Times of Oman - January 5, 2015

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MONDAY, January 5, 2015 / 14 Rabi Al Awal 1436 AH

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REAL ESTATE WILL WITHSTAND OIL PRICE FLUCTUATIONS Real estate sector in Oman is secure and may not be affected by the fall in oil prices, reaffirmed Engineer Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, chairman of Oman Real Estate Association, in an interview to Al Shabiba. -Photo: Times of Oman See also >A5

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of greetings from Lt General Hassan bin Mohsin Al Shuraiqi, inspector general of police and customs, on the Royal Oman Police (ROP) Day which falls on January 5 every year.

In his cable, Lt General Al Shuraqi expressed his greetings along with the wishes of ROP personnel to His Majesty the Sultan, praying to Allah the Almighty to grant His Majesty the Sultan good health and happiness and the Omani people further progress and prosperity.

He said the ROP personnel while celebrating this blessed occasion renew their allegiance and loyalty to Your Majesty with the pledge to safeguard the integrity of the country. —ONA

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: There is little chance of passing on to the customers the burden of service tax imposed by India on non-resident Indians’ remittances, an official from a money exchange house in Oman said.

“We don’t feel that money exchange houses will pass on the tax burden to the customers.

They will find a solution,” Philip Koshy, general manager of Modern Exchange in Oman, said.

Last October, the Indian government had brought money transfer from abroad also under the service tax net. Recently, there were reports that when the Indian government rolls out the

Tax fraudsters robbing Oman by not paying Tax Revenues Financial experts have urged the government to plug

From companies operating in Oman (OMR)

281,952

353,283

394,464

the loopholes so that tax evaders cannot get away by

2011

2012

2013

bifurcating activities

Companies registered with the government

Paying taxes

120,000

4,000

and preparing fake balance-sheets

Graphics

REJIMON K FAHAD AL GADHANI

reji@timesofoman.com fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Companies trying to evade paying the tax they owe Oman artificially divide their business activities and prepare false balance-sheets, experts said on Sunday, calling on the government to do more to make those abusing the legal loopholes cough up the cash.

“We have seen that some of the companies have been preparing untrue annual balance-sheets and bifurcating their activities to avoid tax payments, which will eventually cause a huge loss to

NRIs will not feel the remittance tax heat

the government revenues,” Jose Chacko, a financial analyst, said.

“The government should implement stricter measures to find the tax evaders. It should adopt steps which will ensure that untrue balance-sheets are not prepared and submitted,” the financial analyst added.

In Oman, a flat 12 per cent rate applies to all businesses, including branches and permanent establishments of foreign companies, with taxable income exceeding OMR30,000.

According to government

data, OMR394,464.4 was the tax revenue from the companies operating in Oman in 2013. It was OMR353,283.3 in 2012 and OMR281,952.2 in 2011.

In 2013, if the total revenue for oil and non-oil products was OMR14,216.9 million, the expenditure was OMR13,949.5 million.

Last week, while approving the state budget for 2015, the State Council decided to bring more companies within the ambit of the tax net to balance the budget in the face of falling oil revenues.

Tawfiq Al Lawati, a Majlis Al Shura member, told the Times of Oman that the government must exert more pressure on companies not paying the income tax.

“Even though there are almost 120,000 companies registered with the government, only about 4,000 companies actually pay the income tax,” Al Lawati said, adding that 4,000 companies come under the big firms list.

He also said that the government must combat hidden trade which is affecting the budget.

Meanwhile, a company official said that companies should not run away from paying tax to the government.

“Companies cannot just take profit from the business and run away from paying tax to the government, which is crucial for the country’s economy. How can a country move ahead if it falls short in its tax revenues?,” asked Abdul Gafoor, a top official of Al Shabibi Global LLC, said. >A6 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

‘Labour camps must have medicare’

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A doctor and a well equipped clinic should be made available in workers’ accommodations. >A2

OMAN

Close the car loan before exiting Oman

2

It is advisable for you to either close the car loan or transfer the loan to a third party before exiting Oman. >A3

MARKET Pristine Qantab woos tourists

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Muscat bourse lacking luster

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MSM, which declined by 7.2% last year, emerged as the second worst performing bourse in GCC. >B1

reformed goods and services tax (GST) by April 1 next year, the tax rates will be increased to 27.54 per cent from the current 12.36 per cent, up by 120 per cent, and the burden will be passed on to the customers.

“Currently, the service tax is paid on fee or commission paid by exchange houses to the Indiabased banks if they have a tie-up for money transfer. Only a few exchange houses have such tieups, and only they will fall in the tax net. Currently, the exchange houses are bearing the cost,” Philip said. “If the service tax becomes 27.54 per cent, the exchange houses will not be able to bear it. But we feel that it will not be passed on to the customers,” Philip added. >A6

S TAT E - O W N E D F I R M S

Government plans sale of stake to meet OMR2.5 billion deficit A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman government is set to divest its stake in several state-owned firms in a move to cover an unprecedented budget deficit of OMR2.5 billion in 2015.

The semi-government or stateowned companies that have been identified for privatisation include Majan Glass, National Aluminium Products Company, and Muscat Electricity Distribution Company.

The government will divest

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its stakes in these companies either by an initial public offering or selling ownership to strategic partners or a combination of both.

The planned privatisation programme of a number of stateowned firms is under preparation and would be carried out in the

next three years (2015-17), after getting necessary approvals, said the Ministry of Finance in a statement. Apart from borrowing from within the country and outside, disinvestment will generate additional revenue to cover the deficit at a time when the oil prices have touched a five-year low of $56 per barrel.

In fact, there was no urgency for the government to raise funds for meeting expenditure last year in view of high oil prices until the third quarter of 2014, which resulted in a surplus. >A6

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We will conduct checks at the labour accommodations to oversee their conditions and ensure that all the rules are being enforced Muscat Municipality official

‘Labour camps should have medical facilities’ Muscat Municipality has issued guidelines to ensure the safety and good health of the labourers WELFARE MEASURES: The municipality has instructed that there

RAHUL DAS AND FAHAD GHADANI rahuldas@timesofoman.com fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A doctor and a well equipped clinic should be made available in accommodations where more than 500 workers stay, according to guidelines laid down by the Muscat Municipality.

The guidelines also say that any labour accommodation shall provide medical care to workers staying at the camp through the camp clinic or through a private or government health institution.

“In case the number of workers exceeds 100, a nurse with a good experience and first aid services shall be made available at

should also be proper ventilation at the labour accommodations with windows equipped with grills and adequate lighting.–File photo

the camps,” it said. Speaking to the Times of Oman, a senior official of Muscat Municipality said that this is to ensure availability of better services for the workers.

“The specification is to ensure safety and good health of the labourers,” he added.

Muscat Municipality has warned that anybody flouting the norms will be penalised. “We will conduct checks at the labour accommodations to oversee their conditions and ensure that all the rules are being enforced,” he warned.

The guidelines also said that the nurses should be trained in the field of first aid services. “A regis-

ter of patients with their ailments shall be kept at the clinic,” the circular said.

It also said that there should be proper ventilation at the labour accommodations with windows equipped with grills and adequate lighting. All the camps should have adequate drinking water facilities.

Each dormitory should have adequate spaces allocated for a bed and a cupboard for each worker.

“A minimum distance between each bed should be maintained.

Beds are also not allowed to be put along the passage in the dormitory.

At least once every month, insecticide will be sprayed at the dormi-

tory. In case the workers use tents, then the tent should be made of fire-resistant material,” it had said.

Keeping vehicles, power generators, or any petrol or gas-run equipment is not permissible near the tenting area up to 10 metres. In case dormitories are made of other material, such material should be fire-resistant. The dormitory shall be provided with fire-resistant containers for disposal of waste.

Adequate number of extinguishers shall be made available in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Civil Defence.

Workers residing in labour accommodations in Ghala and Barka welcomed the municipality specifications issued for their living quarters but expressed scepticism regarding the companies adhering to these. Mohammad, an Indian labourer who lives in Ghala, said that a majority of the accommodations in that area have been upgraded recently. “The move by the Muscat Municipality to maintain international standards at labour accommodations is good,” he said.

Mohammad added the main problem they are facing is overcrowded rooms in some of the camps. “At times, there is not even room enough to walk in some camps,” he added.

PUBLIC SERVICES

HEALTH PRIORITIES: The move is aimed at reducing the pressure on hospitals due to the increasing number of kidney patients in recent times.

Kidney treatment units planned in Al Batinah South FAHAD MUKRASHI fahad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: New kidney treatment units will be coming up in a number of wilayats in the Governorate of Al Batinah South, with the Ministry of Health deciding to build the same.

An official at the ministry told Times of Oman that such a move is aimed at reducing the pressure on hospitals due to the increasing number of kidney patients in recent times.

The official added that a nuclear accelerator will be built in Bausher Health complex, which is expected to begin operations by June next. He said that tenders for building four new hospitals in the country will be floated soon.

There are 65 hospitals and 193 health centres in Oman.

Hospital delays With regard to the delay in giving patients appointments in government hospitals, the official affirmed that the appointment period is reasonable, depending on the diagnosis of the disease.

“We are ahead of neighbouring countries in this regard,” said the official and added that Omani hospitals had treated many complicated cases. About the shortage of medical personnel, the official said that the ministry would cover the shortfall in 2015 by hiring more staff comprising both Omanis and expatriates.

OMR1.6 billion allocation In the state budget, OMR1.6 billion has been allocated to the health sector, making it 11.3 per cent of the total government expenditure. Meanwhile, many nationals have welcomed the move to build new hospitals in the country as well as the plans to improve the health sector.

Naser Al Sumari, a teacher in a government school, told Times of Oman, that building new hospitals would reduce the pressure on the hospitals functioning at present, due to the densely populated areas around them.

Al Sumari added that it would

The health sector in the country is improving. Due to the pressure on government hospitals in Muscat, the Health Ministry is encouraging private hospitals to operate Dr Ahmed Al Saadi

Minister of Health

improve health services in government hospitals as well as speed up the process of appointments to patients.

On the other hand, Rashid Al Ganami, a national working in a private firm, said that Oman hospitals have advanced equipment but they need more efficient specialists. Patients from other governorates have to travel to Muscat for medical treatment due to the lack of the availability of medical equipment in those hospitals.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saadi, minister of health, earlier stated that the health sector in the country is improving. Due to the pressure on government hospitals in Muscat, the ministry is encouraging private hospitals to operate in Muscat, he added.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

SFAAI honours outstanding employees MUSCAT: State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution (SFAAI) recently organised a ceremony to honour a number of its outstanding employees in 2014. The institution also honoured a number of its employees whose service has exceeded fifteen years and retirees from the service.

The function was held under the patronage of Sheikh Nasser bin Hilal bin Nasser Al Ma’awali, Chairman of SFAAI. Annual meeting Sheikh Al Ma’awali touched on the importance of this annual meeting, which is given high attention by the top administration of SFAAI in recognition of all employees.

He said it is an expression of gratitude for the efforts made during this year and previous years by employees of SFAAI for the betterment of the supervisory work march and for their sincerity and dedication in the service of this country. –ONA

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LEGAL COLUMN

Ownership of vehicle should be transferred before expiry of residence status in Oman Is it mandatory to close bank account and cancel credit card when an employee cancels his Oman employment visa and opts for a new job in another GCC country?

I have a car loan and there is a monthly EMI to pay. My family is going to continue staying here for some more time. Can they repay the EMI and provide the monthly rent cheque?

It is advisable for you to either close the car loan or transfer the loan to a third party before exiting the country for good. Once you lose your residence status, it will be a complex process for you to transfer the ownership of your vehicle and close the hypothecation (given to the bank or financial institution).

Similarly, even if the credit card is not used, charges may accumulate in due course and it would be advisable to close it prior to exit from the country.

I am working at a reputed company in Muscat and my monthly salary is more than OMR800 per month, on paper and in bank account.

My company has rejected my request to provide family joining visa (for my wife only, no children) due to some hierarchy changes and internal issues. My company

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HR explained that “it can be done but at the moment we cannot suggest any time frame when family joining visa would be sponsored.”

Could you please suggest if there is any other provision to get family joining visa or visit visa for my wife. Can a travel agency or any other company sponsor visa for my wife?

You may be able to obtain tourist visas to your wife to visit Oman from agencies specialised in this field. But, as per the rules in Oman, no one other than your employer will be able to provide family joining visa to your wife. You should negotiate with your employer to expedite the process of restructuring (if at all the employer is in such a

process) and then request the employer to provide you with a family visa. In the prevailing circumstances, your options are limited.

I am working at a private school for the last four years.

My job visa is going to expire this June. I am pregnant and wish to quit the job and join my husband’s family visa.

My husband’s salary is less than OMR600, but my son and me were on his family joining visa earlier. My son is still on his visa. Is it possible for me to rejoin on his visa if the school is ready to give release to family visa?

Nothing stops a person from resigning from his/her job and opting to remain in the country

under dependent/family visa subject to the prevailing rules and regulations. No dilution in the applicable rules can be expected unless the applicant or his/her sponsor is able to prove exceptionally demanding circumstances that warrant the presence of the resigned person in the country. As a general rule, no exception will be granted.

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

HIGHER JUDICIARY

More than fifty judicial officers graduate MUSCAT: Fifty-two judges and public prosecution agents graduated last Monday, Sheikh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Higher Judiciary Institute Council, said.

The Higher Judiciary Council last week held its meeting for 2004 under the chairmanship of Sheikh

Al Khalili. The meeting approved the budget of the Institute for 2015, and other items in the plan. It reviewed the recommendations of the first meeting to eliminate the hindrances, complete the requirements of the study programmes.

The Council also discussed the possibility of adding post-graduate study programmes, as well as the

academic programme required to keep pace with the developments in judiciary and legal fields. It also discussed avenues of cooperation with the equivalent judicial universities and institutes.

It also approved preparing a number of MoUs for cooperation with a number of institutes to enhance cooperation in training,

studies, research and academic expertise exchange fields.

The first MoU will be signed with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) to exchange thesis, expertise and take part in the legal researches and activities. The Council also looked into publishing a biannual publication that includes news about the Institute. —ONA

BID BID-SUR ROAD INAUGURATED A new three-lane 18km road connecting Bid Bid and Sur was opened on Sunday, Ahmed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, tweeted. Earlier, the road was passing through Ibra and will now bypass the town. The road begins from Al Yahmadi and ends at Masroon.— Suppled photo

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When an advertisement is sent to our department for approval, we check every detail in our system to make sure that it is correct Jamal Othman Al Balushi, Section head of health advertisement

FOG PROBLEMS

Etihad to restore flight plan REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Etihad Airways is expecting to restore its normal schedule within 24 hours after Saturday’s severe fog disrupted flights, resulting in their Etihad 2,000 hotel rooms in Abu Dhabi to accommodate passengers whose flights were cancelled, a statement from the airlines said.

“Following a major restructuring of operations overnight, including cancellations of 35 flights, aircraft congestion at Abu Dhabi has eased, with many disrupted services departing and delayed inbound services arriving in the UAE capital,” the statement added.

Saturday morning’s fog forced authorities to close the airport for some 70 minutes.

The cancelled flights also included one arrival and departure from Muscat, identified as EY 385 Muscat- Abu Dhabi and EY384

‘Beware of ads without Health Ministry’s okay’ The Directorate General of Private

WEATHER WOES: On Saturday, all departures and arrivals from

Abu Dhabi were affected.

Health Institutions has laid out a set of

Abu Dhabi-Muscat. “The main focus today is to provide flights for passengers still stranded in Abu Dhabi and other ports around the network following yesterday’s extraordinary disruption. Passengers who are able to defer their travel to, from, or through Abu

Dhabi, up to and including Tuesday 6 January, are being encouraged to rebook flights through the airline’s global contact centres,” the airline said.

Also on Saturday, all departures and arrivals from Muscat and Abu Dhabi were affected.

guidelines for health advertisements in order to prevent any misleading information

C U LT U R A L F I E S TA

refrain from publishing any advertisement that has not been approved by the ministry.

American jazz singer to rock ROHM on Thursday Times News Service MUSCAT: Gifted with one of the most beautiful voices in the contemporary jazz world, American singer Melody Gardot will grace the stage of the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) for a concert on Thursday.

Gardot, 29, has a soulful, vibrato-filled voice that is sure to charm the audience. Her repertoire includes many songs she has written herself which focus on love, loss and heartache, as well as jazz standards like Over the Rainbow and La Vie En Rose. Her influences include jazz, blues, folk and Latin music.

ROHM’s Director General Christina Scheppelmann stated: “Melody Gardot is one of the top female jazz singers from the Americas. She has a fabulous, smoky voice and a great sensitivity that just gets under your skin.

This concert truly should not be missed.”

Scheppelmann compared Gardot to the likes of Canadian jazz singer Diana Krall, who per-

HEALTH ADVISORY: The press and publishing institutions must

American jazz singer Melody Gardot will perform for one night only on Thursday at 7:30pm. The concert will be approximately 90 minutes without an intermission

formed here last April, and said the ROHM is very lucky to have both of them perform in Muscat within less than a year.

Gardot, a native of Philadelphia, is a talented singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist who began playing the piano publicly when she was just 16-years-old.

She turned to jazz as a way to recover from an accident in 2003 when she was hit by a car while riding her bike. Her doctor suggested music as a form of therapy to help her with her memory and communication abilities.

Her exceptional talent soon resulted in a series of albums, three of which have been released to date, with a fourth in the works.

The first album Worrisome Heart caught the attention of jazz enthusiasts, while the second, My One and Only Thrill, was a bestseller in the American jazz charts.

Her third album, the Grammy Award-nominee The Absence, was largely inspired by Gardot’s travels in Morocco, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil.

Melody Gardot will perform for one night only on Thursday at 7:30pm. The concert will be approximately 90 minutes without an intermission. For more information about Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM), tickets, and frequently asked questions, please visit the website at www.rohmuscat.org.om.

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Did you ever know that there is one important detail to check before calling the number on a health advertisement to make an appointment or use a particular service or product?

‘MOH No.,’ which confirms the authenticity of an advertisement, is what the Ministry of Health officials have been calling attention to, in line with a Royal Decree related to press and publications.

The Directorate General of Private Health Institutions has laid out a set of guidelines for health advertisements in order to regulate this field, prevent any misleading information and maintain the health of the community.

According to the guidelines, the ministry’s approval should be obtained before promoting any health-related material in any form, both in print and digital media.

“Any advertisement that carries the ‘MOH No.’ has been approved by the ministry,” Dr. Hamad bin Sulaiman Al Adawi, director of auditing and quality management department, told the Times of Oman.

Al Adawi contributed greatly towards formulating the guidelines for health related advertisements,

the first edition of which was published in 2012.

The guide includes a reference to the Royal Decree concerning the media, which says that it is forbidden to publish any health advertisement without the MOH’s authorisation. Also, publishing any kind of advertisement containing forbidden content was not permitted.

Those breaching the law will be jailed or fined, or both in certain cases.

Permission required Al Adawi said that the press and publishing institutions must refrain from publishing any advertisement that has not been approved by the ministry and ask their clients to obtain the necessary permission.

“The number of these violations was high in the past, but it has gone down,” the official added.

Jamal Othman Al Balushi, section head of health advertisement at the Directorate General of Private Health Institutions, said that measures have been put in place with the aim to benefit the public.

He said that people are advised to trust advertisements with an ‘MOH No.’ as it shows that all the details have been verified.

“When an advertisement is sent

to our department for approval, we check every detail in our system to make sure that it is correct. We check to make sure that the availability and details of the specialist are reported correctly and the specialty of the person mentioned in the announcement matches with the services being offered,” Al Balushi said.

The official urged all health institutions to approach the ministry to obtain its approval for any advertisement, noting that the directorate does its best to issue such permission on the same day.

In addition, Al Balushi said that the ministry has put in place certain instructions to regulate the health-related text messages sent from inside Oman to mobile users.

According to the guide for health advertisements, which emphasises respect for Islamic values, the ministry’s approval is required in areas and services, including all types of health practitioners, seminars and workshops, TV and radio interviews as well as the publication of magazines.

The guide also details the banned and restricted content, which includes but is not limited to any material promoting abortion, freezing embryos (a fertilised human egg cell that is held in frozen storage) or tattoo.

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ART OF LIVING

‘Happiness Programme’ started for overburdened executives Times News Service

TESTING TIMES: Investors in all sectors, including real estate, are currently observing the situation to see if the oil prices drop any further. - File photo

Oil price drop not to hit real estate The chairman of Oman Real Estate

The prices have not been greatly affected, except in areas where basic services are not complete, particularly outside Muscat

Association has called for the establishment of an independent authority to regulate the real estate sector’s work

Mohammed Al Busaidi Chairman, Real Estate Association MOHAMMED FAHMI RAJAB MUSCAT: Real estate sector in the Sultanate is secure and may not be affected by the drop in oil prices, Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, chairman of Oman Real Estate Association, has said.

In an interview with Times of Oman’s sister publication Al Shabiba, Al Busaidi stressed the necessity for focusing on the sector. He also called for the establishment of an independent authority to regulate the real estate sector’s work.

The other sectors, such as tourism, commerce and industry, primarily rely upon the real estate sector for providing their structures, he said, noting that this segment of the economy is negatively affected if other sectors are affected by the economic crisis.

On the impact of the decrease in oil prices on the real estate sector, he said the government extends efforts to prevent any negative impact on it by international economic fluctuations. If the government’s spending on tourism, commerce and industry sectors is not reduced in the 2015 state budget, then the sector would not be affected. However, investors in all sectors, including the real estate, are currently observing the situation to see if more drop in oil prices takes place.

The prices of real estate has not been greatly affected, except in areas where basic services are

not complete, particularly outside Muscat Governorate. The reduction in prices have not exceed 20 per cent. On the other hand, prices are stable in Muscat Governorate and other areas with complete services.

“The real estate sector in Oman is a local sector and depends mainly on local investments, and is not linked to the international real estate sector and, as such, it is safe from international economic fluctuations. The prices of real estate in Oman are still lower than the prices in neighbouring countries, which makes the sector attractive to foreign investments, Al Busaidi said.

Regarding the 2015 state budget, Al Busaidi said, “I expect the government would keep the same spending volume for the ongoing projects and the projects announced for the coming stage, and any reduction in spending would be in the non-development projects”.

He added that the government has no intention, as announced earlier, to reduce the salaries of government employees.

On the expectations of the possible emergence of a world real estate crisis, he said, “a global real estate crisis may occur. However, the real estate market in Oman will not be affected, as it has no association with the global market and it is mainly dependent

on local investments”. Busaidi informed that the real estate sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP amounted to 10 per cent, according to official statistics. “Our role and efforts at the Oman Real Estate Association is to increase the contribution, which is possible only with better regulation of the sector.

“The real estate sector in Oman, however, is steadily growing but is affected by issues such as nonregulation of the real estate brokerage, due to the absence of appropriate legislation regulating the work of the real estate sector, as well as non-implementation of the present associated laws.”

The real estate brokerage, as set forth in the Royal Decree No. 91/2010, involved a number of terms and conditions, such as the presence of a registered commercial activity and a registered office practicing brokerage and that the person practising such profession should be wholly devoted to the same and should have attended training sessions in the field.

According to OCCI, Oman has 5,000 brokerage companies registered with it. Only some companies are actually practising the profession of brokerage due to several challenges they face.

This necessitates establishment of an independent authority to regulate the real estate sector in the Sultanate.

MUSCAT: Increased competition, inter-personal relationship problems and lack of miscommunication can cause a lot of unrest in the mind, while odd working hours, which lead to an unhealthy lifestyle and irregular food habits, can take a toll on the body.

To find solutions to all these problems, the Art of Living Foundation has come up with a new ‘Happiness Programme’ for executives. It’s a three-night programme, three-and-a-half hours a day, tailored for executives to suit their busy schedule and lifestyles.

By participating in this programme, one will embark on a lifechanging experience that purifies the body and mind, and one will be learning yoga, meditation, breathing techniques and knowledge points that eliminate the stress and control the mind with a spontaneous effect.

The Happiness Programme integrates practical wisdom and health practices to increase wellbeing of an individual at all levels. Extremely effective breathing techniques are taught on the course, which help the various organs and systems within the body, transform overpowering emotions

and restore peace of mind. They empower individuals to deal with day-to-day stresses of life.

Combined with meditation techniques, knowledge about the laws governing one’s mind, and skills that help deal effectively with negative emotions, the course offers individuals tools to lead a better quality of life and increased happiness.

The Happiness Programme is central to all other courses offered by the foundation. Deeply introspective and fun-filled, it is enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and traditions all over the world.

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M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

OMAN The attraction of ‘frankincense land’ extends beyond Khareef The fact that Salalah is not shrouded in a blanket of mist beyond Khareef helps reveal the hidden treasures of this land of beauty and uniqueness

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

SALALAH/MUSCAT: While thousands throng Salalah during Khareef, attracted by and soaking in the lush green vistas and the pleasant weather of the region, the lure of the land of frankincense lasts much beyond the monsoon season.

When the stunning hues of green are no more there, ironically it opens even greater great opportunities to explore other mystic attractions of Salalah, which detach you from the present time and take you back through history.

Far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Salalah, famous for its coconut and banana trees, has a

PLENTY TO OFFER: A view of the Al-Baleed archaeological park in PIOUS PLACE: The footprints of Prophet Saleh’s camel. - Photo: Times of Oman

lot more to offer than just the pristine, sun-kissed beaches, towering mountains and traditional souqs.

The resting place of Prophet Umran or Imran (PBUH) is one of the true wonders of Salalah, one that strikes you the moment you see the incredibly long tomb. The serenity of the place takes one into an entirely different atmosphere than that at many other holy shrines.

Another tomb worth visiting is the one said to be that of Cheraman Perumal -- a Kerala ruler who em-

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braced Islam and was laid to rest in Salalah when he passed away on his way back to India after a pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah.

The footprints of Prophet Saleh’s camel, which can be seen in an enclosed area, overwhelm you even further. The holy sites in Salalah

R I S I N G F O O T FA L L

Salalah. - Photo: Times of Oman

are not the only places where you feel lost in time. The Museum of the Frankincense Land in Al-Baleed archaeological park takes you on another trip back in time.

You can feel the presence of ancient Omani sailors at the Maritime Hall of the museum where models of traditional Omani boats and related equipment provide an insight into the country’s intimate connection with the sea as well as boat building, navigation skills, maritime trade and life at the sea in old times.

R E V I S E D TA X R AT E S

The fact that photography is not allowed inside the museum helps you truly enjoy boarding a model of the Baghla boat, a highlight of the museum that represents one of the two long-distance sailing boats used in voyages from Oman to the east coast of Africa.

Among other major features of the museum are the handwritten copies of the Holy Quran and other religious texts in the History Hall, which tell the story of Oman’s embrace of Islam soon after the arrival of the Prophet’s delegate in 630

A.D. Also, ancient artefacts showcased along with the replicas of modern buildings and infrastructure in Oman provide a pleasant contrast, which is a manifestation of the Sultanate’s successful endeavours in putting the country on the path of progress while staying true to its rich history, culture and traditions.

The fact that Salalah is not shrouded in a blanket of mist beyond Khareef helps reveal the hidden treasures of this land of beauty and uniqueness.

A L S A FA L A H C A S T L E

will Pristine Qantab woos tourists A1 People seek other < FROM

routes

AWESOME: A family from Dubai, which is touring Oman, said that Qantab was the most beautiful place they had visited in the Sultanate. – Rejimon K/Times of Oman

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s virgin landscapes, pristine beaches and pleasant climate continue to attract local and foreign tourists.

“During the last few weeks, after the mercury level started to dip, visitors have been thronging the Qantab beach. More and more local and foreign tourists are coming to spend their holidays at the beach. It’s a busy time for us,” Mohammed, a boat driver who has been taking visitors for an adventurous ride into the sea for the last five years, said.

“The calm waters and rock formations never fail to wow the tourists,” Mohammed said, adding that he manages to make about 10 trips in a day during these months.

There are around 20 boat drivers who are ready to take tourists

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into the sea during peak season, with each hour long trip costing around OMR10.

A family from Dubai, which is touring Oman, said that Qantab was the most beautiful place they visited in the Sultanate.

“The boat ride was awesome.

We enjoyed it a lot. It was a memorable experience. Moreover, the locals are quite helpful and polite,” the family from Dubai said.

“We had heard about Qantab’s mountain and sea beauty a lot. It was quite an interesting experience,” the family said.

Other than boat rides, visitors were seen hiring boats for fishing

excursions. “Fishing excursions cost a little more than a usual boat ride as we need more time. Usually, tourists from western countries prefer fishing excursions.

Qantab Sea is one of the best locations for fishing excursions which will not disappoint you,” Mohammed added.

Oman has attracted roughly 2.1 million visitors in 2013, 50 per cent more than the previous two years, according to the tourism ministry. More than 37 per cent of visitors last year came from Gulf countries, although Oman is also attracting a growing number of tourists from Britain, Germany, the United States and other Western nations, the tourism ministry’s data showed. The country also invested more than $660 million last year in new hotels and other tourism assets, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The revised tax rates are recommended by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, an autonomous society set up as a result of a joint initiative of the Ministry of Finance and other government bodies.

A non-resident Indian in Muscat said that if the government imposes the new GST on remittances, it will surely be a burden on the NRIs. “Now, as per the current arrangement, we customers are not affected. But if the new GST is implemented and the government decides to impose the 27.54 per cent tax on remittances, we will be affected a lot.

This will prompt people to look for other options and illegal money transfer may flourish,” Sunil Kumar KK, an NRI businessman, said.

“We have to wait and see whether the exchange houses will pass on the tax to their clients or not,” Sunil Kumar added.

Last December, the Indian cabinet approved the reformed GST and at present, it is tabled in the lower house of parliament.

Trends suggest that many economies while transitioning to GST have embraced a modest rate, often in single digits.

For instance, Singapore introduced GST on April 1, 1994, at three per cent which gradually progressed to the current rate of seven per cent. Malaysia, currently contemplating introduction of GST effective April 1, 2015, is considering a rate of six per cent.

DIVESTMENT

Preserving Oman’s cultural heritage WADI AL MA’AWAL: Al Safalah Castle, a historic structure of Oman, has been spruced up.

Oman has a very rich archaeological heritage with tremendous tourism potential and the government is pulling out all stops to maintain these historical structures. Along with the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, the government is striving to revive the Omani heritage, while retaining the authentic Omani identity.

Al Safalah Castle in the Wilayat of Wadi Al Ma’awal in the Governorate of South Al Batinah, has received the government’s attention under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and the Ministry of Heritage and Culture has gone the extra mile to restore, preserve and rehabilitate the castle. The restoration began in November 2007 and was completed in 2009.

After examination of the ma-

terials used in the construction, experts from the Ministry of Heritage and Culture confirmed that the castle was built in 950AD. It is surrounded by six towers, old houses, an internal tower, an old mosque and a school to teach the Holy Quran. Due to the importance of the castle and its historical and social value, the wilayat has adopted it as its logo.

Sheikh Saleh bin Saud Al Ma’awali said that the old Hara (neighbourhood) and houses exist within the walls of the castle, over a hill with central palm plantations in the village of (Afi) in the wilayat, around two kilometres from the main road.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalid Al Ma’awali, member of the State Council said that the castle’s entrance leads to the old Hara.

On the right of the entrance, there are stairs leading to the old mosque, inside the castle. – ONA

TA X PAY M E N T

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A1 Profit-making firms’ divestment to be priority Oman Oil Company, the investment arm of the Oman government, may sell shares in some of its subsidiaries to the public.

Oman Oil’s subsidiaries include Abraj Energy Services, Oman Gas Co., Oman Trading International and Salalah Methanol, according to earlier reports.

Last year, Oman government said the plan was to divest stakes in as many as 11 state-owned companies via initial public offerings in an apparent move to spur stock market trading and pass on the benefits of corporate earnings to the nationals. As in the previous divestment programmes, priority will be accorded to companies making profit.

As far as Majan Glass is concerned, Oman government in the

ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE: Restoration work of the Al Safalah Castle began in November 2007 and was completed in 2009. – ONA

recent past had appointed the Financial Corporation (FinCorp) to conduct a study and invite a potential strategic investor for divesting 75.3 per cent stake in the company. “Now, it is a cash-rich company. It is ultimately for the Ministry of Finance to take a call,” said an official, who did not want to be identified.

It appears that the Ministry of Finance will work on a plan to decide on the companies as well as the timing for floating the issues, in close coordination with the Capital Market Authority (CMA).

There has been a long delay in implementing disinvestment plans as the government sold its stake in only Oman Telecommunications Company ever since the proposal was mooted a couple

of years ago. The successful conclusion of divestment of 19 per cent state ownership in Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) early last year is an encouraging sign for the authorities to proceed with the plan, which is also supported by the fact that the financial system has ample liquidity. Omantel offered shares in two tranches — a private placement of 71.25 million shares and a public issue of equivalent number of shares.

Meanwhile, plans are afoot to restructure the ownership pattern of 65 state-owned companies into four or five holding companies for enhancing administrative efficiency and strengthening controls.

The idea is to form one holding company for all state-owned firms

in a particular sector, which is more or less in line with the merger of Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company, Aromatics Oman and Oman Polypropylene to form Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic). The idea is to create four or five holding companies to own the state-owned companies in each sector. This will also help disinvestment of select firms, a goal the government is actively pursuing this year.

Although the government owns 65 companies, the state entities will be identified for divestment after taking into account various factors like the benefits to the economy, benefits to investors and the trend on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM).

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Government should monitor tax evaders

Follow norms “When we are allowed to operate in the market, we are also supposed to follow certain conditions like paying tax and all,” he added.

Hussein Ali, a manager at one of the construction companies, echoed similar opinion.

“Our company does not want to be in conflict with the government as we are handling many projects,” said Hussein.

Paying tax He added that the company

takes the issue of paying tax as a priority since it benefits the country’s budget.

Tax evasion “There are many companies who run big projects but unfortunately they reportedly opt for certain procedures to avoid paying the tax,” said Hussein.

“The government should find a way to monitor such companies and force them to pay the tax or simply stop issuing more than one business license for an individual,” he added.

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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REGION

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat confirmed Gaza would be one of the cases referred to the court, but also said there would be a file put together on Israeli settlement building on land seized during the 1967 war

Palestinians to take Gaza crimes to ICC

CALL TO END SANCTIONS

If the application MAKING A POINT: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaking

during the opening ceremony of the economic conference in Tehran on Sunday. – AFP

Rouhani urges end to Iran’s global isolation DUBAI: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for curbs on the state’s involvement in business and an end to Tehran’s international isolation on Sunday to help rescue an economy hurt by sanctions, corruption and mismanagement.

His appeal in a speech to 1,500 economists appeared to be critical of hardliners who oppose his efforts to deliver Iran from years of erratic economic management by the previous administration of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“Our economy will not prosper as long as it is monopolised (by the government). The economy must be rid of monopoly and see competition,” he said. “It must be freed of insider speculation, be transparent, all people must be aware of the statistics. If we can bring transparency to our economy, we can fight corruption.”

He added: “Our political life has shown we can’t have sustainable growth while we are isolated.”

Rouhani said he would like some economic reforms to be passed by referendum as opposed to the parliament, currently dominated by conservatives.

