VOL. 37 NO. 204 | PAGES 20 | BAISAS 200WEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 | RAMADHAN 21, 1439 AH

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OMAN DAILY

P12INJURY WRECKS WILLIAMS’ AUDACIOUS FRENCH TITLE BID

BRITAIN SELLS SLICE OF RBS FOR £2.5BN

P15

21 RAMADHAN FAJR: 03:53

DHUHR: 12:10

ASR: 15:29

MAGHRIB: 18:56

ISHA: 20:18

P8

KURDS TO PULL OUT OF STRATEGIC SYRIA TOWN AFTER DEAL

FRENCHMAN BEGINS RECORD-ATTEMPTING SWIM ACROSS THE PACIFIC

P6

INSIDESTORIES

WEATHER TODAY

MUSCATMAX: 360CMIN: 300C

SALALAHMAX: 300CMIN: 270C

NIZWAMAX: 380C

MIN: 270C

SUNRISE 05.20 AM

OMAN

HM greetings toKing of SwedenMUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has sent a cable of greetings to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on the occasion of his country’s National Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere greetings along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to King Carl XVI and the friendly people of Sweden further progress and prosperity.

Mwasalat launches new Bausher routeMUSCAT: Mwasalat has announced the launch of Athaiba-Bausher route (12B) starting from June 8, linking a number of educational and health institutions. The service will start from Athaiba bus station covering Athaiba Bridge, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Bausher Pedestrian Bridge, College of Financial Banking Studies (CFBS), Modern College of Commerce and Science, Oman Medical College, Muscat Private Hospital and Muscat College, Bausher. The bus will then follow the same route on its return journey. Buses will be available every 30 minutes from 6 am. DETAILS ON P2

P18THE CAMBODIAN VILLAGE ON STILTS

STAFF REPORTERMUSCAT, JUNE 5

The Sultanate has received 3.3

million tourists last year, which

is 4.7 per cent more than the

numbers in 2016, according to

statistics revealed by the Ministry

of Tourism.

The ministry has made

significant achievements in 2017

in developing the sector and this

is evident in all areas of the sector.

The number of visitors who

came by ships touched 222,000 in

2017, showing an increase of 2.3

per cent compared to 2016.

There was an increase of 8.9

per cent of licensed hotel facilities

in 2017 reaching 367 from 337 in

2016. Similarly, the number of

hotel rooms also increased from

18,825 in 2016 to 20,581 in 2017,

which is an increase of 9.3 per cent.

The number of beds rose by 7.6 per

cent from 29,538 in 2016 to 31,774

in 2017.

These developments were meant

for supporting the Sultanate’s

economic diversification policies,

promotion of the tourism sector

on which the government will rely

in the coming years as a support

to the national economy and to

provide suitable hotel facilities

for visitors, keeping pace with the

growth of tourism in the country.

The annual report of the

ministry pointed out that the

number of initial approvals for

hotel facilities by the end of last

year stood at 89, which would be

providing 7,749 hotel rooms.

MUSCAT: The Sultanate has seen a

fall in road accidents by 39.8 per cent

at the end of April. The number of

accidents recorded till April stood

at 797, compared to 1,323 accidents

during the same period in 2017,

according to the latest statistics

issued by the National Centre for

Statistics and Information, based on

the initial data from the Royal Oman

Police (ROP).

In April, 25.5 per cent of accidents

occurred in the Governorate of

Muscat, followed by 16 per cent in

North Al Batinah and Al Dakhiliyah,

10 per cent in Dhofar, while the rest

of governorates accounted for 32.5

per cent of the accidents.

The statistics showed that equal

number of accidents occurred

during day and night.

Until the end of April, road

accidents resulted in 203 deaths and

926 injuries, compared to 202 deaths

and 1,024 injuries during the same

period in 2017.

Of the total dead, 121 were

Omanis (110 men and 11 women).

Eighty-two expatriates were

reported dead in road incidents

during the same period, 74 of them

were men and 8 women.

As far as the injured are

concerned, 627 of them were

Omanis (444 men and 183 women),

and 299 were expatriates (274 men

and 25 women). — ONA

Road accidents fell by 39.8 pc

RICH DIVIDENDS: ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION PLANS ARE ON RIGHT TRACK

MOST MEMORABLE IFTARS

The holy month of Ramadhan is marked by introspective spirituality, dawn to dusk fasting and generosity. It is also the perfect time for unwinding with friends and families during iftars. DETAILS ON P19

BANGKOK: On her lunch break,

Bangkok office worker Chinapa

Payakha emerges from a 7-Eleven

store with two plastic bags. One holds

a Big Gulp soft drink.

The other carries her lunch, with a

banana in its own plastic wrapper.

“For office life, plastic bags

are necessary,” said Chinapa, 34,

whose shopping habits illustrate

the challenges facing anti-

plastic campaigners in Thailand,

where plastic bags are handed

out in abundance on any visit to a

shop or market.

As World Environment Day on

Tuesday takes place and the United

Nations calls for the “biggest-

ever worldwide cleanup” of plastic

pollution, experts are focused on

Southeast Asia, home to four of the

world’s top marine plastic polluters.

From major cities like Bangkok

and Jakarta to beach resorts in the

Philippines and Vietnam, plastic bags

and bottles are the ubiquitous face of

pollution in the region.

Globally, some eight million

tonnes of plastic is dumped into the

ocean every year, killing marine life

and entering the human food chain,

according to the UN Environment

Programme. Five Asian countries —

China, Indonesia, the Philippines,

Vietnam and Thailand — accounted

for up to 60 per cent of the plastic waste

leaking into the ocean, according to

a 2015 report by the environmental

campaigner Ocean Conservancy and

the McKinsey Center for Business and

Environment.

Three years on, a “trash

emergency” on the Indonesian island

of Bali and the Philippines’ decision

to close the tourist island of Boracay

showed governments are recognising

the impact of plastic waste, said

Susan Ruffo, Ocean Conservancy’s

managing director for international

initiatives.

“But this is not just a government

responsibility — corporations, civil

society and citizens all have a part to

play,” she said. — Reuters

BRUSSELS: The EU on Tuesday said

that a “first assessment” indicated

that Iran’s announcement that it has

launched a plan to boost uranium

enrichment capacity did not

breach its commitments under the

beleaguered 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has notified the International

Atomic Energy Agency that it plans

to open a centre for producing new

centrifuges, the Islamic Republic’s

nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said.

The European Union, which is

working to save the 2015 agreement

after the US pulled out, warned the

Iranian announcement would not

help build confidence in the Iranian

programme, but said it did not

constitute a breach of the deal.

“Following a first assessment,

the announced steps per se are not

a violation of the JCPOA,” Maja

Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU

diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini,

said. “However, at this particularly

critical juncture, they will not

contribute to build confidence in

the nature of the Iranian nuclear

programme.”

Salehi stressed that his

announcement was just the start

of the production process and did

not mean Iran was about to start

assembling centrifuges.

Under the 2015 nuclear agreement

that Iran signed after years of difficult

talks, Tehran can build and test

parts for advanced centrifuges, but

specific restrictions exist on what

technology can be researched and in

what quantity within the first decade

of the deal. SEE ALSO P6

Southeast Asia’s plastic ‘addiction’ blights world’s oceans

Iran enrichment plan not in breach of nuclear deal: EU

A Vietnamese man at a plastic recycling plant at Xa Cau village, outside Hanoi, Vietnam, on Tuesday. — Reuters

THE EU, WHICH IS WORKING TO SAVE

THE DEAL, WARNED THAT THE MOVE

WOULD NOT HELP BUILD CONFIDENCE

IN THE IRANIAN PROGRAMME

TURN TO P4

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ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE OF BADR MARKED

MUSCAT: Different units and formations of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) on Sunday held a religious ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Badr under the auspices of Maj Gen Matar bin Salim al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), at the mosque of Muaskar al Murtafaa.

MUSCAT: Mwasalat has announced the launch of Athaiba-Bausher route (12B) starting from June 8, linking a number of educational and health institutions.

The service will start from Athaiba bus station covering Athaiba Bridge, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Bausher Pedestrian Bridge, College of Financial Banking Studies (CFBS), Modern College of Commerce and Science, Oman Medical College, Muscat Private Hospital and Muscat College, Bausher. The bus will then follow the same route on its return journey.

Buses will be available every 30 minutes from 6 am on weekdays and public holidays. Passengers can buy tickets on board.

Passengers arriving from Maabela (Route 1) can get off at Athaiba Bridge and then proceed to the other stop at NBO HQ stop opposite Bank Muscat for route 12B, if they wish to go to Royal Hospital or Bausher.

Passengers arriving from Ruwi (Route 1) can get off at Athaiba Bridge and then proceed to the stop at NBO opposite Bank Muscat for route 12B to visit Royal Hospital.

Mwasalat announces new route for Royal Hospital

MoE organises travel and tourism exhibitionMUSCAT: The Ministry of Education, represented

by the Staff Welfare Department, organised the third

‘Travel and Tourism Exhibition’.

The two-day event is being organised with the

participation of six tourism companies that present

exclusive offers to Ministry of Education employees.

These agencies also offer gifts that include travel

tickets to a number of countries, tourism tours, in

addition to discount cards for use in hotels.

Hussain al Ajmi, Director of Staff Welfare

Department at the Ministry of Education, says: “The

exhibition aims at finding the best exclusive offers for

the ministry’s employees in travel and tourism. The

ministry also seeks to integrate with institutions in

the tourism sector in the Sultanate by providing the

opportunity to these institutions to promote their

various offers and exclusive prices.

He also added that the staff welfare department

seeks to find special benefits for its employees,

through educational portal from banks, companies

and private medical centres located in the Sultanate,

or through exhibitions.”

The exhibition will be held during the summer

vacation, with travel and tourism companies

presenting their exclusive prices and promotional

gifts such as travel tickets and overnight stays in

Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Georgia and

staying in a group of hotels in the Sultanate especially

for the ministry’s employees.

The Staff Welfare Department always seeks to

provide suitable environment and exclusive offers

for the ministry’s employees, through hotel offers,

furniture, insurance, banking sector, housing

projects, restaurants or health complexes. The

department also provides offer especially for each

educational governorate.

F&B complexes to come up in MuscatVINOD NAIRMUSCAT, JUNE 5

To meet the increasing demand

from tourists for new attractions,

the government is planning to open

dedicated precincts that offer a range

of retail and food and beverage (F&B).

By 2020, the project aims to bring

RO 44 million of private investment

and contribute to 60,000 tourist

arrivals to the Sultanate.

The initiative also aims to upgrade

the regulations that govern food and

beverage outlets while improving

the quality of the existing F&B

outlets, says the Implementation

Support and Follow-Up Unit (ISFU)

in its report.

The goal of the initiative in 2017

was to facilitate the completion of the

identified projects in accordance with

the agreed project milestones.

Some of the projects identified

during 2017 include the Muscat Food

Court.

“This project which has been

approved by the Ministry of Tourism,

Royal Oman Police and Muscat

Municipality will be located in the

heart of Muscat city.”

Al Sarooj Restaurant Complex

will include three restaurants. The

master plan has been approved and

the private investor has signed an

usufruct agreement with the Ministry

of Tourism.

The Athaiba F&B Complex in

the beach area will offer an exclusive

experience to visitors. The master

plan was approved by MoT and the

usufruct agreement has already been

signed.

In 2018, the group will continue to

monitor the projects to ensure they

progress as per the agreement while

solving any issues that may arise.

The government will also focus

on the development of Oman

Convention and Exhibition Centre’s

F&B outlets in the form of food

trucks or food booths, to be operated

by SMEs.

“Once the working group

overcomes some administrative issues

faced by this pilot project, the group

will focus on developing similar

unconventional F&B outlets in other

tourist locations,” said the report.

Work progress in Dhofar water sector reviewedSALALAH: Sayyid Mohammed bin

Sultan al Busaidy, Minister of State

and Governor of Dhofar, on Tuesday

met with officials of the Directorate-

General of Water and members of the

emergency teams in all wilayats of the

governorate to discuss work progress

in the water sector in the Governorate

of Dhofar after the recent adverse

climate conditions.

The minister also praised all the

efforts made by the water sector

during this exceptional period.

He was briefed by Ahmed bin

Mohammed al Rowas, Director-

General of Water, about the procedures

followed during the period through

harnessing all available resources

under emergency plans designed to

deal with the tropical condition.

The meeting was attended

by Abdullah bin Aqeel al

Ibrahim, acting Deputy Governor

of Dhofar, and officials in the water

sector in the governorate.

All damaged water lines in

some wilayats will be fully restored

to normalcy in a short period of

time. — ONA

Technical committee for census meets

MUSCAT: The Technical Committee

of Electronic Census of Population,

Housing and Establishments 2020

on Sunday held its third meeting for

2018 under the chairmanship of Dr

Khalifa bin Abdullah al Barwani,

CEO of the National Centre for

Statistics and Information, and head

of the committee.

The committee viewed the

presentation by Omar al Ismaili,

Director-General of Census on the

status of the project.

The presentation covered the

progress made in matching the

data, measures taken to update

the data and the electronic linkage

mechanisms followed with the

relevant databases. The committee

also discussed the measures taken

regarding implementing the decisions

of the second meeting and reviewed

the status of the approved databases

for the project.

The committee also reviewed the

electronic linkage among relevant

stakeholders. It approved the minutes

of the second meeting and reviewed

the outputs of the seminar on the

media identity for census. — ONA

MSM index gains 7 pointsMUSCAT: Muscat Securities Market

(MSM) general index 30 on Tuesday

added 7.21 points, comprising a rise

by 0.16 per cent to close at 4592.16

points, compared to the last session,

which stood at 4584.95 points.

The trading value stood at RO

2,655,795, comprising a rise by 24.5

per cent compared to the last session,

which stood at RO 2,133,063. The

report released by MSM pointed out

that the market value rose by 0.010

per cent to reach about RO 17.53

billion.

The report added that the value

of shares bought by non-Omani

investors reached RO 356,000

comprising 13.42 per cent. The value

of shares sold by non-Omani investors

reached RO 714,000 comprising

26.88 per cent. The net non-Omani

investment declined by 13.46 per cent

to RO 357,000.

— ONA

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Aquatic Resources Law referred to State Council

MUSCAT: Majlis Ash’shura on

Tuesday referred the report of the

Food and Water Security Committee

on the draft Living Aquatic

Resources Law to the State Council.

The session was held under the

chairmanship of Shaikh Khalid

bin Hilal al Maawali, Chairman of

Majlis Ash’shura.

During the session, the report

was read by Hilal bin Said al

Yahyaee, Head of the Food and

Water Security Committee.

The committee has already

hosted a number of entities related

to its work in the living aquatic

resources sector in the Sultanate.

The committee also met with

experts from the Ministry of

Environment and Climate Affairs

and the Ministry of Agriculture

and Fisheries.

During the meeting, Majlis

Ash’shura expressed its views on

the vision of the Services and Social

Development Committee on the

amendment of the Convention on

the Organization of Air Transport

Services between Sultanate and the

Government of State of Kuwait, the

two draft Maritime Agreements

between Sultanate, Turkey and

India, and the draft Air Services

Agreement between Oman and

Afghanistan.

On the sidelines of the

meeting, the Majlis Ash’shura

was briefed on the convention for

the establishment of the Global

Dryland Alliance. — ONA

Health inspectors conduct campaign in South SharqiyahMUSCAT: The health inspection

and sanitary drainage department at

the Directorate-General of Regional

Municipalities and Water Resources in

South Al Sharqiyah Governorate carried out

a number of inspections in May.

As many as 1,931 eateries and other

commercial and services establishments

were inspected during the campaign in

all wilayats of the governorates to ensure

compliance with the health standards.

Thirty-two establishments were shut

down and 106 violations and 87 notices

were issued by the inspectors during the

campaign. They destroyed 662 kg of food

items and 6,976 food cans unfit for human

consumption.

Besides, the health inspectors of South

al Batinah Municipality inspected the

slaughterhouses to check the health of

animals and to ensure that slaughtering

process is done properly.

Busy days for Muttrah Souq vendors KABEER YOUSUF MUSCAT, JUNE 5

Oman’s traditional market Muttrah

Souq is all set to share the festival

fervour with the shoppers as the

number of people is increasing

day by day with few more days

left for Eid al Fitr. Shops that sell

frankincense, tailors specialised in

making abayas, sheilas, dishdashas,

musar and kommas are putting

in extra hours with customers

scheduling their visit post-Taraweeh

prayers till late midnight.

“Thank God, business is slowly

picking up as Eid is nearing and

things are going smooth,” Ahmed al

Mulla, a frankincense vendor said.

Shopkeepers dealing with

Omani and Indian artefacts, gifts

and other knick-knacks together

with antiques like a traditional Arab

market give the feeling that the

spirit of Eid is slowly filling the air.

Scores of expat tailors who are

open round the clock since the

beginning of Ramadhan seem to be

the lot that have extreme pressure of

work these days.

“These are hectic days but we are

thankful for the customer turnout,”

says Alam Geer, a tailor who runs a

shop dedicated to women’s dresses.

About the trends in abayas and

customers’ brand loyalty, Geer said

the passion for modern trends in

abayas is all the more on the rise

and more Omani women are in

to designing their own dresses

inspired by their counterparts

across the borders.

“My customers have diverse

demands following the patterns

and fashion trends seen across the

world. Although women prefer

to have them blindly, we follow

traditional patterns for them after

convincing them because we cannot

deviate from the patterns to a great

extent,” Geer adds.

