Revenues hit RO 4.7bn - Oman Observer

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OMAN 

Vol. 32 No. 214 | 200 baisas | 32 pages www.omanobserver.om 

MoU for cocoa 

plant in Salalah 

SALALAH Free Zone and C K 

Group from Ivory Coast signed a 

memorandum of understanding for 

the construction of an international 

complex for cocoa-related products 

and chocolate derivatives at the 

free zone and is expected to be 

operational next year. The $150 

million-project is an addition to 

the existing projects at the free 

zone and will boost the Sultanate’s 

position in the food sector. 

FULL REPORT ON PAGE 3 

Double attack in 

Pakistan kills 25 

AT least 25 people were killed in 

southwest Pakistan yesterday when 

groups blew up a bus carrying 

women students and attacked a 

hospital treating survivors. 

FULL REPORT ON PAGE 5 

PRAYER TIMING (Muscat) 

Fajr Dhuhr Asr Magrib Isha 

03:52 am 12:13pm 03:30pm 07:00pm 08:23pm 

WEATHER 

Muscat Nizwa Sohar Sur Duqm Salalah 

Max 41 43 37 40 45 32 

Min 30 29 31 30 27 28 

EXCHANGE RATES 

RO1 €1.94658 / $2.59740 

GOLD 

Price $1,391.00 

Wilayat of Al Amerat is seeing increased activity in real estate. 

Rentals have stabilised 

By Saud al Ghanbousi 

MUSCAT — The real estate sector 

has witnessed positive signs of recovery 

and stabilisation both in the 

residential and commercial sectors 

in Muscat Governorate aided by rise 

in salaries and better loan conditions 

from commercial banks, said experts. 

Fahmi bin Mohammed al Zakwani, 

board chairman of Al Maamoura Real 

Estate Investment Company, said the 

prices of industrial lands in Muscat 

have maintained the same level in 

2011 and 2012, amidst an increase 

in supply and limited demand, however, 

the demand began to increase 

towards the end of last year. The 

Wilayat of Al Amerat is seeing an increased 

activity in the To page 4 

DR IBRAHIM BIN AHMED AL KINDI Chief Executive Officer 

FAHMI BIN KHALID AL HARTHY Editor-in-Chief 

Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising 

PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 

Sunday JUNE 16, 2013 | SHAABAN 7, 1434 AH 

editor@omanobserver.om 

India 

complete 

Pakistan 

misery P25 

Inside 

Oman keen on rights of workers 

India increases petrol prices 

North Korea vows nuke deterrent 

Revenues hit RO 4.7bn 

By Samuel Kutty 

MUSCAT — The government revenues 

rose by 2.5 per cent at the end 

of April to RO 4,716.9 million against 

RO 4,599.8 million during the corresponding 

period in 2012. 

The monthly statistical bulletin 

issued by the National Statistics Centre 

(NSC) attributed this to a 10.1 

per cent rise in the Sultanate's net oil 

revenues, which stood at RO 3,598.8 

million by the end of April against 


period in 2012, and a 7 per 

‘Conceptual’ deal on Block 61 gas 

By Conrad Prabhu 

MUSCAT — The Sultanate has 

reached a “conceptual agreement” 

with BP in a key step towards the 

commercial development of potentially 

huge tight gas reserves in the 

energy major’s Block 61 concession 

in central Oman. 

The pact effectively means that 

cent rise of the companies' income 

tax at RO 141.9 million against RO 

132.6 million and is also attributed to 

a 46.3 per cent growth in the capital 

revenues of RO 6 million compared 

to RO 4.1 million during the same period 

last year. 

The bulletin pointed out that gas 

revenues fell by 25.3 per cent to RO 

513.1 million at the end of April compared 

to RO 687.1 million. The custom 

earnings declined by 74.4 per 

cent to RO 16.9 million compared to 

RO 66.1 million during the same period 

in 2012. 

Rouhani wins president vote 

TEHRAN — Hassan Rouhani has won 

Iran's presidential election with more 

than 50 per cent of votes, Interior Minister 

Mohammad Mostafa Najar announced 

yesterday. Rouhani outclassed the other 

ive candidates, especially the two close 

to the establishment Saeid Jalili and Ali- 

Akbar Velayati. 

"I am happy that inally the sun of rationality 

and moderation shines again 

both sides are closer to a inal deal on 

a landmark agreement that could effectively 

unlock gas reserves trapped 

in the tight rock of the Khazzan- 

Makarem ield, for the country’s expanding 

energy and downstream 

petrochemical industry. 

BP says it has invested hundreds 

of millions of dollars in the appraisal 

and testing of the Khazzan ield since 

in Iran," the president-elect said in a 

statement. "I will be committed to what 

I promised the Iranian people and will 

not stop until the end." He hoped that the 

West would now adopt a new approach 

towards Iran based on mutual respect 

and fairness. Turnout in Friday's vote was 

72 per cent. Observers said that in case of 

a high turnout, Rouhani would also beneit 

from the votes. Details on page 6 

The government's total general 

expenditure rose by 17.7 per cent 

during April to RO 3,683.4 million 

against RO 3,130.1 million during the 

same period in 2012. 

The rise in the general expenditure 

resulted from a 10.5 per cent increase 

in the current expenditure, which 

stood at RO 2,229 million against 


period in 2012, as well as 

a 8.3 per cent rise in investment 

spending at RO 835.8 million compared 

to RO 771.6 million and a 81 

per cent growth in To page 4 

it won the concession in 2007. The 

potential of the Khazzan-Makarem 

ield is estimated at 100–150 trillion 

cubic feet (TCF) of gas in place, of 

which around 7.6 TCF of gas is earmarked 

for initial development upon 

the signing of a Declaration of Commerciality. 

Production is targeted at 

1–1.2 billion standard cubic feet of 

gas per day. Details on page 17

2 

Sultanate keen on providing 

decent work for workforce 

175 trade unions to protect workers’ rights, interests 

GENEVA — The Minister of Manpower 

Shaikh Abdullah bin Nasser 

al Bakri conirmed that in implementation 

of His Majesty the Sultan’s 

directives the Ministry in the 

beginning of this year held a specialised 

symposium for the development 

of small- and mid-sized 

enterprises in recognition to its 

leading role in the development 

and operation ields. The symposium 

culminated in the establishment 

of Al Rafd Fund to provide 

inancial resources for SMEs. 

Speaking before the 102nd Session 

of the International Labour 

OMAN 

Conference Al Bakri said the Public 

Authority for the Development of 

Small and Medium Enterprises was 

established at the end of May this 

year with the aim of strengthening 

the role of SMEs in generating jobs 

for the Omani nationals and motivating 

them towards setting up 

their own businesses to fulil their 

aspirations and also to contribute 

to the diversiication of the national 

economy. 

During his speech the manpower 

minister said the Conference 

agenda comprise topics relating to 

operation, social protection, sus- 

tainable development, decent work 

and all these are essential topics 

which need to be dealt with effectively 

in order to successfully cope 

with globalisation and the global 

economic crises. 

The key goals of the current 

economic development plan are 

determined by the development of 

human resources, economic diversiication, 

expansion in providing 

job opportunities, increasing the 

minimum salary to RO 325 as well 

as educational expansion, Al Bakri 

said adding that the Sultanate is 

keen on providing decent work 

The key goals 

of the current 

economic 

development plan 

are determined by 

the development of 

human resources, 

economic 

diversiication, 

expansion in 

providing job 

opportunities, 

increasing the 

minimum salary 

to RO 325 as well 

as educational 

expansion 

for the workforce in different economic 

sectors guided by the international 

standards of labour. 

We have made substantial modiications 

to the Omani Labour Law 

to ensure protection of the workers’ 

rights and to stimulate the development 

of the economic institutions. 

The Sultanate’s workers now 

have 175 trade unions to protect 

their rights and defend their interests 

and they all function under the 

umbrella of the General Federation 

for the Workers of the Sultanate of 

Oman, Al Bakri said. 

Opportunities in 

minerals sector 

to be highlighted 

MUSCAT — The Ministry 

of Commerce and Industry 

is organising a workshop 

under the theme 

"Mineral Studies and 

Investment Opportunities 

in Minerals Sector" at 

the City Seasons Hotel in 

Muscat today. 

The workshop will be 

held under the auspices 

of Ahmed bin Hassan al 

Dheeb, Under-Secretary 

of the Ministry of Commerce 

and Industry for 

Commerce and Industry, 

in the presence of 

under-secretaries, representatives 

from the State 

Council and the Majlis 

Ash'shura, respective 

government and private 

agencies and those interested 

in the minerals sector. 

The workshop aims at 

highlighting the outcomes 

of the studies conducted 

on the minerals ore discovered 

in the Sultanate 

and presenting some usages 

of the minerals ore 

in the industrial ields. It 

also aims at introducing 

the basic documents for 

the geologic infrastructure 

and manifestations 

and the possibility to use 

them in the economic and 

investment ields. 

The workshop will 

discuss a number of 

themes including the future 

of metallurgic and 

non-metallurgic minerals, 

ields of co-operation 

in geologic research and 

surveys in the Sultanate. 

The discussions will include 

the mineral studies, 

which were conducted by 

the Directorate-General 

of Minerals, models of 

the successful companies 

operating in the ield, the 

role of non-governmental 

companies in the development 

of the local community. 

Speakers from the Sultanate 

and other countries 

will present working 

papers in the ield of minerals 

and investments. 

— ONA 

Spotlight on 

Islamic inance 

avenues 

SALALAH — A seminar 

themed "Islamic Finance: 

Promising Finance Avenues," 

will be held on Wednesday 

at Oman Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry (OCCI) 

in the Governorate of Dhofar. 

The seminar, which organised 

by Al Ro'aya newspaper, 

will highlight avenues 

of the Islamic inance for 

various investments in the 

Sultanate with participation 

of elite bankers and experts 

in the presence of businessmen 

and those interested in 

the ield. The seminar, which 

is in the second month, aims 

at raising awareness on the 

Islamic inance among the 

Omani community through 

reaching all categories of the 

community and establishments. 

The seminar coincides 

with oficially launching the 

Islamic inance in the Sultanate 

and commencement of 

banks and Islamic windows 

in practising their activities 

as a supporter for the banking 

sector and the national 

economy in light of the studies, 

which show that a large 

segment of the community's 

individuals are not aware of 

the concept of the Islamic 

inance, its products and the 

role that might be played 

in developing the national 

economy through alluring 

deposits and inance of productive 

activities. — ONA 

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2013 

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Speaking at the conclusion of the Clubs Youth Camp the Minster of Information Dr Abdulmunim bin Mansour al Hasni hailed the efforts 

of the Ministry of Sports Affairs towards organising youth camps which are considered a precious chance for young people across the 

Sultanate to come together and exchange their experiences and improve their skills in an atmosphere of genuine Omani values and a 

spirit of love and brotherhood. — ONA 

$150m cocoa plant to come up at SFZ 

SALALAH — Salalah Free Zone (SFZ) 

and C K Group from Ivory Coast 

signed a memorandum of understanding 

for the construction of an 

international complex for cocoa-related 

products and chocolate derivative 

at Salalah Free Zone. The plant is 

expected to be operational next year. 

The MoU was signed by Hilal bin 

Hamad al Hasni, Chairman of SFZ 

board of directors and C K Charles, 

CEO of C K Group representing the 

company. 

The chairman of SFZ said the cocoa 

processing plant is an excellent 

addition to the existing projects at 

the free zone and will boost the Sultanate’s 

position in the food industry 

sector as well as boost the opportunities 

for establishing small- and 

mid-sized enterprises. 

The $150 million-project will occupy 

a 200,000-metre plot of land. 

Phase 1 involves construction of a 

cocoa processing facility and a pro- 

duction line for semi-processed 

cocoa. The plant is expected to be 

operational at the third half of 2014 

and will have a production capacity 

of 50,000 tonnes in package 1 and 

100,000 tonnes in the other packages, 

said the CEO of C K Group. 

Salalah Free Zone’s excellent location 

at the mid-point of major shipping 

routes make it an ideal location 

for global multinationals as well as 

any industrious organisation to set 

up manufacturing facilities to produce 

cost-competitive products for 

global markets. — ONA 

The 28th edition of the ‘Message of Islam’ exhibition organised by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs continues in the German city 

of Freiburg. The exhibition which runs till the end of this month aims at displaying the Sultanate’s experience of understanding, tolerance 

and peaceful co-existence among civilisations. — ONA 

Consumer awareness and education high in Oman 

By Kabeer Yousuf 

MUSCAT — The doctrine ‘let the 

consumer be beware’ is apt in the 

modern times and the Omani consumers 

are more rational and informed 

unlike in the past, says the 

Board member of the Oman Association 

for Consumer Protection 

(OACP). 

“Omani consumers have come 

a long way and are more informed, 

educated and rational compared to 

the scenario prevalent until recent 

times”, Saleh Mahmood al Zadjali, 

Board Member, OACP said. 

Speaking to the Observer on the 

sidelines of the 2nd Arab Regional 

Conference of the International 

Association for Volunteer Effort 

(IAVE) held in association with the 

Mahmood al Zadjali 

OACP, Saleh said consumers are increasingly 

becoming aware of their 

rights and responsibilities as a customer 

and that volunteers can impact 

a difference to the society no 

matter where they are from. 

“I, as the Board member of the 

one-decade-old OACP, understand 

that the modern consumers are 

more and more getting educated 

of their rights and responsibilities 

as the beneiciary of the goods and 

services for which they are paying 

and the volunteers from different 

walks of life can induce a visible 

change to the society”. 

The Oman Association for Consumer 

Protection (OACP) is registered 

under Ministry of Social 

Development with aims and objectives 

that pivot around educating 

and informing the consumers 

on a regular basis, conduct re- 

searches and studies, and carry out 

health control and inspection programmes. 

As to the volunteering in consumer 

education and awareness, 

Saleh said: “OACP is one of the 

most active NGOs in Oman and has 

worked for many years to foster a 

culture of volunteering in the country 

and this is not the irst collaboration 

between IAVE and OACP in 

Oman”. 

Besides that, the OACP has conducted 

workshops in Muscat in 

June and October 2009 with the 

Middle East Partnership Initiative 

(MEPI) in co-operation with IAVE 

on volunteer recruitment, management, 

training, evaluation, and 

recognition to leaders of volunteer 

organisations. 

OMAN 

Conference to focus on 

oil spill preparedness 

ABU DHABI — Activities of the Oil Spill Preparedness, 

Response and Recovery MENA 

2013 Conference will begin today at Beach 

Rotana Hotel, Abu Dhabi. The four-day conference 

is organised by the International 

Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC). 

The conference aims to highlight key 

challenges in recovering from, prevent- 

3 

Gulf industries fair to 

boost competitiveness 

MUSCAT — The Sultanate will host on September 

23rd, "Gulf Industries Fair". The 

three-day event will be organised by Serapis 

Company for organising international 

exhibitions and festivals at Oman International 

Exhibition Centre. 

Dr Salim bin Ali al Buzidi, General Manager 

of International Events and Projects at 

Serapis Company, said that the importance 

of organising this exhibition in the Sultanate 

comes in light of the rapid challenges 

facing economies of the countries, which 

coincide with a remarkable progress in the 

economic development with the increase in 

the competitive pace that pushed the GCC 

decision-makers to outline the plans and issue 

the legislations, as well as providing all 

facilities that contribute in supporting the 

Gulf products and setting up the pillars for 

the emergence of advanced Gulf industries. 

In a statement to Oman News Agency 

(ONA), he explained that the exhibition will 

be an opportunity for the establishments, 

corporations and the governmental industrial 

authorities to raise their competitiveness 

and exchange ideas and experiences 

in the areas of raising production eficiency 

and improving the performance, as well as 

setting up strategic partnerships that contribute 

in promoting the Gulf industrial investments. 

He pointed out that the exhibition aims 

at promoting the Gulf industrial products 

ing and responding to oil spills, to present 

ground-breaking case studies, to improve 

regional collaboration for enhanced preparedness 

levels. Accompanied by the two interactive 

workshops, the conference promises 

an assembly of all major stakeholders 

and decision-makers from the industry. 

— ONA 

CBO issues CDs worth RO 372m 

MUSCAT — Certiicates of deposit tender 

was held at the Central Bank of Oman 

(CBO) this week. The total amount allotted 

for issue No 821 was RO 372 million. 

A bulletin issued by the CBO stated that 

the average interest rate of these certiicates 

was 0.13 per cent while the maximum 

accepted interest rate was 0.13 per cent. 

The tenor of these certiicates is 28 

days, so their maturity date is on July 

and their competitiveness via applying the 

quality system according to the international 

standards and the contribution of the 

industrial sector in supporting the national 

economies of the GCC countries. 

The exhibition will touch on a number of 

themes on the industrial estates and their 

role in pushing the wheel of the economic 

development, as well as the quality and 

its role in enhancing the product, basics of 

marketing, industrial training and the human 

development. 

The themes will also include role of the 

small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in 

supporting the national economy of the 

GCC countries, consumer protection and its 

impact on the GCC industries. 

A training course will be organised on 

the sidelines of the exhibition under the 

title of "Quality & Marketing Industrial 

Products". The course aims at highlighting 

the basics and potentials of the quality 

to come up with regulations for the quality 

and contributing in stimulating the workers 

in the industry sector in the GCC countries 

to adopt the basics of quality to increase 

the competitiveness via targeting the SMEs 

owners, workers at the GCC industrial authorities, 

industrial estates and oficials, in 

addition to following up the development of 

the industrial projects and graduates of the 

industrial training centers and institutes. 

— ONA 

10th. 

The certiicates of deposit issued to licensed 

banks by the CBO as a monetary 

policy instrument aimed at absorbing 

excess liquidity at the banking sector in 

particular and maintaining stability of 

the interest rate and the money market in 

general. 

The Repo rate during June 12th to 18th 

is 1 per cent. — ONA

4 

OMAN 

ISM honours meritorious students 

MUSCAT — The Annual Academic 

Award ceremony of Indian School 

Muscat (ISM) was last week in the 

presence of members of the Indian 

School Muscat Managing Committee, 

guests, staff, students and proud 

parents. P S Sriram, CFO — Towell 

Automotives and Subromoniyan, MD, 

Global Money Exchange were chief 

guests on the occasion. 

As many as 263 students of 

classes V to VIII with A1 grades in 

all the subjects were honoured and 

rewarded with mementoes and certiicates. 

Principal Achuthan Madhav 

expressed his sincere gratitude to His 

Majesty Sultan Qaboos for his benevolence 

and generosity towards ISM. 

He appreciated the Ministry of Education, 

Ministry of Manpower and 

Department of International Schools 

for their constant encouragement 

and support. 

The Principal congratulated all 

the outstanding achievers and their 

proud parents for bringing laurels to 

their alma mater. He also lauded the 

teaching and administrative staff for 

their dedicated service and thanked 

the school Managing Committee for 

its continued support in the all round 

development of students. 

The chief guest, P S Sriram, in 

his speech advised the students to 

take up their studies very seriously 

as education is the only true friend 

throughout one’s lifetime. 

He further stated that time spent 

in school is the experience to be applied 

in life and along with academics, 

moral values are equally important. 

He appealed to the parents not to 

suffocate the children with too many 

activities but to give them space to 

follow their hobbies and also not to 

compare their children with others 

for every child is unique. 

K S Subromoniyan said that success 

does not depend on luck but 

on hard work and ambition. He recalled 

the words of Dr A P J Abdul 

Kalam, ‘Dream, dream, dream leads 

to thoughts and thoughts to creation.’ 

He further emphasised that there 

were many keys to success such as 

sense of responsibility, conidence, 

and the right attitude. 

An array of musical and dance 

items was displayed by the Middle 

Section students. The scintillating 

Goan dance choreographed by Margaret 

Prabhu and Judith Pinto, the 

‘Swara Laya’ and ‘Dasaavatar’ by the 

school dance master, Vijayan, and 

music teacher Meenakshi, the French 

song trained by the teachers of the 

Department of French, the prayer 

song sung by the school choir led 

by M K Pandita and Radhakrishnan, 

the instrumental music featuring 

the piano, the keyboard and the 

lute, trained by Savio D’souza and 

the school orchestra led by Michael 

Bhakre represented an musical treat 

to the gathering. 

The Award ceremony was brought 

to a beitting close with the vote of 

thanks proposed by Lareina Mendonca 

of Class VIII. 

The evening’s programme was 

emceed by Dominic Alex Joseph and 

Nivedita Gopinath of Class VIII who 

were trained by Kalyani Rao and Sitalakshmi 

S. 

‘I’m stepping down with a clear, 

contended heart’, ISM principal 

By Kabeer Yousuf 


Rents stabilise as supply outstrips demand 

From page 1 

real estate sector particularly in the sale of residential lands and properties. 

Deal on equipments for schools 

MUSCAT — The Ministry of Education 

signed a memorandum of 

understanding with Oman Beverages 

Co and Zawawi Trading 

Company for supply of Display devices 

for a number schools in dif- 

ferent governorates at a cost of 

RO 100,000. 

As per the MoU Oman Beverages 

Co commits to providing 103 interactive 

projectors, ceramic interactive 

whiteboards and other devices 

At the end of last year the rental rates of lats and villas in the heart of 

the capital stabilised with a 2-bedroom lat now rented out for RO 350 in Al 

while Zawawi Trading Company will 

undertake the provision of ofice 

equipment. According to the MoU 

the items should be supplied within 

90 days from the date of signing. 

— ONA 

OCCI General Assembly meeting on June 24 

MUSCAT — The General Assembly 

of Oman Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry (OCCI) will hold its annual 

meeting on June 24. 

Agenda of the meeting includes 

a speech by Khalil bin Abdullah al 

Khonji, OCCI Board Chairman, in 

addition to discussing the Board's 

report on OCCI works for 2012, approving 

of the OCCI budget, account 

of revenues and spending for the year 

ending on December 31, 2012, and a 

report of account auditors. 

OCCI General Assembly consists 

of all members afiliated to it from 

the different regions and governorates 

subject that they have paid the 

required OCCI fees. The GA approves 

the inal audited accounts. It also 

gives the directives it deems appropriate 

to the Board members. — ONA 

Stocks show 

mixed 

trends 

MUSCAT — The Muscat Securities 

Market (MSM 30) index last week 

rose by 0.93 per cent adding 60.44 

points to end the week’s trading 

sessions at 6,558.49 against 

6,498.05 at the closing of the week 

before. 

Sector-wise last week saw a 

mixed trend with the inancial sector 

index increasing by 0.82 per 

cent followed by the Services by 

0.51 per cent while the industrial 

sector index declined slightly by 

0.13 per cent. 

Volume fell by 5 per cent to 

185m as compared to 252.4 million 

in the week before. Likewise, turnover 

fell by 14 per cent to RO 48.7m 

against RO 56.6m in the week before. 

The total number of trades fell 

by 17.2 per cent to 10,156 last 

week against 12,263 trades in the 

week before. 

Bank Sohar was the top gainer 

for the week increasing by 12.4 per 

cent to close at RO 0.208 compared 

to its previous week closing of at 

RO 0.185. 

Bank Sohar was also the most 

active in terms of turnover increasing 

by 12.43 per cent and trading 

25.5m shares. It was also in terms 

of volume registering RO 5.2m. 

At week close non-Omani investors 

switched to net buyers for 

1.6m worth of shares. 

Khuwair and Ghubra, while the rental value of villas hovers around RO 650, a 

natural downward trend owning to supply outstripping the demand. 

Revenues at RO 4.7bn 

From page 1 

contributions and support of the private sector at the end of April, which 

stood at RO 618.6 million against RO 341.7 million during the same period 

in 2012. 

The State's General Budget achieved a surplus of RO 997.2 million during 

April against a surplus of RO 1,454.6 million during the corresponding period 

in 2012, according to the bulletin. 

Meanwhile, the transport sector including roads have taken the lion’s 

share of the RO 750 million worth tenders awarded in the Sultanate by the 

end of May this year. 

The igure is 7 per cent higher than the tenders allotted during the corresponding 

period last year. 

The government is planning to spend about RO 5.68 billion ($14.8 billion) 

in the coming years on the country’s huge infrastructure which include 

roads, ports and airports. 

The amount is almost half of the projects in the 8th Five-Year Plan for the 

period from 2011 to 2015. The projects which have been accorded priority 

include the 265 km multi-phase Al Batinah Expressway with an allocated 

budget of RO 1 billion ($2.6 billion). 

According to analysts, the road sector will continue to play an important 

role in the construction sector in the current year. 

“With the tendering seen remaining strong, the momentum in the continuance 

of all projects, including those pending, is expected to be high," says 

Kanaga Sundar, Research Head at Gulf Baader Capital markets. 

A snapshot of Oman’s infrastructure development includes RO 3.08 billion 

($8 billion) to be invested for constructing 12,704 km of road projects, 

RO 3.86 billion ($10 billion) to be invested for developing the national rail 

project with a vision to connect to other Gulf Co-operation Council countries, 

and seven tunnels to be constructed as part of Daba-Lima-Kashab road 

project. 

The country’s 2013 budget raised spending nearly by 30 per cent over its 

2012 plan to RO 12.9 billion. 

At the same time the Ministry of Transport and Communications plans to 

invest in state-of-the-art technologies to develop higher quality and safer infrastructure 

along with special economic zones in Duqm and Sohar. 

Ministry oficials say that developing a modern and integrated logistics 

and transport infrastructure is an essential part of the country’s diversiication 

strategy. 

As part of the ambitious GCC railway project, the 1,061-km Oman railway 

network, to be completed by 2017, is a key component in facilitating domestic, 

regional and international connectivity and increasing trade exchange 

while developing industrial activities in the Sultanate. 

(With ONA inputs 

MUSCAT — “The last ive years that 

I’ve been with the Indian School Muscat 

(ISM) were the most wonderful 

years in my academic career and I’m 

contended for what all I could do to 

this institution during my tenure”, 

cherishes Achuthan Madhav, the principal 

of this largest community school 

in the Sultanate who was asked to put 

in his papers on grounds of reasons 

that ‘warrants’ resignation according 

to the Board of Directors. 

“What all I did were within the jurisdiction 

of a principal’s powers and 

I never did anything with any vested 

interest whatsoever. I have never been 

guided by any personal interest in my 

work but the interest of the school at 

large”, Achuthan Madhav, eminent educationist 

and recipient of the President 

of India’s Award for best teacher 

in 2009 told the Observer. 

Madhav was asked to put in his papers 

on June 11 morning for reasons 

cited by some of the members of the 

Board of Directors. One of them was 

that he had recommended the ‘prefect’ 

position to children of two SMC 

(School Management Committee) 

members. 

“I just used my right as the principal 

to nominate two best performing 

students in the higher classes to 

be the class leaders. There is nothing 

unusual and this is within the rights 

of the head of the institution”. 

He said the structure of the student 

community of the Indian School is 

such that apart from the elected pre- 

fects, the principal also can nominate 

two students for their achievements 

in the academic and non-academic activities 

to be the prefects. 

Madhav, who brought in a plethora 

of accolades and recognitions to 

the institution from international as 

well as home arenas in the last several 

years, said: “I don’t actually know 

what went wrong for them to ask for 

my resignation. That too when I’m 

just 9 months away from my retirement 

as the head of the institution”. 

After having renewed his contract 

with the school twice for his matchless 

contributions, he is due to step 

down in March 2014 as he reached 

superannuation. 

When contacted, Tonny Alexander, 

the elected Chairman of the Indian 

Schools’ Board of Directors, conirmed 

receipt of the principal’s resignation. 

“We have received Madhav’s resignation 

last week quoting ‘personal reasons’. 

We have extended his tenure 

twice for want of his services to the 

school and that he wanted to leave, 

we accepted his resignation.” 

Meanwhile, the BoD informed that 

Deep Wilson, the current Senior Vice 

Principal of the school, will be the acting 

principal of this largest community 

school with nearly 9,000 students 

in the Sultanate till such time the new 

principal assumes ofice. 

“Wilson will look after the dayto-day 

affairs of the school in the absence 

of Madhav, the present principal 

who resigned last week on ‘personal’ 

grounds”, Tonny further added.


Journalists held for 'stealing' minister's notepad 

BAGHDAD — Iraqi press freedom activists yesterday 

decried the detention for more than 10 

days of two journalists accused of stealing the 

notebook of the country's defence minister 

following a meeting of political leaders. 

Mohammed Fuad and Afdhal Jumaa are alleged 

to have stolen Saadun al Dulaimi's notepad 

after the June 1 meeting, which had been 

convened in order to ease tensions and break a 

long-standing deadlock that has paralysed lawmaking 

and contributed to a spike in violence. 

The meeting was held in a large conference 

hall in Baghdad, with journalists in attendance 

for the duration of the talks. 

The pair, who work for Iraqi news outlet 

ANB television, were arrested on June 4 and 

have been held in detention ever since. ANB television 

is owned by a member of the party led 

by Ayad Allawi, one of the principal opponents 

to Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki. 

Defence ministry oficials accuse them of wilfully 

stealing the notepad, but activists and family 

members insist they found the book after the 

meeting and handed it to an oficial who failed 

to return it. 

"The camera in the hall was recording the 

symbolic meeting between the politicians, and 

it revealed the journalists stealing the notebook 

of Defence Minister Saadun al Dulaimi when 

one of the journalists hid it under his shirt," said 

Egyptian military to secure 

streets, vital installations 

CAIRO — Egypt's military will not allow 

violence during protests against President 

Mohamed Mursi that his opponents have 

planned for June 30, the irst anniversary 

of the leader's election, a state newspaper 

said yesterday. 

"Security forces from the armed forces 

and the military police will deploy on all 

main roads" on June 28 "to secure vital installations 

and public facilities", Al Gomhuria 

said, quoting a military source. 

"The armed forces will not allow any 

confrontations that could lead to violence 

or drive the country into a spiral of blood 

during the June 30 protests," it said. "We 

are not with one side against another 

side." 

The opposition is demanding early 

presidential polls. 

Supporters of Mursi also plan to hit the 

streets on Friday in what they have billed 

as a rally against violence. 

The street protests are expected to be 

Egypt's biggest since the second anniversary 

of the uprising on January 25. 

Last month, the head of the army, General 

Abdel Fattah al Sisi, said: The army 

was not the solution to Egypt's political 

problems. 

Citing the military source, Al Gomhuria 

said tools at the army's disposal ranged 

from imposing a curfew to martial law, 

Gazan sets himself on ire 

GAZA CITY — A Gazan man was seriously injured yesterday 

when he set himself on ire over a property dispute 

with the authorities, and his brother was hurt trying to 

save him, a relative said. 

Ibrahim al Tarturi, 20, "set himself on ire to protest 

against the seizure of his house by members of Hamas," 

the source said. 

His brother Mohammed, 30, "tried to extinguish the 

ire to save him and suffered from less serious injuries." 

— AFP 

a defence ministry oficial. 

"The investigation has made clear that the 

journalists committed a crime," the oficial said. 

"Their ile has been transferred to the judiciary 

because they took things belonging to a senior 

oficial in the country." 

It was not immediately clear what speciic 

offence the pair had been charged with. 

A family member of Fuad said the pair had 

handed the notebook to an oficial who promised 

to hand it over to the minister, but failed to 

follow through. 

The relative said Fuad and Jumaa's homes 

were raided, and that the two were being held 

in a defence ministry detention centre. — AFP 

5 soldiers killed 

in Benghazi 

clashes 

BENGHAZI — Clashes between 

Libyan elite forces 

and gunmen yesterday 

killed ive soldiers in 

Benghazi, the army said, in 

the latest bout of unrest. 

The interim leader of 

Libya's army warned of 

the danger of a "bloodbath" 

as the unrest in 

Benghazi lared again a 

week after violence killed 

more than 30 people in 

the eastern city. 

Explosions and heavy 

gunire could be heard 

near the headquarters of 

the special forces and in Al 

Lithi district on the road 

to the airport, not far from 

the city centre, witnesses 

reported. 

The special forces said 

on Facebook that its members 

exchanged light arms 

and rocket ire with an 

"outlaw" group. 

They reported three 

of its members were shot 

dead and two wounded 

as they "were defending 

the legitimacy of the state 

with courage and honour". 

The special forces 

warned that "they would 

target anyone who shot at 

them". 

Benghazi has become 

increasingly marred by 

clashes between gunmen 

and the still infant regular 

forces of the new authorities. 

The latest clashes came 

just hours after dozens of 

protesters forced a brigade 

of former ighters from 

their base in Benghazi on 

Friday evening. — AFP 

"especially if matters slip out of control 

and red lines are crossed that threaten 

Egyptian national security". 

The military deployed in January in cities 

near the Suez Canal during the second 

anniversary protests. The violence was exacerbated 

by a court ruling sentencing to 

death 21 soccer fans from Port Said over a 

soccer stadium disaster in 2012. 

Meanwhile, gunmen attacked a security 

checkpoint yesterday in Sinai Peninsula, 

the latest in a series of assaults targeting 

police and army personnel in the vast 

desert area. 

“The assailants used machine guns in 

attacking the checkpoint manned by police 

and army soldiers in the area of Wadi 

Feran in southern Sinai,” a security oficial 

said. The soldiers returned the ire and 

forced the assailants to lee, added the of- 

icial. No casualties were reported. 

The attack came days after insurgents 

shot dead a police oficer in the city of Al 

Arish in northern Sinai. 

Seven Egyptian soldiers were released 

in Sinai in May almost a week after they 

were abducted by suspected gunmen. 

In August, 16 soldiers were killed in a 

daring attack on their outpost in the border 

town of Rafah near the Gaza Strip. The 

assailants in all these incidents have not 

been arrested. — Reuters 

REGION 

5

6 

IRAN 


Rouhani wins presidential election 

DUBAI — Cleric Hassan Rouhani won 

Iran's presidential election yesterday, 

the interior ministry said, scoring a 

surprising landslide victory over his 

rivals without the need of a second 

round run-off. 

Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar 

announced on state 

television that Rouhani secured just 

over 50 per cent of the ballot based 

on a 72 per cent turnout of 50 million 

eligible voters. "Mr Hassan Rouhani 

... got the absolute majority of 

votes and was elected as president," 

Najjar said. 

Rohani's meteoric rise could offer 

latitude for a thaw in Iran's foreign 

relations and more social freedoms 

at home. 

Though an establishment igure, 

Rouhani is a former chief nuclear negotiator 

known for his nuanced, conciliatory 

approach. He has pledged to 

promote a policy of "constructive interaction 

with the world" and to enact 

a domestic "civil rights charter". 

Khamenei said that whatever the 

result of Friday's election, it would be 

a vote of conidence in the 34-yearold 

Islamic Republic. 

"A vote for any of these candidates 

is a vote for the Islamic Republic and 

a vote of conidence in the system," 

the top cleric's oficial Twitter account 

said. 

Iran's rial strengthened about 4 

per cent against the US dollar yesterday 

after partial vote tallies pointed 

to a resounding Rouhani victory, 

websites tracking the currency said. 

Celebratory crowds assembled 

near Rohani's headquarters in downtown 

Tehran a few hours before his 

victory was conirmed. 

"Long live reform, long live Rohani," 

a reporter at the scene quoted 

the crowds as chanting. 

"Ahmadi, bye bye," the 

crowds chanted in a reference to 

Ahmadinejad, another witness there 

said. 

Iranian authorities and the candidates 

themselves, including Rohani, 

discouraged large street rallies this 

time round to forestall any possible 

lare-up of violent instability in the 

sprawling Opec member state of 75 

million people. 

Rohani's nearest rival was Tehran 

Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a 

long way behind with less than 16 

per cent. Other candidates, including 

current nuclear negotiator Saeed 

Jalili, scored even lower. 

British former Foreign Secretary 

Jack Straw, who dealt with Rouhani 

during nuclear negotiations between 

2003 and 2005, called him a "very 

experienced diplomat and politician". 

"On a personal level I found him 

warm and engaging. He is a strong 

Iranian patriot and he was tough, but 

fair to deal with and always on top of 

his brief." 

Suzanne Maloney, senior fellow 

at the Brookings Institution, speaking 

before the Interior Ministry announcement, 

said Iran "appears to be 

on the verge of shocking the world". 

Rohani's campaign was endorsed 

by pragmatic former president Akbar 

Hashemi Rafsanjani after the latter 

was barred from running by a state 

vetting body. 

Rouhani received another big lift 

when the section led by ex-president 

Mohammad Khatami swung behind 

him after their own lacklustre candidate 

Mohammad Reza Aref withdrew. 

Rouhani came to prominence as 

Iran's nuclear negotiator in talks 

with Britain, France and Germany 

between 2003 and 2005. 

He left the post when Ahmadinejad 

came to ofice in 2005. — Reuters 

Khamenei 

congratulates 

president-elect 

TEHRAN — Iran's supreme 

leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 

yesterday congratulated cleric 

Hassan Rouhani on winning the 

presidential election, the website 

leader.ir reported. 

"Congratulations to the people 

and to president-elect Hojatoleslam 

Hassan Rouhani," Khamenei's 

Internet site said. 

"I urge everyone to help the 

president-elect and his colleagues 

in the government, as 

he is the president of the whole 

nation," he added. 

The website said the turnout 

"shows a growing political 

maturity" that "has invalidated 

exaggerations made by envious 

enemies" of the Islamic republic. 

Minister Mohammad Mostafa 

Najjar said Rouhani won outright 

with 18.6 million votes, or 50.68 

per cent. 

He said 36.7 million people 

— 72.7 per cent of the electorate 

— had voted on Friday out of an 

eligible 50.5 million. — AFP 

Rouhani secures just over 50 per cent of the 

ballot based on a 72 per cent turnout of 50 

million eligible voters 

Celebratory crowds assemble near Rohani’s 

headquarters in downtown Tehran 

New leader pledges to promote a policy of 

“constructive interaction with the world” and 

to enact a domestic “civil rights charter” 

Iranians celebrate the victory of presidential candidate Hassan Rowhani in downtown Tehran yesterday. — AFP 

Nations hail Rouhani victory 

PARIS — France yesterday acknowledged the election 

of Hassan Rouhani as Iran’s new president, saying it was 

“ready to work” with him on issues ranging from Tehran’s 

nuclear drive to the Syria conlict. 

“The expectations of the international community 

with regard to Iran are signiicant, especially about 

its nuclear programme and its involvement in Syria, “ 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement. 

“We are ready to work on them with the new president,” 

he added as he praised the “Iranian people’s resolute 

desire for democracy”. 

Britain called on Hassan Rouhani to take Iran on a 

'different course' following his victory in the country's 

presidential election. 

"The Foreign Ofice notes the announcement of 

Hassan Rowhani's electoral victory," said an FCO statement. 

"We call on him to use the opportunity to set Iran on 

a different course for the future," added a spokesman for 

the ministry. 

The FCO highlighted international concerns about 

Iran's nuclear programme, its relationship with the international 

community and its human rights policy as 

areas where improvement was required. 

talian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said Italy hoped 

to launch a “relationship of renewed comprehension and 

constructive dialogue” with Iran after the election of its 

new president. 

“Italy trusts that, with the new government of Iranian 

President (Hassan) Rowhani, it will be possible to work 

at developing bilateral relations and begin without delay 

a season of renewed comprehension and constructive 

dialogue between Iran and the international community,” 

she said in a statement. 

Bonino said she noted “with pleasure the proper 

carrying out of the presidential election in Iran.” 

— Agencies 

People celebrate along Valiasr street, in the capital Tehran, yesterday, after Hassan Rouhani was elected 

as president. — AFP


Attacks shake country 

12 women students dead in bus blast; survivors targeted 

again in hospital; Historic building gutted in Baluchistan 

A ireighter extinguishes a blaze which gutted a historical building in Ziarat. — AFP 

QUETTA — Insurgents in western 

Pakistan bombed a bus carrying 

women university students yesterday 

and then seized part of the 

hospital where survivors of the attack 

were taken, killing at least 12 

people, oficials said. 

At least 19 were injured. 

The gunmen in Quetta, the capi- 

tal of Baluchistan province long 

plagued by sectarian violence, were 

holed up in the emergency ward of 

a hospital, engulfed in a ireight 

pitting insurgents against the security 

forces. 

Television footage showed security 

forces surrounding the Bolan 

Medical Complex and a helicopter 

hovering overhead. 

The attack in Baluchistan was 

Pakistan's most lethal since the 

government of Prime Minister Nawaz 

Sharif took ofice last week. 

The initial blast gutted the bus, 

killing 11 students, and another 

explosion went off soon after at the 

hospital, the city's largest. Televi- 

sion footage showed people leeing 

the building in panic. 

A senior local government of- 

icial was killed in the hospital attack, 

the state television network 

reported. 

Earlier, city police chief Mir 

Zubair Mehmood told reporters 

that the students on the bus were 

from various ethnic groups, including 

the Hazara minority that has 

been the target of a series of bombings 

this year. 

Yesterday's attack was the biggest 

since bombings in the city at 

the start of the year killed almost 

200 people, briely drawing global 

attention to a growing campaign of 

victimisation of the Hazaras by insurgents. 

It was not immediately clear 

who was responsible for the attack, 

or whether it was aimed at the 

Hazaras. 

The 500,000-strong community 

in Quetta has been subjected to an 

escalating campaign of shootings 

and bombings by various armed 

groups. 

Earlier in the day, suspected 

separatists killed a policeman and 

gutted an historic summer retreat 

used by Pakistan's founder Muhammad 

Ali Jinnah in a hill town in 

the province, days after a new government 

vowed to end a guerrilla 

war there. 

Baluchistan, with large copper 

and gold deposits, is a vast province 

bordering Iran and Afghanistan. 

As well as sectarian violence, 

it has suffered a long-running 

armed independence movement, 

and what rights groups call a campaign 

of forced disappearances by 

security forces. — Reuters 

New security policy soon 

ISLAMABAD — As Pakistan continues to grapple with a 

complex security landscape and unprecedented challenges 

to peace and stability, the federal government announced 

plans to devise a comprehensive national security policy 

the irst of its kind in the country. 

Oficials privy to the development here say the new 

policy will address all security challenges the country has 

been facing since 9/11. 

Despite the heavy toll exacted by terrorism and the vulnerable 

state of law and order in the country, no comprehensive 

security plan has been put in place. — Internews 

Drones chapter 

must be 

closed: Sharif 

ISLAMABAD — Speaking 

at his irst cabinet meeting, 

new Pakistani Prime 

Minister Nawaz Sharif said 

“the dual policy of issuing 

public statements against 

drone attacks while [secretly] 

giving the go ahead 

to the US to carry on with 

the strikes will not be allowed 

under our rule. The 

US government will have 

to respect the sovereignty 

and territorial integrity of 

Pakistan.” 

He was referring to 

WikiLeaks disclosure and 

President Pervez Musharraf’s 

admission in April 

that he allowed “selective” 

drone strikes in 2004. 

Sharif’s reaction came after 

the US launched a drone attack 

within two days of his 

taking power. 

Speaking during his irst 

address on June 5 at the 

National Assembly, Sharif 

said “this [drones] chapter 

shall now be closed.” 

Furious at the US drone 

attack, the Foreign Ofice 

summoned the American 

Charge d’Affaires where 

Tariq Fatemi, Sharif’s trusted 

plain-speaking former 

ambassador, now serving 

as his Special Assistant, 

met the Charge” and delivered 

a demarche. 

Drones are a violation of 

Pakistan’s sovereignty and 

“have a negative impact on 

the mutual desire of both 

the countries to forge a 

cordial and co-operative 

relationship,” read a statement 

after the meeting. 

