 following a decade-long Maoist insurgency that left an estimated 16,000 people dead and brought down the monarchy.

But the political parties were unable to reach agreement and the resulting uncertainty left Nepal in a state of political limbo.

Information Minister Minendra Rijal said the April 25 disaster, which killed more than 8,700 people and destroyed nearly half a million houses, had motivated rival parties to work together.

“There is a will to get this done,” said Rijal, calling the agreement a “major breakthrough”.

The opposition Maoist party had pressed for greater devolution of powers, and the agreement to divide Nepal into eight provinces paves the way for a new federal structure.

However, it leaves the crucial issue of the provincial borders unresolved -- an omission which critics said would create future problems.

The Maoists had been pushing for new provinces to be created along lines that could favour historically marginalised communities, but other parties said this would be divisive and a threat to national unity.

“This is an incomplete deal, it’s an agreement which postpones the crucial question entirely,” said Prashant Jha, a Nepali journalist and author.

Information Minister Minendra Rijal said the April 25 disaster, which killed more than 8,700 people and destroyed nearly half a million houses, had motivated rival parties to work together “Political parties have abdicated their responsibility by not hammering out a deal on internal borders. “The constitution that emerges will be a deeply divisive and contested document from day one,” he said.

Under the deal, Nepal will continue with its current system of national governance which includes an executive prime minister and ceremonial president.

A new federal commission will be tasked with drawing up internal borders and submit a proposal for approval in parliament.

The agreement includes a commitment to hold the country’s first local elections since 1997.

Many say the absence of village representatives has hampered the distribution of aid following the quake. But victims of the disaster were unimpressed by the political breakthrough. — AFP

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

MARKE Muscat 6,474.52 + 10.13 + 0.16%

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CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

Type ............................Delivery...........Price

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.27 Pound ...........................................1.68 Indian Rs .............................165.65 Pak Rs ...................................260.28 Bangla Taka.......................199.28

Indian Rs .................................. 165.80 Pakistan Rs ............................ 263.25 Sri Lanka Rs ...........................343.75 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso .................................... 116.45

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......15.05

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ......... $61.76 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) .........$61.36 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$63.69 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$60.96 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) .........$64.13

* Rates are as of Jun 9 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$59.21

* Rates as of Jun 9 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.50 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 142.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............ 135.00 * Rates as of Jun 9 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

MARKET DISCLOSURE

Galfar to take arbitration route; share trading to resume today A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com

MAKING A POINT: Galfar’s top-level officials addressing the media on Tuesday. — Picture by Cio Datan/Times of Oman

MUSCAT: Share trading of Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company, Oman’s biggest contracting firm, will resume on the Muscat bourse on Wednesday even as the management is trying to take arbitration route to recover OMR45 million fund (which is recognised as revenues in books) from Muscat Municipality.

The Muscat Municipality has offered only OMR29.9 million as final settlement, against OMR47.4 million receivables in the company’s books.

This is against the company’s

Invest Easy to be fully ready by end of year Invest Easy portal (One Stop Shop) and mobile application provide a wide range of fast and easy e-services for setting up a company in the Sultanate

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: ‘Invest Easy’, a firstof-its-kind e-commercial registration service, is expected to be fully operational by the end of this year, with the aim of eliminating paperwork and saving costs and time. The Invest Easy

Buthaina Mohammed Saif Al Kindi. — Supplied picture

portal (One Stop Shop) and mobile application, which are part of the comprehensive development project for a single window clearance, provide a wide range of fast and easy e-services for setting up a company in Oman.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Buthaina Mohammed Saif Al Kindi, head of Commercial Infor-

mation Section at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), said that the project started in December 2013.

According to her, the project was initiated after an agreement was signed by the MOCI and the Information Technology Authority (ITA) with Estonian IT company Nortal, which is supervising the technical implementation of the project and provides consultancy services.

She noted that six stages have been defined for the project, which are all expected to be completed by December 2015.

The new CR service, the result of the third milestone in the project, was recently launched officially after going through various test runs and receiving positive feedback from investors and business owners, Al Kindi said.

She said that before the launch of the new CR service, over eight steps were involved in the registration process and many approvals were required before registration. > B2

Special e-ID card required to use Invest Easy services ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Public key infrastructure (PKI) activation is required to use online registration services offered under the Invest Easy initiative, according to an official at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Buthaina Mohammed Saif Al Kindi, head of Commercial Information Section at the

MOCI, said that while some services can be accessed without logging in, PKI activation is required and advised for a secure transmission of the information. She explained that the services can be used by holders of PKI activated e-ID card and kiosks set up by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) in commercial centres offer the required service. Also, to use the mobile application, a PKI-

enabled SIM Card is needed to access the complete package of services, which can be easily done by referring to mobile service operators.

Salma Al Hajri, founder and chief executive officer of Salma’s Chocolates, welcomed the Invest Easy project, saying that it will help save costs and time.

The current procedure is long, not only at the MOCI but also at other government organisations, she said.

original claim of OMR100 million for apparent additional cost incurred for building Muscat Expressway and Central Corridor projects for Muscat Municipality few years ago.

Share trading of Galfar was suspended for the last seven days by the stock market regulator due to lack of full details on the company’s compensation offer from Muscat Municipality for these two projects and the amount recognised in books.

Galfar said that the company’s receivables in the books are OMR47.4 million as of March 2015, which excludes retention withheld of OMR7.1 million. The

proposed final settlement of Muscat Municipality, which was rejected by Galfar board last week, is less by OMR16 million than the income recognised. According to Galfar, the company’s board decided not to accept the offer made

by Muscat Municipality in the interest of its shareholders. If Galfar accepts the offer, it has to be recognised in the income statement as a loss. Hatim Shanfari, chairman of Galfar’s Audit Committee, said that the market regulator has agreed for resuming share trading on Wednesday, after the media briefing on Tuesday.

Galfar hurriedly conducted the media briefing, after market regu-

lator stipulated that the company has to disclose all information related to their claims on these two major projects, which were built for Muscat Municipality.

Shanfari also noted that the arbitration has to be carried out with the consent of its client Muscat Municipality. A settlement by way of an arbitration may take time, probably almost a year.

Galfar chief executive officer Dr. Hans Erlings said the original contract value of Muscat Expressway project, which was awarded in June 2005, was OMR131.7 million, while Central Corridor project was awarded at a value of OMR10.99 million in February 2006. > B4

B2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

MARKET D E A L I N G W I T H D E FA U LT E R S

Indian central bank’s bid to help lenders recover loans MUMBAI: As India’s central bank rewrites rules to help lenders recover loans from defaulting companies, the local unit of Fitch Ratings said the move is fraught with challenges while bankers welcomed the measure.

Under new rules released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) late on Monday, lenders will be allowed to convert loans into equity and take a controlling stake in a stressed company under a so-called strategic debt restructuring plan. The banks will also be allowed to bring in management of their choice to make the company profitable.

RBI governor Raghuram Rajan is seeking ways to clean up lenders’ balance sheets as stressed assets, set to surge to the highest level since 2002, threaten to derail an economic recovery. Four of India’s five biggest banks reported an increase in bad loans for the year ended March as policy makers’

efforts to boost investment and growth have yet to bear fruit.

“In the current scenario, this may be too little and a bit late,” said Deep Narayan Mukherjee, a senior director at Fitch’s India Ratings and Research. “Even if the lenders take over the entire equity of the stressed companies, on average its value will be only about an eighth of the outstanding debt. So recovery through converting debt into equity may be limited.”

Credit growth Prime Minister Narendra Modi is counting on a revival in credit to accelerate growth in Asia’s thirdlargest economy after the RBI cut its benchmark interest rate three times this year. Lending increased 10.2 per cent in the 12 months through May 15, RBI data show, rebounding from February’s 8.88 percent, which was the slowest pace since 1994.

NEW RULES Under new rules, lenders will be allowed to convert loans into equity and take a controlling stake in a stressed company under a socalled strategic debt restructuring plan.

The banks will also be allowed to bring in management of their choice to make the company profitable

Raghuram Rajan. – File photo

Bankers said the RBI’s new rules may provide them a better chance of recovering debt. “These rules will be a deterrent for errant companies considering default,”

P O R TA L

< FROM

B1 Invest Easy to be simple procedure

Participating entities MOCI, the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Environment, the Muscat Municipality, the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Royal Oman Police (ROP), the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) and ITA are among the authorities involved in the project, she said.

Al Kindi explained that the Ministry of Regional Municipalities is part of the project but the initiative currently covers the Muscat Municipality as they have the same list of activities used by the MOCI.

policy and check the availability of the name. Another major feature of the project is the fact that capital checking is no longer required before registration.

Previously, investors registering a company with over a certain amount of capital were being asked to open an account before registration and show the evidence that they have the mentioned amount, Al Kindi said.

Now, they can specify the amount and register and open an account after the registration, she said, adding that through the new service, more control and auditing will be done after the registration.

Capital checking has been one of the main issues raised by the World Bank and the authorities in Oman are seeking to address it and simplify the procedure, she added.

Main features Asked about the main features of the project, she said that it eliminates the need for obtaining preapprovals and visiting different government organisations.

The second highlight is that the investor no longer has to reserve the name before registration, a process which used to take one or two days, Al Kindi noted, adding that now the investor can read the

Paying fees The official also said that the fees can now be directly paid through the online procedure without the need to refer to different organisations.

According to her, with the Invest Easy project, all the procedures can be completed within a single day.

In the remaining stages, some features related to licensing, an-

“Now the idea of Invest Easy is to separate commercial registration from licensing,” the official said, adding that the project is being implemented in cooperation with a number of government entities.

nual report and updating the company’s information will be introduced. In the fourth milestone, which is expected in September, an initiative will be launched for updating the company’s information, she said.

Licensing, annual report Al Kindi also noted that in later stages, the licensing procedure will be simplified and a feature will become available for submitting annual reports electronically.

She said that a number of entities, including the MOCI, the Central Bank of Oman (CBO), Secretariat General for Taxation (SGT) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) will be involved in the annual report project and some other authorities will be participating in the licensing initiative.

The mobile application will also be upgraded with new features, the official said.

In addition, Faiza Suliman Al Mahrooqi, marketing researcher, at the MOCI, noted that in the One Stop Shop facility, a section has been designated to train and educate people how to use the e-services. The Invest Easy portal can be accessed at www.investeasy. gov.om and the mobile application can be downloaded.

said M.S. Raghavan, chairman and managing director of state-run IDBI Bank.

Profitability, measured by the return on assets in the banking

system, fell to 0.81 per cent in the year ended March 2014, the lowest since at least 2007, RBI data show. The increase in stressed assets and slowing loan growth may further erode lenders’ earnings power, according to Fitch.

“This is another avenue for enabling recovery of stressed assets,” said Pradeep Kumar, managing director at State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender by assets.

“This strengthens our hands in efforts to recover bad loans.”

Stressed assets The lender is focused on improving the asset quality in coming quarters, Kumar said. State Bank of India narrowed its gross badloans ratio to 4.25 per cent as of March 31 from 4.9 per cent reported in December, exchange filings showed. Stressed assets of Indian lenders will rise to 13 per cent of total advances by March 2016, ac-

cording to Fitch. The ratio was 10.73 per cent as of December, the latest central bank data show.

Crisil Ratings, Standard & Poor’s Indian arm, estimates the sum of total soured loans and restructured advances that are likely to turn bad will reach an unprecedented 5.3 trillion rupees ($83 billion) in the same period.

“It may not always be practical for the banks to replace management of a company and then to oversee the new set of consultants or turn around specialists who may try to run the company,” Mukherjee said. “There are many operational challenges in implementing this new debt conversion scheme.” - Bloomberg News

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Gulf, US airlines in a war of words at IATA meeting Gulf airlines attacked their American counterparts over ‘protectionism’ and the latter attempting to check their rivals’ growth, saying they were doing so with government backing

STORMY SESSION: Gulf carriers accused their American counterparts of allowing them to fly freely to the United States. – File photo

MIAMI: Aviation body IATA’s annual meeting got off to a stormy start here with carriers from the Gulf attacking their American counterparts over ‘protectionism’ and the latter attempting to check their rivals’ growth, saying they were doing so with unfair government backing.

The issue came up for discussion at the inaugural session of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) annual general meeting and World Air Transport Summit here, with Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker urging the IATA members to support liberal air travel, calling protectionism a ‘threat’ to aviation.

Gulf carriers accused their American counterparts of allowing them to fly freely to the United States. Baker read out a statement

calling upon IATA to safeguard the flying freedoms of airlines.

The issue was mentioned in a passing reference by IATA director general and chief executive officer Tony Tyler who said “it is no secret ...that there is an underlying tension in our industry.”

“It is often described as a rift between state-owned airlines and those owned wholly or predominantly by private shareholders.

“Others see it in terms of government protectionism. Some interpret it as a clash between aviation business friendly countries and those less focused on maximising the economic and social benefits of connectivity,” Tony Tyler said while presenting his annual report.

The matter is of special significance to India, which is the largest market for Qatar Airways,

Etihad and Emirates, whose joint share of traffic out of India to the US and Europe is estimated to have quadrupled between 2008 and 2014.

Annual profit Meanwhile, the airline industry will post record net income of $29.3 billion this year, up almost 80 per cent from 2014, spurred by a surging US economy and low fuel prices, the IATA estimates.

Middle Eastern airlines, led by Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, should accrue $1.8 billion, with passenger growth of almost 13 per cent, marking the region out as the only one with double-digit expansion. While all regions will be profitable, the projection, which is $4 billion higher than one issued in December, masks ‘stark’ variations. - Agencies

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

B3

MARKET HSBC to cut 50,000 global jobs; relocation planned AT A GLANCE HSBC bank said there

HSBC said it intends to save $5 billion in annual costs within two years

Nearly 25,000 jobs will be cut with the selling of operations in Turkey and Brazil

Staff numbers have dropped from 295,000 in 2010 and by 2017, there will be 208,000 remaining

Bank will aim to save $4.5-$5b in annual costs by 2017 but would continue to serve large corporates in Brazil

The bank mulls abandoning London as its headquarters due to increased British regulation and taxation of the banking sector

would be a 10 per cent reduction in jobs in its restructuring programme that entails withdrawal from Brazil and Turkey

HONG KONG: HSBC bank said on Tuesday it would cut its global headcount by up to 50,000 as part of a restructuring that entails its withdrawal from Brazil and Turkey, while it also mulls abandoning London as its headquarters.

In a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange, it also said it intends to save $5 billion in annual costs within two years. The announcement comes ahead of an investor update on Tuesday in which chief executive Stuart Gulliver is expected to announce thousands of job losses.

“HSBC is now undertaking a significant reshaping of its business portfolio,” the bank, which this year marks its 150th anniversary, said.

“It is redeploying resources to capture expected future growth opportunities and adapting to structural changes in the operat-

ing climate,” it added. The statement did not mention extensive job cuts, the details of which were buried in an investor update report.

That report said there would be a 10 per cent reduction in jobs, with between 22,000 and 25,000 classified under ‘transformation savings’, including streamlining IT projects.

A further 25,000 jobs would be lost with the selling of operations in Turkey and Brazil.

The move is the latest in a series of swinging cuts under Gulliver, who joined at the beginning of 2011. Staff numbers have dropped from 295,000 in 2010 and by 2017 there will be 208,000 remaining.

The statement also said it will aim to save $4.5-$5 billion in annual costs by 2017 but would continue to serve large corporate clients in Brazil “with respect to

their international needs”.

The bank added that it would focus more on Asia, particularly the in the Pearl River Delta, and set up a ring-fenced British bank.

It also expects to complete a review of where to locate its headquarters by the end of this year.

Gulliver has said the lender may relocate due to increased British regulation and taxation of the banking sector.

Decisive move Financial analyst Jackson Wong described Tuesday’s announcement as a ‘decisive move’. “It’s a big cut...(but) they haven’t been able to save costs over the past few years,” Wong, associate director for Simsen Financial Group, said.

He added that the bank was likely to relocate its headquarters to Hong Kong, owing to its low tax regime. “The chance is pretty high

AV I AT I O N

Qatar Airways chief aims to buy stakes in more airlines ATLANTA: Qatar Airways, already one of the world’s fastestgrowing airlines, is looking to build its global presence by buying up stakes in other airlines.

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of the Doha-based carrier, said he’s interested in taking more equity in airlines. While he wouldn’t disclose any targets or say how big a stake Qatar would take, any such position would be bigger than 5 per cent or other minimal stake, he said.

Qatar already owns 10 per cent of International Consolidated Airlines, and he has said he would like to purchase more of the British Airways parent.

Making additional investments in other carriers would match Gulf competitor Etihad Airways, which has purchased major stakes in Italy’s Alitalia, Air Berlin and India’s Jet Airways.

“We are open to equity investments if it is in the best interests of Qatar Airways for our growth plans,” Al Baker said on the side-

riers have accused those three Gulf carriers of receiving more than $42 billion in government subsidies and other benefits in violation of fair-competition rules in air agreements with the US.

Akbar Al Baker. – Reuters

lines of the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Miami. “We don’t go and just do 5 percent. We would always take a bigger share.”

Al Baker made news on Monday by calling on International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents airlines globally, to take a position on the face-off between major U.S. airlines and his airline, Etihad and Emirates. The United States car-

Acquisition plans Despite concerns that Qatar is unfairly growing too rapidly in the US, Al Baker said Qatar has no plans to grow beyond its seven current US cities, three new markets in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Boston, and eventually Detroit.

Regarding acquisition plans, Al Baker said in March 2014 that he was reviving Qatar Airways’ investment strategy after being offered stakes in carriers including Alitalia.

He disclosed his goal in an interview without saying where he was focused. In November, he dismissed speculation that Qatar Airways was interested in acquiring a holding in Vietnam Airlines.

In January, IAG disclosed the Qatar Airways stake. - Bloomberg News

for Hong Kong,” he said. But analyst Francis Lun said the cuts may be too severe. “They may have overdone it — if you cut the jobs any further... you cannot get the job done.” Lun also believed Asia would be a friendlier environment for the bank.

“The problem is really with the regulators in Europe and America because they lost big during the financial tsunami so they want to get even with the banks,” said Lun. “There’s no future for major international banks in Europe and America, no matter how much money you make or save.” Lun said that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s de facto bank, was more relaxed.

“They are not out to get the pound of flesh,” he said.

Swiss prosecutors on Thursday closed an investigation into allegations HSBC’s Geneva branch

helped clients evade millions of dollars in taxes, after it agreed to pay tens of millions in compensation. The bank agreed to pay out 40 million Swiss francs ($43 million).

Geneva authorities opened the probe in February following the publication of secret documents claiming the bank assisted many wealthy clients in thwarting the taxman. Last year, it was separately fined by US and British regulators for attempting to rig foreign exchange markets.

Shares in HSBC were 0.68 per cent higher at HK$74.05 in Hong Hong, compared to a 1 per cent loss for the wider index. - AFP

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AUTOMOTIVE

Hyundai to reduce costs as sales and profit decline SEOUL: Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors are reducing costs after sales and profit fell at the two Korean carmakers.

Hyundai and Kia are “making efforts to cut costs” after first-quarter operating profit declined, the carmakers said in a joint e-mail on Tuesday. They didn’t provide specifics on the cuts, or any estimate.

Operating profit at both Hyundai and Kia declined for a fourth consecutive quarter in the three months ended on March 31. The Seoul-based automakers have posted declining vehicle sales as unfavorable currency-exchange rates undermine their ability to compete against the likes of Japan’s Toyota Motor.

“The first thing they can cut would probably be costs related to sales, marketing and advertisement,” said Shin Chung Kwan, an analyst at KB Investment . “The current situation, and their efforts to cut costs, will also give them the power to have a say when negotiating terms for other costs that can be incurred, such as auto-part prices and workers’ wages.”

The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported earlier that Hyundai Motor is seeking to cut costs by 30 percent, citing an unidentified senior executive.

