Times of Oman - May 25, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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MONDAY, May 25, 2015 / 6 Sha’aban 1436 AH

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CABLE

HM sends greetings to Jordan MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to King Abdullah II of Jordan on the occasion of his country’s 69th Independence Anniversary. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health, happiness and a long life to King Abdullah II, praying to Allah the Almighty for the return of this and similar occasions on him to achieve aspirations of further progress and prosperity for the people of Jordan. -ONA N AT I O N A L D AY

HM sends greetings to Argentina

The workers, who were arrested on Wednesday, were found violating the Labour Law, an official said, adding that workers will be deported and the companies ﬁned

FAHAD AL GHADANI/RAHUL DAS/REJIMON K

MUSCAT: More than 1,000 expatriate employees were arrested for working illegally at the new terminal being built at Muscat International Airport project, a senior official of the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) said. As revealed on timesofoman. com yesterday, the official said that workers, who were arrested on Wednesday, were violating the Labour Laws of the country. “The companies for which these illegal workers were working will be ﬁned and the workers will be deported,” Salim bin Said Al Badi, director-general of Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower said in a statement on TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

A person is entitled to 10 weeks’ sick leave

The provisions for sick leave are included in Article (66) of the Oman Labour Law. The article says that an employee is entitled to a maximum of 10 weeks of sick leave during a year and the sickness shall be “certiﬁed”. >A2

OMAN

Disruption of water supply in Muscat

Sunday. He also said that no visas would be issued to the violating companies. “The workers had visas for restaurants, coffee shops, barber shops, tailors and housemaids. But we were surprised when we saw them working at the airport project as construction workers,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Manpower. When contacted, a construction company manager said that it is difficult for sub-contracting companies to get visas for their workers. “So, we are compelled to depend on free visa holders and undocumented workers, which is actually a violation of the Labour Law. If this situation has to end, then the Ministry of Manpower has to step in and ﬁnd a solution FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND

More than 50 drivers join new taxi booking app OTAXI APPLICATION Passenger

There are two applications, one for passengers and the other for drivers

2 The request is sent to a driver closest to the passenger

FEATURES

MARKET

MUSCAT: More than 50 drivers in Muscat have registered to join Oman’s first taxi booking application as the service provider seeks to enhance the programme through new partnership agreements. OTaxi, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Oman, was downloaded 700 times in the first two days since its launch at COMEX 2015, where DaleelDigital Solutions Company (DDS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oman Road Transport

Forty low-ﬂoor city buses will be delivered by the Netherlands-based VDL Bus & Coach company by the end of the year under an agreement signed with the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) in Muscat on Sunday. >B1

Driver

A passenger who needs a taxi sends a request through the application

Water supply will be disrupted in several parts of Muscat governorate on Thursday, Friday. The PAEW announced that since it is about to transfer pipes affected by the projects of Muscat International Airport’s ﬂyovers, water supply will be disconnected in some areas of Muscat. >A3

Pact with Dutch ﬁrm to buy 40 buses

to it,” the company manager said on the condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, a Majlis Al Shura member, responding to the arrest of illegal workers, said that the companies hiring such workers should be blacklisted. “Blacklisting the companies is the only solution. At present, if a company violates the law by hiring workers illegally, the punishment is different in each case. Some get only the warning while others are fined. This has to be stopped. Punishment for violators should not differ in each case,” Tawfiq Al Lawati, a Shura member told Times of Oman. “Moreover, most of the illegal workers are on free visas. This has to be stopped. The companies or sponsors who are issuing free visas should be blacklisted,” the Shura member said, adding that 20,859 government employees and 26,751 private sector employees are having commercial licences. “These employees may be behind the free visa system. Out of the 20,859 government employees, 6,218 are having two to five companies and in the private sector employees category the number is 7,418,” the Shura member said. >A6

Available in English and Arabic Passenger can leave a comment and rate drivers Passenger can request a shared or engaged taxi Source: OTaxi

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

Driver will have a limited amount of time to accept the request, otherwise, it will be sent to the next driver Graphics

Association (ORTA). The company also signed an MoU last week with Khalifa Al Rahbi Lawyers and Legal Consultancy, which will provide legal consultancy about any issue faced by drivers or passengers, including complaints about lost valuables. “It is important to take the legal aspect of the programme into consideration. It is a great application and we are pleased to be part of it. As part of this partnership, DDS will provide us with IT solutions,” Khalifa Al Rahbi, legal advisor and the chief executive officer of the consultancy company, told the Times of Oman. >A6

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Cristina Fernandez of the Republic of Argentina on the occasion of her country’s National Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to President Fernandez and her country’s people further progress and prosperity. -ONA HM sends message to UAE president >A2

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G C C U N I F I E D L AW O N A N T I - D U M P I N G

HM issues Royal Decree MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on Sunday issued a Royal Decree No. 20/2015 promulgating the GCC uniﬁed law on anti-dumping and counter-prevailing measures. Article (1) states that the pro-

visions of the GCC Uniﬁed Law on Anti-dumping and Compensatory and Preventive Measures (attached to this Decree) shall be applied. Article (2) states that this decree shall be published in the official gazette. -ONA

‘52 WEEKS’

Bus transport plan to end commuter woes ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: A master plan for the development of the bus transport system for Oman is expected to be completed in ‘52 weeks’, with officials hailing it as a major step towards easing transport woes in the country. In an agreement signed with the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) on Sunday, Spain-based Ineco, a global lead-

er in transport engineering and consultancy, has been tasked with drawing up the master plan for Muscat and other parts of the Sultanate. Eng Salim bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Transport and Communications and chairman of the ONTC, said in a statement that under the agreement, Ineco will provide consulting services for the development of the strategic plan of ONTC until 2040. >A6

Seeb wilayat tops monthly marriage chart in Sultanate

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

OMAN LEGAL COLUMN

HM SENDS WRITTEN MESSAGE TO UAE PRESIDENT

His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), received a written message from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said related to strong relations binding the two countries and the means of supporting and enhancing them in all spheres. The message was handed over by Hussein bin Ali bin Abdul Latif, Advisor at the Diwan of Royal Court, when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs received him in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Ahmed bin Juma Al Za’abi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Madfa, Secretary-General for the Supreme Council of the Union in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Qatabi, Sultanate’s Ambassador to the UAE. -ONA

W E AT H E R

Jabal Shams wadis overﬂow as Salalah also receives rain Times News Service MUSCAT: Wadis in Jabal Shams are overﬂowing after it started raining this afternoon, a member of a weather forum in Oman said. “The rain began at around 2:13pm in the afternoon, and is still continuing,” Bader Ali Al Baddaei, an administrator of www.rthmc.net, a local web-based forum that discusses weather trends in Oman, said on being contacted. Many parts of

Salalah witnessed light rain on Saturday evening also. Forecast According to the meteorological department forecast, skies will remain cloudy along the coastal areas of Dhofar governorate and adjoining mountains with chances of isolated rain. The forecast also added that isolated rain can be expected over Al Hajar Mountains or fog patches along the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea.

COOL RAIN: Many parts of Salalah witnessed light rain on Saturday evening also.

An employee who uses sick leave, forfeits annual leave What is the law for providing salary to employees who take sick leave for more than a month? As per Omani law, can we grant sick leave if an employee gets a medical certificate outside of Oman after he or she is referred for surgery in their home country? The provisions for sick leave are included in Article (66) of the Oman Labour Law. The article says that an employee is entitled to a maximum of 10 weeks’ sick leave during a year and the sickness shall be “certified”. Some of the stipulations in this article can be interpreted to suit anybody’s convenience. First of all, it does not say what would happen after the stipulated period of “10 weeks”. Will the leave continue as loss of pay or the service of the employee will be terminated? In our opinion, this can be decided by the employer taking into account all aspects of the illness of the employee. Another important point is that the “illness” should be certified. By whom? There is no visible answer. So this is another condition left to the discretion of the employer. If the employer accepts the illness as genuine case (whether certified locally or by hospitals abroad), the sick leave entitlement of the employee shall be as follows: gross Salary for the first and second week; 75 per cent of the gross salary for the third and fourth week; 50 per cent of the gross salary for the fifth and sixth weeks; 25 per cent of the gross salary from the seventh to the tenth week. The law also says that in case of any dispute between the parties on the subject matter of sickness, the same shall be referred to a medical commission to be formed by the Ministry of Health in Oman. It also

An employee can get a maximum of 10 weeks’ sick leave per year says that the sick employee will forfeit his or her annual leave if he or she is using the sick leave. My current employers are closing down operations because of completion of contract with their client and they are giving NOC to employees who want it. My wife is working with one of the ministries in Oman. As of now I haven’t got a new job and would like to transfer my employment visa as family joining visa under my wife’s sponsorship. What are the documents/formalities for this process of transferring employment visa to family joining visa. If I get a job after I change my employment visa to family joining visa under my wife’s sponsorship, is it possible to

change my family joining visa to employment visa? Will the NOC be required? What are the formalities to complete? This is a matter to be decided by the employer of your wife at their discretion. Nothing stops you from opting to remain in Oman on family joining visa, if your wife’s employer is willing to offer you that facility in Oman. For that you may require a release letter from your employer, if you plan to opt for the family joining option without exiting Oman. If you happen to get another job, once again it is the discretion of your wife’s employer whether to grant you a no objection letter to transfer your sponsorship to another employer. There are no mandatory provisions in the law for such things.

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

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OMAN

Unregistered motorbike riders in Oman to be dealt with firmly: ROP “The way in which this particular type of vehicle is used demonstrates a complete disregard of traffic regulations and as such should be removed immediately from the road and the rider educated in appropriate road safety,” Mark said.

The Royal Oman Police (ROP) has urged parents not to gift small motorbikes to their children, which can lead to accidents

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Riders using unregistered motorbikes in Oman will be fined and their vehicles will be confiscated, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has warned. In an advertisement uploaded on its official Twitter account, the ROP said riders using unregistered motorbikes in Oman will be fined and their vehicles will be confiscated. It has also urged parents not to gift small motorbikes to their children, which can lead to accidents. “The Royal Oman Police are takANNOUNCEMENT

ing huge steps to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads and making them safer for pedestrians as well as vehicle users. The proposed ban on mopeds and similar two wheeler vehicles is a smart initiative and hopefully the continuation of a process to remove unlicensed and non-roadworthy vehicles from our roads,” Mark Pudwell, business development and training manager at Competence HR, said. “This type of vehicle is often the cause of many traffic incidents and is a hazard to pedestrians. This is due to the fact that riders are largely very inexperienced and gener-

ally not licensed to use a motor vehicle -- a scenario that presents a number of related issues, not least of which is a lack of insurance,” Mark added. According to the ROP ﬁgures,

in 2013, more than 300 bicycle and motorcycle-related accidents were registered. The ﬁgures also show that these accidents left 177 riders dead and 2,684 injured in 2,609 accidents from 2004 to 2013.

Readily available “Young people are often given this kind of vehicle by their families as they are readily available and cheap to buy and run. What many parents forget is that these machines are still capable of speeds up to 50 km/h and afford their riders absolutely no protection when an incident occurs, often resulting in avoidable injury or death. The four wheel quad type bikes are equally dangerous and menacing and must also be removed from public roads with immediate effect,” Mark added. As per the available statistics, in 2013, motorcycle accidents caused 15 deaths and injuries to ﬁve people in the Muscat gover-

norate alone. The Batinah region registered 81 motorcycle and bicycle accidents which left 12 people dead. It may be recalled that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had earlier announced its decision to ban the import of motorcycles with engine capacity under 70cc to avoid accidents and make the Sultanate’s roads safe for drivers. The ban came into effect on January 1, 2014. “Often on the main roads, we see children driving mopeds recklessly and posing a threat to others. Policemen have to nab these riders. They have increased patrolling on the roads to catch these riders who not only risk their own life but also that of others,” Faisal Mohammed, a taxi driver in Ruwi, said. Buying a motorcycle in Oman is legally covered by Article 49/1 of the Traffic Law which states that riders without a valid motorcycle licence can be punished with imprisonment of up to three months and ﬁnes of up to OMR300.

T O L E R A N T VA L U E S

Message of Islam exhibition opens at PDO TAKE NOTE: Supply will to some

‘Islam Message Exhibition’, which was launched by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in 2010, visited more than 20 countries and 66 cities around the world with the aim of raising awareness towards the true values of Islam

areas will be hit from 7pm on Thursday May 28 untill 7 pm on Friday May 29.– File photo

Water supply to be hit in some parts of Muscat Times News Service MUSCAT: Water supply will be disconnected in several parts of Muscat governorates on Thursday and Friday, it has been announced. In a statement, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) announced that since it is about to transfer pipes affected by the projects of Muscat International Airport’s ﬂyovers, water supply will be disconnected in some areas in Muscat beginning from 7pm on Thursday May 28 until 7 pm on Friday May 29. “Accordingly Water supply will be disconnected from the areas of North Al Ghubra, South Al Ghubra, Al Azaiba, the Airport, Industrial Ghala, Ghala Al Bilad, Al Ansab, Sanab, Lejfar, Al Muna, Bousher 35, Bousher 36, Social Houses, Al Fatah, Saad, Bousher Al Balad, Bousher Heights, the Air Force Base in Al Ansab and Muaskar Al Murtafa’a,” PAEW said in an announcement. “The authority would like to apologise for any shortage in water supply that might possibly take place, and requests all subscribers to take every necessary precaution and continue rationalising consumption,” PAEW said. CRIME

HAUL: A source in the ROP said

the suspect tried to smuggle a large quantity of khat.– Supplied photo

ROP arrests suspect in narcotics case Times News Service DHOFAR: A citizen was arrested for being in possession of large quantities of khat and intending to proﬁt from it commercially. The arrest was made by the Department of Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances in Dhofar Governorate. A source at the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said the suspect tried to smuggle a large quantity of khat from Thumraiyt to Salalah via a land transport service bus. A total of 818 packets of khat were seized. The suspect has been referred to the public prosecution before being presented to the court.

Cio Datan/Times of Oman

MUSCAT: With the objective of presenting a real picture about the essence of Islam and its tolerant values and principles, an exhibition opened here. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Salmi, Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs opened the “Islam Message Exhibition” at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) on Sunday. The exhibition aims at promoting communication, understanding and dialogue among countries of the world. The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhi, Minister of Oil and Gas, a number of advisors and officials

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at the Ministry and PDO. In a statement, Dr. Al-Rumhi said more than 60 nationalities work in PDO amidst an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance, which in turn enhanced communication among the different cultures. “Islam Message Exhibition”, which was launched by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs in 2010, has visited more than 20 countries and 66 cities to raise awareness of the true values of Islam. - ONA CRIME

UAE

Expat students tried to smuggle drugs from Oman, court told Times News Service MUSCAT: Two expatriate students, who were charged with smuggling cannabis plant seeds and marijuana across the border from Oman, appeared in court, The National has reported. Prosecutors at the Dubai Criminal Court said American I A, 18, and German A R, 21, brought the drugs into the UAE via Hatta. Records showed that on March 16 this year, police officers searched the students’ car after the two men showed signs of fear and confusion while crossing the border. “We found six cannabis seeds and marijuana hidden in the car’s air conditioning tube,” said police officer M J, who searched the car. Apart from ﬁve grams of marijuana, officers also found two capsules of prescription drugs in the car’s coin holder. A R told prosecutors that two

Prosecutors at the Dubai Criminal Court said American I A, 18, and German A R, 21, brought drugs into UAE via Hatta of the seeds and the capsules belonged to him, but denied having any knowledge of the rest of the drugs, while I A denied any involvement with or knowledge of the drugs. “Urine samples taken from both men showed traces of drugs. In court on Thursday, A R denied charges of importing or consuming drugs, while I A admitted to consumption of drugs, but denied a charge of importation,” according to The National report. The case was adjourned to a later date.

Five suspects arrested for robbery

LOOT: The suspects were ar-

rested after investigating the crime scene.– Supplied photo

Times News Service SOHAR: Five citizens were arrested for allegedly committing a robbery at a house in Sohar, an official source at the Department of Criminal Investigations of North Al Batinah ROP claimed. The source said that Sohar Police Station received a call about unidentiﬁed persons entering a house in Gheil A’shbool area in Sohar and stealing OMR8,000 worth of gold jewellery. The suspects were arrested after investigating the crime scene, and were referred to the public prosecution before being presented before the court.

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

6,801

OMAN N C S I D ATA

Number of fixed phones crosses 390,000-mark MUSCAT: Subscribers of the fixed phone service in the Sultanate stood at more than 391,000 in April, 2015. The latest statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) show that subscribers of fixed phone service in the Sultanate stood at 391.783 at the end of April against 385.714 subscribers in March, registering a rise of 4.4 per cent. Subscribers of pre-paid fixed phone service (Sahl) stood at 38.779 against 35.768 at the end of March, comprising a rise by 17.3 per cent.

The billed ﬁxed phone lines stood at 298.316 in April, compared with 295. 433 in March,2015. The number of public phones all over the Sultanate stood at 6,801. The number of integrated services digital networks (ISDN) witnessed a slight increase compared to the number of ﬁxed wireless lines which witnessed a slight decline. Subscribers of billed GSM service stood at 6,282.196 by the end of April against 6,240.320 during March, comprising a rise by 1.4 per cent. -ONA

is the total number of public phones installed all over the Sultanate

Rhythms unite diverse music groups at ROHM SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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The 12 groups that

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took to the stage feet, barrels, and metal tool boxes, among other things, proving that just about anything can be substituted for an instrument. Tazajo Tamboo, a group of musicians from Senegal and Guinea, thrilled the audience with their colourful and highly energetic performance. Using vocals, clapping and a lot of wild dancing, they weren’t just creating rhythms but a lot of comedy on stage as the musicians mocked and teased each other. The ﬁnal night focused on the theme “Sound of Rhythm,” in which instruments were at play. Oman’s Al Mithaliya Group for Folklore kicked off the night with their drumming and chanting, performed in a relaxed and casual style. They were followed by Tajikistan’s Sadoi traditional drummers and dancers. These drummers showed how one simple handheld Tajik drum, the doira, can make so many different sounds. Their virtuosic leader, Khayrullojon Dadoboev, wowed the audience with his ability to play numerous drums all at once.

at the Royal Opera House Muscat for three-night International Rhythm Festival, proved that unity can be achieved through music, regardless of where one is from

SARAH MACDONALD

sarah@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: No matter what country, culture, or creed, there is one thing that unites musicians and music-lovers everywhere: rhythm. The 12 groups who took to the stage at the Royal Opera House Muscat for its three-night International Rhythm Festival proved that through music, unity can be achieved, regardless of where one is from. Over the three nights the groups, who came from countries as diverse as Japan, Senegal, Tajikistan and Mexico, delighted the audiences with their catchy rhythms, creativity and talent. Each night had a different theme which resulted in some very interesting performances. The first, “Rhythm & Body,” not only brought great musical sounds, but a lot of dancing and drumming which required strong physical abilities. The evening began with an Omani group from Musandam, the Rauwah Art Band, who danced while pounding their drums. Music and choreography Whether it was the stomping feet of the Ballet Carmen Cantero as they created fiery flamenco rhythms, the Royal Guard of Oman Drum Corps who showed their military marching band skills, or Austria’s Volkstanzkreis Fishbach dancers who used all kinds of leg slapping and stomping, these ensembles revealed the close ties between music and choreography. Be The Groove, a dance group from Chicago which uses no music or instruments, were also impressive with their combination

UNITY IN DIVERSITY: Over the three nights the groups, that came

from countries as diverse as Japan, Senegal, Tajikistan and Mexico, delighted the audiences with their catchy rhythms, creativity and talent. – Khalid Al Busaidi/ROHM

of dance moves that use footsteps, clapping, ﬁnger snapping, and vocal sounds to create rhythms. The highlight from the ﬁrst night was the Wadaiko drumming group Gonna, from Japan, whose members’ lean muscles ripple as they pound aggressively on their giant drums, causing the deep sounds to reverberate throughout the theatre. “Rhythm Without Musical Instruments” was the theme to the second night, and it inspired incredible creativity. The Ballet Carmen Cantero was back creating sounds with their stomping feet, as well as using fans, tabletops, cutlery, pots, pans and bottles instead of instruments. The Austrian and

American groups also performed again, though unfortunately the Austrians ignored the theme and used a tuba and accordions. Vikku Vinayakram, from India, played rhythms on a set of clay pots, while his ensemble accompanied him with vocal drum sounds. The speed with which they created the sounds was truly impressive, entertaining and even rather funny, causing a number of people in the audience to giggle! Germany’s Alpine Drums ensemble showed the agricultural traditions of Bavaria with their hilariously innovative music. Rather than instruments, they created sounds from milkpails, wooden stools strapped to their

Percussion instruments Vikku Vinayakram and his men were back for a second night, this time with a number of drums, and they continued to impress the audience. There was also a performance by Mexico’s Tambuco Percussion Ensemble who demonstrated the rhythms sounds of the marimba and a few other percussion instruments. To the delight of many in the audience the energy continued to grow towards the end of the concert with another appearance by the vibrant Tazajo Tamboo, this time with a variety of drums and a Kora, a type of long-necked harp. Once again their antics and wild, acrobatic dancing excited the audience. The festival ﬁnished with the return of Gonna, the Japanese drummers. Though their performance was just the same as on the ﬁrst night, it was no less exhilarating and impressive. The precision and force with which these musicians perform is simply captivating. While each of the ensembles brought elements of their own countries and cultures, they shared a common bond, that of rhythm. At the end of each night all the performers came together on stage to play their instruments together, proving that through music, global harmony can be found.

VISUAL VOICES

Bait Al Zubair hosts expo of Sultan’s School art students Times News Service MUSCAT: Young aspiring artists got a chance to showcase their talent as Bait al Zubair hosted The Sultan’s School’s ﬁrst public IB Visual Arts graduating exhibition entitled “Visual Voices”, on Sunday evening. The exhibition is a collection of art from six young aspiring artists, aged 17 and 18 years old, namely Malak al Adawy, Alghalya al Mahrooqi, Mariam al Sawaﬁ, Hajer al Sharji, Noor al Saqri and Thuraya al Said. They have all worked very hard to develop their ideas and are delighted to showcase their work. Talking about the students’ exhibition, Alghalya al Mahrooqi said, “We are really excited about the exhibition and are thankful for this great opportunity that Bait al Zubair has given us. I am looking forward to promoting our work as young hopeful Omani artists. We want to learn from local artists, listening to their opinion to improve our work and will, hopefully, one day work alongside them, representing our country. I hope our work will spread awareness about our themes and their importance in today’s life. I hope that many people will join us and enjoy seeing what we have to say.” For the past two years, these students have been completing their Visual Arts course as part of the IB Diploma Programme.

BOOSTING CREATIVITY: The exhibition is a collection of art from

six young aspiring artists, aged 17 and 18. – Supplied photo

The course encourages students to choose a theme personal to them and their interests, experiment with a range of ideas and techniques and ﬁnally produce a body of work that showcases their investigation outcomes. The students have independently analysed many different local and international artists, learning from their expertise, and at the same time developing their own original styles and concepts. A number of these students plan to study Fine Art or go in for an art-related degree in their undergraduate studies. Many also hope to join the Omani art and design scene in the future. Paul Doubleday, General Manager of Bait al Zubair, was im-

pressed by the work of the students, noting its high standard. “There are some very interesting pieces in the exhibition – it is clear to me that the students have been exploring different styles of art, differing inﬂuences and periods in art history. I hope to see some of the students developing into the next generation of Omani artists working on a national and international level. They certainly have the raw talent to work with,” Doubleday said. To ﬁnd more information about Bait Al Zubair events & activities, join them on Facebook www.facebook.com/bait.alzubair.museum, Twitter: @Bait_AlZubair and on Instagram on #BAZM or #gallerysarah or #bait_alzubair

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H O U S I N G M I N I S T E R S E TAT E M E N T

‘Plots, package for Batinah road project-affected people’ MUSCAT: Efforts are being made to come up with suitable solutions to compensate all those citizens whose properties have been affected by the Al Batinah Coastal Road Project, Sheikh Saif bin Mohammed Al Shabibi, Minister of Housing, has said. He pointed out that instead of building alternative houses, as was planned before, owners of each affected house will be granted a residential plot of land and a monetary compensation. The house owner will sign a contract with the contractor to build his house the way he likes. This will accelerate the compensation mechanism and resolve the long pending issue. He pointed out that the owner of each affected house will re-

ceive a minimum of OMR45,000, and the amount may be even more, depending on a number of factors, such as the number of rooms, the annexes and other technical issues. Alternative house He also pointed out that cases in which affected parties opted for an alternative house have been sorted out. These cases will receive a housing unit from among the units that were completed at the ﬁrst stage. The new mechanism will apply to the remainder 4,143 cases, which are still on the waiting list. As of last year, 3,813 owners of affected houses have received land plots and ﬁnancial compensation. He added that the ministry is

currently completing the construction of 2,200 housing units to compensate the citizens whose houses were affected and who opted for an alternative house. The Minister of Housing afﬁrmed that the ministry has extended the compensation period to 31 December 2010 instead of 3 January 2005; as was the case before. Each family which proves that it had been living in the affected house during this period will get OMR35,000 , as is the case now. As for the farms and space lands that have been affected by the project, he pointed out that the ministry has compensated 64 per cent of the total affected areas (29,702,000 square metres) during the past period.

DINING

TOP-CLASS: An artist’s impression of The Walk that will provide all the right ingredients for an ex-

traordinary culinary experience. -Supplied photo

The Walk to redeﬁne dining experience in the Sultanate Times News Service MUSCAT: Already home to 26 top-class restaurants and cafes, The Walk will be an additional destination dining experience along the Marina promenade, coming up later this year. The Walk, the award winning lifestyle heart of The Wave, Muscat, has redeﬁned dining in Oman - transitioning the thriving waterfront community into a culinary destination. With its striking location and combination of year-round indoor and al fresco restaurants, food outlets and cafés, The Walk provides all the right ingredients for an extraordinary culinary adventure. “There are three distinct aspects of The Walk - the wide cosmopolitan, palm-fringed pedestrian and family friendly boulevard al fresco dining, the chillaxed indulgent marina view, and the contemporary casual indoor experience - offering a truly diverse blend of dining with a dynamic and a growing mix of crea-

tive concepts that draws people from across Muscat - each new restaurant and café adding another layer for experimenting for the visitor,” commented Troy Hart, VP of Assets, The Wave, Muscat. “We think what’s more remarkable than the quality of dining at The Walk will be the variety. Each restaurant has its own distinct style and the choice of dining options is unique to Muscat,” added Hart. Eateries for all occasions Indeed, The Walk has eateries for all occasions –a quick bite, a full-scale family celebration, a romantic dinner for two, a business lunch, a catch-up over tea or coffee with friends, with or without a sweet treat. And every palate is catered to. A short stroll around The Walk is a global journey for the gourmet -- from a Lebanese feast, a taste of Thailand, an American savoury experience to Japanese delights and Italian classics. According to Hart, The Walk is more than a dining destination,

“A visit to The Walk is a complete lifestyle experience. While serving the needs of residents and visitors, it has also been a place for entertainment, for watching live shows, or to participate in activities. There are ﬁreworks or one can join in the fun of The Wave, Muscat’s annual carnival. It is a place to relax too, to unwind and take in the surroundings, enjoying the simple pleasures. . Indeed, a visit to The Walk is something to savour.” Future focussed, The Wave, Muscat continually reviews its Master Plan and explores new assets, amenities and facilities to ensure an optimum experience for residents and visitors. It is proud to be recognised as a benchmark for world-class development in Oman and the region. The success of The Wave, Muscat is thanks in no small part to the shared vision and commitment of the government of Oman and Majid Al Futtaim, who have provided the solid foundation that underpins the community’s continued growth.

D I G I TA L P R E S E N C E

App offers one-touch access to Oman Air’s services Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Air has launched a new app for smart phones, iPads, tablets and other mobile devices that enables customers to book flights, purchase tickets, check in, update their flight status, find out about Oman Air’s latest offers and access up-tothe-minute service information. Available now in both Apple and Android versions, Oman Air’s app is free to download from either the Apple Store (www.store. apple.com) or Google Play Store Android (www.play.google.com/ store). It is available in both, English and Arabic language versions. The app is much faster than the mobile web and connects quickly to Oman Air’s site. Furthermore, the app makes it easier than ever to book flights with Oman Air using credit or debit cards. It is enabled with a 3D Secure enhanced security feature and processes online card transactions whilst protecting all confidential information. The booking and purchase of tickets is completed in

MUCH FASTER: The new app

is available in both Apple and Android versions. – Supplied photo

just a couple of clicks or taps on customised screens. Sourah Sinha, chief officer, IT, Oman Air said, “The launching of this app is a signiﬁcant milestone for Oman Air. Our valued passengers can now do online check-in, know of their ﬂight status and

book tickets online, all at the tap of a finger. Oman Air believes in redefining passenger comforts and this is yet another example of the national carrier rising to the expectations of its patrons.” Customers who prefer not to download the app can still book and pay for flights, and access all of Oman Air’s web-based services, using the airline’s Mobile websiteat http://m.omanair.com. Oman Air’s launch of the app is just the latest step in the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman’s digital strategy. Customers can book and pay for tickets online and check in via the web – within an extended timeframe of up to 36 hours before take-off. In addition, the airline’s easy to use website has now been fully redesigned. These developments ensured that Oman Air’s digital presence was recognised at the 8th Oman Web Awards in 2014. The Awards acknowledge excellence in web design and web development skills, and Oman Air triumphed in the ‘E-commerce’, ‘Food and Beverages’ and ‘Services’ categories.

OMAN Yemeni expats in Oman fear more violence at home It is estimated that more than 4,000 Yemeni expatriates are working in Oman in various jobs SALEH AL SHAIBANY

saleh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Yemenis living in Oman are alarmed at the violence in their country as they fear it will get out of control with most of them feeling helpless and concerned about the safety of their relatives back home as Saudi bombings continue to shell civilian targets. Saudi-led air strikes started eight weeks ago to stop the Houthi tribe from advancing after they forced Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to ﬂee the country. “I received the devastating news about my brother-in-law being killed two days after air strikes when part of a house collapsed on him. He was only 32 and has left behind three orphan children,” Ahmed Al Hakmani, a Yemeni resident in Muscat told the Times of Oman. Salim Al Hadhrami, who has PAC I

Crafts body chief takes stock of unit SINAW: To follow up workﬂow of the department and its needs to achieve quality and innovation in work, Sheikha Ayisha bint Khalfan Al Siyabiyah, chairperson of the Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI), visited the training and the production centre of dagger and silversmithing in the Niyabat of Sinaw in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi in the Governorate of North A’Sharqiyah. The chairperson of PACI acquainted herself with various types of daggers manufactured in the centre, in addition to various kinds of silver jewellery produced by the trainees. During the visit, she also studied the views and proposals to develop craft work. -ONA

HAVE YOUR SAY

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

CAUSE OF WORRY: Armed Yemeni tribal gunmen in a street in the

southern city of Taez on Sunday. -AFP

been working in Oman for 18 years, had a similar story after his relative disappeared, only to be found dead in a morgue. “My cousin walked out of his house and never came back. His body was found in a morgue three days ago after he disappeared for four weeks. It is terrible when you live away from home and your country is at war. I really hope the Saudis will stop this aggression and let people in Yemen solve their own problems,” Al Hadrami said. A ﬁve day ceaseﬁre that ended on May 17 did not bring about any positive result. The Saudis restarted the air assaults the second day with both sides blaming each other when truce negotiations broke down. Oman has received hundreds of

Yemeni refugees ﬂeeing the violence. Over 100 are being treated in local hospitals on humanitarian grounds. Issa Al Mabrooki fears for the safety of his parents just outside Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, after communication channels broke down. “I am really worried about my parents and two sisters. I have not been able to call them in the last three days because their telephones are disconnected. I don’t know whether they are alive or not. At the moment, there is no way of knowing,” Al Mabrooki told the Times of Oman. It is estimated that there are over 4,000 Yemeni expatriates working in Oman in various jobs such as retail, restaurants, construction and ﬁnancial services.

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 Ineco had been commissioned by the government to develop Muscat’s Public Transport Master Plan, and will now offer its consultancy services for a nation-wide plan Ahmed bin Ali Al Bulushi, CEO of ONTC, Muscat

OMAN Seeb wilayat tops monthly marriage chart in Sultanate Number of marriages (2013 statistics)

The highest number

Crude rate (per 1,000 people)

of marriages in

Nationals (aged above 15)

9.4

Residents

7.4

Oman was recorded Percentage

in September while divorces peaked

Highest

Marriages

Divorces

Al Batinah North

Muscat

23.5%

23%

0.5%

in February Lowest

Al Wusta Musandam

Times News Service MUSCAT: Crude marriage rate, which measures the number of marriages per 1,000 resident population, reached 7.4 in 2013 in Oman, while the general marriage rate, which considers only nationals aged 15 years and above, reached 9.4 per 1,000 people, according to latest statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) on the occasion of International Day of Families that falls on May 15. The statistics based on 2013 data also show that the crude di-

Source: NCSI

Graphics

vorce rate in the Sultanate stood at one, even as general divorce rate touched 1.2 per 1,000 nationals. The highest number of marriages was recorded in September, while divorces peaked in February. Compared to 2012, the number of Omani female citizens who married other GCC nationalities in 2013 rose by six, while the number of Omani female citizens who married non-GCC nationals increased by 19.