Mountaineering 

season begins 

ISLAMABAD — The climbing 

season has already 

started in Pakistan with 

mountaineers attempting 

not just the 8,000 metres 

plus peaks but also those 

seldom summated to set 

new records. 

Austrian, French, British 

and Italian mountaineers 

started arriving in 

the country a week ago 

and some of them are on 

their way to try new challenges 

in the Karakorum 

Range. — Internews 

PAKISTAN 

7 

Looking for car, flat and furniture? 

Check out the Observer classified 

pages. It’s where buyers meet sellers.

8 

Ali al Matani 

ali.matani@hotmail.com 

Promising future 

ESTABLISHING Public Authority for Development of Small and Medium 

Enterprises, thanks to the Royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos 

was the culmination of the efforts being made for supporting and developing 

the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Oman and the increasing 

attention attached to this vital sector. 

This decision to establish a public authority for SMEs is a response to the 

demands by Omanis to form an umbrella under which the national SMEs from 

all sectors can have the required safety, care and attention. 

Perhaps the most important result of this great step the government has 

taken is opening a window of opportunity for Omani job-seekers to change 

their minds regarding seeking secure public sector jobs and depending on 

monthly salaries and wages to explore more proitable sources of income 

through rolling up sleeves and doing more to have their own business and realise 

their dreams. 

Another merit of establishing a public authority is changing the dominant 

culture of society to a more modern one; where entrepreneurship is the most 

secure way and path to have our youth realising their dreams. By providing 

regulations for the protection from unfair competition and logistic support 

and technical support to the SMEs, the public authority is matching what is 

going in most advanced countries that don’t spare effort to protect and support 

the youth. 

The decision in itself relects very important facts and can be considered a 

big leap forward to secure more attention and to showcase new vision to enhance 

the SMEs in Oman because they represent about 90 per cent of economic 

projects and enterprises, to fulill the aspiration of our society and pump 

new blood in commercial and trade businesses the Sultanate. 

It seems that the public authority's terms of reference, aims and responsibilities 

will be a turning point of managing the SMEs in Oman; more interest 

to this wide sector of our national economy will be given; more categories 

will beneit; more job opportunities will be generated; deepening the culture 

of entrepreneurship; enhancing the role of national establishments and institutions 

in generating more jobs for nationals; increasing the competitiveness 

of the existing projects; supporting innovation; adopting modern technologies 

and contributing to the diversiication of our national economy. 

The public authority, based on its terms of reference, shall build an integrated 

electronic data system that will be supported by a call centre to make 

detailed and suficient data that are required for the SMEs available to the 

youth to start their own projects and initiatives. Also, the authority shall keep 

and develop a special record for the existing SMEs, to include data about their 

size, commercial activity and labour. 

According to the aims for which the authority has been established, business 

incubators and centres for the SMEs will be established in all governorates 

of the Sultanate. Specialised centres for upgrading and developing the 

competitiveness of the SMEs, developing products and services to match the 

highest world standards will be established. This, in turn, will pave the way to 

have organised Knowledge-based management of the SMEs in Oman. 

Moreover, the authority, based on priorities that have been set up will conduct 

training and rehabilitation courses and workshops to the entrepreneurs 

and the managing directors of the SMEs to provide them with the essential 

and the cant-do-without skills to operate and manage their projects and 

enterprises according to the most recent and advanced global practices; as 

well as drawing the required and necessary mechanism, in collaboration 

with the Tender Board, to secure a share of tenders loated and contracts of 

purchasing to the SMEs, in a way that doesn’t violate the regulations and laws 

in place. 

The authority will co-ordinate with the Central Bank of Oman to ensure 

smooth overlow of credit facilitations and inancial support to the SMEs. Now, 

it is the turn of the Omani youth to take advantage of this great opportunity 

and don’t spare effort to make their dreams become reality. 

WHEN the heads of the 

World Bank and the United 

Nations lew into the 

violence-wracked African city of 

Goma on a cloudy day last month, 

it was the irst time the giants of international 

development had joined 

forces in the struggle to help the 

world's most fragile regions. 

World Bank President Jim Yong 

Kim and UN Secretary-General Ban 

Ki-Moon travelled to three countries 

in the Great Lakes region in East Africa 

to cement a new partnership, 

tying $1 billion in bank money to 

the UN peacekeeping efforts in the 

region. 

They announced the funding in 

Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic 

Republic of Congo (DRC), even 

as mortar shells were falling in the 

country's eastern edge in Goma. But 

the men, both born in South Korea, 

pledged to continue their trip. 

"We're going there because our 

belief is that peace, security and 

economic development are intertwined," 

Kim said in Kinshasa. 

"We're going with a very speciic 

purpose in mind: there must be a 

peace dividend." 

The organisations admit the effort 

to work together faces hurdles. 

ANALYSIS 

Both have vast, unwieldy bureaucracies 

that have historically competed 

with each other, and the bank 

had been wary of loaning to fragile 

states with shaky governments and 

murky institutions. 

Further, development analysts 

warn that no one has yet igured 

out a sureire way to bring lasting 

development to countries caught in 

cycles of violence. 

Grillo facing showdown 

BEPPE Grillo, the iery comic 

whose populist 5-Star 

Movement stunned Italy by 

winning a quarter of the votes in 

February's election, is facing his 

biggest test since the vote with 

rebellion brewing among his novice 

lawmakers. 

Publicly blamed by one of his 

own senators for the party's poor 

showing in local elections earlier 

this week, in which it won only 

two towns out of more than 500, 

Grillo faces the threat of a mutiny 

that could blow the party apart. 

Though there is no clear sign 

of any organised revolt within the 

anti-establishment movement, as 

many as 30 parliamentarians are 

said to be ready to quit the party 

for various reasons. 

Some have balked at being 

asked to hand back daily parliamentary 

allowances as part of the 

movement's rejection of political 

privilege. 

Others chafe at Grillo's deep 

intolerance of dissent in a grassroots 

movement where everyone 

is supposed to have a say. 

A vote tomorrow on whether 

to expel dissident senator Adele 

Gamabaro, who said the leader's 

bullying style was to blame for 

the local election debacle, could 

test whether the 5-Star Movement 

can survive or will fade 

away like a host of other shortlived 

protest parties. 

"What has emerged is his 

limits as a leader. Any politician 

But with half the world's poorest 

people set to live in conlict-torn regions 

by 2018, the institutions can 

ill afford to do nothing, the World 

Bank and analysts say. 

The organisations have already 

co-operated in some countries including 

Liberia and Bosnia. They 

even signed a framework agreement 

in 2008, vowing to work together in 

nations experiencing crises or just 

knows that managing things in 

such an absolutist, authoritarian 

manner is impossible," said Leonardo 

Morlino, a professor of political 

science at LUISS university 

in Rome. 

Grillo's success was built in 

equal measure on his own charisma 

and skill in articulating boiling 

frustration at a discredited 

elite, and on widespread public 

hopes for a new way of doing politics 

built on youthful energy and 

the power of the Internet. 

Few campaigners could match 

his drive and showbusiness lair 

as he toured up and down Italy 

in a camper van before the election, 

drawing tens of thousands 

to town square rallies where he 

blasted a corrupt and bloated 

elite. His popular blog attracts 

thousands of comments from 

young people sick of being shut 

out of decisions and turned off 

by a television system divided between 

Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset 

empire and state broadcasting 

carved up between the main 

political parties. 

"This conception of participatory 

democracy with a leader like 

Grillo is perhaps the single biggest 

contradiction in the 5-Star 

Movement and it's what's coming 

out now," Morlino said. 

"How it plays out is still completely 

open. Grillo is an intelligent 

person and he may understand 

what's happening and 

adapt. But he may not." 

Few predict the 5-Star Movement 

will disappear as long as 

Italy remains stuck with the corruption, 

unemployment and political 

stalemate that fuel its protests, 

but opinion polls show its 

support has slipped steadily since 

the election. 

The latest survey by the SWG 

polling institute put it on 17.9 

per cent, down two points from 

a week earlier and in third place 

behind the centre-left Democratic 

Party (PD) and Berlusconi's People 

of Freedom (PDL) party. 

Theories about why the movement 

has hit trouble mostly trace 

the problem back to Grillo's refusal 

to accept an accord with 

the centre-left after the February 

election, which left no party 

with a majority of its own in 

parliament. His ixed belief that 

the PD was no different from the 

PDL ended up handing a share 

of power to Berlusconi, to the 

dismay of many supporters for 

whom the media billionaire and 

former prime minister is the culmination 

of all that is wrong with 

the system. 

"The 5-Star Movement is full 

of contradictions," said Roberto 

D'Alimonte, one of Italy's best 

known political analysts. "It chose 

not to go into government and 

enact some of its policies when 

it could have. It said it wanted to 

get rid of Berlusconi and it had a 

chance to do it — and it didn't." 

Two lawmakers have already 

walked out protesting against 

Grillo's domineering style, though 

other party members say disputes 

over allowances were the 

A vote to expel 

dissident 

senator, who 

blamed Grillo’s 

style for local 

election debacle, 

could test the 

party’s future in 

Italian politics, 

writes James 

Mackenzie 

real cause. A third was thrown 

out for defying orders not to take 

part in TV talk shows. 

With growing talk that the 

movement risks fragmenting in 

dissent and recrimination, Grillo 

urged supporters last Thursday 

to make their voice heard, saying 

the explosion of rage that had led 

to the triumph in February appeared 

to have weakened. 

"I have only one voice and it's 

grown hoarse after hundreds of 

meetings," he wrote on his blog 

last week. "The media, the mouthpiece 

of the System, has attacked 

the Movement with unheard-of 

violence," he said. "Make your 

voice heard or Italy will be lost." 

But the weeks of wrangling 

have worn away at disillusioned 

supporters. 

"I can't take these discussions 

any more, parliamentarians saying 

anything they like, Beppe 

threatening to smash everything, 

arguments between ultra-loyalists 

and provocateurs," wrote 

Sandro Campanelli, a commentator 

on Grillo's blog. 

"We're making a shameful 

spectacle of ourselves." 

Meanwhile, centre-left, boosted 

by success at local elections, 

has clawed its way back up the 

popularity polls to overtake Berlusconi’s 

right. The Democratic 

Party (PD) won support from 

28.1 per cent of people polled on 

their voting intentions — a rise of 

three points over a week — while 

Berlusconi’s People of Freedom 

party dropped to 26 per cent. 

World joins hands in conflict zones but faces hurdles 

Both the UN and the World Bank 

have vast, unwieldy bureaucracies 

that have historically competed 

with each other, and the WB has 

been wary of loaning to fragile 

states, writes Anna Yukhananov 

Beppe Grillo faces the threat of a mutiny that could blow the party apart. 

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon with World Bank Group President 

Jim Yong Kim in Yokohama. — AFP 


emerging from them. 

But other efforts have izzled, or 

been limited to one-off attempts in 

speciic countries or situations, analysts 

say. "There wasn't any kind of 

systematic, organisational way for 

the two institutions to work together," 

said Steven Radelet, a professor 

at Georgetown University. "Sometimes 

it has worked well, and sometimes 

there have been big gaps." 

The United Nations and World 

Bank often have similar goals. But 

their approaches diverge and they 

use different vocabularies, with the 

bank focused on economics and the 

United Nations steeped in notions of 

security and human development. 

Even on the trip to the Great 

Lakes, logistics oficers grew frustrated 

trying to familiarise themselves 

with each other's protocols. 

Competition over who gets credit 

for programmes also has stymied 

efforts at co-operation. 

Aid agencies tend to jump in 

to help countries, duplicating efforts 

and complicating matters for 

governments that have limited capacity 

to deal with so many organisations, 

said Laurence Chandy, a 

fellow at the Brookings Institution 

think tank.


Why World Cup cannot save Brazil's tourism industry? 

The land of carnival 

ranks behind others 

in the western 

hemisphere but 

Venezuela in foreign 

tourists per capita, 

reports Brad Haynes 

FOR soccer fans locking to Confederations Cup matches 

in Brazil's tropical northeast this week, getting tickets 

to the stadium should be simple — but two in three will 

not ind accommodations in the host city Recife. 

Oficials are sending visitors as far as 120 km inland to 

spend the night, a detour on par with staying in Philadelphia 

for a New York Knicks game. 

The tournament which started yesterday, a dress rehearsal 

for the 2014 World Cup, will lay bare for visitors what may 

surprise many: despite gorgeous beaches, a tempting climate 

and legendary hospitality, Brazil's tourism industry pales next 

to its neighbours. The country takes up half the South American 

continent but receives just a ifth of its international visits. 

The land of Carnival and beach cocktails ranks behind 

everywhere in the western hemisphere but Venezuela in foreign 

tourists per capita. To be sure, it is exceedingly dificult to 

ind someone who regrets a vacation in Brazil. The country's 

growing middle class has also provided enough domestic demand 

to make its tourism industry the world's sixth largest. 

As with much of the Brazilian economy, a captive local 

market seems to have made things too easy for the sector, 

pushing up prices, sapping competitiveness and contributing 

to a troubling foreign deicit. 

Foreigners' spending in Brazil has scarcely kept pace with 

inlation over the past ive years, while Brazilians themselves 

have increasingly passed up domestic travel for trips to Miami 

and Lisbon. The dollar's recent weakness has stoked the 

trend, resulting in a tourism deicit of $15.6 billion last year 

and adding to a record current account gap. 

FOR his irst oficial visit to Berlin as US 

President, Barack Obama has set aside 25 

hours and 40 minutes — more time than 

any of his recent predecessors. 

But Obama has waited far longer than the 

last few presidents to visit Germany. He will inally 

set foot in Berlin on Tuesday, after nearly 

four and a half years in ofice. Obama's working 

visit was conirmed only in May, but has been in 

the making for several months. 

He will ly in from Northern Ireland on Tuesday 

after attending the G8 summit there, with 

Air Force One due to land at Tegel airport shortly 

before 8 pm (1800 GMT). 

Accompanied by his wife Michelle and 

daughters Malia and Sasha, Obama will spend 

the night in the presidential suite of the Ritz 

Carlton Hotel at Potsdamer Platz. 

Obama's oficial duties begin on Wednesday, 

when German President Joachim Gauck will 

welcome him with full military honours at Bellevue 

Palace, his oficial residence. 

After talks and a press conference, Obama 

will have a private lunch with Chancellor Angela 

Merkel. Later, he will give a speech to 4,000 

invited guests in front of Berlin's landmark 

Brandenburg Gate. 

Obama will then meet with chief opposition 

politician Peer Steinbrueck, the Social Democratic 

Party candidate for chancellor, before 

heading to an evening dinner in Charlottenburg 

Palace, the largest in Berlin. 

The Hohenzollern-era royal residence is a 

short drive from Tegel airport, where Air Force 

One will be waiting to ly the First Family back 

to Washington overnight. 

Many Germans observers have been surprised 

that it has taken Obama so long to visit 

Germany as president. Obama was warmly received 

in Berlin in July 2008 when he was running 

in the primaries for the presidential nomination 

of the Democratic Party. 

At the time, Obama wanted to give a speech 

at the Brandenburg Gate, but Merkel opposed 

this as he was not then a head of state. 

Obama spoke instead to a crowd of 200,000 

How has Brazil — blessed with 7,500 km of sunny coastline, 

the fame of Rio de Janeiro and the wonders of the Amazon 

— managed to blow such an open shot on goal? 

A foreign fan heading to a soccer match in Brazil this week 

may ind one of the answers right away — at the hotel counter. 

Even in Recife's more expensive hotels, introducing oneself 

in English can prompt blank stares and embarrassed 

grins. In one case, the concierge at a hotel — Fifa-certiied accommodation 

for the World Cup — went silent after such an 

introduction. "Hello, my name is?" he then asked, furrowing 

his brow. 

Due to Brazil's size, isolation and uneven education, most 

residents have little or no contact with a second language. 

Brazil's English proiciency ranked in the bottom 15 per 

cent of a global study by teaching company Education First. 

Resorts, restaurants and tourism outits therefore pay — and 

charge — a hefty premium for bilingual service. 

"If you can afford English lessons, you're not going to work 

the front desk of a hotel," said Gunde Schneider, a Brazilian of 

German descent with a bed-and-breakfast in nearby Gravata. 

"More likely, you're the owner of the hotel." 

For the American fan in Recife, however, a misunderstanding 

at the front desk will be just one in a string of frustrations. 

The hassle starts before setting foot in Brazil, with a visa process 

that gives a taste of the country's notorious bureaucracy. 

Neighbouring countries from Argentina to Bolivia also 

have "reciprocity fees" paid at the airport in the name of parity 

with US visa costs. Brazil takes it a step further, requiring 

Americans to apply at a consulate and wait a week or more 

A police oficer stands guard in front of the Brandenburg Gate where Barack Obama will give a speech during his visit in Berlin. — Reuters 

In and out of Berlin in 26 hours 

Barack Obama has 

waited far longer than 

the last few presidents 

to visit Germany and he 

will inally set foot in 

Berlin on Tuesday, after 

nearly four and half 

years in ofice, writes 

Cristoph Sator 

at the Victory Column in the central Tiergarten 

park. Yet as president, Obama appeared to have 

put Germany, a key US ally, on the back burner. 

He did not visit the country at all during his irst 

term in ofice, something every president back 

to John F Kennedy had done. 

He even stayed away from the festivities in 

2009 marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of 

the Berlin Wall. 

Obama will be coming to Berlin almost exactly 

50 years after Kennedy gave his historic 

"Ich bin ein Berliner" speech on June 26, 1963, 

in the city then divided by the Cold War. 

But analysts are expecting substance, rather 

than symbolism, from the president. 

The Brandenburg Gate speech will be closely 

watched for Obama's thinking about such major 

current issues as the events in Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan 

and Iran, as well as the scandal over 

American monitoring of e-mails and plans for a 

free-trade zone between the EU and the US. 

During the visit, Berlin will be under what is 

categorised as "1+" security, the highest level. 

It means 3,000 to 4,000 police on duty, in addition 

to the Secret Service guards travelling with 

the president, who will be driven around in his 

armoured Cadillac limousine nicknamed "The 

Beast." 

For German politics, the issue in this election 

year — there are less than 100 days to go 

before national polls — is who may beneit the 

most from Obama's visit. 

Everybody would like to be seen in the company 

of the man who has been Germans' favourite 

politician the past few years. 

In this regard, Merkel, as chancellor, is seen 

to have the advantage. She'll have the joint 

appearances — and great photo opportunities 

— in the chancellery building and at the 

Brandenburg Gate. On the other hand, Obama's 

Democratic Party is ideologically closer to the 

SPD than to Merkel's Christian Democrats. 

And it's questionable whether German voters 

on September 22 are going to make their 

decision based on which person — Merkel or 

Steinbrueck — gets along better with Obama. 

for an entrance visa, mimicking the burden on Brazilians. The 

cost: at least $160. 

An easy light to Recife will also be tough to ind, due to a 

legacy of barriers to foreign airlines. Of over 100 nations that 

have signed an open skies agreement with the United States, 

Brazil is one of a handful that have not put it into practice. 

As a result, lights funnel into Sao Paulo and Rio, where airports 

are packed beyond capacity. Foreign visitors to Brazil's 

northeast can often watch their inal destinations through the 

window as they ly south to catch connecting lights from the 

major hubs — a six-hour round trip. 

When a fan lands in Recife, the journey is still far from 

over. The wait in the cab line should last at least half an hour 

thanks to the monopoly of the airport taxi co-operative — one 

of countless barriers to competition driving up prices. 

The World Economic Forum also blames Brazilian policies 

discouraging foreign investment in land, airlines and tourism 

services for the lack of affordable offerings. 

Brazilians are quicker to blame the state of the tourism industry 

on a tarnished reputation from the 1990s, when a chaotic 

economy and rampant gang violence deterred visitors, 

shuttering one in ive of Recife's hotels. 

In a public survey at the 2010 World Cup, Brazil's tourism 

ministry found safety concerns were the overwhelming reason 

tourists gave for why they would not visit Brazil in 2014 

— this coming from soccer fans in South Africa. 

Brazilian oficials say the tournament will refresh that 

reputation, just as it gave South Africans a chance to turn the 

page on their fraught political history. 

Linking the oceans 

By Denis Duettmann 

ANALYSIS 

THE bitterly poor Central American country of Nicaragua aims to bring 

huge revenues into state coffers by building a $40 billion waterway to 

compete with the Panama Canal. 

The government in Managua has already awarded a contract for the plan 

to link the Atlantic and Paciic Oceans to a Hong Kong consortium called the 

HKND Group. Parliament has approved the deal, after President Daniel Ortega 

hurried the necessary legislation along at lightning speed. 

With construction to begin in the coming year, Nicaragua is hoping for a 

quick economic upturn from the envisioned 300 km long canal. Nicaraguan 

Cabinet Minister Paul Oquist promised 15 per cent annual economic growth 

as early as 2015, local newspaper La Prensa reported. 

In addition to the canal, a rail line, an oil pipeline, two ports and an airport 

are in the plans. HKND Group is to control 49 per cent of the venture, while 

the Nicaraguan state takes a 51 per cent stake. 

HKND spokesman Ronal MacLean-Abaroa said the second shipping channel 

through Central America "has the potential to open up new and cost-eficient 

routes for the shipment of commodities." 

Even after the completion of its current expansion project, the Panama 

Canal would not be wide enough for major ships within a decade, MacLean- 

Abaroa argued, citing "a substantial demand for a new, state-of-the-art waterway 

that would complement the Panama Canal to service a leet of the world's 

largest ships." 

Critics, though, say the Nicaraguan government rushed into the deal. 

The government, led by Ortega's FSLN party, is accused of neglecting to negotiate 

with Caribbean coastal indigenous communities over a project slated 

to pass through their territories. 

"The communities are the owners of the land — they haven't even been informed 

yet," lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera said. 

A contract provision that allows the foreign consortium to run the canal for 

100 years has drawn special ire from Nicaragua's political opposition. 

Parliamentarian Wilfredo Navarro of the Liberal Alliance Party said that it 

was still unclear who the actual backers of the HKND Group were, while the 

opposition Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) party accused Ortega's 

family of directly beneiting from the deal at the country's expense. 

"The (presidential family) Ortega Murrillo proposes a law that aims to give 

up the sovereignty of Nicaragua," the MRS said in a statement. 

The chairman and chief executive of the HKND Group is Chinese national 

Wang Jing, whose telecommunications irm Xinwei won a mobile communications 

concession last year for Nicaragua. Little has progressed since on the 

mobile communications concession, prompting opposition politician Eliseo 

Nunez to remark that "if they haven't even built a mobile telephone company 

yet, they certainly can't build a canal." 

Environmentalists voice particular concern that all the potential routes 

currently under discussion pass through Lake Nicaragua, the region's most 

important fresh-water reservoir. 

"In building the canal, the protected areas and the reservoir have to be taken 

into consideration," said Kamilo Lara of the environmental organisation the 

National Forum for Recycling. 

But Centro Humboldt Environmental Group Deputy Director Victor Campos 

said the project will jeopardise the watershed that supplies water to most 

of the country’s population when it transits through Lake Nicaragua. 

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega (L) with Wang Jing, President of 

HKND during the signing of agreement in Managua. — AFP 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these pages are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the opinion of the Observer. 

9

10 

INDIA 

Pedestrians ride on scooters during a rain storm in Allahabad yesterday. The weather department has forecast that the country will receive normal 

rains this year, raising prospects of a stronger performance by Asia's third-largest economy. — AFP 

Mixed response to 

Telangana bandh 

Student ends life for the cause 

HYDERABAD — Barring minor incidents, 

the day-long Telangana shutdown 

called by Telangana Rashtra 

Samithi (TRS) to condemn arrests 

on Friday evoked partial response 

and ended peacefully in the region 

yesterday while a student committed 

suicide here. 

Normal life was affected in ive 

districts of the Telangana region but 

there was not much impact in other 

districts including Hyderabad. 

Educational institutions were 

closed across the region, which comprises 

10 districts. Shops and businesses 

were shut in several parts of 

Warangal, Medak, Mahabubnagar, Karimnagar 

and Nizamabad districts. 

Two buses of the state-owned 

Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport 

Corp (APSRTC) were set on ire 

by protesters in Mahabubnagar district 

and few other buses were damaged 

in stone pelting. 

RTC services were badly hit in the 

region. Its city services in the twin cities 

of Hyderabad and Secunderabad 

plied as usual but most buses leaving 

for Telangana districts were cancelled 

due to lack of passengers. 

The services were restored only in 

the evening. Police arrested several 

TRS leaders and activists at various 

places when they staged sit-in outside 

the RTC depots, tried to force 

shops to shut and blocked roads. 

TRS legislator Harish Rao and his 

supporters were arrested at Siddipet 

in Medak district. Some legislators and 

leaders were put under house arrest 

In Hyderabad, shops were closed 

in a few areas while most schools and 

colleges remained closed. 

Tension prevailed at Vidyut Soudha, 

the head ofice of power transmission 

corporation, as police arrested 

Telangana Joint Action Committee 


Absconding conman says marital discord ruined his business 

By Ashraf Padanna 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Absconding 

fraudster Biju Radhakrishnan had 

met Kerala Chief Minister Oommen 

Chandy during the Emerging Kerala 

investors' meet held in September 

and the meeting, arranged by a lawmaker 

close to him, lasted for an hour. 

"Yes, I arranged the meeting as it 

was a marital discord allegedly involving 

(former minister and actor) K B 

Ganesh Kumar. The woman also called 

me and I told her I had no business in 

it," said M I Shahnavas, the Congress 

Party MP from Wayanad. 

Ganesh resigned as the minister 

for sports, forest and cinema in April 

after his wife Dr Yamini Thankachi 

raised charges of extramarital relationships 

and domestic violence. The 

couple later moved a mutual divorce 

petition which is now in court. 

Radhakrishnan, 38, who went into 

hiding after the arrest of his estranged 

second wife Saritha S Nair in a cheating 

case on June 3, had earlier claimed 

that it was the marital discord over his 

(JAC) chairman M Kodandaram, TRS 

leader K Tarakarama Rao, Bharatiya 

Janata Party (BJP) leader N Janardhana 

Reddy and others when they 

reached there to support the protest 

by the employees. 

BJP state chief G Kishan Reddy and 

others staged a protest at the busy 

RTC Cross Roads to condemn the government's 

crackdown on Friday. 

The Communist Party of India 

(CPI) took out a rally to condemn Friday's 

police attack on its ofice. 

CPI state secretary K Narayana told 

reporters that Police Commissioner 

Anurag Sharma had apologised over 

the incident. Hundreds were arrested 

in Hyderabad and other parts of 

Telangana on Friday. 

Osmania University was tense as 

a student committed suicide for the 

sake of separate Telangana state. 

Apparently frustrated by the delay 

in the formation of a separate 

state, Bandaru Srinivas, an engineering 

student, ended his life. He was 

found hanging from a tree opposite 

the library on the Osmania University 

campus. He hailed from Mahabubnagar 

district of Telangana region. 

Srinivas is the third student to end 

his life on the campus. 

Meanwhile, TRS has made it clear 

that nothing short of a separate state 

of Telangana is acceptable to it. 

Party legislator Tarakarama Rao 

said people of the region would not 

accept any alternative to a separate 

state. Leaders of the Congress party 

from Telangana region held a meeting 

to chalk out their future course of 

action. 

The state ministers, MPs and other 

leaders held a meeting as the arrests 

of hundreds of Telangana activists 

have mounted pressure on the Congress 

leaders. — IANS 

partner's illicit relations with Ganesh 

which ruined his business. 

"I met the chief minister at the 

Ernakulam Government Guesthouse, 

Kochi, to discuss this. I wanted to 

avoid the split and save my business," 

he told Asianet News television channel 

from his hideout in the neighbouring 

Tamil Nadu state yesterday. "But 

he had no role in my business deals". 

He claimed that she enjoyed a good 

rapport with many politicians, including 

ministers and personal staff of 

the chief minister, and he warned the 

CM's personal assistant Tenny Joppan, 

now under suspension, against 

late night calls on her mobile. 

"Their relations continued despite 

the CM's counsel and he used to 

make 7-8 calls a day. Our relationship 

reached a point of no return when 

I came to know that the two had 

checked into a hotel in Coimbatore 

and stayed in adjacent rooms. We 

iled a mutual petition for partition," 

he said. 

Federal Minister K C Venugopal 

said the woman had contacted him 

twice to invite the group's solar panel 

Boeing 787s to replace 

Air India's A-330 leet 

NEW DELHI — National carrier Air 

India plans to replace its Airbus 

A-330s with with its newly-acquired 

Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on 

many international routes, which 

will help the company save on fuel. 

The airline has successfully replaced 

the fuel guzzling Boeing 

777s with B-787s on some international 

routes and is now planning to 

operate the Dreamliners on A-330 

destinations. 

NEW DELHI — Petrol prices go 

up by Rs 2 a litre, excluding taxes, 

from last midnight due to the depreciating 

rupee and hardening of 

international prices. 

Taking into account local sales 

tax or value added tax (VAT), the 

effective price for consumers will 

work out to Rs 66.39 in Delhi, 

Rs 73.79 in Kolkata, Rs 74.60 in 

Biju, accused in a series of inancial 

frauds since 2005, had hour-long 

meeting with Chandy in Kochi 

business when he was in charge of 

renewable energy sources and he 

returned a call came on his mobile 

phone registered in Kerala. 

Following his disclosure, Director- 

General of Police (DGP) K S Balasubrahmaniam 

called a meeting of the 

top brass of the police and formed a 

team of six deputy superintendents of 

police (DySP) to launch a manhunt for 

the fugitive. 

Ganesh refutes charges: Addressing 

a joint press conference in Kottarakkara 

with his father R Balakrishna 

Pillai in the evening, Ganesh Kumar 

said he had gone to Coimbatore only 

once when he was minister and it 

was on an invitation from a reporter 

of Asianet to attend a function organised 

by the Nair Service Society (NSS). 

"We are planning to eventually 

replace the A-330s with the 787s. 

The plans will be initiated by next 

year when the lease of the A-330s 

runs out," a senior Air India oficial 

said. 

"We are hoping to beneit from 

fuel cost savings that the 787 provides 

us. Apart from that there is a 

buzz about 787s. The new technologies 

it uses that will help us attract 

more passengers." — IANS 

Mumbai and Rs 69.39 in Chennai. 

This is the second increase in 

petrol prices in this month. The 

fuel price was hiked by Rs 0.75 per 

litre June 1, 2013. In June 2010, 

the government had deregulated 

the price of petrol and announced 

that oil companies were free to ix 

it periodically. 

The country's largest oil mar- 

He admitted that he had installed 

a solar panel at his house in the city 

which was supplied by Team Solar India 

of the couple. He also released the 

copies of the invoice and the cheque 

issued against it. 

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy 

had on Friday removed two of his 

aides, Joppan and gunman Salim Raj, 

accused by the opposition of liaising 

with the women, accused of cheating 

millions of rupees offering solar panels 

and other business opportunities. 

The opposition, which is baying 

for the blood of the chief minister, is 

expected to turn up heat on Chandy 

when the Assembly resumes the monsoon 

session after the weekend break 

tomorrow. 

In a statement, Chief Minsiter's Of- 

Graft probe into 

Agusta Westland 

helicopter deal 

NEW DELHI — Investigators have 

launched a second corruption 

probe into defence irm AgustaWestland 

in connection with a deal to 

sell 197 army helicopters, authorities 

said yesterday, potentially dealing 

another blow to a company that 

India might blacklist. 

New Delhi is already investigating 

the irm, a division of Italian 

defence group Finmeccanica, for 

bribes allegedly paid to Indian oficials 

in a separate 560 million euro 

($747 million) helicopter deal. 

AgustaWestland has denied any 

wrongdoing and has tried to prod 

the Indian government to pay for 

three helicopters it has already delivered 

as part of the deal, after the 

government froze payments in February. 

"CBI has registered a preliminary 

inquiry," said a spokesperson for 

the Central Bureau of Investigation 

(CBI), an agency like the FBI in the 

United States. The spokesperson, 

who spoke on condition of anonymity, 

also said the inquiry was being 

carried out following a request from 

India's defence ministry. 

Finmeccanica declined to comment. 

A spokesman for AgustaWestland 

said the company had received 

no communication from Indian authorities 

concerning the probe. 

A source in the Indian defence 

ministry said that the latest case is 

in connection with allegations that 

a brigadier in the Indian army offered 

to swing the deal for the sale 

of 197 helicopters for a bribe of $5 

million. 

Petrol prices up by Rs 2 per litre 

keting irm, Indian Oil Corporation 

(IOC), said the prices had been revised 

upward due to the depreciation 

in the value of rupee and rise 

in international crude oil prices. 

"Since the last price change, 

the slide in rupee has continued. 

Further, international MS (motor 

spirit) prices have also hardened 

during this period. The combined 

impact of both these factors, has 

warranted the increase in MS prices," 

IOC said in a statement. 

Since, June 1, 2013, the dollarrupee 

exchange rate has deteriorated 

from Rs 55.32 per one US 

dollar to Rs 57.08 per one dollar. 

According to IOC, the deterioration 

in US dollar-rupee exchange 

rate has also resulted in increase 

in under-recovery on sensitive 

products. 

Currently, the three OMCs are 

suffering under-recovery in the 

tune of Rs 6.31 per litre on the sale 

of diesel, Rs 27.75 per litre on the 

retail price of kerosene and Rs 335 

per cylinder of LPG (liqueied petroleum 

gas). — IANS 

ice said there was no proposal from 

Team Solar presented at Emerging 

Kerala or considered by the Kerala 

State Industrial Development Corporation 

and he had not given a letter to 

the irm. 

A section of the media had reported 

that the fraudsters were using a 

letter purportedly written by him recommending 

the controversial irm. 

In cheating business since 2005: 

Saritha S Nair was arrested in a case 

of cheating Rs 4.05 million of a person 

promising him of a windmill in 

Tamil Nadu and she is still in judicial 

custody. There are more than a dozen 

similar cases for the duo to settle. The 

police registered her arrest in two 

more cases yesterday. 

On January 16, 2010, the couple, 

who were employees of a private 

inance irm, were arrested on the 

charge of defrauding businessmen, 

including a prominent builder, of millions 

of rupees by promising them 

quick loans from nationalised banks. 

In this case also, he defrauded his 

victims by posing as a consultant of 

the Asian Development Bank capable 

Those allegations irst surfaced 

in documents sent by Italian investigators 

to their Indian counterparts, 

the source said. The deal has been 

suspended without being awarded 

to any company. 

AgustaWestland expressed surprise 

at press reports of an inquiry 

given the tender was suspended 

and the company had not made the 

shortlist for the deal. 

Defence Minister A K Antony may 

blacklist AgustaWestland from doing 

business in the country, a decision 

that could help the government 

clean up its image after a series of 

corruption scandals spanning defence 

to telecommunications. 

Antony, who has a corruptionfree 

image that sets him apart from 

many politicians, is believed to favour 

blacklisting the irm. But he 

could be outvoted by cabinet colleagues 

who fret it could hamper 

defence purchases in the future, 

several government sources have 

said. 

Finmeccanica said in May that it 

did not expect India to blacklist either 

the group or AgustaWestland 

for the time being. 

Indian defence deals have been 

hit by a series of corruption allegations 

that have plagued sales 

agreements and hobbled efforts to 

beef up the armed forces, especially 

against perceived threats from 

neighbours China and Pakistan. 

India is the world's largest arms 

importer and has targeted a $100 

billion splurge on defence spending 

over 10 years. — Reuters 

33,000 sign petition 

for justice to acid 

attack victim 

NEW DELHI — More than 33,000 

people signed an online petition 

given to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila 

Dikshit yesterday seeking a Central 

Bureau of Investigation probe into 

the death of Preeti Rathi, victim of 

an acid attack in Mumbai. The petition 

was started by Preeti's father 

Amar Rathi on www.change.org. 

“We met Sheila Dixit yesterday. 

She promised us that she would 

forward our petition to the union 

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde 

and ask him to take immediate action 

on our demands," Amar Rathi, 

Preeti's father, said. 

Rathi, accompanied by his wife 

Roshini, delivered the petition to 

Sheila Dixit at her residence. 

Amar Singh Rathi is supported by 

a campaign led by acid attack survivors 

called ‘Stop Acid Attacks’. 

Roshini Rathi, Preeti’s mother 

said: "We have been running 

from door to door to get justice for 

Preeti and sadly the CBI investigation 

hasn’t started yet. I request all 

decision makers to ensure that my 

daughter gets justice." — IANS 

of inluencing bankers, civil servants 

and the then ruling front politicians. 

He took Rs 4.2 million from a builder 

offering to secure a loan of Rs 250 

million from a nationalised bank. 

The Crime Branch is also probing 

the death of his irst wife, Reshmi, in 

2005. He had then been running several 

ofices under different names in 

Kerala and Tamil Nadu offering his 

services as a “loan facilitator” and 

convincing his victims with forged 

documents. 

According to police records, he 

also defrauded two businessmen of 

Rs 3.7 million in 2005 by promising 

to sell them imported iron scrap, using 

forged shipping records and Customs 

documents. He was out on bail 

after being arrested on the charges of 

forgery, cheating, impersonation and 

conspiracy. 

In Tamil Nadu, cases were pending 

against the couple on the charges 

of defrauding three businessmen of 

several millions of rupees by promising 

them technical assistance and material 

for setting up wind turbines in 

Coimbatore.


Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi waves at party workers from the window of his party 

headquarters in Srinagar yesterday. Rahul held a brief closed door meeting with party leaders. — AFP 

IPL spot ixing: 

Bail hearing 

adjourned 

NEW DELHI — A court here yesterday 

deferred to July 17 the hearing 

on the bail pleas of suspended 

Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila 

and ive others, arrested in connection 

with IPL spot ixing scam. 

Additional Sessions Judge Ajay 

Kumar Jain adjourned the hearing 

after he was informed that the senior 

public prosecutor in the case 

was not present. The court asked 

the prosecutor to remain present 

tomorrow, when the bail pleas will 

be heard. 

Besides Chandila, other accused 

who moved bail pleas are bookies 

Ramesh Vyas, Ashwani Aggarwal, 

Deepak Kumar, Sunil Bhatia and ex- 

Ranji player Baburao Yadav. 

The Special Cell of Delhi Police, 

meanwhile, also iled their reply on 

bail plea of Vyas, saying he should 

not be granted relief as he was in 

direct contact with the underworld 

and was running the syndicate on 

their behest in south India. 

"Ramesh Vyas, whose arrest in 

this case had been effected on June 

8, and who has been remanded in 

judicial custody, has disclosed the 

role played by Ashwani Aggarwal as 

link between ixers, bookies, hawala 

operators of India and the syndicate 

member who are operating from 

Dubai and Pakistan," it said. 

Vyas was controlling the entire 

south India network and Ashwani 

was looking north India operations 

on behalf of maia dons Dawood 

Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel, it further 

added. 

The court on Friday directed 

police to ile reply on the bail application 

of Vyas, who moved the 

court seeking relief after being sent 

to judicial custody till June 18. On 

Friday, police opposed the bail plea 

of Chandila and others, telling the 

court that Chandila was a key conspirator 

in the entire case.— IANS 

INDIA 

11 

JD-U and BJP inching 

towards snapping ties 

PATNA/NEW DELHI - The rift in Bihar's 

ruling alliance sharpened yesterday 

with the BJP telling Chief Minister 

Nitish Kumar to quit and order 

fresh polls if he decided to break the 

partnership, while the JD-U continued 

to attack Gujarat Chief Minister 

Narendra Modi and said the split was 

a "mere formality". 

A inal decision on the 17-year-old 

alliance is expected today after Janata 

Dal-United (JD-U) president Sharad 

Yadav holds parleys with Nitish 

Kumar and other leaders in Patna, 

party sources said. 

"All is not well (in the alliance). 

There are problems. We are trying to 

work on them. We will decide in the 

party meeting," said Yadav. 

The BJP said it was awaiting a formal 

decision from the JD-U. 

"We are awaiting their decision. 

We want to continue the alliance in 

the interest of the people of the state," 

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, 

while state party unit chief Mangal 

Pandey sought a clariication from 

the JD-U on the future of the alliance. 

As tensions mounted, the BJP de- 

manded Nitish Kumar resign and 

seek a fresh mandate if the JD-U 

walks out of the National Democratic 

Alliance (NDA). 

"Nitish Kumar should resign as 

chief minister because people of the 

state gave the mandate to the NDA," 

said Bihar BJP minister Chandra 

Mohan Rai. 

BJP leader and MP Hukumdeo 

Narain Yadav also said that Nitish 

Kumar "should resign and go for fresh 

elections (if the alliance breaks)". 

Pandey also said that people of the 

state have voted for ruling alliance, 

not only JD-U. 

"In 2005 and 2010 state assembly 

polls, people have voted for the 

alliance of BJP-JD-U... it was not only 

a vote for JD-U," Pandey told media 

persons after holding a meeting 

of party leaders, including legislators, 

here at Deputy Chief Minister Sushil 

Kumar Modi's oficial residence in 

Patna. 

Pandey contended that even JD-U 

is divided over ending the alliance 

with the BJP. 

"JD-U president Sharad Yadav has 

Britain lobbies for nuclear export group to admit India 

VIENNA — Britain has stepped up efforts to let 

India join an inluential global body controlling 

nuclear exports, a move that would boost New 

Delhi's standing as an atomic power but which 

has faced resistance from China and other countries. 

The diplomatic tussle centres on whether 

emerging power India should be allowed into 

a key forum deciding rules for civilian nuclear 

trade, even though it has refused to join an international 

pact under which it would have to 

give up its nuclear weapons. 

London, Washington, Paris and others 

argue nuclear-armed India should 

join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) — 

established in 1975 to ensure that civilian 

nuclear exports are not diverted for military 

purposes. 

Britain has pressed its case in a paper prepared 

ahead of the NSG's annual meeting this 

week, arguing India qualiies because of the size 

of its civilian atomic industry and its commit- 

Murthy gets investors' 

nod to steer Infosys 

BANGALORE — Investors of India's 

global software major Infosys Ltd 

yesterday unanimously approved 

a special resolution re-appointing 

its iconic co-founder N R Narayana 

Murthy as executive chairman and 

hoped that he would steer the company's 

fortunes in these challenging 

times. 

When outgoingnonexecutive 

chairman K 

V Kamath 

moved the 

resolution 

at the company's 

32nd 

annual general 

meeting 

(AGM) here, 

about 1,000 

shareholders 

present 

on the occasion raised their hands 

in unison and voted in favour amidst 

thunderous applause. 

The 67-year-old Murthy stood up 

on dais and accepted his re-appointment 

in all humility and assured the 

shareholders that he would dedicate 

himself fully to rebuilding the company 

and restoring its glory. 

The dramatic decision to bring 

back Murthy, in place of noted banker 

Kamath, was taken by the company's 

board on June 1. 

Thanking the investors for reposing 

faith in his leadership, Murthy 

said tough decisions would be taken 

to rebuild the company. 

"The challenge is daunting and the 

task of rebuilding a desirable Infosys 

will take at least 36 months. In the 

process, there will be some tough decisions 

resulting in pain as we move 

forward," he said reading from a prepared 

statement. 

Admitting that the company had 

gone through challenging times, he 

ment to stopping the spread of military material. 

Western powers have taken a keen interest 

in the nuclear emergence of India — particularly 

its ambition to expand its capacity in the next 

20 years by adding nearly 30 reactors, making it 

an attractive prospect for technology exporters. 

But other NSG states have voiced doubt 

about accepting a member like India that built 

up a nuclear arsenal outside a global pact set up 

more than four decades ago to prevent countries 

from acquiring nuclear arms. 