Hyundai rose as much as 2.2 per cent to 137,500 won and traded at 135,500 won in Seoul. Kia gained 0.7 per cent, while South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index advanced 0.1 per cent. Hyundai’s shares have dropped 20 per cent this year, in contrast to the 7.9 per cent gain in the Kospi. - Bloomberg News

B4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

MARKET MSM index ends higher

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MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,475.26 ...............6,467.27 ................... 6,474.52 ...................6,464.39.................. 10.13 ................... 0.16 Financial Index ..................................... 7,865.73 ............... 7,841.70 ................... 7,860.99 ................... 7,841.53..................19.46 ...................0.25 Industrial Index ....................................8,336.76 .............. 8,326.67 ................... 8,336.76 ...................8,326.67..................10.09 ................... 0.12 Services Index ........................................3,517.12 .............. 3,502.92 ....................3,517.09 ....................3,497.19..................19.90 ................... 0.57 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 998.15 ..................996.55 ...................... 998.08 ...................... 996.56.................... 1.52 ................... 0.15 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 10,267,787 ...................3,152,035 .....................560 ............... 14,972,745,142 ................20 ........................7 .................... 18 .........................45

Muscat Finance was the top gainer for the day and closed up by 4.23 per cent, while Gulf

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 9

International Chemicals, down by 2.11 per 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

cent, was the top loser of the day REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 246,019 ........... 36,083..................... 27 ............0.147 ........... 0.149 ...........0.146 ............0.147 .............0.142 ........... 0.005............. 3.521 ................0.146 ..............0.146...................0.147...................45,682,446.........0.100

MUSCAT: Oman’s main index, MSM30 Index, gained 0.16 per cent to end the day at 6,474.52 points. The MSM Shariah Index closed at 998.08 points, up by 0.15 per cent. Al Suwadi Power was the most active stock in terms of volume, while Al Maha Petroleum was the most active in terms of turnover. Muscat Finance was the top gainer for the day and closed up by 4.23 per cent while Gulf International Chemicals, down by 2.11 per cent, was the top loser for the day.

As many as 560 trades were executed generating turnover of OMR3.15 million with over 10.26 million shares changing hands.

Out of 45 traded securities, 20 advanced, seven fell and 18 were unchanged. GCC and Arab Investors were net buyers for OMR185,000 followed by Omani investors for OMR163,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR348,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 7,860.99 points, up by 0.25 per cent. Muscat Finance, United Finance, Gulf Investment Services, Oman & Emirates Holding and Global Finance & Investment increased 4.23 per cent, 3.52 per cent, 2.22 per cent, 1.82 per cent and 1.69 per cent, respectively. Al Batinah Development, Al Anwar Holding and Bank Muscat declined 1.56 per cent, 0.40 per cent and 0.36 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index posted gains of 0.12 per cent to close at 8,336.76 points. Oman Fisheries,

OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING ............................................74,525 ............ 50,975......................16 ........... 0.684 ...........0.684 ...........0.684........... 0.684 .............0.664 ........... 0.020............. 3.012 ................0.684..............0.684...................0.000 .................136,550,750 ........0.100

Oman Cables and Voltamp Energy gained 1.82 per cent, 0.69 per cent and 0.50 per cent, respectively. Gulf International Chemicals, down by 2.11 per cent, was the only sector loser.

Services Sector Index continued its run of gains to close at 3,517.09 points, up by 0.57 per cent. SMN Power, Sembcorp Salalah, Sharqiyah Desalination, OIFC and National Gas increased by 3.01 per cent, 2.12 per cent, 1.94 per cent, 1.26 per cent and 0.51 per cent, respectively. Al Suwadi Power, Sohar Power and Al Maha Petroleum declined 0.96 per cent, 0.53 per cent and 0.23 per cent, respectively.

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 777,505..........106,943......................51 ............0.136 ........... 0.139 ...........0.136 ............0.138 ............. 0.135............ 0.003.............2.222 ................0.137 .............. 0.137...................0.139....................8,120,364 ..........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................20,676 .............54,732......................12 ........... 2.625 ........... 2.655 ...........2.625........... 2.645 .............2.590 ............0.055 ............. 2.124 ................2.650..............2.650...................2.655..................252,484,281 .......1.000 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION .................................. 3,700 .............13,610........................7 ............3.650 ........... 3.750 ...........3.650........... 3.680 ............. 3.610.............0.070............. 1.939 ................3.750 .............. 3.750...................3.800 .................. 35,991,195 .........1.000 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 499,410 ........... 55,828.....................40 ............0.111 ........... 0.112............ 0.111 ............0.112 ............. 0.110............ 0.002..............1.818................. 0.111 ...............0.111................... 0.112 ...................13,650,000 .........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 369,000 ........... 44,137.....................20 ............0.119 ........... 0.120 ...........0.119 ........... 0.120 ............. 0.118 ............ 0.002............. 1.695 ................0.119 .............. 0.119...................0.120.................. 24,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 302,500............73,013.....................24 ........... 0.237 ...........0.242 ...........0.237........... 0.241 .............0.238 ........... 0.003............. 1.261.................0.241..............0.239...................0.242 ................. 48,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................25,367 ...............2,237........................8 ........... 0.088 ...........0.089 ...........0.087........... 0.088 .............0.087 ............0.001 ............. 1.149.................0.087..............0.087...................0.088...................15,400,000.........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 454,489 ............62,511..................... 32 ............0.137 ........... 0.138 ...........0.136 ............0.138 ............. 0.137.............0.001 ............. 0.730 ................0.137 .............. 0.136...................0.137 ...................12,420,000.........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE .................................................. 20,000 ...............2,860........................1 ............0.143 ........... 0.143 ...........0.143 ........... 0.143 .............0.142 ............0.001 ............. 0.704 ................0.143 ..............0.143...................0.156...................36,263,370.........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY...................................... 14,739 ............ 32,352........................4 ............2.195 ........... 2.195 ...........2.195 ............2.195 .............2.180 ............0.015 ............. 0.688 ................2.195 ............. 0.000...................2.195..................196,891,500 ........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ................................................................7,435 .............. 2,920........................2 ........... 0.394 ...........0.394 ...........0.390........... 0.392 .............0.390 ........... 0.002............. 0.513 ................0.390..............0.390...................0.400 ..................19,600,000 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................18,834 ............... 7,647......................11 ........... 0.406 ...........0.406 ...........0.406........... 0.406 .............0.404 ........... 0.002............. 0.495 ................0.406..............0.406...................0.420 ..................24,563,000.........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 1,396,185 ......289,010........................9 ........... 0.207 ...........0.207 ...........0.207........... 0.207 .............0.206 ............0.001 ............. 0.485 ................0.207..............0.207...................0.209 ................. 139,701,698 ........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ...................................................................... 51,784 ............ 24,856......................18 ........... 0.480 ...........0.480 ...........0.480........... 0.480 .............0.478 ........... 0.002............. 0.418 ................0.480..............0.480...................0.484 .................177,800,304........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 144,140 ......... 247,675......................19 ............1.675 ........... 1.720 ...........1.675 ............1.720 ............. 1.715 ............ 0.005.............0.292 ................1.720 .............. 1.720...................1.730 ................1,290,000,000......0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ...........................3,000 ..................600........................1 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 ...........0.215 ............. 0.215............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.206...................0.215...................20,433,600.........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ................. 1,600 ..................448........................1 ........... 0.280...........0.280 ...........0.280 .......... 0.280 .............0.280 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.280..............0.270...................0.280 ...................9,400,006 ..........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................18,000 ............ 27,990........................6 ............1.555 ........... 1.555............1.555 ............1.555 ............. 1.555............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.555 ............. 0.000...................1.555 ..................311,000,000........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 172,000 ........... 56,028........................2 ........... 0.326 ...........0.326 ...........0.324........... 0.326 .............0.326 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.324..............0.324...................0.326 .................437,071,542 ........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ...................................................... 51,107 ............... 6,747........................9 ............0.132 ........... 0.133 ...........0.132 ........... 0.132 .............0.132............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.133 .............. 0.133...................0.136................. 264,041,288 .......0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 723,313............ 56,648..................... 26 ........... 0.078 ........... 0.079 ...........0.078........... 0.078 .............0.078 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.078..............0.078...................0.079................... 16,157,808 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 121,876 ............ 25,594........................5 ............0.210 ........... 0.210 ...........0.210........... 0.210 .............0.210 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.210..............0.190...................0.210..................299,257,590........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................10,000 ...............3,644........................2 ........... 0.364 ...........0.368 ...........0.364........... 0.364 .............0.364 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.368..............0.366...................0.370...................22,278,355.........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 328,508 ............91,982........................6 ........... 0.280...........0.280 ...........0.280 .......... 0.280 .............0.280 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.280..............0.275...................0.284 .................432,523,993 .......0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING ..............................................................5,000 ...............2,370........................2 ............0.474 ........... 0.474 ...........0.474........... 0.472 .............0.472 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.474..............0.470...................0.486................... 81,855,774 .........0.100

Emerging stocks fall Emerging-market stocks fell for a 12th day in the longest slump since 1990 as concerns deepened that higher US interest rates will curb demand for riskier assets.

MSCI Emerging Markets Index slid 0.5 per cent to 972.66 at 2:38pm in London, taking its loss since May 22 to 6.3 per cent.

Stocks have slumped as a string of data signalled that the US economy may be able to withstand its first interest-rate increase since 2006. MSCI developing-nation measure has risen 1.7 per cent this year and trades at 11.8 times 12-month projected earnings, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The MSCI World Index has climbed 2.5 per cent in 2015 and is valued at a multiple of 16.4.

OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA ................................................. 1,000 .................. 836........................1 ........... 0.836 ........... 0.836 ...........0.836........... 0.836 .............0.836 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.836..............0.836...................0.840 .................133,760,000........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .........................................3,600 ............... 1,148........................2 ........... 0.320 ...........0.320 ...........0.318 ........... 0.324 .............0.324 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.318 .............. 0.318...................0.320 ..................91,398,603 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,108,700 ...... 210,653.....................22 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190.............. 0.187...................0.192..................273,873,600........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 201,846 ..........159,153......................13 ............0.788 ........... 0.792 ...........0.784........... 0.788 .............0.788............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.788 ..............0.784...................0.788..................512,944,053........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .................................................. 35,774 .............18,684........................5 ........... 0.522 ...........0.524 ...........0.522........... 0.522 .............0.522 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.522..............0.524...................0.528...................27,405,000.........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ..... 291,744..........638,963..................... 23 ............2.190 ........... 2.195 ...........2.190........... 2.190 ............. 2.195............-0.005 ........... -0.228 ...............2.195 ............. 0.000...................2.195.................. 151,110,000 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 589,100 .........323,907..................... 48 ........... 0.550 ...........0.550 ...........0.548........... 0.550 .............0.552 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.362 ...............0.550..............0.548...................0.550................1,260,502,428 ......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 301,700 ........... 75,254..................... 30 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.248........... 0.249 .............0.250 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.400 ...............0.248..............0.248...................0.250 ..................32,494,500.........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.............................................................. 13,100 ...............4,952........................1 ........... 0.378 ........... 0.378 ...........0.378........... 0.378 .............0.380 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.526 ...............0.378..............0.374...................0.380 ..................83,541,780 .........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 1,416,024 ...... 291,749........................8 ........... 0.207 ...........0.207 ...........0.206 .......... 0.206 .............0.208 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.962 ...............0.206............. 0.206...................0.208 ................. 147,167,706 ........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................68,500 ...............8,644........................6 ............0.130 ........... 0.130 ...........0.126........... 0.126 .............0.128............-0.002 ............-1.563................0.126 ..............0.126...................0.128....................3,780,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............. 25,000 ...............5,800........................2 ........... 0.232 ...........0.232 ...........0.232........... 0.232 .............0.237 ...........-0.005 ............-2.110................0.232..............0.233...................0.238....................4,872,000..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 9,916,800........3,119,183 ...............522 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......39........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE......................................................96,400 ............ 14,242........................3 ............0.144 ........... 0.148 ...........0.144........... 0.148 .............0.142 ........... 0.006.............4.225 ................0.148 ..............0.148...................0.150...................37,239,534 .........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................33,566 ............... 1,886........................8 ........... 0.057 ........... 0.057 ...........0.055........... 0.056 .............0.055 ............0.001 ..............1.818.................0.057..............0.057...................0.058....................7,000,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ..................................................................78,945 ............... 5,951......................13 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.076 ...........0.074........... 0.075 .............0.074 ............0.001 ..............1.351.................0.075..............0.074...................0.075..................112,500,000........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................92,876 ............... 3,810........................7 ............0.041 ...........0.042 ...........0.041........... 0.041 .............0.041 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.042..............0.041...................0.042 ...................3,485,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING....................................47,000 ...............4,653........................6 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.099........... 0.099 .............0.099 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.099..............0.099...................0.101 .................... 7,445,592 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 348,787 ........... 30,542..................... 37 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 5........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000003810............BANK MUSCAT SUBORDINATED BONDS ..........2,200 ...............2,310........................1 ............1.050 ........... 1.050 ...........1.050 ........... 1.050 .............1.050............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.050 ..............1.050...................1.060...................78,750,000 .........1.000 .............................................SUM: ......................................................................................2,200 ...............2,310........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

— United Securities/Bloomberg News

INDIAN MARKETS

C O M M E N TA RY

A dose of reality by Greece’s creditors will help clinch the vital deal JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ*

E

UROPEAN Union leaders continue to play a game of brinkmanship with the Greek government. Greece has met its creditors’ demands far more than halfway. Yet Germany and Greece’s other creditors continue to demand that the country sign on to a programme that has proven to be a failure, and that few economists ever thought could, would, or should be implemented.

The swing in Greece’s fiscal position from a large primary deficit to a surplus was almost unprecedented, but the demand that the country achieve a primary surplus of 4.5 per cent of GDP was unconscionable.

Unfortunately, at the time that the “troika” — the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund — first included this irresponsible demand in the international financial programme for Greece, the country’s authorities had no choice but to accede to it.

The folly of continuing to pursue this programme is particularly acute now, given the 25 per cent decline in GDP that Greece has endured since the beginning of the crisis. The troika badly misjudged the macroeconomic effects of the programme that they imposed. According to their published forecasts, they

believed that, by cutting wages and accepting other austerity measures, Greek exports would increase and the economy would quickly return to growth. They also believed that the first debt restructuring would lead to debt sustainability.

The troika’s forecasts have been wrong, and repeatedly so.

And not by a little, but by an enormous amount. Greece’s voters were right to demand a change in course, and their government is right to refuse to sign on to a deeply flawed program.

Having said that, there is room for a deal: Greece has made clear its willingness to engage in continued reforms, and has welcomed Europe’s help in implementing some of them.

A dose of reality on the part of Greece’s creditors — about what is achievable, and about the macroeconomic consequences of different fiscal and structural reforms — could provide the basis of an agreement that would be good not only for Greece, but for all of Europe.

Some in Europe, especially in Germany, seem nonchalant about a Greek exit from the eurozone. The market has, they claim, already “priced in” such a rupture. Some even suggest that it would be good for the monetary union.

I believe that such views significantly underestimate both the current and future risks

involved. A similar degree of complacency was evident in the United States before the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. The fragility of America’s banks had been known for a long time — at least since the bankruptcy of Bear Stearns the previous March. Yet, given the lack of transparency (owing in part to weak regulation), both markets and policymakers did not fully appreciate the linkages among financial institutions.

Indeed, the world’s financial system is still feeling the aftershocks of the Lehman collapse. And banks remain nontransparent, and thus at risk. We still don’t know the full extent of linkages among financial institutions, including those arising from non-transparent derivatives and credit default swaps.

In Europe, we can already see some of the consequences of inadequate regulation and the flawed design of the EU itself.

We know that the structure of the EU encourages divergence, not convergence: as capital and talented people leave crisis-hit economies, these countries become less able to repay their debts. As markets grasp that a vicious downward spiral is structurally embedded in the euro, the consequences for the next crisis become profound. And another crisis in inevitable: it is in the very nature of capitalism.

ECB President Mario Draghi’s

confidence trick, in the form of his declaration in 2012 that the monetary authorities would do “whatever it takes” to preserve the euro, has worked so far. But the knowledge that the euro is not a binding commitment among its members will make it far less likely to work the next time. Bond yields could spike, and no amount of reassurance by the ECB and Europe’s leaders would suffice to bring them down from stratospheric levels, because the world now knows that they will not do “whatever it takes.” As the example of Greece has shown, they will do only what short-sighted electoral politics demands. The most important consequence, I fear, is the weakening of European solidarity. The euro was supposed to strengthen it. Instead, it has had the opposite effect.

It is not in the interest of Europe — or the world — to have a country on Europe’s periphery alienated from its neighbors, especially now, when geopolitical instability is already so evident.

The neighboring Middle East is in turmoil; the West is attempting to contain a newly aggressive Russia; and China, already the world’s largest source of savings, the largest trading country, and the largest overall economy (in terms of purchasing power parity), is confronting the West with new economic and strategic realities. This is no time for

European disunion.

Europe’s leaders viewed themselves as visionaries when they created the euro. They thought they were looking beyond the short-term demands that usually preoccupy political leaders.

Unfortunately, their understanding of economics fell short of their ambition; and the politics of the moment did not permit the creation of the institutional framework that might have enabled the euro to work as intended. Although the single currency was supposed to bring unprecedented prosperity, it is difficult to detect a significant positive effect for the eurozone as a whole in the period before the crisis. In the period since, the adverse effects have been enormous. The future of Europe and the euro now depends on whether the eurozone’s political leaders can combine a modicum of economic understanding with a visionary sense of, and concern for, European solidarity. We are likely to begin finding out the answer to that existential question in the next few weeks.

— Project Syndicate

* The author, a Nobel laureate in economics and University Professor at Columbia University, was chairman of President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers and served as senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank.

G A L FA R C L A R I F I C AT I O N

Muscat Expressway B1 completed in phases < FROM

The Muscat Expressway project was completed in different phases between January, 2009 and April, 2012, while Central Corridor was ready in January, 2008. The expressway project was subject to a number of substantial variations, redesigning and additional works, according to the company.

The Central Corridor project

saw significant changes between the design concept in the contract and the final design, which caused additional time and cost.

Accoring to the management, its current projects are on track and it is not facing similar kind of issues in the Batinah Expressway project or in any other projects. Galfar’s order book position stands at OMR650 million now.

Indian stocks retreat; rupee appreciates MUMBAI: Most Indian stocks fell, with the benchmark index capping its longest losing streak in two months, as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries paced declines among its peers.

Sun, Cipla and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories., three of India’s four biggest health-care companies by value, were the worst performers on the S&P BSE Sensex. Wipro, a software exporter, slid 2.1 per cent and Bharti Airtel, the largest cellphone carrier, fell for a fourth day. Hindalco Industries, an aluminium maker, climbed for the first time in 13 days.

About three shares dropped for every two that rose on the Sensex, which fell 0.2 per cent to 26,481.25 at the close after changing direction at least 20 times. The gauge has declined on all days since June 2 after India’s central bank linked further cuts in interest rates to the monsoon. The losses have brought the market “very close to the bottom,” said Brahmaprakash Singh, chief investment officer of equities at Pramerica Asset Managers.

Rupee ends higher The rupee ended higher by 16 paise to 63.92 against the American currency on fresh selling of dollars by banks and exporters due to weakness of dollar in the overseas market.

The rupee resumed higher at 63.97 per dollar as against the last closing level of 64.08 per dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) Market and hovered in a range of 63.8625 per dollar and 64.01 per dollar before concluding at 63.92 per dollar, disclosing a gain of 16 paise or 0.25 per cent.

The rupee had dropped by 33 paise or 0.52 per cent on Monday.

Fresh selling of dollars by banks and exporters in view of lower dollar in the overseas market mainly boosted the rupee value against the dollar, a forex dealer said. — Agencies

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ROUND-UP

Mars set to open its 14th outlet in Ibra on June 12 With the opening of its new branch at Ibra the group extends its length and breadth to the rural areas of Oman contributing to the overall development of Oman

MUSCAT: Mars International, one of the leading retail giants of the Sultanate, is going to unveil its 14th outlet in Ibra on Friday, June 12 at 5.30pm.

Sheikh Saqar bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Shukaili, wali of Ibra, will officially inaugurate and dedi-

cate the hypermarket to the populace of Ibra, says a press release.

The outlet is offering a big and rich shopping experience to the public as the hypermarket will showcase the best quality products available in the Sultanate with a wide variety of sections comprising FMCG products, electronics, IT products, stationery, etc. The products arranged in three floors ensure the customers get a delightful shopping experience.

Mars have always been revamping the structure of retail service

process to create a unique and customer friendly facility. With the opening of its new branch at Ibra the group extends its length and breadth to the rural areas of Oman contributing to the overall development of Oman.

Hassle free shopping The quality of service is designed in such a way as to provide a hassle free shopping environment to its customers.

“We believe our stakeholders and they have been a great impulse

to the overall success of Mars Group as one among the largest retail giant in the Sultanate. We have always been keen in creating new job opportunities to the nationals as well. With the opening of a full-fledged hypermarket, we aim to provide a unique shopping experience to the populace of Ibra region,” said V. T. Vinod, managing director, Mars International.

