Sohar Airport work on track OPTIMISTIC: Investments in cargo operations and aviation academy

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1 THURSDAY JUNE 16, 2016 RAMADHAN 10, 1437 AH VOL. 35 NO. 215 PAGES 32 BAISAS 200 Editor-in-Chief ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising PO Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman TRADERS BRACE FOR BIGGEST NIGHT SINCE BLACK WEDNESDAY P21 GRITTY ICELAND HOLD RONALDO S PORTUGAL P32 OMAN HM condolences to Barack Obama MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has sent a cable of condolences to President Barack Obama of the United States of America on victims of Orlando shooting in Florida. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to President Obama, the friendly US people and families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. INDIA Reforms to bring cheap air travel NEW DELHI: India approved a civil aviation policy on Wednesday aimed at making air travel affordable for millions of Indians and vastly expanding the country s aviation market. The government said the long-awaited reforms will bring down airfares to Rs 2,500 ($37) per hour of flying time on many under-served regional routes, particularly away from big cities. Air travel in India is mostly confined to the urban third of the population, and is largely out of reach for hundreds of millions of people. REPORT ON P10 INSIDESTORIES TOKYO GOVERNOR RESIGNS OVER SPENDING SCANDAL NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN FOR NEPAL S 68-YEAR-OLD STUDENT ALGAE OFFERS AIRLINES A CLEANER FUTURE WEATHER TODAY MUSCAT MAX: 36 0 C MIN: 30 0 C SALALAH MAX: 32 0 C MIN: 27 0 C SUNRISE AM PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR: 03:49 DHUHR: 12:07 ASR: 15:25 MAGHRIB: 18:55 ISHA: 20:25 P6 P7 P12 NIZWA MAX: 43 0 C MIN: 24 0 C Sohar Airport work on track OPTIMISTIC: Investments in cargo operations and aviation academy VINOD NAIR MUSCAT June 15: The Ministry of Transport and Communications on Wednesday responded to the debates surrounding Oman Air s decision to halt scheduled flights to Sohar from this month. The ministry said the total cost for the packages one and two is only RO 63 million ($163 million), while the estimated cost for the third package is RO 36 million ($93 million). It added that the agreement has not been signed with the contractor and the work is yet to begin. An official at Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) told the Observer that ministry has clarified its position on this. The ministry said the viability of the airport cannot be doubted just because of the operational ineffectiveness of a particular airline, and said that there have been talks with airlines on receiving international flights, besides preparing tenders for investments in cargo operations, aircraft maintenance and an aviation academy. The ministry said that these efforts are bearing fruits, and it is too early to question of the feasibility of this project. It may be noted that Oman Air while confirming the stopping of Sohar operations had said that it decided to temporarily suspend the flights as they did not achieve the targeted results since inauguration in November 2014, US patience on Syria very limited, Kerry tells Russia OSLO: US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russia and Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Wednesday to respect a fragile ceasefire, warning that Washington s patience was running out. It is very clear that the cessation of hostilities is frayed and at risk and that it is critical for a genuine cessation to be put in place. We know that, we have no illusion, Kerry said during a visit to Norway. Russia needs to understand that our patience is not infinite, in fact it is very limited with whether or not Assad is going to be held accountable, he added. World powers have failed to turn a fragile cessation of hostilities in Syria, in effect since February 27, into a durable truce and Damascus has stepped up its military campaign against the IS group and rebels, especially in the second city of Aleppo. From day one there have been challenges in Aleppo particularly, in Latakia (on the Mediterranean) to having even one day of the regime actually live out that cessation, Kerry said. We also are prepared to hold accountable members of the opposition who have been involved in continuing violence, he said after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. This is a critical moment and we are working very, very hard to see if we can in the next week or two come to an agreement that has a capacity to more fully implement a ceasefire across the country and deliver humanitarian access in a way that then provides for a genuine opportunity to bring people to the table and start talking about a transition, Kerry said. AFP MUSCAT: Due to the current economic conditions, the Ministry of Education has decided to pay summer vacation salaries to national teaching and administrative staff on monthly basis instead of the lump sum payment of the whole summer vacation salaries. The ministry also imposed fees for 17 services which includes RO 200 for issue and renewal of licences for international and private schools. As per the decision No 186/2016, a RO 10 fee should be paid for each of the equivalency of certification, certificate of registration and GED certificate. A fee of RO 5 should be paid for MUSCAT: The latest data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) regarding consumer price index pointed out that the inflation rate in the Sultanate grew by 1.14 per cent in May, compared to May 2015 and fell by 0.02 per cent compared to April this year. The increase in price index in May compared to the corresponding month last year is attributed to the increase in the main groups, such as housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel group (1.02 per cent), transport group (4.83 per cent), shoes and textile group (0.46 per cent) and home appliances and maintenance (0.8 per cent). The data pointed out that the groups which witnessed an increase are the healthcare (1.44 per cent), education (3.03 per cent), restaurants and hotels (0.1 per cent) and commodities and services (0.23 per cent). The data also pointed out that the groups which saw decline are foodstuff and non-alcoholic beverages (0.67 per cent), communications (0.26 per cent), culture and entertainment (0.33 per cent). At the governorate level, the Governorate of Dhofar witnessed the highest inflation rate 2.37 per cent, followed by the Governorate Al Dakhiliyah (1,31 per cent), the governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah (1.19 per cent), the Governorate of North Al Batinah (1.11 per cent), the Governorate of Muscat (0.94 per cent), the Governorate of Al Dhahirah (0.48 per cent) and the Governorate of Al Buraimi (0.52 per cent). ONA RO 200 for renewal of private school licence BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH Buyers can gain access to government servers in 173 countries Servers sold for $6 to launch cyber attacks FRANKFURT: A major underground marketplace acting like an ebay for criminals is selling access to more than 70,000 compromised servers allowing buyers to carry out widespread cyber-attacks around the world, security experts said on Wednesday. Researchers at Kaspersky Lab, a global computer security firm based in Moscow, said the online forum appears to be run by a Russian speaking group. It offers access to hacked computers owned by governments, companies and universities in 173 countries, unbeknownst to the servers legitimate owners. Access goes for as little as $6 for a compromised server. Each comes pre-equipped 11 flights a day on Muscat-Salalah route MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is to operate more flights than ever before to the southern city of Salalah during this khareef season. The airline has increased frequency to Salalah in the past, but this year it will offer an unprecedented number of seats to the increasingly popular destination, in response to rising demand. despite offering special passenger fares along with other privileges to promote flights and support connectivity to its global network. It also added that Oman National Transport Company (Mwasalat) is operating eight daily bus services from and to Sohar, which DHOFAR HIGHEST obtaining a complementary certificate, a translated certificate and for an application for checking answer sheets of the GED examinations. The fee for first time registration in literacy classes (class 7 to 11) will be RO 10 and RO 20 for re-registration, while the fee for re-registration in literacy class 12 will be RO 50. Iraqi forces sit in the back of their vehicle during an operation, backed by air support from the US-led coalition, in Fallujah s southern Shuhada neighbourhood to retake the area from the IS group on Wednesday. REPORT ON P13 with a variety of software to mount denial-of-service attacks on other networks, launch spam campaigns, illicitly manufacture Eleven flights a day will be operated between Salalah and Muscat, with a capacity increase of 15,000 seats compared to the previous year. In addition, the deployment of Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Airbus 330 aircraft on the Salalah-Muscat-Salalah sectors will increase the availability of seats on the route. SEE PAGE 4 connect our passengers with our domestic and international flights round the clock from and to Muscat International Airport. This shall provide alternative transport services to passengers to and from Sohar, the statement added. bitcoin currency or compromise online or retail payment systems, the researchers said. Starting at $7, buyers can gain access to government servers in several countries, including interior and foreign ministries, commerce departments and several town halls, said Costin Raiu, director of Kaspersky s research and analysis team. He said the market might also be used to exploit hundreds of millions of old, stolen credentials reported in recent months to be circulating in the criminal underground. Reuters Fuel prices push up inflation by 1.14%

2 inside sdeoman oman 2 His Majesty pictured on cover of UN magazine UNIQUE: Feature hails social and political system and the high level of love and bond between His Majesty and his loyal subjects NEW YORK: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has joined the likes of a limited number of kings and presidents to be featured on the cover of the 2016 issue of the United Nations magazine Society and Diplomatic Review. At the feature published by the magazine on His Majesty the Sultan and the Sultanate, the editorial team said that they are impressed by the social and political systems of the Sultanate and the high level of love and bond between His Majesty the Sultan and his loyal Omani subjects. The report stressed the fact that Oman enjoys highest level of stability and welfare under the wise leadership of His Majesty the Sultan and that the blessed Renaissance is going ahead with full determination to achieve the aims outlined by His Majesty the Sultan, the architect of modern Oman. The report said that over the past four decades, the Omani leadership focused on providing the Omani man, which is the aim of the comprehensive development, with dignified life. The editorial team added that the compressive development focused not only on economic aspects but social aspects as well to meet the basic needs of the Omani man. The report said that His Majesty the Sultan stressed in many occasion that the Omani man is the tool and maker of development and is at the same time its aims and objective. The report allured to the fact that the Sultanate has developed policies and programmes that encourage citizens to do more efforts to ensure better future for the coming generations and enhance the state of institutions at which the rule of law prevails. The report stressed that the Sultanate is making steady efforts to promote tolerance, peace, security and safety; values that the world is in bad need today more than any time in the past. The editorial team were impressed by the strong love and bond between HM the Sultan and his loyal people which was very clear in the popular and spontaneous response to His Majesty s televised speech during the treatment journey in Germany. The team said that following the airing of the speech, crowds flocked to streets appealing to Allah to ensure quick recovery for His Majesty. The report highlighted the fact that the Sultanate enjoys high level of security and safety; thanks to the wise Omani leadership, the bond among Omanis and the sincere efforts made by Royal Oman Police. The report added that His Majesty the Sultan is making continuous effort to provide the Royal Oman Police, the Royal Guard of Oman, the Royal Air Force of Oman and the Royal Navy of Oman with modern equipment to defend the country and maintain the achievements made over the past four decades. In terms of stability and security, the report pointed out that the Sultanate enjoys a prominent position in the global peace index and that it is one of the safest and most secure countries in MENA region. As for the foreign policy, the report said that the Omani foreign policy is inspired from the wise vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, who addresses all issues objectively with no impulsivity or haste. This policy helped the Sultanate to maintain good relations with other countries and to have a special status as a country that promotes peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and building trust among disputing parties. Society and Diplomatic Review s report praised the vital role of the Sultanate in facilitating agreement on common ground among the Yemeni parties and hosting talks between Iran and USA which paved the way for the nuclear agreement between Iran and 5+1 Group. The report also pointed out that the Sultanate hosted the ceasefire talks between Iran and Iraq in the 80s, which helped to end war between them. As for Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre in Washington DC, the report said that it plays a role in enhancing relations between the Arab world and the US. The report also pointed out to the social, political and economic reform programme implemented by His Majesty the Sultan in 2011 and the expansion of the powers of Majlis Ash shura. As an evidence for the unique status of the Sultanate within the UN and in recognition of its contribution to UN programmes and organisations, the UN publication pointed out to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon s visit to the Sultanate in February 2016 in recognition of the Sultanate s role in the UN. During the visit the UN Secretary-General gave a speech before the National Defence College and met with HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, Abdul Azizi bin Mohammed al Rowas, His Majesty the Sultan s Advisor for Cultural Affairs and Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs. ONA Majlis Ash shura panel reviews status of private universities, colleges MUSCAT: A team of the Education and Scientific Research Committee at Majlis Ash shura yesterday reviewed its final report on its study about the status of private universities and colleges in the Sultanate. The report included several chapters that contained the reasons MSM loses 12 points behind studying the status of private universities and colleges, objectives of the study, outcomes, recommendations and proposals of the team after paying several field visits to the universities and colleges. The meeting, which was chaired by Khalid bin Yahya al Farei, also discussed challenges facing the private higher education sector in the Sultanate in relation to quality and development. The meeting reviewed several topics of concern to higher education sector. ONA MUSCAT: Muscat Securities Market (MSM) general index 30 yesterday lost 12.4 points, comprising a decline by 0.21 per cent to close at points, compared to the last session, which stood at points. The trading value yesterday stood at RO 1,886,438, comprising a decline by per cent compared to the last session, which stood at RO 2,373,534. The report released by MSM pointed out that the market value fell by 0.04 per cent to reach about RO billion. The report added that the value of shares bought by non-omani investors reached RO 172,000, comprising 9.11 per cent. The value of shares sold by non-omani investors reached RO 337,000, comprising per cent. ONA

3 inside sdeoman oman 3 Teachers felicitated for hosting educational TV show MUSCAT: Dr Madeeha bint Ahmed al Shaibaniyah, Minister of Education, on Wednesday honoured teachers and technical teams who participated in the educational TV show On Air Class. The minister praised the programme which, she said, helped students with their study and preparation for the examinations. She extended her thanks to all those who contributed to the show success. More Omanis attracted to dentistry Crude oil reaches $46.17 MUSCAT: More and more Omani youth are getting attracted to dentistry as a specialised medical area and the response from the skilled locals are overwhelming, key Omani official noted. Speaking to Observer on the sidelines of the recently held 9th Annual ISM Higher Education Fair and Guidance Seminar, Saleh al Harthy, Director of Administration at Oman Dental College (ODC) said a plethora of training and development options are currently open to the local medical students. The response from the local boys and girls has been awesome and we look forward to welcoming the next generation of driven, ambitious, and passionate students to the ODC, Saleh al Harthy said. Oman Dental College, the only higher education institute dedicated to the field of dentistry in the Sultanate, has set its goal right at encouraging enrolment of skilled youth at the college and furthering the profession of dentistry nationwide. ODC s student body comprises of 18 nationalities. The seminar was inaugurated by Dr Ali bin Saud al Bimani, Vice-Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University, and was attended by guest of honour Gloria Gangte, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India. ODC was one of several prestigious higher education institutions invited to participate in guiding the next generation of business leaders in the nation. Over the course of the two-day event, ODC received several enquiries from students and parents about the enrolment process, and discussed its state-of-the-art facilities and skilled faculty with potential students. We are firm believers in training professionals who will contribute to Oman, and our next batch will help us achieve this goal just as our previous ones have, Al Harthy added. MUSCAT: Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME) said that Oman oil price (August delivery) reached $ The DME statement yesterday said that the price of Oman oil declined 24 cents from the price of yesterday Tuesday, which was $ The average price of Oman oil June delivery 2016 has stabilised at $39 and 40 cents, thus $3.06 per barrel higher than May delivery On Tuesday, oil price had reached $46.41, declining 51 cents from the price of Monday, which was $46.92 ONA Role of e-gov in logistics sector highlighted MUSCAT: The Economic Committee at Oman Chamber of Commerce and industry (OCCI) held its second meeting of 2016 at Bank Muscat Main Branch, headed by Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Member of OCCI Board and Head of the Committee. Al Yousef presented a working paper on the role of e-government in the logistics sector in which he discussed the obstacles and challenges that are faced by companies operating in this field with the relevant government agencies, noting that there are a lot of procedures that should be completed faster than the way they are done now. Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) presented a working paper on the importance of setting up a special OCCI databank for economic and financial research in order to meet the requirements of the labour market and its need for the existence of a database of the research presented in the economic and financial sectors in the Sultanate. The meeting discussed the report on the privatisation of some services provided by the government, which will supervise and follow up the performance of the privatised sectors. The committee decided to submit the report to OCCI Board of directors. ONA

4 inside sdeoman oman 4 Oman Air boosts Salalah flights NEW PHASE: Unprecedented number of seats on offer for the Khareef season MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is to operate more flights than ever before to the southern city of Salalah during this summer s Khareef season. The airline has increased frequencies to Salalah in previous years, but will this year offer an unprecedented number of seats to the increasingly popular destination, in response to rising demand. Eleven flights a day will be operated between Salalah and the Omani capital of Muscat, with a capacity increase of 15,000 seats compared to the previous year. In addition, the deployment of Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Airbus 330 aircraft on the Salalah/Muscat/Salalah sectors will increase the availability of seats on the route. The Dubai/Salalah route will witness the operation of one daily flight in the months of July and August. Furthermore, from September 1, Oman Air will deploy Boeing 737s on the Salalah to Dubai route, replacing smaller Embraer 175 regional jets, which are currently in use. This will enable increased numbers of customers from the UAE to enjoy both Oman Air s outstanding passenger experience and the warm hospitality offered to visitors in Salalah. From January to December 2015, a record 52,274 seats were offered by Oman Air on flights between Salalah and Dubai. In 2016, Oman Air will increase that number to 74,176 seats (42 per cent). The increased frequencies will be supported by a range of attractive special offers for customers travelling to Salalah from points throughout Oman Air growing international network. Paul Gregorowitsch, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oman Air, announced the expansion of services to Salalah, saying: Salalah is becoming an increasingly important destination for visitors from the Gulf region and throughout Oman Air s international network, especially during the Khareef season. We are therefore delighted to be expanding Oman Air s services to the city this summer, from both Muscat and Dubai. In fact, we will be increasing the available number of seats on the Salalah/ Dubai route alone by nearly 22,000. He added: As a result, tens of thousands more travellers will have the opportunity to enjoy the area s cool and refreshing weather, which contrasts so sharply with the hot, dry climate to be found elsewhere within the region. Visitors will also be able to make the most of Dhofar s renowned hospitality, ancient culture and awe-inspiring landscapes. He further said: And to ensure that as many people as possible can experience this thrilling destination, Oman Air will be making a range of special offers available. These will enable customers to appreciate Oman Air s award-winning interiors, onboard service and inflight dining whilst flying from a range of destinations across our network at highly competitive prices. We look forward to announcing the details soon. Previous offers on flights to Salalah have included Two fly for the price of one tickets, short-term sales on Business Class and Economy Class fares, and a range of Economy Class promotional fares. The Khareef season runs from June to September and sees monsoon mists and rains sweep across the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The cool, damp weather attracts thousands of visitors every year, especially from more northern parts of the Gulf region, where summer temperatures can rise to over 50 Celsius. Salalah, the principal city of Oman s most southerly Governorate, Dhofar, has experienced major year-on-year growth in visitor numbers in recent times. Increasing numbers of travellers from the Gulf, the Far East and Europe are visiting the city and its surrounding region, which offers a unique and ancient culture, dramatic mountain backdrops and unspoiled tropical beaches. As the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Air has repeatedly expressed its long-term commitment to supporting the economic development of Salalah and the Dhofar Governorate. This includes the continuing expansion of its tourism sector. In addition to offering year on year increases in flight frequencies, Oman Air is a major sponsor of the Salalah Festival and has also worked in close partnership with Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC) to modernise and expand the city s airport. ONA Z-Corp, Mitsubishi Oman fetes national handball team MUSCAT: In order to recognise the outstanding contribution of players who represented the Sultanate, The Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp) and Mitsubishi Oman felicitated the Sultanate s national handball players at the Mitsubishi showroom recently. Players and officials of Oman Handball Association (OHA) were present at the event. Z-Corp has been supporting all the activities of OHA since the agreement signed in October In March 2016, Z-Corp had supported Oman Mitsubishi Handball Joiners Championship that was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. Mitsubishi Oman had organised the competition in association with OHA. General Automotive Company, which is the official distributor for Mitsubishi vehicles in Oman, is a subsidiary of the Zubair Automotive Group, the flagship enterprise of the Z-Corp. Hani M al Zubair, Chairman, The Zubair Automotive Group said, We consider it a privilege to celebrate and honour the handball players who represent the national team. They continue to be role models and inspirations to young handball players in Oman. As a team that excels, they have set standards for others to aspire to. Thanking Z-Corp and Mitsubishi Oman and speaking on behalf of the players, Shaikh Sultan al Hosni, Chairman of OHA said, Our players are glad to receive the honour and are motivated to do well in the future. They are touched to receive the honour especially since it comes from Z-Corp. We are extremely grateful that a group like The Zubair Corporation is supporting our association. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Z-Corp for their commitment and this support gives a huge boost to development of sports and associated clubs. Sharing his thoughts on the honouring of the players, Manoj Ranade, General Manager of General Automotive Company said, We are proud of Oman s national team and their achievements. They have consistently demonstrated their commitment, team spirit and dedication. We are delighted to support and engage with the talented players who inspire the younger generation. As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, Z-Corp is actively involved in supporting local based initiatives. While Z-Corp has always been committed to supporting the sports sector in the Sultanate, it believes that to cultivate sporting talent in Oman, youngsters should be provided the perfect ambience to develop it. Z-Corp has been supporting various activities that encourage young Omanis to take up sports and supporting this event is part of that strategy. GENEROUS OFFER omanoil launches At a campaign during Ramadhan Abdul Rahman al Balushi, Branch Manager of Al Hilal Islamic Banking Services, Saham Branch, presents a cheque to an official from Omani Women Association (OWA), Saham as part of the bank s annual Ramadhan campaign. MUSCAT: Celebrating the values of Ramadhan, Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) launched the second edition of its At a campaign to enrich the lives of people across the Sultanate during the holy month. Under the theme Together We Give More, omanoil will donate 10 per cent of all its sales from select ahlain convenience stores in the Governorates of Muscat, Al Batinah, Al Sharqiyah, Al Dakhiliyah and Dhofar from June 16 to 25. This year, the At a initiative also features a nationwide media campaign, charitable donations and social media competitions all aimed to instil a culture of giving through lending a helping hand and acts of kindness. Taking the company s care beyond the pump to new levels, the campaign kicked off with a series of special videos that highlight the principles of generosity and compassion. Social media personality Ahmed Al Abri (@abu_aflah) has also joined At a to drive the cause further. Jaber Sulaiman al Busaidy, Corporate Affairs Manager at Oman Oil Marketing Company, said, Since our inception, omanoil has maintained its long-held commitment to enhancing the lives of people in the Sultanate. At a is about giving back and supporting those less fortunate. Building on our success from our first edition, this year we are going beyond monetary sums and focusing on having a positive impact on the people around us, may it be a family member, friend, neighbour or even a stranger. It is about that one act of kindness, one small gesture that can make the difference. We maybe leading the campaign, but we are calling upon everyone in Oman to join us to become catalysts of change. Believers in the power of charity, omanoil has strongly supported communities throughout the Sultanate with a number of humanitarian and charitable programs and campaigns. The company s portfolio of social initiatives includes road safety programs, environmental protection and awareness campaigns, blood donation drives, and safety scheme. The project is expected to be completed during the first quarter of next year PAEW implementing 25 km of water network in port of Duqm MUSCAT: Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) implements the project supply potable water to the port of Duqm distribution network exceeding the length of 25 km. This project is under the management of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water and jointly with Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority. Engineer Obaid bin Said Shukri (pictured right), projects director at the Public Authority for Electricity and Water says a local company to implement the project, which has been selected according to the criteria approved technical controls. The company began work on the project in the beginning of the month of April 2015 and expected to finish the project during the first quarter of next year The project includes the creation station to strengthen the pumping capacity (105 litres/s) and set up stations to pump each with a capacity (30 litres/s) and the creation of tank capacity (3,200 m3) and create another tank capacity (2400 m3), and increases the longer pipes used in the project ( 30 km) and the diameters and different types where this phase covers an area of more than (25 km) Obaid Shukairi explained that this project comes as one of the important infrastructure that covers large areas of the port and responsive to the requirements of all the projects that have been completed or projects that are being implemented or planned projects in the near future projects.

5 National network of SME-owned fish marketplace planned FRANCHISE: Initiative designed to help generate business and job opportunities CONRAD PRABHU MUSCAT June 15: The Sultanate s premier fisheries firm, Oman Fisheries Company (OFC), plans to support the roll-out of retail shops owned and operated by Omani small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as part of a national franchise of OFC branded outlets. The initiative, the company s Chairman, Mohammed bin Hamad al Masrouri, said, is designed to help generate business and employment opportunities for Omanis, as well as support domestic sales of the company s fresh, chilled, frozen and processed products. Oman Fisheries, in which the government has a 24 per cent stake, will also provide financial and technical assistance to the SMEs in establishing fish shops across the Sultanate, he stated. According to Said Rashid al Rawahi, General-Manager, the company s emphasis on entrepreneurship and SME development will go a long way in supporting the government s employment generation strategy, and represents a significant step-up from its current focus on preparing fishermen for the industry. By training locals and helping them establish small businesses in the field of fishing and fish processing, the implications for value generation and socioeconomic development will be significantly greater, he said. In the long run, such steps will help optimise the performance of the fisheries sector, advance the government s food security goals, take employment and business growth and opportunities to a new level, and contribute to GDP growth as well, he noted. As part of a new three-year ( to ) Business Strategy unveiled by the company recently, Oman Fisheries plans to outsource many of its key functions to local SMEs. The move, Al Rawahi said, will help the company focus on its core strengths: marketing and quality control. As a result, local small businesses are now playing a central role in, among other things, the operation of the company s five fish processing plants and 16 coastal fishing vessels, as well as the management of its network of fish shops, currently numbering 10 outlets. Furthermore, the business of supplying an estimated 41,000 metric tonnes of fish to the company s fully owned and leased processing plants has been contracted out as well. The restructuring plan has already begun to pay dividends, the general manager said. Exports surged for the first time to 34,809 metric tonnes at the end of fiscal , representing a 33 per cent jump over the previous year s high of 25,631 metric tonnes. Domestic sales also soared to a record 4,068 metric tonnes last year, with plans afoot to achieve a 50 per cent jump in the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in local sales. The company has also announced plans to boost the cold storage capacity of its wholly owned subsidiary, Al Ameen Stores and Refrigeration LLC, with the aim of ramping up the group s logistics, trading and support capabilities. The second phase development of Al Ameen s storage facilities will see around 2,800 metric tonnes of new refrigeration capacity added to its existing offering of 6,000 metric tonnes of capacity. In addition, Oman Fisheries is weighing a plan to develop a carton packaging venture in partnership with a well-established Sri Lankan group a step designed to support the group s horizontal growth. oman 5 Shura legal panel discusses draft Omani Penal Law MUSCAT: The Legal and Legislative Committee of Majlis Ash shura on Wednesday discussed the outcome of the joint technical committee of the State Council and Majlis Ash shura in terms of the differences between the two councils regarding the draft Oman Penal Law. The Majlis Ash shura will hold a regular meeting on June 19 to discuss the outcome of legal committee s meeting in preparation to a joint meeting with the State Council to inside sdeoman discuss the draft Oman Penal Law. In yesterday s meeting the Legal and Legislative Committee also discussed a report submitted by the Health and Environment Committee dealing with a proposal for amending the Law on Conservation of the Environment and Prevention of Pollution. In addition, the committee discussed amendments of the provisions of the Social Housing Law proposed by the Services and Social Development Committee. Fee hike: ISM likely to maintain status quo KABEER YOUSUF MUSCAT June 15: The Indian School Muscat (ISM), the largest community school in the country, is highly likely to maintain status quo if not reduce it by RO 2, after the parents strongly opposed such a unilateral move, it is learnt. The higher and middle sections of the school that has more than 9,500 students is dispersing off for summer vacation today and the School has put the fee collection deadline on hold until further notice. We the Board of Directors (BoD) and the School Management Committee (SMC) are taking the fee hike issue and the parents concern very seriously and the SMC which is vested with the task of revising the same is working on it, Wilson M George, Chairman, BoD told Observer. Meanwhile, the specially appointed Parents Sub Committee (PSC) which was constituted after parents challenged the fee hike move at the two open forums informed the BoD and the SMC that the school can further reduce the existing fee structure, let alone a possible hike in the same. Speaking to Observer, Wilson George, Chairman, BoD said that the Board received recommendations from SMC to increase the fee by 6 Rials but advised it to lower it by 4 and that the decision to scrap the hike was due to the strong protest from the parents. Selvichen Jacob, head of the PSC, which was constituted and validated by the SMC at an earlier open forum convened to discuss the same told Observer that the four-member committee has acknowledged both the BoD and the SMC that the school wouldn t need a hike and on the other hand, it can even reduce the present fee range which is on a higher scale for a school aimed at community service. There is not even a single point that justifies an increase in fees and on the other hand, if funds are managed properly, the school can further reduce the present fee level, Selvichen said, adding that we were resolved to approach the higher ups including the Indian Embassy and the Omani Ministry of Education if need be to get our justice against a baseless increase in fees, Selvichan adds. Besides Jacob, Sam Philip, Sharafdeen Yoosaf, Breshnave Sunny and Haris K K are the other parents in the PSC. Parents Sub Committee was formed and assigned by the parents open forum held on April 26, 2016 to evaluate the situation and financial condition which forced the SMC to propose for a fees hike. At present, the school collects RO 547 from a KG1 student and RO 569 from a Class 9 student whereas other schools of different nationalities in the country have much lesser fee structure and they are up and running. All their developmental projects are currently full-fledged and they collect 10 months fees unlike ISM which collects 12-months fees from each student. To facilitate 12-months fee collection, they have conveniently divided the fee structure in four equal instalments in a year, parents said. Earlier this year, the School Management Committee (SMC) had informed the members of the committee that it has decided to up the fees by RO 4 beginning this new academic year. One of the SMC members raised his objection to this citing reasons of job cuts and scrapping of increment and other perks by companies where the parents work. Later, the Committee decided to reduce RO1 from the proposed 4 but the parents committee said no hike in fees is tolerable and is baseless. The SMC member is currently not serving the Committee. As far as the student-teacher ratio is concerned, the school was able to manage 9,254 students with 414 teachers in and we don t really understand why we cannot manage 9,000 students with 446 teachers, Jacob adds. The report submitted by the PSC clearly indicates that strict financial discipline is the need of the hour in-order to overcome the situation. The report ends with a positive note saying further, we assure you that, If we are given access and control on the expenditures of the school we can reduce the present fees for the next year. Body of missing expatriate found MUSCAT: The decomposed body of an expatriate man who had been missing from his workplace has been found, according to the ROP. John Philip, 47, had been working as a supervisor in a filling station in Sunaina near Ibri, 217 kilometres from Muscat, for the last 12 years. He hails from Manarcaud in Kottayam in Kerala. The missing issue was taken to Kerala as well as at the national level and India s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had sent a request to the authorities to help trace the man.