Powerful anti-Western hawks in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), who re-

port to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been wary of the nuclear negotiations and some preside over companies whose grip on the economy had grown during sanctions.

Rouhani’s call is in line with his preference for a greater public say on strategic matters, traditionally vested with Khamenei.

Last month, Rouhani presented a “cautious, tight” budget in response to falling oil prices, which have fallen to just above $50 a barrel. Iran’s budget ending March 2015 is based on a price of a $100 a barrel.

Proposed spending for that same budget was 6 per cent above the previous year, but this was a cut in real terms due to inflation of 20 per cent. The government hopes to meet the deficit through more efficient taxation and nonoil exports. “As the enforcer of our constitution, I would like, even for once, to see conditions ripe to implement a tenet of the common law calling for major issues - economic, social, political and cultural - to be put to public referendum rather than parliamentary vote,” the president said to applause.

“Some 36 years have passed now and this article has not been enforced even once.” — Reuters

process goes as planned, the Palestinians should be able to refer a case in early April, with legal preparations to that end already well under way

RAMALLAH (PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES): The first case the Palestinians will refer to the International Criminal Court will be the “crimes” Israel committed during summer 2014, including the Gaza war, a legal expert said on Sunday.

On January 2, the Palestinians presented a formal request to join the Hague-based court in a move which opens the way for them to file suit against Israeli officials for alleged war crimes in the occupied territories. The ICC can prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed since July 1, 2002, when the court’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, came into force. If the application process goes as planned, the Palestinians should be able to refer a case in early April, with legal preparations to that end already well under way.

Shawan Jabarin, director of the Ramallah-based rights group Al Haq, said the Palestinians had decided to file suit over Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip starting from June 13, 2014. That was the date Israel began a massive crackdown in the

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TESTIMONY TO ATROCITIES: A Palestinian walks near the remains of houses, that witnesses said

were destroyed or damaged by Israeli shelling during the July-August war between Israel and Hamasled Gaza fighters, in the east of Gaza City on Sunday. – Reuters

occupied West Bank after the kidnapping and subsequent murder of three Israeli teenagers, triggering a series of events which led to the seven-week Gaza war that killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 73 people in Israel. Cases referred to the ICC need “a very specific geographic location and timeframe”, Jabarin said, saying the same date had been selected by a UN commission probing alleged rights violations during the Gaza war and the period leading up to it.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat confirmed Gaza would be one of the cases referred to the court, but also said there would be a file put together on Israeli settlement building on land seized during the 1967 war. “The main files will be the aggression against Gaza and the settlement file, since this is a continuous crime,” Erakat said on Sunday. — AFP

Israel vows punitive steps OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel was weighing its options on Sunday for further punishing the Palestinians after freezing millions in tax revenues as a first response to their bid to join the International Criminal Court.

Quick move The request to join the International Criminal Court, formally presented on Friday, infuriated Israel which quickly moved to freeze the transfer of $127 million (106 million euros, half a billion

shekels) in tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.

“The Palestinian Authority has chosen to take a path of confrontation with Israel, and we will not sit idly by,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told cabinet ministers on Sunday, vowing to put up a vigorous defence of Israel’s soldiers. Although Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat denounced the freezing of the transfer as “piracy,” Israeli officials warned it was only the first in a series of punitive steps. — AFP

A8

M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

INDIA

Is this the way of raising doubt over matters concerning national security?

Weren’t there more mature ways for calling for the details? Don’t they have faith on the Indian intelligence, Indian Coast Guard and the Indian government?

Sambit Patra, BJP spokesperson

PROBE

ENJOYING SNOW

People step out of their vehicles and enjoy themselves on the snow covered ground at Kufri near Shimla, yesterday. Himachal Pradesh continued to shiver yesterday after days of rain and snowfall in the higher reaches. The minimum temperature in Shimla was 1.2 degrees Celsius, an official at the local meteorological office said. Temperatures also dipped in the Kashmir Valley after some respite for a few days. The fog on Sunday morning in and around the national capital delayed 33 trains, according to the Northern Railway, while 10 trains were rescheduled and 15 were cancelled. Also, the arrival of three flights to Delhi were delayed due to the poor visibility, said a statement from the Indira Gandhi International(IGI) airport. - PTI

NIA approaches US to probe IS recruit NEW DELHI: A probe into the activities of Areeb Majeed, an alleged recruit of the dreaded terror group IS, has led National Investigation Agency (NIA) to send requests to the US among other countries for cyber evidence.

The NIA has approached the authorities in the US, Canada and Australia for providing cyber evidence under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), official sources said here.

Without taking on face value the statement made by Majeed before the sleuths, NIA has been consistently picking up holes in his version and standing by its position after gathering evidences from other countries.

He had claimed that he was never engaged in terror activities during his stay with the IS. Cooperative The US, which has been very cooperative in cyber-terrorism related cases, has already given preliminary evidence of the Internet Protocol address used by Majeed before allegedly joining the outfit and the mails shot off by him which includes to a person in Madhya Pradesh, who is believed to have financed his travel abroad to be part of IS, the sources said.

The NIA, in order to further strengthen the case, is also plan-

B OAT I N C I D E N T

BJP: Congress doing politics over terror NEW DELHI: Coming down heavily on Congress for asking the government to come clean on the Pakistani boat incident, Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday accused the principal opposition party of touching a “new low” and doing politics over terror.

Congress had on Saturday asked the government to “come clean” on the Pakistani boat issue and explain “which terrorist organisation” was behind the episode that unfolded on the high seas.

In a counter-attack on Congress, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “A new low in Indian politics has been touched and none other than Congress is responsible for this new low. Congress has touched an abysmal low as far as politics is concerned.”

He said India celebrated a “happy” new year because the Coast Guard and the intelligence agencies of India could abort a “probable” terrorist attack.

Lauding Coast Guard role Referring to the central government’s press statement lauding the role of the Coast Guard and the intelligence agencies, the BJP leader said, “But ironically instead of standing with the Indian government and taking the opportunity of thanking all those who protected us from a probable terrorist attack, Congress choose to be sympathetic towards the probable perpetrators.”

Patra said there is no difference between the voices of spokesper-

sons of Pakistan and Congress.

“Today the voice of Congress, party is lending credence to the Pakistani stand. One cannot differentiate between the voices of the Congress spokespersons and the Pakistani spokespersons,” he said.

Patra maintained that by doing so, Congress has yet again supplied ammunition to Pakistan.

“When the tragic 26/11 (attack) took place, Congress spoke out of turn and pointed fingers towards RSS. When the Batla House incident took place, Soniaji shed tears on the death of the terrorists and the former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid had said so.”

He said, “None other than (then) home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, in the presence of Congress president and Rahul Gandhi, had spoken about saffron terror.

“Is this the way of raising doubt over matters concerning national security? Weren’t there more mature ways for calling for the details? Don’t they have faith on the Indian intelligence, Indian Coast Guard and the Indian government?” he asked.

Patra said, “Did Congress just wanted to gain some cheap publicity out of a serious issue or is there more to read? The country wants to know.”

Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar had said, “The government should come clean on it.

There is no evidence... How can you say that a terrorist attack was prevented?” - PTI

ning to send Letters Rogatory (LR) to Iraq and Syria as the passport of Majeed, a 23-year-old youth from Mumbai, shows Iraq as his port of entry and Syria as port of exit, the sources said.

The provincial governments of these two countries are soon expected to honour the LRs after it was sent from diplomatic channels, the sources said.

Majeed was arrested by the NIA in the last week of November last year upon his return from Iraq and booked under Sections 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Section 125 of the Indian Penal Code.

The three UAPA sections stand for commission or conspiring to commit a terrorist act and for being a member of a terrorist organisation, while Section 125 of the IPC relates to waging war against a nation which is in alliance with the Government.

He landed in Mumbai on November 28 after spending nearly six months in Iraq, following which he was immediately detained by the security agencies and later arrested.

In May this year, four youths from Kalyan, including Majeed, had left the country to visit holy places in West Asia but disappeared thereafter. They were suspected to have joined IS. - PTI

Major airports put on alert over terror threat Local TV channels reported that the terror alert was issued after an anonymous telephone call was made to the Kolkata office of the national carrier on Saturday

S. MOITRA

Our Correspondent NEW DELHI: India on Sunday put on high alert all major airports across the country following an intelligence tip-off about a possible bid to hijack an Air India flight, just days after four men blew themselves up when their Pakistani-origin boat was intercepted

by Indian maritime guards off the Gujarat coast.

“Intelligence agencies have alerted the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) about a possible hijack attempt on an Air India flight, stressing that Delhi-

TIGHT VIGIL: An Indian security official looks on as Air India’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner arrives at

Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal T-3 in New Delhi. In Delhi, apart from the airport, security has also been tightened at all other vital installations in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. - AFP file photo

Kabul flight could be targeted in a manner similar to that of the 1999 hijacking of IC 814, in which hijackers had flown the aircraft to Kandahar in Afghanistan,” the sources said.

Very sensitive More flight marshals will be deployed on Delhi-Kabul flights, given the fact that the route is being marked as “very sensitive” now, the sources said.

In Delhi, apart from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, security has also been tightened at all other vital installations in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, where US

President Barack Obama will be the chief guest.

“All vital installations in Delhi, particularly the airport, have been put on terror alert. While ground staff at the airport has been asked to thoroughly scan the luggage and cabin baggage, commandoes are deployed alongside security personnel of the para-military Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which is in charge of airport security,” the sources said.

The CISF has been asked to carefully check the identity of all airlines staff and passengers, the sources added.

Local TV channels reported, quoting a senior police official,

that the terror alert was issued after an anonymous telephone call was made to the Kolkata office of the national carrier on Saturday evening, threatening that an Air India plane would be hijacked. The call was a brief one in Bengali language, the reports said.

The Indian Defence Ministry on Friday said that the country’s Coast Guard had intercepted a suspicious Pakistan-based fishing boat at sea off Gujarat coast late on New Year’s Eve, but when marine security officers approached the vessel to investigate, four men aboard the boat set off an “explosion and a major fire” that destroyed the vessel.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Five arrested over gang rape of Japanese tourist in Gaya KOLKATA: Five men have been arrested over the alleged gangrape and extortion of a Japanese tourist held as a sex slave for nearly a month in a basement near a famous Buddhist shrine in India, officials said on Sunday.

The 22-year-old’s ordeal began in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal where she was befriended by three local men shortly after arriving on November 20, one of the city’s top police officers said.

The men, one of whom spoke Japanese, first managed to persuade her to withdraw around $1,200 in cash before travelling with her to the shrine of Bodh Gaya in the neighbouring state of Bihar.

High profile attack There she was then handed over to two brothers who allegedly locked her in a secluded underground room and repeatedly raped her for nearly a month.

The case is the latest in a string of high-profile attacks that have highlighted the frightening lev-

els of violence against women in the country.

The two brothers, who were working as tourist guides, were arrested on Friday and taken to Kolkata where they appeared in court late on Saturday. A magistrate ordered that they be remanded in custody until January 9 for an identification parade.

Kolkata joint police commissioner Pallab Kanti Ghosh said the other three men were being held on suspicion of extorting money from the victim and then handing her over to the alleged rapists.

“We have arrested three people who befriended the victim in Kolkata. They have been charged with common conspiracy and intention to kidnap and rape,” the commissioner said.

“The men managed to extort Rs76,000 ($1,200) from her and convinced her to travel to Bodh Gaya with them in their car.”

The woman managed to escape from Gaya and reached Varanasi, where she met some Japanese

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PLACE OF CRIME: A village house, believed to be the place where a

Japanese tourist was allegedly gang-raped and held as a sex slave for nearly a month, at Fatehpur village in Gaya district in this photograph taken on Saturday. - AFP

tourists who helped her contact the consulate in Kolkata.

Although it was not immediately clear when her ordeal ended, police said she filed the police report in the last week of December.

“(When) we came to know of the incident... we assisted her in registering the complaint with the police,” Japan’s consul-general in Kolkata, Kazumi Endo, said.

Tourism Minister Mahesh

Sharma conceded that the incident would dent India’s image further.

“We are only getting 69 lakh (6.9 million) tourists in a year so that’s a matter of concern for us. (We have) to take care of the security of travellers,” he told CNN-IBN news network.

Samina Khatoon, sister of the men arrested in Gaya, denied the charge of gang rape and demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

“We also want a medical examination of the victim. It will prove that my brothers are innocent,” she said by phone.

Negative impact India has faced intense scrutiny over its efforts to curb violence against women following the fatal gang rape of a medical student

in New Delhi in December 2012, which sparked a global outcry.

Attacks against women from Western countries, including the US and Britain, have received major media coverage and tourism bosses are wary of their negative impact.

In January 2014 a 51-year-old Danish tourist was robbed and gang-raped at knifepoint in Delhi in a case that grabbed national and international headlines.

In 2013 a Swiss cyclist holidaying in the central state of Madhya Pradesh was robbed and raped by five men, all of whom were later jailed for life.

However, crimes against women from Asian countries have received noticeably less attention.

This latest case was only a small news item and was largely ignored by the rolling news networks.

The attack echoes that of a 25-year-old Japanese woman who was gang-raped in 2010 while she was on her way to the railway station in Gaya. - AFP

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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COMMUNAL CLASHES

Merger of Janata Parivar parties on track, says Nitish

Vehicles set ablaze after clashes broke out between two communities on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi in Giridih district of Jharkhand on Sunday. - PTI

Assembly elections in Delhi by mid-February The AAP, which made its debut in Delhi in the last polls in 2013, emerged the second largest party with 28 MLAs in 70-member assembly

NEW DELHI: The Assembly elections in Delhi, where the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are raring for another face off, are likely to be held by the middle of February.

Authoritative sources in the Election Commission said the an-

nouncement for the one-day poll for the 70-member Assembly may be made this week.

The final list of electoral rolls for the National Capital Territory of Delhi will be published on Monday that will pave the way for holding the polls anytime thereafter.

Incidentally, this will be the last election that will be announced

by Chief Election Commissioner V. S. Sampath, who will demit office on January 15 on attaining 65 years of age.

The sources said the schedule will be so fine-tuned that the elections are hoped to be completed in the second week of February or at best the third week so that it does not come in the way of annual examinations including those conducted by the CBSE that usually start early March.

Since Delhi is the only state going to polls now, the availability of Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF) will not be a problem, the

sources said, adding that about 100 CMPF companies may be enough for free and fair conduct of elections.

Opportunity The elections will be an opportunity for the resurgent BJP, which has been on a winning streak under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in various assembly polls since its spectacular success in the Lok Sabha polls last May, to seek a clear verdict unlike the fractured decision of 2013 polls in Delhi.

The BJP, which had then faced the polls under Modi as the chief campaigner for the party, could not get a majority in Delhi unlike the stunning success it had scored in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh which also went to polls then.

The AAP, which made its debut in Delhi in the last polls in 2013, emerged the second largest party

P L A N N E D AT TA C K

Mamata’s nephew Abhishek slapped at public meeting

CHAOS: TMC activists beat up a man who had slapped TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee at a public meeting at Chandipur in East Midnapore district of West Bengal on Sunday. -PTI

KOLKATA: An unidentified youth slapped Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, when he was addressing a public meeting in East Midnapore district on Sunday.

The party claimed it could be a planned attack on the life of Abhishek, widely perceived as his aunt’s political heir. The opposition condemned the incident, but said it pointed to the poor state of law and order in the state.

The incident led to chaos as party workers thrashed the attacker severely and later went on rampage, targeting policemen and media personnel at the meeting convened by the Trinamool Youth Congress (TYC) in Chandipur.

Caught unawares Taking security personnel and party workers unawares, the youth mounted the dais while seemingly clicking photos on his mobile phone and came close to Abhishek.

Before anyone could react, the attacker — donning a cap — slapped the leader on the face soon after he had started his speech. Taken aback, Banerjee

moved back, and the youth’s second attempt to hit him did not succeed. The TYC workers and leaders on the dais sprung into action, caught hold of the youth and started beating him up after pinning him on to the ground.

He was then taken below the stage and thrashed mercilessly by the enraged party workers.

The seriously-injured youth has been hospitalised.

Abhishek, MP from Diamond Harbour, heads the TYC. Trinamool spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien later termed the incident as “unfortunate”, but claimed it “may have been a plan to attack our MP Abhishek Banerjee and threaten his life”.

“Now, it is upto the administration to inquire into the matter and the law to take its course,” O’Brien tweeted.

At the venue, TYC workers turned their wrath on police and media personnel. Several policemen sustained injuries, while the representative of an electronic channel had to be rushed to the hospital after he was beaten up with bamboo canes. His camera was also broken into pieces.

Later, Trinamool workers put

up a road blockade. Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretariat member Rabin Deb said the attack was “condemnable” but demonstrated the conditions of the state.

“But when even an MP can be slapped like this, it only proves the anarchy prevailing in the state. The opposition workers and leaders have been under attack from the Trinamool since the party came to power. Many of our cadres are homeless, driven away from their villages. Now even the Trinamool leaders are at the wrong end of violence,” said Deb. Bharatiya Janata Party state president Rahul Sinha said his party did not support attack on any leader, but the incident seemed to be the outcome of the Trinamool’s factional feud.

“Or else, the attacker could be one who has suffered due to the Saradha chit fund scam. But the incident has proved the lack of security in the state and that law and order has become brittle. He also criticised the way the youth was thrashed by Trinamool workers.

“The beating up of media persons only shows the Trinamool’s attempts to curb the rights of the media,” said Sinha. - IANS

with 28 MLAs in 70 member assembly. It managed to form a government with the support of Congress (8 MLAs) and JD(U) (one) but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal resigned in 49 days making it a short-lived government.

The AAP has announced candidates for all the 70 seats including that of Kejriwal who will seek reelection from the New Delhi constituency.

The party made a disastrous showing in the last year’s Lok Sabha polls except for the four seats it had won in Punjab.

The Congress, on the other hand, is still reeling under the shattering blow it had received in the Lok Sabha elections and has not been able to put up any good showing in the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir that followed.

It has already announced candidates for 24 seats. - PTI

PATNA: Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that the proposed merger of Janata Parivar parties, including Lalu Prasad’s RJD and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, was on track, though no deadline has been fixed for it.

“We all are active on the merger.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has been authorised to take it ahead, is working on it. We talked about it on January 1 too. He will finalise it after talking to everybody (all parties), but no deadline has been fixed for it yet,” said former Bihar chief minister.

“Merger will be according to a set process and all formalities will be finished before it. Though our party members have suggested that it should not become a neverending process and should be completed soon,” Nitish added.

Nitish, flanked by state JD (U) president Vashistha Narayan Singh and a couple of ministers, was talking to media persons after the end of two-day meeting of party leaders here.

The meeting deliberated over various issues including merger of parties, future public engagements and issues that will be taken up in the run-up to the assembly elections next year.

Talks regarding the merger of six parties that came into existence after breaking away from Janata Dal formed by former prime minister V P Singh in 1988 started a couple of months ago.

The six parties are JD(U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Janata Dal (Secular) and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) and Nitish Kumar is expected to lead it in Bihar. -PTI

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M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

PAKISTAN

The mine collapsed when the labourers carried out a blast Saturday evening and so far we have retrieved 11 dead bodies. Some people might be still trapped inside Meraj Khan, Local administration official

DISASTER

HOLY OCCASION

Accident in marble mine leaves 11 dead

Pakistanis participate in a rally celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him), in Lahore, yesterday. — AFP

PESHAWAR: At least 11 people were killed when a marble mine collapsed during blasting in northwest Pakistan, officials said on Sunday.

The accident happened Saturday in the Ziarat neighbourhood of Lakaro village in the Mohmand tribal district.

“The mine collapsed when the labourers carried out a blast Saturday evening and so far we have retrieved 11 dead bodies. Some people might be still trapped inside,” local administration official Meraj Khan told AFP. He said two people were injured. A rescue operation was still under way.

Poor safety standards Zeeshan Abdullah, a senior administration official, confirmed the incident.

Most mines in Pakistan are notorious for poor safety standards and facilities.

Similar deadly accidents have occurred in the past. — AFP S E C TA R I A N AT TA C K

Four killed in sports ground blast PESHAWAR: A bomb targeting members of a minority sect at a volleyball match killed at least four people and injured eight in Pakistan’s restive northwest on Sunday, officials said.

The incident happened at the Hussaini ground, owned by the sect in the Kalaya neighbourhood of the Orakzai tribal district.

Local administration official Zubair Khan gave the death toll which was confirmed by Khaista Akbar, another senior administration official.

“Eight people have been injured in the blast, two of them are in critical condition,” Akbar told AFP. Drone attack Earlier on Sunday a US drone strike targeting a Taliban-linked warlord killed at least six militants in another tribal district, North Waziristan, Pakistani security officials said. — AFP

Terror group using social media site for recruitment Ehsan, spokesperson for Jamatul Ahrar, has 69 connections on the business networking site Ehsanullah Ehsan

ISLAMABAD: Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesperson for the splinter Taliban group Jamatul Ahrar, has found a new avenue to recruit militants in the form of business networking site LinkedIn, The Telegraph reported.

According to the British newspaper, the spokesperson for Jamatul Ahrar, who is wanted for an

assassination attempt on Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousufzai and has a $1 million bounty on his head, has 69 connections on LinkedIn. Ehsan does not hide his associations and promotes himself as spokesperson for Jamaatul Ahrar.

With skills listed as “jihad and journalism,” Ehsan describes him-

The disclosure that Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesperson for Jamatul Ahrar, has an open profile on LinkedIn is potentially embarrassing for the networking site.

Previously, other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have been criticised for failing to clamp down on hardliners using their sites to promote extremism

self as ‘self-employed’ and has his photograph for his display picture.

Further, providing details of his school, employment and language skills, he has listed himself as spokesperson since January 2010 and Jamaatul Ahrar as his ‘current employer.’

The disclosure that Ehsan has an open profile on LinkedIn is

potentially embarrassing for the networking site. Previously, other social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been criticised for failing to clamp down on hardliners using their sites to promote extremism.

However, after being approached by The Telegraph, LinkedIn took down Ehsan’s ac-

count. A spokesman said the company’s security team had decided to “restrict it”, meaning it was no longer in operation.

Fake account But the spokesperson added that it was not clear if the account belonged to Ehsan or was a fake account, established by another party.

Further, the spokesperson said, the IP address of the account, indicating where in the world it was set up, suggested it was fake. The “lack of Taliban recruiting messages” was another clue, the spokesperson added. “(I) Can’t say for certain that it is someone else … But I can say that our security team has a high degree of confidence that it is a fake account, which is reason enough to restrict it. “(I) Also can’t say for certain who might have set it up if it is fake.” — Express Tribune

NAT U R A L B A R R I E R

Mangroves that have long protected Karachi depleting KARACHI: Thick mangroves have long protected Karachi, southern Pakistan’s sprawling metropolis, from battering by the Arabian Sea, but pollution, badly managed irrigation and years of illegal logging have left this natural barrier in a parlous state.

Experts fear that loss of the natural barrier formed by the mangroves could put the city of nearly 20 million people at greater risk from violent storms and even tsunamis.

Close to Karachi, the mighty Indus river ends its long journey from the Himalayas in the sea.

The river delta is home to the shimmering green mangrove, a delicate ecosystem that thrives in the mingled salt and fresh water.

Fisherman Talib Kacchi, 50, recalled taking shelter from monsoon storms in the mangroves as a young man.

“When there were storms, we would have tied as many as four boats together with the mangroves, and then we would sit, gossip and sing songs,” he said.

But the mangrove is a shadow of its former self — from 600,000 hectares in the early 20th century now barely 130,000 hectares remain, according to marine biologist Mohammad Moazzam Khan.

The rest has fallen victim to illegal loggers, pollution from nearby industry and changes to the river flow caused by irrigation upstream on the agricultural plains of Sindh and Punjab provinces.

Livelihood The fishermen, who make a livelihood from the fish and shellfish that shelter in the mangroves, have warned about their decline for years.

But a short boat ride from Karachi’s Ibrahim Haidri fish harbour finds plenty of locals cutting the mangrove and carrying it away.

It is a very important ecosystem... it is the first line of defence against cyclones, strong surges, tsunami and other natural calamities. It (plantation) is going very well. There are very few areas in the world where the mangroves cover is increasing and Pakistan is one of them Mohammad Moazzam Khan WWF marine biologist

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT TICKING CLOCK: Boatmen travel on a boat loaded with chopped mangroves along a tributary close to the Arabian Sea in Karachi. — AFP

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

Some use foliage as fodder for cattle while others scrape a living by selling branches for fuel.

Frail old man “I sell one bundle for Rs10 to 20 (10 to 20 cents),” Haji Ibrahim, a frail old man who had just anchored his small boat at the shallow waters of the harbour said.

Cutting the mangroves is illegal but the maximum punishment for cutting the mangroves is a 36,000 rupee ($360) fine, doubled for ha-

bitual offenders, and in any case, prosecutions are extremely rare.

Karachi is Pakistan’s biggest city and economic and industrial heart. The rapid growth of factories has contributed to pollution in the Indus delta.

Near a power plant to the east of the city, the mangroves are dry and withered, robbing fish of their spawning grounds and angering Kamal Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.

“I really cannot understand why

you would attack the mangrove.

It’s stupid -- it’s like emptying your neighbour’s stomach to fill your own,” Shah said.

Valued, protected “If we were in another country, the mangrove would be valued and protected.”

As well as dissipating the energy of tropical storms when they hit the coast, the mangrove also provides a line of defence in case of tsunamis.

The Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet at the Makran Trench, off the coast, and the boundary has the potential to create major earthquakes.

An undersea quake in 1945 generated a tsunami that hit Karachi, killing 4,000 people, and a recent UN simulation suggested the city could be wiped out if a big tremor hit again.

“It is a very important ecosystem... it is the first line of defence against cyclones, strong surges,

tsunami and other natural calamities,” said marine biologist Khan, who works for the WWF wildlife NGO. But there is some hope. A drive to replant the mangroves in recent years has seen them slowly regain some of the losses.

“It (plantation) is going very well. There are very few areas in the world where the mangroves cover is increasing and Pakistan is one of them,” Khan said. — AFP

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

WORLD

Even after days, we still kept thinking he’s alive, but now that we have seen his body, we know he’s gone for sure.

There is a void left in my heart, but I hope in time I will heal Yunita Syawa, Sister of AirAsia crash victim

Icing caused AirAsia crash; rough seas hamper search The most probable weather phenomenon was icing which can cause engine damage due to a cooling process, said an initial report of Indonesia’s met agency BMKG

PANGKALAN BUN (INDONESIA): Weather was the “triggering factor” in the crash of AirAsia Flight 8501 with icing likely causing engine damage, Indonesian officials said, as rough seas Sunday hampered the search for more bodies and wreckage.

The Airbus A320-200 crashed into the Java Sea on December 28 carrying 162 people from Indonesia’s second city Surabaya to Singapore. Searchers are hunting for the “black box” flight data recorders to determine the cause of the crash.

An initial report on the website of Indonesia’s meteorological agency BMKG suggested the weather at the time the plane went down sparked the disaster after it appeared to fly into storm clouds.

“Based on the available data received on the location of the aircraft’s last contact, the weather was the triggering factor behind the accident,” said the report, which referred to infra-red satellite pictures showing peak cloud temperatures of minus 80 to minus 85 degrees Celsius at the time.

“The most probable weather phenomenon was icing which

GRIM TASK: A group of divers in a boat, left, travel toward the KRI Banda Aceh ship during the search

operation for passengers onboard AirAsia Flight QZ8501 in the Java Sea on Sunday. — Reuters

can cause engine damage due to a cooling process. This is just one of the possibilities that occurred based on the analysis of existing meteorological data,” the report said. It remained unclear why other planes on similar routes were unaffected by the weather, and other analysts said there was not yet enough information to explain the disaster.

“It’s irrelevant to make an assumption on the cause of the crash as we haven’t found the black boxes yet,” former air force commander Chappy Hakim told AFP. Five major parts of the Airbus A320-200 have now been found off the island of Borneo. But rough weather last week hampered the search, a huge operation assisted by several countries including the

United States and Russia.

During a momentary respite from bad weather, a team of divers went down to the biggest part of the wreckage on Sunday morning and recovered one body, while another three were found floating in the sea, bringing the total number recovered to 34.

Zero visibility The divers “managed to go down but the visibility at the sea bottom was zero, it was dark and the seabed was muddy, with currents of three to five knots,” search and rescue agency chief Bambang Soelistyo told reporters.

He said the fifth major part of the plane, located early Sunday, measured about 10 metres by one metre (33 by 3.3 feet).

ICE AND SNOW FESTIVAL

A man rides a slide on an ice sculpture illuminated by coloured lights during a trial operation ahead of the 31st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in the northern city of Harbin, China, on Sunday. — Reuters

FOR MORE PHOTOS

I N T E R NAT I O NA L O B S E RV E R S

Voter intimidation before Sri Lanka election feared COLOMBO: International observers said on Sunday they had received complaints of voter intimidation before this week’s Sri Lankan presidential election, in which the incumbent faces a tough battle to win an unprecedented third term.

The 55-member panel of monitors told reporters they had already received complaints that the military had set up 400 roadblocks to discourage minority Tamils from voting freely in former war zones.

“According to the opposition these roadblocks are to keep away the voters... (but) we are told (by the authorities) that the military has no role to play in these election,” said the monitoring team leader S. Y. Quraishi. “We are yet to see that.”

He said international observers would on Monday begin fanning

The monitors have been invited by Sri Lanka’s election chief Mahinda Deshapriya, who told them he was confident of conducting a fair election

out to the 22 electoral districts across the island to check out the final rallies. They will also be present at polling booths on Thursday during a nine-hour period when some 15 million people are eligible to vote.

“The police have assured us that they will guarantee that the election is free and fair,” Quraishi said. “At the moment, we have to take their word.”

Even as they arrived in the island, gunmen opened fire at a

meeting of the main opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday night and wounded one person.

On Friday at least 20 supporters of Sirisena were wounded when stones and rocks were thrown as he addressed crowds at Pelmadulla outside the capital.

Private local election monitors have said they received nearly 1,100 complaints since campaigning got underway in early December. — AFP

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The search, focused on a site southwest of the Borneo town of Pangkalan Bun, has also been extended east because parts of the plane may have been swept by currents, Soelistyo said.

The operation has prioritised finding the bodies of those on board the flight, of whom 155 were Indonesian, with three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman -- co-pilot Remi Plesel.

Indonesian warship commander Yayan Sofyan told MetroTV Sunday that three of the bodies so far recovered had been found still strapped into their row of seats, detached from the main plane body. The daughter of the plane’s pilot, Captain Iriyanto, made a televised plea to the public not to

blame her father. “He is just a victim and has not been found yet.

My family is now mourning,” said Angela Anggi Ranastianis.

“As a daughter, I cannot accept it. No pilot will harm his passengers,” she told TV One. The families of victims have been preparing funerals as the bodies are identified in Surabaya, where a crisis centre has been set up at a police hospital with facilities to store 150 bodies.

Yunita Syawal, at a wake for her 23-year-old brother, said she first feared that he was on the AirAsia Flight when she was sent a selfie of him and his friends boarding one of the carrier’s planes at Surabaya airport.

“Even after days, we still kept thinking he’s alive, but now that we have seen his body, we know he’s gone for sure,” she said.

“There is a void left in my heart, but I hope in time I will heal.”

Indonesia has pledged to investigate alleged flight violations by AirAsia, saying the aircraft had been flying on an unauthorised schedule when it crashed. The airline has now been suspended from flying the Surabaya-Singapore route.

But the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said it had granted permission for the airline’s Sunday flight.

It was unclear how the airline, a unit of Malaysia-based AirAsia, had been able to fly without the necessary authorisation from its starting point. Before take-off, Iriyanto had asked for permission to fly at a higher altitude to avoid the storm. But the request was not approved due to other planes above him on the popular route, according to AirNav, Indonesia’s air traffic control.

In his last communication, the experienced former air force pilot said he wanted to change course to avoid the menacing storm system.

Then all contact was lost, about 40 minutes after take-off. — AFP

S U I C I D E AT TA C K

Four killed in Mogadishu car bombing MOGADISHU: A huge car bomb blast shook Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Sunday after a suicide bomber struck an area close to the heavily-fortified international airport, killing four people, officials said.

A Somalia police official said the car bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into another car, setting off a huge blast that was heard across the coastal city.

The sprawling airport area is a major base for members of Somalia’s armed forces, houses several foreign embassies and African Union troops battling Al Qaeda-affiliated Shebaab militants.

It has been a frequent target of attacks by the Shebaab, most recently in late December when the Shebaab launched a major assault against an African Union command centre.

“We had information about this car laden with explosives and we have been following it... but it detonated and four civilians were killed, and the bomber,” interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Yusuf told reporters Witnesses said they saw clouds of smoke after the explosion, and that security forces opened fire to disperse approaching onlookers.

Several witnesses also said they saw up to five destroyed vehicles in the vicinity of the explosion.

“There was a terrible explosion.

The security forces have cordoned off the area.

“They opened fire to disperse people nearby,” said Ali Suleyman, a witness.

The latest attack came at the end of a week which saw the United States conduct another air strike.

Intel chief killed The Somali government said the Shebaab’s intelligence chief, Abdishakur Tahlil, was killed in Monday night’s raid.

The Shebaab’s former leader Ahmed Abdi Godane was also killed by a US air strike in September. — AFP

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The overreach of the Afghan president

P

resident Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan is known for occasionally being hot-tempered. But it was nonetheless baffling to Western diplomats when, in recent days, he abruptly demanded that the United Nations Development Programme, the agency that manages hundreds of millions of dollars provided by Western donors to run the police force, relinquish responsibility for the fund within six months.

Ghani seems to think the Afghan government, despite its history of endemic corruption, could do a better job.

He has complained that the agency spends too much on overhead managing the fund, and he seems intent on moving swiftly to establish himself as a bold, visionary leader. But transferring the fund, known as the Law and Order Trust Fund, would almost certainly make it vulnerable to the kind of theft that has been routine in Afghan ministries over that past decade of war.

American taxpayers have much at stake in controversies such as this, as the war enters a new phase. As tempting as it is to think of the Afghan war as receding in the rear view mirror, the United States remains deeply embroiled in the conflict. President Obama celebrated the nominal end of America’s combat mission last month, vowing, with unfounded optimism, that the country was “not going to be a source of terrorist attacks again.” However, his administration opted to retain significant military operations in Afghanistan, where roughly 10,600 troops continue to serve. Washington has also committed to continue spending billions of dollars to keep Afghanistan’s fledgling security forces afloat.

The UNDP is not without critics. In September, the inspector general who oversees American reconstruction funding wrote a letter warning that the agency had failed to address suspected fraud committed by officials at the Afghan Interior Ministry who had taken “dubious” deductions from police salaries. Since January 2011, the UNDP has paid out more than $1.62 billion that has been used largely to cover the salaries and pensions of Afghan police officers.

The United States and its allies have contributed more than $3.1 billion to the fund since 2002. Western diplomats say the United Nations agency has done a reasonably good job managing the money in a country where some level of misappropriation is seen as inevitable.

Western donors agree that Afghan ministries should eventually assume more responsibility for managing international aid, but the sixmonth deadline Ghani has imposed appears unrealistic and arbitrary.