“Mars Hypermarket Ibra upholds the highest levels of quality, value and diversity to provide one of the unique shopping experiences to its customers. We have adapted to the needs of the local market with international service quality. The customers at Mars enjoy a unique shopping experience which is hard-to-be found in any other place. The group has initiated many CSR activities which are beneficial for all the sectors of the society. We assure the people of Ibra with quality retail service,” remarked Naveej Vinod, executive director, Mars International Group while talking to the media.

S E RV I C E G U I D E A P P L I C AT I O N

Hyundai's new app connects Africa, ME customers MUSCAT: Hyundai Motor Company has announced that Africa and Middle East will be the first regions to launch Hyundai Service Guide, a new application which enables customers to gain fast and easy access to one of the world’s biggest automotive manufacturer’s services on the go.

Once downloaded via the Play Store or App Store, the Service Guide App allows users to take advantage of a whole host of helpful services at the touch of a button, says a press release.

Always one step ahead of the competitors, Hyundai’s app is one of the only automotive brands to offer a test drive booking facility

and alert users of required vehicle checks whilst providing up to date model information.

services and to launching state-ofthe-art technologies for stability and the ultimate driving experience.

Additional offers Additional offerings include dealer location services, road side assistance, direct service centre contact and an owner’s manual in addition to enabling optimised management of vehicles through a maintenance function.

Accessible “The Hyundai Service Guide application makes our brand more accessible by connecting our customers to the services which Hyundai offers. It also brings us one step closer to our goal of becoming one of the world’s most beloved brands as we continue to offer technologically advanced services and systems which appeal to a discerning customer base,” said Jin (James) Kim, vice-president and head of Hyundai Africa and Middle East.

Customer service Available now on Android and iOS in 14 Africa and Middle East markets, the new application highlights Hyundai’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its customer-oriented

SOUTH INDIAN ACTRESS ROSE INAUGURATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF SKY JEWELLERY

The 10th anniversary celebration of Sky Jewellery was inaugurated by Honey Rose, Malayalam film actress and Babu John, chairman, Sky Jewellery. Also present on the occasion were Maraya Neel Akash, Akash John, Daisy Babu John, Sangeetha Arun, Arun John, Cyriac Varghese, Naleef Faharuddin, Lyns Amith and Amith John. — O. K. Mohammed Ali/ TIMES OF OMAN

A I WA AWA R D S

Best performing companies of 2014 to be rewarded today MUSCAT: The names of the best performing companies in Oman are going to be unveiled today in the highly anticipated AIWA Awards for Best Performing Companies.

The winners have been selected and this year’s AIWA Awards are going to throw up a number of surprises with many new names walking away with the coveted trophy in a glittering ceremony. The companies that performed best on a defined set of growth and efficiency parameters have emerged on top, says a press release.

High profile event AIWA Awards for Best Performing Companies, the most high profile event of its kind, is targeted primarily at the top echelons of the business community in the Sultanate. The AIWA Awards are instituted by Alam al-Iktisaad Wal A’mal (AIWA), Oman’s leading Arabic business magazine.

The event will be held under the head of Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, undersecretary at the

Ministry of Finance. United Media Services (UMS) is organising the AIWA Awards for Best Performing Companies, from 7pm onwards today. In a red carpet awards evening at ShangriLa’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, AIWA will felicitate the top performing listed companies in Oman during 2014.

Maserati is the presenting sponsor whereas Shell Oman Marketing, Voltamp and ACWA Power Barka are the supporting partners. National Aluminium Products is the official aluminium extruder for the event. Gulf Baader Capital Markets (GBCM) is the knowledge partner whereas KPMG is the validation partner for the ranking process used for the awards. Times of Oman and Al Shabiba are the media partners and Ruwi Modern Printers is the print partner.

Fifth edition The premium event, with a sit-in dinner, will attract more than 250 top business leaders, CEOs and

senior government officials from a cross-section of industries, ministries and government bodies. This year marks the fifth edition of the AIWA Awards.

Setting up new benchmarks in the industry, corporates in Oman will be felicitated based on a highly qualitative performance survey done in a transparent manner as per the best international standards. Forty-four companies have been shortlisted for the awards. Finally, 15 top ranking companies will receive the coveted trophy.

Furthermore, achievements that go beyond the balance sheet will be recognised through special awards including Lifetime Achievement, CEO of the Year, Most Outstanding Corporate Leader, Manufacturer of the Year, Most Promising Islamic Insurance Company of the Year, Best Transformation Leader, Excellence in Exports Performance, Most Outstanding Entrepreneur and Maserati Pinnacle of Performance.

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AUTO FINANCE

Bank Muscat launches attractive Sayyarati Ramadan campaign MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has launched an attractive Sayyarati auto finance campaign coinciding with the approaching Ramadan sales season.

The feature-rich Sayyarati auto finance is available at low interest rates starting from 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent on a reducing basis which is equivalent to 1.91 per cent to 2.41 per cent on a flat basis. The Sayyarati Ramadan package includes financing up to 8 years for new and used vehicles, the lowest monthly payment option, on-the-spot approvals and motor insurance funding with the lowest monthly payment in the market, says a press release.

Customers are also not required to furnish post-dated cheques, making Sayyarati the easy, convenient and completely hassle-free way to own a new car.

Notably, Sayyarati finance can be obtained from any of the 140 Bank Muscat branches spread across Oman.

This offer comes as a boon for newly recruited employees in government and quasi-government sector who can avail the auto finance if they have been employed for one month and three months in the case of employees of approved private sector companies.

Sayyarati is the preferred auto finance facility in Oman for both citizens and expatriates, unique in all aspects with unparalleled benefits. The Ramadan offer includes various unique benefits, making it quicker, easier and more affordable to own one’s dream vehicle. The Sayyarati Centre at Wattayah will be open for customers from 8pm to 11:30pm during the Holy Month of Ramadan, giving customers an opportunity to apply for financing their vehicles in the shortest possible time.

Due to strong partnership with leading auto dealers, Sayyarati auto finance significantly enhances the value proposition offered to customers, including motor insurance at low premium through the bancassurance channel of Bank Muscat

Due to strong partnership with leading auto dealers, Sayyarati significantly enhances the value proposition offered to customers, including motor insurance at low premium through the bancassurance channel of Bank Muscat. Post-dated cheques are not required and payment instalments are automatically debited from customer account on a monthly basis. Customers can visit any auto dealership or Bank Muscat branches to avail Sayyarati auto finance offered to citizens and residents.

Oman is home to the world’s best known auto brands. By encouraging people to buy top quality vehicles, Bank Muscat reiterates its commitment to road safety, thereby spreading safety and happiness in Oman.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

ROUND-UP Toyota offers exciting ‘extra large benefits’ The extra large offer is about Toyota vehicles now being available with a host of exciting modelspecific benefits

MUSCAT: Toyota, one of the most trusted and well-known brands in Oman, is now offering ‘Extra large benefits’! Extra large happiness!

“The biggest excitement has returned. This is the best time ever to go for the Toyota one has been thinking of. The time is right,” said a spokesperson.

“Now, I am going to make the most of the offer from Toyota. I am glad that I waited for it. It is worth it,” added a Toyota enthusiast.

Indeed, the Toyota offer is extra large in its scope and ambit, as the spokesperson explains, “The extra large offer is about Toyota vehicles now being available with a host of exciting model-specific benefits.

These include a service package for up to three years/30,000km service (whichever is earlier) covering three services at 10,000km service interval for petrol models based on normal operating conditions and six services at 5000km service interval for diesel models, insurance for one year (Oman only), 1st year of registration and 1,000 litres of fuel.

In lieu of the above, customers can choose to avail of the cash gift up to OMR1,000. These benefits are model specific and may vary accordingly, says a press release.

To top it all, every Toyota customer gets a gift voucher and a chance to take part in an amazing raffle which has 9 units of 16YM Camry GL Executive to be won.

“With so many cars, imagine how high the chances of winning would be! In fact, the earlier one buys and enters the raffle, the more are the chances of winning,” the spokesperson adds. This exciting campaign is valid till August 5.

Benefits are applicable for all purchases except government organisations and ministries.

Weekly raffle draw starts from June 14 to August 9, on all Sundays except July 19. Customers will be eligible for raffle only upon taking delivery of the vehicle during the campaign period after completing necessary formalities and not against booking. Adding to the allround excitement are the thrilling Toyota models having already won

over many hearts with their style, quality and value.

Turning heads with its stylish looks, the 1.5 Litre engine powered 2016 Yaris sedan sets a new standard for compact sedans. Its impressive design elements open up into a spacious and superbly designed interior that delivers soothing comfort and convenience. On the move, the Yaris offers excellent handling stability, coupled with a dynamic drive performance.

The Corolla in its 11th generation, makes a strong design statement with its unique visual signature which is highlighted by a more elegant and sportier image.

No wonder then, that the Toyota Corolla is a global favourite. In Oman, customers can choose between Corolla models equipped with either 2.0 litre or 1.6 litre capacity engines.

The recently launched 2016 Toyota Camry has raised the bar yet again in the mid-size sedan segment with a bold, bumper-tobumper redesign to open a new chapter in the illustrious history of

ACCOLADE

their trust and in their belief in us right through the project,” said, Narayan Iyer, general manager, OHI Leo Burnett.

“It is indeed an honour and privilege for us to be recoginsed at this stage for the work we do.

It gets increasingly difficult each year, and we are glad that we were able to push the bar again this year.

Oman is at the threshold of reinventing itself as a brand, and many Omani brands are either looking at rebranding or revitalising their brand. This win will only boost the confidence for the industry as a whole, and hopefully inspire clients and us to go further and do better with the brands we manage,” receiving the award with the team, Srikanth Viswanathan, director – Planning & Strategy + associate general manager, OHI Leo Burnett, said.

GCC Stat is a brand that belongs to the entire GCC region.

The centre is mandated to be the only official source of economic and social statistics for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and has a special place in Oman being its headquarters.

“We are proud of this award. We

worked very closely with the client over many months, and the journey has been worth it. The process was extremely detailed, involved, and the agency was patient and focused right through each stage, from the crowdsourcing, workshops, board meetings, presentations right down to the induction programme for the team on the new brand,” Narayan added.

“We congratulate all of this year’s winners, those who truly understand the need for a sustainable, personable and conscientious brand and brand strategy. The awards verify that there has been a shift in brand development and we are proud to benchmark the excellence that has come from the Mena region. The entrants this year came from further afield than ever before, with not only more companies entering but entering from more countries. All the winners of the Transform Awards Mena should be proud of their fantastic achievements in rebranding, brand development and brand strategy.

They are the heroes of the branding world, and we applaud them,” says, Jessica Crumbleholme, publishing executive of Transform magazine.

R E C R E AT I O NA L C A M P

Kalabhavan summer camp from June 21 MUSCAT: Kalabhavan School of Music & Arts, one of the licensed music and art training institutions and a franchisee of Kochin Kalabhavan, will be holding its summer camp from June 21 to July 16 at its Ruwi, Al Ghubra and Al Hail branches.

Being a music and art training institution, the camp will focus more towards art and music oriented coaching. The camp will be an avenue to spot the hidden talent of a child and enables the institute to give proper advice to the parents

NBO picks Al Kanz prize draw winner MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) announced the OMR100,000 winner of the Al Kanz prize draw for the month of May during the prize draw ceremony held at the bank’s Qurum branch yesterday. The winner’s name was picked at random by the chief guest Sulaiman Masoud Al Harthy, CEO of Tameer, says a press release.

In the first six months of 2015, NBO will have awarded over OMR1 million in prizes through its Al Kanz draw. Later this month, the bank will launch a special competition for children and young people where committed savers will have the opportunity to win OMR500 and OMR1,000 in their respective categories.

“The Al Kanz draw was created to reward customers for adopting good savings habits, and it continues to be among our most popular retail banking products,” said John Chang, general man-

ager and chief retail banking officer at NBO. “The Al Kanz draw brings joy to lucky customers across the Sultanate each and every month. We congratulate May’s winner, and wish all of our customers the best of luck in next month’s draw.”

Under NBO’s Al Kanz campaign, customers who have maintained a minimum monthly average balance of OMR100 or above are eligible to participate in the monthly prize draws. The earlier a customer deposits and the longer they retain their deposits, the higher the chances of winning the monthly and grand prize draws.

Next month, 60 children will each win a OMR500 cash prize, 35 youth will win OMR1,000 each and six winners, one from each region, will receive a OMR50,000 cash prize each. The Al Kanz savings account is currently one of the most rewarding schemes available in the market.

SPECIAL OFFERS

OHI Leo Burnett wins gold at 2015 Transform Awards MUSCAT: OHI Leo Burnett’s work with GCC-Stat on the brand identity development and execution was awarded gold at the Transform Awards Mena ceremony held recently at The Address Hotel, Dubai.

The Transform Awards has been running for the past six years in Europe, establishing itself last year in the Middle East North Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

This year the awards have reached more countries than ever before in the Mena region, and have become a prestigious benchmark of those leading the way in both creative and strategic branding, says a press release.

OHI Leo Burnett is Oman’s leading brand communications agency.

For the second year running, OHI Leo Burnett was the only agency from Oman to make the shortlist at the prestigious awards platform. Other winning names from the region included Landor, Bellwether, Unisono to name a few for work on brands such as Batelco, Etisalat, du etc.

The award recognises the quality of the brand development work through the process of development — approach, strategy, creative conceptualisation, right up to execution and application of the brand identity across multiple touch points.

“The Transform Awards are a prestigious brand in itself, and winning a gold that was administered by the high-profile jury and sharing the stage with some of the most reputed branding companies in the world is a great honour. Kudos to our team, and more importantly to GCC Stat for

the world’s most popular mid-size sedan. With a striking new design, and more dynamic handling, the new Toyota Camry is truly in a league of its own.

The Toyota Avalon is a sedan par excellence. It utilises a 3.5-litre, six-cylinder engine that features Dual VVT-i. The V6 Engine produces 273 horsepower and provides the Avalon with remarkable acceleration. This flagship model from the Toyota stable redefines luxury and sophistication.

A genuine 4-Wheel Drive, the Fortuner TRD Sportivo is equipped with an advanced large displacement engine and tough chassis for an uncompromising performance, whether on-road or off-road.

Prado, born with the Toyota Land Cruiser DNA in its bloodline, takes Toyota’s enviable 4WD legacy way further. A top-seller in regions around the world, the Prado is a pride to own and a joy to drive.

The Land Cruiser is the standard by which other off-road vehicles are measured. The Pride of the Land, Toyota Land Cruiser is regarded as a symbol of strength, durability and reliability. The Land Cruiser has luxurious interiors that seamlessly blend high quality and user-friendly functionality.

Rugged yet luxurious, the Land Cruiser delivers high-end performance and advanced off-roading capabilities.

Terms and conditions apply on various benefits that are being offered as a part of the Toyota campaign. “Don’t wait! Enjoy extra large benefits of the extra large offer; visit the nearest Toyota showroom for full model-specific details,” added the spokesperson.

S AV I N G S W I N N E R

to guide their children to the right field of fine arts learning. This is what Kalabhavan has been doing in the past, says a press release.

Children who are not going for vacation would find it extremely boring to spend their long summer holidays especially when the parents are at work. They would be sitting at home and watching television or playing electronic gadgets all the time. Participation in a recreational camp like Kalabhavan’s would be a rejuvenating experience for them. They would

be able to make friendship with students of different schools and improve their social interaction and skills. In an institution like Kalabhavan, students of the camp get an opportunity to learn the basic lessons of vocal music, classical dance, cinematic dance, art and craft and musical instruments like keyboard, guitar, etc. Kalabhavan’s camp always attracts a large number of students.

As part of the camp, Kalabhavan also takes the students for an outdoor trip.

GMC offers impressive deal MUSCAT: This Ramadan, Moosa Abdul Rahman is unleashing a bonanza of special offers that adds to the appeal of the GMC automotive franchise. A brand that epitomises strength, comfort and dependability, GMC vehicles now offer a lot more additional value that makes purchase of any model all the more attractive.

Customers can now avail of an array of freebies and privileges against every purchase of a GMC vehicle that includes complimentary installation of 3M sun control film on select models and 500 litres of petrol with each purchase of car. In addition, every buyer will be entitled to 30,000km service, five years extended km warranty, three years roadside assistance and complimentary one year free registration on all models. An added benefit is that all GMC vehicles only need to be serviced at intervals of 10,000km, says a press release.

To top it, purchase of selected models will be accompanied with a 40-inch Samsung LED TV. The generous offers are coupled with exciting prices, especially on the Terrain SLE that is now available at OMR12,995, Acadia SLE at OMR13,995, Yukon SLE at OMR18,795 and Oman’s favourite pick-up Sierra Regular Cab at OMR13,895. The Acadia range comes with an extended service package of 60,000km for the first time for a limited period only.

A Samsung Galaxy Tab will be the complimentary gift with the GMC Terrain and cash gifts up to OMR5,000 can be availed on the purchase of specific models.

Value for money “The purchase of any GMC vehicle is value for money in itself as it is a powerful and dependable vehicle that stands out among others as well as sets very high standards in safety and motoring comfort. Tempting gift hampers just adds to the appeal,” said Virendra Agarwal CEO, Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan & Co LLC. The GMC portfolio includes the spacious 8-seater Acadia with generous cargo space and innovative features that adds to the overall appeal of the vehicle. The interior functionality includes the Smart Slide seating system for easy access to the third row or the second and third rows can be folded flat to create class leading maximum cargo space. Exterior features that set the Acadia apart include a three dimensional polished grille; lower front and

rear fascias; perforated leathertrimmed first and second-row seats; cooled front seats; remote keyless entry and remote vehicle start; dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof and accent lighting in footwells and lighted sill plates to name a few.

In addition to the distinct look and style, it is the safety and technology that gives the Acadia an edge. A GMC safety exclusive is the industry-first Front Centre Air Bag, part of a 360-degree safety system, that helps protect the driver and front passenger in a side impact collision. It is also equipped with a Side Blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert systems that uses radar to watch blind spots and provides visible and audible warnings to avoid possible collisions. Standard head curtain side airbags with rollover protection; StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with rollover mitigation technology are additional safety features incorporated in the Acadia.

Exceptional features Another exceptional feature is the Colour Touch Radio with IntelliLink, an intuitive high definition colour touch screen for all infotainment and navigation options. This allows customers to seamlessly integrate online services such as touch-screen controls via bluetooth-enabled phones and allows customers to plug in their own media to play through the radio.

The interior of the popular five-passenger seater, boasts of a ‘floating’ centre stack offering ergonomic comfort and convenience controls. The standard and segment-exclusive MultiFlex sliding rear seat provides increased passenger comfort or greater rear cargo capacity, while the 60/40-split rear seatback offers additional configurations for passengers and cargo.

The colour touch navigation radio with touch-screen control incorporates all of IntelliLink to

deliver segment-exclusive infotainment technology, seamlessly integrating the capability of a smartphone into the vehicle. It also features upgraded USB connectivity that adds to the ability play music files directly from flash memory and provides the option to update IntelliLink with future feature enhancements.

Among the most recognisable SUVs on the road to date are the iconic Yukon and Yukon XL that has always incorporated something new and better with each new generation – a trend that has been maintained with the 2015 Yukon line-up that delivers greater capability and refinement through new and enhanced chassis and suspension systems. Thanks to a new family of advanced EcoTec3 engines, the line-up delivers the segment’s best V-8 performance and fuel economy. Bold styling and advanced technologies including new safety and security support Yukon’s greater capability, while a more comprehensive list of standard features and enhanced infotainment options broaden the appeal of the full-size SUV line-ups.

The Sierra light duty full size pickup has been lauded as the most powerful and advanced pickup. Available in Regular Cab and Crew Cab models, it offers the longest list of standard features ever seen in a full-size pickup. The updated engine offers increased power and torque with the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup.

A ‘cruise grade braking’ feature down-shifts the transmission on downgrades, reducing break wear. It features four-wheel disc brakes with Duralife brake rotors, a GMC-exclusive technology, that feature a hardened and strengthened surface to reduce corrosion and provide quieter braking with less vibration.

Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan & Co is the exclusive distributor of GMC vehicles in the Sultanate of Oman with branches and a service network that covers all major locations across Oman.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

CAREER COACH

How to say ‘look at me!’ to an online recruiter IF you are thinking of looking for a job this year, or are already searching for one, be warned: For some job seekers, the rules have changed. Technology and social media have altered the way some employers consider candidates.

Simply sifting through job postings and sending out applications en masse was never a good route to success, and is even less so now.

One of the most important questions that many job seekers can ask these days is this: How searchable am I? Some employers aren’t even bothering to post jobs, but are instead searching online for the right candidate, said Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, a career management firm in New York.

Not having an Internet presence can be damaging, Safani said.

