Times of Oman - June 22, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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MONDAY, June 22, 2015 / 5 Ramadan 1436 AH

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Central bank pegs growth at 4.6%

Customs officers at the Central Post conﬁscated 493 codeine capsules after they inspected one of the parcels that arrived here from abroad. >A3

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Call to respect hard work of housemaids PRECAUTION: Tourists wear masks to avoid falling prey to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

as they arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, on Sunday. -Reuters

MERS patient saw doctors before flight Ministry of Health official confirms that the patient from flight WY815 visited hospitals in Oman on June 4 and June 14 before boarding the flight to Thailand a week ago Times News Service MUSCAT: An Omani businessman infected with the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus visited hospitals in Oman more than 10 days before he boarded a flight to Thailand, a senior official of the Ministry of Health has revealed. Passengers on board Oman Air’s June 15 flight WY815 have already been advised to seek medical attention as a precautionary measure, and officials are now monitoring airline staff plus ‘household’ contacts after a Thai hospital confirmed the Omani patient was suffering from the MERS coronavirus. As the timeline of his movements unfolds, it has emerged

that the patient was admitted to a hospital in Oman on June 4 for heart problems, according to a senior official of the Ministry of Health. The patient, who was suffering from heart disease, then left the hospital on June 7. “He again went to one of the health centres on June 14 after he developed acute respiratory symptoms and was referred to another hospital. But he didn’t go there and went to Thailand,” Dr Idris Saleh Al Obaidani, director of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance & Control Department, told Al Shabiba, the sister publication of the Times of Oman. On June 15, he took a ﬂight with his three family members and arrived in Bangkok. “Neither the patient nor his

family members reported fever upon arrival in Thailand. He was admitted to a hospital on June 15 and tested positive for MERSCoV on June 18. Immediately, the patient and his three family members were transferred to another health care facility where they were put in isolation. Currently, the patient is in stable condition,” according to the World Health Organisation. Officials at the Bamrasnaradura Diseases Institute in Thailand where the patient is undergoing treatment said that the condition of the victim has improved and he could eat mild food himself and the condition of his three relatives are also getting better with no fever and cough. “For the 175 people in the risk group, all have good health, and are all located,” it said. Meanwhile the Ministry of Health said that a number of actions are being undertaken following the discovery of the case. “The public health response teams are following the household contacts of the case as well as the airline staff who might have been exposed to the case,” it said. >A6 See also >A15

Khareef season in Salalah begins COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING

Council discusses water shortage

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MUSCAT: The water shortage hitting Muscat has been discussed by the Council of Ministers, as part of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s desire to promote the welfare of Omani citizens. During its latest meeting the Council of Ministers studied key issues, including promoting the quality of government services, avenues for economic growth, challenges before the electricity and water sectors and discussed prepara-

tions in the wake of recent climatic conditions. On the problems encountered on the water and power fronts, the Council of Ministers voiced its concern to the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) which explained the causes behind the delay of some water-related projects and the steps taken to overcome water shortage, in addition to future plans to meet the rising demand of water. >A6

Officials from Oman Trade Union and a religious scholar have called upon the employers to recognise the tireless work of housemaids during the Holy Month of Ramadan. >A6

INDIA

Thousands join Modi to mark Yoga Day

Premier Narendra Modi hailed the ﬁrst International Yoga Day as a ‘new era of peace’, moments before he surprised thousands in Delhi by taking to a mat to celebrate ancient practice. >A8

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s real economic growth is projected at 4.62 per cent this year, despite a fall in crude oil prices, Central Bank of Oman said in its ﬁnancial stability report released on Sunday. However, this is lower than the Ministry of Finance’s economic growth estimate of 5 per cent for this year. Several factors, including growth in non-oil sector and high government spending, are aiding the economic growth. “Despite continued fall in oil prices creating pressures on the ﬁscal space, growth outlook through public investment has not looked back. There is a temporary setback, though,” the apex bank said in a statement. According to the IMF–World Economic Outlook projections, gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in Oman declined to 2.95 per cent in 2014 from 4.7 per cent in 2013. “There are, how-

Growth projection 2013

4.70%

2014

2015

4.62%

2.95%

Non-oil sector contribution to GDP 100% 2013

57.21%

2014 Source: IMF–World Economic Outlook projections

60.18%

Graphics

ever, positive indicators of better economic growth prospects,” the CBO report said. Ministry of Finance early this year said the growth rate of non-oil sector is expected at 5.5 per cent and the main focused areas include construction, electricity and water, trading and manufacturing industries. >A6 See also >B1

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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This time, we will be getting more business days. We are receiving a good number of enquiries and bookings Manuel Levonian, general manager, Crowne Plaza, Salalah

E X PA N S I O N P L A N S

Oman Post to distribute newspapers Times News Service

BOOM TIME: Khareef season is considered one of the most important tourist seasons in the Gulf region. Last year, 431,105 people visited Dhofar during the period.

Most hotels in Salalah have come out with attractive packages to attract tourists. – Cio Datan/Times of Oman

Salalah hoteliers upbeat as Khareef season kicks off SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

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Dhofar Municipality is developing its public services in different wilayats. These include improving the internal road network, paving public parks among other things

REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Travel agents in Muscat and hoteliers in Salalah are in an upbeat mood as the threemonth-long Khareef season 2015 began on Sunday. While hotels are all geared up to welcome guests with special packages, tour operators and travel agents already are having a busy time scheduling the trips. “We are getting good bookings for Salalah. It seems that this year also, the business will be good,” Raji Demonte, general manager at Universal Travels, said. “Opening of the new Salalah airport facility is also helping us a lot,” Raji added. Khareef season is considered one of the most important tourist seasons in the Gulf region. Last year, 431,105 people visited Dhofar. During this autumn season, Oman Air is set to operate 284 flights between Muscat and

Salalah, an 11 per cent increase in the number of ﬂights compared to 2014. The increase in the number of ﬂights is expected to allow the transfer of about 352,738 passengers between the two cities. In addition to this, Salalah will also be receiving a number of international flights from Doha, Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi through Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Rotana Airlines and Arabia Airlines. Meanwhile, most hotels in Salalah have come out with attractive packages to lure tourists. “This time, we will be getting more business days. We are receiving a good number of enquiries and bookings,” Manuel Levonian, general manager at Crowne Plaza in Salalah, told the Times of Oman. “We have special room rates for Oman residents this time,” Manuel added. The general manager at Salalah Marriott Resort said they also expect a lot of travellers visiting Sala-

lah during Eid and Khareef. “With the new Salalah Airport opening a few days back, we expect a lot of travellers visiting Salalah during Eid and Khareef. In fact, we saw an increase in reservations and booking enquiries before Ramadan started,” Samer Khair, general manager at Salalah Marriott Resort, told the Times of Oman. “We recently had an event with the Ministry of Tourism at City Centre Muscat and had a lot of enquiries and conﬁrmed bookings for Eid and Khareef season. We expect to receive a lot of GCC residents this year again and will be working on special packages and promotions for GCC residents and local residents,” the general manager added. Meanwhile, the Dhofar Municipality is improving and developing its public services in different wilayats. These include improving the internal road network, infrastructure, paving public parks with interlocking tiles and constructing rest areas along the coasts.

The Ministry of Tourism is currently implementing a project to develop Al Dahareez beach which includes pathways for pedestrian, shades, barbecue area, paved areas for families, water fountains and car parks. The Royal Oman Police also operates patrols along Adam-Thumrait Highway and provides aerial and land ambulance services in collaboration with the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA). The Ministry of Transport and Communications is also making great efforts to develop and maintain the main and sub roads in all wilayats of the Governorate of Dhofar. The Ministry of Health is also making considerable efforts to meet the health needs of citizens, residents and visitors at the different wilayats. It also established a health corner at the Municipality Recreation Centre to provide health services for Salalah Tourism Festival visitors.

MUSCAT: In preparation for starting new mail services for local media organisations, the first meeting between Ali Bin Khalfan Al Jabri, undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, and Ali Mohamed Al Farsi, CEO of Oman Post, was held recently to discuss the possibility of distributing daily and weekly newspapers and magazines throughout all the country’s governorates. The move would contribute to the expansion of Oman Post, as part of its ongoing development plan. The executive administration of Oman Post has introduced new services to government and private institutions in the Sultanate. During the meeting, held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Information, and in the presence of Hussein Allwatia, head of the financial department of Oman Post, and Saeed Al Balushi, head of Central Post, it was agreed to create a joint committee between the Ministry of Information and Oman Post to study how to distribute newspapers throughout the Sultanate on a daily schedule using all 88 mail offices. Ali Al-Jabri hailed the proposal made by Oman Post as an advanced and necessary step to serve both media institutions, as well as readers. Al Farsi said that Oman Post would structure its services to reflect the demands of local newspapers, in order to ensure success in delivering to homes and businesses. Oman Post is set to conduct a tour of a number of governorates, where introductory meetings will be held. Musandam will be the next stop, at OCCI in Khasab. A number of public and private sector representatives will attend the meeting to learn about new services Oman Post hopes to provide.

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Noon work halt call in 5 languages Times News Service

Government has instructed that workers employed at construction sites and open areas must not work between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. during June, July and August

SUMMER REST: The decision

will create a healthy and safe work environment.–File photo

CRIME REPORT

Narcotics found in postal parcel Times News Service MUSCAT: Customs officers at the Central Post conﬁscated 493 codeine capsules after they inspected one of the parcels that arrived here from abroad. Directorate General of Customs is making all efforts to combat narcotics and psychotropic substance abuse, as it poses a threat to body and mind. The DG also has a major role in combating commercial fraud and piracy in the ﬁeld of intellectual property rights and others in order to provide safety and security for all who live in this country. Drug haul in Seeb The Directorate General for Combating Drugs and Psychotropic Substances arrested three suspects, including a citizen and a woman, on charges of being in possession of narcotic substances with an intent to traffic these in the Wilayat of Seeb.

The Royal Oman Police said that the suspects were arrested after they were caught in possession of narcotics, linking them to a network of African drug dealers. The ROP has conﬁscated 231 narcotic capsules, 31 heroin capsules and three wraps of heroin, besides some money. Trafficker held in Baushar The Directorate General of Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances arrested a local citizen in Seeb for being in possession of narcotics with an intent of trafficking the same. An ROP official said the accused was found in possession of 27 tablets of psychotropic substances, three bundles of hashish and three packs of the crystal drugs as well as large amount of money. The ROP has called upon citizens and residents to cooperate with them to combat narcotics by calling the emergency phone (9999) or 1444.

MUSCAT: In an initiative to provide workers with relief from summer heat, the Ministry of Manpower has issued a circular, instructing establishments to stop work during the hot afternoon hours and has printed messages to this effect in ﬁve different languages, namely, Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu and Chinese (Mandarin/ Cantonese). Earlier this month, the Directorate General of Labourers’ Welfare, department of health and occupational safety, at the Ministry of Manpower (MoM), applied the law which stated that workers employed at construction sites and open areas, vulnerable to high tem-

peratures, must not work between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. during the three months of June, July and August each year. This law came in accordance with Article 16 of the operation plan for occupational health and safety for establishments operating under the labour law issued by ministerial decision 286/2008. Making workers aware Salim Al Badi, general manager of Labourers’ Welfare at the MoM, said the ministry believes in making employees more aware, and sets in place rules and basic concepts to ensure that worker’s as well as employer’s rights are protected. It also ensures justice and equality for different communities.

“The ministry is concerned with the health and safety of the labour force, considering that human resource is the basis of development. That is why the ministry sought to establish the necessary legislation and ensured ratiﬁcation of many international and regional agreements aimed to maintain the health and safety of the workers, keeping them away from any occupational hazards that they might encounter during work,” said Al Badi. He added, “Therefore, regulations have been issued concerning occupational safety and health for establishments subject to Omani labour law in the ministerial decision 286/2008 which came in line with various principles and

international labour standards, particularly conventions and recommendations relating to occupational safety and health.” Al Badi said he believed that the decision will create a healthy and safe work environment and will help develop the workers’ relationship with the workers, which will result in more productivity. He added that the decrease in occupational accidents as a result of heat-induced stress will act as a morale booster for the workers. The decision was the result of focus on the development sector, particularly since the construction workers are more exposed to direct sunlight and suffer from heat-induced stress.

MON DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

TODAY’S DUAA ‘O Allah, guide me with those whom You have guided, and strengthen me with those whom You have given strength. Take me to Your care with those whom You have taken to Your care. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil You have ordained.’

Special prayers Taraweeh is a means to achieve a higher standard of spirituality, writes AFTAB H. KOLA

araweeh is a special component of Ramadan. It is a special name given to voluntary night worship in Ramadan which is mentioned in Surah 73 of the Holy Quran, with the order given to the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) and the Muslim community to stand up in prayer for most of the night, or one half, or one third of it. The order is relaxed in the last verse of the surah to make it voluntary, rather than obligatory. That means if you perform it, you will be rewarded. If you skip it, you will not be sinned. But then who does not want to be rewarded in a month like Ramadan! Now a days a lot of arguments are going on regarding the number of raka’ats to be prayed in taraweeh. There is consensus in the ulema that it can be either eight or 20. There are indications to both in several hadith. We should not get into arguments over the number of raka’ats as taraweeh in itself is not obligatory and no sin is incurred if not offered as mentioned above. But it is highly recommended as in Ramadan any act of worship entails maximum

rewards. Taraweeh is a means to achieve a higher standard of spirituality. It is also all right for anyone to offer taraweeh prayer at home, individually or in a group. But when there is an arrangement made in your local mosque it would be more appropriate to pray in a mosque congregation. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) offered the taraweeh prayer in his mosque the ﬁrst night when he was joined by one or two people, and on the following night he was joined by a fair-sized congregation. On the third night, he looked through his door and found the mosque full of people. Therefore, he did not come out. When asked why, he said that he did not wish that this prayer should become obligatory. This shows how thoughtful of his community the Prophet (PBUH) was. Even in matters of worship, he always wanted what was easier for them. If he were to offer this prayer in the mosque every night, throughout Ramadan, people would over the years elevate it to the obligatory or semi-obligatory status. Taraweeh continued to be offered in congregation, but without regular arrangements. What Umar did was to organise it in a proper way. One night in Ramadan he came into the mosque and found several groups of worshippers offering the taraweeh prayer in several congregations. He disliked this, because it suggested division within the Muslim community. Therefore, he told them to form one congregation and appointed Ubayy ibn Kaab to lead the congregation. Ubayy was one of the best reciters of the Holy Quran among the Prophet’s companions.

Hadith of the day THERE ARE two occasions of joy for a fasting person: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord, and the (bad) breath (of a fasting person) is better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. (Al-Bukhari)

Tahajjud Tahajjud is a voluntary prayer which may be offered at any time during the night, after one has offered the obligatory prayer of Isha’, and before offering dawn prayer, or Fajr. However, the latter part of the night is preferable for this prayer. It can be offered any night, and one may pray short or long raka’ats, as one wishes. If he is praying in congregation, it is recommended to the imam to make sure that everyone in the congregation is willing to have long raka’ats, before he starts. If one is offering night worship, or tahajjud, he is recommended to finish it with witr. The minimum number of rak’ah of tahajjud are two, excluding witr, and there is no maximum. However, it is authentically reported that the maximum number of raka’ats the Prophet (PBUH) offered on any one night was eleven, including witr. It is suggested that the maximum he offered was thirteen. “Narrated Ayesha that the Prophet (PBUH), in Ramadan or otherwise, (usually) did not offer more than 11 raka’ats in Tahajjud. First he offered 4 raka’ats and what to say of their magnificence and extent. Then he again offered 4 Rak’ats and do not ask of their magnificence and extent. Then he offered 3 Wit’rs”. (Bukhari, Muslim) One may recite the Holy Quran loudly or may read it privately in tahajjud. It is preferable to recite loudly if he is alone or if he is in congregation, or if there are people near him who would like to listen to, or may benefit by his recitation. On the other hand, if there is someone close to him who is doing his own night worship, or someone who is asleep and may be disturbed, then it is preferable to read the Holy Quran privately.

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Balanced diet is vital for healthy fasting During fasting blood vessels have less fluid and this increases the immunity of the body

There would be no better time and chance to quit smoking and other unhealthy habits

Dr Ahmed Al Wahaibi

Monika Seth

Senior consultant in Family Medicine

Fasting has a lot of health beneﬁts but a few precautions need to be taken. Oily and sugary meals should be avoided

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Fasting in Ramadan can improve a person’s health, but if a poor, unbalanced, and unhealthy diet is followed, it may affect the body, say health experts in Oman. “Fasting is a religious practice but has a lot of health beneﬁts as well. Studies have shown that the blood vessels will have less ﬂuid and this will increase the immunity of the body. Also there will be a replacement of the dead cells in the body,” said an expert in the Ministry of Health.

Patients suffering from certain diseases, such as gout, can also beneﬁt from fasting, Dr Ahmed Hamed Al Wahaibi, senior consultant in Family Medicine at the ministry, told the Times of Oman. However, a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle is crucial in Ramadan and patients should consult a doctor to know whether they can observe a fast or not, he added. Dr Al Wahaibi said that Suhoor and Iftar meals can include liquids, carbohydrates and protein but overeating should be avoided, especially while breaking the fast as it will lead to indigestion and abdominal cramps. Oily, fatty and sugary meals as well as junk food should be avoided, he said. Breaking the fast with dates is recommended as it contains glucose and is a good source of energy, he said, adding that laban (yoghurt drink) and soup can also be taken in Iftar. “They should also take a lot of water as the body has been dehydrated by the time of the Iftar,” said the expert. According to him, using mint or other herbs at the end of the Suhoor meal can help reduce bad breath whilst fasting. Echoing a similar view, Monika

Nutritionist and weight loss consultant

Seth, a nutritionist and weight loss consultant at Al Raffah Hospital, said that Ramadan is the best time to detox and also enjoy a glowing and radiant skin by eating a varied and colourful diet during Suhoor and Iftar. Meals during Ramadan should be rich in vitamin A (carrots, apricots, spinach, green leafy vegetables etc), vitamin B (legumes, beans, grilled chicken, ﬁsh etc), vitamin C (orange, lemon, kiwi etc), vitamin E (nuts and vegetable oils), antioxidants (A, C, E) and water to prevent skin dryness and wrinkles, she said. Suhoor should not be skipped and people should not indulge in excess during Iftar, she added. “To prevent dehydration during fasting, try to stay away from the sun and excessive heat and avoid drinking too much tea, coffee, sodas and similar things due to their high levels of caffeine and sugar which lead to dehydration. Try to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water during non-fasting hours and replace the lost nutrients by drinking more fresh juices rich in citrus and water containing fruits,” said Monika. Drinking enough ﬂuids during the non-fasting hours will not only keep you fresh and healthy

but also help you control your sugar cravings, she added. According to her, a healthy diet includes complex carbohydrates such as wheat, oats, whole grains, and whole grain bread, along with chapatti, khobz, beans and lentils, as well as ﬁbre-rich foods such as vegetables, oats, wheat bran, and grains, in addition to whole wheat products and potatoes with the peel. Foods to avoid Monika added that heavily processed foods rich in simple carbohydrates and sugar such as cakes, doughnuts, biscuits, pastries, and deep fried foods such as samosa, pakoras, fried dumplings, and parathas, in addition to caffeinebased drinks like tea, coffee and aerated drinks should be avoided. The nutritionist and weight loss consultant also said, “We should take the opportunity to do something special in this month. There would be no better time and chance to quit smoking and other unhealthy eating habits than during Ramadan, so try to make some healthy changes for yourself and your family this Ramadan because the greatest gift you can give to your family is a healthy you.”

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

Ministry of Health bans energy drink Times News Service MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health on Sunday announced the ban on supply and sale of Red Ginseng Miracle, a Red-G-Korea production, which is promoted as an energy drink extracted from natural herbals without any addition or chemical elements. However, the analysis conducted in the Central Drug Analysis Laboratory of the Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs & Drug Control (DGPA&DC) detected the existence of the Vardenaﬁl, a banned chemical substance in Oman.

This drug should be taken by a medical prescription issued by a specialised physician since it interacts negatively with medications that contain nitrates as its ingredient and in some cases could result in death.

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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The employers are urged to be compassionate towards their housemaids. Their tireless work has to be respected and rewarded Mohammed Al Khaldi, board member of General Federation of Oman Trade Union

Call to respect hard work of maids during Ramadan Throughout the year, domestic workers work for employers. Ramadan provides a good opportunity for employers to show their appreciation for domestic helps and make sure their rights are respected

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Officials from Oman Trade Union, a global rights group and a religious scholar have called upon the employers to recognise the tireless work of housemaids during the Holy Month of Ramadan as they are compelled to work extra hours. “During the Holy Month, Muslims are expected not only to fast but also practice self-discipline, learn about sacriﬁce, and show empathy for those who are less fortunate. So, we urge the employers to be compassionate towards their housemaids. Their tireless work has to be respected and re-

warded,” Mohammed Al Khaldi, board member of General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU), told the Times of Oman. “Throughout the year, domestic workers work for employers while their own relatives are thousands of miles away. Ramadan provides a good opportunity for employers to show their appreciation for domestic workers and make sure their rights are respected,” Mohammed added. Majority of the housemaids are compelled to work longer than 15 hours each day. “During Ramadan, I get only three hours of sleep daily,” a housemaid told the Times of

Oman on condition of anonymity. Many domestic workers in the region are expected to help host large Iftar meals to break fasts. They spend the night preparing food for families, and work during the day to clean and take care of children. Domestic work is demanding all year-around, but often more so during Ramadan. An Islamic scholar in Oman said Muslims have been commanded by Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) to treat housemaids and workers with special mercy and respect. “The Prophet (PBUH) once said that the Almighty has put your brothers/sisters (housemaids)

under your authority. Whoever has a housemaid, let him feed him from his own food, cloth him with his own clothes, and if you command them, don’t overburden them but help them accomplish their duties,” said Sufyaan Khalifa, a religious scholar in Oman and a member of Australian National Imams Council. “Ramadan is a month of mercy and compassion. Let us show mercy for the creation of Allah and may Allah have mercy upon us,” the religious scholar added. Meanwhile, a human rights watch official said the dozens of female domestic workers she interviewed in Gulf countries told

her that their employers made them work even longer hours during Ramadan. “No country in the Middle East has ratiﬁed the domestic workers’ treaty. Yet, numerous families in the region, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), employ domestic workers and depend on their labour. An estimated 2.4 million migrant domestic workers are employed in the six states of the GCC, mostly women from Asia and Africa. Kuwait has the highest proportion, with an average of two domestic workers per household,” Rothana Begum from Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. “Some people who employ domestic workers do indeed pay bonuses to them at the end of Ramadan. But Ramadan is also the month when foreign embassies in the Gulf report higher number of domestic workers ﬂeeing their employers to escape abuse,” Rothana added. A migrant rights activist in Qatar said that the government cannot enforce anything in this regard, given they are not even included as domestic workers in the labour law. “At best, the GCC governments have been reactionary to issues concerning migrant workers in general. In case of domestic helps, lots of exploitation and abuse occurs behind the doors. What is important for individual employers is to recognise their responsibility and do the right thing, in the absence of a law,” said Vani Saraswathi, a migrant rights activist.

M E R S T H R E AT

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No cause for concern in Oman, assures ministry

The ministry official said altogether six cases have been reported in the country in the past, the ﬁrst case was reported in October 2013. “Out of these three have died while others have been discharged,” the official said. The Ministry is in touch with the health authorities in Thai-

land in compliance with the international health regulations. “As of now there has been no further spread of the infection,” it said. It also assured people of Oman that there is no reason for increased concern over the Mers coronavirus infections in the

Sultanate. “People should take precautions while dealing with animals, especially camels, and they should implement personal hygiene practices such as covering mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing at all times to prevent the spread of infectious microorganisms,” it added.

D I V E R S I F I C AT I O N

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Non-oil sector is focal point

The apex bank added that non-oil sector continues to carry a rising share reflecting purposeful diversification and inflation rate is benign. Risks in the external sector are manageable. The non-oil economy is the focal point of Oman’s plans to diversify away from hydrocarbon resources. In 2014, non-oil sector grew at 10.1 per cent and contributed 60.18 per cent of total GDP, from 57.21 per cent in 2013. Total contribution of the non-oil sector reached OMR18.92 billion last year. With the exception of 2009 and 2010 following the global financial crisis, the non-oil sectors continued to grow at a pace faster than the oil real GDP. These developments are important and indicate that economy is moving in the right direction, noted the report. The central bank said the effects of interest rate rise on account of quantitative easing (QE) policy reversal in the US as also the state of reduced oil prices, if continued, could impact Oman’s growth scenario adversely with a time lag. “Foreign exchange reserves are adequate enough. Banks are in good health – with a capital base of about 16 per cent of total riskweighted assets, return on assets and return on equity steady at 2.2 per cent and 14.7 per cent, respectively,” added the CBO report. Net interest margin of banks averaged around 3.7 per cent with net non-performing loans staying put at 0.5 per cent of the total loans portfolio. Under the extremely hypothetical stress scenarios adopted by CBO, Omani macro-financial system looks sound. Implementation of the postcrisis international regulatory reform agenda with special reference to quality and quantity capital is progressing well in sync with others on an international plane. The CBO said that identification and designation of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) has been undertaken and detailed guidelines with special focus on enhanced regulatory regime for such ‘too big to fail’ banks has been issued. As a member of the Regional Consultative Group of the Financial Stability Board, Oman keeps itself alert on external developments to manage potential financial instability, the CBO said. Despite fall in revenues because of the adverse oil price shock, the government announced an expansionary fiscal policy in the 2015 budget. PA E W

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Plan to meet water crisis

The PAEW explained the causes of delay of some water-related projects and the steps taken to provide water, in addition to future solutions and plans to accommodate the increasing demand for water. The Council of Ministers stressed that all departments should join hands to make this sector work properly, and to provide the Council with comprehensive reports outlining the challenges and solutions undertaken. The Council thanked all departments that cooperated to limit the impact of water shortage. To diversify the sources of income and to make optimum use of the Sultanate’s geographic location and infrastructure, the Council of Ministers approved steps undertaken by the parties concerned to pursue efforts for getting beneﬁt from logistic services in transport, cargo and port sectors as well as local and foreign marketing. For this purpose, the Supreme Council of Planning has been tasked to revise mechanisms and programmes of the National Strategy for the Logistic Sector that was submitted to the Council of Ministers within the framework of Oman Economic Vision. The Council instructed all the departments concerned in this sector to enhance coordination to achieve desired goals. The Council discussed means of developing administrative systems in the country in line with the requirements of the current stage. It reviewed studies submitted by the Council of Oman (Majlis Oman) and the State’s Financial and Administrative Audit Institution and gave directives for devising a system for measuring the quality of government services.-ONA

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The border police officer, who was very seriously wounded, managed to see the Palestinian, ﬁred at him and wounded him critically Luba Samri, Israeli police spokeswoman

Iran MPs ‘lose’ power to veto nuclear deal Whatever decision the leader takes in this regard, we should obey in parliament, said speaker Ali Larijani

TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament curtailed its own power to block a nuclear deal with world powers on Sunday, effectively removing a longstanding threat that a final accord could be torn up by lawmakers. A draft bill presented on Wednesday, which laid down strict criteria for Iran to accept any agreement, had threatened to complicate talks on a final accord, which are due to be finalised by June 30. However, in a boost to President Hassan Rouhani’s government, key amendments to the proposed legislation will now move the formal supervision of a deal out of hands of lawmakers. The original text had set criteria parliament would have to say had been met for an agreement to be binding. But the amended bill instead gives the right of supervision to the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). Pushing hard The council comprises ministers, military commanders and handpicked appointees of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Chaired by Rouhani, who is pushing hard for a nuclear deal, it is ultimately controlled by Khamenei, who will have the final word on any nuclear accord. “Whatever decision the leader

OUT OF PICTURE: Ali Larijani, speaker of Iran’s parliament second right, speaks with members of parliament during a session in Tehran on Sunday. – AFP

takes in this regard, we should obey in parliament,” speaker Ali Larijani said after 199 MPs voted for the amendments in the 290-member chamber. “We should not tie the hands of the leader,” he added. Only three lawmakers opposed the changes and ﬁve abstained, with six not voting and dozens more absent. Although the sponsor of the original bill, Alaedin Boroujerdi, the chairman of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said it was designed to insulate Iran’s negotiators from the West’s “excessive demands”, Larijani suggested otherwise. “We want to help the country and not create new problems,” he said, referring to the need to coordinate with the SNSC. According to the official IRNA news agency Larijani earlier told Ahmad Tavakoli, a conservative MP critical of the bill being delayed: “We are not discussing the sale of potatoes, but an im-

portant issue for the country.” Iran and the P5+1 powers (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany) agreed the outlines of the nuclear deal on April 2 after intensive talks went past a March 31 deadline. Major roadblocks that remain include the West’s ability to enforce tighter inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites and other facilities. Iranian officials insist there can be no inspections of military sites and the legislation published on Sunday forbids access beyond “conventional supervision” of nuclear sites. Ratiﬁcation required Any deal will still have to be ratiﬁed by Tehran’s parliament but it would be highly unlikely by that stage that lawmakers would oppose a text approved by the SNSC. The bill stipulates the need to lift all sanctions imposed on Iran as punishment for its nuclear programme, under which leading states have suspected the Iran of

TWO-YEAR TERM

Kuwaiti female activist gets jail KUWAIT CITY: A Kuwaiti court sentenced a female rights activist to three years in jail on Sunday after convicting her in absentia of publicly criticising the country’s ruler. The lower court convicted Rana Jassem Al Saadun of repeating parts of a speech made by prominent opposition leader Mussallam Al Barrak for which he is serving a two-year jail term, according to the ruling.

In the speech, delivered at a public rally in October 2012, Barrak warned His Highness Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah against amending the electoral law to help the government control parliament. Saadun was outside the country when the verdict was delivered, the court said. Activists online reported that she was in Lebanon. In April 2013, the lower court sentenced

Barrak to ﬁve years in jail for insulting the emir and undermining his authority. The sentence was later reduced to two years. Saadun, a founding member of rights group the National Committee for Monitoring Violations, told the judge in March that she repeated the speech not because she supported its content but in defence of freedom of expression. — AFP

developing a bomb. However, the altered draft law is now more specific and says sanctions must be lifted “on the day Iran starts implementing its obligations”, as opposed to “on the day of an agreement”. World powers insist that Iran’s compliance must be verified if sanctions are to be removed, despite earlier insistence by Tehran that the measures, mostly economic, cease immediately. In a sign of greater flexibility, Rouhani said on June 13 that “weeks or even months will pass” between signing and implementing the deal, which involves UN, EU and US sanctions being removed. In a measure that mirrors that taken in Tehran, President Barack Obama has given US lawmakers 30 days to review a nuclear deal. Iran denies its nuclear programme has military objectives, insisting it is for purely peaceful energy development purposes capable of reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. — AFP

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

Israeli policeman shoot Palestinian who stabbed him OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: A Palestinian stabbed and seriously wounded an Israeli border policeman outside occupied Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday, with the officer managing to shoot his attacker, leaving him in critical condition. It was the latest in a string of lone-wolf attacks which have gripped the city and spread to the occupied West Bank in the past nine months, which the security forces have been largely powerless to prevent. It came two days after a Palestinian shot dead an Israeli hiker near the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. The latest incident took place outside Damascus Gate, the bustling main entrance to the Old City from the commercial heart of annexed Arab east Jerusalem. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attacker was a Palestinian aged around 18 who came from

the occupied West Bank but gave no further details on his identity, citing a court gag order. She said he had attacked the police officer from behind, stabbing him in the neck. “The border police officer, who was very seriously wounded, managed to see the Palestinian, ﬁred at him and wounded him critically,” she said in a statement which had initially described the officer’s condition as critical. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said the border policeman was in very serious condition, with one of the paramedics who treated him saying he had been stabbed repeatedly. “We found a young man of about 20 lying unconscious with a number of stab wounds to his upper body,” said a statement by paramedic Aaron Adeler, who described his condition as “very serious”. — AFP

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

INDIA

This is a programme for human welfare, a tension-free world and a programme to spread the message of love, peace and goodwill Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

PM leads more than 35,000 people to mark first International Yoga Day US Ambassador, other diplomats attend Yoga Day event at Rajpath

Yoga is more than only physical ﬁtness. We are not only celebrating a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the crowd at Rajpath

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the first International Yoga Day as a “new era of peace”, moments before he surprised thousands in New Delhi by taking to a mat himself to celebrate the ancient Indian practice. Yoga-loving Modi led more than 35,000 people, including bureaucrats, students and soldiers, performing poses such as the half camel and cobra in a 35-minute mass outdoor yoga session beginning at 7am on a New Delhi boulevard. Organisers are hoping the event qualifies for the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest yoga class at a single venue. The current title, according to the Guinness website, was set by 29,973 students in Gwalior, India, in 2005. “Yoga is more than only physical fitness. We are not only celebrat-

HEALTH FOR ALL: Thousands of participants perform yoga on Rajpath in New Delhi in this handout

photograph released by the Ministry of Defence on Sunday. - AFP

ing a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace,” Modi told the crowd at Rajpath avenue. He thanked the United Nations and the 177 co-sponsoring countries for adopting his idea for a world Yoga Day. “This is a programme for human welfare, a tension-free world and a programme to spread the message of love, peace and goodwill,” said the premier. Modi then surprised the crowds by leaving the stage, removing his glasses, and securing a spot at the front of the massive session to mirror the stretches, breathing, and meditative moves beamed on giant screens along the historic avenue. He took a brief break in the middle of the session to walk around and inspect students doing yoga around him before rejoining the routine of 15 different poses, including the crocodile and “windreleasing” posture.

