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SUNDAY, January 25, 2015 / 4 Rabia II 1436 AH timesofoman.com wtimesofoman.com facebook.com/timesofoman twitter.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company

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A4Ras Markaz, one the finest natural treasures of Oman

OMANOman needs better flood management

2For over forty years, many parts of Oman’s cities and rural areas have been

regularly flooded during heavy rains and the storms do not only cause extensive property damages but loss of lives across the nation. >A3

REGIONWorld’s top leaders head to Saudi Arabia

3World leaders headed to Saudi Arabia to offer condolences following

the death of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdualziz Al Saud, with US President Barack Obama cutting short a trip to India to pay respects. >A6

OMANParents happy over electronic school bags

1In what would be good news for parents concerned about their

children’s health, the Majlis Al Shura is discussing to usher in a system of electronic school bags in Oman. >A2

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

HM sends greetings to Saudi ArabiaMUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of greetings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on receiving pledges of alle-giance as King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has wished him good health and happiness, praying to Allah the Almighty to grant him success for achievement of further progress and prosperity for the brotherly Saudi people.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has also sent cables of greetings to Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minis-ter on receiving pledges of al-legiance as Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior for receiving pledges of allegiance as deputy crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In his cables, His Majesty the Sultan has wished them all suc-cess and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia further progress and prosperity under the wise lead-ership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Sal-man bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. —ONA

C A B L E S

ELHAM [email protected]

MUSCAT: Counselling can raise awareness about cancer and help alleviate the suffering of patients and their families but this form of support is miss-ing in hospitals in Oman.

“We have excellent treat-ment facilities and state-of-the-art treatments available in Oman for cancer, but, unfor-tunately, we lack counselling,” Yuthar Al Rawahy, founder and chairperson of Oman Cancer Association (OCA), told the Times of Oman.

Al Rawahy said that the as-sociation is trying its best to reach out to patients through its initiatives but emphasised that counselling support should be provided for cancer patients in hospitals in Oman.

Commenting on the preva-lence of cancer among adults and children in Oman, she said that as of 2011, the occurrence of cancer has been around 55.2 per 100,000 for males and 56 per 100,000 for females.

“There have been 1,187 cases reported in children, of which 87 were in the age group of 14 and below, accounting for 7.3 per cent of the total cases.” >A2

C A N C E R A W A R E N E S S Suicide agony haunts schoolgirl’s parents

RAHUL [email protected]

MUSCAT: A heartbroken father, whose daughter committed sui-cide over her school results, has urged parents to teach young-sters how to handle failure.

Nakshatra Sreekumar, the 16-year-old student of Indian School Salalah, committed sui-cide by hanging herself at her home recently.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Sreekumar said that in the Gulf countries, people do not say ‘no’ to their children and that is one of the reasons youngsters do not know the word ‘failure’.

“I loved her and wanted to give her all the happiness in life. And when she did not fare well in a couple of subjects in her exami-nations, she could not take it,” said Nakshatra’s father.

“She had set high goals for her-

self. There was never pressure from us,” he added.Sreekumar also said that the children should be brought up in such a way so that they can face any situation.

“I failed to do that as I used to give her everything. And that is one of the reasons, perhaps, why I have lost my child,” he told Times of Oman from India.

He said that many parents al-ways say ‘yes’ to everything their children want.

“Loving your children means sometimes saying ‘no’. That is very important. We know they will be hurt but that is the way of life. And that will prepare them for bigger things in life,” he said.

Terming his daughter as a bright student of Class XI, he said she used to always excel in her studies. Her poem ti-tled, ‘Why does nothing get into my head’, was published in the Thursday magazine on August 2, 2012. At that time she was stud-

ying in Grade 9 at Indian School Salalah.

“On that fateful day, the par-ent-teacher meeting was sup-posed to take place. As she had not done well in two subjects the teachers had summoned us, but she did not tell us that on the first day,” said Sreekumar.

She told them later and Sree-kumar came back home early to take her to school as his wife is a cardiac patient. When he reached home he learnt that she was in her room while their younger daughter was studying in the hall.

“Finding her room locked, I tried to open it, but it was locked from inside. Then I had to break it down with hammers and found her hanging,” he said.

Nakshatra’s main aim was to qualify in the civil services exams and her hobby was reading books. “My wife is not well so I have to look after her now, so I cannot promise when I will be back in

Salalah,” he said. His relatives said that both of them were suffering from acute depression ever since the incident. Speaking to Times of Oman, Trevor Ronald Brown, Principal of Indian School Sala-lah, said that he had not noticed anything abnormal on the day Nakshatra killed herself.

“I was shocked to hear of her death as she had taken part in all the activities of the school in-cluding pinning board and inter-house throw ball competition that day,” he said.

She was also good in her stud-ies but lately had not been far-ing well in a couple of subjects. “However, she had improved a lot compared to the first term examination, which was a good sign,” he said.

One of Sreekumar’s friends, Dr Nishthar K. A., said communica-tion between the school and the students should be improved.

“Schools should encourage weak students to overcome their difficulty by paying extra atten-tion,” said Dr Nishthar, who is also father of a student of Indian School Salalah.

A shattered father

whose daughter

committed suicide,

tells Times of Oman that children

should be brought

up in such a way

that they can face

any situation and

be prepared to

handle adverse

circumstances

Oman plans tenders for two more segments of rail projectA. E. [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman is planning to float tenders for building two more segments of the railway network this year, even as design for the entire network will be ready by the year-end, said a senior official of Oman Railway Company (ORC).

The Sultanate’s ambitious 2,135-km long national railway project is divided into nine seg-ments for easy implementation. In fact, technical bids have been sub-mitted by pre-qualified companies to build the first 207-kilometre long Sohar-Buraimi segment on January 18 and commercial or fi-nancial bids for the same segment will be submitted in March.

“By this year, we are targeting two more tenders. We are still try-ing to identify those (segments). However, connecting Duqm and Salalah ports is our priority,” Eng. Abdulrahman Al Hatmi, chief ex-ecutive officer of Oman Railway Company, said on the sidelines of an event to launch a new brand for the company.

“Sohar is connected in the first segment, and the next one is Sala-lah, which is our target. We start moving from Buraimi all the way to Duqm and Salalah,” said Eng Al Hatmi, adding, “We want to learn from the current tendering pro-cess to prepare different segments for tendering.”

He also noted that the design of the remaining eight segments

is going on. “Our target is to com-plete the entire network design by the end of the year.” Italferr, an Italian engineering firm, is in-volved in designing routes for the entire network of national railway project.

Referring to Sohar-Buraimi ten-der, Eng. Al Hatmi said that the authorities would not complete technical evaluation of the first segment before receiving com-mercial bids from pre-qualified companies. A contract to build the first segment will be awarded by the second half of this year.

As many as 18 consortiums for civil infrastructure and five for technology systems have been pre-qualified for the national railway project. Eng Al Hatmi declined to

comment on the number of com-panies that submitted technical bids, out of 18 pre-qualified con-sortiums, on January 18.

The pre-qualified consortiums for the civil infrastructure and railway track are FCC Construc-tion (leader), Larsen and Toubro and Khalid bin Ahmed & Sons, Strabag (leader) and CCC Oman and Samsung E&C, in addition to Salini Impregilo, China State Construction Engineering Corpo-ration (leader) and SK E&C, In-ternational Contractors (leader) and China Railway Construction Corporation and Mohammed Al Kharafi & Sons, Habtor Leighton Middle East (leader), Al Hassan Engineering, Posco E&C and Kh-imji Ramdas. >A2

2 , 1 3 5 - K M L O N G N A T I O N A L R A I L W A Y P R O J E C T

By this year, we are targeting two more tenders. We are still trying to identify those (segments).

Eng. Abdulrahman Al HatmiCEO of Oman Railway Company

Yuthar Al Rawahy, founder and chairperson of Oman Cancer Association.

Counselling a must to reduce suffering of cancer patients

Nakshatra Sreekumar, who committed suicide.

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A2 S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

OMANThe most common cancers in men are

stomach, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma,

leukaemia, prostate and lung

Yuthar Al Rawahy, founder and chairperson of

Oman Cancer Association

Regular examination is key to early detection of cancerShe explained that the most com-mon types of cancers in children are those affecting the nervous system, kidney, and blood.

“The most common cancers in men are stomach, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer of the lymph tissue), leukaemia, prostate and lung. Among women, leukaemia, breast, thyroid, cervix uteri and stomach cancers are the most common types,” said Al Rawahy.

Accommodation for familiesAccording to her, the association, which is working with a motto of ‘regular examination and early detection’, has been reaching out to cancer patients through Dar Al Hanan and the mobile mammo-gram unit.

“Dar Al Hanan is our ‘Home-away-from-Home’ for families of children with cancer, whom we want to ensure can stay close to their hospitalised child for free,” she said.

Until now, 231 patients have been received at Dar al Hanan, in-cluding 113 female and 118 male patients from all governorates in Oman as well as from places like Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines,

Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Egypt.

According to the association, Dar Al Hanan’s doors are open to cancer patients, from infancy to the age of 17, and their families, 24 hours a day and all year round.

Commenting on other activi-ties of the OCA, Al Rawahy noted that it successfully organised the 11th annual walkathon on October 28, 2014 at the Qurum National Park, which saw over 5,000 par-ticipants.

“In order to raise awareness and support regarding cancer, we have various tables at schools, colleges, the Women’s Guild in Oman and other venues where free informa-tion and guidance regarding can-cer is given.”

2015 targetsIn 2015, the association plans to register its two final branches in Sohar and Ibri, she said, adding, “In the middle of the year, we will organize a GCC (Gulf Coopera-tion Council) Cancer Conference and our second palliative care ad-vanced training programme for 40 nurses who were certified for the intermediate course last year.”

D O O R S O P E N

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI [email protected]

MUSCAT: Around ten of the 1,547 women who were screened at the mo-bile mammography unit of Oman Cancer Association in 2014 were diagnosed with cancer, said an official at the association.

Yuthar Al Rawahy, chair-person of the association, said the mobile unit initia-tive, which aims to provide free mammography screen-ing to all women in Oman, has been very successful since its launch in 2009.

Since 2009, 14,333 wom-en have been screened, and 55 have been diagnosed with cancer, she said, highlighting the importance of regular examination. “Currently,

we have only one unit. It has been to the interiors of Oman and has covered al-most all the governorates so far,” said Al Rawahy.

The association has al-ways urged women to take screening seriously. It says that for women over the age 40, regular mammogram examinations are recom-mended every two years and they should carry out monthly self-examination of the breast a few days after the menstrual cycle.

“In 2014, we launched our new ultrasound machine which will be able to serve women who need further examination after (receiv-ing) their mammograms and also those women who need it after visiting our clinical breast examination clinics.”

1,547 women screened

MOBILE UNIT: The mobile mammography unit of the Oman Cancer

Association. Photo– Supplied picture

Electronic school bags move delights parents

FAHAD AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: In what is a very good news for parents concerned about their children’s health, the Majlis Al Shura is discussing introduc-ing a system of electronic school bags in Oman.

Many families welcomed the Majlis Al Shura move saying an electronic school bag, which will comprise basically electronic books, will ensure students would not have to carry any load and will thus save them any spinal abnor-malities due to heavy bags.

“I am really worried about my six-year-old child,” said Saeed Khalfan, working in the govern-ment sector. He said that the school bags were really heavy for children, especially for those who walk to the school.

“I live almost 300 metres away from my kids’ school,” said Saeed. He also said that his kids walk to the school carrying their heavy bags. “Such a move will help fami-lies who were concerned about their kids’ health,” said Saeed.

Looking for solutionSome parents find a solution by themselves lugging around their kids’ school bags. “I carry my two kids’ school bags everyday in the morning,” said Nasir Al Gham-mari. He added that he was really concerned about his kids’ health. Other parents, he conceded, may not have the time to lend such help. “Many parents depend on buses so that their kids do not have to walk with such heavy bags, but others who live near schools must find a way to save their kids’ back,” said Al Ghammari.

“There is no doubt that school bags weigh more than what is re-quired in Oman and that is one of the reasons back problems are becoming an issue of increasing concern,” admitted Rajagopal T. Naganathan, Medical Director at the Atlas Hospital in Ruwi, who is also an orthopaedic surgeon.

Big bagsOverloaded school bags currently are double the size of those that students used to carry till a few years back, it is feared. Students routinely carry bags stuffed with heavy text books, note books, ref-erence books, atlas, and tiffins be-sides water bottles.

A textbook normally weighs 5o0gm, a notebook 250gm, a ref-erence book 750gm and an atlas 400 to 500gm in addition to a bot-tle filled with water which is half a

kg and a lunch box which is more than 200gm.

The bag itself weighs around 1kg. The weight of a school bag varies between 4kg and 7kg, de-pending on the class the student. So, children risk long-term and permanent damage if they regu-larly carry more than 10 to 15 per cent of their body weight over their shoulders.

A report published by the Times of Oman had cited specialists claiming that children can de-velop spinal abnormalities due to the weight of the bags they carry to the school. The report had claimed that a large number of children suffer from back pain and said city-based doctors have reported a rise in spinal abnor-mality cases among students, including disfigured curvatures known as “scoliosis.”

An electronic school

bag consisting of

basically electronic

books, will ensure

that students do not

have to carry any

load and will thus

save themselves

from any spinal

abnormalities

associated with

heavy bagsGraphicsSource: Rajagopal T. Naganathan, Medical Director at the Atlas Hospital in Ruwi

School Bag Weight Units in Grams

Textbook

500Notebook

250Atlas

500Water

500Bag

1,000

Referencebook

750

Lunchbox

200

4,000 - 7,000Total

(4-7 kilograms).The variation in the weight and

quantity of the books will determine the total weight.

is a medical condition in which a person’s spinal axis has a deviation that will resemble in an x-ray as “S” or a “?”, rather than a straight line.

Scoliosis

Also among the consortiums are Societa Italiana Per Condotte D’Acqua (leader), Federici Stirling Batco, SWS Engineering and Itin-era, and Vinci Construction Grand Projects (leader) along with Aktor Technical and Vinci Construction Terrassement, Porr Bau GmbH (leader), Yuksel Insat and Sarooj Construction Company and Dae-woo E&C.

Saipem (leader), Rizzani De Ec-cher and Dogus Insaat, Ircon In-ternational (leader) and Hani Ar-chirodon and Tata Projects are also in the list apart from China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group (leader) and China Railway Eryuan Engi-neering Group, Astaldi (leader), ONEIC and Yapi Merkezi and Cor-san-Corviam Construccion.

Sinohydro Corporation (lead-er) and Arabtech Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construc-tion (leader), Hassan Juma Backer and Assignia Infraestructuras and Maire Tecnimont Civil Construc-tion are among the consortiums along with Acciona Infraestruc-

turas (leader), Ozkar and Teixeira Duarte Engineer & Constructed, China Railway Engineering Cor-poration (leader) and Mapa-Gunal Oman, Ferrovial Agroman (leader) and Galfar Engineering & Con-tracting.

Five consortiumsThe five consortiums that are pre-qualified for technology systems are Ansaldo STS, Bombardier Transportation Italy (leader) and Sirti, Siemens (leader) and Sie-mens Oman in addition to Thales Deutschland Transportation Sys-tems (leader) and Thales Oman and Alstom Transporte (leader) and Alstom Belgium.

He said ORC, which is oversee-ing the implementation of nation-al railway project, plans to open branches in other cities to co-ordi-nate construction activities.

Talking about the new brand, he said it is important for the compa-ny for people to recognise the com-pany. “Now we can go the public as a brand,” he added.

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

< FROM

A1

PRESTIGIOUS PROJECT: As many as 18 consortiums for civil infra-

structure and five for technology systems have been pre-qualified

for the national railway project. – Jun Estarda/Times of Oman

< FROM

A1New branches to coordinate rail construction

Livestock breeding an indispensable part of Omani lifeMUSCAT: Livestock breeding has been an indispensable profes-sion for Omanis, especially in the Bedouin community, as it has been a main source of income for its owners to pay for their daily needs.

Since ancient times, livestock breeding and herding have been a part of life in the Bedouin commu-nities and rural areas and, at times, even in cities.

It has continued until the pre-sent time despite the social and environmental changes such as desertification and de-vegetation, which showed this profession in a negative light.

Urban growth at the expense of green spaces and the preference of office jobs began to be viewed as more rewarding compared to livestock breeding, which was seen as a hobby or a job to be done by housewives.

Due to the lack of income which

affects some or due to the lim-ited availability of fodder and al-falfa, it became imperative for the Bedouins to graze their livestock, especially sheep.

Perhaps this was even more evident in times of fertile growth when they would travel from their residence to other places far away in search of pasture, or what the Bedouin community calls Al Naja, it gave some sort of finan-cial stability to the Bedouin com-munity. This aspect has almost disappeared with social changes in the Sultanate and the resultant modernity.

Herding depends on the type of livestock. Sheep are herded in var-ious governorates of the Sultanate whereas cows are kept in stables. Camels are either herded in some wilayats or left to graze on their own. The Governorate of Dhofar is famous for herding camels and

cows, particularly in the Khareef season, in addition to herding sheep.

There are a few differences in the aspects of livestock herding in the wilayats. Usually men and women are involved in herding,

either in the morning or evening, or at both times, or sometimes throughout the day. Herding, sometimes, is the only source to feed livestock. It may be comple-mentary as they are also fed with alfalfa and other forage. It could

also be an alternative to the morn-ing feed while alfalfa, forage, dates and other fodders are kept for the evening.

Herding can be done individu-ally or collectively where a shep-herd or group of male and female

shepherds are hired for an agreed-upon sum of cash. The shepherds take the livestock to a place locally called Al Sarh where the livestock graze in the pasture. Individual herding is also done by livestock owners or their relatives. -ONA

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

SOURCE OF INCOME: Sheep are herded in various governorates of the Sultanate while cows are kept in stables and camels are either

herded in some wilayats or left to graze on their own. –ONA

A3

OMANS U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

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SALEH AL SHAIBANY

For more than 40 years, many parts of Oman’s cities and rural areas have been regularly flooded

during heavy rains and the storms not only cause extensive property damages but also loss of lives across the nation.

The notable example is Al Nahda Hospital in Ruwi. Last week, it was flooded with water yet again after heavy rains. The routine is the same. Police helicopters have to evacuate patients to other hospitals and although officials said there was no damage, it defies logic that the government would not need to spend money to repair the facilities.

Experience shows that Oman does not need to be hit by cata-strophic freak weather such as Cyclone Gonu in 2007 or Phet four years later to cause chaos in the infrastructure system. To give credit to the government, the state has spent a lot of money to build flood defence systems

but it is the management of the facilities that needs to be beefed up. We know there are no quick fixes for the extreme rains but when the problem persists over decades then surely there was ample time to control most of the extreme cases over the years.

The Shura Council mem-bers made an important point last week when they said their recommendations in 2012 to fix the Al Nahda Hospital flooding for good was ignored by the gov-ernment. Now the government says it would conduct a survey to consider whether to relocate the hospital or build an effective drainage system.

Flood lessonsThe Shura Council simply means that no one is learn-ing from the flood lessons and millions of rials are going down the drain to repair the damages every time there is a serious downpour. Not just government’s buildings remain vulnerable during the rains but

the road networks and bridges as well.

Dredging, barriersDredging and barriers are not strong enough to contain the problem which put the safety of drivers at risk. Muscat is espe-cially vulnerable to water rolling down forcibly from the Al Hajar Mountains during the rain that drags sand and rock to the roads.

Some of the bridges of the exits are developing cracks because

their foundations stand on the pathway of the floods. Under-ground water channels fill up and break through the surface to spill over. The same underwater channels cause problems to the foundations of many infrastruc-ture, include the construction of the airports. Many streets are flooded because there are no drainage systems to drain the water away.

Power outage is another prob-lem during the storms. Badly ex-

posed electrical cables get tugged off from their poles under the sheer force of the strong winds. Transformers, on the other hand, are not properly insulated and it is not uncommon to see sparks flying away from electrical connections. Electrical regula-tors and fuses get overloaded to cause power surges in our homes. Deaths caused by electrocu-tion are common among people who cross the wadis when such electrical installations get sub-merged in the water.

Wadi deathsAccording to a study by the Sultan Qaboos University, the biggest killers during the storms are the wadis when strong water currents travelling at over 100 km per hour sweep away cars and everything in its path. Farmers are also left to count the losses. The damages of crops, farming machineries and buildings run into millions of rials. But the biggest danger with the floods in the farming lands is not col-

lateral damage but, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, are chemicals. Many farmers use pesticides and growth boosters and store large stocks in their outbuildings. During the storm, the rainwater washes away the chemical from the farms. The highly toxic and severely contaminated water runs to the villages to the local population. The same water spill over to the Falaj system (irriga-tion system used by villagers). In most villages, people there use the Falaj water not only for their crops but for domestic use as well.

We all understand that the government needs to make difficult decisions in terms of pri-orities on which area needs the most protection. It remains that people and their homes, not only the infrastructure, are at risk every time the Met Office issues a bad weather warning unless the government build a stronger flood defence [email protected]

Oman needs better flood management strategy to tackle rain damage C O M M E N T A R Y

SALEH AL SHAIBANY

SUNDAYBEAT

DAMAGE CONTROL: The state has spent a lot of money to build flood defence systems but it is the management of the facilities that needs to be beefed up.–File photos

The Shura Council members made an important point last week when they said their recommendations in 2012 to find a lasting solution for the Al Nahda Hospital flooding was ignored by the government

Road accident victims’ bodies to be sent home

REJIMON [email protected]

MUSCAT: Bodies of the Indian couple who died in a road accident on Friday will be repatriated to In-dia soon, said social workers.

Those who were injured in the same accident, including the

deceased couple’s son, will be discharged from the hospital by Monday, they added.

While Mariama, 51, and Jose, 60, from the south Indian state of Kerala were killed in the road crash, their son, Jim and two

employees from Jose’s company were admitted to the hospital with injuries.

The accident took place at around 9am on Friday near Seeb. Mariama died on spot while Jose succumbed to his injuries at

around 8pm the same day. Jose, a long time resident of Oman, was running a workshop in Wadi Ka-bir.

According to social workers, Jim was driving the car and re-portedly crashed into the divider after losing control of the vehicle.

Jose and his family had re-turned to Oman a few days ago af-ter marrying off their elder daugh-ter, Jomini in Kerala.

Jim was doing a course in a col-lege in Oman and is survived by an elder brother, Jomon.

According to relatives of the deceased couple, Jomini and her husband, along with his parents had gone to attend a marriage of their cousin in Mumbai, when tragedy struck the family in Oman.

“Jomini has been informed only about her mother’s death but not that of her father,” said social workers.

Those who were

injured in the

accident, including

the deceased

couple’s son, are

recovering

REST IN PEACE: Mariama, and Jose, from the south Indian state of

Kerala, were killed in the road crash.–Supplied photo

SQU honours employees for outstanding performanceTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos Uni-versity organised a function to honour three administrative units and their employees for ex-cellence in performance.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of Prof Amer bin Ali Al Rawas, Deputy Vice Chan-cellor for Post-graduate Studies & Research. The Department of Finance was selected as the best administrative unit in the uni-versity. The SQU Printing Press came second and the Depart-ment of Administrative Affairs got the third place. The winning departments were honoured and the employees were given cash awards and gifts.

Incentive for staffSpeaking on the occasion, Dr Hamed bin Sulaiman Al Salmi, SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative & Financial Affairs, said that honouring the administrative units and encour-aging the employees would be an incentive for them to put more ef-

forts in serving the university and its students.

“This decision to honour the departments for outstanding per-formance came out of the concern for comprehensive development of the university and to improve the services offered by various administrative units to the staff, students and the community out-

side. This gesture is expected to encourage the employees to ex-ert more efforts and simplify the administrative procedures and achieve quality performance and speedy delivery of services”, he said. A special committee was formed at the university level to form the criteria and to select the best administrative units.

S T A F F L A U D E D

ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE: The Department of Finance was

selected as the best administrative unit in the university. The

employees were given cash awards and gifts.–Supplied photo

Seminar to review SMEsdevelopmentMUSCAT: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their development will be the focus of a seminar here.

The seminar on following up the implementation of the decisions taken at Saih Al Sha-mikhat Symposium will begin on Monday at the Cultural Cen-tre at Sultan Qaboos University.

The seminar comes in re-sponse to the Royal Directives related to assessing the im-plementation of the decisions taken at Saih Al Shamikhat Symposium over the past two years. The seminar will cover a number of issues, such as entre-preneurship culture, available opportunities, policies, laws, legislations and finance.

The second day of seminar will include a panel discussion on current and future projects, available opportunities in pri-vate sector for SMEs, the role of economic sectors such as tour-ism, oil, gas, industry, mining, communications, IT, agricul-ture and fisheries in enhancing SMEs. – ONA

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A4 S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

OMANBird life adds to Ras Markaz beautyRas Markaz, is arguably one of the finest of Al

Duqm’s natural treasures. This pristine land

overlooks a splendid swathe of sandy beach

and the turquoise expanse of the Arabian Sea.

Until recently unreachable to all but a handful

of battered 4WD pick-ups, the blacktop

now allows easy access to Ras Markaz’s

kilometre-long stretch of virgin beach-front.

This unspoiled setting is ideal for an array

of water sports including swimming, water-

skiing, snorkeling and so on, which can be

enjoyed round the year, save for the monsoon

season when much of the coast experiences

rough weather. Visitors can also enjoy the

sight of thousands of seagulls and other

migrating wild birds flocking to the shores.

Thousands of migrating birds start arriving

from the acute chill of the frozen seas to

comparatively warmer waters of the Arabian

Gulf, seeking food and comfort. The Middle

East winter is the most sought-after season

for migrating wild birds from the Siberian

and Mediterranean regions, as our lensman

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Marine wealth source of immense potential

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Oman has been con-nected to the marine waters for generations and with more than 1,200 species of fish and an excit-ing variety of turtles and other sea creatures, the Sultanate is justly famous for its vibrant marine life, said Dr. Nadiya Al Saady, Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Re-sources Centre (OAPGRC) execu-tive director.

“It is well known that we need to protect this almost unfathomable bio-diversity from the joint threats of pollution, over-fishing and cli-mate change — threats to which we are indeed vulnerable. However, what many people do not realise is exactly why it is so important that we do absolutely everything we can to preserve this astonishing genetic resource,” she said.

“As well as exploring the excit-ing possibilities that can be devel-oped from the fish that swim in our waters, the message we want to deliver at this Science Café is a particularly important one. It is that our fish, our marine biodiver-sity, our seas are key and essential parts of the life-support system of our planet. They provide immense, and in some cases incalculable, value and benefits for humankind. We must accept our obligation and responsibility to ensure that we leave to future generations a ma-rine ecosystem that is productive and plentiful,” she added.

Fish and humankind have had a special bond since time immemo-rial. Fish is an important source of food for billions of people, sup-plying proteins and minerals in a combination offered by no other foodstuff.

The Global Ocean Science Com-mission Report 2014 highlighted the economic importance that comes from the ocean and fish related industries. Three billion people rely on the ocean for their livelihood. The market value of marine and coastal resources is $3

trillion, which is 5 per cent of the global GDP and 350 million jobs worldwide linked to the ocean.

Advances in technology have led to increased ocean exploration and we now see a new value coming from our fish and other forms of marine life as more chemicals and biological materials from marine organisms are coming into use or are under development. Amongst these, according to a recent Ocean Commission Report are 10 anti-cancer drugs, drugs to fight inflam-mation, fungus, tuberculosis, HIV, malaria and dengue.

“Many leading research institu-tions and pharmaceutical compa-nies have marine-derived thera-peutic products in the pipeline and many are already benefitting peo-ple around the world,” explained Dr. Al Saady.

“Already in use is a first-line treatment for osteoporosis, a crip-

pling disease, which has been de-veloped from a hormone in salm-on, called calcitonin. It is 30 times more potent than that secreted by the human thyroid gland,” she said.

The executive director added that other forms of marine life are proving valuable in this regard too.

“Chemists at the Scripps Re-search Institute in California have isolated a chemical from a rare species of coral which shows promise as a potential drug to fight breast and ovarian cancers. Oth-er Scripps scientists have made what is considered a revolution-ary breakthrough with a chemical from a marine sponge that shows potential for treating inflamma-tion and pain without the prob-lems associated with aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs,” she said.

“Several other chemicals from sponges and corals are being in-

vestigated as possible treatments for acute asthma, arthritis, and injuries. Drugs from our seas are without doubt one of the most promising new directions in ma-rine science today,” said Dr. Al Saady.

The specialist added, “Oman has a huge and untapped treasure chest of fish and other marine life and it is a precious commodity. We invite everyone who is interested, to come along and explore the as-tonishing possibilities of Oman’s treasure chest of marine diversity and learn what we can do to both protect and preserve it.”

The Science Café will be held on Wednesday at Moca & More Café in Al Azaiba, from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. This month’s discussion will be held in English and will be moderated by popular radio pre-senter Sami Al Asmi.

In the meeting of its popular Sci-ence Café series, the OAPGRC will be diving into the topic of Oman’s marine life, the threats it faces and its growing economic importance.

Held on alternate months in English and Arabic, the OAPGRC Science Café is an informal event open to the general public.

The Science Café Series is an OAPGRC initiative designed to in-troduce Oman’s wealth of animal and plant genetic resources to the general public and share their pos-sibilities and potential. Always fas-cinating and thought-provoking, they are open to everyone, from the general public who are curi-ous to learn more to the research scientist who would like to share knowledge.

As part of the Science

Café series, the Oman

Animal and Plant

Genetic Resources

Centre (OAPGRC)

will be delving into

the topic of Oman’s

marine life, the

threats it faces and

its growing economic

importance

Sponges and corals are possible treatments for acute asthma, arthritis, and injuries. Drugs from our seas are one of the most promising directions in marine science today

Dr. Nadiya Al SaadyOAPGRC executive director

MARINE WEALTH: Fish is an important source of food for billions of people, supplying proteins and minerals in a combination offered by no other foodstuff.–File photo

DID YOU KNOW?n A sponge has been

discovered to generate compounds used in AZT, which is used to fight the AIDS virus.

n Skates (a flat fish shaped like a kite) have provided clues used in treating vision loss.

n Horseshoe crabs are commonly used to test for bacterial contamination.

n Microalgae are used in vitamins and other nutritional supplements.

n Scientists are studying using coral skeletons in bone grafts

n They are also researching making pain relievers from sea snail venom

n Fish scales are used to make lipstick shiny

French artist paints the world in varied colours and portraitsSARAH [email protected]

MUSCAT: A walk through Juli-ette Lotthé de Thomson’s ex-hibition is like taking a journey around the world; the French painter captures the people of many countries in her portraits.

Her exhibition, ‘Alter Ego,’ which opened at the Omani-French Centre on Tuesday night, features portraits of people from India, North Africa, Eastern Eu-rope and Africa, revealing their identities through their clothing and features.

Thomson started painting as a child and took many classes. Mar-riage and children took her away from her passion for a while, but in 1999 she picked up her paint brushes and canvases again, with a strong focus on portraits, start-ing with a self-portrait.

“I started with portraits. I love so much human beings and rela-tionships. I like people so much. Sometimes I do other things but I always come back to portraits,” Thomson told Times of Oman.

Some of the portraits in this ex-hibition include a Berber woman with facial tattoos, an Indian man smoking while carrying a child on his back, an Eastern European man holding a little goat, and a number of faces of older people,

who faces are covered with lines. Thomson says some of the fac-

es that attract her most are those of older people, with wrinkles and other signs of aging and lives well-lived. Age, for Thomson, is much more inspirational than any specific place, so wherever she is, she tries to find elderly subjects to paint. “I really enjoy what they transmit with their look. There is something that touches me so deeply and I think is universal. When you come to a certain age you’re no more from a country; you’re what life has made you,” Thomson explained.

The faces she paints are gen-erally from countries she has visited, with the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa. Though she paints portraits of Africans, she has yet to do so in person. “This is the only one I didn’t go to and it’s a great source of inspiration for me. It’s a mystery, the fascination of Africa,” Thomson said.

Thomson’s exhibition will be on display until February 12 at the Omani French Centre on Al Inshirah Road in Madinat Sultan Qaboos.

A R T E X H I B I T I O N

Italian trade bodies to hold business show in MuscatTimes News Service

MUSCAT: To promote closer business ties, the Italian embassy, in co-operation with the Italian Trade Agency (http://www.ice.gov.it) and the Italian Federation ANIE (Italian National Federa-tion of Enterprises) active in the sector of electronic and electro-technics (http://anie.it), is organ-ising a business mission called ‘Technology Days: Seminars and B2B in Oman’ on January 28 and 29 in Muscat.

ANIE is the National Fed-eration of Confindustria that has been representing the Italian electrical engineering and elec-tronics industry for over 70 years.

This includes a long list of ad-vanced and highly specialised technologies from power produc-tion, transmission and distribu-tion to technologies for railway and electrified transport, from factory and process automation to motion and power transmis-sion systems and from cables and electronic components to light-

ing. It also promotes components and devices for electrical installa-tions to household appliances and catering equipment, from lifts and escalators to technologies for security, fire safety and building automation.

The aim of the event is to show-case the variety of up-to-date and high performance technologies of

top selected Italian brands, start and establish business relations and set up opportunities for both counterparts.

The event will also give a chance to Italian companies to go deep into the knowledge of Omani market rules and regulations. The programme of the business mis-sion includes meetings with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PDO and other in-stitutions specialising in utili-ties, energy or oil and gas, as well as B2B meetings with the main Omani contractors and distribu-tors in strategic markets such as energy, building, industry and transport, potentially interested in their products.

The main production of the Italian participants ABB S.P.A., GBE S.P.A., Ghisalba S.P.A., Ime-quadri Duestelle S.P.A., I.M.E.S.A. S.P.A. and Sati Italia S.P.A. con-sists mainly of switchgears for BT, MT and AT, transformers, safety switches and starters in ad-dition to building automation sys-tems and industrial automation.

‘ T E C H N O L O G Y D A Y S ’

GLOBAL INTERACTION : The faces Juliette Lotthé de Thomson paints are generally from countries she has visited, with the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa.– AR Rajkumar/TIMES OF OMAN

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The aim of the event is to showcase variety of up-to-date and high performance technologies of Italian brands, and establish business relations

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Syrian children living in the camps have suffered war and

displacement. They need any kind of help that they can get...

With a camera, the children can be happy

Ramzi Haidar, veteran photographer

World’s top leaders head to Saudi

RIYADH: World leaders headed to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to offer condolences following the death of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdualziz Al Saud, with US Presi-dent Barack Obama cutting short a trip to India to pay respects.

Obama had been scheduled to visit the Taj Mahal but cancelled that following the death of King Abdullah and will travel to Riyadh on Tuesday to meet his succes-sor the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Ab-dualziz Al Saud, the White House said. Other dignitaries arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to pay re-spects, including Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, on a rare visit to the regional rival.

Cameron, Hollande expectedBritish Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Charles and French President Francois Hol-lande were among other leaders expected to fly in to offer condo-lences. On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His High-ness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud

Al Said, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Min-isters, attended the funeral held at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdul-lah Mosque on Friday.

Other Gulf leaders as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, were also among those who attended the tra-ditionally simple funeral.

Africa was also represented, with Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir and Ethiopian Prime Min-

ister Hailemariam Desalegn.President Ali Bongo Ondimba of

Gabon and other leaders from the continent arrived on Saturday to pay respects. Palestinian Presi-dent Mahmud Abbas and Malay-sia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak

arrived later to deliver condolenc-es, as did Iraqi President Fuad Masum. On Friday evening hun-dreds of Saudis queued to enter a royal palace where they rubbed cheeks and kissed the hands of their new leaders, in a symbolic

pledge of allegiance. Mourning ceremonies were planned for Sat-urday and Sunday evenings at an-other palace, official media said.

Obama paid tribute to Abdullah as a “valued” ally as the State De-partment indicated cooperation between Washington and Riyadh would continue. Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdualziz Al Saud pledged to keep the kingdom on a steady course and moved to cement his hold on power.

In his first public statement as king, Salman, 79, vowed to “re-main, with God’s strength, at-tached to the straight path that this state has walked since its es-tablishment”. He called for “unity and solidarity” among Muslims and vowed to work in “the defence of the causes of our nation”.

Moving to clear uncertainty over the transition to the next generation, he named his nephew, Interior Minister Prince Moham-med bin Nayef, 55, as second in line to the throne behind Crown Prince Maqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 69.

That helps to solidify control by his Sudayri branch of the royal family. Salman also appointed one of his own sons, Prince Moham-med, as defence minister of the world’s leading oil exporter and the spiritual home of Islam.

“In spite of all the earlier articles and fears surrounding the succession, the Saudi royal family handled the succession without even a hint of crisis, and laid the ground work for the future,” wrote Anthony Cordesman, of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Since the death in 1953 of the kingdom’s founder, King Ab-dul Aziz bin Saud, the throne has passed systematically from one of his sons to another. Ali Al Naimi remains the kingdom’s oil minister, and the International Energy Agency’s chief economist said he did not foresee major pol-icy shifts. “I expect and hope that they will continue to be a stabili-sation factor in the oil markets,” Fatih Birol told AFP.

Tehran offered its condolenc-es and dispatched Zarif. Egypt declared seven days of official mourning and sent its prime min-ister to the funeral. Saudi Arabia has been a generous supporter of Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah Al Sisi since the army ousted the then president Mohamed Morsi. -AFP

Obama had been

scheduled to visit the

Taj Mahal in India

but cancelled it and

he is now scheduled

to travel to Riyadh

on Tuesday to meet

the Custodian the

two Holy Mosques

King Salman bin

Abdualziz Al Saud,

the successor of the

late Custodian of

two Holy Mosques

King Abdullah bin

Abdualziz Al Saud,

the White House said

Kurdish forces fire into IS-held MosulARBIL, IRAQ: Kurdish forces have fired rockets into Mosul for the first time since IS militants overran the northern Iraqi city last summer, Kurdish military sources said on Saturday.

A Kurdish officer said 20 Grad missiles had been launched into Mosul on Friday after receiving information that IS militants were gathering to meet near the city’s Zuhour neighborhood.

“We hit their positions,” said Captain Shivan Ahmed, who be-longs to the unit that fired the rockets from around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Mosul.

Kurdish officials said the strikes had hit their intended target, but two residents of Mosul contacted by Reuters said three civilians were killed in the attack. It was not possible to independently verify the accounts.

Following the attack, IS mili-tants published images of a girl ly-ing in a hospital bed, who they said had been wounded by fire from the Kurdish peshmerga fighters.

US-led airstrikes regularly tar-get areas outside of Mosul, but rarely strike inside the city due to concerns about civilian casualties.

A statement attributed to an unnamed senior Kurdish military source and posted on the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party’s of-ficial website said the shelling had “struck great fear into the hearts of the terrorists”.

Peshmerga forces this week launched a ground offensive northwest of Mosul backed by coalition airstrikes, reclaiming territory and cutting the extremist group’s main supply line from the city to the west.

Twenty-one senior IS militants were killed during the operation, the Kurdistan Region’s Security Council said in a statement on Fri-day.

It said the slain IS leaders in-cluded the head of Nineveh prov-

ince’s administrative institutions and a close commander of its special forces, the statement said. There was no way to independent-ly verify the claims.

Meanwhile, an AFP report from Washington quoted Pentagon as saying on Friday that IS extrem-ists have lost only a tiny fraction of captured territory in Iraq after five months of US-led air strikes.

Kurdish peshmerga forces and Iraqi government troops have re-taken 700 square kilometers (270 square miles) of ground mostly in northern Iraq, but the IS group still holds 55,000 square kilometers, spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.

That amounts to roughly one percent of IS-held territory chang-ing hands since the US launched air raids in Iraq on August 8.

Kirby acknowledged that not much ground had been gained

back so far but said that the air strikes had halted the momentum of the extremists and bought time for the training of Baghdad govern-ment forces. “I think we all recog-nize that it’s a small percentage of the total right now. But we’re only six, seven months into this thing, too,” he said.

The US military has made clear the campaign against IS “is going to take time, to uproot these guys and to really get at them,” he said.

The Pentagon provided the fig-ures after announcing recently that Iraqi and Kurdish troops had regained 700 square kilometers, without explaining what percent-age that represented of all territory held by the IS militants.

By comparison, the Iraqi gov-ernment held about 77,000 square kilometers and the Kurdish forces controlled roughly 56,000 square kilometers, he said. Those num-

bers did not represent the entire territory of Iraq, but only popu-lated, “relevant” areas, according to Kirby.

US commanders have said that the Iraqi army needed to be reor-ganised and armed before staging a major counter-offensive to roll back the IS from large swathes of territory it seized last year.

The officer overseeing the US-led campaign against the IS group, General Lloyd Austin, head of Central Command, told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that Iraqi forces would be ready to launch a counter-offensive to re-capture the northern city of Mo-sul by the summer. Since August 8, there have been nearly 2,000 air strikes in the fight against IS in Iraq and Syria, with American warplanes carrying out more than 1,600 of those raids, defence offi-cials said. -AFP/Reuters

F I G H T I N G R A G E S

Photos bring alive joy, pain of Syrian refugee childrenBEIRUT: The photos on display at a Beirut theatre show Syrian refugees chopping wood, getting married, and playing in a Leba-nese field. They are the work not of professionals, but Syrian refu-gee children.

The exhibition is the culmina-tion of a year-long project that gave cameras to 500 Syrian refu-gee children in Lebanon, allowing them to document lives turned upside down by their country’s nearly four-year conflict. In many cases the children turned their cameras on each other, showing images of warming hands over a fire, peeking through a hole in a tattered tent and standing bare-foot in a muddy field.

The project is a collaboration between Lebanese foundation Zakira and the UN children’s agency UNICEF, and builds on a similar project done with Pales-tinian refugee children in Leba-non. There are more than 1.1 mil-lion Syrian refugees in Lebanon, many living in dire conditions in makeshift camps. About half of them are children.

“Syrian children living in the camps have suffered war and dis-placement. They need any kind of help that they can get,” said veteran Lebanese photographer Ramzi Haidar. “With a camera, the children can be happy,” Haid-ar, who directed the project and taught the children how to use the disposable cameras, told AFP.

At the Thursday night open-ing of the exhibition, entitled “Lahza (Moment) 2”, 14-year-old photographer and refugee Abdel Salam beamed proudly.

His photo shows a group of ref-ugee children huddled together

to pose for the camera, smiling despite the harsh conditions in Lebanon’s claustrophobic and underequipped camps.

“When I grow up, I want to be a photojournalist,” Abdel Salam told AFP. “It’s hard to have fun in the camp. When we lived in Syria, we lived in houses. Here, we live in tents. This project gave me the chance to take pictures of chil-dren smiling and having fun.”

Held at Beirut’s prestigious Al-Madina Theatre, the opening of the exhibition brought together refugee children and their par-ents, Lebanese and Syrian civil society activists, UN officials and photography fans. One girl de-scribed missing her father, who was shot dead in Syria. “He used to bring us all kinds of toys. Now, we have no toys.”

UNICEF’s Soha Boustani said the project gave its participants “a window of hope, and allows them to remember what was best and worst about their lives”.-AFP

E X P O

ON THE OFFENSIVE: A peshmerga fighter keeps watch during fighting with IS on outskirts of Mosul,

on Wednesday. A Kurdish officer said 20 Grad missiles had been launched into Mosul on Friday after

receiving information that IS militants were gathering to meet in a city neighborhood -REUTERS

MOVING IMAGES: A visitor

looks at photos taken by Syr-

ian refugees at exhibition, in

Beirut, on Friday. - AFP

RITUAL CEREMONY: Saudi Arabia’s new Crown Prince Maqrin

bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, right, attends a ritual ceremony at a royal

palace in Riyadh’s Al-Deera neighbourhood. -AFP/HO/ SPA

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: A handout picture released by the Saudi Press Agency shows Saudi well-wishers kissing the hands of their new

leader Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdualziz Al Saud, in a symbolic pledge of allegiance during a ritual ceremo-

ny on Friday at a royal palace in Riyadh’s Al Deera neighbourhood. -AFP PHOTO/HO/SPA

SOLEMN OCCASION: Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Prince Moham-

med bin Nayef, centre, takes part in the funeral of the late Custodi-

an of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

in Riyadh, on Friday. -Reuters

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Demolitions that result in forced evictions and displacement run counter to

Israel’s obligations under international law and create unnecessary suffering

and tension. They must stop immediately

UN OHCA statement

Thousands in Yemen rally against Houthis

SANAA: Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa Sat-urday in the biggest protest yet against a Houthi militia takeover of the capital that has plunged the country into turmoil.

The demonstration came as re-gions in the formerly independent south stepped up their defiance after the militiamen, who hail

from Yemen’s northern highlands and are known as Houthis, tight-ened their grip on Sanaa.

“Down, down with the Houthis’ rule,” chanted protesters who ral-lied following a call by the Rejec-tion Movement -- a group recently formed in provincial areas to challenge the militia. Women and children joined angry young men on the streets, waving signs that called for “a real government” and burning portraits of the militia leader Abdulmalek Al Houthi .

Demonstrators gathered at Change Square before heading to the Republican Palace, the resi-dence of Prime Minister Khalid Bahah who fled it on Wednesday after a being surrounded by the militia for two days.

But the protesters changed their route and marched toward the home of embattled President Ab-drabuh Mansur Hadi to express their “rejection of his resignation,” according to organisers. Those who took to Sanaa’s streets on Sat-urday also demanded that Hadi

“impose the authority of the state” in face of the powerful Houthis, said the protest organisers. Houthi gunmen backed by armoured ve-hicles were deployed along Sittin Street, where the president lives, but they only watched on as the protesters marched. The protest ended with the return of demon-strators to Change Square, an AFP correspondent said.

Large demonstrationsLarge demonstrations also took place in the cities of Taez, Ibb and Hudaida, organisers said. Houthi gunmen, however, later rounded up dozens of youths who took part in protests in Sanaa and Ibb, ac-cording to families and witnesses.

Meanwhile, armed tribesmen arrived in Sanaa to force the re-lease of Defence Minister Mah-mud Al Subaihi and other top offi-cials whose residences have been surrounded, tribal sources said.

Parliament is set to hold an ex-traordinary meeting on Sunday to discuss Hadi’s resignation offer,

which needs to be approved by lawmakers to take effect.

After heavy fighting between government forces and the Hou-this this week that killed at least 35 people, the UN Security Coun-cil and Yemen’s Gulf neighbours had all voiced support for Hadi’s continued rule. The European Un-ion warned the events put the “re-markable promises of the Yemeni transition in jeopardy,” referring to the political process that followed a year of bloody protests that drove former autocratic president Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office.

France condemned the “forced resignations” of Hadi and Bahah, demanding an “immediate” pull-out of militiamen from the capital, according to foreign a ministry spokesman. The situation esca-lated on January 17 when the mili-tiamen seized Hadi’s chief of staff, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, in an apparent bid to extract changes to a draft constitution they oppose because it would divide Yemen into six federal regions. -AFP

The rally came

as regions in the

formerly independent

south stepped up

their defiance after

Houthis tightened

their grip on Sanaa

Israel accused of razing homes of 77 PalestiniansOCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The United Nations has accused Israel of illegally demolishing the homes of 77 Palestinians, mostly children, this week in occupied east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

“In the past three days, 77 Palestinians, over half of them children, have been made home-less,” the UN Office for the Coor-dination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement is-sued Friday evening.

“Some of the demolished struc-tures were provided by the inter-national community to support vulnerable families. “Demolitions that result in forced evictions and displacement run counter to Is-rael’s obligations under interna-tional law and create unnecessary suffering and tension. They must stop immediately,” it said.

The demolitions took place in

occupied east Jerusalem and the districts of Ramallah, Jericho and Hebron, it added. OCHA said that during 2014 Israel carried out a record number of demoli-tions in occupied east Jerusalem and a zone of the West Bank un-der Israeli occupation control known as Area C.

“In 2014, according to OCHA figures, the Israeli authorities de-stroyed 590 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and east Je-rusalem, displacing 1,177 people.”

It did not specify how many of the structures were homes or an-imal shelters or other outbuild-ings. Israel says such demolitions are carried out because the struc-tures have been built without the required permits.

Palestinians and rights groups say such authorisation is rou-tinely denied, forcing unlicensed building.-AFP

I L L E G A L A C T I V I T Y

Egypt orders retrial of extremists

CAIRO: An Egyptian appeals court Saturday ordered a retrial of 152 extremists, including 37 sentenced to death in a mass trial that had sparked international outrage, judicial officials said.

Last March, a lower court in the southern province of Minya sentenced to death 529 extrem-ist supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, including the 152 who were in custody, for at-tacking a police station and kill-ing an officer in August 2013.

The lower court later com-muted the death sentences to life in prison in the case of 492 de-fendants, while 37 were ordered sent to the gallows. The 152 de-fendants in custody appealed the lower court’s verdict, which the Court of Cassation overturned, ordering a retrial.

Another batch of 183 extrem-ists, including the chief of Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, was also sentenced to death by the same Minya court last June on

similar charges. Badie, who is in custody and facing several trials, was granted a retrial along with 27 others for being sentenced in absentia by the court in Minya.

Under Egyptian law, people sentenced in absentia automati-cally get a retrial if they surrender themselves. Since the army oust-ed Morsi in 2013, the authorities have launched a crackdown on his supporters leaving hundreds dead and thousands jailed after speedy mass trials. -AFP

N E W T W I S T

RISING TENSIONS: A Houthi rebel threatens Yemeni protesters during a rally against the control of the capital by the Houthis, in

Sanaa, on Saturday. Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa in the largest demonstration against Houthis since the militia-

men overran the capital in September. ‘Down, down with the Houthis’ rule’, chanted the protesters who rallied following a call by the

Rejection Movement — a group recently formed in provincial areas to challenge the powerful militia. -AFP

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I was surprised and confused, there were many people senior to me in my establishment. Why me? Will I be able to do it? I was doubtful. You should not beAPJ Abdul Kalam, Former president of India

GEARING UP FOR REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONSWorkers busy painting a zebra crossing in the Raisina Hill area as part of Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on Saturday. Vice President Hamid Ansari on Saturday greeted the people ahead of Republic Day. In his message, Ansari said Republic Day was an appropriate occasion to recall and reaffirm the cherished principles of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all, as enshrined in India’s Constitution. - PTI

Defence, civil nuclear deal top agenda of Obama’s visit

NEW DELHI: Moving forward on issues of civil nuclear deal, technology transfer and joint ven-tures in defence will be among the key areas where India and the US will like to have “concrete de-liverables” during the three-day high-voltage trip of US President Barack Obama from Sunday.

However, the US President’s schedule, which earlier included a visit to iconic Taj, had to be read-justed due to his last minute plans to travel to Riyadh on January 27 to pay respects to Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the family of the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

President Obama “regrets” not being able to visit the Taj, White

House said in a statement. Both countries are working hard to have “excellent” outcomes during the visit of Obama, who will have a tight schedule including talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending Republic Day celebra-tions as the Chief Guest, meeting with business leaders, and an ad-dress on ‘India and America: The Future We Can Build Together’.

Most importantDescribing the Presidential visit as “one of our most important diplomatic engagements in recent times”, Spokesperson in the Ex-ternal Affairs Ministry Syed Akba-ruddin had said cooperation in key areas of defence, security,counter-

terrorism and the situation in India’s extended neighbourhood would be among the issues to be discussed between Obama and Prime Minister Modi.

Asked about the differences be-tween the two sides on the nuclear deal, he said that “progress has been made” during the previous negotiations and India was look-ing forward to “effectively” work with the US in the “extremely im-portant” nuclear field.

The Indian liability law holds the suppliers directly liable in case of a nuclear accident while countries like France and the US have asked India to follow global norms under which the primary liability is with the operator. Since

all the nuclear power plants in the country are run by the gov-ernment-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, follow-ing international norms will mean the government would have to pay the damages in case of an accident. Another contentious clause in the liability law was unlimited liability for which international companies will find it difficult to get insurers.

According to the sources, pro-gress was made during the two-day meeting of Indo-US Contact Group in London, but some linger-ing issues may require resolution at the political level.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented security arrangement, compris-ing Delhi Police and para-military

forces, has been put in place in the national capital ahead of the ar-rival of the US President Barack Obama on Sunday.

Virtual fortressObama, who will be the first US President to be a Chief Guest at a Republic Day, will be arriving this morning as Delhiites wake up to the unprecedented security ar-rangements with traffic restric-tions on roads leading to Central Delhi.

Snipers of Delhi Police and Na-tional Security Guards will oc-cupy all high-rise buildings on the routes which Obama will be trav-elling. The green ridge opposite to Maurya Sheraton hotel has been thoroughly checked and police personnel have been deployed in the jungles along the ridge till the US President leaves.

Central Delhi has turned into a virtual fortress with security agen-cies partly or completely shutting down nearly 71 buildings.

Even bonafide citizens of this area, including MPs and officers of the Armed Forces, have been ei-ther issued special passes or have to establish their identities to en-ter the zone.

A joint team of the United States Secret Services and sleuths of central security agencies will be monitoring specially established control rooms which are con-nected to freshly installed CCTVs for the VVIP, who will be the chief guest at the 66th Republic Day on Monday.

Dedicated radar has been put in place to detect any suspicious movement in the sky and addition-al anti-aircraft guns have been put in place to shoot down any aerial intrusion. - PTI

Both countries are

working hard to have

‘excellent’ outcomes

during the visit of

Obama, who will

have a tight schedule

including talks with

Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and

attending Republic

Day celebrations as

the chief guestUPBEAT: US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama board Air Force One prior to departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, on Saturday. Obama is travelling on a three-day trip to India for Republic Day. - AFP

Never doubt your ability: Kalam JAIPUR: Former president APJ Abdul Kalam on Saturday asked youngsters never to doubt their ability as he recalled his “doubt and confusion” when then Isro chairman Satish Dhawan had asked him to make a rocket sys-tem to put satellite into orbit in a period of seven years.

“One fine day he said, Kalam you can take the budget you want, the number of people want and anything needed I will get it sanc-tioned from the cabinet, but you have to do this.

“I was surprised and confused, there were many people senior to me in my establishment. Why me? Will I be able to do it? I was doubtful. You should not be,” the 83-year-old scientist told young-sters who thronged the Diggi Place here to hear his address at the on-going Jaipur Literature Festival.

The mantraHe gave the mantra, “I dream and I will fly one day.”

“I always dreamt of being a pilot, so I enrolled myself into a course of aeronautical engineer-ing. When I went before the selec-

tion panel to become a pilot, there were 10 contestants and 9 seats and I was the one to be dropped.

“I was disheartened that I could not become a pilot but I became the President of India!,” Kalam said during a session titled ‘The visionary: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’.

“When I became the presi-

dent I told the air chief to teach me how to fly and he trained me for six months. I did not become a pilot but I could still fulfil my dream of flying, because I dreamt that I will fly. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts re-sult into action!,” he said, as the crowd burst into a large round of applause.

A better place to liveKalam made the youngsters re-peat after him and vow to make India and world a better place to live.

“When there is righteousness in the heart there is a beauty in the character...when there is beauty in the character there is al-ready in the home...when there is already in the home there is order in the nation and when there is order in the nation there is peace in the world...,” he said as people repeated after him.

“Take a vow...that whatever you do in life you will always think what I can give. All the trouble starts when we think ‘what I can get’, that’s where the roots of cor-ruption are,” he said. - PTI

J A I P U R L I T E R A T U R E F E S T I V A L

CANDID: Former president APJ Abdul Kalam during the ses-sion at Jaipur Literature Festi-val, at Diggi Palace in Jaipur on Saturday. - PTI

Baba Ramdev, Ravi Shankar decline Padma awards

NEW DELHI: Yoga guru Ram-dev and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Saturday de-clined to accept Padma awards, saying the honour could be giv-en to someone else.

Ramdev declined the Padma Vibhushan — India’s second highest civilian award — saying that while he was grateful for being chosen for the honour it should be given to someone else and not a “sanyasi”.

In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, he said he was grateful that the central gov-ernment thought of his name, which he got to know from media reports, but the honour could be given to some other great person.

“I am a ‘sanyasi’ and want to serve the country without ex-pecting anything,” he said, add-ing that a recluse must remain the same while he is honoured or disrespected.

“I urge you to give this honour to somebody doing something great. I would be grateful to you,” he said.

InformMeanwhile, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also declined to ac-cept the Padma award, saying it could be given to someone else.

The world renowned spiritu-al leader tweeted that Rajnath Singh called him to inform about it but he declined to ac-cept the award.

“Rajnath Singh called to in-form me about Padma award. I thank government for consid-ering me. Instead of me, I’d like them to honour someone else,” he posted on Twitter. -IANS

H I G H E S T C I V I L I A N A W A R D

Modi hints Jan Dhan account holders may get credit, pensionNEW DELHI: Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi on Saturday asked bankers to speed up the process of linking all Jan Dhan bank accounts to Aadhaar and indicated that these accounts would be used for providing credit, insurance and pension services in the second phase of the scheme.

He wrote an email to all bank-ers to appreciate their “excep-tional work” done to implement the Jan Dhan Yojana and said 99.74 per cent of all households in the country have been covered, surpassing the target.

The government will ensure that many more schemes uti-lise the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) platform, he said.

Contending that the bankers had proved sceptics wrong by achieving what “appeared im-possible”, he said it should mo-

tivate them further. “It gives me great pleasure to have seen the exceptional work done by you all in ensuring the success of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yo-jana.

The target set for opening bank accounts for all households has been surpassed well ahead of the target date of 26 January, 2015,” he said in the email.

Congratulating the bankers for their “extraordinary efforts”, he said “by opening 11.5 crore new accounts in a very short span, we have achieved a coverage of 99.74 per cent of all households in the country.” He then went on to add: “we need to redouble efforts on financial literacy.

Aadhaar seeding needs to im-prove further. Bank Mitras need to be enabled to carry out RuPay card and Aadhaar enabled trans-actions in villages itself.” - PTI

D I R E C T B E N E F I T T R A N S F E R

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‘Track-II’ talks with BJP on, confirms PDP

JAMMU: Confirming ‘track-II’ talks, PDP on Saturday said it is willing to form government with BJP for the benefit of Indian-ad-ministered-Kashmir but listed a number of conditions with an as-sertion that there will be no “sell out” on “core” issues like time-bound revocation of AFSPA.

PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, while insisting that he was not “power hungry”, said he is even willing not to claim chief minister-ship if he feels it would benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Contending that he wants to bring the state out of a “quagmire”, the former Chief Minister told his party workers here, “Track-II dialogue with BJP over the forma-tion of government in Jammu and Kashmir is in progress.”

He went on to add, “Once the track-II dialogue gets some direc-tion, a structured dialogue or the ‘track-I’ dialogue on the forma-tion of a Common Minimum Pro-

gramme will be initiated.”There has been speculation that

the two parties have been holding talks to form coalition government.

“Mufti Mohammed Sayeed is not after power or the post of chief minister. If I feel that my shaking hands (with BJP)will benefit the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the country, I am ready to do that,” Sayeed said.

However, he also said, “Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim majority state and the Centre must respect the mandate of the people in the state.” He said the state was go-ing through a critical phase and people need a strong and stable government that can deliver on the

promises made to them during the Assembly elections.

His statement came against the backdrop of a meeting his close aide and MLA Haseeb Drabu had with Governor N. N. Vohra on Sat-urday to inform him about pro-gress in the government formation efforts. At the same time, Sayeed listed out his conditions and de-mands which he wants to be taken care of by BJP.

“PDP has its conditions and there will be no sell-out on our core ideology including the time-bound revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFS-PA) and initiation of dialogue with Pakistan,” he said.

AFSPA is said to be one of the main obstacles in the success of the talks as BJP’s position on it is exactly opposite to that of PDP.

The results of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on December 23 threw up a hung assembly with PDP emerging as the single largest party bagging 28 seats in the 87-member house.

BJP came close second with 25 seats while National Conference bagged 15 seats followed by Con-gress with 12 seats and others win-ning seven seats. President has imposed Governor’s rule in J&K as none of the political parties got majority in the recently held As-sembly elections. - PTI

PDP patron Mufti

Mohammad Sayeed,

while insisting that

he was not ‘power

hungry’, said he

was even willing

not to claim chief

ministership if

he feels it would

benefit the people of

Indian-administered-

Kashmir

NIA clears Liaquat of ‘terror’ chargesNEW DELHI: In an embarrass-ment for Delhi Police, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has given a clean chit to Liaquat Shah who had been arrested by it and la-belled as a terrorist two years ago.

The NIA, instead, named ab-sconder Sabir Khan as the main accused who had allegedly plant-ed weapons on Shah to project him as a militant of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen.

Ironically, according to chargesheet filed by NIA in a spe-cial court, the address of Khan alias ‘Pathan’ as mentioned in a lodge in old Delhi as well as for his SIM card was “Barrack NO.2, Special Cell Niwas, BG 21, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi”.

The NIA, while absolving Shah of terror charges, has also sub-mitted the report to Ministry to Home Affairs seeking permission for carrying out investigations against two Delhi Police officials for allegedly “conspiring” to tar-get Liaquat .

Shah was arrested by the Spe-cial Cell of Delhi Police on March 20, 2013 while he was returning from Pakistan-administered-Kashmir to the Kashmir Valley via Nepal and was projected as a terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen who had come to carry out strikes in the national capital.

Jammu and Kashmir police had protested the arrest, saying Liaquat was returning home as per the state government’s policy of allowing people, who had ex-filtrated to Pakistan-adminis-tered-Kashmir in early 1990s, to come back.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdul-lah, who had flagged the issue about his arrest with the union Home Ministry, welcomed the NIA move and said “at least I am happy that truth has finally come out and I hope that secu-rity agencies do not target Kash-miris to achieve their ulterior motives.”- PTI

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

Kejriwal cries foul over Republic Day snub; Congress slams centreNEW DELHI: Expressing sur-prise, former Delhi chief minis-ter Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed the Centre has not ex-tended him an invite to attend the Republic Day celebrations.

The Aam Aadmi Party slammed the Centre for “not extending” in-vitation to the former Delhi chief minister while Congress said it showed “petty mindset” of BJP dispensation.

Reacting to the issue, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said that no rules and regulations would be flouted but reminded that Kejri-wal had threatened to hold protest during the celebrations last year.

Kejriwal, however, insisted that he never said that Republic Day should not be celebrated and he should have been invited if the protocol states it.

“I haven’t got any invitation.If protocol says it should be sent, then they should have sent it to me. If not, then they shouldn’t.There shouldn’t be any politics over it,”Kejriwal told reporters.

The former Delhi chief min-ister also clarified that he never made any remark that Republic Day should not be celebrated as being attributed to him by BJP.

“I never said we should not cel-ebrate it (Republic Day),” he said.

AAP leader Ashutosh said Ke-jriwal was chief minister of Delhi and he should have been invited to the celebrations.

Popular leader“He is not only the former chief minister but also the most popu-lar leader of Delhi, a respected person and when he doesn’t get invitation, then there are doubts in peoples mind whether he was not invited due to political ha-tred,” he said.

Asked about the issue, Vardhan said he was not aware of it but added Centre was not going to flout any rules.

“I don’t think anybody in our government is going to flout these rules and regulations,” he said.

BJP Delhi Chief Satish Upad-hyay felt Kejriwal did not deserve to be invited because of his “an-archist behaviour”. Vardhan at-

tacked Kejriwal over his reported comments about Republic Day celebrations last year during his protest at the Rajpath.

“I just want to make the en-tire nation aware of the fact that Arvind Kejriwal as the chief min-ister of Delhi was protesting on the same Rajpath last year and was asking people not to let the Republic Day celebrations take place and had proudly proclaimed himself to be an anarchist.

“He was the one who made this announcement. I think it is not right on his part to talk like this,” the minister added.

Reacting to the issue, Congress said honouring of traditions and its time was the responsibility of the government.

“Whether we belong to differ-ent parties or different political thought-process, a national day like 26th January belongs to each one of the 125 crore Indians.

So to not invite former chief minister of Delhi is reflective of the petty mindset of BJP govern-ment,” Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

When asked about this, BJP

Delhi Chief Satish Upadhyay said that he feels an “anarchist” like Kejriwal, who threatened to dis-turb the Republic Day function last year should not be present on such occasions.

“I am not aware whether he has been invited or not. But, I think he (Kejriwal) should not attend such functions...The man who did not even respect an occasion like Republic Day last year and threatened to sit on a dharna and disrupt the function, should he be present there in the first place,” he told reporters.

Moral questionAsked if the protocol allowed for presence of former chief min-isters on the grand occasion, he said, “the question we are raising here is a moral one and not tech-nical.”

“As per protocols are con-cerned, I think you should go and and ask the defence department.But, morally, we are asking,is it right for him to attend the func-tion after his anarchist behaviour last year on the very same occa-sion,” Upadhyay said. -PTI

I N V I T A T I O N

I haven’t got any invitation. If protocol says it should be sent, then they should have sent it to me. If not, then they shouldn’t.There shouldn’t be any politics over it

Arvind KejriwalFormer Delhi chief minister

13 Indian-origin teens in Intel talent search finalsLOS ANGELES: About one-third of the 40 high school seniors named finalists of one of Ameri-ca’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math competition are of Indian-origin.

The 40 finalists have received an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington from March 5 to 11, where they will compete for over $1 million in awards provided by the Intel Foundation.

Starting this year, the Intel Sci-ence Talent Search will feature a new awards structure that in-cludes triple the top award mon-ey and new award categories, In-tel said in a statement.

In place of the competition’s previous $100,000 top prize,

three Medal of Distinction awards of $150,000 each will be presented to students who show exceptional scientific potential in three areas: Basic Research, Global Good, and Innovation.

There are also three second-place awards of $75,000, and three third-place awards of $35,000.

The 13 Indian American final-ists are Eswar Anandapadmana-ban, Augustine Chemparathy, Anvita Gupta, Somya Khare, Shashwat Kishore, Rohith Ku-ditipudi, Kriti Lall,Dhaivat Nitin Pandya, Reesab Pathak, Prem-babu Saranesh, Anika Raghuvan-shi and Tanay Tandon and Ryan D’Mello. - PTI

S C I E N C E A N D M A T H C O M P E T I T I O N

MAKING A POINT: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and party presi-dent Mehbooba Mufti during a press conference recently. Sayeed said Jammu and Kashmir was going through a critical phase and people need a strong and stable government that can deliver on the promises made to them during the Assembly elections. - PTI file photo

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PAKISTAN S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5 S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5More and more people are joining in because they agree with us. The narrative now resonates beyond the elites... People are saying ‘When you attack children, that’s it’Sundas Hoorain, Lawyer

Need to take national action to rid nation of polio: WHO officialLAHORE: World Health Organi-sation (WHO) Pakistan Director Michel Thierin said on Friday that more efforts were required to rid the nation of polio virus.

He was leading a WHO delega-tion that had called on Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique. Thierin said the organisation and the interna-tional community were perturbed regarding the presence of polio in the nation.

He appreciated the initiatives taken by the government to eradi-cate polio in the province. Thierin commended the Health Depart-ment for taking special measures to prevent Ebola virus in the Pun-jab. He said the WHO and the in-ternational community attached great importance to polio eradica-tion.

Routine immunisationsThierin said efforts in this regard should focus on conducting anti-polio campaigns and routine im-munisations. He said the province had taken the lead regarding this by nominating Health Services

Director General Zahid Pervaiz as the focal person for International Health Regulations.

Rafique said the government shared the concerns of the WHO and the international commu-nity. He said the government had been striving to eradicate the vi-rus. Rafique said special arrange-ments had been made to guaran-tee the security of polio teams in the province.

He stressed the need to convene an interprovincial conference under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to formulate a national policy to rid the nation of the scourge of polio. Rafique informed those present that the recommen-dations of a technical workshop held last month would be used to formulate an action plan to im-prove secondary healthcare in the province.

He said the plan would be shared with the WHO and other development agencies after se-curing the approval of Chief Min-ister Shahbaz Sharif.

Rafique said billions of rupees were required to revamp second-

ary health standards in the Pun-jab. He said funds were required to upgrade infrastructure, main-tain bio-medical equipment and provide incentives to medical staff.

Rafique said a spirited effort should be made to mount a com-prehensive anti-polio campaign during the low polio season.

He said all provinces should harness the potential of the sea-son to rid the nation of polio. Rafique stressed the need to take national action on this front say-ing that polio could not be eradi-cated in any province in isolation.

Jamshed Ahmad of the WHO said the organisation had finished training 6,000 lady health work-ers in six districts of the province. He said 6,000 more lady health workers were being trained by the WHO currently.

Health Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik praised Thierin for cooperating over the holding of a workshop organised to formu-late recommendations regarding secondary healthcare reforms. — Express Tribune

THE CHALLENGE AHEAD: A Pakistani health worker administers polio vaccination drops to a child at the Karachi International Airport in Karachi, on May 19, 2014. — AFP file photo

Musharraf could be allowed to visit Saudi

ISLAMABAD: The government is considering allowing former president Pervez Musharraf to travel to Saudi Arabia to offer con-dolences to the royal family over the death of the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Ab-dullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

The former military dictator, who, like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, enjoys close ties with the Saudi royal family, has written a letter to the interior ministry requesting that his name be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The letter“General (retd) Pervez Musharraf is desirous of visiting Saudi Ara-bia to express his heartfelt condo-lences over the sad demise of King Abdullah,” reads the letter written by Advocate Faisal Hussain on be-half of the former president.

“That is why we have asked the government to remove Musharraf sahib’s name from the ECL,” chief coordinator of Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML)

Ahmed Raza Kasuri told The Ex-press Tribune on Friday.

He said the party was in con-tact with all stakeholders over the issue.

The requestA close aide of Sharif said the gov-

ernment could consider the re-quest seriously. “King Abdullah’s sad demise is something which matters greatly for Pakistan. The government might let him (Mush-arraf ) fly to Saudi Arabia,” he told The Express Tribune. He added, however, that any such decision

would be taken after consulting the ministries of law and interior. Some believe allowing Mushar-raf to go abroad could provide the government and other stake-holders some ‘face saving’ as they move past an issue — treason trial of the former president — which has caused much friction between the country’s civil and military es-tablishment.

Harsh criticismAccording to political analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi, there is a strong possibility that Mushar-raf would be allowed to leave for Saudi Arabia.

However, he said there would be a question mark over whether the former dictator would return.

“The government will face harsh criticism if Musharraf chooses not to return.

It will give the opposition more space to do politics,” Rizvi added. — Express Tribune

The former

military dictator

has requested the

Interior Ministry that

his name be removed

from the Exit Control

List as he wishes to

express his heartfelt

condolences over the

sad demise of King

Abdullah

EXIT PLAN: Pervez Musharraf addresses foreign media representatives at his farmhouse in Islama-bad on December 29, 2013. — AFP file photo

King Abdullah’s sad demise is something which matters greatly for Pakistan. The government might let him (Musharraf) fly to Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s aide

Perils of PunjabBY FARRUKH KHAN PITAFI

Call me old school but I think only relevant people should do chores assigned to them.

And a relevant person is the one chosen by the competent authori-ty to do a specific task. Bureaucrats are supposed to act upon the wish-es of their political masters; the ministers in charge and politicians should know what they are doing. But in a country where cricketers want to rule, where doctors and engineers become TV anchors and anchors want to be politicians, this evidently is asking for too much.

The recent petrol crisis in Pun-jab is a case in point. It also brings the failure of the so-called Punjab model of governance to the fore. For five years, the PML-N govern-ment in Punjab ruled the province by relying heavily on bureau-crats and making the ministers in charge of a ministry redundant. Where there still was room to per-form, the powers were further di-luted by installing unelected task-forces meant to oversee the work of elected representatives. This is a recipe for disaster.

I know that my repeated criti-cism of this model and some ac-tions of our leading bureaucrats often annoy a few of them. Let it be known that it is mainly a com-plaint about the inherent ridicu-lousness of this construct; it is nothing personal.

When you give a bureaucrat more powers than he/she should have, you are setting that person up for eventual failure and scape-goating. No wonder then that peo-ple who were disciplined recently for their part in the petrol shortage fiasco were mainly bureaucrats.

The aforementioned model barely worked in Punjab where politicians have relatively less nuisance value, and even there, frustration among lawmakers could not be controlled.

At the federal level, where eve-ry minister is a political heavy-weight in his/her own right, this could never work. And yet against common sense, this model was put into practice.

Consequently, the government has spent most of its time in office in putting out fires. Adhocism and jealousies threaten to paralyse the government even if Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri’s mam-moth rallies failed to do so. You will be surprised to know that a majority of the stories about the government’s alleged inadequa-cies are leaked to the press from within government circles.

If truth be told, the fuel crisis cannot be attributed to a single ministry or department. It is the failure of the prime minister’s en-ergy and finance teams. The for-mer includes the petroleum minis-ter, the water and power minister and the Punjab chief minister.

The latter is headed by the fi-nance minister but owing to his frequent international travelling to liaise with the IMF and other such bodies and due to his role in negotiations with opposition par-ties like the PTI, he hasn’t been able to spend adequate time in the Qadri-block.

As a consequence, the economy, by default, is run by the bureaucra-cy. But more of that in a bit.

Just like every other crisis in

recent days, we can’t say we didn’t see this one coming. Reports of Pa-kistan State Oil (PSO) being on the brink of default were being carried in papers since September 2014 when the finance ministry refused to bail it out.

A couple of months ago, PSO had failed to retire five letters of credit.

Eye-openerGiven that this all has to do with the circular debt, the Independ-ent Power Producers Advisory Council’s advertisement in a num-ber of papers threatening default on sovereign guarantees should have served as an eye-opener. This wasn’t to be the first sovereign default. A similar situation arose in 2012 as well. Heads should have rolled back then. However, the finance secretary, Dr Waqar Masood Khan, continued per-forming his duties in a position he holds to date. It is not about one finance secretary. It is about doing the same thing over and over and the failure to see its inadequacy.

Whispers from the ruling circles don’t stop here. They ask why is it that every crisis originates in Pun-jab and that, too, when the prime minister is out of the country?

While no one knows how to an-swer these questions, everyone agrees that the Punjab format pos-es more threats to the system than the solutions it can offer.

The nation needs full-time min-isters for every department and a direct approach to tackling key national issues. In the absence of this, you cannot expect the same loyalty from bureaucrats that you expect from politicians.

They simply have nothing to lose. — Express Tribune

C O M M E N T A R Y

Just like every other crisis in recent days, we can’t say we didn’t see this one coming. Reports of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) being on the brink of default were being carried in papers since September 2014 when the finance ministry refused to bail it out

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

Imran vows to take Iftikhar to courtISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Im-ran Khan reiterated on Saturday that former chief justice of Pa-kistan Iftikhar Chaudhary and Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman Ramday were complicit in the al-leged rigging of the 2013 general elections, and that he would prove their involvement.

“I will prove his (Iftikhar Chaudhary) involvement in rig-ging,” Imran said upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia.

The PTI chief spoke of the role of the returning officers (ROs) in the election process, stating that they stuffed voting bags with bo-gus votes on the orders of the for-mer chief justice of Pakistan.

“I will make Iftikhar Chaud-

hary stand in court, and I will tell this country what a big crime he committed to this country’s de-mocracy,” a fiery Imran said.

Speaking about the defamation

notice sent to him by Chaudhary for Rs20 billion, the PTI chief quipped, “I’ll take the money from his son, Arsalan Iftikhar, who seems to have made quite a lot.”

“I am waiting to see the former CJP in court, because of the trai-torous acts he has undertaken in demolishing the democracy of this country.

“He was behind the actions of the ROs,” he said. ”Do not worry Iftikhar sahib, I am ready to face you in court.”

Election yearThe PTI chief also said that as soon as a judicial commission is formed with absolute power, “I predict that this will be an elec-tion year.”

He further questioned why the government was hesitant over the results of the tribunal. “Because they know they did not win fairly,” Imran stated. — Express Tribune

E L E C T I O N R I G G I N G A L L E G A T I O N S

Iftikhar Chaudhary Imran Khan

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

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34 die in Bangladesh poll protest violence

DHAKA: At least 34 people have died in Bangladesh and scores have been injured, most of them in firebomb attacks, amid rising po-litical unrest fuelled by a stand-off between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the main opposition leader.

The renewed political turmoil could cause a delay in shipments by the country’s $24-billion gar-ment industry, already under pressure after a string of fatal ac-cidents.

Begum Khaleda Zia, whose op-position Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the elec-tion on January 5 last year, has de-manded that Hasina and her gov-ernment step down for a new vote under a caretaker administration.

Hasina has refused, instead tightening her grip by arresting key opposition leaders and clamp-ing down on critical media as anti-

government protests spread.The violence has worsened

sharply since January 5, the first anniversary of the vote.

Police said at least 25 people have died in arson attacks, includ-ing two on Friday.

Eight more were killed in clash-es with police, and one died fol-lowing injuries from a crude bomb blast, they added.

At least 50 people were injured, some critically, after opposition activists firebombed several ve-hicles in the capital, Dhaka, and surrounding districts, police and witnesses said.

In Dhaka, at least 29 people suf-fered burns after attackers hurled petrol bombs at a bus, police said.

“Nine are in critical condition,” said Mohammad Sajjat Khanda-

kar, a doctor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which has been struggling to deal with growing numbers of the injured.

Strike calledMore than 7,000 opposition activ-ists have been detained since the anniversary, Industry Minister Amir Hossain Amu, the head of a government law and order panel, has said. The opposition called for another 36-hour countrywide strike from Sunday morning to protest against the arrests and “oppression” of its leaders during an indefinite transport blockade it launched.

Khaleda called the blockade af-ter she was prevented from hold-ing a mass rally in Dhaka on the January 5 anniversary.

Legal action could be consid-ered against Khaleda for order-ing the killing of innocent people, said Health Minister Mohammed Nasim.

“They should immediately stop the killing of innocent people, chil-dren, woman, labourers,” he told reporters on Saturday after visit-ing the burns victims.

BNP leaders were not immedi-ately available to comment on the threat of legal action.

Hasina and Khaleda have alter-nated as prime minister for most of the past two decades in a fierce rivalry marked by periods of wide-spread political violence.

The United States, the European Union and UK have voiced concern and urged all Bangladeshi parties to engage in dialogue. - Reuters

Begum Khaleda Zia,

whose opposition

Bangladesh

Nationalist Party

(BNP) boycotted the

election on January

5 last year, has

demanded that

Hasina and her

government step

down for a new vote

under a caretaker

administration

POLITICAL TURMOIL: A relative tries to comfort Amulla, 35, a victim of a recent bomb attack, as he receives treatment at a medical college hospital during the ongoing nationwide blockade called by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday. - PTI/AP

Hong Kong Occupy protest leaders arrested, released

HONG KONG: The original founders of Hong Kong’s pro-de-mocracy Occupy movement were arrested and released on Saturday as the city’s police chief defended the investigation into mass pro-tests, saying it was not “a show”.

A number of protest leaders have been arrested and released without charge, with some calling the investigation harassment.

Occupy founder Benny Tai said that he, Chan Kin-man and Chu Yiu-ming had been formally ar-rested on accusations of organis-ing and participating in an illegal assembly, but were not charged.

They were released after three hours.

“Three of us were showed some videos and articles...we were re-leased unconditionally,” he said.

More than two months of street rallies calling for fully free leader-ship elections ended in December when protest camps were cleared, but police have vowed to investi-gate the “principal instigators”.

Police chief Andy Tsang de-fended the investigation earlier on Saturday.

“The police made the arrange-ments (for the arrests) in private and it was never made public. How can you say it’s a PR show?

Who told you they would go to a police station? We should be clear whose show it is,” he told reporters, confirming that those released may be asked back as the investigation was ongoing.

While other protest leaders have questioned police motives, Tai said he “trusted” the rule of law.

“I still trust the police and the prosecution... will strictly follow the requirements of Hong Kong laws in any investigation.

“The public can make their own judgment on whether there are any political motives behind their investigation,” he said.

Dozens of supporters outside the station, including lawmak-ers, held up banners and yellow umbrellas — the symbol of the de-mocracy movement.

“I absolutely believe that Hong Kongers will not give up,” Tai said in a speech to the crowd before he went in to the station.

Tensions remain highTension remains high in the semi-autonomous southern Chi-nese city since the street block-ades which brought parts of the city to a standstill.

They were sparked after Bei-jing said that candidates for the

2017 vote would be vetted by a loyalist committee.

Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai and prominent stu-dent leaders including Joshua Wong and Alex Chow have also been arrested and released as part of the widespread investigation.

Both Chow and Wong ques-tioned the process, saying police should charge them if they had the evidence.

The Occupy founders first turned themselves in at the be-ginning of December in a move to get the protests off the streets after violent clashes, but were not arrested.

The Occupy movement was the first to galvanise support for civil disobedience over political reforms, but as the protests went on the group faded into the back-ground as students took over.

Tai has said it would now take a different approach to promot-ing democracy, including through education.

He confirmed Saturday that he would join a pro-democracy rally through the city on February 1 -- the first major march since the protest camps were cleared -- which organisers expect to draw 50,000 people. - AFP

I L L E G A L A S S E M B L Y

SOLIDARITY: Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, centre, Hong Kong’s outspoken former bishop, looks on as he joins leading pro-democracy activists in front of the Wanchai police station in Hong Kong on Saturday. - AFP

Security Council delegation visits Haiti to stem crisisPORT-AU-PRINCE: United Nations Security Council mem-bers arrived in Haiti on Friday for a three-day visit to urge the government to hold long-de-layed elections in order to stem a mounting political crisis.

Envoys from the 15 member states of the international peace and security body met with Pres-ident Michel Martelly and were due to see other government of-ficials, as well as local UN repre-sentatives, political leaders and civil society.

“With this mission, the Secu-rity Council looks to... urge Haiti’s political actors to work coopera-tively and without further delay to ensure the holding of free, fair, inclusive and transparent legisla-tive, partial senatorial, municipal and local elections,” a statement from the UN’s The United Na-tions Stabilisation Mission In Haiti (MINUSTAH) peacekeep-ing mission said.

Ruling by decreeThe president has been ruling by decree since parliament was dis-solved earlier this month, making him the sole leader of a country on edge, with sometimes violent opposition protests.

Haitians have been waiting for

new elections for three years.After meeting with the UN en-

voys, Martelly said he was com-mitted to the democratic pro-cess and pledged to stage lawful elections. He promised dialogue with national political actors to “create a favourable climate for democratic, inclusive, free and transparent elections, without forgetting the fundamental ob-jective of developing the coun-try’s economy.”

Martelly has attempted to calm the situation by naming opposition figure Evans Paul as his prime minister and signing a deal to hold new elections by the end of this year. On Thursday, the president said he was forming his fifth electoral council tasked with organizing elections since he came to power in May 2011.

The UN ambassadors visited MINUSTAH headquarters and were due to tour various projects in the capital and elsewhere in the impoverished Caribbean na-tion still reeling from a devastat-ing 2010 earthquake.

They were also due to assess the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and the capabilities of the Haitian government, especially the na-tional police. - AFP

P O L I T I C A L C R I S I S

BRIEFING: President of United Nations Security Council, Cristian Pedro Barros, left, speaks during a press conference after a meet-ing with Haitian President Michel Martelly, right, and repre-sentatives of 15 Member States of the United Nations Security Council, at the National Palace in Port-au-Prince, on Friday. - AFP

7,000 opposition activists have been detained since the anniversary, Industry Minister Amir Hossain Amu, the head of a government law and order panel, has said

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S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5 T I M E S O F O M A NA12

The economic geography of the world is changing. The euro-zone faces the spectre of an-other round of stagnation; Ja-pan has slipped into recession; and the United States, despite relatively strong performance

in the latter part of 2014, has raised concerns worldwide with its exit from quantitative easing.

Meanwhile, emerging economies have con-tinued to perform well. India and Indonesia are growing at more than 5 per cent per year; Malay-sia at 6 per cent; and China by more than 7 per cent. The scale of the global change can be seen when purchasing power parity (PPP) — a meas-ure of the total amount of goods and services that a dollar can buy in each country — is taken into account.

According to the figures for 2011, released last year, India is now the world’s third largest economy in terms of PPP-adjusted GDP, ahead of Germany and Japan. The data also revealed that China would overtake the US as the world’s larg-est economy in PPP terms sometime in 2014 — a shift that, according to our estimates, occurred on October 10th.

Despite this progress, a large proportion of people in developing countries remain desper-ately poor. Globally, the poverty line is defined as a daily income of $1.25, adjusted for PPP — a line that many criticise as shockingly low.

But what is truly shocking is that nearly one billion people — including more than 80 per cent of the populations of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Liberia, and Burundi — live below it.

One reason global poverty has been so in-tractable is that it remains largely out of sight for those who are not living it, safely somebody else’s problem. The fact that most participants in discussions about global poverty — the read-ers of this commentary included — know few, if any, people who live below the poverty line is an indication of the extent of the world’s economic segregation.

If poverty were communicable, its incidence would be far lower by now.

Fortunately, a chorus of voices, not just from civil-society groups, but also from international organisations, has given rise to a global move-ment to end poverty.

There is now a growing consensus that global poverty is not just a problem of the poor.

Though moral outrage is important, it is not enough when it comes to crafting policy. Poli-cymakers need data and, equally important, the ability to analyse it.

The first task is to distinguish between what is

feasible and what is not. For example, some have proposed including the provision of employment for all adults in the Millennium Development Goals’ successor framework, which is to be un-veiled this year. This is an impossible target.

All economies of any reasonable size will have some unemployment. In fact, a limited amount of unemployment can help to promote develop-ment. To declare “employment” a right is to di-vest the word “right” of its meaning.

Next, there must be recognition that econo-mies are complex and interconnected. Consider, for example, a government policy in which sub-sidies, funded with newly printed money, are handed out to residents of 1,000 villages.

This will not necessarily be a boon for the econ-omy as a whole. Injecting money might improve the living standards in the villages receiving the funds, but doing so may well drive up the cost of food throughout the country, causing residents of non-subsidised villages to fall into poverty.

The macroeconomic impact of micro-inter-ventions is an important reason why poverty has persisted, despite well-meaning interventions to combat it.

Another reason poverty endures is persistent — and, in many places, widening — inequality. The current level of global inequality is uncon-scionable. In 2013, the World Bank, where I am Chief Economist, helped bring the term “shared prosperity” into everyday discourse by declaring, for the first time, that every society should make progress toward this goal its mission.

To be sure, there will always be a certain amount of inequality in the world; in fact, as with unemployment, a limited amount is desirable as a driver of competition and growth. But the deep and pervasive inequality that exists today can only be condemned.

According to some back-of-the-envelope cal-culations, the wealth of the world’s 50 richest people totals $1.5 trillion, equivalent to 175 per cent of Indonesia’s GDP, or a little more than Ja-pan’s foreign-exchange reserves.

If one assumes that this wealth yields 8 per cent per year, the annual income of the world’s 50 wealthiest people is close to the total income of the poorest one billion — in other words, those living below the poverty line.

This is a collective failure. As 2015 begins, we must consider policies and interventions to curb such extreme inequality. We must do this not only out of a sense of justice, but also because, in a world afflicted with such extreme disparities, its poorest residents lose their voice, even when they have the right to vote. Extreme inequality is, ultimately, an assault on democracy. - Project Syndicate

State of global poverty indeed desperate now

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])

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

China’s exploding appetites have unleashed a wholesale exploi-tation of Myanmar’s valuable natural resources. While this of-ten involves outright theft, it also comes in the form of crony

capitalism. Myanmar’s military elite has deals with Chinese compa-nies that are eager to exploit the land, with little concern for the en-vironment or people. The Kachin Independence Army, a rebel group that controls part of northeastern Myanmar, also takes a cut of some of this trade with China, especially jade hacked out of the earth by im-poverished, heroin-addicted labourers.

Chinese government officials were in Myanmar to investigate the detention of Chinese citizens suspected of illegal logging. Illegal tim-ber sales to China, especially of Myanmar’s dwindling stocks of rose-wood, have been a big problem, with the Environmental Investigation Agency, a nongovernmental group, warning that the trees could be extinct within three years. China’s insatiable demand for tiger and leopard parts, bear bile and pangolins has helped to transform the town of Mong La, near the Chinese border, into a seedy centre of ani-mal trafficking and gambling. Myanmar’s tiger population is by most estimates less than 70.

The pursuit of the valuable copper deposits in the country, formerly called Burma, has led to violence against the locals who dare to object to the environmental and human costs. In 2012, the Myanmar police apparently used white phosphorus smoke bombs, usually reserved for warfare, to quell protesters angry over evictions to make room for the Letpadaung copper mine in central Myanmar, a joint venture between China’s Wanbao Mining company and the Myanmar military’s busi-ness arm.

Last month, police officers opened fire on residents who were pro-testing evictions in the area, killing one woman with a shot to the head. The people of Myanmar — as the protests make clear — want this plun-der stopped. The country needs foreign investment that is respectful of human rights and the environment. It will be up to President Thein Sein to rein in the corruption and crony deals that are stripping away resources and creating political instability. - The New York Times News Service

The plunder of Myanmar

Early days, but the decision by the world’s biggest mining com-pany, BHP Billiton, to cut its US shale oil operation by 40 per cent suggests that the exploitation of North American shale re-

serves has started to become unprofitable. That, in turn, will eventual-ly reduce capacity, reduce supply and raise the long-term equilibrium price of oil and other fossil fuels. That, supposedly, will secure Saudi Arabia’s position as a low-cost dominant producer. The obvious flaw comes if the price is eventually restored to such a level that fracking becomes profitable once more, and the whole belligerent cycle starts all over again.

Given the potential, and unpredictable, impact on demand from slowing growth in the eurozone and China, in particular, that sweet spot in the oil price may prove more theoretical than real. At all events, the prospect is for much more volatility in the price of oil, which has dropped by two-thirds in three years. It adds uncertainty to the out-look for the world economy, and that in itself will tend to depress in-vestment and growth.

Unless the major producers in Opec and outside, including the United States, can come to some sort of arrangement about where they would like the oil price to be in future — unlikely given the com-plexion of some involved the world will have to get used to these gy-rations. Such ups and downs, however, are preferable to permanently cheap oil. While it seems churlish to deny hard-pressed households a respite from ever-rising energy bills, the inconvenient truth is that cheap oil is bad for the planet. In the short term it makes consumers and industries less careful about energy efficiency. In the longer term it wrecks investment in alternative sources of energy and transport, such as electric cars.

The solution is obvious, if unpopular. Public subsidies for the coal, oil and gas industries should be ended worldwide. And now is the time to raise taxes and duties on energy to prevent its cost from fall-ing too far, to industry and to consumers, either by compensating with increases to duty or by adjusting carbon pricing regimes in or-der that prices remain high. This is, admittedly, no vote winner. And yet the biggest single influence on energy consumption, after overall economic growth, is its price, and the price of fossil fuels relative to alternative sources of energy.

It is also true that taxes on energy can hit the poorest hardest, pro-portionately. That is why such a stabilisation of fuel bills at current levels has to be joined by curbs on excessive profits being made by en-ergy companies, with those funds transferred to poorer households, so that they can cope with the high bills. Globally, consumers are enjoy-ing. But the oil price collapse has made the work of this year’s interna-tional climate summit in Paris an awful lot more difficult. - The Independent

Need to regulate plying of heavy vehicles on roadsThis refers to the news story Majlis Al Shura members sup-port motorists on widening of road shoulders (January 24). Those who drive in Muscat and Oman are very much in need of wider road shoulders and have long been asking for it. We will also be benefitted if the authori-ties consider controlling the ply-ing hours of heavy commercial vehicles as they are often seen creating serious traffic snarls. Heavy vehicles are also seen plying and parked in residential areas such as Ruwi, Hamriyah, Darsait, Ghubra etc which, need-less to say, creates significant problems. These long and wide vehicles not only take a lot of space to park but they often block narrow roads and views of

other motorists increasing the chances of accidents.Nabeel Irshad HussainMuscat

Parents still do not have confidence in school buses This refers to the news story, One year on, school bus crash driver speaks out (January 22). I am a mother of two and I am still to get over an uncanny fear until my daughters return home from school every day. A year has passed since the horrific school bus accident which killed some students of Pakistan School in Muscat but we are still scared and memories of the horror are still so fresh in our minds. I am forced to send my daughters to school by school bus because I don’t have any other alternative.

However, as a matter of fact, I am still not happy at all. I would not have sent my children by school bus if I could drive on my own or my husband had time to drop them and bring them back home.Shabnam Azaiba

USA’s covert war in Syria has fallen flat on its faceThe US crimes in Syria are already too obvious. It had been sponsor-ing extremist outfits affiliated to Al Qaeda to bring about regime change in Damascus. Washing-ton’s covert war, evil in essence, has fallen flat on its face as Bashar Al Assad prevailed. Rather than seizing the opportunity to end the crisis, the West kept the cauldron boiling with chilling Machiavel-lian cynicism pouring in “vast

amount of military, financial, and diplomatic largesse” through their regional clients.Nassir GhalibMuscat

Srinivas can still bounce back after being cut to sizeWell, is it time now to write the epitaph of N. Srinivasan, the BCCI chief-in-exile, after the Supreme Court of India cut him to size? Per-sonally, I would desist from doing so because Srinivasan has shown an uncanny ability to bounce back from very awkward situation earlier. He is like a super politician and has numerous strings to pull. The question is, will the Indian federal minister Arun Jaitley help Srinivasan to bounce back?Ashok PanickerSeeb

READERS’ FORUM

website: www.newindiaoman.com

NEW INDIA ASSURANCEProtect your properties/assets through New India’s FIRE INSURNCE POLICIES.

The higher the buildings, the lower the moralsNOEL COWARD

K A U S H I K B A S U

Subsidies on coal, oil, gas should end worldwide

Despite this progress, a large proportion of people in developing countries remain desperately poor. What is truly shocking is that nearly one billion people — including more than 80 per cent of the populations of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Liberia, and Burundi — live below poverty line

PERSPEC IVET I M E S O F O M A N S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5T I M E S O F O M A N A13

The Doomsday Clock has just been moved two minutes closer to mid-

night. The reasons given were unchecked climate change and the risk of nuclear prolifera-tion.

The Doomsday Clock is not a bad symbol. Being “x minutes to midnight” is a vaguely fore-boding message with no real probabilities attached to it.

And that is good, because estimating these probabilities is extremely hard and conten-tious.

To correctly predict the fu-ture on these issues requires not only a grasp of the techni-cal and scientific issues, but estimates — guesses, really — about what will happen to large scale politics in several countries and the ultimate de-cisions of a few key current and

future leaders. Of course, un-certainty should never mean that we’re safe...

Much easier is to say that the (unknown) risk has increased or decreased, which is what the Doomsday Clock properly reflects by moving more or less close to midnight, from some arbitrary starting point.

Is it a true “doomsday” clock? Environment shifts as envis-aged by the Intergovernmen-tal Panel on Climate Change would be extremely devastat-ing but not true doomsday; the same goes for nuclear war.

Make no mistake: we are talking about millions if not billions of deaths. But that falls short of extinction risk; humans and even nations are surprisingly resilient. (Of course, if the uncertainties of climate change are larger than

we think, then some disastrous +10C° scenarios might become possible.)

After analysing the vari-ous “existential risks” here at the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford, it seems to us that the real doomsday scenarios come from diseases (especially engi-neered pathogens) or, possibly, from the creation of powerful and dangerous technologies.

These might not be as likely as climate change or war, but they could be true doomsdays. A twilight to the human race, with a void empty of intelligent life stretching forwards in a barren universe. - The Independent

The author is the James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute.

TODAY IN HISTORY

OPINION POLL

1787 Small farmers in Springfield, Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, revolt against tax laws. Federal troops break up the protesters of what becomes known as Shay’s Rebellion.

1846 The dreaded Corn Laws, which taxed

imported oats, wheat and barley, are repealed by the British Parliament.

1904 Two-hundred coal miners are trapped

in their Pennsylvania mine after an explosion.

1918 Austria and Germany reject US peace

proposals.

1919 The League of Nations plan is adopted by the Allies.

KIDS ENJOY WINTER CAMPMUSCAT: Kids Kamp has conducted winter camp for children between six and 14 years at Hotel Mercure Al Falaj. The camp was aimed at giving the children the right exposure to various activities and a total restriction – free atmosphere were they could explore and learn a lot in the process. The children were grouped according to their age and interests. The activities were also planned accordingly. Tennis and swimming classes for beginners were part of the programme and cultural activities were optional.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The finance ministry bears major fiscal responsibility for the crisis given that it is the last entity standing to rescue the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which has exhausted its credit lines, defaulting in payment of furnace oil imports, leading to the forced closure of several refineries

An image of the emergency meeting sum-moned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the raging petrol crisis earlier this

week revealed more than he would have liked. Chaired by him it showed Shahbaz Sharif, his

brother and chief minister of the powerful Pun-jab province; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the petrol minister; Ishaq Dar, the finance minister; and Khwaja Asif, the power minister amongst others.

All the ministers and officials, save for Abbasi, looked downcast, not even lifting their gaze as a worn out chief executive seemed unable to figure out what hit his government or bounce off that necessary leadership chutzpah which would help salvage a ship in troubled waters.

Millions of Pakistanis have been enduring power woes for years now with well stretched out long queues — whose shape and size often provides photographers with interesting angles — meant for CNG filling, a relatively cheaper fuel.

To conceive that one day, they would have to do it for petrol — whose prices globally have plum-meted remarkably since last summer — seemed like idle imagination at best.

No more. In the last few days, Pakistanis have been thirsting for gasoline with many ‘imagina-tive’ folk using every trick in the book and out-side of it to stock any extra drop, using plastic bottles and cans.

Forced by circumstance, they have even bought fuel paying double the amount from profiteers selling it surreptitiously for a quick buck! Before the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government moved to ban such sale last week, the sight of women and girls desperately buying the limited stock to help their menfolk was soul-crushing.

All this has obviously raised serious questions about governance, but few answers have been forthcoming and even those have ranged from the flimsy to the ridiculous.

It did the Sharif government no favours, for instance, to see the petrol minister blaming the finance ministry for sleeping on the job in a presser, and the finance minister, mock back such claims in a rejoinder.

Taking a leaf out of his brother Shahbaz’s book of treating errant officialdom, the premier sus-pended four officials over the crisis, but not the minister responsible, who, after first refusing to acknowledge that there was any crisis at all, much less one he owed an explanation for, reluc-tantly conceded responsibility “on the part of the government”.

He would surely have known the fuel funda given that he runs a private airliner!

Most experts agree that predominantly the re-sponsibility rests with the finance ministry, but in this case, the minister is too powerful to be touched, let alone shown the door.

The finance minister’s son is married to the

prime minister’s daughter, after all. Instead, after the short “investigation”, the

Sharif government concluded, rather conveni-ently, that the state-owned Oil and Gas Regula-tion Authority, is to blame!

The dots however, just don’t connect and it doesn’t take genius to get to the dénouement of the crisis in even basic math terms. With the steadily falling oil prices, a spike in demand was inevitable — something that the petrol minister, now admits, is the case.

While global prices began falling last July, the government passed on substantial benefit to the consumers by decreasing oil prices on November 1, and again, on December 1.

With diminishing stocks, competent planning was in order, but prima facie, this was overlooked in favour of the immediate goal of fending off po-litical angst posed by opposition leader Imran Khan’s white noise.

Khan only called off his four-month old cam-paign to seek Sharif ’s resignation over alleged rigging in the 2013 polls after the devastating national tragedy resulting in the massacre of 132 schoolchildren by Taliban in Peshawar last month. The finance ministry bears major fiscal responsibility for the crisis given that it is the last entity standing to rescue the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which has exhausted its credit lines, de-faulting in payment of furnace oil imports, lead-ing to the forced closure of several refineries.

The PSO, whose weekly requirement for import of fuel is approximately Rs9-10bn, has been steadily accumulating a circular debt since 2008, with power sector receivables piling up to Rs200bn.

It defaulted no less than 26 times on its letter of credit payments since October 2014 alone, and had all along desperately — repeatedly — sounded the SOS to the finance ministry after the banks closed the door on further borrowing.

However, the finance ministry appears to have either underestimated the looming crisis or not lent the priority it deserved.

Now there’s much price to pay — financially, of course, but so, too, politically.

Both the PM and finance minister were out of the country when long queues for cheap but scarce petrol began to form — talk about bad op-tics!

This reminds one of a famous proverb which suggests that “the absent are always in the wrong”.

This much is certain: to remain in the driving seat, the government will need plenty of petrol in the tank — literally, to begin with!

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

Of petrol trawling and the genesis of a crisis foretold

HISTORYNET.COM

Huge asteroid to “narrowly” miss Earth

GraphicsGraphic News /Source: NASA, Sky & Telescope Media

WHERE TO SEE ITObservers in Europe, Americas and Africa will need small telescope or strong binoculars. Less visible in Asia / Pacific

WHERE TO SEE ITObservers in Europe, Americas and Africa will need small telescope or strong binoculars. Less visible in Asia / Pacific

Jan 26 20h

22h

Path of2004 BL86

Jan 27 0h

2h

4h

6h

8h

CANCER

Head ofHYDRA

BeehiveCluster

M44

10h UT

Artist’s view of asteroidpassing Earth (not 2004 BL86)Artist’s view of asteroidpassing Earth (not 2004 BL86)

0.5km-wide asteroidand Empire State

Building to scale

0.5km-wide asteroidand Empire State

Building to scale

MercuryMercury

Close encounter (planets not to scale)Close encounter (planets not to scale)

EarthEarthAsteroid2004 BL86Asteroid2004 BL86

EarthorbitEarthorbit

Asteroid orbit (orbitalperiod 1.84 years)Asteroid orbit (orbitalperiod 1.84 years)

SunSun

MarsMarsVenusVenus

DISTANCE FROM EARTHDISTANCE FROM EARTH EarthEarth

Size of Earth, Moon and asteroids increased for claritySize of Earth, Moon and asteroids increased for clarity

Asteroid2004 BL86Asteroid2004 BL86 Asteroid 1999 AN10

Could pass within37,000km in 2027

Asteroid 1999 AN10Could pass within37,000km in 2027

Moon384,400km(average)

Moon384,400km(average)1.2 million km

on Jan 26 / 271.2 million kmon Jan 26 / 27

LAST POLL RESULTIn view of the damages caused by rain, do you think enough has been done to protect people in Oman from rains?

A year after Pakistan School bus accident in Muscat, do you feel safe sending your children to school by school buses?

Visit timesofoman.com to cast your vote

Yes46.6%

Can't say2.5%

No50.9%

It’s now official: 2014 was the warmest year on re-cord. You might expect

this to be a politically impor-tant milestone. After all, cli-mate change deniers have long used the blip of 1998 — an un-usually hot year, mainly due to an upwelling of warm water in the Pacific — to claim that the planet has stopped warming.

This claim involves a com-plete misunderstanding of how one goes about identify-ing underlying trends. (Hint: Don’t cherry-pick your obser-vations.)

But now even that bogus ar-gument has collapsed. So will the deniers now concede that climate change is real?

Of course not. Evidence doesn’t matter for the “debate” over climate policy, where I put scare quotes around “de-bate” because, given the obvi-ous irrelevance of logic and evidence, it’s not really a de-bate in any normal sense.

And this situation is by no means unique. Indeed, at this point it’s hard to think of a ma-jor policy dispute where facts actually do matter; it’s unshak-able dogma, across the board. And the real question is why.

Before I get into that, let me remind you of some other news that won’t matter.

First, consider the Kansas experiment. Back in 2012 Sam Brownback, the state’s right-wing governor, went all in on supply-side economics:

He drastically cut taxes, as-suring everyone that the re-sulting boom would make up for the initial loss in revenues. Unfortunately for his con-stituents, his experiment has been a resounding failure.

The economy of Kansas, far from booming, has lagged the economies of neighbouring states, and Kansas is now in fiscal crisis.

So will we see conserva-tives scaling back their claims about the magical efficacy of tax cuts as a form of economic stimulus?

Of course not. If evidence mattered, supply-side eco-nomics would have faded into obscurity decades ago. In-stead, it has only strengthened its grip on the Republican Party.

Meanwhile, the news on health reform keeps coming in, and it keeps being more favourable than even the sup-porters expected.

We already knew that the number of Americans with-out insurance is dropping fast, even as the growth in health care costs moderates.

Now we have evidence that the number of Americans ex-periencing financial distress due to medical expenses is also dropping fast.

All this is utterly at odds with dire predictions that re-form would lead to declining coverage and soaring costs. So will we see any of the people claiming that Obamacare is

doomed to utter failure revis-ing their position? You know the answer.

And the list goes on. On issues that range from monetary policy to the control of infectious disease, a big chunk of America’s body politic holds views that are completely at odds with, and completely unmovable by, actual experience.

And no matter the issue, it’s the same chunk. If you’ve got-ten involved in any of these debates, you know that these people aren’t happy warriors; they’re red-faced angry, with special rage directed at know-it-alls who snootily point out that the facts don’t support their position.

The question, as I said at the beginning, is why. Why the dogmatism? Why the rage?

And why do these issues go together, with the set of people insisting that climate change is a hoax pretty much the same as the set of people insisting that any attempt at providing universal health insurance must lead to disaster and tyr-anny?

Well, it strikes me that the immovable position in each of these cases is bound up with rejecting any role for govern-ment that serves the public interest.

If you don’t want the gov-ernment to impose controls or fees on polluters, you want to deny that there is any reason to limit emissions.

If you don’t want the combi-nation of regulation, mandates and subsidies that is needed to extend coverage to the unin-sured, you want to deny that expanding coverage is even possible.

And claims about the magi-cal powers of tax cuts are often little more than a mask for the real agenda of crippling gov-ernment by starving it of rev-enue.

And why this hatred of gov-ernment in the public inter-est? Well, the political scien-tist Corey Robin argues that most self-proclaimed con-servatives are actually reac-tionaries.

That is, they’re defenders of traditional hierarchy — the kind of hierarchy that is threatened by any expansion of government, even (or per-haps especially) when that expansion makes the lives of ordinary citizens better and more secure.

I’m partial to that story, partly because it helps ex-plain why climate science and health economics inspire so much rage.

Whether this is the right explanation or not, the fact is that we’re living in a political era in which facts don’t mat-ter.

This doesn’t mean that those of us who care about evi-dence should stop seeking it out. But we should be realistic in our expectations, and not expect even the most decisive evidence to make much differ-ence. - The New York Times News Service

Hating good government

The question now is, how shall we die

PA U L K R U G M A N

KA M R A N R E H M AT

S T U A R T A R M S T R O N G

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GLOBAL EYES U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

FRANCE: Artists perform during a Who’s Next fashion show marking the 20th anniversary of the company on Friday in Paris. Who’s Next is a fashion trade show in Europe organised twice a year in January

and September at Porte de Versailles in Paris. — AFP

COMOROS: Comoros’ former president and candidate in the country’s presidential election, Abdallah Sambi, speaks to supporters during

his final campaign rally on Friday in the Badjanani area of Moroni, ahead of general elections on Sunday. — AFP

CUBA: US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta S. Jacobson, centre, — the most senior American official

in Havana since 1980 —walks along a street of old Havana, on Friday. The United States and Cuba opened two days of historic talks in

Havana on Wednesday to end decades of Cold War-era animosity and reestablish diplomatic relations. The meetings in Havana follow the

historic decision by US President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro in December to seek normal diplomatic relations. — AFP

VENEZUELA: Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

wait for him during a rally to commemorate the 57th anniversary of

the end of Venezuelan dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez’s regime, in

Caracas on Friday. — AFP

CHINA: A man conducts a Chinese military band as delegates

arrive for the opening of the Third Plenary Session of the 12th

Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in

Shanghai on Saturday. The session is being held for five days until

January 28. — AFP

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan border policemen hoist the wreckage

of a damaged police ranger vehicle onto a truck at the site of a

remote-controlled bomb blast that targeted the Afghan border

police vehicle in Jalalabad on Saturday. At least two Afghan

border police officials were killed. — AFP

BRAZIL: A demonstrator wearing a mask takes part in a march

against fare hikes for city buses, subways and trains in Sao Pau-

lo, Brazil, on Friday. The banner reads, ‘No to fare hikes’. — Reuters

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

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Anti-austerity party likely to sweep Greece elections

ATHENS: Greece stood Satur-day on the brink of a make-or-break general election that could sweep the anti-austerity Syriza party to power and set the country on a collision course with its in-ternational creditors.

Syriza wants to renegotiate Greece’s massive 318 billion euro ($356 billion) debt and put an end to years of wage cuts and public spending reductions linked to an international bailout.

The possibility of Alexis Tsipras’ left-wing party winning Sunday’s vote has sparked fears that Greece could fail to keep up its debt repayments and leave the euro.

Syriza have a lead of at least four points over the incumbent conservative New Democracy party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, according to opinion polls.

In his final appeal to voters on Friday, Tsipras pledged to restore “dignity” to Greece.

Samaras told his party’s sup-porters in his closing rally that it would be crazy to elect Syriza just when the fiscal reforms he has supported could be about to pay

off. “Syriza will turn all of Europe against Greece.... They don’t un-derstand Europe, they don’t be-lieve in Europe,” he said.

Greece has endured deep budg-et cuts tied to its 240 billion euro bailout from the so-called troika -- the European Union, Interna-tional Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB).

Unemployment is around 25 percent and the economy has shrunk by a quarter since the start of the eurozone crisis.

Tsipras has said he wants to work out a solution on the debt with the ECB by July, and has promised to cut the amount by half.

Nevertheless, Evdokia Kasoli, a pensioner in central Athens, ex-pressed doubts on Saturday about whether Syriza would be able to keep their pledges.

“Tsipras is presentable, person-

able and a sweet-talker. But what can he achieve in the situation we’re now in?,” she said.

Other voters though were pin-ning their hopes on a new ap-proach, even if does represent a leap into the unknown.

‘We don’t know’“We don’t know if Tsipras will manage to cut the debt but we hope he will be able to make it more manageable,” said Paris Lizos, a 59-year-old unemployed father of two, at Syriza’s final rally on Thursday.

Campaigning is banned on the eve of a Greek election, so Tsipras met journalists covering his cam-paign.

A Syriza official told AFP the party was heading for victory and was confident of forming a coali-tion government if necessary.

“Polls show we are five to 10

points ahead of New Democracy. What remains to be seen is wheth-er we will have a clear majority,” the official said.

Samaras was greeted by a media scrum as he visited New Democ-racy party workers in rainy cen-tral Athens.

He said up to 14 per cent of voters remained undecided and predicted they would choose the “stability” he represented.

Greek newspapers said the country was at a potentially cru-cial point in its modern history.

“Fasten your seatbelts” said the Proto Thema weekly.

It warned that Greece would have “one foot outside the euro-zone” if it failed to stick to the ECB’s debt repayment schedule.

The pro-government Kathi-merini newspaper said whichever party won, Greece faced “suffocat-ing deadlines” imposed by its in-

ternational creditors. In Germany, widely seen by Greeks as the driv-ing force behind the stringent cuts linked to the bailout, the weekly centre-left Die Zeit newspaper said if Tsipras won, he could no longer be “demonised”.

“Tsipras... could be the man to give Europe’s austerity policy the legitimacy it has so far lacked with the Greek people. (ECB chief Mario) Draghi senses this, and as yet nobody has come up with bet-ter proposals,” the paper said in an editorial.

BreakthroughA victory for Syriza could pave the way for other anti-austerity par-ties to break through in Europe.

The leader of Spain’s radical Podemos movement, Pablo Igle-sias, appeared with Tsipras at an Athens rally this week. — AFP

The possibility of

Alexis Tsipras’ left-

wing Syriza winning

Sunday’s vote has

sparked fears that

Greece could fail

to keep up its debt

repayments and

leave the euro

TURNING POINT: Supporters of radical leftist Syriza party during discussions at the party’s election

kiosk in Athens on Saturday. — Reuters

Tsipras... could be the man to give Europe’s austerity policy the legitimacy it has so far lacked with the Greek people. (ECB chief Mario) Draghi senses this, and as yet nobody has come up with better proposals

‘Die Zeit’ editorial

Tanzania cabinet reshuffledDAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania’s energy minister became on Sat-urday the third cabinet member to resign over a graft scandal that has rocked the gas-rich East Afri-can nation and led Western donors to delay aid, though he denied any wrongdoing.

Sospeter Muhongo’s resigna-tion prompted President Jakaya Kikwete to reshuffle the cabinet, naming George Simbachawene as the new energy and minerals minister.

Tanzania’s attorney general and the minister for land have al-ready quit over the scandal, which involves the transfer of at least $122 million.

“I have decided to resign to bring a conclusion to this never-ending debate so the nation can focus on other important issues for nation-al development,” Muhongo told a news conference.

“I did not do anything wrong and I did not steal any money. My record speaks for itself, I am incor-ruptible.”

Tanzania is estimated to have 53.2 trillion cubic feet (tcf ) of gas reserves off its southern coast, but its energy sector has long been dogged by allegations of graft.

The graft scandal erupted last November when lawmakers con-cluded that senior government of-ficials had fraudulently authorised the transfer of public funds to a private company.

The funds came from an escrow account held jointly by state power company TANESCO and inde-pendent power producer IPTL and went to IPTL’s owner, Pan Africa Power (PAP), in 2013.

The officials denied anything improper and PAP said the trans-fer was legal.

Tanzania’s attorney general, Frederick Werema, resigned and Kikwete sacked lands, housing and human settlements development minister Anna Tibaijuka for ac-cepting a $1 million payment from a Tanzanian businessman linked to the energy scandal. — Reuters

E N E R G Y M I N I S T E R Q U I T S

Lives of poor people set to improve faster: Bill GatesDAVOS: The lives of people in poor countries is expected to im-prove faster in the next 15 years asinnovation and technology drives optimism for a sustainable future, said leading philanthropist Bill Gates.

The world will have the “tools” to reduce the incidence of malaria and AIDS significantly, he said.

According to Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, Co-Chairs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, there is optimism for a sustaina-ble future and that is mainly driv-en by innovation and technology.

“We get economic growth, but the fundamental basics have im-proved as well. The wonderful thing about the fundamentals im-proving is that it will continue for the next 15 years,” Bill Gates said.

They were speaking at the 45th World Economic Forum annual meet here.

Bill Gates said “in the next 15 years, we will have the tools to reduce (the incidence) of malaria and AIDS by 95 per cent to 100 per cent.

Melinda Gates said that vac-cines are “a miracle cure”. Today, eight out of 10 children are getting vaccines, she added.

According to her, one out of 10 children used to die before the age of five. Thanks to the develop-ment of new

vaccines and treatments, the percentage of children who die before the age of five has been cut in half, she said.

Moreover, countries such as Vietnam, Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda are reporting 90 per cent vaccination coverage.

Better nutritionThe important breakthroughs would be driven by innovation and technology, ranging from new vaccines with universal cover-age, better agricultural yields due to better seeds, better nutrition, cheaper smartphones and new ways to deliver these benefits to more people.

Cheap smartphones are a game-changer. “In the next 15 years mobile phone coverage will go up, the price will come down,

gender equity will improve and online software will be flourish-ing,” Bill Gates said.

This will revolutionise eve-rything: agriculture, access to digital payments, low transaction costs, women’s empowerment and education, he said adding “if you want to pick one thing in an economy, education is a master switch of economic improve-ment.”

Poverty has been halved be-cause of innovation, he said.

“Countries are following others that have done it right. Economic miracles start with agriculture, education and then they can par-ticipate in the world economy.” Gates said and cited the example

of China, which is now a middle-income country. Bill and Melinda said they believe with innovation in agriculture, within 15 years Af-rica will be able to feed itself, with access to latest seeds adapted to African regions.

Hans Rosling, Professor of In-ternational Health, Karolinska Institute, Sweden echoed simi-lar sentiments and said “we have made tremendous progress in this world”. — PTI

W O R L D E C O N O M I C F O R U M S U M M I T


Tsipras is presentable, personable and a sweet-

talker. But what can he achieve in the situation

we’re now in

Evdokia Kasoli, Greek pensioner

Countries are following others that have done it right. Economic miracles start with agriculture, education and then they can participate in the world economy

Bill GatesLeading philanthropist

A16


SNOWSTORM HITS USA snow shoveller crosses a street during a winter snowstorm in Cambridge, United States, on Saturday. Up to eight inches of snow is expected to fall over parts

of the northeast this weekend, and a wintry mix could make for a messy Monday morning commute in New York, Boston and other cities, the National Weather

Service said on Friday. — Reuters

30 killed as Ukraine rebels launch new offensive in east

MARIUPOL (UKRAINE): Pro-Kremlin rebels announced a major new offensive on Saturday after Grad rocket fire killed at least 30 people in a strategic government-held Ukrainian port linking rebel territory with Russian-occupied Crimea.

The local mayor’s office said 97 people were also wounded in the city of Mariupol by rockets that smashed into a packed residential district early in the morning and then again shortly after noon.

“Obviously, everyone in the city is very scared. The rebels have al-ready seized the airport. And now they are starting to destroy Mari-upol itself,” city native Eduard told AFP.

A towering cloud of grey smoke billowed over homes and a row of high-rise apartment buildings while fire brigades scrambled to put out blazes sparked by the heavy shells.

“Today, we launched an offen-sive against Mariupol,” Russia’s

RIA Novosti news agency quoted Donetsk separatist leader Alexan-der Zakharchenko as saying.

His deputy earlier denied re-sponsibility for the civilian deaths and Zakharchenko did not refer di-rectly to the rocket fire.

But he called the potential cap-ture of the industrial port “the best tribute possible for all our dead.”

Ukrainian Prime Minister Ar-seniy Yatsenyuk immediately asked the UN Security Council to censure Russia for allegedly spear-heading the militants’ advance on the biggest pro-Kiev city left standing in the shattered war zone.

Ukrainian President Petro Po-roshenko vowed in a separate statement to deliver a “full vic-tory” over the rebels.

“We are for peace but also ac-

cept the enemy’s challenge. We will defend our motherland the way real patriots do — until a full victory,” the he said in a statement.

Grave deteriorationEU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned in Brussels that the latest escalation “would inevi-tably lead to a further grave dete-rioration of relations between the EU and Russia.”

The southeastern Sea of Azov city of nearly 500,000 provides a land bridge between guerrilla-held regions to the east and the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea that Rus-sia annexed from Ukraine last March.

A rebel assault on the port in Au-gust saw Kiev repel the attack at a heavy cost that prompted Presi-

dent Poroshenko to agree to a Sep-tember 5 ceasefire.

That truce was followed by still more clashes that killed at least 1,500 people and was ultimately rejected by the rebels on Friday.

The separatist leader of Donetsk said on Friday he was ripping up the September agreement and launching an offensive aimed at seizing eastern lands still con-trolled by the pro-Western author-ities in Kiev.

His announcement came just a day after his men scored their most symbolic victory to date by flushing out Ukrainian troops from a long-disputed airport in Donetsk that Kiev had clung on to since May.

Western diplomats linked that advance to a new infusion of Rus-

sian troops — firmly denied by the Kremlin — designed to expand separatist holdings before the singing of a final truce and land de-marcation agreement.

Satellite imageryThe August push on Mariupol — an important industrial port that exports Donetsk coal and steel — coincided with the release of NATO satellite imagery purport-ing to show Russian tanks and forces crossing into the war zone.

Moscow denied ever dispatch-ing its units and called Russian soldiers in the area volunteers or troops who were on leave and fighting to protect locals from al-leged persecution by nationalists in the new Kiev government.

Ukraine claimed on Monday that Moscow had poured nearly 1,000 more Russian soldiers and dozens of tanks into the southeast in order to secure control over fac-tories and coal mines that could help the rebels build their own state.

“Most regional exports and im-ports go through Mariupol. And it has two of Ukraine’s largest smelt-ers that underpin the entire econ-omy of the southeast,” said Olek-sandr Sushko of Kiev’s Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation.

“This attack is designed to sow fear and panic across Ukraine,” said the analyst.

Putin on Friday rejected the charges and blamed Kiev for the latest surge in deaths.

“Artillery is being used, rocket launchers and aviation, and it is used indiscriminantly and over densely populated areas,” Putin said.

International monitors said that in recent weeks the average daily death toll was nearly 30 — a level last seen at the very height of a nine-month war that has claimed more than 5,000 lives. — Reuters

The local mayor’s

office said 97 people

were also wounded in

the city of Mariupol

by rockets that

smashed into a

packed residential

district early in the

morning and then

again after noon

Japan PM condemns apparent IS executionTOKYO: Japan has condemned a recording purporting to announce the execution of a Japanese citizen held by IS militants and demanded the immediate release of another captive depicted as appearing on the image.

“This is an outrageous and un-acceptable act of violence,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told report-ers as he arrived at his office after midnight.

“We strongly demand the im-mediate release” of the remaining captive, Kenji Goto.

He later said the government would spare no effort to secure the release of the remaining captive.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshi-hide Suga condemned what he said was “a video showing what ap-pears to be a murdered Japanese, Mr Haruna Yukawa, as well as Mr Kenji Goto.”

Relevant government ministers would meet to discuss the situ-ation as the government gathers information, Suga told reporters, declining to take questions.

Reuters could not independent-ly verify the audio message, which if confirmed would be the first time the group, which has behead-ed several foreign hostages, has is-sued an audio message rather than a video showing the actual event.

A deadline by IS militants for Japan to pay a $200 million ran-som for Yukawa and Goto expired on Friday. — Reuters

H O S T A G E C R I S I S

ASSAULT: People walk past a destroyed truck after shelling in the southern Ukrainian port city of

Mariupol, on Saturday. — AFP/Stringer

Iran drafting law to allow intensified nuclear enrichmentTEHRAN: Iran’s parliament has started to draft a law that would allow the country’s nuclear sci-entists to intensify their uranium enrichment, a step that could complicate ongoing talks with world powers.

The move, announced Saturday by parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, comes after US lawmakers said they were planning legislation that

could place new sanctions on Iran.The negotiations between Iran

and the permanent members of the UN Security Council — Brit-ain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany, face a June 30 deadline for a final deal.

But with two deadlines already missed last year both sides have admitted big differences remain on the hard detail of what a com-

prehensive agreement would look like.

Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, committee spokesman in Tehran, told the ISNA news agency that draft legislation was underway.

“This bill will allow the govern-ment to continue enrichment, us-ing new generation centrifuges,” he said, referring to more modern machines that would speed up production.“The parliament’s nu-

clear committee is working on the technical issues and details of this draft,” he added.

A key stumbling block in any final deal is thought to be the amount of uranium Iran would be allowed to enrich and the number and type of centrifuges Tehran can retain.

Under an interim deal, Iran’s stock of fissile material has been diluted from 20 percent enriched

uranium to five percent in ex-change for limited sanctions relief.

Experts say such measures pushed back the “breakout capac-ity” to make an atomic weapon, which Iran denies pursuing.

Tehran insists its nuclear pro-gramme is for domestic energy production and that more modern centrifuges are necessary to make fuel for a fleet of power reactors that it is yet to build.

World powers, however, are sceptical about why Iran needs such a large enrichment capability,and UN atomic inspec-tors say Tehran has not yet fully addressed questions about past nuclear activities. With the talks seemingly deadlocked, the new Republican-controlled US Con-gress is considering fresh legisla-tion that could level new sanctions on Iran if talks fail. — AFP

P A R L I A M E N T M O V E

Boko Haram kills 15 villagers in Nigerian cityMAIDUGURI (NIGERIA): Boko Haram fighters have killed 15 villagers near Maiduguri, the city which is the epicentre of the extremist group’s six-year insurgency and where Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan is to launch his re-election campaign on Saturday.

The killings near the embat-tled city took place Friday, eve of the president’s visit, security sources and residents said.

“The terrorists attacked Kambari village which is less than five kilometres to Maid-uguri around 5:00 am.

“They killed 15 people and set the entire hamlet ablaze,” said a security source who requested anonymity.

“After fruitless efforts to en-ter Maiduguri through Konduga without success, the terrorists took a different route and at-tacked Kambari,” he said.

‘Shot my children’A woman from the village who simply gave her name as Kyallu said four of her children were among the dead.

“They killed four of my grown-up children when they attacked our village about the time for the morning prayers,” Kyallu, who is now in Maid-uguri, told AFP.

“They shot my children dead without any prompting. I had to leave the village with my grand-children because we have lost our houses,” she said.

“The insurgents also killed our village head.

“In fact, I counted 15 dead bodies,” she said.

Maiduguri and its environs in the volatile northeast have been repeatedly attacked by the ex-tremists who began their deadly insurgency in 2009. — AFP

I N S U R G E N C Y

We are for peace but also accept the enemy’s

challenge. We will defend our motherland the

way real patriots do — until a full victory

Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian President

BMARKE

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UK unveils award to attract Gulf-based retailersTimes News Service

MUSCAT: UK Trade & Invest-ment (UKTI) on Wednesday launched the 2015 GREAT Busi-ness Award offering owners of Gulf Cooperation Council-based retail businesses unique access to the UK market.

The award seeks out candidates who will benefit from a bespoke, three-day programme of meetings with UK Trade & Investment spe-

cialist advisors and leading retail sector figures to help build their companies in the UK.

Applications will be reviewed by a highly respected panel of judges including British Ambassador to the UAE Philip Parham, British chef and restaurateur Gary Rho-des OBE, Chief Financial Officer of the Toystore Mark Handley and CEO and co-founder of SalesGos-sip Elizabetta Camilleri.

Business owners will be as-

sessed against the level of infor-mation provided about their com-panies in the Gulf, in addition to the quality of their business plans for expansion into the UK.

Speaking ahead of the award launch, the British Ambassador to Oman, Jon Wilks said, “The UK is a remarkable retail destination. Thousands of Omanis flock to the UK every year to enjoy this mar-ket which offers them a plenty of choice.

This competition seeks the best of the Gulf retailers who have the potential and ambition to expand in this market and enhance the growing commercial ties between Oman and the UK,” the Ambassa-dor added.

The competition will run until March 31, 2015, with the winner’s trip to the UK taking place in the spring.

Finalists will be shortlisted, and the winner flown to London to

take part in a customised business development programme, includ-ing mentorship by a respected UK retail leader, and consultancy ses-sions with accountants and law-yers on setting up a business in the United Kingdom.

The award has attracted high profile sponsorship from national carrier, British Airways, the UK’s official tourist agency, Visit Brit-ain, and luxury hotel, The Ath-enaeum.

U K T I I N I T I A T I V E

ODB aims at disbursing OMR64m loans this year

A E [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman Development Bank (ODB), which is creating thousands of jobs across the Sul-tanate every year by financing a wide range of projects, is targeting a 15 per cent growth in its loan dis-bursement at OMR64 million this year.

“We are targeting all sectors, which include agriculture, fisher-ies and education,” said Hamad bin Salim Al Harthi, acting general manager of ODB.

ODB and Al Rafad Fund have reached an agreement for coop-erating in processing of loans of the latter agency. According to the understanding, the state-owned Oman Development Bank will ex-ecute approved loan application of Al Rafad Fund.

All paper work needed for loans will be carried out by ODB, while loans will be sanctioned by Al Ra-

fad Fund. “We have a memoran-dum of understanding with them, which was signed for speedy ex-ecution of completed applications we get from Al Rafad Fund,” added Al Harthi.

He also noted that both agencies would conduct a series of meetings to overcome hurdles faced while executing the plans.

Referring to branch expansion, he said there is no plan for expand-ing branch network this year.

ODB is also trying to introduce online application, which will be implemented within a year or so.

Also, the bank has plans to launch an Islamic window, prob-ably after sometime.

The bank is contributing greatly towards the efforts aimed at diver-sifying the sources of national in-come through providing technical and financial support for project owners in almost all sectors, with a special focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In fact, ODB provided 4,639 loans, aggregating OMR42.33 mil-lion, last year, indicating a growth rate of 7 per cent over 2013.

Motivate investorsThe value of loans provided by ODB constituted 60 per cent of the investment cost of the projects. This is part of the efforts exerted by the bank to motivate investors

promoting their investments in different economic sectors in line with the government plans to en-courage private sector investment. Agriculture, livestock and fisher-ies projects accounted for 64 per cent of the total number of projects that benefited from ODB loan. The fisheries projects received 37 per cent of such loans with a value of OMR7.03 million, while agricul-tural loans constituted 27 per cent of the total number of loans pro-vided by the bank in 2014 with a value of OMR6.89 million.

Tourism and professional ser-vices sectors constituted 14 per cent of the total value of loans provided by the bank in 2014. Al-

together 203 recipients benefited from ODB loans in this sector constituting 4 per cent of the total beneficiaries in different econom-ic sectors.

Loans that went to the indus-trial sector constituted 46 per cent of the total value of loans granted last year. The share of the min-ing, building materials and metal forming industries of these loans reached 15 per cent constituting 6 per cent of the total number of loans granted for the industry sec-tor.

Direct job opportunities created by the loans provided by ODB are estimated to be more than 10,500 jobs in 2014.

Oman Development

Bank and Al Rafad

Fund have reached

an agreement for

cooperating in

processing of loans

of the latter agency

MAKING A POINT: Oman Development Bank provided 4,639 loans, aggregating OMR42.33 million, last year, indicating a growth rate of 7 per cent over 2013. — Picture by Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

Bank Dhofar considers various options for raising its capitalTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Bank Dhofar plans to raise Tier 1 Capital (including Additional Tier 1 type capital in-struments (AT1)) to $300 million (OMR 115.5 million) in 2015, sub-ject to shareholders, Central Bank of Oman (CBO) and other regula-tory approvals, as required.

In line with the on-going review of its capital raising plans, in their meeting on January 19, 2015, the board of directors of the bank con-cluded that the capital should be increased at the earliest opportu-nity.

Additional Tier 1 (AT1) type capital instruments falling under Basel III and CBO Guidelines is a new type of instrument for Oman market and subject to CBO Ap-proval. In view of the various

work streams needed for the AT1 Issue are likely to take longer than anticipated, the bank has decided to take prudent measures to con-sider a variety of options, in paral-lel with the AT1 issue, within its overall capital raising plans:

Option 1 (AT1 issue)The AT1 issue remains the preferred option of the bank, subject to share-holders, CBO and other regulatory approvals, as applicable.

Option 2 (Non-voting/pref-erence shares)A further option would be to con-sider the issue of non-voting or preference shares to increase its regulatory capital. This option is currently being considered by the bank in conjunction with the Capi-tal Market Authority.

Option 3 (Convertible bonds) The Bank might also consider the option of issuing convertible bonds in an indicative amount of OMR100 million, subject to share-holders, CBO, Capital Market Au-thority (CMA) and other regula-tory approvals, as required.

Option 4 (Rights issue)A further possibility would be to explore the option of a rights is-sue in an indicative amount of OMR100 million. This option is currently being considered by the bank in conjunction with the Capi-tal Market Authority.

The board of directors further emphasised that all options being explored remain strictly subject to the relevant regulatory approvals being obtained.

It was also resolved that the op-

tions be presented to sharehold-ers to vote on at an extra-ordinary general (EGM) meeting to empow-er the board of directors to deter-mine which option best serves the interests of the bank in the context of the desired timeframe for an increase in the bank’s regulatory capital. The EGM is proposed to be convened as soon as possible.

The bank notes that the course of action proposed by the board of directors required discussion with the Capital Market Authority prior to disclosure. This disclosure fol-lows that discussion.

B A N K I N G

CAPITAL BOOST: In line with the on-going review of its capital rais-ing plans, in their meeting on January 19, 2015, the board of direc-tors of the bank concluded that the capital should be increased at the earliest opportunity. — Times file picture


Central bank launches new development bond issueMUSCAT: The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has announced a new issue of Government De-velopment Bonds (GDB).

The size of the new issue is fixed at OMR200 million with a maturity period of 10 years and it will carry a coupon rate of 4.5 per cent per annum. The issue will be open for subscrip-tion from February 8 to 15, 2015, while the auction will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2015.

The issue settlement date will be on February 23, 2015. Inter-est on the new bonds will be paid on August 23 and February 23 of each year until the maturity date on February 23, 2025.

Investors may apply for these bonds through the competitive bidding process only. Investors may submit bids through com-mercial licensed banks operat-ing in the Sultanate of Oman.

Investors with applications of OMR1 million and above can, if they wish, submit their bids directly to the CBO after get-ting them endorsed from their banks. Prospectus and applica-tion forms can be obtained from any commercial licenced bank operating in the Sultanate.

The bonds are direct and un-conditional obligations of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman. They can be used as col-lateral to obtain loans from any local commercial licenced bank.

The bonds can also be trad-ed at prevailing market rates through the Muscat Securities Market (MSM).

The 46th GDB issue is offered to all investors of any national-ity residing in the Sultanate of Oman only. It is not open for subscription to investors resid-ing abroad.

Tender resultsCertificates of deposit tender was held at the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) this week. The to-tal amount allotted for issue No. 901 was OMR466 million.

A bulletin issued by the CBO stated that the average interest rate of these certificates was 0.13 per cent whilst the maxi-mum accepted interest rate was 0.13 per cent. The tenure of these certificates is 28 days, and their maturity date is February 18. The Repo rate from January 21 to 27 is 1 per cent. - ONA

C E N T R A L B A N K O F O M A N

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Airport IT contract terminated, saysUltra Electronics MUSCAT: British defence contractor Ultra Electron-ics said its Oman airport IT contract has been termi-nated and there would be a likely provision against the contract balances in its 2014 results. It would start discussions with the customer next week to work towards a settlement, the maker of gunshot detection equipment and sonars for submarines said on Friday. Ultra said termination of the contract, which was worth about £207 million when it was awarded in 2011, would have a minimal impact on its 2015 underlying profit.

Animal, plant oil and fat industries make progressDOHA: The Gulf Organia-tion for Industrial Consult-ing (GOIC) highlighted the remarkable progress made by the animal, plant oil and fat industries at the GCC states over the last few years. This progress is attributed to the growth in the local de-mand for these products due to the population growth and increased awareness about healthy lifestyles. Abdul Aziz bin Hamad Al Aqeel, secre-tary-general of GOIC said that the number of factories increased from 24 in 2003 to 37 in 2013. The accumulated assets of these factories in-creased from $278.6 million to $646 million for the same period. Employees also rose increased from 2488 to 5558 during the same period. GCC states consume large quanti-ties of animal and plant oil and fats. - Agencies

B R I E F S

Etihad Cargo launches new cargo management systemMUSCAT: Etihad Cargo, the freight division of UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways, recently launched a new cargo management sys-tem to provide its customers with greater communication and im-proved handling processes that re-inforce its world-class cargo prod-ucts and services.

The new state-of-the-art air

cargo management system was developed in partnership with Hermes Logistics Technologies to meet Etihad Cargo’s specific requirements and provides a com-plete and integrated IT solution that encompasses all the physi-cal handling, documentation and messages, in real-time, says a press release - Times News Service

A V I A T I O N Al Jenaibi sales in Rolls-Royce increase by 27%

MUSCAT: Al Jenaibi Inter-national Automobiles has an-nounced an impressive 27 per cent increase in its Rolls-Royce Motor Cars sales in 2014. End-ing the year on a high, the sole authorised dealership of Rolls-Royce vehicles in Oman wit-nessed strong growth throughout the year, reaffirming the popular-ity of the ultra-luxury marque amongst its elite clientele.

Al Jenaibi International Au-tomobiles has revealed the news following the recent global an-nouncement that the Middle East region was the second largest market for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at the global level, consist-ing of one-fifth of the company’s global volumes in 2014, demon-strating its continued contribu-tion to the success of the marque in the region.

“The year 2014 was an out-standing year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the Sultanate. The popularity of the ultra-luxury marque amongst our elite clien-tele remains unmatched and as we enter 2015, we are confident that we will achieve another excellent year with the unique selection of vehicles on offer, in addition to the unparalleled level of service offered at our show-room.” said Divyendu Kumar, managing director of Al Jenaibi International Automobiles.

Top growth modelThe top growth model in 2014 was the Wraith, the most power-ful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history, which enjoyed a hugely successful first full year of sales, standing out as the increas-ingly popular choice amongst a

younger category of audiences throughout the year. Designed with the curious, the confident and the bold in mind, the Wraith has attracted a diverse clientele including younger audiences as well as those sports-car enthusi-asts looking for a combination of power, style and ultra-luxury.

Building on the success of the Ghost model, the most recent ad-dition to marque’s ultra-luxury family of vehicles, the Ghost Se-ries II, has also proved a popular choice for Omani clientele since its launch in November.

Furthermore, the Rolls-Royce Phantom which combines state-of-the-art technology and engi-neering with timeless contem-porary design, maintained its position as the company’s pin-nacle product, with steady sales throughout the year.

The sole authorised

dealership of Rolls-

Royce vehicles in

Oman witnessed

strong growth

throughout the year

POPULAR CHOICE: The top growth model in 2014 was the

Wraith, the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history,

which enjoyed a hugely successful first full year of sales. Photo

used for illustrative purpose only. - Bloomberg News

B3S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

MARKETFixed telephone lines subscribers increase

MUSCAT: Subscribers of the fixed phone service in the Sultan-ate stood at 371,357 at the end of November 2014 as against 351,411 at the end of December 2013, con-stituting a rise of 5.7 per cent.

Statistics issued by the Nation-al Centre for Statistics and Infor-mation (NCSI) pointed out that subscribers of billed fixed phone service in the Sultanate stood at 285,933 at the end of November 2014 compared to 271,400 sub-scribers at the end of 2013.

Subscribers of pre-paid fixed phone service (Sahl) stood at 31,184 against 25,829 at the end of 2013. The number of public phones all over the Sultanate stood at 6,801. The number of in-tegrated services digital networks (ISDN) stood at 45,620 while the number of fixed wireless lines stood at 1,819.

The statistics also pointed out that the number of fixed telephone lines subscribers in the Governo-rate of Muscat stood at 186,076

by November 2014, followed by the Governorate of Dhofar 29,126, the Governorate of Al Dakhili-yah 23,344, the Governorate of South Al Batinah 22,501, the Governorate of North Al Batinah 22,279, the Governorate of North A’Sharqiyah 15,432, the Gover-norate of Al Dhahirah 8,626, the Governorate of Al Buraimi 7,593, the Governorate of South Al Shar-qiyah 5,678, the Governorate of Musandam 3,593 and finally the Governorate of Al Wusta 1,127.

GSM serviceSubscribers of billed and pre-paid GSM service stood at 6,201,130 at the end of November 2014, com-pared to 5,617,426 by the end of 2013, constituting an increase of 10.4 per cent.

Subscribers of billed GSM ser-vice stood at 523,781 by the end of November 2014 against 495,703 during 2013, constituting an in-crease of 5.7 per cent.

Subscribers of pre-paid GSM service rose by 10.8 per cent to 5,677,349 against 5,121,723 by the end of 2013.

The statistics also pointed out that the total subscribers of in-ternet at the end of November 2014 stood at 177,834 compared to 158,678 subscribers at the end of 2013, constituting an increase of 12.1 per cent.

The number of subscribers of phone internet service at the end of November 2014 stood at 3,137 compared to 4,388 during 2013, comprising a decline by 28.5 per cent, which included 3,106 sub-

scribers of billed service and 31 of pre-paid cards.

Subscribers of fixed broadband service stood at 174,697 at the end of November 2014, compared to 154,290 at the end of 2013. The number of active subscrib-ers of mobile broadband stood at 2,836,641 at the end of November 2014 compared to 2,443,296 at the end of 2013.

The number of leased internet lines subscribers stood at 3,744 at the end of November 2014, com-pared to 3,647 in 2013. - ONA

Subscribers to fixed

phone service stood

at 371,357 at the end

of November 2014

as against 351,411

by December 2013,

showing a 5.7% rise

Suez subsidiary bags $37m landfill contract in OmanTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Suez Environment via its local subsidiary Sita Al Basheer has won a contract to design, build and operate the expansion of the landfill site for five years. The total amount of the contract is €32 mil-lion ($37.18 million), according to a press release.

Sita Al Basheer will build the new cell of the landfill facility for Al Amerat’s non-hazardous solid municipal waste generated by the city of Muscat.

The new facility will include a biogas recovery system and a reverse osmosis plant for treat-ing leachates, allowing the city of Muscat to curb greenhouse gas emissions and improve its envi-ronmental performance.

This project is a continuation of the first landfill cell with a ca-pacity of 250,000 metric tonnes of waste a year in operation since 2010 on the same site by Sita Al Basheer. This new contract will increase the landfill’s capacity to

400,000 metric tonnes a year.The Sultanate has a population

of approximately 4 million, half of whom live in its capital city Mus-cat in the northern part of the country on Oman’s Gulf coast.

In this region with its fast-growing population, waste management is an increasing challenge, which is why local authorities are looking for long-term solutions.

Waste treatment“This new contract demonstrates the Oman authorities’ confidence in developing long-term solutions for their waste treatment needs. It recognises our ability to build and operate efficient facilities to meet the dual challenge of popu-lation growth and environmental protection,” said Marie-Ange De-bon, deputy chief executive offic-er of Suez Environment in charge of the International Division.

This contract strengthens Suez Environment’s presence in the Sultanate where it has been sup-

porting local authorities in water management for many years, no-tably by the Barka II desalination plant (120,000 cubic meter water a day), and in waste management since 2010.

Non-hazardous wasteThe Muscat landfill site at Al Am-erat is Suez Environment’s sec-ond waste treatment facility in the Sultanate. Indeed, the group has also just won through its sub-sidiary Sita Al Basheer a two-year contract to operate the landfill fa-cility at Nizwa which takes all the non-hazardous municipal waste in the Dakhiliyah region.

With a capacity of 150,000 tonnes a year, this facility has been designed to the most strin-gent environmental standards.

Elsewhere in the region, the group is also present in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, though Sita Trashco which was chosen in 2014 as preferred partner for that municipality for door-to-door collection of municipal waste.

W A S T E M A N A G E M E N T

Park Inn Hotel to open in DuqmDUQM: The 4-star Park Inn Hotel and Resort will be opened at the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sezd) on Thursday un-der the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Taimour bin Asa’ad bin Tariq Al Said.

Park Inn Resort, which began receiving visitors since Novem-ber 16, 2014 is the third hotel in Duqm, after the 3-star Al Madina Hotel and 4-star Crowne Plaza Hotel. The hotels at Sezd seek to

keep up with the expectations of tourists, investors and compa-nies operating in the zone.

The resort comprises 73 cha-lets and suites that meet the as-pirations of the various families and businessmen, especially with the presence of the suites that consist of three bedrooms with lounge and kitchen and provided with various equipment.

There are single and double chalets. - ONA

S P E C I A L E C O N O M I C Z O N E


Oil producers reluctant to curb output even as prices tumble to five-and-a-half year lows do not need to guess what the fu-

ture holds. They can ask a miner.In coal to iron ore markets, suppli-

ers have raised volumes even as prices slumped, boosting global gluts and jeop-ardising profits as the most dominant players seek to maintain revenue and squeeze out higher cost rivals.

Prices of thermal coal, used to generate electricity, and metallurgical coal, a key ingredient in steel, have tumbled more than half since 2011 on supply additions and slowing demand in China, the big-gest commodities consumer. With Opec insistent that it won’t curb crude output, and US production rising to its fastest weekly pace in more than 30 years, oil markets may be in line for similar pro-longed pain.

“If Opec every now and again looks over their shoulder at what is happening in other commodities you’d think it would be a warning,” said David Lennox, a Sydney-based resource analyst at Fat Prophets.

The Organisation of Petroleum Ex-porting Countries, which pumps about 40 per cent of the world’s oil, agreed to maintain its production target at 30 million barrels a day at a November 27 meeting in Vienna. The group is wager-

ing that US shale drillers will be first to curb output as prices drop, echoing a strategy played out by the l argest miners.

“The current prices are not sustaina-ble,” Suhail Al Mazrouei, energy minister of Opec member the United Arab Emir-ates said in Abu Dhabi. “Not for us but for the others.”

Iron ore painIron ore producers who predicted a swift exit by higher cost suppliers as their com-modity entered a bear market last March were caught out as curbs to global output proved slower than anticipated, Nev Pow-er, the chief executive officer of Austral-ian iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. said in October.

Coal exporters, too, have kept increas-ing supply as prices slid. Global output rose about 3 per cent between 2011 and 2013 as prices declined, according to World Coal Association data. In Austral-ia, the biggest exporter of metallurgical coal, production is forecast to rise again in the year to July, according to the na-tion’s government.

“Oil will have more similarities to both thermal and metallurgical coal,” said Melbourne-based Morgan Stanley ana-lyst Joel Crane. “Those prices have been weakening for more than three years now,

yet we’ve seen very little in terms of shutdowns.”

Worse to comeSlow implementation of cuts to produc-tion mean coal prices probably would not recover until 2016, according to Moody’s Investors Service. The price of iron ore, down 47 per cent last year, will remain low through 2016 amid supply additions from Australia and Brazil. UBS AG ex-pects the global iron ore surplus to jump about six-fold to more than 200 million tonnes by 2018.

For the oil sector, “the lesson is that there’s more oversupply to come,” said Crane. “People are going to crank out more to sell for a lower price and keep that revenue up.”

US crude output surged to 9.19 million barrels a day in the week to January 9, the fastest pace in weekly records dat-ing back to January 1983. That’s amid a global supply surplus estimated by the United Arab Emirates and Qatar at 2 million barrels a day.

Output from Opec’s 12 members in-creased by 140,000 barrels a day in De-cember, led by a jump of 285,100 a day in Iraq, which plans to double exports within weeks from its northern Kirkuk oil fields. In the US, an oil boom has been prompted by the implementation of horizontal drilling

and hydraulic fracturing that’s unlocked shale formations including the Eagle Ford and Permian in Texas and the Bakken in North Dakota.

Absolute dropThe surge in supply of oil to iron ore comes as China’s transition toward consumer-led growth brings to a close a period of booming demand for metals to energy. The result may be an absolute drop in commodities demand, not simply slower growth, according to Credit Suisse Group AG.

“We’re now close to the end of this big oil cycle and entering the next 10 to 15 years cycle of a more balanced and sta-ble market,” Oslo-based Nordea Markets analyst Thina Saltvedt said.

Expectations that US shale drillers will be most exposed to tumbling prices as de-mand falls may prove incorrect, accord-ing to Fat Prophets’s Lennox. Onshore operations are trimming capital spending and able to cut jobs, while the importance of oil revenue to national budgets of some Opec member nations may make those suppliers less able to adapt, he said.

Country risk“We’ll see the structure of shale costs coming down, whereas it’s probably more difficult for Saudi Arabia to restructure

their political spending, for example,” Lennox said. “There are greater conse-quences for the leaders of that country say, than for the managing director of a small company in Texas.”

To be sure, the process of shale oil production means drillers can respond quickly to declining prices and also are better positioned to react than coun-terparts in the mining sector, according to Sydney-based Justin Smirk, a senior economist at Westpac Banking Corp.

“It’s very, very expensive to shut a mine because of the costs of getting it up and running again,” Smirk said by phone. “With fracked oil, you stop drilling and you stop spending and the supply dries up quite quickly.”

A “war” for market share is poised to weigh further on oil prices, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said as it forecast Brent crude will average $50 a barrel this year, 27 per cent lower than a previous estimate.

Yet just as in the iron and coal sectors, oil producers may be ready to endure weak prices for the next two to three years in the belief it will force competitors to shutter and eventually spur gains, accord-ing to Lennox.“The big guys who are still getting a margin will say you want to pun-ish the little guys,” said Morgan Stanley’s Crane. – Bloomberg News

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Stay ahead of the curve with

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SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY INSTALL WHATSNEWS

il producers reluctant to curb output even as prices tumble to five-and-a-half year lows do

d h h f

ing that US shale drillers will be first to curb output as prices drop, echoing a strategy played out by the l

yet we’ve seen very little in terms of shutdowns.”

W t

and hydraulic fracturing that’s unlocked shale formations including the Eagle Ford and Permian in Texas and the Bakken in

h k

their political spending, for example,” Lennox said. “There are greater conse-quences for the leaders of that country

h f h d f


WhatsNews


OPEC’S FUTURE SEEN IN MINING SLUMPFor the oil sector, the lesson is that there’s more

oversupply to come. People are going to crank out more to

sell for a lower price and keep that revenue up.

S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

ROUND-UPB5

2015 Toyota Camry: The new era sedan

MUSCAT: The 2015 Toyota Camry is known as the ‘new era sedan’, trusted the world over and equipped with a wide array of cut-ting edge features like moonroof with tilt and slide functionality, 8-way power driver’s seat, power rear sunshade, woodgrain panel-ling, smart entry and start system, amongst others.

Step into it and the interior ac-coutrements are equally delight-ful. The dashboard sports hands-

free Bluetooth and connectivity ports for mp3 players and other portable devices. Passengers in the rear enjoy more leg space. The high-quality upholstery/materials are meticulously crafted, enhanc-ing the Camry’s upmarket appeal, says a press release.

In the areas of performance and safety, the Camry delivers out-standing power coupled with su-perb efficiency. The key attributes include a 2.5L Dual VVT-i Engine

delivering 181HP and 6-speed multi-mode transmission. Safety enhancements in the Camry in-clude 6 airbags (driver + passenger + front side + curtain), VSC, TRC, ABS, EBD, engine immobilizer, `monitor with rear parking sen-sors, which facilitates easy parking and much more.

The other thoughtful features include an ECO meter for fuel effi-cient, economic driving and aero-dynamic fins to ensure straight-

line stability while driving. All in all the Camry delivers high com-fort levels not only for the driver, but also for the passengers.

According to a renowned auto-motive blogger, the appeal of the Camry is in its quality, “The Camry builds on the rational values of ‘quality, durability and reliability’ with strong model appeal, superior interior and exterior quality and the top level of equipment and safety.”

Those who have experienced the Camry may not be surprised to know that it is one of the top-selling cars for more than a decade.

2015 Camry is also available in attractive GL Special grade. This grade is equipped with exciting features like alloy wheels, cruise control, leather steering wheel and chrome radiator grille.

All specifications listed are standard Toyota equipment. Safe-ty kit (fire extinguisher, warning triangle, tyre pressure gauge and first aid kit) and floor mats are dealer installed non Toyota items. Vehicle specifications may change without prior notice. Pictures and colours may differ from actual specifications of the vehicle.

Those who have

experienced the

Camry may not be

surprised to know

that it is one of the

top-selling cars for

more than a decade

Oman Charter receives ISO certification for quality managementMUSCAT: Oman Charter Com-pany (OCC), the chartering arm of Oman Shipping Company, begins 2015 with new achieve-ment in quality standards pro-cess excellence. Oman Charter Company has been recently certified with ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management Sys-tem which shows importance of quality to Oman Shipping Com-pany and all its subsidiaries, says a press release.

Accomplishing ISO 9001:2008 gives Oman Charter Company international standard tools for

continual improvements and best practices. It also demon-strates that Oman Charter Com-pany has policies, processes and procedures that meet Quality Management System for its cus-tomers’ requirements. Quality management certification is the initial step.

The journey of quality does not stop here; it will continue to be assessed to ensure ISO standards are maintained to improve work-ing practices through continual improvements and best practices in the industry.

M I L E S T O N E

HSBC Bank employees complete

Outward Bound Oman expedition

MUSCAT: A team of six HSBC Bank Oman employees have com-pleted Outward Bound Oman’s week-long expedition in celebra-tion of the 44th National Day.

Committed to the development of its employees’ leadership ca-pabilities, the bank has been in partnership with Outward Bound Oman for many years to help staff discover their potential. This year, the team participated in recreat-ing the 1954 oil expedition from Duqm to Fahud, facing adversity and challenging themselves as they crossed 140 kilometres on foot, while hauling a cart carrying essential survival equipment, says a press release.

“We take every opportunity to develop our leaders both person-ally and professionally, and believe it is never too late for someone to learn valuable lessons. This out-door adventure pushed our em-ployees’ boundaries and tested their management, communica-tions and negotiation skills, as well as their teamwork and physi-cal and mental stamina. It was an

enriching experience of self-dis-covery, the results of which we are confident we will see reflected in the workplace,” said Andrew Long, CEO of HSBC Bank Oman.

“Our National Day journeys pro-vide a unique opportunity for team and leadership development in Oman. Without doubt, the six indi-viduals nominated by HSBC Bank Oman were challenged through-out the week, but they took with them long lasting lessons that can-

not be taught in a normal training workshop environment, lessons that can be adapted for the work-place for the benefit of all parties,” said, Mark Evans, GM of Outward Bound Oman.

HSBC Bank Oman is commit-ted to fostering and developing its employees through a wide variety of practical training and develop-ment opportunities as it continues on its journey to become the lead-ing bank in Oman.

O U T D O O R A D V E N T U R E

Geely Emgrand sets 2014 sales record

MUSCAT: Geely Emgrand regis-tered record sales again last year with the number of units sold amounting to 19,008, of which the domestic sales reached 17,069 units, up 34.2 per cent year-on-year, according to the data re-leased by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) recently. Contributed by its outstand-ing performance, the model not only continued topping the sales among indigenous brands, but was also included in the top 10 sedans nationwide, says a press release.

As the flagship model of Geely, Emgrand enjoys the most impres-sive performance among indige-nous cars. Its sales in the past five years since its launch amounted to 600,000 units, showing the vig-our and competitiveness of self-owned brands.

According to the statistics, the sales volume of the new Emgrand rose to 17,952 units in September and reached 19,008 units in Octo-ber from the 10,572 units in July, enjoying a monthly growth of over 30 per cent. Emgrand not only re-mains the sales champion, but also becomes the only self-owned brand among the 10 best-sold ve-

hicles in October.Its state-of-the-art features

and performance is the reason for its popularity. From the design concept to the manufacturing, all Geely models have been devel-oped in accordance with Euro-pean standards by European and Chinese designers. Known for their up-to-date technology, great performance and superb quality, Geely cars enhance the driving pleasure and at the same time as-sure utmost safety. The model’s appearance, whether sedan or hatchback, all share a standard body proportion and is featured with fashion and agility.

In Oman, Towell Auto Centre (TAC) is the sole distributor of

Geely Emgrand range. A senior spokesperson of TAC comments: “The success of the new Emgrand has proven that grand perfor-mance and utmost safety can be obtained at reasonable prices. Over the past decade, Geely has become a leading Chinese au-tomotive manufacturer with a strong global presence. Be it in the Middle East or other global markets, the company’s success is quite apparent. Geely’s entre-preneurial spirit, commitment to innovation and manufactur-ing efficiency allows it to provide consumers with excellent cars. Such qualities also make Geely compete effectively with its in-dustry peers, as it continues to grow domestically and expand internationally.”

“Geely enjoys the most impres-sive performance, good looks and safety features. Thanks to its out-standing performance in power, quality and cost-performance, the sales of the model glob-ally have been rising since it was launched. In Oman too, its good sales come from the outstanding performance of the product,” the spokesperson adds.

I M P R E S S I V E P E R F O R M A N C E

Apollo Hospitals Group comes to IMTEC OmanMUSCAT: Apollo Hospitals Group of India was one of the main sponsors at the recently concluded IMTEC Oman 2015 Exhibition and Conference. Apollo Medical Centre, Muscat and Apollo Sugar Clinic, Muscat are part of the Group’s offerings in Oman, says a press release.

Apollo Hospitals is Asia’ larg-est and most trusted healthcare group with over 8,500 beds across 60 hospitals, 1700 pharmacies, 100 primary care and diagnostic clin-ics, 100 telemedicine units across 9 countries, medical business pro-cess outsourcing services, health

insurance services, global projects consultancy, 15 colleges of nursing and hospital management and a research foundation with a focus on global clinical trials, epidemio-logical studies, stem cell and ge-netic research.

Leading the visiting delegation from Apollo India to the confer-ence, Radhey Mohan, Vice Presi-dent, International Business said that Apollo has a long standing association with the residents of Oman and greatly treasures the re-lationship and remains committed to grow it further.

“Over the past eight years a pan-

el of 12 senior super specialists has visited our Muscat Apollo Medical Centre located in Hamriya. Visit-ing specialists are from the field of neuro and spine surgery, orthopae-dics, urology, oncology, liver, neph-rology, podiatry, cosmetology and ophthalmology — and receive fol-low-up care right here in Muscat without the need for them to travel to India which only re-enforces our commitment and association with Oman,” he added.

He further added Apollo Hos-pitals has pioneered the art of personalised care which is ap-preciated by large pool of indi-

viduals reaching out from Oman, where the services begin from receiving a feedback on their condition and the treatment plan and options through Apollo Muscat, followed by end-to-end coordination — which begins right from the time the patient and family arrives at the airport, helping through immigration and other clearances — followed by a quick initial check-up at Groups Medical Centre located at the Hyderabad International Airport followed by transfer to the Hos-pital, admission etc. based on the requirements of the patient.

H E A L T H C A R E E X P O

Ministry team visits ICEMMUSCAT: The International Col-lege of Engineering and Manage-ment (ICEM) recently hosted a high profile team from the Minis-try of Higher Education (MoHE), including the Head of Academic relations, Department of Quality Assurance and an official from Ad-min Affairs, to the college’s Admis-sion and Registration Section and Student Affairs Section.

They were on a scheduled visit to the college to gain greater insights into its admission and registration processes in light of an anticipated larger than normal September 2015 intake of students.

Welcoming the group, Dr. Martin Brown, Dean at ICEM,said: “We are delighted to receive the team from the Ministry of Higher Educa-

tion; it is a wonderful opportunity to showcase to the ministry the ex-cellent work the college staff have been undertaking in view of an ex-pected larger than normal intake of students in September 2015.”

ICEM has streamlined the pro-cesses of admission and registra-tion to ensure best-in-class ser-vice and support for prospective students during their registration

period. In addition, ICEM Student Affairs Team is in the process of launching two new student guides: one provides exhaustive practical tips to international students on how to make the move to Oman as enjoyable and effortless as pos-sible, while the other offers guid-ance to new local students to ease apprehensions about leaving the comfort zone of home.

H I G H P R O F I L E D E L E G A T I O N

Modern College to host workshop

on project management on Feb. 1

MUSCAT: Modern College of Business and Science is con-ducting a five-day workshop on project management, partnering with its Ohio-based academic as-sociate Franklin University. Reg-istrations for the workshop will be accepted till today.

The Ministry of Manpower-approved workshop, designed as an intensive training programme preparing participants to obtain-ing PMP certification, will be from February 1-5 at the Mod-ern College seminar hall. The training will cover topics such as project management tools and techniques, PMBOK Guide, PMP

exam tips, PMI ethics standards and more.

The college has roped in inter-nationally renowned Team Lead Assessor Dr Grzegorz Dzwonnik (Greg) to conduct the workshop. Dr Greg is one of the world’s 20 Team Lead Assessors who evalu-ate the most advanced projects at the International Project Excel-lence Awards by the International Project Management Association.

“It’s a great opportunity for as-pirants to prepare for the coveted PMP Certification. The workshop will be based on PMBOK, the glob-al standard for project manage-ment, and will follow a compact,

effective formula offering not only broad knowledge in project man-agement, but valuable information on PMP exam structure and suc-cess tips. The workshop offers a total of 36 teaching hours, and the first five candidates to sign up for the training will get a free copy of PMBOK,” said Agnes Ches, Frank-lin University representative at Modern College.

Individual registrations cost OMR350 per head, while corpo-rate bookings are eligible for dis-counts. Agnes may be contacted on 99443137, or 24583555 or [email protected] for more information.

I N T E N S I V E T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M M E

They were on a scheduled visit to the college to gain greater insights into its admission and registration processes in light of an anticipated larger than normal September 2015 intake of students

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2015 Fluence creates a lasting impression

MUSCAT: Suhail Bahwan Au-tomobiles, the exclusive import-ers and distributors of Renault vehicles in Oman, unveiled their most anticipated vehicle last year – The 2015 Renault Fluence that features a new look with the 1.6 16V 115 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox and the 2.0 16V 140 CVT X-Tronic automatic gearbox.

The new sedan is all set to offer class-leading comfort, thought-ful technology and a rewarding driving experience. Customers purchasing the new 2015 Renault any time till February 14 will be eligible to avail the Muscat Festi-val offer.

Muscat Festival offer With the ongoing Muscat Fes-

tival the Fluence now comes with attractive benefits like free regis-tration for the first year, free ser-vice or periodic maintenance for 2 years / 30,000 kms whichever is earlier. The offer also includes 6 year unlimited mileage warranty and AAA roadside assistance. Cus-tomers will also get assured cash gift of OMR750 on both Fluence 1.6L and 2.0L

Fitted with a new petrol en-gine that is powerful and dynamic (117hp and 156Nm), Fluence sparks with energy. With the CVT X-Tronic next-generation auto-

matic gearbox, the 2.0 16V 140 combines responsiveness and low fuel consumption. CVT technolo-gy – Continuously Variable Trans-mission – allows for smooth gear shifting with instant responses and no bumps. The new Fluence is comfortable, dynamic and lively with low fuel consumption.

2015 enhancements With its flowing and modern lines, the 2015 Fluence features new, confident and more dynamic fron-tal design identity. Inside, the cab-in carries over the major themes of the previous version but delivers finishes that are more sophisticat-ed and a more high-tech ambience.

The redesigned front end en-hances the new Fluence’s unique character which takes its inspira-tion from the Renault F1 and the aerodynamics of the F1 cars. The focal point at the front is a promi-nent logo set vertically to a gloss black and chrome strips back-ground. Meanwhile, the new Re-nault Fluence’s curvier lines and full surfaces ensure a more dynam-ic, assertive stance, underlining the model’s status-enhancing look.

The other exterior features in-clude LED lights that enhance the overall appeal of the rear of the vehicle. To exalt the design of the Fluence, the vehicle comes with 17” Akihiro two tone alloy wheels in the LE version. The reassur-ing side panels favour fluid, ener-getic lines. The design of the front

bumper is bolder, with a large low-er air intake that broadens towards the base: fog lights set against a gloss black surround have the effect of visually widening this lower intake, giving the front a sporty touch. Finally, wheel arch openings that are two centime-tres tighter than on the previous version provide the 2015 Fluence with an even more dynamic allure.

The insides of the headlamp units have been reworked in order to convey a more expressive and more upmarket effect. The head-light module is equipped with a lens, which concentrates the beam of light and ensures superb quality illumination at night. The metal-effect ‘eyelid’ and dark-coloured headlight mask add further depth to New Renault Fluence’s look.

The higher-end equipment lev-els are distinguished by the addi-tion of a series of gloss black trim features, as well as bright-effect chrome.

Technology to aid driving The new Renault Fluence is packed with high-end technologies de-signed to make driving simpler. The principal instrument inside the cabin incorporates a large round LCD screen, the main function of which includes a digital speed display and the white segments around the circumference of the LCD screen indicate the settings of the cruise control and the speed limiter systems. The multime-

dia functions on the new Renault Fluence include hands free mo-bile phone connectivity and audio streaming music with Bluetooth or with USB / Jack connection.

The car also offers a range of driver-assistance technologies, in-cluding the hands-free key card for no-touch locking and unlocking of doors, as well as push-button igni-tion in LE version. On the higher equipment level, the parking assist system of the new Fluence features four rear-parking sensors neatly integrated into the rear bumper. Another intelligent feature is the automatic parking brake, which applies itself as soon as the ignition is turned off and released once the engine is running again.

Notably, the new Renault Flu-ence is equipped with climate control system that is specially designed to cope with the intense sunlight and high levels of humidi-ty in the Oman market. In addition, an automatic dual-zone climate control system is offered as stand-ard equipment on the higher-end version LE.

Quality and safetyThe 2015 Fluence builds on the quality and safety standards of its predecessor. Reliability and durability have been the focus of detailed design work, guaranteed with extreme endurance testing, to meet the specific needs of the Oman market.

From its entry level model, the new Renault Fluence offers ABS with electronic brake force distri-bution, emergency brake assist, three-point front safety belts with pretensioners and load limiters, driver and front passenger air-bags, three-point Isofix child seat anchorage for the outer rear seats and projector headlights. Available as standard or optional, depending on the equipment level, are safety key features such as stability con-trol (ESP) with under steer con-trol, front side airbags, as well as front and rear curtain airbags.

Enticing Muscat

Festival offer on

the 2015 Renault

Fluence, valid till

February 14, makes

the car even

more attractive

KIMS Oman hosts free health camp at Lulu HypermarketMUSCAT: In continuation of its efforts to spread health education among the community members, KIMS Oman Hospital (KOH) organised a comprehensive and free of charge medical awareness camp for hundreds of visitors and shoppers at Lulu Hypermarket, Wadi Kabir, recently.

The two-day camp featured several medical checkups which included conducting blood sugar screening as well as blood pres-sure tests followed by health awareness talks on several medi-cal issues concerning some of the recent chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, says a press release.

KIMS Oman medical team advised the public to undergo health screening tests regularly, as timely care and diagnosis can reduce the incidence of morbid-ity and mortality among all seg-ments of the community at any age and gender.

“KIMS Oman is extremely proud of organising such an awareness camps that would highly contribute to the indi-vidual’s awareness regarding the highly increasing rate of chronic diseases and illness in the re-gion. Early detection, followed by

treatment, can lead to better re-sults. The camp found immense response from the customers and was highly appreciated,” said Dr Hussam Akoum, Chief Operating Officer at KOH.

A W A R E N E S S

Early detection, followed by treatment, can lead to better results. The camp found immense response from the customers and was highly appreciated

Dr Hussam AkoumChief Operating Officer at KOH

GCC aluminium production rises to 31% in 2014

SOHAR: Five aluminium com-panies — Sohar Aluminium, EGA, Alba, Ma’aden and Qata-lum — collectively produced 4,928,143 tonnes of primary aluminium in 2014 compared to 3,748,616 tonnes in 2013, an increase of 31 per cent.

GCC aluminium production constitutes 10 per cent of the total world production.

“The main increase has come from Ma’aden Aluminium, Sau-di Arabia start-up, which was successfully ramped up during the year, and EMAL Phase 2 project completion before the target date,” said Mahmood Daylami.

He also added that the pro-duction for 2015 is expected to be more than 5 million tonnes.

Leading hubGCC is one of the leading hubs for the aluminium business where 40 per cent of its produc-tion utilised by the downstream aluminium industry in the Gulf for regional and international market, while the balance of the primary aluminium production is exported to different regions of the world. GCC aluminium production is of the highest quality and the plants are mod-ern and environmental protec-tion regarded to be the most advanced in the world.

P O S I T I V E G R O W T H

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ROUND-UPB7

BankDhofar holds first weekly draw

MUSCAT: With its 2015 savings scheme in full swing, BankDhofar recently conducted the year’s first weekly draw as part of the bank’s flagship savings scheme where over OMR17 million worth of cash prizes is being given away to cus-tomers in the bank’s efforts to pro-mote the culture of saving.

One lucky BankDhofar cus-tomer from Al-Amerat branch won the weekly general draw of OMR20,000. Five lucky winners from Ghashab, Araqi, Bausher, Khaboura and Muscat branches won OMR2,000 each as part of the daily general draw, says a press release.

“Saving accounts are an incredi-ble way to put aside funds and save for the future. We at BankDhofar

encourage our customers to save for unanticipated expenses and be prepared for the unexpected. Hence, we introduced this savings scheme to cater for their needs and requirements and we pledge to provide them with the best cus-tomer experience through a vast selection of innovative products and top-niche services. BankDho-far does not only provide saving facilities, but also rewards cus-tomers for it,” said, Khalid Rabia Al Amri, head of Retail Products, Business & Segments Department.

BankDhofar customers who

save a minimum of OMR100 in their accounts are eligible to enter the daily general draw and have a chance to win a share of OMR10,000 cash prize (OMR2,000 each). Customers who keep a minimum balance of OMR100 for a week also have the opportunity to win a cash prize of 20,000 (one weekly winner) as part of the weekly general draw.

BankDhofar has been investing millions of Omani rials to enrich the lives of customers and pro-mote a culture of saving among all members of society.

BankDhofar

customers who

save a minimum

of OMR100 in their

accounts are eligible

to enter the daily

general draw and

have a chance to win

a share of OMR10,000

cash prize BankDhofar has been investing millions of Omani rials to enrich the lives of customers and promote a culture of saving among all members of society

A’Saffa Foods extends support to workshop on haemorrhagic feversMUSCAT: A’Saffa Foods, Oman’s largest fully integrated poultry producer and the leading manu-facturer of pure, tasty and 100 per cent natural chicken and value added processed products, re-cently supported a workshop that was organised by the Ministry of Health in the wilayat of Seeb.

The workshop’s aim was to apprise health workers and the general public of haemorrhagic fevers, ways of transmission and how to deal with cases of haemor-rhagic fever.

“The Ministry of Health work-shop aimed at sensitising the pub-lic and health care workers to the preventive and protective meas-ures surrounding haemorrhagic fevers given that haemorrhagic fevers have been in the news con-stantly this year.

“Through our various CSR initiatives, A’Saffa Foods lends particular focus to health and medical facilities underscoring the importance of preserving the right of all individuals living in the nation to lead healthy lives,” said Sidhartha Lenka, Head of Marketing and Sales at A’Saffa.

“A’Saffa chicken has no hor-mone, steroids, artificial flavours or preservatives and no injection of water to increase the weight of the bird. Hence the chickens are pure, hygienic, healthy and per-fectly safe for human consump-tion apart from being 100 per cent halal (hand slaughtered) as per Shariaa rules,” he added.

Being pioneers in fully inte-grated poultry production and farm management systems, A’Saffa have built their compe-tence and expertise in food pro-duction, processed food technol-

ogy and innovative food recipes helping them to deliver new, fla-vourful choices that consumers can enjoy at all times.

As a market leader, it is A’Saffa Foods’ constant endeavour to

provide consumers with food products that are wholesome and processed hygienically from natural, pure, halal, healthy, pre-mium ingredients and aromatic spices.

S P R E A D I N G A W A R E N E S S

ahlibank conducts ACL foundation courseMUSCAT: ahlibank believes that staff is its most important asset, and invests heavily in its training and development programmes. In keeping with this, the bank re-cently organised a three-day ACL foundation course for its Internal Audit Department, says a press release.

ACL is a prominent Com-puter Assisted Audit Technique (CAAT) tool that is used by banks globally. ACL’s Data Analysis so-lutions are specifically designed to help risk and control groups, such as Audit, Risk, Compliance, IT or Financial Control profes-sionals perform in-depth analysis of data with ease. The ACL Foun-dation course was conducted by Jose Chacko, general manager, CEO and ACL Certified Trainer

from Al Osool Al Arabia. “Supporting the long-term pro-

fessional development of staff has always been a priority at ahlibank, because it motivates our staff and prepares them to better serve cus-tomers. We ensure we provide our staff with periodic training opportunities in alignment with our business strategies from time to time. This is with the goal of building professional knowledge

and skills, sharpening market acumen and broadening their per-spective,” Lloyd Maddock, CEO of ahlibank said.

He added, “To deliver staff learning and development solu-tions for business success, our ap-proach is to identify and meet the training needs of all departments. We provide specific product, ser-vice and skills training to all front line staff. We also regularly review

our training programme, provide job orientation, and define job qualifications in compliance with regulatory requirements.

“That’s not all, our staff con-tinues to learn and enrich their knowledge and skills through the continuing education opportuni-ties we offer.”

ahlibank places high priority on regular training and develop-ment of its staff. The bank thus attracts, motivates and retains the best talent, laying the founda-tion for the bank’s sustainable de-velopment in the long term. As a leading banking and financial so-lutions provider in the Sultanate, the bank will continue to invest in training and development activi-ties and programmes for the fu-ture of both the bank and its staff.

D E V E L O P I N G S K I L L S

The Ministry of Health workshop aimed at sensitising the public and health care workers to the preventive and protective measures surrounding haemorrhagic fevers given that haemorrhagic fevers have been in the news constantly this year

Sidhartha LenkaHead of Marketing and Sales at A’Saffa

OSN offers new shows in January

MUSCAT: Mustafa Sultan Elec-tronics’ Entertainment Factory division is pioneer in Pay TV business for more than 20 years and is the distributor for OSN in Oman. Besides OSN, MSE-EF is a leading distributor for beIN Sports. They have a showroom in Al Khuwair and three kiosks at Muscat City Centre, Qurum City Centre and Muscat Grand Mall . MSE-EF also offers the Pay TV services through their sub deal-ers spread across in all major

towns of the Sultanate.OSN, the home of premium

movies and the latest series, will offer an unparalleled breadth of blockbuster movies, returning and new series to mark the New Year, says a press release.

January alone will see the pre-miere of over 20 new and return-ing shows as well as a movie pre-miere every day. OSN subscribers can enjoy the biggest shows at the same time in the region as in the US and in spectacular HD.

4 5 N E W S H O W S

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All-new Nissan Micra: A symbol of urban lifestyle

MUSCAT: The 2015 Nissan Mi-cra from Suhail Bahwan Automo-biles is a zippy and smart compact hatchback in tune with today’s ur-ban lifestyle. With stand-out looks, class-leading driving dynamics and an interior design offering both comfort and convenience, the 2015 Nissan Micra goes beyond the regular compact hatchback of-fering, says a press release.

“The Nissan Micra adds new strength to our extensive line-up in Oman,” said an SBA Official. “We now boast of one of the rich-est choices of compact sedans and hatchbacks in the competi-tive small car segment. We are confident that Micra will strike a powerful chord with the young and trendy youth of Oman.”

A refined vehicle in its own right, the all-new Nissan Micra aims to attract a wider audience with its contemporary good looks, eye-catching exterior colour range, spacious and fashionable interior, in addition to a power-ful high performance engine and

a range of other options to make city driving easier.

Key features of the new Micra include a characterful, sleek exte-rior design, eye-catching exterior colour range, user-friendly equip-ment and interior designed with convenience in mind, highly-ver-satile interior seat/stowage config-urations, efficient, largest-in-class 1.5-litre engine, nimble handling with best-in-class turning circle – ideal for city driving, high levels of safety equipment including dual airbags, ABS, EBD & Brake Assist. The new Micra with trim level ‘SV’ is available in Oman.

Expressive exterior The Micra’s exterior combines a feel of personality and character with agility. The body’s bold pro-portions have been achieved by lowering the center of gravity, po-sitioning the tires at the extreme corners of the car, expanding the sills outward and extending the rear tread. The side sections, which appear as if cylinders are

mounted within, run through the body from the front to the rear providing a secure feeling.

The sleek roofline, with a raised rear end, optimally adjusts airflow to the rear sides to help create excellent aerodynamic performance. Every element of the body is designed to reduce air resistance — such as door mir-rors, a large front spoiler and the underbody configuration. Micra’s coefficient of drag is just 0.32.

Interior design Inside, Micra features a unique ‘twin bubble’ shaped cockpit that gives a secure feeling for both driver and passengers with con-venient stowage compartments and generous headroom.

The arched lines and warm curved surfaces on either side of the instrumental panel create a distinctive bubble-shaped inte-rior space that enhances driving pleasure. A large and conveni-ent instrument meter with drive computer placed in the center of the meter cluster provides im-proved visibility.

Micra also gives the driver en-hanced visibility on their music collection with an MP3/WMA compatible CD player, which can display both artist and title on its screen, and 2 DIN AM/FM along with four speakers. The sound system includes an AUX jack to connect your music player offer-ing Micra owners access to their full music collection.

The 2015 Nissan Micra aims to attract a

wider audience with its contemporary good

looks, eye-catching exterior colour range

and spacious fashionable interior

Qatar Airways boosts capacity to Spain, ItalyDOHA: Qatar Airways is con-tinuing its rapid growth in Europe with an increase in capacity on its flights to Italy, as well as the intro-duction of double-daily flights to Madrid. The increase in both ca-pacity and service will roll out over the next five months to help meet the expanding passenger needs for both these popular destinations, says a press release.

With the introduction of wide body aircraft commencing March

29 to Rome and Milan, and June 16 to Venice, the capacity to the airline’s three Italian destina-tions will increase by 30 per cent. Furthermore, a change in the de-parture and arrival times to Rome and Milan will also help improve connections to a number of other destinations for the Italian mar-ket. The increase in capacity to It-aly will be provided by introducing the Airbus A330 on the Milan and Venice routes, and the Boeing 787

Dreamliner on the Rome route.Qatar Airways currently offers

35 flights a week to Italy, includ-ing double-daily services to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, as well as daily flights to Venice Mar-co Polo. In addition, commencing on July 16, Qatar Airways will be-gin operating a double-daily, direct scheduled service to Madrid-Bara-jas Airport from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, adding four extra weekly flights.

E X P A N D I N G P A S S E N G E R N E E D S

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

SPOR SY O U R G A M E

SECTIONC S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5A RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

IRAQ HERO MAHMOUD DREAMS OF CUP REPEATIraq hero Younis Mahmoud said he’s dreaming of an incredible repeat Asian Cup win after taking centre-stage once again as they reached the semifinals in dramatic fashion. >C3

Djokovic and Serena power ahead, Kvitova knocked out

MELBOURNE: Fired-up top seed Novak Djokovic powered into the Australian Open fourth round on Saturday, joining sizzling fellow world No. 1 Serena Williams as Wimbledon champion Petra Kvi-tova was sent packing.

The Serb, whose chances of a fifth Australian crown have vastly improved after Roger Federer’s shock exit on Friday, ground down tenacious Spaniard Fernando Ver-dasco 7-6 (10/8), 6-3, 6-4.

He said he was highly motivated and over the virus that hampered his lead up to the season’s opening Grand Slam.

“He (Verdasco) was a former top-10 player. Somebody that loves playing on the big stage, a power-ful game. I’m glad to go through in straight sets,” he said.

Williams, vying for a sixth Aus-tralian title and the first since 2010, was slow to find her groove against 26th ranked Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, going down 6-4 in the first set.

But she shook off the cobwebs

under the blazing sun on Rod La-ver Arena to rattle through the next two sets 6-2, 6-0.

It keeps alive her quest to add a 19th Grand Slam title, which would take her to clear second on the all-time Open Era Grand Slam winners list. She currently has 18 alongside Chris Evert and Mar-tina Navratilova and is four behind Steffi Graf’s 22.

“When in doubt just start run-ning as fast as you can, that’s what Venus always told me, that helped,”

said Williams, whose world num-ber one ranking is on the line if she fails to win the tournament.

She added that her elder sister’s late-career renaissance was an in-spiration. “She’s winning, she’s do-ing so well and I can do better. We always motivate each other. I’m so proud of her and we’re so excited.”

Venus rallied from behind to de-feat Camila Giorgi of Italy 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to make the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2011.

But there was heartbreak for Kvitova, a semifinalist in 2012, as Lindsay Davenport-coached American teen Madison Keys pulled off a big 6-4, 7-5 upset.

“My hands are still shaking. Right now I can’t even process this,” said Keys, who set up an all-American fourth round showdown with Madison Brengle.

Victoria Azarenka, the cham-pion in 2012 and 2013 who is unseeded this year after an inju-ry-marred 2014, also kept going,

continuing her impressive come-back by downing Czech 25th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

“There are things that obvi-ously I want to improve. But it’s progress. It’s one step closer,” said the Belarusian after her 6-4, 6-4 win which set up a clash with last year’s beaten finalist Dominika Cibulkova.

Defending men’s champion Stan Wawrinka, who beat Rafael Nadal in the final last year, could meet Djokovic in the semifinals and stayed on track with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen. The Swiss, who was al-ways in control, was pleased with his progress.

“It’s been three really good matches, I think my game is there and I’m really happy to get through again,” said Wawrinka, who will now meet Spain’s Guillermo Gar-cia-Lopez.

Eighth seed Canadian Milos Raonic also went through as did Japan’s fifth seed Kei Nishikori.

Up for challenge It was a day to remember for the Williams clan with the evergreen Venus setting up a fourth round clash with dangerous Pole Ag-nieszka Radwanska.

Radwanska defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 7-5 and has doled out a dreaded 6-0 “bagel” to each of her three opponents at Melbourne Park.

She beat Venus in the Montreal final last year.

Serena will now play face Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, who beat Switzerland’s Timea Bacsin-szky 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. The 24th seed ousted Serena at the French Open last year. - AFP

Fired-up Djokovic

and sizzling Serena

powered into the

fourth round while

Wimbledon champion

Kvitova was sent

packing

HIGHLY MOTIVATED: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic plays a shot during his men’s singles match against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. – AFP

Venus dreams big after rolling back the years

MELBOURNE: Venus Williams insisted she was not at the Aus-tralian Open to make up the num-bers on Saturday after making the last 16 at Melbourne Park, saying she aimed to win every tourna-ment she entered.

The 34-year-old American, who claimed the last of her seven majors at Wimbledon in 2008 and has not reached the second week of a Grand Slam since 2011, said her vast experience should not be underestimated.

“I’ve won big. It’s not like I haven’t done it before,” she said after a gritty 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 win over Camila Giorgi of Italy.

“For me, I like to win titles, whether it’s a smaller event or a big event. That’s what I play for.

“So, yes, great, it’s great to be in the second week. But is the fourth round my goal when I come to these tournaments? No.”

The win takes the 18th seeded

American’s record for 2015 to 8-0, including winning the Auckland Classic lead-up event.

Williams said she was over-joyed to advance so far at a major again after a long battle with the energy-sapping Sjogren’s Syn-drome, which was diagnosed in 2011, and a string of injuries.

“That feels fantastic, especially when you have things happen in your life which are out of your control. I don’t want to leave it at that, I’ll try to keep going,” she said, clearly enjoying the moment in front of an appreciative crowd.

The American, whose ranking will rise to 12th after the tourna-ment and could climb higher, said it had been a long road back.

“Yeah, definitely years go by fast,” she said. “It’s been a lot of work and a lot of learning and a lot of perseverance. It will con-tinue to be that for me. Just have to come to terms with it.”

Williams will meet sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the fourth round, a player who has won their last two encounters.

“Well this little cat has a few tricks left,” she said.

She looked down and out with Giorgi serving for the match at 5-4 but broke back to love to stay alive.

Williams went ahead 6-5 and had two set points with Giorgi serving but fired both chances into the net as the Italian hung on to force a tie-break.

Despite a hiccup when she double faulted at 2-2, Williams won the tie-break 7-3 to take the match to a third set with momen-tum on her side.

She went up a break and Gior-gi immediately broke back, but it was the last resistance from the Italian as Williams cruised through the third set, raising both hands to the wildly cheering crowd after sealing the win. - AFP

L I K E T O W I N T I T L E S

FEELS FANTASTIC: Venus Williams of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Camila Giorgi of Italy in the women’s singles third round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. – Reuters

Poland routOman inSingapore

Sampdoria to sign Eto’o

MUSCAT: Poland routed Oman 7-1 in a semifinal match of the ongoing FIH Hockey World League Round 2 event in Singapore on Saturday.

German Oliver Kurtz-coached Omanis’ lone goal came through the stick of Sami Al Laun.

Though failed to make it the Round 2 final, the Sultan-ate’s squad still have chance of clinching a berth in the World League Semifinal Round, to be held as two separate competi-tions in Argentina and Belgium later this year.

With the top three from Sin-gapore qualifying for the World League semifinals, Oman’s chances will depend on the out-come of their third-place match against Japan on Sunday.

Japan lost their semifinal to Malaysia 3-2 on penalties after the teams were locked 1-1 at the end of the regulation time.

MILAN: Everton’s Cameroo-nian striker Samuel Eto’o is ex-pected to complete his transfer to Sampdoria after undergoing a medical with the Italian Serie A club on Saturday.

Sampdoria have yet to make any official statement regard-ing the 33-year-old. However Eto’o is expected to complete the move on Sunday. - AFP

H O C K E Y

F O O T B A L L

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SPORTSS U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5


WhatsNews


AUSTRALIA’S narrow win over England gives India a better

chance to qualify for the final. To do that, they need to win both their remaining games. Even if they lose to Australia they can qualify by beating England with a bonus point. However, they need to be at their best in these games to give themselves a chance.

They are the world cham-pions and they need to show that on the field. So far, what we have seen from the Indians is a jaded show devoid of any spark, and they seem to be go-ing through the motions.

It has been a fairly long trip so far for those who have been here with the Test team, and with another two months to go for the end of the World Cup, it’s going to take a big ef-fort to summon the enthusi-asm to go out and perform.

Of course, there is no greater incentive than representing the country so hopefully the players will be made aware of how fortunate they are to be among the elite to get the chance to play for the country.

Whether Ishant Sharma will be available for selection for this important game will be known soon, but if he has an injury and the idea is to nurse him till the World Cup, then he should have been sent home to spend a few days with his family.

Nothing quite rejuvenates like some days back home in familiar surroundings with family and friends, and if

India do crash out and don’t qualify for the tri-series final, those players who have been in Australia since November should be given time off to visit family and then come back refreshed for the defence of the World Cup.

Indian players struggled on the harder bouncier pitch in Brisbane and they play their last game, also, on a similar type of pitch in Perth. So they know their task is cut out

for them. It was not so much the manner of their loss to England but their attitude and approach in that game.

To waste an over in limited overs cricket is a no-no but India wasted no less than 10 overs as they were dismissed, and it is here that there is cause for worry.

Stuart Binny had a wonder-ful opportunity to shut up all those baying for his blood by batting right through to the 50 overs, and in the process, he not only would have helped India get nearer 200, he him-self would have had a score closer to a century.

Instead, he went for the glamour shot that would have got him a half century and ended up caught.

Even though Binny may have hit sixes earlier, he must always keep in mind the extra bounce of the pitches in Australia and the longer boundaries, which will mean that the ball will not hit the middle of the bat but more near the makers name and the distance will mean that what would be a six in India is a catch in the deep in Aus-tralia.

If he had farmed the strike and helped the tailenders bat with him till near the 50 0vers, his stock would have risen considerably.

Monday is Australia Day, so the Aussies won’t want to lose on the day.

It is also India’s Republic Day, so hopefully the Indian boys will want to keep their countrymen smiling too. - PMG

There is no greater incentivethan representing the nation

C O M M E N T A R Y

Monday is Australia Day, so the Aussies won’t want to lose on the day. It is also India’s Republic Day, so hopefully the Indian boys will want to keep their countrymen smiling too

India rely heavily on Kohli: Dravid

SYDNEY: Former India captain Rahul Dravid on Saturday said that Virat Kohli will need to bat re-ally well in the upcoming Cricket World Cup as the current team is too much dependent on him in the middle overs.

“He will need to bat well. He’ll need to set the tempo for the side. If you look at the Indian batting lineup, they are in a sense heavily reliant on someone like Virat Kohli to get India through those mid-dle overs which allows the likes of (Suresh) Raina and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni to come at the back end and finish off games,” Dravid told ‘ESPNcricinfo.com’.

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith termed Kohli an “outstanding player”.

“I think he is an outstanding player, he is a great player of spin and pace, that’s a huge advantage for him, and once he gets in, he has a great conversion rate. He makes it count,” said Smith.

Dhoni might have retired from Tests, handing over the captaincy to Kohli, but Dravid feels that the limited-over format suits the vet-eran wicketkeeper-batsman.

“He just gets the one-day game in terms of having to make instinc-tive choices. I think one-day crick-et suits him because he doesn’t have to plan long term,” he said.

Dravid said he was not too both-ered about India’s bowling in the death overs despite so much contro-versy regarding it in recent times.

“Mohammad Shami we’ve seen has a good yorker, and when he’s on song he does well. Ishant Sharma has blown hot and cold in one-day cricket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is brilliant when the balls swings, but again his death bowling has been good on some days, not been great (on other days); same with Umesh Yadav. So there’s no consistency in that,” he insisted.

‘Bat at four if team wants’Meanwhile, West Indian legend Sir Viv Richards feels Kohli should continue to bat at four if that is what the Indian team requires.

Kohli has batted at number four in the first two losses at Melbourne and Brisbane (in tri-series), scor-ing 9 and 4 runs, leading to a huge debate. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni later justified this ploy say-ing that it allows the star batsman to control the innings whether bat-ting first or chasing a target.

“I believe number four is quite a good position for any good bats-man,” agreed Richards here.

“On these bouncy Australian wickets, there will always be some batsmen who are going to get out-done by that, especially early in the order.

“It makes sense to have Virat Kohli bat at number four in such a scenario then because he can dic-tate terms whatever situation the match is in.”

Richards has always been a fan of Kohli’s attacking batting, even likening the young cricketer to his own playing days at one point of time. Kohli has also drawn paral-lels with Australian great Ricky Ponting. Both of them batted at number three, irrespective of tour-nament conditions, making this spot their own.

“There are always some peo-ple who say that your best player should come in at number three. But it is tough to say these things from the outside and you don’t know the team situation and you have to consider the conditions as well that are also an obvious factor here,” Richards explained. - PTI

Kohli will need to

bat really well in the

upcoming World Cup

as the current Indian

team is too much

dependent on him in

the middle overs

‘OUTSTANDING PLAYER’: Virat Kohli. – Reuters

Eyad stuns Avigyan in under-14 singlesMUSCAT: Talented Omani play-ers continued to make their mark at the ISC-Muscat Pharmacy Open Junior Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.

Eyad Al Khanjari, a member of Oman’s national junior team, followed up his brilliant win in the first round of the boys un-der-14 singles scoring an upset win to send third seed Avigyan Bhattacharya crashing out in the second round where Eyad rallied from 0-3 down and controlled the match thereafter to notch up a fine 8-4 victory over the third seed.

In the third round, Eyad came up with yet another superb show-ing when he withstood a brilliant fightback by compatriot Ali Al Sarhani before holding on to win 8-5 for a place in the quarterfinals.

Sabharish Kumaar scored a brilliant 8-5 victory over random seed Vedanth Ram in the second round to enter the last eight. In the first round, Sabharish had over-come a fighting Prithvi Raj with an 8-5 verdict.

Prithvi had staged a gallant fightback after being 1-4 down. He

broke Sabharish twice to reduce the deficit to 5-6 before Sabharish gained a break in the crucial 12th game and served out the match.

In other action from the boys under-14 singles, top seed Japen-ese Taisei Nishino was in full cry as he first demolished Ameya Sawant

8-0 in the second round and steamrolled ove Zain Ashfaque 8-0 to enter the quarterfinals.

Ameya Sawant had earlier got the better of Aanvik Singh 8-4. Varun Deepak defeated Bibhav Anil Kumar 8-2 to move into the second round.

Also progressing to the second round are Anubrata Seel who blanked Kapil Mansinghani 8-0, Guha Kaarthik defeated Sharon Raphel 8-1, Glenmark Rodrigues held his nerves to beat Desh Iyer 8-4 and Ali Al Sarhani scored a comfortable 8-0 win over Kunnal Gupta and Arvind Srinivasan ad-vanced after overcoming Sudhan-shu Arun 8-4.

Top seed in the under-10 sin-gles, Nao Nishino took her slot in the semifinals after registering a comfortable 8-0 victory over Toby Al Riyami.

Third seed Issa Al Suleimani also advanced to the last four stage after securing a 8-2 win over J. Kaava who had made it to the sec-ond round by virtue of her 8-3 vic-tory over Adarsh Srinivas.

Akshita AR beat Sahar Al Bakry 8-0 in the first round before she limped out of the second round match after twisting her ankle in her match against Praneeth Raj.

Praneet Raj had advanced af-ter beating J. Thaanya 8-0 in the first round. Vatsal Manikandan advanced to the last eight after de-feating Mikhail Sarit 8-0.

I S C T E N N I S

FINE VICTORY: Eyad Al Khanjari, left, and Avigyan Bhattacharya.

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Ref’s namesake becomes Facebook ‘fave’ in IranSYDNEY: An American name-sake of Asian Cup referee Ben Wil-liams has been bombarded with Facebook messages from Iran af-ter a controversial red card in their quarterfinal loss to Iraq.

Ben Williams of Baltimore, Mar-yland, received nearly a thousand friend requests from Iranians after Team Melli were sent tumbling out by their arch-rivals in a dramatic penalty shootout on Friday.

The Australian referee with the same name incurred the wrath of Iranian fans when he booked Mehr-dad Pooladi for an innocuous chal-lenge and then again for simulation.

Iran were leading 1-0 at the time but the score ended 3-3 after extra-time and the three-time champi-ons lost 7-6 on penalties.

“Ok, so I woke up to 992 (and growing!) friend requests from people living in Iran,” posted the American Williams, who was ap-parently unaware of the match in Australia. “Is this a problem other people are having or is my popular-ity finally taking off ?”

The referee’s Facebook page was also defaced with profane mes-sages following the tempestuous quarterfinal in Canberra.

When Williams booked Pooladi for simulation, he appeared to have forgotten the earlier yellow card and he ran off before he was reminded, and then returned and brandished red.

It follows an earlier game where Iran coach Carlos Queiroz was critical of Williams, earning a $3,000 fine. The Portuguese was again furious with the referee on Friday.

“Can he sleep tonight?” asked the former Real Madrid and Por-tugal boss, who was restrained as he tried to approach Williams at half-time.

“It’s just a question. If it’s neces-sary I put my knees to the ground to show my respect and humble attitude to ask him how we under-stand this decision, you tell me.”

The Asian Football Confedera-tion did not immediately comment on the performance of Williams. - AFP

T H O U S A N D R E Q U E S T S

Iraqi hero Mahmoud dreams of Cup repeat

CANBERRA: Iraq hero Younis Mahmoud said he’s dreaming of an incredible repeat Asian Cup win after taking centre-stage once again as they reached the semifi-nals in dramatic fashion.

The veteran, an icon for his win-ner in the 2007 final, was on target against arch-rivals Iran before starring in the penalty shootout with an audacious spot-kick.

Mahmoud, 31, made light of a cauldron atmosphere in Canberra to chip a “panenka” penalty past Iranian ‘keeper Alireza Haghighi as Iraq snatched the shootout 7-6.

“I did it because I wanted to send a message to my players not to worry, look how easy it is to score,” Mahmoud, who scored Iraq’s second as it finished 3-3 after extra-time, said. “I think it worked because afterwards eve-rybody hit their penalties hard and strong and scored.”

Friday’s upset win over the three-time champions puts Iraq into a semifinal against South Korea and tantalisingly close to a second fair-ytale triumph in eight years.

Celebratory gunfire erupted in the Iraqi capital Baghdad and

traffic jams jammed the roads as thousands of young men took to the streets, chanting and waving the national flag.

Few would have predicted Iraq’s progress in the face of in-credible odds, and not just the difficulties of the deadly Islamic State insurgency.

Iraq’s coach at the Asian Cup is Radhi Shenaishil, on tempo-rary loan from Qatar Sports Club after Hakim Shakir was axed just weeks before the tournament.

And Mahmoud has been with-out a club for the past year follow-ing his departure from Saudi Ara-bia’s Al Ahli.

Questions were asked about Mahmoud’s fitness given his lack of game-time in 2014 but the number 10 has bagged two goals along with his penalty kick.

“People had a lot of doubts about him but I don’t search on social media and look for these things,” said Shenaishil. “Today he played four halves, he was amazing and scored two goals.”

“We have a young squad and we need a leader. He’s a star for his country and I want to thank him for his performance,” the coach added.

Violence plaguing swathes of the country has made training and organising friendlies difficult, but Shenaishil has moulded a young team full of spirit and fight.

“There is nothing that we can do that would be enough for our country,” said the coach.

“But if you look at Iraq’s history, violence has been going on for years, it’s normal.

“There is nothing new about this situation, we are used to it as a team.”

Mahmoud admitted his thoughts keep returning to 2007, when Iraq beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final in Jakarta, as he faces up to Monday’s semifinal with the Taeguk Warriors.

“South Korea are a very, very strong team,” he said. “But my memory keeps going back to 2007, I can’t stop thinking about it. I hope it happens again.” - AFP

Younis Mahmoud, an icon for his winner in

the 2007 final, was on target against arch-

rivals Iran before starring in the penalty

shootout with an audacious spot-kick

I did it because I wanted to send a message to my players not to worry, look how easy it is to score

Younis Mahmoud

Coach Aguirre’s future unclear after Japan’s shock exit in quarterfinalsSYDNEY: Japan’s shock Asian Cup quarterfinal exit has left their big-money players dumbfounded and plunged the future of Mexican coach Javier Aguirre into doubt.

The holders crashed out on penalties against the United Arab Emirates after superstars Kei-suke Honda and Shinji Kagawa missed from the spot in Friday’s nail-biter in Sydney as Aguirre paid the price for not rotating his squad in the group stages.

Kagawa, who has gone horribly off the boil for Japan since losing his place at Manchester United last season and returning to Borussia Dortmund, was incon-solable after slamming his kick against the post, allowing the UAE to win the shootout 5-4.

“I missed and we lost — I’m deeply sorry,” said the playmaker, who wasted several good oppor-tunities to win the game, which finished 1-1 after extra-time, and whose prolonged spell in the dol-drums has been a source of con-

cern for his Japan team-mates. “I can’t turn back time,” he

shrugged. “Maybe there’s a reason why I missed.”

Honda, who had scored twice from the spot in the group stages, struggled to find an explanation.

“It’s a harsh reality,” said Ja-pan’s blond cult hero, who blazed the team’s first penalty wildly over the bar. “It shows we were per-haps a bit naive in not being able to cope with the pressure to win the tournament.

“I said it after the World Cup too but we weren’t prepared for such a tough game,” added the AC Milan midfielder, comparing the team’s early exit to last year’s flop in Brazil. “Mentally we were not able to adjust.”

Big decision Asked about his woeful spot kick, Honda replied: “I’ve seen big play-ers miss penalties on TV and it hurts that I’ll be remembered for it now too. I tried to hit it hard but

I just didn’t catch it right.”The Japan Football Association

(JFA) now have a big decision to make over Aguirre, who is sched-uled to appear in court in Valencia next month following an investi-gation into match-fixing dating back to his time as manager of Zaragoza in 2011.

The 56-year-old took over after the World Cup for a record salary for a Japan coach of an estimated $2.45 million a year, but failure in Australia could lead to a mutual parting of ways as the JFA look to the 2018 World Cup qualifiers which begin in March.

Who Japan turn to in the event that Aguirre’s contract is paid out remains to be seen. But irrespective of the outcome of the match-fixing probe by Spanish prosecutors, the lack of tactical acumen shown by the Mexican was alarming.

Inter Milan will be upset that defender Yuto Nagatomo suffered a hamstring injury at the tourna-ment, and that he was forced to soldier on through extra-time against the UAE with Aguirre out of substitutions.

“It’s hard to take,” said Nagato-mo. “I was a burden to my team. We lost at the World Cup and have gone out at the Asian Cup. We have to accept it. Mentally we all have to be stronger.” - AFP

B I G D E C I S I O N

HARSH REALITY: Javier Aguirre. – AFP

C4


OMAN FACE KUWAIT IN GCC U-23 SEMIFINAL TODAYOman will take on Kuwait in the semiffinals of the ongoing GCC Under-23 Football Cham-

pionship in Bahrain on Sunday. The semifinals were originally scheduled for Friday but

were postponed to Sunday. Sunday’s first semifinal between the UAE and Saudi Arabia

will start at 5.30 pm while Oman-Kuwait match will kick off at 8.30 pm. — Supplied photo

All new SATT to provideexacting test for sailors

MUSCAT: An all new format and a new route is set to give EFG Sail-ing Arabia — The Tour (SATT) greater prominence in 2015 as the appeal of the Gulf region’s lead-ing offshore race extends further afield. Sponsored once again by EFG, the leading global private banking group, SATT 2015 will see a radical change to the 700 nautical-miles route around the Arabian Peninsula as the intro-duction of training sessions and a new starting point create a more exacting test for sailors in the form of strong and sustained headwinds in the early stages.

Since EFG SATT was first launched in 2011, the fleet has crossed the start line in the Bah-raini capital, Manama and finished in Oman’s capital city of Muscat but for the first time, the route has been reversed so the boats, all identical Farr 30s, will start their campaigns at Almouj Marina at The Wave, Muscat.

The teams will finish approxi-mately 14 days later at the Amwaj

Marina in Manama, Bahrain’s new-est marina, where a grand prize-giving ceremony will be staged to bring the 2015 event to a close.

In between, there will be seven stopovers to showcase some of the best venues and facilities on offer to sporting tourists visiting the Gulf region. The first 100 miles of the first leg from Muscat to Sohar are expected to be tough but at the end will be a warm welcome at International Maritime College Oman, which is hosting a SATT stopover for the first time.

The next leg, which at 172 miles, the equivalent of 40 hours of sailing, is the longest of the event takes the fleet around the Musandam Peninsula to Ras Al Khaimah before the boats head off on short hops to Dubai where the first of two inshore race days will

be staged, then to Abu Dhabi. The Four Seasons Marina at Doha will host the next stopover and also roll out the red carpet for guests at-tending the second inshore racing day on February 26.

The fleet is expected to arrive at the finish in Bahrain two days later when the winning team will be presented with their trophy. In 2014, it was Sidney Gavignet’s EFG Bank (Monaco) who took the title and his return to defend his crown is keenly anticipated.

Over the next few weeks, or-ganisers Oman Sail will reveal the line-up for the 2015 event but more entries than previously and a larger contingent from Gulf region are set to attract an even higher level of media attention and cover-age than last year when new audi-ence records were set.

“Sailing Arabia — The Tour has grown in stature over the past five years because it is a well-run event in beautiful scenery that of-fers sailors, both professional and amateur from all over the world, the chance to train and compete in fantastic conditions during the winter,” said Oman Sail CEO Da-vid Graham.

“It has always been our aim to rekindle our mutual Gulf maritime heritage by offering a first class winter racing venue for sailors and provide an outstanding platform to grow regional talent to raise the standard of our home-grown sailors. EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour ticks all the boxes in helping us achieve our aim.”

Keith Gapp, Head of Strategy and Marketing, EFG International said: “EFG sponsors a wide range of sporting events around the world and is proud to continue its association with EFG Sailing Ara-bia – The Tour this year. Sailing is a sport that EFG International is passionate about and after the suc-cess of our team (Monaco), we will look to build on the achievement this year.

“With a new route and a new format, EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour 2015 is sure to be an exciting race around some of the Middle East’s best marinas.”

EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour 2015 takes place from February 15 to 28 with practice rounds taking place in the preceding days.

Schedule: Feb 11-14: Training sessions, Muscat; Feb 15: Leg 1 Mus-cat- Sohar; Feb 17: Leg 2 Sohar-RAK; Feb 19: Leg 3 RAK-Dubai; Feb 23: Leg 4 Dubai-Abu Dhabi; Feb 24: Leg 5 Abu Dhabi-Doha; Feb 26: Leg 6 Doha-Manama.

The introduction of

training sessions

and a new starting

point create a more

exacting test for

sailors at the Sailing

Arabia - The Tour

Real snap up Brazil midfielder Lucas Silva from Cruzeiro

F1 needs ‘real revolution’: Ferrari boss

MADRID: European champi-ons Real Madrid have completed the signing of Brazilian under-21 international midfielder Lucas Silva from Cruzeiro.

The deal cost Los Blancos a reported 14 million euros ($15.8 million) with Silva agreeing a five-and-a-half year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Real Madrid and Cruzeiro have reached an agreement for the transfer of Lucas Silva, who will be tied to the club until June 30, 2020,” said a statement on Madrid’s website.

Silva becomes Madrid’s sec-ond signing of the January trans-fer window after 16-year-old Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard sealed his switch from Stromsgodset on Friday.

Silva shot to prominence as Cruzeiro claimed a second con-secutive Brazilian title in 2014.

His arrival is likely to precipi-tate the departure of Asier Illar-ramendi, who has been linked with a 25 million euro switch to Athletic Bilbao.

Illarramendi was signed for a staggering fee of 37 million euros after helping Spain to a second consecutive under-21 European championship in 2013.

However, he has failed to be-come a first-team regular under Carlo Ancelotti, making just three league starts this season.

Meanwhile, former coach Marcelo Oliveira said joining Real Madrid is a dream that has come true for Lucas Silva, while describing the midfielder as a “diamond”.

“I have been talking with Lucas and he is very happy as one of his dreams has come true. (Real Ma-drid coach Carlo) Ancelotti has got a real diamond,” Oliveira, who manages Cruzeiro, told Spanish newspaper As.

“He is a technical player with good vision, he can make precise 30-40 metre passes and has a strong shot.

“I have been behind him when he has shot from outside the area and believe me he has a lot of potential that can be further ex-ploited. He will push those who are already in his position.

“He will need to adapt now to a new formation but I am sure he will develop a lot alongside the quality at Real Madrid.”

Real were weakened in mid-field with the departure of Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich ahead of this season and there has been a lot of pressure on Kroos as An-celotti has used alternatives Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi sparingly.

Khedira is in a contractual dis-pute with Real and is expected to leave at the end of this season while Illarramendi has failed to progress as predicted following a big money move from Real So-ciedad.

Ancelotti has said publicly that Illarramendi remains an impor-tant member of his squad but he has struggled to impose himself in the midfield when he has had chances.

Silva’s arrival could prompt his departure with Athletic Bilbao favourites to sign him. - Agencies

LONDON: Formula One needs to go through a ‘real revolution’ by 2017 with cars making the sort of noise that heavy metal rock fans would appreciate, according to Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

The principal, who took over the team in November, told the Ferrari website on Friday that the show needed to be more spectac-ular to win back fans who had fall-en out of love with Formula One.

“By 2017, I would like to see cars that win over the fans, with cars that they can get closer to and that are aesthetically more appealing, maybe even producing a noise

that gets your hair standing on end, like that produced by a heavy metal band,” said Arrivabene.

Arrivabene, who has a mar-keting background and arrived from team sponsor Philip Morris, agreed with former triple cham-pion and Mercedes non-execu-tive chairman Niki Lauda that big changes had to be made.

“I don’t think a simple evolution is enough in this case,” he contin-ued. “Instead, a real revolution is called for with significant and rad-ical changes. By that, I mean more power, higher speeds not necessari-ly involving the use of more fuel, but

definitely applying a cost reduction to those components that are of lit-tle interest to the general public.”

Formula One switched to a new, and quieter, V6 turbo hybrid format last season that put more emphasis on fuel economy.

Lauda told Britain’s Autosport magazine the sport needed more powerful cars, with wider tyres, that were harder to drive. F1 boss-es have been discussing future rules with commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone among those backing a proposal to increase engine power to more than 1,000 brake horsepower in 2017. - Reuters

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Ahmad rues missed opportunity in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

DOHA: Oman’s Ahmad Al Harthy feels a moment of bad luck cost him vital points in Race 1 of Round 3 in the region’s most competitive racing series, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, at Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

The race was eventually won by Al Harthy’s Al Nabooda Racing teammate Clemens Schmid with Saeed Al Mehairi of Skydive Dubai Falcons second, defending cham-pion Zaid Ashkanani third and Qa-tari resident Charlie Frijns fourth.

In a change of timing, Race 1 of Round 3 took place during daylight hours with the drivers usually competing under the floodlights. The earlier start certainly didn’t mean any less drama as the re-gion’s top drivers took to the track in search of points and silverware.

After a solid performance in qualifying Ahmad Al Harhty start-ed in seventh and held his position amidst a congested first corner

where many drivers lost out. The Omani driver looked sharp in the opening laps but suffered the mis-fortune of running wide at the dou-ble right hander which cost him two valuable places. The slip also meant he collected a fair amount of gravel on the tyres and under-side which left him struggling to

mount a challenge from ninth.Speaking after Race 1 of Round 3

Ahmad Al Harthy said: “To be hon-est my start was good and man-aged to hold position but a slight error at the double righter in the early laps was the race for me. I went off wide, caught lots of dirt on the tyres and lost two places.

“The only positive was I man-aged to get one of those places back but the pack was too far ahead and with me running around the same pace as them I couldn’t close the gap.

“What we need now is a bit of fortune but from all the races so far this season Qatar has been the

best example of how competitive this series is.

“Testing, qualifying and racing is so tight, you never really know who is going to be where. Next for us is focus on Race 2 and to make sure we get an improved result.”

From the moment the starting lights went out Clemens Schmid’s

acceleration was exceptional as he stormed to the front of the pack while Zaid Ashkanani strug-gled from second. Skydive Dubai’s Saeed Al Mehairi and Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum both started with Al Mehairi up one place and Al Maktoum up two.

After a poor first lap Ashkanani found himself down in fourth place behind the Skydive Dubai duo with Charlie Frijns also vying for position. As the group came down the straight for lap two they were four abreast with pedals on the floor giving the team manag-ers an anxious moment as they reached the first turn.

As the drivers settled into their rhythm it was Saeed Al Mehairi who staked his claim for second with Zaid Ashkanani third, Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum fourth and Charlie Frijns fifth.

The battle for fourth become one of the main excitement points throughout the race as Frijns pres-sured and squeezed Al Maktoum at every opportunity, although the Sky-dive driver refused to give an inch.

Further down the pack Ahmad Al Harthy suffered his misfortune with Raed Raffii quick to pounce and moved up to seventh were he stayed neat and tight to close the gap on sixth but was ultimately un-able to improve on his position as Al Harthy managed to make up a place and secure eighth.

As the race reached its clos-ing stages Frijns finally managed to take his chance and make the most of a rare Al Maktoum mis-take to take fourth, sending the local crowds into ecstasy as they watched their Qatar-based driver cross the line.

Ahmad looked sharp

in the opening laps

but suffered the

misfortune of running

wide at the double

right hander which

cost him two valuable

places

A BIT OF FORTUNE: Ahmad Al Harthy said ‘what we need now is a bit of fortune but from all the races so far this season Qatar has been the best example of how competitive the series is’. – Supplied photo

Nadal wants Aussie Open to start laterMELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal would like to see the Australian Open start later in the year to al-low players more down time, but admits it is not likely to happen.

From the end of season ATP Tour Finals to the start of the new year, many of the top players bare-ly had five weeks off before having to start all over again.

Roger Federer revealed that he took just eight days off during the off-season, with exhibitions and other commitments narrowing his free time considerably.

He was sensationally knocked out of the Australian Open on Fri-day in the third round by unseed-ed Italian Andreas Seppi.

Players have familyNadal said it was natural for play-ers who travel the world con-stantly to want to stay at home with family around the Christmas and New Year period, but most have tournaments starting early January to prepare for Melbourne tournament.

The Spanish world No. 3, who is on the comeback trail after a three-month injury layoff, said it

would be better to start the open-ing Grand Slam of the year later, perhaps in February.

“For us, it is important to spend the new year at home. It impor-

tant to spend Christmas at home with family. Those dates are very important,” he said.

“Players have family, play-ers have small kids. You want to

spend that time with them. “With this calendar, it is tough

to have and enjoy this period of time with your family. It is true that if we went two weeks (later), it would be better.”

Nadal also said playing just one warm-up tournament ahead of a gruelling Grand Slam was not ideal.

“Two tournaments would be the right period of time before the tournament to play,” he said, while admitting that for all the talk, nothing would change.

“Today we are talking for talk-ing, because I don’t see a change in that calendar for the future.”

Calls to change the dates of the massively popular Austral-ian Open have been raised in the past, but dismissed with the tour-nament falling during the school holidays, guaranteeing huge crowds and a party atmosphere.

Nadal, who battled dizzy spells and stomach cramps in an epic five-set second round match at Melbourne Park, plays big-hitting South African Kevin Anderson for a place in the quarterfinals on Sunday. - AFP

T E N N I S

It is true that if we went two weeks (later), it would be better. Today we are talking for talking, because I don’t see a change in that calendar for the future

Rafael Nadal

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Bale late penalty saves Real as Ronaldo sees redMADRID: Gareth Bale scored a late winner from the penalty spot after Cristiano Ronaldo had been sent off as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Cordoba 2-1 on Saturday.

Madrid got off to the worst pos-sible start when Sergio Ramos handled inside his own area and Nabil Ghilas slotted home the re-sultant penalty.

Karim Benzema levelled from James Rodriguez’s corner midway through the first-half, but Ron-aldo’s frustration at a poor perfor-mance by the European champi-ons seemed to have cost his side the chance of victory when he lashed out at Edimar seven min-utes from time.

However, the numbers were lev-elled up when Fede Cartabia was shown a second yellow card for

handling Bale’s free-kick inside the area, and in Ronaldo’s absence, the Welshman took responsibility from the spot to send Madrid four points clear at the top of La Liga.

Cordoba had given their sur-vival hopes a huge boost with seven points from their previous three games and the enthusiasm generated by Madrid’s first visit in 44 years ensured there was a full house at the Nuevo Arcangel.

The home fans had plenty to cheer within the first two minutes as Manchester United reject Bebe saw his shot cannon off Ramos’s arm and referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez pointed to the spot.

Ghilas had been left out of the Algerian squad for the African Cup of Nations, but his country’s loss has been Corboba’s gain as he

fired home his second goal in three games from the spot.

Bebe was making just his third appearance for Cordoba on loan from Benfica, but he was a con-stant threat in the first 45 minutes and was inches away from dou-bling the hosts’ lead with a shot across goal that sneaked just wide.

Slowly, though, Madrid began to find their feet and drew level on 27 minutes when Rodriguez’s corner was flicked on by Bale and Benze-ma slammed home his 15th goal of the season from close range.

However, Cordoba will rue not making the most of a host of op-portunities to seal a famous win after the break.

Cartabia was desperately un-lucky to see his shot from the edge of the area fly just wide before a

scintillating run by Bebe took him past a host of Madrid defenders but his weak shot was easily held by Casillas.

The best chance of all fell to Florin Andone when he pounced on a poor header by Raphael Var-ane, but Casillas did just enough to turn his attempted lob on to the bar.

Madrid rallied in the final 15 min-utes, but were still restricted to ef-forts from outside the area as Juan Carlos got down well to stop fierce efforts from Toni Kroos and Ben-zema. Ronaldo’s frustrations then boiled over when he was rightly dis-missed for kicking out at Edimar.

Yet, Carlo Ancelotti’s men still managed to grind out a vital vic-tory when Bale made no mistake from the spot after Cartabia clear-ly handled his initial free-kick. - AFP

L A L I G A

FRUSTRATED: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, left, is shown a red card during their Spanish La Liga match against Cordoba CF at the Nuevo Arcangel Stadium on Saturday. – AFP

Chelsea, City humbled in FA Cup

LONDON: Premier League title challengers Chelsea and Manches-ter City both crashed out of the FA Cup after being sensationally beaten by lower-league opponents in the fourth round on Saturday.

A weakened Chelsea team threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 at home to third-tier Bradford City in one of the biggest upsets in the compe-tition’s recent history, while City lost 2-0 to Championship high-fliers Middlesbrough at the Etihad Stadium.

With Southampton beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace, it means that none of the Premier League’s top three teams will feature in Mon-day’s fifth-round draw, blowing the competition wide open.

Manchester United, who are fourth in the Premier League, face a replay against fourth-division Cambridge United after a 0-0 away draw against the League Two club on Friday.

Chelsea manager Jose Mour-

inho had warned prior to kick-off at Stamford Bridge that it would be a “disgrace” if his side were beaten by Bradford.

But his words came back to haunt him as the League One team pulled off an upset that brought to mind their stunning run to the League Cup final in 2013.

Chelsea made nine changes to the team that had drawn 1-1 with Liverpool in Tuesday’s League Cup semifinal first leg and took a 21st minute lead when Gary Cahill flicked in Oscar’s corner.

Ramires made it 2-0 in the 38th minute after a one-two with Mo-hamed Salah, but Jon Stead re-plied for Bradford three minutes later and former Chelsea youth player Filipe Morais equalised 15 minutes from time.

A money-spinning replay beck-oned for the team who are cur-rently seventh in the third tier, 51 places below Chelsea, but they went ahead in the 82nd minute

when Andy Halliday found the top corner from 18 yards.

Mourinho introduced Willian, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard from the bench, but it was Bradford who had the final say as substitute Mark Yeates calmly slotted home to claim his own piece of FA Cup folklore. City manager Manuel Pellegrini was left to face ques-tions about his side’s midweek trip to Abu Dhabi for a warm-weather training camp after they were eliminated by Middlesbrough.

Currently second in the Cham-pionship, Middlesbrough weath-ered heavy pressure in the first half before capitalising on some farcical defending to take a 53rd-minute lead through on-loan Chel-sea striker Patrick Bamford.

Fernando’s back-pass sold Willy Caballero short and after the City goalkeeper collided with Albert Adomah, Fernando slid in to clear, only to play the ball against Bam-ford, whose touch took the ball in.

After Lee Tomlin had hit the post for Middlesbrough, with Frank Lampard replying in kind, substitute Kike secured victory for the visitors in stoppage time by finishing off a counter-attack led by Bamford.

City, who visit Chelsea in the league next weekend, have now lost successive home games for the first time in three years, hav-ing lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal last weekend. - AFP

Chelsea team threw away a 2-0 lead to lose

4-2 at home to third-tier Bradford City in one

of the biggest upsets, while City lost 2-0 to

Championship high-fliers Middlesbrough

SENSATIONAL: Bradford City’s Mark Yeates, centre, drops to his knees as he celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during their FA Cup fourth round match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Lon-don on Saturday. – AFP

Roma agree Salah loan deal: reports

MILAN: Roma have agreed terms with Chelsea for the transfer of midfielder Moham-ed Salah to the Serie A club, according to reports in Italy on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Salah, known as the “Egyptian Messi”, will sign a six-month loan deal worth 500,000 euros to Chelsea, various local media suggest.

Roma are also said to have the option of tying the rarely-used Chelsea forward at the end of the current campaign to a four-year deal that would see the Pre-mier League giants recoup up to 18 million euros.

Roma have yet to issue any statement regarding the re-ports. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said last week Salah would be replaced in the event of his departure from Stamford Bridge, re-opening the possibil-ity that he could relaunch his pursuit of Fiorentina forward Juan Cuadrado. - AFP

‘ E G Y P T I A N M E S S I ’

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMSECTIONC S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5LIFE & STYLE

Will we actually lose our abil-ity to daydream? Let’s hope not. Among daydreaming’s many merits, research shows, is an as-sociation with greater creativ-ity. But there is a dark side of inwardly directed thought, too. Daydreaming often distracts us when we’re trying to get some-thing done. And reflection can turn ugly, as when we ruminate about some past insult or error.Digital devices are not eating away at our brains. They are, however, luring us toward near constant outwardly directed thought, a situ-ation that’s probably unique in hu-man experience. A flat cap on time with devices — the restriction we first think of for ourselves and our kids — might help. So would park-ing devices in another room for a while. But it would be more effec-tive if we could learn to recognize in ourselves when escape from our thoughts is OK and when reflec-tion is in order. As a bonus, judg-ments like that require inwardly directed attention, a mental habit that in our smartphone era, we’d be dumb to lose. — Daniel T. Willingham/

The New York Times News Service

s much as we love our digital devices, many of us have an uneasy sense that they are destroying

our attention spans. We skitter from app to app, seldom alighting for long. Our ability to concentrate is shot, right?

Research shows that our intui-tion is wrong. We can focus. But our sense that we can’t may not be a phantom. Paying attention requires not just ability but de-sire. Technology may snuff out our desire to focus.

The idea that gadgets corrode our attention span sounds logical. Screen-based activities can take upward of 11 hours of a teenager’s day, and many demand rapid shifts of attention: quick camera cuts in videos, frenetically paced games, answering questions in multiple apps, not to mention web design that invites skimming. And we often do all this simultaneously, so attention bounces between two (or three or eight) fast-paced tasks. The theory is that the brain’s plasticity turns this quick mental pivoting into a habit, rendering us unable to sustain attention.

But there’s little evidence that attention spans are shrinking. Scientists use “span” to mean two separate things: how much we can keep in mind, and how well we can maintain focus. They measure the former by asking people to repeat increasingly long strings of digits in reverse order. They measure the latter by asking people to monitor visual stimuli for occasional, subtle changes. Perfor-mance on these tests today looks a whole lot as it did 50 years ago.

Scientists also note that al-though mental tasks can change our brains, the impact is usually modest. For ex-ample, practice with action video games improves some aspects of vision, but it’s a small boost, not an overhaul of how we see. At-tention is so central to our ability to think that a significant deterio-ration would require a retrofitting of other cognitive functions. Men-tal reorganization at that scale happens over evolutionary time, not because you got a smartphone.

But if our attention span is not shrinking, why do we feel it is? Why, in a 2012 Pew survey, did nearly 90 per cent of teachers claim that students can’t pay at-tention the way they could a few years ago? It may be that digital devices have not left us unable to pay attention, but have made us unwilling to do so.

The digital world carries the promise of amusement that is con-stant, immediate and limitless. If a YouTube video isn’t funny in the first 10 seconds, why watch when I can instantly seek something better on BuzzFeed or Spotify? The Internet hasn’t shortened my attention span, but it has fixed a persistent thought in the back of my mind — Isn’t there’s something better to do than what I’m doing?

Are we more easily bored than we were 20 years ago? Research-ers don’t know, but recent studies support the suggestion that our antennas are always up. People’s performance on basic laboratory tests of attention gets worse if a cellphone is merely visible nearby. In another experiment, people us-ing a driving simulator were more likely to hit a pedestrian when

their cellphone rang, even if they had planned in advance not to answer it.

The direst pre-diction offered by digital critics — our phones are really pocket-size deep fryers for the mind — may be untrue, but the alterna-tive I’ve suggest-ed sounds nearly as bad. The ap-petite for end-less entertain-ment suggests that worthier activities will be shoved aside. We may buy Salman Rushdie’s book, but we’ll end up sucked in by Flappy Bird.

That doesn’t quite seem to be the case, either. Research shows, for example, that the amount of leisure reading hasn’t changed with the advent of the digital age. Before we congratulate our-selves, though, let’s acknowledge that brainier hobbies have never been that popular. There have al-ways been ways to kill time.

Still, digital activities may be different. Over the last decade, neuroscientists distinguished two systems of attention and associ-ated thought. One is directed out-ward, as when you scroll through your email or play Candy Crush. The other is directed inward, as when you daydream, plan what you’ll do tomorrow, or reflect on the past. Clearly, most digital ac-tivities call for outwardly directed attention. These two modes of at-tention work like a toggle switch; when one is on, the other is off. In fact, when attention is outwardly directed, the inwardly directed at-tention system is somewhat sup-pressed. Given the amount of time people spend with digital devices, that sounds ominous.

Digital devicesare not eating

away at our brains.They are,however,luring us

toward near constant

outwardlydirectedthought,

a situationthat’s probably

unique in humanexperience

The scientific research on the benefits of expressive writing is surprisingly vast. Studies have shown that writing about oneself and

personal experiences can improve mood disorders, help reduce symptoms among cancer patients, improve a person’s health after a heart attack, reduce doctor visits and even boost memory.

Now researchers are studying whether the power of writing — and then rewriting — your personal story can lead to behav-ioural changes and improve happiness.

The concept is based on the idea that we all have a personal narrative that shapes our view of the world and our-selves. But sometimes our inner voice doesn’t get it completely right. Some researchers believe that by writing and then editing our own stories, we can change our perceptions of ourselves and identify obstacles that stand in the way of better health.

It may sound like self-help nonsense, but research suggests the effects are real.

In one of the earliest studies on per-sonal story editing, researchers gathered a group of 40 college freshman at Duke University who were struggling academi-cally. Not only were they worried about grades, but they questioned whether they were intellectual equals to other students at their school.

The students were divided into inter-vention groups and control groups. Stu-dents in the intervention group were giv-en information showing that it’s common

for students to struggle in their freshman year. They watched videos of junior and senior college students who talked about how their own grades had improved as they adjusted to college.

The goal was to prompt students to edit their own narratives about college. Rather than thinking they weren’t cut out for college, they were encouraged to think that they just needed more time to adjust.

The results of this intervention, pub-lished in the Journal of Personality and So-cial Psychology, were startling. In the short term, the students who had undergone the story-changing intervention got better grades on a sample test. But the long-term results were the most impressive.

Students who had been prompted to change their personal stories improved their grade-point averages and were less likely to drop out over the next year than the students who received no information. In the control group, which had received no advice about grades, 20 per cent of the students had dropped out within a year. But in the intervention group, only 1 stu-dent — or just 5 per cent — dropped out.

In another study, Stanford researchers focused on African-American students who were struggling to adjust to college. Some of the students were asked to cre-ate an essay or video talking about col-lege life to be seen by future students. The study found that the students who took part in the writing or video received better grades in the ensuing months than those in a control group.

Another writing study asked married

couples to write about a conflict as a neu-tral observer. Among 120 couples, those who explored their problems through writing showed greater improvement in marital happiness than those who did not write about their problems.

“These writing interventions can really nudge people from a self-defeating way of thinking into a more optimistic cycle that reinforces itself,” said Timothy D. Wilson, University of Virginia psychology profes-sor and lead author of the Duke study.

Wilson, whose book Redirect: Chang-ing the Stories We Live By, was released in paperback this month, believes that while writing doesn’t solve every prob-lem, it can definitely help people cope.

“Writing forces people to reconstruct whatever is troubling them and find new meaning in it,” he said.

Much of the work on expressive writ-ing has been led by James Pennebaker, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. In one of his experiments, college students were asked to write for 15 min-utes a day about an important personal issue or superficial topics. Afterward, the students who wrote about personal is-sues had fewer illnesses and visits to the student health centre.

“The idea here is getting people to come to terms with who they are, where they want to go,” Pennebaker said. “I think of expressive writing as a life course correction.”

At the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, life coaches ask clients to identify their goals, then to

write about why they haven’t achieved those goals.

Once the client has written their old stories, they are asked to reflect on it and edit the narratives to come up with a new, more honest assessment. While the in-stitute doesn’t have long-term data, the intervention has produced strong anec-dotal results. In one example, a woman named Siri initially wrote in her “old story” that she wanted to improve her fit-ness, but as the primary breadwinner for her family she had to work long hours and already felt guilty about time spent away from her children.

With prompting, she eventually wrote a story, based on the same facts but with a more honest assessment of why she doesn’t exercise.“The truth is,” she wrote, “I don’t like to exercise, and I don’t value my health enough. I use work and the kids to excuse my lack of fitness.”

Intrigued by the evidence that sup-ports expressive writing, I decided to try it myself, with the help of Jack Groppel, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute.

Like Siri, I have numerous explana-tions for why I don’t find time for exer-cise. But once I started writing down my thoughts, I began to discover that by shifting priorities, I am able to make time for exercise.

“When you get to that confrontation of truth with what matters to you, it cre-ates the greatest opportunity for change,” Groppel said. -Tara Parker Pope/The New York Times

News Service

C8

EXTRAS U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 2 0 1 5

Some researchers

believe that by writing

and then editing our

own stories, we can

change our perceptions

of ourselves and

identify obstacles that

stand in the way of

better health

KARY Mullis, who won the 1993 Nobel Prize in chemistry, said, “Examples include the double helix in biology — You make observations, write theories to fit them, try experiments to disprove the theories and, if you can’t, you’ve got something.”

Yesterday we saw a deal in which a good trump fit increased the value of a hand. If one fit is good, just imagine what a double fit will do.

How would you and your partner bid today’s North-South hands? South opens one heart, and North raises to two hearts. (Yes, North has a maximum and the Losing Trick Count says that he is worth a game-invitational raise, but unless that diamond suit is useful, the hand will prove disappointing to partner. Starting with two hearts seems right to me.) What should happen after that?

South might jump to four hearts, but that is overly hasty. It is much better to rebid three diamonds. Yes, North will think that is a help-suit game-try, which might be made with a weaker suit, but South is interested in his partner’s diamond holding.

Here, North’s hand could not be better. Typically, he would either sign off in three hearts or jump to four hearts. Now, though, he should raise to four diamonds. This announces the delicious double fit. And South should see the expediency of bidding six diamonds, not six hearts, because the club ruff(s) will be in the shorter trump hand.

In six diamonds, South takes one spade, five hearts, five diamonds and a club ruff in his hand.

Note, though, that there are only 11 tricks with hearts as trumps.

Phillip Alder

C9

ENTERTAINMENT

A double fit is double the fun

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

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

S U N DAY, JA N UA RY 2 5, 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]

30 Ave. crossers32 “Bali —”33 Horse’s

“lunchbox”35 Inventory wd.36 Jungfrau or Eiger38 Guys39 Furtive whisper40 Jai —41 Part of Batman’s

garb42 Superman,

incognito44 Killer whale45 Hindu attire47 Mr. Brynner of

stage and film48 Vega rocket org.50 Cub Scout group

ACROSS 1 Pass the word 5 Small fry 8 To boot12 Helm position13 It’s easily deflated14 Shed tears15 Mountain goat16 Filbert18 Start the day20 Houston baseball

player21 Victim of Brutus24 Be in a state of

healthy beauty27 Fix a squeak28 CD preceders31 “Saving Private

—”32 Paul Newman role33 Like cheetahs34 Above, to poets35 Chess piece36 Shield of

mythology37 Cheat39 Crams and jams43 Elegant coiffures46 Like some vamps

(hyph.)49 Carpet nail

51 Like lumber52 Capitalise on53 Piece of land54 Lean to one side55 Vegas lead-in56 Earn

DOWN 1 — chi ch’uan 2 Isle of exile 3 Suggestive glance 4 Dictionary 5 Giggle (hyph.) 6 Turkish title 7 Donut qty. 8 Leather punches 9 Gave temporarily10 Boot jingler11 Dog in Beetle

Bailey17 British peer19 “Casablanca”

pianist22 Measure the

depth23 SOS response24 Good buddy25 Caustic substance26 Galley slave’s tool28 Drop behind29 Frat letter

C I N E M A S C H E D U L E

KASINATH REJIJanuary 25, 2012

SURILI MAHESHWARIJanuary 25, 2013

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C10

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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 12.24pm

Asr 3.31pm

Maghrib 5.53pm

Isha 7.07pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 5.32am

Sunset 5:48pm

Sunrise (Tomorrow) 6:50am

High tide 12:04pm 12:37am

Low tide 6.18pm 7:09am

OMAN

Max 24Min 14

Max 23Min 14

Max 23Min 15

Max 24Min 10

Max 23Min 17Max 23

Min 7

Max 23Min 11

Max 25 Min 16

Clear to partly cloudy skies over Musandam and south Sharqiya governorates and along the coastal areas of Oman Sea with chances of isolated rain over the Musandam

governorate, and chance of cloud development over Al-Hajar mountains during afternoon, while it is mainly clear over rest of the Sultanate.EXPECTED WIND: Along Oman Sea coasts and Arabian Sea wind will be northerly to northeasterly light to moderate while over rest of the Sultanate it will be northerly to northwesterlylight to moderate.

SEA STATE: Slight to moderate along the Arabian Sea coast with a maximum wave height of 1.5 metres and slight along the rest of Oman coasts with a maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during rain.THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate. Chance of low level clouds or fog patches during late night and early morning over Al-Buraimi governorate and along Oman Sea coast.

Max Min

GULFAbu Dhabi 24 15Doha 21 14Dubai 26 13Kuwait 23 9Manama 19 15Riyadh 24 9

WORLDAthens 16 7Baghdad 22 10Beijing 6 -5Berlin 3 1Boston 1 -11Cairo 22 14Colombo 32 23Frankfurt 4 -1Hong Kong 20 16Istanbul 13 8Johannesburg 29 18Kuala Lumpur 33 23Lisbon 16 7Paris 7 2Perth 23 17Singapore 29 24Tokyo 11 3Toronto -8 -13

WORLD

Max 4Min -5

Max 18Min 10

Max 9Min 4

Max 24Min 12

Max 27Min 14

Max 36Min 19

Max -7Min -12

Max 28Min 21

SUNDAYFLT NO ARRIVALS FROM ETA WY406 CAIRO 0005WY676 JEDDAH 0005WY682 RIYADH 0005WY648 KUWAIT 0010WY904 SALALAH 0015WY816 BANGKOK 0015WY824 KUALA LUMPUR 0055WY916 SALALAH 01504H583 DACCA 0200NL669 SIALKOT 0200TK776 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0300QR1132 DOHA 0345ET624 ADDIS ABABA 0350EK866 DUBAI 0355GF560 BAHRAIN 0405EY384 ABU DHABI 0405FZ041 DUBAI 0415WY324 KARACHI 0540WY686 RIYADH 0600WY902 SALALAH 06304H584 DOHA 0640WY638 ABU DHABI 0650WY658 BAHRAIN 0700WY668 DOHA 0710WY674 JEDDAH 0730WY602 DUBAI 0805WY202 BOMBAY 0815WY102 LONDON HEATHROW 0820FZ043 DUBAI 0850WY274 JAIPUR 0855NL768 LAHORE 0900G9114 SHARJAH 0915WY236 HYDERABAD 0920WY242 DELHI 0920WY226 COCHIN 0930EK862 DUBAI 0940WY252 MADRAS 0940WY212 TRIVANDRUM 0940WY346 ISLAM ABBAD 0955QR1128 DOHA 1010EY382 ABU DHABI 1015IX549 TRIVANDRUM 1020WY3302 MUKHAIZNA 1045WY282 BANGALORE 1100WY3922 DUQUM OMAN 1105WY604 DUBAI 1110G9841 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120WY372 COLOMBO 1130FZ037 DUBAI 1200WY424 BEIRUT 1205IX337 CALICUT 1210PK223 PESHAWAR 1220WY606 DUBAI 1330WY918 KHASAB 1440WY906 SALALAH 1445WY812 BANGKOK 1525WY656 BAHRAIN 1530WY632 ABU DHABI 1535FZ045 DUBAI 1555WY204 BOMBAY 1710WY292 CALICUT 1720WY610 DUBAI 1730WY246 DELHI 1730WY264 LUCKNOW 1735WY232 HYDERABAD 1740WY664 DOHA 1745QR1126 DOHA 1745GF564 BAHRAIN 1810WY3306 MUKHAIZNA 1845G9116 SHARJAH 1915WY254 MADRAS 1920TG507 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1935FZ047 DUBAI 1945WY434 TEHRAN 2000WY614 DUBAI 2030WY914 SALALAH 2035WY386 MALE 2110WY152 ZURICH 2110WY312 CHITTAGONG 2115WY116 FRANKFURT 2115WY124 MUNICH 2115KL441 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120WY144 MALPENSA 2120AI973 DELHI 2125WY624 DUBAI 21256.00E+81 BOMBAY 2130WY134 PARIS 2130WY414 AMMAN 2135FZ049 DUBAI 2145AI907 MADRAS 2200QR1134 DOHA 2210UL205 COLOMBO 2225GF566 BAHRAIN 2240EY388 ABU DHABI 2250BA073 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2255WY908 SALALAH 2305AI985 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310WY648 KUWAIT 2315LX242 ZURICH-DUBAI 23209W540 BOMBAY 2325WY654 BAHRAIN 2330LH618 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330WY612 DUBAI 2335WY696 DAMMAM 2350WY910 SALALAH 2355WY928 SALALAH 2355WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

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

FLT NO DEPARTURES TO ETD AI986 BOMBAY 0005LX243 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020BA072 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 00259W539 BOMBAY 0025LH619 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050WY685 RIYADH 0105WY811 BANGKOK 0105WY323 KARACHI 0105WY211 TRIVANDRUM 0110WY251 MADRAS 0110WY201 BOMBAY 0120WY225 COCHIN 0125WY235 HYDERABAD 0135WY273 JAIPUR 0140WY601 DUBAI 0150WY341 LAHORE 0150WY151 ZURICH 0155WY241 DELHI 0155WY281 BANGALORE 0200WY423 BEIRUT 0200WY657 BAHRAIN 0205WY637 ABU DHABI 0205WY371 COLOMBO 0210WY123 MUNICH 0210WY133 PARIS 0215WY115 FRANKFURT 0215WY667 DOHA 0220WY143 MALPENSA 0225WY345 ISLAM ABBAD 02504H584 DUBAI-DACCA 0300NL772 PESHAWAR 0330TK777 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0350ET625 ADDIS ABABA 0450EK867 DUBAI 0455FZ042 DUBAI 0510QR1133 DOHA 0520EY385 ABU DHABI 0525WY3301 MUKHAIZNA 0715WY3921 DUQUM OMAN 07204H584 DACCA 0740GF561 BAHRAIN 0745WY903 SALALAH 0800WY603 DUBAI 0800WY291 CALICUT 0920WY263 LUCKNOW 0920FZ044 DUBAI 0935WY245 DELHI 0955WY231 HYDERABAD 0955G9115 SHARJAH 1005WY905 SALALAH 1030WY203 BOMBAY 1030NL769 LAHORE 1030WY605 DUBAI 1030WY253 MADRAS 1040WY311 CHITTAGONG 1040WY717 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045EK863 DUBAI 1055EY383 ABU DHABI 1105IX554 TRIVANDRUM 1110WY655 BAHRAIN 1110QR1129 DOHA 1115WY3303 MUKHAIZNA 1115WY917 KHASAB 1140WY331 KATHMANDU 1205G9842 RAS AL KHAIMA 1210WY631 ABU DHABI 1225IX350 CALICUT 1310FZ038 DUBAI 1315PK224 PESHAWAR 1320WY663 DOHA 1330WY413 AMMAN 1330WY101 LONDON HEATHROW 1330WY433 TEHRAN 1340WY927 SALALAH 1415WY609 DUBAI 1420WY405 CAIRO 1430WY3305 MUKHAIZNA 1515WY675 JEDDAH 1630WY913 SALALAH 1630FZ046 DUBAI 1700WY613 DUBAI 1700WY623 DUBAI 1820WY681 RIYADH 1845QR1127 DOHA 1845WY907 SALALAH 1850GF565 BAHRAIN 1855WY647 KUWAIT 1900WY661 DOHA 1900WY695 DAMMAM 1910WY653 BAHRAIN 1910WY909 SALALAH 1940G9117 SHARJAH 2005WY611 DUBAI 2025WY635 ABU DHABI 2030FZ048 DUBAI 2040TG508 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2040WY825 KUALA LUMPUR 2110WY915 SALALAH 2135FZ050 DUBAI 2225KL442 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230WY817 BANGKOK 22356.00E+82 BOMBAY 2245AI908 MADRAS 2300AI974 DELHI 2310QR1135 DOHA 2320GF567 BAHRAIN 2325UL206 COLOMBO 2335EY381 ABU DHABI 2350WY673 JEDDAH 2350WY901 SALALAH 2350WY671 MEDINA 2350

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

A I R L I N E S

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

BORN today, you have tremendous stores of creative energy that can always be counted on to propel you further than you might ever hope to go — provided you are engaged in an endeavor that truly allows you to make the best use of your copious talents. Apply yourself in such a way, stay focused and always use your skills for good rather than ill, and you’re sure to proceed directly to the threshold of success. Once you cross that threshold, you’re likely to stay there for quite some time. Indeed, when you find yourself at the top, you’ll be reluctant to give up your place for anything!

You keep track of talent, and you like knowing who your closest competitors are — though you never see competition as something that leaves losers out and favors only the winners. On the contrary, competition, to you, is the very thing that inspires, motives and keeps one going.

Also born on this date are: Alicia Keys, singer; Patrick Willis, football player; Robert Burns, poet; Virginia Woolf, writer; Dean Jones, actor; Tobe Hooper, director; Corazon Aquino, Philippine president; Edwin Newman, television journalist.

You don’t want to do something the easy way simply because it is easy. You want to do it in the best way possible.

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 begin to enjoy the fruits of recent labours, but only after you are able to put aside distractions of all kinds.

You’ll be able to learn a thing or two from watching someone else, even though he or she may not be an expert in any way.

You are able to get yourself reconnected in some way. Are you harboring any doubts about what should come next?

Inner strength is something you’ll have to assess as you move through the day, as it is likely to ebb and flow rather dramatically.

You’re trying to get yourself more closely aligned with things as they are supposed to be, but that might be difficult.

The unfamiliar provides you with much that is worth study. How you got involved may not be clear to you at first, but it will be, eventually.

What you need may not be the same as what you want. However, you may get the chance to satisfy both need and desire.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20]

I

Even the best-laid plans go awry, and this will be brought home for you in a way that actually has you laughing when all is said and done.

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]

Less is more, but that may not be clear to you just now. What it means, however, will start to make sense further down the line.

You may not be quite as experienced as another, but the mere fact that you are taking part says a lot about your desire.

You may be asked by those in charge to do what no one else can — or is it that you’re the only one who will do it without complaining?

-www.met.gov.om

Tropical forests store huge amounts of carbon. When their trees are cut or burned, the carbon

is eventually released into the at-mosphere, mixing with oxygen to form the long-lasting greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The pace of deforestation is so great today that it accounts for an estimated 12-15 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions annually. The rate of cutting, burning and clear-ing shows no signs of abating.

Economic forces drive this de-struction — for timber, rangeland, mining and development. But there is also a powerful economic argu-ment for preservation. Forests’ carbon reserves can be monetised and sold as offsets to greenhouse gas emitters who need them to comply with regulatory emissions limits, or who voluntarily want to reduce their carbon footprint.

These offsets typically are sold by utilities or other industrial companies that have reduced their emissions below a government-imposed cap. The offsets equal the emissions below the cap; their price is determined by supply and demand. The buyers are compa-nies whose emissions are above

the cap; the offsets are subtract-ed from their excess emissions, enabling them to avoid penalties. There is also a voluntary market where companies and individuals buy offsets to reduce their carbon footprint. The revenue is used to finance energy efficiency and oth-er projects to reduce emissions.

These markets are booming, with trades each year in the tens of billions of dollars. But a poten-tial pool of offsets has been largely left off the table — offsets that rep-resent carbon emissions avoided by not destroying tropical forests. These were difficult to value be-cause there was no way to accu-rately quantify the carbon savings. Nor were there reliable, trans-parent systems to ensure these forests would remain standing or that proceeds would be returned to local communities.

For those reasons, the Euro-pean Union, which has the world’s largest system for trading carbon offsets, has not allowed offsets for what’s known as avoided deforesta-tion. Other carbon markets, like the one run by the California Air Re-sources Board, are considering it.

The objections are now being addressed. In recent years, accu-

rate and inexpensive techniques have been developed to quantify and verify carbon emissions that would be avoided by not destroy-ing forests. Credible mechanisms for indemnifying offset credits will always be protected even if the specific acre behind the credit is destroyed) and returning the pro-ceeds from the sale of the offsets to local communities have also been devised. A new system that com-bines all of those components and biodiversity conservation, known as the Rainforest Standard, which we and 60 other scientists, law-yers and businesspeople have developed, is now being tested in South America to safeguard a 1.6-million-acre forest.

Although this expanse is des-ignated a “protected area,” it has only four guards. This is not

unusual. In the Amazon and else-where, there’s not enough money to adequately safeguard protected forests from threats like illegal logging and ranching. This is where forest offsets can make a real difference. Allowing them to be traded would give carbon re-serves tangible value that could be sold for real money, which could be used to protect these biologi-

cally diverse forests. The added benefit is that saving a tropical forest of, say, a million acres would prevent roughly 367 million tons of carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere, where some of it would remain for thousands of years.

In our pilot project, a major corporation has agreed to buy one million offset credits over 20 years. All of the money will under-write a trust fund to manage and protect the forest and help local communities develop sustainable livelihoods such as eco-tourism, fish farming and beekeeping.

A second, smaller project has just started in Southeast Asia, and we are working to replicate these projects elsewhere.

Corporations in growing num-bers understand what’s at stake.

In September, 40 major compa-nies, including Kellogg and Nestlé, pledged to cut tropical deforesta-tion in half by 2020 and stop it en-tirely by 2030. The group included some of the largest companies han-dling palm oil, which vow to impose tough standards on production, limiting activities that are devas-tating old-growth tropical forests, especially in Southeast Asia.

Offsets, whether compulsory or voluntary, can be another tool for protecting tropical forests. The European Union and other car-bon markets should reconsider their policies. These forests can have a worth beyond the value of their plunder as governments and industries turn to market-based solutions to slow the warming of our planet. -Don Melnick, Mary Fiels, James

Warfiels/The New York Times News Service

C11


The pace of deforestation is so great

today that it accounts for an estimated 12-15

per cent of global carbon dioxide

emissions annually

VANISHING TROPICAL FORESTS

of annual

global carbon dioxide

emission is credited to

deforesetation

12-15%

Climate impacts development of human speech

FINDING A correlation between climate and the evolution of language, researchers say that languages with complex tones are much more likely to occur in the world’s humid regions. Similarly, languages with simple tone occur more frequently in desiccated regions, whether frigid areas or dry deserts. Researchers found that many languages of the world use tone or pitch to give meaning to their words. “it changes a bit our understanding of how languages evolve,” said Ev-erett, associate professor of anthropology at University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, and lead investigator. -IANS

STUDY

C12


Who determinesthe expiry dates of food items?

With fresh items, bacteria growth can be estimat-ed by using an e x p o n e n t i a l

equation. Very similar to calcu-lating radiation half-life, but with an upward swing on the graph (see that damn algebra is good for something, so write a thank you to your school teacher).

Bacteria isn’t the only limiting factor. Raspberries will melt into a fungus goo in a week while carrots seem to have this ability to go bad after an amount of time best cal-culated in dog years. So the item itself by its nature is going to affect the outcome.

Since the maths assumes a uni-form starting number of bacteria, it isn’t perfect and won’t be 100 per cent unless the item is pasteurised, such as milk. These dates should be pretty accurate and have always been in my experience.

Canned foods are sterilised while being processed and seem to last for as long as someone is brave enough to eat them. I’ve heard sto-ries of those emergency supplies lasting for decades. Its limiting factor is the slow chemical reac-tions of the food itself.

Since the only reason a sane person would eat 20-year-old canned beans is an apocalypse, and that’s what it is for, you could theoretically live long enough to wish you bought fresher food.

And let’s not forget preserva-tives. Produce, also, can have genes to avoid pests and increase shelf life. So the expression ‘ap-ples to apples’ isn’t really true any more. I have had them go bad fast (farmers’ market) or had them last forgotten in the back of the fridge (literally from a hotel desk) six-plus months.

It surely will come down to an educated guess and then a low-

tech fridge test. Basically putting the item in numerous settings and then checking up on it to try to keep accuracy. The more pack-aged it is the better triangulated the date will be.

Chris Carlson, studentGenerally, when we establish the shelf life of a product, it’s based on the result of putting the product into the conditions it’s going to experience sitting on a store shelf — temperature, light, etc.

We’ll taste the product peri-odically up until the point it’s starting to go bad (from a taste perspective – if a product is going to fail due to microbiological con-tamination, it’s going to happen in days/weeks, not six months down the road).

Once it starts to go bad, we’ll subtract off a safety margin, and that becomes the shelf life.— Ben Johnson/The Independent

Canned foods are sterilised while being processed and seem to last for as long as someone is brave enough to eat them.Its limiting factor is the slow chemical reactions of the food itself

SRK’s reality TV show set to go live on March 2

THE NEWEST entrant in the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) space, will go on air March 2, also marking the launch of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s new reality TV show India Poochega… Sabse Shana Kaun? The show will be aired every Monday to Friday at 9.00 pm (Indian time). The new channel promises to celebrate the spirit of living through its wide ar-ray of fiction, non-fiction shows,

Bollywood movies and marquee events. The content line-up includes a mix of fiction shows like Razia Sultan, Begusarai, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai?. However, the highpoint of the channel is India Poochega - Sabse Shaana Kaun?, a game show adapted from the Who’s Asking? international format. The show, pro-duced by Big Synergy, will challenge conventions and it will give more power to the common man as the ‘Asker’ as well as the ‘Contestant’.

Acting is in Akshara Haasan’s blood: Dhanush

ACTOR Dhanush says debutant Akshara Haasan has the most challenging role in their forthcom-ing film Shamitabh, but she has pulled it off convincingly because acting is in her blood. “Of all the roles, Akshara has the most chal-lenging part in the film. I don’t think she ever struggled to pull it off as acting runs in her blood,” Dhanush told IANS. Akshara is the daughter of veteran actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika. Shamitabh,

slated for release on February 6, also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan, and it is directed by R. Balakrishnan. On working with Big B, Dhanush said: “I never expected I’d get an opportu-nity to work with him. There’s nothing more to add when you’re working with a legend because everything is so special.”

Thought I’d get typecast in Bollywood: Taapsee Pannu

ACTRESS Taapsee Pannu is glad that she landed a role in Baby as she feared getting typecast in “col-lege girl” roles in Bollywood. “After Chashme Baddoor, I was getting the same kind of college girl role offers. I thought I will get typecast in Bollywood and will not get any-thing else. So I thought before I get stamped for doing similar roles, I should do Baby. I’m glad I did this film,” Taapsee told IANS. Directed by Neeraj Pandey, the film features

Akshay Kumar, Rana Daggubati and Anupam Kher, and it tackles the theme of terrorism.

Subhash Ghai turns 70, shares love for writing

ON HIS 70th birthday Saturday, writer-filmmaker Subhash Ghai, credited with movies like Karz, Hero, Karma, Saudagar, Khalnay-ak, Pardes and Taal, has spoken fondly of his lesser known talent as a lyricist. He says penning poet-ry comes from the experience of writing scripts and dialogues for films, automatically. “Actually, as a writer I wrote the story of the film (Yaadein), script and the dia-logues. When a dialogue writer

writes the script, automatically the poetry comes from dia-logues. When words (are) strung together, you can create po-etry from dialogues,” Ghai said during a radio interview on a 92.7 BIG FM show. -IANS

BOLLYWOOD

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

S U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 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

Bowsher signal Shop suitable

for hotel/supermarket is available

for rent.pls contact on 97749285/

96252684

Offices space available min.120 upto

max. 142 sqm, with data cable, pan-

try, cassette AC, parking, @ RO. 4/-

per/sqm at Jibroo Muttrah. Contact:

93221054, 99229263, 95215289

4 bedrooms Deluxe Villa available

at Al Khoud-6. (2Nos.) for 450/- per

month each. Contact: 93221054,

99229263, 95215289

Flat for rent for family, 2 bedrooms,

1 hall, 2 bathrooms at Al Amerat.

Contact 99598264 / 99329949

1 BHK / 2 BHK flats available at

Darsait near Medical.

Contact 24705742 / 24705639

Huge 2 bedrooms apartment,

Al Khuwair for rent immediately.

Contact 95631834 / 91335205

2 bedrooms flats available at

Ghubrah, near Grand Mall, close to

Atlas Hospital, next to Diwan’s office.

Contact 24562526, 99833747

For rent new flat in Wadi Adai.

Contact 99345137

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land

in Misfah Industrial area near to

Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. It has

Electricity and boundary wall.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

3 bedroom residential villa in Al

Khuwair near to Zakher Mall. Has

shaded car park. Can be used for

office or other commercial purposes.

OMR 690 Monthly. Tel: 99333479 or

95215360

Ghubrah, 2 BHK, 3 bath new build-

ing, rent RO 380/- per month.

Contact 98266157

Flat deluxe in Al Amerat Mahaj 4, 3

rooms with 3 toilets.

Contact 99672604

Luxurious flat with AC’s, 2 bed-

rooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen with

store & family hall. # 93366421

2 bedroom fully furnished luxurious

flat for rent at Ghala for long term or

short term basis. Contact 97762321

1, 2, 3, BHK in Al khuwair.

Contact 99792181

2 BHK in Bowsher, Ghobra.

Contact 99792181

1 & 2 BHK in Ruwi. Contact 99792181

180 Sqr mtrs Showroom in CBD.

Contact 99792181

100 &190 Sqr Mtrs office space in

Alkhuwair. Contact 99792181

New 4 Bhk Villa in Madhinat Ilham.

Contact 99792181

For store, workshop in Wadi Kabir

Industrial Area 5/5 m.

Contact 99374977

Flat, Al Ghubrah near Indian School,

2 BHK , RO 325, family only, 3 bath-

room, living room. Contact 92479515

D2 S U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

2 bedrooms flat with hall,

2 bathrooms in Darsait near

Muscat Municipality.

Contact 24700120, 92584715

2 shops, store accommodation,

Barka Sanayya opposite Al Khalili.

Contact 92423401

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

Studio, Al Athaibah, ground floor,

1 BHK, hall, 2 bathrooms, family only.

RO 250/-. Contact 92479515

Villa Al Athaibah near Oman post,

3 BHK hall, living room, maids room,

split A/c, family only, RO 600/-.

Contact 92479515

Office space for rent in Ruwi,

OMR 500. Contact 91120552

Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact 99003626

One bedroom flat, Muttrah,

Corniche. Contact 99414644

1 BHK with A/C, Al Ghubrah,

RO 275/-. Contact 92144045

Family villa & flats at Al Ansab and

Awabi. Contact 98458542

2 BHK flats Muttrah near Oman

House. Contact 97007934 /

92629232

1 BHK at Ghobrah - Near Indian

School. Contact: 99014885

Al Qurum heights Sea view.

# 99249069 / 92888376/ 93201688

3 flats in Mabellah for rent.

Contact 99445177

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 in Darsait. Contact 99326879

New bldg 3 BR flats located at

Darsait, Muscat close to Kims Pvt

Hospital. Contact 92020004 /

99800838

Office space & store, CBD 20059.

Contact 99024730

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

For rent at Al Khuwair, 4 bedrooms,

3 bathrooms, sitting, dining, kitchen

split A/C near Rawasco, 1st floor.

Rent 480 PDC. Contact 99879939

2 BHK, Darsait near Kims Hospital.

Contact 99024730

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

Flat for rent Ghubrah South, ground

floor flat, 3 bedrooms, majlis, family

hall, RO 425/-. Contact 94669711

2 BHK Commercial, Al Khuwair,

RO 375/-. Contact 92144045

6 shops in Mabela Industrial Area.

Each Front Shop OMR 400 and Side

Shop OMR 300Monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Fully furnished one bedroom

penthouse Wadi Kabir behind Sana

Hassan, weekly RO.140/- Monthly

RO 350/- Contact – 99349990

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

Family room available for rent at

Muttrah Souq. Contact 24712088 /

99022790

Flat, shops, basement, Ruwi-MBD

Area, Honda Road.

Contact 96942749, 92433127

2 BHK, Al Khuwair. #99024730

Spacious well maintained 2 BHK at

Rex Road from 1st February.

Contact 92227165

2 BHK flat for rent RO.350/- at

Al Khuwair near Sultan Taimur

Mosque. Contact – 98893294

Office space with cassette type A/C’s

with free internet at al Khuwair near

KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330

2 BHK, CBD. 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. # 99024730

Flat for Rent in Ruwi, Bareeq

Shatti, Mawalah.Contact 92521080,

98899916

6 bedroom villas at Al Ansab

(nr Express highway).

Contact 99199365

Villas & flats & stores. Contact

99776071 / 99057348

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

Villa, ground floor in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99743569, 97004265

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

1 BHK with attached toilet & bath-

room behind Bank Muscat at

Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290,

24815012

1 BHK residential flat at Honda road.

2 BHK residential flat opposite to

Al Nahdha hospital. Contact93219590

Flat for rent 2 bedrooms one hall in

South Al Hail. RO 270.

Contact 93221474

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

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.

We have 3 BHK apartment in Al

Khuwair 28 Muna Complex with

swimming pool, gym, covered car

parking, prime location, good for

European & Indian Families. Contact

93782735 / 99208033

We have 2 BHK flats in Ghala, 2 BHK

offices in Ghala, 100 SQM open space

office in Ghala. Full furnished office in

Ghala, 4 BHK villa in Al Khuwair 33. #

93782735 / 99208033

We have 2 BHK luxury flats with 3

toilets in Ghala for rent, very spa-

cious, building on main road, huge

parking, good for families, 20 flats

available. # 93782735 / 99208033

We have 3 BHK flat in Ghubah North

close to sea with balcony, very nice

location. #93782735 / 99208033

DAILY GUIDES U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 5 D3

FOR RENT FOR SALE

2 BHK at Al Azaiba, Building No.5145

Way 4470. Contact 99224748,

99425665

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

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]

Industrial Land in Misfah.

Contact 93009999

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 Apart-

ment @ Al Khuwair 33 Near Zaker Mall.

3 Bedroom Furnished executive apart-

ment @ 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 Bedroom Unfurnished Villa

@ An Apartment 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. #99888400

New Villa for Rent Two floors

newly built villa in Maabillah, 8 Full-

fledged Residential Area 6 Rooms, 8

Toilets, excellent finishing spacious

Kitchen, Big Dining Rooms in Both

Floors, Easy Access to Muscat and

Sohar using Maabillah Bridge.

Contact 92828303

2 BR, 2 toilets, kitchen at

Al Mawaleh. #99444786, 99747560

Building material shop for sale.

Opp Mars Hypermarket, Al Ghubrah.

Contact 99881647 / 93797343

For sale carpentry workshop with

labor clearance in Wadi Al Kabir.

Contact 99345137

2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with

40 ton petrol tank each working at

the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR

35 Thousand each. Tel: 97000155 or

92688692

Used first class office furniture for

immediate sale. 3 Office Tables +

Side Tables, Steel cabinets, Confer-

ence Table + Chairs etc. Excellent

condition. Ideal for small start ups.

Contact: 92193885

Sales of Indian Schools girls uni-

form readymade, stitching facility,

contact our showroom : Fashion

park, opp. Happy Centre, Ruwi.

Contact 95717201 / 95331600,

Email : [email protected]

Dental clinic for sale in

Sohar. Contact immediately

99705760,92625962

Well running fast food and coffee

shop for sale or rent in Al Khuwair.

Contact 97646492

Sale of used commercial kitchen

equipment in Ghala.

Contact 99024519

600 sq mtrs residential land in Mis-

fah Phase 2. OMR 25 Thousand.

Tel : 99333479 or 95215360

Sinaw Gift House & Shopping

Center for sale at Sinaw in good

condition, with very good business

opportunities. Contact 99738014,

95652642

Good running boutique and ladies

tailoring shop in MBD Area for im-

mediate sale. Contact 95123679,

99885298

Toshiba Laptop I 3, 3 GB ram, 500 GB

hard disk with graphics card, in very

good condition. Contact 94412557

Running Medical Centre with

full equipments is available for

sale. Those interested can contact

98994208.

If you have any empty land, plot,

building, villa to sell. Contact with all

information : [email protected]

Restaurant for leasing/sale in

Al Hail. Contact 94148970,

94148972, 97820877

Beauty Salon, Wadi Kabir, Al Hassan

Co. Contact 95241147, 96700192

Darsait Business Office furniture,

Isuzu 4 ton brand new.

Contact 91391363

A/C spares shop for sale in Seeb.

Contact 92693304 / 91445876

Villa for sale in new Al Khoudh.

Contact 99778773

Port cabins – New & refurnished

Porta cabin for sale and rent.

Contact 96723468

Clinic for sale. Contact 99824232,

email : modern.medicalclinic@gmail.

com

23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land

with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479

or 95215360

A newly opened Barber Shop for

sale at upcoming industrial zone

in Misfah. Expat leaving Oman.

Genuine buyers call 93833107

(Sale Price Negotiable)

New fully equipped 2 chair dental

clinic in Seeb area for immediate

sale. MOH approved. #94514045

Running Workshop for Tiles /

Marble & Granite cutting & skirting

in Wadi Kabir for immediate sale.

Contact 99105492

Household items on sale.

Contact 93833107

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

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

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

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. #96789522

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text,

should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability

ACC. AVAILABLE

ACC. AVAILABLE

Sharing room with A/c and attached

toilet available for non cooking

bachelors for male/ Female. opp. of

Al nada hospital service road, Street

name- Hellat Al Saad, bldg.no. 1670.

Contact no. 96913801

Ghubrah furnished room with

attached bath, dish, wi-fi available for

executive person. Contact 98266157

Furnished room with AC for expat,

Al Khuwair. Contact 99689315 /

97004265

Room available in Ruwi near Badr

Al Samaa for Executive bachelor or

couple, RO 125/- including W/E.

Contact 92196783

Furnished sharing one room with

bath at Darsait near ISM.

Contact 95257213

1 room balcony toilet for Indian lady

/ small family near Khimji Institute

(NIIT) near Ruwi Church.

Contact # 99746379

Independent room, kitchen and

bathroom available near Ruwi

roundabout. Contact 99016562

4 bedrooms house and one bedroom

attached bathroom sharing

kitchen in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 96639246

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

Furnished single room with sepa-

rate bathroom near al meera hyper-

market, azaiba. Gsm 94288863

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]

I am looking for a VCR Video for a

price. Please call me if you have one

in stock. Contact 99291154

We are looking for construction

company at any level to buy.

Contact 97413496

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

location). Contact 91155779

BUYING/SELLING

WANTED

Urgently Required 5000 used

shuttering Jacks for Construction

Company. Contact: 92867677

ACC.WANTED

Single room or studio flat required

in Ruwi area. Contact : 95405033

Independent rooms in Qurum/

Al Hail. Contact 95529970

Furnished single room with

attached bathroom near Mars

Hypermarket, Al Ghubrah.

Contact 97312111, RO 150/-

per month

Independent room furnished

Executive at Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99336206

Rooms for rent in Al Hail, front of

the Wave. Contact 95192927

Room with separate toilet and WiFi,

Wadi Kabir near pencil building.

Contact 93416854

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

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Kattakampal Kumaran Sudhakumaran (holder of Indian

Passport No. K3696055) son of

K.V.Kumaran having permanent ad-

dress in Kattakampal House, Kat-

takampal, P.O, Thrissur Dt Kerala-

India (complete postal address in

India) and presently residing in

P.O. Box 34, P.C 114, Jibroo Mut-

trah, Sultanate of Oman (complete

postal address in Oman) intend to

change my name from Kattakam-

pal Kumaran Sudhakumaran (old

name) to Kattakampal Kumaran

Sudhakaran (new name) for all

practical purposes. Any objection

towards my name change may

please be communicated to

Embassy of India, Muscat,

Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair,

P.B. No 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi,

Sultanate of Oman.

DAILY GUIDED4 S U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT

MEDICAL

MEDICAL

SITUATION WANT-ED

SIT. WANTED

Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

ADMIN/HR

ENGINEERS

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

Masters in Law, MBA in HR, expe-

rienced and highly qualified lady

Indian nationality looking for job in

Admin or as Legal Advisor in reputed

firms. Contact 92595933

Indian female Graduation in

computer Science having 2 yrs

experience in Oman seeking for

suitable job in Admin/HR,


or contact 92014628

Post Graduate Indian male, MBA

(Hospital Administration) hav-

ing 4 Years experience in hospital

administration looking for suitable

placement. Currently on visit.

Contact: 96701543, 92945632

HR & Admin Assistant, 26 yrs

Indian male having 6+Yrs of experi-

ence looking for suitable position.

Contact 93264616

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

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

MANAGER

ARCHI./ DRAUGHTSMAN

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

Wanted Pharmacist (B.Pharm), Staff Nurses (female), Dental Tech-nician (Acrylic, Ceramic & veneer

experience), with or without MOH

license for a polyclinic near Sohar.

Excellent Salary package. Contact

99006915, [email protected]

Wanted female physiotherapist with MOH License. Send CV at Email

: [email protected]

DESIGNER

DESIGNER

DOMESTIC HELPER

DOMESTIC HELPER

AutoCAD Interior Designer / de-

tailer, 9 yrs GCC experience seeking

for a suitable opening in a reputed

company, NOC available from current

employer. Contact 92110589

Indian female, 25yrs Bsc-

FASHION DESIGNING, 3yers

experience in designing field and

teaching. looking for a sutable

placement. Contact: 98785310.

Email: [email protected]

A reputed Catering Company in

Muscat urgently requires Omani heavy truck (Freezer) drivers – 4 yrs experience with PDO license

will mostly be preferred. Interested

candidates send CV to :

email : [email protected] or

fax : 24478123, GSM : 99869949 /

95892831

Wanted driver. Contact 95112461

DRIVER

BEAUTY

We are looking for a part time accountant for our office . Must

have knowledge of Tally soft ware

. Working hour is flexible , but not

after 5 pm .Please contact by e-

mail : [email protected] /

mobile + 968 99338105

Required experienced Account-ant Tally, excellent English &

driving license. Contact –

[email protected] /

24497762 / 92192510

ADMIN

MECHANICAL

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]

Indian male having 14 years

of experience in Various dept.

(stockbroking Dealing, Back Office

Accounts, Dmat, Settlement, Risk

management, Maintaining Books of

accounts ETC).Having Good Com-

puter Knowledge seeking suitable

placement. # +91 9820240094

Email Id: [email protected],

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]

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]

Required laboratory technician &

4 nurse Filipina (female) for health

center in Sohar. Contact: 92369417,


Wanted Female Staff Nurse with

MOH Licence/Prometric passed can-

didates (immediate placement)for a

Medical Clinic in Muscat area

Contact :+ 968 98185250

e mail:[email protected]

Wanted Physiotherapist and Lab Technician to work in medical cent-

er in AlSeeb. Contact 99023006

Required the following staffs for a

medical complex in Salalah urgently

1) Female Gynecologist, Arab Nationality, 2) Male Pharmacist, Indian, 3) Lab Technician, Indian. Those interested kindly

contact 97413418, 92732491.

Please send your resume to

[email protected]

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

Urgently required a GP Doctor with MOH license for a leading Med-

ical Clinic. # 92008272 / 96602188,


SALES / MARKETING

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Male Indian, 22 yrs, B.Sc, Com-

puter science on visit valid upto

10/02/2015 looking for a suitable

placement. Contact 92579790

Accountant, Indian Male, B.Com,

MBA presently working in Oman

since 9 yrs having suitable change,

NOC/Release available. #94134085,


Indian Male, MBA, B.com Hav-

ing 7 yrs of experience in finance

Department (Trading & Logistics)

with knowledge of ERP & Tally, and

Oman valid D/L. NOC is available

looking for suitable Position contact

No.99279626 Email ID:

[email protected]

Indian male, BE MBA PMP having

20 yrs exp in Civil Residential Com-

mercial Infra Construction and con-

tract management looking for role in

Project / Program Management. NOC

available. Contact 94634053

Accounts Manager, 8 yrs experi-

ence in trade, construction and real

estate looking for suitable place-

ment. Contact 94669596

Indian male, B.Com with 2 yrs Oman

exp & 4.5 yrs Accounts exp looking

for suitable placement in Accounts

with NOC letter. Email :

[email protected]

Part time Accounts & Finalization

job. Contact 96536955

Pakistani Male MBA having 4 years

experience in Accounting looking

for job.NOC Available. # 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. #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

Male, 4 yrs of experience as Finan-

cial Analyst looking for suitable

position. Contact 94140728

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, Taxa-

tion Management.#95857199

Finance Manager, CPA, with more

than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC.

Fully knowledgeable in Finance,

General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331

28 yrs Indian male, M.Arch, 3.5 yrs

exp in Green Building Architecture

seeking placement. #91540113,


AutoCAD jobs, Preparing Working/

Shop Drawings & Civil Quantity Sur-

veying jobs. Contact : 92758095

Male Accouuntant required in

Ghala. Candidates present

in Oman only. # 99454425,


A well reputed fabrication &

machining workshop Company in

Oman requires experienced

(5 yrs) Machinist in Milling,

turning & surface grinding.

Contact 99228046,


Urgently required AC Mechanic. Contact 97075347 / 99747684

Required part time web designer

with experience in CMS

background. Send your CV &

sample work to

[email protected]

Urgently required Interior Designer qualified with minimum

5 yrs experience, capable to execute

internal / external decorations to work

for a leading construction company.


or fax : 24479675

European woman looking for

someone to look after baby.

Contact 99797290

European Family looking for maid and or cook. Email: [email protected]

Brand new restaurant requires: Restaurant Managers – Degree

/ Diploma in Hotel Manage-

ment with minimum 5/6 yrs Gulf

experience. Omani / Yamani cook

minimum 5 yrs experience.

Interested candidates send CV to :

Email : [email protected] or

fax : 24478123, GSM : 95892831

Required driver with car, looking

for a person with experience in

making gift boxes and special

packing. Send CV to

[email protected]

Urgently required a dynamic Marketing Executive for a furniture

company. Should posses a valid

Omani Driving License. #97164554 /

[email protected]

Urgently needed, Projects Sales Executives (3), Store Helpers (2), kitchen carpenters (2), Office Assistants/Secretary (2) (All male only) for a leading building

material trading company. Candi-

dates with right education, experi-

ence and D/L (Sales), please email

CV to [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

Accounts part time works upto fina-

lization & finalization works.

Contact 96247295

Accountant / Auditor, Srilankan

male 27, having 3+ yrs experience

looking for suitable placement.

Contact 93556320

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


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,


Urgently required Beautician visa available. Contact 97172334

Wanted Accountant part time job

in Company,

email : [email protected],

[email protected]

Highly reputed Perfume Company requires Omani Sales girl promoters. Contact 95663682, 92956876 Required an experienced person who has ideas to start a new

business in electrical field or supply

with minimum cost.

Contact 99426421

SALES / MARKETING

Opportunities for Logistics StaffAgility, a leading international logistics company, is

seeking to recruit an experienced & knowledgeable

candidate for its Oman operations for the below vacancy.

Position will be at Muscat.

Assistant Manager Freight Forwarding OperationsBachelor’s Degree

Excellent communication, interpersonal and

negotiation skills

Ability to prioritize, Organize and accomplish tasks

within specified deadlines

8 - 10 years of relevant experience in leading Multinational

Freight Forwarding companies, with sound knowledge of

freight route & carriers.

Ability to manage a team of 5-6 members and prior

experience in leading a team

Extensive exposure to Air, Ocean & Road Freight

products in GCC

Proficiency in attending to RFQ’s and freight tenders

Experience in projects handling would be an added

advantage

Should hold a valid GCC driving license

Interested candidates may send your cv to [email protected] quoting the position in subject line or alternatively fax to 24583344.

House driver for Salalah. Contact

95600011, 99081190

Urgently required an experienced Pharmacist with MOH License for a

reputed Pharmacy in Muscat.

Please send CV to

[email protected]

SITUATION WANT-ED

SIT. WANTED


DAILY GUIDESITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

DRIVER

Light Driver having own visa looking

for job as driver Contact 92303692

Bangladeshi male, light driver,

exp 6 yrs looking for job. Contact

97460056

Oman experienced Bangladesh

Driver available. Contact 96692774

Light driver & delivery boy available. Experience & Graduate.

Contact 98987475

Office Executive light driver, 2 yrs exp. Contact 93408758

Light driver looking for job.

Contact 94077119

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.

Contact 92787245

Driver seeking job. #99805236

6 Years experience light duty driver.

Contact – 96736744

Light driver looking for job.

Contact 92791678

Indian male on Visit Visa. Expert

in ELV systems, Instrumentation,

PID controllers, Embedded systems,

Electronics CAD. 20years experi-

ence. Contact 98915066

Indian Civil Engineer, M.Tech in

Construction Management, Pri-

mavera Expert looking for suitable


Civil Engineer, 3 yrs experience.

Contact 92613467

Indian female, Electrical Engineer

(family visa) M-Tech in Power Sys-

tem having 1 yr experience seeking

suitable placement.#94306164

Project Engineer (B.E Civil) having

10 yrs experience in Interior fit out

industry looking for suitable open-

ing from reputed companies (NOC

available) from current employer.

Contact 91403433

Chemical Engr with experience in

analytical instrumentation, bulk

drugs and herbal production.

Contact [email protected]

Aircraft Maintenance Technician with one year experience seeks

suitable placement. Contact

[email protected]

Generator maintenance in charge

with 4 yrs experience with

Cummins, caterpillar, kirloskar

and voltas. Contact - email:

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineer,(BE in

Mechanical) with Certified quality

controller - NDT level 2 qualified

as per ASNT - SNT-TC-I A, having

experience as quality control en-

gineer in India, presently on visit

visa, seeks suitable placement .

Cont : [email protected] /

95405033

Indian male, (MCA, B.Sc Maths)

locally available with 4 yrs experi-

ence in Software Engineering (IOS

Development) also experienced

IT & Maths Teacher.

Contact 93396053, 93927437,


Indian male, 28 yrs, Electrical En-

gineer, 5 yrs Gulf Oman experience

in HV and LV Installation work

seeking placement. NOC available.

Contact 91391587

Diploma Civil Engineer, Indian

male, 29, 4 yrs experience in

building construction field, 2

yrs experience with consulting

company in Oman driving license

and release available from cur-

rent company. Contact 93282447,

[email protected]

Diploma in Civil Engineer, 6 yrs

experience in Oman with D/L.

Contact 94052815

Mechanical Engineer, Indian

male, 6 yrs experience, 3 yrs in

GCC, seeking suitable opening in

Oil & Gas Sector, have valid GCC

D/L. email : [email protected],

Contact 91228398

B. Tech Civil Eng. 3 yrs exp in

Oman with driving license.

Contact 93733627.

Mail id : [email protected],

[email protected]

Building Construction Sr. Site

Supervisor looking for better oppor-

tunity 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,


Diploma in Civil Engineer, 15 yrs

Oman experience (total 28 yrs) look-

ing for senior position with valid D/L,

NOC available. Contact 99013465

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

Experienced female Electrical

Engineer.Contact 93800906

Jordanian Engineer Electrical 7 yrs

exp. Consulting, site & shop drawing

works. Ready to join immediately.

Worked in UAE & Saudi Arabia.

Contact - 00971555594733

EDUCATION

MEDICAL

MEDICAL

MECHANICAL/TECH.

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

Indian female, well experienced

in secretarial, administration,

customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298

TOUR / TRAVELS

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Civil foreman maintenance D/L,

12 yrs in Oman, 2 yrs in Kuwait.

Contact 96405865, 99534138,

India - +91 7589248550,

+91 9464255409, email:

[email protected]

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 female, 25 yrs, B.Com with

computer Application, 1 yr experi-

ence as Accountant, looking for

suitable job. Contact 98847165

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

MBA Finance, 7 yrs exp in Financial

& Banking Sector seeks suitable

position with Driving License.

Contact 98371903

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 Graduate, female, 27

with 4 yrs experience in food industry

looking for a suitable placement.


Logistics Officer, Experience in

Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

BCA Graduate, 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,


Indian Female, 28 yrs Staff Nurse,

7 yrs of experience (4 yrs in Gulf)

presently working in India, Oman

Prometric passed 63%, valid BLS &

ACLS certificates, looking for

suitable job in Muscat area.


or call 93137898

Female Pharmacist with MOH

license seeking suitable job

Contact 93215380

Female dentist with MOH license

and with Noc looking for suitable

placement in Muscat region

Contact no. 99147426

English Teacher (M.A, B.Ed) Indian

female with 2yrs of experience look-

ing for suitable position # - 91507099.

IATA Certified experienced

Indian Lady looking for job.

Currently on visit.

Contact 94613747, 91339846

Warehouse Manager with 10+ yrs

Oman experience in Building Mate-

rial and construction field with D/L,

release available. Contact 99883712

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, opera-

tional, communication and interper-

sonal 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

Indian male, having 18 yrs experi-

ence in “Automatic door opening

and closing system.” From Riyadh

as Manager and Department Head.

Contact +97466912692

Techno Commercial Manager, Indian, well experienced in Oman.

Vast knowledge in Operations,

Business development, Logistic /

Purchase, General administration.

Looking for suitable opening.

NOC Possible, Contact - 96599704

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

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

B.E Mechanical Engineer, Indian

Male, 29, 5 years experience in

steel fabrication field (piping and

structural) as site engineer. Looking

for suitable placement. #96115463.

[email protected].

INFORMATION TECH

HOSPITALITY

Indian male, 32 yrs, total 8+ yrs expe-

rience with 4+ yrs experience of Sales

and Marketing in Oman, seeking job.

NOC available. #95731981

Dynamic Indian male Graduate with

experience in Sales and Marketing

of luxury auto brands, having 8 yrs

of Oman experience with D/L

currently in Oman.

Contact 93342565, 99364437,


US / AUS IT educated, 16 yrs ex-

perience in Business Development,

Sales, Marketing, HR/Admin looking

for suitable position.

Contact 93649932 in Muscat

MBA, 26 years male, 4 Year Experi-

ence (1year Banking experience in

UAE) seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 94600128 Email:

[email protected]

Filipino Male, 26 yrs old looking for

any job in restaurant or hotel or Sales

or finance and having exp total of 8

yrs in all these fields. #92156753

MBA Graduate with valid Omani D/L

looking for suitable job. # 94143683

MBA with 6 yrs experience in Sales

& Marketing with Omani Driving

License seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94685706

Croatan Woman, 12 yrs experience

in Sales. Contact 99797290

18 yrs Oman experience in Building

Materials seeking suitable place-

ment, NOC available. # 93105775

Indian male having 6 yrs experi-

ence of working in Oman with Ad-

vertising, Interiors, Events, Purchase

& Accounts valid Oman D/L looking

for suitable job. Contact 98851980

Indian male, MBA 9+ yrs Oman exp

in Sales & Marketing in FMCG (F &

B) sector on a Supervisor / manage-

rial role with D/L & Local NOC avail-

able. 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

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, 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]

SALES / MARKETING

Indian female, 25 yrs, M.Sc Soft-

ware Engg., on visit visa having

2 yrs experience in IT & Admin

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 96985150,


MBA Marketing with 10 years

experience in Oman and Pakistan,

sales of industrial equipment and

machinery, now on visit visa

looking for job. Contact 99189286

Pakistani Male Having 5 year

experience Valid Omani license

working in Transport Division

looking for a suitable position

.Salary is negotiable...naveed-

[email protected]

Mob:93363316

Indian male, B.com with tally,

having 11 years experience in ac-

counting, looking for a part time

job. contact.96423671

Electrical Technician with

7 yrs experience in the field of oil &

gas. Contact 96946044 / 94682982

Indian Electronics & Com-

munication with transmission

project, embedded designing,

telecommunication experience

(3 yrs) having visit visa looking

for suitable placement in Oman.

Contact Mohammed Arshad Khan

– 93398772, email :

[email protected]

Indian male, 27 yrs, B.Tech Me-

chanical, 1 yr pipeline experience

seeking job in any mechanical field,

NOC available, available in Oman till

31st Jan. Contact 95982207,

[email protected]

SALES / MARKETING

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]

M.Sc International Tourism &

hotel management UK Graduated

with Omani D/L seeking job as

CRE, tour operations & marketing

in hospitality & tourism industry.

Contact 91640428

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 95408113

Sudanese Mechanical Engineer, 3 yrs experience in HVAC fire

fighting, NOC and driving license


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

Indian B.Tech Mechanical Engi-neer, 26 yrs, 4 yrs experience in

HVAC/MEP. Contact 94669629,

[email protected]

26, female, B.Tech in Electronics &

biomedical engineering with 1 And

Half yrs experience in medical field

is seeking suitable job openings.

Email : [email protected],

ph : 94652908

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

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,


DAE (Civil) having 3.5 years Experi-

ence 2 years from Oman with driving

licences, seeking for suitable position

in Construction field NOC and release

available . Contact 96968554


M. Tech Electrical Eng. Female,

now in visit visa.

Contact +968-94654481.

Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building)

looking for Part time job Contact no:-

94391712 E-mail address-

[email protected]

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer,

2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experi-

ence. Contact 97311847

Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer

Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa

Ph : 91642050

Looking Part time Job in HVAC-

Contact - 93198128

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

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 Repre-

sentative, 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,


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,


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 mainte-

nance, -valid GCC license-looking for

working partnership or management

post. Contact:91568362 /

Email [email protected]

Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in

building materials trading having

Oman D/L, immediate release avail-

able. Contact 98676713

Well qualified Indian female, B.Sc

& Computer’s Diploma with 7 yrs

experience in reputed companies

as Executive Secretary excel-

lent knowledge in MS Office and

manage task independently seeks


MBA (Systems) with MCSA Certi-

fied having more than 10 years of

experience in Computer Hardware

& Networking , Specialization in

Server Configuration, Windows

Server 2012, Redhat Linux Enter-

prise 6.0, VPN Firewall, Router,

& CCTV Installation and Mainte-

nance seeks suitable placement.

Now in visit visa & back to India on

26/01/15. E-mail :

[email protected] &

Mob#+968 95642554

ERP Specialist, 14 yrs exp, Indian

male, (VB.NET & SQL Server) able

to handle in-house development

single handedly. Release/NOC

available, valid D/L.

Contact 93047636

M.Tech-IT professional, Indian

Male specialist in Networking,

Configuring maintaining and man-

aging servers, Exp in configuring

cisco products, Knowledge in SQL

database. Contact:+968 98536430,

+968 98743886

Indian Male 23 yrs – IT / Pre-post

Sales Consultant / Business Ana-

lyst / Web Designing. 2 yrs. exp.

Languages-HTML5, WebRTC, Java,

CSS, C++, .Net, SQL, Oracle, ERP-

Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Looking

for suitable job.

Contact: 98802504,

email:[email protected]

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,

configuring 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,


Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf

experience) looking for a suitable job

(NOC available) Contact-93344378

Indian male, B.Sc nurse with critical

care specialization, 16 yrs experi-

ence including GCC Oman Prometric

passed, seeking for good posting.

Contact 91124083, 96132494

Indian female Nurse, 4 yrs experi-

ence Prometric passed, seeking for

good posting. Contact 92917448,

97362119

Male Nurse -prometric exam passed

and valid till feb21-5year experience.

Allwyn David-

[email protected]

Contact 94686268, 92800101

Indian female, 26, Pharmacist with

MOH license, 3.5 yrs of experience

in India, seeking suitable placement.

Contact 94474924,


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

Medical- Indian female, 27 yrs,

masters in hospital administra-

tion, fellowship in HTA studied in a

super specialty medical sciences

and research center in India and

done project in an established

hospital in sultanate of Oman.

Contact 93200827, 91026506

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 S U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact 93405941

VIP transport 24 hrs services.

Contact 92108447, 96781899

We can give best price for trans-

portation to shift the material from

DUBAI to OMAN and local OMAN

areas. (Less 25 ton wait Dubai

To OMAN Only 170/OMR). GSM

91006589,97754600 ASIF ALI



Labor Pick & drop. Contact 92218001



Transportation available.

Contact 95570429

Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307


Pick & Drop any time.

Contact 97014786


Transportation. Contact

99542393

Transportation available

99159277

Transportation. Contact

96538078

Transportation Available

Contact 97180655

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]

MANPOWER

SIT.WANTED

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

NRI

Land for sale at Trivandrum

near Medical College Srerary-

am, 3 cents road side. Contact

93772067, +91 9567517447

Land for sale, 36 cents in Kak-

kanad near Athani. 5 lacs/cent

and 6 acre land near Veliyam,

Kottarakkara. 30 lacs/acre. Seri-

ous buyers only call – 99886386 /

+919645888877

Villa for sale 2200 sq ft in 8 cent.

Kottayam. Contact: 92652534

For Astrological consultation,

Jathakam.Contact 99860435 /

97102599

Diploma Holder, Now working as

logistic coordinator/ salesman

with one year experience , Seeking

for Suitable Jobs in Oman, NOC

available, Trying for License ,

Contact 94440370

Indian Male, 31 years of Rich

Oman experience in Multifunction-

al Management, Administration,

Business Development, Purchase &

Operations, seeking suitable Man-

ager/Supervisory Position. Visa

transfer/NOC Available.

GSM: 95036410

B pharm, Indian female, Oman

MOH License holder, seeking job.

Email- [email protected].

Contact no:99665183

Part- Time Accountant, well

versed with all accounting,

Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439

A young, Bsc & B.Ed female gradu-

ate with 9 months of teaching ex-

perience in science subjects look-

ing for suitable position in reputed

organisation. Currently on Visit

Visa. Please contact: 92282796

Accountant, Indian male,29 years.

Presently working in Oman as

Accountant.7 years Successful

experience in Accounts with Oman

Driving license, seek suitable op-

portunity. GSM: 98184170

Civil Engineer, B.E in civil, Experi-

ence in Oman approx in two years.

Cell no : 94389853 Email:

[email protected].

30 year Indian male MSW- HR

,with 5 yrs Professional experience

in HR in Construction Oil & Gas

Oman seeking suitable placement.

Contact me in 93488914

Indian male 23 yrs, 4 yrs experi-

enced in Architectural Draughts-

man looking for a suitable Post

GSM:96023726, Email

[email protected]

26 year Indian male BMS

(Building Management System)

Engineer with 4yrs of experi-

ence in Security systems(CCTV,

access control systems, fire alarm

systems and public addressing

systems) seeking suitable place-

ment. Contact +91 9884277198,

E-mail: [email protected]

Diploma Holder, Now working as

logistic coordinator/ salesman

with one year experience, seeking

for Suitable Jobs in Oman, NOC

available, Trying for License.

Contact 94440370

Indian male, 4 Years experienced

in Architectural & Structural

Draughtsman, looking for a suit-

able Post GSM:96023726, Email

:[email protected]

Accountant ,Indian male,24

years. Presently working in

Oman as Accountant.2 years ex-

perience in Accounts with oman

Driving license. NOC available..

Seek suitable opportunity. GSM:

93409315

Indian male 25 B.Tech (IT)

Engineer 2.5 years experience in

hardware networking. Currently

on visit visa, looking for suitable

job. Contact - 94359564

Post Graduate Indian male,

MBA (Hospital Administration)

having 4 yrs. experience in

hospital administration looking

for suitable placement. Currently

on visit.

Contact: 96701543, 92945632

PROCUREMENT OFFICER-Indi-

an 33yrs, 7yrs Exp. in Oman in

(ROAD,CIV,MEP & Others) Contg

& Trdg Co. Visa will Exp in

Feb-15. M: 94064650,

Email:[email protected]


Oman experience in Multifunc-

tional Management, Administra-

tion, Business Development,

Purchase & Operations seeking

suitable Manager/Supervisory

Position. Visa transfer/NOC Avail-

able. GSM: 95036410

Seeking for immediate place-

ment as a manager- projects,

sales, marketing, product, busi-

ness development job for BE-

MBA, 12 years Oman experience

with D/L. #96040977,

[email protected]

AutoCAD draughtsman (Arch

itectural+Structural+Plumbing

& HVAC) having more than 12

years Oman experience seeking

work as a FREELANCER. Contact

- 91620107

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-95939129,

99104579, mail:

[email protected]


Oman experience in Multifunc-

tional Management, Administra-

tion, Business Development,

Purchase & Operations, seeking

suitable Manager/Supervisory

Position.Visa transfer/NOC Avail-

able. Contact : 95036410

31 years, male with Gulf Experi-

enced Microsoft Certified Solu-

tion Associate, Have GCC driving

license, looking for a suitable job

as Network/System Adminis-

trator. Phone: +968 93927126,

99853614,


26 years male, MBA Finance &

Marketing, 1 year experience in

marketing. Looking for sales job.

Contact: 95437921

Mechanical Engineer with 10+

years experience currently on visit

visa looking for a Operation Man-

ager/Branch Manager position in

reputed organizations. #95757845

Indian female, Accountant. hav-

ing +5 years experience in Oman

till Nov 2014. seeking suitable

placement. NOC available. cur-

rently in family visa. Contact

:98447045, email:

[email protected]

IT supports 6 yrs experience, male,

Filipino Desktop Support, Backup

administrator, Wireless Network-

ing, server admin.

#- +96896126502

Indian male, 26 yrs - MBA Gradu-

ate with 3 yrs of Experience in

Banking ( Standard Chartered

Bank Scope International - Opera-

tions) &Coffee Vending Machine

(Fresh & Honest Cafe ltd - Opera-

tions) on Visit Visa seeking place-

ment. Contact 91267867

INDIAN, B.E Mechanical Engineer, 2 years job experience in Oman

in pipeline field, fluent in Eng-

lish, 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

Indian male, 25yrs, MBA in

marketing from Delhi with 1 year

experience in operation depart-

ment, currently on visit visa seek-

ing suitable placements.

Ph 97334359


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.

Indian, Female, Pharmacist avail-

able with NOC and MOH License,

preferably in Muscat

Contact : 9439 1355

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.

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

seeking suitable placement.

Contact 97104364 .

email:[email protected].

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. #91103909

Civil draughtsman part time work

for job. Contact : 96023726

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 Tris-

sur. Fluent in English. Excellent

presentation skill.Engineering,

IT, teaching or account sector

job wanted. Contact -97724630 /


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

experience in HR, Purchase Dept

having Oman Driving License

looking for a suitable position

NOC available.

Email –[email protected].

Contact: 99252635, 99239498

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


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].

Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male,

having 8+ years exp. in reputed

companies, seeking suitable place-

ment 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. # 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]


DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

SITUATION WANT-CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise

with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain

Marine Tours Contact- 98029602,

92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

M.V. FOR SALE

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

30 seater Toyota Bus, 2014, white

color for sale. Contact 98888999 /

96341946

Tucson V-6, 2007, automatic

RO 2500/-. Contact 99384640

Toyota Yaris 1.5, 2010 single owner

84,000 kms, fully automatic, 100%.

Service history with dealer.

Contact 93876159

Chevrolet van model 2000 for

sale, RO 1400/-. Contact 96789522

Prado 2012. Contact 99336093

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. #

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

L/R Discovery, 2003,

KM 1,60,000. Contact 99238877

Lexus GS300, 2006.# 93218349



D8 S U N D AY, J A N UA R Y 2 5 , 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

Cleaning services, carpet & sofa

shampooing, marble restoration

(grinding) and polishing, pest

control, fogging service. Contact

99448057, 95401996

Cheapest Prices, all types window,

curtains and blind. #99539521

Computer service/ AMC/ Net-

working. Contact 93552434

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

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC

all kind of pest control. #92326955

Painting Interlock plumbing

maintenance. Contact 92142319

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house

cleaning. # 99542979 / 98855815

Split & window A/C servicing &


A/C service, repair and mainte-

nance works. Contact 95356877,

93937368. Al Sahib Modern Projects

House shifting. #99557080, 96236476

For All Your Maintenance Solutions,

A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting,

Cleaning, Electric. #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.# 97897831 (Indian keralite)

Waterproofing, light weight Screed,

Antitermite and MS Fabrication.

Contact 92888337

Electrical Plumbing Painting

Contract and Maintenance.

Contact 98456535

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

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

CLASSES WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intelli-

gence (BI) creation and man-

agement at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

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 hold-

ers, clients contacts – with NOC let-

ter with signed & sealed photocopy

documents . Contact 91568362

BUSINESS

BUSINESS

We assist in new business set up

local sponsorship, real estate ser-

vices, assist in company formation

services. Contact - 93166088

My client needs to buy Residential

land or villa in Al Ghubra Bahar Fac-

tory area. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Split & window unit A/C servicing &

repairing. Contact 99557080

Window & split unit A/C servicing &


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

Genuine Ayurvedic treatments &

massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khu-

wair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637

/93309131

GOOD NEWS

MATRIMONIAL

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)

DRIVING

For HT cable jointing and termina-

tion works 33KV/11KV. #99056438

/ Email: [email protected]

Catering services We do industrial

catering service, Canteen/ mess,

3 times packed meals,

and all types of catering events.

Contact 92188777/99249899

Wanted dentist or investor to buy a

well-running dental clinic in Sohar

immediately. Contact 92625962,

95904234

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00

noon for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability

times of oman - january 25, 2015

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