She is among those who recommend that job seekers spend serious time detailing their skills and experience on commercial sites like LinkedIn and Twitter, with an eye toward making their names a magnet for search engines.

“Having a blog can be a good way to show that you are a thought leader” while improving your pro-

QUOTES The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into smaller manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.

— Mark Twain The best rules to form a young man are: to talk little, to hear much, to reflect alone upon what has passed in company, to distrust one’s own opinions, and value others that deserve it.

— Sir William Temple We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.

— James Freeman Clarke To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat.

— Plato

fessional visibility, she said.

And consider YouTube as a way to enhance your searchability, she advised. If an employer comes across a video of you giving a speech or a training presentation, she said, you may gain an advantage. More companies are turning to Twitter as a way to broadcast job openings, so you should use it to follow recruiters, industry leaders and individual companies, said Alison Doyle, a job search specialist for About.com. She said that by linking to articles and sharing your expertise on Twitter, you can enhance your professional reputation — although you should beware of the site’s potential as a time drain.

On Facebook, “liking” a company can mean receiving early notice of job openings and other news. But privacy concerns make Facebook tricky, Doyle said: Make sure you understand who is receiving which of your posts, or resolve to be thoroughly professional on Facebook at all times, she said. Be aware that hiring managers may see what you post on any of the major social media

outlets, she added.

Old-fashioned, personal networking can still be an effective way to land a job, but online networking now supplements it in many fields. Both Safani and Doyle say LinkedIn is a very important Web tool for making those connections. The site offers premium services for a fee, but almost all of the main features for job seekers are free, Doyle said. Spend a few minutes on the site each day making new connections, she advised, and keep your profile up to date.

To improve the chances that a connection request will be accepted, especially from someone you don’t know, send a personal message along with it, noting, say, your similar backgrounds or interests, said Nicole Williams, a consultant who works as a career expert for LinkedIn. Baldly asking someone at a company for help in landing a job is never a good idea, on LinkedIn or anywhere else. Share links and advice with people in your LinkedIn network before asking for a favour like an introduction to a hiring manager or a written rec-

SEND US YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS editor@timesofoman.com webeditor@timesofoman.com

ommendation that would appear on the site.

If you are seeking a particular position, Doyle said, you might say something like: “I’m interested in this job. Do you have any information that you can share with me?”

Joining industry groups on LinkedIn can build your visibility.

You can also join college alumni organisations or other focused groups. Make full use of the skills section of LinkedIn, Williams advised, and the more specific you are, the better. Instead of saying that you have marketing skills, note the exact areas – direct mail campaigns, for example. LinkedIn can direct you to companies that are seeking these skills so you can follow them. Listing your skills could also bring you to the notice of a recruiter.

Be aware, too, that an employer may be viewing your application via a mobile phone. Mobile traffic involving job search more than doubled in 2012 over 2011 at the employment site Indeed.com, said Rony Kahan, a co-founder and CEO. — Phyllis Korkki/New York Times News Service

Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.

— Robert Kiyosaki

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SPOR YOUR GAME

S

LE GUEN EXHORTS OMAN TO GIVE THEIR BEST

Coach Paul Le Guen has exhorted the Omani players to give their best against hosts India as they geared up to launch their campaign in the joint qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup and 2016 Asian Cup in the south Indian city of Bangalore. >C5

World Cup row spices up India vs Bangladesh one-off Fatullah Test The Test match in Fatullah on the outskirts of Dhaka will be the first meeting between the two teams since their contentious World Cup quarterfinal in Melbourne in March which India won by 109 runs

FATULLAH: Lingering memories of a World Cup controversy which erupted nearly three months ago will return to centre stage when Bangladesh host India for a one-off Test, which starts Wednesday, and three one-day internationals.

The Test match in Fatullah on the outskirts of Dhaka will be the first meeting between the two teams since their contentious World Cup quarterfinal in Melbourne in March which India won by 109 runs.

Bangladesh were left fuming at what they saw as unfair umpiring decisions, prompting government minister Mustafa Kamal to resign as president of the International Cricket Council alleging Indian bias.

The players publicly stated they have moved on from the World Cup, but fans in cricket-mad Bangladesh can be expected to remind the tourists of how their team were “robbed” of a semi-final spot.

“Playing at home is our best chance to beat India and take revenge for what happened at the World Cup,” said Dhaka student Amir Hossain.

Keen to avoid a backlash from home supporters, authorities have ordered that an Islamic seminary near the stadium be closed for the duration of the Test and provocative banners will be prohibited in the stands.

India’s Test captain Virat Kohli

hoped the World Cup controversy would not affect relations between the two teams.

“We had issues in the past but we have moved ahead,” Kohli said in Kolkata on Sunday before the team departed for Dhaka.

“We are going to play and try and win a Test match, that’s our primary focus. There won’t be any grudges or ill feelings about the opposition. It’s pure and simple professionalism.”

Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque also played down suggestions of bad blood between the teams. “What happened is in the past. It will not affect the Test in any way,” he said.

India will look to continue their dominant record against Bangladesh, having won six and drawn one of the seven Tests played so far.

India have recalled Harbhajan Singh, the world’s most successful current spinner with 413 wickets, who could team up with fellow offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the match.

Playing to win Bangladesh left-hander Haque, who requires one more 50 to equal South African AB de Villiers’ record of scoring a half-century in 12 consecutive Tests, hoped the home team will put up a tough fight.

“Of course, we will play to win, but we will be happy even if we can achieve a draw,” the 23-year-old said ahead of the Test at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium.

“But please don’t compare me with AB (de Villiers). He is the king of all formats.”

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to leave wicketkeeping duties to uncapped Litton Das due to a finger injury. The Test will be followed by three one-day internationals to be played in Dhaka on June 18, 21 and 24.

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, Nasir Hossain, Shuvagata Hom, Abul Hasan, Jubair Hossain, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shahid.

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma. - AFP

HAPPY CAPTAIN: India’s Test match captain Virat Kohli, centre, holds a soccer ball during a practice session. – AP/PTI

Bangladesh skipper Rahim says India Test ‘50-50’ FATULLAH: Bangladesh will look to showcase their growing strength and confidence when they clash with India in a one-off Test in Fatullah from Wednesday, captain Mushfiqur Rahim said.

The Tigers are still looking for their first win against India, having lost six and drawn one of their seven Tests so far, but Rahim said he expected his team to give the tourists a close fight.

“India are a good side, but I still think it is a 50-50 game,” Rahim told reporters on Tuesday ahead of the match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium on the outskirts of Dhaka.

“They have got quality spinners. If our batsman can handle them, I think this will be an exciting Test.”

Rahim’s men take on India after trouncing Pakistan 3-0 in one-day cricket at home in April-May before losing the two-Test series 1-0.

Bangladesh, who were quarterfinalists at the recent World Cup, have lost 71 of their 90 Tests since attaining full status in 2000, winning just seven.

In their previous Test series

CRICKET

Shastri-led staff should be given a one-year run: Ayub NEW DELHI: Having seen the Indian cricket team set-up from close quarters as manager in Australia, former spinner Arshad Ayub says the players are responding well to Team Director Ravi Shastri and the current support staff should be given a oneyear run to make a difference.

Ayub, who was with the Indian team on its four-month long Australian journey including the World Cup, feels Shastri has had a positive influence on the current crop of players.

“I think Shastri is doing a very good job. He is working well with the team and the result is for everybody to see. He has brought in his vast experience and the boys are responding to his mentorship.

So I think at the moment the present set-up is working really well for the unit,” Ayub said in an interview from Hyderabad.

“The way the team performed in Australia was a testament to that. I mean they really came well from the tri-series disappointment to play exceptionally well in the World Cup after that. The current coaching set-up has done a fantastic job and if they are given a one-year run then they could really make a difference.

“Sanjay Bangar (assistant coach), Bharat Arun (bowling coach)and R. Sridhar (fielding coach) are all very able in their respective departments,” he added.

Ayub, 56, though stayed non-

IN CONTROL: Team India direc-

tor Ravi Shastri.

committal when asked about the administration’s delay to find a new coach since Duncan Fletcher’s departure.

“I don’t know about that, but what I know is that Shastri has fitted into the role of the Team Director very smoothly. It’s all about the team responding to a person,” he said. Ayub, who toured Bangladesh with the Kirsten-coached team in 2010, also said that an Indian can fit into the role of a coach in a better way than a foreigner.

“With a foreign coach there is always that problem of communication. That is what I feel.

But having said that, the team did so well under (Gary) Kirsten.

He really brought the best out of the guys. I was the team manger when India toured Bangladesh under Kirsten’s mentorship. So it depends on person to person,”

he said. On the team having two captains for different formats, Ayub said that he sees no reason why the set-up won’t work in Indian cricket.

“On the captaincy front, I believe the transition from (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni to (Virat) Kohli in the Test team has also been really smooth. Kohli has connected with the players so well. He is a good leader and will only improve with time, whilst Dhoni has already proved his worth,” he said.

“I don’t think there should be any problem with two sets of captains in different formats. Dhoni took India to where it is right now and it’s the turn of Kohli to take it forward,” he added.

An off-spinner, who played 13 Tests and 32 ODIs during a fouryear international career, Ayub backed the spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin to come good in the one-off Test if they are picked in the playing XI. “Harbhajan is a quality offspinner and has been rewarded for his hard-work. I think his experience will certainly count in Bangladesh.

Ravichandran Ashwin is also a very good spinner and I believe the two will really be an asset in the playing XI,” he said.

On Kohli’s recent statement that “time for learning being over” and “time to show results”, Ayub said that he sees sense in the Test skipper’s vision. — PTI

WE HAVE IMPROVED: Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim speaks ahead of the Test match against India. – AFP

against Bangladesh in 2010, India won the first match by 113 runs in Chittagong and the second and final game in Dhaka by 10 wickets.

But Rahim insists Bangladesh had come a long way since then.

“We may have lost both Tests five years ago, but there were some strong individual performances by us,” he said.

“We have improved, both individually and as a team. We

are confident that we can give a tough fight.

“But we have to be more consistent. We play well for two days, but let ourselves down over the next three days.

We must now play session by session and ensure we win maximum sessions.”

Rahim, who is recovering from a finger injury, said he will wait till the toss before deciding if he play as a specialist batsman alone and leave wicket-

keeping duties to uncapped Litton Das. Meanwhile, India’s Virat Kohli, who took over as Test captain when Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from the longer format during the Australian series in December, said he was excited to take over the role full time.

“It is pretty special,” said Kohli. “I never thought that at 26 I will be captain of India’s Test side. My only dream as a child was to play Test cricket for India.

“It will be a special moment for me tomorrow when I go out to toss. It is something I will probably cherish when I finish my career.”

Kohli indicated India may field five bowlers on what is expected to be a hard pitch full of runs at least on the first three days. “I certainly believe in giving the team a chance to pick up 20 wickets,” he said. “I am a big fan of playing five bowlers in a 6-5 combination.”

Kohli insisted five bowlers would not weaken the batting.

“You only need two to three batsmen to click to get a score of 500,” he said. - AFP

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

SPORTS

Mominul Haque looks to emulate De Villiers The Tigers’ top-order batsman went past Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 10 halfcenturies during the last Test against Pakistan last month

FATULLAH: With the India series knocking on the door, Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque has set his sights on South African skipper AB de Villiers’ record of 12 consecutive scores of 50 runs or above in Test matches.

The hosts trained at Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium for the third straight day on Tuesday.

Mominul spoke to the journalists after the practice, reports bdnews24.com.

The Tigers’ top-order batsman went past Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 10 half-centuries during the last Test against Pakistan last month.

He is sitting beside West Indies legend Viv Richards, Gautum Gambhir and Virender Sehwag.

The 23-year old, however, is reluctant to compare himself with de Villiers.

EYEING AB’S RECORD: Bangladesh cricketer Mominul Haque walks across the field during a practice session at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Narayanganj. – AFP

“I’m not even near him. You know of his mastery in all formats.

I don’t think I am his competitor,” he said.

De Villiers built his record from November 2012 to February 2014.

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Bangladesh will take on India in a one-off Test starting from Wednesday in Fatullah.

Mominul, who averages 60 in 14 matches with four centuries and nine half-centuries, said he want-

ed to reach the milestone to please the fans. “I am not really thinking about beside whom I’ll sit. I will just try to meet the expectations of the people and my target.”

The left-hander has a string of scores of at least 50 since October 2013 in 11 Tests.

He has established himself as a “Test specialist” with the fantastic run in the most prestigious form of the game after failing to shine in other formats.

Mominul, however, is willing to make amends and show his talent in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is as well.

“I will get better chances if I do well. If I think too much about it, I risk losing everything.”

So far the classy batsman failed to score a fifty only in his third Test, against Zimbabwe in Harare, when he scored 23 and 29.

After that his run-scoring spree began. But Mominul is aware of India’s bowling line-up that includes the world-class attack of spinners Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin.

“They are both quality spinners. One (Harbhajan) has played for a long time.(Ashwin) has been doing well.”

The spin attack is backed by a formidable pace unit that consists of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Varun Aaron.

Mominul is eager to further his experience by going up against the Indian spinners.

“My performance may take a hit if I worry about them. I think I will learn much playing against their (India) spinners.” - IANS

C O M M E N TA RY

Why this tall and shouty man deserves a chance

A

tour of Bangladesh is not the sort of challenge someone like Indian Test team captain Virat Kohli could lose his sleep over, but that may not be true for team director Ravi Shastri under the current, murky circumstances. The challenges for the director for the time being are not exactly linked to the performance of the team for the simple reason that there’s no guarantee that superlative shows by the boys under his command are going to offer him anything much when he ultimately sits down with new BCCI bosses and tries to argue his case, which is, there’s no need for head coach for the Indian team.

If we go by what Kapil Dev recently said about the kind of guy ideal for the job, Shastri may not be the right person the BCCI should be investing its money on. In Kapil’s view, those who stopped playing first class cricket 20 years or so ago may find it difficult to get in sync with the new generation of players, so it’s better to get guys who quit the field five-to-seven years ago for the job.

Shastri may belong to a bit old generation if we go by the 20-year yardstick, but at 53, and thanks to his tall and shouty presence in most affairs of cricket nationally and internationally, he is the man who could relate to players as young as Sanju Samson who are the future of Indian cricket in the post KohliRohit SharmaAjinkya Rahane era.

This time around eight years ago it’s the same Shastri who took a team of Indian superstars to Bangladesh.

He had then the unenviable task of coaching or managing the likes of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and Mahindra Singh Dhoni. Compared to the star-studded team of those days, the current Indian team is a group of youngsters who, except for Kohli, are mere starlets. Shastri was overlooked after the tour in favour of Gary Kirsten, and the improvements brought in by the South African and the achievements the team made under him kept Shastri away for longer than he might have liked.

When Kirsten left, Duncan Fletcher stepped in, and Shastri had to wait until last year to see himself with a chance. The Indian team’s disastrous performance in Test matches in England saw Shastri being named director.

There was little clarity about his role, but fortunately for him things worked in favour of the Indians in the limitedovers series. Still, what could have been a smooth transition got derailed by developments that were beyond the control of the man from Mumbai.

This time around eight years ago it’s the same Shastri who took a team of Indian superstars to Bangladesh. He had then the unenviable task of coaching or managing the likes of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and Mahindra Singh Dhoni New guys were elected to the BCCI, and some of whom are obviously not pleased with a man long viewed as a loyalist of N. Srinivasan — its disgraced ex-president.

The best bet for Shastri for the moment is Virat Kohli.

The chemistry that exists between the two has a mystic touch, and it has its roots spread beyond the good times they had during a yoga retreat just after the wretched Australian tour. Kohli has openly talked about how Shatri’s ‘just trust me and do it’ advice, after which he stood in front of the crease and on off stump, helped him score nearly 700 runs, including four centuries, during the Australian tour.

If mutual respect and admiration is key to appointing captain and coach of the Indian team, no one else fits the bill than Kohli and Shastri. When Kohli says Shastri “is the most amazing person to have around this team”, Shastri’s response is: Kohli’s “heart beats for India.

It’s a pedigree you don’t see often.” You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours? Maybe, but what’s the harm if they are happily up to scratch?

At 53 years of age, Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri is not too old for the post of director or coach. He may not be a long-term prospect for team India, but for the moment he is the best guy with the right attitude and skills to manage the one and only superstar (Kohli) and mould the stars in the making before guys like Saurav Ganguly could step in and do their bit.

The writer is a freelance contributor based in India. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

C3

SPORTS McGrath backs Team India to be lethal in Test against Bangladesh Glenn McGrath feels Team India will

If you are practicing to bowl yorkers at the nets, you need to bowl behind the line. If you are bowling no balls, you are practicing the wrong way

execute plans well as the touring party does not have a full Test series against Bangladesh to get distracted with

CHENNAI: Australian pace great Glenn McGrath said that Indian team would need to execute their plans properly during their oneoff Test match against Bangladesh starting in Fatullah on Wednesday.

“There is only one Test and they need to play like any other Test.

When you play in a Test series you think about the next Test. You do not think about the second or third Test here,” McGrath said.

“They (Indians) must have prepared themselves for the single Test and they need to execute their plans. It is just another Test match,” said McGrath who is currently the coaching director of the MRF Pace Foundation here.

The Bangladesh tour, which also features three ODIs, will see Ravi Shastri once again donning the role of Team Director. The former India captain has said India doesn’t need a head coach now and he might fill up the role if needed.

Asked to define the role of a chief coach and a team director, McGrath said: “I do not know what Ravi is doing is different to what a team coach will do. I do not know what the job description is for Ravi. If he is not, then I do not know again.”

Talking about the ongoing series

Glenn McGrath

Coaching Director MRF Pace Foundation, Chennai

of Australia and England against the West Indies and New Zealand respectively, he said: “I think the way the Australians are playing they can win 10-0. If England want to be competitive, they have to really lift themselves.”

On his objectives for MRF Academy, McGrath said: “For me personally, we are only giving the facility for the spinners to use and they have their own spin coach here and he is working with them.

“Troy Cooley (Australia’s National Cricket Centre head coach) has brought in fast bowlers for training at the Academy. In order to have few games here he has brought couple of batsmen and bowlers including spinners here.

“I will work with the boys of the Academy and the junior fast bowlers from Australia and BCCI is sending couple of boys for training

here till June 20. We still focus on the fast bowlers. I cannot teach on how to play against spin.”

Asked about Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who was awarded Man of the Tournament in the 2015 World Cup, McGrath said: “He always had the potential and bowl at 150kmph, left armer and swings the ball. He is a one day player and knows the one day well very well.

“He can bowl with new ball and take couple of wickets and come back with the older ball and bowl good yorkers that not many bowlers in world cricket can do, perhaps excepting Malinga and no one else. He bowls such good yorkers in one day games.

“Still, he can bowl well in Test too. I think the confidence that he has got in one-dayers he has carried it to the Tests too. World cups,

one day games and T-20 games suit his type of bowlers.”

Emphasizing on yorkers, McGrath said: “I do not think that the bowlers practice enough at the nets. If you are practicing to bowl yorkers at the nets, you need to bowl behind the line. If you are bowling no balls, you are practicing the wrong way.

“Even if you are bowling good yorkers in the nets, you going over the front line and if you do not practice at the nets you cannot straightaway bowl your length in a competitive game,” he added.

Heaping praise on the budding young bowlers at the MRF Academy, McGrath said: “I can bet that every one of the boys from MRF Academy is good. I had already mentioned Varon and Ishwar and hopefully they get more opportunities. “Ashwin Christ is coming

NO CLASH

MCL ‘not to compete’ with Legends League NEW DELHI: The Masters Champions League (MCL) has no intention to compete with a similar proposed event floated by cricketing greats Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne, said its promoter and former Australia batsman Dean Jones.

Jones, whose company Major Events Group will be running the Masters Champions League (MCL), a Twenty20 tournament that will feature retired international players in Dubai, said both the leagues have “their own space” and can co-exist.

Tendulkar and Warne had earlier this year made public their ambitious Legends T20 cricket League, proposed to be held in the USA in August-September.

“We want them to do well and we will not compete against them,” Jones was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNcricinfo’.

“We have got our own space in February and they have got theirs.

They might want to join with us and play with us, we have spoken to them about their availability but I fully understand that they are trying to get their event up and running. We want to have the best league and I have no doubt that if we are successful, they will be as well,” he said.

Initiated by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and organised by GM Sports, MCL has been initially approved for a 10-year period.

The MCL was launched in Dubai recently, with Wasim Akram,

Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne had earlier this year made public their ambitious Legends T20 Cricket League, proposed to be held in the United States of America in August-September. Former Australian batsman Dean Jones has also announced the Masters Champions League (MCL) to be held in United Arab Emirates

Dean Jones.

