Times of Oman - June 15, 2015

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MONDAY, June 15, 2015 / 27 Sha’aban 1436 AH

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Millennium Resort Mussanah e-services

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Millennium Resort Mussanah is taking smart technology even further with the introduction of several e-services. They are introducing mobile phone applications for hotel reservations and check-ins, online feedback from guests, and iPads for presentations and showcasing services to cater to the demands of the new generation travellers who want instant information and value services that save time. >A5

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companies face a fine and may even

hours of work is the maximum for Muslim employees during the Holy Month of Ramadan

be sent to court for repeated violations

TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Fines will be imposed on companies found violating the ministerial decision regarding work hour restrictions during the Holy Month of Ramadan, an official of the Ministry of Manpower has said.

The labour law stipulates that companies face a fine and may even be sent to court for repeated violation, the official said.

The ministry recently announced a six-working-hour day or thirty-hour week for Muslim employees of private companies during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which begins this week.

Some private sector employees had voiced their frustration over their companies not following the rules imposed by the ministry and being made to work for more than six hours during the Holy Month.

The ministry has assured employees that anyone not follow-

ing the decision will be punished.

“Companies do not have an excuse since it is a clear law by the ministry,” stressed the official.

According to the Omani Labour Law, Part Four, Chapter Three, Article 68: “The maximum work hours during Ramadan shall be six hours a day or thirty hours a week for Muslim employees. The ministry may determine the timing of the work hours.”

ASHOBAA

Authorities working overtime to restore normality after storm Times News Service

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Oman Post launches ‘Door-to-door’ service

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Customers will now be able to specify a time for their mail to be delivered and Oman Post staff will visit to collect the mail from the place of the customer. This becomes possible as Oman Post Company has launched a new service called ‘Door-to -door.’ The new service is available inside Oman and the delivery is done upon receiving a request from the customer. >A4

MUSCAT: Authorities across the Sultanate are working overtime to restore life back to normality following the recent tropical storm Ashobaa.

Ministry of Transport and Communications, Royal Oman Police and Masirah Municipality are putting in their best efforts in the clean-up operations.

Municipality officials in Masirah, which received maximum rainfall during the storm, are supervising the clean-up operations after heavy flooding was reported.

Royal Oman Police helped the citizens and residents remove their vehicles stuck in wadis in Masirah.

Meanwhile, National Ferries Company (NFC) resumed the service between Masirah and Shannah.

Ministry of Transport and Communications is continuing its efforts to remove the debris from the streets and roads.

The ministry is providing the necessary services and procedures to help restore the situation to normality. They are working on opening the roads blocked because of the accumulation of soil and mud that flowed from mountains and wadis during the heavy rains.

The ministry has taken all steps and precautions to deal with the situation and has called upon people to contact them in case of need. >A5

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Muscat Hills houses ready for handover

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Muscat Hills Residences, which includes a master plan with pristine real estate overlooking a par-72, 18 hole green golf course, is ready to hand over the initial set of second phase luxury villas beginning in June 2015, it was announced.

Forty residences, comprising an elegant mix of 4 and 5 bedroom villas, are nearing completion.

All villas have contemporary exterior designs with elements of Omani architecture. >A3

ON THE JOB: Authorities are working hard on opening the roads that were blocked because of the accumulation of soil and mud that flowed from mountains and wadis during the heavy rains during tropical storm Ashobaa. -ONA

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New-look Times website tuned for all your devices

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he biggest has just got better as Times of Oman launches its new-look website www.timesofoman.com which is now mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop friendly.

Whether you are on the go on your smartphone, at home with your tablet, or in your office catching up with the latest headlines, www.timesofoman.com is the ideal way to stay up to date with all the news in Oman and around the world.

This major launch is the latest chapter in a proud history of innovation for Times of Oman. In the past year our site has grown to become largest online media site in the Sultanate, dwarfing all media competitors in the country combined (source: similarweb.com).

Our social media reach has also boomed, our Facebook page is now the fastest-growing page in

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Firms flouting Ramadan timings to be penalised Oman’s Labour Law stipulates that

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Oman (source: socialbakers.com) with 155,000 followers, last week our posts reached more than 3 million people on the social media platform (June 8 to June 14, source: Facebook).

And as we know more than half of our growing online audience now access timesofoman.com on the move we’ve not only made sure your experience on mobile is a rich one, but we’ve made sharing even easier.

The new sharelines feature on articles now means you don’t even have to type a tweet or a Facebook post, we’ve done it for you – simply share in an instant. Also

we’ve added ‘in–article’ sharing.

Spot a quote that has your blood boiling, again just highlight the area you want to tweet it or post it to Facebook in a second.

We know you love multimedia so now there’s more pictures and more videos, whether its vital Oman news, the latest viral video or a stunning picture gallery, www.timesofoman.com is now bursting with material you’ll want to share with your friends.

You can have your say and interact too. Now with the new Disqus tool it’s even easier to voice your opinion on any story. Plus our social media channels are always on screen to allow you get involved on whichever platform you choose.

So come and be part of one of the biggest online community’s in the Sultanate and take a fresh look at www.timesofoman.com.

Water bottles distributed among workers as mercury rises

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Penalty for such a violation is elaborated in keeping with the Omani Labour Law, Part Ten, Article 117: “Whoever violates the provisions of Chapter Three of Part Four shall be punished with fine not exceeding OMR100 and the fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers who are the subject of such violation and penalty shall be doubled in case of repetition of such violation.”

The ministry official reassured that if employees are being unjustly made to overwork, exceeding the time set by the ministry during the Holy Month, they can file a complaint at the Directorate General of Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower.

“As long as there is proof that the company is violating the rules or the employee has been subjected to extra working hours, an initial warning (with fine) will be issued to the company,” said the official.

“If the company violates the rule again, then we will send them to court,” he added.

A private sector employee working in an Oman-based travel agency expressed his irritation at his company which made him and another employee work for up to 11 hours a day during the previous Ramadan. >A5

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C I V I C FA C I L I T Y

Haya Water inks two pacts for sewage in Baushar, Seeb

GREEN CHARM: Last year, 431,105 people had visited the Governorate of Dhofar during the Khareef

season.– ONA

Dhofar gears up for Khareef fest

MUSCAT: In a major step towards improving sewage network, Oman Wastewater Company (Haya Water) signed two separate agreements, awarding the works of construction of a modern sewage network in Madinat Sultan Qaboos (MSQ) in the Wilayat of Baushar and the project of executing package of the sewage network in Wilayat of A’Seeb.

The agreements were signed by the CEOs of the executing companies. The MSQ project will cost about OMR8 million. The new network will replace the current one and will also have additional networks along with the construction

of a 14.5 km fibre-optic line network. More than 700 properties will benefit from this vital project.

This project was awarded to the Oman Consolidated Contractors Company and is scheduled to be completed within two years. Associated Consulting Engineers Company LLC will provide all consulting engineering services.

The project to execute package C6 of the sewage network in A’Seeb was awarded to M/S Arab Contractors Company and National United Engineering and Construction Companies.

The total cost of the project is about OMR18 million and it will

take two years from the awarding date to be implemented.

Parsons International Company has designed the facilities.

Pursuant to the agreement, 65 km of main line for sewage drainage will be constructed, in addition to house connections along more than 98 km, benefitting more than 3,500 properties.

Mohsen bin Mohammed Al Sheikh, Chairman of the Muscat Municipality and Haya Water, said, “Haya Water is proceeding towards completing the networks in the Wilayat of Baushar as soon as possible because of the urban development expansion.”-ONA

LUXURY RESIDENCE

With the launch of the new Salalah airport, authorities are gearing up for the annual Khareef season

MUSCAT: With Khareef approaching, Dhofar Municipality has started preparing for the autumn tourist season which starts every year from June 21 and lasts until September 21.

This is one of the most important tourist seasons in the Gulf region and last year, 431,105 people had visited the Governorate of Dhofar. The weather in the Dhofar

coasts is very unique – mist, dew, cold breezes, light rain and green cover everywhere.

The public organisations are making great efforts to develop the service and tourist utilities at the touristy and historic attractions in the Governorate. The major development projects during the autumn season this year include the Salalah airport, which will start operations on Monday.

The project includes a passenger terminal spread over 65,000 square metres, capable of accommodating two million passengers per annum in the first stage and later to be expanded to handle six million passengers in the future.

The new airport includes an information systems centre, a luggage handling unit at the passenger terminal, retail shops, restaurants and other services. During the autumn season, Oman Air will operate 284 flights between Muscat and Salalah, an 11 per cent increase in the number of flights

C O R P O R AT E S U P P O R T

PDO renews pledge for social service Times News Service MUSCAT: Displaying its commitment to society, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has pledged to spend more than OMR500,000 on six projects to benefit Omani communities, as well as the environment.

The expenditure, the latest in a series of social investment commitments, will include help for the disabled, animal welfare, environmental protection and awareness, along with tourism.

Almost half of the investment will fund four mobile veterinary clinics, with two operating in the North of PDO’s concession area and two in the South, to assist livestock owners in caring for their animals. Additionally, there will be support for ecological conservation efforts, including at Dimaniyat Islands, Oman’s only protected marine area.

Six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) relating to the projects were signed by

PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci and External Affairs Director Abdul Amir al-Ajmi, and senior Government and non-government organisations’ (NGO) representatives.

The commitments, which were unveiled at the signing ceremony at PDO’s Knowledge World, includes funding for four mobile veterinary clinics, the construction of a public majlis in Sadhun village, Qatbit, supporting ESO environmental protection and awareness campaigns, building of five retail kiosks to display and sell local products to tourists visiting Al Jabal Al Akhdar, as well as purchasing 15 special basketball wheelchairs for Oman’s paralympic players and 110 wheelchairs for OAD members.

Restucci noted, “PDO is proud to support a range of worthy causes through our Social Investment Programme, which is targeted at promoting sustainable development, both in the environment and community.”

compared to 2014. Dhofar Municipality is improving its public services in different wilayats. These include improving the internal road network, infrastructure, paving public parks with interlocking tiles and constructing rest areas along the coasts.

The Ministry of Tourism is currently implementing a project to develop A’Dahareez beach which includes pathways for pedestrian, shades, barbecue area, paved areas for families, water fountains and car parks.

Each autumn, the Ministry of Tourism establishes temporary centres for tourism related information, in addition to the permanent centres along the border areas and at airports.

The Royal Oman Police also operates patrols along Adam-Thumrait Highway and provides aerial and land ambulance services in collaboration with the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA).-ONA

Muscat Hills set for handover Times News Service MUSCAT: Muscat Hills Residences, which includes a master plan with pristine real estate overlooking a par-72, 18 hole green golf course, is ready to hand over the initial set of second phase luxury villas beginning in June 2015, it was announced.

“Muscat Hills Golf Course and Country Club and Oman Urban Development Co combined their expertise to produce the finest villas in the Sultanate. The low density development has created exclusivity that is unparalleled.

The unsurpassed quality and finish stamp of Towell Construction Company has been provided for each stage of construction. The motive behind creating Phase II was to build the most luxuri-

ous and exclusive villas, with the homeowner in mind,” a press release said.

In a press statement, Rawy Kais Al Said added, “We are glad to announce that forty premier residences, comprising an elegant mix of 4 and 5 bedroom villas, are nearing completion. All villas have contemporary exterior designs with elements of Omani architecture, and maximizing the use of internal space. The flow of the homes are well designed and have high ceilings, premium marble finishes, fully ducted air conditioning, built in wardrobes, premium European brand amenities and finishes. The additional feature of fully finished roof terraces and designated guest parking areas are appealing for social evenings”.

He said, “The spacious villas are

featured with floor to ceiling glass windows in each room, allowing natural light to enter and also offering homeowners unobstructed panoramic views of the green golf course, water features, and the beauty of Oman’s natural landscape. Nearly all of the villas enjoy golf course views.”

There are six distinct types of villas, including Sacra, Carteri, Freana, Rivea, Acacia and, last but not least, the signature villa Regalis, each having their own separate identity to suit different tastes.”

The 18-hole PGA-certified golf course, designed by Paul Thomas, was intended to complement Oman’s natural landscape, so it was built on the foothills of Al Hajar Mountains, incorporating the carved canyon-like wadis with the remarkable views.

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Cold water distributed to workers as mercury soars

PUBLIC SERVICE

Oman Post launches ‘Door-to-door’ service Times News Service

HELPING HAND: The event kicked off at the Oman Automobile Association (OAA), the venue where volunteers were arranged in groups, each responsible for an assigned area for the distribution of water bottles.–Supplied photos

TARIQ AL HAREMI tariq@timesofoman.com

Amid the soaring temperature, the I-Care Initiative distributed water to construction workers across 17 areas in Muscat to appreciate their role

MUSCAT: Providing timely succour, I-Care Initiative distributed more than 6,000 bottles of water to construction workers on Saturday as part of its efforts to raise awareness about the importance of appreciating the builders of the country during the 15th I-Care Water Distribution Event.

More than 160 volunteers were involved with the distribution of cold water to workers across 17 areas in Muscat.

“We need to thank the workers for standing in the sun for hours, day in and day out, build-

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ing the country,” said Shorooq Abu Nasser, founder of I-Care.

“Somehow, I feel responsible and can’t simply pass by a worker without giving him anything,” she added. The event kicked off at the Oman Automobile Association (OAA), the venue where volunteers were arranged in groups, each responsible for an assigned area for distribution.

“It is a very strong initiative. We

have to help others and not think of ourselves all the time. We hope I-Care continues its efforts many years to come,” said Moamin Al Rawahi, track manager of Muscat Speedway, HSE manager of OAA and head of Drive Smart Initiative.

Amid the soaring temperature in the Sultanate this year, construction workers are being forced to rest during hot hours under open sunny skies.

According to the Labour Law issued by Ministerial Decision No. 286/2008, Article 16 prohibits the employment of workers at construction sites, or in open spaces, during periods of high temperature, particularly from

12:30pm to 3:30pm in the months of June, July, and August. Despite that, construction workers are still left to rest under the sun adjacent to the site without proper resting facilities.

Water was distributed to Ruwi, Darsait, Hamriyah, Wadi Kabeer, Muttrah, Qurm, Madinat Al Ilam, Shatti Qurm, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Boshar, Al Khuwair, Al Athaiba, Al Ansab, Ghubra, Ghala and Seeb.

Shurooq revealed plans for Ramadan and Eid, saying, “Meals will be distributed during Ramadan days and packages” and meals will be given out at local mosques on time for iftar.

MUSCAT: Customers will now be able to specify a time for their mail to be delivered and Oman Post staff will visit to collect the mail from the place of the customer.

This becomes possible as Oman Post Company has launched a new service called ‘Door-to -door.’ The new service is available inside Oman and the delivery is done upon receiving a request from the customer.

Under the new service that promises to ensure safety and speed. Those in the government or private sector can just call the post office for their mail packages to be collected from their place.

“These postal services connect urgent mails to various government institutions within a specified time band indicated by the customer himself. These services also foresee the privacy required by some private sector clients for their transactions, such as banks and insurance companies. The door-to-door service will involve delivery of local mail from the sender’s address to the messenger service to him up to 30 kg of weight.

In this plan, the applicant will contact the company to deliver postal shipment for it to be delivered within the borders of the Sultanate,” a release said.

The service is an effort to cope with the requirements of the customers and develop the postal services market.

AV I AT I O N

Oman Air wins another global award Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air has won the Best Business Class Airline 2015 – Middle East category in the Business Destinations Travel Awards. The award recognises the outstanding quality of Oman Air’s Business Class passenger experience, both on the ground and in the air.

This year marks the fourth time Oman Air has won the award, having previously taken the title in 2011, 2012 and 2013. No other airline has won the award as many times as Oman Air. Paul Greogowitsch, CEO Oman Air, welcomed the award, saying: “Oman Air is delighted to accept the title of Best Business Class Airline 2015 – Middle East in the

Business Destinations Travel Awards. It is a wonderful accolade to receive as we continue our ambitious expansion programme, which will enable many more air travellers to enjoy the Oman Air Business Class passenger experience.

“This is the fourth time that Oman Air has been presented with this award, which is a wonderful testament to the consistently high standard of our premium product. Over that time, we have continued to introduce more innovations and add even greater luxury to our Business Class service. For example, we have unveiled new airport lounges, introduced a superb premium check-in lounge at Muscat and launched a range of new products and servic-

es for our Sindbad frequent fliers.

“However, perhaps the most noticeable development has been the introduction of brand new Business Class cabins on our new Airbus A330 and Boeing B737 aircraft. Unveiled in late 2014, these retain the comfort and luxury of their predecessors, whilst adding even more features and contemporary styling.

“As a result, we are experiencing even greater demand for Business Class seats throughout our international network, and last year we carried more passengers than ever before. I would therefore like to thank the Business Destinations Travel Awards judges for this invaluable recognition and, most importantly, our customers for their loyalty”

LUXURY ON AIR: This is the fourth time that Oman Air has won this award.

CLASSICAL DRAMA

Royal Opera House Muscat to hold auditions for extras Times News Service MUSCAT: Offering local residents an opportunity to go on stage, the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is looking for ‘extras’, or amateurs in non-singing roles, for its production of Turandot, the opera selected for the inauguration of the Royal Opera House in 2011.

Set in ancient dynastic China, Turandot, Giacomo Puccini’s final masterwork, relates the mythical story of an imperial princess whose cold, vengeful heart is eventually won by a prince with a love so great that he would willingly sacrifice his life for her.

With all the magnificent original sets and costumes, Turandot will again be performed by the incomparable Arena di Verona, its Orchestra, Chorus and Corps de Ballet – on October 1, 3 and 4 this year. But this time, ROHM’s Turandot will include 51 extras.

This is a chance for amateurs to discover their talent and become part of the history of the Royal Opera House.

“Applicants will need to be available for all scheduled rehearsals and performances, although this does not necessarily mean that those selected (particularly children) will be required at all the times set out below. They may also be required to come in slightly earlier to don the costume

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ROLE 35 men: Age: 18 – 45. Size: Average build.

Height: 1m72cms–1m90cms. Roles: Soldiers, peasants, mandarins, executioners and princes.

Qualities: Men who love the theatre and arts, are passionate and like new experiences.

4 women: Age: 20 – 35. Size: Average build.

Height: 1m64 – 1m75. Roles: Peasant women and princesses. Qualities: Women who love music, are energetic and like new experiences.

12 children: Boys or girls: Age: 6 – 12. Size: Average build. Roles: Peasants and attendants. Qualities: Children who love music, are energetic and like new experiences.

for dress rehearsals. For performances, they would need to come one hour early, at 18.00 for the 17.00 start. Single daily rehearsal would be from 16.00–20.30 hours on the following dates in September: Sunday through Thursday 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17.

“Saturday through Monday 19, 20, 21, twice daily rehearsals in September from 14.00–16.00 hours and from 18.30–22.00 hours Wednesday through Sunday September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

Once daily rehearsal in September from 14.00–8.30 hours, Monday and Tuesday, September 28

and 29. Performances are from 8.00 pm, arrival at 7 pm, on October 1st, 3rd and 4th,” a press statement said.

For the application process, the press release said, “Please send an email to extras@rohmuscat. org.om which includes: 1) a full length photograph of yourself; and 2) a headshot photograph; along with, 3) a covering e-mail telling us a little about yourself, including your name, age, height, clothing size and contact telephone number; and, 4) one or two concise paragraphs on why you would like to be involved.”

MO NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

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Millennium Resort Mussanah e-services target young guests The services include mobile phone applications for hotel reservations and check-ins, online feedback from guests, and iPads for presentations and showcasing the services

DREAM DESTINATION: There is a growing interest among international tourists visiting the Sultanate, and Millennium Resort Mussanah as a fully-integrated beach resort that is perfectly positioned to offer some of the best of Oman in terms of tourism products and facilities, as well as nearby historical and natural sites of interest. -Supplied photo

RAHUL DAS

rahuldas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Latest hospitality buzzword among the newest line of hotels is “millennial”, referring to Generation Y, and the race is heating up between hoteliers to grab a fair share of the burgeoning Omani market. One immensely important consumer demographic comprises people born between 1980 and 1996 (aged 18 to 34), which presents a host of complex but exciting opportunities for the hospitality sector, nowhere more so than in Oman.

“To cater to this generation, Millennium Resort Mussanah is taking smart technology even further with the introduction of several e-services,” said Maurice de Rooij, General Manager of Millennium Resort Mussanah.

Speaking exclusively to the Times of Oman, he said that today’s travellers are constantly connected but with time constraints.

“They want instant information and they value services that save time. So we are introducing mobile phone applications for hotel reser-

vations and check-ins, online feedback from our guests, and iPads for presentations and showcasing our services,” said de Rooij.

Besides that, the resort is using Micros Systems’ software and hardware throughout its operation, including touch screen computers for serving staff to place orders, which are then sent to the kitchen and bars’ printers for preparation.

“This system is also being used in our outlets named M Station.

Then social media is used more frequently to interact with the guest and the hotel or to communicate promotions and offers. Advertising is now moving more towards e-marketing,” he said.

The resort, which has hosted over 334,677 guests since opening its doors, also supports a wide range of activities and initiatives.

“Millennium Resort Mussanah was the first resort to implement Omran’s ‘Musahamatee’ initiative.

As hosts of the pilot launch, held in partnership with Omran, the resort’s developer, guests can donate

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to Dar Al Atta’a (‘House of Giving’) directly at various points of billing to support local communities in Oman,” de Rooij added.

Community empowerment “In addition, the resort is empowering farmers in the Governorate of Al Batinah by using locallysourced fruit and vegetables to strengthen the local supply chain.

In the past year, Millennium Resort Mussanah has bought nearly 66,000 kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables from eight farms in the region to supply its four onsite restaurants,” he said further.

“We also sponsor and support local associations with hotel facilities, and Omani trainees from these venues are invited to complete their professional training at our resort,” said de Rooij.

“Regular cleaning of the beach is conducted to ensure that the hotel’s private coastline is well maintained; we invite local schools to participate in these cleanup campaigns and other environmental initiatives, as a means of sharing environmental values while promoting a strong work ethic,” he explained. This year for example, Millennium Resort Mussanah invited 20 local students and teachers from Al Khalil Bin Ahmed Al Farahidi School to take part in Earth Day 2015. The visiting students and faculty were welcomed to the resort where they participated in a recycling project organised by the venue.

“We also assist in training and educating young Omanis who aspire to a career in the hospitality sector and assist local handicraft companies to display their items, which are then sold to our guests.

We also support the writer and photographer Maher bin Malallah Al Zadjali for his book Musna’a – a Journey in Time Through the Wilayat,” he said.

To promote this hotel to the world, a wide variety of initiatives are being planned, he said.

“We run promotional campaigns all over the world alongside the Ministry of Tourism and other international offices, in addition to participating in international trade and exhibition shows like the Arabian Travel Market and Satte India. This has proven productive for Oman as a tourist destination and Millennium Resort Mussanah as a leading lifestyle destination,” he said. “There is a growing interest among international tourists visiting the Sultanate, and Millennium Resort Mussanah as a fullyintegrated beach resort that is perfectly positioned to offer some of the best of Oman in terms of tourism products and facilities, as well as nearby historical and natural sites of interest. The Damaniyat Islands are a mere 50 minutes away by boat and a world-class Unesco diving site, making it a prime location for snorkelling and diving activities,” he said.

De Rooij said that Millennium Resort Mussanah is the only fullyintegrated resort property for the group in this region that stands out for its location, with extensive sport and leisure facilities, including the famous Zayna Spa; a centre for wellness and rejuvenation, offering a whole host of treatments from an international team of professional therapists.

“The resort holds facilities such as the beach, marina, water, dive centre, a sailing school operated by Oman Sail, five swimming pools, and the uniqueness of Oman as a tourist destination. In addition, the resort hosts international world championship events in sailing and related marine activities as a preferred location for Oman-based companies to hold ‘away days’, as the resort has extensive beach, pool, leisure and marina facilities for both male and female guests respectively. Children are most welcome too and fully catered for,” he said.

RAMADAN TIMINGS

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Private firms flout law

“They say we are a private company, so why should we follow government company policy in Ramadan. They say we will schedule the Ramadan timings and you have to follow these,” said the expatriate employee, who wished not to be named.

‘For Muscat only’ “They also said that Ministry’s rules are for Muscat only,” he added. He also said that they cannot do anything but follow the company’s rules which were also implemented during last Ramadan.

Mohammad Kabir Ahmed, Managing Director of United Dreams LLC, said the workers should not be made to work for more than six hours a day. “We should follow the Ministry of Manpower’s rules and regulations,” he said.

He also said the Ministry of Manpower should carry out regular inspections during the Holy Month and urged employees to file a complaint if they are being made to work overtime.

“Many employees are not aware that they should work for only six hours and because of that, in some cases, small companies take advantage,” he said.

POST-ASHOBAA CLEANUP

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Residents thankful

“Emergency teams have done an outstanding job in responding to this storm. We thank them for the cooperation and understanding as the clean-up continues,” said a resident of Masirah.

Matar bin Salim bin Rashid Al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO) felicitated the 23rd Infantry Brigade who participated in the rescue operations during the tropical storm. -With inputs from ONA

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1,257,000

guests were booked into Muscat hotels and the revenues reached OMR147,194,000.>A6

RURAL OMAN

Al Lajal village, an oasis between mountains and valleys WADI AL MA’AWIL: Called the eastern gate of the wilayat of Wadi Al Ma’awil, the village of Al Lajal holds a unique charm for visitors.

Al Lajal is located in a wilayat of the Governorate of South Al Batinah, which borders the wilayats of Barka on the north-east, Nakhal in the south-east, and Al Awabi and A’Rustaq in the south-west. The Wadi Al Ma’awil is 100 kilometres from Muscat governorate.

Wadi Al Ma’awil includes many townships and villages, which are considered an oasis between the mountains and the valleys, including the village of Al Lajal, which is often referred to as an oasis and a pearl between the mountains. It is located in the east of the wilayat. It separates Wadi Al Ma’awil from the wilayat of Bidbid and Fanja town.

Al Lajal village is 50km from Muscat governorate.

It has several archaeological and tourist, economic and developmental milestones. It tells the story from the past to the present and looks up to the promising future with its unique location and natural treasures like the warm falaj

NATURAL BEAUTY: In the village of Al Lajal, there is a wadi, whose waters flow down throughout the year from the eastern mountains.

The residents of this area are famous for their friendliness and generosity. A stone castle with a number of rooms lies in the centre of the village. It is surrounded by a semi-circular wall, very skilfully tended to by the old Omani villagers.– ONA

(ancient irrigation system or water channels), springs, diverse farms, natural vegetation, and wildlife, part from trees, forts, towers, and old and modern mosques.

Residents of Al Lajal village are engaged in the traditional crafts and old industries, such as making

fabric, date-palm frond crafts, making sweets such as ‘halwa’, and also daggers and pottery. They also raise animals like camels and livestock, and breed bees for natural honey.

They also work in agriculture, trade and other professions. The village is famous for the cultivation of citrus,

like lemon, fodder, and varieties of date palm. Tourists from within and outside the Sultanate visit the village, especially in the rainy season and during the formation of ponds, which add to the beauty of the village.

In the village of Al Lajal, there

is a wadi, whose waters flow down throughout the year from the eastern mountains. The residents of this area are famous for their friendliness and generosity. The village has seen a lot of development and has electricity, paved roads, lighting and other services.

A stone castle with a number of rooms lies in the centre of the village. It is surrounded by a semicircular wall, very skilfully tended to by the old Omani villagers.

There is also an ancient village in the centre of Al Lajal, which is built with mud and whose remains can still be seen. There is also an old Al Qash mosque, built with Omani Sarooj or cement.

The village has several falaj systems, including Al Subaikha, which is characterised by its healthy water. It is the most famous and largest falaj in the village that feeds half of the town’s farms. It flows from the south-eastern mountains.

Al Qash falaj also flows from the same mountain, but its water is not as warm as Al Subaikha.

Sometimes it is referred to as Al Ghaith or Al Sagheer or ‘small falaj,’ which passes by Al Qash mosque, then meets the Al Subaikha falaj to water the farms of the town. The village of Al Lajal also contains Al Mahyool falaj, Al Mahdeeth falaj and Al Saleel falaj, which is also called Al Falaj Al Sharqi or ‘the Eastern falaj’.–ONA

Hotels’ revenues show impressive increase Oman hotels’ revenues last year stood at OMR216,526,000 compared to OMR198,835,000 in 2013, data shows ECONOMIC BOOM: The number of hotel guests in Oman in 2014 reached 2,426,000 compared to 2,048,000, the year before.–ONA

MUSCAT: Key performance indicators of hotels in the Sultanate have recorded a noticeable increase in revenue during the previous year compared to the figures of 2013.

The hotel revenues stood at OMR216,526,000 compared to OMR198,835,000 in 2013, according to the data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The revenues during 2014 included room revenues, which amounted to OMR126,316,000, food revenues totalling OMR50,579,000, beverage rev-

enues totalling OMR24,774,000, and miscellaneous revenues which stood at OMR4,858,000.

The number of hotels increased from 266 in 2013, to 287 in 2014.

The number of employees working in this sector in 2014, increased to 10,763, which included 3,381 Omanis and 7,382 expatriates, compared to 9,893 recorded in 2013, which included 3,195 Omanis and 6,698 expatriates.

The tourist nights recorded during last year reached 2,690,000 compared to 2,518,000 in 2013.

Omanis spent 895,000 nights in the Sultanate’s hotels in 2014,

while GCC nationals spent 258,000 nights, and other Arab tourists spent 145,000 nights. European and Asian visitors spent 689,000 and 511,000 nights, respectively.

The number of hotel guests in the Sultanate in 2014 reached 2,426,000 compared to 2,048,000, the year before.

During last year, the number of Omani guests reached 983,000, while GCC guests numbered 208,000. Other Arab guests numbered 104,000, while Europeans and Asians numbered 517,000 and 494,000, respectively.

The Governorate of Muscat topped the growth chart in 2014.

The number of guests recorded in Muscat hotels touched 1,257,000 and the revenues reached OMR147,194,000.

The tourist nights reached 1,712,000 and the occupancy rate was 61 per cent.

The number of visitors in the Dhofar governorate totalled 143,000, and they generated OMR13,120,000 in revenues. In the South A’Sharqiyah governorate, the number of guests in 2014, stood at 97,000, who generated OMR3,566,000, while the number in North A’Sharqiyah reached 55,000, and generated OMR2,094,000.

The North Al Batinah governorate generated OMR7,349,000 from 114,000, while hotels in South Al Batinah received 80,000 guests who generated OMR5,696,000.

The number of guests in the Musandam governorate reached 44,000 and they generated OMR11,114,000 in revenues, while hotels in the Al Buraimi received 123,000 guests who generated OMR1,697,000.

In A’Dhahirah governorate, 14,000 guests generated OMR187,000, while in A’Dakhiliyah 90,000 generated revenues of OMR5,487,000.–ONA

AGREEMENT SIGNED

Scientific bags to help pupils carry out experiments in labs Times News Service MUSCAT: Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), part of Nama Group, and the Ministry of Education represented by the Directorate General of Education, the project for distributing scientific bags was formalised.

A scientific bag contains material to carry out various scientific experiments which suit different age groups. A total of 150 bags will be distributed to schools’ laboratories in Muscat.

Saeed bin Abdullah Al Battashi, head of the section of Energy Efficiency & Conservation at the MEDC, stated that “the company’s participation in the scientific bags project is a part of the memorandum of understanding between the two institutions which was signed in November 2014 and was among several projects for school students in the governorate of Muscat. It is considered a very interesting project for students as it contains educational experiments that develop students’ talents.”

Al Battashi further added, “The company supports this project as part of the role it envisions for itself to ensure sustainability. This year and the past year, the MEDC participated in several initiatives, such as ‘The book portfolio’ and ‘We live with

This year and the past year, the MEDC participated in several initiatives, such as ‘The book portfolio’ and ‘We live with electricity’ competition Saeed Al Battashi MEDC section head

electricity’ competition.”