Ghani, a former World Bank executive, understands how donor funds are handled. He has spoken out candidly and forcefully about the need to battle corruption in Afghanistan.

What he has yet to do, though, is propose a credible alternative to improve the delivery and spending of Western aid. To accomplish that, Ghani, who assumed office in September, must first focus on getting a cabinet in place. - The New York Times News Service

REALITY VS SPIN

Goebbel still lives on in Israel’s apologists AIJAZ ZAKA SYED

Kim’s olive branch

N

ot long after Washington vowed to take unspecified revenge on North Korea for the devastating cyber attack on Sony Pictures, the North Korean dictator has again displayed his capacity to unsettle his opponents. Taking a break from firing off earsplitting threats, Kim Jong-un used a new year address to declare his interest in new talks with South Korea and even a full-blown summit. Devoting much of his speech to reconciliation, he called for a “big shift” in relations on the peninsula.

To old Korea hands, this is vintage stuff from a regime that specialises in being unpredictable. Like his father and grandfather, Kim Jong-un masquerades as a lion one minute and a pussycat the next, depending on whether roaring or purring better serves the goal of keeping the US and the South guessing. Playing on South Korea’s hopes of unification is always a good card, as it creates divisions between the South and the US, which is deeply suspicious of the North’s good faith in that field.

The unknown factor in the latest developments is China’s role.

Without Beijing’s support, the bankrupt North Korean state would have collapsed. It is China — frightened by the prospect of a powerful, united Korea right on its doorstep — that keeps the pudgy dictator on his throne. However much North Korea’s antics embarrass them, the Chinese put up with it.

But that does not mean they cannot put in a word — and the latest pyrotechnics between Pyongyang and Washington will not have amused them. One question is whether the West is doing all it can to persuade China to rein in its protégé. If Beijing were to threaten Pyongyang with consequences, Kim might behave very differently. China may feel no interest in doing any such thing — but we should hope that this avenue is at least being explored. - The Independent

No country can ever grow without its private sector

Sultanate can become a manufacturing hub in GCC

This refers to the news story, Private sector gets government boost (January 4). I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Finance for this thoughtful and well considered move. No country can ever grow and prosper without an equal participation of the private sector. Neither can the fiscal condition of a country improve nor its economy diversify unless the private sector does not become a partner in the endeavour. I am sure the budget for 2015 will help the growth of the private sector which will, sooner than later, become an important engine of Oman’s growth and help the nation to reduce its dependence on oil.

Mohammed Osama Rawat Ruwi

This refers to the news story, Health, education get lion’s share in new budget (January 4). This is undoubtedly a good move as both education and health deserve attention. However, I think the planners would have done even better if they had focussed equally on the manufacturing sector which would have cut imports. It would have also helped Oman to emerge as a manufacturing hub in the GCC region.

Sunil Babu Muscat

Who sowed the seeds of this conflict in the holy land in the first place? Who drove Palestinians out of their homes forcing them to wander forever across this ancient land? What is their sin, for which the children of Israel continue to punish them?

T

he press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. The words of Malcolm X, the icon of African Americans’ struggle for dignity and justice, still ring true, four decades on. In fact, they are all the more relevant today when spin has been perfected as an art form by the likes of Thomas L Friedman.

The popular New York Times columnist and old hand on the Middle East is one of the most powerful spin masters of the US establishment. He is one of those incredibly gifted pundits and opinion makers who can make victims look like oppressors, justice as injustice and truth as falsehood. They can turn logic, reason and facts upside down and get away with murder.

In a recent piece, Friedman returned to his familiar territory, the Middle East and the Palestine-Israel conflict: “As a result of the Palestinian Intifada of 2000-2004, Israel concluded that partnership at that time was impossible with the Palestinians, whose leaders were too divided and dysfunctional to prevent suicide bombing. So Israel erected a wall, unilaterally pulled out of Gaza and basically said to the Palestinians, ‘We’ll continue to engage you, but only from a position of strength, only after we’re insulated from the daily threat of suicide bombings or the burden of occupying Gaza.’”

This is spin at its best. So it is the Palestinians’ own fault, if Israel has occupied their land, continues to kill their men, women and children and shuts them off from the rest of the world by building a barrier on their own land. Blame the victims’ for the injustice inflicted on them. This is what Israel and its friends in the US establishment have successfully done for the past half a century.

He goes on to argue: “What would be the equivalent (of Israel’s wall) for the West and the Muslim world?

Also build a wall? How do we insulate ourselves from the madness of the Middle East — if Iraq and Afghanistan can’t be made to work — without giving up on reform there, which is still badly needed?”

Friedman answers his own question saying: “Build a virtual wall. End our oil addiction.

“We Americans need to end our dependence on this part of the world for energy, because it is debilitating for us and for them. It is terrible for us, because addicts never tell the truth to their pushers. We are the oil addicts and they (Arabs) are the oil pushers.”

And it is awfully nice of Friedman to propose the wall ‘insulating’ the US from what he calls ‘the

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Is India becoming a quasiauthoritarian country?

An ordinance in a democracy is normally used as the last resort by the governments, or when a law

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder GEORGE WASHINGTON

madness of the Middle East.’ That would be really something! Makes sense too. For the Middle East, the cradle of civilization, had not known what Samuel Huntington calls the clash of civilizations — until world powers came along.

Who sowed the seeds of this conflict in the holy land in the first place? Who drove Palestinians out of their homes forcing them to wander forever across this ancient land? What is their sin, for which the children of Israel continue to punish them?

Defending the indefensible, Israel’s apologists clearly believe in Goebbels’ dictum that you can turn a lie into truth by repeating it ad nauseam. First you occupy the Arab land using deceit, manipulation and force and then accuse them of being incapable of living in peace with Israel. These too-clever-by half friends of Israel conveniently ignore the fact that it is not the Palestinians who have gone and occupied someone else’s land. It’s the other way round!

And we all know what the civilized Israel has done to the people it calls the terrorists. In the most recent offensive on Gaza alone, more than 2,000 Palestinians were killed and the largest prison on the planet was nearly totally destroyed all over again.

And this has been the story of the Palestinian existence for the past seven decades. Yet as far as Israel’s irrepressible apologists in the US and Western media are concerned, it is the Israelis who are the victims and Palestinians the oppressors. Not the other way round. This is what Malcolm X must have in mind when he warned: “If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”

The media can get away with murder. That is the power of spin. But are those at the receiving end in a position to complain though? The Arab and Islamic world has done little so far to counter the brazen and unabashedly one-sided narrative proffered and perpetuated by those with a huge axe to grind in the US media, much of it controlled by big business and Jewish moneybags.

But why cry about the Western when the media owned and supposedly run by Arabs and Muslims itself is increasingly controlled and manipulated by those who have little empathy for their hosts or care little for their concerns and interests.

The author is an award-winning journalist based in Dubai. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman.

has to be implemented in haste.

In the last six months, the BJP government in India has made ordinances the standard procedure to put a new law or regulation or policy into use. This is a dangerous trend as it belittles the importance, and even relevance, of parliament.

Quintessentially, bringing new rules into use through ordinance is unilateral and dictatorial. But the BJP apologists are justifying the frequent use of ordinances saying this is the only way the government can skirt administrative paralysis. In the past we have seen the BJP, when in opposition, forcing the then ruling UPA government into administrative paralysis by disrupting sessions of parliament for days on end. Yet, the UPA government barely used the route of ordinances. I don’t want to jump to any conclusion

yet but I would like the readers of Times of Oman to ponder on where India is drifting towards. Is the current government in the country gradually becoming kind of quasiauthoritarian?

C. K. Nair Muscat

How will Kohli fare as the Test captain of India?

I don’t know how will Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket augur for India. But the more important issue today is, how will the appointment of Virat Kohli as the Test captain augur. I believe, neither will augur well for Indian cricket. I feel Kohli is not the right choice, but then, who else could have succeeded Dhoni?

Ashok Panicker Seeb

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 (times@omantel.net.om)

T I M E S OF OM AN

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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PERSPEC IVE A remarriage that would have serious political ramifications A

t a time when Pakistan is poised to develop an institutionalized mechanism to counter terrorism, any analytical dip into the second — albeit still unconfirmed — marriage of Imran Khan, the chief of the main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, would seem trite. But then again, maybe not because it has the potential to create its own ripple effect on the political landscape, and therefore is worthy of a look-into.

Amid a strong wave of rumours, denials and more rumours sweeping the land, Khan — who divorced British heiress Jemima Goldsmith a decade ago and has two children who live with her whilst meeting their father a few times a year — hasn’t helped matters with a ‘clarifying’ tweet that has only served to spice up uncertainty like the Carolina Reaper.

“The reports of my marriage are greatly exaggerated!” is how Khan, 62, has responded to the alleged wedding to Reham Khan, the presentable 41-year-old divorcee mother of three, who anchors a political talk show — In Focus with Reham Khan — at Dawn News, a private TV channel.

The Pakistani and British media which had been flashing reports of the alleged marriage — Khan, of course, was a global celebrity thanks to his prowess as a legendary cricketer and philanthropist well before his political avatar took him to new heights — are unlikely to tamper their coverage with a tweet that is hardly in the straightand-narrow category of a confirmation or denial.

Already the tweet has been deciphered to mean several things to several people with some predictably, suggesting it is derived from adventurer Mark Twain’s famous quote surrounding his fate: “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”. In this case, it is deemed Khan may have contrived a clever spin to possibly explain it later as having contracted a simple marriage, but one that had been greatly exaggerated!

A possible give-away could be that the PTI chief was expected to fly out to England to meet his sons and take them into confidence — if reports are to be believed. This follows a reported statement attributed to Khan in which he was quoted as suggesting that second marriages require careful consideration “because children are involved”.

In the same statement, Khan cites publicly mentioning the idea of remarriage before pointing out there would be an appropriate time for doing so, not when there is national mourning over the massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar that has shaken the whole the country.

KAMRAN REHMAT

A possible give-away could be that the PTI chief was expected to fly out to England to meet his sons and take them into confidence — if reports are to be believed

Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province that is governed by Khan’s PTI. The Taliban shot dead 141 people, including 132 schoolchildren at the Army Public School on December 16 last year, in a brazen attack that shocked the world for its brutality.

It is a measure of how seriously the idea of Khan’s remarriage is treated on a national scale that his sister Aleema Khan despite denying it had taken place — citing her own straightforward talk with his brother — admitted to confusion when asked if her brother had had an affair with the former BBC weather girl since, according to Aleema in Pakistan, “either you are getting married or you’re not”.

Aleema however, appeared to leave no-one in any doubt about the family’s disapproval of the alleged affair when she said they had themselves been looking for her brother “to settle down” with “a good person”, implying that’s not the impression they have of Reham.

The PTI chief caused much mirth when during the initial phase of the 126-day protest demonstration outside the Pakistani parliament in the capital Islamabad, he told his supporters that he was in a hurry to create “Naya Pakistan” (New Pakistan) so that he could remarry. He later played down the remark as a joke, saying he could not even conceive of the idea at what was a crucial juncture for his party.

But Khan has previously climbed down from such lofty perches and it wouldn’t be an out-andout surprise if he were to either declare a new innings or simply bide time.

A confidante or two have been swearing that he has indeed tied the knot, but has had to cover bases because of the entire national focus on taking the fight to the militants with a calibrated strategy centred around setting up — and giving legal cover to — military courts.

However, on the lighter side, legions of PTI supporters and some enterprising members of the press are keen to see the PTI chief break the news either way. There is a general impression that Khan needs to have stability in his personal life, the lack of which, it is assumed is impacting his public life, where he suddenly takes extreme positions that are often untenable.

As the country’s most popular politician with the potential to win power down the road, peace at home is thus seen as a ‘political need’, too.

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

Cancer is caused by more than bad luck

T

he media has given a good airing to research that says developing cancer can be simply down to bad luck. This isn’t actually new. It’s well established that certain gene faults can trigger some types of the disease.

But, as the researchers themselves point out, we know that there are also other factors at play.

Cancer is caused by damage to our DNA. Environmental factors like UV rays and lifestyle habits such as inhaling cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco, can damage our DNA as can the process of ageing.

The damage builds up over time and if a cell becomes too badly damaged it can start to multiply out of control — leading to cancer.

This means the risk of developing the disease depends on a combination of our genes, our environment and other aspects of our lives, many of which we can control.

People can’t change their genetic fingerprint. So it’s essential to invest heavily in new ways to detect the disease earlier when treatment is more likely to be ef-

EMMA SMITH

fective, and to continue researching kinder and more effective ways of targeting treatments for the specific faults in the tumours of each cancer patient.

The good news is that four out of 10 cases of cancer can be prevented by making small lifestyle changes. So it’s absolutely vital to look at ways to help stop the disease developing in the first place.

Cancer Research UK recently announced that lifestyle factors like smoking, unhealthy diets, being overweight, excess alcohol, UV exposure and a lack of regular exercise have caused nearly 600,000 extra cases of cancer in the UK in the past five years.

Making healthier choices is not a fail-safe guarantee against cancer, but it can stack the odds in our favour. And there’s no time like the present to put into practice some of the key ways people can help protect themselves from the disease.

The single best thing anyone can do for their health in 2015 is to quit smoking. Tobacco is behind more than half of the preventable cases of cancer and causes more

than one in four cancer deaths and more than one in five cases of cancer.

Smoking isn’t just linked to lung cancer — it can cause 14 different types of the disease and a range of other health problems like diabetes, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, blindness, and many other problems.

Alcohol increases the risk of up to seven different types of cancer including breast and mouth cancer. The more you drink the higher the risk of these and other diseases. Alcohol ups the calorie intake causing drinkers to put on weight - and obesity is a cancer risk too.

Other changes like keeping a healthy weight, eating a good balanced diet can make a big difference along with keeping active and staying safe in the sun.

Today, around half of those diagnosed with cancer will survive more than 10 years, but by 2025 we want three quarters of all cancer sufferers to beat the disease. To achieve this we must attack cancer on every front. - The Independent

Living in a state of constant apprehension ANWER MOORAJ

I

noticed that the newspapers, at least the ones that I read, did not wish their readers a happy New Year.

Nor did they come up with any resolutions frivolous or otherwise. The usual festivities were also absent.

Winter balls in clubs and consulates were cancelled or postponed. Midnight mass for the Christians was more solemn than before.

The recent burning of a Christian couple in the presence of their children by an enraged mob in Punjab on an unproven charge of blasphemy was still fresh in their minds.

The Taliban threat to bomb all schools, which has delayed the start of the new semester, has also shaken parents in the city who watch, helpless, as they witness and read about the orgies of destruction.

Nobody is in a mood to celebrate, and rightly so. The Pakistani Taliban are an implacable and merciless enemy.

For years, they have waged a guerrilla war against the military, the plutocrats and the despots, the hopelessly rich and the haughty, the vain and the snobbish.

So far as they are concerned, all the beneficiaries of the current system are parasites.

The year 2014 has been one of feeling insecure, battered and fearful for the future.

While the parents of the deceased are still in a state of mourning after the shock of the massacre in the Army Public School, the incident has sprouted the mother of all conspiracy theories — that the assault was masterminded by the Mossad, the CIA and Raw, acting in concert.

The motive? The destabilisation of Pakistan’s nuclear facility. The premise probably has its genesis in the story which did the rounds a number of years ago.

Apparently a squadron of Israeli war planes had entered Pakistan airspace with the sole intention of destroying the arsenal of nuclear weapons.

However, warned by the intelligence network of a friendly Arab country, Pakistan Air Force fighters intercepted the enemy aircraft and prevented them from inflicting any damage.

The story might be apocryphal, but it was widely believed at the time and was a great morale booster.

The country has been in total disarray for a considerable time. The extreme rightist threat which has been foment-

The country has been in total disarray for a considerable time.

The extreme rightist threat which has been fomenting from the brittle days of Ziaul Haq, was fully distilled during the reign of Asif Ali Zardari, where religious parties were debilitated by the halitosis of their own beliefs and were silent on the activities of the extremists ing from the brittle days of Ziaul Haq, was fully distilled during the reign of Asif Ali Zardari, where religious parties, normally partisan and flushed with polemic, were debilitated by the halitosis of their own beliefs and were silent on the activities of the extremists.

Even the former chief of army staff faced a dilemma.

While he recognised the threat posed by the fanatic radicals, he was most reluctant to take them on head on.

He is purported to have said something such as the military was not in a position to engage in warfare with the Taliban as this was essentially the task of the Rangers and police; and if they did, military losses would be heavy.

It raised a lot of eyebrows in the assemblies where politicians wondered whether the task of the military was limited to defending a country against external threats but also to ensure stability in the country.

The main thrust of Asif Ali Zardari’s policies was to ensure that the regime completed its five years. This was trumpeted and heralded as a great accomplishment and a triumph of democracy.

Had he taken a little more interest in fighting the extremists instead of doling out portfolios to political rivals, things might have been different in this country.

It remains to be seen whether the courts allow the prime minister and the army chief to introduce a swifter and more direct dispensation of justice.

Perhaps it is the biggest need of the hour. - The Express Tribune

How black boxes reconstruct a crash Information from an aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder – the so-called “black boxes” – is used to create an interactive animation of the flight displays in the final moments before a crash Flight Data Recorder

Cockpit Voice Recorder

Underwater Locator Beacon

Stainless steel or titanium memory unit can withstand impact 3,400 times force of gravity and temperatures up to 1,100°C Primary Flight Display Shows “big-five” flight instruments – artificial horizon, airspeed in knots, altimeter in feet above sea level, vertical speed in feet per minute, and compass heading

Black boxes record flight parameters, cockpit sounds and conversations Flash memory

Navigation Display Weather radar, route plan and aircraft systems data such as fuel, engine power and state of electrical systems

Source: CAE Flightscape, Honeywell ED-55 Flight Data Recording System

Graphic News /

Graphics

OPINION POLL

TODAY IN HISTORY 1477

Swiss troops defeat the forces under Charles the Bold of Burgundy at the Battle of Nancy.

1815

Federalists from all over New England, angered over the War of 1812, draw up the Hartford Convention, demanding several important changes in the US Constitution.

1917

Bulgarian and German troops occupy the Port of Braila.

1919

British ships shell the Bolshevik headquarters in Riga.

1947

Great Britain nationalizes its coal mines.

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES LNG PROCESSING TRAINS READY FOR START-UP

MUSCAT: Oman LNG has announced that the first two processing trains as its plant at Qalhat are ready for start-up. It is also preparing to produce its first liquefied natural gas. This marks the arrival of Oman on the world stage among a handful of countries producing LNG for the global market. The event follows the culmination of more than 36 months and over 37 million man-hours of work.

Should the government of Oman now raise taxes on all luxury items?

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THE PHILIPPINES: Participants throw coloured powder after running the Colour Manila Run in Taguig City, metro Manila, on Sunday. Hundreds of runners joined the annual event, which aims to promote a healthier lifestyle. – Reuters

UNITED STATES: US President Barack Obama and First Lady

Michelle Obama prepare to board Air Force One before returning to Washington at the end of their vacation, in Honolulu. – AFP

AUSTRALIA: Embers glow against the smoke-filled sunset near Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills. More than 30 homes are feared destroyed as firefighters battle the worst bushfire in South Australia for three decades. – AFP

AUSTRIA: Stefan Kraft from Austria soars through the air during the practice for the third jumping of the 63rd four-hills Ski jumping tournament in Innsbruck, Austria. The four-hills tournament will end in Bischofshofen on Tuesday. – Reuters

CROATIA: Erin Mielzynski from Canada clears a gate during the first run of the World Cup Women’s Slalom race on Sljeme in Zagreb, Republic of Croatia, on Sunday. – Reuters

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5 Police detained several people who tried to break through the security cordon to meet Khaleda in her office, live TV footage showed

Bangladesh on edge as Khaleda locked in office The opposition leader had threatened to hold mass rallies in Dhaka to mark ‘Democracy Killing Day’ on Monday, which were also banned by the authorities

DHAKA: Bangladesh police banned all protests in the capital from Sunday and locked main opposition leader Khaleda Zia in her office in Dhaka as tensions rose before the first anniversary of an election her party boycotted.

Khaleda had threatened to hold mass rallies in Dhaka to mark “Democracy Killing Day” on Monday -- the first anniversary of the polls that her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies refused to join on the grounds they would be rigged by the ruling party.

See sick colleague “She has been confined in her office. Police have cordoned off the area and barricaded (the) road.

She wanted to see a sick party colleague around midnight, but they did not let her out,” Khaleda’s aide S.R. Shimul Biswas told AFP. Police banned all protests, rallies and demonstrations in the capital from 5pm (1100 GMT) Sunday until further notice to prevent violence after the ruling party announced rival rallies.

“We imposed the ban as rival rallies by the political parties raised fears of clashes,” Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman told AFP.

Buses and ferries heading to the capital were halted, virtually cutting the city from the rest of the country, operators said

Headquarters padlocked The main opposition headquarters in central Dhaka was padlocked by police at midnight on Saturday, according to local television channels, with police vans

barricading nearby roads. Khaleda was forced to spend the night in her office despite attempting to leave by car, her aide said.

Police detained several people who tried to break through the security cordon to meet Khaleda in her office, live TV footage showed.

Police Inspector Firoz Kabir denied that Khaleda was being forcibly detained in her office.

“We’ve not detained her, only her security has been enhanced.

She is not leaving her office,” he told AFP. BNP officials said at least 400 party supporters were arrested, including two other senior party figures, ahead of the poll anniversary.

Home stormed Police also stormed the home of the BNP deputy leader Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Somoy Television said, but it was unclear whether he was at home at the time.

Tension has been rising since January 1, when Khaleda demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government and threatened to bring the country to a halt.

Khaleda’s decision to boycott the “farcical” election handed a walkover victory to her bitter rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Khaleda was confined to her home in the build-up to last year’s election but was released after the polls.

Khaleda and her allies had alleged Hasina would rig last year’s vote with the help of a biased election commission and “partisan” civil and security agencies.

The United States has said the polls did not credibly reflect the will of the people. — AFP

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Muscat bourse lacking luster among Gulf stock markets Qatar emerged as the best performing bourse among GCC states (18.4 per cent), followed by Bahrain (14.2 per cent), Dubai (12 per cent), Abu Dhabi (5.6 per cent), Saudi Arabia (-2.4 per cent), Oman (-7.2 per cent) and Kuwait (13.4 per cent)

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Muscat Securities Market, which declined by 7.2 per cent last year, emerged as the second worst performing bourse among GCC states.

Gulf markets crashed in the fourth quarter of last year, with the crude price falling from $110 to $56 per barrel, wiping out the entire gains of regional equities made until the end of third quarter.

Qatar emerged as the best performing bourse among GCC states (18.4 per cent) in 2014, followed by Bahrain (14.2 per cent), Dubai (12 per cent), Abu Dhabi (5.6 per cent), Saudi Arabia (-2.4 per cent), Oman (-7.2 per cent) and Kuwait (13.4 per cent), said Gulf Baader Capital Markets in a research note.

During the fourth quarter of last year, MSM general index lost 17 per cent, in the wake of a series of adverse factors, including an

LOSING SHINE: During the fourth quarter of last year, MSM lost 17 per cent, in the wake of a series of adverse factors, including an increase in natural gas price and fall in oil prices. — Times file picture

increase in natural gas price and fall in oil prices. As much as 79 per cent of Oman’s government revenue this year is coming from hydrocarbon resources.

Local bourse witnessed its peak at 7,548 points during September, but declined to touch a low of 5,409 points by mid-December, indicating a fall of 20.9 per cent from the beginning of the year and a fall of 28 per cent from its peak level. However, the market staged a smart recovery of almost 17 per cent (from its lows) in the last two trading weeks of 2014, noted the Gulf Baader report.

Muscat bourse’s turnover touched OMR2.27 billion (on a volume of 6.71 billion shares traded on the bourse), which works out to a daily turnover of more than OMR9 million.

According to Gulf Baader report, the major gainers on the Muscat bourse last year include National Securities, National Mineral Water, Al Batinah Devel-

opment and Investment, Sweets of Oman, Sohar Power Co, ahlibank, Al Batinah Power, Al Maha Ceramics, Al Suwadi Power, Oman Fibre Optics, Packaging Co, ACWA Power Barka, SMN Power Holding, Gulf Mushroom, Sembcorp Sallah, Oman Telecommunications Co, Muscat National Holding, Majan College, Bank Sohar and Al Kamil Power. These companies gained anywhere between 10 and 77 per cent.

Major losers last year include Al Hassan Engineering, Al Sharqiya Investment, Construction Material, Al Jazeera Services, Al Anwar Holding, Galfar Engineering and Contracting, Power Services Corporation, Oman Cement Co, Al Madina Investment, Oman National Investment, Renaissance Services, Oman & Emirates, Oman Fisheries and Gulf Investment Services. These company shares lost anywhere between 61 per cent and 30 per cent last year.

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

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C O M M E N TA RY

Economy of Iran cannot grow while nation isolated: Rouhani DUBAI: Iran “cannot have sustainable growth in isolation,” President Hassan Rouhani, whose government seeks to have international sanctions against the nation lifted, said yesterday.

“Gone are the days when it was said if foreign investors come to Iran its independence will suffer,” Rouhani said in an address opening a Tehran conference on sus-

tainable growth and job creation, local media reported. Opening up “doesn’t mean letting go of the nation’s ideals and principles,” he said, according to Fars news agency. Rouhani took office after eight years of rule by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during which United Nations, European Union and Untied States imposed sanctions. - Bloomberg News

Five reasons for slow economic growth MICHAEL SPENCE

MILAN: A remarkable pattern has emerged since the 2008 global financial crisis: Governments, central banks, and international financial institutions have consistently had to revise their growth forecasts downward. With very few exceptions, this has been true of projections for the global economy and individual countries alike.

It is a pattern that has caused real damage, because overoptimistic forecasts delay measures that are needed to boost growth, and thus impede full economic recovery. Forecasters need to come to terms with what has gone wrong; fortunately, as the post-crisis experience lengthens, some of the missing pieces are coming into clear focus. I have identified five.

First, the capacity for fiscal intervention — at least among developed economies — has been underutilied. As former United States deputy secretary of the treasury Frank Newman argued in a recent book, ‘Freedom from National Debt’, a country’s capacity for fiscal intervention is better assessed by examining its aggregate balance sheet than by the traditional method of comparing its debt (a liability) to its GDP (a flow).

Traditional method Reliance on the traditional method has resulted in missed opportunities, particularly given that productive publicsector investment can more than pay for itself. Investments in infrastructure, education, and technology help drive longterm growth. They increase

competitiveness, facilitate innovation, and boost privatesector returns, generating growth and employment. It does not take a lot of growth to offset even substantial investment – especially given current low borrowing costs.

Research by the International Monetary Fund has indicated that these fiscal multipliers – the second factor overlooked by forecasters – vary with underlying economic conditions. In economies with excess capacity (including human capital) and a high degree of structural flexibility, the multipliers are greater than once thought.

Structural flexibility In the US, for instance, structural flexibility contributed to economic recovery and helped the country adapt to longterm technological changes and global market forces. In Europe, by contrast, structural change faces resistance. Fiscal stimulus in Europe may still be justified, but structural rigidity will lower its impact on long-term growth. Europe’s fiscal interventions would be easier to justify if they were accompanied by microeconomic reforms targeted at increasing flexibility.

A third piece of the forecast puzzle is the disparity between the behavior of financial markets and that of the real economy. Judged only by asset prices, one would have to conclude that growth is booming.

Obviously, it is not.

A major contributor to this divergence has been ultraloose monetary policy, which, by flooding financial markets with liquidity, was supposed to

boost growth. But it remains unclear whether elevated asset prices are supporting aggregate demand or mainly shifting the distribution of wealth. It is equally unclear what will happen to asset prices when monetary assistance is withdrawn.

A fourth factor is the quality of government. In recent years, there has been no shortage of examples of governments abusing their powers to favor the ruling elite, their supporters, and a variety of special interests, with detrimental effects on regulation, public investment, the delivery of services, and growth. It is critically important that public services, public investment, and public policy are well managed.

Countries that attract and motivate skilled public managers outperform their peers.

Stagnation of incomes Finally, and most important, the magnitude and duration of the drop in aggregate demand has been greater than expected, partly because employment and median incomes have been lagging behind growth. This phenomenon preceded the crisis, and high levels of household debt have exacerbated its impact in the aftermath.

The stagnation of incomes in the bottom 75 per cent of the distribution presents an especially large challenge, because it depresses consumption, undermines social cohesion (and thus political stability and effectiveness), and decreases intergenerational mobility – especially where public education is poor.

Sometimes change occurs at a pace that outstrips the capacity of individuals and systems

to respond. This appears to be one of those times. Labour markets have been knocked out of equilibrium as new technology and shifting global supply chains have caused demand in the labor market to change faster than supply can adjust.

Income distribution This is not a permanent condition, but the transition will be long and complex. The same forces that are dramatically increasing the world economy’s productive potential are largely responsible for the adverse trends in income distribution.

Digital technology and capital have eliminated middleincome jobs or moved them offshore, generating an excess supply of labour that has contributed to income stagnation precisely in that range.

A more muscular response will require an awareness of the nature of the challenge and a willingness to meet it by investing heavily in key areas — particularly education, health care, and infrastructure.

It must be recognised that this is a difficult moment and countries must mobilize their resources to help their people with the transition.

One hopes that a growing awareness of the significance of these and other factors will have a positive effect on policy agendas in the coming year.

– Project Syndicate

The writer, a Nobel laureate in economics, is professor of Economics at NYU’s Stern School of Business, distinguished visiting fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

India to consider holding company Demand for a holding company for the government’s stakes in 27 stateowned banks is under consideration

MUMBAI: India is considering a demand for a holding company for the government’s stakes in 27 state-owned banks, a move that may make it easier to raise capital as they struggle with the lowest profitability in at least nine years.

“We will take a decision at a later stage,” finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia, told reporters in Pune, near Mumbai, where a two-day brainstorming session ended on Saturday after officials from the government, the regulator and the banks discussed steps to improve the financial health of the lenders.

Leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan joined the unprecedented conclave as they sought to address declining profitability, mounting bad loans and poor access to services in rural areas.

State-controlled lenders, which account for more than 70 per cent of India’s outstanding loans, have historically been less capitalised

than privately owned peers as a 51 per cent government ownership requirement limits scope to sell shares. That in turn restricts their ability to boost lending or requires the government to inject cash.

“The government’s willingness to favourably consider demands from banks is a positive,” said Vishal Narnolia, Mumbai-based banking analyst at SMC Global Securities. “A holding company structure will give a fillip to bank capitalisation efforts and place them in a better position.”

Panel recommendation A panel led by P. Jayendra Nayak, a former chief executive of Axis Bank and former India country head for Morgan Stanley, had recommended such a holding company in a report submitted in May. The state-owned lenders have also demanded one, Adhia said on Saturday.

Bolstering the strength of the financial industry may help support Modi’s efforts to boost the economy after winning an election in May. The S&P/BSE Bankex index, which tracks 12 lenders, climbed 65 per cent last year amid optimism an economic revival will curtail soured debt.

The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex index gained 30 per cent in the same period.

Delegates at the retreat, known as “Gyan Sangam” or “confluence of knowledge,” were set to discuss ways to improve the efficiency and recovery of nonperforming loans, the government said in a December 24 statement on its website. State-run banks require

reforms to “improve and consolidate,” according to the statement.

There’s a need for consolidation in ownership, improvement in governance and enhancement of management capabilities, Rajan told the delegates, according to a government statement.

Stressed assets Higher amounts of soured debt and slower credit growth than private banks dragged state lenders’ return on assets to 0.5 per cent in the year to March 31, the lowest since at least 2005, central bank data show.

Stressed assets at the government banks rose to 12.9 per cent of total lending as of September 30, the highest level since 2001, RBI data show.

The ratio stood at 4.4 per cent for privately owned rivals.

Rajan also mentioned the need to revamp bad loans to help the economy, the government said in the statement. He argued for the internationalization of India’s banking system while enhancing the capital base of the banks.

Modi asked the chiefs of stateowned lenders to end their ‘lazy’ banking practices and improve earnings, while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government is willing to reconsider rules and provide more autonomy to the banks. - Bloomberg News

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MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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MARKET $490 million in Iran’s released funds deposited in the Sultanate tension of an interim nuclear deal clinched on November 24, 2013, according to which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for a limited easing of the sanctions imposed on the country.

This installment in Iran’s revenues blocked overseas has been deposited in Oman under Tehran’s nuclear agreement with six world powers

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: A $490 million installment in Iran’s revenues blocked overseas has been deposited in Oman under Tehran’s nuclear agreement with six world powers, according to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).

The installment, which is part of a total of $4.9 billion that Iran will receive in cash in 10 tranches over the next months, was transferred from South Korea to the CBI’s account in Oman.

According to the CBI’s policies, ACQUISITION

Arabtec in talks with PwC on takeover targets DUBAI: Arabtec Holding, the United Arab Emirates’ biggest publicly traded construction company, is seeking advice from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to identify acquisition targets, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

PwC hasn’t yet been formally mandated by Arabtec, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. Arabtec also approached banks to discuss potential financing for a takeover, a third person said. PwC declined to comment, while the company that helped build the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai, didn’t respond to calls and mail requesting comment.

Arabtec’s ambition to become one of the world’s top construction companies was thrown into doubt after chief executive officer Hasan Ismaik resigned in June with other managers spearheading the plans. Ismaik had sought to expand into areas including oil and gas, infrastructure and power, and said the company also planned an acquisition in Europe.

Arabtec raised its stake in Target Engineering Construction to 98 per cent last year after buying almost a quarter of interior-fitting contractor Depa in 2012. - Bloomberg News

ALL SMILES: US Secretary of State John F. Kerry, right, and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif shak-

ing hands in Muscat, on November 9. European Union envoy Catherine Ashton; and Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs, were also present. - AFP file picture

these funds can be used by Iran to buy foreign currency, gold or any other item which is not subject to sanctions. The $490 million is the first segment in the third phase of unblocking part of Iran’s funds held abroad, which the US says is more than $100 billion.

Iran cannot access its assets

overseas due to the international sanctions over its nuclear activities, which include restrictive measures imposed on banks and trade restrictions.

The agreement for the transfer of Iran’s frozen oil revenues to Oman shows an extension of the Sultanate’s efforts to help Iran and

ECONOMY

Dubai to increase spending by 9% DUBAI: Dubai set to raise spending nine per cent in 2015 under a state budget approved by the emirate’s ruler, designed to keep the economy growing strongly while eliminating its budget deficit, official news agency WAM reported on Saturday.

Economies in the Gulf face financial pressure this year because of the plunge of oil prices.

Although Dubai’s oil output provides only 4 per cent of its revenue, the emirate relies on trade, tourism and investment ties with the rest of the Gulf.

Its 2015 budget plan shows it believes the regional economy will stay healthy enough for revenue to continue expanding rapidly, allowing Dubai to close a budget shortfall that opened up during its 2009 financial crisis.

Spending this year is projected at about Dh41 billion ($11.2 billion), up from Dh37.88 billion in the original budget for 2014, WAM quoted a government statement as saying.

Revenue is expected to jump 11 per cent in 2015 from a projected Dh37 billion ($10.07 billion) for 2014, reducing the budget deficit to zero from Dh882 million ($240 million) last year.