Aerial images taken near dawn showed Rajpath, or King’s Avenue, as a sea of white with scores of people, clad in new Yoga Day Tshirts, bending and stretching in sync with the English and Hindi instructions to a background score of Indian classical music being played over loudspeakers. Central Delhi was sealed off and carpeted, with dozens of metal detectors and multiple checkpoints erected for the big day that saw other VIPs including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal participate. People in 650 districts joined in, with pictures pouring in on Twitter from across the country. Some showed soldiers performing various yoga asanas, or poses, against a backdrop of soaring snow-clad mountains at Siachen glacier, in Indian-administeredKashmir while others showed residents stretching it out in local parks. India will be joined by yoga enthusiasts in 192 other countries

— including in Britain, where mats will be rolled out along the banks of the River Thames. In his maiden address to the United Nations General Assembly, Modi proposed to dedicate a day devoted to the ancient Indian discipline, prompting the UN to proclaim June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Indian scholars believe yoga dates back 5,000 years, based on archaeological evidence of poses found inscribed on stones and references to Yogic teachings in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Vedas. “Yoga is the soft power of India and through that soft power the whole world can be one global village...(and) violence can be removed with this kind of peace,” Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters. Swaraj is at the UN’s headquarters in New York for Yoga Day, when scores are expected to strike a pose in Times Square. -AFP

NEW DELHI: US Ambassador to India Richard Verma was among scores of diplomats who attended the mega event at Rajpath on International Yoga Day. According to sources, there was a large presence of international diplomatic corp among the 35,000 people who took part in the event at ceremonial boulevard of the national capital. Verma, who later posed for a picture with Foreign secretary S. Jaishanker, also practised simpler forms of ancient Indian exercise regime at the event which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who practised yoga and addressed the gathering. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had invited diplomats from 152 foreign missions in the country for the mega event. While top envoys of all the missions could not participate in the celebrations at Rajpath, representatives of many missions were present for the event, sources said. Several tourists, locals and students participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations at the beaches, open grounds and schools across Goa. On-board yoga session Meanwhile, Budget airlines Spicejet on Sunday conducted an on-board yoga session on select ﬂights to mark International Yoga Day, a ﬁrst of its kind in any airlines.

Spicejet crew along with instructors of Isha Foundation performed ‘Upa’ Yoga (a form of yoga), in a routine designed specifically to be done in-flight. “We are happy to be associated with the Prime Minister’s initiative in promoting yoga in India. We are pleased to join hands with Isha Foundation for this initiative aimed at our customers who are on the move,” Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said. Approximately 50 dedicated Isha instructors and SpiceJet crew members specially trained to perform Upa Yoga, undertook a 10 minute session on-board select flights across the SpiceJet network. In addition to the in-flight activities, several hundred Isha Foundation volunteers also performed a simple form of yoga, ‘Namaskar Mudra’, at SpiceJet check-in counters and boarding gates at select airports. It took 24 hi-tech cameras and around 200 skilled technicians for Doordarshan to cover the mega show at Rajpath, to mark the first International yoga Day, which was beamed live the world over. Doordarshan officials who have the experience of covering Independence Day and Republic Day parades said that the coverage of the IYD presented a different kind of challenge as the logistics were more complex. - PTI

HEAD ON COLLISION

Women hockey team ex-captain dies in accident NAWANSHAHR: Former Indian women hockey team captain, Shashi Bala, was among the three persons killed in a car accident near Kahma village in Punjab on Sunday. The incident occurred when the car in which 47-year-old Bala was travelling with her son, daughter and a driver, collided head-on with another vehicle coming from an opposite direction, police said.

The other two deceased persons were identiﬁed as Bala’s son Agrim (14) and car driver Attar Singh (35), they said. Bala’s daughter Varnika (20) was too critically injured in the accident and was rushed to a local hospital here, they said. Shashi Bala was a former captain for Indian hockey team for women and was presently posted as hockey coach for RCF Kapurthala. Shashi Bala along with

her son and daughter was going from Kapurthala to Chandigarh. “The accident took place when their car collided with a light commercial vehicle coming from an opposite direction near Kahma village here,” Nawanshahr SP (D) Gagan Ajit Singh said. In the accident nine persons, who were in another vehicle, also sustained injuries and were rushed to local hospital for treatment, police said. - PTI

MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

FORGERY

Ex-minister sent to 14 days judicial custody in fake degree case NEW DELHI: Former Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar was on Sunday sent to Tihar jail by a court here in the alleged fake degree case after police said that it does not require his custody for now. Tomar was produced in the court by the police on the expiry of his two day police remand. He has been in police custody since his arrest on June 9 with court extending his police remand period thrice. “In the circumstances, Investigating Officer (IO) submits that the accused be sent to one day judicial custody as his presence is required for taking specimen signatures in connection with the case. Accused is granted one day judicial custody,” Metropolitan Magistrate Ankit Singla said. The magistrate, however, recused himself from becoming witness to the Delhi Police’s plea for taking specimen signature necessary for the case citing personal reasons. “I have already conveyed my request to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) to recuse me from deciding the applications in the case due to personal reasons. Therefore, I can’t become witness to factum of taking specimen signatures of the accused,” the magistrate said. Specimen signatures He also directed the Investigating Officer that application for specimen signatures and all subsequent applications in the case be put before the court of CMM. The magistrate, who was also to hear the bail plea of Tomar which was listed for Monday, recused himself from hearing it and transferred it to the court of CMM. Earlier during the hearing, Delhi police told the court that Tomar’s police custody is not needed for now and he be sent to 14-days judicial custody. The magistrate, however said that since application for specimen signature has been moved by the police, so Tomar be sent to one day judicial remand and be produced before CMM where the police plea will be decided. After the hearing, Tomar was taken to Tihar jail amid tight se-

Lalit used names of UK royals for travel papers According to the report in ‘The Sunday Times’, Andrew — the Duke of York and second son of Queen Elizabeth II —has known Lalit Modi for several years and met

Jitender Singh Tomar

Modi at his London

IN THE EYE OF STORM: Sushma Swaraj with former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi during an IPL match

in New Delhi in 2010. - PTI ﬁle photo

curity. During the hearing, Tomar moved an application through his advocate Harshit Jain seeking direction to jail superintendent and court lock-up incharge that he be lodged in separate wards and be taken to jail in a separate van due to security reasons. The court accepted Tomar’s plea and directed the jail superintendent to make arrangement that he be lodged in separate wards with other political inmates and a separate van should be provided to ferry him from court and jail. Earlier, on June 19, the court had extended Tomar’s custody by two days after police said he needs to be confronted with his college officials and one other person Madan Pratap Chouhan interrogated in the matter. Tomar, an MLA from Trinagar, was arrested in the morning of June 9 following an investigation into the complaint by Bar Council of Delhi that he had obtained a fake law degree from the Bihar college. Booked An FIR was registered against Tomar on June 8 at Hauz Khas police station and he was booked for alleged offences of cheating, forgery, using forged documents as genuine, forgery with intent to cheat and criminal conspiracy. During his 12-day police custody period, the AAP MLA was taken to various places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to ascertain facts regarding his alleged fake B.Sc and LLB degrees. - PTI

home last July, just days before his travel papers were granted

Swaraj did no wrong in helping Lalit: Gowda

LONDON: Tainted former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi invoked the names of British royalty, including Prince Charles and his brother Andrew, while seeking his travel papers from the UK Home Office, according to a media report on Sunday. According to the report in The Sunday Times, Andrew — the Duke of York and second son of Queen Elizabeth II — has known Modi for several years and met Modi at his London home last July, just days before his travel papers were granted. Buckingham Palace refused to say what the two men had discussed but denied “categorically” that the duke had lobbied the UK government on Modi’s behalf. Modi’s immigration status in the UK has provoked a storm in India after the UK-based newspaper disclosed that he rang up External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to help him acquire his British travel papers. Although she says she acted on “humanitarian” grounds, Swaraj has faced calls for her resignation over an apparent conﬂict of interest. Modi, 49, travelled to London in 2010 after the Indian Premier League (IPL) became embroiled in allegations of match-ﬁxing and illegal betting.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Law Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda on Sunday said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s helping Lalit Modi was purely on humanitarian grounds and there was no sort of “collusion with matters pertaining to corruption.” “Sushma Swaraj did it on humanitarian grounds. Well, doing

BIHAR POLLS

‘NDA has better chief minister candidates than Nitish, Lalu’

RAISING THE PITCH: Union Minister and Lok Janshankti Party President Ram Vilas Paswan

at a public rally in Faizabad recently. - PTI

NEW DELHI: Targeted by Janata Dal-United (JD-U))-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance for not having declared its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar polls so far, Lok Janshankti Party on Sunday said the NDA has “better and more capable election faces” than Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) vice-president Ramchandra Paswan also said that the people of Bihar have decided to bring NDA alliance to power and therefore, naming the chief ministerial candidate in advance would not make much of a difference. “We have many faces in our alliance who are much more capable than Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. BJP is a big alliance partner and will take the decision. “It would not be correct to say that we do not have a capable face to compete Nitish Kumar. More or less every party in Bihar have their own candidates. I would like

INDIA

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to make it clear that naming candidate would not make much of a difference for us as people have already made their mood to bring NDA to power,” Ramchandra said. When asked whether LJP president and elder brother Ram Vilas Paswan is being considered as NDA’s CM candidate, he said he cannot say anything on it since they were part of an alliance and any decision on the matter will be taken only after discussion with all partners. On the recent controversy over his remarks suggesting that Ram Vilas Paswan should be projected as NDA’s CM candidate, he claimed the media had distorted his statement. “The BJP being the larger party would take the decision which would be acceptable to us,” he said. Eyeing the Dalit votebank, Ramchandra said the NDA has strengthened after the inclusion of Jitan Ram Manjhi. “Manjhi comes from the Maha-

dalit community which is also his base. NDA has surely strengthened after his inclusion,” Ramchandra, who also heads the Dalit Sena, said. Accusing Kumar of “insulting” the Dalit community by removing Manjhi as Chief Minister of Bihar, Ramchandra said, “He would pay the price for this in the upcoming elections.” Taking a jibe at the differences in RJD-JD-U alliance over seatsharing, he said they might have declared the candidate but they still had many differences. “Even though they have declared chief ministerial candidate, RJD-JD-U have a lot of differences on other matters including seat-sharing. This is not the case with NDA. A decision on seat-sharing will be taken after a meeting of all partners,” the LJP leader said. Elections to the Bihar Assembly are likely to take place in September-October. -PTI

He denies any wrongdoings and says he came to Britain because he faced death threats from criminals in India. In March 2014, Modi was granted leave to remain in the UK after a court battle with the Home Office. He later applied for British travel papers, known as a certiﬁcate of travel. In June 2014, Vaz wrote to Sarah Rapson, director-general of UK visas and immigration, asking if the papers “could be made available” to Modi, the paper reported earlier this month. Vaz said he helped Modi because the former IPL chief had told him that his wife urgently needed cancer treatment abroad and that he needed to accompany her. On July 2 last year, Vaz raised

some thing on humanitarian grounds is part of country’s culture,” he told a meet-the-press programme here “On the face it, there is no collusion with matters pertaining to corruption,” he said. “We should act on humanitarian grounds. One person who is affected by cancer (Modi’s wife) and she is on death bed and needed some

Modi’s case with another Home Office official. He wrote: “Mr Modi informs me that he met the Prince of Wales (Charles)...and he also met Prince Andrew two days ago. Both offered to help resolve this matter as he was complaining about missing the wedding of his sister and the inability to meet amongst others the president of the Seychelles.” Vaz says he acted on the information given to him by Modi. Modi’s application for a certiﬁcate of travel was initially rejected the next day. On July 21, Andrew, 55, was spotted visiting Modi at his seven-storey townhouse in Chelsea, a posh area of west London. Vaz intervened with Rapson again on July 31, citing the support

help,” Gowda said while asserting that the External Affairs Minister had not done anything wrong. “But nowhere, Sushma Swaraj spoke about illegal transaction or any other--only some travel document, for a speciﬁc purpose. No transaction or business that come anyway near corruption,” he added. - PTI

of Swaraj. Modi received his travel papers less than 24 hours later, the newspaper claims. On August 1, Rapson wrote to Vaz to alert him to the “good news” and also replied directly to a thankyou note from Modi. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: “While we would never comment on the private meetings or conversations of members of the royal family, I can conﬁrm that the Duke of York has known Modi over a number of years. “The duke is fully aware that policy and decisions relating to immigration issues are a matter for the Home Office. It is categorically untrue that he has sought to inﬂuence decisions on these issues.” - PTI

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M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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PAKISTAN

Heatwave kills 45 in Karachi The southern port city saw temperatures reach 45 degrees Celsius on Saturday, just short of an all-time high of 47C seen in the city in June 1979

KARACHI: A heatwave has killed at least 45 people in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi, officials said on Sunday, as residents grapple with frequent power outages and water scarcity. The southern port city saw temperatures reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, just short of an all-time high in the city of 47C in June 1979. “Thirty people were brought dead and 15 died shortly after they

reached the hospital,” Dr Seemin Jamali, the head of the emergency department at state-run Jinnah Hospital, told AFP. “They all died of heat stroke,” she said. Officials said all the deaths had occurred since Saturday evening. Pakistan’s Meteorological Department said temperatures would likely subside in the coming days, but doctors have advised avoiding exposure to the sun and wearing light cotton clothes. Power outages The high temperatures were made worse by frequent power outages, sparking protests in several parts of the city of 20 million. Electricity cuts in turn crippled Karachi’s water supply system, hampering the pumping of millions of gallons of water to consumers, the state-run water utility said. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has warned electric supply companies that he would not tolerate power outages during Ramadan, an official in Sharif’s office said. Karachi University in a statement said that it had postponed its exams for at least one month due to the extreme weather. — AFP

FLOOD COMMISSION REPORT

SCORCHING WEATHER: Relatives mourn the death of a heatwave victim at the EDHI morgue in Karachi on Sunday. — AFP C H I N E S E A S S I S TA N C E

Rs31b allocated for ‘Railways needs $12b for full revamp’ ﬂood protection ISLAMABAD: Authorities in the federal capital have allocated a sum of Rs31 billion for the improvement of ﬂood works. This was shared by the Punjab irrigation secretary in his report submitted to the apex court pertaining to the implementation of the Flood Commission’s report recommendations. The allocation is part of the phased National Flood Protection Plan drawn up under the long-term strategy of an integrated Flood Management System. Marvi Memon, a former legislator of Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid currently associated with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, had requested the court in September 2011 to order the revival of the Flood Commission. This was with a view to determine if the government had failed

to carry out its Flood Commission recommendations. Taunsa employees Despite four years having lapsed, no action has been taken against Taunsa Barrage employees nominated by the Punjab Inquiry Tribunal. The report states the proceedings of the inquiry could not be completed due to the transfer of conveners and members. Inquiry proceedings The report, however, says that the inquiry proceedings of Jinnah Barrage were completed and the officials responsible have been penalised. The director general of the Anti Corruption Establishment in Punjab has been requested to expedite ﬁnalisation of the case registered against the officers of Jinnah Barrage. — Express Tribune

LAHORE: Restructuring of a cash-strapped Pakistan Railways is not an easy task and cannot be achieved in a matter of a few years, said Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique during a press conference, adding that an amount of $12 billion would be required to “completely revamp” its infrastructure. The press conference was held to mark an agreement for the provision of 55 diesel-electric locomotives of 4,000-4,500 horse power from General Electric. The company will start delivering locomotives as ‘complete build units’ within 16 months. Railways expects to recover the cost of around Rs340 million per locomotive within three years. “Railways needs financial assistance of around $12 billion to completely revamp its dilapidated infrastructure to modern lines,” said Rafique as he mentioned an amount that is a little less than the central bank’s total foreign cur-

RESILIENT COMMUNITY

Targeted Hazaras toughen up with martial arts training QUETTA: Dressed in immaculate white karategi, disciples fold their right arms above their forehead and thrust their left ones forward, open palm with ﬁngers held ﬁrmly together. Their poker faces and agility is captivating. It is not just the features of Bruce Lee that the Hazaras of Quetta seem to have in common with the Hollywood superstar, some can also pack a punch like the maestro. Hazaras belong to a minority sect and are frequently targeted owing to their distinct and recognisable features. In January 2013, more than a 100 people died in a deadly twin bombing in a predominantly Hazara populated area of Quetta. The community then took matters into its own hands and, in an unprecedented act, protested along with the bodies of their loved ones in the freezing winter. The Balochistan government was overthrown, but the attacks didn’t stop. The resilient community, as a result, is making arrangements for its own protection. Taught by sensei The Hazara youth in Quetta has taken up self-defence training, taught by sensei (Japanese for teacher) Ghulam Ali Hazara. Though mere kicks and punches are no match for the heavilyarmed militants and suicide bombers who have obliterated thousands of Hazara lives, the boost in self-esteem that comes with martial arts training can be crucial to keep one from resigning themselves to their fate. Like in every sport, it is often up to the trainer to bring out the best in you and the Hazaras in Quetta are fortunate to have a two-time gold medallist as their

CRUCIAL SKILL: Though mere kicks and punches are no match for the heavily-armed militants and suicide bombers who have obliterated thousands of Hazara lives, the boost in self-esteem that comes with martial arts training can be crucial to keep one from resigning themselves to their fate. — Express Tribune

coach. Ali came out at the top in the 2004 South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Islamabad and in 2006 in Sri Lanka, after which he decided to open up a martial arts training institution to empower others in his community. “I spent all my prize money to build Ghulam Ali Sports Complex and ﬁnally succeeded in 2007,” says Ali. He had started offering classes in a rented building in 2004, but bought his own

premises in 2007. “We can’t do anything in front of the guns,” explains Ali about the endless prosecution Hazaras face because of their faith. “But if armed men are near, we can use martial arts for self-defence.” Around 250 students, including 80 girls, are presently being trained in taekwondo and karate at Ghulam Ali Sports Complex. Ali says learning the skill boosts conﬁdence. — Express Tribune

We are trying to get financial assistance from other countries to upgrade our Main Line-2 (LahoreFaisalabad-Bahawalpur) and Main Line-3 (RohriQuetta) on build-operate-transfer mode said Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique

rency reserves. He said Chinese assistance of $3.69 billion under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will only help in upgrading a certain segment – the Main Line-1 (Karachi-Peshawar). “However, we are trying to get ﬁnancial assistance from other countries to upgrade our Main Line-2 (Lahore-Faisalabad-Bahawalpur) and Main Line-3 (RohriQuetta) on build-operate-transfer mode,” he added.

“Only after up gradation of the main lines will we be able to look after the branch lines.” Basic purpose Talking about the acquisition of 55 locomotives from GE, Raﬁque explained that, the basic purpose of these locomotives is to transport coal for coal-ﬁred power plants under construction in Punjab. “Out of the total, some 40 locomotives will be dedicated for coal

transportation, 20-22 for Sahiwal coal plant, 10 for Jamshoro coal plant and rest for other plants,” he explained, adding that the rest would be used to increase freight trains ﬂeet which is the backbone of Railways to generate revenue. “We will also call for a tender for 20 locomotives of 2,000-2,500 horse power out of which 18 will be assembled in our Risalpur factory. Though the number of locomotives has started reaching a normal level, but as of today, Pakistan Railways needs 1,000 locomotives to make all its halted train operations functional, he informed further. Raﬁque is also hoping to restructure the service structure of Railways’ employees between grade 1-16, as the workers fall in this category are responsible for running the entire operations. “We have hired a few of our senior members as committee members, however, for a transparent service structure tenders will be opened soon,” he said. — Express Tribune

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Humans are draining world’s crucial aquifers

hen rivers, streams and reservoirs are low, as they are in California, people start digging holes. Large, unseen pools of water are trapped in the spongy rock and soil of the world’s aquifers, sometimes fairly close to the surface, sometimes deep underground. Tapped groundwater can save communities from economic or humanitarian catastrophe. But in too many places, humans are depleting this crucial reserve, just as climate change begins taking its toll. A NASA study released this last week provides authoritative estimates of the state of 37 major aquifers around the globe. Using satellites that measured minor variations in the earth’s gravitational pull between 2003 and 2013, researchers found that 21 of these aquifers are being run down. A handful of massive aquifers in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia were worst off, seeing little to no reﬁlling to offset withdrawals over the decade of study. The Arabian Aquifer System and the Indus Basin were particularly troubled. But Western countries haven’t done a great job of aquifer management, either. Miners in Australia’s Canning Basin and farmers in California’s Central Valley are tapping groundwater resources at unsustainable rates. Groundwater already accounts for more than half of California’s water use, a proportion that may well continue to rise. In wealthy countries with well-developed governing institutions, there’s simply no excuse for failing to take care of this vital resource. The best way to promote rational consumption is to end government subsidies, explicit or implicit, for overusing water, particularly in dry areas, then to establish functioning, transparent and efficient markets for surface water and groundwater alike. Yet places such as California still operate on a system of confusing historical water rights and claims that aren’t conducive to conservation or to getting water where it’s most needed. The state is ﬁnally starting to regulate groundwater, but its leaders should aim for fundamental reform. The challenge is harder in poorer parts of the world, where historical and cultural claims to groundwater are also often strong but economies are less diverse and institutions are weaker. In the long term, the solution is similar to that in developed nations: Remove irrational incentives to overuse or inefficiently divert water, then build transparent markets that force people to account for the full costs of the resources they use. In the short term, transition costs might be high and political forces incapable of making such a leap. Many people didn’t need satellites to know that aquifers are in trouble. They are drilling deeper and deeper for groundwater. The poor can’t afford to construct ever-deeper wells, so they will be out of the game in stressed areas. Governments cannot ignore this issue for long. — The Washington Post

OMAN AND THE US

Need to share ideas with enduring friends MOHAMMED MAHFOODH AL ARDHI

Able stewardship

n scaling back some of his more aggressive taxation proposals, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar appears to show the kind of statesmanlike flexibility that is required of a person in his position. In theory, as finance minister, so long as he has the support of his cabinet colleagues, he can propose whatever budget he likes and his party’s majority in parliament is bound by the 14th Amendment to support him. Yet in holding rounds of consultations with the various stakeholders of the economy — particularly those who would be directly affected by his proposals — and then incorporating their suggestions into the budget, Dar has shown that it pays to have a politician as finance minister. It is true that his predecessors also held such consultations. But Dar appears to have managed to keep the essence of his policy of trying to expand the tax net, without alienating some of the most powerful lobbies in the country. The steps taken in the 2016 budget are small, but meaningful, and Dar’s ability to stick to his guns bodes well for the future. We are also glad that, despite the fact that the upper house is dominated by the opposition parties, the minister decided to incorporate a majority of the Senate’s proposed changes on the budget. In a convention that dates back to the Magna Carta, Pakistan’s Constitution mandates that the budget must originate in the National Assembly, which is made up of the most directly elected representatives of the people. It also dictates that the Senate may not vote on the Money Bill, but only pass non-binding resolutions that make recommendations for changes. We do not think this budget was as good as it could have been, but on the stewardship of the debate process, we have no complaints. — Express Tribune

US erred badly in not leaving Afghanistan This refers to the news story, Roadside bombing kills 14 of family in Afghanistan (June 21). It seems there is no end in sight to the over-a-decade long conﬂict in that country. The biggest goof up Washington made was occupying it after defeating the Taliban. Had it left and used diplomacy to bring normalcy today’s unending mayhem would have been avoided. Yasmin Ahmedzai Muscat

the governments have not paid any heed, indicating the region is devoid of democratic rule. All the countries of Europe are cited as examples of democracy, however, the governments are turning blind to what the public seeks. Only the Grreks were able to get a democratic change, which the European Union and Germany’s Angela Merkel are not ready to accept and would rather see the debt-hit country crash out of the euro zone. Hisham Khan Muscat

Austerity moves show Europe not democratic

Funding football would do Pakistan a lot of good

This refers to the news story, Thousands join anti-austerity rally in London (June 21). While citizens across Europe have been protesting the tough economic measures,

This refers to the article, Kaleemullah becomes ﬁrst Pakistani to US football club (June 21). This is really a great achievement for a Pakistani, as the nation has not

Oman-US relations go back a long way. In fact, Oman takes pride in being the first Arab state to recognise the US as an independent country which sent an envoy as far back as 1841

n an ever-changing and increasingly globalised world, it is important to share socio-economic and political ideas with each other in order to help drive peace and prosperity. Throughout human history, Oman’s strategic position at the crossroads of civiliaations has made it an international junction of trade and culture. This undoubtedly helps explain Oman’s hospitable nature and its ability to maintain constructive relationships in the global community. In that spirit, I have been fortunate to visit many of Oman’s global partners through the positions I have been privileged to hold in service to our country. For instance, I have just returned from a trip to the United States where I was struck again by the strength and depth of our mutual interests. Oman-US relations go back a long way. In fact, Oman takes pride in being the first Arab state to recognise the US as an independent country which sent an envoy as far back as 1841. Today, our partnership to support stability in the region and maintain the rule of law at sea,along with our deepening economic relationship, are hallmarks of an important and evolving alliance. The US has supported Oman over many years through fields as diverse as education, healthcare, energy and security. I know my personal gratitude to the US is shared by Omanis everywhere. There is indeed much to admire about the US, including civil systems that have provided examples for other countries around the world. During my visit, I had the honour of meeting with Stephen Breyer, one of the nine justices on the US Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in the land. As one of the three branches of US government, the Supreme Court has the authority and independence to uphold the US Constitution while providing the checks and balances on power intended by the founding fathers. The structure of the Supreme Court reduces the risk of corruption or undue influence by the other branches of government or by individuals or political parties.