Adam Gilchrist and Brian Lara in attendance as icon players.

Jacques Kallis has also been named as an icon player.

The MCL is planned as a twoweek tournament in the UAE in February every year and will consist of six franchises in the first year, with each squad consisting of 15 members.

The players must all be former international cricketers who are now retired completely and are not playing in any domestic

league around the world.

Jones claimed that the idea had received a “fantastic response”.

“Each franchise will have icon players and Associate Nation players,” he said.

“They will also have A-class players like Scott Styris who can still play first-class cricket. There are players out there who have to be approved by the ICC, our governing council and the Emirates Cricket Board. If I put my name in, I will be told I’m too fat and

will not be allowed to play. “We’ll have a rotation policy where an older bowler can bowl his four overs and not field as much.

We want to see great players from the past but our major goal without doubt is protecting the standards.”

Maintaining a clean image of the league, Jones said they will follow ICC’s strict anti-corruption guidelines.

“The biggest cancer in our sport is match fixing and batting. The rules and regulations and the compliances which ICC issue for the World Cup, IPL and the Big Bash League will be followed.

“We are looking at a lot of security companies that have aligned themselves with the ICC which we will be using in the tournament,” he said.

“The ICC must look at all the franchise buyers and all the compliances which will come into place with phones, etc. We are aware of all that and that was my number one consideration before being a part of this. If this is not followed, then we are in trouble with betting and those kinds of scandals.

“I think the players are pretty well versed and they will be advised. They will meet the anticorruption unit along with the coaches and the owners. We will not allow owners on the ground.

They will be in the corporate boxes but the players will do their jobs on the field,” Jones added. - PTI

up well. He always had the potential and now he has started thinking about himself as to what he could do in a game. That is what you want the bowlers to do. They have to think for themselves and set plans and execute them.”

On ICC rule of having one more fielder during powerplay and allowing one more bouncer, the 45-year-old said: “Probably if you got one more fielder when the power play is up, obviously then you can protect one portion of the field.

“Some batsmen look at the short ball as a scoring option. Again it depends on the bowler. He should know what fields that he requires.

It is something that a bowler needs to show more perfection that can work in his favour,” he added.

Cooley said Shastri may “walk into” the job of chief coach of the Indian cricket team.

“I think the relationship between the captain and coach is necessary as he cannot talk to 10 people. The captain leads the players and works with the coach.

When it comes to decision making, final call is taken by the captain and the coach.

“I am led to believe that Ravi would walk into that spot (chief coach) and it is my take. I do not know, he would be still the head coach. In a team, a coach, head coach and captain is the common thing in a team. Otherwise, there will be confusion,” said Cooley, who earlier worked as bowling coach of England team.

“I had always supported somebody in charge. Ravi is still incharge and he is bringing his counsel around him until you find another coach. If you need leadership, you should have somebody in charge.

In Australia, we love great champions coming back,” he added.

Asked if India should play its full strength team against Bangladesh, Cooley said, “I am always for giving young players the opportunity.

Of course, Bangladesh would be a great opportunity for young players in Indian team.

On the objective of his visit to Chennai, he said, “We have a great relationship between the two countries and we have Border-Gavaskar trophy. We have exchange programmes of players coming through from these two academies (NCC and MRF). We wanted to make sure that young players get exposed to all the conditions all around the world.

“Our boys and girls grow up on fast bouncy tracks. Australian players grow up in pitches not conducive to spin. When we want to develop players for every condition we have to do things like this. We have invited curators from India wanting to learn from experts. If you want to play good international cricket, exposing cricketers to all conditions is very important.” - PTI

C4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

SPORTS India set for Hockey World League semis The 10-team event will be played in Antwerp where a top-four position will help teams qualify for the Hockey World League final to be organised in India

NEW DELHI: The Indian hockey team will left for Belgium on Monday night to take part in the Hockey World League semifinal.

The 10-team tournament will be played in Antwerp from June 20 to July 5. A top-four position at the tourney will help teams qualify for the Hockey World League final to be played in India in NovemberDecember.

Also, a top-three finish will help sides qualify for the 2016 Olympics for which India have already secured their berth by winning the 2014 Asian Games gold.

India have been placed in Pool A with Australia, France, Pakistan and Poland and will start their campaign against France on June 20.

Meanwhile, as there is no pressure of Olympic qualification on the players, the Indian hockey team will focus on the mental aspect of the game to prepare for the

CAPTION KICKER: Indian men’s and women’s hockey team members cut a cake during a ceremony

organised in New Delhi before their depature for Belgium. – PTI

bigger challenges in the future.

The team looked in a relaxed mood on the eve of the departure for Belgium and despite the absence of key players — V. Raghunath, S.V. Sunil, Kothajit Singh — head coach Paul van Ass and captain Sardar Singh are not overtly worried. While Sunil, Gurbaz and Kothajit were ruled out recently, the coach informed that Raghunath has also been ruled out after injuring his hamstring during parctice.

Rupinderpal Singh will take place of Raghunath while Devender Walmiki and Satbeer are the other replacements in the team.

Rupinder though will not play in his usual position from the centre

but will be tried from the lines on both the sides. The good news is that Gurbaz has started practising and will not miss the tournament.

Van Ass is applying the Leary Rose’s model, which focuses on interpersonal relationship between people, to help the players understand each other better.

“Finishing is like defence. We have to make sure that we have a fair chance and that’s a team effort. You can train for that but biggest part is execution. That’s a mental aspect. Of course we are working on that. you have to grab tiny chances that can make a big difference,” Van Ass said ahead of a practice session at Major Dhyan Chand National stadium.

The coach said that the “real test” for the side would be the final round to be held in India.

Van Ass said injuries are part and parcel of the game.

“It will always happen. It happens when you push the level and intensity up while training. When you raise level it is severe on the body. But I take it as it is, key players are missing but it’s also an opportunity for others. If one is missing, the other can step up,” he said.

The coach said the players have “realised” their mistakes in the defence. “We need to close the space.

We have changed (tactics) and we have to work on that. We are doing parctice but we have to see how it works under pressure.” — PTI

CRICKET

Buttler, Root lead England fireworks against Kiwis BIRMINGHAM: Jos Buttler and Joe Root thrashed brilliant centuries as England smashed their highest One-day International (ODI) score in amassing 408 for nine against World Cup runnersup New Zealand in the first ODI at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Buttler hit 129, his hundred coming off 66 balls — the second fastest ever for England and five balls more than the 61 he took to blast a ton against Sri Lanka last year. England’s previous best ODI total was 391 for four against Bangladesh in Nottingham in 2005.

Buttler also shared in a world record seventh wicket ODI stand of 177 with Adil Rashid (69) as a new-look England put memories of their dismal World Cup group stage exit earlier this year firmly behind them. The omens had not looked good for England as opener Jason Roy fell to the first ball of the day. But Root, firstly with Alex Hales (20) and then Eoin Morgan (50) set about a recovery, taking the attack to New Zealand.

Root’s hundred came off 71

Jos Buttler

balls before he fell for 104, one of four wickets for Trent Boult.

Buttler and Rashid then took over, their partnership surpassing the previous best seventhwicket ODI stand of 130 by Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Heath Streak against England in 2001. — Agencies

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND J. Roy c Guptill b Boult A. Hales c Henry b Boult J. Root c Ronchi b Boult E. Morgan lbw McClenaghan B. Stokes b Boult J. Buttler c Henry b McClenaghan S. Billings lbw Santner A. Rashid c Guptill b Elliott C. Jordan c Boult b Elliott

0 20 104 50 10 129 3 69 2

L. Plunkett not out 13 S. Finn not out 0 Extras (w-8) 8 Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 408 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-50, 3-171, 4-180, 5-195, 6-202, 7-379, 8-394, 9-394.

Bowling: Boult 10-0-55-4; Henry 10-073-0 (w-3); N McCullum 7-0-66-0 (w-1); McClenaghan 10-0-93-2 (w-3); Elliott 5-0-57-2 (w-1); Santner 8-0-64-1.

FOOTBALL

Enrique agrees Barca contract extension BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has ended uncertainty over his future by agreeing a one-year contract extension with the Spanish and European champions until the end of the 2016-17 season.

Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu announced the agreement at a news conference on Tuesday assessing a season in which the Catalan giants won a treble of Champions League and domestic league and Cup titles in Luis Enrique’s first term in charge.

The former Barca and Spain midfielder, who was upset with the sacking of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta in January, had refused to say whether he would stay on when quizzed about his future after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Juventus in the Champions League final.

Barca became the first team to win the treble in the same season on two occasions, repeating their feat from 2009.

“After a year like the one we have had, with difficulties but with a

great end result, we are more than excited hoping to secure more titles,” Luis Enrique said on Barca’s website (www.fcbarcelona.es) after signing his new deal.

Bartomeu, flanked by the three trophies, also formally stepped down to allow him to stand in the forthcoming presidential election, which he called in January with the club in the midst of an institutional crisis.

Barca were due to hold the election in 2016 but Bartomeu decided to bring it forward by a year following the dismissal of Zubizarreta. The former Barca and Spain goalkeeper, who was responsible for hiring Luis Enrique, paid the price for a Fifa ban on signings for two windows over a breach of rules on the transfer of foreign Under-18 players.

Bartomeu will be hoping some of Barca’s success this term rubs off, although he looks likely to face a challenge from former president Joan Laporta, who was in charge when Barca won their maiden treble in 2008-09. - Reuters

INTERNATIONAL TENT PEGGING FEDERATION HOLDS MEETING

The Executive Office of the International Tent Pegging Federation (ITPF) held their first meeting at the ITPF headquarters on Monday. The meeting was chaired ITPF chief Mohammed bin Issa Al Fairuz. The meeting discussed a number of issues inclduing the preparations for the Tent Pegging World Cup to be hosted in April next year and the three qualifying championships.

The meeting will submit its recommendations to the meeting of the ITPF board for approval. — Supplied photo

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PEP TALKS: Oman team’s French coach Paul Le Guen gives a pep talk to his players during their training session at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday. Coach Stephen Constantine talks to Indian players during their training session at the same venue. – PTI

Coach Le Guen exhorts Oman to give their best against India Paul Le Guen’s Oman

Cricket legend Sachin motivates Indian player Sandesh

team launch their campaign in the 2018 World Cup and 2016 Asian Cup qualifiers with a Group D match against India in Bangalore on Thursday

Times News Service MUSCAT: Coach Paul Le Guen has exhorted the Omani players to give their best against hosts India as they geared up to launch their campaign in the joint qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup and 2016

BANGALORE: Indian footballer Sandesh Jhingan on Tuesday revealed how iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s motivational words worked like a balm when he was left dejected after losing the Indian Super League (ISL) final.

“There will be lows in everyone’s life. And for me, the loss in the ISL final came as a big disappointment. We were depressed and that’s when some-

Asian Cup in the south Indian city of Bangalore.

Their Group D opener is scheduled to be played at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore from 7.30 pm (5 pm Oman time).

According to information received here, the Sultanate squad,

one put an arm on my shoulder.

It was Tendulkar. ‘Get over it. It took me six attempts to win the World Cup’. This came from the best ever,” Jhingan said.

Tendulkar is co-owner of the Kerala Blasters Football Club, which lost the inaugural ISL final to Atletico de Kolkata, last December.

Jhingan said these inspirational words changed his philosophy and taught him not

who reached Bangalore on Monday, were given a pep talk by their French coach during their training session on Tuesday.

Le Guen told the Omani players that the qualifying campaign is going to be a big challenge.

“It is going to be a big challenge.

to stop dreaming. “These words made me understand that you can never quit from dreaming. That separates the best from the rest. The rest may quit but the best will always carry on,” he said.

Jhingan is a part of the Indian squad that has been preparing for the 2018 World Cup qualification match against Oman scheduled for Thursday at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

The beginning is going to be tough (against India),” he said.

He also urged his wards to ‘give their best’ to make a solid start and to achieve the desired results.

OFA chief to arrive Meanwhile, the Indian media re-

TENNIS

Fatma bags doubles title in Thailand

CHAMPIONS: Oman’s Fatma Al Nabhani, second left, and Thailand’s Nungnadda Wannasuk, left, pose with their trophies. – Supplied photo

MUSCAT: Fatma Al Nabhani clinched the doubles title at the $10,000 Bangkok ITF Pro Circuit tournament organised in Thai capital of Bangkok this week.

According to information provided by the Oman Tennis As-

sociation (OTA) on Tuesday, the Omani star teamed up with local girl Nungnadda Wannasuk to win the title.

In the final match, the secondseeded pair defeated Kamonwan Buayam of Thailand and Dabin

Kim of Korea 6-3, 7-5 to take the top honours.

Fatma also took part in the singles competition but the second seed’s challenge ended in the second round when she went down fighting 2-6, 6-2, 3-6 to Thailand’s

Patcharin Cheapchadej. According to OTA, Fatma will now travel to Mauritius to take part in the $10,000 Mary Pierce Indian Ocean Series - Grand Baie La Croisette tournament that will be organised between June 15 to 21.

Lavishing praise on Stephen Constantine, Jhingan said the Team India head coach has been a great motivator besides being a shrewd tactician, and his talks gives him goosebumps.

“Stephen Constantine is such an inspirational man. He always demands discipline — on and off the pitch. He is a great motivator besides being a shrewd tactician. His talks gives me goosebumps,” he added. - PTI

ported that Oman team faced a minor problem when they reached the stadium for their first practice session on Monday.

Their training session was delayed by more than four hours due to issues with the floodlights at the stadium. However, the hosts man-

aged to solve the problem and Oman started their training sessions.

Oman Football Association (OFA) vice-president Naif Al Marhoon, meanwhile, assured that the problems were solved and everything will be taken care of the technical and administrative team .

Meanwhile, the Oman team sources revealed that OFA chief Sayyid Khalid Al Busaidi is expected to reach Bangalore on Wednesday and give his moral support to the players.

Besides Oman and India, Group D also comprises Iran, Turkmenistan and Guam. Twenty-nine teams, divided into eight groups, will compete in a double round robin format from June 11, 2015 to March 29, 2016.

The group winners and four best runners-up will advance to the 2019 Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (12 slots) in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup finals.

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Team rebuilding an urgent need for 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar Despite heavy investment on new coaches and the Aspire Academy to nurture young players, success has been limited

DOHA: As Qatar continues its vast construction projects to prepare the tiny Gulf nation to host the 2022 World Cup, the slow rebuilding work of the country’s soccer team puts them in danger of missing the showpiece deadline.

Despite heavy investment on new coaches and the Aspire AcadFOOTBALL

Alves extends Barca contract BARCELONA: Dani Alves put an end to speculation about his future when he signed a two-year extension to his deal with recently-crowned European champions Barcelona on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Brazilian defender’s contract was due to expire on June 30, but he came to an agreement with Barca officials for the extension through to 2017, with the option of a third additional season.

Alves, who joined the Catalan club from Sevilla back in 2008, has gone on to appear in 343 matches for Barcelona, more than any other foreigner in the history of the club.

During that time he has won 19 titles, including five La Ligas, three Champions Leagues, three Spanish Cups, two European Super Cups, four Spanish Super Cups and two Club World Cups.

He forms part of the group of seven players that were in both of Barca’s treble winning squads. - AFP

emy to nurture young players, success has been limited and the naturalising of foreign talents has also failed to bridge the gap.

With seven years until the World Cup comes to the Middle East for the first time, last week’s draw with Northern Ireland and loss to Scotland show Qatar are a long way short of competing with heavyweights like Argentina and Germany.

Uruguayan Jose Daniel Carreno is the latest coach to be charged with putting together a team able to compete with the world’s elite.

He is the seventh manager Qatar have employed since hosting and exiting the 2011 Asian Cup at the quarterfinals — their joint best performance.

On Thursday, Carreno and the 97th ranked side will kick-off their bid to qualify for a first World Cup when they open their Group C campaign in the holiday islands of the Maldives. The fixture comes against a growing clamour ques-

With seven years until the World Cup comes to the Middle East for the first time, last week’s draw with Northern Ireland and loss to Scotland show Qatar are a long way short of competing with heavyweights like Argentina and Germany. Uruguayan Jose Daniel Carreno is the latest coach to be charged with putting together a team able to compete with the world’s elite. He is the seventh manager Qatar have employed since hosting the 2011 Asian Cup

tioning the legitimacy of Qatar’s right to stage the 2022 World Cup as U.S. investigators continue with corruption cases at Fifa following a series of arrests of high ranking

officials. Qatar have long denied any wrongdoing in their bid which surprisingly beat South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States in a 2010 vote.

OMAN EDITION

As the Fifa fallout continues, Carreno only has eyes on negotiating through a group also containing Hong Kong, Bhutan and China to move through to the next stage of Asian qualifying.

Next generation “Right now we are just worried about Russia,” Carreno told Scotland’s STV when asked about the 2022 tournament.

“Qatar has no history of playing in World Cups and we’re only concerned with trying to qualify the national team to go to Russia.

“It’s all about the World Cup qualifier in Maldives and making the tournament after that.”

Carreno had been working with local club Al Arabi before stepping up to replace Algerian Djamel Belmadi, who did lift the Gulf Cup title in November but oversaw a dismal Asian Cup campaign in January and left.

The Maroons limped out of the tournament in Australia at

the group stage following defeats

by Iran, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The next generation are faring little better.

Last week, the under-20 team also lost all three games at the World Cup in New Zealand to exit at the group stage.

The Olympic under-23 side were bottom of their group at the Toulon tournament last week following losses to United States, Netherlands and host and eventual winners France.

Felix Sanchez, head coach of Qatar’s under-20 side most of whom lifted the under-19 Asian title last year, said he hoped the international experience would benefit the players.

“I think we need to understand that it was a big success for the country and the players to play at the FIFA U-20 World Cup,” the Spaniard said.

“Hopefully we will use this experience and move forward.” - Reuters

FOOTBALL

UTSC gearing up to organise England lack passion, Tellicherry Football Fiesta character: Gascoigne MUSCAT: The United Thalaserry Sports Club (UTSC) will organise Tellicherry Football Fiesta at Ahli-Sidab Club on Friday.

According to the organisers the event is scheduled to take place from 7.30 pm to 11 pm.

“A similar event was organised by Tellicherry Cricketers in Dubai and following its roaring success, the organisers have decided to spread their wings in an attempt to develop the skills and also to trace out the talent of the young football players from Thalasserry and Mahe,” a press release from the organisers said.

Over hundred young kids along with their parents are expected to arrive from Dubai to take part in this football fiesta. And the members of UTSC are working overtime to conduct a very entertaining tournament. The event, to be inaugurated by noted sports personality SAS Naqvi, will comprise four categories - under-15 boys,

READY FOR THE ACTION: Young players from Thalassery residing in Oman after their practice session. – Supplied photo

under-13 boys, under-10 boys and the veterans tournaments.

Meanwhile, Jinos Basheer of Tellicherry Cricketers in Dubai, said: “After the grand success of Dubai football fiesta, we are now coming to Muscat to take in the Oman edition. This will give more exposure for our kids. We are also planning to take our children to Portugal in the near future.”

During the day, the organisers will also be conducted cultural programmes, sports quiz and some fun games.

The event is sponsored by Sea Pearls, Al Noor Hypermarket Seeb, Zam Zam Hypermarket, Sama Hypermarket, McDonalds, FAP, Lynx, Al Nahla Solutions, Madeena Hypermarket and Thalassery Community.

LONDON: Former England hero Paul Gascoigne has said the current team under Roy Hodgson lack the passion he was famous for, and that he cannot bear to watch much football these days because he misses playing so much.

Gascoigne, 48, appeared 57 times for England and more than 400 times for clubs such as Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio and Rangers.

He retired in 2004, struggling with alcoholism and personal problems, and is promoting this week a new documentary film Gascoigne about his life and career. “I hardly try and watch games because I still wish I was playing,” he said in a BBC radio interview.

“I cannot handle watching players getting lots of money and not putting 100 per cent in. The fans paid for my house, my car, my holidays — but I’ve seen players score a goal, even for England, and just walk back.”

“There are young kids there seeing that and thinking it means nothing to score goals. I don’t like that,” he said.

He took up that theme in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying of England’s widely criticised goalless draw with Ireland on Sunday, “Where was the intensity? Where were the characters in this England team? Nowhere.

“I would be in the England dressing-room with Bryan Robson and Terry Butcher and they would be screaming ‘nobody comes into my house and takes anything’.”

Another England player of that era, Kenny Sansom, was reported on Sunday to be a homeless alcoholic.

Gascoigne said he tried to assist his former team-mate but added: “I can’t help him, no-one in the world can help unless he puts his hand up and says he needs help.” - Reuters

SCHOOL SPORTS

OBA chief inaugurates ISM basketball coaching camp

MUSCAT: Oman Basketball Association (OBA) chief Fareed bin Khamis Al Zadjali inaugurated the Indian School Muscat (ISM) basketball coaching camp at the schools New Multipupose Hall.

According to a press release issued by the ISM on Tuesday, coach Ramkumar Gahlawat, a former India player, and ISM

Principal Srinivas K Naidu also graced the occasion.

The camp will run till June 15.

In his remarks, chief guest Fareed Al Zadjali said: “Sports play an intrinsic role in the holistic development of the child and youth.”

He also congratulated ISM for their efforts in taking sports and physical education to greater

heights and providing a wonderful platform for the students.

“The basketball coaching camp is a huge opportunity for the budding sports enthusiasts of ISM who aspire to derive motivation from coach Ramkumar’s expertise,” the statement said. “This will help ISM teams to perform better at national level competitions.”

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SECTION

LIFE & STYLE

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

Langholmen, Sweden Initially serving as a women’s penal institution, Stockholm’s Langholmen prison was in operation for 250 years. It closed in 1975 and its cells have been converted into a quirky hotel and hostel. The decor is stylishly spartan and single rooms are small — the size of the original cells — but some come with an extra bunk, so you can share with a cellmate. For a bit of extra space check into a double or family room.

Fremantle Prison, Australia Spend the night in jail, guilt-free at the Fremantle Hostel, which opened last month. The World Heritagelisted prison in Western Australia was built in the 1850s and functioned as a prison from 1855 to 1991. It has since been transformed and visitors can choose to sleep in either the prison cells, or in the guards’ cottages.

There’s also a purpose-built annexe with private en-suite rooms. Guests can relax on the lawn, once the prisoners’ yard, and make dinner in the former cookhouse. The cells are basic, with bunk beds, colourful bedclothes and handy lockers.

THE PRISON HOTELS Liberty Hotel, US Boston’s Liberty Hotel no longer holds its guests captive. The building, constructed in 1851, has been converted into a luxury hotel. Rooms are significantly larger than the original prison cells, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over Boston, and are significantly more luxurious, decorated with soft furnishings, and dark wood. Suites come with separate living and dining areas and openair terraces. One even includes its own library and dressing room.

What once use to be prisons are now hotels.

Experience them and you won’t be held captive for sure

Ottawa Jail, Canada Located in the 150-year-old former Carleton County Gaol, this hostel in the Canadian capital makes the most of its history. The bedrooms — previously cells — feature bare brick walls and heavy steel-bar doors, and the dorms come with basic bunks. The walls are adorned with photographs of the building’s former life as a jail.

The bar, aptly named Mugshots, is contained by a 30 feet stone wall and wooden gates.

Malmaison, England A medieval castle-turned-prisonturned-hotel, the Malmaison in Oxford is packed with history.

There are 38 rooms that have been converted from cells, with three making up each bedroom. Interiors are all exposed brick walls, low ceilings, high steel-barred windows, and iron doors, while higher-end rooms come with roll-top baths and balconies. Guests can eat in the restaurant, set beneath original steel staircases, or outside in the jail’s old exercise yard.

-The Independent

Hostel Celica, Slovenia Twenty of this building’s former cells in the capital Ljubljana have been converted into unique bedrooms, decorated by Slovenian artists. No two rooms are the same and visitors are assigned one when they book — you can’t choose. One bedroom is decorated with dark wood recovered from a burnt-out local building, another has an entirely glass floor, and one is decorated using only flea-market furniture.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

EXTRA T

he brain is truly a marvel. A seemingly endless library, whose shelves house our most precious memories as well as our lifetime’s knowledge. But is there a point where it reaches capacity? In other words, can the brain be “full”?

The answer is a resounding no, because, well, brains are more sophisticated than that. A study published in Nature Neuroscience earlier this year shows that instead of just crowding in, old information is sometimes pushed out of the brain for new memories to form.

Previous behavioural studies have shown that learning new information can lead to forgetting. But in this study, researchers used new neuroimaging techniques to demonstrate for the first time how this effect occurs in the brain.

The experiment The paper’s authors set out to investigate what happens in the brain when we try to remember information that’s very similar to what we already know. This is important because similar information is more likely to interfere with existing knowledge, and it’s the stuff that crowds without being useful.

To do this, they examined how brain activity changes when we try to remember a “target” memory, that is, when we try to recall something very specific, at the same time as trying to remember something similar (a “competing” mem-

ory). Participants were taught to associate a single word (say, the word sand) with two different images — such as one of Marilyn Monroe and the other of a hat.

They found that as the target memory was recalled more often, brain activity for it increased. Meanwhile, brain activity for the competing memory simultaneously weakened. This change was most prominent in regions near the front of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, rather than key memory structures in the middle of the brain, such as the hippocampus, which is traditionally associated with memory loss.

The prefrontal cortex is involved in a range of complex cognitive processes, such as planning, decision making, and selective retrieval of memory. Extensive research shows this part of the brain works in combination with the hippocampus to retrieve specific memories.

If the hippocampus is the search engine, the prefrontal cortex is the filter determining which memory is the most relevant. This suggests that storing information alone is not enough for a good memory. The brain also needs to be able to access the relevant information without being distracted by similar competing pieces of information.

Better to forget In daily life, forgetting actually has clear advantages. Imagine, for instance, that you lost your bank card. The new card

Previous research has focused on how we learn and remember new information, but current studies are beginning to place greater emphasis on the conditions under which we forget information to make room for new memories

you receive will come with a new personal identification number (PIN). Research in this field suggests that each time you remember the new PIN, you gradually forget the old one. This process improves access to relevant information, without old memories interfering.

And most of us will be able to identify with the frustration of having old memories interfere with new, relevant memories. Consider trying to remember where you parked your car in the same car park you were at a week earlier. This type of memory (where you are trying to remember new, but similar information) is particularly susceptible to interference.

When we acquire new information, the brain automatically tries to incorporate it within existing information by forming associations. And when we retrieve information, both the desired and associated but irrelevant information is recalled.

The majority of previous research has focused on how we learn and remember new information. But current studies are beginning to place greater emphasis on the conditions under which we forget, as its importance begins to be more appreciated.

The curse of memory A very small number of people are able to remember almost every detail of their life in great detail; they have hyperthymestic syndrome. If provided with a date, they

Remember to forget

are able to tell you where and what they were doing on that particular day. While it may sound like a boon to many, people with this rare condition often find their unusual ability burdensome.

Some report an inability to think about the present or the future, because of the feeling of constantly living in the past, caught in their memories. And this is what we all might experience if our brains didn’t have a mechanism for superseding information that’s no longer relevant and did indeed fill up.

At the other end of the spectrum is a phenomenon called “accelerated longterm forgetting”, which has been observed in epilepsy and stroke patients.

As the name suggests, these people forget newly learnt information at a much faster rate, sometimes within a few hours, compared to what’s considered normal.

It’s believed this represents a failure to “consolidate” or transfer new memories into long-term memory. But the processes and impact of this form of forgetting are still largely unexplored.

What studies in this area are demonstrating is that remembering and forgetting are two sides of the same coin.

In a sense, forgetting is our brain’s way of sorting memories, so the most relevant memories are ready for retrieval.

Normal forgetting may even be a safety mechanism to ensure our brain doesn’t become too full.

-Fiona Kumfor, Sicong Tu/The Independent

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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ACES ON BRIDGE

Do you lead up here or there?

LISA KUDROW, who made her name as Phoebe on “Friends,” said, “I think it’s always a good move to listen to that inner voice, if it doesn’t lead to a crime.”

Some bridge players follow their inner voices.

But most should analyse each deal, considering the alternatives. Here, South is in four spades. West leads a trump. (What do you think of that choice?)

How should South plan the play?

After South opened with a weak two-bid, North responded two no-trump, which asked South to define his hand.

With a maximum, South rebid three diamonds, showing his “feature,” which is typically the ace or king of that suit.

Many players would draw trumps and run the heart jack, but should fail.

East wins with his king and shifts to the diamond queen. The defenders take two tricks in that suit, then sit back and wait for a club winner.

Instead, declarer should draw trumps ending on the board and lead a low heart toward his jack.

If West could take that trick with the heart king, he would do best to shift to clubs. However, South

would win with dummy’s ace and cash the heart ace-queen, discarding the diamond four from his hand. Declarer would lose only one trick in each side suit.

Here, if East wins with his heart king, South gets six spades, three hearts and one club. If East ducks, South loses only two diamonds and one club.

Finally, West made a poor choice of opening lead. He should have selected the club three.

Don’t be afraid to lead from a king, especially around to a weak hand.

- Phillip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Watering hole 4 Armor-crushing weapon 8 Dirty air 12 Banjo cousin 13 Two fives for — — 14 River duck 15 Spices from crocus 17 Hideous monster 18 Cheery tone 19 World-weary 20 Charm 23 Go for the gold 24 Unfriendly 25 Crowed over 29 Forest mom 30 Closes the drapes 32 It may be fragile

33 35 36 37 39 42 43 44 48 49 50 51 52 53

Led the meeting Fanatic’s feeling Hairstyles Like Marilyn Monroe Plantation drink Cel character Riding the waves Without any warning Obscure Squirrel abode Response on deck Kennel sounds Runs its course Pull down

DOWN 1 Urban transport

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 19 20 21 22 23

Wanted-poster abbr.

NBA official Soprano — Callas Ring-shaped island Small change USN rank Shoulder wraps Between kilo and giga Boathouse items Delight Went on the lam Prejudice “Back in Black” group Animal’s friend Courtroom bargain Promise solemnly

25 26 27 28 30 31 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47

Harmful Mall frequenter Word of mock horror Allot Lemon candy Home tel.

Principles Area Portended Mineral deposits Diner coffee Opportunist Explorer — Ericson Pivot Sault — Marie Old horse Strong alkali To date

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE K. ACHYUTHAN

HANSHAMATHI BREMANANTH NITHIN KRISHNAN June 10, 2005

June 10, 2006

ANISHA AJAY

MINA SHAHUL HAMEED

MONA SHAHUL HAMEED

SHRIJA HANDA

ALAN MADHU KURIAKOSE

June 10, 2011

June 11, 2011

June 11, 2011

June 11, 2001

June 11, 2009

June 11

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

C10

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are a strong and sometimes willful individual, but not so strong and willful that you are able to counter the influences of those who would control you in various ways throughout your lifetime.

What this means, of course, is that you must always be aware of what others want from you, what they are asking and what they are willing to do for you in return — because the trade may not always be fair to you!

How your confidence and strength can work for you — in spades — is by making you into what could be called a “marketable commodity,” someone who is valuable to others and is therefore treated as such. In this way, you can have what you want while giving others what they demand.

Despite being torn between a desire to satisfy others and a need to take care of yourself, you should be able to find a balance that gives you a very contented life, indeed.

Control, of course, is the issue; you must always know what you cannot control, what you can and how you can maintain that balance at all times.

Also born on this date are: Kate Upton, model; Judy Garland, actress, singer and entertainer; Hattie McDaniel, actress; Elizabeth Hurley, actress; Tara Lipinski, figure skater; Maurice Sendak, author; Jeanne Tripplehorn, actress; Leelee Sobieski, actress; John Edwards, politician; Gina Gershon, actress; Dan Fouts, football player and sportscaster.

W E AT H E R

P

WORLD

Max 44 Min 33 Max 28 Min 19

Max 43 Min 24

Max 38 Min 30 Max 27 Min 15

Max 38 Min 33

Max 18 Min 11

Max 44 Min 26

Max 45 Min 31

Max 43 Min 31

Max 41 Min 32

Max 35 Min 29

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] Max 33 Min 28

Max 26 Min 16

Max 34 Min 28 Max 15 Min 12

—www.met.gov.om

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

41 38 44 49 38 43

29 26 27 33 26 26

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

27 44 27 20 27 34 30 22 30 25 15 30 24 20 24 29 27 25

20 27 18 13 15 16 26 13 27 17 4 25 15 14 13 27 19 17

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

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22] You’re feeling rather dependent on others in a way that you perhaps haven’t before. You’ll want to examine apparent needs further.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] Are you willing to do what needs to be done, even if it means sacrificing one success for another? There are many choices to be made.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You must choose what information to share and what to keep to yourself.

This decision may have far-reaching effects.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You are ready to try something new, but you must realise that your chances of success, this first time at least, are slim.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You may awaken eager to help someone when he or she asks for it, but you’ll have to wait a while before learning how you can help.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You may find yourself in a difficult position that can be blamed on no one but yourself. You know what you did, but do you know why?

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You’re waiting for someone to tell you that everything is going to be OK, but in truth, only you can give yourself that reassurance.

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

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

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

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

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 may feel as though someone is keeping some key information from you, but this shouldn’t have an adverse effect.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] A message you receive may not be clear; how you interpret it will make all the difference, as it could mean two very different things!

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You must be willing to compromise.

Someone who is after you could be willing to let you go after making a personal discovery.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You’ve been following certain rules for quite some time, and today you’ll conclude that they might not have been meant for you!

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6.53pm 5.19am

High tide Low tide

3:16am 9:31pm

2:42pm 8:04am

at night.

SEA STATE: Rough along the southeastern coast with a maximum wave height of 3.0 metres and slight to moderate along the rest of Oman’s coast with a maximum wave height 1.5 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during thundershowers and dust fog.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of rain along the Arabian Sea coast. Chance of convective clouds development and thundershowers associated with hail and fresh downdraft wind over Al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas toward afternoon.

Max

OMAN

CANCER

12.11pm 3.29pm 6.58pm 8.20pm 3.52am

AIRLINES

artly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea and clear to partly cloudy skies over rest of the Sultanate with chances of convective clouds development and thundershowers over AlHajar mountains and adjoining areas towards afternoon and evening that may be associated with fresh downdraft wind and hail that may extend to the desert areas causing blowing dust.

EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming variable light at night and southwesterly moderate to fresh along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea while over rest of the Sultanate it will be northwesterly light to moderate during day becoming southeasterly light to moderate

GEMINI You may be concerned about a younger family member whom you have recently taken under your wing.

Trust that all will go as planned.

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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: 4537080 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 Sifawy Hotel +968 24749111 Juweira Hotel +968 23239600 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: 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 Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 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

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

KUWAIT 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 MEDINA 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 LAHORE 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DUBAI 0340 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 FRANKFURT 0515 AMMAN 0635 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 RIYADH 0655 RAS AL KHAIMA 0655 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 PARIS 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 TEHRAN 0805 BEIRUT 0805 DUBAI 0805 LAHORE 0825 LAHORE 0830 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0955 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 DOHA 1035 DUQUM OMAN 1035 BAHRAIN 1040 TRIVANDRUM 1045 KHASAB 1115 DUBAI 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 LAHORE 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 DUBAI 1340 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 ISLAM ABBAD 1515 SHARJAH 1525 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 BAHRAIN 1610 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 MADRAS 1750 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 TRIVANDRUM 1820 SHARJAH 1905 JAIPUR 1910 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 ABU DHABI 2005 MALE 2020 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 KARACHI 2250 ABU DHABI 2300 AMMAN 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 ABU DHABI 2340 BAHRAIN 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355

WY424 WY676 WY648 WY682 WY914 BG021 CV610 WY916 TK774 4H585 PK225 GF560 QR1132 EK866 ET624 EY384 PK291 MS930 FZ041 WY114 4H586 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY678 WY668 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY602 WY346 NL768 WY272 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 QR1128 EY382 IX817 IX443 WY652 9W530 WY604 WY918 GF562 WY372 FZ037 IX337 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 BG023 WY670 WY332 PA950 CV611 WY606 WY3302 WY632 WY906 WY920 WY3922 FZ045 KU677 SV530 WY344 QR1126 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY254 WY232 WY246 WY284 WY3932 GF564 TG507 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 RG125 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY434 FZ049 KL441 WY124 4H561 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 WY414 SG061 EY388 WY910 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY662 WY636 WY654 WY816 WY612 WY696 WY612

BEIRUT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 KUWAIT 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 DACCA 0100 LUXORE 0115 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 KARACHI 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 ISLAM ABBAD 0410 CAIRO 0410 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 DOHA 0600 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 MEDINA 0710 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0830 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 MANGALORE 1010 COCHIN 1020 BAHRAIN 1040 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 COLOMBO 1140 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 1230 DOHA 1250 KATHMANDU 1305 SIALKOT 1310 MADRAS 1315 DUBAI 1340 MUKHAIZNA 1350 ABU DHABI 1355 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUQUM OMAN 1510 DUBAI 1535 KUWAIT-ABU DHABI 1540 JEDDAH 1550 LAHORE 1605 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 MADRAS 1750 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 BANGALORE 1750 SOHAR 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 MUNICH 2105 DACCA 2115 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 AMMAN 2300 AHMEDABAD 2300 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 DOHA 2335 ABU DHABI 2340 BAHRAIN 2340 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

9W539 AI986 WY657 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY201 WY685 WY643 WY251 WY341 WY601 WY431 WY371 WY123 WY847 WY241 WY901 WY667 TK775 4H584 PK230 WY331 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ036 QR1133 WY651 GF561 WY3921 G9842 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY917 WY347 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY633 WY815 WY291 WY215 WY253 NL769 WY717 WY263 WY385 WY821 WY843 G9115 WY231 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 EY383 IX442 WY311 9W533 WY919 QR8550 WY655 GF563 WY273 FZ038 WY3303 IX350 PA451 WY113 WY663 WY143 WY645 WY101 WY423 WY153 WY927 WY413 WY405 WY609 WY907 WY675 G9110 FZ046 WY631 WY613 QR1127 WY327 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 WY915 FZ050 AI978 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 WY677 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 EY381 LH617

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 BOMBAY 0115 RIYADH 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 LAHORE 0145 DUBAI 0145 TEHRAN 0155 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 SALALAH 0215 DOHA 0225 ISTANBUL 0230 DACCA 0300 LAHORE 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0645 BAHRAIN 0715 DUQUM OMAN 0740 RAS AL KHAIMA 0745 DUBAI 0750 SALALAH 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KHASAB 0815 ISLAM ABBAD 0830 DOHA 0835 KARACHI 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 TRIVANDRUM 0915 MADRAS 0915 LAHORE 0930 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 0940 LUCKNOW 0940 MALE 0945 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 MANILA 0955 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 SALALAH 1020 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 TRIVANDRUM 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 COCHIN 1120 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 DUBAI WORLD CENTRE-DOHA 1205 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 JAIPUR 1220 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 CALICUT 1255 LAHORE 1315 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 BEIRUT 1415 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 AMMAN 1440 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 SHARJAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 ABU DHABI 1640 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 KARACHI 1810 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 ABU DHABI 2045 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 MEDINA 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2355 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355

9W539 AI986 WY657 WY637 WY225 WY235 WY211 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY345 WY601 WY371 WY123 WY901 WY241 WY847 WY667 BG022 TK775 WY209 4H585 PK226 WY331 CV610 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 MS931 PK292 QR1133 WY651 4H586 GF561 WY903 WY603 WY917 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY373 WY815 WY343 WY253 WY291 NL769 WY263 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY283 WY3301 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY631 WY245 EK863 WY337 QR1129 IX818 EY383 IX442 WY311 9W533 WY919 WY3921 WY655 GF563 FZ038 IX350 WY113 WY663 WY645 WY143 WY101 BG024 PA951 WY927 WY405 WY413 CV611 WY433 WY907 WY3931 WY675 FZ046 KU678 SV531 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 WY915 FZ050 WY411 4H561 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 WY705 WY677 AI974 GF567 LX243 QR1135 BA072 WY673 EY381 LH617

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 ABU DHABI 0105 COCHIN 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 TRIVANDRUM 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 DUBAI 0145 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 SALALAH 0215 DELHI 0215 JAKARTA 0215 DOHA 0225 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DOHA 0300 KARACHI 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 MADRAS 0355 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 CAIRO 0510 ISLAM ABBAD 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0645 DACCA 0700 BAHRAIN 0715 SALALAH 0750 DUBAI 0750 KHASAB 0815 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 COLOMBO 0900 BANGKOK 0905 LAHORE 0915 MADRAS 0915 CALICUT 0915 LAHORE 0930 LUCKNOW 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 BANGALORE 1000 MUKHAIZNA 1000 SALALAH 1020 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 ABU DHABI 1030 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 MANGALORE 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 COCHIN 1120 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 DUQUM OMAN 1210 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 CALICUT 1255 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 KUWAIT 1350 MALPENSA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 1400 SIALKOT 1430 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 AMMAN 1440 LUXORE 1445 TEHRAN 1445 SALALAH 1540 SOHAR 1600 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 KUWAIT 1640 MEDINA-JEDDAH 1650 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 ABU DHABI 2045 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 AMMAN 2205 JEDDAH 2215 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 MEDINA 2310 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 DOHA 2330 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2355 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355

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ARRIVALS FROM

WY648 WY406 WY676 WY672 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK229 GF560 FZ035 QR1132 EK866 ET624 EY384 WY114 WY412 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY686 G9841 WY144 WY668 WY674 WY132 WY102 FZ043 WY432 WY422 WY602 WY342 NL768 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY282 WY226 EK862 WY242 IX549 WY252 QR1128 EY382 IX443 QR8550 WY3922 WY652 9W530 WY918 WY604 WY3302 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 PA450 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY606 WY906 WY920 WY348 G9119 FZ045 WY3304 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY254 WY610 GF564 WY216 G9116 WY274 WY646 FZ047 WY908 RG125 WY632 WY386 WY614 WY848 WY338 FZ049 AI977 KL441 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 AI907 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 WY717 WY328 EY388 WY414 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY636 WY654 WY928 WY816 WY612 WY696

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015

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EXTRA BRIEFS

Why divorce could lead to early death PEOPLE WHO find it difficult to adapt to distressing life situations such as divorce or unemployment may experience fluctuations in life satisfaction which can be detrimental to their longevity, suggests a research. Greater life satisfaction in adults older than 50 years of age is related to a reduced risk of mortality, the results showed. “Although life satisfaction is typically considered relatively consistent across time, it may change in response to life circumstances such as divorce or unemployment,” said Julia Boehm, assistant professor of psychology at Chapman University in the US. Some people may adapt more readily to new situations and thus appear to have relatively stable life satisfaction, and others may not adapt as quickly.