A balanced budget would further reassure investors that Dubai has put its 2009 crisis be-

hind it. The emirate came close to defaulting on its debt because of its real estate crash that year.

State-linked companies are still selling assets to meet payments on tens of billions of dollars of debt maturing in coming years.

But a strong economic recovery since 2011 has helped the government rescue its finances, with revenue from government services, which represent 74 per cent of the total, expected to jump 22 per cent this year, partly because of limited rises in some government fees, WAM said.

As a result, Dubai is projecting an operating surplus, or an excess of recurring revenue over recurring expenditure, of Dh3.6 billion ($978 million) this year. The surplus would help Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum spend on infrastructure to support future economic growth, including facilities to host the 2020 World Expo.

Dubai’s economy expanded about 4.5 per cent in 2014 and growth is expected to rise to slightly above that level in coming years, a senior official said last month.

Most of the United Arab Emirates’ state expenditures are conducted by the seven individual emirates rather than the federal government. – Agencies

the P5+1 group (United States, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany) reach a final agreement over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Oman, which has friendly ties with Iran, hosted talks between Tehran and world powers, led by the European Union, in November 2014, which paved way for the ex-

Iran’s nuclear programme Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme were extended until the end of June 2015 after the negotiating parties failed to meet the deadline to reach a long-term deal.

This is not the first time that Iran’s released funds are being deposited in Oman.

In the latest transaction, $500 million was transferred from South Korea to the CBI’s account in Oman in the fifth installment of the second phase, while the sixth and last segment worth $400 million were transferred from India to the CBI’s account in the United Arab Emirates.

In the first phase, Iran received a total of $4.2 billion, and $2.8 billion of its assets were released during the second phase.

Earlier, a number of Iranian parliamentarians, had stated that the released funds could not be transferred to Iran after being deposited in a second country. Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and nuclear negotia-

tor, has said that the CBI does not have any difficulty accessing the unblocked funds.

“These installment are public funds with which we can implement the country’s development plans,” Takht Ravanchi said.

Meanwhile, Hamid Baeedinejad, another Iranian Foreign Ministry official, had said that according to the CBI’s policies, these funds can be used to buy foreign currency, gold or any other item which is not subject to sanctions.

The interim accord suspends certain sanctions on gold and precious metals, Iran’s auto sector and Iran’s petrochemical exports.

US persons and entities continue to be prohibited from conducting transactions with Iran, with an exception for the supply of plane spare parts.

The interim deal also allows Iran to continue exporting oil at the current average level of 1 million barrels per day (bpd), rather than forcing continued reductions by buyers.

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B4

M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

MARKET C O M M E N TA RY

Do economic sanctions work?

KENNETH ROGOFF*

BEARISH TREND: Dubai’s DFM General Index dropped 2.3 per cent to close at 3,689.06, its lowest in more than two weeks, as markets reopened after the end-of-year holidays. The ADX General Index in Abu Dhabi, lost 1.7 per cent. – Bloomberg News

Dubai leads fall in Gulf markets (Opec) refusal to reduce production levels has hurt prices.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi stocks fell on speculation that sliding oil prices will curb revenue for a region that accounts for about a third of the world’s crude reserves

DUBAI: Dubai and Abu Dhabi stocks fell on speculation sliding oil prices will curb revenue for a region that accounts for about a third of the world’s crude reserves.

Dubai’s DFM General Index dropped 2.3 per cent to close at 3,689.06, its lowest in more than two weeks, as markets reopened after the end-of-year holidays.

Emirates NBD and Dubai Islamic Bank led Dubai’s drop.

The ADX General Index in Abu Dhabi, home to about 6 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, lost 1.7 per cent while Qatar’s gauge declined 0.5 per cent. Saudi Arabian stocks were down 0.6 per cent in Riyadh.

Brent crude prices slipped 1.6 per cent to $56.42 a barrel on January 2, after falling 48 per cent last year, the most since the financial crisis. Abu Dhabi, the richest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, relies

on oil revenue to fund both the federal and its own budgets. While Dubai’s government revenue isn’t oil based, it has received bailouts from Abu Dhabi, including about $20 billion in 2009 when it teetered on the edge of default.

“Oil is definitely a very strong factor,” Ahmed Shehada, head of advisory and institutions at NBAD Securities in Abu Dhabi, said by phone. “It closed at a new low, which doesn’t give markets the strongest push to the start of the new year.”

US oil output At least six stock indices in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) sank into bear markets since November 30 as crude fell to almost half its average price in 2013 and 2012. The highest United States oil output in about 30 years, slowing global demand and Organisatiion of Petroleum Exporting Countries’

Arabtec drops Emirates NBD, which is almost 56 per cent owned by the Dubai government, plunged 5.7 per cent, the most since December16. Dubai Islamic Bank dropped 2.5 per cent to Dh6.73. Arabtec Holding, which helped construct Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai, lost 3.8 per cent to the lowest in more than two weeks. The builder is seeking advice from PricewaterhouseCoopers to identify acquisition targets, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

“The UAE is seeing some weakness spillover from the year end on oil and other news, but on very low volumes,” Amer Khan, the head of asset management at Shuaa Capital, said in an e-mail.

“Saudi Arabia is still clearly tracking oil, so it’s a little weak, however investors are starting to look toward fourth-quarter earnings.” In Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All Share Index fell to 8,356.69 led

by Riyad Bank, which decreased 1.7 per cent. - Bloomberg News

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CAMBRIDGE: With Western economic sanctions against Russia, Iran, and Cuba in the news, it is a good time to take stock of the debate on just how well such measures work.

The short answer is that economic sanctions usually have only modest effects, even if they can be an essential means of demonstrating moral resolve. If economic sanctions are to play an increasingly important role in twenty-firstcentury statecraft, it might be worth reflecting on how they have worked in the past.

As Gary Hufbauer and Jeffrey Schott note in their classic book on the topic, the history of economic sanctions goes back at least to 432 BC, when the Greek statesman and general Pericles issued the so-called ‘Megarian decree’ in response to the abduction of three Aspasian women.

In modern times, the United States has employed economic sanctions in pursuit of diverse goals, from the Carter administration’s efforts in the 1970s to promote human rights, to attempts to impede nuclear proliferation in the 1980s.

During the Cold War, the US also employed economic sanctions to destabilis unfriendly governments, especially in Latin America, though they do not appear to have played more than a minor role, even where regime change eventually occurred. Economic sanctions on Serbia in the early 1990s did not deter the invasion of Bosnia. Certainly, the US government’s symbolic punishment of chess legend Bobby Fischer (for playing a match in Belgrade that violated sanctions) provided no relief for the besieged city of Sarajevo.

Old Soviet Union The old Soviet Union played the sanctions game as well – for example, against China, Albania, and Yugoslavia.

It, too, did not have much success, except perhaps in the case of Finland, which ultimately bent its policies to gain relief from sanctions imposed in 1958. Most modern cases of sanctions pit a large country against a small country, though there are a few cases

involving countries of equal size, such as the long quarrel, from the 1950s to the 1980s, between the United Kingdom and Spain over Gibraltar.

As Hufbauer and Schott, among others, have illustrated, the effects of sanctions are often fairly disappointing – so much so that many scholars have concluded that such measures often are imposed so that governments can appear to domestic audiences to be ‘doing something’. Certainly, severe US sanctions on Cuba failed to bring the Castro regime to heel; indeed, US President Barack Obama’s move to reestablish full diplomatic relations may have more effect.

But sometimes sanctions do work. The strong international consensus to impose sanctions on South Africa in the 1980s eventually helped bring an end to apartheid. Likewise, sanctions have helped bring Iran to the bargaining table, though it is not clear how long its government will be willing to defer its nuclear ambitions.

And the Russian economy today is in big trouble, though this might be described as a lucky punch, with the real damage being done by an epic collapse in global oil prices.

US and Saudi Arabia Some in Russia, where the price collapse has hit government revenues hard, claim that the US and Saudi Arabia are conspiring to bring Russia to its knees. But that gives US strategists far too much credit.

A more likely culprit for the steep price decline is a combination of the shale-energy revolution in the US and the sharp slowdown in Chinese growth. China’s slowdown has helped precipitate a broadbased fall in commodity prices that is having a devastating effect on countries like Argentina and Brazil, with which the US authorities presumably have little quarrel.

One of the major reasons economic sanctions have fallen short in the past is that not all countries have complied. Indeed, significant differences of domestic opinion in the imposing country often undermine sanctions as well.

Moreover, countries imposing sanctions must be prepared to

address their own vulnerabilities. North Korea is perhaps the most noxious regime in the world today, and one can only hope that its cruel government collapses sometime soon.

The Kim regime has clung to power despite being subject to severe economic sanctions, perhaps because China, fearing a united Korea on its border, has not yet been willing to withdraw its support.

Attach on Sony Yet it is easy to forget that there are different viewpoints in international relations, even in the most extreme situations. Though North Korea’s alleged attack on Sony Pictures’ computers has been rightly condemned, it must be admitted that from the perspective of the North Korean elite, their country simply applied economic retaliation much like anyone else does.

Sony Pictures had produced a satire poking fun at North Korea’s leader, the ‘Young General’ Kim Jong-un. This was an intolerable affront, to which the elite responded with economic sabotage rather than military action.

Let us also not forget that Russia, too, has deployed cyber attacks in the service of foreign-policy goals. Indeed, Russia has far more formidable hackers than North Korea (though much of the top talent currently is employed in mafia rings, rather than in strategic operations).

In a world where nuclear proliferation has rendered global conventional war unthinkable, economic sanctions and sabotage are likely to play a large role in twenty-firstcentury geopolitics. Rather than preventing conflict, Pericles’s sanctions in ancient Greece ultimately helped to trigger the Peloponnesian War. One can only hope that in this century, wiser heads will prevail, and that economic sanctions lead to bargaining, not violence. – Project Syndicate *The writer, professor of Economics and Public Policy at Harvard University and recipient of the 2011 Deutsche Bank Prize in Financial Economics, was the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund from 2001 to 2003.

SURVEY

70% of business leaders in Japan optimistic about 2015 TOKYO: Seventy per cent of the leaders of 30 major companies think the country’s economy is moderately recovering, according to a ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ survey.

Regarding the economic prospects for the next six months, 27 respondents, or 90 per cent, said the market will remain bullish.

Conducted last month, the survey also found that many respondents are wary of possible problems in the economies of emerging countries as well as the excessive depreciation of the yen.

Many hoped the government will implement its growth strategy as quickly as possible.

The numbers of respondents who believe the economy is “moderately recovering” was 21, exceeding the eight who said it “remains at a standstill.” Only one company leader said the economy is “moderately declining.”

The majority of the respondents said they believe the economic recovery will continue for

CURRENCY Survey also found that many respondents are wary of possible problems in the economies of emerging countries as well as the excessive depreciation of yen

a while, according to the survey.

Increase in wages Regarding prospects for the nation’s real economic growth rate in 2015, 13 leaders each said: “1 per cent to less than 1.5 per cent” or “1.5 per cent to less than 2 per cent.” Although the economic growth rate was sluggish in the July-September period in 2014, which declined 1.9 per cent com-

pared to the same period last year, the business leaders expect the economy will recover.”

Ten respondents chose “improvements in employment and an expected increase in wages” and “recovery of the United States economy” as factors behind the economic recovery. These were the most popular answers, with multiple answers allowed.

Among those who thought the economy was stagnant or declining, seven respondents chose “a lull in individual consumption,” and six respondents chose “an increase in the price of imported raw materials and other products due to the weak yen” as reasons why. Multiple answers were also allowed for this question.

Asked about the government’s decision to delay a planned increase in the consumption tax rate to 10 per cent until April 2017, many respondents agreed with the decision.

– The Washington Post/Bloomberg News

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

SECTION

E-

IMES TECH STUFF

FACEBOOK ADDS NEW SETTINGS FOR NEWS FEEDS

Facebook during the holiday season announced that it has added new settings for News Feeds to give users more control over what they see when they visit the site. To tinker, log into Facebook and, in a desktop browser, click the menu triangle in the top-right corner and choose News Feed Settings. (On the Facebook mobile app for Android or iOS, tap the More menu and go to News Feed Preferences.) Here, you can see what friends, groups, pages and news sources appear the most in your feed, and make adjustments.

Get to know your social media personality and character now ThinkUp analyses how people comport themselves on Twitter and Facebook, with the goal of helping them become more thoughtful, less reflexive, more empathetic and more professional — overall, better behaved

FARHAD MANJOO

A

NIL Dash, a long-time tech entrepreneur and blogger, was recently studying a list of the top words he had used on Twitter over the course of a month during the fall. Dash has a half million followers on Twitter, and like a lot of people in tech and media circles, he uses the social network to chat with colleagues, to pontificate about technology, politics and pop culture, and to participate in a lot of in-jokes.

Over the years Dash has also found himself in the middle of some of the most loaded controversies that have roiled that network. But when he looked at the list of his most-used words for that month, he decided that many of his tweets were too combative, and he wasn’t proud of that.

Gamergate folks “A lot of it was me dealing with ‘gamergate’ folks,” he said in an interview, referring to this year’s antifeminist activist campaign by some video game enthusiasts. “I’m like: ‘God, I’m wasting my life. Why am I spending time on this?’ There are so many other things I could be doing.’”

But, he added: “Seeing it was a revelation. I decided I’m just not doing it anymore. I immediately blocked five people, and it made my life better in 10 seconds.”

Dash has been thinking about his behaviour on social media for a while. Together with Gina Trapani, the former editor of the blog

Lifehacker, he is a co-founder of ThinkUp, a year-old subscription service that analyses how people comport themselves on Twitter and Facebook, with the goal of helping them become more thoughtful, less reflexive, more empathetic and more professional — overall, better behaved.

In addition to a list of people’s most-used words and other straightforward stats like follower counts, ThinkUp shows subscribers more unusual information such as how often they thank and congratulate people, how frequently they swear, whose voices they tend to amplify, and which posts get the biggest reaction and from whom.

Some of this may sound trivial.

But after using ThinkUp for about six months, I’ve found it to be an indispensable guide to how I navigate social networks.

Every morning the service delivers an email packed with information, and in its weighty thoroughness, it reminds you that what you

do on Twitter and Facebook can change your life, and other people’s lives, in important, sometimes unforeseen ways. ThinkUp is something like Elf on the Shelf for digitally addled adults — a constant reminder that someone is watching you, and that you’re being judged.

Behavioural change That is the point. “The goal is to make you act like less of a jerk online,” Trapani said. “The big goal is to create mindfulness and awareness, and also behavioural change.”

She pointed out that people often tweet and update without any perspective about themselves. That’s because Facebook and Twitter, as others have observed, have a way of infecting our brains. Because social networks often suggest a false sense of intimacy, they tend to lower people’s self-control. Like a drug or perhaps a parasite, they worm into your devices, your daily habits and your every free moment, and they change how you think.

For those of us most deeply afflicted, myself included, every mundane observation becomes grist for a 140-character quip, and every interaction a potential springboard into an all-consuming, emotionally wrenching flame battle.

“There’s a knee-jerk thoughtlessness and lack of empathy that you have because you’re online, because you’re not looking at people’s faces,” Trapani said. One of the biggest dangers is saying something off the cuff that might make sense in a particular context, but that sounds completely off the rails to the wider public. The problem, in other words, is acting without thinking — being caught up in the moment, without pausing to reflect on the long-term consequences. You’re never more than a few taps away from an embarrassment that might ruin your career, or at least your reputation, for years to come.

Being made aware of that — getting a daily reminder from ThinkUp that there are good ways and bad

ways to behave online — has a tendency to focus the mind.

Thanks to ThinkUp’s nudging, I tend to amplify more people in my feed — that is, I retweet and share insights from people with fewer followers to expose their ideas to the people who follow me. Because ThinkUp alerts me to changes in people’s profiles and reminds me when people are being congratulated, I’ve found myself more plugged in to what people in my network are up to in their lives.

More basically, though, it’s helped me pull back from social networks.

Each week, ThinkUp tells me how often I’ve tweeted. Sometimes that number is terribly high — a few weeks ago it was more than 800 times — and I realise I’m probably overtaxing my followers, so I pull back the next week.

But ThinkUp charges $5 a month for each social network you connect to it. Is it worth it? After all, there’s a better, more surefire way of avoiding any such long-term catastrophe caused by social media: Just stop using social networks. But even though “never tweet” became a popular, ironic thing to tweet this year, actually never tweeting, and never being on Facebook, is becoming nearly impossible for many people.

For starters, your online profile plays an important role in how you’re perceived by potential employers. In a recent survey commissioned by the job-hunting site CareerBuilder, almost half of companies said they perused jobseekers’ social-networking profiles to look for red flags and to see what sort of image prospective employees portrayed online.

— The New York Times News Service

APP SMART

Just for Laughs: Fake moustaches and cat translations KIT EATON

N

EED a good laugh? In 2015, you don’t need to look any further than the numerous funny or silly apps available for your smartphone.

One classic silly app is MouthOff. It does one simple and amusing thing: It animates a cartoon mouth on your phone’s screen when you speak into your handset’s microphone. When you speak, your plain, boring lips and chin are replaced with the chattering jaw of a skeleton, the fastmoving metal teeth of a robot, the wobbling curved grin of a cartoon cat, or others. And that’s it.

Is it sophisticated? No. Is it funny? Totally, if you’re in the right mood. It is free for iOS (and just $1 on Android). Put it on your phone and you’ll always have it on hand to brighten a dull moment. Warning: Children will adore it, and you may never get your phone back.

For similarly lowbrow laughs, check out BoothStache, free on iOS and Android. It superimposes

different-style moustaches onto a photo of your face. The app tries to detect where your eyes, mouth and chin are, and you can adjust these locations with a few taps. The enhancement is then automatic.

Easily share the results BoothStache is five minutes of fun if you have ever fancied seeing what you look like when you do a Charlie Chaplin impression. And you can easily share the results online from inside the app. There is a small selection of free facial adornments; more are available to buy.

Funny Movie Maker — Replace Your Face definitely has a mouthful of a name. But the program also has what it takes to make you laugh. It takes part of your face, like your lips, and superimposes that part on a photo of, say, a strawberry with eyes.

It’s more clever than it sounds: You can edit the shape and size of the video effect, and you can use a photo of your choice instead of the built-in backgrounds if you want.

This makes it perfect for making

your cat talk, on video. There are a number of additional face packs available for $1 each. The app is free on iOS. Cheezburger taps into classic Internet gags, like video

clips of cats doing strange things, and Failblog, photos and videos that will make you giggle with schadenfreude at other people’s stories of failures.

The app acts a bit like a social network. You can mark favourite items and follow particular users’ accounts, and you can, of course, create and upload your own funny efforts. There is a ton of content here, and the app does a good job of collecting it in one place. But I find the design somewhat awkward, requiring a lot of touch-screen gymnastics to do what you want.

Cheezburger is free on iOS and Android. If you have a cat or kitten nearby, then a totally different kind of smartphone laugh is available thanks to the Human to Cat Translator, free on iOS and Android. The app contains a bunch of prerecorded cat meows that are played when you tap on the screen.

Each one is meant to prompt a different reaction from your reallife kitty. You can even record a sentence or two of your voice and the app will “translate” it into a string of cat sounds. It definitely makes my cats react in funny ways (depending on their mood, of course — typical for cats).

Lastly, check out the official

Cyanide and Happiness app, a personal favourite of mine, which is $1 for iOS and Android. (A free Cyanide and Happiness Lite is available for iOS.) It is a way to view the comic strips and animated shorts made by the C&H team, and I promise you’ll giggle. The humour is dark and wickedly sarcastic, and the app lets you note your favourite editions. The $1 version lets you search back through nearly 2,000 previous comic strips.

Your sense of humour may, of course, differ from mine, which tilts toward the peculiar. Just try these apps and never forget Robin Williams’ advice: You’re only given a little spark of madness ... you mustn’t lose it.

Tempo, an intelligent calendar app for iOS, has been updated to add some great features. Tempo integrates with the iOS Notifications feature, so important calendar alerts can be seen at a glance, and now it can try to warn you every evening about what you have coming up the next day, so you can prepare. It’s free.

— The New York Times News Service

B6

MON DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

ROUND-UP Mercedes-Benz Oman to train young Omanis

29TH BRANCH

NETWORK EXPANSION: K. S. Subromoniyan, Managing Director, Global Money Exchange Company, inaugurating the company’s 29th branch. – Supplied photo

The first technical car maintenance activity course was offered to a group of high school students of the Al Sahwa School in Oman

MUSCAT: Zawawi Trading Company, the exclusive distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Oman, has embarked on a specialist training programme for high school students to encourage their interest in a future automotive technical career.

The first technical car maintenance activity course was offered

to a group of high school students of the Al Sahwa School in Oman.

The event sparked great interest to gain knowledge though practical training on luxury cars, says a press release.

The group of seven students, aged between 16 and 18, were required to do this as part of the school extra-

RECRUIT

curricular activity. The programme was run by the certified technical trainer from ZTC, Eisa Babkir and it is part of Zawawi Trading Company’s broader social responsibility programme which aims at continually investing in the development of Omani youth.

The programme involved an intensive curriculum where students were introduced to the SClass and the Actros truck with an understanding of basic diagnostics. Students were given a guided tour of the company and its workshop and insights into latest developments in vehicle technology.

“Zawawi Trading Company has a history of youth advocacy support. It is our task to invest in young

people and provide them with the knowledge and tools to become catalysts for the future local economic growth. We are privileged to be able to put Mercedes-Benz Training Centre for the benefit of young Omani and to develop a new generation of employment and training professionals,” said Clive Hammond, CEO Automotive.

Speaking about the training, Daniel Fitzjohn, General Manager - After-Sales said, “This is one-ofa-kind programme for students in high school. It is not very often that one comes across means for the youth to learn hands on – and that is what this programme is all about. We hope that the students will have much to take home!”

Global Exchange opens new branch BURAIMI: Global Money Exchange Company, managed

by State Bank of Travancore (SBT), the premier bank in India’s Southern State, Kerala, has opened a branch in Al Buraimi.

K. S. Subromoniyan, MD, Global Money Exchange Company inaugurated the branch in the presence of V. G. Rajeev, GM, company officials and several other dignitaries and customers, says a press release.

Opening of the Al Buraimi branch has further expanded the company’s network to 29 branch-

es, making Global Money Exchange one of the largest money exchange companies in Oman.

Speaking on the occasion, Subromoniyan said, ‘‘Customer satisfaction is a priority at Global Money Exchange Company. As the domestic economy continues to expand and create ample employment opportunities, we build a larger customer-base. Expansion of the branch network is part of our ongoing expansion programme, and our commitment to serve the citizens and residents across the Sultanate of Oman.’’

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

SECTION

RECRUI JOB POSTINGS

When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.

— Henry J. Kaiser

What’s new in writing a resume!

Resumes may not be the centrepiece of the job search as they were years ago, but resumes continue to remain a vital element in job search WRITING a resume that is relevant to today’s realities is key to attracting an employer’s attention. Here are seven key points to remember while drafting a resume to suit today’s environment:

1. Succinct/Bite-sized/ Tweet-like Social media and the bombardment of info-overload have caused many people to have the attention span of a lit match. Keeping this attention deficit in mind, I am shifting my writing toward a more tweet-like style. Where possible, I am much more aware of writing one-line accomplishment statements, separated by six points or more of white space, to make it more inviting for readers to want to read, as well as digest the information. The length of my resume paragraphs is also something I’m focusing on shortening.

2. Integrated resumes I am advising clients that they need to be aware of this phenomenon and to strategise an orchestrated plan to integrate their re-

sume with their online identity, ensuring that resumes are aligned with data appearing on a LinkedIn profile or other site.

Recruiters can, in some cases, find old versions of a client’s resume online, which may not sync with the current version a client is putting out there. That may impact a writer’s decision about whether to eliminate a problematic or short-term work entry.

3. Branding Branding has made its way into resumes, whether subtly with brand attributes woven into the summary, or obviously with resume headings such as “Brand Attributes” or “Brand Bio” as part of the resume. Although not every resume I prepare reflects this branding, I am much more aware of trying to convey both “hard” and “soft” ele-

ments of the client’s brand in the summary section, and in some cases including a brand tagline and colours that match the client’s brand.

4. Shorter, in general, with add-on pieces Although I still write three-page resumes, they are the exception.

When possible, for an executive or senior candidate, I shoot for two pages and then include a supplemental piece (or pieces) with a separate title, such as Project Highlights or Technology Initiatives.

5. Mixed messages, no hard and fast rules In some instances, recruiters are writing that “ugly resumes are the best,” meaning resumes devoid of formatting have a better chance of being “read” well in databases.

While I can see this point, we also know from personal experience, conversations with our colleagues, and discussions with hiring managers and recruiters, that a dropdead gorgeous resume with plenty of visual appeal makes a lasting first impression.

That also goes for text resumes.

Resume writers need to be flexible and learn how their clients plan to use their resumes before pronouncing definitive how-tos.

6. Cover letters Few of my clients are requesting cover letters these days. My observations as to why include: Employers don’t seem to adhere to a standardised process for receiving cover letters on corporate websites.

Clients are less likely to write a “formal” cover letter when e-mail-

ing their resumes to others. A simple note (“Looking forward to speaking more about [xyz]. My resume is attached.”) is not uncommon.

7. Resumes are not going away Articles prophesying the death of the resume seem to surface at least once every year. I don’t claim to have a crystal ball, but I believe resumes are here to stay. Not too many people get hired these days without having to turn in a resume.

They may not be the centrepiece of the job search as they were years ago (although many job-seekers tend to cling to them, hyper-focusing on them as the magic bullet that will allow them to escape the necessity of networking), but resumes continue to remain a vital element in job search. — Susan Whitcomb/www.quintcareers.com

B8

M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

ROUND-UP

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Bank Muscat’s al Wathbah SME finance evokes strong response al Wathbah non-collateral finance is designed to offer innovative banking solutions in the form of financing for business activities such as purchase of equipment, supply of raw materials or provision of working capital and other financial requirements of entrepreneurs

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has evoked strong response to its unique non-collateral SME finance which addresses a critical requirement of entrepreneurs in Oman.

The facility has broadened fi-

nancial access for entrepreneurs to avail SME finance without collaterals, says a press release. “al Wathbah SME non-collateral finance has opened a new world of opportunity for entrepreneurs.

The SME finance not requiring collaterals is a bold step affirming

the bank’s commitment to encourage an entrepreneurial culture in Oman,” said Ilham Al Hamaid, AGM – SME Credit, Marketing and Regional Corporates.

“Bank Muscat initiatives aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and developing the SME sector stem from the Royal directives to promote SME role in the development of the national economy. Bank Muscat takes pride in adopting tangible steps aimed at implementing the Royal directives on SME development benefiting the country’s youth,” she added. al Wathbah non-collateral finance is designed to offer innovative banking solutions in the form of financing for business activities such as purchase of equipment, supply of raw materials or provision of working capital and other financial requirements of entrepreneurs.

“We are happy that al Wathbah SME non-collateral finance has simplified the procedures related to SME finance, unlocking the potential of entrepreneurs. The aim is to complement the govern-

ment’s efforts in the development of this vital sector, facilitating SME finance, especially for those who do not have a long credit history or easy access to collaterals,” explained Ilham Al Hamaid.

The innovative SME finance covers contract and supply finance as well as asset finance. Businesses registered under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as per the Omani law with annual sales turnover up to OMR2 million and managed either by Omani nationals or in partnership with expatriates are eligible to apply for al Wathbah non-collateral finance.

For contract and supply finance, an SME can receive credit facilities from the bank either under purchase order finance (POF) or receivable finance (RF).

Asset finance is aimed at providing part-finance cost of capital equipment, including passenger

cars, transport vehicles, construction equipment, cranes, dredgers, dumpers, generator sets etc. and machinery used for business purposes. For non-collateral finance, the bank conducts risk assessment and due diligence of the company/entity awarding contracts to SMEs. Over the years, Bank Muscat has taken several strategic steps to strengthen the SME sector in Oman. al Wathbah, Bank Muscat’s small and medium enterprise (SME) department, has been a leading player in financing businesses and strengthening the SME foundation in Oman.

Serving as building blocks for existing and prospective entrepreneurs, al Wathbah initiatives assume importance in the backdrop of the priority accorded by the government to develop the SME sector in Oman.

‘ K A N NA D A K A M M ATA’

BIG DAY

Students rejoice at the Batch 5 Graduation Ceremony held by Symbiosis Institute of Business Management and Khimji Training Institute (SIBM-KTI) at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat. A total of 58 students were awarded the Certificate of ExPGDBM after their 18-month course. — Supplied Photo

ISC Karnataka Wing conducts winter workshop for children MUSCAT: Karnataka Wing of Indian Social Club (ISC), Muscat conducted a winter workshop Kannada Kammata for the children of its members.

Conducted under the guidance of A. G. Janakinath, the workshop covered various topics pertaining to the state of Karnataka and its language Kannada, says a press release.

The workshop sessions were handled by Sudha Kodancha and Prema Janakinath. The classes were well attended and children enjoyed the sessions.

The workshop concluded with a closing ceremony held at ISC hall. The welcome speech was delivered by Prasad, Convernor,

Karnataka Wing, followed by a few songs sung by the students of the workshop.

A quiz programme for kids was presented by Preethi Kodancha.

Students and parents enthusiastically participated in the quiz programme.

Children also enacted a small

play on environmental protection. A magic show by Amulya Ichageri, a student, enthralled the audience.

The function ended with the awarding of certificates and mementos to the students.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Janakinath.

I N T E R NAT I O NA L C A L L S

SEND US YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS editor@timesofoman.com webeditor@timesofoman.com

Renna extends bundle offers MUSCAT: Renna Mobile has announced the extension of international calling bundle offers to give its customers more convenient options as they can now avail international calling offer till March 29, 2015.

Renna’s international calling promotion allows subscribers to call Pakistan for 20 minutes for just OMR1 and subscribers calling India/Bangladesh can enjoy 35 minutes for the same amount and 15 minutes for 500 baisa. Renna has another international offer for the rest of the countries with a competitive price starting from 39Bz/min, says a press release.

Cost-efficient With the aim to become the most cost-efficient mobile service provider in Oman, Renna Mobile provides fantastic prices and brilliant customer service coupled with superb network coverage, offered through Omantel’s superior telecom network all across Oman that allows one to enjoy the services anytime and anywhere.

Easily available It is worth mentioning that Renna Mobile recharge cards and services are easily accessible by means of shopping kiosks and several other locations across Oman. Customers can also buy recharge online, by signing up and logging in to the customer-friendly website.

Valuable data bundle Renna Mobile also offers Oman’s most valuable data bundles with the best price/data ratio and International calling offers among all the mobile service providers in Oman. The quality of the services provided

by Renna mobile is credited with a strong and reliable network across Oman.

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 15

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MUBARAK MESMERISES DRIFTING ENTHUSIASTS In a spectacular three-minute performance, Mubarak thrilled the spectators before clinching the top honours in the first round of Freestyle Drift organised by Oman Automobile Association. >C5

Sangakkara’s master class SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY VISIT

PHOTO GALLERY

Sri Lanka were all

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

out for 356, a 135-run lead, and at stumps in their second innings New Zealand were 22 without loss with Hamish Rutherford

OBLIGING FANS: Kumar Sangakkara signs autographs at the end of

day two of the Test match against New Zealand. – AFP

on 12 and Tom Latham on nine

WELLINGTON: Kumar Sangakkara provided a cricket master class Sunday with an exquisite 203 to lift Sri Lanka off the ropes and put them in command of the second Test against New Zealand.

It was the 10th highest score of Sangakkara’s illustrious Test career and the 11th time he has reached 200, putting him one behind Australian legend Don Brad-

man for the most double tons.

Sri Lanka were all out for 356, a 135-run lead, and at stumps in their second innings New Zealand were 22 without loss with Hamish Rutherford on 12 and Tom Latham on nine.

The prolific knock was enough to make Sangakkara reconsider retirement plans, saying the idea of overtaking Bradman was attractive. “I would love to,” he said, adding a final decision on his future would be made after the World Cup starting in New Zealand and Australia next month. It’s nice to

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Bradman record has Sangakarra reconsidering retirement plan

ECSTATIC: Kumar Sangakkara celebrates scoring double ton. – AFP

WELLINGTON: Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara is reconsidering retirement plans after his 203 against New Zealand Sunday put him one behind Australian legend Don Bradman for the most double centuries.

The 37-year-old had indicated the second Test in Wellington could be his last with the intention of retiring from all international cricket after the World Cup which starts next month.

But after a match-changing innings of 203 to lead Sri Lanka out of trouble and put them in control of the Test at the Basin Reserve, Sangakkara said the lure of overtaking Bradman meant he may extend his career.

“I would love to,” he said, reflecting on the impact his sevenhour innings had on a match where he engineered Sri Lanka’s recovery from 78 for five to 356 all out and a first innings lead of 135.

“It just depends on how everything pans out after this World Cup. It’s really hard to predict what will happen and what my thoughts will be at the end of the World Cup about my future.

“I’ve had a chat with the (Sri Lanka) selectors and promised them I will really have a chat and reconsider to see whether there is a few more months of cricket in me Test-wise.

Sangakkara, the most prolific Test batsman in the world last

year with 1,493 runs, began this year by becoming the fifth player, and the fastest, to reach 12,000 Test runs.

He crossed that threshold when he reached five against New Zealand on Saturday in his 129th Test, and went on to score another 198 runs before he was the ninth wicket to fall.

Of his 200-plus innings, five have been away from home to equal the record held by Bradman, Len Hutton and Brian Lara.

He is now fourth on the list of century-makers with 38, behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar (51), South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) and Australia’s Ricky Ponting (41).

Among the top echelon of Test batsmen, Sangakkara’s average of 58.92 is second only to Bradman.

“The desire is always there,” Sangakkara said as he weighed up the statistics against thoughts of retirement and spending more time with family and business interests.

“It’s never the lack of desire or the lack of pride you take in playing for your country that makes you take a position to say ‘that’s enough’. It’s just a case of sometime you just know it.”

Should Sangakkara extend his career, Sri Lanka have Test series coming up this year against Pakistan, India, the West Indies and New Zealand again. - AFP

get big ones especially in a game situation like this, to come back into the game from being 78-5.

“The idea was to punish the loose bowling. When they are constantly put under pressure to keep bowling those good balls and the moment when they make a mistake if that ball goes for a boundary that changes momentum.”

New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling, who had a close up view of Sangakkara’s innings described it as “a demonstration of how to play by a world class player”.

“He showed how good he is.”

Sangakkara, who early in his innings became the fifth and fastest player to reach 12,000 Test runs, batted for nearly seven hours and faced 306 deliveries.

It took a stunning catch by Trent Boult diving high to his left at point to send Sangakkara back to the shed after he slashed at a loose Jimmy Neesham delivery.

After New Zealand dominated the first day when 15 wickets fell, their frontline seamers Boult, Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell never looked strong on day two.

It was master batsman Sangakkara, who unusually failed twice in the first Test, who appeared determined not to go cheaply again as Sri Lanka resumed at 78 for five, 143 in arrears.