On the other hand, marriage of Omani male citizens to other GCC nationalities decreased by 33 cases. There was also a fall of 13 cases in the number of Omani male citizens who married non-GCC nationals in the same year. At the governorate level, AlBatinah North recorded the highest marriage percentage at 23.5, while the lowest rate of one per cent was recorded in Al Wusta. Among the wilayats, Seeb logged the highest number of monthly marriages, recording an average of 170 marriages, while the wilayats of Barka and Dhalkoot recorded the lowest at an average two marriages a month. As for the divorce cases, Muscat Governorate recorded the highest percentage among the governorates at 23, while the lowest ﬁgure was noted in Musandam at 0.5 per cent. Among the wilayats, Salalah recorded the largest number of divorce cases in 2013 with the number reaching 398. The Wilayat of Barka recorded just two cases, while wilayat of Madha recorded not a single divorce case during 2013, the NCSI ﬁgures show.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

A1 Spanish ﬁrm to develop < FROM

Muscat’s transport system

According to him, Ineco will map out the strategy for public bus services and routes first in Muscat and then in other governorates, and will provide an integrated financial plan to ensure the sustainability of public transport services, and will also determine future requirements in related fields. It will be a preparation for the integration of ONTC’s services with other modes of transport supervised by other authorities, he added. Speaking to reporters, Ahmed bin Ali Al Bulushi, the chief executive officer of ONTC, said that Ineco had been commissioned by the government to develop Muscat’s Public Transport Master Plan, and will now offer its consultancy services for a nationwide plan, taking into consideration everything related to public transport, including routes and stations. He said that the purpose of the project is to introduce better public transport services in the capital, connecting cities, and areas in major cities such as Salalah, Sohar and Nizwa. Training programmes ONTC is developing training programmes and all the infrastructure related to this project, said Al Bulushi. Asked which modes of transport will be included in the master plan, Jesús Silva, president of Ineco, said that for the time being,

CONTRACT AWARDED: Spain-based Ineco ﬁrm has been tasked with drawing up the master plan for Muscat and other parts of the Sultanate. - Photo: Talib Al Wahibi

the main objective is to start with bus transportation. However, the undersecretary said the idea is to include all modes of transport. “In a master plan, you should include everything,” Silva noted, adding, “The master plan will consider all modes of transportation, but in the short term, the idea is to start with bus transportation.” He said that the team tasked with developing the plan is seeking to ﬁnish the work in 52 weeks from now. “We will hopefully be ready to start operations by the National

Day,” he said, adding that a technical team of engineers from Ineco will arrive in Muscat on Tuesday to hold the ﬁrst technical meetings with ONTC officials. Commenting on Muscat’s Public Transport Master Plan, Silva said, “We are going to start working now. We have had some initial meetings.” Ineco is seeking to develop a ‘realistic’ master plan, which can start operating as soon as possible, he said. Silva also noted that he does not foresee any challenges or delay in the implementation of the project.

RECRUITMENT OF WORKERS

< FROM

A1 ‘People should work in sectors for which they are hired’ He said that some other companies don’t allow government employees to have commercial licences. Bangladesh Social Club President Mohammed Shaﬁqul Islam Bhuiyan said that the activities of some recruitment agencies should be examined as well. “I ﬁrmly believe that people

should work in the sectors for which they have been hired,” he said. Shaji Sebastin, a Muscat-based social worker, said workers should be aware of rogue recruitment agencies. “This is how the workers get the so-called free visa and they try to

do different kind of jobs. If this is to be stopped, stringent control measures should be taken by both the sending and receiving countries,” he said. Meanwhile, the latest data released by the ministry of manpower states that between May 18 and 21, around 397 illegal workers

were deported and 1,580 had registered for returning home. Statistics also revealed that 1,402 expatriates have been caught for Labour Law violations between May 17 and May 23. “Among them, 1,285 were commercial workers while 64 were farmers and 53 were domestic

servants,” it said. The Muscat Governorate has registered the highest number of Labour Law violators for this week with 1,104 followed by 105 in North Asharqiyah Governorate. The new airport where these workers were working is being designed in such a way that will be

able to accommodate the world’s largest aircraft, the Airbus A380 and will have capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum once completed. The total gross ﬂoor area for the new Muscat International terminal building is 344,995 square metres.

O TA X I

< FROM

A1 ‘Project to help get trust of customers’

NEW INITIATIVE: From left: Fahad AlAbri, director general at ITA; Khalifa Al Rahbi, legal partner, Faisal Al Manthri, CEO of DaleelDigital

Solutions Company (DDS); Saleh Al Hashmi, development manager at DDS. – Supplied picture

Al Rahbi said his company offers a wide range of legal services related to civil and property rights, commercial activities, labour issues, criminal cases, family and sharia, banking and insurance among others and is keen to cooperate with entrepreneurs to help them enhance their services. Fahad AlAbri, director general at the Information Technology Authority (ITA), also hailed the initiative, saying that there is potential for developing more mobile applications in Oman, given the vast world of IT. ITA’s support It may be a small-scale project now but the company can gain the trust of users and grow its customer base outside Oman, including in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, he said. DDS is one of the companies being incubated under ‘SasProgramme’, an ITA’s initiative which aims to encourage the development of IT and IT-related startups in Oman, said AlAbri, noting that more programmes like ‘Sas’ are required. Two applications Speaking to the Times of Oman, Faisal Ali Abdullah Al Manthri, chief executive officer of DDS,

said the initiative basically comprises two applications — one for drivers and the other for passengers. The passenger who needs a taxi sends a request through the application and a driver, who is registered with the company, receives the request. The request will be sent to the driver closest to the passenger, whose location is displayed on the map, and the driver will have a limited amount of time to accept the request, otherwise, it will be sent to the next driver. Features Al Manthri said that OTaxi, available in English and Arabic, allows for both immediate and advance booking and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. The desktop version of the application is also available. In the note section of the application, the passenger can leave a comment and can request either a shared or engaged taxi and also rate the driver, he added. Taxi users The application will not only beneﬁt taxi users inside Muscat, but also foreign tourists planning to visit the city as they can use OTaxi to book a cab in advance. The application for passen-

gers can be downloaded for free, but taxi drivers will have to pay a small registration amount. “However, the registration for taxi drivers is free for a limited period of time now, around one or two months,” the Omani entrepreneur said, encouraging more taxi drivers to come on board. Every day, two or three drivers are joining the initiative, he added. Driver’s information According to him, the driver’s name, his vehicle registration details, his picture, his ID number and some other necessary information are displayed to the passenger, in a bid to enhance the safety of taxi users. A history of the interactions through the application will be saved for both the passenger and the driver as well, he said. Fare The fare still has to be negotiated by the passenger and the driver but a new feature will be added to the application in a couple of weeks, which will display the rate in advance, said Al Manthri. The option to pay by credit card will also be added soon and more languages such as French and German will be added, he stated. Al Manthri added that another

feature will also become available in future, enabling users to choose from hotel taxis and airport taxis as well. Other locations In addition, he said, “We are working to make the application available outside Muscat as well. Our next targets are Salalah and Sohar.” For the taxi drivers who may not be using smart phones, a call centre is being planned to help them reach out to passengers, he added. Saleh SaifAmer Al Hashmi, development manager at DDS, said that as part of the initiative, ‘OTaxi button’, will be made available at reception areas in hotels or even at schools to help them use this service. Promoting culture He also said that the culture of using the application properly should be promoted as some complaints have been received that a passenger makes a request but then does not show up. “There is a cancel option so the passenger should inform the driver as soon as possible if he wants to cancel the request or should give a call to the taxi driver. People should take it seriously,” said Al Hashmi.

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 Iraqi security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack on the outskirt of Diyala province on Sunday. The attack killed three civilians and wounded eight others.

REGION

Iraq regains ground in Ramadi as mass killings reported in Syria US examines strategy

GCC denies US-led coalition air campaign against IS has failed

after IS victories against the Iraqi and Syrian armies

BAGHDAD/BEIRUT: Iraqi forces recaptured territory from advancing IS militants near the recently-fallen city of Ramadi on Sunday, while in Syria the government said the extremists had killed hundreds of people since capturing the town of Palmyra. The fall of Ramadi and Palmyra, on opposite ends of the vast territory controlled by IS extremists, were the militant group’s biggest successes since a US-led coalition launched an air war to stop them last year. The near simultaneous victories against the Iraqi and Syrian armies have forced Washington to examine its strategy, which involves bombing from the air but leaving ﬁghting on the ground to local forces in both countries. In a sharp criticism of Washington’s ally, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter accused Iraq’s army of abandoning Ramadi, a provincial capital west of Baghdad, to a much smaller enemy force. “The Iraqi forces just showed no will to ﬁght,” he told CNN’s State of the Union programme. “They vastly outnumbered the opposing force, and yet they withdrew from the site.”

Palmyra, as “dramatic”. “Only a political solution, both in Syria and Iraq, can provide a settlement for the crisis,” she said.

DOHA: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday rejected claims a US-led coalition air campaign against the IS group has failed following advances by militants in Syria and Iraq. Speaking in Doha, after a meeting between foreign ministers of the GCC and European Union (EU), Khalid Al Attiyah, Qatar’s foreign minister, conceded that military action alone was not enough. ‘Not failing’ “The coalition is not failing but the air campaign is not enough,” Attiyah, who was representing GCC countries at the meeting, told reporters. “There are so many steps which we have to cooperate and coordinate together. To date the campaign against terror is effective. “One of them is to enhance and expedite the dialogue

Iraq’s government, along with Iran-backed militiamen and locally-recruited tribal ﬁghters, launched a counter-offensive on Saturday, a week after losing Ramadi. A police major and a pro-government tribal ﬁghter in the area said they had retaken the town of Husaiba Al Sharqiya, about 10km

MAKING A POINT: Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah speaks on screen during the 24th session of the joint Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-EU ministerial council meeting on Sunday in the Qatari capital Doha. – AFP

in Iraq, and in Syria it is to ﬁnd a way out to save the Syrian people, because they have been put between the tyranny of the regime and the brutality of the

(6 miles) east of Ramadi. “Today we regained control over Husaiba and are laying plans to make more advances to push back IS militants,” said local tribal leader Amir Al Fahdawi. “The morale of the (pro-government) ﬁghters is high after the arrival of reinforcements and loads

terrorist,” he said. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, described the latest news from Syria and Iraq, “especially” the capture of

of ammunition,” Fahdawi said. “Today’s advance will speed up the clock for a major advance to regain control of Ramadi.” Planes were bombing IS group positions on the opposite bank of the Euphrates river, where the militants were launching mortars and sniper ﬁre to prevent the

AT TA C K O N M O S Q U E

Saudi king ‘heartbroken’ by bombing DUBAI: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia said on Sunday he was heartbroken over a suicide bombing that killed 21 people at a mosque in the kingdom, state news agency SPA reported. King Salman said anyone linked to the attack, claimed by the IS militant group, or who sympathised with it, would be brought to justice.

in one of the worst attacks in the kingdom in years. The Saudi Interior Ministry said there was evidence of a link between IS’s leader Abu Bakr Al -Baghdadi and a militant cell in Saudi Arabia that had included the mosque bomber, identiﬁed as Saudi citizen Saleh bin Abdul Rahman Saleh Qashimi. PAINED: King Salman bin Ab-

dulaziz Al Saud. – AFP

Aggression “We were pained by the enormity of the crime of this terrorist aggression which contradicts religious and humanitarian values,” the king said in a message to Crown Prince Mohammed bin

Nayef, who is also the interior minister. A militant blew himself up in the Al Qadeeh village mosque in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province during Friday prayers,

Unidentified An unidentified subordinate of Baghdadi communicated with five Saudi men, now in Saudi custody, belonging to the same cell as Qashimi, ministry spokesman Bassam Al Attiyeh said. “We’re talking about a terrorist infrastructure, we’re talking about a very broad organisation

GLOBAL CURBS

Rouhani calls for national unity to free economy from sanctions TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Sunday for national unity to liberate the economy from international sanctions, which he compared to a form of occupation. Also on Sunday, Abbas Araghchi, Iranian deputy foreign minister and nuclear negotiator denied accepting military site inspections as part of a nuclear deal with world powers. “We must join hands and free our economic territory which was unjustly occupied by the countries of the P5+1 (Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany) and the UN Security Council ... through use of diplomatic and political tools,” Rouhani said in a televised speech. The UN Security Council adopted six resolutions, four of which imposed sanctions, against Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes between 2006 and 2010. Since 2012, the United States and the European Union have also applied a series of unilateral sanctions that speciﬁcally target the energy and banking sectors. Iranian oil exports have fallen from more than 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2011 to about 1.3 million bpd, and Iran is banned from the SWIFT global banking network. “The people keep us from selling our oil,” Rouhani said in the speech to mark the 33rd anniversary of the liberation of the Ira-

APPEAL: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. – AFP

nian city of Khorramshahr. The banking industry is also under a form of occupation because “we cannot send or receive money” overseas, he said. “It is as if blood was prevented from ﬂowing in (our) veins,” Rouhani added. In early April Tehran and world powers concluded a framework agreement aiming to pave the way for a ﬁnal nuclear agreement by June 30. Political and technical experts from both sides held talks on drafting the text in Vienna on Friday with negotiations due to resume on Tuesday in the Austrian capital. Araghchi reportedly made the remarks as he briefed a parliamentary committee on the progress of the talks with the P5+1. “In his report, Mr Araghchi said that in-

spections of military sites have been accepted but the inspections are regulated and will be seriously managed,” lawmaker Javad Karimi-Ghodoussi was quoted as saying by Fars news agency. The remarks appeared to contradict those of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said this week that inspections of military sites and interviews of scientists by foreign experts were excluded from a nuclear agreement. Araghchi later denied the lawmaker’s comments on his Instagram page. “What can we do except put the fate of KarimiGhodoussi and Fars in the hands of God?” he wrote alongside a picture of a Fars headline that read: “We accepted the inspection of military sites”. A parliamentary spokesman said that during the brieﬁng, Araghchi had “explained that the inspections will take place in the framework of the (Nuclear Nonproliferation) Additional Protocol”. “It will not be like the Americans can inspect any place at any time,” said Behrouz Nemati, quoted by the official IRNA news agency, adding “these inspections will be regulated”. The United States says Iran has agreed in principle to enhanced inspections of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), particularly under the Additional Protocol that allows snap inspections. — Agencies

that operates within the country,” Al Attiyeh told reporters in the capital Riyadh. “This organisation starts with Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi and under him the suspect whom we’ve mentioned, and one grade below him their combat and bombing wing ... under which is the killings and assassinations wing which undertook the Al Qadeeh incident.” The bombing in Saudi Arabia has come as tensions are on the increase in the region. Saudi Arabia is also part of an international coalition carrying out bombing strikes on IS targets in Iraq and Syria, and IS has threatened to launch revenge attacks. — Reuters

Significant areas The day-long meeting touched on several significant areas of interest between the two sides, including the conflict in Yemen ahead of UN-brokered peace talks expected to take place next week in Geneva. Talks in Doha also touched upon economics, with both sides saying they would continue to have discussions on establishing a free trade area between the 28-member EU and the six-state GCC. Mogherini said trade between the EU and GCC had been growing at an “incredible rate” and reached “$165 billion (150 billion) euros last year”. — AFP

pro-government forces advancing, Fahdawi and the police major said. Days after taking Ramadi, IS also defeated forces of the Syrian government of President Bashar Al Assad to capture Palmyra, home to 50,000 people and site of some of the world’s most extensive and best-preserved Roman ruins.

The fighters have killed at least 400 people, including women and children in Palmyra since capturing the ancient Syrian city four days ago, Syrian state media said on Sunday. It was not immediately possible to verify that account, but it was consistent with reports by activists that the Islamist fighters had carried out executions, leaving hundreds of bodies in the streets. The militants have proclaimed a caliphate to rule over territory they hold in both Syria and Iraq. They have a history of carrying out mass killings in towns and cities they capture, and of dynamiting and bulldozing ancient monuments. “The terrorists have killed more than 400 people ... and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government and did not follow orders,” Syria’s state news agency said, citing residents inside the city. Many of those killed were state employees, including the head of the nursing department at the hospital and all her family members, it said. IS supporters have posted videos on the Internet they say show fighters going room to room in Palmyra’s government buildings, searching for hiding troops and pulling down pictures of Assad and his father. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors violence in the country with a network of sources on the ground, says beheadings have taken place in the town since it fell but has not given an estimate for the toll among civilians. It says at least 300 soldiers were killed in the days of fighting before the city was captured. — Reuters

T IME S O F O MAN

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

INDIA

‘Modi and Mamata are dictatorial and together’ When he came to power, Modi had

When Jaitley says that there is no understanding between Trinamool Congress and BJP, I am assured that the opposite is true

talked of maximum governance and minimum government, but just one year later we ﬁnd it is maximum

Jairam Ramesh

arrogance and one-

Congress leader

man government, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said

KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee were “two sides of a coin” as they were both “dictatorial”, Congress on Sunday said attacking the ruling parties at the Centre and the state and claimed that they have reached a tacit understanding. The opposition party also targeted Arun Jaitley, who has been in the forefront of the NDA government’s campaign to highlight its achievements, saying the Union Finance Minister “is the most effective spinner in Indian politics”. “Modi and Mamata are the most trusted friends of each other and both show similar traits,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told a press conference here. “Modi and Mamata are two sides of a coin, both are dictatorial,” he said presenting a report card on the BJP government’s one year in power at the Centre. “When he came to power, Modi

had talked of maximum governance and minimum government, but just one year later we ﬁnd it is maximum arrogance and one-man government,” Ramesh said. “This is a mirror image of the situation in Bengal and that is why they (Modi and Mamata) are together,” he claimed. Both Modi and Mamata had made no-holds barred attacks on each other during the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and till recently did not see eye to eye. The prime minister and Mamata, however, shared dais during his recent visit to the state and Modi praised her at public functions during the visit. They also held a meeting at the Raj Bhawan here. Targeted In a scathing attack on Jaitley, Ramesh said, “He is the most effective spinner in Indian politics. Jaitley is more than the combined force of ﬁnest spinners Indian cricket has ever produced.” “When Jaitley says that there is no understanding between Trinamool Congress and BJP, I am as-

sured that the opposite is true,” the former union minister said. He alleged that in the last twothree months there has been a lull in the investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam, which is being handled by the CBI. Presenting a ﬁve-chapter report card on Modi’s completion of one year in government, Ramesh said, “Modi stands for Murder of Democratic India. The prime minister has completely bypassed Parliament.” He claimed that while the Modi government has come down on civil society and NGOs, it has also not held any all-party meeting in the last one year. “He (Modi) has not appointed any chief information officer for RTI and is thus systematically killing the Right to Information Act. “There has been no chief vigilance officer for the last seven months,” he said. Alleging that the Modi government has brutally cut down budgetary allocation for education, health and rural roads, Ramesh said this has badly affected programmes for poverty alleviation and welfare of rural people. -PTI

Naidu hits back at Rahul over ‘zero out of 10’ remark HYDERABAD: Launching a counter offensive against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for giving the Modi government “zero out of 10” for handling farmers’ issues, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said “zeroes cannot see beyond zero”. “The entire world is hailing Modi as a great leader, a man of action. GDP rate has gone up, inﬂation is reduced, and you say zero. Zeroes cannot see beyond zero. Zeroes have no ability to acknowledge heroes,” he said. Asked about Rahul’s newfound aggression following his return from a 56-day sabbatical, Naidu said the government was “least worried”. “Rahul has been in politics for 11 years. What has happened? Congress party lost eight states.(It) lost even position of the recognized opposition. They are trying to replace their failures by aggressive words, by making cheap allegations against the government at times,” Naidu said. Forced to refer the land bill to a joint Parliamentary committee by the Congressled Opposition, Naidu said the government was open to bringing in fresh changes in it provided suggestions were wise and did not alter the basic purpose of the legislation. “Yes, I am open to changes provided suggestions are made with correct wisdom. I have made nine amendments.

Venkaiah Naidu

Secondly, if there is a meaningful suggestion, let it be considered without altering the basic purpose of the Act,” he said. Naidu said steps taken by the Narendra Modi government for corruptionfree administration, taming inflation, financial inclusion, enhanced focus on social security, pro-active foreign policy, cooperative federalism had replaced the “atmosphere of despair” with one of “hope and enthusiasm”. He identified agriculture, irrigation, insurance and bringing down interest rates as part of the government’s agenda for its second year in office. The Modi government completes one year in office on Tuesday. The senior BJP leader said, “People must understand that the Modi government has inherited issues like Naxalism, cross-border terrorism, a derailed economy and a policy paralysis. Within no time we have made a turnaround.” - PTI

OPPOSED TO TERROR

Rajnath says Indian Muslims ‘nationalists’ LUCKNOW: Contending that terrorism should not be associated with any particular religion, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described India’s Muslims as “nationalists” who always “opposed terror” and did not allow radical groups to inﬂuence them. He also asked Pakistan, being a victim of terrorism itself, to extend full cooperation in combating the menace. “Muslims in India are nationalists. They have always opposed such (terror) elements. They have opposed and demoralised them,” the Home Minister said. “It (Pakistan) should extend full cooperation in checking terrorism because the country is facing a similar problem today,” he told reporters. On Pakistan’s strong reaction to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s recent remarks about neutralising terrorists through terrorists, Singh said, “Not only India, but the entire world knows who is promoting terrorism.” Earlier, addressing a SBI officers’ convention Singh expressed concern over Fake Indian Currency Note racket and said it was used to promote terrorism and asked banks to be alert. Singh, who also launched BJP’s Mahasampark Abhiyan, rejected opposition’s criticism of the Narendra Modi government that it had done nothing except for making tall promises, asserting global opinion was that India will become an economic super power by 2025. “Analysis of one year of NDA rule is being done not only in India, but internationally. Today, I can claim that the work done by the popular government led by Modi has made people believe globally that India will become an economic super power by 2025,” he said. -PTI

HOT SUMMER

Heatwave continues in many parts of country, death toll rises to 368 NEW DELHI: At least 145 people died due to intense heat wave in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana since Saturday, raising to 368 the death toll in the blistering weather conditions which continued in many parts of the country on Sunday, including Delhi. In Delhi, the day temperature was recorded at 44.5 degree Celsius, the same as Saturday, which is ﬁve notches above normal.

In Andhra Pradesh, 87 deaths were reported since Saturday, taking the toll to 182. The death toll in the state on Saturday stood at 95. Prakasam district has recorded the maximum deaths of 57, state disaster management officials said. Reports from some districts are still being compiled. The toll pertains to the period from May 18 till Sunday evening for Andhra Pradesh, the officials

said. Telangana reported death of 58 more people since Saturday, as a result of which the toll went up to 186 in 10 districts of the state, a senior official of State Disaster Management Department said. The death toll on Saturday stood at 128. Nalgonda district recorded the maximum number 55 of deaths, followed by Khammam district at 43 and Mahabubnagar district at 23, she said.

In Hyderabad, two persons have died to heatwave. The toll is registered from April 15 in Telangana, the official said. Khammam district had recorded a maximum temperature of 48 degree Celsius on Friday. According to India Meteorological department, severe heatwave conditions are expected to continue till Monday in both these states. Heat wave continued in various

other parts of the country as well. There was no respite from blistering heat in desert state of Rajasthan where Jaisalmer and Sriganganagar district remained the hottest place with recording a maximum of 45.6 degree Celsius. Kota recorded maximum of 45.5 degree Celsius while Bikaner and Barmer registered day temperature of 44.6 and 44.2 degrees, respectively. - PTI

SCORCHING HEAT: Tourists try to shield themselves from scorching heat in New Delhi on Sunday. -PTI

T I MES OF OM AN

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

INDIA PA R L I A M E N T AT TA C K C O N V I C T

JAYA BACK WITH POPULIST SCHEMES

Jayalalithaa gives a dal packet to a beneficiary after introducing a scheme of providing dals at cheap rates at the secretariat in Chennai on Sunday. Attending office for the first time in her fifth shot as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa cleared a string of welfare proposals and declared open 201 more eateries under the populist ‘Amma Canteen’ scheme. Getting down to the business of governance in the state, Jayalalithaa cleared a slew of welfare schemes worth over Rs180 billion, including those for improving road and drinking water facilities and extending assistance to indigent families headed by women. - PTI

12 NOON

CBSE class XII exam results today NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will declare the results of class XII examinations on Monday at 12 noon. The results would be uploaded on a number of websites including on www.results.nic.in, www.cbseresults.nic.in and www.cbse.nic. in, the board said. Students would also be able to know their results through an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) by dialling 24300699 (Delhi), 011-24300699 (other parts of the country). MTNL subscribers can call 28127030 (Delhi) and 01128127030 (other parts). Class X results Besides, students would also be able to check their marks obtained through SMS (text message) services of certain mobile phone operators. Officials said the results of class X would also be announced in a couple of days. Last year, a total of 10,28,928 candidates had registered for class XII examination and the pass percentage across the country stood at 82.66 per cent. The board, in its statement, added that post-result counselling would begin from Monday itself and continue till June 8, for which it has provided a toll-free number —1800118004. - PTI

Afzal Guru not hanged for political reasons: Shinde MUMBAI: Former union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Sunday rejected National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s claim that Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged for “political reasons” by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. “Supreme Court had given the decision. The case had gone against him (Afzal) in the apex court. Mercy petition was also rejected. The decision (to hang Afzal) was taken after all these developments. It was not a political decision,” Shinde, said. Asked what must have prompted Abdullah, who was the chief minister of Indian-administered-Kashmir when the hanging took place, to make such remarks now, Shinde said, “He may be wanting to indulge in politics there in Kashmir. But at that time, he never brought such an aspect (about politics being behind the hanging) to our notice.” “After the SC ruling and rejec-

tion of the mercy petition, people were expecting that Afzal will be hanged,” the senior Congress leader said. Abdullah has claimed that hanging of Afzal Guru had been carried out for “political reasons” by the UPA government which had informed him only hours before. Omar said he was out for a dinner with his sister at a Delhi restaurant, when he received a call from the then Shinde, who was then the home minister, informing him that he had signed the papers for Afzal to be hanged early next morning and asking him to make law and order arrangements. Guru, who was at serial number 28 in the list of condemned prisoners, was hanged on February 9, 2013. -PTI

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AAP says it is ‘battle ready’, hardens position on tussle Aam Aadmi Party MLAs slammed the Centre’s ‘infringement’ on their rights, setting the tone for the assembly session. The party has a strength of 67

MOUNTING A BLISTERING ATTACK ON MODI: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Alka Lamba and Saurabh

Bhardwaj at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

in a House of 70

NEW DELHI: As it completed an eventful 100 days in office, AAP government on Sunday mounted a blistering attack on Modi dispensation accusing it of making a “Uturn” on granting full statehood to Delhi and indicated tabling a resolution to reject the “unconstitutional” notiﬁcation giving absolute powers to the Lt Governor. In further hardening of its position, Deputy Chief Minister Man-

ish Sisodia said AAP government will not compromise on the issue and alleged that the Centre was trying run Delhi “by hook or by crook” and violating the “federal structure”. The party legislators went into a huddle with the top leadership at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence ahead of the two-day ‘emergency’ session of the Delhi Assembly starting Tuesday. The MLAs slammed the Centre’s “infringement” on their rights, setting the tone for the As-

sembly session. The party has a strength of 67 in a House of 70. Sources said there will be an “open” Cabinet meeting at a public event on Tuesday on the occasion of 100 days of AAP government, where the full statehood issue is likely to be discussed. Though the MLAs refused to come on record on whether the party would move a resolution against the Home Ministry’s notiﬁcation, the sources said such a step was “very likely”. “Modiji himself said and they

put it in their manifesto to give Delhi a full statehood. Now, when the issue has come up, let alone our right, or talking about it, they are trying to bully us (dadagiri dikha rahen hain). Delhi government will not be mum on the issue,” Sisodia alleged. The Deputy Chief Minister said he has “hope” from the upcoming session as the “Assembly is the mother of government and it is supreme and most empowered body.” In the campaign for Lok Sabha polls last year, BJP had

promised to declare Delhi a full state if the party came to power, noting that it will help ensure proper coordination between various agencies. BJP had swept the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi winning all seven seats with huge margins. However, the party did not clearly spell out its position on the statehood issue in its vision document released ahead of Assembly polls in February. In its manifestos for previous assembly polls, the party had promised full statehood. Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said that full statehood rights cannot be given to Delhi unless there is general consensus in the country over the issue as the matter concerns the national capital. Sisodia also wondered why BJP was “scared” of a duel between Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The Centre’s biggest U-turn in the last one year is on the issue of giving full statehood status to Delhi. Why is the BJP scared of Kejriwal vs Modi.” He was quoted as saying this by the AAP’s official Twitter handle. Sisodia also accused the media of “spreading lies” and maligning the image of Kejriwal. - PTI

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MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

PAKISTAN Newsmen quit TV network linked to fake degree firm Bol embarked on an aggressive recruitment campaign almost two years ago, poaching many senior and midlevel journalists from rival networks. Bol plans to have two channels, initially, as well as Urdu- and English-language newspapers

The defections were led by Bol’s editor-inchief, Kamran Khan, and came just hours after the interior minister announced that the government was broadening its inquiry into Axact and intended to seek help from the FBI and Interpol

KARACHI: Several senior journalists resigned from a developing Pakistani television network, Bol, on Saturday, in the latest fallout from a crisis engulfing the channel’s parent company, Axact, a software firm that profited immensely from international sales of fake diplomas. The defections were led by Bol’s editor-in-chief, Kamran Khan, and came just hours after Pakistan’s interior minister announced that the government was broadening its inquiry into Axact and intended to seek help from the FBI and Interpol. Axact has been under intense scrutiny since federal investigators raided the company’s offices last Tuesday, after the publication of an article in The New York Times that detailed how the Karachi-based software company made millions of dollars from selling the fake degrees. The scandal had already jeopardised the livelihood of at least 2,000 employees at Axact, and now it casts a shadow over Bol, which had declared ambi-

SPIRALLING SCANDAL: People gather outside the building of the Axact company after a raid by the

Federal Investigation Agency in Karachi on May 19, 2015. — AFP ﬁle photo

tions to become Pakistan’s top television network. Khan is one of Pakistan’s bestknown journalists. He quit a prime-time show at the rival Geo News channel last year to lead Bol.

C O M M E N TA RY

BY ANWER MOORAJ

Entertaining friends Actually the issue of whether Dr Ibad stays or takes a hike is totally irrelevant. There are lots of candidates who would love to smell the roses in summer and spend their time entertaining friends.

founder and chief executive officer of Axact, came under criticism in the news media last week, Bol started test transmissions. Shaikh said the channel would begin operations in mid-June, earlier than

Times News Service

18 children injured as school bus overturns KASUR: At least 18 children were injured on Sunday when a school bus overturned in Kasur, Express News reported. The bus — carrying schoolchildren — was heading towards Nathe Khalsa area where the incident took place. Soon after the accident, security forces and rescue teams arrived at the site and the injured, who are said to be in critical condition, were shifted to a nearby hospital. On May 17, over a dozen people, including women and children, were injured when a bus overturned trying to save two young men riding a motorcycle near the Lake View Park on Murree Road. According to the police, a bus carrying around 40 passengers back from Murree overturned, leaving 14 people injured in an attempt to save two motorcyclists. Meanwhile, three tourists lost their lives when they drowned in the Kunhar River near Faridabad, police said on Sunday. Five tourists were in a car when it plunged into the river. Two of them were rescued and are in critical condition, while the bodies of the three other could not be retrieved. Sub divisional police officer Syed Matloob Shah told reporters that ﬁve friends from Rawalpindi were on their way back home from an excursion tour in Naran, where they spent the night at a hotel. When their car reached close to Faridabad, some 35 kilometers from Naran, Sunday morning, the driver lost control of the steering wheel and the vehicle skidded off the road and into the river. “Rescue workers managed to retrieve two of the ﬁve victims while three are still missing and feared dead. “Those rescued are Tanvir and Zeeshan Abbasi, while Akhlaq Abbasi, Danish Abbasi and Rahat Abbasi are still missing,” the police officer said. “Local divers tried to rescue the other three but the heavy current of water swept them away”, he added. — Express Tribune

KILLING OF ISMAILIS

No point in changing Sindh’s governor week ago there was this spirited discussion on the state-owned PTV World channel on whether the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) had the right to ask the current governor of Sindh to throw in the towel and go back to where he came from. His crime: Total apathy in the face of the sad, embarrassing and chronic piece of statecraft under which slanderous insults have been hurled against MQM leader Altaf Hussain, and the fact that party workers have just disappeared without a trace. There were four think tank wonks on the panel, two for the motion and two against. All four looked dreadfully serious. As Dr Ishratul Ibad had been installed 13 years ago with the blessing of the leader of the MQM in the old British colonial manor house with its sprawling gardens, one would have thought that surely the party had a right to control his destiny, right? Wrong, said one of the Mensheviks who gave the impression of having more than a nodding acquaintance with the law and the constitution. Dr Ibad had been appointed by the federation. His heart might still be located north of the bridge, but he had already resigned from his party and taken an oath to be neutral in all matters before he started opening his suitcases. It is the centre that has the authority to tell him to stay or quit. Right? That was the thrust of the talk show which, like most talk shows didn’t arrive at any conclusion.

Others who resigned include Bol’s president, Azhar Abbas, and at least three prominent journalists who had joined the network over the past year. As Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, the

expected. But the government investigation into Axact appears to have slowed that momentum. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar told reporters on Saturday in Islamabad, the capital, that a preliminary investigation had uncovered “serious, substantive evidence” against Axact. Nisar said he hoped the FBI, Interpol and possibly British law enforcement could provide information on “the universities that have come onto the radar,” a reference to hundreds of education websites, many with American- or British-sounding names, run by Axact. He said that the investigation might expand to include money laundering and that a decision on whether to file a criminal report - the first step in a prosecution would be made in the next 10 days. Investigators at the Axact offices in Karachi and Islamabad took away several computers, servers and documents last week, and also interviewed six executives in Islamabad. — The News York

TRAGEDY IN KASUR

Ishratul Ibad

In the system under which Pakistanis live, a governor’s role is largely ceremonial and includes presiding at university degree award ceremonies and other functions which nobody takes very seriously. He doesn’t even get to kiss babies as governors in the United States do, but he is often seen inquiring if patients in government hospitals are comfortable and are being looked after. On one occasion, there was this patient who wanted to show the governor where his hernia operation had taken place but was prevented from doing so by an adroit official. Dr Ibad might have been the longest serving governor of this province, but he hasn’t really made much of an impact in Karachi. On the occasions when he and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah turn up at official foreign functions like the birthday celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, or the national days of Saudi Arabia or China, Dr Ibad usually declines to speak. He leaves this task to the chief minister who leaps to the challenge and invariably demonstrates his extempore skills. Of course, nobody really listens to the speeches either of the host or the chief guest. Perhaps, he hasn’t any great achievements to his name. But what he has achieved is to always appear to be doing the right thing, not to be driven to the point where he has to make a decision, while always emerging as part of the process moving forward. — Express Tribune

Four more held over Karachi attack KARACHI: Four more suspects involved in the deadly bus attack on Ismailis in Karachi’s Safoora Goth locality on May 13 were arrested by the police on Sunday. During a press conference held in Karachi, AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo disclosed that the suspects were arrested from Karachi and other parts of rural Sindh. They were rounded up based on information provided by the suspects who have already been arrested in connection with the attack, he said. Firing on passengers He added that special police teams were making all out efforts to arrest the remaining suspects. The suspects arrested are those who fired on the Ismaili bus passengers. On May 13, gunmen on motorcycles boarded a bus and opened fire on commuters belonging to the Ismaili community in Karachi, killing at least 44 people. Sabeen Mahmud Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah announced on Wednesday that the four suspects in the Safoora bus attack, whose arrests he had announced on Tuesday, were also involved in a number of other high profile attacks in Karachi recently, including the murder

DEVASTATED: Members of the Ismaili community mourn following an attack by gunmen on a bus car-

rying devotees, outside a hospital in Karachi on Wednesday. — AFP ﬁle photo

of The Second Floor café director Sabeen Mahmud. Saad Aziz, one of the culprits arrested for involvement in the attack on Ismailis, confessed to killing Mahmud.