6 asia asia 6 Four Indonesians jailed over IS-linked terror plot Vietnamese president arrives in Cambodia Vietnam s President Tran Dai Quang (L) is welcomed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen upon his arrival at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. The Vietnamese president is on a two-day visit to Cambodia. AFP China spy ship shadowing US naval drill in Western Pacific Armed Indonesian police escort a group of suspected terrorists before their trial in Jakarta on Wednesday. AFP JAKARTA: An Indonesian bombmaker inspired by an IS extremist was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison for plotting to blow up a Buddhist temple on Java Island. The court heard that Ibad, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, received funding and guidance for the attack from Bahrum Naim, a radical linked to the January attacks in Jakarta that left eight people dead. Three others Sugiyanto, Saifudin and Yus Karman were also found guilty of terrorist offences in a Jakarta court and sentenced to four years and eight months over their role in the failed bomb plot. Ibad s lawyer said his client had been lured by Naim through social media to carry out an attack. The two had known each other for many years before Naim travelled to Syria and rose to notoriety among Indonesian extremists fighting for the so-called IS group. Ibad is Bahrun Naim s childhood friend, the lawyer Kamsi said outside the East Jakarta courtroom. Naim lured Ibad to join him by saying it was easy to get a job in Syria, and told him HEALTH-CONSCIOUS Masuzoe s woes began in April when reports emerged that he was using his official car to be driven to a cottage south of Tokyo Tokyo governor resigns over spending scandal TOKYO: The governor of Tokyo resigned on Wednesday over spending public money on lavish hotels and spa trips, the latest setback on the megacity s troubled road to hosting the 2020 Olympics. Unpopular Yoichi Masuzoe fell on his sword just hours before facing a noconfidence vote, making him the city s second governor to quit since Tokyo was named host of the 2020 summer games. Masuzoe s predecessor Naoki Inose who led the capital s successful Olympic bid bowed out in late 2013 after also becoming embroiled in a personal finance scandal. On assuming office as governor, the French-speaking Masuzoe, a former health and labour minister, pledged to run an administration free of money scandals. But Masuzoe s woes began in April when reports emerged that he was to detonate a bomb in Solo. Naim sent cash via an Indonesian bank to fund the operation, the court was told. Ibad handled the cash and recruited the others to find a suitable target in Solo, a midsize city on the main Island of Java. The group assembled a bomb but were arrested by police just days before launching their attack. A sustained crackdown in Indonesia weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s. But the attack in downtown Jakarta earlier this year, the first claimed by IS in Southeast Asia, sparked fears of a resurgence in militancy. Police alleged Naim masterminded the attack from Syria, where his exact whereabouts remain unknown. Four militants and four civilians died in the coordinated e bomb and gun attacks carried out in broad daylight in the Indonesian capital. Police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS. AFP using his official car to be driven at the weekends to a cottage south of Tokyo. Further allegations emerged that Masuzoe had travelled overseas in first class, brought art online and spent public money on family outings and accommodation in Japan. STRATEGIC: Beijing views Pacific as vital both as a supply line and for projection naval power OKINAWA: A Chinese observation ship shadowed the US aircraft carrier John C Stennis in the Western Pacific on Wednesday, the carrier s commander said, as it joined warships from Japan and India for drills close to waters Beijing considers its backyard. The show of US naval power comes as Japan and the United States worry China is extending its influence into the Western Pacific with submarines and surface vessels as it pushes territorial claims in the neighbouring South China Sea, expanding and building on islands. China has been angered by what it views as provocative US military patrols close to the islands. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. Tokyo on Wednesday said a separate Chinese navy observation ship entered its territorial waters south of its southern Kyushu island. China said it was acting within the law and following the principle of freedom of navigation. There is a Chinese vessel about seven to ten miles away, Captain Gregory C Huffman, commander of the Stennis, told reporters aboard the carrier after it recovered its F-18 jet fighters taking part in the exercise. The Chinese ship had followed the US vessel from the South China Sea, he added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he was unaware of the situation. Beijing views access to the Pacific as vital both as a supply line to the rest of the world s oceans and for the projection of its naval power. The 100,000-tonne Stennis joined nine other naval ships including a Nearly a thousand people practise yoga together during a local event promoting healthy lifestyle, in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China, on Wednesday. Reuters Unpopular Yoichi Masuzoe fell on his sword just hours before facing a noconfidence vote, making him the city s second governor to quit since Tokyo was named host of the 2020 summer games Masuzoe, who faced repeated grilling by the legislature and in the media, had admitted to ethical lapses but denied breaking any laws. In a short speech before the Tokyo legislature, a chastened Masuzoe said he had worked hard for the 2020 Olympics and was filled with regret. But I am responsible for all of this, he said. Lawmakers approved his resignation, effective June 21, shortly before he spoke. An election for a new governor is expected as early as next month. Masuzoe s departure is unlikely to significantly impact the city s ability to manage the Olympics, but it adds to the lengthening list of embarrassments that have plagued the preparations for the games. The original main stadium design had to be scrapped over ballooning costs and the official logo was caught up in a plagiarism row. French prosecutors The South China Sea (C) is seen on a globe for sale at a bookstore in Beijing on Wednesday. AFP Japanese helicopter carrier and Indian frigates in seas off the Okinawan island chain. Sub-hunting patrol planes launched from bases in Japan are also participating in the joint annual exercise dubbed Malabar. The Stennis will sail apart from the other ships, acting as a decoy to draw it away from the eight-day naval exercise, a Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force officer said, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to talk to the media. Blocking China s unfettered access to the Western Pacific are the 200 islands stretching from Japan s main islands through the East China Sea to within have also launched an investigation into $2 million in alleged bribes linked to Tokyo s host bid, an allegation the organisers deny. Yuko Arakida, a board member of the organising committee, told local media Masuzoe s departure was extremely 100 km of Taiwan. Japan is fortifying those islands with radar stations and anti-ship missile batteries. By joining the drill, Japan is deepening alliances it hopes will help counter growing Chinese power. Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo recently jumped after a Chinese warship for the first time sailed within 38 km of contested islands in the East China Sea. The outcrops known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China lie 220 km northeast of Taiwan. Wary of China s more assertive maritime role in the region, the US Navy s Third Fleet plans to send more ships to East Asia to work alongside the N Korea may be significantly upping nuclear bomb output WASHINGTON: North Korea may be significantly expanding its nuclear weapons production and could have added six or more weapons to its stockpile in the last 18 months, a US research institute said. The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) estimated last year that North Korea had 10 to 16 nuclear weapons at the end of It based that conclusion on an analysis of the country s production of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium recovered from spent nuclear fuel. In revised estimates contained in a report provided to Reuters, the institute s David Albright and Serena Kelleher-Vergantini said North Korea may have added another four to six weapons since then, for a total of 13 to 21 or even more today. The report on Tuesday said the 13 to Yoichi Masuzoe attends the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly plenary session in Tokyo on Wednesday. AFP 21 estimate did not take into account the possible production of additional highly enriched uranium at a second centrifuge plant thought to exist in North Korea. Nonetheless, this exercise, despite not being comprehensive, shows that North Korea could be significantly increasing its nuclear weapons capabilities, the report said, adding that most of the increase could be attributed to the production of weapons-grade uranium. The report came a week after a senior US State Department official said that North Korea had restarted production of plutonium fuel, indicating that it planned to pursue its nuclear weapons programme in defiance of international sanctions that followed its fourth nuclear test in January. Plutonium also can be used to make nuclear weapons. Reuters regrettable, citing his foreign language proficiency and emotional attachment to the Games. His resignation will not bring about a positive image of Tokyo, she added. As the scandal mounted, all the major parties in the Tokyo legislature agreed to submit a no-confidence motion against Masuzoe. Local media reported that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) the biggest force in the capital s politics and Masuzoe s main supporter was concerned that the scandal-tainted governor could also damage its chances in upcoming parliamentary elections. The motion was shelved when Masuzoe preempted it by resigning. The brouhaha has not gone down well with the general public in Japan amid stagnant economic growth and increasing hardship among low-wage earners. AFP Japan-based Seventh Fleet, a US official said on Tuesday. For India, the gathering is an chance to put on a show of force close to China s eastern seaboard and signal its displeasure at increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean. India sent its naval contingent of four ships on a tour through the South China Sea with stops in the Philippines and Vietnam on their way to the exercise. China claims most of the energyrich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Reuters KIDNAP Families raise $3m to ransom hostages in Philippines DRAMA KUALA LUMPUR: The families of four Malaysian sailors who were recently freed by militants in the southern Philippines raised 12 million ringgit to pay ransoms, an uncle of one of the hostages said on Wednesday. The four were crew of a tugboat seized by Abu Sayyaf rebels on April 1. They were taken to the rebels stronghold on Jolo Island in the southern Philippines until they were released on June 8. Lau Cheng Kiong, uncle of former hostage Lau Jung Hien, said they raised a total of 12 million ringgit ($3 million), which they gave to the police on May 24. All the money has been handed to them (the police). We did not keep a single cent, he told a press conference in the town of Sibu in the eastern Malaysian state of Sarawak. Included in the 12 million ringgit they collected, Lau said, was 1 million ringgit from the proceeds of the mortgage of their two houses and 2 million ringgit contributed by the shipping company where the four were working. Other donations came from individuals and groups in China, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, he said. Last week, Malaysian police chief Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar, said Malaysia did not pay a ransom for the release of the four captives. Malaysian police have not commented on Lau s claims. On Monday, Abu Sayyaf rebels executed Canadian hostage Robert Hall after a ransom was not paid by the deadline set by the guerrillas. dpa

7 sub i continent subcontinent 7 Pakistan fires heavy artillery at Afghan forces on Khyber border ESCALATING TENSION: Four people killed, thousands stranded on both sides Durga Kami and his classmates pose for a group picture in their classroom. Reuters Never too old to learn; Nepal s 68-year-old student PHEDIKHOLA, Nepal: Nepalese grandfather Durga Kami brushes his bushy white beard, puts on his school uniform and, with the aid of his walking stick, trudges for over an hour to class for another day of learning. Poverty prevented Kami finishing his studies as a child and achieving his goal of becoming a teacher. Now 68, the father of six and grandfather of eight, goes to school six days a week to complete his studies and escape a lonely home life following the death of his wife. Walking into the Shree Kala Bhairab higher secondary school and the buzz created by 200 children is a welcome contrast to the hush of the isolated oneroom home, with its leaking roof and frequent power cuts, where Kami lives in Syangja district, some 250 km west of Nepal s capital Kathmandu. To forget my sorrows I go to school, Kami, one of the oldest students in Nepal, said in the classroom where he studies alongside 14 and 15-year-olds. Kami, whose children have all left his hilltop home, first went to Kaharay primary school where he learnt to read and write with the seven and eight-yearolds before leaving after finishing grade five with the 11-year-olds. Shree Kala Bhairab teacher D R Koirala then invited Kami to his school, which provided the grandfather with stationary and a school uniform including grey trousers, blue striped tie and white shirt. This is my first experience teaching a person who is as senior as my father s age, Koirala said. I feel very excited and happy. The school scholarship does not stretch to cover food, though, meaning Kami s breakfast of rice with a fermented green Durga Kami combs his beard as he gets ready for school in Syangja. Reuters This is my first experience teaching a person who is as senior as my father s age... I feel very excited and happy. D R KOIRALA Shree Kala Bhairab teacher vegetable known as Gundruk must sustain him until dinner. The 20 children in his grade 10 class have dubbed Kami Baa, which means father in Nepali, but despite his age their elderly class mate joins in all activities, including volleyball in the schoolyard. I used to think why is this old man coming to school to study with us? but as time passed I enjoyed his company, Kami s 14-year-old class mate Sagar Thapa said. He is a little bit weak in studies compared to us but we help him out with that. Kami said he wanted to studying until his death, adding he hoped it would encourage others to ignore age obstacles. If they see an old person with white beard like me studying in school they might get motivated as well, he said. Reuters PESHAWAR: Pakistani troops fired heavy artillery at Afghan forces at their main Khyber Pass border crossing on Wednesday, the Pakistani military said, an escalation after days of clashes that have killed four people and stranded thousands on both sides. Relations between the US allies have never been close but have been strained over the past 15 years by Afghan accusations that Pakistan supports the Taliban who are fighting to unseat the US-backed government in Kabul. Pakistan denies that. The countries have blamed each other for the fighting that broke out on Sunday at the main crossing point between them over the construction of a new border post on the Pakistani side. When our people began construction work on the gate on Wednesday, Afghan forces again opened fire at our troops and construction workers, said a Pakistani security official who declined to be identified. He said Pakistan had retaliated with long-range artillery and mortars. There was no word on any casualties. The Pakistani military spokesman s office confirmed the Wednesday fighting. Afghan officials, however, denied any fighting on Wednesday, but said an Afghan border guard was killed and five were wounded overnight on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if the officials were talking about the same incident. Pakistan s Foreign Office summoned the Afghan ambassador to demand that Afghanistan put an end to the unprovoked firing and to protest against the death of a Pakistani army major, shot on the border in a clash this week. Nato set to agree on keeping expanded Afghan bases An internally displaced Afghan family flees their home following clashes on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan in eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday. AFP The US State Department on Tuesday urged a calm resolution to the tension. By Wednesday, trucks carrying goods to Afghanistan had been stranded on the Pakistani side of the border for four days. A journalist at the scene said trucks lined the road all the way from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Torkham border. Pakistan says the border gate it is building is well on its side of the border and will help stop militants from crossing and help fight drug trafficking. Pakistan s foreign policy chief, Afghan officials, however, denied any fighting on Wednesday, but said an Afghan border guard was killed and five were wounded overnight on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if the officials were talking about the same incident. Sartaj Aziz, expressed concern over what he called the Afghan army s attempts to disrupt border management efforts by Pakistan. Afghanistan objects to all Pakistani construction on a 2,200 km border it says was unfairly imposed by British colonialists in the 19th century and which it has never recognised. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been particularly strained in recent months over Afghan officials anger at what they see as insincere efforts by Pakistan to help with peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Reuters BRUSSELS: World leaders are expected to agree at the Nato summit in Warsaw next month to maintain the alliance s broad geographic layout of bases in Afghanistan, a Nato diplomat said, a move that could make it easier for the United States to keep more troops there. President Barack Obama plans to slash the number of US forces in Afghanistan from about 9,800 to 5,500 before he leaves office in 2017, despite calls from former commanders and envoys to halt the drawdown in the face of a renewed Taliban insurgency. Nato allies are also signalling a willingness to stay, with Britain s Defense Secretary Michael Fallon saying flatly during a gathering of Nato ministers in Brussels: This the wrong time to walk away from Afghanistan. The Nato diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to speculate on whether Obama might reconsider his withdrawal plans but said the decision on bases expected at Warsaw would take into account the slated US drawdown. The United States contributes 6,800 troops to Nato s training mission in Afghanistan, which will fall to 3,400 under the current plan, the diplomat said. Washington also carries out a unilateral counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. Nato s hub-and-spoke model for troops training and advising Afghan forces extends well beyond the capital Kabul to allow an international military presence at regional hubs. But Nato policy-makers had been examining whether it was possible to keep those posts open, even as force levels fall. What I m forecasting is that three weeks from now, that process will result (in a decision), and we will still be in the hub and four spokes, the diplomat said. I believe we ll have sufficient resources, and our military commanders have told us we ll have sufficient resources, to stay in the basic posture. The senior diplomat, speaking to a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, also expected Nato leaders to agree to some $5 billion in funding to sustain Afghan security forces at the current levels through The current Nato commitment to fund the Afghan security forces only extends through The funding is based on maintaining a goal of 352,000 Afghan soldiers and police. The official roster currently includes about 320,000 members of the security forces, a US military commander said earlier this week. Reuters

8 analysis analysis 8 EGYPT S ILLICIT TRADE IN CURRENCY SPREADS ASMA ALSHARIF AND MARWA RASHAD E gypt s efforts to stamp out illicit currency trading is pushing black market dealers to carry out transactions abroad, beyond the reach of the law, robbing the economy of its last vital source of foreign currency. Dealers say they are scooping up dollars held by expatriate workers and exporters before they ever enter Egypt, exacerbating the dollar shortage at the heart of the currency crisis that has already undermined investment and hit trade and manufacturing. Egyptians working abroad send back about $19 billion a year in remittances, an important source of hard currency for a country that has seen tourism, foreign investment and exports dwindle in the political turmoil that followed the 2011 revolt. The central bank has sought to crack down on the black market, revoking the licences of exchange bureaus found dealing far beyond the official rate. This month, the government approved plans to impose jail terms for black market trading. But the yawning gap between an official dollar rate of 8.8 Egyptian pounds and a black market rate close to 11 pounds is encouraging expatriates to circumvent the banks altogether. It s a vicious cycle because the only way for the black market to end is for banks to start providing dollars, and the banks don t have the dollar resources because they are being sucked up by the black market abroad, said one banker who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Abu Marwan, an Egyptian engineer who works in Saudi Arabia, used to transfer money each month to his wife s bank back home. For the past year, he has gone instead to black market dealers who offer a better rate if he hands over his cash abroad. Me and my colleagues here stopped transferring money through the banks to Egypt because when you do that you lose, said Abu Marwan, who makes the equivalent of $2,600 a month. We all open a phone line and agree on the price together, then I give the man in Riyadh the money and at the same time his partner gives my wife in Egypt the money in Egyptian pounds at a higher rate. Central bank officials were not immediately available to respond to queries about black market dealers carrying out transactions abroad. Egypt has struggled to restore growth since the 2011 uprising and scared away tourists and foreign investors key earners of foreign currency. Foreign reserves have halved from over $36 billion before the revolt to about $17.5 billion in May. The central bank has been forced to ration dollars and prioritise essential goods like food, introducing restrictions on the transfer and deposit of foreign currency. The shortage at banks has created a black market where importers and individuals are willing to pay far more than the official rate to get the hard currency they need. Egypt has struggled to restore growth since 2011 uprising and scared away tourists and foreign investors, key earners of foreign currency. Foreign reserves have halved from over $36 billion before the revolt to about $17.5 billion. Once you introduce these strict capital controls, you create a big crisis in the currency market that incentivises evading the banking system entirely which is why 90 per cent of remittances reportedly are not going to the banking system, which is why exporters are disincentivised from bringing their money back, said Timothy Kaldas, non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. They are worried they won t be able to move it later so why not just keep it somewhere else. Egypt devalued the currency in March in a bid to close the gap with the parallel rate. But the pound has since depreciated further on the black market, and at 25 per cent, the gap is now wider than ever. The margins make illicit currency dealing attractive to those who have never dabbled in the business before. Companies that once relied on exports for profit have found they can make more by selling on the dollars they earn to desperate importers on the black market, six black market traders interviewed by Reuters said. Again, the transactions take place abroad and the foreign currency never enters Egypt. Even if they sell goods at a loss, they make a profit from the transactions of foreign currencies that they sell to importers, said one currency trader, who has been directly involved in such deals. Digital fails to save newspapers T ROB LEVER he grim news for newspapers: digital is doing little to rescue them from their deepening woes. Reeling from weak circulation and ad revenue, the traditional newspaper world faces an ugly picture while social media and tech firms benefit from the shift to digital, a Pew Research Center study released on Wednesday found. Average weekday newspaper circulation print and digital combined fell seven per cent in 2015, the greatest decline since 2010, Pew s annual State of the News Media report found. Although digital circulation gained a slight two per cent, that amounted to just 22 per cent of total circulation, and online subscriptions have done little for the overall revenue picture, Pew said. It found that total 2015 advertising revenue among publicly traded newspaper companies declined almost eight per cent, reflecting weakness in digital as well as print. To make matters worse, newspaper newsroom employment fell 10 per cent last year, the biggest drop since 2009, the researchers found. Newspapers had a near recessionlevel year, Pew researcher Jesse Holcomb said. Major tech companies are reaping most of the revenues from online news, Pew found. There is money being made on the web, but news organisations have not been the primary beneficiaries, the report said. Total digital advertising spending grew 20 per cent last year to around $60 billion, a higher growth rate than in 2013 and 2014, Pew said. But compared with a year ago, even more of the digital ad revenue pie 65 per cent is now swallowed up by just five tech companies, the report said, naming Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Twitter. Although digital circulation gained a slight two per cent, that amounted to just 22 per cent of total circulation, and online subscriptions have done little for the overall revenue picture. Increasingly, the data suggest that the impact these technology companies are having on the business of journalism goes far beyond the financial side to the very core elements of the news industry itself. Facebook took in some 30 per cent of digital display ad revenue last year, or $8 billion, according to Pew. Google accounted for 16 per cent. Some news publishers still make profits but it s a mixed picture, while a handful of digital companies are sucking up the oxygen, Holcomb said. Part of the reason for the revenue shift is due to how people discover news often by happenstance on social networks or by searching online the researcher added. Our relationship with news is in a state of change, he said. Most people who say they get news on a platform like Facebook are not necessarily looking for news, news is just one of the things they stumble across. Since the Newspaper Association of America stopped reporting revenue figures for the newspaper industry as a whole in 2013, Pew tracked data from the seven publicly traded newspaper groups, which owned some 300 dailies at the end of last year. The data accurately tracks the sector even though a majority of newspapers are privately held, the research firm said. The picture was more nuanced elsewhere in the media industry. Some digital news startups appear to be generating revenues and profits, although data has been spotty, Holcomb said. Even among these promising digital news startups, there is a feeling of uncertainty, he said. The market hasn t become clear nor has the business model, he added. If Britain leaves the EU will Frankfurt gain? The jury is divided M JOERN BENDER any experts are convinced that, were Britain to quit the European Union following its a referendum on June 23, London would lose its spot as Europe s top financial industry centre. The so-called Brexit could benefit other finance centres in the EU, above all Frankfurt with its large banking, stock market and financial services sector that has already lured many international institutions. But for some people this is not a cause for celebration. For example, the Association of Foreign Banks in Germany warns against false expectations. Sometimes you hear that Frankfurt would be the winner of an exit by Britain from the EU, association head Stefan Winter, an executive at the Swiss bank UBS, said recently. I think such expressions are premature in view of the many variables, unknowns and uncertainties about how things would go for the United Kingdom if they vote to leave. But there is no getting around one fact: that banks if they want to provide services within, the EU must have a legally established subsidiary based in an EU member state. As the DZ Bank notes, a Brexit would mean that banks, along with their personnel and infrastructure would have to leave Britain and transfer to the EU, most likely to such places as Paris, Dublin or Frankfurt. Financial industry experts say it would If British voters say No to EU membership, this could give a boost, at least temporarily, to financial centres that must now compete with London. Among others, Frankfurt could hope to benefit. by no means be certain that Frankfurt would win the race as the future alternative location for financial institutions. Already, the city on the River Main is bursting at the seams. Affordable housing is scarce and streets are often clogged with traffic. At the end of last year, nearly 200 banks were based in Frankfurt, 80 per cent of these foreign institutes. The banking sector employs 62,500 people. Frankfurt likes to advertise how close everything is, including the proximity to the headquarters of such watchdogs as the European Central Bank and the European insurance supervisory authority EIOPA. As the Hesse state bank Helaba notes, with the new European Banking Authority under the ECB also making its headquarters in Frankfurt in 2014, the city had definitively established itself as the capital of European supervision. UBS Executive Winter believes that the ECB itself with a magnet-like effect, just as much as the large number of skilled employees, good infrastructure and last but not least the strongest national economy in the EU are factors in Frankfurt s favour. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage campaigns for Brexit in Sittingbourne as Labour Party scrambled to make the case for Europe to its members. AFP

9 analysis a s analysis 9 Writing is how we truly immortalise our existence AHMED AL HARTHY [email protected] W e are all living beings. We make ends meet, eat, drink and rest to survive. In this respect, what makes us humans different from other creatures? Is it the fact that we have founded civilisations, built great cities and exploited the earth s natural resources? Can we really claim to exist solely on the basis that we are breathing? Is the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide really what defines our existence? Most of us have lofty ambitions, we aspire to achieve great things in our personal lives as well as in our careers. When we do stop living, as our breathing is reduced to whispers and is then reduced to absolute silence, we leave nothing behind except our progeny, our property, wealth and perhaps pass on our surname. But is that all the legacy man would wish to leave behind? Is it not possible for us to pass on ideas, narratives, perspectives and knowledge? How selfish of us if we do not. Our understanding of life has been reduced to carrying out tasks that all other creatures perform to survive. We amass wealth, property, children, yet a century after we re gone we are nowhere to be found, we cannot be heard beyond our existence in the realm of this material world. How do we thrust ourselves into the future beyond our physical existence? No one denies that building homes for the poor, establishing schools and hospitals would gain us recognition by those who come after us, however, only a tiny fraction of mankind can afford to do so. Writing on the other hand is free, it does not require much other than a paper and a pen, or for those luckier ones, a computer and a keyboard. In essence, writing is how we truly appreciate and immortalise our existence. We are able to transcend above our physical presence amongst the hordes of the human species. It is no surprise that a large quantity of great men and women have not left us without articulating their thoughts and ideas on paper. From Von Clausewitz s superb study of war, and Machiavelli s articulation on the dark arts of power, to the great work of Adam Smith s The Wealth of Nations and Edward Said s masterpiece Orientalism. The aforementioned can all be considered founding fathers of their respective fields and can be still widely-read and respected to this day. One may question however, that they are no Adam Smith nor an Edward Said that they are not experts in any field and thus cannot contribute effectively to human understanding. Or that they are not as eloquent in their writing as these great writers. However, it is wrong to assume that these men, in their essence, were super humans that are masters in their own right. It has happened quite frequently that once one has read a book and was amazed by its content, and then had the chance to meet the author. They tended to be disappointed as they had a heightened, fantasised image of the author that was far removed from reality. Furthermore, it is not necessary that when we write, we intend to publish our works to the world. We are instead recording our own thoughts and feelings which can help us conceptualise them better. Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor, wrote down what was later called Meditations that was not meant to be published. It was discovered after his death and was widely circulated. In his work, Aurelius writes down his simple thoughts on life and its meaning. If he were alive today, he would be overwhelmed with how this simple text of less than 100 pages has been impacting millions of people for almost 2000 years. We can never accurately ascertain how our writings may impact upon society, or even the entire world. Who knows, it could profoundly affect the current and tides of history, the lifestyles of future generations and the policies of world leaders. People in the future will get to know what our time period was like, in the same way we got to know the Greeks through Plato and Aristotle, the Romans through Aurelius and the Islamic Golden Age through Ibn Khaldun and Al Farabi. Those that come after us will also be able to compare their perspectives to ours; to see if any drastic change has taken place; or to be able to improve upon the pre-existing notions and ideas of their predecessors. These writings to not have to be philosophical or scientific, even novels can play a huge part in understanding our own cultures and societies. Our civilisation is only carried into the future by the legacy of each and every one of us. Do not allow this transmission of ideas, this flow of narratives and this plethora of perspectives end with you. Write, you may not always be right, but your writings will be rightfully rewarded in some cultural rite. A SLIPPERY TARGET KHURRAM SHAHZAD Yingluck Shinawatra (C) poses with supporters during a visit to the Wat Phra That Sri Don Kham temple in Phrae. Yingluck wows fans but remains divisive figure W AMY SAWITTA LEFEVRE hen former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrived in this sleepy corner of northern Thailand and flashed her familiar smile, waiting supporters gasped and spoke of a political revival. But as she cradled babies, hugged grannies and posed for selfies in Phrae province, Yingluck was also thinking of political survival, say aides. In the two years since the military overthrew her government, Yingluck has been on trial for corruption over a multimillion-dollar rice subsidy scheme. She denies wrongdoing and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Phrae was one stop in a series of provincial trips aimed at keeping Yingluck, Thailand s first female prime minister, in the public eye and making the junta think twice about jailing her. It s a fight for survival, Chayika Wongnapachant, her niece and aide, said. The trips take place in the run-up to an August referendum on a new draft constitution that critics say will stymie party politics and enshrine military power. The junta has threatened to jail anyone campaigning against the constitution, which is meant to pave the way for a general election in Yingluck cannot run because the junta banned her from politics for five years, but her star appeal would boost any campaign by her Puea Thai Party. However, many Thais despise Yingluck almost as much as her billionaire brother Thaksin, who was prime minister until deposed in a previous military coup in Both his supporters and opponents have taken to the streets in a decade of oftenviolent protests. Thailand remains broadly divided, with the Shinawatra clan enjoying heavy support in the mostly poorer north and northeast. Yingluck s resilience and popularity is a symptom of Thailand s wider dysfunction, Many Thais despise Yingluck almost as much as her billionaire brother Thaksin, who was prime minister until deposed in a previous military coup in Both his supporters and opponents have taken to the streets in a decade of often-violent protests. says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok s Chulalongkorn University. She can t run in the next election yet remains a leading newsmaker among politicians because her opponents have failed to provide a viable electoral alternative, he said. The military government would like Yingluck to go away and the Thaksin era to be extinguished. The opposite Democrat Party remains weak and the junta still struggles for legitimacy after two years in power, he said. So Thailand really is in this prolonged limbo. Ostensibly, Yingluck s tour of the AFP countryside came after she asked her five million Facebook followers to name tourist attractions in their home provinces, and to cast votes for the five she should visit. But the trips are also an attempt to test the waters, Chayika said. The junta, which banned gatherings of five or more people after the 2014 coup, has made no public objection to what look and feel like political rallies. The junta cannot stop her from doing so because when she goes there are no problems, government spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said of Yingluck s trips. But every time she goes, one of our officials will follow her and send reports back to us. The government was also being cautious, said Suranand Vejjajiva, Yingluck s former chief of staff. The public might rebel if they think she is being treated unfairly, he said. Yingluck s trips have become part of an intensifying popularity contest with the army general who deposed her: prime minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha. Yingluck s relaxed style in Phrae contrasts with Prayuth s tetchy public appearances. He has lashed out at reporters, vowing in 2015 to execute those who didn t report the truth. At a recent event promoting fitness, Prayuth wrapped a scarf around a gym instructor s neck and pretended to hang him. August s referendum on the draft constitution will also be the first real test of the junta s popularity since the coup. Both Yingluck s Puea Thai Party and the Democrat Party say the draft constitution is undemocratic and will do little to soothe Thailand s political instability. Despite the junta s threat to jail critics of the charter, Yingluck used her trip to Phrae to inject a note of doubt. A HEAD OFFICE Tel: , , , , Fax: SALALAH OFFICE Tel: Fax: NIZWA OFFICE Tel: P.O. Box 955, P.C. 611 Website: omanobserver.om s investigators probe connections between the Orlando killer and the IS group, analysts say the militants are struggling to gain a foothold in one country repeatedly linked to their high-profile attacks: Pakistan. White House hopeful Donald Trump mentioned Pakistan in a speech this week in New Hampshire as he doubled down on antiimmigration threats in the wake of the bloody rampage in Orlando. Trump cited an attack in California last November, when a Pakistani woman and her US-born husband were praised by IS as soldiers after killing 14 people. Other murky links between Pakistan and IS attacks have also emerged. Two people were killed in France on Monday by a man claiming allegiance to IS and known to French intelligence for his role in a Pakistan-linked group. In April, Austrian prosecutors said they are investigating a Pakistani held in connection with last November s deadly assault on Paris, also claimed by IS. Washington earlier this year designated an IS affiliate the Khorasan Province as a Afghanistan- and Pakistan-based terrorist organisation. But Islamabad officially denies IS has a formal presence in the country. Analysts say that while the group s ultra-violent ideology has seen some success as a recruitment tool, IS is still scrabbling for purchase in Pakistan largely due to competition from well established extremist groups already there. My sense is that it has had limited success mainly because it has to compete for recruits with indigenous terror organisations, said Marvin G Weinbaum, Director of the Pakistan Center at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC. I don t see it as having the potential to make large-scale territorial gains and existentially threatening Pakistan as a nation, said Aymenn Jawad al Tamimi, a research fellow at the US-based Middle East Forum. I am also somewhat sceptical of the potential to supplant Al Qaeda and the Taliban, he wrote in an . Attacks claimed by IS in Pakistan are rare, the most significant being a 2015 gun assault on a bus in Karachi that killed 44 people. However, Pakistani officials said that hundreds of suspects have been rounded up as authorities try to break an domestic IS recruitment network. Educated, motivated and unemployed youth are an IS recruitment base in Pakistan. We have busted several recruitment cells here, a senior security official said on condition of anonymity. ESTABLISHED ON 15 NOVEMBER 1981 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Abdullah bin Salim al Shueili ADVERTISING AL OMANEYA ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, P.O. Box 3303, P.C. 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman Tel: SWITCHBOARD: DIRECT: / / Fax: DISTRIBUTION AGENT Al OMANEYA for Distribution & Marketing, P.O. Box 974, P.C. 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Tel: / Fax: [email protected] PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising P.O. Box 974, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman [email protected] Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these pages are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the opinion of the Observer.

10 india india 10 3 injured in two grenade blasts in Shopian Three civilians were injured when suspected militants hurled two grenades in Jammu and Kashmir s Shopian town on Wednesday, police said. Three civilians were injured in Shopian town where militants lobed two grenades today. One exploded outside the police station while the other exploded at Batpora Chowk, a senior police official said. Aviation policy for affordable, convenient flying ROADMAP: Recasts the controversial norms on national carriers flying abroad NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday unveiled its long-awaited civil aviation policy with a road map to support 300 million air travellers in five years and steps to make flying affordable and convenient. It also recasts the controversial norms on national carriers flying abroad. Besides sops to make India a hub for aircraft maintenance, the policy proposes an all-inclusive tariff of Rs 2,500 per ticket for each flying hour to promote regional routes and facilitate more people to travel at lower costs with incentives for airport developers, operators and carriers. One of the most contentious rules that had split the domestic airlines was the 5/20 norm of five-year operation and a 20-aircraft fleet to qualify to fly overseas. The five-year wait is now done away with, but airlines will need 20 aircraft or fly 20 per cent on domestic routes. The new policy was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after several years of discussions, following which a revised draft policy was last uploaded by the civil aviation ministry on October 30 last year for comments from stakeholders. Prime Minister Modi said that the policy will transform the aviation sector, enhance regional connectivity and greatly benefit passengers. #CivilAviationPolicy gives an impetus to affordability, regional connectivity, safety, infrastructure, which is vital for #TransformingIndia, the prime minister wrote on Twitter. The #CivilAviationPolicy approved today by the Cabinet will transform the sector & greatly benefit passengers, Modi added. Civil Aviation Minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju said it was for the first time that India has an integrated civil aviation policy that has been crafted after some 450 responses and talks with all stakeholders airlines, airport operators and informal consultations among ministers. The ambitious policy seeks to make India figure among the three largest aviation hubs in terms of passengers within the next decade from the ninth position now, while promoting the entire chain of aviation infrastructure: from cargo and maintenance to charter services and manufacturing. Civil Aviation Secretary Rajeev Nayan Choubey said while India built more than 350 airports and airstrips during and after World War II, many of them are in operational. A new scheme will seek to revive as many as possible as no-frills airports at an investment of Rs 50 crore each. This will be a part of the regional connectivity scheme that will kickoff from July, along with a cap in allinclusive fare of Rs 2,500 per ticket per hour of flying, and viability gap funding for airline operators. Excise duty in such Air India withdraws operation from Bengal s Durgapur Airport KOLKATA: Air India on Wednesday said it will withdraw its operations on the Kolkata-Durgapur-Delhi route from June 17 due to operational reasons. The national air carrier was the sole airlines operating a flight from the newly built Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Durgapur (Andal) of West Bengal s Burdwan since December. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flew on its first trial flight from Durgapur to Delhi on December 7. Air India will withdraw its operations on the Kolkata-Durgapur- Delhi and return sector from June 17 due to operational reasons, said an airline spokesman. With Air India stopping its flight, there will be no scheduled flights to and from the airport from Friday. The spokesman said the passengers who booked tickets may either cancel and get the full refund or opt to fly Delhi from Kolkata with the same ticket. The official declined to give the An IndiGo Airlines aircraft prepares to land as a man paddles his cycle rickshaw in Ahmedabad. Reuters The national air carrier was the sole airlines operating a flight from the newly built Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Durgapur (Andal) of West Bengal s Burdwan since December details of the operational reasons for which it suspended its operation. But it was learnt that the airlines withdrew its operations due to economic nonviability. Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL), which developed the greenfield airport, said the cost of operations or the viability gap funding would have been almost half in case of a private airline compared to that of Air India. BAPL said while traditionally, VGF is paid by state governments to the airlines, it was the only private airport operator in the country to offer VGF to an airline to operate scheduled flights. To bring in the first carrier through the viability gap funding model was not because of a dearth of demand but because of non-availability of any historical data, which is a primary requirement for any private airline operator to reach a conclusion, in terms of assessing the market potential. Had it been any other private airline operator, the cost of operations/ VGF would be almost half of what Air India has been charging. In that event, the operations would not only be self sustainable but highly profitable, said airport developer s Managing Director Partha Ghosh. The high cost of operations by Air India, makes even a lucrative market like the Durgapur-Asansol region, unsustainable, he added. IANS Highlights and vision of first integrated civil aviation policy: - Make India 3rd largest civil aviation market by 2022 from 9th - Push domestic travel to 300 million passengers by 2022 from 80 million now - Scheduled operations to expand from 77 airports now to 127 by Cargo volumes to increase 4 times to 10 million tonnes by Cap of Rs 2,500 per ticket on regional routes - Sticky 5/20 rule for airlines to fly overseas replaced with new norms: 20 aircraft or 20 per cent deployment on domestic routes - Flexible, liberalised open skies and code share agreement - Incentives for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul to make India a hub in South Asia - Skilling of 3.3 lakh personnel by 2025 with certification - Focus also on development of green-field airports and heliports - Focus on ease of doing business through deregulation, procedures and e-governance - Promoting Make In India in civil aviation sector - Detained scheme soon to fund operators in regional routes - Bilateral rights and code share agreements to be liberalised - Open skies policy with countries in South Asia on reciprocal basis - Encouragement to states to develop airports - Compensation to Airports Authority for airports within 150 km of existing ones - Promotion of chopper usage with separate regulations soon - Promotion of four heli-hubs initially - Facilitation of helicopter emergency medical services - Customs duty on parts for maintenance units rationalised - Ground handling policy to be replaced with new framework to ensure fair competition - Three ground handling agencies including Air India arms at all major airports - At non-major airports, operator to decide number of ground handling agencies - Domestic scheduled airline, chopper services allowed self-handling at airports. airports will be just 2 per cent on fuel. Apart from funding, there will not be any airport charges like for landing, parking as also navigation to the un-connected airport. The service tax will also be reduced by 90 per cent on the ticket which would make the effective rate come down to 1.2 per cent, Choubey said. The government also intends to develop India as an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) hub to attract business from foreign airlines with sops such as a service tax concession, customs duty exemption for tools, selfcertification for parts and a longer, sixmonth stay for foreign aircraft to park in India. The maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business of Indian carriers is alone around Rs 5,000 crore, 90 per cent of which is currently spent outside India, said the policy document. It seeks to get India this share, than airlines going to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE. Broadly, the policy dwells on upgrade of airports, regional connectivity, easing of norms for flying abroad, liberalisation of open skies regime, development of cargo hubs, chopper services, attracting investments in maintenance and ground handling and security. Officials said norms for choppers and how to utilise the excess manpower in terms of pilots will be announced separately. The ground handling policy, which has been criticised for jacking up operational costs has also been recast to allow airlines carry out self-handling. There will also be three independent ground-handling agencies, including those associated with Air India, at every large airport. The number of such agencies in other airports will be decided by the operator. IANS Target me, not Delhi s people: Kejriwal NEW DELHI: Accusing the BJP and Congress of double standards, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday again took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of Parliamentary Secretaries, saying it was legal when they did it and illegal when his government did so. I request Modiji with folded hands, Kejriwal told the media, literally folding his hands. Your fight is with me. Beat me if you wish, do whatever you want to me but do not harass the people of Delhi. Don t try to stop the good work being done in Delhi, he added. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said that the 21 AAP legislators appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries by the Delhi government were its eyes, ears and hands. It is with their help that our government is functioning, he said. These Parliamentary Secretaries put in a lot of effort behind all the development work we do. He also asked why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress were questioning his government for appointing MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries when they themselves did so Your fight is with me. Beat me if you wish, do whatever you want to me but do not harass the people of Delhi. HIGHLIGHTS ARVIND KEJRIWAL Chief Minister when they ruled Delhi. Taking the names of former chief ministers, Kejriwal said BJP leader Sahib Singh Verma appointed a legislator, Nand Kishore Garg, as Parliamentary Secretary in It is okay when the BJP does it. But when the AAP does it, it becomes unconstitutional. Kejriwal said his own predecessor Sheila Dixit had appointed Ajay Maken, now the president of the Congress in Delhi, as her Parliamentary Secretary when she was the chief minister. Kejriwal said that after taking power in February 2015, he decided to ask some of his legislators, who included doctors and engineers, to work as Parliamentary Secretaries. He reiterated that these Parliamentary Secretaries were not being paid any money for the extra work they do. The chief minister left the press conference after making his statement. Kejriwal s outburst came after President Pranab Mukherjee reportedly rejected a proposed legislation by the Delhi government to exempt the post of Parliamentary Secretary from the purview of office-of-profit. This triggered the Congress and BJP criticism of the Kejriwal government amid reports that the 21 legislators face disqualification for holding the Parliamentary Secretary posts. IANS Ministerial measures to check price rise listed NEW DELHI: Stung by the escalating prices of essential commodities, including pulses and select vegetables, the Centre on Wednesday went into damage control and chalked out a road map and stringent measures to bring down the prices. In order to bring down the growing prices of pulses, the government today decided to boost imports via public and private agencies. This will help meet the deficit, an official source said. The government is also keen to work out joint strategies with states on the price rise front and sought urgent steps on adequate procurement and actions against hoarders. The decisions were taken at a meeting of a high-powered ministerial team headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here. The meeting attended by Ministers Radha Mohan Singh (Agriculture), Ram Vilas Paswan (Food), Nirmala Sitharaman (Commerce) besides two senior ministers Nitin Gadkari and M Venkaiah Naidu and senior officials from the Food, Finance and Agriculture ministries reviewed steps taken so far on inadequate storage facilities and procurement problems. Earlier in the day, the Food ministry also flagged off mobile vans for selling pulses at reasonable prices in the capital. The meeting was informed that 1.15 lakh tonnes pulses have been procured directly from farmers. At the meeting, Food Minister Paswan briefed his colleagues that while a pulse buffer stock is ready, the response from many states has not been encouraging. We have created a buffer stock and have asked states to place their requirement for retail distribution, he said. In 2015 too, the Food Ministry faced problem of procurement from states after lentils were imported, sources said. The high-powered ministerial panel met on the directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as growing prices of essential item potatoes (60 per cent dearer in wholesale markets) and pulses getting costlier by 36 per cent over the past year, pushed up India s annual wholesale inflation for the second month in May to its highest levels in nearly two years. India s retail inflation also rose for the second straight month in May to 5.76 per cent from 5.47 per cent in the month before due to a sharp spike in food prices, Consumer Price Index (CPI) data said on Monday. Food Minister Paswan later told reporters that Our department has been asked to procure more pulses for buffer stock and added that a team of officials will visit Myanmar soon to ensure early and smooth import of lentils. India is trying to work with Myanmar for a formal agreement for import of tur from that country on government-togovernment route. The Food Ministry source said here that together with earlier procurement of 51,000 MT of kharif (summer) crop, total domestic procurement of pulses by June 13 had reached 1,15,000 MT. The procurement of Rabi pulses has reached to 64,000 MT while the government has also ordered further import of 12,500 MT pulses for buffer stocks. IANS Petrol up by 5 paise, diesel by Rs 1.26 a litre NEW DELHI: State-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC) on Wednesday hiked transport fuel prices, that of petrol marginally by 5 paise a litre, and of diesel by Rs 1.26, both at Delhi, with corresponding increase in other states, effective midnight. The current level of international product prices of petrol and diesel and INR-USD exchange rate warrant increase in their selling price, IOC said announcing their fortnightly revision in fuel prices. Petrol per litre from Thursday will cost Rs in Delhi, Rs in Kolkata, Rs in Mumbai and Rs in Chennai. Similarly diesel per litre will cost Rs in Delhi, Rs in Kolkata, Rs in Mumbai and Rs in Chennai. IANS

11 Merger of 6 banks with SBI okayed MEGA MERGER: Unions in five SBI associate banks are opposed to the merger NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: With the government on Wednesday giving its inprinciple approval to the mega merger proposal in the banking sector the merger of six banks with SBI, State Bank of India chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya hailed the move as a winwin for all. The nod was given at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Finance Ministry spokesman said though there was no mention of the mega merger proposal at the media briefing of the cabinet decisions. The six banks are SBI s five associate banks - State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBJJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT) as well as the Bharatiya Mahila Bank Limited (BMB). In a statement issued by SBI, Bhattacharya said: The merger of SBI and its associate banks is a win-win for both. While the network of SBI would stand to increase, its reach would multiply. One can expect efficiencies to be created from rationalisation of branches, common treasury pooling and proper deployment of a large skilled resource base. Currently, no Indian bank features in the top 50 banks of the world. With this merger, some visibility at global level is likely to increase. On the talks of approval by the government to the merger, share prices of SBI, SBM, SBJJ and SBT flared up. The merger of six banks with SBI is the gateway for consolidation to happen in the banking sector. The decision shows that the government is serious about consolidation in the sector. In fact Arundhati Bhattacharya merger of banks is one of the aspects of Indradanush plan for the sector, Saswata Guha, Director, Financial Institutions at global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings, said. Indradanush is a seven-pronged plan to revamp the public sector banks announced by the central government last year. According to Guha, the benefits of It is unfortunate that despite opposition by unions and even political parties, the government has taken the decision to close down the five associate banks and hand their business to SBI C H VENKATACHALAM General Secretary, All India Bank Employees Association the merger will take around 18 months to accrue to SBI as integration of human resources and other aspects have to happen and going by the past mergers - of the State Bank of Saurashtra and State Bank of Indore. Post merger SBI will be around 24,000 branch strong and will have a market share of around 25 per cent. I am interested in seeing how the huge scale would benefit SBI, he added. The merger will create a banking giant with assets worth around Rs 37 lakh crore. On May 17, SBI had informed the bourses that it is seeking in principle sanction of the central government to enter into negotiation with the six banks to acquire their businesses including assets and liabilities. Global credit rating agency, Moody s Investors Service had estimated it would cost SBI around Rs 16.6 billion ($250 million) for the merger and will have limited impact on its credit metrics, including its asset quality and capitalisation level. Currently, the five associate banks operate as standalone banks with their own financials, board and management team, with oversight from SBI. In addition, SBJJ, SBM and SBP are also listed with the presence of minority shareholders. However the unions in the five SBI associate banks are opposed to the merger in this form. The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has demanded the merger of five associate banks of SBI into one entity. It is unfortunate that despite opposition by unions and even political parties, the government has taken the decision to go ahead with the decision to close down the five associate banks and hand their business to SBI, its General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said, adding that India needs banking expansion and not consolidation. IANS india da indiai 11 IN BRIEF Freedom fighter put under house arrest AGRA: Police foiled the suicide attempt by a 97-year-old freedom fighter, Chimman Lal Jain, who is crusading for liquor ban in Uttar Pradesh and put him under house arrest here. I went to the railway platform to throw myself before a running train as a protest against failure of the state government to stop liquor sale in the state but police stopped me, Jain said. Police forced me back home where they have put me under house arrest but as soon as I get an opportunity I will try again to end my life, he said. For the past one year, Jain has been leading the campaign for total prohibition in the state as he believes liquor consumption is one of the chief reasons behind ruining life. The frail Gandhian earlier had tried to jump in the Yamuna river but was prevented from doing so. At least on three occasions, he tried to commit suicide but timely intervention by police has foiled all his attempts. People have a right to protest but the police can not permit anyone to end his life, Superintendent of Police Sushil Dhule said. After Bihar, many groups in Uttar Pradesh have launched movements for total prohibition. In Agra, liquor addiction among shoe workers has been a major cause of concern. IANS 29 killed in Meghalaya bus accident SHILLONG: At least 29 people were killed and nine critically injured after a bus in which they were travelling bus plunged into a 500-feet gorge in Meghalaya, police said on Wednesday. The accident occurred on Tuesday night at Sonapur in East Jaintia Hills district, about 150 km from Meghalaya a capital Shillong. Three rescue personnel, who were putting all efforts to rescue the injured people, have also been injured as boulders rolling from the top hit them. We have rescued nine injured persons and managed to bring up seven bodies from the gorge, said Spill Thamar, the district police chief of East Jaintia Hills. We have suspended our operations due to the bad weather and treacherous terrain. We will start our rescue operations again tomorrow (Thursday) morning to retrieve all the bodies, he said. The privately-owned bus was on its way from Silchar to Guwahati via Meghalaya. Thamar said the injured persons, who are in a critical condition, have been shifted to the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (NEIGRIMS) in Shillong and Jowai Civil hospital in West Jaintia Hills district. We have not been able to ascertain the cause of the accident, Thamar said. IANS Nod to pact with Saudi Arabia on labour NEW DELHI: The union cabinet on Wednesday gave ex-post fact approval for an agreement on labour cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia. The agreement was signed in Riyadh during Prime Minister Narendra Modi s visit to Saudi Arabia in April. The agreement would benefit the Indian emigrant workers, especially in the unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled categories of workers who are working in Saudi Arabia without consideration of caste, creed, religion or gender, an official statement said. IANS LEGAL WRANGLES Uncertainty plagues Udta Punjab release NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The release date of Udta Punjab, which was to hit the screens on Friday, remained uncertain on Wednesday amid unending legal woes. The producers are yet to get a censor certificate in hand. After the Bombay High Court on Monday gave the drug-themed movie a green signal for release with an A certificate, its makers had more trouble to face from some NGOs. While Punjab-based Human Rights Awareness Association moved the Supreme Court to put on hold its screening saying it projected Punjab in poor light, the Delhi High Court asked the film s makers to remove from the movie s promos a scene ordered to be axed by the Bombay High Court. Also, the film was leaked online on Wednesday. But the film s team managed to remove it online on war footing from torrent sites. The pre-release buzz of Udta Punjab is immense given the legal war that followed the Central Board of Film Certification s (CBFC) order for a whopping 89 cuts to make the movie fit for release. The censors brought down that number to 13 later. Eventually, however, the Bombay High Court ruled it could release with just one scene cut. Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan told said: It s still doubtful whether the film will release on Friday as the matter is in the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court. But if it gets released, then it will definitely do good business because of the publicity it has got. Mahajan said expectations were that the movie will make over Rs 10 crore on its opening day. Curiosity level about the Shahid Kapoor starrer is high among fans, said Girish Johar of Zee Studios. The film has definitely got good publicity. People are curious to see what the entire fight was all about, and because of this, Udta Punjab is going to get a good start, he said. According to the censor board, the movie, through its theme of the festering problem of drugs in Punjab, showcased the state in a negative way and was also laced with expletives. The Bombay High Court s verdict that the film could release with one cut and after inserting three disclaimers was hailed by filmmakers and movie buffs as a victory for democracy and freedom of expression. IANS AgustaWestland deal: Fresh chargesheet filed NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against British national Christian Michel James and two others in its ongoing money laundering probe in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, officials said on Wednesday. The central agency charged James under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following his role as a middleman for this deal by Finmeccanica, a group firm of AgustaWestland. The over 1,300-page prosecution complaint (ED chargesheet) has been placed before a special PMLA court here. Investigators found that James received around Rs 225 crore from AgustaWestland in kickbacks paid by the firm to execute the deal for 12 helicopters in its favour in the guise of transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country. IANS ROADSIDE DELICACIES Modi betrayed Andhra: Jairam Ramesh NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former union minister Jairam Ramesh accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi s government of betraying the Andhra Pradesh people over the special category status promised during the Congress rule when the state was bifurcated to create a separate Telengana. In an interview, the newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka recalled how the then Congress government wanted the special category status, which involved huge financial packages, to be extended to Andhra Pradesh as compensation for five years. The BJP, which was in opposition then, agreed, but went a step ahead promising it will extend the status to 10 years if it came to power. The promise was made by M Vankaiah Naidu, a former Bharatiya Janata Party President from Andhra Pradesh and now the minister of housing and urban poverty alleviation in the Modi-led government, Ramesh said. A cook prepares a dish at a roadside eatery during Ramadhan in Ahmedabad. Reuters We were committed to the special category status for five years. Naidu said it will be for 10 years. Finally, they have not implemented it at all. This government has abolished it JAIRAM RAMESH Congress leader and former union minister We were committed to the special category status for five years. Naidu said it will be for 10 years. Finally, they have not implemented it at all. This government has abolished it, the Congress leader said. In the light of what Naidu said on February 20, 2014 (in the Rajya Sabha), it is a betrayal to the people of Andhra. The Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act, 2014, authored by Ramesh, was notified in the Gazette of India on March 1 of that year and the new Telangana government took office on June 2, People in Andhra Pradesh, overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of the bifurcation, were promised special central government help to compensate for the losses the state suffered because all industrial and commercial development was concentrated around the capital Hyderabad that geographically belonged to the new Telangana state. But nothing has happened on that front more than two years after the BJP came to power at the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, of which Andhra Pradesh s ruling Telegu Desam Party (TDP) is a constituent. Asked if the pressure from the Congress was not strong enough to force the ruling BJP to grant the special status to the state, Ramesh said: We carried out agitations (demanding the special status). But this is a decision of the government. We can t force them. It is a decision of the executive. Ramesh justified the Congress promise for the special status. The fight (between Andhra and Telangana) was over Hyderabad. It was not being divided. The revenues of Hyderabad were given exclusively to Telangana. Fifty per cent of the revenues coming to the state was from Hyderabad alone. So, it was the Hyderabad factor that created a lot of problem. The former minister has chronicled the saga of the Andhra separation, Old History - New Geography Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh by Rupa. IANS

12 the eworld world 12 GREEN FUEL Algae offers airlines a cleaner future OTTOBRUN, Germany: As airlines struggle to find cleaner ways to power jets and with an industrywide meeting on CO2 emissions just months away, scientists are busy growing algae in vast open tanks at an Airbus site at Ottobrun, near Munich. The European aerospace group is part-financing the Munich Technical University project to grow algae for biofuel and, although commercial production is a long way off, hopes are high. Thomas Brueck, Munich TU s associate professor of industrial biocatalysis, says that the biofuel from algaculture could cater for 3-5 per cent of jetfuel needs by about Algae can grow 12 times faster than plants cultivated on soil and produces an oil yield about 30 times that of rapeseed. However, although aviation biofuel made from feedstocks such as flax or used cooking oil is already available, limited stocks and low oil prices mean only a few airlines, including Lufthansa and KLM, are using it on a trial basis. To substitute 100 per cent of the kerosene use today, we will not do it with algae alone. We need a combination of different technologies to actually enable that substitution, Brueck said. Airbus also says the technology, in which it and the Bavarian government are investing more than 10 million euros ($11 million) between them, is still at an early stage and is not financially viable for airlines just yet. But we are sure that over time, we will make it possible to offer kerosene made of algae for a competitive price, an Airbus spokesman said. Reuters An Airbus A350 is pictured at the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin. Reuters file picture Ai Weiwei takes his art to Cambridge Chinese artist Ai Weiwei launched his first exhibition in Cambridge on Wednesday, displaying works in the grounds of Downing College. Ai Weiwei: Cubes and Trees runs from June 17 to October 9 at the college s Heong Gallery. Reuters China jails wife and son of former security czar CRACKDOWN: Zhou Bin was jailed on Wednesday, while Jin s sentence was handed down recently, and that neither would appeal BEIJING: China has jailed the son of its former security chief for 18 years and his wife for nine, a court and state media said on Wednesday, just over a year after the official was imprisoned for life partly on his family s testimony. State-broadcaster CCTV said a court in the central province of Hubei handed down the sentence to Zhou Yongkang s son Zhou Bin after finding him guilty of bribery and illegal business activity. Zhou Yongkang is the highest level official to be sentenced in a sweeping anti-graft campaign championed by President Xi Jinping since he came to power in A court in the city of Yichang also fined Zhou Bin more than 350 million yuan ($53 million) and will confiscate all of his illegally obtained assets, the official Xinhua news agency said. Jin Xiaoye, Zhou Yongkang s wife, received a nine-year sentence for taking bribes, the Yichang court said on its social media account. The reports said that Zhou Bin was jailed on Wednesday, while Jin s sentence was handed down in recent days, and that neither would appeal. Zhou Yongkang, 73, was jailed for life last June after a secret trial. A former member of the ruling Communist Party s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, he was the highest ranking ex-official prosecuted by Beijing for corruption since the early 1980s, when the infamous Gang of Four including former leader Zhou Yongkang is the highest level official to be sentenced in a sweeping anti-graft campaign championed by President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012 Mao Zedong s widow Jiang Qing were put on trial and blamed for the chaos of the Cultural Revolution. His role heading the Central Politics and Law Commission put him in charge of China s police, courts, jails and domestic surveillance. Shielded from scrutiny by a vast network of lieutenants in China s internal security network, Zhou was seen as untouchable. But that did not protect him from taking a fall on charges of bribery, abuse of power and leaking state secrets, state media reported at the time of his sentencing. At a closed hearing, a court said Zhou and a number of associates received more than 2.1 billion yuan in profits from various illegal business activities. His trial included video testimony from his wife and son, state media said at the time. The ruling party closely controls China s courts, which have a nearperfect conviction rate, meaning Zhou and his family were virtually certain to be found guilty once prosecuted. Respected financial magazine Caijing reported last year on alleged business dealings between a mafia-style boss, mining tycoon Liu Han, and Zhou Bin. Other associates of the elder Zhou have been jailed in recent months. Ji Wenlin, a former deputy governor of the island province Hainan and a close ally of Zhou Yongkang was sentenced in March to 12 years in prison for corruption. Another ally of the ex-security czar, Li Dongsheng, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption in January, accused of taking nearly 22 million yuan in bribes. Xi has warned that rampant graft threatens the survival of the party. The crackdown has swept up scores of senior officials in the party, the government, the military and stateowned companies. With graft widespread in China, critics say there is a lack of transparency around Xi s campaign and it has been used for political infighting. Many analysts believe that the Communist Party is divided into factions, with a graft investigation against an official meaning that those close to them will also be implicated. AFP EXTREME DEPRIVATION Malnutrition hits people rescued from Boko Haram MAIDUGURI, Nigeria: Nearly 700 people, most of them children, are receiving treatment in hospital in northeast Nigeria for severe malnutrition after being rescued from Boko Haram, the Borno state government said. Sixty-one critically malnourished young children and babies were among 478 children, 196 women and 23 men brought to the state capital Maiduguri from the town of Bama on Monday, it said in a statement. The infants were undergoing medical care arising from extreme deprivation of food, Tuesday s statement said, adding that all the people were rescued after two years in captivity by the insurgents. It was not immediately clear whether those taken to a special care unit had been brought from camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Bama. But last week a civilian vigilante and a soldier based in the remote town of Banki, 60 kilometres from Bama, said at least 10 people were starving to death every day. Nigerian and international relief agencies were working with IDPs in Bama but none appeared to be in Banki, which was recaptured from Boko Haram in September last year. The vigilante said 376 people had been buried in the last three months and those still alive were like walking corpses. AFP Romania top court keeps abuse of power as European Union targets harmful chemicals UN CHIEF MEETS ROYALS criminal offence BRUSSELS: European Union BUCHAREST: Romania s Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that abuse of public office should remain a criminal offence, rejecting a challenge by several indicted officials and easing concerns over the fate of a crackdown on graft. However it also narrowed the definition of such offences, saying they should apply to cases where public servants actually broke the law rather than where they caused harm by not doing their jobs properly. Transparency International ranks Romania as one of the European Union s most corrupt states, and the European Commission keeps its justice system under special monitoring. But the country s anti-corruption prosecuting unit DNA has won praise from Brussels for its efforts to curb graft, as it has investigated lawmakers, ministers, mayors, magistrates and businessmen in recent years. Reuters regulators on Wednesday set criteria for identifying harmful chemicals used in everyday products, but more than two years late after a fierce debate with lobbyists and activists. The issue is highly sensitive one as EU law states that any product judged to contain these chemicals, known as endocrine disruptors, will have to be withdrawn from the market. These chemicals are potentially found in a huge variety of everyday products, including disinfectants, pesticides and toiletries. The Commission is committed to ensuring the highest level of protection of both human health and the environment, which is why we are today putting forward strict criteria for endocrine disrupters based on science, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement. In 2012, the World Health Organization sounded an alarm over endocrine disruptors, linking them to cancerous tumours, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. EU rules in 2013 targeted suspected disruptors and the commission, the bloc s executive, agreed to define the criteria for identifying them that year. But the sensitive decision was delayed by demands by worried chemicals companies for more research. The delay became so long that in December, Europe s second-highest court found the commission had broken EU law by still failing to set out the criteria. European health and environment groups said the Commission s criteria contained dangerous loopholes and that the EU had bowed to pressure from the chemical industry. AFP (From L) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon s wife Ban Soon-Taek, King Philippe of Belgium, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Queen Mathilde of Belgium pose for a picture on Wednesday, at the Royal Palace in Brussels. AFP The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as possibly carcinogenic but has changed its mind Can coffee cause cancer? Only if it s very hot: WHO agency LONDON: There is no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, the World Health Organization s cancer agency said on Wednesday in a reverse of its previous warning, but it also said all very hot drinks are probably carcinogenic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had previously rated coffee as possibly carcinogenic but has changed its mind. It now says its latest review found no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of coffee drinking and pointed to some studies showing coffee may actually reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. (This) does not show that coffee is certainly safe... but there is less reason for concern today than there was before, Dana Loomis, the deputy head of IARC s Monograph classification department told a news conference. At the same time, however, IARC presented other scientific evidence which suggests that drinking anything very hot around 65 degrees Celsius or above including water, coffee, tea and other beverages, probably does cause cancer of the oesophagus. Lyon-based IARC, which last year prompted headlines worldwide by saying processed meat can cause cancer, reached its conclusions after reviewing more than 1,000 scientific studies in humans and animals. There was inadequate evidence for coffee to be classified as either carcinogenic or not carcinogenic. IARC had previously put coffee as a possible carcinogen in its 2B category alongside chloroform, lead and many other substances. The US National Coffee Association welcomed the change in IARC s classification as great news for coffee drinkers. The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, whose members are six of the major European coffee companies illycaffè, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Lavazza, Nestlé, Paulig, and Tchibo said IARC had found no negative relationship between coffee consumption and cancer. In its evaluation of very hot drinks, IARC said animal studies suggest carcinogenic effects probably occur with drinking temperatures of 65 Celsius or above. Some experiments with rats and mice found very hot liquids, including water, could promote the development of tumours, it said. The agency said studies of hot drinks such as maté, an infusion consumed mainly in South America, tea and other drinks in several countries including China, Iran, Japan and Turkey, found the risk of oesophageal cancer may increase with the temperature of the drink above 65 Celsius. These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible, said IARC s Director, Christopher Wild. Oesophageal cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer worldwide and one of the main causes of cancer death, with around 400,000 deaths recorded in The WHO s official spokesman in Geneva, Gregory Hartl, stressed that smoking and drinking alcohol were among the most serious risk factors for oesophageal cancer and urged people to focus on reducing these as a priority. Reuters

13 Trap tightening on thousands of civilians as battles rage in Fallujah MAJOR PUSH: Security forces have retaken significant parts of southern Fallujah reg i ion region 13 Kerry underlines need for nationwide ceasefire in Syria FALLUJAH: The IS group battled Iraqi forces and held civilians hostage on Wednesday to defend its bastion of Fallujah, where three weeks of fighting has forced tens of thousands from their homes. Security forces have retaken significant parts of southern Fallujah over the past two weeks and are now attacking the extremists in the Jbeil neighbourhood, officers said. Counter-terrorism forces as well as federal and Anbar police continue the operation to liberate Jbeil, in southern Fallujah, and face fierce resistance from Daesh (IS), a police colonel said. Ground forces backed by Iraqi and US-led coalition air strikes alternated barrages of artillery fire with attempts to move forward in street battles, engaging with light weapons sometimes only metres away from IS fighters. Fallujah is a medium-sized, densely built-up town that lies only 50 kilometres west of Baghdad. It is one of the last two major Iraqi cities IS controls, the other being Mosul. US forces suffered some of their worst losses since the Vietnam War when they battled one of IS s previous incarnations in the city in 2004 and it is one of the extremists most emblematic bastions. Going against US advice to focus efforts on the northern city of Mosul, Iraq s Prime Minister Haider al Abadi announced an offensive to retake Fallujah in late May. The advance of pro-government forces has since been slow, with Fallujah s status as a symbolic IS stronghold and a tight siege by Iraqi forces ensuring holdout extremists have few options EU says Turkey still not doing enough for visa-free travel BRUSSELS: Turkey must still do more to meet the EU s conditions to win visafree travel for Turks under a migrant crisis deal, for which the deadline is July 1, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The European Union agreed in March to offer Turkey visa-free access, increased aid and speeded up accession talks in return for Ankara controlling the flood of migrants crossing into Greece. But Turkey has yet to fulfil all of the conditions laid down by the European Commission for the visa agreement, including changes to Ankara s antiterrorism laws to meet EU concerns over human rights. On visa liberalisation, Turkey still needs to fulfil the remaining benchmarks of the road map so that visa requirements for Turkey citizens can be lifted soon, said Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. He was unveiling the latest report by the commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU, on the progress of the migrant deal agreed at a summit in Brussels. Avramopoulos insisted Turkey had made spectacular progress by so far fulfilling 65 of the 72 benchmarks set by Brussels and our people work together with the Turkish authorities to accomplish this goal. Turkey has committed to meeting the rest of the benchmarks to allow for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and we expect them to come to this commitment, he added. We are moving ahead. Turkey s Europe minister has admitted there is no chance of completing the deal on visa-free travel to the EU by the July 1 deadline. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that the visa exemption must be introduced by October at the latest. AFP Members of Iraqi government forces drive their armoured vehicle during an operation in Fallujah s southern Shuhada neighbourhood to retake the area from IS on Wednesday. AFP other than fighting to the death. Progress against the massively outnumbered extremists has also been hampered by IS s systematic use of civilians as human shields. According to the International Organization for Migration, at least 43,000 people have been displaced since the start of the operation more than three weeks ago. But most of them were fleeing IS rule in outlying areas while residents of central Fallujah have found it very difficult to escape. Attempting to do so has proven extremely dangerous, with roadside bombs and IS gunmen killing dozens of COMMEMORATIVE GATHERING civilians in recent days. The Iraqi army opened a corridor last week to facilitate the flow of civilians seeking to leave. It has allowed thousands to escape but remains hard to reach from some neighbourhoods and dangerous to use. On Tuesday, a man was killed and several other people wounded when an explosive device went off just metres away from the end of the corridor, where government forces receive fleeing civilians, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reported. Let s be absolutely clear: there is no safe passage out of Fallujah to speak of, NRC country director Nasr Muflahi said in a statement. Thousands of men among those trying to flee were being held for screening by pro-government forces and allegations of abuses were mounting. In the displacement camps of nearby Amriyat al Fallujah, those men who made it through the screening said militiamen from the Hashed al Shaabi paramilitary umbrella group were torturing suspects. A 35-year-old man from an area just west of Fallujah displayed deep cuts on his wrists. That s from having my hands cuffed for four days, with nothing to eat or drink, he said. When they eventually pushed me off a moving pick-up truck, I was so exhausted I didn t even feel anything, he said. Abadi s office has promised to investigate allegations of abuses committed by the security forces during the operation. Men who claimed to have witnessed torture by anti-is forces said that the militiamen said openly they were motivated by revenge for the Speicher massacre, when up to 1,700 were executed by IS near Tikrit in June AFP Members of Turkey s leftist unions gather to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the June Resistance, in Ankara, on Wednesday. AFP US Secretary of State John Kerry and Norway s Prime Minister Erna Solberg hold a press conference after their lunch meeting in Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday. AFP STOCKHOLM: US Secretary of State John Kerry underlined on Wednesday the need for a genuine cessation of hostilities in Syria to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and pave the way for transition talks. Speaking after talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Oslo, Kerry said Russia and others involved in the Syria process have to make a decision on whether they are serious about implementing the ceasefire approved by the UN Security Council. Russia is the key diplomatic and military ally of Syrian President Bashar al Assad. In February, a major ceasefire, brokered by the US and Russia, went into effect in most of Syria. The truce later crumbled with the Syrian opposition and the regime trading blame for its collapse. It doesn t call for a selective ceasefire, it calls for a nationwide ceasefire and it applies to the Assad regime, just as it applies to the opposition, Kerry told reporters alongside Solberg. We believe we can achieve enforcement on both sides, we believe that is the only way to get to the table Loyalist forces have battled since mid-may to oust IS from Sirte, 450 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli in Geneva to begin to negotiate a legitimate transition, he added. There is a way forward, but it will require good effort in the next week, and the next days, Kerry said. Kerry said he had raised the cessation with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif whose country also wields influence on Damascus on the sidelines of a closed-door conference for peace negotiators and diplomats hosted by the northern European country. At the Oslo Forum, Kerry earlier cautioned that Russia needs to understand that our patience is not infinite, in fact it is very limited now with respect to whether or not Assad is going to be held accountable. Meanwhile we are also prepared to hold accountable members of the opposition who have been both playing off each other to continue the violence and break the cessation, he added. The US is leading an international air campaign in Syria against extremists, mainly IS. The alliance is providing an air cover to an ongoing offensive by an Arab-Kurdish force against IS in northern Syria. dpa Pro-govt forces repel IS counter-attack in Sirte TRIPOLI: Forces allied with Libya s unity government said on Wednesday they had repelled a counter-attack by the IS group in their coastal stronghold of Sirte. IS hit positions controlled by fighters loyal to Libya s UN-backed Government of National Accord west of the city with tank, mortar and sniper fire on Tuesday, according to a statement from the pro- GNA forces. Five pro-government fighters were killed in the clashes and 37 wounded, it said. Loyalist forces have battled since mid-may to oust IS from Sirte, 450 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli, and the mix of militias and army units have seized control of its port and airport. But their advance slowed at the end of last week as they reached central and northern parts of the city where IS fighters are holed up in residential areas. The operation to retake Sirte has so far left 145 pro-gna fighters dead and 500 injured, according to medical officials. Pro-government forces said they had also opened a new front around the east of the city, hitting targets in the vicinity of the city s vast former conference centre, now used by IS as a battlefield headquarters. Established in Tripoli more than two months ago, Libya s unity government has been struggling to unify violenceridden Libya and exert its control over Let s be absolutely clear: there is no safe passage out of Fallujah to speak of NASR MUFLAHI NRC country director The UN Security Council on Tuesday authorised an EU naval force to intercept ships suspected of arms smuggling to Libya, moving to shore up Tripoli s unity government as it battles the IS group the North African country. The operation against IS in Sirte enjoys wide support in western Libya, Yemen peace talks broach military, security concerns: UN KUWAIT CITY: Yemen s warring parties have discussed forming military and security committees to oversee a transition period aimed at ending 14 months of fighting, the UN special envoy said on Wednesday. Discussions continued on security and military issues, including the details of military and security committees, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said in a statement early on Wednesday. Peace talks in Kuwait between rebels and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi have completed their eighth week without any major breakthrough other than the release of some prisoners. Huthi rebels have announced the release of 187 prisoners and Saudi Arabia, which backs Hadi s administration, said where many welcomed the GNA s installation in the capital Tripoli on March 30. The UN Security Council on Tuesday authorised an EU naval force to intercept ships suspected of arms smuggling to Libya, moving to shore up Tripoli s unity government as it battles the IS group. The council unanimously adopted a resolution drafted by Britain and France that expands the mission of Operation Sophia, which has been combating migrant trafficking in the Mediterranean. French Ambassador Francois Delattre, who holds the council s presidency this month, said the measure is a potential game-changer, by last week it freed 52 children. The UN envoy had tried to push the two sides to release half of all their prisoners before the month of Ramadhan. The main sticking point in talks remains the form of the government that would oversee a transition back to normality once a peace deal is reached. The rebels and their allies have held out against demands contained in a UN Security Council resolution for their surrender of heavy weaponry and withdrawal from areas, including the capital, which they seized in September The head of Huthi delegation Mohammed Abdulsalam told Yemeni media late on Tuesday that they would reject any deal that does not include their input on the makeup of the transitional body. AFP cutting off the arms flow that feeds the instability in Libya. But Russia warned that the measure could deepen divisions in Libya. Operation Sophia s enforcement of an arms embargo is aimed at supporting the UN-backed unity government as it struggles to establish its authority over the entire north African country. Militias loyal to the UN-backed government of Prime Minister Fayez al Sarraj are battling to retake the key city of Sirte from IS. Following the UN vote, EU foreign ministers were expected to formally task Operation Sophia with combating arms smuggling when they meet in Luxembourg on Monday. AFP

14 Amer icas Americas 14 Shooter s wife could face charges soon CLUB TRAGEDY: Mayor to open assistance centre for victims; Noor Salman is person of interest in probe ORLANDO: The wife of the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub could face criminal charges as early as Wednesday after a federal grand jury was convened to study possible wrongdoing by her, a law enforcement source said. Omar Mateen s wife, Noor Salman, knew of his plans for what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, said the law enforcement source, who has been briefed on the matter. US Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which received a briefing on the investigation into Sunday s massacre, told CNN it appeared Salman had some knowledge of what was going on. She definitely is, I guess you would say, a person of interest right now and appears to be cooperating and can provide us with some important information, King said. Salman was with Mateen when he cased possible targets in the past two months, including the Disney World resort in April, a shopping complex called Disney Springs and the Pulse nightclub in early June, CNN and NBC reported. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was due to open a family assistance centre at a stadium on Wednesday where those directly affected by the tragedy will be able to get information, support and other resources, city officials said. Mateen, who was shot dead by police SWAT Uber takes to the skies with copter service BRASILIA: Sao Paulo in Brazil is the first city in the world to have an Uber taxi service with helicopters. The new Ubercopter service will test for a month. Ubercopter is a partnership with the European plane maker Airbus, RT online quoted Fabio Sabba, Uber s Communications Director in Brazil. The company uses three helicopter operators in Sao Paulo. Each can carry up to four passengers with fares ranging from $17 to $80 per seat. After calling for a helicopter, users will be redirected to an app where they can use their Uber credentials. Clients then get a text message with information about the location of the nearest helipad. Ubercopter intends to transport people between airports, hotels and convention centres. The service is currently operating from five helipads and four hotels, according to Sabba. The Ubercopter is the only regular service of its kind provided by Uber, as it is not limited to specific events. IANS People light candles and listen to speakers at a memorial gathering. AFP team members after a three-hour standoff, called 911 during his rampage to profess allegiance to various militant groups. Federal investigators have said he was likely self-radicalised and there was no evidence he received any help or instructions from outside groups such as IS. Mateen, 29, was a citizen, born in New York of Afghan immigrant parents and worked as a security guard. He appears to have been an angry, disturbed, unstable young man who became radicalised, President Barack Obama told reporters. Salman s mother, Ekbal Zahi Salman, lives in a middle-class neighbourhood in Rodeo, California, about 25 miles north of San Francisco. A neighbour said Noor Salman only visited her mother once after she married Mateen. Noor Salman s mother didn t like him very much. He didn t allow her (Noor) to come here, said neighbour Rajinder Chahal. He said he had spoken to Noor Salman s mother after the Orlando attack and she was crying, weeping. Mateen s rampage at Pulse was systematic as he worked his way through the packed club shooting people who were already down, apparently to ensure they were killed, said Angel Colon, a wounded survivor. I look over and he shoots the girl next to me and I was just there laying down and thinking, I m next, I m dead, he said. Mateen shot him twice more, one bullet seemingly aimed for Colon s head striking his hand, and another hitting his hip, Colon said at Orlando Regional Medical Centre, where he is one of 27 survivors being treated. Vigils continued on Tuesday in Orlando. Hundreds of students gathered to pray and sing in the evening at the University of Central Florida. They shone cellphone flashlights during a reading of the names of the dead including two alumni. The shooting raised questions about how the US should respond to violent extremists at home and abroad. The Federal Bureau of Investigation questioned Mateen in 2013 and 2014 for suspected ties to militants but was unable to verify that he posed a threat. Trump criticised Obama for not using the term radical terrorism to describe militants. Reuters Clinton wins final 2016 primary as debate turns to terror fight WASHINGTON: Hillary Clinton captured the mostly symbolic Democratic primary on in the US capital, the final vote of the 2016 presidential primaries, as the race shifts to her showdown with Republican rival Donald Trump. Clinton won nearly 79 per cent of the vote against 21 per cent for Bernie Sanders, with nearly all votes counted, according to US networks. It marked a deflating finish for the Vermont senator, who captivated liberals and independents with a grassroots campaign that mounted a surprisingly strong challenge to Clinton. The attention of the candidates and the nation however has shifted to the aftermath of the Orlando shooting, the deadliest terror attack on US soil since September 11, Clinton and Trump traded verbal blows and presented dramatically different approaches for fighting terrorism following the massacre at the Florida nightclub. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, on Monday said that if elected he would suspend immigration from areas with a proven history of terrorism. In contrast, former secretary of state Clinton called on Americans to stand together to defeat terrorism. Washington s primary was an afterthought as Clinton reached number of delegates needed to lock up the nomination last week. Sanders, however, refused to concede, though he steadily softened his tone in recent days. Sanders and Clinton met at a Washington hotel and had a positive discussion about their primary campaign, about unifying the party and Democratic US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and his wife Jane O Meara Sanders arrive for a meeting with Hillary Clinton at a hotel in Washington, US, on Wednesday. Reuters about the dangerous threat that Donald Trump poses to our nation, a Clinton campaign official said after the meeting. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said the two had a positive discussion about how best to bring more people into the political process and about the threat posed by Trump. Clinton and Sanders also discussed what would be on the Democratic Party platform ahead of the national convention next month in Philadelphia. Sanders told reporters ahead of the meeting that he wanted to see the most progressive platform ever passed at a convention, one which makes it crystal clear that the Democratic Party is in fact on the side of working people. Sanders met with President Barack Obama last week and emerged from the White House declaring his intent to work with Clinton to defeat Trump in November. Obama endorsed Clinton later that day. Republicans in Washington held their party convention in March, with Senator Marco Rubio emerging as the top vote-getter. Tuesday s vote wraps up a spectacular primary season that saw conservatives flock to Trump, a celebrity billionaire and political novice, and liberals propel Sanders, a selfdescribed democratic socialist, into the national spotlight. AFP IN BRIEF No question toddler killed by alligator at Disney ORLANDO: Florida authorities believe there is no question the two-year-old boy dragged into a man-made lake by an alligator at a Disney resort hotel in Florida is dead, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said Wednesday. Rescuers were still working to recover the body, Demings told reporters. We re 15 hours in, Demings said. We know that that happened and it certainly is not survivable at this point for him to have been submerged for this period of time. There s no question... (the family) will lose a two-year-old child, he said. The family of five had come to Florida from Nebraska for a vacation. The alligator snatched the child at the shore of the resort lake Tuesday night and fought off the father s frantic attempt to wrest the boy from its jaws, officials said. The mauling was yet more terrible news for a vacation town still reeling from the weekend shooting massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in downtown Orlando the worst mass shooting in American history. Another 53 were wounded. What I can tell you is that Disney has operated here for 45 years and never had this type of thing happen before, Demings said. Remember, it is Florida. And alligators are indigenous to this region of the country. But I want to reiterate that Disney has a wildlife management system that is in place and they have worked diligently to ensure that their guests are not unduly exposed to the wildlife here in this area, he said. AFP El Salvador confirms first Zika birth defect SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador confirmed its first case of microcephaly in a baby that was linked to a Zika infection in the mother. Microcephaly is a birth defect that causes an abnormally small head and deformed brain. Health Minister Violeta Menjivar said the infant was born in April to a family living in the country s central La Paz province, and the Zika connection was proved a short while ago. Zika, a virus typically carried by mosquitos, was first detected in the Central American country in November and 10,476 cases of infection have been recorded. Among them, the health ministry counted 274 pregnant women suspected to have been infected with Zika. Of those, 118 gave birth to babies without microcephaly. Menjivar noted that cases of babies with microcephaly believed caused by Zika have also occurred in countries including Brazil, Colombia, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico and the United States. Abortion is illegal in El Salvador, a predominantly Christian country. AFP Four Mexicans among Orlando victims MEXICO CITY: Four Mexicans were among the 49 people killed in a gunman s assault on a nightclub in the US city of Orlando, Florida, Mexico s government said. The foreign ministry earlier reported three Mexican deaths but later confirmed the fourth victim and said it was in contact with all their families. Mexico s consul in Orlando, Juan Sabines, told Milenio television that one of them was an American man whose father is Mexican, but officials did not say if the three others also were US citizens. Another Mexican was among the 53 people wounded in the weekend attack at the Pulse club and is in stable condition, officials said. I want to express our solidarity, in the name of Mexico and our society, with the families of the victims of this act of horror and terror, President Enrique Pena Nieto said. AFP Obama took a veiled swipe at Trump, saying such ideas represented a dangerous mindset Trump adds new twist to immigration proposals, but legal doubts persist WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump s proposal for suspending immigration from parts of the world with a history of terrorism could have a legal basis, but his assertion that it be part of a broader ban on Muslim immigrants makes it constitutionally untenable, legal scholars say. The new twist in Trump s anti- Muslim rhetoric came in the aftermath of a weekend shooting massacre in Florida. In a fiery speech on Monday, he expanded on his proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, vowing if elected to halt immigration from any area of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against America or its allies. He also accused the Muslim- American community of broad complicity in attacks such as the Orlando shooting, and threatened big consequences for those who fail to inform on their neighbours. Many legal experts said Trump s proposal for a religion-based ban would be unlikely to pass the test of US constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, due process and equal protection and would likely be struck down by the courts if he tried to implement them by presidential decree. However, a ban on immigrants from certain countries has some precedent and might pass muster. Some see that new proposal as reminiscent of the congressional Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was used for years to halt the influx of Chinese labourers and has been widely considered a black mark on America s immigration record. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump looks at the audience during a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. Reuters But Trump s overall immigration plan would go beyond that, targeting not just a country or a region of the world but also a religion, something that no modern US president has done. This is an absurd proposal to build Many legal experts said Trump s proposal for a religion-based ban would be unlikely to pass the test of US constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. a Fortress America and pull up the drawbridges, said John Bellinger, former legal adviser to the Bush administration. President Barack Obama took a veiled swipe at Trump on Tuesday, saying such ideas represented a dangerous mindset. But US presidents have wide latitude on immigration matters, and some conservative scholars said that the fate of any proposed ban would hinge on how narrowly Trump framed it. They note, for instance, that Democratic President Jimmy Carter barred Iranian nationals from entering the United States during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. If a Trump administration cut off immigration from certain countries, rather than certain religions, it would not violate the Constitution, said John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California Berkeley and former Justice Department official who advised the George W Bush administration on interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects. Herman Schwartz, a law professor at American University in Washington, said if Trump stuck to his proposal for a temporary prohibition on Muslim immigrants, that raises significant constitutional questions and shows his shaky command of the legal facts. In Monday s speech in New Hampshire, Trump showed little sign of scaling back his call to ban Muslims from entering the US, which he first laid out in December after an IS-linked deadly mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. Debate over the legality of Trump s proposals was complicated by the vagueness of his pronouncement and questions on how broadly he would extend any immigration ban if elected. While legal experts say presidents have the power to ban immigrants from specific countries, the United States does not currently ban immigration from any country. Officials do give extra scrutiny to people entering from countries such Syria and Iran. Reuters

15 eu ope eur europe Britain s warring EU camps take EU official attends Sarajevo meeting European Union Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy, Johannes Hahn, attended a meeting with Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina s tripartite Presidency in Sarajevo during an official visit on Wednesday. Russia summons French envoy over Euro 2016 fan arrests MOSCOW: Russia s foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned France s ambassador to Moscow over the detention of 43 Russian fans in southern France after street violence in Marseille. The move came after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov branded the action by the French police an absolutely unacceptable incident. The ministry said it summoned French ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert over the detention of the Russian fans who were travelling from Marseille to Lille, particularly the discriminatory and indiscriminate measures against Russian citizens. Police had surrounded a bus carrying the fans at a hotel near Marseille and took them into custody over the clashes that erupted before and during Russia s match against England on Saturday. The Russian ministry accused French authorities of failing to notify its diplomats of the action and keeping 43 people locked in the bus for hours, calling on France to make a decision on their fates as soon as possible. Further stoking of anti-russian sentiments surrounding the topic of the participation of our squad in the Euro football championships could significantly aggravate the atmosphere in RussianFrench relations, it said. AFP FRANCE MOURNS POLICE COUPLE A general view shows French President Francois Hollande and ministers who attend a ceremony for French police commander Jean-Baptiste Salvaing and his companion, administrative agent Jessica Schneider, killed on Monday night by knife attacker Larossi Abballa, at the Interior Ministry in Paris on Wednesday. Reuters T H U R S DAY l J U N E 1 6 l to the water in bizarre standoff WARNING: Chancellor of Exchequer Osborne says Brexit could force severe budget cuts LONDON: Britain s opposing EU referendum camps took their increasingly shrill war of words onto the water on Wednesday as campaigners on rival boats hurled abuse at each other in bizarre scenes outside parliament on the River Thames. As Prime Minister David Cameron answered questions on next week s membership referendum inside the House of Commons, crowds gathered on nearby bridges to witness the nautical stand-off. What was quickly dubbed on Twitter the Battle of the Thames had begun earlier in the day when campaigners for Britain to leave the EU sent a flotilla of some 30 fishing boats up the river decked in colourful flags and anti-eu banners. Let s put the Great back into Britain. Vote Out and be Great Britain again, read a sign on one of the boats. Other boats in the flotilla flew the British and English flags with signs bearing messages such as Save Our Country as polls show growing support for the campaign to quit the EU ahead of the June 23 vote. The leader of the anti-eu UKIP party Nigel Farage joined one boat, highlighting what the Brexit campaign argue is the damage being done to Britain s fishing industry by European Union quotas. But as Farage sailed towards parliament, the flotilla was challenged by musician Bob Geldof on a rival boat full of Remain supporters who waved pro-eu banners and shouted abuse as loudspeakers blared out the 1964 Dobie Gray hit The In Crowd. Live TV showed small Out boats spraying Geldof s vessel with hoses in retaliation and a police launch circling the combatants. Twitter users were quick to draw comic comparisons with the heroics of Britain s great naval heroes Admiral A boat carrying supporters for a remain vote in the EU referendum including Irish singer Bob Geldof (C) demonstrate counter to a fleet of fishing boats supporting a leave vote as they sail on the River Thames, central London, on Wednesday. AFP Horatio Nelson and Francis Drake while lawmaker Johnny Mercer quipped Do the guns on HMS Belfast still work? in a reference to the historic World War Two warship moored further down the Thames. According to opinion polls, voters are sharply divided over next Thursday s referendum, which will determine whether Britain stays in the 28-member bloc it first joined in Meanwhile, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne warned on Wednesday that a vote to leave the EU could force the government to make severe spending cuts to cover a black hole of 30 billion ($44 billion) in the budget. The government could be forced to raise taxes and cut spending on the What was quickly dubbed on Twitter the Battle of the Thames had begun earlier in the day when campaigners for Britain to leave the EU sent a flotilla of some 30 fishing boats up the river decked in colourful flags and anti-eu banners. national health service in an emergency budget, Osborne said in a letter published in The Times and co-signed by former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling. Voting for a British EU exit, or Brexit, would cause a profound economic shock that would hit the economy and could tip Britain back into recession, Osborne and Darling wrote ahead of a joint speech later on Wednesday. Prime Minister David Cameron backed Osborne s claims in parliament, saying there is a consequence [of a Brexit] for public finances if our economy is doing less well. He added that he expected the pound to fall and the cost of living to rise after a Brexit. But eurosceptics from Osborne and Cameron s Conservative Party said the predicted post-brexit tax hikes and budget cuts would undermine the government s legitimacy. Agencies Concern rising in EU over threat of a Brexit vote ANDY JALIL FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT W ith just a week to go before the votes are cast, Britain is in the grip of the EU referendum with Europe getting increasingly anxious as it awaits the outcome. It brought extraordinary rhetoric from top Eurocrat Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, who said a British vote to leave the European Union would trigger the destruction of the Western political civilisation. In his astonishing outburst, Tusk suggested that a victory for the Leave (EU) campaign could have seismic consequences for Europe s long-term future. In an interview with German newspaper Bild, Tusk said radical antieu parties around the continent will be drinking champagne if Britain leaves the union. He said: Why is it so dangerous? Because no one can foresee what the longterm consequences would be. He added: As a historian, I fear that Brexit could be the beginning of the destruction of not only the EU but also of Western political civilisation in its entirety. Everyone in the European Union would lose out economically, he said. His remarks were seen as a new low by Brexit. Conservative minister Priti Patel said: This is extraordinary language from the EU president, and serves only to reveal his own desperation. Tusk, who brokered the UK s renegotiation deal which did not materialise as Prime Minister David Cameron had planned also warned the process of leaving the EU would take seven years without any guarantee of success, and that every state would have a veto over Britain s terms. This would sound as though the EU would make it difficult to negotiate over the terms and the leaving process could be prolonged but, it is widely thought, that a two-year period would be a more likely timeframe. Also concerned on Brexit is the German Chancellor Angela Merkel who last week called on Britain to wield influence within the EU, rather than vote to leave. Speaking at a Berlin press conference alongside Nato SecretaryGeneral Jens Stoltenberg, Merkel stressed that she personally hoped the UK would vote to stay. She said: You will never get a really good result in negotiations, particularly on very important issues, when you are not in the room and giving input. She added: I personally hope and wish that Britain will stay part and parcel of the European Union. We work well together with the United Kingdom, particularly perhaps when we talk about new rules for the European Union. We have to develop those together with the United Kingdom and whenever we negotiate that, you can much better have an influence on the debate when you sit at the bargaining table and you can give input into those negotiations. Former mayor of London and leading the Out of EU campaign, Boris Johnson responded: The EU s elites have hit the panic button. The Germans and the Dutch must be worried that if we stop sending Brussels 350 million a week they will have to pick up our tab for the EU s largesse. He added: Angela Merkel s claims that we will have more negotiating influence if we stay in the EU are completely hollow. David Cameron tried to get reforms to free movement, but she blocked them. Germany s finance minister has also given his views warning Britain would be locked out of the single market if it votes for Brexit and was unable to strike a trade deal. Wolfgang Schauble warned: If the majority in Britain opts for Brexit that would be a decision against the single market. At some point, the British will realise they have taken the wrong decision. Meanwhile, German magazine Der Spiegel printed the headline, Please Don t Go! over a Union Jack for a special bilingual edition.

16 world dinpictures panorama 16 ROYAL RIDE: Britain s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, waves from a carriage next to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, as they arrive on the second day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet in Ascot on Wednesday. AFP SWEET AND SOUR: Members of a family board a ferry loaded with baskets of oranges on Ukerewe Island, Lake Victoria on Wednesday. AFP PAPAL AUDIENCE: Pope Francis meets Miss Germany Lena Broeder at the end of his weekly audience in Saint Peter s Square at the Vatican on Wednesday. Reuters MAGIC KINGDOM: People watch the Mickey Parade at Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai on Wednesday. The Magic Kingdom comes to the Middle Kingdom this week when Disney opens its first theme park in mainland China, betting the growing middle class will spend big on leisure despite a slowing economy. AFP HATS OFF TO YOU!: A general view of a racegoers hat as a woman arrives for the Royal Ascot horse racing meet on Wednesday. Reuters ALLURING SLICE: A man grabs a piece of watermelon displayed on a stall at a market in Dubai on Wednesday. AFP UNAFFECTED BY POLLS: A little girl runs past election signs with her graduation balloon on the last day of school at Powell Elementary, also a polling place in Washington. District of Columbia voters went to the polls in the final 2016 Democratic primary on Tuesday. Reuters BAKERS EXPERTISE: Bakers make flatbread at a roadside eatery to sell it for iftar in Ahmedabad, India, on Wednesday. Reuters NEW PASTURES: Iraqis work in a field on the outskirts of Baghdad near the Bzeibez bridge. AFP HOMAGE: People hold balloons on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, US, as they line up to form a human rainbow during a gathering to remember the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando. Reuters

17 THURSDAY JUNE 16, 2016 RAMADHAN 10, 1437 AH business CRUDE OIL PRICE Oman Crude $ Brent Crude $ Light Crude $ GOLD PRICES Oman 24 Kt per gram RO Oman 22 Kt per gram RO UAE 24 Kt per gram AED UAE 22 Kt per gram AED SOURCE: MALABAR GOLD AND DIAMONDS CURRENCY RATES (RO 1) US Dollar Euro British Pounds Indian Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso GULF STOCK MARKET Muscat , Abu Dhabi , Dubai , Qatar , Kuwait , Bahrain , Saudi , Moody s assigns definitive Baa1 rating to Oman s bonds DOLLAR ISSUANCE: The dual-tranche offering comprised $1 bn of five-year bonds due in 2021, sold at a coupon rate of per cent BUSINESS REPORTER MUSCAT June 15: Moody s Investors Service on Wednesday assigned a definitive Baa1 rating to Oman s recent US dollar bond issuance. The dual-tranche offering comprised $1 billion of five-year bonds due in 2021, sold at a coupon rate of per cent, and $1.5 billion ten-year bonds due in 2026, sold at a coupon rate of 4.75 per cent. The issuance is first international bond issuance by Oman since Moody s definitive rating for these debt obligations follows the provisional rating assigned on three June Oman s Baa1 long-term government bond and issuer rating with stable outlook is supported by high levels of wealth, fiscal space offered by relatively low levels of general government debt and still sizable government financial assets, and comparatively low risk that contingent liabilities from the banking system or wider non-financial public sector will crystallize on the government s balance sheet as growth slows, the rating agency said in its observations. Although Moody s expects Oman s Baa1 long-term government bond and issuer rating with stable outlook is supported by high levels of wealth, fiscal space offered by relatively low levels of general government debt and still sizable government financial assets. government debt to rise to 33 per cent of GDP by 2017 from less than 5 per cent at the onset of the oil price shock in 2014, Oman s fiscal buffers which the rating agency estimates at around 85 per cent of GDP in 2015 will provide support through the process of fiscal and external adjustment. Having said that, Oman s heavy economic and fiscal reliance on the oil and gas sector represents a key credit challenge. Moody s said. Oman suffered a steeper fiscal deterioration than most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) peers as a result of the oil price shock. Hydrocarbon exports accounted for an average 67 per cent of total goods exports in , while oil and gas revenues constituted 87 per cent of total government revenues over the same period. Meanwhile, The Economist said that despite recent downgrades to Oman by international credit rating agencies and a significant fiscal deficit, demand for the bonds was relatively strong at almost $7 billion. However, the bonds were offered at a higher yield than the sizeable sovereign bond issues by Qatar and Abu Dhabi earlier this year. Yet, with demand strong, it is likely that Oman will submit further issues in the short and medium- term, particularly given the fiscal deficits that will need to be financed we expect an average deficit of 8.3 per cent of GDP in the forecast period, The Economist said. Key to Oman s ability to attract demand for its debt at present is the low level of public debt we estimate the public debt/gdp ratio at just under 10 per cent at end As public debt starts to increase over the forecast period, Omani debt is likely to become less desirable. TURN TO P 19 Bank Muscat unveils Zeinah charity initiative at Iftar gathering for media BM signs MoU with Ministry of Social Development. BM launches Zeinah Cares initiative. MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives coinciding with the holy month of Ramadhan, unveiled Zeinah Cares, a first-ofits-kind initiative in association with the Ministry of Social Development, to support charitable organisations in the Sultanate. Bringing together the bank s women customers, the Zeinah Cares initiative blends banking convenience with charity and community service in a seamless fashion. Bank Muscat and the Ministry of Social Development signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to streamline the Zeinah Cares donations to charitable organisations. Abdullah Tamman al Mashani, DGM Institutional Sales & Products Development, and Khalfan bin Hareb al Jabri, Director-General of Planning and Research at the Ministry of Social Development, signed the MoU at the bank s head office. Bank Muscat women customers holding a Zeinah savings account can sign up for Zeinah Cares, wherein the Baisas available in their account balance at the end of the month will automatically get transferred and donated towards charity. The participation is voluntary and optional. The accumulated amount from all Zeinah customers will be transferred to Zeinah charity account and donated to charity organisations recommended by the Ministry of Social Development. The unique Zeinah Cares initiative was launched at the bank s annual iftar gathering hosted for media and marketing representatives. The bank s top Management Team members led by Waleed al Hashar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, were present at the Ramadhan social gathering attended by chief editors, journalists, media and marketing representatives of leading print and electronic media houses. The occasion was an opportunity for the media and the bank s Management Team to interact with each other. Khalfan bin Hareb al Jabri commended Bank Muscat for launching unique charitable initiatives that contribute to social development across the Sultanate. The Ministry of Social Development and Bank Muscat enjoy strong cooperation in the field of social responsibility and these programmes have yielded successful results, benefiting social welfare families. We wish the Zeinah Cares charity initiative by Bank Muscat women customers all success, he added. In his address, Abdullah Tamman al Mashani thanked the media for the strong support extended to the bank to positively reflect its performance and achievements. The Ramadhan social gathering marks yet another affirmation of the close relations between the bank and the media houses in Oman, which are key partners in the progress of Oman, he added. Women customers opening a new Zeinah account can fill the Zeinah Cares form to support the charity initiative. Existing Zeinah customers can also join the initiative by filling the Zeinah Cares form available at all branches. Oman is witnessing the increasing role of women in workplace and education. As women manage their financial responsibility, the need for new and specific banking products and services has emerged. Zeinah women s account addresses this need, offering a personal and comfortable banking environment for women. The Zeinah suite of products and services is based on the premise that women prefer to use special banking services that preserve their privacy. Catering to the unique needs, Zeinah offers privacy and a relaxed atmosphere for women at Bank Muscat branches. The specially designed Zeinah suite of products include exclusive debit and credit cards, auto finance and a unique health and beauty finance scheme. Aimed at providing a distinct banking experience, Bank Muscat offers exclusive rewards for women in al Mazyona Savings Scheme. Targeted at Zeinah customers maintaining a minimum balance of RO 100, al Mazyona offers two weekly prizes of RO 1000 each, in addition to an exclusive Zeinah draw coinciding with the Omani Women s Day offering a total of RO 100,000 to be shared by 10 winners.

18 inside oman business 18 Nissan bets on ethanol for vehicles Nissan says it is developing fuel-cell technology that can power cars using plant-based ethanol, a first for the auto industry, and hopes to launch the system in time for Tokyo s 2020 Olympics. Nissan said its experimental technology would let vehicles drive more than 600 kilometres. Sembcorp Salalah conducts full scale gas line explosion, fire evacuation drill Qurayat water project achieves financial close BUSINESS REPORTER MUSCAT SALALAH: Sembcorp Salalah successfully conducted a full scale gas line explosion & fire evacuation drill in its IWPP facility. Codenamed Exercise Marvel, it has achieved its objective to improve the emergency coordination and response among the stakeholders which includes Sembcorp Salalah Emergency Response Team, Sembcorp Group Crisis Management Team, Sembcorp Group Risk Team, Sembcorp Sakra Emergency Response Brigade (SERB) in Singapore, Oman Public Authority for Civil Defence (PACDA), Royal Army of Oman Taqah, Hospital, Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA), Oman Gas Company (OGC), Oman Electricity Transmission Company SAOC (OETC), Directorate General of Water (DGW), Galfar Engineering and Contracting SAOG, staff and contractors. Lim Yeow Keong, Sembcorp Salalah CEO, said Emergencies can happen any time without warning. The more prepared we are, the better we will be able to respond to these emergencies. We hope our exercise will promote awareness and more collaborations among all stakeholders to strengthen our emergency response preparedness for the benefit of everyone. June 15: Singapore-based water treatment specialist Hyflux announced yesterday that its subsidiary Qurayat Desalination SAOC has achieved financial close for the non-recourse project financing of the Qurayat Independent Water Project (IWP) in the Sultanate Oman. The $185 million facility is provided by Mizuho Bank Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank, Dubai International Financial Centre Branch and Singapore-based Clifford Capital Pte Ltd. The facility is a fixed-to-floating rate term loan provided by Clifford Capital Pte Ltd. Qurayat IWP is a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant located in Qurayat in Muscat Governorate and the group s largest desalination project in the Sultanate of Oman. Under the water purchase agreement, desalinated water from this project will be supplied to Oman Power and Water Procurement Company SAOC for a period of 20 years, from 2017 to This will add another 200,000 cubic metres per day of drinking water to the Sultanate s water supply. The Qurayat IWP was named the Best Water Deal Award at the annual EMEA Finance Project Finance Awards Nominated by bankers and borrowers, and selected by the EMEA Finance team, the award aims to recognise the importance of financing that has been provided to the region s leading companies and sovereigns as well as projects which exemplify innovative efforts in the capital markets. BUSINESS ALERT NBO named Oman s best bank for 2nd year MUSCAT: For the second year running, National Bank of Oman (NBO) has been ranked first in the annual Business Today- Ernst & Young survey of the Sultanate s banks and non-banking financial companies. NBO took the top spot based on its stellar financial performance last year. For the 12 months ending December 31, 2015, NBO reported a record net profit of RO 60.1 million, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase, while loans, advances and financing activities grew by 9 percent, and net interest income from conventional banking and revenues from Islamic financing by 15 per cent. NBO s strong financial performance enabled it to pay shareholders a cash dividend of 17 per cent and stock shares of 10 per cent of the paid up capital of the bank. Ahmed al Musalmi, CEO of NBO, said: 2015 was an outstanding year for NBO, exemplified by the highest net profit in our history. We are delighted that our progress towards becoming the Sultanate s bank of choice has once again been recognised by our top ranking in the prestigious Business Today-Ernst & Young survey. This recognition is a clear acknowledgement of the effectiveness of our growth strategy that places the customer at the heart of our business. NBO launched a series of first to market propositions in 2015, including partnering with MasterCard to launch NBO Beam contactless payment technology. The bank also revamped its online and mobile banking solutions, as part of its bank-wide innovation programme to deliver a consistently superior customer experience. This is the second year running that NBO has topped the Business Today- Ernst & Young survey, which is based on analysis of the annual reports of Omani banks across 15 individual parameters, including asset quality and profitability indicators, with the final ranking achieved by accumulating scores on all metrics. Omantel Baqati plans provide latest smartphones with free mobile broadband CELEBRATING the recent launch of Baqati postpaid, Omantel has unveiled a special promotion that enables customers to buy devices with a discounted upfront deposit starting from only RO 10, plus free monthly mobile broadband for one year when they subscribe to a 12 month Baqati plan. The all-new Baqati postpaid plans align with the Omantel 3.0 transformation strategy that revolves around Innovation, exceeding customer expectations, and enabling the digital society to flourish and grow across all sectors in Oman. Commenting on the Baqati Smartphones promotion, Senior Manager of Product Development Consumer Saleh Mahmood al Maimani noted, Baqati or My Plan, is Omantel s exciting new postpaid offering that gives customers the choice of the perfect plan to suit their lifestyle. As well as having the ability to personalize their plan, Baqati also offers a host of huge benefits such as this smart devices promotion. There are over 50 different smartphone and tablet models in the promotion, including Apple, Samsung, Sony, HTC and Huawei, so there s something for everyone with the Baqati postpaid plan. We are delighted to enable Baqati customers to purchase their favourite smart phone or tablet for an upfront deposit starting from only RO 10 plus free Internet for one year when they sign up a 12 month Baqati plan. This offer is just one way in which we aim to enrich the lives of our valued customers, added Saleh Mahmood al Maimani. Tailored to fit the individual needs of the modern customer, Baqati allows individual customers to choose exactly what they want from their postpaid plan starting with low a monthly fee of RO 3 for Baqati Basic, up to RO 39 for the Baqati XL, the most comprehensive smart bundle in the line-up. ITA Kids Initiative to commence at MEC MIDDLE East College is to host a Kids Initiative, organised by the Information Technology Authority (ITA), in partnership with other institutions from the public and private sector such as MEC, Kudos, Cisco, Injaz Oman, Framezen, Oman Arab Bank and Ahbar Echno, to name a few. The initiative will run for a period of 30 days, from July 10 to August 8, 2016 and will target the age group of 11 to 14 year olds. It aims to uncover the innovative skills of children, enhance their awareness, and expand their knowledge and involvement, specifically in the field of information technology. The initiative also intends to introduce kids to the option of becoming future entrepreneurs and encourage them to convert their IT knowledge and imagination in to real services and visible products. The programme will include varied activities like project development, enhancing soft skills, workshops and display of innovated projects. MEC organises and participates in different community outreach activities and programmes as part of its mission to endeavour to fulfil creative human potential through education, inquiry, innovation, intercultural engagement and service. GBM appoints new country general manager GULF Business Machines (GBM), the region s number one provider of IT solutions, has announced the appointment of Iyad Al Chammat as the new Country General Manager for GBM Oman. Al Chammat will be responsible for aligning the company with transformational IT initiatives taking place across a range of the Sultanate s business sectors. Commenting on the appointment, Phillipe Jarre, Chief Executive Officer of GBM, said: GBM is proud to have Iyad on board. His 20 years of system integration, operations, strategy and leadership experience will ensure that GBM Oman builds on its commitment to provide world-class IT Solutions that supports the growth of companies across the Sultanate. Al Chammat aims to further nurture key GBM solutions around analytics, mobility, cloud, collaboration, data centres, digital innovation, security and enterprise content management. To be appointed the new Country General Manager for GBM Oman is both a tremendous honour and challenge. My aim is to strengthen GBM Oman s already healthy business to help the country continue to lead the region s IT industry evolution. We have a very strong team at GBM Oman and I believe we will have a very successful future together, said Al Chammat. Destination Oman tourism publication initiates welfare campaign DESTINATION Oman, which is one of Sultanate s most popular and credible annual tourism publications is partnering with Dar Al Atta a Charity organisation as part of its corporate social responsibility to help the less privileged. Coinciding with the twelfth anniversary of the publication, it will be donating one rial from every copy sold of the edition, towards charity, until the end of Ramadhan The book that is priced RO 5 per copy is an informative guide and pictorial treatise on the Sultanate of Oman s tourism potential. The aesthetically produced A4 size publication is packed with stories on tourism destinations aptly illustrated with stunning pictures, many of which are contributed by the readers themselves while others by celebrated photographers and travel writers. The book helps the tourists, visitors and residents to know better about the Sultanate and presents the best of Oman to the world outside. The latest edition also features a new section called Real Experiences where select tourism properties have been visited, experienced first hand, photographed and been written about. It is our humble way of giving back to the society, said Deepak Nair who founded this book brought out the first issue in He added that over the years Destination Oman had become a very sought after publication and a compelling brand on Oman tourism and its facilities. The book is actively supported with a high traffic website that was launched way back in And, actually it is the continuous and encouraging feedback received from the website that spurred us to launch the printed edition, he continued. A Saffa Foods Let Us Achieve Their Dreams 3 receives positive response A UNIQUE social initiative launched by A Saffa Foods Let Us Achieve Their Dreams 3 has been making waves all over Facebook. The one-of-its-kind gesture from A Saffa, that will help make dreams come true for 10 children living in special care homes has garnered an extremely positive response from Facebook users throughout the Sultanate; with an overwhelming number of them lending their support to the cause that will bring to life the dreams of 10 children. A Saffa Foods Let Us Achieve Their Dreams 3 campaign works towards the milestone of positively impacting the lives of 10 children. The company began the initiative with helping five children achieve their dreams in its first year, and decided to extend the same to 10 children belonging to the age group of 5 years to 7 years since last year. A Saffa Foods has been committed to helping children within the Sultanate with hope and opportunity right from the time of its inception, as the company believes that children are an integral part of society and the future of tomorrow, said Sidhartha Lenka, Head of Sales and Marketing, A Saffa Foods. The organisation s social outreach programme Let Us Achieve Their Dreams hence focuses its efforts on helping children live better lives by making their dreams come true. IMC Sugar Apollo appoints new dermatology specialist IMC Sugar Apollo to strengthen its Unique Spectrum for Social Cause programme by adding new faculty in the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Cosmetology. Dr Vandana Jadia, Specialist (Dermatology, Cosmetology & Venereology), joined International Medical Centre Sugar Apollo, Ruwi. Dr Vandana did her MBBS from MUHS Nashik-India university and PG Mumbai College of Physician and Surgeon from Mumbai university. Speaking on the occasion Shyam Shailesh Director of IMC-Apollo Sugar said, Her vast practical professional expertise in a wide range of Dermatology, Cosmetology and Venereology procedures like, Botox injections for sweating, wrinkle and anti-ageing. Dermal fillers for cheek, nasal fold and hands. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections for facial rejuvenation, extreme hair loss treatment and for hyper pigmented skin and under eye circle. In addition to above Dr Vandana is an expert at treating melasma and acne with hyper pigmentation. Full body whitening and polishing and all types of laser treatments, vein laser treatment, surgical mole, wart soft fibroma (skin tag) removal. Treatment for vitiligo, treatment for under eye-dark circles. Lips, cheeks and had augmentation, treatment for lusterless nails and nail avulsions. Exclusive discounts and special offers with BankDhofar credit/debit cards TO further enrich its customer experience, BankDhofar has announced new tie-ups with various outlets where customers can enjoy exclusive discounts and special offers when using BankDhofar debit or credit cards. A wide array of products and services is available to BankDhofar customers in the Sultanate, ranging from hotel services, health and wellness outlets, dining, boutiques, travel, leisure and entertainment. Ali Taqi Sr Executive Manager of Cards Services Centre at BankDhofar highlighted the several benefits offered to BankDhofar card users. As part of our efforts to provide the best customer experience, we work constantly to expand our outreach and cater for the customers needs and requirements wherever they are. BankDhofar has excelled in banking experience with its fullfledged collection of products and services, and to further boost that we tied-up with different outlets across Oman, he noted. Special offers include exclusive discounts that range between 5 per cent and 50 per cent when using BankDhofar debit or credit cards. The diverse range of services available to BankDhofar card users also include, but not limited to, cash withdrawal in RO (AED & USD in some ATM s), requests for mini statement, balance inquiry, self-fund transfer, third party transfer, card-less cash withdrawal.

19 Twitter invests $70m in SoundCloud Twitter Inc has invested about $70m in SoundCloud Ltd to help the Berlin-based music streaming business expand its paid offering. The investment is part of a larger financing round expected to amount to about $100m, valuing the company at about $700m. omaninternational business 19 Abu Dhabi s Taqa eyes $1 billion in bond sale ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi National Energy Co, the state-controlled energy investor, is returning to international bond markets for the first time since 2014 to help it refinance debt due in October. The company known as Taqa is offering five-year bonds at a range of to 275 basis points over the midswap rate, while the spread for 10- year bonds is ranging between and 325 basis points, according to a person familiar with the deal who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Each tranche will have the size of $500 million, the person said. The Abu Dhabi-based company, which last tapped the dollar market two years ago when it raised $750 million, has a $1 billion bond maturing in October, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It potentially joins a number of borrowers from the from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council that helped raise bond sales to $33 billion, a record for the period. Qatar, the world s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, raised $9 billion last month in the region s biggest bond sale and Abu Dhabi in April raised $5 billion in its first offering in seven years. BNP Paribas SA, Citigroup Inc, First Gulf Bank PJSC, HSBC Holdings Plc, National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC and Societe Generale SA are managing Taqa s bond sale. Bloomberg Moody s assigns definitive Baa1 rating to Oman s dollar bonds FROM PAGE 17 The pace and efficiency of fiscal reform will therefore have an impact, not only in trimming the budget deficit but also in providing an incentive for sceptical investors. Sovereign bond issuance has increased dramatically in the Gulf in the last year, with Bahrain (although it suffered from falling demand between its two issues), the UAE and Qatar all issuing billions of dollars worth of debt. And, although this has yet to significantly affect Oman, the scale of further bond issues this year is likely to push up the coupon rate of Oman s future bonds, as the regional market becomes increasingly crowded, The Economist added. $100 million fund launched to boost liquidity on Bahrain Bourse MANAMA: Investors in the Bahrain Bourse are expected to see greater liquidity in future after a new fund was launched today with the aim of enhancing the market s depth. The Bahrain Liquidity Fund is supported by a number of market participants and has been vested with $100m of assets in cash and shares. The fund will act as a market maker, providing two way quotes on most of the listed stocks with a reasonable spread to allow the investors to actively trade their stocks. To ensure high governance standards, the fund s activities and performance will be evaluated and monitored on timely basis by a supervisory board representing the seed investors. By improving liquidity, the fund aims to address one of the primary concerns that has made investing in stocks listed on Bahrain Bourse less attractive, albeit the prevailing attractive valuations. Restricted liquidity currently causes securities to trade at a discount to their underlying value and regional peers the introduction of the Bahrain Liquidity Fund aims to help reduce that discount over the medium to long term. The fund will help attract new investors and deepen Bahrain s capital markets and is anticipated to help local businesses raise capital and have greater access to alternative courses of financing other than bank lending, making it easier for them to find the right funding to help them grow. Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, said: Capital markets have a very important role to play in funding the growth throughout Bahrain. They have the potential to enable businesses to grow faster and create more jobs and greater prosperity, but they will only be able to do this if they have enough liquidity. The Fund is part of a series of reforms that will help to enhance and deepen capital markets, helping the market to reach its potential and bringing benefits to businesses and investors, he added. Ooredoo to pilot microwave backhaul telecom technology MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET MUSCAT: Supported by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Ooredoo is set to start the trial of an innovative new telecommunications technology that addresses the anticipated surge in demand for data for video streaming, online gaming, social media and more across Oman. The first of its kind in the region, the trial will test Microwave Solutions in E-Band (80 Ghz) technology, or microwave backhauling, across Ooredoo s recently completed nationwide fibre backbone, providing the Gigabit capacity to deliver unparalleled premium speeds and unrivalled superior quality to fast increasing numbers of data hungry customers. Ooredoo will collaborate with internationally renowned telecommunications giant Ericsson on this exciting project, sharing expertise and technical know-how to demonstrate the enormous advantages and possibilities of the innovative system to operators in the Gulf and beyond. Ooredoo is constantly responding to changes in customer needs and providing them with the products, services and offers they want, through both mobile and fixed offerings, said Wolfgang Wemhoff, Chief Technology Officer at Ooredoo Oman. Our partnership with Ericsson on this regionally important ground-breaking project will allow us to pioneer new methods and deliver exciting new possibilities to meet the fast-evolving needs of our current and future customers and businesses in all sectors across the Sultanate of Oman. Rafiah Ibrahim, President & Head of Ericsson Region Middle East and Africa added: We expect Microwave Backhaul to experience major growth and represent up to 20 per cent of new deployments in Our collaboration with Ooredoo Oman enables us to showcase the benefits of Microwave Backhaul for operators around the region, while empowering Ooredoo Oman to pave the way for innovative traffic management solutions. Iran to set up new financial centre TEHRAN: Iran plans to set up a financial centre on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz as a gateway for banks and other institutions to enter the market of 80 million people. Chinese and Russian banks have expressed interest in representative offices in the area, Farhad Taghizadeh- Hesary, senior adviser to the Qeshm Investment and Development Co, said in an interview. One of Japan s largest banks is also negotiating with officials on establishing a presence, he said, declining to identify any of the lenders. The island is the largest in the Persian Gulf and located about 1,382 kilometres (858 miles) south of Tehran. The aim for this financial centre isn t to look onto Qeshm, but to be a window onto the mainland, he said. There is much interest to enter Iran. Iran s economy has traditionally relied on oil revenue and domestic consumption. The country is overhauling its infrastructure and spending billions of dollars expanding airports, transportation links and the energy sector after the lifting of economic sanctions in January. Bloomberg

20 international business 20 THURSDAY l JUNE 16 l 2016 BHP to sell Australia oil and gas assets Exxon Mobil Corp and BHP Billiton Ltd said they are considering selling depleting energy assets in Australia, including Kingfish, the country s largest ever discovered oil field. The resource giants are looking to market 13 fields, licenses and associated infrastructure. Shares rise as Fed expectations soothe Brexit fears LONDON: European shares rose and sterling gained against the dollar and yen on Wednesday as expectations of dovish words from the US Federal Reserve soothed investors on edge over whether Britain will vote to leave the European Union. Worries that Britain, the world s fifthlargest economy, could quit the EU after June s 23 referendum have dominated markets this week and driven investors towards safe-haven assets such as gold and the Swiss franc. Several recent opinion polls have put the Leave campaign ahead, though bookmakers odds still favour a vote to remain. But with the Fed seen certain to leave interest rates on hold later in the day and markets giving no more than a 15 per cent chance of a hike this year, investors on Wednesday showed a greater appetite for risk, with the yen and the Swiss franc taking a back seat. Sterling strengthened by 0.3 per cent to $1.4176, having hit a two-month low of $ on Tuesday. The pound also rose half a per cent to yen. The dollar rose 0.2 per cent to yen, having fallen as far as yen on Tuesday. The euro was flat at $ but rose 0.3 per cent against the Swiss franc to francs. Britain s blue-chip FTSE 100 share index rose 0.9 per cent, nonetheless underperforming the pan-european FTSEurofirst 300 index, which was up 1.1 per cent, breaking a five-day Brexitinduced losing streak. A woman walks past the electronic market indicator showing Tokyo stock market price at the window of a security company in Tokyo, Japan. AFP MSCI s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eked out slight gains, though Japan s Nikkei stocks index added 0.4 per cent. Chinese stocks took in their stride the fact that MSCI again declined to admit Chinese domestic shares to its main emerging markets index. The bluechip CSI 300 index rose 1.3 per cent. With Chinese markets shrugging off the MSCI move, risk appetite is slightly better than what we saw in the past few days. But markets are wary before the Fed meeting and the Bank of Japan meeting tomorrow and of course the Brexit worries, said Yujiro Goto, currency strategist at Nomura. Economists have warned that Britain leaving the EU s single market would not only hit British assets but could even trigger a European recession. Ireland, Britain s near neighbour and a major trading partner, felt the impact of Brexit fears as the differential between Irish and German 10-year government bond yields hit its widest in nearly a year at 0.88 per cent. Ireland in the last few days has been the clear underperformer as markets penalise the country s strong trade links with the UK, ING rates strategist Martin van Vliet said. German 10-year bonds, deemed one of the world s safest assets, yielded 0.7 basis points, having turned negative on Tuesday for the first time, falling as low as per cent. Japanese 10-year government bond Xi to sign trade, aviation deals on Europe visit BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to sign a series of agreements in areas ranging from trade to civil aviation during a visit to Serbia and Poland starting this week, diplomats said on Wednesday, as China looks to bolster its presence in central and eastern Europe. Central and east European countries are competing for Chinese investment in everything, looking to lure firms in need of new markets while securing a foothold for their own products in the huge but difficult Chinese market. Chinese foreign direct investment to Europe hit a record high in 2015 of around 20 billion euros ($22.45 billion), a 44 per cent annual rise. Germany, Britain and France accounted for almost half the total, according to a report by Germany s Mercator Institute for China Studies and the US-based Rhodium Group. Only snippets of investment went yields hit the latest in a series of record lows at minus 0.17 per cent, with traders blaming Brexit fears. The Bank of Japan unveils its latest policy decision on Thursday and is widely expected to keep rates unchanged. Oil prices fell, with international to central and eastern Europe, but as Chinese firms look to diversify as the economy slows, volumes are growing, thanks to deals in infrastructure, energy, finance, real estate and travel. Firms are finding a warm welcome in central and east Europe. In Hungary, the Chinese have a currency clearing centre. Hungary and Serbia have signed a deal with China to build a high-speed railway from Belgrade to Budapest. Hungary has also issued bonds in the Chinese currency. Reuters benchmark Brent crude, dropping for a fifth consecutive day. It last traded at $49.49 a barrel, down 32 cents. Gold dipped 0.3 per cent to $1,281 an ounce, having touched its highest since May 6 at $1, on Tuesday. Reuters Pilots end SAS strike; airline to resume flights STOCKHOLM: A pilot strike that disrupted hundreds of flights operated by Scandinavian airline SAS ended after a Swedish pilots union and employers agreed amid mediated wage talks. The disruptions began on Friday when the Swedish pilots union called on400 pilots to walk off work because of a dispute about wages. Since Friday, about 100,000 passengers have been affected by the labour action. Hundreds of domestic Swedish and European flights were disrupted. SAS cancelled 240 flights on Tuesday, affecting about 25,500 passengers. After the deal was announced shortly Iran to unveil historic deal for 100 Boeing jetliners NEW YORK: Iran is preparing to unveil a historic agreement for Boeing Co jetliners within days that could be valued at about $25 billion. The transaction would be the first struck by the planemaker since sanctions were lifted in January and would require US government approval. An order listed at $27 billion announced by Europe s Airbus Group SE also needs a US Treasury Department license before it can be finalised. Buyers typically negotiate discounts from list prices. Boeing is poised to land a comparable deal if the US company can navigate the appropriate government permissions, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg said in a June 3 address at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York. You can anticipate that that s potentially a kind of marketplace for Boeing and Airbus, and we re going to battle it out competitively, Muilenburg said. Referring to Airbus s 118-plane order, we see market space that s measured in that category, he said. Since trade barriers were lifted as part of a nuclear agreement, Iran has been on shopping spree for commercial jets. The market is a bright spot for the planemakers as economic turmoil saps A man uses his mobile phone near the SAS check-in counters at Terminal 4 during the SAS pilots strike at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. AFP after 5 pm (1500 GMT), pilots were to return to work immediately. demand in other regions. A deal, however, could spark political backlash. Boeing also may need to leave wiggle room to back out of any potential orders if the next US president decides to reinstate sanctions. There s also no assurance that all the orders will materialise, since Iran s carriers face competition from Persian Gulf counterparts. It s grist for the mill for everyone involved, Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group, said in an interview. The Iranians love The pilots accepted a 2.2 per cent raise for the one-year deal, as initially offered by the employers. We have a collective bargaining agreement with a joint pay scale, we are satisifed, Martin Lindgren, President of the Swedish Pilots Union told reporters. SAS Chief Executive Rickard Gustafson expressed relief that the dispute had been settled. Gustafson welcomed that the agreed wage increase was in line with that offered to other groups. He declined to say what the conflict had cost the company, adding that the focus was to ensure that services would return to normal as soon as possible. dpa announcements to use as leverage. Pronuclear-deal politicians in the US and Europe love it as proof of opportunity. Conservatives love to use it as a sign of political weakness. Minister Abbas Akhoundi in an address on Monday to Parliament referred to a Boeing agreement within the coming days, according a statement on the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development website. He said the country needs to invest about $50 billion to bolster its fleet with 400 mid- and long-range jetliners and 100 short-haul planes. Bloomberg BIZ BRIEF India Space Agency challenges Musk, Bezos with record launch BENGALURU: India s space agency will launch a record 22 satellites on a single rocket as it tries to ease a global backlog and demonstrate the ability to compete with commercial spaceflight companies run by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Satellites from the US, India, Canada and Germany will enter orbit after a scheduled June 20 lift-off from the Sriharikota barrier island along the southeast coast, the agency s chairman, A S Kiran Kumar, (pictured) said in an interview in Bengaluru. Most of the machines will observe and measure the Earth s atmosphere, with another from an Indian university helping provide service for amateur radio operators. The business of putting satellites into space is surging as phone companies, Internet providers, airlines and even carmakers seek bandwidth for communications. The resulting backlog is creating opportunities for Musk and Bezos, who are privatizing what was once a government-only industry by testing reusable rockets to help reduce costs. To keep pace, India is touting its traditionally low-cost program along with achievements such as putting an orbiter around Mars and building a space-shuttle prototype. Unless you keep yourself abreast and look to the future on how to make things better, how to make it more cost-effective, you run the risk of becoming irrelevant, said Kumar, 64, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization. So you have to take care of these threats. The 22 machines being launched next week include an Earth observation satellite to capture light invisible to the naked eye. It is the biggest single launch by India, trailing Russia s 33 in 2014 and Nasa s 29 the year before. Bloomberg UK unemployment rate falls to 11-year low LONDON: The UK labour market showed signs of resilience in the face of the referendum on European Union membership as unemployment unexpectedly fell and wage growth accelerated. The jobless rate declined to 5 per cent in the three months through April, the lowest since 2005, the Office for National Statistics in London said on Wednesday. Economists in a Bloomberg survey had expected the rate to stay at 5.1 per cent. The number of people in work rose by 55,000 to a record 31.6 million. Pay pressures also ticked higher. Basic wage growth accelerated to 2.3 per cent from 2.2 per cent in the first quarter, instead of easing as economists forecast. In April alone, it accelerated to 2.5 per cent from 1.9 per cent in March, partly reflecting the introduction of a higher minimum wage, the ONS said. The pound extended gains against the dollar after the data. The currency was at $ as of 9:44 am London time, up 0.6 per cent on the day. Unemployment fell by 20,000 to 1.67 million in the latest three months. In April alone, the jobless rate declined to 4.8 per cent, the lowest since September Jobless benefits, a narrower measure of unemployment, fell 400 in May and the rate was unchanged at 2.2 per cent. In April, claims rose 6,400 instead of the 2,400 fall previously estimated. Wage growth including bonuses in the three months through April was unchanged at 2 per cent, a faster pace than forecast. April saw pay growth accelerate to 2.5 per cent from 2 per cent, with the new National Living Wage being most keenly felt in the retail sector, the ONS said. Bloomberg Bangladeshi shoppers visit a market one week into the month of Ramadhan and ahead of Eid al Fitr celebrations in Dhaka. Eid al Fitr which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, is marked with great feasting and the giving of gifts. AFP Unaoil to sue Fairfax over graft allegations SYDNEY: Monaco-based oil services company Unaoil said on Tuesday it was launching legal action against Australia s Fairfax Media group, publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald, over reports linking it to corrupt practices involving big oil companies. Fairfax Media and the Huffington Post said in a joint report in April that the US Department of Justice and anti-corruption police in Britain and Australia had launched a joint investigation into the activities of Unaoil. Unaoil denied the allegations and said that it had been the victim of an extortion attempt by unidentified criminals. It did not say what information the extortionists had threatened to pass to the media but said it had been their victim for four months. Unaoil has instructed its lawyers to commence legal action against Fairfax Media and its partners in relation to the malicious and damaging allegations negligently published by these media organisations and repeated by other media organisations globally, Unaoil said in a statement. Unaoil estimates its damages to be over $100 million and intends to hold Fairfax Media and its partners to account for their irresponsible and injurious reporting. Unaoil did not say when it would sue and it has not said what its legal claim is, other than to refer to theft of company data and harm to reputation. A spokeswoman for the Huffington Post defended its reporting on the subject. The Huffington Post stands by its reporting of Unaoil, she said. Reuters

21 pers pective business 21 BANK VOLATILITY Traders brace for biggest night since Black Wednesday The world s biggest banks including Citi and Goldman Sachs will draft in senior traders to work through the night following Britain s referendum on EU membership, set to be among the most volatile 24 hours for markets in a quarter of a century. A vote to leave the European Union on June 23 would spook investors by undermining post-world War Two attempts at European integration and placing a question mark over the future of the United Kingdom and its $2.9 trillion economy. Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are among those banks planning to have senior staff and traders working or on call in London as results start to dribble in after polls close at 2100 GMT, according to the sources. Jamie Dimon, Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co, told employees on a visit to Britain this month that if the vote was to leave the EU, the bank would have to have teams of people thrown on what that means. We won t know what it means: there is a wide range of outcomes, Dimon, a supporter of Britain s membership who has warned of job cuts at JPMorgan in Britain if there is an Out vote, said in the broadcast speech. A vote to leave could unleash turmoil on foreign exchange, equity and bond markets, spoiling bets across asset classes and potentially testing the infrastructure of Western markets such as computer systems, stock exchanges and clearing houses. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has cautioned that a Brexit vote could shake financial markets and potentially push back the timing of the next rise in US interest rates. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has said sterling could depreciate, perhaps sharply and some major banks have forecast an unprecedented fall to parity with the euro and as low as $1.20 in the days following any vote to leave the bloc. The Bank of England will be staffed overnight, with senior policymakers on call if markets go into meltdown. The finance ministry would not comment on its staffing plans. The official Vote Leave campaign argues there is no evidence that leaving the EU would weaken sterling long term, while Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party has said that even if the currency did fall, it would simply boost British exports. Brexit Night? Sterling the world s fourth most traded currency has moved sharply in recent weeks, often on the back of opinion polls. Depending on the results from across the United Kingdom, the night of June 23 and early morning of June 24 could rank as one of the most volatile nights in the history of the London market. We ve all seen US elections, UK general elections, we ve had the Scottish referendum, the collapse of Lehman and QE (Quantitative Easing) but this is by far and away the biggest risk event The flag of the European Union and the Union flag seen on top of a sand castle on a beach in Southport, United Kingdom. AFP that has presented itself to the UK, said Chris Huddleston, head of money markets at specialist bank Investec. London accounts for 41 per cent of global turnover in the $5.3 trilliona-day foreign exchange market, more than double the turnover in the United States and far more than the 3 per cent of its closest EU competitors, France and Switzerland. All the traders are going to be in... They don t like missing big moments, if there s going to be one, they want to be at their desk, said a senior source at a major bank based in the Canary Wharf financial district of London. Some banks are planning the night down to the smallest detail to keep their traders on top form laying on all night catering and booking nearby hotels to We ve all seen US elections, UK general elections, we ve had the Scottish referendum, the collapse of Lehman and QE (Quantitative Easing) but this is by far and away the biggest risk event that has presented itself to the UK CHRIS HUDDLESTON Money markets head, Investec offer temporary respite. It is the biggest planned risk event that anyone can remember, so everyone is going to be involved. The question is just when you try and get some sleep, said one senior foreign exchange trader. No exit polls are planned by British broadcasters so the first numbers from the counts will be turnout results from 382 different areas followed by totals for Remain and Leave in each area. Sterling Polls have given contradictory pictures of British public opinion, keeping markets guessing on the final outcome. That has left sterling, currently priced at $1.41, far away from either of its likely resting places after the final result is known seen by banks as around $1.50 in the event of a remain vote, or $1.30 or lower if Britain votes to leave. That almost-certain rapid repricing could set the scene for one of the rockiest sessions since traders wrestled down the value of sterling on Black Wednesday, September 16, 1992, when Britain crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. If it s Brexit, then we re looking at something that s at least on the scale of Black Wednesday, said Nick Parsons, global co-head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank and a veteran of the 1992 sterling crisis. Prices for derivatives used to mitigate the risk of sharp swings in sterling point to a period of intense volatility. Officials and bank managers planning for the event draw comparisons with the 40 per cent surge in the Swiss franc in January 2015, which bankrupted dozens of small investment funds and cost banks including Citi hundreds of millions of dollars. Traders and analysts said they would expect a Brexit vote to cause sterling to gap, or plummet lower as orders to sell the currency met an absence of willing buyers, leaving a blank spot on the price charts snaking across traders screens. Gaps can inflict huge losses on banks and traders, forcing them to bail out of trades at prices far below the automatic sell orders, or stops they normally use to limit losses. Currency market participants have urged the Bank of England to call on US Federal Reserve if the turbulence gets really bad. The BoE could buy sterling with dollars borrowed directly from the US central bank under arrangements first used in response to the global financial crisis in Reuters * BUSINESS RIVALS Shell CEO faces long haul in bid to surpass Exxon as top oil major Royal Dutch Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Ben Van Beurden spelled out his main goal last week surpass Exxon Mobil Corp to become the best-performing oil major. I am determined to get us to that number one place, he said after outlining the company s long-term strategy in London. I want to create a world class investment case for Shell and our shareholders. There are signs Van Beurden is winning over some investors following his record $54 billion acquisition of BG Group Plc. Shell has closed the gap on Exxon for total shareholder returns, which accounts for share prices, dividend payouts and buybacks, after lagging behind for five years. Still, the Anglo-Dutch explorer trails its US rival on a range of other metrics from return on capital and assets to cash flow. In the past 15 to 20 years Shell has fallen behind Exxon, and now Ben is coming with the determination to take the company back up there, said Iain Armstrong, a London-based analyst at Brewin Dolphin Ltd. But it could take years for Shell to become the benchmark for the industry that Exxon is. It won t happen this decade. To meet his target, Shell will focus on increasing free cash flow per share, improving its returns and running its finances in a conservative way, according to Van Beurden, who is resetting the company to perform with lower oil prices. Expenditure Focus To achieve this, Shell will cap annual capital investment at $30 billion until the end of the decade even if crude prices rise, Europe s biggest oil company said June 7. If prices remain at the current level of $50 a barrel, or drop, Shell can cut spending below the lower end of its Shell plans to slow new investments in its liquefied natural gas business as it seeks to increase cash flows. The BG deal gave it LNG assets from Australia to North America and consolidated its top position with liquefaction capacity more than double that of its nearest rival Exxon. target range of $25 billion. Shell plans to slow new investments in its liquefied natural gas business as it seeks to increase cash flows. The BG deal gave it LNG assets from Australia to North America and consolidated its top position with liquefaction capacity more than double that of its nearest rival Exxon. Everybody really liked the focus on the cap on capex and also the reduced emphasis on investments in LNG because they ve made a big investment already by buying BG, said Iain Reid, an analyst at Macquarie Capital Ltd in London. They ve got a good chance of surpassing Exxon if they can change the business in the way they outlined last week. Van Beurden has pledged to boost Shell s return on capital employed to 10 per cent by 2020 at an oil price of $60 a barrel. That compares with an average $12 billion free cash flow and 8 per cent return on capital at $90 oil from 2013 to Shell aims to generate $20 billion to $25 billion of free cash flow from operations by The aim is to underpin the dividend, which Shell hasn t cut since at least the end of the Second World War, even when oil prices slumped to below $10 in late The company has already said it will maintain the payout this year. The company s B shares in London, the most widely traded, have climbed 14 per cent this year. They have gained 2.5 per cent since June 6, the day before Shell unveiled its long-term strategy, compared with a 1.6 per cent increase for Exxon and a 3.5 per cent drop for the 20-company Stoxx 600 Europe Oil & Gas Index. Van Beurden still has a lot to do to convince investors. Shell s three-year average return on capital is less than half of Exxon s. The Anglo-Dutch explorer s price-to-book-value ratio, a measure of returns from assets, dropped below 1 in 2015 for the first time since 1987, and has stayed at that level since. Exxon s is double that. Then, there s the matter of size. The acquisition of BG has made Shell the world s second-biggest oil company, after vying for years for that position with Chevron Corp. Yet, Shell s $203 billion market valuation is 45 per cent lower than Exxon s. Bloomberg * ECONOMIC BLOC Modi inching closer to India single market After more than a year of delays, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slowly getting closer to securing the votes needed to pass one of India s biggest economic reforms in decades. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday that Modi s government would again seek to pass a constitutional amendment authorizing the goods-and-services tax, known as GST, in the parliamentary session starting next month. Still, he said, some details remain pending even though most states support the idea of GST. We don t fix deadlines, Jaitley told reporters in Kolkata after meeting with finance ministers and officials from the nation s 29 states. We move forward with positive intentions. While Jaitley s comments deflated optimism in the markets that a breakthrough was imminent, recent state elections have helped boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi. support for the measure either by adding strength to Modi s coalition or to regional parties that support GST. The tax aims to unify India s 1.3 billion people in a single market for the first time. The opposition Congress party, which first proposed the GST in 2006, has led the charge against the bill in the upper house of parliament, where Modi lacks a majority. It wants an 18 per cent cap on the GST rate written into the amendment, a provision that Jaitley said was opposed by a complete consensus. The party has a responsibility to seek a pro-people, pro-consumer GST, said Raj Babbar, a Congress spokesman. With Congress digging in its heels, Modi needs to lure smaller regional parties to his side to get the two-thirds majority needed to pass a constitutional change or 161 of the 241 Upper House seats currently filled. If a vote were taken this week, Modi could count on 159 votes in an optimistic scenario based on stated positions. Supporting GST: BJP coalition (Modi s group) 69 Trinamool Congress (West Bengal) 12 Appointed MPs (apolitical) 10 Others and independent 5 Likely to Vote for GST: Communists 9 BJD (Odisha) 7 Janata Group 12 BSP (Uttar Pradesh) 6 SP (Uttar Pradesh) 19 NCP (Maharashtra) 6 Others (Small parties) 4 Likely to Oppose or Abstain: Congress (main opposition party) 61 AIADMK (Tamil Nadu) 13 DMK (Tamil Nadu) 5 Others (Small parties) 3 Tamil Nadu is key for Modi to pass GST without Congress. To that end, Modi on Tuesday met J Jayalalithaa, the state s chief minister who leads All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Bloomberg

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24 inter b national business 24 Zenefits cuts 106 jobs Zenefits, the HR tech start-up embroiled in a regulatory compliance scandal, is making another wave of staff cuts. The company said it will eliminate 106 jobs, accounting for about 9 per cent of staff. Obama s net neutrality upheld in win for Google, loss for AT&T Disney to make China park even bigger A federal court upheld net-neutrality regulations designed to ensure an open Internet, handing a victory to the Obama administration and a defeat to telephone and cable providers. The Washington-based US Court of Appeals acted after a decade of debate over web access that pitted Silicon Valley against companies that provide Internet access to homes and businesses. The court likened Internet service providers to utilities, saying they act as neutral, indiscriminate platforms for transmission of speech. The ruling is a triumph for the Federal Communications Commission s Democratic majority that passed the rules last year. It is a win for Alphabet Inc s Google, online video provider Netflix Inc and others who championed the notion of an open Internet where Internet service providers are prevented from offering speedier lanes to those willing to pay extra for them. The open Internet rules are here The Washington-based US Court of Appeals acted after a decade of debate over web access that pitted Silicon Valley against companies that provide Internet access to homes and businesses. to stay, Pantelis Michalopoulos, an attorney who represented Netflix and Dish Network Corp in the case, said in an . There is no doubt who is the winner: the open Internet. The gatekeepers may not block or throttle our information. They may not ask information to pay tolls. Challengers including AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and Comcast Corp said the rule would discourage innovation and investment. AT&T said it would appeal to the US Supreme Court. Unfettered Access The three-judge appellate panel heard arguments on December 4. US Circuit judges David Tatel and Sri Srinivasan voted to uphold the FCC. Judge Stephen Williams dissented, saying the FCC ignored market conditions. Today s ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who led the agency to a 3-2 Democratic-led vote to pass the rules, said in an ed statement. It ensures the Internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth. President Barack Obama backed the rules. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in a Tweet said that, Today s decision will help ensure we don t turn over our democracy to the highest bidder. We have always expected this issue to be decided by the Supreme Court, and we look forward to participating in that appeal, David McAtee, AT&T s general counsel, said in an ed statement. Congressional Options The wireless industry will pursue judicial and congressional options to ensure a regulatory framework that provides certainty for consumers, investors and innovators, Meredith Attwell Baker, president of CTIA, a trade group with members including AT&T and Verizon, said in an ed statement. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association, with members including top US cable provider Comcast and Charter Communications Inc, said in a statement it was reviewing the decision. The decision comes as AT&T, Comcast and T-Mobile US Inc face regulatory scrutiny for offering customers free data for viewing certain web videos, raising concerns as to whether they re indeed treating all content equally. The notion behind the FCC measure, that broadband service providers must treat all content the same, had the support of the Obama administration as well as Twitter Inc, the American Civil Liberties Union and other interest groups. Telephone Companies Two years ago, another three-judge panel that included Tatel rejected the FCC s earlier effort to implement Internet traffic rules in a Verizon-filed case, concluding the regulator had tried to treat broadband service providers as common carriers tantamount to telephone companies after having previously classified them as exempt from that designation. In 2010, a US court ruled federal regulators lacked authority to censure Comcast for interfering with subscribers Internet traffic. The FCC in response wrote rules that in 2014 were again rejected for lack of authority. The agency tried again with the rules passed last year. This time it said broadband service providers, both mobile and fixed, were indeed common carriers that could be regulated under a 1996 telecommunications act, an assertion disputed in court by the challengers attorney Peter Keisler. Defending the measure before the three-member panel was FCC General Counsel Jonathan Sallet. The revised measures took effect last year. Bloomberg Wa l t Disney Co has hosted o v e r 600,000 visitors at its first theme park in mainland China since trial operations started early May, and its enormous potential has already prompted Disney to expand the resort, said Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger. After we broke ground we paused to really recognise the growth of China s tourism and Shanghai visitation and the general growth in the Chinese market and we decided to build something even bigger, Iger said in a briefing at Shanghai Disneyland on Wednesday, a day before the resort opens. Burbank, California-based Disney has 7 square kilometres (7 ha) of land available at the site and has already started construction to expand attractions within it, Iger said. The existing resort covers about 3.9 square kilometres, larger than originally planned as the company added attractions including a performance based on Frozen after the movie became a hit in China, he said. The $5.5 billion resort is the largest foreign investment ever from the world s biggest theme-park operator and a career milestone for Iger, as past international park efforts have been marked by cultural missteps and years of losses. Shanghai s government last month estimated about one million Chinese flocked to public areas surrounding the The $5.5 billion resort is the largest foreign investment ever from the world s biggest themepark operator. resort, including a strip of shops and a lake, since its subway station opened April 26. Travel is a bright spot in China s slowing economy, with tourism spending in the world s second biggest economy likely to triple by 2020 after industry investment jumped 42 per cent last year, according to the government. Its attracted a slew of local and foreign companies into China s entertainment market, including Dalian Wanda Group Co and USbased theme park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corp. Domestic tourism in China is being helped by the popularity of social media, as locals trade travel tips on messaging apps such as WeChat, and customer ratings websites such as Dianping.com. At Shanghai Disneyland, visitors already knew which were the most popular rides from social media, and flocked to those immediately, Iger said. The new park has become a blend of best of Disney and so much of the heart and soul of the people, said the 65-year-old CEO. We didn t build Disneyland in China, we built China s Disneyland. Bloomberg This $95,000 watch uses the world s blackest black Vantablack is the world s blackest black. It s so black that 3D objects coated in the material are visually reduced to mere silhouettes. A crumpled piece of tinfoil, for example, looks like a vast abyss. That s because the material absorbs more than per cent of light. It s the blackest material in the universe after black holes, the British sculptor Anish Kapoor once said. It s a physical thing that you cannot see. And now it s coming to your wrist: Swiss watchmaker Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) will debut $95,000 Vantablack luxury watches in a limited edition this fall. We always try and explore new materials, new processes, said Pierre Jacques, Chief Executive Officer of MCT. Vantablack caught his attention about a year ago. It s profound, difficult to describe... bottomless, he said. The 10 limited-edition MCT timepieces will have elements that look as though they re floating amid nothingness, said Jacques although looking at the renderings, we can t help but wish the face were less busy to showcase more of the Vantablack void. The watch case measures 45 The watch case measures 45 millimetres x 45 mm x 15.5 mm thick and is crafted out of titanium with black DLC coating, as is the buckle with folding clasp. millimetres x 45 mm x 15.5 mm thick and is crafted out of titanium with black DLC coating, as is the buckle with folding clasp. Markings are hand-painted, but with no lumé; Vantablack is used on the dial and some parts of the movement, with everything assembled by hand. This material is very sensitive, and we had to take care of many parameters before assembling the components, like friction and impermeability, said Jacques. A black alligator strap completes the look, with sapphire crystal caseback and face. Inside, it s essentially the same hand-winding movement MCT offers in the Sequential One S110. Of its 471 components, 81 are rubies, and it comes with a 40-hour power reserve. On the dial, hours are indicated by four modules, each composed of five prisms that flip. As the minute hand rounds the :00 spot, a 270-degree sector rotates to reveal the next hour, with tick marks now lining up to denote the appropriate minute. If that sounds like a trip, the video just below should help. Vantablack Primer Not a paint or a pigment, Vantablack is the creation of Surrey Nanosystems, a tiny company located on Britain s southern coast, which initially It s the blackest material in the universe after black holes. It s a physical thing that you cannot see. ANISH KAPOOR British sculptor developed it for the aerospace industry in collaboration with Britain s National Physics Laboratory. The near-weightless, high-tech material is made from carbon nanotubes, each one-millionth of a millimetre thick, grown in a clean room using proprietary technology. The tubes in original Vantablack there are now two versions are 10,000 times as long as they are wide. Picture a forest of trees, except each tree would be a few kilometres high, said David Wong, the company s chief executive. With the right density, the forest just swallows light. The challenge is to grow the molecules at low enough temperatures to affix them to lightweight materials typically used in space, such as aluminium, which melts at around 660 degrees Centigrade. Until Vantablack was invented in 2013, carbon nanotubes could be manufactured only at temperatures of about 800C: Surrey NanoSystems figured out how to produce them at 400C. More recently, the company debuted a second type of spray-on Vantablack called Vantablack S-VIS that can be applied at temperatures as low as 60 0 C, making it possible to coat even plastic. MCT is just one of dozens of companies scrambling to make use of the material. In December, Germany s Berlin Space Technologies launched a satellite into space carrying a star-tracking device made using Vantablack. Because the black is so effective, it eliminates the need for the long tubes generally needed to defuse stray light. It allowed us to make the device much smaller and lighter, said Tom Segert, one of the company s co-founders. When Wong s team launched Vantablack at the Farnborough Air Show in 2014, people were just astonished it was amazing to watch their faces, he recalled. That s when we realised that this might have applications beyond space. Cue up the architects, jewellers and car companies. Bloomberg

25 THURSDAY JUNE 16, 2016 RAMADHAN 10, 1437 AH The last day of the Days of Mercy The first ten days which officially end today, according to Islamic belief, is called the Mercy of Allah. The next 10 days will be called the days of the Forgiveness of Allah. As the holy month progresses, check out some of the moral lessons everyone must ponder upon... P26 His Eminence SHAIKH AHMED BIN HAMAD AL KHALILI Grand Mufti of Oman Quran Verse of the Day Thoughts for the Day with Hatim Al Abdissalaam Check out our videos on Youtube of Hatim Al Abdissalam sharing important and meaningful insights daily regarding the holy month and how you can make your Ramadhan a meaningful one. Enter this link on your search bar to get to our channel: Don t forget to subscribe! A External Is external usage of ointment considered breaking the fast? usage does not affect fasting. Just like bathing during days of Ramadhan is acceptable, in the same context, using external ointments is also permissible. Say, O disbelievers. I do not worship what you worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. Nor do I serve what you serve. Nor do you serve what I serve. You have your way, and I have my way. (al Kafirun)

26 insideoman ramadhan 26 THURSDAY l JUNE 16 l 2016 celebratingfaith The last day of the Days of Mercy KABEER YOUSUF According to the Islamic belief, the holy month of Ramadhan is divided into three phases. The first ten days which officially ends today, is called the Mercy of Allah, a time when the Almighty shows his compassion and a time where everyone is offered a huge window to learn varied lessons in life. With the first phase being over, the next 10 days are referred to as the Forgiveness from Allah a time when a Muslim must seek for the forgiveness from Almighty Allah and repent for all his sins. It is during the Forgiveness of Allah day when everyone is encouraged to increase their prayers and other supplications and plea to Allah almighty saying I ask forgiveness of my sins from Allah who is my Lord and I turn towards Him. It is also the time where the forgiveness of Almighty Allah is at its peak, and this is the best time for asking about forgiveness for all the sins from Almighty Allah. It is believed that during this moments, one must always ask for forgiveness from Almighty Allah, to make sure to not repeat the sins after one has done Tauba. Do Tauba as many times as possible, because Allah Almighty loves Tauba during this period and forgives the one who seeks for his forgiveness. Forgive all your beloved in these days as Allah Almighty loves Maghfirah. The last 10 days is called Salvation from hellfire. As the believers venture further on into this It is during the Forgiveness of Allah day when everyone is encouraged to increase their prayers and other supplications and plea to Allah almighty saying I ask forgiveness of my sins from Allah who is my Lord and I turn towards Him. holy month, here are some moral lessons everyone must ponder upon. Gaining Taqwa (Piety) Allah legislated fasting for gaining Taqwa (piety) and said O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain Taqwa. (Al-Baqarah 2:183). Taqwa in this case means to make a shield between oneself and God s anger and Hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fast, has this fasting day made us fear God more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not? Drawing Closer to Allah This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on the Holy Quran during night and day, attending the Taraweeh prayers, remembering God, sitting in circles of knowledge and, for those who can, making umrah. Also for those who can, making I`tikaf (seclusion) in the last ten nights of Ramadhan, so as to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a mosque just thinking of God, so as to bring oneself closer to God. When one sins, one feels distant from God. That is why one might find it hard to read the Quran and come to the mosque. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to God and wants to worship Him more, because he is not shy from his sins. Acquiring Patience and Strong Will Ihsan means to worship God as if one sees Him, and even though one does not see Him, He sees all. Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Quran and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one s food and drink, and his/her sexual relations with the spouse for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. Striving for Ihsan (Righteousness & Sincerity) and Staying Away From Riyaa (Showing Off) The Muslim scholar, Hasan al Basree said: By Allah, in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forth or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action, Does Allah love this action? Is Allah pleased with this action? So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyaa (showing off). That is why Allah said in a sacred hadith, Fasting is for Me and I reward it. (Al Bukhari). God singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying: Fasting is for Me, because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except God. Questions We reached out to a few people to ask them three questions regarding how they spend the holy month. Ali Al Wahaibi Head Waiter Al Khiran Terrace What does Ramadhan mean to you? Ramadhan is a time to dedicate to family, and to God. I take the opportunity to read the Quran, pray a lot, get closer to the Almighty. It is a very spiritual month. How do you spend iftar? I spend iftar with my family when I am not working in the restaurant (Al Khiran Terrace serves iftar every evening at Al Bustan Palace). We like to prepare the food together and share the meal after the Maghrib prayer. What activities do you prepare during the holy month? I make many preparations during the holy month, even before it started. Preparing for Ramadhan means being ready spiritually. When we get-together with the rest of the family, we prepare dishes such as shorba, hares, hummus, mandazi bread everything is home-made! 17th season of Small & Business Entrepreneur Forum As its annual practice, during this time of the holy month, Dar Al Atta a Association (DAA) planned a Small & Business Entrepreneur Forum at Al Noor Hall in Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos. Its 17th season this year, the forum took place on June 8-10, In this year s forum, almost 68 different entrepreneurs participated with a wide selection of mothers and kids items. The entry fee of RO 1 was collected but the proceeds of the forum will be utilized for the Kiswat Al Eid (Eid Clothing) programme for the underprivileged This is the only forum that DAA arranges annually bringing together innovative and creative local talents ranging from different specilisations like cloths designs, accessories, bags, traditional outfits and a lot more. This year s participant, Maitha al Harthy, owner of Methany Boutique, provided of abayas, jalabiyas, accessories and bukhour. Shared that it s her 7th annual participation. Though she owns a store, she shared she didn t miss the opportunity to join in every Ramadhan because to her, the forum is one of the successfully held one in the country due to the huge turnouts of events and visitors. She also praised DAA for seeing to it that all the participants are cared for during and after the forum. Faisal and Shaima hailed from Dhofar and were first time participants. Owner of The Chocolate Room located at Salalah Gardens Mall, they said that positive feedbacks from previous participants urged them to join. The duo shared that their goal was to reach out to the market and create exposure for the café and they felt privilege to have been given an opportunity to also do something good for the less fortunate. Forum guest Manal Sultan al Battashi said that her first visit proved to be a good idea. She shared she loved the set up and the variety of item on display. She also loved how all items were brought together under one roof. Finally, for those who were not able to attend and would like to donate, donations can be course through daralatta or by depositing on the organisations Bank Muscat account: Do s and Don ts for Diabetics in Ramadhan Fasting during Ramadhan is an obligatory duty of all healthy Muslims. Many patients with diabetes do want to fast. Certain things are important for diabetic people who wish to fast things prior to Ramadhan is to get yourself checked with your Diabetologist / physician in order to assess your fitness and sugar levels. dosage have to be changed during Ramadhan because of long duration fasting. suhoor to have comfortable long day. Do not eat your suhoor meal post taraweeh and sleep. Right way of fast is to eat early (predawn) before fajr prayers. limiting to 3 or less. made of (Maida) white flour which causes sugar spikes and weight gain. Choose healthier cooking methods avoid deep frying. (a bowl of porridge or sandwich with lean meats or sprouts) can complete the meal. during post Taraweeh hours where many people tend to feel more hungry. Avoid excessive eating after taraweeh prayers. mint water to avoid headaches. Avoid fruit juices with added sugars and carbonated drinks as it impacts sugars badly. by your doctor and monitor your glucose levels. unhealthy but can cause gastritis and stomach upsets. do Ibadah and remember Allah Its not to get over indulgent in food. symptoms like trembling, headache, palpitations, blurred vision, unconsciousness.if you experience such symptoms check sugars immediately if its less than 70 mg/dl (OR ) 4 mmol/l treat with fast acting sugars. happy and blessed Ramadhan ahead, respecting your willingness and strong motivation to fast. (Contributed by Sumaira Fatima, a dietician and diabetic educator from Apollo Sugar IMC.)

27 @sights&sounds Africa hurtles into obesity crisis international ramadhan 27 With more money in their pockets, Africans are eating more fast food and adopting more sedentary lifestyles, leading to a surge in obesity and associated diseases like diabetes and cancer, experts said on Tuesday. Rates of obesity and overweight are rising in nearly every country in the world, the Global Nutrition Report said, describing malnutrition as the new normal. One in three people worldwide are experiencing malnutrition, it said, with 44 per cent of countries facing serious levels of both undernutrition and obesity. Obesity is a form of malnutrition as the body does not receive sufficient nutrients and people have too much salt, sugar or cholesterol in their blood. Many countries now across the continent are facing a double burden of malnutrition, Shane Norris, a nutrition expert at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview. There s still persistent undernutrition in early life and overweight and obesity in later life. While undernutrition is falling globally, few countries are succeeding in tackling obesity and the four main non-communicable diseases (NCD) linked to it: diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases. NCDs are projected to become the leading cause of death in sub-saharan Africa by 2030, according to the World Bank. CULTURAL CUES South Africa is the most obese country in sub-saharan Africa, Norris said, with over 40 per cent of adults overweight or obese. Other rapidly urbanising African countries are following suit, with middle classes often queuing at fashionable fast food restaurants like Kentucky Fried Chicken. The malls are the in thing, said Zachary Muriuki, a nutritionist specialising in diabetes with Kenya s health ministry. We are seeing a trend of obesity cases rising, he said, blaming unhealthy diets and increased use of cars. In Kenya, 84 per cent of people always or often add sugar to their food and drinks, while 94 per cent of people eat less than the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, government data shows. Culture also plays a role, particularly for women who are seen as successful, happily married and healthy when they are overweight, experts said. Being overweight is seen as a positive thing, said Norris, adding that South Africans believe it means someone does not have HIV/Aids, which often leads to weight loss. The report called for donors to spend more on non-communicable diseases, which accounted for less than two per cent of their health spending in Testing and treatment for malaria and HIV/Aids is often free, which is not the case for NCDs, Muriuki said. Non-communicable diseases account for half of hospital admissions in Kenya, the government says. Long-term management of these diseases is very expensive, Muriuki said. We are struggling as a country, trying to manage cancer. We have cases and cases in our hospitals lining up to go through chemotherapy. Thomson Reuters Foundation Sanctuary offers hope for endangered Philippine eagle Surprisingly loud chirps accompany a clumsy flurry of tiny wings as a wispy-haired chick breaks through its shell, its birth offering rare cause for celebration in the struggle to save the Philippine eagle from extinction. Tropical rainforest destruction and relentless hunting have decimated the population of the majestic bird one of the world s biggest and most powerful with just hundreds believed to be left in the wild. A small band of conservationists at a tiny sanctuary on the fringes of Davao, the southern Philippines biggest city, is trying to ensure their survival by running the world s only breeding programme for the eagles and by rehabilitating the wounded. The centre serves basically as insurance, or a Noah s Ark so to speak, for the species, Philippine Eagle Foundation Executive Director Dennis Salvador said on a recent visit. But it certainly doesn t substitute for a population in the wild. The foundation estimates there are about 800 of the Philippines national bird remaining in the wild, though it is impossible to count accurately due to their remote habitats. International conservation groups say there could be as few as 250 left. In more than three decades of trial and error experiments by the foundation that have yet to fully understand the eagles breeding habits, just 27 have been born in captivity. The eagles are notoriously hard to pair, with the larger female known to attack and even kill an unwanted suitor in the wild. Once they do find a suitable partner, it is generally for life, although even in the forests the couples will generally only reproduce every two years. It s difficult because we don t really know what happens in the wild, and we can t replicate that here in captivity, said Anna Mae Sumaya, the foundation s curator. EXCITING, FANTASTIC However, after failing to breed any eagles for nearly three years, recent successes have raised hopes. Go Phoenix, which was brought into the centre after being ensnared in a hunter s trap, and MVP, a shooting victim, were successfully paired in 2013 and have produced two chicks in quick succession, the latest in February. The exceptionally rare moments in nature were filmed from behind glass enclosures, the footage showing chick number 27 breaking out of its shell with a burst of energy and chirping before resting its head on pebbles in a small metal dish. It was exciting, a fantastic feeling, we were very lucky, Sumaya said, adding she hoped Go Phoenix and MVP could produce again next season while two other pairs were also a chance to breed. However a growing problem is space: 35 eagles live in cages of various sizes in the centre, which covers just eight hectares (20 acres) of forest. The centre s ultimate goal is to release the eagles back into the wild, but this has proved even more of a challenge than breeding them. One of the biggest problems has been the eagles becoming too accustomed to human contact at the centre. When released, they have been shot after getting too close to communities that are in or near the diminishing forests. Formerly known as the monkey-eating eagle, the birds are protected by law. Killing one is punishable by a maximum 12-year prison term and a one million peso ($21,000) fine, but shooters are rarely caught. Out of 15 eagles from the centre that have been released, only one is known to still be alive in the wild, according to Sumaya. She said four had been brought back to the centre after sustaining injuries while the others were confirmed or presumed dead. While breeding the eagles is important, Foundation Executive Director Salvador said the key to the eagles survival was educating Filipinos about their plight and raising awareness about the need to stop logging, mining and other forest-destroying activities. Four-year-old Fighter spends his days chained to a perch, his grey eyes constantly darting as if he thinks he is searching for prey in the wild, while his striking brown and white crest occasionally flares in a sign of stress or territorial aggression. Fighter is missing nearly half of his left wing from a gun shot injury so would not survive in the wild, but he is helping to teach visitors about the eagles plight. Just don t destroy the habitats of eagles, don t destroy their forests, said nine-year-old Daneen Sinsuat, when asked what she had learnt from her visit to the centre with her classmates. AFP Inferno world premiere set for Dante s birthplace of Florence The Italian city of Florence, birthplace of Italian poet Dante Alighieri, will stage the world premiere of Inferno, the third film to be adapted from the Dan Brown novels about symbologist Robert Langdon. I m happy to say it is in beautiful Florence in Italy, Ron Howard, director of all the three previous films, said in Singapore on Tuesday, adding that the location was appropriate given that the city was the centrepiece of the movie. The premiere will be on October 8. Inferno sets Harvard symbologist Langdon, played by Tom Hanks, on a manhunt as he races to stop a plot to control the world s population by the unleashing of a deadly artificial plague. The film is the latest in line from the blockbuster book and film franchise that began with Brown s 2003 religious-themed mystery novel The Da Vinci Code, and sees Hanks reprising the role of the character he once described as the smartest guy in the room. The movie s name and many of the symbols examined by Langdon draw largely from the life and works of Alighieri, whose greatest literary achievement was the 14th-century Divine Comedy trilogy, the first of which is entitled Inferno, and describes nine circles of suffering in hell. The film also stars British actress Felicity Jones and Indian actor Irrfan Khan, while Ben Foster plays the scientist who intends on releasing the virus to solve the world s population increase. Reuters extinction due to climate change A rodent that lived on a small island near the Great Barrier Reef is the first documented mammal species to go extinct due to human-induced climate change, an Australian scientist said on Wednesday. Rising sea levels destroyed the vegetation the rodent used for food and shelter. The species, known as Bramble Cay melomys, was only known to be found in Bramble Cay in the Torres Strait region in north-eastern Australia. The main reason for the extinction of the rodent is due to high tides and intense storm surges that inundate the island, said Luke Leung, a scientist and co-author of the report on the extinction. We have evidence of seawater inundation in the cay that destroyed the vegetation of the island, Leung said. The research was conducted in 2014, but the report was released this month because the scientists needed to verify that the extinction was due to climate change caused by humans. The long-tailed and whiskered creatures, which had been listed as endangered, were last sighted in 2009, he said. We have done several trips since 2009 and we set up camera traps. We found none. There were no tracks and no scats. We confirm the absence of any melomys in the island. So we have declared it extinct. The first sighting of the rodent was recorded in the mid-1800s by European explorers who described them as large rats. Researchers found hundreds of them on the island in the 1970s, Leung said. dpa

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29 Bolt to run in London in Rio tune-up Usain Bolt will fine-tune his preparations for the Rio Olympics by competing at the Anniversary Games in London on July 22. Organisers of the event, staged at the stadium where Bolt won double sprint gold and the 4x100m relay in 2012, said the Jamaican world record holder would race in the 200m. golf sport 29 HEALTH SCARE: Masters champion Danny Willett, said he was excited about the Olympics but would opt not to go if there was a threat Golfers at US Open play waiting game over Zika OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: Concerns over the Zika virus at the 2016 Rio Games have been a hot topic of conversation among the golfers at this week s US Open, with many of them opting to play a waiting game until August. Earlier this month, world number one Jason Day expressed doubts for the first time over whether he would compete at the Summer Olympics in Brazil while third-ranked Rory McIlroy on Tuesday said his focus, for the moment, was on golf s majors. It s still a good bit away, Northern Irishman McIlroy told reporters at Oakmont Country Club about the August 5-21 Rio Olympics. We ve got three (golf) majors to play. Everyone s really concentrating on them coming up. That s our big focus. Looking beyond that, Rio is part of our schedule now and something we should get excited about. Golf in the Olympics, it s great for the game. It should hopefully grow the game in different parts of the world that haven t been exposed to golf. The chatter has been somewhat quiet so far, mostly everyone s just been talking about Zika. But once we get these majors out of the way... our attention will turn to that, and I think everyone will start to get a bit more excited about it. After this week s US Open, the British Open will be played at Royal Troon in Scotland from July before the season s final major, the PGA Championship, is staged at Baltusrol in New Jersey from July Masters champion Danny Willett, speaking before he set off for a practice round at Oakmont Country Club on Tuesday, said he was excited about the Olympic Games but would opt not to go if his family s health was at risk. It s still up in the air, said Willett, whose wife Nicole gave birth to their first child, Zachariah, on March 30. Little man s just under 12 weeks old, and if me and Nic were ever thinking about having more kids, we wouldn t leave it too long. There s obviously a little bit of a worry right now with everything that s going on (with Zika). You ve seen from a few guys that have pulled out. We re down to play at the moment, said Englishman Willett. In August, when the Olympics is, it s obviously wintertime down in Brazil so Branden Grace hits his tee shot on the first hole during the practice rounds on Tuesday of the 2016 US Open at Oakmont CC. USA Today Sports the threat becomes a little bit less in itself. But I d never put my family or myself in any threats to go play a golf tournament, regardless of what it is. US health officials have concluded that infections by the mosquito-borne Zika virus in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. TEMPORARY PARALYSIS The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Australian Day had previously been vocal in his support for golf s return to the Olympics after an absence of more than a century but he and his wife, Ellie, want to make an educated decision as they consider having a third child. There s a lot of guys who are on the fence about it because they don t want to put themselves in harm s way, said Day. We re just really trying to monitor what s going on and make an educated decision because obviously we re not done having kids. Fellow Australian Adam Scott previously announced he would also skip the Rio Games, though not because of Zika concerns but more due to his belief that golf does not belong in the Olympics. Fiji s Vijay Singh, and fellow major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, will also be among the absentees for the August men s golf competition. Reuters World number one Day thrives on stress OAKMONT, United States: Jason Day has a simple solution to the mountain of stress that comes from carrying the world number one ranking into this week s US Open at formidable Oakmont: Embrace it. I ve never been more stressed in my life than right now, the Aussie said on Tuesday, with the second major championship of 2016 set to tee off on Thursday. There s the constant pressure of trying to hold off Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy and remain atop the rankings. Then there s the US Open itself, designed by the US Golf Association as a searching test of every aspect of a golfer s game. Day has two runner-up finishes in five prior US Opens, and was in contention last year at Chambers Bay despite a debilitating bout of vertigo en route to a share of ninth place. This is one tournament that is very stressful, and I feel like I thrive under stress, Day said. Hopefully I can do that this year. Day, who broke through for his first major title at last year s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, has won seven times in his last 18 starts. That includes US PGA Tour victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and the Players Championship, and a triumph in the World Golf Championships Match Play. Despite the undoubted difficulty of the par 70, 7,219 layout on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Day said he wouldn t get sucked into the inevitable complaining. That just doesn t help, he said. If you re going to have a bad attitude, you may as well not even tee it up (US Open) week because you probably won t play good anyways. Day said keeping it in the fairway will be key at Oakmont, where the rough will be typically punitive and the lighting fast greens offer a challenge that some reckon to be tougher than those of Augusta National. For the most part, it s a bomber s game, our generation, Day noted. It s not like that this week. I played last Friday, and there was this shot that I hit 10 feet out of the rough. You just cannot hit it in the rough in certain places. Bunkers could prove just as deadly, he said. You can get lucky if it just trickles in the front edge of the bunker and you can get out, but if you hit it with any sort of speed going into a bunker, it s going up the lip, and there s just no chance of getting to the hole. PRETTY COOL STUFF While Day says he feels driven to add to his career tally of 10 tournament wins, he s also learning to enjoy the fruits of his success. A sentimental television ad featuring his toddler son, Dash, brought him to tears the first time he saw it, and he s glad to have the record of Dash s enthusiastic role in some of his on-course victory celebrations. AFP Willett stays grounded after Masters triumph OAKMONT, United States: Danny Willett believes that the chances of any golfer winning all four majors in the same year are meagre to say the least, but he is not ruling it out entirely. The 28-year-old Englishman is the only player, in the buildup to this week s US Open at Oakmont outside Pittsburgh, who can manage that feat in 2016 following his upset win in the Masters in Augusta. That victory came on the back of a spectacular collapse by defending champion Jordan Spieth, who squandered a five-hole lead down Augusta s famed back nine on Sunday. Spieth it was last year who came the closest to achieving the calendar-year Grand Slam in recent years when he won the Masters and US Open before missing a play--off at the British Open at St Andrews by just one shot. That convinced many that the feat is within the realms of possibility, even if no one player is dominating the game like Tiger Woods did for so long. Willett says he has given it some thought. What Jordan did last year was awesome. We ve not seen that for a while, obviously since Tiger s days, Willett said. I know no one s done it. Obviously, they ve done the slam, holding four at the same time, obviously. But to do it in the same year, I am relatively surprised that no one has done it, but saying that, from now on, for the rest of the time that I m going to be playing golf, I honestly can t see it happening too much, just Danny Willett addresses the media in a press conference during the practice rounds on Tuesday of the 2016 US Open at Oakmont CC. USA Today Sports purely because of the strength and depth of the field. You d have had more of a chance back in the day, I guess. But even then, you had (Arnold) Palmer, (Gary) Player, (Jack) Nicklaus, (Tom) Watson. It s not like none of them wanted to do it at any time. Then you had Tiger, (Phil) Mickelson, and Sergio (Garcia). Obviously, now you have Spieth, (Jason) Day, Rory (McIlroy) that have all obviously got majors to their name. It just shows you how difficult it actually is to do. Willett s breakthrough win at Augusta came after 18 months of rapid progress up the rankings for the former amateur star, who had struggled to make the step up to the pro level after a run of injuries. NEW-FOUND FAME And he admitted that it took him and his young family some time to come to terms with the new-found fame that followed him around. AFP US team happy to have Woods along for Ryder Jason Day hits his tee shot on the fifth hole during the practice rounds on Tuesday of the 2016 US Open at Oakmont CC. USA Today Sports LONDON: Tiger Woods will be a welcome presence as a vice-captain on the US Ryder Cup team for this year s edition of the biennial event, eminent sports psychologist Dr Bob Rotella said. The 14-time major winner who will miss this week s US Open as he continues his recovery from back surgery he underwent last September will be listened to with equal respect by the seasoned veterans as well as the newcomers to the team, according to Rotella. Rotella, who is primarily known for his work with top golfers and is helping US captain Davis Love III with the psychological demands of being skipper, said Woods would be a huge help in spurring on the US team given his enthusiastic support for Australian golfer Jason Day. The US team is happy at the very least that he is an assistant to the captain, said Rotella, speaking in his role for Standard Life Investments, Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup, and for whom he has made a film on what it takes to be a world class performer. He will be listened to attentively in equal measure by the veterans as well as the young players (for the Cup which takes place at the Hazeltine National in Minnesota from September 30 to October 2). No finer example of his generosity in helping other golfers is than over the past six months he has been texting Jason Day encouraging and supporting him. Jason has had a lot of talent for a while but now he looks as if he could win every tournament he competes in, added Rotella, who was speaking by phone from Oakmont where the US Open is being held. Rotella, who has helped among others both Love and European skipper Darren Clarke in the past, said his belief was Woods would not return to the Tour until he had sorted out two problems. His return, which no one knows for sure when that will be, will be based on two factors, said Rotella. Firstly that the physical scars of his surgery will have disappeared and his short game is back in shape. AFP

30 football 30 THURSDAY l JUNE 16 l 2016 Ibrahimovic included in Sweden Olympic squad Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been included in Sweden s provisional soccer squad to take part at the Rio Olympics later this summer. Ibrahimovic was named in the 35-man squad by coach Hakan Eriksson at a media conference on Wednesday. Brazil sack coach Dunga after Copa exit COPA AMERICA: Losing to Peru 1-0 by a disputed goal ensured the exit of Brazil, who needed a draw to qualify RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil sacked national coach Dunga on Tuesday after their humiliating group-stage elimination from the Copa America Centenario. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said in a statement it decided to fire Dunga and dissolve the Brazilian national team s coaching staff following their latest debacle. The news came after CBF officials met with Carlos Caetano Bledorn, alias Dunga, earlier on Tuesday. The exit from the Copa America centennial edition in the United States was the latest blow to demoralised, recession-hit Brazil. The country was still recovering from the national team s 7-1 World Cup semifinal thrashing by Germany on home soil in After an opening 0-0 draw with Ecuador was followed by a 7-1 win over Haiti, Brazil needed a draw with Peru on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the Copa. Instead they crashed out of the tournament after losing 1-0 to a disputed goal. Peru s Raul Ruidiaz appeared to bundle in a cross with his arm to score late in the second half. It was the first time in three decades that Brazil had exited the tournament at the group stage. NATIONAL HUMILIATION Brazilian media speculated that Dunga would be replaced by Tite, coach of Sao Paulo side Corinthians. The 55-year-old led Corinthians to a double of the regional Copa Libertadores and Club World Cup in The following year his side won the Copa Sudamericana. The CBF had yet to announce Dunga s successor on Tuesday afternoon, however. Speculation had swirled that Dunga was on his way out, although he had said he was not afraid of the sack. I am only afraid of death, Dunga told reporters in the wake of Sunday s defeat. He had called for patience, insisting the five-time World Cup champions Brazil s coach Dunga (right) is pictured after being defeated by Peru in their Copa America Centenario match in Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States. AFP were at an early stage of a transitional period. But as of Tuesday, Brazil were searching for a new coach just weeks away from hosting the Olympics in August. At the Rio de Janeiro summer Games they will be seeking to win football gold for the first time. Dunga, 52, won the Copa America twice as a player and was captain of Brazil s 1994 World Cup-winning squad. After months of sharp recession and political turmoil, Brazilians were looking to at least lay to rest the trauma of the 2014 World Cup. Dunga had an earlier stint managing Brazil from 2006 to 2010 and took over again from Luiz Felipe Scolari after the 2014 defeat. He led the national team to victory in the Copa America in 2007, the Confederations Cup in 2009 and a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. But the side failed to regain their shine during his second term in charge. They have had a disappointing qualifying campaign so far for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They are currently in sixth place in their regional group, which would be too low to qualify. Brazilian media branded Sunday s defeat a national disgrace. Newspaper O Dia described it as another humiliation. AFP Leicester begin title defence at promoted Hull City LEICESTER: Champions Leicester City will begin their Premier League title defence with a trip to newly-promoted Hull City and Jose Mourinho s Manchester United reign kicks off at Bournemouth. The release of the fixtures on Wednesday threw up some meaty first-day tussles with last season s runners-up Arsenal hosting Juergen Klopp s Liverpool. The season kicks off earlier than usual on August 13. Claudio Ranieri s Leicester, who stunned the football world by claiming the Premier League title last season at pre-season odds of , have a testing opening six weeks with Arsenal visiting them before away trips to Liverpool and Manchester United. Leicester are listed as 25-1 seventh favourites to retain the title. Pep Guardiola will make his league debut as Manchester City manager when his team, already marked out as favourites for the title, host Sunderland. Mourinho, who replaced Louis van Gaal as United manager last month, will be aiming to maintain his record of never having lost any of his seven opening-day fixtures in England. He will not have to wait long to renew his old rivalry with Guardiola either, with the first Manchester derby being held at Old Trafford on September 10. The drastic managerial shake-up in the Premier League means Chelsea also venture into a new era with Antonio Conte, currently in charge of Italy at Euro 2016, at the helm. His first assignment in English football will be a feisty London derby against West Ham United at Stamford Bridge. West Ham s first match at their new Olympic Stadium home is against Bournemouth on August 20. Mourinho will return to his old stomping ground when Chelsea host Manchester United on October 22, a week after the Portuguese s former club host Leicester City. Reuters Anglo-Welsh rivalry to reach new peak LENS: A rivalry dating back 137 years will reach a new level of intensity in Lens on Thursday when England and Wales meet at a major tournament for the first time. The fixture began in January 1879 and for exactly 100 years from 1884 was part of the now disbanded British Championship. As the Welsh won their opening Group B game 2-1 against Slovakia before England conceded a last-minute goal in a 1-1 draw with Russia, they go into this encounter looking down on their neighbours, which has not often been the case. Wales have won only 14 of more than 100 previous meetings the last in 1984 and lost all four European Championship qualifying matches, in and Annual matches in rugby union, which the Welsh regard as their true national sport, fuel even greater passions based on complex socio-economic and cultural factors going back centuries to when the English invaded Wales and imposed their laws and language. But those feelings will never have received greater outlet on a football pitch than in Thursday s game. Asked about the Welsh dislike of their neighbours, England midfielder Jack Wilshere was quoted in British media as saying, We know that Wales don t like us. Do we like them? Not really! If that seemed harsh on his friend and fellow Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, he was right in summing up what is likely to be the nature of the match. We know it is going to be a tough game and there are going to be tackles. We know a lot of the players most of them play in the Premier League. It is going to be like a derby, he said. That will apply off the pitch too for a match being played in the second smallest of the tournament venues. Reuters England s midfielder Raheem Sterling (second left) takes part in a training session in Chantilly, France on Wednesday during the Euro AFP Oman s young sailors prepare for big test MUSCAT: Trained and nurtured under the Omantel Youth Programme at Oman Sail, seven of Oman s most promising young sailors will take a step towards fulfilling their Olympic dreams when they compete at the Kiel Week international regatta in Germany next week. The 16-year-old Zakariya Al Wahabi, who two years ago became Oman s first ever Optimist national champion, and Marwan Al Jabri (aged 16), his long-standing Optimist rival, have joined together to campaign a 29er, which represents the next class up on the traditional Olympic racing pathway. Another pair joining in this class is Khamis Al Wahaibi (aged 17), who achieved Oman s best result at last year s Laser 4.7m World Championships and crew member Ahmed Al Wahaibi (aged 17) who has also shown great promise. Kiel Week, part of ISAF s World Cup and one of the last Olympic class event before the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, will be the first official competition for Al Wahabi and Al Jabri following a recent training camp in Oman three weeks ago where they sailed the 29er for the first time. Earlier this year Al Wahabi showed his versatility when he swept to a resounding win in the Laser 4.7m class at Mussanah Race Week, with four straight wins from 12 races. Marwan Al Jabri was also in action and came fifth. The four team members will be competing against the most promising young 29er sailors around the world with the 2016 entry list showing 83 sailors entered from 12 nations. This will be a great opportunity for our sailors to get used to racing in a large fleet and all that entails, explained Mohsin Al Busaidy, Oman Sail s Youth Team Manager. So far they have experienced Mussanah Race Week but Kiel is a different league and it will be good for them to improve their skills at this level before the 29er Worlds in Medemblik in Holland at the end of next month. In the highly competitive 96-strong Laser 4.7m class, Salim Al Alawi (aged 15) will be representing Oman s best hopes. Also in action from Oman are Abdulaziz Al Araimi (aged 16) and Mansoor Al Mahrouqi (aged 17) who started sailing Optimists in 2012 and have already had a taste of international competition after competing in the Laser Radial class at the ISAF Youth World Championships in All three youngsters will be vying for selection as part of the Omani squad for the Laser 4.7m Youth World Championships, which will also be held in Kiel in July and August. Hamdan Moosa Hamdan Al Harasi Caretaker VP, Corporate Strategy Unit at Omantel said: Kiel Week will be a valuable opportunity for our sailors to fast track their learning and development and see how they compare to others. We wish them all the best and we look forward to welcoming them back to Oman enriched by this new experience. Omantel, as the leading telecom operator in Oman and one of the biggest investors in the community, continues to support youth programmes in various sectors and we are proud to be part of the Omani society. Kiel Week, which runs from June 8 to June 26, is Northern Europe s largest sailing regatta, attracting more than 3,500 sailors every year. In 2014, Oman Sail s MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail set a new Kiel Week Welcome Race Record and returned last year to flag up Oman s Ministry of Tourism s new pavilion which was making its European debut. The list of the competitors in Kiel Week (Name age class): 1. Zakariya Al Wahaibi 16 yrs 29er 2. Marwan Al Jabri 16 y 29er 3. Khamis Al Wahaibi 17 y 29er 4. Ahmed Al Wahaibi 17 y 29er 5. Salim Al Alawi 15 y Laser AbdulAziz Al Oraimi 16 y Laser Mansoor Al Mahrouqi 17 y Laser 4.7

31 Murray advances at Queens WARM-UP: The Briton is aiming for a fifth title at the Wimbledon warm-up event Great Britain s Andy Murray in action during the first round. Reuters LONDON: Andy Murray made a successful start to his reunion with coach Ivan Lendl as the defending champion battled to a 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/1) victory over Nicolas Mahut at Queen s Club on Tuesday. Murray is bidding for a record fifth title at the Wimbledon warm-up event and the world number two ignored the slippery conditions on a rainy day in west London to advance to the second round in one hour and 50 minutes. He will play Britain s Aljaz Bedene or France s Benoit Paire for a place in the quarterfinals. Earlier, Stan Wawrinka suffered more misery on grass despite the addition of new coach Richard Krajicek as the Swiss second seed crashed to a 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) first round defeat against Fernando Verdasco. Murray enjoyed a golden two-year period with Lendl that brought him the Wimbledon and US Open titles and an Olympic gold medal before they parted in 2014 due to the Czech s refusal to increase the amount of time they worked together. The 29-year-old had hankered after a reunion ever since and, although there is plenty of room for improvement, he was pleased with the way he subdued the dangerous Mahut in the first match of the second Lendl era. It was tough. Nico is a very accomplished grass-court player, Murray said. Ivan doesn t give any signs during the match. He has a pretty straight face. But it is great to have him back and, working with Jamie Delgado, I think it is a pretty strong team. Hopefully they can help me win more big events. Mahut had won just one of his previous five meetings with Murray, but the French world number 51 had won the grass-court event in s-hertogenbosch on Monday and finished as Queen s runner-up in In contrast, Murray was playing for the first time since losing his maiden French Open final against Novak Djokovic nine days ago. Murray felt so frustrated and run down when he left Paris that he didn t touch a racket for the next five days. So inevitably there were a few signs of rust as Murray acclimatised to the grass and Mahut landed the first blow when he broke for a 3-2 lead. IMPASSIVE But Murray broke back in the next game and Lendl, hidden behind sunglasses and a baseball cap, was typically impassive as he watched the Scot edge through. Despite being ranked fifth in the world and having won two Grand Slam titles, Wawrinka has never triumphed at a grass-court tournament and he added 1996 Wimbledon champion Krajicek to his coaching team last week in a bid to find some answers. But, with Manchester United legend David Beckham and his son Romeo watching, the early returns on the partnership weren t promising as world number 53 Verdasco set up a second round meeting with Australia s Bernard Tomic, who beat South Africa s Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-4. Grass is always a challenging surface for my game. I need quite a lot of practice to play my best. I tried today with what I had, but I need more time to get to my level, Wawrinka said. When the grass is quite fast, you need to be the aggressive player. Fernando was better than me today. Elsewhere, 2012 Queen s champion Marin Cilic defeated Spain s Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and next plays Serbia s Janko Tipsarevic, who defeated 2014 Queen s winner Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 6-3. Spanish sixth seed Roberto Bautista Agut ground out a 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/1) victory over 2010 Queen s winner Sam Querrey and next faces Donald Young. Milos Raonic s first match since hiring American great John McEnroe as his coach was suspended at 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 due to bad light after the Canadian third seed drew level with Australia s Nick Kyrgios. AFP tenniscricket sport 31 Kvitova rekindles love affair with grass BIRMINGHAM: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova renewed her love affair with grass on Tuesday with a near-perfect start on Tuesday to the Birmingham WTA tournament, a Wimbledon warm-up event. Her fine serving and deceptive flat hitting earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lucie Safarova, who is a childhood friend, fellow Czech, fellow left-hander and even a hitting partner at their home club in Moravia. Mentally the match was not much of a contest even though Safarova ended 2015 in the world s top ten for the first time but it did become a stage for Kvitova to show that she might still be a leading contender on this surface. I always feel great on grass, Kvitova said after a purring, high-speed performance. I love grass. My style of game just works on it. I like being here and at Wimbledon. I have great memories, and I just wish the grass court season could be longer. This was almost perfect for me today. I think I served well and timed the ball well. Normally I have problems with my movement at the beginning on grass, but today I felt I was good with that as well. Kvitova s speedy success also enabled Czech Republic s Petra Kvitova in action during her first round match. Reuters her to finish before the arrival of the rain, which soon afterwards interrupted two other matches for lengthy periods. Kvitova was quick to emphasise that she needs many more matches on this surface, both here this week and at Eastbourne next week, before being confident of challenging for a third Wimbledon title. However, health issues, personal problems, and an absence of titles for ten months, means that doubts will linger. Kvitova s smooth start was emphasised by the stop-start beginning for the titleholder, Angelique Kerber, who trailed Peng Shuai, the former top 20 Chinese player, by 3-4 before an angry-looking cloud sent them running to the club-house. The second seeded German has not found life easy after her stunning Grand Slam triumph in Australia at the start of the year, with five first round losses, and the three and a half hour interruption was one of the last things she needed. On resumption, Kerber had difficult moments in a pivotal tie-break but was sufficiently consistent to complete a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 success without ever being at her best against a tricky opponent. First matches on grass are not easy, Kerber said. Returning after the rain I was careful with my movement because it was slippery in the corners. AFP Clinical India whitewash hapless Zimbabwe HARARE: India rode on a clinical allround effort from the youngsters to trounce Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) and complete a 3-0 clean sweep of the African minnows here on Wednesday. Chasing a paltry 124 at the Harare Sports Club, the men-in-blue rode on the new opening combination of Lokesh Rahul and debutant Faiz Fazal to romp home with 169 balls to spare and register their third successive whitewash after 2013 and Rahul remained unbeaten on 63 off 70 deliveries while Fazal s maiden knock of 55 came off 61 balls as the right-left duo put on an unbeaten 126 runs. It was a one way traffic during the chase as Rahul hammered four boundaries and two sixes while the 30-year-old Fazal struck seven fours and a six in his knock. Rahul hit a century on debut in the opening game before scoring 33 in the second ODI. His efforts were recognised as he bagged the man-ofthe-series award. For the hosts, none of the bowlers looked threatening as the Indian duo kept on milking the runs to first raise the 50 in 76 balls before marching towards their maiden 100-run stand in 113 deliveries. SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe H Masakadza c Rahul b Kulkarni C Chibhabha c Bumrah b Chahal V Sibanda c & b Chahal T Maruma b Bumrah M Waller (run out) E Chigumbura c Dhoni b Bumrah R Mutumbami c Rahul b Bumrah G Cremer lbw Patel N Madziva (not out) T Mupariwa c Pandey b Bumrah D Tiripano (run out) Extras (LB-3, W-4, NB-1) 8 Total (all out, 42.2 overs) 123 Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-55, 3-89, 4-104, 5-104, 6-104, 7-104, 8-108, Bowling: Sran , Kulkarni , Bumrah , Patel , Chahal India KL Rahul (not out) F Fazal (not out) Extras (LB-1, NB-1, W-6) 8 Total (21.5 overs) 126 Bowling: Tiripano , Madziva , Mupariwa , Cremer , Chibhabha India s players pose with the ODI series trophy after winning the third and final ODI against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, on Wednesday. AFP Security up as France fears more violence LILLE, France: French police moved onto the streets of Lille to keep order on Wednesday as tens of thousands of Russian, English, Welsh and Slovak fans arrived for the latest round of high-risk Euro 2016 football matches. Authorities fear that Russia s game against Slovakia on Wednesday followed by a key England-Wales clash in the nearby city of Lens on Thursday could trigger a new bout of street fighting. A police spokesman said seven arrests were made during the night, mainly to stop fights erupting between rival groups of fans. They included two Russians held over tensions in a cafe where chairs and bottles were hurled and two Ukrainians accused of carrying prohibited weapons, the spokesman said. There were three cases of brawls between small groups starting between midnight and 1 am but these were quickly broken up. Pitched battles erupted on the streets of Marseille on Saturday between Russian and English fans, the worst violence at an international football tournament since the 1998 World Cup. Violence also flared in the stadium following their 1-1 draw, prompting UEFA to warn Russia it would be thrown out of the European Championship finals if there was more trouble. French authorities said 4,000 police and gendarmes would be on duty in Lille to prevent a repeat of the unrest which saw 35 people injured. Ten people, including six England fans, have been sentenced to prison terms over the Marseille battles. British authorities have also sent extra police to France to help in the operation. Supporters of the Albanian national team cheer on the Vieux Port (Old harbour) on Wednesday in Marseille, southern France, prior to the start of the Euro 2016 group A match. AFP French authorities have said they expect between 40,000 and 50,000 England and Wales fans and 15,000 Russians to gather in Lille with a smaller number of Slovak supporters. BARS SHUT Bars in Lille city centre shut at midnight on Tuesday and will do so again before the England game. Sales of alcohol in supermarkets have also been restricted. But the tension was evident as rival groups gathered in bars, with a handful of Russian fans briefly throwing chairs and bottles at England fans who were chanting taunts. If the English are brave enough to come, we ll crush them. We hate the English, one Russian supporter said. But another Russian fan, Stanislav, said: We are here for the game, not for the conflict. French authorities also rounded up a group of more than 40 Russian supporters in a hotel near Marseille on Tuesday. Alexander Shprygin, a farright figure who is head of a Russian football supporters club, said he was part of the group. Marseille prosecutors believe they have enough proof to charge some of them over the unrest in the Mediterranean port city. French prosecutors have said 150 Russian supporters who were extremely well-prepared and extremely violent evaded arrest in Marseille. Europe s governing body found Russia responsible for the Marseille stadium disorder at the weekend and ordered the suspended disqualification of the team. It also fined the Russian Football Union 150,000 euros ($170,000). AFP

32 THURSDAY JUNE 16, 2016 RAMADHAN 10, 1437 AH sport GOLFERS AT US OPEN PLAY WAITING GAME OVER ZIKA P29 BRAZIL SACK COACH DUNGA AFTER COPA EXIT P30 SECURITY UP AS FRANCE FEARS MORE VIOLENCE P31 Gritty Iceland hold Ronaldo s Portugal CR7 DENIED: Although Ronaldo was playing a record-equalling 127th game for Portugal, Iceland ensured it was not a memorable one for him SAINT-ÉTIENNE, France: Minnows Iceland earned a 1-1 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal on their European Championship debut as the superstar forward failed to score on a night he equalled his country s appearance record. A superb finish by Nani gave Portugal the lead before Iceland s industrious midfielder Birkir Bjarnason levelled for the Scandinavians in Saint-Etienne. Ronaldo equalled Luis Figo s record number of caps with both the Portugal legends now on 127 appearances. However, it was a quiet night for the Real Madrid forward, who failed to become the first man to score in four European Championships, as he was frustrated by Iceland s dogged defence and a great display from goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson. We were on top, we were the better team and we played the better football, but Iceland are a good team and played a lot of long balls, which caused us problems, said goal-scorer Nani. We had enough chances but we couldn t score another one. That s football. Iceland, the tiny Nordic island nation of 330,000 people, is the smallest country by population ever to feature at a Euro finals. Their small band of supporters ensured one corner of the Stade Geoffrey Guichard was a sea of blue shirts and exploded in celebration after Bjarnason s equaliser. We were playing a really good team and the best player in the world, the last 35 minutes were really long after we d equalised, said Iceland s heroic goalkeeper Halldorsson. We can t afford to have our heads in the clouds after this result, we have to get our feet back on the ground and Portugal s forward Cristiano Ronaldo shoots a free kick during the Euro 2016 group F against Iceland at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne on Tuesday. AFP think of Hungary. There was no place in the starting line-up for former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen, 37, who was on the bench having come out of international retirement to play in France. RONALDO KEPT IN CHECK Portugal had 24 shots on goal, while Iceland grabbed a goal from one of their four. Ronaldo had a few early chances, while a bullet-header from Nani crashed off the boots of Iceland shot-stopper Halldorsson. But the Fenerbahce forward was not to be denied on 31 minutes when Andre Gomes s cross from the right fell into Nani s path and he slotted coolly past Halldorsson at the near post to register the 600th goal ever scored at the European Championship. It was a bitter pill for Iceland who had shown plenty of energy with the flowing locks of FC Basel s Bjarnason a menace in midfield. It stayed 1-0 at the break, but Iceland pulled themselves Ronaldo slams Iceland for parking the bus SAINT-ÉTIENNE, France: Cristiano Ronaldo slammed minnows Iceland for proverbially parking the bus in front of their goal as the north Atlantic Islanders held Group F favourites Portugal to a 1-1 draw. Real Madrid ace Ronaldo had ten of Portugal s 24 shots on goal in Saint Etienne on Tuesday, but failed to become the first man to score in four European Championships. The 31-year-old equalled Luis Figo s record number of caps with both the Portugal legends now on 127 appearances. A superb finish by Nani gave Portugal the lead before Iceland s industrious midfielder Birkir Bjarnason volleyed the equaliser. But Ronaldo stormed off after the final whistle, clearly frustrated by his own failure in front of goal, while Iceland scored by converting one of only four chances. Iceland s dogged defence was capped by an outstanding display from Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson. Small mentality - It was difficult over the 90 minutes, because they scored one goal and that was after they had put every player behind the ball, fumed Ronaldo. They put the bus in the net. (Parked the bus in front of goal). We tried our best, we created many chances and kept the ball. Iceland didn t try nothing, they just defend, defend, defend, they had two chances and scored a goal, it was a lucky night for them. We re frustrated, they didn t try and play. It s why I think they will do nothing here. In my opinion, it s a small mentality. level within five minutes of the restart thanks to a superbly worked goal finished off by Bjarnason. Iceland s first goal at a major tournament came when Charlton Athletic s Johan Gudmundsson s towering cross found Bjarnason unmarked. The midfielder volleyed his shot past Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio to the delight of the Iceland bench. The silence of the Portugal fans behind their own goal was juxtaposed by the sheer delight of the Iceland fans as they celebrated a historic moment. Having surrendered their lead, Portugal laid siege to the Iceland goal as Halldorsson was kept busy. Ronaldo s moment looked to have come five moments from time when he was picked out perfectly by Vieirinha s cross only to head straight at Halldorsson. And the three-time World Player of the Year smashed a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Iceland wall with the last kick of the game as the referee s full-time whistle was met with delight by the Iceland players and fans alike. A draw means it is all to play for in Group F after Hungary shocked Austria 2-0 earlier in Bordeaux to register their first win at a major finals for 30 years. Portugal face the highly-touted Austrians next in Paris, whilst Iceland take on pool leaders Hungary in Marseille on Saturday. AFP It s difficult when Portugal tries to win the game and the other team doesn t. Portugal are now under pressure in their second game against Austria, who earlier lost their opening match 2-0 to Hungary in the other pool match in Bordeaux. But Ronaldo is confident of victory in Paris on Saturday. It s a little bit of frustration for us, but this is just the beginning, we re not worried about that, said the former Manchester United star. If you look at Spain and France, they are strong teams in the tournament and they had difficulties winning their first game. It was tough, but we are 100 percent confident we re going to win the next game. Ronaldo was not the only Portugal forward to feel the effects of a lack of finishing. AFP TOUGHCHALLENGE Germany know there s more to Poland than Lewa Germany s midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (third right) and Thomas Mueller (second right) warm up with other players during a training session in Evian-les-Bains, southeastern France, on Tuesday. AFP EVIAN, France: World champions Germany have warned that there is more to their biggest Euro 2016 group rivals Poland than Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski. The Germans, fresh from their impressive 2-0 win over Ukraine, take on their neighbours in Paris on Thursday, knowing the Poles also made a winning start in Group C with a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland. Poland are led by captain Lewandowski, who scored 13 goals as his country became the highest-scoring team in the qualifiers with 33. They finished second in their qualifying group, a point behind the Germans who they beat for the first time ever. Lewa earned his second Bundesliga top scorer title this season after netting 30 times in the league and securing the domestic league and Cup double with Bayern Munich. The Poles are very good opponents but if we pull our game through I am confident we will win, defender Jerome Boateng told reporters. But we have to be careful. They have good forwards -- and not just Lewandowski. The Poland captain did not score in their opening win, with 22-year-old forward Arkadiusz Milik, who also struck six times in the qualifying campaign, grabbing their winner against Northern Ireland. They have made a big leap in the past years, many players play abroad and more youngsters are coming up, said Germany s Polish-born forward Lukas Podolski. They are the most dangerous opponents in our group. I hope we will advance to the next round, with Poland in second place. They want more than just playing in the group stage. They have the quality to go beyond the round of 16. Germany coach Joachim Loew could have central defender Mats Hummels back fit, which would mean Shkodran Mustafi, who scored their opening goal against Ukraine, could return to the bench. Loew may decide to bring in forward Mario Gomez, in place of attacking midfielder Mario Goetze who looked uncomfortable in the striker s role against the Ukrainians. Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny picked up a thigh injury in the opening game but is expected to be fit to play. The Germans may have lost to Poland in the qualifiers but for Lewandowski they remain the team to beat. Germany are in my opinion the favourites for the whole tournament, Lewandowski said. We know how strong they are at the moment but anything can happen. We have to remain calm and self-confident, just like against Ireland. No fear, no stress and if we get a chance we can make it. But we should not forget to enjoy ourselves. Reuters Hungary stun 10-man Austria to end 30-year wait BORDEAUX: Adam Szalai and Zoltan Stieber scored second-half goals as Hungary stunned highly-fancied Austria 2-0 in their Group F opener in Bordeaux on Tuesday. Austria, tipped as tournament dark horses, dominated the opening period but Szalai fired Hungary ahead on 62 minutes with Stieber wrapping up a shock victory over their old rivals late on in the 138th meeting between the sides. Aleksandar Dragovic was sent off for Austria shortly after Szalai ended an 18-month goal drought as Hungary made a triumphant return to a major tournament having last featured at the 1986 World Cup. Unfortunately we weren t able to do what we wanted today, said Austria coach Marcel Koller. Maybe some players were nervous because it was the beginning. We can t Austria dominated the opening period but Szalai fired Hungary ahead on 62 minutes with Stieber wrapping up a shock victory over their old rivals late on in the 138th meeting between the sides just push a button and say Now I m going to play at my best level. The situation now is we ll have to try and win against Portugal. Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly kept a clean sheet as he became the first 40-year-old to feature at the European Championship, surpassing Germany s Hungary s Zoltan Stieber celebrates with Balazs Dzsudzsak and Zoltan Gera after scoring their second goal. Reuters Lothar Matthaus as the oldest player in tournament history. Austria captain Christian Fuchs and winger Martin Harnik were the only two survivors from the country s debut campaign eight years ago named in Koller s starting line-up. However, they were inches away from the perfect start when Bayern Munich star David Alaba went agonisingly close to justifying his billing as one of the potential stars of the tournament when his dipping left-footed strike from outside the area crashed against the post. The versatile Alaba, operating in his customary central midfield role with Austria, soon fired another warning to Hungary with a first-time strike at Kiraly after a threaded pass through from Marko Arnautovic. Szalai miscued a header from a Balazs Dzsudzsak free-kick in a rare opening for Hungary, while Kiraly showed his reflexes remain sharp despite his advancing years to claw behind a low strike from Zlatko Junuzovic. Arnautovic then slid a dangerous low ball across the face of goal as Austria continued to threaten, but Harnik lost his footing as he tried to slide home at the far post. Hungary captain Dzsudzsak wasted arguably the best chance of the opening 45 minutes, though, as he screwed his shot wide of goal after he was picked out by Laszlo Kleinheisler on the right-hand side of the penalty area. Dzsudzsak again took aim 10 minutes into the second period, his stinging 30- yard shot forcing Austria keeper Robert Almer to punch behind for a corner. And Hungary grabbed a surprise lead just beyond the hour when Kleinheisler slipped in Szalai, who was played onside by Fuchs, with the powerful striker poking the ball underneath Almer for his first goal at any level since December Austria appeared to have levelled when Martin Hinteregger rifled in from the edge of the area, but referee Clement Turpin disallowed the goal for a foul on Tamas Kadar with Dragovic dismissed for a second booking. AFP