Vision system that can recognise objects developed

BALANCING IS TRICKIER THAN YOU THINK While a tumble for a toddler is a learning experience and a stumble for an adult is usually just embarrassing, for older people it can be serious and even fatal

I

n 2010, 13 million Americans reported being injured in a fall, often caused by simple trips on the sidewalk or on the stairs at home. For the over 65s, the figures are worse — One in three in this age group falls every year, resulting in some 250,000 hip fractures and more than 25,000 deaths, usually from traumatic brain injuries. The health care cost of treating these falls is estimated to be $34 billion a year.

But if falling is such a common hazard, especially for older people, does that mean falls are inevitable? Is there nothing we can do about it — like improving our sense of balance?

Part of the challenge is that balancing is trickier than you think.

Most of us are lucky enough that we rarely have to think consciously about it. But try standing on one leg for 30 seconds, the way you might have to if a police officer suspected you’d been drinking and driving. Then close your eyes, and see how much harder it gets.

That’s part of a sideline balance test if you’re a football or hockey player and a trainer or doctor wants to assess whether you’ve suffered a concussion.

I discovered my own wobbliness a few years ago, while working on a magazine article about high-altitude hiking. Researchers had shown that the number of balance errors you make while holding a few simple 20-second poses — standing on one foot with your RESEARCH

Wi-Fi signals can help count people in a crowd A WI-FI signal can be used to count the number of people in a given space, leading to diverse applications such as energy efficiency to search-and-rescue operations. Researchers from University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara have shown that wireless signals can do more than just providing Internet access. “Our approach can estimate the number of people walking in an area, based on only the received power measurements of a Wi-Fi link,” said Yasamin Mostofi, professor of electrical and computer engineering.

-IANS

eyes closed, for example — can signal the onset of altitude illness.

I tried the tests and found that, in the rarefied air of my Toronto office (elevation — 249 feet), I was as unsteady as a Himalayan hiker with mountain sickness.

As someone who exercises most days, I found this unsettling: —What was missing from my regimen? We’ve come to view fitness as a collection of discrete traits - muscular strength, aerobic endurance, flexibility and so on that can be isolated, measured and tinkered with independently.

The pitfall of that approach is obvious: What is strength or endurance worth without the balance and stability to use them in the real world?

Simply staying upright is, in some ways, a full-body exercise.

You have fluid-filled “organs of balance” in your inner ear that monitor the position and rotation of your head; and there are sensors known as proprioceptors in muscles and tendons throughout your body that detect subtle stretches and deformations.

Your feet alone contain 11 small stretch-sensing muscles: No matter how many calf raises you do in the gym, your balance won’t be stable unless your brain is attuned to the signals from these sensors. Even wearing socks interferes with this subtle feedback and worsens your balance.

Walking is trickier still, since each step is essentially a con-

Walking is trickier still, since each step is essentially a controlled fall. Last year, researchers from Ohio State University showed that they could predict with accuracy where a walker’s foot would land by looking only at the trajectory of the upper body during the previous stride

trolled fall. Last year, researchers from Ohio State University showed that they could predict with accuracy where a walker’s foot would land by looking only at the trajectory of the upper body during the previous stride. What seems like a simple act, in other words, is actually a complex and near-instantaneous calculation that enables you to place your foot in exactly the right spot to prevent a faceplant.

The current approach to this

challenge is to add an additional box to check off: balance training US health guidelines already suggest balance training for older adults at risk of falls, and European countries like Austria, Ireland and Denmark recommend it for all older adults.

A step in the right direction, you might say, but it still presents balance as an isolated practice. The evidence is that a more integrated approach has greater benefits.

For an older adult who wants to continue living independently, it’s clear that the ability to rise from a chair and walk across the room, which requires the coordination of muscle strength, balance and aerobic activity, is more important than any individual element of fitness. And it’s not just a physical challenge. One key warning that you’re at higher risk of falling is if you tend to stop walking when you talk — a sign that the cognitive demands of staying on your feet are overloading your brain.

An emerging body of research suggests that exercising in a way that taxes your coordination, agility and balance known as “gross motor skills” — rewires your brain in ways that are fundamentally different from straightforward aerobic activity or strength training. By improving these physical attributes, you also enhance cognitive performance. -Alex Hutchinson/ The New York Times News Service

RESEARCHERS at Disney Research Pittsburgh have developed a computer vision system that, much like humans, can continuously improve its ability to recognise objects by picking up hints while watching videos. Recognising objects in images, though often easy for humans, remains a challenge for automated systems. Systems that learn to recognise objects using one set of images may have difficulty recognising those same objects in the real world, or under different sets of conditions, or domains.

We are blind to our own bias, says a study ALMOST EVERYONE has a “bias blind spot,” meaning that people are less likely to detect bias in themselves than others, however, how blind they are to their actual degree of bias may vary, new research says. Believing that you are less biased than your peers has detrimental consequences on judgements and behaviours, the findings show. “Our research found that the extent to which one is blind to her own bias has important consequences for the quality of decision-making,” said study lead author Irene Scopelliti, a lecturer in marketing at City University London. “People more prone to think they are less biased than others are less accurate at evaluating their abilities relative to the abilities of others, they listen less to others’ advice, and are less likely to learn,” Scopelliti said. -IANS

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M W E D N E S DAY, J U N E 1 0, 2 0 1 5

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CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

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W E D N E S DAY, J U N E 1 0, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

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.

New super deluxe 4 BHK villas, flats Madinat Qaboos, Qurum, Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99369081 / 99142314

1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126

Basement Store, 146 SQM, Wadikhabeer, Opposit Al-Hassan.

99441193, 93004802 Deluxe 3 Room Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 9772 1313 / 9507 0421 1BHK, Darsait, walking distance to ISM, neat and clean building, ground floor, OMR 260/- per month rent.

Contact Iqrar on 99076557 Deluxe 1,2,3,4 bedroom flats, villas at different places.

Contact: 99142314 / 99369081 2BHK flat for rent near Muscat Municipality, Darsait, big terrace, nice location, rent OMR 325/-.

Contact: 96241707 Two air-condition flats in excellent condition behind City Center Carrefour Al Seeb no 1: 4 bedrooms & family hall No 2, 2 bedroom & family hall. Contact: 93366421 Deluxe 4 bedrooms, living, dining 4 bathrooms with split AC in Ghubra.

Contact: 95282986 / 24707340

Commercial 3 BHK flat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/Contact – 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact – 93191111

2BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (350/- R.O). Contact: 99342661 1BHK in Darsait near ISM (220/R.O). Contact: 99342661

Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314

1BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (280/- R.O). Contact : 99342661 Villa for rent villa at Al Fay Housing Complex near Al Khodh main police station 4 bedrooms, servant quarter.

Contact: 96419690 Shop/Office, 56 SQM, Wadikabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan.

Contact 99441193, 93004802 Shop/Office 68 SQM, Wadi kabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802 1BHK flats at Muttrah near Oman House. Contact: 93231403

Well running Bricks Factory for Lease in Seeb. Contact. 99711003

Flats and shops for rent in rent, Honda road and Rex Read. Contact: 97293708/ 94579531 /94141943

2 BHK, 2 baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer, Near Indian Elementary School.

Contact 99441193, 93004802

Flat in Amerat, Phase 5, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C. Contact : 95522405

2 BHK flat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/- Contact – 93191111 MBD area, fully equipped AC Executive office @ RO 200 pm with conference room. Unlimited local calls & internet services. Contact 99451845 / 99232271.

Well maintained spacious 2 BHK at Rex Road. Contact 92227165 Flats in Wadi Al Kabir Lulu Height Street. Contact: 92022816/ 99468133/ 99719471 3 bedroom well maintained flat (villa type – only 2 flats in one Bldg) in Al Khuwair, Behind Al Akhtam restaurant villa No 1839, Way No 3922, block No 239. Contact: 99462980 Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111

Flats for rent Al Ansab (Ghala) 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1sitting room & kitchen. Contact: 94229023 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 Labour Camp or store in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99792181 Luxury 3 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking.

RO.500/- Contact – 93191111 3 bedroom at Al Khuwair 33. House No. 866, Way No. 4712. Contact Mohamed : 99580484, Ahmed : 99486805, Awadh 95525509

Brand new 6 BHK villa in Al Azaiba with split A/C & lift. RO.1200/Contact – 93191111

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 5000 sqm prime indusial land in Misfah, Bausher, with 550 sqm of covered warehouse and office space, for rent only. Contact: + 968 – 99264162 For rent in Darsait, new flats.

Contact: 99311525 Villa for rent at Al Ansab 3rd 4 bedrooms total 230 sqm, air conditioned 1 living room, 3 toilets, kitchen, store only RO 700/-. Contact 99299689 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

2 BHK near Oman House Khimji H.O. Contact: 95865686

3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119

Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact: 99366624

For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842

4 Ware house at Barka Falaij.

Contact: 99337857 Flats for rent in Muttrah near Oman house 2 BHK. Contact: 97009734 / 92629232 500 sq mtrs office space on mezzanine floor near Royal Hospital. OMR 6.500 per sq mtr. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 For rent in Darsait new flats.

Contact: 99777351 2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms.

Contact : 99224748 / 99425665

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 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 Flat with 2 rooms, toilet & kitchen in second floor in Souk Al Khoud behind bank Al Ahli 200/- R.O .

Contact : 99738881 3 flats for rent 3 bedrooms include A/C, near the highway (Bowshar Amerat). Contact 97777911 / 95533777

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DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336 2BHK Darsait R.O 325/-, 300/-.

Contact: 92144045 1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-.

Contact 92144045 3 BHK villa and 2 BHK flat with A/ Cs at Muttrah, near Oman house.

Contact : 95915154 Flat 1BHK for rent, Opp Omani School near Al Tajaweed Furniture, bldg No 1057, Way 5917, Hamriya.

Rent 150/- P.M. Contact: 99350946 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 1 BHK Flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 92275454 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact : 92800007 Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

FOR SALE Running computer shop for sale Souq Sohar. Contact 99420543 Beauty parlor for sale near Muscat Palace monthly rent 350/- OMR serious buyers. Contact: 91902154 Training center with license.

Contact: 91121277 Indian restaurant fully furnished and equipped with banquet hall and spacious parking opposite Naseem Garden for sale. Contact Eng: 99771466 Arabic: 99454415 4000 sqm building ware house area for sale or rent next to Express highway also used 40 ft seaworthy container for sale in very good condition. Contact 99771466 Running business material shop for sale good location & profitable business. Contact : 92249983 Super market in (Hairoon Hairithi) Thamrith road. Contact 98189810 / 99675190.

Shop for sale in Ibra and Bid Bid. Contact: 95304693 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Ice Cream & Juices shop in Ruwi good location for sale 1.5 mt fish display machine unused for sale.

Contact: 92150455 5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each.

Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Coffee shop for sale in North Al Ghubra. Contact 95256009 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 We have planned industrial lands in a prime location (Bowshar / Al Misfah) the space 8575 SQ. M for each plot, meter price 120/- OMR only. Contact: 99883338

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 Commercial land for sale 3000 m in quriyat road main high way can use as a petrol station license available asking price 350,000 For more information please call on 99070701 with out name

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished single / sharing room for Exe. Bachelor at Rex Road with WIFI available. Contact : 98646514 Family sharing villa room available at Al Khuwair. Contact: 99382008 Furnished single rooms available for Executive bachelors at Ruwi.

Contact: 98049288 Fully furnished 1 BHK Flat available in Ruwi 2 months only (July/August) Contact: 99369081 Single bedroom available for veg. family/bachelor at Wadi Kabir, behind Mars. Contact 99877845.

Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) – 95941515 3bedrooms Al Hail. Contact 92817777 Semi furnished single room for Executive bachelors behind Kamat Restaurant Al Khuwair. #94271085 Single room at Walja, opposite MBD area available for Executive bachelors inclusive of electricity and water for OMR100/-. Contact: 93079877 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

Available for longer period : Mig Welder 5 nos, General worker with PDO pass 10 nos, Helper 10 nos, Mason 8 nos. Contact 99610703

ACC. WANTED Technical Trading Co. LLC is looking for a bachelor accommodation for their 150 staff in Al Hail, Seeb, Maabela, Mawaleh area on immediate basis. Interested parties please contact Mr. Qais Al Rashdi on 99421323

ACC. AVAILABLE Semi furnished room with attached bathroom for Executive bachelors at CBD area behind chamber of commerce. Contact: 96389375/93554942 Independent house with 1 room, kitchen and toilet in Wadi Kabir.

Rent: RO 170. Contact: 96639246 2 Rooms with separate bathroom & kitchen for executive bachelors.

Gsm 942-888-63 Room for rent 130/-RO, A/C, E/W kitchen Including bachelor only.

Contact: 95423391

Suzuki Celerio 2012 fully auto 75000 km. Contact: 92588458 Swift Desire 2013 manual.

Contact: 97385534 Toyota Yaris 2006, 1.3 cc Automatic, Gray, 101000 k.m, accident free, well maintained & sparingly used by diplomat. All services done through Toyota.

R.O. 2000. Contact 96530053 2014 model Toyota Yaris 1.5 fully automatic with power window expat driven Mulkya valid till Nov. 2015 for sale. Contact: 93581825 13- seater Hiace Toyota bus model -83 for sale OR 500 only.

Contact : 99325827

BMW X1 2012 model 20750 km excellent condition, sun roof. Indian lady driven RO 9750 new price 17000. Contact 95865457 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285 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 Land Cruiser 2012.

Contact GSM- 99336093 Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic.

Contact: 99045803

TRANSPORTATION Pick & drop available. Contact 96913836.

Transportation. Contact: 91310107

Transportation. Contact: 95190627

Driver with vehicle. Contact: 99159277

Pick & Drop anytime Contact: 91653903

Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Male 24, B.Com /PGD having 2 years experience in accounts and inventory field looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 94129550 Experienced up-to finalization accountant looking for part time job.

Contact : 99002390 Indian male B.Com Accountant 10 years in Oman experience in accounts (upto finalization) & Admin knowledge of tally ERP9, focus RT. Having NOC & D/L looking for suitable job in Muscat.

Contact: 93086105 Young, energetic 24 yrs, ACCA finalist, Advanced diploma in Accounting and business, seeking suitable placement in accounts, finance or audit. Contact : 92430152, Email: rau_dey@yahoo.com Indian female 23 yrs BBM Graduate, diploma in computer application and qualified e-finance in computer, having well knowledge in tally, peach tree, busy software etc. 2 yrs exp in account, looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact: 95601158 Indian Female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts, Admin/ Hr. Contact 97013375 Indian male, B.Com, 1 year Exp in Accounts/ Sales, on Visit Visa,..

Contact – 98295101 Indian / Keralite – CMA (US) , CAInter , M.Com, total 20 years experience with 11 years M/ East experience as Finance / A/ Cs Manager, seeks suitable offers from reputed companies in Oman. Sunil V.S. Contact : +91-9526756488 Email: sunil_ramanin@yahoo.co.in

ACCOUNTANT Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: Accountant with minimum 5 years experience with operating knowledge of tally.

Email: applyforoman@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

A reputed shipping and forwarding company urgently require following personals 1) Accountant 2) Operations Executive valid Omani D/L is must. Experienced hands in shipping field are preferred. Send your CV to applymd2015@gmail.com

Urgently required Advertising & Media Sales Executives with Oman D/L. Trainee positions available for Freshers.

Email: jobs@interacoman.com

CATERING Family in Muscat seeking to hire an experienced butler. Hotel experience is preferred. Candidate must hold a valid driver’s license. Please send CV’s on vacancyinmuscat@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Required looking for full time Housemaid for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact: 92454170 Urgent required House maid in Mabela. Visa available.

Contact 95200180.

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required Indian experience Beautician (good package) in Al Hail, visa available.

Contact : 92139922 / 92284899 Required Beautician visa available, salary accommodation.

Contact: 91902154

DRIVER Driver & Business co coordinator speaking English urgently required.

Contact : 95327813 Required light driver, Excavator Operators & heavy drivers.

Contact: 99454425 Required Light duty driver from Kerala with construction experience.

Contact : 98294695

EDUCATION A well known private school is in need of English, Math, Science, Computer and Physics Teachers.

Contact: 96910649 Qualified female Teacher required for Maths & Science with 3 years minimum experience and IELTS school in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99353961 Teachers required (B.A, BEd, BSc, and B.ed) for Omani Pvt. School Al Hail (North).Contact: 95141554/ 96653118

ENGINEER A well reputed company is looking for experienced digital Signage Technicians & Managers. Send CV to hr.oman@yahoo.com Mechanical / Civil Site Supervisor; diploma / ITI fitter; 3-4 year’s exp in supervision of Erection work of sheds, customer coordination, and project execution. Omani D/L is must. Contact: hr@khancogroup.com / 99102383

MISCELLANEOUS A company from UAE require 2 merchandisers in retail food supply, store keeper with English and invoicing experience. Email: yesterdaysun@hotmail.com Mason, C.C.T.V, Technician, Electrician cum Plumber.

Contact: 99383044

SALES / MARKETING

Urgently Required: Civil Engineer with an experience minimum in 5 years in building construction and MUST have NOC. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com

Omani male Sales Executive with Degree/Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering Age : 25-35 years. Minimum 2-5 years experience in Sales of Industrial machinery. Apply to careers@teejanequipment.com Fax : 24560806

Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: BE Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 years gulf experience & Civil site foreman, minimum 5 years gulf experience, diploma not required.

Email: applyforoman@gmail.com

Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com

Construction Company in Oman urgently requires the following: B.Sc Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 yrs Gulf experience. Civil Site Foreman, minimum 5 yrs experience with operating knowledge of Tally. Please Email CV ; applyforoman@gmail.com Required full time Social Networker for sites like twitter, LinkedIn, face book.

Email: mhca@mhabibgroup.com

MEDICAL Required Gynecology, General Physician, Dentist, Staff Nurses, Lab technicians, Pharmacists, X Ray technicians.

Contact : 95133572 / 96064925 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Wanted Staff Nurse for a polyclinic in Sohar. Contact :3457270 Required a MOH licensed female Nurse for a private clinic near Al-Suwaiq. Call 93746086 Urgent required staff Nurse in Mabela. Contact- 95200180.

Email: amanammc@gmail.com

Urgently required Sales & Marketing Executive for Electrical & lighting products with Oman driving license. Send CV at Email : albasilinternational@gmail.com A leading tissue paper and food stuffs company requires Sales and Marketing person with minimum 5 years exp in Oman with good communication skills & valid Oman D/L. Candidate with Interior market knowledge & experience preferable.

Send CV: allub@alhosnigroup.com Fax: 24451430 Urgently required outdoor Sales Executive for furnishing company with valid Oman D/L and minimum 3 years experience.

Contact 93231403 / rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com Required male candidates to work full / part time in an international Café “franchise”. They will be trained for the job.

