Times Of Oman - March 23, 2015

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GOVERNMENT PROJECTS

OMR17 million in contracts for small and medium units ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

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BRUTAL ATTACK: Oman’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday denounced the attacks which targeted

Friday prayers at two mosques in the Yemeni capital.

— Reuters

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Oman took in 40

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seriously injured Yemenis on Saturday for treatment after they were hurt in Friday’s terrorist atrocity in Sanaa

SALEH AL-SHAIBANY

saleh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Five critically injured victims of the horrific suicide bombings in Yemen are fighting for their lives in Oman after being evacuated in the Sultanate’s humanitarian efforts.

Oman took in 40 seriously injured Yemenis on Saturday for medical treatment after they were hurt in Friday’s terrorist atrocity in Sanaa.

On Sunday, Oman’s Foreign Ministry denounced the attacks which targeted Friday prayers at two mosques in the Yemeni capital.

A Government hospital source told Times of Oman, “We received yesterday (Saturday) in the hos-

pital about 40 Yemenis who have been injured in the attack in their country. They are receiving various treatments.

“Their injuries range from loss of limbs to general body wounds.

Most of them are serious and about five of them are in critical condition.”

Discard violence In a statement issued yesterday (Sunday), the Foreign Ministry said that it, “Condemns this inhumane act, which has nothing to do with Islam and does not contribute to the success of the efforts made to resume dialogue.”

The statement also said, “The Sultanate calls on all political parties to discard violence and give predominance to dialogue to ensure the success of the political process and lead the sisterly Yemeni Republic to stability and development.”

Oman News Agency (ONA) said earlier that the treatment of the injured Yemenis was a gesture “in compliance with His Majesty the Sultan’s orders to respond to Yemen’s humanitarian demand.”

Suicide bombers killed 142

worshippers and wounded hundreds more during Friday prayers at two mosques in coordinated attacks. IS has claimed responsibility for the mass killing.

Power struggle The situation in Yemen worsened on Sunday as Houthi fighters opposed to the president took over the central city of Taiz in an escalation of a power struggle diplomats say risks drawing in neighbouring oil giant Saudi Arabia and its main regional rival Iran.

Eyewitnesses in the central province of Ibb reported seeing dozens of tanks and military vehicles headed southward from Houthi-controlled areas toward Taiz, while activists in the city said Houthi gunmen shot into the air to disperse protests by residents demonstrating against their presence. Yemenis living in Muscat were horrified of the news.

Many of them watched helplessly on television and feared the worse for their families and friends.

“I was watching the massacre on television on Friday. It is sad my compatriots kill each other for the sake of political power. As a Yemeni living in Oman, I pray that the global powers will find a peaceful solution,” Mohammed Al Hadhrami, a Yemeni resident in Muscat, said. > A6 Latest on Yemen crisis > A7

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

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Dual carriageway road opens in Seeb

Payment mandatory for working overtime

Mercury falls by 1.8 per cent in 2014

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A 1.8 per cent fall in average temperature last year has been revealed by latest statistics on the Sultanate’s climate by the NCSI. Mercury came down to 27.7C, compared to 28.2C in 2013, the highest average temperature recorded for the period 2010-2014. >A5

Muscat Municipality has opened Al Forosyah dual carriageway road and other associated roads in the wilayat of Seeb for the traffic movement. The road was built according to the global standards that keep pace with modern roads project. >A2

Employer shall pay the employee ... an additional wage equivalent to the wage he/she used to get (for the additional work) plus a minimum of 25 per cent for additional day time working hours, and 50 per cent for the nocturnal working hours. >A3

Omantel Annual General Meeting approves issuance of sukuk

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MUSCAT: Subcontracts worth OMR17 million to implement government projects will be awarded to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Musandam Governorate, said an Omani official.

These subcontracts are for a number of projects including construction, building, road and infrastructure projects, the chairman of the Musandam branch of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), told reporters here on Sunday.

Hamed Mohammed Zaman Kamel Al Raisi was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference held at the OCCI to announce the First Business Opportunities and Employment Forum in Musandam, which is

ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company

Out of the OMR17 million worth of contracts, subcontracts worth OMR5 million will be signed during the first day of the forum. — Times file picture

HM greets Pakistani president MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to President Mamnoon Hussain of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the occasion of his country’s National Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere greetings along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to President Hussain and the friendly Pakistani people further progress and growth. — ONA HM congratulates Iranian President >A3

scheduled to be held on March 25 and 26. The official noted that out of the OMR17 million worth of contracts, subcontracts worth OMR5 million will be signed during the first day of the forum and the rest will be signed later. >A3

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Indian Social Club to relocate from Darsait REJIMON K FAHAD AL GHADANI

reji@timesofoman.com fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: In a move aimed at easing the traffic congestion in and around Darsait area, the Muscat Municipality is considering advising the Indian Social Club to move out from its present location.

“While discussing the plans to

ease the traffic congestion in the area, we found that on weekends, the traffic chaos is due to the social club’s activities. We cannot move out the school, but to ease the traffic congestion, we are planning to have more exits and entries in the area. So, we have plans to advise the social club to move out,” Salim Al Ghammari, Muscat Municipality Council member, said.

“The social club has a piece

of land in Amerat. They have to construct a new building there,” Ghammari said while adding that in the coming meetings, the issue will be considered seriously.

The Indian Social Club building is at present situated on the premises of the Indian School Muscat in Darsait.

Residents are often annoyed by the traffic congestion caused due to events held at the club on the weekends. >A3

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

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We are proud to inform you that with all the support of our guests we raised OMR6,000 for Dar al Atta’a project on pre-schools Wouter Smits, Dutch Night organiser

Earth Hour pledges to conserve resources

INFRASTRUCTURE

In 2013, Oman PUBLIC CONVENIENCE: The carriageway is aimed at easing the

saved an estimated

traffic movement in the area as well as finding other alternative exits for those heading to Seeb souq. – Supplied photo

70,000 kilowatts of

Al Forosyah dual carriageway open Times News Service MUSCAT: Muscat Municipality has opened Al Forosyah dual carriageway road and other associated roads in the wilayat of Seeb for traffic.

The road was built in keeping with global standards and to keep pace with modern roads project.

The project included the implementation of dual carriageway flyover between Al Khoudh intersection and the roundabout that connects with the Al Forosyah main road.

The carriageway is aimed at easing the traffic movement in the area as well as finding other alternative exits for those heading to Seeb souq and northern

parts of Seeb. It comes as part of the Muscat Municipality’s plans to solve the problem of traffic jams throughout the wilayat of Seeb that has been witnessing a steady increase in traffic in various neighborhoods and along service roads, especially those coming and heading to Seeb souq and surrounding areas.

The project also included a 100-metre stretch to serve those coming and heading to Al Forosyah road and heading to Muscat, as well as those coming from Batinah.

The Muscat Municipal has built such roads and flyovers in Seeb to improve efficiency of traffic movement and ensure a smooth flow.

The idea is to inform people, so that they make changes throughout their lives and go beyond the hour

electricity; enough energy to power 2,500 households in Oman for one hour

Lamees Daar Executive director, ESO TARIQ AL HAREMI tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Urging more individuals, companies, schools and government sector entities to commit to switching off all nonessential lighting during Earth Hour this year, Lamees Daar, executive director of the Environment Society of Oman (ESO), said the people of Oman must join the global effort to conserve energy and resources.

In 2013, Oman saved an estimated 70,000 kilowatts of electricity; enough energy to power 2,500 households in Oman for one hour.

In 2012 Oman saved 53,000 kilowatts of electricity.

“We can see about a 20 per cent increase every year. Last year (2014) there was a slight decrease.

We were told by the electricity company that this was because there was a higher subscription (for electricity). There was a 9 per cent higher subscription,” she explained.

For the last three years, the Environment Society of Oman has engaged public, private and non-

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

government organisations in their mission to save energy and protect the environment.

“It’s very important for people to participate in campaigns like this,” said Daar.

“The idea is to inform people, so that they make changes throughout their lives and go beyond the hour,” she added.

“It has increased in the sense that people know more about Earth Hour and people are willing to participate more; com-

panies and organisations are making pledges to participate,” said Lamees.

ESO members have visited over 40 colleges throughout Oman in order to educate students and provide information about Earth Hour. Lamees said that they are encouraging students to create their own Earth Hour events and activities, as well as raise awareness about the initiative.

As for participants, ESO has received pledges from landmark buildings, such as Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House Muscat and Sultan Qaboos University, in support of the event.

“We hope more landmark buildings join the effort,” she said.

ESO will hold a family event at Al Mouj golf course on Earth Hour Day, March 28, from 5pm to 7pm, following which participants will turn off all lights at 8:30pm for one hour.

She explained that Earth Hour is one of the world’s largest voluntary movements, in which over 200 million people across the globe in more than 170 countries switch off their lights.

Lamees said that one small act by many can make a large difference, and it is everyone’s responsibility to reduce energy consumption and safeguard the environment for generations to come.

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

Sajwani upbeat of agriculture output Omantel okays Sukuk, dividend

Staff Reporter

MUSCAT: Agriculture and fisheries sectors are witnessing comprehensive development, thanks to their being open to international experiences and having a desire for renewal and modernisation, affirmed Dr Fuad bin Jaafar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in a statement.

Al Sajwani also said that the projects implemented so far have resulted in 8.4 per cent more value addition for both sectors in 2014, compared to 2013.

He explained that the initial indicators point to continued good growth rates over the coming years. He reiterated in his statement that work is underway, within the framework of nutrition strategy in the Sultanate, to modernise Oman’s nutrition guide, improve food consumption patterns, and ensure harmonious and balanced nutrition that meets all the basic food needs.

Al Sajwani added that the contribution of the agriculture and

Times News Service

AGRICULTURE MODERNISATION: Dr Fuad bin Jaafar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, at the Majlis Al Shura on Sunday.–Talib Al Wahaibi/TIMES OF OMAN

fisheries sectors stood at 64 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively.

The total agricultural production and fisheries value for 2014 rose from OMR496 million in 2013 to OMR 525 million in 2014, an annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent. Al Sajwani attributed this increase to better production and high prices.

Referring to the GDP value of agriculture and fisheries, Al Sajwani mentioned that it increased from OMR371 million in 2013 to

OMR402 million in 2014. He attributed it to availability of stable resources for exploitation, particularly the suppliers of soil and water, which reflected in increased productivity per unit area, and initiatives of the private sector for investment.

Al Sajwani revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has started preparing a comprehensive strategy for the development of agriculture, for

both plant and animal sector for 2010- 2040 in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Such a strategy is aimed at optimum utilisation of natural and agricultural resources as well as development of agricultural and food systems and enhancing food security. It also aims to create more jobs and increasing income, in addition to increasing the competitiveness of local products.

MUSCAT: Omantel’s Extraordinary Annual General Meeting on Sunday approved adding import and export of devices and communications equipment to its corporate policy, while also approving the issuance of Sukuk.

The Extra Ordinary General Meeting was followed by Annual General Meeting which approved the distribution of cash dividends to shareholders amounting to 75 per cent of the capital (equivalent to 75 baizas per share).

As Omantel has already paid interim dividend of 40 per cent of the nominal value on August 2014, the total dividend distribution for the financial year ended December 31, 2014 is 115 per cent.

Omantel AGM also authorized the Company’s Board of Directors to distribute a maximum of

55 per cent interim dividends from the paid up capital on August 2014.

Omantel AGM also approved the report of the Board of Directors for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2014, the company’s corporate governance report and the report of the independent auditors. It also approved the profit and loss account and approved the balance sheet for the fiscal year.

The Annual General Meeting furthermore approved the Board members’ remuneration, ratified the sitting fees for Board meetings and other committees paid to the members of the Board of Directors for the last fiscal year.

It also determined the sitting fees for the next fiscal year.

The AGM also approved the proposed donations for community service amounting to OMR500,000.

CHARITY DRIVE

Dutch Night raises OMR6,000 for Dar al Atta’a school plans

SOCIAL COMMITMENT: For the first time, the Dutch Night (formerly called Oranjebal) is officially affiliated with Dar Al Atta’a to support its charity programmes.–TIMES OF OMAN

Times News Service MUSCAT: A sum of OMR6,000 was raised at the Dutch Night event organised by the Dutch Night Committee at Ras Al Hamra Recreational Centre in the PDO. The proceeds of the event will go towards supporting Dar al Atta’a Pre-School Project.

Guests and sponsors were welcomed by Wouter Smits, chairman, Dutch Night 2015, who spoke about their intention to give back to the Omani community. “We are proud to stand here and inform you that with all the support of our guests buying tickets for this evening, of our sponsors donating so generously and the PDO Recreational Centre, we raised OMR6,000 for Dar

al Atta’a project on pre-schools,” said Wouter Smits.

Wouter Smits, along with Wim Berendsen, on behalf of the sponsors presented a cheque to Lubna Al Kharusi, Dar Al Atta’a board member, who expressed her gratitude to the Dutch Night Committee, sponsors and guests who chose to support Dar Al Atta’a.

“I would like to thank you all for this kind initiative to support our Preschool Project. It is of great significance to improve learning facilities and provisions of preschool classes,” said Lubna Al Kharusi.

Her Highness Sayyida Afra Al Said attended on behalf of Dar Al Atta’a. Barbara Joziasse Dutch Ambassador also spoke on the occasion.

Sponsors of the Dutch Night

2015 were: OHI, KLM, Carillion Alawi, SIROCCO/OUA, Millennium Resort Mussanah, Oman Cables Industry, Wipro, Port of Sohar, Truck Oman Oil & Gas Services, Worley Parsons and Dealim Construction South Korea.

For the first time, the Dutch Night (formerly called Oranjebal) is officially affiliated with Dar Al Atta’a to support its charity programmes in the field of student care.

The Dutch Night Event is organised once a year by the Dutch Community in Muscat to celebrate the King’s birthday. The proceeds of the event, combined from entrance tickets and sponsors, will be used to improve facilities and provisions in a preschool class in remote areas of the Sultanate.

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C O M M E N TA RY

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Payment or compensatory off is mandatory for working overtime Kindly clarify the overtime payment calculation for public holidays and weekly offs.

We had a session from Ministry of Manpower and we were informed that for working on public holidays and weekly off days we should be paid double salary ie (1+2) or two days compensatory leave.

But our accounts department does not agree and are paying us (1 + 1.25). What does the labour law say?

The text of Article (73) is reproduced here to clear all ambiguities. “The employer shall pay the employee ... an additional wage equivalent to the wage he/she used to get (for the additional work) plus a minimum of 25

Times of Oman, in association with Khalifa Al Hinai Legal Consultants, will answer the legal queries of readers every Monday. Questions can be sent to readersclub@timesofoman.com

employee works overtime during nocturnal (night) hours. c. If the overtime work falls on weekly off days or approved holidays, the additional payment shall be 200 per cent of the normal wages. d.

However, if the employee is compensated with off days equivalent to the overtime days, condition in the previous paragraph will not be applicable.

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per cent for additional day time working hours, and 50 per cent for the nocturnal working hours.

If the work falls in the weekly off day or on public holidays, the employee shall be entitled to a

double wage for that day unless he is given another day off in lieu of it during the following week.”

For the purpose of simplification, the following are the main points in this article: a. For normal over-

time hours (during day time), the employee shall be paid an additional wage equivalent to 125 per cent of his/her normal wages. b. There shall be an additional 150 per cent of the wages, if the

TRAFFIC JAMS

INFRASTRUCTURE

Residents annoyed 130 new jobs A1 A1 over traffic chaos to be generated < FROM

< FROM

“We have a lot of big government projects in Musandam, but the SMEs have still not been given a chance to get sub-contracts from these big companies,” Al Raisi said, adding that this was the reason why arrangements were made to give these subcontracts to small and medium business units.

Under similar arrangements, he said, 130 new jobs will be created for the implementation of government projects in Musandam through large companies.

45 SMEs Commenting on the forum, Al Raisi stated that 20 large companies and 45 SMEs will be participating at the first-of-its kind event in Musandam, along with representatives of a number of government organisations.

According to the OCCI official, the participating large companies are active in the fields of roads and construction, stations

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and generators, logistics, public services, communications, ports, tourism, contracting, training and other areas.

Employment The forum will also provide a platform for experts to share their knowledge and experience, he said, adding that the event aims to contribute to the development of the private sector in Musandam, especially the SMEs, and create additional employment opportunities.

He added that another purpose of the forum is help diversify the source of income for families and institutions in Musandam through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Al Raisi also noted that representatives of a number of ministries will attend the event, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Civil Service, Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Health.

Residents in the area have been suffering due to the traffic congestion in Darsait area. As there are around 13,000 students studying in the two Indian schools in Darsait, the traffic congestion is at its peak during school timings.

“On working days, the school traffic creates chaos. And on the weekends, people coming to attend activities at the social club leads to traffic congestion,” Mazin Al Hasni, a Darsait resident, said.

Starting as the Indian Cultural Association in 1978, the association was transformed into the Indian Social Club in 1994. At present, there are 20 Indian linguistic wings functioning under the social club.

Meanwhile, the Indian social club chairman said that they have not received any official communication from the municipality on the relocation move.

“The land was granted to the Indian community by the government and the then Indian ambas-

The traffic congestion is at its peak during school hours

sador decided that the school and the social club will be occupying this piece of land. The social club owns the current building.

However, the land and the kurkiya is under the Indian school.

We have taken a piece of land on lease in Amerat and the construction of a new building is under tendering process,” Dr. Sathish Nambiar, the Indian Social Club chairman, said.

“In the coming weeks, the tendering process will be done and the construction will be started soon. We expect that in two years, we will be able to complete the building,” Satish added.

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

HM the Sultan congratulates Iranian president MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Dr Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the occasion of the Iranian New Year ‘Nowruz’.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health and well being to President Rouhani and the friendly people of Iran further progress and prosperity. He hoped that the brotherly relations between the two nations would be further cemented in the future.–ONA

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015 The children were taught how to access relevant information from the Internet, how to cite sources, find and present data and then consider the impact on the planet.

Tamsin Turner, Primary School Humanities Coordinator, BSM

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BSM students pitch for ecology WINNERS ALL Edward Ridd – 1st Place (Deforestation) Charlie Livingstone Wyre – 2nd Place (Plastic waste) Shahzeb Imran – 3rd place (Air pollution) Filipa Fonseca (Deforestation) Otis Holmes – Landfill in Oman Georgina Ezechie – Acid Rain Ollie Dowdeswell – Deforestation Aliyar Mazhari – Oil Spills in Oman

PRECIOUS PLANET: BSM students spoke about some amazing ways to save the environment.-Photo and video OK Mohammad Ali/TIMES OF OMAN

Times News Service

The challenge for the contestants was to enter The Dragons’ Den for their chance to win 1 billion dollars to improve a current environmental concern or issue

MUSCAT: Edward Ridd, a Year 6 student, secured the first place in the Dragons’ Den Project at the British School Muscat (BSM) on Sunday afternoon.

The topic for this project was saving ‘Our Precious Planet.’

“This element of the topic is to learn about environmental concerns. The children were taught how to access relevant information from the Internet, how to cite sources, find and present data and then consider the impact on the planet. For homework, over a two week period, the children pre-

pared a two minute presentation regarding a concern, and plans for a solution,” said Tamsin Turner, Primary School Humanities Coordinator, British School Muscat.

The challenge for them was to enter The Dragons’ Den for their chance to win 1 billion dollars to improve a current environmental concern or issue.

The presentations were made before a panel of Dragons, members of British School Muscat staff and their classmates. “After their presentation, the dragons were given two minutes to ask the children questions about their concern and their solution,” she said.

S O C I A L W E L FA R E

There were four classes of 22 children in Year 6 – total 88 pupils in the Year Group. The children hoped to persuade the Dragons to part with 1 billion dollars to fund their solution. “The top two presentations from each class went through to today’s final,” she added. The finalists got two and a half minutes to speak and three minutes to answer questions following their presentations.

The Dragons for the final included Kai Vacher – Principal, British School Muscat, Mike Kidman – Head of Geography British School Muscat, Jonathan Turner – Managing Director Masirah In-

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In the finals, the students spoke about some amazing ways to save the environment.

While Aliyar Mazhari spoke about oil spills in Oman, Shahzeb Imran spoke about air pollution in the world, Charlie Livingstone Wyre spoke about plastic waste,

Otis Holmes on landfill in Oman, Georgina Ezechie on the impact of acid rain and Edward Ridd, Filipa Fonseca and Ollie Dowdeswell spoke about deforestation, where forestlands were converted into farms, ranches, or for urban use.

Regarding the oil spills in Oman, Aliyar Mazhari, said that there is need to have a full time standby oil spill recovery vessel in the sea while Otis Holmes urged all the residents and citizens of Oman to stop dumping rubbish, recycle and clean up to save Oman’s environment. “We have to say no to plastic bags as this is killing everybody,” Holmes urged.

All of them were, however, unanimous on one point: “Preserve Nature. There is no Planet B.”

CONCERT OF ARIAS

Students blow the bugle for welfare of elderly citizens

Polish tenor, Czech orchestra to combine for ROHM show

HASAN ALI SHABAN

Times News Service

MUSCAT: With the objective to raise awareness among youths to take care of the elderly, a workshop is being organised to focus on the issue at the Caledonian College of Engineering on Wednesday under the auspices of A’Shaima Al Raisi, member of Muscat Municipal Council and representative of the wilayat of Bausher.

The initiative is being organised by Tebodin and Dermait L.L.C, in cooperation with Wesal for Elderly Care.

Afrah Mohamed Marhoon Al Maamari, a student at the Caledonian college and the person behind the initiative, said that the idea behind the project is to raise awareness in the society about taking care of parents as they age.

‘They are family, their happiness is our goal,’ is the title of the programme, she said.

“The day will provide the Omani society with a rare opportunity to know more about how to communicate with the elderly and appreciate their roles in society,” she added.

Al Maamari pointed out that ‘They are family, their happiness is our goal’ is an informative initiative which aims at developing

MUSCAT: Polish tenor Piotr Beczala is sure to delight the audience at the Royal Opera House Muscat on Thursday with his concert of arias, accompanied by the renowned Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

The concert, which will be conducted by Russian maestro Guerassim Voronkov, will feature a selection of arias from romantic and comedic 19th century Italian, Czech, French and German operas and operettas, revealing Beczala’s diversity and range, not to mention his beautiful voice and impressive characterisation.

The programme includes “Vidino divná, presladká” from Dvorak’s opera Rusalka, “Parmi veder le lagrime” from Verdi’ opera Rigoletto, “L’amour! l’amour!... Ah! leve-toi, soleil!” from Gounod’s opera Romeo and Juliet and “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz” from Lehar’s operetta Das Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles), as well as some of Beczala’s other favourites.

ROHM’s Artistic Director Umberto Fanni stated, “Piotr Beczala has a wonderful voice and has a natural elegance on stage. He’s a wonderful performer and very sought-after by the leading opera companies today. We are also

FAMILY OBLIGATIONS: ‘They are family, their happiness is our goal,’ is the title of the programme. It will provide the Omani society with a rare opportunity to know more about how to communicate with the elderly.– Supplied picture

the skills of the participants on how to deal and communicate with older people, in addition to sharing end learning from their experiences and the different problems they face while aging.

The day will include a number of events, starting with the participation of Hilal Al Siyabi, an Omani inventor who is going to introduce his latest innovation.

Sarah Al Busaidi, an Omani

artist, will show the guests and participants her new artworks following the launch of ‘They are family, their happiness is our goal’ photography competition, sponsored by the Royal Production company.

Students from various schools in Muscat will also attend the events which are being organised

by Widam Al Sahil team and Caledonian College of Engineering.

EXHIBITION

Innovations show kicks-off MUSCAT: Second Oman Innovations Exhibition 2015 kicked off at Oman International Exhibition Centre on Sunday under the auspices of Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda bin Majid Al Said, Assistant Secretary General for Innovations Development at the Research Council.The three-day exhibition is organised by the East Coast for Organizing Exhibitions. –ONA

Polish tenor Piotr Beczala

lucky to have the excellent Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Voronkov, who has such talent and experience.”

Piotr Beczala was born in Poland in 1966. He studied at the Katowice Academy of Music and made

his debut in 1992 at Landestheater Linz. His career has taken him to the world’s top opera houses including New York’s Metropolitan, the Opéra National de Paris, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Vienna State Opera.

He is acclaimed for his golden voice and acting skills, bringing each character to life with ease.

Guerassim Voronkov, conductor, pianist, violinist and composer, was born in Moscow in 1960.

His illustrious career has taken him around the world, working with opera companies and orchestras in countries as diverse as Desmark, Estonia, Spain and Colombia.

The Czech National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1993 by trumpet player Jan Hasenöhrl. It’s known for its versatility and ease playing any genre of music, from classical and opera to jazz and movie soundtracks. The orchestra is based in Prague but tours internationally on a regular basis.

Piotr Beczala and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra will perform one concert only on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.

For more information about Royal Opera House Muscat, tickets, and frequently asked questions, please visit the website at www.rohmuscat.org.om.

ISLAMIC BANKING

Sultanate takes major step towards Takaful legislation MUSCAT: Legislation regulating Oman’s Sharia-compliant insurance market has moved a step closer to being finalised after the State Council approved a draft law that will help encourage new investment in the ‘takaful’ (Islamic insurance) industry.

The State Council approved the draft Takaful Insurance Law in mid-February, which includes 58 classified subjects in eight chapters covering all aspects of the industry. The legislation, which was drafted by the sector regulator, the Capital Market Authority (CMA), is expected to add further impetus to the development of Oman’s Islamic financial sector, according to Salim Al Ghattami, Head of the Economic Committee at the State Council.

Explaining the rationale behind the new law, Al Ghattami pointed to the wider economic benefits as the country looks to attract new investors.

“Many nationals who follow Islamic regulations and provisions in their transactions are asking the government to regulate the

insurance sector according to Islamic concepts,” he said in February, as quoted by local media.

The draft law sets out the regulatory code for ‘takaful’ operators, including oversight and reporting requirements, product standards and liquidity levels. It requires takaful operators to be listed on the stock exchange and have a minimum capital of OMR10 million ($26m), in line with the requirements for conventional insurers as part of a broader regulatory overhaul.

Draft law The draft law also sets out the provision that only dedicated ‘takaful’ firms may operate in the Omani market, preventing existing conventional underwriters from setting up Islamic insurance windows.

Although it is one of the newest entrants to the Islamic finance sector, Oman is likely to join other GCC member states in setting the pace for the development of takaful products, according to consultancy firm EY in its Global

Takaful Insights 2014 report released in September.

Oman offers first-mover advantages to early entrants in the sharia-compliant insurance sector, the report noted, as continued double-digit growth is forecast for the global takaful industry, which will be worth over $20bn by 2017.

To ease the difficulty of identifying suitable investable assets for takaful operators, Muscat Securities Market (MSM) launched a sharia-compliant index for investors seeking Islamic equities.

Last year, the Sultanate saw its first takaful insurance companies enter the market. Al Madina Takaful converted itself from a conventional insurer to a takaful company in January 2014, while Takaful Oman Insurance, a startup, was launched in June.

The potential for growth in the Omani market is high, both for ‘takaful’ operators and conventional insurers.

Penetration rates are estimated to be around 1.1 per cent, according to a report by ratings agency Moody’s.–ONA

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Mercury falls by 1.8 per cent in ’14

RAIN FURY: Last year Oman received 49.3 millimetres of rain during summer and 59.4 millimetres during winter. Among the governorates, North Al Batinah received maximum rainfall– ONA file photograph

OMAN LEGAL ACTION

TRA seizes fake goods in Musandam Times News Service MUSCAT: More than eight shops in the Governorate of Musandam selling fake tablet devices and mobile phones were raided by Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

These shops were booked under legal provisions of the IT law.

This was part of the periodical inspection campaign conducted regularly by the TRA over various governorates and willayats of the Sultanate in view of the recent spurt in sale of these devices.

“These inspection campaigns are carried out by the TRA to ascertain the dealers’ compliance with the obligations set out pursuant to its decision No. 8/2008 W H O I N I T I AT I V E

Global group to debate health issues

Mercury came down to 27.7C, compared to 28.2C recorded in 2013, the highest average temperature recorded for the period 2010-2014

MUSCAT: A 1.8 per cent fall in average temperature last year has been revealed by the latest statistics on the Sultanate’s climate issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Mercury came down to 27.7C, compared to 28.2C recorded in 2013, the highest average temperature recorded for the period 2010-2014.

Last summer logged a maximum temperature of 44.2C while the season also offered respite from the sweltering heat with mercury level falling to 15.5C, the minimum temperature recorded for the period.

On the other hand, the winter of 2014 experienced a maximum temperature of 36.8 C and a minimum of as low as 10 C. Mercury surged to scorching levels in Al Buraimi Governorate last July, which recorded the Sultanate’s highest average temperature during 2014 at 37.1 C. The average humidity recorded in the summer of 2014 reached 50.9 per cent while it was 53.4 per cent during winter. According to the data, 2013 witnessed the highest humidity during the period from 2010 to 2014, with a value of 55.1 per cent in summer and 55.3 per cent in winter.

The NCSI figures also indicate that last year received 49.3 millimetres of rainfall during summer and 59.4 millimetres during winter. Among the governorates, North Al Batinah received the highest quantity of rainfall in 2014, receiving 55.4 millimetres in March 2014. In comparison, 2013 received copious rains to the tune of 126 millimetres in summer and 42 millimetres in winter. The highest average wind speed of 14.3 knots in 2014 was recorded in July in Al Wusta Governorate.–ONA

Early warning system to be launched today Times News Service MUSCAT: A National Multi Hazard Early Warning System (NMHEWS), designed to respond to water-related hazards, will be launched on Monday in Muscatwww.

The system has been developed with technical support of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO), through a collaboration that began in 2009.

Since 2010, the government of Oman has been collaborating with IOCUNESCO to develop a Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS). The system includes monitoring, data processing and standard operating procedures.

The collaboration included training and capacity building, as well as installation and operation of sealevel stations. “The multi hazard warning system will connect a series of sensors that can detect any changes in sea bed, information that is relayed to buoys on the surface,” an official attached to the project said.

All the information is relayed by satellite to the Sultan Qaboos University’s seismological centre.

The launch will happen at the regional conference

on the theme, “Reducing Tsunami Risk in the Western Indian Ocean,” which started in Muscat on Sunday. The conference is being organised by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and Oman’s Directorate General of Meteorology and Public Authority for Civil Aviation (DGMET/PACA).

The national system aims to protect the citizens and residents and prevent a deadly repeat of incidents like Gonu in 2007. “Tropical cyclones in Oman caused more than 60 fatalities in 2007 (Gonu) and an estimated 727 deaths in 1890.

Most years produce flash floods that pose hazards to life and property along wadis,” according to the organisers of the conference.

The conference has brought together geologists, seismologists and related professionals who are studying tsunami sources in the western Indian Ocean, as well as construction and infrastructure planning specialists, and communication and social science experts.

These expected outcomes are intended to yield better understanding of tsunami generation in the western Indian Ocean and increase the efficacy of the region’s early warning systems.

INFRASTRUCTURE

OMR3.5m worth agreements for South Batinah land port MUSCAT: Two agreements worth of OMR3.5 million for land port in South Al Batinah, were signed on Sunday by Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of the Founding Committee for Oman Logistics Company.

The first agreement with Alisco Strong Plant Trad. & Cont.

L.L.C is related to the design and construction of the land port at the logistic area, design and construction of the internal roads, and ensuring the accommodation of the container and shipping movement inside the port.

The company will design and construct the main gates that will use the most advanced system that ensures smooth entry and exit of containers and commodities. It will also design and prepare the shipping, handling and

warehousing yards. It will also provide the electrical connection and power to the points dedicated to storing chiller containers and will design the pathways leading to the utilities.

The second agreement with F & M Engeria is related to preparing the master plan for the first stage. This would include a proposal for land division and uses, design of infrastructure and service networks, identifying the land uses which include dedicating spaces for storing flammable and non-flammable materials, chiller warehouses, preparing the construction by-law etc.

The master plan for the Logistic Area project stretches over 95 kms.and will be built on six stages. The first square of the first stage, 3 million square meters, is dedicated for logistic services including the land port, which

will be the first of its kind in the Sultanate.

The land port includes spaces for custom inspection over the containers coming to and going from the land and marine ports.

It will also include spaces for health, agricultural and municipal control.

Oman Logistics Company, the developer for the logistic area in South Al Batinah, expects that the drafting of the investment incentives and benefits packages, the land agreements and application procedures will be completed the second half of this year.

Ahmed bin Hassan Al-Dheeb, said that construction of the logistic areas in South Al Batinah reflects the importance of this sector which will play an important role in the efforts made to diversify sources of national income.–ONA

A5

MUSCAT: Issues relevant to health and global policies will be the focus of the Global Policy Group’s (GPG) meeting, which will begin on Monday in Muscat.

The three-day meeting, which is being hosted by the Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Health, for the first time, is organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The meeting will be attended by the WHO Director General Dr Margret Chan, along with her deputy and regional directors of the six WHO regions. Apart from global health issues, the meeting will focus on reforms and and medical emergencies techniques.

It is also an opportunity to update the participants on the Oman Health Vision 2050.

Choosing Oman to host the meeting marks the Ministry of Health strong ties with the WHO and their consistent collaboration. –ONA

Fake tablets and mobile phoneswere seized in the raids

regarding the registration of such shops as dealers in telecommunications devices. The selling of non-type-approved phone sets (fake versions) is a violation of this

decision since these devices are incompatible with the approved international manufacturers’ specifications,” said a TRA release.

As part of the same campaign, the TRA inspection team apprehended a number of expatriate workers illegally selling international phone calls through VoIP facility at cheap rates using voice-carrying devices. They were also dealing in devices for the encryption of data packages that are carried over the internet via the installation of a number of applications on their mobile phones and computers.

The provision of such services without obtaining a license constitutes a breach of the Telecommunications Regulatory Act.

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

OMAN

Strategy is choice. You have two choices: Who is my client? How can I make my client happy in a unique way? That is all what strategy is.

Jeroen De Flander, influential thinker

For companies to succeed focus should be on strategy execution Tanfidh’s event seeks to help understand better new concepts to implement key strategies in business for employees and executives

TARIQ AL HAREMI

Tanfidh’s two day conference features three guest speakers. — Supplied picture

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Successful companies give a lot of importance to strategy execution, said Jeroen De Flander, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on the subject.

De Flander was the keynote speaker at the strategy execution training session organised by Tanfidh Training and Consulting on Sunday.

The event was held the under the patronage of Talal bin Suleiman Al Rahbi, to help understand better new concepts to implement key strategies in business for employees and executives.

The highly regarded keynote speaker, De Flander discussed how a company could benefit from insights on strategy execution, and

provided tips to local businessmen and entrepreneurs.

Strategy is choice “Strategy is choice. You have two choices: Who is my client? How can I make my client happy in a unique way? That is all what strategy is,” said De Flander.

According to him, strategy is Y E M E N AT TA C K S

< FROM

‘Grateful

A1 for Oman’s help’ Television footage showed young men in traditional Yemeni clothes carrying lifeless bodies, some dripping with blood, out of the mosques. Another Yemeni resident of Muscat said that he was grateful for Oman’s help on humanitarian grounds.

“All the Yemeni people in Oman are indebted to His Majesty’s kindness to order the repatriation of the wounded people to receive medical attention here. This is not the first time Oman has responded to Yemen in a crisis,” Ahmed Al Murshid, another Yemeni resident told Times of Oman.

merely a choice between two options and it depends on executives to make the right decision to take their companies towards success.

He also spoke about the need to master crucial strategy execution skills.

Throughout the session, De Flander gave some exercises for the guests as an experiment to de-

Said Saif Al Harthy. — Supplied picture

Jeroen De Flander. — Supplied picture

termine the strategic thinking they possess, and provided them with guidance and tips on how to implement new strategies and execute them properly.

Executive director of Tanfidh, Said Saif Al Harthy, thanked the honoured guest for his support and participation in the session as well as for stressing the importance of implementing new strategic ideas.

“I hope what they learnt today, they would take into consideration and apply it in the workplace for greater success today and in

the future,” Al Harthy said about his guests.

The two day conference features three guest speakers.

Day 2 of the conference will feature Rani Salman, a regional strategy execution guru who has helped organisations in the GCC better implement their strategies and achieve tangible performance results, and Ghada Ibrahim, a bilingual strategy execution expert in the region who boasts of vast experience in strategy management, execution and education.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Saraya Bandar Jissah aids Qantab community growth Times News Service MUSCAT: Through a wide range of community based initiatives that make thoughtful and meaningful contributions to local society, Saraya Bandar Jissah has formed strong bonds with the local community.

Saraya Bandar Jissah, a development in partnership with Omran and Saraya Oman, has come a long way in establishing a positive and fulfilling relationship with the neighbouring community.

“It is our collective vision to improve the quality of life of our neighbours. We are constantly on the lookout to bring forth significant gestures to better the lives of our community. Saraya Bandar Jissah’s focus is to join hands with the local community for long term, visionary initiatives.

“The Saraya Bandar Jissah development will, on completion, generate over 800 direct jobs for locals, thus contributing actively to the Sultanate’s economy,” said Said Juma Albusaidi, Assistant PR & Communications Manager on Saraya Bandar Jissah’s ongoing CSR commitment.

Saraya Bandar Jissah, the developer of the newest integrated tourism complex in Muscat, is committed to encouraging health and community oriented lifestyle facilities for residents of Qantab, and recently had the pleasure of commissioning a one of a kind football pitch constructed to international FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) standards for the young football enthusiasts of Qantab.

The 60m x 90m football pitch has synthetic grass installed by

Saraya Bandar Jissah is committed to encouraging health and community oriented lifestyle facilities for residents of Qantab. — Supplied picture

Saraya Bandar Jissah and is ready for players to set foot in.

Furthermore, Saraya Bandar Jissah is in the process of awarding the construction contract to build new Qantab Village Majlis.

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

“As developers of real estate, we intend on making contributions in the fields we have thorough knowledge and expertise in.

It was our pleasure to present the football pitch to the community of Qantab.

“In due course, we also look forward to handing over the Majlis which will be a great source of pride to the community as well for us at Saraya Bandar Jissah,” added Said Juma Albusaidi.

Within the objective of supporting the growth of the next generation, Saraya Bandar Jissah in the past has made special contributions for the young chil-

dren of Qantab at Qantab Public School. Working closely with the school, Saraya Bandar Jissah’s initiative involved designing a modern and dynamic environment in order to create a great learning space for youngsters, both to engage with their teachers and be stimulated in their classroom environment.

The Qantab Public School initiative, undertaken by Saraya Bandar Jissah, not only uplifted the spirit of learning but gained recognition by the Social Committee of Muscat when it was nominated as one of the best three CSR Initiatives in a competition conducted recently.

Additionally, with a vision to enhance the capacity of the youth of Qantab, a Qantab Social Entrepreneurship Programme coined ‘Qudrat 4,’ took 25 Omani youth on a journey to understand the systematic approach to starting an innovative and successful business.

CRUISE SHIP VISITS SALALAH PORT Italian cruise ship Costa Neo Classica visited Salalah Port on Sunday with 1,447 passengers on board including 887 tourists of different nationalities. The tourism programme for the Italian ship, which came from Mahé Port in the Seychelles and is headed to Aqaba Port in Jordan, included tours to the most important archeological and historical landmarks in the Governorate of Dhofar, such as Frankincense tree sites, Al Baleed Archaeological Park, Frankincense Land Museum, besides visiting the beaches and the traditional markets. The cruise ship AIDAdiva will visit Salalah Port on Monday with 2,683 passengers on its board including 2,033 tourists. — ONA

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

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REGION

The attack on the Bardo museum in Tunis on Wednesday killed 21 people, all but one of them foreign tourists, and was claimed by the IS militant group. It came as Tunisia struggles with rising extremism.

T E R R O R AT TA C K

Third Tunisia national museum attacker still at large: President TUNIS: A third attacker in the massacre of tourists in Tunisia’s national museum is on the run, President Beji Caid Essebsi said on Sunday, vowing to track him down.

“Definitely there were three,” Essebsi told France’s iTele television and Europe 1 radio.

“Two were killed, but there is one who is now on the run,” he said. “In any case, he will not get very far.”

The attack on the Bardo museum in Tunis on Wednesday killed 21 people, all but one of them foreign tourists, and was claimed by the IS militant group.

It came as Tunisia struggles

with rising extremism. Authorities on Saturday released CCTV footage from the attack showing two black-clad gunmen with automatic weapons walking unimpeded though a large lobby, with a time stamp showing just after noon.

Footage The grainy black-and-white footage then shows the gunmen passing an unidentified male. They point an automatic weapon at him briefly before allowing him to flee as they make their way up a staircase. After rampaging through the museum for several hours, the two gunmen were killed in an assault by security forces.

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Essebsi on Saturday admitted that more could have been done to prevent the attack, which raised fears for the future of Tunisia’s vital tourism industry.

“There were failures” which meant “the police and intelligence were not systematic enough to ensure the safety of the museum”, Essebsi told weekly Paris Match weekly in an interview. But he said security forces “responded very ef-

fectively to quickly put an end to the attack at the Bardo, certainly preventing dozens more deaths if the terrorists had been able to set off their suicide belts”.

Officials had earlier admitted that guards supposed to be protecting the museum and the nearby parliament were having coffee at the time of the assault.

10 arrested Tunisian authorities have arrested more than 10 people believed to be directly or indirectly involved in the attack, including relatives of one of the gunmen.

An arrest warrant was also issued for a Tunisian named Maher WA R T O R N NAT I O N

Syrian rebels capture regime helicopter

READY FOR BATTLE: Southern People’s Resistance militants loyal to Yemen’s President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi gather at the Al Anad air base in the country’s southern province of Lahj, after seizing it on Sunday. – Reuters

Houthi militia seize strategic city in Yemen Houthis take over parts of city of Taiz.