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Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president with the advice and consent of the US Senate. While it is common for judicial nominees to hold political views that are consistent with the nominating president, the required consensus among both the executive and legislative branches makes it difficult for any president to fill the court with individuals of the same political perspective. Once confirmed, Supreme Court justices are appointed for life. Why for life? I learnt during the course of my meeting that this is for three reasons; so that the members focus solely on the one-career of being a Supreme Court justice and not on what is next, to reduce the risk of political pressure from any one particular administration and also so that the Supreme Court benefits from the continuity brought about through long periods of service where experience can be accumulated and passed on. In any country, a strong and independent judiciary is essential to maintain the faith and confidence in the legal system necessary for an orderly society and healthy economy. In short, it ensures that rights will be protected and all parties will be treated fairly. A couple of years ago, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said wisely reconstituted the Supreme Judicial Council, ensuring the judiciary was independent and impartial from the executive branch of government. An important benefit of this action was a long and constructive discussion of these important principles with Breyer. Across the Middle East, we should always be open to the ideas and workings of other countries as we continue to build successful, robust, open and tolerant societies while maintaining our distinct identity and history. In this way we can build a better future for next generations, a future of opportunity and peace. The author is the Chairman of National Bank of Oman and an International Advisor to the Brookings Instituition. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not refelct those of Times of Oman

been able to excel in football yet. Although there is keen interest in the game, many of my countrymen feel the government and the game’s board really do not think there is any need to fund the sport. All this is really sad as football is the poor man’s game whereas cricket, which is the favoured pastime, is a game of the rich. What they don’t seem to realise is that if funding is provided judiciously, and the right coaches hired, nobody can prevent our team from entering the game’s top tournaments. Anwar Shaikh Wadi Adai

website: www.newindiaoman.com

Ongoing conﬂicts source of global high temperatures

Conﬁdence is contagious; so is lack of conﬁdence VINCE LOMBARDI

This year globally the temperatures have been very high. Scientists and environmental activists

claim it is all caused by global warming. I would have agreed to this view if another interesting culprit had not been there. These days worldwide there are many conﬂicts, in which daily bombings are commonplace and it has been like this since so many months. As per my observation, the energy released in the atmosphere is bound to affect the climate. The alterations likely to have been made are mostly likely more serious than those of the ordinary man-made fossil fuel one. To my knowledge, none of the leading scientists have remarked on this aspect, which actually puzzles me as all these conﬂicts could just be a ploy to create a source of a lucrative climatesaving industry for the developed countries. Saleem Siddiqui Duqum

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

T I M E S O F OM AN

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PERSPEC IVE IMF’s should work for a deal Dawn of the that avoids Greek breakdown new cold war W

hen, as now appears likely, Greece financially separates from Europe, it will at one level be no one’s fault. The Greek leaders will rightly explain that having imposed more austerity on themselves than any industrial country has suffered since the Depression, they could not do more without light at the end of tunnel in the form of a clear commitment to debt relief. European leaders will rightly explain that they adjusted their positions repeatedly to accommodate the Greeks. They will stress that their publics would not permit Greece to play by different rules than the rest of Europe. And the International Monetary Fund will rightly explain that it would have blessed any plan agreed to by Greece and Europe that added up. The trouble is that all the parties will get much more of what they fear from a breakdown than they would from something they regard as an unacceptable compromise. Historians understand how World War I was allowed to start but still, a century later, are incredulous that it happened. So, too, financial historians may look back at the next week and wonder how Europe’s financial unravelling was permitted. Make no mistake about the consequences of a breakdown. With an end to European support and consequent bank closures and credit problems, austerity will get far worse in Greece than it is today, and Greece will likely become a failed state, to the great detriment of all its people and their leadership. Once Greece fails as a state, Europe will collect far less debt repayment than it would with an orderly restructuring. And a massive northern out-migration of Greeks will strain national budgets throughout Europe, not to mention the challenges that will come as Russia achieves a presence in Greece. The IMF is looking at by far the largest nonpayment by a borrower in its history. True, there are good reasons to think enough foam has been placed

LAWRENCE SUMMERS

Diplomacy fails and catastrophes happen when nations are preoccupied with their own concerns and do not consider the political needs of their counterparts, becoming convinced that their counterparts won’t take yes for an answer

on the runway to prevent financial contagion. Yet, this was asserted with respect to Long-Term Capital Management, subprime mortgages and the fall of Lehman Brothers. Diplomacy fails and catastrophes happen when nations are preoccupied with their own concerns and do not consider the political needs of their counterparts, becoming convinced that their counterparts won’t take yes for an answer. Here is an informed outsider’s judgment as to what needs to happen if disaster is to be averted. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras needs to do what is necessary to make reaching an agreement politically feasible for his fellow Europeans. That means dropping ideological rhetoric about a new European approach and recognising that Greece’s problems are significantly of its own making of its own making and make clear that he is absolutely committed to doing what is necessary to stay in the euro area. He needs to be clear that he will accept further value-added tax and pension reforms to achieve primary surplus targets this year and next, but that he expects a clear recognition that if Greece does its part, debt will be written off on a large scale. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European authorities must do what is necessary to make policy adjustments politically tenable in Greece. That means acknowledging that the vast majority of the financial support given to Greece has gone to pay back banks rather than to support the Greek budget. They must agree on debt relief and recognise the degree of adjustment in Greek spending that has taken place: With nearly 30 per cent of government workers laid off. It also means announcing their intention to accelerate economic growth throughout Europe. The IMF needs to recognise that this is now not about the numbers. It is about the high politics of Europe. Its job is to stand behind any deal that avoids breakdown. — The Washington Post

Flying lessons from my insightful father BRITTANY BRONSON

efore my first flight lesson, my father sat beside me in the small cockpit and told me the story of a flight instructor whose student stalled on descent, panicked and didn’t release the controls. They both died in the crash. “Some pilots won’t teach for that reason,” he continued. “They don’t want to get killed.” I was 22, understandably nervous and calming my fears with a single thought: Nothing can go wrong in the presence of my experienced father, a charter pilot. “Why would you tell me that right now?” I asked. “It’s something for you to think about.” And I did. The image of potentially killing my father removed much of the interest I had in his line of work. In hindsight, I think it was a tale of caution, some spin on the “With great power comes great responsibility” notion. Crashes during flight instruction are rare, yet the warning fit my father’s pattern of knocking down even the faintest signs of over reliance on him. My mother died of brain cancer when I was 4 and my sister and brother were 6; in the early years after her

passing, our father advised us to be best friends, because, as he frequently reminded us, “I won’t be around forever.” My father has always displayed this impassive approach to death. He’s had many brushes with it. As a reckless teenager he totaled his car. He would have gone to Vietnam, but by then his father, a World War II veteran, had died, and he avoided military service thanks to the Sole Survivor policy. He spent the late 1960s ﬂying seaplanes in Alaska, where he stalled on a windy takeoff over a remote lake in winter. An onlooker threw him a rope and pulled him from the glacial water. At 52, he lay alone in a parking lot and passed a blood clot through his heart. He developed Parkinson’s a decade later. Now at 71, he is confronting prostate cancer. These close calls, along with my father’s inevitable aging, are realities I spent much of my childhood dreading. Kids ages 4 to 8 are particularly prone to developing thanatophobia, a paralyzing fear of death, and I was no exception. Whenever my father traveled for work, my imagination predicted natural disasters and inclem-

ent weather. He easily passed his yearly flight physicals and certifications, yet I was tormented by my impending orphanhood, even after my father remarried, thinking, “What will happen to me, a girl without her parents?” Occasionally, I find myself indulging in the thought of my own death - reading studies that show children who lose a parent young have a greater risk of early death, or Googling the relationship between strong headaches and brain tumours. I comprehend the physics of flight, but still shut my eyes on commercial airliners at the smallest bumps of turbulence. My father never had patience for irrational thoughts like these. Toughness was an admirable quality to him. So was independence. Now that we’re adults, my siblings and I have acknowledged our shared fear of losing our father, despite his sincere efforts to actively combat it. We imagine other young children who expressed terror at their parents’ mortality being calmed with embraces and reassurances like, “That won’t happen for a long time,” not our father’s dressed-up version of, “Buck up, because I’m going to die, too.” — The NewYorkTimes

SHAHID JAVED BURKI

reat power rivalry is back on the international stage. For a quarter of a century following the collapse of the Soviet Union and that of European communism, the global stage had only one actor, the United States. There is now one other player seeking a role in the new game. China is now the world’s largest economy having overtaken the United States when the national outputs of the two countries are measured on the basis of the purchasing power parity methodology. This has been done by the International Monetary Fund. Beijing is now aggressively engaged in carving out a sphere of influence for itself in the region it dominates both economically and militarily. However, Washington sees the Chinese attempts posing a threat to its position in the Pacific Ocean. It shouldn’t be that way. The old Cold War was not entirely cold. During the period when it raged, there were wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan. The Vietnam communists won the first while the Russian communist regime lost the second. The two wars had significant consequences. As argued by Francis Fukuyama, they spelled the “end of history”. It was demonstrated that the world was meant to follow liberal democracy and capitalism as the most viable systems for political and economic governance. There was agreement among development experts which earned the title of ‘The Washington Consensus’ that the state should pull back from managing the economy in any significant way. Ronald Reagan, the then US president, famously said the government was not the solution of economic problems; it was, in fact, the problem. There were moves in the US and more recently in Britain to severely limit the role of the state in both economic and political matters. But it was not recognised that a weakened state will find it difficult to be assertive in international affairs. This is where the Chinese system of governance combines a strong state working closely with large and strong economic enterprises, seems to have the flexibility and resolve to be effective on the global stage. As the American political system gains the reputation for being dysfunctional, emerging states in Asia are finding the Chinese way of political and economic management to be attractive. Under US President Barack Obama, Washington has spelled out an approach which it calls the “pivot to Asia”. The main policy instrument it is working on is the TransPacific Partnership agree-

ment (TPP) for achieving this objective. It involves a dozen countries. In addition to itself it includes Australia, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam. China is conspicuously absent on the ground that the TPP will cover only those countries in which the state is not the dominant force in defining international commerce. But for the moment the Obama Administration has been thrown on the back foot. On June 12, the House, the lower chamber of US Congress, rejected the Obama Administration’s move to get the “fast track authority”. This authority means that a trade treaty can only be approved or rejected but not tinkered with. In the absence of such authority, it would be virtually impossible to have a trade agreement work itself through Congress. Under the proposed legislation the president will have the authority for six years which period will also cover the term of the person who succeeds President Obama in January 2017. The TPP is focused on the harmonisation of trade policies rather than on cutting tariffs on trade. As a result of several rounds of trade negotiations, tariffs have been cut down to the point where they don’t discourage international flow of goods and commodities. Those that are still high are mostly because of cultural reasons. This is the case with the Japanese tariffs on rice. Trade would be even easier if the countries involved follow the same set of regulations — develop, in other words, a level playing field. The TPP document among the Pacific Rim nations is important since they have a combined GDP of $28 trillion or 40 per cent of the global total. If the TPP is enacted, it will also lead to the successful conclusion of the other big Obama initiative, the one that would streamline the regulating systems in the United States and the European Union. Most trade experts and analysts regard the House vote as a major setback for the president who is now in the last few months of his presidency. According to Lawrence Summer, former US Treasury Secretary and now a professor at Harvard University, repudiation of the TPP by Congress would “reinforce concerns that the vicissitudes of domestic policies are rendering the US a less reliable ally. Coming on top of the US failure to stop or join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, it would signal the lack of US commitment to Asia when China is flexing its muscles.” The Chinese did not have to flex their military muscles to gain new ground in Asia. The Americans are doing it for them by finding it difficult to get a political consensus on regulating international trade. — ExpressTribune

Deadlines ahead in Greek debt crisis June 22

Eurozone leaders’ emergency summit

July 10

July 14 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (left) insists that any agreement must be reached between EU leaders, not eurozone bureaucrats. German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeatedly says that her goal is to keep Greece in eurozone Greek banks may close to limit withdrawals of euros

Week of June 22

June 25-26

June 30

EU leaders’ summit in Brussels

€1.55 billion*

IMF: Payments come due. Bailout programme expires

July 17

July 20

€2 billion

€84 million

€71 million

€3.5 billion

August 7-14

billion

August 20

billion

€2.4

€3.2

Repayment of ¥11.67bn in Japanese loans Interest due on three-year bond Greece sold in 2014 ECB: Bonds held by central bank to be redeemed Two tranches of government bonds to be reﬁnanced ECB: Bonds held by central bank to be redeemed

ECB is European Central Bank, IMF is International Monetary Fund. *Payments due to IMF depend on exchange rate between Fund’s Special Drawing Rights and euro Source: IMF, ECB, news agencies

TODAY IN HISTORY

€2bn in government bonds to be reﬁnanced

Graphic News /

Graphics

FROM OUR ARCHIVES SEMINAR ON CHEMICALS HELD

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Environment yesterday organised a seminar here on chemical materials imported into the Sultanate. The seminar, held on the customs directorate premises at Port Sultan Qaboos, in coordination with the general administration for customs at the Royal Oman Police, was aimed at familiarising customs personnel with the chemical materials before entering the Sultanate and how to deal and handle them according to the regulations in practice, in terms of imports, storing and trading. The seminar was attended by specialists at the customs department, who listened four lectures delivered by Said bin Ali Al Zedjali, director of chemical materials department, at the directorate general of environment affairs at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Environment.

1314

The Scots, under Robert the Bruce, defeat Edward II’s army at Bannockburn.

1791

The French royal family is arrested in Varennes.

1900

General Arthur MacArthur offers amnesty to Filipinos rebelling against American rule.

1915

Germany uses poison gas for the ﬁrst time in warfare in the Argonne Forest.

1942

German General Erwin Rommel captures the port city of Tobruk in North Africa.

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SPAIN: Planes of the Spanish Aguila Patrol perform during the Motril International Air Festival in Motril, near Granada, Spain, on Sunday.

– AFP

BRAZIL: Mascots for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Vinicius (yellow) and the Rio 2016 Paralympic

Games Tom (light blue) dance with performers during a family running race organised by the Cartoon Network at Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. – AFP

AZERBAIJAN: Two women take a walk on the Caspian Sea shore in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Sunday. The 2015 European Games are taking place in Baku. – AFP

KAZAKHSTAN: A man plays with a child during the Yoga Fest to mark the International Day of Yoga

at the Medeo skating rink at the altitude of some 1,600 metres (5,249 feet) above sea level in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Sunday. – Reuters

FRANCE: France’s Emmanuel Gault competes in the challenge around Mont Blanc, on Sunday in Chamonix Mont Blanc. The aim of the race is for contestants to start running on a trail around the Mont-Blanc mountain, France’s highest, at dawn and to complete the race before sunset. – AFP

TURKEY: A riot police officer ﬁres plastic bullets against anti-government protesters during a demonstration in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday. – Reuters

GERMANY: A child walks past the work ‘Truck’ by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm on Sunday in Karlsruhe, southwestern Germany. The work is part of the exhibition ‘The City is the Star – Art at the Construction Site’ running across the city until September 27, 2015. – AFP/DPA/Uli Deck

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WORLD Al Jazeera journalist held in Germany ‘surprised’ Qatar Airways ﬂight to Doha. A spokesman for the German Federal Police said a 52-yearold man was arrested at Berlin’s Tegel airport following an international arrest warrant from the Egyptian authorities. “This is a very serious development,” Djebbar said. “We knew that the Egyptians were going to set such a trap to harass our journalists and that is what has happened.”

Egypt’s criminal court sentenced Mansour, who has dual Egyptian and British citizenship, to 15 years in prison in absentia last year on the charge of torturing a lawyer in 2011 in Tahrir Square

CAIRO: A high-proﬁle Al Jazeera journalist arrested in Germany at the weekend at the request of Egypt has said he was surprised by the move and expects to face a judge soon. Ahmed Mansour, a leading talk show host on the channel’s Arabic service, told Al Jazeera by telephone: “The German authorities told me that we are dealing with

Allegation Egypt accuses the Muslim Brotherhood of being a terrorist organisation, allegations the movement denies. “We are coordinating with ON UNFAMILIAR GROUND: An undated handout image grab the prosecutor general, the released by Al Jazeera Media Network on Sunday shows Egyptian Justice Ministry and the Gerjournalist and Al Jazeera Arabic presenter Ahmed Mansour sitting man authorities,” Egyptian behind a placard which reads in Arabic “Journalism is not a crime” Foreign Ministry spokesman at the network’s studios in Doha. - AFP/HO/Al Jazeera Badr Abdelatty said. “He is accused of a crime and an international criminal case” 2011 in Tahrir Square, the focus of was sentenced so of course we have and a judge would decide whether the protests that toppled veteran called for him to be returned.” Critics accuse the west of turnleader Hosni Mubarak. he should be extradited to Egypt. Jazeera said at the time the ing a blind eye towards what they charge was false and an attempt to say is the Egyptian government’s Sentenced in absentia Cairo’s criminal court sentenced silence Mansour, known to view- crackdown on dissent and freedom of speech in favour of imMansour, who has dual Egyptian ers across the Arab world. Lawyer Saad Djebbar said Man- proved economic ties and regional and British citizenship, to 15 years in prison in absentia last year on sour was arrested unexpectedly security cooperation. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the charge of torturing a lawyer in on Saturday as he tried to board a

R E S P I R AT O RY D I S E A S E

Three new cases of MERS reported in South Korea

MANDATORY CHECK: A boy gets his temperature checked by a Thai officer as he arrives at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand on Sunday. - Reuters

SEOUL/BANGKOK: South Korea reported three new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome on Sunday, bringing the total to 169 in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, but Thailand said it had no new infections. South Korea’s Health Ministry late on Saturday reported the 25th fatality, a patient who had suffered a heart ailment and diabetes. The outbreak was first confirmed on May 20 but seems to have levelled off, the ministry said on Friday. Safety measures Thailand, which discovered its first case last week, says 175 people were exposed to its single patient, with no new infections reported so far. “We can confirm that there

are no new MERS patients,” said Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin as he led reporters on a tour of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to show health and safety measures that have been put in place, including thermo scans for passengers. Bangkok is one of the region’s main aviation hubs and tourism accounts for 10 per cent of the Thai economy. Thai tourism min-

ister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said tourism had not been hit. MERS was ﬁrst identiﬁed in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and the majority of cases have been in the Middle East. Scientists are not sure of the origin of the virus, but several studies have linked it to camels. Isolated cases have cropped up in Asia before South Korea’s outbreak. - Reuters

HEALING

Charleston church reopens as city mourns massacre victims CHARLESTON: Hundreds of people ﬂocked to Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on Sunday as it reopened its doors to people just days after a gunman shot dead nine black church members. Outside the church, the oldest African-American congregation in the southern US, bouquets, teddy bears and balloons covered the sidewalk while hundreds of people lined up to mourn, sing hymns and leave memorials. Thousands of hand-written

messages covered white banners at the church’s entrance. City officials, religious leaders and mourners have said Sunday’s services at Emanuel church would mark a small step toward healing after the latest US mass shooting, which has again trained a spotlight on the nation’s pervasive and divisive issues of race relations and gun crime. Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old suspect, remains in jail charged with nine counts of murder. Authorities say he spent an hour in

an evening Bible study group at the church, nicknamed “Mother Emanuel” for its key role in African-American history, before opening ﬁre on Wednesday night. Photos under scrutiny Federal investigators were examining photos and white supremacist writings that surfaced on a website on Saturday that appeared to show Roof posing with a handgun and standing in front of a Confederate military museum and plantation slave houses. -Reuters

the then army chief, toppled Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s ﬁrst freelyelected president, in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. Sisi visited Germany earlier in June at Chancellor Angela Merkel’s invitation, when the head of Germany’s parliament cancelled a meeting with him, citing rights violations in Egypt. During Sisi’s visit, German industrial company Siemens signed $9 billion (8-billion-euro) deal with Egypt to supply gas and wind power plants to boost the country’s electricity generation by 50 per cent. In February this year, Egypt released Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste after 400 days in prison on charges that included aiding a terrorist group. Mohamed Fahmy, a naturalised Canadian who has given up his Egyptian citizenship, and Egyptian Baher Mohamed were released on bail in February after spending more than a year in custody. The journalists were originally sentenced to between seven and 10 years in prison on charges including spreading lies to help a terrorist organisation, which they have denied. Egypt’s high court ordered a retrial in January. - Reuters

SUMMER OFFENSIVE

Taliban advance on key northern Afghan city KUNDUZ (Afghanistan): Taliban insurgents advancing on the capital of a northern Afghan province have captured a key adjoining district, officials said on Sunday, sparking renewed alarm among residents who fear the fall of the besieged city. The Taliban launched their annual summer offensive in late April with a brazen assault in Kunduz province, coming close to overrunning the provincial capital and sending civilian casualties soaring in outlying districts. The capture of the worst-affected Chardarah district — at the edge of Kunduz city — on Saturday reignited concerns over its potential fall as insurgents escalate their annual summer offensive. “The district has fallen to Taliban after hours of fierce fighting. Twelve Afghan forces have lost their lives and 17 have been wounded,” Chardarah district chief said. The militants are now as close as three kilometres to Kunduz city, increasingly hemmed in by the insurgency, with sporadic fighting still ongoing between the Taliban and pro-government forces. The fall of a provincial capital would be a major setback for the Afghan government, which has been fighting a resilient Taliban insurgency since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan. - AFP

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A witness saw two

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men who might have been the escapees walking along a railroad track in Friendship, a rural patch in New York HUNT IS ON: New York State Police engage in a manhunt for two escaped prisoners Richard Matt and David Sweat in Friendship, New York early on Sunday. – Reuters

DANNEMOR (NEW YORK): Heavily-armed police converged on towns in western New York state on Saturday to investigate possible sightings of two convicted murderers who escaped a maximum-security prison two weeks ago, police said. A witness saw two men who might have been the escapees walking along a railroad track in Friendship, a community of about 2,000 residents in a rural patch of Allegany County, New York State Police said in a statement. Police set up a perimeter in the area of Friendship, about 280 miles

(450km) southwest of the Clinton Correctional Facility where the escaped convicts had been serving sentences for murder, said New York State Police spokesman Beau

Duffy. It could not be conﬁrmed if the two men were the escapees Richard Matt and David Sweat, Duffy added. About 150 law enforcement officers were searching

the area, Duffy said. The resources deployed, from a variety of agencies including the US Marshals and State Police, included special operations teams, officers with dogs and helicopters. State Police in a statement on Saturday said another possible sighting was made about 50 miles (80km) east of Friendship around a construction site in Erwin, New York state, and that troopers and investigators were sent there. Police had said the two men might have been spotted on June

13 near a rail yard in Erwin and the next day in nearby Lindley and that investigators were examining surveillance video to determine if that sighting from a week ago was the escapees. The Marshals Service has put Matt and Sweat on its 15 Most Wanted Fugitives List. The reported sightings of the men on Saturday came a day after officials said a corrections officer at Clinton Correctional Facility was suspended in connection with the escape. Authorities did not say whether they believed the corrections ofﬁcer, whose name was not released, would face charges or if the officer was believed to have assisted in the breakout. Another prison worker, Joyce Mitchell, is accused of assisting the escapees. Mitchell, 51, a training supervisor in the prison tailor shop who is charged with giving hacksaw blades to the convicted murderers, lost her nerve to drive their getaway car and instead checked into a hospital with a panic attack, authorities said. — Reuters

BEKAA REGION

Israel bombs Lebanese remote area to destroy drone BEIRUT: An Israeli warplane struck a remote area in Lebanon’s western Bekaa region on Sunday to destroy a downed Israeli drone, Al Manar television, which is run by Hezbollah group, said. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment when asked about the explosion. A Lebanese security source said that the cause of the blast, which occurred in a mountainous area near the town of Saghbein, “is still not 100 per cent clear but most probably it was an Israeli air strike to destroy their drone”. It was not clear if there were casualties. Spying device Last year, Israel remotely detonated a spying device that was planted near a main road in south Lebanon after it was discovered by Hezbollah. That blast killed a Hezbollah member, and the group responded by detonating a bomb on Lebanon’s border with Israel, wounding two Israeli soldiers. Israel has carried out several air strikes in neighbouring Syria since the start of the four-year civil war there, mostly destroying weaponry that Israeli officials said were destined for Hezbollah. — Reuters

NAT I O N AT WA R

Saudi-led coalition air strikes kill 15, injure dozens across Yemen SANAA: Arab air strikes killed 15 people and wounded dozens across Yemen late on Saturday, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported. The dead included ﬁve women and two children in attacks on Saada and Marib provinces, the agency said. A Saudi-led Arab coalition has been bombarding Houthi rebels and allied army units since March 26 in a campaign to restore

exiled president Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi to power. Hadi was pushed aside last year when Houthis advancing from their northern strongholds overran the government in the capital Sanaa and went on to capture lands to the south. Anti-Houthi forces said they repelled an attack by Houthi and allies in Yemen’s army on the southern city of Dhalea on Sunday, in

clashes which left 17 Houthi ﬁghters and two local militiamen dead. In Aden, rebel shelling of residential areas in Yemen’s Aden killed at least three civilians on Sunday. Rebels ﬁred Katyusha rockets and mortars at residential areas destroying four homes, residents and military sources said. Medics at Aden’s Al Naqib hospital said that three civilians were killed and four wounded in the

shelling. Coalition air strikes hit rebel positions at entrances to the city as well as at the strategic Al Anad air base in the nearby city of Lahj, military sources said. UN-sponsored talks in Geneva between Yemen’s warring parties ended on Friday without agreement on a ceaseﬁre, an outcome relief agencies had sought to stave off what many see as a humanitarian disaster. More than 2,800 peo-

ple have been killed since March 26. The United Nations says more than 21 million people, or 80 per cent of the population, are now estimated to be in need of some form of humanitarian aid, or protection, or both. A series of coordinated bombings claimed by IS militant group has deepened a sectarian tinge to the conﬂict. In the latest attack, IS said it was behind a car bomb that exploded in

Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Saturday near the Qiba Al Mahdi mosque, killing two people and wounding six. According to UN ﬁgures, almost 80 per cent of the population — 20 million people — are in need of urgent humanitarian aid. The situation is particularly serious in Aden, where residents have complained of food and water shortages and health officials are warning of the spread of disease. — Agencies

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Oman’s budget deficit set to be higher at OMR3.6b Due to a fall in oil price in the second half of 2014, the government deficit to GDP ratio grew in the GCC region, including Oman Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s budget deficit for 2015 is estimated to be approximately OMR3.6 billion by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is 13.2 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the Central Bank of Oman said in its Financial Stability Report. This is against the government’s deficit projection of OMR2.5 billion for this year. Due to a fall in oil price during the second half of 2014, there were pressures on the fiscal space, and the government deficit to GDP ra-

tio increased in the GCC region, including in Oman, the Central Bank of Oman said in its Financial Stability Report here on Sunday. The relatively small size of the debt-GDP ratio at five per cent in 2014 would allow some maneuverability in sustaining the quantum of its public debt given timely fiscal adjustments being put in place. This need to be expedited keeping in view the IMF projected oil prices of $58 per barrel in 2015, which will rise gradually to $74 per barrel by year 2020 thus considerably weakening the fiscal position vis-à-vis the same as hither to at $100 plus.

The debt to GDP ratio is set to rise to around 8 per cent in 2015, as per IMF estimates, it is likely to increase further. Oman’s fiscal break-even oil price reached $108.2 in 2014, which is an increase of 10.07 per cent from the previous year breakeven price of $98.3. On an average, the breakeven price increased by 12.3 per cent since 2010. The fall in oil prices below the fiscal break-even price of oil would prolong (and worsen) the position of budget deficits and the recently indicated policy responses to cover them by mobilising external resources through borrowing — both domestically and internationally — using reserves, and some of its own savings as also trying to reduce expenditures on price subsidies look timely, the CBO report noted. Credit rating CBO report also said that the country’s excellent credit rating augurs well for the prospects to increase

its borrowing both locally and internationally. But the implications will not be hassle-free. If the government were to borrow from the domestic market, it has to issue bonds, hence reducing the money supply. Reduction of the money supply adversely affects GDP in the short run. Borrowing abroad will increase the long run interest rate. Both these operations carry the potentials to put upward pressure on the Omani rial exchange rate leading to a tight monetary policy, which could also affect growth in GDP adversely. Further, borrowing abroad will cloud external space which does not augur well for Oman, which is under a fixed exchange rate regime. Inflation Oman’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation continued to remain benign as the rate remained below the global rates since 2010 and has since declined to reach 1.01 per cent in 2014 from 1.25 in

2013 quite comparable with its GCC peers. This trend continued despite the ‘peg’ restricting its’ ability to adjust to interest rates abroad and the high growth rates of various components of money supply during December 2013 and December 2014. Lower imported inﬂation as also the backing of government subsidies to defend prices of goods and services could largely explain this. Oman’s current account balance in 2014 was positive but small as a per cent of GDP. The International Monetary Fund, however, forecasts a negative current account deficit in 2015. Even though, exports earnings from the non-oil sector increased by 7.3 per cent, a decline in the same from oil sector by 5.3 per cent (which still accounts for 66 per cent of total exports) suppressed the overall growth in exports which saw a decline by 4.8 per cent.

SIGN OF PROGRESS

Iranian ﬁrm to construct pipeline to Sultanate MUSCAT: An Iranian company will be constructing a pipeline for carrying Iranian gas to Oman, a sign of progress in a project that has been going forward at a slow pace. “The construction of the gas export pipeline from Iran to Oman will be carried out by the Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company,” Rahim Tabrizi, a company ofﬁcial, said in an interview with Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. Ali Reza Kameli, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) had also said earlier that the Iranian consultant for carrying out studies on the pipeline project from Mobarak Mountain to Port of Sohar has been appointed. “The legal procedure for handing over the project is underway,” he said, according to the public relations department of NIGEC.

S H A R E H O L D E R S ’ A P P R O VA L

Oman Housing Bank gets nod to hike capital to OMR100m MUSCAT: Oman Housing Bank (OHB) shareholders have approved a proposal to increase the bank’s capital from OMR30 million to OMR100 million. The increase in capital base of teh bank will enhance the bank’s leading role in the housing sector to address the growing demand for housing loans.

The move is in line with the government plan to establish modern residential complexes and Oman Housing Bank will play a key role in implementing these projects. The approval was given at an extraordinary general meeting held at the OHB’s headquarter under the chairmanship of Darwish bin Ismail Al Balushi, chairman of the

OHB board of directors. The EGA approved to increase the capital in cash and amend the related provisions of the bank’s articles of association accordingly. Adnan bin Haider bin Darwish, OHB Director-General, said that the increase would enhance the bank’s ﬁnancial resources and enable it to meet its loan plans, as

well as support the construction growth in the Sultanate. He said that the increase reﬂects the government’s interest in the social aspect and in achieving the banks’ aims considering that providing decent housing is one of the basic requirements for individuals and their families. He added that the government

owns 61 per cent of the shares of the bank. The remaining shares are equally owned by Internal Security System Pension Fund, Royal Guard of Oman Pension Fund, Royal Oman Police Pension Fund, Ministry of Defence Pension Fund, Civil Service Employees Pension Fund and the Public

Authority for Social for Social Insurance (each 6.5 per cent). The increase will be divided into the shareholders in proportion with their shareholding pattern. OHB contributed to providing more than 38,000 homes worth of OMR815 million at the different parts of the Sultanate,” he further added. — ONA

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

MARKET Indian company to go ahead with expansion of refinery on its own froze its investment in the company at Rs750 million for a two per cent equity stake.

Bharat Petroleum will fund the expansion of the Rs180-200b reﬁnery on its own as Oman Oil Company is reluctant to put in more cash

NEW DELHI: India’s Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has decided to fund the Rs180-200 billion expansion of the Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh on its own, with Oman Oil Company reluctant to put more money. Bharat Petroleum, India’s second-biggest state refiner, plans to raise Bina refinery capacity to 15 million tonnes in two phases — to 7.8 million tonnes a year from current six million tonnes at a cost of Rs350 billion by 2018 and then to 15 million tonnes at an additional

investment of Rs180-200 billion in 5-6 years. Oman Oil Company (OCC), which holds 26 per cent stake in the Bharat Oman Refineries (BORL) — the firm that built the refinery, is willing to participate in the first phase expansion but not in the second phase, a top official said. “We are close to firming up plan to go ahead with the second phase expansion on our own. BPCL will fund the project,” he said. Oman Oil Company in 2009 paid a 50 per cent premium for a re-entry into

CAPACITY EXPANSION: Oman Oil, which holds 26 per cent stake

in the Bharat Oman Refineries — the firm that built the refinery, is willing to participate in the first phase expansion. - Bloomberg News

the Rs11,397-crore Bina reﬁnery project. The project was originally conceived through a joint venture company, BORL but the OCC did not contribute equity beyond the initial Rs750 million Oman’s oil major came back to

pick up 26 per cent stake in the project for an additional Rs12.20 billion. The BORL was formed as an equal joint venture company way back in 1993. However, following inordinate delays in the implementation of the project, OOC

Equity in the form of loan BPCL, which holds 49 per cent stake in the project, provided the unbridged portion of the Rs 40-billion equity in form of loan. The state-run firm got its loan back once OOC made payments for its 26 per cent share. The remaining 25 per cent is with financial institutions. BPCL also operates a 12 million tonnes a year refinery at Mumbai and 9.5 million tonnes Kochi unit. It also has majority stakes in the 3 million tonnes Numaligarh refinery in Assam. The official said BPCL is expanding and upgrading its Kochi refinery in Kerala to process high sulphur crudes by 2016. Kochi refinery capacity is being raised to 15.5 million tonnes from current 9.5 million tonnes.

Crude grades with a high sulphur content are cheaper, and refineries that have installed speciality secondary units to process them can lower feed costs and increase their margins. Besides boosting margins with the upgrade and expansion, the refinery will also be able to produce fully Euro IV compatible petrol and diesel. Also, Numaligarh refinery capacity is being planned to be raised to 9 million tonnes. The expansion, however, is still at the drawing-board stage and it would hinge on tax concessions and other benefits from the central and state governments, he said. - PTI

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AV I AT I O N

High taxes a hurdle for foreign airlines to invest in India: IATA MIAMI: Poor aviation infrastructure and ‘difficulty’ in doing business like high taxes and regulations have deterred foreign airlines from investing in Indian carriers, the chief of global airlines’ body IATA has said. Tony Tyler, director-general and chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), also termed the proposed system to replace the 5/20 rule, which allows Indian carriers to fly abroad only after five years of domestic operations and a 20-aircraft fleet, as ‘misguided’ and said such rules ‘should not be there’. Tyler, who spoke to Indian journalists here recently on the sidelines of the 71st annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association , is likely to visit India soon when he may raise these issues with the government. Asked why there were very few takers among major foreign airlines like British Airways or Lufthansa after the government allowed them to invest in Indian carriers, he said, “you will have to check with the airlines for their reasons of not investing.” ‘Poor infrastructure’ “But if you ask me it is probably poor infrastructure, difficulty to do business and high costs. Why would British Airways want to spend a lot of money investing in India where there are high taxes and all that when (they can) go and buy (Irish flag carrier) Air Lingus in a country which favours aviation even when Air Lingus is competing against one of the most competitive airline in the world, Ryan Air, just across the road.” On whether he saw a thrust on the aviation policy front after the

PLANS VISIT: Tony Tyler is likely to visit India soon and may

raise various issues with the government. – Bloomberg News

Tony Tyler, chief of IATA, termed the proposed system to replace the 5/20 rule, which allows Indian carriers to fly abroad only after five years of domestic operations and a 20-aircraft fleet, as ‘misguided’ and said such rules ‘should not be there’

BJP-led government took over, the IATA chief said, “I think there are one or two things that they are doing and they are not altogether positive.” “I think in the new system for (replacing) 5/20 rule they have got this system of domestic ﬂying credits. This is well intentioned but misguided because it is so complicated. Monitoring and verifying is very complicated.” Observing that airlines should

ﬂy routes “because it makes economic sense”, Tyler said, “if you are going to put in place a system where you need to ﬂy to get credits then you are introducing a completely strenuous element into decision-making, route development and operations.” “It should not be there. It is just adding regulatory cost and burden to an industry that is already over regulated. It is pulling in the wrong direction.” - PTI

ECONOMY

UAE expects robust economic growth DUBAI: A strong growth is expetced in the United Arab Emirates this year after its oil-rich economy expanded by 4.6 per cent in 2014, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said. “We expect to continue to achieve strong growth in 2015,” Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the ruler of Dubai, said in a note on the state of the UAE economy issued late Saturday. He said the non-oil sector had experienced positive growth in ﬁrst quarter and highlighted a “continuing rise in government spending and the increase in government and private capital”. Sheikh Mohammed stressed that the UAE, which is the world’s sixth-largest producer of crude oil, would “adhere to its long-term strategy to diversify its national economy”. He noted that the non-oil sector grew 8.1 per cent in 2014 and that its contribution to the economy had reached 68.6 per cent. “We have put in place all the

necessary plans to take that contribution to as high as 80 percent in 2021,” he said. This would be done “through intensive investment in the industrial and tourism sectors, air and maritime transport, import and re-export, as well as supporting a range of projects and initiatives based on the knowledge economy,” he added. The ﬁnancial sector posted a gain of 15 percent in 2014, while tourism continued to grow with 20 million tourists visiting the country. The fourth largest Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) supplier was hit hard by the global ﬁnancial crisis, strongly dampening economic growth which averaged just 1.5 percent between 2007 and 2011. - AFP

MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

MARKET SHARE LISTING

Hi-tech methods deployed to ﬁnd copper deposits in Oman

Phoenix Power shares to be listed on Muscat bourse today

Savannah and its

Times News Service

of mining in the

MUSCAT: Shares of Phoenix Power, which floated an initial public offering (IPO) of OMR56.3 million, will be listed on the Muscat Securities Market on Monday. The company has allotted a minimum of 3,000 shares and 8.57 per cent of additional shares applied by retail or first category investors. As far as the second category or institutional investors are concerned, the allotment is merely 2.52 per cent of applied shares, according to the stock market regulator Capital Market Authority. As many as 49,096 investors – 48,727 retail investors and 369 institutional investors – received allotment. The share will be on a free float for the first three days of trading. The decision issued by Ahmed bin Saleh Al Marhoon, director general of Muscat Securities Market, stated that the listing of the company’s shares in the parallel market with a capital of OMR146.26 million divided into 1,462.6 million shares at an issue price of 110 baisas. The number of shares that have been subscribed for, which will be made available for trading on the parallel market of Muscat Securities Market, is 511.9 million valued at OMR56.31 million.

