Times of Oman - May 24, 2015

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‘Don’t fall prey to crooked agents’ Returning empty-handed and pain still visible on his face, the Bangladeshi worker

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ERITREA

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea on his country’s Independence Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere greetings and wishes of good health and happiness to the president and his country’s people further progress and prosperity.—ONA

repents falling into the hands of crooked TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

recruitment agents who spoiled his life

OMAN

REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com

What is the solution to Muscat gridlock?

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MUSCAT: “People looking for a job abroad should not fall prey to crooked recruitment agencies. They should secure an employment through government agencies so that they don’t have to pay huge amounts and get betrayed like me.

“I made a mistake. After nine months in Oman, I am going back through the amnesty, emptyhanded. Only hardships and loan repayment are left.”

Jahangir Alam, the Bangladeshi migrant worker came to Oman nine months ago after paying an agent in Dhaka around OMR1,000 for visa. Now, he leaving as an illegal expat through the current immigration amnesty, still suffering from injuries sustained when a mountain cliff collapsed, trapping him for hours and killing two colleagues.

His is the latest story of life as an illegal expat to be featured by the Times of Oman, as social workers and embassies urge undocumented workers to take advantage of

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

the immigration amnesty and free themselves from the vulnerable position they are in.

So far, the numbers have been far below what embassies predicted, causing concern.

“What is left after nine months?

A huge loan has to be paid. After the accident physically not well.

Still, it’s painful in the chest and head. I don’t know about the future. Hearing my accident news, my mother had also suffered a heart attack. She is hospitalised since then.

“I came with dreams for a better living. Now, going back empty handed and injuries,” Jahangir told Times of Oman.

Jahangir and two of his coworkers, both Indians from the state of Gujarat, were trapped in debris from a mountain collapse in Qurum on April 27 while they were engaged in laying a water pipeline. After an 18-hour rescue

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There is growing frustration among drivers over gridlock in Muscat. >A2

OMAN UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Jahangir Alam, a Bangladeshi migrant worker who was injured in Qurum mountain cliff collapse on April 27. – A R Rajkumar

1,000 OMR

was the fee paid by the Bangladeshi worker to an intermediary in Dhaka for securing an employment visa in the Sultanate

Dhofar movie director wants more of Oman

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M ATT E R O F P R I D E

Passion the key to success: First Omani woman commercial pilot SALEH AL SHAIBANY saleh@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Azza Said Al Zakwani already has the distinction of being the first Omani female commercial pilot, and now she has established herself as the only female pilot to work outside the Sultanate’s borders.

“Flying has always been a passion for me, and maybe that is the reason why I became the first female pilot in Oman to fly a commercial aircraft. If you do not have the passion you cannot excel at anything,” Azza told the Times of Oman.

She is now firmly in the cockpit of an A320 aircraft of Air Arabia, an airline owned by the government of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a job she has been in since April 2008.

She started her career with Oman Air in 1993, when the company was operating under the name of Oman Aviation Services (OAS), but quickly decided to change from a job in ground services to flying. However, things did not take off smoothly for Azza.

The company refused her request to pay for flying tuitions and that left her with just one option.

“My husband was very supportive when it was obvious that I would have to pay for my flying lessons. It was something I had to do, and I did not have to think

RARE DISTINCTION: Omani woman pilot Azza Said Al Zakwani.

twice,” explained Azza.

After serving the OAS for ten years as a load controller, she embarked on a career that was close to her heart and flew to New Zealand in 2003 to enrol at the Nelson Aviation College. She got her flying licence in 2005 and returned to Muscat. By then OAS had changed to Oman Air, and through her old association with the company she was accepted as a pilot, earning a unique distinction as the first Omani woman pilot.

“I had finally realised my ambition as a pilot. It shows that

there is nothing you cannot achieve if you have the right attitude and if you work very hard for it,” said Azza.

She said she was proud of the fact that she was not just the first Omani woman to fly in the UAE but the only one flying a commercial aircraft outside the country.

But Azza is also modest about her achievements. “I do not see being the first Omani woman pilot as a distinction. For me it is a matter of pride that when I fly for Air Arabia, I represent my country in the UAE as well as all the women in Oman,” added Azza.

operation, Jahangir was saved by civil defence officials. However, both Indians were dead when they were pulled out.

“I saw my colleague lying dead nearby. I couldn’t do anything. I was not able to move. It was quite dark. I thought that I will die in that darkness. Slowly, I lost my consciousness also.

I was afraid that I may also die,” said Jahangir.

Jahangir got the job five months ago after he left his first sponsor who he claims delayed providing him a labour card and payment

for the work. “I was working with a sponsor who was not paying me what was promised and, moreover, he did not get me a labour card. So, after repeated requests, I left that job. Meanwhile, somebody informed me about a vacancy in the company which was carrying out pipeline projects, so, I joined there,” said Jahangir.

He was getting his salary regularly. However, he registered for the amnesty to return home as he was an undocumented worker and would not be able to stay on for too long. >A3

‘Education overhaul key for Omanisation’

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A revision of the education system is the key to Omanisation the success. >A3

SPORTS

Squash spreading its wings in Oman

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If the recent resurgence in passion for squash is considered, the indoor sport is here to stay forever. >C3

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

OMAN C O M M E N TA RY

What is the solution to the gridlock in Muscat?

SUNDAY BEAT

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here is growing frustration among drivers over road congestions in many areas of Muscat and many commuters feel the situation will not improve unless the government comes up with a better traffic management plan.

The worse traffic zones are the Sultan Qaboos Road, November 18 Road, Amiraat Road, the roads leading to Ruwi areas and Wadi Kabir.

But the outskirts of Muscat, like the now much popular Barka and Quriyat, are also frequently congested frustrating residents in those areas.

A majority of the major roads in the heart of Muscat were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Most of them received face-lifts and improvements to ease road traffic on temporary basis. What has lacked, however, is a long-term solution to the gridlock.

Temporary solution The Muscat Expressway was an answer to divert traffic to an alternative route in the capital.

The 54-km long road opened in 2010 to coincide with the Sultanate’s 40th anniversary

bringing fresh hope and easing traffic for a short while. But it is mostly used for long overhaul routes connecting commuters from Rusail to Qurum.

It is an important getaway for the Batnah region’s motorists driving to the main areas of Muscat. Five years later, after the opening of the Muscat Expressway —as the traffic build up further — vehicles from Batnah increasingly use offshoots of this road to areas like Ghubra, Boushar, Azaiba, Al Khuwair and Qurm causing the traffic jams we experience now.

According to the road traffic statistics, vehicles using the roads between 6am in the morning and 4pm during the working days have increased more than 150 per cent in the last five years. Hence, it proves that the Muscat Expressway has only provided a temporary solution. The problem is compounded because more people buy cars to get to work, notably graduates. More than 12,000 young people find jobs every year and they all buy new cars and join the chaos of congested roads. The road traffic strain is also overstretched by the registration of new commercial vehicles. It is not an understatement to say that a good traffic management scheme is always linked with business expansion as well as job creation as the economy rolls forward.

Urgent remedy needed The town planning committee simply has to come up with an urgent remedy to decrease rush hour traffic. Three-lane roads and bridges over old roundabouts on existing routes have never been a solution before. Muscat needs alternative roads to popular residential areas and new exits leading to major commercial zones. But

perhaps the authorities also need to look beyond the expansion of the road networks in the city. There is no statistics on this one but it is obvious that most cars coming or leaving Muscat have only one person inside during the rush hour. These are commuters who are going to their offices during the working hours. The traffic eases in the evenings and weekends because families reunite and go out together during this time, leaving roads much less congested.

A good idea It may be a good idea to propose staggered working hours for office goers. There are more than 80,000 civil servants working in various ministries in Muscat who have to be in their offices by 7.30 in the morning every day and go back home at 2.30 in the afternoon. Most of them use their private cars. Moreover, some 20,000 security forces report at the same time as civil servants and hit the same roads of Muscat.

On top of that, ROP statistics indicate that more than 130,000 cars belonging to people working in the private sector are on the Muscat roads everyday. Companies mostly open their offices from 8am and staff go home at around 4pm. There is a difference of only 30 minutes in office hours in the morning between the civil service and private sector.

On the conservative side, about 230,000 people a day drive out of their homes to cause gridlock at the same time during the peak hours in Muscat.

But office hours staggering is only one solution. The town planners must also put in their long-term plans — the deployment of public transport systems to take cars away from the roads — to improve road traffic efficiency.

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Slowly but surely, we are taking very positive strides towards maximising our national workforce Eng Amer Al Fadhil, Managing director, Competence HR

HAMRIYAH BY DAY AND NIGHT

An aerial view of the Hamriyah locality in the Muscat governorate by day, left, and night. Times of Oman photographer A R Rajkumar captured these contrasting pictures recently.

‘Education system overhaul key to Omanisation success’ SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH

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Good results have

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

been achieved in a

Some people would rather stay home than take up some work that they might perceive as demeaning

number of sectors such as banking and oil and gas, but Omanisation rates need to be increased in industrial and hospitality sectors

Eng Amer Al Fadhil

and a number of other

Managing director, Competence HR

fields, said Al Fadhil

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Society has not been encouraging young Omanis to accept jobs other than office work, says an accomplished Omani business owner, who also believes that a revision of the education system and certain regulations is the key to the success of Omanisation.

Fresh graduates want an office job right away without necessarily focussing on self-development, said Eng Amer Al Fadhil, managing director of Competence HR, one of the 30 successful candidates for the National CEO Programme.

“Some people would rather stay home than take up some work that they might perceive as demeaning. There is no such thing. ‘Work’ and ‘demeaning’ do not go together in one sentence,”

he told the Times of Oman in an interview.

Al Fadhil strongly believes in Omanisation and has achieved a 75 per cent Omanisation rate at his company, way more than the 35 per cent required by law.

He says that Omanisation means more to him than just ‘lip service’.

In a career spanning around 20 years, Al Fadhil has served as IT service manager in the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), vice president of The Wave, Muscat, vice president of Damac Properties in Dubai, and the chief executive officer of Sadara LLC in Dubai.

Job-seekers His current position, which involves dealing with Omani job seekers and employers, has given him a deeper insight into the challenges facing the development of local workforce, who he believes can contribute the most to the

country in the long run.

Apart from social upbringing, the wide gap between the outcome of education and the actual needs of the market in Oman needs to be addressed, said Al Fadhil.

In his opinion, some of the regulations have not been helpful either. For example, the fact that the Ministry of Manpower ends up giving an amount to people who are looking for job does not send a positive message, he noted.

“Slowly but surely, we are taking very positive strides towards maximising our national workforce,” says Al Fadhil, who believes that Omanisation at senior and mid-management levels is bearing fruit.

Good results have been achieved in a number of sectors such as banking and oil and gas, but Omanisation rates need to be increased in industrial and hospitality sectors and a number of

other fields, he said.

“We have the talent. We have the people who are capable of running multinational conglomerates,” Al Fadhil said, urging employers to be more far-sighted and consider the long-term benefits of developing local talent instead of just focussing on the issue of salary. On the other hand, he encouraged Omanis to embrace training in the first years of their career, which will enable them to reap benefits in later stages of their professional life.

National CEO programme Al Fadhil is delighted to be selected for the National CEO programme, which will take him on a journey of self-development, and describes it as a quite significant initiative.

Under the patronage of the Diwan of Royal Court, the programme is an initiative launched by the Public Private Partnership

‘ FA R M I N G F O R H O S P I TA L I T Y ’

Opportunity for Jebel Al Akhdar residents to work on Omran farms TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com NIZWA: Farmers in Jebel Al Akhdar have been given the opportunity to work and earn on farms set up by Omran as it launches its ‘Farming for Hospitality’ project on the mountain.

The project aims to provide farmers of Jebel Al Akhdar community a platform to grow produce that does not grow naturally on the mountainside due to adverse environment and geographical characteristics. Earlier locals had to import these products.

“We started working for this project four months ago and began producing within a month,” said Suleiman Al Shuraiqi, a local farmer and investor of the project.

“As investors, this project has been encouraging, and we hope it expands and more greenhouses are set up. It will provide more opportunities for the community,” he added.

The four greenhouses currently grow tomatoes, cucumbers and

CHANCE TO EARN: The four greenhouses currently grow tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce which are sold in the local market. -Supplied photo

lettuce which are sold in the local market and to the nearby Alilah Resort. It is expected that the greenhouses will be able to produce 7000 kilogrammes (kg) of goods annually in just a 35-square metre area.

When asked about the price, Suleiman said, “The produce is sold according to the Mawaleh

vegetable market prices. For example, a kg of tomato could fetch between 400 and 500 baizas. There is no special price for the resort.”

Manager of Agriculture Development of Jebel Al Akhdar from Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Salem Al Joubi said the project was opening doors for the

community and they would get the satisfaction of contributing to the development of the society.

The advantages of the project are that farmers will be educated and trained on modern methods of farming besides earning a stable income, and will have available sustainable resources in the future.

Committee (PPP). It is the first of its kind in the Sultanate and its goal is to develop the next generation of private sector Omani leaders and executives.

The candidates had to undergo a rigorous selection process to become a part of the programme.

Al Fadhil, the managing director of Competence HR, has been seeking to give back to the society and contribute to the development of nationals through various initiatives.

According to him, his company is one of the very few Omani companies, fully owned and run by an Omani with such a high rate of Omanisation, which offers endto-end solutions in the field of human resources.

Competence HR offers a wide range of services related to recruitment, training and development and human resources consultancy and ‘thousands’ of people in various companies and organisations have benefited from its programmes, he said.

The company has introduced a number of CEOs and other highranking officials to companies looking for the right talents.

Al Fadhil himself provides coaching to those interested in setting up their own business and has been delivering speeches, including at the National Business Centre.

Developing entrepreneurs’ skills in sales and marketing and financial management should be high on the agenda of any training programme, he said, encouraging young Omanis to pursue their passion and work hard to realise their dreams.

AMNESTY

< FROM

A1 Bangladeshi migrant “The accident happened after I had registered for the amnesty. As I am an undocumented worker, I am not eligible for compensation,” added Jahangir.

On being asked why he did not approach the embassy when his sponsor refused to provide him a labour card, Jahangir confessed that he had erred “I should have approached the embassy right away, but I did not do so because I needed some money for my survival. How could I go empty-handed? I realise now that my decision was incorrect,” he said.

Migrants’ rights Meanwhile, a migrants’ rights body official said that taking on significant debts for job placements abroad is so common that it has become an expected feature of labour migration, even where governments have heavily regulated or banned the charging of recruitment fees.

“We live in a world in which many workers, even after having developed their skills through education and training programs, are required to pay intermediaries to secure employment.

“In some cases, the amounts paid are so high that workers become indebted to friends, family members, and money-lenders.

Too often, migrant workers find themselves in debt bondage, their choices constrained by their need to relieve this financial burden,” William Gois, Regional Coordinator of the Migrant Forum in Asia, said.

Cathleen Caron, founder and executive director at Global Workers Justice Alliance, said that it is tragically common for workers to be lied to and deceived during the recruitment process.

“The result of broken promises results in migrants burdened by debts they may never be able to repay and puts the health and safety of their family members at home at great risk.

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015 We are all very proud of what they have accomplished and look are looking forward to their fulfilment of the great expectations we have for them, for indeed they will be a great service to Oman Dr Ammar Al Ojaili, Associate Director Takatuf Scholars Programme

OMAN FIELD TRIP

Salalah students get a feel of naval life at INS Tarangini

Takatuf scholars feted for their achievements From 31 scholars in 2012, the programme has grown immensely, and last year 1,019 applied. Of the 131 who were selected and completed the programme, 35 will be going to boarding schools in Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and the US this fall

ENRICHING EXPERIENCE: The students and the teachers, upon

their arrival at the port, were welcomed by the crew and escorted on board. – Supplied photo

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

Times News Service MUSCAT: It was an enriching experience for the students of Grade 11 from Indian School Salalah, as they visited the Indian naval ship ‘Tarangini’- A75, which had docked there, recently. The students were accompanied by their teachers, during a ‘Field Trip’ to the Port of Salalah.

The crew, including Commander Gaurav Gautam and Naval Officer Avinash gave them a unique insight and shared with them the wonders of sailing. The students and the teachers, upon their arrival at the port, were welcomed by the crew and escorted on board

by Naval Officer Avinash.

INS Tarangini, as briefly described by Avinash, is a tall ship of the Indian Navy, commissioned in 1997 as a sail training ship for naval cadets. Tarangini is a threemasted barque, square rigged on the fore and main masts and foreand-aft rigged on the mizzen mast.

She was built in Goa as per a design by the British naval architect Colin Mudie, and launched on December 1, 1995. In 2003 and 2004, she became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the globe.

Avinash, further added that the ship has different parts like the ‘Boom’ that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail and the ‘Machine Mast’ that acts like a rudder, while the sails are controlled by ropes.

The students were taken around the ship and shown the ‘control panel’ and the ‘chartroom’ where the planning takes place. They were taken to the land-based kitchen where they met the chefs. The students, to add to their knowledge, were informed that the ship was equipped with small as well as long ‘mussel guns’ to meet any emergencies.

The children were also interest-

Between 2003 and 2004, INS Tarangini became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the world

ed in taking part in an interaction with the Commander Gautam, a native of the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in India.

When asked what inspired him to get into the navy, Gautam said, “I have always loved going on adventures and water has never failed to fascinate me.”

Earlier, Naval Officer Avinash, while speaking to the students about his career and the nature of his work, said that teamwork was a very essential part of the job, especially while tackling the rough seas.

INS Tarangini set out from the port of Kochi in Kerala via Karwar to Salalah on her way to Europe to take part in ‘Rosto’ where more than 200 ships around the globe will meet in the mid of August and will return to India by December, 2015.

The students enjoyed the delicacy with melted chocolate and fruit juice that was served to them. The admiration and respect the students had while interacting with the naval officers and other trainee cadets inspired them to think of an extraordinary range of exciting career opportunities that the Indian Navy offers. The students expressed their gratitude to the school management and Principal T.R. Brown for organising the visit to ‘INS Tarangini.’

SARAH MACDONALD

sarah@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Following a year of studies with the Takatuf Scholars’ Enrichment Programme, 131 bright young Omanis were recognised for their achievements at ceremony in Muscat on Thursday.

The Takatuf Scholars Programme, which began in 2012, is designed to give Omani youth the tools they need to be 21st century students, employees or entrepreneurs, and future leaders.

The students begin with a residential programme in Muscat in the summer and do independent, distance learning throughout the year, after which a number are given scholarships to international boarding schools.

“We are all very proud of what they have accomplished and look are looking forward to their fulfilment of the great expectations we have for them, for indeed they will be a great service to Oman,” said Dr Ammar Al Ojaili, the associate director of the Takatuf Scholars Programme.

From 31 scholars in 2012, the programme has grown immensely, and last year 1,019 applied. Of the 131 who were selected and completed the programme, 35 will be going off to boarding schools in Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA this fall.

A number of the 2012 scholars have now been accepted to top international universities including University College London, MIT, and New York University and they will continue to benefit from Takatuf scholarships.

For the students, the programme was life-changing, giving them skills in communication, ITC, critical thinking, and social awareness which will help them in their future studies. Two of the

students, Rawan Al Mawali and Yazeed Al Adawi, were chosen by their peers to give some remarks on behalf of the graduates, revealing how they had all benefited from being Takatuf Scholars.

Al Adawi said when the students met for the first time last June they were a diverse group of students from different backgrounds with different personalities and experiences, but they all shared a love of learning and a passion for Oman.

“What impressed us most is that we learned skills we can actually apply to our life,” added Al Mawali.

Shahad Ahmed Al Abadi, from Nizwa, said being a Takatuf Scholar helped her language skills and increased her level of selfconfidence since she used to be very shy but has learned to be outgoing. She said programme has better prepared her for university.

Guide for university life “This experience is like a [guide] for the university setting. We know all of these things so it will be so easy for us when we go to university,” she explained.

The programme also taught many of the students the value of using technology to assist with their studies and research. Haiyan Hamed AL Fulaiti, a student from Samail, said he used to prefer relying on a pen and paper rather than a computer.

“When I joined Takatuf programme I started to use technology- laptops and websites. I use it to improve my knowledge and improve my skills and that will help me in university,” he said.

The Takatuf Scholars initiative is funded by Oman Oil Company, Orpic, Oman Trading International and Salalah Methanol Co. For the companies supporting the programme, the investment is seen as a very worthwhile.

Mulham Al Jarf, Deputy CEO of Oman Oil, said human capital is essential for the future of Oman and his company, so investing in Takatuf helps create future gen-

GOING PLACES: A number of the 2012 scholars have now been

accepted to top international universities including University College London, MIT, and New York University and they will continue to benefit from Takatuf scholarships. – Shabine E/Times of Oman

eration of Omanis who have the capacity to take on leading roles in local companies.

“The 21st century skills are different from what we have today so we need to be prepared for that. The kids you saw here today are evidence of what can be done and a lot more can be done. For Oman Oil it’s the least we can do,” Al Jarf said.

Musab Al Mahrouqi, CEO of Orpic, said it’s important to contribute to building the future leaders of Oman, regardless of what kinds of studies and jobs they

wish to pursue. He said these students will be able to contribute to Oman in a variety of ways depending on their interests.

He added that the Takatuf Scholars complements the educational opportunities provided by the government, adding that 20 years ago he also benefited from a private sector scholarship from PDO. “We feel it’s a great programme.

It’s very focused and it is preparing young, bright Omanis to become leaders in the country,” Al Mahrouqi said.

N R I T H O L S O VA M

Students to showcase dance talent at Kalabhavan festival Times News Service MUSCAT: A mega event will give opportunity to more than 150 students to showcase their dancing talent, as the Kalabhavan School of Music and Arts, will be celebrating its annual dance festival “Nritholsovam” on May 29, at Crystal Suites Hotel.

Kalabhavan, one of the licensed music and art training schools in Oman and a franchisee of Kochin Kalabhavan, has been conducting this festival in Oman for nine years.

This is an exclusive event for their classical dance students from all branches of the school.

The chief guest for the event is Maryam Mohammed Al Zadjali, director, Omani Society for Fine Arts. The event will start at 6p.m. and is open to all dance lovers.

Apart from this festival, Kalabhavan also conducts the Thyagaraja Music Festival, an exclusive event for singers and Father Abel Day, a tribute to its founder Father Abel CMI, for the students learning different musical instruments.

Kalabhavan’s annual day celebration is a mega event. Therefore, every student in the institution gets an opportunity to showcase his or her talent.

The very reason for organising such events is to provide an opportunity for students to perform publicly, which the school believes is important to build con-

PURSUING PERFECTION: Kalabhavan School of Music and Arts

has been conducting this festival in Oman for the past nine years.

This is an exclusive event for their classical dance students from all branches of the school. – Supplied photo

fidence and mould the students into good artists.

Kalabhavan School of Music conducts different courses in Oman such as Indian classical dances, cinematic dance, keyboard and guitar, violin, vocal music, tabla and mridangam.

They also have classes in karate, tailoring, and art and craft.

Kalabhavan has three branches

in Oman which are located at Al Ghoubra, Al Hail and Ruwi respectively. Currently, around 800 students are enrolled in these branches for various courses.

Kalabhavan will also be holding its annual summer camp during the vacation of Indian schools. It will be held from June 21 to July 16 and admissions will begin soon.

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

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OMAN DALALEEL CAFÉ

Eclectic display of art at Bait al Zubair Times News Service MUSCAT: A new exhibition, an eclectic display of work in oils, water colour, mosaics and silk prints, is currently on at Dalaleel Café in Bait al Zubair.

In the exhibition, a joint venture of Virginia den Hartogand and Sharmila Dalal, one can see in the inner circle of the exhibition space a recurring motif of faces by both artists. On the outer walls, colour and technique connect two quite disparate artists’ art work.

Wide variety of styles The exhibition presents works in oils, water colour, mosaics and silk prints and allows the viewer to see a wide variety of styles that the artists have used to communicate their emotions about Oman and other places which they visited.

Sharmila Dalal, an architect by profession, has worked in India, Sharjah and Muscat. It was during her stay in Sharjah and Muscat that she ventured into other artistic forms like painting, portraits, mosaic, stained glass and sculpture.

Different mediums Being open to different mediums has given her a broad perspective on the arts, enabling her to

blend them together to create new styles. Rich in colour and patterns, her work reflects the inspiration she finds in photographs that she clicked over the years.

Workshops She conducts workshops in mosaics and silk painting in India and Oman. Virginia den Hartogand, a former Coordinator of the AWG Mona Lisa Art Club, has organised a number of exhibitions in Oman and has been inspired to develop her skills through workshops and art retreats in Muscat, something she has been doing over the past three years.

Her work reflects a variety of perspectives but the unifying motif is the use of raised dots, a feature very reminiscent of the work of aboriginal artists in Australia.

Passionate about her art, Virginia’s eyes are drawn to the beauty of the subject, be it a person, a house or a landscape.

The exhibition will run through the end of May and is open Saturday to Thursday from 9.30am to 6.00pm. For more information about Bait Al Zubair events & activities, join them on Facebook www.facebook.com/bait.alzubair or via Twitter or Instagram on : @ Bait_AlZubair

COMMON PURSUIT: In the exhibition, a joint venture of Virginia

den Hartogand and Sharmila Dalal, one can see in the inner circle of the exhibition space a recurring motif of faces by the two artists.

– Supplied photo

Dhofar movie director wants more of Oman British director Tristan Ofield wants to explore more of Oman after successful Dhofar war documentary SCAN THIS QR CODE TO SEE ONLINE

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

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Having directed an enlightening documentary about the Dhofar war, which was released to a warm welcome in England, Tristan Ofield is now keen to narrate more untold stories of this little-known battle and other chapters of Oman’s history.

Operation Oman, which was made following a ‘self-seeking’ journey to the Sultanate by Tristan’s father, Major Nicholas Ofield, 40 years after the fighting, has opened a door to a world of ideas which the British director wants to bring to the screen.

Feature film idea “If there is enough interest in Operation Oman, I would love to do another documentary about the Dhofar war. This would be focusing on the history of the entire war and would also concentrate more on telling the story of the Omani soldiers. It would have to be done soon before all the firsthand accounts are lost,” Tristan told Times of Oman.

He also has an idea for a fea-

N AT I O N A L M U S E U M O F T H E S U LTA N AT E O F O M A N

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MUSCAT: Official opening of the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman is expected in end of 2015, Jamal bin Hassan Al Moussawi, director of the National Museum of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, has said.

The National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman is a vital project that aims at achieving cultural and humanitarian mission, raising public awareness, cementing the Omani noble values, activating the belonging of the citizen, resident and visitor to Oman, its history, heritage, cul-

ture and developing their creative and intellectual abilities.

The museum seeks to preserve the material and non-material evidences and collectibles that constitute the history, heritage, culture and arts of the Sultanate in all its manifestations. It also highlights the civilizational, historical and cultural dimensions of the Sultanate with the utilization and adoption of best practices and standards in the fields of museum management.

The museum logo and identity application were inaugurated on November 23, 2014, to coincide with the trial operation ceremony of the facilities. The trial operation was conducted in September 2014 for the stores, preservation and conservation and collectibles

LOVING THE LAND: Tristan Ofield is now keen to narrate more untold stories of this little-known battle and other chapters of Oman’s history. – Supplied photo

stores, Al Moussawi, Director of the National Museum of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture said.

In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Moussawi said that during the period between trial operations stage and the official opening groups of visitors of citizens and expatriates will be invited in order to assess the system of museum quality.

The National Museum is known at the level of the Sultanate and the region by its several components. It contains the first museum education centre in the Sultanate. It includes the first facilities for preventive conservation and conservation that are designed according to standards of the International Council of Museums. -ONA

ture film set in Oman during the war. “It is about many things but mainly it is about a solider coming face to face with his own mortality and about the rise of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and the birth of a modern nation. These are themes everyone can relate to. I think it would have universal appeal and of course this is another story that has never been told before,” he said.

Omani students Tristan was overwhelmed by the fact that several Omani students studying in the UK had travelled from Leeds to see the first screening of the documentary at the Quad Cinema in Derby on November 8 last year.

“It was wonderful to see Oman represented,” he recalls.

Operation Oman was released on one other screen the following week and a question-and-answer session was held after the soldout screening.

“These two screenings were timed around Remembrance Day in the UK. This is when we remember those who have

been killed in conflicts across the world. The money from the screenings went to a charity called The Royal British Legion, a charity which supports veterans,” Tristan said.

Major Nicholas, one of around 500 British Army troops in the Dhofar war, was also delighted with the presence of three Omanis students at the screening of the movie.

“They spoke to me afterwards, saying that it was all new information for them. One in particular said, ‘Now I can understand what my grandfather has been talking about, and how proud he was to have taken part,’” Major Nicholas said, adding that he is ‘proud’ that all the grandfathers who fought in the war are being remembered.

Enlightening The war veteran believes that the conflict, which has remained unknown for 40 years, was an important event in Oman’s history and was instrumental in securing the security of the Gulf.

“During my return visit, I met

many elders who remembered those times, and their joy at overcoming the communists and the freedom they began to enjoy.

However, it was a history that appeared to be unknown to the present generation,” Major Nicholas said.

He added, “Since sharing the story we have received hundreds of emails saying how much it has been enjoyed and how much the senders have felt ‘enlightened’ in learning about their recent history.”

Tristan has also received ‘overwhelmingly positive’ feedback and says he is ‘extremely proud’ of what has been achieved.

He said that Sir Ranulph Fiennes, a former Oman veteran and the world’s greatest living explorer, called it ‘a very important film’, and filmmaker Jonathan Holiff described it as ‘a precious time capsule. A fascinating look at a forgotten war.’

“Most important to me have been the opinions of the Omanis that have seen the film. One of the nationals we met said they wanted every Omani to see it.

That was extremely humbling,” Tristan added.

Online release In order to reach to a wider audience, Operation Oman has been released on the Internet and can be rented or downloaded from Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/operationoman.

“There is extra interviews, photographs from the war, director’s commentary and the questionand-answers session,” he said.

Tristan says that he would love to hear from anyone who watches the documentary.

“I respond to all the comments left on the documentary or on Twitter (@OperationOman),” he said, adding that the page dedicated to the documentary on Facebook can be seen at www.facebook.com/OperationOman.

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

OMAN

I just believe that by sharing our food with you tonight, our friendship and understanding will be fermented more deeply, as kimchi ferments to be mature Daesik Kim, Ambassador of South Korea in Oman

Fresh flavours at Korean food festival Daesik Kim, Ambassador of South Korea in Oman, said the ‘Taste of Korea’ food festival was a way to share his country’s culture with the people in Oman

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SARAH MACDONALD

sarah@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Kimbab, bibimbap and japchae may not be dishes familiar to most people in Oman, but following an event called Taste of Korea, hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea on Wednesday night, more people will be fans of these popular Korean dishes.

Daesik Kim, Ambassador of South Korea in Oman, said that the food festival, which was held at the Intercontinental Hotel, was a way to share his country’s culture with people in Oman.

“Food embodies the culture, tradition and philosophy of a certain country. I believe that tonight you will experience Korean spirit, culture and thoughts through our

food,” Kim said. The ambassador spoke about the health benefits of Korean food, such as the spicy fermented cabbage dish kimchi, which is listed as one of the five healthiest foods according to Health magazine in the USA, and the fact that most of the cuisine is low in fat and easy to digest.

Harmony in dishes He also said there is an emphasis on “slow food” in Korea, since many dishes take a lot of time and patience to make. There is also a harmony in the dishes, which should have a nutritional balance and colour balance, Kim added.

“I just believe that by sharing our food with you tonight, our friendship and understanding will be fermented more deeply, as kimchi ferments to be mature,” he said.

The diverse menu for the evening included dishes such as kimbab, which are rice and seaweed rolls filled with meat and

DELECTABLE FARE: The menu included dishes such as kimbab, which are rice and seaweed rolls filled

vegetables; bibimbab which is a rice and vegetable dished served with a spicy red pepper sauce; and japchae, a fried noodle, vegetable and seafood dish.

Chefs from the Asiana Hotel in Dubai manned live cooking stations so guests could see how some of the dishes were made. The event attracted many curious foodies and some people who were already avid fans of Korean cuisine,

with meat and vegetables; bibimbab which is a rice and vegetable dished served with a spicy red pepper sauce; and japchae, a fried noodle, vegetable and seafood dish. – Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

including Erin Smith, a Canadian resident of Oman who used to live in South Korea.

“I have been looking forward to this evening since I got the invitation a couple weeks ago. All I could think about all day was galbi, bulgogi and kimchi,” Smith said, list-

ing some of her favourite dishes which include beef ribs, a marinated and fried beef dish, and the famous fermented cabbage.

Smith said she would describe Korean food as “fresh and delicious” and was very happy with the quality of the food. She was

also delighted into introduce some friends of hers to Korean cuisine for the first time.

“Most of my table was not familiar with Korean food. I told them to try everything and keep an open mind. Everybody was really happy with everything they ate,” she said.

BIG ACHIEVEMENT

Omani students win international prize MUSCAT: Three Omani students have done Oman proud by winning a prestigious US prize.

‘Support of Life on Mars’, a project submitted by Shama bint Salam Al Toobi, Shahd bint Saif Al Ameri and Jujain bint Yaqoob Al Ruqaishi of Um Al Khair Basic Education School won the special prize of the NASA Intel International Science and Engineering Competition 2015, held recently in Pittsburgh, in the

State of Pennsylvania, USA. This is one of three projects from the Sultanate to have taken part in the competition.

The competition saw more than 1,700 participations from 75 countries. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the biggest at the world level in the field of science and engineering competitions for the age group of 14 to 18, and focuses on scientific research and innovation. -ONA

F E E L T H E B E AT C A M PA I G N

Free heart check-up for women at City Centre Times News Service MUSCAT: Two of the muchloved shopping destinations in the Sultanate are spearheading Majid Al Futtaim’s regional health campaign ‘Feel the Beat’ in Oman.

Appealing to all women to fight cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in most countries in the Middle East, City Centre Muscat and City Centre Qurum are inviting women to get preventative testing and professional health advice on May 26 and 27 in Muscat, and June 5 and 6 in Qurum.

The Sultan Qaboos University will provide medical professionals to administer complimentary testing and conduct check-ups for women from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on those days.

Training sessions Checks include tests for blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI). In addition, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training sessions will be conducted during the initiative.

For more information visit: www.CityCentreMuscat.com and www. CityCentreQurum.com.

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5 I am not pleased by an acquittal at the expense of Shaimaa’s blood. Shaimaa sacrificed her life to oppose an unjust law, and the law is still in place Abu el-Ila, Defence lawyer

REGION

Egyptian court acquits 17 charged for protests

MEETING IN CAIRO

Syrian dissidents to form new coalition CAIRO: A number of Syrian opposition factions will gather in Cairo next month to form a new coalition as an alternative to an exiled West-backed alliance, officials said on Saturday.

More than 200 figures from the armed and civilian opposition factions are to attend the June 8-9 gathering and discuss a roadmap aimed at ending the four-year war in Syria.

The new grouping would offer an alternative to the National Coalition, the exiled opposition bloc that is widely recognised and supported by Western and Arab countries.

SOLIDARITY: Palestinian protesters take part in a demonstration organised by the Islamic movement against the death sentence

to Egypt’s ousted president Mohamed Morsi, in the town of Kfar Kana, in northern Israel, on Saturday. - AFP

A separate court on Saturday began a trial of Mohamed Morsi and 25 others on charges of insulting the judiciary

CAIRO: An Egyptian court on Saturday acquitted 17 people of violating a strict protest law earlier this year at a march commemorating a 2011 uprising, judicial sources said, a rare decision since Egypt introduced the statute in late 2013.

The demonstration in January

caught the world’s attention after the death of 32-year-old protester Shaimaa Sabbagh was caught on video.

The public prosecutor has separately charged a police officer who allegedly fired birdshot to try to disperse the protest in connection with Sabbagh’s death.

Defence lawyer Sayed Abu el-Ila, who was photographed with Sabbagh dying in his arms, said this was the first acquittal since the protest law came into force in 2013.

The statute curtailed demonstrations, a regular feature of the turbulent years since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, and has landed many leaders of that initial uprising behind bars.

“I am not pleased by an acquittal at the expense of Shaimaa’s blood,” Abu el-Ila told reporters.

“Shaimaa sacrificed her life to oppose an unjust law, and the law

is still in place.”

President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has come under pressure over what critics perceive as heavyhanded security tactics since the army overthrew president Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013 following protests.

A crackdown that began with the deaths of hundreds of Brotherhood supporters and the imprisonment of thousands more has expanded to include other activists.

Meanwhile a separate court on Saturday began a trial of Mohammed Morsi and 25 others on charges of insulting the judiciary.

The defendants include Brotherhood leaders as well as television host Tawfiq Okasha and liberals Alaa Abdel Fattah and Amr Hamzawy.

Morsi was sentenced to 20 years in prison last month on

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charges arising from the killing of protesters and faces the death penalty in connection with a mass jail break in 2011.

He has denounced the legal proceedings against him.

Separately, the public prosecutor referred 61 alleged Brotherhood members from the Delta province of Damietta to a military prosecutor on suspicion of violence-related offences.

Egypt expanded the jurisdiction of military courts last year to permit them to try civilians accused of acts ranging from attacking state facilities to blocking roads, part of a broad crackdown on opponents.

The government has banned the Brotherhood and labelled it a terrorist organisation, accusing it of killing hundreds of police and soldiers in the past two years.

The Brotherhood denies any link to violence. - Reuters

Policy charter “Arab, Kurdish and all faiths will attend the meeting to elect a political committee to adopt a roadmap and a policy charter,” Haytham Manna, a veteran opposition figure and a key organiser of the event, said.

The new coalition would be called the Syrian National Opposition and would be “totally different” from the National Coalition, he said.

“It will be a Syrian-Syrian meeting, 100 per cent financed by us, not controlled by anyone, and managed by someone with a pure Syrian agenda,” Manna said of the June conference.