Anti-aircraft guns open fire at plane over Aden

ADEN: Houthi militia fighters opposed to Yemen’s president took over the central city of Taiz in an escalation of a power struggle diplomats say risks drawing in neighbouring countries.

Residents of Taiz, on a main road from the capital Sanaa to the country’s second city of Aden, said that Houthi militias took over the city’s military airport without a struggle from local authorities late on Saturday.

Eyewitnesses in the central province of Ibb reported seeing dozens of tanks and military vehicles headed southward from Houthi-controlled areas toward Taiz, while activists in the city said Houthi gunmen shot into the air to disperse protests by residents demonstrating against their presence.

Security sources said some 300 men, including Houthi fighters dressed in military uniforms and allied forces, had deployed at the airport and reinforcements were arriving from Sanaa by air and land.

The forces allied with the Houthis included members of the former central security force, a unit seen as loyal to Saleh.

Patrolling Security sources said Houthi militiamen were also patrolling parts of Taez and had set up checkpoints in Raheda, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the city on the road to Aden.

A military source said troops loyal to Hadi and southern paramilitary forces had meanwhile deployed in Lahj province, north of Aden, in anticipation of a possible advance by the Houthis.

Conflict has been spreading

RUNNING FOR SAFETY: Anti-Houthi protesters run as pro-Houthi police troopers fire tear gas shells to disperse them in Yemen’s southwestern city of Taiz on Sunday. – Reuters

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across Yemen since last year when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and effectively removed President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi, who now seeks a comeback from his base in Aden.

The United Nations Security Council would discuss Yemen after Hadi, a US ally, accused the Houthi militia of staging a coup and appealed to the UN for “urgent intervention”.

In a letter to the Security Council, he said the Houthis and their allies “not only threaten peace in Yemen but regional and international peace and security”. He called for “urgent intervention by all available means to stop this aggression that is aimed at undermining the legitimate authority, the fragmentation of Yemen and its peace and stability.”

Iran on Sunday called for dialogue, but suggested that Hadi should leave to spare the country further bloodshed.

“The expectation is that President... Hadi will resign rather than repeat mistakes, to play a constructive role in preventing the break-up of Yemen and the transformation of Aden into a terrorist haven,” said Iran’s deputy foreign minister Hossein Amir

Abdollahian, according to state news agency IRNA. But Gulf leaders and security officials on Saturday said Hadi was Yemen’s legitimate ruler and they were ready to make “all efforts” to defend the country’s security. “Yemen is sliding into a dark tunnel which would have serious consequences not only on Yemen but on security and stability in the region,” the officials, who included Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, said.

“The security of Yemen and of the GCC countries is an indivisible whole,” it added.

On Sunday, anti-aircraft guns opened fire at an unidentified plane flying over Hadi’s compound in Aden and appeared to force it away, witnesses said, in the third incident of its kind since last Thursday.

US officials said Washington had evacuated its remaining personnel from Yemen, including around 100 special operations forces, because of worsening security, marking a setback in US efforts against a powerful Al Qaeda branch. In statement on Saturday, Washington said it was evacuating its remaining personnel from the country. “Due to the deteriorating security situation in Yemen, the US government has temporarily relocated its remaining personnel out of Yemen,” State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said. - Agencies

BEIRUT: Rebels in Syria captured four crew members on Sunday when a regime helicopter crashed in the northwest province of Idlib, a monitor said, while a fifth serviceman was killed.

“A regime helicopter was forced to land in the region of Jabal Al Zawiya in the northwest, which is a bastion of (Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate) Al Nusra Front,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said.

“Four of the crew were captured and a fifth man was killed by armed men in a neighbouring village,” he said. — AFP

Ben Mouldi Kaidi for suspected involvement.

The dead tourists were four Italians, three Japanese, three French, two Spaniards, a Colombian, an Australian-Colombian, a British woman, a Belgian woman, three Poles and a Russian. A Tunisian policeman was also killed. In its first claim of a major attack in Tunisia, the IS group said it was behind the assault and threatened more.

Authorities said the gunmen had trained in neighbouring Libya, where IS is believed to have camps.

Tunisia has seen an upsurge in extremism since the 2011 revolution that ousted former leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the

protests. The country has taken pride in forming a democratic government and achieving stability since the protests — in marked contrast to nations such as Egypt and Libya. But dozens of police and military personnel have been killed in attacks blamed on militants.

The museum attack has left Tunisia reeling, with newspapers on Sunday calling for authorities to do more to combat extremism.

“What’s essential now is to really take action,” French-language daily Le Quotidien wrote, calling for more state oversight of mosques, especially those “under the influence of uncontrollable religious fanatics”. — AFP

A8

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

INDIA S C H O O L - L E AV I N G E X A M S

OBSERVING WORLD WATER DAY Sikh volunteers distribute free drinking water to devotees on World Water Day at the Golden temple in Amritsar on Sunday.

A new UN report launched in New Delhi on Friday ahead of World Water Day on March 22 warned of an urgent need to manage the world’s water more sustainably and highlight the problem of groundwater over-extraction, particularly in India and China. - AFP

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1,000 detained in Bihar over exam cheating NEW DELHI: Police have detained more than 1,000 people in eastern India over a cheating scandal that saw relatives scale the walls of a school exam centre to help students, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Images last week showed dozens of people clinging to the windows of a four-storey building to pass cheat sheets in the state of Bihar, where more than 1.4 million teenagers are sitting their school-leaving exams. Other images broadcast on local television showed school staff and armed police officers standing by as people smuggled in study aids to candidates inside examination centres.

Bihar additional director general of police Gupteshwar Pandey said upwards of 1,000 people have been rounded up and put in jail, but have not been formally charged with a criminal offence.

Instead, they are being made to pay fines ranging from 2,000 rupees ($32) up to tens of thousands of rupees, depending on their involvement in the cheating, to secure their release from lock up.

Pandey said parents and teachers were among the main culprits “who were found cheating or cooperating with the cheating in school exams across the state”. - AFP

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

Church vandalised in MP, Maharashtra attack culprits still at large JABALPUR/MUMBAI: A cathedral premises and a Catholic school where people had gathered for a religious convention were vandalised allegedly by Hindu activists at Jabalpur in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the second incident to come to light after Saturday’s attack on a church in neighbouring Maharashtra, drawing outrage from the Christian community.

No arrests have been made so far in connection with the Jabalpur incident which took place on March 20 and the wee hours of March 21, when some members of the Christian community were allegedly assaulted and threatened by members of Bajrang Dal and Dharam Sena who attacked the school and a parsonage alleging that religious conversion had been taking place there.

There was also no breakthrough in the probe into the church attack in New Panvel area in Navi Mumbai though police were grilling some suspects.

The CCTV footage showed that the attack was carried out by two masked persons who were riding pillion on a motorcycle at around 1.30am on Saturday when they hurled stones at the Saint George Catholic church located near a bridge in New Panvel.

There are no eyewitnesses to

the incident and the scanning of CCTV footage has also not thrown up any substantial leads to identity the attackers, police said.

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the culprits will be nabbed soon. In Jabalpur, police booked a leader of Dharma Sena and some others but church authorities questioned the “delay” in arresting the culprits.

“Dharma Sena leader Yogesh Agrawal and Raju Rai and a few others have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and efforts are on to track down and arrest them,” Jabalpur Superintendent of Police HC Mishra said on Sunday.

Ravi Francis, claiming to be a witness, said he was roughed up

by Dharma Sena and Bajrang Dal activists who stormed into Saint Thomas School campus, where some people who came for a convention were staying.

Meanwhile, talking about the recent attacks on churches in the country, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “There is no need to create a sense of fear among minorities, we should instead instil confidence. Whether it’s an attack on a temple, a mosque, or any religious place, whatever action is required under the law will be taken.” - PTI

Lies being spread, land bill not anti-farmer: PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the new bill addresses ‘lacunae’ in the earlier law which was ‘enacted in a hurry’ but maintained that the government is willing

DISPELLING DOUBTS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ‘no consent’ provision in the proposed new law applies to acquisitions by government for different projects and insisted that the same clause exists in the previous law. - AFP file photo

to accommodate any more suggestions in farmers’ interest

NEW DELHI: Directly reaching out to farmers over the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked them not to be misled by “rumours and lies” as he slammed the Opposition for trying to create confusion for “political reasons”.

With the Government under attack for bringing amendments to

the Land Act of 2013, he insisted that the proposed new bill, which has got stuck in Rajya Sabha after passage in Lok Sabha, was an improved version for the benefit of farmers and villages.

Speaking on the issue over radio in his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, he said the new bill addresses “lacunae” in the earlier law which was “enacted in a hurry” but maintained that the government is willing to accommodate any more suggestion in farmers’ interest.

During the 30-minute programme, the prime minister said the states have favoured changes

in the Land Act of 2013 but if any state wants to go by the previous law, they are free to do so.

Making a veiled attack on Congress, he said, “those projecting themselves as sympathisers of farmers and undertaking protests” had been using a 120-year-old law to acquire farm land for over 6065 years after Independence and were now targeting his government which is “trying to improve upon the Act of 2013”.

He underlined that the new bill has the same compensation provisions as in the 2013 Act and emphatically rejected allegations

that the new measure was aimed at benefiting the corporates.

He also said that ‘no consent’ provision in the proposed new law applies to acquisitions by government for government or PPP projects and insisted that the same clause exists in the previous Act. “I am surprised that all kinds of misinformation is spread,” the prime minister said, focusing on the issue over which his government has come under severe attack and uniting opposition parties which have stepped up campaign against it.

“Our commitment is to ensure benefits for farmers through the Land Acquisition Act..So many lies are being spread..It is my fervent appeal to farmers not to make decisions on the basis of these lies.

Don’t be misled,” he said, adding, “You trust me, I will not betray your trust.”

He went on to add: “Rumours are being spread that Modi is bringing the law to reduce compensation. I can’t even think of committing such a sin... Such misinformation is being carried out for political reasons. You have to guard against them.”

The prime minister asserted that there is absolutely no change in the compensation that will be paid to farmers. Referring to the consent clause issue, he said misinformation is being spread for “political reasons”. - PTI

SOCIETY

Bans fuel fears of intolerance in world’s largest democracy NEW DELHI: Don’t eat it, read it, see it, feel it, sings the Michael Jackson impersonator as she raps her way through a list of pleasures banned by Indian government before chorusing: “Just beep it!”

As the world’s largest democracy, India has long been proud of its tradition of artistic, cultural and religious freedoms.

But a series of bans, ranging from eating beef to watching the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, has sparked accusations of a growing climate of intolerance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Critics say the bans show how “thin-skinned” their politicians have become in the Internet age where attempts to put a lid on offending material are likely to backfire.

The spoof of Jackson’s classic Beat It, which was made by the Indian comedy trio Enna Da Rascalas, has gone viral since being uploaded on YouTube last week, reflecting the backlash against blacklists.

Announcing a ban earlier this month on a British-made documentary about an infamous 2012 gang-rape in Delhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the com-

ments by one of the rapists could fuel public anger.

Days later, a government-appointed board of censors blocked the release of the movie Fifty Shades of Grey in cinemas, despite being shown a toned-down version.

And a comedy “roast” show that featured several Bollywood stars has fallen foul of the authorities after being uploaded on the Internet and is now at the centre of an obscenity investigation over some of its sexually explicit jokes.

“For this government, it seems a ban becomes the quickest way to eliminate a problem,” Shiv Visvanathan, a sociologist based in Haryana state, said.

Making life complex “Bans do not tolerate disorder but without debate and disorder, you can’t have a free democracy. It is just making life complex.”

Historians point out that the centre-left Congress party which has ruled India for most of the post-independence period has its own track record of bans, particularly during the 1975-77 “Emergency” under former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Our mounting concern is that there is a climate of intolerance that has unfortunately been given free rein Shashi Tharoor Congress leader

British author Salman Rushdie’s 1988 book The Satanic Verses was for example banned here for allegedly insulting Islam.

But the last two decades has seen a general relaxation on the part of the watchdogs with TV channels able to air shows like Sex and the City that would have once

been considered too racy.

Even the Rushdie novel Midnight’s Children — which is scathing about the Emergency — was released in Indian cinemas in 2013, albeit without the nudity.

Shashi Tharoor, a best-selling author who is also a Congress lawmaker, says the cultural cli-

mate has definitely changed since Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party came to power last May. “Our mounting concern is that there is a climate of intolerance that has unfortunately been given free rein,” Tharoor said.

“Positions which had always struck the Indian mainstream as being fringe positions have suddenly become acceptable to the powers that lead.”

The former diplomat made his name with The Great Indian Novel, a satire that came out in 1989 and is based on the epic Sanskrit poem Mahabharata. Were it to be published today, Tharoor suspects it would be banned.

Acclaimed Tamil-language author Perumal Murugan quit writing altogether in January following protests by Hindu and caste groups who felt insulted by one of his books.

Pressure from Hindu activist groups was also instrumental in the passing of a ban on beef earlier this month in Maharashtra, which encompasses the largest city Mumbai.

Cows are sacred to Hindus.

The move has been interpreted

in some corners as another sign of growing intolerance in a country that is overwhelmingly Hindu but also has sizeable Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities.

But Pavan Verma, who has written extensively about cultural and religious history in India, said a certain amount of censorship was understandable in order to avoid causing offence in such a diverse country.

Co-existence “India is a country of wide social discrepancies... that try to coexist with each other and it’s not an easy job to keep everyone happy all the time,” Verma, a former head of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, said.

Tanmay Bhat, one of the AIB comedy team at the centre of the obscenity row, said the wave of bans made little logical sense but did reflect a general intolerance.

“We (Indians) tend to have... an ostrich kind of mentality,” he said at a New Delhi event last week.

“We want to put our heads into the ground and be like, ‘if I don’t like something then it’s got to go away’.” - AFP

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INDIA

Pakistan urged to end ‘atmosphere of terror’ Recalling a statement by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said one can change his or her friend but not neighbours and that is why the NDA government wanted friendly relations with Pakistan

ATTARI: India on Sunday asked Pakistan to end the atmosphere of terror along the border, saying that New Delhi wants to maintain friendly relations with the neighbouring country.

“Pakistan should ponder as to how long this atmosphere of terror (‘dehshat gardi ki mahol) will continue. I want to ask Pakistan, how long do you want to keep the border red with terrorism? It must come to an end,” Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said at a BSF function at this border crossing point between India and Pakistan near Amritsar in Punjab.

Recalling a statement by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Singh said one can change his or her friend but not neighbours and that is why the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government wanted friendly relations with Pakistan.

Lauding Vajpayee’s peace initiative with the neighbouring country in the late 90s, Singh said this was the same Wagah-Attari border from where the former prime minister had started his peace initiative with Pakistan.

“Vajpayee had offered the hand of friendship to Pakistan. He not only wanted friendly relations

GOOD GESTURE: Home Minister Rajnath Singh presents fruit basket to BSF jawans at the inauguration of the construction work of New Viewer’s Gallery at Attari international border on Sunday. - PTI

J&K assembly condemns Jammu terror strikes JAMMU: Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Sunday passed a resolution condemning the recent twin terror attacks in Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu and asked the Indian government to “impress upon” Pakistan to take measures for preventing such “dastardly acts” in future.

Both Houses of the Assembly resolved unanimously to condemn the attacks and

with Pakistan but heart- to-heart relations between the people of the two countries.

“But what did we get in return?

Kargil war,” he said.

Hailing the role of BSF in guarding the border with Pakistan, Singh said that whenever required, the border guarding force has responded suitably to any challenge.

He said that the government is preparing a comprehensive plan

ACCIDENT

Parliament complex fire worries President

BLAZE: Security personnel rush to the spot after a major fire

broke out in the air-conditioner plant of Parliament complex this afternoon, in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: A major fire broke out at the air-conditioner plant inside Indian Parliament complex here on Sunday while welding work was underway gutting the unit and affecting air conditioning in the main building and it took ten fire engines to douse the flames in about 30 minutes.

Delhi Fire Service Chief A K Sharma said prima facie it appeared to be a case of negligence as laid down safety norms were not followed in the maintenance work. The Fire department got a call at fire at 2.21pm and ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot immediately to bring the blaze under control.

There were no injuries, fire officials said. Thick black smoke was seen billowing above the red sandstone boundary wall of the 88-year-old Parliament complex as the flames raged just a few hundred metres away from the main building which suffered no damage.

“We had got a call at 2.21 pm following which 10 fire tenders, including two hydraulic platforms under the supervision of a deputy chief fire officer were rushed to the spot and it was

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brought under control by 2.40 pm. By 2.50 pm, it was completely doused. I can confirm that there is no fire and there is no injury to anybody,” said A. K. Sharma (Director)Delhi Fire Service.

Police said that they will enquire into the cause and circumstances of the incident and responsibility will be fixed.

“We have initiated an enquiry into the matter. We will look into all aspects including the cause and circumstances of the fire and take action against those found responsible,” Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) M. K. Meena said. Home Ministry has sought a report on the incident.

President Pranab Mukherjee also expressed serious concern over the fire and asked for an urgent enquiry into its cause.

This was the second case of fire inside the complex in the last couple of days as a minor fire was reported in the AC wiring at gate number 5 on Thursday. - PTI

appealed to the Indian government to impress upon Pakistan to take all steps for preventing such “dastardly acts” in future for a lasting peace in the region so that initiatives taken towards peace are not “derailed”.

In the Assembly, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said that relations between India and Pakistan “will not improve” if such incidents continue to happen.

He also said that such

for ensuring foolproof security along the Indo-Pak border.

Earlier, the Home Minister laid the foundation stone for a new viewers’ gallery at Attari, the border post with Pakistan. The Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post is famous for the beating the retreat ceremony held jointly every day by BSF and Pakistan Rangers.

The new-look gallery, with an increased sitting capacity and ad-

A9

“dastardly” acts are “timed” to subvert the peace process that has recently been started between the two countries.

The House, which is the most legitimate democratic institution representing the aspirations of the people of the state, resolves that the movement for peace and reconciliation will be carried forward with full force and the enemies of people will be defeated, the resolution said. - PTI

ditional facilities for tourists, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 25 crore. Singh also congratulated the women’s camel contingent of BSF for reaching the Wagah-Atari border after completing a march of 2,300-km. The all-women safari, consisting of BSF women officers and women volunteers from Tata Steel Adventure, had started off from Bhuj in Gujarat on February 26, 2015. - PTI

18TH MEETING

India, China to hold border talks in Delhi BEIJING/NEW DELHI: India and China will hold the 18th round of border talks in Delhi from Monday — the first round of negotiations after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power last year — where the two sides are expected to focus on clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Special Representative on the Boundary Question and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval would hold talks with his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi amid hopes to clinch a solution to the vexed boundary issue under the strong leadership in both the countries.

Yang will visit India on March 22-24 to hold the 18th Meeting of the Special Representatives at the invitation of Doval, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The talks are taking place in the backdrop of candid discussions between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter’s visit to Delhi in September last year.

The high-profile visit was overshadowed by the intrusion of Chinese troops at Chumar in Ladakh region.

It was resolved after simultaneous withdrawal by both sides after Xi’s visit. The incident prompted Modi to suggest Xi that “clarification of LAC” would greatly contribute efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity at the border where troops from both sides often assert their claims and counter-claims.

Xi had said there might be incidents like Chumar as the border is yet to be demarcated.

Chinese officials say LAC clarification could figure in this round of talks, which are being held in the backdrop expectations on both sides that since Modi and Xi have emerged as strong leaders, the two nations had a unique chance to strike a deal.

Significantly, the talks are also being held ahead of Modi’s first visit to China expected to be before May-end.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who visited China last month to make preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit, spoke about the need for an “out of the box” solution on the border issue in order to not leave it for future generations.

The dispute has been contained. At the moment, the boundary negotiation is in the process of building up small positive developments Wang Yi Chinese Foreign Minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had recently said China and India should “do more” to strengthen bilateral cooperation to clinch a final settlement of the boundary issue.

“The dispute has been contained. At the moment, the boundary negotiation is in the process of building up small positive developments,” Wang said ahead of the border talks.

Showing its sensitivity on Arunachal Pradesh, China had recently strongly protested to India over Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the border state.

China says the border dispute is confined only to 2,000km mostly in Arunachal Pradesh whereas India asserts that the dispute covered the western side of the border spanning to about 4,000km, especially the Aksai Chin area annexed by China in 1962 war. - PTI

A 10

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

PAKISTAN

When Amazon and Alibaba come in... they would not want to build anything from scratch. It’s going to take too much time Muneeb Maayr, Co-founder of Daraz.pk

Musharraf tells party to contest local elections We will go in local body polls with the slogan of ‘Pakistan first’ and win, the former military ruler and leader of the All Pakistan Muslim League said

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is facing criminal proceedings, announced on Sunday that his party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) would contest local government elections.

The 71-year-old returned to Pakistan in March 2013 after four years of self-imposed exile to run in general elections, vowing to “save” the country from Taliban violence and economic ruin.

Bloodless coup But Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and resigned in 2008, was barred from

PAKISTAN FIRST: Supporters of former President Pervez Musharraf, head of the All Pakistan Muslim League political party, chant slogans during a protest in Karachi on April 6, 2014. He announced that the party will take part in the poll to elect local government representatives, which are expected to take place in three provinces later this year. — Reuters file photo

standing and put under house arrest over numerous criminal charges – including treason.

APML were mauled – winning only one seat – as Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) swept to power, but on Sunday Musharraf launched an audacious bid to see his party reemerge as a force.

“We will go in local body polls with the slogan of ‘Pakistan first’ and win,” he told AMPL’s central executive committee.

Elections for local government representatives are expected to

take place in three provinces later this year.

Musharraf, the first former army chief to be charged with treason, also predicted early general elections and directed his party to prepare for a national campaign.

Musharraf is facing several major criminal cases linked to his time in power, including the 2007 assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and suicide attack but proceedings have repeatedly stalled. — AFP

BOOMING SECTOR

Absence of Amazon a boon for e-commerce pioneers ISLAMABAD: For Shayaan Tahir, it all began when an order he placed on Amazon for a new iPod was rejected because the online giant would not deliver electronics to Pakistan.

Frustrated, he decided to take matters into his own hands and founded one of Pakistan’s first e-commerce ventures -- a sector that today is booming.

That was seven years ago. Like thousands of other young Pakistanis, Tahir was working at a call centre in the city of Karachi, the country’s violent, freewheeling economic hub located on the Arabian Sea. He had saved hard to buy himself an iPod -- only to have his purchase blocked. He enlisted a cousin in the United States to send him three of Apple’s music players. Tahir kept one and sold the other two via classified ads.

And that was when the idea hit him: to create his own Amazonlike site for Pakistan, a country of almost 200 million people that has been all but forgotten by the web giants ubiquitous in the West. Amazon, for example, can only sell limited products to Pakistan via its British site, at a hefty mark-up. “Once I realised I cannot buy anything from Amazon... I realised that if I cannot get it and I want something from Amazon then there might be others like me who want the same product,” said Tahir, 29.

He launched Homeshopping. pk, an online commerce site that today deals with 500 transactions per day and employees 65 people.

Products are delivered within 24 hours inside Pakistan, and the business primarily takes cash on delivery because most people do not have credit cards. More recently the site began accepting online bank transfers.

Handful of customers Despite some security concerns and a handful of customers who refused to pay for an item once it had been delivered, it’s a formula that has so far worked.

Other young entrepreneurs have followed Tahir and today there is a host of online shops selling everything from consumer goods – shophive.com and daraz. pk – to real estate – zameen.com – and even cars – pakwheels.com.

Pakistan is better known abroad for its violent attacks by Taliban militants, but these entrepreneurs are more focussed on its 30 million Internet users, roughly 15 per cent of the population.

Once I realised I cannot buy anything from Amazon...

I realised that if I cannot get it and I want something from Amazon then there might be others like me who want the same product Shayaan Tahir Founder of Homeshopping.pk

Tiny fraction of sales The total volume of online sales was around $35 million last year, according to industry officials – a tiny fraction of the sales seen by global giant Amazon, Alibaba in China or Flipkart in neighbouring India. But experts agree there is potential.

The arrival last year of 3G and 4G mobile networks – years behind other emerging markets – has proved a further boon to online commerce in the country.

“Basically the 30 million could be 100 million in the next few years,” said Shaun Di Gregorio, CEO of Frontier Digital Ventures, a venture capital fund based in Malaysia that recently invested in Zameen.com and Pakwheels.com.

“In order to surf, you need a wave, and the wave is here,” added Frenchman Gilles Blanchard, cofounder of the site Seloger.com who has invested in Pakistani startup Zameen.com.

Di Gregorio and Blanchard are among the foreign investors who are hoping to cash in ahead of any

move by the global giants to acquire local companies.

“When Amazon and Alibaba come in... they would not want to build anything from scratch. It’s going to take too much time,” said Muneeb Maayr, co-founder of the site Daraz.pk, which sees around 1,000 sales per day.

His goal is for his firm to one day be acquired by one of the foreign behemoths.

Better services For now, young Pakistani entrepreneurs are battling among themselves for market share, said Maayr, a former investment banker at Bear Stearns. The rivalry is pushing sites to offer better services and driving up the number of customers, observers say.

Before he invested in Zameen. com, Blanchard admits that he knew “nothing about Pakistan”.

“I had heard talk on the TV about the Taliban, tribal zones and stuff, and I thought to myself, why not?” the Frenchman said, eying its large population and little-known local talent. — AFP

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

WORLD

The killing was condemned by the Afghan president and other officials, but also drew praise from some quarters, including from a prominent cleric, who asserted the men had a right to defend their Muslim beliefs at all costs

W R O N G LY A C C U S E D

Woman killed by mob in Kabul was innocent KABUL: A woman killed by an angry mob in front of police in the Afghan capital last week for allegedly burning a copy of the Holy Quran was wrongly accused, Afghanistan’s top criminal investigator said on Sunday.

Mobile phone footage circulating on social media shows police at the scene did not save the 27-yearold woman, Farkhunda, who was beaten with sticks and set on fire by a crowd of men in central Kabul in broad daylight on Thursday.

“Last night I went through all documents and evidence once again, but I couldn’t find any evidence to say Farkhunda burnt the Holy Quran,” General Mohammad Zahir told reporters at her funeral on Sunday. “Farkhunda was totally innocent.”

The top criminal investigator promised to punish all those involved and said 13 people, including eight police officers, had already been arrested.

The killing was condemned by the Afghan president and other officials, but also drew praise from some quarters, including from a prominent cleric, who asserted the men had a right to defend their Muslim beliefs at all costs.

Islamic studies teacher Farkhunda was a teacher of Islamic studies, according to her brother, who denied media reports that she had been mentally ill.

He said this was a made-up defence by their father, who wanted to protect the family after police told them to leave the city for their own safety.

“My father was frightened and made the false statement to calm people down,” said Najibullah, who is changing his second name to Farkhunda in memory of his sister.

Hundreds of people attended her funeral on Sunday chanting “we want justice” and her coffin was carried by women. — Reuters

A11

US urges vigilance after IS ‘reveals’ details of Marines on the battlefield,” he added.

A defence department official told AFP they were investigating the posting. “I can’t confirm the validity of the information, but we are looking into it,” the official said.

“The safety of our service members is always a concern.”

The United States is leading an international coalition targeting the IS in Iraq and Syria, where the extremist militants have taken over swaths of territory. IS has claimed responsibility for hacking attacks in the United States in the past, including against Central Command, which oversees the air war against the IS group.

The warning came after a group calling itself the IS Hacking Division posted information about members of the air force, army and navy, including photos and ranks, on the Internet, according to monitoring group SITE Intelligence

WASHINGTON: The US Marine Corps on Sunday urged “vigilance” after a group claiming to be IS hackers published what they said were the names and addresses of 100 military personnel and urged supporters to kill them.

The warning came after a group calling itself the IS Hacking Division posted information about members of the air force, army and navy, including photos and ranks, on the Internet, according to monitoring group SITE Intelligence.

The US Marine Corps said it was visiting all affected staff, and urged caution online.

“Vigilance and force protection considerations remain a priority for commanders and their personnel,” US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel John Caldwell said in a statement, adding that the threat remained “unverified”.

“It is recommended Marines and family members check their

TARGET: US Marines take position during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in Pohang, 270 kms southeast of Seoul, on March 31, 2014. US Marine Corps on Sunday urged caution online and said it was visiting all staff targeted by the IS hacking operation. — AFP file photo

NATO commander Philip Breedlove called the publication an attempt by the IS extremist group to divert attention from military setbacks

online/social footprint, ensuring privacy settings are adjusted to limit the amount of available personal information.”

The Pentagon regularly tells service members to be careful about what they post online.

The self-proclaimed IS Hacking Division claimed it took the information from government servers, databases and emails and called on its followers to mount attacks.

A defence source, however, told The New York Times most of the information was in fact available in public records and did not appear to have been hacked from government servers.

The IS Hacking Division said the 100 military staff had targeted the group in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

“With the huge amount of data we have from various different servers and databases, we have

decided to leak 100 addresses so that our brothers residing in America can deal with you,” the group wrote.

“Now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for?”

NATO commander Philip Breedlove called the publication an attempt by IS to divert attention from military setbacks.

“What we have seen across the last several months is that every time they take a defeat on the battlefield, or every time they are under great pressure on the battlefield, they come out with kind of some big splash like this,” he said at a conference in Brussels.

“It (IS), I think, is under great pressure and so they try to divert attention from what is happening

US websites defaced In January, the hacked Centcom Twitter feed posted what appeared to be an office phone directory of officers that was slightly out of date, forcing the military temporarily to take down the command’s Twitter feed.

This month, the FBI said it was investigating a string of hacks that defaced US websites with imagery from the IS group.

Websites including a racecar speedway in the state of Ohio, a used-clothes store in Missouri and a church in Canada were defaced with the radical group’s black flag. Attacks against similar low-profile websites were also recorded in Montana, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

The group has relied on an aggressive propaganda campaign online to appeal to possible recruits to join and support the violent extremists in Iraq and Syria.

US commanders and senior officials have previously said the IS group has shown a great acumen for propaganda and for promoting itself to potential extremist recruits.

The group has called for socalled lone wolf, or freelance, attacks in coalition countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan and Italy. — AFP

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Brazil’s voice on global stage is fast dimming

W

hen Dilma Rousseff was elected president of Brazil in 2010, industry was thriving and her goal of stamping out poverty in the world’s seventh-largest economy appeared within reach. Many Brazilians hoped that Rousseff, a former political prisoner, would establish a legacy as a transformational head of state at home and abroad. So far, those hopes appear to have been misplaced.

Rousseff has been an under whelming leader on domestic matters and, perhaps most disappointing, on the world stage. While the other three large emerging economies, China, Russia and India, are pursuing muscular foreign policies, under Rousseff ’s watch, Brazil’s voice in the international arena barely registers above a whisper.

After being re-elected by a tiny margin last fall, Rousseff is now facing the most turbulent period of her political career. The economy is sputtering, and Brazilians are enraged by the widening corruption at Petrobras, the state-owned oil company, which has tainted top figures from the ruling Workers Party. With thousands of Brazilians taking to the streets to protest Rousseff ’s leadership, and some calling for her impeachment, the president will very likely be tempted to hunker down and focus on weathering the political crisis. While restoring the trust of constituents will undoubtedly be tough, Rousseff would be wise to spend more energy looking outward, to help strengthen the country’s economy.

This year, the Rousseff government and the Obama administration have expressed interest in engaging at a higher level on areas of mutual interest, which include expanded trade, environmental policy and the future of turmoil-ridden Venezuela.

Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla leader, will not become a firm American ally overnight, and there is much on which the two governments will continue to agree to disagree. Brazil, for instance, has been critical of the use of American military force abroad and has in the past used its diplomatic clout to strengthen multilateral institutions that act as a counterweight to Washington. Nonetheless, Brazil can play a pivotal role in two Latin American countries that are of growing importance to the United States.

In Venezuela, Brazil may be the most influential external actor capable of bridging the dangerous divide between the government of President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition, which Maduras has confronted by jailing its leaders. In Cuba, Brazil could play a constructive role in the economic and political evolution of the island as the Castro era comes to an end. Brazil has already invested in a huge new seaport that could help resurrect Cuba’s anaemic economy. As a leftist leader, Rousseff has predictably been sympathetic toward the authoritarian leaders of both of those nations. As a former political prisoner who endured torture during an era of repression and military rule in Brazil, Rousseff could do far more to champion the cause of those who stand for democratic values and the type of societal movements that enabled her rise to power. - The New York Times News Service

COMMENTARY

Tunisia is afflicted by a serious ailment MARY DEJEVSKY

Census at last

W

orldwide the national census is seen as a primary planning tool, the bedrock on which decisions may be made about many millions of futures. Most countries have a 10year cycle of census and in theory so does Pakistan. The last census in Pakistan was in 1998, 17 years ago, and the next has now been announced as taking place in March 2016, an announcement that we welcome. Conducting a census every 10 years is a constitutional obligation which has been sidestepped by every government since 1998, but the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has now decided to hold the sixth census, and in doing so, will fulfil an election pledge of the sitting government. That said, the ruling PML-N had decided earlier not to conduct a census as it feared a backlash from the results — reasoning not far from that expressed by its PPP predecessor. The CCI made an identical decision in 2011 but it was not implemented by the then PPP government.

If the 2016 census takes place and if the results are published it will be a momentous moment. Much has changed in terms of demographics in the last 17 years, and the rapid urbanisation coupled with rural depopulation has changed the face of Pakistan in a relatively short period of time. It is going to take some steely resolve to make the census a reality, and steely resolve is not something the current dispensation is noted for. Conducting any census in Karachi is going to be fraught to say the least, and equally difficult in areas wracked by conflict — which include large parts of Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas. No matter what the difficulties, Pakistan must complete the census if it has any hope of creating policies that make it fit for purpose in the rapidly changing world of the 21st century. There will be uncomfortable truths revealed that will impact on the political dynamic right across the country and not only in the ‘hot-spots’. What is important is that the census is seen to be implemented in a fair and honest manner. - The Express Tribune

The crime was probably a work of someone known This refers to the news story, 32hour kidnap relived (March 22).

This was not a random crime but was done by someone known. This is enough to make you suspicious of your friends and acquaintances from now on. They will never recover from the ordeal and my advice is to move to another home to avoid these bad memories. It is time for authorities to put surveillance cameras in neighbourhoods and buildings. I have had to install on all my properties after being burgled in MSQ. Aziza Al Busaidy Dubai

hour kidnap relived (March 22).

There is no need to feel alarmed over the law and order of Oman.

Such incidents can happen anywhere and do happen everywhere.

We come to know of such crimes happening in India too often, in the United States, in Britain and even in China. But, what has not been much talked about or appreciate is the quick response of the ROP. The criminals could not get away by the ROP reacted very quickly and brought the matter to a conclusive end. I am sure that where the police is so quick in responding to a crisis we are more than safe.

Anu Shaikh Wadi Kabir

The ROP responded to the crisis very quickly

Flats and houses must have surveillance systems

This refers to the news story, 32-

This refers to the news story, 32-

Tunisia seemed to epitomise those countries that are stuck somewhere between developed and not, with some of the worst features of both. The ways of the countryside — the use of natural materials, indigenous agriculture, markets, traditional hygiene and the like — have been largely superseded

W

hen the first reports broke of the attack in Tunis, the news had particular resonance.

My first response was sheer horror. Had the shootings taken place a few weeks earlier, my husband or I could have been among the casualties. We had spent a week in Tunisia after New Year and had, of course, visited the Bardo. You could imagine all too vividly what might happen if gunmen were on the loose.

My second response was more mundane and wider-reaching: there goes what remains of the Tunisian economy. It can be argued that winter is not the best time to gauge the strength or otherwise of a Mediterranean economy. And Tunisia, being farther north than most of North Africa, probably always attracted fewer tourists in January than, say, Morocco, or Egypt used to.Over the past 30 years or so, Tunisia has invested heavily in tourism, and the climate, the beaches and the antiquities all argued for a promising future. Swathes of the coastline have been intensively developed. Before 2011, tourism was on track to account for around 10 per cent of GDP, and provided one in 10 of all jobs.

But although Tunisia was the first, and arguably the most successful, country to pass through the Arab Spring in 2011 protests were mostly peaceful, the old regime departed with commendable dispatch, and both parliamentary and presidential elections passed off benignly at the turn of the year.

It matters little whether those who mounted the attack this week made for the Bardo as Plan B, having failed to penetrate the country’s Parliament, or whether they had always had foreigners in their sights. The result is the same: any hope that tourism will pick up very soon must be written off. Poor Tunisia — and pity the region. It is as though the Arab Spring has unravelled in reverse order.

While an upsurge in tourism would have been a help, it was clear, even from a week driving around sites ancient and modern, that Tunisia’s difficulties go far deeper than empty hotels.

Impoverished stall-holders may experience marginally less harassment since Mohamed Bouazizi became a martyr to corruption and oppression, but — as in so many of the countries in the region — sheer demography calls for radical solutions that are simply not there.

Some 40 per cent of the population is under 30,

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The crowd gives the leader new strength EVENIUS

and you can see that — from the numbers of young men (you see fewer young women) standing around doing not very much. Tunisia might be among the more secular states in the region, but many young people have gone from Tunisia to fight for Isis than from any other country in the region.

There was praise for the conduct of recent elections, but it is difficult to see how democracy, as in free and fair elections, is going to change things for the better by itself. At the risk of sounding simplistic, what might have helped immediately after the revolution was an accelerated, and compulsory, national jobs programme that capitalised on the fresh sense of national purpose. But, short of dictatorship, fierce martial law, or conscription in the cause of war, how could such a draconian, topdown, scheme be implemented?

To my eyes, back in January, Tunisia seemed to epitomise those countries that are stuck somewhere between developed and not, with some of the worst features of both. The ways of the countryside — the use of natural materials, indigenous agriculture, markets, traditional hygiene and the like — have been largely superseded, as young people have moved to the towns, and new machinery, electricity, and television have brought change.

In towns and cities, there are areas where the affluent live to advanced Western standards. Elsewhere, the sewage system has not been started and not completed; the streets are half-paved; houses are half-built or tumbling down, but they are equipped just enough for human habitation.

Corruption, of one sort or another, is a fact of life, and it has grown relatively worse, according to Transparency International, since 2011.

What drives countries across that last threshold, from random appurtenances of modern life to full development? To the stage where all children go to school until they are at least 15, where most building is planned and completed to a recognisable standard; where there is a working public transport system and civic rules of whatever kind are mostly observed? One curiosity sums up this marooned state. Tunisia, I suspect, is not alone in being a country that has been sold hundreds of colour-coded recycling bins, before it has even the most elementary refuse collection system in place.

Until such basics are sorted out, young jobless Tunisians can be understood for nurturing thoughts of a new revolution at home or setting off in pursuit of extremism abroad. - The Independent

hour kidnap relived (March 22).

Reading about the atrocious incidents made me very concerned. It is no surprise that crime rates are on the rise globally but simultaneously security measures should be tightened as well. Every house and apartment buildings should be equipped with appropriate home surveillance systems. I can feel and understand the distress and agony of the family that underwent such an ordeal for 32 hours.

Shabib Al-kalbani Muscat

The author has wrongly advocated cause of death This refers to the article, When life hurts grant us the blessing of death (March 22). The author has claimed that he was not an advocate of death or suicide but

all along the referred essay he has done nothing but has upheld death.

I would like to remind him that Mark Twain also said, “Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen”.

Gautam Ghosh-Dastidar Wadi Kabir

Some safeguards needed to make euthanasia work This refers to the article, When life hurts grant us the blessing of death (March 22). I am a supporter of euthanasia. However, there should be safeguards so that it is not misused. But, when euthanasia has worked out well and sans problems in Netherlands, Belgium why can’t we make it work in India?

Vipasha Mishra Muscat

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

T I M E S OF OMAN

M O NDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

A13

PERSPEC IVE Now is the time to re-launch BDS movement against Israel I

DAOUD KUTTAB

Now that Netanyahu has intensified his right-wing rhetoric — and been rewarded with another term in power — the international movement to isolate Israel will only gain momentum. After all, support for direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine no longer makes sense

sraeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu certainly has reason to celebrate. He surprised nearly everyone by securing a decisive electoral victory, winning a third consecutive term in office after his right-wing Likud party gained a fiveseat advantage in the Knesset over its main rival, the centre-left Zionist Union.

But the celebration is likely to be short. The way Netanyahu finagled this outcome — renouncing his commitment to a two-state solution with Palestine and pledging to continue building settlements on occupied land — will almost certainly have serious political and diplomatic consequences for Israel.

In recent years, Netanyahu’s hard-line stance has increasingly undermined Israel’s international credibility, while convincing the Palestinians living in the occupied territories that a genuine agreement with Israel is impossible. (Indeed, Palestinians showed little interest in the outcome of this election.) Now that Netanyahu has intensified his right-wing rhetoric — and been rewarded with another term in power — the international movement to isolate Israel will only gain momentum.

After all, support for direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine no longer makes sense, even for Israel’s main ally, the United States, because the assumptions underlying this approach have been demolished.

The first such assumption was that both parties accepted the two-state solution as the general basis for a compromise agreement. And, indeed, at Bar Ilan University in 2009, Netanyahu declared his willingness to accept the creation of a Palestinian state, on the condition that it be demilitarised and that the Palestinians recognise Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.

This is no longer the case: two days before the election, Netanyahu explicitly vowed that his government would never allow Palestinian statehood.

The second key assumption underlying peace negotiations was that Israel, claimed to be a democratic country, would not want to rule another people through military occupation — thereby denying them their basic human right of self-determination — in perpetuity. But Netanyahu has now shown that Israel is a democracy only for its Jewish citizens, dismissing Israel’s Arab citizens, who comprise 20 per cent of the country’s population, in blatantly racist term, in the last hours of the election, Netanyahu called on Jewish Israelis to turn out, because “the Arabs are voting in droves.”

By eliminating the two assumptions critical to negotiations with the Palestinians, Israel’s current leadership — and, indirectly, the majority of Israelis — has destroyed the thin veneer of legitimacy that the international community had erected

around a country that has been occupying another people for nearly five decades. The justification for not censoring Israel too harshly in international institutions or using boycotts to punish Israel for war crimes is no longer valid.

Obviously, some groups have long recognised the need for sterner measures. Most notably, in 2005 Palestinians living in the diaspora and others launched the international boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, with the goal of compelling Israel to stop violating international law, particularly with its settlement policies.

The BDS movement has met significant resistance in many parts of the world, owing to the belief that its tactics are unnecessary and unhelpful.

That will now change.

Similarly, the US opposed the move by Palestine — a United Nations-recognised non-member observer state — to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite the lack of progress in peace negotiations, American leaders continued to believe in Israel’s democracy and willingness to pursue a two-state solution. That, too, will change.

Simply put, now that Israel’s leaders have renounced their commitment to a negotiated peace with Palestine, the international community can no longer justify the prevailing approach. Instead, it must live up to its professed values by isolating Israel politically and economically.

Moreover, world leaders should support Palestine’s efforts to resolve its conflicts with Israel through neutral international agencies like the ICC. And international forums like the United Nations Security Council must condemn Israel’s refusal to end its 47-year occupation, making it clear that the country will no longer benefit from a diplomatic double standard.

In 1990, when Saddam Hussein sent Iraqi forces to occupy Kuwait, claiming that he was retaking lost territory, the UN Security Council voted, based on chapter seven of the UN charter, to punish Iraq by imposing a strict financial and trade embargo.

Likewise, when apartheid South Africa refused to provide its black majority with their fundamental human rights, the international community supported a major campaign of divestment and sanctions. Today, Israel is relying on historical claims to occupy another people. Its government, which has revealed its racist underpinnings, is denying four million Palestinians basic rights, and even using military force against them.

The international community needs to respond accordingly, intensifying boycotts, divestments, and sanctions, until Palestinians are allowed to live freely in a truly independent state alongside Israel. - Project Syndicate

I would make the rich people pay

I

f I were Prime Minister, I’d like to bring the people into government. So with the consent of Parliament and my party I would make greater use of advisory panels. I’d create one comprising of people under 40, people who really know the country, and then listen to their recommendations on housing, education and jobs. I’d like to create a country where young people are reassured that there is a future for them within it.

People expect certain things — free education, and the NHS, so it’s important to make these a priority. We need the best from these services. On that note, I would take free schools back into the system — I have nothing against parents wanting to run their children’s schools, but as a tax payer I don’t want to pay for it. I want to be able to have a say in how schools are run, and through the council I do.

Free schools can exist, but they must have some sort of relationship with the council; at the

BONNIE GREER

moment we have a kind of four tier education system here in Britain. It’s not a good system; it trains children to be workers and not thinkers, and money should be spent in the state sector to change this.

There are a lot of issues surrounding tax that I would like to tackle, starting with off-shore tax havens. I would stop them for three years, just to see what the tax income is from them, and see how much HMRC can gain from it.

I wouldn’t want to deter people from coming here or bringing their business here, but Britain is too lax when it comes to taxing the wealthy. In America no one gets away without paying. Eventually, I would make sure rich people pay to live here.

On the subject of the EU, I would make sure that there is a referendum right away. There’s no need to negotiate a relationship with the EU as Cameron wants to do — just do it. We need to be pragmatic about it, put the

money on the table and see how much it would really cost.

We have to start looking into our options when it comes to trading; for example, see what would happen if there was a trade embargo, or trade barriers like there are with other trading blocs like America. “Euro Obsession” is taking up an enormous amount of energy. We need to settle on an answer.

And lastly, I would ask Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: how much do they want to be devolved? They could even become free. Scotland has already been asked, of course, but in two or three years I would ask them again. I would even go as far as to ask The North whether it wants to take care of itself and have more power.

Obviously being born in the US, I have no sentimentality towards the Union, so it’s easy for me to say. But you can’t stop a people who want to be free. I’m sure there are a lot of people who would disagree with me. - The Independent

Why Jeb Bush might lose ROSS DOUTHAT

I

f you’re keeping score during the endless 2016 preseason, this was a pretty good week for Jeb Bush. First, he watched Scott Walker, currently his main competitor for the Republican front-runner slot, stumble through another not-ready-for-prime-time moment, first hiring a wellliked young consultant named Liz Mair and then sacking her one day later because it turned out that she had tweeted intemperately about the sacred state of Iowa.

Second, he survived Andrew Ferguson. Ferguson is a brilliant essayist and reporter for the Weekly Standard, and lately he has been an angel of death for Republican presidential hopefuls.

During the last presidential preseason, he profiled Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Mitch Daniels of Indiana, and both governors lived to regret it.

Barbour let slip what sounded like praise for the civil rights-era White Citizens’ Council in his native Yazoo City; Daniels told Ferguson that the country needed a “truce” on social issues. Not coincidentally, neither man ended up even mounting a presidential bid.

In 2013, a Ferguson profile of Ted Cruz included a devastating section in which the journalist, trapped in cars and green rooms with his subject, realises that Cruz only speaks in stump speeches, and won’t ... stop ... giving ... them. Then, just last month, Ferguson decided that three 2016 hopefuls didn’t even deserve full profiles, and filleted the ambitions of Chris Christie, Rand Paul and Mike Huckabee in a single ruthless piece.

But his Jeb profile, on the cover of the latest Standard, may actually do its subject political good.

Oh, there are digs at the Bush family courtiers pining for a chance to work for “45.”

But the candidate himself comes off very favourably.

More important, he comes off the way he needs Republican primary voters to eventually see him — as a politician who’s much more authentically conservative than his centrist image, and who has both the record and the scars to prove it.

If I were in charge of conservative outreach for the Bush campaign, I would be blastemailing the profile to doubtful right-wing activists, with “Jeb: He’s on Your Side” in the subject line (or “Jeb: The Anti-Romney”).

But I wouldn’t fool myself with the notion that Jeb’s biggest problem in the primary season is his policy positions.

His stances on immigration and Common Core will hurt him with conservatives, and his record in Florida will help him, but his biggest

problem right now is identification, not ideology.

There just aren’t that many Republican voters who want to vote for a dynastic heir in 2016, and it isn’t clear yet if they’ll decide that they ought to vote for Bush in spite of that reluctance.

Voting for president is a political act, but it’s also a relational one. As the presidency increasingly dominates our politics, people want a nominee who will somehow personally represent all the virtues that they associate with their country, their political coalition and their worldview.

They want an archetype, an inspiration, a figure who can somehow personify liberalism, or conservatism, or America itself.

Among Republican voters, everything that’s appealing about a figure like Ben Carson — or, in a different way, Sarah Palin before him — is explained by this desire.

Voters are more responsible than polling swings sometimes suggest. They know that in the end they ought to support someone who actually has a chance of being elected president and effectively governing the country. And when the tension between “want” and “ought” can’t be resolved as neatly as it was by Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the vintage Barack Obama in 2008, the side of “ought” almost always wins.

That’s why there hasn’t been a real no-hope nominee in either party since George McGovern in 1972. That’s why Mitt Romney, unloved and unwanted, was still the Republican pick in 2012. And that’s why if Jeb could just run against, say, Carson, Huckabee and Cruz, it wouldn’t matter that voters don’t want to be represented by another scion of the Bush dynasty.

In the end, they wouldn’t really have a choice.

But right now, in Walker and Marco Rubio, Bush faces two opponents whose backgrounds and identities — the working-class slayer of unions, the self-made immigrant’s son — match the way Republican voters want to think about their party in a way that a silver-spoon politician, whatever his record, never will.

And notwithstanding Walker’s recent stumbles, neither he nor Rubio obviously fails the “ought” test, since it’s possible to imagine either man doing better than Bush against Hillary Clinton in a general election.

That doesn’t mean either can overcome Jeb’s institutional advantages. But he needs them to flounder a bit and to look unready; failing that, he needs to find a way to show them up.

Because otherwise, Rubio or Walker might start to convince Republican voters that this time, how they want to vote is also how they should.

- The New York Times News Service

Egypt races to expand Suez Canal Port Said Canal

Expansion

Suez Canal

Total length: 190km

Ballah bypass

Cairo

Suez

ea

dS

EGYPT

Re

SUMED pipeline

Ismailia

Lake Timsah

Revenues from expansion to be used to develop 76,000km2 along canal into industrial and logistics hub

Sinai Peninsula

Great Bitter Lake

Length: 72km.

35km dug afresh, 37km expanding and deepening current canal Cost: $4.3bn Seven new tunnels for cars and trains – three in Port Said and four in Ismailia – will connect Sinai Peninsula to rest of Egypt Cost: $4.2bn Completion: Aug 2015

EGYPT 10km

TODAY IN HISTORY 1657

France and England form an alliance against Spain.

1775

American revolutionary hero Patrick Henry, while addressing the House of Burgesses, declares “give me liberty, or give me death!”

1848

Hungary proclaims its independence of Austria.

1903

The Wright brothers obtain an airplane patent.

1917

Austrian Emperor Charles I makes a peace proposal to French President Poincare.

Oil flow through chokepoints (million barrels per day, 2013) Danish Straits

3.3

2.9 Turkish Straits Strait of 17.0 Hormuz Strait of Malacca

Panama 0.8 Canal Oil flow via Suez Canal and SUMED pipeline accounts for around 8% of world’s total seaborne-traded oil

15.2 4.6

Source: Suez Canal Authority, Middle East Institute, EIA

3.8

Bab el-Mandab

Graphic News /

Graphics

HISTORYNET.COM

OPINION POLL FROM OUR ARCHIVES MACKI TO OPEN MEET ON INDUSTRIAL ESTATES

MUSCAT: Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, will inaugurate a seminar entitled, ‘Future and development of AGCC industrial estates, in the light of the global commerce,’ at Hotel Crowne Plaza tomorrow.

The two-day seminar is organised by the Public Enterprise for Industrial Estates (PEIE), in cooperation with the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consultations.

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SOUTH KOREA: People walk out to sea on a pathway exposed by the early morning low tide between the South Korean islands of Jindo and Modo during the ‘Jindo Sea Parting festival’ on Sunday. The annual phenomenon is understood to be a result of ‘tidal harmonics’ caused by the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and the Sun, which when ‘in phase’ create an extreme low tide revealing a causeway between 40 and 60 metres wide for around one hour between the two islands on the southern-most tip of the South Korean peninsula. The four-day festival, the dates of which change slightly each year, is a popular attraction for both tourists and locals, many of whom take the opportunity to dig for shell fish and collect seaweed. – AFP

THAILAND: Birds sit in cages hanging from poles during a bird-singing contest in the Rueso district of

Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat on Sunday. Hundreds of bird owners from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia took part in the traditional contest which is held every year. – AFP

BRAZIL: An aerial view shows illegally built slums on the border of the polluted water of Billings reservoir in Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to local media, the Billings dam supplies water to 1.6 million people in the Greater ABC region of Greater Sao Paulo and the state government wants to treat the it to make it suitable for human consumption. – Reuters

Aviv on Sunday. Dean on Sunday began what he calls a “24-hour levitation” on the outside of a Tel Aviv building. – Reuters

CHINA: Rescuers pull out the wreckage of a small helicopter from a lake in Hefei, Anhui province, China, on Sunday. The pilot remained missing and the sole passenger was injured after the twoseated Ukraine-made helicopter fell into the lake on Friday night during an unregistered flight, local media reported. – Reuters

THE PHILIPPINES: A man walks on top of overflowing water from a defunct but still watery reservoir called the Wawa dam in Montalban in Manila on Sunday. The Philippines observes World Water day, a global event that focuses on finding access to clean and safe water. – AFP

LEBANON: Children watch during a visit of French Junior Minister for Development and FrenchSpeaking Communities minister at a camp housing Syrian refugees who fled Hama province on Sunday, in the Lebanese southern city of Sidon. – AFP

ISRAEL: Israeli illusionist and endurance artist Hezi Dean performs a purported levitation trick in Tel

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015 His (Erdogan’s) statements like ‘I did not like that’ or ‘I’m not happy about that’ are emotional and are his own views Bulent Arinc, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister

WORLD

McCain tells Obama to get over Netanyahu tantrum

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

The least of your (Obama) problems is what Netanyahu said during an election campaign. If every politician were held to everything they say in a political campaign, obviously that would be a topic of long discussion

CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ show if USIsrael relations were at a dangerous point, said, ‘I think that’s up

John McCain

to the president of

US Senator Benjamin Netanyahu

Obama’s sensitive relationship with Netanyahu was strained further by comments Netanyahu made in the closing moments of his successful campaign for reelection last week.

“The president should get over it,” McCain said on CNN. “Get over your temper tantrum, Mr. President.

“The least of your problems is what Bibi Netanyahu said during an election campaign. If every politician were held to everything they say in a political campaign,

SRI LANKA

Sirisena, main opposition party form national government COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena formed a national government incorporating the main opposition party on Sunday in a bid to push through reforms and preserve political stability, a government spokesman said.

The move came amid talk of a possible split in the opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), caused by Sirisena’s predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa gaining in popularity among opposition supporters. After his election win in January, Sirisena formed a coalition with the United National party (UNP), but this lacked a parliamentary majority, obstructing his pledge for constitutional and electoral reforms in his first 100 days in office.

Former party Sirisena gave posts to 26 members of the SLFP, his own former party, in his coalition government, government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told Reuters.

They were given state and junior minister portfolios, boosting to 77 the number of members in the government.

“This is a national government and this is a (SLFP) party decision. We want to do all the reforms and then go to the elections,” Senaratne said.

Dayan Jayatilake, a political scientist, author and former Sri Lankan diplomat who strongly supports Rajapaksa, said the move would slow down the decision-making process. “It will satisfy no one because UNP will feel it is being crowded out by the integration of the SLFP members into the cabinet,” he said.

Field Marshall Fonseka Meanwhile, the highest military rank of field marshal was conferred on retired army chief Sarath Fonseka, who had been jailed for alleged treason by the previous regime.

Sirisena awarded Fonseka the title at a state ceremony in the capital and said he was unjustly treated by the previous government.

Fonseka was thrown in jail after he unsuccessfully tried to challenge a re-election bid by the then-strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse in 2010. — Agencies

UNPRECEDENTED RIFT

Erdogan at odds with cabinet over Kurd peace process ISTANBUL: An unprecedented rift emerged on Sunday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the government over the handling of the peace process to end the decadeslong armed struggle by Kurdish militants.

A senior minister told Erdogan to stop interfering and making “emotional” statements but the president snapped back that he had no intention of staying out of politics.

Disarmament call In remarks published in pro-Erdogan newspapers on Sunday, the president said a meeting between the government and pro-Kurdish lawmakers three weeks ago to announce a call for disarmament was “not appropriate”.

The dispute is the most significant yet since Erdogan took the presidency in August 2014 after over a decade as premier,

Richard III returns to battlefield where he died

PHOTO GALLERY

McCain asked on

WASHINGTON: US Senator John McCain accused President Barack Obama of throwing a “temper tantrum” over comments

by Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu, adding to the conflict between the White House and the Republicandominated Congress over Israel.

McCain, asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” show if US-Israel relations were at a dangerous point, said, “I think that’s up to the president of the United States.”

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US Senator John

the United States.’

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although analysts have noted increasing tensions between himself and hand-picked Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“His (Erdogan’s) statements like ‘I did not like that’ or ‘I’m not happy about that’ are emotional and are his own views,” said Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc.

“The peace process is being carried out by the government and the government is responsible for this question,” said Arinc, the official cabinet spokesman.

His remarks were seen as a stinging rebuke to Erdogan, and the independent T24 news website said the dispute had become the most serious internal crisis in the more than 12-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Erdogan hit back by saying late Saturday: “I consult with my people on every issue. I am the president.” — AFP

Barack Obama

obviously that would be a topic of long discussion.”

McCain, a leading voice in Congress on foreign relations, urged Obama to focus on the growing IS threat in the Middle East and curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.

Rocky relationship Netanyahu has become an issue in Democrat Obama’s rocky relationship with Congress, where Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate.

Netanyahu told the US Congress earlier this month that the United States should do more to stop Iran’s nuclear programme, speaking at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner, who did not consult the White House in advance.

A group of 47 senators also bypassed Obama this month by sending a letter to Iran that the White House said undermined negotiations with Tehran on nuclear weapons.

Netanyahu drew a further re-

buke from the White House last week when he abandoned a commitment to negotiate a Palestinian state, even though he later backed off from his comments.

Palestinian state Media reports said the United States was reviewing its position on a United Nations Security Council resolution on Palestinian state. In the past Israel has relied on US veto power on the Security Council to support its interests. — Reuters

LEICESTER (UK): A cortege carrying the remains of King Richard III began a solemn tour on Sunday to the battlefield where he was slain 530 years ago.

Rediscovered under a car park in 2012, Richard’s remains will be re-interred at Leicester cathedral on Thursday in a ceremony led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, spiritual head of the Anglican Church, and members of the royal family.

Richard, the last English king to die in battle, was killed at Bosworth Field in 1485, at the end of the bloody Wars of the Roses.

After his death his body was taken to the Grey Friars Church in the nearby city of Leicester and buried in a hastily dug grave which was too small to house his body.

The location of his grave became a mystery until it was found under a municipal car park in a discovery which stunned archaeologists and captivated the world. — Reuters

B

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CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

Type ............................Delivery...........Price Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........ $53.55 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$52.65 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ......... $54.71 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$54.05 Arabian Heavy ....... (Spot) ................N/A N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$55.32 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........ $45.72

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.37 Pound ............................................1.72 Indian Rs ..............................161.64 Pak Rs ...................................260.28 Bangla Taka.......................199.64

Indian Rs .................................. 162.25 Pakistan Rs ............................ 263.50 Sri Lanka Rs .......................... 343.65 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso .....................................115.70

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......15.50 Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......16.60 10 Tola Bar Muscat (OMR) ............. N/A Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............143.50 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............136.25 10 Tola Bar Dubai (Dh) ..................... N/A

* Rates as of Mar. 22 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates as of Mar. 22 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

* Rates are as of Mar. 22 Source: BankMuscat

Al Jazeera Steel set to open new rebar facility A new rebar line has been completed by the company and is already in trial production.

It is expected to start commercial production in the second quarter

Times News Service MUSCAT: Al Jazeera Steel Products Company has completed building a new rebar production line, which is already in trial production. It is expected to start commercial production in the second quarter of 2015.

This is expected to lead to enhancing the company’s revenues

and diversifying its product offerings. This will also increase the capacity utilisation of the merchant bar mill from its current 35 per cent utilisation, offering significant growth potential.

Al Jazeera Steel Products Company, which is 51 per cent owned

by Global Buyout Fund and listed on Muscat Securities Market, will distribute 22 per cent in cash dividend for the year ended 2014, the largest dividend payment in the history of the company.

Al Jazeera achieved record net profit of $13.5 million in 2014 as compared to $11.8 million in 2013, a growth by 14.4 per cent. Revenues have also grown by 7.9 per cent from $229 million in 2013 to $247 million in 2014, said a Global Investment House release.

Financial position Al Jazeera has also a strong financial position with total assets of $194 million compared to $180 million in 2013, growing by 7.7 per cent, whereas its shareholders’ equity stood at $103.6 million in 2014 compared to $96.6 million in 2013, a growth of 7.3 per cent.

Although steel markets have endured significant challenges

in 2014 especially with the massive drop in oil prices during the fourth quarter of 2014 and the volatile steel prices associated with it, Al Jazeera’s team was capable enough to confront these challenges effectively.

“Al Jazeera has achieved, for the fifth consecutive year, tremendous growth and performance backed by a relatively stable demand and a strong order book.

These outstanding results could not have been achieved without the efficient purchasing and inventory management, cautiousness of the management team and their exceptional performance in these challenging market environments,” said Sulaiman Al Rubaie, chairman of Al Jazeera Steel Products Company, representing Global Buyout Fund.

“Al Jazeera’s strong balance sheet will reinforce its ability to implement its strategy in enhancing its penetration in the Saudi Arabia market as well as North America. This will ensure continuous growth and revenue diversification and thus reducing operational risks especially in light of the challenging steel market conditions,” he added.

CRUDE MARKET

Hard for oil to reach $100-120: Saudi RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Opec governor Mohammed Al Madi said on Sunday that he believed it would be difficult for oil to reach a price range of $100-120 per barrel again. “The price $100-120 — I think it’s difficult to reach 120 another time...We understand that all countries need higher in-

comes...We want higher incomes, but we want higher incomes for us and future generations,” Madi told an energy conference in Riyadh.

Brent crude is currently around $55 per barrel. He also repeated that Saudi Arabia had no political motives in its oil policy.

“There isn’t any political di-

mension in what we do at the Oil Ministry — our vision is commercial and economic...We didn’t mean to hurt anybody, our vision is simply the following: the producers which have low costs have to have the priority to produce, but those who have high costs have to wait,” he said. - Reuters

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

MARKET AGREEMENT SIGNED

Oman convention centre ties up with event management firm Times News Service

BOOST TO ECONOMY: Over the years, Renaissance Services, which employs 7,000 employees, has continuously contributed to the economic growth of the Sultanate through its in-country value initiatives. – Supplied photo

In-country value an integral part for Renaissance The company aims at maximising the total in-country value spend to develop human capital, encourage entrepreneurship and boost productivity in the local economy

Times News Service MUSCAT: Spending by Renaissance Services within Oman for local goods and services touched OMR28.7 million in 2014, representing 51.4 per cent of the company’s total expenditure.

The in-country value (ICV) programme is an integral part of Renaissance’s value system and it continuously aims at maximising the total in-country value spend to develop human capital, encourage entrepreneurship and boost productivity in the economy, said company officials while addressing a road show to mark its 30 years of creating

sustainable value.

Over the years, the company, which employs 7,000 employees, has continuously contributed to the economic growth of the Sultanate through its ICV initiatives.

Training and employment These include developing local talent by training and employment, procuring locally by adding local products and services to the company’s supply chain and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The company’s Omanisation ratio is 31 per cent.

“Over the past 30 years, Renaissance Group has worked to add value to the economy through

prudent business strategies and effective local investment. ICV is a national priority in Oman to drive its economic diversification and for the business community to stoke the flame of entrepreneurship within the Sultanate. We had significant learnings to reach where we are today and our aim is to pass on these learnings to today’s SMEs to help them achieve similar success,” said Ananda Fernando, managing director of Renaissance Services.

The event also saw trainees, suppliers, SMEs and local companies sharing their experience on how the Renaissance ICV programmes have helped them grow.

These initiatives include Musand, which provides assistance to aspiring Omani entrepreneurs in the fields of architectural consultancy, construction project management and renewable energy.

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MUSCAT: An agreement was signed between Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) and Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE), one of the nation’s largest event organising and marketing companies. OITE has been serving various industry sectors from technology and environment to education and travel for more than 20 years.

“We are delighted to have signed this important agreement with OITE. They have an impressive portfolio of popular and established events and their expertise and experience in organising and presenting trade fairs, conferences and festivals is well-respected in the market,” said Trevor McCartney, general manager of OCEC. “We look forward to working closely with OITE — the calibre of events they organise is exactly the kind that will benefit from OCEC’s outstanding facilities,” he added.

“This agreement is a powerful statement of intent between two strong partners with one common goal — to build world-leading events in the Sultanate of Oman.

We are extremely excited about partnering with this prestigious venue. OCEC is good news not only for Oman’s business events industry but for the Sultanate in general, given the economic opportunities it will bring,” added Nick Hodge, managing director of OITE. The agreement includes the hosting of OITE events including the ICT show Comex, the education fair GHEDEX, the environmental expo Gulf Eco, the facility management expo OMFC, the International Tourism and Hospitality Show and the Omanisation Career Fair.

“While OCEC has engaged with a range of international organisations, in fact, we have been approached to host many of the world’s most prestigious congresses, our local partners are of paramount importance to us. We believe in showcasing Oman to

They have an impressive portfolio of popular and established events and their expertise and experience in organising and presenting trade fairs, conferences and festivals is well-respected in the market Trevor McCartney General manager, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

the world and forging strong and sustainable relationships with the local business community helps us to maximise countrywide benefits.

With less than 10 months to opening, agreements such as the one we have signed with OITE will be very much at the heart of OCEC’s ongoing success,” the OCEC general manager said.

Global conferences Indeed, the events held at OCEC, from international conferences and product launches to concerts and trade shows, will generate wide-ranging value for the centre, its partners and the community in general. Participants will go on to experience Muscat and all it has

to offer with direct financial benefit to hotels, restaurants, transportation services, tour operators, attractions and retail outlets. Research shows that non-resident delegates typically spend four times more than tourists and often extend their stay with pre- and post-conference travel.

While strongly anchored in the local community, the new worldclass and purpose built convention and exhibition centre is attracting considerable interest from international business events’ industry leaders, depicting the Sultanate of Oman as one of the world’s most exciting emerging convention destinations and the OCEC as a regional venue of choice.

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

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

B3

MARKET OPEX 2015

Oman to promote local products at Saudi exhibition Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman plans to organise an exhibition of the country’s local products in Jeddah between May 18 and 21.

The organising committee of Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX) met recently with owners of companies and industrialists in Sohar Industrial Estate to discuss and highlight the preparation efforts for the fourth Omani Products Exhibition — OPEX 2015, said a press release.

The companies were acquainted with the participation process, the advantages and provided support that will be enjoyed by the participants in the event. The exhibition aims at reflecting the progress and development triggered in the Sultanate of Oman’s industrial sector.

“The organising committee has already started a promotion campaign in Saudi Arabia and particularly in Jeddah, which has a population of around 3.4 million people, representing 14 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s population,” said Hamood Al Balushi, director of Omani Products Department at the Public Establishment for

Strong dollar a threat to US multinationals Dollar’s gain of 22% in the past 12 months against a basket of major currencies

Industrial Estates.

Through participation, the companies will have the opportunity to meet and sign up with agents, importers and bulk buyers to advance their exports to Saudi Arabia. “The organising committee, in cooperation with Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is seeking to invite Saudi businessmen and residents in Saudi Arabia to hold B2B meetings with Omani investors during the event to discuss deals, offer further facilities, and meet the existing challenges,” Al Balushi added.

Sadiq Ahmed Khan, managing director of the company incharge of the exhibition’s marketing - Tafani National Events and Research, explained that the exhibition aspires at raising the volume of Omani exports to Saudi Arabia and increase the share of exports in international markets.

has landed a double whammy on US companies with big sales abroad

NEW YORK: The surging value of the United States dollar may be posing the biggest threat to US corporate earnings since the 2008 financial crisis, hurting results at most US-based multinationals.

Some on Wall Street are even talking about an earnings recession.

The dollar’s gain of 22 per cent in the past 12 months against a basket of major currencies has landed a double whammy on United States companies with big sales abroad. Revenue and earnings from foreign markets are

worth less when translated into greenbacks and their costs become relatively less competitive against rivals producing in countries with declining currencies.

Earnings fall Dollar moves of this magnitude in the past have resulted in what Bank of America/Merrill Lynch strategists term an ‘earnings recession’, which is generally defined as at least two successive quarters of declining earnings from the year-earlier quarters. The brokerage says that a 25 per cent gain in the US dollar in a 12-month period has historically coincided with a 10 per cent decline in the market’s earnings per share.

That hasn’t happened yet — but the downward trend is clear. Wall Street analysts currently estimate earnings growth of 1.3 per cent for 2015, down from a forecast of

8.1 percent at the beginning of the year, according to Thomson Reuters data. The S&P 500’s earnings per share are expected to drop 3.1 per cent in the first quarter and 0.7 per cent in the second quarter before recovering modestly in the second-half of the year.

Nearly one-fifth of S&P 500 companies have warned on earnings for the first quarter, with at least 49 companies mentioning the effects of the dollar on results, according to Thomson Reuters.

“This is just the beginning,” said Richard Bernstein, veteran Wall Street strategist and now CEO of Richard Bernstein Advisors in New York. “This impact of the dollar on US earnings could last for three to seven years. It may not happen every quarter but there’s a secular risk to US earnings, primarily to multinationals, as the dollar appreciates.”

DuPont earnings Expectations for S&P 500 earnings are expected to keep falling as companies tally the dollar impact on results in the next few weeks.

Take chemicals producer DuPont, for example. On January 27, the company forecast full-year earnings of $4.00 to $4.20 for 2015 after a 60-cent negative drag from the dollar, based on its level on January 23.

Since that time, the dollar index, which measures the dollar against six different major currencies — the euro, yen, pound, Swiss franc, Swedish krona and Canadian dollar — has gained nearly 3.5 per cent. Jefferies analyst Laurence Alexander estimated in a March 11 note that DuPont’s currency hit for 2015 earnings will be an additional 5 to 10 cents. Dupont, whose quarterly results are due on April 21, declined to comment.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered its expectations for US economic growth and inflation over the next two years. - Reuters

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B4

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

MARKET MSM index ends higher

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................ 6,237.51 ............... 6,219.15 ................... 6,235.05 ................... 6,219.86.................. 15.19 ...................0.24 Financial Index ..................................... 7,605.74 ...............7,553.40 ................... 7,604.04 ................... 7,553.40................. 50.64 ................... 0.67 Industrial Index ....................................8,347.91 ...............8,314.77 ....................8,314.79 ...................8,348.09................-33.30 .................. -0.40 Services Index .......................................3,479.08 ...............3,469.57 ....................3,475.79 ................... 3,471.97....................3.82 ................... 0.11 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................978.35 .................. 976.75 .......................978.35 .......................977.15....................1.20 ................... 0.12 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 15,532,665.................. 4,790,604 ..................1,033 ................14,757,565,563 ................ 18 ........................6 .................... 16 .........................40

The top gainer was Construction Materials, up by 2.86 per cent, while Taageer Finance,

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 22

down by 9.26 per cent, was the top loser ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: Muscat bourse’s general index, MSM30 Index, gained 0.24 per cent to close at 6,235.05 points. The MSM Shariah Index increased 0.12 per cent to close at 978.35 points.

Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. The top gainer was Construction Materials, up by 2.86 per cent, while Taageer Finance, down by 9.26 per cent, was the top loser, As many as 1,033 trades were executed in the session generating a turnover of OMR4.79 million with more than 15.53 million shares changing hands.

Out of 40 traded securities, 18 advanced, six declined and 16 remained unchanged. Omani investors remained net buyers to the tune of OMR756,000 while foreign investors were net sellers at OMR651,000 followed by GCC & Arab investors, who sold stocks amounting to OMR105,000.

Financial Index closed on a positive note at 7,604.04 points, up by 0.67 per cent. NBO, Al Anwar Holding, Gulf Investment Services, Al Sharqia Investments and Oman & Emirates increased 2.56 per cent, 2.24 per cent, 2.10 per cent, 1.88 per cent and 1.64 per cent, respectively. Taageer Finance, down by 9.26 per cent, was the only sector loser.

Industrial Index retreated 0.40 per cent to end the day at 8,314.79 points. Construction Materials and Al Hassan Engineering increased 2.86 per cent and 0.82 per cent, respectively. Oman Cables and Galfar Engineering fell 2.88 per cent and 2.08 per cent, respectively.

Services Sector Index gained 0.11 per cent and closed at 3,475.79 points. Al Jazeera Steel, OIFC, Ooredoo, ACWA Power and National Gas increased 1.80 per cent, 1.38 per cent, 1.14 per cent, 0.48 per cent and 0.45 per cent, respectively.

United Power, Al Maha Petroleum and Al Batinah Power declined 2.25 per cent, 1.33 per cent and 1.12 per cent, respectively.

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

OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ...................................49,143 .............15,726........................6 ........... 0.320 ...........0.320 ...........0.320........... 0.320 .............0.312............ 0.008.............2.564 ................0.320..............0.310...................0.330 ................ 390,024,800 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 10,184,927.2,793,529...................416 ........... 0.274 ........... 0.276 ...........0.272........... 0.274 .............0.268 ........... 0.006.............2.239 ................0.274..............0.273...................0.274................... 35,757,000 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 396,123.............57,650......................41 ............0.144 ........... 0.146 ...........0.144........... 0.146 .............0.143............ 0.003.............2.098 ................0.145 ..............0.144...................0.145.....................8,591,110 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............36,800 ...............5,995..................... 10 ............0.164 ........... 0.164 ...........0.161 ............0.163 .............0.160 ........... 0.003............. 1.875 ................0.161 ..............0.150...................0.164................... 14,102,760 .........0.100

Dubai stocks drop Dubai stocks fell after profit at the United Arab Emirates’ biggest construction company tumbled by almost half. Israel’s gauge advanced.

The DFM General Index lost 1.4 per cent, the most since March 18, to 3,425.69 at the close.

Arabtec Holding was the biggest decliner on Dubai’s measure, slipping 9.9 per cent to Dh2.36, the lowest since January 2014.

Net income at Arabtec, which helped build Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest tower in the world, slumped 48 per cent to Dh241.6 million ($66 million) after expenses jumped 75 per cent during the period, it said in a statement to the local bourse.

Changes in the builder’s top management last year sparked a selloff in June, pushing Dubai’s gauge into a bear market.

“Arabtec is seeing some strong selling pressure on the back of disappointing profit numbers,” Hisham Khairy, the Dubai-based head of institutional trade at Mena Corporation Financial Services, said by phone. “It’s weighing on sentiment and investors are booking some profit after a strong session on Thursday.”

Dubai’s index climbed 1.9 per cent on Thursday, the biggest jump since February 3.

The gauge has fallen 9.2 per cent this year.

Arabtec has slumped 19 per cent in six straight days of losses and is trading below its 50-, 100and 200-day moving averages. Its 14-day relative strength indicator declined to about 19, the lowest in two years.

A level below 30 indicates to some analysts a security is oversold. - United Securities/Bloomberg News

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................ 15,379 ...............5,229........................3 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.340 .......... 0.340 .............0.334 ........... 0.006............. 1.796.................0.340............. 0.340...................0.348 ..................20,809,453.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 1,140,823 .......141,439..................... 56 ............0.122 ........... 0.125 ...........0.122........... 0.124 .............0.122 ........... 0.002............. 1.639 ................0.123 ..............0.123...................0.125................... 15,112,500 .........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 284,214 ............41,216..................... 30 ............0.144 ........... 0.146 ...........0.144............0.145 ............. 0.143............ 0.002............. 1.399 ................0.146 .............. 0.145...................0.146................... 39,876,917 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 468,038 .........103,540..................... 48 ............0.218 ...........0.223 ...........0.218........... 0.221 .............0.218............ 0.003............. 1.376 ................0.222............. 0.222...................0.223 ................. 44,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 126,894 ........... 38,594......................19 ........... 0.302 ........... 0.310 ...........0.300 .......... 0.304 .............0.300 ........... 0.004............. 1.333 ................0.300 ............ 0.300...................0.304 ..................30,400,000 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................95,500 .............67,614......................16 ............0.708 ........... 0.708 ...........0.708........... 0.708 .............0.700 ........... 0.008............. 1.143.................0.708..............0.700...................0.708..................460,868,515........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 850,565 .........432,775....................119 ............0.510 ........... 0.512 ...........0.506........... 0.508 .............0.504 ........... 0.004............. 0.794 ................0.512 .............. 0.512...................0.516 ................ 1,164,245,879 ......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR..................................................................70,100 .............13,384........................6 ............0.191 ........... 0.192 ...........0.190............0.191 .............0.190 ............0.001 ............. 0.526 ................0.190..............0.190................... 0.191 ................. 218,504,000 .......0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA ...............................................10,000 ...............8,440........................1 ........... 0.844 ...........0.844 ...........0.844 .......... 0.844 .............0.840 ........... 0.004............. 0.476 ................0.844..............0.840...................0.844 .................135,040,000 .......0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................18,900 ...............8,449........................4 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.446........... 0.448 .............0.446 ........... 0.002.............0.448 ................0.448..............0.446...................0.454................... 20,411,513 .........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ...........................2,000 .................. 584........................1 ........... 0.292 ...........0.292 ...........0.292........... 0.292 .............0.292 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.292..............0.276...................0.292 .................. 27,751,680 .........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 197,088 .............25,621........................8 ............0.130 ........... 0.130 ...........0.130........... 0.130 .............0.130............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.130 ..............0.128...................0.130................. 260,040,663 .......0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ...............................................................1,528 .................. 776........................1 ........... 0.508 ...........0.508 ...........0.508............0.512 ............. 0.512............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.508............. 0.000...................0.512..................169,406,828........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ........................................1,582 .................. 106........................1 ........... 0.067 ...........0.067 ...........0.067........... 0.066 .............0.066 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.067..............0.064...................0.067................... 13,671,991 .........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 131,800............34,004......................21 ........... 0.258 ...........0.258 ...........0.258........... 0.258 .............0.258 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.258..............0.258...................0.259.................... 5,418,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 368,833 ..........170,401......................18 ........... 0.462 ...........0.462 ...........0.462........... 0.462 .............0.462 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.462..............0.462...................0.480 .................114,042,268........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS .............................1,067 ..................309........................1 ........... 0.290...........0.290 ...........0.290 .......... 0.295 .............0.295 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.290............. 0.290...................0.300 ..................36,844,898.........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 289,446 ......... 498,681...................107 ............1.725 ........... 1.740............1.720 ............1.725 ............. 1.725 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.740 ...............1.735...................1.740 ................1,293,750,000 ......0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ....................................... 77,896 .............30,134......................15 ........... 0.386 ...........0.388 ...........0.386........... 0.386 .............0.386 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.388..............0.388...................0.394 .................108,888,459........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.................................................................1,339 .................. 509........................2 ........... 0.380 ...........0.380 ...........0.380........... 0.380 .............0.380 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.380..............0.380...................0.388...................83,983,800.........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .......60,870 ...........135,714........................5 ........... 2.200...........2.260 .......... 2.200 .......... 2.230 .............2.260 ...........-0.030 ........... -1.327................2.260 ............ 2.200...................2.300 .................153,870,000........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 138,186 .............19,476.....................20 ............0.142 ........... 0.142 ...........0.140............0.141 .............0.144 ...........-0.003 ........... -2.083 ...............0.141 .............. 0.141...................0.144................... 37,170,245 .........0.100 OM0000001822............UNITED POWER .............................................................2,205 ............... 4,311........................2 ............1.955 ........... 1.955 ...........1.955 ............1.955 .............2.000 ...........-0.045 ........... -2.250 ...............1.955 ..............1.800...................1.955 ....................3,910,000 ..........1.000 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY........................................8,006 ............ 14,860........................8 ............1.860 ........... 1.860 ...........1.850 ............1.855 ............. 1.910............-0.055 ........... -2.880 ...............1.850 .............. 1.855...................1.900..................166,393,500........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ...................................................18,000 ...............2,646........................3 ............0.147 ........... 0.147 ...........0.147 ............0.147 .............0.162............-0.015 ........... -9.259 ...............0.147 ..............0.146...................0.149................... 37,277,730 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 15,047,252......4,671,715 ...............988 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......29........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................21,000 .................. 756........................3 ........... 0.036 ...........0.036 ...........0.036........... 0.036 .............0.035 ............0.001 ............. 2.857 ................0.036..............0.035...................0.037....................3,060,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................94,983 ................7,749........................5 ........... 0.080 ...........0.082 ...........0.080........... 0.082 ............. 0.081.............0.001 ............. 1.235 ................0.082..............0.081...................0.083...................14,350,000.........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING....................................19,000 ...............2,336........................4 ............0.122 ........... 0.124 ...........0.122............0.123 .............0.122 ............0.001 .............0.820 ................0.124..............0.124...................0.125....................9,250,584 ..........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .........................................................5,000 ..................320........................1 ........... 0.064 ...........0.064 ...........0.064........... 0.064 .............0.064 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.064..............0.063...................0.065....................8,000,000..........0.100 OM0000002333 ...........SALALAH PORT SERVICES .......................................... 200 .................. 129........................2 ........... 0.648 ...........0.648 ...........0.640........... 0.648 .............0.648 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.640............. 0.000...................0.648..................116,534,635 ........0.100 OM0000003083 ...........AL KAMIL POWER ......................................................... 1,848 .................. 577........................1 ............0.312 ........... 0.312 ...........0.312 ........... 0.312 .............0.312............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.312 ............. 0.000...................0.312...................30,030,000.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................. 28,800 ...............2,439........................6 ........... 0.085 ...........0.085 ...........0.084........... 0.085 .............0.085 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.084..............0.084...................0.085..................127,500,000........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................23,281 ............ 54,478........................5 ........... 2.340...........2.340 ...........2.340 .......... 2.340 .............2.340 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.340 ............ 2.340...................2.345 .................223,369,836........1.000 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ....................................................69,256 .............12,466........................7 ............0.180 ........... 0.180 ...........0.180........... 0.180 .............0.180 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.180..............0.180...................0.182.................. 128,593,141 ........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 195,550............ 34,435........................9 ............0.176 ........... 0.178 ...........0.176 ............0.176 ............. 0.178............-0.002 ............-1.124................0.178 .............. 0.178...................0.180.................. 118,780,188 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 458,918 ..........115,684..................... 43 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......10........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004487 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES BONDS3.75 ..............26,495 ...............3,206........................2 ............0.121 ........... 0.121............0.121 ............0.121 .............0.120 ............0.001 ............. 0.833 ................0.121 ..............0.120...................0.122...................51,200,143 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: ....................................................................................26,495 ...............3,206........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

GLOBAL ECONOMY

US inflation, risk of Greek exit from eurozone take centre stage ROME: Markets still digesting an unexpectedly cautious message from the United States Federal Reserve will get more food for thought this week with United States inflation data and potentially rising risks of a Greek exit from the eurozone.