Sultanate, which

Omani partners support the growth

is consistent with the Oman Vision 2020 strategy of a risinig contribution from mining Times News Service MUSCAT: Latest technologies in the search for new copper deposits in northern Oman are being applied by Savannah Resources, a London Stock Exchange-listed resources company, together with its Omani partners. The innovative, technologyled strategy to explore copper includes using both ground and airborne geophysical surveys. It also include a recently completed Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetics (VTEM), said a press statement. The VTEM survey involved a helicopter ﬂying over 3,700km at low altitude over lines some 100 metres apart while deploying

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY: The VTEM survey involved a helicopter ﬂying over 3,700km at low altitude over lines some 100 metres apart while deploying high-tech sensors to capture technical information about the earth. – Supplied picture

high-tech sensors to capture technical information about the earth. The data are now being processed. The survey was ﬂown after comprehensive consultation with community leaders and government officials in Al Batinah Governorate. David Archer, Savannah’s chief executive officer, said, “The survey took about three weeks to complete. The helicopter was deployed out of the new airport at Sohar and residents have seen the helicopter ﬂying at low al-

I N T E R NAT I O NA L T R A D E

Export insurance in focus at ECGA Oman workshop Times News Service MUSCAT: A workshop on international trade was recently held by Export Credit Guarantee Agency (ECGA) of Oman, as part of its campaign to enlighten policyholders on the importance of export insurance as an integral part of export. The session also intended to familiarise customers with insurance processes and the way of collecting receivables on time, in addition to the services provided by recoverproviders in order to mitigate risks. The workshop, presented by Ahmad Madkour, the general nanager of claims and recoveries in the Middle East at Recovery Advisers, included a range of topics such as the benefits provided by Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), export process and procedures referring to the terms, contracts and methods used in exports.

tlements and the bylaws and regulations adopted.

Ahmad Madkour. – Supplied picture The workshop also covered international trade criteria, which included the basis and foundation related to international trade. Madkour explained dispute set-

Non-payment risks The other topics highlighted export credit insurance as an important tool that provides protection to exporters who sell under credit against non-payment risks. The workshop was attended by representatives and delegates of insured exporters with Export Credit Guarantee Agency of Oman. Imaad S. Al Harthy, acting general manager, stated that the workshop was the ﬁrst of a series of workshops to be organised by ECGA. The goal of these workshops is to highlight the services of the agency and its role in promoting Oman’s non-oil exports. He also pointed out that Export Credit Guarantee Agency has built a partnership with Recovery Advisers for the Middle East to cooperate in the ﬁeld of debt collection in favor of its policyholders.

titude over the countryside in a methodical east-west pattern. Copper production “We are pleased to apply innovative technologies such as VTEM in Oman particularly because this technique provides new information both over both areas that have a strong historic record of copper production and over new areas where there is potential for new copper discoveries. “We have been delighted with the level of support we have had

from the seven ministries involved in approving the survey which was very efficiently coordinated by the new Public Authority for Mining. It meant we were able to complete the survey on time and on-budget and well before the high temperatures of summer that could have made ﬂying more difficult. “Savannah and its Omani partners support the growth of mining in the Sultanate which is consistent with the Oman Vision 2020 strategy which targets an increasing contribution from mining

to investment, employment and overall prosperity in the Sultanate of Oman,” he added. Copper has been mined in Oman since the bronze age and there is widespread evidence of old mines throughout the Sultanate of Oman.

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M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

MARKET MSM index in red zone

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OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................6,455.01 .............. 6,450.90 ....................6,451.56 ...................6,455.44.................. -3.88 .................. -0.06 Financial Index .....................................7,805.34 ............... 7,796.59 .................... 7,797.05 ................... 7,808.74................ -11.69 .................. -0.15 Industrial Index ................................... 8,400.09 ...............8,395.45 ................... 8,395.45 ...................8,400.21.................. -4.76 .................. -0.06 Services Index .......................................3,492.13 ...............3,489.76 ................... 3,490.49 ................... 3,492.13.................. -1.64 .................. -0.05 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................998.26 ..................997.90 ...................... 998.26 ...................... 998.21....................0.05 ................... 0.01 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 4,438,333 ....................1,327,662 .................... 226 ............... 15,144,222,918 .................. 3 ..................... 10 .................... 14 .........................27

The top gainer was Al Izz Islamic Bank, up by

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 21

1.27 per cent, while Oman & Emirates Holding, down by 1.71 per cent, lost the most

ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: With minimal trading, the MSM 30 Index declined 0.06 per cent to close at 6,451.56 points. The MSM Shariah Index remained ﬂat at 998.26 points, up by 0.01 per cent. OIFC was the most active in terms of volume, while Ominvest was the most active in terms of turnover. The top gainer was Al Izz Islamic Bank, up by 1.27 per cent, while Oman & Emirates Holding, down by 1.71 per cent, lost the most. As many as 226 trades were executed in the session, generating a turnover of OMR1.32 million with over 4.43 million shares changing hands. Out of 27 traded securities, three advanced, 10 declined and 14 remained unchanged. At the close of the session, Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR73,000 worth of shares followed by GCC and Arab investors at OMR3,000. Foreign investors,

who were net sellers, sold shares amounting to OMR76,000. Financial Index decreased 0.15 per cent and closed at 7,797.05 points. Al Izz Islamic Bank and Gulf Investment Services gained 1.27 per cent and 0.72 per cent respectively. Oman & Emirates Holding, DBIH, Muscat Finance, Global Finance & Investment and Al Sharqia Investments declined 1.71 per cent, 1.57 per cent, 1.33 per cent, 0.83 per cent and 0.76 per cent respectively. Industrial Index ended the day at 8,395.45 points. Al Maha Ceramics and Galfar Engineering declined 1.08 per cent and 0.78 per cent respectively. Services Sector Index declined 0.05 per cent to close at 3,490.49 points. Omantel increased by to close at OMR1.750. OIFC, down by 0.83 per cent, was the only sector loser. – United Securities

REGULAR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 100,000 ........... 14,000........................3 ............0.140 ........... 0.140 ...........0.140........... 0.140 ............. 0.139.............0.001 ............. 0.719.................0.140..............0.134...................0.139....................8,238,050 ..........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................76,507 .......... 133,807......................16 ............1.745 ............1.755............ 1.745 ............1.750 ............. 1.745 ............ 0.005............. 0.287 ................1.750 .............. 1.750................... 1.775 ................1,312,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ...................................37,500 .............12,525........................1 ........... 0.334 ...........0.334 ...........0.334........... 0.334 .............0.334 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.334..............0.330...................0.334 .................447,797,224 ........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ........................................................5,000 .................. 670........................1 ............0.134 ........... 0.134 ...........0.134........... 0.134 .............0.134............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.134 .............. 0.133...................0.134..................268,041,914........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 636,025 .........305,292........................4 ........... 0.480 ...........0.480 ...........0.480........... 0.480 .............0.480 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.480..............0.480...................0.498..................177,800,304........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ...................................5,000 ...............2,170........................1 ........... 0.434 ...........0.434 ...........0.434........... 0.434 .............0.434 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.434..............0.420...................0.434 .................128,556,738 ........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................70,450 .............14,855........................5 ............0.211 ........... 0.211............0.210............0.211 ............. 0.211............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.211 .............. 0.211...................0.212................. 300,682,626 .......0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING ............................................................15,000 ...............7,080........................1 ........... 0.472 ........... 0.472 ...........0.472........... 0.472 .............0.472 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.472..............0.426...................0.490 .................. 81,855,774 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 402,854.........220,028......................16 ........... 0.546 ...........0.548 ...........0.546........... 0.546 .............0.546 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.548..............0.546...................0.548................ 1,251,335,138 ......0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ...........................................................154 .....................64........................2 ........... 0.408 ...........0.420 ...........0.408........... 0.424 .............0.424 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.420..............0.420...................0.424 ..................25,652,000.........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 100,000 ........... 78,400........................3 ............0.784 ........... 0.784 ...........0.784........... 0.784 .............0.784 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.784.............. 0.776...................0.784..................510,340,276........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH......................................................767 ...............1,994........................3 ........... 2.600...........2.600 ...........2.600 .......... 2.600 .............2.600 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.600............. 0.000...................2.600 .................248,188,707........1.000 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER.................................................... 1,080 ..................220........................2 ........... 0.204...........0.204 ...........0.204 .......... 0.203 .............0.203 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.204 .............0.196...................0.200 .................137,002,148 ........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 143,275............ 32,542......................19 ........... 0.229 ...........0.229 ...........0.225........... 0.227 .............0.228 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.439 ...............0.228..............0.226...................0.228 ..................29,623,500.........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 781,857.......... 144,614......................17 ............0.185 ........... 0.185 ...........0.184............0.185 ............. 0.186............-0.001 ........... -0.538 ...............0.184..............0.184...................0.185................. 266,666,400 .......0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............32,700 ...............4,257..................... 10 ............0.132 ........... 0.132 ...........0.130........... 0.130 ............. 0.131 ............-0.001 ........... -0.763................0.130 ..............0.128...................0.130...................11,700,000 .........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 121,800.............15,479......................16 ............0.128 ........... 0.128 ...........0.127 ............0.127 .............0.128............-0.001 ............-0.781................0.127 ..............0.126...................0.127................... 36,827,541 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 845,166 ........ 202,429..................... 43 ........... 0.240...........0.240 ...........0.237........... 0.240 .............0.242 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.826 ...............0.240 .............0.239...................0.240 ................. 48,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................. 30,000 ...............3,570........................1 ............0.119 ........... 0.119............0.119 ............0.119 .............0.120 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.833 ...............0.119 .............. 0.119...................0.123...................23,800,000 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................. 49,800 .............27,390........................8 ........... 0.550 ...........0.550 ...........0.550........... 0.550 .............0.556 ...........-0.006 ............-1.079................0.550..............0.550...................0.554...................28,875,000.........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING .......................... 6,250 .................. 783........................3 ............0.126 ........... 0.126 ...........0.125 ............0.125 ............. 0.127............-0.002 ............-1.575................0.125 ..............0.124...................0.125.................... 3,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 570,500 ........... 65,367..................... 36 ............0.115 ........... 0.117............0.113 ............0.115 ............. 0.117 ............-0.002 ............-1.709................0.114 .............. 0.114................... 0.117 ................... 14,015,625 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 4,031,685 ... 1,287,536................... 211 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......22........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................ 49,125 ...............3,930........................1 ........... 0.080 ...........0.080 ...........0.080........... 0.080 .............0.079 ............0.001 ............. 1.266 ................0.080..............0.078...................0.080 ..................80,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001285 ............NATIONAL MINERAL WATER .............................. 24,300 ...............1,604........................3 ........... 0.066 ...........0.066 ...........0.066........... 0.066 .............0.066 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.066..............0.064...................0.070.................... 1,782,201 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA .....................................................................2,413 ...................176........................3 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.073........... 0.073 .............0.073 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.073..............0.073...................0.075..................109,500,000 .......0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE..................................................... 34,000 ...............5,032........................6 ............0.148 ........... 0.148 ...........0.148........... 0.148 .............0.150............-0.002 ............-1.333................0.148 ..............0.144...................0.148...................37,239,534 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 109,838.............10,742......................13 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........4........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ........................................................................................................................................................................................ OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ................... 296,810 ........... 29,384........................2 ........... 0.099 ...........0.099 ...........0.099........... 0.099 .............0.099 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.099..............0.099...................0.100...................32,092,000 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 296,810 ........... 29,384........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

WEAK GROWTH

Unemployment piles up problems in Indonesia JAKARTA: Indonesian companies are shedding jobs as they grapple with the weakest economic growth in six years, adding to the troubles facing President Joko Widodo, who was elected last year on pledges to dig the country out of a rut Government data might suggest no cause for alarm — unemployment was 5.81 percent in February, up only slightly from 5.70 per cent a year earlier — but the official numbers are notoriously unreliable and don’t adequately cover the informal sector, which is two-thirds of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. Recent reports of heavy lay-offs across the country paint a bleaker picture, and business executives, recruitment ﬁrms and jobseekers say it is getting worse. - Reuters

ECONOMIC CRISIS

Greece says ready for fresh proposals to reach debt deal ATHENS: Greece said it would present new proposals to its EUIMF creditors to reach a debt deal as the country’s outspoken finance minister called on German Chancellor Angela Merkel to make a ‘clear decision’ at an upcoming summit. European Union heads are waiting for Greece’s anti-austerity government to present new economic reform and budget proposals, and Greek Minister of State Alekos Flambouraris said on Saturday Athens would propose re-worked measures. Angela Merkel. – File picture The pressure has mounted on Greece ahead of an emergency summit of the leaders of the 19 take the Greek people on the road countries in the euro area on Mon- to reform,” said Varoufakis in an day in Brussels. But the country’s article to appear in the German finance chief Yanis Varoufakis, press on Sunday. German public opinion has whose flamboyant style has irked many of his European counter- soured on Greece after five parts, turned the tables by putting months of contentious negotiathe onus on the leader of paymas- tions, with a recent poll showing 51 per cent now believes Athens ter Germany to make a deal. should leave the eurozone. But the leftist Greek government inRescue package Merkel can “enter into an hon- sists it will present compromises ourable agreement with a gov- that should bring Athens and its ernment, which has rejected the creditors — European Commis‘rescue package’ and is seeking sion, International Monetary a negotiated solution, or follow Fund and European Central Bank the calls from (those in) her gov- (ECB) — closer to agreement on ernment who want her to throw freeing up €7.2 billion ($8.1 biloverboard the only Greek govern- lion) in blocked bailout funds ment which has been faithful to Greece desperately needs to meet its principles and which is able to looming debt payments to the

IMF and ECB. “We are going to present measures that bridge the gap,” Flambouraris was quoted as saying by Greek media, while also predicting Greece’s creditors won’t be satisfied with the gestures. “You’ll see they won’t accept loosening budget (restrictions), or our proposal on the debt,” he said of two main sticking points in the talks. Potential default Given the continued deadlock and ticking clock towards potential default, Flambouraris said a phone exchange between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker could take place over the weekend. Amid growing global concern over a potential “Grexit”, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew also weighed in, urging all sides to show flexibility to resolve the impasse. “It’s clear that within Greece the consequence of a failure here would mean a terrible, terrible decline in their economic performance,” he told CNN, while also warning of the wider repercussions of a Greek default. “The reality is that there are impacts on markets. And I don’t think anyone should want to find out,” he said of the prospect of Greece leaving the eurozone. - AFP

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2015

SECTION

SLOW DOWN ENJOY THE RIDE

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

Podcasting blossoms; but the speed is slow

YOU CAN NOW HIDE SOME CHANNEL APPS ON APPLE TV You can hide Apple TV channels in a couple of ways. With the remote, select an unwanted icon and hold down the centre select button. When the icon begins to wiggle, press the remote’s play/pause button and choose Hide This Item from the menu. Another method is to open the settings icon on the Apple TV screen. Choose Main Menu and then go down the list of channel apps. Select a channel and press the remote’s select button to either hide it or show it.

SMARTPHONE APPS

While the medium is more than a decade old, from the moment

Getting most out of the Apple Watch

the very ﬁrst pods were cast, people have been calling podcasting either the world’s next great media revolution, or another failed byway in digital experimentation.

s podcasting in the middle of a long boom or a short bubble? The future of radio, a medium already being buffeted by streaming music, may be riding on the answer. Podcasting — a terrible tech insider’s name for delivering radiolike shows directly to your phone — has long been prone to cycles of hype and doom. While the medium is more than a decade old, from the moment the very ﬁrst pods were cast, people have been calling podcasting either the world’s next great media revolution, or another failed byway in digital experimentation. The truth, as ever, is somewhere in the middle. The breakout success last fall of “Serial,” a truecrime investigation spun off by the public radio show “This American Life,” attracted serious mainstream attention to podcasts, and set off another storm of boosterism about their place in the future of media. Now, a half-year later, the hype has cooled, but podcasting is still chugging along. The largest podcasting operations are attracting sizable audiences and advertising revenue. The ads work. Large and small advertisers report a signiﬁcant upside to the campaigns they run on podcasts, and ad rates on top-tier podcasts approach $100 per thousand listeners, which is many times what it costs advertisers to reach audiences in most other digital formats. Podcast audience Yet the overall audience for podcasts is growing very slowly. In February, Edison Research reported 17 per cent of Americans had listened to one podcast in the previous month. That is up just slightly from Edison’s 2012 survey, when 14 per cent of Americans had done so. The business also has some problems, including a labour-intensive adbuying process, a shortage of audio producers and the inability to accurately measure who is listening. So don’t call podcasting a bubble or a bust. Instead, it is that rarest thing in the technology industry: a slow, steady and unrelentingly persistent digital tortoise that

nalism, but the purpose is to make you feel something. The purpose is amusement and entertainment.” (Speaking of comedy journalism, I do a weekly techcommentary podcast with a friend who works at Business Insider.)

could eventually — but who really knows? — slay the analogue behemoths in its path. One company worth watching is Gimlet Media, a podcasting start-up founded last year by public radio star Alex Blumberg and his business partner, Matthew Lieber. By some measures, the company has had meteoric success. Gimlet, which raised nearly $1.5 million from investors and employs 18 people, now shows three productionheavy narrative podcasts — programs that, in their sound and journalistic integrity, are analogous to “Serial” and “This American Life.” The company has found a substantial audience. Gimlet’s shows attract four million listeners a month, a number that has doubled since the beginning of the year. Gimlet is betting high production values will win the future of podcasting — essentially the public radio formula refashioned for a digital age. Gimlet’s shows also suggest podcasting can foster new kinds of programming that might never have taken off in traditional radio. For instance, the premise of “Mystery Show,” Gimlet’s newest production, which began playing last month, sounds a bit like a stunt. On each episode, Starlee Kine, a longtime public radio personality, solves mysteries for people. But Kine does not investigate the kind of serious mysteries addressed by the

Large and small advertisers report an upside to the campaigns they run on podcasts, and ad rates on top-tier podcasts approach $100 per thousand listeners, which is many times what it costs advertisers to reach audiences in most other digital formats producers of “Serial.” Instead her inquiries are the sort of ridiculously fun questions no journalist would ever get paid to answer. Why, for example, was Britney Spears once seen carrying a book by a writer that no one ever reads? “Until podcasts blew up, I was about to leave radio — there didn’t seem to be a place for this show,” Kine told me. Blumberg said he couldn’t imagine the show running on traditional radio. “It feels so new,” he said. “It’s sort of like comedy journalism. We follow the rules of jour-

Mystery Show “Mystery Show” has also proved Gimlet’s thesis that a network of shows can create a self-sustaining audience. With the possible exception of “Serial,” podcasts aren’t really part of the viral Web. They don’t get chatted about on Facebook and Twitter, and the sharing and discovery features of many podcasting apps are limited. For the most part, people hear about new podcasts from other podcasts they already listen to. And once people start listening to podcasts, they keep listening to more podcasts. The share of podcasts in Americans’ diet of audio programming grew by 18 per cent from 2014 to 2015, according to Edison. People who listen to podcasts daily spend about two hours a day, on average, with podcasts, a larger share than for any other form of audio, Edison reported. For Gimlet, listeners’ willingness to try new podcasts has translated into instant audiences for its newest shows. “Start-up,” the company’s ﬁrst show, took 30 days to reach 100,000 listeners a week. Its weekly audience is now more than 500,000. “Mystery Show” took four days to reach 100,000 listeners, mainly because it was being promoted by Gimlet’s two other shows. By its fourth episode, its audience was about 250,000 weekly listens. Banking on a similar effect, in February, the parent company of the web magazine Slate — which has been producing podcasts for years — created Panoply, a network of shows it produces with media partners, including The New York Times. Matt Turck, the chief revenue officer for Panoply, said the audience for Slate’s own podcasts grew from two million downloads a month to six million downloads a month in 2014. — FARHAD MANJOO / The New York Times News Service

AT ITS RECENT ANNUAL developer conference, Apple made a move to jump-start the production of apps for the Apple Watch by announcing a software tool kit that will enable developers to create more advanced programs for the new device. But while we wait — this software upgrade isn’t set to arrive until this fall — the Apple Watch has around 3,500 apps that users can experiment with. Many of the apps showcase the capabilities of the device, such as displaying notifications and augmenting the abilities of a smartphone app. While these apps have not turned the Apple Watch into a must-have device for all users, I tested programs that were great at monitoring fitness and the weather, and one that was even useful for booking a hotel room, among others. Carrot Fit One of these memorable Watch apps is Carrot Fit, a seven-minute workout app that encourages you to repeatedly jump, crunch and do other exercises by mixing sarcasm, humour, jesting insults and cartoon graphics. Instead of having to glance at your smartphone screen to know how long to repeat a particular exercise and which one to do next, you can see this information on your wrist with Carrot’s app. The app uses a clearly visible timer disc and gives an animated view of the movements you are doing. You can start and pause workouts and get feedback on your performance. This $3 fitness app is less boring than its rivals, and more motivating. Notifying users of approaching bad weather is another task perfectly fit for the Apple Watch. Dark Sky is an example of this type of app, which features graphics and one useful trick: It can alert you if rain or snow is imminent where you are. Weather alerts may also be more noticeable on the Apple Watch than on a smartphone because of the attention-grabbing buzz on your wrist. Dark Sky for the watch shows a basic breakdown of the day’s weather forecast — which is shown with clear numbers, text and simple graphics — as well as the forecast for the next five days. The app costs $4 and works only

in the US, Britain and Ireland. Clear is a popular to-do list app that makes planning fun, thanks to its slick gesturebased interface and appealing graphics. On the Apple Watch version of Clear, which costs $5, some of this finesse is lost because of the small screen, but much of the app’s power and ease of use remain intact. You can view all of your todo lists, easily mark items as “done” with a tap (great for shopping), sort your list entries and add entries via speech recognition. You can also add alerts, which will then buzz your wrist according to when they are scheduled. These reminders can be seen in the watch’s Glances page for easy viewing. Using Shazam, a free music discovery app, on your phone to recognise a piece of music you are listening to has always felt high-tech. But previously you would have needed to take your phone out, unlock it and open Shazam — running the risk that the tune you are listening to will end. Shazam on the Apple Watch will start when you tap the app on the watch face. The app, which is free, processes the sounds around you and identifies music automatically. If the album art is available, you can see it on the watch screen, and track the song name and artist name, as well as the lyrics in some cases. Hotel Tonight for the watch, much like its phonebased counterpart, provides a list of nearby hotels that have rooms available that night. The watch app will list the same nearby hotels and will show you the hotel’s price, luxury level, distance from your location and a small photo. Tapping on an entry reveals more information, including a location on a map. With the app, which is free, you can book a room right from your wrist. Try Trivia Crack and Camera Plus on Apple Watch. Trivia Crack, which costs $3, lets you play a general-knowledge quiz game on your wrist. While its interface is fiddly, it provides essentially the same fun experience as the full phone app. Camera Plus is a neat app that allows you to see your phone’s camera view on your watch screen, and then snap a photo or take a video via the front or back cameras of the phone. -KIT /

EATON The New York Times News Service

MON DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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CUSTOMISED SERVICES

ACADEMICS

Waljat College introduces new course structure in IT programme

NBO gets top ranking in survey of Omani banks MUSCAT: Following a highly successful 12 months, National Bank of Oman (NBO) has been named the Sultanateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top bank in the latest survey by Ernst & Young and a local business magazine. )(-# , Ĺ&#x2014;.)Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014;')-.Ĺ&#x2014; )'prehensive assessment of Omani banking and non-banking ďŹ nancial services companies, the annual survey ranked National Bank of Oman ďŹ rst for its stellar growth in net proďŹ t and ability to bring down the growth of non-performing loans in 2014. National Bank of Oman scored 329 points in the survey, 19 more than its nearest rival. The report noted that in 2014 the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s net proďŹ t crossed the OMR50 million mark for the ďŹ rst time in its history, growing by 21 per cent, while non-performing loans witnessed a 4.6 per cent decrease, says a press release. "' Ĺ&#x2014; &Ĺ&#x2014; /- &'#Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014; .#)( &Ĺ&#x2014; (%Ĺ&#x2014; ) Ĺ&#x2014; ' (Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; - # Ä&#x2020;Ĺ&#x2014; Ä? .Ĺ&#x2014; #-Ĺ&#x2014; pleasing to see NBOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision to be the bank of choice in the Sultanate continues to be recognised in the market. The bank has made enormous progress over the last year to increase its focus on delivering consistently superior products

and service levels to our customers alongside strong returns for our shareholders. We are deeply proud to be ranked ďŹ rst among our peers in the Sultanate and look forward to further success in the coming years as our ambitious long-term strategy is fully implemented.â&#x20AC;? National Bank of Omanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional performance in 2014 was due to several factors, including the success of its long-term strategy to expand its distribution network and digital presence. The bank was particularly active in the small medium enterprise space and established dedicated SME centres and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;souqsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; throughout the Sultanate so that clients have easy access to the help and support they need. It also continued to support large projects of national and strategic importance, including the tourism, transport, infrastructure, power and water sectors. Following a highly successful international investor roadshow in 2014, National Bank of Omanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst bond issuance under its Euro Medium-Term Note (EMTN) programme was also more than three times oversubscribed.

New India opens new office for motor vehicle owners MUSCAT: The New India As-/, ( Ĺ&#x2014; )'* (3Ĺ&#x2014;)* ( Ĺ&#x2014;#.-Ĺ&#x2014;-* cious new Motor Underwriting Department in the head office of the company in Hamriya recently to serve the general public with additional counters specially to cater the motor vehicle owners. The new office area was jointly inaugurated by Majid Abdul Rahim Jaffer, chairman, Abdul Aziz & Brothers and Majid Group ) Ĺ&#x2014; )'* (# -Ĺ&#x2014; ( Ĺ&#x2014; ,Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014; bastian, chief operating officer,

1Ĺ&#x2014; ( # Ĺ&#x2014; --/, ( Ĺ&#x2014; )'* (3Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; Oman Operations in the presence of I. M. Jacob, general manager, and its staff members and their valued customers, says a press release. In the inaugural address, Dr Sebastian reaffirmed that the company is committed to give more customised services to its valued customers and the general public based on their speciďŹ c needs and requirements. Further, Majid expressed his

gratitude towards the support and business relationship extended by New India and hoped more prosperity in the business of the company and will grow further more under the supervision of Sebastinan. Sebastian assured that the company is coming up with special premium rates and counters for motor vehicle customers during the holy month of Ramadan and the company will touch further heights in the days to come.

R A M A D A N I N I T I AT I V E

RAMADAN CHARITY

InďŹ niti QX80 InďŹ niti QX80s include a highstiffness frame structure that enhances ride comfort while reducing noise, vibration and harshness. The proven 5.6-liter V8 engine combines the responsive acceleration of InďŹ nitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VVEL (Variable Valve Event & Lift) technology with the efficiency of Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) to produce 400 horsepower and 560 Nm of torque. A smooth 7-speed automatic transmission is standard on all models.

Mohammed Al Kindi, branch manager of ahlibank Nizwa branch, presents a cheque to an official (left) from Al Noor Association for Blind as part of the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Ramadan Campaign. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Supplied photo

McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aiming to spread kindness MUSCAT: This Ramadan, McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oman is launching a campaign to inspire people to spread kindness through simple but thoughtful deeds that could have signiďŹ cant p ositive impact on other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives and communities at large. Animated stories Using the #SpreadKindness hashtag, McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is sharing inspirations of good deeds and encouraging the public to do the same. Under the same theme, McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s produced four childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books and 30 animated stories that will run #&3Ĺ&#x2014; )(Ĺ&#x2014; ĂťĹ&#x2014; .",)/!")/.Ĺ&#x2014; ." Ĺ&#x2014; holy month. All these stories aim to inspire the public that it is not about the size of their good deeds, but that merely making a little effort to help others can make a huge difference in the community, says a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are privileged to be in a community where doing good is

an integral part of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily lives. This Ramadan, we are encouraging this spirit with our #SpreadKindness campaign and helping parents pass it on to their children through our books and animated TV episodes, which will also be available on our website,â&#x20AC;? said Ali K. Daud, development licensee and president of McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oman. Ramadan books McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ramadan books are designed to foster a life-long love of reading and teach valuable lessons that reďŹ&#x201A;ect the virtues of the holy month. These four books feature the smallest acts of kindness that can sometimes have the biggest impact on to those around us and the people we care for. McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ramadan campaign expects to be bringing a little joy to children at home (reading with their parents) as well as children with special needs supported by different charities.

MUSCAT: &$ .Ĺ&#x2014; )&& ! Ĺ&#x2014; ) Ĺ&#x2014; **&# Ĺ&#x2014; # ( -Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ Ä˘Ĺ&#x2014; " -Ĺ&#x2014; been providing international quality education in Oman for more than 14 years. It has academic partnership with one of the most prestigious technical universities from India, Birla Institute of Technology â&#x20AC;&#x201D; pursuing academic excellences for about 60 years. To maintain pace of change in technology in the world and also to impart new technical skills ')(!Ĺ&#x2014; 3)/."Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; &$ .Ĺ&#x2014; )&& ! Ĺ&#x2014; of Applied Sciences is going to implement new curriculum of " &),Ĺ&#x2014;) Ĺ&#x2014; )'*/. ,Ĺ&#x2014; **&# .#)(-Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ Ä˘Ĺ&#x2014; *,)!, '' Ĺ&#x2014; 1#."Ĺ&#x2014; effect from September, says a press release. This three-year IT programme is designed in such a way that it will give students required theoretical as well as practical expertise to work in the ďŹ eld of Information Technology and allied area. The new curriculum is credit based in the line of current global education system. Some new courses have been introduced such as VB.net replacing Visual Basic in earlier curriculum. Emphasis is given on object oriented programming such as Ĺ Ĺ Ä&#x2026;Ĺ&#x2014; 0 Ĺ&#x2014;.)Ĺ&#x2014; +/#*Ĺ&#x2014;." Ĺ&#x2014;-./ (.-Ĺ&#x2014; with essential knowledge to build and understand both application as well as system software. As e-commerce is catching the trading market rapidly, the new curriculum has also introduced course on electronic commerce and application to impart the students with necessary knowledge on this new business approach. There is a wide choice of elective subjects for the students so that they can select as per their interest. The department of computer science and engineering has world class infrastructure to run such course. The IT labs are equipped with latest hardware and software. Well qualiďŹ ed experienced faculties are also an asset of the department. The academic council of parent university of Ĺ&#x2014; " -Ĺ&#x2014; &-)Ĺ&#x2014; **,)0 Ĺ&#x2014; ." .Ĺ&#x2014; from the forthcoming academic session commencing from September 2015 students of Bach &),Ĺ&#x2014; ) Ĺ&#x2014; )'*/. ,Ĺ&#x2014; **&# .#)(Ĺ&#x2014; ÄĄ Ä˘Ä&#x161;Ĺ&#x2014; 0 (#(!Ĺ&#x2014; *,)!, '' Ĺ&#x2014; (Programme for working people) may complete their study in three years. Excellence is al1 3-Ĺ&#x2014;, 1 , Ĺ&#x2014; .Ĺ&#x2014; Ä&#x201E;Ĺ&#x2014;

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L AT E S T T E C H N O L O G Y

LG showcases new products at retailer meet in Sultanate

MUSCAT: LG Electronics, a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, showcased over 40 different products across its different businesses at a dealer event in Oman. Hosted alongside distribution partner, Oman Gulf Enterprises, the event was attended by D. Y. Kim, President, LG Electronics Gulf FZE and Anil Dua, managing director of OTE Group of Companies, says a press release. The event showcased several new products including brand new Super UHD TV line-up, world`s 1st 21:9 LG curved ultra wide Monitor and Minibeam projectors. Several new home appliances and residential air conditioning solutions were also announced as well including the door-in-door refrigerators, big capacity 6 Motion DD Washing machines, the 58 degree Titan split air-conditioners and the much awaited Cord Zero vacuum cleaner. “The event is a reaffirmation of LG’s commitment to the Oman market. It fortifies the significance of Oman to the brand within the region by providing the latest technology platforms,” said Kim “We believe Oman has the potential and ambition to be a forerunner in the technology sector in the Gulf region. To drive such business growth, it is crucial to have a portfolio of cutting-edge technology products, and LG is the first name that comes to mind. We believe that with the several

new products showcased in this event, we will strengthen our leading position in the market,” stated Anil. LG showcased the ﬁrst of its 2015 premium Super Ultra HD TV series in 49- and 65-inch screen sizes. They provide a total immersion experience, while bringing a touch of sophistication and convenience-enhancing smart functions. With premium display technologies and smart features in an elegant design, LG’s SUPERUHD TVs take the viewing experience to a whole new level. LG’s HD Mini Beam (model PH300) offers exceptional mobility and produces spectacularly large images operating for up to two and half hours on a single charge. LG’s ﬂagship IPS 21:9 and 34 inch (34UC97) curved ultra wide monitor is a complete monitor solution, equally suited to the needs of professional users and home entertainment enthusiasts with extra screen real estate, so users can get more done in less time. By adding a gentle curve to a 21:9 aspect ratio monitor, LG has created a unique product that delivers a more immersive experience. OTE Group is the exclusive distributor of LG range of electronics and home appliances and air conditioners in Oman, offers excellent aftersales care in order to ensure high level of customer satisfaction. With a nationwide network of showrooms and service facilities, OTE Group ensures that LG customers are never far from getting high quality service.

Renault Fluence comes with Ramadan benefits With a unique scratch and win card, customers are eligible to win assured high value gifts from any one of the products comprising LG 65” Ultra High Deﬁnition LED Curve TV, Apple iPhone 6-16GB, Lenovo Laptop-Intel Core i5 or a LG 42” LED TV

MUSCAT: Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the exclusive importers and distributors of Renault vehicles in Oman, unveiled their most anticipated vehicle last year — the 2015 Renault Fluence. The Renault Fluence now comes with unique Ramadan beneﬁts, says a press release. The 2015 Fluence features a new look with the 1.6 16V 115 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox and the 2.0 16V 140 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox. Fitted with a new petrol engine that is powerful and dynamic (117hp and 156Nm), Fluence sparks with energy. With the CVT X-Tronic nextgeneration automatic gearbox, the 2.0 16V 140 combines responsive-

RECRUIT QUOTES Our ideas, like orangeplants, spread out in proportion to the size of the box which imprisons the roots. — Edward Bulwer Lytton Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life. — Herbert Otto If you pick the right people and give them the opportunity to spread their wings and put compensation as a carrier behind it, you almost don’t have to manage them. — Jack Welch

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

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ness and low fuel consumption. CVT technology – Continuously Variable Transmission – allows for smooth gear shifting with instant responses and no bumps. The new Fluence is comfortable, dynamic and lively with low fuel consumption. Ramadan highlights: Scratch & Win (two assured gifts): With a unique scratch and win card, customers are eligible to win assured high value gifts from any one of the products comprising LG 65”Ultra High Deﬁnition LED Curve TV, Apple iPhone 6-16GB, Lenovo Laptop-Intel Core i5 or a LG 42” LED TV. Customers will also be eligible to win an assured service package

gift up to five years/100,000km periodic maintenance service (with minimum assured service package of two years/ 30,000km periodic maintenance service) Cash Gifts: Customers will also walk away with assured cash gift of OMR750 on purchasing the Renault Fluence 1.6L/2.0L Other benefits: Customers will be entitled to receive free registration for first year for Oman only and free extended warranty period of up to six years / unlimited mileage. Further, customers will also receive AAA Roadside Assistance card for the first year only and as supported by AAA Oman. Grand raffle draw Customers purchasing any of the Renault models during the Ramadan month will also get a chance to enter a mega raffle draw which will be held on August 23. The grand prize winner will walk away with a new 2015 Renault Duster 2L PE. Easy financing options Suhail Bahwan Automobiles designed the Ramadan scheme to add to the pleasure and convenience of owning a Renault model and ensure hassle and worry-free driving at all times. Customers can also avail easy financing option with attractive interest rates. Renault has always made pio-

neering efforts to offer world class facilities and services to its valued customers. The fantastic Fluence With its flowing and modern lines, the Renault Fluence features new, confident and more dynamic frontal design identity. Inside, the cabin carries over the major themes of the previous version but delivers finishes that are more sophisticated and a more high-tech ambience. The redesigned front end enhances the new Fluence’s unique character which takes its inspiration from the Renault F1 and the aerodynamics of the F1 cars. The focal point at the front is a prominent logo set vertically to a gloss black and chrome strips background. Meanwhile, the new Renault Fluence’s curvier lines and full surfaces ensure a more dynamic, assertive stance, underlining the model’s status-enhancing look. The other exterior features include LED lights that enhance the overall appeal of the rear of the vehicle. A world class brand SBA is largely committed to supporting Renault Oman’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman.

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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Qatar Airways claims ‘Airline of Year’ award

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SUPPORTING THE NEEDY

The highest ranking in the annual Skytrax

Meethaq extends support to Zakati national campaign

awards category, ‘Airline of the Year’ is a testament to the commitment and dedication to service excellence and a high-quality travel experience for all passengers that ﬂy with Qatar Airways

FRANCE: Qatar Airways has been honoured with three of the top aviation accolades at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, winning Airline of the Year for a third time, a major accomplishment for an airline to reach multiple times. The highest ranking in the annual Skytrax awards category, Airline of the Year is a testament to the commitment and dedication to service excellence and a highquality travel experience for all passengers that fly with Qatar Airways. It is a reflection of the five-

star calibre service that the Qatar Airways is renowned for, says a press release. The award comes at a time when the airline has experienced remarkable growth, given the major enhancements to its ﬂeet in the last 10 months, with the entry into service of the Airbus A380 and the Airbus A350 as the Global Launch Customer. In addition to the Airline of the Year award, the airline also collected two other awards: Best Business Class Airline Seat and Best Airline in the Middle East – which Qatar Airways has won for the eighth time. The Skytrax World Airline Awards, held at the Musée de l’Air et de l’ Espace, Paris Air Show, are widely known as the Passengers Choice Awards with millions of travellers, from 160 different countries, participating in passenger satisfaction surveys to decide 2015’s winners. “I am honoured to lead an airline that has paved such an accomplished path to excellence,

and innovation, demonstrating the team’s unwavering pride in their work and the experience provided to each of our passengers. Becoming an award-winning airline takes dedication and passion — and retaining such a ranking takes commitment, which I thank each and every team member at Qatar Airways for. Our passengers are at the heart of everything we do at Qatar Airways, and we are very proud to be recognised by them and to receive these three Skytrax awards. Quality services “These accolades reflect our passengers’ satisfaction; they choose to fly with a five-star airline and today they have chosen Qatar Airways as the world’s best airline for the third time. Qatar Airways strives to offer the best travel experience for its guests across our entire global network of 147 destinations, with a commitment to providing quality services to each and every one of our passengers,” said, Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief

C O N V E N I E N T L O C AT I O N

MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking from Bank Muscat, has extended support to the national campaign for Zakati organised by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The objective of the campaign is to mobilise Zakati from individuals and institutions and distribute to beneﬁciaries. Extensive media campaigns and lectures are lined up to encourage people to donate Zakati, says a press release. Sulaiman Al Harthy, Group General Manager – Meethaq Islamic Banking said: “Meethaq is happy to join hands with the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs to unite the nation in supporting needy sections of society and thereby contribute to the Sultanate’s development goals.” “Meethaq has opened a special account for Zakati payments, managed by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.

Zakati services are available across the Meethaq branches and channels, including CDMs while Meethaq mobile banking facilitates a simple calculation method to pay Zakati,” he added. Meethaq is well positioned to provide Islamic financial expertise to diverse segments and thereby promote the good of society as a whole. It offers a full suite of Islamic banking products, including savings account, current account, home finance, auto finance, credit card, mobile banking etc. Meethaq has adopted the best practices in Islamic banking and finance worldwide to combine a robust model which protects customers and complements the Islamic banking industry. Every Meethaq product goes through the process of Shari’a compliance certification by the Shari’a Supervisory Board and is created in line with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Oman.

CASH GIFTS

Al Hilal moves CBD branch to Mawaleh

MUSCAT: Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services, the Islamic banking window of ahlibank, relocated its CBD branch to a newly designed and conveniently located area of Mawaleh in the wilayat of Seeb recently. The branch’s opening ceremony was attended by His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said, along with the senior management of the bank. With the opening of Mawaleh branch, Al Hilal Islamic Baking Services aims to remain close to customers, and provide them with high quality service and Sharia compliant products in a convenient manner, right where they are, says a press release. “Our new branch in Mawaleh was established in response to the increasing demand for Islamic banking services in the area,” said Abdullah Al Jabri, general manager, Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services. “Over the past few years, as the bank continued to grow, we recognised the need to identify a new location in the wilayat of Seeb to

Executive Officer, Qatar Airways. Major recent enhancements have been introduced at Qatar Airways, including the opening of the world’s largest Business Class lounge, ‘Al Mourjan’ at Hamad International Airport in Doha; a complete revamp of the airline’s in-flight entertainment system, Oryx One, and newly introduced amenity kits across all classes of travel; new on-board menus, check-in enhancements, and many others. Qatar Airways’ modern fleet is on display at the Paris Air Show 2015, the airline is showcasing the best of its latest generation aircraft with five on display – the Airbus A380, A350 XWB, A320 and A319 and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Qatar Airways, a five-star ranked carrier, is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, operating one of the youngest fleets in the skies. Qatar Airways flies 160 aircraft to 147 key business and leisure destinations across six continents.

enable us to sustain our growth and provide for the efficiencies and synergies that result from staff being under one roof. The bank’s Mawaleh branch combines innovative technology with highly trained people to provide a superior customer experience. The establishment of the branch gives the bank the opportunity to add the convenience of full-service Islamic banking products and services to all of the individuals and businesses located in Seeb and the surrounding areas,” he added. At the inauguration, Lloyd Maddock, CEO of ahlibank, stated: “We consistently work on the improvement of our internal processes, technology and value addition to ultimately beneﬁt customers and partners. The new Al Hilal Islamic Banking branch was relocated and designed to meet our customers demand for a more personalised and relaxed banking atmosphere, offering them exceptional Islamic banking ﬁnancial services. Customers coming into the new branch will feel at home and at

ease when it comes to their banking services and products just like they do at our other branches.” He continued, “The new location also reinforces Al Hilal Islamic Banking service’s long-term commitment to individuals, families and businesses that live or work in Seeb. We look forward to meeting with them to discuss the ﬁnancial solutions that are right for them.” Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services provides a wide range of banking products that cover sharia compliant ﬁnance services, along with providing social services that meet the needs of the different sectors of the society in Oman. The bank offers a comprehensive range of Sharia compliant product and services - personal, SME and corporate banking spectrum through its dedicated branches, conveniently located kiosks, ATMs and CDMs across the Sultanate. Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services branches are also located in: Wattayah, Samail, Bahla, Rustaq, Saham, and Salalah.

Ramadan promotion adds to Kia Grand Carnival’s appeal

MUSCAT: After nine years of careful design and development, Kia Motors is pleased to present the new Grand Carnival. “Equipped with the latest technology that results in a luxurious driving experience — the Grand Carnival is a unique combination of a sedan and an MPV. The balance of comfort and practicality in the Grand Carnival brings with it unexpected surprises. There are plenty of added values that create the ambience of a premium MPV,” said an official Kia source. “Nowadays, the Kia Grand Carnival is even more tempting than ever,” reminded the Kia Oman spokesperson. “Those who buy a Kia now (Till July 16) will be in a position to take advantage of the fact that they can win in a grand raffle of OMR5,000 cash, take part in four raffles of OMR1,000 each. And that’s not all. There are assured Scratch ‘N Win amounts of up to OMR100. Customers will have a choice of availing cash gift of OMR600 or they can avail up to 30,000km/18 months service + 1 year insurance.” The cash gift amount can be used as part of down payment. In sum, Kia is giving customer the choice of any one option for Grand Carnival: In the ﬁrst option there is the cash gift of OMR600. As for the second option, customers can get a service beneﬁt lasting for 18 months/30,000km, whichever is earlier + one year insurance. The raffle dates for

OMR1,000 raffle would be: July 1, July 12 and August 4, and the grand raffle on August 4. Thoroughly upgraded from the previous generation, the all-new Grand Carnival boasts an enhanced design inside and out, along with greatly improved use of space and convenience features that can compete with those of high-end sedans. Its comprehensive safety features and elegant style have help garner some impressive accolades like the NHTSA Overall 5-Star Crash Safety Rating, 2015 Autobytel Minivan of the Year title and 2015 IIHS Top Safety Pick. Named the Best New Car Design at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the Grand Carnival’s overall design improvement lies mainly in creating a more modern look with a powerful front end, clean side proﬁle and voluminous body. Inside, stand-up seats make folding the second row upright easier, while the third row glides under the ﬂoor, providing ample space without removing any seats. The Smart Tailgate, Dual Sunroof and Power-Sliding AntiPinch Doors that stop upon detection of an approaching object by built-in sensors are just few examples of many premium features equipped in the luxurious Grand Carnival. The Grand Carnival features an advanced safety system, both passive and active, to ensure the best protection on the road. Extended

use of advanced high strength steel and patented technologies have signiﬁcantly improved not only impact resistance but also torsional rigidity and performance thanks to weight reduction and collision structure redesign. Electronic Stability Control (ESC), one of Grand Carnival’s many intuitive systems, will help you take better control of the vehicle. ESC actively controls the brake pressure of each wheel and engine output after recognizing dangerous driving situations such as sudden turns, acceleration and braking. The all-new Grand Carnival offers the perfect balance of power and reﬁnement, comparable to that offered in premium sedans. Its high-endurance gasoline powertrain delivers 276 horsepower and an exceptionally quiet, smooth drive. Engineered with a high performance damper (HPD), added rear strut reinforcement, and a high-strength chassis for better handling and aerodynamics, the Kia Carnival will be an excellent choice for those who are in search of premium class, large space and safety – all at once. Reliable International Automotive (RIA), the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers. Excellent product attributes and unmatched facilities easily ensure their absolute satisfaction, every mile of the way.

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SPOR YOUR GAME

MURRAY CROWNED KING OF QUEEN’S

Andy Murray swept to a recordequalling fourth Queen’s Club title with a majestic 6-3, 6-4 demolition of South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in Sunday’s ﬁnal. >C3

Seven-star Yasir leads Pakistan to Test triumph over Sri Lanka Pakistan, set a victory target of 90, raced home in 11.2 overs with Mohammed Hafeez unbeaten on 46 and Ahmed Shehzad on 43 at the Galle International Stadium after Yasir Shah spun a web around Sri Lanka to claim career-best ﬁgures

YASIR SHAH

wickets for 76

TENNIS

Federer trumps Seppi for eighth Halle crown BERLIN: Double defending champion Roger Federer trumped Italian Andreas Seppi 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 to win an eighth title at the ATP Halle tournament on Sunday. The title was the 33-year-old Swiss world number two’s fourth of the season after Brisbane, Dubai and Istanbul, and 86th of his career. It was also Federer’s 15th career title on grass, coming just over a week away from Wimbledon, where he will be bidding to win for an eighth time. “I hope this is a good omen for Wimbledon,” said Federer, who won the last of his 17 majors at the All England Club in 2012. Federer’s only defeats in Halle ﬁnals came against Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt in 2010 and German Tommy Haas two years later. Sunday’s win meant he also became just the third player in the Open Era to claim at least eight titles in a single tournament, joining Rafael Nadal and Guillermo Vilas. Nadal has won nine times at the French Open and eight in MonteCarlo and Barcelona, while Vilas won the Buenos Aires title on eight occasions. Despite his win, Federer insisted that world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic remains the favourite for a third Wimbledon title. “He is the champion, the world number one and plays well on

READY FOR WIMBLEDON: Roger Federer of Switzerland holds the

trophy after winning the ﬁnal against Andreas Seppi of Italy. – AP/PTI

grass,” said Federer, who added that the Serb’s decision not to play a grass-court warm-up event will not count against him. “When you are winning everything, you can do anything you want. I know that from my own experience.” It was far from plain-sailing for Federer in his 130th career ﬁnal against an opponent he’d beaten 11 times out of 12 previous meetings.

Three times he had to save a break point in the opening set, which was brieﬂy interrupted by rain, twice doing so with aces before sealing the ﬁrst stanza courtesy of a Seppi double fault. Federer could have wrapped up the second set a game earlier but missed three break opportunities when leading 4-3. However, two games later he did break the Italian to claim victory in 1hr 48min. - AFP

GALLE: Leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed a career-best seven for 76 as Pakistan stunned Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the first Test on Sunday to take the lead in the threematch series. Yasir spun a web around the Sri Lankan batsmen to skittle them for a paltry 206 in their second innings just before tea on the fifth and final day. Pakistan, set a victory target of 90, raced home in 11.2 overs with Mohammed Hafeez unbeaten on 46 and Ahmed Shehzad on 43 at the Galle International Stadium. It was Pakistan’s first Test win in Sri Lanka since the eight-wicket triumph in Kandy in 2006. The second Test starts at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Thursday. Pakistan’s remarkable recovery from 96-5 in the first innings came after the entire first day’s play had been washed out and just 64 overs were bowled on the second day. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored with 79, Lahiru Thirimanne made 44 and and Dinesh Chandimal was last man out for 38, but the rest of the batsmen folded against Pakistan’s incisive bowling. The 29-year-old Yasir, later named man of the match, ripped through the batting as Sri Lanka lost their last five wickets for 39 runs after being 167 for five at one stage. Sri Lanka took their overnight score of 63-2 to 144-4 by lunch, before a further six wickets fell on a dramatic afternoon in front of some 1,000 home fans. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq, who had gambled by electing to field first after winning the toss, was jubilant by what he described as a “big win”. “It was very clear in our minds

that the only one way to win this Test was if we got them out early in the first innings,” the 41-year-old said. “We took our chance and it worked. There was a bit of moisture which helped our spinners, because the ball turned and bounced. ‘Big win’ “Hats off to everyone. It began with the fightback by Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed from 96-5. This really is a big win for us and boosts our confidence for the remaining matches.” ‘A pretty bad loss’ a disappointed Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews hoped his team will recover from the defeat. “This was a pretty bad loss for us, but the Pakistanis deserved to win,” he said. “The idea was to bat through the day, but we kept losing wickets.

“We have two more games to bounce back and don’t need to panic. It was just a one-off game. We have got to keep trust in the players we have got.” The hosts lost nightwatchman Dilruwan Perera off the first ball of the day, clean-bowled by Yasir, but the left-handed pair of Karunaratne and Thirimanne put on 69 runs for the fourth wicket. With the hosts just 15 runs ahead, left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz had Thirimanne caught low at first slip by Younis Khan to keep the interest alive during the lunch break. Sri Lanka suffered a massive blow off the second ball after resumption when Mathews was controversially given out caught at short leg by TV umpire Chris Gaffaney. The New Zealander upheld onfield umpire Richard Illingworth, who had ruled that the batsman was caught at short-leg off Yasir even though replays proved inconclusive on whether the ball had come off the bat. Mathews, who had called for a review as soon as the umpire raised his finger, was visibly furious as he returned to the pavilion. Neither hot-spot or snickometer technology is part of the Decision Review System for the series. Karunaratne’s patience after a vigil of more than four hours at the crease ran out when he attempted a big hit off Yasir, missed the line and was smartly stumped by an agile Sarfraz. - AFP

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 300 (K. Silva 125, K. Sangakkara 50, Wahab Riaz 3-74, Zulﬁqar Babar 3-64) Pakistan 1st innings: 417 (Asad Shaﬁq 131, Sarfraz Ahmed 96, D. Prasad 3-91, D. Perera 4-122) Sri Lanka 2nd innings (overnight 63-2): K. Silva c Azhar b Wahab 5 D. Karunaratne st Sarfraz b Yasir 79 K. Sangakkara c Azhar b Yasir 18 D. Perera b Yasir 0 L. Thirimanne c Younis b Wahab 44 A. Mathews c Azhar b Yasir 5 D. Chandimal st Sarfraz b Yasir 38 K. Vithanage c Babar b Yasir 1 D. Prasad st Sarfraz b Babar 2 R. Herath c Hafeez b Yasir 1 N. Pradeep not out 0 Extras: (b-5, lb-1, w-6, nb-1) 1 3 Total (all out, 77.1 overs) 206 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Silva), 2-63 (Sangak-

kara), 3-63 (Perera), 4-132 (Thirimanne), 5-144 (Mathews), 6-167 (Karunaratne), 7-175 (Vithanage), 8-200 (Prasad), 9-203 (Herath), 10-206 (Chandimal). Bowling: Wahab 16-4-46-2 (w6), Junaid 7-1-23-0, Yasir 30.1-6-76-7 (nb1), Hafeez 10-3-24-0, Babar 14-4-34-1. Pakistan 2nd innings: Mohammad Hafeez not out 46 Ahmed Shehzad not out 43 Extras: (b-3) 3 Total (for no loss, 11.2 overs) 92 Bowling: Herath 4.2-0-30-0, Prasad 2-1-100, Pradeep 2-0-18-0, Perera 3-0-31-0. Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets, lead 1-0 in three-match series. Toss: Pakistan Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENG) and Paul Reiffel (AUS) TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL) Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

SPORTS

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Triumphant Rosberg cuts down Hamilton’s lead in F1 title race The German driver, who left his twenties behind on Saturday, repeated his 2014 success when he came home a comfortable 3.8 seconds clear of the defending world champion and reduced his lead from

ECSTATIC: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s German driver Nico Rosberg celebrates on the podium after winning the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racing circuit in Spielberg. – AFP

17 points to 10

SPIELBERG: Nico Rosberg celebrated his 30th birthday with a third win in four races on Sunday when he beat Mercedes team-mate and series leader Lewis Hamilton to triumph in an incident-ﬁlled Austrian Grand Prix. The German driver, who left his twenties behind on Saturday, repeated his 2014 success when he came home a comfortable 3.8 seconds clear of the defending world champion and reduced his lead from 17 points to 10. After eight of this year’s 19 races, Briton Hamilton, who picked up a ﬁve seconds penalty in the race,

has 169 and Rosberg, who won last year’s Austrian event, 159. It was Rosberg’s third win of the season and the 11th of his career. Brazilian Felipe Massa came third, 17 seconds adrift of the two Mercedes men, six-tenths of a second ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, Finn Valtteri Bottas in the second Williams and German Nico Hulkenberg, who one week after winning in the Le Mans 24 Hours race, ﬁnished sixth for Force India. Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado was seventh for Lotus ahead of Dutch teenager Max Verstappen of Toro Rosso, Mexican Sergio Perez in the second Force India and Australian Daniel Ricciardo,

who picked up a point for Red Bull, after starting down the grid. The race began with drama as Rosberg sped into a ﬁrst corner lead and almost immediately a spectacular collision between two-time champion Fernando Alonso and 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen caused the race to be halted with the introduction of a safety car. Alonso’s car landed on top of Raikkonen’s car. Both drivers were unhurt and walked away, shaken but not injured. It was another hugely disappointing day for the struggling McLaren-Honda team. On top of Alonso’s ﬁrst lap crash, Briton Jenson Button had to make an ear-

ly retirement in the other car with engine problems. In dry and mild conditions in the Styrian Alps, Rosberg made a perfect start as the lights went out, drawing alongside pole-sitter Hamilton to take the lead at the ﬁrst corner. The world champion attempted to re-gain the lead at the next two turns, but Rosberg defended adroitly while, behind them, a serious collision involving Raikkonen and Alonso caused the race to be stopped and run behind the safety car until the debris was cleared. Alonso’s McLaren Honda appeared to crash into Raikkonen’s Ferrari from the rear and rose to land on top of the Finn’s car as

they skewed into the barriers. Both men were unhurt and walked clear from the debris. Button saw the crash. He said: “It looked like Kimi tried to get on the power, went one way, tried to correct and went the other way... A horrible accident. I’m glad they are OK. A pity for us, as it’ll make the test a lot trickier next week.” Briton Will Stevens of Manor Marussia also retired with an oil leak on the opening lap and, after the hiatus for the safety car, when the racing resumed, the rest of the ﬁeld trod delicately to avoid more mayhem. At the front, Rosberg managed a comfortable 2.8 seconds lead ahead of Hamilton with Vettel

third, but more than six seconds adrift, ahead of Massa and Hulkenberg. By lap 30, as the two Mercedes men began lapping the field, they were more than 12 seconds clear of Vettel’s Ferrari and in a race of their own. Button, fighting his dejection, made a wry observation on his retirement and McLaren’s woes. “I don’t know what’s worse: doing the whole race 30 seconds behind the back of the field or stopping on lap two. “It’s a pity, reliability-wise. We haven’t broken anything, but there was something wrong and it could’ve gone that way so that’s why we stopped.” Alonso’s car, which was running with an updated package, was “now in the bin”, said Button. He added: “It’s been a pretty bad weekend for all of us, but we won’t let it get us down.” Alonso was required to undertake a medical examination after which he said: “It was obviously quite scary. The start was very good. Kimi had a lot of wheel spin out of turn two. We were overtaking him and he lost the car on the left. “I was on the left. I could not see anything. I looked in the mirror and saw a car under my car. I jumped quickly to see he was OK. I saw he was — and so I was happy.” The leaders made their scheduled pit stops after 33 and 34 laps respectively, Hamilton crossing a white line as he exited, for which he was given a five-second penalty. Behind them, Vettel lost time when his right rear wheel caused problems at his stop. - AFP

DEBUT WIN ON GRASS

Champion Kerber targets Wimbledon BIRMINGHAM: Angelique Kerber suggested that she is back to her best in time for Wimbledon after lifting her first grass court title in a compelling final against Karolina Pliskova in Birmingham on Sunday. The German’s 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) win sets her up well for the Grand Slam starting in a week’s time and also prevented the Czech from taking over her place in the world’s top ten. Pliskova has served 320 aces, more than any other woman this year, including 11 more here, but Kerber’s movement, tenacity, flat counter-hitting, and competitive nous managed to frustrate her dangerously improving 23-yearold opponent. To achieve it she had to come from a set and a break of serve down in the second set, and then from 5-6 down in the decider plus the disappointment of losing a 5-3 lead, in a match which was intriguingly unpredictable. “It was an amazing match, and for a final it was perfect,” Kerber said. “It sounds good to have my

BACK TO HER BEST: Germany’s Angelique Kerber with the Maud Watson Trophy after beating Czech’s Karolina Pliskova. – AP/PTI

name on the trophy next to BillyJean King and Martina Navratilova, and I am proud of what I have achieved this week. “I just tried to fight point by point and being able to win this will give me great confidence in my preparation (for Wimbedon).” There were moments though when it seemed the six-foot oneinch Pliskova might dominate the match with her steep serving and fierce straight driving down both lines. Although making a leaden-

footed start, she recovered from 3-5 down to save four set points, to sneak the tie-break by seven ponts to five with a winning first serve, and to break Kerber immediately in the second set. At that stage Kerber’s fighting qualities became most apparent, as she broke twice in a row with some carefully constructed rallies before levelling at one set all, and then breaking again to go 4-2 and 5-3 ahead in the decider. It was here that Pliskova too

showed her fighting qualities, saving two break points in both the fifth and the seventh games, and another break point in the eleventh. She also caused Kerber to throw an unused ball away angrily by breaking back with a mishit retrieve under great pressure, the ball ballooning over the unlucky German’s head for a lobbed winner. In the end it all hinged one point in the final tie-break - the one which took Kerber to a minibreak ahead at 5-4 up after some tenacious containment which eventually caused Pliskova to drive a backhand a little too long. Kerber nervelessly won the next pair of points on her own serve. “I did everything I could,” said Pliskova, who is playing well enough soon to break into the top ten anyway. “So I am not really disappointed to play a match like this in a final. Kerber will go away with $124,000 and clutching the Maud Watson trophy — the prize which was presented to the first Wimbledon winner back in 1884. She will hope that it is an omen. - AFP

MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS CRICKET

TENNIS

Michael Clarke hits back at Gillespie’s ‘Dad’s Army’ jibe LONDON: Australia captain Michael Clarke said he expected to prove Jason Gillespie wrong after the former Ashes winner suggested the current squad were too old ahead of their latest clash with England. Australia’s Ashes squad contains opening batsman Chris Rogers and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, both 37, 35-year-old fast bowler Ryan Harris, whose career has been blighted by injuries, and the 34-year-old Clarke, who has to battle a longstanding back complaint. But Clarke, in his ﬁrst formal press conference since the squad arrived in England, insisted Gillespie was off target. “Jason’s entitled to his opinion,” Clarke told reporters at Merchant

Taylors’ School, north of London, on Sunday. “Join the queue. I’ve copped criticism my whole career. “There’s a long list of people who’ve criticised this team. We might just add ‘Dizzy’ (Gillespie) to that list of people we continue to prove wrong.” Gillespie, once the scourge of England batsmen as an Australia fast bowler, is now the coach of English county champions Yorkshire and was considered for the role of England coach before the job was given to compatriot Trevor Bayliss. “They’re Dad’s Army. I’d be thinking ‘let’s keep them out in the ﬁeld,” said the 40-year-old Gillespie of the current Australia squad in an interview this week with Britain’s Daily Mirror.