Patient leadership Sangakkara put away his attacking instinct as he patiently led his side out of trouble taking 191 balls to reach his 38th Test century cut-

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand 1st innings 221 (K. Williamson 69; N. Pradeep 4-63, S. Lakmal 3-71) Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 78-5) D. Karunaratne c Neesham b Boult 16 K. Silva b Bracewell 5 K. Sangakkara c Boult b Neesham 203 L. Thirimanne c McCullum b Bracewell 0 A. Mathews c Watling b Southee 15 P. Jayawardene c Neesham b Bracewell 6 D. Chandimal c Watling b Neesham 67 D. Prasad c Watling b Neesham 11 R. Herath c Watling b Boult 15 S. Lakmal st Watling b Craig 5 N. Pradeep not out 0 Extras (lb-4, w-6, nb-3) 13 Total (10 wickets, 102.1 overs) 356 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Karunaratne), 2-25 (Silva), 3-29 (Thirimanne), 4-58 (Mathews),

ting Mark Craig for three.

With a three off Neesham in the next over he led Sri Lanka past New Zealand’s 221 with four wickets to spare and then dramatically lifted the tempo as the bowlers tired in the final session.

As Sri Lanka put their nose in front after 74 overs Sangakkara had a century including seven boundaries to his name.

When he was dismissed just

5-78 (Jayawardene), 6-208 (Chandimal), 7-242 (Prasad), 8-189 (Herath), 9-356 (Sangakkara), 10-356 (Lakmal) Bowling: Boult 24-3-75-2 (2w), Southee 26-3-87-1, Bracewell 24-2-93-3 (3nb, 3w), Neesham 11-0-42-3 (1w), Craig 17.1-3-55-1 New Zealand 2nd innings T. Latham not out 9 H. Rutherford not out 12 Extras (w-1) 1 Total (0 wickets, 11 overs) 22 Bowling: Lakmal 4-0-9-0 (1w), Pradeep 2-05-0, Herath 3-0-6-0, Prasad 2-0-2-0 Toss: Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS), Richard Illingworth (ENG) TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS) Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

28 overs later, he had contributed 103 of the next 134 runs, adding a further 11 fours and three sixes as he despatched the bowlers to all points of the ground.

For much of the day Sangakkara had an admirable partner in Dinesh Chandimal. Determined not to waste his recall to the side, Chandimal shared a 130-run partnership with Sangakkara for the sixth wicket. — AFP

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M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

SPORTS BEST DECISION

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Kohli’s aggression adds spice to final SCG Test Virat Kohli assumed the mantle as India’s new captain following the sudden Test retirement of MS Dhoni after the Melbourne Test, opening debate on whether his

WITH THE TEAM ALWAYS: India’s former captain MS Dhoni prepares to bowl in the nets as his team trains before their Test against Australia in Sydney. – AP/PTI

aggressive approach will energise the team

OBLIGING FANS: India’s cricket captain Virat Kohli, left, poses for photos for fans as his team arrives at

training before their cricket test match against Australia in Sydney. – AP/PTI

Dhoni’s retirement is ‘well thought-out’ SYDNEY: Even as speculation about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Test cricket persists, India’s Team Director Ravi Shastri on Sunday described it as a “well thoughtout” move and lashed out at critics who had accused the wicketkeeper-batsman of abandoning a sinking ship.

“I believe it is a well thoughtout move. A lot of hard work has been put into this team over the last one year and he felt that it was time to hand over the charge to a fresh young leader. He has made sure that there will be no speculation over who will be captain afterwards or who will be wicket keeper after he is gone,” Shastri told PTI in an interview.

“All these questions are answered. Dhoni isn’t leaving without reason, it’s not ill-timed. It’s a long process and everything about it has been a selfless motive,” he said.

Dhoni might have been sorted in his mind about the timing of his retirement but for the team it was a huge shock. Shastri hoped that the celebrated stumper, who led India to two World titles, would continue to play ODIs and torment his rivals “like a king”.

“This news was a bolt from the blue for us. He knew what words to say and he was honest about

it. Dhoni is an all-time Indian legend, a cricket great. And this team sees him like one and not only for what he has done.

“He hasn’t chased statistics or numbers or fanfare farewell. He was honest with himself and they respect him for it. This is a young team and an example has been set in front of them and it’s a great learning for them,” he said. “Dhoni gave his everything for Indian cricket, irrespective of the format. I am sure he will keep playing limited-overs formats for a couple more years like a king and some opposition team will get hurt.”

Asked how he rates Dhoni as a Test captain, after 0-8 in 2011-12 and this calendar year of overseas Test cricket, Shastri said the stumper gave it his all and his detractors do not realise the enormity of his contribution.

“For playing 25 years for the country Sachin Tendulkar was an exception and rightly so. But in the past there have been so many players who play for stats or want fanfare farewells, they just keep on playing. But there are very few who don’t need that. Dhoni belongs to the ‘I don’t need it’ club.

“And there are people speculating about his motives and judging him that he abandoned a sinking ship and all that nonsense.” - PTI

SYDNEY TEST

Johnson ruled out SYDNEY: Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson was on Sunday ruled out of the fourth and final cricket Test against India after failing to recover from a hamstring strain. “Mitchell Johnson has been ruled out of the fourth Commonwealth Bank Test against India due to a ham-

string injury he picked up during the third Test in Melbourne last week,” Cricket Australia said.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris confirmed that the left-armer has not fully recovered from soreness in his right hamstring, ruling him out of the match starting January 6 here. - PTI

SYDNEY: Virat Kohli’s pressing task as the new Test skipper is to arrest India’s woeful away record, starting with Tuesday’s final Test against Australia in Sydney.

Kohli assumed the mantle as India’s new captain following the sudden Test retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni after last week’s Melbourne Test, opening debate on whether his aggressive approach will energise the team.

India have already lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Australia holding an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the fourth Test, but there is much interest in how Kohli’s volatility will impact on the team’s fortunes.

India have won only one of their last 22 Tests overseas and have been successful in only one of their 10 Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, that sole victory coming 37 years ago.

Kohli has been tagged a firebrand, a “spoilt brat” but has been long viewed as the natural succes-

sor of Dhoni, who was the most successful Test match skipper in India’s history, winning 27 of the 60 Tests he led with 18 losses and 15 draws.

Now that Dhoni has moved on, India’s immediate Test future lies in Kohli’s hands and it will be a fascinating sub-plot to this week’s Sydney Test.

Australia will be weakened by the loss of ICC Cricketer of the Year and pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson with hamstring trouble, opening the way for Kohli and his other in-form team-mates Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane to get among the runs again.

All are averaging above 58 in this series, with Kohli matching his Australian counterpart Steve Smith with three centuries, and only brittle tail-end batting has been the key difference between the two sides.

“Captains have their own personalities and the best ones make players adapt to their thinking

and methods,” India team director Ravi Shastri said.

“That’s his personality. He is aggressive, passionate and wears his heart on his sleeve. But he’s also prepared to walk the talk.

“Remember also, he’s only 26 and still getting used to captaincy.

With a little luck, the (series) scoreline could well have been different.

This is a young team that has acquitted itself very creditably.”

Johnson believes Kohli will bring a fresh, aggressive approach to the way India plays cricket.

“It could be quite interesting because they’re not known for that aggressive type of play,” Johnson said.

“He’ll definitely be an aggressive type of captain I think in the way he sets fields, and I think you’ll see a lot different to what MS (Dhoni) did. He’s an interesting character. He is a fierce competitor and he really does like to get involved in it all.”

Kohli skippered India for the

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HOME FINALE

Emotional David Warner unsure about SCG return SYDNEY: Australia opening batsman David Warner is unsure how he will cope with an emotional first return this week to the venue in Sydney where Phillip Hughes was fatally struck by a bouncer.

Warner and Australian team mates Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson were fielding at the Sydney Cricket Ground in November in a domestic game when fellow opening batsman Hughes sustained a blow to his neck that led to him passing away three days before his 26th birthday.

Warner and his team have coped admirably with the tragedy to take an unassailable 2-0 lead over India in the test series that was rearranged following the death but the loss of Hughes continues to haunt

first time in the first Test in Adelaide when Dhoni was recovering from a fractured thumb.

Australia’s vice-captain Brad Haddin said there might be some pointers from the Adelaide Test as to how Kohli will handle things at the SCG. “I think what happened in Adelaide was we won the big moments,” Haddin said.

“It was a good game and there were some outstanding performances from Kohli and a few of the Indian batsmen.”

The Sydney Test will also be played against the poignant backdrop of the Phillip Hughes tragedy.

Test batsman Hughes was fatally struck by a short-pitched ball in a domestic game at the SCG in late November and several of his close cricketing friends on the field that fateful day will be returning to the scene during this week’s Test.

A number of tributes to Hughes are planned ahead of the start of the Test on Tuesday. - AFP

the side. The combative Warner, who scored an emotional 145 and 102 at the Adelaide Oval in the first test following Hughes’ death, said memories of the incident flooded back when he walked out at the SCG on Sunday, ahead of Tuesday’s final Test.

“This Test I honestly can’t tell you (how I will be) until I go out there and sing that national anthem and walk out there,” Warner told reporters. “At the moment, not just for me but for the guys that were here as well they are putting on a brave face. It is going to be emotional, I know for myself it will be, just walking out there today, just brought back memories.

“I know when I go to face up at that Randwick End I’m going to be

looking down at that spot. It’s going to be tough but I’ve got to try and hold back the emotions and do what I do for the team and try and score runs.”

The hosts are without pace bowling spearhead Mitchell Johnson because of a hamstring problem but will be boosted by the news that Warner has recovered sufficiently from his thumb and arm injuries.

He was hit on the thumb during the second test at the Gabba and then took a blow on his forearm while practising before the drawn third Test in Melbourne.

“I’m fine, I’m ready to go, the arm is sore but I just have to play through that pai,” said the 28-yearold, who has not scored a fifty in four innings. - Reuters

Sydney Test last for Rogers on home soil SYDNEY: Australian opening batsman Chris Rogers has declared that the Sydney Test against India will be his last on home soil.

The 37-year-old wishes to hang up his boots following the Ashes in the summer. With an experience of 11 seasons in English county cricket, the left-hander could prove to be a worthy asset for the touring Australian team.

“You never say never, but I kind of looked at the future and thought the England series and what England has meant for me would be a nice way to finish.

“So, hopefully I can get through to the Ashes. But if this is the last one then it’s definitely not the worst one to go out on,” Rogers was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

New challenges “You get to a point where touring can be quite difficult. Playing a lot of cricket can kind of get to you a little bit in the end. So, I’m looking forward to maybe new challenges as well, but they can wait for the moment.”

Rogers, who has played 19 Tests, has hit four half centuries in his last four innings in the ongoing four-match series against India, which the home side leads 2-0.

The Sydney-born feels that the Ashes would not be the ideal situation for a newcomer to replace him at the top of the order.

Instead the home series against New Zealand and the West Indies could prove to be a decent platform to start one’s career.

“Personally a new guy trying to play in the Ashes in England would be very difficult. That’s hopefully on my side so I’ll keep saying that,” Rogers added.

Rogers has scored 1,384 runs at an average of 37.4 from 37 innings. He has also scored four centuries with a top score of 119. - IANS

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS TENNIS

Seeds tumble on opening day in Brisbane

De Villiers’ ton gives South Africa the edge SCOREBOARD

West Indies 1st innings: 329 South Africa 1st innings A. Petersen run out 42 D. Elgar lbw Holder 8 F. du Plessis st Ramdin b Benn 68 H. Amla c Ramdin b Holder 63 A. de Villiers c Gabriel b Samuels 148 T. Bavuma b Gabriel 15 S. van Zyl lbw Samuels 33 V. Philander run out 0 S. Harmer lbw Taylor 10 D. Steyn run out 0 M. Morkel not out 4 Extras (lb-7, nb-10, w-13) 30 Total (all out, 122.4 overs) 421 Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-112, 3-157, 4-254, 5-288, 6-384, 7-385, 8-404, 9-408.

Bowling: Taylor 20-2-80-1 (nb-1, w-1), Gabriel 17-2-64-1 (nb-7, w-3), Holder 244-87-2 (nb-2, w-1), Samuels 16.4-0-68-2, Benn 45-9-115-1.

West Indies 2nd innings K. Brathwaite b Harmer 16 D. Smith c De Villiers b Morkel 7 L. Johnson not out 37 M. Samuels not out 26 Extras (lb-2) 2 Total (2 wkts, 34 overs) 88 Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-27.

Bowling: Steyn 10-2-31-0, Philander 9-317-0, Morkel 6-3-10-1, Harmer 9-4-28-1.

De Villiers was last man out for 148 as South Africa were bowled out for 421, a lead of 92. Johnson and Samuels took the OUSTED: Andrea Petkovic. – AFP

BRISBANE: The Brisbane International lost two of its top seeds Sunday when Germany’s Andrea Petkovic and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia both crashed out of the season-opening tournament.

Former champion Kaia Kanepi of Estonia downed fifth seed Petkovic in three tense games 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. In the first match of the tournament, Croatian wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic sent the sixth-seeded Jankovic packing 7-6 (8-6), 6-0.

The tall and powerful Kanepi, who won in Brisbane in 2012, survived an attack of nerves when serving for the match at 5-2 in the third set to overcome Petkovic in two hours, 26 minutes at the Pat Rafter Arena.

Petkovic, the world number 13, struggled to find any rhythm in the opening set but fought hard in the second to take the match into a decider. However, Kanepi stepped up a notch in the third to gain two vital breaks and open up a 5-2 lead.

Petkovic fought back to break Kanepi, then held her own serve to get to 5-4, only for the Estonian to hold her nerve with a powerful service game to take an enthralling match.

Jankovic stunned Earlier, Tomljanovic, who relocated to Brisbane in November and intends to represent Australia, repaid the organisers who gave her a wildcard as she finished far too strong for former world number one Jankovic.

The 21-year-old Tomljanovic won a tough first set then raced away with the second in just 25 minutes as Jankovic struggled.

Jankovic said she had still to regain full fitness after suffering a back injury towards the end of 2014.

“I was not playing or doing any activities for two months, so it took me a little bit of time to just get active and kind of start doing just normal things, and then kind of getting to the tennis and training properly,” she said.

“It’s not easy. And after not competing, after just practising and just trying to get in form and get in shape — I lost my muscles and I looked like jelly. You know, there was nothing there.”

Jankovic said she thought at one stage her career might be over. “When you are injured and you have a bad back injury, you’re thinking maybe you’re never going to be able to play again at a high level,” she said.

Australia’s Samantha Stosur suffered yet more heartbreak in her home town when she let slip a 5-1 lead in the third set, eventually going down to Varvara Lepchenko of the USA. Lepchenko won the last six games to beat Stosur 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. In other matches, seventhseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro came from a set down to beat Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. Elina Svitolina of Ukraine was too strong for Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova, winning 6-0, 6-2. - AFP

West Indies to 88 for two at the close

CAPE TOWN: A century by AB de Villiers and two early strikes by the bowlers gave South Africa the edge on the third day of the third and final Test against the West Indies at Newlands on Sunday.

De Villiers was last man out for 148 as South Africa were bowled out for 421, a lead of 92.

South Africa then dismissed both West Indian openers before Leon Johnson and Marlon Samuels took the tourists to 88 for two at the close, four runs behind.

De Villiers started the day with an array of attacking strokes, but he was forced to change gears when captain Hashim Amla was caught behind and Temba Bavuma followed soon after the second new ball was taken.

He accelerated again on either side of lunch as South Africa moved closer and then passed the West Indian total and reached his hundred with his third audacious reverse sweep in an over from offspinner Marlon Samuels which yielded 14 runs.

His 21st Test century - and his sixth against the West Indies - was made off 144 balls with 11 fours.

As he ran out of partners, with two men run out, he hit a six off Samuels before being caught at

21ST CENTURY: South Africa’s AB de Villiers celebrates after completing his century during the third day of their third Test match against the West Indies in Cape Town on Sunday. – Reuters

wide long-on attempting to clear the boundary again. His innings lasted for 194 balls and he hit 15 fours and a six.

De Villiers was involved in two significant partnerships, 97 for the fourth wicket with captain Hashim Amla, who made 63, and 96 for the sixth wicket with Stiaan van Zyl (33).

Amla was dismissed by the first delivery sent down after a ball change in the 76th over, with Jason Holder getting extra bounce with the replacement ball to have Amla caught behind.

It was a day of toil for the West Indian bowlers in front of a capacity crowd but they bowled with discipline and kept the scoring under control for the most part with defensive field placing.

Holder and Samuels took two wickets each, while there were three run-outs, two of them direct hits by Jermaine Blackwood and Leon Johnson.

As they had in the first innings, West Indian opening batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith saw off the first spells of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.

FA C U P

Blades stun QPR, City survive, United win LONDON: Third-tier Sheffield United confirmed their remarkable cup pedigree by eliminating Premier League Queens Park Rangers (QPR) from the FA Cup with a 3-0 third-round victory at Loftus Road on Sunday.

Nigel Clough’s League One side, who reached last season’s semifinals and face Tottenham Hotspur in the last four of this season’s League Cup, won via a Marc McNulty goal and a second-half brace from Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

QPR, whose manager, Harry Redknapp, made seven changes to his starting XI, became the second top-flight team to be knocked out following Newcastle United’s 1-0 loss at Leicester City on Saturday.

One of the Cup’s most famed giant-killers Yeovil Town gave

Manchester United a couple of serious scares in the first hour before a dazzling strike from Ander Herrera and a superb breakaway goal from Angel di Maria sealed a professional 2-0 win at the Huish Park home of the League One strugglers.

Premier League joint-leaders Manchester City were given a scare by second-tier Sheffield Wednesday before coming through 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium thanks a stoppage-time winner from James Milner.

Wednesday had lost 7-0 at City in the League Cup in September, but they took a 14th minute lead through Atdhe Nuhiu, only for Milner, on his 29th birthday, to equalise in the 66th minute before snatching a last-gasp winner.

Southampton were taken to a replay by Championship side Ipswich Town after a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s, while it took a stunning late strike by Christian Benteke for Aston Villa to overcome second-tier Blackpool 1-0.

Non-league Wrexham of the fifth-tier Football Conference came within 10 minutes of creating another piece of FA Cup history, only to lose 3-1 at top-flight Stoke City.

Alan Pardew made a winning start to life as manager of Crystal Palace, who won 4-0 at nonleague Dover Athletic.

Sunderland repeated their victory over Leeds United in the 1973 final with an identical 1-0 win against the Championship club at the Stadium of Light. - AFP

But the tall Morne Morkel produced a breakthrough in his first over when Smith gloved a legside catch to wicketkeeper De Villiers.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer also struck in his first over, bowling Brathwaite with a ball which turned back sharply as the batsman went back on his stumps, reducing the West Indies to 27 for two.

Brathwaite survived a chance three balls earlier when De Villiers could not hold a sharp edge off the spinner. Samuels and Johnson survived to the close, adding an unbeaten 61 for the third wicket.

Samuels gave a difficult chance when he had 13, clipping Steyn to mid-on where Morkel dived full length to his right but could not hold on. - AFP

FOOTBALL

Returning Torres wants to taste success with Atletico BARCELONA: Winning trophies with his boyhood club and rediscovering his scoring touch is what Fernando Torres really craves after returning home to Atletico Madrid.

Fans flocked to the Vicente Calderon on Sunday to welcome back their idol after a loan deal was agreed with AC Milan for Torres to play for the La Liga champions until the end of next season. Torres, a product of the Atletico youth system, made his debut aged 17 and went on to become a talisman for Atletico at a time when the club was struggling on the pitch.

The former Atletico captain played 244 games before deciding to seek his fortune abroad by joining Liverpool in 2007 for a fee reported to be 20 million pounds ($30.65 million).

“Away from the pitch a lot has happened since I moved. I am more mature and I am a happier person with a family,” Torres said at his presentation.

“On a sporting level I was very young and I had a very difficult decision but I knew I had to leave for me and for the club to grow. It was the hardest moment of my career but it has worked out as the club is now stronger and has won titles.

“For me I got the trophies that I wanted but there has always been something I lacked which was to win them here. I have a lot of motivation to win them here and hopefully I can do that with hard work.”

Torres adapted well to English football during his time at Liverpool but he failed to shine at Chelsea. Having looked lost in front of goal during a loan spell at AC Milan this season, the pressure is on the 30-year-old Torres to return to the form he showed earlier in his career. - Reuters

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SPORTS

Enhance, Al Turki post easy wins ENHANCE HEROES: From left Pradeep Kumar, Unnikrishnan G. P.

and Noorul Riaz.

While Enhance defeated Muscat CT by six wickets, Al Turki NMC humbled Raha CT in a onesided match for a seven-wicket victory

MUSCAT: Enhance and Al Turki NMC registered emphatic wins in the Muscat Pharmacy-sponsored 50 overs-a-side A Division matches.

In a game played on Friday, Enhance put Muscat CT to bat first who ended their innings with the score board reading a decent 229 for nine in 50 overs.

Openers Aaqib Ilyas and Swapnil Khadye gave a good start with a 60-run stand until the fall of the former for 46. Later, coming at six with the score on 105, Jatinder Singh played a sensible innings to

remain unbeaten on 84 off 79 balls while wickets kept falling regularly at the other end.

Pradeep Kumar bowled a dream spell to pick up his first five-wicket haul in which he had three caught and bowled dismissals. Nester Dhamba also bowled superbly to return with figures of three for 22 runs in eight overs.

In reply, after the fall of the first wicket on 36, opener Unnikrishnan G. P and captain Noorul Riaz combined well to raise the score to 136 when the former was run out for 72 runs. He hit six boundaries and three sixes. Riaz remained unbeaten on 89, scored off 118 balls with nine fours and a six, a performance that earned him the man of the match award.

Enhance won scoring 231 for four in 45.2 overs.

Brief scores: Muscat CT 229 for 9 in 50 overs (Jatinder 84 n.o., Aqib 46, Adnan 24; Pradeep 5/63, Nester 3/22) lost to Enhance CT 231 for 4 in 45.2 overs (Riaz 89 n.o., Unni 72).

In a match played on Saturday, Al Turki NMC won the toss and decided to field first against Raha CT. Relying on their spinners from the word go, Al Turki NMC kept taking wickets at regular intervals

E DIVISION: Landscape Architecture pose for a group photo after their victory in over Mott MacDonald. – Supplied photos

ZAXIS STARS: Vijesh CV, left, and Waseem Al Balushi pose a photo

after leading their team to victory over PDO RC.

Brief scores: ZAxis 178 for 9 in 20 overs bt PDO RC 173 for 8 in 20 overs.

Rajneesh Patel of Al Turki MNC

Zakir Khan of PDO

as Ajay Lalcheta and Rajneesh Patel scalped four and five wickets each respectively. None of the Raha batsmen made any noteworthy runs and were bundled out for 81 in 27.4 overs.

Rajneesh, who claimed five for 10 runs in 6.4 overs, including three wicket maidens, was declared the man of the match.

For Al Turki, Yogesh Patel and Gulam Rasool ensured that their side reached the target in just 26.2 overs to win the game with a bonus point. Yogesh made 38 while Gulam remained unbeaten on 34.

David captured two of the three wickets to fall.

Al Turki NMC 82 for 3 in 26.2 overs (Yogesh 38, Gulam 34 n.o.; David 2/26).

Brief scores: Raha 81 all out in 27.4 overs (Rajneesh 5/10, Ajay 4/18) lost to

In Al Ansari Group of Companies-sponsored C Division T20 matches, ZAxis Media beat PDO RC by five runs and NBO A overcame Fairtrade by six wickets.

ZAxis, opting to bat first, scored 178 for nine in 20 overs with Vijesh Velunni (48), Wasim Al Balushi (38) Krishna Chaitanya (35) and Kimberley Bentick (28) all making useful contributions. Zakir Khan bagged five wickets while Shakeel Arshad took two.

In reply, PDO fell short by five runs as the contributions of Attique Mohammed (54) and Donald Taylor (28) went in vain. Bentick bagged two wickets for the winners.

In the match between Fairtrade and NBO A, the former set a target of 148 after winning the toss and batting first. Opener Salim Shaikh (56) was the only batsman to score major runs for his side. Zakheer Abbas with four wickets, Maanas Kapoor with three and Punith Mehta with two were the main wicket takers for NBO. A 91-run third wicket partnership between Ramesh V (41) and Maanas Kapoor (59 No) set the pace for NBO to win the game in 16.1 overs with six wickets in hand.

Brief scores: Fairtrade 148 in 20 overs lost to NBO A 149 for 4 in 16.1 overs.

In a Raha Poly Products-sponsored D Division game, Blue Sky International (BSL) scored an easy win against Ernst and Young (E&Y). Batting first, BSL scored 202 thanks to a superb 90-run stand between opener Moaaz Juned (60) and Aadil Mohammed (41). Muhammed Awais and Sharoz Sadiq scored 27 runs each.

Saud Haroon scalped three wickets and Syed Osama got two for E&Y. In reply, E&Y collapsed for 149 in 19.3 overs. Vikram Verma (25), Syed Osama (36) and Bhavik Jais-

ingh (30) were the only batsmen to put on some scores. For BSL, Mehndi Hassan and Aadil Mohammed dismissed three batsmen each.

Brief scores: BSL 202 for 8 in 20 overs bt E&Y 149 all out in 19.3 overs.

In an Enhance-sponsored E Division game, Landscape Architecture beat Mott MacDonald for 67 runs after having scored 200 for six in their allotted 20 overs. An unbeaten partnership of 84 runs between Darwish Ellickal (49) and Laiju Jose (33) enabled their side to setup a match winning score.

Earlier Prasad Peruli (38) and Pradeep Rajan (20) were involved in a 60-run stand for the first wicket. Prashanth Ganapathy got three wickets and Alpesh Lad picked up two wickets for Mott MacDonald.

Batting second, despite contributions of 32, 34 and 35 by Sagar Ingle, Alpesh Lad and Prashanth Ganapathy respectively, Mott MacDonals could not manage to chase the target and ended their innings with only 133 runs. Abdul Jamshed dismissed three batsmen and Ali Raza Munir got two wickets for the winners.

Brief scores: Landscape Architecture 200 for 6 in 20 overs bt Mott MacDonald 133 all out in 20 overs.

AL DIYAR LIFT EGYPTIAN COMMUNITY SOCCER TITLE

Al Diyar defeated Banha via penalties to lift the title at the Egyptian Community Football Championship organised at Al Amal Sports Club in memory of community team goalkeeper late Dr. Mohannad. The teams were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time.

Pocari Sweat Team won the third place. Ahmed Al Rawi won the best player award and Ibrahim Al Hanafi won the top scorer trophy. Dr. Shaban Al Amir, Advisor at the Embassy of Egypt, Oman Football Association official Midhat Mahmoud Abo Ras attended the ceremony. — Supplied photo

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Japan and Iran wrap up Asian Cup preparations with contrasting wins

SPECTACULAR SHOW: Mubarak Al Shedi in action during the first round of Freestyle Drift organised by Oman Automobile Association.

Mubarak mesmerises drifting enthusiasts In a spectacular three-minute show, Mubarak thrilled the spectators before clinching the top honours in the first round of Freestyle Drift organised by Oman Automobile Association

MUSCAT: Mubarak Al Shedi began the New Year on a bright note clinching the top honours in the first round of the Freestyle Drift at the Oman Automobile Association (OAA) here on Friday.

Scorching the tarmac in smoke enveloped Nissan Altima, the young drifter, popularly known as Abu Hassan, thrilled a large number of spectators in a spectacular three-minute performance.

The victory became doubly sweet as the talented driver from Al Batinah region, who had won many titles in the neighbouring GCC countries, notched victory on his debut appearance in Muscat.

“I am happy to clinch the title in my first appearance in a competition in Muscat. Frankly, a podium finish was not on my mind when I came here for the show. My aim was to perform well and entertain the crowd. For, this is the first time OAA is organising a freestyle drift event,” he said.

“Hope the success will encourage the association to organise

DRIFT CHAMPION: Mubarak Al Shedi receives his trophy after winning the first round of the Freestyle Drift organised by Oman Automobile Association.

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more competitions in future,” Mubarak added.

Khaleefa ‘Schumacher’ emerged the second best among 15 talented drifters from Al Batinah Region, while Dhulkuful won the third place. Khaleefa, who has hundreds of dedicated followers, said the competition would open a new chapter in freestyle drifting in Oman.

“I always believed that freestyle drift should be organised in a safe environment. And the OAA drift arena is a perfect venue. The event would open up the eyes of youngsters about the importance

of adopting safety measures. The competition was really tough and I am happy to be the second best. I would try to improve the result in the second round next month.”

Young Dhulkuful too enjoyed the huge support of the crowd for his stupendous show. “I enjoyed the competition and the support from thousands of people. I am happy with my performance,” he said.

Meanwhile, event co-ordinator, Mahmood Al Shibly, said he was happy to see the success of the freestyle drift event. “Motorsports enthusiasts travelled hundreds of kilometres to watch their heroes in action in Muscat.

It showed huge popularity of the sport. Now we would focus on organising the second round in February. We hope that the government would give us a drift arena in Al Batinah region,” he said.

The huge crowd turn out amused the OAA officials, who confessed that the event should be given enough support.

“We would think about including the freestyle drift in OAA calendar. The drivers are extremely talented, and they need our support,” said OAA Chairman Salim Al Maskary.

Anwar Soomar Al Zadjali, OAA Adviser, too agreed with the suggestion. “These drivers won titles in major freestyle drifting competitions abroad and it is high time we supported them. We should seriously think about organising more freestyle drift events,” Al Zadjali said.

The second round of the freestyle drift will be held on February 6.

Results: 1. Mubarak Al Shedi (Abu Hassan); 2. Khaleefa ‘Schumacher’; 3. Dhulkuful.

SYDNEY: Holders Japan beat Oceania club champions Auckland City 2-0 while three-time winners Iran edged old foes Iraq 1-0 as half of the Asian Cup finalists played final friendly matches on Sunday before next week’s kick-off in Australia.

Japan coach Javier Aguirre fielded a strong side for the fixture in Newcastle with the Blue Samurai’s most capped player Yasuhito Endo opening the scoring with a deflected shot in the 33rd minute.

Striker Shinji Okazaki completed the victory over the semi-professional New Zealand outfit, who reached the semi-finals of the Fifa Club World Cup last month, with a stoppage time effort after being put through.

Japan begin the defence of their title on Jan. 12 against Palestine, with further Group D matches against Jordan and Iraq to come.

Jordan have been in woeful form since the appointment of former England captain Ray Wilkins in September, with their wait for a first victory under his guidance extended after a 1-0 loss to Bahrain in Victoria.

Faouzi Aaish scored the winner with six minutes remaining.

Iraq are also short on victories and their confidence would not have been helped by a 1-0 loss to Iran on Sunday.

The Lions of Mesopotamia fell 1-0 behind to an experimental Iranian side in the 55th minute after Russia-based striker Sardar Azmoun swiftly nipped past the defender and poked home.

The 2007 Asian champions had a fantastic opportunity to level

just seven minutes later but skipper Younis Mahmoud chipped his penalty kick over the bar after a failed panenka effort.

Iran will take on Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an all West Asian Group C. Elsewhere, South Korea recorded a 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia to boost their confidence ahead of Group A challenges against Kuwait, Oman and the hosts.

An own goal by Osama Hawsawi in the 68th minute set them on their way with striker Lee JungHyub notching in stoppage time from close range to make the game safe with a debut goal.

The Saudis were thumped 4-1

by Bahrain on Tuesday and look ill prepared ahead of Saturday’s Group B opener against China and follow up clashes with North Korea and Uzbekistan.

UAE, Kuwait dispute A disagreement over the recording of a pre-Asian Cup friendly between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait led to a lastminute cancellation of the match on Saturday, robbing both teams of vital match practice.

The players had lined up in the tunnel ahead of the game on the Gold Coast but it was called off after the UAE refused to agree to Kuwait’s request to record the match.

In a statement on its website, the UAE Football Association said both sides had previously agreed to play the friendly behind closed doors without recording, broadcasting and the presence of the media or public. - Reuters

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M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

SPORTS

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Djokovic, Nadal and Federer set for yet another gripping season Djokovic, who picked up his seventh major at Wimbledon in 2014, became a father only three months ago and has been taking advice from Federer on how best to cope with having a family on tour

DOHA: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic lead the Qatar Open field from Monday while, 12,000km away in Brisbane, Roger Federer starts his 18th year on the tour as tennis heads for another gripping season. The details of Nadal’s plan to preserve his hopes of one day becoming the most successful player of all time may become clearer when he starts his title defence at Qatar.

Although the Spaniard is almost five years younger than Federer, and is only three Grand Slams behind his all-time record of 17, changing his goals and his schedule will be vital if he is to surpass the Swiss genius. After an appendectomy cut short a 2014 season which also brought problems with his back and wrist, Nadal has accepted that stringent compromises are required.

The wear and tear of more than 850 matches has left Nadal unable to sustain intense physical pressure for long periods, and has

caused him to give up ambitions of ever again being world number one. “That won’t be a goal in my career any more,” says Nadal, who is currently ranked three behind Djokovic and Federer.

“If I become number one because of my results, then great.

But I’m not going to pursue this objective. Instead I will follow my schedule.”

That is because, well into his 29th year, Nadal is making one of his greatest goals to play as many remaining years as possible.

“What I won’t do is put at risk the best years of my career to get the number one spot,” he emphasised.

This was a policy Federer adopted a couple of years ago, something which has helped him, at 33, to remain a serious contender.

Preserving his physical condition is a precondition for Nadal preserving his career as well, though he has mental repair work as well.

After missing the whole of the

HOPMAN CUP

Djokovic eyes French Open Djokovic, who picked up his seventh major at Wimbledon in 2014, became a father only three months ago and has been taking advice from Federer on how best to cope with having a family on tour.

The only thing which has prevented the 27-year-old Serb from joining Federer and Nadal in the career Grand Slam club is the absence of the French Open title, the rectifying of which has become his biggest career goal.

He will try again at Roland Garros in May and June by which time both Djokovic’s state of mind and

Nadal’s physical fitness may be better understood.

Federer, meanwhile, continues to confound the doubters.

The Swiss great was runner-up to Lleyton Hewitt in last year’s final in Brisbane and should he win four more matches this week and lift his 74th tour-level title, he would become just the third player in the Open Era to reach the 1,000 match wins milestone after Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071). World number two Federer compiled an ATP World Tourbest 73-12 match record in 2014, including five titles, and helped Switzerland win a first Davis Cup crown. “I was consistent and I was playing positive, attacking tennis, the exact way I want to play.

I gave myself quite a few chances at the Slams. I want to go one step further, because being close is not quite good enough,” he said.

Andy Murray has slid to world number six since winning the 2013 Wimbledon title and undergoing a back operation which probably left him a small but crucial percentage short of physical strength.

The signs were good at Abu Dhabi where Murray won the title, having beaten Feliciano Lopez and trouncing Nadal for only two games. Murray has dispensed with two long-time allies, hitting partner Dani Valverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green, kept Amelie Mauresmo as coach when some predicted her dismissal, and seems about to add more French back-up in the person of Loic Courteau. - AFP

BIG HOPES: Novak Djokovic (in picture) with Rafael Nadal will lead the field in Qatar Open, which starts in Doha on Monday. – AFP

CHENNAI OPEN

Perfect start for Poles PERTH: The Poland pairing of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz made a perfect start to the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth on Sunday.