Egypt confirmed the meeting, saying it would be a gathering of “broad Syrian opposition and national forces”.

Broader vision The objective of the conference was to “express a broader vision of the Syrian opposition spectrum... to work towards ending the Syrian crisis,” said the foreign ministry.

Manna said Egypt would only host the conference and “not interfere” in it.

He said the new grouping would be ready to negotiate with representatives of President Bashar Al Assad’s government.

It will be a SyrianSyrian meeting, 100 percent financed by us, not controlled by anyone, and managed by someone with a pure Syrian agenda Haytham Manna

Veteran opposition figure

The talks would be “on the basis of the Geneva declaration, which is based on the transfer of all military and civilian authorities... to a transitional government,” he said.

Cairo conference Members of the new group would also meet with the UN mediator for Syria, Stefan de Mistura, after the Cairo conference.

The conference was planned during a meeting in January that was attended by the opposition tolerated in Damascus, as well as members of the exiled National Coalition.

At that meeting, participants had said the goal of the new alliance would be “to agree on a unified political vision and to unify the opposition’s efforts”.

The Syrian conflict has killed more than 210,000 people, uprooted half the population and left the country in ruins since it erupted as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011. - AFP

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

INDIA

The last year has restored the credibility, dignity and stature of the Prime Minister’s Office. In this government, the last word belongs to the Prime Minister and that is how it should be Arun Jaitley, Finance minister

HOT SUMMER

Heatwave claims more than 150 lives in Andhra, Telangana NEW DELHI: Vast swathes of the country reeled under the heatwave which has claimed more than 150 lives in southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana even as the scorching sun on Saturday continued to drive the mercury upwards with Delhi recording its hottest day of this season.

As many as 73 persons died in Telangana and 80 deaths were recorded in Andhra Pradesh due to severe heatwave conditions.

Summer’s highest But as Delhiites struggled to cope with the excruciating heat as the maximum on Saturday hit this summer’s highest at 44.5 degrees Celsius, five notches above the normal, the weatherman hinted

at the likelihood of some relief in the form of dust storms or thunderstorms across northern India on Sunday.

Although the Safdarjang weather station, which provides the official reading for Delhi, gave a sub-45 degree figure, the Palam weather station in the national capital recorded the mercury at 46.2 degrees.

The maximum in Delhi on Friday was at 43.6 degrees.

The minimum on Saturday settled at 29.3 degrees, three notches above the season’s average, while the infernal heat brought down the humidity in air, which oscillated between 17 and 40 per cent.

Down south in Andhra Pradesh, among those who succumbed to the killer heat were 40 persons

in Prakasam district and 12 in Visakhapatnam.

In Telangana, 28 persons died due to the heatwave in Nalgonda district followed by 22 in Karimnagar district, officials said.

The toll for AP pertains to the period from May 18 till Saturday evening while the figures for Telangana cover the duration from April 15 till Saturday evening.

Severe heatwave conditions prevailed over parts of Adilabad, Warangal, Hyderabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts of Telangana.

The heatwave also intensified in Odisha as the mercury inched above the 40-degree mark at 19 places in the state while three more

deaths due to the sweltering conditions were reported on Saturday, taking the toll to 26, said the office of the special relief commissioner.

Titlagarh recorded the highest maximum in the state at 46.2 degrees while Jharsuguda and Bhawanipatna recorded highs of 46 degrees.

The Odisha state capital of Bhubaneswar sizzled at 42.7 degrees.

Back in the northern plains, north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh saw the mercury cross the 41 degree mark in most of the districts.

Allahabad recorded the highest maximum in the state at 47 degrees, which was five notches above the normal, followed by Banda at 46.6 degrees, Varanasi (45.8 degrees) and Sultanpur (45.6

degrees).UP capital Lucknow saw the maximum touch 44.4 degrees even as weather officials forecast rain/thundershowers at isolated places along with dust storms and thunderstorms accompanied by squalls on Sunday at other areas of the state.

The two neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, too,were swept by the blistering heatwave.

Bhiwani in north Indian state of Haryana witnessed a high of 45.2 degrees, four notches higher than the normal, while Hisar saw the maximum go up to 44.7 degrees.

The Union Territory of Chandigarh, which was hit by a dust storm on Saturday, recorded the season’s hottest day so far at 43.4 degrees. - PTI

SCORCHING SUN: Boys cover their faces on a hot day near India Gate in New Delhi on Saturday. - PTI

Congress accuses Modi government of bypassing democratic institutions Modi in 2014 has got a clear and

We certainly hope when Modi passes through India in between his various (foreign) trips, he will take account of the things that we point out and do something about it

convincing mandate and at the end of one year it can safely be said that Modi is firmly on the role of betrayal of that mandate, Congress leader Jairam

Jairam Ramesh

Ramesh said

Congress leader

BENGALURU: In a stinging attack on the one-year rule of National Democratic Alliance(NDA) regime, Congress party on Saturday accused the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “murdering democratic institutions” in India and running a “one man government”.

Presenting a five-chapter report card on the Modi dispensation, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said “MODI refers to Murder Of Democratic India” with its “maximum governance becoming maximum arrogance and minimum government becoming one man government”.

“Chapter one refers to MODI —Murder Of Democratic India;

...in the last one year he has completely bypassed the Parliament, he rarely comes to Parliament, he was not present when constitution amendment bill on GST was voted in Lok Sabha,” Ramesh told reporters here.

In the last one year, of the 53 bills presented in Parliament, only five had gone to the standing committee, when normally all bills go to it, he said.

Report card Ramesh described the five chapters of the report card as “murder” of democratic institutions, maximum governance becoming maximum arrogance and minimum

government becoming one man government, turnaround becoming U-turns some positive some negative, repackaging of UPA programmes and sharp reduction in allocation for social sector schemes like health, drinking, water and sanitation.

“This in short is what Mr Modi has accomplished in the last one year,” he said.

The Congress leader also said that the “judiciary is threatened” citing Modi’s words at a conference of Chief Justices presided over by Chief Justice of India H. L. Dattu about “five star activists”.

He also lambasted the government on the delay in the appoint-

ment of Chief Information Commissioner and Chief Vigilance Commissioner.

Stating that Congress will continue to highlight the failures of the BJP government, Ramesh, in a jibe, said, “We certainly hope when Modi passes through India in between his various (foreign) trips, he will take account of the things that we point out and do something about it.”

Convincing mandate He said “Modi in 2014 has got a clear and convincing mandate and at the end of one year it can safely be said that Modi is firmly on the role of betrayal of that mandate.”

Ramesh also took a jibe at Modi for his foreign trips and for taking domestic politics abroad.

“Congress is not opposed to Modi’s foreign trips per se, after all in every government prime minister is a foreign minister in a way — right from Jawaharlal Nehru’s time, and Atal Behari Vajpaee who was foreign minister used to be called ‘Gagan Vihari Vajpayee’, but Modi has become ‘Super Gagan Vihari’,” he said.

“Our objection is something more fundamental, never did Vajpayee take domestic politics abroad;...Indira Gandhi, Deve Gowda, V. P. Singh or Rajiv Gandi never took domestic politics abroad. Modi is the first and the only Prime Minister to take domestic politics abroad,” he said.

Pointing out that Congress’s primary objection is that Modi continues to be in election mode, Ramesh called his accomplishment from foreign trips are “very nice headlines”. -PTI

Credibility, stature of PM’s office restored by BJP: Jaitley NEW DELHI: Attacking Congress over dual power centres during United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) reign, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said its rule has restored the credibility, dignity and stature of the post of Indian Prime Minister, who has the last word in this government.

“UPA’s attempt to reduce the stature of prime minister’s position by setting up power centre outside the government, we always felt such a system cannot continue in a democracy and we have reversed that,” senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said at a press conference to mark the first anniversary of Narendra Modi government.

“The last year has restored the credibility, dignity and stature of the Prime Minister’s Office. In this government, the last word belongs to the Prime Minister and that is how it should be,” he said.

Jaitley asserted that the party has become the central pole of Indian politics and the national polity will now be guided along pro-BJP and anti-BJP lines.

Jaitley also said minorities in the country were safe and in the last one year, government has made attempts to ensure there is no social tension.

On provocative statements made by BJP leaders, he said they were told not to do so and some incidents like attacks on churches were found to be law and order issues.

“Today all such religious institutions have been provided with security, which was never there in the past,” he said.

He said the party and the government together displayed a lot of coordination and there is enthusiasm among party workers across the country. “Our party and our cadres are proud of our performance,” he asserted.

“Policy paralysis has been replaced by quick decisionmaking process, reluctance has been replaced by decisiveness. There is clarity of direction in the government.

A very big change is that corruption has been replaced by transparent governance.

Crony capitalism has been replaced by liberal policy-based governance,” he said. -PTI

ROW OVER APPOINTMENT

Kejriwal calls ‘emergency’ session of assembly over Centre’s notification NEW DELHI: Raising the stakes in its fight with the Lt Governor, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Saturday decided to call a two-day ‘emergency’ session of Delhi Assembly from Tuesday to deliberate on Centre’s notification giving absolute powers to him in appointment of bureaucrats and issues of police and public order.

The decision to hold the special session was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The Assembly was due to meet in June for the passage of Budget.

Officials said the session will deliberate on the gazette notification issued by the Centre as well as issues relating to sharing of power between the elected government and the Lt Governor.

They said the government had sought legal opinion from constitutional expert K. K. Venugopal and former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium and both felt that the notification is against the provisions in the Constitution and laid down norms.

In the notification issued on Friday, the Centre gave absolute powers to the LG in appointment of bureaucrats while also clarifying that he need not “consult” the chief minister on subjects like police and public order.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Delhi government has also been barred from registering any case against officers and

BRIEFING: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with his

deputy Manish Sisodia addressing a press conference at Delhi Secretariat in New Delhi on Friday. - PTI

political functionaries of the central government.

After the notification was issued, Kejriwal had launched a frontal attack on the Centre, accusing it of “back-stabbing” the people of the city by “siding” with the Lt Governor to run Delhi through “backdoor” and protect the corrupt.

The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by LG last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and LG Najeeb Jung, with Kejriwal questioning the LG’s authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.

Meanwhile, two eminent lawyers on Saturday termed “unconstitutional” and “illegal” the Centre’s notification giving ab-

solute powers to Delhi Lt Governor in appointment of bureaucrats and on subjects like police and public order and said the Chief Minister’s authority cannot be undermined.

After AAP government sought their opinion, constitutional expert K K Venugopal and former Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium questioned the very foundation of the gazette notification issued by the Home Ministry and wondered whether it has requisite approval of the President.

In his opinion, Venugopal said if a democratically elected government has been brought into power by the people, then the ‘public services of the state’ should be controlled by the elected government. - PTI

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5 My hard work has paid off. I used to study for final exams whenever I was free from work as maid in five-six homes around the neighbourhood and household chores Shalini, Bengaluru maid

INDIA

Jaya sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister for fifth time SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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Jayalalithaa’s return

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

to power comes as a shot in the arm for the AIADMK (All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) ahead of assembly elections next year

BACK AT THE HELM: Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah administers

oath to AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, at Madras University Centenary Auditorium in Chennai on Saturday. - PTI

CHENNAI: AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Saturday returned as chief minister of southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time, some eight months after she was forced to quit over corruption charges, amidst celebrations by party supporters who hailed her return at the helm of affairs.

At a glittering ceremony, the 67-year-old leader was administered the oath of office and secrecy

by Governor K Rosaiah with the party faithful raising slogans in her favour.

28 ministers sworn in Twenty eight ministers were also sworn in. Her return to power comes as a shot in the arm for the AIADMK (All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) ahead of Assembly elections next year.

Shouts of ‘Puratchi Thalaivi Vazhga’ (Long live the revolutionary leader) echoed across the Madras University centenary auditorium as Jayalalithaa took the oath in the name of God in Tamil.

Attired in an embroidered green saree, Jayalalithaa entered the hall in the midst of frenzied slogan shouting by supporters who had converged early in the morning to catch a glimpse of their ‘Amma’.

Jayalalithaa was disqualified following her conviction in the Rs66.66 crore disproportionate assets case by a trial court in Bengaluru on September 27.

The Karnataka High Court had subsequently acquitted her of the charges on May 11.

The ceremony was witnessed

by a galaxy of dignitaries including superstar Rajinikanth, actor Sarathkumar, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan and AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai.

Jayalalithaa retained almost the entire previous cabinet.

Former forest minister M.S.M. Anandan and ailing P. Chenthur Pandian, who was a minister without portfolio, were omitted while former minister, Agri Krishnamurthy, arrested in connection with the suicide of an official, was left out.

Incidentally, ministers were sworn-in in two batches of 14 each, making the formal event a short one. They, including outgoing chief minister O Panneer-

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selvam, were seen reverentially greeting their leader with folded hands after taking over.

The swearing-in was also attended by actors Sivakumar and his son Karthi, industry captains like N Srinivasan of India Cements and some religious heads.

This time, the ministers and other supporters were all smiles in stark contrast to that of the low-key swearing-in ceremony on September 29, when Panneerselvam became the stop-gap chief minister, two days after Jayalalithaa’s conviction.

He had resigned on Friday after she was elected AIADMK Legislature Party Leader following her acquittal in the case.

On the occasion of Jayalalithaa’s return to power, party supporters from various parts of the state flooded Chennai, giving the police a tough time managing the surging crowds, especially in the vicinity of the swearing-in venue. Security kept a close vigil as the AIADMK supremo drove from her Poes Garden residence to traverse a seven km route to reach the venue.

Jammers and other gadgets were put to optimal use as Jayalalithaa is covered under ‘Z’ plus security status.

Commandos and plainclothes men did the job of

providing security cover and crowd management.

AIADMK workers all over the state burst crackers, distributed sweets and organised playing of traditional music to celebrate the return of Jayalalithaa as chief minister.

Partymen in several towns and cities of the state were also seen distributing buttermilk, among other items, to people in public places, bus-stands and railway stations.

On the political front, in the wake of Jayalalithaa’s return to power, a wary opposition may have to look at options of fighting next year’s polls with allies to challenge the now looking formidable AIADMK. The AIADMK chief had in 2011 proved calculations of DMK’s likely return to power wrong when she led her party to a fantastic win by forming a rainbow coalition comprising DMDK and Left parties.

The M Karunanidhi-led DMK could only muster 23 MLAs at the hustings.

Since then the Jayalalithaa juggernaut has been rolling on unchallenged in Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK has not only won all bypolls and local body elections, but stamped its superiority in last year’s Lok Sabha polls as well.

Jayalalithaa-steered AIADMK won 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state, giving ample indications of her popularity amid a perceived Narendra Modi wave in Tamil Nadu.- PTI

INDIAN-AMERICAN BOY

11-year-old graduates from college LOS ANGELES: An IndianAmerican home-schooled boy has surprised one and all by graduating from a US college at the age of 11 with three associate degrees in maths, science and foreign language studies.

Tanishq Abraham, a native of Sacramento, California, graduated from American River College in Sacramento (ARC), California, alongside 1,800 students.

Abraham is the youngest person to graduate from American River College this year.

“The assumption is that he’s the all-time youngest,” American River College spokesman Scott Crow told NBC News.

Abraham last year became one of the youngest ever in the US to graduate high school.

Home-schooled since the age of 7, Abraham passed a state exam in March last year that certified he had met the appropriate academic standards to receive his high school diploma.

His achievement last year had earned the attention of President Barack Obama — who had sent Tanishq a congratulatory letter.

Abraham joined MENSA, the prominent high IQ society, when he was only four years old.

Abraham told a local TV station that the milestone of graduating from college was not “much of a big thing for me.”

His mother, Taji Abraham, said he has always been ahead of the class. “Even in kindergarten he was pretty ahead, a few years ahead — and then it just went from there,” she told KCRA-TV. -PTI

PRE-UNIVERSITY COURSE

Bengaluru maid Shalini dreams big after scoring 85% BENGALURU: Seventeen-yearold Shalini, who doubles up as a housemaid to support her family, has found a solid reason to dream big. She appeared in the two-year pre-university course (PUC) board exam and scored an impressive 85 percent recently.

“My hard work has paid off.

I used to study for final exams whenever I was free from work as maid in five-six homes around the neighbourhood and household chores,” a gritty Shalini said at her small rented home in the city’s western suburb.

The Karnataka Examination Authority declared the PUC results on May 18 for the exams held in March across the state.

Though distinction was not new to this only daughter of a poor family, as she scored 86 per cent in 10th

class board exam two years ago, it is her ability to repeat the feat despite adversity that inspires.

While preparing for her exams, she also looked after an ailing father Armugam, bed-ridden since falling from a building over a decade ago, and younger brother Surya, who is undergoing treatment at a state-run hospital for blood cancer.

Support “As my mother (Vijay) is the only earning member and works as a domestic help in dozen homes, I used assist her and learn washing utensils and clothes, sweeping and mopping floors and sprinkle water in front of houses to draw rangoli (colours). Later, she also took up the same work at some houses to add to the family’s income. Hav-

ACHIEVEMENT: Shalini, 17, who works as maid in five houses in Bengaluru. - IANS

ing studied in Tamil medium up to seventh class, eighth and ninth class in Kannada medium, Shalini switched over to English medium in 10th class. She wrote the exams

in English with ease from Vivekvardhani School.

“Tamil is my mother tongue and Kannada is the local language. I opted for English in 10th class to do PUC and degree in the same language,” Shalini shared in flawless English.

A shy and reserved ward, Shalini surprised even those for whom she worked as a domestic help.

“They (owners) were delighted to see me talking about my performance in PUC on news channels and read about me in some newspapers with my phone.

“They wondered how I managed to study so well while doing maid work in their homes,” Shalini said.

Unfazed by social and economic hardships, Shalini now wants to graduate in electronics and communications and become a soft-

ware engineer in an Indian IT bellwether or a multi-national in this tech hub.

“I am waiting for CET (common entrance test) results so that I can join a reputed engineering college like BMS, BNM or VIET in the city with support from trusts, scholarships and donation from charitable institutions,” Shalini said.

Recognising Shalini’s talent and hard work, the Mysore-based Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement paid her admission and tuition fee in the Sri Gururaj Parents and Teachers Association PreUniversity College in the city’s southern suburb. It was a reward for passing the SSLC board exam with distinction.

“The trust also paid for my annual bus pass and books. I hope to get similar financial assistance

from others to study engineering if I don’t get scholarship, as my family cannot afford to pay the exorbitant fee in a degree college,” Shalini said.

Admitting that it would be a tough call to juggle studies and work as a domestic help at the degree level, Shalini said she has no choice but to keep sharing her mother’s burden.

She knows her family has no health insurance or any other source of income to pay for father’s and brother’s treatment and meet house expenses.

“Living in a costly city like Bengaluru has been a struggle, as we don’t have property or assets,” said Shalini, adding: “But I have learnt to face troubles and cope with pressures to excel,” Shalini added.- IANS

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

PAKISTAN

The government will not bring any change in the present tax-free status of foreign remittances, which is a major source of earning for hundreds of thousands of families Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister

Interest rates cut to 42-year-old low The low interest and inflation rates would entail robust investment in the country in the next fiscal year. The government is likely to set an aggressive target for the GDP growth (in) the next year, said Mohammad Sohail, who heads the Topline Securities

The State Bank (of Pakistan) is cutting the monetary policy rates by 100 basis points, aiming at boosting investment in the country, the bank’s governor Ashraf Mahamood Wathra said

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), on Saturday slashed the benchmark interest rates to a 42year low of seven per cent, hoping to stimulate growth in the long dormant economy.

“The State Bank (of Pakistan) is cutting the monetary policy rates by 100 basis points, aiming at boosting investment in the country,” SBP governor Ashraf Maha-

mood Wathra told a press conference in the capital Islamabad.

Pakistan is trying to reboot its economy as key indicators became favourable at home, with the added

support from depressed petroleum prices in the global market.

Standard and Poor’s early this month revised Pakistan’s credit rating outlook from stable to

A L L E G AT I O N S AG A I N S T A X AC T

positive and forecast higher GDP growth for 2015 to 2017, amid a stint of economic reforms.

In March, Moody’s upgraded Pakistan’s dollar bonds rating by one

notch from stable to positive.

Net foreign exchange reserves with the central bank reached $12.55 billion this month from just $3.2 billion in January 2014.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has voiced satisfaction with Pakistan’s progress on reforms, which were required under a $6.6-billion bailout agreed in 2013.

“The low interest and inflation rates would entail robust investment in the country in the next fiscal year,” said Mohammad Sohail who heads the Topline Securities, one of the leading brokerage and investment house in Karachi, the country’s financial hub.

“The government is likely to set an aggressive target for the GDP growth (in) the next year,” he said.

The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will announce its annual budget for the next fiscal early in June, its second budget since coming into power in 2013.

Pakistan’s GDP is estimated to have grown 4.2 per cent in the current fiscal year ending June 30, slightly higher than four percent last year. — AFP

SOURCE OF INCOME

Contacting FBI, Interpol for help in Government rejects probe into fake-degree scam: Nisar proposal on taxing ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said on Saturday the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Interpol are being contacted for assistance in Axact’s fake diploma scandal.

“In light of the developments that have come through in the inquiry conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) so far, we have decided to write to the FBI within the next two days to ask for legal assistance,” the interior minister said, while addressing the media in Islamabad.

Further, he said the interior ministry will contact the Interpol for assistance as well and if need be British authorities.

“We are contacting Interpol because we can seek information from them on the universities mentioned in the report,” the interior minister upheld.

Nisar added, “The SECP (Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Federal Bureau of Revenue, Pakistan Telecom Authority and Pakistan Software Association have been briefed

by FIA regarding developments in the case.”

“The initial inquiry will be completed within the next seven to 10 days and after that we will decide the next step to take and whether an first information report should be registered,” Nisar added.

Transparent inquiry Assuring a fair and transparent investigation will be carried out to probe the Axact scandal, Nisar said, “We will not succumb to any pressure.”

The interior minister admit-

foreign remittances In light of the developments that have come through in the inquiry conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) so far, we have decided to write to the FBI within the next two days to ask for legal assistanc. We are contacting Interpol because we can seek information from them on the universities mentioned in the report Chaudhry Nisar Interior Minister ted he directed the FIA to inquire into Axact following a report published in the New York Times.

“The interior ministry is only concerned in the Axact case because it was report published in an international newspaper and I decided we had to take action.”

Claiming that the time frame for investigations is 90 days, Nisar said, “As this is a sensitive case we are trying to complete investigations in the minimum time required.”

Further, he urged media to not give in to speculation and not quote FIA sources in reports as it is an investigative body.

Last week, a New York Times report unveiled Axact’s role in selling fake degrees online.

Following the report claiming Axact ran a fake education empire

that involved paid actors promoting fictitious universities and even fake State Department authentication certifications bearing the signature of John Kerry, FIA teams raided the company’s head office in Karachi and regional offices in the twin-cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the directives of Nisar.

Ever since the FIA has started visiting Axact headquarters, the attendance of the company’s employees has been low. Sources said routine work at the company has been suspended since the investigation was launched.

The employees that do go to work appear to be afraid of facing the journalists camped outside the head office. Every employee tries to leave the premises discreetly.

“I don’t think the senior employees will resume their jobs,” an employee conjectured. He said every member of the staff, from top to bottom, felt insecure in the present circumstances. “How can an employee face the FIA’s questions and the media’s cameras?”

Further, in a major twist to the fake degree scam, UAE daily Khaleej Times has found out that Axact’s offices in Dubai have remained closed for more than two years.

Khaleej Times visited three locations listed as Axact offices in online business directories and found only one bearing the company’s name: A small leased space inside a business centre managed

by Tecom in Dubai Media City is all that remains of Axact’s Dubai operations. — Express Tribune

AMBITIONS

Air Indus aims to bolster its operation KARACHI: After a tumultuous journey that landed Air Indus into a situation where its future looked bleak, the domestic carrier is now in talks to lease three Airbus 320s to bolster its operation, officials have said.

Efforts to expand the size of its fleet from two to five aircraft comes as the airline aims to seek permission to operate on international routes after flying domestically since mid-2013.

“We had already met the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) re-

quirement of operating on domestic routes for a year before going international,” said Javed Akhter, a senior official of the airline.

“But for that we needed to have at least five aircraft. Now we are in talks with an owner of A-320s to dry lease them.”

Air Indus flies to eight cities including Bahawalpur as a secondary destination in compliance CAA’s requirement for domestic airlines to connect certain small cities without considering passenger load factor.

Air Indus, which is backed by Karakoram Motors as the sponsor and is the fourth and youngest Pakistani airline, has not had an easy journey.

Its fleet of three Boeing 737300s has an average age of over 20 years – something which the new aviation policy does not allow.

Then, one of its aircraft was severely damaged in the 2014 attack on Karachi airport. The company, which owned the aircraft, went bankrupt and it was never repaired and inducted again.

“We tried using jets on wet lease but that’s a very expensive proposition and CAA doesn’t allow them to be in the fleet for more than three months,” said Akhter.

A wet-lease involves renting an aircraft from another airline with its pilots and cabin crew. The A320s to be dry-leased were manufactured in 2004.

Internationally, Air Indus wants to follow the lead of other private carriers and focus on Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. — Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday rejected a proposal to tax foreign remittances and also ruled out an increase in the monthly stipend of beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in the upcoming budget. However, he was ready to bring more families under the social safety network.

“The government will not bring any change in the present taxfree status of foreign remittances, which is a major source of earning for hundreds of thousands of families,” said Dar at the launching ceremony of the first National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).

Dar had turned down the proposal just a day after Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Bajwa hinted at taxing remittances. Bajwa had informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that the FBR would propose to restrict the tax-free flow of foreign remittances. Other FBR officials had stated that they wanted the government to introduce at least 1 per cent withholding tax on remittances that value over $50,000 per annum.

They said the proposal was aimed at curbing the on-going practice of legalising black money by re-routing it through foreign exchange companies.

The FBR also wanted to amend clause 111(4) of the Income Tax Ordinance, saying that it was being exploited to hide black money.

However, Dar categorically stated that he would not bring any change that will potentially affect foreign remittances in any manner.

Foreign remittances are the second most important source of balancing the external books after the export receipts. From July through April, expatriates sent $15 billion back to Pakistan– 16 per cent higher than last year.

During the same period, exports amounted to $19.9 billion. Various studies suggest that Pakistan can increase remittances to $25 billion in medium to long term.

Decline of rupee Dar voiced his opposition to those people who are betting on the decline of the Pakistan rupee against the US dollar. “The rupee-dollar parity is determined through demand and supply fac-

Foreign remittances are the second most important source of balancing the external books after the export receipts. From July through April this year, expatriates sent $15 billion back to Pakistan tors, it is not under the influence of individuals.”

The finance minister has long claimed as success at maintaining a rupee-dollar parity, which experts says is mostly based on an artificial valuation of the rupee.

Dar said that the government was planning to increase the number of BISP beneficiaries receiving official handouts in the upcoming budget. He said by June this year, the numbers of families receiving Rs18,000 annual cash stipend would grow to 5 million.

While the government does not have plans to increase this figure, Dar said the government will try to allocate more funds for BISP in the new budget and bring more beneficiaries under the BISP umbrella.

For the current fiscal year, the government had allocated Rs97 billion for cash disbursements among roughly 4.9 million families.

Responding to a question, Dar ruled out the possibility of further increasing the monthly cash stipend by Rs1,500 per family. Dar said in the last two years, the government had already increased the stipend by 50 per cent.

The finance minister said that after averting default on foreign loan repayments and then stabilising the economy, the government’s next goal was revival of economic growth. — Express Tribune

FORMER ENVOY TO US

PPP leader Sherry to contest Senate polls after end of ban ISLAMABAD: After completion of the constitutional bar to contest elections, Sherry Rehman will be contesting the Senate seat being vacated by a member of her party – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Sherry, who is Vice President of Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians, the name with which the party is registered with Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), could not take part in Senate elections held in March this

year due to the constitutional bar.

The bar was due to her service with government of Pakistan as its ambassador to the United States.

Sherry had replaced Hussain Haqqani in Washington as Pakistan’s envoy during last government of PPP. Sources in PPP said Latif Ansari who was elected as Senator from Sindh in March this year, will vacate his seat to accommodate Sherry.

Sherry Rehman had replaced Hussain Haqqani in Washington as Pakistan’s envoy during last government of Pakistan People’s Party

“Party leadership had given the ticket to Ansari with an understanding that he will quit once Sherry qualifies,” a PPP leader said anonymously.

Having a background of journalism, Sherry was considered close to Benazir Bhutto, the assassinated former chairperson of PPP. She became member of the National Assembly in 2002 for the first time on a reserved seat.

She was again nominated by

her party for the second term in 2008 elections and made it to parliament.

Once Ansari’s resignation is accepted, ECP will issue schedule for polls to fill the seat. — Express Tribune

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EXTREMIST INSURGENCY

Dozens killed in Somalia clashes MOGADISHU: Fighting in south Somalia between Al Shebaab militants and government forces killed at least 24 people, while a rebel attack in the capital killed three Transport Ministry workers, officials and the group said on Saturday.

Al Shebaab launched an attack on government troops late on Friday in the Awdigle district and Mubarak village in the Lower Shabelle region, south of the capital Mogadishu. Clashes lasted until early Saturday and killed at least two dozen people, residents said.

Gun attack In a gun attack in the capital, the group, which wants to topple the Western-backed government, killed three people working for the Transport Ministry, police said.

Al Shebaab said it launched the raid in south Somalia and was behind the Mogadishu assault.

“We shall continue killing the enemies,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, Al Shebaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters.

Smaller pockets The African Union’s AMISOM peacekeeping force and Somali soldiers pushed Al Shebaab into smaller pockets of territory during an offensive launched last year, but the group still launches regular bomb and gun attacks.

“We did not sleep last night because they exchanged shells and gunfire throughout the night,” resident Afrah Hussein said from Awdigle district, adding he had counted 17 dead but could not say if they were soldiers or militants.

In Mubarak, a resident saw seven killed from both sides. — Reuters MINING PROJECT

Peru declares emergency to quell protests LIMA: Peru on Saturday instituted a 60-day state of emergency in a mineral-rich region roiled by deadly protests against Southern Copper Corp’s stalled $1.4 billion Tia Maria project.

The emergency state in nine districts in the southern region of Arequipa suspends civil liberties, allowing police and troops to enforce curfews and order an end to two months of protests that led Southern Copper to formally put the project on hold last week.

“The national police with the backing of the armed forces will take charge of keeping public order,” Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano said late on Friday.

The announcement followed the death of a fourth person in clashes between protesters and police as Tia Maria opponents pushed for a definitive cancelation of the proposed copper mine.

Opponents say they fear a new copper mine in the region will pollute land and water. — Reuters

Southeast Asia is currently battling an exodus of boat people fleeing persecution and poverty, with up to 2,000 vulnerable migrants thought to be stranded in the Bay of Bengal, many at the mercy of ruthless people smugglers

YANGON: A group of migrants recently rescued by Myanmar will be deported to Bangladesh, officials confirmed Saturday, as the United Nations chief called on regional nations to prioritise saving the lives of those still stranded at sea.

Southeast Asia is currently battling an exodus of boat people fleeing persecution and poverty, with up to 2,000 vulnerable migrants thought to be stranded in the Bay of Bengal, many at the mercy of ruthless people smugglers.

Most are Muslim Rohingyas from the western Rakhine state in Myanmar, where they are not recognised as citizens and instead referred to as “Bengalis” or illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis, meanwhile, are also trying to escape.

More than 3,500 migrants have swum to shore or been rescued off the coasts of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh since a Thai crackdown on human-trafficking in early May threw the illicit trade into chaos.

Global pressure Myanmar has faced increasing international pressure to stem the deluge from its shores and deliver urgent humanitarian relief to thousands still trapped at sea.

On Friday the country’s navy said it had carried out its first rescue of a migrant boat when scores of bare-chested men were found crammed into the hull of a wooden fishing vessel and taken to shore.

Myanmar officials say all 208 men are from Bangladesh and will soon be returned there. AFP wasn’t able to independently verify where the migrants were from.

“We are giving humanitarian assistance to them. After that we will deport them back to the relevant country,” Zaw Htay, director of the presidential office, said on Saturday.

“We have made contact with Bangladeshi border officials on the ground regarding the arrived persons,” he added.

TRAPPED: Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, who were rescued by the Myanmar navy alongside Bangladesh refugees, are interviewed

by immigration officers at a Muslim religious school used as a temporary refugee camp, at the Aletankyaw village in Myanmar on Saturday. — Reuters

Bangladesh’s border guard force said a team would travel to Myanmar shortly.

“Our commander will go himself. The entire procedure might take up to two or three days to complete,” Major Abu Russell Siddiki, a spokesman at the Teknaf border post, told AFP. A separate law enforcement source said Bangladesh wanted to make sure Myanmar did not send any Rohingya.

The rescue by the Myanmar navy comes as fears grow for migrants still stuck at sea at a time when the dry winter months are about to give way to the regional monsoon.

UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon said finding and saving the lives of those migrants should be a “top priority”.

Speaking during a visit to Hanoi, he called on regional nations to tackle the “root causes” of the current exodus at an upcoming conference in Thailand later this month.

“But when people are drifting on the sea, how we can search and rescue them and provide life saving humanitarian assistance, that is a top priority at this time,” he said.

The Rohingya face daily discrimination and a raft of restrictions. Many live in displacement camps after scores were killed in 2012 as violence flared between the community and local Buddhists -- an event that caused a spike in people trying to flee on boats.

Most migrants aim for Malaysia and Indonesia using dangerous

US police officer found not guilty in fatal shooting case

Lethal force The trial, which began on April 6, took place at a time when US law enforcement is under close scrutiny for the use of lethal force against minority groups. It followed a series of high-profile deaths of unarmed black men in confrontations with white police officers in various states across the country.

The two people who were killed, Malissa Williams and

WORLD

Myanmar defiant, set to deport rescued migrants

UNARMED BLACKS

WASHINGTON: A Cleveland police officer was found not guilty on Saturday of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of an unarmed man and a woman who were killed after a highspeed car chase in 2012.

Judge John O’Donnell said Officer Michael Brelo, 31, acted reasonably in shooting the two suspects while standing on the hood of their car and firing through the windshield after it was surrounded. Brelo was also found not guilty of aggravated assault in the case.

A1 1

house in Cleveland protesting the verdict, chanting “No justice, no peace,” while police in riot gear patrolled the crowd. Reaction on Twitter was swift, with many people commenting that they were bewildered by the judge’s reasoning.

Michael Brelo

Timothy Russell, were black and Brelo, a former Marine, is white.

“Brelo was acting in conditions difficult for even experienced officers to imagine,” O’Donnell said during the roughly hour-long reading of the verdict.

“He was in a strange place at night surrounded by gunfire, sirens and flashing bulbs. Brelo did not fire too quickly or at a person who was clearly unarmed or unable to run him over. He did not fire at somebody running away,” he added.

A small crowd of demonstrators gathered outside the court-

Slapped in the face “We sat here an hour just to be slapped in the face AGAIN,” wrote a user identified as PB, or @ blackloundproud, referring to the time it took for O’Donnell to read his verdict.

“This is becoming too repetitive for me now. There’s no way these courts can legitimately let these acts dance off scot-free,” wrote Jacky, or @jackyalcine.

Brelo’s attorney, Patrick D’Angelo, slammed the prosecution for pursuing the charges against his client.

“The prosecution in this case spared no expense and in fact was ruthless,” D’Angelo said, speaking after the verdict. — Reuters

and lucrative smuggling networks that criss-cross the region.

Over recent years, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshis have left their homes in what has become the largest regional sea migration since the end of the Vietnam War. The smugglers largely went about their business unhindered until the crack down by Thailand on smuggling networks in the country’s south, which caused many gangmasters to abandon their victims.

Smugglers Other smugglers off the coast of Myanmar have held off making the crossing because of the crackdown, instead keeping their human cargo trapped on boats moored in the Bay of Bengal.

A trickle of would-be migrants have managed to return to Myanmar after relatives raised funds to buy them back from people smugglers.

But many more are thought to be still stuck on boats, and aid workers have urged countries to rescue them before the region is lashed by heavy monsoon rains.

Myanmar has seen surging Buddhist nationalism in recent years and spates of violence targeting Muslim minorities have raised doubts over its much vaunted reforms.

Noble Peace Prize winning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is yet to comment on the current crisis, a silence that observers attribute to fears over alienating a swathe of the electorate just months ahead of the polls. — AFP

Jakarta tells Canberra most migrants at sea not Rohingya SYDNEY: Indonesia has told Australia that most of the migrants stranded at sea in Southeast Asia are illegal labourers from Bangladesh, not oppressed Muslim Rohingya, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in comments published on Saturday.

More than 3,500 migrants have swum to shore or been rescued off the coasts of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh since a Thai crackdown on human-trafficking in early May threw the illicit trade into chaos.

Speaking to The Weekend Australian newspaper, Julie said Indonesia estimated that only 30 to 40 per cent of the thousands still stranded at sea were Rohingya.

Illegal labourers “They (Indonesia) believe there are about 7,000 people at sea [and] they think about 30 to 40 per cent are Rohingya, the rest are Bangladeshi; and they are not, in Indonesia’s words, asylum-seekers, they are not refugees -- they are illegal labourers. They’ve been promised or are seeking jobs in Malaysia,” Julie said.

“They said the Rohingya have gone to Bangladesh and have mixed up with the Bangladeshis who are coming to Malaysia in particular for jobs.”

Julie said that Indonesia’s director-general of multilateral affairs, Hasan Kleib, had told her that on one vessel, Bangladeshis accounted for 400 of the 600 people onboard.

Hardline policy Australia, which maintains a hardline policy of denying asylum-seekers who arrive by boats resettlement and which turns back vessels when it can, has maintained its refusal to resettle any stranded boat people, saying to do so would encourage people-smuggling.

“I will say or do nothing to encourage people to take to the sea in boats and any suggestion that there is some kind of special resettlement program here in Australia for people taking to the sea in boats just encourages people-smuggling,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday. — AFP

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The escalation of unauthorised wars

I

t seems like ages ago now. But it’s worth remembering how America’s latest war in the Middle East began. In early August, shortly after IS militants had taken over Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, President Obama authorised a volley of airstrikes. The goal then was to save Yazidis, an ethnic minority, who were being slaughtered and displaced by the militants, and to prevent the terrorist group from slipping into the semiautonomous Kurdish region in the north. The White House described it as an urgent, limited intervention that was necessary to avoid genocide.

Over the past nine months, the United States and a small network of allies have carried out more than 4,050 strikes in Iraq and Syria in an attempt to weaken IS, a stunningly resilient terrorist group that poses an enormous menace to the region and the West. As of April 9, the war had cost American taxpayers more than $2.1 billion, or roughly $8.6 million per day, according to the latest data released by the Pentagon.

Over the weekend, American Special Operation forces sneaked into Syria to carry out a risky raid that represented a striking escalation of the campaign.

Pentagon announced it had ordered a risky operation by Delta Force troops, who sought to capture, but ended up killing, a midlevel IS leader. This mission into Syria was the first of its kind that the American military has disclosed. Officials said the raid netted a bounty of intelligence and dealt a blow to the financial operations of IS. That may well be. It is, however, deeply troubling to consider what would have happened if the troops had been taken hostage or killed in pursuit of a man most Americans had never heard of.

When the first American bombs began slamming into Iraq and Syria, the Obama administration argued that the war authorisations Congress passed in support of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan more than a decade ago provided sufficient legal cover. That claim was flimsy then. It, too, seems preposterous now. As the war intensifies, it is more urgent than ever for Congress to approve a new Authorisation for Use of Military Force that would provide adequate oversight and clearly articulate the long-term strategy for the fight. The new mandate should replace the ones the administration is currently relying on and set clear limits that would preclude future administrations from using military force around the globe, anytime, anywhere, without consulting Congress.

Despite this obvious need, however, Congress and the White House appear to have quietly given up on passing a new AUMF. In February, a White House proposal for a three-year authorisation that would have given the Pentagon wide latitude to fight the militants and affiliated groups provoked a listless and inconclusive debate. Democrats criticised the proposal as too expansive and Republicans deemed it too restrictive. - The New York Times News Service

ESCALATING THREAT

The return of the Balkan question DOMINIQUE MOISI

Where does the buck stop?

T

he joint investigation team looking into the clashes between the Punjab police and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers has absolved the Punjab chief minister. It will be recalled that on June 17, 2014, at least 14 workers of PAT were killed and 90 injured in clashes in Model Town, Lahore. This ranks as perhaps, the largest loss of life as a result of inappropriate over-use of force in a single incident by any police force in the country. The report also absolves Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying that neither he nor his brother Shahbaz were directly involved in the incident. The report is authored by a team formed after the PAT rejected the findings of an earlier joint investigation team; and lays the blame on 10 police officers.

The report is unsatisfactory at a number of levels, and may be seen as an exercise in exoneration rather than the ascription of responsibility and blame. Also up for exoneration were an assortment of federal ministers and the police up to the level of DIG and CCPO, who were also “not involved” and therefore seemingly carry no responsibility.

‘Responsibility’ only makes an appearance with SP Security Salman Khan who gave the order to open fire, and fired himself. The report states that the PAT workers were attacking the police with stones and petrol bombs and the police were on the back foot — which is as much a training and equipment deficit as one of command and control.

Live firing by the police is not an acceptable measure of crowd control, and absolution for those up the line on the grounds that they were ‘not present’ is equally unacceptable. Responsibility — the buck — in situations such as this sits at the apex, sits in the office that carries ultimate responsibility for actions delegated to the police and other accountable agencies. Elsewhere in the world some very large heads would have rolled, resignations would have been offered, but when it comes to the government of Punjab, it does not work like that. The buck stops where the rulers want it to stop, and not on their desk or watch. - The Express Tribune

Motorists need to drive with caution in Ramadan This refers to the news story, Days to be longer and hotter this Ramadan (May 23). The sunset and the evening prayer bring in a sense of relief to those fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan. The need to be with family members and friends in time for Iftar becomes paramount. This leads motorists to drive fast to reach home, which sometimes causes accidents. It has also been noted that drivers feel dizzy while driving due to the long hours of fasting and many feel dehydrated and sleepy. Coordination of eyes, mind, legs and hands often diminishes making driving a challenge. That is why we feel that motorists need to exercise more caution while driving back home for Iftar. We feel that the motorists should be more cautious while

driving during the Holy Month of Ramadan so that the general feeling of piousness does not turn tragic.

Asadul Iqbal Latif Al Ghubra

Drivers should maintain extra safety in Ramadan This refers to the news story, Days to be longer and hotter this Ramadan (May 23). The month of Ramadan is a holy and pious period. In the rush to reach home for Iftar, motorists sometimes end up meeting with accidents and precious lives are lost. Those who survive the accidents live the rest of their lives with either permanent injuries or horrible memories that haunt them forever. We feel worried and immensely sad when newspaper headlines scream of

What is clear is that the region remains an explosive and confused reality, one capable of threatening Europe’s stability, already on a knife’s edge following Russia’s adventurism in Ukraine. The region is a volatile mix of rising nationalism, deep economic frustration, and disillusionment

O

ne must Europeanise the Balkans, in order to avoid the Balkanisation of Europe. I wrote those words with the French political scientist Jacques Rupnik in 1991, just as war was breaking out among Yugoslavia’s successor states. The fighting would last until the end of the decade, claim thousands of lives, and twice require the intervention of Nato (in Bosnia in 1995 and Serbia in 1999).

Nearly a quarter-century later, the Balkans continue to constitute a threat to European peace, just as they did on the eve of World War I and at the end of the Cold War, when Yugoslavia’s implosion led not only to Europe’s first war since 1945, but also to the return of genocidal murder.

The recent fighting in Macedonia, which left eight police officers and 14 Albanian militants dead, raises the spectre of renewed violence. It is difficult to know whether the bloodshed represents the festering of an old, unhealed wound or something new, a backlash against a majority-Slav government that seems bent on embracing ethnic chauvinism.

What is clear is that the region remains an explosive and confused reality, one capable of threatening Europe’s stability, already on a knife’s edge following Russia’s adventurism in Ukraine.

The region is a volatile mix of rising nationalism, deep economic frustration, and disillusionment about progress toward membership in the European Union. The potential for a plunge into chaos obliges us to consider once again how best to handle the Balkan tinderbox.

When I was in Belgrade recently, the gunplay in Macedonia was the talk of the town. Some of my Serbian interlocutors decried the West’s blindness.

In particular, they criticised the EU, Nato, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe for describing the upsurge in violence as a series of “isolated incidents.”

From the Serbs’ perspective, attacks by Albanian nationalists were more likely the beginning of an attempt to enlarge their territory at the expense of their Christian neighbours, beginning with the weakest.

It is views like these that, along with the violence, risk reinforcing the deep ambivalence within the EU about the prospect of any new enlargement. The precedent of Greece, hardly a poster child for European accession, seems especially relevant when applied to its northern neighbours, which are similarly plagued with high rates of corruption and unemployment.

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Fervor is the weapon of choice for the impotent FRANTZ FANON

And some in the EU are put off by the seeming affinity of the Orthodox Church and its adherents toward Vladimir Putin’s Russia, or by the region’s large Muslim population.

These European apprehensions partly reflect failure by the continent’s leaders to capitalise on the sometimes-spectacular successes of enlargement, Poland being the most notable example. Instead, the exigencies of domestic politics have induced many European leaders to underscore the difficulties and accentuate the failures of expansion.

With such a cold wind blowing from the West, it is little wonder that Europhilia has begun to give way in places like Belgrade to a pining nostalgia for the Yugoslav era. “At that time, we were respected,” was how a retired Serbian diplomat put it to me. “We were one of the Great countries of the Non-Aligned Movement.”

Similar sentiments are evident in Bosnia, and even in Croatia, an EU member since 2013. During the communist era, Yugoslavia provided a sharp contrast with the Soviet bloc. Economically and socially, its citizens were far better off than those of Central Europe.

Today, their fortunes have flipped. Poland is booming, while Yugoslavia’s successor states (with the exception of Slovenia) are struggling, victims of the unhealed wounds of the distant and recent past – including former Yugoslav and Serbian President Slobodan Milošević’s cynical atavism in winning and maintaining power.

It has been years since the EU looked so distant, so aloof. The decision by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to abolish the post of Commissioner for Enlargement has been seen as highly symbolic, leaving many in search of an alternative model.

The Russian re-conquest of Crimea provides a gleeful talking point for ultra-nationalist Serbs bemoaning the loss of Albanian-majority Kosovo.

Meanwhile, the Gaprom office in central Belgrade offers a large, visible proof of Russia’s energy presence in the country.

The truth, of course, is that there is no “Russian model” for the Balkans beyond the use of brute force. Ever-closer ties with Europe remain the best way forward for the region’s residents and the EU alike.

In a time of severe economic crisis, European ideals remain, in spite of everything, the only efficient antidote to virulent nationalism.

For the Balkans, as for the rest of Europe, the EU is the only alternative to a future as bad as the worst of the past. - Project Syndicate

people killed in road accidents during the holy month. Motorists need to be extra cautious while driving back home for Iftar.

Uuzma Rehaman Azaiba

We hope the temperature drops during Ramadan This refers to the news story, Days to be longer and hotter this Ramadan (May 23). I sincerely hope that the temperature drops down during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Last year too the temperature dropped during the month.

Jaison Mathai Muscat

Smokers too should be considered as killers A tendency has been noticed

among smokers worldwide that they do not show any concern for others. They do not feel ashamed of themselves for not only polluting the atmosphere but also for chocking others who they force to smoke irrespective of whether they are children, women or aged.

These killers must be stopped and stopped forthwith. Studies have shown how the lives of millions of non-smokers are imperilled by the smokers. For passive smoking or second hand smoking is as injurious to health as direct smoking, especially for the children. By imperilling the lives of others the smokers virtually turn into passive killers. These murderers must be quarantined and restricted otherwise they’ll continue to punish others for no fault of theirs.

K. K. Srinivas Ghala

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

T I MES OF OMAN

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

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PERSPEC IVE Making sense of Hersh’s Bin Laden blockbuster T

he capture and killing of the world’s most wanted man was always going to be an enthralling story, considering how he challenged and punctured the pride of the sole global superpower as well as evade arrest for a decade before being liquidated.

Four years after Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad not far from Pakistan Military Academy — the US equivalent of West Point or UK’s Sandhurst — we are nowhere near any definitive account of how Bin Laden was brought to justice. Therein lays the fascination, nay hunger for dénouement.

Renowned investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has rattled the pickets with a searing account in London Review of Books of one of the world’s most intriguing hunts, but whose bona fides are likely to remain in question since it is in the interest of the powers-that-be — from Washington to Islamabad — to conceal it.

Official denials have been duly delivered since then and, as expected, countless column inches have been exhausted in being harsh to Hersh. Not that there aren’t holes in his alternative version of the epic drama where even a remotely inquisitive mind would be a trite skeptical of “unnamed sources” driving the story.

But to give the devil his due, it is hardly astonishing given the sensitive nature of information being peddled, and the fact that this is a man who wisened the world to the My Lai massacre and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.

The 10,000-word blockbuster LRB piece is centred around dismantling the Obama Administration’s version of the spectacle and reinforcing the long held suspicion that the Pakistani military and intelligence apparatus not only harboured Bin Laden, but that the two colluded in taking out the fugitive.

The veteran journalist claims the plan was to say publicly that Bin Laden was killed not in the raid but in a drone strike — a plausible ruse for its public acceptance in Pakistan — to prevent the devastating consequences it would entail if it was found out that the Pakistani military authorities were complicit.

However, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist claims the White House reneged on the deal because it was politically rewarding to make the details of the raid public. Logically, such a claim is not too difficult to surmise considering how it bolstered the Obama presidency in an election year, where he managed to get re-elected.

While it makes sense for the coterie of journal-

KAMRAN REHMAT

Showing fury at the ‘breach of sovereignty’ would appear to be a studied attempt at damage-control. The fact that the Abbottabad Commission report was not made public in Pakistan lends credence to such an assumption

ists who have questioned Hersh’s account to both believe in — and reinforce — the irresistible impression they have of the ability of the world’s preeminent superpower to smoke out the bad guys anytime, anywhere, anyhow, it leaves question marks over the Pakistani security establishment’s role in the episode.

The impression that emerges is one of camouflage, especially given Hersh’s claim of a Pakistani operative selling out to the CIA back in 2010 that paved the way for the eventual mission to get Bin Laden, and the lack of response to the raid.

If true, showing fury at the ‘breach of sovereignty’ would appear to be a studied attempt at damagecontrol. The fact that the Abbottabad Commission report was not made public in Pakistan lends credence to such an assumption.

However, it beggars belief that the Pakistani military would hide, and manage to do so for so long, the world’s most wanted fugitive in the vicinity of its premier academy in full glare of the world’s roving eye.

It is still more implausible that it would agree to a raid near its military academy when the consequences for such action would be dire, at least for those at the helm. As if proof was needed, both thethen army chief and spymaster felt humiliated and barely survived in office following the commotion.

Najam Sethi, perhaps the most informed and influential Pakistani journalist, advances the theory that there may have been an understanding for a lightning raid after the US would have asked the Pakistani military to look the other way as it took out a prime value target without actually identifying who it was or the exact territory — to be later explained away as a drone strike.

Sethi’s hypothesis is that US would have threatened to expose the Pakistani military leadership in the event of any resistance to its action, but that it turned out that the target was Bin Laden, not someone else they would have been given to believe as a smokescreen, and which, according to him, appears to explain the shock and lack of Pakistani response on the ground.

What makes the ‘deal’ theory murkier still, is, how in the wake of the raid, the bilaterals just fell apart taking it to a historic low, which would have been unlikely if there had been a wink and a nod.

The author is a senior journalist based in Islamabad.

All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely his and not of Times of Oman.

Britain’s looming power predicament

B

ritain has hi-tec capability.

Fifty percent of the successful Airbus is British: including the wonderful wing, electrifying electronics and reliable Rolls Royce engines. The British also invented the computer and programming system, along with text messaging and the internet. The British government has proved less successful.

Britain’s Conservative government auctioned off the electricity industry thirty years ago.

Over the following decades foreign owners handsomely profited with slight investment in fresh generating capacity.

Now, devoid of nuclear design and construction capability, Britain has turned to France and its state owned EDF, who with Chinese finance, won British government contracts for nuclear plant construction at Hinkley Point and Sizewell.

The decision to replace the plant at Hinckley Point, with a new generation of nuclear reactors, dates back to 2008 and the Labour government; the contract later being awarded by a Conservative coalition government.

The French nuclear safety inspectorate checking a similar EDF plant, under construction

GARY SMITH

near Cherbourg, found cracks in the nuclear reactor casing. On examination the Inspectorate concluded that replacing the casings would be possible but very costly “in both time and money”.

It could take several years to reorder and manufacture replacements whilst the Cherbourg plant is currently over budget and likely to cost 8.5bn Euros, against an original contract price of 3bn Euros.

The French Inspectorate conducting a second safety investigation found that the quality of steel used to make the safety casing or “pressure vessel” which encloses the defective ground breaking reactor is also defective.

This could delay EDF’s new French power station by several years, and places a question mark over the cost of the replacements ordered by Britain’s government.

These may cost three times the original contract value and is likely to scare Chinese investors, who have signed up to cover part of EDF’s £14bn Hinkley Point project.

A final British government “investment” decision for Hinkley Point – now several years late – is expected in June. Meantime the French Prime Minister called a crisis meeting on 17th April to dis-

cuss the threat to France’s nuclear industry posed by this manufacturing fault.

For the present Britain is operating its nuclear power stations significantly beyond their design life, risking a life-threatening nuclear incident. Last year alone one third were drawn off-line to repair reactor faults.

Even with unstable nuclear capacity, the privatised distribution company – National Grid – took the unprecedented step of notifying Downing Street of impending power cuts; anticipated during the spring of 2014.

Disturbingly these power cuts very nearly transpired during a period of lesser electricity demand than would prevail during a severe British winter. Britain’s privatisation boom generated a hi-tec vacuum in British nuclear design and construction capacity. This policy deficiency is now exposed by the future prospect of electricity rationing.

The author is a freelance contributor based in Britain. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely his and not of Times of Oman.

Of bikers and thugs in the Unites States CHARLES M. BLOW

T

here was a deadly biker gang fight and massacre in Waco, Tex. Nine people were killed, and 18 others were injured. “About 170 bikers were charged with engaging in organised crime linked to capital murder,” The New York Times reported.

According to The Waco Tribune-Herald, “officials have found 1,000 weapons tucked into kitchen areas, vehicles and toilets,” and those weapons included chains with padlocks, pocketknives, assault knives, batons and even an AK-47. They also found body armour.

But the tone and tenor of the rhetoric the media used to describe this event — particularly early on — were in stark contrast to the language used to describe the protests over the killings of black men by the police.

In Waco, the words used to describe the participants in a shootout so violent that a local police spokesman called the crime scene the bloodiest he had ever seen included “biker clubs,” “gangs” and “outlaw motorcycle gangs.”

While those words may be accurate, they lack the pathological markings of those used to describe protesters in places like Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore. President Obama and the mayor of Baltimore were quick to use the loaded label “thugs” for the violent rioters there. That the authorities have not used that word to describe the far worse violence in Waco makes the contrast all the more glaring.

The world has seen, even in the last few years, unspeakable savagery of a scale on which the recent American riots would hardly register, and no one racial group has the market cornered on barbarism. Human beings, as a whole, under the right (or should I say wrong?) conditions, are capable of primal, animalistic violence.

But there is something about black violence that makes some people leap to a racialised conclusion that the violence is about our fraying culture — that it’s not simply about people behaving violently, but about the entirety of the environment from which they sprang. Black violence stops being about individual people, and starts being about the whole of a people.

Does the violence in Waco say something universal about white culture or Hispanic culture? Even the question sounds ridiculous — and yet we don’t hesitate to ask such questions around black violence, and to answer it, in the affirmative. And invariably, the single-mother, absent-fa-

ther trope is dragged out.

We have to recognise what these disparities and the way we see and discuss events, particularly violent ones, are all about: an underlying fear of, distaste for, suspicion of the otherness of blackness that informs these beliefs. This is a hatred, whether the conscious considerations are malicious or benign. This is a hatred, which says that blackness is inherently lesser. This is a hatred that at its most insidious can even be internalised.

Only love can defeat that kind of hate, particularly as it manifests itself in such subtle terms. It is a love that must move against these waves of current and historical thought and sensibilities. This love, in a way, starts with black people themselves, and always has. It demands that we love ourselves wholly, it demands that we love the very flesh that the world despises, and “love it hard” as Toni Morrison wrote in “Beloved,” because the world beyond our own hearts hates it.

In a sense, we must love our flesh hard because the world hates it hard. We must build our own fortifications against systems and structures of brutality and subjugation that have long endured — that break us and blame us for the breaking.

When we come to love ourselves, we can more clearly see the lies that buttress the hatred, and it all begins to crumble like the ashes of a thing consumed by fire.

When we love ourselves, we honor ourselves and we see that black betterment isn’t simply about choice and culture but also about a defying and a demanding — defying the simplistic narrative of a personal pathology that society is salivating to impose, and demanding a dismantling of the systems of oppression (like racially tilted policing, criminal justice and incarceration) that play an incalculable role in black community destruction.

And while we can’t demand that the world love our flesh as we do, we can — and must! — demand that it stop pretending that its hatred of it is some cultural chimera concocted by a racial grievance industry. We can demand that the data around racial bias, which stretches across society, be accepted as fact rather than opinion.

We can demand the right to call hatred by its name and to its face. We can demand the right to exist, fully and freely, in the wholeness and beauty of our own humanity.

We must see the brilliant light in our beautiful darkness and love the brown bodies that the world would just as well mark and discard — even the “thugs.”

- The New York Times News Service

Europe’s immigration crisis

TODAY IN HISTORY

Growing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers fleeing turmoil in Africa and the Middle East pose challenges for the European Union

Mediterranean refugees (Jan-Apr 2015)

Mediterranean Sea

Morocco Algeria

65,800 (1,829 deaths)

700

257,465

22,850

23,770

28,065

24,535

42,775

31,945

64,310

64,625

81,325

100

50

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Egypt

662,205

Migrant and child, Salerno, Italy

600 500

465,760

Germany anticipates this figure will double in 2015

202,815

150

Libya

Soaring European asylum applications

Top 10 European countries with most asylum applications, 2014 (both chart figures in 1,000s) 250

200

Greece

374,630

Total

29,700 (31 deaths)

Italy

342,900

Greece

Spain

35,100 (1,780 deaths)

299,945

Italy

1,000 (18 deaths)

286,620

Spain

2015: 200,000 migrants may cross Mediterranean

400 300 200 100

0

0 ER

G

E

SW

A

IT

A

FR

N

U

H

K

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Source: Eurostat, Frontex, wire agencies

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AU

ED

N

I

SU

L

BE

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

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Graphic News /

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1543

Nicolaus Copernicus publishes proof of a sun-centered solar system. He dies just after publication.

1689

English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration, protecting Protestants.

Roman Catholics are specifically excluded from exemption.

1798

Believing that a French invasion of Ireland is imminent, Irish nationalists rise up against the British occupation.

1861

General Benjamin Butler declares slaves to be the contraband of war.

1863

Bushwackers led by Captain William Marchbanks attack a Federal militia party in Nevada, Missouri.

OMAN, UAE HOLD TALKS ON AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

MUSCAT: Official talks was held between officials of the agriculture and fisheries ministries in the Sultanate and United Arab Emirates at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries here yesterday. The Omani side was headed by Engineer Khalfan bin Saleh Al Na’aby, undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, while Obaid Mohammed Al Matroshi, UAE assistant fisheries undersecretary chaired his side. The talks dealt with enhancing ways of bilateral cooperation in agriculture and fisheries spheres, expansion of cooperation between the two countries and exchange of expertise, visits, technicians and information between the Sultanate and the UAE. The session was attended from the Omani side by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from the UAE side by the delegation accompanying the assistant fisheries undersecretary.

20

Graphics

HISTORYNET.COM

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

GLOBAL EYE

FRENCH THREE-MASTED BARQUE: Fireworks erupt over Bordeaux’ harbour as the Belem, centre, the last French three-masted barque, the oldest in Europe in a state of seaworthiness, arrives on Friday.

Boats of the 46th edition of the solo regatta ‘La Solitaire du Figaro’ are pictured at the foreground, before the start of the race expected on May 31. — AFP

CLASHES IN MEXICO: Soldiers keep watch on a military truck outside a ranch where a gunfight between hitmen and federal forces left several casualties in Tanhuato, state of Michoacan, on Friday. At least 44 people were killed in the gunfight in western Mexico between government forces and suspected drug gang henchmen, officials said, one of the bloodiest days of violence to shake the country under President Enrique Pena Nieto. — Reuters

MAD TEA PARTY: Guests dressed as characters from ‘Star Wars’ pose for a photo before riding the ‘Mad Tea Party’ during Disneyland’s

ACROBATIC SQUIRREL: A squirrel moves across electricity cables in Panama City on Friday. — Reuters

Diamond Celebration in Anaheim, US, on Friday. The Disneyland Resort is celebrating the 60th anniversary with an open day. — Reuters

MOSCOW COLOUR FESTIVAL: People enjoy sprinkling themselves with coloured powder during an annual Festival of Colours in Moscow on Saturday. — AFP

EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE FUND: Gurkha Major Tolbahadur Khamcha rings the five minute bell on the fundraising day for the Gurkha welfare trust’s earthquake response fund during play on the third day of the first cricket Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s cricket ground in London, Britain on Saturday. — AFP

TOKYO RICE-PLANTING EVENT: Children plant rice seedlings in a paddy field on the roof garden at Roppongi Hills business, shopping

and residential complex in Tokyo on Saturday. Some 130 people who work or live in the complex took part in the annual event and they will harvest in September to make rice cakes. — AFP

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

A1 5

WORLD WORLD’S OLDEST MOTHER OF QUADRUPLETS

German woman, 65 and grandmother to 7, has quadruplets BERLIN: A 65-year-old German woman, who already has 13 children, has given birth to quadruplets after undergoing an artificial insemination procedure in Ukraine, RTL television reported early on Saturday.

The three boys and one girl were born premature at 26 weeks in a Berlin hospital but have “good chances of surviving,” the report said.

The mother, Berlin resident Annegret Raunigk, is an English and Russian teacher close to retirement and in addition to her 13 children is grandmother to seven.

RTL said the new arrivals make her the world’s oldest mother OUTRAGE

Sri Lankan police slammed over Jaffna gang rape COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police came under fire on Saturday for their failure to act after the gang rape and murder of a teenage girl in the district of Jaffna, as tensions heightened in the former war zone following angry protests over the incident.

Children’s Affairs Minister Rosy Senanayake slammed police for their response to a complaint after the 17-year-old student — identified as Vidya — went missing in Jaffna last week. Her bruised body was found a day later near her home.

“When the local residents handed over a suspect, the police were still not taking action,” Senanayake told reporters at a press conference in Colombo.

The victim had been abducted by four men, later joined by five more, who attacked and then killed her, the minister added.

The case sparked outrage last Wednesday, with hundreds of villagers pelting stones at the police and a court house.

Protests Senanayake said three senior policemen had since been transferred from their stations in Jaffna, pending an internal investigation into the police failure. Following the protests, police said they had arrested nine people — one of whom is a man of Sri Lankan origin who had recently obtained a Swiss passport. Wednesday’s demonstrations marked a rare outburst of public anger since the end of the 37-year-long Tamil separatist war, in which at least 100,000 people were killed between 1972 and 2009. - AFP T R A N S C O N T I N E N TA L

China and Peru to study railroad link BEIJING: China and Peru have agreed to study the feasibility of a controversial 5,300km transcontinental railroad that will connect Peru’s Pacific coast with Brazil’s Atlantic coast, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The agreement came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Peru, on the third leg of a Latin America visit.

This week, Brazil and China agreed on a feasibility study for the rail link.

In talks with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala on Friday, Li called for cooperation in the oil, clean energy, mining, agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors, the news agency said.

The proposed transcontinental railway would span the Andes to the Pacific and reduce the cost of shipping grain and minerals to Asia.

Benefit China and Latin America would each benefit from the project by upgrading infrastructure, while allowing China to export its “industrial capacity” and investment, Xinhua said.

Humala said China’s participation in the project was “indispensable”, the news agency reported. - Reuters

of quadruplets.

She became pregnant after undergoing several artificial insemination procedures in Ukraine, said RTL, which has negotiated exclusive rights to the story of the births.

Raunigk made headlines in April when the German press first reported that her latest artificial insemination attempt had resulted in a quadruple pregnancy.

At the time, she said she decided to try to have another child because her youngest daughter, who is nine, wanted a little brother or sister, according to RTL. The Bild am Sonntag tabloid

quoted Raunigk, whose oldest daughter is reportedly 44, recalling that it was “a shock” when the doctors first broke the news to her of a quadruplet pregnancy.

No reservations “After the doctor discovered there were four, I had to give it some thought to begin with.”

But she did not consider reducing the number of embryos and said she had no reservations about the challenge facing her.

“I’m not actually afraid. I simply assume I’ll remain healthy and fit.In matters of organisation I have enough experience, that’s

not new for me,” she was quoted as saying in Bild.

Asked about moral doubts, RTL quoted her as asking: “How does one have to be at 65? One must apparently always fit some cliches which I find rather tiring. I think, one must decide that for oneself.”

Raunigk made headlines 10 years ago too, when she gave birth to her 13th child, Lelia, at the age of 55.

“At first, I only wanted one child, Bild quoted her as saying at the time. Not all were planned. But then things happen. I’m not a planner but rather spontaneous. And children keep me young.” - AFP

BIG FAMILY: Annegret Raunigk (first row, second left), then 55, posing with her then youngest daughter Lelia (on her knees) and other children and grand-children in Cologne as guest in a German channel RTL in this photograph taken on December 11, 2005. -AFP file photo

A16

SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

WORLD

Iraq retakes territory from IS near Ramadi Security officials said an operation was launched early Saturday to retake Husaybah, a town seven kilometres east of Ramadi in the Euphrates Valley, that IS had seized earlier in the week

BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces retook territory from IS east of Ramadi Saturday, commanders said, in their first counterattack since the extreists’ capture of the Anbar provincial capital last week.

In Iraq, a mosaic of anti-IS forces have massed in the Euphrates Valley to ready for an offensive aimed at turning the tide on the rampant extremists.

The May 17 takeover of Ramadi was Baghdad’s worst defeat in almost a year.

Security officials said an operation was launched early Saturday to retake Husaybah, a town seven kilometres east of Ramadi in the Euphrates Valley, that IS had seized earlier in the week.

“The Husaybah area is now under full control and the forces are now advancing to liberate neighbouring Jweibah,” a police colonel told AFP from the front.

The area’s most prominent majority secttribal leader, Sheikh Rafia Abdelkarim Al Fahdawi, deployed his forces, whose knowledge of the terrain is key, alongside fighters from the Hashed Al Shaabi, an umbrella for minority sect militia and volunteers.

FLEEING FOR SAFETY: Iraqi residents from the city of Ramadi, who fled their homes as IS militants tightened their siege on the last government positions in the capital of Anbar province, sit in the back of a vehicle as they wait to cross Bzeibez bridge, near Baghdad. — AFP

The police colonel said the Husaybah operation also involved local and federal police, the interior ministry’s rapid intervention force as well as the army.

Swift action was seen as essential to prevent IS from laying booby traps across Ramadi, which would make any advance in the city more risky and complicated.

But government and allied forces were also keen to prevent further losses as IS used its momentum after seizing Ramadi to take more land to the east of the city.

WA R M I N G T I E S

Row over disputed isles High-level meetings between China and Japan were suspended for two years amid a row over disputed islands until Xi and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met last year.

They held talks again last month.

During his Beijing visit, Nikai delivered a personal letter to Xi from Abe, Japan’s Kyodo news agency said, without giving further details.

Echoing regular pronouncements from Beijing, Xi also mentioned the 70th anniversary of the Japanese surrender in the second world war, and added that “the facts of history cannot be distorted”.

“The efforts of anyone seeking to distort or beautify the facts of Japan’s acts of militaristic invasion will not be accepted by the people of China,” he added.

His remarks came just a day after China renewed its call for Japan to “face up to” its 20th century history after Abe’s wife visited a shrine which Beijing sees as a symbol of Tokyo’s warring past.

China is preparing a massive military parade in September to mark the 70th anniversary, and also creating a public holiday.

China’s defence ministry said that its army planes on Thursday for the first time flew over the Miyako Strait, between Japan’s Miyako and Okinawa Islands. — AFP

P E AC E D E A L T H R E AT E N E D

Militants capture 19 Mali soldiers BAMAKO: A Tuareg-dominated rebel coalition said on Saturday it was holding prisoner 19 Malian government soldiers captured in fighting a day earlier, amid growing violence in the north that threatens to derail UN-brokered peace efforts.

Army sources confirmed that soldiers were missing following clashes late on Friday that saw the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA) briefly seize the small town of Tessit, in Mali’s

“What happened in Anbar is very similar to what happened last year in Diyala, Mosul and Salaheddin,” said Ahmed alAssadi, AHashed Al Shaabi OFFICIAL. He was referring to the debacle of security forces when IS-led rebels swept across Iraq’s heartland in June last year, bringing Iraq to the brink of collapse.

Some Iraqi forces were criticised for avoiding battle during the fall of Ramadi, which led Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi

to call in the Hashed Al Shaabi.

He and Washington had opposed the mass deployment in of Anbar of militia groups with direct ties to Iran.

However, the strategy of USled coalition air strikes while the security apparatus gets revamped has failed to keep up with the pace of IS advances.

Washington tried to remain upbeat after the loss of Ramadi, playing down the IS advance as tactical setbacks.

Displaced people Prominent Iraqi politician Saleh Mutlaq echoed calls from relief organisations for the authorities to open a bridge where thousands of displaced people have been waiting to reach safer provinces.

“The constitution does not allow anyone to forbid a citizen from entering any province,” he said at a meet in Jordan. — AFP

I S AT TA C K S I N S Y R I A

Fears for antiquities as extremists enter Palmyra museum DAMASCUS: IS extremists have entered the museum in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra, placing guards at its doors, the country’s antiquities director Mamoun Abdulkarim said on Saturday.

Abdulkarim also confirmed the group had raised its flag over the ancient citadel that overlooks some of the spectacular GrecoRoman ruins in the city.

Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, he said some modern plaster statues in the museum had been destroyed but he did not report any damage to antiquities in the building.

The extremists on Thursday “entered the museum and broke some plaster statues... that were being used to represent life in prehistoric eras.”

They returned on Friday, and when they left, “they closed the doors behind them and placed their guards” at the entrance of the museum, Abdulkarim said, citing residents still in the town.

Most of the antiquities in the museum were removed and brought to Damascus before IS cemented its control of Palmyra on Thursday.

The Roman-Byzantine sarcophagi feature high-relief carvings.

Mamluk citadel Abdulkarim also confirmed IS rebels had raised their black flag over the 13th century Mamluk Fakhr Al Din Al Maani citadel that overlooks the ruins of Palmyra.

Earlier, a photograph purporting to show the IS flag over the citadel was circulated on social media, but it was not possible to confirm its authenticity.

Both the citadel and the ruins are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and before the war some 150,000 tourists a year visited Palmyra.

“There has been no movement (of IS) in the archaeological site,” director Abdulkarim said, referring to the main ruins in the city, including its famed colonnaded

There’s almost nothing left in the museum. We had been progressively transferring the antiquities to Damascus. But there are still the large items, like the sarcophagi, which weigh three or four tonnes and we could not move. Those are what worry me, said Syria’s antiquities director Mamoun Abdulkarim streets and extensive necropolis.

The arrival of IS in Palmyra has caused international concern about the fate of the city’s historical treasures, because the group has destroyed heritage sites in areas under its control in neighbouring Iraq.

“I hope that they do not repeat the same destruction they committed in Iraq,” Abdulkarim said.

“We will consider measures to prevent them from destroying Syrian cultural heritage.” — AFP

CONLICT

Japan friendship worth cherishing: Chinese president BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping struck a friendly tone on relations with Japan on Saturday, but touched on disputes over history which still add to tensions between the East Asian giants.

Ties between Beijing and Tokyo have warmed over the past year, but strains over territorial disputes and attitudes towards wartime history persist.

Xi told a forum in Beijing that “peace and friendly cooperation between China and Japan is the common will of the people, and the general trend of events”.

He added that “friendship” between the countries “deserves cherishing and protecting,” at the event, attended by Japanese delegates including former economy minister Toshihiro Nikai.

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northern Gao region. They declined to give further details.

A spokesman for the CMA said its fighters had withdrawn from Tessit by Saturday morning, taking with them captured weapons, ammunition and the prisoners.

“They are Malian soldiers and there are 19 of them,” Almou Ag Mohamed said. Photos from a CMA fighter showed at least a dozen men with their hands tied behind their backs and surrounded by rebel fighters. — Reuters

Air strikes hit three army bases in Sanaa CAIRO/TEHRAN: Saudi-led air strikes hit three military bases in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday and the Yemeni government in exile expressed reservations about United Nations-led talks aimed at ending the eight-week war.

Residents said the air raids hit a munitions store in one of the bases, setting off a large explosion which sent rockets flying into the air and crashing down on civilian areas.

There was no immediate word on casualties.

Yemen’s exiled government in Saudi Arabia headed by President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi expressed reluctance to attend UNsponsored peace talks set for May 28 in Geneva.

A spokesman said on Saturday the Houthis and their powerful ally, ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, should first commit to a UN Security Council resolution demanding they withdraw from Yemen’s main cities.

Geneva conference “The discussion to hold the Geneva conference perhaps needs more time and arrangements.

The other side, the Houthi militias and Saleh, have not recognised President Hadi’s legitimacy... until now they have given no explicit, clear reaction to resolution 2216,” Rajeh Badi told Saudiowned Al Arabiya TV. “I hope there is consensus to stop the aggression on Yemen, especially ahead of the Geneva conference, and then a serious Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue which allows Yemenis to build their state and gain security and stability,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam told Arab TV station Al Mayadeen.

Ceasefire demanded The group has demanded a ceasefire before they attend the peace talks and have dismissed demands to withdraw from Yemeni cities and the capital, which they seized in September.

Meanwhile, an Iranian Red Crescent plane carrying 20 tonnes of food for Yemen was prevented from landing in Djibouti, where

UNIFICATION FETED: A boy holds a rifle while attending celebrations with his brother marking the 25th anniversary of Yemen’s unification in Sanaa Saturday. North and South Yemen were formally united in 1990. — Reuters

RESOLUTE: Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi

the UN has a relief hub, Iranian official media said Saturday.

“Despite coordination with the United Nations and the World Food Programme, the plane was not granted permission to land in Djibouti,” the state run IRNA news agency said quoting a Red Crescent official.

The unnamed official said the plane was now in Shabahar, in

President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi said he was in favour of Thursday’s talks but insisted the United Nations press the Huthis to pull back from regions they captured across yemen, according to the official Saba news agency. The embattled leader demanded the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216

southeastern Iran, awaiting “the authorisation of the foreign affairs ministry” of Djibouti.

Boat with aid Earlier, an Iranian boat carrying 2,500 tonnes of aid for Yemen docked late Friday in the Horn of Africa port of Djibouti.

The cargo had been handed over to the WFP in Djibouti and

was currently being offloaded, WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa said on Saturday.

“The ship carries 2,500 ton of humanitarian aid and that includes mainly rice and wheat flour, as well as medicine, water, tents and blankets,” she said.