If India joined the NSG, it would be the only 

member of the suppliers group that has not 

signed up to the 1970 nuclear non-proliferation 

treaty (NPT). 

India — Asia's third-largest economy — 

would need the support of all 48 NSG members 

to join the secretive cartel that regulates nuclear 

trade and has a key role in countering nuclear 

threats and proliferation. 

But the body has remained split. "There is no 

said during the last two years, the focus 

got blurred on winning large revenue-yielding 

outsourcing projects. 

"The strategy is to focus on opportunities 

from consulting-led end-toend 

solutions, leveraging technology 

for higher margins and developing 

intellectual property-(IP) based solutions 

to delink revenues from effort," 

Murthy said. 

Noting that the outsourcing business 

had become commoditised, he 

said need of the day was to focus on 

employees, take quick, tough and 

irm decisions, communicate the decisions 

with clarity and execute them 

with speed, imagination and excellence 

to exceed expectations of customers 

and investors. 

Observing that executing the new 

strategy would require him to change 

some of his long-held beliefs, Murthy 

said improvements required change 

and the quest for perfection required 

to change often as necessary. 

"We will make our sales force 

more effective by improving the quality 

of sales talent, provide them with 

incentives. We will also adopt a lexible 

pricing policy, where absolutely 

necessary, to enhance our growth 

rate," Murthy added. 

Several investors expressed concern 

over the blue-chip company's 

declining revenues and proits at a 

time when its peers were outperforming 

it and the industry's growth. 

"Re-induction of Murthy as chairman 

augurs well for all the stakeholders 

as he was instrumental in 

building Infosys and making it a global 

software major," a shareholder 

said at the packed AGM, in sentiments 

echoed by many others. 

Regretting that the company 

had lost its competitive edge in attracting 

top talent, another investor 

said about 5,000 techies who were 

given job offer did not join the company. 

— IANS 

Pact with UK on technical 

co-operation in health 

NEW DELHI — India and Britain 

have signed an agreement on strategic 

and technical co-operation in the 

health sector. 

The memorandum of understanding 

(MoU) was signed by V.M. Katoch, 

secretary in the Department of 

Health Research (DHR), and Andrew 

Dillon, Chief Executive of the National 

Institute for Health and Care (NICE) 

Excellence in London on Friday. 

The MoU followed the signature 

of an overarching health agreement 

between UK and India at the World 

Health Assembly, Geneva, last month. 

The health ministers of the two 

unanimity on this issue," a senior oficial from 

one NSG state said. 

The United States sealed a landmark civilian 

nuclear supply deal with India in 2008 that China 

and others found questionable because Delhi 

is outside the NPT. 

It ended India's atomic isolation following 

its 1974 nuclear test and could mean billions of 

dollars in business for US irms. Britain is also 

exploring a nuclear co-operation deal with India. 

The British document, obtained by Reuters 

on Friday, stated: "The UK strongly supports India's 

accession to the NSG at the earliest appropriate 

moment." 

"The UK believes that the NSG is best 

served by the inclusion and membership of India, 

with an important civil nuclear industry 

which continues to uphold the international 

non-proliferation architecture," the paper added. 

It was not immediately clear how the British 

countries signed the agreement in 

Geneva. 

Friday's agreement between DHR 

and NICE aims to bring modern 

health technology to people by encouraging 

innovations in diagnostics, 

treatment methods and disease prevention. 

The aim is to translate the 

innovations into products and processes 

by facilitating synergy with 

other departments. 

The MoU creates provisions for 

exchange of institutional expertise 

and experience in clinical practice 

guidelines pathways and quality 

standards. — IANS 

paper was received. A statement issued after 

the closed-door meeting in Prague said only the 

NSG's "relationship with India" was discussed. 

Oficials had said they did not expect any decision 

already now. 

At an informal meeting on the issue in Vienna 

in March, diplomats said China stressed the 

need for equal treatment in South Asia, an apparent 

reference to Pakistan. 

Research assistant Daniel Painter of the International 

Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 

think-tank said that by joining the NSG India 

would have a voice in determining the group's 

new export guidelines. 

But, he said, it would also threaten the NSG's 

credibility. 

"It would further solidify the perception of 

India as an accepted non-NPT nuclear weapon 

state," he wrote in an analysis. 

India and Pakistan have both refused to sign 

the 189-nation NPT, which would oblige them 

to scrap nuclear weapons. — Reuters 

been repeatedly trying to save the alliance 

and saying that there is hope 

for alliance. But some local JD-U leaders 

are saying the alliance is over or 

likely to end," he said. 

The JD-U, meanwhile, accused the 

BJP of forcing it to walk out of the alliance 

by not being forthcoming on 

Narendra Modi's future role. 

"We have been asking them for a 

clear answer whether Narendra Modi 

will be the prime ministerial candidate," 

senior JD-U leader Shivanand 

Tiwari told reporters, adding: "The 

BJP has forced us to walk out of the 

alliance." 

The announcement of a split in the 

coalition was a "mere formality", said 

Tiwari while terming Modi an "arrogant" 

and "divisive personality" who 

cannot take all sections along. 

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal 

(RJD) chief Lalu Prasad attacked his 

Nitish Kumar, accusing him of trying 

to poach legislators from other 

parties while alleging the JD-U 

was on the verge of breaking up as 

over 50 of its legislators were set to 

join the BJP. — IANS 

Housing minister 

Ajay Maken resigns 

NEW DELHI 

— Union 

Minister for 

Housing and 

Urban Poverty 

Alleviation 

Ajay Maken 

resigned 

yesterday, 

saying that 

he wanted to 

work for the 

Congress, 

informed 

sources said. 

Maken, who is a Delhi MP, is expected 

to work in the party ahead 

of the assembly polls scheduled this 

year-end, the sources said. 

Members of a social organisation Our City Our Right hold posters during a silent protest following the recent 

assault and murder of a 20-year-old college student in Barasat, in Kolkata, yesterday. Activists and social 

groups in various parts of the state held rallies and protests following the incident. — AFP 

Tamil actor-director 

Manivannan dead 

CHENNAI — Popular Tamil actor, 

writer and director R Manivannan 

died here yesterday following a cardiac 

arrest, said a family friend. He 

was 58. 

Manivannan passed away at his 

residence in Nesapakkam, the friend 

said. He is survived by his wife, son 

and a daughter. 

"I can't believe he is no more. 

He was perfectly ine when I met 

him recently during the release of 

his 50th directorial ilm," the friend 

said. 

Southern actor Siddharth took to 

Twitter to mourn the death of the 

multi-faceted talent. 

"The great Manivannan Sir is no 

more. Many lives in cinema are what 

they are today because of him. Writer, 

director, actor… gone too soon. 

RIP," he posted. — IANS

12 

AMERICAS 

Spanish citizens Angel Fernandez Sanchez and Maria Concepcion Marlaska after their arrival at the Catam airport in Bogota, Colombia yesterday. — AFP 

Kidnapped Spanish tourists rescued 

BOGOTA — Colombian police staged 

a raid in northern La Guajira province 

early on Saturday and rescued 

two Spanish tourists held captive by 

an unidentiied group for nearly a 

month, police sources said. 

Maria Concepcion Marlaska, 43, 

and Angel Fernandez Sanchez, 49, 

were seized on May 17 while traveling 

to the popular tourist destination of 

Cabo de la Vela on Colombia's northern 

peninsula. 

The two were freed in an operation 

near the city of Maicao on a stretch of 

land which juts into the Caribbean 

Sea and borders northwestern Venezuela. 

A police source said they were 

in good health. 

The abduction may have been the 

work of common criminals, security 

sources say. 

The Revolutionary Armed Forces 

of Colombia, the country's biggest 

rebel group, last month denied accu- 

sations that it was holding the tourists, 

but Spanish news reports said 

the kidnappers had identiied themselves 

as members of the Marxist-led 

guerrilla group when they contacted 

the family of the victims to demand a 

ransom. 

The FARC and the Colombian government 

began talks in November to 

try to end a war that began with the 

FARC's formation in 1964 as a communist 

agrarian reform group. 

Web irms describe data requests 

WASHINGTON — Internet giants 

Facebook and Microsoft say they received 

thousands of requests for information 

from US authorities last 

year but are prohibited from disclosing 

how many related to national security. 

The two companies have come 

under heightened scrutiny since 

word leaked of a vast secret Internet 

surveillance programme US authorities 

insist targets only foreign terror 

suspects and is needed to prevent attacks. 

Facebook said on Friday it had received 

between 9,000 and 10,000 requests 

for user data affecting 18,000 

to 19,000 accounts during the second 

half of last year and Microsoft said it 

had received 6,000 to 7,000 requests 

affecting 31,000 to 32,000 accounts 

during the same period. 

But those requests include criminal 

warrants, subpoenas and other 

orders, and both irms said they were 

prohibited by law from listing a separate 

tally for security-related requests 

or secret court orders related to terror 

probes. 

"We continue to believe that what 

we are permitted to publish contin- 

ues to fall short of what is needed to 

help the community understand and 

debate these issues," Microsoft's Deputy 

General Counsel John Frank said 

on Friday. 

He added that the orders — which 

had to be disclosed in increments of 

1,000 — only affect a "tiny fraction of 

Microsoft's global customer base". 

Facebook's general counsel Ted 

Ullyot insisted the popular social network 

with over a billion members 

had "aggressively" protected users' 

privacy and had not complied with all 

the requests. 

"We frequently reject such requests 

outright, or require the government 

to substantially scale down 

its requests, or simply give the government 

much less data than it has 

requested. And we respond only as 

required by law," he said. 

Google, which already publishes 

a "Transparency Report" on such requests, 

has meanwhile asked the FBI 

and US Justice Department for permission 

to release separate tallies related 

to security probes, saying it has 

"nothing to hide". 

Major Internet irms have faced 

a public backlash since government 

contractor Edward Snowden leaked 

details of PRISM, a vast programme 

in which nine companies turned over 

user data to the US National Security 

Agency. 

Leaked details of the programme 

— irst published by Britain's Guardian 

newspaper and the Washington 

Post — have reignited debate over 

the trade-offs between privacy and 

security a decade after the September 

11 attacks. 

The companies, which also include 

Apple and Yahoo, have denied claims 

the NSA could directly access their 

servers. US authorities have said the 

programme was legal and limited, 

and helped prevent terror attacks. 

FBI Director Robert Mueller told 

lawmakers this week that the program 

could have prevented the September 

11, 2001 attacks and said the 

leaks had caused "signiicant harm to 

our nation and to our safety". 

He also conirmed that Snowden 

was the subject of a criminal investigation. 

Snowden, a 29-year-old IT 

technician, has meanwhile gone to 

ground in Hong Kong, where he had 

surfaced for media interviews after 

the leaks were published. — AFP 

Activists and students scufle with riot police outside the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia yesterday. 

Protests continued in Brasilia over the government's economic policies and the hosting of major sporting events 

as Brazil's national soccer team prepared to play Japan in the Confederations Cup opening match. — Reuters 

The FARC last year halted the taking 

of hostages and the group has repeatedly 

said the order was being followed 

by the entire rebel force. 

The group has a history of kidnapping 

to raise money for its struggle 

against the government, but rebel 

leaders called a stop to the practice to 

encourage the peace process. 

It is not unusual for criminals to 

claim kidnappings or other actions in 

the group's name. — Reuters 

Moderate 6.6 

quake strikes off 

Nicaragua: USGS 

WASHINGTON — A moderate 6.6magnitude 

earthquake struck off 

the coast of Nicaragua yesterday, according 

to the US Geological Survey, 

but scientists said it was unlikely to 

have generated a major tsunami. 

The earthquake struck at 11:34 

am (1734 GMT), 96 kilometres 

west of the capital Managua at a 

depth of 10 kilometres. There were 

no immediate reports of casualties 

or damage. "No destructive widespread 

tsunami threat exists based 

on historical earthquake and tsunami 

data," the US Paciic Tsunami 

Warning Center said. 

“Thank God, so far we haven’t 

heard of any damage,” government 

spokeswoman Rosario Murillo told 

local television and radio stations. 

"However, earthquakes of this 

size sometimes generate local tsunamis 

that can be destructive along 

coasts located within a hundred kilometres 

of the earthquake epicenter," 

it said, urging local authorities 

to act accordingly. — Agencies 

Rogue wheat was 

‘isolated’ incident 

WASHINGTON — US agriculture oficials 

said the discovery of genetically 

engineered wheat in an Oregon ield 

appears to be an isolated incident. 

The plants, modiied to be resistant 

to Monsanto herbicide, were 

discovered last month and led some 

Asian importers to halt or suspend 

trade with US wheat growers while 

an investigation was launched. 

Some crops of corn and soyabeans 

are genetically engineered to 

be resistant to herbicides on the global 

market, but such modiications 

to wheat have never been approved 

anywhere in the world. 

"As of today, USDA has not found 

nor been informed of anything that 

would indicate that this incident 

amounts to more than a single isolated 

incident in a single ield on a 

single farm," said a statement from 

the US Department of Agriculture. 

"All information collected so far 

shows no indication of the presence 

of GE (genetically engineered) wheat 

in commerce." — AFP 


Final Obamacare push will 

pitch to low-income young 

WASHINGTON — In the inal months 

leading up to the launch of the key 

piece of President Barack Obama's 

healthcare reforms, the administration 

is preparing a public-education 

campaign designed to connect directly 

with the audience most critical for 

the law's success. 

The effort will focus on selling the 

merits of the Patient Protection and 

Affordable Care Act to 2.7 million 

Americans with little or no health 

coverage, who are 18-to-35 years old, 

mostly male, and largely nonwhite, 

including many who are black or Hispanic, 

oficials involved in the planning 

said. 

The idea is to get them enrolled in 

private health plans through online 

marketplaces that will offer coverage 

in all 50 states at prices defrayed by 

federal subsidies, which many should 

qualify for because of their lower incomes 

and lack of adequate insurance. 

Participation of young consumers 

is central to the success of the 

new state healthcare exchanges, and 

Obama's reform law, because the 

young tend to have little need for 

medical services and are cheaper 

to insure. That will compensate for 

older, sicker people who are expected 

to sign up in droves because the 

law bans discriminatory pricing and 

treatment for those with preexisting 

conditions. 

Some supporters of the 2010 law 

have worried in recent months that 

the administration was not doing 

enough to inform this group, and the 

public generally, about changes the 

reforms will bring. Of particular concern 

is the word on the healthcare exchanges, 

where individuals and families 

with low-to-moderate incomes 

will be able to purchase private 

health insurance at prices set according 

to income. 

Current and former administration 

oficials said the outreach will 

employ the same methods used in 

Obama's reelection campaign, which 

relied heavily on social media, grassroots 

organising and demographics 

An unlikely US alliance 

demands transparency 

WASHINGTON — American liberals 

and libertarians rarely see eye 

to eye — but they have united behind 

demands for more transparency 

following recent revelations of 

vast and secretive surveillance programmes. 

The unlikely alliance has brought 

together the Democratic Party's far 

left and the ultraconservative Republican 

Tea Party, both of which are suspicious 

of the programmes, which US 

oficials insist are needed to prevent 

terror attacks. During hearings this 

week with the directors of the National 

Security Agency and the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation, both sides 

took to task their parties' congressional 

leaders, who had long known 

about the spying programmes. 

"The mere fact that some members 

may have been briefed in a classiied 

setting does not indicate our 

approval or support of these pro- 

to reach young people, minorities 

and women. Members of the young 

target audience tend to be concentrated 

in major metropolitan areas, 

and about a third are believed to live 

in just three states: California, Texas 

and Florida. 

"Whatever happened in the past 

3½ years, this is the most important 

moment now because we're no longer 

dealing in abstraction. Millions of 

people are going to be able to touch 

and feel something," said David Simas, 

who oversaw opinion research 

for Obama's re-election. He became 

a deputy senior adviser to the president 

in February and is one of the 

leading advisers for the campaign. 

Due to begin this month, the marketing 

push will cost hundreds of millions 

of dollars and will complement 

promotions by private groups including 

the non-proit Enroll America, 

which is headed by a former Obama 

White House aide and supported by 

healthcare groups, private companies 

and consumer advocacy organisations. 

Oficials say the government outreach 

will be covered by about $1.25 

billion the administration has scraped 

from funds within the Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS) 

and the original congressional allocation 

for implementation. 

Republicans in Congress have 

blocked new money for the effort so 

they can use its failure as a winning 

issue in the 2014 congressional midterm 

election campaign. House Republicans 

just voted to repeal the law 

in what was their 37th attempt to kill 

or defund some part of it. 

The objective is to "surround" lowincome 

young adults with messaging 

about the healthcare beneits by 

tapping channels more apt to reach 

them: cable television, radio, churches, 

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, online 

chat rooms and youth-oriented magazines. 

The White House and HHS are 

also in discussions with celebrities, 

sports leagues and franchises that 

may be willing to help promote coverage. 

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin addresses the Faith and Freedom 

Coalition Road to Majority Conference in Washington yesterday. — Reuters 

grammes," said John Conyers, one 

of the most liberal Democrats in the 

House of Representatives. 

"It's not a partisan concern and it 

is one that applies both to the present 

administration and to the last one, as 

well," he said. "It's my fear that we are 

on the verge of becoming a surveillance 

state, collecting billions of electronic 

records on law-abiding Americans 

every single day." 

The hearings came after government 

contractor Edward Snowden 

leaked details of a programme to 

mine telephone logs and another 

that acquired data from several Internet 

giants, including Apple, Google, 

Microsoft and Facebook. 

A few hours after Conyers spoke, 

Republican Rand Paul, a Tea Party favorite 

and lifelong fan of the libertarian 

philosopher Ayn Rand, announced 

he was iling a lawsuit against the 

NSA for abuse of power. — AFP


Protesters march to the US consulate in support of Edward Snowden from the US in Hong Kong yesterday. — AFP 

Hong Kong rally backs Snowden 

HONG KONG — A few hundred rights 

advocates and political activists 

marched through Hong Kong yesterday 

to demand protection for Edward 

Snowden, who leaked revelations of 

US electronic surveilance and is now 

believed to be holed up in the former 

British colony. 

Marchers gathered outside the US 

consulate shouting slogans denouncing 

alleged spying operations aimed 

at China and Hong Kong, but the numbers 

were modest compared to rallies 

over other rights and political issues. 

"Arrest Obama, free Snowden," 

protesters shouted outside the slate 

grey building as police looked on. 

Many waved banners that said: "Betray 

Snowden, betray freedom", "Big 

brother is watching you" and "Obama 

is checking your e-mail". 

Some blew whistles in support of 

Snowden, 29, the American former 

CIA contractor who has acknowledged 

being behind leaks of the surveillance 

programmes by the National 

Security Agency. 

The procession moved on to government 

headquarters in the city, 

which reverted to Chinese rule in 

1997 but enjoys far more liberal laws 

on dissent and freedom of expression. 

About a dozen groups organised 

two rallies, including the city's two 

largest political camps. Leaders of 

major political parties sought explanations 

for Snowden's allegations of 

spying. 

Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing 

political party, the DAB, demanded 

an apology from Washington, clariication 

of "illegal" espionage activities 

and an immediate halt to them. 

"I think the Hong Kong government 

should protect him," the DAB's 

vice-chairwoman, Starry Lee, said 

outside the consulate. 

Snowden reportedly lew to Hong 

Kong on May 20. He checked out 

of a luxury hotel on Monday and 

his whereabouts remain unknown. 

Snowden has said he intends to stay 

in Hong Kong to ight any potential US 

moves to extradite him. 

China has avoided any explicit 

comment on its position towards 

Snowden. A senior source with ties to 

the Communist Party leadership said 

Beijing was reluctant to jeopardise 

recently improved ties with Washington. 

Snowden told the South China 

Morning Post this week that Ameri- 

China makes fresh promises on air 

pollution, pledges support for solar 

SHANGHAI — China's cabinet has approved 

new measures to combat air 

pollution, in the latest step by China's 

new leadership to address the country's 

enormous environmental problems, 

with pollution a key source of 

rising social discontent in China. 

The government also promised to 

support China's troubled solar power 

industry, despite problems with overcapacity 

and ongoing trade disputes 

with the United States and Europe. 

In a meeting chaired by Premier Li 

Keqiang, the State Council approved 

10 anti-pollution measures, the council 

said in a statement posted on its 

website late on Friday. 

In particular, the State Council 

promised to: 

Accelerate the installation of pollution 

control equipment on small, 

coal-fuelled reineries. 

Curb the growth of high-energy- 

consuming industries like steel, 

cement, aluminium, and glass. 

Reduce emissions per unit of GDP 

in key industries by at least 30 per 

cent by the end of 2017. 

Improve indicators used to evaluate 

the environmental impact of 

new projects and deny administrative 

approvals, inancing, land, and 

other support to projects that fail 

to meet high standards. 

Strengthen enforcement and collection 

of fees and penalties that 

companies pay based on their 

emissions. 

Use legal action to force industries 

to upgrade pollution controls and 

establish or revise industry-level 

emissions standards. 

The country's new top leaders, 

who took power in a once-in-a-decade 

political transition late last year, 

have promised to tackle China's pol- 

lution problem. The government has 

made similar promises over the last 

decade, but enforcement has often 

been lacking, especially at the local 

level. 

Protests over pollution are becoming 

more frequent in China, as the 

country's increasingly afluent urban 

population begins to object to the 

model of growth at all costs that has 

fuelled the economy for three decades. 

Friday's State Council statement 

also acknowledged dificulties aflicting 

China's solar industry but pledged 

to maintain support for the industry 

through "reformed methods". 

Speciic measures include price 

support for the sale of photovoltaic 

electricity to electricity grids and requiring 

grid operators to purchase all 

the electricity that solar generators 

produce. — Reuters 

Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, lanked by Galician Regional President Alberto Nunez Feijoo (L) and Spanish 

Minister for Development Ana Pastor, walks part of the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. — AFP 

cans had spied extensively on targets 

including the Chinese University of 

Hong Kong that hosts an exchange 

which handles nearly all the city's domestic 

web trafic. 

Other alleged targets included government 

oficials, businesses and students. 

Snowden pledged not to "hide 

from justice" and said he would place 

his trust in Hong Kong's legal system. 

Some legal experts, however, say an 

extradition treaty between Hong 

Kong and the United States has functioned 

smoothly since 1998. 

It is unclear whether Chinese authorities 

would intervene over any 

US attempts to extradite Snowden, 

though lawyers say Beijing has rarely 

interfered with extradition cases. 

— Reuters 

ASIA 

13 

N Korea in fresh vow to 

build up N-deterrent 

SEOUL — North Korea yesterday made a fresh vow to build up its nuclear 

deterrent in the face of "threats of war" from the United States and a "policy 

of confrontation" from the South. 

An editorial in Pyongyang's ruling party daily, the Rodong Sinmun, said 

"reckless" war exercises by the US and South Korea could spark a nuclear 

war at any moment. "As long as the United States and South Korean puppets 

continue with nuclear threats and threats of war against us, we will... 

strengthen nuclear deterrence through every possible means," it said. 

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye was no different from her predecessor 

in taking up a policy of confrontation, the editorial said, accusing the 

South of deliberately sabotaging planned high-level talks. 

"Unless there is a fundamental switchover in the policy of confrontation of 

the South's ruling forces, dialogue and improvement in relations between the 

North and the South cannot be realised forever," it said. 

The two Koreas had agreed to hold their irst high-level talks in six years 

in Seoul on Wednesday and Thursday, but they were called off at the last 

minute following a dispute over protocol. 

The talks initiative had been seen as a step forward after months of soaring 

military tensions, with the North conducting its third nuclear test in February, 

but its collapse has instead resulted in a sizeable backwards stride. 

The editorial was dedicated in commemoration of a landmark summit between 

the two Koreas on June 15, 2000, which led to a short-lived reconciliation 

and exchanges between the two Koreas. — AFP 

Six more rescued after 

Philippine ferry sinks 

LEGAZPI, Philippines — Six more people were hauled out of the sea after a 

ferry sank in the Philippines with dozens onboard, oficials said yesterday, as 

navy divers were called in to hunt for survivors. 

Seven people remain missing a day after the Lady of Mount Carmel ferry 

mysteriously sank in calm weather about two kilometres from central Burias 

island, killing two women passengers. 

"Navy divers plan to search underwater to ind the ship and check whether 

there were passengers trapped inside," regional navy spokesman Ensign 

John Duruin told reporters. 

The coastguard and local ishermen were also assisting with rescue efforts, 

he added. 

The vessel sank early on Friday near the end of its regular four-hour run 

between the port of Pio Duran and Masbate island in the central Philippines. 

Six more people had been rescued, raising the number of survivors to 61, 

according to the civil defence ofice in the regional capital Legazpi city. 

Meanwhile, oficials said they now believe there were 70 people aboard 

the vessel when it tipped over — more than the 57 listed in the vessel's 

manifest. — AFP 

The MV Lady of Mount Carmel ferry, which sank off the coast of Burias Island early on Friday, is pictured at the 

port of Masbate province in central Philippines. — Reuters 

Hacker publishes 

Aquino's 'personal 

mobile numbers' 

MANILA — A Philippine hacker has 

posted online what he claimed to 

be the president's personal mobile 

telephone numbers, with Benigno 

Aquino's spokesman yesterday denouncing 

the act as "cyber vandalism". 

Aquino spokesman Ricky Carandang 

would not conirm if the numbers 

were really the president's, or 

if their release on the worldwide 

web had compromised the leader's 

personal security or state secrets. 

"It's cyber vandalism plain and 

simple," Carandang said. 

"We're dealing with it. That's all I 

can say for now." 

The three "Personal Mobile 

Number(s)" were posted late on Friday 

on the Facebook site of a user 

named "#pR.is0n3r". 

The site owner urged his followers, 

who numbered more than 9,000 

as of yesterday, to communicate directly 

with their president. All three 

phone numbers were apparently no 

longer working yesterday morning 

when dialled. — AFP. 

Work safety probe inds 

'many' risky conditions 

BEIJING — A top Chinese oficial yesterday 

warned of risky conditions 

for labourers after a probe found 

"many" problems following the country's 

deadliest blaze in over a decade 

which killed 120 people in a poultry 

plant. 

Huang Yi, Chief Engineer of the 

State Administration of Work Safety 

(SAWS), said the inspection uncovered 

numerous issues problems including 

coal mines still operating despite 

being ordered shut. 

"The concept of prioritising has 

not been irmly established, production 

still comes irst," he said in a 

report, posted on the department's 

website. 

"And the breaking of laws and violating 

of rules is still the main reason 

behind accidents." 

The report was based on an interview 

of Huang with China National 

Radio. 

Fatal accidents are regularly reported 

at Chinese mines and factories, 

with many blaming lax enforcement 

of rules. 

Huang said the recent probe, 

which covered three provinces, found 

coal mines still operating despite 

having been told to close. 

At one worksite that had had a 

"major accident" three years earlier, 

no one had yet been held responsible. 

The report did not provide further 

details about the investigation 

or its results. 

Inspectors would soon visit 13 

other provinces and publicise their 

indings, Huang said. 

Authorities have talked tough on 

workplace safety violations since 

the deadly blaze at the Baoyuanfeng 

poultry plant in northeastern Jilin 

province early this month. 

The Supreme Court this week 

urged the judiciary to "deal severely 

with crimes that jeopardise manufacturing 

safety," the Xinhua state news 

agency said. Baoyuanfeng factory 

workers were blocked from escaping 

the ire because only one of the 

building doors was open, the Southern 

Metropolis Daily reported earlier. 

— AFP

14 

THE WORLD 

Supporters listen to a speech by Turkish prime minister during a rally in Sincan yesterday. — AFP 

Turkey protesters ‘to stay in park’ 

ISTANBUL — Turkish protesters 

yesterday refused to budge from an 

Istanbul park at the centre of nationwide 

demonstrations after rejecting 

a government olive branch aimed at 

ending two weeks of deadly unrest. 

The government said it would 

"make an evaluation" after protesters 

rebuffed Prime Minister Recep 

Tayyip Erdogan's promise to halt the 

redevelopment of Gezi Park, saying 

their movement was bigger than a 

conservation struggle. 

"We will continue our resistance 

in the face of any injustice and unfairness 

taking place in our country," 

the Taksim Solidarity group, seen as 

Italy gets stream 

of migrant boats 

ROME — Italy has intercepted more 

than 400 hundred migrants seeking 

to enter the European Union by boat 

in the past 12 hours, including one 

carrying a baby girl born at sea, and 

more vessels have been sighted, the 

coast guard said yesterday. 

The newborn arrived in a wooden 

boat just after midnight in the 

small port of Roccella Ionica in the 

region of Calabria, which forms the 

toe of the Italian boot, with 158 

other migrants, a coast guard statement 

said. 

The baby girl was named "new 

life" in her native language, the coast 

guard said without giving her nationality. 

Seven other children and 

14 women were on the boat that 

had been at sea for seven days. Four 

were treated for dehydration. 

The exact departure point of the 

immigrants was not known, the 

coast guard said. 

Almost 300 other immigrants 

— including four pregnant women 

— in three boats were intercepted 

at sea and taken to the island of 

Lampedusa. 

Two other boats were sighted 

but have yet to be recovered. 

most representative of the protesters, 

said in a statement. "This is only 

the beginning." 

The decision looked set to inlame 

tensions. It also came as tens of thousands 

of supporters of the ruling Justice 

and Development Party (AKP) 

were readying to take to the streets 

of the capital Ankara for an election 

rally billed as a show of strength for 

the premier. 

They were uniting under slogans 

saying: "Respect the national will" 

and "The game is over. It's time to 

write history". 

A peaceful sit-in to save Gezi 

Park's 600 trees from being razed 

prompted a brutal police response 

on May 31, spiralling into nationwide 

demonstrations. 

Nearly 7,500 people have been injured 

and four killed in the mass unrest, 

which has seen police use tear 

gas, water cannon and rubber bullets 

against demonstrators who have 

hurled back ireworks and Molotov 

cocktails. 

Ankara saw fresh clashes overnight, 

with riot police again iring 

tear gas and water cannon to disperse 

demonstrators. Around 30 

protesters were arrested. 

After days of taking a combative 

stance against the demonstrators, 

Mandela ‘looks good’ 

in hospital: grandson 

QUNU — Nelson Mandela seems to 

be on the road to recovery from a 

recurrent lung infection, a grandson 

said yesterday after visiting the antiapartheid 

hero in hospital. 

Mandla Mandela said his 94-yearold 

grandfather "looked good" when 

he visited him in a Pretoria hospital 

along with two elders. 

"It gave us hope that he is going to 

recover soon," Mandla Mandela said 

at the funeral of a cousin in Qunu, 

Mandela's hometown in the east of 

the country. 

Mourners at the funeral of Florence 

Mandela, who died last week 

aged 97, prayed and sang hymns for 

the ailing statesman. 

The priest leading the service 

said a special prayer and called on 

the mourners to observe a moment 

of silence for the Nobel Peace Prize 

laureate as he spent an eighth day in 

hospital. 

"We would like to assure you of 

our prayers for the icon, for the father 

of this nation," Reverend Manciya 

told the Mandela family. 

"We are praying for his recovery. 

We are praying that you be next to 

his every minute, every hour and 

every moment," he said. 

One mourner, Zine Mgavu, 50, 

said he trusted the latest information 

on the health of the frail statesman 

"because it came from a family member". 

"We're feeling great, it gives us 

hope that he will come back home," 

said Mgavu, a Qunu resident. 

Elizabeth Mshweshwe, 77, who 

is related to the Mandelas also welcomed 

news. 

"We were so happy and we are 

hoping that he is going to be better," 

said Mshweshwe, adding that they 

still want to stay with him. 

On Thursday, President Jacob 

Zuma said Mandela's health "continues 

to improve" but he "remains serious" 

after paying him a visit. No new 

update from the government has 

been released. 

Mandela has a long history of 

lung problems since being diagnosed 

with early-stage tuberculosis in 1988 

during his 27 years in prison at the 

hands of the apartheid regime. 

Police looks on as local residents who were evacuated from their houses due to loods turn back to their homes 

in Lauenburg, northern Germany, yesterday. No oficial igure has yet been given for the cost of the damage in 

Germany from the loods which also deluged other central European countries. — AFP 

Erdogan on Friday held his irst talks 

with the Taksim Solidarity umbrella 

group. 

He agreed to abide by a court-ordered 

suspension of the park project 

— a move welcomed by the protesters. 

He also said that if the court 

rules the Gezi Park redevelopment 

is legal, he wants to hold a popular 

vote on plans to build a replica of 

Ottoman-era military barracks on 

the site. 

"Young people, you have remained 

there long enough and delivered your 

message.... Why are you staying?" 

Erdogan said afterwards in a speech 

broadcast on live television. — AFP 

Warplanes escort 

Egyptair plane 

LONDON — Britain's Royal Air 

Force (RAF) yesterday escorted an 

Egyptair plane bound for New York 

to a Scottish airport following an 

onboard incident, the Ministry of 

Defence said. 

"Typhoon (aircraft) were called 

from RAF (base) Leuchars and a 

passenger aircraft was diverted 

following an incident onboard," said 

the ministry. 

An eyewitness told the BBC that 

two jets escorted the passenger 

plane to Prestwick, where it landed 

at around 2.30 pm local time 

(1330GMT). 

The Boeing 777 was travelling 

between Cairo and New York when 

a passenger alerted plane crew that 

she had found a note reading "I'll set 

this plane on ire" in the toilet. 

The message was scrawled in 

pencil on a napkin and was found 

by BBC New York producer Nada 

Tawik. Tawik told the broadcaster 

that the note also pinpointed a seat 

number, adding "I can't imagine this 

is just a prank". 

Police Scotland conirmed oficers 

were responding to an ongoing 

situation. — AFP 

Space truck 

docks with ISS 

PARIS — A robot freighter bearing 

6.6 tonnes of cargo docked with 

the International Space Station 

(ISS) yesterday, the European Space 

Agency (ESA) said. 

The fourth of ESA's Automated 

Transfer Vehicles (ATVs) berthed 

with the ISS 10 days after being 

launched by Ariane 5 rocket from 

Europe's spaceport in Kourou, 

French Guiana, it said. 

The resupply ship, named after 

Albert Einstein, is laden with food, 

water, oxygen, science experiments 

and special treats for the ISS astronauts. 

It made contact with the ISS at 

1407 GMT, the ESA said, about 20 

minutes later than originally expected. 

The robot space freighter is the 

size of a double-decker bus — 10 

metres long and 4.5 metres in diameter. 

— AFP 


Syrian jets strike, oppn 

ighters await weapons 

71 military oficers defect 

BEIRUT — Syrian artillery and warplanes 

pounded opposition-held 

areas in Damascus yesterday as the 

ighters pleaded for advanced weapons 

from the United States, which has 

promised them unspeciied military 

aid. 

Meanwhile, more than 70 Syrian 

military oficers have defected to the 

opposition and crossed into Turkey, 

an oficial there said yesterday, as 

world leaders prepared to discuss the 

Syrian conlict at the G8 summit. 

Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander 

Salim Idriss said on Friday 

that ighters, pushed back by government 

forces in recent weeks, urgently 

needed anti-aircraft and anti-tank 

missiles, as well as a protective no-ly 

zone. 

"But our friends in the United 

States haven't told us yet that they 

are going to support us with weapons 

and ammunition," he said after 

meeting US and European oficials in 

Turkey. 

A source in the Middle East familiar 

with US dealings with the opposition 

ighters has said planned arms 

supplies would include automatic 

weapons, light mortars and rocketpropelled 

grenades. 

The United States this week 

pledged military support to opposition 

ighters, citing what it said was 

the Syrian military's use of chemical 

weapons — an allegation Damascus 

has denied. 

US Secretary of State John Kerry 

said yesterday chemical attacks by 

Syrian forces showed a lack of commitment 

to negotiations and threatened 

to "put a political settlement out 

of reach". 

The United States and Russia announced 

in May they would try to 

convene peace talks involving the 

Syrian government and its opponents, 

but no date has been set. Kerry 

had not previously expressed such 

Czech govt risks collapse 

amid corruption scandal 

PRAGUE — Czech Prime Minister 

Petr Necas was facing the collapse of 

his shaky centre-right minority coalition 

yesterday over a massive corruption 

scandal in which his top aide 

was indicted for bribery. 

Leftist rival President Milos Zeman 

said yesterday it was "rather 

clear" that Necas must step down, 

while junior coalition partners in the 

premier's three-party government 

questioned his integrity. 

The coalition government has so 

far survived eight conidence votes 

since it took power in July 2010. But 

it will face another test next week as 

Zeman's allies, the opposition Social 

Democrats, have put forward a noconidence 

motion, likely on Tuesday. 

The unprecedented graft scandal 

rocking Prague erupted when police 

swooped overnight on Wednesday 

and Thursday on the cabinet ofice, 

pessimism about prospects for the 

conference. 

Outgunned opposition ighters 

have few ways to counter government 

troops’ air power. The pro-opposition 

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights 

said jets and artillery had attacked 

Jobar, a battered district where opposition 

ighters operate on the edge of 

central Damascus, on yesterday. 

It said heavy artillery was also 

shelling opposition ighters in the 

provinces of Homs, Aleppo and Deir 

al Zor. 

A Turkish oficial said 71 Syrian 

army oficers, including six generals, 

had defected to Turkey, in the biggest 

single mass desertion from the military 

in months. 

The defection of 71 army oficers 

and two policemen came over a period 

of 36 hours, the Turkish oficial 

said. 

The group included six generals 

and 22 colonels, the oficial added, 

and was the highest-level defection in 

months. 

Western diplomats said on Friday 

Washington was considering a limited 

no-ly zone over parts of Syria, 

but the White House noted later that 

it would be far harder and costlier 

to set up one up there than it was in 

Libya, saying the United States had no 

national interest in pursuing that option. 

Russia warned against any attempt 

to enforce a no-ly zone over Syria using 

F-16 ighter jets and Patriot air 

defence missile systems from Jordan. 

"You don't have to be a great expert 

to understand that this will violate 

international law," Foreign Minister 

Sergei Lavrov said. 

The United Nations says at least 

93,000 people, including civilians 

and combatants, have died in the 

Syrian civil war, with the monthly 

death toll averaging 5,000 in the past 

year. — Agencies 

Britain's Queen Elizabeth stands on the dais during the Trooping the 

Colour ceremony on Horse Guards Parade in central London yesterday. 

Trooping the Colour is a ceremony to honour the sovereign's oficial 

birthday. — Reuters 

defence ministry, villas and a bank. 

Jana Nagyova — Necas's chief of 

staff — was on Friday charged with 

complicity in the "abuse of power 

and with bribery". She will remain in 

police custody pending trial. 

Seven other people — including 

military intelligence heads and 

former lawmakers — have also been 

indicted for corruption among other 

alleged crimes. 

The 48-year-old Nagyova was 

charged with bribery after allegedly 

promising three former lawmakers 

from Necas's party lucrative jobs in 

state-run companies on condition 

they quit the parliament. 

Ironically, the premier made a 

high-proile anti-corruption drive a 

centrepiece of his coalition. 

So far Necas has refused to quit 

and has expressed conidence that 

his top aide was innocent. — AFP


A child during a street parade in Rotterdam yesterday. The parade is one of the highlights of the yearly 

Summer Carnival in the Netherlands. — AFP 

A boy looks at a GAZ-21 Volga car decorated with grass and parked 

in the centre of Ukrainian capital of Kiev. On the windscreen, the 

inscriptions reads: 'Make our loved Kiev green city'. — AFP 

Gothic cradle for 

William and Kate 

Canons ire during the prematch entertainment before the 2nd rugby test match between New Zealand and 

France at AMI stadium in Christchurch yesterday. — AFP 

Tourists look at a monument dedicated to the 'capture site' of former South 

African president Nelson Mandela in Howick, approximately 150 kilometres west 

of Durban, in the KwaZulu Natal midlands. — AFP 

TUSZYN — An oak cradle designed 

to resemble a Gothic cathedral is 

headed from Poland to London for 

the July birth of the irst child of 

Prince William and his wife Kate. 

Dariusz Bergier, a carver and 

furniture maker in Tuszyn, central 

Poland, hopes to send the cradle off 

to Britain next Wednesday. 

"I hope we'll inish in time. We 

still have a couple windows to add, 

small columns and carvings," he 

said at his workshop. "I hope the 

cradle will be put in the newborn 

baby's room," Bergier added. 

For the April 2011 royal 

wedding, Bergier's workshop was 

commissioned to make several 

pieces of furniture for a hotel in 

Stafford where Kate Middleton's 

family stayed. — AFP 

1960's live tank 

shell found 

GURGAON, India — A live 

tank round was found 

near a police station 

here yesterday and was 

detonated in a deserted 

area by an army team 

from Delhi, police said. 

The 3.5 feet long shell 

was found 100 yards 

away from the Kherki 

Daula police station in a 

vacant plot on the Delhi- 

Gurgaon expressway. 

"We called an army 

team from Delhi. They 

said that it was a tank 

shell that was used in the 

1960s. An ordnance team 

of the army detonated 

it in a deserted spot," 

Rahul Sharma, deputy 

commissioner of police 

(south), said. 

He added that the 

shell may have been 

abandoned by a scrap 

vendor. 

A participant jumps using a pogo stick at the Palace Square during a festival of youth street culture in 

St Petersburg, Russia, yesterday. — Reuters 

Lost medieval city 

found in Cambodia 

SYDNEY — A lost medieval city 

that thrived on a mist-shrouded 

Cambodian mountain 1,200 

years ago has been discovered by 

archaeologists using revolutionary 

airborne laser technology, a report 

said yesterday. 

In what it called a world 

exclusive, the Sydney 

Morning Herald said the city, 

Mahendraparvata, included temples 

hidden by jungle for centuries, 

many of which have not been 

looted. 

A journalist and photographer 

from the newspaper accompanied 

the expedition, led by a French-born 

archaeologist, through landminestrewn 

jungle in the Siem Reap 

region where Angkor Wat, the 

largest temple complex in the 

world, is located. 

The expedition used an 

instrument called Lidar — light 

detection and ranging data — 

which was strapped to a helicopter 

that criss-crossed a mountain 

north of Angkor Wat for seven 

days, providing data that matched 

years of ground research by 

archaeologists. — AFP 

PANORAMA 

15 

A man in folk costume with a scythe mows the meadows in Mala Vrbka, 

120 km south-east of Brno near the Slovakian border, Czech Republic 

yesterday. People gather to mow the meadows every year in June in 

Mala Vrbka. — AFP 

Engineers check specials vectored thrust jet engines of a Sukhoi Su-35 ighter after a lying display, two days 

before the Paris Air Show, at the Le Bourget airport near Paris, yesterday. — Reuters

Inside 

P 19 EU reaches terms with France on US free trade talks P 24 Group opens up offshore bank account database online 

P18 P21 

P24 

www.omanobserver.om 

Sunday 

JUNE 16, 2013 | SHAABAN 7, 1434 AH 


‘Conceptual’ deal reached on Block 61 tight gas 

By Conrad Prabhu 

MUSCAT — The Sultanate has reached 

a “conceptual agreement” with BP 

in a key step towards the commercial 

development of potentially huge 

tight gas reserves in the energy major’s 

Block 61 concession in central 

Oman. 

The pact effectively means that 

both sides are closer to a inal deal on 

a landmark agreement that could effectively 

unlock gas reserves trapped 

in the tight rock of the Khazzan- 

Makarem ield, for the country’s expanding 

energy and downstream petrochemical 

industry. 

“We are making progress,” said Dr 

Mohammed bin Hamad al Rumhy, 

Minister of Oil and Gas, when asked 

about efforts by the Omani government 

and the energy giant towards a 

long-hoped-for Declaration of Commerciality 

on the development of the 

block. 

“BP, according to their contractual 

obligations, has to declare commerciality 

by February next year. So, 

theoretically, we have to inish all of 

the discussions before then, for them 

to proceed to the next step, which is 

(commercial) development. But we 

The pact means both sides are closer to a final deal 

on a landmark agreement that could effectively 

unlock gas reserves trapped in the tight rock of 

the Khazzan-Makarem field, for the country’s 

expanding energy and downstream 

petrochemical industry 

have reached a conceptual agreement 

with BP. Now it’s just a question of inalising 

the paperwork, so to speak,” 

Dr Al Rumhy added in comments to 

the Observer. 

BP says it has invested hundreds of 

millions of dollars in the appraisal and 

testing of the Khazzan ield since it 

won the gas-rich concession in 2007. 

The potential of the Khazzan- 

Makarem ield is estimated at 100 – 

150 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas in 

place, of which around 7.6 TCF of gas 

is earmarked for initial development 

upon the signing of a Declaration of 

Commerciality. Production is targeted 

at 1–1.2 billion standard cubic feet of 

gas per calendar day by 2017–18, it is 

learnt. 

Commercial development is envisaged 

in three phases. Phase 1 will 

kick in by 2017, while Phase 2 will 

target a ramp up in gas production 

of an additional 1 billion standard 

cubic feet of gas per calendar day to 

ensure constant supply to major gas 

users. 

Meanwhile, Oman Oil Company 

Exploration and Production LLC 

(OOCEP), the upstream subsidiary of 

Oman Oil Company (OOC), continues 

to make headway in the development 

of tight gas reserves within its Block 

60 concession, also in central Oman. 

Dr Al Rumhy conirmed that the 

state-owned subsidiary has already 

commenced development of its Abu 

Butabul ield which, like BP’s Khazzan-Makarem 

ield, holds deep, tightgas 

deposits. 

“(OOCEP) is undertaking the construction 

of its processing plant, 

pipelines, and so on. It’s drilling more 

wells, while connecting other wells; 

so things are moving well,” the minister 

said. 

The company has earmarked 

around $1.1 billion towards the development 

of the Abu Butabul discovery 

in the irst phase of an ambitious 

project to unlock the Block’s prodigious 

reserves of tight gas and condensates. 

Output is targeted at a peak production 

rate of 90 million standard 

cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) — volumes 

that will go a long way in meeting 

the nation’s escalating demand 

for natural gas as fuel for electricity 

generation and water desalination, as 

well as feedstock for petrochemical 

schemes.

18 OMAN/INTERNATIONAL 

Nawras trainers mentor college students 

MUSCAT — Emphasising the important 

role that education plays 

in the business world, trainers 

from Nawras People Development 

recently mentored 18 students 

from the Higher College of Technology 

Muscat who were preparing 

to enter the workplace. During 

the session, the students learned 

how to formulate ideas and work 

together as a team to develop a 

project for presentation. 

“Being able to express yourself 

accurately and with conidence 

is an invaluable skill that helps 

young people stand out in college 

and at job interviews. Team work 

and problem solving skills equip 

the students for a variety of workplace 

situations and help them to 

prepare more professionally”, Usama 

al Farsi, Nawras Human Resources 

Trainer, commented. “The 

session brought together students 

from different majors to learn 

from each other and develop vital 

skills that can have a huge impact 

on their studies and can be carried 

forward to beneit them in their 

future careers. This initiative is in 

line with our belief and support of 

human development.” 

Consisting of motivational videos 

and team activities, the training 

session focused on the importance 

of learning listening skills and 

how to transfer knowledge and 

skills into real life scenarios both 

now and in the future. Students 

were taught how to draw inspiration 

from all around them as well 

as being encouraged to learn from 

life’s experiences so as to keep improving 

themselves. 

The main team activities challenged 

students to consider the future 

and their role in society later 

in life. This exercise highlighted 

each individual’s skills, examined 

how they contribute to the group 

and looked at the challenges that 

lie ahead. 

Through co-operation and 

working towards a speciied goal, 

the group, who have only known 

each other for three months, were 

able to assign responsibilities and 

work effectively as a team. 

Senior students at the college 

created a company called ‘Masaar 

for Marketing Solutions’ as part of 

their inal assessment project. 

Drawing on a wide range of 

skills, students from different 

courses assigned speciic roles 

to each other and trainers from 

Nawras helped the students to 

channel these skills into a professional 

organisation and company 

structure. 

Future sessions are planned to 

allow Nawras trainers to assist in 

the irst steps of running and marketing 

a business by assisting the 

students in developing a robust 

business plan and adopting eficient 

working practices. 

Nawras is committed to supporting 

the education sector in 

Oman. Through workshops, visits 

to institutions and the use of 

real life examples, highly-skilled 

Nawras trainers are able to help 

students reach their potential and 

prepare for the next step in their 

own journey. By nurturing talent 

and passing on expertise and experience 

to the next generation of 

Omanis, Nawras continues to fulil 

its promise to the people of Oman 

to be caring, excellent and pleasingly 

different. 

Omani Qatari Telecommunications 

Company was founded 

and registered in the Sultanate 

of Oman in December 2004. 

It launched its service in March 

2005 as the challenger mobile operator 

in Oman operating under 

the name Nawras. 

Nawras was awarded the second 

ixed licence in Oman in 2009, 

and launched its international 

gateway in April 2010, its corporate 

ixed and broadband services 

in May 2010, and its residential 

ixed and broadband services in 

June 2010. 

FlexJet First Oficer Rob Caster conducts a post-light inspection of a Learjet 45 aircraft after landing at the Addison Airport in Addison, Texas. 

Flexjet, the world's second largest fractional jet ownership service provider, recently reported an 83 per cent growth in new business over 

last year. — AFP 


Stocks fall, yen soars on central bank uncertainty 

NEW YORK — US stocks fell on Friday 

and the dollar inished its worst week 

in almost four years against the yen as 

investors worried that major central 

banks may soon start withdrawing 

stimulus and after data showed a decline 

in US consumer sentiment. 

But European shares ended higher, 

supported by signs of merger and acquisition 

activity in the region. That 

helped boost the MSCI world index 

0.1 per cent on the day. The index, 

however, fell for a fourth straight 

week. 

Jitters over the longevity of monetary 

policy around the world have 

roiled markets recently, and nerves 

were stretched further this week 

when the Bank of Japan decided to 

hold policy steady. 

The concerns have fuelled a sell-off 

in global equities, emerging markets, 

risky bonds and commodities, which 

have been buoyed by central bank liquidity, 

while driving the safe-haven 

yen sharply higheper cent. 

Wall Street stocks closed their 

third negative week in four as investors 

took proits after the S&P 500 recorded 

its second best day of the year 

on Thursday. Stocks rallied more than 

1 per cent in the previous session on 

stronger USeconomic data. 

The market is "giving back some 

of those gains from yesterday, which I 

think really caught people by surprise 

... and I certainly think the economic 

news wasn't bullish," said Joe Saluzzi, 

co-manager of trading at Themis 

Trading in Chatham, New Jersey. 

"We go through these ups and 

downs," he said. "I would still say this 

market is certainly driven by central 

banker thoughts and currency markets 

like the Japanese yen." 

The Dow Jones industrial average 

ended down 105.90 points, or 0.70 

per cent, to 15,070.18. The Standard 

& Poor's 500 Index fell 9.63 points, or 

0.59 per cent, to 1,626.73. The Nasdaq 

Composite Index lost 21.81 points, or 

0.63 per cent, to 3,423.56. 

Attention is shifting to a policy 

meeting of the Federal Reserve next 

week, which would shed light on 

when the US central bank plans to 

scale back its monthly $85 billion 

bond purchase programme. 

"Markets are looking at next week's 

Fed meeting to be the big driver in the 

short-term," said Kim Forrest, senior 

equity research analyst at Fort Pitt 

Capital Group in Pittsburgh. 

Fed chief Ben "Bernanke has really 

increased the amount of transparency 

in the Fed's thinking," said Forrest. 

"This isn't going to be a jack-in-thebox 

surprise Fed; it's going to be a Fed 

that clearly indicates what it's going 

to do. That's why people are looking 

to this meeting in particular." 

US data on Friday showed consumer 

sentiment edged off a six-year high 

in June while manufacturing output 

picked up a bit last month, suggesting 

the economy remained on a moderate 

growth path. Other data showed 

wholesale prices rose more than expected 

in May but underlying inlation 

pressures remained muted. 

Top European stocks climbed 0.2 

per cent, tracking a rebound in Japanese 

and Asian shares. 

Emerging market equities as measured 

by MSCI rose 1.1 per cent on Friday, 

although they posted a ifth consecutive 

week of losses. 

Despite climbing 2 per cent on Friday, 

Japan's Nikkei is nursing losses of 

more than 15 per cent since mid-May. 

The volatility in stocks has driven a 

sharp rebound in the yen. 

S’pore punishes 20 banks 

in benchmark rate review 

SINGAPORE — Singapore's central bank 

censured a record 20 banks on Friday after 

it found more than 100 traders in the 

city state tried to rig key borrowing and 

currency rates. 

The probe by the Monetary Authority 

of Singapore (MAS) marks the latest 

development in a global crackdown on 

rate-rigging and adds more banks, including 

ING and Bank of America , to the list of 

lenders involved. 

The watchdog said 133 traders had 

tried to inappropriately inluence the 

rates. It did not ine the banks, but ordered 

them to set aside additional reserves for a 

year. 

The city state's banking and market associations 

also unveiled reforms of how 

banks will set the benchmarks, including 

basing some of them on actual trades 

rather than estimates submitted by banks. 

Europe and the United States are also 

pushing for benchmark rates to be based 

on actual trades. 

Financial market reference rates are 

under intense scrutiny around the world 

following the discovery that some had 

been rigged, most notably the Libor — 

London Interbank Offered Rate — benchmark 

for interest rates. 

Barclays was the irst bank to be ined 

for Libor manipulation, and US and UK 

authorities have slapped ines of hundreds 

of millions of dollars on Royal Bank 

of Scotland and UBS and are investigating 

more banks. The regulatory focus has now 

expanded to the foreign exchange market. 

Britain's inancial watchdog is looking into 

a report that traders manipulated benchmark 

foreign exchange rates. 

The Singapore watchdog ordered UBS, 

RBS and ING to set aside the most in ad- 

Pakistan govt stretches the 

net to help banks avoid taxes 

ISLAMABAD — In the new tax measures proposed in the Budget 2013-14, the new 

Pakistan Muslim League-N government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has provided 

an opportunity to the banks to avoid billions of rupees in taxes by reducing the rate of 

dividend income earned by investing in treasury bills and the stock market through 

asset management companies from 35 per cent to 25 per cent. 

The top ive banks of the country have grown their bottom line over the years by 

making risk-free lending to the government through bonds and T-bills and earning 

double-digit returns. The federal government had become a desperate borrower and 

that allowed the banks to pile up big fortunes. 

The move by the government is contrary to the claims of taxing the rich to overcome 

the economic crisis as it has increased the tax burden on the salaried class by a third, 

while the tax burden on the non-corporate business class also known as association of 

persons has grown three-fold. 

The new tax measures are likely to fuel speculation that the PML-N government 

does not treat all segments of the society equally and always tilts in favour of the corporate 

class of the country. 

Through the Finance Act 2013, the government has proposed to reverse the rates 

of dividend income that had been increased in the previous budget aimed at plugging 

loopholes that the bankers were successfully exploiting. 

According to the inance bill, ‘the rate of dividend income earned by banks from 

Money Market Funds and Income Funds, and gain from disposal of shares of listed 

companies within one year of acquisition is proposed to reduce from 35 per cent to 25 

per cent’. It has proposed amendment to the seventh schedule of the Income Tax Ordinance 

to give effect to the decision. 

The Federal Board of Revenue had taken the decision of increasing taxes to end the 

practice of banks using asset management companies for transactions to dodge taxes 

worth billions. Since the corporate tax rate was 35 per cent, the big banks were investing 

through asset management companies. 

The country's two leading banks were involved in re-routing their funds to these asset 

management companies for investing in government securities to evade taxes, compelling 

the government to increase the rates. — Internews 

"The yen has proved to be investors' 

go-to safe haven to ride out global 

stock market volatility," said Joe 

Manimbo, senior market analyst at 

Western Union Business Solutions in 

Washington, D C. 

"The uncertainty has prompted investors 

to exit recently overcrowded 

plays like betting on the dollar and 

Japan's Nikkei stock index and against 

the yen," he said. "With that play now 

ditional reserves, with each having to post 

between S $1 billion ($800 million) and 

$1.2 billion extra with the central bank. 

The money will be returned if the banks 

take the required remedial action. 

The regulator said of the 133 traders 

found to have acted inappropriately, three 

quarters had either been ired or resigned. 

The remainder would be subject to disciplinary 

action, including forfeiting their 

bonuses. UBS said these were the actions 

of a few in the past. A UBS spokesman said 

it had signiicantly strengthened its internal 

procedures and controls. 

ING said it had taken disciplinary action 

against the small number of individuals involved. 

RBS said it would comply with any 

required remedial measures. 

Other banks censured included BNP 

Paribas, Bank of America, Oversea-Chinese 

Banking Corporation, Barclays , Credit Suisse, 

DBS, Deutsche Bank and Standard 

Chartered. 

"The punishment is not light. It is a 

good reminder to banks to keep their governance 

in order. The opportunity cost of 

not lending the money can be quite hefty," 

said Roger Tan, CEO of SIAS Research, the 

equity research arm of the Securities Investors 

Association (Singapore). 

The Singapore regulator irst ordered 

banks in the city-state to review benchmark 

borrowing rates nearly a year ago. 

That review was extended in September 

last year to foreign exchange benchmark 

rates used to price currency derivatives, 

particularly instruments known as nondeliverable 

forwards. Reuters reported 

in January how the banks' investigations 

had found evidence that traders were manipulating 

rates in the offshore foreign exchange 

market. — AFP 

in reverse, the yen has steadily been 

squeezed higher." 

The dollar fell 1.2 per cent to 94.21 

yen and dropped 3.4 per cent on the 

week, the biggest weekly loss since 

July 2009. The euro lost 1.4 per cent 

to 125.70 yen. Against the dollar, it 

slipped 0.2 per cent to $1.3347. 

The benchmark 10-year US Treasury 

note was up 4/32, the yield at 

2.1331 per cent as traders bet the Fed 

would keep interest rates near zero 

for a protracted period to help the 

economy even if the bank slows its 

bond buying this year. 

Oil prices rose as news that the 

United States had authorised sending 

US weapons to Syrian rebels sparked 

concerns about Middle East supplies. 

Though Syria is not a global oil 

supplier, investors are worried that 

an escalating civil war could lead to 

unrest in oil-producing regions of the 

Middle East. 

Brent crude rose 98 cents to settle 

at $105.93 a barrel, while US crude 

gained $1.16 to settle at $97.85 a barrel, 

having struck a nine-month high. 

Spot gold rose slightly, to $1,388 

an ounce, helped by resilient demand 

for coins and bars and a pullback in 

US equities. Rising geopolitical tensions 

in the Middle East also boosted 

the metal's safe-haven appeal, traders 

said. — AFP


The increasing need to 

ensure correct tax compliance 

By Ahmed Al Esry 

SINCE 2009, the Middle East, 

and indeed the Oman economy, 

has faced considerable 

challenges brought about by the 

Arab Spring and the global inancial 

crisis economic slowdown. 

These challenges have brought to the 

fore, an urgent need to substantially 

increase employment and improve 

the social well-being of citizens. 

Fortunately, as a consequence of 

the prudent planning and sensible 

decision making by His Majesty’s 

Government, the Sultanate of Oman 

is embarking on much needed infrastructure 

investments and development 

plans to increase employment 

opportunities, economic prospects 

and living conditions. 

To create an enabling iscal environment, 

Oman has implemented 

new tax laws with tax incentives 

for investments and low income tax 

rates. These measures are aimed at 

attracting foreign direct investments, 

stimulate diversiied economic 

growth and reduce reliance on the oil 

and gas sector. 

However, from a iscal perspective, 

these policy initiatives have resulted 

in signiicantly lower tax yield to fund 

and much needed social subsidies 

and welfare programmes. 

To bridge the shortfall, the tax authorities 

are seeking to implement 

Tech Scandal 

Facebook reveals details of data requests 

WASHINGTON — Facebook revealed 

on Friday it received between 9,000 

and 10,000 requests for user data 

from US authorities in the second half 

of last year, as it seeks to shield itself 

from a growing scandal. 

The requests covered issues from 

child disappearances to petty crimes 

and terror threats and targeted between 

18,000 and 19,000 accounts, 

the social networking site said, without 

revealing how often it complied 

with the requests. 

Facebook "aggressively" protects 

its users' data, the company's general 

counsel Ted Ullyot said in a statement. 

"We frequently reject such requests 

outright, or require the government 

to substantially scale down 

its requests, or simply give the government 

much less data than it has 

requested. And we respond only as 

required by law," he added. 

Facebook is ighting an expanding 

public backlash after a government 

contractor revealed it was among 

nine Internet giants that turned over 

user data to the secret National Secu- 

more stringent and effective, compliance 

and enforcement measures that 

will substantially increase tax collections 

over the few next years. 

The importance of tax certainty 

All companies are concerned with 

the same bottom line question about 

their taxes. “How much are we going 

to pay this year?” 

From a business perspective, tax 

is a necessary business expense that, 

like all other business expenses, 

needs to be managed to ensure certainty 

of outcomes from business investment. 

And it’s not just how much 

is payable based on the tax computation 

and tax declarations iled, but 

also “will we have to have a disagreement 

with the tax authority in order 

to agree on that inal igure?” 

As noted above, it is clear that, as 

tax authorities strive to collect every 

bit of cash due to them, businesses 

will face increased tax risk and tax 

controversy and uncertainty of tax 

outcomes. 

The emerging tax compliance 

environment 

Ernst & Young asked more than 

500 senior tax and inance executives 

a wide range of questions about their 

recent experiences and predictions 

for the future. The survey reported 

the following trends which are relevant 

to taxpayers in Oman. 

The traditional tax audit: It is now 

more frequent and aggressive, and 

the resulting additional tax assessments 

and penalties being raised. The 

tax department is increasing focus on 

the international business arrangements 

and seeking to subject crossborder 

transactions to withholding 

tax if not, income tax. 

Large increases in the volume taxpayer 

information being shared: Over 

the last few years, government agencies 

are increasingly sharing information 

on transactions conducted with 

and payments made to foreign companies. 

rity Agency surveillance programme 

PRISM. 

The companies, which also include 

Apple, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, 

have denied claims the NSA could directly 

access their servers. US authorities 

have said the programme helped 

prevent terror attacks. 

Facebook said it was able to report 

all US national security-related requests, 

which no company had previously 

been allowed to do, after pressing 

the government to release more 

details about the programme. 

But, for now, it said the government 

would only allow Facebook to 

provide the numbers in aggregate 

form and as a range. 

"This is progress, but we're continuing 

to push for even more transparency, 

so that our users around 

the world can understand how infrequently 

we are asked to provide user 

data on national security grounds," 

Ullyot said. 

Google asked the FBI and US Justice 

Department this week for permission 

to release numbers related to 

its handing over of data for the leaked 

This information is then matched 

with information included in the tax 

returns to identify and investigate 

variances. 

New disclosure and transparency 

requirements: The new income returns 

require business to disclose 

considerable more inancial data. In 

particular, tax authorities are focusing 

on related party transactions, by 

requiring that companies disclose 

when and where they have entered 

into such transactions. 

Hot spots for stricter tax scrutiny: 

The increasingly global nature of 

business has directed the attention 

of tax authorities to other issues, including 

the movement of intellectual 

property, the transfer or disposal of 

assets between group companies and 

the movement of expatriate employees 

between countries. 

Ensuring certainty of tax 

outcomes 

Fortunately, businesses and taxpayers 

can take deinitive measures 

to reduce tax risks and certainty of 

tax outcomes. Tax risk is what companies 

face when they are unsure 

of iling correct tax returns. And tax 

controversy is a polite term of the 

disputes that arise with tax authorities 

over calculations of tax liability. 

The primary measure, that all 

businesses can take immediately, is 

to ensure that income tax returns 

are accurate and correct and all tax 

compliance requirements are ful- 

illed correctly and on time. By doing 

so, tax payers can avoid considerable 

dificulties and costs at the time of 

tax assessment and substantially increase 

certainty of tax cost. To assist 

business taxpayers during this tax 

iling season, Ernst & Young will provide 

a series of weekly articles that 

will address key considerations and 

measures relating to tax compliance 

and iling income tax return in Oman. 

The author is a Partner | Tax 

Advisory Services, Ernst & Young 

surveillance programmes, saying it 

has "nothing to hide." 

The company's "transparency report" 

on government requests does 

not include national security requests 

under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance 

Act (FISA) that authorised 

PRISM. 

In a statement, a Google spokesperson 

said the company has "always 

believed it's important to differentiate 

between different types of 

government requests," adding that it 

wants to "publish aggregate numbers 

of national security requests, including 

FISA disclosures, separately." 

Leaker Edward Snowden, who 

worked as a subcontractor handling 

computer networks for the NSA, is in 

Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese 

territory, where he has vowed 

to contest any possible extradition in 

court. 

He also revealed the NSA's gathering 

of a huge trove of telephone metadata. 

US authorities said they could 

not mine the logs to target a speciic 

user without authorisation from a secret 

court. 

Traders work at their desks in front of the DAX board at the Frankfurt stock exchange. — Reuters 

OMAN/INTERNATIONAL 

19 

RO 78m contract for Oman convention, 

exhibition centre awarded to Carillion 

MUSCAT — The tender for the Construction 

of Package 2 at the Oman 

Convention & Exhibition Centre Precinct 

developed by Omran in Al Irfan 

area has been awarded to Carillion 

Alawi, as approved by the Tender 

Board with a total value of RO 78 

million. The Package includes the 

construction of exhibition halls, car 

park facilities and the district cooling 

plant. 

The scope of Package 2 for the 

construction of one of Oman’s most 

highly anticipated developments includes 

a structured car park facility 

for 4,200 vehicles on 3 parking levels 

totalling an area of 143,000 sqm, 

exhibition halls of approximately 

45,000 sqm gross area which will 

provide ive divisible state of the art 

halls with service trenches, plant 

rooms, and acoustically treated vertically 

movable partitions to enable 

separation and sound isolation of 

each hall. 

This package also comprises a 

concourse with a glazed curtain wall 

system, fully equipped with main 

production kitchen and three cafes, 

hospitality suites, administration/ 

ofice areas, a central landscaped 

courtyard and two circulation nodes 

connecting the concourse to the car 

park. 

Additionally, the scope will also 

cover the ancillary buildings, namely 

the Energy Centre which serves as 

the District Cooling Plant for the entire 

precinct, security screening facility, 

taxi amenity building, waste 

management building, a landscape 

maintenance building and electrical 

substation facility. 

The project also features a number 

of sustainable initiatives in conservation 

of energy, potable water and use 

of treated sewage efluent for cooling 

and irrigation and thus targeting 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental 

Design (LEED) certiication 

from the United States Green Building 

Council. 

Wael al Lawati, CEO of Omran 

stated that the award of this package 

represents a major milestone for the 

company as this is the second major 

construction package to be awarded 

by Omran after the award of the development 

of the Site Infrastructure 

and Utilities Package late last year. 

He also expressed that this award 

certainly makes everyone anxious to 

see the irst part of the iconic OCEC 

landmark Project materialise within 

20 months from today and Omran is 

in the process, as part of the Project 

Execution Plan, to release a series of 

other construction packages by the 

end of the year that include the Convention 

Centre building with a capacity 

of a 3,200-seat auditorium and 

banquet halls, a 5-star hotel, a 4-star 

hotel, and a number of class-A ofice 

buildings. 

Said al Qasmi, OCEC Chief Project 

Oficer at Omran said, “Omran as a 

prudent developer, has invested a lot 

of efforts during the various design 

stages of the project to scrutinise all 

the design options presented to ensure 

maximum use of local materials 

utilising the local supply chain and 

also allocated marks during the evaluation 

process of the submitted tenders 

to the ‘Local Content’ criteria.” 

“We do not select Contractors only 

because of their proven track record 

and technical capabilities in the ield 

of construction but most importantly, 

for their relevant and speciic proposals 

to use an extensive list of qualiied 

local subcontractors and suppliers as 

well as for offering formal recruitment 

and training programmes to 

their Omani staff therefore providing 

valuable addition to Omran’s local 

capacity building strategy,” added Al 

Qasmi. 

With anticipated opening in 2016, 

the Oman Convention and Exhibition 

Centre operated by AEG Ogden, represents 

a key cornerstone of the ongoing 

efforts to position the Sultanate 

as part of the vast growing Events Industry 

which will greatly contribute 

towards the diversiication of the na- 

tional economy and the employment 

of Omani nationals during construction 

and the operation phases of the 

Project. 

Due for completion in late 2016, 

the Oman Convention and Exhibition 

Centre is located in its own fully integrated 

precinct only four kilometres 

from Muscat International Airport. 

The design of the Centre will ensure 

a low of the meetings space to 

suit the most discerning conference 

and exhibition organisers. It also 

incorporated expansive concourse 

areas to enable ease of large delegations 

with loor to ceiling windows 

overlooking landscaped gardens and 

water features. 

The Centre will feature two tiered 

auditoria to seat 3,200 and 450 

while the exhibition halls will feature 

22,000 square metres of column-free 

exhibition space. 

Halls 1 and 2 will have a superior 

it out, specialised acoustic treatment, 

advanced lighting and rigging 

requirements to act as a multi-purpose 

space for plenary sessions, concerts, 

performances, gala events on 

a larger scale of up to 10,000 seated 

theatre-style. 

The Centre will also include an 

additional 14 meeting rooms for 70- 

360 delegates, two well-appointed 

ballrooms to seat up to 2,360, VIP 

Pavilion, a spacious food-court and a 

multi-storey car park with capacity 

for 4,000 vehicles. 

The Precinct will provide the infrastructure 

necessary to host successful 

international, regional and 

local events and for the enjoyment of 

the community. 

These include a ive star hotel 

linked to the convention centre, two 

four star, and a three star hotel and 

apartments with a combined total of 

1,000 rooms. A business park, retail 

shopping mall surrounded by a nature 

reserve which will be a haven 

for Oman’s exotic birdlife, parklands 

and wadi (valley) park are also part 

of this picturesque precinct. 

EU reaches terms with 

France on US free trade talks 

LUXEMBOURG — EU trade ministers 

inally thrashed out a deal on 

how to negotiate for a free trade deal 

with the United States, after meeting 

a French demand to exclude the key 

audiovisual sector. 

After some 13 hours of talks, 

ministers had reached what one EU 

source described as a "not in, not 

out" formula. 

Oficials said the ministers would 

leave the audiovisual sector out of 

the mandate for initial talks over 

what would be the world's biggest 

free trade deal, as Paris had insisted. 

But the European Commission 

would still have the right to raise 

"any issue" during the negotiations 

if it saw it. 

French Commerce Minister 

Nicole Bricq said she welcomed the 

outcome because it gave Paris "the 

exclusion of the audiovisual sector" 

since if the Commission asked for 

it to be included in the future, that 

would require a unanimous vote. 

"In that case, it would be the same 

procedure again — one would ask 

the French position and we would 

say 'No' again," added. 

EU Trade Commissioner Karel 

De Gucht, who will lead the talks, 

stressed that the accord was "not a 

carve out." 

"I am going to listen to what my 

American friends say on this (and) 

then we can... ask for additional 

mandates" if needed, De Gucht said. 

He could "live with" the agreed 

mandate, he said, adding that he 

found the French position "understandable" 

given that technological 

change was happening so fast in the 

sector. 

It was better to have the lexibility 

to come back to the issue as the 

situation developed, he added. 

An EU oficial said the accord was 

"balanced overall" and "logical" in 

its treatment of the audiovisual sector, 

a key element in France's prized 

"cultural exception" which it insists 

must be defended at all costs. 

"We kind of got what we wanted," 

which was to be expected in such 

political negotiations, the oficial 

said. 

Earlier Friday, Bricq had bluntly 

told her colleagues that Paris would 

"refuse any mandate which does not 

come with protection of the cultural 

sector and a clear and explicit exclusion 

of the audiovisual sector." 

Washington has also said no areas 

should be excluded from the 

talks. 

EU oficials have themselves repeatedly 

warned that any exceptions 

would only hand the US an early 

bargaining chip in what promise to 

be tough negotiations. 

Ministers were under intense 

pressure to agree the guidelines on 

which the European Commission 

will negotiate the EU-US Transatlantic 

Trade and Investment Partnership 

(TTIP) so the talks could be 

formally launched at next week's G8 

meeting. 

If the deal is done, it would be the 

world's largest Free Trade Agreement: 

bilateral trade in goods last 

year were worth some 500 billion 

euros ($670 billion); another 280 

billion euros in services and trillions 

in investment lows. 

The EU says it would add some 

119 billion euros annually to the EU 

economy, and 95 billion euros for 

the United States. 

But France jealously guards it cultural 

sector: French television stations 

are required to air at least 40 

per cent home-produced content, 

with another 20 per cent coming 

from Europe before American TV 

soap operas even get a look in. 

Cinema-goers pay a levy on 

each ticket to help fund the French 

ilm industry, which many believe 

could not survive without such support 

in the face of Hollywood's dominance. 

At the meeting, ministers also 

reviewed a series of trade disputes 

with China that have exposed deep 

differences within the EU — notably 

between Berlin and Paris. — AFP

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EMBELEMS for rent. 

95898889. 

· · · · · 

Al Khuwair 

1. An apartment behind 

Fahmi Furniture, two 

rooms, living room 

(RO 325) 

2. Two rooms, living 

room, 3 toilets, kitchen 


Ghala 

3 rooms, sitting room, 

living room with annexes 


Bausher 


kitchen, 3 toilets 

(RO450) 

North al Mawaleh 

A villa containing a living 

room, 4 rooms with 

annexes, near the sea 

(RO 1,000) 

An apartment near sea- 

3 rooms, 2 living rooms 

with annexes (RO600) 

Al Athaiba 

A villa of 5 rooms, 2 

living rooms, a kitchen 

with all annexes 

(RO 950), a year 

payment in advance. 

93161111, 

93151111. 

· · · · · 

Al Mubaila 

1. Studio-one room-toilet 

(RO135). Residential, 

commercial. 

2. A room with AC, 

sperate toilet in Al 

Mubaila Industrial estate 


3. Shops in Al Mubaila 

Industrial estate 



room (RO 220) 

5. Two rooms, sitting 

room with AC’s (RO 250) 

residential, commercial 

6. Villa in Al Mubaila 8-7 

rooms, living room with 

annexes (RO 450) 

Al Khoudh 


room, kitchen, 2 toilets 


2. One room with sitting 


Al Mawaleh 

1. VILLA with 9 rooms, a 

sitting room (RO 950) 

2. A room, sitting room 

behind City Centre 


Al Hail 

1. An apartment of two 

rooms, sitting room 

by the main road. 



2. Shops by the main 

road, 38 metres 


93121111, 

93171111. 

· · · · · 

For Rent 

9,000 m 2 open land 

in Ghala for long and 

short term lease. 

98469938, 

24791485 

· · · · · 

OFFICES, shops, 

lats (Al Khuwair), 

furnished 1 

bedroom deluxe 

lats (Al Ghubrah), 

new 6 bedroom 

villas (Mumtaz), lats 

(Wadi Kabir). 

96596348. 

· · · · · 

SAVILLS OMAN 

QUALITY homes 

for rent throughout 

Capital Area 

Muscat. Contact: 

24692151. 

www.sav-oman.com 

BRAND new pent house, 

north Al Hail not far from 

beach, three rooms three 

toilets, sitting dining, 

store, balcony 1.93 

sq.m rent RO 450 P M. 

99207840. 

· · · · · 

NEW lat for rent in 

Maabela near by Indian 

School- (500M) from 

Indian School. The lat 

includes 3 bedrooms, 

3 bathrooms, sitting 

room, big kitchen, spilt 

unit AC. The lat is a 

part from villa - with 

private entrance and car 

parking. For more details 

call - Said: 99645041. 

· · · · · 

ONE bedroom lat for 

rent at Al Mawaleh. 

93282220. 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM lat in Al 

Hail. 92817777. 

· · · · · 

FLAT for rent in Al 

Khoud Market near 

Al Fair, 2 bedrooms, 

family hall, 2 bathrooms. 

95120900. 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM villa for 

rent at Al Khuwair 33, 

Rent RO 700. Contact 

Owner: 99228134. 

· · · · · 

AL ATHAIBA new villa 

having 4 bedrooms, 

sitting room, family 

hall, 5 toilets, balcony, 2 

kitchens and maid room 

with AC. 95999904. 

· · · · · 

AL Khuwair new villa 

near technical college 


sitting room, family hall, 

6 toilets, 2 kitchens and 

maid room with AC. 

95999904. 

· · · · · 

FLAT (room + hall) Ruwi. 

99260200. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIED SECTION: 

Sunday 


For Rent 

HOUSE for rent in Al 

Ghubra, next to Health 

Centre, 2 bedrooms, 

1 majlis. RO 360. 

99346417. 

· · · · · 

FLAT at Al Amerat 5/1 

main road, 2 bedroom, 

sitting, family hall, 

kitchen and 3 bathrooms. 

96913000. 

· · · · · 

A NEW building in Al 

Suwaiq for rent. Opposite 

Al Suwaiq Police Station 

on the main road. 6 loors 

of apartments and shops. 

99331110 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM lat at 

Qurum — 16. 

99337496/ 99342085. 

· · · · · 

TWO storey house at 

Wadi Kabir. 

99766790. 

· · · · · 

SHOPS for rent at Sur. 

99203381. 

· · · · · 

ALL Season clinic 

Ayurvedic Treatment, 

Yoga massage & 

slimming. Contact: 

92504980/24475280. 

· · · · · 

Good News 

ANKLE pain, back & 

shoulder pain, knee 

pain or injury 

treatment, language & 

swallowing disorder 

— experienced 

physiotherapist, 

speech therapist, now 

available at reputable 

clinic in Qurum. Take 

advantage of the FREE 

GP consultant. Call 

Rochester Clinic 

24691137 or 

97377859. 

· · · · · 

Investment /Rent 

A LAND for investment 

or rent with permits 

for workers residents, 

opposite to Al Naseem 

Park. 99431369. 

· · · · · 

Ali al Maashari: 99639264 

Salim al Naamani: 99355675 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

GOOD PRICE!!! GOOD PRICE!!! 

Available on very GOOD prices 

HP 1000 Inkjet Printer 

RO 11.500 only 

HP 1050 3 in 1 Printer 




HP 1025 Colour Laser 


AII HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, 

Samsung Cartridges also available 

COMPUTER SUPPLIES 

Ruwi: 24792792 

Situation Vacant 

URGENTLY required 

a Civil Engineer 

for an organisation 

at Interior. Basic 

salary RO 350/to 

RO 450/- plus 

allowances 

with accom and 

veh. Interested 

candidates may send 

your CV’s to Fax no: 

24535847, E-mail: 

rajesh@izzgroup. 

com. 

· · · · · 

LOOKING for a Female 

Dentist, not less than 

5 years experience, to 

work in a dental clinic 

in Shinas (excellent 

preparation and 

location). 99439989. 

· · · · · 

BACHELOR in Electrical 

Engineering 5+ years 

experience in Oman or 

Gulf with Omani driving 

licence. Contact: +968 

99354594, 24557628. 

hajri.oman@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

WANTED urgently 

driver with release 

letter call at 5 pm to 

10 pm only. Contact: 

96063209. 

· · · · · 


DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590 

e-mail: classified@omandaily.om 

PORTA CABINS / TURNKEY CAMPS 

Our Services Manufacturing, Erection, Mobilization. 

Our Products Camps, Kitchens, Offices, Ablutions 

Phone 24503725 Fax 24503723 

Mobile 95228450 Mobile 99277505 

e-mail info@speedhouseoman.com 

Web www.speedhouseoman.com 

SPEED HOUSE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION LLC 


Umrah/Haj 


AL Hikmani for 

HAJ and UMRAH 

— With a host of 

services including 

the following: 

Hiring luxurious 

coaches, arranging 

weekly trips, 

preparing visas 

for expats at costeffective 

price, 

including transport, 

housing, meals 

and visits to shrine 

locations. Land and 

air trips weekly. 

(99311310, 

24566016, 

99361982, 

99707248, 

99322124. 

· · · · · 

Vehicle sale 

YARIS 2007 model, 

silver colour, very well 

maintained, serviced at 

Toyota. Expected price 

RO 1,850. 99053519. 

· · · · · 

BMW 320 car 

for sale, 2012 

model, red colour, 

approx 11,000 

kms done, single 

owner. Contact: 

96530011. 

· · · · · 

al-haditha 

centre 

AUTO REPAIR 

CENTRE 

Quality Repairs & Maintenance of all 

types of Cars and Heavy vehicles 

(ROP approved Grade A Workshop) 

Best Mechanical & Electrical Repairs 

Top Class Denting & Painting with 

Quality Service at Very Reasonable cost. 

Call: 24595951/Fax: 24597979 

Workshop@ahoman.com 

www.AlHadithaOman.com 

FREE 

INFORMATION 

ABOUT ISLAM 

If you would like 

to know more 

about 

Islam, please 

call: 

Tel : 99425598, 

96050000, 

99353988, 

99253818, 

99341395, 

99379133, For 

ladies: 99415818, 

99321360, 99730723 

Or visit: 

www.islamfact.com 

Driving School 

MORNING STAR 

DRIVING SCHOOL — 

Learn driving 

manual/ automatic 

with professionally 

qualified male/ 

female trainees in 

brand new cars and 

flexible payments. 

Call: 99043283, 

24478589, 24478505, 

www.chamberman. 

com/member/ 

morningstar www. 

morningstar.com 

· · · · · 

Car for Rent 

AHAD 2000 for rent 

car, Muscat and 

Salalah: 93204595, 

93203481, 24487827. 

· · · · · 

Guest House 

QURUM BEACH HOTEL 

24564070. 

· · · · · 

Classifieds 

Continued on P21

Rent-A-Car 

Latest Model Cars — Excellent Service 

Saloon Cars, 4WD, Pick-ups, Buses 

Luxury Cars with Chauffeur 

Al Khuwair: 2448 9248/9648 

Ruwi: 24707074, Qurum: 24691110 

Mct. Airport: 24521189, 

Sohar: 26845565 

Salalah: 23296246, 

Sll.Airport 99323619 

SPECIAL Rates on 

New Cars & 4 WDs 

RENTING & LEASING 

Tours and Airport Transfer 

Tel: 24582663 

GSM: 95859497, 

Fax: 24582664, 

abcrent@omantel.net.om 

MARBLE Marble 

polishing and 

crystallisation building, 

cleaning floor, floor 

polishing, carpet, sofa 

shampooing, pest 

control, anti-termite, 

shifting, maintenance. 

99504275. 

· · · · · 

HOOPOE SMART 

CARD SERVICES Sanad 

Service Centre 

We provide the following 

services: Typing, clearing 

all transactions related to 

government departments 

and private sector, eg 

labour agreement for 

Omanis and expatriates, 

typing of labour 

card for expatriates, 

typing of visas and 

document clearing from 

immigration department, 

Ministry of Commerce 

& Industry, Ministry of 

Manpower, Commercial 

names reservation, 

renewal of commercial 

registration, renewal 

of OCCI membership, 

attestation of all 

documents from OCCI 

& Ministry of Foreign 

Affairs. Renewal of 

labour cards through 

electronic payment or 

cash payment. Please 

note you may deliver 

your transaction 

through our e-mail 

and our representative 

will deliver it to your 

ofice personally after 

completion. Our address 

is: Ruwi, near Gulf 

Transport Co. (GTC), 

Fax: 24793331, GSM: 

98793665 (Direct) 

99231500. 

E-mail: hoopoeoman@ 

gmail.com 

AL FAHAD 

TRANSLATION 

SERVICES 

Translation of all kinds of 

legal, medical, and other 

types of documents, 

Commercial Agencies, 

etc. Ruwi, near Gulf 

Transport Co (GTC), 

Fax: 24794286. GSM: 

98793665 (Direct) 

95959838. E-mail: 

bptland@gmail.com 

LANDRAIL TRADING 

& SERVICES (Smart 

Card) Ruwi, near 

Gulf Transport Co. 

(GTC), Tel: 24789117, 

GSM 98793666 (Dir), 

96777170. E-mail: 

landrailoman@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

INSTALLING, 

transferring furniture. 

98949690. 

· · · · · 

Services 

SHOP for sale at the 

entrance of Wadi 

Kabir, Sinaiayah. Call 

(Tenant): 92977157, 

92247429. 

· · · · · 

PEST CONTROL 

OMAN CO. LLC. 

Supply of 

Pesticides, 

Gel (Cockroaches), 

Public Health 

chemicals, 

Agriculture 

chemicals, 

Snake repellent, 

Rodent 

baits and 

other insect 

repellent from 

Agropharm 

Ltd UK. 

PROFESSIONALS 

in Pest Control Service, Bedbug 

Treatment, Rodent 

Treatment, Snake Treatment 

and Termite Treatment 

(Pre and Post Construction). 

Tel: 24787606 / 24787503 

Fax: 24787607 

E-mail: pcomctom@omantel.net.om 

P. O. Box: 565, Wadi Kabir, 

Postal Code: 117, 

SULTANATE OF OMAN 

PHOTOCOPIER, 

Printer, Computer 

Annual Maintenance 

Contract (AMC). For 

sales and service 

call: 93223991. 

· · · · · 

1. AC, Fridge & Washing 

Machine Servicing & 

Repairing 2. Painting, 

Plumbing, Electrical 

& Carpentry Works. 

Contact: 97014234/ 

97123569, 24504281. 

· · · · · 

INSTALLING, transferring 

furniture. 

92471173. 

· · · · · 

For Sale 

Manpower 

FRIENDS 

MANPOWER: Filipino 

housemaids and all 

kinds of workers. 

24489268 Tel/Fax: 

24478153. 

· · · · · 

Car Buy & Sell 

IF you are interested 

to sell your cars, 

send SMS, we pay 

cash. Contact: 

99333088. 

· · · · · 

Tours 

DOLPHIN WATCHING 

Snorkelling & Sunset 

Trip 

Private Luxury Yacht 

charter 

For booking: 

94110088 

Coral Ocean Tours LLC 

E-mail: 

coraloceantours@ 

gmail.com 

Web: www. 

coraloceantours.com 

MARINE Tourism 

92808636, e-mail: 

info@alainain.com 

· · · · · 


EMBELEMS for rent. 

95898889. 

· · · · · 

Al Khuwair 

1. An apartment behind 

Fahmi Furniture, two 

rooms, living room 



room, 3 toilets, kitchen 


Ghala 


living room with annexes 


Bausher 


kitchen, 3 toilets 

(RO450) 

North al Mawaleh 

A villa containing a living 

room, 4 rooms with 

annexes, near the sea 

(RO 1,000) 

An apartment near sea- 

3 rooms, 2 living rooms 

with annexes (RO600) 

Al Athaiba 

A villa of 5 rooms, 2 

living rooms, a kitchen 

with all annexes 

(RO 950), a year 

payment in advance. 

93161111, 

93151111. 

· · · · · 

Al Mubaila 

1. Studio-one room-toilet 

(RO135). Residential, 

commercial. 

2. A room with AC, 

sperate toilet in Al 

Mubaila Industrial estate 


3. Shops in Al Mubaila 

Industrial estate 




5. Two rooms, sitting 

room with AC’s (RO 250) 


6. Villa in Al Mubaila 8-7 

rooms, living room with 

annexes (RO 450) 

Al Khoudh 


room, kitchen, 2 toilets 


2. One room with sitting 


Al Mawaleh 

1. VILLA with 9 rooms, a 

sitting room (RO 950) 

2. A room, sitting room 

behind City Centre 


Al Hail 

1. An apartment of two 

rooms, sitting room 

by the main road. 



2. Shops by the main 

road, 38 metres 


93121111, 

93171111. 

· · · · · 

For Rent 

9,000 m 2 open land 

in Ghala for long and 

short term lease. 

98469938, 

24791485 

· · · · · 

OFFICES, shops, 

lats (Al Khuwair), 

furnished 1 

bedroom deluxe 

lats (Al Ghubrah), 

new 6 bedroom 

villas (Mumtaz), lats 

(Wadi Kabir). 

96596348. 

· · · · · 

SAVILLS OMAN 

QUALITY homes 

for rent throughout 

Capital Area 

Muscat. Contact: 

24692151. 

www.sav-oman.com 

BRAND new pent house, 

north Al Hail not far from 

beach, three rooms three 

toilets, sitting dining, 

store, balcony 1.93 

sq.m rent RO 450 P M. 

99207840. 

· · · · · 

NEW lat for rent in 

Maabela near by Indian 

School- (500M) from 

Indian School. The lat 

includes 3 bedrooms, 

3 bathrooms, sitting 

room, big kitchen, spilt 

unit AC. The lat is a 

part from villa - with 

private entrance and car 

parking. For more details 

call - Said: 99645041. 

· · · · · 

ONE bedroom lat for 

rent at Al Mawaleh. 

93282220. 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM lat in Al 

Hail. 92817777. 

· · · · · 

FLAT for rent in Al 

Khoud Market near 

Al Fair, 2 bedrooms, 

family hall, 2 bathrooms. 

95120900. 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM villa for 

rent at Al Khuwair 33, 

Rent RO 700. Contact 

Owner: 99228134. 

· · · · · 

AL ATHAIBA new villa 


sitting room, family 

hall, 5 toilets, balcony, 2 

kitchens and maid room 

with AC. 95999904. 

· · · · · 

AL Khuwair new villa 

near technical college 


sitting room, family hall, 

6 toilets, 2 kitchens and 

maid room with AC. 

95999904. 

· · · · · 

FLAT (room + hall) Ruwi. 

99260200. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIED SECTION: 

Sunday 


For Rent 

HOUSE for rent in Al 

Ghubra, next to Health 

Centre, 2 bedrooms, 

1 majlis. RO 360. 

99346417. 

· · · · · 

FLAT at Al Amerat 5/1 

main road, 2 bedroom, 

sitting, family hall, 

kitchen and 3 bathrooms. 

96913000. 

· · · · · 

A NEW building in Al 

Suwaiq for rent. Opposite 

Al Suwaiq Police Station 

on the main road. 6 loors 

of apartments and shops. 

99331110 

· · · · · 

3 BEDROOM lat at 

Qurum — 16. 

99337496/ 99342085. 

· · · · · 

TWO storey house at 

Wadi Kabir. 

99766790. 

· · · · · 

SHOPS for rent at Sur. 

99203381. 

· · · · · 

ALL Season clinic 

Ayurvedic Treatment, 

Yoga massage & 

slimming. Contact: 

92504980/24475280. 

· · · · · 

Good News 

ANKLE pain, back & 

shoulder pain, knee 

pain or injury 

treatment, language & 

swallowing disorder 

— experienced 

physiotherapist, 

speech therapist, now 

available at reputable 

clinic in Qurum. Take 

advantage of the FREE 

GP consultant. Call 

Rochester Clinic 

24691137 or 

97377859. 

· · · · · 

Investment /Rent 

A LAND for investment 

or rent with permits 

for workers residents, 

opposite to Al Naseem 

Park. 99431369. 

· · · · · 

Ali al Maashari: 99639264 

Salim al Naamani: 99355675 



Available on very GOOD prices 

HP 1000 Inkjet Printer 






HP 1025 Colour Laser 


AII HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, 

Samsung Cartridges also available 

COMPUTER SUPPLIES 

Ruwi: 24792792 

Situation Vacant 

URGENTLY required 

a Civil Engineer 

for an organisation 

at Interior. Basic 

salary RO 350/to 

RO 450/- plus 

allowances 

with accom and 

veh. Interested 

candidates may send 

your CV’s to Fax no: 

24535847, E-mail: 

rajesh@izzgroup. 

com. 

· · · · · 

LOOKING for a Female 

Dentist, not less than 

5 years experience, to 

work in a dental clinic 

in Shinas (excellent 

preparation and 

location). 99439989. 

· · · · · 

BACHELOR in Electrical 

Engineering 5+ years 

experience in Oman or 

Gulf with Omani driving 

licence. Contact: +968 

99354594, 24557628. 

hajri.oman@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

WANTED urgently 

driver with release 

letter call at 5 pm to 

10 pm only. Contact: 

96063209. 

· · · · · 


DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590 

e-mail: classified@omandaily.om 

PORTA CABINS / TURNKEY CAMPS 

Our Services Manufacturing, Erection, Mobilization. 

Our Products Camps, Kitchens, Offices, Ablutions 

Phone 24503725 Fax 24503723 

Mobile 95228450 Mobile 99277505 

e-mail info@speedhouseoman.com 

Web www.speedhouseoman.com 

SPEED HOUSE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION LLC 


Umrah/Haj 


AL Hikmani for 

HAJ and UMRAH 

— With a host of 

services including 

the following: 

Hiring luxurious 

coaches, arranging 

weekly trips, 

preparing visas 

for expats at costeffective 

price, 

including transport, 

housing, meals 

and visits to shrine 

locations. Land and 

air trips weekly. 

(99311310, 

24566016, 

99361982, 

99707248, 

99322124. 

· · · · · 

Vehicle sale 

YARIS 2007 model, 

silver colour, very well 

maintained, serviced at 

Toyota. Expected price 

RO 1,850. 99053519. 

· · · · · 

BMW 320 car 

for sale, 2012 

model, red colour, 

approx 11,000 

kms done, single 

owner. Contact: 

96530011. 

· · · · · 

al-haditha 

centre 

AUTO REPAIR 

CENTRE 

Quality Repairs & Maintenance of all 

types of Cars and Heavy vehicles 

(ROP approved Grade A Workshop) 

Best Mechanical & Electrical Repairs 

Top Class Denting & Painting with 

Quality Service at Very Reasonable cost. 

Call: 24595951/Fax: 24597979 

Workshop@ahoman.com 

www.AlHadithaOman.com 

FREE 

INFORMATION 

ABOUT ISLAM 

If you would like 

to know more 

about 

Islam, please 

call: 

Tel : 99425598, 

96050000, 

99353988, 

99253818, 

99341395, 

99379133, For 

ladies: 99415818, 

99321360, 99730723 

Or visit: 

www.islamfact.com 

Driving School 

MORNING STAR 

DRIVING SCHOOL — 

Learn driving 

manual/ automatic 

with professionally 

qualified male/ 

female trainees in 

brand new cars and 

flexible payments. 

Call: 99043283, 

24478589, 24478505, 

www.chamberman. 

com/member/ 

morningstar www. 

morningstar.com 

· · · · · 

Car for Rent 

AHAD 2000 for rent 

car, Muscat and 

Salalah: 93204595, 

93203481, 24487827. 

· · · · · 

Guest House 

QURUM BEACH HOTEL 

24564070. 

· · · · · 

Classifieds 

Continued on P21

QUALIFIED Finance 

professional with 20 

years of experience in 

Oil and Gas logistics 

industries in Oman 

seeks suitable 

placement in senior 

inance position. 

Contact e-mail id: 

aganadharshan@yahoo. 

com 91210749. 

Ready to join 

immediately. 

· · · · · 


EGYPTIAN professional 

lawyer well-versed in 

all forms of contracts 

and lawsuits — 

Primary. Holds a Law 

degree with a total of 6 

years including running 

own law irm and is 

currently in Oman on 

visit seeks immediate 

placement in companies 

or government or law 

ofices. Contact: 

99061715 or e-mail: 

hamadsaid806@yahoo. 

com 

· · · · · 

FILIPINO female, 

university graduate, 

having 4 years 

experience in UAE 

as Receptionist in 

Hotel industry, 1 year 

experience in Oman as 

PA/Executive Secretary, 

knowledge in MS Ofice 

application, business 

correspondence and 

highly customer service 

oriented. Contact 

92272645. 

· · · · · 

Mailing Address: OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS SECTION, P.O. Box 974, Muscat, 

P.C. 100. Location: OEPPA HEAD OFFICE, Medinat Al Alam, 

Near Ministry of Information. 24649 593, 594, 594, 595, 596, 597 

& OEPPA Ruwi Office, Next to Dhofar Bldg, Behind Ruwi Police Station 24785668 

SITUATION WANTED 

B Sc, Hotel & catering 

management /Advance 

diploma in Hospitality 

and Tourism from 

Canada with 1-2 

years experience in 

event mgmt, sales 

and marketing having 

Omani D/L. Contact 

99867455. e-mail: 

manu.eldo@yahoo.com 

· · · · · 

PURCHASE oficer 

Indian having 9 years 

experience in Oil & Gas 

and power sector with 

driving licence , seeking 

suitable placement in 

Purchase or Logistics. 

Contact: 98610456. 

· · · · · 

B.TECH, computer 

science Engineer, with 

knowledge in Jawa J2EE 

and experience in 3D 

charactor Animation, 


placement. Contact 

99435623.E-mail: 

avaneeshasokan@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 25 

years MBA (Global 

Management) from City 

University of Seattle, 

USA & BSc, Hotel 

Management, having 

3 years experience in 

India and Switzerland 

(Marketing & Service), 


placement. Contact: 

95585345, e-mail: 

jobyisaac@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

MECHANICAL Engineer 

(UK) with valid visa 

and Omani driving 

licence, living in Oman 

for more than 15 years, 

seeks suitable post. 

Contact: 96979920, 

93374379. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIEDS/INTERNATIONAL 

IMF cuts US 2014 growth forecast, cites budget 

WASHINGTON — The International 

Monetary Fund assailed US government 

spending cuts as "excessively 

rapid and ill-designed" on Friday as 

it cut the economy's growth forecast 

for 2014. 

Warning that the country still faces 

downside risks to its recovery, the 

IMF cheered the Federal Reserve's 

stimulus efforts and urged Congress 

to help irm up growth by repealing 

the severe "sequester" budget cuts. 

In its annual report on the US 

economy, the IMF said growth would 

be only 1.9 per cent this year, due to 

the sequester's impact, when it had 

the potential of growing as much as 

1.75 percentage points faster. 

For next year, it lowered its forecast 

made in April of 3.0 per cent to 

just 2.7 per cent. 

"We had assumed that the sequestration 

would be phased out," when 

the prior forecast was made, said IMF 

Managing Director Christine Lagarde. 

But the Fund no longer makes that 

assumption, with political parties 

still deadlocked over how to cut the 

budget deicit and debt burden over 

the medium-term. 

That means that, after $85 billion 

for the March-September period, another 

$109 billion has to be pared 

from iscal 2014 spending. 

The Fund called on Congress to 

revoke the sequester, saying that 

stronger growth in the short-term is 

important both for the US and global 

economies. "The automatic spending 

cuts not only exert a heavy toll on 

growth in the short-term, but the indiscriminate 

reductions in education, 

science, and infrastructure spending 

could also reduce medium-term potential 

growth," the IMF said. 

The sequester cuts for this year 

have had one beneicial outcome, 

cutting the iscal deicit by a huge 2.5 

per cent, according to the report. 

But that is likely too much in a 

short period. 

"The deicit reduction in 2013 has 

been excessively rapid and ill-designed," 

it said. 

"A slower pace of deicit reduction 

would help the recovery at a time 

when monetary policy has limited 

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks during a news conference at IMF headquarters in Washington. — Reuters 

room to support it further." 

Despite encouraging a looser iscal 

stance now, and despite the narrowing 

of the iscal gap, the IMF still 

warned that Washington needs to do 

more to address its longer-term iscal 

imbalances. 

With the economy picking up, 

gross US government debt was projected 

to peak at 110 per cent of 

gross domestic product in 2015 and 

start to decline. "But the longer-term 

debt proile remains unsustainable," 

the report said. 

"Despite the slowdown in growth 

rates over the past few years, spending 

on major healthcare programs 

and Social Security, absent additional 

reforms, is expected to increase by 

two percentage points over the next 

decade." 

That will cause the deicit to begin 

widening and start pushing the debt 

ratio back up. 

It suggested fundamental tax reforms 

as part of actions to confront 

the longer-term iscal shortfall, including 

eliminating many exemptions 

and loopholes, and introducing 

a value-added tax and a carbon tax. 

It credited the Federal Reserve's 

aggressive quantitative easing — its 

$85 billion-a-month bond purchases, 

to hold down interest rates — with 

keeping the economy on a sure footing 

as the government slashes spending. 

Lagarde said the Fed programme 

merited holding in place through this 

year, noting that the US central bank 


years, graduate with 

valid Omani D/L, 3 


sales and 3+ years 

of experience in 

IT, seeks suitable 

placement in 

sales/marketing/ 

IT/building 

materials. Contact: 

97890607, e-mail: 

ashrafambar@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

was still not close to targets on reducing 

unemployment and on inlation 

to need to rein in the QE purchases. 

"We believe that the monetary 

policy has been necessary and helpful," 

she told a news conference. 

When, further down the road 

— the IMF predicts early next year 

— the Fed begins reducing its bond 

purchases and holdings to tighten 

policy, Lagarde urged extreme care in 

designing and communicating how it 

does that. 

"The unwinding when it comes 

should be very carefully managed," 

she said. 

The IMF report said the long period 

that interest rates have been held 

exceptionally low has complicated 

policy-making for emerging-market 

countries and has risks for the United 

States as well. 

Most important will be acute timing 

and "effective communication" 

in its strategy to begin gearing down 

the QE programme. 

That will be critical to lower the 

risk of abrupt shifts and higher volatility 

in long-term interest rates 

"which could have adverse global implications," 

the IMF said. 

Meanwhile, Automatic spending 

cuts implemented by the US government 

are slowing the growth of the 

world’s largest economy and should 

be replaced by a more balanced approach 

to deicit reduction, the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF) said 

Friday in its annual report on the US 

economy. 

INDIAN male, 31 years, 

Architect with MSc in 

sustainable architecture, 

UK, 7 years experience 

in Oman with driving 

licence. Contact: 

96759846, e-mail: 

ashishmadhu@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

FINANCE Manager/ 

Controller - Sri Lankan 

Chartered Accountant 

(CA, MBA, ISO, CMA) 

with 15 years exp (8 yrs 

in GCC) worked for top 

industries, independent, 

trustworthy, smart 

working professional 

looking for a 

suitable placement. 

+96895624936, 

e-mail: ca.mohamed1@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

42 years Indian 

male having 5 years 


warehouse supervisor 

looking for a suitable 

post. Holding Oman 

driving licence. 15 


Indian Army. 

Contact: 

94050311, 

94010578. 

· · · · · 

SEEKING for light 

driving jobs. Jahurul 

Islam. Contact: 

98123245. 

· · · · · 

CHIEF accountant, 

Indian male, 32 years, 

MBA and M Com, 9 

years of experience 

(5 years in Oman) in 

accounts and inance 

upto inalisation with 

Oman D/L. Currently on 

visit visa. Ready to join 

immediately. Contact: 

94460345. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 42 years 

accounts/inance, data 

entry, computer 

operating, stores 

keeping, sales and 

purchase entries. BA 

(Eco), DCA, AutoCad, 

Tally 9 Wings, Focus 

A/C packages done. 9 

years India exp in 

accounts, currently 

working in a reputed 

company in Oman 


placement. 

94387693. 

· · · · · 

32, MALE, IT 

professional, Masters 

in IT, ITIL v3, 8 years 

of hands-on Gulf IT 

systems experience, 

having valid Omani 

driving licence, 

looking for suitable 

opportunity. Contact 

98915874 

· · · · · 

SRI LANKAN male, 29 

years, AATSL, CIMA(M) 

& B Com, having 6 years 

experience of which 3 

years in Oman working 

as a chief account in a 

reputed hotel. Looking 

for suitable position. 

Contact 95220435, 

e-mail: rajfawm@gmail. 

com. 

· · · · · 

CHARTERED 

Accountant (M), 

35 years, having 

more than 7 years 

experience in mining 

& manufacturing in 

India and having more 

than 3 years experience 

in reputed PDO 

contracting company in 

Oman with valid Omani 

driving licence. 

Seeks suitable position 

in Accounts 

and Finance. 

97728130 

· · · · · 

CHARTERED 

accountant (Male), 

Omani driving licence 

holder, having more 

than 10 years 

scattered industrial 

experience in 

accounting, Finance, 

MIS, budgeting and 

ERP accounting. Out 

of 10 years having 


experience in Oman 

in well established 

group. Seeks immediate 

suitable position in 

accounting and inance. 

93027688. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIED 

SECTION 

RUWI: 24785668 

Behind Royal 

Oman Police, Adjacent to 

Dhofar Building 

21 

Across-the-board cuts, known as 

the sequester, are reducing the deicit 

at a very rapid rate of 2.5 per cent a 

year, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said 

at a news conference at the Washington-based 

fund. 

However, more targeted saving 

in entitlements, such as pensions, 

paired with new revenues, would be 

preferred to the sequester, she said. 

The automatic cuts that went into 

effect in March — after politicians 

were unable to agree on an alternate 

plan — to lower the US government 

debt were poorly conceived, the IMF 

said in its annual report. 

“The automatic spending cuts not 

only exert a heavy toll on growth in 

the short term, but the indiscriminate 

reductions in education, science, 

and infrastructure spending could 

also reduce medium-term potential 

growth,” the report stated. 

“These cuts should be replaced 

with a backloaded mix of entitlement 

savings and new revenues.” The IMF 

projected US economic growth of 1.9 

per cent this year, unchanged from 

its April estimate. That rate would 

be lower than last year’s 2.2 per cent 

growth rate. 

The projection assumes that: the 

general government deicit will decline 

by more than 2.5 per cent; the 

debt ceiling will be raised; and the 

Fed will continue asset purchases until 

the end of this year. 

“The economy has a way to go 

before it is at full strength,” said 

Lagarde, who also commented on 

the US Federal Reserve’s programme 

known as quantitative easing, an aggressive 

economic stimulus meant to 

spur growth and reduce unemployment. 

The IMF envisions the programme 

of $85 billion worth of bond purchases 

monthly continuing until at least 

December. 

However, Lagarde urged the Fed 

to carefully manage its exit strategy 

for ending the stimulus. 

It should use “effective communication” 

and other tools at its disposal 

to avoid disrupting US inancial 

markets and other market outside 

the US. — AFP

QUALIFIED Finance 

professional with 20 

years of experience in 

Oil and Gas logistics 

industries in Oman 


placement in senior 

inance position. 

Contact e-mail id: 

aganadharshan@yahoo. 

com 91210749. 

Ready to join 

immediately. 

· · · · · 


EGYPTIAN professional 

lawyer well-versed in 

all forms of contracts 

and lawsuits — 

Primary. Holds a Law 

degree with a total of 6 

years including running 

own law irm and is 

currently in Oman on 

visit seeks immediate 

placement in companies 

or government or law 

ofices. Contact: 

99061715 or e-mail: 

hamadsaid806@yahoo. 

com 

· · · · · 

FILIPINO female, 

university graduate, 

having 4 years 

experience in UAE 

as Receptionist in 

Hotel industry, 1 year 


PA/Executive Secretary, 

knowledge in MS Ofice 

application, business 

correspondence and 

highly customer service 

oriented. Contact 

92272645. 

· · · · · 

Mailing Address: OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS SECTION, P.O. Box 974, Muscat, 

P.C. 100. Location: OEPPA HEAD OFFICE, Medinat Al Alam, 

Near Ministry of Information. 24649 593, 594, 594, 595, 596, 597 

& OEPPA Ruwi Office, Next to Dhofar Bldg, Behind Ruwi Police Station 24785668 

SITUATION WANTED 

B Sc, Hotel & catering 

management /Advance 

diploma in Hospitality 

and Tourism from 

Canada with 1-2 


event mgmt, sales 

and marketing having 

Omani D/L. Contact 

99867455. e-mail: 

manu.eldo@yahoo.com 

· · · · · 

PURCHASE oficer 

Indian having 9 years 

experience in Oil & Gas 

and power sector with 

driving licence , seeking 

suitable placement in 

Purchase or Logistics. 

Contact: 98610456. 

· · · · · 

B.TECH, computer 

science Engineer, with 

knowledge in Jawa J2EE 

and experience in 3D 

charactor Animation, 


placement. Contact 

99435623.E-mail: 

avaneeshasokan@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 


years MBA (Global 

Management) from City 

University of Seattle, 

USA & BSc, Hotel 

Management, having 

3 years experience in 

India and Switzerland 

(Marketing & Service), 


placement. Contact: 

95585345, e-mail: 

jobyisaac@gmail.com 

· · · · · 

MECHANICAL Engineer 

(UK) with valid visa 

and Omani driving 

licence, living in Oman 

for more than 15 years, 

seeks suitable post. 

Contact: 96979920, 

93374379. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIEDS/INTERNATIONAL 

IMF cuts US 2014 growth forecast, cites budget 

WASHINGTON — The International 

Monetary Fund assailed US government 

spending cuts as "excessively 

rapid and ill-designed" on Friday as 

it cut the economy's growth forecast 

for 2014. 

Warning that the country still faces 

downside risks to its recovery, the 

IMF cheered the Federal Reserve's 

stimulus efforts and urged Congress 

to help irm up growth by repealing 

the severe "sequester" budget cuts. 

In its annual report on the US 

economy, the IMF said growth would 

be only 1.9 per cent this year, due to 

the sequester's impact, when it had 

the potential of growing as much as 

1.75 percentage points faster. 

For next year, it lowered its forecast 

made in April of 3.0 per cent to 

just 2.7 per cent. 

"We had assumed that the sequestration 

would be phased out," when 

the prior forecast was made, said IMF 

Managing Director Christine Lagarde. 

But the Fund no longer makes that 

assumption, with political parties 

still deadlocked over how to cut the 

budget deicit and debt burden over 

the medium-term. 

That means that, after $85 billion 

for the March-September period, another 

$109 billion has to be pared 

from iscal 2014 spending. 

The Fund called on Congress to 

revoke the sequester, saying that 

stronger growth in the short-term is 

important both for the US and global 

economies. "The automatic spending 

cuts not only exert a heavy toll on 

growth in the short-term, but the indiscriminate 

reductions in education, 

science, and infrastructure spending 

could also reduce medium-term potential 

growth," the IMF said. 

The sequester cuts for this year 

have had one beneicial outcome, 

cutting the iscal deicit by a huge 2.5 

per cent, according to the report. 

But that is likely too much in a 

short period. 

"The deicit reduction in 2013 has 

been excessively rapid and ill-designed," 

it said. 

"A slower pace of deicit reduction 

would help the recovery at a time 

when monetary policy has limited 

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks during a news conference at IMF headquarters in Washington. — Reuters 

room to support it further." 

Despite encouraging a looser iscal 

stance now, and despite the narrowing 

of the iscal gap, the IMF still 

warned that Washington needs to do 

more to address its longer-term iscal 

imbalances. 

With the economy picking up, 

gross US government debt was projected 

to peak at 110 per cent of 

gross domestic product in 2015 and 

start to decline. "But the longer-term 

debt proile remains unsustainable," 

the report said. 

"Despite the slowdown in growth 

rates over the past few years, spending 

on major healthcare programs 

and Social Security, absent additional 

reforms, is expected to increase by 

two percentage points over the next 

decade." 

That will cause the deicit to begin 

widening and start pushing the debt 

ratio back up. 

It suggested fundamental tax reforms 

as part of actions to confront 

the longer-term iscal shortfall, including 

eliminating many exemptions 

and loopholes, and introducing 

a value-added tax and a carbon tax. 

It credited the Federal Reserve's 

aggressive quantitative easing — its 

$85 billion-a-month bond purchases, 

to hold down interest rates — with 

keeping the economy on a sure footing 

as the government slashes spending. 

Lagarde said the Fed programme 

merited holding in place through this 

year, noting that the US central bank 


years, graduate with 

valid Omani D/L, 3 


sales and 3+ years 

of experience in 

IT, seeks suitable 

placement in 

sales/marketing/ 

IT/building 

materials. Contact: 

97890607, e-mail: 

ashrafambar@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

was still not close to targets on reducing 

unemployment and on inlation 

to need to rein in the QE purchases. 

"We believe that the monetary 

policy has been necessary and helpful," 

she told a news conference. 

When, further down the road 

— the IMF predicts early next year 

— the Fed begins reducing its bond 

purchases and holdings to tighten 

policy, Lagarde urged extreme care in 

designing and communicating how it 

does that. 

"The unwinding when it comes 

should be very carefully managed," 

she said. 

The IMF report said the long period 

that interest rates have been held 

exceptionally low has complicated 

policy-making for emerging-market 

countries and has risks for the United 

States as well. 

Most important will be acute timing 

and "effective communication" 

in its strategy to begin gearing down 

the QE programme. 

That will be critical to lower the 

risk of abrupt shifts and higher volatility 

in long-term interest rates 

"which could have adverse global implications," 

the IMF said. 

Meanwhile, Automatic spending 

cuts implemented by the US government 

are slowing the growth of the 

world’s largest economy and should 

be replaced by a more balanced approach 

to deicit reduction, the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF) said 

Friday in its annual report on the US 

economy. 

INDIAN male, 31 years, 

Architect with MSc in 

sustainable architecture, 

UK, 7 years experience 

in Oman with driving 

licence. Contact: 

96759846, e-mail: 

ashishmadhu@gmail. 

com 

· · · · · 

FINANCE Manager/ 

Controller - Sri Lankan 

Chartered Accountant 

(CA, MBA, ISO, CMA) 

with 15 years exp (8 yrs 

in GCC) worked for top 

industries, independent, 

trustworthy, smart 

working professional 

looking for a 

suitable placement. 

+96895624936, 

e-mail: ca.mohamed1@ 

gmail.com 

· · · · · 

42 years Indian 

male having 5 years 


warehouse supervisor 

looking for a suitable 

post. Holding Oman 

driving licence. 15 


Indian Army. 

Contact: 

94050311, 

94010578. 

· · · · · 

SEEKING for light 

driving jobs. Jahurul 

Islam. Contact: 

98123245. 

· · · · · 

CHIEF accountant, 

Indian male, 32 years, 

MBA and M Com, 9 

years of experience 

(5 years in Oman) in 

accounts and inance 

upto inalisation with 

Oman D/L. Currently on 

visit visa. Ready to join 

immediately. Contact: 

94460345. 

· · · · · 

INDIAN male, 42 years 

accounts/inance, data 

entry, computer 

operating, stores 

keeping, sales and 

purchase entries. BA 

(Eco), DCA, AutoCad, 

Tally 9 Wings, Focus 

A/C packages done. 9 

years India exp in 

accounts, currently 

working in a reputed 

company in Oman 


placement. 

94387693. 

· · · · · 

32, MALE, IT 

professional, Masters 

in IT, ITIL v3, 8 years 

of hands-on Gulf IT 

systems experience, 

having valid Omani 

driving licence, 

looking for suitable 

opportunity. Contact 

98915874 

· · · · · 

SRI LANKAN male, 29 

years, AATSL, CIMA(M) 

& B Com, having 6 years 

experience of which 3 

years in Oman working 

as a chief account in a 

reputed hotel. Looking 

for suitable position. 

Contact 95220435, 

e-mail: rajfawm@gmail. 

com. 

· · · · · 

CHARTERED 

Accountant (M), 

35 years, having 


experience in mining 

& manufacturing in 

India and having more 

than 3 years experience 

in reputed PDO 

contracting company in 

Oman with valid Omani 

driving licence. 

Seeks suitable position 

in Accounts 

and Finance. 

97728130 

· · · · · 

CHARTERED 

accountant (Male), 

Omani driving licence 

holder, having more 

than 10 years 

scattered industrial 

experience in 

accounting, Finance, 

MIS, budgeting and 

ERP accounting. Out 

of 10 years having 


experience in Oman 

in well established 

group. Seeks immediate 

suitable position in 

accounting and inance. 

93027688. 

· · · · · 

CLASSIFIED 

SECTION 

RUWI: 24785668 

Behind Royal 

Oman Police, Adjacent to 

Dhofar Building 

21 

Across-the-board cuts, known as 

the sequester, are reducing the deicit 

at a very rapid rate of 2.5 per cent a 

year, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said 

at a news conference at the Washington-based 

fund. 

However, more targeted saving 

in entitlements, such as pensions, 

paired with new revenues, would be 

preferred to the sequester, she said. 

The automatic cuts that went into 

effect in March — after politicians 

were unable to agree on an alternate 

plan — to lower the US government 

debt were poorly conceived, the IMF 

said in its annual report. 

“The automatic spending cuts not 

only exert a heavy toll on growth in 

the short term, but the indiscriminate 

reductions in education, science, 

and infrastructure spending could 

also reduce medium-term potential 

growth,” the report stated. 

“These cuts should be replaced 

with a backloaded mix of entitlement 

savings and new revenues.” The IMF 

projected US economic growth of 1.9 

per cent this year, unchanged from 

its April estimate. That rate would 

be lower than last year’s 2.2 per cent 

growth rate. 

The projection assumes that: the 

general government deicit will decline 

by more than 2.5 per cent; the 

debt ceiling will be raised; and the 

Fed will continue asset purchases until 

the end of this year. 

“The economy has a way to go 

before it is at full strength,” said 

Lagarde, who also commented on 

the US Federal Reserve’s programme 

known as quantitative easing, an aggressive 

economic stimulus meant to 

spur growth and reduce unemployment. 

The IMF envisions the programme 

of $85 billion worth of bond purchases 

monthly continuing until at least 

December. 

However, Lagarde urged the Fed 

to carefully manage its exit strategy 

for ending the stimulus. 

It should use “effective communication” 

and other tools at its disposal 

to avoid disrupting US inancial 

markets and other market outside 

the US. — AFP

22 

Cinema 

FILM INFORMATION 

www.citycinemaoman.net 

AL BAHJA CINEMA: 

24540856, 24540855. 

AL NASR CINEMA: 

24831358, 24831809 (after 3pm) 

AL SHATTI PLAZA: 

24607360, 24692656 (after 2pm) 

STARS CINEMA: 

24791641, 24792360 

Majlis A’Shura 

Addresses 

Keep in touch with Majlis Ash’shura’s news. 

Log on to the Majlis’s website: 

www.shura.om 

and the Majlis’s 

e-mail: info@shura.om 

Or write to the Majlis’s postal address: 

P O Box 981 

Postal Code 111, Muscat 

Tel: 24510344 / 24521427/ 

Fax 24510560 

Information 

Ministry Websites 

Ministry: www.omanet.om 

Oman TV: 

www.oman-tv.gov.om 

Oman Radio: 

www.oman-radio.gov.om 

Omani Centre for Traditional Music: www. 

octm-folk.gov.om 

Oman Radio 

06.00 am Opening, Royal Anthem, The Holy 

Quran, Preview of Morning Programme, 

Weather Forecast, Pharmacies on Duty; 06.15 

Good Morning Oman; 07.00 News Bulletin; 

07.10 Good Morning Oman (Sat-Wed); 10.00 

News Headlines; 10.02 Classical Music; 12.00 

News Headlines; 12.02 Flash Back (June); 

02.30 News Bulletin; 02.40 Words in Action 

(Judith) Repeat 02.40PM Thursday; 02.55; 

Mix Music; 03.00 Behind the Wheel (Laxmi); 

04.00 News Headlines; 04.02 Women in Focus 

(Laxmi); 06.30 News Bulletin; 06.40 Herbs 

and Health (Huda Sultan); 07.00 Premium 

League (Murtadha) Live; 08.00 News 

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News Bulletin; 10.10 Reggae (Mubarak); 

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The Holy Quran; 01.00 National Anthem, Close 

Down. 

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WY3306 

TG507 

G9117 

WY374 

WY316 

WY620 

FZ047 

WY124 

WY142 

KL449 

WY134 

AI973 

BA073 

WY616 

AI907 

B737-8 Calicut 1750 

B737-7 Doha 1800 

B737-8 Bangalore 1800 

A319 Bahrain 1810 

ATR42 Mukhaizna 1845 

A330 Bangkok-Karachi 1900 

A320 Sharjah 1905 

B737-8 Colombo 1905 

B737-8 Chittagong 1910 

E175AR Dubai 2020 

B737-8 Dubai 2020 

A330-300 Munich 2030 

A330-200 Malpensa 2040 

A330 Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi 2045 

A330-200 Paris 2045 

A320 Delhi 2125 

B777 London Heathrow-Abu Dhabi 2130 

B737-8 Dubai 2145 

A319 Madras 2200 

WY423 

WY405 

GF563 

WY663 

WY637 

IX350 

WY101 

WY607 

WY3305 

WY671 

WY619 

MP097 

WY615 

QR165 

GF565 

WY685 

WY647 

WY681 

WY667 

WY655 

B737-8 Beirut-Amman 

B737-8 Cairo 

E190 Bahrain 

B737-7 Doha 

ATR42 Abu Dhabi 


A330-300 London Heathrow 

B737-8 Dubai 


B737-8 Jeddah 

E175AR Dubai 

B747F Sharjah-Hong Kong 

B737-8 Dubai 

A321 Doha 

A319 Bahrain 

B737-8 Dammam 

B737-8 Kuwait 

B737-8 Riyadh 

B737-7 Doha 


1310 

1310 

1315 

1330 

1345 

1355 

1400 

1440 

1515 

1540 

1715 

1800 

1805 

1840 

1855 

1905 

1905 

1910 

1910 

1915 

LH618 A340 Frankfurt-Abu Dhabi 2215 G9118 A320 Sharjah 1945 

QR168 

EY388 

LX242 

GF566 

WY624 

WY656 

WY668 

AI985 

WY672 

WY636 

WY686 

WY423 

9W534 

WY816 

A320 Doha 


A330 Zurich-Dubai 

B737-7 Bahrain 

ATR42 Al Ain 


B737-7 Doha 

A321 Ahmedabad-Bombay 

B737-8 Jeddah 

B737-8 Abu Dhabi 

B737-8 Dammam 

B737-8 Beirut-Amman 

B737-8 Cochin 


2235 

2235 

2235 

2250 

2305 

2305 

2310 

2310 

2315 

2315 

2320 

2325 

2330 

2335 

TG508 

WY927 

WY635 

WY623 

WY613 

FZ048 

KL450 

WY817 

WY913 

AI908 

AI974 

EY381 

LX243 

QR169 

GF567 

A330 Karachi-Bangkok 


B737-8 Abu Dhabi 

ATR42 Al Ain 

B737-7 Dubai 

B737-8 Dubai 

A330 Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam 



A319 Madras 

A320 Delhi 


A330 Dubai-Zurich 

A320 Doha 

B737-7 Bahrain 

2005 

2010 

2015 

2015 

2045 

2105 

2200 

2205 

2245 

2300 

2310 

2325 

2335 

2335 

2345 

9W540 B737-8 Bombay 2340 LH619 A340 Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt 2355 

Quotations for Today 

Always bear in mind that your 

own resolution to succeed is more 

important than any one thing. 

— Abraham Lincoln 

Of course there is no formula 

for success except perhaps an 

unconditional acceptance of life and 

what it brings. 

— Arthur Rubinstein 

GEMINI 

(May 21-June 21) 

Don’t hurry matters 

in connection with 

suggestions you submitted about 

improving conditions if you expect 

them to receive the careful consideration 

they need. 

CANCER 

(June 22-July 21) 

You probably do not 

realise yet just how infectious 

your enthusiasm for your 

work can be. Your colleagues are all 

spurred on to greater efforts when 

you are around. 

LEO 

(July 22-August 21) 

You may be asked to 

visit a country which 

you have always wanted to visit, but 

remember that it will cost a great 

deal and you don’t want to accept 

hospitality for which you cannot 

pay. 

VIRGO 

(August 22- 

September 22) 

The apparent indifference 

of a person you admire greatly 

and would like to know better, may 

conceal emotions he is cautious 

about expressing. 

PHARMACIES 

24-HOUR SERVICE 

Al Hashar ph, Ruwi 24783334 

Muscat ph, Ruwi, 24702542 

Al Sarooj, 24695536 

Scientific ph, Qurum, 24566601 

DAY DUTY 

Muscat Taiba 24421213 

Scientific 24496546 

Balqees 24535398 

Scientific 24810868 

Sur Badr al Samaa 

25546112 

Ibri Muscat 25689216 

Buraimi Fajr Al Khaleej 

25654321 

Nizwa Muscat 25410235 

Salalah Al Muwasah 

23294400 

Sohar Al Rafaa 1 26704322 

NIGHT DUTY 

Muscat Scientific 24451195 

Muscat 24485740 

Muscat 24537080 

Muscat 24702542 

Sur Ibn Al Yafee 

25542267 

Ibri Al Huda 25695604 

Buraimi Yaas 25653855 

Barka Badr al Samaa 

26884910 

Rustaq Badr Al Jashmi 

26876523 

Samayil Balqees 25352186 

Nizwa Basmat Nizwa 

25431060 

Salalah Muscat 23291635 

Ibra Al Bawareq 25572556 

Mudhaibi Dar al Salamah 

25524192 

Saham Al Mazayni 26854066 

Sohar Badr al Samaa 

26847033 

Khoula Hospital Visiting Hours 

Private & Other Wards 

Working Days: 16:00-18:00. Weekends & Public 

Holidays: 10:-12:00, 16:00-18:00 

ICU 

Working Days: 16:00-17:00. Weekends & Public 

Holidays: 16:00-17:00 

Special Care Baby Unit 

Working Days: Parents may visit at any time. 

Weekends & Public Holidays: Parents may visit at 

any time 

YOUR STARS 

IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY: In the coming year you will tend to want to take charge against the wishes of others and may 

force them to move in direction they don’t really want to go. In the long run this could result in strong feelings of 

resentment. It will be best therefore to influence people using tact and gentle persuasion. 

LIBRA 

(September 23- 

October 22) 

If you insist on taking a 

rather unconventional step against 

the advice you have been given, 

don’t count on the support of your 

family and friends. 

SCORPIO 

(October 23- 

November 21) 

Don’t build up your 

hopes on a gift of money from a 

relative who has been known in the 

past to make promises and not to 

keep them. 

SAGITTARIUS 

(November 22- 

December 21) 

Don’t throw caution to 

the wind today, even if you feel that 

conditions are most favourable for 

what you are about to do. 

CAPRICORN 

(December 22- 

January 20) 

If you are anxious to 

keep the peace at work, it may be 

advisable to refrain from the urge 

to tell a colleague some unpleasant 

truths. 

CARTOONS 

AQUARIUS 

(January 21- 

February 19) 

It is no good harbouring 

petty grievances. You will have 

to have a frank discussion with the 

people who cause you so much resentment. 

PISCES 

(February 20- 

March 20) 

A junior who, in spite of 

being very willing, is somewhat slow 

to learn should be handled with 

patience as he could eventually 

become very helpful to you. 

ARIES 

(March 21-April 20) 

You will be planning 

a visit to a doctor or a 

dentist for yourself or a member of 

the family. Once you arrive you will 

ind things are better than you had 

anticipated. 

TAURUS 

(April 21-May 20) 

An important letter may 

not have reached the recipient 

for reasons unknown and you 

should make enquiries at the proper 

quarter before drawing premature 

conclusions. 

ADAM @ HOME by Brian Basset 

CALVIN AND HOBBES by Bill Watterson 

GARFIELD by Jim Davis 

STONE SOUP by Jan Eliot 

Hospital. . . . . Board . . . . . . . Emergency 

Royal . . . . . . . 24599000 . . . 24590491 

Health Services Department 

Muttrah . . . . . . . 24797602 

Quriyat . . . . . . . 24845001 . . . . 24845003 

SQH, Salalah. . . 23211555 . . . . 23211151 

Police. . . . . . . . . 24603988 . . . . 24603980 

Al Nahda . . . . . . 24831255 . . . . 24837800 

Ibn Sina. . . . . . . 24876322 . . . . 24877361 

Nizwa. . . . . . . . . 25439361 . . . . 25425033 

Al Rustaq. . . . . . 26875055 . . . . 26877186 

Sumayil . . . . . . . 25350055 . . . . 25350022 

Izki . . . . . . . . . . . 25340033 . . . . 25340033 

Haima . . . . . . . . 23436013 . . . . 23436055 

Sohar . . . . . . . . . 26840022 . . . . 26840099 

Other Hospitals 

CRYPTIC PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

1 Touring crews may 

have a driver (5) 

6 A giant bound (5) 

9 The talk of Tyneside 

(7) 

10 Brusque about a 

batting failure (at 

Wimbledon?) (5) 

11 Very eager to weave 

braid? (5) 

12 The little devil points 

out the weak 

individuals (5) 

13 Again jump at the 

chance to have 

another go (7) 

15 Finish up in 

Harpenden (3) 

17 For the ancients, had 

she a double 

existence? (4) 

18 A film of lubricant (6) 

19 Where to race from 

the coast (5) 

20 Maintain a gripping 

pose (4,2) 

22 Untidy eating place? 

(4) 

24 An essay in poetry (3) 

25 Love in Cremona? (7) 

26 Bit of a bloomer by 

two little boys (5) 

27 Franz had a famously 

merry widow (5) 

28 State of a mine? (5) 

29 Talked turkey as one 

ate? (7) 

30 Villa site in the 

Birmingham area (5) 

31 Murder in a Brooklyn 

church (5) 

DOWN 

2 See horse-breaking as 

all in the day’s work 

(6) 

3 Greets crashed fliers 

(6) 

4 How to get out of the 

bath (3) 

5 Able to consume a bit 

of grub, a sort of salad 

(5) 

6 Whence to take a flight 

or a trip, maybe (7) 

7 May be drunk, but not 


2 Tree (5) 

7 Jot (4) 

8 Jaundiced (6) 

9 Barrier (5) 

11 Irritate (3) 

13 Spirit (3) 

15 Numerous (4) 

16 Flap (3) 

18 Ignoble (4) 

19 Discussed (7) 

20 Grain (4) 

22 Prima-donna (4) 

23 Gas (7) 

25 Rodent (4) 

27 Brown (3) 

28 Attendance (4) 

30 Sheep (3) 

31 Guided (3) 

33 Material (5) 

36 Respect (6) 

37 Greedy (4) 

38 Penniless (5) 

DOWN 

1 Snake (5) 

2 Lout (3) 

3 Tavern (3) 

4 Organ (3) 

Al Buraimi. . . . . 25650855 . . . . 25652319 

Sur . . . . . . . . . . . 25440244 . . . . 25461373 

Tanam . . . . . . . . 25499011 . . . . 25499033 

Masirah . . . . . . . 25404018 . . . . 25404018 

Ibra. . . . . . . . . . . 25470533 . . . . 25470535 

Adam. . . . . . . . . 25434167 . . . . 25434055 

Bidiya . . . . . . . . 25483535 . . . . 25483535 

Ibri . . . . . . . . . . . 25491011 . . . . 25491990 

Saham . . . . . . . . 26854427 . . . . 26855148 

Khasab . . . . . . . 26830187 . . . . 26830187 

Dibba. . . . . . . . . 26836443 . . . . 26836443 

Burkha. . . . . . . . 26828397 . . . . 26828397 

Sinaw. . . . . . . . . 25474338 

in the hart of Texas! 

(4) 

8 Strangers upset Selina 

(6) 

12 Take something that’s 

hard to get (5) 

13 Suitable in girth (5) 

14 It’s absurd to say it’s 

bad in outer Surrey 

(5) 

15 Taken down from the 

menu (5) 

16 It’s stupid to have a 

room just for half-hose 

(5) 

18 Writer who had twice 

the energy on April 

the fifth? (5) 

19 On the wing, it can flap 

a bit (7) 

21 Holy commands? (6) 

22 The trouble with a girl 

embracing a fellow (6) 

23 Like a picturesque 

route that may be nice 

for some Scots (6) 

25 Character appearing 

strange in a film 

abroad (5) 

26 Food product finished 

years ago! (4) 

28 Timely part for 

Gibson? (3) 


Museums in Oman 

FAISAL BIN ALI AL SAID MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24641650 

MUSEUM OF OMANI HERITAGE, 

Tel: 24600946 

CHILDREN’S SCIENCE MUSEUM. 

Tel: 24605368 

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24641374 

NATIONAL MUSEUM, Tel: 24701289 

SULTAN’S ARMED FORCES 

MUSEUM, Tel: 24312646 

CURRENCY MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24796102 

MUSCAT GATE MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24739005. 

OMANI-FRENCH MUSEUM (Bait 

Fransa), Tel: 24736613 

BAIT AL ZUBAIR, Tel: 24736688 

BAIT A’NAMAN, Tel: 24641300 

SOHAR FORT MUSEUM, 

Tel: 26844758 

NAHKAL FORT, Tel: 26781384 

BAIT AL MAKHAM, Tel: 24641300 

BAIT ADAM MUSEUM, QURUM, 

Tel: 24605033, 24605013 

OIL AND GAS EXHIBITION CENTRE 

AND PLANETARIUM, Tel: 24677834. 

PLANETARIUM, Tel: 24675542. 

AQUARIUM at the Marine Science 

and Fisheries Centre (located next 

to Marina Bandar Rowdha, Sidab). 

SALALAH MUSEUM, Tel: 23294549 

CULTURAL CENTRE, Tel: 23294549. 

SUR MARITIME MUSEUM, 

Tel: 24541466. 

BAIT AL BARANDA, Tel: 24714262. 

CROSSWORD 

EASY PUZZLE 


1 Trunk (5) 

6 Conceit (5) 

9 Liken (7) 

10 Wash (5) 

11 Passageway (5) 

12 Ship’s room (5) 

13 Many (7) 

15 Seed-case (3) 

17 Dry (4) 

18 Cooking instructions 

(6) 

19 War-horse (5) 

20 Herb (6) 

22 Settee (4) 

24 Devour (3) 

25 Resolutely (7) 

26 Eye inflammations (5) 

27 Month (5) 

28 Viper (5) 

29 Hate (7) 

30 Command (5) 

31 Scoff (5) 

DOWN 

2 Shout (6) 

3 Frightened (6) 

4 Weight (3) 

5 Horrify (5) 

6 Extolled (7) 

7 Check (4) 

8 Semi-solid lump (6) 

12 Carriages (5) 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

5 Sick (3) 

6 Premium (5) 

10 Crustacean (4) 

11 Better (7) 

12 Joint (7) 

13 Fundamental (7) 

14 Threatened (7) 

16 Entice (5) 

17 Meat (5) 

18 Couch (3) 

21 Before (3) 

24 Story (4) 

Royal Oman Police 

EMERGENCY 9 9 9 9 

DG of Passports & Residency, 24569603 

DG of Customs, 24714626 

Traffic offences, 24510227/228 

ROP Public Relations, 24569270 

Consumer Complaints Cell, 24817013 

Muscat Governorate Headquarters, 24560021 

Muscat, 24736611 

Wattayah, 24677990 

Ruwi, 24701099 

Muttrah, 24712211 

Bausher, 24600099 

Al Amerat, 24875999 

Qurayat, 24845555 

A’Seeb, 24420099 

Al-Athaiba, 24521099 

AI-Khodh, 24425012 

Directorate of the University Security, 

24513999 

Directorate of Traffic Muscat, 24567898 

Al Batinah Headquarters, 26840096 

Al Rustaq Division, 26875099 

Al Dakhiliyah, 25425099 

Nizwa Division, 25425099 

Samayil Division, 25350099 

Al Sharqiyah Headquarters, 25545070 

Ibra Division, 25570100 

Al Dhahirah Headquarters, 25650099 

Al Buraimi Division, 25650199 

Ibri Division, 25689099 

Al Wusta Headquarters, 23436099 

Haima Division, 23436211 

Special Task Force, 24560088 

Coastguard Headquarters, 24714888 

Dhofar Governorate Headquarters, 23234599 

Salalah Police Station, 23290099 

Thamrait Division, 23279099 

Musandam Governorate Headquarters, 

26730299 

Khasab Division, 26731502 

ROP websites: www.rop.gov.om, www. 

ropoman.net and 

e-mail: ropnet@omantel.net.om 

13 Impudence (5) 

14 Call (5) 

15 Aviator (5) 

16 Postpone (5) 

18 Hires (5) 

19 Colonist (7) 

21 Impede (6) 

22 Unexpected (6) 

23 Sheepskin (6) 

25 Oozes (5) 

26 Team (4) 

28 Donkey (3) 

THURSDAY’S CRYPTIC 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 3, Spas-m 8, 

Layer 10, Torch 11, To-O 

12, Briar 13, Counter 15, 

Baton 18, Ira 19, All-ure 

21, Any ti-me 22, Ho-L-e 

23, Jest 24, Pegas-us 26, 

Spores 29, Ben 31, Tower 

32, CL-aimed 34, Sur-ly 

35, Pat 36, Letts 37, Genre 

38, S-ends. 

DOWN: 1, R-at on 2, 

L-eon-ine 4, Pa-RR 5, 

Stable 6, M-oral 7, Act-or 

9, You 12, Beatles 14, Try 

16, Tubes 17, Ne-w-ts 19, 

Ami-ably 20, Chest 21, Allow 

23, Jun-iper 24, Peru- 

S-E 25, Sea 27, Power 28, 

Rests 30, Me-tre 32, Clod 

33, Ma-n. 

THURSDAY’S EASY 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 3, Slips 8, Melon 

10, Oasis 11, Pen 12, Least 

13, Roasted 15, Talon 18, 

Tin 19, Tenure 21, Decided 

22, Ewer 23, Cede 24, 

Enacted 26, Decent 29, 

Hen 31, Spent 32, Dentist 

34, Diver 35, Rot 36, Icier 

37, Panel 38, Delta. 

DOWN: 1, Depot 2, 

Monster 4, Lied 5, Posted 

6, Satan 7, Minor 9, Lea 12, 

Lenient 14, Tic 16, Lured 

17, Never 19, Teacher 

20, Leads 21, Deuce 23, 

Central 24, Entire 25, Ten 

27, Epoch 28, Ended 30, 

Aster 32, Dent 33, Ion. 

26 Possessed (5) 

29 Lukewarm (5) 

32 Marry (3) 

33 Lair (3) 

34 Born (3) 

35 Hawthorn (3) 

THURSDAY’S QUICK 

SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 1, Treat 5, Suffer 

8, Torch 10, Centre 

11, Emit 14, Delude 15, 

Abashed 18, Ten 19, Rip 

21, Deal 23, Merry 24, 

Trim 27, Ego 29, Cap 31, 

Ejected 32, Eyelet 34, Dire 

35, Crease 38, Rated 39, 

Screen 40, Dents. 

DOWN: 2, Rue 3, Attest 

4, Tor 5, Shed 6, Foiled 

7, Reveal 9, Referee 12, 

Met 13, Tune 16, Bear 17, 

Dirge 20, Project 22, Able 

24, Thesis 25, Iced 26, 

Malice 28, Accede 30, Per 

33, Tern 36, Red 37, Sit.


Business Alert 

2014 Kia range is here 

MUSCAT — With premium sedans, family mid-size and minis, versatile SUVs 

to rugged 4WDs together with light commercials — the breadth of Kia's range 

and its affordability are the most likely contributors to the company's success. 

There are many opinions about Kia’s success. One is from Phil Floraday who 

opines that the brand’s success in the market gives it the edge to move farther 

ahead “Kia is riding a wave of success that includes 18 straight years of market 

share increase and record units sold in 2012. With hundreds of thousands of 

new owners, Kia is also hoping to pull in new shoppers…” 

To keep its customers thrilled with exciting and enabling models, Kia has 

now made available the sparklingly, new 2014 range across its showrooms. 

The complete range of new cars from Kia, lets one step out in style. The exciting 

and enabling Kia range consists of the Picanto — a fresh and vibrant car 

to turn up the colours in life; the Kia Rio — a smartly styled car that makes 

absolutely no compromises; the Cerato a vehicle that moves one into the good 

life; the Cerato Koup — a car in tune with one’s emotions; the Optima — the 

car with sporty stance & style that conveys conident individuality; Cadenza, 

a car that attracts and reassures with its innovative attention to detail; Kia 

Soul — that gives freedom to express one’s personality and to connect with 

an urban lifestyle; Sportage —for appeal that’s ahead by many miles; Kia Carens 

— a car that lets one live life to the fullest; Sorento — an SUV built for 

urban living; Kia Mohave — that puts one at the peak of performance; Kia 

Carnival — an elegant all-in-one tool that makes one’s life a whole lot easier; 

K — 4000G — A highly polished work horse. And at the top of the list is the 

recently launched game-changer, the Quoris that unlocks for an experience of 

new luxury. 

With such a wide range of small cars, SUVs, family cars, fuel-eficient cars, 

and seven seater cars, one is bound to ind a Kia that perfectly matches one’s 

lifestyle. Most of the Kia models are award-winning, with prestigious safety 

and performance accolades under the belt. 

In fact, Kia’s range of new eye-catching designs are getting plenty of attention 

from leading car experts and motoring journals. That is because all of 

Kia’s new designs are underpinned by quality, safety and reliability. 

With a long list of advanced safety measures such as airbags, ABS brakes, 

ESC stability control, rollover sensors, energy absorbing chassis, seatbelt pretensioners, 

as well as, rear-view cameras and parking assist systems, Kia offers 

peace-of-mind with excellent safety ratings. Plus, with great fuel eficiency, 

clever features, incredible value for money, and the added conidence of Kia’s 

unlimited mileage protection plan, Kia its the bill in more ways than one. 

Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) — a maker of quality vehicles for 

the young-at-heart — was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer 

of motor vehicles. Over 2.7 million Kia vehicles a year are produced in nine 

manufacturing and assembly operations in ive countries, which are then sold 

and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 

150 countries. 

Kia today has over 47,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of 

$42 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an oficial automotive 

partner of FIFA — the governing body of the FIFA World Cup. Kia Motors 

Corporation's brand slogan — "The Power to Surprise" — represents the 

company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and 

inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations. 

Lexus GS: Luxury and performance 

LEXUS' all-new GS looks aggressive, performs to excite and is built to reward 

you with some of the most memorable moments on the road. Lexus GS was 

the irst model to herald Lexus’ new design language — The Face of the Future. 

Inspired by the Lexus LFA supercar, the GS strikes an aggressive, conident 

stance, perfectly aligned with its exhilarating high-performance driving 

dynamics. 

Engineered for responsive power and superior handling, the new GS also 

delivers sophisticated reinement, leading edge innovation and advanced 

technology that establishes the future for performance luxury sedans. The GS' 

exterior design injects an aggressive yet clean design direction into the Lexus 

brand. From a unique spindle grille to sharp lines and curves. The highlight 

though in this eye-catching vehicle are the LED day-time running lights. 

The all new interior design is inely-honed and human-centric, featuring 

all-white ambient lighting and leather instrument panel, plus additional cabin 

room for ive occupants, and extra cargo capacity. In the GS a new passion for 

performance and handling delivers the perfect balance of spirited dynamics 

and driving pleasure, with drive mode select, available adaptive variable suspension, 

steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, the 2nd generation Lexus 

Remote Touch controller, an available next generation 17-speaker Mark Levinson 

audio system, and more. 

An impressive list of innovations, reined comfort, safety and convenience 

to new, segment leading levels, including the industry’s irst available 12.3” 

navigation display, a new Smart Key design, three-zone climate control with 

occupant detection, power-adjustable front seats, and more make the GS a 

luxury sedan you would not just love to own, but love to drive too. For those 

who wish to enhance the GS can do so with the options packages which include 

F-Sport components and advanced technology for upgraded performance 

and luxury, including the Lexus Pre-Collision System, Blind Spot Monitor, 

Driver Monitoring with closed eye detection, Heads-up Display, Dynamic Radar 

Cruise Control, Voice Activated Navigation, and more. 

With its sharp and emotional spindle grille — the new face of Lexus — the 

next generation GS represents new design, new performance, and new passion 

at Lexus. It delivers the progressive luxury and innovation that today’s drivers 

demand, plus all the luxury, comfort and intuitive technology that its enthusiasts 

worldwide have come to expect from Lexus. 

The Lexus GS350 is built around a inely-tuned and proven 3.5L V6 that 

generates a peak 312 horsepower and up to 378 Nm of torque. Engine systems 

— including Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (Dual VVT-i), Electronic 

Throttle Control System with intelligence (ETCS-i), an Acoustic Control 

Induction System (ACIS) and Electronic Fuel Injection maximises power and 

eficiency while minimising emissions. This engine is mated with a six-speed 

Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i) featuring sequential 

shift mode and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for quick, 

smooth acceleration, lightning-quick shifts, and a downshift throttle-blip function 

for enhanced engine control. 

All GS performance luxury sedans feature a redesigned chassis and performance-tuned 

suspension system. The front independent suspension features 

anti-dive and anti-squat geometry, plus forged aluminium alloy upper 

and lower arms and aluminium alloy steering knuckles to help reduce unsprung 

weight and increase rigidity. The rear multi-link suspension features 

forged aluminium alloy upper arms and toe-control arms to help reduce 

weight while enhancing responsiveness and stability. These systems work 

together to deliver highly responsive handling, exceptional stability and irstrate 

drive quality. 

The GS features the Lexus Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system. 

VDIM is designed to anticipate and help correct potential instability for 

optimized control and handling. VDIM uses information from computer-linked 

sensors to detect a skid or slide and takes corrective action through subtle 

adjustments to steering, braking and throttle control, as appropriate. From 

its impact absorbing structure to advanced active and passive safety systems, 

every Lexus GS series sedan is engineered to help prevent accidents, and to 

protect occupants if an incident occurs, offering peace of mind to drivers and 

passengers. 

All GS models are standard equipped with a full suite of Lexus active safety 

technologies designed to protect occupants by helping drivers avoid accidents 

in the irst place. These include Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control 

(TRAC), the Antilock Braking System with electronic brakeforce distribution 

and Brake Assist enhancements, and Smart Stop Technology. The GS series 

surrounds driver and passengers in a class-leading 10 standard airbags. 

These include dual-stage driver and front passenger SRS airbags, which 

adapt automatically to impact severity and front seat position to provide better 

protection. Other airbag systems include front seat mounted side airbags, 

driver and front passenger knee airbags, rear seat mounted side airbags and 

front and rear roll-sensing side curtain airbags. A carefully engineered body 

structure that helps channel impact forces away from occupants and protect 

pedestrians in the event of an accident. Front and rear disc brakes and electronic 

parking brake are available on all models. 

The GS also comes equipped with all-position three point lap and shoulder 

belts plus pretensioners and force limiters for the front seats, whiplash injury 

lessening front seats, anchor points for child-restraint seats and child protector 

rear door locks, an onboard irst-aid kit, a tyre pressure monitoring system. 

Auto-levelling headlamps ensure that lights are always correctly aimed, using 

sensors in the suspension systems to detect vehicle posture and automatically 

correct headlight trim. 

Toyota 'Fungineered’ the RAV4 

RAV4 is a global model that is sold in more than 150 countries and regions globally. 

Toyota engineers tried to add even more fun to the 4WD by “fungineering” 

the RAV4. They did so by improving the design, the emotional appealing 

and appointments. The exterior was recreated to make it even more dynamic 

and agile-looking; the interior was made bolder, more powerful and upscale. 

The performance improvements came with the introduction of larger engine, 

along with 6-speed gearbox. 

The RAV4 is equipped with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with Dual VVT-I 

technology which enhances power delivery eficiency by controlling both intake 

and exhaust timings to produce 177 horsepower. The RAV4 is equipped 

with Xenon headlamps with attractive Daytime Running Lights, Aero stabilising 

ins, Aerodynamic roof rails, Floor mounted spare wheels, Moon-roof and 

Rear Parking Sensors (4 pc) with display. 

The new RAV4’s interior has a premium, urban look with soft-touch accents 

and driver-centric controls. The high-tech features include HDD type 7” Navigation 

system, Display Audio with a 6.1-inch. Touchscreen, AM/FM/CD, Bluetooth® 

connectivity, USB and AUX mini-jack, and six speakers. 

A host of interior features like Smart Entry & Start System, Rear View Camera 

with Back Guide Monitor, Leather Seat Material, Power Driver Seat with 

Tilt and Slide function, Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control with pollen-removal 

type clean air ilter, sliding sunshade and power outside mirrors with 

turn signal indicators add to the overall interior appeal as well as the functionality. 

The all new RAV4 builds on the very highest standards of occupant safety 

and pedestrian impact protection evolved over three generations of the compact 

Toyota SUV. The RAV4 has a class-leading six airbags. In addition to 

Traction Control (TRC), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Enhanced 

Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Brake Assist (BA), an Anti-lock Braking System 

(ABS), Downhill Assist Control, Hill- start Assist Control, automatic Limited 

Slip Differential and Back & Clearance Sonar. 

RAV4 has been equipped with some local accessories to enhance its look, 

feel & functionality. Customers are welcome to get the full details of these local 

itments, by visiting a Toyota showroom. 

On the one hand, Toyota offers enduring quality. On the other, nothing 

comes close to it in terms of value-retention. It is no surprise; therefore, that 

Toyota soars far above the rest, with a dominant market share and ever-expanding 

customer base. 

The unmatched, nationwide parts and service support of Saud Bahwan 

Group makes Toyota's pride of place a reality. Toyota customers in Oman enjoy 

6-year unlimited mileage protection, over 98 per cent parts availability 

and round-the-clock care, amongst many other exclusive privileges from the 

Group. 

Yokohama announces ‘Gold Rush’ winners 

YOKOHAMA recently announced 56 monthly draw winners of the Gold Rush 

promotion. The draw was held at various locations all over Oman and lucky 

winners walked away with 4 grams gold each. In the coming days, similar 

draws will be held at various locations to announce more winners. 

This year, Yokohama presents its customers with an even bigger reason to 

shout for joy. In addition to the chance of winning up to 224 gold coins through 

monthly rafles, customers also have an opportunity to try their luck at winning 

the Grand Prize of 104 grams Gold. 

Yokohama’s Gold Rush promotion has a nationwide appeal. And customers 

in every part of Oman have an equal chance of being a winner. Now into 

the third month, this promotion has drawn tremendous response from excited 

customers. The scheme, which started on April 1, will last until July 31. 

To participate in this promotion all that a customer needs to do is purchase 

any Yokohama passenger car / light commercial radial / van / 4x4 tyre from 

an authorised Yokohama showroom or dealer outlet, ill in the rafle coupon 

and allow luck to take over. 

Yokohama's Gold Rush campaign has grown in popularity year after year. 

Besides the appeal 

of high value prizes, 

customers prefer 

Yokohama for exceptional 

qualities like uncompromising 

safety, 

exceptional comfort 

and durability. 

Yokohama Rubber 

Company, Japan, is 

among the world’s leading 

tyre manufacturers, 

enjoying the status of 

a technology leader in 

the global tyre industry. 

OMAN 

23 

Manufactured at one of the world’s largest and the most advanced facilities of 

its kind, the tyres are also torture-tested at D-PARC, one of the most challenging 

test tracks in the world, to ensure maximum safety. 

Yokohama tyres are ideally designed to meet the demanding operating conditions 

of Oman. Yokohama’s state-of-the-art technology ensures top-notch 

safety and ever-reliable performance from their tyres. Today customers insist 

on Yokohama for another all-important reason “Safety”. Yokohama tyres have 

won global acceptance as the ‘Safe’ tyres, engineered to offer excellent road 

grip and comfortable smooth drive, in addition to extended tyre life. Yokohama’s 

current best-sellers include the patterns AA01, AC01, G051 and G012, 

widely recognised as passenger car tyre and 4WD tyres for a comfortable ride 

on the roads. 

Good response to Bank Muscat evening service 

THE evening banking service available in 16 Bank Muscat branches across the 

Sultanate has evoked good response and is proving beneicial for numerous 

customers. Further adding convenience and value-added services, the bank offers 

the extended working hours facility from 8 am to 5 pm (Sunday to Thursday) 

in these branches. 

Covering all regions of the Sultanate, the key branches offering evening 

banking service are Muscat Inter-Continental, Muscat City Centre, Al Khuwair, 

Seeb, Al Khoudh, Ruwi, Al Amerat, Barka main, Sohar main, Salalah main, Falah 

Al Qabil, Buraimi, Ibri Jubail, Safalat Ibra, Sur Aiah and Firq. 

Said al Badai, DGM — Branches, said: “As the leading bank in Oman, Bank 

Muscat is proud to offer extended timings in branches across the Sultanate, 

facilitating value-added services to the largest banking family. As part of the 

bank’s ‘We Can Do More’ vision and in view of the growing market demand 

for longer banking hours, the bank decided to offer the facility at key branches 

covering all regions of the Sultanate, for the convenience of customers, businessmen 

and traders. Aimed at accommodating people’s busy schedules, the 

extended banking hours beneit customers who face dificulties in visiting the 

bank in morning hours.” 

Al Badai said: “With extended timings at all key branches in Oman, Bank 

Muscat has taken banking services to a new level. The facility relects the 

bank’s commitment to making banking convenient and centred around customer’s 

needs. The extended banking hours reinforce our commitment to deliver 

better inancial services and enhance the customer experience. The customer 

requirements are constantly changing and Bank Muscat understands 

these needs and provides suitable solutions.” 

The corporate philosophy of Bank Muscat is underpinned by the rich Omani 

culture and traditions and the bank prides itself in its deep understanding of 

customer needs, offering inancial guidance at all levels. With the widest reach 

in serving customers and the largest network of 137 branches in the Sultanate, 

Bank Muscat exceeds customer expectations at all levels. 

Al Badai said: “Over the past 30 years, Bank Muscat has achieved steady 

and signiicant growth in various disciplines to emerge as the leading inancial 

institution in Oman. The bank is focused on adopting smarter strategies to 

stay ahead in business and provide a distinct customer service.” 

MHD Automotive’s free AC check campaign 

THE automotive division of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC will be organising a 

free AC check campaign for all Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles from June 9 to 

July 8. 

The comprehensive AC gas pressure and leak test, carried out by Jaguar 

Land Rover trained technicians, will ensure the air-conditioning system is performing 

exactly as it should be. If any repairs are needed, only genuine Jaguar 

Land Rover parts with the most competitive pricing will be used. The free AC 

check campaign will be available from all the branches of automotive division 

at Al Athaiba, Sohar and Salalah. 

Jaguar customers with a Jaguar XJ, XF, XK, S or X Type as well as Land Rover 

customers with a Range Rover, Range Rover Evoque, LR4 or LR2 will be contacted 

via e-mail, phone and SMS to be informed about the service campaign. 

Customers visiting the MHD after sales facilities for regular service will also 

be informed about the opportunity to get a free check for their vehicles airconditioning. 

The campaign will ensure that Jaguar Land Rover customers will have a 

cool, comfortable and fresh experience all summer long. 

Ahlibank announces MyHassad daily winners 

AHLIBANK announced the names of the MyHassad daily prize draw winners, 

Salwa Yaqoob Mohamed al Raisi from Ghubra branch, Abdullah Nasser Ali 

al Araimi from Sur branch, Sharifa Achooh Lalooh al Zadjali from Al Khoudh 

branch, Samiei Salim Abdullah al Malki from Barka branch and Abdullah Mohammed 

Obaid al Farsi from Sohar branch, were the lucky winners of RO 

1,000 each for the week. 

MyHassad savings account continues to successfully 

satisfy the existing customers and attract 

new ones. 

MyHassad Saving Scheme was introduced 

in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition 

of product innovation. Opening MyHassad 

Saving account is simple and easy. Customers 

need only to open their MyHassad account 

with RO 100 for their chance to win RO 1,000 in the next working day’s draw 

hence their chance to “open today and win tomorrow” continues. Further enhancements 

in March 2009 allows customers to participate in the RO 10,000 

monthly draw, by maintaining a minimum RO 250 during the month. 

Effective from June 2010 customers can also transfer their salaries to My- 

Hassad saving account and will be eligible to enter in the daily, monthly draw 

as per the balance maintained. This highlights the commitment of the bank to 

its long-term MyHassad account holders. 

As one of the leading banks in the Sultanate, ahlibank pledges to provide 

innovative, eficient and secure products and services to give their valued customers 

a convenient banking experience. 

Opening an account with ahlibank is the irst step towards smarter and 

convenient banking services. ahlibank accounts deliver an extensive and comprehensive 

range of beneits, personal banking services and instant access 

through Online and SMS Banking. 

The Bank’s EMV (Chip) debit card provides global access to funds both at 

ATMs and shopping outlets. Credit cards allow greater freedom to shop with 

ease with lowest minimum payment of 3 per cent and the advanced online 

banking services offer easy access to accounts making banking with ahlibank 

a convenient experience.

24 OMAN/INTERNATIONAL 

Cameron targets tax 

evasion at pre-G8 meeting 

Police oficers keep guard outside of a bank during a protest against the upcoming G8 summit, to be held near 

Enniskillen, in Belfast, yesterday. — Reuters 

LONDON — Prime Minister David 

Cameron was yesterday urging Britain's 

overseas territories to do more 

to tackle tax evasion at a meeting in 

London ahead of next week's G8 summit 

in Northern Ireland. 

Britain has made updating international 

tax rules, transparency and 

opening up trade the key themes of 

the two-day summit it is hosting in 

Enniskillen from tomorrow. 

Cameron promised that Britain 

would take the lead in ending tax secrecy. 

In an interview with the Guardian, 

he said he would introduce a new 

central register of companies' owners 

which would be available to tax authorities. 

The premier has previously acknowledged 

that Britain needs to 

"get its own house in order" as many 

of its overseas territories and crown 

dependencies such as Bermuda, the 

British Virgin Islands, Jersey and the 

Cayman Islands are regarded as tax 

havens. 

He is expected to ask the outposts 

to sign up to the Organisation for 

Economic Co-operation and Develop- 

ment's (OECD) convention on mutual 

assistance in tax matters. 

The territories, which strongly 

reject the label of tax haven, are also 

to be urged to sign up to automatic 

information exchange mechanisms. 

However, resistance is expected. 

Later Cameron is also to host a presummit 

conference on trade, tax and 

transparency attended by representatives 

from governments, industry and 

non-governmental organisations. 

Meanwhile, about 5,000 people 

— including environmentalists, trade 

unionists and other civil society activists 

— were expected to attend an 

anti-G8 march in Belfast. 

A separate event including a rock 

concert, to be attended by 8,000 people, 

was being held by the IF campaign, 

which tackles food poverty. 

Among other demands the organisers 

say they want G8 leaders to stop multinational 

companies dodging tax in 

developing countries. 

Leaders are expected to hold a raft 

of bilateral meetings around the G8. 

Cameron is to host Russian President 

Vladimir Putin at Downing Street to- 

day, where Syria is sure to top the 

agenda. 

Putin will also meet with US President 

Barack Obama tomorrow before 

the summit begins. 

Russia on Friday accused the United 

States, which this week announced 

it would arm Syrian rebels, of fabricating 

evidence that the regime in 

Syria was using chemical weapons. 

The leaders of Germany, Japan, Italy, 

Canada and France will also attend 

the summit, which Cameron wants to 

return to its original format as a sort 

of informal "ireside chat," as well as 

EU representatives. 

Obama's wife Michelle and their 

two daughters are to visit Dublin during 

the summit, when they will see a 

special performance of Riverdance. 

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister 

Shinzo Abe left for Europe yesterday 

to attend a two-day Group of 

Eight (G8) summit, where he hopes to 

shore up support for his bold policy 

of reforms dubbed “Abenomics”. 

“I will say (at the G8 summit in 

Northern Ireland) that I’m determined 

to revive the Japanese econo- 

my with the three arrows so that the 

country can greatly contribute to the 

global economy,” he said, according to 

Jiji Press. 

Ahead of the summit scheduled tomorrow 

and Tuesday, Japan’s cabinet 

on Friday rubber-stamped his package 

of reforms aimed at rebooting the 

world’s third-largest economy. 

The irst two strands — or “arrows” 

— came in the form of massive 

public spending and a torrent of easy 

money from the central bank. 

That drove the yen down and 

boosted the stock market, which 

climbed around 80 per cent, until 

the last few perilous weeks that have 

been marked by wild swings, including 

a 6.35 per cent drop on Thursday. 

The architecture of the third “arrow” 

was unveiled last week, a laundry 

list of aims including 2 per cent 

GDP growth a year, boosting female 

participation in the workforce and an 

expansion of infrastructure exports. 

Fellow G8 leaders are expected to 

quiz Abe on the details of Abenomics 

amid concerns in some camps that 

Tokyo is deliberately driving down 

the value of its currency to give its exporters 

a competitive edge. 

Abe’s high approval ratings and the 

big spending side of the policy will 

also attract interest at a time of grinding 

austerity and political disaffection 

in several developed economies. 

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters 

are expected on the streets of Belfast 

to urge G8 leaders to act on global 

poverty, although the issue looks likely 

to be overshadowed by concerns 

over the Syria conlict. 

Police in the Northern Ireland capital 

expect 10,000 people to join two 

demonstrations organised by trade 

unions and campaigners against global 

hunger ahead of the G8 summit. 

The British-controlled province, 

still suffering sectarian violence despite 

a peace deal in 1998, has organised 

its biggest-ever police operation 

for the talks, with 8,000 oficers deployed. 

They will be split between Belfast 

and the luxury Lough Erne resort 

where the G8 leaders, including US 

President Barack Obama and German 

Chancellor Angela Merkel, will 

be staying. 

British Prime Minister David Cameron, 

who is hosting the summit, is 

pushing for agreement on his three 

G8 priorities of trade, tax and transparency. 

— AFP 

TEL: 24601003, 24600586 • FAX: 24600736 

• WEBSITE: www.salalahport.com 


Group opens up 

offshore bank account 

database online 

WASHINGTON — A massive database of private offshore banking entities 

that could be used for tax evasion was posted online for public use by the 

muckraking group that irst reported the iles. 

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said anyone can 

now search the records of some 100,000 companies, trusts and funds located 

in leading tax havens to see who could be making use of them to skirt homecountry 

taxes. 

The group said it was doing so in the name of public interest and also 

hoped that crowd-sourcing the iles would lead to more revelations about 

public igures who hide their money. 

"Secrecy creates an environment where fraud, tax evasion, money laundering 

and other forms of corruption thrive. The Offshore Leaks Database 

helps remove this secrecy," said ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle. 

"Opening up the records serves the public interest by bringing accountability 

to an industry that has long operated in the shadows." 

The ICIJ, which irst revealed that it had the huge cache of computerised 

iles last year, has already prompted investigations into tax dodging in a 

number of countries, including Greece, India, the Philippines and South Korea. 

"Entry to the secret world is now publicly available for the irst time online," 

said Ryle. 

"It may be that the best stories are still out there." 

The release comes ahead of the G8 summit this week, where leaders of 

the world's top economies will discuss a pact on sharing banking data to allow 

countries to ight tax evasion. 

And it comes amid rising pressure on the tax havens themselves to be less 

secretive. 

The ICIJ said it did not put all of the data it has online. It stripped out personal 

information like e-mail addresses, bank account numbers and phone 

numbers. Some of the information on the location of offshore entities has 

also been held back, it said. 

Nor is there any inancial information in the records, such as capital of the 

entities or proit and loss data. The data is also heavily focused on Asia and 

Asians, and Singapore-based or linked entities, especially Singapore-based 

wealth manager Portcullis TrustNet. 

Most of the names are not known publicly. But a search for some prominent 

names shows some links to offshore companies. 

"Mahathir" brings up Mokhzani Mahathir, the son of Malaysia's former 

prime minister, and several companies linked to him that are based in Malaysia's 

offshore banking centre Labuan. 

A search for "Chearavanont", the family that controls Thailand's giant CP 

Group conglomerate, lists several names, all apparently the children of CP 

chief Dhanin Chearavanont. 

They are tied to Mandolin Capital, registered in the British Virgin Islands, 

through Portcullis, but recorded as defunct in the database. 

But there is nothing to indicate any wrongdoing, ICIJ acknowledges. 

"There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts, and ICIJ 

does not suggest or imply that the people and companies included in the database 

have broken the law or otherwise acted improperly," the group said in 

a statement. 

It stressed instead that the database can help develop pictures of offshore 

networks that can be used to hide money. 

It allows users "to explore the relationships between clients, offshore entities 

and the lawyers, accountants, banks and other intermediaries who help 

keep these arrangements secret." — AFP 

Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf speaks to media 

during a news conference after the weekly meeting of the Federal Council 

in Bern. Switzerland should be ready to exchange bank information 

automatically with the European Union in return for access to inancial 

markets, an expert panel said, a move that would lift the last vestige of its 

tradition of banking secrecy. — Reuters 

Retail giant Agrokor to 

acquire Mercator stake 

LJUBLJANA — Croatia's largest food retailer Agrokor signed a 240 million 

euro ($320 million) deal to acquire a 53 per cent stake in its main regional 

rival, Slovenia's Mercator, the companies said in a statement. 

"Through this merger Agrokor has become the largest retailer in central 

and eastern Europe," Agrokor's head Ivica Todorovic said in a statement published 

in Ljubljana late on Friday after the signing of the deal. 

Agrokor plans to make a takeover bid for the rest of the company at the 

end of the year. 

"We are convinced that the conditions that have been agreed are the 

best possible under the circumstances," Slovenia's largest brewer Pivovarna 

Lasko, which owns a 23-per cent-stake in Mercator, said. 

"The weight of Pivovarna Lasko's debts is such that, after considering all 

the arguments, we have decided to back the transaction," Lasko's Vladimir 

Milenkovic had said earlier on Frriday. 

The takeover still has to be approved by the securities market agencies of 

all the former Yugoslav states in which both retailers are present. — AFP

ATHLETICS 

GENERAL 

>> RUGBY P26 NZ blank France 30-0 to clinch series >> FOOTBALL 

P27 Messi overtakes Maradona’s Argentina tally 

P26 

‘Campbell-Brown 

fails dope test’ 

KINGSTON — Jamaica's 200 metres 

world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown 

has tested positive for 

a banned diuretic, sources close to 

Jamaican athletics said. 

The sources said the doping violation 

occurred at the Jamaica International 

Invitational meeting on 

May 4 in Kingston. 

Campbell-Brown, who won the 

Olympic 200 title in 2004 and 2008, 

is Jamaica's most successful female 

athlete and the biggest name in 

track and ield to fall foul of the drug 

testers since disgraced American 

sprinter Marion Jones. 

Jones served a six-month prison 

sentence and was stripped of the 

ive medals, including three golds, 

she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics 

after admitting to using performance-enhancing 

drugs. 

Local media reports said Campbell-Brown 

had been present at the 

laboratory in Canada when her B 

sample was tested earlier this week. 

First Ferrari winner 

Gonzalez dies at 90 

BUENOS AIRES Jose Froilan 

Gonzalez, the 'Pampas Bull' who in 

1951 became the irst driver to win 

a Formula One world championship 

grand prix for Ferrari, has died in 

Buenos Aires at the age of 90, Argentine 

media reported yesterday. 

Gonzalez beat compatriot and 

ive-time world champion Juan 

Manuel Fangio to win the 1951 British 

Grand Prix at Silverstone after 

making his championship debut 

with Maserati in Monaco a year earlier. 

He also won the Le Mans 24 

Hours sportscar race with Frenchman 

Maurice Trintignant in a works 

Ferrari in 1954. The stocky Argentine's 

Formula One career spanned 

a decade, taking in 26 grands prix. 

His last appearance for Ferrari came 

in his home grand prix in 1960. 


P27 

Sunday 



P28 

Inside 

Japan shock Wales for historic win 

Federer faces Youzhny in Halle final 

MLB suspends eight over brawl 

India complete Pakistan misery 

From Andy Jalil at Edgbaston 

BIRMINGHAM — Despite the result 

of this match having been made irrelevant 

with India having already 

qualiied for the semiinal and Pakistan 

unable to progress further after 

two defeats in the tournament, the 

build-up to the match, as indeed any, 

between these two teams had more 

hype than any other cricketing nations’ 

contest. All tickets were sold out 

within three hours of being put on sale 

several months ago. 

Not surprisingly, the packed to capacity 

ground consisted almost entirely 

of supporters of the two countries 

with the help of around 15 per cent of 

Birmingham’s population being of Pakistani 

origin. It was a wonderful sight 

of spectators of two very competitive 

nations sitting together around the 

ground waving hundreds of lags of 

their countries in excellent spirit. 

But at the end of a fragmented day 

it was India’s supporters who went 

away delighted with their team victorious 

by eight wickets on the Duckworth/Lewis 

method. 

With a revised target set on the 

calculated D/L method India had begun 

their chase of 168 from 40 overs 

and then with a further rain-affected 

revision it was reduced to 157 from 

36 overs. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit 

Sharma went after the Pakistan bowling 

like predators and put on 58 before 

Pakistan broke the opening stand 

which has been so productive in this 

tournament. Sharma stepped out to 

drive in Saeed Ajmal’s second over and 

mistimed the shot to be held at midwicket. 

Dhawan who has been in phenomenal 

form with two centuries in the 

previous two matches, meanwhile had 

played two cracking drives to cover 

for four and a lovely square cut to the 

backward point boundary took his 

score to 38. He had added one more 

run when yet another stoppage came 

for rain. India were on 63 for one from 

11.3 overs when further rain caused 

another revision of the target. 

Eventually the latest target was set 

at 102 from 22 overs which meant India 

required a further 39 runs when 

the teams took the ield after the inal 

rain interruption. Dhawan, playing 

with aggression, hit two fours in 

an over to take his score to 48 from 

41 balls before a lofted cut ended in 

the hands of third man. Finally in late 

evening sunshine Virat Kohli with 22 

not out along with Dinesh Karthik on 

11 saw India comfortably home on 

102 for two. 

Earlier, having put Pakistan in to 

bat, India claimed an early wicket with 

Bhuneshwar Kumar, in the third over, 

having Nasir Jamshed held at second 

slip with a ball that was slanted across 

the left-hander. But Pakistan soon got 

to 50 with a lurry of boundaries. Mohammed 

Hafeez drove Umesh Yadav 

to extra cover for four and followed it 

next ball with a pull to the boundary. 

Kamran Akmal then hit a four off the 

next ball and India’s three overs at that 

point went for 28. 

The irst stoppage for rain came 

with Pakistan on 50 for one and the 

irst ball after resumption accounted 

for Hafeez’s wicket. He needlessly 

played a ball outside off stump and 

edged it behind just when he seemed 

to have settled in well taking 20 of his 

27 runs from boundaries off 31 balls. 

India replaced Yadav with Ravi Ashwin 

and the change reduced Pakistan to 56 

for three. Kamran Akmal, unwisely de- 

cided to sweep a lighted ball and was 

held at leg slip with a delection off the 

wicket-keeper. 

Once again the task of reviving the 

innings fell upon the captain Misbahul 

Haq who had brought recovery to 

his team in the previous two matches 

with innings of 96 not out and 55. 

They progressed to 70 for three from 

19 overs when rain interrupted play 

for the second time at 12.08 pm local 

time. It was a long stoppage and when 

resumption took place at 2.45 pm the 

game was shortened to 40 overs a side 

with the break reduced to 20 minutes. 

On the re-start, Misbah and Asad 

Shaiq picked up the runs with excellent 

running with quick singles and 

twos as they looked for gaps and took 

advantage of the power play overs. 

The tactic worked with 50 of the partnership 

coming from 68 balls. Asad 

moved on to 35 with two consecutive 

boundaries off Ravi Jadeja. He took a 

run on the next ball and then Jadeja 

struck with the wicket of Misbah for 

22. 

With Pakistan on 110 for four, India 

made sure there would be no middleorder 

recovery as they grabbed three 

for nine in a space of 15 balls. Asad, 

on 41, was given not out to a leg side 

catch by the wicket-keeper but India 

asked for a review and that was successful. 

Eight runs later, Jadeja trapped 

Shoaib Malik for 6 and with Ashwin 

bowling Wahab Riaz without scoring 

Pakistan were 140 for seven. 

Both the eighth and ninth wickets 

fell on 159 and with two balls remaining 

from their re-allocated 40 overs 

the last man was run out leaving Umar 

Amin unbeaten on 27 from 26 balls. 

Today’s ixture: England vs New 

Zealand. 

SCOREBOARD 

Pakistan 

N Jamshed c Raina b Kumar ........................................2 

K Akmal c Kohli b Ashwin .........................................21 

M Hafeez c Dhoni b Kumar .......................................27 

A Shaiq c Dhoni b I Sharma .....................................41 

Misbah-ul Haq b Jadeja ...............................................22 

Shoaib Malik lbw Jadeja .............................................17 

Umar Amin (not out) ...................................................27 

Wahab Riaz b Ashwin .....................................................0 

S Ajmal c R Sharma b I Sharma .................................5 

Junaid Khan run out ........................................................0 

M Irfan run out ..................................................................0 

Extras: (lb-1, w-2) ...........................................................3 

Total: (all out, 39.4 overs) ...................................... 165 

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-50, 3-56, 4-110, 5-131, 

6-139, 7-140, 8-159, 9-159. 

Bowling: Kumar 8-2-19-2, Yadav 6.4-0-29-0, I 

Sharma 7-0-40-2 (w-1), Ashwin 8-0-35-2 (w-1), 

Kohli 2-0-11-0, Jadeja 8-1-30-2. 

India 

R Sharma c Misbah b S Ajmal .................................18 

S Dhawan c N Jamshed b W Riaz ...........................48 

V Kohli (not out) ............................................................22 

D Karthik (not out) .......................................................11 

Extras: (w-3) ......................................................................3 

Total: (2 wkts; 19.1 overs) .................................... 102 

Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-78. 

Bowling: M Irfan 4-0-24-0 (w-1); J Khan 

4-0-21-0 (w-1); S Ajmal 5-0-29-1; M Hafeez 

2.1-0-8-0; W Riaz 4-0-20-1. 

England deny Willis ball-tampering claims 

CARDIFF — England limited overs coach Ashley 

Giles has denied his players tamper with 

the ball following controversial allegations by 

former captain Bob Willis. 

Willis told Sky Sports on Friday that Pakistan 

umpire Aleem Dar and New Zealand's Billy 

Bowden had ordered the ball to be changed 

while Sri Lanka were batting during their seven-wicket 

Champions Trophy win over England 

at The Oval on Thursday because it had been 

tampered with. 

"Let's not beat about the bush — Aleem Dar 

is on England's case. He knows that one individual 

is scratching the ball for England — who I 

am not going to name — and that's why the ball 

was changed," Willis said. 

But former England spinner Giles, speaking 

yesterday ahead of his side's key Champions 

Trophy match against New Zealand in Cardiff 

today, said: "We don't tamper with the ball. 

"With the situation the other day, the ball 

was changed because it had gone out of shape. 

We asked the question, the captain (Alastair 

Cook) asked that question to the umpires which 

he has a right to. 

"The ball was changed, the rest is history." 

India’s Umesh Yadav (right) runs out Pakistan’s Mohammed Irfan during their Champions Trophy Group ‘B’ 

match at Edgbaston in Birmingham yesterday. — Reuters 

Giles added: "The most important thing is 

winning cricket matches and not what Bob Willis 

says." 

Reports in the British media have highlighted 

the role of Ravi Bopara in polishing the ball, 

a legitimate tactic, but Giles said the Essex allrounder, 

who has starred with the bat in this 

tournament, had been selected for his cricket 

ability. 

"There's even mention of one of our player's 

(Bopara's) speciic role and that player is an extremely 

good cricketer, has had an extremely 

good series so far and we'd like to let him concentrate 

on playing his cricket." 

After England's tournament-opening win 

over defending champions Australia at Edgbaston, 

Australia stand-in captain George Bailey 

said he was 'very surprised' by the speed with 

which Giles's side got the ball to reverse. 

However, Giles insisted yesterday an abrasive 

pitch at Edgbaston had played a key role in aiding 

England's use of reverse-swing against Australia. 

Prior to the Champions Trophy, New Zealand 

beat Giles's men 2-1 in a one-day series in England. 

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said yesterday 

he'd seen nothing untoward during recent 

home and away matches against England. 

"We played them in New Zealand and there 

were very abrasive surfaces and there was always 

going to be an element of reverse." 

Asked if England achieved reverse swing by 

legitimate means, Hesson replied: "I've got no 

idea how they achieve reverse swing and that's 

not my responsibility. The umpires are there to 

do a job and if they think something is done out 

of the ordinary then they will deal with it. 

"From what I understand the other day they 

changed the ball because it was out of shape." 

On Thursday, Sri Lanka were 119 for two 

at the halfway stage of their reply to England's 

seemingly imposing 293 for seven when the ball 

was changed. 

The replacement ball moved little and Sri 

Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara went on to complete 

a match-winning hundred. 

Afterwards, Cook said: "The ball was changed 

because it was out of shape. The umpires make 

these decisions and you have to accept them. 

Sometimes you don't think they are the right 

decisions." 

Willis, an England captain in the early 1980s, 

said: "Have you ever heard about the batting 

side or the umpire complaining about the shape 

of the ball? 

"How naive does Alastair Cook think we are? 

He didn't want the ball changed. So why was it 

changed? 

"It is OK for the ball to scuff through natural 

wear and tear — but against cricket's laws to 

use ingernails or other means to alter its condition," 

added 64-year-old former fast bowler Willis, 

one of only four England cricketers to have 

taken 300 Test wickets. 

Australian umpire Darrell Hair, together with 

West Indies' Billy Doctrove, docked Pakistan ive 

runs for ball-tampering during a controversial 

Test against England at The Oval in 2006. 

Pakistan forfeited the match in protest but 

were subsequently exonerated by the International 

Cricket Council (ICC) and the fall-out cost 

Hair his Test career. 

However, oficials in the England-Sri Lanka 

match didn't impose a penalty and the ICC explained, 

that as the umpires hadn't reported anything 

and no team had complained, they were 

not planning to take any action. — AFP

26 

SPORT 


New Zealand blank France 30-0 to clinch series 

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Tries to 

wingers Julian Savea and Ben Smith and replacement 

Beauden Barrett helped New 

Zealand to a comprehensive 30-0 victory 

over France in the second Test yesterday and 

sealed the three-match series with a game to 

spare. 

Flyhalf Aaron Cruden slotted 15 points 

with the boot as the All Blacks took nearly 

every scoring opportunity they had and 

played an intelligent game built around kicking 

behind the French line and keeping them 

pinned in their territory. 

They were also brutally eficient in defence, 

repelling wave after wave of French attacks 

for 19 phases early in the second half before 

charging down an attempted drop kick by 

Frederic Michalak then sweeping downield 

for Smith's try. 

"The game was in the balance before that 

period when we defended and then we got 

the opportunity to strike and we took it," All 

Blacks coach Steve Hansen told reporters of 

Smith's 48th minute converted try that extended 

their lead to 17-0. 

"Defence wins games because it shows 

the attitude of the team. We have made a 

couple of little changes that I think have 

helped get our defence in the right places 

and they worked really hard for it." 

New Zealand won the irst match 23-13 at 

Eden Park in Auckland last week and with the 

victory in Christchurch they retained the Dave 

Gallaher Cup, which is contested between the 

two nations. 

The inal Test is in New Plymouth next 

week, though Michalak will miss it with 

a shoulder injury, France coach Philippe 

Saint-Andre said, while number eight Louis 

Picamoles was still having scans on a knee injury. 

The All Blacks got on the board early 

when Ma'a Nonu produced a deft kick behind 

Japan shock Wales for historic victory 

TOKYO — Rugby minnows Japan 

claimed their irst win over Six-Nations 

champions Wales yesterday 

after a clinical display against an inexperienced 

Welsh side sealed a 23-8 

victory that squared their two match 

series. 

Second half tries by inside centre 

Craig Wing and openside lanker 

Michael Broadhurst, who both quali- 

ied to play for Japan after completing 

residency requirements, and 13 

points from the boot of fullback Ayumu 

Goromaru helped secure their 

biggest win to date. 

"I'm really proud of the players," Japan 

coach Eddie Jones was quoted as 

saying by Japan's Kyodo news agency 

after the win at the Chichibunomiya 

Stadium. "We have created history 

today. We are the irst Japan team to 

beat a top 10 team in the world." 

Wales, shorn of the majority of 

their irst team who have been selected 

to tour Australia with the British 

and Irish Lions, dominated possession 

and territory in the opening half 

but struggled to turn that into points 

with Japan defending resolutely. 

Goromaru made the most of Japan's 

rare forays into the opposing 

half by slotting two penalties, while 

Wales lyhalf Dan Biggar kicked one, 

as the 'Brave Blossoms' went into the 

break 6-3 ahead. 

Wales were quick out of the blocks 

in the second period and eventually 

found a hole in the disciplined Japanese 

defence after moving the ball 

right then left, with Biggar loating a 

lovely long pass wide for winger Tom 

Prydie to cross for a 45th minute try. 

Japan, who have won just one 

match in seven World Cups but will 

host the 2019 tournament, did not 

drop their heads and former Australian 

Rugby League international Wing 

brushed through a tackle by Welsh 

prop Rhys Gill to cross for a try ive 

minutes later. 

Goromaru converted from out 

wide to put Japan 13-8 ahead and 

it got even better for the Asian Five 

Nations champions 10 minutes later 

when they crossed for a second try. 

The leet-footed Japanese continued 

to ind holes in the Wales backline, 

taking them into the 22 and, after 

sucking in defenders, created a huge 

overlap to allow New Zealand-born 

Broadhurst to touch down in the corner. 

Goromaru converted again and 

added a 77th minute penalty to cap a 

strong display after missing two kicks 

in the 22-18 irst Test defeat in Osaka 

last week. 

"We understand the Welsh didn't 

have 15 of their best players here. But 

we played a very good game of Test 

rugby and it's another step forward 

for the team," Jones added. 

Wales coach Robin McBryde, 

standing in while Warren Gatland 

leads the Lions in Australia, handed a 

debut to lanker Josh Navidi after opting 

to go without a specialist openside 

in the irst Test but the move did 

not prevent Wales coughing up possession. 

"We turned the ball over nine times 

in the Japan 22 and that was early on 

too," the former Wales hooker said. 

"If you don't take your opportunities, 

then you pay the ultimate price." 

France's lat defence and Savea scooped up 

the ball to record his 13th Test try, which Cruden 

converted. 

Flyhalf Michalak had two opportunities to 

get the visitors on the board but failed with 

a drop goal in the 18th minute and missed a 

penalty in the 20th. 

Cruden extended the lead two minutes 

later when the French were penalised on their 

line after the All Blacks had swept down ield 

following two surging runs by Read, playing 

his 50th Test, and prop Wyatt Crockett. 

The All Blacks went into the break at 10-0 

but found themselves desperately defending 

for the irst eight minutes of the second half. 

After 19 phases, the French gave up on 

hammering at the line and swung the ball 

back to Michalak for a drop goal, only for Sam 

Cane to charge the ball down. 

The All Blacks quickly moved onto attack 

with Savea coming from the left wing 

across to the right, where he drew the last defender 

and put Smith away to the roars of the 

crowd. 

Cruden's conversion knocked much of the 

spirit out of the French and the lyhalf added 

two further penalties before Barrett inished a 

length of the ield try after some outstanding 

work by Israel Dagg, Rene Ranger and Conrad 

Smith. 

"We had the opportunities to come back 

when it was 10-0 and we spent ive minutes 

in the New Zealand 22," Saint-Andre said. 

"They defended really well. We tried a drop 

goal and 80 metres (later) it's 17-0 to New 

Zealand. Game over." 

Samoa survive 

early pressure to 

triumph over Italy 

NELSPRUIT, South Africa — Samoa 

survived early pressure to triumph 

39-10 against Italy yesterday 

in Nelspruit and reach the inal 

of a South African four-nation 

tournament. 

Italy had nothing to show for 

early dominance and after trailing 

10-3 at half-time, conceded two 

early second half tries in the irst 

Test hosted by this north-eastern 

city. 

A surprise was that none of the 

ive Samoan tries in a bonus-point 

win came from 117-kilogram 

left-wing Alesana Tuilagi, who 

wreaked havoc in a 10-point win 

over Scotland last weekend. 

South Africa, who play Scotland 

at the same 40,000-seat stadium 

in the second part of a doubleheader, 

are the likely inal opponents 

on June 22 at Loftus Versfeld 

in Pretoria. 

"We struggled to get into the 

game and spent the early stages 

chasing after the Italians," admitted 

Samoa centre and skipper Paul 

Williams, "but we hung in there. 

"A big improvement from last 

weekend was knowing when to 

contest the rucks and when to 

fan out on defence. It will be a 

great occasion and challenge for 

us should we face the Springboks 

next." 

Outstanding Italy No 8 and 

skipper Sergio Parisse cut a frustrated 

igure: "We did well in the 

scrums, but you cannot hope to 

win by controlling a single facet. 

The team were not physical 

enough and our ruck work needs 

improvement." 

Italy, who had a successful Six 

Nations tournament last season 

beating France and Ireland, were 

up against it even before the kickoff, 

needing to win by 23 points 

and prevent Samoa claiming a 

four-try bonus point if they were 

to go second on the table. 

Despite a 10-kilogram-per-forward 

advantage, the Paciic islanders 

were penalised at the irst two 

scrums and conceded early terri- 

torial and possession advantages. 

But recalled ly-half Luciano 

Orquera luffed his irst penalty 

chance midway through the half 

and it was Samoa who broke out 

to open the scoring through Williams, 

a son of All Blacks legend 

Bryan Williams. 

Fly-half Tusi Pisi burst forward 

after the islanders won a midield 

collision and a couple of passes 

later Williams was over under the 

crossbar for a try he converted. 

Argentina-born Orquera had 

better luck with his second penalty 

attempt, a closer and less 

angled kick that he planted between 

the posts for three points 

the Azzurri (Blues) thoroughly deserved. 

A Williams penalty restored 

the seven-point Samoan advantage 

and an unlucky bounce close 

to the try-line robbed Gonzalo 

Canale of a scoring chance after 

fellow centre Gonzalo Garcia just 

failed to land a long-range penalty 

kick. 

Italy needed early second-half 

points to get back into contention, 

but it was the Samoans who 

crossed the line twice within 13 

minutes and sealed a fourth win 

in ive Tests against Italy. 

A cross-ield Pisi kick set up 

Alapati Leiua to evade two tackles 

and score a try and the Samoa 

pivot was also the creator of the 

next one with Johnny Leota racing 

in unopposed and Williams converted. 

The match was more evenly 

contested than the 25-3 scoreline 

suggested, but it got worse for the 

Six Nations cinderella side when 

No 8 Taiasina Tuifu'a dotted down 

and Williams converted from near 

the touchline. 

Leiua was sin binned 10 minutes 

from time, Italy were awarded 

a penalty try converted by 

replacement ly-half Alberto Di 

Bernardo, and full-back Brando 

Va'aulu crossed after a break by 

substitute Ki Anufe, who converted. 

— AFP 

Thrilling Lions thrash Waratahs for ifth successive win 

SYDNEY — Leigh Halfpenny contributed 

30 points as the British and Irish 

Lions crushed the New South Wales 

Waratahs 47-17 with some thrilling 

running rugby to claim a ifth win in 

ive tour matches at the Sydney Football 

Stadium yesterday. 

Coach Warren Gatland had said this 

was not a shadow Test team but few 

would complain if the same line-up, 

particularly the backline, were to run 

out to face the Wallabies in Brisbane in 

the irst match of the three-game series 

next weekend. 

Halfpenny scored two tries in four 

minutes around halftime and converted 

eight kicks from eight attempts to 

add 20 points with his boot. The other 

scores came from Jonny Sexton, Tom 

New Zealand rugby team celebrate after defeating France in Christchurch yesterday. — Reuters 

Japan’s Justin Ives (centre right) tackles Wales’ back row Dan Baker during their rugby Test match in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP 

Croft and the outstanding Jonathan 

Davies. 

The Waratahs, without 11 Wallabies 

through national duty or injury, gave 

the Lions only their second real contest 

of the tour in front of 40,805 fans and 

two tries from combative centre Tom 

Carter kept them in the match for the 

irst 50 minutes. 

Winger Simon Zebo nearly made 

a spectacular start to his Lions debut 

after 38 seconds when he inished off 

a blindside move, only for the TV pictures 

to show that his left boot had 

grazed the touchline. 

After Halfpenny had opened the 

scoring with a penalty from halfway, 

Zebo was involved in another move 

down the same lank, releasing Davies 

whose ine pass found lyhalf Sexton in 

support and the Irishman inished with 

lourish. 

Halfpenny converted to make it 

10-0 after eight minutes but the Waratahs’ 

combative centre Tom Carter who 

got on the scoresheet next. 

Bernard Foley's crosskick from inside 

his own half found Peter Betham 

charging down the left wing and he 

tossed the ball out of the tackle to Carter 

who, despite his evident lack of pace, 

got to the line before the cover defence. 

Halfpenny extended the lead to 13-7 

with his second penalty but the Waratahs 

stormed back and huge lock Will 

Skelton stormed over the line after a 

well-worked line-out but lost the ball 

in the tackle of Mike Phillips. 

Brendan McKibbin and Halfpenny 

traded penalties but the Lions fullback 

had the last word in the opening 

half when he ran in for his irst try on 

an overlap and converted to send the 

tourists into the break 23-10 up. 

Halfpenny's second try came four 

minutes after the break after a neat 

midield move had set Davies free and 

the centre's pass sent his fellow Welshman 

scuttling over the line. 

The Waratahs were not about to 

fold, however, and Carter crashed over 

the line from close range after more 

good work from Skelton for a converted 

try to cut the deicit to 30-17. 

Another Halfpenny penalty extended 

the lead and lanker Croft just about 

assured the victory with his try. — AFP 

Leigh Halfpenny (right) of the British and Irish Lions team scores a try 

during the tour match against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney yesterday.


Oman Air-Musandam gains in Lisbon 

MUSCAT — Oman Air-Musandam made signiicant 

gains on their inshore performances from Valencia 

with two podium places from three races in Lisbon 

to add valuable points to their Route des Princes 

tally, according to a press release issued here yesterday. 

After the morning’s prize-giving at the impressive 

Lisbon City Hall, where Oman Air- 

Musandam skipper Sidney Gavignet and his crew 

received the MOD70 award for winning the irst 

leg from Valencia to Lisbon from Manuel Brito, Câmara 

Municipal de Lisboa’s Councillor for Sports 

and Deputy Mayor, the leet of MOD70s took to the 

waters for the second round of inshore competition. 

Racing took place in the waters between the 

Praca do Comercio and the iconic Lisbon suspension 

bridge in about 15 knots, lat seas and in front 

of crowds of spectators along the Tagus River, captivated 

by the action. 

Pedrosa claims 

pole position 

with lap record 

MONTMELO, Spain — Championship 

leader Dani Pedrosa grabbed 

pole position for today's Catalunya 

grand prix when he recorded the 

fastest ever lap at Montmelo near 

Barcelona yesterday. 

Spaniard Pedrosa delighted the 

home fans thronging the circuit in 

sweltering heat with a blistering 

time of 1:40.893 on his Honda. 

Yamaha pilot Cal Crutchlow of 

Britain was second fastest, with 

Pedrosa's compatriot, world champion 

Jorge Lorenzo, third quickest 

on another Yamaha. 

"It's a dificult circuit, above all 

when it is so hot," Pedrosa said in an 

interview with Spanish television 

broadcaster Cuatro. 

"We got a good lap in but even 

more pleasing is that we have improved 

in terms of rhythm and that 

is the most important factor here," 

added the 27-year-old. "I am happy 

to have set the record in front of all 

my fans." 

Pedrosa's time beat the previous 

record of 1:41.186 set by former 

world champion Casey Stoner of 

Australia in 2008. 

After ive races, Pedrosa tops 

the standings on 103 points, with 

Lorenzo second on 91 and Pedrosa's 

team mate, Spanish rookie Marc 

Marquez, third on 77. 

Marquez was sixth quickest yesterday, 

behind Alvaro Bautista in 

fourth and Nicky Hayden in ifth. 

— Reuters 

Federer faces Youzhny in Halle inal 

Torres determined to see out his contract at Chelsea 

MADRID — Spanish international 

Fernando Torres has said he is determined 

to see out his contract at Chelsea 

and hopes that the return of Jose 

Mourinho to the Europa League winners 

can inspire him to regain his top 

form. 

Torres has struggled to reach the 

heights he did in his irst two seasons 

in England with Liverpool since Chelsea 

paid £50 million ($78.4 million) 

Oman Air-Musandam opened their account with 

a second place in the irst race then dropped to 

fourth in the second and inished with a third in the 

inal race of the day, giving the crew, which included 

Omani sailors Fahad al Hasni and Ahmed al Hassani, 

reason to be cheerful about future prospects 

in the remaining three inshore contests, despite a 

broken gennaker on the inal approach to the inish 

line in the last race. 

Neal McDonald, who put the poor performance 

in Valencia down to his inexperience in big multihulls 

was happier about the improvements in Lisbon. 

“There is still a lot of work to do but we cut 

down a lot on our errors here which was a good 

sign,” he said. 

“I think we are getting the hang of it because we 

were able to get better positions on the rest of the 

leet and that certainly helped. There were a few 

changes in the set up of the boat that also made a 

HALLE, Germany — Roger Federer 

edged closer to his irst title of the 

season when he came from a set 

down to beat defending champion 

Tommy Haas 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and book 

a place in today's Halle Open inal 

against Mikhail Youzhny. 

After a patchy start yesterday the 

Swiss looked sharp on the grass as 

he prepares for his title defence at 

Wimbledon later this month. Federer, 

ive-time champion at Halle, will take 

on Russian Youzhny, who outclassed 

former Wimbledon semiinalist Richard 

Gasquet of France 6-3, 6-2. 

for his services in January 2011 and 

despite speculation linking him with 

a move away from the club, he insists 

he intends to see out the ive-anda-half-year 

deal he signed with the 

blues. 

"I want to continue, I want to 

complete the contract that I signed, I 

want to continue winning titles and 

return to being the best in my position," 

he told Spanish newspaper AS 

"I felt good out there, and as I had 

predicted it was a tough match," Federer, 

the world No 3, said in a courtside 

interview. "I have not won a title 

this year, twice I have lost here in the 

inal in the past years. It will not be 

easy but I am really looking forward 

to it." 

Federer's unusually erratic forehand 

earned 35-year-old Haas his 

irst break points at 3-2, and another 

long cross-court forehand by the 

Swiss gave the world No 11 a twogame 

cushion. 

Haas, whose 2012 Halle inal win 

in an interview published yesterday. 

"There is no better place and better 

conditions than with Mourinho at 

Chelsea. 

"If you think about the players that 

have passed through his clubs, the 

strikers, all of them have had great 

years." 

The 29-year-old did show some 

lashes of his old self during Rafael 

Benitez's short reign at Chelsea last 

difference but overall our boat handling, boat speed 

and teamwork was all better.” 

“On the basis of today, we can be optimistic 

about tomorrow,” said Fahad al Hasni, one of the 

trimmers onboard. 

“It was very good and a much better performance 

than in Valencia. Our manoeuvres were better 

although we missed the layline in the last race and 

were overtaken by Edmond de Rothschild which 

was a shame because it would have been good to 

have had two seconds. 

“We will try and be more focused on the wind 

tomorrow because the difference between the top 

and bottom mark is big and we will have to be careful 

because a lot of time can be lost on the mark 

roundings if you don’t get them right.” 

Inshore racing continues on the Tagus River 

with another three round the buoys races in the 

afternoon with Sebastien Josse’s Edmond de Rothschild 

starting with a two-point lead. 

Roger Federer of Switzerland stretches for a returns in his semiinal against Germany’s Tommy Haas 

at the Halle Open in Germany yesterday. — AFP 

over Federer was his irst in 10 years 

against him, saved two break points 

at 5-2 to serve out the set when Federer 

pushed another forehand long. 

The tables were turned in the 

second set, with Federer racing to a 

3-0 lead after breaking Haas, whose 

injury-free season has seen him win 

in Munich and reach the French Open 

last eight. 

After drawing level, Federer went 

3-1 up in the decider when Haas 

double-faulted twice in a row, and the 

31-year-old clinched victory on his 

second match point. — Reuters 

season as he scored 22 goals, including 

one in the inal of the Europa 

League against Benica last month. 

That run of form was enough to 

convince Vicente del Bosque to recall 

the former Atletico Madrid man 

to his squad for the Confederations 

Cup after he had been left out of the 

last couple of Spain squads and he is 

delighted to be back in the fold for another 

major championship. 

SPORT 

27 

Bravo laments lack of one 

more ball as SA advance 

at expense of Windies 

CARDIFF — West Indies captain 

Dwayne Bravo regretted the fact his 

side were denied one more ball to 

win the match after they bowed out 

of the Champions Trophy following a 

tie with South Africa. 

After rain reduced Friday's ixture 

in Cardiff to 31 overs per side, South 

Africa, sent into bat by Bravo, made 

230 for six on the back of man-ofthe-match 

Colin Ingram's 73, as well 

as handy contributions from David 

Miller (38) and Proteas captain A B 

de Villiers (37). 

West Indies were in trouble at 87 

for three but Marlon Samuels (48) 

and Kieron Pollard (28) both scored 

at better than a run-a-ball to get the 

World Twenty20 champions back on 

track. 

However, when Pollard was dismissed 

off what turned out to be 

the last ball of the match, the West 

Indies went from being in a winning 

position to exactly dead level on the 

Duckworth/Lewis method for deciding 

rain-affected matches at 190 for 

six off 26.1 overs. 

The umpires then took the players 

off the ield for the inal time because 

of rain and while both sides received 

a point for a tie, it was South Africa 

who qualiied for the last four because 

of their superior net run-rate. 

They joined Group B winners India 

as one of two qualiiers for the 

knockout stages from their side of 

the tournament and will now play 

whichever side tops Pool A in a semi- 

inal at London's Oval ground on June 

19. 

Darren Sammy walked out to the 

middle after Pollard was caught at 

third man by Dale Steyn off Ryan 

McLaren but Australian umpires 

Steve Davis and Rod Tucker then decided 

enough was enough. 

"I must say I am disappointed 

with how the game ended, but I am 

not disappointed with what the umpires 

did," Bravo said. 

However, the all-rounder added: 

"I think it would have been fair for 

both teams, the fans and tournament 

if that extra ball had been bowled or 

Messi scores hat-trick 

to overtake Maradona’s 

Argentina tally 

GUATEMALA CITY — Lionel Messi 

scored a hat-trick to help a secondstring 

Argentina record an easy 4-0 

away win over Guatemala in a friendly 

and overtake Diego Maradona's international 

goals tally. 

Messi, who came on as a substitute 

in recent World Cup qualiiers 

against Colombia and Ecuador, was 

given a place in the starting line-up 

and gave Argentina a 15th minute 

lead with a left-foot shot from outside 

the penalty area. 

Messi, scoring his third hat-trick 

for his country, provided the cross 

for Augusto Fernandez to head in 

the second in the 35th minute before 

converting a penalty himself four 

minutes later. 

He completed his hat-trick four 

minutes after halftime when Ezequiel 

Lavezzi produced a low cross from 

the right and he casually side-footed 

the ball in from 12 metres after being 

left completely unmarked. 

something like that. But you have to 

give credit to both teams, South Africa 

batted very well and I was pleased 

with how my guys went in the run 

chase. We were in the game right until 

Kieron got out." 

For South Africa, whose habit of 

inding some bizarre ways to exit major 

one-day tournaments led them to 

be dubbed ‘chokers’ — a tag Bravo 

threw their way on Thursday — 

there was relief that, unlike the 1999 

and 2003 World Cups, this time a tie 

did not see them eliminated. 

"I was aware we were behind 

as the Duckworth-Lewis score was 

on the scoreboard the whole time, 

which made it easy for us to follow 

and plan," said de Villiers. 

"At that time as it had been raining 

for half an hour, so it was dificult to 

know when the umpires were going 

to call it," the wicketkeeper-batsman 

added. 

"I thought it got quite dangerous 

and slippy out there so I think they 

made the right decision, although I 

would have been happier if they had 

called it 15 minutes earlier.” 

Later Friday, West Indies were 

ined for maintaining a slow overrate 

during the match. 

Dwayne Bravo's side was ruled to 

be one over short of its target at the 

end of the 31-over match, after time 

allowances were taken into consideration. 

Bravo was ined 20 per cent 

of his match fee while his team mates 

received 10 per cent ines. 

SCOREBOARD 

South Africa 230 for 6 in 31 overs 

West Indies 

C Gayle c du Plessis b Morris ................................. 36 

J Charles c de Villiers b Steyn ................................ 16 

D Smith lbw Peterson ................................................ 30 

M Samuels b Steyn ...................................................... 48 

D M Bravo run out ....................................................... 12 

K Pollard c Steyn b McLaren .................................. 28 

D J Bravo (not out) .........................................................8 

Extras: (lb-5, w-7) ...................................................... 12 

Total: (6 wkts, 26.1 overs) .................................. 190 

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-75, 3-87, 4-104, 5-162, 

6-190. 

Bowling: Duminy 3-0-29-0, Tsotsobe 6-0-37-0, 

Steyn 6-0-33-2, Morris 4-0-30-1, Peterson 4-0- 

22-1, McLaren 3.1-0-34-1. 

Result: Match tied on D/L method. 

Apart from Messi, coach Alejandro 

Sabella ielded a largely experimental 

line-up for Friday evening's match in 

Guatemala City's Mateo Flores Stadium. 

Messi, whose previous hat-tricks 

were against Switzerland and Brazil 

last year, was substituted in the 67th 

minute after taking his tally of international 

goals to 35, which Argentine 

media said was one more than Diego 

Maradona's total and put him level 

with Hernan Crespo as the team's 

second highest scorer. 

Gabriel Batitusta holds the record 

with 56 goals. 

"That was the least important 

thing," Messi told TyC Sports when 

he was asked about overtaking Maradona's 

tally. "We wanted to play well 

in this friendly. The team's attitude 

was right." 

Argentina's next match is a friendly 

away to Italy on August 14. 

— Reuters 

Argentina’s Lionel Messi tries to get past Marco Pappa of Guatemala 

during their friendly match in Guatemala City on Friday. — AFP

28 

SPORT 

SAN ANTONIO — Miami Heat forward 

Chris Bosh was ined $5,000 

by the National Basketball Association 

(NBA) on Friday for violating 

the league's anti-lopping 

policy during the Finals. 

The incident occurred in the 

second quarter of Miami's Game 

Four victory over the San Antonio 

Spurs on Thursday that tied the 

best-of-seven series at 2-2, the 

NBA said in a statement. 

With Miami leading by nine 

points midway through the second 

quarter and San Antonio's 

Gary Neal driving to the basket, 

eight-time All-Star Bosh exaggerated 

a screen by Tim Duncan, lailing 

his arms as he dropped to the 

loor. 

Neal made the basket but it 

was waved off and Duncan was 

called for a moving screen, sparking 

a chorus of boos from the capacity 

crowd inside San Antonio's 

AT&T Center. 

The NBA instituted an anti- 

lopping policy this season to cut 

down on the practice of players 

faking fouls. — Reuters 


Mickelson, Horschel tied for US Open lead 

Phil Mickelson of the US hits his second shot on the sixth 

hole during Round Two of the 113th US Open at Merion 

Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on Friday. — AFP 

Tiger and Rory inseparable at Merion 

ARDMORE, Pennsylvania — Tiger 

Woods and Rory McIlroy played together 

for the irst two rounds at this 

week's US Open and they remained 

in lock-step after battling to matching 

scores in dificult scoring conditions 

on Friday. 

World No 1 Woods and secondranked 

McIlroy each carded a levelpar 

70 on a brutally challenging Merion 

Golf Club layout where inding 

rough was a virtual guarantee of a bogey 

with tough pin positions to tackle 

on the greens. 

Both players were happy with 

their respective positions going into 

the inal two rounds of the year's second 

Major, despite inishing at three 

over par — six strokes off the early 

lead. 

"I played well,' Woods told reporters 

after mixing three birdies with 

three bogeys on a sun-drenched, 

breezy afternoon at Merion that followed 

a week with rain. 

"I just made a couple of mistakes 

out there today, but I really played 

well. Maybe I could have gotten one 

or two more out of it, but it was a 

pretty good day. 

"They've really tried to protect the 

golf course, with it being as soft as it 

is. And they've given us some really, 

really tough pins." 

Asked if he liked his chances heading 

into the weekend as he continues 

his bid for a 15th Major title, but his 

irst in ive years, Woods simply replied: 

"Yes." 

Though Merion is hosting the US 

Open for the irst time in 32 years 

after long being viewed as too short 

to stage a Major, Woods disagreed 

with suggestions that the iconic East 

Course would be exposed by the 

power hitters in the modern game. 

"Unless you have played practice 

rounds out here and you've seen the 

golf course, you don't realise how dif- 

icult it is," the three-time US Open 

champion said. 

"The short holes are short, but if 

you miss the fairway, you can't get 

Coaching carousel blasted by Spoelstra, Popovich 

SAN ANTONIO — It is no coincidence the opposing 

head coaches in this year's NBA Finals 

are among the longest serving in the game. In 

a job that offers little security, ongoing success 

on the court is one of the few ways to 

survive. 

Since the regular season inished in mid- 

April, a dozen head coaches have been ired, 

a statistic that does not sit comfortably with 

Miami's Erik Spoelstra or San Antonio's 

Gregg Popovich. 

"It's really a shame for the profession of 

coaching that it's been so volatile," Spoelstra 

said in a conference call on Friday before the 

best-of-seven series, tied at 2-2, resumes in 

San Antonio today. 

the ball on the green. And the longer 

holes are brutal. 

"And this is probably the stiffest 

set of par-threes that we ever face. 

And then they've thrown some of the 

pin locations in that they have and it's 

really tough." 

McIlroy, the 2011 US Open champion 

at Congressional, felt the combination 

of tricky pin positions and 

swirling breezes had been the biggest 

factor in pushing up the scores in the 

second round. 

"They put the pins in places that 

even when you hit it close, you had 

a tough putt for your birdie or your 

par or whatever," the 24-year-old said 

after offsetting four birdies with four 

bogeys. 

"The wind is up, and it's tough to 

gauge this wind. It swirls a little bit 

in these big trees and it's hard to pull 

a club sometimes. That's why I think 

you're seeing the scores rise a little 

bit today. 

"And if you don't hit the fairways 

here, you're not going to score. If you 

ARDMORE, Pennsylvania — Phil Mickelson rolled in 

an 18-foot birdie putt in fading light at the 18th hole to 

grab a share of the lead in Friday's second round of the 

US Open when play was suspended due to approaching 

darkness. 

The putt gave Mickelson a round of two-over-par 72 

for a total of one-under 139 and tied him with fellow- 

American Billy Horschel, who ired a dazzling three-under 

67 on a brutally dificult day at the weather-delayed 

championship. 

The pair were perched atop a jam-packed leaderboard 

that had ive players one shot back and another 

ive golfers one more stroke adrift, with tournament 

favourites Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy well within 

striking distance at three-over par 143. Mickelson, the 

clubhouse leader after shooting an opening round 67 

before lengthy weather delays suspended Thursday's 

irst-round play, held the lead for much of Friday before 

back-to-back bogeys from the 12th. 

"I wasn't expecting birdie there. It's a very dificult 

hole," said the left-hander, who had three-putted the 

12th and failed to get up-and-down after half-plugging 

his ball in the greenside bunker at the short par-three 

13th. 

His 18th hole birdie was his irst of the day. 

"I got shut out today," he said, exasperated at not taking 

advantage of other birdie chances. "I played really 

well. I didn't feel the score was what I thought it should 

be." 

The 26-year-old Horschel, who followed up three 

successive top 10s on the PGA Tour with a victory in 

April at the Zurich Classic had four birdies and a lone 

three-putt bogey. 

"It was a great day. Four birdies at a US Open, I'll take 

it. I wish I had a couple more, though," he said. 

Bunched at level par, were former world No 1 Luke 

Donald (72), his fellow Englishmen Justin Rose (69) and 

Ian Poulter (14 holes), American Steve Stricker (69) and 

amateur Pan Cheng-tsung of Taiwan (nine holes). 

Tied at one over par were Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, 

who shot 72, Australian John Senden (71), Jerry 

Kelly (through 12), Charley Hoffman (13), and 19-yearold 

amateur Michael Kim (11). 

Rory McIlroy (left) of Northern Ireland and Tiger Woods of the US walk 

up the tenth hole during Round Two of the US Open at Merion Golf Club 

in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on Friday. — AFP 

"For true success in the NBA you must 

have consistency of culture. When you see 

that type of turnover over and over and over, 

it's impossible to create any kind of sustainable 

consistent culture. And we don't see it 

as a coincidence." 

The Heat franchise, appearing in their 

third consecutive NBA Finals, have been 

a rare model of consistency in a 30-team 

league that, for the most part, seems to have 

a short leash when it comes to the head 

coaching position. 

Spoelstra, 42, is in his ifth season as head 

coach of the Heat after spending the previous 

11 years in the organisation as an assistant 

coach. 

do hit the fairways, it's still a big challenge 

from there." 

Like his good friend Woods, McIlroy 

was also delighted with his 

two-round total on a challenging 

venue where the average score in the 

second round was almost ive over 

par. 

"I'm very happy," said McIlroy, 

who clinched his second Major title at 

last year's PGA Championship to put 

the seal on a stellar 2012 campaign 

which he ended by leading the money 

lists on both sides of the Atlantic. 

"Right in there for the weekend. I 

don't think I'll be too far away by the 

end of the day. I'm in a nice position 

going into the last two days." 

McIlroy and Woods attracted 

huge galleries at Merion after being 

grouped with Masters champion 

Adam Scott for the irst two rounds in 

a mouth-watering combination of the 

world's top three players. 

However, Australian Scott has not 

fared as well, struggling to a 75 to inish 

at seven-over 147. — Reuters 

He believes the consistency of the Heat's 

front ofice for the last 18 years is a large 

part of why the team's competitive, defenceminded 

and disciplined approach never 

changes. 

The NBA's most recent coaching change 

came on Wednesday when the Brooklyn Nets 

hired Jason Kidd less than a month after the 

10-time All-Star point guard retired. 

Even the Memphis Grizzlies parted ways 

with Lionel Hollins this week even though he 

guided the team to a franchise-record 56-win 

season and a trip to the Western Conference 

Finals. 

Popovich, 64, one of only two head coaches 

with 900 wins with one team, has coached 

Sunshine on Friday replaced the rain that had 

plagued the tournament, the wind kicked up and 

players struggled to make par as Merion Golf Club 

showed it was still a master test for the world's best 

golfers. 

Merion's tilted fairways fed balls into the rough and 

tricky pin positions coaxed players into a slew of threeputt 

bogeys. 

Woods battled through the course challenges and an 

injured left arm to inish a 73 in the morning, then shoot 

an admirable 70 in the afternoon to reach the halfway 

stage at three-over. 

"It's hard with the wind and the pin locations. 

They're really tough," said Woods, who was tight-lipped 

about his injury. "A lot of guys are missing putts and 

blowing them by the holes." 

Donald began the day leading clubhouse leader 

Mickelson by a stroke, standing four under par with ive 

holes still to inish. 

But the world No 6 bogeyed two of the last three 

holes in tough scoring conditions to give the American 

a one-shot lead when the weather-delayed irst round 

was completed. 

Donald briely reclaimed the lead with a pair of early 

back-to-back birdies in his second round but tumbled 

back down with a late stretch of ive bogeys in six holes 

including four in a row. 

"US Opens get harder as the week goes on," said Donald, 

who is looking to break through for his irst major 

title. I'm excited to be in contention, and have a chance." 

The projected cut to reduce the ield to the top 60 

and ties was estimated to come at seven over par 147 

after second-round play on Friday had players averaging 

nearly ive over par. 

Among high-proile competitors who will not qualify 

for weekend play were a trio of former US Open champions 

in Angel Cabrera of Argentina, who shot an 81 for 

155, American Jim Furyk (79/156) and Northern Ireland's 

Graeme McDowell (77/153). 

"It's that hard, it's that dificult," said McDowell, the 

2010 champion. "I'm disappointed, of course. It's not 

the way I wanted to play the last couple of days. But this 

place is very hard." — Reuters 

Bumgarner strikes out 10 

as Giants down Braves 

ATALANTA — San Francisco starter 

Madison Bumgarner pitched seven 

shutout innings as the Giants 

thrashed the Atlanta Braves 6-0 in 

the Major League Baseball on Friday. 

Bumgarner struck out 10, with 

one walk, and had a no-hitter going 

until the sixth inning when Chris 

Johnson broke it up with a single. 

Gregor Blanco blasted a home run 

and drove in two runs against his 

former team while catcher Buster 

Posey had three doubles. 

Despite a fourth successive loss, 

the Braves stay top of the National 

League East while the Giants are still 

second behind Arizona in the NL 

West. 

In Baltimore, Chris Tillman 

pitched six scoreless innings as the 

Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox 

2-0 in the American League East. 

Chris Davis hit his 22nd homer, 

the most by anyone in Major League 

Baseball this season, while Manny 

Machado had three hits to extend 

his hitting streak to a career-high 12 

games. 

The Miami Marlins, who have the 

worst record in MLB this season, 

posted a 5-4 win over the St Louis 

Cardinals, who have the best overall 

record. 

Rookie Jose Fernandez had a career-high 

10 strikeouts as the Marlins 

held on after their 5-2 lead was 

trimmed to a single run by the eighth 

inning. 

Results: Baltimore Orioles bt Boston 

Red Sox 2-0; Cleveland Indians bt Washington 

Nationals 2-1; Pittsburgh Pirates 

bt LA Dodgers 3-0; Cincinnati Reds 4-3 

(10 innings); Chicago Cubs bt NY Mets 

6-3; Miami Marlins bt St Louis Cardinals 

5-4; Kansas City Royals bt Tampa Bay 

Rays 7-2; San Francisco Giants bt Atlanta 

Braves 6-0; Toronto Blue Jays bt Texas 

Rangers 8-0; Detroit Tigers bt Minnesota 

Twins 4-0; Houston Astros bt Chicago 

White Sox 2-1; Philadelphia Phillies bt 

Colorado Rockies 8-7; LA Angels bt NY 

Yankees 5-2; Seattle Mariners bt Oakland 

Athletics 3-2. 

Miami Heat's Bosh ined 

$5,000 for Finals lop 

the Spurs since 1996. He said some owners 

are not as patient with the sometimes 

lengthy process of building a championship 

team 

"When things don't happen quickly, I think 

some owners become frustrated. Some even 

take it personally, I believe. Almost like a little 

bit of an embarrassment because they've 

been so successful in their own way and have 

a hard time understanding this business," 

said Popovich. 

"But the change, change, change, change, 

change thing doesn't really work. You can see 

that in a lot of organisations." 

The Spurs and Heat will have combined to 

have won seven of the last 15 NBA champi- 

Billy Horschel of the US hits his second shot on the 14th 

hole during Round Two of the US Open at Merion Golf 

Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on Friday. — AFP 

MLB suspends 

eight people 

over brawl 

NEW YORK — Eight people, including 

ive players, were suspended 

while four others were 

ined for their part in Tuesday's 

bench-clearing brawl between 

the Los Angeles Dodgers and 

Arizona Diamondbacks, Major 

League Baseball (MLB) announced 

on Friday. 

Diamondbacks pitcher Ian 

Kennedy received the longest 

suspension after he was banned 

10 games for intentionally 

throwing at the head of Dodgers 

pitcher Zack Greinke after both 

teams had already been warned. 

Arizona inielder Eric Hinske 

received a ive-game ban while 

Dodgers pitcher J P Howell and 

Dodgers outielder Skip Schumaker 

were each hit with twogame 

suspensions. 

Dodgers pitcher Ronald Belisario 

received a one-game suspension, 

with all players deemed 

to have committed 'aggressive 

actions during the incidents'. 

The Dodgers hitting coach 

Mark McGwire was handed a 

two-game suspension, while 

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly 

and D-backs manager Kirk Gibson 

were both banned for one 

game. 

The MLB said the suspensions 

would begin on immediately on 

Friday. 

Another four players, Dodgers 

pitcher Zack Greinke, Dodgers 

outielder Yasiel Puig, Arizona 

catcher Miguel Montero 

and Arizona outielder Gerardo 

Parra, were all ined undisclosed 

amounts. 

The Dodgers were also ined 

for allowing players on the disabled 

list to leave the dugout as 

the MLB took a dim view of Tuesday's 

melee. — Reuters 

onships following the conclusion of the 2013 

Finals next week. 

For Popovich, a two-time coach of the 

year who has won four titles in charge of the 

Spurs, stability is a key to getting towards a 

championship. 

"Continuity breeds trust, it breeds camaraderie, 

it breeds a feeling of responsibility 

that each member holds towards the other. 

The ability to be excited for each other's success, 

not to develop territory and walls, but 

to stay participatory," said Popovich. 

"Without continuity that's pretty impossible, 

because all the immediate tendencies 

of instant success starts to take over and that 

just breeds failure." — Reuters


Natalia Vodianova was spotted recently at the 

Champs-Elysees ilm festival 

Manivannan was a father 

figure: Komal Sharma 

SOUTHERN actress 

Komal Sharma, (pictured) 

who worked 

with late actor-director R 

Manivannan in his last Tamil 

directorial outing Nagaraja 

Cholan MA, MLA, remembers 

him as a "father igure" 

and a "great human being". 