Up against the host nation, the Poles lived up to their status as one of the tournament favourites when they made a clean sweep of their tie to beat Australia 3-0, helped by an unfortunate injury to local Matthew Ebden.

Radwanska, ranked sixth in the world, started her new season in trademark fashion, blunting the shotmaking of the 29th-ranked Casey Dellacqua to win their clash in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

Ebden then looked set to level the tie when he dominated the early proceedings against a jetlagged Janowicz.

The world number 231 took the first set against the 43rd-ranked Janowicz and served for the

2014 American hard court season and not competing since October 24, the effect of these absences is important. “It wasn’t a negative season in terms of all results, it was negative in terms of mentality because it was hard to accept that I wasn’t able to compete for the whole year,” nine-time French Open champion Nadal conceded.

“There are only two or three weeks left for the Australian Open and I hope to arrive there feeling well, but I’m aware two weeks might not be enough to be back at a hundred percent.”

The Doha seedings suggest he should face world number one Djokovic in Saturday’s final, but a fever caused the world number one’s withdrawal from the final of the weekend exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. It remains to be seen whether he recovers enough to make his first appearance in Doha.

match at 5-4 in the second set as a major upset loomed.

However, Janowicz broke back and rattled off the last nine games of the match to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Earlier, veteran Lucie Safarova carried her career-best form of 2014 into the new year to guide the Czech Republic to an upset 2-1 win over Canada. Safarova opened her new campaign in the best possible fashion, with a commanding straight sets win over Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard.

Bouchard was no match for the 16th-ranked Safarova and was beaten 6-0, 6-4 in just 68 minutes.

The Canadians levelled the tie when Vasek Pospisil beat the 240th-ranked Adam Pavlasek, a late replacement for Radek Stepanek, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2. However, the Czechs were far too good in the deciding mixed doubles, winning 6-4, 6-2. - AFP

Wawrinka tunes up in Chennai for Australian Open defence CHENNAI: Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka kickstarts preparations for the year’s first Grand Slam with his now customary stop-over in India to play in the ATP Chennai Open starting on Monday.

The Swiss world number four makes his seventh appearance in the southern Indian city, this time as the defending champion of the $450,000 tournament at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium.

Wawrinka’s victory in Chennai last year sparked an incredible run when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and then upset top seed Rafael Nadal in the final to clinch his first Grand Slam title.

The 29-year-old ended the year by leading Switzerland to their maiden Davis Cup crown, having beaten French number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the opening day before partnering Roger Federer to victory in the doubles.

“I like Chennai very much,” Wawrinka was quoted as saying in a news release by the organisers.

“The atmosphere is always great and the fans are amazing, that’s why I keep coming back. The tournament was a great start to an amazing year in 2014 and I hope that it will be the same in the new year.”

Wawrinka, who will defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne from January 19, said he had not set specific goals for 2015

other than staying fit and playing a consistent game on all surfaces.

In Chennai, Wawrinka faces a strong challenge from a predominantly Spanish field that includes world number 14 Feliciano Lopez, number 15 Roberto BautistaAgut, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Marcel Granollers. Other leading contenders are Belgium’s David Goffin, Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, Taiwanese veteran Yen-Hsun Lu and 2014 runners-up Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France.

The big-serving Lopez made a huge impression in 2014 when he reached the fourth round at Wimbledon where he lost to Wawrinka.

Lopez also made the third round of the US Open for a fifth straight

year and beat Nadal at the Shanghai Masters.

Bautista-Agut won the ATP’s most improved player of the year award by rising from number 59 to 15 in the rankings in 2014. He also scalped world number five Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the Australian Open.

Goffin, 24, was voted the ATP’s comeback player of 2014 after returning from a wrist injury to gallop from 110 to world number 22 by the end of the year, in which he won his first two titles. The top four seeds — Wawrinka, Lopez, Bautista-Agut and Goffin — have received a bye in the first round of the 32-man field.

The champion will pocket $73,400 and 250 ranking points. - AFP

YOUR BIGGEST ROAD HAZARD IS IN YOUR HAND A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

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LIFE & STYLE

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ore people are interacting with each other online than ever before. The number of Facebook users worldwide has doubled between 2010 and 2013, from 608 million to 1,230 million, while Twitter has 284 million monthly users.

A report by Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator (UK), found that two thirds of adults who are online have a social networking profile. According to a survey for online bank First Direct, a third of British users of Facebook are on the network for at least an hour a day, with 12 per cent spending at least two hours on the site. For Twitter users, 31 per cent spend more than an hour on the platform, while 14 per cent — more than 3.6 million people — say their daily usage exceeds two hours.

But what are the psychological impacts of all this? An internet poll

by Pencourage, an online diary site, found that two-thirds of web users distort the truth on their online profiles to fit a particular image of themselves, which three out of 10 admitted they could not live up to in real life. This causes a feeling of guilt, and can even lead to memories of events being compromised. Dr Aric Sigman, a specialist on the impact of screen time on children, said that experts were increasingly aware of the psychological impact of social media across all age groups, but especially in young people. “There is a thing called ‘Facebook Depression’,” he said. “This was reported by the American Academy of Paediatrics, which found that when young people spend too much time on social me-

dia sites they begin to show classic symptoms of depression.

“People see that their friends all have six packs, or always look skinny and happy,” he explained. “Or, if I see that you have 500 friends and I just have two — my mother and granny, and my granny has just defriended me — I am going to think you are a winner and I am a loser.”

He made it clear that he is not opposed to social media in principle, but only concerned about its excessive use.

He thinks children should not engage in more than two hours of “discretionary screen time” — use for leisure not work — per day. “A fridge is a great piece of technology, but if you use it too much you will get obesity and diabetes — it is the same with social media,” he explained. “There is a ‘dose-response’ relationship, with more hours per day linked to a greater likelihood that negative effects will appear.” People are also increasingly concerned at the lasting impact of what they do online, especially on future job prospects. According to Careerbuilder.co.uk, a job-hunting website, 48 per cent of recruiters now screen the social media profiles of applicants. Several high-profile cases, such as the resignation of Paris Brown, the 17-year-old Kent Youth Police and Crime Commissioner, over a series of racist and homophobic tweets, have only exacerbated this concern.

Tim Callow, a 20-year-old student, said: “I‘ve started to become quite careful about what is visible to others on my Facebook profile, especially because employers are using social media for recruitment purposes. Some things that were intended as a joke

Chocolate, smoking, laziness... these are all things to give up on New Year. But what about a new one —

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(and funny for those involved) might not appear that way if seen by recruiters out of context.”

Social media can wreak havoc on the careers of adults too. Brooks Newmark, MP for Braintree, resigned from the government after explicit images appeared on social media. He was snared by an undercover reporter from the Sunday Mirror, who created a fake Twitter profile under the name, ‘Sophie Wittams’, a “twenty-something Tory PR girl”. After a series of conversations, many of a sexual nature, Newmark sent explicit body shots.

People only recently subjected to public scrutiny are especially at risk from embarrassing details spilling out into the public sphere. Solomon Akhtar, the 22-year-old entrepreneur who appeared on the Apprentice TV show, was forced to confess to bosses that he had made a sex tape with a previous girlfriend after friends revealed the information on Twitter under the caption, “revelation of the day”. The tape did not become public, but the risk of this happening undoubtedly caused distress.

Some people, increasingly disillusioned with particular social networks, have decided to quit altogether. The digital consultancy iStrategy Labs wrote a study earlier this year which found that Facebook had 4,292,080 fewer American schoolchildren and 6,948,848 fewer university-aged users than in 2011.

But even if you join the abstainers, social media is clearly not going away. Online networking has revolutionised the way in which information is disseminated. According to a

report by the Pew Research Centre, a US think-tank, social media users are not only consuming news, but contributing to reporting as “citizen journalists”. Nearly half of users have discussed a news story on social media, while 14 per cent have contributed photos they have taken of a newsworthy event. Gemma Went, a social media consultant, said that the platforms of the future need to meet the immediate needs of their users. The inglorious falls of Bebo and MySpace show just how quickly consumers become bored of existing platforms.

Bebo was at its zenith in 2008, when it was sold to AOL for $850 million, before declining rapidly as Facebook became increasingly dominant. Similarly, in December 2008 MySpace pulled in 75.9 metres monthly unique visitors in the US, according to figures from data service ComScore, but by May 2011 this had plummeted to 34.8 metres.

“Facebook hasn‘t been cool for some time,” she said. “But its ubiquitous nature makes it hard for people to stop using it (even with the issues of data, privacy and advertising).

Friends and family are there so it feels like you have to be there, or miss out.

“Instagram met a real desire to share our lives through photos and aligned perfectly with the selfie phenomenon, Snapchat dealt with the issue of privacy (albeit with a few problems of its own). People will flock to try the new ‘cool’ thing, but if it doesn‘t meet a need or desire, they won‘t stay.

If it does, most consumers will keep using whether it‘s cool or not.”

- Rony Tingle/The Independent

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EXTRA

am afraid of the Machine.

Expose me to banner ads or anticipatory marketing, and I am instantly reminded of the inexorable rise of the android; hand me a pair of Google Glass, and I am convinced that RoboCop was a documentary.

The 19th century saw the advent of radar, the assembly line, fibre optics and plastic; this century we’ve created apps that tell you who in your neighbourhood would be willing to meet you.

Yet, loath though this frequent emailer and social media enthusiast is to lead a life in thrall to algorithms and bots, I admit that having Scrabble on my iPhone has improved my life immeasurably. Indeed, in my dotage, it’s entirely possible that I’ll now look back on the accumulated years I’ve spent on subway platforms and airport tarmacs as the good years, the salad years.

So, if Scrabble can light up the dark alleys of my time on earth, maybe other apps can, too? The market research company Forrester Research predicted in 2011 that annual revenue from the purchase of apps would reach $38 billion in 2015, a figure so large as to inspire curiosity in even the most techno-churlish.

I recently spent three weeks trying to improve my life through apps.

First, I diagnosed myself; I determined that I have bodily ills, household ills and wardrobe ills. Then I started Googling.

Lo, my bodily ills. The cold weather has slowed my commitment to

The quest to improve health, home and wardrobe in a matter of weeks using mobile tools is attainable in present times swimming and walking; my current love handles give my mid-torso the silhouette of a rotary telephone. So for $2.99 I bought Meal Snap — You photograph food, and Meal Snap coughs up a calorie count.

Maybe this will inject my snacking with accountability, I thought: taking pictures of all my midafternoon snacks and late-night indulgences will turn my liaisons with Mallomars into a war-crimes tribunal of eating.

It worked for a day or two. The bother of having to find my iPhone, so I could capture, say, the handful of cashews that I wanted to eat while watching TV at night was a powerful corrective. But gradually, the idea of photo-documenting my dietary intake struck me as abject, like Andy Warhol obsessing over his taxi receipts or Howard Hughes hoarding bottles of his urine.

Moreover, I had perhaps naively hoped that my afternoon enablers — the people who grace the world with baked goods — would balk at my taking pictures of their wares before I ate them. But these people loved Meal Snap.

“Cool idea, bro,” a vendor at a muffin cart on Lower Broadway told me as I snapped away; a vendor at the Bread Alone stand at the Union Square farmers’ market asked for

my camera to take the picture himself, saying he had the better vantage point. An ebullient, rawboned gentleman manning a coffee and doughnut cart at the corner of Houston and Broadway also cheered me on; he said, “Technology is so high today. Soon they will be able to tell you in your head to go left, go right, go left.”

I asked him, “Is that the kind of future you want?” He said, “I don’t know. But pictures of doughnuts are very nice.”

One day, while walking through Whole Foods on Houston Street, my friend Ryan asked me if I ever photographed my snacks from unusual angles in order to try to get a lower calorie count. Thrilled by the idea, I placed an apple crisp muffin on the store’s floor, and was soon smiling at a notice on my iPhone reading “0 calories.” The jig was up.

I had much better luck with two apps devoted to exercise. I had three good sessions with Learn Hip Hop Dance, a series of videos starring a highly charming Samuel L. Jacksontype named Professor Lock, who’s given to expressions like “Indubitably, indubitably” and “Y’all stay in there like swimwear.”

You start with lessons like Find the Beat and Shoulder Lean. You ease into segments like Strobing,

Bobbing, Ticking. Then you explode into Cat Daddy, Smurf Dance, Sponge Bob, Watergate Dance. I did my best to follow along to these videos while standing in my gym clothes in the office I rent; I was up in da club like Dilbert.

Even better for me — because it’s condensed, and because it’s pure routine, rather than Learn Hip Hop’s lesson-followed-by-routine - is the Johnson & Johnson 7 Minute Workout. Here are seven heart-hammering, sweat-producing minutes of push-ups and jumping jacks and other instruments of torture, somehow made palatable by each exercise’s brevity (about 60 seconds).

Though the app encourages you ultimately to do three circuits of seven-minute workouts, I would point out that would be a 21-minute workout, a kind of false advertising tantamount to finding every copy of “War and Peace” and crossing out the words “War and.”

My household ills take two forms.

Most pressing are my apartment’s array of funky door hinges and other forms of discombobulation. This brought me into contact with what would be my favourite of the apps, TaskRabbit. I typed in my household tasks, my location and a date; TaskRabbit showed me 12 miniprofiles of people with handyman skills. Their rates ranged from $38 to $250 an hour. I chose Andy, the second least expensive ($50), who had a large number of flattering customer reviews.

— Henry Alford/The New York Times News Service

MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

C9

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Swelter (Action / Thriller) (15+)

Vice (2D) Action | Adventure (15+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis 5:30, 9:30 & 11:30 pm Legend Of Never Beast (2D) Animation | Adventure (PG) 2:00pm Legend Of Never Beast (3D) Animation | Adventure (PG) 4:15 & 5:45 pm Swelter (2D) Act | Thriller (15+) Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme 3:30, 7:30 & 11:45 pm Into the Woods (2D)Com|Family (PG) Cast: Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep 2:15 pm P.K (2D) Comedy | Drama(PG) Cast: Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma 8:50 pm Unbroken (2D) Bio| Drama (15+) Cast: Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, Domhnall 4:30 & 7:15pm Laggies (2D) Rom | Com) (PG) Cast: Keira Knightley, ChloĂŤ Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell 2:15 & 7:00 pm Woman In Black Angel Of Death (2D) (Horror | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine 9:45 & 11:45pm

Vice (2D) (Act | Adventure) (15+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis 1:30, 9:45 & 11:45 pm Gold Class: 3:45 & 11:15pm Legend Of Never Beast (2D) (Animation | Adventure) (PG) 12:30 pm

SCREEN 3

Legend Of Never Beast (3D) (Animation | Adventure) (PG) 2:00 & 5:15pm Gold Class: 12:15pm Swelter (2D) (Act | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme 3:30 & 6:45pm Gold Class: 1:45pm P.K (2D) (Com | Drama) (PG) Cast: Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Anushka Sharma 7:15 pm Gold Class: 8:15pm Unbroken (2D) (Bio| Drama) (15+) 11:00 am & 8:45 pm Gold Class: 5:45 pm Laggies (2D) (Rom | Comedy) (PG) Cast: Keira Knightley 10:30 am, 3:30 & 5:30 pm Ironclad: Battle For Blood (2D) Action/Adventure (18+) Cast: Michelle Fairley, Roxanne McKee, Danny Webb 11:45 pm

Linga (Act|Drama) (Tamil) -(PG ) Cast: Rajnikanth, Sonakshi Sinha 3.30 & 6:45 pm Action Jackson (Act| Rom| Dr) (12+ ) Cast: Ajay Devgan, Sonakshi Sinha 10:00 pm

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies -3D (PG12) (Adv| Fantasy) Cast: Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage 7: 00 pm P.K. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (PG) Com | Drama | Fantasy Cast : Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma 8:30 pm Swelter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (15+) Act | Dr | Thriller Cast:Jean-Claude Van Damme, 3:45, 7:45, 9:45, 11:45 pm Vice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (15+) Act | Adv | Sci-Fi Cast : Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis 5:45, 9:45, 11:45pm Legend of the NeverBeast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3D (PG) Animation | Adventure | Family Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Rosario Dawson, Mae Whitman 4:00, 5:30 pm Legend of the NeverBeast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (PG) Animation | Adventure | Family Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman 3:15 pm The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (15+) (Drama | Horror) Cast: Helen McCrory, Phoebe Fox 4:40, 11:30 pm Unbroken â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (15+) Bio| Dr | Sport Cast: Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, Takamasa Ishihara, Domhnall 6:30, 11:15 pm Cousins â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (M) (PG) (Comedy)

SCREEN 1 P. K (Comedy | Drama | Social) (PG ) Cast: Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 pm SCREEN 2 Action Jackson (Act| Rom| Dr) (12+ ) Cast: Ajay Devgan, Sonakshi Sinha 3:45& 6:45 pm P. K (Comedy | Drama | Social) (PG ) Cast: Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt 10.00 pm

Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith Sukumaran, Suraj Venjaramoodu 9:00 pm Laggies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2D (PG) (Com | Romance) Cast : Keira Knightley, ChloĂŤ Grace 03:15 , 05:00 , 06:45 pm

Vice (Act | Adventure | Sci-Fi ) (15+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis 3:30, 6:30, 8:15, 11:45 pm Swelter (Act | Dr | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme 5:15, 7:00, 10:00, 11:30 pm P.K. (Com | Dr | Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt 3:45, 8:45 pm Legend of the NeverBeast - 2D (Animation | Adv | Family) (PG) 3:00 pm Legend of the NeverBeast - 3D Animation | Adv | Family) (PG) 4:30, 6:00 pm Cousins (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith Sukumaran, Suraj Venjaramoodu 7:30 pm The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death (Dr | Horror | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Helen McCrory, Phoebe Fox 10:00, 11:45 pm

Swelter (Act | Dra) (15+) Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme 08:00, 11:30 pm Vice (Act| Adventure | Sci-Fi) (15+) Cast: Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis 04:30, 06:15, 09:45 pm

Legend of the NeverBeast(3D) (Animation | Adv | Family) (PG) 05:00, 06:30 pm Cousins (Mal) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith Sukumaran, Suraj Venjaramoodu 10:45 pm P.K (Hindi) (Co | Dr | Fantasy) (PG) Cast: Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt 8:00 pm

Cast: Mindy Robinson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Alfred Molina 6.00, 10.00 & 11.55 pm Ironclad: Battle for Blood (Action / Adventure) (15+) Cast: Michelle Fairley, Roxanne McKee, Danny Webb 4.00, 8.00 & 11.55 pm Unbroken (Drama)(15+) Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman 4.30, 7.00 & 9.30 pm Camp X-ray (Drama) Cast: Kristen Stewart, Peyman Moaadi 2.00 pm; CP No: 2673 (18+)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Adventure / Fantasy) Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage 2.00 pm; CP No: 2574 (PG12)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (3D/PG12) (Adv/Fantasy) 11:45pm Vice (2D/15+) (Act/Adv/Sc-FI) 2:00, 5:45, 9:45, 11:45pm Swelter (2D/15+) Act/Dr/Thriller) 12:00, 7:45, 9:30pm Ironclad: Battle for Blood (2D/18+) (Action/Adventure) 3:45, 11:30pm Let the Bullets Fly (2D/18+)Act/Co 1:30pm Legend of the Never Beast (3D/PG) (Action/Adventure/Family) 4:00, 5:30pm Legend of the Never Beast (2D/PG) (Action/Adventure/Family) Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin 11:00am, 2:30pm Unbroken (2D/15+) (Ro/Comedy) 4:00, 7:00pm P.K. (2D/PG) (Com/Dr/fantasy) 9:00pm The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death (2D/PG) (Dr/Horr) 12:30, 11:45pm Cousins (2D/PG) (Comedy) 6:30pm

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Cousins (Mal) (Com) Cast: Kunchako Boban, Indrajit 3:30 & 6:30 pm at Cinema Main, 9:45pm Cinema 3 PK (Hindi- Drama) Cast: Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt 3:45, 6:45pm at Cinema 3, 9:30pm Cinema Main Lingaa (Tamil) (Act |Dr| Thriller) (PG) Cast: Rajnikanth & Anushka Shetty 6:45pm at Cinema 4 Iyobinete Pusthakam (Mal) (Act) Cast: Fahad Fazil, Jaysurya 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm Cinema 2 Meagamann (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Arya & Hansika Motwani 3:45 & 9:45pm at Cinema 4 NEXT CHANGE: Mylanchi Monchulla Veedu (Mal) Chinnadana Nee Kosam (Telugu)

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ACES ON BRIDGE

Temptation can be so tempting

SUDOKU

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. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Seven Galaxies

MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

48 49 54 55 56 57 58 59

Arizona city Witness Exam for jrs.

Squirrel hangout Slick Raison dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Hosp. workers Long-handled tool

DOWN 1 NFL gains 2 Electric swimmer 3 Fairway gizmo 4 Values 5 Discards 6 Surface transport 7 Some ads 8 â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Maryâ&#x20AC;? (Ike & Tina Turner tune) 9 Play boisterously 10 Touched down 11 New York nine 16 Copsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; org.

20 Enjoy to the max 21 Lands in â&#x20AC;&#x153;la merâ&#x20AC;?

22 Wynter or Andrews 23 Fuel cartel

25 27 29 30 31 34

Kind of cuisine Tennessee â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ford Young beef Inch forward Pitchersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stats Like some concerts 39 Movie genre 40 Affirm

41 43 44 45 47 50 51 52 53

Cubicle ďŹ llers Extreme PR Eject â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Khayyam Wide shoe Prohibit Travel word Yellowstone sight Whiskey grain

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 Sherpaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sighting 5 Biol. or astron.

8 Wheels for nanny 12 Lockbox document 13 Chinese dynasty 14 Function 15 Amtrak delights 17 Skip 18 Do arithmetic 19 Laughter does it 21 Deitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; statue 24 Make coleslaw 26 Slip back 28 Dune buggy kin 29 Chevron shape 32 WSW opposite 33 Waken from sleep 35 Keep an â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the ground 36 Kangaroo pouch 37 Bolt holder 38 Dalai Lamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city 40 Positioned 42 Bullring shouts 43 Mimicked an owl 46 Always, to Byron

DHRUTI

January 5, 2007

ANUJ MANOJ KUMAR January 5, 2001

Previous puzzle Solution

LADY Dorothy Nevill, an English horticulturist and hostess who died in 1913, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.â&#x20AC;?

For a bridge player, the real art of the game is to leave unplayed the wrong card at the tempting moment.

South is in three no-trump. What should he do after West leads his fourth-highest spade?

Note that North did not use Stayman with 4-3-3-3 distribution.

This was even more clear-cut with honours in all of the three-card suits. Four hearts can be made, but requires guessing spades.

South starts with only four top tricks: two spades and two diamonds. He can establish ďŹ ve more winners in hearts and clubs, but might lose too many tricks ďŹ rst.

The original declarer could not resist the spade-ďŹ nesse temptation at trick one. However, when East produced the queen, the contract could no longer be made. South ducked, but East returned his remaining spade. Then, when West turned up with both of the missing aces, declarer had to lose three spades and those aces for down one.

There was no hurry to take the spade ďŹ nesse. Declarer should have won the ďŹ rst trick with his spade ace and driven out the heart ace. When West continued with another spade, that was the time for the ďŹ nesse. Yes, it would have lost, but East would not have had another spade to lead (and if he did, the spades presumably would have been 4-3). South would have been able to win Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diamond shift, drive out the club ace and cruise home. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; By Phillip Alder

WITH LOVE

BORN LOSER

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 parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

C10

MON DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

FIND-IT-ALL Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are a rather poetic individual — but you may not know it, or at least you may not be fully aware of the passions that fuel that side of your nature, or the potential that it has to bring you almost everything you really want in life.

What you do know is that you can be unusually sensitive at times. You feel things quite deeply; you register even the seemingly insignificant things in the most significant of ways, and you are able to find tremendous meaning in that which is overlooked by others.

You laugh easily, and you can laugh at almost anything. You cry at the drop of a hat, and there is no telling what you may cry about next. You seem to feel the pulse of the world around you, and you respond accordingly.

You may be the kind to overreact to your own nature by trying to be what you are not. As a result, you may sometimes seem to be hard, impenetrable, implacable and overly businesslike. But this is only a mask; you simply don’t always want people to see beneath the surface and know what you are really thinking or feeling.

Also born on this date are: Diane Keaton, actress; Suzy Amis, actress; Pamela Sue Martin, actress; Jeane Dixon, psychic; Marilyn Manson, singer-songwriter; Juan Carlos I, king of Spain; Walter Mondale, politician; Zebulon Pike, explorer.

W E AT H E R

You may be ready for a parting of the ways of sorts, but take care that you maintain contact with those on whom you most depend.

M

Today is a good day to celebrate the special connection you have with a certain family member. He or she is eager to unveil a surprise.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] Your personal taste may be undergoing a subtle change at this time. You may be surprised when you start leaning in a certain direction.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] Though you may be concerned, there’s no reason to panic just yet.

You can have a major impact simply by staying in control.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You can turn a business endeavour into a social occasion; at some point, you’ll want to move on to something else before others are ready.

GEMINI [MAY 21-JUNE 20] Prospects are good, and your ability to make the most out of a marginal situation will improve matters even further.

CANCER [JUNE 21-JULY 22] Those around you may not believe what you have been saying, but the proposal you are ready to make will score many converts.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You must be ready to move forward even in the face of an obstacle that others consider insurmountable.

Make use of all your skills.

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You will have no trouble getting your message across, but some may not appreciate just how far-reaching its impact may be.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may feel as though you are enjoying much more luck than you are entitled to, but who are you to argue with good karma?

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] You’ll come through for a friend or co-worker. The timely delivery of goods will make possible a major step forward.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You’ve been disconnected from a certain someone long enough. You may stumble upon a way to reach out just in time.

5:34pm 6.50am

High tide Low tide

9:02am 3:54am

WORLD

Max 27 Min 19 Max 4 Min -4

Max 21 Min 10

Max 26 Min 19 Max 9 Min 6

Max 25 Min 18

Max -8 Min -18

Max 27 Min 14

Max 25 Min 12

Max 25 Min 10

Max 26 Min 16

Max 26 Min 17

Max 30 Min20

Max 25 Min 10

Max 29 Min 24 Max 27 Min 19

—www.met.gov.om

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI) QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

27 26 26 21 22 23

16 18 15 7 18 9

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

7 17 9 4 2 19 29 1 21 4 30 31 14 6 39 32 12 -4

2 5 -5 2 -3 12 23 -2 17 2 17 24 9 2 24 26 6 -10

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily 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

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily 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 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 24537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot: 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:

MONDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

[JAN. 20-FEB. 18]

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) 9:11am 3:15pm

SEA STATE: Slight along most of Oman coasts with a maximum wave height of 1.25 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog formation.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Stable weather and mainly clear skies with chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along southeastern coast.

Max

OMAN

AQUARIUS

12.17pm 3.19pm 5.39pm 6.54pm 5.30am

AIRLINES

ainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chances of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches over governorates of AlBuraimi, Al-Dhahira and south Al-Sharqiya.

EXPECTED WIND: Wind will be northeasterly light to moderate along the coastal areas becoming variable light during night along Oman Sea, whereas it will be northwesterly light to moderate over rest of the Sultanate.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19]

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm; Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed 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 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open 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 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

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JEDDAH 0005 CAIRO 0005 RIYADH 0005 DACCA-CHITTAGONG 0100 SALALAH 0150 DACCA 0200 ISTANBUL-BAHRAIN 0300 DOHA 0345 DUBAI 0355 BAHRAIN 0405 ABU DHABI 0405 DUBAI 0415 SALALAH 0630 ABU DHABI 0650 ABU DHABI 0650 KARACHI 0700 RIYADH 0700 BAHRAIN 0700 JEDDAH 0730 MEDINA 0745 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 DUBAI 0850 SHARJAH 0915 DELHI 0920 HYDERABAD 0920 KHASAB 0930 COCHIN 0930 MADRAS 0940 TRIVANDRUM 0940 ISLAM ABBAD 0940 DUBAI 0940 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 TRIVANDRUM 1035 LAHORE 1100 JAIPUR 1100 BANGALORE 1100 DUBAI 1110 COLOMBO 1140 DUBAI 1200 MALE 1205 CALICUT 1210 KATHMANDU 1210 LAHORE 1215 SALALAH 1215 BANGKOK 1235 DUBAI 1330 MUKHAIZNA 1330 SALALAH 1415 BAHRAIN 1530 ABU DHABI 1535 DUBAI 1555 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DUBAI 1730 DELHI 1730 MUKHAIZNA 1730 LUCKNOW 1735 HYDERABAD 1740 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 DUQUM OMAN 1900 KUWAIT 1900 SHARJAH 1915 MADRAS 1920 DUBAI 1945 TEHRAN 2000 DUBAI 2030 BANGALORE-HYDERABAD 2105 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2120 DUBAI 2125 DELHI 2125 CHITTAGONG 2125 BOMBAY 2130 AMMAN 2135 COCHIN 2140 DUBAI 2145 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 KATHMANDU 2235 BAHRAIN 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2250 AHMEDABAD 2300 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 BAHRAIN 2330 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 DUBAI 2335 SALALAH 2345 DAMMAM 2350 ABU DHABI 2350 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355 SALALAH 2355

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CAIRO 0005 RIYADH 0005 RIYADH 0005 JEDDAH 0005 KUWAIT 0010 BANGKOK 0015 LAHORE 0130 SALALAH 0150 ISTANBUL 0215 ISLAM ABBAD-SIALKOT 0225 KARACHI 0230 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0355 BAHRAIN 0405 ABU DHABI 0405 DUBAI 0415 SALALAH 0630 ABU DHABI 0650 BAHRAIN 0700 AMMAN 0705 DOHA 0710 KUWAIT 0715 MUNICH 0715 FRANKFURT 0715 DAMMAM 0725 JEDDAH 0730 MALPENSA-ZURICH 0745 PARIS 0800 DUBAI 0805 BOMBAY 0815 TEHRAN 0815 LONDON HEATHROW 0820 BEIRUT 0830 DUBAI 0850 SHARJAH 0915 HYDERABAD 0920 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0940 DUBAI 0940 DOHA 1000 DOHA 1010 ABU DHABI 1015 MUKHAIZNA 1045 JAIPUR 1100 DUBAI 1110 SALALAH 1110 RAS AL KHAIMA 1120 DUBAI 1200 CHITTAGONG 1210 LUCKNOW 1210 CALICUT 1210 GWADUR 1220 CHITTAGONG 1245 KHASAB 1245 DUBAI 1330 KARACHI 1355 KHASAB 1440 MANGALORE-ABU DHABI 1440 SALALAH 1445 BANGKOK 1525 KUWAIT 1525 BAHRAIN 1530 LAHORE 1550 DUBAI 1555 ABU DHABI 1635 BOMBAY 1710 CALICUT 1720 DELHI 1730 HYDERABAD 1740 TRIVANDRUM 1740 ISLAM ABBAD 1745 DOHA 1745 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 BANGALORE 1810 DUBAI 1845 MUKHAIZNA 1845 RIYADH 1900 SHARJAH 1915 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1935 DUBAI 1945 DUBAI 2030 SALALAH 2055 DUBAI 2125 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 COCHIN 2140 DUBAI 2145 COLOMBO 2150 MADRAS 2155 BANGKOK 2200 MADRAS 2200 DOHA 2210 COLOMBO 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2240 ABU DHABI 2250 SALALAH 2305 AHMEDABAD-BOMBAY 2310 DOHA 2315 ZURICH-DUBAI 2320 BOMBAY 2325 FRANKFURT-ABU DHABI 2330 BAHRAIN 2330 DUBAI 2335 DAMMAM 2350 ABU DHABI 2350 SALALAH 2355 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2355

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AI986 LX243 9W539 BA072 LH619 WY685 WY211 WY251 WY201 WY225 WY235 WY601 WY345 WY341 WY241 WY281 WY637 WY657 WY323 WY371 WY667 WY383 BG022 4H584 TK777 WY271 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY917 GF561 WY3931 WY903 WY603 WY291 WY263 FZ044 WY245 WY231 WY3301 G9115 WY815 WY905 WY203 WY605 WY311 WY253 WY717 EK863 EY383 WY655 QR1129 9W533 WY631 IX350 WY337 PA451 FZ038 WY413 WY101 WY663 WY433 WY645 WY113 WY3303 WY153 WY121 WY131 WY609 WY405 WY3921 WY675 WY613 FZ046 WY623 WY681 QR1127 WY907 GF565 WY647 WY661 WY653 WY695 EK865 WY909 WY913 G9117 WY611 WY635 FZ048 WY915 AI978 FZ050 WY421 KL442 9W529 WY411 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 WY434 WY673 EY381

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 RIYADH 0105 TRIVANDRUM 0110 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0120 COCHIN 0125 HYDERABAD 0135 DUBAI 0150 ISLAM ABBAD 0150 LAHORE 0150 DELHI 0155 BANGALORE 0200 ABU DHABI 0205 BAHRAIN 0205 KARACHI 0210 COLOMBO 0210 DOHA 0220 MALE 0235 CHITTAGONG-DACCA 0250 DACCA 0300 BAHRAIN-ISTANBUL 0350 JAIPUR 0350 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 KHASAB 0630 BAHRAIN 0745 SOHAR 0800 SALALAH 0800 DUBAI 0800 CALICUT 0920 LUCKNOW 0920 DUBAI 0935 DELHI 0955 HYDERABAD 0955 MUKHAIZNA 1000 SHARJAH 1005 BANGKOK 1010 SALALAH 1020 BOMBAY 1030 DUBAI 1030 CHITTAGONG 1040 MADRAS 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1055 ABU DHABI 1105 BAHRAIN 1110 DOHA 1115 COCHIN 1135 ABU DHABI 1225 CALICUT 1310 KATHMANDU 1310 LAHORE 1315 DUBAI 1315 AMMAN 1330 LAHORE 1330 DOHA 1330 TEHRAN 1340 KUWAIT 1340 FRANKFURT 1345 MUKHAIZNA 1400 MALPENSA-ZURICH 1405 MUNICH 1415 PARIS 1420 DUBAI 1420 CAIRO 1430 DUQUM OMAN 1515 JEDDAH 1630 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1820 RIYADH 1845 DOHA 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 KUWAIT 1900 DOHA 1900 BAHRAIN 1910 DAMMAM 1910 DUBAI 1915 SALALAH 1940 SALALAH 1950 SHARJAH 2005 DUBAI 2025 ABU DHABI 2030 DUBAI 2040 SALALAH 2135 HYDERABAD-BANGALORE 2200 DUBAI 2225 BEIRUT 2230 DOHA-AMSTERDAM 2230 TRIVANDRUM 2240 AMMAN 2240 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 SALALAH 2350 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2350

AI986 LX243 9W539 BA072 SG062 LH619 WY685 WY251 WY201 WY811 WY235 WY601 WY241 WY431 WY643 WY637 WY313 WY657 WY667 NL769 WY691 TK775 PK282 PK226 WY271 WY267 ET625 EK867 FZ042 QR1133 EY385 WY3301 GF561 WY603 WY903 WY813 WY327 WY325 WY291 WY215 WY823 FZ044 WY231 WY245 G9115 WY815 WY283 WY373 WY203 WY605 WY905 WY347 WY717 EK863 EY383 WY655 QR1129 QR8551 WY917 G9842 PK192 WY337 IX350 FZ038 WY253 WY3931 WY223 WY631 WY663 WY101 BG024 WY405 WY3305 IX818 WY609 KU678 WY675 WY913 FZ046 WY613 WY623 QR1127 WY681 WY907 GF565 WY647 WY661 WY653 WY695 EK865 WY821 WY909 SV535 G9117 WY611 WY635 TG508 FZ048 WY915 FZ050 6.00E+82 AI908 AI974 QR1135 GF567 UL206 EY381 WY901 WY673

BOMBAY 0005 DUBAI-ZURICH 0020 BOMBAY 0025 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 0025 AHMEDABAD 0030 ABU DHABI-FRANKFURT 0050 RIYADH 0105 MADRAS 0110 BOMBAY 0120 BANGKOK 0120 HYDERABAD 0135 DUBAI 0150 DELHI 0155 TEHRAN 0155 KUWAIT 0200 ABU DHABI 0205 CHITTAGONG 0205 BAHRAIN 0205 DOHA 0220 LAHORE 0230 DAMMAM 0235 ISTANBUL 0310 SIALKOT 0325 KARACHI 0330 JAIPUR 0350 LUCKNOW 0355 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0455 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0520 ABU DHABI 0525 MUKHAIZNA 0715 BAHRAIN 0745 DUBAI 0800 SALALAH 0800 BANGKOK 0805 LAHORE 0920 KARACHI 0920 CALICUT 0920 TRIVANDRUM 0920 KUALA LUMPUR 0930 DUBAI 0935 HYDERABAD 0955 DELHI 0955 SHARJAH 1005 BANGKOK 1010 BANGALORE 1010 COLOMBO 1020 BOMBAY 1030 DUBAI 1030 SALALAH 1030 ISLAM ABBAD 1040 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 1045 DUBAI 1055 ABU DHABI 1105 BAHRAIN 1110 DOHA 1115 DUBAI WORLD CENTRE-DOHA 1130 KHASAB 1140 RAS AL KHAIMA 1210 GWADUR-TURBAT 1305 KATHMANDU 1310 CALICUT 1310 DUBAI 1315 MADRAS 1315 SOHAR 1315 COCHIN 1325 ABU DHABI 1325 DOHA 1330 LONDON HEATHROW 1330 CHITTAGONG 1415 CAIRO 1430 MUKHAIZNA 1515 MANGALORE 1530 DUBAI 1545 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1625 JEDDAH 1630 SALALAH 1650 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1700 DUBAI 1820 DOHA 1845 RIYADH 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 KUWAIT 1900 DOHA 1900 BAHRAIN 1910 DAMMAM 1910 DUBAI 1915 KUALA LUMPUR 1930 SALALAH 1940 RIYADH 2000 SHARJAH 2005 DUBAI 2025 ABU DHABI 2030 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2040 DUBAI 2040 SALALAH 2135 DUBAI 2225 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 DELHI 2310 DOHA 2320 BAHRAIN 2325 COLOMBO 2335 ABU DHABI 2350 SALALAH 2350 JEDDAH 2350

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MO N DAY, JAN UARY 5, 2 0 1 5

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EXTRA TECHNOLOGY

Twitter launches more video service features TWITTER HAS revealed more features about its native video service as part of its bigger strategy to position itself as a media platform. The Twitter Video Player will host videos of up to 10 minutes with no limit on file size, initially supporting MP4 and mov files, Techcrunch reported. There will be no ability to edit videos or schedule them within the player — at least in its first iteration. The Twitter Video Player will not support videos hosted on YouTube or anywhere else. Just those on its own service will be supported. While the Twitter Video Player may be used by advertisers or other commercial partners, for example, Twitter will not allow third parties to sell access to the Video Player, or to embed other advertisements, sponsorships, or promotions on it.