On the other hand, men who have

been getting their traditional dresses

stitched by their tailors for years

seem to be unwilling to switch to the

branded clothes and their dresses are

made ready well in advance.

“We have Omani customers for

more than 30 years and we know

their requirements very well. So

we get their clothes ready when

Ramadhan begins and we know

they will get their clothes collected

by their grandchildren.

“And if anyone doesn’t turn out,

we know for sure, what might have

happened,” says Sidharam Banerjee

and his brother, the tailor-duo from

the Indian state of West Bengal.

Unlike in the previous years,

parking on corniche doesn’t seem

to be a deterring factor for many

shoppers. The vast parking area

adjacent to the Muttrah Fish

Market can accommodate large

number of vehicles.

Scores of expat tailors who are open round the clock since the beginning of Ramadhan seem to be the lot that have extreme pressure of work these days

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Virus threat hits many expats travel to KeralaKABEER YOUSUFMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Many expatriate families are

reconsidering their travel plans for

Eid and school holidays over Nipah

outbreak in Kerala’s Malabar region.

Kozhikode and Malappuram districts

reported several cases of deadly virus

that has already claimed 16 lives by

now.

“I had booked tickets for my whole

family to travel on June 13 prior to Eid

al Fitr, but had to cancel them because

of the situation back in Kerala”, said

manager of a refreshments joint and a

father of three.

“I had to cancel tickets for six

of a family, after the present issues

were reported in the local media”,

confirmed Aysha, a travel agent.

Oman’s Ministry of Health

(MoH) last week had urged citizens

and residents to avoid travelling to

Kozhikode and Malappuram, unless it

is absolutely necessary and requested

those coming from these areas to

visit health institutions in case any

symptoms such as fever appear within

three weeks of their return.

However, the situation now in

Kerala is not alarming as no new

cases have been reported. Airlines

and travel agencies said that there has

been many cases of cancellation and

postponement of journey.

“Compared to last year, airline

bookings have declined this season

and we are flying with 80 per cent

load”, said representative of a budget

airline operating to Kozhikode.

“I feel this scenario is partially due

to the current situation in Malabar

area and the fact that market is slowly

waking up to the holiday mood.”

Indian Embassy to hold Yoga Day on June 21MUSCAT: The Embassy of India,

Muscat, has been celebrating the annual

International Day of Yoga with support

and participation of the Government

of Oman, yoga organisations as well as

yoga teachers and practitioners.

This year also, Embassy of India,

Muscat, will be celebrating the 4th IDY

on June 21, which will include a grand

yoga session, based on a common

yoga protocol, comprising simple

and easy yoga postures, which can be

performed by persons not familiar with

yoga, under the guidance of qualified

instructors.

Ministry of Ayush of has been

sharing Yoga Prayer and Common Yoga

Protocol (CYP) videos on its various

social media platforms of Ministry of

Ayush. These CYP videos can also be

viewed on the Facebook and Twitter

pages of the Embassy of India, Muscat.

Last year, the Embassy celebrated

the 3rd International Day of Yoga, on

June 21, 2017, where more than 4,500

Omani and Indian yoga enthusiasts,

practitioners and beginners practised

yoga. Similar yoga sessions were also

held in other cities of Oman.

They achieved success in

disseminating the benefits of yoga

among the Omani citizens and

expatriates alike.

The Embassy has also been working,

together with a number of yoga

organisations in Oman, to organise

numerous curtain raiser yoga sessions

every week, at the Embassy premises to

celebrate IDY 2018.

In addition, all Indian schools

in Oman have also organised yoga

sessions, seminars/talk on benefit

of yoga and Ayurveda. Many yoga

sessions are also being organised in

other cities of Oman, including Salalah,

Suhar and Sur.

On June 21, the Embassy has invited

all yoga enthusiasts and practitioners

in Oman, along with members of their

families (children above the age of 11),

to participate in the yoga session, which

will be held at Oman Convention &

Exhibition Centre from 7.30 pm.

The doors will open at 6.30 pm and

all the participants are requested to be

seated by 7.15 pm. Yoga T-shirts and

yoga mats will be distributed to the

participants at the venue. We will also

have separate seating for ladies and

children.

Organisations and individuals,

including Omani nationals, Indians

expatriates and other expatriates, who

want to participate, are requested to

register on the Embassy page — http://

www.indemb-oman.org/

Exhibition highlights products of women entrepreneursKAUSHALENDRA SINGHSALALAH, JUNE 5

Some entrepreneur families showcased

their products like incense, perfumes,

garments, homemade cosmetics at an

exhibition here under the umbrella of

Dhofar chapter of Oman Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (OCCI) on

Monday.

The three-day exhibition was

organised by Lamsa al Thani

Exhibition with participation of more

than 120 exhibitors, all belonging to

small and medium enterprises (SME)

category.

Lamees bint Abdul Aziz al Ghassani,

owner of Lamsa Exhibition, said such

exhibition is a very good platform

for those who are doing something

productive at home and looking for

market to sell their products.

“The exhibition has a wide range

of exhibits and products and came

at a time when people are preparing

for Eid. All the exhibitors are getting

good response due to very local

touch and something made by their

own community members. Here the

customers have an opportunity to get

their items customised also,” she said.

She stressed that such exhibition is

an encouragement to people and an

opportunity to exchange new ideas

with the fellow entrepreneurs.

“The participants showcased latest

trends in the world of fashion, beauty

and garment designing. Exhibition

was an opportunity for all of them to

promote and market their products

and highlight their own distinctive

talents.”

Al Ghassani put stress on promoting

work culture among families and

enhancing the role of women through

their direct participation in such

events. Moreover, this is also an

opportunity to promote local products

with Made in Oman tag. It is inspiring

for other families to take part in

productive enterprises, she added.

On the humanitarian side, the

exhibition has decided to donate part

of the proceeds for the welfare of

families affected by cyclone Mekunu.

Treasury bills worth RO 40m tenderedMUSCAT: A tender of Government Treasury Bills, issue number 475 was held at the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) this week.

The results of the issue are as follows: The total value of the allotted Treasury bills amounted to RO 40 million, for a maturity period of 91 days, from today June 6 until September 5.

The average accepted price reached 99.610 for every RO 100 while the minimum accepted price arrived at 99.610 per RO 100.

The average discount rate and the average yield reached 1.56429 per cent and 1.57041 per cent respectively.

The interest rate on the Repo operations with CBO is 2.513 per cent for the period from June 5 to June 11 while the discount rate on the Treasury Bills Discounting Facility with CBO is 3.263 per cent for the same period.

The Treasury Bills are short-term highly secured financial instruments issued by the CBO on behalf of the Government, which helps the licensed commercial banks to gainfully invest their surplus funds, with the added advantage of ready liquidity through discounting and repurchase facilities (Repo) offered by the CBO.

Furthermore, the Treasury Bills promote the local money market by creating a benchmark yield curve for short-term interest rates.

Additionally, the government (MoF) may also resort to this instrument whenever felt necessary for financing its recurrent expenditures. — ONA

On June 21, the Embassy has invited all yoga enthusiasts and practitioners in Oman, along with members of their families (children above the age of 11), to participate in the yoga session

The expo participants showcased latest trends in the world of fashion, beauty and garment designing

The situation now in Kerala is not alarm-ing as no new cases have been reported. Travel agencies say that there has been many cases of cancel-lation and postpone-ment of journey

3.3 million visited Sultanate in 2017FROM PAGE 1

These include 18 one-star hotel

facilities, 17 two-star hotels, 36 three-

star hotels, 15 4-star hotels and three

five-star hotels. Initial approvals also

were given for construction of 32 hotel

apartments which would provide

1,243 apartments.

After initial approval, a period of

one year is required by the ministry

for final approvals.

The report also said that

the approvals for the initial

implementation of hotel facilities are

valid until the end of 2017. These

are for hotel apartments of which 32

are of high standard and excellent

establishments, 9 guest houses, 18

greenhouses, one heritage inn, 7

camps and 2 resorts. These facilities

will have total 330 rooms.

The initial approvals for hotel

establishments reached 89 distributed

in various governorates of the

Sultanate.

Of them, two five-star hotels in

Muscat Governorate and a hotel in

North Batinah Governorate.

Of 15 four-star hotels, 11 will be

in Muscat Governorate, 2 in Dhofar

Governorate, one each in North

Batinah and South Batinah.

Initial approvals were also given

for the establishment of 36 three-star

hotels in the Sultanate.

They include 24 three-star hotels in

the Muscat Governorate, 2 in Dhofar,

5 in North Batinah and 2 in Dhahirah,

1 each in North Sharqiyah, Buraimi

and Musandam.

Approvals for establishment of 17

two-star hotels were also given. These

include 8 for Muscat Governorate, 4

for Dhofar, 2 for North Al Sharqiyah,

one each for South Al Sharqiyah,

North Batinah and South Batinah.

Also, approvals were given to

establish 18 one-star hotels, of which

4 will be in Muscat Governorate, 3

in North Al Sharqiyah, 4 in South Al

Sharqiyah, 2 in Dhahirah and one

each in Dhofar, North Batinah, South

Batinah and Buraimi.

The report also said that the Muscat

Governorate got the largest share in

the number of hotel establishments

expected to come up in future. The

governorate is expected to have 49

new hotels.

It is followed by Dhofar and North

Batinah where 9 hotel establishments

would be opened.

They are followed by North

Sharqiyah which will have 6 hotel

facilities, then comes South Al

Sharqiyah and Dhahirah, South

Batinah and Buraimi, with the

expected opening of 5, 4, 3 and 2 new

hotel facilities respectively.

Then comes Al Dakhiliyah and

Musandam which will have one new

hotel facilities each.

According to the annual report of

the ministry, currently there were 72

hotels under construction till 2017,

which are expected to add 6,604

rooms to the facilities.

The report also pointed out that

the number of projects expected to

start in 2018 and 2019, is for 55 hotels

which will have 4,763 hotel rooms. Of

them, 12 are one-star hotels, 19 two-

star, 16 three-star, 5 four-star and 3

five-star hotels.

The number of hotel apartments

expected to open in 2018 and 2019

is 27, which would add 883 hotel

apartments. Four camps are expected

to provide 75 hotel rooms, according

to the report.

The report said that the number

of licenses issued by the ministry in

2017 was 421 compared with 380 in

2016. These licenses were for various

tourism activities, including 45 for

accommodation facilities such as

hotels, resorts, hotel apartments,

tourist resorts, greenhouses and

heritage homes.

The ministry granted 131 licenses

for tourist guides.

The annual report shows that in

2017 the number of tourists visiting

Salalah Tourism Festival stood at

644,931, of which 71.1 per cent were

Omanis. They are followed by Emiratis

with 8.9 per cent and Saudis with 6.1

per cent, rest 3.3 per cent were from

all other Gulf countries. It means that

Omanis and people from other Gulf

countries constituted 89.4 per cent.

Tourists from other countries stood at

10.7 per cent.

The report also said that in 2017

visitors to Jabal Akhdhar increased

from 233,012 compared with 162,499

during 2016, an increase of 43.4 per

cent.

Of which foreigners were 45.1 per

cent, followed by Omanis 44.8 per

cent, people from Gulf 6.6 per cent

and other Arabs were 3.4 per cent.

OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 5

asia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians

who voted scandal-tainted prime

minister Najib Razak out of office

last month were treated to the sight

of his allegedly high-spending

wife Rosmah Mansor submitting

herself to questioning at the anti-

graft agency headquarters on

Monday.

The former first couple were

barred from leaving the country

following the May 9 election as

investigators relaunched a probe

into how billions of dollars went

missing from a state fund founded

by Najib.

Whatever awkward questions

Rosmah, 66, faced during a three

interview with investigators,

she showed no sign of being

discomfited as she left the

Malaysian Anti-Corruption

Commission building.

Wearing a bright blue

traditional dress, with a red scarf

swept over her head, Rosmah

stepped lightly into her Mercedes

and waved to the TV cameras,

leaving her lawyers to issue a brief

statement.

“The MACC officers have

completed recording a statement

from our client,” her lawyer

K.Kumaraendran said after

Rosmah left.

“The over three-hour long

process went well. Our client will

extend further cooperation as and

when sought by the agency,” he

added. — AFP

Cops grill wife of former PM Najib

White House confirms June 12 meet between Trump and Kim

WASHINGTON: US President

Donald Trump’s summit with

North Korean leader Kim Jong

Un will begin early on June 12 in

Singapore,the White House said

Monday in its first announcement

of a timetable for the closely-

watched meeting.

White House spokeswoman

Sarah Sanders said the two leaders

would meet at 9 am (0100 GMT)

in the Asian city-state, adding

that Trump was receiving daily

security briefings on North Korea

in anticipation of the meeting.

The White House said its policy

of tough sanctions on North Korea

has not changed, days after US

President Donald Trump said he

no longer wanted to use the phrase

“maximum pressure” to describe

the campaign to press North Korea

to give up its nuclear weapons.

After meeting a senior official

from Pyongyang at the White

House on Friday, Trump said North

Korea was being more cooperative

and that although sanctions would

remain in place, he would hold off

on imposing new ones.

Trump said he didn’t want to

use the term “maximum pressure”

any more, because the two sides

were “getting along.” Asked at a

news briefing on Monday whether

the “maximum pressure” campaign

would continue, White House

spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told

reporters: “We have sanctions on,

they are very powerful and we

would not take those sanctions off

unless North Korea denuclearized.”

The Trump administration has

credited its “maximum pressure”

campaign, supported by the United

Nations and major world powers,

for helping bring North Korea to

the table to negotiate giving up its

nuclear weapons.

Trump said on Friday the summit

he had canceled the previous week

was back on after he received the

North Korean delegation bearing a

letter from Kim.

Top Senate Democrats on

Monday told Trump not to make

a deal that leaves North Korea with

nuclear weapons, and threatened

to maintain or toughen sanctions

on Pyongyang if that condition is

not met. Senate Democratic Leader

Chuck Schumer and ranking

Democrats from national security

committees released a letter to

Trump laying out demands for

any pact, which they said must be

permanent. They also urged him

to lean hard on Kim’s ally China to

ensure it “will do all it can to help

secure an agreement and then insist

on strict North Korean compliance

with such an agreement.”

Easing sanctions under a

deal would likely need approval

from Congress which has passed

sanctions on North Korea.

Since most legislation needs

60 votes to pass the 100-member

Senate and Trump’s fellow

Republicans hold only 51 seats, that

would require Democratic support.

— Agencies

SINGPORE DATE: Washington says sanctions to remain on North Korea

Eleven dead, 25 trapped in China mine explosionBEIJING: Eleven people were killed and nine injured Tuesday in an explosion at an iron-ore mine in northeast China’s Liaoning province, state media reported.

Twenty-five people are trapped in the mine run by China National Coal Group Co, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Some of the trapped victims were able to contact people outside, the report said. — AFP

A design for one of three medallions commemorating US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s meeting in Singapore released by the Singapore Mint on Tuesday. — Reuters

Rosmah Mansor at Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Putrajaya, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday. — AFP

OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 86

BEIRUT: The leading Syrian Kurdish

militia said on Tuesday it would

withdraw from Manbij, easing fears

of a direct clash between Nato allies

Washington and Ankara over the

strategic northern town.

The Kurds were key players in

the fight against the IS group, whose

last holdout fighters have launched a

deadly offensive against pro-regime

forces further south.

Manbij lies just 30 km south

of the Turkish border, and where

US and French troops belonging

to the Western coalition against IS

are stationed. The Kurdish People’s

Protection Units (YPG) spearheaded

a victorious offensive in 2016 to rid

Manbij of IS and had kept military

advisers in the town to train local

forces. “Now, after more than two

years of continuous work and with the

Manbij Military Council being self-

sufficient in their training, the YPG

has decided to pull its military advisers

from Manbij,” it said in a statement.

The YPG forms the backbone of

the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),

the Kurdish-Arab alliance that has

received extensive backing from the

US-led coalition.

The Pentagon said US troops would

remain in the town for now.

“There are no plans to move US

forces from Manbij. However, more

details of the Manbij roadmap are yet

to be hammered out and more details

will be announced later,” spokesman

Eric Pahon said.

For months, Turkish President

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened

to march on Manbij, accusing the

YPG of being the Syrian branch of

the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK),

which is blacklisted in Turkey.

Those threats raised fears of a clash

between Turkish and American troops

that talks have tried to mollify.

On Monday, US Secretary of

State Mike Pompeo and his Turkish

counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu met

in Washington to back a “roadmap”

whose rough outlines had been set

last month, according to the State

Department.

It said the diplomats would

coordinate on “security and stability in

Manbij,” but gave no details.

Turkey’s state news agency

Anadolu, however, has said that after

the YPG withdraws, the US and

Turkish militaries would begin joint

operations in Manbij.

A third phase would involve

forming a new administration to run

the town within 60 days, it said.

On his return to Turkey, Cavusoglu

said the same sort of plan could be

applied to other Syrian towns.

“We will apply the roadmap

for Manbij, and then we will start

implementing roadmaps for other

cities,” he said. But the Manbij Military

Council, which thanked the YPG on

the completion of its training mission,

denied any operational changes were

in the cards.

“This withdrawal came after the US-

Turkish agreement. There are no joint

patrols at this time, or any operational

changes. We have not received orders

on that so far,” the council’s spokesman

Sherfan Darwish said.