Manivannan passed 

away at his residence here 

following a cardiac arrest 

yesterday. He was 58. 

"I still can't believe he 

is no more. I met him two 

weeks back in his house and 

we were discussing about 

his next project. I used to 

call him appa (father) because 

he was like a father 

to me. I will always remember 

him as a great human 

being," Komal said. Komal was hoping to work with him again. "He 

wanted to cast me in his next project. We met recently to discuss one 

of his projects that he wanted start next," said Komal. 

She said Manivannan was absolutely ine when she met him, but 

he was worried about his wife's health condition. 

"He said that her health condition was worsening. I know their 

family very well, especially his son and daughter," she said. 

His son Raghuvannan, also an actor, was last seen in Nagaraja Cholan 

MA, MLA. He recently signed the dotted line to play lead in upcoming 

Tamil romantic-drama Thalattu Machi Thalattu. 

Manivannan's daughter Jothi is married and settled with her family. 

A noted director, Mannivannan had directed successful Tamil 

ilms such as Pudhu Manithan, Chinna Thambi Periya Thambi and Jalli 

Kattu. He also acted in movies, and was seen in projects like Mudhalvan, 

Sangamam and Ullathai Allitha. He had acted with his best friend 

Sathyaraj in over 20 Tamil ilms in his career, which spanned three 

decades and over 400 ilms. — IANS 

Tulisa was threatened by stalker 

SINGER Tulisa Contostavlos (pictured) was 

terriied by a stalker in the middle of a night 

recently. 

The 24-year-old was left petriied earlier this 

week after a 24-year-old man managed to get 

past the security at her £6 million-worth mansion 

in Hertfordshire, Southern England, and demanded 

to see her. 

Contostavlos sent her personal assistant 

Gareth Varey to answer the door and what followed 

was a heated exchange of words, reports 

contactmusic.com. 

"He started knocking down her front door in 

the middle of the night and Tulisa was utterly 

petriied. This is the last thing she needs to be 

dealing with right now. She has had an absolutely 

hellish past few days — and now this,” said a 

source. 

The source added the unnamed assailant had 

started to harass the singer in the wake of her 

arrest for allegedly helping to ix a cocaine deal 

earlier this month. 

"She is at an all-time low. Tulisa is a girl 

whose professional life is in tatters. This guy 

started hounding her daily since the drug ixing 

story broke,” the source added. 

Tom Hanks recorded own elbow surgery: 

Actor Tom Hanks recorded his elbow surgery 

on camera, and he also displayed his humorous 

side in the video. 

He underwent a procedure to relieve bursitis, 

a build-up of luid, in his elbow, and he decided 

to record the process, reports eonline.com. 

“My elbow is being drained,” the two-time Oscar 

winner, lying on his stomach, said by way of 

setting the scene as his doctor approached with 

a syringe. “What does it look like?” 

“Red,” the doctor replied. “Red stuff,” Hanks 

echoed. “Hey, I don’t feel a thing.” 

The doctor then got another syringe, said 

Hanks in the video. 

“Two syringes! How ‘bout that? Double- 

Paris hasn’t overcome father’s death 

LATE pop legend Michael Jackson's daughter 

Paris, who is in hospital after an alleged 

suicide attempt, hasn't properly mourned 

the death of her father, and she is perhaps yet to 

overcome the tragedy of his death. 

If a source is to be believed, one of the reasons 

behind Paris' cry for help is that she has 

never properly mourned the passing of her father, 

who died from acute Propofol intoxication 

in 2009. 

Paris is currently receiving psychological 

help at UCLA Medical Centre and is said to have 

developed an obsession with the comments 

that people leave on social media sites about 

Michael, reports femaleirst.co.uk. 

A source said that Paris is a "rebel" and she 

barrelled. Look at the ill-up. Look at that, baby! 

There you go...Yowzas (sic). 

“Is it blood, or is it just bloody?” Hanks inquired. 

The doctor said that it was just “bloody”. 

“I had bursitis,” Hanks explained. 

Arnold to return as Terminator: Actor Arnold 

Schwarzenegger is set to star in Terminator 

5 and he is reportedly “very happy” about it as 

well as looking forward to the experience. 

The 65-year-old will reprise his most iconic 

role as the killer cyborg for the irst time since 

2003 ilm Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, reports 

contactmusic.com. 

During an appearance at the 21st Century 

Financial Education Summit in Australia, 

Schwarzenegger is reported to have said: “I’m 

very happy that the studios want me to be in 

Terminator 5 and to star as the Terminator, 

which we start shooting in January. — IANS 

was almost expelled from school after punching 

a student who "talked smack about her father". 

Paris had also come close to her birth mother 

Debbie Rowe before the incident. It is said 

that once Paris is discharged from the medical 

centre, the duo will spend six to eight weeks together. 

Liam calls Kanye ‘clown’: Singer-songwriter 

Liam Gallagher has called rapper Kanye West 

a “clown”, and has mocked the latter for banging 

his head while trying to avoid paparazzi. 

Gallagher, 40, is clearly not a fan of West. He 

has also called West an “idiot” for accidentally 

walking into a street sign last month when he 

was trying to hide his face from snappers as he 

went to a restaurant with his pregnant girlfriend 

Kim Kardashian, reports femaleirst.co.uk. 

Gallagher also conirmed that he won’t be 

buying West’s upcoming album. 

“I couldn’t give a damn what that clown gets 

up to. Have you seen when he bumped his head? 

He’s coming out of the gym with that bird and 

there are geezers taking pictures. You have to 

put your head up and carry on walking,” he said. 

“He’s gone and walked straight into a pole. 

You hear it go ‘dink’ and him tell people to stop 

taking pictures. Put your head up so you know 

what you’re doing! Smashed his head up,” added 

Gallagher. 

Gerard splits from girlfriend?: Actor Gerard 

Butler is reportedly no longer in a relationship 

with Romanian model Madalina Ghenea. 

The 300 star began dating her in May 2012 

when she was hired to help Butler promote a 

new razor for the Super-Max brand. He even 

took her to his native Scotland over the Christmas 

2012 holidays to meet his mother. But their 

relationship seems to have izzled out, reports 

dailystar.co.uk. 

Asked if he is currently in a relationship, the 

actor said in an interview with German website 

Filmreporter.de: “Not at the moment. But at 

some point I do want to settle down.” — IANS 

Ship of Theseus message will impress audience: Kiran 

FILMMAKER Kiran Rao, (pictured) 

who is releasing director Anand Gandhi's 

critically acclaimed directorial 

venture Ship of Theseus in association with 

UTV Motion Pictures in India, says the movie 

carries an impressive message for the audience. 

"The ilm has an interesting and an important 

message. It has a thought which 

will impress everyone about how all of us 

are living our lives and how we can live our 

lives better," the 39-year-old said in Mumbai 

in an interview. 

Asked if husband-actor Aamir Khan will 

be present at the promotions of the ilm, 

Kiran said: "He won't be there directly in 

the promotions. But he supports me a lot 

and if he gets a chance, he will come for the 

screenings and other promotional activities." 

A story about human values, Ship of 

Theseus features three characters — an experimental 

photographer, ailing intellectual 

monk and a stock broker. 

The movie premiered at the 2012 Toron- 

to International Film Festival and received 

critical acclaim. It hits theatres in India on 

July 19. 

SRK voted India's most popular father: 

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, 

a doting dad of Aryan and Suhana, has been 

voted India's most popular father in a Father's 

Day poll conducted by a website. He 

got more votes than megastar Amitabh 

Bachchan, who has a daughter and a son. 

The results of the poll, conducted among 

over 11,000 Indian women, by matrimonial 

site Shaadi.com, were announced a day 

ahead of Father’s Day today. 

Shah Rukh received 34.83 per cent 

votes while Amitabh was chosen by 31.58 

per cent of the women surveyed. Cricketer 

Sachin Tendulkar took the third spot with 

18.61 per cent. 

"The poll showcases some of the most 

successful Indian men whose love and dedication 

also makes them popular fathers. 

This suggests that people are looking at 

celebrities as real people with real relation- 

ships," Gourav Rakshit, COO, Shaadi.com, 

said. The poll also posed other questions to 

the respondents. 

In the survey for the country's most 

popular father-daughter relationship, Big 

B took the top spot along with his daughter 

Shweta, who is married to businessman 

Nikhil Nanda. 

Veteran actor Jeetendra and her ilm pro- 

ducer daughter Ekta Kapoor got 35.06 per 

cent votes followed by father-daughter duo 

Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor (22.42 per 

cent). 

Also, 44.85 per cent Indian women voted 

for Shah Rukh and his son Aryan as India’s 

most popular father-son duo. 

Ranbir to promote Yeh Jawaani in 

Russia: His grandfather, late cinema legend 

Raj Kapoor, continues to be a rage in Russia 

and now actor Ranbir Kapoor is set to promote 

his latest release Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani 

(YJHD) in the country. 

The youthful entertainer is directed by 

Ayan Mukerji, and also features Deepika 

Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kalki 

Koechlin. In India, it has turned out to be a 

blockbuster and managed to cross the Rs 

100 crore mark within a week of its release. 

“YJHD will release in Russia in the coming 

months. Ranbir will be there for three 

days before the release so that he has time 

to engage with the media and market the 

ilm,” said a source. — IANS 

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Shakira models with 

cheetahs? 

SINGER Shakira features with a couple of 

deadly cheetahs in a new ad. 

The 36-year-old pop star is lanked by 

two menacing big cats in an arid location. She 

has showcased her daring side by posing in a 

low-cut, plunging burgundy dress showing off 

her slender leg through the sheer material. But 

it's unlikely the cheetahs were present when 

she posed for the shot, reports thesun.co.uk. 

The ad is being used to promote her new fragrance 

Wild Elixir, the follow-up to her 2012 

perfume Shakira Elixir. 

Columbian star Shakira has quickly reclaimed 

her igure following the January birth 

of her irst child, son Milan, with boyfriend 

Gerard Pique. Shakira crossed into the English 

market with her third album Laundry Service, 

which sold over 15 million copies worldwide; 

her irst English single Whenever, Wherever became 

the best selling single of 2002. 

Kate obsessed with lip balm 

ACTRESS Kate Hudson says she loves to 

apply lip balm multiple times in the day, 

comparing the number to the times that men 

think about sex. "I think I reapply lip balm as 

many times as men think about sex," eonline. 

com quoted the brand ambassador of Almay 

cosmetics brand. Hudson even ills her pockets 

with various colours of lip balm. "I have all 

ten colours. I keep them in all my purses, my 

pockets," she said about the new line of the 

brand. 

Kate came to prominence in 2001 after 

winning a Golden Globe and receiving several 

nominations, including a nomination for an 

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, 

for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred 

in the hit ilm How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 

which gained her wider fame. She has since 

established herself in Hollywood after starring 

in several productions including Raising Helen, 

The Skeleton Key, You, Me and Dupree, Fool’s 

Gold and Bride Wars. 

Selena reveals sister's name 

Printers and Publishers 

Oman Establishment for Press, 

Publication and Advertising 

29 

SINGER Selena Gomez has revealed the name 

of her baby sister. The newborn has been 

named Gracie Elliot Teefey. 

Gomez's mother Mandy Cornett welcomed 

her second daughter into the world on Wednesday. 

Gomez, 20, took to Twitter to make the announcement, 

reports contactmusic.com. 

"Momma, Brian, and me are all so grateful 

for all your well wishes. My li'l sissy Gracie 

Elliot Teefey was born on June 12. Luv you all 

XO (sic),” she tweeted. Before her sister's birth, 

Gomez had said she would "spoil the baby", and 

she had even said how she wanted to be "more 

like a cool aunt" in the future. 

Gomez had cameo roles in ilms such as Spy 

Kids 3-D: Game Over and Walker, Texas Ranger: 

Trial by Fire. In 2006, Gomez appeared as a guest 

star on an episode of the Disney series The Suite 

Life of Zack and Cody, as well as Hannah Montana. 

Following this, Gomez starred in the Disney television 

series Wizards of Waverly Place. — IANS

30 

PEOPLE’S 

PLATFORM 

THE decision of the Ministry 

of Manpower to implement 

a mid-day break for workers 

from June 1 is highly welcome. 

It is really opportune to have a ban 

on work at open construction sites 

from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm during 

the months of June, July and August. 

High afternoon temperatures 

from June to August can go worse. 

The rule in fact should have been 

implemented long back and the timings 

can even be extended for a hour 

more. 

The Ministry of Manpower had 

stated that the private sector institutions 

should abide by an Article 

of the regulatory by-law regarding 

occupational health and safety and 

is working hard to strengthen the 

culture and principles of safety at 

the workplace. In the event of the 

Labour Laws being violated it will 

impose a ine of RO 100 and RO 500 

or no more than one month’s imprisonment 

or both punishments. 

The Ministry must be applauded 

for taking measures for occupational 

health and safety. These are in fact 

believed to be in line with the international 

principles and guidelines 

on safety and the workplace as well 

as the conventions and recommendations 

laid down by governments, 

employers and workers. 

However, one hopes the new rule 

aims at providing maximum safety 

and protection against the heat during 

June, July and August which is a 

period of extreme heat in the Gulf 

region. 

— Reji Philip 

Editor: The decision will actually 

be more productive and workers 

will work more eficiently. Surprise 

LETTERS 

inspection visits at construction sites 

to ensure that the law is being implemented 

must be done at all levels. 

Marriage fund 

Breast cancer surgery 

without disfigurement 

SERIOUS tissue damage and disigurement are a major 

fallout of most cancer therapies, but the one for 

breast cancer in particular has life-altering impact 

on women. Chicago-based Ananda Chakrabarty, a worldrenowned 

pioneering biotech scientist, and Washingtonbased 

Susan Finston, a veteran of the biotech industry, together 

believe they are potentially close to resolving this 

major medical challenge. Finston passionately talks about 

the experimental Amrita Breast Cancer Device (ABCD), 

created by Chakrabarty, and how it has what it takes to 

deliver locally targeted cancer therapy to the tumour. 

"Our therapeutic approach may provide an important 

alternative or adjunct to surgery, radiation or chemotherapies 

that is designed to be non-toxic to healthy 

cells/tissues in the body," said Finston, who co-founded 

Ahmedabad (India)-based Amrita Therapeutics, with 

Chakrabarty, in an interview to Hi India newspaper here. 

Dividing time between Washington and Ahmedabad, 

Finston has recently embarked on the independent funding 

platform Indiegogo where individuals invest modest 

amounts of money in various projects. 

The experimental Amrita Breast Cancer Device (ABCD) 

is designed to provide safe, locally targeted cancer therapy 

directly to the breast cancer tumour, not affecting 

healthy breast tissue or the rest of the body, and delivered 

at the site of the tumour. Our therapeutic approach may 

provide an important alternative or adjunct to surgery, 

radiation or chemotherapies that is designed to be nontoxic 

to healthy cells/tissues in the body. 

ABCD is the irst therapeutic cancer device to utilise 

drug-eluting technology and requires pre-clinical testing 

and evaluation as both an anti-cancer drug and a therapeutic 

device. We hope to complete pre-clinical testing by 

the end of 2013, funds permitting, and have a number of 

interested partners interested in clinical development. 

Chakrabarty was inspired to invent the ABCD after 

learning of a patient whose cancer was kept in check — 

accidentally — through a catheter inserted adjacent to 

a cancer tumour for a totally different purpose. Ananda 

then invented the ABCD as a way to deliver safe and locally 

targeted cancer therapy though use of a drug-eluting 

device. 

ABCD can revolutionise cancer therapy by being the 

irst of its kind. As mentioned, there is no drug-eluting 

device that is used for breast or other cancer therapy. For 

the last century, breast cancer patients have had to rely on 

disiguring surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapies — 

carrying substantial health risks and possible side-effects 

as debilitating as the cancer itself. — IANS 

Mid-day break for workers a welcome move 

THE recent recommendation 

of the Majlis Ash’shura for the 

establishment of a RO 50 million 

Marriage Support Fund is cheerful 

news for the Omani youth. This, it 

is learnt, aims at making weddings 

inexpensive, easier and happier. 

The move will go a long way towards 

carrying out programmes for 

providing stability for youth and a 

decent family life for them. 

The youth have also welcomed 

the decision of Majlis Ash’shura to 

present the report to His Majesty so 

that this long-awaited fund is implemented 

soon. Since much of the expenses 

pertain to renting halls, serving 

food and beverages to guests, 

experts and social workers say that 

in addition to the Marriage Fund, 

the government would do well to 

organise mass marriage parties 

in which hundreds of young men 

would have their weddings with no 

or minimal expenses and the overall 

environment will be very pleasing. 

Community leaders and social 

workers will also play an important 

role in encouraging mass marriage 

ceremonies and making a success 

of it. Mass marriages will drastically 

reduce wedding expenses. 

Extravagance in wedding ceremonies 

have to be curbed so that 

the parties concerned need not have 

to resort to borrowing. The effort 

of the Majlis Ash’shura members to 

strengthen the marriage of institution 

is laudable as it represents a 

happy milestone in one’s life. 

— Mohsin Sultan 

Editor: Majlis Ash’shura must be 

commended for taking this landmark 

decision. They must also see that 

mass marriages are encouraged as it 

will curtail marriage expenses. 

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Meter reading 

THE news report titled Solution 

for ‘average’ reading problem 

(Oman Observer, May 28) was 

interesting as it is a new concept put 

in place by the Muscat Electricity 

Distribution Company (MEDC). 

Under the revamped billing system, 

enhanced e-channels for bill 

payment will be introduced. 

MEDC must be complimented for 

the introduction of pre-paid meters. 

Besides meter reading it remains to 

be seen how the scheme will be successfully 

run. Presently these kind 

of meters exists for use in temporary 

connections like construction 

sites and it will soon be distributed 

to houses. 

Oficials have said that the prepaid 

meter has been tried technically 

as a possible solution for the 

meter reading problems that costs 

consumers more than their actual 

use. The advantages it seems far 

outweigh the disadvantages since it 

will save reading time and provide 

accurate real-time information to 

better manage utility bills. 

Other plans include the roll-out 

of a revamped billing system, enhanced 

e-channels for bill payment, 

network of collection centres operated 

by small and medium enterprises, 

and bill payment kiosks. Kudos 

to the MEDC for trying to make 

thinks easier for the consumers. 

— Premila Nesargi 

Editor: These are some of a customer 

focused measures in various 

stages of planning and implementation. 

It is hoped that the consumers 

will surely beneit from the new 

scheme and will not turn out to be a 

burden. 

Philippines Independence day celebrated 

CELEBRATING a country’s independence 

day is a special 

occasion for everyone associated 

to the country. On Wednesday, 

June 12, 2013, the Filipino 

community here in Muscat celebrated 

their 115th Independence 

Day with grace, style and art 

as Ambassador Joselito A Jimeno 

and Araceli C Jimeno welcomed 

in guests, fellow ambassadors and 

delegates to the Omani Society for 

Fine Arts (OSFA). 

The celebration began with 

the national anthem of both countries, 

relecting the close relation 

between the two countries. As a 

part of the celebration the night 

also saw the launch of the book 

entitled, Art as Reality: The Transition 

of Filipino Migrant Children 

in the Middle East. 

“As a traveller, I have a good 

perspective of the contrast of living 

in two totally different places, 

Philippines and Saudi Arabia,” Diana 

Mae R Utlang, a 13-year-old 

student said. 

The book contains works from 

21 elementary and high schools 

from around the GCC. It is a collection 

of tales written and illustrated 

by young children of 

overseas Filipino workers. The 

children expressed their transition 

and adjustment to their respective 

countries through creative 

means such as poetry, essays 

and art. As the selected art pieces 

decorated all the walls of OSFA, a 

young violinist played with great 

zeal and had the guests cheering 

exquisite skills. 

Taking a walk around the OSFA 

hall, the artwork displayed showed 

understanding, unity and peace. 

The students used their creativity 

and individuality to express their 

feeling and emotions in unique 

styles. “Thanks to this transition,” 

explained 17-year-old Lara F Razo 

from the UAE, “ I was able to know 

more people and avail of better 

opportunities. My life has became 

an explosion of colours.” 

Oman LNG aid for OWA, Wadi Bani Khalid 

By Suad al Sinani 

CHARACTERISTIC of many of its initiatives 

to promote social development 

in the country, Oman LNG recently 

undertook to fund the procurement of of- 

ice equipment and appliances required 

for the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) 

in Wadi Bani Khalid. 

The equipment comprises of air-conditioners, 

desktop and laptop computers, a 

projector and display screen, photocopying 

and fax machines. 

Funds will also be provided towards 

the acquisition of a set of speakers, microphone 

and around seventy chairs for the 

Association’s auditorium where events 

and meetings are held. Other appliances 

sponsored include a refrigerator and a television 

set. 

The Omani Women’s Association, Wadi 

Bani Khalid, operates a kindergarten and 

a gym besides some of its other core activities 

that include caring for the elderly 

and bringing women together for social 

endeavours such as sewing, pottery and 

training in computer courses, says its President, 

Asila bint Eid bin Salim al Hashmiyah. 

“We have around 56 ladies in our Association 

and about 90 children attending 

the kindergarten,” said Al Hashmiyah 

about the Association . 

“Oman LNG’s support for our Association 

at this time is quite timely as we have 

plans to conduct a number of training sessions 

for women and the equipment will 

facilitate these activities.” 

The agreement comes barely a fortnight 

after Oman LNG gave similar support to a 

sister group in the Wilayat of Shaleem and 

the Halaniyat Islands in Dhofar Governorate 

as part of the company’s social investment 

strategy that involves active support 

for the vast network of Omani women’s associations 

spread across the Sultanate. 

Wadi Bani Khalid is 200 kilometres 

from Muscat and is considered the bestknown 

wadi in Sharqiyah with a constant 

low of water throughout the year. Large 

pools of water and scenic spots are scattered 

along the course of the wadi. 

The Omani Women’s Association here 

opened in July 2007. The latest agreement 

was signed by Mohammed al Sharji, Oman 

LNG’s Head of Communication, Issues and 

Crisis Management, and Acting Chief External 

Relations Oficer.


Make style statement with elegant jewellery 

CLASSY and elegant jewellery 

deinitely deines a woman’s 

persona and style. Designer 

neckpieces well-matched with dazzling 

earrings and bracelets not only 

enhance looks but also help make a 

statement. 

So get ready to ill your jewellery 

box with latest collection offered by 

the leading brands, Dream Tangle by 

Vikas Chain & Jewellery and Amaris 

by Prerna Rajpal. 

You can choose from elegant neckpieces 

beautifully studded with precious 

and semi-precious stones like 

diamond, ruby, emerald, pearl teamed 

with danglers and bracelets in varied 

shapes, colours and designs. 

One can also opt for platinum jew- 

ellery, wide-range of solitaire and variety 

of uncut diamonds like kundan 

and polki. 

“Nowadays women are bored of 

round shape diamonds. They go for 

shapes like Marquise, heart shapes, 

ovals, peas and princess cuts. Also, 

gold neckpieces designed using uncut 

diamonds are back in trend,” said Sulish 

Verma, owner, Vikas Chain & Jewellery. 

He added: “Women today look for 

classy and sleek jewellery instead of 

big and heavy-weight pieces. Modernday 

brides also go for light-weight 

necklaces and earrings considering 

the hot weather.” 

Prerna’s collection comprises a 

mix of traditional and contemporary 

designs targeting modern women. 

She feels various new trends and 

concepts are emerging in the world of 

jewellery and people are going for a 

mix of contemporary and traditional 

patterns and cuts. 

“Use of coloured and fancy shaped 

diamonds, concepts such as changeable 

stones, unusual stone settings, 

fusion of polki and diamonds, lacquer 

work, and detachable pieces are being 

increasingly used,” said Prerna. 

She added: “At the same time 

there’s a shift towards wearable and 

more classic pieces like fusion of yellow 

and rose gold is gaining dominance.” 

Lacoste completes 80 years: 

French design house Lacoste is cele- 

brating the 80th anniversary celebration 

of the brand and plans to collaborate 

with nine other luxury French 

Houses to mark the occasion. 

The participating brands are 

Hermes, Fauchon, Baccarat, Bernardaud, 

Boucheron, Maison Veuve 

Clicquot, Christole, Goyard and ST 

Dupont. These nine French luxury 

brands created an exclusive product 

paying tribute to the crocodile, an 

international icon of Lacoste, said a 

statement. 

The brand that was launched in 

the year 1933, marked its entry in 

India in 1993. Keeping the Indian customers 

in mind, Lacoste also created 

the world’s irst pique Kurta, available 

exclusively in India. 

Today, the design house has more 

than 1,160 boutiques throughout 110 

countries, selling, on an average, two 

items every second. 

Soft, stylish footwear for babies: 

Babies don’t have to be always 

wrapped in soft and warm clothes. 

Do away with swaddling and dress 

up your baby in a chic and breathable 

way starting with feet. 

Baby Barefoot Flowers, that are 

available in standard sizes, are soft 

and colourful barefoot sandals for 

newborn babies and those who are a 

few months old. 

Made of cotton, these sandals are 

available in colours like red, purple 

and yellow. 

These are handmade and have soft 

sole, which make them ideal for babies’ 

feet. — IANS 

Google to beam Internet from balloons 

GOOGLE revealed top-secret plans to send ballons 

to the edge of space with the lofty aim of 

bringing Internet to the two-thirds of the global 

population currently without web access. 

Scientists from the technology giant released up 

to 30 helium-illed test balloons lying 20 kilometres 

(12.4 miles) above Christchurch in New Zealand 

Saturday, carrying antennae linked to ground base 

stations. 

While still in the early stages, Project Loon hopes 

eventually to launch thousands of balloons to provide 

Internet to remote parts of the world, allowing 

the more than four billion people with no access to 

get online. 

It could also be used to help after natural disasters, 

when existing communication infrastructure is 

affected. 

"Project Loon is an experimental technology for 

balloon-powered Internet access," the company said 

on its latest project from its clandestine Google (x), 

"where we work on radical, sci-i-sounding technology 

solutions to solve really big world problems". 

"Balloons, carried by the wind at altitudes twice 

as high as commercial planes, can beam Internet access 

to the ground at speeds similar to today's 3G 

networks or faster," it added. 

"It is very early days, but we think a ring of balloons, 

lying around the globe on the stratospheric 

winds, might be a way to provide affordable Internet 

access to rural, remote, and underserved areas 

down on earth below, or help after disasters, when 

existing communication infrastructure is affected." 

It works by ground stations connecting to the local 

Internet infrastructure and beaming signals to 

the balloons, which are self-powered by solar pan- 

Lost medieval city found 

in Cambodia 

A 

LOST medieval city that thrived on a mist-shrouded Cambodian mountain 

1,200 years ago has been discovered by archaeologists using revolutionary 

airborne laser technology, a report said. 

In what it called a world exclusive, the Sydney Morning Herald said the city, 

Mahendraparvata, included temples hidden by jungle for centuries, many of 

which have not been looted. 

A journalist and photographer from the newspaper accompanied the "Indiana 

Jones-style" expedition, led by a French-born archaeologist, through 

landmine-strewn jungle in the Siem Reap region where Angkor Wat, the largest 

Hindi temple complex in the world, is located. 

The expedition used an instrument called Lidar — light detection and 

ranging data — which was strapped to a helicopter that criss-crossed a 

mountain north of Angkor Wat for seven days, providing data that matched 

years of ground research by archaeologists. 

It effectively peeled away the jungle canopy using billions of laser pulses, 

allowing archaeologists to see structures that were in perfect squares, completing 

a map of the city which years of painstaking ground research had 

been unable to achieve, the report said. 

It helped reveal the city that reportedly founded the Angkor Empire in 802 

AD, uncovering more than two dozen previously unrecorded temples and 

evidence of ancient canals, dykes and roads using satellite navigation coordinates 

gathered from the instrument's data. Jean-Baptiste Chevance, Director 

of the Archaeology and Development Foundation in London who led the 

expedition, told the newspaper it was known from ancient scriptures that a 

great warrior, Jayavarman II, had a mountain capital, "but we didn't know 

how all the dots itted, exactly how it all came together". 

"We now know from the new data the city was for sure connected by 

roads, canals and dykes," he said. 

The discovery is set to be published in the Proceedings of the National 

Academy of Sciences in the United States. 

Damian Evans, Director of the University of Sydney's archaeological research 

centre in Cambodia, which played a key part in developing the Lidar 

technology, said there might be important implications for today's society. 

els. The balloons, which once in the stratosphere 

will be twice as high as commercial airliners and 

barely visible to the naked eye, are then able to communicate 

with each other, forming a mesh network 

in the sky. 

Users below have an Internet antennae they attach 

the side of their house which can send and receive 

data signals from the balloons passing overhead. 

Some 50 people were chosen to take part in 

SPOTLIGHT 

Majid Al Suleimany 

www.majidall.com 

31 

Capacity for extreme cruelty! 

WHAT is happening in Syria now! It is very painful, sad and 

tragic to see people who have been co-existing and living 

together for ages in peace, harmony and understanding go 

on the rampage sparing no one including women, children and even 

babies! 

What has the world come to? Have we have forgotten all the 

preaching by our great Prophet, our religion, teachings and beliefs? 

These people should know better, including the religious leaders and 

elders let alone politicians alone and those standing to gain and from 

the continued ighting. Instead of bringing people together, we add 

fuel to the ire by causing more divisions, disasters, calamities and 

catastrophies! 

And for what? How long will you live in the world? Wait for your 

eternal damnation from the moment you are in your grave to eternity 

and hell! Leave it to God because God is the best judge. 

All over the world people are protesting, even from those countries 

that were once a model and example to others, like Turkey was! 

In Spain, Greece, all over in parts of Africa, Latin America, but where 

the silence is more chilling is about what is happening in Burma with 

the Rohingyas is a lesson on life to the so-called religious leaders and 

campaigners. Even as desperate people run for shelter to safe places 

they are coldly massacred! 

Yet everyone is more interested in their economy and opportunities 

for investment rather than people and human rights and values! 

After all who cares for the Rohingyas, they are poor people with no 

oil or anything else to give! Shame on humanity! 

The killing of British soldier Lee Rigby was a senseless despicable 

act! The killing of one innocent person is like killing a nation! We 

hear it being said everyday but we have become so deaf we cannot 

hear anymore, so blind we cannot see anymore and so dumb that we 

cannot speak out anymore! 

After working a day at the Tower of London, British soldier Lee 

Rigby was returning to his barracks in Woolwich when a vehicle 

swerved and struck him. Two men came out of the vehicle and attacked 

him with cleavers causing him "extensive and serious injuries." 

The two men moved his "apparently lifeless body" and remained 

on the scene until police arrived, when "both were detained." 

Michael Adebowale, 22, has been charged with murder and with 

unlawful possession of a irearm. He was discharged from a hospital 

and has been held in custody. He made an initial court appearance 

last Thursday. 

This has nothing to do with our religion. It's heartbreaking. Ahmed 

Jama, a 26-year-old Woolwich resident said as he laid lowers down 

at the scene as a sign of respect to the families involved. 

We would like to emphasise that Lee would not want people to use 

his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others. The victim 

Rigby’s family said in a statement. 

He loved life and people, the family statement said. He had many 

friends from different walks of life — some with different religious 

beliefs and cultures. But this made no difference to Lee. He always 

treated others with respect, the family said. 

I watched the Rigby family cry on television. When the mother 

said: We were all worried when he was in Iraq and in Afghanistan but 

when he returned home we thought he would now be safe! Poor lady, 

she made me cry too! She forgot the evil cruel minds and hearts of 

some men with great capacity for being cruel, destructive and hurtful. 

People need to come to their senses now before it is too late for 

mankind! However many missions you send in unmanned drones 

lights attacks, however much intrusive and penetrating you are in 

personal freedoms, values and liberty there will be no peace in this 

world when limsy excuses are given to attack others and use the 

clout of threats, divisions and embargoes! 

When people are still displaced in their lands and others from far 

away with no rights at all come to occupy their lands and 65 years 

on living in tents and being displaced! Use all the acronyms and bad 

adjectives you want to describe and deine things but the truth still 

stands and will still remain the same. Open for all to see, hear and 

speak! 

Scientists identify memory-boosting molecule in mice 

SCIENTISTS have identiied a key 

memory-enhancing molecule in 

mice that could pave the way for 

boosting cognitive functions in humans, 

says a study. 

The same biochemical pathway 

the molecule acts on might one day 

be targeted in humans to improve 

memory, according to the senior author 

of the study, Peter Walter, professor 

of biochemistry and biophysics at 

the University of California, San Francisco, 

and a Howard Hughes Investigator. 

The discovery of the molecule and 

the results of the subsequent memory 

tests in mice were published May 

28 in eLife, an online scientiic openaccess 

journal. 

In one memory test included in 

the study, normal mice were able to 

relocate a submerged platform about 

three times faster after receiving injections 

of the potent chemical than 

mice that received sham injections. 

The mice that received the chemical 

also better remembered cues associated 

with unpleasant stimuli — the 

sort of fear conditioning that could 

help a mouse avoid being preyed 

upon, reports Science Daily. 

Notably, the indings suggest that 

despite what would seem to be the 

importance of having the best biochemical 

mechanisms to maximise 

the power of memory, evolution does 

not seem to have provided them, Wal- 

the trial and were able to link to the Internet. 

The irst person to get Google Balloon Internet 

access was Charles Nimmo, a farmer and entrepreneur 

in the small town of Leeston who signed up for 

the experiment. 

He told the New Zealand Herald he received Internet 

access for about 15 minutes before the transmitting 

balloon he was relying on loated out of 

range. — AFP 

ter said. 

Speech-to-text risks: Speech-totext 

devices in new cars fail to overcome 

the well-known perils of handson 

texting while driving, a US study 

published on Wednesday suggests. 

Developing standards for measuring 

cognitive distraction behind the 

wheel, University of Utah researchers 

wired the heads of 32 drivers with 

sensors, then gave them an array of 

tests in vehicle simulators and real 

automobiles. 

While the research is ongoing, 

early indings suggest that sending 

texts with a hands-free voice recognition 

system — a feature in many new 

vehicles — was more distractive than 

listening to the radio or conversing 

with passengers. 

"This clearly suggests that the 

adoption of voice-based systems in 

the vehicle may have unintended consequences 

that adversely affect trafic 

safety," said the study, sponsored by 

the non-proit AAA Foundation. 

"Just because a new technology 

does not take the eyes off the road 

does not make it safe to be used while 

the vehicle is in motion." 

The 12 men and 20 women who 

participated in the study ranged in 

age from 18 to 33. All had clean driving 

records — and all confessed to 

regularly using their cell phones 

while driving. 

In a report last year, the National 

Safety Council estimated that 24 per 

cent of all motor vehicle crashes in 

the United States involve cell phone 

use, despite bans in several states 

that are openly launted by many motorists. 

Childhood cancer: Patients who 

successfully battled cancer during 

childhood face an extraordinarily high 

rate of chronic illness during their 

grown-up years, according to study 

published. 

The research released by the Journal 

of the American Medical Association 

(Jama) tracked 1,700 adult survivors 

of childhood cancer, and found 

that the vast majority were combating 

one or more chronic ailments. 

"The percentage of survivors with 

one or more chronic health conditions 

prevalent in a young adult population 

was extraordinarily high," said 

lead researcher Melissa Hudson and 

her colleagues at St Jude Children's 

Research Hospital and the University 

of Tennessee College of Medicine, 

Memphis. 

The study found that 80.5 per cent 

of adults were suffering with at least 

one chronic ailment by the age of 45. 

The subjects in the study were 

most likely to suffer from ailments to 

the lungs, heart, auditory, nervous or 

endocrine systems. — IANS

P29 

>> Entertainment 

Investigating 

English language 

teaching 

RESEARCH team is launching 

A an overall study aimed at 

examining the construction and 

dynamics of English teaching 

systems and communities at both 

secondary school and university 

levels. The work will include a 

comparison of both systems in 

order to identify their similarities 

and differences. The principal 

investigator Dr Fawzia al Seyabi, of 

the Language Centre, SQU, stated 

that the identiication of differences 

would provide a platform for the 

creation of guidelines to mitigate 

these differences and provide a 

smooth entry to the university for 

the Omani high school students 

and their further adjustment to the 

university life. 

Three themes will be the focus 

of the study: certain facts about the 

English language teaching systems 

in terms of teaching hours, the kind 

of curriculums, teacher eficacy, 

classroom size, IT tools, etc. Other 

issues are teacher and student 

beliefs about English language and 

pedagogy in both contexts. Samples 

will be collected from three regions 

in the Sultanate: Muscat, Al Batinah 

south and Al Dakhiliyah. The study 

will also focus on the teaching 

communities of three universities: 

SQU, Sohar University and Nizwa 

University. 

Probe into early 

Jurassic rocks for 

reservoir quality 

AN SQU team is embarking 

on a research project aimed 

at testing whether changes 

in the relative sea level are 

most likely accompanied by 

predictable changes in the primary 

mineralogical composition and 

texture as well as the subsequent 

diagenetic modiications in clastic 

sequences. Being the irst ever 

conducted in Oman, the study will 

assemble large multidisciplinary 

approaches to develop an 

understanding of the external and 

internal architecture elements and 

geometry as well as the prediction 

of reservoir quality in the early 

Jurassic mixed clastic-carbonate 

depositional environments 

in Oman. A comprehensive 

assessment of the mineralogical 

composition and textures of 

these depositional environments 

is tentatively integrated with 

depositional facies in a sequence 

stratigraphic framework. 

The principal investigator Dr 

Mohammad al Ghali says his team 

will attempt to achieve an improved 

understanding of a conceptual 

model predicting. 

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Study finds Omani females outscoring males 

Females are 

better students 

than males, 

according to 

investigations 

into the 

academic 

performance 

between male 

and female 

students. The 

study covered 

12,000 pupils 

from all over 

the Sultanate 

ACCORDING to researchers at 

the College of Education at 

SQU, over the years, female 

students have outperformed their 

male counterparts across all colleg- 

es and disciplines at the university. 

The average Grade Point Average 

(GPA) for females is 2.92 and 2.63 

for males. On the Deans’ honours 

lists across the colleges, the top 

students are almost consistently 

females. For example, 92 per cent 

of the College of Education Dean’s 

honours list are female students. 

Over 78 per cent of SQU’s honour 

lists have continuously consisted of 

female students and it has made it 

extremely dificult for the universi- 

ty to recruit qualiied male demonstrators 

and assistant lecturers. 

Dr Mohamed El Tahir Osman, 

Assistant Dean for Postgraduate 

Studies and Research at the College 

of Education, who is conducting 

a study along with Dr Thuwayba 

al Barwani, Dean of the College of 

Education, Dr Abdo al Mikhlai and 

Dr Mustafa Babikir Abu Sheiba, said 

that it is a worldwide phenomenon 

that young males lag behind their 

female counterparts in schools and 

universities. “There is currently a 

reasonable concern in many educational 

systems that boys are not 

succeeding in school as much as 

they should. It is anticipated that 

this phenomenon will have serious 

implications on the structure of 

the labour market, as well as on the 

family structures and relationships. 

Globally, boys are more likely to 

‘drop out’ of schooling prematurely, 

and this in turn results in the type 

of employment opportunities and 

general quality of opportunities in 

life. This disparity in academic performance 

between female and male 

students can also be clearly observed 

at the higher education level 

in Oman”, Dr Osman said. 

According to the researchers, the 

trend found at SQU may also apply 

to many other public and private 

higher education institutions. The 

fear is that in future higher education 

institutions may have to recruit 

less qualiied male academic staff 

for the sake of striking a balance 

between males and females at the 

expense of quality. Research shows 

that speciic jobs related to business, 

information technology, and 

other computer-based emerging 

technologies are becoming more 

dominated by female graduates. 

Dr Osman said that it is important 

to understand not only the nature 

of the actual performance differences, 

but also which differences 

matter and why. The College of Education 

is proceeding with a research 

to analyse this phenomenon and to 

determine its causes in Oman by 

examining evidence from different 

age groups. The project seeks to 

systematically examine why young 

males in Oman do not seem to be 

performing academically as well 

as their female counterparts; and 

to identify and examine the factors 

that inluence boys’ school performance 

which may impact their future 

careers and the social balance of 

the Omani society. The researchers 

are of the opinion that such factors, 

if not intercepted, may have serious 

A 

RESEARCHER at SQU is investigating 

the distribution 

of the Prosopis julilora tree 

and its potential use for livestock 

feeding. The study will aim at 

processing the Prosopis pods and 

leaves and incorporating them 

in livestock rations. Prosopis juli- 

lora was introduced to Oman in 

the 1970s to combat desertiication 

and for urban beautiication. 

Soon it became a pest and spread 

over large areas of the country 

and today is Oman’s worst invasive 

species. It had the ability 

to become established at the expense 

of local species in both irrigated 

and range lands. There 

were serious attempts to eradicate 

the trees, especially on the 

Salalah plain, but like elsewhere 

in the world this was largely unsuccessful. 

In his remarks on the project, 

Dr Osman Mahjoub, of the College 

of Agricultural and Marine 

Sciences, said chemical composition 

of the tree pods would be 

evaluated by determining proximate 

composition as well as car- 

implications on the Omani labour 

market and hence impact the social 

balance within the Omani society. 

The sample of the study consists of 

12,500 male and female students 

from all regions of the Sultanate in 

ive different age groups: Grades 1 

– 3, 5, 10, 12, and years 1 – 3 of university. 

In addition, another sample 

of 1,000 will be selected for structured 

interviews. This sample will 

include a proportional number of 

parents, teachers, schools administrators, 

supervisors, guidance counsellors, 

and social workers selected 

from the same schools and communities. 

This research project is based on 

a mixed methodological approach 

which draws upon quantitative 

and qualitative data that integrate 

school-based, psychological, social, 

and cultural factors. Implications 

of academic disparity on the labour 

market and societal balance will be 

highlighted. 

It is expected that this project 

will provide valuable data that can 

be used to help in planning relevant 

pedagogical, psychological, and sociological 

interventions as well as 

in developing a practical gender equity 

strategy. 

The project is divided into three 

phases: The irst phase will determine 

the level of academic disparity 

in different subject areas and at 

different age groups. Data collected 

from 8,000 students from grades 5, 

10 and 12 revealed that girls outperformed 

boys with an average 

of 10 per cent in science, math, IT, 

English and Arabic languages. 

During the second and third 

phases, the research team will 

identify the factors (eg pedagogical, 

psychological, and sociological 

factors) that may explain this 

gender gap, and the level of impact 

of each of these factors on the disparity 

in academic performance between 

boys and girls. Accordingly, 

the research team will highlight the 

possible “Factor Treatment Interactions” 

(FTI) that can be suggested to 

bridge the gender gap in academic 

performance. 

This research project is fully 

funded by the Research Council 

(TRC) as part of its efforts to solving 

societal problems of strategic 

importance. 

Utilisation of Prosopis juliflora 

for feeding livestock 

bohydrates, minerals, vitamins 

and other components in the 

seeds, pods and leaves. Prosopis 

pods will be subjected to various 

processes including soaking 

in water to remove bitter taste, 

crushing and grinding. They will 

be collected during the fruiting 

season and used as a plant protein 

and energy source. Chemical 

analyses and various in vitro 

and in vivo investigations will be 

made to determine their nutritive 

value before incorporation 

into rations of native goats at 

various levels. Feed intake will 

be measured and effects of feeding 

of these rations on growth, 

carcass composition and meat 

quality will be evaluated. In vitro 

studies will include determination 

of anti-nutritional effects of 

elements such as tannin.

Revenues hit RO 4.7bn - Oman Observer

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