As a gesture of the ministry, the MEDC’s website link was added on the educational portal’s website to make it accessible to all who want to take a look at the company’s site and understand more about its services and various activities.

The ‘We live with electricity’ initiative comes as a result of the

cooperation between the directorate and the MEDC. It features a contest for students of different age groups to express their understanding regarding saving electricity through their drawings.

The contest received a lot of participation as the final entries were shortlisted by the judging committee.

MO NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

REGION

Eight young Tunisians were kidnapped... close to Tripoli Hussein Yahyaoui, Tunisian lawmaker

VERDICT

Egypt refers 58 to military trial; 23 others jailed for killings CAIRO: Egypt on Sunday referred 58 hardliners suspected of links with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to a military court over alleged “terrorist attacks” against the police and public property.

Also on Sunday, an Egyptian court has sentenced 23 people to 14 years in prison for the killings by an angry mob of four men outside Cairo two years ago. The four dead were among attacked in June 2013 by a mob of several hundred residents as they gathered at a house in the town of Abu Musallam. The court handed down the sentences on Saturday, acquitting eight other defendants, a court official said. Prosecutors accuse the 58 hardliners, 37 of whom are in custody, of working for the Brotherhood and carrying out “terrorist attacks” between August 2013 and October 2014.

They were charged with “attempted murder of police officers, acts of sabotage against public buildings and property, resisting security forces, and vandalism”, a prosecution statement said.

It said the accused wanted to deal a blow to the Egyptian economy, already battered by years of political turmoil, and sow terror among the people.

The authorities have waged a crackdown against the Brotherhood since the army overthrew former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, and accuse the movement of being behind attacks against the security forces.

The Brotherhood, which scored major political gains after the 2011 ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak, was blacklisted as a “terrorist group” after Morsi’s overthrow. Hundreds of civilians have been tried before military tribunals since President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the former army chief who ousted Morsi, issued a decree in October allowing military trials of civilians suspected of attacking state infrastructure. — AFP

Houthis head to Geneva for UN-sponsored peace talks After repeatedly delaying their departure, the delegation left from the capital Sanaa aboard a UN plane for the Swiss city, where the talks are due to start today

SANAA: A delegation of Yemeni rebels headed on Sunday for UNsponsored peace talks in Geneva as their forces gained ground by seizing a provincial capital near the border with Saudi Arabia.

After repeatedly delaying their departure, the delegation left from the capital Sanaa aboard a UN plane for the Swiss city, where the talks are due to start on Monday, a day late. The UN’s peace envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said in a statement that Monday would see the start of “preliminary inclusive consultations” bringing together the country’s warring factions for the first time.

Appeal He appealed for participants to take part “in good faith and without pre-conditions, and in a climate of trust and mutual respect”.

Yemen has been wracked by conflict between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognised government of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The rebels, supported by military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have seized control of large parts of the

PEACE TALKS: From left, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Special Envoy for Yemen Saleh Al Qunaieer, GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al Zayani, United Nations (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, pose after a meeting on Sunday at the UN office in Geneva on the eve of Yemen peace talks. – AFP

country including Sanaa, forcing Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh has been leading a campaign of air strikes against the rebels since March 26 but has so far failed to force them from territory they have seized.

On Sunday the rebels faced little resistance as they took control of Al Hazm, the main city of Jawf province, residents and pro-government fighters said.

The city lies only 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of the border with Saudi Arabia.

In Yemen’s main southern city of Aden, coalition air strikes on Sunday killed 13 rebels, a military source close to them said.

Fighting raged on across several districts of Aden, residents said, accusing the rebels of firing Katyusha rockets on residential areas

and destroying at least six homes.

And in Daleh farther north, six rebels and four pro-government fighters died in 24 hours of clashes, the province’s deputy governor said. Analysts say the conflict has reached a deadlock and pressure has been mounting for an attempt at a political solution.

The rebel delegation that left Sanaa on Sunday included five representatives from the Houthis and Saleh’s General People’s Congress party, an aviation official and a source close to the rebels said.

Hassan Zaid, the head of opposition party Al Haq, was also in the delegation and two other Houthis were heading to Geneva.

Representatives of Hadi’s government had arrived on Saturday for the talks, which had been due to start on Sunday but were de-

TRIPOLI

Eight Tunisians kidnapped in Libya TUNIS/TRIPOLI: Eight Tunisian citizens working in Libya’s capital Tripoli have been kidnapped not far from the city, a local politician told Tunisian state radio on Sunday, two days after gunmen snatched 10 staff from the Tunisian consulate.

Libya is in turmoil, with two rival governments and their armed factions battling for control.

Armed groups have kidnapped foreign nationals and diplomats in the past year to try to pressure their governments to release jailed Libyan militants.

“Eight young Tunisians were kidnapped... close to Tripoli,” local lawmaker Hussein Yahyaoui told state Tataouin Radio. Tunisian officials did not immediately

confirm the abduction. No group has claimed responsibility for kidnapping the consular staff, but Tripoli’s self-declared government said it hoped they would be freed soon after making contact with the captors and hearing the hostages were in good condition.

Arrested Tunisian authorities last month arrested Walid Kalib, a member of Libya Dawn, the armed group that took over Tripoli last summer. On Thursday, a Tunisian court refused to free Kalib, who faces kidnapping charges in Tunisia.

Libya Dawn, a loose alliance of former rebel brigades and harliners’-leaning groups, seized power in Tripoli, expelling the existing

government, which now operates from the east of the country, and setting up its own. It also reinstated a previous parliament.

Meanwhile, in Tripoli, a Libyan militant alliance said it had largely driven IS group militants out of their stronghold city of Derna after declaring war on the rival group last week. Street fighting has raged for several days between members of the local umbrella group Majlis Mujahideen and IS loyalists, who have been trying to increase their influence in the port city for more than a year.

Derna, a conservative city where hardliners resisted Muammar Gaddafi before his 2011 fall, was the first place IS tried to gain support in Libya. A Majlis spokes-

I C C WA R R A N T

Court bars Sudan’s Bashir from leaving South Africa JOHANNESBURG: A South African judge barred Sudan’s indicted president from leaving the country on Sunday, in a deepening rift between Africa and the West over what Pretoria called antipoor country bias in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

President Omar Al Bashir, visiting South Africa for an African Union summit, stands accused in an ICC arrest warrant of war crimes and crimes against humanity over atrocities committed in the Darfur conflict. He was first indicted in 2009. A judge is expected on Monday to hear an application calling for Bashir’s arrest, though this appears unlikely as South Africa’s government has granted legal immunity to all African Union delegates.

South African President Jacob Zuma’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) responded furiously to Sunday’s court order, accusing the Hague-based ICC of seeking to impose selective Western justice by singling out Africans. “The ANC holds the view that the International Criminal

A7

IN THE DOCK: Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir wipes his eyes as he attends the opening session at the 25th African Union Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Sunday. – AFP

Court is no longer useful for the purposes for which it was intended,” the ANC said in a statement.

“Countries, mainly in Africa and Eastern Europe... continue to unjustifiably bear the brunt of the decisions of the ICC, with Sudan being the latest example.”

Judge Hans Fabricius postponed the hearing until 0930 GMT on Monday to allow the government time to prepare its case, urging South African authorities to “take all necessary steps” to

prevent Bashir leaving the country. Sudan’s government defended the South African visit of Bashir, who was sworn in this month in Khartoum for another five-year term, and said the court order had “no value”. “We contacted South Africa in advance and informed them that the president would participate and they highly welcomed his participation,” Sudan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kamal Ismail, told reporters in Khartoum. — Reuters

man told local Libyan Nabaa TV that more than 70 IS militants had surrendered during the fighting, in which some were severely wounded. “Ninety per cent of Derna city is now under the control of Majlis,” he said. “Majlis forces are dealing carefully with the snipers around the city.” Confirming details on the ground is complicated in places like Derna where there is little state presence. But local residents said on Saturday that armed locals had joined with Majlis forces to push back IS militants and retake parts of the city.

Majlis, a hardline outfit linked to former rebel groups who fought Gaddafi, enjoys some local support in Derna going back to the revolution. — Reuters

layed after the rebels refused to board a UN plane that had been scheduled for a stopover in Saudi Arabia. The talks had first been due to take place on May 28 but were postponed.

In Geneva for preliminary meetings, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was to take part in the opening session of the talks.

He has said the negotiations are aimed at securing a ceasefire, agreeing on a withdrawal plan for the Houthis and stepping up humanitarian aid deliveries.

The delegations would “start with what we call proximity talks in two separate rooms with the hope they can be brought together,” UN spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told reporters in Geneva.

The UN Security Council and Ban have both called for a re-

newed humanitarian halt in the fighting following a five-day truce last month. The Security Council this week heard a report from new UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien describing Yemen’s humanitarian crisis as “catastrophic,” with 20 million civilians in need of aid -80 per cent of the population.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that 2,584 people had been killed in fighting in Yemen as of June 7, with 11,065 wounded.

International powers are keen for a resolution to the conflict, fearing the growing power of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni branch of the militant network which has taken advantage of the chaos to seize territory including the southeastern city of Mukalla. — AFP

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MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

INDIA

It is a unique event and a matter of great pride and the public broadcaster would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the broadcast is of highest international standards A. Surya Prakash, Prasar Bharati chairperson

DRIVING LICENCE

PROTEST AGAINST RAIL TICKET PRICE HIKE Activists of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) stop a train at Rajendra Nagar terminal during a protest against the NDA government for rail ticket price hike, in Patna on Sunday. - PTI

Hindi, 3 other Indian languages find place in UAE driving tests DUBAI: Four Indian languages including Hindi can be chosen while appearing for driving tests here in the UAE from September.

Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Chinese, Russian and Persian languages can be opted by aspiring drivers besides the three existing languages for both theory tests as well as eight mandatory lectures.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which currently conducts tests in three languages — English, Urdu and Arabic, will offer knowledge tests and lectures in seven more languages from September.

“We will be having text on screen as well as voice over in 11 languages, which the candidate can listen to through headphones. In case a person cannot read, a voice will read out the questions and then the candidate can choose the correct answer from multiple options available,”

Sushma in row over travel documents of Lalit Modi According to British media which quoted leaked emails, British MP Keith Vaz cited External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s name to put pressure on UK’s top immigration official to grant British travel papers to ex-IPL boss

NEW DELHI: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was on Sunday at the centre of a major row for helping scamtainted former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi to obtain British travel documents but found strong support from the government and the BJP which rejected opposition demands for her resignation.

The genesis of the controversy was disclosure of emails showing that she had spoken to Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz and its High Commissioner James Bevan favouring the grant of travel documents to Lalit Modi, who is wanted in India and has made London his home since 2010 to avoid a probe in this for alleged betting and misappropriation of funds in the T20 cricket tournament.

According to British media which quoted leaked emails, Vaz cited Swaraj’s name to put pressure on UK’s top immigration official to

IN THE EYE OF STORM: Sushma Swaraj with former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi during an IPL match in New Delhi in 2010. - PTI file photo

grant British travel papers to Lalit Modi, who subsequently got the documents in less than 24 hours.

Vaz also offered to help Swaraj’s nephew Jyotirmay Kaushal to apply for a British law degree course, the report said.

Reports After the reports surfaced, 63-year-old Swaraj said in a series of tweets that she had taken a “humanitarian view” and conveyed to the British High Commissioner that they should examine Modi’s request as per their rules and “if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi - that will not spoil our bilateral relations”.

“I genuinely believe that in a situation such as this, giving

emergency travel documents to an Indian citizen cannot and should not spoil relations between the two countries,” the External Affairs Minister said.

“I may also state that only few days later, Delhi High Court quashed the UPA Government’s order impounding Lalit Modi’s passport on the ground that the said order was unconstitutional being violative of fundamental rights and he got his passport back,” Swaraj said.

On Vaz reportedly offering to help Swaraj’s nephew to apply for a British law degree course, she said, “Regarding Jyotirmay Kaushal’s admission in a Law course at Sussex University, he secured admission through the normal admission process in 2013 — one year

before I became a minister.”

Swaraj’s husband Swaraj Kaushal and daughter Bansuri have reportedly been lawyers for Lalit Modi.

Call to investigate Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has written to Kathryn Hudson, UK parliamentary standards commissioner, urging her to investigate whether Vaz had breached the MPs’ code of conduct.

Giving the chronology of events, Swaraj said on Twitter, “Sometime in July 2014, Lalit Modi spoke to me that his wife was suffering from cancer and her surgery was fixed for 4th August in Portugal.

He told me that he had to be

present in the hospital to sign the consent papers.

“He informed me that he had applied for travel documents in London and the UK Government was prepared to give him the travel documents.

However, they were restrained by a UPA Government communication that this will spoil IndoUK relations.

“Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that the British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules... If the British Government chooses to give travel documents...that would not spoil our bilateral relations,” she added.

According to the British media, Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz cited the name of Sushma Swaraj to put pressure on UK’s top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Lalit Modi.

Lalit Modi is facing an Enforcement Directorate(ED) probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL. Illegal betting He has been in the UK since 2010 when the IPL was caught in a huge storm over an alleged illegal betting scandal.

The ED had also issued a lookout notice against him.

Meanwhile, rejecting opposition demands for Sushma Swaraj’s resignation, the government, the BJP as well as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday defended the Indian External Affairs Minister over the Lalit Modi travel documents issue, asserting that she had done no wrong and only acted on “humanitarian” grounds.

“We want to make it clear that whatever she has done is right.

We justify it and the government completely stands by her,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversy. -PTI

Arif Al Malek, Director of Drivers Training and Qualifications at RTA, was quoted as saying by a leading newspaper.

The mandatory lectures and knowledge test are required to obtain a driving licence.

The computer-based knowledge test needs to be passed by every candidate before moving on to the practical driving classes.

The 30-minute test includes the text on screen and the voice over.

“We already have lectures in some of these languages, but we will be upgrading our system soon to conduct the lectures in a more organised manner so that every candidate has thorough knowledge of what it takes to drive on roads. For this we will ensure candidates are taught in the language of their choice,” Al Malek added.

Driving schools in Dubai welcomed the move to introduce new languages. -PTI LURING VOTERS

‘Cash for votes has brought disgrace to Tamil Nadu’

P. Chidambaram

SIVAGANGA: Decrying the use of money to lure voters in elections, former union minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday said it has brought “disgrace” to Tamil Nadu and asked people to take a vow not to accept cash for votes.

“Disbursement of cash for votes has brought disgrace to Tamil Nadu all over the country where people ask how much money will you get for the next election, Rs500 or Rs1,000 (per vote),” the senior Congress leader said.

He was making an apparent reference to allegations of widespread disbursement of cash for votes in the state in past elections, including last Lok Sabha polls.

Hoisting the Congress flag at 22 places in the district, his native, he said people should take a vow not to take money for casting votes in any poll.

Without naming the ruling AIADMK, he said one party in the state which was “cash-rich is very insolent” because they thought they could buy votes. Chidambaram, who had represented Sivaganga constituency in Lok Sabha, claimed several people told him that they were not even aware of their present (AIADMK) MP. Chidambaram’s son Karti unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha election from Sivaganga.-PTI

GEARING UP

Doordarshan plans Republic Day-like coverage of International Yoga Day NEW DELHI: Public broadcaster Doordarshan has readied plans for a Republic Day-like coverage of International Yoga Day event to be held at Rajpath where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present.

Doordarshan would be deploying more than 20 hi-definition cameras for the coverage of the event on June 21, declared as International Yoga Day by the UN, sources said.

While two cameras will be positioned atop India gate, there will be other cameras on jibs and another one on a several feet high hydraulic crane to give a bird’s eye view of the entire Rajpath from India Gate to Vijay Chowk.

It is expected that a record breaking number of people would participate in collectively performing yogic asanas at the event.

Around 18 cameras will cover the main stage and also ensure an all-round coverage of the performances, sources said, adding the aim was to have a Republic Daylike coverage.

Several Outdoor Broadcast vans for live coverage will also be put into service.

Sources say latest equipment will be used to ensure that the coverage is of international standards.

A special team comprising engineers, cinemtographers, scenic and property experts will be on duty for the live telecast of the event.

Most of these crew members have experience in the outdoor production of mega events like Independence Day, Republic Day, Commonwealth Games etc, sources added.

When contacted, Prasar Bharati

REHEARSAL: Participants take part in yoga during the practice session of International Day of Yoga Rehearsal Camp at Jawarhar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. -PTI

Chairperson A Surya Prakash said, “It is a unique event and a matter of great pride and the public broadcaster would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the broadcast is of highest

international standards.”

Ahead of the first International Yoga Day celebrations on June 21, Indian yoga guru Ramdev on Sunday held a preparatory session with a large number of his

followers and children at Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium here. Braving rains, 5,200 teachers from his Patanjali Yogpeeth and other practioners including children rehearsed a 35-minute long “Common Yoga Protocol” formulated by AYUSH Ministry this morning.

The rehearsal yoga programme was attended by those who will participate in the main programme on International Yoga Day at Rajpath, said S. J. Tijarwala, spokesman of Ramdev.

Ramdev also demonstrated a package of Yogic Asanas that keeps people healthy and helps them lead a medicine-free life, he said.

People from other faiths, including Mufti Sahmoon Qasmi, general secretary of an organisation of Imams, attended the session, he stated.

Later, the yoga guru said on a mi-

croblogging site Twitter: “Whole world should get up in morning & do yoga for a medicine-free healthy life.”

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday welcomed celebration of Yoga Day on June 21 but condemned the way Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its“offshoots” are playing “communal card” through it.

“Our party is not against programmes to be held on the International Yoga Day on June 21 and welcomes it.

But we condemn the way BJP and its offshoots are trying to play dirty game of using communal card on the occasion,” she told reporters here.

She also accused the Narenda Modi government of starting “new controversial traditions” but did not elaborate. - PTI

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INDIA DORNIER AIRCRAFT

RAINFALL 5% ABOVE NORMAL UNTIL NOW People walk during rains in Gurgaon on Sunday. The country has received five per cent more rainfall than the normal limit until now even as northwest India, the southern peninsula and Central India have received below normal rainfall, the MET department said on Sunday. Overall, the country received 53.5 mm of rainfall as compared to normal rainfall of 50.5 mm of precipitation from June 1 till date. - PTI

Underwater search for missing plane begins CHENNAI: Naval submarine INS Sindhudhvaj has begun underwater search along the coastline of south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to trace the missing Coast Guard Dornier aircraft even as an expert team started scouring the area to locate the plane’s cockpit voice data recorder.

“Submarine INS Sindhudhvaj arrived in the area (coastline in Karikkal-Cuddalore region) late on Saturday and commenced underwater search,” a Coast Guard statement here said.

The search is to confirm the transmission of 37.5 Khz from sonar locator beacon of the missing aircraft, reported by INS Sandhayak on June 12, it said.

“In order to provide further fillip to the search, ICGS Vigraha has embarked with a National Institute of Oceanography (NIOT) team and a black box detector.

“The search probe will be lowered at sea for reception of the

FA K E D E G R E E C A S E

‘Tomar not cooperating with probe’

Ex-servicemen hold protests over pension scheme’s delay The protests come after talks — both formal and backchannel — with the government failed as

Jitendra Singh Tomar

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Sunday said former Law Minister of the national capital Jitendra Singh Tomar was “not cooperating” in the investigation in the fake degree case, saying he was “reluctant” to answer questions during interrogation.

Granted two-day extended police custody of Tomar by a court here on Saturday, the cops were unable to utilise the first day as educational institutes and government offices where they intended to take him were closed being a Sunday.

A senior police officer said that when Tomar was being questioned by the investigating team, he was reluctant to answer and was “not cooperating” in the investigation.

Senior police officials said they may take the AAP MLA to some colleges in Delhi and the National Capital Region ton Monday, which could reveal more details in the probe.

Delhi Police claimed that documents produced by him were “fabricated” and charges under Prevention of Corruption Act might also be invoked in the case.

The police had also said that Tomar, who quit as the Law Minister of Delhi after his arrest, was required for further custodial interrogation to know about the persons who had allegedly connived with him in procurement of purported fake educational certificates. - PTI

signal from the beacon of the aircraft,” the statement said.

Inspector General S. P. Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard (East), Chennai, said that the missing aircraft is equipped with a cockpit voice data recorder.

“Our team of four scientists is on board a Coast Guard ship to help locate the cockpit voice data recorder of the missing plane,” Director of Chennai-based NIOT, M. A. Atmanand said.

Meanwhile, the search for the missing aircraft and its threemember crew by CG and Naval ships and aircraft continued for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday. Eight ships and aircraft of CG and Navy have been deployed for the search with the Coast Guard and naval aircraft logging in 124 hours in the operations.

National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad was requested by the Coast Guard to provide it the satellite imagery of the aircraft. - PTI

the ex-servicemen were not given a specific timeline for the implementation of the long-pending One Rank, One Pension UP IN ARMS: Ex-servicemen of Gujarat state protest to demand the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme in Ahmedabad on Sunday. - PTI

NEW DELHI/JAIPUR: Hundreds of ex-servicemen took to the streets on Sunday across the country protesting delay in the implementation of the ‘One Rank, One Pension’(OROP) policy, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi forthwith fulfil his promise made a year back on it.

The former soldiers have threatened to go an a relay hunger strike from Monday and also seek the intervention of President Pranab Mukherjee.

The protests comes after talks — both formal and back- channel — with the government failed as the ex-servicemen were not given a specific timeline for the implementation of the long-pending One Rank, One Pension.

Committed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday sought to assuage their concerns, saying the promises made will be kept and that they should be “patient”.

“I assure you whatever we have promised that all would be done... but some people need to be patient,” Parrikar said addressing a conference in Jaipur on challenges and solutions regarding border safety.

Close to 2.2 million ex-servicemen and over 600,000 war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme which envisages uniform pension for the defence personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

“Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when he or she retired.

So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws less pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.

The ex-Defence personnel said this policy was “lopsided” and needed to be rectified.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured us that it will be implemented, but it has been one year,” said Col.(retd)Anil Kaul, the media advisor to Indian ExServicemen Movement (IESM) at a rally in Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Protests were also held in Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala,Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other states covering over 50 cities, he said.

Major Gen(retd) Satbir Singh, vice-chairman of IESM, told the media that the protests will continue till OROP is implemented.

The ex-servicemen maintained that they were not against any government but are pressing to get their long-pending dues.

They also said that they have sought an appointment with the President Pranab Mukherjee to take up this matter.

The Modi government has said that it is committed to OROP, one

of its key poll promises, but has been unable to implement it till now, they said.

In his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio talk, Modi had assured ex-servicemen that his government would soon resolve the OROP issue but this has not happened, they lamented.”

The Prime Minister’s voice still echoes in our minds when he roared at the ex-servicemen rally on September 15, 2013, in Rewari and demanded a white paper on OROP from the UPA Government.

He did not stop there, but declared that had there been BJP government in 2004, OROP would have been reality by now,” a statement released by the Indian ExServicemen Movement (IESM), which is spearheading the agitation, said.

It said that ex-servicemen had believed Modi as they had found a leader who had the will to approve the long-standing demand of OROP.

“Ex-servicemen all over India not only voted for Modi (PM candidate) but as they also were the opinion makers in rural India where a majority of the defence personnel reside. Consequently BJP received an unprecedented mandate,” it said.

Interestingly, some farmers’ groups and students from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University also joined the protests on Sunday.

The slogan of ‘Jai Kisan, Jai Jawan’ was raised as a group of farmers joined the protest at Jantar Mantar here to support the exservicemen.

Even though the government has said it is committed to implementing OROP, there has been no official word on why the scheme is getting delayed, they said.

Defence ministry sources said that the OROP file is with the Finance Ministry for a final budgetary approval.

Meanwhile, a group of ex-servicemen considered to be close to the RSS, wrote over the weekend to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking the implementation of OROP so as to not“breach the trust” lakhs of retired soldiers.

In an open letter, it also sought that a definite date be declared for the implementation of OROP. Recalling that Modi had at a September, 2013, rally at Rewari promised to look after armed forces personnel if elected to power at the Centre, the Akhil Bharatiya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad said OROP is a burning and emotive issue.

“The ex-servicemen across the country felt that finally here was a political party that is friendly and empathetic towards the cause of a soldier.

“As a result, most of us went all out to campaign for the BJP throughout India,” Lt Gen.(retd) VM Patil, president of the Parishad, said in the letter. - PTI

B I L AT E R A L R E L AT I O N S

‘Sino-India ties on upward trajectory after Xi, Modi visits’ MUMBAI: Sino-India ties have been taken on an upward trajectory by the recent visits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top Chinese leader Zhang Dejiang said on Sunday.

Zhang, who is chairman of the standing committee of People’s National Congress of China and third in the heirarchy, is leading a Chinese parliamentary delegation to India.

He also paid glowing tributes to Dr Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis, who was part of the Indian Medical Mission to war-torn China in 1938, saying he is the symbol of Sino-Indian friendship and his legacy should be carried forward.

“Indians demonstrated their friendship with China in its gravest hour,” he said while referring to Kotnis’ services and added that Kotnis is still commemorated and remembered in China and India.

Zhang said, “The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India followed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China recently took the ties between the two countries on upward trajectory. My trip here will keep up the momentum,” the Chinese leader said. Xi had visited India in September last year while Modi had gone to China last month.

The visiting dignitary was speaking at a gathering after meeting the late physician’s relatives and members of Dr Kotnis Memorial committee.

He also inaugurated an exhibition highlighting Kotnis’ life and times to mark the diamond jubilee celebration of Indian Medical Mission to China.

A team of five Indian physicians, of which Kotnis was a part, had provided medical assistance to Chinese soldiers fighting the Japanese in 1938.

Zhang described Dr Kotnis as a symbol of Sino-Indian friendship and stressed the need to carry forward his legacy.

In the eyes of Chinese people, Dr Kotnis and Indian Medical Mission represent the great and friendly people of India, he said.

“Dr Kotnis was a great friend of Chinese people. In 1938, at the age of 28, he bade farewell to his family in India and came to China which was facing Japanese aggression.

We remember his noble character and should carry forward his spirit,” Zhang said.

Describing the India-China friendship initiative of Dr Kotnis Memorial committee as a noble undertaking, he stressed the need to join hands to “give life” to the physician’s spirit.

Manorama, the 94-year-old sister of Dr Kotnis, called for increased people-to-people exchanges and cooperation

between the two countries.

Atul Hule, secretary of Vengurla-based Dr Kotnis Memorial Committee, said 2015-16 is the birth centenary year of Dr Kotnis’ wife Guo Qinglan.

“The committee has planned to observe it as a friendship year between India and China. We plan to construct a hospital at Vengurla in Sindhudurg district, the native place of Dr Kotnis.

“Similarly, Vengurla city would be developed into a clean and model city in Maharashtra. We also want to establish a’sister city’ concept of Vengurla with one of the cities from China,” he said. -PTI

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BOOST TO BILATERAL TIES: Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhang Dejiang with wife Xin Shusen waves on their arrival at Indian Air Force station Palam in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

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The US should try to destroy IS extremists

W

ith the campaign against IS faltering, US President Barack Obama has agreed to dispatch 450 more US troops to an Iraqi air base near the provincial capital of Ramadi, which the terrorists captured last month. The underlying logic of his policy, however, hasn’t changed. Rather than aiming to destroy IS, Obama is focused on limiting US engagement. The result is an under resourced effort that remains unlikely to succeed.

The new deployment, which will raise the number of US military personnel in Iraq to 3,550 at four different bases, would partly address some of the weaknesses in the US-led campaign to date. Administration officials say US trainers deployed to the Taqaddum base will work directly with minority sect tribesmen who are needed for any successful counterattack on Ramadi, but who have been marginalised — despite promises to the contrary — by the Iraqi government. Officials say they also plan to speed up US arms deliveries to these tribes and Kurdish militia, who remain outgunned by IS. Obama’s escalation nevertheless is most notable for excluding the steps that American and Iraqi commanders and military experts have been saying for a year are necessary to decisively reverse IS’ momentum. These include the deployment of US advisers to front-line Iraqi units, along with spotters who can call in airstrikes, and an increase of close-in air support. Such tactics worked during the US “surge” in Iraq, and they allowed Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance to overthrow the Taliban government in 2001-2002. That they are not being used now, despite IS’ recent gains, seems to be explained only by Obama’s political resistance to reversing his decision to withdraw US forces four years ago. A White House spokesman said Obama doesn’t want to do for Iraqis “what they can do for themselves.” But Iraqis cannot pilot attack helicopters or serve as tactical air controllers.

General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday that the new deployment might be the first of several to new bases around the country that would serve to prepare Iraqi army and tribal forces for assaults on other IS-held areas.

If that is Obama’s plan, then he should announce it and quickly move it forward. The incrementalism of his approach, with small and isolated steps taken too late, cannot change the momentum of the war.

IS continues to attract thousands of recruits and to inspire new affiliates abroad because of the widespread perception that it is holding the United States at bay.

Iraq’s speaker of parliament, Salim Al Jibouri, pointed out during a visit to Washington this last week that the longer IS holds cities such as Ramadi and Mosul — the latter of which fell a year ago this last week — the more dangerous it becomes. It is well within the capacity of the United States to destroy IS. But it won’t happen until the president makes that — and not the minimisation of US intervention — the objective that determines military deployments. — The Washington Post

REFORM PLAN NEEDED

China needs to fix its real economic woes ADAIR TURNER

A big boost for Urdu

T

he decision by Apple to introduce the Nastaliq script to its operating systems and make it available to users later this year is a significant triumph for Urdu, which has been struggling to hold its own, both against the onslaught from an ‘anglicised’ version of the language, increasingly used in the subcontinent in both written and spoken form and from the Arabisation it is confronting. The lack of keyboards specifically designed for Urdu has resulted in those using the Naskh script designed for Arabic to be used for Urdu typing. The decision to introduce Nastaliq comes after a long campaign, forming part of an attempt to save Urdu from being corrupted by the addition of outside influences. Indeed, this influence from the Middle East is especially notable at home,. Words have been subtly altered to sound more Arabic even though the results sometimes sound ridiculous.

The fact is that Urdu is a beautiful language used by poets, writers and scholars for centuries. The Nastaliq script, developed in 14th century Persia, brings with it a rhythm and flow that is unique. It has been used by calligraphers and others to depict the beauty of Urdu writing.

The step taken by Apple will help save a language which has faced a consistent threat.

The availability of Nastaliq on keyboards should encourage people to use the purer version of Urdu once more and prevent some of the corruption which we are currently seeing. A tool is now available to help ensure this. The willingness to use it and keep Arabic — another beautiful language — out of Urdu is important. It makes little sense to mingle the two and in the process ruin the elegance of both.

This is something about which we need to spread awareness. The campaign to introduce Nastaliq will now be taken to Microsoft as part of the effort to promote a language the subcontinent has used for centuries. — Express Tribune

Need to install timers at important traffic signals This is regarding the solutions to the traffic woes faced on Muscat’s roads. At the time of driving training, the learner is told about the importance of lanes at intersections and junctions. However, as per my observation, a large number of drivers simply overlook this important rule which results in major traffic jams. In my opinion, the essence of lane driving should be inculcated in such a manner that it also improves traffic flow.

The Royal Oman Police (ROP) is doing a commendable job in regulating the traffic by the use of state-of-the-art cameras that capture speeding and other offences. However, in case of people being trapped between the red and green light while crossing the intersections, the authorities need

to look into installing timers at all important traffic signals — like in many other countries all across the world — so that the drivers can be alerted to slow down to stop for an expected red signal. I hope that this suggestion can help us make Muscat a much better place to drive.

Joel Lobo Muscat

Speed up the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison I find it very strange that the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is still being run by the US. The inmates there comprise both innocents and criminals. All of them live in a state of dread and uncertainty as they are routinely tortured. It is indeed high time that the real face of the prison is exposed to the world

Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan depended on export-led growth to catch up with the developed economies.