The YPG withdrawal and the US-

Turkey roadmap were no guarantee

against renewed tensions, warned

Aaron Stein, a fellow at the DC-based

Atlantic Council. — Agencies

AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah

II called on Tuesday for a review

of a controversial draft tax law that

has sparked a wave of anti-austerity

protests and led to the prime

minister’s resignation.

For nearly a week the capital and

other cities have been hit by angry

demonstrations against IMF-backed

reforms that have brought repeated

price hikes.

Hours after premier Hani Mulki

stepped down on Monday in an

effort to quell the unrest, protesters

were back in the streets of Amman

demanding further changes.

“We are demanding a change to the

government’s economic programme,

not just a change in prime minister,”

said university student Ahmad Abu

Ghazzal, 23.

“We’re sick of seeing changes in the

cabinet — it’s not good enough and it

doesn’t have any results,” he said.

In a letter charging new premier

Omar al Razzaz with forming a

government, King Abdullah II said

it “must carry out a comprehensive

review of the tax system” to avoid

“unjust taxes that do not achieve

justice and balance between the

incomes of the poor and the rich”.

Late on Monday, the king had

warned the country was “at a

crossroads”, blaming the country’s

economic woes on regional instability,

the burden of hosting hundreds of

thousands of Syrian refugees and a

lack of international support.

“Either (Jordan) can come out of

the crisis and provide a dignified life

to our citizens, or, God forbid, it can

go into the unknown — but we have

to know where we are going,” he told a

group of journalists, according to the

official Petra agency.

Protesters on Monday shouted

slogans against the government and

the International Monetary Fund as

they gathered under a heavy police

presence. — AFP

BEIRUT: Iran has begun preparations

to boost its uranium enrichment

capacity, its nuclear chief said on

Tuesday, adding to pressure on

European powers trying to save a

nuclear accord with Tehran in peril

after a US withdrawal.

France, Britain and Germany

want to salvage the 2015 deal’s core

bargain of sanctions relief in exchange

for restrictions on Tehran’s atomic

activities. Washington has reimposed

sanctions against Tehran since

quitting the deal last month, arguing

Iran posed a security threat.

Iran has set out conditions to stay

in the nuclear deal, including steps

to safeguard trade with Tehran and

guarantee Iranian oil sales.

But it has also said it could resume

its 20 per cent uranium enrichment,

which is banned under the deal.

Iran was developing infrastructure

for building advanced centrifuges at

its Natanz facility, Ali Akbar Salehi,

Director of Iran’s Atomic Energy

Organisation, said in a news conference

broadcast on state television.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali

Khamenei said on Monday he had

ordered preparations for Iran to have

greater enrichment capacity if the deal

falls apart.

Iran’s nuclear agency said it would

inform the UN nuclear watchdog

on Tuesday the process to increase

capacity had begun.

Salehi said this did not violate the

nuclear deal but that it marked an

increase in the pace of the nuclear

programme.

“If we were progressing normally,

it would have taken six or seven years,

but this will now be ready in the

coming weeks and months,” he said.

Iran has also developed the capacity

to produce electricity at Natanz, Salehi

said, a site which lies around 300 km

south of Tehran.

The 2015 agreement allows Iran

to continue 3.67 per cent uranium

enrichment, far below the roughly 90

per cent threshold of weapons-grade.

Before the deal was reached,

Tehran enriched uranium to up to 20

per cent purity.

Salehi’s comments on Tuesday

appeared to be a warning to the

remaining signatories of possible

consequences if the deal were to

collapse.

European powers still back the deal

but have concerns over Iran’s ballistic

missile programme and its influence

in the Middle East.

Iran says the two issues are non-

negotiable.

Salehi said Iran could not accept

a “flawed” nuclear deal, nor could it

adhere to the deal’s restrictions while

facing new sanctions.

He reiterated previous statements

by officials that Iran is prepared to

significantly increase its nuclear

activity if the deal falls apart.

“Then the situation will progress

in a different way,” Salehi said. “I hope

there will never be a need to go back to

that situation.”

He also repeated Iran’s position

that its nuclear programme was for

civilian purposes only. — Reuters

Kurds to pull out of strategic Syria town after dealTurkey and US to jointly maintain security and stability in Manbij; Erdogan had threatened to invade the town controlled by YPG

Jordan king calls for review of draft tax law that sparked protests

Iran prepares to boost nuclear enrichment if agreement failsTO INFORM UN: Pressure increases on France, Britain and Germany to salvage 2015 deal

region

An unidentified International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector disconnects the connections between the twin cascades for 20 per cent uranium production at nuclear power plant of Natanz, some 300 kilometres south of Tehran. — AFP file picture

OPPOSITION’S VOICE

Supporters of Muharrem Ince, presidential candidate of the main opposition party, Republican People’s Party (CHP), listen to his speech during a campaign rally in Ankara on Tuesday. — AFP

For nearly a week Amman and other cities have been hit by angry demon-strations against IMF-backed reforms that have brought repeated price hikes

Vehicles from the US-led coalition battling the IS group patrol the town of Rmelane in Syria’s Hasakeh province on Tuesday. — AFP

RIYADH: Saudi air defences on

Tuesday intercepted a ballistic

missile that targeted the western

city of Yanbu after being fired

from Ansar Allah-held territory in

neighbouring Yemen, a Saudi-led

military coalition said.

The missile fired at the coastal

city did not cause any casualties,

coalition spokesman Turki al

Maliki said in a statement released

by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Ansar Allah have in recent

months ramped up missile attacks

against neighbouring Saudi Arabia,

which leads a military coalition

that has fought the insurgents since

2015.

The latest strike comes as

coalition-backed Yemeni forces

advance on the rebel-held Red Sea

port of Hodeida, the main conduit

for humanitarian supplies into a

country teetering on the brink of

famine.

United Nations envoy Martin

Griffiths was in the rebel-held

capital Sanaa on Monday for

talks with Ansar Allah about de-

escalating the fighting around

Hodeida.

In late May, air defences

intercepted missiles over the

southern cities of Najran and Jizan,

according to Maliki, who said there

were no casualties.

Saudi Arabia earlier this month

tested a new siren system for the

capital Riyadh and the oil-rich

Eastern Province, in a sign of the

increasing threat posed by the

rebels’ arms.

Saudi Arabia, the United

Arab Emirates and other allies

intervened in Yemen in 2015

to push back the Ansar Allah

and restore the internationally-

recognised government to power

after the militia ousted it from

swathes of the country including

the capital Sanaa.

Nearly 10,000 people have been

killed since the alliance launched

its intervention in Yemen in March

2015, contributing to what the

UN has called the world’s worst

humanitarian crisis.

— AFP

Saudi says new Yemen missile intercepted

OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 7

india

Tharoor accused in Sunanda Pushkar suicide caseNEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi

Tharoor was on Tuesday summoned

as an accused in connection with the

suicide of his wife Sunanda Pushkar

after a court took cognisance of the

police chargesheet and found sufficient

grounds to proceed against him for

abetment to suicide and cruelty.

The 62-year-old parliamentarian

from Thiruvananthapuram has been

asked to appear before Additional

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar

Vishal on July 7, the next date fixed for

the hearing.

“I have gone through and

perused the chargesheet along with

the documents filed along with

it. Cognisance taken on offence

regarding abetment to suicide of late

Sunanda Pushkar and for committing

cruelty upon her.

“On the basis of the police report,

I take cognisance abetment of suicide

punishable under 306 IPC and cruelty

under 498A IPC. There exists sufficient

grounds to proceed against Shashi

Tharoor for commission of offence,”

Magistrate Vishal said.

He was pronouncing the

order after taking cognisance

of the chargesheet filed by

the police in the case that

has taken various twists

and turns ever since 51-year-old

Pushkar died under mysterious

circumstances in a hotel room in

south Delhi on January 17, 2014, days

after she alleged that her husband

was having an affair with a Pakistani

journalist.

A total of 27 tablets of Alprax were

found in her room but it was not clear

how many she had consumed.

The magistrate also issued notice

to the prosecution for a written

reply on the application of BJP

MP Subramanian Swamy, who

has been carrying on a campaign in the

case, for conducting the prosecution.

On May 14, police chargesheeted

Tharoor under sections 306 and

498A of the Indian Penal Code,

pertaining to abetment to suicide and

cruelty to wife, which entails a jail

term that could extend up to 10 years.

Meanwhile, Tharoor said in a

statement that he found the charges

against him preposterous and baseless,

the product of a malicious and

vindictive campaign against him.

“I will continue to vigorously

contest these charges and maintain my

steadfast conviction that ultimately

truth will prevail through the judicial

system that we have privileged to have

in our country,” he said.

Tharoor said that he would like to

point out from the very start he had

fully cooperated with the investigating

team and continued to maintain

that due legal process must be

followed in all respects related to this

case.

— IANS

Tharoor chargesheet-ed under sections 306 and 498A of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to abet-ment to suicide and cruelty to wife, which entails a jail term of up to 10 years

India to go ahead with $5.5 bn Russia military deal despite US concernsNEW DELHI: India will go ahead

with the proposed purchase of five

regiments of Russian-made S-400

Triumf advanced air defence system

despite US concerns that the $5.5

billion military deal could limit

defence cooperation between New

Delhi and Washington.

Defence Minister Nirmala

Sitharaman on Tuesday said the

negotiations between India and Russia

to finalise the Rs 39,000 crore deal

were already in the last stage and won’t

be hampered by the US red-flagging

the deal for which the two countries

signed an agreement in principle

in 2016. She said India had made

it clear in all its engagements with

the US that its ties with Russia were

independent of external influences

and relationships with other countries.

The Defence Minister’s

remarks come days after a top US

Congressmen, Republican Mac

Thornberry, Chairman of the House

Armed Services, told a group of

journalists here that there was a

lot of concern in both the Trump

administration and the Congress

regarding the S-400 missile system

being acquired by any of American

partners, including India.

Thornberry, who was in India

last week, said if New Delhi went

ahead with the purchase, it would

complicate “our ability to work out

inter-operability” at a time when

the US had issued sanctions against

Russian oligarchs and companies.

These include Rosoboronexport,

the state-owned Russian weapons

trading company. — Agencies

Fighter pilot dies in Jaguar crashAHMEDABAD: An Indian Air Force pilot was killed on Tuesday after his fighter jet crashed near the country’s border with Pakistan, officials said.

Sanjay Chauhan was on a routine training mission in the remote Kutch desert region of Gujarat when he crashed, air force officials said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the single-seat Jaguar jet to crash. More than 30 fighters have crashed in India since 2012, with most accidents blamed on ageing jets.

THANE: After Bollywood actor-

producer Arbaaz Khan, Bollywood

director, comedian and TV

personality Sajid K Khan is likely

to be questioned in the IPL betting

case being probed by police here,

an official said on Tuesday.

In a related development, the

Central Bureau of Investigation

(CBI) is keeping close tabs on the

investigations being conducted by

the Thane police in the IPL case,

official sources said.

Thane Anti Extortion Cell chief

Pradeep Sharma told mediapersons

that Sajid Khan’s name came up

during the ongoing interrogation

of arrested bookie Sonu Jalan.

The bookie informed the sleuths

that Sajid, the brother of Bollywood

director and choreographer Farah

Khan, used to bet on cricket

matches around seven years ago.

Sajid, 47, is an actor and has also

directed films like “Hey Babby”,

“Housefull 1”, “Housefull 2” and

others, besides hosting several

major television shows. However,

it is not clear when he will be

summoned for questioning, though

Arbaaz Khan was questioned and

let off last Friday — IANS

Film-maker Sajid Khan likely to be quizzed

IPL BETTING CASE

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has banned

frozen and processed fruit and

vegetable imports from Kerala amid

concerns over the deadly Nipah

virus outbreak.

The Nipah virus can cause

encephalitis and common symptoms

vary from none to elevated fevers,

cough, headache, shortness of

breath and confusion, the Gulf News reported on Monday.

On May 29, the United Arab

Emirates (UAE) banned imports

from Kerala.

UAE officials announced that 100

tonnes of fruit, vegetables and fresh

produce that was to be imported

from Kerala was prohibited from

entry. — IANS

Saudi Arabia bans produce from Kerala

OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 88

world

Lecomte hopes to raise awareness of plastic contamination and ocean pollution by the trip, which expected to take 6-8 months

Apple jams Facebook’s web tracking tools

Frenchman begins bid to swim across world’s biggest ocean

SAN JOSÉ: Apple on Monday

unveiled new operating systems

for its iPhones and computers with

features designed to thwart the use

of secret trackers to monitor people’s

online activities.

The announcement by Apple

comes amid a growing focus on

protecting privacy following a

Facebook data scandal and new rules

being enforced by the European

Union for online services.

Apple, kicking off its annual

developers conference, appeared to

be setting itself apart from Facebook,

which has drawn the ire of privacy

activists, and even showed how its

software could prevent the social

network from tracking users on

Apple devices.

The upcoming versions of

software powering iPhone and Mac

computers will block the use of so-

called “cookies” from Facebook “like”

buttons that can follow people from

one website to another, Apple said.

“Turns out ‘like’ buttons and

‘comment’ fields can be used to track

you, so this year we are shutting that

down,” Apple Senior Vice President of

Software Engineering Craig Federighi

told a standing-room crowd of some

6,000 developers at Apple’s Worldwide

Developers Conference in the heart of

Silicon Valley.

New MacOS Mojave and iOS 12

software to be released later this year

will also make it harder to use trackers

to create “unique fingerprints” by

gleaning data about devices being

used, according to Federighi.

Enhanced privacy was part of

a slew of improvements touted by

Apple to developers, whose creations

are key to the popularity of iPhones,

iPads and Mac computers.

The conference kickoff came the

same day the New York Times reported

Facebook gave special access to device

makers, including Apple, to personal

data on social network users and their

friends.

Facebook said it “disagreed” with

the report and that the agreements

with device makers were far

different from those with third-party

developers including one which

shared data with the political firm

Cambridge Analytica.

Apple’s software upgrades also

include features that help users

understand how much time they

are spending on their devices, amid

concerns of growing smartphone

“addiction.”

Features being added to “limit

distraction” from iPhones included

being able to turn-off lock screen

notifications at bedtimes to avoid

“getting spun up” by prompts when

perhaps one just wants to check the

time.

“I think we are all going to be

using Do-Not-Disturb a whole lot

more,” Federighi said. Along with

ways to limit distracting notifications

from iPhones, a new Screen Time

feature allows people to more tightly

control and monitor time spent in

applications. — AFP

CHOSHI: Benoit Lecomte dived

into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday,

kicking off an epic quest to swim 9,000

kilometres (5,600 miles) from Tokyo to

San Francisco, through shark-infested

waters choking with plastic waste.

Under sunny skies, the 51-year-

old Frenchman slipped into cool and

placid waters shortly after 09:00 am

(0000 GMT), in warm and pleasant

conditions with a slight breeze.

He will face giant waves, sharks and

jellyfish, and will also swim through

part of the “Great Pacific Garbage

Patch” in his attempt to be the first

to accomplish the feat of swimming

across the world’s biggest ocean.

“I’m very anxious to start right

now,” said the swimmer as he prepared

to take to the waves. His son and

daughter swam with him for the first

hundred metres or so, then rejoined a

crowd of around 70 well-wishers, with

family and friends hugging each other

on the shore. “It’s very emotional for a

lot of people here,” said Lecomte.

Part adventurer, part

environmentalist, Lecomte hopes

to raise awareness of plastic

contamination and ocean pollution

and his support team will conduct

a raft of experiments on the trip,

expected to take between six to eight

months. Part of his daunting swim

takes him through the Texas-sized

vortex of garbage that floats between

Hawaii and California, where tangled

plastic will pose extra dangers.

His team will collect water samples

to learn more about the build-up of

micro-plastics littering the area.

He will be accompanied throughout

by the 20-metre (67-foot) support

boat Discoverer, where he will eat,

rest and sleep before being dropped

every morning where he stopped the

previous evening. Lecomte aims to

swim around eight hours a day and

will burn off more than 8,000 calories

daily in the process.

In an interview with AFP just

before he began his Odyssey, Lecomte

revealed the mind tricks that keep him

going through the physical torture of

eight hours of ocean swimming per

day. “The mental part is much more

important than the physical. You have

to make sure you always think about

something positive or you always have

something to think about.

“When you don’t have anything to

occupy your mind, it goes into kind

of a spiral, and that’s when trouble

starts,” he said. He said the hardest

part was getting back into the chilly

water every morning and admitted

that he would hit a “wall” after around

four to six hours every day. “I try to

disassociate my mind from my body

and everything that happens to my

body — pain or cold, I try to put aside.”

“I have a schedule of what I’m going

to think about for those eight hours...

it’s always about keeping my mind

occupied.” Lecomte swam across the

Atlantic in 1998, vowing “never again”

after finishing, but he was inspired to

get back into the water after starting

a family. “When I was little and I was

with my father walking on the beach,

I didn’t see any plastic, or hardly any.

“Now every time I go with my kids,

we see plastic everywhere,” added

Lecomte, who will also wear a device

to test levels of radioactive material

from the tsunami-hit Fukushima

nuclear plant. — AFP

Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi speaks at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) at the San Jose Convention Centerin San Jose, California on Monday. — AFP

HAWAII VOLCANO ERUPTS

People watch from a tour boat as lava flows into the Pacific Ocean in the Kapoho area, east of Pahoa, during ongoing eruptions of the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii on Monday. — Reuters

NEW OS: To block cookies from social networking site’s ‘Like’ buttons

Features being added to “limit distraction” from iPhones in-cluded being able to turn-off lock screen notifications at bed-times to avoid “getting spun up” by prompts when perhaps one just wants to check the time

Benoit Lecomte, in Choshi, Chiba prefecture, Japan on Tuesday. — AFP

LONDON: British ministers backed plans for a new

runway at London’s Heathrow airport on Tuesday,

paving the way for a parliamentary vote on the plan after

decades of delays, although the project could still face

challenges before building starts.

Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport but it is now full.

In the past, plans to expand the airport have

faced opposition from local communities and

environmentalists but the current £14 billion ($18.5

billion) expansion plan is making progress.

The cabinet gave its blessing to the new runway plan

on Tuesday, said Transport Minister Chris Grayling,

paving the way for lawmakers to vote on the issue within

21 days. The decision comes after almost half a century

of indecision on how and where to add new airport

capacity in densely populated southeast England and

will be the first full-length runway to be built in the

London area in 70 years.

“Expansion at Heathrow presents a unique

opportunity to deliver a multi-billion pound boost to

our economy, strengthen our global links and maintain

our position as a world leader in aviation,” Grayling told

parliament. In an attempt to satisfy opponents of the

scheme, he said that the new runway would be delivered

within existing air quality obligations, and include a

6.5-hour scheduled night flight ban, plus compensation

for local residents and a new commission to monitor

aviation noise.

TRADE LINKS

An independent commission recommended

Heathrow as the site for a new runway in 2015, saying

that adding capacity there would bring the country the

greatest economic benefits and government has based its

policy on these findings.

Business leaders and politicians have argued that a

bigger Heathrow is even more important since Britain

voted to leave the EU in 2016, as the expanded airport

will enhance trade links and provide a boost to economic

growth.

Heathrow last came this close to expansion in 2010

but a change in government stopped it proceeding, and

the current plan could still face legal challenges.

Polling by ComRes last month showed most

lawmakers intend to vote in favour of the third runway,

which will help the UK catch up with European rivals.

Paris and Frankfurt have four runways while

Amsterdam has six.

Heathrow, owned by Ferrovial, Qatar Investment

Authority and China Investment Corporation among

others, will then have to secure planning permission,

with construction slated to start in 2021 and the new

runway operational by 2026.

A group of local councils and environmental

group Greenpeace could however try to mount a legal

challenge. — AFP

UK approves new $18.5 bn Heathrow airport runway

A BIGGER HEATHROW IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT SINCE BRITAIN VOTED

TO LEAVE THE EU IN 2016, AS THE EXPANDED AIRPORT WILL ENHANCE TRADE LINKS AND PROVIDE A BOOST

TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

TUNIS: The death toll from a ship

packed with migrants that sank off

the Tunisian coast last weekend

has risen to 60, the United Nations

migration agency said on Monday.

The boat went down near the

southern island of Kerkenna,

overnight on Sunday.

The victims were Tunisians as

well as other nationalities, Tunisian

authorities said. “Among the 60

victims transferred to the forensic

department at Habib Bourguiba

hospital in Sfax, 48 are Tunisians... 12

are non-Tunisian the identifications

are in progress”, Lorena Lando,

chief of mission at the International

Organization for Migration (IOM)

in Tunisia. Tunisian authorities,

which on Sunday said they had

recovered 48 bodies, provided no

new figures on Monday, but said

the coast guard is still searching for

dozens of missing migrants.

Human traffickers increasingly

use Tunisia as a launch pad for

migrants heading to Europe as

Libya’s coast guard, aided by armed

groups, has tightened controls.

The IOM said 1,910 Tunisian

migrants reached Italy’s coasts

between January 1 and April 30,

including 39 women and 307

minors — 293 of whom were

unaccompanied — compared to

only 231 for the same period in

2017.

— AFP

Tunisian migrant ship accident toll rises to 60

OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 9

analysis

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

ISMET HAJDARI

ne of Europe’s smallest countries, Kosovo has produced more than

its fair share of battle-hardened fighters whom it is now trying to

rehabilitate after their return home from Syria and Iraq.

The fear is, however, that holding and isolating them in prison may

only make the problem worse.

“Religious sects are better organised than the prison authorities,”

said Sami Lushtaku, a former Kosovo Liberation Army commander,

who was jailed, then acquitted over crimes committed during the 1998-

99 independence war.

Lushtaku’s widely-reported remark during an interview with several

TV channels followed his detention in two jails, including a high-

security centre in Gerdoc, 25 km from the capital, Pristina.

For the government of this small, mostly-Muslim Balkan nation, the

returning fighters are seen as a real threat.

“Kosovo is threatened by those returning from war zones who intend

to attack the multi-ethnic and multi-religious character of Kosovo, its

democratic government and its secular society,” it said in a 2018-22

action plan.

Visar Duriqi, a Kosovo journalist specialising in religious affairs,

said isolating the jailed fighters can “prevent them from exerting any

influence on people who have already broken the law and are more

fragile.”

But there is an ongoing debate over the strategy, with opponents

arguing it only further alienates the fighters and that, if they are to

return to normal, they must be treated like any other prisoner.

According to official estimates, some 300 Kosovans fought with Al

Qaeda’s Syrian ex-affiliate Al Nusra Front or the IS group since 2012.

More than 50 were killed but 130 have returned to Kosovo, with

around 80 in all detained.

A 2015 law stipulates an up to 15-year jail term for returning fighters

and all others who fight in foreign conflicts. “Relative to its population

of 1.8 million, Kosovo is arguably the largest source of European

fighters in Syria and Iraq,” according to estimates from 2015 by the US

think-tank, the Combating Terrorism Centre. For the Vice-Minister of

Security Forces, Burim Ramadani, “the main challenge is to make these

men patriots and not to reinforce their hostility.”

The Islamic Community of Kosovo (BIK) plans to have 20 imams

under its supervision visit the fighters. Radical fighters should

be engaged “in a reflection that will make them become normal

citizens... they should not be left to their world,” chief mufti of the BIK,

Sabri Bajgora, said. — AFP

TO ISOLATE, OR NOT!

Cities hold key to Ramaphosa’s land planJOE BROCK

outh African father of nine Frank Mapara

has been waiting nearly three decades to

own a plot of land in the Johannesburg

slum he calls home.

If President Cyril Ramaphosa, who

came to power in February after the African

National Congress ousted Jacob Zuma, can

keep his promise to redistribute land to the

poor, Mapara is confident the new man

can lead the ruling party to victory in next

year’s parliamentary election.

“I see Ramaphosa as better. If they give

people the land, they are going to vote for

him,” said 80-year-old Mapara, who built

a shack in the then deserted Slovo Park in

1990, the year Nelson Mandela’s release

from prison gave millions of poor black

South Africans hope for a brighter future.

“We want land. We have suffered. They

must give us because we’ve been poor a

long time.”

Land is an emotional issue in South

Africa, where inequality and racial

divisions persist long after the end of

apartheid. The debate has so far focused

on farming and rural areas but following

a land summit last month Ramaphosa said

towns and cities would be a high priority

in his drive to expropriate land without

compensation.

The ANC has been forced to get

a grip on the problem because of the

election threat posed by the Economic

Freedom Fighters, a hard-left party that

is encouraging restive communities to

occupy land. Some demonstrations have

turned violent. Protesters who occupied

vacant land outside Cape Town in March

burned cars and hurled rocks at police.

If Ramaphosa can make progress on

the issue, it would give a big boost to the

ANC, which has steadily lost support since

sweeping to power in 1994.

The ANC lost some major urban areas

in 2016 local elections to a coalition led

by the Democratic Alliance, the main

opposition party, but analysts expect the

ANC to retain national control next year.

A poll released last week by Citizen

Surveys, an independent research firm,

found 38 per cent of people were more

likely to vote ANC after it announced plans

to redistribute land without payment.

For black voters, this rose to 51 per cent.

Black people are 79 per cent of the

total population but own seven per cent of

urban land. The ANC has said little about

how it will implement its plan but two

party sources said the basic strategy.

Special teams will identify unused land

and begin giving people property rights

in areas where jobs are to be found rather

than in distant townships.

Giving people dormant land — some

owned by local governments — would

pave the way for expropriation without

compensation.

“Urban land is low-hanging fruit. There

is well situated state-owned land that could

be freed up relatively easily,” said land

expert Aninka Claassens.

“If you could have poor people in the

centre of cities in low-cost housing it

would be a very symbolic change.”

Privately owned land is not expected to

be expropriated until after the election.

There are many small urban plots

unlikely to cause major disputes with

owners.

Just mentioning land expropriation can

make investors wince, evoking the violent

farm seizures in Zimbabwe under Robert

Mugabe that helped bring a promising

economy to its knees.

The mismanagement and corruption

of the Zuma era have made many people

nervous about how the land issue will be

handled.

Many business leaders have been

tentatively supportive, appreciating the

importance of land to the masses and

hopeful that investor-friendly Ramaphosa

will ensure that any changes will not hurt

growth or food production.

“Business has got comfortable with

the idea of accelerated land reform,” said

Colin Coleman, head of Goldman Sachs

South Africa. “But business is very strongly

against any tipping over into the dilution of

property rights.”

Giving more poor South Africans land

will not solve the huge challenges faced

by Ramaphosa: government corruption,

sky-high unemployment and relentless

demands for jobs, houses and basic

services. — Reuters

ESTABLISHED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1981

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili

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Facing cyber-extortion and the danger of drugsome people, especially in Arab societies,

are exposed to extortion from cyber gangs

based in some Arab capitals as use of modern

technologies, such as smart devices and Internet,

have increased.

This has led some young people to fall into

financial and psychological problems as a result

of their inability to cope with the consequences

of extortion.

Cyber-extortion is a process that forces a

person to do anything.

It is a threat and intimidation of the victim by

posting their personal photographs or material,

leaking confidential information about the

victim in return for money or exploitation of

the victim to carry out illegal acts on behalf of

the extortionists. Those dealing with these issues

say that cyber-extortion and drug trafficking

are disturbing concepts that stir great deal of

negative emotions.

It is a vivid embodiment of the most

degenerate qualities a person can possess when

he exploits his power and intelligence to harm

vulnerable people.

The victims are from different walks of life,

men and women of all ages, although young are

the most targeted group. There are reports of

extortion which some Omanis were exposed to

in the past few years.

However, young people are now increasingly

aware and are reporting these problems to

authorities.

In this regard, experts on these issues advise

users to avoid initiating or accepting requests of

friendship from unknown people, not to respond

to or take part in anonymous conversations, not

to share personal information in cyberspace,

reject video conversations, avoid links with

attractive or unusual titles, reject requests to

download materials from unknown origin.

Some cyber extortionists operate as highly

professional and organised gangs, some of them

work through professional gangs in these cases,

which requires users not to respond to them or

to any materialistic or moral demands, while

being careful not to provoke their anger and

report such cases to the cybercrime authorities

immediately.

If cyber-extortion has become a blot on the

community, drugs is no less a danger because it

leads to psychological and social instability of

the person, bringing family troubles, and other

damages, including impaired general disorders,

family dysfunctions, job instability and increased

crime rate in the society.

In this context, these issues are on the rise in

GCC societies, as the use of modern means of

communications grows.

Figures show that about 57 per cent of those

between the ages of 16 and 24 in the Sultanate

use social media platforms out of the total who

own these devices.

Some statistics also show that 86 per cent

of Omanis use Facebook accounts, 80 per cent

communicate through WhatsApp, while 40 per

cent have Google and Instagram accounts and 36

per cent are on Twitter.

These rates allow international companies to

carry out promotional and marketing campaigns

for new products and commodities in the region,

but some of these accounts are also used in

other areas such as cyber-extortion and drug

trafficking. The number of cyber-extortion

cases recorded by the authorities concerned

in the Sultanate has reached touched 269 from

2011 to 2016, of which 161 cases are recorded in

2016, while the total cases for various crimes of

information technology stood at 355 in 2016.

The Omani government has enacted many

laws that deal with cases of misuse of the Internet

or means of information technology. Efforts to

curb cyber-extortion have also been crowned

with success.

S

S

O

Land is an emotional issue in South Africa, where inequality and racial divisions persist long after the end of apartheid

Some statistics also show that 86 per cent of Omanis use Facebook accounts, 80 per cent communicate through WhatsApp, while 40 per cent have Google and Instagram accounts and 36 per cent are on Twitter

HAIDER AL LAWATIhaiderdawood@hotmail.com

sportOMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 810

NBA/football

MUSCAT: Asfandyar XI and

Master XI registered victories

in the NMC Cup cricket

tournament at the Athaiba

Cultural Grounds.

Asfandyar XI beat Ujwal XI by

seven wickets in the first match

while Master XI defeated DEGC

Xi by 12 runs in the second game

of the day. In the first match,

Ujwal XI batted first and posted

73/4 in eight overs and Arfat

topscored with a well-made 49.

Chasing 74 for victory,

Asfandyar XI coasted home in the

seventh over with seven wickets

in hand. Nadeem Jayasurya was

the star for Asfandyar scoring 42

runs. Brief scores: Ujwal XI: 73/4 in 8 overs (Arfat 49) lt to Asfandyar XI: 76/3 in 6.1 overs (Nadeem Jayasurya 42; Ali 3-20).

Master XI: 65/9 in 8 overs (Hari 16; Shahid 4-14, Waqas 4-6) bt DEGC XI: 53/7 in 8 overs (Faisal 35; Mehtab 3-11).

Asfandyar, Master XI register victories in NMC Cup

Fifa’s Infantino ‘relaxed’ ahead of World Cup in RussiaBERLIN: Fifa president Gianni

Infantino says he has seldom seen

a World Cup host as committed as

Russia is to make the tournament a

success.

“I have rarely been as relaxed

as now,” Infantino said, dismissing

political and other problems which

have made the World Cup in Russia

controversial, as he looked forward

to the tournament which begins next

week. When the 32-team 64-match

quadrennial event kicks off in Moscow

on June 14 the focus will be on football

rather than issues such as human rights,

doping or hooliganism, Infantino told

dpa and other international news

agencies.

Speaking in Zurich, Infantino said

ahead of his first World Cup as Fifa

president: “I am very happy about

what we can expect.

“Russia wants to prove to the world

at this World Cup that it is an open

country, where people can come,

where people can celebrate, football

can celebrate.

“Russia has a lot to offer — history,

culture. I have been organising

tournaments for 20 years now and

I have never experienced a country

which does as much to make fans

welcome, with the fan-ID, free visa,

free transport between and at venues

on match days.”

Infantino played down possible

problems during the tournament,

which is being played in 11 Russian

cities, with the final in Moscow on July

15.

“As far as Fifa is concerned, we

focus on football. It does not matter

to us,” he said in reference to political

issues, and possible boycotts by

international political figures opposed

to the policies of President Vladimir

Putin. “No, when the ball rolls, the

world will focus on football. Politics

does not have to worry us then. People

are happy when their team wins, they

are sad when it loses,” he said.

Following claims Russian

footballers were also affected in

investigations into state-sponsored

doping which followed the 2014 Sochi

Winter Olympics, Infantino said Fifa

had done “everything” with regards to

testing in cooperation with the World

Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“At the World Cup, all players are

tested, for blood and urine,” he said.

“All tests take place without the

influence of Russia. We’re doing

everything with added heightened

attention because of the situation in

the past.” Infantino said he did not

expect fan violence despite a problem

with hooliganism in Russia. Security

measures will be high and there was

good cooperation between police

forces of several countries.

“You cannot guarantee everything,

but I would not recommend anyone

going to to Russia with the intention of

making trouble,” he said.

Speaking on the rival bids to host

the 2026 World Cup by Morocco and

US-Mexico-Canada, Infantino said

the Fifa Congress meeting in Moscow

on June 13 will “take the decision

which is right for football.”

The process has followed the

recommendations of the Garcia

report which investigated corruption

allegations around the vote in 2010 by

the then Fifa executive committee to

award the 2018 World Cup to Russia

and 2022 to Qatar. “We are doing

everything transparently, everything

public,” Infantino said.

On the possibility of increasing

the number of finalists in Qatar

2022 from 32 to 48 teams, four years

before the 48-team 2026 World Cup,

Infantino said: “The South American

associations have made an interesting

proposal. We have to look at it.

“If the Congress so decides, then

it so decides. I find the proposal

interesting, but of course more teams

mean more stadiums, hotels. Is that

possible in Qatar? You have to look

at it.” Infantino is reportedly backing

a mysterious $25 billion offer from

investors for a reformed Club World

Cup with up to 24 teams and a new

global Nations League competition.

The plans have so far met stiff

resistance but Infantino said if people

feel changes are needed to the current

Club World Cup and Confederations

Cup “then we as Fifa will have to make

suggestions on how it would be better.”

— dpa

CLEVELAND: Defending champion

Golden State has seized command of

the NBA Finals as the series shifts to

Cleveland, where the Cavaliers must

continue their home playoff magic to

sustain any title hopes.

The Warriors, seeking their

third crown in four seasons, could

complete a sweep in the best-of-seven

showdown with road wins Wednesday

and Friday after taking a 2-0 edge with

a 122-103 home triumph on Sunday.

“I don’t think we’re close to our

ceiling, which is good for us,” said

Warriors forward Draymond Green.

“We can play so much better. We’re

going to need that going out on the

road.”

While the Cavaliers made the

greatest comeback in NBA Finals

history from 3-1 down to beat Golden

State in 2016, no team has ever rallied

from 3-0 down to win the title.

“We have to make sure that we

really bring it in game three because

that’s really the game right there,” Cavs

forward Kevin Love said. “This is a

team you don’t want to be down 0-3

against.”

The Cavaliers are 8-1 at home in

this year’s playoffs, losing only in their

first-round opener against Indiana.

“We feed off our crowd. We really

get up to play at home. We know that

come Wednesday we’re going to have

to be better,” Love said. “Just being in

front of our crowd will be huge for us.”

But the Cavaliers, facing Golden

State in the finals for the fourth year

in a row, are only 4-4 against the

Warriors at home in all finals.

“We have to do a better job at

home,” Cavs guard J R Smith said. “We

can’t keep taking positives from losses.

We’re doing some good things, but it’s

not translating into Ws so we’ve got to

figure it out.”

JAMES WANTS DISCOMFORT

The Cavaliers were the most recent

victims of an NBA Finals sweep, being

blanked by San Antonio in 2007 in the

first finals trip for LeBron James, now

playing in an eighth consecutive finals

and ninth overall.

“It sucks to lose, that’s for sure,

but it definitely won’t stop me from

preparing to be better,” James said.

“We’ve played some really good

basketball on our home floor. But that

shouldn’t give us any comfort. We

should still be uncomfortable.

“Just because we’re going home

doesn’t mean we can relax. This is the

last team in the world you want to

relax against.”

James won two titles with Miami

and achieved his goal of bringing a

crown to his home region, but the

four-time NBA Most Valuable Player

would fall to 3-6 in the finals with a

loss this year.

The Warriors have imposed

themselves upon the Cavs early and

see that as crucial for more success.

“We’ve got to come out with a

sense of urgency to start,” Warriors

forward Kevin Durant said. “They

have only lost one game so they are

very confident there. We’ve just got to

come out, stick to our game plan, keep

playing hard and we’ll be fine.”

Warriors won’t relax —

It will be hard for Golden State to

top game two, when Stephen Curry

sank a finals-record nine 3-pointers in

a 33-point effort.

“We had some slip-ups and things

we can correct going into game three,”

Curry said. “But the energy and effort

and physicality and all that from the

jump was pretty dialed in and it gave

us a lot of momentum and confidence.”

Warriors guard Klay Thompson,

playing despite a left ankle injury in

the opener, says Golden State has a

strong focus knowing the Cavaliers

rallied from 2-0 down to beat Boston

in the Eastern Conference finals.

“It’s nothing to feel happy about

being up 2-0,” Thompson said. “This

team plays great at home and we

expect their other guys to play even

better at home, too, not just LeBron,

so we’re not going to relax at all.”

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue

stressed the need for a body-banging

style from his squad.

“We have to start the game better,

being more physical,” Lue said. “It was

too easy for them. They ran around a

little too freely. They might get some

shots, but we’ve got to take away the

easy ones.” — AFP

Bank Muscat celebrates 44th Green Sports football field in Rustaq

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its vision ‘To serve you better, everyday’ and commitment to partnership in supporting youth and promoting Oman as a sporting nation, celebrated the inauguration of a football field developed as part of the Green Sports initiative in the Wilayat of Rustaq in South Batinah Governorate.

Dr Rashid Salim al Hajri, President of National Youth Committee, presented the 44th Green Sports football field to Al Hazim Sports Team in the presence of dignitaries and senior bank officials.

Addressing the gathering, Faiz al Ghafri, Al Ghashab Branch Manager, reiterated the bank’s support to develop modern sports infrastructure across the Sultanate, complementing government efforts in building a sporting nation. The Green Sports initiative benefiting communities, especially youth, is aimed at contributing to sustainable development and all-round progress in Oman, he added.

Saleh bin Mohammed al Kindi, President of Al Hazim Sports Team, said: “We are thankful to Bank Muscat for the Green Sports initiative, which has

made vital contributions to creating an environment encouraging Omani sports talents. The unique initiative is a big support for the country’s youth and we are confident that many youngsters will benefit from this programme and become sporting heroes for the country.”

Making significant contributions to sustainable development, the unique Green Sports CSR initiative aimed at promoting Oman as a sporting nation by greening and developing football fields has benefited a total of 93 sports teams across the country to date in the past seven years. During the past seven years, the programme has swept across the entire nation, reinforcing the bank’s leadership role in social responsibility and facilitating partnership between the government and the private sector for sustainable development and progress of Oman. The scope of Green Sports support for sports teams include greening of football fields with natural or synthetic turf, floodlights or water desalination equipment in areas facing problems of water salinity. Ensuring wider representation, the Green Sports support is extended to develop sustainable sports infrastructure in all parts of the Sultanate.

When the 32-team 64-match quadrennial event kicks off in Moscow on June 14 the focus will be on football rather than issues such as human rights, doping or

hooliganisminstitutions. GIANNI INFANTINO Fifa president

The Warriors seeking their third crown in four seasons, could complete a sweep in the best-of-seven showdown with road wins on Wednesday and Friday after winning on Sunday

Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) in action during game two of the 2018 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. — USA Today Sports

CAVALIERSface now-or-never home stand in NBA Finals

sportOMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 11

tennis

PARIS: Wherever he plays, Juan Martin

Del Potro is the nice guy the crowd likes

to back and it was the case again at the

French Open on Monday, when the

Argentine chanted ‘Allez Les Bleus’ after

beating big-serving John Isner to reach

the quarterfinals.

The fifth seed broke three times and

held serve throughout to claim a solid

6-4 6-4 6-4 victory, setting up a clash

with Croatian third seed Marin Cilic, an

opponent he knows well having beaten

him in 10 of their 12 meetings.

Against American Isner on Court

Suzanne Lenglen, Del Potro, who is also

one of the crowd darlings at the US Open

where he won his only Grand Slam title

in 2009, kept hearing an American fan

sing ‘USA, USA’.

“I love playing here in the USA,

USA!,” he joked on court.

He then sang ‘Allez Les Bleus’, a song

chanted by French team sports fans,

which triggered loud applause from the

local fans.

“There was this lady singing all the

time ‘USA, USA’, but we are in France so

since I know the (French) song I went for

it,” Del Potro, who is regarded as one of

the biggest threats to 10-time champion

Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, told

reporters.

“I returned very well, it was the key to

the match and I broke three times, I also

played well on the important points,”

said Del Potro, who throughout the

match heard parts of the crowd chant

‘USA, USA!”

“I have good fans in every tournament

and I like my connection with them, and

French fans know a lot about

tennis,” he added.

With no French player left

in the draw, Del Potro could

be aiming to become their

favourite.

“It is so special to get to

the quarter-finals here,

I’m having great days

in Paris and I’d like to

stay a few more days,”

he said.

On Wednesday,

he will take on

another big server

in Cilic, an

opponent he has

not lost against

since 2011.

“We have

played some great

matches in the past

and I know it is

going to be tough,”

he said.

“I will try to play a

similar match but he has o t h e r

weapons (than Isner), he has good shots

from the baseline and good shots down

the line.” — Reuters

‘Allez Les Bleus!’, Del Potro charms Paris crowd Argentina’s Juan

Martin del Potro celebrates after winning his fourth round match against John Isner of the US. — Reuters

sportWEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 | RAMADHAN 21, 1439 AH

editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.om

follow us @observersportz

American Serena Williams’

audacious attempt to win the

French Open for a fourth time

ended in crushing anti-climax on

Monday as injury, rather than an old

foe, forced the 36-year-old to admit

defeat at Roland Garros.

The scene had been set for Williams

in her “superhero” catsuit to take on

Russian ice queen Maria Sharapova in

a fourth-round clash that had assumed

top billing.

But shortly before the two old

warriors were due on court, the

23-times grand slam champion

stepped into a news conference room

to announce she was pulling out.

Williams, playing in her first

Grand Slam tournament since giving

birth to daughter Alexis Olympia

last September, said she had suffered

a pectoral muscle injury in her

impressive third- round victory

against Germany’s Julia Goerges.

“Unfortunately, I’m having some

issues with my pec muscle.

Right now I can’t actually serve it’s

kind of hard to play,” she told a room

packed with reporters.

“I’m having an MRI (scan)

tomorrow, I’m going to stay here to see

the doctors and see as many specialists

as I can. I won’t know (how serious the

injury is) until I get those results.”

Williams had worked hard to get

back in shape and, despite starting the

tournament with a notional ranking

of 451 and having played only four

matches this year, she actually looked

capable of going all the way.

AMERICAN SUPERHERO

Dressed in the black bodysuit with

a red band around the waist she

resembled a superhero — not just a

supermum — and was playing as if she

had never been away.

Williams beat Australian 17th

seed Ashleigh Barty in the second

round and turned on the style against

11th seed Goerges. However, on

Sunday she took part in a third-

round doubles match with sister

Venus, losing 6-4 6-7(4) 6-0

to Andreja Klepac and Maria

Jose Martinez Sanchez, and

apparently aggravated an injury

she had first felt the previous day.

With an 18-match winning streak

against twice French champion

Sharapova in her favour, Williams said

she was “beyond disappointed” not to

be able to play on Monday.

“I gave up so much to time with

my daughter and my family and put

everything on court for this moment,”

she said.

“It’s really difficult to be in this

situation, but... for now in my life,

I just always try to think positively

and just think of the bigger picture

and hopefully (I can play in) the next

events and the rest of the year.

“I’m going to continue to get better.

I had such a wonderful performance

in my first Grand Slam back.”

‘SPEEDY RECOVERY’

Five-times Grand Slam

champion Sharapova, who

despite her long run of defeats

by Williams, is still considered

an arch-rival, wished her nemesis a

“speedy recovery”.

“I was looking forward to my

match against Serena today and

am disappointed that she had to

withdraw,” the 28th seed said.

Sharapova, herself making a French

Open comeback after missing the

last two editions following a

doping ban, will face Garbine

Muguruza in the last eight.

Williams said the injury

something she had never had

before and that it was too early

to say whether she would be fit for

Wimbledon next month.

“I have pretty much had every

injury in the book. But this is a little

different and I’m clueless as to what to

do,” she said. “I’m just going to do what

the doctor thinks I should do.”

Former world number one Kim

Clijsters, who returned from having a

baby to win the US Open in 2009, said

injuries of this nature are to be expected

for new mums returning to sport.

“Pregnancy and birth is physically

very demanding and you deal with

new injuries that you are not used to,”

she told Eurosport.

“In the first part of my career I’d

have recurring injuries and then after

I had (daughter) Jada I had new

injuries.” The Belgian believes

Williams can still add to

her Grand Slam collection,

though.

“I think Serena can get close

to winning another Grand Slam. I

think it’s these kind of new situations

that she’ll go home and learn a lot

about how she is feeling,” Clijsters

added. — Reuters

AUDACIOUS FRENCH TITLE BID

I N J U R Y

I gave up so much to time

with my daughter

and my family and

put everything on court for this

moment. It’s really difficult

to be in this situation, but... for now in my

life, I just always try to think

positively and just think of the

bigger picture and hopefully

the next events and the rest of the year.

Oman tennis team gearing up for the Asian GamesSPORTS REPORTERMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Oman national tennis players have

started their preparations for the

Asian Games which will take place

in Jakarta next August. The Czech

coach, Mark Nerioda, the newly

appointed Oman national head

coach, started his first training

sessions recently with tennis players.

“Our preparation for the Asian

Games had started after completion

of the Davis Cup which was held

in the Sultanate last January. The

scheduled training plan, which is

prepared by the new coach, included

daily practices at tennis yard in

Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex

and participating in international

tournaments prior to the external

camp which is scheduled to take

part in August in Thailand,” Khalid

al Busafi, head of national teams

and coaches said.

Al Busafi pointed out that

Thailand was selected as the venue

for the external camp due to the

similarity of weather to Indonesia.

Young Shihab finishes 11th in F4 third round in Belgium

SPORTS REPORTERMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Oman’s talented Formula 4 racer

Shihab bin Ahmed al Habsi finished

at 11th place in the third round of

Formula 4 races at Spa circuit in

Belgium.

The young boy was driving for

the first time at this circuit under

very heavy rain. Shihab’s lack of

practice at the international circuits

was a factor in getting the result.

The lack of sufficient support

from the private sector has also been

hampering Shihab’s performances.

However, although Shihab started

the race at 15th place, the young

lad managed to finish by getting

11th place. Despite his position in

the race, Shihab gained experience

with his participation as he learnt

to employ the right strategy for

reducing the speed in the turnouts

and applying the breaks at the right

time in the right circuit. The fourth

round of the race will take part in

Orang circuit from July 13 to 16.

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 | RAMADHAN 21, 1439 AH

editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.omfollow us @oman_biz

MUSCAT STOCK

MARKET

CRUDE OIL PRICE

4,592.16Oman Crude $ 73.53Brent Crude $ 74.28Light Crude $ 64.52business

Contractors welcome late payment penalty clause in govt contracts

CONRAD PRABHUMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Oman’s beleaguered contracting

community, which has had to endure

lengthy delays in payments on

government contracts owing to the

challenging economic environment,

has broadly welcomed moves by

Sharakah — the Public Private

Partnership Taskforce — to ensure

that such companies are suitably

compensated for payment delays.

The Implementation Support

and Follow-up Unit (ISFU),

tasked with monitoring the timely

execution of initiatives proposed by

Sharakah, Tanfeedh (The National

Programme for Enhancing Economic

Diversification), and other economic

agencies, announced recently that

companies — contractors, vendors

and service providers alike — will

be eligible for compensation against

delays in settlements in government

contracts.

Sharakah, which has been set

up under the auspices of the Diwan

of Royal Court, had mooted the

inclusion of a clause in all unified

government contracts entitling firms

to fair recompense if they fail to

receive payments in a timely fashion.

“Many companies undergo

difficulties owing to late payments

made by government. By September

2016, Sharakah suggested the

inclusion of an article (one clause) in

all unified government contracts. The

clause gives the right for companies to

claim late payments penalties from the

government. The aim of this initiative

was to urge the government not to

delay the payments. The Ministry

of Finance aimed to complete the

objective of the initiative by April

2017,” the The Implementation

Support and Follow-up Unit (ISFU)

said.

“The inclusion of late payment

penalty clause in all five unified

government contracts was achieved

by May 2017,” the ISFU added in its

newly published Annual Report for

2017.

The announcement has been hailed

by the Oman Society of Contractors

(OSC), TURN TO PAGE 14

RELIEF MEASURE: Contractors, vendors and service providers will be eligible for compensation against delays in payments towards govt contracts

Shahswar al Balushi — CEO, OSC

CONRAD PRABHUMUSCAT, JUNE 5

A strategy for the privatisaion of a number of government-owned enterprises (GOEs) is expected to raise around RO 700 million over the next four years, according to the Implementation Support & Follow-Up Unit (ISFU) tasked with overseeing the timely execution of a large portfolio of economic initiatives.

Identified for initial privatisation are entities or subsidiaries that belong to GOEs such as Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), Oman Food Investment Holding Company (SAOC), Electricity Holding Company (Nama Group), Oman Global Logistics Group (ASYAD) and Oman Oil Company (OOC).

They are among some 70 government owned enterprises distributed across a number of economic sectors, some of which are deeded candidates for privatisation as part of a strategy to “improve their value

creation for the national economy”.According to ISFU’s Annual Report, a new privatisation

plan rolled out by the Ministry of Finance envisioned a role for government-owned holding companies in the development of this strategy. “As part of the plan, all holding companies had to submit their five-year privatisation plan to the Ministry of Finance for review. The plan laid out an aspirational target of RO 700 million for the value of GOEs transferred to private sector owners between 2017 and 2021,” the report said. TURN TO PAGE 14

Target to generate RO 700m via privatisation of state entities

LONDON: Rupert Murdoch faces a

22 billion pound ($29.3 billion) fight

with US cable company Comcast for

European pay-TV company Sky after

Britain cleared his bid providing he

sells off its TV news business.

A sale of Sky News to Disney or

another third party would be enough

to allay concerns over the 87-year-old

media mogul’s influence, Britain said

on Tuesday.

Murdoch’s Twenty-First Century

Fox launched a 10.75 pound-a-share

bid to buy all of Sky in December 2016,

but the takeover has been held up by

politicians and regulators who fear

it will give him too much sway when

combined with his newspaper interests.

Comcast took advantage of the

delay to make its own move on Sky,

with a 12.50 pounds-a-share bid in

April trumping the long-standing Fox

offer.

Shares in Sky were trading up 0.5

per cent at 13.55 pounds at 1510 GMT

on Tuesday, indicating that investors

think the drama has a long way to run.

Analysts at Credit Suisse said that

having pursued Sky for 16 months

through a long regulatory process, they

would expect Fox to make an increased

bid for Sky in excess of the Comcast

bid.

“In our view the Sky share price is

already anticipating such an outcome

with the shares closing on June 4 at

13.50 pounds, 8 per cent ahead of the

Comcast bid,” they said.

Even if Fox beats Comcast,

Murdoch’s control of the whole group

is unlikely to last long because he has

agreed to sell many of his TV and film

assets, including Sky, to Walt Disney

Co in a separate $52 billion deal.

Culture Secretary Matt Hancock

said Fox’s final proposal made to divest

Sky News to Disney, or to an alternative

suitable buyer, with funding secured

for at least 10 years, was likely to be

the best remedy for the public interest

concerns that had been identified.

But he said he needed to be sure that

Sky News remained financially viable

over the long term, was able to operate

as a major UK-based news provider

and was able to take its editorial

decisions independently. — Reuters

Britain clears way for Murdoch to battle Comcast for Sky

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 814

insideoman

BUSINESS ALERT

Al Ansari opens new branded showroom

MUSCAT: Al Ansari Trading Enterprise

LLC, one of Oman’s leading supplier for

premium brands of building materials is

expanding its network. A one stop branded

showroom was opened on May 3 at Mabellah

by their chief guest Shaikh Mohammed

bin Ramadan al Balushi, Majlis Ash’shura

Member — Al Amerat. Al Ansari Group of

Companies chairman Mohammed Ali Juma,

Group Managing Director Kiran N Asher,

Managing Director Yusuf Nalwala and other directors were present to grace

the occasion. The showroom is located in one of the fast developing regions of

Oman to cater to the customers with wide range of quality building materials

such as sanitaryware, tiles, water heaters, exhaust fans, security systems,

adhesives, grouts, waterproofing, copper tubes, pumps, etc.

“The opening of the Mabellah sales outlet is in line with the company’s

strategy of providing high quality materials at fair price to our valued customers.

Al Ansari believes in supporting the dynamic growth of Oman in the era of

Renaissance under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. We wish

to serve as many customers as possible to give them fair value and an enjoyable

experience in their commercial dealings with us,” the company said.

Own Baic SUV BJ40 4WD this Ramadhan

GULF Great Sands LLC, the exclusive

importer of Baic in Oman, has announced

attractive value for customers on Baic

BJ40’s four-door option SUV as part of

‘Time for More’ Ramadhan.

Customers of Baic BJ40 can now enjoy

an assured cash gift of RO 2,500 and low

monthly installment rate of RO 120 (terms

and conditions apply).Baic BJ40’s four-

door option SUV delivers excellent performance and stands out for its ability

to explore on-road and off-road terrains. The Baic ‘Time for More’ Ramadhan

offer promotion which has already begun will go on till June 22, 2018.

The offer, on the Baic BJ40’s four-door option SUV, includes attractive cash

gift, low monthly instalment, free fuel card, free first year registration, free first

year insurance (Oman and UAE), manufacturer’s warranty and free first year

24 hours roadside assistance. The offers, which vary across models, is subject

to terms and conditions and is applicable on models used for personal use only.

A GGS LLC spokesperson said, “BJ40’s four-door option SUV caters to the

customers looking for an SUV which is strong, simple and imposing. As part of

the Ramadhan offer, we are extending low monthly instalment and a valuable

assured cash gift amount to make the vehicle affordable for those aspiring to

own 4x4 vehicle.”

Ooredoo’s Head of Business graduates from National CEO Programme

CONTINUING with its commitment

to develop Omani talent, Ooredoo is

proud to announce the graduation of

Sultan bin Ahmed al Wahaibi, Ooredoo’s

Chief Business & Wholesale Officer

from the National CEO Programme. The

graduation ceremony, which took place

under the patronage of Sayyid Khalid bin

Hilal al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of

Royal Court, saw Ooredoo’s second family

member to graduate from the prestigious programme.

Ian Dench, Chief Executive Officer at Ooredoo said, “We are delighted

for Sultan having completed what is now well established as the programme

of choice for future CEOs. Ooredoo is dedicated to recruiting and retaining

talented Omanis, helping to fulfil their professional aspirations and

developing Oman’s future leaders.” A first-of-its-kind initiative, which

develops future Omani executives through a transformative learning

process, the National CEO Programme helps to build a network of current

and future CEOs within the private sector. The programme aims to invest

in Omanis who hold senior level positions, developing their leadership

skills, capabilities and experience and empowering them to transform

into visionary leaders and unlock the economic potential within Oman.

Fantastic benefits on Renault Talisman

RENAULT Oman, from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, has

announced an attractive offer on Renault Talisman as part of its exclusive

Ramadhan promotion for the benefit of its customers. Due to its turbocharged

engine Renault Talisman is a segment leader as far as low fuel consumption and

CO2 emissions are concerned. Emphatic styling; a spacious cabin; comfort-

enhancing innovations, low running costs and low fuel consumption figure are

among Talisman’s greatest attributes.

The Renault Ramadhan

promotion, which has already

begun, will go on till July 7, 2018.

Renault Oman’s unique Ramadhan

offer boasts of a host of benefits for

patrons purchasing their top selling

models as well as their latest models.

The scheme offers numerous

benefits for customers purchasing

Renault Talisman. As per the

Renault Oman special scheme, customers who buy Renault Talisman are

assured cash gift of RO 2,700, 0 per cent interest for up to three years or 1.99 per

cent for up to six years, assured gift through scratch and win, free registration,

three years/100,000 mileage warranty, periodic vehicle maintenance, free

insurance and AAA/ roadside assistance card. The offer is not applicable for

commercial vehicle/rent a car/ taxi/ driver trainer segment.

Lulu announces sixth Dream Drive winners

IT was yet another day of surprises for

many after Lulu announced the sixth

set of winners of its Dream Drive 2018

promotion. The eRaffle draw results

were announced on June 4, 2018 at the

Lulu Barka outlet.

To participate in the promotion,

customers have to just purchase

products worth RO10 at any of the

Lulu outlets and avail raffle coupons for lucky draws. There are two more lucky

draws, which will be held on June 13 and June 25. The lucky one to drive home

the sixth of the 8 Ford Expedition 4WDs was Sheikha al Dhamri. Forty other

winners also took home amazing gifts products from Ikon. Riyas Konnola won

the Ikon 55” Smart TV, Ionelia Catalina won the Ikon cooking range, Naseer

KV won the Ikon Refrigerator, Valiya Valappil took home the Ikon air cooler,

and Al Hadrami won the Ikon tab.

Shabeer KA, Regional Director — Oman, remarked, “We congratulate the

sixth set of winners of our Dream Drive promotion. We are thankful to all

our customers for their support to all our Ramadhan campaigns. We are truly

honoured to have made a difference to various sections of the society through

all our initiatives, highlighting the values of compassion and generosity, which

are the hallmarks of the holy month.” Lulu has launched various special offers

and promotions throughout the holy month, mainly focusing on essential food

products, while also covering other categories such as garments, household

goods, etc.”

Mazoon Dairy milk output to hit 200m litres by 2026BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Under 50 per cent of all adults and

children in Oman consume more than

two glasses of milk a day, a new survey

by Mazoon Dairy on World Milk Day

reveals

Only 44 per cent of all Omanis

and expatriates drink more than two

glasses of milk every day according

to a nationwide consumer survey

conducted by Mazoon Dairy to mark

World Milk Day on June 1.

The new survey was undertaken

by Mazoon Dairy, the flagship dairy

company of the Sultanate of Oman,

to assess dairy consumption habits in

Oman and identify gaps in the market.

The survey comes as construction

work continues at its site in Al

Sunayna with production earmarked

to commence before the end of 2018.

Researchers also found that only

one third of teenagers consumed

more than two glasses of milk per day,

indicating that there is a need for dairy

products that especially appealed to

their tastes and preferences to ensure

they benefit from the health and

nutrition fresh milk provides.

The nationwide survey assessed

consumption habits among Omanis

and expatriates in both urban and

rural locations in the Sultanate.

Commenting on the survey results,

Dr Arjun Subramanian from Mazoon

Dairy, said: “The findings from our

first ever survey on milk consumption

habits in the Sultanate clearly show

that there is a need for better quality,

more variety and more wholesome

and nutritious homegrown dairy

products.

“Children and adults are not

drinking as much milk as they should

either because of the lack of awareness

about the nutritional benefits of milk

or the lack of variety of dairy products.

The results show a need for education

and to encourage young people in

particular to drink more milk to help

with their nutritional requirements,

combat calcium deficiency and help

deliver the energy needed for an active

lifestyle.

“Mazoon Dairy is committed to

addressing this need when we launch

production by end of 2018 — and

our extensive portfolio of products

promises to appeal to every segment

of the population.”

Encouragingly however, the

survey found that parents are doing

everything they can to encourage their

children to drink milk. A majority of

parents said that they made it a point

to encourage their child to drink milk

either by pouring them a glass of milk,

substituting other beverages with milk,

or educating them about the benefits

of milk as an ingredient in other foods

like pancakes and cereals.

When it comes to overall tastes

and preferences, 79 per cent of non-

Arab expats polled indicated that

they preferred full cream fresh milk,

whereas only 54 per cent Omani

nationals were partial to this category.

More than half of all respondents

said that they preferred low fat

fresh milk, which is in keeping with

market demands for healthier dairy

alternatives.

The survey also found that

consumption of milk in the rural areas

was slightly higher than in the urban

areas, with 82 per cent of people in

rural Oman consuming milk more

regularly compared to 72 per cent in

the urban centres. The popularity of

long life and UHT milk is also fairly

evenly distributed, with 22 per cent

consuming products in the urban

areas and 20 per cent in the rural areas

respectively.

Meanwhile when purchasing milk,

the nutritional value of milk and the

added benefits of calcium emerged as

the most important reasons to buy,

followed by consistent taste, shelf life,

availability of low fat options and wider

choice. Price, easy availability and

locally-sourced products also emerged

as important purchase drivers.

Dr Arjun added, “Mazoon Dairy

was established to introduce a healthy

lifestyle among all people, meet the

nutritional needs of children and

adults in Oman, and combat Vitamin

D deficiency in the country and the

region.

“Our ultimate goal is to produce

over 200 million litres of milk by 2026,

which will contribute to achieving

self-sufficiency, and ensure the

sustained growth of the domestic food

production sector in the country and

play a vital role in enhancing food

security within the Sultanate.”

SURVEY FINDINGS: There is a need for better quality, more variety and more wholesome and nutritious homegrown dairy productsTHE SURVEY ALSO FOUND

THAT CONSUMPTION OF MILK IN THE RURAL AREAS WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN IN THE

URBAN AREAS, WITH 82 PER CENT OF PEOPLE

IN RURAL OMAN CONSUMING MILK MORE REGULARLY COMPARED TO 72 PER CENT IN THE

URBAN CENTRES

MSM trading value rises by 24.5pc

BUSINESS REPORTERMUSCAT, JUNE 5

Muscat Securities Market (MSM)

general index 30 yesterday added

7.21 points, comprising a rise by 0.16

per cent to close at 4,592.16 points,

compared to the last session, which

stood at 4,584.95 points.

The trading value yesterday

stood at RO 2,655,795, comprising

a rise by 24.5 per cent compared to

the last session, which stood at RO

2,133,063.

The report released by MSM

pointed out that the market value

rose by 0.010 per cent to reach about

RO 17.53 billion.

The report added that the value

of shares bought by non-Omani

investors reached RO 356,000

comprising 13.42 per cent.

The value of shares sold by non-

Omani investors reached RO 714,000

comprising 26.88 per cent. The net

non-Omani investment declined by

13.46 per cent to RO 357,000.

Contractors welcome late payment penalty clause in govt contractsFROM PAGE 13

the accredited grouping of

contracting services providers in the

Sultanate.

“If this measure comes through,

it will be very good news for the

contractors,” said Shahswar al Balushi,

Chief Executive Officer of OSC.

“It promises to bring fairness to

contractual obligations (between the

client and the contractor),” he noted.

The Society has been at the

forefront of parleys with the

government in alleviating the impacts

of lengthy delays in the settlement

of arrears owed to contracting firms.

Those delays, according to Al Balushi,

have contributed to significant

liquidity challenges for some of OSC’s

members.

“Compensation is fair because

the contractors, requiring to ensure

enough cash flow, are forced to

borrow from local banks, which

inevitably costs them interest.

In contracts, there is a provision

stipulating that the client has to pay

compensation if there are delays in

payments — which has not been

followed,” he said.

The arrears, according to

the official, are primarily due to

procedural and bureaucratic delays.

“When a contractor completes a

section of his job, he raises an invoice

to the client, who then certifies the

invoices and inputs a computer

number in the system of the Ministry

of Finance.

The Ministry settles the amount

once this process is completed —

usually within 30-60 days. Problems

usually occur when the client delays

the certification of the invoice for a

variety of reasons — some legitimate,

others not so legitimate — leading to

the holdup of payments.”

Some delays also occur if monthly

quotas for disbursement of funds

allocated by the Finance Ministry for

each month are exhausted quickly, he

further explained.

“Thus if the client exhausts its

quota for that month, the client is

unable to certify any new invoices,

much like how banks will not accept

payments for accounts that show a

debit. These are some of the challenges

that contractors face in getting their

payments on time.”

Target to generate RO 700m via privatisation of state entitiesFROM PAGE 13

It noted that a committee to supervise the privatisation of the government owned enterprises has since been established. ASYAD — the holding company of government stakes in various port, free zone and logistics related enterprises — has already submitted its privatisation plan.

So have Oman Food Investment Holding Company (OFIC), which is the government’s food sector investment arm, and Oman Oil Company, which have identified subsidiaries to be privatised. As for Nama Group, a privisatisation strategy has already been endorsed by the Council of Ministers, it said. “The direction for 2018 is to have all the privatisation plans related to the GOEs received by the ministries,” the report added.

businessOMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 15international

Britain sells slice of RBS for £2.5bnLONDON: Britain’s government on

Tuesday said it had sold a small chunk

of state-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland

for more than £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion),

albeit at a loss.

Britain on Monday resumed

privatisation of the Royal Bank of

Scotland, which at the height of the

global financial crisis a decade ago

underwent the world’s biggest bailout

by taxpayers.

The Conservative government headed

by Prime Minister Theresa May has sold

a 7.7 per cent stake in RBS, leaving it

still with a majority holding of 62.4 per

cent, much of which it plans to offload

through to 2023.

“Over £2.5 billion worth of

government-owned RBS shares

were sold last night as part of the

government’s policy to return the bank

to private ownership,” the Treasury said

in a statement.

A total of 925 million shares were

each sold for £2.71.

However, this was at a total loss

of £2.1 billion, with the government

having spent about £5.0 per share in

a rescue costing the taxpayer £45.5

billion.

“If the rest of the government stake is

sold at a similar price then the total loss

comes to something in the region of £21

billion,” said Michael Hewson, market

analyst at CMC Markets UK.

The government noted however

that the sale would help to reduce the

country’s mountain of debt.

“This sale represents a significant

step in returning RBS to full private

ownership and putting the financial

crisis behind us,” finance minister

Philip Hammond said in the statement.

“The government should not be in

the business of owning banks.

“The proceeds of this sale will go

towards reducing our national debt —

this is the right thing to do for taxpayers

as we build an economy that is fit for the

future,” Hammond said.

The government had decided in 2015

to start selling a chunk of its stake but

the plan was carried out only partially

owing to the lender’s low share price.

“I am pleased that the government

has decided the time is now right to

restart the share sale process,” said RBS

chief executive Ross McEwan.

It “reflects the progress we have

made in building a much simpler, safer

bank that is focused on delivering for its

customers and its shareholders.”

Since then, the Edinburgh-based

lender has posted its first annual

bottom-line profit since 2007 following

a huge drop in litigation costs.

RBS was fined $4.9 billion last

month by the US Justice Department

over its role in the sub-prime housing

crisis but much of the cost had already

been set aside, while the total was less

than expected.

“From racking up circa £50 billion

in losses in ten years due in large part

to mega restructuring charges and

impairment charges, the bank has

turned a corner,” said Markets.com

analyst Neil Wilson.

Britain is meanwhile aiming to sell

two-thirds of its RBS stake for roughly

£15 billion over a five-year period.

Shares in RBS slid 3.5 per cent

to 271.20 pence on Tuesday’s news

to trade around the level of the sale

price. — AFP

Oil rises on expected drop in stockpileSEOUL: Oil prices rebounded

on Tuesday on expectations

that inventories in the United

States may decline, but

increasing US production and

concerns that Opec may raise

output continue to weigh on

sentiment.

Brent crude futures added

25 cents, or 0.33 per cent, to

$75.53 a barrel by 0717 GMT,

after settling down 2 per cent

at $75.29 on Monday.

US West Texas

Intermediate (WTI) crude

was up 44 cents, or 0.68 per

cent, at $65.19 a barrel.

It finished the previous

session 1.6 per cent lower at

$64.75.

“It’s all about supply,

whether it’s Opec raising

output or US increasing

production, all roads lead

to higher global oil supplies,

which is leaving oil traders

shaking in their boots,”

said Stephen Innes, head of

trading for Asia-Pacific at

futures brokerage OANDA in

Singapore.

Technical analyst Wang

Tao said Brent may test a

support at $75.05 a barrel,

while WTI may test a support

zone of $64.33-$64.41.

“The gains are seen to be

a technical rebound from

the last session’s losses, but

the market’s focus is on the

Opec meeting and how much

Saudi Arabia and Russia

would increase output,” said

Kim Kwang-rae, commodity

analyst at Samsung Futures in

Seoul.

The Organization of

the Petroleum Exporting

Countries (Opec) is due to

meet in Vienna on June 22

to decide whether the group

and non-Opec producers,

including Russia, will raise

output to ease concerns over

potential supply shortfalls

from Iran and Venezuela.

— Reuters

SYDNEY: A German investment

company said on Tuesday it would

strip two unwanted Airbus A380

superjumbo passenger jets for parts

after failing to find an airline willing to

keep them flying following a decision

by Singapore Airlines to return them

to their owner.

The decision by Dortmund-based

Dr Peters Group deals a fresh blow to

the European planemaker’s efforts to

maintain market interest in the double-

decker jet, barely 10 years after it went

into service, hailed by politicians as a

proud European symbol.

Despite its ample space and

excellent reviews for a quiet cabin,

demand for the 544-seat jet has

crumbled as airlines ditch the

industry’s largest four-engined aircraft

in favour of smaller but ultra-efficient

twin-engined models.

Singapore Airlines launched

A380 services in December 2007, but

returned the first two aircraft to their

German financiers some 10 years later

after deciding not to extend their lease.

The two discarded aircraft were

flown to Tarbes in the French Pyrenees

to be stored, and since then their fate

has been uncertain as their owner

looked in vain for other takers.

“After extensive as well as intensive

negotiations with various airlines

such as British Airways, HiFly and

IranAir, Dr Peters Group has decided

to sell the aircraft components and

will recommend this approach to

its investors,” the company said in a

statement.

The planes will not be scrapped

entirely, but their huge frames will be

combed for valuable components such

as landing gears and electronics, a Dr

Peters official said.

Their engines are still useful

and have been leased back to their

manufacturer Rolls-Royce for use as

spares. Dr Peters aims to extend this

arrangement, the official added.

US company VAS Aero Services

will be responsible for extracting and

selling parts, but will do so in Tarbes.

Dr Peters said the deal would yield

a positive result for equity investors

in the jets. It operates a number of

boutique funds said to be targeted at

well-off German retail investors.

The planes now in the mortuary

are not typical of models in service,

experts caution. Early examples of a

new type tend to be less efficient and

Singapore Airlines recently ordered

some new A380s. However, overall

demand is thin and Airbus recently

agreed to cut production while

renewing a search for new buyers.

— ReutersGeneral view shows an Airbus A380 at the final assembly line at Airbus headquarters in Blagnac near Toulouse, France. — Reuters

SYDNEY: Air traffic control

strikes are more of a threat to

European airlines this year than

a rise in fuel prices, the chief

executive of British Airways-

owner IAG said on Tuesday

Global airlines have slashed

their forecast for industry profits

in 2018 due to a spike in fuel

costs, but in Europe, there is an

additional threat to profits from

the cost of flight cancellations

associated with air traffic control

(ATC) strikes.

“From a European context,

the thing most impacting is ATC

strikes and the ongoing ATC

environment which is a mess,”

IAG CEO Willie Walsh told the

CAPA-Centre for aviation summit

in Sydney.

“It’s destroying traffic through

Europe.”

European airline industry body

A4E has estimated the economic

cost of ATC strikes in the

European Union was 13.4 billion

euros ($15.7 billion) between 2010

and 2017.

Ryanair, a rival European

airline, said earlier on Tuesday that

ATC strikes and shortages caused

it to cancel 1,100 flights in May

compared with 43 in the same

month last year.

“It’s really a significant issue.

We thought it would get better in

2018 but it’s getting worse,” the

CEO of IAG said.

France has been a particular

problem area for airlines, where

public sector workers have staged

a series of protests over the

government’s economic reforms.

IAG’S airlines, which also

include Iberia, Aer Lingus and

Vueling, are having to spend more

on fuel to travel via alternative

routes to bypass French airspace,

Walsh said.

“We end up paying

compensation to customers. It’s

completely outside our control,”

he added, saying millions of

passengers were affected and it

cost airlines tens of millions of

pounds.

Walsh said that because IAG

was hedged for this year, he wasn’t

as concerned about fuel prices for

2018, but the higher prices would

be a challenge for 2019. — Reuters

Air traffic strikes bigger threat than fuel prices

Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG speaks at the IATA meeting in Dublin. — AFP

Sharp to buy Toshiba PC business, issue $1.8 billion in new sharesTOKYO: Japan’s Sharp Corp said

it will buy Toshiba Corp’s personal

computer business and issue

$1.8 billion in new shares to buy

back preferred stock from banks,

highlighting a swift recovery under

the control of Foxconn.

The acquisition of the PC business

for $36 million marks a return by

Sharp to a market it quit eight years

ago, even if its comparatively low cost

underscores dwindling demand in a

world where many consumers spend

more money on their smartphones.

The Osaka-based electronics maker

will be able to use the scale of parent

Foxconn, the world’s biggest contract

manufacturer, to produce PCs more

cheaply - just as it has done with TVs.

“Foxconn is a PC contract

manufacturer and has a great deal of

expertise and production capacity,”

said Hiromi Yamaguchi, senior

analyst at Euromonitor International.

“This acquisition will prove a

further catalyst for more Sharp and

Foxconn synergies.”

Sharp said it will take an 80.1

per cent stake in Toshiba’s PC unit

on October 1, and will retain its

Dynabook brand.

Toshiba, which launched the

world’s first laptop PC in 1985, sold

17.7 million PCs at its peak seven

years ago.

That has shrunk to just 1.4 million

units last year.

Bought by Foxconn, known

formally as Hon Hai Precision

Industry Co Ltd, two years ago, Sharp

recently posted its first annual net

profit in four years, helped in large

part by cost cuts but also by Foxconn’s

sales network in China.

Sharp said it was buying back the

preferred shares, which were issued

to banks in a return for a financial

bailout, to reduce high interest

payments.

Although the new issue will result

in dilution of more than 10 per cent,

it is not expected to be as great as any

potential dilution that could have

resulted had the preferred shares been

converted into regular stock.

Shares in Sharp pared steep losses

after the share issue news to close 4

per cent lower, giving it a market value

of around $12.8 billion.

Sharp was once known as a

major supplier of high-end TVs and

smartphone displays but struggled to

compete with Asian rivals before it

was bought by Foxconn.

It is now seeking to get back the

license of the Sharp brand for TVs in

North America it previously sold to

China’s Hisense Group.

Embattled conglomerate Toshiba

sold its television business to Hisense

and its white-goods business to

China’s Midea Group as it scrambled

for funds to cover billions of dollars in

liabilities arising from now-bankrupt

US nuclear unit Westinghouse.

The $18 billion sale of its chips

business to a group led by US

private equity firm Bain Capital was

completed last week.

Toshiba outsourced PC production

until 2015, and currently builds PCs at

its own plant in China. — Reuters

A woman walks past a logo of Sharp at the CEATEC Japan 2017 in Chiba. — AFP

Spurned by airlines, first A380s to be stripped for parts

TOKYO: Kobe Steel Ltd said on Tuesday it had been raided by Japanese regulators over a data tampering scandal revealed last year which had continued for almost 50 years.

Prosecutors and police searched its headquarters in Tokyo and Kobe, western Japan, as well as other facilities on suspicion that the firm violated a law aimed at preventing unfair competition, local media reported.

“We have been subject to a raid since this morning and we are sincerely responding (to the regulators),” a Kobe Steel spokesman said, adding that the firm could not give any further comment.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office and the Metropolitan Police Department declined to comment on the investigation.

Kobe Steel, which supplies steel and aluminium parts to manufacturers of cars, planes and trains around the world, has admitted to supplying products with falsified specifications to more than 600 customers and admitted the data fraud has been going on for nearly five decades.

In April, Japan’s third-biggest steel-maker said it was under investigation by Japanese authorities over its data falsification, widening a scandal that undermined faith in Japan’s industrial sector last year.

The latest raid comes as part of that investigation. Kobe Steel is also the subject of a US Justice Department probe. — Reuters

IN BRIEF

Japan regulators raid Kobe Steel over data tampering

A woman uses RBS Automated Teller Machine to withdraw money in Edinburgh, Scotland. — Reuters

A man returns a gas nozzle at a gas station in Riyadh. — AFP

ONE

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editor@omanobserver.om www.omanobserver.om

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 | RAMADHAN 21, 1439 AH

CLASSIFIED SECTIONRUWI

: 24785668/ 99841230Behind Royal Oman Police,Adjacent to Dhofar Building,

Ruwi.

· · · · ·FLAT

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99370300.· · · · ·

· · · · ·DARSAIT, near Indian School

Al Khuwair near Rawasco

Al Ghubrah near Mars Hypermarket,

AC.

Al Ghubrah near Indian School

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FLAT

A

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NEW

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A

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CLASSIFIED SECTION: Saada al Rashdi: 95919344Ali al Maashari: 99639264 ali.almashari@omandaily.omMohammed al Rashdi: 99841230 m.alrahdi86@yahoo.com DIRECT: 24649595 — FAX : 24649590

For Rent For Rent

For Rent

Rent a Car

Buttercup Rent A Car

AMAZING OFFERS

972494490.· · · · ·

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RENTING & LEASINGTours and Airport Transfer

Tel: 24582663GSM: 95859497,Fax: 24582664,

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coaches

Land and air trips weekly.

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Umrah/HajFREE

INFORMATION

ABOUT ISLAMIf you would like to know more

about Islam, please

call: Tel : 99425598,

99250777,99353988, 99253818, 99341395, 99379133, For ladies: 99415818,

99321360, 99730723Or visit:

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Available onUNBEATABLE PRICES

HP2130 3 in 1 Printer

RO 10.900 only

All Cartridges also available

on UNBEATABLE prices

AII HP, Epson, Canon,Lexmark, Samsung Cartridges also available

COMPUTER SUPPLIESRuwi: 24792-792

comsuply@omantel.net.om

· · · · ·

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· · · · ·

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· · · · ·

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Matrimony

NEW

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LLC

· · · · ·

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99070093.

· · · · ·

AC

· · · · ·

Services

1.

2.

3.

4.

· · · · ·LLC

· · · · ·

VILLAS

96596348.

· · · · ·

For Sale/Rent

· · · · ·

WANTED

· · · · ·

For Rent

Lost Buying

AL

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

79033790.

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

· · · · ·

B.TECH civil engineer with post graduate degree in structural engineering from UK, 2 years experience in Oman with driving licence. Contact

95525925. · · · · ·INDIAN male, MBA Finance with 5 years of experience in Investment Banking, Fund management, capital markets, Equity funds, Hedge funds, Mutual funds, Accounting and Financial consultant with good communication skills, seeks suitable placement. Now available on visit visa in Muscat.

93129561/95755620. jaison.vincent1389@gmail.com· · · · ·EXPERIENCE at plumbing, maintenance, decor and installing ceramic.

96191837/ Abu Al Hussain 98937266. · · · · ·A DRIVER looking for a job in any company. Noveal Karoth 93243853.· · · · ·INDIAN male, MBA, 10 years Oman experience in marketing and sales of IT products. Seeks suitable placement. 92696973. Email: nvten2017@gmail.com· · · · ·INDIAN male B.Com 10 years Purchase/ Procurement (construction) Experience in Oman with valid D/L and NOC. Looking for suitable position. E-mail: snnkurian@gmail.com

95131814/96574390. · · · · ·

HR and Admin. Omani Female professional with 12 years experience in handling recruitment, employee life cycle, PASI, PACP, MoM related works. Contact

91888363.

· · · · ·

OMAN Flour Mills Co. (SAOG) invites quotations from experienced companies for the below mentioned works at our mill premises at Jibroo, Muscat.

* Construction of rest rooms at our feed mill for more information, please contact our purchase department at the address shown below.

Oman Flour Mills Co. (SAOG)

P.O.Box 566m Ruwi—112

Jibroo, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

24717261/99102809.

E-mail: tender2@

Last date for submission of yours offer will be Thursday, 14th June 2018

· · · · ·

INDIAN B.Com, 17 years experience in Oman. 10 years construction industry procurement, store, accounts, admin and logistic, valid D/L and NOC. Email: snnbkurian@gmail.com

95131814, 96574390, seeks opportunities.

· · · ·

I AM looking for work and have experience in plumbing, maintenance work, decor, tiles and interlock works.

9619837, 98937266.

· · · · ·

A YOUNG Indian, Gold’s

Fitness Trainer is looking for placement. He holds BLS, CPR and AED skills. Contact

98270993.

· · · · ·

SUDANESE, BA in English + Celta, more than 20 years experience in teaching English and more than 10 years in translation (all in Oman), looking for a job in one of the mentioned

95524885.

· · · · ·

B.TECH mechanical engineer with postgraduate degree from UK, having 5 years experience in Oman in estimation, planning, project execution & marketing, valid Omani driving licence, seeking for good opportunity. 91162085.· · · · ·INDIAN male, electronics and communication engineer with automation knowledge and having Oman experience on electro chlorination system, dataloggers and irrigation controllers and system. Looking for any suitable job. NOC available and ready to join immediately.

91472173, · · · · ·A DRIVER with driving licence issued 5 years ago, light driver + heavy driving licence. 92169686 Mohammed Islam.· · · · ·INDIAN, male, 14+ years experience in physical security solutions (CCTV, ACS etc), ready with D/L, NOC/local transfer.

95779686· · · · ·MA, economics, social science, BEd, IELTS, female looking for suitable job.

93982343, 99898263, SheenammaSiju@gmail.com· · · · ·SRI LANKAN, apartment manager, with several years of experience (more than 10 years in Oman-Sur), looking for suitable placement. Contact 92084552.· · · · ·AN with 35 years experience of import, export, trading and mining in UAE, Oman and Kenya on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact:

93121505.· · · · ·I AM searching for sales manager or accountant position. 7 years experience in sales and accounting with valid 2 years visa. Syed Ikram +968 90165754· · · · · INDIAN male (38), looking for suitable job in senior technical position. Experienced in Physical security solutions (cctv, Acs etc) and able to design/ maintain/co-ordinate high-end system. Contact

95726788.· · · · ·

ELECTRICAL engineer, NEED driving job, 6 years experience in Oman, speaking language English, Hindi and Arabic.

996144041/ 99803431.

· · · · ·

B. Tech mechanical engineer with postgraduate degree from UK, having 5 years experience in Oman in estimation, planning, project execution and marketing. Valid Omani driving licence, seeks opportunity. 91162085.

· · · · ·

MALE, 15 years Oman

and cleaner, looking for suitable position. NOC and local release available.

96315843/ 94028302.

· · · · ·

INDIAN male 30 years master of engineering VLSI design 4 years experience as assistant professor in electronics and communica-tion engineering depart-ment on visit visa seeking job in engineering colleges and schools. 99639965, 93310197.

· · · · ·

PAKISTANI light duty driver, 7 years experience in Oman, seeks job. Contact

96551602.· · · · ·INDIAN female, 25, B.Sc nursing, MBA, 4 years expe-rience in advanced cardio-vascular life support, 63 per cent in Oman Prometric. Presently in Oman on visit visa. 94926358· · · · ·INDIAN female architect with 6 months professional Gulf experience +10 months internship done. Looking for suitable placement. Please contact 95471174 · · · · ·INDIAN male B.Com 10 years Purchase/ Procurement (construction) Experience in Oman with valid D/L and NOC. Looking for suitable position. E-mail: snnkurian@gmail.com

95131814/96574390. · · · · ·INDIAN male, MBA, 10 years Oman experience in marketing and sales of IT products. Seeks suitable placement. 92696973. Email: nvten2017@gmail.com· · · · ·A YOUNG Indian, Gold’s

Fitness Trainer is looking for placement. He holds BLS, CPR and AED skills. Contact

98270993.· · · · ·

OMANDAILYOBSERVER 17W E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8

classifieds

Construction Co. requires Electrical Manager, graduate in electrical engineering with 15+ years experience (3+ years experience in managing overall projects). Interested candidates send CV to : tariqalimohd@gmail.com· · · · ·

WANTED experienced accountant with GCC driving

and Arabic for car showroom. Contact: 96660033, 97755588.· · · · ·A WELL reputed decoration company is looking for a hard working, honest and enthusiastic sales manager age 29-37 years, education: graduate, MBA will be preferred. Experience: 3-4 years in the similar capacity. Skill required: Good communication, interpersonal relationship with customer and team, should be self motivated, punctual, energetic and be able to work under pressure. Company offers: Competitive package includes, attractive salary, commission, incentives, insurance, cell phone and travelling expenses and company maintained car send CV by email: be_different_s@hotmail.com· · · · ·REQUIRED counter sales staff for building and carpentry material shop with two to three years experience at Wadi Kabir, contact

97914594.· · · · ·SENIOR Civil Engineer

Graduate in Civil Engineering with 10 years experience in the relevant

experience.) Only preferable if having NOC/release letter.

Interested candidates send resume to: hr@aljood-oman.com Fax: 24437007.· · · · ·REQUIRED Marketing/PR Manager for a modern restaurant group in Oman.

Photoshop. Charismatic, Proactive, creative and

editing skills. Degree in relevant area. Fluent in English. Send CV to marketingpr2016@gmail.com· · · · ·THE White Pearl Enterprises urgently need experienced beautician lady & henna artist for a beauty salon in Bausher. They should be honest and hardworking. Limas. Beauty Centre. If you are interested, 99350707 or 99250707.· · · · ·

GRADUATE salesperson required for a high-end

English. Previous experience is a privilege. Send CV to hena 82@hotmail.com · · · · ·GENERAL Nurse 24540056, e-mail: alexcenter@live.com

· · · · ·

A NURSE required with experience to work in a School, spoken English and Arabic.

92297695,92742116, 24797116.

· · · · ·

LEADING National Construction Company in Oman, urgently requires Planning Engineer

and 5-10 years of experience. Send CV thru: annan.srinivas9@gmail.com

· · · · ·

HIGH Pressure Trading for

Accounts Clerk and PRO with one or two years experience in Sohar kindly send your CV with

eim.ae

· · · · ·

looking for Interior & 3D Visualisation Designer. Experience:5 years. E-mail CV to: info@epcoman.com

· · · · ·

LOOKING for salesman to work in printing press. Contact:

92673716.

· · · · ·

WANTED expat with at least a diploma in accounting or

with at least 3 years of experience in a construction company working in GCC. To apply email your CV to: abdullah.be-different-s@hotmail.com

· · · · ·

URGENTLY required Expatriate Heavy Duty Drivers, J CB Operators with valid Omani licence. Send your CV to gdsoman@gdsoman.com. Contact: 99890076, 93894018, Fax: 24590866.

· · · · ·

CONSTRUCTION Co requires Operations Manager, gradu-ate in civil engineering with 15+ years experience (3 years experience in managing overall projects). Interested candidates send CV to: tariqalimohd@gmail.com

· · · · ·

CATERING Supervisor, Diploma in Catering or Five years experience in food related job. Fluent in English language is must. Contact 99428310. alshehisons@yahoo.com · · · · ·URGENTLY required electrician with electrical licence (DCRP). Omani or expatriate (3 years ex-perience). Contact 99337587, 99043127, 99348493.· · · · ·A REPUTABLE real estate and construction company looking for an experienced Civil Project Engineer. Submit your CV to dapco@dapcooman.com· · · · ·REQUIRED Gulf experienced Aluminium Fabricators for

95060980. · · · · ·WE are looking for Salesman in paint division as well as material division. Kindly send your CVs to the following e-mail: woejordan@gmail.com, mohansinghsoor@gmail.com.

+968-93502050, 93206636· · · · ·

Situation Vacant Situation Vacant

URGENTLY required beautician. Visa will be provided. Contact

94939252.

· · · · ·

REQUIRED HSE with 3 years

experience for reputed electrical company

Management Safety, NEBOSH or OSHA —30 hours. Send the CV to: rashid.engineer@hotmail.com· · · · ·

FEMALE NURSE required for Dental Centre in Muscat, experience of 2+years with MoH licence. Send CV to: greenhealth2018@gmail.com Contact

22063849.

· · · · ·

A LEGAL translation

Marketeers. Contact E-mail: oman4n@gmail.com

· · · · ·

Situation Wanted Situation Wanted Situation Wanted

INDIAN male with 2 years experience as project engineer in Oman with valid Omani driving licence. Currently on visit visa. Please contact 98067184.

· · · ·

CIVIL engineer, excellent spoken and written English, 26 years, 3 years total experience, DL and NOC available (Arabic origin). Please contact

95432250.

· · · ·

For Sale For Sale For Sale

WE have 12 Nos of Portacabins of different size/ partitions in good condition for sale, available immediately at 3 site at Al Hail, Suwaiq and Liwa. Contact: 99844757, 92311766.· · · · ·INDUSTRIAL land for sale. Area of 20,500 square metres in the Rusayl area, Price RO 70/- per square metre 99369192.· · · · ·WE have tourism, residential, commercial lands and farms existing in large areas in Muscat and Barka and over looking directly on the beach. We also have rented and non-rented buildings

purposes. 94380002.· · · · ·

PICK-UPS, Double Cabin, Buses, Cranes, Primover & Trailers. 99465358 & 99454660.

· · · · ·

behind GUtech is offered for sale. The land enjoys a permit for twin-villa.

2) A LAND is for sale in Al Maabela 8 owner.

95959166.

· · · · ·

RESTAURANT in an excellent location in Salalah with equipment and workers. 93397812.

· · · · ·WE supply quantities of excellent mountainous soil in Bausher (suitable for

99242445, 99327939.· · · · ·

A SHOWROOM in Al Qurum in strategic location with extravagant interior design on 280 sqm is offered for sale at RO 25,000.

92470024.· · · · ·

HOUSE for sale in Wadi Udai for RO 27,000 (neg).

99462401/ 99243291.

· · · · ·

FOR sale industrial land in the area at Rusail area 20500 meter, price per square meter RO 70. 99369192.· · · · ·TOYOTA Avalon. 2003 model in good condition, registration valid up to June 2018, driven by a lady. Only serious buyers please contact. 98192770.· · · · ·FOR sale: Extravagant and furnished residences for female students in Al Khuwair, Al Mawaleh and Al Khoudh along with all assets.

99001332.· · · · ·

A RESIDENTIAL land in Al Athaiba. Close to the sea, 850 sqm.

94380002.· · · · ·DIESEL Tanker, 1,600 gallon Volvo, 1987.

92836774.· · · · ·

Renowned GSA for reputed Airlines has vacancies for the following positions:Sales Executives:The ideal candidate must be a graduate or IATA qualified, having

A minimum of 3 years’ experience in Airline/Travel Agency Sales — with Agents, Corporates and Ministries A valid Omani driving licence Excellent communication skills (English) spoken and written

Interested candidates may please apply to:

jobseekersmarch2018@gmail.com on or before 31st March, 2018.

SITUATION VACANT

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Our offer to study English in different countries as following:1. UK (GB)4 weeks: from 550 rials8 weeks: from 995 rials12 weeks: from 1,440 rials24 weeks: from 2,835 rials2. USA (US)4 weeks: from 1,310 rials8 weeks: from 2,585 rials3. NEW ZEALAND4 weeks: from 840 rials8 weeks: from 1,500 rialsThe package includesTuition fees, accommodation,prices subject to change, Register now.For visa information please contact us. For more information

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LOOKING for suitable placement, Indian female, Master in computer application with 11 years of experience in data warehousing, Teradata and date modelling looking for suitable placement in Muscat. (91192543. E-mail: priyakthomas@gmail.com

· · · · ·

EXPERIENCED driver on valid visa requires suitable related jobs. Available immediately. Speaks Arabic, Hindi,

Contact 71762319, 97741632.

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SUDANESE male available in Muscat,

Arabic and English, has BSC in business administration, 7 years of experience (sales and marketing) in leading multinational companies. Driving licence. 94968209.

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SUDANESE male available in Muscat,

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Announcement

Manpower

MANPOWER from Philippines. WhatsApp:

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CLASSIFIED SECTIONRUWI

: 24785668 Behind Royal Oman Police,Adjacent to Dhofar Building,

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FOR general information,

Euro Optical Shop, in front of Zawia Mosque, is closing. Anyone has anything pending with the shop, please clear within 10 days. Contact: 98204042, 99873805.

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For information, please call:99841230-95919344

92721879 - 99639264Tel: 24649597, Fax: 24649590

BankMuscat account: 0397003776610011Bank Dhofar account: 01040141195001

E-mail: a.almashari@omandaily.om

ramadhanOMANDAILYOBSERVER18 W E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8

TRAVEL TALES

THE CAMBODIAN VILLAGE ON

STILTS

T H I S I S Y O U R S P O T

INSTAGRAM TOP PICKS

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oman/world

SHARE YOUR RAMADHAN PHOTOS WITH USDo you have a special way of celebrating Ramadhan? We’d like to see your photos and share it with our readers. To do so, please email them to us at observerfeatures@gmail.com.

Each monsoon the soaring stilts that hold up the houses of Kampong Phluk prove their worth, as the dusty Cambodian village is transformed into a deep waterway.

The village, a short tuk-tuk ride from the ancient Angkor ruins, is on

the floodplain of Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, Tonle Sap.

The lake swells between the dry and wet seasons, expanding from covering an area of 2,500 square kilometres to several times that size at the height of the monsoon rains in September and October.

When Kampong Phluk floods, residents also change their pattern of life, clambering up sheer wooden staircases to the dry of their homes and moving around by boat.

After a lifetime of seasonal change in an other-wise sleepy village, 80-year-old Ta Nguon says he is excited to see the growing influx of tourists.

“For the last few years tourists have flocked to our village to see these houses, mangroves and the sunset over the Tonle Sap,” he said, sitting on a bam-boo platform under his house during a hot recent afternoon.

With the arrival of the rainy season, scores of boats wait to ferry tourists along a canal which cuts through the village to the main body of the Tonle Sap and its floating restaurants.

They bring good money to the 1,000 families of Kampong Phluk, off-setting the decline in fish catch from Tonle Sap lake, which is fed by the heavily dammed Mekong River.

The Tonle Sap is a source of sustenance and sur-vival for more than one million people, according to the Mekong River Commission.

But the tourist influx is not without its downsides.Some locals complain of trash and oil pollution

from the endless boats carrying visitors around the homes and the lake.

But for American tourist Elizabeth Wilson the rhythm of lake life and the adaptation of its villagers is a marvel.

“It’s a great way to spend the afternoon or morn-ing exploring, staying on the little boats, seeing the beautiful lake, it’s an amazing place,” she said. — AFP

THERE ARE NUMEROUS reasons why a lot of peo-ple start their meal with a good soup. Not only is a well-made soup delicious, it is packed with all nutri-ents necessary for pro-moting good health.

In the Middle East especially during Ramadhan, a good soup provides you a good alter-native way to rehydrate. Because of its high water content, it satisfies your cravings in a healthy way.

Most soup are also af-fordable and quite easy to do. There are some soup that you just dump everything in one cook-ing pot and come back to it done. For parents who

have trouble introduc-ing veggies to their kids, it’s also a brilliant way of improving kid’s tolerance amongst youngsters.

Established in Dubai in 2002, More Cafe’s Europe-an cafe-inspired culture and ambience makes it a favourite place amongst artists and creative peo-ple. With diverse cuisine to choose from, we recently checked out their menus and took something out that is totally exceptional in flavour and taste to share with you.

We hope you enjoy doing this soup the way we enjoyed its excellent preparation and demon-stration from its chef.

F O O D I E C O R N E R

Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

INGREDIENTS:3kg Peeled Tomato 1kg Red Pepper 240g Red Onion 3 g Garlic 130g Celery 200g Olive oil 2.4 litres Water 20g Thyme 2g Rosemary 25 g Salt 10g Black Pepper 30g Paprika powder

Recipe courtesy of More Cafe

METHODS:Peele onions, garlic

and celery stalks and chop roughly.

Pre heat oven to 180° Celsius place the pepper and onion wedges along with the garlic cloves into a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are roasted and tender.

Meanwhile heat the Olive oil a large pan over a medium heat and sauté the chopped Celery.

When the roasted veg-

etables are ready, add them to the pan along with the plum tomatoes.

Cook over medium-low heat until all the to-mato juices have evapo-rated.

Add water salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary and paprika powder Bring to boiling, lower heat, and simmer, par-tially covered, for 20 min-utes or until vegetables are tender.

Season to taste, place solids in food processor or blender, and process until fairly smooth.

insideoman

ramadhan OMANDAILYOBSERVERW E D N E S D A Y l J U N E 6 l 2 0 1 8 19

Awash experiences

traditionsesesse

Awwexperexper

tradxperxper

Catch Awash’s video story online. Follow our Facebook and Instagram @omanobserver and

discover Ramadhan with Awash.

I am still learning to fast step by step. But when it gets tough I go secretly to the kitchen to explore.

When we went to Rustaq, Sayod, my brother goes out to play football with his friends at 12 am – this is after the Iftar and prayers. Maryom, my sister said a while ago the girls decided that even they wanted to play football. And they wanted to play earlier around 10pm.

I have a question for you – Have you

ever participated in community events?

MEMORABLE

IFTART

he holy month of

Ramadhan is marked

by introspective

spirituality, dawn

to dusk fasting and

generosity. It is also

the perfect time for

unwinding with friends and families

around Iftars.

Each Muslim carries a memorable

iftar experience that breaks the routine

of usual days. Some people have their

iftar in the mountains or in the desert

and some feel that iftar with their

parents is the most memorable.

Mahmoud al Jamoudi says one

cannot witness such an atmosphere

of social cohesion and harmony with

tens of thousands of people joining a

community meal anywhere else in the

world except in the Prophet’s Mosque at

Al Madina al Monawara.

People from different walks of life

and different nationalities sit together

inside the Prophet’s Mosque and its

courtyards to break their fast.

When you enter the mosque, there

will be children asking you to join the

iftar.

It is unique to have your iftar in the

mosque of our prophet, enveloping

you in a totally different feeling. The

most striking feature of this huge iftar

gathering is that everyone gives priority

to those who sit beside them while

taking food and drinks.

For Ayoob al Hussaini, it’s in spending

time with nature that has become his

most memorable iftar.

“My most memorable iftar experience

MAI AL ABRIA

Mother says have patience. There are some dishes that are cooked daily for Iftar but one never gets tired. Mother says that is because certain dishes are only cooked during Ramadhan.

ISLAM GIVES GUIDELINES on what exactly is considered lawful and therefore, “halal’ to consume and what is considered unlawful or “haram” to consume.

Through His divine wisdom, God has made unlawful the consumption of meat from animals that have not been slaugh-tered in Islamic way — by cutting the throat with a sharp knife and invoking Allah’s name. He also made unlawful the consump-tion of certain meats such as carrion, blood, pork, and meat of animals that have been strangled, beaten, fallen (to their death), gored, and devoured by beasts of prey. He also made unlawful consumption of ani-mals when sacrificed for other than God — e.g. animals used in idolatrous sacrifices.

The following list represents the general guidelines when it comes to Muslim food consumption: Alcohol — intoxicants and narcotic drugs are unlawful; Blood and blood by-products are unlawful. Blood is the circulatory cleansing fluid of the body and is not to be consumed; Carnivorous ani-mals, birds of prey, scavengers and animals improperly slaughtered, sick of dying before slaughter are unlawful; swine and all pork by-products and/or their derivatives are unlawful; foods contaminated with any of the above products or with ‘impurities’ from processing such as manure, urine, rodent droppings, infectious fluids, or pus are con-sidered unlawful.

Why Muslims eat halal food?

T R I V I A O F T H E D A Y

DO YOU KNOW THEDO YOU KNOW THE

QURAN

Notwithstanding the Quranic requirement that the believers must disturb the peace whenever this hides the demons of injustice and oppression, the Quran asks the believers to lead lives free of pointless argu-mentation and quarrelling.

“The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficient are they who walk upon the earth modestly, and when the fool-ish ones address them answer: Peace; (avoiding thus all quarrels with the,)” (Quran 25:63).

“And keep away from all those who choose to remain ignorant” (Quran 7:199).

Argumentation rooted in one’s own anger is unac-ceptable. In dealing with the qualities of the righteous, the Quran says, “Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward man-kind; Allah loves the generous (people)” (Quran 3:134)

HARMONY

EXPERIENCE

was in the mountains of Salalah. The

weather is incredibly pleasant. The green

landscapes calm our spirits. The cool

weather in the day helps you complete

your fasting without feeling thirsty or

hungry the whole day,” he shared.

He added that what elevated this

experience is that after the iftar, you can

stay there the whole evening especially

when the weather becomes colder.

“We roasted some meat for dinner and

completed the night pleasantly,” he said.

Walid al Abri’s most memorable iftar

experience was in the desert. For miles,

one’s view is the golden sun and the only

noise you can hear is the whisper of the

breeze or the movement of the sand.

“In Ramadhan, we go to Umrah for

camping. I am the chef in this campings. So

before iftar, we pull over to cook and have

our iftar. It is an interesting experience as

I always loved the desert and all events

happening there,” he shared.

“Our delicious menu includes sticky

date pudding, as well as traditional

pastries, sweets, fruits and nuts. Coffee is

the most important companion for people

in deserts. So I prepared a very tasty

coffee for the whole group,” he explained.

For Muna Rashid, nothing is compared

to an iftar shared with family, especially

parents.

“Iftar with my parents is my most

memorable experience. I am married

and stays in Muscat and my family lives in

Salalah. So when I go to visit them for few

days, I enjoy being there with my family

and I feel the Ramadhan nights are good

because of their presence,” she shared.

INSTAGRAM/FARSIHAITHAM

“We found a good place in the neighbourhood and we cleaned it up. It became a playground with goal stand and the details. We also formed two teams. It was such fun. There were no houses

nearby. But the owner of the nearest house supplied us with the electricity. We soon had bright light. Our aim was not to win or lose but to have fun!” said Maryom.

I want to play football!

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 6, 2018 | RAMADHAN 21, 1439 AH

observerfeatures@gmail.com www.omanobserver.omfollow us @omanobserver

His EminenceSHAIKH AHMED BIN HAMAD AL KHALILI

Grand Mufti of Oman

VERSE OF THE DAYVVV

As favour from us. Thus do We reward he who is grateful. And he

had already warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the

warning.

Verse 35, 36Surah al Qamar

WHAT’S INSIDE

Each monsoon the soaring stilts that hold up the houses of Kampong Phluk prove their worth, as the dusty Cambodian village is transformed into a deep waterway. The village, a short tuk-tuk ride from the ancient Angkor ruins, is on the floodplain of Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, Tonle Sap p18

THE CAMBODIAN VILLAGE ON STILTS

While it’s customary for many families to eat their iftar meals together in a more formal setting in their respective homes, there are some who prefer to have it in a totally different place — in the mountain, desert or joining it with hundreds of other faithful outside a mosque. In this issue, Oman Daily Observer talks to four different people to know which place has been the most memorable for them... 19

MEMORABLE IFTAREXPERIENCE

QWhat should one do if he

unintentionally swallowed water while swimming?

AIt does not affect

his fast since it happened

unintentionally.

PHOTO BY ADNAN AL BULUSHIINSTAGRAM/ I_AM_BALOCH_PHOTOGRAPHY