Contact 97673395 Sales Coordinator : Mechanical Diploma holder with 3-4 yrs exp. in sales department preferably in Metal fabrication Company. Omani D/L is must. Contact: 99102383 hr@khancogroup.com

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 Required urgently energetic Marketing Executive for acquiring new customers. Should possess a Valid Omani D/L. Contact 96545020.

Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.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 Sales man required for printing press preferable with car.

Contact : 97842797

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

TOURISM Wanted urgently female for Travel agency knowing Sabre Reservation and ticketing system.

Contact : 95878812

SITUATION WANTED ADMIN/HR 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 Filipino Female, 30 yrs, with 8yrs experience in Payroll/Admin/HR and 2yrs experience as Technical Support/Cashier/Secretary. Currently in Muscat on Family Visit Visa, Seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96708114 Email: lucy08_tm@yahoo.com Indian, male, 26, Commerce graduate, three years experience as Administrative Assistant in UAE, seeks a suitable job in Oman.

Contact: tkjasbeer@gmail.com; +971-558291437.

Indian female, Postgraduate in HR, with 8 years working experience in Oman(HR and administration), looking for suitable placement.

Contact 97411008 Indian female 29 MBA (HR) BSc, 4 yrs exp in HR& Admin looking suitable placement. Contact : 95619537 Indian female post Graduate with 5 years experience in HR and Admin looking for good opportunity.

Contact: 94692244 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

MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in operations with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Indian female MBA – HR 1 and half years experience seeking suitable job. Contact : 99257214

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. Contact: 99424803 M.Com, CA (Article ship), 15 years Gulf experience looking for suitable position in finance & accounts on visit visa valid up to 10/7/2015.

Contact: 97767828, knowledge of quickbooks, Tally 9, Focus V.5 Email: altabhossain2008@hotmail.com

Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan.

Contact : 97796394 / 94003247 Senior Accountant 10 years experience 4 years experience in GCC now working with trading & project based concern holding Oman driving license. Well experience all accounting software’s. Contact: 94079432 Indian male B.Com MBA (HR), 2 yrs experience in HR & Accounts department, on visiting visa seeking for job in any field.

Contact: 96491347 Email: aswinsajeev@hotmail.com Indian male Graduate 26 yrs 5 yrs experience in Accounts and Administration looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91301983 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 Accounts part time works up to finalization on monthly basis. Profit & loss A/C and financial statements, MS Reports Etc. Contact: 96247295 ACCA affiliate , BSc Honors in applied Accountancy advance diploma in Accounting and Business, CAT Affiliate 1 year hand on working experience of Oman, with Oman driving license looking for a suitable placement in Audit firm. Having NOC can join immediately.

Contact : 98989970 ACCA & B.Com with Noc more than 5 years of experience in accounts & finance looking for a suitable job can join immediately. Contact: 97012146 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 Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331

Indian female 25 years married, MBA Finance, Diploma in foreign accounting 3 months experience in a CA firm on family visa.

Contact: 95916769 Email: sikhapadoor@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

Indian 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

W E D N E S DAY, J U N E 1 0, 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

HOSPITALITY

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

Indian CA with 15 yrs exp working as Finance Head for MNC looking for suitable job. NOC available. 94047434

Quantity Surveyor with 5 Years experience (one year in Oman) looking for job. Contact 91090036

MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity.

Contact: 96377039

Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 24 years with Piping Engineering, Autocad, Ansys NX- Cad, pro-e, Catia & PDMS now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact: 99168054 / 96684345 Email: : mbkishore@hotmail.com

Indian male/30 years with hotel management degree, 02 years experience in F&B service at 5 star hotel in Dubai and 05 years in American 6 star cruseliner as butler.

Contact 91135371

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com

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

BEAUTICIAN Indian Beautician looking for job in Oman, with 5 yrs Oman experience.

Contact: 98869716

DRIVER Looking for job driving Bangladeshi.

Contact : 94077119 Bangladeshi Driver seeks suitable job K. S.A 12 years Oman 3 years 42 yrs. Contact 95796030 Looking for job driving Bangladeshi.

Contact: 97418036 Pick up and drop anytime.

Contact: 96748967 Light driver for job. Contact: 95779594 Light vehicle driver looking for job.

Contact: 91452930 Driver looking for job, light vehicle.

Contact: 95446207 Driver light. Contact: 91020999 Pakistani driving available.

Contact : 96913836 Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver.

Contact: 97073429 Driver available with or without car.

Contact 96771598 L.T.V driver language, Hindi, Arabic & English. Contact: 98802079 Heavy duty driver valid license Omani need job & visa.

Contact: 91139936 Driver looking for job with visa, release available, 5 yrs driving experience. Contact: 96261895 Faruqu.

Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327

DOMESTIC HELPER Looking for job for House maid.

Contact : 93599302 Laundry Housekeeping professional looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years experience.

Contact : 91957861

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: babujosev@yahoo.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL 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 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 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.

BE Mechanical Engineer 2 years experience in fabrication and erection of heavy structures as project Engineer in India, now on visiting visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 92151818 B.Tech Civil Engineer Indian male 13 year’s exp seeking suitable job.

Contact 0091 9640973798 Email: firozbakhtiar2@gmail.com BE (Electrical), MBA, certified PMP and Chartered Engineer with 10 years experience in EPC Project management for substation construction (onshore/offshore) GCC employed Indian, seeking opportunity to lead challenging projects, position in managerial role.

Email ID: jacobmval@gmail.com Site Engineer(Civil) Diploma in Civil Engineering / Supervisor 6 years experience (with N.O.C).

Contact : 99512416.

Electronics and Instrumentation Engineer, Indian female, B. Tech (AE & I), M.Tech (VLSI design), asp.net, c#, c++, core java, android java, presently on visit visa, looking for a suitable placement. contact : 95906935, amalpktu@gmail.com Interior Architecture Engineer, 7 years experience (5 years in Oman) expert in exterior & interior architecture designs presented by 3D MAX- V ray AutoCAD Photoshop, fluent in Arabic & English.

Contact: 96519172 Email: eng.interiorarchitect@gmail.com Indian M 25 yrs B.E Mechanical, 3 yrs exp in Oil & Gas project Engineer now on visit visa. # 96487013 Email: riarun.007@gmail.com B.Tech Mechanical Engineer Indian 1 year experience HVAC (MEP) available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job. Contact : 93670280 Email: jinv.avm@gmail.com Iraqi female Communication Engineer having 5 yrs of exp in teaching computer program.

Contact : 99132159 Email: marwan.saad39@yahoo.com Iraqi male Medical Equipment Engineer one year of exp in Iraq looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 99132159 Email: marwan.saad39@yahoo.com Electrical Engineer Pakistani male 4 years B. Tech & 3 years’ diploma seeking a suitable placement.

Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasoader97@gmail.com Civil Engineer 7 years experience valid Omani D/L looking for job immediately, ready to join.

Contact : 96936406 B.E (Civil Engineer) with 5 yrs experience, valid Omani driving license.

Noc available. Contact: 91693008 Iraqi Civil Engineer 12 years experience, resident having Omani driving license. Contact : 94695595 Land Surveyor, one and half year experience in India, well handle total station, auto level and AutoCAD. Looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 95140761 / 99208290 Email: binu.brijiv@gmail.com Indian, male, Civil Engineering graduate with 8 years Dubai experience in Estimation, Project/Design Co-ordination seeks suitable job in Oman. Hold UAE driving license.

Contact: shibupnbr@ gmail.com; +971-501426982 Indian male Electronics & Instrumentation Engineer having 5 yrs exp with valid Omani D/L & NOC. Contact: 96082604 Civil Engineer, Indian Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99195433

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

Looking for job building maintenance electric and plumbing.

Contact: 99365092 Ware house In charge or store keeper 27 yrs Gulf experience 4 yrs in Oman NOC available.

Contact: 97657823 Email: rusaikmzm_2009@yahoo.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL BE Mechanical Engineer 4/5 years experience in Planning Engineer.

Interested companies kindly contact 95403146 / 99426840 candidate available till 12.06.2015 B.Tech Civil Engineer, Indian female 2 yrs experience in Oman, looking for suitable position.

Contact 91690345 Sr Manager, B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2, British National. 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 B. Tech Instrumentation Engineer more than 4 year experience SCADA, PLC, DCS, ESD (Honeywell, Yokagawa). Contact: 93670890 Email: mojin.a.kabeer@gmail.com Structural Engineer 4 years experience Indian, will handle projects independently, able to get Municipality approvals easily.

Contact: 91668044 Quantity Surveyor (Civil Diploma) 2 yrs experience in Oman, looking for full/ part-time job.

Contact 96936793 Indian male diploma in Computer Engineering seeking suitable placement immediately now on visiting visa .Contact 97317844 / 92580948 BSC. Mechanical Engineering, 17 yrs exp in Oman, 30 yrs exp in production management, erection and maintenance of refineries, stock piling equipments, belt convoying systems structures, power transmission equipments gear boxes Contact 98214442; Email: mohusak@gmail.com Indian male 29 years Civil Engineer diploma 4 years Oman experience, 2 years road construction looking placement. Contact: 93298395 N.O.C available Adarsh.B , B. Tech Mechanical N.D.T ASNT level 2, 2 years 10 months experience in New Delhi. Contact adarsh320480@gmail.com 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 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 Sudanese Industrial Engineering & Management, experience 12 years in QA/QC and production. Contact: 94041960 / 94044784, Email: mekkimedani@hotmail.com / mekkimedani78@gmail.com Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 9731 Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com

Indian male fresher BCA young and energetic, seeking good opportunites.email: jlaxmimenon@gmail. com, Contact 00919567722270

IT 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 Omani Citizen searching a job in the field of computer especially in data base professional in operating Oracle SQL, PL/ SQL, form6i, Report 6i. Contact 96977368 Email: talaloml@yahoo.com Indian female MCA, experience in C#.Net, SQL Server, ORACLE with 4.5 years experience seeking suitable positions.

Contact: 96485923, 99886271. prathibhakp07@gmail.com IT Desktop Support Engineer 2 years Oman 3 years in Indian Exp. Contact 91937060 M.C.A Indian male 36 yrs experience in IT Support/ customer serving support with 5 yrs experience seeking suitable position.

Contact: 92041909 Male 26 completed acter MBA and have 1.5 years experience, good knowledge of computer, software’s, looking for job in procurement / warehousing. On visit visa till 5th Sep /2015.

Contact: 00968 91795092 Email: jameel6345@gmail.com Computer Networking/Facility Mgmt 5 Yrs of Exp Holds B.E(ECE), CCNA Looking for Good Opportunity, Indian - Visit Visa. Contact 91911792/ arafakdnl@gmail.com IT & Media Sales specialist looking for job opportunities also decent exposure to H.R & customer relations currently in Muscat on visit visa kindly. Contact : 96238199 or 99874205 Email Id: m_cadri@rediffmail.com Net work Technician CCTV, UTP, OFC, Flooring work 6 yrs experience (GCC). Contact: +91 9526888134 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 MCA Indian male 24 yrs seeking suitable placement in software / Database support currently on visit visa. Contact 96785261 Email: sudheesh.edakkadan@gmail.com

In search of job. Qualification b.com, key skills- MS office, Tally, Internet with valid Oman light driving license. *NOC available.

Contact:92239065 Indian Female with over 9 yrs experience with good communication skills seeks jobs in customer service or sales field. Contact : 96108289, shijipaul84@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

MEDICAL

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

M.B.S (Management) looking for suitable Marketing job.

Contact: 96487152 Indian male over 5 years experience in media marketing sales collection looking for suitable job.

Contact : 95064202 Indian male, 27 yrs, Post Graduate, 5+ yrs exp in Oman in Sales & Credit Control, with valid Oman driving License, NOC available, looking for suitable placements. Ph: 91993376 Indian male MBA Marketing currently on visit visa seeking for Sales & marketing job 2 years experience.

Contact: 94460405 Email: arshidmohammed222@gmail.com Sales man looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years Gulf experience.

Contact: 91957861 An Indian male having rich experience in procurement, Sales marketing and office administration seeking suitable position.

Contact: 93689602

Staff Nurse male Nurse 6 years above experience prometry exam 71%, express visa last date 21/06/2015. Contact: 95118841

8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323

BSc Staff Nurse with license.

Contact 92765457 Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Dentist with MOH license looking for locum post. Contact 93571021.

Indian male Nurse, 31 years Oman prometric passed 6 yrs ICU experience. Contact : 94195150 / 92758895 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

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 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

SALES / MARKETING

MSc qualified female on female joining visa good experience in Administration, Advertising media and branding at managerial level with 13 years experience. Good knowledge in the field of marketing looking for a suitable position.

Contact : 91980400

Asst. Manager Purchase / Logistics / Warehouse, B.Com, Diploma in Material Management with 12 yrs experience. NOC available.

Contact 96477638

Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees, CPA , ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations (NOC available) call 94 504505 – 94403270

Graduate having 6 yrs experience Lubricant sales looking for sales job with D/L. Contact : 93410723

Indian female B.Com Graduate having 8 yrs experience in India & 2 yrs experience in Oman as Customer Service, Office Asst, Sales Coordinator, Secretary seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987 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 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 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job.

Contact - 92146864

8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535 Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in Sales knowledge of TALLY, ERP & MS Office.

Contact: 93134643 Email : syedismailnoor@gmail.com Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements.

Contact 98371144

TOURS & TRAVELS Indian male, IATA qualified & English graduate on family visit looking for a suitable job. Contact no.

93449151, 99475217.

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, Male, 23 years, BE Electrical, having 2 years experience in Electrical Works-H.T. cabling etc, & Construction, looking for a suitable placement. # +968 96927880 (Oman), +91 9765376109 (India), Email: rahulrevi6@gmail.com Indian Female M.Com with Computer Skills and Four Month Experience as Accountant ,Currently On Family Visa Looking for a Suitable Placement, Available Immediately.

Contact : 95846642, Email : dhanyashree91@yahoo.com Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821 Electronics and instrumentation Engineer 28 year Indian male, electrical, electronic, industrial, building & automation exp of 4+ yrs in India.

Contact - 93154156 CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. #96760618 email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com Indian female with MBA (Finance) on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089

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W E D N E S DAY, J U N E 1 0, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED MISCELLANEOUS 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 ACCA Affiliate, Experience in audit/ finance of 2.5 years in Big 6 Firm and Oil industry, looking for suitable permanent placement, Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com B.Tech Computer Engineer Wanted job to work on(IT/Banking/Administrator/Technical/Office works) having NOC with the limited time from (04/06/2015 to 13/06/2015).

Mobile:98402389 email:naresh6672@gmail.com MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees , CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations ( NOC available ) call 94 504505 – 94403270 27 year Indian female who has 4 years of experience with logistics function in distribution of spares for both heavy machinery & wind turbine parts. Kindly contact me on +91 9790769104 E-mail: joemohana@yahoo.co.in Looking for managerial post (full time ), More than Ten years of experience in Team Development ,Training, planning, Administration, Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics. Contact 91076608 / 99322748. RELEASE & NOC AVAILABLE

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED

Female 26 M.Tech bio medical Engineer, 1plus years experience in research and teaching seeking opening. Contact : 91960160 Email: amluprasannan@gmail.com

Indian male, looking for a part time accounting job. Having additional knowledge & experience in HR admin & purchase.

Contact 99196621

7 and half years experience working accounts / inventory manager looking suitable job. Contact: 96991782 Email: srinivasu.sp@gmail.com

Indian male MBA (U.K), 10 Years of experience in Admin, Sales, HR, stores and logistics seeks suitable placement. Contact 99271903.

Indian male, 28 yrs MBA (HR/M) 2 years experience in Indian Oman in HR & admin seeks suitable placements.

NOC available. Contact 97484159 Email: rameshkapa86@gmail.com

Indian Female MCA, 4 plus Years of experience in Web designing, Admin, P.A, seeks suitable placement.

Contact 99486374

Indian female , MCA BCA, certification PL SQL , 6months training PHP, date warehouse looking for suitable placement. Contact : 95694330 Email: mondkashyapodl@gmail.com Part- time accountant, well experience senior accountant , doing all type of accounting works, finalization, budgeting available.

Contact : 98803439 HSE Advisor, NEBOSH IGC, Indian male, 4 years experience in construction and oil fields, seeking suitable jobs. Gsm: 97458900, Mail: miroshbabu@gmail.com Highly Experienced Finance Manager, CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA , Professional of Banking, Audits , ERPs Sap , Management as Team Leader and Problem Solver call 94 504505 / 94403270 Indian male MBA Finance presently OMAN IN visit visa, 26 years, looking for an accountant job.

Contact 95240641, email Id mohammadabdulazharuddin@ gmail.com

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 B.Com with more than 5 yrs exp. looking for an accounts part tome job work. know with tally.

Email-shilpa_62@yahoo.com Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer .seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 MEP Quantity Surveyor-Estimation-Project, 10 Years Experience (3 years in Oman). Having NOC & Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, Contact - 98291626 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 Indian house maid looking full time job. Contact : 98254909

Indian male seeking suitable vacancy in office works 30 years Muscat experience. Contact: 99024055 Indain Male MBA Marketing/HRM 3 year experience with Omani D/L, seeking suitable jobs. #97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

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

Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

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

ACCA affiliate, with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit firm and Oil industry, looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. Release available #95140445 a.saran891@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

Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 years experience in different activities . Mobile No ; +96894549609

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 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 B.E Biomedical Engineer, having 5 years of experience in Diagnostics division seeking suitable position.

94151658

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 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 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 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 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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED 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 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 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 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

MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for a nair boy 28 yrs 165cm working with a leading business group in Muscat.

Contact : 91717912 Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009 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 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 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

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

Butter cup rent a car presents fantastic offers all vehicles are model 2016.

Contact : 97249449

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain & neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987 Taimour Ayurvedic Clinic, Ruwi offers genuine & effective treatment for back pain, paralysis, cervical and lumbar spondylitis, osteoarthritis, joint pains, sinusitis, migraine, allergic problems, varicose vein and all other health related problems.

Kerala massage and rejuvenation package available. For details please Contact 92197920/ 24799689

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.

For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131

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W E D N E S DAY, J U N E 1 0, 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

BUSINESS

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

Wanted Sub Contractors : Shuttering work, steel, concrete block work, plastering, tile fixing for Buraimi, School project.

Contact : 99427674/ 24700373/ Fax: 24701368

DRIVING

Scrap business running scrap business sale with 60 Ton Weighing Bridge in Mabellah.

Contact: 92295780 New Construction Company required investors for financial project.

Contact: 92959251

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

LOST Zee Shan Khan has lost Pakistani Passport No. XG 4114531. Finder please handover to ROP

Specialist available for explosive growth in term of restructuring all modules of businesses with over 30 years of experience across continents with a decade in Oman.

Contact 96733578 Email : profitoman@gmail.com

Ashley D. Souza has lost Indian Passport No. F 6583693. Finder please handover to ROP

CHANGE OF NAME I Dhanalakshmi (holder of Indian passport No. J 8295137) Daughter of Konchady Mohan having permanent residence in B – 3, No. 6, BSNL Staff Quarters, Hathill, Ladyhill, Mangalore, Karnataka (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in Wattaya, Way No. 121, Building 1603, P. Box 84, PC.101 (complete postal in Oman) intend to change my name from Dhanalakshmi (old name) to Catherine D’Souza (new name) for all practical purpose. I have changed my religion from Hindu to Christian. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727 Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

CLASSES

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 A/C maintenance split A/C servicing. RO. 10 only. Contact 94217681/ 99210141 Tailoring churidar, anarkali, salwar kameez dance costumes shop 32 Dhofar bldg, Ruwi.

Contact: 99740196

NOTICE

Churidar, Anarkali, Salwar Kameez, Dance costumes, shop 32, Dhofar building, Ruwi.

Contact 99740196

I, Vivek Sridhar, (holder of Indian Passport No Z 2207026), S/o Balasundaram Sridhar, having permanent residence in Mohanami 15, Alagiri Sami Salai, K K Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and presently residing at PO Box 761, PC 116, Mina Al Fahal, Sultanate of Oman, intend to marry Ms. Sangeeta Narayan Sundaresan (holder of Indian Passport bearing No. H 6348643) D/o Narayan Sundaresan in Embassy of India, Muscat. I swear that I am marrying her at my own free will and not under any duress and intimidation. Any objection towards this marriage may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.O. Box No 1727, Postal Code No. 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman within 30 (thirty) days of publications of this news paper advertisement.

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476 House shifting packing.

99657644 / 98518013 Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts.

Contact 95941515

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

NRI

House shifting. Contact 99708138 Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 A/C maintenance & servicing. Fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing. Painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/ 24504281

Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur.

Contact: 00919846877773 *Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability