times of oman

REJIMON K [email protected]

MUSCAT: Different parts of Oman will witness rain and thun-derstorm today (Monday), Oman meteorological department pre-dicted on Sunday evening.

“Muscat, Buraimi, Fahud, Rustaq, Ibra, Madha, Khasab, So-har, Saiq, Samail, Bahla, Qalhat, Masirah, Qairoon, Dibba, Ibri, Nizwa, Adam, Salalah, Suwaiq, Mudhaibi, Mahout, Halaniyat, Dhank, Sunaynah, Saiq, Ras Al Hadd, Manah, Duqm and Bidi-yah will witness thunderstorm and rain in the coming hours,” the Oman meteorological depart-ment said.

On Saturday, the meteorologi-cal department had predicted rain from Sunday evening until Tuesday.

However, till this report was filed, it had not rained as predict-ed but skies over Musandam were cloudy.

“We also heard reports that it will start to rain in the evening. But the skies are cloudy and so far; it has not rained,” Sarju, a res-ident of Khasab, said on Sunday evening.

“I have checked with my friends in several parts of Musandam. So far, it has not rained anywhere,” Sarju added.

In its latest weather forecast, the meteorological department said the sea condition would be moderate to rough along Musan-dam and Oman Sea coast with waves reaching a height of 2.0 to 3.0 metres, the forecast said in its 48-hour outlook.

“It may rain late in the even-ing. It is cloudy in Khasab and surrounding areas,” Bader Ali

Al Baddaei, an administrator of www.rthmc.net, a local Web-based forum that discusses weather trends in Oman, said.

Meanwhile, the Public Author-ity of Civil Aviation has urged people to take all precautions while crossing wadis.

It also asked fishermen and sea-goers to check weather forecast reports before venturing into the sea. Global weather departments have also predicted rain in Oman on Monday and Tuesday.

Last week also, some parts of Oman experienced light drizzle.

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Clear your fines or face problems leaving Oman

FAHAD AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: If you are an expatri-ate leaving Oman on business or vacation, or for good, make sure you have settled fines for traf-fic violations, otherwise you’ll be stopped in your tracks.

New regulations came into force on Sunday to prevent expats from leaving the country until all unpaid traffic fines have been set-tled, according to officials.

On Sunday, the Royal Oman

Police (ROP) began collecting unpaid traffic fines from unwary expats leaving the country at local airports and border posts.

“Expats have to pay fines before they leave the country,” an offi-cial at the ROP told the Times of Oman. If expatriates are unable to pay, they might not be allowed to board their flights, noted officials.

Counters openedHowever, to ease the way for ex-pats, counters have been opened at airports to pay overdue fines.

Further, expatriates’ resi-dent cards, shown at immigra-

tion counters while exiting the country, are now linked to po-lice computer systems to report unpaid fines.

“Traffic violations by tourists from neighbouring countries will be forwarded to the respec-tive country. On the other hand, if a tourist renting a vehicle com-

mits a violation, the fine will be registered on the rental agency. Most of the rental shops have the credit card number of the clients, so they can deduct the traffic fine from the account of the client,” said the official.

“The new measures were estab-lished after it was found that some expatriates leave the country for good without paying their traf-fic fines. All expats have to pay all their financial dues to the state,” the official said, adding, “It’s the country’s right to collect traffic fines. Many countries have al-ready introduced this rule.”

The official also said that traf-fic fines owed by expatriates leaving the country would not be cancelled.

“They will have to pay unpaid traffic fines if they come back to the country again,” noted the official.

Additionally, the official re-minded expats and citizens that they can pay traffic fines online through the ROP website or cell-phone application, without the need to visit ROP counters.

Further, expatriates will only be allowed to renew their resident cards after paying overdue traffic fines, said the official.

For serious traffic fines, such as repeated jumping of traffic signals, offenders will be jailed for 48 hours and asked to pay a fine of OMR50. Also, their cases will be forwarded to the Public Prosecution.

“Expatriates cannot leave the country if legal action has been initiated against them,” the offi-cial said.

In cases involving citizens, drivers will have to settle pending traffic fines when renewing pass-ports, IDs and vehicle registra-tions. >A6

Under new traffic

rules which came

into effect on Sunday,

expats will not be

allowed to leave

Oman even for

holiday or business

A6

The ‘Taming of the Shrew’ has spectators in splits

OMANBasic salary basis for overtime allowance

1 The basic salary forms the basis of calculation of overtime allowance.

However, if any employer is magnanimous and willing to part with much higher amount, no one will stop them. >A3

OMANDinosaurs ‘roaring’ at Naseem Park

2Characters from Steven Spielberg’s massive blockbuster Jurassic Park

are roaming the Naseem Park venue of the Muscat Festival. The animated dinosaurs make roaring sounds. >A4

MARKETStress on private sector role in rail link

3With remote chances of the Gulf-wide railway project becoming

profitable in a short period of time, experts have called for a stronger role of the private sector in the project. >B1

T O P T H R E E I N S I D E S T O R I E S

Times News Service

MUSCAT: A minor incident on the runway at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport resulted in the late departure of Oman Air flight WY131 from Paris to Muscat on January 15, 2015, Oman Air said in a statement.

“The incident took place on Thursday evening, as the Airbus A330-300 was taxing from the runway to its stand, after land-ing. Early reports indicated that

part of the aircraft’s landing gear got stuck in grass and mud. It was subsequently towed to the stand, where it was inspected for damage and cleared for flight. The aircraft then departed at 01.10am on January 16,” the statement said.

No passengers or crew mem-bers were hurt during the inci-dent, nor their lives were at risk at any point of time. The aircraft’s captain thanked the waiting pas-sengers for their patience. >A3

F L I G H T W Y 1 3 1

traffic fines were registered in 2013

traffic fines were registered in 2012

3,889,301

3,239,953

Dark clouds over Musandam skies; rain, thunder expected

M E T F O R E C A S T

RAIN FORECAST: Oman will witness rain on Monday, Oman mete-orological department forecast on Sunday evening.

H AV E YOU R SAY AT T W I T T E R.CO M /T I M ES O F O M A N O R S CA N T H E CO D E TO I N STA N T LY P O ST YOU R T H O U G H TS .

‘A minor incident’ at Paris airport: Oman Air

A2 M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

OMANOman gains ground in Press freedom index

REJIMON K [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman has fared well in World Press Freedom index, gaining eight positions in 2014, compared to 2013, a report pub-lished by Reporters Without Borders said.

Oman and Bahrain were the only two among the Gulf Coop-eration Council (GCC) coun-tries, rising in the Press freedom index rankings.

Even though Bahrain gained three positions, it was placed at 163rd position on a list of 180 countries surveyed for the report.

Oman was at the 134th position in the index.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was in 118th position in 2014, sliding down three points, when compared to 2013; Qatar was in 113th position, losing two points, Saudi Arabia in 164th posi-tion, losing one point, and Kuwait in 91st position, losing 13 points.

The 2014 World Press Freedom Index spotlighted the negative im-pact of conflicts on freedom of in-formation and its protagonists.

“The ranking of some countries has also been affected by a ten-dency to interpret national secu-

rity needs in an overly broad and abusive manner to the detriment of the right to inform and be in-formed. This trend constitutes a growing threat worldwide and is even endangering freedom of in-formation in countries regarded as democracies,” the report said.

Finland topped the index for the fourth year running, closely fol-lowed by Netherlands and Norway, like last year. At the other end of the index, the last three positions were again held by Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea, three countries where freedom of infor-mation is non-existent.

Despite occasional turbulence in the past year, these countries continued to be news and informa-tion black holes and living hells for the journalists who inhabit them.

This year’s index covered 180 countries, one more than last year. The new entry, Belize, was as-signed an enviable position (29th).

Noteworthy risesViolence against journalists, direct censorship and misuse of judicial proceedings were on the decline in Panama (87th, +25), Dominican Republic (68th, +13), Bolivia (94th, +16) and Ecuador (94th, +25), al-though in Ecuador the level of me-dia polarisation was still high and often detrimental to public debate.

Noteworthy fallsIn the Americas, the 13-place fall registered by the United States (46th, -13) was more than dou-bled by Guatemala (125th, -29), which saw a two-fold increase in the number of physical attacks on journalists, including four mur-ders, and was equalled by Paraguay (105th, -13), where the pressure on journalists to censor themselves keeps on mounting.

Paraguay had already plum-meted last year, following a coup in June 2012, three years after a coup sent Honduras (129th, -1) to the level where it remained in the current post-election chaos.

The Sultanate and

Bahrain were the

only two among the

Gulf Cooperation

Council (GCC)

countries rising in

the Press Freedom

Index rankings

GraphicsSource: World Press Freedom Index 2014, Reporters Without Frontiers

World Press Freedom Index 2014180 countries are ranked in the study.Criteria: Larger index, lesser Press freedom.

Index Country

Goodsituation

Satisfactorysituation

Noticeableproblems

Difficultsituation

Very serioussituation

1

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Goodsituation

Satisfactorysituation

Noticeableproblems

Difficultsituation

Very serioussituation

Finland(THE BEST)

UKUS

Kuwait

QatarUAE

OmanIraq

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain

Yemen

Eritrea(THE WORST)

6.38

16.8918.22

28.2832.8633.49

41.5144.57

56.88

62.75

69.22

84.83

6.40

19.9323.49

30.7134.3236.0338.83

45.44

58.3058.26

67.26

84.83

Improved

Worsened orremainedthe same

The index does not look at human rights violations in general, just violations of freedom of information.

20142013

London’s Lord Mayor

set to visit Sultanate

MUSCAT: Alderman Alan Yar-row, Lord Mayor of the City of London, will be visiting the Sul-tanate from January 21 to 24 as part of the efforts to ensure London and the UK remain the regional partner of choice when it comes to financial and profes-sional services.

Acting as ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, Lord Mayor Yarrow will be meeting senior officials of the government, the Central Bank of Oman (CBO), invest-ment authorities and senior business leaders.

The topics for discussion in-clude investment opportunities between the UK and the Sul-tanate, infrastructure projects, financial technology, Islamic Finance initiatives and bilateral commercial relationships.

The Lord Mayor, will be joined

by a wide ranging business del-egation from the UK, which in-cludes senior representatives from investment banks, asset managers, insurers and law firms.

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lord Mayor Yarrow said: “The UK remains committed in de-veloping our economic relation-ship with Oman. As the country continues with their ambitious infrastructure plans and presses ahead with diversifying their economy, the UK stands ready to support Oman”.

He added: “Our financial and professional services firms have a wealth of expertise and experi-ence in a wide range of financing options which can help the two-way flow of capital. I hope that this closer economic relationship means that the UK remains the partner of choice for Oman on the global financial stage.”– ONA

D I P LOMACY

DIBA FLOATING BRIDGE Ministry of Agriculture

and Fisheries, in co-

operation with the Na-

tional Ferries Company

(NFC), yesterday began

the implementation of

the project of install-

ing a floating bridge at

the port of the Wilayat

of Diba, to facilitate

transport and shipping

of commercial vehicles

and cargo. The instal-

lation of the bridge is

designed to provide

specific technical

facilities for the recep-

tion of the various sizes

of fast ferries of the

NFC fleet and landing

directly under different

circumstances at the

port in the cases of the

tides.— ONA

The View is more than just an accommodation with

dramatic panoramas of Al Hamra’s rugged grandeur.

Abdulmunim Al Zawawi, Chairman, The Zahara Group >A3

A3

OMANM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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A colleague’s vacation ends on Thursday and he is required to report to work on Friday. However, Friday-Saturday are his off days as he works in the administra-tion department. Please advise if Friday-Saturday should be considered as an-nual leave or taken as off days.The annual vacation will begin and end on the prescribed dates. If any day off is falling before the commencement or after the vacation, such days would be treated as normal off days. Nor-mal off days are integral part of any employee’s rights.

My mother holds a valid family visa which will expire in 2016. She is out of the country for the last nine months (from April 2014 until now). I have been in-formed that if a person is out of the country for more than six months, their family visa gets cancelled. Please clarify whether my mother can re-enter the country in January 2015.We would like to clear the doubts once and for all. The lady who was referred to in an earlier answer in this column was not one on family/depend-ent visa, but a lady employed in

a private school in Oman. She was set to lose her residence permit once she overstayed out of Oman (more than 179 days), which is the established rule for all employed persons. However, this rule is not applicable to dependents, including wife and children in addition to those holding investor visas.

When an employee works for more than the normal working hours, as men-tioned in Article 70 of the Labour Law, he is entitled to overtime payment for the extra hours worked. The extra payment should be equivalent to ordinary

salary which he is entitled to work plus 25%. If the extra hours were spent during the night time they are paid normal salary plus 50% and if the same was done on an official holiday, then they get double the salary of such days or compensatory leave. The law is silent on whether the salary is only basic or the gross salary. Hence, my doubt is, while calculating the overtime, do we need to take the basic salary or the gross salary (including housing allowance, convey-ance allowance and special allowance)? Kindly advise me.

Normally, the basic salary forms the basis of calculation of overtime allowance. However, if any employer is magnanimous and willing to part with much higher amount, no one will stop them. The sky is the limit as far as granting benefits to the employees is concerned.

Basic salary forms basis of calculation of overtime allowance for employees

C O M M E N T A R Y

Times of Oman, in association with Khalifa Al Hinai Legal Consultants, will answer the legal queries of readers every Monday. Questions can be sent to [email protected]

SCAN HERE TO EMAIL YOUR QUERIES

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

The View offers luxury amid nature

Times News Service

MUSCAT: The View — a holiday retreat tucked away in the rugged highlands of Al Dakhiliya Gover-norate — has reopened for busi-ness after an extensive makeover that has accentuated its resort- like ambience.

Following an eight-month-long refurbishment, The View has been transformed into a charm-ing mountain retreat that, while retaining the appeal of an eco-luxe retreat, now boasts all of the amenities of a high-end holiday destination.

It was officially reopened under the auspices of Maitha bint Saif Al-

Mahrouqi, under secretary, Minis-try of Tourism, Oman on Thursday. The getaway, nestled on the sum-mit of Hail Al Shas in the Wilayat of Hamra, has long been popular with international tourists, as well as weekenders from Muscat, as it is just two and a half hours drive. Its location, 1,400 metres above sea level, not only affords its guests spectacular views of the surround-ing natural grandeur character-ised by soaring mountain massifs and plunging canyons, but it also serves as a convenient base from which to explore some of Oman’s most exciting natural and histori-

cal attractions across nearby Al Hamra, Bahla, Nizwa and Jabrin. The average temperature between 15 to 20 degrees is an added attrac-tion for tourists.

The 15 tented structures that served as lodgings in the past have been replaced by stylish pods – 30 in all – each tastefully appointed and fitted out to pro-vide guests with a high degree of comfort and convenience. King-size bed, LCD TV and stand alone bathtub are part of an array of modern amenities that await customers at this comprehensive-ly upgraded property.

Furthermore, the pods have been designed and thoughtfully laid out to ensure magnificent canyon-facing views from all 30 lodgings, in contrast to only sev-en of the 15 tented lodges before the overhaul.

This has been possible due to a significant expansion of area that now covers 12,000 square metres. What adds to the beauty and the amazing view are the rocky set-tings that have been left untouched and go a long way to enhance The View’s appeal as a mountain retreat.

“Thanks to the extensive re-

vamp, The View is more than just an accommodation with dra-matic panoramas of Al Hamra’s rugged grandeur.

It’s an oasis that offers repose-ful tranquillity on one hand, and a comfortable base on the other – for the visitor to explore some of northern Oman’s finest natu-ral and historical monuments. Indeed, The View is like no other holiday haven that Oman has to offer,” remarked Abdulmunim Al Zawawi, Chairman of The Zahara Group.

The charming walkways also connect the pods to the property’s

popular multi-cuisine restaurant that can cater to more than 40 guests at a time.

As the terrace is close to the canyon, the bird’s eye view of the surrounding area is incredible at all times; more so during sun rise and sun set.

For corporates, a fully equipped multipurpose conference hall al-lows for business executives to combine a relaxing holiday with opportunities for some serious brainstorming as well. For the more energetic at heart, there are options for mountain biking, hik-ing, rock climbing and so on.

The resort’s location

— 1,400 metres above

sea level — provides

a spectacular view

of the surrounding

natural grandeur

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Oman Airclarifies

“The incident is being investi-gated as a matter of course by Oman Air’s management.

“In the meantime, Oman Air has praised the calm profes-sionalism of the highly trained pilots aboard Flight WY131, whose quick thinking averted any significant damage.

“The airline also expressed regret at the inconvenience caused by the late departure,” the statement added.

P A R I S I N C I D E N T

< FROM

A1

Training heldMUSCAT: A training course titled ‘CoRT Thinking’ began at the Ministry of Information to-day. The five-day course aims at promoting thinking skills of the participants.

About 21 employees from various departments of the Ministry of Information are taking part in the course. -ONA

M E D I A C O U R S E

More than 34 tonnes of salt seized in Barka Staff Reporter

MUSCAT: More than 34,000 kilogrammes of salt from one of the packing stores companies in the wilayat of Barka was confis-cated by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) .

The company was found to have tampered with the expiry date imprinted on the salt bags by putting a “valid date” on them.

Tampering with dateAn inspection team of PACP vis-ited the company following sus-picions about the ‘best for use’ date on some food products.

The PACP also suspected that the specified new date was differ-ent from the original one.

After taking samples from the

bags, it was found that instead of containing iodine, as mentioned in the written label on the bag, the salt did not have that com-ponent. This is a violation of the Consumer Act’s Article 8. Later, the company workers admitted that they had tampered with the date, after they were presented with the evidence, a violation of the Consumer Act Article 16.

Ahmed bin Saleh Al Zadjali, director of PACP in Barka, ad-vised the consumers about the need to ensure to read and check the expiry dates while buying any products.

He also warned companies and private packing shops about the need to print the correct validity and expiry dates on the products and not to tamper with these.

C O N S U M E R I S S U E

EXPIRED SALT: Company workers admitted to having tampered

with the date, a violation of the Consumer Act.–Supplied photo

NATURAL LUXURY: The resort was officially reopened under the auspices of Maitha bint Saif Al-Mahrouqi, under secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Oman on Thursday. The

getaway, nestled on the summit of Hail Al Shas in the Wilayat of Hamra, has long been popular with international tourists, as well as weekenders from Muscat.–Supplied photos

A4 M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

For detailed coverage log on to www.timesofoman.com/muscatfestival

MUSCAT: Characters from Ste-ven Spielberg’s massive block-buster Jurassic Park are literally roaming the Naseem Park venue of the Muscat Festival.

The dinosaur village at the Naseem Park, which includes 15 dynamic and static models showing different sizes of dino-saurs, accompanied by sound and light effects, is turning out to be a major attraction this year. The animated dinosaurs make roaring sounds and move-ments, and surprise as well as entertain the visitors.

“The dinosaur village takes the visitors through a mag-nificent a journey and literally takes you back to more than 66 million years,” said a parent who had brought his children.

“School going children have much to learn from this wel-come addition to the Muscat Festival. It aims to define and educate the visitors about the types of the dinosaurs and pe-riods of the dinosaurs,” the par-ent said. “Dinosaur’s village has been witnessing a huge turnout

of visitors. They have been de-lighting the children and adults alike,” said the organisers. “The life-sized dinosaurs that are be-ing showcased at the dinosaurs village are the replicas of those roamed countries such as South and North America, China and Argentina during the reptilian period,” the organisers added.

“The flying dinosaur is a hit with the little ones. They love taking the dinosaur trail. They are being educated in a happy setting ” said a parent.

Naseem Park is open from 4pm to 11pm on all days.

The dinosaur village will take you back in time. This village will educate the public on differ-ent breeds of dinosaurs. Make sure to visit and know about the species that are represented on every continent by both extant species and fossil remains.

THE DINOSAUR TRAIL

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The dinosaur village at Naseem Park, which includes 15 dynamic dinosaurs, accompanied by light and sound effects, is turning out to be a major attraction. — Photos by A R Rajkumar/TIMES OF OMAN



A5


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Hatat Polyclinic heralds new era

STAFF REPORTER

MUSCAT: An agreement for medical cooperation between an Indian and an Omani medical institute has gotten under way, promising best-quality and af-fordable treatment to patients in Oman. The details of the tie-up between Hatat Polyclinic, one of the oldest private healthcare providers in Oman, and Medanta - The Medicity, one of the larg-est multi-specialty medical in-stitutes in India, was announced during a press conference held here on Sunday.

During the press conference, eminent cardiac surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, the founder of the Gurgaon-based Medanta, said that the cooperation will help raise medical standards in Oman, noting that new services and equipment will be provided at the Hatat Polyclinic as a result of the initiative. He noted that the world-class facilities and highly skilled and committed specialists in Medanta have a lot to offer to patients in Oman in terms of con-sultation, treatment, and training.

According to him, the tie-up will ultimately lead to the estab-lishment of a full-fledged tertiary healthcare facility in Oman in line with Medanta’s standards.

Organ transplant was one of the topics that Dr Trehan touched upon, noting that Medanta is fully prepared to provide all types of

treatment services and training in this regard within the legal framework in Oman.

The press conference was also attended by Ibrahim Al Wahaibi, managing director of Said Salem Al Wahaibi Group of Companies (formerly known as Assarain Group), of which Hatat Polyclinic is a member, and a number of spe-cialists from Medanta.

Omani patientsIt was mentioned that 20 to 25 Omani patients visit the Indian medical institute every month to seek treatment and the new agreement aims to bring those services to them here in Oman. Patients from other Gulf coun-tries also visit the facility fre-quently.

Hatat Polyclinic has carved out a place in the Sultanate’s health-care industry with nearly 25 years of experience.

Staffed with a strong team of specialists, the facility has been

providing patients in Oman with international standard treatment in a wide and diverse range of dis-ciplines, including general medi-cine, paediatrics, gynaecology, dermatology, cosmetology, cardi-ology, endocrinology, diabetology, gastroenterology, radiology, oto-laryngology, ophthalmology, or-thopaedics, dentistry, psychiatry, physiotherapy, family medicine and immunisation. Hatat’s col-laboration with Medanta would entail regular visits by senior consultants and super specialists from Medanta to the Hatat Poly-clinic to provide consultation and treatment to patients in Oman.

Any patient who requires fur-ther surgical or medical interven-tion will be referred to Medanta to be treated in Gurgaon.

Medanta, which is equipped with all the latest technologies in-cluding robotic surgery, is spread over 43 acres and has 1,250 beds with over 350 critical care beds and 45 operation theatres cater-ing to over 20 specialties. It hous-es six centres of excellence which provide medical intelligentsia, cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art infrastructure with a well-integrated and com-prehensive information system.

The tie-up will

help raise medical

standards in Oman,

with latest medical

facilities being set up

Unhealthy diet, lifestyle triggering

obesity in GCC region, says expert

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Gulf countries have recorded some of the highest num-bers of obese residents compared with the rest of the world, and the people of Oman need to be aware of this, stated an expert.

Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, founder of Centre for Obesity and Diabetes Surgery in Mumbai who has “oper-ated on some patients with a very high Body Mass Index (BMI) or weighing above 200 kilogrammes, from Oman successfully”, believes that the alarming number of obesi-ty cases in the region is “because of the diet and lifestyle with genetic contributions making it worse.”

A new age fridge weighs only 90 to 95 kilogrammes and to weigh 200 kilogrammes is a serious is-sue.

Incidentally, a report published in a medical journal in Oman last year had stated that 30 per cent of the Omani population is over-weight and 20 per cent is obese.

Dr Lakdawala is credited with starting the e first Indian Centre for Excellence (ICE) for bariatric surgery. He is in Oman to partici-pate in the 3rd International Medi-cal and Health Care Exhibition and Conference (IMTEC Oman 2015) being organised under the Patron-age of the Ministry of Health from January 19 to 21 at the Oman In-ternational Exhibition Centre.

Dr Muffazal, who has more than nine years experience in treating obesity cases and 2,500 plus sur-geries, is known as one of the only Indian surgeons to have conduct-ed live surgeries in almost every Asian country and has performed the largest number of single inci-sion sleeve gastrectomy surgeries in the world.

On what prompted him to create a dedicated bariatric and meta-bolic surgery centre to battle obe-sity, he said, “It was the need of the hour. The number of obese pa-tients with side-effects like Type II diabetes, hypertension, sleep ap-noea, gout and infertility, to name a few, is growing at an alarming

rate worldwide. At the same time, in India we have the second largest number of Type II diabetics in the world most of them due to abdomi-nal obesity. The results are very satisfying for both the doctor and the patient, most of who are suf-fering from morbid obesity with no other options.”

Asking governments to take the issue of obesity seriously, Dr Muf-fazal said, “The United Nations, in a statement in 2010, passed a resolution stating that most gov-ernments need to focus on non-communicable diseases especially metabolic syndrome and that is due to obesity. America, Australia and a few other countries have al-ready declared obesity as a disease. It is time for other governments to follow. A controlled diet and exer-

cise for those who are overweight or in the early stages of obesity need to be emphasised. Prevention should start from schools itself to curb and prevent adolescent obesi-ty. We run a programme to prevent childhood obesity and nutrition.”

Talking about the advantages of opting for bariatric surgery, the doctor said, “The results of long- term weight loss and maintenance with a non-surgical option for morbid obesity are poor at best. Most drugs are banned and diet and lifestyle modifications can-not be maintained for long. With bariatric surgery you are assured of long-term effective weight loss along with improvement in the quality of life and in some cases extending life itself for those suf-fering from morbid obesity.”

H E A L T H I S S U E S

The number of obese patients with side-effects like Type II diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea, gout and infertility, to name a few, is growing at an alarming rate

Dr Muffazal LakdawalaFounder of Centre for Obesity and Diabetes Surgery in Mumbai

HEALTH FIRST: Eminent cardiac surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan with

Ibrahim Al Wahaibi, managing director of Said Salem Al Wahaibi

Group of Companies.–OK Mohammed Ali/ TIMES OF OMAN



A6


The ‘Taming of the Shrew’ has spectators in splits

SARAH [email protected]

MUSCAT: Laughter isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of ballet, but the Stutt-gart Ballet’s production of Shake-speare’s The Taming of the Shrew had the audience in stitches on Friday night at the Royal Opera House Muscat.

The German ballet company’s famous piece choreographed by John Cranko in 1969 is a time-less classic; 46 years on it is still fresh and funny. Cranko, a South African dancer, choreographer

and director of the Stuttgart Bal-let from its founding in 1961 to his untimely death in 1973, was able to interpret Shakespeare’s comedy in a way that combined energetic ballet moves with lots of expression and characterisation from the dancers.

‘The Taming of the Shrew’ is

the story of Katherina, a hostile young woman who has no interest in marriage and mocks her beauti-ful younger sister Bianca, who has many suitors.

Bianca’s suitors can only win her hand after Katherina is mar-ried, the girls’ father tells them, so they challenge the witty Petruchio

to woo Katherina. He manages to seduce her, marries her, and even tames her with the help of various mischievous tricks, and to eve-ryone’s surprise, she becomes a sweet and obedient wife, much better behaved than her sister.

Cranko’s retelling of the story featured a very strong cast of prin-cipal dancers who brought the characters to life. Spanish balleri-na Alicia Amatriain was absolute-ly hilarious as an angry, spitting, snarling Katherina, who made the aggressive choreography, which included high leaps and kicks, look easy.

British dancer Alexander Jones was just as good in the role of Petruchio. With his impish, irre-sistible grin and athletic grace, he was delightful to watch. The two leads complemented each other well, and had chemistry on stage that made Katherina’s change of heart believable.

Other performances worth mentioning were those by Bian-ca’s suitors, Gremio (Arman Zazy-an), Lucentio (David Moore), and

Hortensio (Roman Novitzky). Za-zyan and Novitzky were especially entertaining as hopeless, over-the-top characters who stumble into marriages with two “ladies of dubious origins” after Lucentio, whom Bianca chooses to marry, outwits them.

The Stuttgart Ballet was ac-companied by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra with the Stuttgart Ballet’s musical direc-tor James Tuggle conducting. The music, by Kurt-Heinz Stolze based on Domenico Scarlatti, is arranged to add to the comedy, and it was very well played, with the orchestra getting a thunder-ous applause. As the events un-folded on stage it was hard not to be impressed and hugely enter-tained, both by the excellent danc-ing of the whole company and the silly antics on stage.

Whether one was a ballet fan or not, Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew takes ballet to a whole new level, fusing it with slapstick com-edy and Shakespeare’s wit.

One can only wonder what the world missed out on when Cranko died in a plane crash when he was just 45 years old; no doubt he had many more brilliant ballets in mind that would have entertained the ROHM audience greatly.

The German ballet’s

famous piece

choreographed by

John Cranko in 1969

is a timeless classic;

46 years on it is still

fresh and funny

‘Freezing Omani’ takes environment campaign at the doorsteps of schoolSARAH [email protected]

MUSCAT: It’s never too soon to start teaching children in Oman to respect the environment, says Bader Al Lawati, a local environ-mentalist better known as one of the ‘Freezing Omanis’.

On Thursday Al Lawati spent the day at United Private School where he shared his passion for reducing plastic bag use in Oman with the grade 3 students. He told them about his voyage to Antarc-tica two years ago with a group of other international environmen-talists and spoke about the need to protect the environment.

“They’re kids. They grow up and that’s how they learn. If you teach them when they’re young, they grow into this lifestyle of un-derstanding,” Al Lawati said.

He told the students that here in Oman camels, turtles and other animals can die from eat-ing plastic bags. He asked them think carefully about how many bags they use and suggested times when they could not bother using plastic bags at all.

“If you teach them that one single, small plastic bag eaten by a turtle could kill it, they get impacted for life and they get re-ally aware of their usage of plastic bags,” Al Lawati said.

While the children often have more questions about the pen-

guins and seals that Al Lawati saw in Antarctica, they do ask about why people still use plastic bags if they are so bad for the environ-ment, he said.

Since he began speaking to school children he has actually

seen some of the kids in super-markets asking their parents not to use plastic bags, which he says is a sign the next generation of Omanis will be more environ-mentally-minded.

Teacher Joanna Vidler, who in-vited Al Lawati to speak to the stu-dents, said she hoped the children would take his message seriously and start at their young ages to re-duce their use of plastic.

“Two students using one less

plastic bag would be brilliant. Start small and hopefully it will build,” Vidler said.

She said she planned to con-tinue teaching on Al Lawati’s message to the students and en-courage them to start being away of how much plastic they use and throw away, as well as having them start cleaning up their play-ground. “The playground here is a mess. There is a lot of plastic that comes in every day,” she added.

E D U C A T I N G C H I L D R E N

ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS: Bader Al Lawati, environmentalist, spent a day at United Private

School where he shared his passion for reducing plastic bag use in Oman. Photo– Ismail Al Farsi

TIMELESS CLASSIC: Shakespeare’s comedy has been interpreted

in a way that it combines energetic ballet moves with lots of ex-

pression and characterisation. – Photos - Khalid Al Busaidi, ROHM

‘Heftier fines will reduce accidents’

“For citizens, there is no need to pay traffic fines at the airports and border posts when they are leaving the country,” said the official.

However, Wahid Al Kharusi, a road safety expert, told the Times of Oman that expatriates paying traffic fines would not lead to a decline in road accidents in the country. He added that if the ROP charged heftier penalties, there would be a reduction in the num-ber of road accidents.

Al Kharusi also noted that sending offenders to jail has not helped in reducing violations, though awareness and public edu-cation campaigns could reduce traffic accidents.

Also, Daryle Hardie, chief ex-ecutive officer of Safety First, told the Times of Oman that by intro-ducing such laws, there will be a reduction in the number of traffic offences committed by expatri-ates. He claimed the law would result in offenders becoming more accountable,as they increasingly abide by traffic rules.

According to ROP figures, there were 3,889,301 traffic fines issued in 2013, compared to 3,239,953 in 2012, which was an increase of 20 per cent. Meanwhile, the ROP has built a number of service cen-tres throughout the country to offer more services for nationals and residents.

N E W R E G U L A T I O N S


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

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< FROM

A1

It’s never too soon to start

teaching children in Oman

to respect the environment

Bader Al Lawati, a local environmentalist

A7

REGIONM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

Canada blasts ICC over Israel war crimes probe

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Canada’s top diplomat on Sunday denounced a decision by the Inter-national Criminal Court to open a preliminary probe into possible Is-raeli war crimes, as he arrived for talks in Jerusalem.

In a brief statement to reporters, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said the ICC’s decision was “deeply regrettable” and would feature in his meetings with Is-

raeli officials. “We look forward to discussing a range of issues, from trade to security, to the deeply re-grettable decision at the ICC,” he said before meeting Israeli coun-terpart Avigdor Lieberman.

Preliminary examinationThe ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said on Friday she was opening “a preliminary examina-tion” into Israel’s actions which will cover a period including last summer’s war in Gaza.

Such a procedure “is not an in-vestigation” but a process to de-

cide whether there are grounds to begin a full probe, she said.

The Palestinians applied to be-come a party to the ICC earlier this year, in a process that will take ef-fect in early April.

They simultaneously recog-nised the court’s jurisdiction to retroactively cover a period in-cluding the Gaza war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benja-min Netanyahu denounced the move as “scandalous” and Wash-ington said it was a “tragic irony” that the Jewish state, which had been hit by “thousands of terror-

ist rockets... is now being scruti-nised by the ICC.” Canada played a central role in establishing the ICC and is a key supporter of the court — a fact which was not lost on Israel.

“We think it is completely unac-ceptable that a terrorist organisa-tion like Hamas will be able to file a lawsuit against Israel,” Lieberman said, standing at Baird’s side.

“It’s making a mockery of in-ternational law and the opposi-tion of one of the founders of the ICC is very important, maybe cru-cial,” he said.

“If we don’t see a real dramatic change in (the Palestinians’) posi-tion, we will ask all our friends to stop any funding for the ICC,” he said.

Earlier, during talks in the West Bank city of Ramallah with counterpart Riyad Al Malki, Baird warned the Palestinians against pursuing a diplomatic agenda that could prejudice the outcome of any future talks with Israel.

Part of that diplomatic strategy includes the move to join the ICC.

“I asked that the minister strongly reconsider the conse-quences of moving forward with any action that may be counter-productive to a negotiated solution with the state of Israel,” Baird said in a statement issued by the Cana-dian foreign ministry. - AFP

The ICC’s chief

prosecutor, Fatou

Bensouda, said

she was opening

‘a preliminary

examination’ into

Israel’s actions

which will cover a

period including last

summer’s war in Gaza

VENTING IRE: A Palestinian policeman reacts after angry Pales-

tinian youths hurled eggs at the motorcade of Canadian Foreign

Minister John Baird outside the Foreign Affairs ministry after a

meeting with his Palestinian counterpart in the West Bank city of

Ramallah, on Sunday. - AFP

Israeli copter strikes

Syrian Golan Heights

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: An Israeli helicopter carried out a strike on Sunday against “terror-ists” in the Syrian sector of the Golan Heights who were alleged-ly preparing an attack on Israel, an Israeli security source said.

The source said the strike took place near Quneitra, close to the ceasefire line separating the Syr-ian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector, confirming a report by Lebanon’s Al Manar television.

The source could not provide details about the identities of the targets or the nature of the attack they were allegedly preparing.

The Israeli army would not

comment. According to the source, Israeli drones were pre-sent in the area during the at-tack. Last month, the Syrian army said it shot down an Israeli reconnaissance drone flying over Quneitra province.

In August, five rockets fired from Syria hit the Israeli-occu-pied sector of the Golan Heights and in July Israel shelled Syr-ian army positions after a Syrian rocket hit Israel.

Syria and Israel are officially in a state of war, and Israel has oc-cupied the Golan Heights since 1967. The occupation is not rec-ognised by the international community. - AFP

S E C U R I T Y S O U R C E

Yemen province to halt oil flow

ADEN: The governor of Yemen’s Shabwa province warned on Sun-day that oil companies will turn off their taps at midnight unless militiamen in control of the capi-tal free a presidency official.

President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi’s chief of staff Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, who was kidnapped on Saturday by the Huthi militias who control Sanaa, is from the southern province of Shabwa..

“Oil companies in Shabwa

will stop production starting midnight if Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak is not released,” said the governor, Ahmed Ali Belhaj.

Yemen’s only gas terminal of Belhaf, which is located in Shab-wa, would also stop operating, he said. An industry official con-firmed to AFP that Shabwa’s oil companies had received orders to halt their operations. Shabwa has three oilfields and produces about 50,000 barrels per day. -AFP

O F F I C I A L ’ S K I D N A P P I N G

I asked that the minister strongly reconsider the consequences of

moving forward with any action that may be counterproductive

to a negotiated solution with the state of Israel

John Baird, Canadian foreign minister

A8

INDIAM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

Had joined the AAP, but at the time didn’t

know all that was mere drama. The AAP is

responsible for emotional blackmailing

Vinod Kumar Binny, Expelled AAP leader

IMMUNISATION DRIVEA health official administers polio drops to newborn babies during Polio Day at a government

hospital in Agartala, the capital of the northeastern state of Tripura, on Sunday. Some 174 mil-

lion children aged below five years across the country will be given polio drops as part of a

government drive to maintain India’s ‘polio-free’ status, a Health Ministry statement said. - AFP

Fake PMO website busted, culprit heldNEW DELHI: Delhi Police has busted a fake website of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) under the name “Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Yojna” and arrested the mastermind for cheating several people on the pretext of providing them government loans, officials said on Sunday.

In a joint operation by Delhi and West Bengal Police, Sudipta Chatterjee, the 43-year-old mas-termind of the racket, was arrest-ed Saturday from Howrah, where the network had its base.

“The fake website was created with the aim of cheating people of their money on the pretext of providing them loans for various projects and schemes,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav.

Twenty mobile phones, hard disks, internet dongles, cheques re-lated to 43 bank accounts, fake pro-ject reports, some incriminating documents along with 16 rubber stamps of government offices were recovered from his possession.

Details of the server were ob-

tained on the basis of the fake URL — www.pmay-gov.in.

Chatterjee was produced in a court in Bengal and was brought on transit remand to Delhi.

According to the police official, Chatterjee created the fake web-site, projected it as a government one and hosted it on a server based in the US.

“To confuse the users, the URL had the reflection of a govern-ment website and it was listed on priority with Google. Whenever, any online surfer would search this website would figure in the top hits,” the official said.

There were sufficient reasons to believe it was a government website, he said. Chatterjee had employed 17 tele-callers to con-tact prospective clients and give them the registration number of their application form. The tele-callers were specially trained by him and scripts were provided to them which were prepared with great care and caution, so that the prospective client had no idea of being cheated. - IANS

C H E A T I N G P E O P L E

India, Lanka pledge to enhance bilateral ties

NEW DELHI: Nine days after President Maithripala Sirisena took office, Sri Lanka and India on Sunday pledged to deepen their relations, with New Delhi agreeing to work “closely and extensively” with Colombo.

External Affairs Minister Sush-ma Swaraj conveyed India’s views to her new Sri Lankan counterpart

Mangala Samaraweera, who ar-rived here on Saturday on his first foreign trip after Sirisena came to power January 9.

In three hours of extensive dis-cussions, Sushma Swaraj and Samaraweera covered all issues including enhancing bilateral co-operation and political reconcilia-tion efforts in Sri Lanka.

Also discussed were Indian de-velopment partnership projects in Sri Lanka and issues related to the alleged trespassing of Indian fish-ermen into Sri Lankan waters.

An External Affairs Ministry statement said the two ministers “had extremely cordial, positive

and substantive discussion”, cover-ing the entire expanse of the “close and friendly (bilateral) relations”.

PrioritySamaraweera indicated that his choice of New Delhi as his first destination “reflects the priority the new Sri Lankan government gives to relations between our two countries”.

India and Sri Lanka agreed to re-engage on the issue of repatria-tion of Tamil refugees currently in India. A meeting of officials on this is to be held later this month.

The Sri Lankan minister indi-cated that efforts were underway

to release Indian fishermen’s boats seized by authorities in Colombo.

An early meeting of the fish-ermen’s associations of the two countries has been proposed to discuss issues confronting the two communities.

Both India and Sri Lanka feel that a longer term solution needs to be worked out taking into con-sideration all aspects of the matter, the Indian statement said.

The ministers agreed that the matter needed to be dealt with in a humane way as it impacted the livelihood of thousands in both countries.

Colombo has accused fishermen mainly from Tamil Nadu of fishing in Sri Lankan waters, affecting the earnings of its own fishermen. The bitter row has often led to clashes in the sea and even deaths.

Samaraweera briefed Sushma Swaraj on the constitutional re-form efforts initiative by the new government in Colombo..

Sushma Swaraj said India was keen to work “closely and exten-sively” with the new Sri Lankan government. The India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission, which last met in January 2012 in New Delhi, will meet soon. Sushma has also agreed to visit Colombo. - IANS

Samaraweera

indicated that

his choice of New

Delhi as his first

destination ‘reflects

the priority the

new Sri Lankan

government gives to

relations between our

two countries’

STRATEGIC DIALOGUE: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj

with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera at the

delegation level meeting, in New Delhi, on Sunday. - PTI

Government dismisses

reports of expulsion of

RAW official in Colombo

NEW DELHI: India on Sunday dismissed reports that the Co-lombo station chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had been expelled in the run up to this month’s Sri Lankan Presidential election and maintained that he has moved out after completion of his three-year tenure.

Reports from Colombo said that the Sri Lankan Government had asked India to recall the of-ficial in December for allegedly helping gather support for joint opposition candidate Maithri-pala Sirisena who won the polls.

“The normal tenure of an Indi-an diplomat in Sri lanka is three years and all officials who have been transferred during last year have completed that. Its a normal transfer. Do not read anything into it unless somebody stands up and says ‘yes’. Using unnamed sources is just hiding behind and obscuring the truth,” External Af-fairs Ministry Spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said here.

Rubbishing the reports, he fur-ther said, “If somebody has proof otherwise, I would stand ready to contest that. Otherwise take my view as the last word on that.”

Asked specifically whether

he has denied the report, the Spokesperson replied in affirma-tive. Sources said the RAW offi-cial had completed his three-year tenure in Sri Lanka in September last year. Maithripala Sirisena had trounced Mahinda Raja-paksa in the tightest-ever presi-dential contest on January 8, ending his 10-year-rule. - PTI

C O M P L E T I O N O F T E N U R E

If somebody has proof otherwise, I would stand ready to contest that. Otherwise take my view as the last word on that

Syed AkbaruddinExternal affairs ministry spokesman

Expelled AAP leader Binny joins BJP

NEW DELHI: Expelled Aam Aadmi Party leader Vinod Kumar Binny on Sunday joined the BJP.

Welcoming him to the Bharati-ya Janata Party, its Delhi unit

president Satish Upadhyay laud-ed the fact that Binny was the “first one to raise his voice against undemocratic processes in the AAP”. Talking to reporters, Binny

slammed the AAP . “Had joined the AAP, but at the time didn’t know all that was mere drama. The AAP is responsible for emo-tional blackmailing,” he said. - IANS

D E L H I P O L L S



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INDIAM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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Norms for coverage of terror operations soon

NEW DELHI: Indicating that there could be soon norms for me-dia coverage of terror-related op-erations, Information and Broad-casting Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that the issue is under “serious and very advanced con-sideration” of the government.

Delivering the first Justice J. S. Verma memorial lecture here, he also said that the age of ban on media organisations was over and technology had rendered censor-ship impossible.

The manner in which anti-ter-ror operations by security agen-cies was covered is one of the most important issues with regard to responsibility of media in contem-porary times, the minister said.

ConstraintsThe question is whether to allow the media to go right up to the spot or if there should be constraints, he said.

The I&B minister said that intel-ligence agencies had claimed that

real time coverage of 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai had helped the handlers of terrorists to get infor-mation about what the security agencies were doing.

“Our security agencies and the Ministry of Defence are clearly of the view that this cannot be al-lowed. And, therefore, during the limited duration when the secu-rity operation is on, a very strict discipline on the kind of report-ing which is to take place from the place of the incident will have to be maintained,” Jaitley said.

“This issue is under serious and very advanced consideration of the government,” he said.

The minister also said that while traditionally it was thought that a newspaper or a channel could be banned, the fact was that the days of ban were long over as it was now hardly possible to “victimise” media outfits through denial of advertisements.

On the possibility of censorship, Jaitley said technology has made it impossible.

“Assuming that there was emer-gency imposed today under Article 352 of the Constitution, the impact

of the censorship would be nil.“The satellite itself defies geo-

graphical boundaries...the email does not allow it, the fax machine does not allow it,” he said.

Amend rulesThe Home Ministry had earlier asked the Information and Broad-casting Ministry to amend rules so that live coverage of anti-terror operations by television channels is banned.

Jaitley also referred to a rule which does not allow TV channels to show more than 12 minutes of advertisements.

He asked whether the govern-ment is supposed to tell news-papers and channels about how much advertisement and how much news to carry.

“The government getting into the business of how much news and how much ads is in my per-sonal view a bad precedent,” the I and B Minister said, adding that his officers were also familiar with his views on the issue.

Touching on another key issue, Jaitley said there is a need for a de-bate on the issue of cross-holdings

in the media. There are laws in many countries related to cross-holdings but not in India, he said.

The Information and Broad-casting Minister said it should be assessed as to what impact there is if all the mediums, including the medium to communicate, are in-vested in a single individual.

He said the time has come for a debate in the media,judicial cir-cles so that the Indian society can form a “mature view” on this issue.

Jaitley also said other area where the media needs to con-template is the concern of privacy while reporting high profile and also cases which are subjudice.

The media does not face too much of external threats but the challenges are from within and re-late to quality, credibility and that of being competitive as well as be-ing fair, he said.

Referring to the recent terror at-tack in Paris on French magazine Charlie Hebdo, Jaitley said that what happened in Paris against a humour magazine has to con-demned. He said if attacks of this kind take place, free speech is like-ly to very adversely affected. - PTI

Jailtley said that

intelligence agencies

had claimed that

real time coverage of

26/11 terror attacks

in Mumbai had

helped the handlers

of terrorists to get

information about

what the security

agencies were doing

The Home Ministry had earlier asked the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to amend rules so that live coverage of anti-terror operations by television channels is banned

MAKING A POINT: Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and

Information & Broadcasting, Arun Jaitley delivers a lecture during

first Justice J.S. Verma Memorial lecture in New Delhi, on Sunday. - PTI

More FDI outflows than inflows so far, rues RSS-affiliateNEW DELHI: Government’s plan to attract Foreign Direct In-vestment (FDI) faces stiff opposi-tion from RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) which has demanded a white paper on the issue, claiming there have been more outflows than inflows.

The Manch also has concerns over government’s “Make in In-dia” mission and e-commerce, saying it will hurt the country’s interests and there is need to pro-mote ‘Swadeshi’ products.

Call for a white paper“Swadeshi Jagran Manch de-mands that the government comes out with a white paper on FDI,” its national convener Ashwani Mahajan said.

“FDI is not a panacea of all ills. It is not a solution for all problems. FDI has done bad and good to the economy. There have been more outflows than inflows of FDI. In 2013-14 alone while there has been $21.5 billion in-flows, there has been an outflow of $34.4 billion,” he said.

DemandMahajan said the Manch will put forth its demand before the gov-ernment and also bring it to the notice of Prime Minister Naren-dra Modi.

He said the Swadeshi Jagran Manch will also put forth its concerns over e-commerce and

‘Make in India’ mission before the government soon.

E-retailing“E-retailing by multinational websites like Amazon and e-bay in India are badly affecting small traders and local businesses in the country,” he said.

The SJM convener said e-re-tail is “killing” domestic market and government should ban not only foreign players but also lo-cal e-retailers which are funded from foreign players.

The ‘Make in India’ campaign is also viewed sceptically by the SJM, which feels the focus should be on ‘Made by India’ keeping in mind the nation’s sus-tainable development.

Mahajan said they have met Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha last week and are looking forward to meeting Fi-nance Minister Arun Jaitley to put forth their views on key eco-nomic issues.

The Manch is also not in favour of increasing FDI in Insurance sector, a reform being strongly pushed by the government to rev up the country’s economy and at-tract foreign investment.

The Manch has also been in the forefront of opposing the Bt-Brinjal trials in the coun-try and have met Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on the issue. - PTI

S W A D E S H I J A G R A N M A N C H

Two militants killed in Sopore

SRINAGAR: Two militants were killed in an encounter with securi-ty forces in Sopore area of Indian-administered-Kashmir, taking the toll to eight in the last four days of counter-insurgency operations.

“Based on specific input of

police about presence of two terrorists in Saidpura village near Sopore, joint operation was launched by Rashtriya Rifles unit of Army and the SOG, resulting into killing of two terrorists,” a defence spokesman said. - PTI

C O U N T E R - I N S U R G E N C Y O P E R A T I O N S

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PAKISTAN M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

We have decided not to create any sort

of difficulties so the government could

succeed against the war on terror

Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman

Imran to end confrontation, pledges to develop province

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said his party will actually prove that governance in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is better than other provinces in the country, thus making it ‘Naya K-P’.

Shunning the politics of con-frontation, PTI chief on Sunday announced to pursue all out ef-forts to improve governance in the K-P. “Now all our energies will be directed to reform K-P,” said Im-ran while addressing the ‘Dharna Convention’ in Islamabad.

Listing de-politicising of K-P as

one of the major accomplishment of his party, PTI chief said “There has not been a single FIR regis-tered against political rivals.”

Cleaning driveOutlining the agenda to improve governance in the province ruled by his party, Imran said a cleaning drive will be launched in the en-tire province, followed by a tree-plantation drive, measures to en-sure supply of safe drinking water, as well as improving the systems of government hospitals and edu-cational institutes.

Regarding local government

elections in the province, the PTI chief said the province was ready to hold the polls but not the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

“The real change will come through the local bodies system,” adding that, “Powers will devolved to village-level and no member of National Assembly (MNA), mem-ber of Provincial Assembly (MPA) will receive development funds.”

Talking about change, Imran jokingly added that there had come a change in his personal life as well. Imran argued that the PTI’s 126-day long sit-in at D-Chowk, Islamabad allowed

him to understand the strengths and weaknesses of his party, and hence has decided to reorganise it on district level.

Democratic party“People who are not performing will be kicked out and new people will be brought in the party,” he said. “We have to make this party a democratic party.”

He asked PTI leaders Arif Alvi and Saifullah Niazi to begin with the party’s membership drive, and also hold intra-party elections if possible.

PTI chief clarified that his party

will not create any difficulties for the incumbent government in its fight against terrorism.

“We have decided not to create any sort of difficulties so the gov-ernment could succeed against the war on terror.”

Reiterating his earlier stance that the general elections of 2013 were the most rigged polls in the history of Pakistan, PTI chief thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for giving him 126 days to awaken the nation.

Imran said the people of Pa-kistan had been awakened, and thanked the workers and support-ers of PTI, especially women and the youth for coming in large to support the cause of Pakistan.

Taking a jibe at the incumbent government for the current pe-troleum crisis, he said, “We were going for shutdown but the PML-N government itself shut the en-tire country by creating a petrol shortage.”

He added that no one should remain under any misconception, as PTI will not budge an inch from its principled stand on poll rigging investigation.

He also aimed at the former Punjab law minister, vowing to hold him accountable for his party worker’s killing in Faisalabad.

“Listen, Rana Sanaullah, you will find yourself in prison this very year.” — Express Tribune

The Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf

chief said the 126-

day long sit-in in

Islamabad allowed

him to understand

the strengths and

weaknesses

of his party

The real change will come through the local bodies system. Powers will devolved to village-level and no member of National Assembly and member of Provincial Assembly will receive development funds

Imran KhanPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman

Pakistani passport ‘third worst’ for global travel

ISLAMABAD: When looking to travel abroad, your primary travel document — the passport — can sometimes help you narrow your choices given which countries are easily accessible to you, or hidden behind a visa requirement.

If, per chance, you have a Paki-stani passport, you are in for fill-ing visa forms for most destina-tions around the world given how the green passport ranks as the third worst passport for travel freedom.

Henley & Partners, a company that assists wealthy clients with residence and citizenship plan-ning and the company behind the Visa Restrictions Index, has ranked countries according to the number of other countries their citizens can travel to without hav-ing to obtain a visa.

Pakistan shares the spot with Somalia, with citizens of both countries enjoying vi-sa-free access to only 32 des-tinations around the world. Only citizens of Iraq (31) and Af-ghanistan (28) are worse off.

Ranked number one, citizens of Finland, Germany, Sweden, the United State and the United King-dom, all have visa-free access to 174 destinations across the globe, followed by Canada and Denmark in second spot with visa-free ac-cess to 173 countries. — Express Tribune

B A D R E P U T A T I O N

PIA alleges harassment by Indian authoritiesNEW DELHI: Relations between India and Pakistan may suffer an-other blow as national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has alleged it is being har-assed into shutting down its oper-ations in India, The Times of India reported.

PIA is allegedly being forced to shut down its India operations over its “illegal” purchase of prop-erties in violation of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) guidelines.

The properties in question in-clude four flats on the Barakhamba Road in New Delhi, which house the main PIA office in India. Re-garding the properties, PIA was served a notice by both RBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). However, PIA replied to the notice saying that the flats, including the parking lots, were purchased in 2005 as per the Foreign Exchange Management (Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property in India) Regulations and that a declaration of the acquisition was filed with RBI within the stipulat-ed 90 days.

PIA Manager in North India Saeed Ahmad Khan told The Hin-du that the purchases of four office spaces in Connaught Place in 2005 had received clearances at the time. The airline has been operat-ing from there for nearly a decade.

“We are at a loss to understand why they are acting now, and how we will operate without marketing

and sales offices,” Khan said.PIA has now asked RBI and ED

to immediately withdraw their no-tices “in larger interests of people from both countries” saying these were hampering its operations in New Delhi.

PIA operates a weekly flight to Lahore and Karachi from Delhi

and twice to Karachi from Mum-bai. It has had its office in India since 1976. PIA, according to Paki-stan, will not give in to any “intimi-dation” and will not stall opera-tions until it is specifically asked to do so by India.

Pakistani officials have stated that the visa of the PIA chief in In-

dia has not been extended and his cellphone has also been discon-nected by Indian authorities.

“It reflects a malafide intent to stop PIA operations and cause a blow to people to people con-tact. If PIA shuts down, people in northern India may still travel to Pakistan through Wagah but it

will greatly inconvenience those in other parts of the country,” a Paki-stan official stated.

After ten yearsThe violation of the RBI guidelines seems odd to come up after 10 years of purchase of the flats, ac-cording to Pakistani officials. Re-ports suggest that it may be related to the change in government in India, now led by Narendra Modi. The first notice to PIA was sent in November 2014. On the contrary, however, Indian government of-ficials said they had nothing to do with the notice. — Express Tribune

B I D T O C L O S E O P E R A T I O N S

DILEMMA: We are at a loss to understand why they are acting now, and how we will operate without

marketing and sales offices, said PIA Manager in North India Saeed Ahmad Khan. — AFP file photo

The properties in question include four flats on the Barakhamba Road in New Delhi, which house the main PIA office in India. Regarding the properties, PIA was served a notice by both Reserve Bank of India and the Enforcement Directorate

Provincial police nab 600 in operations

PESHAWAR: More than 600 people, including 125 illegal Afghan immigrants, have been arrested and a large quantity of arms and ammunition was re-covered during raids by police in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pa-khtunkhwa province as part of measures to counter terrorism and improve security.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police conducted search and strike op-eration in different parts of the province against criminals and terrorists.

Illegal AfghansA total of 604 people, includ-ing 125 illegal Afghan immi-grants, were arrested in the past two days.

The police recovered 113 arms and 3,034 rounds of differ-ent bore.

Inspections were conducted at 1,392 educational institution which were advised to further beef up security arrangements.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has beefed up se-curity after Taliban terrorists killed 150 people, mostly chil-dren, at Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16 last year. — PTI

K H Y B E R P A K H T U N K H W A

Polio case confirmed in TankPESHAWAR: Officials con-firmed on Saturday this year’s first polio virus case in the south-ern district of Tank in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

In 2014, six cases of polio were reported from Tank out of a total of 69 cases recorded in the province.

With six new polio cases con-firmed last week, the total num-ber of polio cases in the country has reached 303, breaking a 16-year old record of 300 cases re-ported in 1998.

Health officials informed that the total number of cases re-ported from the tribal areas has reached 177, adding that the num-ber of cases from K-P was 69.

Total cases confirmed in Pun-jab were four, whereas the num-ber of cases in Balochistan was 23 and that of Sindh reached 30.

CampaignsIn a bid to bolster efforts to root out the polio virus from the coun-try, both the federal and pro-vincial health ministries have been carrying out immunisation campaigns.

The January 3 campaign had to be called off in the wake of secu-rity concerns following the Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School.

Subsequently, the health de-partment has decided to hold a one-day polio immunisation

campaign in Peshawar district’s 97 union councils on January 18.

One-day driveAccording to officials, the previ-ous campaign scheduled to be held earlier this month could not be conducted since the depart-ment was not prepared. They added that a readiness report has been submitted to the concerned authorities, and the department is all set to hold its one-day drive.

Health officials claimed that a vaccination drive was carried out in several union councils of the district on Saturday.

They said that since the un-ion councils covered were highly sensitive, the campaign was not publicised.

“There are a few union councils adjacent to the provincial capital where polio workers came under attack in the past and that could be the reason why the campaign was not publicised,” a health of-ficial said, requesting anonymity.

He added that the one-day campaign in the district will be followed by another cam-paign across K-P on January 21.

H E A L T H C R I S I S

The first polio virus case of the year 2015 was confirmed in the sample obtained from nine-month-old Rohida

A11

WORLDM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

Eurotunnel had another infrastructure problem, an

electrical incident around 10 am this morning, and so

they shut down the two tunnels from 10:00 am till noon

Nicolas Petrovic, Eurostar’s chief executive

Rival parliament wants UN Libya talks held in country

TRIPOLI: Libya’s rival parlia-ment decided on Sunday that it would attend UN-sponsored peace talks only if they were held inside Libya, officials said.

Nearly four years after a NATO-backed revolt ousted Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is in turmoil. Two rival governments and two parlia-ments are backed by armed fac-tions who Western governments fear may drag the country into civil war.

The UN last week brought fac-tions vying for control of Libya together in Geneva, but key repre-sentatives from the self-declared government and associated par-liament based in Tripoli stayed

away. The Tripoli assembly, known as the General National Congress (GNC), proposed to hold the talks in the remote southern city of Ghat, its spokesman Omar Hmeidan said. “Talks must be in Ghat, not in Geneva.”

GNC member Abduqader Ha-waili said 100 of the 110 mem-bers attending Sunday’s session of the GNC had voted in favour of the proposal.

The internationally recognised government, under Prime Min-ister Abdullah Al Thinni, and the elected House of Representatives have operated out of the east since the Libya Dawn faction took over Tripoli in the summer, set up its own government and revived the old parliament, the GNC.

In September, the United Na-tions held a first round of talks bringing together rival factions

in the southern city of Ghadames, but little progress has been made.

Libya’s conflict involves a myriad of militias, factions and armed groups who helped to top-ple Gaddafi but are loyal above all to local or regional leaders, mak-ing any agreement hard to reach or enforce.

Thinni’s government is recog-nised by the United Nations and Western powers, but the Tripoli

administration controls minis-tries, airports, some oil facilities and much of western Libya.

Meanwhile, Libya’s army an-nounced a ceasefire.

“We declare a ceasefire from midnight (2200 GMT) Sunday,” the army said, stressing however that it would continue to pur-sue “terrorists”, as UN-brokered peace talks resume in Geneva next week.

The army also said it would monitor the situation on the ground “to prevent any change in front lines or transportation of weapons and ammunition,” which it would consider a violation of the truce. Soldiers “have been given the right to defend themselves if they come under fire,” the state-ment added.

Libyan armed forces spokes-man Colonel Ahmed Mesmari said the army was “engaged in pursuing its duty to protect the Libyan people”.

He said the military would “en-sure the security and stability of the country and combat terror-ism” in Libya.

On Friday, the Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) militia alliance said it had agreed to a ceasefire on the condi-tion rival factions respected the truce. — Agencies

The Tripoli assembly,

known as the General

National Congress,

proposed to hold the

talks in the remote

southern city of Ghat

HOSTILITIES: Libyan army soldiers stand atop a tank as heavy

black smoke rises from Benghazi’s port in the background after

a fire broke out at a car tyre disposal plant during clashes with

extremist gunmen on December 23 last year. — AFP file photo

In September, the United Nations held a first round of talks bringing together rival factions in the southern city of Ghadames, but little progress has been made

Train traffic disrupted as new incident hits TunnelPARIS: Eurostar travellers faced further disruptions on Sunday after an electrical problem shut down the Channel Tunnel for two hours, a day after a lorry fire forced the closure of the crucial transport link.

Eleven trains — two return ser-vices between Paris and London and seven trains between Brussels and London — were cancelled.

Eurostar services had only just resumed after being suspended on Saturday when another problem surfaced in the tunnel between Britain and France at around 10 am (GMT).

“Eurotunnel had another infra-structure problem, an electrical incident around 10 am this morn-ing, and so they shut down the two tunnels from 10:00 am till noon,” Eurostar’s chief executive Nicolas Petrovic told AFP.

Return to normalThe company, which offers pas-senger rail services between Lon-don, Brussels and Paris, had said schedules would return to normal on Sunday. But the electrical inci-dent caused further disruptions, adding to passenger woes after Saturday’s fire had forced thou-sands to rearrange their plans. — AFP

E L E C T R I C A L P R O B L E M

Ukrainian troops retake most of Donetsk airport from separatistsKIEV: Ukrainian troops re-captured almost all the terri-tory of Donetsk airport in east-ern Ukraine they had lost to separatists in recent weeks, even as thousands gathered in Kiev for a state-sponsored peace march on Sunday.

The offensive brought fight-ing close to the industrial city of Donetsk itself, centre of a pro-Russian rebellion, while shelling intensified in other parts of the region, known as the “Donbass”.

With attempts to restart peace talks stalled, pro-Russian rebels have stepped up attacks in the past week and casualties have mounted, including 13 civilians killed in an attack on a passenger bus, which Kiev blamed on the separatists.

Military spokesman Andriy Ly-senko said the army’s operation had returned the battle lines near the airport to the previous status quo and, thus not violated the 12-point peace plan agreed with Russia and separatist leaders last September in Minsk.

“We succeeded in almost com-pletely cleansing the territory of the airport, which belongs to the territory of Ukrainian forces as marked by military separation lines,” he told a televised briefing

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was con-cerned by Sunday’s “escala-

tion” by Ukrainian forces. “This state of affairs in no way con-tributes to the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the future search for a resolu-tion,” the Interfax agency quoted him as saying.

Elsewhere in the region, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said two brothers aged seven and 16 had been killed and their 8-year-old sister injured when a shell struck a house in the government-controlled town of Vuhlehirsk, 60 km (40 miles) from Donetsk.

Spokesman Vyacheslav Abro-skin said the shelling had come

from the direction of Yenakiieve, which is controlled by the rebels.

Ukrainian President Petro Po-roshenko addressed a crowd of several thousand gathered in Kiev for a peace march in memory of those killed on the passenger bus.

“We will not give away one scrap of Ukrainian land. We will get back the Donbass ... and show that a very important aspect of our victory is our unity,” he said.

Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko blamed the shell-ing around Donetsk on the Ukrainian army. “We’re talking about Kiev trying to unleash war

again,” Interfax quoted him as saying.

A ceasefire agreed at the talks in Minsk, capital of Belarus, in early September has been regularly vio-lated since the start by both sides, and fighting has flared up again since plans for peace talks last week were abandoned.

In Donetsk, a coal-and-steel city with a pre-war population of almost a million, residents re-ported a sharp intensification of fighting.

“It was impossible to sleep - ex-plosions, the walls were shaking. It seemed like they were firing from near the building ... The DNR (rebel) army were firing from our district,” 53-year-old advertising executive Alla said by telephone.

Forty-year-old plumber An-drey Tkachenko, who lives in the southern part of Donetsk, said the shelling had become noticeably worse in the past 24 hours.

“By now we can tell from the sound what’s flying. We’re used to the GRAD missiles, but now something heavier is firing all night and all day,” he said.

The World Health Organisation says more than 4,800 people have been killed in the conflict. Despite what Kiev and the West says is incontrovertible proof, Russia de-nies its troops are involved or that it is funnelling military equip-ment to the rebels. — Reuters

C O N F L I C T

OFFENSIVE: Members of the Ukrainian armed forces drive ar-

moured vehicles in the town of Volnovakha, eastern Ukraine, on

Sunday. — Reuters

Egyptian fans bid farewell to film ‘icon’ Faten HamamaCAIRO: Film fans bid an emo-tional farewell Sunday to Egyp-tian actress Faten Hamama, a star of Arabic cinema and ex-wife of Omar Sharif, who was buried at her family cemetery in Cairo.

Hamama, who made her screen debut at seven years old, died on Saturday aged 83, after a career spanning seven decades and al-most 100 films alongside masters of Egypt’s film industry, including Youssef Chahine.

“Egypt says goodbye to the lady of the screen,” said a banner car-ried by fans, as Hamama’s body was taken from a mosque in Cai-ro’s October 6 neighbourhood for burial at her family cemetery, an AFP photographer said.

Some fans took selfies on their mobile phones with film stars and politicians who attended the funeral.

“Faten Hamama was an excep-tional ambassador for Egypt... she spread love and beauty wher-ever she went,” said former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who attended the funeral.

Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahl-ab said Egypt’s arts scene had “lost one of its principal pillars”.

Arabic awareness“Faten Hamama will remain as one of the icons of Egyptian and Arabic fine arts that has contrib-uted to forming and elevating Arabic awareness,” Arab League chief Nabil Al Arabi said in a statement.

The couple appeared to-gether in the 1961 movie River of Love, based on Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.

They divorced in 1974 when

Sharif, already famous in his homeland, launched a career in Hollywood.

“The lady of the Arabic screen,” as she was known, suffered “a sudden health problem which led to her death,” Egypt’s official news agency MENA reported Saturday.

MENA said she had been hos-pitalised weeks earlier due to ill-ness but had returned home.

“Egypt and the Arab world have lost a creative and artistic talent who enriched Egyptian art with her sophisticated performances,” a statement from the president’s office said. — AFP

O B I T U A R Y

Hamama often starred in films with former husband actor Omar Sharif. He had described her as the only love of his life

COMMEN ARYT I M E S O F O M A NM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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T I M E S O F O M A NA12

I started my political career in 1991 — the same year as the first Gulf War and the Middle East Peace Conference in Ma-drid. The leaders of the time were well aware of the complex links between the Palestine problem and other challenges in the Middle East. Unfortunately, those

links remain. Since that time, I have witnessed many initiatives, plans, and projects for resolving various Middle East conflicts. Needless to say, my country, Turkey, has always been at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to secure peace, stability, and cooperation in the region, and I contributed to some of them as a member of parliament, prime minister, foreign minister, and finally as president.

Unfortunately, despite an immense expendi-ture of energy and resources spanning a quarter-century, these efforts have not yielded the desired results. Modest progress has been either sabo-taged or insufficient, even as thousands of inno-cent people, both in the Middle East and beyond, have fallen victims to violence, hatred, and venge-ance. The massacre of civilians (including many children) in Gaza last summer, the barbarity of Isis, the sundry terrorist attacks across the world — all convey a simple truth: violence is contagious.

In 1991, Saddam Hussein was the only regional threat; today, the threats have multiplied, with cu-mulative effect. In 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union jointly sponsored the Madrid Peace Conference; today, the US and Russia are barely on speaking terms.

But, though regional and international actors are deeply frustrated by the further aggravation of the Middle East’s problems, more pessimism will only make matters worse. So let us try to draw some lessons from a scattering of positive signals and trends in recent months.

For starters, the removal of chemical weapons from Syria shows that joint efforts can yield posi-tive results. The establishment of a more inclusive Iraqi government — enabled by the common sense and coordinated efforts of actors within and out-side of the country — is also a positive sign, as are steps toward resolving disagreements between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the cen-tral authorities in Baghdad.

The KRG’s decision not to insist on holding a referendum on independence augurs well for sta-bility in Iraq and the region.

The same can be said of the coalition formed against Isis. But, though military gains are now visible, “hard” power alone will not be enough to

defeat the group. Ultimately, the solution lies in patiently building an inclusive political frame-work that wins the support of local people and leaders who, despairing and fearful, have been lured to the extremists’ cause.

Though the use of hard power against Isis may not have run its course, the mistakes made in Af-ghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria must not be re-peated: strategies for military exit and political transition must be considered without delay.

Moreover, because Isis is a phenomenon that crystalizes all of the region’s political, ideological, economic, and social pathologies, possible solu-tions must be bold and comprehensive. Likewise, the decision by some European governments, par-ties, and parliaments to recognise the state of Pal-estine is a welcome development.

This trend reflects disappointment with the current diplomatic deadlock, for which the blame should be squarely on Israel, not the Palestinians. The hope is that this trend will encourage the ef-forts of parties in Israel and Palestine that want a just solution. It is in everybody’s interest that Israel’s government acts with restraint regarding West Bank settlement and the status of Jerusalem and its holy sites.

Finally, though the Arab Spring has been sti-fled everywhere (with the sole exception of Tu-nisia), the expectations, yearnings, and concerns of the region’s people remain alive and valid. The demands that defined the Arab Spring — for de-mocracy, good governance, human rights, trans-parency, gender equality, and social justice — will continue to shape the regional agenda.

The question is how to consolidate these gains and nurture progress. One potentially construc-tive initiative would be to establish a security sys-tem similar to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This vision, which has been around since the 1980s, should be kept alive, despite — or precisely because of — the unfavour-able conditions for its creation.

Because such a mechanism would require a strong economic-cooperation dimension, encom-passing energy and water issues, it would encour-age long-term strategic thinking and anchor mul-tilateral efforts to resolve problems as they arise.

For now, the turmoil engulfing the Middle East is like nothing we have seen before. That is why optimism is needed more than ever. Only by build-ing upon positive developments and visions can regional peace and stability be restored and se-cured. The alternative may be too grim for even a pessimist to imagine. - Project Syndicate

In Middle East, hope has not been lost yet

Though the use of hard power against Isis may not have run its course, the mistakes made in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria must not be repeated: strategies for military exit and political transition must be considered without delay

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

LIGHT IN THE DARK

Public health services in Pakistan range from the barely-ade-quate to the almost completely absent with every gradation of deficit in between. Any initiative to improve public health, par-

ticularly the health of those most in need is to be welcomed. Health planning is bedevilled by a leaden bureaucracy and inefficient budget disbursal. Planning for anything other than the short term is relative-ly rare, and fresh approaches and ideas rarer. Both are in evidence in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where there is a proposal to introduce health insurance cards for what are described as “deserving people”. Four districts will see the roll-out of the initiative — Mardan, Malakand, Kohat and Chitral. This will be especially welcome in Chitral, which is far behind on virtually every development indicator.

The proposal has a number of innovative features, prominent among those being that patients, who cannot be treated at government hospitals because the appropriate equipment or expertise is not avail-able at government hospitals, can get treated in the private sector. Col-lection of baseline data is already underway using the considerable databank that is held by the Benazir Income Support Programme. The initiative has support at the federal level — which for reasons beyond reason wanted it delayed but the provincial government went ahead nonetheless — and will widen the footprint of basic health provision in a province where that provision is poor or patchy, particularly out-side of the principal towns. In the bigger picture it will feed into the UN Sustainable Development Goals via the universal health coverage system. The new initiative will eliminate some of the corruption that plagues the Baitul Maal, where the applications for free healthcare of the deserving poor were sidelined by those who were in reality able to pay. This is not all going to happen overnight province-wide, and it is estimated that it will be five years before full coverage is achieved. We wish the best of health to this initiative. - The Express Tribune

Improving public health

They commanded global attention for a fleeting few days last spring. Across the world, millions prayed for and tweeted about the plight of the more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls ab-

ducted in north-eastern Nigeria by the vicious militant group Boko Haram. The first lady, Michelle Obama, joined the cause, posting a selfie looking downcast and demanding that the militants “#Bring-BackOurGirls.” The United States government hastily put together a task force of experts and dispatched drones to search for the hostages. Soon, though, the world largely moved on. In recent months, the hor-rors in remote districts of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, have multiplied as the insurgent group has taken new hostages, car-ried out bombings and scorched entire villages in a quest to wrest ter-ritory from government control.

Newly released satellite images taken in early January corroborate chilling accounts of the recent assaults on Baga and Doro Gowon, two small towns that came under attack on January 3. Researchers with Amnesty International, which released the images, said that roughly 3,720 structures, including homes, were destroyed or damaged by fire. On Jan. 10, a girl witnesses described as being about 10 years old detonated explosives hidden under her veil in a market in Maiduguri, a teeming commercial district in an area controlled by Boko Haram, killing an estimated 20 people.

The number of towns under Boko Haram control has expanded from 11 last fall to 17, according to Human Rights Watch. In recent weeks, it has become harder to get an accurate measure of the scale and death toll of attacks because the militants have dismantled tel-ecommunications systems in the areas they have seized. Death toll estimates for the recent attacks on villages ranged from a few hun-dred to thousands. Until relatively recently, the Nigerian government consistently downplayed the strength of the group, which seeks to es-tablish a caliphate in Nigeria. As it ramped up attacks last year, Boko Haram laid bare the weakness of the country’s security forces, which have failed to mount an adequate response.

Washington and others in the international community could do more to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians in areas controlled by Boko Haram by providing humanitarian aid and building up the ca-pacity of the Nigerian security forces. But fighting this insurgency will require a Nigerian government willing and able to take on the security challenge effectively. This will require institutional reforms to bolster governance in remote parts of the country and curb heavy-handed practices by the security forces that have alienated many civilians. The presidential and legislative elections are scheduled to take place next month, but some Nigerians have suggested that the balloting be put off until the violence ebbs. Delaying the elections would be a mis-take, however. Newly elected Nigerian leaders might have a chance to chart out a plan to reassert government control in areas lost to the militants. - The New York Times News Service

Terror attacks continue unabated in Nigeria

On all counts, working in public sector is gratifyingThis refers to the news story, Government jobs are in high de-mand (January 18). It is indeed much more gratifying to work in the public sector than in the private sector. While it’s true that several private companies have lately increased their salary structures and the holidays in the private sector are now at par with the public sector, there re-mains a big difference between the two. The fringe benefits that employees in government offices receive are significantly better than those in private companies. Even the salaries in government offices and companies are better than the private companies. Also, work is properly evalu-ated in the public sector and employees receive better annual

increments which are lacking in the private sector. Sulaiman Al ShoaibiMuscat

Taking frequent leave is unthinkable in the USThis refers to the news story, Em-ployers must adapt to new work style (January 18). As an Ameri-can, I can tell you that there is no company in the United States where you take a sabbatical every three months. Furthermore, entering a job interview with this attitude towards work will guarantee lack of employment. I suggest speaking to Omanis who have actually worked in the US and not just those who attended university there. Kelly WebbMuscat

Syria is indeed the biggest tragedy of the centuryAntónio Guterres’ outburst of anguish is justified. The UN high commissioner responsible for ref-ugees said, Syria has become the great tragedy of this century — a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history. In fact, the magnitude of humanitar-ian catastrophe in the country is terrifying. On an average 7,000 people are fleeing the country every day and more than 200,000 people have already perished. Even after four years of continued bloodshed, mass murders and hu-mongous displacements, the civil war in Syria is showing no sign of slowing down. I wonder when will this mayhem stop; when will normalcy return to the devastated country? Given the prevailing

situation, I am sure that even if the President of the country quits, normalcy won’t return.Asadul Iqbal LatiffMumtaz

Athletes from ISD have performed well in IndiaCongratulations to the sprinters of Indian School Darsait (ISD) for creating a new record by winning gold in the 4x100 meters relay in the CBSE national athletic meet held in Gujarat. Without any doubt the inspiration of the school’s principal was a big factor behind this success story. Rafeek, who is now known as the ‘Usain Bolt of Oman’, should be encouraged more and supported by his parents and the school. Salih ThacherMabelah

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Almost one billion more people face a life of ex-treme poverty if world

leaders duck key decisions on inequality and climate change at two critical summits this year, ac-cording to a campaign launched.

An international coalition of more than 1,000 organisations warned that global poverty could rise for the first time rise in a gen-eration if politicians make the wrong calls.

The “action/2015” campaign targets the United Nations sum-mit in New York in September, which will discuss a new agenda to replace the millennium devel-opment goals set in 2000, which expire this year.

It is expected to include ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cit-ies more sustainable, combating climate change and protecting oceans and forests.

The new campaign will also de-mand tough action to tackle man-

made climate change when UN-led negotiations on a new global agreement reach a climax in Paris in December.

Research for the campaign by the University of Denver shows that, if world leaders get it right, the number of people living in ex-treme poverty — less than 82p a day — could be reduced dramati-cally from more than one billion to 360m by 2030.

By then, about 4 per cent of the global population would live in ex-treme poverty, down from 17 per cent today.

This would make eradicating extreme poverty achievable for the first time in history.

However, if the summits get it wrong, the number of people liv-ing in extreme poverty could in-crease to 1.2bn by 2030 — the first rise since 1993, and 886m higher than if strong action is taken.

Under this scenario, one in three of the world’s population would live on under £1.32 a day.

The goals of “action/2015” in-clude an end to poverty in all its forms; ensuring fundamental rights, tackling inequality and dis-crimination and speeding up the transition to “100 per cent renew-able energy”.

Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year-old who survived being shot by the Taliban in Pakistan and prom-ised the new campaign when she collected the Nobel Prize, said: “People globally want an end to injustice, poverty and illiteracy. Our world is interconnected and youth are ready and mobi-lised more than ever to see real change take place. Together, we are demanding our leaders take action in 2015 and we must all do our part.”

Supporters in more than 120 countries include Queen Rania of Jordan, Bill and Melinda Gates, the rock star Bono, actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and the mobile communications entre-preneur Mo Ibrahim. - The Independent

TODAY IN HISTORY

OPINION POLL

1523 In Switzerland, Ulrich Zwingli publishes his 67 Articles, the first manifesto of the Zurich Reformation which attacks the authority of the Pope.

1783 William Pitt becomes the youngest

Prime Minister of England at age 24. 1847 New Mexico Governor Charles Bent is

slain by Pueblo Indians in Taos. 1915 The first German air raids on Great

Britain inflict minor casualties.

1950 Communist Chinese leader Mao recognizes the Republic of Vietnam.

SCOUT CAMP BEGINS IN AL MUSANAMMUSCAT: The 17th Scouts Camp, organised by the National Scouts and Guides Corporation began yes-terday at Sultan Qaboos Scouts Camp in Al Musanam. Organised under the banner “Children of Oman’s achievements and future,” the camp will continue till January 18. The camp will include culture, sports, tours and skills contests. The motto reflects the cor-poration’s attention to the children in the Sultanate, particularly the implementation of the International Treaty on Child Rights.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

But merely global indifference — American, in particular — does not, by itself, explain the lonely figure Islamabad now cuts. With the West’s war needs significantly diminished in the region, it was only to be expected. The question is what the leadership at home did

One month has elapsed since the Peshawar school massacre that shocked the world. Yet, Pakistanis are nearly alone in mourn-

ing. While leaders of the “free world” converged in Paris, notwithstanding skeletons in the cupboards of many, rights-wise — global media in tow — for-gotten are the 134 schoolchildren amongst 143, in-cluding teachers and their principal, who were all butchered in broad daylight only last month.

It is a telling commentary on how unfair the world is. Are some of us not really lesser mortals, then? Why just the ill-fated Pakistani students; the same day as Paris took centre stage, the massacre of reportedly, 2000 Nigerians in the worst ever carnage unleashed by Boko Haram appeared little more than a footnote!

In Pakistan’s case, the irony is deeply manifest in shallow foreign policy objectives. For more than a decade, the country has fought a self-styled war-on-terror on the world’s behalf with a spec-tacular baggage — more than 60,000 civilians and military personnel killed and the war itself costing nearly a $100 billion, leaving in its wake a fragile economy which has had to make do with foreign aid to stay afloat.

But merely global indifference — American, in particular — does not, by itself, explain the lonely figure Islamabad now cuts. With the West’s war needs significantly diminished in the region, it was only to be expected.

The question is what the leadership at home did to safeguard Islamabad’s interests.

Even though it is debatable how much a demo-cratic dispensation — in place of military dictator Parvez Musharraf — would have stood up to a furi-ous Washington following 9/11, some sort of a col-lective decision rather than a personal one taken by a desperate General Musharraf seeking legiti-macy, would have directed the national course.

To cut to the chase, Pakistan continues to pay a heavy price for an ill-advised, virtually non-negoti-ated adventure launched by Musharraf, long after he was ousted in 2007.

General Raheel Sharif, the incumbent army chief, has however, tried manfully to meet the terror threat at home. The school massacre is evidently an outcome of the crushing losses suf-fered by the militants thanks to the ongoing military operation.

The one perturbing dimension of this apparent paradigm shift is that the civilian leadership has taken a back seat, which is far from ideal. If the es-tablishment of military courts — never a desirable option in a fledgling democracy — have been suc-cessfully manoeuvred by General Sharif, the civil-ian leadership only has itself to blame.

Despite Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s bid to forge unity across the political divide, both the

secular and religious parties failed to rise to the occasion — first caving in at the All Parties Con-ference before the military leadership and, then, grumbling outside it.

This has reinforced the image of a powerful mili-tary as the only united and disciplined entity in the country sincere to the national cause.

The civilian leadership continues to lose the battle of the optics as well. When the Army Public School reopened on January 12, General Sharif was on hand to receive the students, their fami-lies as well as bereaved parents at a well-choreo-graphed event.

Missing from the action were Prime Minister Sharif, who has still not returned to the school, and his nemesis, Imran Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, which rules the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Even though Khan tweeted that he wanted to be there and was advised (stopped?) for “security reasons”, it is ap-parent that General Sharif wanted to keep the limelight to himself.

Khan did turn up two days later with his newly-wed wife Reham, but faced the wrath of bereaved parents who bemoaned his “indifference” — with disbelief at how he had found the time meanwhile to marry when they were still in grief over losing their children.

And so the military is winning the battle of hearts and minds as evident even in a moving tribute it produced to mark the reopening of the school in which a young voice inspires fellow stu-dents to fight back the enemy whom he mocks and challenges — in a symbolic communion with his mother — thus:

What is he searching for, I live on in booksI will be found in the promises I made to my

motherI am the future, how can he slay me today?He has to be delusional if he believes he can kill

such dreamsI am your blood, hence I’ve fought valiantlyI have proven to the enemy that I am greater

than himI am from a nation whose children frighten himSome enemy he is, he who targets childrenSo when you hugged me as I departedYou did not call me Amanallah, my sonHow did he cross into God’s path of peaceHe came as far as the spot where you used to kiss

me, motherI am from a nation whose children frighten himSome enemy he is, he who targets children.

The author is a senior journalist based in Islamabad. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely his and not of Times of Oman.

Unsung heroes go back to school in lonely Pakistan

HISTORYNET.COM

Syriza declares war on the oligarchs

GraphicsGraphic News /Source: Financial Times, Forbes Rich List

Greece’s far-left Syriza party has pledged to end the practice of governments handing lucrative state contracts, licenses and contentious privatisation sales to a handful of rich political friends

Spiro LatsisBanking, shippingFamily has net worthof €1.9 billion and ispartner with state in Hellenic Petroleum – Greece’s largest oilrefinery. Holds 40% stakein EFG banking group.

Michalis SallasBanking Chairman of Piraeus Bank. Received€5 billion EU-IMF bailout in 2012 after cancelling state debt. Became largest Greek bank in 2013 by taking over assets of three failed Cypriot banks.

Dimitris CopelouzosEnergy, construction In Greece’s biggest privatisation deal, Copelouzos – with German airport operator Fraport – bid €1.23 billion to lease 14 Greek regional airports for 40 years.

George BobolasConstruction, media Founder of Ellaktor – Greece’s biggest construction group. Syriza says it will review Ellaktor’s share of income from Attiki Odos toll motorway. Bobolas family also holds biggest stake in Mega Channel, largest of Greece’s nine national TV stations, and controls Ethnos, loss making daily newspaper

VardinoyannisOil, shipping Controls Motor Oil Hellas, Greece’s second-largest oil refinery, as well as tanker fleet, bunkering operation on Crete, oil and gas exploration company and five-star Athens hotel. Vardinoy-annis group controls Star TV station and holds minority stake inMega Channel

LAST POLL RESULT

Do you think that social media fuels marital discords?

Do you agree with Oman Majlis members’ plea for a reduction in fines for traffic offenders?

Visit timesofoman.com to cast your vote

Yes68.2%

No31.8%

The idea of yet a third Mitt Romney cam-paign for the presiden-

cy, once the idle dream of a few Romney bundlers and now ap-parently something embraced by the Man From Bain Capital himself, has been greeted by most Republicans with a mix-ture of horror, exhaustion and embarrassment. No, please, not this time.

And these attitudes are understandable. Romney was not, perhaps, quite as terrible a presidential can-didate as memories of his worst moments might lead one to believe: He ran ahead of many Republican Senate candidates; he had the most successful presidential de-bate performance in recent memory; he persuaded the public that he was closer to the ideological middle than President Obama.

But his failures were ... conspicuous. There was the threadbare policy agenda, linked to a self-defeating the-ory that the election would be decided by the unemploy-ment rate alone. There were the various rich-guy disasters that played into the White House’s effort to portray him as the candidate of the rich-est 0.47 per cent. And most unforgivable, given his prom-ise of a ruthless private sector competence, there were the polling failures and ground game debacles that let Obama coast to victory.

What would Romney re-redux offer? Nothing obvious: Romney’s a decade removed from elected office, with noth-ing on his résumé since except the permanent campaign. As a white, superrich, late-60-something male, he’s the walking embodiment of his party’s image problems.

He won the last nominating contest because on the debate stage he looked like Aragorn son of Arathorn among a col-lection of dwarves and hob-bits. Unless meteors strike several state capitols and the United States Senate, that won’t be true this time.

So a third Romney run will almost certainly be a blind alley for a man who should be thinking of a better way to serve his country and his fellow man.

Another run would be genu-inely frightening for Repub-licans — and this is probably why the reaction against it has been so intense — if there were any chance of Romney doing what he did in 2012: monopo-lising fund-raising to a point where other potentially elect-able candidates stay out; car-pet-bombing his opponents with attack ads; and essential-ly forcing the party faithful to accept him, flaws and all.

But unless GOP power bro-kers are truly crazy — and based on the response to Rom-ney’s trial balloon they aren’t — that isn’t going to happen.

Not even close. Instead, a Romney candidacy would de-pend on a small circle of back-ers while ceding immense fund-raising territory to Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Marco Rubio ... the list goes on.

He wouldn’t quite resemble his old rivals Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, each of whose insurgent campaigns were floated by a single mega-donor, but he would be closer to their position than to that of the commanding Mitt of old.

And he would resemble Gingrich and Santorum in other ways. In 2008, he had the backing of key voices in the conservative movement; in 2012, he had the establish-ment (however reluctantly) behind him. In 2016, he would be on his own, hanging out in Iowa living rooms and New Hampshire diners, trying to win primaries on the ba-sis of debate performances and flesh-pressing and even (gasp!) ideas, like any other long-shot candidate.

Which is why, purely as hu-man drama, Romney 3.0 could actually be interesting to watch. Maybe he’ll campaign more openly as a Mormon, running ads like the moving testimonials that aired just before Clint Eastwood’s prime time weird-out at the Repub-lican convention, in which his faith and works are played up rather than hidden.

Maybe he’ll roll out a sweep-ing policy agenda on poverty, as he claims he wants to do, amid incredibly awkward but maybe touching photo ops with the rural unemployed and inner-city kids. Maybe he’ll sock Mike Huckabee in the jaw during a debate.

Or maybe he’ll be wooden, clueless and entitled; finish sixth in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire; and drop out. In which case he’ll lose some dignity, but we won’t lose any-thing at all.

So Mitt, it’s your call. I wouldn’t do it, you won’t win it, but I respect a Romney’s right to choose. - The New York Times

News Service

Mitt Romney the insurgent

One billion could be in extreme poverty by 2030

R O S S D O U T H AT

KA M R A N R E H M AT

A N D R E W G R I C E

A third Romney run will almost certainly be a blind alley for a man who should be thinking of a better way to serve his country and his fellow man. Another run would be genuinely frightening for Republicans — and this is probably why the reaction against it has been so intense

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GLOBAL EYEM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5



IRAQ: Iraqi visitors pull their sleds up to the hill at Korek Mountain resort on Saturday near the city of Rawanduz in the Arbil Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan. The resort is located on top of Korek Mountain at

the altitude of 2,000 metres, 100 km (62 miles) north of Arbil, and is the first resort of its kind in Kurdistan and Iraq. — AFP

UNITED STATES: A protester holds a sign during an anti-police brutality march in Oakland on January 17. About hundred protesters

disrupted traffic and chanted as they made their way to Oakland Police Station where at least five people were arrested. — AFP

RUSSIA: Alexander Parfyonov, from Barnaul in the Altai region, works on an ice sculpture called ‘The

Connection’, during the International festival of snow and ice sculptures ‘The Magical Ice of Siberia’ in

Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on Sunday. — Reuters

UKRAINE: People take part in a peace march in tribute to the victims onboard a passenger bus,

which came under fire near the town of Volnovakha, in Kiev, on Sunday. The bus came under heavy

fire in eastern Ukraine on January 13, killing at least 10 people, Ukrainian authorities said, and

fighting intensified around the international airport in the city of Donetsk as separatists tried to

oust government forces. — Reuters

SYRIA: Syrian citizens are being helped by government forces to

evacuate after they fled the besieged rebel town of Douma, 13 kilo-

metres (eight miles) northeast of Damascus. Douma, a rebel bastion

northeast of the capital, has been under government siege for more

than a year, with residents facing dwindling food and medical sup-

plies. — AFP/Syrian Arab News Agency

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Mandela’s former aide sparks race row in South AfricaCAPE TOWN: Nelson Mandela’s former personal assistant, Zelda la Grange, has apologised after sparking an online race row with comments that white people were being made to feel unwelcome in South Africa.

La Grange, who published “Good morning, Mr Mandela” last year about her close relationship

with the late anti-apartheid hero, attacked President Jacob Zuma for blaming all the country’s prob-lems on whites. “I’m SICK of Ja-cob Zuma’s constant go at whites every few months,” she tweeted on Saturday. “Why can’t we co-exist without it having to be at the ex-pense of one another?”

Zuma, under fire over an ailing

economy and government mis-management, had told a rally of the ruling African National Congress: “All the trouble began in 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck landed in the Cape.” Van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial official who estab-lished the first white settlement in South Africa.

La Grange, raised as a conserva-

tive member of the Afrikaner group descended from Dutch settlers,became something of a poster girl for Mandela’s famous policy of racial reconciliation.

But she briefly changed her twitter name to Zelda van Rie-beeck to launch her diatribe. She was soon the target of a storm of tweets under the hashtag #Zelda-

DoesntEvenKnow accusing her of being a racist who still did not understand the suffering of blacks under the former white apartheid regime. Tsietsi Mashinini tweet-ed: “#ZeldaDoesntEvenKnow that we’ve never felt welcome in our own country since they arrived!”

La Grange later issued an apol-ogy “unconditionally and without

reservation to all South Africans who were offended by my tweets this morning”. “Colonisation was a terrible thing that happened to our country, but I cannot erase or change it,” she wrote.

“We are all frustrated and angry about the state of affairs for differ-ent reasons. But that frustration is not limited to race or culture.” -AFP

CONTROVERSY

All the trouble began in 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck landed in the CapeJacob Zuma, President of South Africa

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Millions at Pope’s Mass in Manila

MANILA: Pope Francis con-cluded his trip to Asia on Sunday with an open-air Mass for a rain-drenched crowd in Manila that the Vatican and the government said drew up to seven million people, the largest ever for a papal event.

Vatican spokesman Father Fed-erico Lombardi said the office of the president told the Vatican that between six and seven million at-tended the Mass in Manila’s Rizal Park and surrounding areas.

‘Listen to women’At another event, he advised men to listen to women’s ideas more and not be male chauvinists. He made impromptu remarks dur-ing a youth rally at a co-ed Catho-lic university in the Philippine capital, Manila, after he noted that four of the five people who addressed him on stage were male. “Women have much to tell us in today’s society. At times we men are too ‘machista’,” he said, using the Spanish term for male chauvinists.

“(We) don’t allow room for women but women are capable of seeing things with a different angle from us, with a different eye. Women are able to pose questions that we men are not able to under-

stand,” he said to more applause.He noted that it was a 12-year-

old girl, not any of the four men, who had posed the toughest ques-tion, asking why God allowed children to be abandoned.

Francis has said that, while the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on women priests is definitive, he wants to appoint more nuns and other women to senior positions in the Vatican.

The 78-year-old Pope, wearing a transparent yellow poncho over his white cassock, was driven to the open-air Mass venue through the ecstatic crowd in a “popemo-bile” modified from a jeepney, the most popular mode of transport in the Philippines.

Some people in the capital of Asia’s only predominantly Catho-

lic country had waited during the night for gates to open at dawn. The gates opened nine hours be-fore the start of the Mass, which was due to last nearly three hours.

HomilyIn his homily, the Pope urged Fili-pinos to shun “social structures which perpetuate poverty, igno-rance and corruption”, a theme he stressed when he held talks with President Benigno Aquino on Fri-day. Aquino attended the Mass.

Francis also took another swipe at the government’s population control efforts, saying the family was under threat from “insidious attacks and programmes contrary to all that we hold true and sacred”. Organisers had said they had ex-pected 6 million people. -Reuters

At another event, the

Pope advised men

to listen to women’s

ideas more and not

be male chauvinists.

‘Women have much

to tell us in today’s

society,’ he said

RARE OCCASION: People attend a Mass at a park by Pope Francis during his visit to Manila. -AFP / Philippine Air Force Public Information Office

Brother of former Sri Lankan leader accused in editor’s assassination caseCOLOMBO: Sri Lankan authori-ties are investigating a claim that the toppled president’s younger brother ran a “death squad” and ordered a high-profile newspaper editor’s assassination, a police spokesman said Sunday.

Former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse ordered the hit on Lasantha Wickrema-tunga in January 2009, ex-public relations minister Mervyn Silva alleged in a formal complaint lodged with police Saturday, the spokesman said. Wickrematun-ga was fatally shot in 2009, just days before he was due to testify in a defamation case Rajapakse had filed against his paper, which had been highly critical of the then-ruling family.

“We have received a com-plaint that Gotabhaya Rajapakse was responsible for abductions, assaults and murder,” police spokesman Ajith Rohana told AFP. “Three murders have been mentioned and one is that of La-santha Wickrematunga. He (Ra-japakse) is accused of running a death squad.” Rajapakse could not be contacted for comment.

Wickrematunga and his Sun-day Leader newspaper were vocal critics of Rajapakse’s administra-tion, and had accused Gotabhaya of corruption over the purchase of second-hand aircraft and arms for the military. At the time, the government denied it was behind Wickrematunga’s killing, but Saturday’s complaint reopens the unsolved murder case. Since Mahinda Rajapakse’s defeat dur-ing January 8 presidential elec-tions, complaints have flooded a Sri Lankan anti-graft commis-sion alleging huge corruption by members of his administration.

The ex-leader himself faces allegations that he tried to use military force and remain in of-fice when it became clear during the vote count that he was headed

for a defeat. Sri Lanka has faced international strictures over its dismal human rights record dur-ing the past decade, with rights groups accusing Rajapakse of si-lencing critics and dissidents.

In his complaint, Silva also said Gotabhaya was the “archi-tect of white van abductions”. Being “white-vanned” became synonymous with abductions in Sri Lanka after dozens of peo-ple were abducted in white vans, their dead bodies later dumped by the road. The tactic was wide-ly reported to be used by security forces against opponents during and after the island’s drawn-out Tamil separatist conflict, which ended in May 2009.

Scores of independent journal-ists and political dissidents are still living abroad in exile. Raja-pakse’s administration also faced allegations that his troops killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians while crushing Tamil Tiger guer-rillas in the final stages of the eth-nic war. -AFP

W H I T E V A N A B D U C T I O N S

Wickrematunga was fatally shot in 2009, just days before he was due to testify in a defamation case Rajapakse had filed against his paper, which had been highly critical of the then-ruling family

BMARKE

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Stress onprivate sector role in rail link

ELHAM [email protected]

MUSCAT: With remote chances of the Gulf-wide railway project becoming profitable in a short pe-riod of time, experts have called for a stronger role of the private sector in the project.

At the recently concluded Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Rail and Metro Conference 2015, which was hosted by Muscat with the participation of officials from the Gulf states and other countries, special emphasis was made to the potential contribu-tion of the private sector to the implementation of the initiative.

Panelists in various sessions of the conference emphasised that the necessary mechanisms and an ideal environment should be created for the private sector to play a greater role in the project, which will link all the GCC states.

Representatives of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) also called on the authorities to provide them with guidance and clear directions as to how they can be part of the project.

“We are looking for a (larger) role of the private sector so the public sector should go through all the regulations and look back at them to see how they can of-fer more flexibility to help us as the private sector to get more opportunities in the market,” said Mohammed Hassan Al Ansi,

vice- chairman of the committee for logistics and transportation affairs at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).

Diversifying economySpeaking to Times of Oman on the sidelines of the conference, he also noted that in light of current low oil prices, Oman should focus more on diversifying its econo-mies through paving the way for the growth of non-oil sectors.

Sir Charles Shaw, chief execu-tive officer of ‘Maharat’, an Oman-based company which special-ises in providing training in the railway industry, also said that collaboration between the public and private sectors is necessary for the success of the project.

Shaw, who is also a representa-tive of Pearson TQ, the leading training and educational com-pany in the world, said that ac-cording to his understanding, the conference put great emphasis on the role of the private sector.

Different countries use differ-ent models in the railway sector to ensure the sustainability of the projects, he said, noting that the proportion of public-private partnership varies from one country to the other.

“It (at the conference) was said that the chances of making profit for a long time is very small. Therefore you need a combina-tion of government sponsorship with government subsidy and the involvement of private organisa-tions, who are the experts, to de-sign, implement and maintain the infrastructure, provide training and other things.”

The total investment in the GCC railway network has been estimated at over $200 billion.

Humaid Saleh Al Muslmani, local partner (Oman) at 3TI Pro-getti Group, which is specialised in the railway infrastructure design, said that the private sec-tor’s active involvement in the operational phase of the project can lead to successful implemen-tation of it.

Representatives of

SMEs also sought

guidance and clear

directions as to how

they can be part of

the GCC rail project

Bank Nizwa-OHB pact for housing finance Times News Service

MUSCAT: Bank Nizwa, the Sul-tanate’s first full-fledged Islamic bank, has entered into an agree-ment with Oman Housing Bank (OHB) to offer Sharia-compliant solutions to nationals applying for home financing.

Bank Nizwa will provide fi-nancing to buy, build or expand on an existing property worth up to OMR60,000 with a payment plan of up to 25 years.

Signed by Dr Jamil El Jaroudi, chief executive officer of Bank Nizwa and Adnan bin Haider Dar-wish, general manager of Oman Housing Bank, the collaboration is a direct response to the increasing demand from Omanis for Islamic-based products and services.

“We are delighted to announce

our alliance with Bank Nizwa as our latest partner. As an Islamic bank, Omanis will now have an alternative to the conventional financing solutions and a reli-able Sharia-compliant route to acquire personal properties. This will greatly enhance the ability

for Omanis to build their dream homes without having to wait for long periods of time,” said Adnan bin Haider Darwish.

Partnered with OHB“We understand how important it is for Omanis to own their home as it provides the security they need to build a comfortable fu-ture for them and their families. From this stand point, we have partnered with OHB to support families take their first steps to owning their properties and are confident that we will not only facilitate reduction in the number of applicants on the waiting lists for OHB’s housing financing, but will also give them more choices and transparent products and ser-vices,” noted Dr El Jaroudi.

Bank Nizwa team is on call at

all branches to field queries and educate customers on every op-tion available for the purchase or building of a property. Through the bank’s strategic branch net-work, customers from OHB will be able to follow-up on their fi-nancing applications and finalise their paperwork from the respec-tive wilayats rather than needing to come to Muscat for updates.

Bank Nizwa’s Property Finance has been designed based on the Sharia concept of Ijara, Mura-baha and forward Ijara whereby the bank purchases or constructs a property for lease or sale ac-cording to the customer’s request and plans. The suite of financing solutions available to customers includes financing of land, financ-ing ready property or those under construction.

A G R E E M E N T S I G N E D

Bank Sohar full year net profit surges 11%Times News Service

MUSCAT: Bank Sohar has achieved a OMR29.88 million net profit for 2014, an increase of 11.19 per cent from its OMR26.87 mil-lion in 2013.

According to the bank’s initial unaudited financial results for the period ended December 2014, the net profit of the bank’s conven-tional banking business totalled OMR30.22 million in 2014, com-pared to OMR27.52 million in 2013, showing a rise of 9.79 per cent.

The net loss of Bank Sohar’s Islamic banking was lower at OMR338,000 in 2014, against OMR650,000 for the previous year. The bank’s operating income

in 2014 stood at OMR70.32 million as against OMR59.21 million in 2013, an increase of 18.76 per cent.

Bank Sohar’s operating ex-penses were OMR31.33 million in 2014 against OMR27.47 million for the previous year. The report, which is subject to approval of the Board of Directors, also reg-istered the bank’s total assets in 2014 at OMR2.07 billion as against OMR1.88 billion in 2013, increas-ing by 10.06 per cent.

The amount of gross loans and advances showed an increase of 14.25 per cent in 2014, standing at OMR1.45 billion compared to OMR1.27 billion in 2013. Bank So-har’s net loans and advances stood at OMR1.42 billion.

P E R F O R M A N C E

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Bank Nizwa’s losses declineTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Bank Nizwa, Oman’s first dedicated Islamic bank, has recorded a substantial fall in losses at OMR7.7 million for 2014, compared to OMR12.3 million loss registered in the correspond-ing period in 2013.

In its preliminary unaudited financial results for the period ended December 2014, Bank Ni-zwa also reported a OMR7.25 million operating loss before pro-vision and tax in 2014 as against OMR13.56 million in 2013.

The bank’s operating income was at OMR7.52 million in 2014 as against OMR2.86 million in 2013, an increase of 163 per cent.

According to the financial re-port, pre-incorporation expenses stood at OMR749,000 in 2013 and pre-operating expenses amount-ed to OMR3.17 million in the same year. In 2014, operating expenses

were registered at OMR14.76 mil-lion compared to OMR12.5 mil-lion in 2013, showing an increase of 18 per cent.

Bank Nizwa registered an in-crease in its total assets by 29

per cent to OMR253.1million by end of December 2014 from OMR195.99 million for the same period of 2013.

The bank’s financing to cus-tomers also showed a 343 per cent growth at OMR137.34 million in 2014 from OMR31.02 million in 2013. Bank Nizwa’s customer de-posits in 2014 totaled OMR93.72 million compared to OMR28.06 million in 2013, indicating a 234 per cent increase.

The report, which is subject to approval of the board of directors and the Central Bank of Oman, also showed that the total share-holders’ equity decreased from OMR139.11 million in 2013 to OMR132.04 million in 2014.

C O R P O R A T E

Falling crude prices take toll on Sabic profit

RIYADH: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), the world’s biggest petrochemical maker by sales, reported a 29 per cent drop in fourth-quarter profit as lower oil prices reduced returns from its own products.

Net income dropped to 4.36 bil-lion riyals ($1.16 billion) from 6.16 billion riyals a year earlier, the Riyadh-based company known as Sabic said in a statement yester-day. The mean estimate of seven analysts was 5.39 billion riyals, according to data. Sales slipped 10 percent to 43.4 billion riyals.

“Fourth-quarter results are not a surprise for us, we have foreseen the effects of the drop in oil prices on our business,” chief executive officer Mohammed Al Mady said at a press conference in Riyadh.

Brent crude dropped 48 per cent last year as rising produc-tion from North America and the Organisation of Petroleum Ex-porting Countries (Opec) swelled supply. Saudi Arabia, which de-pends on crude sales for most of its government income, is seeking to expand output of petrochemi-cals and refined fuels to diversify its economy.

Low oil prices are not good for Sabic since falling revenue squeezes the company’s profit margin, Al Mady said at a confer-ence in Dubai on November 24.

Sabic uses natural gas, which it buys at a fixed price, as its main feedstock, he said.

The company’s operating profit fell 26 per cent to 7.56 billion, it said. Sabic appointed Yousef Al Benyan as chief financial of-ficer last month after Mutlaq Al Morished left to head National Industrialization Company.

Expansion plansSaudi Basic Industries Corpora-tion is likely to review planned expansion of the Saudi Iron and Steel Company (Hadeed), its met-als affiliate, following a decline in steel prices.

Sabic chief executive Mohamed Al Mady told reporters today that the low steel prices would give the company second thoughts about the expansion projects of Hadeed.

“(Steel) prices are going down...therefore any company would think twice before expansion,” Al Mady said when asked about two Hadeed projects for which feasi-bility studies are underway, one in Rabigh and one in Jubail. The two plants were envisaged to cost $4.26 billion. Al Mady said the outlook for 2015 was unpredict-able and contingent on oil prices.

He added that Sabic would stick to its strategic plan for growth up to 2025, with investments fo-cused on China, North America and Saudi Arabia. – Agencies

The world’s biggest

petrochemical maker

by sales reported a

29% drop in profit in

the fourth-quarter

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]

Fourth-quarter results are not a surprise for us, we have foreseen the effects of the drop in oil prices on our business

Mohammed Al MadyChief executive officer, Sabic

Oman Flour Mills net profit up by more than 12 per cent MUSCAT: Oman Flour Mills on Sunday said net profit of the group grew 12.6 per cent to OMR3.67 million for 2014, against OMR3.26 million posted for the previous year. The group’s total revenue stood higher at OMR38.12 million from OMR37.80 mil-lion, while net profit margin stood higher at 9.62 per cent by De-cember 2014, against 8.62 per cent for the same period of 2013, the company said in a statement posted on MSM website.

Oman United Insurance profit falls MUSCAT: Oman United Insurance, a leading insurance firm in the Sultanate, on Sunday said its net profit fell 28.9 per cent to OMR3.57 million for 2014 from OMR5.02 million posted in the previous year. The company said that its unrealised invest-ment losses were OMR1.10 million for 2014, against a profit of OMR1.39 million in the previous year, according to a disclosure statement on preliminary results posted by the company on MSM website. - Times News Service

B R I E F S

Ithraa to lead Omani

trade team to Tehran

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Ayman Abdullah Al Hasani, vice-president of Oman Chamber of Commerce and In-dustry, who is also the board member of Ithraa, will lead a two-day, 16-member trade delegation to Tehran on Tuesday.

The Omani delegation will conduct business meetings with Iranian counterparts as well as visit manufacturers in the Ira-nian capital. Trade discussions will focus on food processing, manufacturing, plastics, metals and chemicals.

Iran remains an attractive tar-get for Omani businesses, with highly favourable cross-sector opportunities. Home to a bur-geoning middle class, Iran has a long-standing appetite for qual-ity services and goods, offering Oman-based companies poten-tially rewarding commercial opportunities.

The fundamentals of the Ira-nian economy are as attractive as any emerging market. It has a

population of 78 million, similar to that of Turkey, and more than any of the emerging economies of Eastern Europe. Iran is ranked as the 27th largest economy in the world, similar in size to Ar-gentina and Taiwan and ahead of Austria or Thailand.

Non-oil exports“Ithraa plays a crucial role in promoting investment opportu-nities in Oman, expanding the Sultanate’s non-oil exports and courting the interest of foreign companies, particularly those in emerging economies. Indeed, we are confident strong leads could result from the sector focused B2B meetings we have planned with our Iranian colleagues,” Al Hasani said. “We’re producing quality goods that are in demand worldwide,” commented Ithraa’s director of Export Facilitation, Taleb Al Makhmari.

“Omani companies are in-creasingly seeking out further opportunities in emerging mar-kets,” he added.

B I L A T E R A L T R A D E

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MARKETChina’s new home prices slide for fourth month

BEIJING: China’s new home prices fell significantly in Decem-ber for a fourth straight month even as year-end sales volumes surged — a sombre omen for fourth-quarter 2014 economic growth data due later in the week.

Yesterday’s gloomy National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) data foreshadowed weak economic figures set for tomorrow, with ex-pansion expected to slow to 7.2 per cent, the weakest since the depths of the global financial crisis.

Falling property prices are likely to keep pressure on policy-makers to head off a sharper slow-down this year.

The expected slowdown in growth of the world’s second-largest economy, from 7.3 per cent

in the July-September quarter, means the full-year figure would undershoot the government’s 7.5 per cent target and mark the weakest expansion in 24 years.

GDP dataIf the GDP data proves worse than expected, some analysts say the People’s Bank of China could cut interest rates further or lower re-serve requirement ratios for all banks. A reserve ratio cut would give banks greater capacity to lend, but many market watchers question if they would be willing to increase their exposure as eco-nomic conditions deteriorate.

With real-estate investment ac-

counting for about 15 per cent of China’s GDP growth, a 9 per cent decline in new floor space under construction in the first 11 months of 2014 could take a heavy toll.

“We expect China’s GDP growth to slow further in 2015 to 6.8 per cent, as the ongoing prop-erty downturn leads to further weakness in construction and in-dustrial production, and related investment,” Tao Wang, China economist at UBS, wrote in a note.

China’s real estate market has been plagued by falling prices and high inventories in recent months, crimping demand in 40 economic sectors ranging from steel to ce-ment to furniture. The National

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed December’s new home prices fell an average 4.3 per cent year-on-year in 68 of the 70 major cities it monitors.

But in something of a policy success for Beijing, property sales volumes in December in 70 major cities hit the highest level seen in 2014, up nearly 9 per cent from November, according to data from the NBS.

Interest rate cutLiu Jianwei, senior statistician at the NBS, said recent policy concessions, including Novem-ber’s official interest rate cut and cheaper loans, had boosted home-buying interest as developers pushed year-end sales.

China Vanke, China’s top listed residential developer, reported a 129 per cent surge in sales in De-cember from a year earlier, while sales over the same period for mid-sized Country Garden leapt 167 per cent. But Wang Jun, senior economist at China Centre for In-ternational Economic Exchanges, a Beijing-based think tank, noted: “The oversupply fundamentals of China’s property market have not been changed even though sales improved. - Reuters

With real-estate

investment

accounting for 15%

of GDP growth, it’s

a sombre omen for

growth data of last

quarter expected

during the week

With 20 new models by 2016, Fiat Chrysler to boost spendingMILAN: Fiat Chrysler will boost spending in the next two years as the carmaker plans to sell 20 new models by 2016, including the Maserati Alfieri sportscar and two new Alfa Romeos.

The carmaker’s investments “increases to a peak in 2016 to support the heavy cadence of the new and refreshed product pro-gramme,” Fiat Chrysler Automo-biles (FCA) said in a presentation made to investors at Bank am Bel-levue seminar in Flims, Switzer-land, posted on its website.

Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne targets to boost sales by 60 per cent to 7 million cars in 2018 as the carmaker plans to invest €48 billion ($55.5 billion) to expand Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Jeep into nameplates that can attract customers from Bei-jing to Berlin to Boston. In doing so, Marchionne is seeking to forge an automaker that’s big enough to challenge General Motors and Volkswagen.

Marchionne is boosting spend-ing as FCA sees ‘positive industry outlook’ in every region next year, including an increase of Brazilian and European markets, according to the presentation. The carmak-

er expects industry deliveries of cars and light commercial vehi-cle in Europe, Middle East and Africa to increase to 21.7 million next year from 21.3 in 2014. Fiat sees an expansion of the EMEA market by 2.9 per cent a year to 2018, according to the presenta-tion. The outlook is also positive for North America and Asia.

5 million cars in 2015The carmaker, created last year by the merger of Fiat with its United States unit, plans to boost sales to over 5 million cars in 2015, Marchionne said. It’s add-

ing over 1,000 new workers at the Italian plant which builds the Jeep Renegade to meet demand for the small SUV.

Fiat Chrysler may return to profit in Europe by 2016 as it cut costs and sells new models, Mar-chionne said. The automaker, now based in London, moved its listing to the New York Stock Exchange from Milan. To sustain the invest-ment plan, Marchionne plans to raise about $5 billion in a strategy which includes the spinoff of its Ferrari supercar division and the sale of a 10 per cent stake in the unit next year. - Bloomberg News

A U T O M O T I V E

IMF lauds India for cutting fuel subsidyWASHINGTON: International Monetary Fund (IMF) had lauded India’s efforts to cut fuel subsidies, saying the fall in global crude oil prices provides a golden opportu-nity to reduce energy subsidies.

While speaking about the out-look for the global economy in 2015, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said that the drop in oil prices provides a golden opportu-nity to cut energy subsidies and use the savings for more targeted transfers to protect the poor.

“We have recently seen a suc-cessful decrease in fossil fuel sub-sidies in countries such as Cam-eroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Haiti,

India, Indonesia, and Malaysia,” she said. The government, in Oc-tober last year, deregulated diesel prices. Following the decision, re-tail prices of the fuel now reflects global movement in oil prices.

In 2013-14, government provid-ed Rs707.72 billion by way of cash subsidy towards subsidising fuels such as diesel, LPG and kerosene. Aided by global crude oil price plunge — the lowest since 2009 — government expects the oil subsi-dy bill to be dropped by 60 per cent in 2014-15.

Lagarde said India needs to fo-cus on removing bottlenecks in transportation. - PTI

E C O N O M Y

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]

REALITY BITES: China’s real estate market has been plagued by falling prices and high inventories, crimping demand in 40 eco-nomic sectors ranging from steel to furniture. – File photo

Is the sales boost CEO Sergio Marchionne is targetting, which

means 7m cars in 2018 as the carmaker plans to invest €48 billion

($55.5 billion) to expand Alfa Romeo, Maserati

and Jeep

60%

Supermarkets brace for battle

LONDON: : Four months into the job, Tesco boss Dave Lewis has wasted no time imposing a range of price cuts and customer service improvements designed to regain the initiative in a tough market. There are already signs customers are noticing.

Despite shocks Tesco suf-fered in the past year, famously prompting investor Warren Buffett to admit buying into the stock was a huge mistake, it re-mains clear leader in its home market, lending it the clout to squeeze its ‘big four. - Reuters

U N I T E D K I N G D O M

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MUSCATSECURITIES MARKET

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 18

REGULAR MARKET .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 612,976 .........104,008..................... 49 ............0.166 ........... 0.173 ...........0.163 ........... 0.170 ............. 0.158.............0.012 ............. 7.595 ................0.173 .............. 0.173...................0.000 ..................14,708,400 .........0.100

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 985,370 ......... 139,324..................... 59 ............0.140 ........... 0.144 ...........0.140 ............0.141 ............. 0.133............ 0.008 ............. 6.015 ................0.140 ..............0.140...................0.142 ...................38,776,864 .........0.100

OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 6,738,265 ....1,555,731...................443 ........... 0.222 ........... 0.236 ...........0.222 ...........0.231 ............. 0.218.............0.013 ............. 5.963 ................0.235 ..............0.235...................0.236...................30,145,500 .........0.100

OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,317,789 .......805,667...................108 ........... 0.590 ...........0.620 ...........0.590............0.612 .............0.578 ........... 0.034 ............. 5.882 ................0.604..............0.600...................0.604 ............... 1,335,805,171 ......0.100

OM0000001483 ............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 620,008 ..........217,095..................... 77 ........... 0.340 ........... 0.356 ...........0.340 .......... 0.350 .............0.334 ............0.016 ............. 4.790 ................0.350 ..............0.350...................0.356..................426,589,625........0.100

OM0000001822 ............UNITED POWER ............................................................. 1,982 ...............3,278........................3 ............1.625 ........... 1.660 ...........1.625 ............1.655 ............. 1.580.............0.075 ............. 4.747 ................1.660 .............. 1.650...................1.700 .................... 3,310,000 ..........1.000

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................14,600 ...............8,435......................11 ........... 0.580 ........... 0.580 ...........0.566 ........... 0.578 .............0.552 ........... 0.026 ............. 4.710 ................0.566 ..............0.564...................0.566...................26,334,497 .........0.100

OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 330,000 ..........107,555..................... 20 ............0.316 ........... 0.330 ...........0.316 ........... 0.326 ............. 0.316.............0.010 ............. 3.165 ................0.330.............. 0.318...................0.330 ..................10,944,293 .........0.100

OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE .............. 1,751,168 .......421,963................... 125 ........... 0.234 ........... 0.247 ...........0.230........... 0.241 .............0.234 ........... 0.007 ............. 2.991 ................0.241 ............. 0.242...................0.244 ................. 48,200,000 ........0.100

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 619,000 ......... 149,027..................... 36 ........... 0.242 ...........0.242 ...........0.238........... 0.241 .............0.238 ........... 0.003 ............. 1.261.................0.238 ..............0.235...................0.238..................275,704,000 .......0.100

OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 486,690 .........247,228..................... 59 ........... 0.500 ........... 0.512 ...........0.500........... 0.508 .............0.502 ........... 0.006 ..............1.195.................0.510 .............. 0.510...................0.512 ..................143,303,983 ........0.100

OM0000002614 ............ONIC. HOLDING .......................................................... 190,597.............73,371..................... 49 ........... 0.380 ........... 0.386 ...........0.380........... 0.384 .............0.382 ........... 0.002 ............. 0.524 ................0.386 ..............0.384...................0.386...................66,594,528 .........0.100

OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................29,609 .............51,950......................19 ............1.770 ........... 1.770............ 1.750 ............1.755 ............. 1.750 ............ 0.005 ............. 0.286 ................1.760 .............. 1.760................... 1.765 ................ 1,316,250,000 ......0.100

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION .........................21,200 ............... 7,547........................5 ........... 0.356 ........... 0.356 ...........0.356 ........... 0.356 .............0.356 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.356 ..............0.354...................0.356...................33,834,240.........0.100

OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ............................................ 13,700 ...............2,466........................ 1 ............0.180 ........... 0.180 ...........0.180 ........... 0.180 ............. 0.180 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.180 .............. 0.175...................0.190 ...................13,860,000 .........0.100

OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ............................................................. 400 .................. 720........................ 1 ............1.800 ........... 1.800 ...........1.800 ............1.700 ............. 1.700 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.800 .............. 1.700...................1.800 ................. 340,000,000 .......0.100

OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING ........... 6,437,278 ...... 886,714...................290 ............0.140 ........... 0.141............0.133 ............0.138 ............. 0.138............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.134 .............. 0.133...................0.134 ................... 16,818,750 .........0.100

OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ........................................ 1,500 ...............3,008........................ 1 ........... 2.005 ...........2.005 ...........2.005........... 2.005 .............2.005 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................2.005..............1.980...................2.005 .................179,848,500 ........0.100

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 218,889 ......... 114,063..................... 22 ........... 0.522 ........... 0.522 ...........0.518 ........... 0.522 .............0.522 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.518 .............. 0.510...................0.516 .................. 172,715,555 ........0.100

OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 166,680 ............54,715..................... 28 ........... 0.328 ........... 0.330 ...........0.328........... 0.328 .............0.328 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.328..............0.324...................0.328 ..................40,966,531 .........0.100

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................77,000 .............18,480........................4 ........... 0.240 ...........0.240 ...........0.240 .......... 0.240 .............0.240 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.240 .............0.236...................0.240 .................310,916,977 ........0.100

OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ..................................... 1,000 .............. 2,000........................2 ........... 2.000 ...........2.000 ...........2.000 .......... 2.000 .............2.000 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................2.000 ............ 0.000...................0.000 ................ 190,000,000 .......0.100

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 555,070 ......... 105,473......................41 ............0.190 ........... 0.191 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ............. 0.190 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.190 ..............0.190................... 0.191 ................... 50,087,565 .........0.100

OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ................................................... 230,521 ........... 89,880..................... 30 ........... 0.390 ...........0.394 ...........0.382........... 0.390 .............0.390 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.388 ..............0.384...................0.388...................23,595,000 .........0.100

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 373,300 .........249,404..................... 34 ........... 0.668 ........... 0.672 ...........0.664........... 0.668 .............0.668 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.668 ..............0.668...................0.672..................434,830,746........0.100

OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 250,000 ........... 36,505......................16 ............0.147 ........... 0.147 ...........0.145 ........... 0.146 ............. 0.147............-0.001 ........... -0.680 ...............0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.146 ..................292,045,667 .......0.100

OM0000001962 ............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .................................... 45,000 ...............3,300........................5 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.074 ...........0.073 ........... 0.073 .............0.074 ...........-0.001 ............-1.351 ................0.073 ..............0.072...................0.074................... 15,122,051 .........0.100

OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 121,200 ............ 23,131......................21 ............0.192 ........... 0.193 ...........0.188 ............0.191 ............. 0.194 ...........-0.003 ........... -1.546................0.188 .............. 0.188................... 0.191 .................... 4,011,000 ..........0.100

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 637,654...........214,173..................... 88 ........... 0.340 ...........0.346 ...........0.332........... 0.336 .............0.342 ...........-0.006 ............-1.754 ................0.346..............0.346...................0.348 ..................20,564,636 .........0.100

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 4,140,330 ...... 647,247...................224 ............0.155 ........... 0.158 ...........0.154 ............0.156 ............. 0.160 ...........-0.004 ........... -2.500 ...............0.157 .............. 0.156...................0.157 .................... 9,179,542 ..........0.100

OM0000001087 ............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 1,308,840 ...... 391,895..................... 82 ........... 0.306 ...........0.306 ...........0.296........... 0.299 .............0.308 ...........-0.009 ........... -2.922 ...............0.297..............0.299...................0.300 ..................29,900,000 ........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 28,297,616 . 6,735,355................1,953 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...... 31........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................ 18,938 ...............2,746........................4 ............0.145 ........... 0.145 ...........0.145 ............0.145 ............. 0.132.............0.013 ............. 9.848 ................0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.000 ...................4,350,000 ..........0.100

OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL ............................................. 235,030 ............21,744..................... 32 ........... 0.093 ........... 0.093 ...........0.091 ........... 0.093 ............. 0.091............ 0.002 ............. 2.198 ................0.093 ..............0.093...................0.094 ..................16,275,000 .........0.100

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 308,907 ........... 32,922..................... 34 ............0.105 ........... 0.108 ...........0.105 ........... 0.107 ............. 0.105............ 0.002 ............. 1.905 ................0.108 ..............0.108................... 0.110 .................... 8,047,256 ..........0.100

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 490,932 .........279,984................... 101 ........... 0.562 ........... 0.576 ...........0.562........... 0.570 .............0.560 ............0.010 ............. 1.786.................0.570 ..............0.570...................0.574 ...................28,500,000 ........0.100

OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH ................................................72,253 ...........163,152..................... 22 ........... 2.250 ...........2.270 ...........2.250........... 2.260 .............2.225 ............0.035 ............. 1.573 ................2.270..............2.270...................2.285 ................. 215,733,261 ........1.000

OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER ................................................ 1,368,498 ......239,383..................... 35 ............0.175 ........... 0.176 ...........0.173 ............0.175 ............. 0.173 ............ 0.002 ..............1.156.................0.175 .............. 0.175................... 0.176 ..................118,105,300 ........0.100

OM0000001053 ............OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING ...........................................100 .....................28........................ 1 ........... 0.280 ...........0.280 ...........0.280 .......... 0.273 .............0.273 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.280............. 0.260...................0.280 ................... 1,638,000 ..........1.000

OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA .................................................................. 88,136 ...............7,207......................12 ........... 0.082 ........... 0.083 ...........0.081 ........... 0.082 .............0.082 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.083 ..............0.082...................0.083..................123,000,000 .......0.100

OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK..................................................4,000 .................. 368........................ 1 ........... 0.092 ........... 0.092 ...........0.092........... 0.092 .............0.092 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.092..............0.092...................0.095.................. 92,000,000 ........0.100

OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ............................ 288,000 ...........28,224........................7 ........... 0.098 ........... 0.098 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.098 ..............0.098...................0.102 ....................9,800,000 ..........0.100

OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 301,544 ........... 52,607..................... 22 ............0.174 ........... 0.176 ...........0.174 ............0.174 ............. 0.174 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.175 .............. 0.175................... 0.176 ..................124,306,703 ........0.100

OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ..................................... 600 ...............1,920........................ 1 ........... 3.200 ...........3.200 ...........3.200 .......... 3.200 .............3.220 ...........-0.020 ........... -0.621................3.200..............3.000...................3.200 .................. 31,296,691 .........1.000

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................82,100 ...............5,609......................14 ........... 0.069 ........... 0.069 ...........0.068........... 0.068 .............0.069 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.449 ...............0.068 ..............0.067...................0.068....................8,500,000 ..........0.100

OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 189,555 ...............7,203........................4 ........... 0.038 ........... 0.038 ...........0.038........... 0.038 .............0.039 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.564 ...............0.038 ..............0.038...................0.039....................3,230,000 ..........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,448,593 ......843,096...................290 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......14........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ........................................................................................................................................................................................OM0000004487 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES BONDS3.75 ................ 3,925 .................. 455........................ 1 ............0.116 ........... 0.116 ............ 0.116 ............0.115 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................ 0.116 .............. 0.112................... 0.118 ...................48,661,293 .........0.100

OM0000004594 ...........AL OMANIYA FIN. SER. BONDS 5 ..................................30 ....................... 3........................ 1 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.103 ........... 0.103 ............. 0.103............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.103 ............. 0.000...................0.000 ................... 1,040,752 ..........0.100

OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ...........................1,574 ...................165........................3 ............0.105 ........... 0.105 ...........0.105 ........... 0.106 ............. 0.106 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.105 .............. 0.105...................0.000 ..................32,091,406 .........0.100

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 .................................................. 95 .....................10........................ 1 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.101 ............0.101 ............. 0.101 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.101 ............. 0.000................... 0.101 .................... 7,221,500 ..........0.100

OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ............................................. 2,603 .................. 276........................3 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106 ........... 0.106 ............. 0.106 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.106 ..............0.106................... 0.113 ...................33,882,124 .........0.100

OM0000004982 ...........AL OMANIYA FIN. CONV. BONDS 5 ..............................49 ....................... 5........................ 1 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100 ........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.100 ............. 0.000...................0.000 ................... 1,674,802 ..........0.100

.............................................SUM: ...................................................................................... 8,276 ...................914..................... 10 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 6........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

O M A N S T O C K S

INDICESIndex .................................................High .................Low ..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff %MSM30 Index ........................................ 6,591.31 ............... 6,517.95 ....................6,591.13 ................... 6,518.82 ..................72.31 ....................1.11Financial Index .....................................8,109.85 ...............7,990.68 ................... 8,105.33 ....................7,997.72 ................ 107.61 ................... 1.35Industrial Index ....................................8,543.73 ...............8,535.62 ................... 8,539.60 ................... 8,537.67 .................... 1.93 ...................0.02Services Index ...........................................577.51 ...............3,558.27 .................... 3,577.51 ...................3,558.42 ..................19.09 ................... 0.54MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 977.38 ..................976.56 ....................... 977.17 ...................... 976.86 .................... 0.31 ................... 0.03

Trading SummaryVolume ................ Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up ............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded31,754,485 ...................7,579,365 ................. 2,253 ............... 14,861,487,530 ................ 19 ........................9 .................... 23 .........................51

MSM index gainsMUSCAT: MSM 30 Index con-tinued its strong run and closed at 6,591.13 points, up by 1.11 per cent. MSM Shariah index closed flat at 977.17 points, up by 0.03 per cent.

Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. DBIH, up by 9.85 per cent, was the top gainer, while Oman United Insurance, down by 2.92 per cent, lost the most.

Altogether 2,253 trades were ex-ecuted in the day’s session gener-ating turnover of OMR7.5 million with more than 31.7 million shares changing hands. Out of 51 traded stocks, 19 advanced, 9 declined and 23 remained unchanged. For-eign investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR243,000 worth

of shares, while GCC and Arab in-vestors, who were net sellers, sold shares amounting to OMR132,000 followed by Omani investors at OMR111,000.

Financial Index began the week on a positive note to advance 1.35 per cent and end the day at 8,105.33 points. DBIH, Al Sharqia Investments, United Finance, Al Anwar Holding and Bank Muscat increased by 9.85 per cent, 7.59 per cent, 6.02 per cent, 5.96 per cent and 5.88 per cent respectively. Oman United Insurance, Gulf In-vestment Services, Al Madina In-vestments and HSBC Bank Oman decreased by 2.92 per cent, 2.50 per cent, 1.35 per cent and 0.68 per cent respectively. - United Securities

O M A N B O U R S E

Looking to ECB to move the dialLONDON: After a head-spinning bout of volatility, next week will be dominated by one question: Will the European Central Bank (ECB) take the ultimate policy leap or pull its punches?

The ECB could launch a government bond-buying pro-gramme with new money as soon as its Jan. 22 meeting, although Greek elections three days later are a complication. With markets in an unusually febrile state — oil

and copper have plunged while the Swiss franc rocketed after Switzerland abandoned its cur-rency cap — it’s a fair bet that if the ECB holds back, there will be an extreme reaction.

The eurozone’s central bank would have no problem justifying action. It is mandated to deliver price stability and inflation close to 2 per cent whereas this has just turned negative and is likely to fall further given the precipi-

tous oil price drop. The ECB won crucial backing last week for its pledge to do whatever it takes to support the euro when a top Eu-ropean Union court official said there was no legal impediment to buying government bonds to bolster a listless eurozone econ-omy. But politics and German concerns about risk-sharing will trump the law.

Sources said the ECB may adopt a hybrid approach. - Reuters

E U R O Z O N E

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

E- IMESTECH STUFFTECH STUFF

BFIXING BOT ON YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTERIf your PC is showing symptoms of having a ‘bot,’ you should scan it with a reputable security programme and remove any malware found. Malware bytes Anti-Malware and Panda Free Antivirus are among the free options around if you do not have a more full-featured paid programme in mind. Malicious software can hijack a computer’s processing power and Internet connection. It does so to send spam, perform remote attacks and it can tax a system’s resources.

M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

A P P S M A R T

GREGORY SCHMIDT

FOUND yourself with a new tablet, smartphone or flat-screen TV as a holiday gift?

These handy products and services will help you get the most out of your new electronic device.

SanDisk iXpand flash drive

The iXpand Flash Drive from SanDisk was created for a world obsessed with selfies. Photos and videos can hog memory on smartphones and tablets, and the iXpand offers a convenient way to free up space. Available with stor-age of 16, 32 or 64GB of memory, the flash drive can automatically sync photos and videos when it is plugged into an iOS device. The

files can be stored on the drive or transferred to a PC or Mac. And movies and music stored on the drive can be played through a downloadable iXpand Synch app.

Philips Fidelio B5As TVs get thinner, they have less room for a high-quality audio sys-tem. One way to improve things is with an external soundbar. In 2013, Philips introduced the stylish Fidelio HTL7180 soundbar, which also had a wireless subwoofer and detachable rear speakers, creating an easy surround-sound experi-ence. Now, Philips has announced the Fidelio B5, which has the same design but was upgraded internally to improve the sound and add Bluetooth capability to the detach-able speakers. The B5, which

will be available this spring, also features an integrated calibration algorithm that balances the sound no matter where the speakers are placed.

REI outdoor schoolSometimes, operating a new gadg-et can be daunting. The experts at the recreational retailer REI want to help. The national chain offers in-store classes that will help you learn to use popular outdoor and fitness gadgets like the GoPro cam-era, the Garmin Forerunner, the Mio Fuse and the Fitbit Flex. The free classes are intended for begin-ners, whether just starting out or getting back on track. Offerings for more advanced athletes, like 10K competitors and long-distance hikers, are available for a fee.

SteelSeries Stratus XLAs gaming moves from consoles to mobile devices, tech companies are stepping in to help smooth the transition. SteelSeries re-cently introduced a wireless game controller, the Stratus XL, that is compatible with iOS devices and is supported by hundreds of popular apps, including FIFA 15 Ultimate Team, Minecraft, Angry Birds Go and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The Stratus XL is larger and less expensive than

its predecessor and more closely resembles the look and feel of an actual console controller. It con-nects to an Apple smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and provides 40 hours of gameplay when fully charged.

Mophie Powerstation PlusMophie products are typically more expensive than those of their competitors, but they also have a longer life span and a better design. Mophie’s latest portable battery, the Powerstation Plus, is no exception. Resembling a sleek busi-ness card case, the Powerstation Plus has an aluminum casing with an anodised satin finish and hinged plate that hides an integrated charging cable inside (either Lightning or micro USB, but not both, so make sure you get the one that is compatible with your smartphone). Mophie says the Powerstation Plus will fully recharge a phone up to two times; for those who want more power, three larger sizes are available.

Ventev ChargesyncFor devices used at home, cables and docks are crucial, but they tend to crack and fray over time. Ventev has a solution with a line of sturdy accessories that include the Chargedock 2000, a combination desktop stand and portable bat-tery, and Chargesync, a selection of durable, tangle-free cables with micro-USB, 30-pin or Lightning connections. The Chargesync ca-bles come in eight bright colours, which means that you’ll never

accidentally leave one behind. For those seeking versatility, the Chargesync 2-in-1 cable offers connectors for both micro-USB and Lightning charging. — The New York Times News Service

Various ways of enhancing a new electronic device

Tools for tracking data use to avoid hefty phone fees

KIT EATON

The smartphone in your pocket gives you the power to chat, text, take selfies and do a million other things.

But it also burns through your data plan with your wireless carrier fast-er than you think.

And who likes to pay that extra fee when you go over your limit?

There are, of course, built-in systems on your phone to help you track your mobile data use. But many apps can be even more useful in keeping you on the right side of your monthly data limit.

DataMan Next, an iOS app, is an elegant way of monitoring your iP-hone’s data-slurping habit. Its mod-ern design presents information clearly and swiftly. To begin, you enter basic information like your monthly data allowance and when your bill is due.

The app’s main screen is very simple: In the middle is a big fig-ure showing the percentage of your monthly allowance used, and at the top is a large text alert. When this

alert says “safe,” accompanied by a check mark, you’re in the clear. This means the app has estimated that, at your current data consumption rate, you’ll not go over your limit.

There’s also a tally of how much total data you’ve used and how much you’ve downloaded over Wi-Fi. Best of all, the app’s backdrop changes color to warn you when you’re using too much; green for good becomes red for bad.

Tweaking settingsYou can tweak several settings in DataMan, including the colour scheme. I love its minimal design, but some users have reported that the app occasionally seems to lose track a little of how much data has been used. It costs $2.

An alternative is My Data Man-ager, which is free for both iOS and Android phones. It has some of the same modern, minimalist design ideas as DataMan. But its reports have more detail, which may suit users keen on knowing exactly how they’re using their phone. The app’s main screen has clear graphics and text to tell you how much of your

monthly data has been used. A few other screens, accessible with a swipe, show your data consumption habits more visually, with graphs.

There’s also a map so you can see where you tend to use mobile data more frequently. In some places, you may think you’re connected to Wi-Fi networks but, in fact, you’re not.

In the Android version, My Data Manager advises you about which apps are using more data. This in-formation may help you adjust your phone use habits - such as checking Facebook a little less frequently.

Setting an alarmMy Data Manager also has nice fea-tures, such as one for setting an alarm to let you know when you’ve reached your daily budget or a target, like 90 percent of the month’s allowance. It also lets you track data use on shared or family plans so you can tell who’s been using the most data.

Onavo Count is also popular, and it is available for both iOS and An-droid phones. It’s also modern in de-sign, with clear displays so it’s easy to understand how much of your data allowance you’re using and how you’re using it.

It works in much the same way as its rivals, although it has a few unu-sual features like a report on your “data life,” which shows you if you’re spending more of your data budget on categories like music or movies. This information may prompt you to think about how you use apps like Spotify to stream music on the go. The app also lets you see how your data habits com-pare to other users’ averages.

The free Android app Data Us-

age is another good option. Its complexity is similar to that of My Data Manager, and it offers some of the same features, such as tracking shared accounts. But its design is a little more traditional, relying on plain text and simple visualizations to keep you advised on your mobile data consumption.

Data usageData Usage can be customised to suit your particular needs, and this may appeal to people who want to know how much data they use on a daily basis. A few words of caution: This app hasn’t been updated in a while on Android, which could af-fect how it runs on your particular phone. It costs $1 for iPhones.

Individual cellphone networks often also have apps available to help you manage how much mo-bile data you use, so don’t forget to search the app stores for apps with the name of your carrier.

I’ve been stung with high mobile data bills. Perhaps these apps can help you avoid the same problem.

Quick CallThe team behind the popular note-making app Evernote has just re-leased a new app for iOS devices that turns your phone into an intel-ligent, on-the-go document scan-ner. The free Scannable app au-tomatically rotates and enhances the quality of documents you snap with your phone’s camera and can even recognize and extract contact details from business cards. It is simple, elegant and potentially quite useful. — The New York Times News Service

There are built-in systems on your phone to

help you track your mobile data use. But many

apps can be even more useful in keeping you

on the right side of your monthly data limit

B6 M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

ROUND-UP

RECRUIT

Lean management can lead to efficient, effective healthcare delivery: Willats

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Applying lean prac-tices in healthcare sector can lead to efficient and effective delivery of medical services, giving better patient outcomes and lower cost with improved working condi-tions for healthcare professionals.

This was stated by Peter Wil-lats, leading proponent of lean practices, in an exclusive inter-view to Times of Oman.

Willats has been a profoundly influential figure in the progres-sion of Lean practice around the world. Previously board director of GKN Automotive and GKN Japan, Willats co-founded the Kaizen Institute of Europe, the operations consultancy that pioneered the introduction of lean techniques to Europe in the 1990s. Willats has been responsible over the past 20 years for bringing lean to many leading western industrial compa-nies, new geographies and now to a new sector-healthcare.

Peter Willats has a special pas-sion for introducing lean thinking

in healthcare and has worked with leading hospitals in the UK and US to help them improve ef-ficiencies, avoid wastage through application of lean management techniques. He was last in Oman in 2012 to run a very successful seminar on ‘Lean in Manufactur-ing’. He will be back in Oman, this time for a seminar ‘Lean in Healthcare’ on February 17, exclu-sively for healthcare profession-als in Oman. Times of Oman are the media partner for this event organised by Adinc DDB.

In the interview Peter Willats talked about the challenges of the healthcare sector in general and the forthcoming seminar.

Welcome back to Oman in ad-vance. This time for a seminar exclusively dedicated to the application of lean practices in healthcare? Why healthcare in particular?Healthcare is in crisis. A crisis brought about by success. 20th Century medicine has extended our life expectancy and we are dying older and more slowly than in the past. The mixture of hygiene, clean water and antibiot-ics means that we are living long enough to fall victim to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Modern techniques are turning these diseases from acute, terminal incidents into chronic condi-tions. So demand for healthcare is outstripping our ability to supply it, the costs of treatments are rising and the ratio of working age population to the elderly is falling, thus reducing our ability to fund it. These trends will continue but are clearly unsustainable.

Lean management offers a hope of increasing the efficiency and ef-fectiveness of healthcare delivery, giving better patient outcomes

and lower cost with improved working conditions for healthcare professionals.

Lean is so strongly associated with elimination of waste in manufacturing. Are the princi-ples essentially the same?Manufacturing was the domain where lean first emerged and where the principles and methods were developed. Waste, variability and inflexibility, however, are the enemies of all types of operations. The principles remain broadly the same:

patient. This is not easy in health-care where the scarcest resource is the physician and everything is traditionally organised around them.

quickly from one stage of their diagnosis/treatment to the next by eliminating batches (ward rounds), overloading (60% of elec-tive admissions on the first day of the week); striving to do things

right first time (avoid surgical site infections, ensure information/results are available for diagnostic consultations)

that staff can spend time to care directly with the patient.

increase the capacity of critical resources, both physical (OR, Imaging) and human and reduce queues caused by variance.

The methods relevant to healthcare have been developed over the past 10 years and take into account that we are dealing with humans and not with metal or plastic!

Do tell us about the work done by you in the implementation of lean at hospitals, and the outcomes.Over the past decade, I have stud-ied and worked extensively in this area; in the management of existing tertiary hospitals, the design and operation of advanced oncology centres and in the lean construc-tion of healthcare facilities.

For five years I was a member of the Transformation Board at the leading children’s hospital in London. In particular, I worked with the cardio-thoracic surgical group to reduce cancellations and improve the throughput of the unit without increasing nominal capacity. I am a director of the largest, private oncology pro-vider in the UK. We have designed and built eight integrated units, which provide advanced cancer care outside of the big hospital environment, thereby improving the quality of life and outcomes for patients.

I helped a charity in Eastern Europe to design a hospital facility to increase the usage of one of their critical and expensive pieces

of equipment. I am currently retained by the National Health Service in England to work with the leaders of the Emergency Departments of 12 hospitals to reduce the waiting/treatment times for patients during the winter peak of demand by using elements of lean management and operations research. I am working with a very large hospital project (over 100,000 visitors per day) to include lean design in the facility and to use best practice from Cali-fornia for the lean construction of the buildings and facilities.

Oman has only a dozen private hospitals. The rest government hospitals provide primary as well as specialised care to Omani citizens free of cost. The queues and waiting times for specialists or book-ing a bed is very long. So, in a situation where the demand is far more than supply, how will application of lean help ease pressures and enhance performance?This situation is quite generally the case and not specific to Oman. Some of the solutions we apply include:

over the day/week/month/year (i.e. flexibility)

streams based acuity, expected length of stay and predictability of outcome.

-nating waste and variance form the work of key staff.

reduce the number of handoffs, thereby reducing the queues and potential for error.

What are the specific areas that you believe wastage of

precious resources really hap-pen? Can these be controlled?The list is sadly rather long. Here are some examples:

-ties despite waiting lists

-ing results or awaiting discharge

-ity access to resources for their patient (ITU, MRI, Admission)

-vance the patient’s treatment due to missing information

used due to rescheduling of procedures

Let us also include those improvements that directly affect patient safety, such as medication reconciliation errors, prescription errors, reduced waiting times, reduced length of stay.

Who will benefit most from at-tending your seminar? Hospi-tal administrators or medical practitioners too?During the seminar, we will deal with how to design a health-care service from the patient’s perspective, how to ensure best use of resources, how to design and construct a healthcare facility using lean principles to reduce cost and improve outcomes and how to improve the quality and satisfaction of the working lives of healthcare professionals.

As such, investors, administra-tors, policy makers, insurers and healthcare professionals would benefit from attending.

More information regard-ing participation in the ‘Lean in healthcare’ seminar, can be had from Radha Mukherji (99365270) or Sami Dalwai (99357834).

In an exclusive

interview to Times of Oman Peter Willats

talked about the

challenges of the

healthcare sector

in general and the

forthcoming seminar

QUOTES

You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. — Christopher Columbus

If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint”, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.— Vincent Van Gogh

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

Eighty percent of success is showing up. — Woody Allen

Five video resume branding tips for job-seekersONE way to reveal your personal-ity is by creating a video resume to enhance your personal brand. It’s a great way to stand out to employ-ers and give your audience a feel of your real-life presence.

Before you create your video re-sume, check out these five video resume personal branding tips:

1. Have a plan. Before you even touch a camera, you should ask

yourself — who is the audience for this message? What do they want to know about me? How can I tell them my story in a compelling way? You should pull together the most important elements of your person-al brand to create a clear and com-plete story of your professional life.

2. Script it out. Your thoughts will flow much more smoothly if you’ve practiced them beforehand,

so be sure to write out what you’re going to say before you start film-ing. This process will help you ac-complish a conversational tone and eliminate any distracting “um’s” or other conversation fillers that can indicate nervousness.

3. Keep it compelling. Re-member, a resume is a marketing tool, so your video doesn’t have to entail you reciting a boring list of

your professional history. Make it exciting, and add elements of your personality. As long as you don’t choose content that’s too over-whelming or distracts from your key message, you can use your vid-eo resume as an opportunity to let your individual personality traits and creativity shine.

4. Pay attention to visuals. Your video resume is an important

tool to demonstrate your personal-ity, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about visual elements like clothing, lighting, and background. Film in an uncluttered part of your home or office, and experiment with lighting to ensure you’re not shrouded in shadow or washed out. Dress professionally — and not just from the waist up — and avoid any patterns or colours that

will look distracting on camera.5. Spread it around. It’s not

enough to just create a video re-sume — you’ve got to promote it, too. Direct employers to the link to your resume during the hiring pro-cess. Include the link in your email signature, on your paper resume, in your cover letter, on your online portfolio or personal website. — Josh

Tolan/www.quintcareers.com

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NBO celebrates 2014 milestones

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) recently hosted an all-staff gathering to celebrate the bank’s 2014 milestones and share its aspirations for 2015. The event was attended by NBO Chairman Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi.

The staff gathering was inau-gurated with a keynote speech by NBO Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Al Musalmi, who high-lighted the main developments that National Bank of Oman had witnessed in the past year, espe-cially following the launch of its new internal transformation pro-gramme ‘Together We Can’, says a press release.

“The past year has been a re-markable year for the National Bank of Oman, with the launch of our new internal transformation program ‘Together We Can’ and the unveiling of our strategic plans to build on our vision: ‘To be the bank of choice’,” said Al Musalmi

“As a bank committed to deliv-ering a superior customer expe-rience which also enhances our shareholders’ value, I encourage each and every one of you to adopt the team spirit, as we walk hand-in-hand towards achieving Na-tional Bank of Oman’s ambitious growth plans in 2015 and beyond, with the confidence that anything is possible,” he added.

Al Musalmi also hailed NBO’s commitment to proactively engage with customers and employees via interactive forums, supported by the launch of the bank’s social media sites on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. In addi-tion the bank has launched various services that will support its objec-tive of achieving digital leadership.

He also emphasised the impor-tance of employee engagement, which is critical to the success of National Bank of Oman’s trans-formational strategy, adding that such initiatives will foster greater collaboration among staff for the long-term benefit of the bank.

Following Al Musalmi’s speech, various Business Heads at the Na-tional Bank of Oman showcased the main developments achieved within their respective operations in 2014, as well as their aspirations for 2015.

The event also saw the par-ticipation of Saphia Al Bahlani, an Omani motivational speaker, who provided enthralled attend-ees with an inspirational address, while two Omani poets — who are also National Bank of Oman staff — recited the bank’s achievements and journey in a poem.

The event was concluded with National Bank of Oman staff mem-bers engaging in raffles and prize draws for a chance to win an array of valuable and exciting gifts.

Al Musalmi was named Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Oman in May 2014, following a promotion from his previous role as Deputy Chief Executive Of-ficer. Since his appointment, Al Musalmi has worked closely with the senior management team to develop innovative plans to build on the success of NBO’s transfor-mational strategies.

National Bank

of Oman’s CEO

celebrates successes

and announces bank’s

2015 aspirations

at an inclusive

staff gatheringMeethaq promotes savings habit among children at Muscat FestivalMUSCAT: Meethaq, the pio-neer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, has enlivened Muscat Festival with its Baraem Village to promote savings habit among children.

Baraem, the children’s savings account by Meethaq, has lined up fun activities and competi-tions in Al Amerat Park evoking strong response from children visiting Muscat Festival. Baraem is the first Shari’a based children’s savings account in Oman, says a press release.

The Baraem Village activities are aimed at providing a learning experience for children on the ba-sics of financial management, in-cluding earning, budgeting, char-ity, savings and spending. The special savings account is aimed at encouraging the savings cul-ture among children and helping parents to prepare for the future of children.

Baraem serves as a foundation for guiding children on prudent financial management in general and familiarising them with Is-lamic banking principles through the attractive savings product. Baraem offers unique privileges and facilities to children.

Baraem savings account tar-geted at children below 12 years

can be opened by their parents. Baraem encourages children to save pocket money and cash gifts and utilise the same for gainful purposes such as buying books as well as disciplined spending for food and entertainment.

Baraem fulfils the desire of children to have their own bank accounts like their parents, en-couraging them to make savings a regular habit. On signing up, chil-dren receive a special welcome kit comprising Baraem Recogni-tion Card which entitles them to discounts at favourite outlets and book stores. An interesting story book and educational aids which spark creativity are also present-ed to account holders.

Proportionate to savings made by children in Baraem account, Meethaq also deposits additional amount in their account.

The Baraem savings thus con-tinue to grow. More the saving, more the additional deposit from Meethaq. Notably, no transaction charges are deducted from the Baraem account.

Baraem is committed to a se-cure future for account hold-ers. In the event of the unfortu-nate demise of parent who has signed up as joint account holder, the child will be entitled to a

monthly allowance of OMR200. Meethaq has created a micro

site for Baraem where children can log on to learn more about their account in a friendly envi-ronment and also play education-al games.

Aimed at motivating children, a friendly mascot named Barum is associated with the children’s ac-count to engage them in a world of fun and learning.

Barum, the banking friend of children, is present at Muscat Festival to interact with children and guide them on savings. Barum also keeps company with children at homes in the form of attractive coin boxes.

Bank Muscat has extended lead support to Muscat Festival, the Sultanate’s annual tourism and cultural celebration presently under way in Al Amerat Park and Naseem Garden. Bank Muscat presence prominently adorns the festival venues providing the required assistance for visitors. During the 31-day festival, which runs till February 14, Bank Mus-cat services, including ATMs, are available beyond the normal of-fice hours, serving as a boon to the large crowds, including foreign tourists, who visit Muscat Festi-val every year.

B A R A E M V I L L A G E

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SIX-STAR STARC SHINES AS ROHIT’S TON IN VAINPaceman Mitchell Starc took 6-43 to help Australia to a four-wicket victory over India on Sunday, their second in succession in the One-day international tri-series, despite a brilliant Rohit Sharma century. >C3

De Villiers shatters record, Windies

JOHANNESBURG: AB de Vil-liers hit the fastest century in One-Day International history as South Africa overwhelmed the West Indies in the second One-day International at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

De Villiers raced to his century off 31 balls — five balls fewer than the previous record — on the way to an astonishing 149 off 44 balls.

With opening batsmen Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw also hit-ting centuries in a South African record first wicket stand, South Af-rica piled up a massive 439 for two.

The West Indies were never likely to chase down a world re-cord target but managed a respect-able 291 for seven to give South Africa a 148-run win and a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

The target was never likely to be within the reach of the West Indies, especially after big-hitting Chris Gayle was caught at deep midwicket off Morne Morkel for 19 in the fifth over.

Dwayne Smith, caught off a Morkel no-ball in the first over when he had four, made 64 off 65 balls and Denesh Ramdin contrib-uted 57 off 55 deliveries. Amla (153

not out) and Rossouw (128) put on 247 for the first wicket — a record partnership for any wicket for South Africa.

Rossouw was dismissed off the third ball of the 39th over. De Vil-liers promoted himself to number three and struck the ball out of the middle of his bat from the first de-livery he faced, which he thrashed for four past bowler Jerome Taylor.

He went to fifty off 16 balls, one fewer than Sanath Jayasuriya’s previous record for the fastest half-century, for Sri Lanka against Pakistan in 1995/96, then powered his way past Corey Anderson’s re-cord for the fastest century.

He took five balls fewer than Anderson’s hundred for New Zea-land against the West Indies in 2013/14. The South African cap-tain’s innings included 16 sixes, equalling the world record set by Rohit Sharma when he hit 209 for India against Australia in Banga-lore in 2013/14.

He also hit nine fours in an in-

nings which had a near-capacity crowd at the Wanderers ?bullring? roaring in approval.

West Indian players rushed to congratulate him and Gayle, who played a match-winning Twen-ty20 innings at the Wanderers a week earlier, bowed in salute as De Villiers walked past him. South Af-rica went past their own previous highest total — the 438 for nine they scored in a record run chase against Australia on the same ground in 2005/06 — and Sri Lan-ka’s world record of 443 for nine against the Netherlands in 2006 seemed set to fall.

But De Villiers hit the fourth ball of the final over from Andre Russell to deep cover and Amla could not score off the final two deliveries.

Amla’s 153 not out was scored off 142 balls with 14 fours, while Rossouw hit his 128 off 115 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.

It was a maiden century for the left-handed Rossouw, who had the dubious distinction of having

made five ducks in his previous ten One-day International innings.

ReactionsDe Villiers’ batting partner Hashim Amla, who hit 153 not out: “He said he was going to have a look for one over but hit his first six balls for 24. He is amazing.”

Former England captain Bob Willis: “AB de Villiers’ record ODI hundred off 31 balls could make him the best batsman of all time. I’ve been saying for the last 30 years that Viv Richards has to be the best batsman of all time — even better than Sir Don Bradman in my book — but I’m going to have to reassess because this guy is some-thing extraordinary.”

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Af-ridi, who is third in the list of fast-est ODI centuries — hitting 100 off 37 balls against Sri Lanka in 1996. “Happy new year AB de Villiers. Well played mate.”

Former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs: “AB showing

why he’s simply the best.”Former India batsman Aakash

Chopra: “I demand a DNA test of AB DeVilliers... this game is only for humans. #superhuman #WhatAPlayer”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan: “Have to say AB de Vil-

liers is the definition of a cricketing genius. Absolutely incredible. When I watch him bat it reminds me that I re-ally wasn’t that good in comparison.”

Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor:”Not the worst entertain-ment from AB right now. Best in the world without a doubt.” - Agencies

De Villiers raced to

his century off 31

balls — five balls

fewer than the

previous record —

on the way to an

astonishing 149

off 44 balls

WORLD’S BEST: South Africa’s captain AB de Villiers was full of aggression on Sunday. – Reuters

TON MAKERS: South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw celebrates his century as another centurion Hashim Amla, left, looks on. – Reuters

SOUTH AFRICAH. Amla not out 153R. Rossouw c Benn b Taylor 128A. de Villiers c Carter b Russell 149D. Miller not out 0Extras (lb-4, nb-1, w-4) 9Total (2 wkts, 50 overs) 439Fall of wickets: 1-247, 2-439Bowling: Taylor 10-0-95-1 (1w), Holder 9-0-91-0, Benn 10-0-49-0, Russell 10-0-78-1, Sammy 4-0-26-0, Samuels 3-0-28-0, Smith 4-0-68-0 (1nb, 1w)WEST INDIESD. Smith c Duminy b Behardien 64C. Gayle c Behardien b Morkel 19L. Johnson lbw b Philander 1

M. Samuels c Behardien b Philander 40D. Ramdin c Du Plessis b Morkel 57J. Carter c sub (Parnell) b Steyn 40A. Russell c Du Plessis b Imran Tahir 0D. Sammy not out 25J. Holder not out 21Extras (b-4, lb-8, nb-2, w-10) 24Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 291Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-63, 3-122, 4-148, 5-231, 6-232, 7-253Bowling: Morkel 10-0-43-2 (2nb, 3w), Phi-lander 10-0-69-2 (5w), Steyn 10-0-29-1 (2w), Duminy 4-0-39-0, Imran Tahir 10-0-60-1 (1w), Behardien 6-0-39-1Result: South Africa won by 148 runsSeries: South Africa lead five-match series

S C O R E B O A R D

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Uzbekistan oust ‘tragic’ Saudis to reach quarters

MELBOURNE: Uzbekistan reached the Asian Cup quarter-fi-nals after beating Saudi Arabia 3-1 in a nail-biter on Sunday, a bullet header from Vokhid Shodiev help-ing them over the line.

The substitute’s dramatic win-ner, which came on 70 minutes, averted a controversial denoue-ment after Saudi Arabia had been awarded a soft penalty to cancel out an early strike from two-goal hero Sardor Rashidov.

Uzbekistan, who reached the semifinals of the last Asian Cup in 2011, will face South Korea in the last eight on Thursday, while three-times champions Saudi Ara-bia crash out at the group stage -- just as they did four years ago.

“I can’t say this is a big tragedy,” said Saudi caretaker coach Cos-min Olaroiu, pressed to explain the Gulf side’s recent fall from grace. “It is a big disappointment, but it’s too much to call it a tragedy.

“Saudi Arabia will have to make changes and start building some-thing solid for the future,” added the Romanian manager of Dubai-based Al Ahli, hired on a part-time basis to lead the side through the Asian Cup. “We conceded a very silly goal after one minute and that forced us to play a different way. Uzbekistan fought hard and de-served to go through.”

Tempers flared on the touch-line after Rashidov killed off the game with a lethal finish 11 min-utes from time in Melbourne, as over-exuberant Uzbek substitutes danced for joy in front of the Saudi bench. Saudi Arabia had briefly looked to be heading for the draw they needed to join Group B win-ners China in the knockout stage

after Australian referee Ben Wil-liams gifted them a penalty which Mohammed Al Sahlawi converted on the hour-mark.

Phantom foulsThe official, blasted by Iran coach Carlos Queiroz earlier in the tour-nament, pointed to the spot after

adjudging that Vitaliy Denisov had brought down striker Naif Hazazi.

Replays suggested that Hazazi had slumped to the turf without encour-agement from Denisov, who looked to the heavens in anguish as the net bulged. Moments later Williams, who refereed at last year’s World Cup, ruled out an Uzbekistan goal for

another phantom foul, sparking fury among the players in white.

Uzbek coach Mirdjalal Kasimov refused to be drawn on the penalty decision or the disallowed goal, perhaps wisely after Queiroz and Japan playmaker Keisuke Honda were both hit with fines for criti-cising referees. “I didn’t see it,” he

said of the penalty. “But it might have been a mistake. The Saudi players were diving all game. They kept diving and appealing for pen-alties — the referee really should have booked them. The more they dived, the more pressure they put the referee under and he started whistling in their favour.” - AFP

Uzbekistan,

who reached the

semifinals of the last

Asian Cup in 2011,

will face South Korea

in the last eight

on Thursday

EXCITED AFTER THE WIN: Uzbekistan players, left to right, Odil Akhmedov, Sardor Rashidov, Vokhid

Shodiev, Shavkat Mulladjanov celebrate after winning their Group B match against Saudi Arabia. – Reuters

CANBERRA: Sun Ke scored twice to steal the show again as china defeated North Korea 2-1 in Canberra on Sunday to register their third win and best ever start to an Asian Cup.

The in-form Sun, who net-ted a stunning winner against Uzbekistan, opened the scoring after just 45 seconds when he pounced on a hopeful long pass to poke the ball home.

He grabbed his third of the tournament shortly before the break, heading home a cross by full-back Jiang Zhipeng that delighted the majority Chinese crowd at Canberra Stadium.

The brace repaid Alain Perrin’s decision to start the winger after his goal off the bench against the Uzbeks sent china into the knock-out stages for the first time since 2004.

“Sun Ke is a very good player, extremely skillful with lots of quality, and is playing with very strong self-confidence at the moment,” Perrin told

reporters after the match.“He is a crucial part of the

team and is good with both feet. Because we don’t have many good forwards we play with a

strategy that allows all of our attackers to have a chance to shoot and score,” the French-man added.China, who were already assured of top spot in Group B and a Brisbane quarter-final against Australia, have now won all three pool games, their best ever start.

China perhaps should have gone into the break 3-0 when a last-ditch clearance on the stroke of half-time looked as if it had crossed the line, but with-out the benefit of goal-line tech-nology the referee waved play on. North Korea were nowhere to be seen during the opening 45 minutes but emerged from the tunnel a different side for the second half.

China’s win underlines their form ahead of Thursday’s quar-terfinal against Australia. - AFP

Sun shines as China make best ever start

PERFECT HEADER: China’s Sun Ke poking the ball into the net

past a helpless North Korean goalkeeper. – AFP

Rocky road no problem, says AussieBRISBANE: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou insisted the hosts can still win their first Asian Cup despite suffering a setback against South Korea in their final group game.

After slamming four goals past Kuwait and Oman, the Soc-ceroos faltered on Saturday, los-ing 1-0 after Postecoglou’s de-cision to bench Tim Cahill and Robbie Kruse backfired.

Australia, runners-up to Ja-pan in 2011, finished behind South Korea in Group A and now face China in the quarter-finals — again on Brisbane’s pudding of a pitch — before a likely semi with defending champions Japan.

The Socceroos will be with-out key central defender Mat-thew Spiranovic against China after he picked up a second yellow card, but captain Mile Jedinak’s return from an ankle injury will be a a huge boost.

“Mile trained this morning, he’ll be right for Thursday -- he’ll be fine,” said Postecoglou, while attempting to put a posi-tive spin on his side’s defeat.

“The route to the final would be very difficult no matter which way you went,” he shrugged. “We conceded a pretty poor goal, we switched off.

“But I can’t fault the play-ers. They gave it everything and right to the end we cre-ated chances, but it wasn’t to be. Their goalkeeper made some great saves and we just couldn’t get the result we wanted. We dominated the game but ulti-mately they get the reward.”

South Korea, World Cup sem-ifinalists in 2002 but without a title at Asia’s showcase event in 55 years, take on Uzbekistan in Melbourne on Thursday.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, re-mained defiant. “From now on it comes down to 90 minutes of football,” he said. “If we perform again like that, we will be hard to beat. The only negative for us was the result.”

While Australia carved out the best chances, Postecoglou faced questions over opting to rest Cahill and Kruse. “We had three games in eight days and we knew it would be difficult because of the conditions, and it would take a lot out of them,” he said. — AFP

F O O T B A L L

Belmadi eyes a bright future for QatarSYDNEY: Coach Djamel Belmadi will be looking to the future when already-eliminated Qatar take on fellow Group C casualties Bahrain at Stadium Australia on Monday in a match where pride will be the main motivator.

The young squad arrived in Australia on a high after winning the Gulf Cup last November but a confidence-sapping 4-1 loss to a rampant United Arab Emirates side followed by a narrow 1-0 de-feat to Iran brought them back down to ground with a thud.

Belmadi has refused to dwell on the negatives and said that the team had learned a lot from the AFC Asian Cup and the experi-ence would stand them in good stead for future tournaments.

“The competition looks differ-ent for us. We cannot qualify for the quarter-finals. Bahrain are in the same position as us. They have also lost both games. Like us they will like to leave the competition with a win,” said Belmadi.

“This is good preparation for the future. We have a young team and this is a game against an op-ponent who we may face at in the

Fifa World Cup qualifiers. It is motivation for us to give a good performance.”

The coach said that Qatar did not have a first eleven and there

would be new faces in the team to meet Bahrain, who they drew 0-0 with in group action at the Gulf Cup. “We will make a few changes to the team which played in the

first two games. We will see some new players tomorrow (Mon-day),” he said.

“We are not like UAE, a team which has played together for five years. With a team like that, you know their starting eleven. We do not have a starting eleven. We might see two or three new faces tomorrow. Changes will be based on our tactics for the match.”

With Qatar hosting the 2022 Fifa World Cup, there is a lot to look forward to and Belmadi said that victory over Bahrain would put the team back on the right path. “I do not know who will be in the squad in 2022. We have young players now, who might be available for the 2022 World Cup,” he said.

“It is important to be competi-tive because we are the host na-tion. I will do my best to prepare the players for the 2022 World Cup.”

Meanwhile, coach Marjan Eid wants to polish the image of Bah-raini football. “We will use this game to continue the positive im-age of the Bahraini team. We have played two games (Iran and UAE), but we lost due to our own mis-takes,” he said. — AFC

A F C C U P P R E V I E W

SYDNEY: Bahrain’s trigger-happy FA is set for talks with coach Marjan Eid after the Asian Cup, raising the prospect of another quickfire sacking and their fifth coach in 18 months. Eid said they would hold discussions after his return from Australia, where Bahrain have lost their first two games and play a dead rubber against Qatar on Monday.

The 35-year-old Bahraini has only been in charge

since November. “I haven’t discussed this with the board of directors or the president because we’re still in the tournament, we have one match left,” Eid said on Sun-day about his future. “When we’re back in Bahrain we can discuss these things.”

Bahrain’s coaching merry-go-round has been spinning rapidly since Anthony Hud-son took over from Argentine Gabriel Calderon in August 2013. - AFP

Trigger-happy Bahrain to discuss Eid’s future

UAE relishing potential Japan showdown

BRISBANE: ‘Bring on Japan’ in the Asian Cup quarterfinals, United Arab Emirates coach Mahdi Ali said on Sunday ahead of his team’s Group C clash with Iran at Brisbane Stadium.

Group leaders UAE are ahead of Iran on goal difference, and a draw will pit Ali’s men against the runners-up of Group D, which defending champions Japan have the best chance of winning.

In the event UAE fall to Iran, they could very well get Javier

Aguirre’s side in the last eight but Ali is perfectly comfortable fac-ing any team. “It doesn’t matter which team we have to play,” Ali said. “It’s good to finish first be-cause it gives motivation to the players for the second round.

“We have no problem with Ja-pan. We are used to the big atmos-phere and our players have played in front of 60,000 against (North Korea), 75,000 at Old Trafford and 80,000 at Wembley during the Olympics.

“Every game against different teams you have different tac-tics. But we still remember we have our own identity. We will make minor changes to play the Iran team.”

UAE have not historically fared well against Iran. In 15 full in-ternationals, the Emiratis have beaten the Iranians just once with three draws. Ali, though, dis-missed any advantage Iran might have based on match-ups from the past. — AFC

O P T I M I S T I C

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138runs from 139 ballswith 9 fours, 4 sixes

ROHITSHARMA

Six-star Starc the star as Rohit’s ton goes vain

MELBOURNE: Paceman Mitch-ell Starc took 6-43 to help Australia to a four-wicket victory over India on Sunday, their second in succes-sion in the One-day international tri-series, despite a brilliant Rohit Sharma century. Sharma’s 138 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground enabled India to post a competi-tive total of 267 for eight after win-ning the toss and electing to bat.

However, on a placid pitch it al-ways appeared slightly less than required and Australian opener Aaron Finch countered Sharma’s century with a match-winning knock of his own. Finch made 96 as Australia rattled up 269 for six, winning with six balls to spare.

He received great support from the in-form Steve Smith (47). The pair put on 101 for the third wicket as the home side appeared to be coasting to victory.

However, Finch fell when a cen-tury beckoned, caught behind by Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the bowling of Umesh Yadav, as the tourists made an un-likely late bid to snatch victory.

In an unexpectedly tense finish, Brad Haddin and James Faulkner got the Australians home with an unbroken 21-run stand.

Australian captain George Bai-ley, who faces a one-match suspen-sion for slow over rates after his

second breach in under 12 months, admitted he was disappointed the finish was so close.

“Would have been nice if we hadn’t left it up to Faulkner,” he said. “We dragged it back really well with the ball. We had the momen-tum when we came off the field.”

In a blow to India, paceman Mo-hammed Shami was forced off the field with a leg problem after bowl-ing the first ball of the 47th over.

Dhoni sought to stress the posi-tives for his team, particularly the way they had responded when the game appeared lost. “That (attitude) will win us tournaments,” he said.

India’s innings was dogged by a poor start and a disappointing fin-ish. Beaten by the host nation 2-0 in the recent four-Test series, they found themselves in early trouble at 59 for three. As was the case in Australia’s big win over England

in the series opener on Friday, left-arm paceman Starc claimed a wicket in the first over of the match — Shikhar Dhawan caught by Aar-on Finch at second slip for just two.

Fellow paceman Gurinder Sand-hu, born in Australia to Indian parents, then made a dream de-but when he claimed the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane in just his second over. Virat Kohli could not summon up his incredible form of the Test se-ries, making just nine before he was caught off the bowling of Faulkner.

Suresh Raina, who made a pair when recalled for the fourth Test against Australia earlier this month, then went out to join Shar-ma and they rebuilt the innings.

Once again the tension between the sides briefly boiled over, when Australian opener David Warner and Sharma exchanged words after the Indians ran an overthrow in the

23rd over. But the Indian batsmen were not distracted and the pair put on 126 before Raina (51) holed out to mid-on to give Starc his sec-ond scalp. Sharma continued to lead the way, gliding Starc to third man for a single a few minutes later for his sixth ODI ton. He eventually fell as Starc put the brakes on In-dian innings again. — AFP

In an unexpectedly

tense finish, Brad

Haddin and James

Faulkner got the

Australians home

with an unbroken

21-run stand

INDIAR. Sharma c Maxwell b Starc 138S. Dhawan c Finch b Starc 2A. Rahane c Haddin b Sandhu 12V. Kohli c Bailey b Faulkner 9S. Raina c Maxwell b Starc 51M. Dhoni b Starc 19A. Patel lbw Starc 0R. Ashwin not out 14B. Kumar b Starc 0M. Shami not out 2Extras (b-1, lb-3, w-15, nb-1) 20Total (8 wickets, 50 overs) 267Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Dhawan), 2-33 (Ra-hane), 3-59 (Kohli), 4-185 (Raina), 5-237 (Dhoni), 6-237 (Patel), 7-262 (Sharma), 8-262 (Kumar)Bowling: Starc 10-2-43-6, Cummins 10-0-52-0, Sandhu 10-0-58-1, Faulkner 10-0-63-1, Watson 8-0-33-0, Maxwell 2-0-14-0AUSTRALIAA. Finch c Dhoni b Yadav 96D. Warner c Raina b Yadav 24S. Watson b Patel 41S. Smith c Ashwin b Shami 47G. Maxwell c and b Kumar 20G. Bailey c Dhoni b Ashwin 5B. Haddin not out 13J. Faulkner not out 9Extras (lb-3, w-11) 4Total: (six wickets, 49 overs) 269Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Warner), 2-115 (Watson), 3-216 (Smith), 4-219 (Finch), 5-230 (Bailey), 6-248 (Maxwell)Bowling: Kumar 9.5-0-44-1, Yadav 10-1-55-2, Shami 8.1-0-44-1, Patel 10-0-45-1, Ashwin 9-0-54-1, Raina 2-0-24-0Toss: IndiaUmpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), John Ward (AUS)TV umpire: Mick Martell (AUS)Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

S C O R E B O A R D

TERRIFIC BOWLING: Australia’s Mitchell Starc who claimed six Indian wickets during Australia’s win over India at MCG. – AFP

Djokovic, Federer vie for five crownsMELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer begin their quest for five Australian Open titles while Serena Williams is chasing her 19th Grand Slam crown in the year’s first major starting Monday.

World number one Djokovic looms as the player to beat in the men’s draw having won four of the last seven Australian editions, and he holds an affinity with the hard-courts in Melbourne. “There are so many players who are contend-ers to win the title,” said the Serb.

“Considering the success that I had in my career in this tourna-ment gives me enough reason and confidence to believe I can go far.”

While Djokovic has never lost a final in Melbourne, Federer will be again be the sentimental favourite at 33 years old, pursu-ing his 18th major title having not won one since Wimbledon 2012.

“I would hope that over the years I’ve always improved. I think I’m serving more consist-ent and stronger than I ever have,” Federer said. “I definitely think the racquet has helped me with that as well, my concentration I do believe is there, better than it’s ever been and I think my back-hand is working better than it has in the past as well.”

There are question marks over Rafael Nadal’s match fitness after playing few matches since Wim-bledon last July following a wrist injury and later an appendectomy.

Nadal suffered a shock defeat in his first match of the season in Doha to German qualifier Michael Berrer on the way to Australia.

“I am doing lot of practice and doing the things that we believe we have to do to recover our level,” Nadal said. “Is true that having a Grand Slam this early in the sea-son after injury like I’ve had is not the ideal thing. But here we are.”

Nadal has won 14 Grand Slams, but only won one of them in Aus-tralia where he also had two run-ner-up finishes, including in last

year’s final to Stan Wawrinka.Britain’s Andy Murray has lost

three finals in Melbourne and will have to get past Federer and Nadal to make his fourth.

Women’s top ranking at stakeDefending champion Wawrinka, who shocked Djokovic in the quarter-finals on the way to win-ning last year, is a last start win-ner, having captured back-to-back Chennai Opens on the way to Aus-tralia. “I feel great coming here. Been getting a lot of confidence,

winning the first tournament of the year,” the Swiss said.

“I know I can do it, that’s not the question. For me the most im-portant is to be ready for the first match. You have to be ready, take match after match, and see where you can go.”

World number one Williams is tied with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with 18 Grand Slams behind all-time leader Margaret Court (24) but hasn’t won in Aus-tralia since 2010, something she is determined to fix.

“It would be really great. I’ve been going for number six for a number of years now,” Williams said. It would be really special for me. I would be really happy. I want it I think more than anyone else here. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to get it, so I’ll have to fight hard to get it.”

Adding spice to the women’s side of the draw is that the top four seeds — Williams, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep and Pe-tra Kvitova -- all have the chance to end the tournament as world number one.

“There’s a lot of players that have an opportunity to get there, and I’m one of them,” said Shara-pova. “I am, of course, determined to do that.”

China’s Li Na won the women’s crown last year, battling past sur-prise package Dominika Cibulk-ova of Slovakia, but has since retired. - AFP

A U S T R A L I A N O P E N

Roger Federer. Novak Djokovic.

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MUSCAT: The Green Sports initiative, launched by Bank Muscat in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports Affairs to promote Oman as a sporting na-tion, is making steady progress across the Sultanate as a new playground developed as part of the unique CSR programme will be handed over to Al Ho-qain Team in the wilayat of Al Rustaq under the auspices of Ali bin Khalfan Al Jabri, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of In-formation, on January 23.

The Green Sports CSR programme was launched by Bank Muscat in 2012 to lay the foundation at the grass-root level for a sustainable sports infrastructure.

In a record time, the bank has achieved notable success in de-veloping green fields in all parts of the Sultanate, thus contrib-uting to realising the sporting dreams of clubs and teams.

Till date in the first three years of the programme, 34 sports clubs have been giv-en support to green their playing fields.

The bank’s support to the ini-tiative stems from its commit-ment to giving a helping hand to all deserving teams and clubs in the Sultanate to green their playing fields.

The bank recognises that lo-cal clubs wield immense influ-ence on neighbourhood com-munities, especially youth, hence clubs with modern infrastructure facilities can help raise sporting heroes for the country.

The funding criteria of the programme, include that sports clubs/teams should have been in existence for three years with a minimum membership of 300 youth from the local commu-nity. Bank Muscat will lay turf grass and hand over the fields to beneficiary clubs/teams.

The Green Sports initiative reiterates the bank’s support to Oman’s youth who represent the future of Oman.

True to its commitment to supporting varied sporting ac-tivities in the country, Bank Muscat remains at the forefront in offering the required encour-agement to youth.

Muscat put Wasps to the swordMUSCAT: Xodus Wasps travelled to Oman with the bare fifteen for their match with Muscat over the weekend in a rugby match at the Bausher Club ground.

In the past two seasons that was enough for an away win but it wasn’t the case this year.

Muscat’s scrum was power-ful enough to force referee Stuart Hawkins to walk under the posts twice in the opening ten minutes.

Things went from bad to worse for the Dubai team as they were handed a yellow card for collaps-ing a rolling maul.

From the resulting scrum, Ro-nan Glennon powered over the line and gave Muscat a consider-able lead of 17-0. Wasps to their credit never stopped trying to cre-ate something with their backline but the home side’s defence was broken only once.

A quick line out throw caught Muscat flatfooted and Wasps had their first score of the game. The half ended 17-7.

Muscat have a habit of letting leads slip away. Against Doha last week they were reduced to slow-

ing down the game to grind out a two point victory.

Against Wasps however, they picked up the pace. Sam Kent and Gautier Ponsar in the backline were impressive in defence and

attack. From the scrum and line out, Muscat could dictate the play.

With their backline having their best game this season, they had their tails up. The back row of Braban, Colver and especially Kilian found holes in the Wasps defence and quick offloads to sup-port players meant that the Om-ani side had five more tries in the second half.

Wasps didn’t drop their heads despite the score line and went in

search of a valuable losing bonus point. They were rewarded in the last ten minutes when two scores along with a breakaway try ear-lier in the half was enough to take something away from the game.

At the final whistle, it ended 55-24. Next week sees the oldest clubs in the Gulf go head to head as Muscat travel to take on the Ex-iles. Wasps are on the road again with a trip to Qatar to face Doha on the cards.

R U G B Y



DOMINANT DISPLAY: Action from the match between Muscat Rugby Football Club and visiting Xodus Wasps played at Bausher Club ground . – JUN ESTRADA/Times of Oman

Bank Muscat to present green playground in Rustaq

G R E E N I N I T I A T I V EAhmad’s Al Nabooda Racing aim for top place in Qatar

MUSCAT: Defending champions Al Nabooda Racing have set them-selves a big target as the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East prepares to makes its first daylight appearance at Qatar’s Losail Inter-national Circuit this weekend.

Clemens Schmid and Ahmad Al Harthy, who arrive in Doha hold-ing second place in the team cham-pionship, aim to make a decisive

move in the title race in Rounds 5 and 6 on Friday and Saturday and in the double race weekend to fol-low in Qatar on February 13 and 14.

“Our goal is always to take maxi-mum points from the weekends and we will do the best we can, irrespective of the other compet-ing teams,” said Al Harthy ahead of two days of testing at the Losail circuit starting on Wednesday.

“We have more than half the championship remaining, there are many points to gain and many for others to loose, so we need to stay focused and give it our best. Consistency will be the key to win-ning the team championship.”

Trailing current leaders Sky Dive Dubai Falcons by ten points, Al Harthy knows that a big perfor-mance this weekend by himself and Schmid, who currently heads the individual drivers’ championship, can put Al Nabooda Racing on top.

That is a position they have become accustomed to in domi-nating the series for the past two seasons, and Al Harthy is feeling comfortable after four races with the team he joined this season.

“The adjustment hasn’t been too difficult honestly,” he said. “I’ve shown speed during the testing and practice, and hopefully I can

now take that forward into quali-fying and the races as well.

“I always knew it was a competi-tive series. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t have come back.

“The higher the levels the bet-ter it is for everyone involved. I’ve felt at home from day one and we keep getting stronger – that’s what counts. Everyone wants the best at Al Nabooda Racing.”

Team manager Vijay Rao said: “There’s a long way to go in the championship and no single race is going to decide the outcome at this stage.

“But we’ll reach the half way point in the season this weekend and we want to be leading when we get there.”

The lighting system at the Losail circuit covers an area equal to 70 football pitches, and is said to be ca-pable of providing power simulta-

neously for 3,000 houses, or a street stretching from Doha to Moscow.

The lights won’t be needed this time, as after three consecutive seasons of night racing there, the Posche GT3 Cup series has opted for afternoon starts, although no decision has been taken for Rounds 7 and 8 next month.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Mid-dle East - team standings: 1. Sky Dive Dubai Falcons (UAE) 149 pts; 2. Al Na-booda Racing (UAE) 139 pts; 3. BuZaid GT / BuCharlie GT (KUW) 130 pts; 4. Team Bahrain (BAH) 84 pts; 5. ClassicAr-abia Racing (KSA) 75 pts; 6. Frijns Struc-tural Steel ME (QAT) 45 pts.

Drivers’ championship standings: 1. Clemens Schmid (UAE) 94 pts; 2. Zaid Ashkanani (KUW) 90; 3. Hasher Al Mak-toum (UAE) 84; 4. Charlie Frijns (NED) 76; 5. Al Mehairi (UAE) 65; 6. Raed Raffii (BAH) 55; 7. Wolfgang Triller (GER) 52; 8. Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) 45.

Clemens Schmid and Ahmad Al Harthy,

who arrive in Doha holding second place

in the team championship, aim to make

a decisive move in the title race

Yacoub, Rashid emerge winners at Oman Amateur OpenMUSCAT: Bahrain’s Nasser Ya-coub, Omani youngster Rashid Al Harthy and Susan McInnes emerged champions at the sixth Oman Amateur Open golf champi-onship at the Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club on Saturday.

After overcoming some stiff competition, Yacoub won the cov-eted men’s gross championship with a score of 147.

Rashad carded an impressive score of 168 to take home the jun-ior gross title while McInnes pro-duced a score of 180 to claim the ladies’ title.

Experienced golfer Ali Hameed was awarded with the Best Oma-ni Player’s trophy in the two-day competition, which was organised by Oman Golf Committee (OGC).

Dr. Mohammed Al Rumhy, the Minister of Oil and Gas and also the Patron of Oman Golf Commit-tee, presided over the final day’s proceedings and handed over the trophies.

Men’s gross champion Yacoub said after his emphatic victory: “I am really happy with this win. I have taken part in this competi-tion three times. My previous best was a third place in 2010. This time, the competition was tough

but I managed to do well. Also, for the first time, I paired up against Azzan (Al Rumhy) here. I guess he pushed me to play better.”

In the men’s gross category, win-ner Yacoub was followed on the podium by Tenzin Tsarong and Oman’s top golfer Azzan Al Rum-

hy. Tsarong was runner-up with a score of 153 and Azzan was second runner-up with 154. Azzan said: “It’s been a bad day out for me. Till up to the fifth hole, I was tied with Yacoub. But then I slipped back a bit after the sixth hole and even further back after the ninth hole.”

Tsarong said: “It was much easi-er today. The opening day was a lot more difficult. I kept my rhythm going and just maintained my own game.”

Rashad, the junior gross cham-pion, said it has been a good start to 2015 for him.

He said: “Here, I competed against golfers who I have known and played against quite a lot. Last year, I had some particularly good results and this year, with this positive start, I want to maintain that form.”

Mundhir Al Barwani, the chair-man of Oman Golf Committee, congratulated the winners.

He said: “Over two days, we witnessed some high intensity competition in all the categories. It only goes on to show that the standard of play at the Oman Ama-teur Open is going up with every passing edition.”

Results: Men: Gross win-ner: Nasser Yacoub (147), Gross runner-up: Tenzin Tsarong (153), Gross 2nd runner-up: Azzan Al Rumhy (154), Nett gross winner: Nasaruddin Mohammed (137), Nett runner-up: Khalifa Daij (148), Nett 2nd runner-up: Charles Dolphin (149).

Ladies: Gross winner: Susan McInnes (180), Gross runner-up: Sanjoli Singh (181), Nett winner: Yvoonne Welling (146), Nett run-ner-up: Samantha Allen (152).

Junior: Gross: Rashad Al Har-thy (168), Nett: Amjad Al Toky (152). Best Omani player: Ali Hameed (163).

G O L F

WINNERS ALL: Winners in various categories pose for a group photo. – Supplied photo

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Hockey fest on Jan 24

MUSCAT: Team Coorg Mus-cat and Friends of Naqvi Group, under the patronage of Indian Embassy and in cooperation with Oman Hockey Association (OHA), will organise the eighth Republic Day of India Hockey Festival on January 24.

The event, which is scheduled to take place at the Sultan Qa-boos Sports Complex from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m, will also include two matches.

Indian Ambassador J.S. Mukul will preside over the programme while OHA chief Sheikh Mah-foodh Ali Juma Al Juma will be the guest of honour.

The event is sponsored by Dr. Mujeeb Hassan of Amana Modern Medical Centre, Seeb,

Mohammed Rafiq of Moham-med Rafiq & Partners LLC, Bellu Kuttappa of Team Coorg Muscat, Friends of Naqvi Group and Mo-hammed Osama Rawat.

Saiyed Inayat Naqvi, a former hockey player from India who is on a visit to the Sultanate, will join the festivities.

Former OHA chief Dawood bin Ahmed Al Raisi, Oman Cricket Chairman Kanak Khimji, Gen-eral Secretary Madhu Jesrani, Al Omania Financial Services CEO Aftab Patel, Asian Hockey Fed-eration Development Committee member Mohammed Shambe Al Raisi and OHA Technical Advi-sor Mohie Saad Al Zaghlool are among the top dignitaries expect-ed to be present on the occasion.

R E P U B L I C D A Y O F I N D I A

J.S. Mukul Sheikh Mahfoodh

Lakshan lifts Renaissance

MUSCAT: M. Lakshan smashed a brilliant unbeaten 109 off 52 balls as Renaissance recorded a massive 220-run win against OCT Al Amer-at in a Khimji Ramdas-sponsored B Division 30 overs-a-side match.

Opting to bat first, Renaissance piled up a mammoth 342 for four wickets in 30 overs. Openers Thu-wan R.K. Deen (70) and Moham-med Yaqoob Shaikh (59) laid the foundation with a 138-run part-nership in 12 overs. Later, Sajeed Mohammed scored 73.

OCT Al Amerat were bowled out for 122 in 22.2 overs. Chadith Lak-mal claimed three wickets while Maddumage Jagath and Utuman M. Ansar bagged two each.

Brief scores: Renaissance 342 for 4 in 30 overs (M. Lakshan 109 n.o., Sajeed Mohammed 73, Thuwan R.K. Deen 70, Mohammed Yaqoob Shaikh 59) bt OCT Al Amerat 122 in 22.2 overs (Atif Yousuf Al Balushi 32, Said Haider Al Balushi 28; Chadith Lakmal 3/20, Maddumage Jag-ath 2/11, Utuman M. Ansar 2/12). Points: Renaissance - 2 (6 games, 6 pts), OCT Al Amerat – Nil (5 games, Nil).

Fairtrade defeat OCT SeebIn an Al Ansari Group of Compa-nies-sponsored T20 C Division match, Fairtrade defeated OCT

Seeb by 21 runs. Batting first, Fair-trade scored 172 runs for seven in 20 overs with contributions from Salim Shaikh (55), skipper Ibra-him Kutty (37) and Rajesh Kumar Ramesh (35 not out).

Younis Murad returned with bowling figures of three for 19 while skipper Yousuf Rahim Bakhsh picked up two wickets.

OCT Seeb in reply managed to reach 151 for seven in 20 overs. Os-man Al Zadjali opening the batting top scored with 43. Rajesh Kumar Ramesh claimed three wickets.

Brief scores: Fairtrade 172for 7 in 20 overs (Salim Shaikh 55, Ibrahim Kutty 37, Rajesh Kumar Ramesh 35 n.o.; Younis Mu-rad 3/19, Yousuf Rahim Bakhsh 2/43) bt OCT Seeb 151 for 7 in 20overs (Osman Al Zadjali 43, Yousuf Rahim Bakhsh 35, Abbas Al Balushi 31 n.o.; Rajesh Kumar Ramesh 3/23). Points: Fairtrade - 2 (4 games, 2 pts), OCT Seeb – Nil (5 games, 2 pts).

Easy for Design UnitDesign Unit Engineering recorded an easy 50-run win against Uday Khimji International in another Al Ansari Group of Companies-spon-sored C Division T20 match.

Deciding to bat first, Design Unit made 178 for three in 20 stipulated overs thanks to a 102-run sec-ond wicket partnership between Shehbaz Nazar (69) and opening

batsman Nishanth Menon (58). Skipper Jayaprakash remained unbeaten on 33.

Uday Khimji International, playing with 10 men, were bowled out for 128 in 16.5 overs. Opening the batting Ramkumar Gounder top scored with 75 while Navneet Tirpude chipped in with 20. Flour-ry M.G., Shamas Rana and Rajesh Shetty bagged two wickets apiece.

Brief scores: Design Unit Engineer-ing 178 for 3 in 20 overs (Shehbas Nazar 69, Nishanth Menon 58, Jayaprakash 33 n.o.) bt Uday Khimji International 128 in 16.5 overs (Ramkumar Gounder 75, Navneet Tirpude 20; Flourry M.G. 2/13, Shamas Rana 2/23, Rajesh Shetty 2/30). Points: Design Unit - 2 (4 games, 4 pts), Uday Kh-imji International - Nil (4 games, 2 pts).

Blue Sky International winIn a Raha Poly Products-spon-sored D Division T20 match, Blue Sky International registered a 18-run win against Ooredoo.

Blue Sky International, elect-ing to bat first, scored 187 for four wickets in 20 overs with contri-butions from Aadil Mohammed (74 not out) and opening batsman Muhammad Awaiz (48). Skipper Moaaz Juned opening the bating contributed 26 runs.

Ooredoo in their turn managed to score 169 for nine wickets in

20 overs. Samir Gurjar top scored with 40 runs. Faisal Khatri, Han-nan Mirza and Krunal Ahya took two wickets apiece.

Brief scores: Blue Sky Interna-tional 187 for 4 in 20 overs (Aadil Mo-hammed 74 n.o., Muhammad Awaiz 48, Moaaz Juned 26) bt Ooredoo 169 for 9 in 20 overs (Samir Gurjar 40, Ramesh Kan-dachamy 33, Gaurav Suneels 31; Faisal Khatri 2/24, Hannan Mirza 2/26 and Krunal Ahya 2/27). Points: Blue Sky In-ternational - 2 (6 games, 7 pts), Ooredoo - Nil (5 games, 4 pts).

Attic Doors deny Al DaamAttic Outdoors defeated Al Daam International by 92 runs in an F Division T20 match despite a bril-liant bowling performance by rival skipper Deepesh Unikkoru who ended with figures of six for 27 in four overs. Invited to bat first, Attic Outdoors posted 171 in 20 overs with Qasim Ali top scoring with 59 and Ghufran Anjum chipping in with 20. Anu Sudevan bagged two wickets.

In reply, Al Daam International were bundled out for 79 in 14.1.

Usama Bhatti and Rajesh Rao claimed three wickets each while Sarfraz Ahmed took two.

Brief scores: Attic Outdoors 171 in 20 overs (Qasim Ali 59, Ghufran Anjum 20; Deepesh Unikkoru 6/27, Anu Sude-van 2/23) bt Al Daam International 79

in 14.1overs (Abhilash 46; Usama Bhatti 3/15, Rajesh Rao 3/17, Sarfraz Ahmed 2/24). Points: Attic Outdoors - 2 (5 games, 9 pts), Al Daam International - Nil (6 games, 5 pts).

Al Faisal unbeatenAl Faisal remained unbeaten in the Raha Poly Products-sponsored D Division T20 tournament after registering a 86-run win against TR Engineering.

Electing to bat first, Al Faisal scored 209 for nine in 20 overs. Major contributions came from Mohammed Ihsan (68), Moham-med Sufyan (27 not out), Shabir Ahmed (24), Mohammed Afrat (23) and opening batsman Mo-hammed Amjad (20).

Sharif Pindook, Sajjad, skipper Javed Shaikh and Tariq Khan took two wickets apiece.

In reply, TR Engineering man-aged to score 123 for eight in 20 overs. Amir Khan and Mohammed Sufyan claimed two wickets each.

Brief scores: Al Faisal 209 for 9 in 20 overs (M. Ihsan 68, M. Sufyan 27 n.o., Shabir Ahmed 24, M. Afrat 23, M. Am-jad 20; Sharif Pindook 2/24, Sajjad 2/33, Javed Shaikh 2/33, Tariq Khan 2/46) bt TR Engineering 123 for 8 in 20 overs (Hari Prasad 53 n.o.; Amir Khan 2/13, M. Sufyan 2/23). Points: Al Faisal – 2 (5 games, 10 pts), TR Engineering - Nil (5 games, 5 pts).

M. Lakshan

smashed a brilliant

unbeaten century as

Renaissance defeated

OCT Al Amerat

by 220 runs

AL FAISAL STARS: From left Aamir Khan, M. Ahsan, M. Sufyan. F DIVISION: Attic Outdoors celebrate their victory. – Supplied photos

Enhance ease to victory over NYDT

Oman edgeSaudi Arabiaat GCC U-23 tournament

MUSCAT: Enhance Cricket Team crushed the National Youth Development Team (NYDT) by 61 runs in a Muscat Pharmacy & Stores-sponsored 50 overs-a-side A Division League match in Al Amerat on Saturday.

Invited to bat first, Enhance lost wickets regularly and were bowled out for 220 runs in 49.3 overs. Major contributors were Ravi Baradkane (42), C.M. Pradeep Kumar (38), skipper Noorul Riaz (28) and Mazhar Alam 22.

Jaspreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers returning with figures of three for 36 while skipper Sufyan Mahmood and Mohammed Ali Akbar bagged two wickets each.

NYDT in reply were bowled out for 159 in 43.3 overs. Gayash Priyashan Dias with 38 runs was top scorer while Abdul Al Fayd opening the batting scored 34.

Muthupandian ended with figures of three for 29 while Nester Dhamba and Noorul Riaz took two wickets each.

C.M. Pradeep Kumar of Enhance was named man of the match.

Brief scores: Enhance 220 all out in 49.3 overs (Ravi Barad-kane 42, C.M. Pradeep Kumar 38, Noorul Riaz 28, Mazhar Alam 22; Jaspreet Singh 3/38, Sufyan Mahmood 2/36, Mohammed Ali Akbar 2/38) lost to NYDT 159 all out in 43.3 overs (Gayash Dias 38, Abdul Al Fayd 34; Muthupandian 3/29, Nester Dhamba 2/14, Noor-ul Riaz 2/23). Points: Enhance - 5 (6 games, 16 pts), NYDT - Nil (5 games, 5 pts).

MUSCAT: Oman began their campaign in the GCC Under-23 Football Championship with a well-deserved victory over Sau-di Arabia in Bahrain on Sunday.

According to information received here, Oman defeated Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a closely-contested Group B match.

The Omanis will now take on hosts Bahrain in their final group match on Tuesday.

A draw will be enough for for-mer champions Oman to clinch a place in the semifinals as Bahrain have already lost their opening match by a 2-3 margin to Saudi Arabia.

The Group A comprises the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait

The tournament semifinals are slated for Friday.

The third place play-off will take place on January 25 while the final is scheduled to be held on January 26.

O M A N C R I C K E T

F O O T B A L L

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Sean Babington bags back-to-back titles

MUSCAT: World champion Sean Babington hogged limelight when he clinched two back-to-back victories in the Oman-UAE joint Rotax Max Challenge (RMC) at the Muscat Speedway during the weekend.

The UK-born, UAE resident was at his aggressive best as he scorched the technically challeng-ing track in his DD2 kart to win the seventh and eighth rounds of UAE national championship, or-ganised along with the third and fourth rounds of the Oman RMC, on Friday and Saturday.

Oman’s Sanad Al Rawahi gave him a tough fight, but a mechani-cal glitch meant that the home favourite had to content with a runner-up trophy on Friday and a third-place finish on Saturday.

The twin victories put Babing-ton’s campaign to clinch the UAE championship back on track. His

title charge suffered a setback when a technical issue had forced him to quit the fourth round at Al Ain Raceway in November last year.

Sanad Al Rawahi, meanwhile, rued the missed opportunity to shine at home.

“I noticed the mechanical issue during the qualifying session on the first day. We tried hard to rec-tify it, but all our efforts went in vain. So I continued with the same machine for two days. Somehow, I managed to get good results com-peting against seasoned drivers like Babington and Emanuele Pa-gani. I am happy because I didn’t let motorsports fans down in the Sultanate,” Sanad said.

Meanwhile, Omani fans found a new hero in Shihab Al Habsi. The sixth grade student at Ahmed Bin Majid School in Muscat began the competition on a bright note with a second place finish in the Mini Max category on Friday.

He made huge amends to his performance on Saturday to romp home in style.

“Friday’s runner-up position didn’t make me happy. I always wanted to be on top. So I pushed hard on Saturday and my efforts

paid me the dividends,” said the youngster.

Oman’s Faisal Al Zubair (Sen-ior Max) and Hamed Al Wahaibi (DD2 Masters) managed third place finishes in the event, which was otherwise dominated by the UAE drivers.

Ben reigns supremeSeasoned biker from the UAE, Ben Menzis, won the third round of the Oman Motocross on Friday. Ben collected 75 points to win the competition ahead of Oman’s Richard Russell (62 points) and Luke Bassett (57 points).

Sami wins drift titleOman’s Sami Al Shibani emerged the hero of the Drift Arena when he won the title in the fourth round of the Drifting Champion-ship on Friday night. He collected 95 points to finish on top, followed by Jordan’s Ahmed Daham (95 points) and Oman’s Tariq Al Shi-hani (88 points). As many 31 driv-ers from Oman and Middle East competed in the event.

Al Shibani received a cash prize of RO 600 for his effort, while Da-ham became richer by RO 400. Al

Shihani received a purse of OMR 200. Noor Al Daoud, the only woman competitor in the fray, was presented with a special trophy.

Friday results (UAE drivers un-less specified): DD-2 (15 laps): 1. Sean Babington (14:09.527), 2. Sanad Al Raw-ahi (Oman, 14:12.638), 3. Piers Paken-ham-Walsh (14:12.814). DD-2 Masters (15 laps): 1. Oliver George (14:19.722), 2. Maurits Knopjes (14:21.263), 3. An-drew Fuller (14:22.517). Senior Max (15 laps): 1. Tom Bale (14:09.371), 2. Alessandro Stura (14:16.796), 3. Faisal Al Zubair (Oman, 14:20.669). Junior Max (12 laps): 1. Taymour Kermanshahchi (11:56.059), 2. Fraser Rose (11:59.289), 3. Lucas Petersson (11:59.843). Mini Max (11 laps): 1. Liam Crystal (11:37.780), 2. Shihab Al Habsi (Oman, 11:38.854), 3. Connor Donovan (11:55.833). Micro Max (10 laps): 1. Jamie Day (11:17.158), 2. Alex Connor (11:24.590), 3. Ziggy Kermanshahchi (11:24.625). Drift Challenge: 1. Sami Al Shibani (Oman, 96 points), 2. Ahmed Daham (Jordan, 95 points), 3. Tariq Al Shihani (Oman, 88 points). Motocross: 1. Ben Men-zis (UAE, 75 points), 2. Richard Rus-sell (Oman, 62 points), 3. Luke Bassett (Oman, 57 points).

Saturday results: DD2 (16 laps): 1. Sean Babington (12:23.086), 2. Emanuele Pagani (12:25.393), 3. Sanad Al Rawahi (Oman, 12:27.283). DD2 Masters (16 laps): 1. Oliver George (12:30.777), 2. Maurits Knopjes (12:34.447), 3. Hamed Al Wahaibi (Oman, 12:34.948). Senior Max (16 laps): 1. Tom Bale (12:27.608), 2. Giulio Peroni (12:30.811), 3. Patrick Han-nah (12:31.091). Junior Max (13 laps): 1. Taymour Kermanshahchi (10:57.450), 2. Lucas Petersson (11:00.798), 3. Ivan Berets (11:01.131). Mini Max (12 laps): 1. Shihab Al Habsi (Oman, 10:32.464), 2. Lachlan Robinson (10:43.642), 3. Hamda Al Qubaisi (10:46.445). Micro Max (11 laps): 1. Jamie Day (10:06.430), 2. Ziggy Kermanshahchi (10:06.953), 3. Theo Kekat (10:12.137).

World champion

Sean Babington

clinched two back-

to-back victories in

Oman-UAE Rotax

Max Challenge and

Sanad Al Rawahi

had to content with a

runner-up trophy and

a third-place finish

Karting winners Drifting winners

Motocross winners

Top Optimist sailors

descend on Musannah

MUSCAT: Oman Sail welcomed around 112 young sailors from across the world to Al Musannah Race Week 2015 on Sunday for a week of training and racing at the launch of the first ever Optimist Class Champions League in Al Musannah.

Flying in from as far afield as Europe, Asia, South America and Africa, the youngsters who are all Optimist champions in their re-gions spent their first day settling in to Al Musannah Sports City, getting to know fellow competi-tors and easing into their Optimist Champions League campaigns with an opening coaching session.

Among them are 39 of Oman’s best young home grown sailors, including members of Omani Na-tional Youth Squad and selected others from Oman Sail’s Omantel Youth Programme.

They include Samiha Al Riyami, one of around 25 girls compet-ing alongside the boys on the race track from Tuesday to Saturday and taking part in the specially developed Corporate Personal Development activities, designed to equip young sailors for success-

ful sporting careers. In between racing and training, there will be a host of ice breaker activities, in-cluding an Arabian Night on Janu-ary 22 where camel owners and breeders across Oman will exhibit their best stock in a camel beauty contest for the best pure–bred camels in the Sultanate.

There will also be opportuni-ties to experience camel rides and watch Omani traditional dance performed by professional danc-ers while a group of Omani handi-craft specialists will display tradi-tional ways of making handicraft items that are specific items to Al Musannah.

Salma Al Hashmi, Oman Sail’s Director of Marketing and Events, welcomed the youngsters, their coaches and parents to Al Mu-sannah and wished them all ‘fair winds’ for an excellent contest.

The first three days of Al Mu-sannah Race Week will be spent in coaching and Corporate Personal Development activities before racing starts on Wednesday. The action continues through to Sat-urday when the event closes with a special prize-giving ceremony.

R A C E W E E K

Real see off Getafe thanks to Ronaldo double

MADRID: Real Madrid moved four points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice in a 3-0 win at Getafe on Sunday.

It was hardly a vintage perfor-mance from the European cham-pions, who have stumbled at the start of 2015 and were knocked out

of the King’s Cup by Atletico Ma-drid on Thursday, and they failed to score in the first half of a La Liga game for the first time this season.

Ronaldo broke the deadlock on a chilly afternoon at the Coliseum in the 63rd minute, clipping the ball in from close range after excellent work from Karim Benzema.

Bale made it 2-0 four minutes later when he finished off a swift break and Ronaldo grabbed his second 11 minutes from time with a powerful header, the Portugal forward’s 28th goal of the cam-paign in his 17th appearance.

Getafe battled bravely against their glamorous city neighbours,

with goalkeeper Jordi Codina on fine form, and almost pulled a goal back four minutes from time but a shot from Alvaro Vazquez bounced away off a post.

Real, who have a game in hand, have 45 points from 18 matches, with Barca on 41 ahead of their Deportivo La Coruna clash. - Reuters

L A L I G A

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMSECTIONC M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5LIFE & STYLE

eepika Padukone is one of Bollywood’s most popular superstar ac-tors. She’s starred in

Happy New Year and Chennai Express, two of the highest grossing Bollywood films ever made.

In interviews, the former model talks about the glaring pay disparities between male and female stars, and last year, she made headlines when she called out the Times of India after the newspaper published a video clip, for blatantly objec-tifying her.

In Happy New Year, Padu-kone’s most recent blockbuster, she turned in a trademark con-fident, magnetic dance per-formance, so it was surprising Thursday when the Hindustan Times published an account by Padukone detailing her strug-gles with depression and anxi-ety. In fact, she revealed that she was dealing with it during the same period when she was film-ing the Diwali heist comedy.

“Every morning it was a struggle to wake up and shoot for Happy New Year’s’ climax,” she said. “Finally, I had a word with Anna aunty. She flew to Mumbai from Bengaluru, and I talked my heart out to her. She concluded that I was suffering from anxiety and depression.”

It wasn’t the first time Padu-kone, 29, addressed mental ill-ness. “When you look at a per-son, any person, everyone has a story,” Padukone said in a series of tweets on December 31. “Eve-ryone has gone through some-thing that has changed their life. anxiety, depression and panic attacks are not signs of weak-ness. They are signs of trying to remain strong for way too long. I dedicate this year to support-ing Mental Health Awareness. #youarenotalone.”

But this was the first time Padukone has discussed her own trials in such detail. Padu-kone said that she saw a psy-chologist who treated her depression with therapy and anti-depressants, though ini-tially she resisted pharmaco-logical treatment. After Happy New Year wrapped, she took a two-month break before start-ing work on her next film, only to learn that a friend suffering from anxiety and depression committed suicide.

Padukone said that’s what spurred her to speak publicly. India, in addition to being the world’s most populous country, has the highest number of sui-cides. A recent New York Times editorial painted a picture of a mental health crisis, especial-ly among Indian youth, who have the highest suicide rate in the world.

According to a 2014 report by Human Rights Watch the stigma surrounding mental ill-ness is especially punishing for Indian women:

“Instances of violence against women and girls with mental or intellectual disabilities includ-ing involuntary confinement, physical abuse, inhumane or degrading treatment, and ex-cessive electroshock therapy remained particularly high in state-run and private residen-tial care facilities, which lack adequate oversight. Within the family and community, women and girls with disabilities also experience violence, including involuntary sterilisation. “

“The most common reaction is, ‘How can you be depressed? You have everything going for you. You are the supposed No. 1 heroine and have a plush home, car, movies — What else do you want?’ It’s not about what you have or don’t have,” Padukone said. “People talk about physi-cal fitness, but mental health is equally important. I see people suffering, and their families feel a sense of shame about it, which doesn’t help. One needs support and understanding.”

Padukone’s revelation was greeted on Twitter with a swell of support from fans and col-leagues alike. - Soraya Nadia McDonald/

The Washington Post

When you look at a person, any person, everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something

that has changed their life. Anxiety,depression and panic attacks are not signs of weakness. They are signs of

trying to remain strong for way too long

RESTAURANT

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EXTRAM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

Once she places the sil-ver platter on the table, the waitress we know as Janine launches into a detailed description of our family-style meal at Rose’s Luxury. She tells us

about the expanse of eggplant Parm, the crusty garlic knots and the bowl of fresh greens with red onions, rad-ishes, peperoncini and other sub-merged pleasures.

‘The only thing I can compare it to,’ Janine says about the leafy side, ‘is a really good Olive Garden salad.’

At that moment, my dining com-panion just about loses it. His ex-pression hovers somewhere be-tween delight and horror, a response that’s amusing only once you know his profession — Jonathan Crayne is a senior captain at Marcel’s, the Washington institution where chef and owner Robert Wiedmaier proudly flies the fine-dining flag in a city increasingly dominated by res-taurants catering to the T-shirt-and-sneakers set.

Crayne is an increasingly rare breed himself — a server who has been tending to the dining needs of the rich and famous for nearly 40 years. His career stretches back to the mid-1970s, to Windows on the World in New York, where he was trained not just to take orders, sug-gest wine pairings and recite daily specials. He was trained to be a mas-ter of tableside prep — In front of guests, he would prepare Caesar sal-ads, debone Dover sole, chop steak tartare and flame crepes Suzette. In short, he peddled decadence, as largely defined and passed down by the great chefs of Europe.

To Crayne, the idea of invok-ing Olive Garden as a selling point at Marcel’s is incomprehensible, the equivalent of explaining Wied-maier’s famous boudin blanc by comparing it to, say, a ballpark frank. When I ask the captain what Wied-maier would have thought of Ja-nine’s description, he responds with a one-liner, delivered with the tim-ing of a stand-up comic.

‘He would definitely have to take a pill and sit down,’ Crayne cracks.

If you want to understand how dining has changed in the past dec-ade, you have to look beyond just the kitchen. You have to look at the people on the dining room floor, too. Like chefs who have incorporated influences far beyond France, serv-ers and front-of-house managers have ventured beyond French and Russian styles of service to em-brace latter-day philosophers such as Chicago restaurateur Richard Melman and Danny Meyer, the New Yorker behind Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Shake Shack and other establishments.

The bible for many young chefs and restaurateurs is Meyer’s 2006 book, Setting the Table, in which he explains his notion of ‘enlightened hospitality.’ It’s a philosophy that emphasizes employees over cus-tomers, the community, suppliers and even investors; it also draws a clear distinction between ‘service’ and ‘hospitality.’

‘The service is the technical deliv-ery of a product,’ Meyer writes. ‘Hos-pitality is how the delivery of that product makes its recipient feel.’

In the realm of enlightened hos-pitality, managers prefer employees

who have better emotional skills than technical ones — a person, in other words, who knows how to cater to a diner’s every need over a person who just knows how to refill the water glass. It’s an approach that Meyer appropriated from Melman, founder and chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, the com-pany behind restaurants and chains such as Mon Ami Gabi, Maggiano’s Little Italy and Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab.

‘It’s remarkable to me how many businesses shine brightly when it comes to acing the tasks but ema-nate all the warmth of a cool fluores-cent light,’ Meyer writes in Setting the Table. ‘That explains how a four-star restaurant can actually attract far fewer loyal fans than a two- or three-star place with soul.’

That philosophy has been practi-cally etched into the psyche of some chefs and restaurateurs here, in-cluding Aaron Silverman at Rose’s Luxury, Sebastian Zutant at Red Hen and Jeremiah Langhorne at the forthcoming Dabney. Zutant still remembers the day last year when he and Red Hen chef and co-owner Michael Friedman were sit-ting at the bar at Gramercy Tavern, Meyer’s fine-dining institution. Friedman told the bartender he has a shellfish allergy. The food runner who brought his entree — a different Gramercy employee — told Fried-man the dish had neither touched nor been anywhere near shellfish.

‘It was such an impressive little piece of service that people over-look,’ Zutant says. ‘But it’s really, really important when you experi-ence it, and that’s something we do

now. Thank you, Danny Meyer.’The problem, as Meyer wrote in

his book, is that ‘training for emo-tional skills is next to impossible.’ The key, then, is hiring people who exhibit a natural impulse to take care of others and have an ability to intuit a diner’s needs. Short of employing a Myers-Briggs test to determine which personalities make the best servers, the process for identify-ing such emotionally sophisticated people can be vague. A candidate’s resume and experience often mean less than his or her personality.

Silverman offers an example from his own hiring process at Rose’s. He decided to hire a food runner who walked into the interview and immediately radiated warmth. He smiled, he was friendly, he had a good handshake. ‘He had a positive energy about him,’ Silverman says. ‘That’s what we’re looking for: peo-ple who are naturally comfortable.’ Silverman says he never even read the employee’s resume.

At both Rose’s and Red Hen, if managers don’t personally like a candidate, the applicant is essen-tially doomed, no matter how quali-fied. Michael Richmond, assistant general manager at Rose’s, explains the logic behind the rather subjec-tive process.

‘We’re always looking for per-sonalities, which is one of the keys,’ Richmond says. ‘Are they good? Are they cool? Do they put a lasting im-pression on us?’ That last quality is paramount — If the employee can’t impress a small handful of manag-ers, how can he or she expect to im-press diners ? — Tim Carman/The Washington Post.

If you wantto understand

how dining has changed in the

past decade,you have to look

beyond the kitchen

THE winner of the Richard Freeman Junior Deal of the Year award from the International Bridge Press Association last October was Bob Donkersloot, a 19-year-old from the Netherlands.

Donkersloot (South) was in four spades. After West led the diamond nine, what did declarer do?

In the auction, North’s four-club rebid showed four-card spade support, at least game-going values and some sort of club control.

Donkersloot realised that he needed the trump finesse to work and that the opening lead had to be a singleton. (West would have led the jack or ace if he held a doubleton.) So there was a risk that East would take dummy’s diamond queen with his ace and give his partner a diamond ruff. Then a heart shift through dummy’s king, with East holding the ace, would give the defenders the first four tricks. Was there any way to divert the apparent destiny of the contract?

Donkersloot found a fantastic play at trick one — he called for a low diamond from the dummy.

East automatically won with his jack and cashed the diamond ace. West, not smelling a rodent, did not ruff and shift to a heart. And then the contract could not be defeated. South won East’s club switch in the dummy, discarded a heart on the second high club and conceded a heart. A moment later, declarer ruffed a heart in his hand, took the trump finesse, drew trumps and claimed.

Now to come clean. This clever play proved unnecessary at the table because West held the heart ace. The contract was unbeatable. But that does not detract from Donkersloot’s imaginative play.

— By Phillip Alder

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ENTERTAINMENT

From the hands of a young player

B I G N A T E

B O R N L O S E R

M A R M A D U K E

A C E S O N B R I D G E

C I N E M A S C H E D U L E

K I D S P O T H E A L T H C A P S U L EC R O S S W O R D

Ans

wer

to p

revi

ous

puzz

le

WITH LOVE

Previous puzzle Solution

HOW TO PLAY Fill the empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column and area. — Seven Galaxies

S U D O K U

M O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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

NANDHANA SATHYANJanuary 19, 2004

24 Not crisp26 Box-office flop27 Leaf-to-be29 Roast beef au —30 Garden spots31 Steel girders

(hyph.)32 Legolas, for one33 Lemonade color34 An antiseptic

35 Royal decrees36 Motel’s prices38 Common

wildflower41 Grates on44 Contains45 Ick!46 Scout leader, often48 Pricing wd.50 Two, for Livy

ACROSS 1 Eccentric, slangily 6 Speckle11 Deli staple12 Time of the

mammals14 Slim15 Groovy!17 Chicago Loop train18 — Dawn Chong19 Birthday no.20 Got a peek at21 Prefix for present23 College profs,

usually24 Ice-cream treat25 Delinquent (2

wds.)27 Inclined to be

overbearing28 Summer mo.29 Bleach bottle30 Investor’s concern33 More chubby37 In a skilled manner38 Insult, slangily39 Skywalker’s Jedi

trainer40 Lib. section41 Surfing duo — and

Dean42 Morse click43 Pub. prosecutor44 17 syllables46 Chop47 Greasy marks49 Huge beings51 Fresh52 Goes to earth

DOWN 1 Caribbean islands 2 UFO crew 3 Catch some rays 4 New Age practice,

briefly 5 — and yang 6 Dreads 7 A great deal 8 Environmental

prefix 9 After yr. 110 Handles dough11 Razor sharpener13 Broncos QB John

—16 Rochester’s Jane20 Coast Guard alert22 Where Florence is23 Really liked

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Tevar – 2D (PG12) Action Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha 11:15 pmThe Snow Queen: Magic of the Ice Mirror – 2D (PG) AnimationVoice Overs: Anna Shurochkina6:15 pm

C10

FIND-IT-ALLM O N DAY, JA N UA RY 1 9, 2 0 1 5

MONDAYFLT NO ARRIVALS FROM ETA WY676 JEDDAH 0005WY406 CAIRO 0005WY682 RIYADH 0005BG021 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0100WY916 SALALAH 01504H583 DACCA 0200TK776 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0300QR1132 DOHA 0345EK866 DUBAI 0355GF560 BAHRAIN 0405EY384 ABU DHABI 0405FZ041 DUBAI 0415WY902 SALALAH 0630WY638 ABU DHABI 0650WY638 ABU DHABI 0650WY324 KARACHI 0700WY686 RIYADH 0700WY658 BAHRAIN 0700WY674 JEDDAH 0730WY672 MEDINA 0745WY602 DUBAI 0805WY202 BOMBAY 0815WY102 LONDON HEATHROW 0820FZ043 DUBAI 0850G9114 SHARJAH 0915WY242 DELHI 0920WY236 HYDERABAD 0920WY918 KHASAB 0930WY226 COCHIN 0930WY252 MADRAS 0940WY212 TRIVANDRUM 0940WY346 ISLAM ABBAD 0940EK862 DUBAI 0940QR1128 DOHA 1010EY382 ABU DHABI 10159W530 TRIVANDRUM 1035WY342 LAHORE 1100WY272 JAIPUR 1100WY282 BANGALORE 1100WY604 DUBAI 1110WY372 COLOMBO 1140FZ037 DUBAI 1200WY384 MALE 1205IX337 CALICUT 1210WY332 KATHMANDU 1210PA450 LAHORE 1215WY904 SALALAH 1215WY818 BANGKOK 1235WY606 DUBAI 1330WY3302 MUKHAIZNA 1330WY906 SALALAH 1415WY656 BAHRAIN 1530WY632 ABU DHABI 1535FZ045 DUBAI 1555WY204 BOMBAY 1710WY292 CALICUT 1720WY610 DUBAI 1730WY246 DELHI 1730WY3304 MUKHAIZNA 1730WY264 LUCKNOW 1735WY232 HYDERABAD 1740WY664 DOHA 1745QR1126 DOHA 1745EK864 DUBAI 1800GF564 BAHRAIN 1810WY3922 DUQUM OMAN 1900WY646 KUWAIT 1900G9116 SHARJAH 1915WY254 MADRAS 1920FZ047 DUBAI 1945WY434 TEHRAN 2000WY614 DUBAI 2030AI977 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105KL441 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120WY624 DUBAI 2125AI973 DELHI 2125WY312 CHITTAGONG 21256.00E+81 BOMBAY 2130WY414 AMMAN 21359W534 COCHIN 2140FZ049 DUBAI 2145AI907 MADRAS 2200QR1134 DOHA 2210WY338 KATHMANDU 2235GF566 BAHRAIN 2240EY388 ABU DHABI 2250BA073 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2250SG061 AHMEDABAD 2300WY908 SALALAH 2305AI985 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310WY662 DOHA 2315LX242 ZURICH-DUBAI 23209W540 BOMBAY 2325WY654 BAHRAIN 2330LH618 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330WY612 DUBAI 2335WY914 SALALAH 2345WY696 DAMMAM 2350WY636 ABU DHABI 2350WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355WY910 SALALAH 2355

TUESDAYFLT NO ARRIVALS FROM ETA

WY406 CAIRO 0005WY682 RIYADH 0005WY682 RIYADH 0005WY676 JEDDAH 0005WY648 KUWAIT 0010WY816 BANGKOK 0015NL768 LAHORE 0130WY916 SALALAH 0150TK774 ISTANBUL 0215PK281 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0225PK225 KARACHI 0230QR1132 DOHA 0345ET624 ADDIS ABABA 0350EK866 DUBAI 0355GF560 BAHRAIN 0405EY384 ABU DHABI 0405FZ041 DUBAI 0415WY902 SALALAH 0630WY638 ABU DHABI 0650WY658 BAHRAIN 0700WY412 AMMAN 0705WY668 DOHA 0710WY644 KUWAIT 0715WY122 MUNICH 0715WY114 FRANKFURT 0715WY692 DAMMAM 0725WY674 JEDDAH 0730WY154 MALPENSA-ZURICH 0745WY132 PARIS 0800WY602 DUBAI 0805WY202 BOMBAY 0815WY432 TEHRAN 0815WY102 LONDON HEATHROW 0820WY422 BEIRUT 0830FZ043 DUBAI 0850G9114 SHARJAH 0915WY236 HYDERABAD 0920WY242 DELHI 0935WY252 MADRAS 0940EK862 DUBAI 0940QR8550 DOHA 1000QR1128 DOHA 1010EY382 ABU DHABI 1015WY3302 MUKHAIZNA 1045WY272 JAIPUR 1100WY604 DUBAI 1110WY904 SALALAH 1110G9841 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120FZ037 DUBAI 1200WY314 CHITTAGONG 1210WY268 LUCKNOW 1210IX337 CALICUT 1210PK191 GWADUR 1220BG023 CHITTAGONG 1245WY918 KHASAB 1245WY606 DUBAI 1330WY326 KARACHI 1355WY918 KHASAB 1440IX817 MANGALORE-ABU DHABI 1440WY906 SALALAH 1445WY812 BANGKOK 1525KU677 KUWAIT 1525WY656 BAHRAIN 1530WY328 LAHORE 1550FZ045 DUBAI 1555WY632 ABU DHABI 1635WY204 BOMBAY 1710WY292 CALICUT 1720WY246 DELHI 1730WY232 HYDERABAD 1740WY216 TRIVANDRUM 1740WY348 ISLAM ABBAD 1745WY664 DOHA 1745QR1126 DOHA 1745EK864 DUBAI 1800GF564 BAHRAIN 1810WY284 BANGALORE 1810WY610 DUBAI 1845WY3306 MUKHAIZNA 1845SV534 RIYADH 1900G9116 SHARJAH 1915TG507 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1935FZ047 DUBAI 1945WY614 DUBAI 2030WY914 SALALAH 2055WY624 DUBAI 2125AI973 DELHI 21256.00E+81 BOMBAY 2130WY224 COCHIN 2140FZ049 DUBAI 2145WY374 COLOMBO 2150WY254 MADRAS 2155WY814 BANGKOK 2200AI907 MADRAS 2200QR1134 DOHA 2210UL205 COLOMBO 2225GF566 BAHRAIN 2240BA073 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2240EY388 ABU DHABI 2250WY908 SALALAH 2305AI985 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310WY662 DOHA 2315LX242 ZURICH-DUBAI 23209W540 BOMBAY 2325LH618 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330WY654 BAHRAIN 2330WY612 DUBAI 2335WY696 DAMMAM 2350WY636 ABU DHABI 2350WY910 SALALAH 2355WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

FLT NO DEPARTURES TO ETD AI986 BOMBAY 0005LX243 DUBAI-ZURICH 00209W539 BOMBAY 0025BA072 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025LH619 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050WY685 RIYADH 0105WY211 TRIVANDRUM 0110WY251 MADRAS 0110WY201 BOMBAY 0120WY225 COCHIN 0125WY235 HYDERABAD 0135WY601 DUBAI 0150WY345 ISLAM ABBAD 0150WY341 LAHORE 0150WY241 DELHI 0155WY281 BANGALORE 0200WY637 ABU DHABI 0205WY657 BAHRAIN 0205WY323 KARACHI 0210WY371 COLOMBO 0210WY667 DOHA 0220WY383 MALE 0235BG022 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 02504H584 DACCA 0300TK777 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0350WY271 JAIPUR 0350EK867 DUBAI 0455FZ042 DUBAI 0510QR1133 DOHA 0520EY385 ABU DHABI 0525WY917 KHASAB 0630GF561 BAHRAIN 0745WY3931 SOHAR 0800WY903 SALALAH 0800WY603 DUBAI 0800WY291 CALICUT 0920WY263 LUCKNOW 0920FZ044 DUBAI 0935WY245 DELHI 0955WY231 HYDERABAD 0955WY3301 MUKHAIZNA 1000G9115 SHARJAH 1005WY815 BANGKOK 1010WY905 SALALAH 1020WY203 BOMBAY 1030WY605 DUBAI 1030WY311 CHITTAGONG 1040WY253 MADRAS 1040WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045EK863 DUBAI 1055EY383 ABU DHABI 1105WY655 BAHRAIN 1110QR1129 DOHA 11159W533 COCHIN 1135WY631 ABU DHABI 1225IX350 CALICUT 1310WY337 KATHMANDU 1310PA451 LAHORE 1315FZ038 DUBAI 1315WY413 AMMAN 1330WY101 LAHORE 1330WY663 DOHA 1330WY433 TEHRAN 1340WY645 KUWAIT 1340WY113 FRANKFURT 1345WY3303 MUKHAIZNA 1400WY153 MALPENSA-ZURICH 1405WY121 MUNICH 1415WY131 PARIS 1420WY609 DUBAI 1420WY405 CAIRO 1430WY3921 DUQUM OMAN 1515WY675 JEDDAH 1630WY613 DUBAI 1700FZ046 DUBAI 1700WY623 DUBAI 1820WY681 RIYADH 1845QR1127 DOHA 1845WY907 SALALAH 1850GF565 BAHRAIN 1855WY647 KUWAIT 1900WY661 DOHA 1900WY653 BAHRAIN 1910WY695 DAMMAM 1910EK865 DUBAI 1915WY909 SALALAH 1940WY913 SALALAH 1950G9117 SHARJAH 2005WY611 DUBAI 2025WY635 ABU DHABI 2030FZ048 DUBAI 2040WY915 SALALAH 2135AI978 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200FZ050 DUBAI 2225WY421 BEIRUT 2230KL442 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 22309W529 TRIVANDRUM 2240WY411 AMMAN 22406.00E+82 BOMBAY 2245AI908 MADRAS 2300AI974 DELHI 2310QR1135 DOHA 2320GF567 BAHRAIN 2325WY434 SALALAH 2350WY673 JEDDAH 2350EY381 ABU DHABI 2350

FLT NO DEPARTURES TO ETD AI986 BOMBAY 0005LX243 DUBAI-ZURICH 00209W539 BOMBAY 0025BA072 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025SG062 AHMEDABAD 0030LH619 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050WY685 RIYADH 0105WY251 MADRAS 0110WY201 BOMBAY 0120WY811 BANGKOK 0120WY235 HYDERABAD 0135WY601 DUBAI 0150WY241 DELHI 0155WY431 TEHRAN 0155WY643 KUWAIT 0200WY637 ABU DHABI 0205WY313 CHITTAGONG 0205WY657 BAHRAIN 0205WY667 DOHA 0220NL769 LAHORE 0230WY691 DAMMAM 0235TK775 ISTANBUL 0310PK282 SIALKOT 0325PK226 KARACHI 0330WY271 JAIPUR 0350WY267 LUCKNOW 0355ET625 ADDIS ABABA 0450EK867 DUBAI 0455FZ042 DUBAI 0510QR1133 DOHA 0520EY385 ABU DHABI 0525WY3301 MUKHAIZNA 0715GF561 BAHRAIN 0745WY603 DUBAI 0800WY903 SALALAH 0800WY813 BANGKOK 0805WY327 LAHORE 0920WY325 KARACHI 0920WY291 CALICUT 0920WY215 TRIVANDRUM 0920WY823 KUALA LUMPUR 0930FZ044 DUBAI 0935WY231 HYDERABAD 0955WY245 DELHI 0955G9115 SHARJAH 1005WY815 BANGKOK 1010WY283 BANGALORE 1010WY373 COLOMBO 1020WY203 BOMBAY 1030WY605 DUBAI 1030WY905 SALALAH 1030WY347 ISLAM ABBAD 1040WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045EK863 DUBAI 1055EY383 ABU DHABI 1105WY655 BAHRAIN 1110QR1129 DOHA 1115QR8551 DUBAI WORLD CENTRE-DOHA 1130WY917 KHASAB 1140G9842 RAS AL KHAIMA 1210PK192 GWADUR-TURBAT 1305WY337 KATHMANDU 1310IX350 CALICUT 1310FZ038 DUBAI 1315WY253 MADRAS 1315WY3931 SOHAR 1315WY223 COCHIN 1325WY631 ABU DHABI 1325WY663 DOHA 1330WY101 LONDON HEATHROW 1330BG024 CHITTAGONG 1415WY405 CAIRO 1430WY3305 MUKHAIZNA 1515IX818 MANGALORE 1530WY609 DUBAI 1545KU678 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1625WY675 JEDDAH 1630WY913 SALALAH 1650FZ046 DUBAI 1700WY613 DUBAI 1700WY623 DUBAI 1820QR1127 DOHA 1845WY681 RIYADH 1845WY907 SALALAH 1850GF565 BAHRAIN 1855WY647 KUWAIT 1900WY661 DOHA 1900WY653 BAHRAIN 1910WY695 DAMMAM 1910EK865 DUBAI 1915WY821 KUALA LUMPUR 1930WY909 SALALAH 1940SV535 RIYADH 2000G9117 SHARJAH 2005WY611 DUBAI 2025WY635 ABU DHABI 2030TG508 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2040FZ048 DUBAI 2040WY915 SALALAH 2135FZ050 DUBAI 22256.00E+82 BOMBAY 2245AI908 MADRAS 2300AI974 DELHI 2310QR1135 DOHA 2320GF567 BAHRAIN 2325UL206 COLOMBO 2335EY381 ABU DHABI 2350WY901 SALALAH 2350WY673 JEDDAH 2350

A I R L I N E S

PHARMACIESRound the clockAl Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080Dhofar RegionMuscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel: 23291635

HOSPITALSAl Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453Hatat Polyclinic LLC,Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780Capital Polyclinic: 24707549Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740Ceregem National Raak: 24485633Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217Elixir Health Centre: 24565802Emirates Medical Centre: 246045401st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274Hamdan Hospital: 23212340International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000

ROYAL OMAN POLICEEmergencies and inquiries: 9999General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603Directorate General of Customs: 24521109Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228Public Relations Admin: 24560099

ACCOMMODATIONAl Bahjah Hotel: 24424400Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311Al Qurum Resort: 24605945Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979Beach Hotel: 24696601Bowshar Hotel: 24491105Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660Crystal Suites: 24826100Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234Haffa House Hotel: 24707207Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123InterContinental Muscat: 24680000Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900Marina Hotel: 24711711Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565Mina Hotel: 24711828Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199Oman Dive Centre: 24824240Park Inn: 24507888Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443Ruwi Hotel: 24704244Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666The Chedi Muscat: 24524400The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570

AIRLINE OFFICESMuscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223Aeroflot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacific: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines:

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033

MUSEUMSBait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pmNatural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pmMuseum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday - 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pmOman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pmBait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., [email protected] from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm.National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pmSohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pmMuscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

PRAYER TIMINGS

W E A T H E R

Dhuhr 12.22pmAsr 3.28pmMaghrib 5.49pmIsha 7.03pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 5.32am

Sunset 5:43pmSunrise (Tomorrow) 6.51pm

High tide 8:52am 7:38amLow tide 1:49pm 2:18am

OMAN

Max 24Min 16

Max 17Min 14

Max 23Min 15

Max 26Min 12

Max 25Min 15Max 23

Min 11

Max 26Min 9

Max 29 Min 20

Partly cloudy skies over the governorates of Musandam and north Al-Batinah with chances of rain and occasional thundershowers associated with hail and fresh wind which will gradually extend to governorates

of south Al-Batinah, Muscat, Al-Dhahira, Al-Buraimi, Al-Dakhliah, north Al-Sharqiya and south Al-Sharqiya. Clear to partly cloudy skies with chances of light isolated rain along the coastal areas of Dhofar and Al-Wusta governorates.EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal area of Oman Sea and Arabian Sea wind will be easterly to northeasterly light to moderate while over rest of the Sultanate wind will northwesterly light to moderate.SEA STATE: Moderate to rough along Musandam and Oman Sea coasts with

maximum wave height ranges of 2.0 to 3.0 metres. Slight to moderate along Arabian Sea coast with a maximum wave height of 1.5 metres.HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during rain.THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Partly cloudy skies with chances of rain and occasional thundershowers associated with hail and fresh wind over governorates of Musandam, north Al-Batinah, south Al-Batinah, Muscat, Al-Dhahira, Al-Buraimi, Al-Dakhliah, north Al-Sharqiya and south Al-Sharqiya. Chances of light isolated rain along the coastal areas of Dhofar and Al-Wusta governorates . Moderate to rough sea condition along Musandam and Oman Sea coasts with a maximum wave height of 2.0 to 3.0 metres.

Max Min

GULFAbu Dhabi 20 17Doha 17 12Dubai 19 17Kuwait 16 10Manama 16 14Riyadh 15 4

WORLDAthens 18 12Baghdad 17 4Beijing 4 -6Berlin 2 0Boston 6 -3Cairo 21 4Colombo 32 21Frankfurt 2 -1Hong Kong 18 11Istanbul 1 8Johannesburg 25 14Kuala Lumpur 31 21Lisbon 11 6Paris 4 0Perth 25 16Singapore 30 24Tokyo 11 4Toronto -2 -8

WORLD

Max 4Min -2

Max 22Min 6

Max -3Min -9

Max 27Min 12

Max 21Min 13

Max 22Min 21

Max 0Min -4

Max 29Min 23

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 Daily15:00 Sur 18:00 Daily15:00 Jaalan 19:30 Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41)06:30 Sohar 08:50 Daily06:30 Buraimi 11:00 Daily08:00 Buraimi 14:30 Daily via Ibri13:00 Sohar 15:45 Daily13:00 Buraimi 17:40 Daily 16.00 Sohar 18.35 Daily 16.00 Buraimi 20:20 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41)07:00 Sohar 08:55 Daily07:00 Ruwi 11:40 Daily13:30 Ruwi 20:20 Daily via Ibri13:00 Sohar 14:55 Daily13:00 Ruwi 17:40 Daily 13:00 Sohar 19:20 Daily 17:00 Ruwi 22:15 Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52)17:30 Sinaw 20:50 Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52)07:00 Ruwi 10:25 Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54)14:30 Nizwa 16:50 Daily14:30 Yanqul 19:30 Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54)06:00 Nizwa 08:40 Daily06:00 Ruwi 11:00 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54)08:00 Nizwa 10:20 Daily08:00 Al Araqi 12:30 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54)15:40 Nizwa 17:55 Daily15:40 Ruwi 20:20 Daily

TO SUR (Route 55)07:30 Sur 12:00 Daily14:30 Sur 18:45 Daily

TO SUR (Route 55)06:00 Ruwi 10:45 Daily14:30 Ruwi 19:00 Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62)06:30 Fahud 10:30 Daily06:30 Yibal 11:15 Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62)12:30 Fahud 13:15 Daily12:30 Ruwi 17:30 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201)06:00 Sohar 08:30 Daily06:00 Dubai 11:30 Daily13:00 Sohar 15:30 Wed,Thur13:00 Dubai 18:30 Wed,Thur15:00 Sohar 17:35 Daily15:00 Dubai 20:55 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201)07:30 Sohar 10:50 Daily07:30 Ruwi 13:40 Daily13:00 Sohar 16:15 Thur-Fri13:00 Ruwi 19:10 Thur-Fri15:30 Sohar 18:45 Daily15:30 Ruwi 21:35 Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100)07:00 Salalah 20:00 Daily10:00 Marmul 20:30 Daily10:00 Salalah 23:30 Daily19:00 Salalah 07:40 Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100)07:00 Ruwi 19:50 Daily10:00 Marmul 13:15 Daily10:00 Ruwi 22:30 Daily19:00 Ruwi 07:30 Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101)06:00 Marmul 16:50 Daily

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102)15:00 Dubai 07:00 Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101)06:00 Marmul 16:30 Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102)15:00 Salalah 07:00 Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204)Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

LISTINGS

—www.met.gov.om

BORN today, you are at times bigger than life, and one of those remarkable individuals who are always able to capture the attention and imaginations of a wide audience, working wonders on the world simply on the strength of charisma, personality, vision and inspiration. This might suggest that you are perfectly at home in the public arena — and this is correct, certainly. However, you can also be a fiercely private individual, holding much in your life dear and doing what you can to keep it from becoming fodder for the rumour mill. You never like being talked about, but you understand that being talked about can actually serve you well, professionally.

You have great pride, and your confidence in yourself and your abilities is undying — though it is likely to be tested on several occasions throughout your lifetime, as you face formidable obstacles and situations that require you to snatch victory from the hungry jaws of defeat.

Also born on this date are: Dolly Parton, singer-songwriter and actress; Jean Stapleton, actress; Janis Joplin, singer; Shelley Fabares, singer and actress; Paula Deen, celebrity chef; Edgar Allan Poe, author and poet; Robert E. Lee, Confederate military leader; Katey Sagal, actress; Robert Palmer, singer; Paul Cezanne, painter; Michael Crawford, actor and singer; Junior Seau, football player.

You’ll realise once again that one or two episodes you are eager to forget really did contribute to who you are right now.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22]

LIBRA [SEPT. 23-OCT. 22] LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL[S[S[S[S[[[S[[S[S[S[[S[S[SSS[SS[SSSS

SCORPIO [OCT. 23-NOV. 21] S[

SAGITTARIUS [NOV. 22-DEC. 21] S[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18]

You’ll free yourself from a certain influence that has been causing you a great deal of unnecessary stress.

You mustn’t shy away from the opportunity to tell it like it is. Such honesty will be appreciated by those on the receiving end.

You may find yourself obliged to someone you had hoped wouldn’t be so prominent in your life, but all will be well.

You’ll enjoy exploring something new. The dangers you encounter, though minimal, will prepare you for something soon to arrive.

You may have to work harder than usual to keep up with someone who is enjoying a spike in both energy and productivity.

You’ll have the chance to speak your mind in a new forum. If you don’t take advantage of it, you’re likely to be set back months.

You know more about yourself right now than you have in a while — certainly more than others do, which can be quite an advantage.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20]

You’re eager to enjoy some time away from the grind, but first you must finish a project that has already taken far too long.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20]

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22]

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22]

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19]

Y O U R B I R T H D A Y

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19]

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20]

You mustn’t waste any time, nor must you move so quickly that you don’t notice what is going on around you. You can strike a balance.

You’re able to keep many balls in the air at once, but such juggling demands more than just mental and physical dexterity.

Advice you receive from experts isn’t likely to prove all that valuable to you. More useful by far is a friend’s hands-on assistance!

C11


Genius is seen in characters such as Sherlock Holmes, while female intelligence is shown

as a result of hard work, exemplified by Hermione Granger, study finds

Women and ‘misconceived idea of brilliance’

Women are less likely to become scientists and engineers be-cause they are taught

to believe that these professions require innate intellectual bril-liance rather than sheer hard work, a study has found.

The academics behind the re-search suggest that a miscon-ceived idea of brilliance is holding back girls from taking subjects such as physics, engineering and mathematics in favour of “softer” subjects such as humanities, lan-guages and social sciences.

They believe the findings are mirrored in popular representa-tions of brilliance, with innate ge-nius represented by fictional male characters such as Sherlock Hol-mes, while female intelligence is frequently shown as the result of hard work and swatting, as exem-plified by Hermione Granger.

The researchers support their conclusions with findings from a survey of 1,800 graduate students and university teachers from 30 academic disciplines showing that women are significantly under-represented in subjects where their teachers put a premium on the need for innate brilliance.

“We’re not saying brilliance, or valuing brilliance, is a bad thing. And we’re not saying women are not brilliant or that being brilliant isn’t helpful to one’s academic ca-reer,” said Professor Andrei Cim-pian, a psychologist at the Univer-sity of Illinois in Champaign.

“We are also not arguing that women are less brilliant than men. There is no convincing evi-dence in the literature that men and women differ intellectually in ways that would be relevant to their success in the fields we sur-veyed,” Professor Cimpian said.

“According to our hypothesis, female under-representation is not the result of actual differences in intellectual ability, but rather the result of perceived or pre-sumed differences between men and women,” he said.

“We found that women were indeed less likely to obtain PhDs in fields that idolise brilliance and genius. This hypothesis was better able to explain the data on wom-en’s representations than several of the prominent hypotheses that a currently available,” he added.

The study, published in the journal Science, found that wom-en might be put off by the teach-

ers of subjects such as physics and maths where there is an em-phasis on the need to be brilliant in order to succeed — a quality of “unschooled genius” that is widely perceived to be lacking in women, the researchers said.

“Women who are portrayed as intellectually accomplished tend, like Hermione Granger, to also be portrayed as incredibly hard working and diligent,” said Sarah-Jane Leslie, a philosopher at Illi-nois who took part in the research.

“Women’s accomplishments are seen as grounded in long hours

poring over books, rather than in some kind of raw brilliance,” Dr Leslie said.

The researchers found that wom-en earned fewer PhDs than men in academic fields such as phys-ics and maths that emphasise the need for this kind of intellectual brilliance.

Less than 30 per cent of phys-ics, astronomy and computer sci-ence doctorates went to women whereas 60 or 70 per cent of PhDs in education, psychology and an-thropology went to women.

Traditionally, the lack of wom-en in certain scientific profes-sions was put down to three pos-sible causes: the need to work long hours, the need of intellec-tual aptitude or the need to think abstractly and systematically, Dr Leslie said.

“We found that none of these al-ternative hypotheses were able to predict women’s representations across the entire academic spec-trum,” Dr Leslie said.

“A strong emphasis on brilliance among practitioners of particular fields was the best predictor of women’s under-representation in those fields,” she explained. -Steve Connor/The Independent

Lock children’s smartphone if they ignore your call

PARENTS please note. If your kids ignore your calls, use this app to lock their smartphones immediately to get their attention back. Called “Ig-nore No More”, the app promises to help parents get control back over their child’s phone. Just install the app on your phones and your child’s phone. Tap the kid’s name and enter a four-digit code to lock their device. When the smartphone is locked, kids

can’t “text, surf the internet, play games or look at Facebook”, Sharon Standifird, the Texas-based app’s creator, was quoted as saying in media reports. “What they can do is call the parent back to get the password to unlock their phone,” she added. It is not about punishing the child — it is a tool to try and correct the behaviour, Standifird noted. The app, already available for Android devices, will be available on iPhones from March, Herald Sun reported.

Learn second language early for super brain

LEARNING a second language after the age of 10 improves cognitive functions in the brain, says a study. Researchers from University of Kent’s school of psychology analysed brain scans from 20 people aged 30 who lived in Britain for at least 13 months. They started learning Eng-lish as a second language around age 10. The analyses were compared to 25 people who spoke only English.

The results showed that the brain’s white matter showed im-provement in the people who begin learning English around the age of 10 than those who grow up speaking only English. The higher levels of structural integrity were in areas respon-sible for language learning and semantic processing. “Every-day handling of more than one language functions as an inten-sive cognitive stimulation that benefits specific language-related brain structures by preserving their integri-ty, and therefore it protects them against deterioration in old-er age,” said the study, led by Christos Pliatsikas of University of Kent School of Psychology. The study appeared in the jour-nal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Zebra’s stripes actually function like air coolers

THE DISTINCTIVE monochrome fur pattern in zebras keep the ani-mals cool under the hot African sun, shows a recent study. The differenc-es in the way the dark and light fur absorb and give off heat create re-freshing currents of air that regulate the animals’ temperature, the Daily Mail reported. Scientists from the University of California in the US compared the stripes of zebras from 16 different sites with their living

conditions. A link was revealed between temperature and coat pattern, with zebras from the hottest areas having bodies with most stripes. Earlier, it was thought the stripes’ main function is to create an optical illusion that dazzles lions. -IANS

BR I E FS

Women’s accomplishments are seen as grounded in long hours poring over books, rather than in some kind of raw brilliance

C12


‘Ghost in the Shell’ has a Japaneseheroine, but Scarlett will star

On the face of it, her casting in Ghost in the Shell makes sense. She’ll play the leader of cyber-ter-

rorist crime-fighting organisation Public Security Section 9. Three cheers for more female action stars! Right?

The hitch is that the charac-ter in question is Major Motoko Kusanagi. Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese manga series that spawned a 1995 animated movie and 2002 television show. And when news came that Dream-Works would create a live-ac-tion version for the US market, fans were excited. But now that Johansson has been cast in-stead of, say, an Asian actress,

some are less enthusiastic.One woman started an online

petition, accusing DreamWorks of “whitewashing” and asking the production company to reconsid-er the casting decision. At the time of this writing, more than 15,000 people have signed.

It’s not the first campaign fo-cused on the ethnic dynamics of casting. Another recent petition demanded that Warner Bros. re-think its decision to cast white actress Rooney Mara in the role

of native American Tiger Lily in the upcoming Pan. About 73,000 people have signed that petition. And more than 20,000 signed another, directed at Rid-ley Scott, because of his reliance on Anglo actors for Egyptian and Jewish characters in Exodus: .... and Kings.

Neither of those petitions did much to sway casting decisions. Mara is still slated to play Tiger Lily. In an interview with Variety in November, Scott responded to

the criticism by saying: “I can’t mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead ac-tor is so-and-so from such-and-such — I’m just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn’t even come up.”

Scott didn’t deliver his com-ments with the most tact, but his point is worth considering, espe-cially in light of the predominant-ly white, male make-up of Oscar nominees. If a movie has big stars

attached, it’s more likely to get fi-nanced. The problem, obviously, is that creates a self-fulfilling proph-ecy in which every movie lead has to be plucked from the same pool of already bankable talent.

The role of Tiger Lily is hardly a dominant character in the Peter Pan story, so it would be disin-genuous to say the casting for that part has to be a famous face. And the fact that the name of a wor-thy Native American actress who could play the role doesn’t imme-

diately leap to mind is less indica-tive that there are no talented Na-tive American actresses and more of a glaring indicator that none have been given a shot.

When Ghost in the Shell comes out in 2017, the protagonist — assuming she’s still played by Johansson — will likely not be named Major Motoko Kusanagi. (DreamWorks couldn’t confirm what the character’s name would be.) It will probably be something like Major Ann Smith. It would be ludicrous for the blonde, blue-eyed actress to play a Japanese character, and the production company will want to play it safe. That is, after all, what big produc-tion companies do best.— Stephanie Merry/The Washington Post

Scarlett Johansson is a formidable action star, and people clearly enjoy watchingher brawls. ‘Lucy’, her 2014 movie about a woman with an inordinate amount of brain

power and impressive fighting skills, raked in more than $450 million worldwide

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

CONNECT H E D A I LY G U I D E

D

D4 VACANCY CARGO D7

M O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5

RENT D2

DAILY GUIDE Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

2 BR flat for rent in Wadi Kabir next

to Al Maha Petrol Pump.

Rent RO 300 pm. contact 99440826

Fully furnished rooms for rent for

family. Contact 99251975,

Al Khuwair

1&2 BHK flat & Shop for rent at MBD,

Hamriya, Hallat sad, Al Khoudh area.

Contact: 24834644, 93994401,02,03

150 Sqm Store, Darsait, RO 300/-.

Contact 95076261

1 BHK near Medical, Darsait,

RO 175/-. Contact 98748925

2 bedroom fully furnished luxurious

flat for rent at Ghala for long term or

short term basis. Contact 97762321

Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact 99003626

Villa Al Athaibah near Oman post,

3 BHK hall, living room, maids room,

split A/c, family only, RO 600/-.

Contact 92479515

Studio, Al Athaibah, ground floor,

1 BHK, hall, 2 bathrooms, family only.

RO 250/-. Contact 92479515

Flat, Al Ghubrah near Indian School,

2 BHK , RO 325, family only,

3 bathroom, living room.

Contact 92479515

One bedroom flat, Muttrah,

Corniche. Contact 99414644

1 BHK with A/C, Al Ghubrah,

RO 275/-. Contact 92144045

2 BHK flats Muttrah near Oman

House. Contact 97007934 /

92629232

1 BHK at Ghobrah - Near Indian

School. Contact: 99014885

Al Qurum heights Sea view.

Contact 99249069 / 92888376/

93201688

Flat in Darsait. Contact 99326879

Office space for rent in Ruwi,

OMR 500. Contact 91120552

500 Sq Mtrs industrial land, lev-

eled, ready to use with boundary

wall, in Misfah industrial Area, block

2 near Baladiyah Camp, RO 600/-,

monthly. Contact 94030814

1000 Sq Mtrs, Industrial Land for

rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse

workshop etc. Contact 24700120,

92584715

Flat for rent in Al Hail, North

near The Wave, Muscat. Contact

99353433, 99271017

D2 M O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5

New warehouse for rent at Ghala ind.

area. 578 & 1200 sqms near. hotel

al-madinah holiday, Ghala. Container

can enter, immediate access to roads

& highways.Contact : 92078090

Villa in Al Khuwair 33 close to

Technical College with 3 bedrooms,

1 sitting room and shaded balcony.

Directly from owner not for brokers.

Contact 92814242

For rent at Al Khuwair, 4 bedrooms,

3 bathrooms, sitting, dining, kitchen

split A/C near Rawasco, 1st floor.

Rent 480 PDC. Contact 99879939

For rent at Ruwi, 2 bedrooms, 2

bathrooms, sitting, dining, kitchen

with A/C near Al Falaj Hotel, Ruwi,

Way 2116 building 577, rent RO 275,

PDC. Contact 99879939

For rent at Al Khuwair, 1 room with

bathroom (Independent), near Raw-

asco with split A/C, 2nd floor,

rent RO 125 PDC. Contact 99879939

Family villa & flats at Al Ansab and

Awabi. Contact 98458542

2 BHK Commercial, Al Khuwair,

RO 375/-. Contact 92144045

2 BHK with split A/C in Wadi Kabir,

Sana Building furnished.

Contact 96635026

3 BHK with AC, Al Falaj, RO 425/-.

Contact 92144045

2 BHK available in Mumtaz area,

Ruwi & Ghubra, nr Indian School.

Contact 99269751

Office space (3 BHK flat – Ample

space) located in prime area at 18th

November street, Al Azaiba (nr. To

Sultan Center). Contact 99261522

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in

Misfah Industrial area near to Khan

co. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity

and boundary wall will be provided.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

New bldg 3 BR flats located at

Darsait, Muscat close to Kims Pvt

Hospital. Contact 92020004 /

99800838

Flat, shops, basement, Ruwi-MBD

Area, Honda Road.

Contact 96942749, 92433127

6 shops in Mabela Industrial Area.

Each Front Shop OMR 400 and Side

Shop OMR 300Monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Family room available for rent at

Muttrah Souq. Contact 24712088 /

99022790

Fully furnished one bedroom

penthouse Wadi Kabir behind Sana

Hassan, weekly RO.140/- Monthly

RO 350/- Contact – 99349990

Office space with cassette type A/C’s

with free internet at al Khuwair near

KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330

Office space & store, CBD 20059.

Contact 99024730

2 BHK, Al Khuwair. Contact 99024730

Spacious well maintained 2 BHK at

Rex Road from 1st February.

Contact 92227165

2 BHK, CBD. Contact 99024730

2 BHK, Darsait near Kims Hospital.

Contact 99024730

1 & 2 BHK & villa 3 BR-Darsait near

ISM & ISD. Contact 99024730

1 BHK, 2 BHK, Ghala, new bldg.

Contact 99024730

1 BHK, Wadi Kabir. Contact 99024730

Flat for Rent in Ruwi, Bareeq

Shatti, Mawalah. Contact 92521080,

98899916

Flat for rent Ghubrah South, ground

floor flat, 3 bedrooms, majlis, family

hall, RO 425/-. Contact 94669711

6 bedroom villas at Al Ansab

(nr Express highway).# 99199365

Villas & flats & stores. Contact

99776071 / 99057348

OFFICES FOR RENT

Contact: 97377355 / 95530121, Email id: [email protected]

- Premium offices to let a very good location on the main road very close to Zakher Mall, Al Khawiar. Business Center has offices with sizes of 50m2, 110m2, 180m2, 207m2, 230m2, 437m2.- Showroom also available at Business Center, Area 500m2 with central A/c. - Offices with Central Air-conditions, Security System with CCTV cameras, and Security presence in the building.

3BHK, (3 bathroom and big hall)

opp. Apollo Hospital, Hamariya R/A

(OMR 300/-) Contact 91181761

Showroom space available in

Qurum. Road Facing prime location.

commercially viable and affordable.

Contact- 98839950

Twin villa at Al-Kuwair 33. Six

rooms with bathrooms. 670 OMR,

contact: 99414767. Families only.

DAILY GUIDEM O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5 D3

FOR RENT

FOR RENT FOR SALE

FOR SALE

2 BHK Pent House with split A/C

in all rooms, very spacious balcony

with sea & city view RO 350, 2 BHK

RO 340, Bldg #1619, Way #1322

adjacent to Indian Nursery Darsait.

Contact 99476728 / 99831047

1 BHK bedroom flat in Wadi Kabir

neat Kuwaiti Mosque RO 200/-.

Contact 95094028

Abu Adnan Tower - flat for rent

available at Al Mabelah, 2 B/R,

1 hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen.

Contact 95566475 / 99654252

1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG

Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880

2 BHK flat for rent RO.350/- at

Al Khuwair near Sultan Taimur

Mosque. Contact – 98893294

1 BHK residential flat at Honda road.

2 BHK residential flat opposite to

Al Nahdha hospital. Contact93219590

1 BHK flat Qurum RO.270/- with

split A/C. Contact – 99358589 /

95570288 /97079146

2 BHK flat at Al Khuwair RO.370/-

with split A/C. Contact – 99358589 /

95570288 /97079146

If require flats for rent in Wadi

Kabir please send messages through

Whatsapp or call – 99376454

Luxury 2 bed room villa at Bausher-

AL Ansab Phase 3.Call. 99324456

Villa, ground floor in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99743569, 97004265

2 BHK at Al Azaiba, Building No.5145

Way 4470. Contact 99224748,

99425665

2 BR, 2 toilets, kitchen at

Al Mawaleh. #99444786, 99747560

We have 1 BHK, 2 BHK, 3 BHK flats,

4, 5 bedrooms villa, open space offic-

es & shops available in Ghala, Gho-

brah, Qurum, Mabela, Ruwi, Darsait,

Mumtaz, Wadi Kabir. All brand new

buildings & very affordable prices.

Contact 93782735 / 99208033

Flat for rent 2 bedrooms one hall in

South Al Hail. RO 270. #93221474

For rent apartments: An apartment

in old Muscat at Oman Arab Bank’s

building. 3 bedrooms + 3 bathrooms,

dining room, living room and a

kitchen. Air conditioned apartments.

2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms, living

room, dining room area and kitchen

in an excellent location in Al Khuwair

opposite the court of first instance. For

further information call 97072976

Apartments in Al Khuwair new area

each apartment contains (2 bedrooms

+ living room) for RO 365. # 93181111

3 bedroom furnished Executive

Apartment @Al Khuwair 25, 2 BR

fully furnished Executive Apartment

@Azaiba near Zubair Showroom, 2

BR fully furnished executive Apart-

ment @Al Khuwair 33 near Zakher

Mall. Please contact : Atlas Real

Estate & Rent A Car LLC, 99249069

/ 92888376 / 93201688,

email : [email protected]

2 BHK with A/C near ISM RO.325/-

1BHK Al Falaj without A/C RO.200/-

2 BHK with A/C near Kims hospital

RO.300/- Darsait commercial or

residential with A/C RO.230/-

Studio at Al Falaj RO.170/-. 2 BHK

without A/C at Wadi Kabir RO.300/-

Contact - 92144045

If you have any empty land, plot,

building, villa to sell. Contact with all

information : [email protected]

A/C spares shop for sale in Seeb.

Contact 92693304 / 91445876

Villa for sale in new Al Khoudh.

Contact 99778773

30 seater Toyota Bus, 2014, white

color for sale. Contact 98888999 /

96341946

A running supermarket for sale in

Wadi Kabir. Contact 95113037

Running Medical Centre with

full equipments is available for

sale. Those interested can contact

98994208.

Clinic for sale. Contact 99824232,

email : modern.medicalclinic@gmail.

com

Industrial shed / warehouse for

immediate lease in Rusayl Industrial

Estate. Contact 99263196 /

[email protected]

Dental clinic for sale in

Sohar. Contact immediately

99705760,92625962

New fully equipped 2 chair dental

clinic in Seeb area for immediate

sale. MOH approved.

Contact 94514045

Well running pharmacy. Contact no . 93240949

Flats for Sale in Bowshar: OMR

35 Thousand 1 bedroom. OMR 45

Thousand 2 bedroom. Monthly

income 1 bedroom OMR 270 and 2

bedroom OMR 350. Tel: 99333479 or

95215360

Darsait Business Office furniture,

Isuzu 4 ton brand new.

Contact 91391363

23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land

with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479

or 95215360

1 BHK with attached toilet & bath-

room behind Bank Muscat at

Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290,

24815012

Flats and shops. Contact 93009999

For rent (flats), 2 bedrooms

+hall+kitchen, location: South

Al Mawaleh. Contact 99870020

1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG

Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880

Show room on the main road Saham

center total area 450 m sq.

Contact: 99366558 /

99334226

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension

fund available for rent in Muscat.

Contact 99349526

Flats ground floor, 3 Rooms & AC,

kitchen, hall, in Al Mabaila South.

Contact 99377290

2 B/ R Fully Furnished Executive

Apartment @ Al Khuwair 33 Near

Zaker Mall. 3 Bedroom Furnished ex-

ecutive apartment @ Al Khuwair 25

5 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished villas

at Azaiba with servants, 3 Bedroom

Unfurnished Villa @ Mawalah South

Area 6 with Servant Quarter, 5 Bed-

room Unfurnished Villa @ An Apart-

ment that resembles a penthouse

has 2 rooms with 2 toilets, living

room & an elegant balcony. Fully

furnished, suited for families.

Final price RO.300/- Mabela

8 near German University.

Contact 99888400

Industrial Land in Misfah.

Contact 93009999

New Villa for Rent Two floors newly

built villa in Maabillah,

8 Full-fledged Residential Area

6 Rooms, 8 Toilets, excellent finish-

ing spacious Kitchen, Big Dining

Rooms in Both Floors,

Easy Access to Muscat and Sohar

using Maabillah Bridge.

Contact 92828303

3 floor commercial building in

Muttrah behind Police. Generating

income of OMR 18 Thousand annu-

ally. Neat and well maintained. Built

on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops

on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR

207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or

95215360

Used furniture bedroom sofa dining

A/Cs Majlis washing machine, table

keyboard, Expat leaving. #99353978

A newly opened Barber Shop for

sale at upcoming industrial zone

in Misfah. Expat leaving Oman.

Genuine buyers call 93833107

(Sale Price Negotiable)

Running Workshop for Tiles /

Marble & Granite cutting & skirting

in Wadi Kabir for immediate sale.

Contact 99105492

Household items on sale.

Contact 93833107

Building material shop for sale,

near Mars Hypermarket, Al Ghoubra.

Contact 93797343 / 99881647

Port cabins – New & refurnished

Porta cabin for sale and rent.

Contact 96723468

Sale!, all household items, like fridge,

freezer, cooking range, washing

machine, window/split A/Cs, LCD TV,

Laptop, tab and many more for attrac-

tive prices. Location :

near Toyota service Center, Honda

Road. Contact - 97048983, 95293643

Restaurant for leasing/sale in

Al Hail. Contact 94148970,

94148972, 97820877 Contd on Pg 6

I room with attached toilet in Al Hail

for bachelor, rent RO 100 to RO 130/-.

Contact 97661432

Industrial empty plots 1000 –

15000 sqm are available in Misfah /

Jiffnain rent for long lease, RO 1.200

per sq mt. Contact 96789522

2 BHK with window A/C in

Al Khoudh rent RO 250/-.

Contact 97661432

Constructed warehouse 3000 sq mt

with boundary wall & gate in Misfah

ready for lease or rent for long term.

Rent RO 3.500 per sq. mt.

Contact 96789522 ACC.WANTED

ACC. AVAILABLE

Furnished room with AC for expat,

Al Khuwair. Contact 99689315 /

97004265

Spacious semi-furnished room with

separate entrance, attached wash-

room for non-cooking Indian Bach-

elor near ISG. Contact 95146361,

92657598

Single room attached bathroom,

kitchen, split A/C, Al Ghubrah near

Mars Hypermarket, OR 180/-.

Contact 95094028

Single room available for exec

bachelor, Muttrah opp Oman House.

Contact 93340125

Independent rooms in Qurum/

Al Hail. Contact 95529970

Room with separate entrance, bath-

room, A/C, furniture near Al Nahdha

Hospital. Contact 93201710

Bath attached room with separate

sharing kitchen for rent in Wadi

Kabir. Contact 99378661

2 rooms with 2 bathrooms and

sharing kitchen for couple or

executive bachelors at hamriya

r/abt. ( on the main road side, opp.

Apollo hospital ) RO 150.

Contact 98232567

Furnished single room with

attached bathroom near Mars

Hypermarket, Al Ghubrah. Contact

97312111, RO 150/- per month

Single room or studio flat required

in Ruwi area. Contact : 95405033

Furnished single room with sepa-

rate bathroom near al meera hyper-

market, azaiba. Gsm 94288863

Used household & office furni-

ture and electronic items. Contact

99834373, 97102699

Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM,

7 Bar Pressure) powered

with Diesel run Generator.

Kindly Contact 99014686 or

[email protected]

Looking for commercial lands for

sale in Al Ghobrah North (urgent

serious buyers, commercial lands in

al Ghobrah North (corners prime loca-

tion). Contact 91155779

AVAILABLE

Established Restaurant for rent

with sponsorship.

Contact 97628242

Party & Wedding equipment rent-

als. Full line, from Tables, Linen

& Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers,

Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaf-

ing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large

Sound Systems and spectacular

lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for

Catering and Croyden 9623 5555

for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.

com, E-mail: [email protected]

BUYING/SELLING

For sale Professional sound

system contact 99353978

DAILY GUIDED4 M O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT

MEDICAL

SITUATION WANT-ED

SIT. WANTED

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

DRIVER

Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

ADMIN/HR

ENGINEERS

ENGINEERS

EDUCATION

Light Driver having own visa

looking for job as driver

Contact 92303692

Driver with car. Contact 91452930

Indian Driver need job with car.

Contact 91254539

Light vehicle driver looking for job,

experience 2 yrs. Contact 94195818

LV Driver- 2 yrs Exp-know

English- Contact 95292064

Light vehicle driver looking for job.

Contact 95141473

Light driver looking for job in any

Company Office, experience 2 yrs.

Contact 95341768

Pakistani male, having one year exp

as light vehicle driver looking for job.

Contact 96342684

Bangladeshi Driver seeking job,

3 yrs exp. Contact 99063175

Light Driver looking for job.

Contact 92787245

Driver with vehicle, Keralite.

Contact 94251067

Driver seeking job. Contact

99805236

EDUCATION

Indian male MBA 32 yrs having

10 yrs of exp seeking suitable place-

ment in Admin/ HR/ Operations/

Coordination/ Logistics etc. Holding

valid Oman D/L .Contact - 99054786

Graduate Indian female having

5+ Years Oman experience in Ad-

min/Procurement/Logistics with

excellent computer skills(PGDCA).

Seeking suitable Placement.

NOC available.Contact:95382966

HR & Admin Assistant, 26 yrs

Indian male having 6+Yrs of experi-

ence looking for suitable position.

Contact 93264616

Indian male 32 years, B.A Tourism

& Travel Management. 2 and Half

years Dubai experience in Front

office & reservation in a 3 star hotel

with good command over English &

Hindi, seeking placement in HR or

Admin. Contact - 9454 1041.

Indian female with excellent

communication skills, confident,

dedicated to work and enthusiastic.

Knowledge about ms office. Has

6 years of experience in cus-

tomer service, telecommunication,

HR.Looking for immediate place-

ment. Contact # 97348819

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ARCHI./ DRAUGHTSMAN

Required Physiotherapist. Contact: 91453024

Dentist required to work urgently in

dreams clinic at Al Khoud and must

be resident in Sultanate of Oman.

Please send your CV to the following

email – [email protected] /

[email protected] /

[email protected]

Mobile – 99882340 / 24545914

General practitioner Doctor is

required to work urgently in Dreams

Clinic at Al Khoudh and must be

resident in the Sultanate of Oman.

Please send your CV to the following

email: [email protected],

[email protected] &

info@towersinternationalgroups.

com, Mobile 99882340,

Tel: 24545914

DESIGNER

DESIGNER

Indian male, 8 yrs GCC experience

in 3D & Architectural Designing

with D/L. Contact 97263199

Interior Designer, Indian male,

have 5 yrs experience with Oman

License looking for a suitable job.

Email : [email protected],

93779308

Wanted driver. Contact 95112461

An excellent company seeking

for experienced male Light Duty Driver to work in Salalah. Contact

92322588 / 99653350, email :

[email protected]

DRIVER

Required experienced Account-ant Tally, excellent English &

driving license. Contact –

[email protected] /

24497762 / 92192510

ADMIN

MECHANICAL

LAWYER

Urgently required: Receptionist (Omani) - 01 no with 2-4 years

experience Marketing Executive - 01 no; with 5 years experience

(Location - Mawelah, Muscat) . PRO

-02 no with min 10-15 years expe-

rience (Location - Muscat & Sohar).

Interested candidates may send

CV to [email protected]

A leading foodstuff company

requires the following : Office Coordinator – with experience in

related fields, female. Interested

candidates may send their

resumes at [email protected]

Construction Company requires female executive assistant, with

good computer and communica-

tion skills, advanced English,

fluent Arabic. Please send your CV

[email protected]

Indian female, 25 yrs, bachelors of

businesses management, having

experience of 5 years as a fund/

financial administration, on visit

visa,looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94662416

[email protected]

Urgently required Sales Personnel (full time / part time) - 5 to 10 yrs

experience in Building Materials,

knowledge of Arabic is an advan-

tage, should have car. Email :

[email protected]

Reputed Building Materials Company looking for Outdoor Sales Executive having valid Omani D/L

with more than 2 yrs Local Sales

Experience in Tiles/Sanitaryware.

Please fax your CV to 24798709 /


A reputed Electrical Material Company is looking for dynamic & hardworking salesman with

minimum 2 yrs experience in same

field of GCC with valid GCC Driving

License for its Mussanah office

for Al-Batina Region. Send CV to

[email protected],

contact : 98534685, 26868984

Looking for outdoor salesman for heavy equipments.

Contact- 93292015, 99656542

Salesman for Printing Press mate-

rials like Printing Press Plates, inks,

rollers etc. Must have worked in a

printing press and know the prod-

ucts well. Job is in Dubai with visa

and good salary. Apply to

[email protected]

UPVC Doors and Windows Company

urgently require Sales and Market-ing Person, experience 3-5 yrs in

same industry with Oman Driving

License. Contact 99475701,


Required Salesman, Tailor, Barber. Contact 91114884

Highly reputed Perfume Company requires Omani Sales girl promoters. Contact 95663682, 92956876

Urgently required Sales Managers & Sales Executives for the following

fields: 1) Information technology,

2) Gifts & promotion 3) Readymade

Garments & textile. Experience

required minimum 3 yrs & having

valid Oman Driving license.

Contact 99322373 ,

[email protected],

[email protected]

Leading Construction company

requires young purchase assistant

with Oman driving license.

Email : [email protected].

Required an experienced person who has ideas to start a new business

in electrical field or supply with mini-

mum cost. Contact 99426421

Indian Male 25 years B.Com hav-

ing 3 years of exp of Oman in Ac-

counts/Administration.Well versed

with computer knowledge looking

for suitable position. Immidi-

ately available. Contact:93207867

email: [email protected]

Indian female, 25 yrs, B.Com with

computer Application, 1 yr experi-

ence as Accountant, looking for

suitable job. Contact 98847165

Seeking job, BTech Instrumenta-

tion, 12 years experience Design,

FEED, Detailed engineering, Oil

& Gas, Instrumentation systems,

Oman Driving license.

Email :- [email protected]

Mobile:- 00968 99048130

Indian male having 14 years of ex-

perience in Various dept. (stockbrok-

ing Dealing, Back Office Accounts,

Dmat, Settlement, Risk management,

Maintaining Books of accounts ETC).

Having Good Computer Knowledge

seeking suitable placement

Email Id: [email protected],

+91 9820240094

Urgently required Senior Account-ant (exp. required minimum 5 yrs

having driving license), Assistant

Accountant (exp. req minimum

3 yrs). Contact 99322373 ,

[email protected],

[email protected].

An Accountant with minimum 3 yrs

experience in managing financial

records & administration functions

is required for an IT company in

Muscat. Send your CV with updates

photo to [email protected]

Omani Trainers & OJT’s for Mechanical / Electrical / Instru-mentation & Business with suitable

qualification and min 5 yrs experi-

ence in Oil & Gas. Very attractive

salary offered. Suitable candidates

send your CV to

[email protected]

Wanted female physiotherapist with MOH License. Send CV at Email

: [email protected]

Required experienced Pharmacist with MOH License for a

New Pharmacy in Muscat.

Contact 95146957, email :

[email protected]

Urgently required a GP Doctor with MOH license for a leading

Medical Clinic.

Contact 92008272 / 96602188,


Urgently required an experienced Pharmacist with MOH License for a

reputed Pharmacy in Muscat.

Please send CV to

[email protected]

Doctor needed for a rehabilitation

centre in Muscat. send cv to

[email protected]

Reqd 1 Lady Doctor (Internist)

with 3 yrs experience in Oman. One

female Nurse with atleast 3 yrs

experience in Oman. For newly es-

tablished clinic in Ruwi. Send your

detailed CV to mohamedsfarah@

hotmail.com, Tel : 91283188

We are looking for an Optometrist for an Optical with minimum 3 yrs

experience. Please contact 99340769

or email : [email protected]

Wanted MBBS Doctor, Staff Nurse and Lab Technician for a Clinic

in Capital Area. Please contact

93431024, send CV to

[email protected]

SALES / MARKETING

Chartered Accountant, 10+ yrs

experience, B.Com, CA, CIA. Imme-

diate availability. Audit, Finance.

Contact 94641805

Pakistani Male MBA having 4 years

experience in Accounting looking

for job.NOC Available.

Contact# 95610772

Accountant, B.Com, MBA, In-

dian male, having 4 yrs GCC exp in

similar field, valid Omani D/L & NOC

available. shinuyesodharan@gmail.

com, contact : 91719385

Indian male, 24 yrs MBA, having

2 yrs of experience in financial ac-

counting finalization, knowledge of

Tally, ERP, focus, wings, PEACHTREE,

MS Excel, Payroll, currently on visit

visa seeking suitable placement

available immediately.

Contact 91058205, email :

[email protected]

Indian male, 29 yrs, Accounts /

Administrator, 1.8 yrs exp in Gulf

seeking employment for suitable

position. NOC available.

Contact 93581182

Pakistani male, 25 yrs, MBA

Finance, 1.6 yrs exp in Accounts

seeking placement in Accounts,

Administration or Business Manage-

ment. Contact 92651927 / 94250149

Indian Male, looking for job in Ac-

counts & Administration previously,

experience 1 yr in Oman, now on

visit visa. Contact 97424337

Indian accountant with more than

30 years of experience in construc-

tion (financial / cost accounting)

with experience in material manage-

ment ,HR and general administration

seek part time/full time assignment.

Ready to work any where in Oman.

Contact 98598099

Male, 4 yrs of experience as Finan-

cial Analyst looking for suitable

position. Contact 94140728

Part time Accountant, up to fina-

lization, looking for job after 5 pm

(Location prefer – Qurum to

Al Khoudh). Contact 92917574

Accountant B.Com & CIMA Part

qualified, 8 yrs experience currently

in Sri Lanka. Contact +94777222392

or 91126314

Female Accountant with 4 years

experience in Oman seeking suitable

placement. Contact 98721909

ACCA, 24 yrs, female, looking for

a suitable position, Accounting/

Finance in a reputed firm.

Contact 91710657

Indian Accountant: male, B.Com, 6

out of 10 yrs experience in Oman.

Having NOC & valid Oman D/L. Can

join immediately. Contact 95740191,


B.Com Graduate, 3 yrs experience

in Accounts, Indian male, looking

for accounts or suitable job. Contact

[email protected], 93975526

Part time Accountant with 15

yrs exp in Accounting, Auditing,

Taxation Management. Contact

95857199

Finance Manager, CPA, with more

than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC.

Fully knowledgeable in Finance,

General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331

Accounts part time works upto fina-

lization & finalization works.

Contact 96247295

Pakistani Male, 26 yrs, MS-Supply

Chain & Project Management, BS-

Finance & Business Administration,

+2 yrs experience in Trading Firm

responsible for Supply Chain &

Accounts. Skills including strong

operation managerial Communica-

tion & interpersonal,

fluent in English, SAP and EPM.

Contact 94663827,


English Teacher (M.A, B.Ed) Indian

female with 2yrs of experience

looking for suitable position

91507099.

Indian Female, M.Tech (A.E),

B.Tech (ECE) with 1.5 yrs experi-

ence in teaching (Asst Professor)

in Engineering College, seeking

suitable teaching / non teaching

jobs in Muscat. Contact 91532690

Email: [email protected],

Indian female MSc costume

design & fashion having 3 yrs exp

in teaching seeking suitable job.

Contact: 97614456 / 95918968

Jordanian Engineer Electrical 7 yrs

exp. Consulting, site & shop drawing

works. Ready to join immediately.

Worked in UAE & Saudi Arabia.

Contact - 00971555594733

Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer

Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa

Ph : 91642050

Looking Part time Job in HVAC-

93198128

Experienced female Electrical

Engineer.Contact 93800906

30Male, 3D Designer, 5 yrs exp,

software command in autocad,

3dmax, , illustrator & Photoshop

seeks immediate placement

GSM 93481811

AutoCAD jobs, Preparing Working/

Shop Drawings & Civil Quantity Sur-

veying jobs. Contact : 92758095

Required English teacher for

KG 1 / KG II. Contact 97163777,

99429352

Required Teacher for ISWK stu-

dent studying in VII & III

at Honda Road Ruwi. Contact

99471699

Male Accouuntant required in

Ghala. Candidates present

in Oman only. # 99454425,

Email: [email protected]

B.E Mechanical Engineer, Indian

Male, 29, 5 years experience in

steel fabrication field (piping and

structural) as site engineer. Look-

ing for suitable placement.

Contact 96115463.

[email protected].

Urgently required AC Mechanic. Contact 97075347 / 99747684

Required urgently a Legal consult-ant /Lawyer for reputed law firm

for SOHAR office. Candidates should

have 5-7 yrs exp. as a Legal Consult-

ant/ Lawyer with good knowledge

of Computer & should be fluent in

English. Contact 99153620 Email

C V to [email protected] or

between 8am to 5.30 pm.

SIT.WANTED

Filipino Accountant with 13 years

working experience in the field of

accounting looking for a suitable

job in Muscat. Contact: 94547323

28 years Indian male with 7yrs of

experience in Accounts & Finance

up to finalisation in Construction

Oil & Gas and also in Manufactur-

ing industries with Oman D/L

seeking suitable placement.

Contact me on 97104364 .email:

[email protected]

Indian female MA. B.Ed. with

One year three months Teaching

experience. Subject: English,

seeking for a Better placement.

Now working in Oman.

Contact 93961142, 92184408

Email:[email protected].

MBA with 1 yr experience, Indian

looking for job, salary 40000 INR.

Contact 96271935

Accountant / Auditor, Srilankan

male 27, having 3+ yrs experience

looking for suitable placement.

Contact 93556320

Indian male, 32 years, M. Com.7 out

of 9 years experience in Oman in

Accounts/finance. Having NOC and

valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143,


Indian Male, MBA 2 yrs experience

in Accounts, Admin & HR on visit

visa. Contact 92045306

India Accountant: Male, M com,

7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to

finalization, having knowledge of

ERP, Tally, seeks suitable place-

ment. Contact:93950138


ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Required part time web designer

with experience in CMS back-

ground. Send your CV & sample

work to [email protected]

Construction Company requires Civil Engineer with degree only with

10 yrs of local or GCC Experience.

Email : [email protected]

DRIVER

6 Years experience light duty driver.

Contact – 96736744

Light driver looking for job.

Contact 92791678


DAILY GUIDESITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Indian Civil Engineer, M.Tech in

Construction Management, Pri-

mavera Expert looking for suitable

placement. Contact 92550987

Indian female, Electrical Engineer

(family visa) M-Tech in Power Sys-

tem having 1 yr experience seeking

suitable placement.

Contact 94306164

Building Construction Sr. Site

Supervisor looking for better

opportunity since March 2010 in

Oman with Omani D/L.

Contact 93061107

Diploma in Civil Engineer, 20 yrs in Oman with D/L.

Contact 94677220

39, Indian Male, Diploma in

Mechanical Engineering, 6 yrs

experience steel fabrication,

maintenance of heavy equipments

in Oman, 10 yrs in India, having

Omani Driving License, NOC avail-

able. Contact 96728805,


Pakistani male, 41 yrs Electrical

Foreman, 9 yrs exp in Gulf seeking

employment for suitable position.

NOC release. Contact 99562454,

92896190

HSE Officer, 8 yrs experience

NEBOSH OSHA having NOC,

seeking good opportunity.

Contact 98640063

Indian Female, 24, UK Gradu-

ate - MSc Digital Communication

Network Engineering with B.Tech

Electronics and Communication

with Omani Driving License,

seeks suitable placement.

Contact No. : 95408113

Sudanese Mechanical Engineer, 3 yrs experience in HVAC fire

fighting, NOC and driving license

available. Contact 91135140

B.Sc, Civil Engineer, over 19 yrs

experience in construction field with

project management skills, seeks

suitable placement. NOC available &

can join immediately. #92198264,


Indian male Mechanical Engineer (M.Tech), Manufacturing Engineer-

ing, having 2 yrs Exp with Oman D/L

- seeking suitable placement . NOC

available. Contact: 98681278;


Civil Engineer, Diploma, Sudanese,

5 yrs experience in Oman, have driv-

ing license. Contact 96618918

Electrical Engineer, Sudanese male,

8 yrs experience in Construction,

operation, maintenance, electrical

plants, responsible for electrical

installation coordination.

Contact 94549609

Civil Diploma Engineer, Indian

male, 5 yrs experience in Oman with

valid Omani D/L. Contact 98518370

Civil Engineer, 14 yrs exp, 5 yrs in

Oman, driving license, NOC release


Telecom Engineer with Bachelor

Degree, CCNA female, 1 yr experi-

ence in Sales & Marketing seeking

suitable job. Contact 97269189

B.E (Civil) Engineer looking for a

suitable placement, driving license


Civil Engineer (Diploma) looking for

an urgent placement.

Contact 95200650

Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech

4 yrs MNC experience, installation

commissioning & on-site repairs /

maintenance of heavy

mechanical equipment.

Contact 93387867,

[email protected]

B.E Production / Diploma Fab-

rication, 2 yrs experience valid

PDO permit holder visa expiry on

26/01/2015. Contact 94270360,

+91 9925140499,

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineer, Indian male,

seeking suitable job on visit visa.

Contact 99796730, 92031312, email

: [email protected]

Indian male, B.E. Electrical Engineer

having 15 months experience in a

leading Indian Company, seeking

suitable placement. Now in Oman on

visit visa. Contact 92453891,


Diploma of Associate Civil Engi-

neering, Diploma of AutoCad, having

3.5 yrs experience, 2 yrs experience

of Oman in Building Construction,

valid transferrable ID Card.

Contact 94378581

MEDICAL

MEDICAL

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

Indian female, well experienced

in secretarial, administration,

customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298

Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech, 3+

yrs exp. (2 yrs. in Oman) looking for

better prospects. NOC available.

GSM: 968 94403484 Email :

[email protected],

Indian B.Tech Mechanical Engi-neer, 26 yrs, 4 yrs experience in

HVAC/MEP. Contact 94669629,

[email protected]

Civil Engineer, male, 25 yrs, 3 yrs

experience in site, CAD,3D, MS Pro-

ject, now in India, seeks job in Oman.

Contact 92887561,

[email protected]

B.Tech Civil Engineer since 9 yrs

in Oman experienced in Project

coordination / Quantity surveying,

looking forward to work with con-

tractor/ consultants/client. Email:

[email protected],

Contact 93457995

26, female, B.Tech in Electronics &

biomedical engineering with 1 And

Half yrs experience in medical field

is seeking suitable job openings.


ph : 94652908

B.E, Civil Engineer, 7 yrs experience

(3 in UAE & 4 in Pak), skilled – MS

word. Excel, AutoCAD.

Contact 98499008


Indian male, 25 yrs, Electrical &

electronics Engineer, 7.8 CGPA, his-

tory of no backlogs, Zonal topper

in English Communication, with

Cambridge certification, looking for

suitable position, 2 yrs experience.

Contact 93918271,

[email protected]

Telecommunication Engineer with

5 yrs experience in the Gulf.

Contact 95219822

Electrical Project Engineer, 4 yrs

experience OHL, Substations, Oil &

Gas field, AutoCAD. D/L available.

Contact 95120225

Civil Engineer with 12 years Experi-

ence Looking For Job.

Contact 98162295

Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building)

looking for Part time job Contact

no:-94391712 E-mail address-

[email protected]

Industrial Electrician with Oman

Driving license. Contact 96348016

Indian male, 26 yrs B-Tech (ECE)

with MBA in Marketing / HR looking

for a suitable placement. Currently

on visit visa valid up to 30 January

2015. Contact 93754428,


Diploma in Civil Engineer, 15 yrs

Oman experience (total 28 yrs) look-

ing for senior position with valid D/L,

NOC available. Contact 99013465

DAE (Civil) having 3.5 years Ex-

perience 2 years from Oman with

driving licences, seeking for suitable

position in Construction field NOC

and release available #96968554


M. Tech Electrical Eng. Female,

now in visit visa.

Contact +968-94654481.

B. Tech Civil Eng. 3 yrs exp in

Oman with driving license.

Contact 93733627.

Mail id : [email protected],

[email protected]

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer,

2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experi-

ence. Contact 97311847

TOUR / TRAVELS

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Omani Man looking for a job with

experience in HR/ Admin/

accounting. # 99767666

Civil foreman maintenance D/L,

12 yrs in Oman, 2 yrs in Kuwait.

Contact 96405865, 99534138,

India - +91 7589248550,

+91 9464255409, email:

[email protected]

3 Years experienced Administra-

tive Executive seeking for Virtual

Admin Opportunities. Can work for

6 hours/day from a virtual location

for 100 RO/month. Call: 95811820

Graduate, Indian, having 6 yrs

experience in Sales with D/L, NOC


Sales & Marketing Indian male

MBA (marketing & sales) business

development experience at all levels

of management. Currently on visit

visa. Contact – 91272819

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

Skipper, fishing vessels, 33 yrs

experience as Captain in Indian and

International waters, oceanography

and fishery related research activi-

ties and management.

Contact 95775380 / 99616823

Indian male, 27 yrs, B.A. Economics,

Diploma in Fire & Safety, NEBOSH,

IOSH Certification, 4 yrs experience

as Safety Officer in India, on visit

visa. Contact 97209656

Quality Assurance Officer, ISO

Quality System Internal Auditor, BSc

Graduate, female 27, with 4 years

experience seeks suitable placement.

Contact [email protected]

Microbiologist & Quality Assurance Executive, BSc Gradu-

ate, female, 27 with 4 yrs experience

in food industry looking for a

suitable placement.


Logistics Officer, Experience in

Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

BCA Gratuate, Indian male with 1yr

of exp in System Admin, IT Support,

Network Admin and 1yr exp as sales

Executive.CCNA,MCSE .looking for

suitable job. # 95938303

email- [email protected]

IT Professional, 7 yrs exp in Sys-

tem Administration, IT Support,

Networking etc. currently on visit

visa. Contact 94064579,


Female dentist with MOH license

and with Noc looking for suitable

placement in Muscat region

Contact no. 99147426

Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf

experience) looking for a suitable

job (NOC available)

Contact-93344378

Male Nurse -prometric exam passed

and valid till feb21-5year experience.

Allwyn David- allwyndavid123@

gmail.com 94686268, 92800101

Indian female, 26, Pharmacist with

MOH license, 3.5 yrs of experience

in India, seeking suitable placement.

Contact 94474924,


Indian female Pharmacist, 28 yrs

MOH license holder with 3 yrs expe-

rience seeking suitable placement.

Contact 94037178

Veterinary Doctor 4 years experi-

ence in Military Cattle farm, Pet

Animals & butchery, looking for a

suitable placement. #97892349

Indian male Pharmacist (B.Pharma) 5 1/2 years experience

in Oman seeking suitable placement

in Muscat. NOC from the present

employer available.

CONTACT +968 98525100

Indian Female, Dentist fresher look-

ing for suitable placement.

Contact 98857686,


IATA Certified experienced Indian

Lady looking for job. Currently on

visit. Contact 94613747, 91339846

MBA Graduate 10+ exp FMCG food

serv. Sales channel/ Branch Man-

ager. Contact - 99185205

Indian male Graduate with 20+

years of Administration, Operations &

Management experience in IT, Oil &

Gas & Hospitality Industry. 12 years in

Oman with vast contacts, very strong

management, operational, com-

munication and interpersonal skills,

can handle any size of business and

projects whether it’s in initial stage

or established. Can join immediately.

Local release available on request.

Contact: 9906 4589

Project Manager more than 20 yrs

experience, 15 yrs in Sultanate of

Oman in construction field.

Contact 93385789

Qualified Manager: (12+ yrs. Oman

Exp.) Vast knowledge in A/c & Admin,

Costing, Banking, Credit Control,

Insurance, International Purchase/

Logistics & Finance, With D/L looking

for suitable position. Gsm: 93826090


Indian female with nine years of

experience in 5 Star hotels as

Assistant Food & Beverage Manager

looking for a suitable placement

in a reputed Star hotel.

Contact: 91219787

General Manager / working partner

20 years in Dubai adverting agency

experience. Contact 93031168

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

INFORMATION TECH

INFORMATION TECH

Indian Male 23 yrs – IT / Pre-

post Sales Consultant / Business

Analyst / Web Designing. 2 yrs. exp.

Languages-HTML5, WebRTC, Java,

CSS, C++, .Net, SQL, Oracle, ERP-Mi-

crosoft Dynamics CRM. Looking for

suitable job. Contact: 98802504,

email:[email protected]

IT support Technician, B.Sc computer science, 1 yr

experience in Desktop support &

3 months experience as System

administrator, Indian male, 25 yrs.


Contact 94525218

Indian male, B.Com, 20 yrs experi-

ence in Sales & Marketing having

UAE light D/L looking for suitable

post. Contact +91 9946699062,


Indian male, 26, MBA Marketing,

1 yr GCC experience Oman, license.

Contact +91 9946308583,

[email protected]

Indian MBA-Marketing & Systems

Manager having 6 yrs experience

in Solar System & Inverters seek-

ing suitable placements. Contact

97892269 / 99046313

Pakistani male, 34, College 2 yrs, 2

yrs experience as Sales Representa-

tive, 3 yrs experience as Clerk /

Office Assistant, 3 yrs experience as

Salesman in Oman, Computer Skills

: Excel, BUSY, ERP, languages known

– English, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu.

Contact 96763346

Pakistani Graduate have a two years

experience in sales/marketing in

Muscat. Have a valid driving license.

Fluent in English and Arabic. Need a

suitable position. Contact 95919265

Indian male, 30 yrs, 8 yrs + experi-

ence in Sales & Marketing, looking

for suitable placement.

Contact 95601197

Indian Male having 7 yrs in experi-

ence in Oman Sales & Marketing Of-

fice Automation Printer, Copier, MFP,

IT products & Stationery. Looking for

Suitable Placement NOC Available

Contact :97384748

Oracle certified BE (CS) Indian male

with skills in OCA (DBA, SQL10g,

looking for suitable placement.

Contact 98436022/99848874


Young Energetic Male, with Oman

work experience in the field of Sales/

Marketing and Administration.

Currently on a visit visa seeking

suitable position. Contact 97832289.

[email protected]

15 years experience in Business

Development , marketing, purchase –

UAE & Oman-staff coordination, doc-

umentation, civil & technical main-

tenance, -valid GCC license-looking

for working partnership or manage-

ment post. Contact:91568362 /

Email [email protected]

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETING

Graduate, Indian, having 6 yrs

experience in Sales with D/L, NOC


Techno - Commercial Manager,

well experienced in Oman. Vast

knowledge in Operations, Business

development, Logistic / Purchase,

General administration. Looking

for suitable opening. NOC Possible,

Contact - 96599704

Indian male 25 B.Tech (IT)

Engineer 2.5 years experience in

hardware networking. Currently on

visit visa, looking for suitable job.

Contact - 94359564

26 years male, MBA Finance &

Marketing, 1 year experience in

marketing. Looking for sales job.

Contact: 95437921

Civil draughtsman part time work

for job. Contact : 96023726

31 years, male with Gulf Experi-

enced Microsoft Certified Solu-

tion Associate, Have GCC driving

license, looking for a suitable job

as Network/System Administrator.

Phone: +968 93927126, 99853614,


Indian Female, B. Com, 2year

Indian Exp. in Accounts, strong in

Tally ERP 9,MS Office, looking for

suitable position.

Part time/Full time. Contact no:

95939129, 99104579,

[email protected]

Indian Male, 31 years of Rich

Oman experience in Multifunction-

al Management, Administration,

Business Development, Purchase

& Operations, seeking suitable

Manager/Supervisory Position.Visa

transfer/NOC Available.

Contact : 95036410

Indian female, Accountant. having

+5 years experience in Oman till

Nov 2014. seeking suitable place-

ment. NOC available. currently in

family visa. Contact :98447045,

email:[email protected]

IT supports 6 yrs experience, male,

Filipino Desktop Support, Backup

administrator, Wireless Networking,

server admin. #- +96896126502

Indian male, 26 yrs - MBA Gradu-

ate with 3 yrs of Experience in

Banking ( Standard Chartered Bank

Scope International - Operations)

&Coffee Vending Machine (Fresh

& Honest Cafe ltd - Operations)

on Visit Visa seeking placement.

Contact 91267867

Indian male 23 yrs, 4 yrs experi-

enced in Architectural Draughts-

man looking for a suitable Post

GSM:96023726, Email

[email protected]

INDIAN, B.E Mechanical Engineer, 2 years job experience in Oman

in pipeline field, fluent in English,

Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi, with

valid Omani driving license (light)

searching for job. Contact 99871470

Male 28, seven & half an year ex-

perience. Worked as maintenance

division co-ordinator, purchaser’s

assistant, and office administra-

tion works. Valid driving license.

Contact 94454847

28 year Indian male with 7yrs of

experience in Accounts & Finance

up to finalisation in Construction

Oil & Gas and also in Manufacturing

industries with Oman D/L


Contact 97104364 .

email:[email protected].

Indian male, 25yrs, MBA in mar-

keting from Delhi with 1 year ex-

perience in operation department,

currently on visit visa seeking suit-

able placements. Ph 97334359

email: [email protected]

Civil Engineer, B.E in civil ,

Approx. two year experience in

Oman, Pakistani age 29 years.

Contact : 94389853 Email :

[email protected]

Male 28, seven & half an year ex-

perience. Worked as maintenance

division co-ordinator, purchaser’s

assistant, and office administra-

tion works. Valid driving license.

94454847

Indian, female, Pharmacist avail-

able with NOC and MOH License,

preferably in Muscat. #9439 1355.

Mechanical Engineer with 10+

years experience currently on visit

visa looking for a Operation Man-

ager/Branch Manager position in

reputed organizations. #95757845

Senior Accounts Professional,

Indian Male, 35 years, M.Com,

MBA (Fin) 8 years in Oman, with

valid Oman DL and NOC available.

Capable to handle accounts up to

finalization. Contact 9602 3965.

Looking out for the post of Travel

coordinator/Senior travel Consult-

ant, 14 years (10 years in GCC Coun-

tries) of experience in the travel

industry looking for a suitable

placement. Contact : 96328687.

An Indian driver with car

looking for part time job.

Contact 91103909

Indian, Female, Pharmacist avail-

able with NOC and MOH License,

preferably in Muscat. #9439 1355.

Indian, 24 years, B.Tech with

Diploma in Sound Engineering &

Sound Recording seeking suitable

placement. Currently on Visit Visa.

Contact: 95615436. Email:

[email protected]

Indian Female-Tech Electrical,

from third best college, Govern-

ment Engineering College Trissur.

Fluent in English. Excellent presen-

tation skill.Engineering, IT, teach-

ing or account sector job wanted.

Contact -97724630 / email:

[email protected]

Indian male, 31 years of Rich Oman

experience in Multifunctional Man-

agement, Admistration, Business

Development, Purchase & Opera-

tions seeking suitable Manager/

Supervisory Position. Visa transfer/

NOC Available. Contact 95036410

Well experienced MOH Licensed

Indian female staff nurse looking

for placement under contract with

Schools, Medical Centres, other

Institutions. Contact 98140024.

Phd – Management, specialization

in management, e-marketing and

online consumer behavior, 6 years

of academic and research experi-

ence. Indian lady GSM 97240687 &

93463439

Indian Male having 14 years of ex-

perience in HR, Purchase Dept hav-

ing Oman Driving License looking

for a suitable position NOC available.

Email –[email protected].

Contact: 99252635, 99239498

B.Tech IT Professional, Indian

Male with 3 yrs of Exp. In System

Admin, IT Support, Networking,

Installing Active Directory, DHCP,

DNS,RAS, configuring maintaining

and managing servers, configur-

ing cisco routers, Exp in handling

SQL database, With Valid Driving

Licence. Contact - 968 98863507

IT Prof, MCA having 6+ yrs exp,

seeks suitable position.

Contact 94543668

IT Professional, Indian male, B.Sc

Graduate with 4+ yrs Gulf (UAE)

good exp in System Administration,

IT Support, Server Desktop, laptop,

smartboard, datashow biometric,

CCTV, currently on visit visa.

Contact 98936548,


IT Network Engineer with Bachelor

Degree, CCNA, RHCSA, RHCE seek-

ing suitable job in good Company.

Contact 99818601

Home nurse. Contact 99156191

MBA Finance, 6 yrs exp in Sales

& Marketing with Omani Driving

License seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94685706

Indian male, MBA 9+ yrs Oman exp

in Sales & Marketing in FMCG (F & B)

sector on a Supervisor / managerial

role with D/L & Local NOC available.

Contact 97912789

Young female, having experience

of working in Oman with expertise

in the field of Event Management,

Advertising, Marketing and Hotel

Management. Currently on a visit

visa. Seeking for a suitable Job.

Contact 96153578

Sri Lankan Salesman cum driver

with NOC. Contact 97265733

Indian male, 25yrs, MBA in HR/

Marketing.6yrs exp with MNC and

pharma. Presently in family visit

visa looking for suitable placements.

Contact no-94657379/ 96645182

Indian Male, MBA in Marketing and

Finance, 10 years’ Sales & Business

Development Experience with valid

D/L of Oman & UAE looking for a

suitable placement. NOC Available.

Contact: 93969961

e-mail [email protected]

Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in

building materials trading having

Oman D/L, immediate release avail-

able. Contact 98676713

DAILY GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

Email: [email protected] GUIDE Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624


D6 M O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5

EVERY FRIDAY 2.00PM ON INDIA’S KAIRALI PEOPLE TV

● Worldwide ● Air Ticket ● Car Rental ● Holiday Packages ● Hotel Reservations ● Travel Insurance

Call: +96824790400, +96898569830 Email: [email protected]

MATRIMONIAL

Indian male 39 Christian divorced

seeks suitable alliance. Contact:

96059801

Keralite girl, 26 (160), BSC Nurse at

South America seeks suitable alli-

ance. Contact 94413100, 98335340

Proposals are invited from parents

of professionally qualified Nair Boys

for 24 year old Upper Middle Class

Nair girl hail from Trivandrum, (171

cm, Star-Bharani) employed in a

reputed Company in Oman. Contact:

0968-9950 2593 /99798041.

(KM ID.2844689)

MANPOWER

NRI

35.6 cents residential land (plus

4.5 cents area) high profile gated

community, 7.2 kms from Sims

park, Coonoor kothagiri highway

Tamil Nadu, granite wall built fac-

ing main road, premium property

breathtaking view of valley, for

sale price rs.750/per sq.ft. Contact

Sukumar Menon -

+968-94080269

Villa for sale 2200 sq ft in 8 cent.

Kottayam. Contact: 92652534

Land for sale, 13.2 cents prime

residential land near Perourkada

Junction on Vattiyoorkavu Road,

Trivandrum at 12L per cent.

Contact 92973928

For Astrological consultation,

Jathakam. Contact 99860435 /

97102599

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments &

massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khu-

wair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637

/93309131

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT IS-LAM. If you would like to know more

about Islam, please call: 99425598,

96050000, 99353988, 99253818,

99341395, and 99379133. For ladies:

99415818, 99321360, 99730723

Orvisit: www.islamfact.com

Ayurvedic treatment for backache,

paralysis, arthritis etc & massage,

All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 /

92504980 , www.siddhayur.com

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain,

backache, paralysis, massage, steam

bath, obesity, spondylitis, ideal

care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November

Street, Azaiba.Contact 99639695 /

99117987

GOOD NEWS


Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male,

having 8+ years exp. in reputed

companies, seeking suitable

placement in any gulf region.

Contact: +968 99276601 &

97693456.

[email protected]

Indian male, 26 yrs - MBA

Graduate with 3 yrs of Experience in

Banking (Standard Chartered Bank

Scope International - Operations)

& Coffee Vending Machine (Fresh

& Honest Cafe ltd - , Operations) on

Visit Visa seeks placement.

Contact: 91267867,


Tunisian women looking for

job, khnows english, frensh, Italian

and arabic. Contact: 91171838

28 year Indian male with

7yrs(5yrs in Oman) of experi-

ence in Accounts & Finance up

to finalisation in Construction Oil

& Gas and also in Manufacturing

industries with Oman D/L


Contact me on 97104364 email:

[email protected]

Looking out for the post of Travel

coordinator/Senior travel Con-

sultant, 14 years (10 years in GCC

Countries) of experience in the

travel industry looking for a suita-

ble placement. Contact:96328687

Female dentist with MOH license

and release looking for a suitable

placement in Muscat, presently

residing in Muscat.

Contact: 99147426

Indian Female. B-Tech Electrical,

from third best college, Govern-

ment Engineering College Thris-

sur. Fluent in English. Excellent

presentation skill. Engineering,

IT, teaching or account sector job

wanted. GSM-97724630, email:

[email protected]

Structural Engineer with 14 years

experience in structural design

and supervision fields with full

knowledge of structure design

programs, Omani D/L,

seeking a reputed engineering

consultancy office vacancy

Tel. 96248598.

Indian female dentist with 4 year

experience. Call Nazia 96488737

Manager Maintenance/Engi-

neering/Purchase, 31 yrs. exp. in

mechanical, electrical, electronics,

parts fabrication, purchase deptt,

oman exp. 5yrs, have NOC,

looking for job. Contact -


Indian male, 28 yrs in Civil Engi-

neer (Diploma), 3 yrs experience

in Gulf seeking suitable chances.

Contact 92063150

Indian Male, 31 years of Rich

Oman experience in Multifunc-

tional Management, Adminis-

tration, Business Development,

Purchase & Operations seeking

suitable Manager/Supervisory Po-

sition. Visa transfer/NOC Available.

GSM: 95036410

Indian Male, B.COM, ICWA, CMA

Australia, 24 years experience in

finance, costing, accounts, internal

audit. Valid Oman driving license.

NOC available. Can join immedi-

ately. Contact 97917136

Post Graduate Engineer with

5+ years experience in Project

Planning & Management

currently on visit visa looking

for a Project Co-ordinator/Plan-

ning Engineer position in reputed

organizations.

Please contact (968) 96105079

Indian Female, IATA, BSc looking

for suitable placement.

Contact 95514305.

[email protected]

MECHANICAL ENGINEER (B

Tech), Indian Mail, with NDT

Level 2(ASNT), Autocad, Solid-

works, 2 year above experience

(as Mechanical Site Engineer and

Design Engineer), Seeking suitable

placement(on visit visa). Contact:

91591548, 00919447300022,


Indian Female, Graduate having

good experience looking for suit-

able job. NOC available.

Contact 91774397

22 Indian Female, BCA (MCA),

4 Years’ Experience in Teaching,

Training & Management of Of-

fice and Computer Applications,

looking for suitable vacancy in

the field of Teaching/IT/Office

Management Contact – 94540768,

Email – [email protected]

3 Years experienced Administra-

tive Executive seeking for Virtual

Admin Opportunities. Can work for

6 hours/day from a virtual location

for 100 RO/month. Call: 95811820

Indian Male Graduate 20 yrs in

Oman, Accountant / Business

Property Management seeking

suitable position in Accounts / Ad-

ministration working knowledge

with TALLY. Valid Omani Driving

License. Contact 99817183

28 years male, MBA in Marketing,

5 years experience in Marketing

and Brand Promotion. On visit,

looking for job. Contact: 96104833

Indian male 2 years experience

in Light & Heavy motor vehicle

Mechanic. Diesel & Petrol.

Seek suitable placement

Contact 99421537

Indian female, 34 yrs, B.A, B.Ed

(S.S), DCA, Doing M.A by distance,

having 6 yrs experience in School

(5 yrs in Indian School, Oman).

Contact 98728700, 92458872

B.Tech. (Civil), 2 years experi-

ence in designing, and training

corporate professionals in Dubai

in software, presently working in

India, seeks suitable job opening.

[email protected]

Indian Female 23 years M.Com

Graduate on visit visa hav-

ing four month experience as

an Accountant in a company

at Muscat. Looking for a suit-

able job. Immediately available

for joining. Contact: 95846642,

Email:[email protected]

Indian female 24 yrs, MBA

(finance) (1 year experience as

administrator cum junior level

accountant looking for suitable job

& holding visiting visa. Contact

97481488, Email:

[email protected]

Hotel Manager, Indian male,

25 years exp. in Budget & 3 Star

Hotel, with Omani Driving License

, Seeks Placement. NOC/Release

Available. Contact: 99799774,


M. Sc. Medical lab technician (Prometric passed) having 6 years

experience in India. Currently on

visit, looking for a suitable place-

ment. Please contact 97248144,

[email protected].

Indian male executive secretary

having vast experience in Admin,

Logistics & procurement well

versed with computer .seek suit-

able placement. Contact: 99514286

Single room at Walja, opposite

MBD area available for executive

bachelors or single working woman

for OMR 100 including Electricity

and Water. Contact 93079877

Single furnished room in Ruwi.

Contact 24833609

Sharing accommodation avail-

able at Mumtaz area, Ruwi.

Contact 97612335

Independent room furnished

Executive at Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99336206

Single room available for a

working lady with separate bath-

room & sharing kitchen with a

family @Rex Road.

Contact 95423572

Accommodation available for rent

in SEEH AHMER FANJA near Oman

Oil, only 10 mtrs drive from Rusayl

industrial area, Please Call on

95200429 or 99224352

Room with separate entrance &

A/C in Al Khuwair near Rawasco

for non-cooking Indian Bachelor,

rent RO 125/-. Contact 97201100,

95397442

Room with separate toilet and WiFi,

Wadi Kabir near pencil building.

Contact 93416854

Office space near KFC, Al Khu-

wair, office basement near Mars, Al

Ghubrah, double & single bedroom

flat Al Ghubrah near Mars and Wadi

Kabir near Lulu. Contact 95755551

/ 92222045

Rooms for rent in Al Hail, front of

the Wave. Contact 95192927

2 Bedroom flat for offices with

furniture near Al Manaf Hotel,

Ghala. Contact 99525743,

99439705

Excellent 3 bedrooms , 2 sitting

rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen & store

with A/C. 92817777

ACC. AVAILABLE

Project Manager civil, Indian,

seeking suitable placement, having

18 yrs exp (13 yrs in Oman) in ten-

dering, contracting and managing

projects, available with release.

Contact: 99244245, 95321251

Indian Male 26years BCOM having

5years rich experience in Accounts

and Admin looking for suitable

placement. Contact : 96897914340,

00919902200486 Email:

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineering Post

Graduate with 10+ years work

experience looking for a suitable

immediate opening in construc-

tion, oil& gas, and other related

companies, currently on visit visa.

Contact: 92975815

Indian male -39, Graduate 15 years

experience in FMCG sales and

marketing and logistics operations

with valid driving license looking

suitable placement.

Contact 92090949

Indian male QA/QC Engineer-Civil

(BE,ACQE)on visit visa, 10 years of

experience in building construc-

tion projects in Qatar & U.A.E.,

holding valid GCC driving license.

Mobile: 93958533,

E-mail: [email protected]

Indian Male 24 years, looking for a

Suitable Job in Telecom / Network-

ing. 1 year sales experience. MSc.

Communications Engineering &

Valid Driving license.

Ph: 99027504.


BCA graduate, 2 years experience

in JAVA and .NET development

looking for a suitable job. Mob.

98395032.

For CV visit ‘http://muhammeds-

wafuvan.weebly.com

Manager Maintenance/Work-

shop/Purchase, 31 yrs. exp. in

mechanical, electrical, electronics,

parts fabrication, purchase dep’t,

oman exp. 5yrs, have NOC, looking

for job. Pls. contact -


Senior Accounts Professional,

Indian Male, 35 years, M.Com,

MBA (Fin) 8 years in Oman, with

valid Oman DL and NOC available.

Capable to handle accounts up to

finalization. Contact 9602 3965.

Civil engineer B.E, Indian male,

having 18 yrs exp 11 yrs in Oman,

with valid D/L, seeking suitable

placement release available.

Contact_95321251, 99244245,

[email protected]



DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with

Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine

Tours # 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

TOURSRENT A CAR

DRIVING

M.V. FOR SALE

Renault Safrane 2011, Excellent con-

dition OMR3400. Contact 94015245

Pajero 3.8 v6 full option, 2008

model expat driven single owner, ex-

cellent condition, accident free, 217k.

Contact - 92590781

Lexus GS300, 2006. Contact

93218349

Tucson V-6, 2007, automatic

RO 2500/-. Contact 99384640

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact 93405941

Labor Pick & drop. Contact

92218001



Transportation available.

Contact 95570429

Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307


Transportation with car & driver.

(VIP’s only). Contact 95040768

Pick & Drop any time. Contact

97014786


Transportation available 99159277


Transportation Available

Contact 97180655

Chevrolet van model 2000 for

sale, RO 1400/-. Contact 96789522

L/R Discovery, 2003,

KM 1,60,000. Contact 99238877

Prado 2012. Contact 99336093

FOR HIRE

FOR HIRE

TRUCK FOR HIREIsuzu 10 ton cargo body truck

(2012 FVR) with UAE experienced driver

available for long term / short term rent.

Contact: 95346950

PDO approval truck for hire. Contact

99350915

50 seater bus with PDO specifica-

tion for rent or lease. # 99839898

Running truck wash for rent in

Ouhi Sunia Sohar. Serious people

can. Contact on 97864747

M.V.WANTED

Required Nissan Tida / Toyota

yaris / Suzuki swift / hyundai/Kia

hatchback car in good condition.

Contact 95405033



D8 M O N D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 9, 2 0 1 5



SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES

SITUATION WANT-SERVICES

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing,

Contact 99314807/24792998

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your

marble. # 24793614/ 99314807

Cheapest Prices, all types win-

dow, curtains and blind.

Contact 99539521

Computer service/ AMC/ Net-

working. Contact 93552434

Pest Control Treatments!!! Termites! Cockroaches! Bedbugs!

Ocean Centre LLC. #99344723

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. Contact ABU QA-

BAS- 99320217 /24788722

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. Contact ABU QA-

BAS- 99320217 /24788722

Door to Door Computers repair

specialist laptop software Website

cartridges. Contact 99199376

A.M Trading Pest control. Contact 99067923

Split & window A/C servicing &

maintenance. Contact 93769089

Carpet & Sofa Shampooing.

Ocean Centre LLC. # 99884591

Maintenance – 1) A/C Mainte-

nance, 2)fridge, washing machine

& dish washer repairing, 3)paint-

ing & cleaning services, 4)electri-

cal & plumbing carpentry work.

# 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC

all kind of pest control.

Contact 92326955

Assddin trad. & cont. steel, lathe &

welding workshop. services of all

type gear making, maintenance,

repairing & technical engineering

works. Muhammad Sabir, Wadi Al

Kabir, Call: 99057248/ 24816390,

E mail:[email protected]

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house

cleaning. Contact 99542979 /

98855815

For All Your Maintenance Solu-

tions, A/c Servicing & Fixing,

Painting, Cleaning, Electric. Contact

99002390

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house clean-

ing. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

For All Your Maintenance Solutions,

A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting,

Cleaning, Electric. # 99002390

Water proofing ABUQABAS-

Contact 99320217/24788722

Civil Maintenance, Painting Elec-

tric, Plumbing, Decor, Tile Fixing,

Lecithin Copra Board flat stifling ,

Carpet Cleaning and A/C Servic-

ing. Contact 97897831 (Indian

keralite)

Waterproofing, light weight Screed,

Antitermite and MS Fabrication.

Contact 92888337

Electrical Plumbing Painting

Contract and Maintenance.

Contact 98456535

House shifting transport. Contact

99657644, 98518013

CLASSES

WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intelli-

gence (BI) creation and man-

agement at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

LOST

Al Manar Vocational pleased to an-

nounce at vocational short and long

term courses in tailoring, cooking

and internal design. Contact us now :

24698070 or 91144335

PRO services. Contact 99368907

Fast & Right Way - For all PR

related works – permanent Visa

stamping, family visiting visa

holders, clients contacts – with

NOC letter with signed & sealed

photocopy documents .

Contact 91568362

Catering services We do industrial

catering service, Canteen/ mess,

3 times packed meals,

and all types of catering events.

Contact 92188777/99249899

BUSINESS

BUSINESSFirst Grade Building Construc-

tion Company registered in Tender

Board, MOD, and all Ministries

with 120 manpower have current

projects of RO 2 million seeking for

investor partner to be the Managing

Director. Send CV to

[email protected]

My client needs to buy Residential

land or villa in Al Ghubra Bahar

Factory area. Tel: 99333479 or

95215360

For HT cable jointing and

termination works 33KV/11KV.

Contact 99056438 /


Painting Interlock plumbing


A/C service, repair and mainte-

nance works. Contact 95356877,

93937368. Al Sahib Modern Projects

Split & window unit A/C servicing &

repairing. Contact 99557080

Window & split unit A/C servicing &


House shifting. Contact 99557080,

96236476

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile

polishing, pest control & anti-ter-

mite treatment, general cleaning

painting, Plumbing, Electrical,

shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-

Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137,

99450130

Muneer Zaman Abdul Sattar

has lost Bangladeshi Passport No.

F0161055. Finder please handover

to ROP

Rosnaeni BT has lost Indonesian

Passport No. AS117224. Finder

please handover to ROP.

Wanted dentist or investor to buy a

well-running dental clinic in Sohar

immediately. Contact 92625962,

95904234

We assist in new business

set up local sponsorship,

real estate services, assist in

company formation services.

Contact - 93166088

times of oman - january 19, 2015

Documents

oman sea coast

different parts of oman

unpaid nes

unpaid traffic nes

overdue nes

royal oman police rop

weather forecast reports