The massive monetary stimulus programmes deployed by advanced economies are producing fierce foreign exchange swings and fuelling talk of a currency war.

The euro hit a 12-year low below $1.05 against the dollar at the start of last week only to jump back to $1.10 on Wednesday — its biggest one-day rise in six years — after the Fed signalled it was in no hurry to raise rates after all. By Friday, the euro had eased back to $1.08.

The Chinese yuan reversed a long declining trend to post its strongest weekly rise against the dollar since 2007 due to a rush of dollar sales by state-owned banks.

Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda dismissed talk of competitive devaluations to spur economic growth, saying on Friday that the Fed, the BoJ and the European Central Bank (ECB) had all printed money “to achieve their price stability targets, not to depreciate their currencies.”

Currency war or not, as long as foreign exchange movements remain so sharp, crucially determining the outlook for growth and inflation, currencies will remain uppermost in policymakers’ minds. The ECB may be hoping the euro continues to slide towards dollar parity as it frets over deflation and tries to help a fledgling euro zone economic recovery.

US inflation figures for February on Tuesday will be particularly closely watched after the

positive recent data trend, as the region benefits from cheaper energy costs and the weaker euro.

Banks took nearly €100 billion ($108 billion) in cheap, long-term loans from the ECB on Thursday, far exceeding expectations and spurring hopes of a long-awaited rise in lending. That will be tested this week when the ECB publishes data on credit growth which has been declining for years.

The German Ifo index of business confidence on Wednesday is expected to signal further buoyancy in the region’s biggest economy.

CANDID: Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda dismissed talk of competitive devaluations to spur economic growth, saying that the Fed, BoJ and European Central Bank (ECB) had all printed money ‘to achieve their price stability targets, not to depreciate their currencies’. – Bloomberg News

Fed removed its reference to being “patient” about raising rates from last week’s policy statement but indicated it will be very much data-dependent in deciding when to tighten policy.

Inflation “We think annual inflation will remain in negative territory so that should give more fuel to the doves that they don’t have to hike just yet,” said ING senior economist James Knightley. “Any downside surprises will hurt the dollar and see bond yields fall further.”

There will be plenty more opportunity to decipher the Fed’s message this week with several

FOMC members speaking, including vice-chair Stanley Fischer on Monday.

In the eurozone, ECB president Mario Draghi will address a European Parliament committee on Monday, with Greece and the progress of the ECB’s quantitative easing programme sure to be high on the agenda.

On Tuesday, preliminary purchasing managers surveys (PMIs) for March will indicate the strength of manufacturing in the world’s major economies following the currency gyrations and the plunge in oil prices.

In the euro zone, PMIs are expected to continue a generally

Greek risk While investors have been focused on ECB bond-buying, as well as the timing of U.S rate hikes and the plunge in oil prices, the stand-off between Greece and its euro zone partners has been steadily worsening and may soon be roiling markets again.

At a European Union summit on Friday German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Greece would only receive fresh funds to ease a cash crunch once its creditors approve a comprehensive list of reforms it has promised but so far failed to produce.

European leaders spoke of ‘a spirit of mutual trust’ and offered Athens a €2-billion sweetener to alleviate poverty, but there was little sign of the concrete progress that will be needed to avoid Greece stumbling towards an exit from the currency bloc, with unpredictable consequences.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras insisted his country faced no short-term liquidity problem, contradicting comments by EU officials that Athens could run out of money in mid-April. - Reuters

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M ON DAY, M ARC H 23, 2015

SECTION

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

There’s how a product

SHARING FILES VIA DROPBOX With your Dropbox account, you can share files and folders with people who do not use the service by sending them a link through an email or text message. When your recipients click the link, they land on the file’s preview page on the Dropbox site and should see a Download button there to grab copies of the files.

SMART APP

looks and how you

Capturing night in digital photos — spectacularly

interact with it, and both of those things come down to design.

In tech, it is the design that separates a successful product from a dud.

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ou need good physical design — or industrial design — to get people through the door. The real differentiator now, though, is the user interface — how the thing works.

“Designing physical objects, this is not a new concept,” said John Maeda, the design partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the prominent venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, and a former president of the Rhode Island School of Design. “But if the software isn’t good, it doesn’t matter.”

“If you can make this amazing bracelet and the software is bad, you’re going to throw it away,” Maeda said.

That’s particularly true for tech products that are rapidly becoming commodities, like smartphones.

At this point, the processors in smartphones are so fast, the screen resolutions so high, the cameras so capable and the software so refined that it’s silly to even talk to consumers about the basic functions of the phone. We all know those are good enough — we’re at a moment that might be called peak phone.

To stand out from the crowd, physical design and the software experience are the two best options. And the results are usually great for consumers.

Samsung has some of the most clever industrial design, with the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, a phone whose glass sides curve abruptly down at the edges. Those side panels even incorporate some features, like customisable flashing lights to see who’s calling, quick access to contacts and a low-light alarm clock feature.

Industrial design Microsoft’s Lumia phones carry forward the design ethos they got from Nokia: bright colors, pleasing matte backs and the unique, customisable tiled Windows Phone interface. Motorola hopes the Moto X’s swappable back covers, which include leather and bamboo and the option of a personal monogram, will appeal to shoppers who want something other than a plain metal rectangle.

And industrial design will be increasingly important as devices get more personal — and wearable. The Apple Watch has already kicked off plenty of talk about whether it looks good enough to replace designer watches like those from Michael Kors or even Rolex.

“Watches and wearables are moving into that same space of shoes and purses and hats, and not a lot of people have integrated that with technology,” said Brett Lovelady, founder and chief executive of Astro Studios, a design firm based in San Francisco.

“So I think we’re going to learn a lot in the next few years about what really sticks.”

DESIGN OF DEVICES GAINS IMPORTANCE Astro Studios designed one of the first popular wearable devices — the Nike FuelBand. Lovelady said the FuelBand worked because it combined a physical design that sent a message of sportiness and power, and because, crucially, the software experience actually motivated people with entertaining animations, rewards and social interactions. “It was kind of the total package,” he said.

That package is increasingly the goal of Silicon Valley companies both big and small. At the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, this week, Maeda gave a presentation he called his first annual Design in Tech Report.

The report made it clear that design is not only a differentiator for companies, it can be an incredibly lucrative one.

Startups founded or co-founded by designers, he said, were being acquired at a rapid rate by companies known for having a tech-first approach. Google, Facebook, Adobe, Dropbox and Yahoo, for exam-

ple, have all bought design-oriented start-ups since 2010, according to Maeda’s data. He said 27 startups co-founded by designers, as well as 10 creative agencies, were purchased by tech companies in the last four years.

Designer Fund In San Francisco, a venture capital firm called Designer Fund is specifically targeting startups founded or co-founded by designers that are building great experience in from the bottom up.

Ben Blumenfeld, a co-director at Designer Fund who was a design lead at Facebook before that, said a few companies and experiences — especially in mobile — were showing people that the systems they interact with every day could be much better.

“Let’s say you’re a doctor and electronic medical records are really terribly done as an industry,” said Blumenfeld. “Doctors are starting to use iPhones and they’re saying, ‘Wait a second, why doesn’t

my electronic records system work like my iPhone apps?’ So the demand for design in other areas is now higher.”

“When they are bringing design into those other areas, companies are starting to succeed based on their design,” Blumenfeld said.

Apps and services In the case of apps and services that make design a top priority, like Airbnb or Uber, the entire user experience is considered. Those services make a complicated task seem incredibly easy, almost invisible, whether that user is the driver of an Uber car or the passenger, the renter of an Airbnb or the owner of the apartment.

Those services are beautiful, yes, but the real design victory is in carefully considering exactly how someone will want to navigate an app, communicate with another person or conduct a transaction.

That’s a big shift for the tech industry. - FARHAD MANJOO/The New York Times News Service

VINCENT LAFORET remembers the moment he realised digital cameras had surpassed the human eye. It was late in 2009, and Laforet, a photographer who worked for ‘The New York Times’ for many years, was shooting in Los Angeles with the EOS 1D Mark IV, a Canon camera he had gotten as an early prototype.

“It was at night, and I remember pointing this camera into a dark bush. It was pitch black — my eyes saw just pure black,” he said. “But on the LCD screen of the camera, I saw green leaves and little red cherries.” The moment was a revelation, he said. “I was seeing stuff that I could not see with my eye, and I knew that we were entering a new age of photography.”

Since then, Laforet has watched as digital photography has steadily improved to be able to achieve something he long considered impossible: photographing the world in the dark.

Laforet says that sometime in the last two years, photography crossed a threshold.

The sensors in high-end digital cameras can now capture light extremely efficiently, and the software in the cameras, as well as in postproduction software such as Adobe Lightroom, are now very good at reducing the grainy image quality associated with pictures taken in low light. As a result, night photography without the aid of a flash isn’t just possible — it’s spectacular.

To prove it, for an hour and a half one evening last month, Laforet took me up in a helicopter high over San Francisco. Using several cameras and lenses, he shot images including a vision of San Francisco as an orange-and-blue microchip shot entirely in the dark, with only minimal adjustments for color and reduction of noise, or digital dots on the image, in postproduction software.

Storehouse These images are part of a series Laforet has been touring the world to produce. He shot the first set last year in New York on assignment for Men’s Health magazine. They were meant to

accompany an article about psychology, and Laforet thought the grid of the city, and the pulsing lights of cars shuttling about it, resembled the synaptic wiring of our brains.

But when the photos ran in Men’s Health, Laforet was disappointed by the muted response.

So, on a lark, he put the photos up on Storehouse, an app that lets you turn a set of photos into a beautiful online story page.

Storehouse attracts a large community of photographers who immediately understood the significance of Laforet’s night images. His Storehouse page of the New York pictures went viral, and Laforet decided he had to do more. He has since traveled to a half-dozen cities and has posted images from three. In addition to New York, he’s done Las Vegas, and is posting pictures from San Francisco.

From a helicopter Notwithstanding improvements in image sensors and software, photographing a city from a helicopter at night isn’t a trivial thing. When he’s up in a chopper, leaning out the door, with his body and his camera secured by straps, Laforet is fighting two opposing forces. To capture the most light, he wants to keep the camera’s shutter open for as long as possible. That would be easy if he were sitting on a placid, stationary object.

But helicopters aren’t placid.

They’re moving in all directions at all times.

Laforet combats this problem in two ways. He sets the camera on a gyroscopic mount, a rig that he holds in two hands and that uses spinning discs to dampen rotor vibrations.

The other thing he does is take a lot of pictures, several thousand an hour, according to an exacting process. Before the flight, he decides on a few main shots he’d like to capture.

That allows the pilots to draw a rough flight plan and get any clearances they need.

The San Francisco images, for example, were shot from three primary locations above the city, at two altitudes, around 500 feet and around 7,500 feet. - FARHAD MANJOO/The New York Times News Service

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ROUND-UP ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ likely to be more challenging this year With an improvised format this year, Experiment Events will facilitate negotiation between corporates and startups in Oman

MUSCAT: The second edition of ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ will be held in a 2-part series, the first at the picturesque Jebal Akhdaron on May 9 and second as part of the Grand Finale Business networking lunch on May 24 at the Grand Hyatt Muscat. The organiser Experiment Events is ready to set the stage for an exciting agenda within the next two months for young entrepreneurs.

This is a unique initiative that is held annually to enhance trade

and cooperation between startups and corporates based in Oman as ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ aims at finding the most promising entrepreneurs of the nation. A series of ambitious workshops and matchmaking events for such startups in Oman is slated to take place within the next two months along with an exciting mountain hike, which is a key highlight, says a press release.

“With a stricter selection process and an extensive format unlike last year, we look forward to making this year’s ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ even more exciting, competitive and rigorous to bring out the best in entrepreneurs in Oman. Hence the idea of having such an activity is to help provide young entrepreneurs with increased access to networking, mentoring, platform to connect with investorsand efficient instruments for the realisation of their business projects,” said Zameel Ameen, managing director, Experiment Events.

There will be 20 candidates selected based on the eligibility criteria which will be decided by a jury panel along with an audit organisation supporting the judging.

munications, are the brand ambassadors of the event and will be the motivating factor for participants in 2015. The event will feature interactive road shows, exclusive registration processes, an exciting mountain hike that will include tackling real-time case studies, extensive social media activity, in-depth radio announcements and finally a grand finale for all registered participants, finalists and winners.

SECOND EDITION: The event aims at finding the most promising entrepreneurs of the nation. – Jun Estrada / TIMES OF OMAN

The 20 selected candidates will then team up with expertise entrepreneur/ mentors from Oman for a challenging activity, which will include a mountain hiking experience. They will together tackle real-time case studies to improve the business models of startups in Jebal Akhdar. From there, nine finalists will be shortlisted who will then go through a series of mentoring session by the selected senior

entrepreneurs before they showcase their existing business to a set of investors / corporates and government funding organisation at grand finale in Muscat.

Brand ambassadors Rashid Al Barwani, RevGX (last year’s winner of ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ 2014), Huda Al Lawati, Pro Group, Ice Cream Mama and Ali Al Lawati, Nasma Telecom-

SEMINAR

Key highlights of 2015: • This year’s ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ will be held with the support of maximum number of SMEs in Oman.

• ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ will facilitate workshops and events that provide knowledge and knowhow on how to open up businesses.

• A specialised documentary will be made on Jebal Akhdar startups which will be screened at the grand finale.

• Top level entrepreneurs will be mentoring nine finalists this year.

• A special radio competition will be organised to shortlist university students to attend the grand finale.

• Critic panel to do a live Q&A session with the nine finalists.

Participants have to register online and submit their application before or on April 20 explaining their existing business agenda.

The selection criterion is based on a compelling and high potential explanation of their agendas that will be of benefit to the economy in the long run.

It is widely understood that SMEs are a fundamental part of the economic fabric and that they play a crucial role in furthering growth, innovation and prosperity of nations. Hence to further help the young entrepreneurs of this nation, the ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ is a platform which will provide an opportunity to the youth to connect with, learn, experience from leading entrepreneurs of the country so they can bring their business plans closer to reality.

Lastly ‘Entrepreneur’s Conclave’ in partnership with Sabco Media will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear from industry experts on a variety of issues that are pertinent to business owners, while providing an outlook for all SMEs.

CONSERVING ENVIRONMENT

Renowned speaker to highlight benefits of Big Data on April 8 Like governments and financial institutions, the potential for optimisation will increase efficiency and profitability for corporate interests. However, these businesses can also leverage the predictive potential to anticipate customer behaviour and deploy more intuitive, targeted and profitable marketing strategies. Big Data provides the opportunity for increased revenues and lower costs.

Times News Service MUSCAT: A high-profile and exclusive one-day seminar on Big Data titled ‘Think Bigger’ will be held at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Hotel on April 8. The seminar, organised by Oman Advertising Agency (OmanAd) and supported

by Information Technology Authority (ITA), will be addressed by the keynote speaker, Patrick Schwerdtfeger.

Patrick is a leading authority on global business trends including demographics, ‘Big Data’ and the social media revolution and the author of the award-winning book Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed (2011, Wiley). He is a regular speaker for Bloomberg TV and has spoken about business trends, technology and innovative online marketing channels at conferences and business events around the world. Patrick spoke about “Learned Intuition” at the TEDx Sacramento events in 2012 and 2013.

In an interview, Patrick speaks about Big Data and its importance.

What is Big Data?

Technically, Big Data refers to the processing of datasets that are so large that they require parallel processing technology like Hadoop and/or MapReduce.

Practically, Big Data refers to the analytics of large-scale data collections and the resulting potential for optimisation and predictive analytics.

Could you describe the importance and the benefits of Big Data in the present economic scenario in the Middle East?

The economies of Middle East countries are growing quickly, not only because of rapid population expansion but also because of dynamic economic growth on both sides; Africa and South Asia.

The GCC countries, in particular, stand to benefit most because of the opportunity for accelerated infrastructure development funded by oil revenues. Big Data and business intelligence will ensure the

efficient management and implementation of these infrastructure and development projects.

How is Big Data Analytics going to benefit all government sectors? How is it vital to the effective functioning of governments in the 21st century?

The eGovernment movement is ushering in a new era of public services delivered over the Internet.

The digital trail of all these online interactions is generating enormous datasets and Big Data technologies will help governments extract insights and opportunities for optimisation within the public sector. In short, Big Data will allow governments to optimise their services and maximise efficiency for their citizens.

How is Big Data Analytics going to benefit banking and financial institutions?

Similar to governments, the opportunity in Big Data lies with the potential for optimisation. Not only will Big Data help banking and financial institutions better understand their customers and provide services that better meet their needs, but it will also provide added clarity in risk mitigation strategies and portfolio management.

How is Big Data Analytics going to benefit corporate and private organisations?

There are two primary benefits of Big Data; its predictive potential and its optimisation potential.

What will be role of IT professionals and experts in Big Data?

Historically, the C-suite (executive management) was responsible for all strategic decisions and the IT department was subordinate to that leadership team. With Big Data, that relationship has been turned upside down. Corporate decisions are increasingly data-driven and that puts enormous power and influence into the hands of IT professionals and experts.

Who can and should attend this seminar?

This seminar is best suited to executives needing to better understand the Big Data phenomenon, the technology trends driving innovation and the larger business trends that are positioning Middle East organisations for future economic growth. This seminar is strategic in nature and will not discuss specific platforms or software configurations.

What are the major takeaways to the participants who attend this high-profile oneday seminar?

• What does ‘Big Data’ actually refer to and what market forces are driving the trend?

• Who are the leaders in the space and how have they leveraged the technology?

• How have businesses and governments monetised their data and generated profits?

• What is the essential component to gain monetary value (profits) from your data?

• How are demographic trends shifting economic power away from Western countries?

• When will economic growth arrive in the Middle East and South Asian regions?

• What role will technology play in facilitating population and economic growth?

• What strategic approach is most effective at attracting investors and generating profits?

Could you describe the impact of Big Data Analytics in the GCC, Middle East and other parts of the world?

GCC organisations are leveraging advanced expertise in Europe and America to leapfrog the traditional economic development timeline.

Projects are employing the latest sophisticated technologies within a domestic culture that is new to the field. Big Data analytics will play an increasing role in these projects going forward. The challenge for GCC and Middle East countries will be to encourage young people to select STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education with a focus on data science. If successful, this will minimise the demand for foreign consultants and empower local organisations to fully control their own technologies.

Could you briefly describe your recent similar seminars in the Middle East, especially in GCC countries, and what are your preparations for the Omani market?

I covered technology trends at the 18th GCC eGovernment Conference in Dubai in 2012 and have returned three times since then. I spoke on ‘The Future of IT’ at the Futurescape Conference hosted

by Techmahindra in Dubai in 2013 and then covered ‘Global Business Trends’ for BMC Software in Dubai in 2014 and hosted a one-day seminar on social media in Bahrain later that same year. I am updating my presentation to accommodate ongoing technology innovations and emerging Big Data success stories.

My preparations also include considerations for Oman’s position in the region and the requirements of the expected attendees.

be’ah conducts workshop MUSCAT: Oman Environmental Services Holding Company “be’ah” recently organised a discussion workshop session to examine the possibility of finding economic value for construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations such as; the need for coordination among stakeholders and drafting new laws and regulations for C&D waste in addition to adding possible tariffs on the C&D waste generators. The workshop also emphasised on the need for standard specifications to dispose or recycle C&D waste.

Various stakeholders from government entities, experts and businessmen in the Sultanate participated in the one day workshop, says a press release.

Sheikh Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Harthy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development at be’ah commenced the workshop by presenting be’ah’s strategy to conserve the environment of Oman by providing waste management services as per international standards.

Al-Harthy, discussed the current situation and said: “The urbanisation and developmental activities in the Sultanate have resulted in significant generation of

C&D waste. Unfortunately, much of it is disposed illegally and randomly thus remain unusable and cause health and environmental problems.” Furthermore, he stated, “be’ah’s main goal is restructuring the waste management sector and support the economy by maximising the in-country value through investing and establishing the best economical practices for C&D waste.”

The participants pointed out the significance of evaluating current regulations and legislations regarding the segregation and treatment of C&D waste; as current laws and regulations do not encourage the reuse or recycling of such waste. They also discussed be’ah’s and other concerned stakeholders’ role in supporting SMEs, utilisation of C&D waste in different projects, and the need for accurate information and programmes to use C&D waste. be’ah is currently collaborating with authorities concerned to adopt and develop technical specifications of the final product of C&D waste and is working towards eliminating illegal dumping. be’ah has signed an agreement to treat C&D waste resulting from the demolition of houses along the Al-Batinah coastal road project.

DEVELOPING SKILLS

OIFC holds workshop on time management

EXHIBITION

UK varsities to have strong presence at Ghedex MUSCAT: On a global scale, the UK is viewed as a premier higher education destination, attracting a higher rate of international students than any other country, and second best only to the USA. Figures released by UCAS towards the end of January this year, indicated that the number of international students applying to UK undergraduate courses is rising.

Overall, there were 592,290 applications — the highest number ever recorded. Keeping these figures in

mind, now students from Oman are encouraged to enrich their academic performance in higher studies with a UK learning experience at Oman’s leading Global Higher Education Exhibition-Ghedex from April 20-22 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre, says a press release.

“Education and training are increasingly important to Oman, as the nation pushes ahead with Omanisation and efforts to diversify the economy away from de-

pendency on oil and gas. This presents many opportunities for UK educational institutes to support some of these objectives through the provision of top quality education and training. The warm and close friendship which the UK and Oman enjoy today is, in no small part, due to the many educational and training exchanges between the two countries down the years,” says Lola Lam, Commercial Attaché, UK Trade & Investment, British Embassy in Muscat.

Adding more to this view, Raihan Alavi, MA; MBA, Educational Strategist (London) & Director, Student Connect Solutions (UK) Ltd. feels that “collaboration programmes should be more global in their functionality. There should be a willingness for global leaders in education to work more closely with established institutions in developing countries.

This is a broader topic of discussion and we can be approached directly in this regard.”

MUSCAT: OIFC organised a workshop on ‘Prioritisation and Time Management’ for all the managers. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Yousef Saada of Tamooh Training Institute.

The workshop consisted of showcasing and identifying the best practices to manage time and priorities in order to achieve the best level of quality assurance, says a press release.

“We at OIFC believe in investing in our people. Equipping our human resources with the right and adequate knowledge and

practices would enable OIFC to provide the highest possible levels of customer satisfaction.

OIFC has been initiating a number of programmes for the staff, aiming to raise their knowledge, skills and qualifications through Higher Diploma Programmes, MBA programmes, specialised training courses, and many other skill development courses.

Today, OIFC has enrolled over 60 per cent of its manpower in various training programmes, courses and higher academic schemes.”

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ROUND-UP

Bank Muscat to finance Links project home deals The cooperation between the bank and Badr Development will benefit citizens and residents in Oman and fulfil their dream of owning a home, especially at the Links project in Muscat Hills

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, and Badr Development company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)

to provide attractive baituna home finance for the Links project in Muscat Hills. Said Al Badai, DGM – Branches, and Yasir Suleiman, Director of Badr Development company, signed the MoU at the bank’s head office.

“Bank Muscat is delighted to extend yet another attractive option for prospective home buyers in Oman. The real estate sector is a major component of the national economy and Bank Muscat is committed to extending all possible support to achieve the objective of a ‘home for every family’, especially youth. baituna home finance

is aimed at offering citizens and residents easy access to mortgage finance, thereby contributing to revitalisation of the real estate sector and enhancing its role in the national economy,” said Said Al Badai.

“Badr Development company is happy to join hands with Bank Muscat in extending attractive home deals. The co-operation between the two institutions will benefit citizens and residents in Oman and fulfil their dream of owning a home, especially at the Links in Muscat Hills comprising 265 prime residential units,” stated Yasir Suleiman.

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The Links project offers freehold ownership and residency for all investors. Muscat Hills is a prime integrated tourism project close to the airport. The Links project is expected to be completed by September 2017. baituna home finance is among the lowest interest rate with the maximum loan tenure up to 25 years for Omani customers. With extended loan tenure and the lowest interest rate, Bank Muscat facilitates the best home finance deals in the Sultanate.

Citizens and residents can avail easy and convenient credit approval across the bank’s branches in the Sultanate. Baituna home finance is designed to help families fulfil their dream homes. baituna offers the most convenient mortgage plans to suit everyone’s needs with simplified documentation, flexible repayment options, insurance coverage and processing across the bank’s extensive network of branches.

All leading property developers are associated with the bank, hence baituna facilitates access to prime residential projects in Oman.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

BankDhofar enhances its debit card security MUSCAT: BankDhofar has recently adapted the EMV global standard, being the first bank to join Central Bank of Oman (Oman Net Switch) for its debit card issuance, point of sale terminal (POS) and ATM. The new technology brings in various security features and enhanced services to avoid fraud risk and scam, says a press release.

EMV chip technology is a global standard for credit card and debit card payments. It features payment instruments with embedded microprocessor chips that store and protect cardholder data. . Introducing chip-based cards will further enhance the security of ATM cards and ensure global interoperability of BankDhofar cards.

“The launch of EMV technology is yet another initiative by BankDhofar to further enhance our customer experience and to add to the security of the cards and the convenience of using them in ATMs and POS,” said Abdul Hakeem Al Ojaili, Acting CEO. “We will start issuing VISA debit chip-cards for our customers in all BankDhofar branches

across the Sultanate through the instant issuance system cardtechnology,” he added.

Among the various benefits, in addition to high security features and global interoperability of the debit cards, the new feature allows account-to-account transfer facility where BankDhofar customer can enjoy online fund transfer with limit of OMR5,000 to other local bank accounts by entering the beneficiary card number in the ATM.

SUCCESS STORY

Napco event highlights strategic roadmap to development MUSCAT: National Aluminium Products Company (Napco), one of the leading extruders of aluminium profiles in the GCC, successfully hosted its first annual invitational dinner recently at the InterContinental Hotel in Muscat.

The event, which was attended by the country’s leading architects, consultants, project managers and construction professionals, served as a key platform for the company

to reveal its strategic roadmap towards development — its move to expand and the implementation of its vision for the next three years, says a press release.

The event also helped draw more awareness on the company’s operations and diverse product portfolio while also highlighting the exciting changes currently taking place in the company, which includes its recent change in management and

RECRUIT

QUOTES You’ve got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It’s called perseverance.

— Lee Iacocca You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.

— Steve Jobs

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improvement of policies to help serve their clients better.

The dinner followed after the company’s recent announcement of implementing a massive expansion initiative that aims towards launching Napco on its new path of growth and sustainability.

Robert Holtkamp, CEO, Napco, said, “We are now making our way towards more growth and development, which aims to strengthen

our abilities and generate more sustainability. The implementation of this new roadmap will pave the way to a transformation and entry into an era of substantial growth with the aim of placing Napco on the map and securing major presence in the GCC countries, not just Oman. We are very pleased at the overwhelming response for the Napco annual invitational dinner.”

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Toyota launches ‘Summer Surprises’ Toyota vehicles are now available with a host of benefits during the campaign

MUSCAT: As the sun rises in beautiful Oman someone, somewhere starts his or her day in a Toyota. Be it a fisherman in a Hilux hauling in his heavy nets; an executive zooming-off for a meeting or an adventurer hunting for a rocky Wadi to bash… a Toyota is what they all have in common.

One of the most trusted automotive names in Oman, Toyota is also a favourite across generations.

“More often than not the question is not which brand to own but which Toyota to buy,” remarks a proud Toyota owner.

Toyota always endeavours to be a customer centric and a customer

friendly brand. In keeping with this ideology, Toyota is always listening to what customers want and ask for. Promotion campaigns are local favourites and with customers waiting for it, ‘Summer Surprises’ is back again with a bang.

Toyota vehicles are now available with a host of benefits during the ‘Summer Surprises’ campaign, says a press release.

Launched on March 15, this exciting campaign carries on all the way up to May 13. Benefits are applicable on 2015 year models which are 2015 production vehicles, for all purchases except government organisations and ministries. Comprehensive one year insurance (Oman only), first year registration is being offered on various models. But that’s not all.

Customers can also avail 1,000 litres of fuel (petrol or diesel as applicable on a model) and iPhone 6 (16 GB, space grey colour) on select models. In case, a customer doesn’t want to go for the above, he/she also has a choice to avail cash gift up to OMR500 as applicable on select models.

All these exciting benefits being offered on the formidable and dynamic range of vehicles from Toyota’s stable make a compelling consideration for anybody who is looking at a new purchase.

Terms and conditions apply on various benefits that are being offered as a part of the summer surprises campaign.

The comprehensive range of Toyota includes a number of popular vehicles.

A worthy choice, the Toyota Yaris is an exciting sedan, available in 1.5 L and a 1.3 L engine choice, Toyota Yaris made for the young and young at heart sets the hearts racing and adds to your style at play.

The Toyota Corolla is the Middle East Car of the Year for 2014.

With an enviable lineage, Corolla is the most sold car worldwide.

Driving one puts you in the spotlight with all eyes on you. Customers can choose between a powerful 2.0 L Engine and a 1.6 L Engine.

The Toyota Camry is the topselling car for the past 11 years in America. Camry is an iconic sedan that marks a beginning of a new era in the world of automobiles.

The 2015 Camry offers a 2.5L Dual VVTi Engine that delivers 181 HP, 6-Speed multi-mode A/T transmission, 6 Airbags along with VSC and TRC. The luxurious Aurion is a vehicle that elevates your class and helps you carve an image that is just right. Available with 6-speed

multi-mode automatic transmission, with a 3.5L Engine and a maximum output of 268 HP, delivering top-class level fuel economy and a powerful driving experience.

The Toyota Avalon is a par excellence sedan with an elegant design meant for the discerning. It utilizes a 3.5-litre, six-cylinder engine that features Dual VVT-i. The V6 Engine produces 273 horsepower and provides the Avalon with remarkable acceleration.

The Hilux is unbeaten and unstoppable. With a Hilux one can boldly and powerfully conquer the unexplored paths.

Be it the narrow lanes or uneven terrain, the Hilux is sure to partner your ambitions.

The large deck, the strong built, the aggressive stance make Hilux an all-time favourite. Made available in three options of Single Cab, Double Cab & 4x4; it suits every business, every need.

Feature-packed and Fungineered, the Toyota RAV4 is powered by a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder Dual VVT-i engine that churns out 177HP. Its cutting edge fea-

tures include Xenon headlamps with daytime running lights, aero stabilising fins, aerodynamic roof rails, floor mounted spare wheels, moon roof and rear rarking sensors (4 pieces). A smooth ride, plenty of cargo space and proven reliability are its hallmarks. A genuine 4-wheel drive, the Fortuner TRD Sportivo is equipped with an advanced large displacement engine and tough chassis for an uncompromising running performance, whether on-road or off-road.

Prado, born with the Toyota Land Cruiser DNA in its bloodline, takes Toyota’s enviable 4WD legacy way further. A top-seller in regions around the world, the Prado is a pride to own and a joy to drive.

The Land Cruiser is the standard by which other off-road vehicles are measured.

In Oman, Toyota’s outstanding product quality is supported by the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive.

No wonder then that today, Toyota is one of the most trusted and wellknown brands. ‘ N AY E N AT UA’

Bengali theatre group to perform on March 26 MUSCAT: The alumni of Bengal Engineering College (Kolkata) in Muscat will present the well known Bengali theatre group ‘Naye Natua’ on March 26 at the Oman Auditorium, Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

‘Naye Natua’ was formed by the well known stage actor and director Gautam Halder around the year 2009 and have presented a number of acclaimed productions like Meghnadbodh Kavya, Jaal and Borda, says a press release.

Goutam Halder has also acted in and directed a number of outstanding plays for the famous Bengali theatre group Nandikar like Sesh Sakkhatkar, Football, Pheriwalar Mrityu and Sojon Badyiar Ghaat. He shall be joined by Debshankar Halder, widely acclaimed as one of the greatest stage actors of his generation. He has been working for a long time in different Bengali theatre groups like Nandikar, Rangapat, Sudrak, Gandhar to name a few.

An actor par excellence, known for his versatility, he played the role of Debabrata Biswas (famous Rabindrasangeet singer) in Bratyajon’s production Ruddha Sangeet, appeared as Swami Vivekananda in Lokkrishti’s ‘Biley and as the yesteryear theatre doyen Sisir Kumar Bhaduri (one of the pioneers of Bengali theatre) in Indraranga’s Nisshanga Samrat. Debshankar has worked in a number of films too and is currently anchoring a well know reality TV show. In April 2010, Rangapat held a theatre festival to showcase the works of actor Debshankar Haldar, a feat which no other stage actor from Bengal has achieved, not even the greats like Sisir Bhaduri, Sombhu Mitra or Utpal Dutta.

The group shall be presenting two plays, Barda — solo performance by Goutam Halder — based on a story by the well known Indian author, Munshi Premchand. This shall be followed by Missed Call — a psychological thriller starring both Goutam and Debshankar Halder.

The following day shall witness a programme of recitation and Shrutinatok by the much acclaimed duo of Jagannath Basu and Urmimala Basu.

This will be held at the Nesnas Ballroom of Majan Intercontinental Hotel and followed by a musical performance by Iman Chakraborty, one of the most promising upcoming singers of Kolkata.

Jagannath Basu who began his career with the Air India Radio (AIR) in the 1970s has been instrumental in popularising radio plays. In the mid-Seventies, Jagannath took the genre of radio plays to the stage. Since then, he and Urmimala have been performing audio dramas before live audiences.

Later, he worked as the head of the Doordarshan Kendra in Ranchi and Jalpaiguri and later Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Kolkata. Urmimala has been a long-time presenter on F.M Kolkata, Akashvani Kendra.

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SPOR YOUR GAME

Oman hope to start with three points

READY FOR ACTION: Oman’s under-23 team coach Hamad Al Azzani, left, speaks during a press conference at City Seasons Hotel on Sunday. – JUN ESTRADA/Times of Oman

The Group A qualifiers of the AFC Under-16 Championship begin on Monday with Oman facing Bahrain in the opening match

MUSCAT: Oman are hoping to start their campaign with three points when the Group A qualifiers of the AFC Under-16 Championship begin at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Monday.

The Sultanate squad will take on Bahrain in the inaugural match from 5.30 pm while the second match of the evening will see Maldives taking on Lebanon at 8.30 pm.

Speaking at the mandatory match-eve press conference, Oman team coach Hamad Al Azzani said he cannot wait for the action to begin.

Hamad, who was in charge of Oman Olympic (Under-23) team that qualified for the Asian playoffs for 2012 London Olympics before senior national team’s French coach Paul Le Guen was handed the reins, said: “We are waiting for the action to begin after a lengthy training camps.”

Under Le Guen, Oman went on to win the Asian playoffs, involving Syria and Uzbekistan, but failed to clinch the London Games berth losing the final Asian-African playoff to Senegal in the English capital.

In the 2013 AFC U22 Championship finals, hosted by the Sultanate in January 2014, Oman,

under another Frenchman Philippe Burle, failed to make it to knockout stages finishing third in four-team Group A. This time around, the event, rechristened the AFC U23 Championship, serves as the qualifying competition for the 2016 Rio Olympics with three places up for grabs at the Asian championship.

But the Group A teams have to first assure themselves of a place in the Asian championship finals before thinking of the journey on the Road to Rio. Only group winners and the five best second-placed teams from ten groups qualify for the 2016 AFC U23 Championship to be hosted in Qatar next year.

And if Hamad is to be believed, Oman are looking to start their campaign with full points.

“It is going to be a very important beginning against Bahrain for us. It will be a breakthrough match for the team,” he said.

“We will definitely be playing to win three points tomorrow,” Hamad added.

Bahrain’s coach Adrian Whitbread said his team are ready for the competition.

“All our players are completely ready for the competition. They are ready for the big teams in the group,” the Englishman said.

He also stressed that his team will also be playing to win all three points.

Later in the competition, the two regional rivals will have even tougher opponents in the form of AFC U22 title holders Iraq.

Iraqi coach Yahya Alwan, meanwhile, said he will try help his team achieve goods results.

“We had a good training camp in the UAE and the team has benefited from the camp,” he said.

The champions will begin their campaign against Lebanon on Wednesday when Maldives will be playing their second match against Bahrain.

EPL

Man United down 10-man Liverpool LONDON: Juan Mata struck twice, including a sublime volley, for Manchester United in a 2-1 English Premier League victory over Liverpool who had Steven Gerrard sent off for a stamp at Anfield on Sunday.

Mata’s neat finish put United ahead on 14 minutes before Liverpool halftime substitute Gerrard was shown the red card for a challenge on Ander Herrera after just 48 seconds on the pitch.

Spaniard Mata’s stunning leftfoot volley put United 2-0 up in the 59th before Daniel Sturridge pulled a goal back for Liverpool 10 minutes later. Wayne Rooney then missed the chance to add a third for United when Simon Mignolet saved his injury-time penalty.

Fourth-placed United have 59 points from 30 matches, five more than Liverpool in fifth.

“I think it’s my best game in a United shirt,” Mata told Sky Sports. “The second goal has to be up there with my best. After Steven Gerrard was sent off we needed a second goal because they pushed us to the end.

“It was important for me. The last few months I’ve not had the

best moment. It is the manager who decides but I’m happy today.”

United needed to build on last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur to press their challenge for a Champions League place.

Liverpool fell behind after an explosive start when Herrera’s defence-splitting pass was collected by Mata who slid the ball past Mignolet.

United looked to be in control but Liverpool cranked the tempo up with midfielder Adam Lallana firing agonisingly wide after a sweeping counter-attack.

Gerrard replaced Lallana at halftime but the former England captain clattered into Mata and then stamped on Herrera in a follow-up challenge.

United defender Phil Jones was lucky to avoid being sent off for a clumsy tackle on Philippe Coutinho and the visitors made the extra man count when Angel Di Maria’s lobbed pass was met first time by Mata who scissorkicked past Mignolet.

Sturridge’s first time shot then raised Liverpool’s hopes but United stayed on top. - Reuters

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SOUTH AFRICA READY TO JOURNEY INTO ‘UNKNOWN’ South Africa batsman David Miller believes his side are ready for a journey into the “unknown” when they take on New Zealand in a World Cup semifinal in Auckland on Tuesday. >C3

FIERCE COMPETITION

Khalid wins second round of Oman Rally MUSCAT: Former national champion Khalid Soomar overcame a stiff competition to clinch the title at the second round of the Oman Rally Championship.

The second round of the championship, organised by the Oman Automobile Association (OAA) in cooperation with Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Sports Affairs and Ministry of Tourism, was flagged off at OAA premises early on Friday.

The 204.60km rally, with special stage is 86.10kms and road section of 118.40km, saw Khalid Soomar taking on early lead in his Mit. Evo. 7. But he was closely followed by Zakariya Al Aufi in Mit. Evo 9 and Saif Al Harthy in Mit. Evo.10.

And what followed was a fierce competition, which was made more challenging by the weather condition, especially in the morn-

ing session. However, Khalid Soomar kept his cool took the top place in a time of 53:57. Zakariya Al Aufi (54:07) and Khalid Al Minji (57:10) fiinished second and third respectively.

Omantel CEO Talal Said Al

Mamri presided over the prizegiving ceremony and handed over the trophies in the presence of OAA chairman Brigadier (Retd.)

Salim Ali Khalifa Al Maskiry.

Results: 1. Khalid Soomar/Taha Soomar (Mit. Evo 7) 00:53:57; 2. Zaka-

riya Al Aufi/Ammar Al Balushi (Mti Evo9) 00:54:07; 3. Khalid Al Minji/Saif Al Aisri (Subaru Imp) 00:57:10; 4. Faisal Al Rashdi/ Waleed Al Rashdi (Subaru Imp) 00:57:37; 5. Arif Al Kiyumi/Muadh Al Shukairi (Mit Evo) 01:01:48; 6. Hamid Al Qasimi/Mazin Al Nadabi (Mit Evo 6) 01:02:32.

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Times of Oman clinch title

TENNIS

OTA hosts first ranking tournament

Opting to bat first, Sarco scored 177 in 19.2 overs. Times of Oman, requiring 11 runs off the last over, scored the winning runs off the last ball of the 20th over E DIVISION: Times of Oman celebrate their title-winning performance.

MUSCAT: Times of Oman recorded an exciting last ball fourwicket win against Sarco to clinch the Enhance-sponsored E Division T20 title.

Opting to bat first, Sarco were well placed with Gireesha Thingalay (53) and Satisha Achary (47) posting a brisk 92 runs for the first wicket in 9.1 overs. Akshath Casteliano (20) and Tosim Khan (20) made valuable contributions to help the score along to 177 in 19.2 overs.

Aqeel Ahmed Ali took three wickets while Syed Kazmi, Owais Karim and Adnan-ul Haq bagged two wickets apiece. Times of Oman requiring 178 to win the match and the title were 162 for five in 18 overs. And requiring 11 runs off the last over, they scored the winning run off the last delivery of the 20th over. Mujtaba Ahmed opening the batting led the way with a blistering 74 off 46 balls, while Waqas Manzoor scored 45 in 23 balls.

Gireesha Thingalay and Mohammed Saeed Khan took two wickets each. Sarco secured the runners-up position by virtue of

a better net run rate of 1.346 as against .0691 earned by Landscape Architecture. Both teams completed their engagements with 10 points each from seven outings.

Brief scores: Sarco 177 in 19.2 overs (Gireesha Thingalay 53, Satisha Achary 47, Akshath Casteliano 20, Tosim Khan 20; Aqeel Ahmed Ali 3/38, Syed Kazmi 2/21, Owais Karim 2/23, Adnan Ul Haq 2/24) lost to Times of Oman 178 for 6 in 20 overs (Mujtaba Ahmed 74, Waqas Manzoor 45; Gireesha Thingalay 2/23, Mohammed Saeed Khan 2/35). Points: Times of Oman - 2 (7 games, 13 pts), Sarco - Nil (7 games, 10 pts).

Oman Engineering win In another E Division T20 match, Oman Engineering concluded their engagements with a 63-run win against Mott MacDonald.

Batting first, Oman Engineering scored 186 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs thanks to a top score of 70 from Qamar Nazir.

Mott MacDonald in reply were bowled out for 123 off 19 overs .

Brief scores: Oman Engineering 186 for 7 in 20 overs (Qamar Nazir 70, Shahid

IN FINE FORM: Noushad

Easy for Arrow Overseas Arrow Overseas recorded an eighthwicket win against 10-member Uday Khimji International team in an Al Ansari Group of Companiessponsored C Division T20 match.

Invited to bat first, Uday Khimji International were restricted to 137 for nine in 20 overs. Arrow Overseas, in reply, raced to 140 for two in 15.1 overs with opening batsman Noushad Mohammed remaining unbeaten on 74.

Design Unit down Fairtrade Design Unit Engineering recorded a 51-run win against Fairtrade in another C Division T20 match.

The match was reduced to 18 overs-per-side due to the late submission of the team list by Fairtrade, who were penalised 18 runs.

Batting first, Design Unit piled up 200 runs for seven in 18 overs.

Fairtrade managed to score 149 for nine wickets in 18 overs.

Brief scores: Oasis Water 175 for 8 in 20 overs (Kannan Padmanaban 57, Shyju S. 53 n.o., Rohan Kurian 25; Zahid Hussain M. 3/22, Nathar Al Balushi 2/36, Rajagopalan Nair 2/48) bt Enhance Royals 163 for 7 in 20 overs (Rajagopalan Nair 48, Kather Meeran 34, Abdul Vahid 31, V. Anandpathi 20; Shibin Padikkal M. 2/24, Ratheesh P.P. 2/29). Points: Oasis Water - 2 (8 games, 7 pts), Enhance Royals - Nil (8 games, 7 pts).

Brief scores: Design Unit Engineering 200 for 7 in 20 overs (Nishanth 45, Shamas 43; Shine Jacob 2/24, Anoop 2/28, Siju P. 2/37) bt Fairtrade 149 for 9 in 18 overs (Ibrahim Kutty 57, Neelakandan Arjun 32; Rajesh Shetty 3/18, Ahmed Arshad 2/14, Shakeel 2/19). Points: Design Unit Engineering - 2 (8 games, 10 pts), Fairtrade - Nil (7 games, 6 pts).

Brief scores: Uday Khimji International 137 for 9 in 20 overs (Derrick George 30, Roshan Mankar 28, Jithin Palakkeel 22; Tenson Abraham 3/20) lost to Arrow Overseas 140 for 2 in 15.1 overs (Noushad Mohammed 74 n.o., Anil Lalji 24 n.o). Points: Arrow Overseas - 2 (8 games, 8 pts), Uday Khimji International - Nil (8 games, 2 pts).

Jebin stars for Teejan Jebin James claimed four wickets to help Teejan Furnishing Beatrice to a three-wicket win against OCT Mabella in a G Division T20 match.

Electing to bat first, OCT Mabella were limited to 124 for nine wickets in 20 overs. Ten-man Teejan Furnishing Beatrice in their turn scored 125 for seven in 15.3 overs.

Oasis beat Enhance Royals Oasis Water registered a 12-run win against Enhance Royals in an F Division T20 match.

Deciding to bat first, Oasis Water scored 175 for eight in 20 overs.

Enhance Royals, in reply, scored 163 for seven in 20 overs.

Brief scores: OCT Mabella 124 for 9 in 20 overs (Asif Abdul Samad 33; Jebin James 4/20, Feroz O.V. 2/20) lost to Teejan Furnishing Beatrice 125 for 7 in 15.3 overs (Rikas Mashraf 46, Shibu K.V. 35; Sharif Pindook 2/29). Points: Teejan Furnishing Beatrice - 2 (7 games, 2 pts), OCT Mabella - Nil (7 games, 1 pt).

Ali 32, Nagesh Kalldullu 30; Sagar Ingle 3/42, Savinraj Rajappan 2/31) bt Mott MacDonald 123in 19 overs (Savinraj Rajappan 38; Mohammed Raza 3/20, Irteza Ahmad 3/22, Nagesh Kalldullu 2/10).

Points: Oman Engineering - 2 (7 games, 9 pts), Mott MacDonald - Nil (7 games, Nil).

T10 TOURNEY

Results: Men’s singles: 1. Saleh Al Zadali, 2. Fawaz Al Mandari, 3. Omran Al Balushi. Boys under-18: 1. Younis Al Rawahi, 2. Abdallah Al Barwani, 3. Zakariya Al Suleimani, 4. Abdulrahman Al Hajri. Boys under-14: 1. Muneer Al Rawahi, 2. Eyad Al Khanjari, 3. Ali Al Sarhani, 4. Abdallah Al Raisi. Girls under-12: 1. Safana Al Riyami, 2. Tanal Al Riyami, 3. Reem Al Sarhani.

A DIVISION

Super Star clinch Al Hail multi-nation cricket title MUSCAT: Super Star team defeated All Omani Team by 20 runs to win the inaugural Multi-nation T10 hardball cricket tournament organised by Al Hail Cricket Team here recently.

All Omani Team captain Mohammed Hanif won the toss and elected to field first. Super Star team went on to score 66 runs for the loss of six wickets in six overs. Adil contributed 20 runs while Shafeeq made 20.

For All Omani Team Suhaib Al Balushi took four wickets.

In reply, All Omani Team were restricted to 46 for five in six overs. Sharif Al Balushi was the top scorer with 19 runs. Bilal of Super Star took two wickets.

Adil was declared man of the final for his match winning 20 runs while Waleed Al Balushi of All Omani Team was declared as man of the tournament.

Suhaib Al Balushi of All Omani Team was adjudged the best bowler of the tournament taking

MUSCAT: The Oman Tennis Association (OTA) recently organised the first national ranking tournament.

The tournament, with the matches played in men’s as well as age group categories for both boys and girls, took place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex from March 18 to 21.

According to a press release issued by the OTA on Sunday, the tournament is first of the four events planned for the year which will determine the rankings of the players in each category.

Oman national player Saleh Al Zadali won the men’s title while Fawaz Al Mandari and Omran Al Balushi took second and third places respectively.

In the boys under-18 competitions, Younis Al Rawahi won the top place with Abdallah Al Barwani, Zakariya Al Suleimani and Abdulrahman Al Hajri following in that order.

In the boys under-14 event, Muneer Al Rawahi won the first place while Eyad Al Khanjari, Ali Al Sarhani and Abdallah Al Raisi filled the next three slots.

In the girls under-12 category, Safana Al Riyami finished first ahead of her sister Tanal and Reem Al Sarhani.

10 wickets that included a hattrick while Adil of Super star was declared as best batsman.

The other teams that took part in the tournament were Dhofar Automotive , Newrest Wacaso, RAHRC, Douglas OHI, Rajgarh andAl Fairuz CT. Moula Al Balushi of Al Hail School of Cricket presided over the prize-giving ceremony. The organisers thanked all sponsors

— Mitsubishi Motors, National Bank of Oman, Pocari Sweat, National Mineral Water Company and Oasis Water Company — for their valuable support in ensuring success of the tournament.

Brief scores (final): Super Star 66 for 6 in 6 overs (Adil 20, Shafeeq 20; Suhaib 4/10, Waleed 1/14) bt All Omani Team 46 for 5 in 6 overs (Sharif Al Balushi 19 runs; Bilal 2/7, Shafeeq 2/9).

Ajay show lifts Al Turki NMC MUSCAT: Ajay Lalcheta claimed four wickets and then opening the batting slammed an unbeaten 68 runs to help Al Turki NMC register a register an easy five-wicket win against Enhance in a Muscat Pharmacy & Stores-sponsored A Division 50 overs-a-side league.

Invited to bat first, Enhance were given good start in a 75-run first-wicket partnership between Unnikrishnan G.P. (59) and Ravi Baradkane (18). But they slumped to 181 all out in 44.1 overs. Skipper Noorul Riaz contributed 36 runs.

Al Turki NMC, in reply, reached their target scoring 183 for five in 40 overs with Ajay and skipper Twinkle Bhandari (49) laying the foundation with a first-wicket partnership of 81 runs in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Enhance 181 in 44.1 overs (Unnukrishnan G.P. 59, Noorul Riaz 36; Ajay Lalcheta 4/25, Jignesh Patel 2/17, Jay Odedra 2/41) lost to Al Turki NMC 183 for 5 in 40 overs (Ajay Lalcheta 68 n.o., Twinkle Bhandari 49, Yogesh Patel 21 n.o.; C.M. Pradeep Kumar 3/32).

Points: Al Turki NMC - 5 (9 games, 30 pts), Enhance - Nil (9 games, 23 pts).

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

TUESDAY 1ST SEMIFINAL: NEW ZEALAND V SOUTH AFRICA (5:00AM OMAN TIME) THURSDAY 2ND SEMIFINAL: INDIA V AUSTRALIA (7:30AM OMAN TIME)

AERIAL VIEW OF THE SPRAWLING MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND WHERE THE FINAL WILL BE PLAYED The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is seen in this aerial view. The MCG will host the 2015 Cricket World Cup final match later on March 29. This venue is located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. According to Wikipedia, it is the 13th-largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and has the highest light towers at any sporting venue. Internationally, the MCG is remembered as the centrepiece stadium of both the 1956 Summer Olympics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 1992 Cricket World Cup and now the 2015 edition of the Cricket World Cup too. — AFP

One step at a time: Miller South Africa batsman David Miller believes his side are ready for a journey into the ‘unknown’ when they face New Zealand in a World Cup semifinal in Auckland on Tuesday

AUCKLAND: Since being allowed into cricket’s showpiece event in 1992 ahead of the collapse of apartheid, South Africa have failed to get past the semifinal stage on three occasions and are still awaiting a maiden World Cup final appearance.

New Zealand’s record is even worse, with the Black Caps having

lost all six of their previous World Cup semifinals.

Yet it is the Proteas who carry the unwanted tag of ‘chokers’, a label they went some way to removing with a thumping ninewicket win over Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals — South Africa’s first victory in the knockout phase of any World Cup. “It’s something

that’s the unknown,” said Miller on Sunday of the prospect of playing either Australia or defending champions India, who meet in the second semi in Sydney on Thursday, in the March 29 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground “It’s a very exciting time. In eight days we could be world champions but it’s just one step at a time, take things slowly as they come,” Miller added. Better known as a rugby venue, the ground’s short straight boundaries were expected to lead to a glut of fours and sixes during the World Cup. However, Eden Park has staged two low-scoring thrillers during the tournament — New Zealand’s one-wicket win over fellow cohosts Australia and Pakistan’s 29run defeat of South Africa.

Nevertheless, the big-hitting

Miller is aiming to cash in any way he can. “Hopefully, I can mishit a few straight sixes,” he said. “That’s just the way the field is and it’s cool to be playing on it.”

The 25-year-old Miller, appearing in his first World Cup, started the tournament with a careerbest 138 not out in a win over Zimbabwe in Hamilton.

The left-hander has made two subsequent 40s, but he fell for a duck at Eden Park during the loss to Pakistan in pool play.

“It’s my first time in New Zealand so it’s good to have already played a game here and just to get the feel of the ground itself, the dimensions of the field,” he said.

“It’s just something to get used to and obviously the feel of the crowd. It’s going to be huge on Tuesday.” - AFP

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New Zealand will hope it’s a case of seventh time lucky when they face South Africa at Auckland’s Eden Park on Tuesday, as all six of their previous World Cup semifinals have ended in defeat. Below is a look back at at the Black Caps’ litany of last-four woes....

1975, The Oval: New Zealand 158 (G Howarth 51; B Julien 4-27) lost to the West Indies 159-5 (A Kallicharran 72, G Greenidge 55) by 5 wkts.

One-day internationals were still in their infancy when a crack West Indies side with plenty of limited overs experience in English county cricket proved too strong in the last four of the inaugural World Cup. Left-arm paceman Bernard Julien’s haul was mainly responsible for New Zealand batting fewer than 53 of their then scheduled 60 overs, with Geoff Howarth — who played at The Oval for Surrey— top-scoring with 51. A second-wicket stand of 125 between Gordon Greenidge and Alvin Kallicharran then took the West Indies, the eventual champions, to the brink of victory.

1979, Old Trafford: New Zealand 212-9 (J Wright 69) lost to England 221-8 (G Gooch 71, M Brearley 53) by 9 runs.

The closest New Zealand have yet come to a World Cup final saw them just edged out in a match that went the distance. New Zealand great Richard Hadlee took a miserly one for 32 in 12 overs but fifties from Graham Gooch and England captain Mike Brearley saw the hosts to a decent total. Opener John Wright anchored New Zealand’s chase until he was run out

by Derek Randall and, as wickets kept falling, a target of 14 off the last over, bowled by Ian Botham,

proved just beyond New Zealand.

1992, Auckland: New Zealand 262-7 (M Crowe 91, K Rutherford 50) lost to Pakistan 264-6 (Inzamam-ul-Haq 60, Javed Miandad 57 no) by 4 wkts.

New Zealand captain Martin Crowe led from the front but suffered a pulled hamstring and a mix-up with his runner saw him run out nine runs shy of a hundred.

But with Ken Rutherford making 50, New Zealand set Pakistan a stiff chase by the standards of the time. However, Crowe — in a bid to be fit for the final — wasn’t on the field when Pakistan batted and, as a result, a series of elaborate bowling changes he had planned were not carried out by acting skipper Wright. Pakistan were 140 for four after 35 overs, needing 123 from the last 15. But Inzamam-ul Haq announced himself to the world with a brilliant innings and, with veteran batsman Javed Miandad, he shared a match-changing stand of 87.

1999, Old Trafford: New Zealand 241-7 lost to Pakistan 242-1 (Saeed Anwar 113 no, Wajahatullah Wasti 84) by 9 wkts New Zealand, despite fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar taking three wickets, still managed what seemed a decent total. But they were undone by a superb opening stand of 194 between Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti. The match ended in

chaos when, with Pakistan needing two runs for victory, Roger Twose abandoned an attempt to catch Anwar as spectators charged on to the field, with the runs awarded later by the umpires.

2007, Kingston: New Zealand 208 (M Muralitharan 4-31) lost to Sri Lanka 289-5 (M Jayawardene 115 no, U Tharanga 73) by 81 runs.

New Zealand were rarely in this contest at Jamaica’s Sabina Park.

Sri Lanka piled up an imposing total on the back of a brilliant hundred by Mahela Jayawardene and a fifty by opener Upul Tharanga.

In reply, no New Zealand batsman made more than opener Peter Fulton’s 46, with off-spin great Muttiah Muralitharan taking four wickets after Sri Lanka’s new-ball bowlers had made early inroads.

2011, RPS Colombo: New Zealand 217 (S Styris 57) lost to Sri Lanka 220-5 (T Dilshan 73, K Sangakkara 54) by 5 wkts New Zealand struggled for runs, with Scott Styris playing largely a lone hand in an innings where the next best score was 39, while paceman Lasith Malinga and spinner Ajantha Mendis took three wickets each. Fine fifties from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara meant that, although Sri Lanka lost three wickets in the 160s, they inflicted another semifinal defeat upon New Zealand. — AFP

Black Caps coach looking forward to semi showdown Mike Hesson’s side advanced to their third successive semifinal, and seventh overall, with a 143-run victory over West Indies in Wellington on Saturday, courtesy of Martin Guptill’s record 237 not out

WELLINGTON: The four best teams have made the semifinals of the World Cup and New Zealand’s clash with South Africa at Eden Park is going to be ‘one heck of a show’, according to coach Mike Hesson.

Hesson’s side advanced to their third successive semifinal, and seventh overall, with a 143-run victory over West Indies in Wellington on Saturday, courtesy of Martin Guptill’s record 237 not out.

South Africa were also impressive in their nine-wicket destruction of Sri Lanka last Wednesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground after they lost two matches in pool play.

Australia play India in the other semifinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

“I think the best four teams are in the semifinals and I don’t think many people could disagree with that,” Hesson told reporters in Wellington before they headed to Auckland to prepare for their showdown with the Proteas.

Neither side have made the World Cup final, with South Africa considered the great underachiever in the tournament, though Hesson dismissed suggestions that would resurrect any underlying psychological barriers

I think the best four teams are in the semifinals and I don’t think many people could disagree with that Mike Hesson New Zealand coach

for either side. “I don’t think there is any baggage for anyone. It’s a one off game and we’re all here for the party,” he said.

“I’m sure we’ll both turn up.

“Two sides playing good cricket and that’s going to be a heck of a show.”

South Africa may have a slight advantage in recent head-to-head form, having taken apart New Zealand in two matches in Mt. Maunganui last October, though Hesson felt that had little bearing on what would happen on Tuesday.

“That was the start of a sixmonth campaign and I think it was fair to say South Africa were better prepared than us for those fixtures,” he said.

“They hit us pretty hard early and we didn’t respond very well.

But we’ve had a few matches since then.”

Hesson, who took over the side in 2012, has overseen a turna-

round in New Zealand’s fortunes as they have won both Test and one-day series and improved their ranking in all forms of cricket.

The team also has players chipping in with valuable contributions up and down the order and in the bowling unit.

“Something pretty big has happened over the last year or two,” he said. “We’ve gone from nine in the world to four because we have been playing some pretty good cricket. And you only get there because we have some pretty good players. “The biggest thing has shown us is that players have been quite selfless and their putting own personal targets or milestones are slightly behind where the team needs to be.

“Not everyone can take wickets or score hundreds every day but there are lots of little cameos along the way that’s what makes this team what they are.” - Reuters

200 CLUB

Gayle’s ‘welcome’ gesture made me laugh: Guptill WELLINGTON: New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill on Saturday said he was amused at West Indies opener Chris Gayle’s ‘welcome to the 200 league’ gesture after cracking a whirlwind knock of 237 runs in a cricket World Cup quarterfinal here.

Guptill clobbered his way to an unbeaten 237 from 163 balls to record the highest individual score in World Cup history. Gayle belted 215 a few days back against Zimbabwe in a group stage en-

counter to set the highest individual score in a World Cup by a batsman, also becoming the first willower to hit a double hundred in the quadrennial event.

Guptill bettered Gayle’s record with his superb knock. “Chris Gayle came up to me and said congratulations, welcome to the league. That was quite funny. But everyone was pretty congratulatory and just right behind him,” Guptill said. Guptill said he was not under any pressure to play big

shots and backed himself to play a long innings. “From the start I just wanted to play each ball as it came. Once it got down to the last ten overs it was just to have a bit of fun and try to hit a few boundaries.

There were a couple of good partnerships in the last ten overs which got us up to nearly 400,” he said.

He attributed his success to the tips given to him by the legendary Martin Crowe. The 28-year-old said the stature of the match won’t affect their preparation. — PTI

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THE LAST FOUR: Captains of the teams, who have qualified for the semifinals, from left, Brendon McCullum, AB de Villiers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Michael Clarke.

Expect the unexpected The Cricket World Cup has conjured a rarity: the best four teams in it are contesting the semifinals. Usually, some slightly undeserving side or other manages to sneak through, but not in the 11th version of the tournament, writes Stephen Brenkley

T

wo of them, India and New Zealand, have won all seven games they have played.

Australia have lost only one, in the most excruciating circumstances to New Zealand, and South Africa’s two defeats should not be taken as any sort of yardstick that they are anything but at the peak of their powers.

Something now has to give. If this event has been short of anything it is close matches, though the contest between the Antipodean rivals, with the Kiwis winning by a wicket, was one for the ages. Save for South Africa’s overwhelming victory over Sri Lanka, which was perhaps an ominous turn-up, the quarter-finals went

more or less exactly as predicted.

Thus, anything could happen from here on, with the proviso that two of the combatants have home advantage. That, however, may be negated in Sydney on Thursday when Australia may feel as England have felt in Birmingham recently, that they are playing in a sub-continental outpost.

The first tie is between New Zealand and South Africa in Auckland on Tuesday. South Africa have won 36 of the 56 completed matches between them and as recently as last October gained two comfortable victories here. They will be thinking that time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted.

It may well offer a classic example of an irresistible force meeting an immoveable object. Brendon McCullum, New Zealand’s estimable captain, who has become a revered figure in his country in the past five weeks, has frequently repeated that his team will attack

and keep on attacking. They have deduced it is what they do best and so fearless have they become that nothing will dissuade them from it. As McCullum (above) conceded before West Indies were blown away, there is no plan B. South Africa claim finally to have cast aside their reputation as the arch-chokers and their disdainful quarterfinal dismissal of Sri Lanka lent credence to the notion. AB de Villiers, their captain, was confident enough to put a sceptical interrogator in his place by talking of when the team lifted the trophy, not if.

There is always the prospect of one side or other collapsing in a heap. It happened a fortnight ago when the Kiwis met Australia: both came out slugging and paid the penalty for it. South Africa, whatever they say, retain the capacity to fold. The nearer their heart’s desire gets, the more likely that this is to happen.

Neither country has reached a World Cup final. This is New Zealand’s seventh semi-final, including the last two tournaments.

South Africa have been at this stage three times before. They were, successively, the victims of a rain interrupted injustice against England in 1992, the mother and father of all chokes against Australia in 1999 and the Australian steamroller in 2007, which was probably linked to what happened eight years previously.

The pitch at Auckland with its inviting leg-side boundaries seems certain to favour batsmen. Yet the largest first-innings total in its three matches so far is 287.

New Zealand had chased in five consecutive matches until yesterday, when they opted to bat. They will know that, while scores on the board still matter, nothing will daunt South Africa and their array of bludgeoners, led by De Villiers.

The key may lie in which fast

bowlers are the more incisive and in which spinners, if any, can avoid being collared. New Zealand would be hugely popular finalists, South Africa a little less so.

India are the defending champions, Australia won the three World Cups before that. This a clash of the juggernauts, the big two on the field, two of the Big Three off it (along with England, who give the impression of determinedly trying to squeeze in on the top table without anyone else being sure what the heck they are doing there).

Australia’s swagger is less pronounced than usual, although they have made three of the highest seven totals in the competition.

India have made history by bowling out their opponents in all their matches so far. It is simple then: if they do it again, they will win.

The batting on both sides will be of the 21st century. Australia, though, seem slightly more at ease with that. — The Independent

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C O M M E N TA RY

New Zealand seem to have the will and the momentum

A

T the start of the World Cup, just about everybody figured that the semifinalists would be India, Australia, South Africa and either New Zealand, England or Pakistan. Nobody had quite envisaged how New Zealand would blossom under the leadership of Brendon McCullum and combine in a manner that now makes them the favourites to reach the final.

They have a balanced bowling attack, and with Dan Vettori bowling with the guile as of old, they have a good spin bowling option too.

They bat deep, and at the start they have an opening pair that can take the game away from the opposition within the first ten overs or so.

What they have done smartly is to also have players with experience on the bench, so in case one of the regulars falls ill on the morning of a match, he can be replaced by someone who has World Cup experience under his belt, even though he may not have been part of the playing eleven for the earlier matches.

South Africa have shaken off a monkey from their backs of not having won a game in the knockout stages of the World Cup, but the bigger one still remains, and that is to win the cup.

This is their best chance, for even they have the kind of balanced attack that can cope with whatever pitch is given to them.

In Dale Steyn, Morkel and

Martin Guptill, who scored a brilliant double ton in the quarterfinals, likes to hit the ball straight, and in the crunch game against Australia in the group stage, Kane Williamson waltzed down the pitch to Pat Cummins and hit a straight six to win the game with just the last man giving him company

Abbott, they have a fierce pace attack, and with a new ball available at both ends they can take advantage of that.

Imran Tahir and JP Duminy have provided them reasonably inexpensive overs and also picked wickets, as batsmen have tried to attack them after being stifled by the pace and swing of Steyn and the bounce of Morkel and Abbott.

It is their batting that is a bit shaky under pressure, especially while chasing a score.

In the last World Cup, they lost in the quarterfinals to New Zealand failing to get to a small target.

The ground at Auckland gives the straight hitting batsman every chance of even mishitting the ball for a six.

Martin Guptill, who scored a brilliant double ton in the quarterfinals, likes to hit the ball straight, and in the crunch game against Australia in the group stage, Kane Williamson waltzed down the pitch to Pat Cummins and hit a straight six to win the game with just the last man giving him company.

AB de Villiers is another who prefers to hit the ball straight, so there could be plenty of sixes on offer unless nerves come into play.

It is difficult to call as to who will win, but New Zealand seem to have the will and the momentum.

The Proteas have the will too, but they have to get rid of their nerves if they are to go through to Melbourne. — PMG

Focus on Kohli Indian teammates all think the elegant stroke-maker will live up to his reputation as a big-match player when it matters

SYDNEY: By his own lofty standards, Virat Kohli has had a modest World Cup so far.

But his Indian teammates all think the elegant stroke-maker will live up to his reputation as a big-match player when it matters.

And few games matter more than Thursday’s semifinal against Australia.

For Kohli, it’s a golden opportunity to get back amongst the runs.

“I don’t think he has batted badly. When he has got an opportunity he has scored runs,” India’s World Cup captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said.

“It’s not that he has scored a century every time he has gone out to bat. But everybody relating his performance with the test series and expecting a hundred in every innings from him.”

Kohli’s lean run at the World Cup has been puzzling, partly because of his great record record in One-day Internationals and his great form this summer.

He has scored 22 ODIs, averages almost 52 from 157 matches in the format and is among India’s best batmen.

He replaced Dhoni as Test cap-

Rameez urges India to learn from Riaz, use pace to attack Aussies NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja believes Indian bowlers should take a cue from Wahab Riaz’s hostile spell against Australia and exploit the Michael Clark-led side’s weakness in the World Cup semifinals clash at the SCG on Thursday.

Wahab’s left-arm pace rattled the Australian batting order but a sitter being dropped off his bowling by Rahat Ali allowed the momentum to slip away as Australia managed a six-wicket win in the quarterfinal clash.

“Wahab Riaz was excellent with the ball. The starstudded Australian battling line-up had no answers to

tain for India’s last match against Australia in Sydney in January and scored four hundreds in the series and averaged over 86.

But his form in ODI has fallen away.

He made a century in India’s opening World Cup match against Pakistan but hasn’t made a fifty since.

Known equally for his silken touch with the bat and a penchant for run-ins with opposition players, Kohli also found himself embroiled in controversy after swearing at a journalist over a story about his personal life.

The batting mainstay was censured by the Indian board for his

his fast and accurate bouncers. Pakistan may have lost the game but Indian bowlers should take a cue from Riaz’s performance and work on Australia’s weakness, if they want to restrict them in the semi-finals.” Rameez said.

As many hailed Riaz’s bowling effort as the best in this edition of the World Cup, Rameez also joined the chorus of praising the leftarmer. “The team lacks athleticism and are simply not upto the standards required at the international stage.

It was so disheartening to see easy chances put down after some great bowling at crucial stages of the game,” said Raja. - PTI

ugly outburst against the travelling Indian journalist in Perth and advised to maintain his cool.

After his 107 against Pakistan in Adelaide, he has scored 46, 33 not out, 33, 44 not out, 38 and 3 and Dhoni backed him for a big one soon.

“I don’t think there has been any poor shot selection. He is a dominant batsman who likes playing his shots when he goes in to bat,” Dhoni said.

“It’s quite difficult but at the same time I feel it is important to keep focussing on the process. It’s just around the corner and big players always score in big games.” — Reuters

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Hunted become hunters There was a time when bowling was considered India’s achilles heel. In World Cup 2015, the pace unit has claimed 70 wickets from seven matches to blast that reputation. They now get set to lead the way against the Aussies in the semifinals

SYDNEY: Delivering one blockbuster performance after another, the usually under-rated Indian pacers have turned a corner and changed a few perceptions in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup by accounting for 43 of the 70 opposition wickets so far.

Since India landed in Australia, the common refrain has been how batsmen would be found out on bouncy pitches against the short pitched stuff.

Three months down the line, it’s the Indian pacers, who are creating problems for all and sundry with effective execution of shortpitched stuff which opposition batsmen are finding it difficult to handle.

India have taken all 70 rival wickets in seven matches with pacers accounting for 43 out of those and close to 25 wickets have come off short balls.

A few days back, Dhoni was talking about one of his press conferences three years back when he

Mohammed Shami

was asked about ICC allowing two bouncers per over.

Recalled Dhoni, “Someone had then asked me, ‘What’s your take on two bouncers per over rule?’ I answered, ‘They can’t even bowl one proper bouncer, do I take the second one home?’”

From the sarcasm laden statement to this day, the Indian pacers have done a lot of work to buck the trend. It is but natural that pacers would get more wickets in Australia but what was never seen with an Indian team was how well they have read the pitch is definitely a factor.

Mohammed Shami has been the pick of the bowlers with 17 wickets, Umesh Yadav the fastest with

Umesh Yadav

14 wickets and surprise of the pack Mohit Sharma got 11 wickets. The only match that Bhuvneshwar Kumar played in place of Shami fetched him a wicket.

Among the pacers, Mohit has used the short ball effectively as he can control the pace with variation of bouncers. Mohit can suddenly crank up to 140 plus from a relatively innocuous early 130s with a ball that rears up awkwardly.

“Mohit has the most effective bouncer,” former Pakistan pacer and current UAE coach Aaqib Javed had said recently in Perth.

Even Dhoni had agreed that Mohit has used his weapon short ball to the best of his abilities.

But Dhoni also feels that “disci-

pline of hitting one area” has been the key for the success that they have enjoyed.

“Well, I think it is one thing that we’ll have to do in the Test format even more than the ODIs. But it’s the general psyche of the Indian fast bowlers, even when they play in the sub-continent they want to use the new ball well because even in Test matches they don’t bowl a lot. The spinners do a lot of bowling. When they get a chance to bowl, they want to bowl everything in that spell of theirs — inswing, outswing, yorkers,” Dhoni observed.

“I feel what they have learnt is the importance of just keep hitting the one, that one area where

MIND GANES

Maxwell wants SCG to be green and mean SYDNEY: Australia batting star Glenn Maxwell wants the Sydney Cricket Ground to be mean and green for Thursday’s World Cup semi-final against India despite the pitch’s reputation as a spinners’ paradise.

Maxwell believes home field advantage could be key as the cohosts look to end the defending champions’ seven-match winning streak at the tournament, an impressive run which has seen them bowl out the opposition in every match.

“Hopefully we get a fast one (pitch). It has been a pretty good wicket this year and hopefully there is a bit of grass there as well,” said Maxwell, who is desperate for a track which will play into the hands of an attack which boasts fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood.

India have a woeful record at the SCG where they have triumphed just once in 14 ODIs against Australia — with their only win coming back in 2008.

“They haven’t won a game against us all summer, hopefully we can make the most of that,” said Maxwell in reference to Australia’s dominance in the Test and ODI series which preceded the World Cup. Hopefully that is pretty clear in their memories.

We’ve been dominant all summer

in the ODI format. Hopefully we can continue that.”

Australia’s World Cup semifinal against India is still four days away but the mind games are already in full swing. With the stakes so high, neither side is wasting any opportunity to get an edge.

The Australians flew into Sydney on Sunday, two days after their emphatic win over Pakistan in Adelaide, and into a debate over the sort of pitch that would best suit each team.

The state of the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch could play a pivotal role in the outcome. It is normally a spinner’s paradise, which would suit the Indians, who are raised on slow, turning wickets.

The Australians would love a fast and bouncy pitch, to get the most out of their fast bowlers, Mitchell Johnston, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and their explosive batting lineup.

So far during the World Cup, the SCG has been a batting wonderland, with teams racking up massive scores. Glenn Maxwell, who blasted a century in Australia’s Pool A win over Sri Lanka at the SCG, told reporters he hoped it stayed that way.

The Indians haven’t beaten Australia in any form of the game since they arrived in the country in November but have lost none of their confidence. - Agencies

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

Mohit Sharma

you want to bowl, and keep hitting it and building up pressure and building in partnership, and that actually creates that pressure where the batsman gets out,” the skipper added.

For Dhoni, it was important that bowlers believe in what they were doing and then only can imbibe the discipline required.

“I feel bowlers have really tasted it, and now they actually believe in that. Seeing it is one thing, believing it is something that’s more important because once you believe in something like that you keep working on it.

“The subconscious keeps working and the good thing is it becomes part of the system, so I’m

hoping that they learn out of this, and when they come back again, irrespective of where we play, a Test series outside the subcontinent, it will really help them,” Dhoni said.

The skipper also believes that working up good pace has also been an important criterion in their improvement with all three able to bowl 140 kmph plus.

“They are bowling at good pace, all of them are fit, and if they can keep hitting that one area, I think it will be good because that’s something where we have been lacking.

We have found it slightly difficult after the 40th over to get wickets when it comes to Test matches.

I feel this is something that will help,” he said. - PTI

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BACK PROBLEM

Gayle out of England Tests due to injury WELLINGTON: West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle has ruled himself out of the home Test series against England next month in order to allow a back injury to settle down but he has ruled out retiring from internationals.

The 35-year-old top-scored for his side with 61 in their World Cup quarter-final defeat by cohosts New Zealand on Saturday and took his time leaving the field, acknowledging the crowd’s standing ovation.

“I’m actually out of the test series, the back won’t hold up for that format at this point in time,” he told cricket website ESPN Cricinfo. “But I haven’t retired from any format as yet.

“Definitely want to play the T20 World Cup next year for West Indies, there’s no doubt about that.

I’ve got a few concerns and a few injury (problems) to try and solve.

“I’ll give myself some time and hopefully look back at it and see how well I can actually progress

for West Indies cricket.”

Gayle was an injury doubt before the game at Wellington Regional Stadium and had to have a painkilling injection in his back earlier in the week.

He also appeared to hurt himself while taking a catch in the field and was barely able to run while batting.

Gayle struck eight sixes, two fours and added five singles, the majority of which he walked, before he was bowled by Adam Milne. “(The back) actually held up well...in the outfield for 50 overs and then opening the batting,” he said.

“It wasn’t too bad, had a slight scare again with a niggle in the groin, so all that was happening.

“You have to take the conditions into consideration, it was a bit cold and you’re feeling some pain. As I go on I will keep informing WICB (Cricket Board) about my progress in the future with West Indies cricket.” - Reuters

World Cup-winning bat of Dhoni on show The bat entered the Guinness World Records and the Limca Book of Records after it was sold for £100,000 on July 18, 2011.

The current market value of the willow is estimated at Rs 10 million

NEW DELHI: Days before India play Australia in a World Cup semifinal at Sydney, the iconic bat of Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni with which he hit the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final has been put on display at Bengali Market here.

The bat entered the Guinness World Records and the Limca Book of Records after it was sold for £100,000 on July 18, 2011. The current market value of the willow is estimated at Rs 10 million.

The bat was bought by Amit Bhagchandka, chief executive officer (CEO) of R.K. Global, a financial broking firm. Dhoni then autographed the bat.

A Dhoni fan, Bhagchandka told IANS: “The bat may be in possession of R.K. Global but it will forever remain Dhoni’s property. We consider ourselves the custodian of his legacy.”

“Winning the 2011 World Cup was very overwhelming. From childhood we had only seen pictures of Kapil Dev lifting the (1983) trophy. Dhoni gave us a chance to witness history in the making.”

Asked whether he would buy the captain’s bat again if India wins the 2015 edition, Bhagchandka said: “Yes, I would buy it without any doubt.

“Let’s hope we return as winners. This time we have 11 Su-

PIECE OF HISTORY: The iconic bat of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who hit the winning six in the 2011 final of the World Cup, is put on display to inspire the team ahead of Thursday’s semifinal. – IANS

per Heroes representing India.”

The Delhi-based entrepreneur plans to go to Australia to support the team in the World Cup semifinal and, if India progress, in the final too. Bhagchandka is all praise for the wicket keeper-batsman.

“Dhoni is a very humble person and his down-to-earth persona makes everyone love him.”

The man should know. Since he bought the Dhoni bat, the Indian skipper has become a friend.

Bhagchandka is confident that India will beat Australia in the

semis and take on South Africa in the final. South Africa will battle New Zealand in the first semifinal at Auckland on Tuesday. Defending champions India play Australia two days later.

In the 2011 Cup final, Dhoni smashed the ball for a six over long on off Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Kulasekara to win the mega event for India after 28 long years.

Kapil Dev had raised India’s maiden Cup aloft at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1983.

Since he joined Team India in 2004, the Ranchi-based Dhoni

has emerged one of the world’s most successful cricket captains.

He is the only captain who has won all the three major ICC events: World Cup, Champions Trophy and World T20.

Dhoni is also the only player to be awarded the ICC ODI Player of the Year — in 2008 and 2009.

Honoured with Padma Shri, Dhoni has thus far played 261 ODI matches, scoring 8,434 runs with nine centuries and 57 halfcenturies. He has caught behind the wicket 244 catches and has stumped 85 batsmen. — IANS

M U S H TA Q M O H A M M E D C O M M E N T S

‘Pakistan need new captains’ KARACHI: It’s time to appoint new Pakistan captains in all three format says former skipper Mushtaq Mohammad, who also suggested that Misbah-ul Haq and Shahid Afridi should quit international cricket completely.

“Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan have given a lot of good performances for Pakistan but I am not in favour of now retaining Misbah as Test captain

or Afridi as T20 captain nor considering Younis for the ODI captaincy,” Mushtaq said.

“I would advise the Pakistan board to make a fresh start and appoint new captains for all three formats. I think it is time Misbah and Afridi retired totally from international cricket,” he said.

The former Test all-rounder said he would love to see the PCB and fans give a befitting farewell

to the senior players but from a future point of view one has to move on.

“Misbah has done his best so has Afridi they have given us many moments to cherish but at some stage I think you need to step down. I don’t think the decision of whether they should continue playing in any format should be left to them it is for the PCB to now take strong decisions.” — PTI

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LIFE & STYLE

M O N DAY, M A R C H 23, 2 0 1 5

Y

esterday my friend Andrew asked me how I was. When I paused and thought about it for a bit, he said: “No. I don’t want to know.”

We both laughed; we’re all aware that “How are you?” isn’t always a genuine enquiry after our wellbeing. But whenever I’m asked that question, I gaze into the middle distance and wonder whether I’m truly happy. As UN’s International Day of Happiness was recently celebrated, maybe it’s time to acknowledge that our happiness is one of the most complex issues we’ll ever wrestle with.

Yes, I should probably have said “fine” to Andrew, rather than ask myself philosophical questions and come up with a rough score out of 10.

After all, I can leave that job to UK’s Office for National Statistics. The ONS has been measuring British happiness – and let’s face it, we’re a perversely grumpy bunch – ever since David Cameron raised the idea of a GWB, or General Wellbeing, index. “There’s more to life than money,” said the former Eton schoolboy in 2005; and since the Coalition came to power, the ONS has formulated 41 measures of our happiness along with associated questions.

In September last year, it revealed that 27 per cent of UK adults rated their life satisfaction as “very high”; an increase over the previous year – but what does that mean, really? Scandinavian countries persistently top the ratings of the happiest countries in the world, but how do we know they’re telling the truth in surveys? Or whether they think about happiness differently? It’s all highly subjective, complex and unquantifiable. But you can’t blame governments for trying to get answers from us. We’re the ones voting, after all.

Strangely, the whole idea of measuring happiness comes from the isolated Asian kingdom of Bhutan, whose former king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, first proposed a Gross National Happiness index back in 1972. “Happiness is more important than economic development,” said the king, rather conveniently, seeing as Bhutan’s economic development was negligible.

This idea – money only buys happiness up to a point – works nicely for Western politicians in press conferences, but it still feels like a touchyfeely sideshow. Rises in GDP are announced with great fanfare, but people actually rate stability as more important to their happiness. Meanwhile, September’s rise in Cameron’s beloved GWB only made an amusing footnote to the day’s news. And the 73 per cent of UK adults who didn’t rate their life satisfaction as “very high” probably looked enviously at the 27 per cent who did and felt their life satisfaction drop still further.

Gathering stats is one thing; improving life is quite another. Given that it’s often difficult to make one’s own partner happy, how on earth do politicians propose to cheer up a disgruntled electorate? The World Happiness Database, based in Rotterdam, confidently asserts that an active life is key. Karma Ura, head of the Centre for Bhutan Studies, states that it’s important not to have “unrealistic expectations”. (Tricky, in an era when we’re persistently told that we can be “anything we want to be”.)

For today’s celebrations, the UN has pulled together a “happiness playlist” featuring Ed Sheeran, David Guetta and James Blunt (rolls eyes), while Pharrell Williams has been enlisted to invite people to upload a picture of themselves which will be combined into a huge animated GIF set to his song Happy (winces visibly). Meanwhile, the movement Action For Happiness offers a “free Happiness Pack” for download; it suggests sharing an inspirational message on social media with a special hashtag (hacks off own left arm) or organising a cheery flashmob (hits self in face with bloodied left arm using right arm).

But one of the founders of Action For Happiness, the LSE’s Professor Richard Layard, would reject my weary cynicism deployed for cheap laughs. “Our society,” he says, “would be happier if it took happiness more seriously.” So, even if we scoff at misguided attempts at foisting happiness upon us today, we can still create our own. We can do something nice. Show some understanding. If you ask someone how they are, and they pause to think for a bit, don’t say to them, “No. I don’t want to know.” Maybe give them £10. They’d like that.

Are you happy?

Our happiness is one of the most complex issues we’ll ever wrestle with

-Rhodri Marsden/The Independent

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FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are attracted to endeavours that appear difficult — especially those that have been explored by others and abandoned as being impossible for some reason.

You are driven to attempt that which is perhaps best left un-attempted, yet you always come out ahead, even if you don’t achieve your ultimate goal. The same can be said for your choices in matters of the heart: The easy path to love is not for you!

You want love to be a challenge, something to be gained through trial, a reward earned only by enduring great difficulty. What is it, exactly, that compels you to do that which others would not do? You may never know, but you do know that it is, indeed, your way.

There are aspects of your personality that you choose to conceal from everyone except those who know you best, for the simple reason that many facets of your character can be easily misinterpreted by casual acquaintances or the public at large.

Some may call you paranoid, but “careful” is a much more accurate description.

Also born on this date are: Kyrie Irving, basketball player; Chaka Khan, singer; Keri Russell, actress; Joan Crawford, actress; Akira Kurosawa, filmmaker; Catherine Keener, actress; Amanda Plummer, actress; Richard Grieco, actor; Roger Bannister, runner.

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Max 34 Min 21

Max 37 Min 19

Max 34 Min 22

[March 21-APRIL 19]

Max 37 Min 21

Max 30 Min 24

Max 22 Min 14

Max 33 Min 24 Max 26 Min 22

—www.met.gov.om

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

28 23 28 21 22 21

20 15 20 15 19 10

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

16 20 17 9 1 26 34 11 23 13 24 31 14 12 26 32 15 -1

12 8 1 4 -5 11 24 5 18 6 15 24 9 5 11 29 4 -5

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[APRIL 20-MAY 20]

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] You’re seeking a way out when, in fact, what you must do very soon is find a way to get more deeply involved. Don’t be noncommittal.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] Before you succumb to the usual distractions, get one or two things done that have been crying out for attention for some time.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You’re eager to make contact with someone who has figured prominently in your life in the past.

Adjustments may have to be made.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] Accommodation of another’s schedule may prove more difficult than expected because not everyone around you is working together.

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

[[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] What you see is what you get, but fortunately you are used to making things work under even worse conditions. You can prevail!

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] Today is going to be something of a crapshoot, but even in such situations, you have a strategy of sorts that serves you well.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] Don’t let someone’s bad behaviour keep you from engaging with others in a way that is most beneficial to you.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You and a good friend are not likely to see things eye to eye, but you can surely avoid any sort of serious conflict or rift.

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] The time will be flying by, and you must do all you can to remain competitive. Falling behind is not an option!

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] Though your day may have taken shape to accommodate another’s needs, you can surely profit from the unusual way things start out.

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

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

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

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

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00

LIBRA L

6:19pm 6.09am

High tide Low tide

11:49am 5:46pm

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

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacific: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines:

MONDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

You’re in a position that requires you to see things from every possible point of view. This may, in fact, be something new for you.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) 10:48pm 5:25am

height of 1.0 metre.

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

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Clear to partly cloudy skies over northern governorates with chances of isolated rain over governorates of Musandam and north Al Batinah. Chance of convective clouds developments and thundershower over Al Hajar mountains and adjoining areas. Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Oman Sea and Al Wusta.

Max

OMAN

TAURUS

12.19pm 3.45pm 6.24pm 7.34pm 4.53am

AIRLINES

lear to partly cloudy skies over northern governorates of the Sultanate with chances of isolated rain over governorates of Musandam and north Al Batinah and chances of clouds development and isolated rain over Al Hajar mountain and adjoining areas towards tomorrow afternoon. Chances of late night to early morning low level clouds and fog patches along the coastal areas of Oman Sea, south Al Sharqiyah and Al Wusta governorates.

EXPECTED WINDS: Over most of the Sultanate winds will be southeasterly light to moderate.

SEA STATE: Slight over most of Oman’s coast with maximum wave

ARIES You’re going to have to supply many of your own particulars. The help you get is likely to be more of the emotional variety.

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm.

National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

TUESDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

RIYADH 0005 CAIRO 0005 ABU DHABI 0005 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 SALALAH 0030 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0100 DACCA 0145 SALALAH 0205 LAHORE 0215 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0255 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0355 ABU DHABI 0405 BAHRAIN 0405 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0610 BAHRAIN 0640 ABU DHABI 0650 SALALAH 0655 ZURICH 0720 MALPENSA 0720 JEDDAH 0730 DOHA 0735 KUWAIT 0735 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 DUBAI 0850 JAIPUR 0855 SHARJAH 0915 LAHORE 0920 DELHI 0920 HYDERABAD 0920 ISLAM ABBAD 0930 COCHIN 0930 TRIVANDRUM 0940 DUBAI 0940 MADRAS 0940 BANGALORE 1000 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1035 DUBAI 1110 MANILA 1110 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 COLOMBO 1140 DUBAI 1200 MALE 1205 CALICUT 1210 SALALAH 1215 LAHORE 1215 ZANZIBAR 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 KARACHI 1230 BANGKOK 1305 DUBAI 1330 SALALAH 1445 KHASAB 1445 ABU DHABI 1530 DUBAI 1555 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 MUKHAIZNA 1730 DUBAI 1730 DELHI 1730 LUCKNOW 1735 BANGALORE 1740 HYDERABAD 1740 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1750 DUQUM OMAN 1755 BAHRAIN 1810 KUALA LUMPUR 1910 DAMMAM 1910 RIYADH 1910 SHARJAH 1915 MADRAS 1920 KUWAIT 1925 TEHRAN 1940 DUBAI 1945 KATHMANDU 2010 DUBAI 2030 JAKARTA 2055 MUNICH 2105 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 DACCA 2115 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120 DUBAI 2125 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 CHITTAGONG 2140 SALALAH 2140 COCHIN 2140 DUBAI 2145 MADRAS 2200 AMMAN 2205 DOHA 2210 SALALAH 2220 BAHRAIN 2240 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2250 ABU DHABI 2250 KARACHI 2255 AHMEDABAD 2300 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 DAMMAM 2350

WY636 WY406 WY682 WY676 WY648 WY816 WY910 WY916 NL768 PK281 PK225 TK774 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 GF560 FZ041 WY658 4H562 WY638 WY902 WY678 WY686 WY412 WY114 WY144 WY154 WY692 WY674 WY668 WY132 WY602 WY202 WY432 WY102 FZ043 WY272 G9114 WY236 WY242 WY346 WY252 EK862 QR1128 EY382 WY3302 QR8550 WY604 WY918 G9841 GF562 WY424 WY372 FZ037 IX337 WY904 WY818 PK191 WY606 BG023 WY324 IX817 WY920 WY906 WY3304 KU677 WY632 FZ045 G9119 WY328 WY204 WY292 WY246 WY610 WY264 WY232 WY216 QR1126 WY664 EK864 GF564 WY3306 SV534 WY822 G9116 WY646 TG507 FZ047 WY338 WY614 WY224 WY124 WY386 4H561 AI973 WY624 6.00E+81 WY374 WY312 WY914 FZ049 WY254 AI907 QR1134 WY928 UL205 GF566 BA073 EY388 WY672 WY908 AI985 WY662 LX242 9W540 LH618 WY612 WY654 WY696 WY717

ABU DHABI 0005 CAIRO 0005 RIYADH 0005 JEDDAH 0005 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 SALALAH 0030 SALALAH 0125 LAHORE 0130 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0200 KARACHI 0215 ISTANBUL 0215 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 ABU DHABI 0405 BAHRAIN 0405 DUBAI 0415 BAHRAIN 0640 JEDDAH 0645 ABU DHABI 0650 SALALAH 0655 MEDINA 0700 RIYADH 0700 AMMAN 0705 FRANKFURT 0715 MALPENSA 0720 ZURICH 0720 DAMMAM 0725 JEDDAH 0730 DOHA 0735 PARIS 0800 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 TEHRAN 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 DUBAI 0850 JAIPUR 0855 SHARJAH 0915 HYDERABAD 0920 DELHI 0920 ISLAM ABBAD 0930 MADRAS 0940 DUBAI 0940 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 MUKHAIZNA 1045 DOHA 1050 DUBAI 1110 KHASAB 1115 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 BEIRUT 1130 COLOMBO 1140 DUBAI 1200 CALICUT 1210 SALALAH 1215 BANGKOK 1305 GWADUR 1320 DUBAI 1330 CHITTAGONG 1345 KARACHI 1355 MANGALORE-ABU DHABI 1440 KHASAB 1445 SALALAH 1445 MUKHAIZNA 1445 KUWAIT 1525 ABU DHABI 1530 DUBAI 1555 SHARJAH 1555 LAHORE 1600 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DELHI 1730 DUBAI 1730 LUCKNOW 1735 HYDERABAD 1740 TRIVANDRUM 1740 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1750 BAHRAIN 1810 MUKHAIZNA 1845 RIYADH 1900 KUALA LUMPUR 1910 SHARJAH 1915 KUWAIT 1925 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1935 DUBAI 1945 KATHMANDU 2010 DUBAI 2030 COCHIN 2045 MUNICH 2105 MALE 2110 DACCA 2115 DELHI 2125 DUBAI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 COLOMBO 2140 CHITTAGONG 2140 SALALAH 2140 DUBAI 2145 MADRAS 2155 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 SALALAH 2220 COLOMBO 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 MEDINA 2250 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 DAMMAM 2350 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

AI986 LX243 9W539 BA072 WY715 LH619 WY211 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY235 WY601 WY281 WY345 WY341 WY241 WY271 WY643 WY637 WY657 WY821 WY123 WY371 WY667 WY383 WY901 WY847 4H584 BG022 PK230 TK777 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 GF561 WY603 WY3301 WY903 WY323 WY917 WY263 WY291 FZ044 WY283 WY245 WY231 G9115 WY815 WY203 WY905 WY605 WY337 WY253 EK863 WY311 EY383 QR1129 9W533 WY919 GF563 WY631 IX350 FZ038 PA451 WY683 WY3303 WY433 WY663 WY113 WY101 WY645 WY413 WY153 WY143 WY131 WY609 WY405 WY693 WY3921 WY675 WY613 FZ046 WY913 WY623 WY325 QR1127 WY681 WY907 GF565 WY647 WY661 EK865 WY695 WY653 WY653 G9117 WY909 WY611 FZ048 WY635 WY915 AI978 4H561 FZ050 KL442 WY817 9W529 WY411 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 WY677 QR1135 GF567 WY673 EY381

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 ZANZIBAR 0040 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 TRIVANDRUM 0110 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0120 COCHIN 0125 HYDERABAD 0135 DUBAI 0150 BANGALORE 0150 ISLAM ABBAD 0150 LAHORE 0150 DELHI 0155 JAIPUR 0200 KUWAIT 0200 ABU DHABI 0205 BAHRAIN 0205 KUALA LUMPUR 0205 MUNICH 0210 COLOMBO 0210 DOHA 0225 MALE 0235 SALALAH 0240 JAKARTA 0245 DACCA 0245 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0250 LAHORE 0315 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0350 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 BAHRAIN 0745 DUBAI 0800 MUKHAIZNA 0800 SALALAH 0800 KARACHI 0800 KHASAB 0815 LUCKNOW 0920 CALICUT 0920 DUBAI 0935 BANGALORE 0940 DELHI 0955 HYDERABAD 0955 SHARJAH 1005 BANGKOK 1010 BOMBAY 1030 SALALAH 1030 DUBAI 1030 KATHMANDU 1040 MADRAS 1040 DUBAI 1055 CHITTAGONG 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1135 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 ABU DHABI 1220 CALICUT 1310 DUBAI 1315 LAHORE 1315 RIYADH 1320 MUKHAIZNA 1330 TEHRAN 1330 DOHA 1330 FRANKFURT 1400 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 KUWAIT 1405 AMMAN 1405 ZURICH 1405 MALPENSA 1415 PARIS 1420 DUBAI 1420 CAIRO 1430 DAMMAM 1430 DUQUM OMAN 1455 JEDDAH 1630 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 SALALAH 1735 DUBAI 1820 KARACHI 1830 DOHA 1845 RIYADH 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 KUWAIT 1900 DOHA 1900 DUBAI 1905 DAMMAM 1910 BAHRAIN 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 2005 SALALAH 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2040 ABU DHABI 2040 SALALAH 2110 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 JEDDAH 2215 DUBAI 2225 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 BANGKOK 2235 TRIVANDRUM 2240 AMMAN 2240 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 MEDINA 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2350

AI986 LX243 9W539 BA072 SG062 LH619 WY685 WY251 WY423 WY201 WY235 WY601 WY345 WY241 WY431 WY271 WY657 WY821 WY637 WY123 WY371 WY667 NL769 WY691 WY901 PK282 TK775 PK226 ET625 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY3301 4H562 GF561 WY903 WY603 WY917 WY323 WY263 WY215 WY291 WY327 FZ044 WY385 WY245 WY231 G9115 WY815 WY203 WY905 WY605 WY373 WY337 WY717 EK863 WY311 EY383 WY3303 QR1129 WY919 G9842 GF563 QR8551 WY927 WY631 WY223 IX350 WY253 FZ038 WY663 WY101 WY113 WY645 PK192 WY143 WY131 WY609 WY405 BG024 WY3305 IX818 WY671 KU678 WY675 G9110 WY613 FZ046 WY913 WY623 QR1127 WY681 WY907 GF565 WY661 WY647 EK865 WY695 WY653 SV535 G9117 WY909 WY611 WY635 TG508 FZ048 WY915 4H561 FZ050 WY817 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 WY673 EY381

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 AHMEDABAD 0030 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 RIYADH 0105 MADRAS 0110 BEIRUT 0115 BOMBAY 0120 HYDERABAD 0135 DUBAI 0150 ISLAM ABBAD 0150 DELHI 0155 TEHRAN 0155 JAIPUR 0200 BAHRAIN 0205 KUALA LUMPUR 0205 ABU DHABI 0205 MUNICH 0210 COLOMBO 0210 DOHA 0225 LAHORE 0230 DAMMAM 0235 SALALAH 0240 SIALKOT 0300 ISTANBUL 0315 KARACHI 0315 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 MUKHAIZNA 0715 DACCA 0745 BAHRAIN 0745 SALALAH 0800 DUBAI 0800 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0920 LUCKNOW 0920 TRIVANDRUM 0920 CALICUT 0920 LAHORE 0930 DUBAI 0935 MALE 0940 DELHI 0955 HYDERABAD 0955 SHARJAH 1005 BANGKOK 1010 BOMBAY 1030 SALALAH 1030 DUBAI 1030 COLOMBO 1040 KATHMANDU 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1055 CHITTAGONG 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 MUKHAIZNA 1115 DOHA 1115 KHASAB 1145 RAS AL KHAIMA 1210 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI WORLD CENTRE-DOHA 1220 SALALAH 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 COCHIN 1235 CALICUT 1310 MADRAS 1315 DUBAI 1315 DOHA 1330 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 FRANKFURT 1400 KUWAIT 1405 GWADUR-TURBAT 1405 MALPENSA 1415 PARIS 1420 DUBAI 1420 CAIRO 1430 CHITTAGONG 1500 MUKHAIZNA 1515 MANGALORE 1530 MEDINA 1535 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1625 JEDDAH 1630 SHARJAH 1645 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 SALALAH 1735 DUBAI 1820 DOHA 1845 RIYADH 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DOHA 1900 KUWAIT 1900 DUBAI 1905 DAMMAM 1910 BAHRAIN 1920 RIYADH 2000 SHARJAH 2005 SALALAH 2015 DUBAI 2025 ABU DHABI 2040 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2040 DUBAI 2040 SALALAH 2110 JEDDAH 2215 DUBAI 2225 BANGKOK 2235 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 COLOMBO 2335 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2350

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY682 WY406 WY636 WY648 WY816 WY910 BG021 4H583 WY3916 PK229 TK776 QR1132 EK866 EY384 GF560 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY154 WY144 WY674 WY668 WY644 WY602 WY202 WY102 FZ043 WY272 G9114 WY342 WY242 WY236 WY346 WY226 WY212 EK862 WY252 WY282 QR1128 EY382 9W530 WY604 WY844 WY918 GF562 WY372 FZ037 WY384 IX337 WY902 PA450 WY716 WY3302 WY324 WY818 WY606 WY906 WY920 WY632 FZ045 WY204 WY292 WY3304 WY610 WY246 WY264 WY284 WY232 WY664 QR1126 EK864 WY3922 GF564 WY822 WY694 WY684 G9116 WY254 WY646 WY434 FZ047 WY338 WY614 WY848 WY124 AI977 4H561 KL441 WY624 AI973 6.00E+81 WY312 WY914 9W534 FZ049 AI907 WY414 QR1134 WY928 GF566 BA073 EY388 WY326 SG061 WY908 AI985 WY662 LX242 9W540 LH618 WY612 WY654 WY696

ETA

ETD

ETA

ETD

M O NDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

C11

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA SCREEN 3 Badlapur – (Action | Drama) – 15+ 3.45, 9.45 pm Cast: Varun Dhawan, Huma Qureshi, Yami Gautam Run All Nighht (Action) – 15+ Cast: Genesis Rodriguez, Liam Neeson 6.45 PM

Insurgent (3D) (Sci-Fi/Thriller (PG12) 9:30 PM & 11:45 PM Gold Class: 4:30 PM & 11:15 PM Cinderella (2D) (Adventure) (PG) Cast: Lily James, Hayley Atwell, Richard 11:00 AM & 5:30 PM Run All Night (2D) (Action) (15+) 7:30 PM Cast: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman Winx: The Mystery Abyss (Animation) (PG) 10:15 AM, 2:00 & 3:45 PM Crazy Beautiful You (2D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Lorna Tolentino 3:15 PM The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2D) (Comedy/Drama) (PG) Cast: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy 1:00 & 5:15 PM Gold Class: 6:45 PM

Insurgent (3D) (Adventure/ Sci Fi) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, 7:00, 9:15, 11:30 PM (PG12) Insurgent (2D) (Adventure/ Sci Fi) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, 2:30 PM (PG12) The Gunman (2D) (Action/Crime) Cast: Javier Bardem, Sean Penn (15+) 4:45, 9:30, 11:45 PM Run All Night (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris 9:30 PM Cinderella (2D) (Adv/Drama) (PG) Cast: Lily James, Hayley Atwell 3:45 PM Winx: The Mystery of the Abyss (2D) (Animation) (PG) 2:00, 3:15, 5:45 PM Suite Francaise (2D) (Drama)(PG12) Cast: Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Margot 7:30 PM The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2D) (Comedy I Drama) (PG) Cast: Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Margot 5:00, 7:15 PM The Lazarus Effect (2D) (Horror)(12+) Cast: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass 11:45 PM

Run All Night – 2D (15+) (Action) Cast: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris 11:15 PM Cinderella – 2D (PG) (Adventure) Cast: Lily James, Hayley Atwell, 3:30 PM Insurgent – 2D (PG12) (Adventure) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel 5:15 PM Insurgent – 3D (PG12) Adventure|SciFi | Thriller Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Theo James 9:30, 11:45 PM The Gunman – 2D (15+) (Action) Cast: Javier Bardem, Sean Penn 3:00, 7:25, 9:15, 11:45 PM Winx Club : The Mystery of the Abyss – 2D (PG) Animation 3:30, 5:30 PM The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – 2D (PG) Comedy |Drama Cast: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy 5:00, 7:00 PM Suite Française – 2D (PG12) Drama |Romance | War Cast: Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Margot 7:15 PM The Lazarus Effect – 2D (12+) Horror | Thriller

SCREEN 1 Dilliwali Zalim Girlfriend – Hindi (Comedy/Romance) Cast: Divyendu Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Prachi Mishra, Ira Dubey 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM

The Gunman (2D) (Action/Crime) Cast: Javier Bardem, Sean Penn (15+) 7:30, 9:40 & 11:45 PM Gold Class: 2:15 & 9:00 PM Insurgent (2D)(Action/Crime) (PG12) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort 11:45 AM

SCREEN 2 NH 10 – Hindi (Suspense/ Thriller ) Cast: Anushka Sharma, Neil Bhoopalam, Ravi Jhankal, Darshan Kumaar 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 PM

Cast: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass 10:15, 11:30 PM Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend – 2D (TBC) Romance | Comedy Cast: Divyendu Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Prachi Mishra 9:15 PM

The Gunman – 2D (15+) (Action) Cast: Javier Bardem, Idris Elba 3:00, 5:00, 9:15, 11:30 PM Insurgent -2D (PG12) (Adventure) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Theo James 5:00 PM Insurgent – 3D (PG12) (Adventure) 7:15, 9:30, 11:45PM The Lazarus Effect – 2D (12+)Horror, Thriller Cast: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Evan Peters 3:30, 11:45 PM Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend – 2D Romance, Comedy Cast: Divyendu Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Prachi Mishra 7:00, 9:30 PM Winx Club : The Mystery of the Abyss – 2D (PG) Animation 3:00, 4:30, 6:00 PM Run All Night – 2D (15+) Action, 7:30 PM

Insurgent (3D) (Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel 5:45, 9:30, 11:45 PM The Gunman (Action) (15+) Cast: Javier Bardem, Sean Penn 7:00, 9:05 PM

The Lazarus Effect (Horror | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Evan Peters 4.15, 8.00PM Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss (Animation) (PG) 4:00, 5:30 PM Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend (Hindi) (Romance | Comedy) (TBC) Cast: Divyendu Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Prachi Mishra 11:15 PM

Winx : The Mystery of the Abyss (2D)(PG) (Animation) 11:00AM, 2:15, 5:45PM Insurgent (2D)(PG12) (Adventure) 2:40PM Insurgent (3D)(PG12) (Adventure) 9:15, 11:30PM The Gunman (2D)(15+) (Action) 5:00, 7:05, 9:40, 11:45PM Run All Night (2D)(15+) (Action) 12:30, 9:30PM Cinderella (2D)(PG) (Adventure) 12:15, 3:45PM Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend (2D) 7:20PM The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2D)(PG)( Comedy/ Drama) Cast: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith 11:30AM, 7:15PM Crazy Beautiful You (2D)(PG12) (Drama/Romance) Cast: Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo 3:15PM Suite Française (2D)(PG12)(Drama) 5:15PM The Lazarus Effect (2D)(12+) (Horror/Thriller) 1:45, 11:30PM

Run All Night ( Action/Crime) Cast: Liam Neeson, Ed haris 10.00 p.m CP No: 668 (15+) Lazarus Effect (Horror/Thriller ) Cast: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass 4.00, 8.00, & 11.55. p.m CP No: 749 (12+) Suite Francaise (Drama/Romance) Cast: Michalle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Margot Robie 2.00 & 6.00 p.m.

CP No: 747 (PG12) Winx Club: The Mystery Of The Abyss (Animation) 2.00 & 6.00 p.m.

CP No: 748 (PG ) Insurgent (Action/Sci:Fic) Cast: Shailen Woodley, Ansel Elgot 3.45, 7.30, 9.45, 11.55 pm CP No: 746 (PG 12)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776

Fireman (Mal) (Act \Thriller) Cast: Mammootty & Nyla Usha 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm Cinema Main Kakki Sattai (Tamil) ( Com\Act) Cast: Shiva Karthikeyan, Sri Divya & Prabhu 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm Cinema -2 NH 10 (Hindi) (Action\Thriller) Cast: Anushka Sharma, Deepti Naval & Neil Bhoopalam 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45pm Cinema – 3 Temper (Telugu) (Act) Cast: Jr Ntr, Kajal Agarwal 3:45pm Cinema-4 Picket 43 (Mal) (Act) Cast: Prithviraj, Javed Jafry 6:45 & 9:45pm Cinema -4 Next Change: 100 Days Of Love (Mal )

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

ACES ON BRIDGE

SUDOKU

How do you handle the trump suit?

4 1 3 7 8

4 6 5 9 8 3 6 6 9

HOW TO PLAY Fill the empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column and area.

— Seven Galaxies

WITH LOVE

1

5 1 4 2 8

3 8 5 2 6 1 6 9 5 7 5 2 7 8 3

7 8 6 5 4 9 3 1 2 1 9 3 7 2 8 6 4 5 4 2 5 1 3 6 9 8 7

6 4 8 3 5 1 2 7 9 2 3 9 4 8 7 1 5 6 5 7 1 9 6 2 4 3 8

MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

1 4 8 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21 23 27 30 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 42 44 47 51

Sticker stat Enamelled metal Chicken style Want-ad abbr.

Comply with a command All, in combos More underhanded Nave neighbour Prospector’s test Hull bottom Ground breaker Zany Run a motor at a slow rate Party-tray cheese — Baba Pothole locale Author — Rand Get ready Sort Hurricane centres Caesar’s worst day Pits or stones Put a strain on Gape open Paper toys Enthusiasm

54 56 57 58 59 60 61

Kind of program New Age singer Fridge stick Sweater letter Blissful spot Spanish custard Daughter’s brother

DOWN 1 Geologic formation 2 Hutches 3 Sallies forth 4 Godzilla’s stomping ground 5 — -Wan Kenobi 6 Onion relative 7 Bronte governess 8 Eucalyptus muncher 9 Urchin 10 Naval off.

11 Contend 16 Oohed and — 20 Wool supplier 22 Auction site 24 Funny person 25 Swiss painter Paul — 26 Kennel noises

27 28 29 31 32 36 38 41 43 45

Rainbow deity Mete (out) Summer-camp site Meat on — Scholarly org.

Elf Tijuana “that” Protest song singer Rubber city Sound from a

pound Zero Phone bugs Yodeller’s answer Climb a rope Final letter Come to a conclusion 53 Nay opposite 55 Leaves in a bag 46 48 49 50 51 52

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS

RAMITHA MURTHY

EVA RACHEL SAMUEL

March 23

March 23, 2007

March 21, 2011

9 6 4 8 1 5 7 2 3 3 5 2 6 7 4 8 9 1 8 1 7 2 9 3 5 6 4

Previous puzzle Solution

REX Stout, the creator of Nero Wolfe, said, “To read of a detective’s daring finesse or ingenious stratagem is a rare joy.”

A bridge player should not be taking daring finesses. However, to watch an expert’s ingenious stratagem is a rare joy.

Before we get to the play of today’s deal, though, what should South bid after West opens one diamond, North makes a takeout double, and East passes?

Next, plan South’s stratagem in four spades after West cashes his two top diamonds and shifts to a heart.

In the auction, if South bids one spade, it shows 0-8 points; if he jumps to two spades, it indicates 9-11 points. With more than that, he starts with a two-diamond cue-bid.

The auction continues two hearts two spades - four spades - pass.

South can afford one trump loser, but not two. Strangely, the best play is the same even if East and West have passed throughout. Here, West is marked with the spade king from his opening bid. So first playing low to the queen cannot be right. The second-best play is low to the 10, planning, if it loses to the jack, to cash the ace next. But even better is immediately to cash the ace. When the king comes down, South can gain an overtrick by finessing East out of his spade jack.

In isolation against passing opponents, if the ace dropped the jack, South would continue with the queen to drive out the king. Or, if the ace collected only the four and nine, declarer would cross to the dummy with a club and lead a spade toward his queen-10. He would have no guesswork.

— By Phillip Alder

ANN MARIA JOHNY

BORN LOSER

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C1 2

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

EXTRA BRIEFS

Amitabh Bachchan hopes to meet fans in Egypt BIG B is eagerly awaiting his visit to Egypt for the India by the Nile Festival 2015 and hopes to reach out to his fans during his stay. The 72-year-old will inaugurate the India by the Nile Festival 2015, featuring contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, visual art, film, food and literature.

He will be the guest of honour at the event, where his 1977 hit Bollywood action comedy Amar Akbar Anthony will be screened.

“I am back tomorrow... and then prepare for Egypt and Cairo for the ‘India by the Nile’ festival and activities, starting in a few days,” Big B wrote. “Egypt was a revelation on my visit there in 90s... the enthusiasm and the love of the people was incredible and invaluable. It still remains presumably, and I hope that my short visit gives me ample time to reach out to my well wishers and friends,” he added.

The third edition of the festival will take place from March 30 to April 17. It aims at collaborative exchanges between India and Egyptian literary figures, performers and visual artistes, said its official website.

Extremely proud: SRK on Gauri’s Satya Paul line SINCE THE SHOOTING of Fan in Croatia kept superstar Shah Rukh Khan from “applauding” his wife Gauri Khan live when she showcased her fashion designing skills at an event, he took to social media to send out a word of encouragement for her.

“SatyaPaul by Gauri. Xtremely proud of her achievement. Missed applauding her & it’s a shame I don’t wear dresses. Haha,” SRK tweeted in his signature tongue-in-cheek style. Gauri, a creative entrepreneur in her own right, has lent her design sensibilities to Satya Paul to mark the fashion brand’s 30th anniversary. She showcased the line ‘A Tropical Wonder’ on the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week summer-resort 2015. Meanwhile, SRK is busy filming Fan in Dubrovnik, a city in Croatia.

Mika Singh, Kanika Kapoor to perform in Nairobi BOLLYWOOD’S HIT SINGERS Mika Singh and Kanika Kapoor are gearing up to rock a live concert in Nairobi. Mika announced the news via Instagram on Sunday.

“Hey Nairobi, be ready we are coming together to rock you guys on 18th April,” Mika wrote alongside a video, in which he and the Baby Doll hitmaker are seen teasing fans to visit the concert. This is not the first time that Mika will be performing in Nairobi. The Jumme Ki Raat singer previously headlined a concert there in January 2013. -IANS

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS REWRITING HUMAN INTERACTION RULEBOOK

C

onsider the following two situations. In the first scenario, a man and a woman sit across from each other at a romantically lit table in a fancy restaurant texting – looking down and talking to others, maybe each other - but rarely glancing up except to place drink and food orders.

In the second, a mother walks into a diner joining friends for lunch, carrying her two-year-old. She sets him down on the table, hands him a tablet device, takes out her smartphone, searches messages, and half listens for only occasional moments of adult conversation squeezed in between swooshes across their collective screens. What ties them together? The distance between them. Both scenarios reflect a new phenomenon of the digital age growing ever more rapidly. It’s called “virtual distance.”

Virtual distance Virtual distance is a psychological and emotional sense of detachment that accumulates little by little, at the subconscious or un-

conscious level, as people trade off time interacting with each other for time spent “screen skating” (swiping, swishing, pinching, tapping and so on). It is also a measurable phenomenon and can cause some surprising effects. For example, when virtual distance is relatively high, people become distrustful of one another. One result: they keep their ideas to themselves instead of sharing them with others in the workplace — a critical exchange that’s necessary for taking risks needed for innovation, collaboration and learning.

Another unintended consequence: people disengage from helping behaviours - leaving others to fend for themselves causing them to feel isolated, often leading to low job satisfaction and organisational commitment.

Virtual distance research underscores that the rules of interaction have changed. It changes the way people feel — about each other, about themselves, and about how they fit into the world around them. But the demonstrated im-

pacts measured among adults seem comparatively benign when considered against what it might be doing to children.

Lasting impact Children learn by looking at loved ones closely, watching what they do and listening to how they say things. The actions and behaviours parents model have a profound and lasting impact upon a child’s development. For example, the “serve and return” of interactions between children and adults is a key factor in child cognitive development.

If much of what the child notices about the world comes from a small screen where only a shallow representation is available, what do children have to mimic? How much practice do they get developing human capacities crucial to establishing emotional ease and social sensibilities?

Virtual distance is a gamechanger when it comes to human relations. When technology is used as an agent for relationships, in

some cases it can be beneficial.

However when technology is used purposelessly as a default it doesn’t just squeeze out sophisticated interpersonal interactions, it changes the nature of what’s left.

New facet of life If two adults spend the night texting over dinner they are likely to feel emotionally disconnected.

However, they can get over it because older people have the ability to look at themselves from afar and make changes to improve their lives. Children, on the other hand, have less experience with the world. If they grow up with virtual distance as the norm, they might not know that interactions can be different, or how.

Virtual distance is simply a new facet of life that has to be deliberately folded into the way people live their lives and raise their children. It’s not good. It’s not bad. It just is – much like the technologies that sparked its inception.

—Karen Sobel Lojeski and Martin Westwell/ The Washington Post

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D7

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D2

M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

OFFICES FOR RENT Premium offices to let a very good location on the main road very close to Zakher Mall, Al Khawiar. Business Center has offices with sizes of 50m2, 110m2, 180m2, 207m2, 230m2, 437m2.

Showroom also available at Business Center, Area 500m2 with central A/c.

Offices with Central Air-conditions, Security System with CCTV cameras, and Security presence in the building.

Contact: 97377355 / 97307476, Email id: aaleem@ggcoman.com

Industrial /commercial shops at Wadi Kabir 4 x 5.6 x 4.6 MTR height.

Showroom with mezzanine & office at Al Noor Street near Switz bakery & Al Masa hall corner building all on roads & parkings in front of shops & show room. # 99065900 or 99354975

1bedroom, 2 bedroom + showroom, 18 November road Al Azaiba.

Contact 99565364 / 99617786 Al Ghubra small house for rent 160/-. Contact 95032152

1BHK new bldg with A/C curtains near Khimji Mart MBD. Contact 99061408 / 99024039

Studios starting from 160 in Qurum near Mars supermarket. Contact 96755180, 96755181

Flats & shops for rent at MBD, Wadi Kabir, AL Khoud & villa at Azaiba.

Contact 93994401/02/03

3BR top class fitting flat , ideal for top Executives Mumtaz area, Ruwi.

Contact 91287824

2BHK /3BHK apartment available at Qurum, near PDO Gate-2.

Contact 94057023

Villa 2 bed rooms, hall, sitting room in AL Hail south R.O. 320/Monthly. Contact 93993354

Spacious 2 BR, flat in MBD. Contact 99713489

1 Bedroom attached toilet Al Khuwair area only for ladies or husband and wife without children. Contact 9:00 pm to 7:00 am 95765719

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco.

OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and boundary wall will be provided.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

2 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ AZAIBA, 2 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ Al Khuwair 33, 1 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ Al Khuwair, 3 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @ Al Khuwair 25. 5 B/R Fully Furnished villa @ Madinat Al Ilam. For Daily, Weekly, monthly or Yearly contract. Contact: Atlas Real Estate & Rent A Car LLC 99249069 / 99436312/92888376, Email: info@alshahiintl.com

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

New Building in Mutrah, 2 B/D room Flat + Setting Room,3 Baths+ Kitchen with split unit Ac’s. Behind Khimiji’s main office/opposite to Oman House Call 99419712

2 BHK commercial & residential flat at Honda road. Contact 98087644 / 99795241

2BHK flat for rent Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Mosque. Contact 97007939 / 92629232

Flat with 2 bedrooms and big hall in Mawalih near King burger R.O 310/-. Contact 99886099

Available industrial open land 25,000 m2 and 450m2 of 2 Nos, covered ware house in Al Rumais and two shutter shops 70 m2 each in Mabellah, near Oman oil petrol pump station and MAC Donalad. Contact 99318152 Email ahastco@gmail.com

Flat for rent in Wadi Al Kabir, 2 rooms & 3 toilets next to Platinum Gym. Contact 99210008

2BHK Apartment available at Al Khuwair 33. Contact 94057023 2 bed room, 3 toilets 120 sq. mtr fully furnished parking near Star Cinema 450/- OMR / monthly.

Contact 91778735

Available furnished Office in Al-Khuwair near Centerpoint.

Contact 92870771

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879

85 SQM shops in Ruwi only on 350/- OMR. Contact 95122188 / 96441499

1 bedroom attached toilet in Al Khuwair bachelors/ family R.O 140/-. Contact 95154331

Spacious 2 BHK flats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499

Villa Bosher behind Dolfeen near Muscat Hospital 5BHK hall living room with split a/c for family only 650/- R.O . Contact 92479515

Beautiful office space available in Ruwi MBD area only on 2/- OMR per sqm. Contact 95122188 / 96441499

2Bedroom centrally Air conditioned flat at CBD. Contact 94460790 / 24714625

New flat Al Athaiba behind Al Meera market, 4BHK hall, Kitchen, 5 bathrooms for family only first floor villa 550/-R.O .Contact 92479515

If require flats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send messages through Whatsapp or call – 99376454

Big flat first floor in villa Al Ghoubrah South, 3BHK hall living room with split a/c family only 525/- R.O. Contact 92479515

2 bedroom flat in Al Ghubra near Oman oil 18 November Street. OMR 330. Monthly. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Flat 4 rent south Al Mabelah.

Contact 95331177 / 95230355

Flat Wadi AL Kabeer, 2BHK, sitting room, 3 bathroom balcony split /AC 300/- R.O Contact 99324402

Villas & flats at Ansab.

Contact 98458542

1 Bed room in Al Hail south R. O 160/- Monthly. Contact 93993354

Brand new deluxe flats located near Seeb flyover on the right band side of the main road coming from the Seeb palace round about, 2 bedrooms family, hall, kitchen, 3 toilets with split unit ACs. Contact 97755586

New building near the Bousher Al Misfah high way, with showroom, offices, and shops. Great for banks, medical clinics and companies 95202430 1BHK available Ghubra near Al Maha INT Hotel. Contact 99269751 Commercial Villa in Al Khuwair with Private Parking’s,7 Rooms Hall and Reception and Kitchen #95202430

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 750/-RO.#92888115

Furnished room available on Seeb share with small family for couple working ladies. Contact 96996938 1000 sq mtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for Ware house workshop.

Contact 24700120 / 925 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

M O N DAY, M A R C H 2 3, 2 0 1 5

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR SALE Shop for sale near Al Maha Hotel Ghubra, area 68.40 sqm with 2 shutters, single shop also available.

Contact 96642007 / 98867936 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Fully furnished office 46 sqr mtrs near Markaz Al Bahja. #99607788

Building material shop for sale in Al Hail. Contact 98003111

Dental clinic for sale in Seeb area.

Contact 96903341

Shop for sale near Al Hail petrol pump. # 93314300 / 93937185

Brand new UK made wheel balancer for sale with accessories, contact 94052713, 99885638

Ready mix concrete for sale.

Contact 99054673

M.V. FOR SALE

22KV Generator – 99424338 Coffee shop for sale at Mawala.

Contact 99646640 Used Restaurant Equipments & Furniture for immediate sale. Interested Parties contact 97824001.

Billiards and snooker table 1 no., hand football game table 1 no. with all accessories on (as is where is) basis. The items are in Sur Industrial area. Interested parties please contact - 31032015s@gmail.com 2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Tel: 97000155 or 92688692 Running beauty parlor for sale in Barka Souq with license & visa.

Contact 92168729 Commercial registration with excellent name Grade A for business software for sale. Contact 92959251 Building Material shop for sale at Suwaiq A running 5 shutter building material shop with two paint machines available for immediate sale. Also available warehouse and yard at the same place. Interested parties please contact the following numbers: 93223382 / 99874936 New barber shop on sale at Misfah.

Contact 93833107 2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Tel: 97000155 or 92688692

Land for sale residential commercial and residential and tourist and industrial, and hotels for sale in Muscat (Al Khuwair and the Qurum, and crushed stone, and Bowshar, and spite and Gala heights, and the heights of the airport) to deal with the buyer. Contact 99070093 3 floor 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 Restaurant for sale well running with open area and good parking area. 3 new clearance also in Wadi Kabeer near Mars hyper market.

Contact 99656863

ACC. AVAILABLE Studio flat MBD Ruwi.

Contact 95698714

BUYING/SELLING Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM, 7 Bar Pressure) powered with Diesel run Generator.

Kindly Contact 99014686 or operation@khancogroup.com

WANTED

Shop for sale at Ruwi. # 99103077

Clinic required, One Established new Clinic in Muscat, with Valid License & Clearance is required to purchase interested Parties can contact 91283188 or send your inquiries to mohamedsfarah@hotmail.com

AVAILABLE

ACC. WANTED

Dental Clinic with license for sale in Sohar. Contact 92816015

Established Restaurant for rent with sponsorship. Contact 97628242 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

Sharing accommodation available in Muttrah near Khimji Mart for family only with A/C & attached bath room. Contact 95450743 Single room with separate bath at Rex Road, working lady preferred.

Contact 95423572 Sharing accommodation rooms at Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 / 97004265 Single room behind main Indian School Wadi Kabir. Contact 99376454 Single room attached bathroom separate entrance near Rex Road Kolivada .# 99870317 / 98218453

Wanted a 2 bedroom flat in around Ruwi area. Gsm 99761216

One bed room flat with hall for rent in Al Khuwair area near Radisson blue hotel. Contact 97646492

Single room with furniture available behind Kamat Restaurant Al Khuwair. Contact 24125300 / 94158350

Dodge Nitro 4.0 ltr engine 2007 model 130000 kms, red colour, registration valid for one year. RO.2700/-.

Contact - 91251966

Vitara 2013. Contact 99336093

Toyota Camry white 2011 km -51000 R.O 4800/-.

Contact 99561562

Suzki SX4 2012. Contact 99484342 Furnished Single Room available for a decent Keralite Bachelor (Sharing Kitchen/Bath) Near Oman House/Khimji Mart, Muttrah, Rent:- 85/- (Including Elec/Wat).

Contact 98450071

Furnished accommodation wanted for April, May for Keralite family. Contact 99378397

ACC. AVAILABLE

Lexus GS460, 2010 white 57,000 km single lady Expat driven top of the range Reg exp. August 2015.

Contact 99215599

A big room available near Hamriya R/A for Muslim couple / small family /Executive bachelor rent 150/- Rial per month including W+E. Contact 99495131

ACC. AVAILABLE Fully furnished single room available in CBD area. Contact 92162623 Single room attached bathroom with kitchen near Riyam park Muscat RO 70/-. Contact 95094028 1B/R available for bachelors in REX ROAD, Ruwi. Contact 99889590

Gubrah furnished room, attached bath dish TV, WIFI, kitchen available for Executive single person, couple.

Contact 99658689 Room in CBD area for non cooking Executive bachelors free WIFI, Advance deposit. Contact 95934642

FOR HIRE

Furnished Room with attached bath for Indian Bachelor in Al Falaj area Ruwi & sharing room lady in Wadikabir. Call 95941515

Foklift 7,5,3 Ton with driver – 99424338

Family sharing accommodation available in Al Khodh.# 98292798

Hire Generators, Air conditioners.

Contact 98927220

Single room available with A/C for non cooking executive bachelor at Hamriya R/abt. (on main road side, Opp. Apollo Hospital). #91673718, 98232567

Running truck wash for rent in Ouhi Sunia Sohar. Serious people can. Contact on 97864747

Sharing family accommodation in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057 Room for SRI LANKAN Executive at Al Khuwair.TEL 96536307 Furnished room for Executive bachelor at Ruwi. Contact 92435784

50 seater bus with PDO specification for rent or lease.

Contact 99839898

LOST Amir Shahzad lost Pakistan Passport No. SK 5146301. Finder please handover to ROP.

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M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian CA, male, having 12+ Years’ experience in the field of A/Cs, finance, auditing, consultancy and also knowledgeable in SAP B1,Tally ERP ,etc. Working as Finance Manager for last 2 years in Oman and have valid D/L of Oman. NOC available. PLZ contact: 98234761, Email:caraj700@gmail.com Bachelor degree in business (Accounting) from Majan College searching for job with D/L and 2 years exp . Contact 96132149 Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Accountant: Indian Male 29 years, 7 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Administration, Purchase (Release Available) Ph. 97614351 Email: vijayapalanbinu.aniyan@gmail.com Indian 34 yrs B.Com CA Inter pass 12 yrs exp in Audit A/C, Finance on visit seeks suitable placement.

Contact 95585069

DOMESTIC HELPER Wanted full time Keralite housemaid at Al Khuwair.

Contact 93267065

DRIVER

ACCOUNTANCY Want Chief Accountant have experience more than 10 years or have experience in logistics muktar_93@yahoo.com Experienced omani/non-omani accountant.

Send cv-career@ayadmn.com Required an Accountant with experience in Tally, D/L in Oman, NOC, for a construction company doing MOE projects.

Contact 94148220. Send CV to alrkhadev@hotmail.com

ADVOCATE Law firm office at Shatti al Qurum looking for Indian legal advisor minimum 5 years experience in Oman . please Contact :99772277 sereen38@gmail.com

Light Driver required.

Must be currently present in Oman.

Salary 150 + 25 + accommodation.

Contact 99454425

EDUCATION New International Schools in Oman going to begin in September 2015 seeks Principal, Early years & foundation stage and Cambridge primary teachers (Homeroom and co-teachers), Operations Manager, Admissions Manager & Parents Relationship Manager.

Send CV and open letters of references to : gharsoman@gmail.com / marwa@amjad.com.kw Contact 0069555789779/ 00968 94665998 Maths, Physics, Chemistry Teacher urgently required to teach 2 students of 12th standard . Teacher’s experience preferred.

Contact 99360489

ENGI./ELECT./TECH..

ADMIN Omani PRO with minimum 5yrs experience. Send cvcareer@ayadmn.com Wanted PRO male Omani with 2-3 years experience and frontline associate male / female for reputed telecom brand retail stores. Apply to career@rechargeoman.om.

Contact 94006462 / 94538465

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required beautician, visa available. Contact 97172334

CATERING Personal Chef needed for work in home and boat. Must be fantastic chef and willing to do housekeeping/ cleaning also. email cv: alibadawy@gmail.com Waiter /waitress for restaurant.

Interested candidates send CV to email: omanhari@yahoo.com, Contact 95892831 Experience cook for Omani family 1Nos. Contact 99228046 Email: oman518@gmail.com

DRAFTSMAN Architectural Draftsman desired candidate profile : minimum 3 years experience in detail design. Please send your CV to Email: info@pak2pak.com Contact 99196733

DESIGNER Wanted Graphic Designer skilled in Photoshop, coreldraw illustrator for advertising company. Contact 96440587 / 95338210

DOMESTIC HELPER Full-time housemaid needed for family of 4 in Azaiba.

Contact 95123244 Housemaid required for Keralite family Cont 92729883

Urgently Required: 1) Planning Engineer minimum 5 years experience with primavera certificate and immediately join.

2) Electrical Engineer minimum 5 years experience in building construction and immediately join.

Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com.

Required Foreman for interior decoration and construction business with minimum 2 years experience in Oman and with valid Oman driving license. Contact 98825806.

Email: strns1@gmail.com Mechanical Workers Required A well established pipeline construction company required some skilled workers of below mentioned categories; Fabricators, Fitters, Mechanical Helper .

Please Contact at this number urgently 96928351 Urgently required for leading company, Land Surveyor, Electrical technician, MEP foreman, Camp Boss. Fax: 24478522 E-mail: gh1.careers@gmail.com Required HVAC Engineer, and Electrical Engineer, minimum 4 to 5 years experience with driving license. Send CV to nationalhvac.mep@gmail.com fax: 24799442 Looking for Assistant Workshop Manager, Automobile Engineering with minimum 4 years experience in vehicle modification works.

Contact: 97441935 Local Construction Company looking for Civil Engineer Indian nationality. If interested Email: mohad.amer@hotmail.com or Contact 92817182 Wanted Auto Electrician with ITI or diploma qualification.

Interested can send C.V on hilat.tech@gmail.com or contact 98983951 / 98668697 Required MEP Engineer with minimum Diploma or degree 5 yrs experience & with driving license.

Fax : 24478522, Email : gh1.careers@gmail.com

MEDICAL Wanted LAB Technician and female Nurse for a 25 years old poly clinic at Ibri candidates who have passed their prometric examination can also apply.

Contact 93828382 Email: zahrathalmahrami@gmail.com Urgently required an Orthodontist with MOH to work at a reputed Dental Center in Muscat.

Contact 968 99694723, Email : dr.bdohc@gmail.com Wanted female Nurse for Skin clinic in Muscat. Must have MOH license and NOC. Mail to clinicvacancy2015@gmail.com A medical center requires a part time Pharmacist. Interested candidates contact 99705799 Urgently required Pharmacist.

Contact 94200385/ 95206905/ 97433142 Email: anitho@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Required SALESMAN for LAMIS in Avenues Mall, Bousher. Must be young, active and have own transport. Send CV to rahibco@hotmail. com or call 96218662 Kitchen Sales Executive Required:Qualified candidates must have a minimum 2year work experience in GCC with valid Oman driving license.

Interested candidates please send your CV to abuqusaikitchen@gmail.com Required Sales & Marketing person for IT company with minimum 2 years experience in Oman and with valid Oman driving license. Contact 98825806. Email: strns1@gmail.com Wanted Salesman having driving license for advertising company.

Contact 96440587 / 95338210 Wanted an experienced sales person with valid Oman driving license for a company in Al Khuwair.

Send your CV to kktrdg@hotmail.com Fax: 24488120 Contact 99771127 Experienced Sales Supervisor in FMCG especially gulf area. Experienced Salesman in FMCG. Send cv-career@ayadmn.com Cleaning Services Company requires Marketing Managers with minimum 5/8 years Gulf experience with valid Oman driving license. Interested candidates send CV to email: omanhari@yahoo.com, Contact 95892831 Sales Man required with driving license knowledge of air conditioner and spare parts. Send CV to nationalhvac.mep@gmail.com fax: 24799442 Required M/F Marketing person part time exp in event management with strong communication read / write and knowledge of music & dance industry for an Institute.

Mail: window4job@gmail.com Required Commercial Assistant having minimum 3-5 years of FMCG experience for a leading FMCG company in Muscat. Having Omani driving license is preferred. Interested candidates may send their resume at sunnex3@gmail.com Looking for Experienced Omani/ Expat Sales Executive for Web Application Sales.

Email mctjobs@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Sales or Marketing Executive degree or master degree.

Interested can send C.V on hilat.tech@gmail.com or contact 98983951 / 98668697 Urgently required an excellent grade construction firm based in Muscat has immediate vacancy for Marketing Executive minimum 5 years experience with D/L. Email your CV to info@omannc.com Required delegates female Marketers in Advertising. Car & experience are required. To contact only the afternoon time on - 94021722 Required promoter for promoting Perfumes in shopping centre please.

Contact 95663682 or send CV atugt15@gmail.com Required Kitchen Designer – Outdoor Sales Consultant :Qualified candidates must have a work experience of min 5 years in Oman with a valid omani driving license. Interested Candidates please send in your CV’s to amritharajeev345@gmail.com Sales Executives needed for marble & granite company with minimum one year experience with driving license. Good looking Indians only.

Email: anas@kenzostone.com / nabil@kenzostone.com Required Salesman, Tailor, and Barber. Contact 96964767 Looking for Qualified and experienced Sales Executives in industrial and mechanical field items & building materials. Please send your CV to slayhawk@yahoo.com Wanted Salesman with driving licence and car.

Gsm : 98805474 or email id: jobssales2015@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL / OFFICE Required female Office Secretary with well computer knowledge.

Send CV to nationalhvac.mep@gmail.com fax: 24799442

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian Male, 27 yrs MBA (Fin), SAP, 4 Yrs Exp in Finance Seeking Suitable Job with a Reputed Firm Currently on Visit Visa Contact No. 92481230 A Fresh ACCA Affiliate, Pakistani male, 24 yrs, open for positions of Accounts, Audit and finance.

Contact : 94541539 email: wasiqnasir_3@yahoo.com ACCA finalist and BSc from Oxford Brookes University UK, having 18 months working experience, currently in Muscat on visit, seeking immediate and suitable position.

Contact : 95375282 22 years of experience in Multinational Companies & reputed firms in Financial Management, Project Management, Budgeting and Cost control, seeking a strategic Financial/Management Accounting role in a dynamic organization .

Contact : +971-506178139, Email.georg_vargis01@yahoo.com

Indian male 26 years, MBA - finance and BSC (HONS) cooperation & banking with computer knowledge, currently on visit visa.

Contact 92636173 Email: deepakesl38@gmail.com Indian male with 7 years experience in customer service and banking operations looking for a suitable job right now on visit visa.

Contact 96169123 Sr. Accountant, M.Com, Indian male,13 yrs exp in MNC, FMCG & Automobile spare parts with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable position. NOC available-Mob: 92435323 Senior Accountant, 10 years experience in Oman on visit.

Contact 98897581.

FCCA- Qualified from UK with 9 years of experience in Big 4 & Top 30 UK firms. Currently working as Manager Finance & Accounts for more than 2 years. NOC available, please contact 9259 3748 12 years Oman experienced Chief Accountant looking for suitable placement. Contact 97385562 American B International relations seeking position in finance HR, Administration or any suitable position. Contact 95560225 Email: sanyieha@gmail.com Indian Male, 27 yrs MBA (Fin), SAP, 4 Yrs Exp in Finance Seeking Suitable Job with a Reputed Firm Currently on Visit Visa Contact No. 9535 6100 Looking for part time accounts job please contact:95573856 & 99183135.

Part time Accountant up to finalization looking for job after 5 pm location Qurum Al Khoudh.

Contact 92917574 Accountant / Accounts Assistant with 7 years experience in Indian accounts like taxation, finalization of balance sheet, good knowledge in Tally ERP9 & MS Office, Currently on visit visa looking for immediate joining. Contact 94362799 Accountant Indian male B.COM / MBA 9 years experience in Oman up to finalization. NOC available, can join immediately. Contact 94134085/ muscatoman95@yahoo.com SL Accountant male 5 years experience in Oman up to account finalization, accounting software’s tally etc having Oman driving license & NOC. Contact 95764075 Email: arshaad18@gmail.com Indian male 35 years M.Com, 8 years in Oman out of 13 years experience in accounts up to finalization having NOC and Oman D/L. Contact 98407501 Seeking for a job on Indian male aged 23 years qualification are BCA bachelor & computer application & accountant 1 years experience.

Contact 95386434 Email: mohammedshanid5@gmail.com CA Finalist having big four experience of more than three years seeking suitable position currently on visit visa. Contact 94663269 Email: rizwan_ravian@yahoo.com Accountant 25 years experience M.Com Accounts up to finalization 14 years in Oman. NOC release available. Contact 99640490 email: mathutb@gmail.com

Accountant 35 years B.COM with experience in Oman urgently seeking suitable job Accountant/ Ass. Admin / HR valid driving license & NOC. Contact + 968- 99176112 Email : aamirjaved24@hotmail.com Indian Accounts / Audit assistant with 2 years of experience currently on a visit visa looking for suitable job openings.# 94677338, 97041086 Email: ajeeshkcy1989@gmail.com Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact – 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com Accountant: a well experienced Indian male, M.Com, more than 20 years experience in accounting field (GCC & India), looking for job as accountant or accounts manager in oman. presently working in India and ready to join immediately.

Contact :99087175 Indian female, 23 years B.Com Graduate having 2 years experience has accounts + office assistance , good working knowledge in tally, MS Office, SAP. Contact 97669156 Indian male 26 years, with 4 years experience in accounts and administration looking for suitable placement. Contact 93008891 Indian male, B.Com, Accountant – 6yrs exp in Oman, NOC availableReady to join.contact: 98162671 ; email: prasanths3@gmail.com Accounts part time works up to finalization, monthly report, balance sheet and finalization works.

Contact 96247295 Indian female 28 MBA (HR) B. Sc, 3+ years exp India & Oman HR/Admin looking for suitable placement.

Contact 95619537 B.com doing CA Accounts/ office job male now working in Oman Noc, release available. Contact 92715465 Email: alsabathehm@gmail.com Male, total 17 years experience in India & Oman - India - 9 years & Oman - 8 years In the field of procurement, material controller and accountancy - Local release available (Noc) Cont no. 91680124 , 98606546 Part time Accountant with 15 years exp in Accounts, finance, audit tax management. Contact 95857199 India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placement. Contact:93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com B.Com India. Languages : English, Hindi & Malayalam.

Contact 92954613 Accounting up to finalization, auditing & contact for tally ERP software Contact– 91720465 Pakistani male, 25 yrs, MBA Finance, 1.6 yrs exp in Accounts seeking placement in Accounts, Administration or Business Management. Contact 92651927 / 94250149 Female with MBA finance, financial and tax professional four and half years of experience seeks suitable opportunities in reputed organizations. Contact- 99792457 Email: msparveen1@gmail.com Indian Male, 25 yrs currently in Oman on visit looking for suitable vacancies in accounts, B.Com completed 1 yr experience.

Contact 92024380 Indian Male, MBA 2 yrs experience in Accounts, Admin & HR on visit visa. Contact 92045306 Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. #98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com Indian male- B.Com/B.Ed/15 years Exp – 5 in Oman, seeks job in Accts/Sales/Logistics have NOC and Oman D/L with car. Contact – 92919625/93511425/ 93424828; Email- seshadricpioman@gmail.com

ADMIN/HR Indian male MBA 32 yrs having 10 yrs of exp seeking suitable placement in Admin/ HR/ Operations/ Coordination/ Logistics etc. Holding valid Oman D/L .Contact - 99054786

M O N DAY, M A R C H 2 3, 2 0 1 5

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ADMIN/HR

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Indian female with excellent communication skills, confident, dedicated to work and enthusiastic.

Knowledge about ms office. Has 6 years of experience in customer service, telecommunication, HR.Looking for immediate placement. Contact # 97348819

Indian male 24 years, Mechanical Engineer,pdms.1 yr experience in pipeline,16years in oman seeking immediate placement Contact 95775742

Indian female 6 years experience in finance HR/ & Administration (M.Com) with Oman D/L or family joining visa. Contact 99796847 Email: rabitha.05@gmail.com Indian male MBA (HR & Marketing) 2 years experience seeking suitable job now on visit visa.

Contact 96483964 / 98757816

DRIVER Driver available in Ruwi.

Contact 97460056 Light driver with car available. Contact 95520696 Light driver with car 7 yrs experience. Contact 91553628 / 95667138

Indian male MBA 12 years exp with international exposure seeking suitable job administrative, HR management, sales & marketing, currently in Salalah. Contact 91233648 / 94667857 mail: kumar79vimal@gmail.com

Light driver 8 years experience in Oman. Contact 95927422

Indian male 32 yrs MBA.HR marketing, 6 yrs experience in FMGC products looking for a suitable job.

Contact 92954827

Light driver job. Contact96756014

Over 14 years of Gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, fluent in Arabic & English with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 95824598

Light driver looking for job.

Contact 91376612

Indian male, well experienced in Administration supervisory, business development, front office Administrations & good computer skills seeking Supervisory / Secretarial / Front Office Administrative jobs.

Contact 92145973 Email: ubaidpt99@yahoo.com Indian male having 2+ years Oman experience seeking suitable job opportunity...currently working as HR coordinator in a reputed company in Oman. Contact : 93671437 alluarun777@gmail.com Noc available Indian female B.Com with excellent communication available for immediate joining full time or part time in HR & Admin coordination.

Contact 98460262 Young Indian male with 5 years Muscat experience in admin, purchase & Masters from UK seeks placement. Possess driving license.

Contact 94400671

ARCHI./ DRAUGHTSMAN Indian male, Autocad draughtman with 2 years of experience currently working in oman.seeking suitable placement.NOC available.#94123480 Email: fahadhundred@gmail.com Female Architect 3.5 years experience looking for job, having experience in Oman AutoCAD and sketch up. Contact 96146645 Email: anjuovil@gmail.com Indian male, 1 and half years experience in Indian, Using Total station, Auto level and Auto Cad , seeking suitable placement. Contact 95140761 / 99208290 Email: binu.brijiv@gmail.com Auotcad knows 3D,REVIT, MAX Ph : 97103168 AutoCAD operator, Indian male 3 yrs experience in Auto CAD 2D & 3Ds Civil Draftsman, MAX and Photo shop, presently on visit visa seek suitable placement.Contact 91764358 Email: mohdsiraj02@yahoo.com

CATERING Indian cook, Tandoori cook, male, 32 yrs, having 4 yrs of experience in Muscat in India, looking for a cook job in Hotel. Contact 93753523 / 98744307 / 92175119.

DRIVER Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver.

Contact 92303692 Bangladeshi Driver looking for job.

Contact 93567263 Looking for driving job.

Contact 98219182 Looking for driving job.

Contact 97311715 Wanted Driver. Contact 95112461 Light/ heavy duty, driver (GCC valid D/L for company) looking for job. Contact 99531802 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 96913836 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 96694393

Light duty driver with 3 years experience in Oman +5 years in Saudi Arabia speaking Hindi Arabic English. Contact 96088707

Light driver looking for job.

Contact 92791678

LV Driver- 2 yrs Exp-know English- Contact 95292064

DOMESTIC HELPER Female cleaner for school/kg, job (overseas). Contact 95175192 House boy/ cleaner looking job overseas. Contact 95175192

DESIGNER Modular kitchen designer with 4 years Bahrain /Dubai experience plus 10 years AutoCAD, 3D, Photoshop& 20-20 Fusion.

Contact -96467673, cristobabu@gmail.com Keralite Bachelor professional building designer with AutoCAD, 3D Max & Accounts. #96535497, email : bhaviwky90@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL M. Tech Civil (structure) with 3 years experience looking for a suitable job with reputed consultants or contracting companies. Contact – 93137035 Email – mdshahzar.khan@gmail.com Seeking job Electronics and Instrumentation Engineer (Indian) Indian male, Instrumentation Engineer having total 5 years of experience in electrical site execution, 1 year in Uae,presently in oman (visit visa) seeking suitable job Contact. 95690915 Email. Syam.andrews@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 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com.

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Electrical Engineer (Indian) with 6 years experience in projects and maintenance having valid UAE driving license seeks suitable placement. Please contact: Ajay Haridas on mobile 00971528254782 or Haridas on 99558590 BE Civil Engineer, 4 years experience, 2 years in Oman consultancy ROP site, good computer and communication skills, valid Oman driving license. Looking for planning engineer job. Call - 94034153 BE Petroleum Engineer - 23 years, 1 year exp (6 months offshore), previously done 2 onfield internships in Oman. Seeking suitable placement.

Valid HSE PDO passport and Oman driving license holder. Contact: 97384353, wnehri@gmail.com M.Tech Computer Science & Engineering, Indian female, Fresher, looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 96103071 Email: norajobai@gmail. com Indian male 24 years B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with 2 years experience seeks suitable placement in reputed company.

Contact 99359887 / 94132536 Civil Engineer with MBA have 10 years exp in construction and roads projects management.

Contact 97046565 Omani Citizen BE Mechanical Engineer with 1 year Experience looking for job urgently. Contact: 95993315 email: eaz-s@hotmail.com Mechanical Engineer Indian male with one year experience also qualified in PDMS, Piping and NDT level two seeking suitable position currently in visit visa. Contact 98698682 Email: arundevchandran@gmail.com Electrical Engg, B.E Indian male 1 yr exp on visit visa. Contact 93700848 Email: quizzu.26@gmail.com Indian male 35 years B.Tech Mech.

Engineer with 13 yrs experience in power plant Indian looking for a suitable opening in Oman. Candidate available in Muscat until 02-4-15.

Contact 95911614 / 99844868 Network Engineer, BSc Communications, 5 years exp, CCNA, VAS, Data Center, working now at Alcatel Lucent, visit visa. Contact 9126878

24 years Indian female diploma in computer science and engineering now on visit visa seek suitable placement.

Contact 96314974/99107369

Generator maintenance in charge with 4 yrs experience with Cummins, caterpillar, kirloskar and voltas. Contact - email: shibinmundakkal@gmail.com Indian male, having 10 yrs experience in CCTV (AV Technician), fire alarm, EPABX, all types of electrical work seeking suitable placement, presently on visit visa. Contact 97948198 / 99356393 Email: srinivasparipelli@yahoo.com Indian B.Tech Mechanical Engineer, 26 yrs, 4 yrs experience in HVAC/MEP. Contact 94669629, rajeevhpd15@yahoo.com Indian Mechanical Engineer 27 years experience in Oman for 8 years with Omani driving license looking for job change. NOC available. Contact 92986079 for short and long term contracts. Area of experience oil and GAS. Contact 92986079 Electrical Engg B.E 6+ yrs in Oman exp in ELP projects, LV , 11KV, 33KVOHL , UGC & DCRP requirements available with release/NOC valid D/L join immediately. Contact: 97601836 Email: sidm4u@gmail.com Experienced female Electrical Engineer. Contact 93800906 Sudanese Electrical plants equipment Engineer with 3 years Diploma degree of Electrical Engineer have 5 years experience in building constructing industry operation installation maintenance asphalt crushers stone plants and automation systems. Contact 94549609

Sudanese chemist resident, 3 years experience in chemical industry.

Contact 97399073

D.A.E Civil Engineer Pakistani male, Diploma 3 years full experience 10 years, 6 yrs exp in Oman & Pakistan exp 4 years looking for good job in firm. Contact 92286164

DAE (Civil) having 3.5 years Experience 2 years from Oman with driving licences, seeking for suitable position in Construction field NOC and release available . Contact 96968554 Email: mehranahmad26@yahoo.com

Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building) looking for Part time job Contact no:-94391712 E-mail addressinayathhussain@yahoo.com

Mechanical Engineer (BE) done process piping, PDMS, Q.C welding N.D.T course fresher on visit visa looking for job. Contact 97359171 Email: sayyedz097@ymail.com

Sudanese Mechanical Engineer 11 years exp in oil & gas industry.

Contact - 95928035

Telecom Engineer with 4.5 years Oman experience looking for a suitable opportunity, interested even in Marketing also. Possess valid Oman driving license. Contact 94145460

Looking Part time Job in HVACContact - 93198128

B. Sc Civil Engineer with 5 years experience and valid Omani driving license and PDO driving and safety license and OSHA safety license looking for suitable job.

Contact 92548097

Civil Engineer having 4.5 yrs experience in building construction, looking for suitable placement valid D/L available. Contact 91253392

Electrical Engineer Indian male 29 years, having 5 years of experience in Industrial Automation & utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement.

Contact 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com

BSc Civil Engineer over 19 years experience in construction field with project management skills, seeks suitable placement NOC available & can join immediately.

Kindly Contact: 92198264 Email: mdrana1970@gmail.com

Electrical Eng diploma 12 yrs exp HV /LV - UG & OHL having NOC with valid Oman D/L & Mazoon CEP. Contact 96274568

Project Engineer, civil engineer BSC, Building Construction 5 Years Exp in Oman fluent Arabic, English and good Hindi .Contact - 97858589

BE/EEE Electrical Engineer Indian male 25 years having 2.5 years experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable placement.

Contact 00968-96522624 / 92770316 contact India +91- 9994024477 / 9597539520

Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa Ph : 91642050

Electrical Engineer looking for job NOC available. Contact 96347995 B/Tech B.E Civil nearly 3 years Indian male. Contact 93850875/95283064 Indian Male 10 years experienced CIVIL ENGINEER having Omani driving license looking for suitable placement. GSM 94194399 (Shiblyrock@gmail.com) Indian Female, 24, UK Graduate - MSc Digital Communication Network Engineering with B.Tech Electronics and Communication holding a Valid Omani Driving License, looking for suitable placement (Presently on Visit Visa).

Contact No. : 95408113 Civil Engineer Diploma and AutoCAD having 2 yrs experience in India seeking suitable jobs.

Contact 95476430 Civil Engineer having four and half years experience in building construction, looking for a suitable placement valid D/L available.

Contact 91253392

Sudanese Graduate with 3 years Diploma in Civil Engineering have 5 years experience in building construction industry materials, specification & testing. Contact 96995670 Diploma in Architect 2.5 years experience in Oman having driving.

Contact 92967404 Electrical Engineer B.E Engineer, 6 years experience in Dubai, Bahrain with G.C.C. professional licenses holding GCC driving license.

Contact 98063081 Email: imran.engr08@gmail.com .

B.Tech electronics & instrument, Indian male having 4 years exp in oil & gas field one years experience in Saudi, looking for suitable vacancy.

Contact 98854946 Email: alfredtjose@gmail.com Civil Engineer with 12 years Experience Looking For Job. Contact 98162295 Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Aircraft Maintenance Technician with one year experience seeks suitable placement. Contact amaljohn2002@gmail.com B.Tech Mechanical Engineer (Automobile)&Diploma in QC with 2yrs experience in oil & gas company seek suitable placement job currently on Visit Visa. Contact no.96071081, 99214308 , Email: rahulvarikkat@gmail.com

Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Gulf Exp in Design and Manufacturing Ph: 97097688 Diploma of Associate Civil Engineering, Diploma of AutoCad, having 3.5 yrs experience, 2 yrs experience of Oman in Building Construction, valid transferrable ID Card.

Contact 94378581 Indian male, 26 yrs B-Tech (ECE) with MBA in Marketing / HR looking for a suitable placement. Currently on visit visa valid up to 30 January 2015. Contact 93754428, email : shijosirius709@gmail.com

MEDICAL Staff Nurse working in muscat.

Looking for new opportunity. Release / NOC letter available.

Contact 99433415 Female Dentist Indian, 28 years Dental Surgeon, 3 years of experience, Oman prometric passed with 64%, looking for a suitable placement in Muscat region. Contact 91377681 Email: hashmisarwat@gmail.com Medical- Indian female, 27 yrs, masters in hospital administration, fellowship in HTA studied in a super specialty medical sciences and research center in India and done project in an established hospital in sultanate of Oman.

Contact 93200827, 91026506 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378 Female pharmacist with 3 years experience and MOH license currently in Oman, CONTACT 92455124

EDUCATION MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female (M.Com, B.ED) 2Yrs Experience in teaching seeks suitable placement . Specialization in ( Accounting, Business studies, Human resource management, Economics). Presently in Visit Visa Status. Contact:97342709, Email: sininair27@gmail.com 1 year experience in teaching all subject to KG classes, currently working as a teacher in Oman, seeking suitable placement, Family visa. Contact 92178304 / 99036256

HOSPITALITY Indian female (Aviation and hospitality management) with excellent communication skill, confident, dedicated to works and enthusiastic and 1 year experience in admin department looking for immediate placement .

Contact 93351256 email : hinakhan.hk88@gamil.com

IT Indian male BE/B. Tech in computers 2 years experience on DBA on visit visa. Contact :93048527 Indian male Graduate (BSc. IT) 25 years new on visit visa in Muscat.

1 year experience in Accounts looking for suitable position. # 95752827 Email: mhdfsrn@gmail.com Male Omani National, 27 years, holding Master in IT - Computer Sciences Engineering (India) and Master in Robotic Intelligency (Spain), looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 99211549.

3G , 4G Welding lead man Indian male, 33 years, having 15 years experience in American company, UAE and India, seeking for suitable placement. Contact 92122468 Email: shaji11@gmail.com IT Support Engineer Indian male with 6 years experience in system Admin/ IT support seeking suitable placement. Contact 94549589 / 99817516 Indian male 25 B.Tech (IT) Engineer 2.5 yrs exp in hardware networking.

Currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact – 94359564 IT Prof, MCA having 6+ yrs exp, seeks suitable position.

Contact 94543668 Indian male MBA (marketing & IT) with 1 yr exp looking for suitable placement presently on visit visa.

Contact 97327997 Email: irshad.alimc@gmai.com Hardware specialist B.Tech M.Tech electronics with 10 years experience seeks suitable opportunities in reputed organizations.

Contact 91289459 Email: shrn.shrf@gmail.com B.Tech IT Professional, Indian Male with 3 yrs of Exp. In System Admin, IT Support, Networking, Installing Active Directory, DHCP, DNS,RAS, configuring maintaining and managing servers, configuring cisco routers, Exp in handling SQL database, With Valid Driving Licence. Contact - 968 98863507

MEDICAL Pharmacist with MOH License and NOC available for placement in Hospitals, polyclinics, warehouses etc. either in Muscat or in and around Nizwa. Contact 99617610

Indian female 25, BFT with excellent communication skills, confident, dedicated to work and enthusiastic. 5 yrs experience in merchandising and fashion marketing. available on family visit, seeking for a suitable job. #96990368, simmy.missy@gmail.com MBA male having experience of production operation administration looking for job immediately joining.

Contact 94670691 Electrician, Plumber, Gulf exp looking for job. Contact 99531802 Logistics Officer, Experience in Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Business Development Officer cum Branch Head, young Indian male, MBA, around 5 years experience in reputed multinational company (MNC) looking for suitable position in Suwaiq, Sohar area.Contact 92700670 Email: fardhaan@gmail.com Indian male M.Tech MBA, 24 years experience working as Country Manager seeks employment.

Contact 92279972, NOC available.

BE. Mechanical Engineer with 2 years’ experience in Mechanical piping execution, Seek suitable placement job currently on Visit Visa, Contact no: 9843 9656, 9526 5739, Email: pavithomas@rediffmail.com Qualified Manager: (12+ yrs. Oman Exp.) Vast knowledge in A/c & Admin, Costing, Banking, Credit Control, Insurance, International Purchase/Logistics & Finance, With D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact 93826090 Email: jskanchan01@gmail.com Restaurant /Catering Manager – Operations with 21 years experience with 2 years in Saudi is available on visit. Contact 98894682 Indian female with nine years of experience in 5 Star hotels as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager looking for a suitable placement in a reputed Star hotel.

Contact: 91219787

PROJECTS Indian male, 4 years experience as Safety Officer with NEBOSH currently on visit visa.

Contact :99565910, E mail: yadavchandan287@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian male more than 10 years Gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336 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 Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298

D6

M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SKILLED / UNSKILLED Welder, 3G, 6G, TIG, Exp in Fabrication , Gulf Exp Ph : 97103168

SALES / MARKETING

MISCELLANEOUS

18 yrs Oman experience in building materials seeking suitable placement, NOC available Contact 93105775

Indian male, 15 years experience in managing department stores, in Karnataka, India, looking for placement.# 93086105 or 99016546

SALES / MARKETING

Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in building materials trading having Oman D/L, immediate release available. Contact 98676713

Indian male, graduate with 7 years experience in hospitality industry, sales & marketing .M.B.A in human resource management. #92115860

Indian male, 25 yrs MBA, HR , having 1.5 yrs exp in sales & marketing on visit visa seeking for a suitable job. Contact 98796877

MISCELLANEOUS

Male 22, BFT Graduate seeking job as Merchandiser, Marketing.

Contact 98660360

Indian female 25 years MBA finance currently on visit visa seeks immediate placement.

Contact: +(968) 9843 0089, +(968) 97851940

Care taker, Gulf Exp knows Hindi, Arabic Ph: 94238840

Pakistani male MBA marketing 2 years experience need job in sales marketing export admin management sector. Contact 94009052 Indian Salesman having over 10 years experience in shop and outdoor; knows Hindi & Arabic; looking for opening in sales field.

Contact 94432608 15 years experience Indian male looking for job in storekeeper, counter sales having valid GCC driving license seeks suitable placement.

Contact 99052817 Indian M.27 B.Com, 5 yrs exp sales & customer relation, MS Word, MS Office, Excel on visit visa.

Contact 95612321 Email: jkadavil@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs M.B.A having More than 2 years experience in sales & marketing good communication skills Looking for a suitable job.

Contact 92152913 email: May4senthil@gmail.com Young female, having experience of working in Oman with expertise in the field of Event Management, Advertising, Marketing and Hotel Management. Currently on a visit visa. Seeking for a suitable Job. Contact 96153578 MBA fresher, with fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam, looking for suitable job.

Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Mob : +968-93730345 Indian male 30 years DME 4 years experience in building material outdoor sales, NOC available with valid Oman D/L. Contact 92447574 Email: shijophilip84@yahoo.in IND M 29 2 yrs exp in dales in Oman seeks suitable placement in back office support, sales, store keeper. NOC available. Contact 91797372 Indian male 23 with 2 years Oman experience looking for suitable placement in sales and marketing.

NOC available with valid D/L. Contact 96392009 Indian Male having 7 yrs in experience in Oman Sales & Marketing Office Automation Printer, Copier, MFP, IT products & Stationery. Looking for Suitable Placement NOC Available Contact :9738474 Indian male, with 8 yrs exp in Sales Operations & accounts handling, expert in SAP & ERP applications seeks job. Contact 93345990 Indian male 9+ years experience in GCC and Indian in hardcore sales and customer service looking for buffer opportunity, holding valid Oman driving license visit visa.

Experience shipping, banking, safety products (PPE) Contact : 97132606 Indian male, B.Com, 20 yrs experience in Sales & Marketing having UAE light D/L looking for suitable post. Contact +91 9946699062, email : sajim40@gmail.com

Marketing Manager Indian male 11 years local market experience with Oman driving license and NOC looking for suitable placement.

Contact 93564959 Email: drmbuz@gmail.com Indian, Male 43, CA/ISA, Experience in Retail, NBFC, Logistics, Banking, Automobile, Investment and facility Management, seeking for a change. Valid D/L. Release available.

Contact: aurosun@gmail.com AutoCAD draughtsman temporary available at the month of April (AR+ST+PL+HVAC).

Contact – 91620107 Computer Teacher, MCA in Al Ghubra. Contact : 94231633 Indian Male, 58 years, Rich Oman experience in Multifunctional Management, Administration, Business Development, Purchase & Operations, seeking suitable Manager/Supervisory Position.

Visa transfer/NOC Available.

GSM: 95036410 MCA, MBA, CCNA, MCSE, Indian male with 10 years of experience, holding Oman driving license on visit visa seeks any suitable placement. Contact 92716116 / 91266535 Email: sijuayur@gmail.com South African Teacher – male – Teaching Diploma , B.A. (Hons), B. Admin (Hons ). 18 years experience – seeking a primary teaching post – grades 4 to 7 (8 to 12 years). Can teach all subjects at this level. On 30 day visitors visa. # 93341047.

E- mail nadgov@gmail.com Indian male, 14 yrs Experience in Maintenance & Supervisor in hotel (Electrical, Ac Mechanical & Plumber). Contact : 95253640 Accountant, Indian male 24 yrs, 2 years successful experience in Oman with Oman Driving License .

NOC Available. Seek a suitable opportunity. GSM : 9340 9315 7 Years successful experience.

ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years. Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license seek suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 Indian Male, 22 years, B.com graduate, Knowledge of Tally ERP9, MS Excel & MS word.Currently in Oman on visit visa, looking for suitable placement. # : 99894250 email: fouzishaque@gmail.com

Tunisian women looking for job, knows english, frensh, Italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838 Sri Lankan, female, 25 years, Graduate in Management, possessing 6 years experience in banking, financial, administration and risk management. Currently on a visit visa seeks suitable immediate placement. Contact 93462521. wathsala.perera1@yahoo.com Indian male, 25 years, now on visit visa in Muscat. One year experience in accounts, looking for suitable position. Contact:95752827, Email id: mhdfsrn@gmail.com Corporate Communication Professional, smart, quality English writing, double Masters, Oman exp in Corporate, Internal &Marketing Communication, CSR Programs, PRs, Ads, Events, Campaigns, Customer Relations. Immediately Available, Release. #91229392 Manager-Corporate Communications, pleasing personality, excellent English, Masters-Journalism, Mass Communication, Finance, expert in writing & publishing press releases, advertisements, website content, speeches, CSR, promotions, events. Immediate joining, NOC. # 91229392 Indian male, 25 years, now on visit visa in Muscat. One year experience in accounts , looking for suitable position.

Contact:95752827, Email id: mhdfsrn@gmail.com Indian Male 28yr age having 6year gulf+ Indian experience in HR field. Looking for suitable placement. Contact:97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com 30 years Indian male with hotel management degree, 02 years experience in F&B service at five star hotel in Dubai and 05 years in American 6 star cruiseliner as Butler . Currently in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 91075704 Senior Accountant Indian Male with 13 Year of Experience (7 years in Oman) in Accounts & Finance having valid Omani Driving License with NOC Available. Looking for suitable job. # 96001918 Indian Male, 27, Mechanical Engineer. HND, with exp. as Project coordinator in U.A.E, Valid GCC D/L, currently on visit, looking for a suitable position. Contact 97070427 Looking for job Tunisian Bachelor with experience 5 years in Network/IT. Cont.:91368102 CIVIL Autocad Draughtsman Looking for part time job. #95218737

Indian, Male, 43 years, Chartered Accountant, 18+ years of experience, looking for a change. Valid Driving License. Release available.

Contact: aurosun@gmail.com

Indian female (B.A. B.ed) seeks suitable placement as fresher primary teacher.(Specialization in social studies, currently pursuing M.A in English).Presently in family visa status. Contact:99713864.

Email:poojaavn@yahoo.com

Australian Network Engineer, with 4 years exp, BE in Telecom MS in Network Sys worked as a Network/WiMax Eng well versed with Cisco devices, available on contact 92606921 Email: akalu987@gmail.com

28 year Indian male Art specialist with 7.5 yrs of experience in Healthcare industries in AR analyst (US Based Project - M.BA., Finance) seeking suitable placement. Contact +91 9841906431, E-mail: aru1986k@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Indian Teacher Female with two years experience seeks suitable placement in Indian or Omani Schools currently on visit visa please contact 99436826. Email id :- ineshdsouza31@gmail.com Diploma in Fire and Safety Engineering. Have 3.5 years of experience as an Safety Advisor.

Having a valid Omani driving license is looking for job. For further information please contact me at 96896176872, 9689808527.

Indian male 28yr age having 6 years Gulf+ Indian experience in HR field, looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com MBA fresher, with fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil & Malayalam, looking for suitable job.

Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Mob : +968-93730345 Indian male Executive secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 B.tech Mechanical Engineer : Keralite bachelor with B. Tech looking for job in Oman with three year of experience ,on Visiting Visa. Contact no.-0096891296354, Email-manurpr88@gmail.com Indian Male more than 10 years gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 99709336 Indian male, 14 years Experience in maintenance & Supervisor in hotel ( Electrical, Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) mob : 95 25 36 40 27 years, Indian optometrist , female , 3years experience looking for suitable placement in Muscat. Contact : 92066532 mail: aradhanaarun88@gmail.com ACCA+2.5 years of experience in Accounts, Bookeeping and Audit.

Looking for job in Accounts/Finance/Internal Audit. Also worked on Oracle R12, Tally, Quick Books and PeachTree. Gsm: 91717234 Email: xhoaib101@hotmail.com,

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED Civil draughtsman expecting part time job.(civil infrastructure) and BBS. Contact :95914642 Indian Male 22 years, B.Com looking for suitable placement.

Contact no. - 99894520 email- fouzishaque@gmail.com

Planning Engineer 7 years of Experience in project planning and control in oil and gas, PDO & QP Approved Planner,PRIMAVERA6,B.Tech in Mechanical engineering from CUSAT Contactullasprabhakaran@yahoo.co.in, ph-00974 70230223

M O N DAY, M A R C H 2 3, 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

TOURS

DRIVING

RENT A CAR *Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

RENT A CAR

D8

M O N D AY, M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

MATRIMONIAL

COMPUTER

Alliances invited for a girl hailing from middle class RCSC family Palai diocese 26 yrs, 165cm GNM working as Staff Nurse in AliGarh Govt Medical College Agra. Email : rajuparakkattu@rediffmail.com Contact 00919605177333 / 00968 99352529

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

Kerala Malankara Catholic girl 28/155 GNM, MOH Oman looking for suitable match from Muscat / Kerala (Pta dist) M4 ID 4002623.

Contact 96708960 / 95338210

BUSINESS

Keralite Ezhava girl BSc Nurse wheatish Bharani Nakshatram 28 yrs, 160 cm working with MOH seeks suitable alliance from Keralite professionals in Muscat.

Contact 94273585 Keralite RCSC parents invite alliance from RCSC boy Graduate Post Graduate 26/29 their daughter 23/167 B. Tech. Contact 97112038 / 24493497

A/C maintenance split A/C servicing. RO. 10 only. Contact 94217681/ 99210141

CLASSES

AC service repair and maintenance.

Contact 95356877

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

We offer you the business services maintenance of buildings and villas for paint and carpentry and decoration works and installation of material awater Broof and cleaning services building management and leasing of real estate . Contact 99070093

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. # 24793614/ 99314807

Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges. Contact 99199376

Pest Control Treatments, Termites, Cockroaches, Bedbugs. Contact Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99344723

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Tile/marble/granite cutting, skirting & polishing please contact 94052713,99885638.

MANPOWER Taimour Ayurvedic Clinic, Ruwi offers genuine & effective treatment for back pain, paralysis, cervical and lumbar spondylitis, osteoarthritis, joint pains, sinusitis, migraine, allergic problems, varicose vein and all other health related problems. Kerala massage and rejuvenation package available. For details please contact: 92197920/ 24799689

Alliance seeking from Menon/Nair parents of professionally qualified grooms for a B.Tech graduate girl hails from Palakkad (23, Makeeram – 1 dosham), presently working in Dubai and staying with parents.

Please contact +968-92146800.

Preference to Palakkad, Trichur & Malabar side boys.

Keralite Syrian Christian Parents seeking alliance from any Syrian Christian Denominations Graduated working girls preferably in Oman or UAE for their son MBA 29/175-born brought up in Muscat working in a reputed organization.

Contact 97226324 email: m4proposal@yahoo.com

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba.# 99639695 / 99117987 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 , www.siddhayur.com

We are looking for a Muslim Girl for our son interested parents or daughter May. Contact 97664009

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

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 Male Nurse Keralite Christian RC Boy, Age 28 Years, Inviting Proposals. Contact: 93657535

House shifting packing.

Contact 99657644, 98518013

GOOD NEWS

32 yrs old Nadar Executive is working in Oman for last 8 years require bride from same caste.

Contact 95892831 Alliance seeking from Hindu Keralite girl for a widower age 47 yrs having female child (10 yrs) working in automotive corporate Muscat as Manager. Contact 96082694 / 99379956

NRI

Canadian Manpower Co. Recruiting Construction, Hotel, Medical, Gas & Oil Staffs - 2 years contract, work visa, tickets, accommodation.

Free recruitment. Please send CV to margholdingoman@yahoo.com, www.margholdingimmigration.com, 93392630

MANPOWER Available construction workers, hospital staff with Oman parametric, housemaids Indian, Uganda.

Contact 9629417/98408488 Email: alkubratrading@gmail.com

Air conditioning split A/C, Ducted split & package A/C, maintenance & installation. Contact 98667326

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

Cheapest prices all types window, curtains and Blinds.

Contact 99539521

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC. all kind of pest control.

Contact 92326955

Carpet & sofa shampooing. Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99884591 / 92682970

Pest control & cleaning services professionals in pest control service bedbugs treatment, rodent, treatment, snake treatment and termite treatment, pre and post construction. Contact 93098450, 96408964, fax : 24472116

House shifting. Contact 99708138

Cleaning services, carpet & sofa shampooing, marble restoration (grinding) and polishing, pest control, fogging service. Contact 99448057, 95401996

TRANSPORTATION

Brand new 3BHK for sale, 4 cents, 1600sq ft, vastu based contemporary style with modular kitchen house in Thirumala, Trivandrum.

Contact 0091-9447159105 Mail: bijursmct@yahoo.co.in Spacious 4BHK semi furnished 1917 sqf flat located in Mayur Paradise at Sarjapur road, Bangalore. 5 kms from Wipro. Call - 95194007 Investments, insurance and pension plans from SBI life (State Bank of India group).

Contact 95778431 Spacious, 2BHK flat for sale at Hebbal Bangalore.

Contact 96263157

TRANSPORTATION School Transportation : Contact 96581664 Transportation. Contact 98505294 Transportation. Contact 99664703 Picking and drop. Contact 96743215

Cheapest Prices, all types window, curtains and blind.

Contact 99539521

Pick & Drop any time.

Contact 97014786

Transportation. Contact 98518979

Computer service/ AMC/ Networking. Contact 91339882

Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307

Transport to ISWK. Contact 93172589

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

SPEC I AL SU P P L E M E N T

Pak-Oman ties based on mutual respect, trust 2

Where the river Indus leads ...

Pakistan and the Sultanate maintain traditionally close and mutually beneficial ties based on mutual respect and trust.

The strength of

MOHAMMED ALI JINNAH

MAMNOON HUSSAIN

MUHAMMED NAWAZ SHARIF

Father of the Nation

President

Prime Minister

this day at Lahore in 1940. This resolution gave an ideal to the Muslims and united them for the attainment of a shared objective. The resolution demanded the establishment of a separate state based on the higher ideals of Islamic social justice and human compassion.

Though Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal, poet-philosopher, gave an idea for the establishment of a separate homeland in 1930, there was still a need for a visionary leader to translate this concept into reality.

The architect of Pakistan, Quaide-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah led the nation out of the darkness of political bondage and frustration into the dawn of freedom, and gave direction to their quest for liberty and self-determination.

The Lahore Resolution, which was later on very rightly described as the Pakistan Resolution,

changed the destiny of Muslims in the sub-continent. The emergence of Pakistan as a sovereign state after seven years was the result of a long arduous struggle under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

His motto, “Unity, Faith and Discipline” inspired the Muslims and greatly helped in achieving independence. Renowned American historian Stanley Wolpert has paid a glowing and befitting tribute to his leadership in the following words, “Few individuals significantly alter the course of history.

Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”

Pakistan was achieved through a democratic struggle. The leadership of Pakistan movement stood

for the rule of law, for freedom, social justice and representative rule where people would be the master of their destiny.

They envisaged Pakistan as a welfare state. Therefore, whichever political party we may belong to, it is our collective responsibility to preserve and protect the democratic order in the country and make every effort to achieve the above mentioned goals.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said, “We want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous; we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor.”

Pakistan and the Sultanate continue to maintain their traditionally close and mutually beneficial relations which are based on mutual respect and trust. >4

the relationship

3

Unwrapping the freshness, quality of Pakistani fruits

lies in diversified engagement in many fields.

BY AYAZ HUSSAIN

Ambassador of Pakistan

O 8

Women: Vibrant part of Pakistan’s growth, progress

n the auspicious occasion of the 75th Pakistan Day I have the privilege of extending my heartiest felicitations to all Pakistanis residing in the Sultanate.

The National Day of Pakistan is celebrated every year on March 23 to commemorate the most outstanding achievement of the Muslims of South Asia who passed the historic ‘Pakistan Resolution’ on

TECHNOLOGY

Thriving gaming industry breaks cultural barriers

I

t is a city better known for its history and culture, but a new generation of mobile game developers is bringing a slice of Silicon Valley to Pakistan’s Lahore, capital of the Punjab province.

With open plan offices, mixed gender teams, gourmet catering and an emphasis on a fun atmosphere, the small but thriving information technology industry worth an estimated $2.8 billion is being led by young entrepreneurs like Babar Ahmed.

Ahmed, 33, left a career as a circuit engineer in Austin, Texas to found Mindstorm Studios in the eastern Pakistani city in 2006 with his brother Faraz. Today their studio employs 47 people thanks to hits like 2010’s “Whacksy Taxi”, which shot to number one on Apple’s AppStore in over 25 countries, “Mafia Farm” in 2012 and “Cricket Power”, the official game of the 2011 World Cup. “The idea was to put Pakistan on the world gaming map,” said Ahmed, explaining he was tired of “drawing room talk” among expatriates in the US about how something should be done for their homeland.

Smartphone revolution Mindstorm is one of several game development studios in Pakistan, mainly based in Lahore but also in the capital Islamabad and Karachi, to have prospered with the spread of the smartphone.

“After the iPhone was launched, the definition of what a game is changed overnight,” said Ahmed.

While traditional “hardcore” games – typically played on home console systems or PCs – need multi-million dollar budgets and teams comprising dozens of developers, games designed for smartphones need far less start-up capital, said Jazib Zahir, chief operations officer at Tintash, another Lahore-based studio that provided the back-office for “Fishing Frenzy”, another top-ten hit.

According to the government, around 24,000 people are now employed in software exports, though

HIGHLIGHTS The small but thriving IT industry worth an estimated $2.8 billion is being led by a bunch of young entrepreneurs Around 24,000 people are employed in software exports, though the figure includes traditional areas like financial software and healthcare A warehouse on the outskirts of Islamabad has been converted into a studio where rows of 20-year-olds are busy on their computers While traditional „hardcore“ games need multimillion dollar budgets, games designed for smartphones need far less start-up capital

the figure also includes more traditional areas like financial software and health-care.

“One of the advantages that Pakistan brings is we do have a critical mass of people with training and aptitude, an interest in developing software and art and combining them,” adds Zahir, who is also a part-time technology journalist.

At We R Play, an Islamabadbased studio based in a converted warehouse on the outskirts of the city, rows of 20-year-olds are busy

on their computers surrounded by colourful posters, plush toys and action figures. Workspace and play is also seen as a key at CaramelTech, a Lahore studio which is responsible for coding global 2011 mega-hit Fruit Ninja (which had over 500 million downloads) for an Australian studio. The office has a designated play room complete with pool table, table football, and X-box. Also notable in the games studios is near gender-parity. People are dressed in everything from jeans and t-shirts to hijabs.

The strength of the Pakistan-Oman relationship lies in diversified engagement in many fields such as trade, defence, culture and education.

Ayaz Hussain Ambassador of Pakistan

2

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2 015

PAKISTAN DAY

Why invest in Pakistan?

By 2050, Pakistan is tipped to become the 18th largest economy and there are a number of very good reasons why Pakistan is an attractive destination for foreign investment such as growing middle class, investor-friendly policies and a large workforce among others

P

akistan is home to the sixth largest population in the world at more than 180 million people and is also the 26th largest economy by purchasing power parity and 44th largest economy by real gross domestic product.

By 2050, Pakistan is tipped to become the 18th largest economy. The country is a federal parliamentary democracy, comprising four provinces and federal territories, based on separation of powers principle and an efficient regulatory system that oversees the economy. There are a number of very good reasons why Pakistan is an attractive destination for foreign investment: Demographic dividend It has the fastest growing middle class in South Asia and consumption. According to the Asian Development Bank, since 1990 Pakistan has experienced a growth in the middle class at an astonishing 36.5

HIGHLIGHTS

According to the ADB, since 1990 Pakistan’s middle class has grown at an astonishing 36.5 per cent as opposed to 12.8 per cent in India

Global FMCG giants see Pakistan as a lucrative market and consumer spending has increased by an average of 26 per cent in three years

Rising consumerism has spurred growth of supermarkets in urban centres such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad

The country produces close to half a million graduates and about 20,000 graduates in Computer Science and about as many in engineering faculties annually

According to various economic commentators, Pakistan has the most liberal investment policy regimes and public-private partnership frameworks in the entire South Asian region

per cent as opposed to 12.8 per cent in neighbouring India. Pakistan is the sixth largest market in the world with a population of 180 million of which more than 65 million constitute the middle class.

Global FMCG giants see Pakistan as a lucrative market for their products. It may be added here that consumer spending in Pakistan has increased by an average of 26 per cent in three years, according to a Bloomberg report published on November 21, 2012 – a strong sign that people are consuming more goods than ever before.

This rise in consumer demand has spurred the growth of supermarkets across major urban centres, which include, but are no longer limited to Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad. Such superstores are getting larger and asking manufacturers for broader brand portfolios in order to serve their customers better. They have larger shelves,

enabling them to have more sophisticated and developed categories in which they can stock more products than ever before.

Evolving investorfriendly policy Pakistan accords equal treatment to local and foreign investors. All economic sectors open to FDI except a few specified industries like arms and ammunition, explosives, radioactive substances, security printing, currency and mint. Foreign equity up to 100 per cent is allowed. Remittances of royalty, technical and franchise fee, dividends, capital and profits are allowed. Import of raw material for export manufacturing is zero-rated. Foreign Investment is fully protected by the following Acts: i. Foreign Private Investment [Promotion & Protection] Act, 1976. ii. Protection of Economic Reforms Act,1992.

Pakistan’s investment policy has

M ONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

PAKISTAN DAY been formulated to create on investor-friendly environment with a focus on further opening up the economy and marketing the potential for direct foreign investment. Various incentives have been offered to attract foreign investment including full repatriation of capital, capital gains, dividends and profits. Furthermore, according to various economic commentators, Pakistan has the most liberal investment policy regimes and public-private partnership frameworks in the entire South Asian region.

The changed scenario of globalisation has shackled the economies of the developing countries and has forced them to adopt liberalised policies for attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In the backdrop of international competition, these countries have created efficient and competitive industrial clusters / economic zones. These zones have reduced the cost of doing business and thereby increased their exports share globally. Pakistan’s existing industrial estates and zones lack infrastructure, systems, management and services and have failed to provide competitive and attractive environment for investment.

To meet global competitiveness effectively and efficiently, creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Pakistan has become an acute necessity. The SEZ Act, promulgated in 2012 provides SEZs to be set up by the federal or provincial governments themselves or under different modes of public-private partnership or exclusively through the private sector.

The provincial SEZ authorities, set up under the law, are required to move the applications received from developers to the Federal Board of Investment for seeking approval of Board of Approvals/ Approvals committee. The main objective of this SEZ is to give assurance to the investors that the incentives once given cannot be withdrawn to the disadvantage to the investors. The features/ incentives for the SEZs are as under: Exemption of levies on import of capital equipment for zone developers and investors Corporate Income tax holiday of 10 years for investors and for zone developers Captive power generation would be allowed to zone developers Maximum land that each SEZ

can allocate for commercial use and other non-productive activities such as for setting up retail shops, other recreational areas, hospitals etc should be limited to 30 per cent of total land area.

Minimum area for a SEZ should be 50 acres.

Investors must begin construction within 6 months and production within 24 months of project approval. The land title will not be transferred to the investor until after it has been in production for 6 months.

Each SEZ must have rules regarding investment destiny and coverage ratio in place that will have to be approved by the Board of Approvals (BoA).

Any Existing Zone at its desire may apply to the SEZ Authority in which they are located to become eligible for SEZ but can avail only one set of incentives.

Large workforce Pakistan is the 10th largest country in the world according to the size of the labour force. The latest statistics shows that the total labour force has increased from 50.0 million in 2005-2006 to 59.7 million in 2012-2013. It shows that more than 9 million people joined the labour force during this period. On the other side, the number of employed labour force increased from 46.95 million to 56.0 million during this period. This means that all the increase in labour force could not be adjusted in employment sector and therefore unemployed people increased from 3.10 million to 3.73 million during the same period.

Availability of skilled manpower Pakistan has more than 200 institutions of higher education recognised by the Higher Education Commission. The country produces close to half a million graduates and about 20,000 graduates in Computer Science and about as many in engineering faculties annually. This translates into huge potential with regard to skilled manpower in the country.

English speaking workforce Pakistan has one of the largest English speaking workforces outside the English speaking world.

English language is compulsory in all educational institutions in Pakistan and secondary, higher

secondary, graduate and post graduate level education is largely conducted in the English language.

Euromonitor International estimated in 2009 that 49 per cent of Pakistani population has working knowledge of the English language which translates into about 92 million Pakistanis.

Emphasis on infrastructure improvement The emphasis in recent years has been on infrastructure improvement, both technologically and physically. A series of new motorways have been planned and new highways and expressways have been completed to link various cities in the country. The government is implementing Bus Rapid Transit systems in major cities. Plans to link various cities through bullet trains are afoot. A brand new airport, the Gandhara International Airport, is nearing completion in Islamabad and will be equipped with the latest facilities.

On the technology front, Pakistan has auctioned off 3G and 4G licenses and now 3G cellular services are operational all around the country. The government is also making efforts towards improving internet connectivity and penetration even in the remotest parts of the country.

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) China and Pakistan have entered into a comprehensive plan of “economic corridor” between the two nations. It will serve as a driver for connectivity between South Asia and East Asia. High level infrastructure development will link Urumqi in Western China to Pakistani centres of Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and ultimately the Gwadar Port. It forms part of the “String of Pearls” strategic maritime planning by the Chinese. The Chinese Economic Corridor which will link Western China to Middle East and Africa has immense economic potential in services especially transportation and banking.

Great geographic location Pakistan’s neighbour to the east is India which is a rising economy in its own right and with which Pakistan is attempting to cultivate long-term peaceful relations. To Pakistan’s south west is the oil rich Middle East.

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Pak-Oman ties based on mutual respect, trust The strength of the Pakistan-Oman relationship lies in diversified engagement in many fields such as trade, defence, culture and education. I am happy that our relations with Oman are growing in all fields.

I am looking forward to further promoting and expanding fraternal ties between the two countries. May Allah bless and guide the leadership of both the countries to continue with their endeavours to achieve further progress and prosperity for both countries. On this happy occasion, I wish to convey our sincere greetings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and pray for the health, long life of His Majesty and for the continued progress and prosperity of the brotherly people of Oman under his benevolent rule.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the positive role played by the Pakistani community in upholding the soft image of Pakistan through their hard work and dedication. The Pakistani community is contributing to the development of the Sultanate and therefore, remains a great source of strength for us. I urge them to continue to perform with dedication and achieve new heights in serving the Sultanate of Oman. I also convey my gratitude to the Pakistani community for their unwavering and continuous support for the successful accomplishment of many welfare projects which were otherwise very difficult to complete.

On behalf of the Embassy of Pakistan I express my appreciation and thanks to the valued sponsors supporting the issuance of special supplements in three newspapers.

Let us pray that Allah Almighty grant us the wisdom, courage and resolve to take our country on the path of glory and bless our efforts to prove ourselves worthy of the heritage bequeathed to us by our founding fathers. I pray to Allah Almighty to enable us to protect Pakistan and put it on the rails of progress and prosperity. (Ameen) Long live Pakistan-Oman friendship. < FROM

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Where the river Indus lead The rich history of the Indus and Sind dates back to the end of the Indus Valley Civilisation, centred on Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, and from then till today the towns and cities in the Sind are a monument of the glorious past

K

arachi’s location and commercial importance have made it the undisputed gateway to Pakistan. But huge and extravagant, the brightly - lit sprawl tells the visitor practically nothing of the fabulously rich past of the land to which it gives access.

Sind province, of which Karachi is the capital, lives by the greatest of Pakistan’s many rivers — the Indus.

The name of the province is in fact that of the river (‘Indus’ is simply the European rendering of the local word for ‘river’, Sindhu). To those who lived by it there is only one river.

The supreme importance of the Indus to modern Sind is obvious from any map that shows population centres and transport systems.

With the outstanding exception of Karachi — founded on the sea — and the roads to and from it, all else in the province follows where the river leads, whether to a city like Hyderabad or a major town like Sukkur or Larkana.

Throughout the ages changes in the course of the Indus have entailed dire consequences for the cities of the plain and the galaxies of towns and villages around them.

Indeed, the end of the Indus Valley Civilisation, centred on MohenjoDaro and Harappa, is itself attributed by some experts to just such a diversion. (The Indus today flows three kilometres east of its third millennium course beside ancient Mohenjo-Daro).

Today three motor arteries cut their way through the desert surrounding Karachi. One drives north-west into sparsely populated Baluchistan. The other two both

strike sharply eastward to cities on the Indus. The older of these two routes, known as the National Highway, presents a first, mysterious example of Sind history just 27 kilometres (km) out of Karachi.

Nowadays, 80kms from the sea and rightly described as a dusty little village, Thatta was at one time an important port - the capital, no less, of lower Sind. Its story exemplifies perfectly the insecurity that has always attended the towns and cities the inconstant Indus makes great.

From the 14th to the 19th centuries Thatta flourished, taking in its prosperous stride both sacking by the Portuguese and siege by the dethroned Mughal emperor Humayun. But in the middle of the eighteenth century the Indus took its life, giving waters some distance away to the east, and Thatta’s resulting decline was accelerated by the arrival of cheap textile imports from Britain which undercut what had been a staple local industry. When its capital status too was taken away and moved further up the Indus - at first to Khudabad, but soon afterwards to the Kalhora stronghold of Hyderabad - Thatta’s regionally significant days were over.

For all that, the dusty little village possesses a gem that will always bring pilgrims. Dating from the days of glory, Thatta has one of the Mughals’ most glorious mosques.

Begun in 1647 by the architect Emperor Shah Jahan — builder, for his wife, of the Taj Mahal — and all but completed by the last of the great Mughal monarchs, Shah Jahan’s son Aurangzeb, the mosque now stands as splendid and dazzling as ever, at the edge of Thatta’s shrivelled past.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sind province, of which Karachi is the capital, lives by the greatest of Pakistan’s many rivers — the Indus

Throughout the ages changes in the course of the Indus have resulted in dire consequences for the cities, towns and villages

The importance of the Indus to modern Sind is obvious from any map that shows population centres and transport systems

There are several lakes around Hyderabad and permits can be obtained for winter hunting of grey partridge, duck, wild boar, and hog deer

It is a triumph of restoration, because this jewel had fallen into serious disrepair and had to be extensively renovated by the government.

Situated on the Karachi side of old Thatta, the six square (sq) kms of the Makli Hill cemetery are said to contain no fewer than one million graves, tombs, and mausoleums. They make an impressive, if somewhat chilling, celebration of the dead. Many of the tomb structures were obviously originally of breathtaking richness, but sadly in some cases the years have taken toll even of the monuments built to preserve the memory of those who were great yesterday.

Most of the tombs date from the sixteenth and seventeenth centu-

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ries, though some go back as far as the fourteenth. Kings and queens, military leaders, governors and saints, philosophers, poets and famous scholars are buried here. Scale, and the quality and quantity of ornament, vary considerably, but the stone engravings are generally considered masterpieces - so regular one could imagine them stamped on the stone, as at Chaukundi, not carved.

For loud, squawking life you can go to Kheenjar Lake — only a few kms to the north of Thatta. This part of Sind is on many bird migration routes and Kheenjar is one of several lakes that provide welcome winter R and R facilities for weary ducks, geese, heron, flamingos, pelicans, egrets, cormorants, and kingfishers escaping northern gloom. Two

smaller lakes were joined to make Kheenjar a 300 sq kms reservoir for Karachi but it serves also as a game reserve popular with picnickers and visitors using the overnight bungalows. Haleji, an attractive but smaller reserve closer to Karachi, has similar amenities.

And then beyond Kheenjar, visibly aged but only the more strikingly vigorous and energetic for that, is Pakistan’s third largest urban centre, Hyderabad. Certainly pre-Islamic in foundation, it is among the oldest living cities on the subcontinent. This is where the modern super highway, third of the three main roads out of Karachi, ends. En route it has passed the approach to Kirthar National Park, a protected refuge for the almost extinct Sind wild goat and the urial, the striped hyena leopard, and other rare wildlife.

Hyderabad’s principal monuments are shrines. In the heart of the city the devout come in large numbers to kiss a stone slab believed to be imprinted with the outlines of the hand and foot of the fourth Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Ali. Nearby is the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Wahab Jilani, a member of a famous Baghdad family related to the Prophet.

Hyderabad has a good, small, modern museum, the Sind Provincial. The four galleries cover Sind pre-history, archaeological — from Buddhist to British — ethnological and industrial (artefacts), with attractive displays informatively set out. The city’s university, situated nearby at Jamshoro, enjoys a first - class reputation. Its Institute of Sindology boasts a fine collection of manuscripts and coins.

There are several lakes around Hyderabad and permits can be obtained for winter hunting of grey partridge, duck, wild boar, and hog deer. It is a popular tourist attraction.

One hundred and sixty kms east of Hyderabad stands a Rajput fort settlement known as Umarkot — or Umar’s Fort. It’s a very pleasant road, tree-shaded and cool most of the way, and the single tarmacadam track prompts many a thought about the beauty of this world and how attached to it you have become and

how much you wish drivers — your own and those of oncoming vehicles - would not insist on seeing the whites of each other’s eyes before giving way.

Umarkot fort has a small but attractive museum with displays of weaponry from Afghanistan, beautifully scripted Persian letters written by Akbar’s most trusted courtier, Abdul Fazal, collections of Mughal poetry, histories, scientific treatises, miniature paintings, legal documents from the reign of Akbar, and specimens of Farsi and Urdu calligraphy. In all but its modesty it reflects the richness and range of Mughal civilization.

Sehwan Sharif is the town with probably the longest history of continuous occupation in all Sind.

What brings most visitors to Sehwan today, however, is not trade but the shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The last part of the name is important — a title approved by scholars for only three saints in all the history of Islam. It refers to the belief that the Qalandar’s life was ordained directly by God. Lal Shahbaz, the name means Red Falcon, was a Persian born in Azerbaijan in 1177. He lived to a very great age, dying at Sehwan in 1274.

He was a dervish Sufi, missionary, scholar and poet, a noted grammarian and religious leader, and he wrote books in both Farsi and Arabic.

Every year from all over the country his feast attracts devotees — Hindu as well as Muslim — and the dervishes in their long robes, beads, bracelets and coloured.

Head bands whirl, entranced, faster and faster to the mounting excitement of pulsing drums, gongs, bells, cymbals, and horns.

West of Sehwan is Manchar Lake — an immense, natural, shallow depression of marshes and Indus overspill. Like the other lakes in Sind it attracts huge colonies of birds and is well stocked with fish.

It is a beautiful body of water — especially when, beyond the sharp green of the banks of reeds shushing against one another in a fresh evening breeze, the sun glistens on the shimmering waters before ballooning crimson and slowly sinking behind the distant hills.

Unwrapping the freshness, quality of Pakistani fruits Pakistan’s climate in different parts of the country has given it the advantage of growing fruits well suited to those areas, making it one of the largest exporters of fruits such as mangoes, apples, pears, citrus and dates

P

akistan is one of the few countries in the world where fruits which are normally grown in specific climates are available in abundance.

There are fruits such as apples, plums, pears and cherries normally grown in a cool temperate climate available in Pakistan, while

apricots, grapes, pomegranates and melons are normally found in warm temperate climates along with subtropical fruits such as citrus, mango, banana, dates and guava also grown in the country.

The country annually produces about 12 million tonnes of fruits that fetches over $102.7 million in exports. Citrus fruit leads in term

of production followed by mango, dates and guava.

With production touching 2.29 million tonnes, Pakistan is the 10th largest grower of Citrus in the world. Citrus is cultivated on an area of 193,212 hectares and it is increasing at the rate of 5 per cent annually. Pakistan is also the largest producer of ‘Citrus Reticula’ variety (mandarins), this unique variety of citrus is indigenous to this part of the world.

According to an estimate, approximately 95 per cent of the total mandarins produced all over the world are grown in Pakistan.

Punjab is the centre of production and supplies citrus fruits of high quality and grade. The soil and climatic conditions in Pakistan have given mandarin a unique flavour which distinguishes it from other comparable varieties grown in the world. >6

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Unwrapping the freshness, quality of Pakistani fruits

Third largest producer of mangoes Pakistan is the world’s third largest producer of mangoes and has some of the finest varieties of this fruit known for their unique taste and sweetness. It is home to more than 150 varieties of which ‘Sindhri’ (also known as the king of mangoes) remains the most popular.

Other major varieties include Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol, Langra and Fajri apart from BaganPali, Dusheri, Kala Pahar and Neelam. Summer Bahist, Malda and Totapari are also available.

These mangoes are in high demand in international markets as some of them like Chaunsa and Sindhri are not found anywhere else. The European Union, Australia, South Korea and Japan in addition to the Gulf countries and the United States are the major importers of Pakistani mangoes.

A taste of apple Apples have been grown as commercial fruit plants in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since long. The production of the deciduous apple in Balochistan has a special significance among other fruit growing areas. This is because the environmental conditions are relatively more suitable for the production of this fruit. Apple is grown in the highlands of Balochistan with a production of 0.224 million tonnes.

The Tur-Kulu (Red Delicious) and Shin-Kulu (Golden Delicious) are the famous varieties across Pakistan for their very attractive colour and taste.

Dates Pakistan is one of the main growers of dates. It follows Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the list of top dateproducing countries with about 10 per cent share of the global market.

Balochistan is the largest date producing province followed by Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Out of the 300 varieties of dates produced in Pakistan, BegamJangi of Balochistan, Aseel of Sindh and Dhakki of Dera Ismail Khan are the varieties much sought the world over due to their exotic taste.

HIGHLIGHTS

Pakistan has climates that encourage the growth of various fruits such as apples, plums, pears, mangoes and citrus among others The country annually produces about 12 million tonnes of fruits that fetches over $102.7 million in exports

Pakistan is the world’s third largest producer of mangoes and takes credit for producing some of the finest qualities of this fruit

Pakistan is the 10th largest grower of Citrus in the world and the largest producer of ‘Citrus Reticula’ variety (mandarins)

The country earns around $29 million from the export of dates each year with India remaining one of its major importers

Pakistan earns around $29 million from the export of dates each year. India remains one of the major markets of Pakistani dried dates whereas the major markets for fresh dates include the United States, Turkey, the UAE, Qatar and Malaysia.

The export of the fruit from Pakistan has shown an appreciable increase in recent years. Latest post-harvest techniques such as hydro-cooling, refrigeration and freezing, modified atmosphere (MA) packaging and storage apart from control atmosphere storage, skin coating and hypobaric are being employed to preserve and protect the quality of the product.

Economy on the road to recovery After a turbulent five years, the Pakistani economy is slowly coming back on the rails as foreign investors are again looking to invest in the country, with the GDP expected to grow at 4 per cent this year and the fiscal deficit well below target for the year.

W

hatever the criticism, fair or unfair, may be against the Pakistan government, the country’s economy is showing signs of a stable recovery albeit at snail’s pace after a turbulent period of five years.

The country is slowly winning the confidence of foreign investors and countries like South Korea, Japan, China, United Kingdom and those in GCC are coming forward to invest vigorously, especially in the energy sector.

Encouraged by a robust manufacturing and service sector, the GDP growth is projected to achieve four per cent this year. From a weak financial position, the government is taking various positive measures to meet its fiscal deficit target.

There is no doubt that imports, FDI flows and private investment, and circular debt in the energy sector are still a matter of concern.

The current account deficit remains normal, with about one per cent of GDP being supported by strong remittances and export sturdiness. The external position is improving cautiously since monetary ad exchange rate polices moved towards ameliorating reserves last November. The fiscal deficit is at around six per cent of the GDP, with restrictions on current and development expenditure. Growth continues to be motivated by private consumption, but private domestic investment recovery is mild.

Heightening the growth of

large-scale manufacturing comes from strong performances of agro-based industries, iron and steel, construction and external demand-driven cotton yarn and fabrics-based textiles while the agricultural performance was slightly below the target due to unfavourable weather conditions.

The government has tried to rectify its unsteady financial situation.

On the expenditure side, energy-related subsidies have been reduced with tariff adjustments. However, circular debt is again becoming visible. External financing available to the government is scarce, but expected to improve. The worrisome domestic energy sector continues to sustain a long-due complex inheritance on its circular debt.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan’s economy is showing signs of improvement and its reform programme remains broadly on track.

The IMF is concerned that inflation will rebound in the coming months. It has forecast that inflation in Pakistan will hit 10 per cent this year. Pakistan is committed to increasing growth and improving financial stability, while implementing measures to reduce deficit. The State Bank of Pakistan has estimated economic growth in the current financial year of up to four per cent, surpassing the forecasts by international agencies.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $6.7 billion loan package for Pakistan in September last year, subject to strict

HIGHLIGHTS

Pakistan is slowly winning the confidence of foreign investors and they are investing vigorously, especially in the energy sector

From a weak financial position, the government is taking various positive measures to meet its fiscal deficit target

Current account deficit remains normal, with about one per cent of GDP being supported by strong remittances and export sturdiness

The latest macro-economic indicators show a strong recovery of Pakistan’s economy with foreign reserves crossing the $10 billion mark in the last fiscal year

economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector and tax system. In the last fiscal year, Pakistan’s economy grew 3.6 per cent, the central bank said and inflation fell to single digits. However, it warned that inflation could rise as high as 11 per cent in the current fiscal year.

The latest macro-economic indicators show a strong recovery of Pakistan’s economy. Ishaq Dar, finance minister, recently noted that

fiscal deficit is well below the target for the current year, inflation is down to single digit and foreign reserves have crossed the $10 billion mark. The finance minister said that the stock market in the country is booming and has reached the 29,000 mark. The government had cleared the circular debt and was able to add 1,700 MWs of electricity to the national grid in the recent past, which led to growth in large scale manufacturing.

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

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A TOURISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PARADISE Pakistan is blessed with countless natural wonders.

Its Northern Areas are known for their numerous tourism attractions and breathtaking beauty.

Omani photographer Sulaiman Al Riyami captures some of that spectacle on his lens during a visit to Pakistan.

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Women: Pakistan’s vibrant part of growth and progress The present day Pakistani woman has HIGHLIGHTS

dispelled all the misconceptions of orthodoxy and backwardness linked with

Women in Pakistan have played a significant role and proved themselves to be ardent contributors to national growth

this country and made a name for herself in every sphere, not just at home, but outside as well, and that is an amazing message to the outside world

E

ver since independence Pakistan has made huge strides, courtesy the intelligent, consistent endeavour of its nationals, of whom women comprise a considerable number.

Women in Pakistan have played a significant role and proved themselves to be ardent contributors to national growth. They have been academics, thinkers, politicians and doctors in addition to engineers, scientists, journalists and businessmen. They are also industrialists, agriculturists, labourers and peasants.

There is something remarkable about this country and especially about its women. Take any dimension of human activity, and you will find a long list of women with accomplishments, starting from legendary figures like Mohtarama Fatima Jinnah, Begum Afifa Mamdot and Begum Salma Tassadaq in the Pakistan Movement. There is a long list of such illustrious names.

These women mobilised countless other women and made them vocal activists for freedom that conveyed a strong message to the British colonialists that the resolve of Muslims of the subcontinent just cannot be defeated because the women were quite dynamic and progressive. That, in turn, strengthened the freedom movement led by Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the

Muslim League leadership.

It was also an amazing message for the outside world that had previously held a different view about Pakistan. These women dispelled all the misconceptions of orthodoxy and backwardness linked with this country. It is encouraging to note that the journey started by those forward looking women is still going strong with their roles having been multiplied and diversified in national growth and multi-sector development.

One of the successes on this path of women’s emancipation is the reforms through legislation and similar measures by the government.

The important thing about these reforms and the laws enacted in the last 10 to 15 years for women’s empowerment and to end discrimination against them, especially in the rural areas, is that it has not been given to them on a platter. Rather, the Pakistani woman has earned these rights that were earlier denied to her due to the discriminatory and domineering attitude and the hegemony of male members of society.

These laws, which should in fact be described as reforms, have come in different forms that include the Women Empowerment Act passed during the rule of Benazir Bhutto’s PPP government and then a different sets of laws and schemes launched by the present PML-N government. For instance, there are the different youth schemes

Take any dimension of human activity, and you will find a long list of women with accomplishments, especially in the freedom movement One of the successes on this path of women’s emancipation is the reforms through legislation and similar measures by the government.

including the Youth Loan Scheme in which women have been given an equal entitlement of 50 per cent along with men.

Even earlier, the Gilani government gave property rights to landless women. They have successfully entered the elected assemblies due to which they now have a considerable say in national affairs or in ensuring a better life for the youth which is the hope of Pakistan.

It is also an undeniable reality that in no sector of national activity have womenfolk been found lagging behind their male counterparts.

Now the situation is so encouraging that women have taken up even the cumbersome and challenging tasks of policing and becoming airline pilots. Be it in science and technology, medicine, Information Technology,

name any field, women are playing their role not only with devotion and commitment but also energetically and intelligently alongside the men.

Even in the media, women have made their mark. In quite a few newspapers and television channels, women are contributing with their ideas and even with their performance on the screen.

Pakistan’s women have also proved their mettle abroad by way of their technological, banking, academic and other professional skills.

Some of them have been acknowledged as good leaders for their innovations. One such Pakistani woman has been recognised for creating The Women’s Digital League, a platform for digital work force etc. If one looks at the political and leadership fronts, the role played by our female

politicians and leaders has been remarkable by national and even international standards.

Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto was one such leader who earned worldwide recognition for her struggle for democracy and for endeavouring in all earnestness to steer the country out of the woods and for that she did not even bother to lay down her life.

At present too, the country’s youth draws a lot of encouragement from Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s inspiring figure. It is her charisma and commitment to the cause of youth empowerment that has inspired the younger generation, and not because she is the daughter of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken up the daunting task of the Youth

Loan Scheme to ensure that it is rid of loopholes and snags and her dedication, vision and missionary zeal have made this mission successful.

Even first lady Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, wife of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, is said to be one of the main decision makers within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ranks. Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, according to insiders, is very good at drafting and often suggests good ideas whose subsequent implementation has helped resolve some complicated issues.

In conclusion, a reference to the pre-1947 freedom movement or of Pakistan’s journey to progress and stability remains incomplete if the effective role of women through all these phases is not acknowledged. —

By Saif-ur-Rehman

TOURISM

THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME! PAKISTAN is a land of contrasts and holds excellent diversity of habitats ranging from high snow covered mountains in the north to vast lush cultivated fields, great deserts of Cholistan and Therparker to sandy seashores in the south.

These mountains, plateaus, plains, deserts, rivers, lakes and seashores project the breathtaking natural beauty of Pakistan.

carried out in the north, where lie the mountains of the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Pamirs. The lush valleys of Dir, Swat, Kaghan, Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan look really like a paradise on earth. Northern Pakistan is a trekker’s delight and a hub of adventure tourism.

Geographical wonders Pakistan has a geo-strategic place in the comity of nations, blessed with natural resources and bounded by Iran, Afghanistan, and two of the most populous countries in the world: China and India. In the Northern Areas, there is a white world full of black granite slopes and precipices, some of them too steep for snow.

This witnesses the unbelievable physical drama of the world’s four highest mountain ranges; the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Pamirs, and the fertile river basins with many tributaries feeding the mighty Indus River, to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea. Historical and cultural heritage Pakistan has great treasures of the Indus and the Gandhara Civilizations, traces of which are found in the ruins of Moenjodaro (on the left bank of the Indus in Sindh), Kot Diji (on the left bank of the Indus), the plains of Punjab (near the city of Sahiwal), and Harappa.

In Sindh, one of the oldest and largest graveyards in Thatta, the shrine of the great Sufi Lal Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan, shrine of one of the greatest poets Shah Abdul Latif in Hala, Kot Diji and Moenjodaro, one of the four oldest civilisations of mankind (2700-1500 B.C) are great places of interest.

Onwards to Punjab, the Mughal Empire’s old capital Lahore boasts of the world’s most beautiful Shalimar Gardens with 400 spouting fountains, the world’s third largest Muslim mosque, the Badshahi Masjid, the Lahore Fort, the high-water mark of Mughal architecture, and the Great Mughal emperor Jahan-

gir’s tomb. Further to north about 72 KM, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, born in 1469 at Taluandi village known as Nankana Sahib is the most important place for Sikh Yatris. A large Sikh Gurdwara here has become the centre of annual pilgrimage by Sikh communities around the world.

The population is a unique blend of a variety of living habits, cultural and social values, and stunning arts and crafts. Some major cultures developed on the bank of Indus – an 8000 year old civilization.

Greco-Buddhist (Gandhara) history abounds here with Buddhism being influenced by the Aryan and later Greek invasions through the legendary Khyber Pass. Gandhara, the ancient Peshawar Valley and the cradle of Buddhist civilisations, gave birth to the famous Gandharan Art. The cosmopolitan art of Gandhara with influence from Indians,

If you want to experience the thrills and chills of some unforgettable adventures, unveil the mysteries of some historical places and people and even enjoy the best comforts with all the luxuries of modern day life, come visit Pakistan. It will take your breath away Greeks, Romans, and Persian artists appeared in this region. The purpose of this art was the propagation of Buddhism through the images carved and made in stones, stucco, terracotta and bronze, mostly enshrined in the stupas and monasteries throughout the Gandhara region.

The sites and antiquities of Takhti-Bahi, Sahri Bahlol, Jamal Garhi, Rani Gat, Aziz Dehri, Butkara, Saidu Stupa, Kanpur and the mon-

asteries in the Taxila valley have provided the richest collection of the Gandharan Art. The collection of this beautiful art and archaeological heritage is preserved in Peshawar Museum.

A modern state with convenience All communication networks such as cell phone, fax and internet, bazaars with old and modern collec-

tion of art, restaurant with spicy and tasty food of famous places such as Burns Road of Karachi, Food Street of Lahore, Jahangir of Rawalpindi, Food Street of Islamabad and Namak Mandi of Peshawar, and the endless variety of landscapes, activities, flora and fauna are of much interest.

All this and more are surprisingly available at reasonable and affordable rates.

Highly developed and inexpensive air network links all regions of the country, and neighboring countries with multiple frequencies. Many top airlines of the world connect Pakistan with the rest of the world as tourists come from everywhere to visit these wonderful places. PIA links all the major cities and operates direct flights to and from Europe, United States, Middle East and Far East.

Summer adventures The mountain adventures can be

Trekking One of the most popular treks is the Baltoro trek, which ends up at Concordia. Concordia is the point where all the Glaciers coming from K-2, Broad-peak, and Gasherbrum-IV meet and flow down towards Paiju peak, like a highway. Nowhere in the world can one witness four 8000 meter peaks in such a small radius.

They are K-2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum-I and Gashrbrum-II. On this trek, besides these 8000 meter giants one can also enjoy the scenarios of Mashrbrum, Muztagh towers, Chogolisa, Baltoro Cathedrals and numerous other peaks.

Amongst the other popular treks there are Biafo-Hisper trek, Nanga Parbat trek, Rakaposhi trek, Trichmir trek, and countless other trekking routes. There are still certain areas in northern Pakistan that are yet to be explored.

Mountaineering Pakistan boasts of one of the world’s highest collections of peaks rising above 6000 meters. The lofty mountain ranges of Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayas offer great opportunities for mountaineering, which are unparalleled in the world. The area has been a magnet for mountaineers from all over the world since the 19th century.

Rock climbing Pakistan is well known for high altitude and for rock climbing. The Trango towers in Baltoro area are well known all over the world. Besides Trango Towers, Kondus valley in Khaplu area is a paradise for rock climbers. There are numerous untouched rock faces in the Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindukush ranges of Pakistan, which are ideal for rock climbers.