The Red Crescent official told IRNA the vessel was being offloaded in Djibouti. — Agencies

B

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Oman’s exports decline Drop in exports from OMR21.70b in 2013 to OMR20.46b in 2014 was due to a plunge in oil and gas prices

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s total exports last year declined by 5.7 per cent to OMR20.46 billion, from OMR21.70 billion for the previous year.

The fall in export revenue was mainly on account of a plunge in oil and gas prices in international

markets and re-exports. Exports of crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas plunged by 6.7 per cent to OMR13.39 billion in 2014 from OMR14.35 billion in the previous year. Of this, crude oil exports showed a 6 per cent fall, while liquefied natural gas exports were down by 10.6 per cent.

Oman produced 344.37 million barrels of crude oil last year, of which 292.16 million barrels were exported.

However, non-oil exports surged ahead 8.4 per cent to OMR4.12 billion for 2014, against OMR3.81 billion witnessed in 2013, according to National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). But it was much lower than 15 per cent growth target set by the country’s export development agency for last year.

Higher exports from gas-based industries, especially aluminium smelter, petrochemicals, fertiliser

and iron and steel plants are helping the Sultanate to enhance its non-oil export base. Oman’s export development agency Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa) is also taking several initiatives to enhance non-oil exports. These programmes include visits of trade delegation, participation in international exhibitions, businessto-business meetings and market studies in potential export markets. Among various product segments, plastics and rubber products showed a robust growth of 23.4 per cent at OMR356.3 million last year from OMR288.8 million in the previous year, while chemical products’ exports surged ahead by 18.2 per cent to OMR945.9 million from OMR800.5 million in 2013. However, re-exports from Oman were down by 16.9 per cent to OMR2,944.1 million last year. from OMR3,541.4 million.

UAE the leading importer of Oman’s non-oil products Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s leading market for non-oil exports is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which imported non-oil Omani goods worth OMR776 million last year.

The Sultanate’s non-oil exports to the UAE showed a robust 17.9 per cent growth last year, over the previous year, according to National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Pakistan was the second

leading importer of Oman’s non-oil products, which is following by Saudi Arabia, India and the United States of America.

Pakistan’s imports Pakistan’s imports of nonoil products from Oman shot up by 65.7 per cent, while Saudi Arabia and India showed a decline of 19.5 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively, according to National Centre for Statistics and Information.

S U P P LY D I S R U P T I O N S

Water outage to affect Sohar Power’s earnings Times News Service MUSCAT: Sohar Power Company said the company’s water desalination plant, which faced some operational issues early last month, will be brought back to full capacity by June 20. Repair activities for resolving the problem have already been started.

Sohar Power said that the company faced two technical problems — one due to bursting of a sea water pipeline belonging to Orpic refinery on May 3 and the other one due to operational issues at Sohar power and water

desalination plant on April 2. The financial impact related to the operational issues is expected to vary between OMR0.7 million and OMR1.4 million, depending on the outcome of actions undertaken by the company to mitigate such impact, the company said in a disclosure statement posted on MSM website.

Referring to the issue related to (Orpic’s) water pipe bursting, Sohar Power said that on May 3, 2015, a sea water pipe belonging to the Orpic refinery in Sohar was bursted. This resulted in flooding of the sea water intake area in

the industrial port of Sohar and affecting installations and operations of neighbouring companies including SPC. “This incident caused an unexpected shutdown at Sohar power and desalination plant on May 5, interrupting the supply of water to PAEW reservoir as well as the supply of power to the network,” the disclosure statement added.

Sohar Power and its operator STOMO mobilised their resources and deployed their best efforts and support to deal with this critical situation, in order to bring the plant back in operations as early

as possible. This was achieved on May 9 after relentless efforts, tremendous work on site, with the support of OPWP. “However, the full impact of the incident was still being investigated and the plant had not yet returned to normal operating mode.”

On May 19, while the water desalination plant was delivering 100 per cent of its demonstrated capacity, the plant faced another unexpected shutdown, most likely as a consequence of the earlier sea water flooding incident. The restart process of the plant was immediately launched. The plant

is progressively brought back to its full production capacity and resumed water delivery to PAEW reservoir. A detailed assessment of the damages caused by the flood is still continuing and repair activities are in progress.

The financial impact of above events is estimated to exceed OMR0.4 million. As this incident was caused by an external party facility, which had a knock on effect on SPC facilities, the company will raise a claim to Orpic as the cause of this incident in order to obtain compensation for the corresponding damages and losses.

SALALAH IPP

Power project pact to be inked Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP) Company, a subsidiary of Nama Group and the sole procurer of all new power generation and water desalination capacity in the Sultanate, is going to sign a number of agreements to establish Salalah Independent Power Plant (Phase 2) with a consortium of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., ACWA Power, and Dhofar International Development and Investment Holding Co. at a ceremony here on Monday.

The new natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant will have an installed capacity of 445 megawatt and will be located at Salalah Industrial Area in southern Oman.

Under the deal, the consortium will also acquire the existing Dhofar Power Plant, which has an output of 273MW, and operate both plants and sell power to OPWP under a 15-year power purchase agreement worth over OMR240 million. Mitsui and ACWA Power will each hold a 45 per cent stake in the project, which is due to begin operations by January, 2018.

DIDIC will hold the remaining 10 per cent. The Salalah-IPP 2 power project marks Mitsui’s first involvement in the development of key downstream infrastructure through a power generation project. Mitsui has a notable track record in the upstream oil and gas sector in Oman through its participation in onshore oil and gas production and development projects, and the Oman LNG project.

The power generation projects is one of the primary focuses of Mitsui’s infrastructure business, and Mitsui will continue to aim at winning contracts for quality projects in this area.

B2

SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

MARKET

Swiss luxury watchmaker to focus on Oman to raise sales Times News Service

Oman is developing and we have a long-term vision in the country, the chief executive officer of Vancheron Juan-Carlos Torres.

Constantin, said

— Picture by A R Rajkumar/Times of Oman

MUSCAT: Swiss luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, along with its local partner Mistal, is targeting to tap the domestic market with higher sales.

“Oman for us is part of the future. The country is developing and we have a long-term vision in the country. Our partner also has such a long term vision,” said Juan-Carlos Torres, chief executive of Vancheron Constantin.

He was talking to Times of Oman on the sidelines of a get-

together jointly organised by Ajith Khimji group’s Mistal and the Swiss watchmaker.

In Oman, the dealer is focusing on both locals and tourists.

Torres said Gulf countries need to be developed for strengthening sales of Vancheron Constantin, which costs anywhere between 20,000 euros and one million euros (without diamons). “We will put efforts to develop the region and we have right partners to do so.”

Torres said that his company has sold 29,000 pieces of luxury

watches last year in 80 countries.

“The United States and Hong Kong are leading countries in terms of sales. We are also very strong in China and Europe,” he added.

The Swiss luxury watchmaker, which has been producing watches uninterrupted since 1755, has been targeting a niche market of high net worth individuals who value the tradition. He said the company takes anywhere between two to seven years for developing a Vancheron Constantin watch.

“We are trendsetters in terms of both quality and design.”

Referring to the recent debut of smartwatches, he said smartwatches are like smartphone and its future cannot be predicted. ”We talks about human craftsmanship here. It is the result of years and years of apprenticeship.”

The quest for the best is the driving force behind high-precision mechanics at Vancheron Constantin. Even the watch’s design is made involving high technology.

Assembly of the parts, watch encasing and the various inspection protocols are carried out using this meticulous approach.

M U S C AT S E C U R I T I E S M A R K E T

Industrial sector leads drop in Muscat bourse in April MUSCAT: A six per cent fall was witnessed in the general index of Muscat Securities Market (MSM) in April to touch 6,322.5 points compared to 6,727.2 points recorded during the same period of 2014 according to the statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The Industry Sector has led the declines with a rate of 20.3 per cent reaching 8,342 points compared to 10,467.9 points recorded during the same period of 2014.

It was followed by the services sector that decreased with 5.1 per cent to record 3,440 points at the end of last April compared to 3,623.3 points recorded during the same period of 2014.

The financial sector has also recorded a decrease of 3.3 per cent to reach 7,733 points compared to 7,998.5 points logged during the same period of 2014.

The total shares traded by the end of last April declined with 31.3 per cent to record one billion, 864 million and 433,000 shares compared to two billion, 715 million and 576,000 shares recorded during the same period of 2014.

The total value of trading also declined with 44.8 per cent to reach OMR520 million and OMR386,000 last April compared to OMR943 million and

Till the end of last April, the Omani investors acquired 76 per cent of the value of purchase OMR263,000 recorded during the same period of 2014.

Till the end of last April, the Omani investors acquired 76 per cent of the purchase value against 14 per cent for the Gulf investors, eight per cent for the foreigners and two per cent for the Arabs.

The purchases of the Omani investors increased than their sales. The net transactions of the Omanis recorded OMR42 million and OMR957,000. The purchases of the Gulf investors were also higher than their sales.

The net transactions of the Gulf investors recorded OMR32 million and OMR220,000. On the other hand, the sales exceeded the purchases among the Arab and foreign investors.

The net transactions of the Arab and foreign investors recorded negative numbers as the former recorded OMR37 million and

OMR822,000; while the latter recorded OMR37 million and OMR355,000.

The financial sector acquired 62 per cent of the traded shares; while the industrial sector acquired 19 per cent. The services sector acquired 18 per cent of the shares and the securities acquired one per cent only.

The share of the International Investment Company came at the forefront of the fifth most traded securities at the end of last April by acquiring 15 per cent of the trading transactions with 60 million and 967,000.

The shares of Al Anwar Holdings came in the second position by acquiring 14 per cent of the traded shares with 59 million and 855,000 shares. It was followed by the shares of Bank Muscat with eight per cent of the trading transactions and 34 million and 247,000.

The shares of Oman UAE Holdings acquired eight per cent of the trading transactions with 33 million and 649,000 shares; while the shares of Gulf Investment Services acquired six per cent of the trading transactions with 25 million and 861,000 shares.

The other companies acquired 49 per cent of the trading transactions with 202 million and 657,000 shares. — ONA

BRIEF

Key competition to end today MUSCAT: Entrepreneurs Support Competition will conclude here on Sunday. The competition is organised by Experiment Event Company and supported by the Muscat Securities Market (MSM). Ten Omani small projects compete in the contest, representing the economic and trade sectors in the contest, seven of them will qualify. Each project has to provide field skills along with a presentation to the projects. The first winner will get cash award. Ra’ed bin Hussein al-Hooti, Director of Media and Awareness Department at the Muscat Securities Market expressed his satisfaction over the support of this outstanding initiative for SMEs, which can contribute to the development of innovative and creative aspects of the target group. — ONA

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

B3

MARKET $300 MILLION ISSUE

BankDhofar gets strong response to its debut issue Times News Service MUSCAT: BankDhofar successfully priced its $300 million additional Tier 1 Perpetual NonCallable 5-year bond transaction, which represents the first Basel III compliant additional Tier 1 instrument from Oman, highlighting the underlying credit strength of BankDhofar.

BankDhofar’s debut transaction, which has been approved as fully eligible additional Tier 1 capital by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) under its Basel III framework, was well received by both regional and international investors, with the order-book closing in excess of $800 million, representing an oversubscription in excess of 2.7 times.

As a result, the transaction represented the highest oversubscription rate for a US dollar Additional Tier 1 bond from the GCC in the last 12 months. The issuance followed an extensive series of investor meetings across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

BankDhofar’s acting CEO Abdul Hakeem Omar Al Ojaili said in a statement: “To support our growth, the board and shareholders approved to evaluate number of options for capital raising. We successfully obtained the necessary approvals from the regulatory authorities and issued $300 million of Additional Tier 1 capital securities in a landmark transaction for both BankDhofar and Oman. We are very pleased with the outcome and expect that this transaction will better position the bank for future growth.”

The securities, which priced at 100 per cent, will bear interest at a rate of 6.85 per cent, which will reset on May 27, 2020 (the First Call date) and every 5 years thereafter to a new fixed rate equal to the sum of the prevailing

5 year Mid Swap rate and the initial credit spread of 512.8bps.

Orderbooks opened on May 19 during Oman morning, with initial pricing thoughts of a yield of 7 per cent area. Following the positive response from investors, further guidance was shared three hours later, reflecting an orderbook of over $400 million. Leveraging the sustained momentum in the transaction, a final update was shared, revising price guidance to a yield of 6.850-6.900 per cent. Ultimately, BankDhofar was able to successfully price the transaction on the same day at the low end of final price guidance, at a yield of 6.850 per cent, with a final order book in excess of $800 million.

The transaction reflects BankDhofar’s debut transaction in the international debt markets as well as the country’s first USDdenominated Basel III-compliant Additional Tier 1 issuance.

The issuance achieved a balanced distribution, with over 96 accounts participating. The book was driven by broad demand internationally, with strong interest shown across European and Asian investors, fund managers, international private banks and other financial institutions. In terms of allocations, 44 per cent went to the Middle East, 21 per cent to Asia, 33 per cent to Europe, and 2 per cent to US offshore investors. By investor type, the split was 46 per cent to banks and private banks, 28 per cent to fund managers and 26 per cent to agencies, pension funds and insurance companies.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered Bank were appointed as joint global coordinators and Emirates NBD Capital, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers on the transaction.

‘Philippines offers huge growth opportunities’ to Oman, while light petroleum oils and preparations, anhydrous ammonia, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers topped the list of its imports from the Sultanate.

Signing of a new air services agreement to increase the frequency of Oman Air’s direct flights to the Philippines to daily is one of these factors, said an official at the Embassy of the Philippines in Oman TRADE POTENTIAL: Hjayceelyn Quintana, deputy head of mission

at the Embassy of the Philippines in Oman.

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: There are great business opportunities for Omanis to explore in the Philippines as the Southeast Asian country’s economy is booming, says an official at the Embassy of the Philippines in Oman.

Renowned international credit rating agencies have given the Philippines high investment grade ratings.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Minister and Consul General Hjayceelyn Quintana, deputy head of mission at the embassy, said that there are other factors and developments which are opening a new chapter in trade relations with Oman.

The Sultanate ranked 52nd as the Philippines’ trading partner, 63rd as export market and 50th as import supplier in 2013.

The signing of a new air services agreement to increase the

frequency of Oman Air’s direct flights to the Philippines to daily is one of these factors, Quintana said, adding that it would give a boost to cargo business between the two countries.

The fact that embassies are present in both capitals and Omanis are not required to apply for visa for a maximum stay of 30 days has also helped facilitate bilateral trade, she said.

Memorandum of agreement In addition, Quintana noted that Oman and the Philippines can take advantage of the existing memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the chambers of commerce and industry of both countries as well as the well-developed publicprivate partnership strategy of the Philippine government.

According to her, an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, which is currently being negotiated, would also provide an environment conducive to in-

RENAISSANCE FORMS JOINT VENTURE

Tawoos Industrial Services Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Renaissance Services, is in the process of forming a joint venture with its international technical partners to create Renaissance Environmental Services LLC. The company will provide expert waste management services, including waste collection, operation of transfer stations, engineered landfills and treatment plants.

— Times News Service

— Shabin E/Times of Oman

creasing trade and investment between Oman and the Philippines.

“We are currently negotiating the agreement and the Philippines will be hosting the next round of negotiations this year,” the official said.

Trade volume The Philippines-Oman relationship is built on a strong foundation and labour cooperation has been the hallmark of these relations over the years, Quintana said, adding, “Both sides believe it is time to expand ties further into the economic field.”

The bilateral trade reached $59,230,512 in 2013 compared to $20,529,932 in 2012. The Philippines exported $14,712,028 in 2013, while the country’s imports from Oman stood at $44,518,484 during the same period.

Copper ores and concentrates, bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other baker’s wares were the Philippines’ top merchandise exports

Priority areas Quintana said that foodstuff is one of the priority products for promotion to Oman and a business matching mission was successfully conducted in Oman by the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines recently that brought six Filipino companies to Oman.

Furniture, air-conditioning machines, garments, jewelry, cosmetics and personal care products are other items that the Philippines is keen to export to Oman, she added.

Asked about investment opportunities for both countries, Quintana noted that Omanis are encouraged to invest in the energy, infrastructure development and construction sectors in the Philippines, while there is great potential for investments in food, agriculture and construction industries in Oman.

Manufacturing, SMEs The minister and consul general also said that the Philippines is keen to see Omani investors setting up companies and joint ventures there and encouraged further cooperation and exchange of know-how between small and medium enterprise (SMEs) in various files, including technology.

Liberal programme The Philippine government has come up with a liberal programme of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract foreign capital and technology that complements local resources and offers a wide range of incentives to foreign investors.

Leisure and medical tourism and education are other areas where the two countries can cooperate, she said.

B4

SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

MARKET Brazil freezes $22 billion in spending after raising taxes

TRAINING SESSION

Anti-fraud workshop to be held today Times News Service

real dropped as much as 2.1 per cent and ended the day at 3.09 per US dollar. The cost to insure the nation’s debt for five years rose less than one basis point to 222 basis points.

Announcement was made hours after the government said it would raise taxes on profits of banks, brokerages and credit-card processors to 20 per cent from 15 per cent

SAO PAULO: Brazil is stepping up efforts to shrink a widening budget gap by cutting spending and raising taxes on banks.

The government is freezing 69.9 billion reais ($22.6 billion) in spending from this year’s budget, the Budget Ministry said on Friday. It made the announcement hours after the government said it would raise taxes on profits at

VITAL PROJECTS: Budget freeze, which doesn’t require approval from lawmakers, focuses on cutting current budgetary expenditures, discretionary spending in Congress and some infrastructure programmes. — Bloomberg file picture

banks, brokerages and credit-card processors to 20 per cent from 15 per cent.

Budget gap President Dilma Rousseff is trying to rein in the largest budget gap in 16 years that threatens Brazil’s investment grade. While Friday’s measures will help, the slowing economy and reluctance

among lawmakers to approve tax increases and cuts to labor benefits are hindering her efforts, Newton Rosa, chief economist at Sul America Investimentos Dtvm, said.

“Whether the freeze will be enough is a question mark,” he said.

“You can’t work miracles in a budget where 90 per cent is ear-

marked. There is limited discretionary space.” Stocks in Brazil’s largest banks fell sharply on Friday after the government raised taxes on industry profits, sending the benchmark Ibovespa index down 1.3 per cent on the day.

The index fell five per cent this week, the worst decline since December.

In the currency markets, the

‘Considerable’ effort “There were no great surprises, and the announcement came almost at the close of markets,”said Joao Pedro Brugger, a money manager at Leme Investimentos in Florianopolis, Brazil.

The budget freeze, which doesn’t require approval from lawmakers, focuses on cutting current expenditures, discretionary spending in Congress and some infrastructure programmes, Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa told reporters. For example, the government is reducing 5.6 billion reais from its subsidised-housing programme.

“It’s a considerable fiscal effort,” Barbosa said, adding that the government is focused on preserving spending on health, education and other social-security benefits. The tax measure on banks, which becomes effective on September 1, will boost tax collection by about 750 million reais in 2015 and 3.8 billion reais next year, according to the tax agency. — Bloomberg News

MUSCAT: A workshop on antifraud will be conducted by Oman Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) at PDO Oil & Gas Exhibition Auditorium, Qurum on Sunday at 6:30 pm.

The workshop and training session shall be conducted by Mubeen Khan , an anti-fraud and forensic expert who has detected and investigated and several occupational frauds in the GCC region.

Mubeen is a Certified Internal Auditor, a Chartered Accountant and Certified Information Systems Auditor. His article on various subjects are regularly published in the local newspapers and professional journals. He is also the Secretary of The Muscat Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and sits on the Board of the Oman Chapter of IIA. Sabra Al Maskary, president of IIA Oman Chapter said, “Occupational frauds are a menace that needs to be curbed. It can be avoided and detected to a great extent by spreading the awareness, imparting training to the Auditors and learn from the real life case studies. The programme is aimed to achieve the same objective and we are sure that IIA members would benefit from this programme.”

SECURITIES TRADING

Barclays fires mortgage-bond trader for ‘inaccurate information’ to clients NEW YORK: Barclays dismissed mortgage-bond trader Yoon Seok Lee over claims related to inaccurate information provided to clients.

Lee was “discharged” on February 11 after “allegations involving certain inaccurate communications to customers during the negotiation of residential mortgage-backed securities trades,” Financial Industry Regulatory Authority records show.

Mark Lane, a Barclays spokesman, declined to comment. Telephone messages left on Friday on phone numbers listed for two individuals with Lee’s name weren’t returned, and he didn’t immediately respond to a message for comment sent via his LinkedIn account. The Finra notice was reported earlier today by newsletter Asset-Backed Alert, which had previously said Lee was among a slew of Wall Street securitiseddebt traders put on leave by their employers or otherwise absent after the US criminally charged a former Jefferies Group trader with misconduct.

The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are using the case against Jesse Litvak as a model in building more potential securities fraud actions, people with knowledge of the probes said last year.

One of three judges hearing Lit-

– Bloomberg file picture

vak’s appeal of his conviction said this month that the trader may have done nothing worse than what a homeowner does when selling a house.

Fraud scheme JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Morgan Stanley are among firms that have put traders on leave amid the inquiries. Matthew Katke, a former RBS trader of collateralised loan obligations, pleaded guilty

in March to a fraud scheme and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. His plea can be withdrawn if Litvak wins his appeal.

Barclays has also dismissed other securitised debt traders in recent years for potentially unrelated matters.

The SEC said in an administrative case against an asset-backed securities trader that Barclays fired him over so-called parking violations. The bank dismissed one mortgage-bond trader and

another resigned last year amid allegations of mismarking of positions, Finra records show. The two agreed in March to be barred from the industry, without admitting or denying guilt, the records show. — Bloomberg News

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T H R E E - D AY S E M I N A R

Duqm to host forum on fisheries DUQM: A seminar on fisheries statistics, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, will be held on Monday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Duqm.

The workshop will be conducted under the auspices of Dr Hamad bin Said Al Oufi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Fisheries in the presence of Sheikh Meathad bin

Mohammed Al Yaqoubi, Governor of Al Wusta.

The three-day seminar covers several scientific themes, outcomes and indicators for commercial fishing for 2014.

It will also discuss the outcomes of the collected samples during 2014, the areas of weakness and strength that have been identified, the survey framework

and improving the fisheries statistical system outputs.

Some specialists, directors general, department heads, statistics supervisors and data collectors from the directorates and administrations in the various governorates will take part in the seminar.

Oman government is focusing on developing fisheries sector with heavy investment in harbour.— ONA

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Ooredoo Internet Professional uses new technology to increase speed MUSCAT: Ooredoo has raised the bar on broadband services by upgrading its Internet professional packages to provide not only better coverage through new technology, but also giving speed increases of up to 100 per cent for the same price.

Ooredoo Internet Professional (OIP) is designed for business use and significantly enhances the user experience and improves reliability, says a press release.

“It is important for those using the Internet for business to have the highest levels of connectivity, supported by reliability and per-

Through our improved multi-technology access network and dedicated fibre resources, we have enhanced our service to offer a ‘best effort’ connection and dedicated company lines to meet the needs of our customers, said Monther Al Mamari, director of Business Product Management at Ooredoo C R E AT I V E C O N T E S T

MYHASSAD

ahlibank announces daily winners MUSCAT: ahlibank announced the names of the MyHassad daily prize draw winners.

Juma Khalfa Salim Al Yahyai from Seeb branch, Abdullah Salim Mohammed Al Saidi from Salalah branch, Salim Sulaiman Humaid from Ghubra branch and Salim Said Al Bakhit Fadhil from Salalah branch were the lucky winners of OMR1,000 each for the week, says a press release.

MyHassad Saving Scheme was introduced in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition of product innovation. Opening MyHassad Saving account is simple and easy.

Customers need only to open their MyHassad account with OMR100 for their chance to win OMR1,000 in the next working day’s draw hence their chance to “open today and win tomorrow” continues. Further enhancements in March 2009 allows customers to participate in the OMR10,000 monthly draw, by maintaining a minimum OMR250 during the month.

Effective from June 2010, customers can also transfer their salaries to MyHassad saving account and will be eligible to enter in the daily, monthly draw as per the balance maintained.

This highlights the commitment of the bank to its long-term MyHassad account holders.

state-of-the-art 4G LTE service.”

The customer benefits of OIP include a choice between limited and unlimited data usage, discounted rates for multiyear contracts, bandwidths ranging from 1 to 30 Mbps, dedicated connection link with service management, a personal account manager and after sales support.

Ooredoo Internet Professional has different plans for limited and unlimited usage and customers can find out more by contacting their account manager, visiting any of the 30 Ooredoo stores located across the Sultanate.

ACCOLADE

Ninth Toyota Dream Car Art Contest winners announced MUSCAT: The 9th edition of the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, held in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, was conducted across 22 Toyota showrooms in Oman.

With the successful conclusion of the event, the jubilant winners have now emerged. The official prize distribution event was held at various branch locations namely Muscat, Barka, Ibra, Ibri, Sohar, Salalah, Nizwa& Al Kamil, says a press release.

The winners include Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al Abdullah of Saham, a smart and creative youngster, who won an iPad Mini 2. Aged 6, he wants to become a police inspector like his father when he grows up. His proud parents were very happy to have been at the ceremony.

Nine-year old Alzahra Salim Mohammed Al Hinai, a resident of Bahla, was excited to receive Xbox One. Her father is proud of her achievement. Alzahra wants to become an engineer when she grows up.

When Alia Ashan Oudjana’s father received the call from Toyota, “he was on top-of-the-world”.

His little girl had won a Lenovo laptop i5. Residing in Mawaleh, they were delighted to receive the prize at a special ceremony held in the showroom. When asked, young Alia charmingly replied that she wanted to be a vehicle engineer in the future.

Other creative and talented national winners were Mariyam Talib Hamdan Al Balushi from the capital Muscat who won a Sony PS3, Raiman Ebrahim Saoud Al Mahrazi from Sinaw

formance. Through our improved multi-technology access network and dedicated fibre resources, we have enhanced our service to offer a ‘best effort’ connection and dedicated company lines to meet the needs of our customers,” said Monther Al Mamari, director of Business Product Management at Ooredoo.

Al Mamari added, “Whether our customers are working in Small and Medium Enterprises, basic or home offices, OIP can support their data requirements; providing high-speeds and enhanced access, particularly in areas that host our

who won a Lenovo laptop i3; Iman Hilal Said from Mawaleh, winner of a Canon 1200D DSLR Camera; Mahmoud Mohammed Abdulaziz Yousuf from Saham who won a Lenovo Tab and Sundos Saif Abdullah Al Maskri, also from Ibra who took home a Samsung Galaxy Tab. In addition, from Sur, Najeeb Mahfoodh Hamed won a Toshiba laptop.

“Apart from the above 9 national winners, 63 branch winners were also declared in the 9th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, Oman.

Each branch winner was given a Nikon Coolpix Camera as the prize to encourage their creativity,” said a Toyota spokesperson.

Every contestant who participated received a certificate of participation. The competition was held on a massive scale in Oman to foster not just an interest in cars but about the role they play in people’s lives. Record number of entries spotlighted the highly successful event. There were 3 age categories – Under 8 years, 8 to 11 years & 12 to 15 years. School children, up to 15-years old vis-

ited 22 branch locations to take part in the contest.

In addition, numerous schools across Oman participated in the contest by sending across the entries of their students via the Ministry of Education.

Recalling the highly successful event, an official mentioned, “We were ready for a large number of people. Even so, the staggering numbers exceeded everyone’s estimates. This is the index of Toyota’s popularity in Oman.

With such wonderful results, it is more than evident that this annual property of Toyota was yet again successful at inspiring young minds to dream, to imagine. It brought together families and spread many smiles and happiness. Invitations were extended to the winners and their family to be part of a fun filled event and receive the prize in the presence of other winners and their families. The winners and the family members turned out in large numbers making these events a roaring success.”

“Toyota Oman has been participating in the event since the 5th edition of TDCAC. We are happy to say that this year, we received the highest number of entries from Oman since the time Oman started participating. A lot of compelling entries were received that show the creativity of the children of Oman,” he added.

“Following the brand philosophy of Toyota, ‘Always a better way’, we are constantly trying to reinvent ways to do things in a better way and hope to keep contributing to society in the best ways that we can.”

Kia Carnival bags ‘Best Interiors’ award MUSCAT: Kia Motors America’s (KMA) all-new 2015 Grand Carnival has earned a spot on the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list. The Grand Carnival was recognised by the editors for its impressive interior style, comfort, and overall execution, including the available second-row ‘First-Class’ lounge seating, says a press release.

“The all-new Grand Carnival completes Kia’s design-led transformation under the direction of chief design officer Peter Schreyer.

It combines CUV styling, inside and out, with exceptional quality and offers unique interior features,” said Orth Hedrick, Vice President, Product Planning, KMA. “This is the second-consecutive year that Kia has earned a spot on the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list, following last year’s inclusion of the ultra-popular Soul. This award is a testament to Kia’s continued commitment to world-class quality and top-notch design that is as beautiful as it is functional.”

The completely transformed Grand Carnival comes in sevenand eight-passenger seating con-

figurations and offers available Nappa leather trimmed seating surfaces. Exclusive Slide-N-Stow second-row seats slide and fold upright for enhanced cargo hauling without the hassle of removing heavy seats.

“Minivans may not be as popular as they used to be, but the allnew Kia Grand Carnival gives us reason to think this segment is in store for a resurgence,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor, WardsAuto World magazine. “Kia takes stylistic chances with the Grand Carnival interior. Grand Carnival is unique in its interior design with two-tone leather set off with white piping and orange contrast stitching. The van’s comfortable and

spacious, with way-cool secondrow lounge seats with footrests.

It’s also flexible, with third-row seats that fold into the floor. Finally, a minivan that is truly cool!”

Penton’s WardsAuto announced the Ward’s “10 Best Interiors” list of 2015 after its editors spent February and March evaluating 42 new interiors and scoring them on design aesthetics, materials, ergonomics, safety, comfort, value, fitand-finish and driver information.

To determine the winners, editors drove the vehicles during their routine commutes and submitted score sheets, ranking each interior based on materials, ergonomics, comfort, safety, value, fit-and-finish and overall design.

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SUN DAY, MAY 24, 2015

ROUND-UP EXCLUSIVE RANGE

Malabar Gold launches new jewellery brand

NPS holds impressive graduation ceremony The students thanked the National Private School (NPS) administration for its constant support to them in completing their education at the school

MUSCAT: National Private School (NPS) celebrated the graduation of the 18th batch of Grade XII for the academic year 2014/2015 held recently under the auspices of Dr Said bin Hilal bin Mohammed Al Busaidi, vice president of State Council, at Oman Auditorium of Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

Suliman Al Hamdi, general manager of NPS, welcomed the

guests and highlighted the NPS vision and plans of continuous development and progress, says a press release.

“NPS management has adopted an overall strategy for achieving the best results and outcomes.

This strategy includes rebuilding the organisational structure of NPS in order to keep abreast with the recent and future stages re-

SPECIAL OCCASION

quirements,” he added.

He also said the strategy is based on a team of quality who are to monitor the performance and work continuously hard to develop and improve the students’ academic and behavioural levels.

Suliman thanked his Highness Bargash Al Said, chairman of NPS, for his constant support for the school’s development plans. He also thanked the sponsors, teachers, students and their parents for their support.

The ceremony started with a welcoming show entitled ‘NPS chant’, which attracted the audience’s attention due to its wonderful forms and tones. The main show was a ballad opera titled, ‘Qaboos the human being’, which looked into the great historic leaders of Oman and ended with the biography of His Majesty, since

his birth till he returned home safe and healthy. The show was also full of songs and chants that aroused the feelings of love and honesty to Oman and its wise leader. It also highlighted the global awards given to His Majesty.

The students thanked the NPS administration for its constant support to them in completing their education at the school.

In the end, successful graduates were awarded certificates by Dr. Said bin Hilal and Suliman as per their marks.

The graduates sang a lovely song ‘NPS students are glittering stars’ in which they showed their love and pride for their school, hoping to continue their long journey of education with the values they learned at NPS. The NPS chairman presented a souvenir to Dr. Hilal.

DUBAI: Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the leading jewellery retailer, launched ‘Hi’ Casual Jewellery; an exclusive range of casual jewellery across GCC and Far East.

Bollywood Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan unveiled Hi, the light weight contemporary collection in gold, diamonds and precious gemstones, says a press release.

A tribute to today’s modern woman and to address her aspirations, the group has launched the collection by the name ‘Hi’, the ultimate expression of casualness and fun. The ornaments in Hi Casual Jewellery intend to enhance the feminine charm in the prime target group of 17 – 30; students, homemakers, working women and those who epitomize

the youth and vigour of modernity. This graceful collection is rendered in a combination of gold, diamonds and precious stones and arrives with a cool price tag.

Hi Casual Jewellery includes daily wear ornaments such as necklaces, studs, pendants, rings, bracelets and bangles. This collection is available at all their outlets in GCC, Far East and India.

A trendsetter in the jewellery industry, Malabar Gold & Diamonds operates 134 stores across nine countries. The jewellery chain offers a significantly large collection of traditional as well as contemporary jewellery in gold, diamond, platinum and precious stones that can hold you spell-bound with their aweinspiring beauty.

SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME

Oman LNG delivers buses to Omani Society for Hearing Impaired, OWA

TSC celebrates HM’s return to Sultanate MUSCAT: The Sultan Center (TSC) joined in the nationwide celebration of His Majesty’s return to Oman, recently. The event took place at TSC Wholesale Center in Al Khoud, where local youth had an opportunity to perform and showcase their talent, says a press release.

Traditional performances The event provided a platform for the youth to demonstrate their talent by performing traditional songs, dances, storytelling and a

number of other activities. The event was attended by local residents who participated in the activities and joined in the festivities to mark this occasion.

Commenting on the event Mahmoud Musbah Al Sheikh, Marketing Manager at TSC said, ‘‘As part of our ongoing support to the community we are proud to have had the opportunity to take part in the nationwide celebration and be a platform for the local youth in which to display their talent.”

MUSCAT: Following through on two agreements inked last year with two recognised care providers, Oman LNG celebrated yesterday the delivery of buses to support the Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired and the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) in Al Awabi, extending the reach of its Social Investment Programme, funded by one and half per cent of its annual net income after tax (NIAT), says a press release.

In the first instance, Oman LNG funded the acquisition of a 30-seater passenger bus worth OMR20,000, easing transportation challenges for Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired. The bus will further assist the Society in organising various social activities for its members.

By the second agreement, also easing transportation challenges, Oman LNG funded providing the Omani Women’s Association in Al Awabi with a 15-seater bus. The vehicle will be deployed to carry children for educational activities at the association as well as

TRAINED TO DELIVER

assist women in organising social activities undertaken by OWA as a way of preserving tradition and cultural norms.

The Omani Women’s Association has over fifty branches spread across the country and continues to play an important role in building a cohesive society by assisting women achieve their potential through offering vocational training in handicraft and tailoring for

instance, and in more specialised fields of information technology.

The agreements, focusing primarily on social welfare, fall under the Empowering Communities’ segment of the company’s three-pronged Social Investment Programme. Its other two distinct areas are ‘Investing-in-People’ and ‘Championing Innovation’.

With its involvement in the nation’s social development in many

spheres of life within the country, Oman LNG has successfully created a thriving template for modelling public-private sector partnership that delivers many gains.

In 2010, Oman LNG received recognition for its contribution to Oman’s progress when the Council of Ministers for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) honoured it with the award of Best Company in Social Investment in Oman.

WORKSHOPS

Velosi’s graduation ceremony omanoil observes ‘World Day for Omani engineers on June 4 for Safety and Health at Work’ MUSCAT: Applus Velosi is going to organise a graduation ceremony to award certificates to Omani QA/QC engineers, who have been trained over years in one of the toughest areas of oil & gas, at Crown Plaza Hotel on Thursday, June 4.

The various types of training provided include: NDT in 5 methods, materials inspections, painting & coating inspections (BGAS), wielding inspections (CSWIP/AWS), GRE/GRP inspections and ISO auditors training, says a press release.

“This is one of the most prestigious training courses being imparted to set the necessary skills to the nationals. Velosi has been leading such training for nationals ever since we started our main business with Petroleum Development Oman and received various appreciations,” said a company official.

“I am desperately waiting for this event, don’t have words to express my excitement,” said Salim Saif Nasser Al Muqbali, who is all set to receive a certificate June 4.

Applus+ Velosi can offer everything from quality assurance to quality control in, construction fields, manufacturing process and legislative certification.

The company has been in operation in the Middle East for more than two decades now and has its strong presence across the globe in

It’s one of the greatest achievements of our company and proud to be part of this success. We have trained over 80 Omani engineers since year 2004 in various levels, being one of the longest and tough training programmes Renukamurthy

General manager of Velosi

45 countries.

“It’s one of the greatest achievements of our company and proud to be part of this success. Probably it’s only Velosi that has achieved such a tremendous success in our area of business. We have trained over 80 Omani engineers since year 2004 in various levels, being one of the longest and tough training programmes,” said Renukamurthy, general manager of Velosi.

“We started this journey much

before the in-country value (ICV) concept in Oman and that is helping us now in ICV realisation. To celebrate such success we have invited our key customers and dignitaries which itself is a promotion and motivation to the young national engineers. It’s our contribution towards the development of ICV and we will continue our commitment towards the growth of Oman oil & gas industry as well as ICV,” added the GM.

MUSCAT: Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) observed ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work’ by launching a series of internal workshops to continue building a corporate culture of prevention on occupational safety hazards.

With safe practices at the heart of its business, omanoil specially designed workshops that introduced emerging trends in the field of occupational safety, while shedding light on the magnitude of work related injuries, in an aim to reinforce the proactive behaviour of its staff, says a press release.

“We are committed to adopting international best practices while upholding the highest levels of health and safety for our employees,” said Engr. Mohammed Al Mujaini, omanoil’s Senior Manager of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE).

“This day, declared by the International Labor Organisation, reminds us that we cannot become complacent, and that health and safety is a philosophy that is strengthened through action.

“Our HSSE programmes focus on four basic steps: plan, do, check and evaluate. This guides employees to the preventative line of action that needs to be

taken in any given situation, while also giving them the opportunity to improve our tried and tested procedures with a zerotolerance for accidents.” omanoil’s corporate culture is underpinned with a commitment to HSSE and has resulted in achievements that notably include a milestone 22 years without lost time injury at the JV Mina Al Fahal Terminal. Encouraging a sense of responsibility amongst its employees, omanoil has distributed HSSE passports for staff to track their individual

developments by ticking off essential training workshops they have completed.

An HSSE awards scheme was also launched to motivate employees at all levels of the organisation to proactively engage in health and safety challenges and opportunities to formulate preventative measures. omanoil will continuously update its HSSE policies to keep up to par with international standards, and promote the advancement of safety benchmarks within the company and the industry.

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New India Assurance hosts farewell for COO In his address, Francis highlighted the performance of the New India Assurance Company in the financial year 2014-15 and touched on the satisfactory operational performance and continued progress

MUSCAT: New India Assurance Company Ltd., Oman hosted a farewell party for K. V. Francis, chief operating officer, Oman Operations, with its brokers at Mumtaz Mahal restaurant. Francis has been working with New India Assurance Company as COO since 2010 and his assignment is getting over this month, says a press release.

The new chief operating officer, who is going to take over the charge from Francis, is Dr. K. P. Sebastian.

Dr. Sebastian who holds an excellent professional record in the fields of animal husbandry and also in the insurance sector, has been with New India Assurance Company, a Government of India organisation, for more than 27

years. His career started with Kerala state government sector in the year 1983 and then switched over to the Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) up till January 1988. From 1988 Dr Sebastian joined New India Assurance Company and served in various capacities. He completed A.I.I.I. with gold medal and completed fellowship with gold medal.

Prior to this foreign assignment Dr Sebastian was the senior divisional manager, Auto Hub, Cochin. He introduced ‘automobile tie-up’ with the largest automobile dealer in India (Maruti), in Kerala and established a new divisional office, exclusively for servicing automobile industry, which have become No. 1 in India within a short span of time.

Dr Sebastian has introducing innovative and need-based covers for various sections of the general public as well as for corporate sector. He was instrumental in introducing a special insurance scheme — ‘Pravasi Suraksha Policy’ along with the present general manager John Pulinthanam,

for the benefit of non-resident Indians, particularly for the Gulf NRIs, in association with Norka.

Specially trained in health insurance management at National Insurance Academy (NIA), Dr Sebastian was also a member of special committee constituted by Government of Kerala for devising agricultural insurance schemes for the benefit of farmers.

Dr Sebastian’s agenda includes providing customer satisfaction ‘beyond industry standards’, ensuring issuance of ‘zero defect’ policies, as well as increasing the market share without compromising quality underwriting.

In the farewell meeting, Francis briefed on the performance of the New India Assurance Company for the financial year 2014-15 and touched on the satisfactory operational performance and progress during the above financial year and thereby registered underwriting surplus during the financial year.

Recollecting the achievements the company attained during his over five years period

in Oman, he said ‘New India Oman’ witnessed tremendous growth in its business.

“New India - Oman has become a household name among the public, due to its qualitative service and healthy underwriting, it bagged various laurels and awards locally and internationally like ‘Best Brand Insurer’ since 2010, World Finance Insurance Awards on various categories, A+ Rating

by A M Best, USA and attaining the status of a leader among all foreign insurers in Oman,” he added.

Introducing the new COO Dr. Sebastian to the members in the get-together, Francis further briefed the overall experience and various milestones that Dr. Sebastian had achieved during his service period with New India Assurance Company in India in various capacities.

Members present in the event expressed their gratitude towards the timely support and guidance extended by Francis as chief operating officer for business and overall performances during his tenure and expected that the same business approach would be continued by the new COO. Dr. Sebastian in his introductory speech briefed on his working experiences and achievements he attained during his service period and assured unconditional support and co-operation for building the business relation even stronger in the coming days.

Francis thanked everyone and conveyed his gratitude for the support and co-operation received from each and every one of the intermediaries for discharging his duties and attaining various milestones during his service period in Oman.

I N N O VAT I V E

OAB offers instant debit card solution MUSCAT: Oman Arab Bank (OAB), a leading local bank which celebrated its 30th anniversary recently in the Sultanate of Oman, announced an innovative solution for new customers wishing to open accounts with the bank.

The bank has deployed special purpose card machines in select branches, which can produce a debit card at the same time as the account is opened. Thus, the customer can walk out of the branch with an active debit card, that can be used at any ATM or card accepting merchant locations, says a press release.

The new service is being offered at nine branches namely Ruwi, Al Khuwair, Ghubra, Qurum, Shatti

Qurum, Ghala, Sur, Nizwa, Salalah and will soon be extended to a wider network of branches across the Sultanate.

“OAB is working on many new initiatives to lead innovation in

customer experience. We are happy to introduce a service that will add value to our customers by removing waiting time. This innovation is one of many to come,” said Fahd Amjad, GM Retail

Banking at Oman Arab Bank.

Debit cards are fast replacing the need to carry cash for Oman Arb Bank customers. The customers holding cards have access to conveniently located 123 OAB ATMs across Oman for cash withdrawals at any time of the day.

Debit cards can be used for making utility bill payments including mobile, internet, electricity and water through the OAB ATMs. More than half of OAB ATMs also offer the convenience to customers for depositing cash. In addition to debit cards, Oman Arab Bank has a full suite of retail banking products and services with a wide branch network across the Sultanate of Oman.

I N T E R NAT I O NA L P L AT F O R M

Majan College professor presents research paper at Istanbul conference MUSCAT: Sam Sundar Chintha, Lecturer and Programme Manager in the Faculty of Business Management presented a research paper titled Impact of capital structure on firm’s profitability with reference to companies listed on MSM (Muscat Securities Market) at the international conference on New Directions in Multidisciplinary Research &

Practice (NDMRP- May 12-13, 2015) held in Istanbul, Turkey, says a press release.

Chintha also had the privilege to chair a Track B session: Social Science & Humanities. The presentation was well received by the participants with the presenter addressing numerous comments and questions posed by the audience.

The conference, organised

PROMOTION

TSC picks 3rd winner of Spring Festival MUSCAT: The Sultan Center (TSC) announced the third winner of its Spring Festival weekly draw; the lucky winner of the third 2015 Chevrolet Cruze was Alkhattab Ahmad Al Arimi.

Ziad Rayan from TSC Wholesale Center Al Khoud handed over the key of the new car to the lucky winner, says a press release.

The prize Started on April 23, TSC First Spring Festival continued till May 20 to honour loyal customers; TSC’s shoppers who spend OMR10 at any of the seven outlets across Oman will enter a draw for a chance to win a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. The fourth and final draw was held recently at TSC Wholesale Center in Al-Khoud to announce winners of two 2015 Chevrolet Cruze.

B7

by a Pakistan based publishing company, Global Illuminators Publishing Company, had participants from different countries attend the conference. It was organised and conducted as per international standards. Majan College continually encourages and supports staff engaged in research and scholarly activities within and beyond the region.

H O L I D AY C A M PA I G N

Sky Jewellery launches ‘Gifts at Home’ campaign MUSCAT: Sky Jewellery, the Middle East’s trusted jewellery retailer, has announced a new campaign named ‘Gifts at Home’ - Holiday Campaign in connection with the upcoming holidays for the expat population in the region.

Lalith Mohan Asthana, CEO of Bank of Baroda received the first coupon of the campaign from Babu John, chairman and managing director of Sky Jewellery.

This exclusive offer is available at all the Sky jewellery showrooms across UAE, Oman and Qatar, says a press release.

The offer will announce 120 winners across the region through different weeks. The winners will get a large variety of home appliances such as Samsung UHD TV, LG refrigerator, washing machine, home theatre, microwave oven, food processor, air fryer and play station, etc. to be readily delivered free at home in the respective regions.

A lucky coupon is available with all purchases worth AED.500 of gold jewellery and two coupons on diamond jewellery from any of the sky jewellery outlets.

Diamond purchases are further incentivised with holiday discounts, free one gram gold and an instant cash back through 100% guaranteed Scratch and Win coupons.

The grand promotion Gifts at Home comes clubbed with Sky Jewellery’s exclusive celebration

The winners will get a large variety of home appliances such as Samsung UHD TV, LG refrigerator, washing machine, home theatre, microwave oven, food processor, air fryer and play station, etc. to be readily delivered free at home in the respective regions

Festival of 22 offers yet again lots of exciting surprises. Customers are privileged to enjoy an instant ready cash back on every gram of gold till 6pm exclusively at Sky jewellery outlet.

Customers are invited to avail the latest collections at the lowest making charges and instant cash back. The brand promises more gold for same money.

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

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MHD launches big state-of-art building materials showroom The showroom will showcase tiles, marbles and bathroom products from well-known local sources in Oman, India, Middle East and Europe

MUSCAT: The Building Materials Division of Mohsin Haider Darwish has launched an all new, state-of-the-art showroom in Wadi Kabir. The showroom was inaugurated by the Adviser and Founder of MHD group, Mohsin Haider Darwish, says a press release.

The uniquely and exquisitely designed tiles, baths and kitchens

showroom will showcase a range of quality products from all over the world to the Omani retail clientele. The showroom will showcase tiles, marbles and bathroom products from well-known local sources in Oman, India, Middle East and Europe.

The finest modular kitchens of Europe displayed in the showroom, which highlight the contem-

porary and classic styles prevalent, will excite aspiring Omani homeowners and house builders alike.

Unique outlet Inaugurating the showroom, Darwish mentioned, “This showroom is one of the most unique retail outlet in Oman with this tiles, baths and kitchens concept and once again reiterates our commit-

ment to bring quality global products to the Sultanate of Oman. The products are displayed in such a way, that the customers can easily visualise their dream of a beautiful modern house.”

He added further, “This will be followed by a similar showroom in Salalah so that the residents can easily access the vast range of products being brought to Oman

B O O S T F O R T R AV E L L E R S

by the Building Materials Division of MHD LLC.” Chairperson, Lujaina Darwish, also launched the kitchen franchisee page in the social media, which will give ideas of new kitchen designs available and promotion schemes, to the modern families savvy to the digital media world.

“The ease of reaching and park-

ing at the showroom, the ambience, the exciting range both in terms of sources, designs and suiting all budgets, with complete simulated 3D design prepared at the showroom, will give a different satisfying experience to customers in Oman,” supplemented Sourav Sen, director of Building Materials and urged everyone to come and visit, to live that experience.

NAT U R A L B E AU T Y C A R E

Travelling to India easier, cheaper Moha products now available in Oman as SpiceJet adds additional flights Times News Service MUSCAT: Travelling to India is becoming easier, and cheaper, by the day as SpiceJet, the second largest low cost airline in India, has further strengthened its international services with the addition of two more weekly flights on the Muscat-Ahmedabad sector, taking the total frequency to five flights a week.

The additional flights have already been in operation since May 13 and are now open for booking at a promotional offer fare of OMR 38 all-inclusive for MuscatAhmedabad sector. The two additional flights will depart Muscat every Thursday and Monday at 1.10 am and depart Ahmedabad every Wednesday and Sunday at 11 pm.

Through Ahmedabad, passengers can connect to and from the

Muscat flights from Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai, among other Indian cities. The airline will be deploying the new generation Boeing 737-800, a 189 seat aircraft providing the comfort of premium seating with more leg room. Clients can choose their choice of hot meals, along with snacks, sandwiches and beverages from the extensive menu that can be availed at spicejet.com at the time of booking.

“India and Oman have an excellent partnership, and the passenger demand between these countries has been growing strongly,” said Sanjiv Kapoor, chief operating officer (COO), SpiceJet Ltd. “These additional frequencies are a part of our plans to increase our international services, and we expect to add more flights and frequencies to current and potential new international destinations

M U S I C A L E X T R AVA G A N Z A

in the coming months as we add more aircraft,” he added.

Muscat is one of seven international destinations currently served by SpiceJet and was the proud recipient of the “2014 Top Airline by Growth in Muscat (South-Asia)” award last year that was to recognise the tremendous 277% growth in the number of passengers carried by the airline to and from Muscat International Airport in 2014.

“SpiceJet started its Muscat operations from Ahmedabad on August 29, 2013. Since then, the airline has added additional sectors with connectivity to several more cities in India via Ahmedabad. The additional flights will be a huge boost for travellers homebound both on leisure and business,” said Cashio Vettom, general manager, Khimji’s House of Travel.

MUSCAT: Leading the shift towards herbal healthcare for over 60 years now, Charak Pharma has launched Moha, a range of potent natural beauty products with herbal actives that rejuvenate skin and hair, which is now available in the Sultanate of Oman, says a press release.

The last few decades have seen a growing number of nutritionists and wellness experts advocate natural solutions for most ailments. A new wave of awareness has risen with the realisation that nourishment is best left to nature, and that one must look towards nature’s help for the damages of pollution and stress to be safely and completely undone.

Natural health A blend of ancient beauty recipes and the power of science, and bursting with rich natural extracts, Moha promises to effec-

tively restore the body’s natural health and radiance.

The careful selection of ingredients, and a scrupulous adherence to the highest global standards in all Moha products, ensure immediate and lasting results.

Anti-dandruff Cream Helps eliminate dandruff leaving your scalp healthy and your hair lustrous.

Nail Care Cream Softens cuticles, reduces brittleness giving you healthy and beautiful nails.

Wrinkle Care Cream Restores skin’s natural flexibility, reducing wrinkles to take years off your face.

Foot Care Cream Soothes cracks, leaving your feet smooth and soft.

PRIZED POSSESSION

Explore happiness in luxury with Lexus GX ISC Goan Wing set to organise May Queen contest on June 5 MUSCAT: The annual May Queen Ball, a dine and dance musical extravaganza organised by ISC Goan Wing, will be held on Friday, June 5 at 7pm onwards at the Murjan Hall of Civil Aviation Club in Seeb.

Special attraction Performing live will be Crimson Tide, Goa’s most sought after band, who will offer the audience a wide variety of music genres satisfying the tastes of the young and old alike. A special attraction this year

is the sizzling Cecile Rodrigues who is specially flown into Muscat from Goa for this gala event, says a press release.

Cecile is currently the new dance sensation in India. Her career came to the limelight after she contested in the Dance India Dance Super Mom contest and won the first runner-up place. She along with Crimson Tide will take the audience by storm and keep the dance floor rocking all through the night.

However, the spotlight will be on

the crowning of May Queen 2015.

The contestants will be judged by a panel of very distinguished guests.

Winners will take away some amazing prizes. There will also be loads of surprise prizes for the guests. The organising committee has planned to make this traditional event a much bigger and better show than ever before.

“So, get hold of your tickets as soon as possible. You wouldn’t want to miss it this time,” said a Goan Wing official.

MUSCAT: After a day well spent at work, the desire to take a rewarding break is only natural. It is here that the Lexus GX rises up to reward your moments with much more than you expect and that too in luxury.

Not many vehicles can pull off being tough and well-mannered at the same time. But Lexus has done this with the GX. Blessed with the proven on- and off-road DNA of its previous generations, the GX is as adept at providing a smooth, quiet highway ride as it is nimbly working its way through a rugged, terrain, says a press release.

The GX owes its well-rounded nature to the capable hardware that lives beneath its polished wood, thick carpeting and soft leather. Not only does the GX have an adaptive suspension (with three driver-selectable modes) but it also sports adaptive stabiliser bars. The latter perform their expected duty of minimising body lean when rounding corners, but they can also be disengaged off-road to allow maximum suspension travel.

Crawl Control endows the GX with even more off-road prowess. This feature automatically modulates throttle and braking to maintain a selectable speed and optimum control whether ascending or descending a hill.

The Lexus GX is a seven-passenger luxury SUV offered in base and Premium trim levels. Standard features on the base GX include 18-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, running boards, a sunroof, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped power tilt-and-telescoping steer-

ing wheel, 10-Way power-adjustable heated/ventilated front seats (with power lumbar), driver memory settings, power-folding thirdrow seats, Three-zone automatic climate control and an auto-dimming rear view mirror. Also standard are a back-up camera and an EMV DVD 17-speaker Mark Levinson Bluetooth audio and phone, satellite radio, iPod connectivity and an auxiliary audio jack.

The GX Premium adds adaptive variable suspension (with rear adjustable height control), auto-dimming side view mirrors, adaptive xenon headlights, upgraded leather upholstery, heated second-row seats and rear air-conditioning. Other options include front and rear parking sensors, wide front and side view cameras, power-folding exterior mirrors, a navigation system, a rear-seat entertainment system with twin screens. The Premium trim is also eligible for adaptive cruise control, the Crawl Control off-road system, a lane-departure warning system and a driver-attention monitor.

The Lexus GX is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 producing 292 horsepower (Net) and 44.7 KgM

Torque. A six-speed automatic transmission routes power to all four wheels via a dual-range transfer case.

The Lexus GX460 comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, hill descent control, hill start assist, front- and rear-seat side airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags and roll-sensing side curtain airbags spanning all three rows. A collision mitigation system is included with the optional adaptive cruise control and lanedeparture and distracted-driver alerts are also optional features.

Lexus is constantly looking to the future, driven by innovation.

The process to create a Lexus vehicle is unique within the automotive industry. Taking inspiration from fields as diverse as the fashion industry, architecture, the arts and medicine, each vehicle is painstakingly crafted to meet Lexus’ exacting standards.

In Oman every Lexus vehicle comes with special benefits and privileges such as six years unlimited extended mileage protection and Lexus Prestige Club Card that offers 24 hours on-road assistance from AAA.

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SPOR YOUR GAME

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HAMILTON TAKES HIS FIRST POLE AT MONACO GP Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton took the first Monaco Grand Prix pole position of his career on Saturday as Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg blew his own hopes of a qualifying hat-trick. >C5

Williamson ton puts New Zealand on top SCOREBOARD

Williamson’s wellconstructed 132 was the centrepiece of New Zealand’s 523 all out which gave them a first-innings lead of 134 runs

LONDON: Kane Williamson starred for New Zealand as they outplayed England on the third day of the first Test at Lord’s on Saturday.

Williamson’s well-constructed 132 was the centrepiece of New Zealand’s 523 all out which gave them a first-innings lead of 134.

The Black Caps followed-up with two early wickets to reduce England to 25 for two in their second innings.

But England captain Alastair Cook (32 not out) and Ian Bell (29 not out) survived some testing overs to take the hosts to 74 for two at stumps — a deficit of 60 runs.

New Zealand, bidding for just their second Test victory at Lord’s of all time, resumed Saturday on 303 for two, with Williamson 92 not out and Ross Taylor unbeaten on 47. England with the new ball available just three overs after the start of Saturday’s play, opened proceedings with Ali. Williamson promptly helped himself to five runs before a three to third man off James Anderson saw the New Zealand number three — unlike England’s Joe Root and Ben Stokes who’d both fallen in the 90s in this match — to a hundred.

Batting with impressive serenity for a 24-year-old, Williamson’s century came in just over three hours off 148 balls. His knock include 12 fours.

It was the talented stroke-player’s 10th hundred in 40 Tests — an impressive strike-rate — and the

CENTURION: New Zealand’s Kane Williamson celebrates after

completing his century on the third day of their first Test against England at Lord’s in London on Saturday . – AFP

14th by a New Zealand batsman in a Test at Lord’s.

McCullum charge But batting in overcast conditions became significantly more challenging once England took the new ball. The extra bounce on offer proved Taylor’s undoing when he fended at a rising ball from Stuart Broad and was brilliantly caught, one-handed down the legside at full stretch, by diving wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, struck his first ball, from Broad, through cover-point for four in typically aggressive fashion. McCullum, much praised for his dynamism during New Zealand’s run to the World Cup final, ignored the difficulties of batting in overcast conditions to

INJURED

pull Stokes for six. But he gave his wicket away after an outside-edge off an attempted pull against debutant paceman Mark Wood flew to Root at third man. McCullum faced just 38 balls, including six fours and a six.

Wood, denied a first Test wicket on Friday by an umpire review for a marginal no-ball, saw fortune again turn in his favour when Buttler held another superb catch to dismiss Corey Anderson off a genuine leg-glance.

Williamson, who had survived a stumping chance on 92 on Friday, was then given another reprieve on 120 when he guided Stokes to second slip only for Bell to drop the catch. It was the second time in the match that Bell had dropped a slip catch off the unlucky Durham all-rounder.

Williamson was eventually out when an inside edge off his pad against Ali was caught by Gary Ballance at backward short leg.

But wicket-keeper BJ Watling, who’d spent much of England’s first innings off the field with a knee injury, struck a breezy 61 not out including 11 fours.

England’s shoddy display in the field was exemplified by the fact they conceded 67 extras — the fifth-highest total in any Test innings. Adam Lyth surpassed his first innings score of seven in a 12 made up of three fours.

But the debutant England opener then fended Trent Boult to third slip, where Tim Southee made no mistake with the catch.

Southee then squared up Ballance with an excellent delivery that saw Lyth’s fellow Yorkshire left-hander bowled for a duck. - AFP

A cracker of a game in store at Eden Gardens

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T is going to be a repeat of the 2013 final. Mumbai will play Chennai at the Eden Gardens to decide who will be crowned this year’s champions. wo years ago, at the same venue, the Mumbai Indians shrugged off an indifferent start to the season and won the trophy in style against a team that looked unbeatable heading into the final.

So strong had the aura about Chennai been, that beating them, especially in the final, was considered a Himalayan task.

Mumbai showed then that they were able to rise above negative thoughts and engraved their name on the trophy.

This time around, that Chennai aura has subsided somewhat, though it would be silly to suggest that they are over the hill. Any team that reaches the final six out of eight times has to be a super team, and the Chennai team is undoubtedly a legendary one.

Like the people of Chennai, this team too is a quiet, silent worker. No chest thumping about their achievements and showcasing its deeds.

Led by a skipper, who, although from Ranchi, is just like the Chennaites in attitude and impeccable behaviour, the team has gone about its business with professionalism and an attention to detail that is the hallmark of the people from the south.

The loss of the flamboyant Brendon McCullum has been made up by the rock solid Mike Hussey.

Their only problem seems to be Dwayne Smith at the top of the order. With the power and range of shots that Smith has, all he has to do is give himself an over or two to play the orthodox shots, and once the flow has begun then go

for the unorthodox ones.

Unfortunately, he has been going for the big ones even before he has got off the mark, and that is allowing the opposition to make the early dent in the Chennai innings. Suresh Raina also has to get his A game to the final.

The shot that he played against Bangalore to get out was a shocker that raised eyebrows. Dhoni however was his usual cool self and took the team home.

Mumbai know that the Chennai team batting this year has not been its best point and will look to attack there. The bowling is also dependent to a great extent on Ashish Nehra who has bowled superbly, swinging the ball and using the bouncer cleverly.

Ashwin also has been nagging, and if Jadeja and Negi go over the wicket to the right-handers, they will be able to cramp the batsman more than when they are bowling round the stumps. Bravo is the leader with the wickets but has been disappointing with the bat.

On current form, Mumbai look the team, but they have had a break for a few days and that can alter the rhythm and the tempo.

Hopefully they have used the intervening period to tone up the catching which has been pretty ordinary in the season so far. They cannot afford to drop balls and then hope that the bowlers will go back and deliver an unplayable one again.

The two best teams are in the final, and the Eden Gardens should be in store for a cracker of a game. - PMG

OLD FOES

Kiwi pacer Milne ruled out of England ODIs LONDON: Fast bowler Adam Milne has failed to adequately recover from the heel injury that forced him out of the World Cup to join the New Zealand one-day side for their series against England, coach Mike Hesson said on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Milne was ruled out of the World Cup before the semifinal and replaced

by Matt Henry, who also played the final and has since gone on to make his test debut against England in the ongoing match at Lord’s in London.

“Its been a hard time for Adam,” Hesson said in a statement.

“He has worked really hard to get back to full fitness but unfortunately he is still suffering pain and is unable to bowl at his best.

“He is a young man and has a long career ahead of him so we are focused on making sure he is 100 percent fit before he returns.”

Milne will be replaced in the

England 1st innings: 389 New Zealand 1st innings M. Guptill c Ballance b Broad 70 T. Latham lbw Ali 59 K. Williamson c Ballance b Ali 132 R. Taylor c Buttler b Broad 62 B. McCullum c Root b Wood 42 C. Anderson c Buttler b Wood 9 BJ Watling not out 61 M. Craig lbw Ali 0 T. Southee c Wood b Anderson 11 M. Henry c Root b Wood 10 T. Boult c Anderson b Broad 0 Extras (b-26, lb-34, w-6, nb-1) 67 Total (all out, 131.2 overs) 523 Fall of wickets: 1-148, 2-148, 3-337, 4-403, 5-420, 6-470, 7-470, 8-493, 9-515.

Bowling: Anderson 29-7-88-1 (w-5); Broad 26.2-4-77-3 (w-1); Wood 27-2-93-3 (nb-1); Stokes 21-2-105-0; Ali 26-4-94-3; Root 2-0-6-0.

England 2nd innings A. Lyth c Southee b Boult 12 A. Cook not out 32 G. Ballance b Southee 0 I. Bell not out 29 Extras (lb-1) 1 Total (2 wkts, 26 overs) 74 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-25.

Bowling: Boult 9-2-22-1; Southee 9-0-301; Henry 5-0-15-0; Craig 3-0-6-0.

C O M M E N TA RY

HARD TIME: Adam Milne

squad for the five matches from June 9-20 by Ben Wheeler, who played for the tourists in their warm-up match against Somerset and impressed Hesson with a five-wicket haul.

“He showed great composure against Somerset and he has a big future,” said Hesson. “It will be good to have him in the squad to continue his development.” - Reuters

MI and CSK lock horns for IPL title KOLKATA: Two-time former champions and the most consistent team of the season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns with late bloomers Mumbai Indians (MI) in a high-voltage Indian Premier League (IPL) summit clash here on Sunday, bringing the 47-day T20 extravaganza to a relatively controversy-free end.

Ever since the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, controversy has dogged Chennai Super Kings and this season too the undervaluation of the franchise acquisition to a trust for 500,000 Indian rupees came under the Enforcement Directorate scanner. But it was nowhere close to the furore that was generated in 2013.

Season eight was not entirely free of drama with reports of a bookie approach, some ugly on-field brawls and breach of protocols.

In the middle of all this, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK has gone about their job with absolute precision. This will be another shot at redemption for Dhoni’s men, who were denied a third title

SHOWDOWN: MI’s Rohit Sharma, left, and CSK’s Suresh Raina at a press meet in Kolkata on Saturday.

by Mumbai Indians at the same venue, on May 26, two years ago.

Table toppers CSK had lost to second-placed Mumbai Indians by 25 runs in the first qualifier but they won when it mattered the most — in the second qualifier last night — to make their sixth final appearance in eight attempts.

Fresh from their three-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ranchi, CSK will be

in red hot form while Mumbai Indians, who got a four-day rest after directly advancing into the final, may have to watch out for complacency.

CSK are a team known to keep their nucleus intact and this season too they have some senior players who are getting the job done, and if one adds the ‘Dhoni Touch’ then the yellow brigade looks invincible.

Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra, who clinched the man of the match

against RCB for his three for 28, has been a revelation with 22 wickets to his tally. They also have one Mr Cricket, and a familiar Aussie, who will turn 40 in four days time.

Playing his third match this season, Michael Hussey stood in the path of the spirited Kohli’s men with a defiant 56 in their modest chase of 140, and while fielding he gave more than 100 per cent in an age-defying display. - PTI

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

SPORTS FOOTBALL

Fifa candidates were targets in blackmail scam, says report SINGAPORE: Two men who launched challenges to Sepp Blatter for the leadership of world football body Fifa have been targeted in an attempted blackmail scam, a report said on Saturday.

Prince Ali bin al Hussein and Michael van Praag, who has now pulled out of the race, were both approached by Kenya-based conmen who said Blatter had gathered sensitive information about them.

Singapore’s The New Paper and Dutch daily De Volkskrant said the men demanded money to hand over the information from what they claimed was a smear campaign orchestrated by Blatter.

According to The New Paper, Jordan’s Prince Ali, who is now Blatter’s sole challenger in next week’s Fifa vote, and van Praag both confirmed approaches.

“We have had a number of individuals coming forward with similar allegations,” a spokesman for Prince Ali was quoted as saying.

“Our approach has been to try and set up meetings with these individuals so we can assess them and the information they are giving for ourselves.”

The conmen said the director of an India-based security company put together a surveillance report

on Prince Ali for submission to Blatter’s daughter, Corinne.

But when contacted by The New Paper, both the investigator and Corinne Blatter denied all knowledge and said they had been set up.

“I do not know who is behind it but it is clearly intended to damage my father’s reputation,” Corinne Blatter was quoted as saying.

According to the report, the approaches by email appeared genuine but details such as the investigator’s phone number and email address were wrong. “I have no idea who would want to set me up, especially on such an elaborate scam as this,” the investigator, who was not named, told The New Paper. “I have never worked for Ms Corinne Blatter in any way.”

Van Praag received an email which said: “Some time in late August 2014, Sepp commissioned some espionage work on you fearing you might stand against him.”

The Dutch FA chief said: “What do you think it would mean for my image if I were to respond to those e-mails? If it is true that they are working on a case against me,then so be it. I have nothing to hide.”

Van Praag and Portuguese great Luis Figo withdrew from the Fifa race on Thursday. - AFP

CHAMPIONS: Members of the victorious Passage to India team pose for a group photo after their title triumph. – Supplied photo

Passage to India return to retain Premier Cup The win was sweet for Passage to India as they suffered a bad League season after being banned

by Oman Cricket Club and the win over League champions made it sweeter

Times News Service MAN OF THE MATCH: Asif Khan, right, receives his award from chief guest and Oman Cricket board

MUSCAT: The curtains came down on the Oman Cricket season 2014-15 with defending champions Passage to India recording a thrilling three-wicket win against A Division League champions Assarain A. The low scoring final of the Khimji Ramdas-sponsored Premier Cup T20 knockout tournament as played on Friday at the Ministry of Sports Affairs Ground at Al Amerat.

The win was sweet for Passage to India as they suffered a bad League season after being banned

by Oman Cricket Club and the win over League champions made it sweeter.

Speaking to Times Sport after the match, K.K. Mohandas, managing director and mentor of Passage to India, said: “It is a great achievement for our team, considering that we were in wilderness after being banned from the A Division League.

member Maqbool Moosa Al Lawati. – Supplied photo

“The victory is so sweet that we beat A Division champions Assarain and this will help us comeback with full force next season.”

Hailing the win, Mohandas said: “I am proud of my team and the players have done well, even though they were out of action almost the whole season.”

Opting to bat after winning the toss Assarain A lost their four top order batsmen for 62 runs at the halfway mark.

A 48-run fifth wicket partnership between Mohammed Nadeem 43 (24b, 2x6 and 3x4) and Sindo Michael 21 (26b, 1x4) helped them get to 137 for the loss of 9 wickets at the end of their quota of 20 overs.

Skipper Syed Aamir Kaleem and Mohammed Bilal picked up 2 wickets each conceding 23 and 45 runs respectively.

Set a target of 138 for victory and championship honours Passage to India after a brisk start of 41 runs between openers Mohammed Saeed 21 (18b, 1x6 and 2x4) and Atique Ahmed 21 (23b, 4x4) lost wickets regularly and were reeling at 68 for the loss of 5 wickets off 11.2 overs.

A 43-run sixth wicket partnership between man of the match Asif Khan 38 (29b, 3x6 and 1x4) and Mohammed Bilal 19 (17b, 3x4) helped the team get closer to the target which they achieved with five deliveries to spare losing seven wickets in the process.

Mohammed Nadeem and Ahmad Raza claimed two wickets each conceding 22 and 26 runs respectively.

Asif Khan of Passage to India was declared man of the match, while Assarain’ Mohammed Na-

RUNNERS-UP: Assarain A team members celebrate their second place finish. – Supplied photo

deem earned a consolation prize for his all-round show.

Maqbool Moosa Al Lawati, board member of Oman Cricket was the chief guest during the prize-giving ceremony. Madhursinh Jesrani, OC Secretary, Kiran Asher, OC Treasurer and Dad Mohammed Al Balushi Board Member were also present.

Meanwhile, Madhursinh Jesrani wished the national team good luck and success at the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 qualifier 2015 scheduled to be held In Ireland and Scotland from July 3 to 26.

Brief scores: Assarain A 137 for 9 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nadeem 43, Sindo Michael 21; Syed Aamir Kaleem 2/23 and Mohammed Bilal 2/45) lost to Passage to India 138 for 7 in 19.1 Overs (Asif Khan 38, Mohammed Saeed 21 and Atique Ahmed 21; Mohammed Nadeem 2/22 and Ahmad Raza 2/26).

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS Squash spreading wings in Oman There is indeed a resurgence of the game of squash and the architect Tahir Al Barwani is full of enthusiasm and ambitions to make it one of the top sports in Oman

T.K. MOHANDOSS sportseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: If the recent resurgence in passion for the game of squash is considered, the indoor sport is here to stay forever.

Oman may be synonymous for football, but lately we have seen aspirations grow be it any form of sports. Lately the game which is visibly seen growing in popularity in all parts of the Sultanate of Oman is indeed squash.

Going by the interest shown by the nationals, one can clearly say that quashing of squash is a factor totally out of question.

The enthusiasm shown by Tahir Al Barwani and his friends has given the impetus and the newfound craze for squash is destined to spread like wildfire.

Squash had been played in Oman many years ago, mostly in top hotels, and it is from there Tahir Al Barwani, who is the architect of the recent resurgence, took a special liking for the sport.

His enthusiasm and enterprise meant that many like-minded nationals have joined hands to run a series of tournaments, the latest being the Sohar championship.

Speaking to Times Sport, Tahir Al Barwani said: “I started playing at an early stage with my father in 1984. I played with a wooden racquet and as the years developed I became a tennis champion first. But I always loved squash due to its extra pace, mobility factor and x-factor.”

He went on to say that he played squash during those days at places like Al Falaj Hotel, Ruwi Hotel, Ras Al Hamra Club, Golden Tulip hotel and various other clubs.

Hinting at the national interest towards the game, Tahir said: “The interest has been growing in recent times and moreover the nationals are enjoying playing the game. However, we need support to start coaching at grassroots level and the priority is to introduce the game in schools and colleges.”

When queried whether there is an official committee, association or federation nationally, Tahir said: “At the moment we are everything and the current squash league, which began in 2012, is doing wonders. However, we have requested the Ministry of Sports Affairs to recognise our team so that the game can be popularised further.”

On national interest, Tahir mentioned that around 300 nationals have taken up the racquets and

The interest has been growing in recent times and moreover the nationals are enjoying playing the game. However, we need support to start coaching at grassroots level and the priority is to introduce the game in schools and colleges Tahir Al Barwani

Squash organiser

NEW TALENTS: The upcoming talents are being encouraged by presenting racquets. – Supplied photos

they come from places like Muscat, Ibra, Salalah, Buraimi, Bidiyah, Sur and Sohar.

“We also welcome expatriate participation as we know that it helps us in learning more about the

game and enhances our expertise level,” he added.

“Ministry of Sports Affairs have been positive towards us and it is they who have supported us in organising the first Omani and

Open tournaments in Muscat and Sohar,” he said. “The tournaments were very successful, but I must point out that we need to have a proper infrastructure for the sport and also require the services of

qualified trainers to help tap talent very young.”

Being positive on gaining recognition nationally, Tahir said that the need of the hour is a proper recognised organisation and funds.

“We must also start talent hunting, impart coaching on young boys and girls, and with the official support introduce them to Middle East tournaments before entering the Asian level events. We know it needs great effort, but we are determined to achieve our dreams.

“Once this is achieved we will start knocking the doors of World Squash Federation and Professional Squash Association.”

Listing out the future plans, Tahir said: “Priority, of course, is forming an official recognised body. We will continue to chart out tournaments for different age groups for the next year depending on the season, introduce the sport in school and colleges, get good coaches to set up the facility with nutrition and training modules, include separate tournaments with expats to learn their method of playing. Have a 2-3 day workout every week and have a 6-month progress review, which will be presented to the sports ministry for improvement and guidance.”

On linking up with other Gulf nations, Tahir said there are no links yet, but “we are trying to get training modules from others”.

Nevertheless, the ambition is there. It’s time to spread the wings and fly high.

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

SPORTS C O M M E N TA RY

How Dhoni guts it right and why Pollard walks the talk

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DIFFERENT FEELINGS: Pakistan’s spectators cheer their team as they attend the first International T20 match between Pakistan and

Zimbabwe in Lahore on Friday. – AFP

Pakistan savour return of international cricket Friday’s Twenty20 game between

No doubt that the home crowd and home ground spark different emotions in you. The way we were welcomed on our way to Gaddafi Stadium, it was hard to control the emotions

Pakistan and Zimbabwe was the first international match in Pakistan since terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009

LAHORE: Pakistan on Saturday celebrated the return of international cricket to the country, with head coach Waqar Younis saying a Twenty20 win was the “icing on the cake”.

Friday’s Twenty20 game between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was the first international match in Pakistan since terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets before a 27,000-strong crowd, who battled 42 degree heat and stifling security arrangements.

“It’s always good to play in front of the home crowd and winning the game is like icing on the cake,” Waqar, who coached for the first time in a match in Pakistan, said.

“Playing on home soil in front of our own people gives you different feelings.”

Pakistan achieved their best Twenty20 chase by overhauling

Waqar Younis

Pakistan coach

a target of 173. Opener Mukhtar Ahmed hit a rapid 83 to steer the home team to a 1-0 lead in the twomatch series.

Waqar said the occasion made Pakistan a proud nation.

“The way Lahore rose for us was simply the best. We are proud of our people and our nation. I had said (before the match) that people should keep some patience as they might face minor problems (amid extra security) but I am happy everything went well.”

After Sunday’s Twenty20 both teams will play three, One-day Internationals (ODIs) on May 26, 29 and 31.

Waqar said he got emotional on arriving at the stadium.

“No doubt that the home crowd and home ground spark different emotions in you. The way we were welcomed on our way to Gaddafi Stadium, it was hard to control the emotions.

“We did speak in the morning (on Friday) about how to control it.

But the way we played it was outstanding and the atmosphere was exhilarating.”

Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi said his nation has given a positive message to the world.

“With this match we have given a loud and clear and a positive

message to the world that we love cricket and want to hold international matches regularly,” he said.

“Our stadiums will no more serve as marriage gardens but they will hold international cricket matches,” said Afridi, who retired from one-day cricket after the 2015 World Cup. Former captain and legendary paceman Wasim Akram praised the spirit of the fans. “Full house, great game and a Twenty20 win all made the occasion more memorable,” he said. “We celebrated the return of cricket in a memorable manner and hats off to the people of this great nation.” - AFP

N the art of trusting the gut, MS Dhoni has no rivals in the short, complex life between 22 yards. Many of his on-thespot acts looked like they were actually the outcome of every cell in his body working together towards making the decisions that were just right for the team at that moment.

You could argue that some of his gut moves that scripted unbelievable turnarounds for both the Indian team and the Chennai Super Kings were actually stupid and it was, in many cases, more a matter of luck, a total fluke, than any inspiring tale of out-ofthe-box tactical excellence.

Fine, but when he pulls them off with stunning regularity that defies logic of the brainy kind, you are forced to sit back and search for the science behind such gutsy way of life.

The flip side of the coin is that it seldom pleases both sides when tossed up in the vicinity of a cricket pitch, but in the second qualifier played at Ranchi on Friday both Virat Kohli and Dhoni were happy with the turn of the coin.

Kohli looked pleased with the opportunity to bat first on a low and slow wicket and was in a hurry to post a fighting total.

The manner he smacked Ashish Nehra for a four and a six off successive balls would have upset the rhythm of the CSK trump card if there hadn’t been that familiar gutsy intervention from captain Dhoni.

The result: Kohli was out in the least impressive way we expect a player of his sort should.

That was an instance of Dhoni going with his gut feeling and coming off with flying colours.

Now, the rhyme and reason, as explained by Nehra post-match: Dhoni was quick to notice Kohli’s tactic of coming down the pitch on a slow pitch and suggested to Nehra that he would stand up to the stumps to force the RCB skipper to stay back, which perhaps made him hit that lazy shot straight to Mohit Sharma at short fine leg.

If Kohli had lasted longer, a total in excess of 160 would have been possible, which would have made the chase tougher for CSK. At the fall of Mike Hussey, and when 32 runs were required off 21 deliveries, you would normally expect Dwayne Bravo or Ravindra Jadeja to walk out into the middle to help the skipper

with the cause, but it was Pawan Negi who strode into the field and hit 12 runs off six balls to put the pressure back on RCB. That was another instance of Dhoni’s gut feeling working wonders — never mind the fact that it was a similar gut decision that cost the game for CSK a few days ago against Rajasthan Royals, when Negi, called on to bowl the crucial 19th over, conceded 25 runs to cut the target back to just five off six balls for RR. It takes rare courage to go with your gut despite the hiccups of the past.

It’s this gorgeous gift that sets Dhoni apart in shorter formats of the game. If CSK have made it to six finals in eight editions of the IPL, a lot of credit goes to Dhoni.

CSK have seen players come and go, but there are a few who stayed put and put a spring in the lion’s steps.

They include Suresh Raina, R. Ashwin, Dwayne Bravo and, most importantly, Dhoni. It’s this Dhoni factor that makes experts see the scales tipped in favour of CSK when the eighth edition comes to a close today.

There are factors that favour Mumbai Indians.

Rohit Sharma and his boys are in good shape.

Their victory in the playoff could boost their confidence.

The guy who starred in the playoff, as well as in the 2013 final, is packing an awesome punch in his stroke that puts fear in the minds of the best of bowlers. It may be a bit unfair to pit Pollard against Dhoni — both are match-winners, but with totally different roles in, and attitude about, the success of their teams.

Yet, for thousands of cricket-crazy people who gather at the Eden Gardens today, and many more thousands who watch the fun on TV, it’s all a matter of how a relatively small man sizes up a 100kg, 1.96m giant who may or may not stroll out onto the field with his mouth taped or wide open to walk the talk.

The writer is a freelance contributor based in India.

All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman

FOOTBALL

Rodgers pleads with Liverpool fans to lay off Sterling STOKE-ON-TRENT: Brendan Rodgers has urged Liverpool supporters not to abuse Raheem Sterling at Stoke on Sunday as the Reds boss slammed the player’s agent for a tumultuous week of speculation about his future.

Sterling has come under fire over the past seven days after his agent Aidy Ward claimed the unsettled England international would not sign a new contract at Anfield irrespective of the amount of money Liverpool offer him.

The 20-year-old was booed

at Liverpool’s Player of the Year awards dinner earlier in the week, and there are concerns he will receive another hostile reception from Reds fans in the Premier League finale at Britannia Stadium.

Rodgers confirmed Sterling will part of his squad despite the potential for conflict and he believes Liverpool’s supporters should recognise the difference between the forward and those that represent his interests.

“My message to the supporters would be, look, this is a young boy

who in my time as manager has given the football club everything,” Rodgers said.

“He was thrust into the team at 17 years of age. He was given that opportunity and he grabbed that opportunity. In the following period he has been exceptional for me.

“Of course he has had dips in form and performances but only because his standards are so high.

“He’s a young man who has obviously passed on his career to other people and, unfortunately, whether people perceive it as

right or wrong, he is being led by the representative.

“But the young boy I see on a daily basis and who I work with is still the same boy who wants to learn and I think the supporters will just continue to show what they always do, which is wonderful support for every player in the Liverpool shirt.”

Mentally strong Rodgers admits that despite the level of attention on Sterling, whose current contract expires in

2017, the youngster has remained focused in training despite reports of interest from Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

“I think with Raheem his character is unquestioned,” Rodgers said.

“He is a really strong boy mentally but he’s also a human being as well and a very young one at that.

“There’s no doubt these type of things can affect players but what I know of Raheem is that he’s a strong boy who is continuing to work hard.

“It hasn’t affected him in terms of training but of course I will always gauge that up until the very last minute.”

Meanwhile, Stoke manager Mark Hughes says his players must ignore the attention focused on Steven Gerrard when he makes his final appearance in a Liverpool shirt.

Instead, he wants the match to be a celebration of his team’s club record haul of 51 points in the Premier League as well as securing a second successive top 10 finish for the first time in 40 years. - AFP

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

C5

SPORTS CHESS

Pouya stays ahead, Chen and Atousa record victories MUSCAT: Iran’s Pouya Idani maintained his half a point lead over compatriot and fellow Grandmaster Ehsan Ghaem Maghami while Qatar’s Chen Zhu and Iran’s Atousa Pourkashiyan in joint lead after the eighth round at the ongoing Asian Zonal Chess Championships (Zone 3.1) 2015 for men and women at the City Seasons Hotel here on Saturday.

In the penultimate round, Pouya had no difficulty in defeating his Iraqi oppponent Ahmed Abdulsattar Abdulwahab and take his points tally to seven in the 14-player competition, where the top players from the region are vying for a lone berth available for the Fide Chess World Cup. Ehsan on the otherhand overcame Syrian International Master

Basher Iyti to be in the second in the standings on 6.5 points.

Going into Sunday’s final round, Pouya may have an advantage over Ehsan as the former will be taking on a rival who is lesser rating than the latter’s.

Pouya faces Palestine’s Attallah Tamra, a Candidates Master with a rating of 2080, while Ehsan squares off against Bahrain’s Fide Master Maher Ayyad who has a rating of 2123.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s International Master Husein Aziz Nezad defeated Lebanon’s Ibrahim Chahrour. Husein now have 5.5 points.

In other games, Ibran’s Grandmaster Pouria Darini defeated Kuwait’s Khaled Hashim, Yemen’s Basheer Al Qudaimi accounted for Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman

MOU: Oman Chess Committee (OCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Egypt’s Chess Association as part of the joint cooperation between the two sides. The deal was inked OCC chief Laila bint Ahmed Al Najar and Egyptian chess body chairman Dr. Hisham Mohammed Al Jondi. – Supplied photo

Al Masrhi, Attallah Tamra won against Oman’s Amin Al Ansi and Bahrain’s Maher Ayyad defeated another local player Mohammed Salim Al Mamari.

The women’s race is turning out to be a tight race where Chen Zhu and Atousa Pourkashiyan are mostly likely to clinch the lone qualifying spot from 10-strong

competition. On Saturday, former world champion and Grandmaster Chen defeated Syria’s Afamia Mir Mahmoud while Women’s Grandmaster Atousa won against Kuwait’s Suad Al Kanderi. Both have seven points each.

In Sunday’s final round, Chen is likely to have an easy outing against Omani girl Mariya Al Balushi.

Atousa on the otherhand will take on UAE’s Abeer Ali, who forced Iran’s Women’s International Master Mitra Hejazipour to settle for a draw on Saturday. Mitra has so far earned 6.5 points.

In other women’s games, Iraq’s Iman Hassan Mohammed Al Rufaye defeated Oman’s Wafia Al Ghafri while Mariya Al Balushi took her tally to two points with a victory over Palestine’s Yara Faqeeh.

Hamilton wins first Monaco pole

Standings Men (after eighth round): Pouya Idani (Iran) 7 pts, Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Iran) 6.5 pts, Husein Aziz Nezad (Qatar) 5.5 pts, Ahmed Abdulsattar Abdulwahab (Iraq) 5.0 pts, Basheer Al Qudaimi (Yemen) 5 pts, Pouria Darini (Iran) 5 pts, Ibrahim Chahrour (Lebanon) 4 pts, Basher Iyti (Syr) 4 pts, Maher Ayyad (Bahrain) 4 pts, Attallah Tamra (Palestine) 4 pts, Amin Al Ansi (Oman) 3 pts, Khaled Hashem (Kuwait) 2 pts, Abdulrahman Al Mashri (Saudi Arabia) 1 pt.

Women (after eighth round): Chen Zhu (Qatar) 7 pts, Atousa Purkashiyan (Iran) 7 pts, Mitra Hejazipour (Iran) 6.5 pts, Abeer Ali (UAE) 5 points, Iman Hasan Mohammed Al Rufaye (Iraq) 4.5 pts, Afamia Mir Mahmoud (Syria) 4 pts, Mariya Al Balushi (Oman) 2 pts, Yara Faqeeh (Palestine) 2 pts, Wafia Al Ghafri (Oman) 2 pts.

RECOVERING

Hamilton took the first Monaco Grand Prix pole position of his career on Saturday as

Michael Schumacher

Mercedes teammate

Schumi making ‘progress’: manager

Nico Rosberg blew his own hopes of a qualifying hat-trick

MONACO: Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton took the first Monaco Grand Prix pole position of his career on Saturday as Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg blew his own hopes of a qualifying hat-trick.

Rosberg, winner from pole for the past two years on the twisty metal-fenced streets where passing is almost impossible, qualified second in an overcast final session with rain threatening.

“It’s been a long time,” said an elated Hamilton, whose only win in Monaco came in his 2008 championship year with McLaren from third place on the grid.

“It wasn’t an easy session...I didn’t have the rhythm until the last two laps.

“This is incredibly special for me,” added the Monaco resident, well aware the race has been won from pole for the last six years, of his 14th successive front row start and fifth pole in six races.

Rosberg’s hopes disappeared

MAIDEN POLE: Mercedes’Lewis Hamilton, centre, celebrates after winning the pole position next at the qualifying session of the Monaco Grand Prix on Monaco street circuit in Monte-Carlo on Saturday. – AFP

when he locked up the front wheels at the Sainte Devote corner at the start of his abandoned final quick lap to leave Hamilton 0.342 seconds faster. “I just lost touch a little bit there towards the end,” said Rosberg. “Of course you are going for it because you have to...it didn’t work out, that’s it.”

Sebastian Vettel will start third for Ferrari on Sunday, after struggling to get heat into his tyres, with his former Red Bull team mate

Daniel Ricciardo alongside him on the second row. “Overall it was a good session and our aim now is to have a good race tomorrow and try to split the Mercedes,” said Vettel, whose grid place was Ferrari’s best in Monaco since 2009.

Dutch 17-year-old Max Verstappen qualified an impressive 10th for his first Monaco Grand Prix with Toro Rosso, and will start ninth after his Spanish rookie team mate Carlos Sainz was or-

dered to start from the pit lane.

Sainz, who had qualified in eighth place, paid the price for failing to stop for weighing during the first stage of qualifying.

Russian Daniil Kvyat qualified fifth for Red Bull, ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Mexican Sergio Perez in a Force India.

McLaren’s 2009 champion Jenson Button qualified 12th but will move up to 10th thanks to Sainz’s penalty and also a five place demotion for

I N T E N D T O S TAY

Pirelli ready to bid for new F1 contract MONACO: Pirelli will seek to extend their Formula One tyre contract from 2017 provided they are happy with the regulations and costs are affordable, chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera said on Saturday.

Formula One’s governing body issued a tender this week for a sole supplier from 2017-19.

“We intend to stay if the regulations are the ones we agree upon, and if the costs are affordable, and the guarantees we want to have in the contracts are accepted,” the Italian told reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix.

“We want a regulation similar to the one today. The tests will be done properly in order to have the best product available, and then

Formula One’s governing body issued a tender this week for a sole supplier from 2017-19 we are ready to help create more emotions, but only with the highest level of safety.”

Tronchetti Provera said he was against a proposal to allow teams a free choice of dry tyre compounds to use during the race weekend from next year but suggested there could be a satisfactory compromise.

“We have to provide a guarantee of the product. I think the responsibility to choose the tyres

remains, and has to remain, in our hands because we don’t want our tyres not to be used properly,” he said. “I think we can find a way to provide safe tyres, giving also some flexibility. But the basic choice of the tyres has to be made by us.”

Pirelli have not given details of any compromise but there has been speculation they could increase the range of compounds from four to six.

Tronchetti Provera said that,

with changes envisaged in 2017 to make cars faster and lighter, there would be a need for a return to preseason testing outside Europe.

Teams have tested previously in Bahrain but that option was removed this year on cost grounds.

“More testing would be better for all of us, also for the teams, and with warmer testing,” he said.

“If we wait until February it’s too late and the temperatures are not the right ones. It’s in the interests of Formula One and all the teams to do that.”

French rival Michelin have expressed an interest in returning to the sport, if tyre sizes increase, but Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli was also open to a change in specification. - Reuters

Frenchman Romain Grosjean who had an unscheduled gearbox change.

Button’s teammate Fernando Alonso, who predicted earlier in the week that McLaren could score their first points of the season on Sunday, qualified 15th but will also move up two places.

There was disappointment for Mercedes-powered Williams and Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, who qualified only 17th with Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa 14th. - Reuters

BERLIN: Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher continues to make progress in recovering from a severe head injury, nearly a yearand-half after a skiing accident, according to his manager.

“We’re glad to be able to continue to say that he is making progress, as I always say, given the severity of his head injuries,” said his manager Sabine Kehm at a sponsor’s event.

But Kehm also reiterated 46-year-old Schumacher’s recovery will be a lengthy process following the accident in the French Alps in December 2013 which left him in a coma in Grenoble hospital for 189 days.

Last June, Kehm announced Schumacher was out of a coma.

Schumacher has been treated at his Swiss home near Lake Geneva since September last year and has yet to make a public appearance since the accident. - AFP

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SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

SPORTS FRENCH OPEN

Sharapova and Serena set for Paris showdown

IN BETTER SHAPE: Serbian world No. 1 Novak Djokovic leaves the court after a training session ahead of the 2015 French Open tennis

championships at the Roland Garros in Paris. – AFP

Djokovic chases rare career Slam in Paris The world No. 1 enters this year’s Roland Garros on a 22-match unbeaten run having claimed the Monte Carlo and Rome Masters titles

PARIS: Novak Djokovic may never have a better chance to win a maiden French Open title and complete a rare career Grand Slam.

The world No. 1 enters this year’s Roland Garros on a 22-match unbeaten run having claimed the titles at both Monte Carlo and Rome Masters.

While his great rival and clay-

court master Rafa Nadal is showing signs of frailty, Serbia’s Djokovic, who has reached the final twice at Roland Garros (2012 and 2014), could not be in better shape.

Since last November, he has won the ATP World Tour finals, the Australian Open and became the first man to win the opening three Masters tournaments of the

FOOTBALL

season in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo.

“It is obviously very encouraging knowing that I have won all of the big events from last October, that I’ve been playing some of my best tennis in my life, and coming into Roland Garros with that amount of confidence helps,” he told a news conference after Friday’s draw.

In 2011, Djokovic arrived in Paris brimming with confidence only for Roger Federer to snap his 43-match winning streak in the semifinals.

But the Serbian star believes he has matured into a more levelheaded player.

“I just feel more complete as a player in terms of ability to handle the emotions on the court, to find a way to win the tough matches,” he explained.

If he is to join Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Federer and Nadal as a winner at all four Grand Slams, Djokovic may first have to beat Nadal in the quarterfinals.

The nine-time French Open champion arrives in Paris on the back of his worst claycourt season since he first played the tournament in 2005.

He remains, however, a formidable opponent in best-of-five-set matches on his favoured surface. “(There) had always been a big title on clay (for him) coming into Roland Garros. It wasn’t the case this year, so it is probably a bit different approach for him,” said Djokovic, who could face Briton Andy Murray in the last four and 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer in the final on June 7. - Reuters

PARIS: The two biggest names and highest earners in women’s sport will set off on another collision course when the French Open gets underway at Roland Garros on Sunday.

Serena Williams is a 19-time Grand Slam winner, at 33 still the undisputed queen of tennis and the top seed. Maria Sharapova has won two out of the last three titles in Paris, including last year, and at 28 is in the prime of her glittering and lucrative career.

Should the seedings hold firm and the American plays the Russian in the final on June 6, however, past experience points to there being only one winner.

Williams has not lost to Sharapova since 2004 and leads their head-to-heads by an astounding 17-2, the last of these coming in the Australian Open final at the start of the year.

The outcome was the same in 2013 when the pair met for the first, and to date only time, in the French Open final leaving Sharapova no doubt hoping that someone can do her a huge favour by downing Williams in the early rounds as did Spain’s Garbine Muguruza last year.

Still, Sharapova believes she is hitting form at the right time and fancies her chances on clay, Williams’ least-favourite surface.

“I guess to be in this position I think for many, including myself, the transition I made on the clay courts to become a two-time French Open champion has been, you know, a big surprise and really incredible achievement personally for me,” she said Friday.

“Because I was able to take something that was a big weakness of mine and make it into one of my strengths.”

An upset early on for Williams is not out of the question as she has been vulnerable in the past on the Paris clay and, after losing her 27-match unbeaten run in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open earlier this month, she subsequently withdrew from the Italian Open with a sore elbow.

The arm injury is getting better, she said Friday, but it is still a concern.

‘Getting through it’ “Yeah, the elbow it’s the same. I was worried about it, but lately I have been really getting some really good treatment that has been able to alleviate it and make the symptoms go down substantially,” she said.

“So I feel a lot better going forward in the tournament and just getting through it.”

Williams will have motivation in full as her win in Melbourne was her 19th Grand Slam singles title, just three shy of the Openera record of 22 set by Steffi Graf.

It would also leave her halfway to becoming just the fourth woman to achieve the fabled calendar-year Grand Slam after Graf (1988), Margaret Court (1970) and Maureen Connolly (1953).

Williams and Sharapova will start as strong favourites to reach the final, but there are players in the draw who could derail them.

Romanian Simona Halep made the final last year and took Sharapova all the way, Petra Kvitova is the reigning Wimbledon champion who is returning to form after a bout of exhaustion and Caroline Wozniacki is enjoying a return to form that followed on from her run into the US Open final last September.

There is also much interest in the performances of two former golden girls — Victoria Azarenka and Eugenie Bouchard.

Belarusian Azarenka was seen as the heir apparent to Williams in 2013 when she won her second Australian Open title and took the world No. 1 spot.

But all that ground to a halt last year when her form collapsed due to injury and a bout of depression and she has gradually been clawing her way back up the world rankings this year.

Bouchard was the outstanding newcomer of 2014 reaching the final of Wimbledon and the semifinals of the Australian and French Open at just 20 years old.

Grand Slam success looked sure to follow, but this year she has found it hard to string two match wins together after reaching the quarterfinals in Melbourne. - AFP

CHAMPIONS

Wenger insists Cup Mourinho wants Chelsea to finish on a high final is no distraction LONDON: Arsene Wenger says the FA Cup final won’t distract Arsenal from ending their Premier League season on a high against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Wenger’s side bring the curtain down on their league campaign at the Emirates Stadium with a third-place finish appearing all but assured.

Only an unlikely set of results will see them overhauled by fourth placed Manchester United, who trail the Gunners by three points with an inferior goal difference, on the final day.

But Arsenal manager Wenger is refusing to wrap his star players in cotton wool with less than a week to go before their Wembley showdown against Aston Villa, which comes next Saturday.

“I think top-level competition is to focus on your next challenge and that’s what we do,” Wenger said. “We have enough experience in our dressing room to know that what is important is the next competition. It will be absolutely easy for us to focus.

“We have fought very hard to directly qualify for the Champions League and we want to get over the line and finish the job, which we couldn’t do on Wednesday (against Sunderland).

“We want to do it in a convincing way now. Will I rest one two players? Certainly.

“What is for me the best way is for us to win the game.”

Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck faces a fitness fight to make the Cup Final after being ruled out of the Albion clash.

He hasn’t started a game since the semifinal win over Reading on April 18 as he battles to overcome a knee injury. Despite being an injury doubt, he was still included in Roy Hodgson’s England squad ahead of next month’s international double-header.

“Danny Welbeck is not out for a long time and he has nothing at all on any scan, just bone bruising on his knee,” Wenger said.

“That’s just the pain that will decide if he is fit or not. There is a good chance that he will be available for England.” - AFP

LONDON: Jose Mourinho has urged his Chelsea side to set one more landmark before they receive the Premier League trophy following their final game of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.

There will be a party atmosphere at Stamford Bridge as the home crowd hail Mourinho and his players at the end of a triumphant campaign which saw the Blues crowned English champions for the first time since 2010.

In addition, Mourinho was this week named manager of the year, while Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard won the football writers’ player of the year having already been handed a similar honour by his fellow players.

Almost forgotten in the march to the title, Chelsea also lifted the League Cup, secured with victory over Tottenham in the Wembley final back in March.

And should they avoid defeat against a Sunderland side who secured their place in the top-flight status with a midweek draw at Arsenal, they will complete the season having lost just four games in all competitions, the lowest total since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 and beating Manchester

REAL FEELING: Jose Mourinho

United’s mark of five in 1999.

Mourinho insists he is unconcerned about the trappings of success, although he admits he will keep his title winners silverware this year after throwing his medal into the crowd after his second championship triumph with the club in 2006.

“The trophy, the silver piece, means less than the feeling. The reality is that the real feeling for me personally is when you do it,” Mourinho said.

“I will keep it this time; my son is collecting all my stuff and keeps

everything. He steals everything from me, shirts, medals, cups.

“The motivation for us is to be champions and for Sunderland not to be relegated.

“We’ve celebrated already, they’ve celebrated these last fantastic weeks which they’ve had with good results. There is a last match, obviously we want to win and so do they, that’s normal.”

Ring the changes Hazard is expected to be sidelined after having three wisdom teeth removed this week, while Kurt

Zouma, Oscar and Ramires are also out and Cesc Fabregas is suspended. Sunderland head coach Dick Advocaat is set to ring the changes after his side capped their impressive revival under his leadership by guaranteeing another top-flight season.

Swedish midfielder Seb Larsson suffered a knee problem in the Emirates Stadium stalemate, and is set to miss out, along with Lee Cattermole, who is likely to be rested as he would trigger a three-game suspension at the start of next season were he to earn a 15th yellow card of the campaign on Sunday.

Youngsters Duncan Watmore, who was this week called up to England’s Under-20 squad, Tommy Robson and Liam Agnew are all set to be involved in the squad.

Advocaat’s future remains undecided, after Sunderland indicated to the Dutchman they were keen for him to stay on after he guided them to safety in the penultimate game of his temporary nine-match stint in charge.

After clinching a ninth consecutive season in the top-flight, the Wearside club want the 67-year-old to remain in charge long-term. - AFP

C

LIFE & STYLE

SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM S U N DAY, MAY 24 , 2 0 1 5

Steve ‘Mouse’ Miller speaks about five specific works in his book iller’s new book, California Dreams, is about more than Jerry & Co. Yes, Miller and his collaborator, the late Alton Kelley, who created the famous skeleton and roses logo adopted by the Dead. But the artist’s work stretches from his early ‘60s hot-rod-and-monster cartoons to the psychedelic posters pervading San Francisco and, later, iconic album covers for Steve Miller and Journey. California Dreams also includes images of the figurative oil paintings that Miller has worked on in recent years.

The artist, now 74, spoke with us recently about five specific works in his book.

“Peacock Feather,” 2003, oil on canvas Miller moved to Santa Fe in the early 1980s, which is when he began working more on figurative paintings.

“I wanted to learn how to oil paint really good, so I picked out the best painter in Santa Fe and asked if he would teach me. He said, ‘It’s easy, just smoosh the paint around,’ and he left the room. And it was so true. All I had to do was learn how the paint worked.

He knew I already could draw well.”

Miller didn’t expect much when he met the model in “Peacock Feather.”

“It was just one of those things where this girl said, ‘Paint me and make my butt big.’ I wasn’t really into it. She sat there like that, and I painted a fantastic painting. I always wanted to paint like that, like I saw in museums all my life. Now when I am approaching that, and I kind of can do it, nobody cares. They’ll look at my book even and they’ll avoid that whole section.”

“Earthquake, Bo Diddley,” 1966, ink on illustration board The gig posters Miller, Kelley and artists like Victor Moscoso and Rick Griffin crafted used bright colours, elaborate typesets and historic photos. Today, the posters are heavily collected and even featured in museums.

“That’s the Santa Rosa earthquake and the Santa Rosa Courthouse. It’s just a thing that all the artists did right then. Like a fad. It’s like finding old stuff that’s good, that’s really cool and bringing back and presenting it again. Taking something like that that’s so iconic and bringing it out again in a new form. All the stuff we used was all public domain. We were very conscious about copyright. Now, I find people like just stealing my stuff and putting it on posters. One of my hot rod things, I don’t want to even mention the guy’s name, he just stole it.”

Q: What did you do?

“I grumbled.”

“Journey Escape,” 1980, airbrush on board Journey’s seventh studio album spawned four hits, including Don’t Stop Believin and Open Arms.

“I did the Capture album in 1981, and it is a scarab that carries its eggs in a dung bowl. When the eggs hatch, the babies feed off the dung and become beetles. It’s the regeneration of life. ‘Escape’ is the beetle breaking out of a planet, which was the dung ball he was pushing around.”

Q: Do you think singer Steve Perry or anybody in the band knew about this?

“I didn’t even know about it. Some Japanese media people came to interview me about it. So I had to do some research. I went into ancient Egyptian mythology and learned myself.”

“Mouse Equipped,” 1963, pen and ink Q: You call this genre “weirdo art.” How did you start down this road?

“There were a series of artists, like in Mad magazine, who did these monster faces, and a guy called Monty and he was in Los Angeles and had little ads in the back of hot rod magazines and he made these funny stickers. A fork with an eyeball on the end of it. Little crazy things like that. Kind of the first of the weirdo. I saw that and immediately started doing it in Detroit.

“It was a giant fad. I felt like the Beatles. I was the only kid in school with a new Corvette. Imagine that.

Become an artist. Get rich. And have fun. That truly was a different era.”

“Avalon Ballroom Skeleton and Roses,” 1966, ink on illustration board “We (collaborator Alton Kelley) would go to the San Francisco library and peruse the books on poster art.

They had a back room full of books you couldn’t take out with great references. We were just going through that and looking for something. And found this thing and thought, ‘This says Grateful Dead all over it.’ I hate to say this, but Kelley cut it out with a pen knife.

I always say that we xeroxed it, but there weren’t xerox machines then. I finally found it about two years ago. The actual cut out piece and I went, ‘oh my God.’ It’s from the book of poems, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The edition was done by an artist called Edmund Sullivan. And the poem that goes with this illustration is fantastic. It’s short and sweet and had to do with women and songs.”

-Geoff Edgers/The Washington Post.

C8

SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

EXTRA

Bioprinted human skin has been on the scene for some time and the cosmetics company is hoping to get into the game

T

he French beauty juggernaut announced recently that it is partnering with Organovo, a 3-D human tissue company, to print tons of the stuff to facilitate animal-free cosmetics testing.

It’s an interesting and quite logical next step for the technology, which is already being explored for use in human skin grafts that could treat burns or for use in reconstructive surgery. But this will be the first application of the technology in the beauty industry, the companies said in a joint statement.

Decades ago, L’Oreal began exploring skin culture technologies that could hasten the company’s move away from animal testing with the use of human skin samples. The current technique involves incubating human skin —

3-D PRI NTED H UMAN S K

IN

taken from willingly donated plastic surgery scraps — and growing new cells from it.

Ever since the European Union’s ban on animal-tested cosmetic ingredients in 2013, this labgrown skin has become an even greater necessity in the world of cosmetics. And the bioprinting process, which the companies hope will eventually be fully automated, is going to yield much more skin for L’Oreal to work with.

The company says, however, that at the moment, their focus is on refining the production process, not speed.

“Some of the biggest potential advantages are the speed of production as well as the level of precision that 3-D printing can achieve,” Guive Balooch, global vice president of L’Oreal’s technology incubator said in an email to The Washington Post.

“L’Oreal’s focus right now is not to increase the quantity of skin we produce but instead to continue to build on the accuracy and consistent replication of the skin engineering process.”

Synthesising human skin According to Bloomberg, with Organovo’s technology and L’Oreal’s expertise in synthesising human skin, the two companies hope to speed up the process of skin production in the next five years: Research for the project will take place in Organovo’s labs and L’Oreal’s new California research center. L’Oreal will provide skin expertise and all the initial funding, while Organovo, which is already working with such companies as Merck to print liver and kidney tissues, will provide the technology.

Because the current process is done essentially by hand, the company has some 60 scientists doing the work at its Lyon, France, lab. In a year, their efforts produce a cowhide worth of human skin samples, according to Bloomberg. The process yields nine different types of human skin samples — representing different ages and ethnicities — that can be used to test various products.

An automated process using Organovo’s 3-D printing technology is likely eventually to increase the pace of production significantly. And in the ultra competitive world of cosmetics, that could be a valuable advantage.

For now, the partnership is still in the “research” phase, and it is unclear how long it will be before L’Oreal begins using the technology in product testing.

-Abby Phillip/The Washington Post.

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

C9

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Mad Max Fury Road (Act)(2D) 12+ Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 9:30 & 11:45pm Piku (Comedy, Drama)(PG) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan. 4:40 pm Poltergeist (Horror, Thriller) (2D/15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements. 2:45 pm Poltergeist (3D/15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements. 9:40 & 11:30 pm Spooks The Greater Good (Action, Drama) (12+) Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Ehle. 2:00 & 11:45 pm Danny Collins (Comedy, Drama) (12+) Cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner. 7:20 pm Tomorrowland (Action, Adventure) (PG) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie 3:00, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 pm Omar (Arabic) (Drama, Thriller) 12+ Cast: Adam Bakri, Leem Lubany, Eyad Hourani. 5:30 pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Comedy, Romance) (TBC) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz Khan 7:00 pm

Kennedi Clements 12:45 & 11:45 pm Gold Class: 11:15 pm Poltergeist (2D) 15+ Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt 12:45 pm Tomorrowland (2D) PG Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie.

10:15 am, 2:30, 9:15 & 11:45 pm Gold Class: 2:00 & 8:50 pm Robosapien: Rebooted (2D) PG Cast: Kim Coates, Penelope Ann Miller, Bobby Coleman. 11:00 am Spooks The Greater Good (2D) 12+ Cast: Car Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Ehle. 5:00 pm Danny Collins (2D) 12+ Cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner. 7:15 pm. Gold Class: 4:20 PM Tanu Weds Manu Returns (H) (2D) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz 9:15 pm Gold Class: 6:20 pm Omar (2D) (Arabic) (Drama, Thriller) 12+ Cast: Adam Bakri, Leem Lubany 5:30 pm

SCREEN 1 Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Rom/Drama/ Comedy) – TBC Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan 3.30, 6.30, 9.30pm SCREEN 2

Avengers Age Of Ultron (3D) PG12 Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo. 3:00pm Mad Max Fury Road (3D) 12+ Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult. 12:45 & 7:00pm Poltergeist (3D) 15+ Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt,

Piku (Drama/Comedy) – PG Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan 3.45, 6.45, 9.45pm SCREEN 3 Gabbar - Hindi (Action/Drama) – PG

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Shruti K. Haasan, Kareena Kapoor 3:45, 9.45 pm Bhaskar the Rascal (Malayalam) (Comedy/Drama ) – PG Cast: Mammootty, Nayantara 6.45 pm

Mad Max: Fury Road - 3d (12+) Action, Adventure, Thriller Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult 7:00, 9:20, 11:45 pm Piku - 2D (PG) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan 4:45 pm Spooks: The Greater Good - 2D (12+) Action | Drama | Thriller Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Ehle 5:00, 11:45 pm Danny Collins - 2D (12+) Com |Drama Cast: Al Pacino, Jennifer Garner 2:30, 5:15 pm Robosapien: Rebooted - 2D (12+) Adventure |Drama | Family Cast: Kim Coates, Penelope Ann Miller, Bobby Coleman 3:30 pm Poltergeist - 2D (15+) Horror | Thriller Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements 4:30 pm Poltergeist - 3D (15+) Horror | Thriller Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt 9:45 & 11:30 pm Bhaskar the Rascal - 2D (M)(PG12) Comedy Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara, Isha Talwar, 6:15 pm Tomorrowland - 2D (PG) Act |Adv | Cast : George Clooney, Britt Robertson

12:05, 2:30, 7:15, 9:05, 11:30 pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns (H) (2D) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz 2:15, 9:15 pm Demonte Colony - 2D (T) (TBC) Horror Cast: Arulnithi 7:00 pm

Spooks: The Greater Good - 2D (12+) Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton 3:00, 11:40pm Mad Max: Fury Road – 3D (12+) (Action) Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 4:30, 9:30 pm Danny Collins – 2D (12+) (Com, Drama) Cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner. 2:45, 5:00 pm Robosapien: Rebooted – 2D (PG) (Adventure); 2:45, 4:15 pm Cast: Kim Coates, Penelope Ann Miller Poltergeist - 3D (15+) (Horror, Thriller) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt 7:50, 11:50 pm Tomorrowland - 2D (PG) (Action) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson 7:00, 9:30, 11:45 pm Bhaskar the Rascal - 2D (PG12) (Com) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara, Isha 6:45 pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns – 2D (Com) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan 9:20 pm (PG) Demonte Colony - 2D (TBC) Horror 5:45 pm

Mad Max: Fury Road (3D) (Act ) (12+) Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 7:00 pm Spooks: The Greater Good (Act) (12+) Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton, 4:30pm Poltergeist (3D) (Horror |Thriller) (15+)

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, 9:15 pm Tomorrowland (Act | Adv) (PG) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson 04:40, 06:30, 08:55pm Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Hindi) (Comedy | Romance) (TBC) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan, Eijaz 11:15 pm Bhaskar the Rascal (Mal) (Com) (PG12) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara, 11:00 pm

Mad Max Fury Road (Action) Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult 1:45, 7:30 & 9:45pm; CP NO: 1273 (12+) Spooks: The Greater Good ( Action/ Drama/Thriller ) Cast: Kit Harintion, Elyes Gabel, Jennifer Ehle 4:00, 8:00, 10:00 & 11:55pm CP No: 1343 (12+) Danny Collins (Comedy/Drama ) Cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner 2:00 & 6:00pm CP No: 1346 (12+) Offender (Thriller) Cast: Joe Cole, English Frank, Kimberly Nixon 3:45 & 11:55pm; CP No: 1344 (18+) Captain Masr (Arabic) (Comedy) Cast: Mohamed Emam, Edward Bayoumi Fouad 5:45pm; CP No: 1345 (PG)

Spooks: The Greater Good (2D) (12+) (Action) Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Cast: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com 11:00 am, 5:00pm Danny Collins (2D) (12+) (Com, Music) Cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner; 1:00, 4:45 pm Robosapiens: Rebooted (2D)(PG) (Adventure, Drama, Family) Cast: Kim Coates, Penelope Ann Miller 11:00 am, 1:30 pm Offender (2D) (18+) (Thriller) Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Cast: Joe Cole, English Frank; 3:10pm Poltergeist (2D) (15+) (Horror, Thriller) Bhaskar The Raskal (Mal) (Rom/Com) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt 3:00 pm Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara & Isha Poltergeist (3D) (15+) (Horror, Thriller) Talwar 7:15, 11:30 pm 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30 pm at Cinema Main Tomorrowland (2D) (PG) (Act) 36 Vayadhinile (Tamil) (Family/Drama) Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson Cast: Jyothika, Rahman & Abhirami 11:15 am, 2:45, 7:00, 9:20, 11:45 pm 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30 pm at Cinema -2 Mad Max: Fury Road (3D) (12+) (Act) Lion (Telugu) (Act/Rom) 12:30, 5:00, 11:45 pm Cast: Balakrishna, Trisha Krishnan, Tanu Weds Manu Returns – 2D (Com) Radhika Apte & Prakash Raj Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Madhavan 3:45 & 6:45 pm at Cinema -3 9:00 pm (PG) Piku (Hindi) (Drama\Com) Bhaskar the Rascal (2D) (PG12) (Co) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Deepika Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara 9:00 pm Padukone & Irfan Khan Demonte Colony (2D) (Horror) 6:45 & 9:45 pm at Cinema -4 6:45pm Oru Vadakka Selfie (Mal) (Com\Drama) Cast: Navin Pauly, Manjima & Vineeth Sreenivasam; 3:45 pm Cinema -4, 9:45pm at Cinema 3 Next Change: Demonte Colony (Tamil)

STARS CINEMA

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

WITH LOVE

ACES ON BRIDGE

Keep counting in real time

M

artina Navratilova said, “Whoever said, ‘It’s not whether you win or lose that counts,’ probably lost.”

True, but a bridge player who counts is much more likely to win than lose.

This week we have been looking at deals in which a defender has had to work out declarer’s hand distribution. Here is one more example.

Cover the South and East hands. South opens and closes the auction with his three-heart bid.

You lead the spade queen.

When partner encourages with the nine, you continue

with the spade two, which announces an initial fourcard holding. Partner wins with his king and shifts to the diamond two. When declarer plays low, you win with your ace and return the diamond 10 (high from a remaining doubleton).

South wins with his queen and immediately leads the club nine. Do you win or duck?

South has a textbook pre-empt at unfavourable vulnerability — a good seven-card suit and 6-10 high-card points. You were close to a takeout double, and East might have balanced with a double. But if one of you

had doubled, the other would have jumped to four spades, taking your side out of its depth. Against a pre-empt, sometimes it is impossible to get into the auction and stop in time.

You must assume that East would have cashed a third spade trick if it were available. Also, East’s diamond-two switch indicated a four-card suit.

So South began with two spades, two diamonds and seven hearts. He must also have two clubs — play low smoothly. Yes, this risks conceding an overtrick, but it is your only chance to defeat the contract.

— By Phillip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 4 8 12 13 14 15 16 18 20 21 22 26 28 31 32

Incite Rover Basilica area Understand, as a language Utmost degree Yoko’s son Exploding star Stein filler Bike part Stares balefully Hire a lawyer Groaner, maybe Change Discerning Language with clicks Road map no.

I, to Wolfgang

33 Tyson and Myers 34 Comic-strip caveman 35 Outback jumper 36 Like good cheddar 37 Catches some rays 38 Walk in 40 Gray-clad soldier 41 Stretchy bandage 43 Geometry pioneer 46 Elephant ancestors 50 Rollover subj.

51 McClurg of sitcoms 52 Fully grasp 53 — de plume 54 Frazzled 55 Evergreen trees 56 Econ. indicator

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Minor setback “— cost you” Low blow (2 wds.)

Scared-looking Potpie veggies — Bernardino Comes to a conclusion 8 Camel driver’s command 9 Wealthy Brit 10 Eggs, to Ovid 11 Serious conflict 17 Hawaiian feasts 19 Wish undone 23 Bothersome 24 Prestigious British boys’ school

25 26 27 28 29 30 33 37 39 40 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Account execs Install electricity Computer graphic Turn sharply Banjo kin Pioneered Explorer — Polo Dry, as champagne Gnawed away Twice-baked breads Nervous Sufficient, in verse Mineral supplement Clammy Pet plaint Flurry Knight’s title Sourdough’s strike

BORN LOSER

RETAJ BINT BADR May 24

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C10

SUN DAY, MAY 24, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are confident and rather fussy individual. While this aspect of your personality may be rather attractive when you are young, actually opening doors for you as you chart your professional path, the fact is that later in life you are likely to rub others the wrong way if you refuse to temper that part of yourself that is so aggressively confident and capable. Once you manage to balance your own self-appraisal with more acceptable public behaviour, you’ll surely do fine — but leave that aspect of your personality unchecked, and you’re sure to encounter difficulties as you reach maturity.

You crave romance, and you will fall in love again and again when you are young — until you realise that love and infatuation are two very different things, and that one can bring true contentment while the other cannot. You don’t want to nurse a broken heart throughout your entire life, surely!

Also born on this date are: Bob Dylan, singer-songwriter; Patti LaBelle, singer; Queen Victoria of Great Britain; Tommy Chong, actor and comedian; John C. Reilly, actor; Priscilla Presley, actress; Rosanne Cash, singer; Gary Burghoff, actor; Heavy D., rapper; Jim Broadbent, actor; Alfred Molina, actor; Eric Close, actor; Kristin Scott Thomas, actress.

W E AT H E R

C

WORLD

Max 41 Min 28 Max 27 Min 17

Max 44 Min 28

Max 41 Min 32 Max 22 Min 8

Max 42 Min 32

Max 22 Min 8

Max 41 Min 28

Max 43 Min 29

Max 41 Min 26

Max 42 Min 32

Max 37 Min 28

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] Max 32 Min 28

Max 22 Min 14

-www.met.gov.om

Max 33 Min 26 Max 19 Min 10

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

41 43 40 43 38 42

28 30 29 29 29 28

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

28 39 36 22 27 38 31 29 29 27 23 33 24 22 21 33 23 22

18 24 19 9 19 22 29 12 20 17 7 29 16 13 9 27 16 12

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22] Success lies in how you present the situation to those who can possibly help. You must stress possibilities, not difficulties.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] It’s been far too long since you were able to focus on a particular personal pleasure, but today you may enjoy at least one rare opportunity.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You must focus on key issues and not let yourself be distracted by trivia presented to you by those who are not involved.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may be overcomplicating matters — unintentionally, of course.

Trust another to show you the error of your ways.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You can learn from those who are more personally invested in a certain endeavour. Soon you’ll be in the trenches as well.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You may have the chance to resurrect an old idea that you thought was obsolete. Current circumstances favor it, however.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You can benefit from another’s approach, but take care that you don’t simply try to imitate him or her.

Maintain originality.

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

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

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

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

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

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

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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

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

10:20 12:30

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

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] What you see on the horizon inspires you to pay a little more attention to the situation in which you currently find yourself.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] The need for communication is increasing, especially at home.

Certain issues require some special attention.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You can enjoy one of your favorite things, but circumstances may require you to share, at least with one or two in your inner circle.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] The goal you are working toward may seem to be moving farther away from you — or is your own perspective becoming distorted?

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) High tide Low tide

1:45pm 8:05pm

6:45pm 5:22am 12:54am 7:25am

of Arabian Sea. SEA STATE: Moderate to fresh along the southeastern coasts with a maximum wave height of 2.5 metres and slight to moderate along the rest of Oman’s coast with a maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during dust rising wind.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy skies along the governorates of Dohfar & adjoining mountains over with chances of isolated rain. Chances of clouds development over Al-Hajar mountains during afternoon may give some rain. Chances of dust rising wind over south Sharqiya and Al-Wusta governorates.

Max

OMAN

CANCER

12.09pm 3.30pm 6.51pm 8.10pm 3.57am

AIRLINES

lear to partly cloudy skies over governorates of Dohfar and Al-Wusta with chances of isolated rain along the coastal areas of governorate of Dohfar and adjoining mountains. Mainly clear skies over rest of the Sultanate with chances of clouds development over Al-Hajar mountains towards afternoon. Chances of dust rising wind over open and desert areas.

Late night to early morning shallow fog is expected along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate and occasionally fresh during day becoming variable light at night and over the rest of the Sultanate wind will be southerly to southeasterly light to moderate and fresh along the coastal areas

GEMINI You may be tempted to bend the rules, but at least one is in place to help you rather than hinder you. You mustn’t fool with it!

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585 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:

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

SUNDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY672 WY682 WY914 WY916 WY910 TK774 4H585 NL669 PK225 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 4H586 CV732 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY326 WY644 G9841 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY692 WY668 WY674 WY132 WY102 FZ043 WY602 NL768 WY272 WY202 WY3932 WY236 G9114 WY282 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 IX549 QR1128 IX817 EY382 IX443 9W530 WY3922 WY3302 WY604 WY918 GF562 FZ037 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY652 WY606 KU677 WY906 WY920 WY348 FZ045 WY3304 WY344 QR1126 WY204 WY632 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY246 WY232 WY610 GF564 WY656 TG507 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY386 WY434 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY414 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

MONDAY ETA

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 MEDINA 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 SALALAH 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 SIALKOT 0200 KARACHI 0210 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 DOHA 0600 LUXORE 0635 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KARACHI 0650 KUWAIT 0650 RAS AL KHAIMA 0655 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DAMMAM 0715 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 PARIS 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 LAHORE 0830 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 SOHAR 0840 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 TRIVANDRUM 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUQUM OMAN 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1110 DUBAI 1110 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 BAHRAIN 1330 DUBAI 1340 KUWAIT 1405 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 ISLAM ABBAD 1515 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 LAHORE 1605 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 ABU DHABI 1710 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 DELHI 1750 HYDERABAD 1750 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 BAHRAIN 1820 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 MALE 2045 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 MADRAS 2135 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 AMMAN 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

WY672 WY648 WY406 WY676 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK229 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY154 WY144 WY668 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY422 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 QR1128 EY382 WY844 9W530 WY604 WY918 WY3302 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 PA450 WY705 WY822 WY634 WY818 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY632 WY606 WY920 FZ045 WY3304 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY254 WY284 WY3922 WY610 GF564 G9116 WY684 WY646 FZ047 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY434 FZ049 KL441 AI977 WY124 4H561 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 WY906 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 WY717 SG061 EY388 WY910 9W540 WY908 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY612 WY696

MEDINA 0005 KUWAIT 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 LAHORE 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 BEIRUT 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 MANILA 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 ABU DHABI 1335 DUBAI 1340 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 BAHRAIN 1635 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 MADRAS 1750 BANGALORE 1750 DUQUM OMAN 1755 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 RIYADH 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 MUNICH 2105 DACCA 2115 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 SALALAH 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 AHMEDABAD 2300 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2320 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY211 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY271 WY601 WY123 WY325 WY847 WY241 WY901 WY691 WY667 WY383 TK775 WY209 4H585 PK260 NL772 WY331 ET625 EK867 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 WY3931 4H586 GF561 WY3921 G9842 WY903 WY603 WY3301 CV732 WY917 WY347 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY373 WY815 WY291 WY343 NL769 WY651 WY263 WY821 WY843 G9115 WY231 WY605 WY905 WY203 WY385 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 IX818 EY383 IX442 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 FZ038 WY3303 WY253 IX350 WY633 WY113 WY663 WY631 WY143 WY645 WY655 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY413 WY433 WY609 KU678 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY653 WY661 G9117 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY915 FZ050 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 WY705 GF567 LX243 QR1135 BA072 WY673 EY381 LH617

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 TRIVANDRUM 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 SALALAH 0215 DAMMAM 0225 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DOHA 0300 PESHAWAR 0310 PESHAWAR 0330 KATHMANDU 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 SOHAR 0635 DACCA 0700 BAHRAIN 0715 DUQUM OMAN 0745 RAS AL KHAIMA 0745 SALALAH 0750 DUBAI 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 HONG KONG 0800 KHASAB 0815 ISLAM ABBAD 0830 DOHA 0835 KARACHI 0835 DUBAI 0845 COLOMBO 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LAHORE 0915 LAHORE 0930 BAHRAIN 0935 LUCKNOW 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 MANILA 0955 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 DUBAI 1020 SALALAH 1020 BOMBAY 1025 MALE 1040 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 TRIVANDRUM 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 MANGALORE 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 COCHIN 1120 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 MADRAS 1255 CALICUT 1255 ABU DHABI 1300 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 ABU DHABI 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 BAHRAIN 1400 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 AMMAN 1440 TEHRAN 1445 DUBAI 1445 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1505 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 MEDINA 1705 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 BAHRAIN 1920 DOHA 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 DOHA 2330 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2355 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY211 WY235 WY201 WY643 WY345 WY271 WY341 WY601 WY371 WY123 WY901 WY847 WY241 WY667 TK775 WY209 4H584 PK226 WY331 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY815 WY253 WY291 WY263 WY717 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY283 WY631 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 QR1129 EY383 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 WY655 FZ038 WY3303 IX350 PA451 WY113 WY663 WY683 WY131 WY645 WY143 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY433 WY3921 WY675 FZ046 WY613 WY905 QR1127 WY681 WY623 WY647 WY909 GF565 WY907 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY411 WY915 FZ050 AI978 4H561 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 WY677 WY705 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 HYDERABAD 0110 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 LAHORE 0145 DUBAI 0145 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 SALALAH 0215 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DACCA 0300 KARACHI 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 DUBAI 0750 SALALAH 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 BANGKOK 0905 MADRAS 0915 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 BANGALORE 1000 ABU DHABI 1015 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 CALICUT 1255 LAHORE 1315 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 RIYADH 1335 PARIS 1345 KUWAIT 1350 MALPENSA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 TEHRAN 1445 DUQUM OMAN 1455 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 DUBAI 1710 SALALAH 1735 DOHA 1750 RIYADH 1840 DUBAI 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1900 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 AMMAN 2100 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 JEDDAH 2215 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 MEDINA 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

ETD

ETA

ETD

S U N DAY, MAY 24, 2 0 1 5

C 11

EXTRA

The sense of touch

BRIEFS

Thin models put off women more than they inspire ADVERTISING PROS! Pause before you cast a thin model in your next advertisement feature.

Researchers have found that thin models could alienate up to 70 per cent of your audience. Not all women will buy products because the models in the advertisements are thin, the researchers noted. “The current ‘thin sells’ fixation is a gross oversimplification of how women respond to advertising,” the study said. “We need to look at the target market, and we also have to look at the product category,” said study co-author James Roberts, professor of marketing at the Baylor University in the US. “For some product categories, ‘thin’ is probably going to do better. For others, it very well may be that an average-size model may sell better than a thin model,” Roberts noted.

Food commercials impact obese teens’ eating habits OBESE CHILDREN picture themselves eating the unhealthy foods shown on television commercials which in turn can affect their real-life eating habits, new research says. TV food commercials disproportionately stimulate the brains of overweight teenagers, including the regions that control pleasure, taste and the mouth, suggesting they mentally simulate unhealthy eating habits, the researchers said.

Chronic gambling is linked to depression, says study GAMBLING and depression could develop hand-in-hand from the teenage years to early adulthood. Researchers have found that if a young man is a chronic gambler, the chances are extremely high that he also suffers from depression. Gambling problems should be treated together with depression, suggested researcher Frederic Dussault from University of Quebec at Montreal in Canada. -IANS

The feeling of touch is crucial to human experience, and yet neuroscientists still have little idea how it actually works

I

n 2012, Jan Scheuermann ate the most satisfying bite of chocolate of her life. A decade earlier, Scheuermann was diagnosed with spinocerebellar degeneration, a progressive disease that confined her to a wheelchair, paralysed from the neck down. At age 53, she volunteered for a study through the University of Pittsburgh that would allow her to operate a prosthetic arm using only her mind. She underwent surgery to have two nodes implanted on the surface of her brain, which would read the neurons’ activity when she thought about moving her shoulder and her wrist.

After a few weeks of retraining her brain, the researchers hooked up some wires that linked the nodes on the top of her head to a prosthetic arm that sat on a cart beside her.

She practised grabbing objects and moving them with different turns of the prosthetic wrist.

Then researchers decided she was ready to go bigger.

“When they asked me for a goal, I was being facetious and going for a laugh when I replied that I would like to feed myself chocolate,” she says. “Instead of laughing, the scientists looked at each other and nodded and said, ‘Yeah, we should be able to do that’.” After a few weeks of training, she put

the chocolate in her mouth, then whisked the prosthetic arm away quickly, closed her eyes and enjoyed the bite. Scheuermann was moving objects for the first time in a decade — a real science and technology miracle. But there was still one thing missing — the prosthetic didn’t give her back the ability to feel.

Neuroprosthetics Mind-operated prosthetics, or neuroprosthetics, are at the cusp of how neuroscientists can manipulate our sense of touch. But giving Scheuermann the ability to feed herself is only part of the challenge — researchers are also trying to bring sensory information back to the user. “Right now, the feedback is the vanguard; it’s much further behind than the motor movement part,” says Daniel Goldreich, a professor of neuroscience at McMaster University in Ontario. Decades of research have given scientists a good understanding of the pathways that transmit input from the outside world to our brains — as long as we smell, hear or taste that information. But not if it comes through touch.

Here’s what we do know about how somatosensory signals, or “touch information”, reach the brain — when I reach out to pick up a glass of water, the nerves that start in my palm and finger-

tips transmit this specific sensory information as electrical signals up the long chains of nerve cells, one-fifth the width of a hair but several feet long, through my arm to my spinal cord. From there, the signal is transmitted to the brain, where it’s decoded to create a complete picture of what I’m touching. Each specific attribute, like temperature, texture, shape or hardness, has its own nerve pathway in this transmission process from fingertip to brain.

“You have all these different flavours of touch receptors that are all mixed together like multicoloured jellybeans, but the information is totally discrete — you don’t confuse cold with pressure,” Barth says. She estimates that the skin is laced with around 20 different types of tactile nerves for all these different sensations. But researchers aren’t sure how our brain gets such a clear picture of an object such as that water glass.

“We don’t know how the brain decodes this pattern of electrical impulses,” says Goldreich. That’s true for the sense of touch, he says, and also for how all of our senses combine Barth’s team recently published a paper in the research journal Cell, looking more closely at the neurons in a particularly deep part of the brain called the thalamus, which we know plays a key role in transmitting sensory signals.

Work like Barth’s is bringing neuroscientists closer to understanding touch in the brain, which has many implications.

Researchers predict a dramatic change in the design of smartphones, for example. Phones

already give you some somatosensory feedback, like vibrating when you receive a text or buzzing when you press a button.

But phones could do a lot more to tap into our sense of touch. “The thing I hate about my smartphone is I can’t do anything without looking at it,” Barth says.

She anticipates that phone interfaces could change textures over important buttons to show users where to click, which could also help the blind use touchscreens.

Goldreich predicts that screens will be able to go even further; by manipulating the electrical input, scientists could make video calls a multi-sensory experience, where touching the computer screen feels like touching the person’s face or hand. “That would require us to understand and come up with ways to activate those sensors in your hand, but we’re actually pretty close to doing that,” Goldreich says.

Researchers have found other, more holistic ways to help the blind and the deaf through increasingly sophisticated sensory substitution systems. One system, called VEST, picks up sounds with a microphone and translates them into patterns of vibrations on the skin. The brain learns to interpret this tactile information as auditory signals; eventually, it enables the deaf to understand auditory cues. Others are doing similar work for the blind, turning a camera feed into pixels that vibrate the skin in ways and effectively making it possible for a user to “see”.

“The dream of that sort of research is to try to give someone vision,” Goldreich said. -Alexandra Ossola/The New York Times News Service

C12

SU N DAY, MAY 24, 2015

EXTRA B O L LY W O O D

Would love to do a film on chess: Aamir Khan ACTOR Aamir Khan, who has done a film around cricket and is now working on a movie on wrestling, hopes to feature in a project on chess. The 50-year-old was present at the inauguration of the third edition of the Maharashtra Chess League in Mumbai on Friday. On being asked if he’d like to do a film around chess, he said: “I would love to do a film on the game of chess if a script comes to me. I like the scripts to come to me organically. Let’s see if something comes up.” Aamir added: “I love playing chess and play it whenever I gets the time. I play on a very amateur level but I love this game a lot.” He finds his Dhoom: 3 co-star Katrina Kaif to be a good competitor in chess.

Never thought I would do a Bhatt film: Vidya Balan INTENSE SUBJECTS are often intertwined with elements that are the core of movies from the Bhatts’ films stable. Vidya Balan, who features in their upcoming production Hamari Adhuri Kahani, says she never thought she would do a film under the banner. “I was thrilled when I got a call to be a part of this film,” Vidya said. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film also stars Emraan Hashmi and Rajkummar Rao. It is an intense love story which is inspired by the life of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s parents.

HOW TO STOP VR SICKNESS: GET A VIRTUAL NOSE V All eyes are on virtual reality going mainstream, but there is one major drawback — nausea

irtual reality (VR) equipment has tended to be cumbersome and expensive, all heavy headsets and awkward gloves. Until recently, it’s been beyond the reach of the home consumer, but with the appearance of Oculus Rift (since bought

by Facebook), Microsoft’s HoloLens, and even DIY options such as Google Cardboard, it seems that VR is coming to a living room near you soon.

But there’s a bigger problem with VR than just cost — it tends to make users feel ill. Simulator sickness, with its symptoms of dizziness, nausea, sweating and disorientation, is a well-known problem for virtual reality users. However, researchers from Purdue University have struck upon a novel way of combating it that draws on natural methods.

The computer-generated sensory signals that simulate virtual reality manipulate our senses independently. As our usual perceptual experience of the world is multisensory, the difference between what we’re seeing and hearing

in the VR headset, and information from our other senses, causes confusion. When we walk around in the real world, the stereoscopic images formed by our eyes change as we move, providing us with clear visual information about where we are going. We also sense the movement of our body directly, largely through the vestibular sense organs that form part of our inner ears. Having multiple senses telling us about where we are going is helpful, as it allows us to track our movements accurately.

In virtual reality, however, these signals become uncoupled. For example, while in the real world you might be slumped on the sofa, in the virtual world you are riding a roller coaster. In which case, while the images projected to your eyes tell you that you’re looping the loop, your body knows that it has gone nowhere. These kinds of mixed messages are thought to be the cause of simulator sickness.

In many ways, it is the flip-side of sea-sickness — if you’re below decks on a boat rocked by the waves, your body feels the move-

The difference between what we’re seeing and hearing in the VR headset, and information from our other senses, causes confusion

ment but your eyes tell you that you’re motionless. A well-known remedy is to get out on deck and look at the horizon. This provides a stable reference, bringing your vestibular and visual senses back into agreement. The answer from a team at Purdue’s department of computer graphics technology, where I am an assistant professor, draws from this idea of a point of reference.

Their elegant solution involves simply adding a virtual nose to the scene — it is clearly visible in the bottom right of the left eye’s field of view, and the bottom left of the

right eye’s field of view — imitating an experience with which we’re all familiar. Test subjects were able to use their applications, which included walking round a virtual Tuscan villa, and another in which they rode a virtual roller coaster, for considerably longer when the nose was visible.

Exactly how this works, biologically speaking is not clear, but it seems likely that the nose, by providing a clear visual reference that moves with the point of view of the observer in the scene, gives a better impression of your motion in the virtual world.

The researchers’ long-term goal is a complete model of simulator sickness, that will allow them to predict the degree of sickness that might be expected from a given application. For now, though, they have provided us with a potentially very easy way to reduce the symptoms and increase the usability of virtual reality systems.

And the take-home message is clear — for a painless virtual experience, just follow your nose.

-David Whittinghill/The Independent

When Sonakshi Sinha’s desire to sing ‘stagnated’ SONAKSHI SINHA WHO has come on board as a judge on singing reality show Indian Idol Junior, says she wanted to polish her crooning skills but the “desire stagnated” in childhood itself “My music teacher taught me Sa re ga ma pa, but did not return after that and that is where my desire to sing stagnated,” Sonakshi said at the launch of Sony Entertainment Television’s Indian Idol Junior. When Sonakshi shared this desire, the show’s co-judge Vishal Dadlani promptly added: “She is a good singer. We are doing a film titled Akira where Sonakshi is the ‘hero’. I promise you that she is going to sing in that film.”

Sunny rubbishes reports of being ousted from flat SUNNY LEONE, who was earlier living in Celina Jaitley’s house in Mumbai, has rubbished rumours that she was asked to leave for the way she was keeping it. According to reports, Sunny was asked to leave the house as Celina was irked by the way her house was being maintained, and that now she is apparently living in hotels. “We don’t comment on garbage news that people put out. We shifted (out) a year back when our lease ended,” she said. -IANS

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CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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QUALITY APARTMENTS FOR RENT ͻ ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ZƵǁŝ ŶĞĂƌ dŽƐŚŝďĂ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ͘ ͻ ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ^Ɖůŝƚ ĂŝƌͲĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶĞƌƐ Ăƚ ůͲ&ĞůĂũ͘ ͻ ϯ Z WĞŶƚ ŚŽƵƐĞ ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ;ďĞŚŝŶĚ ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌĞĚ ĂŶŬͿ͘ ͻ ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ůͲ<ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;ŶĞĂƌ ZĂĚŝƐƐŽŶ >hͿ͘ ͻ ϯ Z ŇĂƚ Ăƚ ZƵǁŝ ;ŶĞdžƚ ƚŽ ,ŽƌŝnjŽŶ 'LJŵͿ͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ZƵǁŝ ;ŶĞĂƌ ZƵǁŝ WŽůŝĐĞ ^ƚĂƟŽŶͿ͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ YƵƌƵŵ ;ŶĞĂƌ ,ŽƌŝnjŽŶ 'LJŵͿ͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ŵĂƌĂƚ͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ 'ŚĂůĂ ;ŶĞĂƌ sĂƐĂŶƚŚ ŚĂǁĂŶ ,ŽƚĞůͿ͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ DĂǁĂůĞŚ Θ ^ĞĞď͘ ͻ Ϯ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ŽǁƐŚĞƌ ;KƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ ^ƚĂĚŝƵŵͿ͘ ͻ ϭ Z ŇĂƚ Ăƚ DĂǁĂůĞŚ ;ŶĞĂƌ KŵĂŶŽŝů ĮůůŝŶŐ ƐƚĂƟŽŶͿ͘ ͻ ϭ Z ŇĂƚ Ăƚ ůͲ<ŚŽĚŚ͘ ͻ ϭ Z ŇĂƚ Ăƚ DĂǁĂůĞŚ ;ŶĞdžƚ ƚŽ &ƌƵŝƚ DĂƌŬĞƚͿ͘ ͻ ϭ Z ŇĂƚ Ăƚ ŵĂƌĂƚ ;ŶĞĂƌ ^ƵůƚĂŶ ĞŶƚƌĞͿ͘ ͻ ϭ Z ŇĂƚƐ Ăƚ ŽǁƐŚĞƌ ;KƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ ^ƚĂĚŝƵŵͿ͘

Contact : 24 702 666 Fax: 24-703666.

Email: manju@alhabib.om

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

One BHK flat for rent in Ghobra with attach and common bathroom.

For Indian family.

Contact - 92322096 2 BHK with split A/C in Grand mall. Contact 96708000 1BHK with split A/C in Azaiba 16 Nov Street. Contact 96708000 Spacious 1& 2 BH flats having good finishing A/C kitchen etc, AL Khuwair near Al Zawawi mosque. Contact: 99385075 Flat ( ground floor ) with living room + 2 big room & hall , big kitchen & store , 3 toilet with car parking in Mabela South with new split AC only 240/- R.O. Contact 93295953 Flat for Rent- Contact No 99315515 AL- Khuwair 33/1 3 Bedrooms.

Dining room. Family hall. 3 Bathrooms.

Kitchen with store. Split A/C units.

Restaurant available for rent brand new fully equipped restaurant on Barka- Nakhal-Rustaq Highway , ideal for Pakistani /Indian /Omani Cuisine , available for rent and management excellent opportunity for those who are in restaurant business in Oman /UEA. Only serious and experienced parties need to Contact on: 99337991

2 BHK (with split AC) residential flat at Honda road.

Contact 98087644 / 99795241 5000 sqm prime indusial land in Misfah, Bausher, with 550 sqm of covered warehouse and office space, for rent only. Contact: + 968 – 99264162 1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126 2BHK flat with store room split A/Cs in CBD, Ruwi near QNB. Contact 99603696 3 bedrooms flat for rent near NIT Institute Darsait. Contact 93494098 1BHK flat with split A/C in front of ISM for rent. Contact: 93215939 One bedroom, house for rent Wadi Kabeer. Contact: 92424800 1& 2 BHK at Honda road.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 2 BHK at AL Azaiba, 2 bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning 3 & bath rooms.

Contact: 99224748 / 99425665

Deluxe 2 BHK in Mumtaz area Ruwi Contact 97707007

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 600/-RO.#92888115

Furnished spacious single room in a new building with attached bathroom for executive bachelor at South Al Mawaleh (Behind Seeb City Center). Gsm 99221067

Showroom for rent 200 m in Al Misfah, Bousher facing the main road. Contact 95202430

Villa 12 rooms and a lounge Council in citrus 11 first line along with Omantel serve as a school or as liaison offices: 91256340 Flats for rent south AL Mabela.

Contact: 95331177/95230355 For rent special price 3 BHK Al Falaj area 270/- , 3BHK South AL Hail 275/Contact: 24707340/95282986 1 Bedroom bachelors, sharing K & T in Al Khuwair R.O 100/-.

Contact 95154331 Flats 2 bedrooms, hall in Mumtaz way no 3352 building no 3774 /3668. Contact 99341138 / 98003444 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

New building, residential apartments and offices, in Al Khoud Souq. Contact 95202340 Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 Independent rooms in Qurum / AL Hail. Contact 95529970 2 BHK Flat in Azaiba.

Contact 99792181 2bedrooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Ruwi near boys school.

Contact : 92584715 / 24700120 506 sqm space with mezzanine available for rent in Al Wadi Al Kabir. Suitable for carpentry / auto workshop and /or electrical shop.

Interested parties may Contact 24703981

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255.

Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172 1BHK flat in Wattaya with split units A/C. Contact: 98802343 10 BHK Villa in Al Khuwair 25 for Executive bachelors.

Contact 99792181 1 Villa & 4 big apartments of 3 BHK with big hall & Kitchen Al Khoudh 6. Tel 97600322 alnehang@gmail.com New 3 bedroom flats split AC, attached toilets available behind Kims Oman hospital.

Contact 95225662 Mezzanine floor office space for rent area 200 sq. Contact 97175979 / 99001341

Flat with 2 rooms, toilet & kitchen in second floor in Souk Al Khoud behind bank Al Ahli 200/- R.O .

Contact : 99738881 2 & 3 BHK in Qurum, with split AC, Near PDO Gate 2.

Contact 94057023 7 BHK Flat in Azaiba for Executive Bachelors. Contact 99792181 Villa for rent in Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact 99366624 2BHK flats in Al Khuwair-33 with split AC. Contact: 94057023 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact : 92800007 3 flats for rent 3 bedrooms include A/C, near the highway (Bowshar Amerat). Contact 97777911 / 95533777 1st floor flat in Amerat Phase 5, 4 rooms, bathrooms (3), kitchen with A/C for family.

Contact 95522405

S U N DAY, M AY 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

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DAILY GUIDE

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

FOR RENT

MV. SALE

1& 2BHK for rent at Wadi Kabir, Hilal Al Sad and Al Khoud areas .

Contact Office: 24834644 Mobile: 93994401/02/03 Flat for rent, 2 BK near Kuwaiti Mosque, Wadi Kabir. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

2 BHK with A/C Ghobrah. Contact: 92144045 Flats for rent near Indian school in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122 For rent flat 2 BHK 350/- R.O in North Al Ghubrah.

Contact 97004127 1 BHK flat in Honda Road (Ruwi).

Contact 99792181 2 & 3 BHK flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181 200 Sqr mtrs office space in CBD. Contact 99792181 Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336

If require flats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send me messages through whatsapp or call 99376454 Spacious 2 BHK flats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499

Single room for executive bachelor near AL Falaj Hotel. Contact 99643845

Studio flat Wadi Kabeer 160/-O.R. Contact - 99358589 / 97079146/ 95570288

Fully furnished room with attached Bath for executive bachelor, behind Al Meera Hypermarket Azaiba R.O 150/-. Contact: 99455735

1BHK flat near star cinema with split A/C 230/- O.R. Contact 99358589/ 97079146/95570288 Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 Apartments for rent Ghubra : near Indian School Ghubra & Al Maha International Hotel (2BHK with 5 split A/C units).Contact 99273774 / 99202278 /94652485

WANTED

FOR SALE

Sharing single room with separate bathroom available for executive bachelor near Grand Hypermarket, Ruwi. Contact 95149047/96567139

Treadmill –motorized. Contact: 99378397 Required used portacabin 12’ x 40’ without partition 2 Nos, used ablution unit 12 ‘x 30’ -1 no required at Misfah.

Contact: 99340205

Well furnished single room / sharing for Ex .Bachelor at Rex Road.

Contact 92873832 Sharing accommodation for executive bachelor near Sadolin Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99016230

FOR SALE

1 BHK new bldg with A/C, curtains near Khimji Mart MBD. Contact: 99061408 / 99024039 We have flats for sale in south Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms.

Contact : 99224748 / 99425665

Villa in Al Khuwair and Seeb.

Contact 95250300/ 99119699 / 92125648

Ice cream & Juices shop in Ruwi good location for sale, 1.5mt fish display machine unused for sale.

Contact: 92150455

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

Industrial land for rent in Wadi Kabir 7000 Sq mtrs.

Contact 99354340

For rent flat 3BHK 390/-R.O in North Al Ghubrah. Contact 97004127 Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181 2 BHK flat in Rex Road.

Contact 99792181 Studio & 1BHK flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99376454 Labour camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99797422 2 bedroom apartment in Ruwi for rent or sale for information.

Contact: 99360303 Room main road, Al Khuwair R.O 110/-. Contact 97799175

Chevrolet Lumina 2004, automatic good condition.

Contact 98571309

ACC. AVAILABLE

We have flats for rent in South Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127

Subaru Impreza 2008, good conation. Contact: 99453837

2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Contact 97000155 or 92688692

1st floor flat in Amerat Phase 5, 4 rooms, bathrooms (3), kitchen with A/C for family.

Contact 95522405

2 BHK & studio flat at Darsait 1SM. Contact 99024730

Nissan Sunny 2010.

Contact : 98602323

Toyota Camry Expat driven fully automatic KM 107000. #93892126

Flat for rent 2 BK near Oman House Muttrah. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

2 BHK with A/C Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 99896838

Fork Lift for rent or sale Nissan 3.5 Ton. Contact: 94102899

Coffee shop for sale in North Al Ghubra. Contact 95256009

Flat for rent 1 & 2 bedroom available behind Zaker Mall Al Khuwair.

Contact - 99530405 Ghubra near Al Maha hotel & Indian school (2BHK with 5 split ac units). Contact 94652485/ 99273774 / 99202278 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

AVAILABLE

2,560 sq mtrs industrial land Wadi Kabir Main Road, First line on way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to make petrol station or hotel. OMR 990 Thousand Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Shop for sale, at Al-Khoudh 6, suitable for perfume and watches.

Contact 98545994 Used Furniture of Ready made showroom for Sale.contact 24704370, 99798452 (Ashwin) Shop in Ruwi OPP: OC. Contact: 99378397

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

BUYING / SELLING

For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842

Investors required for a Running hotel in AL Khuwair.

Contact 98049288

1/3 BHK Flat Ghubrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880

Used household & office furniture and electronic items.

Contact 99834373, 97102699

Used General 2 Ton window A/C supermarket gondolas tube light fittings. Contact : 97752395 A well equipped running dental clinic in Ruwi for sale. Contact 93769963 Coffee shop equipment and furniture for sale call 95207741 .

Coffee shop & BBQ running Wadi Kabir, open parking having clearance. Contact: 97161811 3800SQM, industrial land Wadi Kabir near OTE Ruwi good for store.

Contact 92726558 Shfandish & tables for sale.

Contact 99368907

60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 29 per Square Meter.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Household items for sale, all items are in a very good condition. For more details contact 97287410 3 tents used for six months, PVC type, 850 GSM, water proof and fire resistant (one tent size 11x30meter, two tents size 15x25 meters).

For clarification call 99507508 558 Sq mtrs residential land in Barka (Al Jenainah) near Lulu and near to school. OMR 32 Thousand.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Shop for sale ladies beauty parlour AL Hassan Company near top up super market AL Wadi Kabir, good Running condition. Contact 91207003 /96700192 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

Sharing accommodation available opposite Mars at Al Ghubra for Executive bachelor or small family sharing, kitchen. Contact 94474351 / 96237050

FOR SALE Residential land for sale 21000 sqm, best for housing complex at Al Harm – Barka, opp to Khimji logistic. Contact 99438397 Port cabin new & refurbished – porta cabin for sale & rent.

Contact: 96723468 / 97775501 / 97775502

Land Cruiser 2012. Contact 99336093 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished single rooms available for bachelors at Ruwi.

Contact: 98049288 ACC. OPP, OK center for non- cooking bachelor. Contact - 97900642 after 5 pm Room with attached bath in Mumtaz area. Contact: 99743709 Attached room with kitchen at Azaiba. Contact : 99334770 Executive bachelor room with attached toilet near Al Nahda Hospital, Hamriya. Contact - 96474313 Sharing for non-cooking Executive bachelor in CBD area wi fi free, advance deposit. Contact 95934642 Accommodation available for South Indian family, one bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen, hall in a villa, Al Ghubrah. Contact 99209160 Family room available for rent at Muttrah Souk. Contact 24712088 / 99022790 Single room & AC attached bath at Mumtaz area. Contact 95212017 & 93103337 Sharing acc. Available in Muttrah behind Oman house. Contact 99354340 Sharing family accommodation in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057

GOOD NEWS

3 floor commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR 207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 27 Per Square Meter.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987

Shopping center for sale at Bousher by good price 400 m2 with all equipment. Reason for selling part-time. Contact 92916490 5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Bousher: OMR 35 Thousand each.

Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 2 residential Lands together, one 610 and the other 600 sq mtrs, in Al Haram on way to Barka. OMR 49 Thousand both. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

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 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

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S U N DAY, M AY 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNTANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Reputed Construction Company required Draughtsman / Accountant experience in Construction Company with accountancy degree.

Email: jvacancy05@gmail.com Urgently required a Senior Accountant 1 no. at least 5 years experience, 2 sales executive, 2 nos at least 3years experience and having valid Omani driving license interested candidates may email their CVs at findjobs2015@hotmail.com Urgently required female Accountant, should have 3 -5 years experience. Send CV with passport size Photo and expected salary on cv.hrcharity@gmail.com

ARCHITECT / DRAFTSMAN Urgently required a junior Architect for a consultancy office.

Email: ajith@milesconsultancy.com Urgently required a Senior Draftsman for a consultancy office. Email: ajith@milesconsultancy.com Leading Construction company requires MEP Draftsman and Civil Draftsman with 5 to 7 years gulf experience with NOC available.

Send your CV to recruitment1947@gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Beautician required with good experience visa available.

Contact: 95867900

Chief Accountant / Accounts Manager, Indian male (34 years) MBA/ M.com more than 10 years experience (7 tears in Oman) with D/L NOC available seeks suitable placement. Contact: 96915438

MEDICAL Medical CARE Centre, Al Seeb, requires Gynecologist, General Practitioners and Medical Lab Technicians. Mail CVsarita_h23@yahoo.com or call 97884856 Urgently required (All female only) Radiographer, Physiotherapist, Echo Technician, EEG technician & Nurses.

Contact: 99374223, 22081700 email: hr@gshoman.com Wanted Lady Doctor GP or Gynecologist with MOH license.

Immediate opportunity.

Contact - 99310590 We are looking for a Staff Nurse, who is having 60% or above in prometric exam. Contact : 99235643 /99463609 Email: abuahamedclinic@gmail.com Urgently required Staff Nurse, Pharmacist and endodontist Female Staff nurse, Pharmacist and endodntist with MOH License/ Prometric exam passed with 60% and above.

Contact 24780088, 97374459 Email : karamadental@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

Cast Aluminium & Windows Company looking for the skilled and experienced personnel for the following categories: Sales Executive with D/L, professional Accountant, Aluminium fabricator, Cast Aluminium Site worker. Contact: 99654863 / 99197060 or Email your CV/Resume to tdnewgates@gmail.com

A leading Tissue paper & food stuffs company require sales & marketing person with minimum 5 yrs exp. in Oman with good communication skills & valid Oman D/L. candidate with interior market knowledge & experience preferable.

Send CV : allub@alhosnigroup.com, fax : 24451430

SALES / MARKETING Situations vacant at a reputed company in Oman for their TLB(Tires, Lubes & Battery) division. 1. Sales Executives. 2. Showroom Executives. 3. Sales Co-ordinators. 4.

Store Keepers. Minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same field or from the Automotive industry with market exposure, holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Rush your CV’s to careers@diamondwealth.org Salesman with driving license for company. Contact: 96440587 Required a Sales Man for a building material showroom in Honda road, salary 150 onward with a graduate degree. Contact: 24831052

CATERING Shawarma /Arabic/Chinese/ cook & helpers. Contact 95529970

DOMESTIC HELPER Required looking for full time Housemaid preface Indian / Sri Lanka for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact: 92454170 Urgent required House maid in Mabela. Visa available.

Contact- 95200180.

ENGINEER Wanted Project Engineer, Email: almoosaengineering@gmail.com Wanted Mason, Email: almoosaengineering@gmail.com Wanted site Forman, Email: almoosaengineering@gmail.com Wanted civil Engineer, Email: almoosaengineering@gmail.com Engineers / Tech urgently required Civil Engineer with four years experience for a consultancy office. Email: ajith@milesconsultancy.com

Immediate placement ( with or without MOH) A. Pharmacist 3 nos B. Asst.pharmacist - 2 nos Contact Tel.99338219 , 93240949 Urgently required a female Dentist with a valid MOH license interested candidates may email their CVs at findjobs2015@hotmail.com Position for a full time home Health Nurse seeking for a dedicated and reliable Staff Nurse or Assistant Nurse to provide total care for an elderly sick patient for immediate interview.

Contact : 99331369 A private clinic in Oman requires a staff nurse (Indian female preferably) salary negotiable interested candidates kindly mail their resumes/ CV with contact details to medicalclinic2015@gmail.com or call 00968-91941373

SITE FOREMAN Required experienced Site Foreman for the construction and Maintenance Company with Oman driving license.

Contact 99378663

Urgently needed Marketing Executive for kitchens, Sales Assistant for kitchens and sanitary ware, Office Assistant ( all male) for a marketing company, graduates with 3 to 5 yrs relevant experience please email CV to yourfutureinoman@gmail.com Sales Coordinator (Male) required for a reputed company in Oman with D/L, and with good knowledge of MS Office , Please send CV with photo to; saheer@paramountmuscat.com / saheer.pto@gmail.com Sales Executive (Male) with D/L for a reputed company in Oman,with 3 yrs experience . Please send CV with photo to; saheer@paramountmuscat.com / saheer.pto@gmail.com Requirement counter Sale & Marketing sale for work in building material shop in Saham.

Contact: 99352829 / 99417418 Looking for Electrical Salesman with diploma certificate.

Contact 97616265 email: brightsilverllc@gmail.com Looking for outdoor Salesman for heavy equipment spare parts.

Contact- 93292003.

E mail: mail.om@gulfcenter.co

Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualification. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com A leading UPVC window manufacturing company require Sales Executive (Graduate) 3 years minimum experience and Omani D/L. Required candidates with local release only apply. Contact: 99100738 / 94247257. Send CV to info@perfectwindowllc.com Salesman experienced 5 yrs in Oman, in the field of industrial & oilfield service, garage equipment tools & spares, safety wears & rescue equipments. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

TOURS & TRAVELS Urgently required experienced Travel Agent for a reputed rent a car & tourism co.

Contact: 24701070/77 Email: muscatcaravan@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male, 30 yrs, MBA having 5 years GCC experience holding valid Oman driving license looking for a suitable job. Contact : 94547511 Email: pnvineeth01@gmail.com Accountant B.Com, MBA (pursuing) Indian male 25 years, 2 years experience in India, seeking better placement on visit visa.

Contact: 97709327 Indian Female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts, Admin/Hr. Contact 97013375

Accountant: Indian male 10 years experience, 6 years in Oman with Oman driving license, seeking suitable job. Contact 96012973

MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa.

Contact: 99424803

Analyst accountant knowledge & skill excel Advance misreport account & finance administration work document oracle advertising knowledge degree MBA, BBM. Contact 91840109/99783953 Email: mohd.rashid19@gmail.com

Indian female B.com 4 years experience in accountant 1 years experience in Oman having knowledge of tally seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 93491124/92054531

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

13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

An Indian lady Chartered Accountant with five years experience (including article ship) on family visa in Oman looking for a suitable job. Please Contact 9621 0347 / 9943 5346, shincycrajan@gmail.com

Male 24, B.com / PGD having 2 years experience in accounts and inventory field. Looking for suitable job, on visit visa. Contact 94129550 Indian male MBA, Finance, 6 years experience in Finance & Accounting spatially in Oil & Gas , Now on visit visa . Contact: 94327063 Email: shabab3939@yahoo.com Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Onsite Tally Training, Inventory Management Contact: 96975454, Email: ibfc.gcc@gmail.com Indian Female, 34 yrs, B.Com, Knowledge in MS Office & Tally, exp in accounting & admin seek suitable placement 99199710/96744965 Indian female B.com Graduate over 8 years experience in Finance, customer relation, sales coordinator, secretary, Bank Office seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987 Indian male graduate B.com looking for suitable in Account Finance / sales marketing release available with 2 years working experience.

Contact: 94574596 Indian male 2 years experience in account cum sales coordinator NOC available looking for suitable job.

Contact: 91298422/96458189 Bachelor of Banking and Insurance.

Experience: Has 6 months experience in marketing firm1 month internship with wiz craft international on project “Farah ki dawat”Seeking a suitable job in advertising, event, banking firm.

Contact - 99505290 / 96696183 djs007.93@gmail.com Indian B.com graduate doing MBA with NOC is looking for a job in accounts. Contact- 94627418 Chief Accountant Indian male 36 yrs, M.Com, 14 yrs experience at Senior position in leading MEP companies, 9 years in Oman. Available Noc, D/L & ready to join. Contact 98407501

MFA (Master of finance and accounting), B.com. 6 months experience, looking suitable position in finance and accounts. Contact: 97829315.

Email: muhsin1819@gmail.com Indian Female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts.

Contact- 97013375.

Part time Accounts job & finalization work Muscat. Contact: 92917448 Indian male 25 yrs B.com having experience in accounts for 3 yrs currently on visit looking to job.

Contact: 97937868 Email: rehman.naseer999@gmail.com Audit external internal and finance & Admin qualified CA Indian more than 13 years experience in Oman tax banking NOC available.

Contact: 95140332 /98956603 Indian male, MBA finance, presently working as branch supervisor in a reputed logistics co. For past 10 years with an overall experience of 21 years in finance& logistics, looking for a suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 96567151 Email: girishlalmahadev@yahoo.com Accountant Indian male 10 years experience in Oman looking for a suitable position, up to finalization NOC available can join immediately.

Contact: 94134085 Email: muscatoman95@yahoo.com Sr. Accountant M.com (finance) 15 years experience (2years in Oman with a reputed firm) NOC available.

Contact: 92404608 Email: jin_75@rediffmail.com Indian male 22 years B.Com Graduate having the knowledge of Tally ERP9 and Peachtree and with a valid Oman driving license looking for a suitable job. Contact 98504698 Indian male 23 yrs B.Com 1yr experience in Accounts and sales looking for suitable placement on visit visa.

Contact: 96068174 / 98912870

S U N DAY, M AY 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male 25 yrs B.Com PGDBM currently on visit visa, looking for suitable opening in accounts, store and Admin. Contact: 96986349 Email: gafoordawre@gmail.com Finance Manager (M.Com. MBA) with start-up skill & group consolidation, Baking,corporate funding, restructuring of finance and accounts with new system and procedure.amritaa.m2002@gmail.com 3 yrs experience, Indian female, 26 years, Masters in Financial Management, B.com, Seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99345132 Email: Sandhya1735@gmail.com MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in banking operational, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Indian male, B.Com Graduate having 10 years exp 6 years in Oman looking for an Accountant job. #93830171 Email: nidbivtl@yahoo.com Indian male M.Com, 5 years experience in finance /HR and Purchase department in Oman companies having valid D/L available to join immediately with NOC. Contact 98363897 Email: prince9496@hotmail.com Finance Manager, 16 + years Gulf exp. in accounts , MIS, budgets, strategic planning, cost control, working capital management, seeks job pls call 95379211 e mail :- vijay.564@hotmail.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment. contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com MBA Graduate with 6 yrs exp in finance/accounts/ auditing. Specialized in accounts payable dept, Oracle app user, proficient in Sap (fico) end user & tally 9.0. lean &six sigma certified trainer on visit visa.

Contact – 91967213 / 99064780

ADMIN/HR Indian Female MBA, 3 Years experience in Admin MIS, Family Visa.

Contact 98234427, jkjsmith01@gmail.com Indian female, 28 yrs, experience in Admin / sales coordination / accountant and secretarial.

Knowledge in accountant software, with Oman D/L, looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96751993 Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available.

Contact :93671437 Indian female, 29 yrs, MBA (HR) 4 yrs exp. India & Oman in HR & Admin, seeks suitable placement.

Contact 96759820

Experienced Omani PRO, well versed with OCCL, ROP , immigration , customs , municipality related assignments looking for good opportunity .

Contact: 99588154/93387833 Indian female MBA 3 years experience in Admin MIS, Family visa.

Contact - 98234427 jkjsmith01@gmail.com Profession experience Education visa status driving license contact operation 18 years degrees visiting visa heavy light superior all gulf college UAE18. Contact: 98268860 Document controller / project coordinator having 15 years experience is same Field. Contact: 00919605635590 Indian female 24 yr ,MBA in HR and management with one yr exp, ready to join immediately, Contact 97895004, Email: naziyabanu705@gmail.com

Driver looking for job.

Contact 92137431

EDUCATION Qualified primary English Teacher for almost 12 years W/ experience in Qatar independent school international school & British curricular IELTS qualified looking for immediate post. Contact: 98938272

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

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 Over 15 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position.#95824598

Indian male 24 years (BE) Mechanical Engineer undergone HSE fire and safety training seeking suitable placement. Contact 96542840

Omani national fluent in English looking for suitable placement.

Contact 91908052

Fiber design and implementation Engineer, 8+ yrs experience (6 yrs in Saudi ARAMCO) in OPS & ISP/FTTX, on visit visa till June end, with valid GCC D/L, GSM: 94769479, email: fiberoptic2011@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Indian, 45 years, Housekeeping working one of five star hotel 10 yrs experience and health club exp also, experience in Oman.

Contact: 99628602 /98693655

AUTO CAD/ARCHITECT Draughtsman-Civil: Diploma in Architecture with 3 years experience. Proficient in AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, Photoshop and MS Office.

Email: dilshadmayas@gmail.com Mob: +91 9645124241, 93004426 Female architect (27) 4 years experience seeking for suitable job in Oman experience in Oman, India & UK. Contact: 96146645 Email: anjuovil@gmail.com

CATERING Indian male, MA multimedia, 25 yrs presently working in Bangalore as visual layout / Graphics designer having 2 years experience, seeks suitable placement. Currently on short visit.

Contact 92368969 Email: donoo7james@gmail.com Indian male 38 yrs senior chef de parst pastry & bakery 15yrs experience one of the five star hotels in Oman experience 10 yrs Oman looking job. Contact: 96460519 Email: venagovindhan@yahoo.com

DESIGNER

Filipino Female, 30 yrs old, with 8yrs experience in Payroll/Admin/ HR and 2yrs experience as Technical Support/Cashier/Secretary.

Currently in Muscat on Family Visit Visa, Seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96708114 Email: lucy08_tm@yahoo.com

Pakistani male looking for a light vehicle driving job. Contact: 95149231

Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com

ADMIN/HR Indian male 29, MBA (HR & Admin), six years experience in UAE as sales coordinator and office / Administrator valid GCC driving license. Now on visit visa looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 98466505/93061079

DRIVER

Expert in all types of 3D modeling, building layout, walk through & Broucher designing. 3 yrs exp. in Oman & 6 yrs exp. in India seeking for better opportunity.

Contact 91282841

DRIVER Indian male looking for job as driver. Have 08 years experience in Oman. Contact 95256489 Bangladeshi male looking for a light vehicle driving job.

Contact: 97751070 Driver light. Contact: 91020999 Driver light 20 exp PDO license.

Contact 99504122 Light driver with 10 yrs experience with car or without car, Pakistani National. Contact 91038352 House driver /(overseas) looking job with valid GCC D/l.

Contact 99531802 Heavy & light duty driver valid GCC (overseas) job. Contact 95175192 Light driver looking for job.

Contact : 94208089 (Adman) Heavy Duty Driver looking job & visa. 3 years experience. Release Available. 96238930/92744341

Indian male B.Tech marine Engineer on visit visa. Seeking suitable placement. Contact – 91991386 / prvnpurushan@gmail.com Civil Engineer Female, 3 yrs experience in structural design, on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99195433 Civil Engineer (B.E) 12 years experience with valid Oman D/L. Contact: 93843448 Civil degree Engineer with 3 years experience form Indian looking for suitable job currently on visit visa till 15th June 2015.

Contact: 95713441 Email: khatrialeen@gmail.com Filipino HSE officer with 7 years and 5 months experience in MEP and civil construction works, Qatar petroleum, nakilat shipyard, super substation and high NSE building with Nebosh IGC 3, IOSH, Auditor lead course etc. Contact 98938461 Email: e.tomil@yahoo.com B.Sc in civil Engineer having 2 years experience with driving license in Oman. Contact 94618906 Email: msamps988@yahoo.com Indian male 25 years civil Engineer diploma, 4 years experience for site supervisor seeks suitable placement. Contact 99346121/93127076 Indian Male B.Tech Civil having 17+ years of experience, including 4 years oman experience as a consulting engineer seeking suitable position anywhere in Oman MAIL: subpal60@gmail.com, MOB:91622490 Indian male, Mechanical Engineer, 2 years experience in fabrication & erection of heavy structures as Project Engineer in India, now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact: 91251818 Email: krishnakumarkk9@gmail.com BE Electric & telecom Eng: 4 yrs exp in Oman , exp in AV system design integration & telecom work with D/L , looking for better opportunity field of electronic & telecom.

Contact 97423932 Email: mzeeshanshaikh89@gmail.com Indian male, 27 yrs B. Tech (Aeronautics) with MBA in airport management /international management, having 2yrs of experience in aerospace field, looking for suitable job, currently on visit visa valid up to 25 June 2015. Contact - 98107797 email - njnikhiljoy@gmail.com Indian male 26 yrs mechanical Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Pakistani BSC Electrical Engineer seeking for suitable job.

Contact: 91384864/99326294

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

IT

Indian male B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC & CWSIP looking for suitable position. # 99447106 / 24483297

Indian male 24 years, Mechanical Engineer,pdms.1 yr experience in pipeline,16years in oman seeking immediate placement # 95775742

Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500

Sudanese Petroleum Engineer, 4 yrs experience looking for job, MC office, C, Exlips. Contact 96039290

Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952 Sr. Instrumentation Engineer: 8+ years Exp. (Oman 6+ Yrs) OIL & GAS, Sales & Marketing in Automation, Instrumentation, Calibration, BMS & FOC - Project Planning, Erection, Commissioning, O & M. NOC Available Oman D/L G: +968 97296534 M: jaganmohan_ks@yahoo.com Indian male with ITI certification in Mechanical Drafting with good Experience Looking for good opportunity contact 9194 9181 Indian male 28 yrs electronics & instrumentation Engineer with 4+ years experience in Industrial automation (SCADA) Seeking suitable job. Contact: 93154156 Sudanese Electrical Engineer, 2 years experience.

Contact: 91211592 Email: aymanhamza1990@gmail.com BE in Textile, MS in Environmental Sciences (Fresh graduate) , Safety officer (02 years of experience) Waste Water Treatment/Industrialsolid Waste management (intern). waste management and disposal.

Environment sustainability Projects/ NGO. on visit visa available on immediate bases till 10 of June. Ahmed uzair khawar, 97042404, email: ahmeduzair1803@outlook.com Indian male specialised in business analysis and project management, 29, B-Tech, MBA is looking for suitable position. Contact Tel 98661709 and 99330419 20 years Experience in Mechanical Process industry as Maintenance Engineer for SPM’s like Cold Rolling Mills, Heat Treatment Furnace, Punching, Edge- Grinding and Packaging Machines seeking suitable position with reputed firm. E-mail: sanjeevareddy138@gmail.com, Contact no: 93912928 Young Energetic Indian male, 7 years Oman experience in retail wholesale, sales including electronics, building materials with Oman D/L. Contact: 98465550 Auto Electrician with car a/c with medical. Contact 95175192 Indian male I.T.I diesel mechanic experience 4 yrs Qatar (11 yrs in India) seeking for suitable placement carpentry on visiting visa. #91969224 Email: anilk6102@gmail.com Indian male B.Tech Mechanical three years varietal experience in piping Engineering & management of retail mobile phone shops seeking sales engineering job with Oman D/L. Contact 94401234 Electrical Engineer : Indian male 29 years , having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement.

Contact 92789995, Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com BE Mechanical Engineer -NDT level 2, Quality Control (Oil & Gas) . 1 year exp ph: 95908293 Sudanese Civil Engineer, 2 yrs experience. Contact 96077482, Email : ebraheemann@gmail.com Network / system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job, currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact : 92589502 / 96216397, Email : jeganscareer@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (B.E) : 5 years of experience (4 years in Oman) with valid Omani D/L. NOC available.

GSM: 92260391

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Electrician, Plumber, exp in India Gulf (overseas) job. Contact 99531802 Mechanical Engineer (B.E) : Four years of experience (3 years in Oman). NOC available.

Contact :92530471 Indian male, 24 yrs B.Tech (MECH) on visit 1 year experience as PPC Engineer looking for suitable placement. Has, HVAC, AutoCAD and CATIA designing skills. Contact 98925685 Indian male Instrumentation Engineer having 2 years experience in process instruments, seeks suitable placement. Contact 95954385 Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com.

Diploma in electronics & Telecom, Engineering with 5 years experience in Engineering & sales, marketing.

Contact 95932219 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com

IT Indian male fresher BCA young and energetic, seeking good opportunites.email: jlaxmimenon@gmail. com, Contact 00919567722270 Indian male 25 yrs B.SC computer science 2 yrs exp in computer hard ware and networking & CCTV work & windows administration currently in Muscat on visit visa.

Contact: 93243372 IT professional with 20 years experience MBA, PMP, OCP, ITIL certified looking for suitable position.

Contact: 91829676 Indian female 27 yrs B.Tech (IT) MBA one years of experience as a software analyst. Contact 91234864 Email: ashwinirathnam2011@gmail. com Network Engineer, Female, CCNA,3 yrs exp specializing in DHCP, DNS, NTP, desktop level3 assistance in different OS, on resident visa 94525630/93215372 Indian female MCA, Experience in C#.Net, SQL Server, ORACLE with 4.5 years experience seeking suitable positions. Contact: 96485923, 99886271 / prathibhakp07@gmail. com Indian male, 20+ years experience in IT management, ERP implementation, seeks suitable opening.

Contact: 96101779 2 Years of Experience as Java Software Developer. Looking for the suitable job in IT. Call: 97897616 IT Network and Security Engineer with a master degree, CISCO and Linux red hat certified seeking a suitable job in a good company.

Contact 99818601 Networking technician with driving license, with Noc, having 2 experiences in data & telephone structured cubing EPABX & CCTV installation is looking for suitable jobs. #96027516 Gulf experienced Software Developer & certified professional in English looking from a Job with vast experience in sales and Management + D/L. Contact 00968 96701312 Email: farhanaslam586@yahoo.com Indian male, 25 yrs, M.Tech (Computer Science) 3 yrs exp. in networking (MCSE-CCNA) certified currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact 91006851

IT Support Engineer Indian male with 6 years experience in system Admin IT support seeks suitable opportunities. Contact 94549589 / 99817516.

Email: dhaneeh87@gmail.com Indian 25 yrs male diploma Computer Engineer 5yrs experience in hardware and networking, looking for another jobs in oman.

Contact 91082046, Email: renston34@gmail.com Indian male 25, BSE computer with MBA, 3 years experience in IT, in visit visa seeking a suitable post.

Contact: 92364368 Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male 29 yrs, M.sc post graduate having 7 years experience in healthcare Industry presently working in orthopedic Implants company (MNC) in Indian ( trauma & spine ) on visiting visa seeking suitable job opening. Contact: 93083553 Email: prakash05629@yahoo.com Arab female 30 sales marketing business development manager 9 years experience in Oman UK University graduate talented enthusiastic well – groomed MS Office social media expert bilingual Arabic & English having driving license able to join immediately. Contact 96612369 Cargo & logistics Manager, Indian with more than 15 years experience in UAE, seeks suitable position.

Contact: 95402099 Indian- B.E.-MBA having 25 years Experience. Last 12 years in Oil & Gas Sector in Oman. Business Development /Sales. Looking opening in Oil Gas Trading/Drilling Service Companies as GM/ Country Manager/ Business Development Manager / gmbdm2015oilandgas@gmail.com; Contact -94688594 Indian male, B.Com, with 12yrs exp in construction & building materials purchase/logistics/warehouse, seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 94657319 Indian male, Graduate, with 12yrs solid exp in construction & building materials purchase / logistics/ warehouse seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 94657319 Warehouse In charge or store keeper 26 yrs. Gulf exp 4 yrs in Oman. NOC available. Contact 97657823 / Email:rusaikmzm_2009@yahoo.com Projects/ contracts Manager 31 yrs (26 yrs Oman) experience in management & coordination of multi-million R.O projects of government & private sector, Post Graduate Structural Engineer with structural & QS Background looking for senior position. Contact +00968-91400599

MEDICAL 29 Indian male Nurse.B.SC prometric exam passed on a visit. 10 years experience in India & Italy seeks a suitable placement in multinational hospitals & clinics. Contact 96071773 – sanukochiparampil@gmail.com Dentist Indian male well experienced with M.O.H license and release, looking for immediate placement. Contact: 91237537 Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region.

Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Male Nurse on visit visa looking for a suitable position.

Mob#96071526 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

D6

S U N DAY, M AY 2 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Graduate 1 yr experience in India, Clerk now in Oman on visit visa.

Contact 92933431, princemathew2813@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian (Kerala) male 37yrs, B.com graduate seeking for suitable employment one year experience.

Preferably as an office assistants.

Contact 96701495 Indian male more than 10 years Gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 10 years experience in Welding Supervisor NDT Technician, MIG Welding specialist seeking suitable job. Contact 96771841 Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com Indian male with 08 yrs exp in sales & marketing, seeks suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 95970204 Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements.

Contact - 9837 1144 Having 20 years experience in Gulf area for sales, marketing distribution, having Oman D/L looking for suitable work, speaking Arabic & English. Contact: 94639053 Indian male, B.Sc (Mathematics) PGDBM (Marketing) 9 yrs of Oman experience in sales in mid lend management, NOC available. Valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95278838 Email: anup2p4p@yahoo.com Indian male B.com, 5 years experience in shopping center can manage purchase / sales and admin functions valid Oman driving license NOC available. Contact 95459944 BE computer science 6 years experience software developer and support Engineering exp sales and management Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact: 98097722 Indian male M.B.A graduate having 10 years experience in sales and marketing currently on visit visa seeking suitable job opening. #96065164 Indian male 18 yrs FMCG sales experience in UAE is looking for a suitable placement in Oman on visiting. Contact: 91905053 Indian male 30- holding Oman D/Lexp in sales/marketing, seeks suitable placement-Release available.

Contact: 95863373 Indian male Graduate in business management having work experience of 12 years looking for a suitable position. Contact : 93431567 Sales / Marketing Executive 24 years, Indian male having Oman valid license, seeking suitable position, working as a Supervisor of the leading hypermarket in Oman, NOC available.Contact 98060984 / 93089757 Email: rishadkeethadath@gmail.com Indian male looking job in sales or marketing having 2 years experience. Contact 96660936 Male MBA (General) from Cardiff Metropolitan University London) looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 92819301 Email: adicbhat@outlook.com Indian male 31 years, MBA, 7yrs experience in sales & marketing with valid driving license seeking suitable placement.

Contact 98719219.

EMAIL: recruitme1984@gmail.com Indian male 24 years, MBA in Marketing looking for suitable placement currently in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 93507063 Email: zamer_124@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa.

Contact 93086105/33016546

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job. # 96990368.

Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Sr. Manager, MBA, 18yrs professional exp in Building materials, interiors, tiles, sanitary wares, Gypsum in gulf, seeking job immediately/on visit/ Contact - 93364846 / mgrprofessional@hotmail.com Civil Engineer, Diploma, Male 25, 3 years experience in site, CAD, 3d, MS Project, Seeking job in Oman.

Contact 92875345, jubincivileng@gmail.com Indian female B.ED & BCA looking for a suitable placement in school or admin office, having 5 yrs exp in same field. Contact – 97384206 / rani_sweet786@live.com Electronics and instrumentation Engineer 28 year Indian male, electrical, electronic, industrial, building & automation exp of 4+ yrs in India.

Contact - 93154156 CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96760618 email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com Indian female with MBA (Finance) on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089 Indian female, IATA, Bsc, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact-95514305, email idraveendranmala@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 year experience in different activities. Contact; +96894549609 Male, 30 years Accountant, 1 year Oman experience in accountants, finance. Seeking suitable position in Muscat .Can join immediately, NOC available. Email: lalitbls1@gmail. com Call: 97903175 CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96 76 06 18 Indian male 60 years old have 30 years Muscat experience in all office works with Omani driving license.

Contact: 99024055 Indian female, B.Com. knowledge of MS Office & Tally, 4yrs experience in Accounts &admin dept. looking for good placement in any field.

Contact.98928220 Indian male, total experience is 5 years in Retail industry. Currently supervisor in Sun and sand sports Muscat City centre. Contact : 96994345.

Email : jsp.jsr85@gmail.com More than Ten years of experience in Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics& Administration. Contact 91076608 / 99322748 MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. Contact 9588 7051, Email: ashwininakod@gmail Indian male, Engineer, BE Mechanical, having with 21 years of experience in India and 13 years in Oman, In production, project management, quality control and assurance and MR for ISO and API Standards looking out for a suitable placement in Oman. GSM: 00968 97311616.

E-MAIL: fahazasa@yahoo.com Indian female BA graduate. My total experience is 4 and half year in Call Center looking for jobs in admin and HR. Contact : 96089143, Email: sharanjit_kaur2009@yahoo.com

Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in sales knowledge of tally E.R.P & MS Office.

Contact 93134643

Indian male, MBA marketing & finance with B com & diploma in IFRS seeks job.# 99469726 / 99469729

Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job.

Contact - 92146864

Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821

MISCELLANEOUS Key Account Executive, Indian male, currently working with a reputed FMCG company Oman is looking for a placement asap, NOC will be given. Valid Omani driving license. Total experience in Oman is 12yrs and particularly in Sales is 8 1/2 years. Contact 95589765 Email : agnelfrancis@yahoo.co.in 25 Indian female, B.Sc fashion technologist, 5 years exp in merchandising, familiar with fashion marketing & designing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a visual merchandising job. Contact : 96990368, email jumshi@gmail.com Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer , 4 years experience in telecom field # 97783092, Email: Alrsheed88@hotmail.com Indian male, 28 years, 7 years experience in transporting & heavy equipment renting company. Having Omani driving license seeks suitable positions. Contact 94410485 Working as Senior Accountant, 4 yrs.exp.in oman, relevant computer skills, Audit, Accounting upto finalization, valid oman driving license, languages known Arabic, Hindi.

NOC available can join immediately.

Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com) Mechanical Engineer, Indian, (B.E.) on visit visa, seeking suitable post.

Contact :99534733 Email: rajesh92prince@gmail.com Indian male, post graduate, currently in Oman on visit visa. Seeks suitable placement.# 92388346 Male, 19 years of experience in Finance and Administration currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99720132/ abidrafi33@hotmail.com Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer, 4 years experience in telecom field.Contact : 97783092, Email: alrsheed88@hotmail.com Civil autocad draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726 Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com Indian female, B.Com. knowledge of MS Office &Tally, 4yrs experience in Accounts &admin dept. looking for good placement in any field.

Contact.98928220 Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa. Seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089 Key Account Executive , currently working with a reputed FMCG company Oman is looking for a placement asap, NOC available, valid Omani driving license.

Total experience in Oman is 12yrs and particularly in Sales is 8 1/2 years. Contact 95589765 Email : agnelfrancis@yahoo.co.in Senior IT Professional, Indian Male, more than 17 yrs. of experience in software development(PB, Oracle, SAP ABAP) and IT Support with valid Oman DL and NOC available Contact : 92193867, Email : cp.prasad@gmail.com 23,Male, ACCA with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit firm and Oil/ Gas,looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. Contact #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone- 98430089 Female British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable situation.

Contact 97175240 Civil supervisor-8 year’s experience in commercial and residential building, including portable cabin, natural and artificial play ground’s, and Oxy petroleum field, at sultanate of Oman. GSM :91249005. Mail :sandeep88joseph@gmail.com Indian Male 28yr age having 6year gulf+ Indian experience in HR field.

Looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately contact: 91991435, 93310821 ACCA affiliate & Bsc (Oxford Brookes University), 2.5 years experience in oilfield & audit/finance in Big6 firm, seeking permanent placement. Release available.

Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Indian male 21 Diploma in Mechanical Eng with HVAC certified having 6 yrsexp and seeking job in HVAC field as a supervisor. Currently on visit visa. Contact 92835952/ 92734863 Indian female, B.Com. Knowledge of MS Office &Tally, 4yrs experience in accounting & admin dept. looking for good placement in any field.

Contact.98928220 Civil Autocad draughtsman looking for part time job. Mobile: 95218737 Sudanese / 29 years old / Bsc English language and Translation / 3 years experience in Oman teaching & translation / have driving license.

94211377. hosam.karar.1@gmail.com Indian Male 27, Piping Design Engineer looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll, AutoCAD. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer B.E fresher (QA, QC , Piping & NDT + 1 month practical training in production & oil field) seeking immediate placement currently on visit visa. Contact – 0096896107833, Email albinalbin.thomas@gmail.com Indian Male 58yrs, Oman experience 31yrs in Multifunctional Management, Administration, Business Development, Purchase & Operations, seeking suitable Manager/ Supervisory Position. Visa transfer/ NOC Available. GSM: 95036410 23 yrs old Pakistani bachelor in accounts and marketing 3.5 yrsexp 2 yrsexp in Oman, looking for a job.

Contact- 99374062 Indian Male 33 looking for Scaffolding Supervisor vacancy in Oil & Gas field in Oman. Having 5 years experience in CCC Qatar and 3 years in Saudi” Contact 96155921 fysal.nellaya@gmail.com or Sudanese/Bsc IT/26/2 years experience/excellent Eng-Arb speaking/ Omani driving license/96387227/ henrykarrar@gmail.com Indian male, 34 yrs, ca inter pass, with 14 yrs experience, is seeking suitable placement, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact: 95585069 or 95630747 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.8 years experience in Administration, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region.

Holding Oman valid driving license.

Contact :93359371 ACCA affiliate,male,2.5 years experience in an audit firm in Finance & Audit, looking for suitable immediate placement. Release available.

Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Indian Female: MCA, 3 Years Exp. as Asst. Professor, Specialization in C # (sharp).net, Data Comm.& Networking, Knowledge about Web Development, ASP.Net, Oracle, SQL,VB.net.

Seek Immediate Placement. Now on Visit Visa.9588 7051 ashwininakod@gmail.com Indian male 21 IT Engineer Networking & Computer hardware course 01 yr experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact 96036273, E mail faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com Indian male, 14 yrs Experience in Maintenance & Supervisor in hotel field ( Electrical . Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available mob :95 25 36 40 . email = hareeshma24@yahoo.com Sales/ Marketing Executive : 35 years old Indian male, MBA, having experiences in UAE and India in sales and marketing field, presently on visit visa, looking for a suitable job in Salalah or in Oman.

Contact 91233648 Well experienced hair dresser/ beautician required, visa available.

Contact – 96524717 Indian female 25 yrs MBA finance currently on visit visa seeks immediate placement. Contact 9843 0089

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99077348

Transport to ISWK. Contact 93172589

Transportation Contact 99159277

Pick & Drop any time. Contact 97014786

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422 Transportation. Contact 99508282

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

NRI

Ready flat / shop for sale 1BHK flat and shop for sale at Naigaon East (Mumbai) serious buyers may.

Contact: 99361201

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

DRIVING

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

BUSINESS

3 BKD attached semi furnished 1380 sq.feet 4.25 cent villa, ready for occupation in Sree nakshtra project katachani, vattiyoorkave, Trivandrum, for sale. Villa project has all common facilities swimming pool, tennis court; children play ground, gym etc. with both city water and bore well connection. Contact no 99880135/92043900 Flats on distress sale near Goa approx area 1 BHK 720 with , 2 balcony 4 flats , 2 flats ground floor without balcony approx area 620, 2 nos studio 300 sqft at sawant wadi at 2500 per sqr ft. Contact : +919320517730/+919769051996 / 93683695

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

46 cents of land kattakada peyad road (malapanan code) near E.M.S academy expecting 1 lakh percent.

Contact: 99016230

CLASSES

2 Bedrooms flat for sale in Cochin.

Contact: 99743709 Flats on distress sale near Goa approx area 1 BHK 720 with , 2 balcony 4 flats , 2 flats ground floor without balcony approx area 620, 2 nos studio 300 sqft at sawant wadi at 2500 per sqr ft. Contact : +9119320517730/ +919769051996

MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for a Nair girl 24 yrs, 5ft, 1”, fair, slim, B.Tech graduate reputed family of Ernakulam dist. (Star Thiruvonam Sudhajathakam) financially sound, from parents of B.Tech nair boys from Trissur, Palakkad and Eranakulam dist. .

Contact :00919495924302 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com

COMPUTER

Kerala Nair girl, B.Com, 22 yrs, 5.2” very fair, slim, (Star Uthrattathi) Presently working in infosis, Chennai. Financially sound, from parents of nair boys from Trissur, Palakkad and Eranakulam & Calicut dist. .

Contact :0091 8301865688 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com Alliance invited for a Hindu, Ezhava male 28, 5”8” working as a machinist in a well established company in Oman. Contact: 98323862 Kerala nair boy working with reputed company in Muscat, Star Revathy (Sudhajathakam), age 28, 163 cm. seeking suitable alliance from nair girls.

Contact no 92760901 Indian Muslim brother Muscat alliance for sister 20 yrs BSC, very fair, good looking ,boys respected families from hyderabad & A.P send biodata & pic, Email: mdfazal.ksa@gmail.com, GSM: 91258586.

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 We are Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing.

Contact 99557080 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517

Looking for a working partner to run a well established fabrication & carpentry workshop in Barka.

Contact: 95120404 or mail to elmechoman@gmail.com

Specialist available for explosive growth in term of restructuring all modules of businesses with over 30 years of experience across continents with a decade in Oman.

Contact 96733578 Email : profitoman@gmail.com

Software development based on requirements such as: Web development & cloud computing, SAP implementation & services. Android App development networking.

Contact 97423932

A/C maintenance & servicing.

Fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing. Painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/ 24504281

We have some companies for rent with the following activities: press publishing & advertising, information consultancy, organizing event management & conference, real estate, landscaping, maintenance etc. Contact 93946622 / 91408005 Required business Researcher. contact 99229700 Email: kjaaraimi@hotmail.com Business Consultant, feasibility study. Contact 99229700

We do building maintenance all kind of works. Contact 99247663 Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

FOR LADIES Beauty package for vacation for ladies 10/-R.O, 15/-R.O, 20/-R.O. Contact : 99410160

P.R.O services. Contact 99368907 Electric, Plumbing, painting & all kinds of building maintenance.

Contact 93896787 / 97924862

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 House shifting packing.

Contact 99657644/ 98518013 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Carpet & sofa shampooing. Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99884591 / 92682970 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

Air condition maintenance split and window services AC specialist ducted and package type unites.

Contact: 98667326 A/C maintenance split A/C servicing. RO. 10 only. Contact 94217681/ 99210141 House shifting. Contact 99708138 Pest Control Treatments, Termites, Cockroaches, Bedbugs.

Contact Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99344723 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722