Meanwhile, at least seven suspected criminals including a target killer were arrested on Sunday during raids conducted by Rangers in parts of Karachi,

Express News reported. The paramilitary force raided parts of Lyari and University Road and seized submachine guns from the miscreants. — Express Tribune

SUPREME JUDICIAL COUNCIL VERDICT

Auditor general sacked for misconduct ISLAMABAD: The federal government has sacked Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana after the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) found him guilty of misconduct. “In accordance with SJC’s report which opines that… Rana has committed misconduct on numerous occasions, making him liable to be removed from his office, the president in pursuance of Article 168(5) read with Article 209(6) of the Constitu-

tion has been pleased to remove [him] from the office …. with immediate effect,” said a notification issued by the finance ministry on Saturday. First time It is the first time in the history of Pakistan that a complaint had been filed in the SJC, seeking the disqualification of an AGP while it was the second time that the council gave its opinion to the president on any reference, filed

under Article 209 of the Constitution. The council had earlier decided only one reference, citing the ouster of a judge in 1971. Five charges Two senior law officers, privy to the SJC proceedings, said that Rana was found guilty of ﬁve charges. “Yes, I have also read SJC’s opinion, wherein he [Rana] is found guilty,” said one law officer. Earlier, the SJC sent its opinion

to President Mamnoon Hussain over the reference, filed by the National Assembly. Complaint The lower house of parliament had filed the complaint after a subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had recommended disqualification of Rana. In August 2014, the PAC had constituted the subcommittee to probe the allegations against AGP Rana. — Express Tribune

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 Narrow-minded MPs (Afghan) are picking on this issue to distract attention from real problems such as worsening security. Even the Taliban want to kill extravagance. What’s the difference between us and the Taliban? Hajji Ghulam Siddique, Afghan wedding hall owner

A1 1

WORLD O K I NAWA

SPANIARDS VOTE IN CRUCIAL ELECTIONS

Japanese protest new US base plan TOKYO: Thousands of demonstrators formed a human chain around Japan’s parliament in Tokyo on Sunday, protesting the planned construction of a new US airbase on the southern island of Okinawa. The protesters, who organisers said numbered about 15,000, surrounded the parliament building holding banners reading “No to Henoko”, in the latest rally against the controversial base. Henoko is a small coastal area on Okinawa where Tokyo and Washington plan to relocate the existing Futenma military facility, currently situated in built-up Ginowan.

A man votes at a polling station during regional and municipal elections in El Rocio village, southern Spain, on Sunday. Spaniards are expected to sweep aside 40 years of predictable politics when they vote in regional elections on Sunday and usher in an unstable era of coalition and compromise, likely to curtail the authority of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. — Reuters

“We must stop this construction,” said one of the protesters, Akemi Kitajima, 66. “The government is trying to force the plan no matter how strongly Okinawa says ‘no’ to it.” Defence alliance Okinawa is home to more than half of the 47,000 US service personnel stationed in Japan as part of a defence alliance, a proportion many islanders say is too high. The plan to move Futenma, ﬁrst mooted in 1996, has become the focus of anger among locals, who insist it should be shuttered and a replacement built elsewhere in Japan or overseas. — AFP

Labour to back PM’s EU vote plan Cameron, who is due to host European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for talks on Monday, has said he favours staying in a reformed EU but will rule nothing out if he fails to get the change he is seeking

Britain’s David Cameron, who has promised to renegotiate Britain’s ties with the EU ahead of the referendum, will on Wednesday set out plans to enshrine the vote in law

LONDON: Britain’s opposition Labour Party will back Prime Minister David Cameron’s plans to hold a referendum on the country’s European Union membership by the end of 2017, its acting leader Harriet Harman said on Sunday. Labour had fought this month’s national election, in which it suffered a crushing defeat to Cameron’s Conservatives, on the policy that it would offer Britons an EU referendum only if there were a further transfer of powers to Brussels from London. Cameron, who has promised to renegotiate Britain’s ties with the

EU ahead of the referendum, will on Wednesday set out plans to enshrine the vote in law when his government’s legislative agenda is published. “The British people want to have a say on the UK’s membership of the EU. “Labour will therefore now support the EU referendum bill,” acting Labour leader Harriet Harman and the party’s foreign affairs spokesman Hilary Benn wrote in a joint article in the Sunday Times newspaper. EU reforms Harman and Benn said that while

CHANGING TACT: Britain’s opposition Labour Party interim leader Harriet Harman speaks on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme in London, Britain, on Sunday. — Reuters/Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout via Reuters

Labour wanted to see reforms to the EU, it would make the case for continued membership. “The Labour Party does not want to see the UK stumble inad-

S O C I E TA L I L L

Afghan MPs bid to control out-of-control weddings KABUL: With a burst of confetti, dancers clap and twirl around a garland-bedecked groom as Afghanistan’s wedding season kicks into high gear, but lawmakers pushing for austerity are bent on taming out-of-control guest lists. Kabul wedding halls with Las Vegas-style razzle dazzle are busy as Afghans rush to get hitched before next month’s Ramadan fasting begins, in a colourful contrast to the Taliban era when musical revelry and dancing were banned. Hundreds of people -- not counting the ubiquitous wedding crashers -- typically attend celebrations in these halls segregated by gender, with a bulging guest list seen both as a social obligation and a totem of affluence. “In Afghanistan you invite the whole village, the whole tribe, everyone who ever invited you to their wedding -- and they bring their own guests,” Akbar Sabawoon said over the din of drumbeats in Qasr-e-Paris (Paris Palace), a neon-spangled hall with a huge replica of the Eiffel Tower in the forecourt. “If you invite 1,000 people, be ready to entertain 1,500,” the cousin of the bride told AFP as a traditional Attan folk dance erupted behind him. But in a hugely contentious move lawmakers recently passed a bill aimed at taming Afghanistan’s Wild West wedding culture, limiting the number of guests to 500 and capping the catering bill per head at 400 Afghanis ($7). The bill seeks to relieve the huge ﬁnancial strain weddings pose on grooms who present dowry to the girl’s family in the form of cash, goods or livestock. Thousands of dollars are typically splurged on weddings, a small fortune in a country wracked by poverty and war, driving families into massive debts and forcing young men to delay marriage, lawmakers say. But the bill, awaiting presidential approval, has sparked protest from wedding hall owners who worry the move could devastate their ﬂourishing business -- a

LAVISH: This photograph taken on May 12, 2015 shows young Af-

ghan men dancing around a groom during wedding celebrations at a wedding hall in Kabul. — AFP

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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

rare bright spot in a nose-diving economy as international aid fast evaporates after 13 years of war. “Narrow-minded MPs are picking on this issue to distract attention from real problems such as worsening security,” said Hajji Ghulam Siddique, the owner of Uranus, one of the biggest of nearly three dozen wedding halls in Kabul. “Even the Taliban want to kill extravagance. What’s the difference between us and the Taliban?” Momentary escapism Lavish weddings, a post-Taliban phenomenon, are not only entertainment but also a source of momentary escapism from a wrenching conﬂict, adding a splash of colour in the lives of war-weary Afghans. Outside Kabul’s glitzy wedding halls is a city that appears on the verge of a nervous breakdown, awash with snipers, checkpoints, and post traumatic stress disor-

der. Inside, over-the-top revelry offers a comforting illusion that the war is taking place in another realm. “As is the case with most Afghan laws, no one will obey this new legislation,” said government employee Shoaib Khaksari as guests at Qasr-e-Paris hunched over platters of roast chicken, Kabuli lamb pilaf, fried eggplant, yogurt and fresh fruit. “Marriages need to be lavish as they are a one-time event.” But many Afghans concede some merit in the legislation. When Khushal Nabizada, a 34-year-old doctor of internal medicine, got hitched three years ago he was forced to spend $25,000 on the wedding party, eroding his hard-earned savings in a single night. “I wanted smaller celebrations, fewer ceremonies but the bride’s family were unforgiving,” he said. “My wife and I now look back and think what an epic waste it was.” Some budget-conscious Afghans have found a canny way of trim the guest list: Mixed weddings -- a relatively rare celebration in which guests are not segregated by gender. It’s a self-imposed red line for many Afghans who voluntarily decline to attend. — AFP

vertently towards EU exit,” Harman and Benn said. “We have more power by being in the EU than we could ever hope to have by acting alone.”

Cameron, who is due to host European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for talks at his official country residence on Monday, has said he favours stay-

ing in a reformed EU but will rule nothing out if he fails to get the change he is seeking. Among planned reforms he has outlined are restrictions to EU migrants’ access to Britain’s welfare system, an opt-out of “ever closer” union inside the bloc and to cut EU “red tape”. Tax credits Business Secretary Sajid Javid said changes to tax credits, were central as EU citizens coming to Britain can receive twice as much as they would in Germany and three times as much as in France. A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times, carried out May 21-22, found 44 per cent of the 1,532 people surveyed favoured staying in the EU, while 36 per cent would vote to leave. — Reuters

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Of drones, jets and national sovereignty

An injustice in France

he acquittal by a French court of two police officers charged with failing to prevent the electrocution deaths of two teenagers from the Parisian banlieue of Clichy-sous-Bois in 2005 could exacerbate social divisions in France. Adel Benna, the brother of one of the youths, said he felt “nauseated” and “disgusted” by the verdict. But the right-wing National Front party’s Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, referring to violent protests that engulfed France following the boys’ deaths, scandalously tweeted: “This verdict proves the rabble indeed set fire and blood to the banlieue for pleasure and not because of a police blunder.” Lawyers for the teenagers’ families argued that the trial was about more than the negligence charges against the officers, Sébastien Gaillemin and Stéphanie Klein. They blamed systemic discrimination that has created a climate of distrust between the police and minority youths, especially young people of North and sub-Saharan African origin in France’s troubled suburbs. Many of these young people instinctively flee the police on sight; the police tend to assume that any youth running away must be guilty of something. That was certainly what happened on October 27, 2005, when the two boys, Zyed Benna, 17, and Bouna Traoré, 15 — on their way home from a neighbourhood soccer game — ran into police officers and fled, hopping the fence around an electric transformer station to escape the officers in pursuit. The court found no evidence that the officers knew that the boys were in danger and were responsible for their electrocution. It took nearly 10 years for the teenagers’ families to get this case to trial at all, and when they finally did, the court chose to rule only on the narrow question of whether the police were culpable in the deaths. Left unaddressed by the court — as it has been by France as a whole — was the systemic racism and discrimination that set the stage for the tragic encounter between police officers and Zyed and Bouna. After the terrorist attacks in Paris in January, Prime Minister Manuel Valls lamented what he called “territorial, social, ethnic apartheid.” It now falls squarely on the government of President François Hollande to address that larger injustice. —The New York Times News Service

Workers suffer silently because of two-year ban This refers to the news story, ‘Don’t fall prey to the crooked agents’ (May 24). The case of Jahangir Alam, the migrant worker who came from Bangladesh and suffered injuries in Qurum mountain cliff collapse, is not an exception. There are silent workers who are working with decent companies but are suffering equally because of poor beneﬁts and privileges offered to them. They are the poor souls who seem to have been trapped here. They cannot even resign and move out to a better company because of the two-year ban system. The options before them are indeed extremely limited — they either suffer in silence or give up their jobs and go back home. Rail Iligan Muscat

Need to stop shady agents from exploiting poor people This refers to the news story, ‘Don’t fall prey to the crooked agents’ (May 24). I am a Kenyan living in Oman now for the past one year. I paid OMR500 to my agent for the job here. But, I feel for you brother, Jahangir Alam. You have indeed coughed up a huge amount to that agent. I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to all the agents to be fair to people like Jahangir and stop ﬂeecing us. Sarah Chepkoech Muscat

Treatment meted out to Jahangir was outrageous This refers to the news story, ‘Don’t fall prey to the crooked agents’ (May 24). I think it’s totally outrageous that Jahangir Alam has not been

THE INDEPENDENT

he steam seems to have gone from the protests made every time American drones kill suspected militants anywhere in the conflict zone, which for American drones is limited to the tribal areas of Pakistan. Large-scale street protests orchestrated by political parties and, occasionally by religious leaders, are a rarity now and although there is some faint media coverage of the strikes, there is less of the indignation and the sense of wounded pride. Just as the protests against American strikes have faded, the silence surrounding our own precision strikes made with conventional aircraft continues. Both drones and jets have been in action in the last week. Six militants were killed and two wounded in a US drone strike in the Shawal valley on May 16. A remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) fired two missiles into a house in the Warokey Mandi area of the valley, demolishing it and killing those inside. There is no independent identification of the casualties or any explanation as to why they were targeted. There was apparently no attempt to shoot down the RPV that was in violation of our airspace, and there is also no report of this or any other government ever attempting or even threatening to shoot down American drones operating over Pakistan. Pakistan has, and always has had, the capacity to take down any American RPV that might appear in our skies. The implication, as ever, is that there is a tacit agreement between Pakistan and the US that American drones can operate at will, and strike targets that may or may not have been identified on the basis of intelligence gathered by Pakistan and shared with America. That Pakistan has the capacity to both gather intelligence on terrorists and hit them in the same area in which the US drones operate is exemplified by strikes by our own air force, also in the Shawal valley, on May 20. It is reported and again with no independent corroboration that “at least 15 suspected militants” were killed, and not a word of protest was raised anywhere, despite the fact that the air strikes carried out by Pakistan have no lesser potential for collateral damage than do those carried out by the Americans — who sometimes do get it catastrophically wrong as evidenced by the killing of Warren Weinstein earlier this year. Mr Weinstein was killed in what is known as a ‘signature strike’ — a strike launched in response to on-the-groundbehaviour analysed as metadata rather than intelligence relating to a specific individual. The incidence of American drone strikes has dropped significantly since the start of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, and domestic armed drones have been developed and recently publicly tested to considerable fanfare. If the Pakistan Air Force has its own capacity for drone strikes, the question has to be asked as to why it is still necessary for American drones to strike here at all? — The Express Tribune

COMMENTARY

Will IS survive the acid test of time? ROSS DOUTHAT

Russia in 1919 was peripheral to many great powers’ immediate security concerns, while Isis is sitting at an oilrich crossroads and murdering Western citizens every chance it gets. And the worldview of IS too conspicuously (and mercifully) lacks the Western cheering section and sense of historical momentum that Marxist-Leninism once enjoyed

he fall of an autocrat normally leads to foreign occupation and civil war. A revolutionary movement with a messianic vision capitalises on the chaos to gain power. The revolutionaries rule through terror and the promise of utopia, and inspire copycats around the world. But other nations impose a quarantine, internal rivals regain ground, and despite initial successes the new regime seems unlikely to survive — especially once outside powers, including the United States, join the fight against it. This is the story to date of the IS, which defied predictions of its imminent collapse by capturing Ramadi in Iraq and Palmyra in Syria last week. A “tactical setback,” President Obama called these developments, and quite possibly they are; it’s still hard to imagine that the outfit can long endure. But this is also the story of the Soviet Union’s early days, when it seemed highly implausible that a cabal of Bolsheviks would rule the Russian empire for seventy-odd years. When the Bolshevik regime was about the age that the IS is today, the United States, France, and Britain were supporting its White Russian adversaries and landing troops in Russia; Japan and a reborn Poland were pressuring the Bolsheviks from east and west; and the fear instilled by the Red Terror seemed like the primary force keeping the pariah state from crumbling. A generation later, that pariah was a global superpower. The differences between the two situations are legion, of course. The Bolsheviks controlled key urban and industrial centres, while Isis is truly dominant only in the Iraqi and Syrian hinterland. The Soviet Union’s foreign enemies were exhausted by world war, and their ability to project military power was far more limited than America’s is today. However geopolitically important, Russia in 1919 was peripheral to many great powers’ immediate security concerns, while Isis is sitting at an oil-rich crossroads and murdering Western citizens every chance it gets. And the worldview of IS too conspicuously (and mercifully) lacks the Western cheering section and sense of historical momentum that Marxist-Leninism once enjoyed. But the Soviet example is still a useful reminder that the “inevitable” fall of fanatical upstarts is not always actually inevitable. And it offers a few lessons in how, against all odds, the IS or Isis might actually survive. First, because great powers get war-weary and distracted. As different as our situation is from the

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Mistakes are the portals of discovery JAMES JOYCE

aftermath of World War I, it’s clear that the United States would be more involved militarily against Isis if we didn’t have the recent disillusioning experience of a bloody occupation in Iraq. And it’s easy to imagine events intruding — another economic crisis, a hotter war in Ukraine, brinkmanship with China — that could make Ramadi look as remote to our interests as Arkhangelsk and Vladivostok seemed to the average Westerner in 1919. Second, because a regime fighting for its survival has an edge over a coalition of less-invested adversaries. Yes, the IS has made enemies of just about every neighbouring government and military. But that means its leaders and foot soldiers know that they’re in a victory-or-death situation, which creates incentives similar to the ones that helped the Soviets, and before them revolutionary France, fend off attacks from all comers. Third, because realpolitik can help even fanatics find allies of convenience. The Bolsheviks came to power in part because Germany deliberately shipped Lenin to St. Petersburg, and Berlin cultivated secret military ties with the Soviets across the 1920s. In a somewhat similar way, the IS has already been funded by donors from all over the world and so long as IS remains at war with a few of the nation states and their proxies, the sectarian powers won’t root unreservedly against it. If IS remains permanently at war with them, of course, cooperation will be impossible. But messianic ideologies are sometimes more adaptable than you expect. In a compelling Atlantic essay on the theological commitments of IS, Graeme Wood argued that the organisation will be “hamstrung” by its apocalyptic vision, which rules out any real truce or suspension of its struggle. Which may be true; fanatical movements often burn themselves out for just this reason. But sometimes they find a way — as the Bolsheviks did — to tweak their ideologies when survival requires it, and to rely on ethnic and national loyalties as well. Which the IS has done already: It has ex-Baathists in its military leadership, just as Trotsky’s army had ex-czarists; it’s exploited Sunni grievances just as Stalin relied on nationalist and even religious pride in World War II. Whether it can compromise further depends on power struggles that are probably already underway, invisible to Western eyes. And it’s still likely that no strategy will preserve the caliphate, especially if the next American president commits fully to its destruction. But it hasn’t collapsed yet. And the longer it survives, the longer it might. — The New York Times News Service

awarded compensation for his horriﬁc ordeal. It is a shame. I understand that Jahangir was not a documented workers and his employer took advantage of his disadvantage. But his status as an undocumented employee, however, did not prevent him from getting a work to do. Jenni Eden Muscat

Woman pilot has made Oman extremely proud This refers to the news story, Passion the key to success: First Omani woman commercial pilot (May 24). I salute Azza Said Al Zakwani’s passion to ﬂy and making Oman proud. May the blessings of Allah shower upon her and protect her every moment in her life to attain greater achievements. Wish her a

very bright and a dazzling career ahead. Domingos Miguel Curzinho Fernandez Muscat

Muscat now needs good public transport system This refers to the news feature, What is the solution to the gridlock in Muscat? (May 24). My answer to this question is, a good public transport system. Cars are designed to transport an entire family or at least 4/5 people. But, if we sit in a car alone or even with someone else only two people are being transported. This is underutilisation of the vehicle. We are wasting our own resources and that of the society. Zsolt Barczy Muscat

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

T IM ES O F OM A N

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

A1 3

PERSPEC IVE Why Britain resigned as the global power? C

onfronting a world of challenges — including Greece’s possible exit from the euro, a massive migration crisis on Europe’s shores, Ukraine’s perilous state, Russia’s continued intransigence, the advance of Isis and the continuing chaos in the Middle East — David Cameron, in his first major speech after being re-elected as Prime Minister, chose to talk about . . . a plan to ensure that hospitals will be better staffed on weekends. Okay, that’s a bit unfair. Leaders everywhere, including in the United States, understand that “all politics is local.” But spending a few days recently in Britain, I was struck by just how parochial it has become. After an extraordinary 300-year run, Britain has essentially resigned as a global power. Over the next few years, Britain’s army will shrink to about 80,000. A report from the Royal United Services Institute predicts that the number could get as low as 50,000, which, the Daily Telegraph points out, would be smaller than at any point since the 1770s — and, as David Rothkopf of Foreign Policy magazine notes, about the same size as the New York Police Department. The International Institute for Strategic Studies concludes that over the past five years “the 8 per cent to 9 per cent decrease in the UK military defence budget . . . has led to a 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in conventional capability.” No wonder, then, that Britain has been a minor, reluctant ally in the air strikes against Isis. Britain’s 30-year-old Tornado fleet of planes is a generation behind the American F22s it flies alongside. The Royal Navy, which once ruled the waves, operates without a single aircraft carrier (although two are under construction). Nato members are supposed to maintain defence spending at 2 per cent of their gross domestic product. Britain is hovering around that mark and has refused to commit to maintaining budgets at that level. The same is true of other elements of Britain’s global influence. In Cameron’s first term, the Foreign Office budget was cut by more than a quarter, and further trims are likely. The BBC World Service, perhaps the most influential arm of the country’s global public diplomacy, has shuttered

FAREED ZAKARIA

The International Institute for Strategic Studies concludes that over the past five years ‘the 8 per cent to 9 per cent decrease in the UK military defence budget... has led to a 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in conventional capability’

five of its foreign-language broadcasts, and the organization’s entire budget has been slashed, with more cuts to come. The country is suspicious of a robust foreign policy of any kind — including serious sanctions against Russia, getting tough in trade talks with China, the use of force in the Middle East and an engaged relationship with the rest of Europe. During the recent election, as The Post reported, foreign policy barely surfaced. Why does this matter? Because on almost all global issues, Britain has a voice that is intelligent, engaged and forward-looking. It wants to strengthen and uphold today’s international system — one based on the free flow of ideas, goods and services around the world, one that promotes individual rights and the rule of law. This is not an accident. Britain essentially created the world we live in. In his excellent book God and Gold, Walter Russell Mead points out that in the 16th century many countries were poised to advance economically and politically — Northern Italy’s city-states, the Hanseatic League, the Low Countries, France, Spain. But Britain managed to edge out the others, becoming the first great industrial economy and the modern world’s first superpower. It colonized and shaped countries and cultures from Australia to India to Africa to the Western Hemisphere, including of course, its settlements in North America. Had Spain or Germany become the world’s leading power, things would look very different today. It is a paradox, readily apparent to visitors to Britain, that London continues to thrive as a global hub, increasingly cosmopolitan and worldly. More than a third of Londoners were born outside the United Kingdom. And this government has been more than willing to travel around the world petitioning for investment, whether it be Chinese, Russian or Arab. That is fine as a strategy for an aspiring entrepôt or financial haven, but Britain is not Luxembourg. It is, even now, a country with the talent, history and capacity to shape the international order. Which is why the inward turn of the United Kingdom is a tragedy not just for it but for all of us. — The Independent

Life is too short to read bad, long books

er-thump. That, if you don’t recognise it, is the sound that heralds the beginning of a long, sultry summer of literary hype. Proof copies of Jonathan Franzen’s Purity, a “multigenerational American epic” about a young woman called Pip, and his ﬁrst novel since Freedom in 2010, were posted out. The novel is not published until September but, already, excitable publishing types are posting pictures of its handsome gold cover on social media and ensuring their copies poke out of the top of their bicycle baskets. The cover is very nice — bold and graphic, like a cool birthday card you might pick up in the bookshop at Tate Modern. But when I was allowed brieﬂy to touch the literary editor’s copy, I skipped right past the cover to the back page: 576. That’s not so bad, I thought. Pretty long but it’s no Luminaries. The fact is, 576 pages is long for a novel, but we are now apparently in the Year of the Very Long Novel so Franzen’s is small fry — a minibreak, rather than a longhaul holiday read. Death and Mr Pickwick, a prequel/sequel to The Pickwick Papers, by Stephen Jarvis, out this week is 816 pages long. It is already being talked of as a Booker contender. Hanya Yanagihara’s

ALICE JONES

A Little Life about four college friends who go to New York to seek their fortune is 736 pages. When her editor told her to cut it by a third, she directed him to Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer winner The Goldﬁnch (881 pages) and Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries, at 832 pages the longest book ever to win the Booker Prize. She also sent him a photograph of her manuscript next to a 900-page issue of Vogue and Vikram Seth’s 1,400-page A Suitable Boy. The message: pages win prizes. Almost as long as Seth’s classic you shouldn’t judge a book by its weight any more than by its cover. Indeed, Kindle has made both of those elements irrelevant. Ereaders may even be to blame for the current boom in meganovels. If people no longer weigh up which book to put in their holiday suitcase, why would publishers risk annoying their precious writers with a harsh edit? Because sometimes, most times, a harsh edit is what is needed. Life is too short to read bad, long books. I will never get back the hours I spent skimming through the 500 meandering pages of J K Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy or Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, nor the weeks lost to The Goldﬁnch. If a book is going to be really, really long, it has to be really, really

good. And quite a lot of modern novels really, really aren’t. There is no doubt some publishing hype at work in calling 2015 the Year of the Very Long Novel. There have always been very long novels, and very short novels, and both attract attention for the wrong reasons. Plainly, it is not the number of pages that counts; it is what is on them. But in the same way that the Oscars love a biopic, book prize juries like a doorstop. The sense of achievement — on the part of the writer, and the reader — counts for a lot. Still, there is a certain tipping point — I’d say about 500 pages, or where carrying it around all day becomes a right pain — when reading can start to feel less like a pastime than a piece of homework. Unless, of course, the book is truly enrapturing, like The Magus (672 pages), The Bonﬁre of the Vanities (752), Anna Karenina (879) and so on they can be really distracting. But those books come along a few times in a generation, not once a month as part of a prevailing trend. The most anticipated novel of the year, the decade, even, is Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, which will be published in July at 288 pages. Now there’s some hype, and a page count, I can do business with. — The Independent

Every child must be sent to school NAWEEN A MANGI

he problem is well known: Pakistan has seven million outof-school children on our treacherous streets, hundreds of overpaid and under-qualified teachers hired in return for political favours, and scores of schools without desks, toilets or drinking water. The nation ranks 113th in a United Nations Education for All index of 120 countries. What’s the solution? How can we take our children out of drug and gambling dens and bring them into the safety of comfortable and productive classrooms under the guidance of wise and compassionate teachers? In a village called Khairo Dero, we at the Ali Hasan Mangi Memorial Trust, a group of community workers dedicated to developing a model of rural development, tried an experiment. Here’s what we did. First, our volunteers went from house to house, developing a database of all the children between the ages of three and 16 in the village, which is home to about 4,500 people. Then, we held neighbourhood meetings with mothers to talk about the importance of schooling. Next, we helped show them how girls could attend school for half a day and still have time to produce traditional embroidery to supplement the household income and take care of tasks such as cooking and washing clothes. We worked with farmers and assured them that boys could take a two-week break for farm labour whenever it was planting or harvesting season; and that we would make sure teachers were on hand to help them catch up. These measures helped remove major reasons parents weren’t sending their kids to school. On the other side, we worked with schools. First, we built a primary school with The Citizens Foundation and when it opened for its first admission in 2010, our awareness drive showed results: they had several times more candidates than spots. They soon introduced an afternoon shift and later expanded to double the capacity. Then, we started looking at the existing government schools. The two primary schools in the village were functional; performance was not exciting but at least classes were being held every day. In comparison, middle and high schools were abandoned. Buildings stood halffinished or crumbling and government teachers were absent. First, we adopted a girls’ middle school, worked with the local education department to get the building finished and then motivated

local government teachers to attend regularly. Girls were lining up. We did small things like putting up a national ﬂag and holding a daily assembly: rarities at government schools. Soon, girls graduating from middle school insisted high school classes be organised otherwise their fathers would pull them out of school and wouldn’t give permission to travel out of the village to attend. We started holding classes unofficially and then worked with the government to upgrade the school from middle to high. Then, we adopted a nonfunctional boys school, added a basketball hoop, cricket gear and prizes for punctuality. When we noticed classrooms were not fully populated, we went lane by lane rounding up boys from shops and tea stalls. We found that government teachers are not all goners. Many showed great results with some motivation, recognition and appreciation. To supplement, we hired local graduates desperately seeking employment, provided teacher training and posted them at government and community schools. Fresh survey A few years on we carried out a fresh survey and found a population of children from a religious minority that was shunned by mainstream society. They were too scared to enroll in school so we started a community school for them in one room and later expanded to four classes. We scoured the streets for these children playing cards for money in back alleys and used loving persuasion and the promise of Friday afternoon cartoons to lure them in. To capture the last lot, we opened an early learning centre where we littered workstations with crayons, paper, scissors, glue, jigsaw puzzles, construction blocks, beads and string and let children choose what naturally attracted them. To make school-going a habit, we didn’t force books and pencils on them. We held cooking classes, brought in musical instruments and put in swings, slides, skipping ropes and footballs. All these tools helped increase mental faculties and motor skills. Soon enough, kids didn’t want to be anywhere else. Today, we are currently enrolling the last three dozen or so kids at our community school and have reached a position where every child in the village will be in school. Grand policies and big money haven’t brought success in getting every child in school. Our simple experiment is testimony to the fact that a very grassroots, community-oriented approach gets the job done. It’s worth a try. — The Express Tribune

California oil spill

A state of emergency has been declared in southern California after an oil slick, stretching across 15km, threatened wildlife along the pristine Santa Barbara coastline

TODAY IN HISTORY

U.S.

CALIFORNIA

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Santa Barbara Los Angeles

MUSCAT: Abdul Qadir bin Salim Al Dhahab, secretary general of Majlis Al Shura, said that the Majlis would hold its third regular session of the year on Sunday where Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Qatabi, president of Majlis Al Shura would deliver a speech in the opening of the session. Al Dhahab touched on the agenda noting that it would include looking into the secretariat general report on the activities of the Majlis apparatuses between the second and third regular sessions of this year. The secretary general of the Majlis added that the Majlis would host during the session Dr Ahmed bin Khalfan Al Rowahi, minister of agriculture and fisheries, who would deliver a statement on the ministry’s plans and programmes as well as its development projects of the agricultural, fisheries and livestock sectors during the sixth five-year plan in addition to marketing agricultural and fisheries products and organizing commercial and traditional fishing operations.

Tuesday: Onshore pipeline ruptures, spilling up to 400,000 litres onto Refugio State Beach before ﬂowing into ocean. Coastline was scene of much larger spill in 1969, which helped spark U.S. environmental movement

40km

MAJLIS AL SHURA THIRD SESSION ON SUNDAY

PACIFIC OCEAN

585 BC Thales of Greece makes the ﬁrst known prediction of a solar eclipse.

1810

Argentina declares independence from Napoleonic Spain.

1851

Jose Justo de Urquiza of Argentina leads a rebellion against Juan Manuel de Rosas, his former ally.

1911

Porﬁrio Diaz, President of Mexico, resigns his office.

1914

The British House of Commons passes Irish Home Rule.

1946 Jordan gains independence from Britain. HISTORYNET.COM

Source: Wire agencies

Graphic News /

Graphics

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GLOBAL EYE

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

COLOMBIA: Street performer Mario Manjarres performs with an elastic rope for tips in front of stopped vehicles at a traffic junction in Bogota, Colombia, on Saturday. – Reuters

WRC during the last stage of the Portugal WRC Rally in Fafe, in northern Portugal, on Sunday. – AFP

PHILIPPINES: Filipinos participate in creating a huge peace sign in an event called ‘Handshake for peace’, in Manila on Sunday. The event commemorates the 70th year since World War II ended and to inspire people in many countries to condemn war and to continuously work for peace. – AFP

KENYA: US born model and Bollywood ﬁlm actress Nargis Fakhri walks besides ‘Sudan’, the only remaining male nothern-white Rhino on the planet, on Saturday at the ol-Pejeta sanctuary in Kenya’s Mt. Kenya region, north of the capital, Nairobi. Fakhri visited ‘Sudan’ and his two-female companions, Suin and Fatu at the sanctuary now conserving the three-out-of only four remaining members of the sub-species on the planet to help raise further the international awareness of the plight of the nothern-white rhinos. – AFP

ITALY: People gather at Piazza degli Scacchi before the start of the 15th stage of the 98th Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, cycling race between Marostica and Madonna di Campiglio, on Sunday in Marostica in Italy. – AFP

PORTUGAL: Finnish Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Mikka Anttila steer their Wolkswagen Polo R

SPAIN: Participants covered in coloured powder take part in the Indi-

an Holi Festival in Burgos, north of Spain on Saturday. People throw each other coloured powder During the Hindu festival of Holi, also known as Festival of Colours, that marks the arrival of spring. – AFP

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan labourers work at a brick factory on the

outskirts of Herat, Afghanistan, on Sunday. – AFP

FRANCE: A DS Citroen drives in Paris, France, on Sunday during a gathering as the legendary French car celebrates its 60th anniversary. – AFP

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

WORLD

The Haradh border crossing, the largest for people and goods between Saudi Arabia, and its neighbour, was evacuated amid shelling which razed its departure lounge and passport section.

Saudi Arabia’s forces and Houthis trade heavy fire tonnes of relief aid from the United Arab Emirates docked in Yemen’s restive port city of Aden

Air raids Arab air raids hit military bases and weapons stores in the capital Sanaa and local officials said a mid-level Houthi commander, Abu Bassam Al Kibsi, was killed in an air strike in the central province of Raymah. Saudi Arabia has led an Arab coalition bombing the Houthis and backing southern Yemeni ﬁghters opposing the group and

CURIOUS ONLOOKERS: People stand by part of a Saudi ﬁghter jet found in Bani Harith district north of Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday.

Local media said that the Houthi rebels brought down a Saudi F-16 ﬁghter jet north of Sanaa early on Sunday. – Reuters

loyal to the exiled government in Saudi Arabia headed by President Abdrrabbo Mansour Hadi. Local fighters combatting the Houthis in Yemen’s south reported Saudi-led air strikes on a major air base controlled by the group in Lahj province and say they killed eight Houthi fighters in an ambush in Dalea province on Sunday. Residents in the central city of Taiz said Houthi forces and proHadi fighters fired tank and artillery shells at each other throughout the city overnight, killing five civilians. The Houthis seized control of a military base on a strategic moun-

taintop in the centre of the city, eyewitnesses said. A United Nations-backed peace conference set for May 28 in Geneva remains in doubt, as Hadi’s exiled government in Saudi Arabia has expressed reluctance to attend before the Houthis recognise their authority and quit Yemen’s main cities. The Houthis have demanded a ceaseﬁre before any talks. The shipment, including medical and food supplies, is the second from the United Arab Emirates, which delivered last week 1,200 tonnes of relief aid, said local aid coordinator Ali Al Bikri.

HUMAN-TRAFFICKING CRISIS

Mass graves of suspected migrants found in Malaysia ALOR SETAR (MALAYSIA): Malaysia said on Sunday it had found mass graves feared to contain the bodies of Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants at the centre of a regional human-trafficking crisis. Home Minister Zahid Hamidi was quoted by The Star newspaper’s website as saying the graves were found near detention camps run by people-traffickers. “But we don’t know how many there are. We are probably going to find more bodies,” Zahid was quoted as saying. The Star said the camps were abandoned when police found them last week. Police in neighbouring Thailand in early May found secret human-trafficking jungle camps on their side of the border and dozens of shallow graves. The report quoting Zahid gave few details but the Malay-language newspaper Utusan Malaysia, citing an unnamed source, earlier reported that about 30 mass graves had been found containing “hundreds of skeletons”. The Star, also quoting sources, had said the graves were “believed to contain nearly 100 Rohingya migrants”. Thailand began a crackdown on human trafficking and smuggling following the discovery of its mass graves, which appears to have thrown regional trafficking routes into chaos. Many migrants had previously tried to enter Malaysia, their preferred destination, via its land border with Thailand. Desperate With traffickers apparently now abandoning their human cargo at sea, boats filled with hundreds of starving migrants from the two countries have sought desperately to land in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, which turned them away. Facing growing international pressure, Malaysia and Indonesia last week said they would admit boat people, who are to be repatriated or resettled with the help of international agencies. Indonesia’s military said on Sunday that President Joko

OFF COAST NEAR SIRTE

Libyan government planes attack oil tanker TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI: Warplanes from Libya’s official government attacked an oil tanker off the coast near the city of Sirte on Sunday, wounding two people, officials said. “Our jets warned an unflagged ship off Sirte city, but it ignored the warning,” Saqer Al Joroushi told Reuters. “We gave it a chance to evaluate the situation, then our fighting jets attacked the ship because it was unloading fighters and weapons,” he added. “The ship now is on fire. We are in war and we do not accept any security breaches, whether by land, air or sea,” Jourushi added. An oil industry official said the ship was actually a tanker which had been carrying 25,000 tonnes of gasoil. He named the tanker as Anwar Afriqya. Rida Essa, commander of coastal guards in central Libya, said the tanker had been unloading gasoil for Sirte’s power plant when it came under attack. The ship was still on fire, he said. He said a crew member and a port worker had been wounded.

A boat carrying 460

CAIRO/ADEN: Saudi forces and Yemen’s Houthi militia traded heavy artillery ﬁre which destroyed part of the main border crossing between the two countries overnight, residents said on Sunday, an escalation of the twomonth war. Also on Sunday, a boat carrying 460 tonnes of Emirati relief aid docked in Yemen’s restive port city of Aden. The Haradh border crossing, the largest for people and goods between the world’s top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, and its neighbour, was evacuated amid shelling which razed its departure lounge and passport section, witnesses said. Residents of several Yemeni villages in the area left their homes and ﬂed from the frontier, which has turned into a front line between the kingdom and the Houthi rebels.

A1 5

STARVING: Shahira Bibi, a severely malnourished Rohingya girl from Myanmar, lies unconscious at the hospital in Langsa in Aceh province. Malaysian Home Minister Zahid Hamidi was quoted by The Star newspaper’s website as saying the graves were found near detention camps run by people-traffickers. – AFP

Widodo had ordered the country to start search and rescue operations for stranded migrant boats, an operation that began on Friday. “We will save the migrants and take them to shore,” military spokesman Fuad Basya told AFP, adding that as of late Saturday, no new boats had been sighted. Previously, Indonesian ﬁsherman have helped hundreds of stranded Bangladeshis and Rohingya to shore. The Malaysian government announced on Thursday that its navy and coastguard would also be mobilised for searches but so far it has not reported any rescues. Widodo indicated Jakarta would need international help footing the bill for housing thousands of destitute people. More than 3,500 migrants have swum to shore or been rescued off the coasts of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh since the crisis erupted earlier this month. Malaysian media said the latest mass graves were found near Padang Besar and Wang Kelian, two towns along the Thai border in the Malaysian state of Perlis. Police declined to release information but the national police chief will hold a press conference

on Monday. Malaysia’s government had previously denied that any such mass graves or slave camps existed on its soil. “I am shocked!” Zahid was quoted by The Star as saying. He added that some of the camps may have been there for as long as ﬁve years, and that Malaysian citizens were suspected to have been involved. Most Bangladeshis are economic migrants seeking to escape poverty at home. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called Sunday for strict action against both migrants and traffickers. The Rohingya leave Myanmar in large part to escape discriminatory treatment from the Buddhist majority. Rights groups said a new population law further targets persecuted Rohingyas, by allowing Myanmar’s regional governments to introduce family planning regulations to reduce birth rates in their states. “This will seriously worsen ethnic and religious tensions. We fully expect that the Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine state will be target number one of this legislation,” said Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson. — AFP

Another ship carrying 400 tonnes of diesel also arrived on Friday, said Bikri, who was appointed by Yemen’s governmentin-exile. The southern city, where Hadi took refuge until he fled to Saudi Arabia, received nothing beyond those shipments by the Emirati Red Crescent, he said. Fierce fighting Aden has been scene to fierce fights between rebels backed by troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and southern fighters allied with exiled Hadi. Clashes continued Sunday in

Aden, witnesses said, after they had raged Saturday in the north, east and west of the city. Air raids targeted Sunday positions of the pro-Saleh elite Republican Guard in the central province of Taez, as well as rebel posts in Raymah province, west of Sanaa, witnesses said. The United Nations says the violence has killed more than 1,600 people and displaced close to half a million more. Some aid has trickled during a ﬁve-day humanitarian truce, but residents of areas where clashes persisted complained that they lack the most basic supplies. — Agencies

Power struggle Libya’s is still in the midst of a power struggle between two governments ﬁghting for control, with the internationally recognised government operating out of the east since losing control of the capital in August to the rival grouping. Sirte’s power plant on the western outskirts of the city is controlled by forces loyal to the Tripoli government. The rest of the city has fallen into the hands of IS militants which have exploited the chaos and security vacuum in Libya four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddaﬁ. Meanwhile, Libyan authorities on Saturday arrested about 600 illegal migrants from African countries who were planning to sail to Europe, a coastguard official said on Saturday. — Reuters

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MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

WORLD

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Blocked Nepal river flows again, threatens flash floods The landslide at Ramche village in Myagdi district, about 140km northwest of Kathmandu, struck on Saturday night and blocked the Kali Gandaki river, triggering fears that a large volume of water would build up and then burst through

KATHMANDU: A river dammed up by a huge landslide in Nepal’s northwest has begun flowing again but the risks of flash floods are not over yet, police said on Sunday. The landslide at Ramche village in Myagdi district, about 140 km (90 miles) northwest of Kathmandu, struck on Saturday night and blocked the Kali Gandaki river, triggering fears that a large volume of water would build up and then burst through, causing floods downstream that could reach as far as India. No more rising “The river has started overflowing the dam. The water build-up is no more rising,” police official Kamal Singh Bam told Reuters. “We think it will not breach the dam suddenly and cause downstream floods. But the risk for that is not totally out yet,” he said. Earlier the authorities asked thousands of downstream villag-

NATURE’S FURY: This handout photograph released by the Nepal Army on Sunday, shows an area in Nepal’s mountainous northwest Myagdi district affected by a landslide. — AFP/Nepal Army

“There are chances of the artificial lake created in the river by the landslide bursting any time. We have asked the Indian side to remain alert,” said Mainali. A big earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, triggering numerous landslides and avalanches and killing more than 8,000 people. A second quake hit the mountainous country on May 12, killing scores. ers to move to safer areas amid concerns that the river could bring floods in the districts of Parbat, Syangja, Gulmi, Palpa, Nawalparasi and Chitwan. The river flows into India where it is known as the Gandak. Authorities in India have been

OBITUARY

informed about the formation of the artificial lake, which could burst, leading to flash floods in Nepal as well as in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, said Hari Prasad Mainali, the chief district officer of Nepal’s Nawalparasi district, which borders India.

Water build-up Myagdi district administrator Tek Bahadur K.C. said the landslide had created a 150 metre-high dam and the water build- up spread about three kilometres. “We had already moved 123

people in the area to safe places fearing landslides as the mountain had developed cracks in the earthquake,” he said. No human casualty “This is why there is no human casualty even in such a massive landslide that has destroyed part of a dirt road connecting the nearby areas,” K.C. said. In August last year a massive landslide blocked the Sunkoshi river in northeast Nepal killing more than 150 people and causing fears of ﬂooding as far away as the eastern Indian state of Bihar, where thousands of people were evacuated. — Agencies

COMMANDER’S KILLING

Ukrainian rebels deny internal strife KIEV: Ukraine’s pro-Russian rebels rushed on Sunday to dispel speculation that a bloody internal battle for control of Moscow’s money was behind the ganglandstyle slaying of a top warlord. Prizrak (Ghost) brigade commander Alexei Mozgovoi and at least six others were shot dead Saturday while travelling in an area under his control in the renegade eastern province of Lugansk. Separatist officials said his convoy of at least two vehicles was ﬁrst struck by a bomb. The survivors were then mowed down in a hail of bullets near the spot where Mozgovoi survived another assassination attempt in March. Mozgovoi was long believed to have run afoul of Lugansk’s self-proclaimed leader Igor Plotnitsky and some key officials in the Kremlin. Yet Plotnitsky tried quickly to quash talk of a potentially fatal rift emerging in the militants’ looselyorganised ranks. “The attack on Alexei Mozgovoi and his comrades-in-arms was an attack on all of us -- people who defend the right for the (separatist region) to exist,” Plotnitsky told his administration’s official website. “I mourn together with all those who knew Alexei Borisovich Mozgovoi and those who walked this journey together with him.” Central role Mozgovoi played a central role in momentum-swinging battles that forced pro-Western President Petro Poroshenko to sue for peace on two occasions. His trimmed goatee and penetrating gaze disguised an authoritarian character and history of insubordination. The former folk choir singer and poet -- believed to be around 40 -- resisted the terms of a February truce deal that permitted only limited self-rule in rebelheld lands. Mozgovoi also featured on a US blacklist for organising a summary court system that targeted those either backing Kiev or practising Western lifestyles. — AFP

S H O O T I N G O F U NA R M E D B L AC K PA I R

Nobel prize winner 71 arrested in the US over protests mathematician against acquittal of police officer killed in car crash NEW YORK: Mathematician John Nash, a Nobel prize winner whose longtime struggle with mental illness inspired the movie ‘A Beautiful Mind’, was killed in a car crash along with his wife in New Jersey, state police said on Sunday. The couple were in a taxi when the driver lost control, crashed into a guard rail and hit another car on Saturday afternoon on the New Jersey Turnpike, said police. Nash, 86, and his wife, Alicia, 82, were thrown from the taxi and pronounced dead at the scene, New Jersey State Police spokesman Sgt. Gregory Williams added, declining to comment on media reports that they were not wearing seat belts. Russell Crowe, who portrayed Nash in the Oscar-winning movie, said on Twitter that he was stunned by the deaths. “An amazing partnership. Beautiful minds, beautiful hearts,” the Hollywood star wrote. The taxi driver was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the driver of the other vehicle was also treated in hospital, police said. No charges had been ﬁled, Williams added. The ﬁlm “A Beautiful Mind” was loosely based on his battle with schizophrenia. Nash received his Ph.D. from Princeton in 1950 and spent much of his career there and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He began experiencing what he described as “mental disturbances” in 1959 after marrying Alicia, a MIT physics major who was then pregnant, according to his biography on the Nobel prize website. “I was disturbed in this way for a very long period of time, like 25 years,” Nash said in a 2004 video interview on the Nobel website. He stressed that his was an un-

John Nash

Nash was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 1994 for his work on game theory and the mathematics of decision-making

usual case, as he was able eventually stop taking medication and return to normal activities and his research. The 2001 movie represented an “artistic” take on his experience, giving insight into mental illness but not accurately portraying the nature of his delusions, Nash said in the interview. Game theory “John’s remarkable achievements inspired generations of mathematicians, economists and scientists who were inﬂuenced by his brilliant, groundbreaking work in game theory,” Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber said in a statement. — Reuters

CLEVELAND: Some 71 people were arrested in Cleveland overnight during protests that ﬂared after a police officer was found not guilty in the shooting deaths of an unarmed black man and a woman following a high-speed car chase in 2012, police said on Sunday. Protests were mostly peaceful after the judge’s verdict was announced on Saturday, Police Chief Calvin Williams said. But later in the day, some people “crossed the line,” assaulting bystanders in a downtown area, brieﬂy blocking a major highway and disrupting business at a shopping center, he told a news conference. The unrest comes amid a national outcry over the law enforcement’s use of lethal force against minority groups. Over the past year, the deaths of unarmed black men during confrontations with police in Ferguson, Missouri, New York City, Baltimore and elsewhere have spawned protests and occasional violent outbursts around the United States. Peaceful demonstration Williams said police in Cleveland “gave people the space and a safe environment” to demonstrate peacefully but said would not allow violence towards people or property. In one incident, protesters assaulted bystanders with pepper spray in a downtown area, Williams said. Another was arrested for throwing a sign at a person entering a restaurant, as were two other protesters who tried to interfere when police moved in, Williams said. Businesses shut down Businesses in Tower City Center shut down for the day when protesters entered the shopping complex and became disruptive, he said. Protesters took to the streets after Judge John O’Donnell acquitted police officer Michael Brelo, 31, on charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the deaths of Malissa Wil-

JUSTICE DENIED: People take to the streets and protest in reaction to Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo being acquitted of manslaughter charges after he shot two people at the end of a 2012 car chase in which officers ﬁred 137 shots in Cleveland, US. — AFP

Protesters took to the streets after Judge John O’Donnell acquitted police officer Michael Brelo, 31, on charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in the deaths of Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell liams and Timothy Russell. Malissa Williams and Russell were black and Brelo, a former Marine, is white. The judge ruled Brelo acted reasonably in shooting the two while standing on the hood of their surrounded car and firing multiple rounds through the windshield. Brelo was one of a group of officers who fired on the car at the end of a chase that began in downtown Cleveland after reports of gunfire coming from the car.

The US Justice Department said on Saturday its civil rights division, the US attorney’s office and the FBI were reviewing testimony and evidence from the state trial and would determine if federal action would be taken. Brelo’s trial came months after the Justice Department found the Cleveland Police Department systematically engages in excessive use of force against civilians. The department, in a December report, found that supervisors tol-

erated and in some cases, endorsed use of unnecessary or unreasonable force. Just days before the report was released, a Cleveland police ofﬁcer shot and killed Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who was carrying what turned out to be a replica gun that typically ﬁres plastic pellets. The shooting is under investigation. Five other police supervisors were indicted on misdemeanor dereliction of duty charges in the deaths of Williams and Russell and are scheduled to go on trial in July. Dozens of officers have been disciplined and Cleveland paid the families of Williams and Russell $1.5 million each to settle a wrongful death lawsuit. Brelo will remain on unpaid suspension until a police review is completed, police chief Williams said. — Reuters

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ONTC signs pact with Dutch firm to purchase 40 low-floor buses Addition of the new buses to the existing ﬂeet will help enhance the public transport in the city, said chief executive officer of ONTC

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Forty low-floor city buses will be delivered by the Netherlands-based VDL Bus & Coach company by the end of the year under an agreement signed with the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) in Muscat on Sunday. The agreement for buying buses by Oman for the first time was signed by Eng Salim bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Transport and Communications and chairman of ONTC, and Rémi Henkemans, managing director of VDL Bus & Coach, one of the largest bus producers in Europe. Speaking to reporters, Ahmed bin Ali Al Bulushi, the newly appointed chief executive officer of ONTC, said that the addition of the new buses to the existing fleet will

– Picture taken from company website

help enhance the public transport in the city. They will be used on major routes in Muscat, including Sultan Qaboos Road, he said, adding that ONTC is preparing the infrastructure for the implementation of the project. The buses which will join the ﬂeet are modern and safe and can be easily used by people with disabilities, Al Bulushi noted. Delivery In addition, Henkemans said that VDL Bus & Coach will deliver all the buses between October 15 and November 15 this year. Each bus has a seating capacity of around 40 passengers, he added. “We will deliver in two batches. It is depending also on the logistics

of the shipping,” he said, adding that their local partner will be responsible for repair and maintenance work. Training There will be training programmes for drivers and mechanics, Henkemans said. The official also noted that the company’s competitive edge helped it secure the agreement as it had offered competitive prices for very high quality products. “Our products are known to be very fuelefficient,” he further added. The managing director of VDL Bus & Coach said that their products will make a difference to the public transport system in Muscat as they are attractive, comfortable and safe, which will encourage

PROJECT FINANCE

MODERN AND SAFE: The agreement for the supply of the buses to Oman for the ﬁrst time was signed by Eng Salim bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Transport and Communications and chairman of ONTC, and Rémi Henkemans, managing director of VDL Bus & Coach, one of the largest bus producers in Europe. — Talib Al Wohaibi/Times of Oman

people to use public transport. According to him, VDL Bus & Coach is operating around 500 vehicles in the United Arab Emirates and the agreement with Oman is the next step in the Gulf region. Activities The main activities of the Dutch company consist of the development, manufacturing, sales and after-sales service of a wide range

of buses, coaches and chassis modules and the purchase and sales of second-hand buses as well. VDL Bus and Coach VDL Bus & Coach consists of multiple bus companies that operate cooperatively in the global market. Manufacturing takes place in the Netherlands and Belgium. Sales of VDL Bus & Coach products take place through a worldwide

network consisting of corporateowned sales offices, importers and agents in more than 30 countries, which makes it possible to offer custom-made transport solutions.

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DUMPING ISSUE

Oman refinery firm borrows Chinese dominance worries OMR350m loan from banks Nigeria’s ailing textile traders MUSCAT: State-owned Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Co (Orpic) has received a OMR350 million, ten-year loan from local and regional banks, part of which will be used to fund expansion projects, the company said on Friday. The money will be used to “meet general corporate requirements and certain projects currently being considered”, chief financial officer Nazar Al Lawati told Reuters, without revealing financial terms or naming the projects. Syndicated loan The syndicated loan was arranged by Bank Muscat, with a consortium that included Bank Dhofar, National Bank of Oman (NBO),

The refining and petrochemical company has a range of projects underway or planned, as Oman pours billions of dollars into its ongoing industrialisation Bank Sohar, the local operation of Qatar National Bank, along with other banks. The reﬁning and petrochemical company has a range of projects underway or planned, as Oman

pours billions of dollars into its ongoing industrialisation. Oman has continued spending on such projects, despite the plunge in oil prices beginning last year which pushed the state budget into a deep deficit. The projects include an upgrade of Orpic’s Sohar refinery, a product pipeline between Muscat and Sohar, and construction of the $3.6 billion Liwa plastics production complex. “Orpic plans to raise syndicated financing to fund the Liwa Plastics Industrial Complex, for which it has started discussions with potential export credit agencies and plans to launch (the project) to commercial banks in July this year,” Al Lawati further added. — Agencies

FUND RAISING

Bank Sohar to raise $250m debut loan for funding general business DUBAI: Bank Sohar has invited banks to participate in a $250 million debut loan to fund its general business activities, with the marketing of the deal expected to close by end of June, the arranger of the facility said on Sunday.

Cost of fund The bank will raise funds with a three-year life-span and will pay a margin of 120 basis points over the London interbank offered rate (Libor), Reuters news agency said in a report.

Bank Sohar has picked Bahrain-based Arab Banking Corporation (ABC) as the sole arranger and bookrunner for the loan syndication, Arab Banking Corporation said in a press statement released on Sunday. - Agencies

KANO (Nigeria): Naﬁu Badaru, a junior civil servant in northern Nigeria’s biggest city Kano, doesn’t make much money and it takes some cash to look good so he tends to buy made-in-China fabric. “A piece of high-quality brocade (cloth) costs around 10,000 naira ($50, 47 euros), which is way too expensive for me,” he told AFP. “With the same amount of money I can buy six pieces of cheap Chinese brocade which cost only 1,500 naira a piece and still keep some change.” The proliferation of Chinesemade textiles is a boon for consumers like Nafiu, with Kano and the wider north struggling with unemployment and economic constraints. But traders in the city — a centre of weaving and textile manufacturing dating back centuries — say such cheaper imports have been disastrous. Factories have shut and trade in home-spun fabrics has dwindled, prompting calls for foreign investment within Nigeria rather than cheap, mass importation, as well as better regulation. Fatuhu Gambo’s business is one of many in dire straits. For the past two weeks he has not sold a single fabric in his shop in the Kantin Kwari textile market — the largest in West Africa. “The Chinese have effectively edged us out of business, leaving

– Bloomberg ﬁle picture

us with nothing but huge debts and heaps of goods in our shops,” he said. Unfair competition Talk in the market — a colourful rabbit’s warren of shops and stalls that draws traders from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon to Mali and the Central African Republic — is of unfair competition. “The Chinese have taken over the importation and distribution of textiles in Kano and now they are into retail trading, which is putting our traders out of business,” said traders’ union head Liti Kulkul. The troubles began a decade ago when Chinese textile merchants started the massive importation of textiles to Nigeria after Africa’s most populous nation opened its

doors to foreign trade. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deal gave the Chinese unfettered access to Nigeria’s textile market, although Nigerian laws prohibit foreigners from retail trading. There have been occasional crackdowns, like in May 2012, when immigration officials arrested and deported 45 Chinese nationals over retail trading after repeated complaints. Earlier this month, customs ofﬁcials arrested four Chinese traders for smuggling mass-produced fabrics and sealed 26 warehouses containing goods on which import duties had not been paid. Hundreds of textile dyers then staged street protests against what they view as a Chinese takeover of their trade that threatens to put 30,000 artisans out of business. - AFP

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

MARKET More than 150 companies set to participate in Sohar exhibition Exhibit proﬁle of this exhibition is fabrics, readymade garments, bags, shoes, leather products, cosmetics and perfumes

Times News Service MUSCAT: A consumer exhibition organised by Silver Star in Sohar is evoking tremendous response. The exhibition will be held between May 25 and 31 at Oman International Exhibition Centre, Sohar. The event has evoked excellent response from more than 150 exhibitors in this exhibition participating from various countries .

Several countries These countries include Bahrain, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippine, Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Thailand, UAE and Yemen. The exhibit proﬁle of this exhibition is fabrics, readymade garments, bags, shoes, leather products, cosmetics, perfumes etc. The products on display and sale are of value added items. The timing of the exhibition is

from 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 10pm on all seven days except Friday (May 29, 2015 from 4.30pm to 10pm. The retail sales are allowed throughout seven days of the exhibition. There is a special day for ladies from 10am to 1pm and for families from 5pm to 10pm on Wednesday (May 27, 2015) respectively keeping in mind that many visitors want to reserve a special timings for these categories so as to have a pleasant and comfortable shopping. The next consumer exhibition in Sohar is going to be after four months (in October 2015). Silver Star is a house hold name and is one of the pioneers in the exhibition Industry in Oman and UAE for the past more than two decades and we are looking forward in making Silver Star Shopping Festival Sohar 2015 yet another success story in the annals of exhibitions in the Sultanate of Oman.

P E R P E T UA L T I E R I C A P I TA L

NBO to seek shareholders’ nod for funds Times News Service

WOOING CROWD: The products on display and sale are of value

added items. – Supplied picture

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman said that it would convene an extraordinary general meeting on June 10, 2015 to seek shareholders’ approval for issuing additional perpetual Tier 1 capital to the tune of $300 million in Omani rial. Interest rate for the perpetual tier I capital will be determined at the time of issue based upon market conditions. The meeting will also seek approval to amend the shareholders’ decision of March 22, 2011 to increase the limit of its existing euro medium term notes programme from $600 million to $1.5 billion. The proposal will also include the possibility of issuing Tier 2 subordinated securities in the next four years, subject to regulatory approvals, as applicable.

BAILOUT DEAL

Greek premier deﬁant as bailout talks enter ‘homestretch’ ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Saturday that he believes a bailout deal with creditors is nearing, yet remained adamant that there are strict limits to demands Athens will accept. “We have done what we ought to do, now it’s Europe’s turn to do so,” Tsipras said in a speech to his hardleft Syriza party’s central committee, where he claimed the country is “in the homestretch of a painful and difficult period.” The Syriza-led government is locked in talks with the European Union, European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to release a blocked ﬁnal 7.2-billion-euro ($7.9 billon) tranche of its 240-billioneuro bailout. In exchange for the remaining aid, creditors are demanding

Greece accept tough reforms and spending cuts that anti-austerity Syriza pledged to reject when it was elected in January. In his speech, Tsipras sought to appease prominent members of his party who are urging the government to stick by its campaign pledges to combat poverty and unemployment, and defy creditors’ demands despite Greece’s increasingly acute liquidity problems. “The majority of Greek people ask for a viable solution not only an agreement,” Tsipras said, stressing a mutually beneﬁcial deal must focus on low targets for Greece’s primary surplus and restructuring of its debt. He also accused some creditors of “taking advantage of (Greece’s) cash asphyxiation,” and pledged the government will not “budge

to irrational demands” that involve crossing his government’s “red lines”. “We don’t discuss further deregulation of the labour system. We won’t accept further reduction of pensions. We won’t accept humiliating terms for ourselves, for our party or for the Greek people,” Tsipras stated. Greece faces a series of debt repayments beginning next month that are seen as all but impossible to meet without the blocked bailout funds. Failure to honour those payments would result in probable default, raising the spectre of a chaotic Greek exit from the euro. According to reports, creditors are demanding further budget cuts worth ﬁve billion euros. Yet despite the acrimonious atmosphere amid the stalled negotiations, all

sides appear convinced there is no alternative to reaching a deal. “It would be a catastrophe for Greece to leave the eurozone,” said French Finance Minister Michel Sapin on Saturday during a visit in Lisbon, adding Athens’ exit would also create a “problem for the eurozone”. But even as he called for a “rapid accord” to be reached, Sapin said any deal must encompass commitments previous Greek governments made in bailout agreements, and also “prepare for what comes next, because Greece will still remain a fragile country.” - AFP

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Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

MARKET Oman’s revenue drops 24% to OMR2.4b in first quarter For the ﬁrst quarter of 2015, the country posted a budget deﬁcit of OMR544.6 million, against a surplus of OMR215.4 million posted for the same period of 2014.

Net oil revenue fell 31% (or OMR913.5m) to OMR1,673.4 million from as high as OMR2,586.9 million during the three-month period under review

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com

HIGHLY VOLATILE: The average price of Oman Crude in the international market dipped by 41.5 per

cent to $61.99 per barrel in the ﬁrst three months of this year. — Times ﬁle picture

MUSCAT: Oman’s total government revenue in the ﬁrst quarter of 2015 dipped by 23.9 per cent to OMR2,447.3 million from OMR3,214.4 million for the same period last year, mainly on account of a fall in oil revenue. Net oil revenue plummeted by 35.31 per cent (or OMR913.5 million) to OMR1,673.4 million from as high as OMR2,586.9 million during the three-month period un-

der review, according to the latest statistics released by the Central Bank of Oman. The average price of Oman Crude in the international market dipped by 41.5 per cent to $61.99 per barrel in the ﬁrst three months of this year, from as high as $105.96 per barrel for the same period of 2014, according to the latest sta-

tistical bulletin released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). However, the Sultanate’s government did not cut its expenditure, which was OMR2,991.9 million for the ﬁrst quarter of 2015, against OMR2,999 million for the same period in 2014. Both current and investment ex-

O M A N B R U N E I AV I AT I O N L E A S I N G C O M PA N Y

Aircraft leasing firm enters into pact with Oman Air Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman Brunei Aviation Leasing Company (OBALC) was mandated by Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, to provide three new Boeing B737-900ER aircraft on long-term lease. The aircraft were previously ordered by the airline and the first delivery was completed on Wednesday, the second is scheduled for May 27 and the third is in November 2015. Simon McLean, OBALC’s CEO, commented “In our inaugural transaction with Oman Air last year, we clearly demonstrated our ability to deliver a competitive solution in a short timescale, so we were delighted to be mandated again by Oman Air for the provision of three further new B737-900ER aircraft, taking us to a total of five B737 aircraft by the end of 2015”. Main client “Oman Air remains a cornerstone client for OBALC and we look forward to supporting the airline in the years to come,” he added. Simon further commented “OBALC’s shareholders continue with their plan to launch an aviation leasing fund in the Muscat capital market this year and the

Oman Air transactions, which are to be the first products acquired by the fund, providing prospective investors with clear visibility on what their money is going to be invested in”. OBALC is Oman’s very first aircraft leasing company, specialising in the provision of tailored leasing, sales, asset management and re-marketing solutions to leading airlines and investors. OBALC is owned by Oman Brunei Investment Company and the State General Reserve Fund of the Sultanate of Oman. Financing facility OBALC has sourced, negotiated and closed a financing facility with Arab Banking Corporation (ABC) for the purchase of two new B737-900ER aircraft leased to Oman Air. Simon McLean, OBALC’s CEO, commented: “for our second transaction with Oman Air we selected ABC as our financing partner, giving us the ability to confidently and expeditiously provide the client, Oman Air, with a competitive leasing solution for two aircraft.” He added that “ABC did a great job of accommodating a timescale of less than a month from the date we received the airline’s sale & leaseback mandate to the first

aircraft delivery and, in doing so, they fully justified the confidence and trust we had placed in them.” Jeremy Dixon, First Vice President, Project & Structured Finance at ABC, commented: “ABC is very proud to have successfully closed this transaction with OBALC. As a leading provider of project & structured finance solutions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, we are pleased to be able to support the development of Oman’s first aircraft leasing company.” OBALC is Oman’s first aircraft leasing company, specialising in the provision of tailored leasing, investment, asset management and remarketing solutions to leading airlines globally and investors. OBALC is owned by Oman Brunei Investment Company and the State General Reserve Fund of the Sultanate of Oman. ABC is a leading international bank in the MENA region. Headquartered in Bahrain, it provides innovative wholesale financial products and services that include corporate banking, trade finance, project and structured finance, syndications, treasury products and Islamic banking. It also provides retail banking services through its network of retail banks in the region.

penditures edged up to OMR1,697.6 million (from OMR1,693.3 million) and OMR555.3 million (from OMR548 million), respectively. Oman government projected its budget expenditure and revenue for 2015 at OMR14.1 billion and OMR11.6 billion, respectively, leaving an anticipated deﬁcit of OMR2.5 billion.

A healthy sign Market analysts said that maintaining investment expenditure, despite a phenomenal dip in oil revenue, is a healthy sign and would prop up economic activity. The government has been taking major initiatives to raise debt funds from domestic market by way of a OMR200 million-worth sukuk or Islamic bond issue. The private placement of sukuk, which is expected within a couple of months, will enable government to continue its expenditure. Move is also afoot to raise funds by divesting stakes in state-owned companies. Although 11 companies have been identiﬁed for divestment almost two years ago, the progress in ﬂoating initial public offerings is slow.

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EIGHT TENDERS

Government ﬂoats tenders for pipeline maintenance A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Eight tenders seeking contractors for operation and maintenance of water distribution networks in several parts of the country have been floated by the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). Six governorates These tenders are mainly for maintaining distribution and transmission pipelines, pumping stations, wells, tanker filling stations, buildings and water treatment plants in six governorates. These are Al Sharqiyah South, Al Batinah North, Al Wusta, Musandam, Al Dhahira, Al Dakhliyah and Muscat. Tender opens on June 22 Also, another tender was for operation and maintenance of main water transmission system and associated facilities in Oman. These tenders, which were floated last week, will open on June 22, according to the Tender Board website.

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

MARKET MSM index edges down Sunday’s top gainer was Oman Fisheries, up by 1.89%, while National Mineral Water, down by 3.90%, was the top loser of the day

MUSCAT: Oman’s general index — MSM30 Index — ended on a negative note to close at 6,375.43 points, down by 0.12 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index was marginally down by 0.05 per cent to close at 985.25 points. Bank Muscat was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Sunday’s top gainer was Oman Fisheries, up by 1.89 per cent, while National Mineral Water, down by 3.90 per cent, was the top loser for the day. As many as 521 trades were executed during the day’s trading session generating turnover of OMR1.90 million with more than 7.56 million shares changing hands. Out of 49 traded secu-

rities, 10 advanced, 18 declined and 21 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR282,000 while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers for OMR271,000 followed by Foreign investors for OMR11,000 worth of shares. Financial Index closed at 7762.31 points, marginally down by 0.07 per cent. Bank Nizwa , Al Madina Investment, United Finance, National Bank of Oman and Bank Sohar increased by 1.33 per cent, 0.76 per cent, 0.63 per cent and 0.54 per cent, respectively. Oman & Emirates, Al Sharqiya Investment, Oman United Insurance and ONIC Holding de-

clined by 2.68 per cent, 2.26 per cent, 1.32 per cent and 1.31 per cent, respectively. Industrial Index closed at 8308.17 points, down by 0.07 per cent. Oman Fisheries, Oman Flour Mills, Voltamp Energy and Al Anwar Ceramics increased by 1.89 per cent, 0.80 per cent, 0.51 per cent and 0.48 per cent, respectively. National Mineral Water, Construction Material Industries, Galfar Engineering and Al Hassan Engineering declined by 3.90 per cent, 2.56 per cent, 1.58 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively. Services Sector Index was down by 0.14 per cent to close at 3,447.83 points. Oman Telecommunication, Renaissance Services and Al Suwadi Power declined by 0.90 per cent, 0.57 per cent and 0.52 per cent respectively. Dubai stocks decline Real estate and construction companies dragged Dubai’s stocks to the lowest in ﬁve weeks as gauges across the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) retreated.

Dubai’s DFM General Index lost 1.7 per cent to close at 4,049.98, pulled lower by a two per cent decrease in the Dubai Financial Market Real Estate Index. Emaar Properties, the developer with the biggest weighting on the gauge, dropped the most since May 4. Arabtec Holding slipped to the lowest since April 2 after Egypt reportedly ended talks with the construction company to build one million housing units. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped 0.4 per cent to 9,732.52, the weakest ﬁnish since May 20. Qatar’s QE Index was little changed while Kuwait’s SE Price Index lost 0.3 per cent and Bahrain’s BB All Share Index decreased 0.6 per cent. Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index fell 0.7 per cent. Egypt’s EGX 30 Index rose 1.5 per cent, extending gains after its best week in almost two years. The government last week postponed taxing bourse proﬁts for two years, a decision that received criticism from the International Monetary Fund. — United Securities/Bloomberg News

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 6,385.94 ...............6,375.43 ................... 6,375.43 ...................6,383.35.................. -7.92 .................. -0.12 Financial Index ..................................... 7,774.31 ............... 7,761.40 .................... 7,762.31 ....................7,767.83.................. -5.52 .................. -0.07 Industrial Index ....................................8,316.84 ...............8,307.10 ................... 8,308.17 ...................8,314.09.................. -5.92 .................. -0.07 Services Index .......................................3,453.55 ...............3,447.83 ................... 3,447.83 ...................3,452.69..................-4.86 .................. -0.14 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................986.36 ..................985.28 ...................... 985.28 .......................985.75.................. -0.47 .................. -0.05 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 7,569,610 .....................1,905,031 .....................521 ................14,776,773,569 ................ 10 ......................18 .................... 21 .........................49

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, MAY 24 ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

REGULAR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 1,394,242...... 105,962......................31 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.076 ...........0.076........... 0.076 .............0.075 ............0.001 ............. 1.333 ................0.076..............0.076...................0.077................... 15,743,505 .........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 111,382 .............14,708..................... 10 ............0.131 ........... 0.133 ...........0.131 ........... 0.132 ............. 0.131 .............0.001 ............. 0.763 ................0.132 ..............0.132...................0.133...................41,020,972.........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 443,129 ..........141,665......................14 ........... 0.320 ...........0.320 ...........0.316 ........... 0.320 ............. 0.318............ 0.002............. 0.629 ................0.320.............. 0.318...................0.320 .................429,027,280 .......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 174,314 ............ 32,349........................5 ............0.183 ........... 0.186 ...........0.183 ........... 0.186 ............. 0.185.............0.001 ............. 0.541 ................0.186 .............. 0.183...................0.186..................268,107,840........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 17,003 ............... 6,758........................5 ........... 0.396 ...........0.400 ...........0.396........... 0.398 .............0.396 ........... 0.002............. 0.505 ................0.396..............0.396...................0.416...................24,079,000.........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 151,000............ 63,228......................12 ............0.416 ...........0.420 ...........0.414 ............0.418 ............. 0.416............ 0.002............. 0.481 ................0.414 ..............0.414...................0.420 ................. 123,817,319 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 122,969 ...........64,962..................... 33 ........... 0.530 ...........0.530 ...........0.524........... 0.528 .............0.526 ........... 0.002.............0.380 ................0.524..............0.524...................0.526...................27,720,000 .........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .................................................................. 200 .....................80........................1 ........... 0.400...........0.400 ...........0.400 .......... 0.398 .............0.398 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.400..............0.396...................0.400 ..................19,900,000.........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS .....................215 .....................65........................1 ........... 0.304...........0.304 ...........0.304 .......... 0.306 .............0.306 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.304............. 0.304...................0.320 ..................10,272,864 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 224,880........... 52,096......................21 ........... 0.232 ...........0.234 ...........0.230........... 0.232 .............0.232 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.231 ..............0.231...................0.232 ..................46,400,000 ........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 592,060 .........272,348......................15 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.460........... 0.460 .............0.460 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.462 .................170,391,958 ........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY........................................ 4,134 ............... 8,743........................3 ............2.115 ........... 2.115............2.115 ............2.115 ............. 2.115 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................2.115 .............. 2.115...................2.325.................. 189,715,500 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................ 11,464 ............... 6,145........................6 ........... 0.536 ........... 0.536 ...........0.536........... 0.536 .............0.536 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.536..............0.536...................0.540 ................. 177,347,773 ........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ....................100 .....................22........................1 ........... 0.220...........0.220 ...........0.220 .......... 0.221 .............0.221 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.220 ............ 0.220...................0.224 ...................4,641,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ........................................................................... 500 ...................107........................1 ............0.213 ........... 0.213 ...........0.213 ........... 0.213 .............0.213............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.213 .............. 0.211...................0.213..................303,532,699 .......0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .............................................67,516 ............ 24,499......................18 ........... 0.370 ...........0.370 ...........0.362........... 0.362 .............0.362 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.366..............0.364...................0.368...................22,155,947 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ........................................ 400 ..................840........................1 ........... 2.100 ........... 2.100 ...........2.100........... 2.000 .............2.000 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.100............. 2.000...................2.090 ................ 190,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ..............................................................94,843 .............51,210......................13 ........... 0.538 ...........0.540 ...........0.538........... 0.540 .............0.540 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.540..............0.540...................0.542 ...............1,237,584,202 ......0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ......... 1,000 ...............2,190........................1 ............2.190 ........... 2.190 ...........2.190........... 2.190 .............2.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.190..............2.190...................2.200 ................. 151,110,000 ........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER................................................................8,240 ...............2,872........................4 ........... 0.348 ...........0.350 ...........0.348........... 0.348 .............0.348 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.350..............0.350...................0.406 .................. 76,911,480 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 165,000 ..........127,550......................11 ............0.772 ........... 0.776 ...........0.772 ........... 0.772 .............0.772............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.772 ..............0.768...................0.772................. 502,528,946 .......0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH................................................ 13,823 .............33,175........................8 ........... 2.400...........2.400 ...........2.400 .......... 2.400 .............2.400 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.400 ............ 2.400...................2.440 .................229,097,268........1.000 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER..................................................53,005 .............10,318........................6 ............0.195 ........... 0.195 ...........0.194............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.194.............. 0.191...................0.193..................131,603,049 ........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...........................................................7,967 .............12,492........................2 ............1.570 ........... 1.570 ...........1.565 ............1.570 ............. 1.575............-0.005 ............-0.317................1.565 ..............1.560...................1.570................. 314,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................... 67,339 .............13,029........................8 ............0.194 ........... 0.194 ...........0.193 ............0.193 .............0.194 ...........-0.001 ............-0.515................0.194..............0.194...................0.195..................137,880,424 ........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 114,692 ............ 39,952..................... 34 ........... 0.350 ...........0.350 ...........0.346........... 0.348 .............0.350 ...........-0.002 ............-0.571................0.346..............0.342...................0.346 ..................98,168,870 .........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 100,000 ........... 13,900........................2 ............0.139 ........... 0.139 ...........0.139 ............0.139 .............0.140 ...........-0.001 ............-0.714................0.139 .............. 0.137...................0.139..................278,043,478........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 139,900 ............18,847......................12 ............0.136 ........... 0.136 ...........0.134............0.135 ............. 0.136............-0.001 ........... -0.735................0.134 .............. 0.133...................0.135 .................... 7,943,834 ..........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................ 21,100 ...............2,638........................3 ............0.125 ........... 0.125 ...........0.125 ............0.125 .............0.126............-0.001 ........... -0.794 ...............0.125 ..............0.123...................0.125.................... 3,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 171,033 ............ 41,060.....................24 ........... 0.242...........0.242 ...........0.240 .......... 0.240 .............0.242 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.826 ...............0.240 ............ 0.240...................0.243 ..................31,320,000.........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 220,750 .........364,428..................... 25 ............1.665 ........... 1.665 ...........1.650 ............1.650 ............. 1.665............-0.015 ........... -0.901 ...............1.650 .............. 1.645...................1.650................1,237,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 183,620 ............ 15,821......................14 ........... 0.087 ...........0.087 ...........0.086........... 0.086 .............0.087 ...........-0.001 ............-1.149................0.086..............0.085...................0.086...................15,050,000 .........0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING .......................................................... 145,189 ............ 65,569.....................20 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.450........... 0.452 .............0.458 ...........-0.006 ............-1.310................0.456..............0.450...................0.456...................78,387,309 .........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE .................................12,000 ...............3,600........................2 ........... 0.300...........0.300 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.304 ...........-0.004 ............-1.316................0.300 .............0.298...................0.304 ..................30,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 492,330 ............61,758..................... 52 ............0.127 ........... 0.127 ...........0.124............0.125 ............. 0.127............-0.002 ............-1.575................0.125 ..............0.124...................0.125...................36,247,580 .........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............12,997 ............... 1,693........................4 ............0.131 ........... 0.131............0.130........... 0.130 ............. 0.133............-0.003 ........... -2.256 ...............0.130 ..............0.130...................0.135 ...................11,700,000 .........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 1,524,653 ......166,944......................51 ............0.112 ........... 0.112............0.108........... 0.109 ............. 0.112............-0.003 ........... -2.679 ...............0.109..............0.108...................0.109...................13,284,375 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 6,864,989...1,843,620...................474 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......37........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ........................................................10,175 .................. 549........................2 ........... 0.053 ...........0.054 ...........0.053........... 0.054 .............0.053 ............0.001 ............. 1.887 ................0.054..............0.053...................0.054 ...................6,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ..................................................................65,826 ...............4,934......................11 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.075 ...........0.074........... 0.075 .............0.074 ............0.001 ..............1.351.................0.075..............0.074...................0.075..................112,500,000........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ................................................... 9,028 ...............4,550........................4 ........... 0.500 ...........0.506 ...........0.500........... 0.504 .............0.500 ........... 0.004.............0.800 ................0.506..............0.506...................0.508 ..................79,380,000.........0.100 OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ...............................................1,656 ..................300........................1 ............0.181 ........... 0.181............0.181 ............0.181 ............. 0.181 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.181 .............. 0.181................... 0.191 ...................13,937,000 .........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 478,500 ........... 40,194......................11 ........... 0.084 ...........0.084 ...........0.084........... 0.084 .............0.084 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.084..............0.076...................0.084 ................. 84,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE .............................. 31,797 ...............3,784........................3 ............0.119 ........... 0.119............0.119 ............0.119 .............0.120 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.833 ...............0.119 .............. 0.119...................0.120...................11,900,000 .........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.....................................11,100 ...............1,099........................3 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.099........... 0.099 .............0.100 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.000 ...............0.099..............0.099...................0.100.................... 7,445,592 ..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................53,839 ...............2,072........................7 ........... 0.039 ...........0.040 ...........0.038........... 0.038 .............0.039 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.564 ...............0.038..............0.038...................0.039....................3,230,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001285 ............NATIONAL MINERAL WATER ...............................27,000 ...............1,998........................2 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.074 ...........0.074........... 0.074 .............0.077 ...........-0.003 ........... -3.896 ...............0.074..............0.070...................0.079.................... 1,998,225 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 688,921 ........... 59,480.....................44 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000004487 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES BONDS3.75 .............. 14,974 ............... 1,857........................1 ............0.124 ........... 0.124 ...........0.124........... 0.124 .............0.124 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.124.............. 0.125...................0.140...................52,469,568 .........0.100 OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ..............................363 .....................38........................1 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.104........... 0.104 .............0.104 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.104..............0.104...................0.105...................31,485,908 .........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 .................................................363 .....................37........................1 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.101 ............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.101 .............. 0.101...................0.110 ...................32,283,910 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................... 15,700 ................1,931........................3 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 3...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

C A P I TA L G A I N S TA X

IMF criticises Egypt on delays CAIRO: International Monetary Fund (IMF) criticised Egypt’s decision to delay imposing capital gains tax on stocks because it means that the cost of shoring up public ﬁnances will be borne by “people who are less able to afford it.” “We are disappointed that the capital gains tax has been postponed,” Chris Jarvis, the lender’s Egypt Mission Chief, said in an

e-mailed response to questions. “This was a tax which raised needed revenue and which was fair,” he added further. The government has struggled to raise more money from wealthier Egyptians as it seeks to narrow one of the biggest budget deﬁcits in the Middle East. In March, officials cancelled a ﬁve per cent surcharge on the highest-earners, just nine

months after it went into effect. They also reversed an increase in the top rate of income tax introduced in 2013. Egyptian officials haven’t requested IMF ﬁnancing. The North African country had reached two initial loan agreements with the fund since the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak before withdrawing the requests. — Bloomberg News

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SECTION

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

A TECH BOOM AIMED AT THE FEW INSTEAD OF THE WORLD

FACEBOOK ACCOUNT CAN BE HANDLED AFTER YOU DIE Facebook allows you to designate a friend or family member as a “legacy contact.” If you want to have your account memorialised after you die, this person basically serves as the executor of your Facebook account by managing your proﬁle and can update your cover photo and proﬁle photo, post information and accept new friend requests. (Memorialised accounts without legacy contacts cannot be changed.)

SMARTPHONE APPS

Applications for people to reduce water consumption

To achieve the scale that will enable the start-ups to reach a wider audience, everything for these companies will have to go right, and success will have to feed on itself. That happens rarely in the tech world.

FARHAD MANJOO

ech industry used to think big. As early as 1977, when personal computers were expensive and impractical mystery boxes with no apparent utility or business prospects, the young Bill Gates and Paul Allen were already working toward a future in which we would see “a computer on every desk and in every home.” And in the late 1990s, when it was far from clear that they would ever make a penny from their unusual search engine, the audacious founders of Google were planning to organise every bit of data on the planet — and make it available to everyone, free. These were dreams of vast breadth: The founders of Microsoft, Google, Facebook and many of the rest of today’s tech giants were not content to win over just some people to their future. They weren’t going after simply the rich, or Americans or westerners. They planned to radically alter how the world did business so the impossible became a reality for everyone. Whatever happened to the tech industry’s grand, democratic visions of the future? We are once again living in a go-go time for tech, but there are few signs that the most consequential fruits of the boom have reached the masses. Instead, the boom is characterised by a rise in so-called on-demand services aimed at the wealthy and the young. With a few taps on a phone, for a fee, today’s hottest start-ups will help people on the lowest rungs of the one per cent live like their betters in the 0.1 per cent. These services give the modestly wealthy a chance to enjoy the cooks, cleaners, drivers, personal assistants and all the other lavish appointments that have deﬁned extravagant wealth. As one critic tweeted, San Francisco’s tech industry “is focused on solving one problem: What is my mother no longer doing for me?” No, no, say the start-ups that, to-

day, look as if they’re targeting the rich. The nature of the tech business is that costs come down. Through repeated innovation and delivery at scale, the supercomputers of the 1960s became the PCs of the 1980s, which in turn became the smartphones of the 2010s. The rich subsidise the rest of us — were it not for the suckers who spent more than $10,000 on early versions of the Mac, Apple might not have survived to build the iPhone, in turn begetting an era of affordable pocket supercomputers. Mass producton cuts price This is the basic defence of the new wave of on-demand start-ups: If their rosiest visions of growth come true, they’ll achieve a scale that will let them reduce prices, and in that way offer services that could radically alter how even ordinary people conduct their lives. It is a plausible vision — but an unlikely one. To achieve the scale that will enable the start-ups to reach a wider audience, everything for these companies will have to go right, and success will have to feed on itself. That happens rarely in the tech world. Two companies that are archetypes of today’s on-demand business recently allowed me to investigate their economic models for a look at how they might achieve mass scale. One is Shuddle, a start-up that is creating a ride service for children — an Uber to take your tots to school and soccer. Another is Munchery, which delivers restaurant-quality food to your door (you can think of it as an on-demand personal chef ). Both ﬁrms resisted the notion that they were building services for the wealthy and explained in detail how they planned to serve the masses

If there are great, commercially driven companies out there that can do things like food distribution at scale, and we can piggyback on their success, that could be a huge win Hannah Calhoon Director of Blue Ridge Labs

and lower their prices. “The ﬁrst time you roll out a service, it’s fairly expensive,” said Tri Tran, Munchery’s co-founder and chief executive. “But we have an internal mission of making real, good food accessible to everyone, everywhere, and if we only catered to the upper middle class or people who are really affluent, then we will not accomplish that goal.” He conceded that his prices weren’t low enough to make Munchery an option for everyone, but the business model, he said, would soon allow for greater access. Munchery, which began in 2010, operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle,

New York and soon Los Angeles. Today, a typical adult-size Munchery entree costs around $11 or $12, and a child’s meal around $6. With a $3 delivery fee, a dinner for a family of four might cost around $37. That compares to about $25 for dinner at, say, Chipotle, not counting the time and money it takes to get there. But like many e-commerce businesses, Munchery enjoys certain cost advantages over its physical counterparts that Tran says will lead to lower prices. It buys high-quality ingredients in bulk, uses a single kitchen in an out-of-the-way part of a city and uses advanced cooking tech to cut down on labour. Attractive pricing Tran promises that within a couple of months, chicken, beef and ﬁsh dishes will sell for less than $10 a portion and pasta dishes for $7. In the long run, Tran is aiming for prices that are competitive with those of fast-food chains and that will make cooking at home seem expensive. “If you buy the same quality ingredients that we do and cook it yourself, just the ingredients alone will cost you more,” he said. Foodies might scoff at this idea. But sociologists have found that for many low- and middle-income families, cooking every day takes too much time, planning and money. “If there are great, commercially driven companies out there that can do things like food distribution at scale, and we can piggyback on their success, that could be a huge win,” said Hannah Calhoon, the director of Blue Ridge Labs, an organisation that aims to build tech products for low-income communities. — The New York Times News Service

CALIFORNIA’S drought is a powerful reminder of the vulnerability and precious nature of our water resources. To become more responsible with water usage and waste, a few apps can help people learn about and reduce their water consumption. One is Vizsafe, which tries to encourage responsible water usage through the age-old mechanism of peer pressure. The principle is simple: If a user sees water overuse, he can snap a photo or record a smartphone video and upload the evidence to Vizsafe for all to see. For example, someone may spot a business that is overwatering its grass, causing wasted water to run onto the sidewalk. A user can take a picture and upload the geo-located photo to the app. The hope is that the business takes note of the public shaming and turns down its sprinkler system. Inside the app, users can browse a list of photos and videos that other people have uploaded or see reported issues on a map. Vizsafe’s blurb promises that it is all about “being a good neighbour” and supporting “your community’s well-being.” The app also has other neighbourhood-watch features like reporting crime or even giving a thumbs up to a good Samaritan. Indirect approach Some may feel that using the app is akin to snitching on people, but there are situations in which it is impossible to directly approach someone wasting water, which is when Vizsafe becomes the most useful. Vizsafe does not require users to associate their real identities with uploads. The app is not exactly pretty, nor is it particularly well designed. Its menus and controls are sometimes clumsy and confusing. But it is still fairly easy to use, and is free for iOS and Android. For another way to save water, try educational apps like Drip Detective, which helps people understand one of the most common ways we waste water at home — via a leak, or

a dripping tap in a sink or bathtub. Using Drip Detective, people can tap their phone screen in time to the drips. For more serious leaks, the app asks users to time how long the leak takes to fill a measurable volume, like a teaspoon or cup. Drip Detective then estimates the rate of water waste. Cost of wasting water Merely learning how many gallons of water a year is being wasted could prompt users to fix a leak, but there is also a section in the app where people can type in the cost of water shown on their water bill, and Drip Detective will show the dollar value of water that is escaping down the drain. Drip Detective has plain graphics and is not fancy, but its message is powerful. This app is also a great tool for teaching children to properly shut off a faucet when done using it. The app is free for iOS devices. H2O Tracker is an educational water-saving app that takes a more game-like approach. The main part of the app is a quiz where users score points by answering questions about how much water is used for a shower or bath, to wash a car and so on. Users may realise how much water they waste — and be shocked into changing their habits. To help put figures in context, the app can show a person’s water use compared with that of the average app user, or even with other people who live nearby. H2O Tracker also includes advice on how much water to give plants to keep them alive during a drought without being wasteful. In addition, there is a section where users can upload evidence of water being wasted, a little like Vizsafe. Another app, Dropcountr, which is also free for iOS and Android, promises to give consumers a new way to understand their water consumption by connecting directly to utility companies and showing real-time analytics inside the app. — KIT EATON/The New York Times News Service

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

ROUND-UP Alargan Towell walks away with Best Residential Developer Award Alargan Towell was bestowed with this award for the Beyout Al Faye project located in Al Khoud

MUSCAT: Alargan Towell, one of Sultanate’s leading affordable housing solutions providers, has won the Best Residential Developer Award at the Oman Real Estate

Awards 2015. The award ceremony was hosted by the Oman Real Estate Association (ORA) and Al Nimr Conferences, says a press release.

The project is strategically located in a fast emerging residential and commercial location and is only 20 minutes away from the Muscat International Airport.

Aim of the award The ﬁrst edition of the awards saw enthusiastic participation by all the leading names from the real estate industry in Oman. The awards aim to recognise exceptional contribution of industry professionals, developers and SMEs to promote innovation, sustainability, high standards and quality real estate projects. Alargan Towell was bestowed with this award for the Beyout Al Faye project located in Al Khoud.

Honour “I am very pleased with our performance at the inaugural Oman Real Estate Awards. It is heartening to know that the judging standards for the awards were at par with the best in the world. It is indeed an honour to win the award for Beyout Al Faye. “The project was one of our very ﬁrst in Oman and over the years it has become home to numerous Omani families who were looking for quality homes. I would also like

R E L O C AT I O N

to thank our staff for their hard work and our customers for their support, which made this achievement a reality,” said Tony Safarian, General Manager, Alargan Towell Investment Company, after receiving the award. Alargan Towell Investment Co. was formed in 2003 as an equal partnership between W.J. Towell Group of Companies and Alargan International Real Estate Co. with a mission to develop middle income real estate housing solutions. Over the years the company has earned itself a repute of being the creator of affordable, aesthetic and quality residential as well as commercial projects across the Sultanate.

RECOGNITION

Malabar Gold set to open outlet in Avenues Mall MUSCAT: Malabar Gold & Diamonds, leading jewellery retailer, is all set to open its relocated and expanded outlet in Oman Avenues Mall, Baushar. The grand inauguration will be held on May 28 at 7pm. Formerly operating at Lulu Hypermarket Baushar, their outlet relocated to Oman Avenues Mall, the biggest shopping mall in Oman, keeping in mind their growing customer demand, says a press release. Oman Avenues Mall is an important landmark in the region and is one of the promising shop-

ping locations for the residents and tourists in Oman. Owing to the consistent increase in the number of customers at their outlet, the new showroom will have more space than the former outlet and more variety of designs will be introduced at attractive prices. The customers will surely be delighted to have Malabar Gold & Diamonds outlet in the prestigious Oman Avenues Mall, which will offer them more comfort and convenience. The showroom will showcase

meticulously crafted unique collection of classic, contemporary and stylish designs in gold, diamonds and precious gems to suit the speciﬁc budget of every customer. Like all their other outlets in GCC and Far East, this showroom will also take part in their unique campaign ‘The Great Gold Rush’ through which the customers get opportunity to win a whopping 25 kilos of gold. With every purchase of gold jewellery worth OMR50, the customers get a chance to enter raffle draws to win 2 kg of

gold in 4 draws. Those who buy diamond jewellery worth OMR 50 will get 2 raffle coupons and double the chance to win. Apart from the above offers, the customers can also avail 1gm gold coin free with every purchase of diamond jewellery worth OMR500. The customers also get a fabulous chance to buy 8gm gold coins with absolutely no making charges from any of Malabar Gold & Diamonds outlets in GCC during this period. All these offers will be valid at their outlets in Oman until May 31.

DODGE CHARGER 2015

City Centre malls pick promotion winners

MUSCAT: Visitors raced down to City Centre Muscat and City Centre Qurum for a chance to win a brand new Dodge Charger 2015. The lifestyle shopping destinations in Oman, operated by Majid Al Futtaim — the region’s leading shopping mall, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East

and North Africa — gave away the popular sports cars to two lucky winners who participated in the promotion, says a press release. Raffle draw Visitors who spent OMR30 or more in shopping, dining or entertainment at City Centre Muscat

INVESTITURE CEREMONY

Centre Qurum are dedicated to enhancing customers’ shopping experiences by offering ultimate prizes. By celebrating the launch of the blockbuster movie in the Sultanate, Fast and Furious 7, Maijd Al Futtaim cultivates their vision of creating great moments for everyone, everyday.

MUSCAT: Being a proud partner for tyre major Bridgestone, a name synonymous with tyres, Towell Auto Centre (TAC) received due honour at the launch of the ‘Top Brands in Oman’ ceremony held recently. Out of the 25 categories announced for the year, Bridgestone effortlessly bagged the award in the tyre segment for being a company that excels in their offering of goods and services to the general public in the Sultanate of Oman, says a press release. Towell’s auto care division, TAC is a renowned name in the market for auto sales and service. With over 40 years of industry experience to support, Bridgestone tyres has emerged as a leading division claiming numerous accolades to its name. Top brands in Oman is a comprehensive directory issued by the Al Omaneya Advertising and Public Relations, a sister concern of the Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising that pays tribute to the best

brands in Oman, a survey conducted by a prominent organisation in the country. The awards are derived and declared taking into account various parameters of business and customer service. Bridgestone has maintained a rich background, a flawless customer satisfaction track record, a record of quality certifications and was able to meet a host of other stringent parameters before being endowed by this prestigious title. The award which focuses primarily on brand recall by the public, confirmed Bridgestone as the most preferred name in tyres. “Bridgestone tyres are undoubtedly recognised as one of the best in the world. Our services add value in terms of service to this world class brand of tyres. Bridgestone is one of the best-selling tyres in the region and customers place utmost reliance on this brand name,” said Oommen John, AGM Bridgestone Tyre division at Towell Auto Centre.

REFRESHED APPEARANCE

Indian School Muscat instals young leaders MUSCAT: The Indian School Muscat (ISM) held a solemn ceremony recently when 105 students of Class IV were invested as ‘Blossoms’. The chief guest of the morning’s function was Colonel Paul H. Ross, Senior US Defence Attaché to the Sultanate of Oman. The school said it was honoured to have such a great leader as its guest. The principal, vice principals and assistant vice principals of all the four sections and heads of the departments of the primary section were also present. The morning’s event began with the melodious rendering of the prayer song Lead Kindly Light by the students of Class IV led by Thampi. K. Abraham, says a press release. The welcome address was followed by the oath-taking ceremony. The blossoms promised to uphold the values and principles held so dear by this great institution for over more than 39 years of its history. There was a video presentation on the qualities of the blossoms. The students pronounced the principles that the blossoms would uphold - being bold, loyal, obedient, sensitive, sincere, organised and meticulous in the tasks assigned to them. The badges of honour were then pinned on to the students by the guests at the gathering. The principal administered the oath to the blossoms. They took a pledge to honour and obey

or City Centre Qurum, redeemed their receipts the same day at the customer service desks to enter the raffle draw to win their dream car. Visitors could also enter by watching Fast and Furious 7 with a guest at VOX Cinemas at any of the two lifestyle destinations. City Centre Muscat and City

Bridgestone bags top brand in Oman award

the rules laid out for them. Rajkumar Bandila and Dhiya Elsa Binoy took the pledge on behalf of the blossoms. Colonel Paul H. Ross then urged the blossoms to take up the duty assigned to them with utmost responsibility and serve the school with humility. The principal, Srinivas K. Naidu presented a memento to the chief guest. The talented singers of the primary section then entertained the gathering with a melodious song led by Avinash Mathur. This song, an original composition, reminds us that if we believe in ourselves and are on the right path then success is always ours. The vice principal, primary section, Priya Murali led the gathering to a prayer invoking God’s blessings upon all the blossoms. The morning’s function ended with the singing of the school anthem by the children gathered to witness the function.

Nissan Sunny 2015: A friendly sedan with attractive features MUSCAT: The Nissan Sunny from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles now comes in a refreshed appearance with subtle changes to the styling and the inclusion of new features in the cabin. As the best-selling vehicle for four years in a row in the highly competitive sub-compact segment, the Nissan Sunny could rest on its reputation for value, roominess and mid-size vehicle technology without a mid-size price. Yet the quest for constant improvement continues. The Nissan Sunny received an extensive makeover for 2015 that features new front and rear fascia, a range of interior reﬁnements, and new grade level and packaging content. Along with a refreshed exterior and interior styling, the vehicle features standard Bluetooth hands-free phone system, says a press release. A refreshed exterior Most prominent of the changes to the Sunny is the bold new front end treatment anchored by larger headlights, a more substantial looking fascia and standard chrome plating on the grille – all of which strengthen the Nissan stable mates – Sentra, Altima and Maxima. Other exterior design elements include a ﬁxed roof antenna, available blacked-out B-pillars, chrome door handles and front fog lights.

A roomy, refined interior Nissan Sunny again offers fivepassenger practicality with a high degree of comfort and refinement – the perfect combination for commuting on weekdays, running errands on weekends and transporting family and friends all week long. Other enhancements include a new centre stack shape, a revised meter display with white LED display (previously orange illumination colour) and a new, more substantial, steering wheel with standard audio and Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System controls. The Sunny features a wide AM/FM/CD audio system with standard auxiliary-in and radio data system (RDS), standard assist grips, a passenger-side vanity mirror and new seat fabric. The Sunny also adds an outside temperature display, USB/iPod

controls, upgraded fabric headliner, map light with key-linked illuminated entry and silver ﬁnishers on the centre instrument panel cluster. SL models include Nissan intelligent key with push button ignition and an AM/FM/ CD/USB-iPod audio system with 5.0-inch display and NissanConnectSM with mobile apps. Other available interior features include trip computer with outside temperature display, power windows with driver’s one-touch down, speed-sensing auto door locks and remote trunk release lever. The NissanConnectSM with navigation and mobile apps system, which is offered as part of the SL Technology Package, includes a 5.8-inch colour touch-screen display, Nissan voice recognition for audio and navigation, SiriusXM Traffic and SiriusXM Travel Link (SiriusXM subscription re-

quired, sold separately). Available apps include Facebook, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Google Search. The NissanConnect uses handsfree technology, smartphone, and the Nissan’s display screen to help customers stay in touch with the outside world from inside their vehicle. It’s loaded with features and compatibility with a growing list of apps that allows customers play music, keep tabs on social network, and navigate any city like a local. Once logged in, customers have to connect to Nissan through Bluetooth or the USB port. The Quick Start Guide helps to select from a list of supported apps, and NissanConnect automatically instals them. The Sunny utilises Nissan’s global lightweight ‘V’ platform and is powered by a 1.5 litre HR16DE 4-cylinder engine rated at 99 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine features a range of fuel efﬁciency enhancing technologies, including a dual injector system that allows a wider injection of fuel than a traditional single-injection system. The smaller nozzles deliver a ﬁner spray to help achieve stable combustion. The dual injector system also uses around half the amount of rare metals in the catalyser by reducing the amount of unburned fuel and hydrocarbon emissions.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SECTION

RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first. — Frederick B. Wilcox

Tips for career and job fair success Career fairs are great opportunities to learn about local job opportunities, making initial contact with a recruiter that will ideally lead to a job interview

HERE’S our list of the 15 best tips for achieving success at career and job fairs. 1. Start with a goal or objective: Career fairs are great opportunities to learn about local job opportunities, making initial contact with a recruiter that will ideally lead to a job interview. But career fairs are also great networking opportunities, in which

job-seekers can network with recruiters to obtain contacts for jobs in other parts of the country, as well as network with other jobseekers in attendance. 2. Pre-register for the career fair: By pre-registering for the event, you can get a sneak peak at the organisations that will be attending the fair — which should allow you time to conduct key research before attending. Go to each organisation’s website and review its section on its values, missions, goals, as well as its careers/jobs section. 3. Develop tailored resumes: Once your research on each prospective employer is complete and you have a set of keywords and phrases that each organisation emphasises, develop a tailored resume for each employer. You’ll be amazed at easy and effective this strategy can be — for career fairs, but also for all your job-hunting. 4. Map out a fair strategy: Enhance your chances for success by developing a plan of attack — actu-

ally map your route of organisations you plan to visit, in priority order. Place the prospective employers that have the best fit and with which you have the most interest first on the list — and work your way downward. 5. Have a clear career focus: Be prepared with an answer to the one of the first questions each recruiter is going to ask you: “So, why are you here?” Providing a sharply defined response will help you stand out from other job-seekers while also providing key information to the recruiter. 6. Sharpen and rehearse your elevator speech: An elevator speech is a relatively short -typically 15 to 30 seconds (though sometimes as long as a few minutes) — commercial that job-seekers use in a variety of situations -- such as a career fair — that succinctly tells the person you are giving it to who you are, what makes you unique, and the benefits you can provide to the prospective employer. 7. Prepare and practice re-

sponses to typical interview questions: Unless it’s a really slow day at the fair, you probably won’t get asked too many questions, but it is always better to be over-prepared than ﬂub your responses. Focus on traditional interview questions — including ones recruiters love to ask: “Tell me what you know about our organisation” and “why do you want to work here?” 8. Sketch out a few questions you can ask each recruiter: Just as in any interview situation, you should always prepare a few questions to ask the recruiters you meet at career fairs. Remember not to ask really obvious questions or questions you could easily answer from visiting the organisation’s website. 9. Choose an appropriate attire for the fair: For most career fairs — certainly all professional career fairs — proper dress consists of a clean-cut, well-ﬁtting, conservative look featuring darker colours (such as navy, black, slate). 10. Organise things the day before: Gather all the copies of

your resumes — including a few of your generic version for any last-minute attendees, along with a pad of paper (for jotting notes), pens, networking cards (great for exchanging with other job-seekers at the fair), and your career portfolio (if bringing one). Preparing the day before helps lessen the stress on the actual day of the fair. 11. Review and revise your fair strategy as soon as you arrive: Once you arrive at the fair, confirm the employers you’re most interested in are in attendance and review the list for any last-minute additions. 12. Make a good first — and lasting — impression with each recruiter: Wait patiently in line for your chance to chat with the recruiter, using the time to compose yourself and review your employer-specific resume. Once you get your chance to chat with the recruiter, greet him or her with a warm smile, strong eye contact, and a firm handshake. Do not overstay your welcome; be friendly, make your pitch, and move on so

other job-seekers also get a chance. 13. Don’t leave without contact information on each recruiter: As you wrap up the interview with the recruiter, thanking him/her for the time, pause to look around the table for a business card. If you don’t see a card on the table, ask for one . 14. Jot down notes as soon as you are done with each recruiter: As soon as you get ﬁnished talking with one of the recruiters, walk away and take a moment to write down any key points that were discussed and any questions or concerns that were raised. You’ll want to use some of this information in your thank-you note, and the rest, perhaps, in your next interview. 15. After the fair, write thankyou e-mails to recruiters: Once you’ve achieved your goal and met with all the recruiters on your list, your immediate next step is to head to a computer and compose individual thank-you e-mails to each person you spoke with at the fair. — Randall S. Hansen /www.quintcareers.com

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

ROUND-UP

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Hyundai Sonata named ‘Best Family Car of 2015’ This distinction continues to highlight Sonata’s appeal to family buyers as it also recently won the Cars.com, USA Today, MotorWeek Midsize Sedan Challenge and was also named the Best Midsize Car for the Money by US News & World Report

MUSCAT: The 2015 Hyundai Sonata was named a Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com Best Family Car of 2015. The Sonata was recognised for providing families with safety, comfort, cargo space and several extra features. The vehicles were evaluated by families and the automotive experts of KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com), headquartered in California, is the largest automotive vehicle valuation company in the United States, says a press release. This distinction continues to highlight Sonata’s appeal to family buyers as it also recently won the Cars.com, USA Today, MotorWeek Midsize Sedan Challenge and was also named the Best Midsize Car for the Money by US News & World Report. The seventh-generation 2015 Sonata offers a more reﬁned look through a new Fluidic Sculpture

2.0 design language, stiffer body structure, better ride quality, reduced NVH (noise, vibration &harshness), advanced safety and convenience features. Sonata truly democratises the premium design and convenient technology of the Genesis sedan for the midsize class. Displaying a reﬁned, premium style, the Sonata showcases Hyundai Motor’s sleek exterior and intuitive interior design ethos, projecting a harmonious and athletic appearance. The Sonata delivers uncompromising convenience and generous interior space, together with elegant interior details, offering luxury typically associated with vehicles from the class above. The high levels of comfort extend to rear-seat passengers too. Personal reading lights provide rear passengers with directed illumination, while the new car’s spacious interior and slim front seat backs mean there is plenty of legroom for all occupants. Advanced vehicle infotainment features, including sophisticated next-generation multi-media systems, ensure the Sonata delivers

cutting-edge entertainment and connectivity to drivers and passengers. Supporting USB, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, the Sonata also features voice recognition and smartphone integration. Optimised suspension damping that gives occupants a soft, silent and comfortable experience. A luxurious feel is generated through exceptional ride comfort, while the thorough development of handling and steering feel allows the Sonata to also offer a stable and secure ride over all road surfaces and in all driving conditions. The Sonata boasts superior stopping distances for a car of its class, combined with an assured, firm feel. Driver confidence is enhanced through the linear delivery of impressive braking performance, while greater comfort is ensured thanks to minimal intrusion of noise and vibration into the cabin. The Sonata features an abundance of advanced safety features designed to protect its occupants. A suite of airbags, including driver knee airbag, are fitted to the new model, while several advanced

passive and active systems such as Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection etc., work harmoniously to ensure the Sonata is one of the safest vehicles on the road. Hyundai has a strong presence in the passenger vehicles category in Oman with its wide range of sedans and SUVs each in various trim variants. Genesis and Centennial in the luxury car segment have been well received in Oman and are going from strength to strength. Hyundai sedan range includes Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Azera, the premium series - Genesis & Centennial apart from the trendy Veloster and i10, i10 Grand, i20, i30, i40 - the core of cutting edge ‘i’ series cars from Hyundai as a response to global customer needs. Hyundai SUV range — Tucson, Santa Fe and Grand Santa Fe are deﬁnitely the pick of the lot. OTE Group is the exclusive dealer of Hyundai range of vehicles in Oman. With a nationwide network of showrooms and service centres, OTE Group ensures that Hyundai customers are never far from getting high quality aftersales service.

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PA R T N E R S H I P

BP Oman to support ‘Let’s Read’ campaign MUSCAT: BP Oman has signed an agreement with Dar Al Atta’a, a leading charity organisation, to support the ‘Let’s Read’ campaign, one of the association’s most important initiatives. The agreement was signed by Dave Campbell, chief operating ofﬁcer of BP Oman, and Jane Jaffer, leader of the Let’s Read campaign, Dar Al Atta’a, says a press release. Let’s Read is a campaign started in 2007 and aims to promote the love of reading amongst children. BP Oman’s input will directly support one of Let’s Read activities, ‘maktabti’ — a bus that goes around the regions in Oman to provide access to low priced children’s books. In addition, regular reading and writing events are to be held, including a school writing competition and storytelling sessions by local and international authors. “BP Oman has sponsored this initiative as part of our vision to support the development of Omani society, making books more accessible and affordable. We believe reading is vital and ben-

eﬁcial and if children are exposed to it in the right manner, the reading habit will grow with them and they will pass it to their children,” stated Dave Campbell. “The support that we have received from BP Oman will allow us to purchase thousands of books and broaden our outreach programme, for example through the ‘maktabti’ bus, visiting more schools in the Al Dakhiliyah and Al Dhahira regions of Oman. We are very appreciative of this partnership and hope that the local communities will really reap the beneﬁt,” said Jane Jaffer.

C E L E B R AT I O N

TSC to give 18,000 prizes in 18th anniversary promo MUSCAT: The Sultan Center (TSC) is launching its 18th Anniversary celebration campaign and is giving away 18,000 prizes to lucky shoppers across the Sultanate of Oman. From May 21 to June 9, customers who shop any TSC store will have a chance to win thousands of amazing prizes. Customers who purchase goods worth OMR10, will receive a ‘scratch and win’ coupon where they could take home valuable gifts ranging from one year’s salary, gold coins, television sets, TSC gift vouchers and many

more exciting prizes. “We are very happy to be celebrating 18 years of successful retail operations in Oman. Our stores have grown from strength to strength thanks to the loyalty and support of our customers, community and associates. As we commemorate another year of operations in Oman, we want the community to share in our success and celebrate with us,” said Mahmoud Al Sheikh, marketing manager, TSC Oman. The Sultan Center’s anniversary campaign will be held at all of TSC retail stores across Oman.

PROMOTION

Ooredoo now offers more value for money with new welcome packs MUSCAT: New Ooredoo prepaid customers can now look forward to receiving up to four times the value of the welcome pack price the moment they activate their SIM cards. With Ooredoo’s new welcome pack, customers will get free monthly credit when they opt for any of the exciting ‘More’ recharges for the first seven months, allowing them to stay connected with their friends and family for longer. This exciting promotion is available from May 21 to August 19, says a press release. “Customers buying the welcome pack for just OMR2, will get OMR8 back in value over the next seven months; no other SIM pack in the market gives this much benefit,” said Feras Al Shaikh, Director of Consumer Sales at Ooredoo. “We want to give newcomers a warm welcome to Ooredoo and introduce them to the first of our many inspiring offers and value

added services.” He added, “Our ‘More’ packages have been a great success since launching them last year, and realising this, we wanted to offer new Ooredoo customers something extra, by giving them longer talk time, more messaging or data.

For seven months after activation of the welcome pack, Ooredoo will give the customer OMR1 of non-transferable open credit per month when a ‘More’ recharge of any value has been made. Ooredoo has three ‘More’ recharge options for prepaid users; More Credit, More Internet and More International. With the new welcome pack, those opting for ‘More Credit’ will receive 10%, 20% or 25% on their recharges by dialling *115*2*recharge code#. Those looking for ‘More Internet’ will get an additional 150 MB to 5 GB, by entering *115*3* and then the recharge code on the card. For customers wanting to connect with their friends and loved-ones oversees through ‘More International’, the welcome pack will give them up to 25% bonus credit by dialling ‘*115*4*recharge code#’ to activate their card or by dialling *141# and following the instructions.

SME DEVELOPMENT

Bank Muscat workshop on franchising today MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, is hosting a workshop on franchising for entrepreneurs at the bank’s head office today. The workshop is organised by al Wathbah, Bank Muscat’s SME department, as part of activities aimed at expanding and strengthening avenues for SME development in Oman, says a press release. Expert trainers will lead the workshop for existing and prospective entrepreneurs to familiarise them with various aspects of franchising. Topics to be covered include benefits and advantages of franchising, profile of a successful franchisor,

understanding the best time to franchise a brand, learning how to select a franchise etc. which are integral for preparing a franchising environment and landscape for SMEs in Oman. Learning opportunities Bank Muscat regularly organises workshops and seminars to facilitate unique learning opportunities to address the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and thereby create an environment favourable for SME success. Over the years, the bank has launched several initiatives as part of its commitment to SME development in Oman. Serving as building blocks for entrepreneurs, these initiatives assume

importance in the backdrop of the priority accorded by the government to develop the SME sector in Oman. Aimed at strengthening the SME sector and creating a successful generation of entrepreneurs, al Wathbah is committed to facilitating such unique initiatives. In step with the directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to support the SME sector and strengthen its role in the economic development of Oman, Bank Muscat has taken the lead to develop the SME sector in Oman. Aimed at strengthening the SME sector, the bank offers a comprehensive suite of tailor-made ﬁnance solutions, including al Wathbah non-collateral ﬁnance.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM OM MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SECTION

SPOR YOUR GAME

CALM COOK, STOKES ES GE GIVE ENGLAND EDGE

Captain Cook batted all day too reach 153 not out, his 27th test century, and Stokes ashing a provided the ﬁreworks by smashing hundred off 85 balls, the fastest st ever made in a Test at Lord’s. >C2

Pouya, Chen seal World Cup spots tional Master Ismael Karim. “She is a very experienced player and a former world champion. That experienced showed in her campaign,” Karim, who is also the coach of Oman national team, said. “I think both Chen and Atousa played well throughout. But clinched the issue in favour of Chen is the Direct Encounter, that is her victory over Atousa in the ﬁrst round,” he said. Later in the evening, Rashad Al Hinai presided over the prize-giving ceremony and handed over the trophies in the presence of world Fide CEO Geoffrey Borg, Oman Chess Committee chairwomen Liala Al Najar and other dignitaries.

Rashad Al Hinai presided over the prize-giving ceremony and handed over the trophies in the presence of world Fide CEO Geoffrey Borg, Oman Chess Committee

FOR THE ALBUM: Winners of the Asian Zonal Chess Championships (Zone 3.1) with chief guest and dignitaries. – Times of Oman / JUN ESTRADA

chairwomen Liala Al Najar and other dignitaries

Oman players to get Fide rating points for their performance A. SESHAGIRI RAO

Sports Reporter

raoas@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: Iran’s Pouya Idani and Qatar’s Chen Zhu sealed the 2015 Fide Chess World Cup berths winning the men’s and women’s titles respectively as the curtains came down on the Asian Zonal Chess Championships (Zone 3.1) at the City Seasons Hotel here on Sunday. Going into the ninth and final round of the 14-player men’s competition, Pouya needed an outright victory as compatriot and fellow grandmaster Ehsan Ghaem Maghami was lurking just half a point behind in the standings. A minor error against Palestine Candidates Master Attallah Tamra would have cost Pouya dearly. But the Iranian drew on his experience and kept his cool to finish off Attallah’s challenge in 43 moves to seal the title and the lone World Cup berth with a total of eight points. Ehsan won his final round match against Bahrain’s Fide Master in double quick time, 27 moves to be precise, but had to settled for second place on 7.5 points. Darini Pouria, another Grandmaster from Iran, and Yemen’s

MUSCAT: As world chess body, Fide, CEO Geoffrey Borg acknowledged Oman’s organisational abilities in successfully hosting an international chess tournament, the local players too impressed with their outing in the Asian zonal championships. And going by Oman team coach and International Master Ismael Karim’s opinion, the performance of the Omani players has been ‘encouraging’. “I won’t say it was a great

International Master Basheer Al Qudaimi completed their engagements with victories over Qatari IM Husein Aziz Nezad and Oman’s Amin Al Ansi respectively. Both ﬁnished with six points each but the Yemeni took the third place thanks to his better rating on Tie Break 1 (Direct Encounter). In other games, Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman Al Masrhi defeated Iraq’s Ahmed Abdulsattar Abdul-

TWENTY20

performance. But definitely encouraging and augurs well for the future,” Karim, who is also the in-charge of International Chess Academy of Oman, said. As hosts Oman fielded four players, two each in the men’s and women’s categories. In the men’s section, Amin Al Ansi finished with three points and Mariya Al Balushi and Wafia Al Ghafri won two points each in the women’s competition while Mohammed Salim Al Mamari failed to open his account. “Amin will be getting his first

wahad, Syrian Basher Iyti won against Kuwait’s Hashim Khaled and Lebanon’s Ibrahim Chahrour accounted for Oman’s Mohammed Salim Al Mamari. Chen fightback Chen Zhu’s great fightback highlighted the Qatari’s triumph in the 10-strong women’s field. The former women’s world champion and lone Grandmas-

rating points. He will get about 2000 points when the Fide ratings will be announced on July 1. It will be the same with Mariya and Waﬁa who will be earning 1620 points.” A delighted Karim added: “This is what we have expected. Players getting exposure and earning rating points.” “But it’s a bit disappointing for Al Mamari because his performance will affect his ratings. He started with 1791 points. Now he will lose about 40 points. This is what happens when we have long break. After

ter in the competition had lost her second round match to Iran’s Women’s International Mitra Hejazipour. The experienced Qatari, overcoming that disappointment, marched ahead with victory after victory and going into the ﬁnal round was level on seven points with Iran’s Women’s Grandmaster Atousa Purkashiyan. On Sunday, Chen took her time

our players made their debut in the Chess Olympiad, we organised a beautiful tournaments. But after that there was a six-month gap. The players need more tournaments.” Karim, meanwhile, revealed Oman’s plans to take part in the two big tournaments later this year. “The plan is to give more international exposure for the players. They will be taking part in two tounaments one in Hungary in July, where players will get a chance to earn International Masters norm, and Abu Dhabi Open in August.”

and 41 moves to defeat Oman’s Mariya Al Balushi while Atousa accounted for Abeer Ali of the UAE. Though both ﬁnished with eight points each, Chen pipped her rival on Tie Break 1 (Direct Encounter) to take top spot and a place in the World Cup to be organised in Baku, Azerbaijan from September 10 to October 4. “It was a good ﬁghtback by Chen Zhu,” said Muscat-based Interna-

Fide official lauds Oman Geoffrey Borg, meanwhile, lauded Oman and the national chess body for organising a sucsessfull tournament. “By hosting a successful Asian zonal championships Oman has made their presence felt on the international chess arena,” he said. “I think Oman is doing well to positively develop the game of chess, especially after forming the official chess committee,” he added.Final standings: Men (after nine rounds): 1. Pouya Idani (Iran) 8 pts, 2. Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Iran) 7.5 pts, 3. Basheer Al Qudaimi (Yemen) 6 pts, 4. Pouria Darini (Iran) 6 pts, 5. Husein Aziz Nezad (Qatar) 5.5 pts, 6. Ahmed Abdulsattar Abdulwahab (Iraq) 5 pts, 7. Basher Iyti (Syr) 5 pts, 8. Ibrahim Chahrour (Lebanon) 5 pts, 9. Maher Ayyad (Bahrain) 4 pts, 10. Attallah Tamra (Palestine) 4 pts, 11. Amin Al Ansi (Oman) 3 pts, 12. Khaled Hashem (Kuwait) 2 pts, 13. Abdulrahman Al Masrhi (Saudi Arabia) 2 pt, 14. Mohammed Salim Al Mamari (Oman) 0. Women (after nine rounds): 1. Chen Zhu (Qatar) 8 pts, 2. Atousa Purkashiyan (Iran) 8 pts, 3. Mitra Hejazipour (Iran) 7.5 pts, 4. Iman Hasan Mohammed Al Rufaye (Iraq) 5.5 pts, 5. Afamia Mir Mahmoud (Syria) 5 pts, 6. Abeer Ali (UAE) 5 points, 7. Mariya Al Balushi (Oman) 2 pts, 8. Yara Faqeeh (Palestine) 2 pts, 9. Waﬁa Al Ghafri (Oman) 2 pts, 10. Suad Al Kanderi (Kuwait) 0.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

Majestic Mumbai capture 2nd IPL title

HOME TRIUMPH: Pakistan players celebrate. – AFP

Pakistan win series LAHORE: Pakistan pulled off a sensational last over win by two wickets in the second Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe in Lahore on Sunday to take the two-match series 2-0. With 12 needed off the last paceman Brian Vitori’s last over number ten Bilawal Bhatti hit a six and four besides taking a double to help Pakistan overhaul a stiff 176-run target in 19.4 overs. Opener Mukhtar Ahmed hit his second consecutive ﬁfty during his 40-ball 62 to entertain another packed 27,000 holiday

crowd. The win added to Pakistan’s joy as the series marked the return of international cricket in Pakistan since terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009. Heavy security continued to remain alert with 4,000 policemen guarding the stadium as helicopters surveilled both teams’ arrival in the evening. Zimbabwe only agreed to tour after Pakistan Cricket Board guaranteed foolproof security normally reserved for heads of state. — AFP

SCOREBOARD

ZIMBABWE V. Sibanda c Ali b Afridi 49 H. Masakadza c Ali b Malik 39 S. Williams not out 58 E. Chigumbura c Shehzad b Sami 21 C. Coventry not out 2 Extras: (lb-2, nb-2, w-2) 6 Total: (for three wkts; 20 overs) 175 Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-136, 3-168 Bowling: Ali 3-0-31 0, Sami 4-0-38-1, Bhatti 3-0-31-0, Wasim 2-0-14-0, Afridi 4-0-36-1, Malik 4-0-23-1 PAKISTAN Mukhtar Ahmed c Sibanda b Raza 62 Ahmed Shehzad c Sibanda b Vitori 18 Nauman Anwer c Sibanda b Utseya 18

Shoaib Malik run out 7 Umar Akmal lbw b Mpofu 30 Shahid Afridi c Raza b Williams 7 Mohammad Rizwan c Raza b Mpofu 6 Anwer Ali b Williams 2 Imad Wasim not out 4 Bilawal Bhatti not out 13 Extras: (b-2, lb-4, w-3) 9 Total: (for eight wkts; 19.4 overs) 176 Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-81, 3-95, 4-117, 5-130, 6-152, 7-155, 8-161 Bowling: Mpofu 4-0-25-2 (1w), Vitori 3.4-0-36-1 (1w0, Williams 4-0-32-2, Utsyea 4-0-31-1 (1w), Cremer 2-0-27-0, Raza 2-0-19-1 Result: Pakistan won by two wickets

KOLKATA: Mumbai Indians’ love affair with Eden Gardens contiuned as they clinched their second Indian Premier League title following a crushing 41-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a lop-sided summit clash, here on Sunday. Mumbai Indians posted an imposing 202 for five as skipper Rohit Sharma (50) and Lendl Simmons (68) rattled up a 119-run stand off just from 67 balls after being invited to bat. The Mumbai captain, who has an ODI world record of 264 and also a debut Test hundred at the Eden Gardens, yet again exploded at his favourite venue. Sharma (6 fours, 2 sixes) and Simmons (8 fours 3 sixes) plundered 19 boundaries in their partnership. After Sharma and Pollard’s dismissal in consecutive balls, burly West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard (36) in the company of Ambati Rayudu (36 not out) led the side past 200. Mumbai bowlers complimented the good work of the batsmen as they took the fizz out of the Chennai’s chase with a very disciplined effort. They straitjacketed the Chennai batsmen, restricting them to 161 for eight as seasoned spinner Harbhajan Singh took key wickets of Dwayne Smith (57) and Suresh Raina (28) in two overs. Kiwi paceman Mitchell McClenaghan (3/25) took three wickets while his Lankan pace colleague Lasaith Malinga (2/25) scalped two batsmen. Mumbai had won their first title in 2013 at this very venue, defeating the same rivals. Chennai have now lost four finals (2008, 2012, 2013, 2015) in six appearances. Chasing the huge target, CSK opted to have it easy and concetrated on building a platform after losing Michael Hussey (4) early. Smith and Raina bided their time and looked to consolidate but

OVER THE MOON: Mumbai Indians celebrate after beating Chennai Super Kings. – BCCI

SCOREBOARD

MUMBAI INDIANS L. Simmons b Smith 68 P. Patel run out (du Plessis) 0 R. Sharma c Jadeja b Bravo 50 K. Pollard c Raina b Sharma 36 A. Rayudu not out 36 H. Pandya c Raina b Bravo 0 Harbhajan Singh not out 6 Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-1) 6 Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 202 Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-120, 3-120, 4-191, 5-191 Bowling: A. Nehra 4-0-41-0; M. Sharma 4-0-38-1; R. Ashwin 2-0-21-0; R. Jadeja 2-026-0; P. Negi 2-0-18-0; D. Bravo 4-0-36-2; D. Smith 2-0-17-1 CHENNAI SUPER KINGS D. Smith lbw b Harbhajan 57 M. Hussey c Suchith b McClenaghan 4 S. Raina st Patel b Harbhajan 28 MS Dhoni b Malinga 18

it meant that they managed only 31 runs from the ﬁrst six overs. The required run-rate kept on going up and shot past 13 at the midway mark. Smith completed his half-century in 45 balls but only to be trapped lbw by Harbhajan in his penultimate over.

D. Bravo c Simmons b McClenaghan 9 P. Negi c Pandya b Malinga 3 F du Plessis c Sharma b V. Kumar 1 R. Jadeja not out 11 R. Ashwin c Suchith b McClenaghan 2 M. Sharma not out 21 Extras (lb-2, w-3, nb-2) 7 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 161 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-88, 3-99, 4-108, 5-124, 6-125, 7-134, 8-137 Bowling: L. Malinga 4-0-25-2; M. McClenaghan 4-0-25-3; R. Vinay Kumar 4-0-39-1; H. Pandya 4-0-36-0; Harbhajan Singh 4-0-34-2 Man of the match: Rohit Sharma Orange cap: David Warmer Purple cap: Dwayne Bravo Best catch: Dwayne Bravo Emerging player: Shreyas Iyer Fastest ﬁfty: Andre Russell Most Valuable Player: Andre Russell Fair Play: Chennai Super Kings

Having made a grand comeback into the Bangladesh-bound Test side, Harbhajan completed his spell in style dismissing Raina. Looking to step out, Raina was brilliantly deceived by the veteran off-spinner who bowled a wide ball and Parthiv Patel did the rest

behind the stumps. With Hussey, Smith and Raina back in pavillion, and skipper Dhoni not looking in his usual elements it looked as good as over for the yellow brigade who choked in an IPL final for a fourth time. Talk about Sharma and his sizzling love-affair at Eden Gardens, and he has done nothing wrong here. A stunning 177 on Test debut, an ODI world record of mindboggling 264, an IPL century (60ball 109) against Kolkata Knight Riders and an unbeaten 98 in the opening match of this season. Today was no different. Sharma had come at a time when Dhoni and Co. once again looked ominous with a eye-popping run-out by Faf du Plessis to make Mumbai Indians I 1/1 in first over. The South African dived, got hold of the ball and flicked it while being air-borne and the magical throw was enough to clip the bails off to bring an end to Patel’s fine run as an opener. In came Sharma and after two dot balls, he went in counter-attacking mode hitting Mohit Sharma over third man with an elegant uppercut. — PTI

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SPORTS CRICKET

Pakistan chief proposes home matches in India NEW DELHI: The south Asian neighbours may not share the best of relations but Pakistan would like to play their home matches in India, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahayar Khan said. Top Test playing nations have shunned Pakistan since the 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan players in Lahore with the PCB instead playing the majority of their home matches in the United Arab Emirates. The PCB have managed to coax Zimbabwe into touring Pakistan this month for a brief limited over series which is currently underway but accept others are unlikely to follow. “We would like to make India our home,” Khan told the Hindustan Times newspaper. “India will be more cost-effective,” he said, adding Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have also offered to host home matches. India cancelled bilateral cricket series with its neighbour after militants killed 166 people in Mumbai in 2008 but hosted Pakistan in 2012-13 for a short limited over series. Khan visited India earlier this month and said the neighbours

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Calm Cook, Stokes give England edge

We would like to make India our home. India will be more cost-effective to host series Shahayar Khan PCB Chief

are likely to play a full series in the United Arab Emirates in December. While cricketing relations maybe thawing, political tensions still exist. The duo have gone to war three times since their independence in 1947 and the prospect of Pakistan playing their home matches across the border is likely to meet with political opposition in India. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Khan said. - Reuters

CAPTAIN’S KNOCK: Alastair Cook celebrates after reaching his

century. – AFP

SUBLIME: Ben Stokes celebrates reaching his century by kissing his helmet. – AFP

SCOREBOARD

Captain Cook batted all day to reach 153 not out, his 27th test century, and Stokes provided the ﬁreworks by smashing a hundred off 85 balls, the fastest ever made in a Test at Lord’s

LONDON: Contrasting centuries by a relentless Alastair Cook and an inspired Ben Stokes lifted England to 429 for six at the close of a compelling fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand on Sunday. Captain Cook batted all day to reach 153 not out, his 27th test century, and Stokes provided the fireworks by smashing a hundred off 85 balls, the fastest ever made in a Test at Lord’s. Joe Root contributed 84 and England, leading by 295 runs, will start the final day of a fluctuating match as favourites to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. England, resuming on 74 for two, lost Ian Bell to the third ball of the day, caught by wicketkeeper Tom Latham aiming a loose drive

at Tim Southee. But Cook and Root dug in and the captain, 32 not out overnight, brought up his ﬁfty off 122 balls. The New Zealand pace bowlers beat the bat a few times but Root remained unruffled, reaching his half century by sweeping spinner Mark Craig for his seventh four and England took lunch on 175 for three. Root began to pepper the boundary after the interval and was closing in on the century he missed by two runs in the ﬁrst innings when he hooked Matt Henry to Trent Boult on the long leg boundary, ending a fourth-wicket partnership of 158. Cook drove Henry straight down the ground for three to reach his century, his second in

England 1st Innings: 389 (J Root 98, B Stokes 92, J Buttler 67, M Ali 58; T Boult 4-79, M Henry 4-93) New Zealand 1st Innings: 523 (K Williamson 132, M Guptill 70, R Taylor 62, BJ Watling 61 no, T Latham 59; S Broad 3-77, M Wood 3-93, M Ali 3-94) England 2nd Innings (overnight: 74-2) A. Lyth c Southee b Boult 12 A. Cook not out 153 G. Ballance b Southee 0 I. Bell c Latham b Southee 29 J. Root c Boult b Henry 84 B. Stokes c Taylor b Craig 101 J. Buttler c Latham b Henry 14

two Tests after nearly two years without one in international cricket, raising his bat to the dressing room as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Stokes, who made a sparkling 92 in the first innings, struck a few powerful blows before rain forced the players off for an early tea with England on 261 for four. The floodlights were switched on at a gloomy Lord’s and Stokes suddenly launched a withering assault on the New Zealand attack. He reached his fifty off 57 balls before pulling Southee for three sixes over the leg-side boundary.

M. Ali not out 19 Extras (b-2, lb-10, w-5) 17 Total (6 wkts, 118 overs, 519 mins) 429 To bat: S Broad, M Wood, J Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Lyth), 2-25 (Ballance), 3-74 (Bell), 4-232 (Root), 5-364 (Stokes), 6-389 (Buttler) Bowling: Boult 28-5-71-1; Southee 29-4129-2 (1w); Henry 29-3-106-2 (3w); Craig 28-3-96-1 (1w); Anderson 3-0-13-0; Williamson 1-0-2-0 Match position: England lead New Zealand by 295 runs with four second-innings wickets standing.

The left-hander also ﬂayed 15 fours all round the ground and a single off Henry took him to three ﬁgures, Stokes punching the air, raising his bat to all corners of the ground and embracing Cook as Lord’s applauded his stunning knock. He only added one more run before he edged Craig to Ross Taylor at slip and Jos Buttler, on 14, nicked Henry to Latham. New Zealand’s misery was not complete, however, Cook going past 150 in the company of Moeen Ali (19 not out) and the pair will resume in the morning looking to extend England’s lead. - Reuters COACH’S JOB

Gillespie in talks with England LONDON: Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has held talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board about coaching the national team, he said on Saturday. The 40-year-old Gillespie, who took 259 wickets in 71 tests, has coached English county Yorkshire for the last four years, leading them to the championship title in 2014. “I’ve spoken to (England cricket director) Andrew (Strauss) and the ECB about the vacant position,” Gillespie told Sky Sports. “We had a good chat and we’ll see what pans out from there.” Peter Moores was sacked two weeks ago after a disappointing year at the helm and Paul Farbrace was placed in charge of the team for the ongoing two-Test series against New Zealand. “They made it very clear they’re chatting to a number of people of interest, so they’ll let us know,” Gillespie said. - Reuters

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SPORTS SERIES

South Africa to tour India in October KOLKATA: South Africa will tour India in October and November to play a long tour of four Tests, five One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals. The tour will be followed by Sri Lanka visiting India to play three T20Is in February 2016 ahead of the 2016 World Twenty20 to be held India from March 11 to April 3. The Tour Programme and Fixtures Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met here on Sunday to finalise the venues for the two tours. The four Tests against South Africa will be played at Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Nagpur and Banglaore while the five ODIs will take place at Chennai, Kanpur, Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), Rajkot and Mumbai. The three T20Is will take place at Kolkata, Mohali, Dharamshala. The ODI allotted to MPCA will likely take place at Gwalior. The three T20Is against Sri Lanka will take place at Visakhapatnam, Pune and New Delhi. - IANS FOOTBALL

Schalke sack Di Matteo BERLIN: Schalke 04 have parted company with coach Roberto di Matteo, according to a report by magazine Sport Bild on Sunday, after just two wins in their last ten games. Di Matteo has been in charge since October after his predecessor Jens Keller was sacked, but Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to strugglers Hamburg looks to have been the last straw for Schalke’s board. The 44-year-old, who coached Chelsea to the 2012 Champions League title, had steered the Royal Blues up from 11th when he took charge to third in the table in February. But a poor run of results saw them surrender a direct spot in the Champions League and their latest defeat left them sixth in the table and in the Europa League next season. - AFP

Federer eases but fumes after security scare, Nishikori wins The 17-time Grand Slam winner had just completed a routine 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Colombia’s Alejandro Falla when he was shocked to see a young fan sprinting towards him on the showpiece Philippe Chatrier Court

PARIS: Roger Federer blasted French Open organisers Sunday after a fan breached tight security and raced on to court to grab a ‘selfie’ with the Swiss great. The 17-time Grand Slam winner had just completed a routine 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Colombia’s Alejandro Falla when he was shocked to see a young fan sprinting towards him on the showpiece Philippe Chatrier Court. It was particularly embarrassing as security at this year’s French Open has been tightened following January’s deadly Islamist attack on Paris-based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Although the male fan was quickly manhandled away, 33-year-old Federer was furious with the lapse in security, claiming he had also been targetted in practice on Saturday. “I am not happy about it. It happened yesterday in the practice, too. It’s just a kid, but then three more kids came. And today on centre court where you would think this is a place where nobody can come on, just wanders on and nothing happens,” said Federer. “Something needs to happen quickly. Normally I only speak on behalf of myself, but in this situation I think I can speak on behalf of all the players, that that’s where you do your job, that’s where you want to feel safe. “And so clearly I’m not happy about it. But nothing happened, so

WINNING START: Switzerland’s Roger Federer returns the ball to Colombia’s Alejandro Falla during the men’s ﬁrst round at the Roland Garros 2015 French Tennis Open in Paris. – AFP

I’m relieved. But clearly it wasn’t a nice situation to be in.” Federer was also involved in a security scare in the 2009 final at Roland Garros when a fan ran on to the same court and placed a hat on the star’s head. Two years ago the final, which featured Rafael Nadal, was also held up when a shirtless spectator, brandishing a flare, leapt from the stands and onto the court before he was wrestled away by security officials. Player safety at tennis tournaments has been a major concern ever since 1993 when Monica Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan in Hamburg. Tournament director Gilbert Ysern admitted that Federer was right to be “pissed off” and admitted that the youth, who had been sitting in the courtside sponsors boxes, had been banned from the event. “But it’s not the end of the

CRICKET

Chanderpaul’s career up in the air as Windies look to the future BRIDGETOWN: Uncertainty continues to hang over the career of Shiv Chanderpaul with media reports indicated the veteran lefthander has already been chopped from the squad for the upcoming Australia series. Reports on Saturday suggested that the 40-year-old has been left out of the squad following a failed attempt by the team management to get the player to retire. However, CMC understands that while selectors have taken a decision to look to the future, there is still a possibility Chanderpaul may not feature in the two-Test series against the Aussies. The Clive Lloyd-led selection panel is expected to announce a squad for the series within the next 48 hours. Reports indicate Chanderpaul recently met with team management to discuss his future, especially against the backdrop of his waning form which has seen him struggle in the recent series against England and South Africa. Against England, he garnered

Reports suggested that the Chanderpaul has been left out following a failed attempt by the team management to get the player to retire

just 92 runs with a highest score of 46 and managed just 91 runs against the Proteas with a best score of 50, but an average of 18. Last year, however, Chanderpaul was in great form, averaging 64 and scoring his 30th Test hundred against Bangladesh in the second Test at Gros Islet. The Guyanese batsman boasts an impressive record, having scored

11,867 runs at an average of 51 and is only 86 runs shy of Brian Lara’s all-time West Indies scoring mark of 11,953 runs. The West Indies will enter a preparation camp, starting here on Monday, ahead of the ﬁrst Test which bowls off at Windsor Park in Dominica on June 3. The second Test starts at Sabina Park in Kingston on June 11. - IANS

world,” added Ysern. “It’s embarrassing. It shows that we made a mistake and we have to correct it to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Federer, the 2009 champion and seeded two this year, goes on to face Spain’s Marcel Granollers for a place in the last 32. Federer, one of a record 39 men over 30 in the ﬁrst round, is desperate to make the most of a kind draw which dumped top seed Novak Djokovic, nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and third seed Andy Murray all in the opposite half. Federer’s Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka, the eighth seed, took just 96 minutes to make the second round, seeing off Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Wawrinka, who made the last-eight in 2013, goes on to face either Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic or Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina in the next round.

But he too was unhappy with organisers after the tournament’s official website went into surgical detail regarding his private life. Former Australian Open winner Wawrinka announced last month that he and his wife Ilham were separating but he was furious to discover that his personal problems were the focus of the website’s preview of his opening round match.“It was a completely stupid article. For a Grand Slam website, it should be an article about the tennis and that’s it,” said Wawrinka. “It was a shit article.” Nishikori through Japanese ﬁfth seed Kei Nishikori enjoyed a 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 win over France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu and next faces either Australia’s Marinko Matosevic or Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil. Latvian 24th seed Ernests Gul-

bis, who knocked Federer out in the fourth round last year on his way to the semi-finals, defeated Dutchman Igor Sijsling 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) for only his third win all year. Romania’s Simona Halep, the 2014 runner-up and third seed, saw off Russian world number 91 Evgeniya Rodina 7-5, 6-4 and next faces Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, the Croatian player who knocked her out of the US Open last year. Russian ninth seed Ekaterina Makarova breezed past US wildcard Louisa Chirico 6-4, 6-2 while Spanish 21st seed Garbine Muguruza, who shocked Serena Williams in the second round last year, beat Croatian qualifier Petra Martic 6-2, 7-5. Croatian 18-year-old Donna Vekic, coached by 1997 champion Iva Majoli, put out French 31st seed Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for her first win at the tournament. — AFP

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SPORTS Oman Sail’s record-breaking team triumph at French ArMen Race Skippered by Roland Jourdain, the crew of experienced offshore sailors Al Hasni, Al Rahbi and Al Shukaili, completed the 320 nautical mile sprint in 20 hours, 46 minutes and 28 seconds

MUSCAT: Fresh from their record-breaking exploits in Ireland, the Musandam-Oman Sail MOD 70, the Ministry of Tourism’s ﬂagship craft, concluded a busy period with another victory, this time in the ﬁfth edition of France’s ArMen Race at La Trinité-sur-Mer on the Brittany coast. Skippered by Roland Jourdain, a two-time Route du Rhum winner affectionately known as ‘Bilou’, while regular skipper, Sidney Gavignet, races with Volvo Ocean Race

team Dongfeng from Newport to Lisbon, the crew of experienced offshore sailors Fahad Al Hasni, Yassir Al Rahbi and Sami Al Shukaili, led from the start and held

their lead throughout, completing the 320 nautical mile sprint in 20 hours, 46 minutes and 28 seconds. “It was a great race, good training for everyone on board with a lot

of boat handling involved,” Roland Jourdain said. “For my Omani teammates it was a good opportunity to spend a night offshore in race mode. We

STRONG SUPPORT

had a long upwind leg to start with which was hard work for everyone, but as soon as we rounded the mark, we hoisted the gennaker and sent it!”

Fahad Al Hasni added: “We sailed the race well despite the upwind being very tough. It was excellent to have an opportunity to sail with ‘Bilou’ and also Spain’s Alex Pella, another really talented sailor, during the Round Ireland race, as they brought fresh eyes to the boat. “We are extremely lucky to be able to sail alongside some of the most talented offshore sailors in the industry, it allows us to progress and is huge motivation for the future.” The victory marks the end to the first stage of the European season that has already seen the crew beat a long-standing world record for the Round Ireland speed challenge and also finish second in its first Tour de Belle Ile race in France, a 41-mile sprint featuring 470 boats of different classes. The crew will return to Muscat this week to train on the MOD70 before heading back to France to compete in the Normandy Sailing Week onboard the Archambault M34 keelboat. The team will then head to Germany for Kiel Week where they aim to improve on their record time in last year’s Welcome Race while ashore a new “Visit Oman” tourism experience will be on display for Kiel Week visitors.

STUBBORN

Ronaldo backs coach Ancelotti MADRID: Real Madrid top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo has signalled strong support for coach Carlo Ancelotti and sent a clear message to club president Florentino Perez that he does not want the Italian to be sacked. Perez is widely expected to make Ancelotti the scapegoat after Real ended the season without winning a major trophy but the intervention of dressing-room heavyweight Ronaldo may make him think twice. Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in Real’s ﬁnal game of the campaign on Saturday, a 7-3 drubbing of city rivals Getafe at the Bernabeu, taking his tally at the top of the La Liga scoring chart to 48 goals. It was his best single-season haul in Spain’s top ﬂight since he joined from Manchester United in 2009 and two short of the record of 50 set in 2011-12 by Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who scored 43 this term. After the match, Portugal captain Ronaldo posted a message on his Twitter feed with a photograph of himself and Ancelotti. “Great coach and amazing person,” Ronaldo wrote. “Hope we work together next season.” Ancelotti, who led Real to a record-extending 10th European title and a King’s Cup triumph in his debut year in Spain in 201314, has made it clear he wants to carry on but said on Saturday if

European Cup as both a player and coach. Napoli’s Spanish coach Rafa Benitez is the frontrunner to replace Ancelotti at Real, where he had a stint as a youth trainer, according to local media. Real’s Colombia midﬁelder James Rodriguez also backed Ancelotti after Saturday’s game. “He arrived two years ago and he knows the team, he knows how we are and how we go about things,” he told Spanish television. “But it’s not my decision and it’s not my place to talk about it.”

HOPE WE WORK TOGETHER: Cristiano Ronaldo

Real do let him go he would take a year out. His contract runs until the end of next season and he said he expected to meet with club of-

ﬁcials early next week to discuss his future. Media reports in Italy have suggested the 55-year-old could return to former club AC Milan, with whom he won the

Stay or take a year off Ancelotti had earlier said he is planning to take a year off if he is sacked by the club. “My future is clear in my head,” he said. “Either I continue here or I will stop for a year.” Real won the Champions League and the King’s Cup in Ancelotti’s ﬁrst season in charge in 2013-14 but after a Spanish record winning streak of 22 victories at the end of last year their form tailed off in 2015. “I don’t think anyone is in a hurry (to make a decision),” Ancelotti said. “The club is thinking so they can make the right choice. I am waiting because I am not in a rush. “Madrid is a demanding club and it’s normal to be questioned when one part of the season goes badly. It’s part of my job.” - Reuters

‘Mountain goat’ Blatter keeps going and going BERNE: Sepp Blatter, who is expected to be re-elected as world soccer body Fifa president for a ﬁfth term on Friday, likened himself to a Swiss mountain goat on Sunday, famed for their stubborn endurance. Blatter will face a challenge for the presidency from Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al Hussein at the Fifa Congress on Friday after contenders Michael van Praag of the Netherlands and Luis Figo of Portugal pulled out of the contest on Thursday. They collectively represented those who think Blatter should quit after so many years in the job, but Blatter told the NZZ newspaper in an interview: “I am a mountain goat that keeps going

and going and going, I cannot be stopped, I just keep going.” Blatter, who will be 80 next year, said in the interview that he “is a simple, devout man” and that the ﬁrst thing he always does when he returns to his home town of Visp where he was born is to visit the family grave. He said two weeks ago, he “connected” with his deceased mother, who bid him to join her. He said: “I’m doing well, it is not time yet.” Blatter was ﬁrst elected Fifa president in 1998 and is expected to be re-elected by an overwhelming majority of Fifa’s 209 member associations when the secret ballot takes place at Zurich’s Hallenstadion. - Reuters

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SPORTS B L A N C PA I N S E R I E S

Ahmad in positive mood after strong practice at Silverstone SILVERSTONE: Blancpain Endurance Series racer Ahmad Al Harthy goes into the all-important qualifying session for round two of the season at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in positive mood, following a competitive and faultfree run in practice and pre-qualifying on Saturday. Ahead of the grid-determining session at the Northamptonshire track, the Oman Racing Team driver says he is conﬁdent he and teammates Jonny Adam and Daniel Lloyd can make marked progress as they aim to kick-start their 2015 campaign in the series. Beginning the weekend strongly in free practice, the No. 44 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 ended the opening track session 11th fastest overall, within just a second

of the outright pace, from an entry which boasts a remarkable 62 cars in total. During the 90 minute pre-qualifying session, Ahmad — who is the official brand ambassador for Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa — was very happy with his performance and the trio made good preparations for ﬁnal qualifying with a top 10 placing in the Pro Cup, 15th position overall. Posting a quickest time of two minutes and 02.263 seconds, the lap was within just 0.6 seconds of the outright top three to give the Oman Air, Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Groupbacked squad plenty of positivity ahead of day two’s action. “Everything went well in the

practice and pre-qualifying, we’ve been trying to ﬁnd the best set-up to make things as comfortable as possible for all three drivers and we definitely learnt a lot,” said the Omani. “It looks like things are going to be very tight between everyone. As always, though, we will have a strong race car so we need to maximise qualifying — that’s very important. “We’ve improved the car since the ﬁrst round in Monza, we’ve taken everything forward a step from there, and we’re feeling positive. Silverstone is obviously a more technical track compared to Monza and we feel we have a good chance. If everything works out in qualifying, and with the weather too as rain is expected before the race, we should be in a good position.”

Everything went well in the practice and pre-qualifying, we’ve been trying to find the best set-up Ahmad Al Harthy Oman Racing Team driver

PURE BUSINESS

‘Sorry Nico’, Hamilton is better for business,

says Ecclestone

NICO’S HAT-TRICK : Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, centre, stands on the podium along with second-placed Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, left, and third-placed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix at the Monaco street circuit in Monte Carlo on Sunday. – AFP

Rosberg wins as Mercedes gaffe spoils Hamilton race The result, with double Formula One world champion Hamilton ﬁnishing third just when victory seemed assured, slashed Hamilton’s overall lead to 10 points after six of the season’s 19 races

MONACO: Germany’s Nico Rosberg celebrated a surprise hat-trick of Monaco Grand Prix victories on Sunday after Mercedes blew championship-leading teammate Lewis Hamilton’s chances with a needless pitstop. The result, with double Formula One world champion Hamilton ﬁnishing third just when victory seemed assured, slashed Hamilton’s overall lead to 10 points after six of the season’s 19 races. The Briton had led comfortably

from pole position until he pitted for fresh tyres when the safety car was deployed with 14 laps to go. “I’ve lost the race haven’t I?” the disconsolate Briton enquired over the team radio after rejoining in third place behind Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, neither of whom pitted. “What’s happened guys?” Afterwards, with the enormity of what had happened still sinking in, the stunned Mercedes driver told reporters: “I can’t really ex-

plain the way I feel at the moment. I won’t even attempt to.” While he did not blame the team, Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff indicated the call had come from the pitwall. “We thought the gap was different to what it was. A complete misjudgement, I am so sorry,” he told the BBC. The safety car had been deployed after Dutch 17-year-old Max Verstappen’s Toro Rosso smashed into the back of Romain Grosjean’s Lotus and crashed heavily into the barriers while ﬁghting for a possible 10th place. Verstappen, who had provided some of the more exciting moments of a largely processional race, was unhurt although the front of his car penetrated the plastic wall at the Sainte Devote corner. Rosberg’s victory was the German’s second in succession, after winning the previous round in Spain, and made him only the fourth driver to win three Monaco

Grands Prix in a row. The others were Graham Hill, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. “I’m very, very happy of course. I know it was just a lot of luck today. Lewis drove brilliantly and would have deserved the win for sure but that’s the way it is in racing,” said the Monaco resident. “I know I got lucky today, I will just enjoy the moment now. Lewis was a little bit stronger this weekend so I have to work hard.” Russian Daniil Kvyat was fourth for Red Bull with Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo fifth and Kimi Raikkonen finishing sixth for Ferrari. Mexican Sergio Perez was seventh for Force India while Britain’s Jenson Button handed misfiring former champions McLaren their first points of the season with eighth place. Brazilian Felipe Nasr was ninth for Sauber with Verstappen’s Spanish team mate Carlos Sainz taking the final point for Toro Rosso after starting in the pit lane. - Reuters

MONACO: World champion Lewis Hamilton is better for Formula One than either Sebastian Vettel or Nico Rosberg, the sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Sunday. “I am a huge Lewis fan because he is a super promoter of the sport,” Ecclestone said in a conversation with Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Rosberg published on the official formula1.com website. “From a pure business aspect — sorry Nico if I have to say this — you are not so good for my business.” When Rosberg told Ecclestone that was a “hard call”, Ecclestone pointed to the lack of a German Grand Prix this season. “It sounds harder than it meant. Unfortunately you don’t have the German fans on your side. “As the cancellation of the German Grand Prix indicates, Germany is a terrible market for Formula One. On the contrary Lewis is a hero in the UK. “The British love Formula One. Sebastian is also not doing much for F1. People hardly recognize him on the street.” Double champion Hamilton, who was on pole for Sunday’s showcase Monaco Grand Prix

ahead of Rosberg and Ferrari’s Vettel, has become a familiar face in celebrity magazines and websites for his jet-setting lifestyle. The 30-year-old Briton has made friends in Hollywood and the U.S. music scene as well as the fashion industry. ‘Wants to be famous’ “I still believe that Lewis is the best champion that we have had in a long, long time,” Ecclestone told Nico Rosberg. “He manages to get to all different walks of life: red carpet, fashion business, and music — you name it,” Ecclestone added. “That is not your fault or his. You two are just very different characters,” he said. “Nico is not seeking the limelight as Lewis does. Lewis wants to be famous,” explained the 84-yearold Briton. “I am happy that we have somebody like Lewis. I also couldn’t be like Lewis. I don’t like gold jewellery,” he added. Ecclestone also said the team principals should be more prominent, and said new Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene was a character “only for himself and not for Formula One”. - Reuters

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

SPORTS

Tweet all about it

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Hull relegated on ﬁnal day of high scores and high-profile departures

CORONATION: Champions Chelsea celebrates after being handed the trophy on the ﬁnal day of the English Premier League. – Reuters

Hull needed to defeat United to stand any chance of staying up, but their failure to do so left them three points adrift of safety on a day when Gerrard, Drogba and Lampard departed

LONDON: Hull City were relegated from the English Premier League on Sunday after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester United on a final day marked by high scores and high-profile departures. Hull, beaten FA Cup finalists last season, needed to defeat United to stand any chance of staying up, but their failure to do so left them three points adrift of safety. “It is one of those awful experiences,” said Hull manager Steve Bruce, the former United captain, whose club had spent two seasons in the top flight. “It is not a time for excuses. You have to take your medicine and

come back as strongly as you can.” Hull made an enterprising start as Paul McShane and Dame N’Doye saw goals ruled out for offside, while United’s stand-in goalkeeper Victor Valdes saved brilliantly from Ahmed Elmohamady. The visitors, missing injured goalkeeper David de Gea and onloan striker Radamel Falcao, lost Angel di Maria to injury and saw substitute Marouane Fellaini sent off for an ugly foul on McShane in the second half. But Bruce was unable to engineer a ﬁrst managerial win over his old employers as Hull sank into the Championship and Louis van

Gaal’s United finished the campaign in fourth place. Newcastle United were the only other team at risk of relegation, but they secured their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory at home to West Ham United. Jonas Gutierrez, who returned to action last month after a 17-month battle with testicular cancer, was Newcastle’s saviour, teeing up Moussa Sissoko for a 54th-minute header and scoring with a deflected effort. “Every player deserves credit,” said Newcastle manager John Carver. “We have not had a good season, but I am going to enjoy this moment.” Gerrard, Drogba depart Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, criticised by fans for a perceived lack of investment, had vowed prior to the game not to leave until the club win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League. West Ham, meanwhile, announced after the match that manager Sam Allardyce’s contract will not be renewed and he will leave

the club with immediate effect. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored in vain on a wretched 710th and final appearance for the club as Brendan Rodgers’s side capitulated in a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Stoke City. With Raheem Sterling benched over his contract stand-off, Liverpool conceded five first-half goals, with Mame Biram Diouf scoring twice and Jonathan Walters, Charlie Adam and Steven Nzonzi also on target. Gerrard replied in the second half, to give the visiting fans one last goal before his departure for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but exLiverpool striker Peter Crouch restored Stoke’s five-goal cushion late on. Liverpool’s sixth-place finish nevertheless takes them into the Europa League, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, who won 1-0 at Everton courtesy of Harry Kane’s 21st goal of the league campaign and 31st in all competitions. But Rodgers conceded that his position was now under scrutiny, saying: “I have always said if the

owners want me to go, I will go. But I still feel I have a lot to offer here.” Gerrard’s former England teammate Frank Lampard also found the net in his final game before leaving England for the United States, but he scored in a winning cause as runners-up Manchester City beat Southampton 2-0. The 36-year-old midfielder, who is due to join New York City, converted a cross from James Milner in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, with Golden Boot-winner Sergio Aguero scoring his 26th goal of the campaign late on. Walcott hat-trick City’s win condemned Southampton to seventh place, which will yield a Europa League spot only if Arsenal beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final. Another departing Premier League stalwart, Didier Drogba, was carried off the pitch by his teammates after injuring himself in the early stages of Chelsea’s 3-1 win at home to Sunderland. At that point, the champions trailed to a 26th minute Steven

Fletcher header, but after Diego Costa, Drogba’s replacement, equalised with a penalty, Loic Remy scored twice in the second half. Chelsea were presented with the Premier League trophy after the game. Arsenal rubber-stamped third place, and automatic Champions League qualification, by demolishing West Bromwich Albion 4-1 as Theo Walcott staked a claim for a cup final starting place with a firsthalf hat-trick. Jack Wilshere was also on target, with Gareth McAuley replying for West Brom. Villa will go into the cup final on the back of a defeat after a firsthalf Danny Ings header saw them beaten 1-0 at relegated Burnley. Leicester City celebrated their stunning escape from relegation with a 5-1 romp at home to relegated Queens Park Rangers, with new England call-up Jamie Vardy opening the scoring. In the day’s other game, Crystal Palace beat Swansea City 1-0 courtesy of a 57th minute goal by Marouane Chamakh. - AFP

FOOTBALL

Al Azzani names probables for Oman under-22 camp MUSCAT: Hamad Al Azzani has called up 22 probables for the Oman under-22 national team training camp. According to a press release issued by the Oman Football Association (OFA) on Sunday, the training camp will take place from June 9 to 15. The camp is being arranged as part of the team’s preparations for the forthcoming GCC Under-22 Football Championship and West Asian Football Championship. During the training-cumconditioning camp, Azzani will be training the team along with assistant coach Mohammed Khamis Al Araimi. The probables: Bilal Al Balushi (Oman Club), Al Harith Al Balushi and Jamil Al Yahmadi (Al Shabab), Ahmed Faraj Al Rawahi and Massalam Mohammed (Al Nasr), Ali Dhahi Al Rashidi, Mahmood Mabrook Al Shanfari and Hassan Said Al Shahri (Al Suwaiq), Dawood Sulaiman Al Kahali, Omar

A ﬁle photo of Oman under-22 team

Al Fazari and Hatem Sultan Al Roshdi (Sohar), Thani Gharib Al Rashidi, Abdullah Fawaz and Nader Awadh Basheer (Dhofar), Khalid Ahmed Al Hamdani, Basil

Abdullah Al Rawahi and Azzan Hamood Al Tamimi (Fanja), Murwan Al Siyabi (Seeb), Al Munther Al Alawi (Al Wuda) and Yousef Nasser Al Mekhaini (Arouba).

LIFE & STYLE

SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

By the end of 2016, Internet traffic could eclipse one zettabyte a year. That would equal the storage capacity of...

...3,495 times the entire Facebook servers

e all understand, courtesy of our daily contributions to social media and our search struggles with Google, that the Internet is huge — and only growing more huge. More than 3 billion people are now online. By the end of 2016, Internet traffic could eclipse one zettabyte a year. But who the heck knows what a zettabyte is?! I want to size the Internet in concrete, physical terms: like, if I printed the whole thing out, I’d have — how many pieces of paper? This isn’t a novel question, incidentally: artists and mathematicians alike have tried to answer it before. Two years ago, the poet Kenneth Goldsmith invited interested strangers to print web pages out and mail them to his Printing the Internet show in Mexico. In March, meanwhile, two students at the University of Leicester published a journal paper that sought to estimate how much of the Amazon we’d have to fell in order to print the Web.

That paper was largely hypothetical — more a thought experiment than anything else. (Among other things, it makes use of a lot of “assumptions” in the course of its math.) I emailed co-author George Harwood, however, to ask how the page-length of the Internet could be computed more concretely. It would involve lots of menial labour. And, of course, a spreadsheet. How many web pages are there? In 2007, as part of his master’s thesis at Tilburg University, the Dutch Web consultant Maurice de Kunder developed a statistical method for tracking the number of pages indexed by major search engines. The math and technology behind this tool are pretty complicated — his thesis ran 68 pages, in Dutch — but eight years later, it’s still constantly updating the number of pages in Google and Bing search. A couple caveats here — Even this ﬁgure is an estimate, and it doesn’t capture anything outside the reach of search engines.

But for our purposes, de Kunder said, we can assume there are roughly 47 billion pages on the indexed, searchable Web. How many printed pages is the average web page? Meanwhile, to ﬁnd how many printed pages each of those 47 billion would be, I needed to visit a representative sample of websites and try to print out each. To arrive at a fair average — one with a 5 per cent margin of error, and a 95 per cent certainty — I’d have to test 385 random sites, as chosen by the so-called “Random Website Machine” (www.whatsmyip.org/ random-website-machine). This is a fun game you can play at home (!), if you have absolutely nothing else to do — click the “random website” button; hit CTRL+A and CTRL+P; and record the resulting “pages” number in a separate spreadsheet. There was the site for a Taiwanese Little League (two pages); online stores selling Orthodox icons and horses’

hoof grease (1); the homepage for the Czech national lacrosse league (4). I learned that West Virginia only has one business newspaper, and that Bulgaria’s constitution was adopted in 1991. Also that, in 2000, the BBC called Britney Spears a “teenage pop phenomenon.” A few of these sites would, of course, take up many printed pages — say, Wikipedia articles or the homepages of chatty personal blogs. But the vast, mundane majority of the websites I visited — the pages of Polish municipal governments, say, or a recipe for cattle drive chilli — only took up one or two. (We forget that our modern Internet sits atop strata of Geocities pages and long-forgotten forums and sites) The average site came out to 6.5 printed pages — slightly longer than the Wikipedia page on Lithuania’s performance at the ‘92 Olympics. In other words, there’s a 95 percent chance that the average length of all Web pages in the world is somewhere between 6.2 and 6.8 printed pages.

The number of pages it would take to print the Internet From here, of course, the experiment gets pretty easy. Multiplying 47 billion by 6.5 gives you 305,500,000,000 pages, approximately. This is, to be clear, just an estimate: There’s some room for error in my page-length average, and the Internet’s changing all the time. But it’s still difficult to even contemplate how much material that comes out to — It’s like 212 million copies of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. “We’re dealing with abstraction, and we have no idea what this is,” that Internetprinting poet, Kenneth Goldsmith, told my colleague Dan Zak in 2013. “We need new metrics for inﬁnity.” Even Goldsmith’s metrics failed, however — and failed rather spectacularly. While he and his gallery would later brag that the show collected 10 tons (three whales!!) of printed papers, that’s just a speck in the huge, abstract Internet sea. -Caitlin Dewey/ The Washington Post

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

Y B EXTRA

LD OU SH

DADS

A B

CUT OUT

They may have been criticised for failing to bond with their babies, but it seems that fathers who refuse to

engage in lots of baby talk with their children may have been doing the right thing all along

new scientiﬁc study has found that by going easy on the baby talk — the high-pitched, up and down cooing speech also known as “motherese” — fathers may actually be helping their young child’s language development. This is despite the fact that, however ridiculous they may sound to adult ears, the attention-catching cadences of baby talk have long been seen as important to parent-child bonding because they sound particularly attractive to babies and young children. Previous studies have also credited motherese with fostering language development by helping young children to identify sounds, syllables and eventually

words and sentences. Similar arguments were even used to defend the “eh-oh” babbling of the Teletubbies from criticism — with the show’s co-creator Andy Davenport, who has a B.Sc in speech sciences, arguing that by encouraging children to “have fun with sounds”, the children’s show helped their verbal development. But the suspicion has lingered that not all fathers were as keen on baby talk as mothers, possibly because of male pride and a fear of sounding ridiculous. What is being billed as the ﬁrst study to examine fathers’ verbal interactions with their children in a real-world setting has now found that dads do indeed engage in less baby talk than mums – and that this is probably not a bad thing. After ﬁtting American parents and

their pre-school children with recording devices, Washington State University researchers found that while women engaged in motherese, men tended to stick to intonations similar to those they used while talking to adults. But Mark VanDam, the professor in the Speech and Hearing Sciences who led the research, said: “This isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s not a failing of the fathers.” While motherese helped children connect on a more intimate level, fathers helped to provide a bridge to the outside world and grown-up speech by speaking in a more adult way, he said. “The parents are complementary to their children’s language learning,” said Professor VanDam. “We think that maybe fathers are doing things that are conducive to their

R I E H T

TO IMPROVE

A T

children’s learning but in a different way.” He added that while fathers were less frequent users of classic baby talk, they still modiﬁed their speech in other ways — by using different vocabulary with their children or by changing the volume or duration of their speech. The study, presented to the spring meeting of the Acoustical Society of America yesterday, looked only at families with a mother and father who both lived full-time with the child. Professor VanDam added that he and his team were ultimately keen to do similar research involving families with children with hearing loss, with a view to understanding how hearing problems affect speech production and learning. -Adam Lusher/The Independent

CHILD’S

SKILLS

LANGUAGE

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

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

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

ACES ON BRIDGE

Discards should send information

elett Burgess, a writer, poet and humorist who died in 1951, said, “If in the last few years you haven’t discarded a major opinion or acquired a new one, check your pulse.” Students sometimes ask, “I ﬁnd discarding difficult. What should I do?” The naive answer is: Throw losers and keep winners. But discards should send information to partner. If you are pitching from a suit not yet led by either side, your card is an attitude signal — as in this deal. South opens and closes the auction with three

spades. West starts the defense with three rounds of hearts. East plays high-low to show his doubleton, but what should he discard at trick three? Assuming the third heart is standing up, South presumably has 7-3-2-1, 7-3-1-2, 7-3-3-0 or 7-3-03 shape. In the ﬁrst three cases, East wants partner to shift to a diamond at trick four, not a club. (And in the last, a club shift is vital only if South has exactly queendoubleton of clubs.) The club ace can wait, but the diamond king needs to be established. So East should discard the diamond nine. He could throw the club

four, but if you can afford to, it is better to signal with a high, encouraging card than with a low, discouraging card. If West shifts to a diamond, the contract fails. If he leads a club, though, declarer gets his diamond loser away on dummy’s club king, with the spade king as the dummy entry. Phillip Alder is combining in May 2016 with Kalos to run a bridge and golf river cruise starting from Bordeaux, France. Details are available on Phillip’s website: www.phillipalderbridge.com. — By Phillip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Between 5 Sine — non 8 Poodle pros 12 Add some brandy to 13 Web addr. 14 Lotion additive 15 At ease 17 Radius companion 18 Galley slave’s tool 19 Cream-ﬁlled pastry 21 Undiluted 24 Gold unit 26 Stopped a squeak 28 Folks 29 Baseball’s Mel — 32 Rx givers

33 35 36 37 38 40 42 43 46 48 49 54 55 56 57 58 59

From Rangoon Garden implement Want-ad abbr. Make after taxes Engulfed in ﬂames Varsity (hyph.) Raucous water bird Major emergencies — — tizzy Arcing throws Slyly Helm position Funny person Must-have Right after Stockholm carrier Puts out a runner

DOWN 1 A hundred percent 2 1960s Chairman 3 “ER” venue 4 Signify 5 A — of fate 6 Coffee brewer 7 Sahara gateway 8 Jump over 9 Jazzy Fitzgerald 10 “Beloved” writer — Morrison 11 Char, as a steak 16 Dixie st. 20 Large blossom 21 Twig juncture 22 Gael republic 23 Too 25 Watchdog breed

27 29 30 31 34 39 40 41 43 44 45 47 50 51 52 53

Italian poet John Glenn’s state Corrida sight Babysitter, often Vacillates Brag about Portfolio item Oven gloves Large family Function Mountain goat St. John’s former postal code Estuary Grassy ﬁeld Journey stage Fabric meas.

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE

ERICA SOPHIA FREDERICK May 25, 2005

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

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are one of the most creative individuals born under your sign, but this does not by any means suggest that you have your head in the clouds or that you live in a state of disconnection from the real world. On the contrary, you are no mere dreamer; your feet are set solidly on the ground, and you are fully aware of the realities that surround you day after day. It is this, in fact, that gives you your greatest strength, making your seemingly boundless creativity even more remarkable — The fact that you are able to do what you do even while staring the real world in the face certainly separates you from the crowd. You are able to look at long-standing problems in new ways and devise solutions that can be permanent. When you are young, you may go through a phase in which you are quite impressionable, vulnerable to all manner of inﬂuences, both good and bad. As you mature, however, you will come to understand what it is you are meant to do, and which of your mentors you truly wish to follow to fulﬁll your destiny. You don’t have to listen to everyone! Also born on this date are: Mike Myers, actor; Sir Ian McKellen, actor; Frank Oz, director and voice actor; Anne Heche, actress; Cillian Murphy, actor; Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher; Dixie Carter, actress; Leslie Uggams, actress; Karen Valentine, actress; Connie Sellecca, actress; Claude Akins, actor.

W E AT H E R

WORLD

Max 41 Min 28 Max 25 Min 17

Max 46 Min 26

Max 41 Min 33 Max 26 Min 18

Max 44 Min 33

Max 20 Min 12

Max 41 Min 23

Max 43 Min 30

Max 42 Min 26

Max 43 Min 32

Max 37 Min 29

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] Max 32 Min 28

Max 22 Min 15

Max 34 Min 28 Max 18 Min 9

—www.met.gov.om

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

40 42 41 38 35 34

27 29 26 29 29 24

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

27 40 35 20 25 40 30 20 28 26 21 32 28 19 21 30 27 21

17 21 21 10 16 19 27 9 25 16 8 25 15 11 10 28 15 19

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] Repetition is the key to perfection — usually. Today, however, you may ﬁnd it quite tedious. You’ll ﬁnd a balance.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You may ﬁnd yourself getting closer to a certain someone than you ever intended, yet it would be a mistake to force the issue in any way.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You’re likely to be the source of an idea that takes others by storm when the time comes — but you must wait until it has ripened a bit.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may not fully understand what someone else expects of you, but if you do what you know must be done, all will be well.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You must make plans that are speciﬁc and detailed. Avoid approaching anything in a general, whitewashed sort of way.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] Preparations you make today are sure to pay off tomorrow, provided you have ﬁlled others in on what you expect and desire.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] You’ll be heading off on a journey of exploration very soon, literally or ﬁguratively. Indeed, both together could be satisfying!

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You can keep things going the way they are without much effort, but is that really enough for you? You can try for much more.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You may have more reasons not to do something than to do it, but quantity may not be the issue. Certain reasons carry more weight.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You may be feeling trapped by one or two of your own recent decisions. Remember, nothing is permanent — at least not just yet.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] It’s important for you to be in the right place at the right time, or much that you have been working toward may have to be sacriﬁced.

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6:46pm 5.21am

High tide Low tide

1:58am 9:09pm

2:32pm 7:25am

wave height of 2.5 metres and slight along the rest of Oman’s coast with maximum wave height of 1.25 metres. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog and rain. THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dohfar governorate & adjoining mountains with chances of isolated rain. Chances of convective clouds development over Al-Hajar mountains during afternoon with isolated rain and occasional thunder shower. Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds and shallow fog is expected along the coastal areas of south Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta governorates. Mainly clear skies over the rest of the Sultanate.

Max

OMAN

CANCER

12.09pm 3.30pm 6.51pm 8.11pm 3.57am

AIRLINES

lear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dohfar governorate and adjoining mountains with chances of isolated rain. Mainly clear skies over rest of the Sultanate with existence of high clouds over the northern parts and chance of convective clouds development and isolated rain over Al-Hajar mountains during afternoon. Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds and shallow fog along the coastal areas of south Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta governorates. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming southwesterly light during night and over the rest of the Sultanate wind will be southerly to southeasterly light to moderate and fresh along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea. SEA STATE: Moderate to rough along the Arabian Sea coasts with a maximum

GEMINI You may have certain criticisms to offer, but overall you will be very pleased with the way things turn out.

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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

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

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

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musaﬁr Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroﬂot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Paciﬁc: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines:

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

MONDAY

TUESDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

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BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 HYDERABAD 0110 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 LAHORE 0145 DUBAI 0145 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 SALALAH 0215 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DACCA 0300 KARACHI 0315 KATHMANDU 0350 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 DUBAI 0750 SALALAH 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 BANGKOK 0905 MADRAS 0915 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 BANGALORE 1000 ABU DHABI 1015 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 CALICUT 1255 LAHORE 1315 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 RIYADH 1335 PARIS 1345 KUWAIT 1350 MALPENSA 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 TEHRAN 1445 DUQUM OMAN 1455 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 DUBAI 1710 SALALAH 1735 DOHA 1750 RIYADH 1840 DUBAI 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 SALALAH 1900 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 AMMAN 2100 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 JEDDAH 2215 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2220 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 MEDINA 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

AI986 9W539 SG062 WY657 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY345 WY271 WY601 WY341 WY431 WY371 WY123 WY325 WY901 WY241 WY667 WY383 BG022 NL769 TK775 4H584 WY331 PK282 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY651 WY3301 WY903 4H562 WY603 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY373 WY215 WY815 WY291 WY263 WY385 G9842 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 IX818 QR1129 EY383 WY311 WY919 9W533 GF563 WY223 WY655 FZ038 WY631 IX350 WY253 WY113 WY693 WY3303 WY663 WY131 WY143 WY645 WY101 BG024 PK192 PA951 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 SV535 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 WY915 FZ050 WY411 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 AHMEDABAD 0030 BAHRAIN 0055 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 ISLAM ABBAD 0125 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 LAHORE 0145 TEHRAN 0155 COLOMBO 0155 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 SALALAH 0215 DELHI 0215 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0230 LAHORE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 DACCA 0300 KATHMANDU 0350 SIALKOT 0400 DUBAI 0450 ADDIS ABABA 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 BAHRAIN 0715 BAHRAIN 0730 MUKHAIZNA 0730 SALALAH 0740 DACCA 0745 DUBAI 0750 KHASAB 0815 KARACHI 0835 DOHA 0835 DUBAI 0845 ABU DHABI 0900 COLOMBO 0900 TRIVANDRUM 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LUCKNOW 0940 MALE 0945 RAS AL KHAIMA 0945 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 SALALAH 1020 DUBAI 1020 BOMBAY 1025 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 MANGALORE 1100 DOHA 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 CHITTAGONG 1140 KHASAB 1145 COCHIN 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 COCHIN 1215 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 ABU DHABI 1240 CALICUT 1255 MADRAS 1255 FRANKFURT 1320 DAMMAM 1330 MUKHAIZNA 1330 DOHA 1330 PARIS 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 DACCA 1400 GWADUR-TURBAT 1405 SIALKOT 1430 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 DUBAI 1445 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 MEDINA 1705 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 DOHA 1920 BAHRAIN 1920 SHARJAH 1955 RIYADH 2000 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 ABU DHABI 2045 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 AMMAN 2205 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 DOHA 2330 JEDDAH 2350 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355 ABU DHABI 2355

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MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

C11

EXTRA Why treatments work with some cancers but not others?

H E A LT H N O T E S

Childhood nightmares give rise to adolescent disorders RESEARCHERS at the University of Warwick have found a signiﬁcant link between the presence of persistent nightmares in childhood and psychotic experiences in adolescence. For the study, the team used a sample of 4,060 individuals from a British birth cohort. They used parental reports on their child’s experience of regular nightmares between the ages of two and nine. They then used interviews to assess experiences of nightmares, night terrors and sleep-walking at age 12 and psychotic experiences at age 18. “The presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms as confounding factors in those with sleep disturbance could potentially explain the ﬁndings,” said lead author Andrew Thompson from Warwick Medical School. The study appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Faster heart rate indicates higher diabetes risk PEOPLE WITH a faster beating heart rate are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, warns a new study. Each additional 10 beats per minute is associated with 23 per cent increased risk of diabetes, similar to the effects of a three kilogram per metre square increase in body mass index (BMI), the ﬁndings showed. “In this study, we measured resting heart rate among about 100,000 Chinese adults and followed them for four years,” said study senior author Xiang Gao, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in the US. “We found participants with faster heart rates, suggesting lower automatic function, had increased risk of diabetes,” Gao said. The ﬁndings suggest that heart rate measures could identify individuals with a higher future risk of diabetes.

Growing up with smokers doubles risk in children One of the most encouraging developments in cancer research has been the effort to help the immune system beat the disease at its evolutionary game

he powerful algorithm that has populated the Earth with 10 million species, each occupying a different ecological niche, is an example of what computer scientists call “random generate and test.” Start with the DNA alphabet, then blindly shuffle the letters to produce a kaleidoscope of living forms. The fittest, selected by the demands of the environment, will multiply and fill their habitats. The Darwinian principle is also at work inside the body, though in very different ways. Through random variation and selection, the immune system spins out the endless diversity of antibodies that it uses to stop microscopic invaders. But cancer also thrives through this evolutionary imperative as, mutation by mutation, a normal human cell transforms into a deadly tumour, which becomes fitter and fitter at the expense of its host. Among the advantages it evolves is the ability to outwit our immunological defences. One of the most encouraging developments in medical research has been the effort to help

the immune system ﬁght back, beating cancer at its own evolutionary game. That was a dominant theme last month at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Philadelphia as scientists discussed recent successes in immunotherapy while considering how far the ﬁeld still has to go. Why have these treatments been working so well with some cancers but not others? And why, even in the best cases, do not all patients respond? The realisation that Dar-

winian forces, for good and bad, are at work inside us can be traced to the early 1950s, when Frank Macfarlane Burnet, an Australian virologist, was pondering how we manage to fight off a potentially infinite variety of invading microbes, tailoring an antibody against each one. One possibility was that when an interloper is identified, by its molecular bumps and grooves, the immune system systematically engineers an appropriate weapon. Nature doesn’t work in such a methodical manner, and

Burnet suggested a messier, more intuitive explanation: the clonal selection theory of immunity. By shuffling DNA, the body is continually generating a random assortment of immune cells, each with a different shape. When one of them happens to encounter a microbe with a matching surface, the yin to its yang, it is activated. It begins multiplying to produce an army, called a clone, of identical progeny. These make the antibodies that ﬁght the infection. Some of the newly created immune cells linger in the body, preserving a memory of the invader. The next time it appears, it will be quickly recognized and destroyed. In cancer, random variation and selection produce a different kind of progeny — clones of mutant cells. As normal cells divide, mutations inevitably occur and spread. The weaker mutants die, leaving the stronger ones to survive. The most aggressive evolve into cancerous tumours, continually devising. -George Johnson/The New York Times News Service

RECORD

A physics paper with 5,154 authors THE PHYSICS paper with 5,154 authors broken the record for the largest number of contributors to a single research article. Only the ﬁrst nine pages in the 33-page article, published on May 24 in Physical Review Letters, describe the research itself — including references. The other 24 pages list the authors and their institutions. The article is the ﬁrst joint paper from the two teams that operate ATLAS and CMS, two massive detectors at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Europe’s particle-physics lab near Geneva, Switzerland. Each team is a sprawling collaboration involving researchers from dozens of institutions and

countries. By pooling their data, the two groups were able to obtain the most precise estimate yet of the mass of the Higgs boson. Robert Garisto, an editor of Physical Review Letters, says that publishing the paper presented challenges above and beyond the already Sisyphean task of dealing with teams that have thousands of members. “The biggest problem was merging the author lists from two collaborations with their own slightly different styles,” Garisto says. “I was impressed at how well the pair of huge collaborations worked together in responding to referee and editorial comments,” he adds. Too big

to print? Every author name will also appear in the print version of the Physical Review Letters paper, says Garisto. By contrast, the 2,700-odd author list for a Nature paper on rare particle decays that was published on May 15 will not appear in the June print version, but will only be available online. Some biologists were upset this week about a genomics paper with more than 1,000 authors, but physicists have long been accustomed to “hyperauthorship”. An article published in 2008 about the CMS experiment at the LHC, before the machine started colliding protons, became the ﬁrst paper to top 3,000 authors. -Davide Castelvecchi/The New York Times News Service

RESEARCHERS have found that that growing up in a home with a regular smoker nearly doubles the chances of a child becoming an adult smoker. “We know that exposure to cigarette smoking as a child is a risk factor for adult smoking because it is a learnt behaviour, and our study results corroborate this theory,” said study lead author Elena Navas-Nacher. Navas-Nacher is a researcher at the University of Illinois in Chicago. The ﬁndings are based on data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), the largest ongoing study of this ethno-culturally diverse population in the US. -IANS

C12

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015

EXTRA BRIEFS

John Stamos is heartbroken ACTOR John Stamos reacted to the announcement that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen would not be joining Full House reboot, tweeting that he was “#heartbroken”. The new 13-episode series, titled Fuller House, will premiere next year, with Stamos, 51, producing and starring as his beloved character Uncle Jesse. The show’s executive producer Robert L. Boyett conﬁrmed that the Olsens would not be joining most of their former castmates for the onscreen reunion. “I understand they’re in a different place and I wish them the best,” Stamos tweeted. “I promise you will not be disappointed with our reunion and spin off!!” Stamos officially announced the rebooted series on during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Fuller House will begin with a one-hour reunion, before turning into a spinoff series featuring DJ Tanner (Candace Cameron-Bure) and her three children, along with her sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and neighbour Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber).

British actor Sue-Patt found dead at home BRITISH Terry Sue-Patt has died at the age of 50. The actor was found dead at his home in Walthamstow by police on Friday. He found fame as Benny Green in BBC’s Grange Hill alongside the likes of Todd Carty. Erkan Mustafa, who played Roland on the show, and other co-stars have paid tribute. Sue-Patt became a graffiti artist later on in life, but was acting up until 2013. He became an actor by chance and landed a number of roles as well as Green, also starring alongside Gary Oldman in The Firm. Police officials have conﬁrmed that they are not treating his death as suspicious.

B.B. King: 15 children and potentially a big legal mess As members of King’s family gathered to say goodbye, there seemed to be blues all around them — in the form of past, present and likely future legal squabbles about his estate with his representatives

ven though he toured endlessly. Even though he held a lifelong responsibility as a blues “ambassador.” Even though he was a philanthropist. Even though he was a diabetic. The stress, it seemed, just never got to him. And when someone said they were going to have his baby, that was OK, too. “If a woman I’ve been with says the child is mine, I don’t argue,” King wrote in his memoir. “I assume responsibility. As I got older, that responsibility grew.” The ﬁnal tally — 15 biological and adoptive children — 11 of whom survived King — and, now that the King is gone, potentially a huge legal mess. Even as members of King’s family gathered in Las Vegas to say goodbye, there seemed to be blues all around them — in the form of past, present and likely future legal squabbles about his estate with his representatives. “I don’t want to ﬁght with fam-

ily,” Shirley King, King’s eldest daughter who performs as “Daugher of the Blues,” said, as the Associated Press reported. “I don’t want to ﬁght with management. ... When everybody gets through being sad about him leaving, I want them to come out and let the good times roll and be happy about his life.” But, according to the AP, King’s longtime business agent LaVerne Toney said all the family’s love was in vain. “They want to do what they want to do, which is take over, I guess,” Toney said. “But that wasn’t Mr. King’s wishes.” Even as Toney sanctioned a public viewing — sans media and photos — for Friday ahead of a funeral Saturday, the squabbling continued. King’s family even had to gain approval for a ﬁnal private visit in a probate court. Toney has power-of-attorney over King’s estate. Even in the days before King’s death, three of his 11 surviving children went to court to take control of the dying bluesman’s affairs, including what

If a woman I’ve been with says the child is mine, I don’t argue, I assume responsibility. As I got older, that responsibility grew B.B. King King of the Blues they claimed to be $5 million in assets. In allegations that recalled the struggles of Casey Kasem and Mickey Rooney, they accused Toney of stealing King’s money, neglecting his health and preventing the family from seeing him. A judge said their complaints were without merit. “I don’t have

anything here that says (King) lacks capacity,” Clark County Family Court Hearing Master Jon Norheim said. “He has some serious health issues. But he has counsel. If he feels like he’s being taken advantage of, he has remedies.” “It’s all about money,” King’s attorney Brent Bryson said. “Mr. King is no longer out able to tour at this particular time so there’s no money coming in. The only way they can get money now is by ﬁling a frivolous type of action.” “We lost the battle, but we haven’t lost the war,” Karen Williams, one of King’s daughter’s, said after the family was denied power-of-attorney. Shirley King, however, did not go to court and said she will be sitting out the legal battle. Instead, she has rented a Las Vegas venue on the Strip and will host what she said will be a free musical tribute to her father. “I don’t want to be part of the argument over his life,” she said.

Richa Chadha has an ecstatic moment at Cannes RICHA CHADHA starrer Masaan has bagged two awards at the ongoing Cannes International Film Festival. The actress was left speechless as she got an opportunity to meet her idol French actress Marion Cotillard at the gala. “Speechless when I met my idol in ﬂesh. #MarionCotillard. Thank you #MasaanAtCannes and Melita,” Richa tweeted. Masaan, which follows the stories of four people from a small town and how they ﬁt into the moralities, won the Promising Future Prize and the International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) award at the ongoing festival. -IANS

COMPOSER

A.R. Rahman: The ‘Mozart of Madras’

-Justin Wm. Moyer/The Washington Post

H O L LY W O O D

I don’t remember much of the 1970s: Al Pacino AL PACINO says he doesn’t “remember much” of the 1970s. The Godfather actor has opened up about struggling with the attention he received in the wake of the blockbuster’s release in 1972. “I was having difficulty with all the attention,” he explained. “I was a drinker, for sure, my career was exploding in the Seventies and, I’m sorry, but I don’t remember much of the Seventies,” mirror.co.uk quoted Pacino as saying. “Now when I come to think about it, I don’t remember much of the Eighties

either,” he added. The 75-year-old “star says he hasn’t had a drink in 30 years and credits his drama teacher Charlie Laughton — who he calls “the most inﬂuential” person in his life — for changing his ways. “He was the one who said to me, ‘Al, I’m not asking you to stop or do anything, but to be aware that you are actually drinking and taking stuff ’. That awareness started and a year or so later, I decided to give this stuff up. It saved my life,” he told The Sun. -IANS

THE CAREER of A.R. Rahman invites superlatives. The Indian composer and musician is one of the world’s most proliﬁc creators of movie scores (including the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire). He has been nicknamed “the Mozart of Madras.” He has cracked Time’s list of the world’s most-inﬂuential people. He has sold more than 150 million albums. But with Rahman’s latest show, he’s operating on a modest scale — relatively speaking. “This is probably the smallest band I’ve ever been with, but the most credible one,” Rahman says of the singers, percussionists and other performers (including a violinist, a guitarist, a bassist and

a dancer-choreographer) who are accompanying him through North America on The Intimate Concert Tour. Rahman and his band perform selections from his compositions of the 1990s and 2000s, including vocal numbers in Hindi, Tamil, French and English. “I really enjoy performing live, and the band and I have worked hard to make it a special show,” Rahman said by email. Rahman is known for fusing elements of Eastern classical music — including the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions — with world, electronic and Western classical sounds. And his reach has extended beyond cinema — A sometime collaborator with Mick Jagger and other music icons (in the band SuperHeavy), Rahman has composed for musical theatre (Bombay Dreams, which ran on Broadway in 2004) and for the Olympics (the opening ceremony in London in 2012). How does he stay sane while juggling so many assignments? Rahman said he meditates as much as he can and, during a tour like this one, tries to get enough sleep. He also trusts in the “good will” of his fans. -Celia Wren/ The Washington Post

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VACANCY

CARGO

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

*Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

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 For rent furnished, non furnished ﬂats & shops in Duqm. Contact: 97283999

2 BHK (with split AC) residential ﬂat at Honda road. Contact 98087644 / 99795241

Labour camp for rent 100 pay labour camp in Duqm near special zone. Contact 97283999

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

Deluxe 3 Room Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 9507 0421 Independent villa in Darsait (Opp. KIMS Hospital, behind Khimji Mart) for rent 4 bedrooms, big hall and 1 kitchen + 1 pantry. Please call Ms Hiba Shaikh. Contact 98048210/ Mr. Anil Kumar 99261773 Villa for rent in Azaiba near well roundabout & Umm AL Qura Mosque, 5 bedrooms, two hall, kitchen. Contact: Mr Sunil 92887809/ Mr. Habib 98048207 2 bedroom ﬂat new building in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99313274 1,2 & 3 BHK ﬂat for rent in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

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. 2BHK flat with store room split A/Cs in CBD, Ruwi near QNB. Contact 99603696 2 BHK flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 Labour camp for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181 2 BR in Rex road. Contact 99792181 Spacious 1& 2 BH flats having good finishing A/C kitchen etc, AL Khuwair near Al Zawawi mosque. Contact: 99385074

Deluxe 2 BHK in Mumtaz area Ruwi Contact 97707007 Furnished spacious single room in a new building with attached bathroom for executive bachelor at South Al Mawaleh (Behind Seeb City Center). Gsm 99221067 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 3 bedrooms ﬂat for rent near NIT Institute Darsait. Contact 93494098

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 600/-RO.#92888115 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 Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 Villa 12 rooms and a lounge Council in citrus 11 first line along with Omantel serve as a school or as liaison offices: 91256340

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. 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 Showroom for rent 200 m in Al Misfah, Bousher facing the main road. Contact 95202430 New building, residential apartments and offices, in Al Khoud Souq. Contact 95202340 Independent rooms in Qurum / AL Hail. Contact 95529970

Flats for rent south AL Mabela. Contact: 95331177/95230355

2 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181

1& 2 BHK at Honda road. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

For rent special price 3 BHK Al Falaj area 270/- , 3BHK South AL Hail 275/- Contact: 24707340/95282986

2bedrooms ﬂat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Ruwi near boys school. Contact : 92584715 / 24700120

2 BHK at AL Azaiba, 2 bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning 3 & bath rooms. Contact: 99224748 / 99425665

1 Bedroom bachelors, sharing K & T in Al Khuwair R.O 100/-. Contact 95154331

2 & 3 BHK in Qurum, with split AC, Near PDO Gate 2. Contact 94057023

1BHK ﬂat with split A/C in front of ISM for rent. Contact: 93215939

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 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 One BHK flat for rent in Ghobra with attach and common bathroom. For Indian family. # 92322096 Flat with 2 rooms, toilet & kitchen in second floor in Souk Al Khoud behind bank Al Ahli 200/- R.O . Contact : 99738881 7 BHK Flat in Azaiba for Executive Bachelors. Contact 99792181

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

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

FOR RENT 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

MV. SALE

2 bedroom apartment in Ruwi for rent or sale for information. Contact: 99360303 Room main road, Al Khuwair R.O 110/-. Contact 97799175 For rent 3 industrial land. Contact 92702891/ 95490842 1/3 BHK Flat Ghubrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390. Contact 99319880 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 Flat for rent 2 BK near Oman House Muttrah. Contact 97007934 / 92629232 If require ﬂats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send me messages through whatsapp or call 99376454

Furnished ﬂats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly. Contact 97819981 / 93593336 2 BHK with A/C Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 99896838

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 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

FOR SALE

1st floor flat in Amerat Phase 5, 4 rooms, bathrooms (3), kitchen with A/C for family. Contact 95522405 2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms. Contact : 99224748 / 99425665 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and boundary wall will be provided. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 2 BHK & studio flat at Darsait 1SM. Contact 99024730 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road. Contact 97293708 / 92433127 For rent flat 3BHK 390/-R.O in North Al Ghubrah. Contact 97004127

Villa in Al Khuwair and Seeb. Contact 95250300/ 99119699 / 92125648 Industrial land for rent in Wadi Kabir 7000 Sq mtrs. Contact 99354340

Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181

Ghubra near Al Maha hotel & Indian school (2BHK with 5 split ac units). Contact 94652485/ 99273774 / 99202278

Flat for rent 1 & 2 bedroom available behind Zaker Mall Al Khuwair. Contact - 99530405

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

FOR SALE Port cabin new & refurbished – porta cabin for sale & rent. Contact: 96723468 / 97775501 / 97775502

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

Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569

We have ﬂats for rent in South Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

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

Ice cream & Juices shop in Ruwi good location for sale, 1.5mt ﬁsh display machine unused for sale. Contact: 92150455

1BHK ﬂat near star cinema with split A/C 230/- O.R. Contact 99358589/ 97079146/95570288

Apartments for rent Ghubra : near Indian School Ghubra & Al Maha International Hotel (2BHK with 5 split A/C units).Contact 99273774 / 99202278 /94652485

Land Cruiser 2012. Contact 99336093

We have ﬂats for sale in south Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

Studio ﬂat Wadi Kabeer 160/-O.R. Contact - 99358589 / 97079146/ 95570288

Flats for rent near Indian school in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122

2BHK ﬂats in Al Khuwair-33 with split AC. Contact: 94057023

Treadmill –motorized. Contact: 99378397

Spacious 2 BHK ﬂats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499

2 BHK with A/C Ghobrah. Contact: 92144045

Villa for rent in Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque. Contact 99366624

WANTED

Toyota Camry Expat driven fully automatic KM 107000. #93892126

Household items for sale, all items are in a very good condition. For more details contact 97287410

Shop for sale, at Al-Khoudh 6, suitable for perfume and watches. Contact 98545994 Running computer shops for sale Souq Sohar. Contact 99420543 Shop in Ruwi OPP: OC. Contact: 99378397 A well equipped running dental clinic in Ruwi for sale. Contact 93769963 Coffee shop & BBQ running Wadi Kabir, open parking having clearance. Contact: 97161811 Shfandish & tables for sale. Contact 99368907 Coffee shop for sale in North Al Ghubra. Contact 95256009

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 Residential land for sale 21000 sqm, best for housing complex at Al Harm – Barka, opp to Khimji logistic. Contact 99438397 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

Fork Lift for rent or sale Nissan 3.5 Ton. Contact: 94102899

BUYING / SELLING Investors required for a Running hotel in AL Khuwair. Contact 98049288 Used household & office furniture and electronic items. Contact 99834373, 97102699

FOR SALE 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 60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 27 Per Square Meter. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 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 *Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5, 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

ADMIN Omani lady HR Manager for a leading metal fabrication company. Min. 5 yrs exp, familiar with Oman labor Laws. Responsibilities – Making HR policies, Training of Omanis, liaising with various Ministries. Contact: operation@khancogroup.com

ACCOUNTANT Reputed Construction Company required Draughtsman / Accountant experience in Construction Company with accountancy degree. Email: jvacancy05@gmail.com

ARCHITECT / DRAFTSMAN Urgently Required: Draftsman Temporary for 1 month. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com. 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

CATERING Shawarma /Arabic/Chinese/ cook & helpers. Contact 95529970

DOMESTIC HELPER Looking for a House maid for Karalee family in Darsait. Contact 99276312 An Indian family in Al Ghubra requires a full time living housemaid. Contact : 97084023 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

EDUCATION Teachers required (B.A, BEd, BSc, and B.ed) for Omani Pvt. School Al Hail (North). Contact 95141554/ 96653118

MEDICAL Wanted Lady Doctor GP or Gynecologist with MOH license. Immediate opportunity. Contact - 99310590 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

MEDICAL

SITUATION WANTED

Medical CARE Centre, Al Seeb, requires Gynecologist, General Practitioners and Medical Lab Technicians. Mail CVsarita_h23@yahoo.com or call 97884856

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Young dynamic Indian MBA having one year exp in CA Firm looking for an opening. Skills: MS Office & Tally. Contact:+919744732896/ Email: asifakbar4@gmail.com

Urgent required staff Nurse in Mabela. Contact- 95200180. 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 Immediate placement ( with or without MOH) A. Pharmacist 3 nos B. Asst.pharmacist - 2 nos Contact Tel.99338219 , 93240949

MISCELLANEOUS Required Salesman, Tailor and Barber. Contact : 96964767

SALES / MARKETING Looking for smart & intelligent female Telesales Executive/Sales coordinator with IT background, 2-3 yrs experience with clear & commanding voice, good & effective communication, correspondence and coordination skills. Send your resume to 002atech@gmail.com Urgently need a Marketing Executive to develop marketing campaigns to promote company’s product &service. He/She should have 2-3 years in organizing events, product branding, Social Media marketing, Email Marketing and Web Site promotion. Send your resume to 002atech@gmail.com Looking for a Retail Sales Executive & 3-5 yrs experience in selling building material, structure cabling, Access control, and CCTV products & motivated by sales and targets. Candidate with Omani D/L will be given preference. Send your resume to 002atech@gmail.com Required Van Salesman for a major beverages company in Qatar. Salary 1800 Qatar Riyal + free accomodation & food+ Sales commissions averaging around 2000 Qatari Riyal. Also require key accounts supervisor. Salary negotiable. Interested candidates may send their CV to rlkekkas@gmail.com or contact 0097455096272 Urgently required 2 sale person with Omani driving license ready with NOC. Contact : 96967223 Salesman with driving license for company. Contact: 96440587 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 / MARKETING Looking for Sales person for UPVC products windows/doors & kitchens with valid driving license. Send CV TO altaameerupvc@gmail.com Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualiﬁcation. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com Requirement counter Sale & Marketing sale for work in building material shop in Saham. Contact: 99352829 / 99417418 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

Salesman experienced 5 yrs in Oman, in the ﬁeld of industrial & oilﬁeld service, garage equipment tools & spares, safety wears & rescue equipments. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com Sales 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

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 WANTED

Indian female Chartered Accountant,6years Experience as Finance Manager,Auditor.Immediate joining- 92530131; catanalur131@gmail.com Finance Manager (15+yrs experience) thorough knowledge on Holding Company accounts. Well versed on Trading, Investment, Insurance Brokerage, Travel & Rent A Car accounts. Ability to manage Group of companies. Contact: 92701962 : amritaa.m2002@gmail.com Indian male B.Com, 1 year experience in accounts and sales looking for suitable placement on visit visa. Contact: 98295101 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 MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. Contact: 99424803 Indian female B.com 4 years experience in accountant 1 years experience in Oman having knowledge of tally seeking suitable placement. Contact: 93491124/92054531

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 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 Experienced Omani PRO, well versed with OCCL, ROP , immigration , customs , municipality related assignments looking for good opportunity . Contact: 99588154/93387833 Profession experience Education visa status driving license contact operation 18 years degrees visiting visa heavy light superior all gulf college UAE18. Contact: 98268860 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

Over 15 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, ﬂuent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact 95824598 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement. Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com 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

AUTO CAD/ARCHITECT Female architect (27) 4 years experience seeking for suitable job in Oman experience in Oman, India & UK. Contact: 96146645 Email: anjuovil@gmail.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE 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

13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed ﬁrms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@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

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 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 Accountant: Indian male 10 years experience, 6 years in Oman with Oman driving license, seeking suitable job. Contact 96012973 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 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 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 MFA (Master of finance and accounting), B.com. 6 months experience, looking suitable position in finance and accounts. Contact: 97829315. Email: muhsin1819@gmail.com 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

Indian B.com graduate doing MBA with NOC is looking for a job in accounts. Contact- 94627418

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

Indian female B.com Graduate over 8 years experience in Finance, customer relation, sales coordinator, secretary, Bank Office seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987

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 graduate B.com looking for suitable in Account Finance / sales marketing release available with 2 years working experience. Contact: 94574596

Indian male 23 yrs B.Com 1yr experience in Accounts and sales looking for suitable placement on visit visa. Contact: 96068174 / 98912870

Indian male 2 years experience in account cum sales coordinator NOC available looking for suitable job. Contact: 91298422/96458189

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

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

EDUCATION

MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in banking operational, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075

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 Email: me_ann_laloma@yahoo.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

ENGG. / TECHNICAL 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 Mechanical Engineer More than 8 years experience in different multinational industrial gas companies in Gulf & South Asia having knowledge of Production, Operations, Maintenance, Customer Engineering, Project Management & SHEQ, Ready to join any suitable position upon 30 days’ notice. Contact +974-70095820, email: raihan007h@yahoo.com Structural Engineer, 8 yrs experienced in flat slab, post tensioned & slab-beam multi story building design & supervision with driving license. Contact: 98256860 Civil Engineer: 5 years experience in building & structure works in Oman seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 98180524

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

CATERING Indian male currently in Oman on visit, looking for suitable vacancy in hotel Industry as Supervisor having 8 years experience in Europe. Contact: 97376612 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 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: don007james@gmail.com Creative Web graphic designer looking for a full time job in a reputed company in Muscat. 9 years overall experience + freelance expert. Contact 97276004 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 Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327 For Driving. Contact: 95870012 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 Pakistani male looking for a light vehicle driving job. Contact: 95149231 Driver looking for job. Contact 92137431

Engineer (ECE) seeking job. Contact: 98584498 / 91981503 Electrical Engineer new in Oman B.Tech (Hons.) with Diploma of Electrical Engg. seeks a suitable job. Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasqader97@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Toms Davis, 5+yrs Exp in Projects and design, 10+2+Diploma in Mech Eng, 92068508 Civil Engineer, Indian Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99195433 Indian female 27 yrs-BSc Biotech and P.G Diploma in Quality Assurance having experience in Pharmaceutical Industry seeking immediate placement- Contact- 93218363. Indian male 24 years (BE) Mechanical Engineer undergone HSE fire and safety training seeking suitable placement. Contact 96542840 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 Indian male B.Tech marine Engineer on visit visa. Seeking suitable placement. Contact – 91991386 / prvnpurushan@gmail.com 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.romil@yahoo.com B.Sc in civil Engineer having 2 years experience with driving license in Oman. Contact 94618906 Email: msamps988@yahoo.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

ENGG. / TECHNICAL 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

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847

Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952 Indian Male 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 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 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 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 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 Sudanese Petroleum Engineer, 4 yrs experience looking for job, MC office, C, Exlips. Contact 96039290

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 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, female fresher MCA, BCA Oracle certified 6 months PLSQL, data ware housing training PHP seeking job at good company. Contact: 95694330 Email: monakasapool@gmail.com Expat Lady (M.Sc IT), Looking for suitable position in IT/Office work. Contact 98176793, Email : santhi.85@gmail.com 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 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. Contact: 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, 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

SALES / MARKETING

2 Years of Experience as Java Software Developer. Looking for the suitable job in IT. Call: 97897616

Indian male 10 years experience in Welding Supervisor NDT Technician, MIG Welding specialist seeking suitable job. Contact 96771841

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 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 Assistant Pharmacist (Indian female, 28 yrs) with MOH license. Contact 93022787 / 99108751 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 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

MISCELLANEOUS Construction Surveyor Indian looking for suitable job. Contact 91977142 / 95141554 Graduate 1 yr experience in India, Clerk now in Oman on visit visa. Contact 92933431, princemathew2813@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Arabic – English translator having, 3 years experience currently on visit visa seeks translation or Bi-Lingual, Secretarial job. Contact: 96599501 Email: gawaeljamal@gmail.com 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

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job. Contact 96990368. Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com Sr. Manager, 18 yrs experience in project Sales building materials in Gulf, on visit, GCC license, looking for job placement. Contact 93364846 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 midlevel 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 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job. Contact - 92146864 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

MISCELLANEOUS 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 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

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE Female Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary with 27+ experience, worked with top management/Board in financial services with shorthand skills & Omani driving license, seeks suitable placement. call 95941515 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.8 years experience in Administration, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Holding Oman valid driving license. Contact :94501423 8 yrs exp Site supervisor cum 2d, 3d Draughtsman (holding Omani driving license) seeking job. Contact : 93790601 Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121. Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com Iraqi Pharmacist with 15 years experience as regulatory affairs and Marketing Manager seeking job in pharmaceutical co. Mobile 96720441 Finance ACCA Affiliate, 2.5 years experience in audit/finance and oil company in reputed firms. Looking for suitable permanent placement. Release available. Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com 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, post graduate, currently in Oman on visit visa. Seeks suitable placement.# 92388346

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED

AVAILABLE

MISCELLANEOUS

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

Indian male 60 years old have 30 years Muscat experience in all office works with Omani driving license. Contact: 99024055

Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer, 4 years experience in telecom ﬁeld.Contact : 97783092, Email: alrsheed88@hotmail.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

Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com

Indian male, 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.#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 male, MBA marketing & finance with B com & diploma in IFRS seeks job.# 99469726 / 99469729 Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821 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 Contact: 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 Civil autocad draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726 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 Male, 19 years of experience in Finance and Administration currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99720132/ abidrafi33@hotmail.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

ACC. AVAILABLE 2 Rooms with separate bathroom & kitchen for executive bachelors. Gsm 942-888-63 Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor - Al Falaj area & for lady at Wadi kabir (Al Maya) 95941515. Sharing accommodation available for Executive bachelor. Ruwi high street. Contact-99776193 Available fully furnished Executive bachelor accommodation near Oman House. Contact: 98796982 Accommodation for Indian Executive bachelor near Al Khuwair R/A. Contact : 99659513 Single room for executive bachelor near AL Falaj Hotel. Contact 99643845 Fully furnished room with attached Bath for executive bachelor, behind Al Meera Hypermarket Azaiba R.O 150/-. Contact: 99455735 Sharing accommodation for executive bachelor near Sadolin Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99016230

Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone- 98430089

Sharing accommodation available opposite Mars at Al Ghubra for Executive bachelor or small family sharing, kitchen. Contact 94474351 / 96237050

Female British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable situation. Contact 97175240

Furnished single rooms available for bachelors at Ruwi. Contact: 98049288

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

ACC. OPP, OK center for non- cooking bachelor. Contact - 97900642 after 5 pm

Indian Male 28yr age having 6year gulf+ Indian experience in HR ﬁeld. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com

Sharing for non-cooking Executive bachelor in CBD area wi ﬁ free, advance deposit. Contact 95934642

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 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. Contact 94211377. Email: hosam.karar.1@gmail.com

Executive bachelor room with attached toilet near Al Nahda Hospital, Hamriya. Contact - 96474313

Accommodation available for South Indian family, one bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen, hall in a villa, Al Ghubrah. Contact 99209160 Sharing acc. Available in Muttrah behind Oman house. Contact 99354340 Sharing family accommodation in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987 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

DRIVING

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

WANTED RENT A CAR Wanted small car monthly rent Basis 100-150. Contact: 98796982

TRANSPORTATION Pick & Drop any time. Contact 97014786

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 99077348 House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422 Transportation. Contact 99508282 Transport to ISWK. Contact 93172589

M O N DAY, M AY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

BUSINESS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

CLASSES

NRI

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman Ready / under construction apartments / villas / row houses / shops, available for sale in North / South Goa (India). E- mail - tonynoronha@rocketmail. com, tel # 95867021

COMPUTER

Residential plot 47 cents, also as 10-15 cents plots at Manjapra 15kms from Nedumbassery Airport with calm and beautiful surroundings. Price IRS.180,000/cent. Contact 9193 6563

Looking for a working partner to run a well established fabrication & carpentry workshop in Barka. Contact: 95120404 or mail to elmechoman@gmail.com Software development based on requirements such as: Web development & cloud computing, SAP implementation & services. Android App development networking. Contact 97423932 Required business Researcher. contact 99229700 Email: kjaaraimi@hotmail.com Business Consultant, feasibility study. Contact 99229700

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 Alliance invited for a Hindu, Ezhava male 28, 5”8” working as a machinist in a well established company in Oman. Contact: 98323862 We are Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

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 46 cents of land kattakada peyad road (malapanan code) near E.M.S academy expecting 1 lakh percent. Contact: 99016230 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

LOST Nawrs Sabai has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. C1532870. Finder please handover to ROP Osama Faisal Khalifa has lost Tunisian Passport No. W 095053. Finder please handover to ROP Mhmmed Afdal has lost Pakistani Passport No. CG 1519312. Finder please handover to ROP AL Haz Hossain Tofazzal Hossain has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AA 2820734. Finder please handover to ROP

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SERVICES Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

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 A/C maintenance & servicing. Fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing. Painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/ 24504281 We do building maintenance all kind of works. Contact 99247663 Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

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 GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

P.R.O services. Contact 99368907

House shifting packing. Contact 99657644/ 98518013

Electric, Plumbing, painting & all kinds of building maintenance. Contact 93896787 / 97924862

Carpet & sofa shampooing. Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99884591 / 92682970

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