But China – home to almost 20 per cent of the world population and responsible for 15 per cent of global output – is simply too large to depend solely on external markets

I

t is often assumed that emerging-economy living standards are bound to converge with those in developed countries.

But, leaving aside some oil exporters and the city-states of Hong Kong and Singapore, only three countries – Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan – have come from far behind to achieve per capita GDP of at least 70 per cent of the developed-country average over the last 60 years. China hopes to do the same, but it faces a distinctive challenge: Its sheer size.

Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan depended on export-led growth to catch up with the developed economies. But China – home to almost 20 per cent of the world population and responsible for 15 per cent of global output – is simply too large to depend solely on external markets. To reach the next stage of development, it will need to forge a different growth path – and that will require more difficult reforms than those on which attention is often focused.

To be sure, export-led growth has fueled China’s economic rise so far, with its current-account surplus growing to 10 per cent of GDP in 2008. But such high surpluses are ultimately impossible to sustain.

There simply is not enough import demand in the world to absorb ever-growing Chinese exports.

The global financial crisis exposed that reality. Before 2008, China’s massive surpluses were matched by unsustainable credit-fueled deficits in developed economies. When boom turned to bust, falling global demand hit China’s export sector, and threatened to increase unemployment.

In response, China turned to the domestic growth engine of credit-financed investment in infrastructure and real estate. Since 2008, credit has surged from 125 per cent of GDP to more than 210 per cent of GDP, enabling investment to increase from 42 per cent of GDP to nearly 48 per cent last year.

Across China, concrete was poured into apartment blocks, multilane highways, convention centers, railway stations, and airports. Real-estate investment now accounts for 15 per cent of China’s GDP, compared to less than 5 per cent in 2000; when related industries like steel and cement are taken into account, that figure rises to one-third of China’s GDP. Almost 60 million Chinese workers are employed in construction today, up from just below 20 million in 2007. China’s current growth path stands in stark contrast to that followed by Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. When those countries’ per capita GDP stood at current Chinese levels, real estate played only a minor role in their economies; indeed, the sector was often deliberately starved of credit.

The investment boom has kept China’s urban employment growing strongly. But a country needs only so much housing.

True, total capital stock per capita in China still

READERS’ FORUM NEW INDIA ASSURANCE New India offers a wide range of HEALTH INSURANCE COVERS to you/family/employee.

lags far behind that of developed countries. But a recent International Monetary Fund report reveals the startling fact that China has now surpassed Japan and South Korea in square meters of housing per capita, having reached a level near – or, in some smaller cities, well above – the European average.

As China’s construction frenzy ends, the economy is experiencing a major slowdown. By some estimates, China’s growth stalled almost completely in the first quarter of this year. Even official figures indicate that several provinces outside the more dynamic coastal regions are in outright recession.

This leaves China facing two major challenges.

One is financial: How to deal with the unsustainable debts of many local governments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Fortunately, the solutions here are obvious. Local-government debts can be shifted to the central government, or bank loans can be written off and banks recapitalised.

The second, more profound challenge relates to the real economy: How to redeploy workers and capital from the industrial sectors facing overcapacity and the most overbuilt cities.

This imperative is sometimes denied. Hundreds of millions of people, it is said, have yet to migrate to cities, where they will demand housing. But, given that almost half of China’s rural workers are already over 50 years old, many may never migrate. And China’s total population will begin to decline within 15 years. Far from being on the cusp of a wave of urbanisation, China is within 10-15 years of its completion.

Even if urbanisation did continue at a high rate, many workers would not migrate to the second- and third-tier cities where overcapacity is most extreme, but to the major coastal cities. Though the government can use its hukou (household registration) system to slow that migration, even it cannot direct people to the specific cities with the most excess capacity. So what can be done?

One option would be to export construction expertise and workers. Indeed, this is one rationale for China’s “one belt, one road” initiative, which aims to recreate the ancient overland and maritime Silk Roads connecting China to Europe.

But, as with any export-based strategy, the impact of this approach would be limited by the size of potential external markets, relative to China’s economy. No feasible level of construction exports can fully compensate for faltering domestic investment. Domestic consumption, supported by strong wage growth, must instead be the dominant driver of growth. The good news is that wages are already growing faster than GDP – a trend that is likely to continue, as demographic change restricts the supply of new labour.

Over the next decade, the number of Chinese aged 15-30 will fall by almost 25 per cent. — Project Syndicate

and the prisoners are released or relocated to correctional centres.

What’s more important is that the prison itself must be shut down immediately. Sensitivity and empathy towards our fellow beings is the need of the hour in our society, where gizmos and new fads have been given a dangerous place.

Terrorists and criminals must be punished, but the lost years of torture and dread of many innocent lives can never be justified. Let the shutdown of Guantanamo detention camp be hastened.

Anna Kavalam Muscat

website: www.newindiaoman.com

Bangladesh PM should flay the anti-women remarks

The future will be better tomorrow DAN QUAYLE

I found Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks against women very inflammatory

and derogatory. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in whose presence he made the comment, and the women in his cabinet should protest. The enlightened segment cannot believe that the country is helmed by a sexist and insensitive person.

Abdul Rasheed Muscat

No need for ban pop corns from cinema theatres I find it strange that people are calling for a ban on eating of pop corns in cinemas. The fact of the matter is that pop corns and moviegoers go hand in hand. This is a tradition and it seems those proposing this ban are ignorant of the culture of moviegoers.

Annabel Samuels Al Khuwair

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 (akhtar@timesofoman.com)

T I M E S OF OMAN

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PERSPEC IVE How about tackling the major issues Mr. PM? W

hen I switched on the telly a couple of days ago, PTV World, the least hysterical of the local TV channels, was televising the debate on the 2015-2016 federal budget. Attendance in the National Assembly (NA) was relatively thin. Suddenly, the prime minister walked in rather deliberately, shook hands with a few gofers and sat down close to his finance minister.

To emphasise the point that this was supposed to be an important event, the ticker at the base of the screen reminded us that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was attending the National Assembly session.

This, of course, gave me the impression that as a rule the prime minister did not make a habit of entering the National Assembly. I got a good look at some of the people who had been elected. Except for Mushahid Hussain, who always has a twinkle in his eye, the rest of the motley crowd appeared a little bored.

Once again PTV World came to the viewer’s rescue with another ticker which announced that the session was being chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq.

I always thought that that was what the speaker was supposed to do — chair meetings. Anyway, the speaker gave the floor to Tariqullah of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), who had been fidgeting for some time and wanted to be the first in line to give the nation a lesson in economics.

He had the right mixture of righteous indignation and outrage tempered by an irrepressibly jaunty optimism. But he came across as too linear, too single-issue, too obvious.

Afraid that somebody might steal his thunder he hit on a number of points in rapid succession from a prepared speech and occasionally looked up to see if anybody was listening.

Nobody appeared to be interested.

The camera picked out one lawmak-

ANWER MOORAJ

There are times when I wish somebody would stand up in the National Assembly at the risk of being expelled from his party, thump the table and say that most of what is discussed in the assembly is a lot of twaddle

er who was picking his nose, another who sat totally impassive, and a lady in white who sat two rows behind, her head suitably covered.

She remained expressionless and was probably wondering if her cleaning woman had turned up that morning. A ticker appeared which announced that a murderer convicted in 1992 of killing three people had just been hanged. We also learned that Sartaj Aziz had condemned the Indians for their provocative statements. A few other condemnations followed. Somebody said “We will not be provoked.” The Speaker suddenly interrupted the JI lawmaker to state that it would soon be time to offer prayers. I don’t know what happened after that because the electricity suddenly went off.

There are times when I wish somebody would stand up in the National Assembly at the risk of being expelled from his party, thump the table and say that most of what is discussed in the assembly is a lot of twaddle. Take for instance The Protection of Women Act. What is the point of re-introducing something which has been initiated and passed during the Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s heyday but never has and never can be implemented in this country?

Themes like protecting women and children are just ploys to divert attention from the real issues plaguing the country — issues like the desperate shortage of electricity and water both for agriculture and domestic consumption.

Currently the prime minister is obsessed with the Metro Bus Service which is being put together at phenomenal cost. Couldn’t this money have been used to set up small dams and water reservoirs or desalination plants, and to tap energy from the sun in the rural hinterland?

Or do we have to wait until some other party takes over? — Express Tribune

How often should you see the doctor?

L

arry is the sort of person who comes 30 minutes early to his appointment and brings a novel to read in the reception room. We talk blood pressure, the publishing industry, his prostate cancer history, his grandchildren. At the end of our visit, I recap our plan. We’ll try the higher dose of his beta blocker, keep a sleep diary to address his insomnia and start physical therapy for his arthritic knee. Then the clincher: Let’s see each other again in three months.

We rarely think about all the calculations that go into those final words. There’s the clinical question of when a diagnostic test might yield results or an intervention might take effect. Practically speaking, putting an appointment on the calendar means the patient and his problems are not (as we say in medicine) lost to follow-up.

And it constitutes a relationshipbuilding expression of concern: I care about your health. We are in this together.

As doctors, we usually base the timing of follow-up visits on some mix of habit and a gestalt of patient need, all within the arbitrary structure of the lunar calendar.

Not surprisingly, then, Dartmouth

ISHANI GANGULI

researchers have shown that visit rates vary tremendously.

In a study of Medicare data, they found that seniors in Grand Forks, North Dakota, average less than three visits each year, while those in East Long Island, New York, go to the doctor as many as 12 times a year on average. Patients tend to have more visits per year if they are sicker, the study found, but also if they live in an area with more doctors or with doctors who tend to ask patients to come in more often, even when adjusting for factors such as health status.

What the patient prefers seems to have no significant association with visit rates.

The timing of follow-up visits, in other words, has tended to fall under the art, rather than the science, of medicine. While studies suggest that connecting with a doctor is generally a good way to build a trusting relationship and to promote health, we don’t really know the right frequency of visits. The few studies that exist on the subject pertain to specific conditions, such as kidney failure: In one observational study of patients on haemodialysis, patients who had four visits per month had the same risk of death

and only a slightly lower risk of hospitalisation in the following year compared with those who had less-frequent visits. Several other studies, of prenatal care, for instance, have found that fewer visits may be just as good.

So the broader trend toward evidence-based practice in medicine hasn’t quite caught up with the basic question of how often to see your doctor. With appointments harder and harder to come by, medical costs still rising and a long-standing problem of both overuse and underuse of health care in the United States, doctors ought to pay closer attention to how and how often we ask patients to see us. Cutting out unnecessary visits would free up doctors to see patients who truly need care, shrinking lengthy wait times (like the 66 days it takes to book a physical in Boston, where I practice primary care) and potentially reducing visits to specialists or emergency departments for problems that primary-care doctors could treat better.

This is particularly important in light of the projected increase in visits by a growing insured population under the Affordable Care Act. — The Washington Post

College is not a commodity HUNTER RAWLINGS

P

ick up any newspaper or magazine, and you’re likely to see some lament about the economics of college: “Too many degrees are a waste of money,” says the Economist; an education spawns “crippling” debt, says Salon; it “isn’t worth the money,” says USA Today.

I entered academia 52 years ago as a student of Latin and Greek expecting to encounter a placid sector of American life. Now, with a college degree replacing a high school diploma as the required ticket for a career, what used to be a quiet corner is now a favourite target of policymakers and pundits. Unfortunately, most commentary on the value of college is naive or completely misses the point of higher education.

Increasingly, people evaluate college in purely economic terms, reducing it to a commodity like a car or a house.

How much does the average English major at University X earn 18 months after graduation? What is the average debt of University Y’s alumni? How much more does the average college grad earn over a lifetime compared with someone with only a high school diploma? (The current number appears to be about $1 million.)

There is now a cottage industry built around such data.

Even on purely economic grounds, such questions, while not useless, begin with a false assumption. If we are going to treat college as a commodity, and an expensive one at that, we should at least grasp the essence of its economic nature. Unlike a car, college requires the “buyer” to do most of the work to obtain its value. The value of a degree depends more on the student’s input than on the college’s curriculum. I have seen excellent students get great educations at average colleges and unmotivated students get poor educations at excellent colleges.

I have taught classes that my students made great through their efforts, and classes that my students made average or worse through their lack of effort. Though I would like to think I made a real contribution to my students’ learning, my role was not the sole or even the determining factor in the value of those courses to them.

The courses a student takes (or doesn’t take), the amount of work she does, the intellectual curiosity she exhibits, her participation in class, her focus and determination — all contribute far more to her educational outcome than the college’s overall curriculum, much less its amenities and social life. Yet the American national debate appears to believe that students simply receive their education from

colleges the way a person walks out of Best Buy with a television.

The results of this kind of thinking are pernicious. Governors and legislators, as well as the press, treat colleges as purveyors of goods, students as consumers and degrees as products. Students get the message. If colleges are responsible for outcomes, then students can feel entitled to classes that do not push them too hard, to high grades and to material that does not challenge their assumptions or make them uncomfortable.

Hence colleges too often cater to student demands for trigger warnings, “safe rooms” and cancellations of commencement speakers. When rating colleges, as everyone from the president to weekly magazines insists on doing nowadays, people use performance measures such as graduation rates and time to degree, as though those figures depended entirely upon the colleges and not at all upon the students.

This point is made succinctly by an apocryphal story about a university president who said this to new freshmen each year: “For those of you who have come here in order to get a degree: Congratulations, I have good news for you.

I am giving you your degree today, and you can go home now.

For those who came to get an education, welcome to four great years of learning at this university.”

So let’s acknowledge that college is not a commodity.

It’s a challenging engagement in which both parties have to play an active and risk-taking role if its value is to be realised.

Professors need to inspire, to prod, to irritate, to enable learning that can’t happen simply from reading books or watching films or surfing the Web. Good teachers “supply oxygen” to their classrooms, in the words of former Emory University president Bill Chace; they do not merely supply answers or facts.

The ultimate value of college is the discovery that you can use your mind to make your own arguments and even your own contributions to knowledge, as do many students pursuing research in college.

That, too, is a new sensation, and a very good one. Yes, it generally leads to higher career earnings. But it is the discovery itself that is life-changing.

To create what is, for most of us, that new sensation, you need a professor who provokes and a student who stops slumbering. It is the responsibility of colleges and universities to place students in environments that provide these opportunities.

It is the responsibility of students to seize them. Genuine education is not a commodity; it is the awakening of a human being. — The Washington Post

Twitter’s financial woes

TODAY IN HISTORY

Twitter CEO Dick Costolo is stepping down after failing to stem the messaging platform’s slowing user growth. Despite revenue of $1.4 billion last year, it hasn't made a profit since its stock market debut in 2013 *estimate by Twitter’s chief financial officer

Quarterly revenue $312m Q2

$361m Q3

Twitter share price ($)

50

Oct 9: $55.29

$479m Q4

$436m Q1

Oct 24: Share price falls following Q3 losses of $175m and user growth of just 4.8% over Q2

$470m* Q2

Apr 7: $52.87 Apr 27: $51.66

45 $35.84 40

Nov 10: $39.59

35

Apr 27-29: Share price falls 25% as Q2 revenue fails to meet expectations

2014: Report suggests 44% of users have never tweeted

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

1381

ELECTRICITY, WATER PANEL MEETS

1645 Oliver Cromwell’s army routs the

MUSCAT: The AGCC committee for electricity and water rationalisation met here yesterday under the chairmanship of Abdullah bin Ali bin Dawood, undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Water. Dawood said the committee discussed papers prepared by two working groups on electricity and water tariffs and use of the two services. He said the committee also discussed proposed measures including graded pricing of electricity and water consumption, and including the rational use of water and electricity as part of school syllabuses and the use of heat insulation. He said the committee will report recommendations to the AGCC panel meeting to be held in the first week of July. The committee also reviewed the topics to be discussed at the fifth Gulf Water Conference scheduled to be held in Qatar in March 2001.

The Peasant’s Revolt, led by Wat Tyler, climaxes when rebels plunder and burn the Tower of London and kill the Archbishop of Canterbury.

king’s army at Naseby.

1846

A group of settlers declare California to be a republic.

1907

Women in Norway win the right to vote.

1965

A military triumvirate takes control in Saigon, South Vietnam.

30 Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep Oct 2014

Source: Twitter, NYSE, Twopcharts

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Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2015 Graphic News /

Graphics

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Executions halted for a month in Ramadan It is a tradition that nobody is executed in Ramadan and the authorities have ordered that this tradition continues this year too, said Sindh province’s inspector general of prisons

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has imposed a one-month moratorium on executions during Ramadan, officials said on Sunday, giving a temporary reprieve to a death row prisoner whose lawyers say he was a juvenile at the time of the crime.

Shafqat Hussain was sentenced to hang for killing a seven-yearold boy in 2004, when his lawyers and family say he was under 18 and therefore not eligible for execution. But last Wednesday the Supreme Court rejected an application by Hussain’s lawyers to set up a judicial commission to determine his age.

On the same day, despite international condemnation, authorities hanged for murder another man who was said to have been a minor at the time of the crime and who was allegedly tortured into confessing.

“It is a tradition that nobody is executed in Ramadan and the authorities have ordered that this tradition continues this year too,” said Nusrat Mangan, Inspector General of Prisons in the southern

TEMPORARY REPRIEVE: Pakistani policemen keep vigil outside the central jail in Karachi on January 13, 2015, where authorities are said to have executed a prisoner. — AFP file photo

Nazeer Farooq, Inspector General of Prisons in the Punjab, said his department had not received a notification yet. He added that around 24 convicts had to be executed before Ramadan in any case

province of Sindh where Hussain has been held.

“We have to seek death warrants two weeks prior to hang any convict, so his hanging will take place after at least one month,” Mangan told AFP. An official in the federal interior ministry confirmed that a notification had been issued to halt executions during Ramadan, which starts this week in Pakistan.

But Nazeer Farooq, Inspector General of Prisons in the country’s most populous province of Punjab, said his department had not received such a notification yet.

“We have to execute around two dozen convicts before Ramadan in any case,” he told AFP. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan says the country has hanged over

150 convicts since restarting executions in December following a Taliban school massacre.

A moratorium on the death penalty had been in force since 2008, and its end angered rights activists and alarmed some foreign countries. Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, many of whom have exhausted all avenues of appeal.

Critics say the country’s criminal justice system is marred by police torture and poor legal representation, meaning many of those now facing the gallows have not had a fair trial. — AFP

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NGO working for children allowed to start operations ISLAMABAD: Days after authorities in the federal capital sealed the offices of international nongovernmental organisation Save the Children, the interior ministry has allowed the NGO to resume operations in Pakistan.

Save the Children has previously been accused of involvement with the Central Intelligence Agency and Dr Shakeel Afridi in tracking down the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

Suspending its first order in which it sealed offices and operations of the NGO in Islamabad earlier this week, the Ministry of Interior let the international NGO to continue its work in the country.

“The undersigned is directed to refer to this ministry’s letter of even number dated 11th June 2015 on the subject noted about. The competent authority has desired that the action on above letter may be held in abeyance till further order,” reads the letter issued by Ministry of Interior.

A copy the letter issued by a senior officer of the ministry is also available with The Express Tribune. “The organisation (Save the Children) can continue its work in Pakistan as it has been doing for

decades until any further orders,” a senior official of interior Ministry said. “We are in process of regulating all international NGOs and NGOs and all international organisations have been directed to follow the new laws or close their offices,” he added.

Streamlining operations Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has said the government is working on streamlining the operations of all non-profit organisations working in the country to regulate their activities.

Speaking to reporters outside the National Assembly in Islamabad on Friday, Nisar said a committee constituted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was working on drafting new laws to set a mechanism for operations of all such organisations. Sharif’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi heads the committee.

He added that no NGO working against the country’s national interest would be allowed to continue working in Pakistan.

“We just want to regulate the system. We do not want to shut down NGOs, which follow our laws.” — Express Tribune

N O S TA L G I A

Legendary Gwadar cinema lies in ruins KARACHI: A decade ago Gwadar was a tiny city but had immense opportunities for entertainment; one of them being Taj Mahal Talkies, a cinema very popular among the locals.

According to gwadar.pakvoices. pk, audiences would enjoy performances by renowned artists such

as Sultan Rah and Waheed Murad on a regular basis at the cinema.

Unfortunately, a decade ago Taj Mahal Talkies was shut down and all that remains is the edifice of a once imposing structure. The crumbling building of Taj Mahal Talkies is now home to migrants from other provinces. — Express Tribune

SHUTTER-DOWN STRIKE IN SINDH Samina, 8, adjusts her scarf as she sits beside her father, who is a labourer and napping outside closed shops during a strike along a market in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party called a shutter-down strike across Sindh province on Sunday to protest against the provincial budget 2015-16, according to local media. — Reuters

VO C AT I O NA L T R A I N I N G

2 million youth to be trained in various skills: Shahbaz LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the government aimed to train two million youngsters in various skills over the next three years.

“The youth make up 60 per cent of the population of the country. They hold the key to a bright future,” the chief minister said at the inauguration of two-day Skills Expo and Job Fair-2015.

The Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) has organised the event at the Lahore International Expo Centre.

Interest-free loans Sharif announced interest-free loans of Rs75,000 each for 4,000 youth trained by the TEVTA in collaboration with Akhuwat Foundation. He said the scheme would help the youth earn a live-

lihood. He said Rs11 billion interest-free loans had been distributed among 1.1 million families through Akhuwat Foundation.

The recovery rate is more than 99 per cent, he said. He said providing technical training to the new generation was an investment.

“Development goals cannot be achieved unless we empower our youth,” he said. He praised the TEVTA for promoting technical education and providing a skilled manpower fulfilling the market needs.

The chief minister called the expo a step towards producing a skilled workforce. He said the TEVTA, the Punjab Vocational Training Council and the Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company had been working according to the government’s vision.

“Equipping the youth with technical education is the need of the hour.

The country will progress if we train youngsters in the skills related to agriculture and the industry,” he said.

Industrialists He said the government favoured a close relationship between the industry and the vocational training institutions. He urged industrialists, vocational training institutions and teachers to recommend courses aimed at producing the manpower according to market needs.

Sharif said a seminar should be arranged so that an effective plan could be chalked out for the purpose. He said arranging road shows could be a step in the right direction. — Express Tribune

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GLOBAL EYE

GERMAN CYCLISTS PROTEST: Cyclists ride during a rally through Berlin, Germany, on Sunday. More than 200,000 people are expected to take part in the demonstration to draw attention to the need for better road conditions for cyclists in Berlin, according to the organisers of the event. — Reuters

DAKAR FASHION WEEK: Models present creations by fashion designer Zak Kone during the 15th edition of Dakar Fashion Week on the Place de l’Obelisque (Obelisk Square) in Dakar, Senegal, on Saturday. — AFP

KITE FLYING IN MALAYSIA: Locals fly kites on a beach in Kota

LOS ANGELES MINIMUM WAGE GETS BOOST: Members of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ group protest the death of Ezell Ford as the Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signs into law an ordinance raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020, in Los Angeles, California on Saturday. Los Angeles is the first major city to sign the ordinance and the increase will be $6 per hour. — AFP

Kinabalu, in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah on Sunday. — AFP

LEBANON LANTERN FESTIVAL: People release sky lanterns during Lebanon Lantern Festival in Beirut, on Saturday. The festival took place this year under the slogan ‘We Remember’, inciting people to recall their good memories they had in the city. — Reuters

CHINA’S PEARL RIVER DELTA BRIDGE: The Hong Kong-ZhuhaiMacao Bridge (HZMB), which will link the three cities in the Pearl River Delta, is seen under construction off Hong Kong’s Lantau Island, China, on Friday. — Reuters

DIPLOMACY JAPANESE STYLE: US ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, right, and Akie Abe, wife of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dressed in traditional work clothes, prepare to plant rice seedlings at a paddy field in Shimonoseki, western Japan, on Sunday. Kennedy transplanted rice seedlings with Akie Abe on Sunday during a visit to Shimonoseki, the hometown of Shinzo Abe. — Reuters/Kyodo

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Rouhani slams critics of nuclear negotiations TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit out on Sunday at critics of his drive for a nuclear deal with major powers, saying they belittled the impact of sanctions on ordinary people.

“Those who say that sanctions are not important probably don’t know anything about people’s wallets,” Rouhani said in a televised speech, adding that they had raised the cost of imported goods by 10 to 15 per cent.

Speaking at a rally in the northeastern city of Bojnord, Rouhani used sweeping rhetoric to play up the benefits of easing Iran’s long international isolation.

“With the guidance of the Supreme Leader and the support of the people, we will enrich both uranium and the economy in Iran,” he told a crowd of thousands.

“We want the nation to be happy and productive, to have a bright economy and social welfare — and to have centrifuges too.”

In recent weeks, the president’s conservative critics have claimed that the main cause of Iran’s economic woes is not Western sanctions imposed over its nuclear programme but failings in government policy.

Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said earlier this month that “mismanagement and a lack of planning in the current and previous governments have had more impact than sanctions”.

Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said only “20 to 30 per cent of the economic problems” of the country were due to international sanctions. Rouhani has made the quest for a deal lifting the sanctions in return for reining in Iran’s nuclear programme the centrepiece of his two years in power.

Iran and world powers are working to a June 30 deadline for a comprehensive agreement. Sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States on Iran’s oil and financial sectors since 2012 have plunged the country into a deep economic crisis with inflation rising to more than 40 per cent. On Saturday, at a news conference also marking the anniversary of his election, he was more measured about the prospects for the talks, warning that a deal could be delayed if world powers brought new issues into play. — Agencies

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Zoo animals create chaos in flood-hit Georgian capital Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called on Tbilisi residents to stay indoors while the animals were still at large

TBILISI: Lions, tigers and even a hippopotamus escaped from a zoo in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Sunday, adding to chaos caused by flooding that killed at least 12 people, officials said.

Police and soldiers were hunting down the animals, recapturing some and shooting others dead, while rescuers airlifted scores of people trapped by the floods. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called on Tbilisi residents to stay indoors while the animals were still at large, describing the damage to the city’s infrastructure as “substantial” after the River Vere burst its banks after hours of torrential rain.

Without shelter “Our latest estimate is that the death toll is 12,” Tbilisi Mayor David Narmania told journalists.

The mayor’s office said dozens of families had been left without shelter and thousands without water and electricity in the city.

Several main roads were completely destroyed and small houses and cars were swept away by the torrents, while half a dozen coffins in a city cemetery were washed out of the ground and lay on the mud.

Tbilisi Zoo spokeswoman Mzia Sharashidze told the InterPressNews agency that three dead bodies had been found on the grounds of the zoo, including those of two employees.

“Search for animals continues, but a large part of the zoo is simply non-existent. It was turned into a hellish whirlpool,” Sharashidze said. She said 20 wolves, eight lions and an unspecified number of tigers, jackals and jaguars had been shot dead by special forces or were missing. “Only three out

ROAMING FREELY: A man directs a hippopotamus after it was shot with a tranquiliser dart at floods in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Sunday. – Reuters

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of our 17 penguins were saved,” she added.

Rustavi 2 television broadcast footage showing a hippo swimming in the flooded Heroes’ Square in downtown Tbilisi as rescuers struggled to capture the animal.

The corpses of a lion and a pony lay on the road close to the zoo on Sunday afternoon, an AFP journalist saw. The government set up a hotline for residents to inform the emergency services if they

spotted any of the predators.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili sent his condolences to the victims’ families as he visited the affected area to observe the cleanup operation. “The human losses that we have suffered are very hard to tolerate. I express my condolences to all the people who lost their relatives,” Margvelashvili told local television. Jacob Janjulia, a 21-year-old student who was among the residents volunteering to help rescuers, said parts of Tbilisi were “ravaged”.

“It’s the duty of all citizens to help rescuers, to help the affected people,” he told AFP. Another Tbilisi resident, 46-year-old dentist Anna Korinteli, wept as she surveyed the scene.

“Such a terrible tragedy, people died, many lost their homes. I can’t stop crying,” she said.

“My heart bleeds when I think of what happened to the animals in Tbilisi zoo.”

The head of the immensely influential Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ilia II, blamed the floods on the “sin” of Communists who he said built the zoo using money raised from destroying churches and melting down their bells. “A terrible tragedy happened, people died in the flood.

Tbilisi Zoo is ravaged. When the Communists occupied Georgia, and started repressions against Christians and the clergy and the destruction of churches and monasteries, they ordered church

bells to be melted, the metal sold and a zoo to be built with that money,” he said in his Sunday morning sermon.

He said the zoo therefore “can’t flourish on that place. It must be relocated to a different place. A sin never remains without punishment,” he added.

Interior ministry spokeswoman Nino Giorgobiani said rescuers were airlifting scores from floodaffected areas after the heavy rainfall also caused a landslide on the Tskneti-Betania road outside the capital. In May 2012, five people, including a mother and her two children, were killed in flooding that swept through Tbilisi’s ramshackle slums that are home to the city’s poorest. — AFP

T O W N O F TA L A B YA D , S Y R I A

Thousands flee as Kurdish forces clash with IS group AKÇAKALE (TURKEY): Kurdish forces advanced on Sunday to the gates of a Syrian town and clashed with IS militants, an upsurge in violence that saw Turkey open its border to fleeing civilians.

Backed by Syrian rebel fighters and US-led air strikes, the Kurdish militia pressed their offensive on the northern town of Tal Abyad, a strategic supply route from Turkey to IS’s self-proclaimed capital of Raqa.

Hussein Khojer, a commander with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), said fighting raged on the eastern edges of Tal Abyad, just 50 metres (yards) from the town itself.

“We are fighting for control of the first checkpoint,” Khojer said in Beirut, adding that the advance came after three days’ of heavy clashes.

He said IS had tried to block the advance by blowing up two bridges. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Kurdish fighters “just waded across” and had reached the town’s southeastern edges but had yet to enter.

Kurdish sources say the goal is to cut off a crucial supply line for the militants, who have been accused of bringing in foreign fighters and supplies across the Turkish border.

Major battle Fearing a major battle, Arab and Kurdish civilians fled their homes and headed for the border fence with Turkey, where thousands had been clustered behind barbed wire at the Akcakale crossing.

Turkey later began accepting onto its territory refugees, an AFP photographer said.

Dozens of them, many carrying sacks of possessions, started

FLEEING FOR SAFETY: A Syrian child fleeing the war is lifted over border fences to enter Turkish territory illegally, near the Turkish border crossing at Akcakale in Sanliurfa province on Sunday. – AFP

passing through the Akcakale border gate onto Turkish territory as thousands more awaited their turn to cross on other side.

It came after two days of them being trapped between the IS militants on the Syrian side of the border and Turkish troops on the other who fired water cannon and even pepper spray to keep them at bay. Fears have been building in the area for days, as the Kurdish YPG militia and its allies advanced from east and west on the town of about 15,000.

By Saturday the YPG had seized at least 20 villages southwest of Tal Abyad, according to the Britain-based Observatory which relies on a wide network of sources across Syria.

The advance sparked fear among civilians who fled in droves and slept the night at the fence in the open.

Many could be heard asking in Arabic for help, and holding up

empty bottles, pleading for water in scorching early summer temperatures.

A Kurdish activist who visits the front line daily said residents were seeking refuge wherever they could. “Tal Abyad is almost completely surrounded,” Arin Shekhmos said.

The town lies on the border between the mainly Kurdish town Kobane and Syria’s most populous ethnic Kurdish region -- Hasakeh province -- in the northeast.

Backed by US-led air raids, YPG units scored a landmark victory against IS in January in Kobane. Since then, Kurdish forces have been chipping away at jihadist territory on either side of Raqa -- from Hasakeh province to the east and Aleppo to the west.

“We are waiting for the whole border area to be liberated -- from northeastern Syria all the way to Kobane,” said Mustafa Ebdi, a Kurdish activist in Kobane. — AFP

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AT TA C K O N A R M Y B A S E

Kenyan troops kill 11 Shebaab militants MOMBASA (KENYA): Suspected Shebaab gunmen raided a Kenyan military base and briefly took over a village on Sunday in the latest attacks highlighting the insecurity that plagues parts of the country.

Both attacks in Lamu county on Kenya’s coast close to the border with Somalia, were blamed on the Somali-led Al-Qaeda affiliate that has in recent months focused more attention on Kenya.

A spokesman for the Kenya Defence Forces claimed that 11 Shebaab militants were killed, including “two fighters of Caucasian origin”.

Pre-dawn assault Two Kenyan soldiers were also killed in the pre-dawn assault on a military camp in Baure, said Colonel David Obonyo.

Obonyo said weapons including 13 AK-47 assault rifles, five rocketpropelled grenades and eight hand grenades were recovered.

Also early Sunday, at least 60 militants raided the nearby town of Mangai, ordering residents out of their homes and gathering them at a mosque where they preached for three hours, according to local media.

Chief Yusuf Nuri, a local official, told the Daily Nation newspaper that the gunmen also conducted prayers, ransacked a dispensary and burned mattresses at a primary school before escaping.

Sunday’s raids come on the anniversary of attacks that began in mid-June 2014 in which close to 100 people were killed in a series of armed assaults on the town of Mpeketoni and surrounding villages.

Collapse in tourism The attacks in Mpeketoni, close to the once-popular holiday island of Lamu, led to a collapse in tourism on Kenya’s coast after foreign governments warned their nationals against travel to the area.

Under pressure in Somalia where it has for years been fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government, Shebaab is now increasingly targeting Kenya.

In the group’s deadliest attack to date four gunmen killed 148 people, mostly students, at a university in Garissa in early April.

In 2013, four Shebaab gunmen killed at least 67 people in an assault on the Westgate mall in the capital Nairobi. — AFP

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The ‘Sunday Times’ reported that the UK security service MI6 has removed agents from certain countries after Russia and China deciphered the topsecret information

LONDON: Britain has pulled out agents from live operations in “hostile countries” after Russia and China cracked top-secret information contained in files leaked by former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, the Sunday Times reported.

Security service MI6, which operates overseas and is tasked with defending British interests, has removed agents from certain countries, the newspaper said, citing unnamed officials at the office of British Prime Minister David Cameron, the Home Office (interior ministry) and security services.

Snowden downloaded more than 1.7 million secret files from security agencies in the United States and Britain in 2013, and leaked details about mass surveillance of phone and internet communications.

Identify agents The United States wants Snowden to stand trial after he leaked classified documents, fled the country and was eventually granted asylum in Moscow in 2013.

He went to Russia via Hong Kong, and although he claimed in 2013 that the encrypted files remained secure, Britain believed both Russia and China had cracked documents which contain details that could allow British and American spies to be identified, the newspaper said, citing officials.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Snowden had done a huge amount of damage to the West’s ability to protect its citizens.

“As to the specific allegations this morning, we never comment on operational intelligence matters so I’m not going to talk about what we have or haven’t done in

WHISTLEBLOWER IMPACT: Former intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden, centre, and Sarah Harrison, left, of WikiLeaks speak to human rights representatives in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on July 12, 2013. — Reuters file photo

As to the specific allegations this morning, we never comment on operational intelligence matters so I’m not going to talk about what we have or haven’t done in order to mitigate the effect of the Snowden revelations, but nobody should be in any doubt that Edward Snowden has caused immense damage Philip Hammond British Foreign Secretary

order to mitigate the effect of the Snowden revelations, but nobody should be in any doubt that Edward Snowden has caused immense damage,” he told Sky News.

No evidence An official at Cameron’s office was quoted, however, as saying that there was “no evidence of anyone being harmed.” A spokeswoman at Cameron’s office de-

Comet probe Philae wakes up with ‘Hello Earth!’ message

‘Philae is healthy’ “This was sufficient to confirm that Philae is healthy and that its sub-systems are OK in terms of energy and temperature for ongoing communication with Rosetta,” he said, referring to the lander’s mothership orbiting Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko.

The mission seeks to unlock the long-held secrets of comets -- primordial clusters of ice and dust that scientists believe may reveal how the Solar System was

WORLD

Britain pulls out spies as files leaked by Snowden cracked

SILENT FOR SEVEN MONTHS

PARIS: Europe’s tiny robot lab Philae, hurtling through space on the back of a comet, awoke overnight and sent home its first message in nearly seven months, mission officials said on Sunday.

Jubilant that the nail-biting wait was over, they declared Philae may soon resume science work, opening up a new chapter in its exhilarating voyage.

“Hello Earth! Can you hear me?” the washing machinesized lander tweeted under the hashtag #WakeUpPhilae, breaking a silence that had lasted since November 15 when its batteries ran out.

“We got a two-minute... successful communication” at 2228 Central European Time (2028 GMT) on Saturday, mission manager Patrick Martin told AFP from the operations centre in Madrid.

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The mission seeks to unlock the long-held secrets of comets -primordial clusters of ice and dust that scientists believe may reveal how the Solar System was formed

formed. Philae, equipped with 10 instruments, may now get a grandstand view of the gas, dust and icy crystals that blast from the comet as it gets ever closer to the Sun, scientists hope.

Perihelion, the closest point to the Sun in the comet’s orbit, will be on August 13, after which “67P” will veer off again into the deeper reaches of space.

Philae touched down on the comet on November 12 after an epic 10-year trek piggybacking on Rosetta.

But instead of harpooning itself onto the iceball’s surface, the lander bounced several times before settling at an angle in a dark ditch.

It had enough stored battery power for about 60 hours of experiments, enabling it to send

home reams of data before going into standby mode.

The hope was that better light as the comet approaches the Sun would recharge Philae’s batteries enough for it to reboot, then make contact, and ultimately carry out a new series of experiments.

But three bids to make contact, in March, April and May, all came to nothing.

“We were surprised, yes, because we didn’t expect it at all last night, on a weekend -- it’s really exciting,” Martin said.

Unable to make contact An ESA statement said Philae communicated with its ground team for 85 seconds, and preliminary analysis of the data showed it must also have been awake earlier but unable to make contact.

According to Martin, the lander’s core temperature was about minus 36 degrees Celsius (-29 Fahrenheit) and its energy was at 24 watts -- both higher than the minus 45 C and 19 watts required to operate.

“Philae is doing very well,” said Stephan Ulamec, Philae project manager with the German space agency DLR. “The lander is ready for operations.”

Martin was more cautious, saying: “We have already lined up more communication windows which hopefully will see a repeat of this successful communication. — AFP

clined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

A Home Office source told the newspaper that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not grant Snowden asylum for nothing.

“His documents were encrypted but they weren’t completely secure and we have now seen our agents and assets being targeted,” the source said.

A British intelligence source

said Snowden had done “incalculable damage”.

“In some cases the agencies have been forced to intervene and lift their agents from operations to stop them being identified and killed,” the source was quoted as saying.

British security agencies declined to comment.

The Russian and Chinese governments were not immediately available for comment.

Security services’ ability The revelations about the impact of Snowden on intelligence operations comes days after Britain’s terrorism law watchdog said the rules governing the security services’ abilities to spy on the public needed to be overhauled.

Conservative lawmaker and former minister Andrew Mitchell said the timing of the report was “no accident”.

“There is a big debate going on,”

he told BBC radio. “We are going to have legislation bought back to parliament (...) about the way in which individual liberty and privacy is invaded in the interest of collective national security.

“That’s a debate we certainly need to have.”

More powers Cameron has promised a swathe of new security measures, including more powers to monitor Briton’s communications and online activity in what critics have dubbed a “snoopers’ charter”.

Britain’s terrorism laws reviewer David Anderson said on Thursday the current system was “undemocratic, unnecessary and in the long run - intolerable”.

He called for new safeguards, including judges not ministers approving warrants for intrusive surveillance, and said there needed to be a compelling case for any extensions of powers. — Reuters

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Bank Sohar, QNB sign $77.5m loan pact with Dalma Energy As per the terms of the deal, Bank Sohar is the facility agent, onshore account bank, onshore security agent as well as custom bond guarantee bank ing rig packages to be deployed by Dalma Energy with Saudi Aramco from Saudi Arabia, while the supplier of the drilling rig is Shandong Kerui from China.

The total facility requirement of $77.5 million has been achieved by the syndicated finance package provided by Bank Sohar, one of the most prominent banks in the Sultanate, and QNB, ‘one of the world’s strongest banks’.

As per the terms of the deal, Bank Sohar is the facility agent,

Times News Service MUSCAT: A syndicated loan worth $77.5 million has been jointly signed by Bank Sohar and Qatar National Bank (QNB) for Dalma Energy International’s oil drilling rig project.

An event to commemorate the signing of the syndicated facility was held at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel on June 4.

The project oversees the construction of three 1,500 HP drill-

SIGNING CEREMONY: The project oversees the construction of three 1,500 HP drilling rig packages to be deployed by Dalma Energy with Saudi Aramco from Saudi Arabia. — Supplied picture

onshore account bank, onshore security agent as well as custom bond guarantee bank.

Dalma Energy is one of the largest operators of drilling rigs in Oman with business interests in Saudi Arabia and Algeria. Within

e - C O M M E R C I A L R E G I S T R AT I O N

the Sultanate, Dalma Energy has grown to operating 19 land rigs under contract with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), positioning itself as the largest drilling contractor in Oman.

Dalma Energy has created jobs

for 1,669 people in Oman, out of them 1,524 or around 91.3 per cent are Omani.

Attending the event on behalf of Bank Sohar were Rashad Ali Al Musafir, acting chief executive officer; Sasi Kumar, deputy general manager and head of strategy and corporate banking; Jeanan S. Sultan, Sr. AGM government institutions and project finance and syndication; and Sanjeet Kumar Verma, head of project finance and syndication.

The event was also attended

by Saad Musa Al Jenaibi, general manager of QNB Oman and Juma Al Sulaimani, acting head of corporate at QNB Oman.

Representing Dalma Energy International were Sheikh Salah Al Qahtani, chairman; Fredric Young, chief executive officer; and Rajat Khurana, chief financial officer.

Commenting on the occasion, Bank Sohar’s acting CEO said, “This agreement marks yet an-

other significant accomplishment for Bank Sohar. As a proud Omani bank, we are pleased to finance such a significant project. The syndication reinforces our capabilities and commitment to continually collaborate with local and international corporates towards supporting key strategic projects that contribute towards Oman’s economic growth and prosperity.”

The general manager of QNB Oman said, “This agreement reflects the bank’s commitment to maintain and further enhance QNB’s position as a leading financial institution in the country and in Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. QNB is committed to support the business community of Oman by fulfilling their financing requirements and supporting growth of Oman’s economy. QNB is also working closely with the local banks to jointly support large value projects, which is well reflected in this transaction.”

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Phoenix Power share offer receives bids worth OMR1b

GROWING POPULARITY: Statistics show that 3,768 applications were unfinished, 391 in process, 219 were cancelled, and 35 were recorded electronically. — Supplied picture

‘Invest Easy’ initiative sees more than 4,000 requests ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: More than 4,000 e-Commercial Registration requests have been submitted through Invest Easy, which offers fast and easy e-services for setting up a company in Oman.

According to the information provided by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) to Times of Oman, 4,342 e-CR requests were submitted since the launch of the new service on April 5 until May 31.

The statistics show that 3,768 applications were unfinished, 391 in process, 219 were cancelled, and 35 were recorded electronically.

One-stop-shop The Invest Easy portal (One Stop Shop) and mobile application, which are part of the comprehensive development project for a single window clearance, are expected to be fully ready by the end of this year, with the aim of eliminating paperwork and saving costs and time.

Global statistics show that Oman is the second hardest place in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to open a company.

Oman was ranked 66th out of 189 economies in the ‘Doing Business 2015’ report of the World Bank Group.

The group measures regulations affecting several areas of the life of a business, such as starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and registering property apart from getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes and trading across borders.

In addition, the Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 ranked Oman 46th out of 144 economies. Oman was in the 33rd place out of 148 countries in the 2013-2014 report.

According to the report, the most problematic factors for doing business in Oman include restrictive labour regulations, inadequately educated workforce, inefficient bureaucracy, poor work ethics in the national labour force, inadequate supply of infrastructure and insufficient capacity to innovate.

Three stages of the six-phase Invest Easy project, which has been developed to enhance the ease of doing business in the Sultanate, have been completed so far. The total number of CR certificates printed electronically

since October 24, 2014 stood at 1,218. There are at least 38 Sanad offices authorised to handle e-CR applications.

The applications have been made from different parts of the country, including Al Buraimi, Duqm, Haima, Ibra, Ibri, Musandam, Nizwa, Rustaq, Salalah, Sohar, Sohar Free Zone, Sur and Muscat.

The number of Invest Easy mobile application users also shows the success of the project so far.

There are 1,430 Android users and 1,200 iPhone users who have been using the Invest Easy application.

Invest Easy provides several self e-services such as checking the availability of a commercial name, searching company listing, checking the application status and requesting digitally signed certificates. The Invest Easy portal can be accessed at www.investeasy.gov.om and the mobile application can be easily downloaded.

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MUSCAT: Phoenix Power Company’s initial public offering (IPO) has been heavily oversubscribed, attracting over OMR1 billion worth bids from investors totalling 9.137 billion shares.

The company sought to raise OMR56.3 million by offering a 35 per cent stake in an offer open to both local and international investors, which ran until June 8.

The refunding of excess money will start on June 21 and shares will be listed on the Muscat bourse on June 22.

The consolidated data point out that the subscription of the first category investors exceeded six times, while institutional category was subscribed by more than 18 times.

As many as 65 per cent is reserved for the first category, who apply for shares between 1,000 and 600,000, while the second category is institutions and highnet worth individuals who apply for shares between 600,100 and 51,191,000. The allotment will be on a pro-rata basis.

ROBUST DEMAND: Company sought to raise OMR56.3 million by offering a 35 per cent stake in an offer open to both local and international investors, which ran until June 8. — Supplied picture

Bank Muscat, the financial advisor and issue manager, will advise the Capital Market Authority (CMA) on June 17, on subscription and proposal for allocation of shares.

The financial advisor and the issue manager will get the approval of the CMA on the alloca-

tion of shares on June 18, 2015.

Phoenix Power Co’s offer price was fixed at 110 baisas.

As the largest power plant in Oman, the contracted plant’s power capacity of 2,000 megawatt represents 27.8 per cent of the main interconnected system in the country. - ONA

STOCK MARKET

Saudi stocks advance before foreigners get direct access RIYADH: Saudi Arabian stocks advanced the most in two months a day before the Arab world’s biggest bourse allows foreigners direct access. Dubai’s benchmark index rose.

The Tadawul All Share Index climbed 1.3 per cent to 9,644.57 at the close in Riyadh, led by Al Rajhi Bank, the stock with the biggest weighting on the gauge. Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s top petrochemicals manufacturer by sales, was the second-biggest contributor to the gain with a 2.3 per cent increase.

“We expect to see retail investors piling in prior to tomorrow’s actual opening up” to direct foreign investment, Tariq Qaqish, a

fund manager at Al Mal Capital in Dubai, said by e-mail. “What’s also helping is that oil prices are stabilising above the $60 level.”

Saudi Arabia, Opec’s biggest exporter, is opening one of the world’s least accessible stock markets to direct foreign investment for the first time as the government pushes ahead with efforts to diversify the economy. The Riyadh-based Capital Market Authority last month published regulations allowing foreigners access starting Monday. Investors from outside the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) currently gain entry through equity swaps and exchange-traded funds.

The kingdom’s index has risen 16 percent in 2015, the most in the Middle East. The bourse is bigger than all the major stock markets in the GCC combined. Brent crude, the benchmark for more than half the world’s oil, climbed 11 percent this year to $63.87 a barrel on Friday.

Al Rajhi gained 1.9 per cent, the most since May 14, to SR66.95.

Sabic climbed to SR105.54.

Dubai bourse Dubai’s stocks increased 0.6 per cent led by Emaar Properties. The builder of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai, advanced 2.1 per cent to Dh8.19, the highest since May 21. — Bloomberg News

B2

MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

MARKET RECORD

China’s stock market value crosses a whopping $10 trillion HONG KONG: The value of Chinese stocks rose above $10 trillion for the first time, the latest milestone for the nation’s worldbeating rally.

Companies with a primary listing in China are valued at $10.05 trillion, an increase of $6.7 trillion in 12 months, data shows. The gain alone is more than the $5 trillion size of Japan’s entire stock market.

The United States is the biggest

globally at almost $25 trillion.

China’s equities boom — spurred by individuals buying with borrowed funds to bet gains will continue — is making history.

No other stock market has grown this much in dollar terms over a 12-month period. Yet signs of excess have emerged. Valuations are the highest in five years and margin debt has climbed to a record, all while the economy is mired in its

weakest expansion since 1990.

Outside of China, investors aren’t showing the same enthusiasm toward the nation’s equities.

Funds pulled a net $6.8 billion out of Chinese stock funds in the seven days through Wednesday, Barclays said in a research note, citing EPFR Global data. Duallisted Chinese shares cost more than twice as much on average on mainland exchanges than they do

in Hong Kong. MSCI’s June 9 decision against including mainland equities in its benchmark gauge had little impact on the Shanghai Composite Index, which climbed 2.9 per cent last week to its highest level since January 2008. Foreigners are limited by quotas when buying shares in Shanghai via an exchange link with Hong Kong, while similar access to Shenzhentraded stocks will likely start this

year, according to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Stock valuations The Shanghai gauge has rallied 60 per cent in 2015, the most among global benchmark indicess, and trades at about 26 times reported earnings. Less than a year ago, the gauge was valued at about 9.6 times, the lowest since at least 1998. The Shenzhen Compos-

ite Index, tracking stocks on the smaller of China’s two exchanges, trades at 77 times profits after surging 122 per cent this year.

While the latest data showed the economy stabilising, indicators from retail sales to industrial output are still growing near the slowest pace in years and trade remains weak. Exports slumped in May and imports declined for a seventh month. - Bloomberg News

Greece, institutions in last-ditch bailout talks dentified people with knowledge of the negotiations. The EU declined to comment on the report.

Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sent a delegation to Brussels this weekend with a new set of proposals to close differences on pensions, taxes and a primary surplus target

ATHENS: Greece and its creditors are locked in last-ditch talks, with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker trying to broker a deal over the weekend.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sent a delegation to Brussels this weekend with a new set of proposals to close differences on pensions, taxes and a primary surplus target. With positions hardening, the talks are Juncker’s last attempt to reach a compromise, according to a European Union official, who asked not to be identified.

Representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Stability Mechanism are waiting in the wings to join the negotiations if progress is made between Greece’s envoy and Juncker’s chief of staff. The aim is to reach an deal before markets

open on Monday, the official said.

European leaders from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to European Union president Donald Tusk have voiced growing exasperation with Greece’s brinkmanship that has pushed Europe’s most-indebted country to the edge of insolvency.

Juncker warned Tsipras on Thursday that the Eurogroup would start making preparations for a Greek euro exit if creditors didn’t approve a last-minute deal, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported on Sunday, without saying how it obtained the information.

Flitting between intransigence and conciliatory overtures, Tsipras has spent four months locked in an impasse with the creditor institutions.

The latest Greek counter-pro-

posal is the second in June. The first was dismissed.

Attempt at compromise Greek stocks dropped 5.9 per cent on Friday, with bank shares dropping 12 per cent, as talks remained deadlocked. The yield on Greek 2017 bonds rose 137 basis points to 20.03 per cent. United States and European equities and the euro-area’s higher- yielding bonds also tumbled amid growing concern Greece will run out of time for reaching a deal to stave off default.

The IMF spiked an attempt by Juncker to broker a compromise allowing Greece to defer €400 million ($451 million) of cuts in small pensions if it reduced military spending by same amount, ‘Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung’ reported, citing uni-

Seeking debt relief This must “be the last negotiation taking place in crisis conditions,” Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said in an interview broadcast Sunday on Alpha TV. “The target of the negotiation is get out of the crisis. For that you need Greece to go back to markets, so a restructuring of the debt is needed.”

Greece won’t sign up to a fiscal plan that doesn’t work, Varoufakis said. While a primary budget surplus of 1 per cent of gross domestic product was achievable in March, a deterioration of the economy since then means that it isn’t any more, he said.

Merkel told Tsipras it’s time to accept the framework for financial aid. Greece’s bailout extension expires on June 30 and some national parliaments need to ratify any agreement before funds can be disbursed, which narrows the window for a deal. - Bloomberg News

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MO NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

B3

MARKET DEBT INSTRUMENT

Renaissance board approves repurchase of convertible bonds Times News Service

EXPANDING TRADE: The Suez Canal is a vital source of hard currency for Egypt, particularly since the 2011 uprising that scared off tourists and foreign investment. - Reuters

Egypt sees Suez Canal a big boost to economy Army began work on the $8 billion canal to expand trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia

ISMAILIA (Egypt): Egypt’s New Suez Canal will open on August 6, its overseer said on Saturday, a project President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi sees as a potent symbol of national pride and a major chance to stimulate an economy suffering double-digit unemployment.

The army began work 10 months ago on the $8 billion canal, flanking the existing, historic 145-year-old waterway and part of a larger undertaking to expand trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

The Suez Canal is a vital source of hard currency for Egypt, particularly since the 2011 uprising that scared off tourists and foreign investment.

“The digging and dredging works will conclude on July 15.

The opening of the New Suez Canal will be on August 6, according to the orders of the Egyptian people and the Egyptian president,” Mohab Mameesh, chairman and managing director of the Suez Canal Authority, told a news conference in Ismailia.

“Once President Al Sisi orders the start of navigation on August 6, ships will be able to go through

the canal.” Mameesh said the new canal would reduce navigation time for ships to 11 hours from about 22 hours, making it the fastest such waterway in the world.

The new and old canals are connected by four small channels.

Eighty five per cent of dredging works have been completed, with 219.3 million cubic metres of sand excavated from a total of 258 million cubic metres, Mameesh said, adding that the new waterway would be fully secured.

“They are not only digging or dredging works, but also preparing the maritime path to be valid and secure for global navigation.

We will not allow any ship to pass unless it has navigational security,” he said.

The existing canal earns Egypt around $5 billion per year, a vital source of hard currency.

The new canal, which will

allow two-way traffic of larger ships, is supposed to increase revenues by 2023 to $15 billion, Mameesh said.

The government also plans to build an international industrial and logistics hub near the Suez Canal that it expects will eventually make up about a third of the Egyptian economy. .

Mameesh said he hopes a law designed to ease red tape for investors in the new Suez industrial hub will be enacted this week, adding that the new canal and the hub projects could help Egypt to realize an extra $100 billion in revenue per year. - Reuters

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MUSCAT: Renaissance Services board has approved a scheme to buy back mandatory convertible bonds (MCBs) issued by the company in July 2012.

The plan will be presented to the company’s shareholders for approval at an extraordinary general meeting and to the bondholders for their approval at the MCB holders’ general meeting, Renaissance said in a statement.

The board has also approved the issuance of Perpetual Notes by the company’s wholly-owned overseas subsidiary to fund the scheme. The Perpetual Notes will be issued to major local and regional institutional investors.

The repurchase plan is beneficial for the company’s shareholders and bondholders.

Additional option The purpose of the scheme is to create an additional option for MCB holders, where they can opt for cash in place of shares in the company.

The convertible bonds will be bought back, depending on the financing arrangements in place, according to the company.

The scheme will provide the agreed rate of return on the MCBs up to the date of the buyback. The record date for the first buyback is July 25, 2015, and the buyback price for this first repurchase will be OMR0.170.

ECONOMIC REFORMS

Subsidy reforms ‘key to GCC economic growth’ Times News Service MUSCAT: Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been urged to follow Bahrain’s model in diversifying their economies.

UK-based economist Scott Corfe, economic adviser for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), said plans to eliminate subsidies on food and power in Bahrain was key to surviving the aftermath of lower oil prices, but added more action was needed, according to a report published by Gulf Daily News.

“Many GCC countries are on the right path for diversifying their economies, but with lower oil prices here to stay, more action needs to be taken,” said Corfe, who is also

the associate director of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

“The situation can be conducive for implementing much-needed subsidy reforms in a range of countries. We expect more countries will follow in Bahrain’s footsteps, which recently cut fuel, utility and food subsidies for expatriates,” he added. “The fact that all Arab and GCC countries are peeling off their subsidies is nothing unique to us ‘“ the lowering oil price justifies this, which is in a way crippling our economies.”

The report also discussed fiscal, environmental and resource sustainability, with a particular focus on how the various economies in the Middle East were adjusting to lower oil revenues.

AV I AT I O N

Middle East airlines expected to register $1.8b net profit: IATA DUBAI: Middle Eastern airlines are expected to post a $1.8 billion net profit for 2015 for an average net margin of 3.1 per cent or $9.61 per passenger, it has said.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the region’s carriers are expected to see a 12.9 per cent growth in passenger numbers this year, the only region with a double-digit expansion. IATA said an improvement in profitability is also expected to be driven by lower fuel costs.

At the global level, IATA announced an upward revision of its 2015 industry outlook to a $29.3 billion net profit. On expected revenues of $727 billion, the

industry would achieve a 4 per cent net profit margin.

Impact of global factors The significant strengthening from the $16.4 billion net profit in 2014 reflects the net impact of several global factors, including stronger global economic prospects, record load factors, lower fuel prices, and a major apprecia-

tion of the US dollar, IATA said.

“All regions are expected to see an improvement in profitability in 2015 compared with 2014. There are, however, stark differences in regional economies, which are also reflected in airline performance. The industry’s fortunes are far from uniform. Many airlines still face huge challenges,” Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

IATA said the recent decline in fuel prices was a welcome development. The 2015 industry outlook is based on an average Brent crude oil price of USD 65 per barrel, which is 36 per cent below the 2014 price of $101.40. - PTI

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

B4

MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

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OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,489.04 ...............6,481.37 ...................6,488.82 ...................6,482.34....................6.48 ................... 0.10 Financial Index ..................................... 7,874.79 ............... 7,853.70 ....................7,871.80 ................... 7,854.38.................. 17.42 ...................0.22 Industrial Index ................................... 8,424.88 .............. 8,400.46 ................... 8,405.72 ....................8,431.91................-26.19 .................. -0.31 Services Index .......................................3,513.20 ...............3,512.00 ................... 3,513.20 ................... 3,512.92....................0.28 ................... 0.01 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................998.21 ..................997.20 .......................997.48 ...................... 998.21.................. -0.73 .................. -0.07 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 5,654,304 ....................1,461,960 .................... 460 ................15,007,199,167 ................ 12 ........................9 .................... 18 .........................39

MSM index ends higher

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 14 ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

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

OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 195,000 ...........24,240........................8 ............0.122 ........... 0.125 ...........0.122........... 0.124 .............0.120 ........... 0.004............. 3.333 ................0.124..............0.123...................0.124.................. 24,800,000 ........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 182,340 ............27,033......................18 ............0.147 ........... 0.149 ...........0.147 ........... 0.148 .............0.146............ 0.002............. 1.370 ................0.149 ..............0.148...................0.149................... 45,993,211 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 185,491 ............. 61,112........................8 ........... 0.326 ...........0.330 ...........0.326........... 0.330 .............0.326 ........... 0.004............. 1.227 ................0.330..............0.330...................0.334 ................ 442,434,383 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 945,821 .........239,248.....................60 ........... 0.250 ...........0.254 ...........0.250........... 0.253 .............0.250 ........... 0.003............. 1.200 ................0.254..............0.253...................0.254 ..................33,016,500 .........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL.............................................. 20,922 ............... 1,883........................6 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.090 .............0.089 ............0.001 ............. 1.124 ................0.090..............0.089...................0.090 ..................15,750,000 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 488,305 ......... 271,312.....................20 ........... 0.552 ........... 0.556 ...........0.552........... 0.556 .............0.552 ........... 0.004............. 0.725 ................0.556..............0.552...................0.560 ...............1,274,253,364 ......0.100

Oman Education & Training, up by 7.41%, was

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................10,000 ...............3,940........................4 ........... 0.394 ...........0.394 ...........0.394........... 0.394 .............0.392 ........... 0.002............. 0.510 ................0.394..............0.392...................0.400 ..................19,700,000 .........0.100

the top gainer, while Galfar Engineering, down

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................83,065 ............44,522......................15 ........... 0.536 ........... 0.538 ...........0.534........... 0.536 .............0.534 ........... 0.002............. 0.375 ................0.538..............0.538...................0.540 ..................28,140,000.........0.100

OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA ................................................. 7,000 ...............5,880........................1 ........... 0.840...........0.840 ...........0.840 .......... 0.840 .............0.836 ........... 0.004............. 0.478 ................0.840..............0.840...................0.000 ................ 134,400,000 .......0.100

OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 342,000........... 38,648..................... 27 ............0.113 ........... 0.114............0.113 ............0.113 ............. 0.113 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.113 .............. 0.112................... 0.113 ................... 13,771,875 .........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY...................................... 21,361 ............46,994........................4 ........... 2.200...........2.200 .......... 2.200 .......... 2.200 .............2.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ............... 2.200 ............ 2.200...................2.300 .................197,340,000........0.100

by 4.38%, lost the most on Sunday

OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .....................................70,896 ...............5,595........................7 ........... 0.079 ...........0.080 ...........0.078........... 0.079 .............0.079 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.078..............0.078...................0.079...................16,364,959 .........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ................................398 .................. 100........................1 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.250........... 0.247 .............0.247 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.250............. 0.242...................0.250 ..................30,849,796 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...........................7,251 ...................921........................2 ............0.127 ........... 0.127 ...........0.127 ............0.127 ............. 0.127............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.127 ..............0.126...................0.127.................... 3,810,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING ............................................................12,500 ...............5,900........................2 ........... 0.472 ........... 0.472 ...........0.472........... 0.472 .............0.472 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.472..............0.472...................0.480 .................. 81,855,774 .........0.100

MUSCAT: Amid weak trading activity, the MSM30 Index gained 0.10 per cent to close at 6,488.82 points. The MSM Shariah Index closed at 997.48 points, down by 0.07 per cent.

While Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume, Bank Muscat was the most active in turnover. Oman Education & Training, up by 7.41 per cent, was the top gainer, while Galfar Engineering, down by 4.38 per cent, was lost the most.

As many as 460 trades were executed in the session, generating a turnover of OMR1.46 million with over 5.65 million shares changing hands. Out of 39 traded securities, 12 advanced, 9 declined and 18 remained unchanged. GCC and Arab Investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR263,000 worth of shares, while foreign investors were net sellers at OMR254,000 followed

by Omani Investors, who sold shares amounting to OMR8,000.

Financial Index gained 0.22 per ent and closed at 7,871.80 points. Global Finance & Invest-

ment, United Finance, NBO, Al Anwar Holding and Al Madina Takaful gained 3.33 per cent, 1.37 per cent, 1.23 per cent, 1.20 per cent and 1.12 per cent respectively. Al Sharqia Investment, Bank Nizwa, Gulf Investment Services and Ahli Bank declined 1.43 per cent, 1.37 per cent, 0.71 per cent and 0.48 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index retreated 0.31 per cent to end the session at 8,405.72 points.

Oman Fisheries and Al Maha Ceramics increased 3.57 per cent and 0.37 per cent respectively. Galfar Engineering, Construction Materials, Oman Flour Mills and Al Anwar Ceramics declined 4.38 per cent, 2.44 per cent, 1.18 per cent and 0.47 per cent respectively.

Services Sector Index ended on a flat note 3,513.20 points, up by 0.01%. Oman Education & Training, National Gas and ACWA Power increased 7.41 per cent, 0.51 per cent and 0.48 per cent respectively. OIFC, down by 0.42 per cent, was the only sector loser.

OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................29,549 .............51,525......................31 ............1.740 ........... 1.750............1.740 ............1.745 ............. 1.745 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................ 1.745 .............. 1.740................... 1.745 ................1,308,750,000 ......0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ......................................... 1,602 .................. 481........................1 ........... 0.300...........0.300 ...........0.300 ...........0.318 ............. 0.318............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.300 .............0.306...................0.318...................89,706,036 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 164,593 ............31,105..................... 10 ............0.188 ........... 0.189 ...........0.188 ........... 0.189 ............. 0.189............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.189 ..............0.188...................0.189..................272,432,160........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ....................................................... 5,227 ...............2,154........................1 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.412 ........... 0.412 .............0.412............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.412 ..............0.412...................0.420 ..................24,926,000 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 231,600 ......... 180,648..................... 28 ............0.780 ........... 0.780 ...........0.780........... 0.780 .............0.780 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.780..............0.780...................0.792..................507,736,499 ........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH..................................................5,000 .............13,225........................2 ........... 2.645 ...........2.645 ...........2.645........... 2.645 .............2.645 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.645............. 2.400...................2.645..................252,484,281 .......1.000 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 126,638............26,222........................7 ........... 0.207 ...........0.208 ...........0.207........... 0.207 .............0.207 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.208..............0.207...................0.208 ................. 139,701,698 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ......................................................5,000 ...............1,028........................2 ........... 0.206...........0.206 ...........0.205........... 0.206 .............0.206 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.205..............0.205...................0.208 ................. 147,167,706 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 116,000.............27,724........................8 ........... 0.239 ...........0.239 ...........0.239........... 0.239 .............0.240 ...........-0.001 ............-0.417................0.239..............0.239...................0.240 ..................47,800,000.........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 249,282 ..........106,811......................13 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430 ...........0.428........... 0.428 .............0.430 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.465 ...............0.430..............0.430...................0.432..................126,779,456 ........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 100,000 ........... 20,950........................2 ............0.210 ........... 0.210 ...........0.209 .......... 0.209 .............0.210 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.476 ...............0.209..............0.207...................0.209 .................297,832,554........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................90,738 .............12,616........................6 ............0.139 ........... 0.141............0.139 ............0.139 .............0.140 ...........-0.001 ............-0.714................0.139 .............. 0.139...................0.142.................... 8,179,207 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............41,700 ............... 5,755........................3 ............0.138 ........... 0.138 ...........0.138 ............0.138 .............0.140 ...........-0.002 ........... -1.429 ...............0.138 .............. 0.138...................0.140...................12,420,000.........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 837,453...........110,108..................... 95 ............0.135 ........... 0.136 ...........0.130............0.131 ............. 0.137............-0.006 ........... -4.380 ...............0.130 ..............0.129...................0.130................... 37,987,463 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 4,576,732 ... 1,367,678...................392 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......29........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000002580 ...........OMAN EDU. & TRIN. INV. HOLDING.................... 10,697 ................1,551........................1 ............0.145 ........... 0.145 ...........0.145 ............0.145 ............. 0.135.............0.010 ............. 7.407 ................0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.000 ..................10,150,000 .........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................10,000 .................. 580........................2 ........... 0.058 ...........0.058 ...........0.058........... 0.058 .............0.056 ........... 0.002............. 3.571 ................0.058..............0.055...................0.058....................7,250,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................... 11,430 ............... 1,166........................4 ............0.102 ........... 0.102 ...........0.102........... 0.102 .............0.102 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.102..............0.100...................0.102.....................7,671,216...........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ..................................................17,140 ...............8,604......................11 ........... 0.502 ...........0.506 ...........0.500........... 0.502 .............0.508 ...........-0.006 ............-1.181 ................0.500..............0.500...................0.518 ...................79,065,000.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 288,064 ........... 20,826..................... 27 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.072........... 0.072 .............0.073 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.370................0.072..............0.072...................0.073................. 108,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 198,542 .............. 7,965........................7 ............0.041 ........... 0.041 ...........0.040 .......... 0.040 .............0.041 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.439 ...............0.040 ............ 0.040...................0.042 ...................3,400,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 535,873 ........... 40,692..................... 52 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 6........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ................... 517,662 .............51,150......................13 ........... 0.098 ........... 0.100 ...........0.098........... 0.099 .............0.096 ........... 0.003............. 3.125 ................0.099..............0.099...................0.100...................32,092,000 ........0.100 OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ...........................5,745 .................. 597........................1 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.104........... 0.104 .............0.104 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.104..............0.104...................0.108...................31,485,908 .........0.100 OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ............................................5,000 ..................500........................1 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.103 .............0.103............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.102....................7,364,500 ..........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ...........................................13,292 ...............1,342........................1 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.101 ............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.101 .............. 0.101...................0.000 ..................32,283,910 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 541,699 ........... 53,590......................16 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........4........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

– United Securities

TA X I S E RV I C E

ECONOMY

US economy rebounding as Federal Reserve likely to hold off on rate rise

Booming taxi-app companies in India encounter rough ride MUMBAI: India’s ultra-competitive app-based taxi-hailing market has quickly become a multi-billion-dollar industry, but controversy surrounding safety, rejected licences and protesting cabbies threatens to slam the brakes on its spectacular rise.

Domestic company Ola Cabs and US-based Uber are booming, fuelled by a rising number of professionals wanting an easy-tobook, clean and air-conditioned cab in India’s rapidly growing and congested cities.

“We have barely scratched the surface. We need to be in every corner of India and it is a huge country, so the potential is huge,” Ola spokesman Anand Subramanian said.

But it hasn’t been a completely smooth ride, with Indian authorities rejecting Uber and Ola’s applications to operate in New Delhi, even impounding their cars, and both firms facing angry protests from traditional taxi drivers.

Internet startup Ola Cabs has soared from fledgling Internet startup to the leader of India’s smartphone taxi-hiring industry in just five years and is now worth an estimated $2 billion.

It recently bought up domestic competitor TaxiForSure for a reported $200 million and is also outperforming web and mobile app-based rival Meru Cabs in a crowded marketplace.

Private but often shoddy and uncomfortable cabs have long plied

India’s notoriously vehicle-andanimal-congested roads, filling a void created by patchy and unreliable public transport networks.

But in 2010, two young entrepreneurs in Mumbai — Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati — decided that India’s tech-savvy and wealthy middle-classes wanted the convenience of a comfortable ride with just a couple of clicks of their smartphones.

Recruitment drive They founded Ola and started operating with only a handful of vehicles before increasing the number of cars on its network to 10,000, across ten cities, by last year. An aggressive recruitment drive over the past 12 months has resulted in its operations rising more than tenfold and Ola now operates 150,000 vehicles in 100 cities stretching the length and breadth of India.

Ola notched 200,000 rides a day in January and predicts it will record over a million a day this month. They have also started to offer auto-rickshaws for hire and are to start delivering groceries too. It doesn’t own the majority of the cars itself but helps drivers acquire loans which are then repaid in small sums.

Some of those drivers joined hundreds of others working for Ola and Uber at a demonstration in New Delhi on Monday, saying the city government’s crackdown on the industry had forced them off the roads. - AFP

WASHINGTON: Evidence is piling up that the United States economy is rebounding from the past few months’ stall, with consumers spending more, a rebound in job creation, and wages beginning to rise.

But analysts believe that the United States Federal Reserve will want to see more when it meets in the coming week to again weigh hiking interest rates.

The Federal Open Market Committee meets on monetary policy on Tuesday and Wednesday, about the very time that, a year ago, it expected to be announcing a rise in its benchmark federal funds rate.

The rate has sat at an extraordinarily low zero perc ent since 2008 in an effort to rebuild the US economy from the Great Recession with a flood of cheap dollars.

Persistent underemployment, extremely low inflation and weak wage growth has kept the rate in place, with the Fed worried the economy could still be vulnerable to tighter monetary conditions, six years after the recession ended.

The surprise economic contraction of the first quarter put any action on hold, though the FOMC has said that it views the causes of the stall of the past few months as “transitory.”

Since April, though, key data which the FOMC looks at to decide whether the economy can handle higher rates -- inflation, employment and wages -- have all shown signs of improvement.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen has repeatedly stressed the need for signs of firm tightening in the jobs market, even if inflation stays low.

Released on June 5, the May job creation report was surprisingly strong, with the jobs market absorbing a surge of returnees, and wages turning up at the same time, all signs of tightening.

Good new numbers Data this week backed that up: job vacancies rose and employers said they are and expect to be paying people more. But the other data is mixed.

IMPROVING: Since April, key data which the Federal Open Market Committee looks at to decide whether the economy can handle higher rates — inflation, employment and wages — have all shown signs of improvement. - Bloomberg News

Consumer spending has risen, but mainly on cars; otherwise, US shoppers seem very cautious.

Prices are weaker than the Fed — which wants to see inflation around two percent — favours.

Analysts say that because the FOMC needs to see steady improvement over time, it will likely wait a couple months more to move, even if Fed policy-makers seem anxious to get past the initial increase.

“The June FOMC (policy) statement will largely be a placeholder for what we continue to believe will be a September rate hike,” said Deutsche Bank Friday.

“A June rate hike is not entirely off the table, but is highly unlikely.

September is more likely, but that first hike is data-dependent,” said economists at IHS. Normalising hikes When it does, it will likely be the first in a series of increases aiming to “normalize” US monetary policy, the Fed says.

That prospect has driven volatility in global markets for two years now, pushing the dollar higher and spurring capital flows out from emerging markets, which has left many struggling to shore up growth.

Partly for that reason, in the past two weeks both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have encouraged

the Fed to hold off rate increases until 2016. Worried about the impact of higher interest rates on poorer countries, the IMF said the Fed “should remain data-dependent and defer its first increase in policy rates until there are greater signs of wage or price inflation than are currently evident.”

“Barring upside surprises to growth and inflation, this would put lift-off into the first half of 2016.” - AFP

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

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SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

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IMES TECH STUFF

What was overlooked in defence of ‘privacy’

KEEPING YOUR COMPUTERS COOL AND DRY Heat and humidity can affect a computer or tablet, causing erratic performance, shortened battery life and a buildup of condensation inside the device — especially when it is moved between temperature extremes. Air-conditioning, fans, desiccants or a dehumidifier in the room can help keep heat and humidity under control. Your computer manufacturer should have environmental guidelines for its products listed online or in the manual.

SMARTPHONE APPS

Question to ask is not whether we should ever use these free services, but rather whether, when we do use

A photo frame shop in a phone

them, we are given enough information and disclosure to be able to make those decisions rationally

T

imothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, delivered a speech last week that raised some eyebrows in the technology industry.

“I’m speaking to you from Silicon Valley, where some of the most prominent and successful companies have built their businesses by lulling their customers into complacency about their personal information,” said Cook, who was being honoured by the Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC), a privacy watchdog group.

His blistering defence of privacy, which he and other Apple executives repeated at the company’s developer conference, was notable. It isn’t every day that you hear a tech executive admit there is an opaque trade-off at the heart of his industry.

We users give digital giants access to our most private information, and they shower us with technology we can’t do without. It is an arrangement baked into every decision made in every boardroom in Silicon Valley, and it is a bargain that many of us are uneasy about.

Now, finally, here was the leader of the world’s most powerful company asking whether that deal is worth the trouble.

Digital privacy awareness But while Cook raised awareness for digital privacy, his speech glossed over two main issues. For one, he neglected to mention that Apple also collects a great deal of data about how we use technology. While it has more protections for that data than many rivals, the company plainly states in its privacy policy that it does use private data in many ways, including to build and market its own products, and to build its own advertising network.

Apple’s most profitable devices sit at the centre of a tech ecosystem teeming with businesses that collect our data — and if those social networks, search engines and other free apps didn’t exist, Apple’s products would be far less useful.

Cook also failed to fairly explore the substantial benefits that free, ad-supported services have brought to consumers worldwide.

Many hundreds of millions of peo-

ple now have access to more information and communication technologies because of such services.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

The fact that Apple goes out of its way to include free services like Google search in its iPhones and iPads suggests that it agrees with the rest of the tech industry — and many users — that ad-supported services can, on balance, be good for the world. The question to ask is not whether we should ever use those free services, but rather whether, when we do use them, we are given enough information and disclosure to be able to make those decisions rationally.

“There are timeless principles around fair dealings with consumers,” said Nuala O’Connor, the president and chief executive of the Centre for Democracy and Technology, a tech-focused think tank. “And the first and main thing is, does the customer know what’s happening to them?”

Cost-benefit analysis She argued that if companies were transparent and honest about how they use people’s data, customers could freely weigh the benefits and costs of online services.

In his speech to EPIC, Cook offered a much starker, and less practical, view of privacy. “We don’t want your data,” he said. “We don’t think you

should ever have to trade it for a service that you think is free but actually comes at a very high cost.”

That bold pronouncement got me wondering whether Cook uses a different iPhone from every iPhone that Apple has ever sold me. On my iPhone, Google is right there in the search bar, by default. Microsoft’s Bing is built into Siri, and Facebook and Twitter beckon me from the sharing menu.

If Apple really didn’t think that its customers should trade their data for free services, you’d guess that it would build its own ad-free Web search engine for its devices. But Apple does not do so. Instead, it sells off the search bar to ad-supported search companies.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs say that Apple’s current deal with Google is worth billions; at least indirectly, then, Apple benefits financially from Google’s ad-gotten gains.

And that’s not all. When I go to Apple’s App Store, I’m presented with a bevy of free apps that are supported either in whole or in part by ads. This vibrant marketplace works in Apple’s favour — the more free apps there are, the more useful the iPhone becomes.

That dynamic explains why, in 2010, Apple created iAd, its own advertising network meant to foster the ad-supported app marketplace.

IAd lets marketers target users of

Apple’s devices based on their purchases from the iTunes store, purchases that Apple of course tracks by default. (You can use an ad-supported search engine like Google to find instructions for opting out.)

There’s nothing terribly wrong with any of this. Yes, there are downsides to the ad-supported tech industry, and, yes, privacy advocates and tech insiders like Cook should continue to push the entire industry to more stringently protect our data. But it would be insane to argue that we haven’t seen benefits in return for this data.

Anyone who uses devices like the ones Apple makes can see that addriven businesses like Google, Facebook and Twitter have improved people’s lives in major ways.

Among other things, ad-supported services give us instant access to more information than was ever stored in the entirety of the world’s libraries just a few decades ago.

They also create systems that allow for instant communication and organisation between more than 1 billion people. They are helping to provide life-changing miniature computers, also known as phones, to people in developing nations for about $50 each. They’ve given us artificial-intelligence supercomputers that can instantly translate languages or recognise speech. — FARHAD MANJOO /The New York Times News Service

SMARTPHONES HAVE turned us all into photographers.

Now with the help of some apps, we can also be photo artists, framing our snaps and making collages.

A horde of such photo-enhancing apps have sprung up in the age of Instagram and Snapchat, which use images as a primary mode of communication. But many of these apps are poorly designed because the entire category is not particularly high tech. One exception is Moldiv, which is carefully designed and easy to use. It offers a large variety of prearranged photo frames for a single image, with shapes and cut-outs, or space for eight or more photos. Tapping on one frame puts the app into editor mode. With a few taps, you can drop a new photograph or one from your phone’s archive into the frame. There are options to adjust the photos, by dragging or zooming to get just the right part of the image in place in the frame, and you can add special effects, including sepia or black and white tones.

The app lets you adjust the frame, changing the thickness of margins around an image and even the roundness of the corners. If you’re feeling more creative, you can make the backdrop to your photo a different colour, pattern or — amusingly — another photo.

Text labels can go on top, in a variety of styles, and there’s an option to add stickers like hearts, flowers, speech bubbles and more. When you’re done, a few taps save the image or share it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The core app is free on iOS and Android.

For a simpler photo frame app, check out PicFrame by ActiveDevelopment. It does a few things well, with almost no frills or distractions: It can add a customisable frame around your photos, or let you squeeze a group of photos into one framed image as a collage. You can also embed videos, to take advantage of video features on social media like Instagram.

PicFrame uses a system of gestures for adjusting and editing your photos. It also lets

you add text labels, colored frame backgrounds and so on, but it one does not offer hundreds of frame options. It is $1 on iOS and Android. An alternative is Photo Grid-Collage Maker, which is free on iOS and Android and may be my favourite in this category. Photo Grid, which has some of the professional feel of PicFrame and some of the visual flair of Moldiv, offers more than 300 frame layouts. The photo editing system also includes options like blurring and retouching, as well as the usual filters.

Photo Grid has an array of frames, stickers and text labels and its interface makes it easy to edit and arrange photos in a frame or collage. It also has a feature that turns photos into a video slide show, with background music, text and stickers. A “poster” section lets you apply frames and text that make your photos look like a poster. Framatic, another popular photo-framing app, has a “magic shake” option: If you shake your phone, the app will randomly select some frame settings for your image. The results can be surprisingly good.

One caution: The app, which is free on iOS and offers a wide range of frames and style adjustments, puts a watermark on your images. To get access to all special effects, you have to buy in-app packs that can cost up to $5. Lastly, for an over-the-top photo framing app, test out Imikimi, which is $2 on iOS and $1 on Android.

If you’ve ever wanted a photo of yourself against a backdrop painting of frolicking penguins in a rainbow-covered ocean, or a portrait that fades out at the edges into crystalline snowflakes, this is the app for you.

Quick call Line has a new offshoot called Popcorn Buzz that offers something different and potentially rather strange. Buzz is a phonecall-like social app that lets you speak to a group of people at once. It’s free on Android, works over your data connection and lets you call up to 200 people simultaneously. — KIT EATON/The New York Times News Service

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ROUND-UP

Bank Muscat wins another AIWA Best Performing Company award Bank Muscat is proud to once again receive the AIWA award in recognition of its commitment to excellence in corporate leadership, stated, Waleed Al Hashar, group general manager, Corporate Services

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has been ranked the top performer among large companies listed on Muscat Securities Market (MSM) in the Best Performing Company awards instituted by Alam Al-Iktisaad Wal A’Mal (AIWA) business magazine.

Waleed Al Hashar, group general manager - Corporate Services, received the award from Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Fi-

nance, at the ceremony attended by dignitaries, senior government and private sector officials, says a press release.

“Bank Muscat is proud to once again receive the AIWA award in recognition of its commitment to excellence in corporate leadership.

As a listed company, Bank Muscat pursues benchmark corporate governance and investor relationship culture in Oman, aimed at enhancing value for all stakeholders.

“We are delighted to note that

14TH HYPERMARKET

all our innovative initiatives and unique achievements are being noticed and acknowledged as the bank is the recipient of all prestigious foreign, regional and local awards and accolades.

“Consistently winning prestigious awards helps Bank Muscat to define benchmarks in operational excellence,” stated Waleed Al Hashar.

The 2014 AIWA Best Performing Company award was based on a survey of companies listed on

Muscat Securities Market (MSM).

Gulf Baader Capital Markets (GBCM) conducted the survey and evaluated key financial parameters of the companies and the results were validated by KPMG. The ranking of companies was based on their performance in the last fiscal year, taking into account a defined set of broad parameters, including growth, return ratios, productivity and profitability ratios measuring the growth and efficiency of the companies.

EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT

Mars opens its new outlet in Ibra

NBO staff receives training certified

by Dale Carnegie

MUSCAT: Mars International opened its 14th shopping destination in Ibra. The outlet was inaugurated by Sheikh Saqar bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Shukaili, wali of Ibra. V. T. Vinod, managing director of Mars International, Naveej Vinod, executive director of Mars International, Saif Al Malki, GM (Administration), Unnikrishna Pillai, general manager along with the management team shared the inaugural event, says a press release.

A number of high-ranking government and police officers, representatives from the local business community attended the grand opening. A huge crowd assembled

at the gate of the new outlet at the time of the opening, giving a tough time to the security guards manning the entrance of the mall.

The Mars hypermarket Ibra is structured in three floors with ample parking space. The service layout will be unique and has been designed in order to enable a convenient shopping experience to the customers. A wide bouquet of brands at the cheapest price will be the major highlight of the new facility. Wide variety of sections comprising fresh fruits and vegetables, farm fresh meats and fresh fish, in house bakery, FMCG products, garments, household, electronics, appliances, stationery, etc. have been

showcased at Ibra outlet. Well experienced staff and dedicated customer service ensures hassle free shopping experience.

“Mars will bring convenience plus rich shopping experience for the people of Ibra. This is our 14th outlet in the Sultanate and we plan to create a significant presence across the country. The great offerings that we provide to our customers both in terms of quality and competitive pricing have helped us earn the trust of the people across the country. We are very much happy to open the outlet in Ibra and will continue to exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Vinod.

“Mars has always represented

the best in retail concepts and provided maximum convenience to our valuable shoppers. I believe that our success is the result of wide set quality merchandise offered at affordable rate in a knowledgeable service base. I’m sure that the residents of Ibra can experience a new level of shopping with Mars,” said Naveej.

Mars International holds a legacy in the field of retail industry for more than 24 years in Oman.

Hence it knows the pulse of the country and trends in the market, more than anyone prevalent in the country. More projects are coming this year including Mudhaibi, Al Khoud and Al Amerat.

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) has announced that 40 of the bank’s senior and mid-level management have successfully completed the world renowned Dale Carnegie-certified employee engagement training.

The training programme was part of the bank’s employee engagement initiative that aims to train, mentor and empower employees in leadership roles.

The programme is based on the principles of acclaimed American writer Dale Carnegie, famous for his bestseller How to win friends and Influence people.

Dale Carnegie training emphasises practical principles and processes through programmes that offer employees the knowledge, skills and practices needed to add value to the business. The training is internationally recognised as a leader in bringing out the best in people.

“We firmly believe that investing and empowering our employees is the foundation to our continued success. We are delighted that 40 of our most promising employees have successfully completed the Dale Carnegie employee engagement training

programme. I am certain that the practical knowledge and insights they have received will not only benefit them greatly, but also influence their teams and overall productivity at the bank,” commenting on the training, Nasser Al Hajri, chief human resources officer and head of Corporate Affairs at NBO, said.

“The employee engagement initiative is a part of our commitment to equip our employees with globally recognised bestpractice skills. The training will help our managers strengthen interpersonal relationships, manage stress better as well as deal optimally with fast-changing workplace conditions,” Al Hajri added.

National Bank of Oman is one of the largest employers in the banking sector in Oman. Over the years, the bank has maintained a steady focus on sustainable growth through a four-pillared strategy: Putting customers first, creating the best working environment for employees, yielding strong and sustainable returns for shareholders and investing in the community, to achieve its vision: To be the bank of choice.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, JU N E 15, 20 15

SECTION

RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

MODERN ETIQUETTE

Tips for grads on nailing job interview ONE of the biggest keys to being asked to join the professional world is looking and acting professional. However, a recent survey of more than 500 human resources and business professionals found that half of all college graduates do not exhibit professionalism at work. Consistently topping the list of problem areas is inappropriate appearance and poor communication skills.

Because 85% of job success depends on one’s level of professionalism, it’s crucial that recent grads know, and nail, the basics of business behaviour.

Before the interview: 1. Research the company: Learn the company’s history, mission, and recent activities. Be sure to

look at the company’s website and online press room.

2. Clean up your digital image: Remove photos, links, and text that might be viewed as inappropriate from all social media websites and the websites of your friends.

3. Listen to your voice mail message: Make sure your outgoing message is clear, concise and not off-putting to potential employers.

4. Customise your resume: Your resume should highlight the skills most relevant to the career you are pursuing.

5. Get ahead of the curve: Invest in a personal business card that can be printed inexpensively by one of the many e-retailers or visit your local stationery store. Cards should be kept simple with just your name and contact info.

6. Practice, practice, practice: Rehearse answers to standard interview questions like: “what are your weaknesses?” “what are your strengths?” “where do you hope to be in five years?”

The day of the interview: 1. Arrive early: Busy people do not like to be kept waiting; and it shows disrespect. Arrive five minutes early but don’t rush; you want to be calm and poised for the interview.

2. Dress like you mean business: Wear neutral colours and, if in doubt, err on the side of dressing “too professional.”

3. Turn your phone off: All mobile devices should be turned off completely. Nothing says “this interview is unimportant to me”

QUOTES Some people can do one thing magnificently, like Michelangelo, and others make things like semiconductors or build 747 airplanes -- that type of work requires legions of people. In order to do things well, that can’t be done by one person, you must find extraordinary people.

— Steve Jobs As a business owner or manager, you know that hiring the wrong person is the most costly mistake you can make.

— Brian Tracy

more than taking a call or looking at a text during a meeting.

4. Connect with people: From the receptionist to the last person you meet, make direct eye contact, 40 - 60% of the time, in between the eyes and offer a firm handshake to the interviewer when arriving and departing.

After the interview: 1. Go old school. Send a handwritten thank you note on quality paper within 24 hours of the interview.

Research shows this simple gesture boosts hiring chances by 20%.

2. There are no magic solutions for finding employment fresh out of college. But, if you put your best, professional, foot forward it will help you nab a job offer.

— Pamela Eyring/ Reuters

Great vision without great people is irrelevant.

— Jim Collins

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Win OMR50,000 with Mitsubishi Customers will enjoy special Ramadan only benefits including free insurance, a two year/30,000km service package, free registration and a cash gift of up to OMR1,000

MUSCAT: General Automotive Company (GAC), the official distributors of Mitsubishi vehicles in Oman, recently unveiled details of their highly anticipated Ramadan offer for 2015.

In addition to offering custom-

ers free insurance, free service, free registration and cash gifts on the purchase of a new Mitsubishi, GAC will also be hosting a special draw with a cash pool of OMR50,000 with lucky winners, says a press release.

Customers who purchase a Mitsubishi Lancer EX, ASX, Outlander, Pajero Sport, Pajero or L200, will enjoy special Ramadan only benefits including free insurance, a two year/30,000km service package, free registration and a cash gift of up to OMR1,000.

HALF KG GOLD

riod, which will come to a close on July 30, will also be entered in an exclusive draw with a prize pool of OMR50,000. The draw will be conducted at the Mitsubishi showroom in Azaiba on August 12 and will see over nearly 100 customers strike it lucky.

POPULAR PROMOTION

Hyundai picks 1st promotion winner MUSCAT: OTE Group-Hyundai recently launched the ‘Hyundai gives you gold’ promotion, coinciding with the Ramadan season.

The first raffle draw winner was announced recently and Aminah, a happy Hyundai customer from Salalah was picked up as the lucky winner in the first of the four raffle draws that was held for half kilo gold, says a press release.

As part of the ongoing promotion, a total of 12 kilos of gold will be given away as gifts. Four customers will get a chance to win half kilo gold each through a fortnightly raffle draw. Also, first 2,500 customers buying any Hyundai car will get a 4 grams gold coin as an assured gift.

These apart, the promotion also offers a host of other attractive benefits such as zero percent interest for a two-year finance term, cash as gift upto OMR1,000, five years/10,0000km service, insurance, finance up to six years, LG Home theatre as gift with every purchase. All these are in addition to a very attractive price.

Additionally, during the fourweek period of Ramadan any showroom visitor also stands a chance to win an iPhone 6, with one phone being given away each week during the holy month.

Customers who purchase a new Mitsubishi during the offer pe-

Highlighting the 2015 Ramadan offer, Rajesh Sharma, national marketing manager of GAC said, “Our latest Ramadan offer has been designed to offer our customers a real sense of value that will go hand in hand with the power, reliability and performance that Mitsubishi vehicles are known for, a complete package that provides total peace of mind motoring.

“Especially for 2015, we’re also adding to the excitement with a great prize pool of OMR50,000 for new car buyers.

“Furthermore, our special iPhone weekly draw starting in Ramadan ensures that everyone has a chance of being rewarded during the holy month just by visiting one of our 12 showroom locations.”

Promotion elements may vary for different models, exact details can be checked out at any of the Hyundai showrooms closer to you. This promotion is generating tremendous interest across the cross-section of customers and has resulted in a steady increase of customer walk-ins across all Hyundai showrooms in the Sultanate.

Aminah had recently taken de-

livery of her favourite Hyundai Elantra from the Salalah Hyundai showroom, as soon as Hyundai Ramadan promotion was launched. She was thoroughly excited on hearing the news of winning half kilo gold and so was her happy family. She also got a 4 gram gold coin as an assured gift.

OTE Group is the exclusive dealer of Hyundai’s range of vehicles in Oman.

Lulu launches Dream Drive campaign 2015 MUSCAT: Lulu Oman, reputed for conducting the most exciting promotions, has launched its much awaited Lulu Dream Drive 2015 campaign.

Having commenced on June 7 and running for two whole months until August 5, the scheme gives Lulu shoppers a chance to win six luxurious BMW X5 35i cars and a range of marvellous and useful products from Ikon. The campaign will go on in all the Lulu branches in the Sultanate, says a press release.

The Lulu Dream Drive has always been a much anticipated event with a number of exciting rewards for the customers.

As Oman gears up for the festive month, Lulu Hypermarket has kickstarted the excitement.

Lulu has been successfully running the Dream Drive promotion across Oman for 15 years in a row. Their customers look forward to this campaign as it reflects dreams, hopes and aspirations; a true reflection of the holy month of giving.

With every purchase of OMR10, customers get a raffle coupon for the lucky draw. This year, Lulu has six BMW X5 35i cars to give away. Along with that, customers can also win 30 Ikon products like Ikon 48” LED TVs, Ikon automatic washing machine, Ikon air coolers, Ikon halogen air fryers, Ikon tablets and a host of other household and electrical appliances from Ikon. To keep the excitement ongoing, the draws will take place at regular intervals all through the two months at differ-

ent Lulu branches. The first draw will take place on June 16 with August 9 marking the last draw for this annual campaign.

The Lulu Dream Drive is yet another endeavour from Lulu to make shopping a more rewarding experience. It is a good example of how the country’s most sought after hypermarket is constantly in tune with the vibes of the season - in this case the fast approaching season of Ramadan. The Dream Drive campaign blends in perfectly with the massive preparations that constitute a major part of the pre-Ramadan period.

“We believe happy customers are our motivation to do even better. We attribute our success to our customers. In return for their loyalty and ongoing patronage, we come up with reward-

ing campaigns that continue to enthral them. As a completely customer centric organisation, all our promotions are designed keeping in mind customer needs and demands,” said Ananth A. V., regional director, Lulu hypermarkets, Oman. “Our Dream Drive Campaign that coincides with the Holy Month of Ramadan has been receiving an over-whelming response every year and we are certain it will get the same response this time too.”

Along with the Dream Drive campaign, Lulu Oman will also be hosting a variety of promotions on popular Ramadan essentials in addition to an array of other great offers and deals. Lulu is committed to give to their customers something new and exciting to look forward to every time they shop.

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, JU N E 15, 20 15

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SPOR YOUR GAME

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OMAN BAG ARAB NATIONS INDOOR HOCKEY TITLE In a pulsating final played at Aspire Academy in Doha, Oman edged Qatar in the sudden death penalty shootout to emerge the inaugural champions of the Arab Nations Indoor Hockey Cup. >C3

Five-star Ashwin shines in drawn Test at Fatullah Ashwin and fellow off-spinner Harbhajan brave bid to win a match in which bad weather interrupted play on all five days

rul Kayes top-scored with 72 and debutant Litton Das made 44.

Indian captain Virat Kohli saw his team slip from third to fourth place in the official rankings behind South Africa, Australia and New Zealand because of the draw.

“It was disappointing for both teams,” he said. “We would have liked to have five days of cricket.

But whatever time we had on the field, the boys had top intensity and put in a really good effort.

“We had a really good time with the bat, especially Vijay, Shikhar and Rahane. It was a selfless performance to score quickly, knowing we won’t have too much time because of the rain.

“Ashwin and Harbhajan are quality spinners, so watching them bowl together is very pleasing for a captain. They put batsmen under pressure throughout.”

Kohli expects a tough fight in the three One-day Internationals in Dhaka on June 18, 21 and 24.

“Bangladesh have shown they are a really talented side, especially in one-day cricket,” he said.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said a 3-0 sweep of the one-

HONOURS SHARED: Indian captain Virat Kohli, left, and Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim pose for with the tournament trophy after honours were shared. – AFP

day home series against Pakistan in April would leave his team in good stead. “The one-day squad is looking pretty good, but this is a strong Indian side,” he said. “We played well against Pakistan, so hopefully we will get confidence from that.”

When play started after lunch

on the final day, Bangladesh added 10 runs to their overnight score of 111-3 before Ashwin broke through by having Shakib caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha for nine.

Saha was in action again when he stumped Kayes off Harbhajan, before Soumya Sarkar was bowled

by Varun Aaron to make it 176-6.

Shuvagata Hom added 43 for the seventh wicket with Das, who fell six short of a half-century on debut when he became Ashwin’s fifth victim through another catch

by Sharma. Tamim Iqbal (16) and Kayes (seven) played out time in the second innings before the game ended. — AFP

SCOREBOARD

PICK OF THE BOWLERS: India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, right, celebrates with teammates Virat Kohli, left, Ajinkya Rahane, second left, and Murali Vijay, the dismissal of Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan on the last day of the Test cricket match between them in Fatullah. – AP/PTI

CRICKET

Shikhar can do what Viru used to do, says Kohli FATULLAH: Mighty impressed with Shikhar Dhawan after his blazing 173 in the one-off Test against Bangladesh, India skipper Virat Kohli today said that the opener has it in him to replicate the swashbuckling Virender Sehwag at the top.

“For Shikhar, we were always confident that if he gets going in Test matches, he can do what Viru paaji (Sehwag) used to do because he is one player who can turn the session around. Hopefully, he will carry the confidence of this game into other series in future,” said Kohli at the end of the fifth and final day’s play here.

Sehwag has not played for India since 2013 when he was dropped from both Test and ODI sides.

India settled for a draw against an edgy Bangladesh in the rainmarred one-off Test, which was interrupted by downpours on all five days. But Kohli felt his boys, especially the bowlers, gave their 100 per cent in whatever opportunity they got.

“This is the way we want to play cricket. Just that we had just two days of proper cricket. One good thing to come out is the intensity shown in bowling. Everybody bowled with a lot of intent. That’s what we wanted to do as a team and we did that, so the credit goes to the bowlers who were willing to do everything despite hot and humid conditions. “There were no

MAN OF THE MATCH: India’s Shikhar Dhawab. – AFP

excuses and as a captain that was very pleasing,” said Kohli.

Heaping praise on the spin twin — Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin — Kohli said it was exciting to watch the two bowlers perform. “Both are quality bowlers. Bhajji has got more than 400 wickets and Ashwin has been bowling well for us in last one year.

Watching them bowl together was exciting as a captain.

I would like to have players

UAE may host next year’s Asia Cup in March KARACHI: The next edition of the Asia Cup one-day tournament is likely to be held next year in the United Arab Emirates in the first week of March.

Although no final decision on the host country was taken during the final meeting of the Asian Cricket Council Executive Board in Malaysia recently but UAE is the strongest candidate to host the biannual event.

“None of the Asian Test playing nations expressed interest in hosting the Asia Cup, including India and Sri Lanka.

“So, the members decided the best possible option was UAE and a decision on the venue will be taken in the next one month,” a well-placed source in the Pakistan Cricket Board told PTI on Sunday.

He said India had shown no reservations about playing in the UAE since they have already hosted a part of the IPL there last year.

Singh shared eight wickets to lead India’s

FATULLAH: Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed a five-wicket haul as India enforced the follow-on before the rain-ruined Test against Bangladesh ended in an inevitable draw in Fatullah on Sunday.

After the entire morning session was washed out, India bowled out Bangladesh for 256 in their first innings to gain a lead of 206 runs over their own effort of 4626 declared. Given 30 overs to bat a second time, the hosts were 23 without loss after 15 overs when both sides agreed to call off the match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium.

Ashwin and fellow off-spinner Harbhajan Singh shared eight wickets to lead India’s brave bid to win a match in which bad weather interrupted play on all five days.

The entire second day was washed out. The duo took centre-stage after Shikhar Dhawan (173) and Murali Vijay (150) had shared an opening partnership of 283 and Ajinkya Rahane made 98 after India had won the toss and elected to bat.

For Bangladesh, star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan picked up four of the six wickets before opener Im-

ODI SHOWPIECE

who can win us games and both of them certainly have that ability,” he said. “I am very happy for Harbhajan, he has won so many games for India. He is a proven match winner and we know he can win us games at any stage. He bowled really well in this game.

“Ashwin is priceless. We won’t get anybody better than him, he understands the game well and as a captain you don’t have tell him much,” insisted the skipper. - PTI

India 1st innings: 462-6 declared (M. Vijay 150, S. Dhawan 173, A. Rahane 98, Shakib Al Hasan 4-105) Bangladesh 1st innings (overnight 111-3): Tamim Iqbal st Saha b Ashwin 19 Imrul Kayes st Saha b Harbhajan 72 Mominul Haque c Yadav b Harbhajan 30 Mushfiqur Rahim c R. Sharma b Ashwin 2 Shakib Al Hasan c Saha b Ashwin 9 Soumya Sarkar b Aaron 37 Litton Das c R. Sharma b Ashwin 44 Shuvagata Hom c R. Sharma b Ashwin 9 Taijul Islam not out 16 Mohammed Shahid c Dhawan b Harbhajan 6 Jubair Hossain run out 0 Extras (lb-9, nb-3) 12 Total (all out; 65.5 overs) 256 Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Tamim), 2-108 (Mominul), 3-110 (Rahim), 4-121 (Shakib), 5-172

(Kayes), 6-176 (Sarkar), 7-219 (Shuvagata), 8-232 (Das), 9-246 (Shahid), 10-256 (Jubair).

Bowling: I. Sharma 7-0-24-0 (nb1), Ashwin 25-6-87-5, Yadav 7-0-45-0, Aaron 9-0-27-1 (nb2), Harbhajan 17.5-2-64-3 Bangladesh 2nd innings: Tamil Iqbal not out 16 Imrul Kayes not out 7 Total (for no loss, 15 overs) 23 Bowling: Yadav 2-1-4-0, Ashwin 6-2-8-0, Harbhajan 5-2-11-0, Vijay 1-1-0-0, Dhawan 1-1-0-0.

Result: Match drawn Toss: India Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) and Nigel Llong (ENG) TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

India-Pakistan series India are also slated to play Pakistan in a bilateral series in the UAE in December but the series is yet to be finalised.

“The most important thing is that the ACC now no longer exists and its offices in Kuala Lumpur have been closed down,” the source said.

He said it was decided at the final Asian cricket Council board meeting that in future all development programs of the Asian region will now be directly handled by the International Cricket Council.

“There will be only two people one of them Sultan Rana of Pakistan and a finance officer who will be based in Singapore to coordinate Asian region cricket affairs for the ICC,” the source added.

ACC staff fired He said most of the 18-member staff of the ACC secretariat in Kuala Lumpur had been fired after the meeting.

He said the development officers working for the ACC will now be under the umbrella of the ICC and report directly to them until December 2016. - PTI

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MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

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Williamson, Taylor deny England SCOREBOARD

A stand of 206 between Williamson and Taylor turned the tide, although England dropped both batsmen with Taylor given several reprieves

SOUTHAMPTON: Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor both scored hundreds in a recordbreaking stand as New Zealand beat England by three wickets in the third one-day international at the Rose Bowl on Sunday to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

New Zealand, chasing 303 for victory, were struggling at 36 for two. But a stand of 206 between Williamson and Taylor turned the tide, although England dropped both batsmen with Taylor given several reprieves.

Williamson made 118 and Taylor 110 — his second century in as many matches after his unbeaten 119 during New Zealand’s 13 runwin at The Oval on Friday levelled the series at 1-1.

That match also saw Williamson and Taylor share a partnership of 121. But their stand at the Rose Bowl was a New Zealand record for the third wicket in all ODI cricket, surpassing the 180 put on

by Adam Parore and Ken Rutherford against India at Vaodara in 1994. New Zealand lost a couple of late wickets and it needed a four by

TON MAKERS: New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, left, celebrates reaching his century with teammate and ton maker Ross Taylor. – AP/PTI

Tim Southee off Ben Stokes to see the World Cup finalists complete victory with an over to spare.

England were left regretting being bowled out for 302 with 28 balls of their innings left after skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss.

New Zealand’s reply got off to a shaky start when Martin Guptill — who made 189 not out in the corresponding fixture on this ground two years ago — was lbw for two to an inswinger from left-armer David Willey, called up following Chris Jordan’s series-ending side injury. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum also fell cheaply, the dangerman lbw for 11 to Durham quick Mark Wood, playing after Liam Plunkett was ruled out with a side strain.

Taylor gave a tough chance on 17 when wicket-keeper Jos Buttler, anticipating his sweep off legspinner Adil Rashid, just failed to hold what would have been a spectacular one-handed catch.

Williamson, meanwhile, reached fifty with an on-driven four off Rashid — the first of 18 runs he scored in an over.

Taylor was dropped on 67 when Buttler failed to cling on to a onehanded chance off Wood.

And he was missed again on 72 when Stokes dropped a sharp chance off a full-blooded hook, with Wood again the unlucky bowler. The elegant Williamson then completed an 88-ball hundred, including 11 fours.

He was missed twice after reaching three figures, with Wood dropping a sitter at mid-off off Willey when Williamson was on 109.

Williamson drove Willey for a seemingly effortless six but next ball he was out when Wood held a far tougher chance than the one he had missed.

Taylor, whose hundred came off 105 balls, was eventually out when he played on to Willey.

Earlier, Tim Southee and debu-

tant Ben Wheeler took three wickets apiece as New Zealand held England to a below par total.

Morgan made 71, Stokes 68 and Joe Root 54.

But England lost their last five wickets for 14 runs.

Southee finished with three for 44 in 8.2 overs and Wheeler, replacing Trent Boult after his fellow left-arm paceman was ruled out of the rest of the tour with a back injury, three for 63 in 10 overs.

Morgan’s toss decision was unsurprising given England had piled up a record 408 for nine in a 210run win after being sent in during the series opener at Edgbaston, while New Zealand made 398 for five batting first at The Oval.

But Wheeler scuppered England’s hopes of a 350-plus total when he dismissed both Sam Billings, caught at short third man, and Stokes, bowled leg-stump.

The series continues at Trent Bridge on Wednesday. — AFP

ENGLAND J. Roy b Southee 9 A. Hales c Southee b Wheeler 23 J. Root b Santner 54 E. Morgan b Williamson 71 B. Stokes b Wheeler 68 J. Buttler c Ronchi b Southee 13 S. Billings c McClenaghan b Wheeler 34 A. Rashid c Guptill b Henry 0 D. Willey c McCullum b Henry 8 M. Wood not out 3 S. Finn b Southee 0 Extras (lb-5, w-14) 1 9 Total (all out, 45.2 overs) 302 Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Hales), 2-34 (Roy), 3-139 (Root), 4-194 (Morgan), 5-227 (Buttler), 6-288 (Billings), 7-290 (Rashid), 8-298 (Stokes), 9-300 (Willey), 10-302 (Finn) Bowling: Southee 8.2-1-44-3 (1w); Wheeler 10-0-63-3 (2w); Henry 10-0-64-2 (6w); McClenaghan 8-0-67-0; Santner 5-0-30-1 (5w); Elliott 2-0-17-0; Williamson 2-0-12-1 NEW ZEALAND M. Guptill lbw b Willey 2 B. McCullum lbw b Wood 11 K. Williamson c Wood b Willey 118 R. Taylor b Willey 110 G. Elliott c Root b Rashid 5 M. Santner c Root b Stokes 21 L. Ronchi c Roy b Stokes 13 B. Wheeler not out 3 T. Southee not out 5 Extras (lb-6, w-12) 18 Total (7 wkts, 49 overs) 306 Did not bat: M Henry, M McClenaghan Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Guptill), 2-36 (McCullum), 3-242 (Williamson), 4-249 (Elliott), 5-284 (Santner), 6-290 (Taylor), 7-300 (Ronchi) Bowling: Finn 10-0-55-0 (2w); Willey 101-69-3 (1w); Wood 10-0-48-1 (2w); Rashid 10-0-72-1 (1w); Stokes 6-0-35-2 (2w); Root 3-0-21-0 Result: New Zealand won by three wickets Series: New Zealand lead series 2-1 Toss: England Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Tim Robinson. Third umpire: Steve Davis (AUS) Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

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M E N D I N G R E L AT I O N S

PCB aims to mend relations with Shoaib KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to improve its relations with Shoaib Akhtar as the former fast bowler has stepped up efforts to get back seven million rupees, which he paid to the Board as a fine.

The PCB had in 2009 deducted the fine amount from Akhtar’s annual earnings after an appellate tribunal of the PCB fined him on disciplinary grounds.

The appellate tribunal fined and banned Akhtar for 18 months for violating his contract and striking teammate Mohammed Asif with a bat before the World T20 in South Africa in 2007 and later on for criticising the Board and management.

Petition But after the fast bowler filed a petition, the Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza in February this year set aside the seven million fine and the ban.

Justice Mirza also directed the Board to return the deducted fine amount.

The court after hearing arguments of the petitioner and the defendant had reserved the verdict since last year which was announced in full recently.

The PCB deducted the entire amount from Akhtar’s annual earnings, which included his central contract payments, match fees and win bonuses (from January 2009 to November 2009).

Reliable PCB sources confirmed that the Board of governors at its meeting on Saturday had authorized chairman Shaharyar Khan to work out a compromise with Akhtar by offering to return four million instead of the seven million.

“The board of governors felt it was time the PCB had better relations with its senior and former players like Akhtar and should try to invite him for tea and have a talk with him,” one source said.

He said the Board in return will not pursue the case in the Supreme court as the Board of governors also didn’t agree to this step.

Akhtar since beginning his stint on television in Pakistan and India has many times lashed out at the PCB and termed it an incompetent body.

Another source admitted that one reason for trying to mend fences with Akhtar was also because of the clout he now carried on media.

“It will be interesting to see what happens because the PCB is now ready to be happy with a fine of just three million rupees instead of seven million,” the source said. But Akhtar appears in a strong position since he has got the LHC decision in his favour.” - PTI

M O NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

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SPORTS Oman emerge inaugural champions of Arab Nations Indoor Hockey Cup In a pulsating final played at Aspire Academy in Doha, Oman edged Qatar in the sudden death penalty shootout to bag the title at the inaugural Arab Nations Indoor Hockey Cup

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman overcame hosts Qatar in the sudden death penalty shootout to emerge the inaugural champions of the Arab Nations Indoor Hockey Cup organised in the Qatari capital of Doha on Saturday.

According to information received here, the teams fought tooth and nail in a pulsating final played at at Aspire Academy and were tied 5-5 at the end of regulation time.

After the shootout too the scoreline remained the same. However, Oman clinched the match and the title in sudden death with a final score of 6-5 thanks to the efforts of goalkeeper Fahad Al Noufli and Ahmed Al Balushi.

Oman dictated the pace from the word go and soon found the go-ahead goal through the stick of

ONA

Mohammed Bait Shamaiaa. However, Qatar fought way their way leading to Sohail Mustafa scoring the equaliser.

See-saw battle But there was no stopping the Omanis as their captain Mohammed Bait Jandal once again put

them ahead, though Qatar scored the equaliser for the second time through Sheraz Ali. Then it was the turn of the hosts to take take the lead which they did right after the break when Sohail Mustafa scored scored his second and team’s third goal.

Fortunately for the Oman,

Mahmood Bait Shamaiaa brilliantly converted a penalty corner to bring the score to parity.

Moahmmad Bait Jandal converts another penalty corner for Oman. Then it was the turn of Mohammedd Samiullah to make it 4-4.

The see-saw battle continued till the end of the regulation time

when the teams were tied at 5-5.

In the ensuing shootout, both teams missed their first three attempts. Sohail Mustafa, Adnan Aslam and Sheraz Ali were the culprits for Qatar while Ahmed Al Balushi, Younis Al Noufli and Ashraf Al Nasseri disappointed the Omani contingent.

In the sudden death, Omani custodian Fahad Al Noufli denied rival captain Sohail Mustafa. And Ahmed Al Balushi kept his cool to slot the ball home as Oman emerged the champions.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates defeated Sudan 4-3 to settle for the third place.

GOLF

Azzan welcomes decision to host NBO Amateur Final

DELIGHTED: Azzan Al Rumhy

MUSCAT: Azzan Al Rumhy, Oman’s leading amateur golfer, has welcomed the announcement at a recent planning meeting of the National Bank of Oman (NBO) and the European Challenge Tour of the first-ever NBO Amateur Final, to be played alongside the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final set to take place at Almouj Golf, The Wave in Muscat from November 4 to 7.

The NBO Amateur Final will take place during the last two days of the European Challenge Tour’s season-ending Championship, where the leading 45 players compete for the 15 places on offer to play on the 2016 European Tour International Schedule.

The NBO Golf Classic Grand Final will be played over 72 holes (four rounds) beginning on November 4, and concluding on November 7. The NBO Amateur Final will run in parallel over 36-holes (two rounds) on the Friday and Saturday respectively.

After two hugely successful editions of the NBO Golf Classic at

Almouj Golf in 2013 and 2014 the tournament earned the honour of hosting the prestigious European Challenge Tour’s season-ending Championship.

In the previous two years of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic the tournament included an amateur competition for players around the Middle East and several Omani amateurs participated.

“It was a wonderful experience for me and the other Omani amateurs to play with the European Challenge Tour stars of tomorrow for the last two years but I appreciate that in hosting the Grand Final the event can no longer be played in the same format,” says Azzan.

“To take a positive view, it will be a good thing for the Omani amateurs to have an Omani tournament (the NBO Amateur Final) taking place alongside the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.

“It is a credit to the National Bank of Oman and to the Sultanate itself to have been chosen to host the Grand Final of the Challenge

Tour season and we all understand that the publicity that golf in Oman, the National Bank of Oman, Almouj Golf and the supporting sponsors will receive as a result is a considerable benefit to our business and tourism.

“With the added publicity of the Road to Oman, with the Muscat event being mentioned every week whenever there is a tournament on the Challenge Tour, it is also an ideal way of promoting Oman.

I also follow The European Tour’s Race to Dubai weekly podcast which is presented by Ewan Murray and Robert Lee and they were talking about the Oman Grand Final when it was announced. It’s all good promotion for Oman. I’m sure there are lots of people worldwide who follow the podcast.

“This is good news for Oman’s amateurs and it will provide a great incentive for them to practice and improve their game in an effort to get into the Omani-only NBO Amateur Final. With the tournament being played off the forward

tees it will open up the opportunity for Omani amateurs, particularly the youngsters, to enjoy the course and to play on the same final two days of the Grand Final will be a great thrill.”

Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, commented: “We are pleased that it has been possible to accommodate the Omani amateurs in the tournament. The NBO Amateur Final will give the opportunity to the best Omani amateurs to gain experience, as they will play the exact same course as the Challenge Tour players.”

Azzan continued: “I’ve been struggling this season with my game so I’ll have to get in good shape in readiness for the big event.

It was good to see our Oman Junior team do so well at the GCC Golf Championships in Kuwait. They had a chance of winning the U-18s’ section but lost out on the last day.

They love the game and they really enjoy competing at a higher level.

“The same can be said for the

National Team. It’s good that there are some promising juniors coming through because they need to push the older players. We can’t have the National Team stagnating because there is nobody threatening their place. It’s the same for the juniors — we have four good juniors, but they need competition to push them and make them improve so they can challenge for places on the National Team.

“We should encourage youngsters to take up the game in every way we can, with golf being part of the curriculum in the schools and with coaching the juniors at the golf clubs. Oman has a great golfing future and we should encourage people of all ages to take up the game.

“We’ve got some big events coming up to look forward to, particularly the Asia Pacific Championship in Hong Kong in October; the Nomura Cup at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi in October and the Pan Arab Golf Championships in November in Tunisia. It’s going to be an exciting year all round for golf in Oman.”

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MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2 015

SPORTS ‘I’ve the greatest job in the world’ Jason Gillespie holds no regrets at losing out to Trevor Bayliss as the new coach.

He is settled in Yorkshire, and, as he says can draw on his unconventional rise to appreciate what he has

J

ASON Gillespie is the coach England decided they did not want. All the smart money and most of the column inches were devoted to Gillespie. Yorkshire, where he has been coach for three years, were making succession plans.

Then it was announced that he was not the preferred candidate.

If Gillespie was disappointed after all the attention, none of it sought, much of it deflected, it was matched by relief. While he believes that all people, not only sports coaches, should stretch themselves as far as they can, he is as happy as Larry at Yorkshire and has unfinished business there.

There were some doubts about taking the England job well before it was offered instead to his fellow Australian Trevor Bayliss, about whom Gillespie, typically, had only good things to say. Gillespie, perhaps bizarrely for a lad from Adelaide, has become part of the furniture in the Broad Acres.

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, said the other day that when he thought of Gillespie he thought of him these days as a Yorkie (notwithstanding, presumably, the 394 international wickets he took for Australia, 259 of them in Test matches). One day, perhaps, his relaxed style of coaching will be examined in the international arena, but for now he is abundantly content to concentrate on continuing to help lead the great Yorkshire revival.

“I have the greatest job in the world,” he said. “I was sitting back in a chair in the viewing area at Headingley not long back, with a coffee and a grin on my face because I’m watching a young legspinner turning it square, tossing it up, getting wickets, bowlers steaming in.

“I’m just sitting there watching cricket and watching Yorkshire perform well. I just thought, ‘How lucky am I?’ I thought where else would I want to be, watching a genius at work. I just sat there and enjoyed it. I sat back and watched and it was brilliant. I jump out of bed every morning.”

The match was against Hampshire last month and the genius to whom he referred was Adil Rashid.

It is not difficult to discern where Gillespie might lie in the debate over Rashid’s readiness for the England

Test team. Rashid is one of six Yorkshire players who were on England’s tour of the Caribbean this year.

Cheekily but forlornly, the county asked for him to be sent back to bolster their Championship campaign when it was clear he was not going to feature in the series.

It is the loss of so many players to international duty that makes so marvellous Yorkshire’s triumph in the Championship last summer, their 32nd title, and their

determined drive to retain it. At present they are second, the only unbeaten team, 11 points behind Durham (this is the true northern powerhouse) with a game in hand.

Gillespie’s other task is to try to ensure that they start to perform more convincingly in the limitedovers competitions.

He arrived in Yorkshire as the surprising choice to remodel their coaching structure in 2011. While he had spent two happy seasons

there as a player, it was an unexpected call. He was in the middle of Zimbabwe at the time in his first proper permanent coaching job.

“I had to start somewhere and I said if I’m going to be taken seriously I need to go and do some coaching,” Gillespie said. “I had coached the South Australian country side to last place, I had done some pieces but I hadn’t run a team really.

“It was a hand-to-mouth exist-

ence in Zimbabwe. I remember one day driving to training and it was payday for the team. I’m driving through the middle of Kwekwe, a little mining town and there were these queues about 150 metres long for the bank. As I drive slowly past it I see a few red shirts, about six of our players. They’re 100 metres back and training starts in 20 minutes. They want to get their money so they can take it home but they don’t know the bank is going to have money if they turn up after training.”

For six weeks, the Gillespies — he and wife Anna have four children under 10 — had no running water in their house.

It turned out to be a small, easily repaired fault but they had to save what water they could when it was available. These were instructive experiences which have helped to inform his coaching life since.

The approach from Yorkshire came from their director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, with whom Gillespie had formed a close bond in his playing days at the county.

Moxon saw him as the perfect fit.

It is fascinating to hear Gillespie talk of his coaching style, this lanky (very) fast bowler who, back in the day, wore his hair long, sported earrings and was part of one of the greatest of all teams. His first match at Headingley was in 1997 when he took 7 for 37 in England’s first innings.

As he appeared diffidently, nervously at the post-match press conference, his words racing away barely before they had formed on his lips, it was impossible to imagine him in this job now.

“At the start, I was quite methodical and planned,” he said.

“Because I was new to it all, I was very structured.

“It was all written down. I still do that now but with county cricket you know your routines, you don’t need to plan it out. I didn’t have all the answers, I certainly don’t have them now.”

As a coach, Gillespie’s main strength is as man manager, someone who can empathise with players. Some coaches pride themselves on their technical prowess.

Gillespie is not one of them.

“That’s not a strong suit of mine at all. I look for some basics but I genuinely see myself as a manager, really. We have had a number of situations here at Yorkshire.

“Last year, for instance, we lost to Middlesex and Steve Patterson wasn’t himself. I said to Ian Dews, our academy coach, that something wasn’t quite right but I can’t pinpoint it. Now Dewsy has been watching Patto bowl since he was 15, he knows every intimate detail of his action. He had a look at the DVD and after 15 minutes came back out and said, ‘I’ve got it, I’ve got it.’ He was like a kid in a candy store.”

Patterson, one of the more unsung Yorkshire heroes, was jumping a fraction higher than normal at the crease, affecting his timings and length. It was rectified quickly.

“For me, that’s what coaching is – work together as a team,” Gillespie said.

“It doesn’t matter who comes up with it, get the lads back on track.

“I’ve developed a style just from doing it. I like to get to know the person. That will give me an insight into how I can work with him. If you have a bit of an idea what’s going on away from cricket that helps.

“I don’t want to know all the personal details but, if I know he’s a family man with two kids at home and his missus is pregnant, I have to take into account that maybe I just need to look after him and make sure training doesn’t drag on for him, whereas this other kid, single, lives just round the corner, is not doing anything tonight, he can hang around.

“It’s about the person and I learnt that in Zimbabwe. There was no better education for me in coaching than going there with the whole set-up there. Their biggest challenges are almost nothing to do with cricket and you learn that.”

Gillespie became part of a great Australia team almost by accident and certainly against the run of play. He remembers with absolute clarity the evening everything changed. He was 17 and playing third-grade cricket for Adelaide Cricket Club. He had had a growth spurt which caused injuries. One night he and some mates were sitting round talking about what they intended to do with their lives.

“Some of the lads said they were going to be a fireman and that sort of stuff. When I was asked what I was going to do, I said, ‘Well, I’m going to play Test cricket’. And they just all burst out laughing.

They started to call me the Lion of Adelaide and just absolutely taking the mickey out of me. It hit me a like a bolt of lightning. I had always had this in my mind that I was going to play cricket for Australia but no one else could see it.”

What happened next changed everything. Gillespie went to a net, measured a run-up and bowled as fast as he could. For 40 minutes he steamed in. The club’s A-grade captain happened to be passing.

The rest is history. Within two years he was playing for South Australia, within four for Australia and weeks after that became “Dizzy” to anyone in cricket.

He bowled fast, he was a perfect complement to Glenn McGrath (“a great bowler, a great friend and the most confident man I’ve ever met”) and had an auspicious career. He remains a little irritated with himself about how it ended.

“I look back at the last couple of years of my career and I realise that I was just about done because I didn’t want to do the extra which I had always done.

“I had a poor Ashes tour in 2005, I came back, took 40-odd wickets for South Australia, bowled well and then got picked for a tour of Bangladesh. There were injuries, I got eight wickets in a two-match series, which in those conditions was good. I bowled well but I knew somehow it was my last match.”

More famously, of course, that last match in Chittagong featured Gillespie making 201 not out after going in as nightwatchman. It was unprecedented and if he had to go out it was some way to do it.

— STEPHEN BRENKLEY/THE INDEPENDENT

C6

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2 015

SPORTS

Nadal achieves clay-grass double at Stuttgart Open The Spaniard set another minor record, as he won the inaugural grass edition after taking clay trophies here in 2005 and 2007

STUTTGART: Rafael Nadal earned his second title of the season and his fourth on grass as he defeated Serb Viktor Troicki 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Sunday to become the first man to triumph on both clay and turf at the Stuttgart Open.

The Spanish top seed set another minor record, as he won the inaugural grass edition after taking clay trophies here in 2005 and 2007.

Stuttgart made the switch to grass starting with this edition as part of the new Wimbledon pre-season.

Nadal’s 66th career title marked his second in 2015 after claiming a trophy on South American clay last February. The Spaniard now owns two grass titles at Wimble-

MINOR RECORD: Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses with the trophy after defeating Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in the final match of the Stuttgart Open in southern Germany on Sunday. – AFP

don plus 2008 Queen’s Club, London and now Stuttgart.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion who is ranked 10th, polished his record against eighth seed Troicki to 5-0, last facing the Serb in a Tokyo semifinal nearly five years ago. Nadal took victory as he played his his 95th career final, now standing 66-29 in finals.

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His last grass final came at Wimbledon in 2011 when he lost to Novak Djokovic. Troicki was playing his seventh career final — and first on grass — and now stands 2-5 in title matches.

Nadal’s victory boosted him to 33-10 this season as he prepares for what he hopes is a better second half of 2015. He is now 17-2 in

Stuttgart, where he last competed eight years ago.

“I’m not bothered by the expectations of others,” said the 29-yearold. “I’m only motivated by my own goals, There is no pressure on me.

“It’s fantastic to win here on grass after winning on clay. Victor is a tough opponent.

“But I’ve been gaining confidence over the past month and a half after a very poor first three and a half months of this season.

“I’ve been feeling my game better since after my first match in Monte Carlo (mid-April). It was mentally tiring for me to play tennis in the first part of the year. I was not feeling comfortable on court.

“I was not able to play the way that I wanted. I didn’t feel confidence. But that has been changing and my focus now if to prepare as best as I can for Wimbledon.”

Nadal added: “My level has always been there, I’ve not forgotten how to play tennis. But now things are coming together for me.”

Nadal spent 48 minutes in winning the opening set, which he took into a tiebreaker with a love game.

The top seed grabbed the early 4-2 lead in the decider and fired a ninth ace to wrap up the opener. In the second, the Spaniard broke for 3-1 and took victory on his third match point, ending with 11 aces in the 88-minute contest. - AFP

C ATA L U N YA G P

Lorenzo cuts Rossi’s lead to one point BARCELONA: Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo slashed teammate Valentino Rossi’s championship lead to a single point on Sunday with his fourth win in a row at an eventful Catalunya Grand Prix.

The victory on a scorching afternoon also handed the Spaniard a MotoGP record with 103 successive laps led, breaking Australian Casey Stoner’s previous benchmark of 88.

Rossi completed a one-two finish for Yamaha, the team’s second of the season, while Honda’s Dani Pedrosa was third.

“The conditions were difficult as it was very hot,” Lorenzo told reporters. “Valentino likes these conditions and performs better but it is the opposite for me.

“The bike was moving a lot but I didn’t make any mistakes and the hard work paid off.”

Rossi now has 138 points to Lorenzo’s 137.

World champion Marc Marquez’s poor season continued as he failed to finish for the second successive race, crashing out on the third lap while challenging Lorenzo for the lead.

“I was on my home circuit and I wanted to give 100 percent,” the Honda rider, now 69 points behind Rossi and with his hopes of a third successive title fading fast, told reporters. “The thing

Jorge Lorenzo

is though that if you are not at your best then these things can happen. I felt strong but couldn’t brake into the corner.”

Rossi’s poor form in qualifying continued and he had to work his way through the pack, having started in seventh, but could not put any real pressure on Lorenzo once in second place.

“This time I was happy with the bike. Starting on the third row meant that I lost time but I am pleased with my race,” Rossi said.

“My speed was equal to Jorge’s today and so now after seven races there is only one point between us so it should be interesting.” - Reuters

CRICKET

DRIVE SLOWER LIVE LONGER

Rampant Aussies sweep the series KINGSTON: Australia defeated the West Indies by 277 runs after lunch on the fourth day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

It gave Australia a 2-0 sweep of the series after winning the first Test in Dominica.

Earlier, Josh Hazlewood lifted his match haul to seven wickets in removing Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood.

Mitchell Starc, who started the rout by dismissing both openers in the first over of the innings late on the third day, got the ball rolling again for the tourists when he bowled Shane Dowrich off his pads after 19 minutes’ play.

Despite struggling to find his rhythm throughout the match, Mitchell Johnson joined the rampant wicket-takers when he breached the defence of Shai Hope for the sixth wicket of the innings.

Jason Holder, who took on the Australians with the bat and verbally during an entertaining first innings of 82 not out the day before, failed to have any impact the second time around.

With his captain, Denesh Ramdin, offering a measure of resistance at the other end, the promising all-rounder pushed a straightforward catch to Starc at short midwicket off Shane Watson 15 minutes before the interval.

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings: 399 West Indies 1st innings: 220 Australia 2nd innings: 212 for 2 declared West Indies 2nd innings: K. Brathwaite b Starc 0 R. Chandrika c Marsh b Starc 0 D. Bravo c Marsh b Hazlewood 11 S. Dowrich b Starc 4 S. Hope b Johnson 16 J. Blackwood b Hazlewood 0 D. Ramdin c Clarke b Johnson 29 J. Holder c Starc b Watson 1 V. Permaul not out 23 K. Roach c Smith b Lyon 3 J. Taylor b Lyon 0 Extras (b-13, lb-11, w-2, nb-1) 27 Total (42 overs, all out) 114 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-1, 3-20, 4-27, 5-33, 6-55, 7-62, 8-111, 9-114.

Bowling: Starc 13-5-34-3 (1w, 1nb), Hazlewood 10-5-18-2, Lyon 7-3-12-2, Johnson 8-1-23-2 (1w), Watson 4-2-3-1.

Starting the morning at 16 for two, Bravo and Dowrich were kept under a virtual state of siege by the outstanding pace and perseverance of Starc and Hazlewood.

Despite his status as the most experienced West Indies batsman in the match given the unavailability of Marlon Samuels, left-handed Bravo struggled to get the ball away. - AFP

C

SECTION

LIFE & STYLE

Fashion to turn up the volume on music he has been featured in Teen Vogue and has shopped for vintage clothing while being trailed by a reporter. A style blog chronicles her socially-conscious fashion choices. She has walked red carpets, played at the White House and performed at the request of President Barack Obama at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Concert, a celebration that required three different evening gowns.

Fashion has become integral to Spalding’s relationship with the public, even though it was not her personal passion and it was not part of her coming-of-age story. That tale centres around growing up as a musical savant amid challenging circumstance in Portland, Oregon.

And now, fashion has become a storytelling tool and a way for her to exert control over her own narrative.

“Since I was never concerned with dressing up and looking fabulous, when I realised it was going to be part of my life, I wanted to find a way to make it interesting to me,” Spalding tells The Washington Post. Doing so has meant choosing costumes that expand on her repertoire, that build meaningful context around her music and that define her as an idiosyncratic musician with a distinctively cool point-of-view.

Spalding is not a brand name-wearing cover girl. Her clothes are off-beat and odd. Rarely are they blandly beautiful.

They are almost always intriguing.

“I like to tinker with meaning and metaphor and intention,” she says.

Spalding, 30, is performing in the guise of “Emily” — her middle name — as part of her D+Evolution Tour.

“I didn’t use the Emily for the last 15 years,” Spalding says. Using it now has been “like opening up that childhoodspace again.”

“I look at it like going back and remembering the dreams of your youth,” she says — noting that she’s paraphrasing jazzman Wayne Shorter, with whom she has collaborated. “I am doing everything I want to do, don’t get me wrong.”

But Spalding’s music career began in her teens; there were childhood notions “I never really explored,” she says.

While Spalding is known for her billowing afro and her eccentric glamour, “Emily” is defined by her teal-coloured schoolgirl spectacles and the rope-like twists that trail down her back. Emily’s clothes are vaguely dowdy and a little bit old-fashioned. They would look at home being marched down a Prada runway. Emily is a stylised version of a young Spalding, one who is depicted in an old photograph on Spalding’s Tumblr page — a gap-tooth kid with red glasses, a bright green cardigan and a head full of tiny, squiggly braids.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M O N DAY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

Grammy-winning bassist Esperanza Spalding has been called an ‘It Girl’ by ‘Vogue’ magazine.

She uses fashion and music to merge into a singular, improvisational experience that is both melodic and visual

Spalding is loathe to describe Emily as a character or the clothes that she wears as costumes. And yet, aren’t they costumes if you’re wearing them on stage in the middle of a performance? “Kind of.

I mean no. Gosh. I guess if you were to see a play on the street or in a park and it took you through a series of events over the course of the year, I think you won’t notice so much what they’re wearing,” Spalding says. “I don’t want people to expect a full stage production.”

She is hoping that the person, the clothes, the music and the performance all merge into a singular, improvisational experience that is both melodic and visual. She would be very happy if critics would refrain from attempting to give the moment a name, if people would stop attempting to categorise the work. “You don’t have to understand the meaning,” she says, a notion that’s highly unsettling within a culture that prefers labels to ambiguities and doesn’t like its artists to go rogue.

Like a lot of jazz artists, Spalding has long given consideration to her stage persona. Jazz has a history of men in elegant suits and women in sophisticated evening gowns. Jazz — see Miles Davis or Thelonius Monk — gave popular culture hipster cool. It romanticised broken, suffering beauties such as Billie Holiday.

Spalding expands on that style tradition. In the past, she has used fashion to tweak the staid image of classical musicians and underscore her desire to spark a musical shift. With the CD Chamber Music Society, “I wanted to assume the persona of a buttoned-up person coming home and having a conversation musically.” So there she was in her afro and a white shirt — buttoned up — under a black vest.

When she performed for Sting at the Kennedy Centre Honours, she wanted her dress to speak to his work but also her own interpretation of it. She sang his moody jazz elegy Fragile. And as her tiny hands pulled on the strings of her massive upright bass, she made a delicate, aesthetic nod to his Canary in a Coalmine. The Honours performance “was about reminding us that we’re very fragile, like a canary in a coalmine,” Spalding says. She sang as the canary in a “yellow dress, but it was glamorous and high end” because the Honours are held within the grand confines of the John F. Kennedy Centre.

Ultimately, Spalding — the musician — is hoping that fashion will help audiences experience something wholly new: “I hope people will be able to forget that we’re playing music.”

— Robin Givhan/The Washington Post

C8

MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

EXTRA

I

n Noah Baumbach’s recent movie, While We’re Young, Josh and Cornelia, ageing Generation X Brooklynites (played by Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) who are desperately trying to reclaim their youth, are struck by what passes for home décor in the Bushwick loft of their new, painfully on-trend young friends Jamie and Darby (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried).

Along with the familiar hipster household clichés (the electric typewriter, the wall of vinyl records), the young couple proudly displays a Reagan-era library of movies on VHS tapes, along with a shelf of music cassettes.

“It’s like their apartment is full of everything we once threw out,” Cornelia says with an air of wonder.

The tech detritus of the 1980s and ’90s is finding a second life as a new generation of artists, designers and geek-nostalgists is repurposing the early-digital-era flotsam of its youth as art, home décor and jewellery, along with plenty of irony-laced kitsch.

Think of it as the next evolution of retro-chic style. Self-conscious analogue style may have owned the last decade, at least among tastemakers in shuttle-loomed denim with their vintage phonograph players, typewriters and mechanical watches.

But as the children weaned on Nintendo and Napster mature to the point that they suffer occasional fits of cultural nostalgia, the disposable plastic junk of their youth may finally be ready to have its due.

“We’re just to the point where we can look back at the VHS tape

and realise how cool it was,” said Erika Iris Simmons, a 31-year-old Chicago artist who works under the name Iri5, fashioning portraits of luminaries like Jimi Hendrix and Marilyn Monroe not with a brush, but with swirls of tape from old audio and VHS cassettes.

To Simmons, cassette tape recalls a more physical, tactile association that children of the ’80s and ’90s once had with their gadgets; she remembers knowing how to blow into her Nintendo game cartridge just so, to get it working when it would not load. “We all have that shared experience of interacting with the technology that you don’t get to know with MP3s,” she said.

In a similar vein, Chris McCullough, 40, a Los Angeles architectural designer who creates art for his spaces, renders portraits of cultural icons like James Brown using audiocassettes like mosaic tiles. Not only are discarded cassettes inexpensive and abundant, he said, but they resonate with audiences his age.

“Cassettes represented the first popular portable music medium you could share and personalise yourself,” McCullough said, before services like Spotify made music “ever disposable.”

(While cassette tapes are technically analogue, they reached their cultural zenith in the early digital era of the ’80s, just as PCs were entering the mainstream.)

Old Nintendo peripherals themselves can also function as art, or at least eye-catching home décor.

Jeff Farber of Oshkosh, Wiscon-

Today’s technology advances and upgrades are so fast that a device you buy today can become virtually obsolete in a matter of months, so there is no real time to fall in love with it the way you could in those golden years of video game infancy

THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF RETRO-CHIC STYLE The tech gadgets of the 1980s

and 1990s is finding a second life as a new generation of artists, designers and geek-nostalgists is repurposing the early-digital-era flotsam of its youth as art, home decor and jewellery

sin, sells pop-art-style desk and floor lamps fashioned from vintage PlayStations and Nintendo 64s and the like on his Etsy shop Woody6Switch, which are intended to celebrate an era when gadgets, even cheap plastic ones, had a certain staying power.

“When I was a kid, technology advanced much more slowly than it does today,” Farber, 36, said.

“Like a beloved pet, you took care of it and it gave you joy and entertainment for many, many years.”

By contrast, he added, “today’s technology advances and upgrades are so fast that a device you buy today can become virtually obsolete in a matter of months, so there is no real time to fall in love with it the way you could in those golden years of video game infancy.”

There is certainly no shortage of the stuff. As the life cycle of the average electronic gadget shrinks to a virtual eye blink, the mountains of electronic trash continue to rise, expected to surpass 70 million metric tons this year, from about 19 million in 1990, according to a 2014 report by Step, a United

Nations-affiliated sustainability initiative. Except in unusual cases — like the recent story about a Bay Area woman dumping a rare Apple I computer from the 1970s worth $200,000, apparently by accident, at a recycling facility in Milpitas, California — few look at that trash heap and see treasure.

But that has started to change.

While some regard the so-called upcycling of old gadgets into picture frames or planters as an ecological gesture others see it as a celebration of shared technological heritage.

Jake Harms, 31, who lives in Hildreth, Nebraska, started a business recycling old iMacs into aquariums and desk lamps in 2007 after a boss directed him to toss an outmoded iMac G3. The candy-coloured, egg-shaped desktop computer, introduced in 1998 as one of Steve Jobs’ first iconic pieces during Apple’s late-’90s comeback, seemed too lovely to toss, Harms reasoned. So after some online research, he decided to turn it into a computer fish tank (a longstanding hobby for some techies), and has since sold more than 1,000, he said.

To Harms, the iMac is functional art, like a classic car. And just as a 1960s Ford Mustang may not make an ideal daily drive but is great for a weekend cruises, “an old computer may not run current software, but make some modifications and it makes a pretty sweet aquarium or lamp,” he said.

Apple products created early in the reign of Jonathan Ive, the company’s design guru since 1996, are a natural for reuse as household objects since many were hailed as classics from the outset. For ex-

ample, Lonnie Mimms, a Georgia real estate executive who owns a collection of vintage computers he values at more than $1 million, recently staged an Apple Pop Up Museum in a former CompUSA store near Atlanta.

Other die-hards have fashioned discarded eMacs into pet beds, G4 towers into mailboxes, G5 towers into outdoor benches and G4 Cube computers into tissue boxes.

The customer base for these upcycled products tends to be narrow and self-selective.

“They’re geeks; they’re nerds,” said Rob Connolly, a retired Floridian who, with his partner, Rita Balcom, makes intricate wall clocks and desk clocks out of old hard drives and motherboards. A few years ago, for example, their company, Tecoart, which sells on Etsy and Amazon, filled an order for 2,400 such pieces from Google, which passed them out as employee incentive awards, he said.

Not surprisingly, these techie hobbyists share their passion in online communities. One of the more popular forums is a DIY tech blog run by Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, a family company in Sunnyvale, California, that produces open-source hardware. The site features tutorials on making earrings out of linear regulator chips, wine charms from capacitors and a wooden footstool in the shape of a classic 555 integrated circuit chip from the ’70s.

“Most of us are deep in the maker communities,” said Lenore Edman, a founder, “so these items are symbols of both our history and our knowledge.”

-Alex Williams/ The New York Times News Service

MO NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

C9

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Jurassic World (Action / Adventure) Cast: Chris Pratt, Judy Greer, Ty Simkins 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 & 11:55 pm CP No: 1495 (PG12)

Jurassic World (Act, Adv) (3D) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:45 pm Jurassic World (Act, Adv) (2D) (PG12) Cast : Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 2:00, 6:45 pm Spy (Action, Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, 7:15, 9:30 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (Drama, Rom) (TBC) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 5:00, 8:15 pm Insidious Chapter 3 (Horror) (15+) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson 3:00, 11:30 pm Better Living Through Chemistry (Comedy, Drama) (15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde 5:30 pm San Andreas (Act, Adv) (3D) PG Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 4:30, 11:45 pm A Mouse Tale (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, Miranda Cosgrove 2:00, 3:45 pm

Hamara Adhuri Kahani (2D)(Dra) (PG) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan 9:00pm San Andreas (3D) (Act) (PG) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 12:15 & 5:00pm Jurassic World (3D) (Act/Adv) (PG12)

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard 9:30 & 11:45pm Gold Class: 8:45 & 11:15 pm Jurassic World (2D) (Act/Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard 10:30am; Gold Class: 12:45pm Spy (2D) (Action/Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 2:45 & 7:15pm; Gold Class: 3:15 pm Insidious Chapter 3 (2D) (Horror) (15+) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott 11:45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (2D) (Dra) (PG12) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 6:00 pm; Gold Class: 5:30 pm A Mouse Tale (2D) (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, 10:30 am, 12:45 & 2:30 pm Better Living Through Chemistry (2D) (Comedy/Drama) (15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Monaghan 4:15 pm

SCREEN 1 Hamari Adhori Kahani (Rom/Drama) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 3:30, 9.45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (Rom/Dra ) – PG12 Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shetty, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra 6:45 pm SCREEN 2 Dil Dhadakne Do (Rom/Dra ) – PG12 3:30, 9:45 pm Hamari Adhori Kahani (Rom/Dra) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 6:45 pm

SCREEN 3 Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Romance/Drama/Comedy ) – PG Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Deepak Dobriyal 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 pm

San Andreas - 3D (PG) (Action | Drama) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 9:15, 11:30 pm Spy - 2D (18+) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 6:30, 11:45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do - 2D (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 3:00 pm Jurassic World - 2D (PG12) (Action) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 2:40 pm Jurassic World - 3D (PG12) (Act | Sci- ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 6:45, 9:15, 11:45 pm Better Living Through Chemistry 2D (15+) (Comedy| Drama) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde 3:00, 7:25pm Preservation - 2D (15+) (Horror) Cast: Wrenn Schmidt, Pablo Schreiber, Aaron Staton 5:00, 11:50pm A Mouse Tale - 2D (PG) (Animation) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, Miranda 3:00, 4:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani - 2D (PG) (Drama | Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkummar Rao, Sara Khan 4:45, 9:10 pm

Premam - 2D (M) (TBC) (Com | Romance) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran 8:45 pm Romeo Juliet - 2D (T) (PG) (Com) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna, 6:15 pm

Jurassic World - 2D (Act/Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Ty Simpkins 3:00 pm Jurassic World - 3D (Act/ Fi) (PG12) 4:45, 9:15, 11:30 pm A Mouse Tale – 2D (Animation) (PG) 3:00, 5:05pm San Andreas – 3D (PG) (Act, Dr) 6:45, 11:45pm Premam – 2D (Com, Romance) (TBC) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran; 8:45pm Dil Dhadakne Do – 2D (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra 3:30pm Romeo Juliet – 2D (Tamil) (Dr) (PG) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna 6:30pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani - 2D (Drama) (TBC) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan 9:15 pm Spy - 2D (18+) (Action, Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi 7:00, 11:45pm

Jurassic World (3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, 4:15, 9:30, 11:45 pm Jurassic World (2D) (Act | Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 2:45pm

A Mouse Tale (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell 11:30 AM, 5:00 pm Spy (Action | Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jason Statham, Jude Law, Melissa McCarthy 6:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani (Hindi) (Drama | Romance) (PG); 9:00 pm Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan Dil Dhadakne Do (Hindi) (Dra) (TBC) 01:15pm Premam (Mal) (Com| Rom) (TBC) 11:45 AM, 6:30 pm

San Andreas (3D) (12+) (Act, Dra, ) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, 5:15, 11:55pm Spy (2D) (18+) (Action, Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, 12:30, 11:30 pm Insidious: Chapter 3 (2D) (15+) (Hor) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, 2:00, 10:05pm Dil Dhadakne Do (2D) (PG12) (Dra) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra; 2:15pm Jurassic World (3D) (PG12) (Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45pm Jurassic World (2D) (PG12) (Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 12:00 pm Romeo Juliet (2D) (PG) (Com) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna, 5:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani (2D) (PG) (Drama, Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, 7:30pm Better Living Through Chemistry (2D) (15+) (Comedy, Drama) Cast: Sam Rockwell, 5:45pm A Mouse Tale (2D) (PG) (Animation) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, 12:15, 4:00 pm

Preservation ( Horror /Thriller) Cast: Wren Schimidth, Pablo Schrieber, Aron Staton 1:15 & 11:55 pm CP No: 1496 (15+) San Andreas (Action / Thriller) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Deddario, Carla Gugino 1:00 & 5:15 pm CP No: 1381 (PG) Hamara Adhuri Kahani (Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkumar Rao 3:00, 7:15 & 9:30 pm CP No: 1497 (PG)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776

Premam (Mal) (Com) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran & Sai Pallavi 3:30, 6:30, 9:00 pm at Cinema Main Romeo & Juliet (Tamil) (Act/Rom) Cast: Jayam Ravi & Hansika Motwani 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm at Cinema -2 Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Hindi) (Rom) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkummar Rao, Sara Khan 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45 pm at Cinema-3 Chandrettan Evideya (Mal) (Rom/Com) Cast: Dileep, Namitha and Anu Sree 3:45, 6:45, 9:45 pm Cinema -4 Next Change: Laila O Laila ( Mal ) Eli (Tamil) Kakka (Tamil) (Subject to change)

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ACES ON BRIDGE

Is the 5-3 or 4-4 fit preferable?

JESSAMYN West, an author who died in 1984, said, “We want the facts to fit the preconceptions.

When they don’t, it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.”

In bridge, we have suit fits, about which some players have preconceptions. In this deal, North-South have a 5-3 spade fit and a 4-4 heart fit. Which is preferable?

Today we will study the 5-3 fit, tomorrow the 4-4.

Against four spades, West leads off with the diamond ace. What should happen?

In the auction, after North jumped to two no-trump and South rebid three hearts, North should have raised hearts, but gave preference to spades. South continued with three no-trump to describe his 5-4-2-2 distribution, and North removed to four spades because he was worried about diamonds. That was understandable, although here, because diamonds were 4-4, three no-trump would have been a lucky make. In contrast, four spades was an unlucky fail.

At trick one, East signaled enthusiastically with his diamond 10.

When encouraging, play the highest card you can afford — no half measures.

West cashed his diamond king, then continued with another diamond, which South ruffed.

Everything looked easy to South; surely he had five spades, four hearts and one club. But after drawing trumps, he started on the hearts.

When West discarded on the second round, declarer led a low club toward his queen, but his luck was still out. West had the king and South had to lose one heart, two diamonds and one club.

— By Phillip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Kimono sash 4 Leaf through 8 No different 12 Was in front 13 What the suspicious smell (2 wds.)

14 Deuces 15 Bermuda Triangle ocean 17 Charles Lamb 18 Fuels 19 Far East cuisine 21 Yes, to Angus 23 As a joke (2 wds.)

27 Stack 30 Account entry 33 Novelist — Levin 34 Dr.’s visit

35 36 37 38 39 40 42 44 47 51 54 56 57 58 59 60 61

Tyrannosaurus — Lobster pot Craven or Unseld Ooze out Morays Ship bottoms Unwitty comebacks Archaic preposition Dull green Invitation info Personalised a ring Mystique Deli breads Previously Honey Wheel part — Antonio

DOWN 1 Norwegian saint 2 — noire 3 Lazing about 4 Bright flower 5 Wall hanging 6 Stride 7 Draw on glass 8 Tankard 9 Belt maker’s tool 10 French word for ‘me’ 11 Spanish “that” 16 Get accustomed 20 Zero in on 22 Gael republic 24 Bake pottery 25 Europe-Asia range 26 Dozes off 27 Bird of prey

28 29 31 32 36 38 41 43 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53 55

Fencer’s need Basilica area Casual wear Montreal player Physicist Nikola — 9-digit ID Type of eclipse Cowboy’s partner Prefix meaning “trillion” Black gemstone Currier’s partner Aloe — Blissful spot Fat cat’s bundle Shade Period Toothpaste type

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE

AFRAH MAHMUD June 15, 2002

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C1 0

MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are, unquestionably, one of the most remarkable and memorable individuals born under your sign. That is surely something to rejoice over, but is it enough?

The likelihood that simply being remarkable and memorable will be enough to secure your place in the world is very slim, so what must you do to make a success of yourself ?

You must follow your passion, surely, and do the things — personally and professionally — that are true to you, that carry your own unique stamp and that can be judged as excellent the world over. In other words, you must do what truly comes from your heart, and do it in a way that has real value in the world. Indeed, you must do something that counts to others!

The choice of this certain something is sure to be critical to your life and your lifestyle. You want to be able to live exactly as you want, without having to follow orders in any way. Your autonomy is precious to you; once you have won it, you aren’t likely to give it up for anything — but you have to earn it first!

Also born on this date are: Ice Cube, rapper and actor; Neil Patrick Harris, actor; Courtney Cox, actress; Helen Hunt, actress; Waylon Jennings, singer; Tim Lincecum, baseball player; Jim Belushi, actor; Jim Varney, actor; Wade Boggs, baseball player; Harry Nilsson, singer-songwriter; Mario Cuomo, politician; Julie Hagerty, actress; Jake Busey, actor; Simon Callow, actor and author.

W E AT H E R

P

WORLD

Max 40 Min 34 Max 27 Min 19

Max 37 Min 28

Max 35 Min 29 Max 22 Min 16

Max 33 Min 30

Max 29 Min 18

Max 41 Min 28

Max 42 Min 30

Max 38 Min 28

Max 32 Min 28

Max 34 Min 29

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] Max 33 Min 29

Max 28 Min 17

Max 37 Min 29 Max 19 Min 13

—www.met.gov.om

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

40 41 40 48 37 40

29 31 30 31 31 27

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

33 42 32 21 18 34 30 24 31 27 21 32 22 26 20 31 30 22

24 28 21 9 14 30 28 12 27 21 5 24 16 14 11 28 19 17

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22]

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You will have a great deal of enthusiasm for a project put forward by someone who knows that you are instrumental in bringing it to life.

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30 TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You’re likely to be introduced to someone who can do much to further your current efforts — and vice versa.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] It may be difficult to do what is expected of you, but all such expectations may be dashed by circumstances.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You’re in need of some companionship, but your activities may require you to spend more time alone — at least for now.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You may be wondering if there isn’t something bigger than yourself pulling the strings. Indeed, signs seem to point to something!

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] Your attitude about certain personal issues is beginning to change — subtly, but significantly.

Don’t misinterpret trends.

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] Honesty is the best policy, almost always. You may have to broach a difficult subject with a loved one, and frankness will be key.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] Your expertise is widely sought by others. You may find yourself getting busier and busier as you give them what they most need.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] Focus on the things that have the simplest explanations. You’ll take great comfort from such basics, and their meaning will increase.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You can afford to treat yourself a little better, but avoid the kind of needless expenses that do you more harm than good.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6:54pm 5.20am

High tide Low tide

7:16pm 2:17am

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

MONDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

You may be reunited — if only briefly — with someone who was an important part of your upbringing, perhaps long ago.

12.12pm 3.30pm 7.00pm 8.22pm 3.52am

8:23am 1:54pm

SEA STATE: Rough along southeastern coast with a maximum wave height between 3.0 to 8.0 metres and slight to moderate along rest of Oman’s coast with a maximum wave height of 1.5 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate and moderate during rain.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy to cloudy skies over governorates of south Al-Sharqiya, Al-Wusta and Dhofar with chances of isolated rain. Chance of convective cloud development over Al-Hajar mountains during afternoon.

Max

OMAN

CANCER

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

AIRLINES

artly cloudy skies over the governorates of south Al-Sharqiya, Al-Wusta and Dhofar with chances of isolated rain, clear to partly cloudy skies over rest of the Sultanate with chances of convective clouds developments and isolated rain over Al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas during evening. Chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Oman Sea. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Dhofar and Al-Wusta governorates wind will be southwesterly moderate to fresh and over rest of the Sultanate wind will be northeasterly to easterly light to moderate occasionally fresh.

GEMINI You may hear a story or two that leave you wondering what is true and what is not — but in your heart, you know exactly what is what.

PRAYER TIMINGS

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

TUESDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

MEDINA 0005 KUWAIT 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 LAHORE 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 BEIRUT 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 MANILA 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 ABU DHABI 1335 DUBAI 1340 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 BAHRAIN 1635 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 MADRAS 1750 BANGALORE 1750 DUQUM OMAN 1755 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 RIYADH 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 MUNICH 2105 DACCA 2115 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 SALALAH 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 AHMEDABAD 2300 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2320 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY682 WY914 BG021 WY916 NL768 TK774 4H583 PK281 GF560 QR1132 EK866 ET624 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY412 WY658 WY638 4H562 WY902 WY644 WY326 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY678 WY668 WY132 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY432 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 G9841 WY236 G9114 WY282 EK862 WY242 WY252 QR1128 IX817 EY382 9W530 WY3302 WY604 WY918 WY652 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY705 WY904 WY634 WY818 BG023 WY670 WY324 WY332 PA950 PK191 WY606 WY906 WY920 FZ045 WY632 WY656 QR1126 WY3304 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 WY216 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY610 WY694 GF564 TG507 SV534 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 RG125 WY386 WY224 WY614 WY338 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 DACCA 0100 SALALAH 0120 LAHORE 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0300 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 AMMAN 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 JEDDAH 0645 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 KARACHI 0650 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 MEDINA 0710 DOHA 0715 PARIS 0735 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 TEHRAN 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 RAS AL KHAIMA 0855 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 DUBAI 0930 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1050 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1125 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 SALALAH 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 SIALKOT 1310 GWADUR 1320 DUBAI 1340 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 ABU DHABI 1605 BAHRAIN 1610 DOHA 1650 MUKHAIZNA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 TRIVANDRUM 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 DUBAI 1800 DAMMAM 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 MALE 2020 COCHIN 2025 DUBAI 2025 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 MADRAS 2135 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

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AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY211 WY235 WY201 WY643 WY345 WY271 WY341 WY601 WY371 WY123 WY901 WY847 WY241 WY667 TK775 WY209 4H584 PK226 WY331 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY815 WY253 WY291 WY263 WY717 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY283 WY631 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 QR1129 EY383 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 WY655 FZ038 WY3303 IX350 PA451 WY113 WY663 WY683 WY131 WY645 WY143 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY433 WY3921 WY675 FZ046 WY613 WY905 QR1127 WY681 WY623 WY647 WY909 GF565 WY907 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY411 WY915 FZ050 AI978 4H561 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 WY677 WY705 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 HYDERABAD 0110 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 LAHORE 0145 DUBAI 0145 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 SALALAH 0215 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DACCA 0300 KARACHI 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 DUBAI 0750 SALALAH 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 BANGKOK 0905 MADRAS 0915 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 BANGALORE 1000 ABU DHABI 1015 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 CALICUT 1255 LAHORE 1315 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 RIYADH 1335 PARIS 1345 KUWAIT 1350 MALPENSA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 TEHRAN 1445 DUQUM OMAN 1455 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 DUBAI 1710 SALALAH 1735 DOHA 1750 RIYADH 1840 DUBAI 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1900 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 AMMAN 2100 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 JEDDAH 2215 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 MEDINA 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

AI986 9W539 SG062 WY657 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY345 WY271 WY601 WY341 WY431 WY371 WY123 WY325 WY901 WY241 WY667 WY383 BG022 NL769 TK775 4H584 WY331 PK282 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY651 WY3301 WY903 4H562 WY603 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY373 WY215 WY815 WY291 WY263 WY385 G9842 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 IX818 QR1129 EY383 WY311 WY919 9W533 GF563 WY223 WY655 FZ038 WY631 IX350 WY253 WY113 WY693 WY3303 WY663 WY131 WY143 WY645 WY101 BG024 PK192 PA951 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 SV535 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 WY915 FZ050 WY411 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 AHMEDABAD 0030 BAHRAIN 0055 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 LAHORE 0145 TEHRAN 0155 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 SALALAH 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0230 LAHORE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 DACCA 0300 KATHMANDU 0350 SIALKOT 0400 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 BAHRAIN 0730 MUKHAIZNA 0730 SALALAH 0740 DACCA 0745 DUBAI 0750 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 COLOMBO 0900 TRIVANDRUM 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 MALE 0945 RAS AL KHAIMA 0945 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 SALALAH 1020 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 MANGALORE 1100 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 KHASAB 1145 COCHIN 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 COCHIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 ABU DHABI 1240 CALICUT 1255 MADRAS 1255 FRANKFURT 1320 DAMMAM 1330 MUKHAIZNA 1330 DOHA 1330 PARIS 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 DACCA 1400 GWADUR-TURBAT 1405 SIALKOT 1430 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 MEDINA 1705 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 RIYADH 2000 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 ABU DHABI 2045 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 AMMAN 2205 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

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M O NDAY, JUNE 15, 2015

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EXTRA

Fears, not facts, support GMO free food Despite much evidence that genetically modified organisms help make what we eat safer and healthier, more people are looking for food without them

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espite myriad assurances from scientists that foods containing genetically modified ingredients are safe to eat, consumers are likely to see more and more products labelled “GMOfree.” As happened with the explosion of gluten-free products, food companies are quick to cash in on what they believe consumers want regardless of whether it is scientifically justified.

Responding to consumer concerns about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, in foods, as well as individual company and state actions on GMO labelling, the Department of Agriculture last month announced a voluntary certification programme that food companies would pay for to have their products labelled GMO-free.

Soon Abbott, the maker of Similac Advance, began selling a GMO-free version of the nation’s leading commercial baby formula (it already has such a product, sold as Similac Organic) to give consumers “peace of mind.” In April, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it would start preparing foods with no GMOs, although the restaurant will not be free of such ingredients.

Last year, Vermont passed a law requiring the labelling of foods that contain GMOs. (Connecticut and Maine have labelling laws that will go into effect STUDY

‘Golden age’ of animal tracking is here

ANIMALS WEARING new tagging and tracking devices would give one a real-time look at their behaviour and at the environmental health of the planet, a new study shows. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology used the Automated Radio Telemetry System on the Smithsonian’s Barro Colorado Island in Panama to monitor sleep in wild sloths as they moved through the forest.

“We suggest that a golden age of animal tracking science has begun. The upcoming years will be a time of exciting discoveries,” said Roland Kays. -IANS

only when surrounding states also pass them.) And Whole Foods Market, with 410 stores in 42 states, Canada and Britain, announced that it would require all foods they sell with GMOs to be so labelled by 2018.

GMO labelling is already required in 64 countries, including those of the European Union; Russia; Japan; China; Australia; Brazil; and a number of countries in Africa, where despite rampant food scarcity, American exports have been rejected because the crops contained GMOs. However, a review of the pros and cons of GMOs strongly suggests that the issue reflects a poor public understanding of the science behind them, along with a rebellion against the dominance of food and agricultural conglomerates. The anti-GMO movement, I’m afraid, risks throwing the baby out with the bathwater. What is needed is a dispassionate look at what GMOs mean and their actual and potential good, not just a fear of harmful possibilities.

Let’s start with the facts. Humans have been genetically modifying food and feed plants and animals for millennia, until recently only by repeatedly crossing existing ones with relatives that have more desirable characteristics. It can take years, even decades, to achieve a commercially viable product this way because unwant-

A review of the pros and cons of GMOs strongly suggests that the issue reflects a poor public understanding of the science behind them, along with a rebellion against the dominance of food and agricultural conglomerates

ed traits can exist in the resulting hybrids.

While it may be nice to have a tomato that can withstand travel, the fruit also has to ripen evenly and taste good.

Genetic engineering makes it possible to achieve a desired outcome in one generation. It introduces only a single known gene or small group of genes that dictate production of desired proteins into a plant, imparting characteristics such as tolerance of frost, drought or salt, or resistance to disease or weed killer. The

technique can also be used to enhance a plant’s growth or content of an essential nutrient, or, in the case of animals, reduce the feed they need.

Thus, Golden Rice, genetically enhanced to be rich in a precursor of vitamin A, can counter blindness. Another gene inserted into rice boosts iron content to fight anaemia. A gene from the ocean pout speeds the growth of farmed salmon, reducing its dependence on wild fish feed.

And a bacterial gene inserted into the DNA of corn enables it to better withstand drought. The often-voiced concern that introducing genes from different species is unnatural and potentially dangerous ignores the fact that we share thousands of genes with other species. (We share 84 per cent of our genes with dogs!)

As for safety, every GMO must be evaluated and approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency before it can be sold.

Developers must test the product for toxicity and allergenicity and assure it is at least as nutritious as its non-GMO counterpart.

Yes, this depends on the developer’s honesty, but note — There is no such testing required for traditionally bred foods, any number of which can cause lifethreatening reactions in some people.

Many non-GMO foods, including broc-

coli and mushrooms, contain natural toxins, though the foods are not harmful when consumed in normal amounts.

Kiwis, with hundreds of novel proteins, many of which have allergic potential, were never tested for allergenicity.

Peanuts, shellfish, celery and strawberries have not been banned despite some people being allergic to them. It may even be possible to use genetic engineering to get rid of allergenic proteins.

Other actual and potential applications of the technique include using bacteria outfitted with the human insulin gene to produce insulin to treat diabetes; using a yeast with a gene for chymosin from the stomach lining of calves to churn out a vegetarian version of the enzyme needed to produce cheese; and employing various genetically modified organisms to produce vast quantities of vaccines, antibodies or drugs rapidly and inexpensively.

Safety testing of GMOs often goes beyond their intended use. In an effort to enrich soybeans used for animal feed with the amino acid methionine, a gene from Brazil nuts was used.

But when testing showed that people allergic to Brazil nuts produced antibodies to the protein in engineered soybeans, research on the modified beans was abandoned. -The New York Times News Service

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MONDAY, JUN E 15, 2 015

EXTRA BRIEFS

Can active video gaming replace outdoor play?

ACTIVE VIDEO gaming can make children of five to eight years of age expend as much energy as unstructured outdoor play does, new research says. “Our study shows video games which wholly engage a child’s body can be a source of physical activity,” said Hollie Raynor, associate professor of nutrition at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the US.

Do physicists need empirical evidence to confirm their theories?

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few months ago in the journal Nature, two leading researchers, George Ellis and Joseph Silk, published a controversial piece called Scientific Method: Defend the Integrity of Physics. They criticised a newfound willingness among some scientists to explicitly set aside the need for experimental confirmation of today’s most ambitious cosmic theories — so long as those theories are “sufficiently elegant and explanatory.”

Despite working at the cutting edge of knowledge, such scientists are, for Ellis and Silk, “breaking with centuries of philosophical tradition of defining scientific knowledge as empirical.”

Whether or not you agree with them, the professors have identified a mounting concern in fundamental physics — Today, our most ambitious science can seem at odds with the empirical methodology that has historically given the field its credibility.

How did we get to this impasse?

In a way, the landmark detection three years ago of the elusive Higgs boson particle by researchers at the Large Hadron Collider marked

Experimental confirmation being the very heart of science, a growing controversy at the frontiers of physics and cosmology suggests that the situation is not so simple the end of an era. Predicted about 50 years ago, the Higgs particle is the linchpin of what physicists call the “standard model” of particle physics, a powerful mathematical theory that accounts for all the fundamental entities in the quantum world (quarks and leptons) and all the known forces acting between them (gravity, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces).

But the standard model, despite the glory of its vindication, is also a dead end. It offers no path forward to unite its vision of nature’s tiny building blocks with the other great edifice of 20th-century physics — Einstein’s cosmic-scale description of gravity. Without a unification of these two theories — a so-called theory of quantum gravity — we have no idea why our universe is made up of just these particles, forces and properties. (We also can’t know how

to truly understand the Big Bang, the cosmic event that marked the beginning of time.)

This is where the spectre of an evidence-independent science arises. For most of the last halfcentury, physicists have struggled to move beyond the standard model to reach the ultimate goal of uniting gravity and the quantum world. Many tantalising possibilities have been explored but so far with no concrete success in terms of experimental validation.

Today, the favoured theory for the next step beyond the standard model is called supersymmetry (the basis for string theory).

Supersymmetry predicts the existence of a “partner” particle for every particle that we currently know. It doubles the number of elementary particles of matter in nature. The theory is elegant mathematically, and the particles whose existence

it predicts might also explain the universe’s unaccounted-for “dark matter.” As a result, many researchers were confident that supersymmetry would be experimentally validated soon after the Large Hadron Collider became operational.

That’s not how things worked out, however. To date, no supersymmetric particles have been found. If the Large Hadron Collider cannot detect these particles, many physicists will declare supersymmetry — and, by extension, string theory — just another beautiful idea in physics that didn’t pan out. But many won’t. Some may choose instead to simply retune their models to predict supersymmetric particles at masses beyond the reach of the Large Hadron Collider’s power of detection — and that of any foreseeable substitute.

Implicit in such a manoeuvre is

a philosophical question — How are we to determine whether a theory is true if it cannot be validated experimentally? Should we abandon it just because, at a given level of technological capacity, empirical support might be impossible? If not, how long should we wait for such experimental machinery before moving on — 10 years? 50 years? Centuries?

Consider, likewise, the cuttingedge theory in physics that suggests that our universe is just one universe in a profusion of separate universes that make up the so-called multiverse.

This theory could help solve some deep scientific conundrums about our own universe but at considerable cost — Namely, the additional universes of the multiverse would lie beyond our powers of observation. Multiverse advocates argue nonetheless that we should keep exploring the idea — and search for indirect evidence of other universes. But if nothing is found, our next steps may prove to be difficult and controversial, challenging not just how we do science but what it means to do science at all. - Adam Frank and Marcelo Gleiser/The New York Times News Service

Your social media activity reflects your personality YOUR social media activity reveals much more about you than you can imagine. A new study

by Fractal Analytics and BuzzStream — both digital analytics platforms establishes the connections between gender, education, political leanings, and preferred publications of Facebook users, adweek. com reported.

Why we can’t recall the exact colour we saw DO YOU know that although we can see millions of colours, we can remember only the few basic ones? When we see a colour, our brain stores it as a basic, general hue. So when we try to remember a precise colour, we err, a new study reveals. For example, there’s azure, there’s navy, there’s cobalt and ultramarine. The human brain is sensitive to the differences between these hues — we can tell them apart. But when storing them in memory, people label the colours as “blue”, researchers from Johns Hopkins University found. -IANS

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

Basement Store, 146 SQM, Wadikhabeer, Opposit Al-Hassan.

99441193, 93004802 We have 2BHK flats in Ghubra North 18th November Street new Mars Hypermarket flats with 2 rooms, 3bathrooms large sitting hall & kitchen. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only.

Contact: 99251975

Flats, shops and basement for rent in Khuwair, behind RAWASCO. Contact: 99441122 , 95893518

We have offices in Ghala, Ghubra, Bousher & Ruwi different type of available, open space, 2 BHK, 3 BHK. Contact 93782735 / 99208033

2BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (350/- R.O). Contact: 99342661

We have 230 sq metre show room in Ghubra main road very nice location suitable for banks, showroom, Retail shop or any business Golden opportunity. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 We have 1 BHK, 2 BHK flats in Mabela + brand new building very nice finishing on the main road, 1BHK 175/- OMR , 2BHK 200/- OMR. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Tent for wedding Iftar party for rent.

Contact: 97380496/ 96242910/ 94029752 3BHK special apartment at Al Khuwair with wardrobe and A/C. Contact : 94232344 Villa for rent (family residence) : New 4 bedroom villa with majlis, family hall and outside kitchen. With split AC in Al Khoudh phase 7 close to Seeb polyclinic. Call 99332525 (owner).

2BHK flats in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158 Deluxe 4 bedrooms, living, dining 4 bathrooms with split AC in Ghubra.

Contact: 95282986 / 24707340

1BHK in Darsait near ISM (220/R.O). Contact: 99342661 1BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (280/- R.O). Contact : 99342661 We have 1 BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK flats in Ghala very nice building on main road outside the building lot of parking available. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 We have 5 BHK villa in Al Khuwair 33, 5 rooms, 6 bathrooms, sitting hall, Majlis & large kitchen suitable for office or families. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 2 bedroom flat at Hamriya, main road with A/C. Contact 99331448 Flat in South Al Hail, 2 bedrooms, Majlis, 2 bathrooms, kitchen RO 250/-. Contact 93221474 Flat in Ruwi Mumtaz 2 BHK RO 300 or 1 BHK 250 RO. Contact 98588240 Flats for rent behind Indian School.

Contact 99777122 4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158 3BHK 8 Nos flats in Ghobrah.

Contact: 97616158

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 3BHK & 2BHK in Darsait.

Contact 94268564 2 BHK apartments AL Khuwair with Balcony 350/- & 4 BHK villa Al Khuwair with Garden 800/-.

Contact: 95178930 2BHK flat for rent near Muscat Municipality, Darsait, big terrace, nice location, rent OMR 325/-.

Contact: 96241707

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 500 sq mtrs office space on mezzanine floor near Royal Hospital. OMR 6.500 per sq mtr. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 MBD area, fully equipped AC Executive office @ RO 200 pm with conference room. Unlimited local calls & internet services. Contact 99451845 / 99232271.

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.

Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336

1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126

Brand new 6 BHK villa in Al Azaiba with split A/C & lift. RO.1200/Contact – 93191111

Well maintained spacious 2 BHK at Rex Road. Contact 92227165

4 Ware house at Barka Falaij.

Contact: 99337857

Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111

Flats for rent in Muttrah near Oman house 2 BHK. Contact: 97009734 / 92629232

2 BHK flat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/- Contact – 93191111 Flats for rent Al Ansab (Ghala) 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1sitting room & kitchen. Contact: 94229023

Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314

3 bedroom at Al Khuwair 33. House No. 866, Way No. 4712. Contact Mohamed : 99580484, Ahmed : 99486805, Awadh 95525509

1BHK flats at Muttrah near Oman House. Contact: 93231403

Flats and shops for rent in rent, Honda road and Rex Read.

Contact: 97293708/ 94579531 /94141943

Commercial 3 BHK flat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/Contact 93191111

Shop/Office 68 SQM, Wadi kabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802

Flat in Amerat, Phase 5, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C. Contact : 95522405

2 BHK, 2 baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer, Near Indian Elementary School.

Contact 99441193, 93004802

Luxury 3 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking.

RO.500/- Contact – 93191111

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

2 BHK flat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact – 93191111 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact: 99366624

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879

For rent in Darsait new flats.

Contact: 99777351 For rent in Darsait, new flats.

Contact: 99311525 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526 Villa for rent : 4 bedroom villa with kitchen available in Azaiba. Sharing / Family. Contact : 98048207/99261773 2BHK Darsait R.O 325/-, 300/-.

Contact: 92144045 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

M O N DAY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

D3

DAILY GUIDE

MATRIMONIAL RC girl (28 yrs) hailing from kanjirappally dioces working in Royal Hospital looks for suitable alliances.

Contact: 92801093 / 97498373

AVAILABLE

Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

FOR SALE FOR SALE

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 1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-.

Contact 92144045 1 BHK Flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 92275454 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419 3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119 For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127 Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172

Running computer shop for sale Souq Sohar. Contact 99420543 Clinic for sale in al amerat.

Contact:93753655 Used & refurbished Porta cabins, Toilets unit available for sales. Contact: 99215560 Email:omegaunitedoman@gmail. com 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 Ice cream & juices shop in Ruwi, good location for sale, 1.5 mt fish display machine for sale.

Contact 92150455 Well running Bricks Factory for Lease in Seeb. Contact. 99711003 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 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

Super market in (Hairoon Hairithi) Thamrith road. Contact 98189810 / 99675190.

Shop for sale in Ibra and Bid Bid. Contact: 95304693 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

ACC. WANTED Required a room or studio flat in Darsait / WadiKabir /Ruwi area.

Contact : 95405033

ACC. AVAILABLE Excellent big room, with A/C kitchen available near Ontc busstation (Ruwi). Conatct 95569740 Semi furnished room with attached bathroom for Executive bachelors at CBD area behind chamber of commerce. Contact: 96389375/93554942 Family sharing villa room available at Al Khuwair. Contact: 99382008 Semi furnished single room for Executive bachelors behind Kamat Restaurant Al Khuwair.

Contact 94271085 Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) – 95941515

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 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

MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE

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 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

Spacious bedroom, toilet & kitchen in Wadi Kabir. Contact : 96098443 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 3bedrooms Al Hail. Contact 92817777

Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic. Contact: 99045803

TRANSPORTATION

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

Transportation. Contact: 98244078

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact: 95190627

ACC. AVAILABLE Sharing flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99335057

Land Cruiser 2012.

Contact GSM- 99336093

Driver with vehicle. Contact: 99159277 Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786 Pick & drop with car & driver available any time.

Contact: 9615828/ 96502406/92218001

Pick & drop available. Contact 96913836.

Pick & Drop anytime Contact: 91653903

LOST Subey Chand has lost Indian Passport No. F 9056594. Finder please handover to ROP

D4

M O N D AY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNTANT

SALES / MARKETING

A leading excellent grade company at Muscat looking for Junior Accountant with min.1 year Gulf experience. Please send CV to pmjino@gmail.com

Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com

Urgently required Senior Accountant 1 no. atleast 5 yrs experience.

Interested candidates may Email their CV’s at findjobs2015@hotmail. com

Urgently required outdoor Sales Executive for furnishing company with valid Oman D/L and minimum 3 years experience.

Contact 93231403 / rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com

Urgently required Junior Accountant. Please send CV : hr.azatllc@gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required Indian experience Beautician (good package) in Al Hail, visa available.

Contact : 92139922 / 92284899 Required Beautician visa available, salary accommodation.

Contact: 91902154

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.

DRIVER Driver & Business co coordinator speaking English urgently required.

Contact : 95327813

ENGINEER A well reputed company is looking for experienced digital Signage Technicians & Managers. Send CV to hr.oman@yahoo.com A leading Civil construction co. in Muscat requires the following: - Construction Manager, Project Manager, Site Engineer. Please send CV : hr.azatllc@gmail.com Urgently required for a first grade construction company Graduate Civil Engineer (5 years experienced) shuttering carpenter mason (Block, Plaster, Tile Fixing) Civil Foreman building work.

Contact: 24700373/ 99427674 Fax: 24701368 Email: rajma@omantel.net.om Required swimming pool Engineer/ civil /M& P / Draughtsman with D/L, Preferred gulf experience.

Email: jvacancy05@gmail.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 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

ENGINEER

MISCELLANEOUS

Required full time Social Networker for sites like twitter, LinkedIn, face book.

Email: mhca@mhabibgroup.com

Urgently required: (1) female dermatologist with minimum 3 years experience (2) female Omani reception coordinator for a medical center in Qurum.

Contact: 96062933

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

EDUCATION Required professional Teachers for teaching Science, Mathematics, Accountancy, Business Studies & English IELTS/ TOFEL in schools & Universities. Contact 99674870 A well known private school is in need of English, Math, Science, Computer and Physics Teachers.

Contact: 96910649

HOSPITALITY Chef for Yacht. International cuisine.

Minimum 15 years chef experience. alibadawy@gmail.com

Well established and premier music Educational Group in Oman invites teachers in drawing , karnatic vocals, piano and drums interested can candidates can mail their portfolio CV to musicjoboman@gmail.com 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

SKILLED Urgently required a silk Screen printer with good knowledge and release letter or NOC. Contact: 93280288 or send CV to albayanstamps@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED 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

Required male candidates to work full / part time in an international Café “franchise”. They will be trained for the job. Contact 97673395

Indian male, well experienced in Accounts & Admin looking for a suitable vacancy. NOC available.

Contact 98717938

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

Accounts part time, up to finalization of monthly accounts. Handled by a CA. contact 96293120

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 Urgently required Advertising & Media Sales Executives with Oman D/L. Trainee positions available for Freshers.

Email: jobs@interacoman.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 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 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

Accounts & finance Indian male B.com M.B.A (F) Tally ERP9, 35 years, 8 years experience 1.5 years Oman family visa N.O.C available.

Contact: 93257426 Email: sibigeorp@gmail.com B.com graduate with NOC more than 4 years of experience in Oman with valid Oman driving license for a suitable job ready to join immediately.

Contact: 98976252 Senior Accountant 13 years experience FMCG & retail Noc available.

Contact: 93473942 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 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 MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa.

Contact: 99424803 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

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE MEDICAL Urgently required G.P doctor with or without MOH license for one month from 01/07/2015. Contact: 93824902 Urgently required General Practitioner and Specialist Gynecologist with MOH license & NOC for a reputed specialized center based in Muscat. Please forward your CV to alqaimtrd@gmail.com Required full time Nurse for a residence. Contact: 99014435 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 :93457270 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

Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SALES / MARKETING 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 Marketing Executive for digital painting company. Contact: 94356769 / 96936564 Required sale people with local experience & Omani driving license ready with NOC. Send CV to: nationalbluesky@yahoo.com Urgently required Sales Executive atleast 3 yrs experience in the field & having Oman driving license. Interested candidates may Email their CV’s at findjobs2015@hotmail.com Looking for Outdoor Salesman for heavy equipment spare parts.

Contact - 93292015, Email: mail.om@gulfcenter.co

Sales man required for printing press preferable with car.

Contact : 97842797

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154 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 Indian CA with 15 yrs exp working as Finance Head for MNC looking for suitable job. NOC available.

94047434 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

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 Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan.

Contact : 97796394 / 94003247 Indian male Graduate 26 yrs 5 yrs experience in Accounts and Administration looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91301983

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 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com ACCA & B.Com with Noc more than 5 years of experience in accounts & finance looking for a suitable job can join immediately. # 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 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 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 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 Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available. Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 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 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

ADMIN 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

M O N DAY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR B.Com Diploma in Material management having 12 years experience in local / overseas prelease, logistics, ware house. NOC available.

Contact: 96477638

PROJECT ADMIN

DRAUGHTSMAN

Indian Female M.C.A 4 years of experience looking for suitable position as as programmer/lecturer/ Web Designer/Admin. Contact No: 99486374.

Indian female 23 yrs, Autocad Civil Draftsman with 3ds max & rivet, 3 yrs exp. looking for suitable vacancy in Muscat now on visit visa.

Contact: 95601266.

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. # 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

BEAUTICIAN Beautician exp Gulf, looking job from India. Contact 99531802

DRIVER We are looking for personal driver with experience in Oman. We want him to be driver for home and farm.

Please contact 96060344 Driver available with car and without car. Contact 96771598 Pakistani male light vehicle driver with 2 yrs exp looking for job.

Contact : 96342684 2 years experience driver looking for job in companies or residence, release available. Contact: 98051400 Pakistani, male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact 97943750 Driver light with 5 yrs experience, knowing English, Arabic, Hindi, education B.A. Contact 98522914 Light driver valid GCC license looking for job. Contact 99531802

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

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 Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952 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 Civil Engineer, Indian Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99195433 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 Indian male 29 years Civil Engineer diploma 4 years Oman experience, 2 years road construction looking placement. Contact: 93298395 N.O.C available

Light duty driver looking for job.

Contact: 94040926

Sudanese Industrial Engineering & Management, experience 12 years in QA/QC and production. Contact: 94041960 / 94044784, Email: mekkimedani@hotmail.com / mekkimedani78@gmail.com

Light duty driver looking for vacancy NOC available. Contact: 97319564

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847

Driver with car. Contact: 97705694/98988208

Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com

Indian male, 3 yrs exp. as Driver in Oman looking for job.

Contact 98238043

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 Driver light. Contact: 91020999 Pakistani driving available.

Contact : 96913836 Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver.

Contact: 97073429 Driver looking for job with visa, release available, 5 yrs driving experience. Contact: 96261895 Faruqu.

Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327

Quantity Surveyor with 5 Years experience (one year in Oman) looking for job. Contact 91090036 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 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

DESIGNER Graphics Designer/ prepress C.T.P Pagination 3 yrs exp. in Muscat Photoshop Illustrator, Indesign, CorelDraw autocad premier preps appoge Indian male now on visit visa.

Contact 97436606

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 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.

IT

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

B.Tech Civil Engineer Indian male 13 year’s exp seeking suitable job.

Contact 0091 9640973798 Email: firozbakhtiar2@gmail.com Indian male 24 yrs B. Tech (Mech.

Eng) on visit 1 yr experience in production field looking for suitable placement. Contact: 98925685 Indian male, 28 yrs, Electronics & Instrumentation Engineer with 4 yrs experience in Industrial Automation (SCADA) seeking suitable job.

Contact 93154156 / 98416190 Indian male 23 yrs B.Tech Civil having 2 years exp, currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 98031034 Email: musheer786.mm@gmail.com B.Tech in Electronics Engineering, Indian male 26 years with around 5 years of experience (Including work experience in Japan) looking for a job in any field & can join immediately. Contact: 91902646 Email: ajumalmajeed@gmail.com B.E (Civil Engineer) with 5 yrs experience, valid Omani driving license.

Noc available. Contact: 91693008 Indian male Diploma in Mechanical Engineer with 14 years Gulf experience in heavy equipments and vehicles valid Oman driving license.

NOC available looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 91985028 / 95463430 BS Electronics & Communication Engineer, Cisco (CCNA) Certified N / 1 yr experience in outside broadcasting, networking & knowledgeable in VOIP systems, looking for suitable placement presently on family joining visa. Contact: 93937026 Email: ron2_55@yahoo.com Indian male 47 years DM Civil, PG PGDMM, I& M, having 25 years of experience Manager in Civil, Stores Purchase, Inventory, cargo, transports, Admin , looking for best job in Muscat. Currently on visit visa. Contact: 91170749 / 97672647 Email: gdp4767@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.

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

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 Interior Architecture Engineer, 7 years experience (5 years in Oman) expert in exterior & interior architecture designs presented by 3D MAXV ray AutoCAD Photoshop, fluent in Arabic & English.

Contact: 96519172 Email: eng.interiorarchitect@gmail.com Civil Engineer 7 years experience valid Omani D/L looking for job immediately, ready to join.

Contact : 96936406 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 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

EDUCATION Experienced, competent, English teacher for high school and college.

Contact: 91954541 Indian female MCA, Three years experience in teaching field, seeks placement currently on visit visa.

Contact: 93431567 Email: fivona.mel@gmail.com 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

HOSPITALITY 4 yrs exp (Money Exch. Services & hospitality services in Oman& India) Indian male 27, Graduate in Hospitality Science, fluent in English, Hindi & Arabic seeks job.

Contact 91383167 Indian male 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 male, completed diploma in Computer technology fresher, seeking suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact : 93596096 M.Sc 3+ years exp from France & India in IT Support Engineer / Hardware & Networking / Server support / scientific system support looking for suitable position. Indian, male on visit visa, contact 98898781/ anoopys@gmail.com M.C.A Indian male 36 yrs experience in IT Support/ customer serving support with 5 yrs experience seeking suitable position.

Contact: 92041909

Iraqi male Medical Equipment Engineer one year of exp in Iraq looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 99132159 Email: marwan.saad39@yahoo.com

Male 26 completed 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

Electrical Engineer Pakistani male 4 years B. Tech & 3 years’ diploma seeking a suitable placement.

Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasoader97@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 Desktop Support Engineer 2 years Oman 3 years in Indian Exp. Contact 91937060 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 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

LOGISTICS 10 yrs exp in Oman in logisticshave Oman D/L-looking for suitable placement-contact 96410767 .

Contact email: harishkts@yahoo.com

MEDICAL Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Indian female looking for suitable position 2nd rank in MSC microbiology, fresher now on visiting visa.

Contact : 91633089 Email: mansytk4@gmail.com 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

MISCELLANEOUS MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity.

Contact: 96377039 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 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

B.E.Civil, 13Yrs (10Yrs Oman), Driving License, Leaving Oman on 20.06.2015, NOC Available GSM: 98486969 Project / Construction ManagerElectrical 15++in OMAN and UAE,45 yrs, married,D/L Oman, Qatar & UAE),Manage with Arabic, Good Knowledge in Metro Viaduct, UG & OG stations, Live airport projects, multi cuisine hospital project (Cleveland clinic Abu Dhabi,). Holding of FEWA, ADCC and OMAN electrical license. Contact Venkatesh on +97477394707/ geetvenkat2002@gmail.com Indian male, with 8 yrs exp. in Oman (BA- Graduate) working as a project Sales Coordinator, with Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, ready to join immediately with NOC. Contact 95245057

SALES / MARKETING Indian Male, M.B.A. (U.K) 10 Yrs of Experience, looking for suitable position in Sales/Marketing/Retail/ H.R/ Admin. Contact No: 99271903.

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com Looking for good job 2 years experience Oman sales marketing valid driving license Indian Kerala.

Contact : 98626682 Graduate having 6 yrs experience Lubricant sales looking for sales job with D/L. Contact : 93410723 Indian male, MBA with 5 yrs of experience as a Lecturer in Department of Marketing & Business Management, looking for suitable position. Contact 93126770 Sales & marketing professional having 5 yrs exp with D/L. Contact 92262680 Outdoor salesman with car looking for job. Contact 91615715 Indian male, 34 yrs, 10 yrs exp. in UAE in sales & merchandise with valid GCC license, looking for suitable position. Contact 93438747 / 93033252 Indian male, 39 yrs having 15 yrs Gulf experience (UAE, Qatar, Oman) in sales & marketing looking for a suitable position with NOC. Contact 94054730 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

13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

An Indian male having rich experience in procurement, Sales marketing and office administration seeking suitable position.

Contact: 93689602

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535

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 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

Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in Sales knowledge of TALLY, ERP & MS Office.

Contact: 93134643 Email : syedismailnoor@gmail.com 8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323 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

D6

M O N D AY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements.

Contact 98371144 Pakistani Female Bachelor of Information Technology with 8 years’ experience in Banking, Sales, business development, retail & customer service seeking for a suitable placement. Having valid D/L& NOC available. Contact 94699970 shehla. chohan@gmail.com Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa.

Contact 93086105/33016546 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job.

Contact - 92146864

SKILLED/UNSKILLED Experience skilled candidate with driver license seeks position in sales in Salalah. Contact: 98579382 Mason, sh/carpenter, steel fitter, looking job. Contact 95175192 Electrician, Plumber, Welder , exp gulf and india looking job.

Contact 99531802 Helper /cleaner looking for job.

Contact 95175192

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian female completed computer literacy program (patiently fundamental, MS Office, word processing) and offset printing, seeking suitable job in Muscat. Contact : 97236545 Email: sun2giri@gmail.com

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing.

Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job.

Contact 96990368.

Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Sudanese male (B.Sc Computer science) (diploma computer engineering) 6 yrs. experience DBA Oracle plsql, MS sql-server ,ms visual studio vba, network. Contact :91415886 Indian male with 8 yrs experience in FMCG in Oman as Sales Supervisor looking for suitable placement.

NOC available. Gsm: 96495206 B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial field available in muscat on vist visa seeking suitable job . Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com

MISCELLANEOUS ACCA Affiliate, Indian, 2.5Years experience in Audit/ Finance in Big 6 Audit Firm and Oil Accounting in PDO, For Permanent Placement for Finance or Accounts or Audit. Release NOC Available on hand.

Contact #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Finance ACCA Affiliate, Worked as an Auditor with 2.5 Years Experience in reputed firm, Handled independent audit/finance assignments, Looking for permanent placement, NOC available. #95140445. a.saran891@gmail.com 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 Indian Male, Graduate, 11 years Sales experience in Lighting / Industrial products, ready to join immediately. GSM: 9710 5356 Indian heavy duty driver with 8 years experience in oman available with NOC. GSM : 93601943 GSM : 94496457 Over 15 years experience in Gulf.

Interior Architect, Lebanese Nationality, on visit visa seeking a suitable Placement. 96268005.

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 Indian male MBA (U.K), 10 Years of experience in Admin, Sales, HR, stores and logistics seeks suitable placement. Contact 99271903.

Indian Female MCA, 4 plus Years of experience in Web designing, Admin, P.A, seeks suitable placement.

Contact 99486374 7 and half years experience working accounts / inventory manager looking suitable job. Contact: 96991782 Email: srinivasu.sp@gmail.com

M.Sc 3+ years exp from France & India in IT Support Engineer / Hardware & Networking / Server support / scientific system support looking for suitable positions. Indian, male on visit visa, contact 98898781/ anoopys@gmail.com

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 male, 34years having 10 years of experience in Sales, Sales Coordination and Administration.

Experienced in SAP and MS Office.

NOC available. Contact # 94686594

Indian female , MCA BCA, certification PL SQL , 6months training PHP, date warehouse looking for suitable placement. Contact : 95694330 Email: mondkashyapodl@gmail.com

British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable position. please contact :97175240

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 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.

Contact: 97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com 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

IT system and Printer engineer ME, 5Years bank IT Management exp in India looking for full time job visit visa contact 94462150

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

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

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

Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer .seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286

Part- time accountant, well experience senior accountant , doing all type of accounting works, finalization, budgeting available.

Contact : 98803439 Indian male, looking for a part time accounting job. Having additional knowledge & experience in HR admin & purchase. Contact 99196621 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 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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED MEP Quantity Surveyor-Estimation-Project, 10 Years Experience (3 years in Oman). Having NOC & Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, Contact - 98291626 Indian house maid looking full time job. Contact : 98254909 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 Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@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 Contact :95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 years experience in different activities . Mobile No ; +96894549609 8 yrs exp Site supervisor cum 2d, 3d Draughtsman (holding Omani driving license) seeking job.

Contact : 93790601 Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com B.E. Civil Engineer from India with 3 years of experience looking for suitable vacancy in oman now on visit visa. Contact 9571 3441, Email . Khatrialeem@gmail.com Indian male 21 IT Eng. networking & computer hardware diploma, 1 year experience, currently on visit visa looking for a suitable job.

Contact 96036273 email: faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com Indian, 32 years, completed M.A. English, M.Sc. Psychology and B.Ed in English. Searching for suitable job in the field of teaching. To Contact: 00968 99869535 Email: sahadkeyi33@gmail.com

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

M O N DAY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

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 Available car with driver daily, weekly and monthly basis.

Contact : 95518612

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

D8

M O N D AY, J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES WEBSITE

BUSINESS

General Investors. Contact 99674870

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED Iraqi Pharmacist with 15 years experience as regulatory affairs and Marketing Manager seeking job in pharmaceutical co.

Mobile 96720441

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

Wanted Sub Contractors : Shuttering work, steel, concrete block work, plastering, tile fixing for Buraimi, School project.

Contact : 99427674/ 24700373/ Fax: 24701368

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

CLASSES

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 WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

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

COMPUTER Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts.

Contact 95941515

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. #24793614/ 99314807

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

House shifting. Contact 99708138 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 Available for longer period : Mig Welder 5 nos, General worker with PDO pass 10 nos, Helper 10 nos, Mason 8 nos. Contact 99610703

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

NRI

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

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

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080

DRIVING

Air condition maintenance split and window services AC specialist ducted and package type unites.

Contact: 98667326

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517

Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur.

Contact: 00919846877773

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

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

Ramadhan Gifts with company name printable advertisement on t-shirt, clock.

Contact: 98796982 House shifting packing.

99657644 / 98518013

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722