Times of Oman, June 20, 2015

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RAMADAN PRAYER TIMINGS IFTAR 7.01PM FAJR 3.53AM

SATURDAY, June 20, 2015 / 3 Ramadan 1436 AH

GCC ELECTRICAL GRID

HM issues Royal Decree on GCC grid MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued the Royal Decree No. 25/2015 ratifying the General Agreement for the Electrical Grid of the GCC Countries signed on November 20,2014.

Article One: Ratifies the said agreement as per the attached text.

Article Two: The Decree shall be published in the official gazette and come into force from its date of issue. -ONA RAMADAN

His Majesty exchanges greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has exchanged cables of greetings with the leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries on the advent of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

In his cables, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere greetings and best wishes of good health, happiness and a long life to the world leaders and their highnesses and wished people of their countries further progress and prosperity, praying to Allah the Almighty to shower more welfare, peace and stability on all Muslim countries. >A2

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accompanying the Omani patient to Bangkok have been quarantined by Thai doctors after they contracted cough and fever

Times News Service MUSCAT/BANGKOK: An Omani citizen has tested positive for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Thailand. So far six cases of MERS have been reported in the Sultanate. The last case was reported in May. It was of a 75-year-old man suffering from severe pneumonia and high fever.

Meanwhile, The National on Thursday, citing Abu Dhabi Health Authority confirmed the death of a 65-year-old expatriate from MERS. The patient, not an Emirati, was one of the two new confirmed cases in the country.

Thailand authorities said on Friday that a 75-year-old businessman from Oman, who had travelled to Bangkok for treatment

PRECAUTION: A worker wearing a mask walks outside the isolation ward where the Omani man is being treated for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, on Friday. -Reuters

of a heart condition, had tested positive for MERS, according to a Reuters report from Bangkok. At a televised news conference the doctor from a private hospital in Thailand said: “The Omani patient came to us tired, coughing ... there was no fever.”

“So we X-rayed his chest... we found that he could have two things, a heart condition or the MERS virus,” said the doctor.

On testing positive, the infected man was moved to Bangkok’s Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute (BIDI) on Thursday. Staff there were seen wearing

and giving out masks to visitors.

Health warnings were posted in front of the building’s entrance.

The hospital said 58 staff had been quarantined, but all other operations were continuing as normal.

The Omani patient was “getting a bit better”, said Thailand’s Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin at a press conference on the outskirts of Bangkok.

He said the two relatives of the Omani man infected with MERS, were being tested for the virus after one was found to have a cough and the other a fever.

“We have taken their samples for

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consumers. Ratings agency Fitch warned in April that a continued downturn in oil prices could hit business and consumer confidence in some parts of the Gulf region, citing Oman as one of the states which was most at risk from the negative impact of lower energy revenues.

The trend could reduce both government spending and capital inflows into Oman’s economy, added Fitch.

Improvement The government will be hoping that its 2015 budget, issued at the beginning of the year, will help the retail sector to improve its performance by boosting consumer confidence. The budget sets out a 4.5 per cent increase in state spending, including wage rises for public servants and higher investment in infrastructure. >A2

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Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice, presided over the opening of Sultan Qaboos Mosque in the Wilayat of Sumail. The mosque is located in Al Medra area. >A3

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No pact, but truce in Yemen possible: UN

Fitch upgrades Oman banks’ viability ratings

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Fitch Ratings has affirmed six Omani banks’ Long-term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) and upgraded two of the banks’ Viability Ratings. The outlooks on all six banks are stable, the rating agency said in a statement. >B1

Cashing in on tech to market Oman tourism experience the architectural ingenuity of the Ya’rubi era, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Omani costumes, which is an interactive mirror that provides the visitors with a virtual experience of Omani traditional costumes and jewellery.

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TECHNOLOGY TO THE FORE: Creating a virtual reality of Oman’s rich cultural heritage with the help of 3D technology. – Supplied photo

During the discussion, the invitees were introduced to the various uses of virtual reality in the tourism sector, including visualisation of ancient settlements, forts and other ancient infrastructures that have been demolished or destroyed earlier, using a VR Immersive Room.

Some examples also include

presenting some elements in Bait Al Baranda using these technologies such as an audiovisual kiosk, or a holographic display to project animated images.

The centre conducted some projects in the tourism sector, including the Nizwa Fort, in which an Icube offered a unique opportunity to make a virtual tour of the fort and

See also >A9

Right medication, diet vital for fasting diabetics: Experts

Sumail mosque inaugurated

Yemen peace talks ended in Geneva on Friday with no concrete progress, but the United Nations voiced optimism that a new round of talks could lead to a muchneeded ceasefire. “There was no agreement,” said the UN’s special envoy for Yemen. >A4

laboratory testing,” Rajata said.

The infected man arrived in the Thai capital on Monday for medical treatment for a heart ailment.

“It took about four days to diagnose this case and two lab tests,” the minister said, adding all 106 people on board that flight had been located.

Meanwhile, the second patient in Abu Dhabi is being treated in hospital and is expected to recover, UAE’s state news agency Wam reported. The Authority is working with the Ministry of Health and other institutions to investigate the cases and isolate any po-

tential spread of the disease, The National report said.

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

It also calls upon all citizens and residents to adhere to advices and guidance that effectively contribute to overcome a lot of health problems and infections including respiratory diseases, foremost of which are; public hygiene, cleaning hands and following proper health practices while coughing and sneezing.

MERS was first identified in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and a majority of the cases have been in the Middle East. Isolated cases have cropped up in Asia before South Korea’s outbreak began last month, and Thailand is the fourth Asian country to register a case.

The Thai case will compound fears in Asia of a repeat of a 20022003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed 800 people globally.

In Thailand, authorities were screening passengers from countries seen at risk of MERS and stepping up public information about the virus. The Middle East is an important source of tourists for Thailand with arrivals from the region up by nearly 50 percent in January, according to the tourism office. -With inputs from Reuters/AFP

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INTERACTIVE MIRROR

MUSCAT: Imagine how nice it would be if you could check the tourist attractions of the Sultanate in virtual reality before you actually visit them.

This is what virtual reality and 3D printing technologies have to offer, it has been shown at a networking event. The Information Technology Authority’s Sas Centre for Virtual Reality (Sas. VR) held a networking event with institutions in the Sultanate’s tourism sector, which included ministries, museums, and hotels, aiming to showcase and discuss the opportunities and potential use of these technologies in the sector.

Many sectors can leverage these technologies to present their services, facilities, and the country’s attractions. Marketing is very important for the Sultanate’s tourists attractions and using these new technologies adds value to the economy, it was said.

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Even the relatives

Rise in spending to boost retail growth MUSCAT: While weaker growth and uncertainty have cast a shadow over Oman’s retail sector during the past 18 months, activity is expected to pick up in the medium term on the back of a rapid rise in leased space, supported by increased government spending, according to the Oxford Business Group.

Last year, the GDP in Oman rose 4.6 per cent, according to data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) in mid-April. However, the retail and wholesale segment expanded just 2 per cent year-on-year compared with the overall services sector notching up 13.1 per cent growth, almost three times the rate of the GDP. Slower growth in retail is seen by some as a sign of caution among

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12.13pm 3.31pm 7.01pm 8.24pm 3.53am

Omani in Thai isolation as tests confirm MERS

GOVERNMENT PUSH

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Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Projects Since its launch a year ago, the centre has worked on seven projects for different organisations including two for BP Oman in health, safety and the environment, and rig safety and operations, two projects for Occidental Oman Company in Gas Turbine and Mechanical Vapour Compression System, and one project each for Bank Muscat, which is a 3D animation for an awareness campaign, and another on Augmented Reality for Midwan from KSA. Recently, the eighth batch graduated after an intensive training that lasted for three months. The centre trains Omanis in multimedia design and new technologies.

MUSCAT: Checking blood sugar levels frequently, taking the right medication and being careful about diet are keys to safe fasting for those suffering from diabetes, say experts.

“While it is alright for those with diabetes to fast during Ramadan, they do need to take certain precautions to safeguard their health,” says Dr V. C. P. Muhamed, a specialist in Internal Medicine at Atlas Hospital, Ruwi.

According to the International Diabetes Federation 1,220 adults aged between 20 and 79 died in Oman from diabetes in 2014, and the prevalence of the disease in adults was 8.2 per cent. Altogether, there were 220,600 diabetics in Oman in 2014.

According to official figures, there are 5,000 new cases in Oman every year.

‘Be cautious’ Urging patients to be cautious Dr Mohammad Tarek Al Dairi, cardiologist at Al Hayat Hospital said, “Diabetics will have to fast for 15 hours this Ramadan, which will run them the risk of hypoglycaemia. They must take insulin to counter-act the low blood sugar level.”

“If they eat too much during

Iftar, they will run the risk of hyperglycaemia so they have to eat their meal in two parts to avoid the risk,” said Dr Al Dairi.

He asked diabetics to consult their doctors and assess the dosage required.

Advising patients to maintain a balanced diet, doctors said, “Before dawn, and before you start fasting, have a balanced meal. It is the key to avoiding hypoglycaemia. Having a balanced meal will help to maintain blood glucose levels, especially if you are on medication.”

Long hours of fast They advised slow-release carbohydrates and not food such as white bread as this may result in the earlier onset of hypoglycaemia during the long hours of fasting.

He suggested that instead of making junk the main part of their food intake, people should concentrate on consuming foods which are good for health.

“While many people choose to follow Ramadan rituals and fast despite their medical condition, it is essential that they do not harm themselves while doing so,” said Dr El Hakim, senior advisor to Cinfa, a European pharmaceutical maker with a history of leadership in providing accessible care for diabetics. >A2

A popular spot for shoppers in Wadi Kabir

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015 The more I advance in the journey, the more the balloon takes shape Gaspard Van Parys, Belgian baloonist

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Hot air balloon lands with message of love During his visit to Muscat, Gaspard Van Parys expressed his enthusiasm about his paper balloon project

HASAN SHABAN MUSCAT: A Belgian architect has successfully launched a hot air balloon made from tissue paper in the skies over India after six months of travelling across European and Asian countries, including Oman.

During his visit to Muscat, Gas-

NEW HEIGHTS: The hot air baloon is made of tissue paper

pard Van Parys, the young architect expressed enthusiasm about his paper balloon project and how he had planned to travel from his country to France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria, in addition to

H O LY M O N T H

Gaspard added that Auroville – City of Dawn – is a universal experimental city project that started in the 1960s. The city was a 20-kilometre vast desert plateau, and now it looks like a small town surrounded by a large forest. The project was conceived by Mira Alfassa, called ‘The Mother’ and inspired by the Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo.

The first public message that was transmitted on the city was, “Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity.”

On May 30, Gaspard called all 60 participants of 20 different nationalities via email to look for their handprints on his 5-metre tall paper balloon which - despite the presence of unexpected winds - flew over Auroville on May 18.

TRADE AND FINANCE

A1 Diabetics urged < FROM

to be cautious

Diabetics should consult a medical practitioner before undergoing fasting, as the potential risk to health – both short-term and long-term – may be just too severe, said Dr El Hakim.

For those who do choose to fast, regular self-monitoring of blood sugar levels is strongly advised, and diabetics should be prepared to stop fasting immediately if there is any issue, before levels get out of control and medical treatment is required.

While medical experts encourage everyone to follow a healthy diet during Ramadan, for diabetics it is especially important to watch what they eat.

“The practice of eating large meals rich in fat and carbohydrates when breaking your fast should be avoided, so that it does not raise your blood sugar alarmingly,” said Dr El Hakim.

‘Eating foods containing plenty of complex carbohydrates is better done at the pre-dawn meal, as

Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bulgaria, to collect handprints of people who would together help him complete his balloon. The other countries on his itinerary were Turkey, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Oman and India. “The more I advance in the journey, the more the balloon takes shape,” he said.

Gaspard said that the collection of handprints functioned as an accumulation of energy, and the balloon, as a shelter, becomes a sort of “spiritual envelope”.

He invited people he met during his journey, including in Oman, to draw a print of their hands and write their names on it.

His project’s final destination was Auroville, a small town in southern India. “This city which I have never been to was chosen mainly because to me, it constitutes a source of inspiration, and because it is located in a distant context and in a culture that is unknown to me,” he said.

these will be slow to digest. It is also important to increase your fluid intake during non-fasting times,” he said.

“Fasting is a very important personal choice, and one that millions of Muslim diabetics take every year extremely safely,” said Dr El Hakim, adding, “Simple but essential steps can ensure that risks are averted,” he added.

Dr Muhamed blamed the rising number of cases on a sedentary life style, food habits and lack of exercises that can lead to serious hypertension, diabetes and acute heart problems. “Genetic and familial causes or medical diseases and related medication also constitute a group,” he said.

Dr Muhamed said that early diagnosis of the disease can prevent complications that would affect heart, eyes, kidney and other organs. “This is simply because not being able to control diabetes can result in various ailments,” he said.

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remains upbeat

A string of new projects earmarked for the sector in the coming years also bodes well for the industry’s longer-term prospects.

According to research conducted by real estate consultancy JLL, the next five years will see more than 760,000 square metres of gross leasable retail space added to existing shopping areas in Muscat on the back of major investment.

“We are seeing that purchasing power of consumers is growing. It is boosting our confidence.

Our plan to come up with more shopping malls is an evidence for that,” Ananth AV, regional director of Lulu Oman, told the Times of Oman. “There is a huge potential for the retail sector in Oman,” added Ananth.

Recently, LuLu opened the Oman Avenues Mall valued at $200 million. The group also has plans to open new malls in Sinaw, Rustaq and Bidiyah in addition to Suwaiq and Sohar.

However, while retail space is

set to increase in the capital city, other regions of the country remain under-served, according to Andrew Williamson, JLL’s head of retail. Williamson said that shopping space development was in short supply outside the capital, particularly high-quality sites.

The city of Sohar is also attracting more interest from developers.

Lulu confident One retailer who has given the Omani market a vote of confidence is hypermarket chain is LuLu. The firm, which currently operates 12 outlets in the Sultanate, announced plans in early May to increase its total number of stores to 17 over the next year and a half.

“We are committed to extending our footprint, with plans to open five new stores in the next 18 months,” said LuLu’s managing director Yusuff Ali during the opening of a shopping centre at the Military Commercial Complex near Muscat.

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R O YA L C A B L E

HM condoles demise of Saudi Arabian princess MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the death of Princess Madawi bint Misha’al bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to King Salman, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the bereaved’s soul in peace and grant her family patience.–ONA

GREETINGS

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HM receives good wishes

In their greetings cables for His Majesty, the world leaders expressed their sincere greetings and best wishes to His Majesty, praying to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty and grant him a good health, happiness and a long life and the return of this occasion on His Majesty and the Omani people, the Arab and Islamic nations with further progress, prosperity and welfare.

His Majesty the Sultan has exchanged greetings cables with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, His Majesty King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Mohamed VI of Morocco, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, President of Sudan, President Hassan Sheikh Mahmood of Somalia, President Dr. Fu’ad Masum of Iraq, Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organisation, President Dr. Ikililou Dhoinine of Comoros, President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, President Marshal Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi of Yemen, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, King Abdul

World leaders expressed their greetings to His Majesty, praying to Allah to grant him a good health, happiness and long life

Halim Mu’adzam, Shah of Malaysia, President Dr. lham Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, President Dr. Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan, President Mohammed Abdul Hamid of Bangladesh, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, President Idriss Déby of Chad, President Ali Bongo of Gabon, President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Imam Ali Rakhmanov of Tajikistan, President Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan, President Noor Sultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, President Dr. Abdulla Yameen of Maldives, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta of Mali. – ONA

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

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SULTAN QABOOS MOSQUE INAUGURATED IN SUMAIL; DEVOUTS OFFER RAMADAN’S FIRST JUMA FRAYERS Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice presided on Friday over the opening of Sultan Qaboos Mosque in the Wilayat of Sumail.

Dr. Khalifa bin Hamad Al Saadi, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, top officials and a big congregation of worshippers performed the Juma (Friday) prayer at the mosque. The mosque is located in Al Medra area of Sumail on a total area of 1,473 square metres and can accommodate the main prayer hall, prayer room for women, a library, three classrooms, administration office and the guard room among other facilities.-ONA

Deal time at Wadi Kabir on Friday

Friday market in Wadi Kabir is a popular hangout for those looking for good deals. From automobile spare parts to second hand CDs you can find it all at this trading hub. Times of Oman photographer OK Mohammed Ali captures the mood at the bustling market on a holiday

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015

REGION

We will not reopen the consulate as long as protection for our civil servants is not guaranteed. When that protection becomes available, we will rethink our options.

Taieb Baccouche, Foreign Minister, Tunisia

L O N E - W O L F AT TA C K

Palestinian shoots Israeli dead near occupied West Bank OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: A Palestinian opened fire on two Israeli men near a occupied West Bank settlement on Friday, killing one and wounding the other, authorities said, in what appeared to be yet another lone-wolf attack.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said a “Palestinian approached a vehicle that was in the area and asked them to stop”. The Palestinian asked whether there was water in a nearby spring, “and then pulled a gun and shot the two from close range”, Lerner said.

Confirmed A spokeswoman at Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv confirmed that one of the men had died and the other was lightly wounded.

The attacker fled, and a manhunt is underway.

The incident occurred near the Dolev settlement, according to Israel’s emergency medical service Magen David Adom, which said the

victims were in their 20s. The army said the two men were in a car at the time of the shooting, which took place northwest of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

According to Lerner, the two were not settlers, but were hikers from the central Israeli city of Lod. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter that “the evidence on the ground indicates this was a terror attack, and we’re working to find the perpetrator”.

“We can’t let the relative quiet achieved thanks to many successfully prevented attacks mislead us,” he said.

“The attempts to hurt us continue all the time, and we’ll continue to fight them with all the means we have.”

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, condemned the shooting and called on “all sides to exercise the utmost restraint, to maintain calm and promptly bring the perpetrators

to justice”. Occupied West Bank settlements are considered illegal under international law, and Israelis have been attacked previously in and near them as well as in annexed east Jerusalem.

String of attacks A string of so-called lone-wolf attacks by Palestinians, which have rarely involved shootings, began in occupied Jerusalem in October but have spread to the occupied West Bank.

On May 20, two Israeli policewomen were injured in annexed east Jerusalem when they were hit by a car driven by a Palestinian who was then shot dead.

And three Israeli teenagers were hurt by a Palestinian who hit them with his car near last month the Alon Shvut settlement in the occupied West Bank. In April, border police shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed an officer in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron. — AFP

BURNING FURY: A Palestinian protester throws tyres into a fire during clashes with Israeli security forces following a demonstration against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel in the village of Kfar Qaddum, near Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, on Friday– AFP

Jets bomb elite Yemen forces, Geneva truce talks break off positive signs” in his discussions with the two sides. “We believe that if there is a further consultation we can reach this possibility of a ceasefire accompanied by a withdrawal.”

‘Proximity talks’ involving factions who refuse to sit at the same table made no headway in Geneva

SANAA/GENEVA: Saudi Arabialed warplanes bombed elite Republican Guard forces allied with the dominant Houthi faction in Yemen’s conflict on Friday, residents said, and UN-sponsored ceasefire talks broke off without a deal to end nearly three months of fighting.

More than 2,600 people have been killed since an Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia launched air strikes to try to stop Houthis from completing a takeover of Yemen and to try to reinstate exiled President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi.

Air raids Residents said they heard three air raids on the Al Sawad camp, in a southern suburb of the capital Sanaa where the command of the Republican Guards allied with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthis is based, early on Friday. Three air strikes were also reported in the Khawlan region, southeast of Sanaa, six on a camp that houses the Houthi-allied 115th Infantry Brigade in the Al Hazm district of Al Jouf province, and three more on Houthi positions on the outskirts of the embattled southern port city of Aden.

PARLEYS: The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, centre, leaves after a meeting with the Yemeni government delegation during Yemen peace talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva on Friday. – AFP

Residents gave no details on casualties, but the Houthis reported that nine civilians were killed in air strikes on the Razeh district of the northern province of Saada, the Houthis’ traditional stronghold bordering on Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis swept out of Saada and seized Sanaa in September before advancing into central and south Yemen including Aden, forcing Hadi’s government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

In Geneva, Hadi’s foreign minister said the “proximity talks” involving factions who refuse to sit at the same table made no headway after five days of UN

shuttle diplomacy among the sides, but promised more discussions in the future.

“We really came here with a big hope and still we are optimistic that we will go into a peaceful solution for Yemen under the umbrella of the United Nations,” Reyad Yassin Abdulla told reporters.

“But unfortunately the Houthi delegation did not allow us to really reach all progress as we expected. This is not getting as much success as we hoped but it doesn’t mean that we have failed.”

But Adbulla later said that there was no date for a second round of talks overseen by UN Special En-

voy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who called a news conference.

The United Nations voiced optimism that a new round of talks could lead to a much-needed ceasefire. “There was no agreement,” said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who added that if a new round of talks were held, an agreement on a ceasefire could be achieved “pretty soon”.

No date has been set for new talks, he said.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed told reporters in Geneva that just getting the two sides to come to the Swiss city was “a great achievement”.

And he said he had seen “certain

No disagreement “There is in principle no disagreement on this basic element. We feel that it requires simply some further consultations and that we can achieve it pretty soon,” he said.

“I remain optimistic on this,” added Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who said he was heading to New York to brief the Security Council on the talks. The Geneva consultations are not the end in themselves, but the launch of a long and arduous path,” towards a “transitional political phase.”

Ould Cheikh Ahmed shuttled between various Yemeni factions, including representatives of the Houthis, Saleh’s General People’s Congress party and Hadi’s allies, trying to coax them towards agreeable terms for a ceasefire.

Hadi’s government has demanded that the Houthis quit cities seized since last September as a precondition for a ceasefire.

Yahya Duwaid of Saleh’s General People’s Congress said: “We had reason to be hopeful and optimistic for the meetings today, and we listened to the UN proposals today, but unfortunately, what they were proposing was not of the standard that we were looking for.”

The United Nations launched a revised humanitarian appeal of $1.6 billion for Yemen this year.

“We have a humanitarian catastrophe on our hands, we have 21 million people in desperate need of aid. We are talking about children going hungry,” UN spokesman Ahmed Fawzi said. — Agencies

HELPLESS CITIZENS

‘Migrants flow from Libya to continue’ AUGUSTA (ITALY): People traffickers in Libya know they are untouchable and the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean is set to continue, the European Union’s (EU) border agency has told AFP. The smugglers who pack thousands of people on unseaworthy boats for Europe “are organising these departures without risk of being arrested, so for as long as the situation in Libya remains what it is, these flows will continue”, Frontex spokeswoman Izabella Cooper said.

Cooper was speaking on Thursday aboard the Belgian navy ship Godetia, which was carrying out a patrol as part of the EU’s Triton border security operation that alongside the Italian coast guard, works to rescue migrants at sea.

The Godetia, one of six ships to take part in the operation along with four planes, two helicopters and a dozen small patrol boats, has already picked up hundreds of migrants.

“Since the beginning of this year 54,000 migrants have arrived in Italy. We believe that because of the ongoing war in Syria, the difficult situation in Iraq, in Afghanistan, but also in Congo or South Sudan, these flows will continue,” Cooper said.

Touching on the risks of would-be extremists entering Europe by boat, she said that Frontex does “not have any evidence that terrorists may be hidden among the migrants”, but “of course this remains a risk and we are taking due precautions.” — AFP

BACK TO SAFETY

Tunisia shuts Libya consulate after abducted staff return home TUNIS: Tunisia said on Friday it was shutting its consulate in conflict-hit Libya as 10 staffers abducted by an armed militia in Tripoli returned home after a week in captivity.

The staff were seized when gunmen burst into the consulate in the Libyan capital, in the latest attack targeting foreign citizens and diplomatic missions in the lawless nation.

Libya descended into chaos after a revolt unseated and killed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It now has rival governments and parliaments, as well as powerful militias battling for influence and a share of its oil wealth, including the Fajr Libya militia alliance that controls Tripoli.

Decision Tunisian Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche said the decision to shut the consulate was taken after the kidnapping.

“After this serious incident (kidnapping), we have decided to close the consulate in Tripoli,” Baccouche told reporters.

“We will not reopen the consulate as long as protection for our civil servants is not guaranteed,”

he said. “When that protection becomes available, we will rethink” our options, said Baccouche, whose country has a consulate in Tripoli and another in the east.

He was speaking at the L’Aouina military airport in Tunis, where several of the ex-hostages arrived on Friday morning.

Ex-hostage Jamal Saibi related to reporters how a group of armed men had stormed the consulate last week, rounding him and his colleagues up. “They took us out of the building, put us in cars and drove us somewhere along the airport road,” he said.

Baccouche had earlier announced that the 10 staffers had been released — three of them on Wednesday and the rest on Friday.

He said that now all 23 consular workers who were in Libya are back home and safe.

Demand Saibi said the staffers were abducted because the gunmen wanted to press Tunisian authorities to release a jailed Libyan militia chief, Walid Glib.

Tunisian officials and media reported that Glib, who was arrested last month in connection with

“terrorist” activity, was released on Friday. “He left prison on Friday at dawn,” director of prison facilities Ridah Zaghdoud told AFP. Baccouche denied any deal was struck with the kidnappers in exchange for the release of the consular workers. “We will not accept extorsion,” he said.

Last month, militiamen allegedly linked to Glib seized 245 Tunisians in Tripoli to press for his release. They subsequently freed them unharmed.

Frequent targets Foreign citizens and missions have been frequently targeted in Libya, including in Tripoli which was overrun last year by Fajr Libya following fierce clashes with rival militias.

The fighting sparked an exodus of foreigners, and many embassies were shut as Fajr Libya installed a government last year opposed to the internationally recognised administration.

The IS militant group has taken advantage of the chaos to gain supporters in Libya.

IS militant group claimed responsibility for twin attacks in April, one on the South Korean

HOME COMING: A Tunisian diplomatic staff who was kidnapped along with other colleagues in Libya a week ago, is greeted by his family members after arriving at the airport in Tunis on Friday. – Reuters

embassy that killed two Libyans and another on the Moroccan mission that caused no casualties.

In January, the Libyan branch of the militant group claimed the killing of two Tunisian journalists

who had gone missing in eastern Libya eight months earlier.

And last year a Tunisian diplomat and an embassy employee were kidnapped by an armed group before being released.

Ambassador Christopher Stevens was among four Americans killed at the US consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012, in an attack blamed on Al Qaeda-linked militants. — AFP

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

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INDIA

Next 2-3 years very critical for reforms, says Jaitley Having covered this distance, the next

Where the country went wrong was that the government started concentrating not on increasing productivity or generating wealth but on just distributing what the country already had

two-three years are going to be very critical because the series of reform steps, which are in the pipeline, are all to be implemented, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

Arun Jaitley Finance Minister

NEW YORK: Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the next 2-3 years will be “very critical” as the government plans to implement a series of reforms that will help India reach its “destination targets” of growth higher than the current 7-7.5 per cent rates. “(In) India today neither the government, the people or the industry are very excited about a 7-7.5 per cent growth rate because everybody realises, including me and the prime minister that probably our potential is a little higher than that,” Jaitley said here on Thursday.

Identified problem During a discussion with president of investment firm Warburg Pincus and former US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner organised by the think tank Council on Foreign Relations, Jaitley said that his government has covered a “lot of distance” in the one year that it has been in power.

“Having covered this distance, the next two-three years are going to be very critical because the series of reform steps, which are in the pipeline, are all to be implemented. We now have identified all the problem areas and one by one as we go resolving most of them, hopefully we should reach what our destinations targets are,” he said.

Jaitley, who is on a 10-day trip to the US, said the macro-economic indicators and “bare statistics” look good but the aspirations are much higher. He said in the last few years, India’s credibility as an economy was being shaken.

“The last few years we lost the way once again. The reason why we lost way (is that) in terms of political administration and in terms of policy, we went wrong.

“In terms of political administration, within the government structure the prime ministers never had the last word, authori-

ties were outside the government structure — the kind that could happen in a communist state.

“Devoid of that political authority, decision making came to a standstill. The prime minister did not have the last word and there were serious apprehensions that decisions were being taken or not taken for the wrong reasons,” the finance minister said.

He said that on the policy front, where the country went wrong was that the government started concentrating not on increasing productivity or generating wealth but on just distributing what the country already had.

‘People getting restless’ “It did not work. We were falling off the global radar but in India there was a huge change that had taken place between the 1970s and this generation where people were getting restless and they knew this is not our potential,” he said.

Jaitley said the results of the 2014 national elections showed that “charismas of dynasty,” which had a very important role to play, did not work. “(Narendra) Modi’s personal acceptability was about 15-20 points higher than the party’s acceptability. That means the leader was growing taller than the party because of his image of being decisive. Obviously the aspirations are going to be very high.

“We had a dual task of expanding businesses, encouraging economic activity to increase and at the same time being concerned because you have to blend it with prudent politics,” Jaitley said.

Underlining that people do not invest in “uncertain environments,” he said as the new government came into power, it gradually opened up the economy to boost growth. Taxation structures had to be rationalised and a major announcement has been made that

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

India offers Tanzania expertise in developing natural gas sector NEW DELHI: India offered its expertise to Tanzania on Friday in development of its potentially rich natural gas sector and decided to extend e-tourist visa to people of the African nation even as the two countries signed eight MoUs to expand engagements in diverse areas.

During extensive talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, both the countries also decided to establish a Joint Working Group to strengthen cooperation in counter terrorism.

The MoUs signed included a loan agreement between Exim Bank and Tanzanian government on a line of credit for $268.35 million for extension of a pipeline project and cooperation in the field of hydrology, tourism and agriculture.

Terrorism “Terrorism in our respective regions is a concern for both countries. We have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to strengthen our cooperation in counter terrorism,” Modi said during a joint media interaction with Kikwete.

In the talks, Modi was assisted by a high-level delegation which included External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

BOOSTING TIES: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete at their joint statement after delegation level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Friday. - PTI

The prime minister said he has conveyed to Kikwete that India will soon extend e-tourist visa scheme to Tanzanian tourists.

The Tanzania president thanked India for its continued assistance to his country and said both the nations have decided to take the relationship to the next level. Calling India a deserving nation for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, Kikwete said his country will continue to work with other African countries to back New Delhi’s candidature.

Kikwete is the first Head of State from Africa on a State visit

here after the NDA government came to power.

The prime minister said ways to enhance cooperation in the maritime sector and ocean economy figured in the talks, noting that both the countries have a common interest in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.

“We are ready to expand cooperation in counter-terrorism and maritime security,” he said.

Talking about trade ties, the prime minister said he offered India’s cooperation in the development of the potentially rich natural gas sector in Tanzania.

Holding that there is huge

A5

scope to expand trade cooperation, Modi urged the Tanzanian President to open up more sectors for investments, saying Indian investors are ready to invest more in that country.

“Our trade of over $4 billion is heavily in India’s favour. I urged President Kikwete to open up more sectors for investments and exports,” he said.

Modi also mentioned about the upcoming India-Africa Forum summit to be held here in October and referred to Kikwete co-chairing the first Summit in 2008.

The Tanzanian President sought more investment from India and assured full assistance and security to the investors.

India is the largest trading partner of Tanzania in Africa with bilateral trade in 2013-14 being more than $4 billion.

Apart from trade relations, India is also the important destination for Tanzanians seeking highquality health care and education.

Indians form the largest expatriate community in Tanzania and their positive contribution in the progress and development of their host country is well-recognized and appreciated. There are over 50,000 to 60,000 people of Indian origin living and working in Tanzania, besides approximately 10,000 Indian expatriates. -PTI

the direct corporate tax rates will come down to 25 per cent over the course of four years.

“We could not afford to live with a much higher taxation regime because that would distract investment coming into India. It is a very difficult reform particularly because populist politics thinks that it is a big concession you are making to the industry but eventually that is where jobs are going to be created,” he said.

On the Goods and Services Tax Bill, Jaitley said it has been passed by the Lok Sabha and is pending before the Rajya Sabha, which has sent it to a committee.

“Broadly the majority support in the committee seems to be for the bill,” he said even as he acknowledged that he is “running against time” on the GST reform.

He said the government intends to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1, 2016.

“This reference to the committee has actually shortened the window of time available to me. I now have to run faster to in order to catch up. If nothing unusual happens, hopefully I make it.

So I am conscious of the time constraint,” he said.

Foreign Direct Investment When asked if more sectors will be opened up for higher stakes of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), Jaitley said the government has reviewed FDI “in favour of opening out. If you would expect these sectoral caps to immediately go up in all sectors, may be not but gradually that is the movement in that direction.”

On land reforms, Jaitley said the 2013 land law has been “misrepresented” as a farmer friendly law. It is in fact the “most unfriendly law to the rural sector” as it prevents irrigation projects, rural roads, rural electrification projects because it does not make land available for them. - PTI

SPURIOUS LIQUOR

Mumbai illicit liquor tragedy toll rises to 41 MUMBAI: The toll in the illicit liquor tragedy in a suburban bar in Mumbai shot up to 41 on Friday with 21 more people succumbing to the poisonous brew, a top police officer said here.

“The number of deaths is now 41. Another 25 victims are still undergoing treatment in various hospitals. Medical condition of at least 12 is critical,” police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said.

Police have cracked down on the law enforcers by suspending eight officials, including senior Police Inspector of Malwani police station Prakash S. Patil, three officers and four constables, Deputy Commissioner of Police Kulkarni said.

Two people, identified as Raju Langada and Shankar, have been arrested for the tragedy as they allegedly transported illicit pouches of liquor from the Vasai-Virar region in adjoining Thane.

Probe ordered Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the incident and sought a report within two days, an official spokesperson said here.

The victims, mostly living in Laxmi Nagar slums and employed as low-paying drivers, daily labourers etc., had consumed the cheap country liquor at a bar in Rathodi village here on Wednesday night.

Since Thursday morning they started developing symptoms of poisoning, including vomiting, abdominal pains and burning sensation in eyes and sudden collapse.

Their alarmed family members rushed them to local hospitals, but some of them died on way. Many of the victims hail from Gulbarga region of Karnataka. Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the incident. Teams have been formed to trace the origins of the spurious liquor, those involved in brewing, selling and transporting it and other aspects, officials said. -IANS

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015

INDIA ACCIDENT

RAIN DISRUPTS NORMAL LIFE IN MUMBAI, 2 DEAD

SCAN THIS TO VISIT

Boys have fun as a vehicle is stuck on a waterlogged road in Mumbai after a downpour on Friday. Two persons died of electrocution and normal life was brought to a grinding halt with thousands of commuters stranded after local train services were cancelled following the rain. - PTI

ARTICLE, VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N .C O M

13 killed in hotel blaze in Uttar Pradesh PRATAPGARH: Thirteen persons, including two doctors and a journalist, were killed on Friday and 10 injured when a fire broke out in a hotel in Babaganj area of north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh here.

The incident occurred at about 4.30am in Goyal Residency Hotel. Fire engulfed the four-storey building killing 10 persons on the spot. Thirteen persons were injured in the blaze, Superintendent of Police (SP) Balikaran Yadav said.

The injured were rushed to hospital. Three of them succumbed to injures during treatment at a hospital in nearby Allahabad district.

Short circuit Prima facie the cause of fire appeared to be short circuit, he said.

Pratapgarh is about 170 km from state capital Lucknow.

Those killed were identified as Basant Narain (35), Om Prakash (35), both doctors, Manoj Sharma (30), who is a journalist with a Hindi Daily, Satyavrat (40), Brijesh Kumar (32), Dileep (22) and Priyanka (24) and Khalik Kirmani (50).The hotel was badly damaged in the fire. - PTI

Congress seeks scalp of Sushma, Vasundhara over Lalit Modi issue Alleging that the ‘silence’ of the Prime Minister on the issue is ‘deafening’ and is a ‘definite proof’ that the BJP’s topmost leadership has ‘many things to hide’, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said

NEW DELHI: Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having a “deep nexus” with Lalit Modi and bluntly told the government that there was no way out other than the resignation of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje for “saving” the monsoon session of parliament.

“This is now an issue of deep nexus between a proclaimed offender and the Prime Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the Rajasthan Chief Minister and the BJP President”, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told re-

porters seeking to link the PM and Amit Shah with the controversy.

Ramesh said that in 2009, Narendra Modi, who was then Gujarat CM, became Gujarat Cricket Association’s President and industrialist Gautam Adani was made commercial promoter.

Noting that five years later, the current BJP President was made GCA President while Adani continued to be promoter, he said that this was “not my allegation, facts available in public domain”.

Besides, he claimed that the Lalit Modi-Gautam Adani “nexus”

EMBATTLED: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during the ceremonial reception of Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. - PTI

has been clearly established by the documents now in public domain.

Alleging that the “silence” of the Prime Minister on the issue is “deafening” and is a “definite proof” that the BJP’s topmost leadership has “many things to hide”, he said the PM has not been speaking because the “unholy

nexus is now surfacing”.

“The government has got caught in a trap of its own making. The only way out for the prime minister for the survival of his government and saving the monsoon session of Parliament is resignation of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje”, he said.

Asked what action Congress was seeking against the PM and the BJP chief in view of the alleged nexus with Lalit Modi, Ramesh remarked that “as a first step” the resignation of Swaraj and Raje.

A senior Congress leader, who declined to be identified, said that the party would like a larger opposition coalition on the issue of Lalit Modi row like the one which had taken shape against the controversial land acquisition bill.

The monsoon session of parliament generally starts in the third week of July.

Meanwhile, shedding its reticence, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday backed Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and ruled out her resignation or that of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the Lalit Modi row even as Congress threatened to disrupt the monsoon session of Parliament if they do not quit.

The BJP’s defence came on a day Raje, who is facing a storm over her secret witness statement supporting the former IPL boss’ immigration plea in Britain, cancelled her

visit to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab where she would have met party president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The BJP had put up a muted defence of Swaraj when the controversy broke out on last Sunday over her help to tainted Lalit get British travel document saying she had acted on humanitarian considerations but offered no defence of Raje in the last two days.

Today, the BJP fielded its spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi at a press briefing in the party headquarters where he rejected the demands for resignation of the two top leaders. The party strategy may have been apparently devised after separate meetings between Home Minister Rajnath Singh with the Prime Minister and between Amit Shah and the Prime Minister late on Thursday night. - PTI

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10-MINUTE SESSION ON BOARD

Yoga to be performed mid-air on select SpiceJet flights on International Yoga Day on Sunday NEW DELHI: Budget carrier SpiceJet has teamed up with Isha Foundation of Sadhguru to conduct mid-air yoga sessions on some of its Boeing flights on Sunday.

SpiceJet crew and the Isha Foundation instructors will perform Upa Yoga at a height of 35,000 feet on June 21, the International Yoga Day. According to the airline, approximately 50 dedicated Isha instructors and SpiceJet crew members, who have been specially trained to perform Upa Yoga, will undertake a 10-minute session onboard select Boeing flights across the SpiceJet network.

Passengers onboard the flights will be encouraged to participate in the yoga exercises while seated, SpiceJet said in a release.

Upa is a simple yet powerful style of yoga that activates the joints, muscles and energy system and incorporates pranayams.

Initiative “SpiceJet is pleased to be the first airline in the world to demonstrate yoga onboard. We are happy to be associated with the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)’s initiative in promoting yoga in India.

We are pleased to join hands with Isha Foundation for this initiative aimed at our customers who are on the move,” SpiceJet’s chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said.

In addition to the in-flight ac-

al photography has also been banned. Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said, “there were complete security arrangements for International Yoga Day programme at Rajpath. Eighteen DCPs and 30 Companies will be on duty on the occasion.”

REHEARSAL: More than 700 students participate in a rehearsal for Yoga Day in Ahmedabad on Friday. - PTI

tivities, several hundred Isha Foundation volunteers will perform a simple form of yoga, ‘namaskar mudra’, at SpiceJet check-in counters and boarding gates at select airports, the airline said.

“The significance of yoga is that once you learn the practices, you do not need anyone’s help, a special place or any equipment. It can be done wherever you are,” Sadhguru said.

The programme has been exclusively sketched for Boeing flights bound for destinations exceeding 110 minutes, SpiceJet said, adding, it intends to carry out such initiatives in the future as well.

Meanwhile, thirty companies of security personnel will guard

Rajpath and surrounding areas on International Yoga Day as elaborate security arrangements have been made for the June 21 celebration.

Around 5,000 armed security personnel including Delhi policemen will be deployed to secure the yoga venue and area around it as thousands of yoga practitioners including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the early morning programme.

Following an alert issued by intelligence agencies, Delhi Police has banned flying of kites, balloons, glider, micro light objects during the programme to ward off any aerial threat.

Also, flying drones for aeri-

Elaborate security The 35-minute Yoga programme organised by AYUSH Ministry is scheduled to begin at 7.30am on International Yoga Day. Bassi said that local police is keeping an eye on the security arrangements and the area is being screened with the help of sniper dogs and bomb disposal squads.

Eighteen DCP-level officers will also be on duty to monitor the security arrangements that will be at par with the Republic Day Parade arrangements, said a senior police officer.

The Yoga day programme is expected to be attended by close to 40,000 people.

The number of VIPs including minister and MPs, who will attend the function could be about 500, he said. Also, thousands of officials and about 5,000 children will be performing yoga in the programme, he added.

Traffic restrictions were put in place from June 14. Rajpath has been closed for traffic from Vijay Chowk to India Gate and round the clock vigil of the area including the lawns was on. - PTI

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

A7

PAKISTAN M I L I TA RY O P E R AT I O N

BALANCED DIET IS NEEDED DURING FASTING A volunteer carries food trays for others before breaking fast on the first Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan at Memon Mosque in Karachi. If Nasa reports are to be believed, this will be one of the hottest, driest months of Ramadan the country has ever seen. This means you need to be well hydrated, and eat a balanced nutritious Sehri and Iftar so that your energy levels do not sink and make you dysfunctional during your fast. A well rounded diet is needed. - Reuters

20 militants killed in Khyber air strikes ISLAMABAD: Pakistani airstrikes on Friday killed 20 militants in the country’s lawless tribal area bordering Afghanistan, the military said, part of a massive ongoing operation against the Taliban.

The strikes took place in Khyber tribal district where the military began its latest offensive in October 2014 carrying out airstrikes and using artillery, mortars and ground troops.

“Twenty terrorists including some of their important commanders were killed in precise aerial strikes in remote areas of Khyber today,” the military said in a statement.

It added there were reports of about 18 militants injured in the strikes. The area is remote and off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to verify the army’s claims— and the number and identity of those killed.

Pakistan has been battling a homegrown insurgency for over a decade following the late 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

The army began a major campaign against Taliban and other militant strongholds in the North Waziristan tribal area in June last year.

Q U E T TA

Pakistan claims arrest of suspects of Imran Farooq murder in London

Pakistan has been battling a homegrown insurgency for over a decade following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan Authorities have since vowed to intensify operations, using air strikes, artillery and mortars to take back territory both in the border regions and other parts of the country. - AFP

Zardari, Altaf push for unity in the country According to a press

QUETTA: Pakistani officials said on Friday they have arrested two suspects in connection with the 2010 murder of a politician in London, including one wanted by Scotland Yard.

The government paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) said they had detained Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali on Thursday over the killing of Imran Farooq.

Farooq, 50, a founding member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, the most powerful political force in Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi, was stabbed and beaten to death in Edgware, northwest London in September 2010.

British detectives said last May they want to question Ali and another man, Muhammad Kashif Khan Kamran, about the attack.

Both were in Britain in the period leading up to it and left hours afterwards.

An FC spokesman said on Friday that Ali and Shamim were detained at a border crossing in southwestern Balochistan province as they entered the country from Afghanistan.

“Both Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali belonged to MQM, and as per our preliminary investigations, they are the main characters in Imran Farooq murder case,” the spokesman said.

Akbar Hussain Durrani, Balochistan home secretary, confirmed the arrest and said that both of the men have been handed over to Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency for questioning.

The FC spokesman said law enforcement agencies were expecting a “major breakthrough” to come from the questioning.

Critics of the MQM have claimed that the killing of Farooq was linked to an internal dispute in the party, which has been run from London by exiled leader Altaf Hussain for over two decades.

The MQM has strongly denied the claims and late on Thursday

statement issued on Thursday, Zardari and Altaf discussed the country’s current political scenario, deciding that Pakistan ‘needs STABBED TO DEATH: Imran

Farooq, a founding member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement party, the most powerful political force in Karachi, was stabbed and beaten to death in Edgware, northwest London in September 2010. - AFP file photo

also denied that Ali and Shamim were party members.

Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced the arrest of a suspect in the case in April, but did not reveal their identity.

Farooq claimed asylum in Britain in 1999.

He was wanted in Pakistan over scores of charges including torture and murder related to the MQM’s activities, but always claimed the accusations were politically motivated.

He had twice been elected an MP in Pakistan, but went into hiding in 1992 when the government ordered a military crackdown against party activists in Karachi. The MQM’s leader Altalf Hussain has run the party from exile in London for over two decades. - AFP

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harmony and unity now more than ever’

ISLAMABAD / KARACHI: Amid rising tensions between the military and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the party’s co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain pushed for unity in Pakistan during a phone conversation on Thursday.

Zardari has been facing widespread criticism after his recent outburst against the security establishment. The PPP leader had accused the establishment of tarnishing his and his party’s image, threatening to bring the country to a standstill if the “character assassination” did not stop.

In reaction to the outburst, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had cancelled a scheduled meeting with the PPP leadership.

According to a press statement issued on Thursday, Zardari and Altaf discussed the country’s current political scenario, deciding that Pakistan “needs harmony and unity now more than ever”.

However, nowhere did the statement mention if Altaf endorsed Zardari’s speech against the military. Former government allies, the two leaders emphasised that the people of urban and rural areas should live in harmony.

DAMAGE CONTROL EXERCISE: Former government allies, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain emphasised that the people of urban and rural areas should live in harmony. - Express Tribune

“Those who live and die in Sindh — both the people of the rural and the urban areas — should set aside their differences and live like brothers.”

In what appears to be a damage control exercise, Zardari has invited the leadership of other political parties to an Iftar dinner on Friday.

According to sources, the PPP’s allies during the party’s 2008-13 tenure — the MQM, the Awami National Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid – have confirmed that they would attend the dinner.

Dismal performance Political observers see this step as an effort on the part of the PPP to demonstrate that it is not isolated and is still relevant, despite the party’s performance in the recent Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative As-

sembly polls, in which the PPP was routed after five years in power.

The party also did not show any positive results in the local government elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa or any of the by-polls held after its dismal performance in the 2013 general elections.

Qamar Zaman Kaira, the PPP’s information secretary, told a news conference on Thursday that his party had always stood by the army.

“The PPP has never blamed the army as an institution. Rather, it has always stood by the armed forces.

“The party never levelled any allegations against the army even when its founding chairman (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) was hanged by the regime of the then military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, who had come to power when he toppled

the PPP’s first government.”

Zardari’s remarks have drawn a lot of criticism, and the PPP has been trying to placate everyone by saying that all the party co-chairman meant was that every institution must work within its constitutional limits.

Kaira reiterated the same, while Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur also took a similar stance in a meeting with the office-bearers of the PPP’s youth wing.

The party’s information secretary claimed that the political parties had misinterpreted the former president’s remarks. “They should not be taken out of context.”

He said Zardari had always lauded the army’s role in trying to eliminate terrorism.“Why, then, would you think we would say something that is considered antiestablishment?” - Express Tribune

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NATO should not be deterred

by Putin reaction to its plans

R

ussia has reacted angrily to reports that the United States is planning to position tanks and other heavy equipment in Poland and on the territory of other eastern European allies. That response is unfortunate but unsurprising. Regardless of Russia’s tender feelings on the point, the move is necessary.

Needlessly provoking Russia is unwise. Yet so is deferring to Russia’s sensitivities, and today that’s the greater danger. The plans that the US is suggesting are needed to show both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s easternmost members that the alliance is determined to defend itself.

The deployment of tanks and other equipment under consideration would be small. The idea is to put equipment for a potential US fighting force of 150 troops in each of the three Baltic states, and up to 5,000 across the region.

In its own right, this is not a meaningful defensive force, much less an offensive one — Russia has 770,000 active-duty troops. It’s a “tripwire” to ensure that any attack launched on NATO’s eastern members would kill Americans, and so dictate full-scale US involvement. Russia’s leaders understand this perfectly, and their statements to the contrary are disingenuous.

Even a small tripwire force had until now been avoided out of deference to the agreement NATO signed with Russia in 1997. The alliance said it would avoid the “permanent stationing of substantial combat forces” on the territory of its new ex-Soviet-bloc members. Those were different times, when the two sides talked of building a common security architecture and promised not to invade their neighbours.

Still, the US appears to be trying to stick to the letter of that agreement, and rightly so.

A full-scale, permanent troop deployment would inflame, and even go some way toward justifying, Russian fears about the threat it faces from NATO. Pumping US weapons into Ukraine for use against (undeclared) Russian troops would be a mistake for the same reason.

In one vital respect, though, they aren’t enough. A judicious commitment of US power is a necessary response to Russia’s efforts to intimidate, but so is a greater commitment — any commitment — of European effort in the cause of Europe’s own defence.

Officials in Moscow must have been delighted to read a new poll that found that in only two of the NATO states surveyed — the US and Canada — would most citizens back a military response to a Russian attack on a fellow alliance member.

This lackluster resolve isn’t just talk: Europe matches it with lackluster military spending. — Bloomberg view

AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Need not support political dynasties LEONID BERSHIDSKY

Nabbing the crooks

F

ive senior officials of the Lines Area Redevelopment Authority (LARP) have been arrested by NAB, including two deputy directors and three additional directors.

Five senior officials of the Lines Area Redevelopment Authority (LARP) have been arrested by NAB, including two deputy directors and three additional directors.

Terrorism has many facets, and comes not only with bombs, bullets and guns. It is not only to be fought militarily but also by agencies that are perhaps, rarely thought of as being in the counter-terror business, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) being one such.

NAB has been busy in Karachi in recent weeks chipping away at the hitherto untouchable land-grabbers and their ilk, many of whom work in government departments themselves and have built corrupt empires within. Five senior officials of the Lines Area Redevelopment Authority (LARP) have been arrested by NAB, including two deputy directors and three additional directors. NAB had already raided the LARP office three months ago after receiving a string of complaints from people in the Lines Area, and took away data.

The arrests appear to have been made on the basis of what was discovered when the data was analysed. The arrested are alleged to have been involved with a complex scam known as ‘china cutting’ that has netted them billions of rupees over 15 years.

They bypassed the mandatory auction of land, split it into smaller plots and sold the plots at deflated prices, and then later aggregated the plots again and resold them to a developer for a far higher price making huge profits by so doing.

NAB was also busy a fortnight earlier and had arrested the secretary of the excise and taxation department as well as, somewhat ironically, the director of the anti-corruption department. — Express Tribune

NATO and US bent on infuriating Russia

West’s imperialism continues to exists

This refers to the bellicose rhetoric being employed by Russia and NATO-US over the imbroglio in eastern Europe after the fall of Viktor Yanukovych’s democratically elected government in Ukraine due to West’s interference. Since then, there have been a series of escalations by both sides, however, I believe it is the Western military alliance and its sponsor, US, who are responsible for these needless tensions. Russia is only acting as would any superpower.

Just like China, the Kremlin views any provocative action in its sphere of influence as a direct attack. However, the West opts to create instability.

Caroline Hodgkins Al Khuwair

This refers to reports regarding the training of Syrian rebels by the US. It seems Washington is trying to partition that country just like the British and the French split the Ottoman Empire after the pre-planned World War I conflict from 1914 to 1918. The divide and rule policy of the Western imperial powers continues to this day. How can the Western leaders and academicians contend that all forms of imperialism came to an end after World War II? The Cold War and the current conflicts in the MENA are witness to this fact. I wonder what would happen if one day they themselves are dismembered and their societies devastated.

Nasreen Himayatullah Ibra

Political dynasties as such aren’t always bad.

Consider, for example, the Philippines, probably the most dynasty-based of all democracies, with 70 per cent of legislators coming from old political clans

N

ow that the US officially has a Bush as well as a Clinton in the presidential race -- candidates who might ultimately square off against each other -- the question arises whether dynastic government would be fitting for the world’s most powerful democracy. The experience of other democratic countries isn’t encouraging. In those with strong political dynasties, the current generation has been doing worse than previous ones. Political dynasties as such aren’t always bad. Consider, for example, the Philippines, probably the most dynasty-based of all democracies, with 70 per cent of legislators coming from old political clans. In a 2012 paper on the Philippine political system, Ronald Mendoza and his colleagues described the upside: “Political dynasties afford reformists extended time horizons that enable the planning and implementation of policies with long-term goals. Politicians with shorter tenures often yield to populist demands and shun difficult but necessary reforms that payoff in the future but are critical to sustained, robust and inclusive growth.

“It is also possible that dynastic politicians may possess legacy-related motivations that are strongly linked with the overall outcomes in their respective jurisdictions. Thus, the longer their tenure the more they tend to care about long-term outcomes.

Alternatively, rent- seeking dynastic politicians, upon recognising the pecuniary benefits of adopting growth-oriented policies and strategies, might also be motivated towards enacting reforms that would result in considerable and sustainable economic growth in their own jurisdictions.”

In other words, politicians who are part of a dynasty strategise for the long term because they’re mindful of the family name and the clan’s political future. Even if they enrich their families in the process, as they often do, they may take better care of their constituents as well.

The results of dynastic government in the Philippines, however, are hardly stellar. Clans tend to rule in areas that are relatively poor and suffer from greater inequality.

It may be easier for established political machines to win in such places, and clan rule may also contribute to slower development.

In many other countries where dynasties are powerful, the current leaders aren’t bringing their families much glory. Last year in India, for example, Rahul Gandhi -- the great-grandson of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru -- ran a lackluster campaign and was handily defeated by Narendra Modi, who wants to end the power of the

READERS’ FORUM NEW INDIA ASSURANCE New India’s PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY and PUBLIC LIABILITY POLICIES safeguard the professional hazards of Doctors/Engineers/ Architects/Hospitals/Hotels etc. website: www.newindiaoman.com

The best way to predict the future is to invent it ALAN KAY

Nehru-Gandhi clan.

Lee Hsien Loong, son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s revered first prime minister, has held power for 11 years, but in the last election, in 2011, his party’s performance was the worst in its history: The opposition won six of the 81 parliamentary seats -- two more than they ever held under his father.

Many Singaporeans see the younger Lee as a pale shadow of his father.

In Malaysia, Prime Minister Najib Razak, son and nephew of previous prime ministers, barely managed to hold on to power in 2013 after his electoral bloc lost the popular vote. Only the peculiarities of the Malaysian election system enabled him to form a government.

In Argentina, the erratic presidency of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner -- widow of previous President Nestor Kirchner -- is likely to be remembered for its many scandals, but not much else.

In short, successful predecessors’ shoes have often turned out to be a little loose for dynastic politicians. In the US, dynastic power has been on the wane for decades. While from 1789 to 1858, about 11 per cent of American legislators had previous relatives in Congress, the share dropped below 7 per cent after 1966, as a 2009 paper by political economist Ernesto Dal Bo shows.

Nevertheless, the longer a politician serves in Congress, the greater is the probability that his or her relatives will end up there, too -- especially if politics in the state aren’t very competitive. “One possible explanation,” Dal Bo wrote, “is that when a party safely controls a state, those in control of a party can afford to favour candidates to whom they are connected by family or social ties, suggesting that the dynastic transmission of political power may be more related to superior contacts with party machines -- for example -- than to features valued by voters, such as higher human capital.”

The emergence of dynasties may to some extent be explained by the inspiring example of their founders, the traditions of public service and perhaps even by agendas that transcend generations.

And, as Dal Bo pointed out, dynasties may have increased female political representation in the US: Being part of a clan has helped women break through glass ceilings. Perhaps it will help Hillary Clinton through the ultimate one, a good outcome in itself even if she doesn’t achieve much else. The darker side of dynastic politics probably outweighs the positives, though. Wherever there are dynasties, there’s less competition for votes. There’s nothing wrong with members of prominent political families wanting to serve the country. But there’s nothing wrong, either, with voters rejecting self- perpetuating government. — Bloomberg View

Tycoons must be forced to finance education

Nawaz Sharif has led democracy to a dead end

This refers to the international cooperation award received

by Wikipedia. In my view the website’s contribution to educational material is immense.

However, there still remains an immediate need to create free web portals where in-depth knowledge is freely available. I cannot understand why providing education is a business. It should be for all and sundry. For such a noble cause the United Nations and leading philanthropists should team up. At the same time industrialists and tycoons from across globe must be forced to finance schools, colleges and universities to advance this cause.

Chuu Lai Min Muscat

This refers to the Pakistan Peoples’ Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s condemnation of Pakistani military’s interference in governance. The former president is totally correct. In my opinion, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has become a lame duck executive with the actual powers being with army General Raheel Sharif. Democracy is at a dead end. Zardari has admitted supporting Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf’s protest would have been better than supporting the Nawaz government . However, sadly even that would have been useless as it is a common presumption that PTI leader Imran Khan backs the establishment.

Farah Khurasani Duqm

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)

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MERS outbreak on wane in South Korea after killing 24 The number of people in quarantine had fallen 12 per cent from Thursday to 5,930, a day after

SEOUL: South Korea said on Friday that the MERS outbreak that has killed 24 people appears to have begun subsiding, as it reported one new case — the lowest rate of new infections in two weeks.

This brought to 166 the total number of confirmed cases of the disease in the country since the first was confirmed on May 20, the health ministry said.

The number of people in quarantine had fallen 12 per cent from Thursday to 5,930, a day after.

The government of President Park Geun-Hye has come under attack for its inadequate initial response but World Health Organization (WHO) chief Margaret Chan expressed guarded optimism Thursday over South

SAFETY MEASURES: South Korean policemen wearing face masks walk on a street in downtown

Seoul on Friday. – AFP

Korea’s ability to contain the outbreak. She said Seoul was now “on a very good footing” after an initially slow response.

A rural village, which had been sealed off for quarantine, was opened up on Friday, allowing its population of 102 people to resume normal activities.

“Apparently, the outbreak has

started subsiding,” a health ministry official in Seoul said.

“But we have to wait and see whether more cases occur” in hospitals exposed to the virus, he added.

The latest case involved a 62-year-old man who contracted the virus while giving nursing care to an infected family mem-

E N D O F L O N G - RU N N I N G D E B AT E

Hong Kong leader extends economic olive branch HONG KONG/CHINA: Hong Kong’s leader extended an olive branch of economic stimulus to the city a day after lawmakers vetoed a Beijing-backed electoral reform package, a move economists warned could undermine business in the Asian financial hub.

Chief Executive Leung Chunying said he would bring a series of economic initiatives to lawmakers next week, and called for their support. Democratic lawmakers had been filibustering all budget items during the city’s pro-democracy protests, holding up funding for a variety of slated projects.

Leung said that a continuation of such actions would hurt the community. “It’s time for all of us to move on,” Leung told reporters.

“We should try to forge consensus on various economic and livelihood issues.”

Lawmakers on Thursday ended a long-running debate on political reform in the city with a veto, a rare instance of the former British colony voting against a proposal endorsed by China’s central legislature. Economists at ANZ had warned that such a move could cause political instability and hurt business as foreign investors might put their China headquarters in Shanghai or Shenzhen instead of Hong Kong.

Leung said his economic pro-

REJECTED: Lawmakers display a yellow umbrella and a banner stating “Reopen political reform to protect Hong Kong, never give up to fight for true universal suffrage” after 28 lawmakers voted against the election reforms proposals at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, on Thursday. – AP/PTI

posals would include better pay for civil servants, more homes for the elderly and additional funding for recycling and small and medium businesses.

Criticised Even as Leung began shifting the debate to economics, China’s Foreign Ministry and Chinese state media lashed out at Hong Kong’s opposition pro-democracy lawmakers. “Certain people, whose aim was to hobble the development of democracy in Hong Kong, voted against the bill in the legis-

lature,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.

“They will bear the responsibility of history for this.”

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition calls Beijing’s proposal a “fake” democratic model.

“All those who voted against the blueprint might be cocky today, but they will face the judgment of history and shoulder the responsibility eventually,” influential tabloid The Global Times, published by the People’s Daily, said in an editorial in its Englishlanguage edition. — Reuters

A9

ber at Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, the largest epicentre of the outbreak linked to about half of all confirmed cases.

The hospital suspended services to non-MERS sufferers on Sunday, with other patients being moved to different medical facilities, and would remain closed for other treatment at least until

Wednesday next week.

Currently, 112 patients are in hospital, while 30 recovered people have been released.

Jangdeok Village in Sunchang County south of Seoul was back to normal after road blocks were lifted on Friday, two weeks after a 72-year-old resident there was diagnosed with the virus.

“This is good. I felt like I had been a prisoner for a long time”, Park Yoo-Hyun, a 72-year-old farmer, was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

A second village under quarantine is expected to follow suit on Monday, barring any new cases there.

On Tuesday a senior health official expressed cautious optimism that the worst of the outbreak was over, only for eight new cases to emerge the following day when the WHO warned that South Korea was facing a “wake-up call” and urged more vigilance.

But WHO chief Chan said on Thursday that the outbreak would be brought under control “although it may take a little longer than everyone would like to see”. The good news was that scientists had not detected any genetic change in the virus, she added. — AFP

E A R T H QUA K E I M PAC T

Nepal farmers need $20m in aid to avert hunger threat LONDON: Farmers in earthquake-hit Nepal urgently need $20 million in emergency aid to plant crops in the summer and winter cropping seasons, protect their livestock and avert the threat of hunger facing a million people, the United Nations said on Friday.

In the six districts hit hardest by the earthquakes that struck Nepal on April 25 and May 12, half of all farming households lost most of their stored crops of rice, maize, wheat and millet, said the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Farmers need seeds and fertiliser for the summer cropping season, while irrigation systems must be repaired to facilitate planting ahead of the winter season, the UN agency said. The FAO said only $3 million of the required $23.4 million for emergency agricultural aid - 13 per cent - had been funded to date as part of the UN appeal for Nepal.

“Agriculture is a critical priority because two-thirds of Nepalis depend on farming for their livelihoods,” said Nepal’s FAO representative Somsak Pipoppinyo. A million people are at risk of hunger, and this number could grow if farmers do’nt receive support to rebuild livelihoods and become more resilient, Pipoppinyo said. — Reuters

A 10

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White suspect charged with murder in US church attack Dylann Roof confessed to the attack and said he wanted to set off new racial confrontations with his attack, CNN reported

CHARLESTON: A 21-year-old white man has been charged with nine counts of murder for an attack on a historic black South Carolina church, local police said on Friday, with media reporting that he had hoped his actions would incite a race war in the United States.

The charges come a day after arrest of Dylann Roof in North Carolina, 220 miles (354 km) north of the nearly 200-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where he shot dead nine black worshippers.

US officials are investigating Roof’s attack, in which four ministers were killed including a Democratic state senator, as a hate crime. It came in a year of turmoil in the United States, where police killings of several unarmed black men has provoked angry national debates about race relations, policing and the criminal justice system.

Roof confessed to the attack P R O B E U N D E R WAY

Body found on London roof ‘fell from plane’ LONDON: British police were investigating newspaper reports on Friday that a body found on the roof of a building in southwest London was that of a stowaway who had fallen from the undercarriage of a plane as it came in to land from South Africa.

The man’s body was discovered on an office roof in Richmond on Thursday morning. Shortly before, another man had been found unconscious in the undercarriage of a British Airways jet that had just arrived at nearby Heathrow airport from Johannesburg. He was taken to hospital in critical condition. “At this time there is no evidence to link the death to the discovery of a stowaway in the undercarriage of a plane at Heathrow Airport,” police said in a statement.

“However this is one line of enquiry into identifying the deceased and the circumstances of his death.”

Police said the surviving man had been found about an hour earlier. “At around 08:30hrs on 18 June police at Heathrow Airport were called to reports of a suspected stowaway on a flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow,” they said. “The man, believed aged 24, was found in the undercarriage of the plane and was taken to hospital. His condition is now described as critical.” — Reuters

FLORAL TRIBUTES: Mourners lay flowers outside the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday. – AFP

and said he intended to set off new racial confrontations with his attack, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement source.

Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis declined to comment on the reports of a confession. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley told NBC’s “Today” show on Friday that she would prefer to see Roof tried on state charges and believed state prosecutors should pursue a death sentence.

“This is an absolute hate crime,” said Haley, a Republican. “We’ve

been talking with the investigators because we’ve been going through the interviews, they said they looked pure evil in the eye.”

South Carolina is one of just five US states that does not have a hate crime law, which typically imposes additional penalties on crimes committed because of a victim’s race, gender or orientation.

President Barack Obama said on Thursday the attack stirred up “a dark part” of US history and illustrated the continuing dangers of the nation’s liberal

gun laws, which gun-rights supporters say are protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. “After a tragedy we all get to sing and hold hands, but the elephant in the room is guns.

South Carolina and the country have gone gun-crazy,” said state Representative Wendell Gilliard, a Democrat who represents Charleston. “How many times do we need to come together? How many times do we need to unite?”

The church, known as “Mother Emanuel,” was founded in the ear-

ly 19th century by black worshippers who were limited in how they could practice their faith at whitedominated churches. Burned to the ground in the late 1820s when one of its founders drafted plans for a slave revolt, the church was later rebuilt. Compounding anger over the incident, the South Carolina capital continues to fly the Confederate battle flag, that was the symbol of the pro-slavery South during the US Civil War. In addition to the church’s leader and Democratic state Senator Clementa Pinckney, other victims included three pastors - DePayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Sharonda Coleman Singleton, 45; and Reverend Daniel Simmons, 74.

Also killed were Cynthia Hurd, 54, a public library employee; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Tywanza Sanders, 26; and Myra Thompson 59, an associate pastor at the church, according to the county coroner.

Area residents, including a group of nuns, filed past the historic church early Friday that was the site of Wednesday’s shooting.

Many tearfully offered prayers and left flowers near the line of yellow police tape, behind which law enforcement agents continued to gather evidence.

Social worker Jermaine Jenkins, 25, stopped to pay his respects and said he believed the outpouring of public grief and support showed that Roof had failed in his goal of sparking fresh racial unrest.

“I don’t think he will succeed in creating a race war,” said Jenkins, who is black. — Reuters

MAKING A COMEBACK

Cars threaten world’s most endangered feline species MAZARAMBROZ (SPAIN): The world’s most endangered feline species, the Iberian lynx, is making a comeback in Spain after being pushed to the brink of extinction.

But the costly efforts to reintroduce the spotted cat into the wild face an unexpected enemy -- cars.

The number of lynx killed by collisions with vehicles has soared since Spain’s economic crisis began in 2008.

Last year a record 22 lynxes died after being hit by cars, up from just two in 2008.

Cars are “the greatest threat for the future of the lynx”, according to the WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Revolting “It’s revolting because it’s a problem that could easily be fixed,” said Ramon Perez de Ayala, species programme director at the WWF in Spain.

He estimates it would cost around $6.5 million (six million euros) to make roads safer for lynxes by clearing roadsides of brush, putting up barriers and setting up passages that allow the felines to safely cross roads.

“With the excuse of the economic crisis, we have not even carried out the most basic road maintenance works,” said Perez de Ayala.

The public works ministry said it “cooperates in the fight” against road accidents involving lynxes and has carried out needed road works.

The rise in lynx road deaths comes as efforts to boost lynx numbers through breeding programmes are starting to pay off. — AFP

ANNUAL REPORT ON TERRORISM

Terror attacks, fatalities surge sharply in 2014 stan, the Philippines, Nepal and Russia. The report said the global increase in terrorist attacks was mostly due to events in three countries: Iraq, Afghanistan and Nigeria. IS was particularly lethal.

A June 2014 attack on a prison in Mosul, Iraq, in which the group killed 670 prisoners “was the deadliest attack worldwide since September 11, 2001”, it said.

WASHINGTON: Terrorist attacks worldwide surged by more than a third and fatalities soared by 81 per cent in 2014, a year that also saw IS militant group eclipse Al Qaeda as the leading militant group, the US State Department said on Friday.

In its annual report on terrorism, the department also charts an unprecedented flow of foreign fighters to Syria, often lured by IS’s use of social media and drawn from diverse social backgrounds.

Taken together, the trends point to a sobering challenge from militant groups worldwide to the United States and its allies despite severe blows inflicted on Al Qaeda, author of the September 11, 2001 attacks in Washington and New York.

Al Qaeda’s leaders “appeared to lose momentum as the self-styled leader of a global movement in the face of ISIL’s rapid expansion and proclamation of a Caliphate,” the report said, using an alternate acronym for IS. Response Last June, IS attacked from its base in Syria and seized vast swaths of Iraq, much of which it still controls.

US President Barack Obama responded with air strikes in Iraq and Syria, and a programme to train Iraqi security forces. He has also continued air strikes against militant suspects worldwide, in-

DESTROYED: A forensic expert inspects the wreckage of a car after five simultaneous bombings targeting mosques and offices hit the Yemeni capital Sanaa. In its annual report on terrorism, the department also charts an unprecedented flow of foreign fighters to Syria, often lured by IS’s use of social media and drawn from diverse social backgrounds. – AFP

cluded one this week that killed Al Qaeda’s deputy chief.

The State Department report, which covers calendar year 2014, said there were 13,463 terrorist

attacks, a 35 percent jump from 2013, resulting in more than 32,700 deaths, an 81 per cent rise.

More than 9,400 people were kidnapped or taken hostage by mili-

tants, triple the rate of the previous year, it said.

There was some good news: Militant activity decreased in some countries, including Paki-

Foreign terrorist As of late December, more than 16,000 foreign terrorist fighters had travelled to Syria, exceeding the rate of those who travelled to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen or Somalia “at any point in the last 20 years”, the report said.

Last month, a senior State Department official said the army of foreign fighters who travelled to Syria had grown further, to 22,000. “Individuals drawn to the conflict in Syria and Iraq were diverse in their socioeconomic and geographic background,” the report said, highlighting the complex challenge in curbing the flow.

In a June 8 news conference, Obama acknowledged the importance of stemming the flow of fighters, even as the United States says its air strikes have killed thousands of IS fighters.

“We’re taking a lot of them off the battlefield, but if they’re being replenished, then it doesn’t solve the problem over the long term,” he said. — Reuters

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

World’s largest cruise ship takes to water off France coast SAINT-NAZAIRE (FRANCE): The hulking shell of the world’s largest cruise ship slid into the waters off western France on Friday, with workers aiming to have it ready for a 2016 inaugural trip.

The huge vessel, named Harmony of the Seas, has been under construction since September 2013 in the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire.

OCEAN-GOING MONSTER: Cruise liner ‘Harmony of the Seas’ is towed by tug boats to its new moorings at the STX Shipyards in SaintNazaire, France, on Friday. – AFP

Longer When finished it will weigh some 227,000 tonnes and measure 362 metres (1,187 feet) in length, 50 metres longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower.

Harmony is also a metre wider than the current twin oceangoing monsters of the pleasure cruise world, which are also 362 metres long.

Allure of the Seas and Oasis of

the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ships in current service, are 65 metres wide and come in at 225,000 tonnes a piece.

All three crusie ships belong to Royal Caribbean International cruise lines.

Some 2,500 people are at work building Harmony, which will require 90,000 square metres (968,700 square feet) of carpet and 500,000 litres (132,000 gallons) of paint.

Test runs The test runs of the boat are presently set for mid-February 2016 and its first voyage is planned for May next year, a trip from Southampton in Britain to the Spanish city of Barcelona.

The ship will have room for some 6,360 passengers and 2,100 staff members. — AFP

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

S P O R S

Pakistan in trouble after Kaushal Silva’s century first slip by 37-year-old Kumar Sangakkara off Nuwan Pradeep.

Sri Lanka’s innings were built around Kaushal Silva’s painstaking effort that was marked by solid defence even as wickets tumbled regularly at other end

GALLE: Sri Lanka’s bowlers ripped through Pakistan’s top order in dramatic fashion to leave the tourists struggling on the scheduled third day of the first Test in Galle on Friday.

After opener Kaushal Silva hit 125 to lift Sri Lanka to 300 in the first innings, Pakistan collapsed to 35-3 in reply before a partial recovery saw them to 118-5 by stumps.

Asad Shafiq was unbeaten on 14 and Sarfraz Ahmed was on 15 when rain forced play to end early with the tourists trailing by 182 runs with five wickets in hand.

Seamer Dhammika Prasad removed both openers by the third over, paving the way for the bowlers to take control of the innings on what remained an easy-paced pitch at the Galle International stadium.

Prasad had Mohammed Hafeez caught at third slip off his sixth delivery and then trapped Ahmed Shehzad leg-before in his next over to reduce Pakistan to 11 for two.

It became 35-3 when seasoned left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, brought in to the attack in the sixth

STUBBORN TON: Sri Lankan cricketer Kaushal Silva gestures after scoring a century during the third day of the opening Test match against Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. – AFP

over, had Azhar Ali leg-before in his third over.

Veterans Younis Khan (47) and skipper Misbah-ul Haq (20) attempted to rebuild with a 51-run stand for the fourth wicket before

both were dismissed in the space of 10 runs in the last session.

Younis was bowled as he stepped out to drive off-spinner Dilruwan Perera, and Misbah fell to a brilliant one-handed diving catch at

Solid defence Sri Lanka’s innings were built around Silva’s painstaking effort that was marked by solid defence even as wickets tumbled regularly at the other end.

The diminutive right-hander lit up the rain-hit Test with a stubborn 125, his second Test century after making 139 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in January last year.

Silva, however, failed to carry his bat through the innings when he was ninth out from the 300th delivery he faced, caught behind off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.

Silva, who began the day on 80, had reached his century 30 minutes before lunch when he drove Babar through the covers for his 15th boundary.

Bad weather had washed out the entire first day’s play on Wednesday and just 64 overs were bowled on the second day due to a wet outfield.

Sri Lanka added 11 runs to their overnight score of 178-3 when they lost the wicket of skipper Angelo Mathews, who was bowled by leftarm seamer Wahab Riaz for 19.

Dinesh Chandimal contributed 23 in a fifth-wicket stand of 37 with Silva before being bowled by Babar, who was surprisingly handed the second new ball which was claimed after 80 overs.

Kithuruwan Vithanage was the third batsman to be dismissed in the morning session when, on 18, he gave Hafeez an easy return catch. Babar removed Prasad and Silva in successive overs before Yasir Shah held a skier off his own bowling to dismiss last man Nuwan Pradeep.

Wahab and Babar finished with three wickets each, while Hafeez

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka 1st innings: D. Karunaratne c Sarfraz b Wahab 21 K. Silva c Sarfraz b Babar 125 K. Sangakkara c Younis b Wahab 50 L. Thirimanne c Babar b Hafeez 8 A. Mathews b Wahab 19 D. Chandimal b Babar 23 K. Vithanage c and b Hafeez 18 D. Perera c Sarfraz b Yasir 15 D. Prasad b Babar 0 R. Herath not out 6 N. Pradeep c and b Yasir 4 Extras: (lb-5, nb-4, w-2) 11 Total (all out, 109.3 overs) 300 Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Karunaratne), 2-142 (Sangakkara), 3-154 (Thirimanne), 4-189 (Mathews), 5-226 (Chandimal), 6-261 (Vithanage), 7-277 (Perera), 8-288 (Prasad), 9-291 (Silva), 10-300 (Pradeep).

Bowling: Junaid 16-5-38-0 (w1), Wahab 26-3-74-3 (nb4, w1), Babar 27-8-64-3, Yasir 30.3-6-79-2, Hafeez 10-0-40-2 Pakistan 1st innings: Mohd Hafeez c Karunaratne b Prasad 2 Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Prasad 9 Azhar Ali lbw b Herath 8 Younis Khan b Perera 47 Misbah-ul Haq c Sangakkara b Pradeep 20 Asad Shafiq not out 14 Sarfraz Ahmed not out 15 Extras: (nb-3) 3 Total (for five wickets, 41.4 overs) 118 Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Hafeez), 2-11 (Shehzad), 3-35 (Azhar), 4-86 (Younis), 5-96 (Misbah).

Bowling: Prasad 9-2-24-2, Pradeep 9-1-36-1 (nb2), Herath 12.4-3-33-1, Perera 9-2-23-1, Mathews 2-1-2-0 (nb1) Toss: Pakistan Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENG) and Paul Reiffel (AUS) TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL) Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

and Shah took two each.

The three-Test series will be followed by five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches. — AFP

ODI SERIES

Black Caps coach Hesson set for ‘fantastic’ England finale NOTTINGHAM: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson believes Saturday’s deciding One-day International against England in Durham will provide a “fantastic finale” to an enthralling series.

England ensured a winnertakes-all clash at Chester-le-Street after levelling the five-match campaign at 2-2 with a stunning seven-wicket win at Trent Bridge on Wednesday. New Zealand — who thrashed England by eight wickets in Wellington in February en route to the World Cup final — appeared to be well-placed after making 349 for seven.

But England romped to victory with six overs to spare following a third-wicket stand of 198 between Joe Root (106 not out) and skipper Eoin Morgan (113).

Runs have flowed from the bats of both teams this series and Hesson said: “It’s been a very entertaining four matches.

“Obviously, getting down to Durham should be a fantastic finale.”

There is no doubt that, aware of the class of their opponents, a revamped England have raised their white-ball game so far this series.

Not that Hesson took any pride in England’s revival.

“We’ll feel much prouder if we win the series,” he said.

PLAYING FOOTBALL: England’s Eoin Morgan kicks a ball during nets as his team mates look on. – Reuters

“We play the game in the right spirit and we think we play an entertaining brand, but it’s all about winning games of cricket.”

New Zealand, without injured left-arm paceman Trent Boult, saw their attack take a pounding on Wednesday, Nottinghamshire opener Alex Hales leading the way with a quickfire 67 on his home ground. England lost Hales and fellow opener Jason Roy in

quick succession but the tourists couldn’t stem the tide of runs.

“At 111 for two, the game was sort of in the balance,” said Hesson. “The way Hales took the game away at the start, we do that to many sides ourselves, so we know that it makes a big chase look a lot smaller.

“Then Joe and Eoin played exceptionally well. We struggled to create any pressure at all, pretty

much going at eight (runs) an over the whole time.”

A shower briefly halted England’s surge to victory and Hesson said the a damp outfield, allied to an absence of swing, hampered his side.

“The key thing is that the ball hasn’t swung over here (in England), at all. Then, with the ball getting wet, it skidded on beautifully so it takes out a lot of your options

and we were punished for that,” said Hesson.

‘Good lesson’ However, the coach was adamant his side should have made a better job of defending a “good” target of 350. “You’ve got to take wickets or create pressure — or ultimately you do both. We struggled to create a succession of dot balls. We struggled to create a succession

of overs that didn’t go for boundaries,” Hesson said. “We were both full and short, it wasn’t just one.

It’s quite a young bowling attack in many ways and it was a good lesson for us.”

Wednesday’s match featured another big stand from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who put on 101 at Trent Bridge following a partnership of 206 during New Zealand’s three-wicket win in Southampton on Sunday, where they both made hundreds.

Williamson almost scored backto-back tons, his 90 in Nottingham coming after his superb 118 at the Rose Bowl. “It was selfless from Kane, he knew we needed impetus, so he wasn’t trying to get a hundred. He played for the team,” Hesson said. The International Cricket Council is on the verge of implementing changes to one-day regulations, notably by increasing to five the number of fielders allowed outside the 30 metre circle in the final 10 overs.

“I think five out in the last 10 overs would be a good decision,” said Hesson. “But not every series is like this. “We’ve played in many series where the same rules have applied and it’s been 200 plays 201.

“This has been a surreal sort of a series,” Hesson added. _ AFP

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S ATUR DAY, J U N E 2 0, 2 015

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Strong start for The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air in Act 4 at Cardiff

GOOD DAY: Oman Air crew enjoyed a satisfactory day at Cardiff. – Supplied photo

NO STOPPING: The Wave survived a rip off before bouncing back to take the lead. – Supplied photo

Two-time Extreme champions The Wave, Muscat, kept their heads, fixed their steering system and got back on the water to win two more races, putting them first overall after 10 rounds with Oman Air in second

MUSCAT: Oman Sail’s crew onboard Oman Air’s Extreme Sailing boat had a stunning opening day in Cardiff, the United Kingdom, nipping at the heels of stable mate The Wave, Muscat right from the start and showing consistent performance throughout the day with one outright win and four seconds.

The Wave, Muscat was taken out of contention for five races after some boat on boat action during Race 3 with SAP Extreme Sailing Team forced them ashore for repairs. The tried and tested two-time Extreme champions kept their heads, fixed their steering system and got back on the wa-

A P P R E C I AT I O N F O R S U P P O R T

ter to win two more races, putting them first overall after 10 rounds with Oman Air in second.

Commenting on the rear-ender

by SAP Extreme Sailing Team, Leigh McMillan, skipper of The Wave Muscat said: “We were in second or third place at the time, rounding the mark and SAP came in from behind with a bit more speed. The tiller arm was ripped off so we had to replace the stock and tiller bar system and it all took a bit of time. It was a great job by every-

one and knowing we were getting average points it was important we put in a good performance in the last few races of the day.”

Chatting about their ability to bounce back McMillan concluded: “It is always difficult to get into the groove again after something like that but the experience we have had over the years with similar situations has given us the ability to make the best of it when things like that happen. The key is to remain focussed and just get on with it.”

With a total of three wins and average points awarded for redress The Wave, Muscat now lead Act 4 by 11 points over team mates on Oman Air skippered by Stevie Morrison. The crowds who gathered to watch the high speed Extreme 40 action in the grandstand setting of Cardiff could not have wished for anything more spectacular today – sunshine and a consistent 18-20 knots and some of the best racing of the season was on offer.

Oman Air enjoyed the fresher conditions and sailed impressively. “I think the simple factor is that there was more wind today and we were able to execute a plan and it worked well. I think we learned lessons from the last Act in China, and all our hard work seemed to pay off. A couple of areas we have worked on are communication and starting, so we are hop-

ing to continue with the improvements tomorrow.”

Ali Al Balushi – bowman – was unfazed by the intensity of today’s 10 races. In winds that never dropped below 15kts, it was action packed particularly at the pointy end. “I enjoy light wind, I enjoy lots of wind and I am really enjoying the racing on the Extreme Sailing Series and the Oman Air team is getting stronger and stronger we get on with it regardless of the weather. We had good starts today and they were tactically good races for us, so we are hoping for more of the same in the coming days.”

The weather looks set to continue in a similar pattern, which bodes well for the event where crowds more spectators are expected to gather to watch the action unfold over the next three days.

TENNIS

Anderson into Queen’s semis, Raonic out

OFA honours Mazda Oman MUSCAT: Mazda Oman, Official Automotive partner of the Oman Football Association (OFA) and the owner of the prestigious Mazda Professional Cup was honoured by the national football body for their remarkable initiatives to support the game of football in the country.

Riyadh Ali Sultan, Director of Towell Auto Centre (TAC) received the award of appreciation from Sheikh Rashad Al Hinai, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Sports Affairs at an award ceremony held recently.

At the event, Riyadh also felicitated Mazda Professional Cup Champion – Fanja and its best player Mohammed Al Hinai.

Mazda Oman has been the official sponsor of the OFA since 2014 and has extended huge support to the national teams, the league and the community football activity undertaken by the Association. Mazda Oman strengthened their link to football by becoming the title sponsor of the Cup competition played by the top 14 OPL clubs in Oman.

This created the Mazda Professional Cup which will again take place on September 1 this year.

Riyadh Ali Sultan commented: “Our relationship with OFA has

grown from strength to strength.

It goes without saying that football is a national passion and we are committed to promote this game at all levels. I want to thank OFA for this honour and we look forward to a lasting long-term relationship with the Association and the sport”.

Mazda Oman has been supporting OFA and the clubs by providing vehicles so that the teams can travel in comfort and their investment in the Association and in the sport has been noteworthy. They add excitement and thrill to the game by organizing exciting contests and venue displays where fans get an opportunity to win prizes. Mazda Oman also gives exclusive privileges to Mazda customers such as free parking passes, VIP & general tickets and some exclusive privileges to its ZoomZoom club members to encourage their partnership in the sport.

“Mazda is committed to the game right from grassroots clubs to the national team to keep the game alive and kicking. There is no doubt the game is already great, but by extending support, Mazda aims to assist in making it even more spirited, insightful and enjoyable for all those associated with it”, Mr. Riyadh added.

LONDON: South Africa’s Kevin Anderson powered into the Queen’s Club semifinals with a 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 victory against Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Friday. Anderson was appearing in the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon warm-up event for the third time in four years and the world number 17 finally made it to the semifinals after bludgeoning Garcia-Lopez into submission.

The big-serving 29-year-old slammed down 18 aces and is now within one win of his second ATP Tour final of the year, following his runners-up finish in Memphis in February, as he looks to add to his two career tour-level titles.

“It was definitely dominated by serves today, so step one was take care of my own and try and create opportunities on his serve. Fortunately, I was able to get one right before the end,” Anderson said.

“Queen’s is a pretty big tournament. I’ve been in the quarters a

weeks after foot surgery. The world number 13 will aim to reach his second final of the year — he won the Marseille Open in February — when he meets Anderson.

few times and it feels great going one round further.

“I’ve been in the semis of ATP 500 events before. Now I’m looking at getting to the final and having a shot at winning the tournament.”

Anderson had saved a match point before defeating four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round and claimed the scalp of French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in the second round.

And the 29-year-old, who lives in the United States and expects to be granted U.S citizenship later this year, proved rock solid

on the key points again as he ruined the first Queen’s last eight appearance for world number 34 Garcia-Lopez.

In Saturday’s semi-finals, Anderson will face French seventh seed Gilles Simon, who fought back from a set down to defeat world number eight Milos Raonic 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Simon had lost all three of his previous meetings with Raonic, but the 30-year-old booked his first appearance in the Queen’s last four on his fifth match point against the Canadian third seed, who was playing his first tournament for five

Record 45 aces at Halle Croatian Ivo Karlovic hit a record 45 aces en route to beating third seed Tomas Berdych and reach the Halle Open semifinals on Friday.

The big-serving Croatian, standing at 2.11 metres tall, improved the record for a three-set ATP tour match by one ace, winning 7-5, 6-7(8), 6-3.

“Berdych returns quite well really,” Karlovic, the world number 27, told reporters. “That’s why lots of aces are so important.”

He will next face either top seed Roger Federer or Germany’s Florian Mayer.

World number five Kei Nishikori was also made to work hard, needing three sets 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 to tame Jerzy Janowicz — Agencies

PENALISED

Dhoni fined for shoving incident in Mirpur MIRPUR: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was fined 75 per cent of his match fees on Friday for allegedly shoving young Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman during the first ODI of the threematch cricket series, here.

Dhoni was charged with Level 2 offence under ICC Code of Conduct ON Thursday for elbowing the debutant pacer while chasing an imposing 308-run target set by Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

The incident happened during India’s chase when Mustafizur came in Dhoni’s way while com-

pleting his follow through as India captain was running for a single.

Replays showed Dhoni shoved him while trying to reach the crease. Match referee Andy Pycroft summoned Team India manager Biswarup Dey on Thursday night to intimate him about the hearing. According to reliable sources, a collective decision was taken by the team management that the skipper would not plead guilty in this case as he never tried to hurt the bowler intentionally.

Accordingly the administrative manager filled the form where India decided to contest the charge.

In the morning at the team hotel Friday, on field umpires Rod Tucker and Enamul Haque Moni were called by Pycroft after which the trio of Dhoni, Dey and Team India Director Ravi Shastri were summoned. It was learnt that the team’s defence was that Dhoni never raised his elbow and the officials said that he just wanted to complete the run.

Their bone of contention was according to replay there was no gap between shoulder and armpit which justifies that he did not try to elbow the bowler. However, it was learnt that any sort of body contact

can’t be termed as Level 1 offence and match referee Pycroft had to press Level 2 charges which is fine between 50 to 100 hundred per cent match fees or two match ban.

Once the Indian trio completed their hearing, Mustafizur was called along with team manager Khaled Mahmud Sujon.

Interestingly, Mustafizur had told Bengali daily Prathom Aalo that “I made a mistake coming in the way”. Mustafizur had earlier repeated the offence when Rohit Sharma was batting and hence was docked 50 per cent of his match fees. - PTI

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM S ATU RDAY, JU N E 20, 2015

MARKE

CISCO PLEDGES $10BB CHINA INVESTMENT Cisco Systems will invest a more than $10 billion in China during the next few years, a costly tactic to get back in the government’s good graces and stay competitive with Huawei Technologies. >B3

Fitch affirms six major Omani banks’ ‘issuer default ratings’ probability of support from the Omani authorities in case of need.

“Oman’s strong ability to provide support to the banking system, combined with our belief that there would be a strong willingness to do so, underpins Fitch’s assessment,” the statement added.

Omani banks’ VRs benefit from a stable operating environment, supported by the government’s capital investment programme that drives solid gross domestic product growth and creates lending opportunities for domestic banks. “However, the economy is still heavily dependent on oil and vulnerable to continued low oil prices,” noted the Fitch statement.

Outlooks on all six banks are stable, the rating agency said in a statement. Bank Muscat’s at ‘A-’ and National Bank of Oman, Bank Dhofar, Bank Sohar and Ahli Bank at ‘BBB+’

Times News Service MUSCAT: Fitch Ratings has affirmed six Omani banks’ Longterm Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) and upgraded two of the banks’ Viability Ratings. The outlooks on all six banks are stable, the rating agency said in a statement.

Five of the banks have their IDRs based on support from the Omani sovereign. They are Bank Muscat’s at ‘A-’ and National

STABLE OUTLOOK: Support Ratings and Support Rating Floors of five Omani banks reflect Fitch’s expectation of an extremely high probability of support from the Omani authorities in case of need. — Times file picture

Bank of Oman (NBO), Bank Dhofar, Bank Sohar and Ahli Bank at ‘BBB+’. The IDR for the remaining bank HSBC Bank Oman’s has been affirmed at ‘A+,’ based on support from its ultimate parent, HSBC Holdings PLC. At the same time, Fitch has

upgraded Bank Sohar’s Viability Rating (VR) to ‘bb+’ from ‘bb,’ and HSBC Bank Oman’s VR to ‘bbb-’ from ‘bb+’. Fitch has affirmed BM’s VR at ‘bbb’, NBO’s and ABO’s VR at ‘bbb-’ and Bank Dhofar’s VR at ‘bb+’.

HSBC Bank Oman’s VR has

been upgraded mainly because Fitch expects reduced risks with the bank’s asset quality and signs of improving profitability. Bank Sohar’s VR has been upgraded as a result of strengthened capitalisation, leaving the bank’s capitalisation in line with similarly rated

ECONOMY

lande insisted Friday that “everything” must be done to seal a compromise on the Greek debt crisis.

We must “do everything to relaunch negotiations, so the talks can achieve a compromise, but one in line with European rules,” said Hollande, following talks in Bratislava with his Slovak counterpart before speaking with German Chancellor Angela Merkel later in the day.

Alexis Tsipras. — Reuters

from Greek banks on Thursday, following another 1.6 billion euros over the two previous days, financial website euro2day reported.

EU President Donald Tusk has called an emergency summit of the leaders of the 19 eurozone countries in Brussels on Monday after finance ministers failed Thursday to break the five-month deadlock between the anti-austerity government in Athens and its international creditors.

French President Francois Hol-

Monday summit ‘crucial’ Hollande said Monday’s emergency eurozone summit would be “crucial”.”I don’t want us to meet only to come to the conclusion that we have failed,” he said.

The Athens stock exchange on Friday was alternating between small gains and losses.

In a move that seemed calculated to irk other European leaders amid tensions with Russia over Ukraine, Tsipras was visiting Saint Petersburg as the star guest at President Vladimir Putin’s investment drive forum.

The Greek and Russian leaders were due to hold talks Friday,

EUROPEAN UNION

Google warned to expect large fines in antitrust investigation BRUSSELS: The European Union threatened to levy fines on Google that would be large enough to act as a deterrent after accusing the US search-engine giant of squeezing out rivals in the comparison-shopping market.

The EU’s competition watchdog told Google it could face a fine based on its AdWords revenue stemming from European users, according to a version of the statement of objections released to complainants and seen

by Bloomberg. The EU also said it may tell Google to make changes to how its shopping services are displayed.

The European Commission “intends to set the fine at a level which will be sufficient to ensure deterrence,” the EU regulator said in the document. The regulator “considers that, based on the facts described in this statement of objections, Google committed the infringement intentionally or, at the very least, negligently.”

The EU’s patience with Google ran out after three settlement

Key rating drivers Support Ratings (SRs) and Support Rating Floors (SRFs) of five Omani banks reflect Fitch’s expectation of an extremely high N O N G YA O O I L F I E L D

Greece hopeful of last-ditch debt deal ATHENS: Greece on Friday insisted a last-ditch deal on its debt was possible and dismissed “terror scenarios” of a default that is looking increasingly likely, as emergency European meetings continue in a bid to break the deadlock.

“Those who invest in crisis and terror scenarios will be proven wrong,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s office said, amid reports that Greeks banks are struggling to cope with a rush of deposit withdrawals, fuelled by the ill-tempered talks with Greece’s EU-IMF creditors.

The European Central Bank held an emergency session on Friday to discuss additional liquidity following a request from Greece’s central bank, a European source said, as the Greek government insisted the nation’s banks were “stable.” “The governor of the Bank of Greece has confirmed the stability of the banking system, which is fully safeguarded by the joint actions of the Bank of Greece and the European Central Bank,” a government source said.

A billion euros were withdrawn

peers, and no longer constraining the Viability Rating .

Rating sensitivities Ratings of Omani banks are sensitive to a change in Fitch’s assumptions around the Omani authorities’ propensity or ability to provide timely support to the banking sector.

“The most likely change would arise as a result of a weakening of the sovereign’s ability to support domestic banks. Oman depends heavily on oil revenues and is one of the most vulnerable in the Gulf Cooperation Council, along with Bahrain, to low oil prices, despite some diversification over the past decade,” added the statement.

– Bloomberg file picture

bids failed to satisfy critics, who said the owner of the world’s most-used search engine was wielding its power over search results to unfairly promote its own services and paid ads. The EU has been probing allegations since 2010 that Google’s search page isn’t fair when people seek services online. Microsoft, Expedia, publishers and others asked the EU to examine complaints that Google favours its own services over competitors and hinders specialised search engines that compete with it.

The commission sent the full version of the document to Goog-

le in April, accusing the company of abusing its dominance of the search-engine market by unfairly favouring its comparison shopping service above rivals since 2008. Sending antitrust objections, which lay out where the EU thinks Google is breaking the law, pushed the investigation into new territory.

Fines could be based on factors including revenue from Google’s AdWords services relating to clicks from European users; revenue from its price-comparison website; and revenue from product queries on its search engine, the commission said in the complaint. The commission said it has reached the “preliminary conclusion that Google’s practice of positioning and displaying more favourably, in its general search result pages, its own comparison shopping service compared to competing comparison shipping services constitutes an abuse by Google in the relevant markets for general search services.” — Bloomberg News

as Moscow and Athens signed a preliminary agreement to set up a joint venture to extend the TurkStream pipeline through Greece, a long-term project which the Greek government hopes will translate into an upfront payment of some sort. Greece has until June 30 to agree a reform deal in order to secure the remaining portion of its multi-billion-euro bailout, which it needs to avoid defaulting on a debt payment of around 1.5 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund.

Analysts have long warned that a default may set off a chain of events leading to a ‘Grexit’ -Greece leaving the eurozone.

Tsipras warned in an interview with an Austrian newspaper on Friday that a Greek exit would be “the beginning of the end” of the euro.

“The famous Grexit cannot be an option either for the Greeks or the European Union.

This would be an irreversible step, it would be the beginning of the end of the eurozone,” Tspiras told the Kurier daily. — AFP

UAE’s Mubadala starts production in Thailand Times News Service ABU DHABI: Mubadala Petroleum announces that production at its Nong Yao oil field, located in the southern Gulf of Thailand, commenced on 17 June. Production is expected to reach a peak rate of approximately 10,000bpd as more production wells are completed. Oil from Nong Yao will be sold for local use to meet Thailand’s growing energy needs.

Nong Yao is Mubadala Petroleum’s third operated field in Thailand. The field is located within the G11/48 concession, approximately 165 kilometres offshore in a water depth of about 75 metres.

The project has been delivered with a strong emphasis on safety and, together with our partners KrisEnergy and Palang Sophon Limited, we will have invested approximately $320 million in the development.

Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer, Mubadala Petroleum: “This is another great

milestone for Mubadala Petroleum, as the start of production from Nong Yao has been brought on efficiently, on time and most importantly safely. Nong Yao follows on the heels of the Manora field which started production in November 2014 and is currently producing at its peak rate of approximately 15,000bpd.

“With three fields producing in Thailand, Jasmine, Manora and now Nong Yao, our gross production in Thailand will reach around 40,000bpd during the second half of 2015. This is more than double the rate from a year ago and will make us Thailand’s second largest producer of black oil.”

Nong Yao is the second development in Thailand, after Manora, that Mubadala Petroleum has taken from discovery and appraisal through to development and now production. The field was originally discovered in 2009 and further appraised by five wells.

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015

MARKET Bank of Japan holds fire on more stimulus

ECONOMY

In a widely expected decision, the central bank said it would STRATEGIC MOVE: Reserve Bank of India would issue gold bonds

on behalf of the government to Indian residents, with purchases capped at 500 grammes per person each year. — Bloomberg file picture

India plans gold bonds issue to curb trade deficit NEW DELHI: India plans to issue gold bonds to curb imports by the world’s second-largest consumer of the metal, whose trade deficit in the past has hurt the rupee.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would issue the bonds on behalf of the government to Indian residents, with purchases capped at 500 grams per person each year, the administration said in a draft proposal posted on Thursday on its website. The bonds would be linked to gold prices and have a nominal interest rate.

‘Reduce demand’ “The main idea is to reduce the demand for physical gold,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said in the plan, adding it wants to shift some of the estimated 300 tonnes of gold bought annually for investment to the bonds.

India was the world’s biggest gold buyer before falling behind China in 2013. The government says about 20,000 metric tonnes of gold resides in temples or hide in drawers, twice the official holdings of the US. Imports stoked a record trade shortfall in 2013, sending the rupee to an all-time low and forc-

ing the nation to curb inward shipments of the metal.

Some of those restrictions have been eased, putting India on course to become the world’s top consumer this year.

The bonds could save $2 billion on gold imports at current prices if fully subscribed in the first year, according to Nomura Holdings.

They offer a “good” alternative for gold investors as they are backed by the sovereign and pay interest, Nomura analysts Sonal Varma and Neha Saraf wrote in a note.

The amount of notes issued may not exceed the equivalent of 50 tonnes of gold in the first year, and the lower limit for the nominal interest rate may be two per cent, the government said.

Imports of the metal climbed 10.5 per cent in May from a year earlier to $2.42 billion. The rupee, down about one per cent this year, weakened 0.1 per cent to 63.8187 a dollar as of 1:34pm in Mumbai.

The record low in 2013 was 68.845.

Modi is also trying to mobilise idle gold to curb imports under a plan that will allow citizens to deposit the metal with banks to earn interest. — Bloomberg News

stand pat on a record 80 trillion yen ($650 billion) annual assetbuying scheme that is aimed at jacking up prices and kickstarting growth

TOKYO: The Bank of Japan (BoJ) held fire on more stimulus on Friday as it pointed to a pickup in the economy, despite flatlining inflation that has defied a two-year-old monetary easing programme.

MAKING A POINT: Traders are now waiting for a regular news briefing from BoJ chief Haruhiko In a widely expected decision, Kuroda, whose comments last week about the weakness of the yen sparked a short-lived surge in the the central bank said it would currency. — Bloomberg file picture stand pat on a record 80 trillion yen ($650 billion) annual assetThe country’s near-zero inflaWhile the yen’s sharp decline wages in a bid to stimulate conbuying scheme that is aimed at jacking up prices and kick-start- has been good news for Japanese sumer spending, after a sales tax tion rate is far below the BoJ’s exporters, it has pushed up the rise last year pushed Japan into a target. ing growth.

Earlier this week, Japan reportcost of imports and eroded con- brief recession. ed a sharp drop in its May trade Improve its communication sumers’ purchasing power. deficit, but still-lacklustre shipIn Friday forex trading, the Steady improvement The bank also said it would move to improve its communication dollar bought 122.99 yen, little “Against the background of steady ments overseas failed to offset a by issuing more frequent and de- changed from before Friday’s improvement in the employment fall in energy imports.

In the first quarter of 2015, Jatailed reports on its outlook for the statement and slightly stronger and income situation, private consumption has been resilient pan’s economy grew 1.0 per cent, economy and prices, while cutting than 122.93 yen in New York. and housing investment has start- or 3.9 per cent on an annualised the number of policy meetings to basis. ed to pick up,” the bank said.

‘Recover moderately’ eight from the current 14 a year.

But there was still concern Economists expect a further Traders are now waiting for a “Japan’s economy has continued regular news briefing from BoJ to recover moderately,” the BoJ loosening of monetary policy, about the health of the economy, chief Haruhiko Kuroda, whose said on Friday following its two- likely later this year, to bring Ja- particularly that weak demand pan closer to its two-per cent in- overseas could drag on factory comments last week about the day meeting.

Policymakers pointed to an flation target, which is a corner- output as manufacturers try to weakness of the yen sparked a short-lived surge in the currency. improvement in exports, factory stone of Prime Minister Shinzo cut an inventory build-up that He later backtracked on those output and capital spending, as Abe’s drive to conquer years of boosted growth in the first three months of the year. - AFP Tokyo pushes companies to hike deflation. comments.

BANKING & FINANCE

Europe’s banks head to Asia for capital SINGAPORE: European banks are heading to Asia for capital as new rules at home demand they sell more than $1 trillion of equity and subordinated debt to increase loss buffers.

French and German lenders have sold the equivalent of $1.8 billion in notes that act as a cushion in case of insolvency this year, in denominations from the Chinese yuan to the Japanese yen. Before this year, they’d issued none. Dutch and Italian banks that began issuing in the region in 2012 have also stepped up activity.

Financial institutions are turning to Asia, where there’s ample cash to buy large amounts of securities and pricing is attractive, after money managers in Europe gorged on about $266 billion of subordinated debt in either dollars or euros since 2008. The move East is poised to accelerate as banks still need to issue about four times that amount.

“In anticipation of higher capital issuance requirements it makes sense to diversify funding sources,” Alexandra MacMahon, the head of Europe, Middle East and Africa financial institutions debt capital markets at Citigroup Global Markets in London, said by phone June 12.

There’s much more of a focus on expanding the investor base, “something we hadn’t seen so strongly in a number of years,” she further said.

EXPLORING NEW AREAS: Rabobank had a capital ratio of 21.3 per cent at the end of 2014, more than double the minimum required by regulators. — Bloomberg file picture

German plans European banks have $447.2 billion of subordinated notes that will stop counting toward their capital buffers in coming years, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. Those securities may have to be replaced by new ones that comply with Basel III rules, which, in addition to other requirements under discussion, could bring the total amount to be issued to $1 trillion, Singaporebased Ivan Vatchkov, the chief investment officer at Algebris Investments, a hedge fund that focuses on bank capital, said in a June 17 interview.

“You don’t want to inundate your home market,” Kazuhide Tanaka, the head of long-term funding for Rabobank in Tokyo,

said. “So you look at diversifying your pool of investors and that means going to Asian currencies.”

Rabobank had a capital ratio of 21.3 per cent at the end of 2014, more than double the minimum required by regulators. The lender is the biggest issuer in Japan’s Samurai market and in December sold 50.8 billion yen ($413 million) of subordinated bonds that count toward what’s known as Tier 2 capital, the first such issue by a foreign bank.

Yield premium The Dutch lender may become the second from its continent to issue Tier 2 notes denominated in Australian dollars, according to an emailed statement from National Australia Bank. In May, Societe

Generale sold the equivalent of $97.5 million of such debt in the so-called Kangaroo market.

The French bank’s cost to issue capital in dollars is on the rise. It paid a yield premium of 255 basis points more than Treasuries for a 10-year 4.25 per cent US currency note in April. That’s 30 basis points more than the 225 basis-point spread Societe Generale paid for a similar tenor note in January 2014. That bond pays a coupon of five per cent, more than double the 2.195 per cent on one of the lender’s Samurai subordinated securities sold in June.

‘Extremely healthy’ “You get attractive pricing” in Asian currencies, Andrew Stephen, the head of Asia private placements and local currency debt at Deutsche Bank in Singapore, said. “And Asia has sophisticated investors who understand bank capital.” In April, Deutsche Bank became the third European lender to sell subordinated notes in the offshore yuan market, trailing France’s BNP Paribas and BPCE. The latter has raised a total of $643.4 million selling Tier 2 bonds in yen, yuan and Singapore dollars. “Most issuers are increasingly aware of the Asian market and that liquidity here is extremely healthy,” Clifford Lee, head of fixed income at DBS Bank, said. “The Singapore market has proven to accommodate size and tenor.” — Bloomberg News

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

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MARKET E L E C T R O N I C E N T E R TA I N M E N T E X P O

Video game titans get back in stride at Los Angeles expo LOS ANGELES: The world’s leading video game show ended on Thursday with the industry feeling renewed vigour after years of worry that play on mobile devices was leading to decline.

More than 52,000 people from 109 countries attended the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade gathering in Los Angeles where blockbuster console games were stars and virtual reality gear got ready in the wings.

“I’ve been impressed by the quality of the presentations and strong line-ups of content,” Sony Computer Entertainment chief Andrew House told AFP at E3.

“I like to think the industry has got a spring back in its step.”

300 exhibitors The E3 show floor spanned the Los Angeles Convention Centre, with some 300 exhibitors showing off more games, accessories and related offerings, according to the Entertainment Software Association, which organises the annual event.

“E3 demonstrated both the re-

RAPT ATTENTION: Attendees play ‘Star Wars Battlefront’ at the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday. - AFP

markable transformation of entertainment taking place on all video game platforms-virtual reality, augmented reality, hardware, mobile and handheld-and awesome games,” said association president Michael Gallagher.

E3 buzz on social media

trumped anything seen in the past, with 6.3 million tweets on Twitter tagged to the gathering and 7.5 million ‘likes’ racked up by E3 related posts at Instagram, the ESA boasted. “I love that there is a lot to attract new people to the industry,” said Yves Guillemot, chief of

French video game powerhouse Ubisoft. “It is a really mature industry with a lot of creativity.

It shows that the potential to grow is really high.”

Twitch vs YouTube Video game broadcasting platform

Sony and Panasonic cling on to televisions Consumer electronics account for a shrinking portion of income after restructuring focused Sony on gaming and image sensors and Panasonic on electric car batteries.

But TVs remain among their bestknown products

TOKYO: Japan’s once-mighty electronics makers have lost billions of dollars from TVs but Sony Corp and Panasonic won’t quit, saying retreating from the world’s living rooms would close the door to more promising businesses.

Consumer electronics account for a shrinking portion of income after restructuring focused Sony on gaming and image sensors and Panasonic on electric car batteries. But TVs remain among their best-known products.

Strong correlation Staying in the TV market — particularly at the premium end — keeps the pair relevant and ensures their brands and quality are at the forefront when consumers shop for other electronics, they said. Sony, for example, said it saw a strong correlation between sales trends for its TVs and audio systems.

That makes it worth persevering in a TV market dominated by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and cheaper Asian rivals, with Sony and Panasonic content to hold modest shares by focusing on high-margin, high-definition “4K” models.

“TVs are the soul of Sony and

PROMISING BUSINESS: People walk past the brand logos of Japanese firms Sony, Panasonic and

Sharp outside an electronic store in Tokyo on June 10, 2015. Japan’s once-mighty electronics makers have lost billions of dollars from TVs but Sony and Panasonic won’t quit, saying retreating from the world’s living rooms would close the door to more promising businesses. — Reuters

we don’t want to be without them,” Ichiro Takagi, head of Sony’s home entertainment and sound business, told Reuters in an interview.

Investors have long speculated about Sony and Panasonic gradually exiting televisions, reflecting Japan’s declining position in the tech sector. If they quit TVs, there’s a chance that the Sony brand will be diminished,” said Junya Ayada at Daiwa Securities.

Sony holds seven per cent of an industry it once revolutionised with its Trinitron technology, while Panasonic has four per cent.

South Korean leaders Samsung and LG Electronics together hold about 40 per cent.

“There was a time when we were going after volume, and we totally lost that race,” said Takagi.”

Even in the days of the Trinitron, we only had a share of around 10 per cent. I think 10 per cent is appropriate now.”

Under Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai, Sony has shed thousands of jobs and sold off its personal computer (PC) unit after several years of losses.

Hirai has not ruled out dispensing with the TV arm as well if it

fails to stay profitable.

But Takagi said an exit was now less than likely after cost cutting helped the unit book a small operating profit in the last business year, its first in over a decade.

Moreover, Sony — with interests ranging from its Hollywood studio to PlayStation videogames — aims to recapture its cachet as an entertainment-to-electronics group through increased collaboration across the company, Takagi said. TVs encapsulated the sound and picture technology developed by the various businesses, he said.

High-end audio Sony is also aiming for a high-end comeback in audio, earlier this year introducing a portable music player that costs over $1000.

“Historically, TVs have been at the centre,” Takagi said.”When sales rose, sales in audio and home theatre rose as well.

As the TV operations recover... we’ll see a rise in audio sales.”

Last year, Sony quadrupled its share of TV sales at Best Buy, the largest US consumer electronics chain, to 12 per cent by concentrating on large, high-end models, Takagi

said.

TV manufacturers Analyst Hisakazu Torii at DisplaySearch said Japanese TV manufacturers had little choice but to focus on high-end models, particularly when faced with a rival like Samsung whose smartphone success has given it overwhelming resources.

But 4K TVs already account for nearly 40 per cent of sets with screens larger than 50 inches, meaning they were starting to lose exclusivity, he said.

Analysts say consumers, particularly in the United States, are increasingly opting for larger sets for their living rooms to watch movies and live events, while opting for PCs and smartphones instead of small bedroom TVs. “Once 4K penetration goes beyond 70 per cent, that means commoditisation and price competition,” Torii said. — Reuters

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Twitch reported that, at times, a half million viewers watched E3 press conferences. More than a million E3-related videos were posted to YouTube.

YouTube waded confidently into turf dominated by Amazon-owned Twitch, with a service tailored for the hot trend of video games as spectator sport.

The globally popular online video-sharing service provided industry insiders an early look at YouTube Gaming at E3.

“Having a destination where you can get all the gaming content you care about is really important,” YouTube head of gaming partnerships Ryan Wyatt told AFP as he demonstrated the soon-to-belaunched venue for live or on-demand video focused on gaming.

“That is why we created this.”

The online arena for video game channels incorporates the search smarts of Google, which owns YouTube, to present fresh or mustsee content from streaming live play and comic commentary.

YouTube Gaming will debut in Britain and the United States in

the coming months, featuring ondemand video as well as live broadcasting of games being played.

Virtual future Trailers and live-play from hotlyanticipated console games set for release in the coming year played out on giant overhead screens on the show floor, grabbing attention from throngs of people below.

Glimpses of the future could be spotted throughout the show floor in the form of games and gear designed to immerse players in virtual worlds.

Facebook-owned virtual-reality company Oculus showed off games being crafted by independent developers, along with ‘Touch’ controllers it is creating to give people virtual hands they can use in fantasy worlds. Sony likewise enticed E3 attendees with its Project Morpheus virtual reality head gear.

“Virtual reality is coming around,” Guillemot told AFP. “Next year, people will be surprised by what is at E3; there could be experiences that stay in people’s minds for quite a while.” -AFP

INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

Cisco pledges $10b China investment HONG KONG: Cisco Systems will invest more than $10 billion in China during the next few years, a costly tactic to get back in the government’s good graces and stay competitive with Huawei Technologies.

Cisco’s investment agreement, sealed with China’s state economy planner, comes as the government promotes local firms at the expense of US companies such as Qualcomm and Microsoft. China said it was concerned with the security of US technology since Edward Snowden revealed details of spying by the National Security Agency.

Market share Cisco is losing market share in the networking business to Huawei and ZTE, both based in Shenzhen, and has said it’s open to forming partnerships in China. Chief Executive Officer John Chambers said he is optimistic Cisco will benefit from improved relations between the US and China, yet the company’s $10 billion may not lead to significantly more business there.

“They probably had to do something dramatic,” said James McGregor, chairman of the Greater China business for consultancy APCO Worldwide. “They’re trying to find a way to continue to have a significant piece of this market.”

Cisco’s agreement was with the National Development and Reform Commission, the same organisation that extracted a $975 million fine from Qualcomm after starting an antitrust investigation.

Microsoft, HP The $10 billion investment will create jobs, fund research and development, spur innovation and equity investment, Cisco said on Wednesday in a statement. Cisco also signed agreements to help 100 colleges advance training.

Chambers and Chuck Robbins, his successor, made the announcement after meeting with Vice Premier Wang Yang and other government leaders in Beijing. Revenue from China plunged 20 percent in the quarter ending April from a year earlier.

The networking company also is increasing its investment in India. Cisco will spend $40 million to increase the size of its 4 million-square-foot factory in India, the company said in a statement on Thursday. Cisco will spend

Cisco CEO John Chambers — Bloomberg file picture

$20 million to train an additional 120,000 Indian students at the Cisco Networking Academy by the end of 2020. The company has already taught about 100,000 Indian students how to design, build and maintain computer networks.

Chinese competition Cisco is the latest technology company to spend billions trying to gain a share of China’s market — the world’s biggest — even as the government promotes homegrown competitors.

China is aiming to purge most foreign technology from banks, the military, state-owned enterprises and key government agencies by 2020, people familiar with the effort said in December. Foreign suppliers may be able to avoid replacement if they share core technology or allow Chinese authorities to access it, the people said.

Microsoft pledged billions of dollars in investments during the past decade and urged the government to tackle piracy, and in September started selling the Xbox One video-game console there.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) this year sold a controlling stake in its local networking and server business to a Chinese rival, hoping to boost its contract win rate.

“Where this all leads to, nobody knows,” McGregor said. “People are adapting the best they can because the market matters so much.” — Bloomberg News

B4

S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015

FEATURE

S L E E P I N G

T H R O U G H

CYBER NIGHTMARES President Obama’s administration has been marked by titanic serial IT disasters, and no one seems to feel any particular urgency about preventing the next one. By now, that’s hardly surprising

F

or a few weeks, I’ve been wondering whether I’d get a letter from the federal Office of Personnel Management telling me my data had been hacked. I passed the foreign service exam almost 15 years ago and went through an amazingly thorough background check. Now, I can’t say I’m particularly worried if hackers did get my data, since I’ve probably already publicly written about any minor sins that might be discovered from my application. (Except maybe the overdue electric bill that I had missed when I moved from Chicago to New York.

Do your worst, hackers!) Still, even without ever working for the government, I could be at risk. It may well be the worst cyber-breach the US has ever experienced.

And yet, neither the government nor the public seems to be taking it all that seriously.

It’s been getting considerably less play than the Snowden affair did, or the administration’s other massively public IT failure: the meltdown of the Obamacare exchanges. For that matter, Google News returns more hits on a papal encyclical about climate change that will have no obvious impact on anything than it does for a major security breach in the US government. The administration certainly doesn’t seem that concerned. On

Thursday, the White House told Reuters that President Obama “continues to have confidence in Office of Personnel Management Director Katherine Archuleta.”

I’m tempted to suggest that the confidence our president expresses in people who preside over these cyber-disasters, and the remarkable string of said cyber-disasters that have occurred under his presidency, might actually be connected.

So tempted that I actually am suggesting it. President Obama’s administration has been marked by titanic serial IT disasters, and no one seems to feel any particular urgency about preventing the next one.

By now, that’s hardly surprising. Kathleen Sebelius was eased out months after the Department of Health and Human Services botched the one absolutely crucial element of the Obamacare rollout.

The NSA director’s offer to resign over the Snowden leak was politely declined.

And now, apparently, Obama has full faith and confidence in the folks at OPM. Why shouldn’t he? Voters have never held Obama responsible for his administration’s appalling IT record, so why should he demand accountability from those below him?

Yes, yes, I know. You can’t say this is all Obama’s fault. Government IT is almost

doomed to be terrible; the public sector can’t pay salaries that are competitive with the private sector, they’re hampered by government contracting rules, and their bureaucratic procedures make it hard to build good systems. And that’s all true. Yet note this: When the exchanges crashed on their maiden flight, the government managed to build a crudely functioning website in, basically, a month, a task they’d been systematically failing at for the previous three years. What was the difference? Urgency. When Obama understood that his presidency was on the line, he made sure it got done.

The serial IT disasters we have seen over the past seven years do not need a blue-ribbon commission or a really stern memo to fix them. If we want these holes fixed before they become catastrophic, we need leaders with a scorched-earth determination to have adequate IT. The only way that determination happens is if these failures become an existential threat to the careers of the politicians in charge.

Does the government need more money for IT? It couldn’t hurt, though my personal experience as an IT consultant was that a) everyone always wants more money and b) shortage of money was the main problem only in a minority of cases. Does Congress

need to give agencies a freer hand in developing good systems? I’m all for it. Should Congressional Republicans commit to support the president in hardening our government against cyber-attacks and other disasters, rather than simply holding political show hearings? Heck yes. But these things won’t happen unless the president makes fixing government IT a bigger priority — and starts enforcing accountability for every disaster that happens on his watch.

And I doubt that that will happen unless the public demands it. Not just demands it, but threatens to replace Obama with a Republican unless he delivers.

That is, of course, a pipe dream. The public is far more interested in hearing how our political candidates can make the economy grow four per cent a year or make everything important practically free while only taxing a few multinational corporations or hedge fund managers. That these things are not possible is irrelevant, because they sound so nice. And thus things that the president actually could do, if he really wanted to, like delivering a decent government IT infrastructure that would be reasonably secure against cyber-intrusion, fall by the wayside. We should blame Obama. And ourselves. — MEGAN MCARDLE / Bloomberg View

B SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LIFE & STYLE

S AT U R DAY, J U N E 2 0, 2 0 1 5

N PARENTS’ DESPITE WIDESPREAD PUBLICITY ABOUT THE

DENIAL FUELS OBESITY EPIDEMIC, PARENTS INCREASINGLY

CHILDHOOD SEEM TO BE TURNING A BLIND EYE AS THEIR

OBESITY CHILDREN PUT ON POUNDS

EPIDEMIC

ot only was the 16-year-old boy 60 pounds overweight, but a blood test showed he might have fatty liver disease. At last, his mother took him to a paediatric weight management clinic in New Haven. But she did not at all like the dietician’s advice.

“I can’t believe you’re telling me I can’t buy Chips Ahoy! cookies,” said the mother, herself a nurse.

This was hardly the first time that Mary Savoye, the exasperated dietician who recalled this exchange, had counselled parents who seem unable to acknowledge the harsh truth about their child’s weight.

“Often they don’t want to accept it because change means a lot of work for everyone, including themselves,” Savoye said.

Despite widespread publicity about the obesity epidemic, parents increasingly seem to be turning a blind eye as their children put on pounds.

In a recent study in Childhood Obesity more than three-quarters of parents of preschool-age obese sons and nearly 70 per cent of parents of obese daughters described their children as “about the right weight.”

The researchers also compared these 2012 survey results with those from a similar survey in 1994. Not only were the children in the recent survey significantly heavier, but the likelihood that parents could identify their child’s weight accurately had declined about 30 per cent.

Dr David L. Katz, the director of Yale’s Prevention Research Centre, has coined a word for the problem: “oblivobesity.”

“Parents cannot ignore the threat of obesity to our children and still hope to fix it,” he wrote in an editorial accompanying the new study.

One reason parents may have difficulty perceiving their child’s weight is because of the “new normal”: Throughout the developed world and even in some developing countries, children are generally becoming heavier.

But in an interview, Katz also cited parents for “wilful, genuine denial.”

Once a parent acknowledges the child has a problem, he said, “you have to deal with it.” “‘Do I become the food police? Do I have to change my diet and walk the walk?’” he added.

“So, often, it’s easier to pretend the problem’s not there.”

Other experts counter that the problem can be complicated and subtle, the result of family dynamics. Perhaps the parents are resigned to being overweight. Perhaps there are slender siblings, and the parents cannot figure out a diet that fits all.

“Denial can be a coping mechanism,” said Arnaldo Perez, a doctoral candidate at the University of Alberta who researches what motivates families to seek help for their overweight children. Before judging them outright, providers should explore parents’ possible feelings of guilt and failure, he said.

Denial may also be a form of wishful thinking.

It is “natural for a parent to want to think optimistically about their child,” Dr Thomas N. Robinson, a professor of paediatrics and director of the Centre for Healthy Weight at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, wrote in an e-mail.

“I have parents tell me that they waited to address it because they thought their child would ‘grow out’ of their extra weight,” he added.

A child’s weight problem may escape notice for any number of reasons. Many clothing styles obscure shape, for instance, particularly for boys.

“When they take their loose fitting shirts and pants off in the exam room, you see just how a tremendous amount of body fat can be hidden,” Robinson said.

And when parents believe their children are active, they are more likely to consider their child’s weight to be normal, studies have shown. But parents often overestimate their children’s physical activity.

Other confounding factors include immigrant status and socioeconomic standing.

Dr Francine R. Kaufman, a paediatrics professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California said that among new immigrants from countries where starvation is a reality, “Even the 3-, 5- and 7-year-old can’t be heavy enough for abuela. Nourishing and nurturing children is often the same.”

Other researchers blame the rise in “oblivobesity” on imperfect communication between parents and paediatricians.

A 2011 study in Paediatrics found that parents preferred that physicians use terms like “weight problem” and “unhealthy weight,” rather than “fat,” “obese,” and “extremely obese.” Doctors may feel awkward about using blunt language, for fear of pushing away patients and losing the opportunity to discuss behavioural change.

Parents and physicians may have conflicting ideas about appropriate weight. Research shows that low-income mothers distrust growth and weight charts.

Of course, a body mass index score or a number on a scale is one factor among many that indicate a child’s overall health. “But weight is the canary in the coal mine of chronic disease,” Katz said.

Katz and others said that a first step in helping parents help their children was to set aside the shame that might be their biggest impediment.

“It has to be about love,” he said. “Families have to approach this together. This is not just about the child.” — Jan Hoffman/The New York Times News Service

B6

S ATUR DAY, JUN E 2 0, 2 015

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Jurassic World (Action / Adventure) Cast: Chris Pratt, Judy Greer, Ty Simkins 9.30 pm CP No: 1495 (PG12)

Dead 2 India (Horror) (18+) Cast: Joseph Millson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal 11:30 pm Jurassic World (Action, Adventure) (3D) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:00 /11:15 pm Spy (Action, Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 9:15 pm He Who Dares Downing Street Siege (Action) (12+) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister 11:45 pm ABCD 2 (Dance, Musical) (PG) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva, Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

SCREEN 3

Spy (2D) (Action/Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 11:15 pm He Who Dares Downing Street Siege (2D) (Action) (12+) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister 11:30 pm

Jurassic World - 3D (PG12) Action |Adventure | Sci-Fi Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:45 pm

ABCD 2 (2D) (Dance/Romance) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva,Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

Premam - 2D (M) (PG) Comedy | Romance Cast : Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm

The Homesman (2D) (Drama) (12+) Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, Grace Gummer 11:45 pm

He Who Dares: Downing Street Siege - 2D (12+) Action Cast : Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister 11:45 pm

SCREEN 1

ABCD 2 - 2D (TBC) Dance | Musical Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva,Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm

ABCD 2 (Dance/Musical ) – PG Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudeva, Raghav and Dharmesh 9.45 pm SCREEN 2 Jurassic World (3D) (Action/Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15 pm Gold Class: 9:00 pm

Dil Dhadakne Do (Romance/Drama/ Comedy ) – PG12 Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shetty, Anushka Sharma Priyanka Chopra 9.45 pm

Hamari Adhori Kahani (Rom/Drama) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 9.45 pm

Kaaka Muttai - 2D (T) (PG) Comedy, Drama Cast : Ramesh, Vignesh, Iyshwarya, Babu Antony, Silambarasan, Dhanush 9:15 pm Eli - 2D (T) (PG12) Comedy Cast: Vadivelu, Sadha, Pradeep Rawat, Kitty 11:15 pm

The Dead 2: India - 2D (18+) Horror Cast: Joseph Millson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal 11:55 pm

Jurassic World - 3D (Action/Adventure/ Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15 pm He Who Dares: Downing Street Siege – 2D (Action) (12+) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister 11:30 pm Premam – 2D (Comedy, Romance) (PG) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm Manglehorn – 2D (Comedy, Romance) (12+) Cast: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine 11:55 pm Kaaka Muttai- 2D (Comedy, Drama) (PG) Cast: Ramesh, Vignesh, Iyshwarya, Babu Antony, Silambarasan, Dhanush 9:30 pm Jurassic World - 2D (Action) (PG12) 11:30PM

Jurassic World (3D) (Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:05, 11:15 pm

Dead 2 India (Horror ) Cast: Joseph Milson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal 11.45 pm CP No: 1512 (18+)

(Action ) (12+) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister.

11:55 pm

The Homesman (Drama) Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary swank, Grace Gummer 11.45 pm CP No: 1513 (12+)

Premam (Mal) (Comedy | Romance) (TBC) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm

Hamara Adhuri Kahani (Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkumar Rao 9:30 pm CP No: 1497 (PG)

Jurassic World (3D) (PG12) (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15 pm Kaaka Muttai (2D) (PG) (Comedy, Drama) Cast: Ramesh, Vignesh, Iyshwarya, Babu Antony, Silambarasan, Dhanush| 11:30 pm ABCD 2 (2D) (PG) (Dance, Musical) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudheva,Raghav, Dharmesh 9:00 pm The Dead 2: India (2D) (18+) (Horror) Cast: Joseph Millson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal 11:45 pm Premam (2D) (PG) (Romance, Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 9:00 pm He Who Dares: Downing Street Siege (2D) (12+) (Action ) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister 11:55 pm

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 10:00 pm at Cinema Main Eli (Tamil) (Act/Com) Cast: Vadivelu & Sadha 9:30 & 9:45 pm

Cinema -2 & 4

Kakka Muttai ( Tamil ) (Drama/Com) Cast: Ramesh & Silam Barasan 9:45 pm at Cinema-3

He Who Dares Downing Street Siege

(Programmes are subject to change)

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ACES ON BRIDGE

Is it safety first or a favourable lie?

LOUIS Nizer, a noted trial lawyer who died in 1994, said, “I know of no higher fortitude than stubbornness in the face of overwhelming odds.”

At the bridge table, you hope not to face overwhelming odds against making your contract. (If you do, presumably partner overbid!) But it helps to know some common odds.

If you are missing five trumps, the a priori odds of a 3-2 split are 67.8 per cent, and 28.3 per cent for 4-1. It is nice to find a line of play that will accommodate a 4-1 split, but if while trying to do

that, you go down when the trumps are 3-2 all along, you will look pretty silly.

In this deal, should South, in four spades, worry about 4-1 trumps?

West starts off with two high hearts.

The original declarer ruffed the second trick, played a spade to dummy’s king, and returned a spade to his jack.

However, West won with the queen and led another heart, forcing South to ruff with his penultimate trump.

Declarer crossed to the dummy with a diamond and ran the club 10, but

West won that trick and led his heart 10 to kill the contract.

South would have been making the winning play if East had queen-fourth of trumps, but declarer went down although trumps were 3-2. South should have led a diamond to the king at trick three, then taken the club finesse.

West would have won and played a third high heart, but declarer could have ruffed, drawn two rounds of trumps, and played on clubs to get home.

When the defenders threaten to make you ruff a lot, establish your side suit first.

MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 5 9 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 26 28 32

Chopped down Filmed a movie Pecs neighbour Turkish title French Legion headgear — — few rounds Thug, slangily Wild tale And, in Aachen Cleaned, with force Mongkut portrayer That ship Brash songster NFC gridder Enjoys Pub orders

34 Fish without scales 36 Throng 37 Cookie sheet contents 39 Help-wanted abbr.

41 Itch 42 Battery size 44 Earth, in combos 46 Flips (2 wds.)

51 Find fault 52 Carpe —!

53 Hole up 55 Annex 56 Bowling alley 57 Type of eagle 58 England’s Isle of — 59 Finales 60 Caboose’s place

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 19 20 23 24

Beldam Self-images Rider’s shout Long-term babysitter Azure (hyph.)

Knit, as bones Winfrey of talk shows Glittery strips Feverish chill Agent 007 Down in the dumps Copy a cassette Decorate the tree Poke Pie — — mode

25 27 29 30 31 33 35 38 40 43 45 46 47 48 49

Up till now So-so grade Boastful knight WNW opposite FICA number “Lion King” villain Cover crops Deal with Above, to poets Confucius, e.g.

Last box to check Willowy Hostile, as a crowd Keep an eye on Trevi Fountain coins 50 Ms. Ferber 51 Before marriage 54 Constantly, to Poe

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE UNDRU VIKRANTH

AADHAV SRIDHAR

June 19, 2013

June 19, 2010

SHREEYA SURESH PILLAI

AUGUSTINO BINOY

NAVANITIKA AJAY KUMAR

June 18, 2012

June 17, 2012

June 17, 2009

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are able to keep things in perspective even when it seems that those around you are completely unable to do the same, or when the world at large seems to be falling apart. How are you able to remain so calm, cool and collected?

The truth is simply that you are a rather cool customer, able to control your passions at all times. You are not at the mercy of those primal, instinctive surges that tend to weaken others as they break forth. There are some who claim you are rather cold and aloof — indeed, you can be both of these when circumstances require it.

But you can also engage your feelings in a healthy, balanced fashion when you want to; you are never a slave to your emotions.

What this allows you to do is to use your emotional currents to your advantage in all manner of situations — both personal and professional.

Indeed, you are likely to be a master of personal expression, one who knows just what to say and how to say it, while maintaining the emotional truth at the core of the message.

Also born on this date are: Nicole Kidman, actress; Lionel Richie, singer-songwriter; John Goodman, actor; Brian Wilson, singer; Grace Potter, singer; Audie Murphy, actor; Anne Murray, singer; Danny Aiello, actor; Errol Flynn, actor; Martin Landau, actor; Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker; Josh Lucas, actor; John Mahoney, actor; Olympia Dukakis, actress; Stephen Frears, filmmaker.

12.13pm 3.31pm 7.01pm 8.24pm 3.53am

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6:56pm 5.21am

High tide Low tide

12:31pm 5.39am

11:02pm 5.58pm

FIND-IT-ALL

W E AT H E R

AIRLINES

P

artly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Governorate of Dhofar and adjoining mountains with chance of intermittent drizzle and clear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea. Mainly clear skies over the rest of the Sultanate with chances of rising dust over the desert and open areas. Chance of clouds development over al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas may give isolated rain during afternoon and chance of late night to early morning low level cloud or fog patches along most of the coastal areas of the Sultanate.

EXPECTED WINDS: Easterly to northeasterly light to moderate along the coastal areas of Oman Sea, and along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea wind will be southwesterly moderate occasionally fresh, while it will be northwesterly light to moderate over the rest of the Sultanate.

SEA STATE: Rough along southeastern coast with maximum wave height of 4.0 metres and slight to moderates along rest of Oman’s coast with maximum wave height of 1.5 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog formation.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of the Governorate of Dhofar and adjoining mountains with chance of intermittent drizzle. Chances of convective clouds developments and thundershower over a Al Hajar mountains and adjoining areas during afternoon to evening. Chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or shallow fog over most of the coastal areas.

Max

OMAN

WORLD

Max 42 Min 29 Max 23 Min 20

Max 39 Min 31

Max 36 Min 31 Max 22 Min 13

Max 38 Min 31

Max 26 Min 18

Max 43 Min 28

Max 43 Min 28

Max 45 Min 28

Max 36 Min 28

GEMINI

Max 41 Min 31

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] It’s important that you please yourself, surely, but you’ll be compelled to reach out to another and please him or her first.

Max 33 Min 28

Max 28 Min 17

Max 31 Min 25 Max 14 Min 8

Source: www.met.gov.om

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

38 42 40 47 39 43

29 32 29 31 33 29

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

28 43 31 20 22 33 29 19 32 25 18 33 32 24 20 32 28 19

22 28 29 9 16 21 25 11 27 18 3 28 21 19 13 27 19 17

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22] You can surely gain a great deal by doing exactly what you are told to do; there’s no need to assert your own autonomy just now.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You are more interested in testing the system than acting in blind support of it. Truly, there is something to be gained.

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30 TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You have a great deal of personal style, and the substance to match it.

You can find ways to combine them quite effectively.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may be dancing around a certain issue, avoiding it in some creative ways, but you are doing yourself and others a disservice.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You may find yourself attracted to a certain endeavour that challenges you in a profound way. There are very real dangers to be avoided.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] Putting yourself in another’s shoes can broaden your own awareness, bringing you and a friend much closer.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You must be sure that what you are getting is indeed what you want; if it’s not, you have only a little time to make things right.

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You will benefit from an unusual personal insight. What you see when you look in the mirror goes far beyond mere appearance.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You should be able to minimise any ill effects from a decision that was, to say the least, hasty. Soon you can undo them altogether.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You’ve planned for a little more excitement than usual, but can a friend or loved one handle what you have in store? Be sure!

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You’ll have the opportunity to share yourself in a new way. Don’t shy away! You’ll discover some potential you never knew you had!

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

SATURDAY

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

CANCER

B7

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 Sat to Thur 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thur: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thur - 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 Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thur: 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, Thur: 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

SUNDAY

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY406 WY648 WY672 WY424 WY676 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK225 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 MS930 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY154 WY144 WY668 WY692 WY132 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY602 WY432 WY346 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY282 PK191 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY252 IX549 QR1128 EY382 IX443 WY844 WY652 9W530 WY604 WY918 GF562 FZ037 IX337 WY384 PA450 WY705 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 BG023 PK291 WY670 WY324 NL771 WY332 WY606 WY3302 WY906 WY920 FZ045 SV532 WY344 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY632 WY292 WY216 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY694 WY664 GF564 G9116 WY274 WY374 WY386 FZ047 WY908 PK259 RG125 WY646 WY224 WY614 WY338 FZ049 WY124 KL441 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 WY254 UL205 WY684 AI907 WY264 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 WY717 WY328 EY388 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 MEDINA 0005 BEIRUT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 KARACHI 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 CAIRO 0410 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 DAMMAM 0715 PARIS 0735 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 TEHRAN 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 TURBAT 0930 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0955 TRIVANDRUM 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 MANILA 1020 BAHRAIN 1040 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DACCA 1230 ISLAM ABBAD 1235 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 PESHAWAR 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 DUBAI 1340 MUKHAIZNA 1350 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 JEDDAH 1550 LAHORE 1605 BAHRAIN 1615 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 ABU DHABI 1710 CALICUT 1710 TRIVANDRUM 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 DAMMAM 1805 DOHA 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 JAIPUR 1910 COLOMBO 1915 MALE 1935 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 PESHAWAR 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 KUWAIT 2010 COCHIN 2025 DUBAI 2025 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 MADRAS 2150 COLOMBO 2155 RIYADH 2200 MADRAS 2200 LUCKNOW 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 KARACHI 2250 ABU DHABI 2300 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY672 WY682 WY914 WY916 WY910 TK774 4H585 NL669 PK225 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 4H586 CV732 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY326 WY644 G9841 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY692 WY668 WY674 WY132 WY102 FZ043 WY602 NL768 WY272 WY202 WY3932 WY236 G9114 WY282 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 IX549 QR1128 IX817 EY382 IX443 9W530 WY3922 WY3302 WY604 WY918 GF562 FZ037 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY652 WY606 KU677 WY906 WY920 WY348 FZ045 WY3304 WY344 QR1126 WY204 WY632 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY246 WY232 WY610 GF564 WY656 TG507 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY386 WY434 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY414 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 MEDINA 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 SALALAH 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 SIALKOT 0200 KARACHI 0210 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 DOHA 0600 LUXORE 0635 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KARACHI 0650 KUWAIT 0650 RAS AL KHAIMA 0655 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DAMMAM 0715 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 PARIS 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 LAHORE 0830 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 SOHAR 0840 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 TRIVANDRUM 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUQUM OMAN 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1110 DUBAI 1110 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 BAHRAIN 1330 DUBAI 1340 KUWAIT 1405 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 ISLAM ABBAD 1515 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 LAHORE 1605 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 ABU DHABI 1710 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 DELHI 1750 HYDERABAD 1750 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 BAHRAIN 1820 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 MALE 2045 TEHRAN 2055 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 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 AMMAN 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

ETD

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

9W539 AI986 SG062 WY657 WY637 WY281 WY235 WY201 WY251 WY643 WY345 WY601 WY431 WY123 WY901 WY241 WY667 WY691 TK775 WY383 WY209 4H584 PK230 WY331 ET625 EK867 EY385 MS931 FZ042 QR1133 WY651 GF561 WY903 WY603 WY917 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY373 WY633 WY215 WY815 WY343 WY291 WY717 WY821 WY385 G9115 WY3301 WY231 PK192 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 EY383 IX442 WY311 WY919 9W533 GF563 WY223 WY655 WY273 FZ038 IX350 WY253 PA451 WY113 WY693 PK292 WY631 WY131 WY663 WY143 WY263 BG024 WY101 WY153 WY927 NL668 WY405 WY645 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY683 SV533 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY327 WY681 WY623 WY647 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 PK226 WY915 WY909 FZ050 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 LX243 GF567 QR1135 BA072

BOMBAY BOMBAY AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN ABU DHABI BANGALORE HYDERABAD BOMBAY MADRAS KUWAIT ISLAM ABBAD DUBAI TEHRAN MUNICH SALALAH DELHI DOHA DAMMAM ISTANBUL MALE GOA DACCA LAHORE KATHMANDU ADDIS ABABA DUBAI ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SALALAH DUBAI KHASAB DOHA KARACHI DUBAI COLOMBO ABU DHABI TRIVANDRUM BANGKOK LAHORE CALICUT ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR MALE SHARJAH MUKHAIZNA HYDERABAD TURBAT-GWADUR SALALAH DUBAI BOMBAY DELHI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM KATHMANDU DOHA ABU DHABI COCHIN CHITTAGONG KHASAB COCHIN BAHRAIN COCHIN BAHRAIN JAIPUR DUBAI CALICUT MADRAS LAHORE FRANKFURT DAMMAM ISLAM ABBAD ABU DHABI PARIS DOHA MALPENSA LUCKNOW CHITTAGONG-DACCA LONDON HEATHROW ZURICH SALALAH SIALKOT CAIRO KUWAIT SALALAH JEDDAH DUBAI RIYADH RIYADH-JEDDAH MEDINA DUBAI DOHA KARACHI RIYADH DUBAI KUWAIT BAHRAIN DUBAI DAMMAM DOHA BAHRAIN SHARJAH SALALAH ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI ABU DHABI KARACHI SALALAH SALALAH DUBAI DOHA-AMSTERDAM BANGKOK TRIVANDRUM BOMBAY MADRAS COLOMBO DELHI DUBAI-ZURICH BAHRAIN DOHA ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW

0020 0020 0030 0055 0105 0110 0110 0115 0120 0120 0125 0145 0155 0200 0215 0215 0225 0225 0230 0230 0255 0300 0315 0350 0450 0450 0500 0510 0510 0515 0645 0715 0750 0750 0815 0835 0835 0845 0900 0900 0900 0905 0915 0915 0940 0945 0945 0955 1000 1000 1015 1020 1020 1025 1040 1045 1045 1050 1100 1105 1120 1140 1145 1145 1215 1215 1220 1220 1225 1255 1310 1315 1320 1330 1335 1345 1345 1350 1350 1400 1400 1400 1420 1430 1430 1440 1440 1540 1615 1620 1620 1650 1705 1710 1750 1810 1840 1840 1845 1855 1910 1915 1920 1920 1955 2000 2015 2025 2035 2045 2100 2100 2110 2145 2220 2225 2230 2245 2300 2305 2310 2325 2325 2330 2330

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY211 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY271 WY601 WY123 WY325 WY847 WY241 WY901 WY691 WY667 WY383 TK775 WY209 4H585 PK260 NL772 WY331 ET625 EK867 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 WY3931 4H586 GF561 WY3921 G9842 WY903 WY603 WY3301 CV732 WY917 WY347 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY373 WY815 WY291 WY343 NL769 WY651 WY263 WY821 WY843 G9115 WY231 WY605 WY905 WY203 WY385 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 IX818 EY383 IX442 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 FZ038 WY3303 WY253 IX350 WY633 WY113 WY663 WY631 WY143 WY645 WY655 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY413 WY433 WY609 KU678 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY653 WY661 G9117 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY915 FZ050 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 WY705 GF567 LX243 QR1135 BA072 WY673 EY381 LH617

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 TRIVANDRUM 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 SALALAH 0215 DAMMAM 0225 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DOHA 0300 PESHAWAR 0310 PESHAWAR 0330 KATHMANDU 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 SOHAR 0635 DACCA 0700 BAHRAIN 0715 DUQUM OMAN 0745 RAS AL KHAIMA 0745 SALALAH 0750 DUBAI 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 HONG KONG 0800 KHASAB 0815 ISLAM ABBAD 0830 DOHA 0835 KARACHI 0835 DUBAI 0845 COLOMBO 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LAHORE 0915 LAHORE 0930 BAHRAIN 0935 LUCKNOW 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 MANILA 0955 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 DUBAI 1020 SALALAH 1020 BOMBAY 1025 MALE 1040 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 TRIVANDRUM 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 MANGALORE 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 COCHIN 1120 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 MADRAS 1255 CALICUT 1255 ABU DHABI 1300 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 ABU DHABI 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 BAHRAIN 1400 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 AMMAN 1440 TEHRAN 1445 DUBAI 1445 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1505 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 BAHRAIN 1920 DOHA 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 DOHA 2330 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2355 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355

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EXTRA BRIEFS

Kareena-Salman groove to ‘Tu chahiye’ beats

Tiny houses still have room for what matters

THE SONG Tu chahiye from Kabir Khan’s directorial Bajrangi Bhaijaan has been released. Atif Aslam has sung the romantic number, and this is the first time he has crooned for Salman. The song revolves around the chemistry between the lead pair — Salman and Kareena Kapoor Khan. The Dabangg actor took to micro-blogging website to share the link of his new song from the film, and posted: “Teaser. Gaana. Trailer.

Ab ek aur gaana. Filled with Romance. Aapke liye http://bit. ly/BB-TuChahiye.” The film, which also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is likely to release on July 18, on the occasion of Eid.

Light over love: SRK on shooting for ‘Dilwale’ IT SEEMS the weather in Bulgaria led to a short halt in the shoot for Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale in Bulgaria. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, while praising the weather, said that in a shoot “one needs light more than love”. The 49-year-old actor shared a photograph of the shooting spot on microblogging website Twitter on Thursday and wrote: “As much as I understand Rain…Romance….Love…. during a shoot one needs Light more than Love.” Dilwale also features an amazing ensemble of actors like Kajol, Varun Dhawan, one-film-old actress Kriti Sanon, Vinod Khanna, Boman Irani, Kabir Bedi, Sanjay Mishra and Varun Sharma, among others. The film is slated to release on December 18.

Want to take father’s legacy forward: Govinda’s daughter VETERAN actor Govinda’s daughter Tina Ahuja, who is looking forward to her debut film Second Hand Husband, says she has the “huge responsibility” of taking her father’s legacy forward. “I am having mixed reactions. I am excited and nervous about my project as it’s a huge responsibility and I want to take my father’s legacy forward. It’s a mixed experience and feeling that I am going through,” Tina said.

Directed by Smeep Kang, Second Hand Husband also features Dharmendra and Gippy Grewal. Asked why it took long for her to make her film debut, Tina said: “People wrote about me when I was not prepared to enter the film industry. Yes, I was about to be launched in 2013 but that film didn’t happen because of technical reasons.” She is now excited about her movie. “We had a great team and I had a great time shooting for this film. We had quite a professional environment. I had a huge responsibility, so things were very professional,” she added. - IANS

F

or most people, the choice to live in a small space is all about location, the chance to live on a busy city block in the centre of the action. But for others, it’s about the freedom of living light.

Nobody understands the ethos of small-space living better than proponents of the tiny-house movement, who opt to live in homes that average around 200 square feet. Their choices, much like those who live in a studio apartment, are often framed as sacrifices. But Vina Lustado, an interior designer in Ojai, California, who lives in a 140-square-foot home that she designed two years ago, says that thinking is all wrong.

“There’s a whole emotional side to ‘stuff,’ “ she says. “But living with less is not about what you lose. It’s about what you gain.”

Lustado adapted her philosophy about small-space living from Marie Kondo, a Japanese organisation expert who has written four books about doing more with less.

But what makes Kondo’s approach different from the scores of other decluttering coaches is its positive framing. Lustado explains, “Rather than saying, ‘throw this out, throw that out,’ she teaches you to find joy in what you own. If it doesn’t bring you joy, maybe you don’t need it.”

The obvious perk is her low cost of living. Lustado’s home cost $40,000 to build, including solar panels and interior furnishings, and the acre of land it sits on is an additional $400 a month (the average home in Ojai costs about $550,000). But she doesn’t find it stifling. She entertains frequently

and said that, for a designer, decorating the space was the most fun she’s ever had. “This movement, ultimately, is all about smart design: light, materials, strategic layouts,” she says. “It’s the exact same principles, and it’s way more challenging to do it sustainably, affordably and beautifully.”

Of course, there are hurdles.

Paring down her wardrobe took months and she’s become a very resourceful cook. And, more than a year into living in her home, she still returns a lot of things she buys. It’s worth it, she says, because of the peace of mind she has found.

After speaking with Lustado, I looked around my tiny apartment and wondered whether there were items I was hanging on to for no reason: candles I’ll never light, old laptops that don’t turn on, leaky rainboots that certainly don’t bring me joy and take up precious closet space. Kondo’s voice crept into my mind, urging me to weigh quality over quantity.

Inspired, I did a gentle sweep and set aside two full bags for donation and lugged them to a nearby drop-off centre. It’s nothing compared with Lustado’s Ojai minimalism, but after a few days, I realised I didn’t miss any of the items I parted with. In fact, I was glad to have cut the cord. “Maybe she’s onto something,” I thought.

This Lustado already knows.

“I’m building a tiny office as we speak,” she says. It’s 16 square feet, solar and on wheels, and will be the new headquarters of her firm, Sol Haus Design. “I’m not looking back.”

If downsizing is on your agenda, here are a few of our favourite multifunctional furniture pieces

from our past articles on smallspace living that offer a lot of bang for their buck. A room divider that doubles as a bookcase? That brings us joy.

Garden seats “They’re the opposite of frivolous,” says Jonathan Yaraghi, the creative director of Safavieh, a furniture store headquartered in New York. The retailer’s most popular garden stool is shaped like a gold, glazed elephant ($195, www.safaviehhome.com). “They can be used almost anywhere as a table or extra seat, and they’re a high-impact design piece. They’re a little piece that packs a lot of style.”

Sectionals The biggest misconception about sectionals? That they’re big.

“Whatever your hesitations are, get over them,” says Liz Levin, a designer based in Bethesda, Maryland. “Especially if you’re in a small space, it’s probably exactly the solution you’re looking for.”

Levin recommends an eight- or nine-foot sofa with a 60- to 72inch chaise, which should allow you room for a practical coffee table. CB2’s Lotus sectional ($499$799 per piece, www.cb2.com) is sleek but still comfortable.

Room dividers Rental contracts don’t often permit custom woodwork to add privacy to a space, so invest in a room screen or tall shelving unit instead. Most pieces measure between five and six feet tall, allowing some space between the top of the unit and the ceiling, which lets light through. Your safest bet is a

modular-style bookcase that looks like open square boxes stacked on top of one another, such as Ikea’s Kallax Shelving Unit ($139, www. ikea.com), which comes in white, black and birch finishes and has 16 cubes.

Accent chairs “If a room were an outfit, the accent chairs would be the jewellery,” said Alexandria,Virginia, designer Betsy Stires. “It’s the spark.

It pops from the rest of the palette but also ties it all together.” Look for chairs that fall between 25 to 32 inches wide and have a seat depth of 20 to 22 inches. Room and Board’s Celeste Swivel Chair ($749, www.roomandboard.com) measures 31 inches wide and is low to the ground, so it can visually open or close a seating area depending on which direction it faces. Ikea’s ($69-$149, www.ikea. com) is affordable, comfortable and lightweight.

Mirrors “Decorating small spaces is 75 per cent visual manipulation,” designer Coleman Riddell says, “and mirrors are hands-down the best way to trick the eye. They can make it seem like you’ve got way more square feet, height and light than you paid for.”

A pro tip: Go big. “The smaller the space, the bigger the mirror,” says Rockville, Maryland, designer Kristin Peake. “With mirrors, you can never, ever, go too big.” Pottery Barn’s 3-by-6.5-foot Berke Oversized Leaning Floor Mirror ($799, www.potterybarn. com) would be an elegant addition to any room. — Megan Buerger/The Washington Post

B O L LY W O O D

Varun Dhawan is a ‘special performer’, says Arjun Kapoor ACTOR Arjun Kapoor, who saw Remo D’Souza’s ABCD2, is smitten by Varun Dhawan’s dance moves in the film. The 2 States actor took to micro-blogging website and shared a series of tweets praising the film and Varun Dhawan, calling him a “special performer”. “2D ho ya 3D VD is a special performer and yet again he doesn’t let u down @Varun_dvn the artist within him continues to emerge,” the 29-year-old tweeted. ABCD 2, released on Friday, also features Shraddha Kapoor. - IANS

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

2BHK flat + store room in CBD, Ruwi with Split A/c’s, secured access, car parking. Rent 400/. Contact 99603696 Apartment in Al Khuwair 33/1, 4 bedroom 550/-R.O. Contact : 99340055 / 97557555

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 We have offices in Ghala, Ghubra, Bousher & Ruwi different type of available, open space, 2 BHK, 3 BHK. Contact 93782735 / 99208033 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 Shop /Comn /Resi building 1 & 2 bed flat available in Wadi Kabir (near Lulu). Contact: 99451168 One bed rooms flat RO 200/Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 99451168 Misfa land for rent 1000 SQM. Contact: 99451168 1 BHK flat in Al Khuwair, 2 months only. Contact 99792181 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba.

Contact 99792181 Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

Flats, shops and basement for rent in Khuwair, behind RAWASCO. Contact: 99441122 , 95893518 We have small building commercial for staff accommodation in Bowsher.

There are 4 flats & 1 shop can be used for store or staff accommodation. Contact 93782735 / 99208033 5BHK villa available for rent, near Hamriya roundabout.

Contact-99366191 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 For rent brand new villa 4BD. Contact: 91963034 Flat for rent in Mabellah 8th.

Contact: 97147240 Two bed room flat with attached bathroom near Omani Boys School Ruwi . Contact: 91214537 Spacious room with bathroom (separate) available for small family or couples near Oman Boys School Ruwi. Contact : 91214537 Ruwi near Police Station: Flats with 4 Rooms, 1 Kitchen & 2 Bathrooms.

Contact 93387962 Seeb Souq opposite HSBC: Flat with 3 Rooms, 1 Kitchen & 2 Bathrooms and Studio at Terrace.

Contact 93387962 Shops at Muttrah opposite Port Service Building on Main Road.

Contact 93387962 5 BHK Villa with parking & backyard garden in Al Khuwair (House No. 1110 & Way No. 3914 ), near Radisson hotel, is available for rent @ RO. 1000/- p.m. Contact : 99024087 / 92620773

4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158

2BHK at Al Khodh commercial area 2 rooms, 1 hall, 2 bathrooms.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

4 & 5 BHK villa in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

Office / shop near Oman house Muttrah. Contact: 99233116

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879

3BHK & 2BHK in Darsait.

Contact 94268564 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 3 Bedroom flat with 3 attached toilets, split A/C, brand new available, behind Kims Hospital.

Contact 95225662 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco.

OMR 1,500 Monthly. It has Electricity and boundary wall. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 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).

Apartments near Indian School Ghubra (2 BHK with 5 split AC units).

Contact 94652485 / 99273774 / 99202278 Apartments near Al Nahdha Towers/ Vachas Hypermarket Azaiba – Ghala (1 & 2 BHK with split AC units).

Contact 94652485 / 99273774 / 99202278 Printing press and stamp making for sale/leasing, with full machineries at Salalah. ready position. Visa available. Contact 99749440 / 93986530.

3BHK flat for rent in Al Khuwair.

Villa type building with only 2 flats, separate entrance, fully renovated.

Way No. 3922, building No 1839, behind Al Aktham Restaurant.

Contact: 99462980 2BHK at Azaiba 2 room, 1hall, dining, 3 bathrooms. Contact: 99224748 / 99425665

Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126 Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336 2BHK flats in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158 Flat for rent in CBD Ruwi.

Contact : 92820734 New flats for rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact : 92130703 / 96045478 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair.

Contact : 98151674 1BHK R.O 190/- & 2BHK R.O 250/- & Store 140 sqm R.O 250/near Medical Darsait.

Contact: 98748925 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 2 BHK apartments AL Khuwair with Balcony 350/- & 4 BHK villa Al Khuwair with Garden 800/-.

Contact: 95178930 1BHK flats at Muttrah near Oman House. Contact: 93231403 Shop/Office 68 SQM, Wadi kabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802 2 BHK, 2 baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer, Near Indian Elementary School.

Contact 99441193, 93004802 Shop/Office, 56 SQM, Wadikabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan.

Contact 99441193, 93004802

3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119 Flat in Amerat, Phase 5, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C. Contact : 95522405 Luxury 3 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking.

RO.500/- Contact – 93191111 Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/- Contact – 93191111 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 Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 3BHK 8 Nos flats in Ghobrah.

Contact: 97616158 Flats for rent Al Ansab (Ghala) 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1sitting room & kitchen. Contact: 94229023 3 bedroom at Al Khuwair 33. House No. 866, Way No. 4712. Contact Mohamed : 99580484, Ahmed : 99486805, Awadh 95525509 Commercial 3 BHK flat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/Contact 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact – 93191111 Brand new 6 BHK villa in Al Azaiba with split A/C & lift. RO.1200/Contact – 93191111 4 Ware house at Barka Falaij.

Contact: 99337857 1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-.

Contact 92144045 For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175

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.

Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127 Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172 Flats for rent in Muttrah near Oman house 2 BHK. Contact: 97009734 / 92629232 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

FOR SALE Clinic for sale in al amerat.

Contact:93753655 Used & refurbished Porta cabins, Toilets unit available for sales.

Contact: 99215560 Email: omegaunitedoman@gmail.com A/C 2 ton, window type for sale, 3 years old, Samsung, RO 45/-.

Contact 98564647 Building material shop for sale at al Ghubrah with two clearances.

Contact: 91295985 2,560 sq mtrs industrial land in Wadi Kabir main road, First line on way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to make petrol station or hotel. OMR 990 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

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MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE

ACC. WANTED Required a room or studio flat in Darsait / WadiKabir /Ruwi area.

Contact : 95405033

ACC. AVAILABLE FOR SALE 60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 29 Per Square Meter.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each.

Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 3 floor commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR 207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

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

One room separate bathroom for Indian Executive bachelor near Al Khuwair R/A. Contact: 99659513 Furnished single / sharing room for EXE bachelor at Rex Road with WIFI available.

Contact 92873832

Beauty parlor for sale near Muscat Palace monthly rent 350/- OMR serious buyers. Contact: 91902154

Spacious bedroom, toilet & kitchen in Wadi Kabir.

Contact : 96098443

Training center with license.

Contact: 91121277

Furnished single rooms available for Executive bachelors at Ruwi.

Contact: 98049288

Shop for sale in Ibra and Bid Bid. Contact: 95304693

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

Doctor driven Yaris, manual 2006 model 125000 K.M expected price R.O 2000/-. Contact : 99747481 Yaris 2008, 1.3, 229 kkm full option 2100 expected. Contact: 93289652

Sharing flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99335057 Semi furnished single room for Executive bachelors behind Kamat Restaurant Al Khuwair.

Contact 94271085 Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) –Contact 95941515

Ford Explorer 4WD, 2010 XLT, automatic km 72000, 4 yrs old, under warranty. Agent serviced. Owned by one owner (expat) white colour, very good condition.

Contact 92824047

NRI Tata bus - 66 seater model -2008 KM, 85, 673, dealer service. Contact: 99444341 & 99352790

Acc. opp. OK Center for non cooking bachelor. Contact 95126452 between 2 pm & 4 pm only.

Contact 95126452

Furnished attached bathroom at Mumtaz area. Contact: 93103337 / 95212017

Super market in (Hairoon Hairithi) Thamrith road. Contact: 98189810 / 99675190

BUSINESS

Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970

Ice cream & juices shop in Ruwi, good location for sale, 1.5 mt fish display machine for sale.

Contact: 92150455

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

AVAILABLE

General Investors. Contact 99674870

TRANSPORTATION Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur.

Contact: 00919846877773 Available Duplex flat 1900 sqmt with 3 bedroom and complete POP made at Manipal (Indrali) also fittings and accessories are branded from Gulf. #96440811 / 93804434

Pick & drop any time. Contact: 98522914 / 99512270 Required 40 feet open trailers to UAE, on trip basis for transporting our goods. Contact: 99352790 / 98037854 Transportation. Contact: 98178135

MATRIMONIAL RC girl (28 yrs) hailing from kanjirappally dioces working in Royal Hospital looks for suitable alliances. # 92801093 / 97498373 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

Transportation. Contact: 98505294 Transportation. Contact: 98244078 Transportation. Contact: 95190627 Pick & Drop anytime Contact: 91653903 Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786 Pick & drop with car & driver available any time. Contact: 9615828/ 96502406/92218001

LOST Suresh Prabhakaran has lost Indian Passport No. H 2937113. Finder please handover to ROP

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 TATA bus make model 2012 & Peugeot boxer van make model 2013.

Contact: 93895941

Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285 Land Cruiser 2012.

Contact 99336093 Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic. Contact: 99045803 Expatriate driven Yaris 2008 model 100,000 kms & land rover 2005 model 93000 Kms, excellent conditions. Contact : 97094797

CHANGE OF NAME We, Kerala Ramakrishna Iyer Duraisamy Sankarasubramanian (name of father as per the passport holder of Indian passport No. F 8007576 and Neela Sankarasubramanian (name of the mother, holder of Indian passport No. G 8659528) having permanent address in 1/184 –A , Krishna Kumar Apartments, Flat F2, Vembuli Amman Koil St., Madipakkam, Chennai 600091, Tamil Nadu presently residing at the following address in Muacat , P.B No. 3168, P.C No. 112, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Master Mohit Shankar (name as per present passport), holder of Indian passport No. J 3401979 date of issue 07.12.2010 issued at Pune. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Sai Charan (given name) Sankarasubramanian (new name for all purposes). Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi , Sultanate of Oman.

I Mohammad Sonu (holder of Indian passport No. H 6344561) son of Sanaulla Khan having permanent residence in MOH Teliyan, V-PO- PS Shahpur, Dist Muzaffar Nagar U.P. (complete postal address in India ) and presently residing in Muttrah, Jetdan Street, Muscat, Oman (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Mohammad Sonu (old name) to Mohammad Mazhar (new name) for all practical purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P.Box No. 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

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S AT U R D AY, J U N E 2 0, 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

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED

ADMIN Vacancy for Omani PRO for Customs duties in Sohar. Email: arabianseabridge@gmail.com, Mob: 97990844

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

ACCOUNTANT Required Accountant with 3 yrs. exp. in construction company.

Email : wadcocareers@gmail.com A leading excellent grade company at Muscat looking for Junior Accountant with min.1 year Gulf experience. Please send CV to pmjino@gmail.com Urgently required Junior Accountant.

Please send CV: hr.azatllc@gmail.com

CATERING Urgently required baker (tandoori bread maker) for a restaurant.

Contact 92764880 Chinese / Arab / Continental cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970 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 Cook required for an Omani family having experience in preparing all kinds of Omani & Arabic food.

Minimum 5 years experience. Send CV to abfarsi@omtel.net.om or fax to 24706990, Tel. 24786072 Housemaid wanted for an Indian family in Al Hail. Must be able to cook and take care of baby. Full-time position. 96532872 Required looking for full time Housemaid for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact 92454170

DRIVER Indian driver required for light vehicle with construction experience.

Contact: 92888337

DESIGNER Required Large format printer operator – for HP. Graphic Designer.

Send CV to hr.oman@yahoo.com

EDUCATION Teachers required: Teachers for KG, Grade I to IV class in English, Maths, Science, Computer & Art. Qualification: Degree in relevant subjects & B Ed; IELTS or TOFEL plus two years experience preferred. Please apply to: burj@alhakkim.com Required professional Teachers for teaching Science, Mathematics, Accountancy, Business Studies & English IELTS/ TOFEL in schools & Universities.

Contact 99674870

Indian male, well experienced in Accounts & Admin looking for a suitable vacancy. NOC available.

Contact 98717938

ENGINEER Required Site Supervisor with 5 yrs. exp. in construction company, electronic technician with 3 yrs experience in gate motors systems.

Email : wadcocareers@gmail.com Leading Construction company requires HSE Officer with minimum 4 to 5 years experience in building construction line. Send your CV : hseoman2015@gmail.com (NOC require).

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 Construction Company in Oman urgently requires the following: B.Sc Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 yrs Gulf experience.

Civil Site Foreman, minimum 5 yrs experience with operating knowledge of Tally. Please Email CV ; applyforoman@gmail.com Required swimming pool Engineer/ civil /M& P / Draughtsman with D/L, Preferred gulf experience.

Email: jvacancy05@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Chef for Yacht. International cuisine.

Minimum 15 years chef experience. alibadawy@gmail.com

MEDICAL Wanted urgently General practitioner, Gynecologist, Dentist, Staff Nurse and Lab Technician.

Contact : 92603863 Email us to: ruwistar@hotmail.com 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 Urgently required G.P doctor with or without MOH license for one month from 01/07/2015.

Contact: 93824902

ENGINEER MISCELLANEOUS 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

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.# 99383044

MISCELLANEOUS Urgently required: (1) female dermatologist with minimum 3 years experience (2) female Omani reception coordinator for a medical center in Qurum. Contact: 96062933

SKILLED Urgently required a silk Screen printer with good knowledge and release letter or NOC. Contact: 93280288 or send CV to albayanstamps@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SALES / MARKETING Real estate company looking for experience leasing agent /property consultant. male and female . with driving license. Must be graduate in sales and marketing .apply with NOC. Clearance is available . property@landmarkmuscat.com Wanted Sales man with Oman driving license in advertising company visa ready. Contact: 96440587 / 94055643 A leading trading company is looking for Sales Executives & outdoor sales coordinators with driving license & release /NOC. Email CV: alhajoil@omantel.net.om or fax: 24701683 Urgently required outdoor Sales Executive for furnishing company with valid Oman D/L and minimum 3 years experience. Contact 93231403 / rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Required Counter Salesman for building materials in Salalah.

Contact 99496142 Urgently required Sales & Marketing Executive for Electrical & lighting products with Oman driving license. Send CV at Email : albasilinternational@gmail.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 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 Looking for Outdoor Salesman for heavy equipment spare parts.

Contact - 93292015, Email: mail.om@gulfcenter.co Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.com Urgently required Advertising & Media Sales Executives with Oman D/L. Trainee positions available for Freshers. Email: jobs@interacoman.com Marketing Executive for digital printing company. Contact: 94356769 / 96936564

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Motivated and energetic male 25 having 4 years of experience in finance with Master’s degree in Economics and CAT Certified seeking opportunity in Accounts/finance/ audit in a reputable organization.

Cell no: 00968-94626209 E-Mail: omerjawedshah@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, 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 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

An Indian lady Chartered Accountant with five years experience (including article ship) on family visa in Oman looking for a suitable job. Contact 9621 0347 / 9943 5346, shincycrajan@gmail.com Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available.

Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 Indian male 25 yrs B.com having experience in accounts for 3 yrs currently on visit looking to job.

Contact: 97937868 Email: rehman.naseer999@gmail.com Indian 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

Accounts part time, up to finalization of monthly accounts. Handled by a CA. contact 96293120 Indian male, with B.Com 1 year experience in Accounts or Sales, on visit visa, Cont... 98295101 Indian male M.Com 6 yrs experience in accounts up to finalization in Oman co having Oman D/L, available to join immediately with NOC. #98363897 Email: prince9496@hotmail.com Senior Document Controller MCA Indian male 9+ year’s total experience 5+ years experience in Gulf in oil & gas sector and construction field on visit visa in Oman. Contact: 95388197 Email: rojanchristopher@gmail.com Indian male, B.Com, well experienced in Accounts & Admin, knowledge of Tally ERP 9 experience in Oman with valid Oman driving license. NOC available, looking for suitable job in Oman, join immediately.

Contact 94245039 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 Senior Accountant 13 years experience FMCG & retail Noc available.

Contact: 93473942 MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. Contact: 99424803 Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan.

Contact : 97796394 / 94003247 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 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 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, B.Com, 1 year Exp in Accounts/ Sales, on Visit Visa,..

Contact – 98295101

ADMIN Indian Female M.C.A 4 years of experience looking for suitable position as as programmer/lecturer/Web Designer/Admin.

Contact No: 99486374.

Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available.

Contact :93671437 MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in operations with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Indian Female 25 MBA in HR looking for a suitable opening in Admin/ Hr. Contact 97013375 Indian female 29 MBA (HR) BSc, 4 yrs exp in HR& Admin looking suitable placement. Contact : 95619537 Indian female MBA – HR 1 and half years experience seeking suitable job. Contact : 99257214 Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact 95824598 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement.

Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Beautician exp Gulf, looking job from India. Contact 99531802

DRIVER Indian male office driver with 15 years of experience in Oman with NOC / Release seeking suitable placement. Contact: 98381826 Light driver. Contact: 99035942 Light driver looking for job, 4 yrs exp in Oman. Contact: 94241385 Driver looking for job. Contact 94195818 Light driver. Contact: 96313100 Driver looking for job.

Contact: 99507039 Paksitani Driver with 6 yrs experience looking for job.

Contact: 93985087 Driver with car 3 years experience looking for job. Contact: 92041902 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 Indian male, 3 yrs exp. as Driver in Oman looking for job.

Contact 98238043

S AT U R DAY, J U N E 2 0, 2 0 1 5

C5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

DRIVER Light duty driver looking for job.

Contact: 94040926 Driver with car. Contact: 97705694/98988208 Looking for job driving Bangladeshi.

Contact: 97418036

Driver light. Contact: 91020999

Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327

DOMESTIC HELPER Looking for job for House maid.

Contact : 93599302 Laundry Housekeeping professional looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years experience.

Contact : 91957861

DRAUGHTSMAN 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.

20years exp CAD Drafts man looking for suitable post.

Contact: 94027838 / 99020636

DESIGNER Architect designer experience in Architecture design in 2D, 3D visiting to site : 2 years experience (in Oman), fluent Hindi & English. Email: zhussain9950@gmail.com Contact: 94253074

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 ,Electrical Engineer with 5 Years Gulf Experience in Underground cable & Overhead line in HT and LT, Distribution Substation, MEP. Oman D/L available. NOC available. Contact:95054644, 00918807888109, speninsam@gmail.com Indian male B.Tech (ECE), MBA (HR) 2 years of experience in CCNA, CCNP and hands on practice in Linux and MCSE, looking for suitable job.

Contact: 93487225 Quantity Surveyor or Site Engineer in civil, 5 years experience in Oman have valid Oman driving license looking for suitable posts, NOC available. Contact: 96394948/ 98294919.

Email: asvinsha@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Expatriate Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99195433

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

Electronics & communications Indian male, 2 years experience seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99456725 / 94678625

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 Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com 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.

Diploma in Electrical Engineer exp 5 years any type of industrial maintenance and installation, building wiring system.

Contact: 94544663 Email: motiurrahaman1989@gmail.com

10 yrs exp in Oman in logisticshave Oman D/L-looking for suitable placement-contact 96410767 .

Contact email: harishkts@yahoo.com

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.

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com

EDUCATION Quantity Surveyor with 5 Years experience (one year in Oman) looking for job. Contact 91090036

Iraqi Engineer specialized in telecommunication net working & PC experience in nuking network and security systems. Contact: 92898329 / 99249124

Indian male Diploma, civil engineer 4.3 year experience at building construction and consulting company with Oman driving licence and N.O.C available seeking suitable placement contact 95989500 email cv.shihabedappal@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Architect and Interior Designer 8 years experience design and execution working with 3D max, AutoCAD, photo shop, BOQ, NOV available looking for suitable placement. #95273166

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

LOGISTICS

BSc Civil Engineer, 6 months working experience in UAE as a Site Engineer currently in Oman on visit visa and looking for a job.

Contact : 98157833 Email: waqas.pasha22@gmail.com

Light driver for job. Contact: 95779594

Pakistani driving available.

Contact : 96913836

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

D.A.E Civil 4 years exp in land surveyor and building work worked on AutoCAD, T.S and G.P.S 1 year exp in Oman looking for placement.

Contact: 92140890 / 98780156 Email: engrsafiullah91@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 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 Electrical Engineer Pakistani male 4 years B. Tech & 3 years’ diploma seeking a suitable placement.

Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasoader97@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

Experienced, competent, English teacher for high school and college.

Contact: 91954541 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 Indian female MCA, Three years experience in teaching field, seeks placement currently on visit visa.

Contact: 93431567 Email: fivona.mel@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Indian Lady 24 yrs with 5 years experience as cabin crew in National & International airlines seeking suitable job vacancy in good position.

Contact: 97623267

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 B.E Computer Science, Indian lady, with 2 years experience in Oman looking for suitable job in Muscat having valid GCC driving license.

Contact: 97738624 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 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 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 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 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

MISCELLANEOUS 13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity.

Contact: 96377039 Ware house In charge or store keeper 27 yrs Gulf experience 4 yrs in Oman NOC available.

Contact: 97657823 Email: rusaikmzm_2009@yahoo.com 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. # 98803439

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

Indian worked MNC 15 years Oman experience as Marketing FMCG / TRAD Purchasing with visa license.

Contact: 98796982

B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial field available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job .

Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com

MBA Graduate with D/L looking for sales or marketing jobs.

Contact 94143154 Email: rinojnathen008@gmail.com Male BA with D/L having 6 years exp Oman wanted suitable job in sales, inventory, procure.

Contact : 92191026

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

Omani female exp in PRO with Oman D/L. Contact: 91161736

MBBS lady Doctor experienced in Medical insurance, direct billing, preauthorization’s life rating, claims registration, client query handling & hospital insurance queries seeking suitable placement.

Contact : 97763918 Email: minmaths@yahoo.com Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com 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

Looking for good job 2 years experience Oman sales marketing valid driving license Indian Kerala.

Contact : 98626682 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. #93438747 / 93033252 Sales man looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years Gulf experience.

Contact: 91957861 8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535 8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323 Indian male, B.Sc (Mathematics) PGDBM (Marketing). 9 yrs of Oman experience in sales in midlevel management, NOC available.

Valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95278838 Email: anup2p4p@yahoo.com Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements. # 98371144

Indian female looking for suitable position 2nd rank in MSC microbiology, fresher now on visiting visa.

Contact : 91633089 Email: mansytk4@gmail.com

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

SALES / MARKETING

SKILLED/UNSKILLED

Content Executive, freshers with good communication skills and willingness to learn may apply on job@socioholics.com

Experience skilled candidate with driver license seeks position in sales in Salalah. Contact: 98579382

Indian male, 39 yrs having 15 yrs Gulf experience (UAE, Qatar, Oman) in sales & marketing looking for a suitable position with NOC. Contact 94054730 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

MISCELLANEOUS Tunisian women looking for a job, khnows english,frensh, italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838

Indian female MSc, MPHIL (Chemistry) 3 years Teaching experience currently on visit visa seeking suitable position. Contact : 96916534 / 91969756

MEDICAL

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

Procurement Manager with 17 years experience looking suitable position. (Electrical Diploma Holder with Oman D/L) Contact: 95979029. pavithranmv@gmail.com

B.Com Diploma in Material management having 12 years experience in local / overseas prelease, logistics, ware house. NOC available.

Contact: 96477638

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

TOURS & TRAVELS

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

Indian Male MBA with two year experience in H.R as a H.R Assistant, Now in India, Seeking for an urgent suitable position.

Contact:-98620260 / 93895992 , Email:-deepakmb4@gmail.com 8 years successful experience.

Senior Accountant, Indian male, 29 years, presently working in oman as a senior accountant with oman driving license. NOC available. seek suitable opportunity. gsm: 97705854 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 IT system and Printer engineer ME, 5Years bank IT Management exp in India looking for full time job visit visa contact 94462150 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 MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com 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

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

Over 15 years experience in Gulf.

Interior Architect, Lebanese Nationality, on visit visa seeking a suitable Placement. 96268005.

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

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

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED 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, 34years having 10 years of experience in Sales, Sales Coordination and Administration.

Experienced in SAP and MS Office. NOC available.

Contact # 94686594

ACCA Affiliate, Experience in audit/ finance of 2.5 years in Big 6 Firm and Oil industry, looking for suitable permanent placement, Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com B.Tech Computer Engineer Wanted job to work on(IT/Banking/Administrator/Technical/Office works) having NOC with the limited time from (04/06/2015 to 13/06/2015).

Mobile:98402389 email:naresh6672@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA Marketing/HRM 3 year experience with Omani D/L, seeking suitable jobs.

Contact: 97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com

Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees , CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations ( NOC available ) call 94 504505 – 94403270

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

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

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

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. #91076608 / 99322748. Release & noc available

British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable position. please contact :97175240

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

House shifting. Contact 99708138

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517

Carpet, curtain, sofa, floor, cleaning, shampooing, marble & mosaic tiles grinding, polishing and painting. Contact : 93630133 / 95821193 House shifting packing.

99657644 / 98518013

Available for longer period : Mig Welder 5 nos, General worker with PDO pass 10 nos, Helper 10 nos, Mason 8 nos. Contact 99610703

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

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

CLASSES

Air condition maintenance split and window services AC specialist ducted and package type unites.

Contact: 98667326 Ramadhan Gifts with company name printable advertisement on t-shirt, clock.

Contact: 98796982 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.

Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts.

Contact 95941515

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

Butter cup rent a car presents fantastic offers all vehicles are model 2016.

Contact : 97249449

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic 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

GOOD NEWS Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131

Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain & neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909

DRIVING

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

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624