“’Let’s get them tired, they’re old blokes. We (England) can put these guys under pressure’.” Australia won the 2013/14 Ashes 5-0, although you have to go back to 2001 — when Gillespie was partnering Glenn McGrath with the new ball — for the last time the Australians won an Ashes series in Britain. But Clarke believes Australia can end that run when this season’s Ashes get underway with the ﬁrst Test against England in Cardiff on July 8. He said the squad had a mix of experience and youth, pointing to the likes of Steven Smith, at the age of 26 now ranked as the world’s leading Test batsman, 28-year-old opener David Warner

and 27-year-old off-spinner Nathan Lyon. “A lot of our young players have come a long way over the last few years,” said Clarke. “The senior players deserve a lot of credit for mentoring them and helping them through the tough times, and we’re seeing a lot of benefit from that. “They will play a big role in this series, their youth and enthusiasm is vital to our squad. “The experience of the senior players is crucial too and hopefully we can find that perfect mix and we’re able to have success.” Australia face county side Kent in their first official match of the tour, a four-day first-class fixture in Canterbury starting on Thursday. - AFP

Bangladesh tigers roar to series win

PROUD WINNER: Andy Murray holds up the winners trophy after

winning the ﬁnal against Kevin Anderson of South Africa. – AP/PTI

Murray crowned king of Queen’s

Mustaﬁzur picked up where he left off in the opening match, when he claimed 5-50, to grab 6-43 and help bowl India out for 200 runs, a target Bangladesh reached

DHAKA: Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman tore through the Indian batting line up once again to help Bangladesh seal the threematch one-day international series with a six-wicket win in Dhaka on Sunday. Mustafizur picked up where he left off in the opening match, when he claimed 5-50, to grab 6-43 and help bowl India out for 200 runs, a target Bangladesh reached in just 38 overs. The hosts were given a target of 200 runs in 47 overs based on the Duckworth/Lewis method after rain interrupted play for more than an hour towards the end of India’s innings. Bangladesh faced little problem to reach that figure thanks to Shakib Al Hasan’s second successive 50, along with cameos from Litton Das (36), Soumya Sarkar (34) and Mushfiqur Rahman (31). Sabbir Rahman (22 not out) steered Axar Patel to third man for the winning run with Shakib unbeaten on 51 at the other end, having smashed five fours in a 62ball innings. The win, which followed Thursday’s 79-run success, all but confirmed Bangladesh’s place in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England after they cemented the seventh position in the ODI rankings. Hosts England, plus seven topranked one-day sides will progress to the tournament. Earlier in the day, Shikhar Dhawan scored 53 runs while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipped in with 47 as India toiled hard against some fine Bangladesh bowling in a bid to stay alive in the series. Electing to bat first after Dhoni won the toss, India suffered its first blow on just the sec-

STAR OF THE DAY: Bangladesh hero Mustaﬁzur Rahman (top) is lifted by his teammates after the

Tigers won the second ODI and also with that the series against India. – AFP SCOREBOARD

INDIA R. Sharma c Sabbir b Mustafizur 0 S. Dhawan c Das b Nasir 53 V. Kohli lbw b Nasir 23 M. Dhoni c Sarkar b Mustafizur 47 A. Rayudu c Nasir b Rubel 0 S. Raina c Das b Mustafizur 34 R. Jadeja b Mustafizur 19 A. Patel lbw b Mustafizur 0 R. Ashwin c Das b Mustafizur 4 B. Kumar c Das b Rubel 3 D. Kulkarni not out 2 Extras (lb-6, w-8, nb-1) 15 Total (all out, 45 overs) 200 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rohit), 2-74 (Kohli), 3-109 (Dhawan), 4-110 (Rayudu), 5-163 (Raina), 6-174 (Dhoni), 7-174 (Patel), 8-184 (Ashwin), 9-196 (Jadeja), 10-200 (Kumar). Bowling: Mustafizur 10-0-43-6 (w4), Taskin 4-0-24-0 (nb1, w3), Mortaza 7-035-0 (w1), Nasir 10-0-33-2, Rubel 7-0-26-2, Shakib 7-0-33-0

ond ball when Rohit Sharma was caught at cover by Sabbir Rahman off Mustaﬁzur. Dhawan and Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a 74-run second wicket stand before Bangladesh struck again through oc-

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT BANGLADESH Tamim Iqbal c Dhawan b Kulkarni 13 Soumya Sarkar lbw b Ashwin 34 Litton Das c Dhoni b Patel 36 Mushﬁqur Rahim run out 31 Shakib Al Hasan not out 51 Sabbir Rahman not out 22 Extras (lb-4, w-9) 13 Total (for four wickets, 38 overs) 200 Did not bat: Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustaﬁzur Rahman Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Tamim), 2-86 (Sarkar), 3-98 (Das), 4-152 (Rahim) Bowling: Kumar 5-0-32-0 (w3), Kulkarni 7-0-42-1 (w4), Ashwin 10-2-32-1 (w1), Jadeja 7-0-28-0 (w1), Patel 7-0-48-1, Raina 2-0-14-0 Result: Bangladesh win by six wickets Series: Bangladesh lead 2-0 Umpires: Rod Tucker and Sharfuddoula TV Umpire: Anisur Rahman (BAN) Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft (ZIM)

casional off-break bowler Nasir Hossain. Nasir, who claimed 2-33, trapped Kohli leg before for 23 and then had Dhawan caught behind soon after the opener completed his ﬁfty. Ambati Rayudu, one of the three changes India made for

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

the game, followed Dhawan without scoring to leave the visitors struggling at 4-110. Dhoni, who promoted himself at number four, put on a 53-run partnership in the fifth wicket with Suresh Raina, but Mustafizur returned in his second spell to dismiss Raina for 34 to break the stand. Dhoni, dropped by wicketkeeper Das on 21, later succumbed to the pressure, spooning a catch off Mustafizur to Nasir at short cover. Mustafizur created a chance of a hat-trick, trapping Axar Patel leg before off the next ball. While Ravichandran Ashwin survived the hat-trick ball, he soon became Mustafizur’s fifth victim, edging a catch behind the stumps. Mustafizur bowled Jadeja off his final delivery after the rain break and Rubel ended India’s innings two balls later to finish with 2-26. The third and final ODI will be held at same venue on June 24. - AFP

LONDON: Andy Murray swept to a record-equalling fourth Queen’s Club title with a majestic 6-3, 6-4 demolition of South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in Sunday’s final. Murray joins John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt as the only four-time winners of the Wimbledon warm-up event in the Open era. It is Murray’s third ATP title of 2015 after his victories on clay in Madrid and Munich, earning him a cheque for 381,760 euros ($433,507) and continuing his superb form since his April wedding. With 34 career ATP titles, including six on grass, Murray moves up to 18th on the Open era list — level with Arthur Ashe, Michael Chang and John Newcombe. Even more significantly, it is the world number three’s first title on grass since his historic Wimbledon triumph in 2013. That career-defining success two years ago came after his third victorious campaign at Queen’s and, with Wimbledon just eight days away, Murray’s ruthless 64-minute rout of the world number 17 shows he is in the mood to mount a sustained challenge for a second All England Club crown. “I played better as the week went on. I came up with some great shots today and I had to play that way if I wanted to win,” Murray said. “You want to go into Wimbledon with grass matches under your belt. I’m playing better than I did in 2013 but it’s extremely difficult to win these events.”

Anderson added: “Andy is a terrific player. It’s tough playing him here, but I can take a lot of positives from this week.” After heavy rain forced his semifinal against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki to be suspended on Saturday, Murray knew he would have to do double duty to win the title. The 28-year-old completed the first part of his hectic schedule in just over an hour, dispatching Troicki 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) before heading back to the locker room for two hours’ recovery time. South African Kevin Anderson was well rested after blitzing his way into his first Queen’s final with 34 aces against Gilles Simon on Saturday to take his tally for the tournament to 96. But Murray had won four of his previous five meetings with the 6ft 8in (2.03m) South African and maintaining his 100 percent record in Queen’s finals. Murray had already won twice in one day this year, seeing off Lukas Rosol and Roberto Bautista Agut to clinch the Munich title last month. And there was no sign of any fatigue as the Scot made a dynamic start, unloading crisp groundstrokes and reading Anderson’s serve well enough to secure two break points in the fourth game. Anderson turned to brute force in response, slamming down a 141mph (227kmph) serve, but Murray managed to keep it in play and the rattled South African lost his cool as he buried a mistimed smash into the net. - AFP

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

SPORTS

Ahmad Al Harthy’s Oman Racing Team claims ﬁrst Pro Cup point The Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 racer Ahmad Al Harthy after being last initially mounted an outstanding recovery to take the chequered ﬂag under night skies in 16th position overall and 10th in the Pro Cup

MUSCAT: Ahmad Al Harthy and the Oman Racing Team produced a fantastically spirited performance during round three of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Paul Ricard in France on Saturday after battling the odds to finish the immensely challenging six-hour race inside the Pro Cup top 10. With a huge task facing the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 racer and team-mates Jonny Adam and Daniel Lloyd following a tough run in qualifying, their mission got twice as hard mere minutes into the race when contact from an errant BMW resulted in a very early unscheduled pit-stop. From almost dead last at that point, the Oman Air, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Group supported squad mounted an outstanding recovery to take the chequered flag under night skies in 16th position overall and 10th in the Pro Cup. “That was a very difficult race but one hell of a fightback”, said an elated Ahmad, “It’s our best result so far in Blancpain so we’re all very happy about that, especially after such a challenging race with so much going against us from the start. We showed we never give up, we always fight and to do that as part of one of the very best grids

STUNNING FIGHTBACK: Ahmad Al Harthy after an unfortunate contact initially did well to ﬁnish among the points. – Supplied photo

there has ever been in this championship is a big boost for us.” Ahmad took the opening stint of the race and from 22nd in the Pro Cup, 34th position overall, but planned progress off the start was prevented when he was forced to run wide off circuit a couple of corners into the race to avoid a multi-car tangle which resulted in a Safety Car period. When racing resumed with 10 minutes complete, Ahmad held 23rd in the Pro Cup and 36th overall but within a handful of laps the Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa ambassador had to visit the pits to have the front-right wheel changed after being on the receiving end of contact. Also hit with an unfortunate

drive-through penalty, linked to the pit-stop, any hopes of mounting a bid for the team’s first points finish of the Blancpain campaign were seriously impacted with Ahmad rejoining the race a lap down and almost at the tail of the 60 car field. Determined to undo as much of the damage as possible, the Muscat driver made very strong progress and climbed into 45th position and 21st in the Pro Cup during a busy double stint before pitting to hand the car over to Lloyd with around 90 minutes of racing complete. Lloyd remained behind the wheel as the race passed half distance and also delivered a particularly strong double stint before handing the No.44 Aston Martin

over to Adam with more than two hours remaining on the clock – pitting from 26th overall and 14th in the Pro Cup. Heading out onto track with the light fading rapidly as the race entered the ‘night’ stage, Adam held 30th place overall but swiftly set about slicing his way through the order and trying to get as close as possible to the coveted Pro Cup top 10. With one hour remaining, and with headlights ablaze, the Scotsman had fought through into 22nd position outright – still 14th in the Pro Cup –but over the course of the ﬁnal 60 minutes he managed to carve his way through superbly into 10th position in class, the team’s best Blancpain result of the

year, and 16th place overall. “It was very tough from the start, I was hit into the final corner just a few laps in after a bad move by one of the BMWs – he hit my frontright so we had to pit to change the tyre”, explained Ahmad, “We unfortunately had a drive-through after that, which was to do with a problem when the car was on its jacks in the pits, so I was something like 55th at that point. “To come through to P16 and P10 in the Pro Cup is pretty amazing really. Everyone did a fantastic job, Jonny and Dan raced so well and the crew did a great job too – big thank you to them. It was a fantastic team effort once again and it definitely gives us a lot of confidence for Spa.”

It’s our best result so far in Blancpain Endurance Series so we’re all happy about that, especially after such a challenging race Ahmad Al Harthy Ahmad and the Oman Racing Team now travel straight to SpaFrancorchamps in Belgium for an officially timed test on Wednesday, 24th June, which will act as the precursor to the biggest race of the season – the Total 24 Hours of Spa – which takes place over the weekend on July 25 and 26.

PA K I S TA N S O C I A L C LU B O R G A N I S E D

Omantel Ramadan cricket kick-starts with fanfare MUSCAT: Asfandyar XI beat Striker Boys by 72 runs in the inaugural match of the Fifth Omantel Ramadan Cricket Tournament organised by Pakistan Social Club at the Pakistan School Muscat ground. Batting ﬁrst, Asfandyar XI scored 129 for 3 in 8 overs with Faisal scoring a 16-ball 57 studded with 5 sixes and 1 four. Lending support to Faisal were Naeem (30 not out, 7 balls, 5 sixes) and Shams (25). Younis, Atif and Satish took one wicket each for the Striker Boys, who could only reply with 57 for 4 in the stipulated 8 overs. Farooq and Shams claimed two wickets each for Asfandyar XI and the their star batsman Faisal claimed the man of the match award. The tournament, which features over 50 teams and players from various nationalities including, Pakistanis, Indians, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis as well as Omanis, was inaugurated by the chief guest Syed Ayaz Hussain,

LET THE GAME BEGIN: Ambassador of Pakistan Syed Ayaz Hussain inaugurating the Omantel Ramadan Cricket Tournament organised by Pakistan Social Club. – Supplied photo

Ambassador of Pakistan to Sultanate of Oman along with guest of honour Mohammed Hasan Al Lawati of Omantel and Madhursinh Jesrani, Oman Cricket general secretary. Pakistan Social Club officials including Muhammad Munir, Akhmat Raja, Chaudhary Abbas, Muhammad Zaeem and board members of were present at the inaugural ceremony. Vice-chairman of PSC Akhmat Hayat Raja welcomed the distin-

guished guests and described the long history of Ramadan Cricket Tournament. He thanked the sponsors especially Omantel for presenting this tournament for ﬁfth time consecutively. Omantel’s Mohammed Hassan Al Lawati said, “The Pakistan Social Club and Omantel enjoy a good relationship. This is the ﬁfth time we are partnering and we believe that this event provides us with the right platform to interact with thousands of our customers.”

MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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Musandam impressive at Welcome Race with Pierre Casiraghi on board

LEADING THE FLEET: The Wave, Muscat skippered by Leigh McMillan and crewed by Sarah Ayton Pete

Greenhalgh, Ed Smyth and Nasser Al Mashari. – Supplied photo

Teamwork pays off for The Wave Oman Air’s luck came to an abrupt halt though halfway through race ﬁve when a winch failed

IN CONTROL: Sarah Ayton onboard The Wave, Muscat. – Supplied photo

putting them out of racing for the rest of the day

MUSCAT: The Omani sailing teams revelled in the glorious breezy conditions on Cardiff Bay on day three of the Extreme Sailing Series. Having started the day with a first race win and then a second place, Stevie Morrison and team on Oman Air were put out of contention when a winch pulled out of the boat, putting an end to their stunning performance. Elsewhere in the Oman Sail squad, teammates on The Wave, Muscat kept the momentum of the first two days going with a series of impressive results that included a first and a second. They now lead Act 4 by 15pts from SAP Extreme Sailing Team going into the final races. Stevie Morrison and his Oman Air team crewed by Ali Al Balushi, Ed Powys, Nic Asher and Ted Hackney put the second day’s disappointing performance behind them and in the opening race were unstoppable and notably fast downwind. In the fresh southwesterly breeze gusting 23 knots at times, they led the race more or less from start to finish and then went on to add a second place to an impressive scoreline in the fourth

race of the day. Their luck came to an abrupt halt though halfway through race five when a winch failed putting them out of racing for the rest of the day. Morrison commented: “These boats get a lot of use and are under high loads and these things sometimes happen. Although everything is constantly maintained unfortunately something went wrong and it is not a quick fix… We will be ready tomorrow.” Chatting about their significantly improved performance, Morrison added: “In the second day of Act Cardiff, we were last at the first mark in most of the races, so the aim was to pull ourselves together. Thankfully it worked well and we led at the first mark in three of the four races we completed. That was a great result for the guys - it is good for morale. Sadly, having missed four races, our podium position looks fairly unachievable now so in the last day, we will be looking at a good day of practice ready for the next stop in Hamburg.” Teammates Leigh McMillan, Nasser Al Mashari, Pete Greenhalgh, Sarah Ayton, and Ed Smyth on The Wave, Muscat continued to dominate proceedings. Although they had a couple of less impressive starts, they managed to bounce back. After another physically demanding day on the water, Ayton — the only female in the competition

— explained what process they have in place to improve their performance race-by-race: “We have a quick de-brief after each round and chat about the things we could improve on, and then execute in the next race.” Looking ahead at the team approach as they enter the final day, Ayton said it is all about taking one step at a time: “As we reach the halfway stage tomorrow we can then start being a bit more strategic, but the first few races will be about getting good starts, and focusing on the process rather than the outcome.” Commenting on sailing on home waters in the fantastic stage setting in Cardiff Bay, Ayton added: “It is a great atmosphere with so many supporters. All of our families are here and it is really great to see so many people turn out to watch all the excitement – this is what it is all about really, bringing sailing close in to the shore, inspiring people and drawing them to our sport.” Nasser Al Mashari who learned his professional skills as bowman through the Oman Sail Programme said he is delighted to be in such a prominent position as The Wave, Muscat enters the final day of racing: “The wind is very shifty here so I think we sailed well in Day 3. It is great that we have retained our overall lead and we are looking forward to doing even better in the last day.”

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman’s flagship MusandamOman Sail might have missed breaking its own 2014 record of 1 hour 47 minutes and 22 seconds, by just six minutes and 56 seconds on Saturday morning at Kieler Woche’s famous opening Welcome Race, but the team, including Pierre Casiraghi, had such a good run that they were far from disappointed. The seven-person crew, skippered by regular French Oman Sail skipper, Sidney Gavignet, included special guest and keen sailor, Pierre Casiraghi, vice president of the Yacht Club de Monaco and son of Princess Caroline of Hanover, seventh in line to the Monegasque throne. He was joined for the race by Boris Herrmann, one of Germany’s most famous offshore sailors, and Oman’s very own sailing icons, Mohsin Al Busaidi who was the first Arab to sail around the world non-stop, and Ibtisam Al Salmi, an integral member of Oman Sail’s pioneering Women’s Sailing Programme. Pierre Casiraghi was handed the helm of the giant, recordbreaking trimaran soon after the start and helmed for most of the race. “It was really exciting – a really amazing opportunity– it was the first time for me, so it was truly exceptional. “The MOD70 is very reactive and I was lucky to be able to helm a bit so it is good, you have to play with the main and keep the wind in the sails so that you don’t stop the boat when it heels over too much – the balance is very fine.” The team was not as lucky with the conditions today as in 2014; a 15-knot westerly meant a lot of upwind sailing with just moments of fast reaching at a top speed of 26 knots. Casiraghi continued: “It was amazing to slot into the crew, Sidney and the rest of the team were great to sail with. I would love to visit the Sultanate of Oman because Oman Sail has a really great development sailing programme and they cover so many different types of boats, I would be really excited to go and have a look.”

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Group picture of Musandam-Oman Sail

boat crew with Pierre Casiraghi, vice-president of Yacht Club de Monaco. – Supplied photo

Sidney Gavignet was delighted that a team that had only spent a few hours sailing together before yesterday’s start all enjoyed the 27 nautical mile sprint from Kiel to Eckernforde. “Everyone really enjoyed themselves, Pierre (Casiraghi) was able to drive most of the time which was great. The team was new to the boat, except Moshin Al Busaidi and Ibtisam Al Salmi who did the delivery from Lorient, but it all gelled together pretty well especially towards the end. It was a great atmosphere on board and that is what is important.” Ibtisam Al Salmi, who regularly

races the Oman Sail J/80 and Farr30 for EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour, but has not raced the MOD70 before was excited at the opportunity to race with some top professionals: “The race was really amazing, I really enjoyed it a lot and I learned a lot from the team, it was a huge opportunity for me.” Musandam-Oman Sail and the Oman Tourism Pavilion will be in Kiel all week as part of Oman Sail’s mission to promote to the German public the Sultanate of Oman as a tourism destination. Next stop for the ﬂagship will be the UK for Cowes Week.

CRUISING: Musandam-Oman Sail boat cruising along with elegance. – Supplied photo

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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Messi enjoys on-pitch selfie moment after laboured win

AT H L E T I C S

American teen scorches to sub-11sec 100m

Jamaican striker Brown, who had been substituted near the end of the match at Vina del Mar, picked up his mobile phone as soon as the ﬁnal whistle went and ran onto the pitch to ﬁnd Messi

VINA DEL MAR: Lionel Messi is used to being sought after by fans, celebrities and even fellow professionals but he was still caught by surprise when Jamaica’s DeShorn Brown asked for a selfie following Argentina’s 1-0 Copa America win. Argentina won Group B with Saturday’s victory, their second at the tournament in Chile, and were waiting on Sunday to find out who they would face in the last eight after the final round of Group C matches. Striker Brown, who had been substituted near the end of the match at Vina del Mar, picked up his mobile phone as soon as the final whistle went and ran onto the pitch to find Messi. “I had thought about it before the match so that’s why I took (the phone) to the bench. As soon as (the match) finished ... I took the picture,” Brown told Reuters. “Messi is the best in the world, a star, and that’s a photo I’ll have as a souvenir all my life.” Argentina’s captain laughed as he recalled what had happened. “He surprised me. On top of that I was annoyed about how the

THE SELFIE MOMENT: Jamaica’s DeShorn Brown takes a selﬁe with Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) following their ﬁrst round Copa America 2015 soccer match at Estadio Sausalito in Vina del Mar, Chile. – Reuters

match had gone despite our win ... but when I saw the phone I realised what was going on. It’s really nice when a colleague asks me for that,” Messi said. Argentina were all over Jamaica in the ﬁrst half and should have had more than Gonzalo Higuain’s early goal. They hit the bar twice before

losing the initiative alarmingly in the ﬁnal quarter of the match. They managed to defend their lead and avoid what happened in their opening match when they gave away a two-goal lead to Paraguay who scored twice in the last half hour for a 2-2 draw. “In the ﬁrst half we created lots

of chances, we found the spaces but couldn’t score another goal,” said Messi, who was making his 100th appearance for Argentina. “It got tougher for us in the second half, the rhythm dropped and we played much more slowly, that’s a fact... I don’t know if it’s a physical issue, I don’t know why it

happened to us.” Messi said Argentina would have to improve for the knockout phase if they want to win their first major title since the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador. “That was our objective, to finish first (in the group) and think about what’s to come. Another Copa starts now,” he said. - Reuters

PARIS: Sixteen-year-old American Candace Hill has scorched to a 10.98 seconds time in the 100m, the fastest ever for a female athlete of her age. With a very favourable, but legal, tailwind of +2.0 metres per second, Hill’s performance at Shoreline, Washington state, ensured she became the ﬁrst 16 or 17 year-old female (currently born in 1998 or 1999) to dip under the mythical 11-second barrier. Hill, born on February 11, 1999, had already set tongues wagging when she clocked 11.21sec into a headwind in a race for juniors on the undercard of last week’s New York Diamond League meet. The previous best time for the high school student’s age category was 11.10sec set by American Kaylin Whitney, born in 1998, in July 2014 in Eugene. Hill’s astonishing 10.98sec makes her the 10th fastest female sprinter of the season so far, in all categories. It would have seen her ﬁnish seventh in the 2012 London Olympics. Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic and world champion, has the season’s best of 10.81sec, while late Florence Griffiths-Joyner set the world record of 10.49sec in 1988. - AFP

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Arab League slams ‘hateful campaign’ against Qatar CAIRO: The Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called the “hateful campaign” against Qatar’s controversial hosting of the 2022 World Cup, amid a corruption scandal rocking football’s governing body Fifa. The League’s General Assembly in a statement declared its “full support” for Qatar’s hosting of the tournament, which would be the ﬁrst World Cup held in an Arab country. “The Arab League endorses the resolution issued by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemning the hateful campaign that attempts to question Qatar’s right to host the 2022 World Cup,” the Cairobased League said. On Thursday, the OIC denounced “biased Western media campaigns against the State of Qatar”, and GCC foreign ministers issued a strongly worded statement on June 11 affirming their solidarity with their member state. Qatar’s hosting of football’s premier tournament, long criticised by many over corruption and

human rights abuse allegations, has come under further intense scrutiny after US prosecutors accused Fifa officials of taking part in a major kickbacks scheme involving a total of $150 million in bribes. Swiss judicial authorities have launched an investigation into the awarding of the 2022 competition and the tournament in Russia four years earlier. Earlier this month, a Fifa ofﬁcial said Qatar could lose the World Cup if allegations of widescale bribery could be proved. “If evidence exists that Qatar and Russia received the (World Cup) awards only thanks to bribes, then the awards could be annulled,” head of Fifa’s auditing and compliance committee Domenico Scala told the Swiss Sonntagszeitung weekly. His comments were the ﬁrst by a Fifa official to admit the possibility that Qatar could lose out on hosting football’s showpiece. Scala added, however, that no such evidence had been provided so far. Qatar has maintained that its bid remains unaffected by the latest allegations. - AFP

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LIFE & STYLE

Summer cycling: A way to savour scenic beauty of Japan

“I at ENJ an the s OY l alo d sto cene ookin sa ng t ppin ry g Ta id Ya he w g Ath er shir suta ay,” mor ens. On sch ates o wh ka 18, ﬁ ning of the Cy ool a cyc o op wom ve men April Ka clin , Lin ling in tase g, in kage cycl en vis and “I fee ite in fee Fuji dist the t h sense o l a great e ro g class d the s I c ls gr awa rict f a t ment” achieveAfte d with o hit dis an go eat w . “It f r h r t im. hem giv this, on om doing ex tanc a lo hen e abo instr ing pe n e ticipan parut t ucti cte tha ger t T a h o n d e n d me ash .” n I really f said. “I c ee and the rid ourse s Ja mbe iro w a nother l great,” Tas traffic ing sa me pane r of as a All wh id. par hiro le rules, at t n’s r se te the o d t t y h o the e cours cycled me he 2 ad r am f As Tout. e s r O 004 aci or a t isﬁed. seemed at th ash lym Su ng B i lessed r e w o ith na grou fron rod pic me s in tourist ture and the p, shie t of the r the Sh esources, beh partici lding onan a p i n a d rea along t the him nts h Kanag e coast of oth wind, t from a e an e r rider he fecture wa Prea s s h cyc ier t a place f is an ideal ling ime d or t a o enjoy people lo A alon fter rid ng. Cyclis cycling. ts c the g the c ing lo ng, com an take a y Mo heade oast, ride on fortable u th whi nt Ko d for o r cycle eir bikes m Ois ch stra a, speeds at higher o in suk and H ddles c a overin the area pre in the iratg fec ra and Kamakusa Fuji On ture. me Along sawa. the the w y st o ay, ffering with o sea o food pped b i n gs arou utran nd the t an restau y a da A hou fter se bakery . all p rs of c ven c o m a r t i c i yc l i n g , p abo pleted ants u t 6 met 0-k the m i l re ( a b i l o o t h e e ) c o u r u t 37 m s e to o and u bac ntain k.

Shonan area, Tashiro’s school rents bikes and cycling supplies. When Tashiro was a university student, he belonged to a cycling club, where he started riding a road bike. He joined the club hoping to learn cycling techniques he could use in motorcycle racing, which had attracted him since his high school days. After making bike trips everywhere from the Kanto region to Hokkaido, he became fascinated by cycling because he could reach a destination on his own - even if the destination was far away. After graduating from university, he became a professional road racer and won the national championship twice. He was active in road racing as a top competitor and participated in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. He retired in 2007. For the next ﬁve years, he hardly rode on a road bike. For a job-related reason, however, Tashiro found himself joining the Haute Route Alps

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MON DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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C8 M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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

(Action ) (12+) Cast: Tom Benedict Knight, Simon Phillips, Russell Kilmister. 9:15 pm Premam (Mal) (Comedy | Romance) (TBC) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran, Jude Anthany Joseph 11:00 pm

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

He Who Dares Downing Street Siege

Dead 2 India (Horror ) Cast: Joseph Milson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Goyal 11.45 pm CP No: 1512 (18+) The Homesman (Drama) Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, Grace Gummer 11.45 pm CP No: 1513 (12+) Hamara Adhuri Kahani (Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkumar Rao 9:30 pm CP No: 1497 (PG)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Premam (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran and Sai Pallavi 10:00 pm at Cinema Main Eli (Tamil) (Action/Comedy) Cast: Vadivelu and Sadha 9:45 pm at Cinema -2 Kakka Muttai (Tamil) (Drama/Comedy) Cast: Ramesh and Silam Barasan 9:45 pm at Cinema-3 Chandrettan Evideeya (Mal ) (Romance/Comedy) Cast: Dileep, Namitha and Annu Sree 9-45 pm at Cinema -4 (Programmes are subject to change)

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

ACES ON BRIDGE

Take all threats very seriously KURT Vonnegut, an author who died in 2007, said, “The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful.” When a bridge defender is threatening to do something dangerous to your contract, you should try to ﬁnd a way to defend yourself. In this deal, South is in four hearts. West leads the spade jack. East wins with his ace and returns the spade two. How should declarer continue?

West did not have the greatest one-spade overcall, because his suit was not that robust. But it pays to bid spades. If you ﬁnd a ﬁt with your partner, the opponents have to go up to the next level to outbid you. Over two hearts, South might have rebid three no-trump. Then North would have been in a quandary. With four trumps, it would be normal to choose the major-suit game. But the three low spades suggest no-trump because maybe East can get a spade ruff or two. How can three no-trump by South be

defeated? In four hearts, South should realise that East is now out of spades. If East gains a ruff, that and the three missing aces will defeat the contract. The only way to avoid the spade ruff is for South to take his three club tricks, discarding his last spade on the third. Then he can overruff East. Against three notrump, if West leads the spade jack, East must win and shift to a diamond; not easy to ﬁnd. Use the bidding to work out the distributions of the opponents’ hands. — By Phillip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Forearm bone 5 Aries mo. 8 Hunter’s garb 12 The Bee — 13 Cheer from the bleachers 14 Hoople expletive 15 Fish farm 17 Entice 18 Memorable decade 19 Buys a round 21 History question 24 Raj title 26 Anagram of “tunas” 28 Scamp 29 Eerie sighting, for short

32 33 35 36 37 38 40 42 43 46 48 49 54 55 56 57 58

Piano part To the point Pinch off Vega rocket org. Festive night German white wine Lummoxes Draft animals Wooden container Catch cold Where poi is served A, B and C Comics pooch Auto pioneer Ransom — Olds Canyon reply Windshield option Wildlife refuge

59 Put on the market DOWN 1 Ick! 2 Grassy ﬁeld 3 Beauty-salon item 4 Climb 5 Territories 6 Duffer’s goal 7 Beats 8 Media star 9 Water, in Baja 10 Shopping plaza 11 Ben Jonson works 16 Ballpark event (abbr.) 20 Less green 21 Freighters leave it behind 22 Shades

23 25 27 29 30 31 34 39 40 41 43 44 45 47 50 51 52 53

New Age singer Made public Archaeology ﬁnd PC operating system Speeder’s penalty Accessible Developed Rathbone role Vinegar bottle Evening gown fabric Pat dry Import vehicle Deluge Hawkeye st. Per cent ending Hard water? Sports org. The nearest star

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE

KEERTHANA RAKESH June 22, 2009

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C10

MON DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

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

BORN today, you are likely to make a remarkable splash at an early age, attracting attention, winning praise for your stellar talents and accomplishing more in a very short time than others may accomplish in a lifetime. You are able, ambitious and always on the move; you don’t like standing still, and you never like to see a day go by without making some kind of professional progress. It could be said that you are a workaholic, but the truth is that while you feel compelled to stay busy and apply yourself day after day, seemingly without rest, you always manage to maintain a balanced and healthy outlook about what you are doing — and why. Perhaps most important of all, you ﬁnd a way to have fun at all times! You are not always in high spirits, however; life can get you down now and then, but you have a way of keeping things in perspective so that you don’t become overwhelmed or feel that you cannot prevail. Lose that unique perspective, however, and you risk much — perhaps everything. Also born on this date are: Meryl Streep, actress; Cyndi Lauper, singer; Kris Kristofferson, singer and actor; Carson Daly, television host; Freddie Prinze, actor and comedian; Lindsay Wagner, actress; Bruce Campbell, actor; Todd Rundgren, singersongwriter; Dan Brown, author; Dianne Feinstein, politician; Peter Asher, producer; John Dillinger, outlaw; Amy Brenneman, actress; Billy Wilder, ﬁlmmaker; Ed Bradley, journalist.

W E AT H E R

WORLD

Max 42 Min 33 Max 30 Min 22

Max 39 Min 28

Max 35 Min 29 Max 26 Min 19

Max 35 Min 31

Max 26 Min 18

Max 43 Min 28

Max 45 Min 31

Max 45 Min 28

Max 37 Min 29

Max 43 Min 31

[JUNE 21-JULY 22] Max 32 Min 28

Max 29 Min 18

Max 34 Min 28 Max 17 Min 13

—www.met.gov.om

Min

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

36 42 37 41 36 41

32 32 30 30 32 26

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

27 40 32 18 26 36 30 17 29 22 17 32 25 16 16 31 28 25

18 26 21 11 17 17 26 9 27 18 2 25 18 12 6 29 20 20

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)

[JULY 23-AUG. 22] You’re likely to realise that, in the midst of answering so many questions, you’ve come up with even more questions that also need answers!

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] Your creative energies can be put to good use, ﬁlling in where someone else has been unable to do what is required.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may have to wait until very late in the day to get things done as you had hoped. Certain circumstances are causing delays.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] A certain situation or person may be forcing your hand, causing you to do something before you feel you are truly ready.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] There’s no time like the present. Though you may not do your best work every minute, current efforts certainly can pay off.

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

[DEC. 22-JAN 19] You may doubt the quality of your own ideas, but that will change as soon as you put a new one in motion.

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] The earlier you start, the sooner you’ll begin to see results, but don’t expect that you’ll be able to knock off early.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] Your ability to see through any sort of deception will keep you and others from falling prey to someone who tries to take advantage of you.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] You may have to embark on a journey of sorts — literally or ﬁguratively — in order to uncover the answers you’re looking for.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You may wake with a new sense of purpose. Indeed, there are many options, and one in particular can prove unusually fulﬁlling.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] Someone is likely to criticise your approach, but don’t let yourself become insecure or uncertain. Give it time!

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

CAPRICORN

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow)

6:56pm 5.21am

High tide Low tide

12:31am 6:48am

1:07pm 7:30pm

rest of the Sultanate. SEA STATE: Rough along southeastern coast with maximum wave height of 5.0 metres and slight to moderates along rest of Oman’s coast with maximum wave height of 1.5 metres. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog. THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy to cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dhofar governorate and adjoining mountains with chance of intermittent drizzle. Chances of clouds developments over al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas during afternoon. Chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or shallow fog over most of the coastal areas.

Max

OMAN

LEO

12.14pm 3.31pm 7.01pm 8.24pm 3.53am

AIRLINES

artly cloudy to cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dhofar governorate and adjoining mountains with chance of intermittent drizzle and clear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea. Mainly clear skies over rest of the Sultanate with chance of rising dust over the desert and open areas and chance of clouds development over al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas may give isolated rain during the afternoon and chance of late night to early morning low level cloud or fog patches along coastal areas of Oman Sea. EXPECTED WINDS: Easterly to northeasterly light to moderate along the coastal areas of Oman Sea during day becoming variable light at night, and along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea wind will be southwesterly moderate occasionally fresh, while it will be northwesterly light to moderate occasionally fresh over the

CANCER Your old-fashioned qualities are coming to the fore. You’ll ﬁnd a certain satisfaction in more traditional methods.

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

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: 4537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musaﬁr Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

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

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 Sifawy Hotel +968 24749111 Juweira Hotel +968 23239600 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroﬂot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Paciﬁc: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore

Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines: 24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp ﬁsh market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm. National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

MONDAY

TUESDAY FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

MEDINA 0005 KUWAIT 0005 CAIRO 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 LAHORE 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 BEIRUT 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 MANILA 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 MUKHAIZNA 1120 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 ABU DHABI 1335 DUBAI 1340 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 BAHRAIN 1635 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 MADRAS 1750 BANGALORE 1750 DUQUM OMAN 1755 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 RIYADH 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 MUNICH 2105 DACCA 2115 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 SALALAH 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 AHMEDABAD 2300 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 SALALAH 2320 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DUBAI 2355 DAMMAM 2355

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY682 WY914 BG021 WY916 NL768 TK774 4H583 PK281 GF560 QR1132 EK866 ET624 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY412 WY658 WY638 4H562 WY902 WY644 WY326 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY678 WY668 WY132 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY432 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 G9841 WY236 G9114 WY282 EK862 WY242 WY252 QR1128 IX817 EY382 9W530 WY3302 WY604 WY918 WY652 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY705 WY904 WY634 WY818 BG023 WY670 WY324 WY332 PA950 PK191 WY606 WY906 WY920 FZ045 WY632 WY656 QR1126 WY3304 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 WY216 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY610 WY694 GF564 TG507 SV534 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 RG125 WY386 WY224 WY614 WY338 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 DACCA 0100 SALALAH 0120 LAHORE 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0300 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 AMMAN 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 JEDDAH 0645 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 KARACHI 0650 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 MEDINA 0710 DOHA 0715 PARIS 0735 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 TEHRAN 0805 DUBAI 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 LAHORE 0825 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 RAS AL KHAIMA 0855 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 DUBAI 0930 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 TRIVANDRUM 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1050 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1125 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 COLOMBO 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 SALALAH 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 BANGKOK 1220 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 SIALKOT 1310 GWADUR 1320 DUBAI 1340 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 ABU DHABI 1605 BAHRAIN 1610 DOHA 1650 MUKHAIZNA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 TRIVANDRUM 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 DUBAI 1800 DAMMAM 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 MALE 2020 COCHIN 2025 DUBAI 2025 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 MADRAS 2135 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY211 WY235 WY201 WY643 WY345 WY271 WY341 WY601 WY371 WY123 WY901 WY847 WY241 WY667 TK775 WY209 4H584 PK226 WY331 EK867 ET625 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY3301 WY917 WY323 WY669 FZ044 WY633 WY815 WY253 WY291 WY263 WY717 WY821 G9115 WY231 WY283 WY631 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 WY337 QR1129 EY383 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 WY655 FZ038 WY3303 IX350 PA451 WY113 WY663 WY683 WY131 WY645 WY143 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY609 WY433 WY3921 WY675 FZ046 WY613 WY905 QR1127 WY681 WY623 WY647 WY909 GF565 WY907 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY411 WY915 FZ050 AI978 4H561 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 WY677 WY705 AI974 GF567 LX243 BA072 QR1135 WY673 LH617 EY381

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

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

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

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WY672 WY648 WY406 WY676 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK229 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY154 WY144 WY668 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY422 WY602 WY346 WY342 WY272 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 QR1128 EY382 WY844 9W530 WY604 WY918 WY3302 GF562 FZ037 WY372 IX337 PA450 WY705 WY822 WY634 WY818 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY632 WY606 WY920 FZ045 WY3304 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY254 WY284 WY3922 WY610 GF564 G9116 WY684 WY646 FZ047 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY434 FZ049 KL441 AI977 WY124 4H561 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 WY906 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 WY717 SG061 EY388 WY910 9W540 WY908 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY612 WY696

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MO N DAY, JU N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

C11

EXTRA Chocolate lowers your risk of heart disease, suggests new research Ah, chocolate. There probably isn’t a more magical ingredient on earth than the sweet, dark brown ﬂavouring used for more than 3,000 years. Today most chocolate is consumed in the form of candy — a development that has sparked heated debate among scientists about what that’s doing to our health

ommon sense tells us that too much of something so fatty and full of calories is a bad thing. But a surprising number of studies have found that dark chocolate can reduce the risk of death from a heart attack, decrease blood pressure and help those with chronic fatigue syndrome. Consumers have been so eager to justify indulging their chocolate cravings that earlier this year many were duped by a fake study that purported to show that chocolate helps in weight loss. (The study, which was not peer-reviewed, was an attempt by a science journalist, with a Ph.D. degree, to shame media outlets who he said have a history of misreporting or misinterpreting research.) The question for many chocolate lovers has been at what point are you having too much of a good thing. That is, is there an optimal “dose” for chocolate eating? A new study published in the journal Heart on Monday looked at the effect of diet on long-term

H E A LT H

Want to lose weight? Step on the bathroom scales every day THE SECRET to slimming, and keeping the pounds off, is to weigh yourself daily, say scientists. Dieters who tracked their weight each day were far more successful in shedding pounds, and maintaining the loss, than those who followed the same regime without stepping on the scales. Keeping weight off was particularly important because studies show that most dieters put 40 per cent back on within a year. In the latest two-year study, 162 overweight people were divided into two groups. They were given the same advice on how to lose weight but one group was told to weigh themselves daily. They were shown how to access a website where they were directed to register and enter their weight daily. Daily tracking After the first year, participants in the other group were also asked to track their weight daily. Professor David Levitsky, from Cornell University in the US, said: “The initial intervention group lost 3 per cent (of their body weight) in the first year, and maintained it throughout the second year. “The controls did not lose any weight (in the first year). In fact they gained a little, approxi-

mately 0.5 kg. “The only difference between the two groups the ﬁrst year was that the intervention participants were asked to weigh themselves and see a chart of their weight. “The second year, the controls were asked to do the same thing as the intervention group in their ﬁrst year and they then lost the same amount of weight.” The researchers believe that

daily tracking forces us to become aware of the connection between our eating and our weight. This connection “acts as a reinforcement for some behaviours such as eating less, and it strengthens others such as going for a walk to maintain body weight,” they added. The study is published in the Journal of Obesity. -Sophie Freeman/ The Daily Express

health. It involved 25,000 volunteers and found that the answer to how much chocolate can be good for you is — a lot. Study participants in the high consumption group — those who ate 15 to 100 grammes of chocolate a day in the form of everything from Mars bars to hot cocoa — had lower heart disease and stroke risk than those who did not consume the confection. A hundred grammes is equivalent to about two classic Hershey’s bars or — if you’re going fancy — ﬁve Godiva truffles. In terms of calories you’re looking at 500-535. To put that into perspective, the Department of Agriculture recommends men consume 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day depending on their height, body composition and whether they are sedentary or active. This association in the study was valid even after researchers adjusted for a wide range of risk factors, such as age, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and other dietary variables. “The main message is that you don’t need to worry too much if you are only moderately eating

chocolate,” Phyo Myint, a professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Aberdeen and one of the study’s lead authors, said in an interview. Higher levels of consumption were associated with a large number of other positives in the study: lower BMI, waist:hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, inflammatory proteins. As compared with those who ate no chocolate, those who ate high amounts saw a 11 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 25 per cent lower risk of associated death. The study also noted that more of the participants in the study ate milk chocolate versus dark chocolate which has long been considered healthier. This might suggest that beneficial health effects may apply to both, the researchers said. “Our results are somewhat surprising since the expectation was that benefits of chocolate consumption would be mainly associated with dark chocolate rather than the commercially available products generally used in a British population which are high in sugar content and fat,” the study’s author wrote. So what’s the theory behind how this works? Myint explained that chocolate is full of flavonoid antioxidants and that previous studies have shown that intake of chocolate results in improved function of the endothelium, or inner lining of the blood vessels. Chocolate has also been shown to increase HDL or “good” cholesterol and decrease LDL or “bad” cholesterol. He also said many chocolate bars that were probably consumed by study

participants contained nuts which are known to be good for heart health. While Myint said it seemed clear that there wasn’t a big risk to chocolate eating for the study participants, he said that the results of the study should be read with a few caveats. First, it looked at people ages 39 to 70 and nearly all the study participants were white. He also emphasised that in a sample size this large, there were also a number of participants who ate a lot of chocolate but did not see the same beneﬁts as others. “Indeed some people had worse outcomes when eating that amount of chocolate so the ﬁndings need to be taken with extreme caution,” he said. While the study provides evidence that there’s no need to avoid chocolate in your diet to protect your cardiovascular health, it probably is too soon to run out and gorge on chocolate bars. Charles Mueller, clinical assistant professor of nutrition at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, points out that there’s no definitive conclusion about cause and effect and that it’s possible that chocolate eaters engage in other behaviours or eat other foods that are good for the heart. “Cocoa beans are not unlike red peppers, green peppers and broccoli and stuff like that. They are full of phytochemicals that are good for you. But if you are overweight, and you are thinking of protecting yourself by eating chocolate you are being kind of silly. Chocolate is just one small element in a full range of a good diet,” Mueller said. -Ariana Eunjung Cha/The Washington Post

C12

M O N DAY, JUNE 22, 2015

EXTRA PRIYANKA CHOPRA IS RIDING HIGH The Indian actress talks about her forthcoming releases, her passion for singing and her new television series, Mahran Shaukat Ali reports

riyanka Chopra is flying high after the success of Dil Dhadakne Do and she is busy juggling her singing work and shooting schedules for Gangajal 2, and Quantico an ABC series, to debut in September. In an interview to Times of Oman, the Bollywood actress has slammed critics and their take on her recent movie Dil Dhadakne Do. The movie was branded by some as a “movie by the rich, for the rich.” “I find this really funny, the criticism has been really silly,” she said. “Are we really not going to watch a movie just because it depicts the life of a rich family or a poor family? Is this the criteria to judge any movie?” she said raising concerns. On her work, post Dil Dhadakne Do, the actress said that she has already finished shooting for Bajirao Mastani and is in Bhopal shooting for Gangajal 2, a sequel to the 2003 hit film starring Ajay Devgn. On what made her take up Prakash Jha’s Gangajal 2, Priyanka said, “I’m proud of being a part of a movie that speaks on relevant issues. The protagonist (herself plays the role of superintendent of police) takes on corruption and BRIEFS

When A.R. Rahman met Quincy Jones! OSCAR-WINNING composer A.R. Rahman, who has returned to India after a month-long North America tour, got a chance to meet the legendary producer Quincy Jones in US. The 48-year-old took to Facebook on Sunday to share a photograph with Jones, who has worked for musicians like Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson. “With legendary producer Quincy Jones after the LA concert,” Rahman captioned the image. Earlier on June 17, Rahman, who shares a massive 21 million followers on Facebook, wrote about his experience of the tour. “It feels good to be heading back to India for Ramadan after performing in North America for a month. Inﬁnite love to all the fans and the team who made the Intimate concert tour a roaring success. My band members and I had an awesome time,” he wrote.

Only love lasts: Hrithik ACTOR Hrithik Roshan, who was earlier married to Sussanne Khan, believes that the only way to live on forever is to etch your name in other people’s hearts. The actor on Sunday posted a photograph of his son Hridaan, who is seen writing his name on sand with his hands. “That won’t last my son, the only way to live on forever is to etch your name in other people’s hearts. #OnlyLoveLasts,” Hrithik captioned the image, which he shared on Twitter. The Bang Bang! star also posted a photograph of him gearing up for zip-line. “Can u spot us? Its a perfect day 4 fathers n sons 2 conquer sum fears n hv some fun! #HappyFathersDay #zipline,” he captioned the image. On the movie front, Hrithik is currently busy shooting for his upcoming ﬁlm Mohenjo Daro, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.

Priyanka garners 10m followers on Twitter ACTRESS Priyanka Chopra has collected more than 10 million fans on micro-blogging site Twitter and says she’s the “luckiest” to reach the milestone. The 32-year-old took to Twitter on Sunday to thank her fans for their support. The Dil Dhadakne Do actress tweeted: “10 million reasons why I feel so loved! 10 million reasons why I’m the luckiest! #10MillionPCmaniacs thank u so much.” Priyanka, who was crowned Miss World in 2000, has starred in ﬁlms like Aitraaz, Fashion, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf and Mary Kom. She will be next seen playing the lead role in American thriller TV series Quantico. -IANS

I am going to be part of the second season of ‘Quantico’, so that keeps me packed the next year the land maﬁa. It is to me a righteous role.” On being asked as to what keeps her going, she said she is a workaholic, “I love keeping myself busy, have been so the last couple of years. However I do have my ‘me’ time. Just before I go to sleep, I do spend some time watching television, reading a book, or penning something that I like, and I do not like to be interrupted during that time,” she disclosed. A workaholic, Priyanka Chopra will be ﬂying to Los Angeles in September. She revealed that the ABC drama series Quantico will go on air in September. Priyanka

will be seen playing the role of a half Indian and half American FBI agent in the show and would be busy shooting and spending the next ﬁve months starting September in the United States to ﬁnish shooting for the 13 episode show. The actress will also star in the second season, which will keep her busy most of next year. And how different was it shooting for Quantico? To this she said that the work culture and the nuances of acting or shooting are the same almost everywhere. “I just found people to be a bit more judgmental on the sets,” she said. Do we see less of Priyanka Chopra in Bollywood and even less of her singing? “No,” she says. “I am trying to balance my act between acting and singing. I am going to be part of the second season of Quantico, so that keeps me packed the next year, I would probably do two to three movies, next year.” Priyanka Chopra has already recorded her soon-to-be released track which will come out soon. The untitled track will see her collaborate with an international artist again, the details of which she declined to share.

H O L LY W O O D

Characters not originally the star THIS LIST started with Thomas the Tank Engine because, although his 70th birthday is being celebrated this year, he did not appear in Wilbert Awdry’s Railway Series until 1946. (A tank engine is one that carries its own water rather than pulling it in a tender.) Thanks to Philip Downer, who pointed out that Thomas was originally the Starr (Ringo, that is). 1. Elsa of ‘Frozen’ Anna was originally the protagonist, but extensive rewrites – and the composition of Let It Go – changed everything. Thanks to James Ronicle. 2. The Fonz Henry Winkler’s character was meant to be a second-string role in Happy Days. Tipped by Angus Ramsay, Spinning Hugo, Simon HB, Simmy Richman and Stephen Murray. 3. Popeye Didn’t appear in Elzie Crisler Segar’s Thimble Theatre comic strip until 1929, 10 years after it started in the New York Journal. Spotted by Stephen Murray and Bill Detty. 4. Ed Miliband Very funny, Aaron Bell.

5. President Bartlet The West Wing was originally going to focus on staffer Sam Seaborn, and Bartlet would have been mostly off-screen. Voted for by Harris, Stuart Ingham and Jem Stone. 6. Frasier The character, played by Kelsey Grammer, was supposed to be in only a few episodes of Cheers, but his spin-off became as successful as the original. From AJK62, Jem Stone and Mr Memory. 7. Arthur Daley Minder was devised as a vehicle for Dennis Waterman after his success in The Sweeney, but George Cole’s character soon won equal billing. Thanks to Patrick Hennessy. 8. Phil Collins Promoted by John Peters, who also nominated Robbie Williams. 9. Alan Partridge The Steve Coogan character who started life as the sports presenter for On the Hour, a parody news programme. 10. Hannibal Lecter “He was a mere cameo villain in Red Dragon” – the second being The Silence of the Lambs, says Richard T Kelly. - John Rentoul/The Independent

B O L LY W O O D

I believe in leading a healthy life: Manoj Bajpayee MANOJ BAJPAYEE may not have hopped on the flaunt-yoursix-pack bandwagon, but the actor, who “believes in leading a healthy life”, says that fitness is “more about exercising daily and eating the right food”. “I believe in leading a healthy life. For me, fitness doesn’t mean to have abs or muscular look but it’s more of exercising daily and eating the right food,” he said.

Believing in leading a healthy life, Manoj, 46, has always given health a priority. Be it outdoor shoots or day-to-day routines at home, he makes sure to exercise daily and eat healthy nutritious food. Not many would be aware, but he is such a health freak that some days he even cooks nutritious food for his family to keep them healthy. He has also started yoga with his wife Neha in order to

get mental peace and physical balance and Manoj likes doing Surya Namaskar since his school days. “I am not someone who might stay in gym for hours but I certainly believe that one should not ignore his or her health, being an actor it is important that we pay close attention to our health,” he said. The actor will be debuting as producer soon and he has titled his production venture Missing.-IANS

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

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

FOR RENT

3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255. Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879 2 bedroom ﬂat at Hamriya, main road with A/C. Contact 99331448 Flat in South Al Hail, 2 bedrooms, Majlis, 2 bathrooms, kitchen RO 250/-. Contact 93221474

Apartment in Al Khuwair 33/1, 4 bedroom 550/-R.O. Contact : 99340055 / 97557555

Basement Store, 146 SQM, Wadikhabeer, Opposit Al-Hassan. 99441193, 93004802 We have 2BHK flats in Ghubra North 18th November Street new Mars Hypermarket flats with 2 rooms, 3bathrooms large sitting hall & kitchen. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Furnished room for rent at Al Khuwair R.O 225/- for family only. Contact: 99251975 We have offices in Ghala, Ghubra, Bousher & Ruwi different type of available, open space, 2 BHK, 3 BHK. Contact 93782735 / 99208033 We have 230 sq metre show room in Ghubra main road very nice location suitable for banks, showroom, Retail shop or any business Golden opportunity. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 We have 1 BHK, 2 BHK flats in Mabela + brand new building very nice finishing on the main road, 1BHK 175/- OMR , 2BHK 200/- OMR. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 Shop /Comn /Resi building 1 & 2 bed flat available in Wadi Kabir (near Lulu). Contact: 99451168 One bed rooms flat RO 200/Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 99451168 Misfa land for rent 1000 SQM. Contact: 99451168 1 BHK flat in Al Khuwair, 2 months only. Contact 99792181 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair. Contact: 97616158 4 & 5 BHK villa in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

Flats, shops and basement for rent in Khuwair, behind RAWASCO. Contact: 99441122 , 95893518 We have small building commercial for staff accommodation in Bowsher. There are 4 flats & 1 shop can be used for store or staff accommodation. Contact 93782735 / 99208033 5BHK villa available for rent, near Hamriya roundabout. Contact-99366191 We have 1 BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK flats in Ghala very nice building on main road outside the building lot of parking available. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033 For rent brand new villa 4BD. Contact: 91963034 Flat for rent in Mabellah 8th. Contact: 97147240 Two bed room flat with attached bathroom near Omani Boys School Ruwi . Contact: 91214537

2BHK ﬂat + store room in CBD, Ruwi with Split A/c’s, secured access, car parking. Rent 400/. Contact 99603696 3BHK & 2BHK in Darsait. Contact 94268564 We have 5 BHK villa in Al Khuwair 33, 5 rooms, 6 bathrooms, sitting hall, Majlis & large kitchen suitable for office or families. Contact: 93782735 / 99208033

1BHK ﬂat one room, kitchen, bath room near Wadi Adai R/A. Contact : 96464598

Three bedroom ﬂats for rent near NIT Institute Darsait. Contact: 93494098

3 Bedroom ﬂat with 3 attached toilets, split A/C, brand new available, behind Kims Hospital. Contact 95225662

Room with bath AC furnished AL Khuwair. Contact: 97004265/99643569

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. It has Electricity and boundary wall. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Ruwi near Police Station: Flats with 4 Rooms, 1 Kitchen & 2 Bathrooms. Contact 93387962

3BHK special apartment at Al Khuwair with wardrobe and A/C. Contact : 94232344

Seeb Souq opposite HSBC: Flat with 3 Rooms, 1 Kitchen & 2 Bathrooms and Studio at Terrace. Contact 93387962

Villa for rent (family residence) : New 4 bedroom villa with majlis, family hall and outside kitchen. With split AC in Al Khoudh phase 7 close to Seeb polyclinic. Call 99332525 (owner).

2BHK at Al Khodh commercial area 2 rooms, 1 hall, 2 bathrooms. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 Office / shop near Oman house Muttrah. Contact: 99233116

1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new ﬂat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126 Furnished ﬂats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly. Contact 97819981 / 93593336

Tent for wedding Iftar party for rent. Contact: 97380496/ 96242910/ 94029752

5 BHK Villa with parking & backyard garden in Al Khuwair (House No. 1110 & Way No. 3914 ), near Radisson hotel, is available for rent @ RO. 1000/- p.m. Contact : 99024087 / 92620773

Deluxe 1, 2 BHK ﬂats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314

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

Spacious room with bathroom (separate) available for small family or couples near Oman Boys School Ruwi. Contact : 91214537

Shops at Muttrah opposite Port Service Building on Main Road. Contact 93387962

2BHK 230/- south Hail near Caledonian collage. Contact: 97717962 PL 24538790

Apartments near Indian School Ghubra (2 BHK with 5 split AC units). Contact 94652485 / 99273774 / 99202278 Apartments near Al Nahdha Towers/ Vachas Hypermarket Azaiba – Ghala (1 & 2 BHK with split AC units). Contact 94652485 / 99273774 / 99202278 3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119

2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house. Contact: 97009734/92629232 500 sq mtrs office space on mezzanine floor near Royal Hospital. OMR 6.500 per sq mtr. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 3BHK flat for rent in Al Khuwair. Villa type building with only 2 flats, separate entrance, fully renovated. Way No. 3922, building No 1839, behind Al Aktham Restaurant. Contact: 99462980 2BHK at Azaiba 2 room, 1hall, dining, 3 bathrooms. Contact: 99224748 / 99425665 Flat for rent in CBD Ruwi. Contact : 92820734 New flats for rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact : 92130703 / 96045478 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair. Contact : 98151674 1BHK R.O 190/- & 2BHK R.O 250/- & Store 140 sqm R.O 250/near Medical Darsait. Contact: 98748925 Brand new 6 BHK villa in Al Azaiba with split A/C & lift. RO.1200/Contact – 93191111

Flat in Ruwi Mumtaz 2 BHK RO 300 or 1 BHK 250 RO. Contact 98588240 Flats for rent behind Indian School. Contact 99777122

For rent in Darsait, new ﬂats. Contact: 99311525 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526 Villa for rent : 4 bedroom villa with kitchen available in Azaiba. Sharing / Family. Contact : 98048207/99261773

FOR SALE

For rent in Darsait new flats. Contact: 99777351 Shop/Office 68 SQM, Wadi kabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802 2 BHK, 2 baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer, Near Indian Elementary School. Contact 99441193, 93004802 Shop/Office, 56 SQM, Wadikabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802 Flat in Amerat, Phase 5, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C. Contact : 95522405 Luxury 3 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking. RO.500/- Contact – 93191111 Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/- Contact – 93191111 Villa for rent - Al Seeb/Al Mawelah - Block 5 - 4 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, Majlis, 2 halls, kitchen and storeroom. split Ac and carpark. Contact 99564616 Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569 Flats for rent Al Ansab (Ghala) 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1sitting room & kitchen. Contact: 94229023 Commercial 3 BHK flat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/- # 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact – 93191111 For rent 3 industrial land. Contact 92702891/ 95490842 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road. Contact 97293708 / 92433127

Clinic for sale in al amerat. Contact:93753655 Used & refurbished Porta cabins, Toilets unit available for sales. Contact: 99215560 Email:omegaunitedoman@gmail. com 2,560 sq mtrs industrial land in Wadi Kabir main road, First line on way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to make petrol station or hotel. OMR 990 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 29 Per Square Meter. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Boushar: OMR 35 Thousand each. Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 3 floor commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR 207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka. OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Ice cream & juices shop in Ruwi, good location for sale, 1.5 mt fish display machine for sale. Contact: 92150455

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

AVAILABLE

ACC. AVAILABLE Excellent room, with A/C kitchen available near ONTC bus station for family / bachelor (Ruwi). Contact 95569740

FOR SALE

NRI

For Sale Toyota Echo 2004 Model, Registration up to Dec. 2015 Please Contact: 99038311

Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970

Yaris 2008, 1.3, 229 kkm full option 2100 expected. Contact: 93289652

Acc. opp. OK Center for non cooking bachelor. Contact 95126452 between 2 pm & 4 pm only. Contact 95126452

Building material shop for sale at al Ghubrah with two clearances. Contact: 91295985

One room separate bathroom for Indian Executive bachelor near Al Khuwair R/A. Contact: 99659513

Training center with license. Contact: 91121277

Furnished attached bathroom at Mumtaz area. Contact: 93103337 / 95212017

Shop for sale in Ibra and Bid Bid. Contact: 95304693

Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaﬁng Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

Doctor driven Yaris, manual 2006 model 125000 K.M expected price R.O 2000/-. Contact : 99747481

Sharing ﬂat in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99335057

Super market in (Hairoon Hairithi) Thamrith road. Contact: 98189810 / 99675190

MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE

Single room attached toilet & bath for Executive bachelor rent including electricity & water. Contact: 99327158

Well furnished meat shop in Amerat. Contact: services customers. Contact 92454250/96374850

Commercial land for sale 3000 m in quriyat road main high way can use as a petrol station license available asking price 350,000 For more information please call on 99070701 with out name

BUSINESS

Furnished single rooms available for Executive bachelors at Ruwi. Contact: 98049288 Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) – 95941515 Semi furnished room with attached bathroom for Executive bachelors at CBD area behind chamber of commerce. #96389375/93554942 2 Rooms with separate bathroom & kitchen for executive bachelors. Gsm 942-888-63

General Investors. Contact 99674870

Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur. Contact: 00919846877773 Available Duplex flat 1900 sqmt with 3 bedroom and complete POP made at Manipal (Indrali) also ﬁttings and accessories are branded from Gulf. Contact 96440811 / 93804434

TRANSPORTATION Pick & drop any time. Contact: 98522914 / 99512270 Required 40 feet open trailers to UAE, on trip basis for transporting our goods. Contact: 99352790 / 98037854 Transportation. Contact: 98178135

MATRIMONIAL

Transportation. Contact: 98505294

RC girl (28 yrs) hailing from kanjirappally dioces working in Royal Hospital looks for suitable alliances. Contact: 92801093 / 97498373

Transportation. Contact: 98244078

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. . #: 00919495924302 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com

Pick & Drop anytime Contact: 91653903

Transportation. Contact: 95190627

Tata bus - 66 seater model -2008 KM, 85, 673, dealer service. Contact: 99444341 & 99352790 Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285 Expatriate driven Yaris 2008 model 100,000 kms & land rover 2005 model 93000 Kms, excellent conditions. Contact : 97094797

Land Cruiser 2012. Contact 99336093 Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic. Contact: 99045803 TATA bus make model 2012 & Peugeot boxer van make model 2013. Contact: 93895941 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 Ford Explorer 4WD, 2010 XLT, automatic km 72000, 4 yrs old, under warranty. Agent serviced. Owned by one owner (expat) white colour, very good condition. Contact 92824047

CHANGE OF NAME I Lakshmi Balakrishnan (name exactly as in present passport ) son /daughter of Parame Swaran Nair Balakrishnan presently residing at the following address in House No: 2001, Way 3716 P.B No. 1878 P.C No.111 Sultanate of Oman and having permanent address in India Mundanad House , Valiasala , Trivandrum, Kerala ( as per present passport) , holder of passport holder of passport No. G 385381 date of issue 19/07/2007 place of issue Trivandrum solemnly affirm and declare that my Mother’s name is Krishna Kumari (Given name) Karthiyani Amma (Sur name) for all purpose. Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, diplomatic Quarters, AL Khuwair, P. Box No, 1727 postal code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786 Pick & drop with car & driver available any time. Contact: 9615828/ 96502406/92218001

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

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 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 Vacancy for Omani PRO for Customs duties in Sohar. Email: arabianseabridge@gmail.com, Mob: 97990844

ACCOUNTANT Reputed Construction Company required Accountant experience in Construction Company with accountancy degree. Email: jvacancy05@gmail.com Required Accountant with 3 yrs. exp. in construction company. Email : wadcocareers@gmail.com Urgently required Junior Accountant. Please send CV: hr.azatllc@gmail.com

CATERING Chinese / Arab / Continental cook & helper wanted. Contact 95529970 Family in Muscat seeking to hire an experienced butler. Hotel experience is preferred. Candidate must hold a valid driver’s license. Please send CV’s on vacancyinmuscat@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Cook required for an Omani family having experience in preparing all kinds of Omani & Arabic food. Minimum 5 years experience. Send CV to abfarsi@omtel.net.om or fax to 24706990, Tel. 24786072 Housemaid wanted for an Indian family in Al Hail. Must be able to cook and take care of baby. Full-time position. 96532872

Leading Construction Company requires Project Engineer, Degree holder with minimum 5 to 6 years experience in building construction line. (NOC require) Send your CV to – degree.engineer2015@gmail.com

Required looking for full time Housemaid for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact 92454170

DRIVER Required Heavy Duty Truck Driver holding Omani driving license w/ 5 years experience please contact 92001111 Indian driver required for light vehicle with construction experience. Contact: 92888337

DESIGNER Required Large format printer operator – for HP. Graphic Designer. Send CV to hr.oman@yahoo.com

EDUCATION Teachers required: Teachers for KG, Grade I to IV class in English, Maths, Science, Computer & Art. Qualiﬁcation: Degree in relevant subjects & B Ed; IELTS or TOFEL plus two years experience preferred. Please apply to: burj@alhakkim.com Required professional Teachers for teaching Science, Mathematics, Accountancy, Business Studies & English IELTS/ TOFEL in schools & Universities. Contact 99674870

Leading Construction company requires HSE Officer with minimum 4 to 5 years experience in building construction line. Send your CV : hseoman2015@gmail.com (NOC require). Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: BE Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 years gulf experience & Civil site foreman, minimum 5 years gulf experience, diploma not required. Email: applyforoman@gmail.com Construction Company in Oman urgently requires the following: B.Sc Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 yrs Gulf experience. Civil Site Foreman, minimum 5 yrs experience with operating knowledge of Tally. Please Email CV ; applyforoman@gmail.com Urgently required for a ﬁrst grade construction company Graduate Civil Engineer (5 years experienced) shuttering carpenter mason (Block, Plaster, Tile Fixing) Civil Foreman building work. Contact: 24700373/ 99427674 Fax: 24701368 Email: rajma@omantel.net.om

Required Gynecology, General Physician, Dentist, Staff Nurses, Lab technicians, Pharmacists, X Ray technicians. Contact : 95133572 / 96064925 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Urgently required G.P doctor with or without MOH license for one month from 01/07/2015. Contact 93824902

MISCELLANEOUS

Chef for Yacht. International cuisine. Minimum 15 years chef experience. alibadawy@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SALES / MARKETING Need crane operator having two years experience & need salesman for mobile shop having two years experience. Contact: 92891888 A leading trading company is looking for Sales Executives & outdoor sales coordinators with driving license & release /NOC. Email CV: alhajoil@omantel.net.om or fax: 24701683 Urgently required outdoor Sales Executive for furnishing company with valid Oman D/L and minimum 3 years experience. Contact 93231403 / rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com Marketing Executive for digital printing company. Contact: 94356769 / 96936564 Required sales man for spare parts shop preferably with driving license. Contact : 96378289

Looking for Outdoor Salesman for heavy equipment spare parts. Contact - 93292015, Email: mail.om@gulfcenter.co Wanted Sales man with Oman driving license in advertising company visa ready. Contact: 96440587 / 94055643 Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.com

Male 24, B.Com /PGD having 2 years experience in accounts and inventory ﬁeld looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 94129550

Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any ﬁeld. Contact : 96710154

Accounts part time, up to ﬁnalization of monthly accounts. Handled by a CA. contact 96293120

Tunisian lady has Professorship in social and economical sciences and accounting, diploma in Experimental Sciences degree in English for media. Contact 95391050, aysser2013@gmail.com

Indian male, with B.Com 1 year experience in Accounts or Sales, on visit visa, Cont... 98295101

Urgently required a silk Screen printer with good knowledge and release letter or NOC. Contact: 93280288 or send CV to albayanstamps@gmail.com

Required Salesman, Tailor and Barber. Contact: 96964767

Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting . NOC available. Contact 96209331

Light driver looking for job. Contact: 99704122/ 97762303

ACCA affiliate , BSc Honors in applied Accountancy advance diploma in Accounting and Business, CAT Affiliate 1 year hand on working experience of Oman, with Oman driving license looking for a suitable placement in Audit ﬁrm. Having NOC can join immediately. Contact : 98989970

Pakistani light duty driver 2 yrs experience seeks placement. Contact: 96342684

Motivated and energetic male 25 having 4 years of experience in finance with Master’s degree in Economics and CAT Certified seeking opportunity in Accounts/finance/ audit in a reputable organization. Cell no: 00968-94626209 E-Mail: omerjawedshah@gmail.com

Light driver looking for job, 4 yrs exp in Oman. Contact: 94241385

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 Indian Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment.Contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com Indian male, B.Com, 1 year Exp in Accounts/ Sales, on Visit Visa,.. Contact – 98295101

ADMIN

A company from UAE require 2 merchandisers in retail food supply, store keeper with English and invoicing experience. Email: yesterdaysun@hotmail.com

Urgently required: (1) female dermatologist with minimum 3 years experience (2) female Omani reception coordinator for a medical center in Qurum. Contact: 96062933

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

DRIVER

Light driver looking for job. Contact: 96435795

Light driver looking for job. Contact: 98219599 Light driver. Contact: 99035942

Driver looking for job. Contact 94195818 Light driver. Contact: 96313100 Driver looking for job. Contact: 99507039 Paksitani Driver with 6 yrs experience looking for job. Contact: 93985087 Driver with car 3 years experience looking for job. Contact: 92041902 Driver available with car and without car. Contact 96771598 Pakistani male light vehicle driver with 2 yrs exp looking for job. Contact : 96342684 Pakistani, male light vehicle driver looking for job. Contact 97943750 Driver with car. Contact: 97705694/98988208 Looking for job driving Bangladeshi. Contact: 97418036

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Indian male, 30 years, CMA (Inter), M.com.4 out of 7 years experience in Oman in Auditing/Accounts/Finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact: 96746420 Email: sijuthampi@ymail.com

Mason, C.C.T.V, Technician, Electrician cum Plumber. Contact - 99383044

SALES / MARKETING

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED

JCB operator -2 JCB operator with GCC valid license expect Saudi Arabia & Egypt, min.3 yrs exp. Required & L/D driver-1 min, 5 yrs exp with valid GCC driving license & site Engineer civil -1 diploma with 5 to 8 years experience & foreman civil-1- 5 years experience of multistory building. Contact: Fax: 24501448 Email: rajesh@almatllc.com or accounts@almatllc.com

SKILLED HOSPITALITY

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Required Site Supervisor with 5 yrs. exp. in construction company, electronic technician with 3 yrs experience in gate motors systems. Email : wadcocareers@gmail.com

MEDICAL Urgently needed full time, live-in house maid for cooking Indian nonveg. food. Visa will be given. Maids with release will be preferred. Contact 99349924.

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED

ENGINEER

Sudanese female MBA experience 5 years in Banking sectors, 1 years exp. as Accountant in Oman seeking for a suitable job. Contact : 92962621 Email: hindkameir@gmail.com

Senior Document Controller MCA Indian male 9+ year’s total experience 5+ years experience in Gulf in oil & gas sector and construction ﬁeld on visit visa in Oman. Contact: 95388197 Email: rojanchristopher@gmail.com

Accounts & ﬁnance Indian male B.com M.B.A (F) Tally ERP9, 35 years, 8 years experience 1.5 years Oman family visa N.O.C available. Contact: 93257426 Email: sibigeorp@gmail.com Senior Accountant 13 years experience FMCG & retail Noc available. Contact: 93473942 MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. # 99424803 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

Indian male, B.Com, well experienced in Accounts & Admin, knowledge of Tally ERP 9 experience in Oman with valid Oman driving license. NOC available, looking for suitable job in Oman, join immediately. Contact 94245039

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

Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan. Contact : 97796394 / 94003247

Accounts part time works up to finalization on monthly basis. Profit & loss A/C and financial statements, MS Reports Etc. Contact: 96247295

Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available. Contact :93671437 MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in operations with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Male admin/ HR office 6 years exp with NOC. Contact: 93275467 Buyer / Purchases / Administration / Stores with 7+ years local experience seeking suitable placement. NOC available. Contact – 94045405 Indian Male 27Yrs, Having 6+ yrs (3 India + 3 Oman) experience in HR/ Admin looking for suitable position Contact 91507099. Indian Female 25 MBA in HR looking for a suitable opening in Admin/ Hr. Contact 97013375 Indian female 29 MBA (HR) BSc, 4 yrs exp in HR& Admin looking suitable placement. Contact : 95619537 Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, ﬂuent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact 95824598 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement. Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com

Light driver for job. # 95779594 Pakistani driving available. Contact : 96913836

DRAUGHTSMAN Electrical draftsman AutoCAD switch gear & MEP control panel 7 years experience Qatar. Contact: 92546203/96228100

DESIGNER Architect designer experience in Architecture design in 2D, 3D visiting to site : 2 years experience (in Oman), ﬂuent Hindi & English. Email: zhussain9950@gmail.com Contact: 94253074

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male Diploma, civil engineer 4.3 year experience at building construction and consulting company with Oman driving licence and N.O.C available seeking suitable placement contact 95989500 email cv.shihabedappal@gmail.com Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500 Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certiﬁed, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

MISCELLANEOUS

Quantity Surveyor with 5 Years experience (one year in Oman) looking for job. Contact 91090036

Warehouse in charge with 14 years gulf experience 1.5 years in Oman NOC available looking for suitable placement contact 97440902

Indian female (MTECH) having Gulf experience in family visa seeking suitable placement in Oman. Contact : 94306164 / 91001194

Indian Female with over 9 yrs experience with good communication skills seeks jobs in customer service or sales ﬁeld. Contact : 96108289, shijipaul84@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

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 24 years with Piping Engineering, Autocad, Ansys NX- Cad, pro-e, Catia & PDMS now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact: 99168054 / 96684345 Email: : mbkishore@hotmail.com BE ,Electrical Engineer with 5 Years Gulf Experience in Underground cable & Overhead line in HT and LT, Distribution Substation, MEP. Oman D/L available. NOC available. Contact: 95054644, 00918807888109, speninsam@gmail.com Diploma in Electrical Engineer exp 5 years any type of industrial maintenance and installation, building wiring system. Contact: 94544663 Email: motiurrahaman1989@gmail. com Indian seeking oilfield HSE fire & safety rigs studied 10SH risk assessment fire safety on visit. Contact: 98723292 Civil Engineer, Female, 3 years experience on visit visa seeking suitable openings. Contact: 99195433 BSc Civil Engineer, 6 months working experience in UAE as a Site Engineer currently in Oman on visit visa and looking for a job. Contact : 98157833 Email: waqas.pasha22@gmail.com Egyptian Civil Engineer, total experience 7 years - 2 years experience in Oman. I am looking for Project Engineer, I have good experience in site & office works. Contact :91148708 Mech Eng 10 yrs Oman exp P&M / logistics in oil & gas industry. Contact : 95774585 Project Coordinator (B.E Civil) 6.5 yrs in Oman having 9+ years relevant experience working in MOD & ROP project need suitable placement. Contact : +986 91129192 Email: azmot.uuet@gmail.com Indian male B.Tech (ECE), MBA (HR) 2 years of experience in CCNA, CCNP and hands on practice in Linux and MCSE, looking for suitable job. Contact: 93487225 Quantity Surveyor or Site Engineer in civil, 5 years experience in Oman have valid Oman driving license looking for suitable posts, NOC available. Contact: 96394948/ 98294919. Email: asvinsha@gmail.com Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp. Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Expatriate Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99195433 Iraqi Engineer specialized in telecommunication net working & PC experience in nuking network and security systems. Contact: 92898329 / 99249124 Electronics & communications Indian male, 2 years experience seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99456725 / 94678625 D.A.E Civil 4 years exp in land surveyor and building work worked on AutoCAD, T.S and G.P.S 1 year exp in Oman looking for placement. Contact: 92140890 / 98780156 Email: engrsafiullah91@gmail.com Indian male, 28 yrs, Electronics & Instrumentation Engineer with 4 yrs experience in Industrial Automation (SCADA) seeking suitable job. Contact 93154156 / 98416190 Electrical Engineer Pakistani male 4 years B. Tech & 3 years’ diploma seeking a suitable placement. Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasoader97@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male 24 yrs B. Tech (Mech. Eng) on visit 1 yr experience in production ﬁeld looking for suitable placement. Contact: 98925685 Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained ﬁeld on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com.

EDUCATION MBA, B.Com Indian female having two yrs exp as lecturer seeks placement in teaching filed. Presently on family visit visa. Contact – 96259171/ Email: bhumipandya@gmail.com English Teacher female (M. A. B. Ed) Having 14 years experience with 11 years experience in Oman with reputed institute and school. Contact: 92289080 / 99318276 Email: babujosev@yahoo.com Indian female MCA, Three years experience in teaching field, seeks placement currently on visit visa. Contact: 93431567 Email: fivona.mel@gmail.com

IT Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com B.E IT Eng, 6 yrs exp TCS with oil & Gas Industry (Java /Oracle). Contact : 97835922 Omani Citizen searching a job in the field of computer especially in data base professional in operating Oracle SQL, PL/ SQL, form6i, Report 6i. Contact 96977368 Email: talaloml@yahoo.com B.E Computer Science, Indian lady, with 2 years experience in Oman looking for suitable job in Muscat having valid GCC driving license. Contact: 97738624 Indian male, completed diploma in Computer technology fresher, seeking suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact : 93596096 Computer Networking/Facility Mgmt 5 Yrs of Exp Holds B.E(ECE), CCNA Looking for Good Opportunity, Indian - Visit Visa. Contact 91911792/ arafakdnl@gmail.com IT Desktop Support Engineer 2 years Oman 3 years in Indian Exp. Contact 91937060 Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity. Contact: 96377039

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

Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available. Contact :98803439

Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com

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

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male, with 8 yrs exp. in Oman (BA- Graduate) working as a project Sales Coordinator, with Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, ready to join immediately with NOC. Contact 95245057

MEDICAL Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Indian male Nurse, 31 years Oman prometric passed 6 yrs ICU experience. Contact : 94195150 / 92758895 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378 Indian female looking for suitable position 2nd rank in MSC microbiology, fresher now on visiting visa. Contact : 91633089 Email: mansytk4@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Content Executive, freshers with good communication skills and willingness to learn may apply on job@socioholics.com Business development Manager/ Executive. Preferably minimum of 2 years experience. Valid driving licence can apply on job@socioholics.com Omani female exp in PRO with Oman D/L. Contact: 91161736 Looking for good job 2 years experience Oman sales marketing valid driving license Indian Kerala. Contact : 98626682 Outdoor salesman with car looking for job. Contact 91615715 Indian male, 39 yrs having 15 yrs Gulf experience (UAE, Qatar, Oman) in sales & marketing looking for a suitable position with NOC. Contact 94054730 8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535 8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323 Indian male, B.Sc (Mathematics) PGDBM (Marketing). 9 yrs of Oman experience in sales in midlevel management, NOC available. Valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95278838 Email: anup2p4p@yahoo.com Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements. . Contact 98371144 Pakistani Female Bachelor of Information Technology with 8 years’ experience in Banking, Sales, business development, retail & customer service seeking for a suitable placement. Having valid D/L& NOC available. Contact 94699970 shehla. chohan@gmail.com Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa. Contact 93086105/33016546 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job. Contact - 92146864

SALES / MARKETING

Indian female B.com Graduate having 8 years experience in Indian & 2 years experience in Oman as sales coordinator, secretary, customer service seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987 Indian male with 5 years experience in building material sales and marketing education qualiﬁcation BA electronics. Contact: 92228538 Indian male. 27, Post Graduate, 5+ yrs exp in Oman in Sales & Credit Control, with valid Oman driving License, NOC available, looking for suitable placements. Ph: 9199 3376 Indian Female having more than 8 years of experience in oil and gas industry in sales and marketing & as commercial manager, now in family visa looking for a suitable placement No. 94187012, Email mvrajagd_d@yahoo.com Sales /marketing experience 24 years old Indian male having valid Omani license seeking suitable position in FMCG company, presently working as a Supervisor of the leading hypermarket in Oman. NOC available. Contact: 91993785 / 93089757 Indian Lady 24 yrs with ﬁve years experience as cabin crew in National & International airlines seeking suitable job vacancy in good position. Contact: 97623267 Procurement Manager with 17 years experience looking suitable position. (Electrical Diploma Holder with Oman D/L) Contact: 95979029. pavithranmv@gmail.com Indian worked MNC 15 years Oman experience as Marketing FMCG / TRAD Purchasing with visa license. Contact: 98796982

MISCELLANEOUS 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 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 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 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

Civil Autocad draughtsman looking for part time job. Mobile: 95218737 30 years Indian male with hotel management degree, 02 years experience in F&B service at ﬁve star hotel in Dubai and 05 years in American 6 star cruiseliner as Butler . Currently in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 91075704 Tunisian women looking for a job, khnows english,frensh, italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838 B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial ﬁeld available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job . Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com Indian Male MBA with two year experience in H.R as a H.R Assistant, Now in India, Seeking for an urgent suitable position. Contact:-98620260 / 93895992 , Email:-deepakmb4@gmail.com

Indian female B.Com graduate, 4years experience in accounts & administration department looking for suitable placement. #98928220

8 years successful experience. Senior Accountant, Indian male, 29 years, presently working in oman as a senior accountant with oman driving license. NOC available. seek suitable opportunity. gsm: 97705854

Indian female, B.Com. Knowledge of MS Office &Tally, 4yrs experience in accounting & admin dept. looking for good placement in any ﬁeld. Contact.98928220

Filipino Male looking for a job & have experience in sales, waiter, barista, technical support / customer service with good communication skills. # 91789465

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

PART TIME ACCOUNTANT, Indian male, M. Com, 35 years, 12 Years exp. in Accounts, 8 years in Oman. Knowledge upto ﬁnalization. Having valid D/L, seeks suitable Placement. GSM: 96249124

Mechanical Engineer B.E fresher (QA, QC , Piping & NDT + 1 month practical training in production & oil ﬁeld) seeking immediate placement currently on visit visa. Contact – 0096896107833, Email albinalbin.thomas@gmail.com

Egyptian Civil Engineer, total experience 7 years - 2 years experience in Oman. I am looking for Project Engineer, I have good experience in site & office works. Contact number:91148708 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.

MBA Graduate with D/L looking for sales or marketing jobs. Contact 94143154 Email: rinojnathen008@gmail.com

Indian Male 58yrs, Oman experience 31yrs in Multifunctional Management, Administration, Business Development, Purchase & Operations, seeking suitable Manager/ Supervisory Position. Visa transfer/ NOC Available. GSM: 95036410

Male BA with D/L having 6 years exp Oman wanted suitable job in sales, inventory, procure. Contact : 92191026

23 yrs old Pakistani bachelor in accounts and marketing 3.5 yrsexp 2 yrsexp in Oman, looking for a job. Contact- 99374062

ACCOUNTING – Indian male seeking accounting job with 2 years experience in accounting. Contact: 94263445, E mail – contactantonyxavieranand@gmail. com

Indian female MSc, MPHIL (Chemistry) 3 years Teaching experience currently on visit visa seeking suitable position. Contact : 96916534 / 91969756

Indian Male 33 looking for Scaffolding Supervisor vacancy in Oil & Gas ﬁeld in Oman. Having 5 years experience in CCC Qatar and 3 years in Saudi” Contact 96155921 fysal.nellaya@gmail.com or

Sudanese male: 27 yrs, 2 years experience in accounting, other experience (purchasing – HR - Coordinating and Office Management), looking for a job Omani Driving License, NOC. Contact: 94174403

Indian male, 34 yrs, ca inter pass, with 14 yrs experience, is seeking suitable placement, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact: 95585069 or 95630747

24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com

SKILLED/UNSKILLED Experience skilled candidate with driver license seeks position in sales in Salalah. Contact: 98579382

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

MISCELLANEOUS Sudanese/Bsc IT/26/2 years experience/excellent Eng-Arb speaking/ Omani driving license/96387227/ henrykarrar@gmail.com Sales/ Marketing Executive : 35 years old Indian male, MBA, having experiences in UAE and India in sales and marketing ﬁeld, presently on visit visa, looking for a suitable job in Salalah or in Oman. Contact 91233648 Well experienced hair dresser/ beautician required, visa available. Contact – 96524717 Indian female 25 yrs MBA ﬁnance currently on visit visa seeks immediate placement. Contact 9843 0089

26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.8 years experience in Administration, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Holding Oman valid driving license. Contact :93359371 ACCA affiliate,male,2.5 years experience in an audit ﬁrm in Finance & Audit, looking for suitable immediate placement. Release available. Contact 95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Indian Female: MCA, 3 Years Exp. as Asst. Professor, Specialization in C # (sharp).net, Data Comm.& Networking, Knowledge about Web Development, ASP.Net, Oracle, SQL,VB.net. Seek Immediate Placement. Now on Visit Visa.9588 7051 ashwininakod@gmail.com

Sudanese male (B.Sc, computer science) (diploma computer engineering), 6 yrs. experience DBA oracle PL-SQL, MS SQL - Server, MS visual studio vba, network. Contact 91415886 Syrian male 3yrs. exp in IT support, Networking, Security systems, Server support, IT sales and marketing. Valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 91055584 PRODUCTION OPERATOR – Indian male seeking production operator or related jobs with 4 years of experience in oil & gas ﬁeld. Contact: 94263445. Email: tonyxavier4u@gmail.com

Indian male 21 IT Engineer Networking & Computer hardware course 01 yr experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 96036273, E mail faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com

Indian Keralite Male 35 looking for Scaffolding supervisor post having 5 years of Supervisor and HSE experience in GCC Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Fluent in English Arabic and Hindi . Contact 96155921, or mail fysal.nellaya@gmail.com

Indian male, 14 yrs Experience in Maintenance & Supervisor in hotel ﬁeld ( Electrical . Ac Mechanical & Plumber ) N O C available Contact 95253640 email: hareeshma24@yahoo.com

Indian Male 28 yrs, having 7 years Gulf + Indian experience in HR and Admin ﬁeld, looking for suitable placement. Contact:97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED Indian Male 28 years MSM, B. Com having 6years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact :97914340. Email: rajkv30@gmail.com

Indian male, 34years having 10 years of experience in Sales, Sales Coordination and Administration. Experienced in SAP and MS Office. NOC available. Contact # 94686594

Sudanese male (B.Sc Computer science) (diploma computer engineering) 6 yrs. experience DBA Oracle plsql, MS sql-server ,ms visual studio vba, network. Contact :91415886

British Beauty Therapist looking for suitable position. please contact :97175240

Indian male with 8 yrs experience in FMCG in Oman as Sales Supervisor looking for suitable placement. NOC available. Gsm: 96495206 B.Sc. Mechanical Engineer Sudanese 3 yrs of exp. In industrial field available in muscat on vist visa seeking suitable job . Contact: 95868922, Email: almouthanaosman@yahoo.com IT system and Printer engineer ME, 5Years bank IT Management exp in India looking for full time job visit visa contact 94462150 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com ACCA Affiliate, Indian, 2.5Years experience in Audit/ Finance in Big 6 Audit Firm and Oil Accounting in PDO, For Permanent Placement for Finance or Accounts or Audit. Release NOC Available on hand. Contact #95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Finance ACCA Affiliate, Worked as an Auditor with 2.5 Years Experience in reputed firm, Handled independent audit/finance assignments, Looking for permanent placement, NOC available. #95140445. a.saran891@gmail.com Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com Indian Male, Graduate, 11 years Sales experience in Lighting / Industrial products, ready to join immediately. GSM: 9710 5356 Indian heavy duty driver with 8 years experience in oman available with NOC. GSM : 93601943 GSM : 94496457 Over 15 years experience in Gulf. Interior Architect, Lebanese Nationality, on visit visa seeking a suitable Placement. 96268005. Indian male, 28 yrs MBA (HR/M) 2 years experience in Indian Oman in HR & admin seeks suitable placements. NOC available. Contact 97484159 Email: rameshkapa86@gmail.com M.Sc 3+ years exp from France & India in IT Support Engineer / Hardware & Networking / Server support / scientific system support looking for suitable positions. Indian, male on visit visa, contact 98898781/ anoopys@gmail.com Looking for managerial post (full time ), More than Ten years of experience in Team Development ,Training, planning, Administration, Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics. #91076608 / 99322748. Release & noc available

Indian Male MBA Marketing/HRM 3 year experience with Omani D/L, seeking suitable jobs. Contact: 97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com Indian, Male, 23 years, BE Electrical, having 2 years experience in Electrical Works-H.T. cabling etc, & Construction, looking for a suitable placement. # +968 96927880 (Oman), +91 9765376109 (India), Email: rahulrevi6@gmail.com Indian Female M.Com with Computer Skills and Four Month Experience as Accountant ,Currently On Family Visa Looking for a Suitable Placement, Available Immediately. Contact : 95846642, Email : dhanyashree91@yahoo.com ACCA Affiliate, Experience in audit/finance of 2.5 years in Big 6 Firm and Oil industry, looking for suitable permanent placement, Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com B.Tech Computer Engineer Wanted job to work on(IT/Banking/Administrator/Technical/Office works) having NOC with the limited time from (04/06/2015 to 13/06/2015). Mobile:98402389 email:naresh6672@gmail.com Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees , CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFAFinancial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations ( NOC available ) call 94 504505 – 94403270 27 year Indian female who has 4 years of experience with logistics function in distribution of spares for both heavy machinery & wind turbine parts. Kindly contact me on +91 9790769104 E-mail: joemohana@yahoo.co.in Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer .seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 Indian male MBA (U.K), 10 Years of experience in Admin, Sales, HR, stores and logistics seeks suitable placement. Contact 99271903. Indian Female MCA, 4 plus Years of experience in Web designing, Admin, P.A, seeks suitable placement. Contact 99486374 8 Years successful experience, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, Indian male,29 years. Presently working in Oman as a Senior Accountant with oman Driving license seeks suitable opportunity. GSM: 97705854 7 and half years experience working accounts / inventory manager looking suitable job. Contact: 96991782 Email: srinivasu.sp@gmail.com Indian female , MCA BCA, certification PL SQL , 6months training PHP, date warehouse looking for suitable placement. Contact : 95694330 Email: mondkashyapodl@gmail.com B.Com with more than 5 yrs exp. looking for an accounts part tome job work. know with tally. Email-shilpa_62@yahoo.com

Part- time accountant, well experience senior accountant , doing all type of accounting works, finalization, budgeting available. Contact : 98803439 Indian male, looking for a part time accounting job. Having additional knowledge & experience in HR admin & purchase. Contact 99196621 HSE Advisor, NEBOSH IGC, Indian male, 4 years experience in construction and oil fields, seeking suitable jobs. Gsm: 97458900, Mail: miroshbabu@gmail.com Highly Experienced Finance Manager, CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA , Professional of Banking, Audits , ERPs Sap , Management as Team Leader and Problem Solver call 94 504505 / 94403270 Indian male MBA Finance presently OMAN IN visit visa, 26 years, looking for an accountant job. Contact 95240641, email Id mohammadabdulazharuddin@ gmail.com Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 9+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian Female, 24yrs, M.COM (Accounts) having 3yrs experience in Accounts, HR, Administration, Customer Service. Good Computer Proficiency. Seeking Suitable Position. Visa Transfer/NOC Available. Contact: 99654913 MEP Quantity Surveyor-Estimation-Project, 10 Years Experience (3 years in Oman). Having NOC & Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, Contact - 98291626 Indian house maid looking full time job. Contact : 98254909 B.E. Civil Engineer age 27, total 3 years of experience in Mumbai looking for placement asap in oman now on visit visa of 1 month ph 9571 3441 Email. Khatrialeem@gmail.com Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED

ACCA affiliate, with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit ﬁrm and Oil industry, looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. Release available Contact :95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com

B.E. Civil Engineer from India with 3 years of experience looking for suitable vacancy in oman now on visit visa. Contact 9571 3441, Email . Khatrialeem@gmail.com

Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 years experience in different activities . Mobile No ; +96894549609

Indian male 21 IT Eng. networking & computer hardware diploma, 1 year experience, currently on visit visa looking for a suitable job. Contact 96036273 email: faizanfarooqui23@gmail.com

Indian Female, Commerce Graduate, Total 9 yrs of experience in India. worked as Accounts Assistant and Business executive seeking for suitable placement. Tel : 96173533/24222457 Email : topranidivya@gmail.com

Indian, 32 years, completed M.A. English, M.Sc. Psychology and B.Ed in English. Searching for suitable job in the ﬁeld of teaching. To Contact: 00968 99869535 Email: sahadkeyi33@gmail.com

8 yrs exp Site supervisor cum 2d, 3d Draughtsman (holding Omani driving license) seeking job. Contact : 93790601

Iraqi Pharmacist with 15 years experience as regulatory affairs and Marketing Manager seeking job in pharmaceutical co. Mobile 96720441

Indian Male, 29 years, CCNP, MCITP having Bachelor degree and 6 years of experience in Networking looking for job. 96760618 / varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Indian Male 24 years, Looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 91280121. Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com

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 24 year Indian Chartered Accountant male with 3yrs of experience is seeking suitable placement in Muscat, currently on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact him on 98201476 or email at lokeshkaluri@gmail.com 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 B.E Biomedical Engineer, having 5 years of experience in Diagnostics division seeking suitable position. 94151658 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)

Indian Male 34 years Mechanical Engineer 3 years of Experience seeking suitable placement immediately Contact: 91991435, 93310821

Indian male, post graduate, currently in Oman on visit visa. Seeks suitable placement. Contact 92388346

Electronics and instrumentation Engineer 28 year Indian male, electrical, electronic, industrial, building & automation exp of 4+ yrs in India. Contact - 93154156

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

CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. #96760618 email: varghese.manthara@gmail.com

Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer, 5 year experience in different activities. Contact; +96894549609

Indian female with MBA (Finance) on visit visa, seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089

More than Ten years of experience in Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics& Administration. Contact; 91076608 / 99322748

Civil Engineer, Diploma, Male 25, 3 years experience in site, CAD, 3d, MS Project, Seeking job in Oman. Contact 92875345, jubincivileng@gmail.com

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 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 Indian female, B.Com. knowledge of MS Office & Tally, 4yrs experience in Accounts &admin dept. looking for good placement in any field. Contact.98928220 CCNP Network Professional with 6 years experience having Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96 76 06 18 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 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

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 Indian male, MBA marketing & ﬁnance with B com & diploma in IFRS seeks job. Contact 99469726 / 99469729 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

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 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

Butter cup rent a car presents fantastic offers all vehicles are model 2016. Contact : 97249449

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987

Available car with driver daily, weekly and monthly basis. Contact : 95518612

GOOD NEWS Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131

Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain & neck pain etc. Contact: 98254909

DRIVING

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133. For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

M O N DAY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

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

WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

SITUATION WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Mechanical Engineer, Indian, (B.E.) on visit visa, seeking suitable post. Contact :99534733 Email: rajesh92prince@gmail.com Civil autocad draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726 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 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

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

Indian female MBA Finance currently on visit visa. Seeks immediate placement. Phone: 968-98430089

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

House shifting. Contact 99708138

23,Male, ACCA with 2.5 years experience in Big6 audit ﬁrm and Oil/ Gas,looking for permanent placement in Accounts/Audit. #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com

House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517

Male, 19 years of experience in Finance and Administration currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99720132/ abidraﬁ33@hotmail.com

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

Civil supervisor-8 year’s experience in commercial and residential building, including portable cabin, natural and artificial play ground’s, and Oxy petroleum field, at sultanate of Oman. GSM :91249005. Mail :sandeep88joseph@gmail.com Indian Male 28yr age having 6year gulf+ Indian experience in HR field. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97914340, Email: rajkv3086@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER

Carpet, curtain, sofa, ﬂoor, cleaning, shampooing, marble & mosaic tiles grinding, polishing and painting. Contact : 93630133 / 95821193 House shifting packing. 99657644 / 98518013 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

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