App to track if someone is spying on you

Japanese inn reborn as video game centre The inn fosters the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that results in the planning and development of new business

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former Japanese inn, or ryokan, in Nagano, Japan, that was built more than 80 years ago has been taken over by a smartphone game and content developer based in Tokyo. Asobism Co. renovated the vacant wooden Japanese-style inn with a total floor space of about 280 square meters and opened its Nagano branch there in 2013.

Founded in 2002, the company is known for popular games such as “Dragon Poker,” which is said to have been downloaded more than 3.5 million times in Japan.

The Nagano branch is the company’s second base, following its Tokyo headquarters where about SCIENCE

Scientists plan to grow lettuce on Mars

A BRITISH led group is planning to grow lettuce on the Red Planet for future dwellers, media reports said. The plan has been proposed by a group of students at Southampton University to send a greenhouse from the Earth with lettuce seeds, water, nutrients and systems for atmospheric processing and monitoring. Under the project, called #LettuceOnMars, the greenhouse would be launched from the Earth with lettuce seeds, water, nutrients, and systems for atmospheric processing and electronic monitoring.

-IANS

80 people work. Eight employees — whose ages range from 24 to 39 — work at the Nagano office. They include staff who relocated from Tokyo and locally hired programmers and designers.

Tomohisa Ote, 40, the company’s chief executive officer, decided to open a branch in Nagano, a temple city where the long-revered Zenkoji was established nearly 1,400 years ago, as he was struck by the sight of people working in spacious sites with lush greenery when he visited the headquarters of Google, Facebook and Apple in Silicon Valley 3 and a half years ago.

Ote chose the inn, envisioning it

as a place to foster the kind of outof-the-box thinking that results in the planning and development of new business. “You can create interesting games based on valuable real-life experiences, but not on the experience of other games,” he said.

Hiroaki Yajima, 25, works at the Nagano branch and is in charge of public relations. “It’s a very comfortable work environment.

There’s a warm atmosphere here, unlike the average office building,” he said. “Downstairs, you can even hear footsteps on the second floor, which creates a feeling of unity.”

Ote said he intends to establish “an office in the woods” by pur-

chasing a large plot of land in a nature-filled area of northern Nagano Prefecture.

Before opening the Nagano branch, Ote made his home in the prefecture because there was a good kindergarten there for his daughters. He visits the Tokyo headquarters about once a week.

“The office is an important place where people spend many hours of their lives. I’d like to propose a new work style where people can strike a balance between jobs that utilize their expertise and childcare or hobbies,” he said.

“I want to bridge the digital and analog worlds interactively.”

- Ryuzo Suzuki/The Washington Post

A NEW app called SnoopSnitch can detect International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers by keeping a tab if someone is spying on you. IMSI catchers are eavesdropping devices used for intercepting mobile phone traffic and tracking the movement of smartphone users, media reports said. Security experts recently revealed a massive security flaw that could let hackers listen in on private calls and read text messages on mobile networks. One way in which such hackers get access to such information is by using IMSI catchers or ‘stingrays’.

SnoopSnitch can detect IMSI catchers and warn smartphone users if their devices are giving up their personal information and connecting to them.

Top fitness apps are not very satisfying: Study A GOOD number of top fitness apps scored less in consumer satisfaction, a report shows. The inaugural 2015 State Of The U.S. Health & Fitness Apps Economy ARC 360 report published by Applause looked at 39 health and fitness apps and 28 medical apps. The score ranking was divided into five segments ranging from poor (0 to 39) to fair (40 to 59), and good (60 to 69) to excellent (70 to 89). The top “winning” tier included scores of 90 and above. Some well-known brand apps were not favourites with consumers with some being rated as fair, making them “apps customers tolerate because they serve a purpose. Health and fitness brands with apps rated as fair need to expand testing out of the lab and into the real world. Winning mobile apps demand additional testing where users naturally interact with your digital experiences,” said the authors of the report. -IANS

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M O N DAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

EXTRA B O L LY W O O D

Shraddha back in India after wrapping ‘ABCD 2’ shoot ACTRESS Shraddha Kapoor, who is busy shooting ABCD 2, has returned to India after completing the US schedule of the Remo D’Souza-directed dance movie.The 25-year-old actress brought in the New Year in LasVegas, along with the cast of the film and her mother Shivangi Kolhapure. “Rise and shine world! First morning of the New Year at home and the weather is just mind blowing. Hope this is a long winter in Mumbai!” Shraddha posted on twitter. ABCD 2 is a sequel to Remo’s directorial debut ABCD: Anybody Can Dance that released in 2013. Besides Shraddha, the film also stars Varun Dhawan, Prabhu Deva, Lauren Gottlieb among others. -PTI

Gauahar Khan rubbishes attacker’s claims

A STRONG YEAR FOR IRANIAN FILM ‘Fish & Cat’ is one of the highlights of the 19th annual Iranian Film Festival, beginning on January 9 at the Freer Gallery of Art in the United States

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hat’s the connection between slasher flicks and the art of M.C. Escher? Both inspired Iranian writer-director Shahram Mokri’s Fish & Cat, winner of a special award for innovation at the 2013 Venice Film Festival.

The 134-minute thriller, which was shot, astoundingly, in a single take, involves an isolated lake, creepy woods, a group of camping students and a restaurant that may be serving human flesh. But more striking than the movie’s plot is its uncanny chronology, in which time seems to double back on itself.

Tense scenes unfurl to the strains of ominous music — kiteflying gear mysteriously disappears; a pair of one-armed twins stalks around; a menacing-looking restaurateur carries what looks like a bag of bloody meat.

Events recur, but from different angles, all without the camera work ever resorting to a cut.

“Time in this film is like closed circles. Circles which in themselves have circles,” Mokri, 35, said in an email interview, noting that his intent was to give chronology the kind of logic-defying structure that certain Escher images give to architecture, producing an effect that Mokri describes as “always so magical to our mind.”

Fish & Cat is one of the highlights of the 19th annual Iranian

Film Festival, beginning on January 9 at the Freer Gallery of Art. (Mokri is scheduled to appear at the January 16 screening of Fish & Cat.) Another festival highlight: Manuscripts Don’t Burn, by director Mohammad Rasoulof, who shot the thriller in 2013 despite being banned by Iranian authorities from filmmaking for 20 years.

“This is a very strong year,” said Tom Vick, curator of film for the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Fish & Cat, in particular, is “quite brilliant,” he says.

“It’s not only the technical achievement of managing to pull off this one-take film, but doing it in such a compelling way,” with the camera moving all the time, said Vick, who curated the festival with Carter Long of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and Marian Luntz of Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

In a nod to a common suspensedrama trope, Fish & Cat opens with an announcement that the story is based on reality. In fact, Mokri said, the film draws on newspaper coverage of a restaurant rumoured to be serving kebabs made of human flesh.

Mokri says he heard about the incident when he was a teenager and remembered it decades later while “looking for a story (in) which I could introduce a mood like American slasher films and also talk about today’s Iran society.”

A society, he said, “always waiting

This is a very strong year. It’s not only the technical achievement of managing to pull off this one-take film, but doing it in such a compelling way,” with the camera moving all the time Tom Vick

Curator of film for the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

for something horrible to happen.”

To prepare for the shoot, Mokri and his cast rehearsed extensively — a month in Tehran, where the director lives, and a month in northern Iran. They rehearsed, Mokri said, “just like a theatre performance — every single day.”

Still, on the first day of filming, an actor had a memory lapse, and the shoot had to be aborted. But the next day it was successful.

Mokri said that at first it was difficult to get Fish & Cat screened in Iran, in part because authorities had interpreted the mention of the year 1998, the movie’s reference to the restaurant scandal, as an allusion to a period of political killings in Iran. But after Hassan Rouhani (who has been described as a relative moderate) became president in 2013, “we had no problems, and we screened the film,” Mokri said.

Censorship was and is “very strong in Iran, both in terms of what you can make and what you can see,” Vick said.

But more recently, he added, “because everybody can sneak around the rules and see things online or on satellite dishes,” Iranian directors have been able to enter more fully into dialogue with world cinema.

Mokri certainly seems glad to keep the dialogue going. He recently returned from India, where he served on a film festival jury. “I saw lots of Indian and Bollywood films, and I actually learned a lot,” he said. — Celia Wren/The Washington Post

GAUAHAR KHAN’S attacker has alleged that the actress paid him for slapping her in public. But the actress says it is the “most ridiculous claim”. In November, Gauahar, who was hosting a reality show in Mumbai, was slapped by Mohammad Akil Malik for reportedly wearing skimpy clothes. And now, Malik has alleged that he was paid to slap her and that she had promised to get him a role in a film. “This is my one and only response to the most ridiculous claim made by an accused who attacked me, went to jail for it and came out only to prove even more what a threat he is to normal living in India for girls, and also the weak stature even the media gives to a girl who especially belongs to the film or TV world,” Gauahar said in a statement.-IANS

Lata remembers Pancham on his death anniversary MELODY QUEEN Lata Mangeshkar remembered her long association with noted Bollywood music director R D Burman, affectionately called Pancham Da, on his 21st death anniversary. The 85-year-old singer has collaborated with Burman on several hit songs like Aaja Piya Tohe Pyar Doon, Agar Tum Na Hote, Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon, Raina Beeti Jaye, Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi among others. “Yesterday was the 21st death anniversary of RD Burman. He was such a talented artiste — he used to compose songs and could also sing very well himself. He loved to try different methods and techniques while composing songs. “I pay an emotional tribute to such a great artiste,” Mangeshkar posted alongside the links of two of her favourites songs composed by Burman- Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na and Bhao Mein Chale Aao. Burman died on January 4, 1994. His last work was seen in 1942: A Love Story, which was released after his demise. -PTI

Sridevi returns to Tamil cinema with ‘Puli’ BOLLYWOOD DIVA Sridevi is all set to make her Tamil film comeback with Vijay’s fantasy drama Puli after a gap of more than two decades. Sridevi, 51, A Tamilian by birth whose last cinema outing was English Vinglish, said she is enjoying her shooting schedules. “It gives me immense happiness to announce the title of my new Tamil film PULI. Its been a wonderful experience working with the cast and crew,” Sridevi posted on Twitter. Sridevi is slated to play Hansika Motwani’s mother in the film, which also stars Shruti Haasan and Sudip. The wife of acclaimed Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor started her career as a child artist in MA Thirumugham’s devotional Thunaivan at the age of four, and continued to act as a child artiste in a string of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films down South. She made her Bollywood debut as a child artiste in the hit 1975 film Julie and played her first adult role at age 13 with the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu. -PTI

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SECTION

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

DAILY GUIDE

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FOR RENT

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Fully Equipped Restaurant / Industrial Kitchen for Sale with existing catering orders, CR & Labour Clearance, Restaurant space and Outdoor sitting area on Sale at Mawaleh Call: 9906 4589 Office space with cassette type A/C’s with free internet at al Khuwair near KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330 1 & 2 Bhk Flat in Wataya.

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House in North Al Hail with 3 rooms, Majlis & 3 toilets. #99439568

Fabulous A/C flat Al Khoud, 3 rooms, 280 rials. Contact 99334699

Luxury 2 bed room villa at BausherAL Ansab Phase 3.Call. 99324456

2 single room flats available @ RO 160/- per month, including Electricity & Water. Contact 99441798

6 shops in Maabela Industrial Area.

Each Shop OMR 400 Monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

New bldg 3 BR flats located at Darsait, Muscat close to Kims Pvt Hospital. Contact 92020004 / 99800838

6 bedroom villas at Al Ansab (nr Express highway). Contact 99199365

2 BHK with A/C near ISM RO.325/1BHK Al Falaj without A/C RO.200/2 BHK with A/C near Kims hospital RO.300/- Darsait commercial or residential with A/C RO.230/- Studio at Al Falaj RO.170/-. 2 BHK without A/C at Wadi Kabir RO.300/Contact - 92144045

Building of 3 flats each 4 BR, rent RO 2500/-. Contact 99776071 / 99057348 Villas & flats & stores. Contact 99776071 / 99057348 Basement for rent behind Bank Muscat at Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290, 24815012 2 BHK flat, 2 toilets, kitchen in Darsait near Baladiyah Office on the way to Indian School. Contact 99552832 Warehouse for rent : available for rent in Rusayl Area 2400 SQM with security. Interested parties please contact 91137033, 99386759 3 office spaces available in RUWI FOR RENT 450 OMR & 500 OMR. 96986132

Brand new 2BHK with split A/C near SQU round about at Al Khoud, near to Muscat highway, building no.

4558/1, way no. 5350.

Contact 92850717 1 BHK with balcony new bldg, split AC + curtains near Khimjis Mart, MBD. Contact 99061408 / 99024039 Room with separate toilet and WiFi, Wadi Kabir near pencil building.

Contact 93416854 Showroom in Barka Market (Souq), 600 sqm. Contact 99342661 2 & 3 BHK flat for rent in Al.Khuwair.

Contact – 99792181 3 BHK in PDO Heights, 2nd floor villa, RO 350 with A/C. Contact 99342661

3 bedroom single story villa in Al Khuwair, near to Zaker Mall. It has Split A/C’s and private shaded car park. OMR 690 monthly. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 New Building in Muttrah, 2 B/D Room Flat + Setting Room, 3 Baths+ Kitchen with split unit Ac’s. Behind Khimjis main office/opposite to Oman House Call 99419712

Villa 3 BR, 2 sitting room, store, kitchen and 4 bathrooms with A/C in Al Khoudh 3. Contact 94671441 Abu Adnan Tower - flat for rent available at Al Mabelah, 2 B/R, 1 hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen. Contact 95566475 / 99654252 BHK flats Muttrah near Oman House. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

1 BHK flat in CBD. #99792181 300 SQR mtrs Labor camp or Store for Rent in Wadi Kabir.#99792181

Villa 2 bedrooms & majlis, 2 toilets, kitchen in Mawaleh.

Contact 91376619

We have 1 BHK, 2 BHK, 3 BHK flats, 4, 5 bedrooms villa, open space offices & shops available in Ghala, Ghobrah, Qurum, Mabela, Ruwi, Darsait, Mumtaz, Wadi Kabir. All brand new buildings & very affordable prices.

Contact 93782735 / 99208033

3 new Villas for rent, located in South Ghubrah behind American School, each has 11 bedrooms including 2 Majlis, 8 bathrooms and kitchen. For residential or institutional rent. Contact 99233729 / 98539366

1 BHK flat in Al.Khuwair 25.

Contact - 99792181

Flats in Al Khuwair 42 with 2 rooms, Majlis. Contact 96961306

2 BR, 2 toilets, kitchen at Al Mawaleh. #99444786, 99747560 300 Sqr mtrs store or labor camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact - 99792181 1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricty and boundary wall will be provided.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

2BHK, 2 Toilets, 1 Store, own desk, room size 4x4.Location: back of City Center Seeb, near Shell Station.

Contact: Ms. Lyn 97004746 Flat for rent 2 bedrooms one hall in South Al Hail. RO 270.

Contact 93221474 1 & 3 BHK flat for Rent in Darsait.

Contact 99792181 Flats and shops. Contact 93009999 2 Bedroom flat at Muscat OMR.180).

Call- 91393005 Studio flat in Ruwi.Contact 99792181

3 BHK flat in Al.Khuwair.

Contact 99792181 6 BHK commercial villa in Ghobrah. Contact - 99792181 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair consists of 2 bedrooms and living room at RO 350. Contact 99109094 2 BHK flat in Wattaya.

Contact - 99792181

3 BHK flat in Al.Khuwair 33.

Contact 99792181 For rent (flats), 2 bedrooms +hall+kitchen, location: South Al Mawaleh. Contact 99870020 2 BHK flat in Wattaya.

Contact 99792181 1 BHK flat in Ruwi. #99792181

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

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

OFFICES FOR RENT - 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.

FOR RENT

FOR SALE

- 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.

Contact: 97377355 / 95530121, Email id: aaleem@ggcoman.com

FOR SALE

ACC. AVAILABLE

We are dealing with sale of all beauty salon equipments, furnitures & cosmetics.#942 888 61 / 942 888 63

Furnished single room with separate bathroom near al meera hypermarket, azaiba. Gsm 94288863

Used household furniture and other items for sale. Contact 91566996

Room with separate entrance & A/C in Al Khuwair near Rawasco for noncooking Indian Bachelor, rent RO 125/-. Contact 97201100, 95397442

Restaurant items on sale, like plates, spoons, soup spoons etc. please contact 93833107 A newly opened Barber Shop for sale at upcoming industrial zone in Misfah. Expat leaving Oman.

Genuine buyers call 93833107 (Sale Price Negotiable) Restaurant about 250 SQM @ 5/- SQM, heart of Ruwi Market in Plaza Hotel for sale / rent. Contact 99326339 / 24833314 Shop for sale near ONTC bus stand Ruwi near Sun City Hotel on main road.#99326339 / 24789801

1BHK Flat For rent MBD area.

Contact 99737812 1 / 3 BHK Flat Ghobrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390.

Contact 99319880 Villa, ground floor in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99743569, 97004265

&KZ Z Ed Show room on the main road Saham center total area 450 m sq. Contact: 99366558 / 99334226 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

New deluxe building in Misfah Industrial Area, 11 shops with A/C, ĞĂĐŚ ϰĐŵ dž ϵĐŵ͕ ĂŶ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ϭϮ huge spaces including kitchens and bathrooms which can be used for ŽĸĐĞƐ Žƌ ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶĐĞƐ͘ dŚĞ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ĮƌƐƚ ƌŽǁ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŽ ŵĂŝŶ ƌŽĂĚ͘

Contact - 98880333

1 BHK at Ghobrah - Near Indian School. Contact: 99014885

1 BHK with attached toilet & bathroom behind Bank Muscat at Wadi Kabir. Contact 99373290, 24815012

2 B/ R Fully Furnished Executive Apartment @ Al Khuwair 33 Near Zaker Mall. 3 Bedroom Furnished executive apartment @ Al Khuwair 25 5 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished villas at Azaiba with servants, 3 Bedroom Unfurnished Villa @ Mawalah South Area 6 with Servant Quarter, 5 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

2 BHK at Al Azaiba, Building No.5145 Way 4470. Contact 99224748, 99425665

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

6 Nos. flat for rent and sale in Mawaleh Block-5, each flat area – 123 SQM, have 3 bedrooms, 3 toilet, Majlis and kitchen, rent RO 280 and sale – RO 40,000. Contact Said – 91174310, Adnan – 97777911 1 BHK & Single room in Wadi Kabir.

RO 180/-. Contact 99376454

Apartments in Al Khuwair new area each apartment contains (2 bedrooms + living room) for RO 365. Contact 93181111 New Villa for Rent Two floors newly built villa in Maabillah, 8 Fullfledged 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

Apartment with a twist in Al Mabela, spacious apartment 3 rooms, 3 toilets, dining area, living room & fully air-conditioned. Perfect for families. Final price RO.250/Contact - 99888400

Sale!, all household items, like fridge, freezer, cooking range, washing machine, window/split A/Cs, LCD TV, Laptop, tab and many more for attractive prices. Location : near Toyota service Center, Honda Road.

Contact - 97048983, 95293643 Port cabins – New & refurnished Porta cabin for sale and rent.

Contact 96723468 Café Shop for Sale at Ghobrah North.

Contact 99359755 Tables, chairs & shfandish for sale.

Call 99368907

Al Qurum heights Sea view.

Contact - 99249069 / 92888376/ 93201688

Well running Computer / Mobile Sale & Service Shop. Good location in Darsait with 2 clearances.

Contact 98523634

For rent shops and offices in Al Mabela. Contact 99355330

Household items on sale.

Contact 93833107

Furnished & unfurnished deluxe 2 BHK flats with split A/Cs, fixed wardrobes, kitchen appliances, CCTV, security access system & secured car park, opposite Kims Hospital, Al Falaj. Contact 99657906 or 24702141

Darsait Business Office furniture, Isuzu 4 ton brand new.

Contact 91391363

Building of 3 floors with 20 rooms in Mawaleh near Pizza Hut. Contact 99044164

3 floor Commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 20 Thousand annually. 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

Industrial Land in Misfah.

Contact 93009999 2 BHK with A/C, commercial Al Khuwair. Contact 92144045 Flat one bedroom at Al Khuwair 33, owner. Contact 92800007

Running Electrical Building Material Shop for sale in Muscat.

Contact 95330905

Flats for Sale in Boushar: 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

Office space near KFC, Al Khuwair, office basement near Mars, Al Ghubrah, double & single bedroom flat Al Ghubrah near Mars and Wadi Kabir near Lulu. Contact 95755551 / 92222045

2 flats building in Al Khuwair 17/1.

Contact 99477009

Room available in Al Khuwair with sharing kitchen and bathroom for matured person near Blu Radisson Hotel. Contact 96930219

23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka.

OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Single room at Walja, opposite MBD area available for executive bachelors or single working woman for OMR 100. Contact 93079877

Restaurant for leasing/sale in Al Hail. Contact 94148970, 94148972, 97820877

Single room with sharing kitchen for Executive bachelor or working lady, Ruwi, in front of Apollo Hospital.

Contact 98232567 / 91673718

Pharmacy for sale in Al Amerat.

Contact 98994208

BUYING/SELLING Looking for purchase of Used Portable Compressor (350 CFM, 7 Bar Pressure) powered with Diesel run Generator.

Kindly Contact 99014686 or operation@khancogroup.com Looking for commercial lands for sale in Al Ghobrah North (urgent serious buyers, commercial lands in al Ghobrah North (corners prime location). Contact 91155779 Used household & office furniture and electronic items. Contact 99834373, 97102699

AVAILABLE Established Restaurant for rent with sponsorship. Contact 97628242 Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing 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: info@tunesoman.com

Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 Room for executive bachelor available at Al Ansab. Contact 98806430 Furnished room attached bath for executives in Mumtaz area.

Contact 99743709 Single room with sharing kitchen (expat only) couple / ex-bachelor at Al Khuwair. Contact 94143636 Furnished spacious room attached toilet for working lady executive bachelor, ISM Darsait. Contact 97100472, 24797387 Room with attached bathroom available for rent in Al Khuwair 33 opposite Al Maya supermarket. Contact 97607198 Room + balcony + separate toilet for non cooking single Indian Bachelor, RO 140/-. Contact 98928458 Furnished single room with attached bathroom near Mars Hypermarket, Al Ghubrah. Contact 97312111, RO 150/- per month Furnished room in CBD Area for non-cooking bachelor free Wi-Fi, advance deposit call 99078540 Single room available for exclusive bachelors in Azaiba and Ghubrah and complete ground floor with kitchen facility bedroom and hall in Darsait. Contact 98048207, 99261773 Contd On pg 7

D4

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

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ADMIN/HR

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Indian male MBA 32 yrs having 10 yrs of exp seeking suitable placement in Admin/ HR/ Operations/ Coordination/ Logistics etc.

Holding valid Oman D/L .

Contact - 99054786

Indian Male, qualified ICWA, M.com with 2years experience in accounts, costing, auditing & SAP in reputed listed companies, seeks suitable placements. Mob: 94619453 Email: cmashahidkt@gmail.com.

Omani Man looking for a job with experience in HR/ Admin/ accounting. kindly contact me on: 99767666

Indian Male 25 years B.Com having 3 years of exp of Oman in Accounts/Administration.Well versed with computer knowledge looking for suitable position. Immidiately available. Contact:93207867 email:tambeazhar@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA Graduate 9 years experienced in Administration ,HR ,Operations, Finance /Accounts and Marketing, seeking suitable position.

Currently on visit and ready to join immediately. Contact: 92493110 Young Indian male with British degree in business administration and 5 years Muscat experience in procurement and administration, with driving license seeks placement.ph:94400671 Indian male having NOC with 7 yrs Oman exp in recruitment, on boarding, general admin. Immediate joining. Contact - 96684424 Indian Male MBA 32 yrs having 8+ yrs of Exp (GCC, AFRICA), urgently looking job in HR/Admin/ /Operation/Purchase/Academics / BD. Now on visit visa, NOC available, join immediately. Contact 94535618, 95930705 Indian female with excellent communication skills, confident, dedicated to work and enthusiastic.

Knowledge about ms office. Has 6 years of experience in customer service, telecommunication, HR.Looking for immediate placement. Contact # 97348819 Pakistani Male, 27 yrs, MBA in HR, BBA in Marketing and Finance having 2 yrs experience in Sales and Admin, on family visit till 15 February looking for suitable position.

Contact 94543222, email: wajid_rais@hotmail.com

ADMIN

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Looking for smart / dynamic, male for front desk office, preference fluency in English. Contact 95176500 (Salalah)

Male Indian, 28 yrs MBA Finance, 3 yrs Building Material & Structural Steel Sales experience Omani Driving License. NOC available.

Contact 98840669 / 97162513

Omani Female receptionist wanted. Location Ruwi. Contact - 24781011/1101 Ext 107

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE A leading construction company needs – part time Accountant, mason, carpenter, painter. Interested candidates should contact 96399457, 96576685. Send your CV to vsituation@gmail.com Required experienced Accountant Tally, excellent English & driving license. Contact – omanlaw.om@gmail.com / 24497762 / 92192510

ARCHITECT For reputed Consultancy at Al Ghubrah, Muscat requires Bachelor of Architect with minimum 10 yrs experience. Send your CV to email : almoheetgroups@gmail.com, Mr. Gireesh : 95265198, Mr. Raju : 99102175, fax : 24499913.

DRIVER Required heavy duty driver with Omani Driving License from locally or abroad. Clearance available. Please send CV to azatllc@ gmail.com, fax : 24422458, or call 99344279 Needed 2 drivers, offering good salary. Contact 99441798 Required driver for a Company in Ghala, preferably English speaking & present in Oman. Contact 99454425

DOMESTIC HELP Required House maid urgently in Al Khuwair (Indian or Srilanka).

Contact. 96103792.

ENGINEERS STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (full time) Responsibilities: To work with architect, To provide of construction issue documentation for a projects.

Desired candidate Profile: min of 3-5 years experience in Structural Design, Should be AutoCAD competent. Please send your CV to Email: info@pak2pak.com Tel. 99196733, 99419766 Urgently required Omani/ non Omani looking for Electrical Engineer having 3 to 4 years Oman experience with good communication skills. Send CV to info@reddotsgroup.com

EDUCATION A well known private school in Seeb is in need of Physics teacher.

Email : recruitment.oman@gmail. com, 98830787

ELECTRICIAN / TECHNIElectrician with driving license.

Call 92341826 Fire safety technician.

Call 92341826

OFFICE/ SEC Looking for smart/ dynamic male for front desk office, pref. fluency in English.# 95176500 (Salalah)

Wanted driver. Contact 95112461 Driver cum building material salesman required. Send CV to sajimon2010@hotmail.com or fax 24834351 Light duty driver with Marketing knowledge. Send CV to jobs@prestigeprojectsoman.com or call 92341826

DESIGNER

Accountant, 4 yrs experience in Oman, NOC available.

Contact 96799714

MEDICAL 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: towershr70@gmail.com, balushi70@gmail.com & info@towersinternationalgroups. com, Mobile 99882340, Tel: 24545914

Accountant, 2 yrs experience (purchasing, coordinator) with D/L and NOC. Contact 94174403

MEDICAL Urgently required Male Nurses and Lab Technicians for a reputed medical center in Muscat, email : jobsoman001@gmail.com, Ph : 93217982 Private Dental Clinic in Buraimi city needed a dentist have practice license in Oman. Contact 98379121 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 – towershr70@gmail.com / balushi70@gmail.com / info@towersinternationalgroups.com Mobile – 99882340 / 24545914 Medical Centre at Sinaw requires: General practitioners (GP), dental surgeons, gynecologist, pediatrician, staff nurses, X-ray technician, lab technician, pharmacist & physiotherapist. Contact 92104057 and send CV’s to halamedicalgroup@gmail.com Urgently required temporary/permanent General Physician & Gynecology Doctors. Contact 96064925, kunoozghala@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING A leading Fibreglass Products Manufacturing Company, required experienced GRP Technicians, Factory In-charge and Sales Executive.

Interested candidates please email CV to cvjobsmuscat@gmail.com Required Salesman, Tailor and barber. Contact 91114884 A reputed Oil & Gas Supplies Company is looking for Sales/Marketing in-charge personnel. Send your CV to : rahbi_mohd@yahoo.com 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

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

SALES / MARKETING Required Marketing Executive with experience female / male (Arabic or English) in PR for a media & advertising company.

Email : job08080@gmail.com

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.#94662416 Apurwaverma@gmail.com

A leading Printing Press Firm requires – Offset Printer, Marketing Executives, Driver. Interested candidates should contact 96399457, 96576685. Send your CV to vsituation@gmail.com

26 hrs Indian Accountant with 2 years experience, B.Com, seeking suitable position, available immediately, contact No:9821 3292, e-mail: Indite2faraaz@gmail.com

Salesman wanted for prestigious interior design and office furniture Supply Company. Experience and driver’s license needed. Excellent remuneration package.

Email: tony@materials-plus.com

Male 25 Pakistani MA Economics/ CAT.4 years experience in utility sector flexible to do any role in finance/HR & supply chain. https://www.linkedin.com/profile/ view?id=186570782 no 94626209

B.Com, 6 yrs experience in finance & accounts operations at Mumbai, currently on visit visa, looking for suitable position. Contact 95941675 / 94302309.

Email : mayurparmar83@gmail.com Indian male, Accountant, 7 yrs experience in Oman having valid Omani Driving License seeking suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact 91208949 Indian male MBA, 29 yrs having 3+ years of exp (India) urgently looking for job in financial services, accounting, administrator. Now on visiting visa, NOC available, join immediately. Contact 92187116 28year Indian female (MBA) with 3+yrs experience (Oman) in Accounts is seeking suitable placement in Accounts/Admin.

Contact 96141283 Accounts Assistant B.Com having 4 yrs of exp in accounts, well versed with computer languages like C, C++, SQL, HTML, VB Networking.

Seeks suitable placement.

Contact 93995483 Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Accountant, Indian B.Com, 5 yrs experience in Oman in finance & Accounts with valid Oman D/L. Contact 95960600 Egyptian Female, 3 yrs experience in Finance & Accounts, Administration skills, speaking English fluently, good skills in computer.

Contact 94067437 Indian Male, MBA 2 yrs experience in Accounts, Admin & HR on visit visa. Contact 92045306

B.Com Graduate, 5 yrs experience, Indian male 26 yrs, looking for Accountant job. Contact 93975526, email : afsarsabith@yahoo.com Male, MBA, 10 yrs exp in production in Marble Industry Sales & Marketing, Admin & Accounts. Ready to join.

Contact 94670691 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, Email: anzarks@gmail.com India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placement. Contact:93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com Indian Male, 28 yrs old B.Com having 7 yrs experience (3 yrs in MCT) looking for a suitable placement in Accounts / Sales currently on visit visa. Contact 93128830, email: gopusree.gopu407@gmail.com

AUTOCAD AutoCAD 3D, 2D Photoshop, 3D max Ph: 97103168

DESIGNER Indian male, 8 yrs GCC experience in 3D & Architectural Designing with D/L. Contact 97263199 Interior Designer, UAE Experience, Knows Photoshop, Corel draw etc..

Ph : 97103168 Interior Designer, UAE Experience, Knows Photoshop, Corel draw etc..

Ph : 97103168

DRIVER Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver Contact: 92303692 Driver with car. Contact 96954496 6 Years experience light duty driver.

Contact – 96736744 Indian driver need job with car.

Contact 91254539 Light vehicle driver available.

Contact 96756014 / 97938893 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 96794309 / 98335778 Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver, looking for job. Contact 93113447 Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver 12 yrs exp. looking for job in any company. Contact – 99165961 Pakistani male light vehicle driver 2 yrs exp. Contact - 96342684 Driver available with car.

Contact 95068976 Light driver looking for job.

Contact 92791678

DRAUGHTSMAN Auotcad, Well Experienced, Arch, Stucture, knows 3D, Revit Photoshop Ph : 97103168 Auto cad d/man, gulf exp, 3d, 3dmax, Photoshop, NOC available ph: 93772966 Civil Draughtsman, Indian Male, 23 yrs with 3yrs experience in AutoCAD 2D & 3D, MEP, HVAC, 3Ds Max and Photoshop looking for suitable position, presently in Muscat, Oman on visit visa.

Contact 91764358, mohdsiraj02@yahoo.com

EDUCATION Looking for an Interior Designer with knowledge of AutoCAD 2D & 3D, basic Microsoft Office and can handle accounts. Contact 95342240, 97670666, Email CV at bhatiahmed@gmail.com

G.P. Doctor required with MOH license for a leading clinic in capital.

Contact 99044345 / 99339396

Indian, Male, Chartered Accountant with 22 years of GCC experience seeks Senior Finance / Accounts position. Currently on visit and available immediately. Contact 94657378. (rmif1969@gmail.com)

Currently working as Lecturer of IT, (M.Sc IT) (M Phil computer Science) having experience for more than 5 years, looking for suitable placement. Contact 91105949

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

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ENGG. / TECHNICAL BE Civil, Worked with Indian Government for 25 years in IRRIGATION and Construction projects.

96758383

Quantity Surveyor (Civil Building) looking for Part time job Contact no:-94391712 E-mail addressinayathhussain@yahoo.com

D.C.E Engineer QS 7 yrs exp (total 15 yrs) GCC. Road & infrastructure, seeking placement in Oman with valid D/L. NOC available. #91376802 / niga2000@rediffmail.com

B.Tech Engineer QA/QC, 7 yrs GCC Oil & Gas experience API.570 CSWIP 3.1 NDT Level 2 seeking placement in Oman. NOC available.

Contact sajinrj009@gmail.com

Diploma of Associate Civil Engineering, Diploma of AutoCad, having 3.5 yrs experience, 2 yrs experience of Oman in Building Construction, valid transferrable ID Card.

Contact 94378581

Female, 26 yrs, B.Tech in Mechanical Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Piping Stress Analysis in Oil & Gas Sector, currently on family visa, looking for a placement.

Contact 95890939, email : rita.debnath682@gmail.com

B.Tech Civil Engineer, Indian, 16 yrs in Oman with experience in PDO Road Pipelines building with Omani D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact 98005456 A , M Tech GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING Lady Engineer PRIMAVERA - STADD holder on visit seeks suitable opening - preferably Sohar area Contact 91277256 satishcharuvil@gmail.com BE Civil Engineer, 5 yrs experience.

NOC available. Contact 98970233 Diploma in Civil Engineer, 15 yrs Oman experience (total 28 yrs) looking for senior position with valid D/L, NOC available. Contact 99013465 B.Sc in Civil Engineering, 2 yrs experience (1 yr 3 months in Oman + 10 months in Bangladesh) knowing AutoCAD, MS Office & detailing, fluent speaker in English, Hindi and Bangla. # 94038642 Email : shaikhhasib.ce@gmail.com Indian male, 24 yrs, BE (Electronics & Electrical) with 2 yrs experience seeking suitable placement.

Contact 98201244 DAE (Civil) having 3.5 years Experience 2 years from Oman with driving licences, seeking for suitable position in Construction field NOC and release available Contact 96968554 mehranahmad26@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer 22 yrs Indian male having experience in fabrication, seeking suitable job placement.

Presently on visit visa.

Contact – 99796730 / padsalamilap123@gmail.com M. tech Electrical Eng. Female, now in visit visa. Contact +968-94654481.

B. Tech Civil Eng. 3 yrs exp in Oman with driving license.

Contact +968-93733627.

Mail id : joinvisam@gmail.com, neethusprakash@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Gold Medalist, B.Tech with 3.5 yrs experience in Thermal Gas Power Plant in LDO, HFO Pipeline Fabrication erection boiler banker turbine. GSM: 97025338 Email : warisheyat329@gmail.com Presently in Oman on visit visa.

Mechanical Engineer Indian male 6 yrs exp (3 yrs in GCC) seeking suitable placement in OIL & Gas sector. Have valid GCC D/L. Contact – 91228398 / msfebco@gmail.com Agriculture Engineer has 5 yrs experience in Landscaping, pest control and tenders in Oman.

Contact 93340641 Civil Engineer B Tech , Site engineer Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa Ph : 91642050 Civil Engineer with 2 yrs experience (structural design – construction works-instructor of structural design soft ware’s), computer literacy (ETAB-SAFE-AutoCAD-Primavera).

Contact 94634906 Sr. Site Supervisor (Civil) since March 2010 in Oman looking for better opportunity having Omani D/L (Release available).

Contact 93061107 27 yrs, Male, Diploma in Civil Engineering, 7 yrs exp, 05 yrs in Oman as Site Engineer. NOC available seeking a suitable placement immediately. Kindly contact 98925718 / 94619501.

Email: engineertanoli@gmail.com Sudanese Engineer, computer and network engineering, 7 yrs experience work in Oman 3 yrs.

Contact 9916606 / 96272760 Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Sudanese Electrical Engineer working as a project manager in Oman for 2 yrs total experience, 5 yrs driving and Muzoon CEP license.

Contact 91473717

Indian Male, 25 yrs M.Sc Tech applied Geology, presently on visit visa seeking for Geologist job.

Contact 94076379, email: yasiralig786@gmail.com Pakistani Male, 32 yrs, MBA Marketing, 6+1 experience in Sales/ Marketing/Business Development having valid Omani Driving License looking for suitable placement.

Contact 95492039, shahid.mood@gmail.com BE Mechanical, 9 yrs experience in Sales & Business Development, Oil & Gas equipments like pumps etc.

Contact 91139771 Indian, B Tech Electrical & Electronics, 5 yrs exp in India. On visit visa in Oman. Looking for suitable opening in Oman. Available for immediate placement. Contact 97879255. mail1605unni@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian Male, 24 yrs with 1+ yrs Indian experience (Certified in Quantity Survey/Primavera/AutoCAD) looking for a suitable position, available in Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on visit visa. Contact 91303860, email: mdayubmak@gmail.com Jordanian Engineer Electrical 7 yrs exp. Consulting, site & shop drawing works. Ready to join immediately.

Worked in UAE & Saudi Arabia.

Contact - 00971555594733 Indian male, 24 yrs, diploma in Electronics, 2 yrs experience in Sales, with Oman, D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 93195828, 99312081 Civil Engineer B Tech, Site Engineer Experienced, Drafting on Visit Visa Ph : 91642050 Sudanese Mechanical Engineer, 3 yrs experience as Sit Engineer, HVAC System, and driving license, easy to transfer immediately.

Contact 91135140 B.E Civil 5 yrs exp (2 yrs in India) 2 yrs Oman & 1 year in Qatar. Salary expected RO.500/- above.

Contact - 94412557 Electrical Engineer, 9 yrs GCC exp in Electrical Projects with valid Omani D/L, NOC available can join immediately. Contact 99148940 Email : jobluk.om@gmail.com.

B.Tech Chartered Electrical Engineer from India with 4 years experience in various electrical projects, core strength in designing power scheme layouts, estimations, BOQs, execution, commissioning, testing etc. Contact 94638744, 96473165, email : ceng.shaz@gmail.com CAPTAIN-All Type Tankers Unlimited (Ind/UK) + STCW Certification + 19Yrs experience and 3.5Yrs as Captain LPG/ OilChem with MNC SEEKS JOB at OMAN in PORT DEVELOPMENT/ DRYDOCK/ MARINE SUPDT./ MOORING MASTER. Visiting MUSCAT 25 Dec ~ 5 Jan shall be available for interview. Contact mstmariner@gmail.com or +968 99476560

MISCELLANEOUS Welder 6g 3g, Gulf Experienced Ph : 97103168

INFORMATION TECH 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 Female , B Tech, Software Professional 2 yrs exp in Oracle,SQL,Database,.Net and I yr exp in Teaching Ph : 94550127 Indian Male 23 yrs – IT / Prepost Sales Consultant / Business Analyst / 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:shrihari26@gmail.com Indian male, 23 yrs, having 1 yr experience in IT hardware & networking & 3 months in Oman, currently on visit visa, qualification B.Sc Electronics CCNA, MCITP, RHCE. ph : 92089719 Email : sujithvijayan119@gmail.com, Dual expertise – programming / networking, Indian male, 25 yrs, B.E, Computer Science, CCNA, certified, 2 yrs experience in programming, databases, server / network support & administration. Contact 91770547, mudassirdf@gmail.com Indian male, 24 yrs Post Graduate, MCA Certified in Microsoft MCSE, MCSE-Messaging, EMC 2 seeking for job in IT field, 1 yr Indian experience as CCTMS Trainer, TCS Control Staff under Ministry of Home Affairs Project, India. Contact 98649167, email- rahulsathyagairairadhika@ gmail.com Omani citizen searching job in the field of computers especially in data base professional in operating SQL, D/SQL FORMGT report.

Contact - 96977368 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, vaseemj@yahoo.com Female, B Tech (Software Professional), Oracle SQL .NET Database, Experienced (Teaching & Engg) Ph: 94550127 IT Prof, MCA having 6+ yrs exp, seeks suitable position.

Contact 94543668

HOSPITALITY 21 yrs experienced in Hotels and Hospitality business, 14 yrs worked in leading hotels in Oman looking for a suitable management position Hospitality Industry. Contact 93191659 / 99149131

B.Tech Indian Female, Electrical Engineer, 2 yrs experience in Kiriloskar Electric Co. & KSEB looking for suitable position.

Contact 94564078, Email: elnaj19@gmail.com Looking Part time Job in HVAC93198128

Welder 6g, 3g, Tig, KSA Experienced Ph : 97103168

Project Manager, Civil Engineer, Total Experience 5 Years, 4 Years in Oman. Construction Building Experience .Fluent Arabic, English and V. Good Hindi. Good in Excel and AutoCAD. Contact – 97858589

Logistics Officer, Experience in Store keeping. Contact : 99505934

Experienced female Electrical Engineer.Contact 93800906

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male Graduate with 20+ years of Administration, Operations & Management experience in IT, Oil & Gas & Hospitality Industry. 12 years in Oman with vast contacts, very strong management, operational, communication and interpersonal skills, can handle any size of business and projects whether it’s in initial stage or established. Can join immediately. Local release available on request. Contact: 9906 4589 Indian male Graduate with 20+ years of Administration, Operations & Management experience in IT, Oil & Gas & Hospitality Industry. 12 years in Oman with vast contacts, very strong management, operational, communication and interpersonal skills, can handle any size of business and projects whether it’s in initial stage or established. Can join immediately. Local release available on request. Contact: 9906 4589 Looking for job, holding valid Oman Driving License, experience in food & beverage, McDonalds & Retail Starbucks Coffee, UAE. Working now as House Manager in HB Excellency house Muscat. Contact 93407470, email : sanjeevmulla@gmail.com 15 Years experienced Indian male with D/L, joinery gypsum partition, gypsum ceiling, interior fit outs and costing. Looking suitable placement.

Contact – 99632862 General Manager / working partner 20 years in Dubai adverting agency experience. Contact 93031168 Management Professional, expertise in team building operations, project management, leadership, writing on visit visa till 19th January 2015. Contact 93516436, email: dsouza.amit@gmail.com 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 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. Contact: jskanchan01@gmail.com , Gsm: 93826090

MEDICAL Indian male Pharmacist (B.Pharma) 5 1/2 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement in Muscat. NOC from the present employer available.

CONTACT +968 98525100 Indian female, B.Pharm, 12 yrs experience, MOH holder seeking immediate placement with NOC. Contact 99252636 Indian female Nurse, prometric passed, 64%. Contact 97916986, 96146016, 22068598

MISCELLANEOUS Pakistani male, 34, College 2 yrs, 2 yrs experience as Sales Representative, 3 yrs experience as Clerk / Office Assistant, 3 yrs experience as Salesman in Oman, Computer Skill : Excel, BUSY, ERP, languages known – English, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu. Contact 96763346

Indian Male, 22 yrs, B.Tech, Marine Engineer, presently on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 93191777, email: ask.akash@gmail.com

Autocad 3Dmax , Photoshop Ph : 97103168

Building Caretaker, Gulf exp, knows Arabic, Hindi Ph : 91218278 Indian Male, 39 yrs having Degree in B.Sc Maths and Diploma in Supply Chain and Logistics with computer knowledge having 14 yrs experience in store keeping within that 5 yrs in Dubai seeking opportunities in store, logistics or office assistants.

Contact 96186573

Indian Female, Dentist fresher looking for suitable placement.

Contact 98857686, email : drsumbulahmad@gmail.com Pharmacist-Indian female having MOH license looking for new opportunities. On family visa valid up to Aug 2016. Contact: 92247993 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

MECH./TECHNICAL Welder 6G, 3G, TIG, ARC, Fabrication, Gulf Exp Ph: 97103168

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Civil foreman maintenance D/L, 12 yrs in Oman, 2 yrs in Kuwait.

Contact 96405865, 99534138, India - +91 7589248550, +91 9464255409, email: sukhwinder9@yahoo.com

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian male, 44 yrs, experience 22 yrs office boy, job required, NOC available. Contact 96162171 Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298

SALES / MARKETING 15 years experience in Business Development , marketing, purchase – UAE & Oman-staff coordination, documentation, civil & technical maintenance, -valid GCC license-looking for working partnership or management post. Contact:91568362 / Email vpj555pem@gmail.com Sales Executive with driving license, 5 yrs experience in IT seeks job. Contact 94263243, website : www.gulzeb7.webs.com Indian Male, B.Tech E&I, 10 yrs experience in Sales, Procurement, BDM. 6 yrs Oman experience in Oil & Gas Sector. Seeking suitable placement. Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact 97233074 Indian male, 22 yrs, BBM Graduate looking for suitable job in sales/ marketing, currently on visit visa.

Contact 91757222, email : danishdani460@gmail.com Male, 35 yrs looking for a job for LTV driving having good experience of official field in UAE and Oman and good educated performance and Sales and Marketing experience. Spoken languages Hindi, English, Arabic.

Contact 93529686 Executive Post, MBA 14 years Experience in Multinational Groups in Marketing & Management. M.Z. 93190806.

Purchase Officer, B.Com, Graduate, Indian, total 9 yrs experience in construction field. NOC & release available. Contact 99188257.

Indian Male, MBA Marketing and IT, 1 yr experience currently on visit visa, age 24 yrs seeking suitable placement. Email: nithinsolamonbaby@gmail.com.

Contact 94541453 Male, 26 yrs, M.Com, last 1 yr & 9 months in sales with Oman Driving License seeking for sales job.

Contact 95116991 Sales & Marketing Indian male MBA (marketing & sales) business development experience at all levels of management. Currently on visit visa. Contact – 91272819 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 abhilash.pvrk@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 31 yrs Automobile Diploma with various exp. currently on visit visa, seeking suitable placement. Contact - 91044994 Filipino Accountant with 13 years working experience in the field of accounting looking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 94547323 Tunisian women looking for job, khnows english, frensh, Italian and arabic. Contact: 91171838 MECHANICAL ENGINEER (B Tech), Indian Mail, with NDT Level 2(ASNT), Autocad, Solidworks, 2 year above experience (as Mechanical Site Engineer and Design Engineer), Seeking suitable placement(on visit visa). Contact: 91591548, 00919447300022, Email: vishnu300022@gmail.com 3 Years experienced Administrative Executive seeking for Virtual Admin Opportunities. Can work for 6 hours/day from a virtual location for 100 RO/month. Call: 95811820 Indian Female, Graduate having good experience looking for suitable job. NOC available.

Contact 91774397 Indian male, 28 yrs in Civil Engineer (Diploma), 3 yrs experience in Gulf seeking suitable chances.

Contact 92063150 22 Indian Female, BCA (MCA), 4 Years’ Experience in Teaching, Training & Management of Office and Computer Applications, looking for suitable vacancy in the field of Teaching/IT/Office Management Contact – 94540768, Email – paipreethi01@gmail.com Indian Male Graduate 20 yrs in Oman, Accountant / Business Property Management seeking suitable position in Accounts / Administration working knowledge with TALLY. Valid Omani Driving License. Contact 99817183 28 years male, MBA in Marketing, 5 years experience in Marketing and Brand Promotion. On visit, looking for job. Contact: 96104833 Indian male 2 years experience in Light & Heavy motor vehicle Mechanic. Diesel & Petrol. Seek suitable placement Contact 99421537.

Indian Female 23 years M.Com Graduate on visit visa having four month experience as an Accountant in a company at Muscat. Looking for a suitable job. Immediately available for joining. Contact: 95846642, Email:shreedhanya916@gmail.com B.Tech. (Civil), 2 years experience in designing, and training corporate professionals in Dubai in software, presently working in India, seeks suitable job opening. madhunambiarm@hotmail.com

Indian Male, 7 yrs experience in building materials trading having Oman D/L, immediate release available. Contact 98676713

Manager Maintenance/Workshop/Purchase, 31 yrs. exp. in mechanical, electrical, electronics, parts fabrication, purchase dep’t, oman exp. 5yrs, have NOC, looking for job. Pls. contact pkv2k3@yahoo.com, 99331289

3 Years experienced Administrative Executive seeking for Virtual Admin Opportunities. Can work for 6 hours/day from a virtual location for 100 RO/month.

Call: 95811820

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.

D6

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

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

EVERY FRIDAY 2.00PM ON INDIA’S KAIRALI PEOPLE TV

● Worldwide ● Air Ticket ● Car Rental ● Holiday Packages ● Hotel Reservations ● Travel Insurance Call: 0096824790400, 0096898569830 Email: info@omanorienttravels.com

SITUATION WANTED Indian female, 34 yrs, B.A, B.Ed (S.S), DCA, Doing M.A by distance, having 6 yrs experience in School (5 yrs in Indian School, Oman).

Contact 98728700, 92458872 Indian female 24 yrs, MBA (finance) (1 year experience as administrator cum junior level accountant looking for suitable job & holding visiting visa. Contact 97481488, Email: ayeshaowasi12345@gmail.com Hotel Manager, Indian male, 25 years exp. in Budget & 3 Star Hotel, with Omani Driving License , Seeks Placement. NOC/Release Available. Contact: 99799774, Email: smoin_moinsb@yahoo.co.in Indian Female, IATA, BSc looking for suitable placement.#95514305.

Email-jitureshmi@gmail.com M. Sc. Medical lab technician (Prometric passed) having 6 years experience in India. Currently on visit, looking for a suitable placement. Please contact 97248144, samiullah_ar@yahoo.co.in.

10 yr GCC Exp Light duty driver (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING LICENSE) seeking job.

Contact : 97485952 , 91660291 Project Manager civil, Indian, seeking suitable placement, having 18 yrs exp (13 yrs in Oman) in tendering, contracting and managing projects, available with release.

Contact: 99244245, 95321251 Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 8+ years exp. in reputed companies, seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456. Email: muralimahdav77@gmail.com Indian male -39, Graduate 15 years experience in FMCG sales and marketing and logistics operations with valid driving license looking suitable placement. Contact 92090949 Mechanical Engineering Post Graduate with 10+ years work experience looking for a suitable immediate opening in construction, oil& gas, and other related companies, currently on visit visa.

Contact: 92975815 Indian Male 26years BCOM having 5years rich experience in Accounts and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact : 96897914340, 00919902200486 Email: sudhakaranchan06@gmail.com Indian male QA/QC Engineer-Civil (BE,ACQE)on visit visa, 10 years of experience in building construction projects in Qatar & U.A.E., holding valid GCC driving license.

Mobile: 93958533, E-mail: sheikhnavid@yahoo.com Indian Male 24 years, looking for a Suitable Job in Telecom / Networking. 1 year sales experience. MSc. Communications Engineering & Valid Driving license. Ph: 99027504.

Email: jackrprasad@yahoo.com BCA graduate, 2 years experience in JAVA and .NET development looking for a suitable job. Mob. 98395032.

For CV visit ‘http://muhammedswafuvan.weebly.com Indian male executive secretary having vast experience in Admin, Logistics & procurement well versed with computer .seek suitable placement. Contact: 99514286 Civil engineer B.E, Indian male, having 18 yrs exp 11 yrs in Oman, with valid D/L, seeking suitable placement release available.

Contact_95321251, 99244245, kader_fz99@yahoo.co.in

26,male, ACCA finalist, exp. upto finalisation of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, have 2 years exp. in accounts till finalisation and statutory audit, seeking fill time / part time job,GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com MBA & chemical Engineer having 20 yrs Purchase & Logistic experience in Petrochemicals & oil field seeking jobs in Oman/ Abudhabi/ Qatar/ SA .

Contact 97813849 Indian male 22 Yrs, diploma in fire & safety, special Trainings completed from Cochin Port Trust Fire Service & The Travancore-Cochin Chemicals Ltd searching for a suitable placement, now on visit visa, Contact No. 96722632 Indian Male 26 years B.Com having 5years rich experience in Accounts and Admin looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96897914340, 00919902200486, E mail: sudhakaranchan06@gmail.com Indian Male, 24 yrs, MBA in HR/ Marketing. More than 1 years experienced in retail Banking (Axis Bank) Presently in family visit in Oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 99892082 / 997 43 709 26,male, ACCA finalist, have professional experience up to finalization of accounts, statutory and internal audit, expertise in using tally and focus & oracle software, 2 years experience in accounts till finalization, seeking job, GSM-97654769,email idabdullah.nooralam@yahoo.com Indian Male 26 years BCOM having 5years rich experience in Accounts and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact: 96897914340, 00919902200486, E mail: sudhakaranchan06@gmail.com Operation Manager, Indian male, 30 yrs exp. In Front Office Hotel Industry with Omani driving license seeks placement.NOC / Release Available.

Contact - 99799774 Indian Male, B.COM, ICWA, CMA Australia, 24 years experience in finance, costing, accounts, internal audit. Valid Oman driving license.

NOC available. Can join immediately. Contact 97917136 Indian female M.A B.Ed. with One year three months teaching experience. Subject: English seeking for a better placement. Now working in Oman Contact: 93961142, 92184408 Email:anoopkesavan78@gmail.com.

Part- Time Accountant well versed with all accounting, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 B.Sc. Computer science graduate with CCNA certification and also with a working 2 years experience, looking for a suitable position in IT sector. Please contact: + 96892595819

Indian Male 23years B.E Electrical and Electronics Engineering having 1 year experience in Admin, Electrical Engineer, Electrical supervisor and Project Engineer looking for suitable placement. Contact : +96899682689, +91 8136994996.

Email: thalus09@gmail.com Indian Male, 22 years, B.Tech Mechanical (Fresher) from NIT, Calicut. Software skills – ANSYS, PRO-E Solid works. # 91294510 / 99437002, email: nsp1618@gmail.com Pakistani Male with 18 yrs of experience in GCC in Sales & Marketing, excellent English & Arabic speaking, NOC available, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 96383958 Diploma in Civil Engineering, Bangladeshi Male. Oman 5 yrs experience, seeks suitable placement. Contact 97140857 Indian female, well experienced in secretarial, administration, customer care & supervisory jobs.

5 years experience in Muscat.

Immediately available for joining.

Contact: 92139298 Civil draughtsman part time work for job mob: 96023726 20 years experience in Indian Air force with Mechanical Engineering diploma. 5 years in Administration 5 years experience in handling general engineering tool store management. 8 years in banking cash management service.

Contact 95451097. jacobsam2010@gmail.com Indian Male, Post graduate with experience as Document controller on visit seeking a suitable job.

Please contact 97248144. samiullah_ar@yahoo.co.in Indian Male having 10 years of Experience in Oman having Valid Omani Driving license working in Purchase Dept looking for a suitable position. Salary is negotiable. obarla313@gmail.com Mob: 92654817/ 97490313 B. Pharm, Indian Female, Oman MOH License holder, seeking job.

Email:shivallath@gmail.com Contact no: 99665183 Indian Male, 24 yrs, MBA in HR/ Marketing. More than 1 years experienced in retail Banking(Axis Bank) Presently in family visit in Oman seeking for a suitable placement. #99892082 /997 43 709 Experienced Salesman with 5 years experience vehicle looking for job.

Contact 93079087 Post Graduate with experience in sales and marketing on visit seeking a suitable placement. # 94562734,dyasaakhan@gmail.com Indian Experienced Driver, can work also as Salesman. looking for a suitable job Contact 99551310 Senior Accounts Professional, Indian Male, 35 years, M.Com, MBA (Fin) 8 years in Oman, with valid Oman D/L and NOC available.

Capable to handle accounts up to finalization. Contact 96023965

Diploma in Civil engineering, male, 5 yrs experience in Oman, worked as Site Engineer at Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company.

Beximco Engg Const Company, PHP Steel Mills Ltd seeking job urgently.

Contact 97140857

Indian Female 31, B.Com, TALLY having 6 years experience in Accounts department in Oman, seeking suitable placement.

Email: naibyjoshy@gmail.com, GSM: 92056034

Indian male 27year B.Com graduate 2year experience in marketing.

Looking for good placement in any field, since from 4year in Oman.

Contact 98765838

MBA in HR, 6+ years work experience in HR & Admin in MNC, Indian Female, 26, Good communications skills seeking suitable placement. Contact 97914669

ACC. AVAILABLE Male 25 Pakistani MA Economics/CAT.4 years experience in utility sector flexible to do any role in finance/HR & supply chain. https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=186570782.cell no 94626209

2 Bedroom flat for offices with furniture near Al Manaf Hotel, Ghala.

Contact 99525743, 99439705

MBA in HR, 6+ years work experience in HR & Admin in MNC, Indian Female, 26 Good communications skills seeking suitable placement. Contact 97914669

1 BR accommodation available at Rex Road, suitable for bachelors.

Contact 99889590

Male 30, 6 years Oman experience in Sales, Currently working with an UAE based Company operating in UAE and Oman Market with valid UAE and Oman D/L looking for suitable placement. Contact +968 91212407 (NOC not required) Diploma in civil Engineer, Male, 5 years experience in Oman as a Site Engineer, worked at Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company, JMB-1, 20 storied high rise building, Industrial building, sub-station, roads & highway at Indian Railway Construction Company, looking for suitable placement. #97140857 Fish farming and inland pond development, management and research 5 years plus 1 year experience in Oman, fisheries training manual development. +98698262184.

OPERATION MANAGER, Indian male, 30 yrs exp. In Front Office Hotel Industry with Omani driving license seeks placement.NOC / Release Available. #99799774 26 years Indian male with MBA & PGDFM, Total 3.4 years experience in Administration seeking suitable placement in Muscat. Holding Oman valid driving license.

Contact: 93359371, Indian Male, B.Sc Fashion & Apparel Design having 4+ yrs of experience (in Retail Sector as Designer-Visual Merchandising & Marketing) seeking suitable placement in any sections. Contact 94535866, Email: tomsjon@gmail.com Accountant, Indian male, 25 yrs, BBM CA, Computer proficiency: TALLY9, C+, 1 yrs Experience in Oman, Seeks suitable placements. mob: 97145531

Excellent 3 bedrooms , 2 sitting rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen & store with A/C. 92817777

MATRIMONIAL Parents of Christian girl (Roman Catholic),27yrs,fair,5.5”, from Kerala working in TCS, Bangalore as Systems Engineer seeks suitable alliances. Call: +968 92010215 / +968 99278649 Kerala Muslim boy, 26 yrs, MBA Finance working as Accounts Manager in Oman seeking suitable alliance. Contact 92193672

FOR HIRE

TRUCK FOR HIRE Isuzu 10 ton cargo body truck (2012 FVR) with UAE experienced driver available for long term / short term rent.

Contact: 95346950 JCB for hire. Contact 96399457, 96576685 Running truck wash for rent in Ouhi Sunia Sohar. Serious people can. Contact on 97864747 50 seater bus with PDO specification for rent or lease. # 99839898

BUSINESS

Parents of Christian Girl (Catholic / Cheramar) age 30 yrs, 5.4”, medium complexion from Ernakulum district, Kerala working in a reputed hospital in Muscat as Pharmacist seeking for suitable alliance.

Contact +91-9946510794 (Oman - +968 99066561) Christian Boy, 32 yrs Muscat Business looking for suitable alliance from reputed family.

Contact 98003111 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) Urdu speaking Sunni Muslim boy working as physiotherapist in MOH hospital seeking suitable bride. Cont: 93753655, Email: inayath777@yahoo.co.in

TRANSPORTATION Driver with car.

Contact 92179395 Pick & drop anytime in al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307 Transportation. Contact 98505294

Indian Male, 24 years old on visit visa, 3 years Diploma in Civil Engineering, 3 yrs experience.

Contact 98515106

Transportation available. Contact 97924934 Transportation. Contact 91379976

Indian Male, 22 years, B.Tech Mechanical (Fresher) from NIT Calicut, Software skills – ANSYS, PRO-E solid works.

Contact 91294510 / 99437002.

Email: nsp1618@gmail.com Pakistani male 32 years IT network + Computer Hardware professional A+ MCSE Termination Technician work Experience in Salalah airport.

10+ years experience in IT field and 2 years Oman working experience looking for a suitable placement contact no 96733205 Email faisalzaman24@gmail.com Indian Male, 23 years MBA (Marketing) (6 months experience as a Sales and Operation Officer looking for suitable job. Contact 99106181, Email: akram8145@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Indian Female, having one year experience in Quantity Survey, also knows AutoCAD, primavera etc seeks placement.

Contact 91690345 IT software professional looking for a suitable position in Desktop/Web application development. Visit www. muhammedswafuvan.weebly.com for more details. Reach me on (+968) 98395032.

Transportation with car & driver.

(VIP’s only). Contact 95040768 Transportation. Contact 93425167 Pick & Drop any time. contact 97014786 Transportation. Contact 99664703 Transportation. Contact 99508282 Transportation available 99159277 Transportation. Contact 96538078 Transportation Available Contact 97180655

BUSINESS We assist in new business set up local sponsorship, real estate services, assist in company formation services. Contact - 93166088

Licensed Engineering Consultancy (Chemical) Company looking for International or local partners to start operations in Oman. For enquiries call 99264162 Wanted dentist or investor to buy a well-running dental clinic in Sohar immediately. Contact 92625962, 95904234 Omani National looking for expat investing partner in Restaurant in Al Amerat. Infrastructure almost ready. Jamal Adan Trading.

Contact 98711083, email : faisal.patel0038@gmail.com

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

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact98029602, 92808636

RENT A CAR

M.V. FOR SALE

Pathfinder silver 2008, Gulf, full option, No.1, in very good condition.

Contact 91376619 Peugeot partner 2011 model, serviced only at authorized dealer for sale. Interested parties please call 91405549. Expected price RO 2000 (negotiable).

For sale, Ashok Leyland Bus, 66 seater, white color, model 2012.

Contact 99413089, 99235411 For sale, Nissan X-trail, white color, model 2009. Contact 99413089, 99235411 Hyundai Santafe-2.4 GL model-2012, km-73000, dealer service.

Contact 99444341 & 99352790 Pajero 3.8 v6 full option, 2008 model expat driven single owner, excellent condition, accident free, 217k.

Contact - 92590781 Lexus IS 250, model 2007, good condition. Contact 95530560

NRI

Renault Safrane, model-2010 kms100000, full option, good condition. price-2900/- negotiable CONTACT-97881927 Lexus GS300, 2006 for sale.

Contact 93218349 Prado 2010 full automatic 80,000 km. excellent condition, RO 11,900/-. Contact 95573638

M.V.WANTED Required Nissan Tida / Toyota yaris / Suzuki swift / hyundai/Kia hatchback car in good condition.

Contact 95405033

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

10 cent (404.7m2) residential land for sale at kalamassery (kochi) for immediate sale contact Biny 95298395 3 BHK furnished apartment at Marine Drive, Kochi with 4 sea facing balconies & interior decoration for sale, price 1.85 Cr. (negotiable).

Interested parties please call 99754109 or +917025233980, email : porus2009@gmail.com Villa for sale 2200 sq ft in 8 cent.

Kottayam. Contact: 92652534 For Astrological consultation, Jathakam. Contact: 99860435 / 97102599

DRIVING

D8

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

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

WEBSITE

CLASSES

Al Manar Vocational pleased to announce at vocational short and long term courses in tailoring, cooking and internal design. Contact us now : 24698070 or 91144335

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

COMPUTER

GOOD NEWS

Split & window AC servicing and repairing. Contact 99557080 Window & split unit AC servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476

Contact: 91262820 / 96458007

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. # 24793614/ 99314807 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. 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

BEAUTY Varkey’s Gents Salon & Spa – Offer 25% on all spa facilities like hamam spa, massages with steam bath, Jacuzzi, aroma therapy, pedicure & manicure, facial treatments. Contact 92935679

Pest Control Treatments!!!

Termites! Cockroaches! Bedbugs!

Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99344723 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722 Door to Door Computers repair specialist laptop software Website cartridges. Contact 99199376 A.M Trading Pest control.

Contact 99067923

Civil maintenance, electrical & plumbing work. Contact 99557080, 96236476 Building Caretaker, Gulf Experienced, knows Arabic, Hindi English Ph : 94304348 For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric. Contact.

99002390 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Catering services We do industrial catering service, Canteen/ mess, 3 times packed meals, and all types of catering events.

Contact 92188777/ 99249899 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir AlRizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

GULF INTERNATIONAL LLC all kind of pest control.

Contact 92326955

For HT cable jointing and termination works 33KV/11KV. Contact 99056438 / Email: npgoman@gmail.com

Window & split unit A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476

House shifting transport. Contact 99657644, 98518013

Civil Maintenance, Painting Electric, Plumbing, Decor, Tile Fixing, Lecithin Copra Board flat stifling , Carpet Cleaning and A/C Servicing.Contact 97897831 (Indian keralite)

For All Your Maintenance Solutions, A/c Servicing & Fixing, Painting, Cleaning, Electric. Contact 99002390

Split & window A/C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089

Waterproofing, light weight Screed, Antitermite and MS Fabrication.

Contact 92888337

For all your maintenance needs including, Painting, Plumbing, Electricity, Laying of Interlock Tiles, Marbles etc. Tel: 99383574 Mr. Chandran

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815

Electrical Plumbing Painting Contract and Maintenance.

Contact 98456535

PRO services. Contact 99368907 Fast & Right Way - For all PR related works – permanent Visa stamping, family visiting visa holders, clients contacts – with NOC letter with signed & sealed photocopy documents – Contact: 91568362

MANPOWER

Painting Interlock plumbing maintenance. Contact 92142319 Carpet & Sofa Shampooing. Ocean Centre LLC. Contact 99884591 Maintenance – 1) A/C Maintenance, 2)fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, 3)painting & cleaning services, 4)electrical & plumbing carpentry work.

Contact 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability